TROGLODYTES. 445 



Troglodytes troglodytes. 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. Upper plumage very dark rufous-browii . . T. t. nipalensis, p. 445. 



B. L pper plumaoe rufous-brown, not very dark . T. t. talifuensis, p.446. 



C. Upper plumage a much paler rufous-brown. 

 a. Wing 47 to 51 mm.,: culmen 11 to 



11-5 mm ; T.t. neglectus, p. 446. 



0. Wing 53 to 56 mm.; culmen about 



13 mm T.t. tibetanus, p. 448. 



-Fig. 88.— Head of T. t. nipaletisi's. 



(458) Trogolodytes troglodytes nipalensis. 

 The Nepal Wrek. 



Trof/lodyfes 7upale»sis Ilodgs., Blytli, J. A. S. B., xiv p 589 



(1845) (Nepal). 

 Anorthura nipalensis, Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 337. 



Vernacular names. MarcheJc-pho (Lepclia). 



Description. Upper plumage dark rufous-browu, the lower 

 back, wings and tail closely barred with black: sides of the head, 

 lores and an indistinct supercilium brown with tiny rufous-ashy 

 spots; lower plumage nifous-brown, almost immaculate on the 

 chin, throat and upper breast in old birds, elsewhere closelv 

 barred with black, often with some albescent on the belly and 

 with some white spots on the under tail-coverts. 



Some birds have a few small white spots on the lesser and 

 median wing-coverts, a feature found occasionally in all the races 

 of this species. In the same way the barri)ig on the sides of the 

 throat and neck varies very much in extent. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris hazel ; bill dark brown, fleshy at the 

 base; legs fleshy-brown to horny-brown. 



Measurements. Total length about 95 mm. ; wing 48 to 53 mm. ; 

 tail 27 to ;30 mm.; tarsus 19 to 20 mm.; culmen 11 to 12 mm. 



Distribution. Sikkim and Nepal to Bhutan. Specimens from 

 Garhwal appear to be of this race, wliilst those from Simla are 

 nearer to neglectns. Specimens collected by Wiiymper are un- 

 doubtedly ni/mlensis but Osmaston records two specimens of 

 neglectus taken by him in the Northern parts of Garhwal. Very 

 possibly Garhwal forms the connecting area between tiie two sub- 

 species. 



