PNOEPYGA. 459 



but this sort of nest must be quite abnormal. The height selected 

 may be anything between a foot and six feet from the ground. 



The eggs vary from three to five, but four is the full number 

 normally laid. They are pure white, glossless and very fragile, 

 regular ovals, sometimes a little pointed at the smaller end. 

 Eighty eggs average 18-6x13-7 mm. and the extremes are: 

 maxima, 19'3 x H'4 and 19-0x14.6 mm.; minima, 16-9x13-9 

 and 17'lXlS-l mm. 



Habits. This quaint little tailless bird is a tvpical Wren in all 

 its habits but is even more of a pedestrian and less of a flyer than 

 the birds of the genus Troglodytes. It is an inhabitant of wet, ever- 

 green forest, loving the vicinity of jungle-streams where it scrambles 

 over the mossy boulders, the fallen trees and decaying vegetation. 

 In and out of- the hollows and crevices, under and through the 

 luxuriant moss and climbing plants, ever on the move yet never 

 on the wing, at the first hint of danger it dodges out of sight, only 

 to reappear once again "when quiet is restored. It is insectivorous 

 in its diet and seems especially fond of the smaller spiders and ants, 

 pursuing these with great activity and restless energy. Its ordinary 

 note is a loud, rather shrill whistle but it attempts a little song 

 in the breeding season which rather reminds one of the English 

 Wren. 



This Wren is found up to at least 9,000 feet and possibly a good 

 deal higher in Sikkim. In winter it occasionally may be found as 

 low as 3,000 feet but it does not descend much below its ordinary 

 breeding range, even in the coldest weather. 



Pnoepyga pusilla. 



This species has been split up into numerous races on rather 

 slender reasons, for the variations are, for the most part, indi- 

 vidual rather than geographical. The two points most usually dwelt 

 upon are the amount of spotting and barring, more especially on 

 wing-coverts and innermost secondaries, and the rufous or brown 

 colouring on the sides of the head. The exti-emes of both these 

 features are to be found in birds obtained in Xepal and Sikkim, 

 now in the British Museum Collection, and the greatest care 

 should be exercised when naming subspecies that not only the 

 series named is a full one but that ample material for comparison 

 is available. With more material it is possible that some of the 

 subspecies at present accepted will have to be suppressed. 



(472) Pnoepyga pusilla pusilla. 

 THE BBOWN WEEN. 



Pnoepyga pusilla Ilodgs., P. Z. S., 1845, p. 25 (Nepal); Blanf. & Gates, 



Vernacular names. Lirui-ba yajeba (Kacha Naga). 



