1847. J New or Little Known Species of Birds. 433 



familiar in Europe ; the upper-parts being uniform greenish-olive, with 

 strongly marked dusky streaks on the crown, and slight dark centres 

 to the dorsal feathers; and the breast-spots are very broad and black. 

 A specimen from Nepal exhibits the summer plumage, having the 

 upper-parts much paler and fulvescent, with the dark centres to the 

 feathers considerably more developed ; and the breast-spots are less 

 intense and Thrush-like.* 



A specimen shot out of a flock by the river-side, by the memorable 

 battle-field of Palasi (Plassey), is perhaps distinct : the bill is larger ; the 

 general size above the average of A. trivialis ; and there is much more 

 of the dusky colour on the dorsal feathers (it being broader on each in- 

 dividual feather) ; but the plumage is considerably worn and abraded. 

 The following description was taken of it when fresh. Length six inches 

 and a half, by eleven inches ; wing three and a half; tail two and three- 

 quarters ; bill to gape eleven-sixteenths of an inch ; tarse three-quarters ; 

 hind-claw five-sixteenths, f Irides dark: bill dusky above, sullied 

 carneous below ; feet light brownish-carneous. The ensemble of the 

 upper-parts of this specimen differs much from either that of the nuptial 

 or non-breeding dress of ordinary arboreus ; but I suspect it is merely 

 the former, that had not been cast at the usual moulting period, but 

 retained till the month of February, becoming proportionately abraded. 



2. A. Iiichardi, Vieillot. This species must be very common in 

 Lower Bengal, from the number occasionally brought and sold for 

 * Ortolans' in the Calcutta bazar, especially after the season for Calan- 

 drella br achy dactyl a has passed, and even so late as May : but in the 

 few excursions which I have made, I have never chanced to fall in with 

 them at all plentifully. Those I have observed and shot have been 

 chiefly in cultivated land, and they not unfrequently perch on the sum- 



* Since the above was written, Capt. Boys has favoured the Society with a specimen 

 from N. VV. India, which I at once recognized as the European Tree Pipit; of which 

 latter a specimen has been received more recently from England. The common Indian 

 bird has the upper-parts very nearly as plain as those of Seiurus auricapillus, and of the 

 same hue ; the under-parts bting equally Thrush-like, but tinged with fulvous. 1 have 

 kept the European bird in confinement for year?, and regularly noticed its vernal and 

 autumnal changesjf plumage. -*-lt seems that Mr. Gray has described the ordinary Indian 

 Tree Pipit, in his ' Zoological Misceilany,' as A. macutatus et A. brevivostris, Hodgson. 



t Among the admeasurements of several individuals of the common species, 1 find one 

 precisely agreeing with the above, and others nearly approximating. 



3 L 



