DONACOBIUS vociferans. 

 SahhUng Thrush, 



Family Merulidse. Sub-family Macropodianae. ^"^06, 



Characters. 



Bill arched from the base, moderate, and generally entire ; wings 

 very short: tail broad, rounded. Feet and toes of great 

 strength and size; plumage lax, and soft. Nobis. 



Gracula (pars.) Cuv. Pomatorhinus. fJorsf. Ton. (pars.) 

 Pitta, (p.) Opetiorhynchus. Ixos. (p.) Malurus (p.) Tern. 

 Timalia. Megalurus. Horsf. Dasyorms. Phosphodes. Vig. 



Generic Character. 



Bill slender, moderate, the npper mandible notched; nostrils naked, 

 membranaceous, the aperture terminal. 



Specific Character. 



Above blackish brown, beneath fulvous yellow ; sides of the body 

 lineated with black lines, base of the quills and tips of the 

 laternal tail feathers pure white, sides of the neck, ivifh a 

 naked space. 



Gracula lon^irostris ? Auct. 



It is seldom that the notes of the feathered race are 

 absolutely disagreeable, but we never remember to have 

 heard a bird with a voice of such astounding discord, as that 

 now before us. Its particular note, if note it could be 

 called, we do not now recollect ; but it was so shrill, grating-, 

 and raonotinous, that we have frequently rushed out of the 

 house, to drive away the babbling disturbers. This hap- 

 pened at the hospitable residence of our friend Mr. Pinches, 

 of Pernarabucco, whose house Avas close to a small swamp, 

 overgrown with reeds, among which these birds delight to 

 dwell ; and which in fact, they never quit. Clinging to 

 the smooth stems by their strong feet and acute claws, they 

 were incessantly uttering discord with the most provoking 

 perseverance: all the time moving their body from one side 

 to the other, spreading out their tail, and straining their 

 throats, in the most grotesque way imaginable. On each 

 side of the neck, is a long space of bare skin of a deep 

 yellow colour: they live in pairs, and build a pensile nest 

 among the reeds : their flight is very slow and feeble. 



7i. 



