1846.] or Little Known Species of Birds. 309 



other closely allied species. In the Malayan bird, the under tail- 

 coverts reach quite to the end of the tail ; while in /. indica, A. Hay, 

 they are never less than an inch and a quarter short of the tail-tip 

 in the males, and generally an inch and a half short in the females. 

 I have verified this observation upon so many examples from both 

 regions, that there can be no doubt of the fact ; and the Arracan 

 Irena, and I think also the Tenasserim one, are identical with that 

 of India. A third beautiful species (I. cyanogastra, Vig.), from the 

 Philippines, has been recently figured by Mr. G. R. Gray. 



Pericrocotus, Boie : Phcenicomis, Swainson ; Acts, Lesson. This 

 genus has been approximated by Mr. Swainson and others to the 

 Grauculince ; but the affinity is not particularly close. The follow- 

 ing species are comprehended — 



1. P. miniatus, (Tem) Malay countries. ( Non vidij. 



2 P. speciosus ; Turdus speciosus, Lath. : Muscipeta princeps, 

 Vigors and Gould. Himalaya, hill ranges of Central India, and 

 sparingly those of South India; common in Arracan, and extends 

 southward to the Malayan peninsula. A few visit Lower Bengal in 

 the cold season. 



3. P.flammeus ; Muscicapa flammea, Forster, figured in Pennant's 

 ' Indian Zoology/ also in Swainson's Illustrations, and more recently 

 by Mr. Jerdon : M. subflava, Vieillot ; Phcenicornis elegans, (?) 

 McClelland and Horsfield, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 156; August Flycatcher of 

 Latham, but the preceding species also referred to. Hab. South India 

 and Ceylon. The description and unpublished figure of P. elegans, 

 from Assam, would seem to indicate this species of Southern India. 



4. P. brevirostris ; Muscipeta brevirostris, Vigors and Gould. 

 Himalaya, and more sparingly the hill ranges of Central and Southern 

 India. 



5. P. igneus, nobis : Malayan P. flammeus, auctorum, and pro- 

 bably of Temminck, p. c. 263.* Size smal),/barely larger than P. 

 peregrinus, the wing measuring but two inches and seven-eighths, 

 and the rest in proportion ; bill to gape five-eighths, and tarse nine- 

 sixteenths of an inch- Colour as in P. speciosus, except that the outer 

 tail-feathers are less deeply red, and the wing-band is proportionally 



* If this be the Muse, flammea of Dr. Horsfield's Javanese list, it would account 

 for his describing what appears to be the true flammea from Assam, by another 

 name. 



