348 TIMALIID^E. 



the lower growths and it roosts for preference in dense secondary 

 scrub or even in long sun- or elephant-grass. It indulges in the 

 quaintest of attitudes when feeding and is a very active and 

 restless bird. At one moment it will hover like a Sun-bird in 

 front of a flower, at another it clambers along the lower surface 

 of a thin branch and sometimes it will swing itself round and 

 round in somersaults, a trick it carries with it into captivity. 

 It is a most charming cage-bird, very easily tamed and a sweet 

 songster. Its note, most often used in the cold weather when 

 feeding in company, is a low " cheep," like that of a chicken calling 

 for ils mother, but it has au immense number of notes and is an 

 excellent mimic. It feeds on insects, seeds and fruit and I have 

 seen it feeding on bananas, oranges and peaches which had 

 burst over-ripe on the trees. They are extremely quarrelsome 

 birds and will allow no others to feed near them. 



(369) Chloropsis aurifrons davidsoni.* 

 THE MALABAB CHLOEOPSIS. 



Chloropsis aurifrons davidsoni, Stuart Baker, Bull. B. O. C , xli, p. 8 



(1920) (Malabar). 

 Chloropsis malabarica. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 235. 



Vernacular names. Chota Harrial (Hind.). 



Fig. 66. Head of C. a. davidsoni. 



Description. Adult male. Differs from C. a. aurifrons in having 

 the chin and throat black instead of blue without the surrounding 

 gold collar. The moustachial streak remains blue. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the last. 



The female has but little signs of the golden forehead or blue 

 moustachial streak and has the chin and throat pale green. 



The young bird, as in the last, is all green. 



Distribution. West coast of India, Khandala to Ceylon. 



Nidification. A nest with eggs sent me from Ratnapura, 

 Ceylon, is exactly like that of the Gold-fronted Chloropsis and 

 was placed in an outer small branch of a tree abont 20 feet from 



* Turdus malabariciis Gmel., S. N., p. 837, is preoccupied by the same 

 author, p. 816, and cannot therefore be used. 



