( 99 ) 
appearance and their generic name. They are gregarious in habits, 
and are seen in company with other birds. Bill is compressed and 
slender, slightly curved; rictal bristles scanty and weak; wings 
short and rounded; tarsus short; lateral toes unequal, anterior 
claws long and a little curved ; hind toe and claw strong and curved. 
(427) ActrnopuRA Ecertont, Rufous Bar-wing, is seldom found 
over 6,000 feet. <A little below Darjeeling it is frequently seen. 
These bar-wings generally keep to bushes and trees, where they 
hunt for insects, grubs and berries which they feed on. When any 
of the berries which they are partial to, are ripe, numbers of birds 
may be seen busy at work. When one tree has been gone over, 
or become overcrowded with other birds going, only, for the ripest 
fruit, they fly off to another tree. Their flight is slow, laboured 
and undulating, with repeated strokes of the wings, not unlike some 
of the true Babblers (Malacocireus). Plumage of Egertoni is much 
brighter than the next species and keeps much to warmer altitudes. 
It is 9 inches in length; tail is long and graduated like the Timali- 
me, above, it is reddish-brown, on the back, shoulders of the wings 
and coverts; crown of the head brown with a pinkish tinge on 
the crest; ear-coverts ashy-brown; the primaries are more or 
less chesnut, some are reddish ash in colour barred with black ; 
tail feathers are tipped white, with faint bars: breast and under- 
parts ashy reddish brown. 
(428) ACTINODURA NIPALENSIS, Hoary Bar-wing, differs a good 
deal from the former species. In color it is less attractive. It seeks 
the colder and less congenial heights of Sandakphu and Phalut however 
it is seldom found in big numbers far north, about the elevation 
of Tongloo it seems more attached to. Nipalensis is 8 inches in 
length. Colour, above is dull reddish brown with an olive tinge ; 
large crest is brown ; shafts of the feathers are white, which gives 
the bird a streaked look; a somewhat hoary appearance. The 
colour of these birds changes a good deal, one of the specimens 
before me, from Sandakphu, at a time when it was shedding its coat 
to make room for its winter plumage, is bright rufescent brown. 
It looks like one of the Spiny Babblers. 
GENUS SIBIA 
First of this group is one of the common Darjeeling birds, an 
interesting species to make the acquaintance of. Bill is long, 
slender and a little curved ; wings ample in size for a 7imaline, and 
rounded ; tarsus longish and strong; hind toe broad and large, claws 
acute and curved, lateral toes unequal, but possessing a good strong 
grip when necessary ; tongue forked, with signs of a brush at the 
tip, which aids the bird in its flower pecking habits. 
16 
