i92 SPOLTA ZEYLANICA. 



PiPRISOMA SQUALIDA SQUALIDA. 



The Thick-billed Flowerpecker. 



Piprisoma squcAida (Gates, Vol. II., p. 382) ; Pipriaoma agile 

 (Legge, p. 579). 



Description. — Upper plumage olivaceous -brown, the rump 

 and upper tail coverts tinged with green ; wings and tail 

 brown edged with olive, the tail feathers with white tips, 

 broad on the two outer feathers, more narrow on the others ; 

 lores grayish ; face and ear coverts brownish ; chin and throat 

 white ; a narrow brown streak down each side of throat ; 

 lower parts pale ashy-yellow with greenish-brown streaks. 



Bill leaden brown ; iris orange with a golden inner circle 

 legs dusky lead-colour. 



Length 4; wing 2-2; tail 1-1; tarsus '5; bill from 

 gape '4. 



Distribution. — Rather rare ; its chief haunts appear to be 

 in the interior of the northern forest tract,but it occurs sparing- 

 ly in Uva and parts of the Central Province. It occurs over 

 a great part of India proper. 



Habits. — Keeps rather to the tops of trees in forest, where 

 it feeds on spiders and small insects. The breeding season 

 is probably in April and May. The nest resembles a little 

 pocket, with the opening at one side, hung from a twig. It 

 is composed of vegetable fibres and flower buds felted together 

 with cobwebs so firmly that it can be squeezed up and yet 

 regain its shape. The two or three eggs are white or pinkish, 

 freckled over with small brownish-pink or claret-coloured 

 spots. Average size (of Indian eggs) • 63 by • 45. 



Family Pittid^e. 

 Pittas. 

 The Pittas {vide my introductory remarks on the Order) 

 are the sole Indian family belonging to the group Mesomyodi. 

 In addition to the different structure of the syrinx, they are 

 also distinguished from all other Indian Passerine birds by 

 the formation of the wing. There are ten primaries, but the 

 first, instead of being notably small, is almost as long as the 

 second. Their long legs, very short tail, and beautiful 



