(101) Suthora ruficeps ruficeps.
The Red-headed Suthora.
- Chleuasicus ruficeps Blyth, J. A. S. B., xiv, p. 578 (1845) (Sikkim).
- Suthora ruficeps. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 67.
Vernacular names. Chongto-phep-pho (Lepcha).
Description. Forehead and crest to hind neck bright chestnut; sides of the head and neck paler; lower plumage white, tinged with pink on the breast; upper plumage rufous-brown, deeper on the tail and exposed parts of the wings; shafts of chin-feathers distinctly black.
Colours of soft parts. Bill creamy or fleshy white or pale horny; legs greenish plumbeous; iris bright red-brown.
Measurements. Total length about 150 mm.; wing 75 to 78 mm.; tail about 80 mm.; tarsus about 23·5 mm.; culmen about 7·5 mm.
Distribution. Sikkim only.
Nidification unknown.
Habits. A very rare bird found in Sikkim at 7,000 feet upwards. The habits are probably much the same as those of the next bird.
(102) Suthora ruficeps atrosuperciliaris.
The Black-browed Suthora.
- Chleuasicus ruficeps var. atrosuperciliaris Godw.-Aust., P. A. S. Beng., 1877, p. 147 (Sadiya, Assam).
- Suthora atrispeculiaris. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 67.
Vernacular names. Dao-mougasha (Cachari).
Description. Differs from the last bird in being darker and more richly coloured everywhere and in having a well-defined black eyebrow.
Colours of soft parts. Maxilla fleshy, the culmen and base a little darker and becoming bluish next the forehead, lower mandible pale fleshy, the gonys almost white; irides light bright brown; legs pale, clear bluish plumbeous, claws paler still.
Measurements. Total length 145 to 150 mm.; wing 57 to 59 mm.; tail about 99 mm.; culmen about 10 mm. and from gape about 12 mm.
Distribution. From Cachar to Lakhimpur in Assam, south of the Brahmaputra and east of the Dibong in the Abor and Miri Hills, north of the same river and thence eastwards to Yunnan through the Shan States. Godwin-Austen's birds from Baladhan were undoubtedly of this and not the last race.
Nidification. The only nest I have seen of this bird was an exact miniature of those of Paradoxornis and Psittiparus. Outwardly it measured 2·5" × 3" deep and inwardly 2" × 2". It was composed of fine shreds of grass and reed-bark with a lining of
