

TESIA CASTANEOCORONATA. 



Chestnut-crowned Tesia. 



Sylvia castaneo-coronata, Burton in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part III. p. 152. 



Tesia castaneo-coronata, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xiv. p. 586.— lb. Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. 



Calcutta, p. 179.— Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 156. pi. 47. fig. 1, Tesia, sp. 3— Bonap. 



Consp. Gen. Av., p. 257, Tesia, sp. 2.>-Horsf. Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp., vol. i. p. 179. 

 Tesia flaviventer, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. vi. p. 102. 

 Oligura flaviventer, Hodgs. in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part XIII. p. 25. 



This species is even more diminutive than the Tesia cyanekenter, yet it has a somewhat longer tail 5 dimi- 

 nutive, however, as it is, it plays its part in the economy of nature in the countries it is destined to inhabit 

 — Sikkim and Nepal, where every variety of animal life is to be found, from the huge Rhinoceros to the 

 little bird forming the subject of the accompanying Plate, each of which has its own province to fulfil, and 

 each being equally worthy of the attention and admiration of the naturalist. 



"These singular birds," says Mr. Hodgson, speaking of both species of Tesia, "are peculiar to the 

 mountains, and dwell in moist woods where there is plenty of underwood ; they are solitary, silent, live and 

 breed on the ground, and feed on seeds, gravel, and insects ; the stomach is thick, almost a gizzard." 



Like the T. cyanekenter, the T. castaneocoronata is rarely found in our collections ; its diminutive size 

 and the remoteness of the localities it frequents doubtless rendering it difficult of acquisition. Nearly all 

 the examples that have been received in Europe were collected by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., a gentleman, than 

 whom no one has added more largely to the stores of our museums, and whose researches are worthy of 

 being recorded among those who have rendered themselves most eminent for their devotion to the study of 

 natural history. 



Crown and sides of the head chestnut-red ; upper surface, wings and tail dark olive ; under surface 

 yellow, brightest on the chin ; bill brown above, yellow below ; feet flesh-colour. 



The figures are of the natural size. 











