462 TROGLODYTID^E. 



terminal spots ; wings and tail the same barred with darker brown 

 or blackish and the coverts with indistinct ashy tips ; the wing- 

 quills and rectrices are sometimes slightly reddish on the outer 

 webs ; ear-coverts brown with darker streaks ; a short indistinct 

 black and white snpercilium ; below from chin to abdomen golden- 

 brown, edged with blackish and with broad white sub-edges 

 disappearing on posterior flanks, abdomen and under tail-coverts. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris rich brown ; bill very pale bluish- 

 slaty, the base of maxilla and culmen much darker; legs dark 

 brown, the soles, claws and edges of scutellations pale slaty. 



Measurements. Wing 71 to 74mm.; tail 58 to 64 mm. ; tarsus 

 26 to 27 mm. ; culmen 25 mm. 



Distribution. Assam, Hills South of the Brahmaputra. Godwin- 

 Austen procured this Wren in North Cachar and Manipur ; it 

 was also obtained by me in the North Cachar and Khasia Hills, by 

 Tytler in the Naga Hills, and Coltart had it brought in to him 

 by the Trans-Dikku Nagas from somewhere near Margherita. 



Nidification. On the 24th May, 189S, a bird of this species 

 was brought to me by a Naga with nest and four eggs. The 

 former was merely a mass of fine grasses, tendrils and bents 

 with no lining, placed at the bottom of a long crevice in a large 

 oak-tree, about 20 feet from the ground. The site selected, 

 which I afterwards saw, was just such a one as would be used by 

 a Tree-Creeper. The eggs are pure white, broad, rather pointed 

 ovals ; the shells are very fragile, partly owing to their being very 

 bard set and had only the faintest gloss. Other eggs brought to 

 jne were quite similar and seven specimens vary between 20 - 7x 

 17-0 and 22-3 x 17-4 mm. 



Habits. The little I saw of the habits of this bird showed an 

 approach both to the Wrens and Tree-Creepers. It was a very 

 active climber about the rough bark of the bigger trees, though 

 1 never saw it on the higher branches ; on the other hand, it hunted 

 about in the undergrowths much as the Wrens do. It flew quite 

 well with a direct, quick flight from tree to tree or bush to bush 

 but seemed to prefer legs to wings as means of progression. 

 I never heard its note and the contents of the stomach was 

 entirely insectivorous, mostly wood-lice and small boring beetles. 

 The Naga name Ting-linrui is applied to all the Wrens and 

 reepers with some qualifying adjective following. These natives, 

 who are extraordinarily close observers, say that this bird is a 

 1rue Tree-Creeper in all its actions. 



Genus TESIA Hodgson, 1837. 



It is with some diffidence I include this genus in the Troglo- 

 dyti-dce. Its bill, short rounded wing, long legs and large feet all 

 point to a position in this family, whilst the character of its 

 habits and nidification confirms the classification. On the other 



