A CONTEIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NfePAL. 273 



, This fine species is common in winter from Bhimphedi to 

 Semrabasa, associating in small parties and constantly uttering 

 a creaking sort of note. In December it abounded on the 

 ^eijnaX {Bp^bci^ sp.) trees, which were then in full flower, and it 

 was a curious sight to see such a bird playing the part of a 

 Honey-sucker. As the birds flitted about, from flower to flo^ver, 

 they uttered their subdued metallic Clanging note ; and whenever 

 a Chaptia cenea settled on the silk-cotton tree, to share in the feast, 

 a Chibia would at once fly to the spot and drive off the small 

 intruder ; more respect was, however, shown to MegalasmaJiodg- 

 som, which was commonly seen on the same tree. The Hair- 

 crested Drongo was never seen in the Nepal Valley. 



288.— Muscipeta paradisi, Lin, 



Eight males ^ Valley, April, May and June. — Length, 18 to 

 20-5 ; expanse, 10'3 to 1 1-5 ; wing, 3'55 to 38 ; tail, ia-6 to 16-2 ; 

 tarsus, 0-62 to 075 ; bill from gape, 1-05 to 11 ; bill at front, 

 0-68 to 0-7 ; length of crest, ll to 1'3 ; length of terminal 

 Tvhite portion of shafts of uropygials, 5-0 to 8-4. 



Bill, gape and margin of eyelids, cobalt blue, the tip of the 

 bill darker ; irides dark brown ; feet plumbeous blue ; claws 

 ^usky. The outer web of the primaries is not wholly white, but 

 is margined more or less broadly with white, and a portion next 

 the shaft is black. In seven specimens there is no trace of a 

 black margin to the edges of the uropygials ; in one specimen 

 there is a hair line of black on the edges of the basal half of the 

 central tail feathers. 



In one bird, shot on \hQ 5th April, the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts are sullied with chestnut. These eight males are all 

 long-tailed white birds. 



Male, Valley, 22n<^ /Mwg.— Length, 9'1 ; expanse, 11*2 ; wing, 

 3-65 ; tail, 4-75 ; tarsus, 0-64 ; bill from gape, 1-05 ,; bill at front, 

 063 ; closed wings short of tail, 3*2. 



This is a short-tailed white male bird; it was. noticed almost 

 daily for nearly a month tending its young, and had then very 

 long white central tail feathers. It was shot as soon as it drop- 

 ped its long uropygials. 



Male, Immature, Valley, IQth May.— Length, 8'5 ; expanse, 

 10-8; wing, 3-5; tail, 4-1; tarsus, 07 ; bill from gape, I -1 ; 

 bill at front, 07 ; closed wings short of tail, 275. 



A chestnut short-tailed bird, resembling the females presently 

 to be noted, but having the nape darker, a metallic black band 

 at the base of the foreneck, and \yell marked black shafts to the 

 tertiaries. ■ 



. Six females, Valley, April and J/«y.— Length, 8-Q to 8-5'; 

 expanse, 10 2 to 109 ; wing, 35 to 36 ; tail, 4^1 to 4-5 ; tar- 



