ILLUSTRATIONS OF ORNITHOLOGY. 
HETERUBA SYLVAN A, Hodgson. 
Heterura sylvana, Ilodgs., in Proc. Zool. Soc., pt. 13, p. 33 ; Ic. ined. Pass, 
t. cxxiii. f. 1, 2 ; cxxiv. f. 4. Gray, Cat. Mamm. and Birds presented to 
Brit. Mus., p. 108. Blyth, in Joum. As. Soc., Beng., vol. xiv. p. 556. 
No. 436 of Hodgson’s Collection. No. 568 of Boys’ Collection. 
“ Mr* Hodgson lias been misled by the lengthened tertials and the 
striated plumage, into placing this bird, at present a unique species, 
among the Larks, in which arrangement Mr. Blyth follows him. 
Mr. Gray seems to me equally wide of the truth in placing this bird 
among the Emberizince. It appears to he a nearly typical genus of 
the Malurince, and consequently belongs to the Dentirostres, not 
the Conirostres. The flattened forehead, the compressed eniargi- 
nate . beak, the wiry plumage of the head, the narrow and worn 
rectrices, the strong feet, lengthened toes, and curved claws, as 
well as the striated coloration, are precisely what v r e find in the 
Malurine genera, Megalurns , Cinclorhamphus , Sphemira, Sphe- 
nceacus, Malacocercus, Prinia, Ac. ; the arched and indurated 
m on i bran e which overhangs the nostril is repeated in Sphenceacus, 
Sphenura, Malacocercus, and Prinia , , and the pointed and length- 
ened tertials occur in Megalurus and Cinclorhamphus . The only 
generic peculiarity of this bird seems to be, that the first four 
piimaries are of equal length, while in the Malurince , generally, 
t i 1S mUCh r ° Unded hy the ^nation of the two first quills.” 
J ° Ie "PP er P arts Pale rufous brown, with a broad longitudi- 
s * reak deep fuscous down the middle of each feather; brow- 
■streak and chin whitish, ear-covers brown ; a row of small fuscous 
‘ , 0rm J ng a broken Lne al «ng each side of the chin; lower 
feather 01 tl^ ' V* °'f brown > w * tk a medial fuscous streak on eacb 
Some; a T, ^ Iin ° ar °" the "-Idle of the breast and 
rectZsCo 7 C / a ‘ her br0ad0r at ^ sides. Remiges and 
triceTl7lT7 ° i 7 th Pa, ° rufescent ; the enter pair of rec- 
Upper manrh'l 1 f S ‘ ghtIy> t, PP ed obliquely with dirty white. 
“ Wh 1 17\ °r r and ,egS P ale yellowish.” 
breadth, = 2 ;' wing’ 2 | ^ , T"*’ 6; to g?P e ’ L height, 2 ; 
