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Show 1881.] MR. SHARPE ON A NEW GENUS OF TIMELIIDJE. 195 2. PHASCOLARCTIN^E. Teeth rooted ; superior incisors 3 . 3 ; additional premolars absent. Tail rudimentary. Distinct cheek-pouches. Stomach with a cardiac gland. Caecum very long; commencing colon caecum-like, both being dilated and provided with numerous longitudinal folds of mucous membrane. Liver very much complicated by secondary sulci; caudate lobe not free;" gall-bladder immensely elongated. Lungs with no azygos lobe. Vaginal culs-de-sac free. Phascolarctos. 3. PHASCOLOMYIN^E. All teeth rootless ; superior incisors 1.1; no additional premolars. Tail and cheek-pouches rudimentary. Stomach as in Phascolarctina?. Caecum short, peculiar. Commencing colon transversely sacculated. Liver somewhat complicated by secondary sulci; no distinct caudate lobe. Lungs with an azygos lobe. Vaginal culs-de- sac free. Phascolomys. 4. On a new Genus of Timeliida: from Madagascar, with Remarks on some other Genera. By R. BOWDLER SHARPE, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c., Department of Zoology, British Museum. [Eeceived January 6, 1881.] (Plate XIX.) The Rev. Deans Cowan last year forwarded to London a collection of birds, which arrived unfortunately in a bad condition, few specimens having escaped the ravages of insects during the voyage. Amongst the latter, I am happy to say, were a few Timeliine birds, which have added considerably to our series in the British Museum ; and not the least interesting is an example referable to a new genus, which I propose to term NEOMIXIS, gen. nov. Not distantly related to Mixornis, but easily distinguished by the shape of the bill, which is conical and pointed, with a very sharp culminal ridge, and scarcely any perceptible rictal bristles. In Madagascar it finds its nearest ally in Bernieria, like which genus it has the culmen as long as the tarsus; but the pointed conical bill is very different from the long thin bill of Bernieria. The type is NEOMIXIS STRIATIGULA, sp. n. (Plate XIX.) Adult. General colour above olive-green, rather more yellowish olive on the head, lower back, and rump, the hind neck somewhat ashy ; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back, the greater 13* |
