A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OP NEPAL. 293 



in the extent by which the closed wings fall short of the 

 end of the tail, -15. These specimens resemble examples from 

 Darjeelinor in beinor much darker in colour than the birds from 

 the Western Himalayas, but there is no other difference. 

 Specimens of this species from Murree, Simla, JSTynee Tal, the 

 Nepal Valley and Darjeeling show a regular gradation in tint- 

 the western forms being pale and the eastern deep tinted. 



The Black-headed Sibia is very common on the hills round 

 the Nepal Valley, at elevations of from 6,000 to 8,000 feet, but 

 is never seen in the centi-al woods ; in winter it is also com- 

 mon in the upper part of the Chitlang Valley. It principally 

 affects large tree forest, but is often found in dense bushes 

 on steeply sloping hill sides ; it is fond of the moss-covered 

 branches of the large trees, to which it occasionally clings head 

 downwards. In winter it is social, very bold and noisy, its 

 cry then resembling the scolding alarm note of Pycnonotus 

 pygcBHS, but louder and more harsh. In the breeding season, 

 May_ and June, only single birds or pairs are seen, and its 

 note is a fine loud titter ee-titteree^ tweeyo, as noted by Captain 

 Hutton ; the tweet/o being uttered after a short pause and 

 in a more subdued tone. 



430.— Sibia picaoides, Hodgs, 



Male, Nimboater, December.— liengih, 13-5 ; expanse 14*8 • 

 wing, 5-2 ; tail, 8-6 ; tarsus, I'l ; bill from gape. I'lS • bill 

 at front, 0-8 ; closed wings short of tail, 5*9. ' ' 



Female, Mmboatar, December.— lieugth, 13' 4< ; expanse IS6' 

 wing, 4-74; tail, 8'4 ; tarsus, 1-15; bill from gape' 1-1 | 

 -bill at front, 078 ; closed wings short of tail, 6-1. 



Bill horny black ; irides scarlet ; feet greyish dusky • 

 claws horny black. Above dark slaty ; wings black, with a 

 large pure white patch; tail blackish, faintly but reo-ularly 

 barred darker, and tipped with grey ; the throat slio-htly 

 tmged with rufous. ^ 



This species was tolerably common about Nimboatar in 

 wmter, but was not observed elsewhere in Nepal. It fre- 

 quented the silk-cotton trees singly or in pairs, feedino- on th© 

 flowers like Chibia hottentota. ^ 



432.— Malacocercus terricolor, Hodgs, 



The Bengal Babbler was fairly common in the Dun, about 

 Hetoura, in winter. 



444.— Hypsipetes psaroides, Vig. 



Six males.— Length, 97 to 10-8 ; expanse, 14'5 to 15-3 • 

 wmg, 4-8 to 5-1 ; tail, 4-35 to 4-9 ; tarsus, 0'7 to 0-8 ; bill 



