Birds of the Indian Hills 



grey-necked Corvus ceases from troubling those 

 who seek the cool heights. 



Like the grey-necked crow, the Indian tree- 

 pie is not found at the Nilgiri hill stations — 

 5000 feet appears to be the highest elevation to 

 which he attains. 



Of the tits only one species can be said to 

 be common on the higher Nilgiris : this is the 

 Indian grey tit (Parus atriceps) — a striking 

 little bird, smaller than a sparrow. The head, 

 throat, and neck are black, and a strip of this 

 hue runs down the middle of the abdomen. 

 The wings and tail are grey. The cheeks, the 

 sides of the abdomen, and a patch on the back 

 of the head are white. There is also a narrow 

 white bar in the wing, and the grey tail is edged 

 with white. The bird is found all over India, 

 but is far more abundant on the hills than in 

 the plains. 



Another tit which, I believe, does not ascend 

 so high as Ootacamund, but which is not un- 

 common in the vicinity of Coonoor is the 

 southern yellow tit (^Machlolophus haplonotus). 

 This bird is not, as its name would seem to 

 imply, clothed from head to foot in yellow. 

 Its prevailing hues are green and brown. The 



head, breast, and upper abdomen are bright 

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