510 A FEW NOTES ON PHYLLOSCOPUS PLUMBEITARSUS, &C. 



Thirteen plumbeitarsus measured gave an average length of 

 wing of 2 '23, and the first thirteen I took of the other bird 

 gave an average wing of 2*36 ; from which it would appear 

 that viridanus is, as a rule, the larger bird : 4*75 is the greatest 

 dimension recorded by Mr. Davison of plumbeitarsus, total 

 length in the flesh. Jerdon says of viridanus il 4f to 5 inches," 

 but difference in size is not one of the strong points. 



These thirteen plumbeitarsus were, as above mentioned, all 

 winter birds. I have already enumerated all the other species 

 of Phylloscopi found associated with plumbeitarsus about 

 Moulmein by Mr. Davison, and it does seem strange that there 

 was not a single example of viridanus out of the whole 89. 

 I think it shows that the latter is not nearly such a com- 

 mon bird in Burmah as plumbeitarsus. I may here also draw 

 attention to the fact, that there was not a single example 

 of Regidoides humii in the box, though there were forty of 

 Regidoides super ciliosus. 



I don't think, I need say anything further in defence of Mr. 

 Swinhoe's bird, which is a thoroughly good species. 



Phylloscopus viridanus is our most abundant Willow Wren in 

 India. I should not like to say how many have passed through 

 my hands, killed from Cashmere to Calcutta. I have about one 

 hundred from this district alone, where I am now stationed, 

 and if a good series enables one to understand a species, I must 

 say I have had this advantage, and I have never once come across 

 anything like plumbeitarsus, though I have often searched for 

 novelties of this description. I examined a large number in 

 regard to shape of bill, and I found that in this respect viridanus 

 was very constant. 



Many small sylvine birds have a sort of expression, if I may 

 so describe it, and head alone will, in many cases, decide the 

 species. Now who could not decide P. schwarzi at once by 

 its bill alone ? It has an expression of its own, quite apart from 

 colour. The closest approach to P. viridanus is the female of 

 P. magnirostris, which is very much smaller than the male. 

 Here the stouter bill, much like that of P. plumbeitarsus^ is 

 invaluable, especially when wing bars are worn away. 



The last Ibis, January 1879, gives an account of P. viridanus 

 procured in Heligoland ; the eggs of this species will, therefore, 

 become a desiderata in European collections. I found one newly 

 made nest in Cashmere, but could not wait for the eggs. It 

 was a domed nest on the steep bank side of a ravine full of 

 small birch trees. Elevation about 11,000 feet. In the same 

 ravine were numbers of P. affinis, and a few SipJiia leucome- 

 lanura. 



