1833.] On the nest of the Tailor Bird. 505 
The young birds are similar in colours, except that they are paler 
and the top of the head cinereous with a faint rufous tinge: bill yel- 
lowish. 
The eggs are white, spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with tawny spots. 
They are very lively little birds, exhibiting a good deal of the man- 
ner of the creeper tribe (Certhia), carefully searching beneath every leaf, 
and into every chink and hole for insects, which they seize with great ra- 
pidity, flirting their tails up and down, and utteringa sharp reiterated cry. 
Now it would follow, the accounts of Darwin and Forses being cor- 
rect, that there is more than one species of bird in India, to which the 
specific name of Sutoria would apply: for instance Darwin says, the 
Tailor bird is wholly light yellow, and in this Larnam agrees with 
him ; while Forsss on the contrary declares it to vie in colours with 
the humming birds of the Brazils. It appears to me however that the 
latter author has confounded the tailor bird with the purpled creeper, 
(Certhia purpurata, Lat), which is the only bird I can remember at all 
approaching his description. The nest of the purpled creeper is how- 
ever to me unknown. 
That there is more than one species which sews the leaves of plants 
together to support and conceal its nests, I am almost certain, as a 
pair of birds, larger than those I have described, have been several 
times seen frequenting large-leafed plants, among which were discovered 
the commencement of one or two nests which had been abandoned, appa- 
rently from the leaves being blown asunder almost as soon as sewed to- 
gether by the strong S.W. winds which prevail here. These birds were 
brown above and dirty white beneath. 
The purpled creepers are now becoming plentiful in gardens here, and 
as I shall pay attention to their habits, and watch them closely, I am 
in hopes I shall be able to ascertain their method of constructing their 
nests also. 
The description which approaches nearest to my specimens, is that 
of the ‘‘ Long Tailed Warbler” of Laruam ; viz. top of the head pale 
rufous, hind part of the neck, back, ramp, wing coverts and tail, pale 
olive green; quills olive brown, tail long, slender, composed of narrow 
feathers ; the two middle ones as long as the body. Inhabits China. 
This is so near, that I can consider mine as none other. I do not 
perceive a specific name affixed to it, and have therefore given it that of 
«‘ Ruficapilla.”” This however can easily be dropped, should the bird 
have been already christened. 
Nore. As the two first figures referred to by Lt. H. will be found in the “ Archi- 
tecture of Birds of the Library of Entertaining Knowledge, we have omitted them: 
the author’s own sketch, No. 3, is inserted in plate xviiii—Ep. 
22 
