KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS IIANDLINGAK. BAND 56- N:0 2. 36 



Observcd and obtaincd in the Northern parts of the country, where it was nol un- 

 common in shrub-jungle and at the outskirts of the deciduous forests. In fche Siamese 

 Malaya I can not remember having scen it. This was rather curious because it is stated 

 to be distributed över the whole Malay Peninsula and Davison found it »rather com- 

 mon in every part of Tenasserim ». 



During my previous journey 1911 — 1912 I found it common in Eastern and Central 

 Siarn but nevcr south of Lat. N. 14° but Germain records it from Cochin China though 

 he found it rather rare. 



Fam. Diceidse. 



49. Dicaeum cruentatum coccinea. Scop. - The Scarlet-backed Flower-pecker. 



Dicceum cruentatum: Goukl p. 151; Muller p. 373; Grant p. 74; Bonhotc p. 65; Oustalet 1903 p. 14; Flower 

 p. 324; Robinson & Kloss p. 78; Williamson I p. 45; Gyldenstolpe I p. 46; Gyldenstolpc II; Gylden- 

 stolpe III p. 171; Robiuson II p. 152; Gairdner p. 149; Robinson III p. 755. 



Hartert has recently (Novitates Zoologicse Vol. 17. 1910 p. 243) discussed the 

 various forms of Dicceum cruentatum Linn. and comes to the conclusion that there are 

 three different subspecies viz. the typical Dicceum cruentatum from India, Dicceum 

 cruentatum ignita, Begbie. from the Malay Peninsula and Dicceum cruentatum coccinea, 

 Scop. from Southern China and Hainan. 



Unfortunately Hartert does not give any measurements on these forms. Hartert 

 states that the last-mentioned form differs from the Indian one, which it, however, res- 

 embles very much in having the wing-coverts steel-blue, without any purplish shade, and 

 in having larger bilis and longer wings. 



The race inhabiting the Malay Peninsula has the upper wing-coverts distinctly purp- 

 lish blue and the bill is sometimes wider at base, sometimes as in the specimens from India. 



In the collections of the R. Nat. Hist. Museum of Stockholm there are only two 

 specimens, one from Kuala Lumpur in Selangor and one specimen from Malacca (moimted 

 specimens not counted) and these two have the wing-coverts purplish blue, while the 

 Siamese birds have the upper wing-coverts steel-blue without any purplish tinge. 



The wings of the two male specimens from the Malay Peninsula measure 44,5 and 

 44,3 mm. respectively, while a male from Chum Poo in Northern Siarn measures 48 mm. 

 A female obtained at Koh Lak in Siamese Malaya must also be referred to Dicwum 

 cruentatum coccinea, its wing measuring 46 mm. 



Dicceum cruentatum coccinea Scop. therefore seems to inhabit Southern China, 

 Hainan and Siarn at least as far south as to Lat. N. 12° and probably Burma and certain 

 parts of Tenasserim. 



Like other members of the family Dicceide the Scarlet-backed Flower-pecker was 

 most often observed in the elumps of parasitical plants growing on other trees, and they 

 are not easy to detect among the dense foliage. Their sharp notes, however, often de- 

 tected them. 



