170 Notices and Descriptions of various [May, 



(much more so than is represented in Horsfiekl's figure, in the ' Zoolo- 

 gical Researches in Java') ; and the expansion and curvature is accord- 

 ingly exhibited by the two middle feathers, instead of the outermost 

 as in the Drongos. 



Stumia dominicana, XIII, 363. The species described under this 

 head stands now as St. Btythii, (Jerdon.) " Pastor dominicanus, 

 auct.," writes Mr. Strickland, " is synonymous with Tardus stuminus, 

 Pallas, also T. dauricus, Pallas, and Pastor malayensis, Eyton ;" de- 

 scribed in XV, 35. " St. elegans (Lesson)," XV, 364, adds Mr. Strick- 

 land, "is certainly Oriolus sinensis, Gmelin, founded on PI. Enl. 617 :" 

 it would therefore now stand as St. sinensis : and I may add that St. 

 pagodarum, (Gmelin, 1/88,) has for a synonyme the Turdus melano- 

 cephalus, (Bahl, 1792,) as noticed in XV, 6. 



Genus Ploceus, XIII, 945. The males of the three Indian species, 

 after the breeding season, assume the colouring of their females by a 

 change of plumage ; and resume their bright colours by a partial change 

 of plumage at the commencement of the hot season, or during March. 

 The little Amaduvat (Estrelda amandava) also moults twice in the 

 year, and in like manner assumes the female livery after the breeding 

 season. This is well known of the Whidahs (genus Vidua.) 



Passer indicus, Jardine and Selby, XIII, 946. As compared with 

 the common European Sparrow (many specimens of each), the Indian 

 common Sparrow has, perhaps, on trie average, rather a shorter wing ; 

 the rufous predominates more on its upper-parts, and is brighter ; the 

 lower-parts are much whiter ; and the ear-coverts are of an uniform 

 subdued white. The females and young, also, are altogether consider- 

 ably paler, both above and below : but the markings of both sexes are 

 identical in the two races. It may be noticed that a tendency to exhibit 

 the same differences is distinctly observable in P. montanus of the 

 respective regions, which, of course, is in favour of the opinion that they 

 truly are climatal varieties of the same. In habits, notes, and colouring 

 of the eggs, there is no difference whatever between the European and 

 Indian common Sparrows. 



Ligurinus xanfhogramma, (G. R, Gray.) In the ' Zoology of the 

 Voyage of H. M. S. Beagle,' Mr. G. R. Gray has figured and described 

 two species of Greenfinch (Liyurinus, Brisson), by the names Ch/oro- 

 spiza melanodera and Chi. xanthogramma ; the former from East 



