Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/373

 CUTIA. 329

Habits. This bird is fouud in the cold weather in small parties of half-a-dozen or so wandering about in the lower growth in forests and scrub but not frequenting the higher trees unless frightened into them. They are cheerful little birds, constantly chatting to one another and, in the Khasia Hills, very bold and confiding, though they are said elsewhere to be shy birds. In the breeding season, however, when they break up into pairs they are much shyer and quieter, though the male may often be seen perched on some bramble, quivering his wings and flufhng out his feathers as he trills his pretty little love-song to his mate nearby.


 * Liothrix lutea yunnanensis Rothschild, Nov. Zoul., xxviii, p. 36(1921) (Shweli-Salwin Divide).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. " Differs from L. I. ealipygus in its larger size, more sharply defined yellowish head and in the fact that of eight specimens six have the red or yellow on the 7th, 8th and 9th primaries broadly interrupted, while the whole eight have this colour on the first secondary interrupted or entirely absent, while in the other two species it is never broken or it is entirely black."

Colours of soft parts. " Iris brown : bill orange-red summer, scarlet with black base winter; legs and feet dark brown."

Measurements. " Wing S 72 to 76 mm.; $ 66 mm." (Rothschild).

Distribution. Yunnan west to the Kachin Hills. Birds ob- tained in Bhamo by Harington seem referable to this race.

Nidification and Habits. Similar to those of the last bird. Genus CUTIA Hodgson, 1836. The genus Cutia contains but one species, a very handsome bird remarkable for the great development of the upper tail-coverts, which reach nearly to the tip of the tail. In Cutia the bill is rather slender, curved, notched and pointed and slightly longer than half the length of the head; the rictal bristles are very short; the nostrils longitudinal and covered by a membrane and the frontal bristles are short and firm. The tail is about two-thirds the length of the wing and slightly rounded.


 * Cutia nipalensis Hodgs., J. A. S. B., v, p. 774 (1836) (Nepal); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 222.

Vernacular names. Khatya (Nepal); Hajmoon or Rapmin-2)ho (Lepcha).