87 



ftiU'Mnus crispifrons. 



Mr. Blyth described this species, (J. A. S., B., XXI V., 269, 

 1855) in the following terms : — 



" Turdinus crispifrons, nobis, n. s. Very like T. macro- 

 dactylus ( Malacopteron macrodactyhwi, Strickland, v. Bra- 

 chypterix albogularis, Hartlaub), of the Malayan Peninsula 

 (described J. A. S., XIII., p. 382) ; but smaller and non-rufous, 

 with longer, softer, and more graduated tail, aud erect, short, 

 and stiff frontal plumes, which are much less developed in the 

 other species; the rictal bristles are also much slighter. Leno-th 

 about 7| inch ; of wing 3 to 3£ inch ; and tail 3 to 3£ inch; its 

 outermost feather f inch shorter ; bill to gape 1 inch ; and tarsi 

 the same. Colour deep non-rufous olive-brown ; the feathers 

 of the head, neck, and back, pale shafted, and margined with 

 black ; a pure white speck at the tip of the smallest tertiary, 

 and sometimes to that of the next, and probably of more : 

 throat pure white, marked with dark olive, but differently from 

 that of T. macrodactylus ; in the latter species the feathers 

 surrounding the throat are more or less broadly black-tipped ; 

 but in T. crispifrons they are black medially, with white 

 outer edge and extreme tip, and the dark markings are less 

 abruptly defined and do not surround and circumscribe the 

 throat as in the other species : lower-parts tinged with ashy, 

 mingled with whitish along the middle. Bill dusky, pale 

 underneath and at tip, and legs dark olive brown. ' Not 

 uncommon, but very local, and confined entirely to deep thickets 

 amongst rocKs.' " 



This species has hitherto been so rare in collections, that I 

 myself have never, until recently, succeeded in obtaining a 

 specimen. Of late, however, my collectors having discovered 

 the localities which these Turdini exclusively, I believe, affect, 

 endless specimens of this, guttatus, and brevicaudatus have poured 

 in, and as I find that the plumage in our present species is 

 subject to a most remarkable variation and one which I do not 

 yet fully understand, I desire to say a few words on the subject. 



In the first place, I remark that with a few alterations and 

 additions Blyth's above-quoted description represents admirably 

 one phase of the plumage. 



The colour of the upper part is, however, in none of my 82 

 specimens " deep non-rufous olive brown/' in every one it is a 

 " clear, rather' pale olive brown," only occasionally slightly 

 rufescent on the upper tail coverts and tail. The lower parts 

 may be called deep olive brown. 



