372 Capt. G. E. Shelley on Birds 



(Swains.) J which differs only in having the throat and breast 

 a shade darker. 



In ' The Ibis ' for 1896, p. 232, I expressed my views of 

 the characters for separating the genus Xenocichla from its 

 allies, and I may here follow up the subject to show why I 

 place the present species in the genus Andropadus. Since 

 I published my List of the Birds of the Ethiopian Region, 

 I have found that the serration of the bill is a bad 

 character for Andropadus (Cat. B. M. vi. p. 3), for it is not 

 always present in A. importunus , the type of the genus, so I 

 propose the following amended key for this and the allied 

 African genera : — 



a. No distinct long silky plumes on the rump 

 and flanks. 



a\ Bill deeper than Lroad, &c Xenocichla (1857). 



6'. Bill not deeper than broad. 



a^. Bill 7iot long and slender, with the ciilmen 

 straight to the notch in the upper man- 

 dible, and the upward curve of the keel 

 as great as the downward curve of the 

 culmen. 

 «'. Tail with a strongly-marked white 

 portion. 

 d*. Above olive, with large white spots. 

 Beneath, with tail closed, entirely 



white Ixonota (1861). 



b^. Above with no white spots Baopogon (1860). 



a^. Tail with no strongly marked white 



portion. 



c''. Greater portion of the bill dark. 



o\ A distinct short crest of rounded 



feathers ; i-ictal bristles long and 



stout ; back and closed wings 



olive Criniger (1820). 



6'. No crest. 



a*. Beneath never uniform yellow. Andropadvs (1831). 

 b^. Beneath uniform yellow ; above 

 uniform brown or olive ; bill 

 uniform dark grey or brown, 



like the tarsi and feet Chlorucichla (1881). 



d*. Greater portion of the bill pale. 

 c\ Overhanging membrane of nostril 

 partially covered with small 

 feathers Trichites (1860). 



