TESLA. 463 
hand, the presence of rictal bristles might induce some ornitho- 
logists to place the genus in a family by itself, leading from the 
Troglodytide to the Short-winged Chats, Brachypterygine. 
In Zesia the 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 ma'e and female 
are alike but the young differ considerably from the adult though 
they are not spotted or barred as in the Shortwings or paler than 
the adult as in 7imaliide. 
Key to Species. 
A. Crown golden-brown................ T. cyaniventer, p. 463. 
B. Crown bright chestnut T. castaneocoronata, p. 465. 
Fig. 92.—Head of T, c. cyaniventer. 
(475) Tesia cyaniventer cyaniventer. 
‘THE SLATY-BELLIED WREN. 
Tesia cyaniventer Hodgson, J. A. S. B., vi, p. 101 (1837) (Nepal). 
Tesia cyaniventris, Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 192. 
Vernacular names. 7%si (Nepal); Samdit-tammong (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 supercilium; the rest of 
the upper plumage and the visible portions of the closed wings 
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.; wing about 44 to 
mm.; tail about 20 mm.; tarsus 24 mm.; culmen 11 to 
nm. 
The adult female is similar to the male and does noé 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 
bon 
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