STAPHIDIA. 309 



Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded beyond the fact that 

 it is found up to 9,000 feet and frequents the tops of trees. 



(328) Ixops nipalensis poliotis. 



THE CHIN HILLS BAB-WING. 



I.rops poliotis Eippon, Bull. J3. O. C., xv, p. 97 (1905) (Mt. Victoria). 

 Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Similar to I. n. waldeni but much darker above, 

 almost a maroon-brown ; the ear-coverts are darker grey with 

 broader brown centres. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the last bird. 

 Distribution. Chin Hills, Mt. Victoria. 

 Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded. 



(329) Ixops nipalensis daflaensis. 

 AUSTEN'S BAB- WING. 



Actinodura ditflaensis Godw.-Aust., A.M.N. H.. (4) xvi. p. 340 (1875) 



(Dafla Hills). 

 Ixops d(iflaensis. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 204. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Similar to /. n. waldeni but a darker, duller 

 chestnut above and the chin, throat and breast-feathers grey with 

 reddish-brown central streaks, the whole effect being grey, not 

 rufous ; ear-coverts a rather darker grey. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the Hoary Bar- 

 wing. 



Distribution. Dana and Miri Hills. 



Habits. There is nothing on record beyond the fact that Godwin- 

 Austen shot it in high forest on Shengorh Peak at about 7,000 feet. 



Genus STAPHIDIA Swinhoe, 1871. 



The members of the genus Stapliidia are found in the hilly 

 regions of North-Eastern India, Burma and China and again in 

 Borneo. Two species are found within our limits, one of which 

 is represented by two geographical races. 



In Staphidia the bill is short and thick and resembles that of 

 Ixulus, figured below ; the nostrils are overhung by a few long 

 hairs ; the rictal bristles are short and the head is crested. The 

 tail is comparatively long and much graduated. Some species of 

 this genus have been wrongly retained in Ixulus by Indian 

 authors, the square tail of Ixulus at once separating it from the 

 rounded tail of Staphidia. 



In this genus the first three primaries are graduated, the third 

 and fourth being subequal. 



