56 



I I M 1 . 1 . 1 1 1 1 . 1 



Genus LIOPTILA. Blyth. 



Lioptila capistrata ( Fig.). 

 (Plate I. fig. 5.) 



Malarias capistrata, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. vii. p. 103 (1883) ; Nehrk. 



hot. Eiersamml. p. 59 i I8i 9). 

 Lioptila capistrata. Gates, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. -p. 196(1889); id. 



ed. Hume, Nest* fy Eggs hid. Birds, i. p. 133(1889); Sharpe, Hand-l. 



iv. p. 59 (1903). 



The eggs of the Black-headed Sibia are of a blunt oval form, and 

 exhibit u little gloss. The ground-colour is of a pale greenish white, 

 and this is marked in a complicated manner : " first there are usually 

 a few, large, irregular, moderately dark brownish-red spots and 

 splashes ; then there are a very few, very dark, reddish-brown hair- 

 lines, such as one finds on Buntings' eggs ; then there is a good deal 

 of clouding and smudging here and there of pale, dingy purplish or 

 brownish-red (all these markings are most numerous towards the 

 large end); and then, besides these, and almost entirely confined 

 to the large end, are a few pale purple specks and spots. Sometimes 

 the markings are almost wholly confined to the thicker end of the 

 egg.'*' (Hume.) Six eggs measure from '92 to 1 in length, and from 

 ■66 to - 7- in breadth. 



I. .Muni, 5th June (C. It. Cock). Hume Coll. 



1. Sikhiur (J. Gaminie). Hume Coll. 



2. Sikhim (J. G.). Hum.' Coll. 

 2. Sikhim (./. (!.). Hume Coll. 



Lioptila gracilis (McClell.). 



(Plate III. fig. 4.) 



Sihia gracilis, Godicin-Aust. J. . I. S. Beng. xliii. pt. ii. p. 179 (1874). 



Malarias gracilis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. \ii. p. 400 ( 1883). 



Lioptila gracilis, Gates, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. L97 ( 1889) : id. ed. 



Hume, Nests X Eggs hid. Birds, i. p. 135 (1889); Sharpe, Hand-l, 



iv. p. 59 (1903). 



The eggs of the Grey Sibia in the Collection are of a broad oval 

 form, exhibit a moderate amount of gloss, and are of a pale green 

 colour mottled all over with pale rufous and lilac. They measure 

 respectively: '86 by "71 ; '84 by - 7. 



2. liniaii Valley, Assam, 25th June. Col. H. II. Godwin-Austen 



[P.]. 



Lioptila melanoleuca (Blyth >. 



Malarias melanoleuca, Sharpe. Cat. Birds />'. M. vii. p. 405 ( 1883). 

 Lioptila melanoleuca, Oales, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 198(1889); 



id. i<l. II a mi. Nests 8? Eggs Ind. Birds, i. p. L35 (1889) ; Sharpe. 



Hand-l. iv. p, 59 | 1903). 



