Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/492

 446 TEOGLODTTID.i:.

Nidification. The only collector who has seen the nest and eggs of this Wren is Mr. S. L. Whymper, who describes them as follows: — "Two nests were found with eggs and three with young birds, all in crevices in birch-trees, from 20 to 30 feet up, a decidedly different situation to all the nests of the Kashmir Wren I have seen or heard of. The nests were large and domed, made of moss, grass and leaves and vex*y thickly lined with feathers. The eggs were white with a few red specks." An egg subsequently sent me by Mr. Whymper measures 16-6 x 12-6 mm. and is not distinguishable from those of T. t. neglectus. It was taken on the 29th of June.

Habits. There is not much on record about this Wren but the habits are not likely to differ from those of neglectus. Whymper found it in Tehri-Garhwal between 11,000 and 13,000 feet. In Sikkim, Blanford found it hunting over loose, moss-covered stones, constantly entering the crevices between the blocks and emerging again at a considerable distance. He usually saw the birds in small families, three or four together, hunting on the ground and low bushes and with the same predilection for exploring hollows under stones.


 * Trof/lodi/tes talifuensis Sharpe, Bull, B. 0. C, xiii, p. 77 (1902) (Talifii, Yuiuian).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Similar to the preceding race but not so dark either above or below.

Colours of soft parts as in T. t. mpalensis.

Measurements. Wing 47 to 52 mm.; tail 29 mm.; tarsus about 17 to 18 mm.; culmen 11 to 11*5 mm. The spotting on the wing-coverts is very conspicuous on the type-specimen but in others is no more developed than in many specimens of the other subspecies, and this appears to be purely an individual characteristic.

Distribution. Yunnan, Shan States and j!^orthern Siam. Nidification unknown.

Habits. Nothing recorded.


 * Troylodytes uer/lectus Brooks, ,T. A. S. B., xli, p. 328 (1872) (Kaslimir).
 * Anorthura neylecta. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 388.

Vernacular names. None recorded.