DWARF THRUSH. 205 



Bill short, neaxly straight, compressed towards the end ; upper 

 mandible with the dorsal outline a little convex, the tip slightly decli- 

 nate, the margins sharp, direct, overlapping, and slightly notched close 

 upon the tip ; lower mandible with the angle rather long and narrow, 

 the dorsal line very slightly convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the 

 tip narrow. Nostrils basal, oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. 

 Head of ordinary size, broadly ovate ; neck rather short ; body of 

 moderate size. Feet rather long ; tarsus longish, slender, compressed, 

 anteriorly covered with a few indistinct elongated scutella, posteriorly 

 edged, longer than the middle toe ; toes scutellate above, lateral, almost 

 equal, the outer connected as far as the second joint ; claws moderately 

 arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, rather acute, that of the 

 hind toe largest. 



Plumage rather loose, blended. A few longish bristles at the base 

 of the upper mandible. Wings of ordinary length, the first quill seven 

 and a half twelfths long, the second two and three-fourth twelfths 

 shorter than the third, which is three-fourths of a twelfth shorter than the 

 fourth, the latter being the longest, the fifth half a twelfth shorter, the 

 sixth about the same length as the second, being scarcely half a twelfth 

 longer. Tail of moderate length, slightly emarginate, the middle fea- 

 thers being two-twelfths shorter than the outer. 



Bill dark brown, yellowish toward the base of the lower mandible. 

 Feet flesh-colour. The general colour of the upper parts is light yel- 

 lowish-brown, changing on the rump and tail into dull yellowish-red. 

 Quills dusky, margined externally with yellowish-brown ; primary co- 

 verts yellowish-brown, dusky at the end ; secondary coverts tipped 

 with yellowish-red, which on some of the inner runs a little way along 

 the shaft. Lower parts greyish-white, the neck and breast tinged with 

 yellowish-red, and marked with broad triangular blackish-brown spots ; 

 the sides with faint spots of olivaceous brown, the inner feathers grey- 

 ish-brown, as are the axillars and lower wing- coverts. 



Length to end of tail 6 inches ; extent of wings 9^ ; bill along the 

 ridge i|, along the edge of lower mandible || ; wing from flexure 3J ; 

 tail 2^§ ; tarsus li^^ ; hind toe ||, its claw || ; second toe ^|, its claw 

 II ; third toe ||, its claw || ; fourth toe i|, its claw ||. , 



This species agrees in many respects with Mr Swainson's Merula 

 silens, but is smaller. It has also the claws little curved, indeed much 



