1843.] Asiatic Society. 167 



the rank of a particular subgenus : the former is comparatively slender and elongated, 

 having the basal three-fifths membranous and tumid, and the corneous extremity 

 feeble ; and the toes also are slender, and not broadened underneath. The specimen 

 described was purchased alive, and was said to have been brought from Agra; but some 

 shikarees to whom 1 shewed it decidedly recognised the species, at once remarking on 

 the peculiarity of its note, and said that it is procurable in the Soonderbuns. Its coo 

 is extremely remarkable, bearing no slight resemblance to the human voice in sing- 

 ing, and highly musical in tone ; it is considerably prolonged in different cadences, 

 and terminates very abruptly ; but every time it is repeated exactly as before, so that 

 it becomes wearisome, at least to an European ear*. This bird was sold to me as 

 the KoJcla Pigeon of the Upper Provinces, great numbers of which are kept in 

 cages by the natives, for the sake of their music ; but enquiry has led me to ascertain 

 that V. sphenura is the true Kokla of the Upper Provinces, whereas in Bengal this 

 term is applied to V. bicincta, Jerdon, both of these species differing from the common 

 Hurrial (V. militaris) by having coral-red legs instead of gamboge-yellow ones, which 

 is generally mentioned as the distinctive feature of the Kokla; the V. bicincta, how- 

 ever, has a less musical, or at least less varied, note than the Hurrial. The coo of the 

 latter, if such it can be called, consists of a melodious deep toned whistling note, 

 varied by a guttural sound ; and those who are unacquainted with it would be apt to 

 mistake it for the note of a true singing bird : that of V. bicincta is equally melodious, 

 but less prolonged as well as less varied. I know of only the two last-named species 

 of this genus in the vicinity of Calcutta, f 



With much respect, I remain, Sir, 



Yours obediently, 



Edward Blyth. 



P.S.-r-ks the foregoing Report is very brief, I shall take this opportunity to revise 

 my previous Reports to the Society, commencing with Vol. X, p. 836. 



Page 837. Orang-utans. Important information on these animals has been com- 

 municated by Mr. James Brooke, respecting those of Borneo, in a letter to the 

 Curator of the Zoological Society, published in the • Proceedings' of that body for 

 July 13th, 1841. That gentleman has satisfactorily confirmed the deductions of Mr. 

 Owen from certain crania, to the effect that at least two, and there is every reason to 

 suppose three, distinct species exist, all of which inhabit the island of Borneo. 



One, the Mias Kassar % or Pithecus Morio of Owen, is distinguished by its inferior 

 size, by the non-gigantic proportions of its extremities, by the absence of callosities on 

 the cheeks at all ages and in both sexes, by the small size of its teeth, and especially 

 by having no elevated ridge whatever extending backward beyond the frontal bones 

 of the skull. The nearly perfect skeleton of a female Orang in the Society's Museum 

 appertains to this species. 



* It scarcely differs, if at all, from the note of V. sphenura, which I have since heard. 



t In a letter just received from Mr. Jerdon, that naturalist enquiries whether I have ever obtained 

 the grey-bellied Vinago, figured as militaris by Gould ? Certainly, Gould's species is the common 

 Hurrial of Bengal ; but I have also obtained one female which I now think is distinct, being pro- 

 bably the V. militaris apud Jerdon. This bird has the whole under-parts bright green, but not any 

 of this colour on the basal part of its caudal rectrices, and there is also scarcely a trace of red on its 

 lower tail-coverts. Size rather inferior to that of the other. It may bear the specific name of 

 chlorigaster. 



