LEIOPTILA, 297 



Description. Foreliend, crown, crest, nape and sides of the 

 liead bbick, the ear-coverts sometimes dark browu ; the whole 

 lower plumage, rump and upper tail-coverts and a broad collar 

 round the neck deep bright rufous ; back and scapulars greyish- 

 brown : median tail-feathers rufous for three-quarters of their 

 length, then with a dark hand and a bluish tip; in the other feathers 

 the rufous portion rapidly diminishes and the black increases; 

 lower wing-coverts rufous ; primary-coverts black ; greater coverts 

 white at base, forming a broad band, the exterior feathers blue 

 tipped with black, tlie others tipped with rufous ; inner secondaries 

 chestiuit edfred with blue ; tlie other quills dark brown, the 

 primaries with the outer webs pale blue, the outer secondaries 

 dark blue. 



Fig. 55.— Head oi' L. c. rapistrata. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris reddish-brown to brilliant crimson, 

 perhaps according to age ; bill black; legs fleshy-grey to purplish- 

 brown, claws horny-brown. 



Measurements. Total length about 220 to 230 mm. ; wing 91 to 

 9(3 mm. ; tail abovit 100 mm. ; tarsus about 30 mm. ; cuhneu about 

 20 mm. . 



Distribution. Eastern Himalayas, Naini-tal to Dafla Hills. 



Nidification. The Black-headed Sibia breeds during Maj and 

 June at elevations betw^een 5,000 and 7,000 feet, making a very 

 compact, deep cup of moss, sometimes mixed more or lesswitli scraps 

 of dend leaf, lichen, etc. Between the outer nest and the true 

 lining of fine roots and fern-racliides is an inner lining of soft grass 

 and shreds of fibi'e and leaves. The nest is very bard to locate, as 

 it is generally high up in pine-, tir-, or deodar-trees in the bushy 

 extremities of the outer branches. The eggs are generally two, 

 more rarely thi'ee, and are |)ale blue in ground-colour with 

 splashes, smears and blotches of pale and dark browuisli-red with 

 a few spots and hair-lines of very dark red-black. The shell is 

 fine but not glossed, they are fragile eggs for their size and in 

 shape they are rather broad blunt ovals. They measure about 

 24-1 X 19-1 mm. 



Habits. This Sibia is found in flocks, often of some size, in 

 tree forest between 5,000 and 8,000 feet elevation, wandering a 

 good deal lower in the cold weather. They are entirely arboreal 



