248 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[Oct. 



Genus IORA, Horsf. 



73. /. tiphia. — Motac-typhia, Brown, 111. Zool.pl. 36. — Show Bhee* 

 gah f or Show Bheegee, H. 



This is one of the most common Indian birds in most part of the 

 country, daily to be seen in almost every garden. Its habits are even 

 etill more active and restless than those of any others of this family, 

 being much like those of the titmouse. It may be seen diligently and 

 carefully searching the smaller branches and twigs of trees, climbing 

 actively among them, peering under the leaves, and occasionally hanging, 

 like a titmouse, from a slender twig, all the while keeping up a loud 

 warbling strain, or a low querulous sort of note, very different from each 

 other. It is not confined to cultivated ground, but is also an inhabitant 

 of the open spaces of jungles. Its flight is performed by a succession 

 of quick vibrations of the wing, and causes a loud whining sound. Its 

 food consists of various insects, and their larvee, spiders, &c. I have 

 only found the male bird at certain seasons in its full plumage of black 

 and yellow, and even then you seldom meet with two clothed exactly 

 alike. On this account, I am inclined to think, that it is only in the 

 breeding season that the black plumage is put on, and that the Iora 

 scapularis of Horsfield may be identical with both sexes of this in its 

 ordinary plumage. This supposition, however, needs further enquiry. 

 I once in the West Coast, in the mouth of Septmber, met with a nest of 

 this species in the fork of a low tree. It was more neatly and carefully 

 made than any other of the few nests I have seen in this country. It 

 contained young ones. It gets its Hindustanee name from its cry, being 

 said to repeat the syllables « show bheega,' < show bheega,' before 

 rain* 



Genus TRICHOPHORUS, Temm.— Bristle neched Thrush. 



74. T. virescens.— locos virescens, Temm. P. C— White browed bris- 

 tle neck. 



Although I am inclined to think that this species of bulbul may enter 

 into Swainson's genus, Andropadus rather than Tricophorus, as I 

 have in some cases, though not in all, detected a slight crenation at the 

 tip of the upper mandible, and the bill is shorter than i n Tricophorus , 

 yet I have for the present kept it in that genus, as its nuchal hairs are 

 very distinct. It is a widely dispersed, though not very common bird, 



