261 SYLVIIDJ!. 



Elsewhere Mr. Brooks has remarked : — " Goolmerg is one of 

 those mountain downs, or extensive pasture lands, which are nume- 

 rous on the top of the range of hills immediately below the Pir-Pinjal 

 Range, which is the first snowy range. It is a beautiful mountain 

 common, about 3000 feet above the level of Sirinugger, which 

 latter place has an elevation of 5235 feet. This common is about 

 3 miles long and about a couple of miles wide, but of very irregular 

 shape. On all sides the undulating grass-land is surrounded by 

 pine-clad hills, and on one side the pine-slopes are surmounted by 

 snowy mountains. On the side near the snow the supply of water in 

 the woods is ample. The whole hill-side is intersected by small 

 ravines, and each ravine has its stream of pure cold water — water 

 so different from the tepid fluid we drink in the plains. In such 

 places where there were water and old pines P. humii was very 

 abundant : every few yards was the domain of a pair. The males 

 were very noisy, and continually uttered their song. This song is 

 not that described by Mr. Blyth as being similar to the notes of the 

 English "Wood- Wren (P. sihilatrix) but fainter — it is a loud double 

 chirp or call, hardly worthy of being dignified with the name of 

 song at all. While the female was sitting, the male continued 

 vigorously to utter his double note as he fed from tree to tree. To 

 this note I and my native assistants paid but little attention ; but ' 

 when the female, being off the nest, uttered her well-known ' tiss- 

 yip,' as Mr. Blyth expresses the call of a Willow- Wren, we repaired 

 rapidly to the spot and kept her in view. In every instance, before 

 an hour had passed, she went into her nest, first making a few im- 

 patient dashes at the place where it was, as much as to say — ' There 

 it is, but I don't want you to see me go in.' 



" The nest of P. humii is always, so far as my observation goes, 

 placed on the ground on some sloping bank or ravine-side. The 

 situation preferred is the lower slope near the edge of the wood, 

 and at the root of some very small bush or tree ; often, however, on 

 quite open ground, where the newly growing herbage was so short 

 that it only partially concealed it. In form it is a true Willow- 

 Wren's nest — a rather large globular structure with the entrance 

 at one side. Regarding the first nest taken, I have noted that it 

 was placed on a sloping bank on the ground, among some low ferns 

 and other plants, and close to the root of a small broken fir tree, 

 which, being somewhat inclined over the nest, protected it from 

 being trodden upon. It was composed of coarse dry grass and moss, 

 and lined with finer grass and a few black hairs. The cavity was 

 about 2 inches, and the entrance about 1| inch in diameter. About 

 20 yards from the nest was a large, old, hollow fir tree, and in 

 this I sat till the female returned to her nest. My attendant then 

 quietly approached the spot, when she flew out of the nest and sat 

 on a low bank 2 or 3 yards from it : then she uttered her ' tiss- 

 yip,' which I know so well, and darted away among the pines. 

 My man retired, upon which she soon returned, and having called 

 for a few minutes in the vicinity of the nest, she ceased her note 

 and quickly entered. Again she was quietly disturbed, and sat on 



