PAM. PARIDAE 67 
15. GENUS PARADOXORNIS GouLp 
Paradoxornis Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. Vol. 4, p. 17 (1836) (sp. un. : Paradoxornis flavirostris Gould). 
Bathyrhynchus McClelland, Quart. Journ. Calcutta Soc. no. 4, p. 531 (1837) (sp. un. : B. brevivostris 
McClelland). 
Anacrites Gistel, Naturg. Thierr. p. ro (1848) (new name for Paradoxornis Gould). 
Calamornis (subgenus) Gould, Birds Asia, Vol. 3, p. 73 (1874) (sp. un. : Pavadoxornis heudei David). 
Characters. Bill much compressed laterally, decidedly deeper than long; culmen, from 
the base to the tip, strongly curved, ending in an acute point; cutting edge of upper mandible 
with a deep sigmoid curve to which corresponds a distinct sinuation in the lower mandible, the 
latter being somewhat swollen, with the apical half rather abruptly ascending. Nostrils very 
small, circular and completely hidden by the dense nasal plumules. Wing short and much 
rounded, its tip being formed by the fourth, fifth and sixth primaries; first primary consider- 
ably more than half as long as second. Secondaries well developed, more than five-sixth of 
the total length of the wing, Tail very much graduated and much longer than the wing. 
Metatarsus covered in front with scutes, exceeding twice the length of hind toe without claw. 
Claws strong, distinctly curved. Plumage exceedingly soft and copious, the feathers of the 
hindneck especially so. Sexes alike. 
Coloration. The two typical species, P. flavirostris and P. guttaticollis, have the top of 
the head and nape rufous-brown, the remaining upper parts brown, the quills dusky with 
rufescent brown edges, the tail pale brown. There is more or less black on the chin, the throat 
is either banded with black and white (P. flavirostris) or uniform whitish, resp. sandy 
buff (P. guttaticollis); rest of lower parts fulvous-brown, paler in the middle of belly, chest in 
P., flavirostris blackish. P. heudei, which may be not strictly congeneric with those two species, 
differs very markedly in coloration. Forehead and middle of crown are light grey, bordered 
laterally by a blackish stripe from the bill to the nape. Sides of the head ashy white. Nape and 
upper back light grey, washed with pale vinaceous; lower back and upper tail coverts bright 
fulvous-brown. Quills blackish, edged with light chestnut and buffy white. Outermost rectrix 
white, the central one pale fulvous, the remaining ones black, with the tip of the outer web 
greyish, and that of the inner web white. Chin and throat white, foreneck rosy or pale 
vinaceous, remainder of belly pale fulvous, shading into chestnut on sides of breast. Besides, 
P. heudei has the tail very much longer and more graduated, so that the recognition of a genus 
Calamornis might be justifiable. : 
Geographical Distribution. The species of Paradoxornis are found in Northern 
India (Eastern Himalayas, Assam) and Western and Southern China, 
Habits and Nidification. Very little is known regarding their habits and nidification. 
They are said to frequent thickets of reeds and to feed on insects. P. flavirostris builds an open, 
cup-shaped nest, its eggs are described by Mr. C. C. Stuart Baker as white spotted and 
blotched with brownish and grey. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PARADOXORNIS 
1. Head above light ashy grey, along the sides of the head a black stripe ; outer tail feathers 
Witt OSL BYORI ALC /D=n eee 2) ene =) eee ee ete enn en oe ODE. 
