Birds of Northern Formosa. 359 



them home carefully, hoping to be able to rear them ; but 

 eventually only one survived for about 18 months. 



On the whole the habits of Stachyridopsis ruficeps in cap- 

 tivity, so far as one can judge from one example, appear to 

 be those of the Tits combined with those of Trochalopteron 

 canorum and T. taivanum. 



The stretching out the neck for stroking, common, I 

 believe, to these Babblers and their allies, the familiarity and 

 intelligence of this small bird, and its general habits show its 

 affinities with the " Huami " tribe, while its gymnastic feats, 

 its restless way of wandering along the sides and top of 

 the cage, and its habit of searching crevices point to a 

 relationship with the Titmice and their allies. 



The nestling plumage of Stachyridopsis ruficeps is a dull 

 olive above, quills edged with olive-green. The uuderparts 

 are greenish buff. The throat of the nestlings taken began 

 to get yellow about a fortnight after I took the nest. The 

 red on the head had appeared in one of them a few days 

 before. 



In captivity these birds would ajjpear to be omnivorous, 

 but in order to be kept healthy they should always have 

 fresh insect-food. My tame bird ate bread and milk, raw 

 beef chopped fine, insects of all sorts, fresh or dried, salad, 

 fruit, &c. 



12. Suva crinigera (Hodgs.). 



Prinia striata Swinh. Journ. N. C. B. Royal Asiatic 

 Society, 1859, p. 227. 



This bird seems to be common enough on the North Hill. 

 I have no doubt that it breeds there. Two specimens were 

 shot: one on 7th April (alt. about 1000 feet), the other 

 in the crater of the North Hill (alt. 2600) on 28th April. 



13. Prinia sonitans Swinh. 



Common in N.W. Formosa, but rather more of a hill- 

 bird than P. inornata. It keeps generally to the sword- 

 grass jungle. 



I obtained a nest and eggs of this bird on the 23rd June. 

 This nest is a beautiful structure, wholly made of the down 



