117 



of the females yellow. The numerous species inhabit the wooded regions 

 -of India and the Indo-Chinese countries and islands, and are generally 

 met with in small flocks searching the leaves for insects. 



Family V. PYCNONOTID^E. BULBTJLS. 



The members of this numerous and fairly well-defined family of [Case 73.] 

 somewhat Thrush-like birds are peculiar to the Old World and found 

 throughout the Ethiopian, Indian, and Malayan regions. They are 

 generally characterised by well-developed bristles round the gape, a 

 short metatarsus, and a rounded concave wing. They are birds of 

 feeble flight and arboreal habits, and frequent gardens, low jungles, 

 and forests, feeding chiefly on berries and fruits. Many of the species 

 are gregarious. The nest is generally an open structure of sticks, grass, 

 and moss, placed in a low tree or creeper, and the eggs are almost 

 invariably marked and spotted. Many of the species, especially those of 

 the genera Otocompsa (1958, 1959) and Pycnonotus (1960-1963), have a 

 sweet song and are favourite cage-birds. 



The usual coloration is olive or brown, but brilliant exceptions are to 

 be seen in the Fairy Blue-bird (Irena puella) (1980), the beautiful green 

 species of Chloropsis (1981-1984), and the red- throated, orange-breasted 

 Rubigula dispar (1956) from Java. 



Family VI. TIMELIID^:. BABBLERS. 



The characters and limits of this large Old- World family, which [Case 72.] 

 includes a somewhat varied assemblage of species, is still imperfectly 

 understood. They may be generally characterised as thrush-like birds 

 with well-developed bristles at the gape, short, rounded, concave wings, 

 fitting closely to the body, and strong metatarsi. The majority are 

 decidedly terrestrial in their habits, creeping singly or in small 

 companies among thick undergrowth ; but some, such as the Chinese 

 "Robin" (Liothrix lutea) (1940) and its allies, as well as the thick-billed 

 Paradoxornis (1941) and the smaller, more Tit-like Suthora (1942), are 

 more arboreal and should probably be associated with the Paridte. Six 

 subfamilies are recognised, but we can only briefly note some of the 

 more remarkable forms. In the Crateropodince we find the curious 

 spinous-tailed species (Orthonyx spinicauda) (1892), the handsome 

 Cinclosoma punctatum (1893), and the " Coach-whip" bird (Psophodes] 

 (1899), which has a note like the crack of a whip, all three being 

 natives of Australia; the curious Eupetes (1894), with somewhat the 

 appearance of a long-legged Woodpecker, the Scimitar-Babbler (Xipho- 

 rhamphus superciliaris) (1912), remarkable for its very long, slender, 

 curved bill, and the Laughing Thrush (Dryonastes chinensis) (1907), 



