SCH@®NIPARUS. 285 
completely domed, egg-shaped affair measuring about 7 to 8 inches 
high by about 5 to 6 inches broad. The full complement of eggs 
is three or four but sometimes two only are laid. The. eggs are 
like those of the last bird and two hundred average 20°8 x 
15°6 mm.; the maxima are 22°0x 16°0 and 195x161 mm., and 
minima 19°4x 15°3 and 20°7 x 15:0 mm. 
Habits. During the winter the Assam Tit-Babbler collects in 
small flocks of half-a-dozen to a dozen individuals, haunting forest 
with ample undergrowth and to a Jess extent bamboo- jungle and 
scrub. It is most common from 3,000 feet upwards and is found 
up to at least 6,000 feet and possibly a good deal higher. It is a 
restless, energetic little bird feeding partly on the ground, partly 
on the low bushes and trees, constantly changing its position and 
now and then fluttering from one perch to another as well as 
scrambling and hopping through the cover. Whilst engaged in 
feeding they utter a constant “ chir-r-r-r” alternating with a sharp 
“chit.” In the breeding season their habits alter greatly and they 
become shy, retiring little birds, and instead of being able to watch 
them minutes at a time all one sees of them is a small brown 
object slipping out of sight into cover when disturbed. 
(299) Scheniparus dubius genestieri. 
Rivpon’s Trr-BaBerer. 
Alcippe genestiert Oustalet, Bull. Mus, d’Hist. Nat., Paris, iii, p. 210 
(1897) (T'sékao). 
Vernacular names. Prep-dor (Kachin). 
Description. Differs from S. d. dubius in having the forehead 
pale rufous ; the crown is golden-brown with very faint dark edges 
to the feathers ; the upper plumage is olive-brown and the sides 
of the neck are not streaked. 
Colours of soft parts as in S. d. dubius. 
Measurements. Wing 58 to 61 mm.; tailabout 60 mm.; tarsus 
24 mm.; culmen 11 mm. 
Distribution. Kachin and Bhamo Hills, Yunnan, Shan States 
and S.W. China. 
Rothschild has shown (Noy. Zool. xxvii, p. 3@) that intermedius 
is not separable from genestier zand with ane Lagree, but the former 
sometimes has quite plain indications of the neck- -stripes as in 
mandellii and as we should expect in that part of its range nearest 
that race. 
Nidification. Resembles that of the last bird. Harington, 
Grant and others took many nests in March, April and “May 
between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. The eges are indistinguishable 
from those ot the last two birds and measure about 19:9 x 15°5 mm. 
Habits differ in no way from those of the Assam Tit-Babbler 
