OCR Text |
Show 54G MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE [June 17, edge of the body, with two intermediate rows of smaller blotches. There were also black marks at intervals along the dorsal and anal fins. The scales are considerably larger than in A., laterna, those in the middle of the upper side being 3*5 m m . iu breadth. As in that species, the scales of the upper side have a single row of short spines along the posterior edge, while in those of the lower side the edge is entire. 8. Notes on Specimens in the Hume Collection of Birds.- N o , 6. O n the Coraciidse of the Indian Region, with Descriptions of some new Species1. By R. B O W D L E R SHARPE, F.L.S., &c. [Received June 16, 1890.] During the time that my friend Mr. Oates has been engaged in writing on the Passeres of the ' Fauna of British India,' I have refrained from publishing any critical notices of the H u m e Collection. Since, however, every representation to the Government of India has failed in procuring for Mr. Oates the extension of leave from his duties in Burma, necessary for him to complete his work, which has therefore come to a standstill at the end of the Passeres, I feel myself at liberty to turn m y attention once more to the study of the Hume Collection. Since I wrote my last paper thousands of specimens have been registered and incorporated in the cabinets of the British Museum ; and the superb series collected by Mr. Hume enables one to thoroughly work out every species of Indian bird ; but it is surprising what a field still lies open for inquiry in the study of the Humo Collection. Witness the discovery that three species of Eurystomus have been confused under the heading of E. orientalis, to disentangle which confusion is one of the objects of the present paper. As it is obviously impossible to publish a complete list of all tho Hume specimens in the ' Proceedings,' and as they will shortly appear in their proper place in the ' Catalogue of Birds,' I have thought it best to try and condense m y fow remarks into the form adopted by Mr. Oates in his work, to which this paper may be taken as a supplement. Fam. CoRACiiDiE. The front plantar leading to the hallux. Well-defined lateral bare tracts on the neck. Spinal feather-tract forked on the upper back. Oil-gland nude or absent. (H. Seebohm.) Subfam. CORACIIN_E. There are two genera of Coraciince found in Africa and India. They consist of the brilliant Roller, commonly called the " Jay " by 1 For No. 5, see P.Z. S. 1887, p. 470. |