286 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVIII. 



(31). Partis atriceps. — The Indian Grey Tit is not uncommon at about 6,000 

 feet. 



A pair nested in a hole between the lintel of the bathroom door and the 

 masonry in the Dak Bungalow at Kala Pani and were carrying food to the 

 young on 10th July. 



(34). Par us rnonticola— From 7,000 to 8,000 feet the Green-backed Tit is 

 fairly common. I saw several nest holes that were occupied by these Tits. 

 They appear to prefer dead trees for their nests, and usually sycamores. The 

 nest holes are generally natural holes in knots in the trees. Young were going 

 about by the end of June. The note is a pretty metallic sounding Tee-tee. 



(35). jEgithalisaus erythrocephalus. — The beautiful little Red-headed Tit is 

 rare in Thandiani and I only once saw an example. 



(42). Machlolophus xanthogenys. — I cannot say I saw this species to be 

 absolutely certain of it; but a party of Tits observed one day in the pines some 

 way off on a khud side, looked liked Yellow-cheeked Tits. A very rare bird in 

 Thandiani. 



(44). Lopliophanes elanolophus. — The lively little Crested Black Tit is one 

 of the commonest birds on the hill. The nest hole, which is generally in a 

 natural hole of a tree, is often within a foot of the ground and always in a living 

 tree. The eggs are laid as early as the end of April and by the beginning of 

 June family parties are everywhere in evidence. A curious hissing or spitting 

 noise, alarmingly loud for such a tiny atom of a bird, is emitted from the nest- 

 hole if one puts one's hand inside the entrance. A leaf or a little bit of twig 

 dropped into the hole speedily brings the indignant occupant to the entrance 

 with the offending morsel in its bill. But, strange to say, crumbs of cake or 

 little grubs thrown in fail to bring him or her forth ! A variety of song notes 

 are given by this little Tit, a common one being Chak-cha-blnh or Kink-ka-jou." 

 The call note is " te-tewy." 



(91). Trochalopterum simile. — Another very common bird is the Western 

 Variegated Laughing Thrush, so called, though he really belongs to the babbler 

 family. For such a large bird and such a common one it is extraordinary how 

 seldom one sets eyes on him. He is a skulker and loves to get into the middle 

 of a thick bush and start off with his loud whistle Zdrlp-Diu-i-wIuh'' or "Dlo-pi- 

 wiah" (the " i " pronounced as " ee") often indeed well represented by the words 

 " choky wdliam," which is immediately taken up by hidden accomplices in the 

 bushes around. The breeding season is May and June and the nest which is 

 built of coarse grass and stems, is generally placed in the bough of a yew about 

 ten or twelve feet from the ground, sometimes in a bush. The ground colour 

 of the eggs is a beautiful green blue. 



(99). Trochalopterum lineatum. — Another skulker, the Himalayan Streaked 

 Laughing Thrush, is quite as common as the last species. It hops about in small 

 parties at the bottom of bushes with a sort of " churring" note. At the be- 

 ginning of the breeding season it has two whistling notes of " Trit-tew" and 

 " Tewit" and another note of " Ju-wl-ye." The eggs are laid in May and June 



