Genera and Species of Birds, 417 



Myrmeciza melaxura, Strickl. 



M. capite, nucha, dorso, alisque obscure ferrugineo-fuscis, uropygio 

 obscuriore, cauda fusco-atra, loris fusco-cinerascentibus, gula 

 albida, pectore et abdomine dilute fuscis, rufescente tinctis, crisso 

 fuliginoso-atro. Maxilla pedesque fusci, mandibula albida. 



In the form of the beak and general proportions this species 

 agrees with M. leuconota, Spix, Av. Braz. vol. ii. pi. 39. f. 2 (Dry- 

 mophila atra, Swains.) . The acrotarsia are divided into five scuta, 

 the paratarsia entire. Habitat unknown. 



Upper parts dull ferruginous brown, darker on the rump ; tail 

 dusky black ; lores dusky cinereous ; throat whitish ; breast and 

 belly pale rufous brown, sides darker; lower tail-covers sooty 

 black ; upper mandible and legs brown, lower mandible whitish. 



Total length 7 inches ; beak to gape 10 lines, to front 8 lines ; 

 wing 3 inches ; medial rectrices 3 inches, external 2^ inches ; tar- 

 sus 1 inch 1 line ; middle toe and claw 1 inch, hind ditto 8 lines ; 

 outer ditto S^ lines, inner ditto 7^ lines. 



LANIIDiE.? TIMALIINiE. 



In this group I would include the genera Timalia, Brachypte- 

 ryx, Malacopteron, Eyton (Trichostoma, BIyth), Mac7'onus, Jard., 

 and several of the East Indian '^ Myiotherce '' of Temminck. We 

 do not know enough of their habits to decide whether they are 

 most allied to the Formicariims or to the Malurince ; all that can 

 be said of them is, that they form a natural group inhabiting the 

 Malasian region, and that they appear to approach the Laniidce in 

 structure sufficiently to warrant their collocation for the present 

 in that family. Mr. Eyton^s genus Malacopteron exhibits this 

 Laniine structure to the greatest degree, the beak being precisely 

 that of a Thamnophilus, with the addition of strong rictal bristles. 



I now proceed to describe an apparently new species, 



Malacopteron macrodactylum, Strickl. 



M. capite, nucha et dorso superiore rufo-brunneis, plumis fusco mar- 

 ginatis, uropygio alis, caudaque fusco-ferrugineis, hac obscuriore, 

 loris albidis, genis fuscis, mento gulaque albis, plumis fuliginoso 

 terminatis, abdomine obscure albido, hypochondriis et crisso di- 

 lute rufo-brunneis, rostro pedibusque fuscis, digito medio laterales 

 multum superante. 



Agrees with Mr. Eyton^s type-species, M. magnum, in the form 

 of the beak, wings and tail, in the scale-like structure of the 

 coronal feathers, and the loose downy plumage of the rump, but 

 differs in the greater strength of the hind toe and the remark- 

 able length of the middle one. The lateral toes are equal, and 

 the bases of their claws are parallel with the distal end of the 



