200 Zoological Society. 



former, to a smaller species, having the caudal appendage very little 

 developed. I call this 



OrtJiotomus Patia, and subjoin the following measurements. Length 

 (of male), 4|- inches; bill, ^•, tail, Ij; wing, IJ; tarse, \^\ central 

 toe and nail, plus -^ ; hind, -f^. 



2nd subgenus, Prinia, Horsf. 



Bill shorter and straighter, but still longer than the head, and not 

 notched ; less cut out at the base by the nareal fosse ; rictus hispid ; 

 nares smaller, with wider aperture ; wings yet shorter and absolutely 

 rounded, with the first five quills conspicuously gradated up to the 

 sixth and longest; tail ampler, more elongate and more gradate, 

 fan -shaped, feeble ; legs and feet slighter. Manners and nidification* 

 of the last, but a lowlander, being more rarely found in the hills than 

 these. 



Type, Prinia fusca, mihi. — Length 5 inches; bill, -j^; tail, ^2^; 

 wing, less 1 J ; tarse, if ; central toe and nail, -^ ; hind, ■^. Above 

 lutescent brown ; laterally luteous ; below white ; tips of the caudals 

 with black drops, margined with white ; bill dusky ; legs carneous ; 

 iris brown. 



2nd species of Prinia, P. brunnifrons, mihi ; ruficapilla, Auct. } — 

 Above olive-brown, deeper and ruddier on the cap, wings and tail ; 

 below sordid white ; under tail- coverts sordid olive, and the thighs 

 the same ; bill yellow horn ; legs plumbeous grey ; tail smaller than 

 in the last. Length, 4 inches ; bill, plus J ; tail, 1^ ; tarse, j ; central 

 toe and nail, \^ ; hind, -^. 



Remark. — Aberrant towards Horeites by its smaller tail and more 

 perfect foot. This is a common species in the plains, and may pos- 

 sibly be the Tailor-bird of authors rather than our Patia, which is 

 rare there. 



3rd subgenus, Horeites, mihi. 



Bill shorter than the head, quite straight, cylindric, feeble, di- 

 stinctly notched; nares basal, ovoid, covered with a membranous 

 scale ; legs and feet stronger than in either of the above, and more 

 suited to ground action ; tarse high, strong, and heavily scaled, as in 

 Orthotomus ; toes longer, more ambulant, with the laterals equal and 

 central elongated ; rictus quite smooth ; wings and tail as in Prinia, 

 or as in Orthotomus. Inhabits the northern region near the snows, 

 dwelling in brushwood and being much on the ground. 



1st species, H. pollicaris, mihi. — Remarkable for its small wings 

 and tail and large hind digit, the tail being equal in length to the 

 closed wing, which is perfectly rounded and short, as in Prinia. 

 Above olive-brown ; below and the eyebrow pale yellow ; bill sordid 

 corneous grey ; legs fleshy grey. Length, 3| inches ; bill, -^^ ; 

 tail, \^ ; wing the same ; tarse, if ; central toe and nail, if ; hind, i. 



2nd species, H. schistilatus, mihi. — Has an ampler wing and tail 

 than the last and a smaller thumb ; its wing is as large as in Ortho- 

 tomus, and its tail broad and fan-shaped, like Prinia. In colours very 

 like brunnifrons, but distinguished by its broader ampler tail, larger 



