The BROAD-THROATS (_Eurylaimus_) are small, compact birds, with short, broad beaks, powerful feet, moderate-sized wings, and short or rather long tail. The beak, which is shorter than the head, is broad at its base, slender at the tip, and hooked at its extremity; the gape extends as far as the eyes; the moderate-sized foot has the tarsus a trifle longer than the centre toe, which latter is united with the inner as far as the first joint; the wing, in which the third or fourth quill is the longest, is short and rounded; the tail is usually either rounded or graduated; in some species, however, it is slightly incised; the plumage is of brilliant hues, and the sexes almost alike in colour and markings. These birds inhabit India and the Malay Islands, where they haunt the innermost recesses of deep, dark forests, and carefully avoid the habitations of man. THE SUMATRAN TROWEL-BEAK. The SUMATRAN TROWEL-BEAK (_Corydon Sumatranus_), a species of the above family inhabiting Sumatra and Borneo, represents a group recognisable by their compact and falcon-like body; short, broad beak, the upper mandible of which almost entirely encloses the lower one; and also by their bare, short, strong feet, armed with long toes; short rounded wings, in which the third or fourth quill exceeds the rest in length; and moderate-sized tail, formed of twelve rounded feathers. The dusky plumage, which is soft and thick, is replaced in the region of the beak by a few short bristles; its colour is principally of a pale black; the entire throat pale brownish yellow; the centre of the back bright red; the wings are black, with a few white spots; the tail-feathers pale black, the centre pair of uniform hue, the rest marked with white towards the tip. The eye is brown, the beak and a bare place round the eye are bright red; the foot is blackish brown. This species is nine inches and a half long; the wing measures four, and the tail three inches and a half; the beak is one inch long, and one inch and a quarter broad at its base. We are entirely without particulars as to the life and habits of this bird, except that it frequents moist and shady woods in the vicinity of water, and associates in small parties. [Illustration: THE JAVA BROAD-THROAT (_Eurylaimus Javanicus_).] * * * * * The TRUE BROAD-THROATS (_Eurylaimus_) are recognisable from the above group by the formation of their beak, which is longer and flatter than that of the last-mentioned species. THE JAVA BROAD-THROAT.