nests are described as being like that of the Red-headed Tit but larger and densely lined with feathers. That first found by Whymper was placed iu the fork of a willow about 6 feet from the ground and others as much as 30 feet from it, whilst Osmaston's was in the fork of a cherry-tree, both nest and tree being covered with lichen. The eggs appear to be four in number and are like those of the Red-headed Tit's but more spotted and less zoned with the markings.
They breed from May to June at elevations of 11,000 feet upwards.
Eggs sent me by Dodsworth from above Simla measure about 14·0 × 10·5 mm. These were taken from nests in small oaks.
Habits. Osmaston found this bird connnon in the Tons Valley, and Whymper equally so in Grarhwal at elevations of some 11,000 or 12,000 feet. It seems to haunt both thick and sparse forest equally, and to go about in little parties like the rest of its tribe.
Whitehead likens its note to the "Wi" of the Goldfinch.
(85) Ægithaliscus ioschistos.
The Rufous-fronted Tit.
- Parus ioschistos Hodgs., J. A. S. B., xiii, p. 943 (1844) (Nepal).
- Ægithaliscus ioschistos. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 52.
Vernacular names. None recorded.
Description. Forehead, a broad band on the middle of the head, the sides of the neck and a broad collar on the upper back fawn-colour; lores, under the eye, and a broad band on the side of the crown extending to the upper hack and there blending with the band on the other side, black; ear-coverts blackish in front, rufous behind; upper plumage, wing-coverts and the edges to the wings and tail ashy olive; primary-coverts and winglet dark brown; tail brown, the outer web of the outermost feather white, the next two with some white at the tip; chin and throat silvery white, with the black bases of the feathers showing through: the chin and a stripe under the cheek blacker than the other parts; cheeks and entire lower plumage dark ferruginous.
Colours of soft parts. Bill black; legs yellow-brown; iris brown (Jerdon); iris yellow (Blanford).
Measurements. Length about 100 mm.; tail about 55 mm.; wing about 60 mm.; culmen about 7 mm.; tarsus about 17 mm.
Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.
Nidification and Habits. Very little on record. Blanford found it in Sikidm at 9,000 feet and upwards, and believed that it kept only to the pine-forests.
