BLACK-WINGED BABBLER. 279 
hooked. In Timalia thoracica, on the contrary, the 
lateral toes are of equal length and the claws slen- 
der and much less curved. The first of these forms 
indicates arboreal habits, the second terrestrial. 
In this the bill is less arched above, and the tip 
notched ; but in that the latter character does not 
appear. On these considerations we place our bird 
in the present group ; leaving for future inquiry the 
question of direct affinity between this and Timalia 
thoracica. 
In size this species is rather less than a starling ; 
it is at once known from all its congeners by a 
greyish-white hood, which completely covers the 
head, nape, ears, fore part of the neck, and termi- 
nates abruptly just above the breast; the space be-- 
tween the bill and the eye is black, and this colour 
forms a deep shade all round the sides of the hood 
as just mentioned. The wings, tail, and inter- 
scapulars are blackish brown ; the rest of the plu- 
mage, both above and below, being of the darkest 
rufous or chestnut, of the same colour, although less 
bright, as that which tinges the corresponding parts 
of Timalia thoracica; the bill is yellow; the feet 
brown ; and the claws pale. ' The feathers of the 
back are remarkably long and soft, much more so 
than in the bird just mentioned ; tail rounded, broad, 
and soft. 
Total length, 8,| ; bill, 1 ; wings, 41- ; tail beyond, 
1 J ; ditto from the base, 3J ; tarsus, 1 fg ; hind-toe 
and claw, 1 ; middle ditto, l-,- 2 5 . 
