258 CERTHIIN.E. 



adult female, for I had in my own collection a perfectly similar 

 specimen, as well as a bright blue one, both procured by Cross- 

 ley at Saralalan. Monsieur Grandidier's illustration of the 

 female does not appear to me so accurate and the colouring is 

 certainly too pale. He informs us that this bird inhabits the 

 large forests, especially frequenting the damp ravines, where, 

 after creeping up the trunk of one tree, it flies down to the 

 base of the next to search that one in a like careful manner. 

 They live silently and singly or in pah's, so that in habits they 

 must much resemble our Common Tree-creeper. 

 Its native name is " Sakody." 



Subfamily II. CEKTHIIN^. 



Bill long, slender and slightly curved ; tongue split at the tip ; nostril 

 placed in a groove, opens in a slit and is overhung by a bare membrane ; no 

 nasal nor rictal bristles ; tarsus shorter than the bill and scutellated in front. 

 Adult and young birds of both sexes similar in plumage. 



KEY TO THE GENERA AND SPECIES. 



a. Hind claw much longer than the hind toe; 



back grey, portion of wings bright crimson . Ticliodroma muraria. 



b. Hind claw much shorter than the hind toe ; 



plumage brown and white ; upper parts 



brown with white spots and bars .... Salpornis salvadorii. 



Genus I. TICHODEOMA. 



T. muraria, the only species known of this genus, has the bill long, 

 slender, nearly straight and black. Tongue split at the tip (Ibis, 1895, 

 p. 256, fig. 2). Wing formula : 4 = 5; 6 = 3, 7, 2, 8, 1, 9; 1 = more than 

 half of 2 and less than half of 4. Breeds generally in crevices in steep 

 rocks and lays two or three eggs which are white spotted with reddish 

 brown. 



