SPELEORNIS, 451 
Genus SPELHORNIS Sharpe, 1881. 
The name Urocichla is pre-occupied but the birds placed by 
Sharpe in that genus are congeneric with those which he placed 
in his following new genus Spelewornis in the Catalogue of Birds. 
This name is therefore applicable. 
The birds of this genus have short, rounded tails of 10 feathers 
only; the plumage is soft and full and the feathers squamated ; 
the bill is like that of Elachura and Vroglodytes but stouter than 
either; the tarsi are long and strong and the feet the same. The 
sexes are alike but the young differ from the adults in being 
unmarked above and, generally, in having redder wing-quills. 
Key to Species. 
A. Lower plumage without any black and [p. 451. 
STIL OMI RTS ae Nane fe 2) 2 esd 2 e's) sis tes eo aise S. longicaudatus, 
B. Lower plumage barred with black and 
SYA ease ayia eras. cs). ofecgin w cawialone crak S. caudatus, p. 456. 
Spelzornis longicaudatus, 
Key to Subspecies. 
A. Under parts fulvous-rufous, neither barred [p. 452, 
MUON SOLO lene teres eh aeei tv wie sisisyeieiwiel <oaveue's + S. 1, longicaudatus, 
B, Under parts rufous with black terminal 
SDIDUS. 5 pict SES OG Soe SRO Orne eee S.1, chocolatinus, p. 453. 
€. Under parts principally grey, more or less 
tinged with rufous on flanks. 
«a. No distinct spots on lower plumage .... S.J. reptatus, p. 455. 
6. Lower plumage conspicuously marked 
with dark brown terminal and dull 
white subterminal spots.............. S. 1. stnlumensis, p. 453, 
ce. Sides of breast more strongly tinged with 
rufous and spotting on lower plumage 
HEBSICOBSPICUGUS) cic c<14 dns see saree eee S. 1, kauriensis, p. 454, 
D. Whole lower plumage practically white 
with triangular black tips ........0.050. S. 1, oatest, p. 455. 
At present there is so little material available for examination 
that it is difficult to say whether or not some of the hitherto 
so-called species are even good subspecies and with better series 
some may have to be done away with. Speleornis l. kauriensis, 
for instance, is very probabiy nothing more than feebly marked 
specimens of S. l, sinlumensis, both occurring in the Bhamo Hills 
at about the same elevation. On the other hand, more material 
might possibly show that in Spelawornis longicaudatus, Speleornis 
sinlumensis and Spelceornis oatesi we have three quite good species. 
For the present it seems safer to retain them all as geographical 
races of longicaudatus, dealing with them more definitely when 
we have more specimens for examination. 
