18G0.] Proceedinys of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 107 



The Dhcíyal (Copsycíius saitlaris) is common, and differs in nore- 

 spect from that of Bengal and of India generally, as distinguished from 

 the larger race of W. Malasia ; but tbe Sháma (Kitt aginóla albi- 

 venteis, nobis,) has much the appearance of being a fertile hybrid 

 between K. maceotteiis and Copsychtjs sattlaeis .! In several spe- 

 cimens of it, however, I can detect no variation whatever, ñor transí- 

 tional examples variously intermediate ; and the female more nearly 

 resembles the male than in K. maceoubus. I have a fine healthy 

 pair of the Andamán Sháma alive, and the male is a fair songster, 

 with sorae very deep notes alternating with some shrill and verj- 

 Dháyal-like notes ; and, so far as I have heard as yet, the song is 

 more broken ordelivered in snatches, like that of the Dháyal, or less 

 oontinuous than in the common Sháma. The bird is also rather 

 larger, with the bilí somewhat larger in proportion ; but I doubfc 

 if any practised ornithologist would hesitate about classing it in 

 Kittacincla rather than in Copsychtjs. There is a third Sháma, with 

 a whitehead (as I am informed),in Borneo (K. Stiucklandi, Mottley 

 and Dillvvyn) ; and a fourth species exisfcs in K. luzoniensis, (Kit- 

 tlitz), of the Philippines. The female of the Andamán Sháma is of 

 a duller colour than the male, especially on the wings and breast, 

 which latter is glossless black ; tail also shorter ; and the legs in 

 both sexes are carneous. 



Of reptiles, the marine Testudinata of the Bay occur of course ; 

 but we have only received a very large skull of the common É Logger- 

 bead' Turtle (Caouana oliyacea), a species which is common towards 

 the mouths of the Gangetic streams, and is often eaten here for the 

 true edible Turtle (restricted Chelonia) ; and here I may remark 

 that I once received a young living ' Hawk's bilí' or tortoise-shell 

 producing Turtle (Caeetta imbricata) from the interior of the 

 Sundarbáns, which I kept alive for many months in fresh water. 

 The ' Loggerhead' skull from the Andamáns measures 8| in. long, 

 inclusive of occipital projection, and 4f in. in extreme breadth. 



Of the Loricata or Crocodiles, it does not appear that any have 

 yet been observed about the islands. 



Of Varanidce, a Hydrosauuus quite similar to one before received 

 from the Nicobar group. I can perceive no difíerence from the 

 common II . salvatok, (Laurenti) v. Vararais bivitiatus, (Kuhl), in 



p 2 



