192 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 

 (4) LoPHOrHANES DICHROUS. 



On May 1st I saw a strange tit come out of a small round hole in 

 a dead branch of a wild Cherry tree. 1 shot the bird, which proved 

 to be a brown-crested tit (Lopkophanes dichrous), and then investi- 

 gated the hole, which was at a height of about ten feet from the ground. 

 On breaking off the branch, just below the hole, I discovered to my 

 regret that the nest contained four freshly hatched young. It was 

 placed at the bottom of a cavity about nine inches deep and reminded 

 one much of the nest of the European crested tit, the nest cavity having 

 apparently been excavated by the birds themselves, as is often the 

 case with the latter species. The nest was composed of moss below, 

 then a quantity of fine hair (probably rats') above and lined with the 

 same material with the addition of a few monal feathers, apparently 

 for ornamental purposes. 



This nest was found at about 8,000 feet. 



I may here add that the white-browed bush-robin (Ianthia 

 indica) is fairly common throughout these forests from 8,000 to 

 11,000 feet, and I have no doubt that it breeds here, though all my 

 attempts to find its nests proved unsuccessful. 



The distribution of this bird is put down in the Fauna of British 

 India as " Nepal and Sikhim extending into western China." The 

 fact of its having been hitherto overlooked in these parts seems some- 

 what strange, but is no doubt owing to its retiring habits and 

 difficulty of approach. 



Its song, although of only a few notes, is very clear and strong and 

 most characteristic, and when once heard it cannot be mistaken. 



