VII 



TIMELIIDAE 



503 



a second to Arabia and the Jordan. Crossleyia, Bernieria, Mysta- 

 cornis, Xanthomixis and Oxylahes are peculiar to Madagascar. 



Most members of the Family inhabit woods near water with 

 thick undergrowth, or more rarely stony hills, scrubby gullies, 

 and rocky torrents ; C inclorhamphus haunts grassy plains ; Crate- 

 ropics Jcirki prefers reeds. The majority are decidedly terrestrial, 

 skulking warily among the bushes and grass, either singly or in 

 small companies, while some are inquisitive and active. The flight 

 is low, short, undulating, and laboured; but the birds hop and climb 

 well, bounding over the ground or clinging to the trees. The Jap- 

 anese and Chinese "Hill-liobin" {Liothrix lutea) and its allies are 

 more arboreal, as are Paradoxornis, Suthora, and so forth. Orthonyx 

 is said to dance like a Lyre-bird (p. 493). Many species scratch up 

 the soil or dead leaves in search of insects and their larvae, which, 

 with seeds, constitute the chief food; fruit, however, or even small rep- 

 tiles, crabs, worms, 

 and molluscs are 

 occasionally eaten. 

 The tail is often car- 

 ried erect ; Cinclo- 

 soma rises with a 

 whirring noise ; Cin- 

 dorhmnphus hovers 

 in the air. Several 

 members of the 

 Family are com- 

 paratively silent, 

 Sittijjarus and 

 Alcippe twitter, 

 Stachyridopsis utters clear, bell-like tones, Timelia slowly repeated 

 cries, Myiophoneus a fine whistle ; but usually harsh chattering 

 or screaming noises alternate with chuckles, croaks, clucks, or a 

 laughing chorus. Fsophodes is called the " Coach- whip bird," from 

 its notes ending like the crack of a whip. The habits of Clitonyx 

 are said to resemble those of the Meliphagidae. The nest is 

 commonly a rough structure of leaves, moss, herbage, and the 

 like, often lined with roots, which is placed in low trees, bushes, 

 reeds, grass, holes in trees, or banks, by Garrulax, Argya, and 

 Turdinus ; in crevices of rocks, by Chaetops ; or on crags near 

 torrents, by 3fyiophoneus. It may consist of somewhat softer 



Fig. 109. "Babbling Thrush." Timelia vmculata. x 



