THE SULTAN YELLOW TITMOUSE. 
129 
Genus MELANOCHLORA, Less. 
125. MELANOCHLORA SULTANEA. 
THE SULTAM YELLOW TITMOUSE. 
Parus sultaneus, Hodgs. Ind. Rev. 1836, p. 31. Parus flavocristatus, Lafresn. Mag, 
de Zool. 1837, pi. 80. Melanochlora sultanea, Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 282 ; Hume, 
S. F. iii. p. 143 ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 378 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 632 ; 
Hume, S. F. viii. p. 105 ; Scully, S. F. viii. p. 324 ; Bingham, S. F. ix. p. 190. 
Melanochlora flavicristata, Bl. Sf Wald. B. Bunn. p. 111. 
Description. — Male. Forehead and crown with the crest brilliant yellow ; 
the whole upper plumage_, lores^ sides of head and neck^ chin^ throat and 
breast deep glossy black ; abdomen, vent, flanks, under wing- and tail- 
coverts deep yellow. 
Female. The yellow parts duller than in the male ; the sides of the 
head and upper plumage dark greenish brown, and the chin and throat 
yellowish brown ; wings and tail dull black. 
Bill black ; mouth dark fleshy ; eyelids plumbeous ; iris dark brown ; 
legs plumbeous ; claws dark horn. 
Length 8*2 inches, tail 3*8, wing 4*2, tarsus '95, bill from gape '7. . The 
female is considerably smaller. 
The Sultan Yellow Titmouse is abundant over the whole of the Pegu 
hills, but I have not observed it in the plains. Mr. Blyth received it from 
Arrakan. Mr. Davison found it throughout the whole Division of Tenas- 
serim, except on the higher hills, and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay procured it 
in Karennee. 
Southwards it is found in the Malay peninsula and Sumatra. To the 
north Dr. Anderson procured it near Bhamo in Native Burmah. It occurs 
also in the hill-ranges of Eastern Bengal, and in Assam, Sikhim and 
Nipal. 
I found these birds common on the Pegu hills. They were in pairs ; 
and when any one approached the tree they were on, they raised their 
crests and uttered a succession of harsh notes. The nest has not vet been 
found ; but Capt. Bingham observed two birds entering a hole in a tree in 
the Thoungyeen valley ; and it is probable that, like other Tits_, they will 
be found nesting in holes of trees. 
I had not many opportunities of observing these birds, but Mr. Davison 
remarks that their habits are quite "those of the Tits. They cling in every 
conceivable position to the smaller branches, peering into every crack and 
under every leaf, clinging even to the trunks of trees, and hunting in a 
most systematic way for insects.^'' 
VOL. 1. 
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