86 PARID.^. 



and I was lucky enough to find six nests. These were all in the 

 ground, either under stones or in actual holes such as rat-holes, 

 and all were found between the 8th and 22nd of May. 



" Speaking generally it is impossible to find them except when 

 the birds are building, for they are in the most unlikely places 

 that show no sign whatever of a nest. Four eggs seem to form 

 the full clutch. The nest is the ordinary pad of wool and hair 

 with a little moss below and around. 



" Tlie male has an aggravating habit of carrying in >vool after 

 the eggs have been laid." 



Three eggs given me bv Mr. Whymper measure about 

 18'0xl3-0mm. 



Habits. Similar to those of the Crested Hill-Tit, with which it 

 sometimes consorts. 



(G7) Lophophanes rufonnchalis beavani. 

 The Sikkim Black-Tit. 



Lophopham'S henvani Blytli, Jerd. B. 1., ii, p. 27o (1863) (Mt. 

 Teringloo, Sikkim) ; Blanf. k, Gates, i, p. o9. 



Vernacular names. Liho Tasso (Lepcha). 



Description. The colour of the back is blue-grey, instead of 

 greenish, the light parts on the face are yellowish or yellow ; below 

 a greenish grey with no traces of a black band. 



Colours of soft parts and measurements mucli the same as in 

 the last. 



Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet and Western China. 



Nidification. Nothing recorded. Two eggs sent by Mr. St. J. 

 Hickley were taken at about 10,000 feet elevation from a hole in 

 the roots of a small tree. The nest was a pad of hair and wool, 

 and tlie eggs only differ from those of the last in being rather 

 larger, measuring about 18'5x 13"7 mm. 



Habits. This is a bird of great elevations, and has so far not 

 been recorded much below 8000 feet. 



The Sikkim Black-Tit does not seem to intei'grade anywhere 

 with the Simla Black-Tit, but until more material is available 

 from the intervening country it appears better to treat them as 

 geographical races of the same bird. 



Lopbophanes dichrous. 



ICei/ to Snhsjjecies. 



A. Paler above, more rufescent below L. d. dichrous, p. 8^ 



B. Darker above, more buif below L. d. wcllsi, p. 87. 



