SCH@NIPARUS. 283 
Genus SCH(ENIPARUS Hume, 1874. 
With the genus Scheniparus we enter on a group of small 
birds essentially Zimaliine both in characteristics and in habits. 
They possess the typical short, rounded wing and strong tarsi and 
feet but differ from all the rest in having short, blunt bills very 
Tit-like in their superficial appearance. In nidification and habits 
they resemble many other genera, building ball-shaped nests placed 
on the ground, whilst they seek their food at least as much on the 
ground as on the lower bushes. 
The nostrils are covered by a membrane and net overhung by 
hairs and the rictal bristles are small; the wings and tail.are 
about equal in length and the latter is well graduated. 
Key to Species and Subspecies. 
A. No chestnut band across breast. LA rat, 
a, Sides of neck not striped or only 
obsoletely so. 
a’, Above olive-brown tinged ochra- 
COWS eather analy e olscsie- a .ckecayskeu sia ere S. dubius dubius, p. 23 
b'. Above olive-brown with no ochra- 
ROGWSEEINO Ce pcg: = acca ss seie's « S. d. genestiert, p. 285. 
b. Sides of neck boldly striped ........ S.d. mandelliz, p. 284. 
B. A chestnut band across breast ........ S. rufigularis, p. 286. 
(297) Scheniparus dubius dubius. 
Tur TENASSERIM Tir-BABBLER. 
Proparus dubius Hume, P. A. S. B., 1874, p. 109 (Muleyit). 
Scheniparus dubius. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 168. 
Vernacular names. Prep-dor (Kachin). 
Description. Forehead, crown and nape reddish brown, each 
feather obsoletely margined darker and the forehead tinged with 
chestnut ; lores and a band on each side of the crown, blending on 
the back, black; a white supercilium from the eye to the nape ; 
ear-coverts and sides of neck pale fulvous-brown ; upper plumage 
olive-brown, tinged with rutous on exposed parts of wings and 
tail: lower plumage pale fulvous, whitish on the chin and throat 
and olivaceous on the flanks and under tail-coverts. 
Colours of soft parts. Iris yellowish red, pale yellow to slaty- 
pink ; bill dark brown to dull black ; legs and feet fleshy. 
Measurements. Total length about 185 mm.; wing 53 to 58mm.; 
tail about 60 mm.; tarsus 25 mm.; culmen 12.mm. 
Distribution. Northern and Central Tenasserim. - 
Nidification. The Tenasserim Tit-Babbler makes a domed 
nest of bamboo leaves and grass, which it places either on the 
ground or close to it. The lining, always very slight, is of roots 
and fibres and occasionally these are made use of in the body of the 
nest. The sites selected seem to be generally in forests with amp 
