TROGLODYTES NIPALENSIS, itodg*. 



Nepaulese Wren. 



Troglodytes Nipalensis, Hodgs. Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xiv. p. 589— Blyth, Cat: of Birds in Mus. of 

 Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 158.— Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 222, Troglodytes, sp. 3. 



subhemalayanus, Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc., p. 82— Gray, Cat. of Spec, and Draw, of Mamm. and 



Birds pr. to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., pp. 62— 151— Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. 

 p. 158, Troglodytes, sp. 2. 



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Here we have a representative in the Himalayas and Nepaul of the Common European Wren {Troglodytes 

 Europoeus), the forms of the two birds being as similar as they well can be, but the Indian species has 

 characters by which it may at all times be distinguished from the European one ; it is rather smaller in size, 

 has shorter wings and tail, is of a much darker colour, and has both the upper and under surface of nearly 

 the same hue, — a dark reddish brown, transversely rayed with black. 



In the whole of its habits and economy it doubtless as closely assimilates to its European ally as it does 

 in its outward form. Among Mr. Hodgson's Drawings in the British Museum, this bird is figured under 

 the MS. name of T. subhemalayanus, but I believe this appellation was never published by him, and I have 

 therefore adopted the term of Nipalensis, which both Mr. Blyth and the Prince of Canino considered to be 

 Mr. Hodgson's first name for the species. 



The sexes do not present any difference whatever in colour or markings, but the female is a trifle less 

 than the male in size. 



I am indebted to H. E. Strickland, Esq., for the loan of examples of this bird, which with others in my 

 own possession enables me to give correct delineations of this pretty representative of the European Wren. 



The whole of the plumage dark chocolate-brown, transversely rayed with black, the rays showing conspi- 

 cuously on the primaries, secondaries, tail-feathers and abdomen, where the chocolate hue is somewhat 

 paler than on the other portions of the plumage : at the tip of each of the wing-coverts a minute spot of 

 white ; bill blackish brown ; feet fleshy brown. 



The figures are of the natural size. 



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