178 SIMALINJE. 



The Spotted Wren Babbler only occurs within our limits, on 

 the Sahyadri Range, as far north as Mahableshwar. 



GENUS, Pomatorhinus, Horsfield. 



Bill long, compressed, pointed, much curved throughout, entire 

 at the tip ; nostrils barely apert, lengthened ; a few very small 

 rictal bristles ; wings short, rounded ; fifth and sixth quills longest ; 

 tail long or moderate, rounded ; tarsi and feet long and stout ; 

 anterior toes not much elongated ; hind-toe large ; claws large, 

 moderately curved, somewhat blunt. 



Pomatorhinus horsfieldi, Sykes. 



404. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 31 ; Butler, Deccan ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 400. 



THE SOUTHERN SCIMITAR BABBLER. 



Length, 9'5 ; wing, 3'8; tail, 4 ; tarsus, 1*3 ; bill at front, 1. 



Bill yellow, dusky above ; irides dark-red ; legs dusky-green. 



Above deep olive-brown ; a white superciliary stripe ; neck in 

 front, breast, and middle of abdomen, white ; the flanks, vent, 

 and under tail-coverts olive-brown. 



The Southern Scimitar Babbler has the same range as the 

 preceding, but is much more common and is a permanent resident. 



Pomatorhinus obscurus, Hume. 



404ter. Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 471. 

 HUME'S SCIMITAR BABBLER. 



Length, 9'5 to 10 12 ; expanse, 11 ; wing, 3'5 to 415 ; tail, 4 ; 

 bill at front, T32 to 135 ; bill at gape, T4. 



Bill ivory-yellow, horny at base of upper mandible or dirty- 

 yellow, blackish on the ridge at base of upper mandible ; irides 

 dark red or reddish-brown ; legs and feet dark, slightly greenish- 

 plumbeous, or olivaceous-slate. 



Chin, throat, breast and centre of abdomen, and a long super- 

 ciliary stripe from forehead to nape, pure white ; the whole of 

 the rest of the plumage a dull smoky earth-brown, rather 

 a purer brown on quills and tail, which are very faintly 

 rufescent ; the tail obsoletely barred ; the lores dark-brown ; 

 the ear-coverts slightly darker-brown than the rest of the body. 



Hume's Scimitar Babbler is common at Aboo, and must occur 

 on the hills in the vicinity of Mhow. 



GENUS, Malacocercus, Swainson. 



Bill short or moderate, much compressed, rather deep, curving 

 from the base, barely hooked at the tip, entire ; commissure 

 slightly curved ; gonys ascending ; nostrils apert ; a few short pale 

 rictal setae ; wings short, much rounded, fourth, fifth and sixth 

 quills nearly equal and longest ; tail moderately long, broad ; tarsus 

 stout, scutellate ; feet rather large ; claws moderately curved. 



