118 CEATEROPODlD-5;. 



182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (ITodgs.). The Chestnut-headed 

 Tit-Bahhler. 



Minla castaneiceps, Hodys., Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 255 ; Hume, lioucjh 

 Draft N. ^' E. uo. 019. 



Mr. Hodgson's notes inform us that the Chestnut-headed Tit- 

 Babbler breeds in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling in May and 

 June, laying four eggs, which are figured as somewhat elongated 

 ovals, having a very ])ale greenish-yellow or dingy yellowish-wbite 

 ground finely speckled, cbieHy at the large end, where there is a 

 tendency to form a zone, with red or brownish red, and measuring 

 0-75 by 0-52. The nest is said to be placed in a thick bush, at a 

 height of about 3 feet from the grountl, in a double fork ; to be 

 very broad and shallow, composed of twigs, grass, and moss, and 

 lined with leaves. One, taken on the 18th May, 1846, measured G 

 inches in diameter and 2*5 in height externally ; the cavity was 

 only 2-1 in diameter and 1 in depth. 



From Sikhim Mr. Grammie writes : — " A nest of this bird, with 

 one fresh egg and female, was brought to me in May. The man 

 said he found the nest in the Eungbee forest, at GOOD feet, among 

 the moss growing on the trunk of a large tree, a few feet from 

 the ground. It was a solid cup, made of green moss, with an inner 

 layer of fine dark-coloured roots, and lined with grassy fibres. 

 Externally it measured 4 inches in w"idth by the same in depth ; 

 internally 1-5 wide by 1"25 deep." 



Three eggs sent by Mr. Gammie measure 0'7 to 0*75 in length 

 and 0-55 to 0-59 in breadth. 



Mr. Davison says : — " On the 20th of February, when encamped 

 just under the summit of Muleyit, ou its N.W. slope, I fonnd a 

 nest of this bird containing three eggs, but so hard-set that it was 

 only with the greatest difticulty that I managed to preserve them. 



"The nest, a deep cup, was placed about 5 feet from the ground, 

 in a mass of creepers growing up a sapling. It (the nest) was 

 composed externally of green moss and liiied with fibres and dry 

 bam bo 0-1 eaves. 



" Ou the 29th of the same month I took auother nest, also con- 

 tainiiig three eggs, precisely similar to those in the first nest ; but 

 these were so far incubated and the shell was so fragile that they 

 were all lost. This nest was also composed externally of green 

 moss, beautifully worked into the moss growing on the trunk of 

 a large tree, and it was only with considerable difliculty, and after 

 looking for some time, that I found it. The egg-cavity of this 

 nest was also lined with fibres and dried bamboo-leaves. 



" The first nest found w as open at the top, and measured 

 .5'5 inches in depth, 3 across the top externally, the egg-cavity 

 3*5 in depth by 1*8 in diameter at top. 



" The second nest was completely domed at the top, and measured 

 externally 7 inches in depth by about 3'5 at lop. The egg-cavity 

 was 2'5 inches deep by 1'5 across the mouth. 



"'^I'hree eggs measured 0'7 to (i"75 in length, and 0*55 to 0-59 in 

 breadth." 



