TIMALINiE. 21 



Blyth, Horsficlcl, and Gray locate this genus near Pyctorhis and 

 Tviialla, the latter, indeed, ranking tlicni as Thnalia. Bonaparte 

 puts it among Ijiotrichi/ue, and Hodgson considered it to have 

 alllnities for the BvacJujpodinco, but leading to the Crateropodans, 

 and with a tendency to pass into the LeiotrichiiKB. lie further 

 compares its habits with those of Zosterops. It appears to me that 

 there are two types of form in this genus, and that, whilst the more 

 common species belong to this family, others, especially S. 

 chrysoea, appear to have relations to Mi/zortiis, Erpomis, Zostei'ops^ 

 and lora, which in fact are the vie^vs of the founders of the genus. 



391. Stachyris nigriceps, Hodgson. 



J. A. S., Xllf., 378— Blytii, Cat. 861— Horsf., Cat. 340.— 

 Sangriam-plio, Lepcli. 



The liLACK-TiiROATF.D Wren-caebler. 



Descr. — Above olive-brown ; beneath paler and tinged rufcs- 

 cent; the crown, face, and throat, dusky black ; the feathers of the 

 crown edged with whitish grey ; a white supercilium, and also a 

 white moustache from the base of the lower mandible, and some 

 ■white on the chin and throat. 



Bill dusky horny above, paler beneath ; legs pale horny green ; 

 irides pale yellow. Length 5^ inches ; extent 7 ; wing 2§ ; tail 2 ; 

 bill at front -^^ ; tarsus |. 



This bird inhabits the S. E. Himalayas and the Khasia hills. 

 It is very common about Darjeeling, from 5,000 feet to nearly 

 10,000 in summer ; is quite arboreal, hunting among the upper 

 foliage and flowers of trees, singly, or in small parties, and feeding 

 chiefly on insects. Hodgson says that it builds a large globular 

 nest, and lays four or five eggs of a pale fawn color, unspotted. 

 A nest and eggs were brought to me at Darjeeling, said to be of this 

 species ; the nest was rather large, very loosely made of bamboo 

 leaves and fibres, and the eggs were pale salmon color, with some 

 faint darker spots. 



392. Stacliyris pyrrhops, Hodgson. 

 J. A. S., XIIL, 378— Blyth, Cat. 862— Hoksf., Cat. 341. 



