THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN THAILAND 327 



on the crown and nape ; the shoulder patch shining turquoise, the pri- 

 mary coverts and the exposed portions of the primaries dark blue, 

 the secondary coverts and the exposed portions of the secondaries deep 

 green; the tail dark blue; a conspicuous mustachial streak ultrama- 

 rine; the lores, sides of the head and neck, the chin, throat, and 

 breast black (the last suffused with dark blue) ; the remaining under- 

 pays (except for the green flanks) orange. The adult female and 

 the immature male (for at least a year) have the entire upperparts 

 (except for the turquoise shoulder patch) deep green; the mustachial 

 streak paler ultramarine; a broad, central abdominal streak and the 

 under tail coverts orange; the remaining underparts yellow-green. 

 The juvenile of either sex has the upperparts, wings, and tail deep 

 green ; the entire underparts yellow-green. 



Examination of a long series of this species from every part of 

 its range has shown no trenchant differences in size or color between 

 ha/rdwickii and malayaim, and I do not believe that the latter can be 

 maintained as a valid form. The wings of 17 adult males from our 

 area measure from 85.7 to 96 mm., and similarly wide variation seems 

 to obtain in any other population. 



SPIZIXOS CANIFRONS Blyth 



Crested Finch-billed Bulbul 



Sp[isixos] canifrons Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. 14, 1845, pp. 571-572 



("Cherra Poonjee, or the hill ranges bordering on Sylhet to the northward" 



[=Khasya Hills]). 

 Spizixos canifrons, Rogers and Deignan, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 1934, p. 91 



(Doi Chiang Dao). 

 Spizixos canifrons canifrons, Deignan, Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1936, 



p. 170 (PhuKha). 



The finch-billed bulbul is recorded in Thailand only from Doi 

 Chiang Dao, 5,000 feet, and Phu Kha, 4,500 to 5,000 feet ; on both of 

 these mountains it is common in the limited areas that afford a suitable 

 environment : the abandoned hai of the hillmen, where scattered low 

 trees arise from a heavy growth of lalang and brambles. It is one of 

 the very few truly montane birds that may be deemed to profit by the 

 wasteful agricultural methods of the seminomadic tribes. 



This beautiful top-knotted species travels in small flocks through the 

 trees and undergrowth, all the whole uttering soft, musical notes, 

 which are quite different from those of the related forms. 



Examples from Phu Kha, April 4, 9, and 11, are undergoing body 

 molt, and the bird of April 4 is also molting the central rectrices. 



My specimens had the irides brown ; the bill pale fleshy ; the feet and 

 toes horny flesh. 



This bulbul has the forehead and center of the f orecrown ashy gray ; 

 the ocular region, sides of the f orecrown, and the pointed crest black; 



