STAPHIDIA. Bill 
neither ascending to any height in the bigger trees nor frequent- 
ing the lower shrubs unless frightened, when they dive into the 
undergrowth and escape by clambering and flitting from one perch 
to another until they are out of sight. It is not a shy bird and 
may be watched at leisure. from a few paces, scrambling about in 
very Tit-like postures and constantly uttering a low “ chir-chit, chir- 
chit.” It is a very poor flyer and seldom uses its wings for more 
than a few yards. Those birds examined had fed on aphidee, 
locust larve and other insects and also on small hard seeds like 
mustard seed. 
‘ (831) Staphidia striata striata. 
TICKELL’S SrAPHIDIA. 
Ivulus striatus Blyth, J. A. S. B., xxviii, p. 418 (1859) (Tenasserim ). 
Staphidia striata. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 206. 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. General colour above dull olive-brown, the head 
darker with a greyish tinge, in some specimens a sooty-brown ; 
the feathers of the head, mantle and back with grey shatt-stripes ; 
ear-coverts dull chestnut and sides of the neck suffused with the 
same; wings and tail the same colour as the back but darker ; 
the three or four outer pairs of tail-feathers broadly tipped with 
white; under parts dull greyish white. 
Colours of soft parts. Iris blood-red brown; bill dark horn- 
colour; legs reddish-horn. 
Measurements. Length about 130 mm.; wing 69 to 63 mm. 
Distribution. Tenasserim northwards through the hills of 
Eastern Burma to Bhamo in the Chin Hills. 
Nidification. Very similar to that of the last bird and Mr. 8. 
M. Robinson records that this species like that form is also much 
given to nesting in holes in the roadside banks. The nest is like 
that of the Chestnut-headed Staphidia but more moss is used in 
its outer walls. The few eggs I have seen are not distinguishable 
from those of that bird. They measure about 17-7 x 13°7 mm. 
Habits. Similar to those of the preceding species. 
(332) Staphidia striata rufigenis. 
Humn’s STAPHIDIA. 
Taulus rufiyenis Hume, 8. F., v, p. 198 (1877) (Himalayas, Darjeeling). 
Staphidia rufigents. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 206. 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. Similar to the last but with the head lighter and 
more grey and with a distinet white supercilium from eye to back 
of ear-coverts, above which there is a rufous band. 
Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the last bird. 
v . ro 
POCYLE MN 
