30 HABITS AND HAUNTS OF BIRDS 



Pipits, (Pipastes, Anthus, Corydalla, Agrodroma, Heterura).—Axe 

 as a rule migratory, though many of them are permanent residents 

 in some parts of India. One of the tree pipits (P. montanus) appears 

 to be confined to the Nilgiris. The olhers are cold weather visitants to 

 the plains, retiring to the alpine Himalayas to breed. So also with the 

 true pipits {Anthus as restricted) , which are known to breed on this side 

 of the snows. Of the titlarks {Corydalla), one {C.rufula) is a very 

 common permanent resident throughout the plains. The others are only 

 cold weather migrants. Of the stone pipits {Agrodroma), one {A. 

 griseorufescens) is a cold weather visitant to the plains, but breeds in the 

 north-western Himalayas; another {d. campestris) is abundant in the 

 cold weather, and is said to breed in the plains, but this requires con- 

 firmation; the third (4. cJnwamomea) is confined to the Nilgiris, where 

 it is a permanent resident. The genus Heterura, of which there is only 

 one species in India, is confined to the Himalayas, where it is a permanent 

 resident. All the pipits make their nest on the ground, sheltered by grass, 

 on open plains or hill sides, and lay richly blotched or spotted eggs. 



Thrush tits, (Cochoa). — Are a very remarkable group of birds. 

 They are confined to the eastern Himalayas, frequent forests at moderate 

 elevations, and in their nidification and eggs much resemble blackbirds. 

 There are only two species in India, both rare. 



Shrike tits, {PiemtMus). — Are confined to the Himalayas. Of 

 one kind (P. rufiventer), the nest has never been found. Of the other 

 (P. ert/thropterus) , the egg is one of the rarest in collections. The 

 shrike tits are arboreal in their habits, frequent well-wooded slopes at 

 moderate elevations. They lay speckled eggs in a basket-shaped nest of 

 moss and roots hung from a fork near the top of a tree. 



Hill tits, {Allotrius, Cutia, Leioptila, Leiothrix, Siva, Minla, 

 Proparus, Ixulus, Yuhina, Myzornis, Erpornis). — Are also confined to 

 the Himalayas, and with few exceptions to the eastern Himalayas 

 and such outlying ranges as the Khasia hills. They are very arboreal 

 in their habits, frequent well-wooded tracts, and generally associate 

 in small flocks. They usually make rather massive cup-shaped nests, 

 about five to ten feet from the ground, and lay spotted eggs, ia 

 which the markings frequently form a zone at the large end. One 

 species (TuMna niffrimentum) ie known to lay pure white eggs, and 

 another {Myzornis pyrrlionra) is believed to lay unspotted eggs also. As 

 a rule these birds are not migratory, but breed wherever they are found. 



