376 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Gen. PiPRisoMA, Blytii. 



Char. — Bill short and svibconical, acutely triangular as viewed 

 from above ; ridge of the upper mandible angulated, and that of the 

 lower slightly so ; both of them curved, the lower one perhaps 

 most ; tip of the upper overhanging the lower mandible ; nostrils 

 ahnost closed by the nasal membrane ; gape unarmed ; feet rather 

 small : tarsus equal to the middle toe ; outer toe syndactyle ; claws 

 moderately hooked ; wings long, reaching to end of tail ; tail short, 

 even. 



This genus bears the same relation to the plain- coloured 

 species of DiccBum, that Prionocldlus does to the brighter-coloured 

 species. It is a remarkably thick-billed Diccsum, though somewhat 

 resembling the brighter-coloured Prionocldlus. Only one species is 

 known ; unless Smicrornis, Gould, from Australia, be considered 

 indentical with it, which, judging from the figure, seems not 

 improbable. 



240. Piprisoma agile, Tickell. 



Fringilla, apud Tickell, J. A. S., II., p. 578— Blyth, Cat. 

 1380 — Parisoma vireoides, Jerdon, Cat. 133 — Pipra squalida, 

 Burton, P. Z. S., \SoG—Chitlu-Jitta, Tel. 



The Thick-billed Flower-pecker. 



Descr. — Above dull ashy-olive, greenish on the rump and upper 

 tail-coverts ; wino-s and tail brownish, the former edo-ed oreen, 

 and the tail slightly edged at tip with whitish, which forms a ter- 

 minal spot on the inner web of the outermost feathers ; beneath, 

 dirty greenish-white, with a few faint strice on the throat, fore-neck, 

 and flanks. 



Bill and Ico's leaden ; irides orange- vellow. Lenjrth 4 inches; 

 wing 2-^ ; tail ly^; tarsus -1. 



This curious little bird is found over the greater part of India, 

 from the Himalayas to the INIalabar coast and Ceylon, most com- 

 monly in jungly disti-icts, but it is also occasionally seen in groves of 

 trees inbare country. I have procured it in Goomsoor, on the Eastern 

 Gh^ts, in IMalabar, and the Deccan : Blyth obtaining it in the 

 Midnaporc jungles. It associates in small flocks, and frequents the 



