SIVA. 315 



streak behind the eye white ; back, scapulars, wing-coverts, rump 

 and upper tail-coverts bright ochraceous ; the median pair of tail- 

 feathers wholly blue with a subterminal black patch and white tip ; 

 the next four pairs with the outer webs blue, the inner brown 

 margined with white, with the black patch and white tip ; the 

 outermost feather black on the outer, white on the inner web ; 

 primary -coverts black; winglet cobalt-blue, tipped white; primaries 

 cobalt-blue on the outer webs ; outer secondaries margined with 

 pale blue and tipped white ; inner secondaries blackish on the 

 inner and bluish-grey on the outer webs, tipped white; ear-coverts, 

 cheeks, sides of the neck, chin and throat, breast and sides of the 

 body delicate vinous-grey ; middle of abdomen pale yellowish buff; 

 vent and under tail-coverts white. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris brown ; bill horny-grey, brownish 

 about the nostrils and with the base of the lower mandible 

 yellowish ; feet fleshy-brown or flesh-colour. 



Measurements. Total length about 150 to 155 mm,; wing 

 62 to 70 mm. ; tail 63 to 70 mm. ; tarsus about 25 mm. ; culmen 

 12 to 13 mm. Birds from the Himalayas are rather larger than 

 those South of the Brahmaputra, having wings 65 to 70 mm. as 

 against 62 to 64 mm. in the southern birds. 



Distribution. Himalayas from IVaiui-Tal to E. Assam, North and 

 South of the Brahmaputra, Manipur, Lushai, Chittagong Hill 

 tracts and Chin Hills. 



Nidification. The Blue-winged Siva builds a nest which is a 

 small, neat edition of that of Leiotlirix lutea ; t. e. it is a small cup 

 made of leaves, grasses, moss and roots, lined with very fine roots 

 and fine grasses, usually of a very dark colour. The majority of 

 nests are found low down in bushes only a few feet from the ground 

 hut others may be taken higher up in trees. Wherever it is placed, 

 however, it is sure to be well hidden, unlike that otLeiothrix which 

 is well exposed to view. The epgs vary from two to four, often 

 two only, and are like those of Siva stric/ula ; in shape they are 

 very regular ovals and 24 eggs measure on an average 18'4 x 14- 1mm. 

 The breeding season is May and June. 



Habits. This Siva may be found anywhere between 3,000 and 

 8,000 feet but is most common and breeds freely between 4,000 

 and 6,000 feet. They consort in flocks and feed both on the 

 higher trees and in amongst the brushwood and seem particularly 

 fond of the tangles of raspberry and blackberry vines so common 

 throughout their haunts. They fly well and fairly quickly. 



(336) Siva cyanouroptera wingatei. 

 THE YUNNAN BLUE-WINGED SIVA. 



Siva wingatei Ogilvie-Grant, Bull. B. O. C., x, p. 38 (1906) 

 ( E. Yunnan). 



Vernacular names. Ching-tong-wu-he (Kachin). 



