ALCIPPE. 275 



Distribution. The extreme South of Tenasserim and through- 

 out the Malay Peninsula. 



Nidification and Habits as in the other subspecies. Eggs sent 

 me by Mr. W. A. T. Kellow measure about 17'1 X 12-7 mm. 



The name Motacittagvlarii Baffies.Trans. L.S., xiii, p. 312, 1820, 

 which is the oldest name for this species, cannot be used as it is 

 preoccupied by Motacilla guliris Grinelin (1788). 



Genus ALCIPPE Blyth, 1844. 



In this genus the bill is stout and slightly curved and is over- 

 hung by long hairs; the nostril is protected by a membrane; the 

 wing is short and rounded, the first four primaries being graduated; 

 the tail is about equal in length to the wing, the feathers being 

 slightly graduated. 



The genus contains but two species within our limits but these 

 form numerous well-marked geographical races. The two species 

 are very similar in colour but in habits differ considerably. 



Keif to Species and Subspecies. 



A. Bill small ; a conspicuous ring of white 



feathers round the eye. 



a. Chin and throat white, flanks tinged [p. 275. 



olivaceous A. nepalensis nepalensis, 



b. Chin and throat ochraceous like abdo- 



men A. n. fraterciila, p. 277. 



B. Bill large ; no ring of white feathers 



round eye. 



c. Head not striped or only obso etely so. \cephala, p. 277. 

 '. Lower back and rump tinged rufous. A. poioicephala poioi- 

 b' . Lower back and rump grey like back. 



a". Under parts tinged rufous A. p. phayrei, p. 278. 



"b. No rufous on under parts. 



"'. Grey of head well denned from 



back A. p. davisoni, p. 279. 



b'". Grey of bead blending into 



colour of back A. p. brticei, p. 278. 



d. Head aud neck conspiculously striped. 



c'. Stripes sooty-brown A. p. miu/nirostris. p. 280. 



d'. Stripes deep" black A. p. haringtonice, p. 280. 



(286) Alcippe nepalensis nepalensis. 



THE NEPAL BABBLER. 



Siva nepalensis Hodgs., Ind. llev., 1838, p. 89 (Nepal). 

 Alcippe nepalensis. Elanf. & Gates, i, p. 157. 



Vernacular names. Dao-pere-kasliiba (Cachari). 



Description. A conspicuous ring of white feathers round the 

 eye ; head, neck and upper back ashy-brown with a vinaceous 

 tinge ; a dark sooty-brown stripe on either side of the crown ex- 



