230 On a new Genus of the Sylviada, [March, 



that, the horns and frontal bone in your museum are those of the 

 Gaur. I have also shewn that some of the characters of the Asseel 

 Gayal are possessed by Mr. Evans's specimen. But I feel that with 

 the limited knowledge we still possess, it would be impossible in me 

 to assert, or even to form a conjecture, that it really belonged to that 

 animal. 



In conclusion I must observe, that it but little redounds to the 

 honor of Indian sportsmen, or I fear also of this Society, that we 

 have not specimens both of the skins and skeletons mounted in our 

 museum, to enable us to determine to which species a specimen 

 belongs, of two of the largest ruminating animals known ; natives of 

 a country of which we have had interrupted possession for more than 

 fifty years. 



VI.— On a new Genus of the Sylviada, with description of three new 

 Species. By B. H. Hodgson, Esq., Resident in Nipal. 



SylviadjE ? Genus new. Yuhina, nobis. Yuhin of the Nipalese. 



Bill equal to the head, slender, acute, depressed as far as nares ; 

 gradually compressed beyond : maxilla, cut out to centre by nasal 

 fossae, convex beyond, subarcuated, and gently inclined at tip, with 

 two or three sharp teeth on either side : mandibula, straight, entire, 

 equal to maxilla, pointed. Toraise of both, trenchant, scarpt and 

 lockt throughout : nares large, the aperture lunated and lineated by 

 a nude incumbent soft membrane. Tongue sub-equal to bill, carti- 

 laginous, deeply-forked and the prongs filamentous and convolved. 

 Wings medial, round-acuminate, firm, 1st quill small, 5th usually 

 longest. Tail short, firm, square. Tarsi stout, finely scaled, longer 

 than any toe. Toes short, exterior connected to the joint, interior 

 basallv ; laterals and hind sub-equal ; last very stout and depressed. 

 Nails, falcate, strong, suddenly pointed ; anteriors sub-equal ; hind 

 much the largest. Head crested. Rictus slightly bristled, not wide. 

 Habitat central and northern regions : food, viscid strong berries, 

 and small scaly insects, such as harbour among foliage. It is the 

 opinion of Mr. Vigors that these singular little birds serve to con- 

 nect the Sylviada with the Certhiada. In the structure of the bill 

 and tongue, and even of the feet and wings, they remind me of the 

 genus Sibia (nobis), and of others of the Philedonian thrushes of 

 Cuvier— a group, the contents of which have been referred at random 

 to the Tennirostral Meliphagidoe, and (in part at least) to the long- 

 legged division of the thrushes. These are high matters of classifi- 



