294 Notices and Descriptions of various New [No. 17*2. 



viz. Ph. pectorale (Muscicapa pectoralis, A. Hay, Madr. Journ. No. 

 XXXI, 1.61,) and Ph. plumosum (vide p. 10, ante) : this is a genus which 

 I had long instituted in MS., when I found that I had been anticipated in 

 publication by Mr. Eyton. 



Dicrurida. Drongos, or ' King Crows.' A very distinct group, 

 one marked character of which is to have constantly but ten tail-fea- 

 thers. An attempt was made to reduce the synonymes of the Asiatic 

 species in XI, 799 et seq.; and Mr. Strickland made a further attempt 

 in the Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1844, p. 36. Mr. G. R. Gray, again, 

 has more recently tried his hand at the whole series of them, and 

 he adds the genera Artamus and Irena to his Ampelida Dicrurince, in 

 which I cannot think of following him. The generic subdivisions I 

 would retain the same as formerly. 



1 . Chibia hottentota ; Corvus hottentotus, Lin. : Edolius barbatus, Gray ; 

 E. crishna, Gould ; Criniger splendens, Tickell ; Chibia casia, Hodgson. 

 Common in Bengal, Nepal, Assam, Sylhet, and in Central India ; rarer in 

 Arracan ; and partially distributed in S. India. This beautiful bird is re- 

 markable for the arched form of its bill, which is high and carinate at 

 base, and attenuates gradually to a point, with scarcely a trace of emargi- 

 nation. It has a frontal crest of a few hair-like stems, which hang over 

 the nape ; and its outermost tail-feathers are very much twisted over, 

 forming a singular ornament. 



2. Chaptia <enea, (Vieillot) : Dicrurus ceratus, Stephens; Ch. muscipe- 

 toides, Hodgson : Butchanga of the Bengallees. This beautiful species 

 resembles the last in the character and lustre of its feathers, but has 

 the general form of a Flycatcher. It is a loud and very respectable 

 songster. Inhabits India generally. 



3. Ch. malayensis, A. Hay. Very similar to the last in plumage, but 

 the size inferior, the tail much less deeply forked, the bill deeper, and a 

 considerable development of the peculiar crest impending its base, of the 

 next species. Lord Arthur Hay will describe it more particularly in the 

 '. Madras Journal.' From Malacca. 



4. Bhringa remifer, (Tern.) : Bh. tectirostris, Hodgson ; Edolius 

 rangonensis apud Horsfield, from Assam. This is peculiarly a hill 

 species, common in the eastern Himalaya, and extending to the moun- 

 tains of Assam, Sylhet, and Arracan. It much resembles the preceding 

 in the general character and lustre of its plumage, but has a nearly 



