yOTJES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES, 421 



GROUP VITI. 



Alcippe. 

 This is rather a large group, the members of one genus grading into those 

 of the next ; in habits, they range from those which are thoroughly Timeliine, 

 (Schceniparus), up to the Sivas, which are arboreal in habits. In it I have 

 placed the following, Schoeniparus, Alcippe, Pseudominla, Proparus, Siva and 

 Lioparus. I have been unable to find any definite characteristics of 

 this group, the wing and tail are about equal, that is one not conspicuous- 

 ly shorter than the other, and the bill, small and slightly curved. The 

 majority build cup-shaped nests and lay highly coloured eggs. 



GROUP IX. 



Stachyrhis. 

 In this group I have placed Thing orhina, ^Stachyrhis, Stachyrhidopsis, 

 Mixornis, and Cyanoderma. Members of the first three genera grades vary 

 naturally from one into the other, this is most noticeable in the bill, which 

 ranges from rather a coarse notched one in Thinyorhina, to a slender pointed 

 one in Stachyrhidopsis. The last two differ from the first in the shape and form- 

 ation of their bills, but show a remarkable resemblance in their colouration 

 and style of plumage. In habits they are not Timeliine but given to haunt- 

 ing trees ; in nidification the first two are peculiar in being the only two 

 genera in the TioneliifKB which lay spotless white eggs, the other members 

 of this group all lay white eggs spotted with reddish. 



GROUP X. 



TURDINULUS. 



This is a very compact group consisting of the three Wren-like genera, 

 Turdinulus, Corythocichla, and Riinator, the last being remarkable for its 

 extremely long bill. The members of this group are characterised by their 

 short tails and squmated upper plumage. In habits they appear to be very 

 Wren-like {Troglodytes), haunting hillsides and brushwood, and being 

 ■solitary. They all build dome-shaped nests which are placed on or near 

 the ground, and lay white eggs profusely spotted with reddish-brown. 



GROUP XI. 



Setakia. 



I have placed Setaria [Malacopterum), Erythrocichla and ^thostoma 

 {Trichosto7na) m this group, they are hardly Indian and belong really to the 

 Malayan Fauna, only coming within our limits in the extreme south of 

 Tenasserim. Very little has been recorded, about their habits and nidifica- 

 tion, which might help us to their classification, and from their long wings 

 and short tarsi, I think, should be removed from amongst the TimeliincB. 



They have the following characteristics, a fairly long wing, which does not fit 

 close to the body; tail equal to or shorter than the wing, a short tarsus; bill stout, 

 straight and very strong; rictal bristles extremely long; habits strictly arboraal. 



GROUP T. 



Gampsorhynchus, Blytb, 1844. 



Gates, F. B. I., i., p. 134. 



This group consists of one species which is confined to the eastern portion 

 of the Empire and the Malay Peninsula, and has been divided up into 

 thifee sub-species. 



Their characteristics are a long graduated tail ; short rounded wings, the 

 first four primaries graduated; a powerful shrike-like bill ; and their rictal 

 bristles well developed. General colour rufous-brown with white heads and 

 breasts ; the young appear to take two years to assume the white and to 

 breed in the immature stage. 



