| OCR Text |
Show 1869.] SURGEON F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF ORISSA. 369 eentricus; but, as we have already stated, we believe that this bird should be referred to the Brazilian species which we have termed M. leucauchen. The younger specimens, called M. gilvicollis by Herr v. Pelzeln, in spite of the number of tail-bands, we consider referable to the present bird, which he calls M. concentricus. One of the main points which Herr v. Pelzeln urges as distinguishing his M. gilvicollis from his M. concentricus is that the former has in every age and sex, besides the termination, three white tail-bands, whereas the latter has usually only one, but sometimes two. But we do not consider this character altogether to be relied upon, it being notoriously variable in other species of Accipitres. When it is discarded there is, as far as we can see, nothing to prevent us associating the two immature female birds from the Amazonian district, which Herr v. Pelzeln refers to M. gilvicollis (as distinguished from M. concentricus), with the present species. W e may also urge that this interpretation is more consonant with the phenomena of geographical distribution, it being primd facie unlikely that two so closely allied species should be found maintaining their distinctive characters in the same area. All the specimens of the present species which have come before us with ascertained localities have been either from Guiana or from some part of Amazonia, which we regard as belonging to the same fauna. Natterer's specimens were collected at Para and upon the Rio Negro. Other specimens we have seen are from Cayenne and the Lower Amazon. Tschudi's Peruvian specimens have no doubt been correctly referred by Cabanis to the present bird; but we have not yet had an opportunity of ascertaining to which species D'Orbigny's Bolivian examples belong. 3. O n the Fishes of Orissa. B y Surgeon F R A N C I S D A Y , F.Z.S., F.L.S.-Part I L * Amongst the Siluroids, I captured one small specimen of a Hara in Orissa, which I left undescribed; I have since taken many more, and compared them with those in the Calcutta Museum. It is the 78. HARA BUCHANANI, Blyth. D.i|0. P. \. V. 6. A.f. C. 15. Length of head |, of caudal \ of the total length. The bases of the first dorsal and anal fins are of the same length, and equal the distance from the posterior margin of the orbit to the end of the snout. The length of the base of the adipose dorsal is only equal to one-half of that of the anal. Height of body equals the length of the head ; the width of the head opposite the opercles equals 1| its length. Eyes small, situated in the posterior half of the head. Gill-openings narrow, the skin confluent with that of the isthmus. * See P. Z. S. 18G9, p. 292. |
