Order II. PASSEBES. 



Tribe III. Dentirostres. 





The fourth Family, 



AMPELID/E, or Chatterers, 



have the Bill moderate, more or less broad at the base, and more or less depressed, with the sides 

 gradually compressed to the tip, which is emarginated ; the Wings long and generally rounded ; the 

 Tail moderate, and usually even at its end ; the Tarsi generally short and slender ; the Toes moderate, 

 with the outer more or less united to the base of the middle ; the Claws short and curved. 



The first Subfamily, 



PACHYCEPHALINiE, or Thickheads, 



have the Bill moderate, broad at the base, and compressed to the tip, which is emargmated ; the gape 

 furnished with a few slender bristles ; the Wings moderate, and more or less rounded ; the Tarsi length- 

 ened and slender ; the Toes long, with the outer one slightly united at the base to the middle one ; the 

 claws short and curved. 



Leiothrix Szmins.* 



Bill equal to, or scarcely shorter than, the head, with the culmen gradually curved to the tip, which is 

 emargmated; the sides compressed; the lateral margins slightly curved ; the gonys lengthened and 

 advancing upwards; the nostrils basal, lateral, membranous, with the opening sublunate. Wings 

 moderate and rounded, with the first four quills graduated, and the fifth and sixth nearly equal and 

 longest. Tail moderate and forked, or square, or more or less rounded at the end. Tarsi slender, much 

 longer than the middle toe, and covered with lengthened scales. Toes long, with the lateral ones un- 

 equal, the outer the longest, and united at its base to the middle one ; the hind toe nearly as long as the 

 middle toe ; the claws moderate and curved. 



These birds are inhabitants of the mountainous parts of India and the Indian isles. Mr. Hodgson informs us that 

 they are gregarious, adhere to the forest, creeping among foliage, or perch like finches on the stems and tops of laro-e 

 weeds and grasses. Their food consists almost equally of insects, berries, and seeds. 



1. L. sinensis (Gmel.) Stricld. — Parus furcatus Temm. PI. col. 

 287. f. 1. i Bahila calipyga Hodgs. 



2. L. ignotincta (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 32. — Leiothrix or- 

 nata M'Clell. Proc. Z. S. 1829. 162. ; Type of Minla Hodgs. (1838.) 



3. L. cyanouroptera (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 88. — Leiothrix 

 lepida M'Clell. Proc. Z. S. 1839. 162. ; Type of Siva Hodgs. 1838. 



4. L. strigula (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 89. — Muscicapa varie- 



gata, Deless. Rev. Zool. 1840. p. 101., Mag. de Zool. 1840., Ois. t. 20. 

 Souv. d'un Voy. dans l'lnde. t. 8. ; Leiothrix chrysocephala Jameis. 



5. L. nipalensis (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 89. 



6. L. vinipectus (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 89. 



7. L. argentauris (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 88. — Type of 

 Mesia Hodgs. 



8. L. castaneeeps (Hodgs.) Ind. Rev. 1838. p. 33. 



* Established by Mr. Swainson (Faun. Bor. Amer.p. 490.) in 1831. In 1838, Mr. Hodgson proposed four divisions for the birds of 

 this genus, viz. Bahila, Minla, Mesia, and Siva. These, in 1841, were changed by the same gentleman into Calipyga, Proparus, Phi- 

 localyx, and Hemiparus ; and, in 1844, he employed, in his List of Nepaul Birds, the following words in their places, viz. Leiothrix, Certhi- 

 parus, Fringilloparus, and Joropus. 



