101 



5. On a New Genus of Goat-sucker, and on a New Species 

 of Enicurus, both from Darjeeling, from the col- 

 lection of Brian H, Hodgson, Esq. By Geo. R. Gray, 

 F L S 



(Aves, PL CLII.) 



Otothrix, G. R. Gray, gen. nov. 



This bird differs from the Indian Batrachostomi in the smallness 

 of its bill, and in the general markings of its plumage, which agree 

 in some measure with the species of true Podargus. 



The feathers over the upper mandible in front of the head and 

 above the ears are much prolonged into fine hair-like bristles ; they 

 are composed of a long slender stem, having very slender branches, 

 springing from the sides at various distances, and thus agreeing 

 with those of the Australian genus JEgotheles The bill is strong, 

 with the nostrils situated like those of Batrachostomus, and of simi- 

 lar form. 



These characters induce the proposal of a new division for this 

 remarkably curious species, under the appellation of Otothrix. 



Otothrix hodgsoni. (PI. CLII.) 



Head black, each feather banded and slightly margined with ru- 

 fous-white ; the back and wing- coverts ferruginous, mottled with 

 black, and varied with occasional blotches of white ; the quills, 

 secondaries, and tertials brownish-black, marked on the outer and 

 inner margins with blotches of rufous-white ; tail ferruginous, 

 speckled with black, obliquely banded on each web with rufous- 

 white, which is irregularly margined and marked with black, and 

 tipped with black, slightly edged with white. Beneath the body 

 white, tinged in some parts with rufous, and each feather irregularly 

 marked at or near the tip with black. 



Total length lOf, wings 5£". 



Young bird. — Pale rufous, having each feather barred with black, 

 a band over the eyes crossing the forehead, and some spots on the 

 scapulars pure white. Under surface white, tinged with rufous, and 

 barred with brown. 



This remarkable bird is named after Brian H. Hodgson, Esq., as 

 it forms part of the enormous collection of Birds made by that gen- 

 tleman in Northern India, especially Nepaul, Behar, &c, many of 

 which were new to science. Some of these have been described by 

 Mr. Hodgson in the ' Asiatic Researches,' ' Journal of the Asiatic 

 Society,' &c, while others have been recently described in Dr. Hors- 

 field's ' Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum of the East India 

 Company.' Not content with forming such large collections of 

 skins, he, at the same time, had them represented in a series of in- 

 structive drawings, introducing the sterna and other anatomical illus- 

 trations of peculiarities in their organic structure ; while many of 

 them also show the formation of the nests, &c, most of which par- 

 ticulars were hitherto unknown. These collections together form a 



