BIRD NOTES FROM MORR RE, 145 



;i small mulberry tree on the side of the road, the nest hole being open at the 

 top to the sky. A note uttered by this Tit when approaching the nest was a 

 loud " Towit " '■ Towit," Another and pretty song note heard when the leaves 

 were being searched for food was •' Teetweenh twit-tetitwcenh." When going 

 about in small tlocks after the breeding season a note of communication like 

 " Tyuji " '■ Tyuji " is used. Sometimes a chatter precisely similar to that of 

 Partis atricecps is used. Less gregarious than others of the family this Tit is 

 often seen solitary. I did not observe it in the Galis and do not now think it 

 should have been included in my list of birds of Thandiani, 



44. Lophophanes melanolophiis. (The Crested Black Tit). — Another note of 

 The Crested Black Tit is a loud plaintive " Tyij — Tyii " slowly repeated. This 

 little Tit became fairly common in Murree towards the end of June. 



204. LiopHla caplstrata (The Black-headed Sibia),^ — This bird was rather rare 

 in Murree but at Dunga Gali it was common. In the latter place a nest found 

 in the building was at the top of a young Silver Fir. The note of this Sibia 

 is a single pretty whistle pitched in a high key and repeated 4 or 5 times rapidly. 

 At a distance it sounds like the tinkling of a little silver bell. When hunting 

 for food in the undergrowth the note is a soft rattling chuckle. The flight of 

 these birds reminds one of the Minivets. 



22o. Zosterops palpebrosa (The Indian White-eye). — A nest of " The 

 Indian White-eye " found on the 23rd of April was built under an overhanging 

 bank, from under which the earth had been washed away, and was suspended 

 between roots which were thus laid bare. 



237. Pteruthms erythroptems (The Red-winged Shrike Tit). — This is not 

 an easy bird to observe. It is constantly hopping about high branches and gene- 

 rally contrives to put leaves between it and the observer. The note is a loud 

 " Yup — Yipyiip " repeated several times. At Murree it was fairly common but 

 less so in the Galis. 



2*19. Hypsipetes psaroirles (The Himalayan Black Bulbul). —A large variety 

 of squeaky drongo-like notes are uttered by " The Himalayan Black Bulbul " 

 usually when chasing each other about the tree tops, when at the nest or with 

 their fledglings. A common note is a long drawn out " weenh " not unlike 

 the distant sound of a young porker in the initial stages of being converted into 

 bacon. It also has a pretty whistle which is one of the most attractive of 

 the forest sounds in this part of the Himalayas. This note is " Whew-wh**." 

 " whew-whe ", sometimes " whee-whe " and may be likened to the musical 

 creaking of a rusty gate hinge. In music it is represented by the notes 



Usually preceding this whistle are a couple of the drongo-like notes above- 

 19 



