NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. 623 



Area in front of eye pale pinkish-brown ; forehead, crown, nape and tipper 

 back pale brownish with a vinous tinge ; a conspicuous chocolate coloured 

 stripe on each side of the head to upper back ; lower back, rump, and tail- 

 coverts dull ochraceous orange : the outer edge of the earlier primaries 

 bluish-grey ; the later edged black ; primary coverts ferruginous, tinged 

 olive ; tail brown ; the outer edge same colour as back ; chin and throat 

 whitish suffused with vinous, spotted with brownish-red ; breast vinous- 

 grey ; abdomen and flanks dull ochraceous orange, like the rump. 



Note. — ^This interesting little bird has its nearest ally in P. formosanus, 

 O. Grant. 



Habitat.— Owen, Kulno Peak, Manipur Hills, 8,000 ft. 



Four specimens collected by Godwin-Austen. 



Wing, 50-66 mm. ; culmen, 8 mm. ; tail, 47 mm. 



GROUP IX. 

 Stachyrhis. 



In this group I have placed the following : Thringorhina, Stachyrliis, 

 Stachyrhidopsis, Mixornis, and Cyanoderma. 



It consists of a large number of birds, the great majority of which do not 

 occur within Indian limits. If the whole group are examined together they 

 grade almost imperceptibly from one into the other, so much so that it is 

 impossible to draw the line between Thringorhina and Stachyrhis, many 

 members of the latter being of the same size as those of the former. Of 

 the smaller StachyrKis, of the >S', chrysma, Hodgson, type, although being 

 structurely similar to the S. nigriceps, type, differ greatly in size and color- 

 ation, and I think should be placed in a genus by themselves, as they are 

 being continually transferred from Stachyrhis, to Stachyrhidopsis, and back 

 again. 



Stachyrhis and Thringorhina are remarkable for being the only Timeliidce 

 which lay spotless white eggs ; and have the following characteristics : tail 

 slightly shorter than the wing ; feathers of the forehead stiff ; rictal bristles 

 short, and no hairs overhanging the nostrils ; a stout conical bill, the cul- 

 men curved throughout, and hooked at the tip ; and the nostrils covered by 

 a prominent overhanging membrane. 



S. chryscea and sub-species are very much smaller than the above, 

 with a finer bill, and have a very bright plumage in which golden-yellow 

 predominates. They generally lay spotless white eggs, occasionally spotted 

 ones are found. 



Stachyrhidopsis is remarkable for its sharp conical bill, both the culmen 

 and the lower edge of the lower mandible being quite straight, and not 

 hooked as in the last two genera. They also lay spotted white eggs. 



Mixornis has a very marked resemblance to the last in coloration 

 and style of plumage, its bill, however, is quite different, being gently 

 curved, and the nostrils oval and exposed with no covering membrane. 



Cyanoderma is noticeable for its naked orbital skin round the eye. It 

 lays spotted eggs, but I can find nothing recorded about its habits or nidifi- 

 cation. 



Thringorhina, Oates, 1889. 



Oates, F.B.I., i., p. 155. 



" The two birds for which the above generic name is proposed, in addi- 

 tion to a peculiar style of coloration, are characterised by the very large 

 operculum over the nostril. The bill is very strong, with the culmen gently 

 curved throughout, and the rictal bristles are weak. The feathers of the 

 forehead harsh to the touch." ( Oates.) 



They also have a short rounded wing, fitting close to the body; the tail 

 shorter than the wing ; and no hairs overhanging the nostrils. 



