Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/380

 336 timaliidjE. The female bas the crown the same grey as the forehead, and there are no traces uf black or blackish on the face. Distribution, Nepal, Sikkim and Hills North of the Brahma- putra.

Nidification. Nests and eggs sent me by Mr. D. Macdonald and Mr. A'^. P. Masson with the parent birds are exactly like those o£ the next form, nor 'can the eggs be distinguished from those of that bird. They measure about 19-3 x 14-8 mm.

Habits. This is a quiet, rather retiring bird, but cannot be called shy as it does not mind being watched. It keeps to the tops of the higher trees in deep forest and is so slow and unobtrusive in its habits that it does not attract attention and its low, rather pleasant, call-notes cannot be heard at any distance. It is not gregarious, being generally found in pairs, and feeds on small insects and small berries and seeds.


 * Pteritthitis xanthochloris occidentalis Harington, Bull. B. O. C, xxxiii, p. 82 (1913) (Dehra Dun).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. — Male. Differs from the last in having the crown and nape ash-grey instead of blackish and the whole plumage is somewhat paler and less vivid. The female differs in having the head greenish with a wash of grey.

Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the last.

Distribution. N.W. Himalayas from the Sutlej Valley to Garhwal and, possibly, W. Nepal.

Nidification. Nests taken by Osmaston and Eattray are described as deep cradles of root-fibres and lichen, bound together with cobwebs, lined with the finest black roots and rhizouiorph of a fungus and attached to small forks in the outer branches of spruce or deodar. They apparently breed from April to Jul}' at elevations between 5,000 and 9,000 feet and lay two to four eggs. These are miniatures of those of P. erytliropterus and ten eggs average about 19-4 x 14"6 ram.

Habits. Practically nothing recorded.- It keeps much to heavy tree-forest in pairs or solitary, frequenting the higher branches, where it attracts no attention either by A'oice or its quiet movements. Genus HILAROCICHLA Oates, 1889. The genus HilurocicMa was created by Oates for a species A'ery close to Pteruthius but differing in its much longer tail. This is equal to the wing in length and is greatly graduated, the outer- most feather being about one-third less than the central ones. In other respects Hilarociehia and Pteruthius are alike.