48
CORVIDÆ.
Dendrocitta rufa.
This species extends over a very wide area and, as might be expected, varies greatly in different portions of its range, though their variations have until now been almost entirely overlooked.
Lanius rufus of Linné[1], the name which has generally been accepted as applicable to this bird, cannot be used as it is pre-occupied by him in an earlier page of the same work. Curiously enough, however, Latham[1] independently named it Corvus rufus a few years later from a bird obtained on the Malabar coast, so the name rufus will, therefore, still hold good.
Key to Subspecies.
- A. Colours of head and back contrasting strongly.
a. |
Lighter both above and below and not nearly so richly coloured
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|
D. rufa rufa, p. 48. |
b. |
Darker and more richly coloured above and below
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|
D. r. vagabunda, p. 50. |
- B. Colours of head and back blending with one another.
- c. Tail 195 to 241 mm.; dark dull plumage.
a'. |
Darker, more brown
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|
D. r. saturatior, p. 51. |
b'. |
Paler and redder
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|
D. r. kinneari, p. 51. |
d. |
Tail 242 to 287 mm.; pale dull plumage
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|
D. r. sclateri, p. 50. |
(26) Dendrocitta rufa rufa.
The Indian Tree-pie.
- Corvus rufus Latham, Ind. Orn., p. 161 (1790) (Malabar Coast).
- Dendrocitta rufa. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 30.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
- Lanius rufus Linné, Syst. Nat., i, 1766.
- Corvus rufus Lath. Ind. Orn., p. 161, 1790.