294 A Contribution to Malayan Ornithology. [No. 4, 



and broadly margined pale) ; the breast is unspotted and the vent 

 distintly barred with dark brown. The cheek including the lores, 

 superciliaries and a stripe somewhat extending behind the eye on 

 the neck are spotted with crimson ; the bill is slightly more atten- 

 uated than in the other specimen, but the size of the two birds 

 is almost exactly the same ; wing 4f" ; tail 2\" ; bill at front nearly 

 £ * ; from gape 1£"; tarsus f-". This second specimen perfectly 

 agrees in the red colouring at the sides of the head with brachy 

 V i e i 1 1., and the only difference of Malherbe's figure 

 consists in the uniform brown vent. 



It is possible that, as I said, these two forms belong to distinct 

 species ; but large series must first be available for comparison. 

 In general character of colouring and size they are so closely allied 

 that it seems difficult to believe in a specific distinction of the two 

 birds in spite of the few differences pointed out. 



28. Meiglyptes tristis, Horsfield. 



B 1 y t h, Cat. p. 60; Phaiopicus tristis apud Malherbe, 

 Mon. Pic. II, p. 10. 



A common species about Malacca, on Penangand in theAVelles- 

 ley Province. A male specimen from the last named locality has 

 the breast uniform blackish brown, which does not appear to be 

 usually the case in this species ; a female from the same locality has 

 the pectoral streaks also less distinct than usually, but in other 

 respects it is identical with typical specimens from the Southern 

 islands. Raffles says that the transverse striae on the head are 

 in the female finer and more numerous, or almost obsolete. In all 

 the Malayan specimens I saw, there is no perceptible difference 

 to be noticed in the coloration of the two sexes, except that the 9 

 wants the red mustachial streak of the male. 



Total length about 6 inches ; wing If— If; tail If-*— 2*; bill 

 at front H"— 1|", from gape §" to nearly 1*; tarsus >->". The bill 

 often appears to be less strong in the 9 than it is in the $ . 



29. Meiglyptes margin atus, R e i n w. (1821). 



M. pectoralis, Latham, inBlyth' (Jat. p. 60, N. 274. 

 Hemicircus brimncus, Eyton, Proc. Z. S. Lond., 1839, p. 106. 

 I only procured this species at Malacca where it appears to be com- 



