212 
Philippine Journal of Science 
1919 
The type species of the genus as described by Spinola was 
Siva strigicollis, now supposed to be widely distributed through 
the Orient. In 1891 Kirby 3 described striata from Ceylon, 
though neither Kirby nor other authors have given diagnostic 
characters to distinguish it clearly from strigicollis. In 1908 
Distant 4 described Krisna sherwilli from Sylhet, actually sep- 
arating it on color characters only, which are extremely un- 
stable in this genus, the structural characters mentioned being 
entirely generic in value or without diagnostic significance. In 
1910 Bierman 5 described a Siva rosea from Java. Here again 
most of the structural characters mentioned are only generic in 
value. Long ago, Walker indicated three species now recognized 
as pertaining to Krisna; namely, Acocephalus stramineusf By- 
thoscopus indicatusj and Bythoscopus testaceusJ Distant refers 
all of these to Krisna strigicollis, but since no author has pre- 
viously described the diagnostic structural characters of strigi- 
collis, and since it is entirely probable that under insufficient 
description several distinct things have been referred to strigi- 
collis, ail of this synonymy will have to be reexamined. In 1901 
Breddin 9 attempted to define a Krisna straminea Wlk. var. in- 
dicata Wlk., from Celebes, thereby adding to the usual Walker- 
ian uncertainty, since practically his entire description is com- 
posed of generic characters. Several species of the genus have 
also been described from Africa. 
This genus includes a very homogeneous group of species, the 
form and markings of all being very similar. The vividly vi- 
rescent species commonly fade to stramineous in dried specimens, 
and carmine markings usually entirely disappear. When deep 
olive green or some shade of rufous the color may not change in 
drying, though in life there is wide variation in the shade of 
rufous. The black dot at the apex of the clavus is quite constant 
in most of the species, but the black markings on the vertex are 
very inconstant, sometimes varying in the same species from a 
narrow continuous black stripe near the fore margin to separated 
spots at the middle and sides, and even these may be absent. 
Specimens of green species may occur with a strong pinkish or 
reddish tinting. 
a Journ. Linn. Soc. Zool. 24 (1891) 171. 
4 Fauna Brit. India, Rhynch. 4 (1908) 299. 
5 Notes Leyden Mus. 33 (1910) 61. 
6 List. Horn. 3 (1851) 847. 
7 List. Horn. Suppl. (1858) 266. 
8 Journ. Linn. Soc. Zool. I (1857) 173. 
8 Abb. Naturf. Ges. Halle 24 (1901) 130. 
