1845.1 or little known species of Birds. 191 



mage from one to the other of these species, and also one or two in the 

 pure affinis plumage ; from which I infer that where found together 

 in the same locality, they not unfrequently interbreed, and tend to 

 merge into a single blended race. It may be further remarked that I 

 have never seen an example of true C. affinis with the broad terminal 

 purple band to the tail, which distinguishes the adult C. indica ; but 

 I have seen this imperfectly developed in the mixed race, which latter 

 has also commonly the fore-part of the under surface of the wing in- 

 termingled purple and verditer. On the western side of India, the C. 

 garrula was obtained, together with C. indica, by Sir A. Burnes 

 in the Moultan ; and both this and Merops apiaster are common in 

 Afghanistan. Whether the C. indica and C. garrula likewise in- 

 termix, remains to be ascertained.* 



Woodpeckers. Of the species of this group noticed in J. A. S. XII, 

 998 et seq., I have now to remark, that P. (Gecinus) viridanus 

 would seem to be the P. dimidiatus of the Diet. Class., though not of 

 Hardwicke and Gray ; P. occipitalis, Vigors, should be termed barbats, 

 Gray (if it be not affinis of Raffles), as there was previously a P. occipi- 

 talis, Valenciennes ; P. nipalensis, Gray, may, I think, be safely refer- 

 red to P. chloropus, Vieillot, as I before suggested - )* ; P. ( Chrysoco- 

 laptes) melanotus, nobis (p. 1005, and XIII, 394,) v. P. Ellioti, 

 Jerdon, is decidedly the P. goensis, Gm., founded on the Pic vert de 

 Goa of Daubenton; and P. (Chr.J strictus of Horsfield, v. sultaneus, 

 Hodgson, v. strenuus, Gould (noticed in Proc. Zool, Soc. 1839, p. 165, 

 and also in Dr. Royle's list of birds from the neighbourhood of Saharun- 

 pore, though never, I believe, described by this name), which has been 

 commonly referred to P. goensis, must retain the name strictus, Horsf. : 

 lastly, having obtained a Malacca specimen of Microcolaptes abnormis, 

 Tern. (p. 1005), I am enabled to confirm my former suspicion of the 

 near affinity of Sasia ochracea, Hodgson, which, though distinct as 

 a species, is most closely allied to M. abnormis. M. ochraceus is com- 

 mon in the hill ranges of Assam, Sylhet, and Arracan, being generally 

 seen hopping from twig to twig of bushes or low branches of trees, 

 though occasionally climbing like an ordinary Woodpecker. 



* Two specimens just received from Gow-hatti f Assam; were both pure C. affinis ; 

 while three others from the neighbouring district of Kungpore were unmixed C. 

 indica. 



f This bird makes a near approach in structure to P. ( Dendrobates ) immaculatus, 

 Sw. (received from the Cape) : accordingly, it would appear that Dendrobates. is 

 scarcely, if at all, separable from Gecinus. 



