On a New Genus of Insessorial Birds, 45 



fifteen and a half ; of tail only, fourteen ; of ears, from the 

 crown of head, two ; of head to occiput, four. 



Habitat. — The woods of Sikim. 



Remark. — This is the third species of small true wild cat, 

 discovered in the eastern Sub-Himalayas, the other two being 

 murmensis and pardochrous (olim nipalensis) . The great 

 cats of these mountains are, Tigris, Leopardus, and Macroce- 

 loides (olim Macrocelis.*J 



In the Tarai of plains below the mountains are found only, 

 of the above, the tiger and leopard ; also a small cat which 

 never enters the hills, viz. viverriceps vel viverrinus. One 

 species of lynx is common to hills and plains, viz. the chaus. 



Darjeeling : December, 1846. B. H. H. 



On a New Genus of Insessorial Birds. By B. H. Hodgson, Esq. 



Insessores, Dentirostres, Merulilae, Myotherinse. 

 Genus New. — Merva mihi. 



Generic Character. — Bill elongate, slender, cylindric, more 

 or less arched, hard, entire : both mandibles towards the tips 

 solid, and the tips equal, blunt and entire : base and gape 

 smooth. Tongue, elongate, cartilaginous, simple, tip jagged. 

 Nares elliptic, basal, lateral, free, placed in a short groove, 

 membraned towards the head. 



* The species enumerated in the Catalogue of Nepal Mammals as Ne- 

 palensis and Macrocclis, however allied to those species, yet seem distinct, 

 and hence the new names. Macrocelo'idcs is found also in Tibet, as well as 

 Felis uncia, and Felis nigripectus, which last is possibly the Manul, of Pallas 



