4 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Gen. PaRADOXORNIS, Gould. 



Syn. Botliyrhynchm, McLelL — Heteromorpha, Hodgson (partly). 



Char. — Bill short, stout, as high, at the base as long ; culmen 

 much curved, compressed on the sides, blunt, sinuated on the 

 maroin : nostrils small, round, concealed by setaceous feathers ; 

 rictus with a few slender bristles ; wings feeble, rounded, the 6th 

 quill longest, the four first graduated ; tail long, firm, graduated ; 

 le2'5 and feet very stout ; tarsus nearly entire ; lateral toes equal ; 

 hind toe and c'aw large ; claws all freely curved ; the middle toe 

 not much elongated ; plumage soft and lax. 



The bird? composing this curious genus differ somewhat in the 

 form of the bill and wing, and one of them has been classed 

 separately by Gray ; but I think that, with the exception perhaps of 

 Heteromo/pha, they range better together than if each peculiarity is 

 made to constitute a sub-genus. The present genus is characterized 

 by the deep sinuation of the tomite of the mandibles. 



373. Paradoxornis fiavirostris, Gould. 



P. Z. 3., 183(3, 17 — Horsf., Cat. 609— Gould, Icones, pi. 1. — 

 Birds of Asia, Part VI., pi- 8. — Bathyrhynchus brevirostris, 

 McLelland. 



The Yellow-billed Finch-thrush. 



Descr. — Above, the head and hind neck pale rufous ; back, 

 wings, and tail, dull olive-brown ; cheeks and throat white, with small 

 black spots ; ear-coverts and a gular band, black ; beneath, pale 

 earthy rufescent. One (female) specimen wants the black gular 

 band, and has the white of the lower parts rufescent-white, with 

 some brown spots on the throat and breast. 



Bill bright } r ellow ; legs plumbeous ; irides red brown. Length 

 Sh inches ; wing 3£ ; tail 3| ; bill at front |, nearly as deep at the 

 base; tarsus \~. 



I have only procured this very interesting bird on the Khasia 

 hills, at an elevation of above 5,000 feet, in a pine wood, and 

 found that it had partaken of various seeds. There were two or 

 three young birds in company with the parents, one of which I 

 also shot, and found that it closely resembled the old birds in 

 plumage. They were rather shy, though they did not conceal 



