400 PYCNONOTID^E. 



Habits. According to Davison this is a bird of open or culti- 

 vated country. Its habits are like those of the genus Otocompsa, 

 its note is whistled " kick pettigrew '' and its food consists princi- 

 pally of small berries but also to some extent of insects. 



Genus SPIZIXUS Blyth, 1845. 



The genus Spizixus contains species and subspecies ranging 

 from Assam to China. They differ from all other Bulbuls in their 

 very curious Finch-like bill and in having the nostrils partially 

 concealed by overhanging plumelets. 



It is a typical Btilbul in habits, nidification and voice and does 

 not seem to have any connexion with the Sibiince as suggested by 

 Gates. 



Fig. 80. Head of S. c. canifrons. 



In Spizixus the crest is thick and long but not much pointed. 

 The bill is very short and deep, the culrnen being gently curved 

 throughout ; the edges of the mandibles are slightly sinuated and 

 notched near the tips. The tail is perfectly square and the tarsus 

 short and weak. 



The crest as shown in the woodcut is too bushy and not 

 sufficiently pointed. 



(416) Spizixus canifrons canifrons. 

 THE FINCH-BILLED BDLBUL. 



Spizivos canifrons Blyth, J.A. S. B., xiv, p. 571 (1846) (Khasia 

 Hills) ; Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 280. 



Vernacular names. A r o<or-si<(Kachin); 



Description. Forehead running up in a point into the crown, 

 grey ; lores, chin and cheeks mixed grey and black ; crown and 

 round the eye black ; ear-coverts grey, tinged with hair-brown on 

 the upper parts ; nape and sides of neck grey; chin dark brownish 

 grey : whole upper plumage bright green tinged with olive, lightest 

 on the rump and upper tail-coverts, darkest on the scapulars and 

 upper back ; wing-coverts the same, tinged with brown on the 

 inner webs of the greater coverts ; primaries and outer secondaries 



