64 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



b. Covering membrane of nostril bare, frontal 



feathers short and rounded . . . . . . Garrulax cinereifrons. 



c. Posterior half of covering membrane of the 

 nostrils clothed with plumelets continued 

 back to the forehead, the feathers of which 

 are short and rounded. 



e\ Tail very much longer than the wing... Argya. 

 /\ Wing and tail almost equal in length.. Crateropus. 

 B. — Bill curved, equal to or slightly longer than 



hind-toe and claw (upper plumage streaked) . . Babax. 



Group 1. LaugTiing Thrushes. 



Dryonastes (Sharpe) 1883. 



Gates, F.B.I, i., p. 72. 



" The genus Dryonastes of which I), ruficollis (Jardine) is the type con- 

 tains those Laughing Thrushes which have the nostrils almost completely 

 hidden by bristles. They are very closely allied to some of the Corvidce in 

 structure and they might almost be placed in the same family. They 

 differ, however, in laying spotless eggs and in their habits."— (Gates.) 



They have the following characteristics, a rounded wing ; tail and wing 

 almost equal ; nostrils pierced and almost hidden by overhanging hairs 

 and bristles. 



All lay spotless eggs, pale blue or white. 



Key, as in Gates F. B. I. 



Dryonastes fall into two sub-groups, chiefly noticeable for the amount of 

 bristles. 



I. Sub-Group — Type D. ruficollis (Jardine). 



Having the feathers at the base of the forehead and bill a stiff' mass of 

 bristles ; the bill small, narrow and gently curved ; the wing with the first 

 four primaries graduated and the 5th and 6th equal and longest. This 

 sub-group consists of the following Indian species. 



D. ruficollis, D. sannio, and D. galbanus, the bristles at the base of the 

 bill of this last species form almost a smooth velvety mass. 



II. Sub-group. — Type D. c. ciERULATUS (Hodgson). 



The feathers at the base of the forehead and at the base of the bill 

 crowing in irregular tufts ; the bill rather long, stout and almost straight, 

 and the first five primaries graduated. This sub-group consists of the 

 following Indian species D. ccerulatus, D. chinensis and D. nuchalis. 



The numbers of both sub-groups lay spotless blue or white eggs, the 

 texture of which in each group is quite distinct. In the first highly glossy 

 and close. In the second satiny and not very glossy. 



Dryonastes ruficollis (Jardine). 

 The Rufous-necked Laughing Thrush, 



lanthocincla ruficollis, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn. 2nd series, pi. 21. (1838). 



Dryonastes rufiocollis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. VII, p. 454 ; Gates, F. B. I., i., 

 p. 78. , 



Description as in Gates, F. B. I. 



Distribution. — Gnly found at low elevations in the Himalayas from Nepal 

 to Assam, Manipur and Northern Burma, in the Upper Chindwin, 

 Myitkyina and Bhamo Districts in the plains. 



