322 



Measurements. Total length about 180mm.; wing 64 to 68mm. ; 

 tail about 50 to 52 mm.; tarsus about 20mni.; culmen about 

 10 mm. 



Distribution. Garhwal, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan to the 

 extreme east of Assam, Manipur and the Chittagong Hill tracts. 



Nidification. This Ixulus breeds between 4,000 and 7,000 feet 

 in May and June, the nest varying very greatly in character, 

 shape and position. Normally it is domed and placed either on 

 or close to the ground, but sometimes it is semi-domed or merely 

 deep cup-shaped and may be built in a branch of a tree or shrub, 

 in amongst the lichen and moss hanging from a trunk or bough, 

 or it may even be placed in a niche in a rock. The material used 

 is always chiefly moss but this may be mixed to a lesser or 

 greater extent with roots and chips of leaves or bracken, the lining 

 being of roots alone. The eggs number three or four and are in 

 every respect just like those of our English Swallow but the 

 markings are more numerous as well as bolder and larger. 

 Sixty eggs average 19-3 x 14-2 mm. and the extremes are 21*3 X 

 14-0 mm., 20-1 x 15'0 mm. and 17'3 X 14.-0 mm. 



Habits. These are just like those of Yuhina. They fly well, 

 and their note is a rather sweet, soft chatter. They are very 

 arboreal and may sometimes be seen on the highest trees. They 

 keep almost exclusively to evergreen forest. 



(345) Ixulus flavicollis flavicollis. 

 THE TELLOW-HEADED IXULTJS. 



YuhinaJlavicolUs Hodgs., As. Kes., xix, p. 167 (1836) (Nepal). 

 Ixulus flavicollis. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 218. 



Vernacular names. Srip-chong-plio (Lepcha). 



Description. Forehead and crest rich brown; hinder part of 

 crown, nape and sides' of the head mouse-grey, the lower part of 

 the ear-coverts bronze-grey ; lores and moustachial streak black ; 

 a white ring round eye ; a broad rusty-yellow collar round the 

 hind neck ; upper plumage olive-brown, the shafts of the feathers 

 of the back pale ; upper tail-coverts tinged with fulvous ; tail and 

 wings like the back but less olive, the primaries narrowly edged 

 with white ; chin and cheeks white ; throat white with a few 

 narrow ochraceous streaks and with dark shafts ; middle of breast 

 and abdomen pale fulvous ; vent and under tail-coverts deep 

 fulvous; flanks and sides of breast ochraceous, streaked with 

 white; under wing- coverts white. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris reddish brown or hazel ; bill dark 

 horny, the lower mandible paler and rather fleshy ; legs and feet 

 fleshy-brown or yellowish brown. 



Measurements. Length about 130 mm. ; wing 62 to 67 mm. ; 

 tail about 50 mm. ; tarsus about 20 mm. ; culmen about 10 to 

 11 mm. 



