eubtljEmus. 3 



The Broadbills are forest birds living generally in small flocks 

 amongst high trees, and feeding as a rule on insects. They are 

 often remarkably tame, some of thena being, it is said, so unwilling 

 to move that several out of the same flock may be shot one after 

 the other, without the survivors being alarmed. They build large 

 round nests of grass and fibres, somewhat resembling those of the 

 Nectariniidce, suspended from a fine twig and with an opening at 

 the side (fig. 1). The eggs as a rule are white or cream-coloured, 

 much speckled, especially towards the larger end, but occasionally 

 they are spotless. 



The genera in this family are more distinct than is usually the 

 case amongst Birds, each being distinguished by a peculiar type of 

 coloration. No species occur in the Peninsula of India, nor in 

 Ceylon, but the range of the family extends from the Western 

 Himalayas to the Philippines and Borneo, the majority inhabiting 

 the Malay Peninsula. 



Key to the Oenera. 



a. Nostrils exposed. 



a' . Tail shorter than wing. 



a". Sides of upper mandible convex and 

 overhanging. 

 a^ Region below eye feathered .... Exjuyljemus, p. 3. 

 IP. Rf^gion below eye nude; bill very 



broad Corydon, p. 5. 



b". Sides of upper mandible straight, not 

 overhanging, 

 c^. Nostrils elongate, about ^ length 



of bill from forehead Cymborhynchus, p. 7. 



d^. Nostrils rounded, at base of bill . . Serilophus, p. 8. 

 b'. Tail longer than wing Psarisomus, p. 11. 



b. Nostrils concealed by loral plumes Calyptomena, p. 12. 



Genus EURYLiEMUS, Horsfield, 1821. 



Bill large, broad and flat, culmen very blunt, sides of upper 

 mandible overhanging and convex near the gape. Nostrils rounded, 

 exposed, at base of bill. Wings and tail rounded, the wing much 

 longer than the tail. Rictal bristles present but small. Scutellation 

 of tarsus in front almost obsolete, inside of tarsus covered with an 

 undivided lamina. 



Upper plumage chiefly black and yellow ; lower plumage wholly 

 or in part vinaceous red. Two species are known, ranging from 

 Tenasserim to the Malay Archipelago. 



Key to the Species. 



Larger ; head and neck dark vinaceous red E.javanicKs, p. 4. 



Smaller ; head and throat black E. ochromelas, p. 5. 



b2 



