ICO 
W. T. Blanford — On Birds from Sikkim. 
[No. 2, 
329. Pnoepyga sqtjamata, (Gould). Tesia rufi venter, Hodgs. 
Of two specimens received one has the upper parts nearly uniform 
olivaceous brown, the other has a small bright ferruginous spot at the apex 
of nearly every feather. Both have the lower parts ferruginous, the feathers 
with olive centres and narrow dusky margins. Prom the differences in the 
upper plumage, it is evident that the colour of the lower parts does not 
change with age, (vide antea, p. 55). 
338. Brachypteeyx ceueaxis, Blyth. 
A pair, male and female, are sent by Mr. Mandelli, and I have a young 
bird, shot by myself, which I am inclined to refer to this species, although 
the tarsi are longer than in the adult specimens, whilst the bill is much 
shorter. It may belong to an undescribed form, so I give a description. 
Plumage generally olive brown, all the feathers of the upper parts, 
throat and breast with rufous centres, upper tail coverts rufous, belly pale 
brown. Wing 2’55, tail 1*7, tarsus 1*3, bill from forehead 0'43 inch. 
336. Brachypteeyx ntpaxensis, Hodgs. 
A single specimen from Darjiling has the wings rufous brown, the 
margins being more rufous than the rest of the feathers. The grey of the 
breast is mixed with white, and there is a greyish tinge on the feathers of 
the throat and abdomen in places. This may be a young male. Wing 
2'4, tail 1'5, tarsus 1'08, bill from forehead, 0'47. 
I fully agree with Mr. Hume (Ibis, 1870, p. 529) in considering 
Hodgsonius as closely alied to Larvivpra, but I cannot see the possibility 
of dissociating it, and Callene, from Brachypteryx, as is done by Mr. G. R. 
Gray, in his recent “ Hand-list of Birds,” in which he places the last 
named in the Leiotlirichince* (a position unsuited for it in my opinion,) and 
all the other genera named, with Ruticilla, in the Lusciniince. Brachypteryx 
nipalensis is very much like a Calliope, and- although there is also a 
similarity to Pnoepyga, it is I think not so marked, partly perhaps because 
there is no resemblance in the general coloration. 
It is a pity we have no details of the nidilication of Brachypteryx, as it 
would aid in shewing its affinities. The nest of Callene frontalis is said to 
be wren-like, Ibis, 1866, p. 373, but the allied O. albiventris, (P. Z. S. 1867, 
p. 834), nidificates in a hole of a tree, and lays but two eggs. Unless the 
length of a bird’s tail be taken as the most important point in its structure, 
I do not see how Callene and Brachypteryx can be classed apart, and I am 
* Prof Newton, in the Zoological Record places Brachypteryx amongst tha 
Timaliidm. Some Malayan forms, formerly assigned to Brachypteryx belong to this 
family, (Ibis, 1865, pp. 33, 47), bat the Himalayan species differ greatly in structure 
and habits from the Timaline birds. 
