BRADORNIS MARIQUENSIS.
the longest; the third rather shorter than the fourth ; and the second several
lines shorter than the third. Tail rather long, narrow, and very faintly
forked. Bill curved from the base, the culmen between nostrils keeled, more
anteriorly lost in the convexity of the bill; point of upper mandible slightly
inclined downwards, and at the base of the portion so inclined there is a
slight angle or faint emargination. Tarsi short, and moderately strong,
anteriorly scutellated, the plates large; posteriorly entire. Toes moderately
strong, the inner and hinder of equal length, the outer rather longer, but
considerably shorter, than the middle one : claws short, strongly curved, and
pointed, the claw of the hinder toe longest and strongest.
DIMENSIONS.
Id. Lines. In. Lines.
Length from the point of the bill to the Length of the tarsus ............... ........ 0 10
base of the tail ...................... 3 6 outer toe ........... ........ 0 Si
of the tail ................................. 3 | f middle' tóe........... ........ 0 6
of bill to the angle of mouths.... 0 8 inner toe ............ ........ 0 Si
of wings when folded............. 3 6 .. hinder toe........... . ..... 0 Si
hinder claw ........ ........ 0 3
F emale.—Colours the same as those of the male, only not so clear.
Y oung. (B.)—The ground colour of the upper parts of the body the
same as that of the adult, only darker; the head, neck, and interscapulars
are variegated by oblong white or rusty white stripes, one in the course of
the shaft of each feather towards its tip ; the quill coverts and the scapulars
each variegated at the point with a rufous white stripe, broadest behind.
Under parts dull white, the throat and breast mottled with longitudinal liver-
brown stripes. Tail feathers each with a rusty white spot at the point.
Having failed to discover a proper place for this bird in any of the constituted groups of
BrachypodiruB, I have considered it and another species, a little larger, as typical of a new
group in the short-legged thrushes. The manners and mode of feeding o f both species are
much alike; they seek their food generally in dense thickets, and when in quest of it, move
languidly from branch to branch. They usually observe a horizontal course, and unless the
underwood in which they are discovered be limited, they are rarely noticed either to ascend
or descend to any great extent. Their food consists of insects.