Birds of the Indian Hills 



great majority of them resemble one another 

 so closely that It is as difficult to identify them 

 when at large as it is to see through a brick 

 wall. Small wonder, then, that field naturalists 

 fight rather shy of this family. Of the no 

 species of warbler which exist in India, I pro- 

 pose to deal with only one, and that favoured 

 bird is Hodgson's grey-headed flycatcher-warbler 

 (Cryptolopha xanthoschista). My reasons for 

 raising this particular species from among the 

 vulgar herd of warblers are two. The first 

 is that it is the commonest bird in our hill 

 stations. The second is that it is distinctively 

 coloured, and in consequence easy to identify. 



It is impossible for a human being to visit 

 any hill station between Murree and Naini 

 Tal in spring without remarking this warbler. 

 I do not exaggerate when I say that its voice 

 issues from every second tree. 



This species may be said to be the warbler 

 of the Western Himalayas, and, as such, it 

 has been made the subject of a separate essay. 



THE LANIID^ OR SHRIKE FAMILY 



The butcher-birds are the best-known mem- 

 bers of this fraternity. Undoubtedly passerine 



56 



