88 



Genus SYLVIPARUS Burton, 1835. 



This genus closely resembles Parus but differs in having a 

 proportionately shorter, smaller bill and a square or very slightly 

 forked tail; plumage greenish with no ventral band. There is 

 only one species. 



Sylviparus modestus. 



Key to Subspecies. 



I p.oo. 



A. Above olive-green, below ochraceous yellow .... S. m. modestus, 



B. Above darker and duller, below dull yellowish [p. 88. 



grey S. m. saturatior, 



C. Above paler and brighter, below brighter and [p. 89. 



paler and more yellow S. m. simlaensis, 



(70) Sylviparus modestus modestus. 



THE YELLOW-BROWED TIT. 



Sylviparus modestus Burton, P. Z. S., p. 154 (1835) (Nepal) ; Blanf. 

 ' & Gates, i, p. 53. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Upper plumage, sides of the neck, the wings and 

 tail olive-green, the feathers of the crown centred with brown ; 

 sides of the head yellowish green slightly mottled with brown ; a 

 ring of feathers round the eye and a short eye-brow yellow; 

 lower plumage yellow tinged with ochraceous ;' edge of wing and 

 under wing-coverts bright yellow. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill dark plumbeous, palest along the 

 commissure and at base of the lower mandible ; legs and feet 

 plumbeous ; iris very dark brown (Davison). 



Measurements. Total length about 100 mm. ; tail about 

 35 mm. ; wing 60 to 64 mm. ; tarsus about 15 mm. ; culmeu about 

 5 mm. 



Distribution. Garhwal, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and hills N. of 

 the Brahmaputra at least as far East as the Abor Hills. 



Nidification. Nothing known. 



Habits. A bird of the hills above 6,000 feet. In winter it 

 apparently comes much lower, possibly on rare occasions into the 

 plains. 



(71) Sylviparus modestus simlaensis. 

 THE SIMLA. YELLOW-BROWED TIT. 



Sylviparus modestus simlaensis Stuart Baker, Bull. B. O. C., xxxriii, 

 p. 8 (1917) (Simla). 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Differs from the true modestus in being a much 

 brighter yellower green above and in being paler and purer 

 yellow below. 



