350 TIMALIID^E. 



Female. A moustachial streak pale cobalt; primaries and outer 

 secondaries brown, the former narrowly, the latter broadly, edged 

 with green ; centre of breast and abdomen and under tail-coverts 

 orange, paler than in the male. 



The young are wholly green and take over the year to acquire 

 their full plumage. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Simla and Mussoorie to 

 Eastern Assam, South through Manipur, Lushai Hills to Tenas- 

 serim, East to the Shan States and North and Western Siam. 

 It also occurs in the Malay Peninsula. 



Nidificatiou. The Orange-bellied Chloropsis breeds throughout 

 its range during the rains, occasionally in May, making a nest 

 quite indistinguishable from that of aurifrons but which is some- 

 times placed lower, rarely within 8 or 10 feet of the ground. It 

 breeds more exclusively in forest and less in the more open parts 

 than does the previous species. The eggs cannot be separated 

 from those of the aurifrons group. Twenty eggs average 22-8 x 

 15-9 mm. 



Habits. The Orange-bellied Chloropsis is found from the foot- 

 hills and the plains adjoining up to about 6.000 feet; it is much 

 more a forest bird than most, members of the genus, but haunts 

 the thinner parts near rivers, glades and openings rather than the 

 deeper parts. It may be seen either in pairs or small parties, and 

 is very active and quick on its legs and flies well. It is a really 

 beautiful songster and has a wonderful range of notes in addition 

 to great powers of mimicry. It is a very favourite cage-bird in 

 Assam and is easily taught tricks and becomes very tame. In a 

 wild state it lives principally on insects, though it also eats some 

 seeds and most fruit ; in captivity, however, it is almost exclu- 

 sively frugivorous. 



(372) Chloropsis icterocephala chlorocephala. 

 THE BUEMESE CHLOROPSIS. 



Phyllornis chlorocephalus Wald., A. M. N. II., (4) vii, p. 241 (1871) 



(Tounghoo). 

 Chloropsis chlorocephala. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 237. 



Vernacular names. Dao-bvlip yurrimo (Cachari). 



Description. Male. Lores, feathers under and in front of the 

 eye, cheeks, chin and throat black ; forehead and broad band 

 from eye to eye .passing round and encircling the throat pale 

 yellowish green ; front of the crown above the forehead and a 

 broad streak passing over the eyes and ear-coverts pale green; 

 a very short moustachial streak cobalt; crown of the head and 

 nape golden green ; back, rump, upper tail-coverts and scapulars 

 deep green ; tail blue ; primaries and their coverts black, edged 

 with blue ; outer secondaries black on the inner, blue on the 

 outer webs edged with green ; inner secondaries and greater 



