Zoological Society, 195 



pically Crateropodan, with a high strong tarse ; toes medial, unequal, 

 central not elongated, laterals unequal, hind large ; nails large, but 

 not much curved nor acute ; hind one largest. 



Type, Timalia hypoleucos, Auct. 



Hab, The plains only, represented in the hills by Deceira, 



A. rufifrons, mihi. — Above sordid ashen olive, passing to clear 

 rusty brown on the alars, caudals, brows and chin, and the former 

 (typically) marked with frequent regular cross-bars of black ; tail 

 longer and more gradated than in Nipalensis ; head similarly crested ; 

 bill and feet embrowned fleshy or horny grey ; iris brown. Length, 

 8| inches; bill, J; tail, 4 J ; wing, 3^; tarse, IJ; central toe and 

 nail, j-|; hind, |^. 



Remarks. — These birds form one of those singular links which 

 unite the Crateropodan and Brachypodan thrushes with the Meli' 

 phagidce, of which last our Alcopus is a true member, having the 

 brushed tongue in perfect development. Zosterops, Chloropsis, 

 Hypsipetes, &c. of the Brachypodan group, likewise have the brushed 

 tongue in more or less development, but not so perfectly as in Al- 

 copus. In Ixops there is little trace of it. Ixops leads from a Meli- 

 phagian type {Alcopus) to the Crateropods, and Ixulus from another 

 {Polyodon) to the Brachypods. 



Myotherin^. 

 Genus Pnoepyga (olim Tesia), mihi. 



Bill short, straight, Cinclosylvian, depressed as far as the nares, 

 compressed beyond, with inflexed tomia and tip faintly inclined and 

 notched; nares large, fossed, unplumed, furnished with a salient 

 membranous scale, which lunates the aperture ; rictus and brows 

 smooth ; wings very short, bowed, and perfectly rounded ; tail rudi- 

 mentary, consisting of only six plumes, which are hid by the puffy 

 rump-feathers; legs and feet ambulatory; tarse elevate, smooth; 

 lateral toes equal. Types, the following : — 



1st species, albiventer (M. squamata, Gould, postea), mihi. — 

 Above and sides olive-brown, more or less dotted with rufous ; below 

 white, largely picked out with central dusky drops ; feet dusky grey ; 

 bill dusky horn. Length, 4 J inches; bill, ^ ; tail, ^ ; closed wing, 

 2| ; tarse, 1 ; central toe and nail, ^ ; hind, if. 



2nd species, rujiventer. — Very like last, but the ground-colour 

 below invariably rufescent, not white, and size rather less. 



3rd species, unicolor, mihi. — Throughout of a dull brunescent 

 olive, like Cinclus. Length, 3J inches ; bill, -^ ; tail, W ; closed 

 wing, 2 j^ ; tarse, if ; central toe and nail, J ; hind, ^. 



4th species, joms///m5, mihi. — Above saturate olive; below orange 

 tawny, margined finely with black above and below; the colours 

 confused towards the vent ; legs sordid fleshy ; bill dusky horn ; iris 

 brown. Length, 3i inches; bill, i; tail, y^^; closed wing, 1| ; 

 tarse, -i| ; central toe and nail, W ; hind, j^. 



Genus Oligura, mihi. 



General structure of Pnoepyga, but the tail more developed and 



P2 



