SIBIA. 295 



&'. The two outer pairs only of tail-feathers 



graduated ........................ SIVA, p. 312. 



a. Tail square and not graduated. 



c'. Bill slender, gently curved and both 



mandibles of the same length ........ YUHINA, p. 316. 



d'. Bill stout and straight, the upper man- 

 dible longer than the lower one, with 

 the tip bent down. 

 e". Depth of bill at nostrils less than 



breadth ...................... IXULTJS, p. 321. 



d". Depth of bill at nostrils more than 



breadth ........................ ERPORNIS, p. 324. 



Genus SIBIA Hodgson, 1836. 



The genus Sibia contains but one species, which is remarkable 

 for the extraordinary length of its tail, which is twice as long as 

 the wing and greatly graduated. 



The bill is shorter than the head, slender and curved, and the 

 nostrils are covered by a large membrane. The rictal bristles are 

 moderate in length. The bill is similar to that of Leioptila, figured 

 below. 



(310) Sibia picaoides picaoides. 

 THE LoNa-TAiLED SIBIA. 



Sibia picaoides Hodgs., J.A. S.B., viii, p. 38 (1839) (Nepal) ; Blanf. 

 & Gates, i, p. 195. 



Vernacular names. Matcheo-pho (Lepcha). 



Description. Whole upper plumage, wings and tail deep slaty- 

 brown, the tail tipped with white and the wings with a white patch 

 formed by a spot on each outer web of four of the secondaries ; 

 forehead and lores blackish ; throat and breast slaty-brown ; 

 remainder of lower plumage ashy-grey, becoming albescent on the 

 abdomen. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris red or crimson, occasionally brown; 

 bill black or horny-black ; legs dusky grey, claws horny-black. 



Measurements. Total length about 340 mm. ; wing 120 to 

 125mm.; tail about 210 to 220mm.; tarsus about 30mm.; 

 culmen about 24 mm. 



Distribution. Nepal and Sikkim to Assam North and South 

 of the Brahmaputra ; Chin Hills, Kachin Hills, Shan States and 

 Karenni to Tenasserim. 



Nidification. A nest taken by Mr. H. Stevens in Sikkim at 

 about 8,000 feet elevation, where this Sibia was common and no 

 others were present, was assuredly of this bird though the owner 

 of it was not shot. It was a compact nest made entirely of moss, 

 lined with moss roots and was placed at the end of the branch of 

 a pine-tree. The one egg it contained measured 24-5x18-3 mm. 

 and is exactly like those otLeioptila gracilis, described further on. 



