TIMALIN.33. 57 



" Colours. — The whole top of the head is covered with a cap of 

 black. Bill lead-colour at "base and black at the point. The chin, 

 the breast, and all underneath white ; the body all above of a 

 leaden colour. Quills and tail of a light black, edged with light 

 on both webs ; the outer web of the outer tail-feather is white, 

 as well as the tips of the first five on each side. Feet and legs 

 black. Male : weight 6^ oz. Length from bill to tip of tail 7f 

 inches. Alar extent 10 inches. 



" Contents of stomach were a few grains of Holcus spicatus and 

 the exuvise of insects. 



" These birds are only found in very thick jungles among the 

 brushwood, where they are always moving about, and are shot 

 with great difficulty, and even then, if not killed outright, they 

 are so tenacious of life, that they creep into the first hole or crevice 

 they come to. The only note I ever heard was like ' chick, chick.' 

 I think they are residents, but the few I have seen just appear 

 and are lost again in a moment, so that I know little of their habits ; 

 the one figured here had one leg and both wings broken, and still 

 crept into the hole of a jerboa-rat, from which I dug it out dead." 



The next bird is a very interesting form which appears to 

 unite the Garrulax group with the Babblers ; and also resembles 

 Sibia in the form of its bill. It resembles Trochalopteron setafer 

 in the general character of its plumage, and specially in the black 

 and spiny shafts of many of the body feathers, whilst it is 

 more like Malacocircus in its bill and general structure, and 

 Hodgson classed it with the members of that genus. 



Gen. Acanthoptila, Blyth. 



Char. — Bill moderately long, compressed, very gently curved, 

 pointed, entire ; rictal bristles few and small ; wings feeble, much 

 rounded ; tail long, broad ; tarsus moderately long, stout ; lateral 

 toes nearly equal ; claws moderately curved ; plumage with black 

 and shining shafts. 



431. Acanthoptila nipalensis, Hodgson. 



Timalia, apud Hodgson, As. Res. XIX. — Blyth, Cat. 789 — 

 Horsf., Cat. 320— T. pellotis and T. leucotis, Hodgson. 



ji 



