The genus Pomatorhinus contains a large number of birds which form a very natural group. Seventeen species inhabit the Empire.
In this genus the bill is quite as long as the head and frequently much longer; it is very slender, much curved downwards and compressed. The feathers of the forehead are short, rounded, and close, as in the last two genera, but feathers do not grow on the nasal membrane, which is perfectly bare. The tail is longer than the wing and considerably graduated, the outer feather being two thirds to three quarters the Length of the tail. The feathers of the crown are Lengthened, and when erected, at such times as the bird is excited, form a short crest.
All the species lay white unspotted eggs and their nests are constructed on or very near the ground. They are noisy birds, but their notes are extremely pleasant. They are sociable and have much the same habits as the Laughing-Thrushes.
Key to the Species.
a. With a white supercilium.
a1. Bill short and deep, about Length of head.
a2. Breast and upper abdomen white like throat.
a3. Sides of neck chestnut, quite different to upper plumage,
a4. Chestnut of neck produced down side of breast and abdomen as a band.
a5. This band streaked with white……………….P. schisticeps, p. 116.
b5. This band not streaked……………….P. nuchalis, p. 117.
b4. Chestnut confined to side of neck……………….P. olivaceus, p. 118.
b3. Sides of neck rufescent, matching upper plumage……………….P. melanurus, p. 118.
c3. Sides of neck black or brown.
c4. Sides of neck and breast deep black……………….P. horsfieldii, p. 119.
d4. Sides of neck and breast brown, nearly concolorous with upper plumage……………….P. obscurus, p. 120.
b2. Throat white and breast ferruginous.
d3. Crown of head black……………….P. ferruginosus, p. 120.
e3. Crown of head of same colour as upper plumage.
e4. Breast pale ferruginous……………….P. albigularis, p. 121.
f4. Breast bright ferruginous……………….P. phayrii, p. 121.
c2. Throat white and breast striped with olive-brown……………….P. ruficollis, p. 122.
b1. Bill long, slender, much compressed, about half as long again as head.
d2. Throat and breast white.
f3. Upper plumage bright ochraceous……………….P. ochraceiceps, p. 123.
g3. Upper plumage olive-brown……………….P. austeni, p. 123.
e2. Throat white, breast pale ochraceous……………….P. stenorhynchus, p. 124.
b. With no white supercilium,
c1. Bill short, not longer than head.
f2. Sides of neck aud body chestnut……………….P. erythrogenys, p. 124.
g2. Sides of neck and body olive-brown……………….P. macclellandi, p. 125.
d1. Bill long and coarse, longer than head ; sides of breast deep slaty grey.
h2. Sides of head not streaked with white……………….P. hypoleucus, p. 126.
i2. Sides of head streaked with white……………….P. tickelli, p. 127.
The first ten species are characterized by a shorter bill (fig. 31).
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