444 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



Description. — Similar to S. duUus. Forehead tinged with rufous ; crown, 

 and nape dull golden brown, feathers with faint darker edges ; lores dusky ; 

 ear-coverts hair-brown ; upper pluauage tinged olive, tail rufous ; sides of the 

 neck with faint irregular stripes, outer edge of feathers blackish, inner buffs ; 

 under parts as in S. dubius. 



Wing, 58 to 61 mm.; tail, 60 mm.; tarsus, 24 mm.; culmen, 11 mm. 



Birds from Bhamo are intermediate between this species and mandelli in 

 having irregular streaks on the sides of the neck, otherwise it is nearest to 

 intennedius. 



Habits and Nesting. — I found this little bird fairly common up at Sinlum 

 Kava in the Bhamo district, its nesting habits and eggs are similar to those 

 of mandelli. 



AiciPPE, Blyth, 1844. 



Gates, F. B. L, i., p. 156. 



This is a very interesting genus, containing birds of very similar plumage^ 

 but totally different habits, which have often been confused. 



They fall into two natural groiips, one which seems to be losing its Time- 

 liine habits and approaching Vroparus in habits, going about in family 

 parties hunting bushes and low trees; or still being solitary, have taken oil 

 the roll of Fly-catchers; these have a smaller bill, and more delicate legs and 

 feet. The other grouj) are strictly Timeliine, being solitary in their habits, 

 and haunt bushes and undergrowth near the ground; these have a longer 

 bill, and more powerful legs and feet. 



Both have the following characteristics : a small rounded wing, the first 

 four primaries graduated; wing and tail about equal, the latter only slightly 

 graduated; nostrils covered by a membrane, and also overhung by hairs; 

 a stout slightly curved bill, which is as broad as it is deep. 



Key, 

 («') Clumen about half the tarsus . . .. The iVepaZensis Sub-Group. 



,(ii) „ more than half tarsus.. .. The P/^(«ocep7ia?« Sub-Group.. 



A. nepalensis and its allied forms are found from Nepal to Burma, and 

 from thence down the Malay Peninsula, and also in China and the Islands of 

 Formosa and Hainan. 



SchcBniparus superciliaris, 0. Grant, Ibis, 1907, p. 182. 



Alcippe olivacea, Styan, Ibis, 1896, p. 312. 



Scliceniparus bmnneus, La Touche, Ibis, 1905, 



" Under these circumstances David's name of I. superciliaHs should be retained 

 for the Chinese form, .... it is certain that his type specimen came from. 

 Foh-kien, whence we have numerous examples." (Grant.) 



Description. — Forehead, crown and nape rufous, the feathers of the forehead 

 black tipped ; a broad black line from behind the eye to the nape where they 

 converge together on the upper back ; remainder of upper plumage olive -brown ; 

 wings tinged v^ith rufous ; lores and round the eye rufous ; ear-coverts pale 

 fulvous; chin and throat whitish; breast ashy, whitish in the centre; flanks 

 fulvous ashy. 



Wing, 62 mm.; tail, 65 mm.; tarsus, 22 mm.; culmen, 11 mm. 



Distribution. — China, Kuatun, Foh-kien, lehang. 



Habits. — Builds a dome-shaped nest, which is very loosely put together, and 

 placed on the ground. Egg?, ground colour greenish, clouded and blotched with 

 pale brown, (and from their description seem very hke the eggs of S. mandelli^, 

 measuring -84" by -62" to -79" by -62" (La Touche). 



SCHCENIPAETJS BRITI^NEUS ARGTJTTJS, Hartcrt. 



Proparus brunncus argutus, Hartert, Nov. Zool, xviii., p. 231 (1910). 

 Habitat. — Hainan. 



The Formosa S. brunneus brunneus differs strikingly by its dark undersur- 

 face, and darker brown upper plumages. 



