TESi.v, 463 



hand, the presence of rictal bristles miglit induce some oriiitho- 

 iogists to place the genus in a family bj itself, leading from the 

 Troglodytidce to tlie JShort-winged Chats, £rachi/pterj/t/in<r:. 



In 7'esia tlie bill is equal to or rather more than half the length 

 of the head, broad at the base and compressed at the tip. The 

 wings are very short and rounded, the tail so short as to be 

 invisible and the tarsi and feet very long. The raa'.e and female 

 nve alike but tlie young differ considerably from the adult though 

 they are not spotted or barred as in the Sbortwiugs or paler than 

 the adult as in Timaliidte. 



Ke)/ to Species. 



A. Crown jrolden-brown T. cyaniventer, p. 463. 



B. Crown bright chestnut T. castancocoromda, p. 465. 



Fig. 92. — Head of T. c. cyaniventer. 



(475) Tesia cyani venter cyani venter. 



;ThE SLATr-BELLTBJD WREIf. 



Teua cyaniventer Hodgson, J. A. S. B., vi, p. 101 (1837) (Nepal). 

 Tesia cyaniventris. Blanf. &, Gates, i, p. 192. 



Vernacular names. Tisi (Nepal) ; Samtit-tammonfj (Lepcha) ; 

 Ting-linrui bermai-ga (Kacha Naga). 



Description. The forehead, chin and nape glistening golden 

 olive-brown, the yellow more pronounced at the sides of the 

 crown where it forms a fairly definite superciiium ; the rest of 

 the upper plumage and the visible portions of the closed wnngs 

 and tail olive-green ; lores and a broad stripe from the lores to 

 the nape black ; sides of the head and whole lower plumage slaty- 

 blue. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris brown, sometimes, according to 

 Cockburn, vermilion ; bill above and on the tip of the lower 

 mandible dark brown, the remainder pale horny, often yellowish 

 or tinged with orange ; legs and feet pale fleshy to pale dull 

 fleshy-brown. 



Measurements. Length about 100 mm. ; w-ing about 44 to 

 47 mm.; tail about 20 mm.; tarsus 24 mm.; culmen 11 to 

 12 mm. 



The adult female is similar to the male and does not differ as 

 described by Oates. 



The young bird has the whole upper plumage rather rufescent- 

 green and the lower parts dull, dark olive-green. The black line 



