\I0 Judication of a new Genus of In&essorial Birds. [Feb. 



VI. — Indication of a new Genus of I?isessorial Birds. 

 By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 



Conirostres. Lamprotorninji ? Dentirostres, Crateropodin^e ? 

 Leiotrichanje ? 



Genus Cu'tia, nobis. 



In the suite of specimens of Nipalese birds forwarded by me, three 

 years ago, to the Zoological Society of London, were three or four of 

 the subject of the present article. 



They were marked in the imperfect list obligingly returned to me, 

 as a " new form nearly allied to Pastor." But, if Pastor Rosens be 

 the type of that genus, I confess I cannot perceive much resemblance 

 to our bird : and, if a strong arched compressed bill, united with 

 gradated wings and very strong feet, be the marks of the Crateropo- 

 dince, to that sub-family, I conceive our bird should be referred, un- 

 less the sub-scansorial and quasi-Parian character of its feet do not 

 rather affine it with the Leiotrichance. And, certainly, its wings, tail, 

 and feet have no small resemblance to those of Pteruthius, though its 

 bill be totally different and formed very much upon the Timalian model. 



( The true station of our bird can only be determined by a more 

 accurate knowledge of its habits and economy, than I now possess, 

 applied to better and fuller information than I have any means of 

 here acquiring, respecting the general affinities and analogies of the 

 Insessores. 



What adds to my difficulty in attempting to class the bird accord- 

 ing to the Sturnine relations suggested to me, is, that the so called 

 Pastor Trallii (very abundant in Nipal) is, in my judgment, a typical 

 Oriole, whilst the Lamprotornis Spiloplerus (also common here) is not 

 easily referable to Temminck's genus Lamprotornis, and belongs, I 

 shrewdly suspect, to the Brachypodinoe of Swainson. Without further 

 preface I shall now attempt to characterise our bird as the type of a 

 new genus, but with the necessary prolixity resulting from hesitation 

 as to its family and sub-family. 



Cutia, nobis. 



Khatya (quasi pedatus) of the Nipalese. 



Bill, equal to the head, or less, at base as high as broad, arched 

 and compressed throughout, strong, obtuse, and nearly or quite entire. 

 Culmen considerably carinated between the nares, but not much 

 produced among the soft and simple frontal plumes. 



Tomise, erect, rather obtuse, and near to the palate. Nares, rather 

 forward, implumose, large, the aperture broad-lunate, lateral, shaded 

 above by a largish nude sub-arched scale. Gape, moderate and nearly 



