1872.] W. T. Blanford — On Birds from SilcTcim. 167 
630. Herpobis-is xaxttcolecca, Hodgs. 
Of two specimens sent, one has a decidedly rufoscent tinge on the back. 
The colour is dull yellowish green above, under wing coverts and inner mar- 
gins of both remiges and rectrices bright yellow. The coronal feathers have 
not black shafts and the margin of the whig is yellow, these being distinc- 
tions from the new Hainan and Formosan species, R. tyr annulus, recently 
described by Mr. Swinhoe (Ibis, 1870, p. 317, pi. x), besides the duller co- 
lour of the plumage. 
632. Stlvtpabtjs modestus, Burton. Single specimen. 
647. Machlolopiies xanthogents, (Vigors). 
A specimen was obtained in Eastern Xipal. Its representative form, 
M. sjpilonotus, occurs around Darjiling. 
694. Ploceus baya, Blyth. J. A. S. B., xii, p. 945. 
P. megarhynchus, Hume, Ibis, 1869, p. 356, and 1871, p. 36. 
Mr. Hume has pointed out that there are two species of Ploceus in 
India of the form originally confounded under P. philippinus, L. To one 
of these, which is larger than the other, and distinguished by a larger bill, 
he has given the name of II. megarhynchus. I And, however, that the large 
hilled form is that inhabiting the Himalayas, Eastern Bengal, Asam, Malacca 
and probably Barma, and that it was upon specimens of it that Mr. Blyth s 
P. laga was founded, as it is the species found at Calcutta, and all the ex- 
amples in. the Asiatic Society’s collection appear to belong to it 
There is of course a possibility that I may he mistaken in this, and that 
Mr. Hume’s P. megarhynchus may he, in the breeding plumage, something 
weU distinguished from P. baya, but I can detect no difference of the least 
importance in the description of the birds in non-breedmg plumage At the 
same time it is clear that there are two varieties of P. baya, but I am not 
quite sure that the difference is sufficiently constant to deserve specific dis- 
tinction. I append measurements (in inches) of the two forms. 
tarsus bill from front 
0-82 0-69 
to to 
09 0-77 
0-79 0-65 
to to 
0-9 0-69 
I can detect no constant difference between males and females. Bona- 
parte’s remark in the Conspect. Gen. Av. p. 442 fwmvna minor, must nave 
wing 
P. baya, six specimens : four males, two 2-8o 
females from Calcutta, Sikkim and to 
Cackar. ° ^ 
P. baya, small var.,tbreespecimens : one 2 6 
male and two females from Singh- to 
bum and Chanda. ~ 
tail 
1- 87 
to 
2- 15 
1-7 
to 
1’8 
