FURTHER NOTES ON BIRDS ABOUT SIMLA 



95 



This species was certainly more abundant than on my last visit 

 and was common even at Kufri on November 9th. The gizzards of 

 two specimens preserved contained the long white seeds of some 

 species of pine, and this would appear to be their ordinary food 

 judging from the frequency with which individuals are to be seen 

 examining the ends of pine branches. They travel considerable 

 distances along the hills to their feeding grounds, and appear to 

 be very regular in their movements. 



The Himalayan Great Tit, Parus major subsp. ? 



A few individuals of this Tit (Pams atriceps, Horsf., partim 

 of the Fauna B. 1. Vol. 1, p. 46) were observed at 6,500 feet 

 below Kasumpti on the 6th November, but as the species was not 

 otherwise met I have not yet been able to settle, by comparison 

 of specimens, conclusively which race is the breeding bird of the 

 Simla hills but in all probability it is Panes major caschmirensis 

 Hartert. (Vog. Pal, F. p. 345.) ' 



The Green-backed Tit, Parus monticolus vionticolus, Vig. 



Ticehurst found the Green-backed Tit common out at Fagoo in 

 company with mixed hunting parties, but by the date of my 

 arrival comparatively few were still to be found about Fagoo 

 and Kufri, and these only down in the valleys, rarely venturing 

 higher than 7,500 feet. It was however still common on Jakko. 

 It frequents any type of forest or cultivation. 



The Crested Black Tit, Parus onelanolophus, Vig. 



Abundant about Kufri and Fagoo up to 8,500 feet, and invari- 

 ably met with in flocks, which were accompanied in most cases 

 by a few Goldcrests and individuals of the other species which 

 earlier in the autumn are so common in these hunting parties. 

 On Jakko the Black Tit was not so distinctly in the majority. 

 In October a few birds were still in pairs. 



The Yellow-browved Tit, Parus modestus, Burton. 



A male of this curious Tit was obtained by me on November 24th 

 at an elevation of roughly 7,500 feet, between Mahasoo and Simla. 



It was in company with a hunting party composed chiefly of 

 Myithalus and I shot it under the impression that 1 was procuring 

 some species of Phylloscopus. The measurements are as follows : — 

 Bill from skull 18mm. ; wing 57'5mm ; tail 35"5mm. ; tarsus 16 mm. 



The Red-headed Tit, Mgithalos erythrocephalus erythrocephalus, Vig, 



Occasional flocks were met with in all places, but they did not 

 venture much above 8,000 feet. 



The Himalayan Goldcrest, Regulus regulus Mmalayensis, Jerdon. 



First observed by Ticehurst near Kufri on October 19th. 

 Several had arrived on Jakko by the second week of November 

 and at Fagoo I found it common ; it was only met with in company 

 with hunting parties of Parus, ^Egithalos and Phylloscopus. 



Of seven specimens obtained in the two trips only two have fire- 

 red feathers in the coronal streaks ; all the others have the streak 

 plain lemon yellow, but unfortunately, as 1 found great difficulty 

 in sexing these minute birds by dissection, I am unable to draw 

 any deductions of value as to whether the presence or absence 



