Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/394

350 Female. A moustachial streak pale cobalt; primaries and outer secondaries brown, the former narrowly, the latter broiuUy, edged with green; centime of breast and abdomen and under tail-coverts orange, paler than in the male.

The young are wholly green and take over the year to acquire their full plumage.

Distribution. The Himalayas from Simla and Mussoorie to Eastern Assam, South through Manipur, Lusbai Hills to Tenas- serim, East to the Shan States and North and Western Siam, It also occurs in the Malay Peninsula.

Nidification. The Orange-bellied Chloropsis breeds throughout its range during the rains, occasionally in May, making a nest quite indistinguishable from that of aurifrons but w hich is some- times placed lower, rarely within 8 or 10 feet of the ground. It breeds more exclusively in forest and less in the more open parts than does the previous species. The eggs cannot be separated from those of the aurifrons group. Twenty eggs average 22"8 x 15-0 mm.

Habits. The Orange-bellied Chloropsis is found from the foot-hills and the plains adjoining up to about 6,000 feet; it is much more a forest bird than most members of the genus, but haunts the thinner parts near rivers, glades and ojienings rather than the deeper parts. It may be seen either in pairs or small parties, and is -vevy active and quick on its legs and Hies well. It is a really beautiful songster and has a wonderful range of notes in addition to great powers of mimicry. It is a very favourite cage-bird in Assam and is easily taught tricks and becomes very tame. In a wild state it lives principally on insects, though it also eats some seeds and most fruit; in captivity, however, it is almost exclu- sively frugivorous.

Phylloriiis chlorocephalus Wald., A. M.N. II., (4) vii, p. 241 (1871) (Tounghoo).

Chloropsis chlorocephala. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 237.

Vernacular names. Dao-hulip gmn-imo (Cachari).

Description. — Male. Lores, feathers under and in front of the eye, cheeks, chin and throat black; forehead and broad band from eye to eye pressing round and encircling the throat pale yellowish green; front of the crown above the forehead and a broad streak passing over the eyes and enr-coverts pale green; a very short moustachial streak cobalt: crown of the head and nape golden green; back, rump, upper tail-coverts and scajjulars. deep green; tail blue; primaries and their coverts black, edged with blue; outer secondaries black on the inner, blue on the outer webs edged with green; inner secondaries and greater