MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 249 



to be submerged in the water. I had a long distance to go that day 

 and was unable to devote much time to this interesting bird, which seemed 

 to have adopted a new method of obtaining its food. And what is more, 

 it was no " prentica hand" at the game. Its whole proceeding was so 

 like that of a kingfisher, that 1 could not help thinking that this was a 

 typical example illustrating how a change in the conditions of life may 

 lead to the developinent of a new instinct, which, if continued for a suffi- 

 ciently long period, might, as remarked by Romanes, alter the ancestral 

 instinct to meet the requirements of a novel environment. 



P. T. L. DODSWORTH, p.z.s., m.b.o.u. 



Calcutta, 27th February 1911. 



No. XV.— NOTES RELATING TO THE HABITS AND NIDIFICATION 



OP THE BLACK-HEADED SIBIA, LIOPTILA 



CAPISTEATA, (YIGOUQ). 



The Black-headed Sibia is a common bird throughout the North- West 

 Himalayas, and is very abundant in the neighbourhood of Simla. It fre- 

 quents the outer ranges of these mountains between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, 

 but is most plentiful at about 6,000-7,000 feeb. It is a permanent resident 

 throughout ibs habitat. 



Hill-sides and ravines covered with dense, moist forests, especially oaks 

 and other large trees, thickly coated with moss, are ibs favouribe resorts. It 

 is strictly arboreal, keeping generally to high trees, though occasionally it 

 is to be seen on small ones, and also on bushes. It is very active ; con- 

 stantly moving in and out of the smaller branches, or hopping along the 

 larger ones. When searching for food, it frequently clings to a twig, and 

 turns upside down like a Tit. When alarmed or startled, the crest is 

 erected, and a harsh danger note emibted. 



During the summer months it is usually to be seen either singly or in 

 pairs, but at other seasons in small parties of three or four. It is a very 

 noisy bird, and one of ibs loud shrill, ringing notes, which may be likened 

 to the syllables " tirl-rere-rere-ree " is to be he-^,rd throughout the year. 

 Hutton has syllabized another of its notes as " titbsree-titteree-tvveeyo," the 

 last, as observed by Scully, " being uttered after a short pause, and in 

 a more sabdixed tone." Major Magrath remarks : — "The note of this Sibia 

 is a single pretty whistle pitched in a high key, and repeated four or five 

 times rapidly. At a distance it sounds like the tinkling of a little silver 

 bell. When hunting for food, the note is a soft rattling chuckle. In 

 addition to its characteristic note of a very high pitched and quickly 

 repeated " ting," " ting," " t'ng," it has an alarm note like the Thrushes 

 (Merula), only more rapidly repeated, and not so loud." 

 32 



