(516) AcROCEPHALUS DUMETORUM, Lesser Reed-warbler, visits 
the plains in the cold weather. It breeds at high altitudes in the 
Himalayas, where it is hard to find, and its nest is no easy matter 
to discover. This Reed warbler is 6 inches in length. Sexes are 
alike in colour ; plumage, above, is olive-brown; beneath whitish 
with a tinge of muddy colour ; it has a pale supercilium, (sides of the 
head ). It feeds on insects, usually whilst hunting it keeps up a 
cheeriul clicking note, a sort of tifick, titick, titick. It has a pretty 
warbling song in spring and during rainy season. 
GENUS HORORNIS (JHill-varblers) 
These birds have feebler and more slender bills, compressed ; 
rictals undeveloped ; wings shorter, 4th and 5th quills the longest, 
tail short, broad and graduated ; tarsi long and strong. 
(523) HoRORNIS FULVIVENTRIS, Fulvous-bellied Hill-warbler, 
this species is plentiful in Darjeeling, in spring more so. Most of 
the Horornis remain with us during the rains. They leave at times 
in big numbers for lower altitudes by end of September ; but several 
are found in Darjeeling in the cold weather. These little birds 
have a loud, rich, pretty warble. They seldom come out into more 
open country as they appear to be great “sticklers” for dense bushes 
and jungles. They are usually observed fluttering about lower 
branches near the ground, so that at their best only a fleeting view 
of them is obtained, now and then in the morning, chances present 
themselves of finding one ina fairly conspicuous place, perched 
quietly, warbling its little song. Fulviventris is about 42 inches in 
length ; plumage olive-brown, above ; breast and beneath are dull 
dusky golden-yellow, which appears much brighter in spring ; chin 
white, also a white streak over the eyes. This bird constructs a 
nest of green moss, losely outside, within is cup-shaped and_ neatly 
finished, lined with dry fibres and soft roots. Eggs are beautifully 
coloured, rich chocolate in appearance, roundish in shape. It is 
usually in the nest of this species that the valuable (?) egg of Cuculus 
poliocephalus is found deposited in this locality. ; 
GENUS HOREITES 
Differs but little. They can he said to represent in the hills, 
Prinia found in the plains. Bill is slender, short and_ straight, 
slightly notched and bent at the tip; tail broad, round and _ soft, 
more graduated than Horornis ; head feathers are short and smooth, 
These birds are more frequently found on high altitudes over 10,000 
feet, They are Wren-like in habits. 
