^GITHALISCUS. 99 



nests are desei-ibed as being like that of the Red-headed Tit but 

 Lii'ger and densely lined with feathers. That first found by 

 AVhymper was placed iu the fork of a -willow about 6 feet from 

 the ground and others as much as 30 feet from it, whilst 

 Osiiiaston's was in the fork of a cherry-tree, both nest and tree 

 being covered with lichen. The eggs appear to be four in number 

 and are like those of the Eed-headed Tit's but more spotted and 

 less zoned with the markings. 



They breed from May to June at elevations of 11,000 feet 

 upwards. 



Eggs sent me by Dodsworth from above Simla measure about 

 14'0 X 10'5 mm. These were taken from nests in small oaks. 



Habits. Osmaston found this bird connnon in the Tons Valley, 

 and Whymper equally so in Grarhwal at elevations of some 11,000 

 or 12,000 feet. It seems to haunt both thick and sparse forest 

 equally, and to go about in little parties like the rest of its tribe. 



Whitehead likens its note to the " Wi " of the Goldfinch. 



(So) ^githaliscus ioschistos. 



The Eufocjs-fkonted Tit. 



Parux ioschistos Hodgs., J. A. S. R, xiii, p. 913 (1844j (Nepal). 

 jT2ijithaliscits ioschUtus. Blaiif. & Oates, i, p. 52. 



Vemacttlar naines. None recorded. 



Description. Forehead, a broad band on the middle of the head, 

 tlie sides of the neck and a broad collar on the upper back fawn- 

 colour ; lores, under the eye, and a broad band on the side of the 

 crown extending to the upper hack and there blending with the 

 band on the other side, black ; ear-coverts blackish in front, 

 rufous behind ; upper plumage, wing-coverts and the edges to 

 the wings and tail ashy olive ; primary-coverts and winglet dark 

 brown ; tail brown, the outer web of the outermost feather white, 

 the next two with some white at the tip ; chin and throat silvery 

 white, with the black bases of the feathers showing through : the 

 chin and a stripe under the cheek blacker than the other parts ; 

 cheeks and entire lower plumage dark ferruginous. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill black ; legs yellow-brown ; iris 

 bruwu {.lerdoii) ; iris yellow {Blanford). 



Measurements. Length about 100 mm. ; tail about 55 mm. ; 

 wing about 00 mm. ; culmen about 7 mm.; tarsus about 17 mm. 



Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. 



Nidification and Habits. Very little on record. Blanford 

 found it in Sikidm at 9,(JO0 feet and upwards, and believed that 

 it kept only to the pine-forests. 



