NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THANDIANI. 289 



(422). Acanthopneuste viridanus. — The Greenish Willow-Warbler is rare, but 

 I saw a party of five or six near the hill top on 20th June. 



(428). Acanthopneuste occipitalis. — The Large Crowned-Willow-Warbler is 

 an extremely common bird. It begins to breed about the end of May. At the 

 pairing season the males are very combative and quarrelsome. A pair locked 

 in deadly struggle fell at my feet one day and I almost had my hands 

 on them before they had the sense to separate and fly away. A characteristic 

 habit of this little bird, as it creeps about branches and shrubs is its restless 

 waving of one wing ; at the same time it is continually uttering its monotonous 

 note of "chip-chip-chip-chip." The nests are composed of moss and leaves and 

 are built usually far in under the roots of trees, sometimes on ledges of rock 

 overgrown with ferns and roots, sometimes in between the stones of a wall or 

 culvert, and of two nests I saw one was built in the rafters of a cowshed and 

 another high up in the gable of a roof of a bungalow. The eggs are a plain 

 dirty white. The bill of this species in the breeding season is of a dull 

 orange yellow colour. 



(434). Cryptolopha xanthoschista. — Hodgson's Grey-headed Flycatcher- 

 Warbler is common about the lower limits of the forest on the west of the 

 ridge and about the open hill sides below. This little warbler keeps a good 

 deal to low bushes. 



(458). Suya crinigera. — I watched a female Brown Hill-Warbler completing 

 her nest on the hill side close to the road side above Kala Pani bungalow on 9th 

 July. The grass purse-shaped nest which was in a clump of coarse grass and 

 thorns had been completed and the process of lining with down was being 

 carried out. The bird was absurdly tame, allowing me to get within three or 

 four yards of the nest while she was at work. 



(473). Lanius vittatus. — On 10th July I saw a Bay-backed Shrike on the top 

 of the ridge overlooking Nawashahr village at an altitude of about 5,000 feet. 



(476). Lanius eryihronotus. — At about 5,500 feet I saw on the same date a 

 solitary example of the Rufous-backed Shrike. 



(495). Pericrocotus brevirostris. — Even in the breeding season the brilliantly 

 coloured Short-billed Minivets appear to keep in parties. When travelling in 

 search of food along the tops of the pines they are constantly using a tit-like 

 chatter and a call note of " swltswitswltitatit." Possible this latter note 

 gave rise to the name " minivet." Often they use a pretty note like " swlsweet- 

 sweet-sweet." They are common birds but I did not find a nest. This minivet 

 leaves the hills and migrates far into the plains of the Punjab in winter. 



(505). Campophaga melanosclmta . — I saw a solitary example of the Dark- 

 grey Cuckoo-Shrike at about 6,000 feet on 9th July. 



(518). Oriolus kundoo. — The Indian Oriole occurs as a summer visitor below 

 6,000 feet. It is not common, but its far sounding mellow whistle is one of the 

 forest sounds around Kala Pani. 



(558). Hemichelidon sibirica. — The Sooty Flycatcher is on still hot days much 

 in evidence about the top of the hill. His favourite perch is the top of a tall 



