Zoological Society, 199 



projecting root or stone ; eggs verditer. Has much analogy with both 

 the last genera, which it represents among the feebler SylviancB, to 

 which it belongs, as they to the Philomelince. It differs from the last 

 by its feebler, more depressed bill, larger and more membranous 

 nares, and more slender legs and feet ; also by its mucronate and 

 wedge-tipped alars and caudals. The mucronation allies it to Mus- 

 cisylvia, from which it differs by its less ample wings and tail, more 

 elevate tarse, and feebler bill. 



Type, T. chryscBus, mihi. — Below the whole body with the entire 

 shoulders, the lower back and greatest part of tail, deep gamboge- 

 yellow ; superciliarj'^ line the same ; head above, neck and upper back, 

 yellow-tinted olive ; lores, orbits and ears continuously, central 

 caudals and tips of the others black ; alars dusky black, fringed on 

 the lower edges with yellow ; legs fleshy brown ; bill horn-yellow 

 below, dusky above. Female duUer-hued, devoid of the black cheek- 

 mark and superciliary line ; her body above entirely olive-green ; 

 alars and caudals dusky olive. Length, Sj inches ; bill, \^ ; tail, 2J ; 

 wing, 2^ ; tarse, 1 ^^ ; central toe and nail, \^ ; hind, ^. 



Genus Orthotomus^ Horsf. 



1st subgenus, Orthotomus. 

 Bill sub-certhian, long, slender, inclining to arch, and entire, with 

 the base largely exceeded by the nareal fosse ; nares large, membra- 

 nous, free, the aperture lunate-linear and shaded above by a large 

 unarched membrane ; rictus slightly bristled ; wings short, bowed, 

 and feeble, but not perfectly rounded ; first four quills conspicuously 

 gradated in a diminishing ratio ; 5-6 equal and longest ; tail mode- 

 rate, narrow, feeble, much-rounded, with the two central plumes 

 frequently elongated, as in the Bee-eaters ; tarse high, stout, double 

 that of the central toe, and strongly scaled ; toes short, unequal, the 

 outer fore longer and basally connected ; the hind large and strong ; 

 nails strong and acute, the hind largest. Nearly confined to the 

 hills ; rare below in the cold season ; solitary or in pairs ; familiar ; 

 dwells in low bushes and hedge-rows and fences, picking up minute 

 insects from the leaves and decayed wood, and frequently descending 

 to the ground, where they move fitfully, by hops, to take minute in- 

 sects, and presently return to their low perch. Make beautiful pen- 

 sile nests, by sewing together the edges of large leaves, and hence 

 are called ' Patia' or the ' Leaf- bird ' in the hills. 



Type, Sylvia putoria, v. sphenura, v. ruficapilla, Auct. — Above 

 vernal green, below white ; the great ulars and caudals dusky ; the 

 top of the head brown-red ; bill dusky horn ; legs fleshy brown ; iris 

 brown. Female similarly coloured, but wanting almost entirely the 

 prolonged central tail-feathers of the male, and smaller. Length (of 

 male), 5| inches; bill, J; tail, 2|- ; closed wing, 1| ; tarse, J ; cen- 

 tral toe and nail, -^ ; hind, y^- Weight J or ^ oz. Has a loud 

 shrill monosyllable note — tee-tee-tee. I suspect there are two spe- 

 cies, because the eggs differ in colour in the nests brought me, 

 some being verditer-blue and unspotted, and others bluish white, 

 with fawn spots. The latter, I think, belong to the above, and the 



