244 birds of india. 



The Green Thrush-tit. 



Descr. — Head, nape, and back of neck, fine cobalt blue, clearest 

 on the forehead ; lores, and. narrow supercillia, black ; ear-coverts 

 blue black ; a small nude space behind the eye, as in Thrushes ; 

 body above dull blue green ; lesser wing coverts green with 

 black lunules ; median coverts green tipped black ; greater coverts 

 pale blue externally, green on the inner web, with black tips ; pri- 

 mary coverts blue at the base, black tipped ; primaries and secon- 

 daries black, with a pale blue band at their base ; tail dull cobalt 

 blue, with a black tip ; beneath green, as on the back, tinged 

 bluish on the throat and lower abdomen. 



In one specimen, perhaps a female, the secondaries are olive- 

 brown in place of blue, and the colors generally are paler. 



Bill black ; legs fleshy brown ; irides brown. Length 1 1 inches; 

 wing 5f ; tail 4| ; bill at front § ; tarsus 1 inch. 



Hodgson states that the back of the young bird or the female 

 is much lunated with black, and that the soft blue of the wings is 

 smeared with brownish yellow. 



This species appears more rare even than the last, and I did not 

 procure a specimen whilst at Darjeeling. It has only been obtained 

 in Nepal and Sikhim. Major Tickell informs me that he pro- 

 cured one specimen in winter, near Kursiong ; but in summer it 

 apparently keeps to great elevations, not being found in general 

 below 8,000 feet. 



2nd. Ilill-tits, Leiotrichece. 



This division comprises Pteruthius with some allied forms, and 

 Leiothrlx. They are birds of small or moderate size, usually with 

 strongly marked, variegated colours ; are arboreal in their 

 habits, and most of them associate in small flocks, feeding on in- 

 sects, fruits and buds ; and some of them have a pleasing song. 

 The bill is varied, short in most, in some strong and Shrike-like, in 

 others more slender. 



Gen. Pteruthius, Swainson. 



Syn. Allotrius, Temm. 



Char. — Bill short, stout, curved at the tip, and hooked, moderately 

 wide at the base, not compressed, notched ; nares basal, apert, but 

 overlaid by a few bristles ; wing;- moderate, 3rd, 4th, and 5th quills 



