98 PAEIDJE. 



Distribution. Garhwal, Simla Hills, into Kashmir and thence 

 into Afghanistan. 



Nidification. Whitehead (Ibis, Jan. 1909) describes the nesting 

 of this species in the Kurram Valley, where it breeds freely in the 

 ilex scrub between 4,000 and 8,000 feet. The nest is like that of 

 the British Long-tailed Tic but smaller and less neat. It is made 

 of moss and cobwebs externally, then a little green grass and 

 finally a thick lining of feathers. The eggs seem to number from 

 five to eight and to be very like those of the Red-headed Tit and 

 measure 14-7x9-5 mm. 



They breed from the end of March to early May. 



Habits. In summer the White-cheeked Tit is found between 

 5,000 or 6,000 and 12,000 feet, but in winter descends much lower 

 and down to some 2,000 feet. Whitehead obtained a specimen, 

 presumably after it had bred, at Safed Koh at 1,800 feet on the 

 20th July. 



It goes about in parties of eight or nine in scrub-jungle, con- 

 tinually uttering its call-note, which Whitehead syllabifies as 

 " prit-t-t." It is sometimes found in company with Grey Tits. 



(84) ^githaliscus niveogularis. 

 THE WHITE-THEOATED TIT. 



Orites niveogularis Moore, P. Z. S., xxii,p. 140(1855) (North India). 

 jEgithaliscus niveoyularis. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 52. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Forehead and front of crown, cheeks, chin, throat 

 and sides of neck white ; lores and a very broad eve-band black ; 

 the two bands partially blending on the nape ; ear-coverts hair- 

 brown slightly streaked with whitish ; hind crown and nape buffy 

 brown; upper plumage, wing-coverts and edges of the wing- 

 feathers ashy grey, all but the latter tinged with isabelline ; tail 

 brown, he outermost feather with the outer web white, the next 

 two white along the shaft and at the tip ; lower plumage pinkish 

 buff, divided from the white of the throat by a broad brown 

 band. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill dark slaty; legs reddish ; irides pale 

 yellowish. 



Measurements. Total length about 110 mm. ; wing about 

 64 mm. ; tail about 56 mm. ; tarsus about 18 mm. ; culinen 

 about 8 mm. 



Distribution. From G-arhwal and Simla to Gilgit, Chitral and 

 Baluchistan, between 6,000 and 14,000 feet. 



Nidification. The eggs of this bird were first taken by 

 Whymper in June 1905 at Dumdar, Garhwal and more recently 

 other nests by Messrs. B. B. Osmaston and P. Dodsworth. The 



