222 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vii. 



eggs attributed to it by Jerdon, and described in 

 Hume's Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, are really 

 those of some other bird. 



In the lower ranges of the Himalayas Phylloscopus 

 fuscatus arrives about the middle of September and 

 after this date spreads rapidty throughout the foot- 

 hills and into the plains. Its return migration does 

 not appear to commence until the end of March, and 

 during this month it is exceeding^ common about 

 Calcutta. After March few individuals are to be found 

 in the plains, but it is still common on the foot- 

 hills throughout April and stragglers stay on until well 

 into May. 



In its habits it is a curious mixture of excessive 

 activit}^ and letharg}'. During the greater part of the 

 day it restlessly pursues its insect-food, scrambling up 

 and down bushes and trees, from the lowly scrub to 

 the tops of lofty trees, hunting each bough and branch 

 above and below, twisting like a titmouse or tree- 

 creeper from one point to another, or occasionally 

 fluttering into the air, more like a fljxatcher or warbler 

 of the Cryptolopha group, after some insect it has 

 disturbed from its hiding-place. 



In the heat of the day, however, it rests on a brancli 

 of some tree, general^ over rather than imder twent}^ 

 feet from the ground. Here it sits with its feathers 

 puffed out and its head drawn back between its shoulders 

 — not tucked under its scapulars — and dozes away the 

 hours. At these times it is very loth to move and if 

 disturbed and forced to fly either returns at once to 

 its former perch or selects one close at hand, ^^'here it 

 once more relapses into quietude. 



Its note is very much like that of the Chiffchafi^, but 

 I noticed that the birds which haunted ni}^ garden in 

 North Cachar had also another note, a very low soft 

 *' chi-chirree " twice or three times repeated, which 

 reminded me very much of the call of the Little 

 Red-breasted Flycatcher. E. C. Stuart Baker. 



