BLACK-CROWNED BABBLER. 277 



the bill, instead of being perfectly entire, has a 

 small nearly obsolete indenture at the tip of the 

 upper mandible ; the legs are longer in proportion, 

 and the claws not so much curved, thus pointing it 

 out as a more typical example. 



The ground colour of the general plumage is a 

 light brownish grey, becoming much paler on the 

 under parts, with the wings and tail dark sepia 

 brown. The chin, and about half-way down the 

 throat, is pure white, but all the rest of the head, ears, 

 and nape are of a deep black ; the lower part of the 

 throat and breast is light grey, but each feather has 

 a darker stripe in the middle, which gives it the 

 appearance of being spotted. The tail is rather long, 

 broad, and much rounded ; and, together with the 

 tertial quills, has an appearance of being crossed 

 by transverse dusky lines, when held in particular 

 lights. The feathers in the middle of the back are 

 lengthened, and are all pure white at their base ; 

 the bill is black and the legs pale. 



It might be suspected that this was the male of 

 the last species described, but the difference of their 

 respective sizes, and in other points of their struc- 

 ture already noticed, renders this supposition highly 

 improbable. 



Total length, 10| ; bill, 1^; wings, 4f ; tail 

 beyond, 3 ; from the base, 5 ; tarsus, 1^ ; hind- toe 

 and claw, T % ; middle ditto, 1 T %. 



It is clearly impossible to identify the two last 

 birds, from the confused mass of descriptions of 

 Turdi found in the systems. 



