THE IBIS. 



THIRD SERIES. 



No. XIII. JANUARY 1874. 



I. — On the Prionochili of British India. 

 By P. L. ScLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S. 



(Plate I.) 



The genus Prionochilus was established, in 1841*, by the late 

 Mr. Strickland for the reception of the birds described and 

 figured in the ' Planches Coloriees ' of Temminck, as Parda- 

 lotus percussus (PI. Col. 394. fig. 2), Pardalotus thoracicus 

 (PI. Col. 600. figs. 1 & 2), and Pardalotus maculatus. Mr. 

 Strickland considered the affinities of this group to be with 

 Calyptomena, '^^ which it approaches in the structure of the 

 beak and feet much more nearly than to Pardalotus." The 

 name was derived from irployv, a saw, and %€tX-09, a lip, in 

 allusion to the minute serrations of the margins of the beak, 

 which, however, are scarcely visible in some of the species 

 without the assistance of a magnifying-glassf. 



In 1865 Mr. Wallace described and figured J a beautiful 



* P. Z. S. 1841, p. 29. 



t Somewhat similar serrations occur in certain Suphoftiee (Tanagridse) 

 and in the Trocliilidine genera Gryptis and Androdon. 

 X P. Z. S. 1865, p. 477, pi. xxix. fig. 1. 



SER. III. VOL. IV. B 



