13. ACANTHOPTILA. 381 



Acantlioptila nipalensis, Blyth, J. A. S. Benq. xxiv. p. 478 (1855) ; 



Jenl. B. Inch ii. p. 57 (1802) ; id. Ibis, 1872, p. 309 ; Hu7ne, Sir. 



F. vii. p. 459 (1878) ; id. Sir. F. 1879, p. 97. 

 Malacocercus peUotis, Bh/tli, J. A. S. Beny. siii. p. 370 (1844) ; 



Hume, Sir. F. vii. p. 461 (1878) ; id. Sir. F. 1879, p. 97. 



Adult. General colour above brown, slightly olivaceons in shade, 

 the feathers of the head and mantle with stiiFened black shafts, 

 which are not seen on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; upper wing- 

 coverts like the back; quills brown, externally like the back; tail- 

 feathers brown, edged with olive near the base, and having indistinct 

 dusky cross bars under certain lights ; lores and a distinct eyebrow, 

 sides of face, and throat pure white ; the ear-coverts white, with 

 brown longitudinal streaks ; remainder of under surface dull white, 

 washed with reddish brown on the breast and sides of body ; the 

 flanks brown ; feathers of the under surface with brown longitudinal 

 centres and blackish shaft-lines ; thighs ashy brown ; under tail- 

 coverts dark brown, margined with ochraceous ; under wing-coverts 

 dark brown, the lower series tinged with rufous ; quills light brown 

 below, ashy along the edge of the inner web ; " bill and legs dark 

 plumbeous ; iris hoary blue " (Bode/son). Total length 9 inches, 

 culmen l-Oo, wing 3-3, tail 4-2, tarsus 1-25. 



Obs. Mr. Hume (cf. Str. F. vii. p. 459) hesitates to believe that 

 Hodgson's Timalia pellotis and T. leucotis are identical ; but I have 

 little doubt that T. i^eUotis is the young of T. leucotis or T. nipa- 

 lensis. The type of the latter does not seem to be in the Museum : 

 and I must remark with regard to Mr. Hodgson's drawings, that 

 they are not so accurate as is usually the case ; for the ear-coverts 

 in the young birds are not so entirely uniform brown as he repre- 

 sents, nor is the old bird's face so entirely white. From an exami- 

 nation of the skins in the British Museum it is evident that the 

 younger birds are much more rufous underneath than the old ones, 

 and this rufous colour gradually disappears. This may hajipen 

 irregularly, as Hodgson's i)late of T. leucotis represents that bird 

 with a bright rufous breast, whereas in the adult white-eared skins 

 in the museum this colour has almost disappeared. The white ear- 

 coverts always retain a few brown feathers, as far as our specimens 

 prove ; and in the young birds, instead of being luiiform, they are 

 mixed with white. 



Hab. Nepal and Eastern Kuraaon. 



a. Juv. sk. Nepal. B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.]. 



(Type of Timalia pel/otis.) 



b. Ad.sk. Nepal (^.^.ZTorf^so/i)- India Museum. 



c. d. e. Ad. et juv. sk. Nepal. B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.]. 

 /. Ad. .St. Nepal. B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.]. 

 (/. Ad. tk. Xioohoo Ghat, N.W. Capt. Stackhouse Pinwill 



frontier of Nepal. [P.]. 



