Order II. PASSERES. 



Tribe III. Dentirostres. 



Family I. Luscinid^;. 



The fourth Subfamily, 



ACCENTOMNiE, or Accentors, 



have the Bill short, straight, and sometimes conical, with the culmen sloping, and the sides compressed 

 to the tip, which is slightly emarginated ; the Nostrils basal, and placed in a membranous groove, with 

 the opening exposed : the Wings more or less long, pointed, and sometimes rounded : the Tail moderate, 

 and generally rather rounded : the Tarsi moderate, and rather strong : the Toes rather long ; 

 the outer toe united at its base ; the hind toe long, and armed with a strong claw. 



Accentor Temm.* 



Bill short and conical, with the base broad, the culmen sloping, and the sides compressed to the tip, 

 which is emarginated ; the lateral margins indexed, and the gonys short and ascending ; the nostrils 

 basal, and placed in a broad membranous groove, with the opening linear and exposed. Wings long, with 

 the first quill very short, and the third to the fifth quills equal and longest. Tail moderate, and slightly 

 rounded. Tarsi strong, shorter than the middle toe, and broadly scutellated in front. Toes long ; 

 with the lateral toes equal, the outer united at its base ; the hind toe long, and armed with a long 

 compressed claw. 



The species of this genus are found both in Europe and Asia ; migrating from place to place, according to the 

 season of the year. They frequent the ground beneath the low bushes, in the midst of which they hide, if alarmed. 

 Some of the species seek the neighbourhood of villages and farms, if the winter should prove very severe ; and their 

 song commences very early in the season. It is composed of a series of notes, peculiar for their sweetness and 

 feebleness of tone. Their food consists of seeds, insects of various kinds, and worms, which are sought for beneath the 

 fallen leaves and stones. The nest is usually concealed in a thick bush, either near houses or in the woods. It is 

 composed of moss and wool, lined with hair ; whereon the female deposits four to five eggs. 



1 . A. alpinus (Gmel.) Bechst. — Sturnus collaris Scop. Gould, 

 B. of Eur. pi. 99- 



2. A. himalayanus Blyth, Journ. A. S. B. (1840.) p. 



3. ? A. nipalensis Hodgs. Journ. A. S. B. (1843.) p. 958. — Ac- 

 centor maculatus et A. cacharensis Hodgs. 



4. A.' variegatus Blyth, Journ. A. S. B. 1843. p. 960. 



5. A. strophiatus Hodgs. Journ. A. S. B. 1843. p. 959. 



6. A. montawllus (Pall.) Temm. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 101. — 

 Accentor Temminckii Brandt? Type of Spermolegus Kaup, 



(1829). 



7. A. atrogularis Brandt, Bull. Acad. Imp. St. Petersb. 



8. A. modularis (Linn.) Cuv. PI. enl. 615. f. 1., Gould, B. of 

 Eur. pi. 100. — Type of Tharrhaleus Kaup (1829). 



9. A. altaicus Brandt, Bull. Acad. Imp. St. Petersb. 



* Established by Bechstein in 1802. Prunella of Vieillot (1816), Spermolegus and Tharrhaleus of Dr. Kaup (1829) 

 synonymous. 



