1854.] A Monograph of Indian Phylloscopi. 481 



by Mr. G. E. Gray (in 1 841) as typical of Phyllopneuste, — or in 

 Phylloscopus, Boie (1826), of which M. trochilus is cited as 

 typical. In M. Degland's ' Ornithologie Europeenne' (1849), M. 

 hippolais, L., with three European congeners is referred to Hippo- 

 lais, Brehm (1828), the typical species being termed H. poly- 

 glotta, (Vieillot) ; and M. trochilus and its congeners are assigned 

 to Phyllopneuste. An older name than Hippolais, Brehm, 

 occurs, however, in Eicedula, Koch (1816), which is adopted by 

 Dr. E-iippell for the Pouillots* and by Dr. Schlegel for both 

 groups ;t but it is faulty as implying these birds to be fig-eaters 

 (or Beccaficos), whereas all of the series are exclusively insectivorous, 

 and in no way to be confounded with the highly frugivorous 

 Eauvettes.J 



In former papers, we followed Mr. Gray's arrangement, but with 

 this error, that certain Indian species were assigned to Phyllop- 

 neuste apud Gray (v. Hippolais, Brehm) ; whereas upon referring 

 to the characters of this genus, as specified by M. Degland, we find 

 that we had misapprehended it, and incline now to suspect that with 

 it should be united the divisions Culicipeta, nobis, and Abrornis, 

 Hodgson. 



In a series of 22 species actually before us, excluding Regulus, 

 we observe that one only, the European Phylloscopus sibilatrix 

 (type of Sibilatrix, Kaup), is remarkable for the comparative 

 great length of its wings ; whereof the first primary is minute 

 and the second is nearly as long as the third. In all the rest, the 

 small first primary is considerably less diminutive, and the second 

 is much shorter than the third : the proportions varying, however, 

 to some extent, and the wing being more or less rounded in different 



* Systematische uebersicht der voyel nord-ost Afrika's (1845), p. 57. 

 f Revue Critique des Oiseaujc d' Europe (1844), pp. xxv,-vi. 

 % The four European species described by M. Degland under Hippolais are as 

 follow : — 



1. H. pot.yglotta; Motacilla hippolais, L. ; Sylvia polyylotta, Vieillot: H. 

 salicaria, Bonap. 



2. H. icterina ; Sylvia icierina, Vieillot (nee Temminck) : £. hippolais apud 

 Temminck, Manuel, 2nd edit., (1820). 



3. H. olivetorum ; Sylvia olivetorum, Strickland. 



4. H. elaica ; Salicaria claica, Lindermayer : Ficedula ambigna, Schlegel. 



3 S 



