Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/329

 SCH(ENIPAKUS. 285 completely domed, ep;g-.shaped affair measuring about 7 to 8 inches In'gh by about 5 to 6 inches broad. The full complenient ot" eggs is three or tour but sometimes two only are laid. The eggs are like those of the last bird and two hundred average 20'8 x 15-6 mm.; the maxima are 22'0xl6'0 and 19'5xl6"l mm., and minima 194 x 15-3 and 207 X 15"0 mm.

Habits. During the winter the Assam Tit-Babbler collects in small flocks of half-a-dozen to a dozen individuals, haunting forest with ample undergrowth and to a less extent bamboo-jungle and scrub. It is most common from 3,0u0 feet U|>ward8 and is found up to at least (3,000 feet and possibly a good deal higher. It is a restless, energetic little bird feeding partly on the ground, partly on the low bushes and trees, constantly changing its position and now and tlien fluttering from one perch to another as well as scrambling and hopping through the cover. Whilst engaged in feeding they utter a constant " chir-r-r-r" alternating vith a sharp " chit." In the breeding season their habits alter greatly and they become shy, retiring little birds, and instead of being able to watcli them minutes at a time all one sees of them is a small brown object slipping out of sight into cover when disturbed.


 * Alcippe ye7iestieri Oustalet, Bull. Mus. d'Hist. Nat., Paris, iii, p. 210 (1897) (Tsekao).

Vernacular names. Prep-dor (Kachin),

Description. Differs from S. d. didnus in having the forehead pale rufous; the crown is golden-brown with very faint dark edges to the feathers; the upper plumage is olive-brown and the sides of the neck are not streaked.

Colours of soft parts as in S. d. dubius.

Measurements. Wing 58 to 61 mm.; tail about 60 mm.; tarsus 21 mm.; culmen II mm.

Distribution. Kachin and Bhamo Hills, Yunnan, Shan States and S.W. China. Hothschild has shown (Nov. Zool. xxviii, p. 36) that intermedius is not separable from [/enestieri and with this I agree, but the former sometimes has quite plain indications of the neck-stripes as in mandeUii and as we should expect in that part of its range nearest that race.

Nidification. Eesembles that of the last bird. Harington, Grrant and otiiers took many nests in March, April and May between 4,00i) and 6,000 feet. The eggs are indistinguishable from those ot the last two birds and measure about 19'9 x 15"5 mm. Habits differ in no way from those of the Assam Tit-Babbler.