TESi.v, 463 hand, the presence of rictal bristles miglit induce some oriiitho- iogists to place the genus in a family bj itself, leading from the Troglodytidce to the JShort-winged Chats, £rachi/pterj/t/in<r:. In 7'esia the bill is equal to or rather more than half the length of the head, broad at the base and compressed at the tip. The wings are very short and rounded, the tail so short as to be invisible and the tarsi and feet very long. The raa'.e and female nve alike but the young differ considerably from the adult though they are not spotted or barred as in the Sbortwiugs or paler than the adult as in Timaliidte.
Key to Species.
| A. |
Crown golden-brown
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
T. cyaniventer, p. 461. |
| B. |
Crown bright chestnut
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
T. castaneocoronata, p. 461. |
_509.jpg)
Fig. 92.—Head of T. c. cyaniventer.
(475) Tesia cyaniventer cyaniventer.
The SLATr-BELLTBJD Wren.
- Teua cyaniventer Hodgson, J. A. S. B., vi, p. 101 (1837) (Nepal).
- Tesia cyaniventris. Blanf. &, Gates, i, p. 192.
Vernacular names. Tisi (Nepal); Samtit-tammonfj (Lepcha); Ting-linrui bermai-ga (Kacha Naga).
Description. The forehead, chin and nape glistening golden olive-brown, the yellow more pronounced at the sides of the crown where it forms a fairly definite superciiium; the rest of the upper plumage and the visible portions of the closed wnngs and tail olive-green; lores and a broad stripe from the lores to the nape black; sides of the head and whole lower plumage slaty- blue.
Colours of soft parts. Iris brown, sometimes, according to Cockburn, vermilion; bill above and on the tip of the lower mandible dark brown, the remainder pale horny, often yellowish or tinged with orange; legs and feet pale fleshy to pale dull fleshy-brown.
Measurements. Length about 100 mm.; w-ing about 44 to 47 mm.; tail about 20 mm.; tarsus 24 mm.; culmen 11 to 12 mm. The adult female is similar to the male and does not differ as described by Oates. The young bird has the whole upper plumage rather rufescent- green and the lower parts dull, dark olive-green. The black line
