PYCNOXOTID.E. 



:159 



Fig. 69. — Molpastcs lencotis. 



Family PYCNONOTID.E. 



Gates in flie first edition of the Avifauna retained the Bulbuls 

 as a Subfamily, BracJnjpodince, of the Timaliulce but they seem to 

 nie to be sufficiently well differentiated to warrant tlieni being 

 treated as a separate family. They form a very numerous group 

 of birds, which are found throughout kSouthern Asia, practically 

 the whole of Africa, and also the extreme South-West of Europe. 



The two principal features by which the Pi/cnonotidcp can be 

 distinguished from the Timaliidce are the con)paratively short 

 tai'sus and the presence of some hairs which grow from the 

 nape. These hairs are often long, fairly numerous and con- 

 spicuous, sometimes short, few and inconspicuous but never 

 entirely absent. It is this latter character which separates them 

 from the Timaliidce, which have short tarsi, such as Chloropsis, 

 JSgitliina etc., in addition to which the sexes are alike in the 

 Bulbuls but different in those genera. 



In the Bulbuls the young are practically like the adults but 

 sometimes paler and duller and sometimes darker and duller as in 

 Heviixus. 



