TIMALIA PILEATA. 
Timalia subolivaceo-fusca, pileo castaneo, gula juguloque albis nigro linearis, abdo- 
mine sordide testaceo. 
Dawit, or Gogo-stite of the Javanese. 
Timalia pileata, Horsf. SysL Arrangement of Birds from Jam, IAnn. Tram. 
Vol XIII. p. 151. 
IN the generic description above detailed, I have endeavoured to exhibit 
clearly those characters by which Timalia is distinguished from Tardus. In a genus 
so extensive as the latter, a considerable diversity may be expected to exist in the 
species which belong to it ; and in examining and denning the character of Timalia, 
I have not depended on recollection, but have actually placed before me as well 
those species of Tardus which I could obtain, that in affinity come nearest to it, as 
those that are more obviously distinguished. Of the various species of Tardus 
which I have examined, the Turdus anaiis from Java approaches more nearly to our 
bird; keeping this species in view, I shall enumerate those characters which are 
peculiar to Timalia. These are a great validity, vertical height, and compression 
of the bill in general; a smoothness and uniformity of the sides of the upper 
mandible, which incline gradually to a broad rounded back or culmen, having a 
very minute notch ; further, short rounded wings, robust tarsi, comparatively sharp 
and hooked claws, which on the posterior toe are double the size of those on the 
intermediate anterior toe. Our Timalia pileata and Turdus anaiis above men- 
tioned, although they resemble each other in habit, and distribution of marks, yet 
when they are brought together for comparison, exhibit an obvious diversity ; 
and I may add, that on the first discovery of our bird in Java, I considered it to 
belong to a division different from Turdus, and inserted it as such in the notices of 
my Researches* A bird recently sent from Sumatra by Sir Stamford Raffles, 
and belonging to the Museum of the Honourable East India Company, has in 
some degree confirmed my original conclusions. It strikingly agrees in many cha- 
racters with our Timalia pileata. Its bill has a similar character. It has the same 
breadth of back, or culmen, the minute notch, the short rounded wings, and the 
same character of the feet and claws. The sides of the upper mandible are equally 
smooth and uniform, but it is less elevated. I have described and figured it with 
the name of Timalia gularis ; and to afford the means of a careful comparison, I 
have represented, with all possible accuracy, on the Plate of Illustrations, both the 
bill of Timalia pileata and of Timalia gularis. 
