256 M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta. 



male, which had in the cavity of the chest, under the skin, be- 

 tween the branches of the furcula, a globular formation, larger 

 than its head, hard, of a whitish gray colour, and only slightly 

 attached by the cellular tissue. This specimen had a sickly ap- 

 pearance, ruffled feathers, and the point of its beak was a little 

 injured as well as very much grown out of its proper form. A 

 great number of species of this genus [Timalia, Horsf. L. Tr. xiii.) 

 are found in the countries around the Indian Sea. They supply 

 on the old continent the place of the American Myotherte, to 

 which they have* a great resemblance. They are remarkable for 

 their plain gray or brownish colour, large feet, small wings, &c. 

 None of the birds of our climate are so deficient in that gaiety of 

 plumage which distinguishes the feathered tribe ; but the tropical 

 countries excel in both splendour and simplicity in great as well 

 as small things. The species of the old continent, which in Tem- 

 minck's PL Col. are called Myothera, belong (most likely all) to 

 Timalia*. 



23. Cinnyris ceylonica, Cuv. — Certhia zeylonica, Linn, et Auct. 

 $ Castaneus ventre flavo, pileo alarumque carpo purpurascente-viri- 

 dibus, gula uropygioque violaceis, nitidissimis cauda sequali. 



Magnit. Sylvia, 4y poll., ala 55 mill., tarsus 17, rostrum 17. 

 Rostrum capite paullo longius, in arcum i circuli curvatum. 



$ 7 Febr. Iris fulvescens (subgrisea), colore viridi capitis ante- 

 rioris carpique minus extensis. Testiculi magnit. pisi, dexter albus, 

 sinister nigro-cinereus, albido reticulatus. 



(£27 Apr. Iris coccinea, color perfectus, tectricibus alse parvis 

 omnibus, capillitioque toto viridi-seneis, etiam jugulum violaceum. 

 Testiculi maxime tumidi albi. 



$ 3 Mai. (Junior prioris anni ?) Iris obscure rubra. Vertex 

 et gula plumis immixtis cinereis. Uropygium olivaceo-cinerascens, 

 plumis violaceis immixtis. Color metallicus capitis, guise alarumque 

 parum extensus. Caudse alarumque plumse latius pallescenti margi- 

 natse. Testiculi parvi, fere obsoleti. 



I did not succeed in getting a female, although this species 

 was quite common in the neighbourhood of Calcutta. They 

 hopped quickly about between the branches of the trees, like 

 our small Sylvia, i. e. curruca, trochilus and others, which they 

 even resemble in flight. Sometimes I saw them hanging under 

 the branches, like Regulus, in order to gather insects out of the 

 buds. It has already been remarked by others, that the food of 

 this bird does not consist entirely of honey, as was supposed from 

 its long, divided and tubular tongue, but they use it to catch in- 

 sects with. The stomach was always full of little husks, larvse, 



* These remarks on the genus Timalia are generally correct, although 

 the species above-described is not a Timalia, but a Malacocercus. — H. E. S. 



