21. PTCNONOTUS. 121 



and Lvos squamafus. Again no descriiition of the genua is given ; 

 and in the 'Tableau Methodique ' (183G), where 12 species are 

 enumerated under the name of Lrus, a perfect olla podrida of forms 

 occurs, and the genus is made to include such widely different birds 

 as Lvus aziireus, which is a Cochoa, and I.vus plicenkopterus, which is 

 a Campopharia. It becomes clear, therefore, that I.vus of Temminck 

 (182o) is indefinable; and the only assignable date to the genus is 

 1840, when he gives a complete diagnosis of the characters and a 

 type in Lvos ohscurns ; the latter, however, is congeneric with Pyc- 

 nonotus capcnsls, the type of Boie's genus Pycnonotus \ and Lvus 

 therefore becomes a synonym of I'ycnonolus. AVhcre Kuhl published 

 the latter name, which is generally credited to him, I have not been 

 able to find out ; and I believe that the first actual publication of the 

 genus Pi/cnonotns is that given by Boie in the ' Isis ' for 1826. 



I cannot admit the genus Molpastes of Hume as distinct from 

 Pycnonotiis, its principal characters being the crest and the crimson 

 under tail-coverts ; but in the former respect it is approached by 

 many other species, for indeed all Pycnonoti are more or less crested ; 

 it forms, however, a very natural section in the genus. The African 

 species also form a subgenus or natural group, being distinguished 

 by a fleshy eyelid ; but many of the Asiatic species seem to have a 

 thickened edge to the eyelid, and it is very difficult to tell from the 

 skins whether there has been a wattled margin to the eye or not. 

 On account of this difficulty I have preferred to keep all the Pycno- 

 noti under one generic heading for the present. 



Key to tlie Species.* 

 a. Under tail-coverts scarlet or crimson. 



«'. Ear-coverts black, scarcely distiuguishable 



from the crown of the head hamorrhous, p. 124. 



h' . Ear-coverts lighter than the crown of the 

 head, and contrasting with the latter. 

 a". Head distinctly capped, iu strong contrast 

 to the back and mantle. 

 a'" . Ear-coverts bronzy brown, contrast- 

 ing with the throat, which is black. . hiinnanicus, p. 12.5. 

 V". Ear-coverts light brown or ashy brown, 

 resembhng the throat iu colour ; the 

 chin black. 

 «'. Breast mottled, the feathers being 

 light asliy brown, with darker 



brown centres nifpi'pileus, p. 126. 



V. Breast perfectly uniform below .... atricapillm, p. 127. 

 b" . Head black, as well as hinder neck, the 

 two colours merging together, so that 

 no distinct cap becomes visible. 

 c'". Mantle and back blackish brown, the 

 black distinctly pronounced on the 

 breast, and occupying the whole of 

 the latter pygceus, p. 128. 



* Pycnonottts sfictocephahts, Siilvadori, Ann. Mns. Civic. Genov. ix. p. 34 

 (1877), is now stated by the describer to belong to the Melipliagidas, and forms 

 the type of his new genus Pycwopy^nw(Salvad. Ann. Mas. Civic. Geuoy. xvi. p. 78). 



