ORB. K^^SESSORES. 



FAM. CRATEROPODINM. 



GEN. XIPHORHAMPHUS. 



PLATE XLIX. 



XIPHORHAMPHUS SUPERCILIARIS. 



SCIMITAR BILLED BABBLER. 



Synon. — Xiphirhynchus superciliaris — Blyth, J. A. S., 1842, p. 173. 



Mr. Blyth defines his genus Xiphirhynchus, afterwards changed to Xipho- 

 rhamphus on account of the first being preoccupied, as follows — Allied to Poma- 

 torhinua, but the bill much longer and more slender, and very thinly compressed 

 througliout its length, widening only at the extreme base, and describing a considerable 

 incurvation. Plumage, wings, and tail as in Pamaforkimis, but the toes and claws 

 rather more slender and elongated. I think that these characters hardly allow its 

 separation from Pomatorhinus, being merely more finely expressed. This bird is 

 "reported to be a pleasing Songster," but this is at variance with the known habits 

 of most of the familj-. It inhabits Darjeeling. 



Desci-iption. — Above uniform brown, the quills and tail dusky ; beneath 

 rufo-ferruginous ; crown, occiput, and sides of the head, dark cinereous with a narrow 

 superciliar)- white line extending to the occiput; throat whitish, streaked with grey; 

 breast obscurely spotted with dusky ; shoulders and tibial feathers dark grey ; bill 

 dusky; legs brown. 



Length 85 inches — wing 21 — tail 3f — bill 1| in a straight line — tarsus 1 — 

 hind toe and claw 1. 



The female differs in being slightly smaller, and in the colouring of the under 

 parts being not so bright. 



