8.2 
The Marquis of Tweeddale on the 
authors for the Javan bird,, must be altogether rejected, as 
it was bestowed on the Malabar, Sumatran, and Javan species 
in the belief that they were identical*. Temminck^s title, 
setifer, is ignored by Mr. Sharpe, who leaves us to conclude 
that it was first bestowed by Jerdon on the South-Indian 
species. 
The Tenasserim race Mr. Blyth described as distinct from 
the Malabar race; and to distinguish it be called it crista- 
tellus. It has a less-developed crest than B. grandis, but a 
much longer one than the Malabar species. Notwithstanding, 
it will be found that in the Catalogue (p. 265) Blythes title 
is assigned and restricted to the S.W. Indian species. 
Under the new title of D. ceylonensis Mr. Sharpe has sepa- | 
rated the Ceylonese from the S.W. Indian species, on account ! 
of the comparative smallness of its rackets. In all the sped- j 
mens that I have examined from both localities this distinc- ] 
tion does not hold good. It is impossible to discover any J 
appreciable difference between mature specimens; but even \ 
if there were any, it is difficult to see how D. brachyphorus ] 
can be united to D. grandis^ as is done by Mr. Sharpe in his | 
synonymy, if the Ceylon bird merits a separate title. | 
Irena. —The true systematic position of this genus has di- i 
vided the opinions of ornithologists ever since Horsfield founded | 
it. Temminck first classed it among the Dicruridae ; and 
so have other authors since, and Mr. Sharpe does the same. ; 
Jerdon placed it (following Blyth) among the Short-legged f 
Thrushes, and made it constitute a separate subfamily. Ire- ; 
ninee, the third among the Brachypodidae, arranging it between 
the Phyllornithince and the Oriolince. In Jerdon’s view I : 
must undoubtedly concur. The affinity between Irena and | 
Dicrurus is more apparent than real; it is an affinity of? 
mimicry at best. The contour of the bill has a superficial i 
resemblance; but the margins of the commissure are inflected ■ 
in Irena', in Dicrurus they are spreading. In the last the rictal . 
bristles are developed (a certain indication of insectivorous , 
habits); in Irena they are short, weak, almost aborted. In 
In the series of Sumatran and Javan racket-tailed Drongos at Leyden 
I did not observe a crested Sumatran or a non-crested Javan example. 
