464 Notices and Descriptions of various [May, 



such a feature would detract from its undoubted near affinity for 

 Syrnium, to which genus Mr. Gray even refers it.* 



The other Indian species of Bulaca, which is currently (but by no 

 means satisfactorily) referred to Strix sinensis, Lath., is beautifully con- 

 nected in the same group with B. indranee by the intervention of the 

 Malayan B. seloputo, (Horsf.), v. payodarum, (Tern.) 



With regard to Syrnium nivicolum, XIV, 185, XV, 9, I find that it 

 has a fulvous phase and a non-fulvous phase of plumage, correspond- 

 ing to what obtain in S. aluco ; but the dark markings are always much 

 deeper-coloured in the European species, and mottle the plumage more 

 uniformly and more minutely ; the black being much more predominant 

 on the upper-parts, and without producing any streaky appear ance. The 

 ground-hue of the lower-parts is quite white in some specimens, deep 

 fulvous in others, but in all is mottled similarly with dull black. 



Genus Bucco, Lin. There are several allied species of small Barbets 

 which require discrimination. 



1. B. indicus, Lath. One of the commonest birds of India generally, 

 but I have not yet seen it from Ceylon, where it is replaced by one of 

 its affines ; on the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal, I have seen it 

 from Arracan, the Tenasserim provinces, and Malayan peninsula 

 (where it seems rare) ; so that it may also be the B. philippensis of 

 Raffles' s list of Sumatran birds, which, he remarks, " does not appear 

 to be different from the B. indicus" 



2. B. philippensis, Lin. : B. rubricollis (?), Cuv. This has been gene- 

 rally confounded with the preceding species ; but (from the description) 

 it should differ in wanting the black on the crown and sides of the 

 neck. Dr. Horsfield includes it in his catalogue of the birds of Java. 



3. B. rubric apillus, Gmelin ; founded on the " Red-crowned Barbet" 

 of Brown's * Illustrations.' On comparing four specimens of a small 

 Barbet from Ceylon with Brown's most wretched figure, I have no 

 doubt that they are of the species meant to be represented ; in which 

 case Brown must have yot up his coloured drawing from a much in- 

 jured skin. This Ceylon bird differs from B. indicus in having its throat, 

 and above and below the eye, orange-yellow, instead of sulphur-yellow ; 



* In his Catalogue of Mr. Hodgson's specimens presented to the British Museum, 

 I am glad to see that Mr. Gray also refers H. newarensis, Hodgson, to Striae indranee of 

 Sykes. 



