962 



TWEE— TIM ELI A 



TiMELIA. 



(Aftei- Horsfield.) 



TIDEE, TIDIF, TYDIF and TYTYFR (spelling uncertain), 

 obsolete names, but the second and third are used by Chaucer (c/. 

 Skeat's ed. iii. p. 76, iv. p. 479, v. p. 386), and most likely signify 

 a T1TMOUSE.1 



TIDLY-GOLDFINCH, said to be a name for the Goldcrest. 



TIMELIA, amended from Timalia^^ the generic name, since 

 used as English, applied by Horsfield in 1820 {Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xiii. p. 150) to a small bird he discovered in Java, and two years 

 later figured and more fully described (Zool. Res. 

 pi. 43, fig. 1) — T. pilcata. It has a strong bill, 

 arched and much compressed, the wings short 

 and much incurved, the plumage generally long 

 and lax, a rather long and graduated tail and 

 moderately stout feet. The sexes are outwardly 

 alike, except in point of size, and it is a pretty 

 bird with a bright bay crown, and a Avhite line 

 from the base of the black bill over the eye, 

 contrasting also Avith the black lore, while the 

 rest of the upper parts are olive, the rectrices darker and trans- 

 versely barred by a deeper shade : the cheeks, throat and neck 

 are white — the last with fine longitudinal black streaks, while the 

 breast and other lower parts are of a pale tawny. The species, 

 declared by Mr. Gates {Faun. Br. Ind. i. p. 131) to be the only one 

 of the genus, is noAv admitted to have a Avidish range on the 

 Asiatic continent from Cochin-China to Nepal ; but the statements, 

 though made on good authority (Jerdon, B. India, ii. p. 24, and 

 Sharpe, Cat. Br. B. vii. p. 508) of its occurrence in Malacca, are 

 doubted by Mr. Gates {ut supra, p. 132). It has a pleasant song, 

 and is described as affecting the neighboui'hood of cultivation in 

 Java, but in India its habits seem to be more retiring, for though 

 said to be an active, bright bird, it keeps creeping about the grass 

 near the ground, and seldom sheAvs itself. It builds a domed nest 

 in a loAvly position and therein lays 3 eggs, Avhite speckled Avith 

 broAvn. 



These particulars are dAvelt upon because this little bird has of 

 late years been set in such a position as none other has ever occu- 

 pied. Around it, or upon it, have been heaped, one after another, 

 or whole groups at a time, many of the most incongruous forms of 

 Passeres from all parts of the Avorld, until the " Family Timelildx " 

 became a confused mass, the like of Avhich had not been seen since 

 systematic ornithology began. The practice of referring some 



^ 111 tlie copy before mentioned (p. 680, note 2) of Belon's Portraits, the figure 

 of Paras major is inscribed " Colhnouse, A Tydie." 



" Tlie derivation suggested is Tt/^dw, I honour, and I'jXiOj, the sun. 

 correction is Sundevall's in 1872 [Tentameu, p. 11). 



The 



