346 
Mr. Blythes Commentary 
Gray, however, gives E. orientatis from Batchian and Ternate, 
which is a mistake, also E. azureus, G. B. Gray, from Batchian, 
and indicates E. piteatus , Reinw., from the Moluccas (P. Z. S. 
1860, pp. 345-6). But is not the latter a synonym of Coracias 
temmincki of Celebes ? In a collection received from the Batavian 
Society by the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, a specimen of C. tem¬ 
mincki was labelled C.pileata. In the British Museum catalogue 
of mammalia and birds inhabiting New Guinea, Mr. G. R. Gray 
further gives E.gutaris, Yieillot, from that vast island. Are there 
more than three (very slightly differing) Oriental races— orientatis , 
azureus , wa&pacificus ? Radde^s figure (Reisen &c. ii. taf. ii. fig. 2) 
would seem to show that E. pacificus is the East Siberian form, 
to which also belong Mr. Swinhoe's Chinese specimens now with 
Mr. Tristram. That the Indian species should eat plantains, 
always appeared to me very remarkable; but one that I long kept 
in an aviary would devour them eagerly, and would fly to me for 
one when I had it in my hand*. Besides Eurystomus pacificus, 
certain other species migrate on both sides of the equator, as 
Acanthylis ciris, Cypselus pacificus, Cuculus striatus, and M udgrm = 
(fi k. According to Messrs. Mottley and Dillwyn, 
Eurystomus orientatis “ is a most active and lively bird, haunting 
very tall jungle in parties of five or six together; these fly 
* The “plantain” of Anglo-Indians is the “banana” of the West; 
and the “plantain” of the West is the “horse-plantain” of Anglo- 
Indians (on the principle of horse-radish, horse-chestnut, horse-leech, 
&c.). The cultivated varieties of banana and plantain are endless; and in 
Burma I found them to he as numerous as in Bengal, but all of them 
different! At Moulmein I observed a curious variety of the plant, bearing 
three successive bunches, or rather loads, of fruit on the same stem of the 
usual size, and each divided from the next by an interval and a coronet 
of small leaves. The oldest bunch was nearly ripe, the next almost full- 
grown; and the third had the fruit just set, with the usual great heart- 
shaped flower-bud beyond it! Plantains are a great resource in hot 
countries for feeding frugivorous animals; and in Lower Bengal there is 
also a never-failing abundant supply of prawns and shrimps (four species 
of Penceus , and a dozen or more of Palcemon of all sizes, from the great 
Palcemon carcinus downwards), upon the smaller of which not only the 
smaller wading-birds generally, but sundry land-birds also, prey readily. 
Again, the effluvium from the shrimps attracts numerous flies, upon which 
for many months a fine white Tchitrea pciraclisi and other fly-catcliing 
species maintained themselves abundantly in my aviary. 
