2 Catalogue of the Birds [Jaw. 



Latham is most probably a fictitious species, and the Tailor Bird de- 

 scribed and figured by Forbes in his Oriental Memoirs, appears to be 

 a Cinnyrls (C. purparala), which builds a somewhat similarly con- 

 structed nest. 



The Tailor Bird is tolerably common in most wooded districts, and 

 universally spread, frequenting cultivated ground, especially gardens, 

 groves of tree.-, and also found in high jungle, in the more open spaces. 

 It lives in pairs or in small flocks, incessantly hopping about the 

 branches of trees and shrubs, peas and other vegetables, with a loud 

 reiterated note, and picking various insects (chiefly ants and small 

 larvae) off the bark and leaves, and not unfrequently seeking them on 

 the ground. It has the habit of frequently jerking up its tail while 

 feeding or hopping about, and at times (especially when calling) it has 

 the power of raising the feathers on the lower part of its throat, and 

 displaying on either side a small black stripe. This has been noted 

 by no one except Lieut. Hutton. The Phootkee has various notes, one 

 of which sounds like /tree, twee, twee, as mentioned by Colonel Sykes, 

 and another which is generally used when alarmed or angry, and sounds 

 like chick, chick, chick chichy, chick. It is a familiar bird, and ventures 

 close to houses, but when observed becomes wary. 



The Tailo7'Bird's nest truly merits all the praise and wonder that have 

 been bestowed on it. I have seen several, and can bear testimony to 

 the accuracy of Colonel Sykes' and Lieut. Hutton' 8 accounts of it, as 

 also to the accuracy of the coloured drawing of one which accompanied) 

 a representation of this species in Guerin's ' Migasin de Zoologie.' 

 Colonel S. has, however, on some occasion probably mistaken the nest 

 of some other bird for it, as he says in his account of the nest and 

 eggs,* that the latter are crimson, whereas in two instance-, in which 

 they were observed by me, they were white, spotted chiefly at the 

 larger end with reddish brown, as described by Lieut. Hutton. 



Length about G inches (to tip of longest tail feather); of wing about 

 2; tail I ,V ns ; centre feather of ditto 1 inch more; tarsus - 8 -ths. 

 Irides orange buff; bill brown above, flesh coloured below ; legs flesh 

 coloured. 



115. — O. Lingoo, Sykes. 



I have not hitherto procured this bird of which Colonel Sykes says 



* Proceedings of Zoological Society for 1^4. 



