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Show 1869.] SURGEON F. DAY ON INDIAN FISHES. 511 Granting, then, that my synonymy of the above species is correct, we have the following additions to m a k e :- 1. CEYX RUFIDORSA, Strickl.; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 592. Ceyx innominata, Salv. Atti R. Accad. Tor. 1869, p. 459. 2. CEYX SHARPII, Salv. Atti R. Accad. Tor. 1869, p. 463. Ceyx tridactyla, Reich. Handb. Alced. p. 8, t. cccciiib. fig. 3388 (nee fig. 3389). Count Salvadori has most kindly sent over the types of this new species for m y inspection; and, as far as I can see, it is sufficiently distinct. The only species with which it can be confounded is Ceyx dillwynni; and I confess there is some chance of its ultimately proving to be identical with this latter bird. It is evident, from the case of C. tridactyla, that these little Ceyces are a long time gaining their adult plumage ; and at present Ceyx sharpii only differs from C. dillwynni in the scapularies and wing-coverts. In neither of the type specimens of C. sharpii are the wing-coverts entirely black washed with blue; in both a rufous feather is to be seen here and there. In C. dillwynni the wing-coverts are rufous for the most part, but here and there a black feather appears. The scapularies also have a mixture of rufous on some of the feathers; and in C. sharpii there is an admixture of black below the rufous. If, however, we merge the two species, we must admit that the rufous scapularies are the adult stage-a process exactly opposite to that exhibited by the analogous species C. tridactyla. It is evident that many more specimens are necessary to solve the riddle satisfactorily ; and until we get them we must be satisfied with the evidence before us, which certainly makes C. sharpii a distinct species. 3. CEYX DILLWYNNI, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 593; Salv. Atti R. Accad. Torin. 1869, p. 461. 4. CEYX MELANURA, Kaup ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 594 ; Salv. Atti R. Accad. Torin. 1869, p. 453. 5. CEYX TRIDACTYLA (Pall.) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 593. Ceyx rufidorsa, Strickl. apud Salv. Atti R. Accad. Torin. 1869, p. 459. 7. Remarks on some of the Fishes in the Calcutta Museum. B y Surgeon F R A N C I S D A Y , F.Z.S. & F.L.S., Madras Army.-Part I. Having obtained leave, through Col. Strachey, F.R.S., to remain a limited .period in Calcutta for the purpose of examining the fishes in the Government Museum, and having at the same time had access |
