278 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



and moss, containing five eggs, white, with numerous small red 

 spots. 



P. viridescens, Swinhoe, from China, and P. minor, Gould, appear 

 to belono- to the crestless Asiatic Tits. 



The next two Tits, with one of the succeeding group, are the 

 only species found apart from the Himalayas. The first one, as 

 far as general form and the abdominal black stripe, is much of 

 the same type as the last bird, but differs in its plainer coloration. 



645. Parus cinereus, Vieillot. 



Bltth, Cat, 537 — Horsf., Cat. 596 — P. atriceps, Horsf., 

 L. T. XIII— Temm., PI. Col. 287, f. 2— Gould, Birds of 

 Asia, pt. X., pi. 3 — Sykes, Cat. 95 — Jerdon, Cat. 129 — P. 

 nipalensis, HODGSON — P. caesius, Tickell — Ham gangra, Beng. 

 (B. Hamilton.) 



The Indian Grey-Tit. 



Descr. — Head, chin, throat and breast, and a line along the 

 abdomen, black ; large cheek spot "white ; plumage above bluish 

 cinereous ; greater coverts white-tipped, forming a conspicuous 

 wing-band ; quills dusky black, edged with pale blue, and the 

 secondaries and tertials edged white ; beneath albescent, with a 

 tino-e of rufescent ashy, purer white on the under tail-coverts. 



Length nearly 6 inches ; wing 2 T 8 n ; tail 2/fj ; bill at front T 7 n ; 

 tarsus f . 



This Tit extends throughout the Himalayas, from Nepal to 

 Bootan, Assam, and through Central India, to the Neilgherries 

 and Ceylon ; also to Java, and other Malayan isles. I have 

 procured it on the Neilgherries, and it extends all along the 

 range of Western Ghats north to Candeish. I have also obtained 

 it in the hilly regions of Nagpore, and at Saugor, and Tickell got 

 it at Chaibassa in Central India, but it does not occur in Bengal, 

 nor to the eastward. It is a very familiar and abundant bird on 

 the Neilgherries, with the usual habits of the tribe, entering 

 gardens, and feeding on various small insects, and also on seeds. 

 I once found its nest in the deserted Bungalow at Rallia, in the 

 corner of the house. It was made chiefly of the down of hares 



