1873.] ' 67 



On an undesceibed species op Lophophanes, ly W. E. Beooks, C. E., 



Assensole. 



[Received llth February, 1873 ; read 5tli March, 1873.] 



Lophophanes Humei, n. sp. 



Description. Head and crest, neck, chin and throat, bluish black ; the 



black of the throat extends about 0"6 of an inch from base of lower mandible ; 



cheeks and ear coverts, and sides of the neck beyond ear coverts, form a 



patch of pure white ; there is also a large patch of pure white on the back 



of the neck ; on the sides of the neck below the white patch the black 



extends about i of an inch lower down than it does on the centre of the 



breast ; back and wing coverts dark bluish grey, becoming paler and more 



ash coloured on the upper tail coverts ; lesser and greater wing coverts 



tipped with blight white ; wings and tail dusky, the feathers having paler 



edges ; wing lining, axillaries and breast a clear ochre passing to a dusky 



yellow grey on the flanks, lower abdomen, and under tail coverts. This 



fulvous lower surface is characteristic of the species. Bill black j legs and 



feet dusky. 



Total lenf^tli judging from the skins, will be about 4 inches. 

 No. Length of skin. Wing. Tail. Bill at front. Tarsus. Midtoe and claw. Hindtoe and claw. 



1— 



3-7 



2-25 



1-76 



•32 



•68 



•5 



•48 



2— 



3-5 



2-12 



1-7S 



•3 



-m 



•5 



•5 



This species strikingly resembles in colouration the plate of Parus 

 JSritannicus, Sharpe and Dresser, in their fine work on the Birds of Europe ; 

 except that it is almost devoid of the greenish tint of the upper parts 

 shewn in the plate, and our species is not a typical JParus, but a crested 

 Zophophanes. It is also rather like Hodgson's drawing of Parus oemodius ; 

 but that species is not shewn to be crested, neither has it any white 

 spots on the wings. 



I picked this species out of a collection of Sikkim birds, sent by Mr. 

 Mandelli to Mr. BalL The discoverer allows me to describe it, and I have, 

 therefore, great pleasure in naming it after my friend Mr. Hume, as I cannot 

 remember any species named after the most laborious of our present 

 Indian Ornithologists. 



