64 
The Biids of India. 
lechincheri : Tlie Rainbow Biiiitiii'j. Upper surface turquoise and cobalt 
l)lue; crown apple-<;reen ; under surface bright lemon-yellow ; throat 
and breast orange. 
versicolor [lazulinn) : I.azuliiie Bunting. Upper and lower surface mostly 
purplish-red, with the lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts and lesser 
wing coverts lilaciue; crown vinous-red; forehead lilac-bine; lores 
and base of cheeks black ; ear coverts, cheeks aiui eye region lilacine ; 
tail feathers black edged with blue. 
Tims, there are yet three other species of wliich living specimens 
have not reached this country. 
Zbc JBu'Ds of 3nMa. 
By Douglas Dkwar, I.C.S. 
[A Lecture delivered before the Indian Section of the Royal Society of Arts, 
and reproduced bv kind permission of the Author and R.S.A.'\ 
From the Jnurnal of the Royal Society of Arts, 
(Continued from paoe 48, Vol. VIII.) 
Thk Insufficikncy ok Naturai, Sei^ection. 
Thns we have seen, living together in one wood, no fewer than six 
different species of flycatcher, of various shapes and sizes; in some the 
sexes are alike, in others they display considerable difference. The feeding 
habits of all are very similar. All dwell in the same environment. There 
are, indeed, differences in their various nesting habits, but those of the 
paraiiise and fantailed species are identical, so that if the colouring of a 
bird is solely due to the action of natural selection, these two species should 
be almost identical in shape, size, and colouration. Obviously, then, natural 
selection fails here to accomplish all that the neo-Darwinians reqnire it to- 
do. It explains much, but not everything. It is but one of many factors 
in the making of species. 
Indian Robins. 
The Indian Robins present even greater difficulties to those vidio pro- 
fess to pin their faith to the all-sufficiency of natural selection. Robins are 
found in nearly all parts of India, and fall into two species, the Brown- 
backed {T/iamnobia cambaiensis) and the Black-backed Indian Robin [Tham- 
nobia fnlicala). The former occurs only in Northern India, and the latter is 
confined to the Southern portion of the peninsula. The hen of each species 
is a sandy brown bird with a patch of brick-red feathers under the tail, so 
that we cannot tell by merely looking at a hen to which of the two species 
she belongs. The cock of the South Indian form is, in winter, a glossy 
black bird, with a white bar in the wing, and the characteristic red patch 
nniier the tail. The cock of the northern species, as his name implies, has 
a sand3--brown back, wliich contrasts strongly with the glossj- black of hi.s. 
head, neck, and under ])arts. In summer the cocks of the two species grow 
