N o v em b e r 1 8 6 7 . T h e se b ird s Avere c lo se ly lo o k e d fo r b y m e fo r e ig h t y e a rs in v a rio u s
p a r ts o f E a s t e r n B e n g a l. I n e v e r fo u n d t h a t th e y b re d t h e r e ; a n d i t aaus v e ry se ld om
th a t I o b se rv e d th em f a r from D a c c a , a n d th e r e o n ly in v e ry s c a n ty n um b e rs . I o b se rv ed
th em a t M ym e n s in g , th e n e x t d i s tr i c t to D a cca , o n ce , b u t o n ly fo r o n e day. T h e y v is ite d
D a c c a r e g u la r ly , c e r ta in ly tAvice e v e ry y e a r, from th e e n d o f A p r il to J u n e , a n d a g a in
a f te r th e r a in s . T h e y se eme d o n ly to s ta y a feAV Aveeks, a n d th e n to d isa p p e a r. E o r
m o n th s I h a d b e e n lo o k in g o u t fo r th em in v a i n ; o f a s u d d e n th e y Avould a p p e a r in
c o n s id e r a b le n um b e rs , a n d th e n d is a p p e a r a s s u d d e n ly .”
D r . J o rd o n Avritcs:— “ I fo u n d th i s a p p a r e n tly ucav SAvalloAv in a b u n d a n c e a t D a c c a
in J u n e . I t h a d e v id e n tly fin ish ed b re e d in g , fo r th e r e w e re m a n y y o u n g b ird s . I t h a d
e n tir e ly l e f t th e p la c e i n O c to b e r.” M r. I lu tn e , A\TÍtiug in 1 8 7 5 , s a y s :— “ I t is a
m y s te ry Avhere 77. t y tle r i, Avhich is o u ly se e n a t D a c c a fo r a m o n th o r tw o a t a tim e a n d
t h a t o f te n a f te r a n in t e r \ 'a l o f som e y e a rs , c om e s from . M r. E . B. S im so n , th e la te
com m is s io n e r o f D a c c a , w h o firs t p o in te d o u t th e sp ec ie s to D r . J e r d o n , Avatchcd v a in ly
fo r th em fo r th r e e su c c e s s iv e y e a r s ; th e n th e y c am e in g r e a t n um b e rs , a n d h e s e n t m e
a A'ery l a r g e series. A c o u p le o f m o n th s l a t e r th e y h a d e n t i r e ly d is a p p e a re d ; th is
w a s in tb e e a rly ¡ja r t o f th e ra in s . I t Avas in J u n e a lso t h a t h e firs t dreAv D r . J e r d o n ’s
a t t e n t io n to th em .”
C o lo n e l GodAvin-Austen p ro c u r e d a SAA-alloAv in M a n ip u r , w h ic h h e fo u n d n e s tin g
n e a r Im p h a l, th e c a p ita l, in E c b r u a ry a n d M a r c h ; i t aaus th e n c om m e n c in g to bre ed .
H e h a s s p e c im e n s in h is c o lle c tio n from th e M a n ip u r H i l l s a u d th e L h o to N a g a H ills ,
A s sam , a n d h e rem a rk s :— “ I t Avould a p p e a r t h a t th is sp e c ie s b re e d s in tlie n e ig h b o u rin g
h illy d is tr ic ts , m ig r a t in g soon a f te r in to th e p la in c o u n t r y .” H e h a s k in d ly l e n t us
th e s e sp e c im e n s fo r e x am in a tio n , a n d Ave fin d t h a t th e y a r c o n ly I I . ru s lic a , th o u g h
r a tl i e r h ig h ly -c o lo u re d in d iv id u a ls o f t h a t fo rm .
M r. H u m e b e lie v e s t h a t h e o b se rv e d th e spec ie s in M a n ip u r , b u t d id n o t p ro c u re a
sp e c im e n . H e w r i t e s :— “ T h is is th e m o re rem a rk a b le a s GodAviu-Austen sa y s t h a t
d u r in g h is v is it i t Avas t h e o n ly fo rm seen in M a n ip u r d u r in g E e h r u a r y a n d M a r c h .”
M r . O a te s w r i t e s ;— “ T y t l e r ’s SAA’alloAv v is its B r i t is h B u rm a h in c o n s id e rab le
n um b e r s e v e ry w iu tc r , b u t is m u c h m o re c om m o n in som e y e a rs th a n in o th e rs .” M a jo r
WardlaAv Il am s a y re c o rd s i t a s c om m o n in th e p la in s o f K a rem ie e , b u t n o sp e c im e n s
from th i s lo c a lity a r e in th e TAveeddale co lle c tio n .
M r. D a v iso n sa y s :— “ I o n ly m e t A v ith th i s ra c e a t T a v o y ; th e y a p p e a re d fo r a few
d a y s in th e l a t t e r e n d o f A p r il a n d th e e a rly p a r t o f M a y in g r e a t n um b e rs , a n d th e n
d is a p p e a re d e n t i r e ly : b u t Avhether m o v in g n o r th o r s o u th I am u n a b le to sa y .”
O c c a s io n a lly T y t l c r ’s SaauIIoav a p p e a rs to v is it th e A m e r ic a n c o n tin e n t a n d to
a c c om p a n y 77. e r y th r o g a s tr a in i t s m ig ra tio n s so u th . T h re e sp e c im e n s , from D u e ñ a s in
G u a tem a la , fr om P a r a , a n d from B ra z il, a r c r e f e r a b le to th i s form.
T h e d e s c rip tio n o f th e b ird is ta k e n from a n I r k u t s k sp e c im e n in th e B r itis h
M u s e um , a n d th e fig u re h a s b e e n d raw n from a sp e c im e n from P etropauloAvski in th e
sam e I n s t i tu tio n .
E o r th e g e o g r a p h ic a l d is tr ib u tio n o f th i s sp e c ie s , v id e in fr a P la te 4 4 [M a p ].
. uáJ