82 CAPITONIDjE. 



inner webs of secondaries and tertiaries with whitish margins ; 

 middle of back pure yellow, lower back and rump orange-yellow ; 

 upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers blackish brown, except the 

 outermost (shorter) tail-feathers, which are paler and greyer ; lower 



Fig. 23. Head of 1. xanthonotus. 



parts dark grey ; the chin, throat, and fore neck tinged with yellow ; 

 breast and abdomen with blackish shaft-streaks, broader behind 

 vent; feathers and under tail-coverts blackish with pale edges; 

 wing-lining whitish, edge of wing buff. 



Bill yellow, ashy towards the tip ; iris dark brown ; naked orbital 

 area pale green ; feet pale greenish horny (Stoliczka). 



Length about 6 ; wing 3-8 ; tail 2-4 ; tarsus -6 ; bill from gape -5. 



Distribution. This species, which is very rare, has hitherto been 

 found only in the Himalayas, in Sikhim, and also near Murree and 

 Abbottabad, but nowhere in the intervening area. 



Habits, $c. The only published observations are by Stoliczka, 

 who shot a male close to Dungagali near Murree. This bird had 

 a heavy flight like Meyalcema, and in the stomach were several 

 specimens of a predatory wasp and a small quantity of green 

 vegetable matter. 



Family CAPITONID^E. 



Bill as a rule stout and strong. Nostrils at base of bill, often 

 overhung by plumes and bristles. E-ictal and chin bristles often 

 largely developed. Ventral feather-tract forked on the throat and 

 on each side of the breast. Tail-feathers 10. Wing rounded in all 

 Indian forms, and with 10 primaries, the first short. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. No green on plumage ; no rictal bristles . . CALORHAMPHUS, p. 83, 

 6. Prevailing colour green; long rictal bristles. 



a'. Lower tail-coverts red ME GAL JEM A, p. 84. 



b' . Lower tail-coverts green. 



a". 2nd primary shorter than 10th. 

 a 3 . Head, neck, and breast brown, 



more or less streaked THEREICERYX, p. 86. 



