a he

CERTHI Pee Nelle Nee ENSI Ss, Hodgs.
Nepaulese Creeper.

Certhia Nipalensis, Hodgs.—Blyth, Mon. of Indian Certhiade.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. Appendix
p. 7.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 188.

Certhia discolor, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xiv. p. 580 ?—Ib. Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Beng.
Duss) a |

 

Mr. Buyrn has published several short notices of a Creeper which he considers to be distinct from
both the C. Mpalensis and C. Himalayana; and which he says is “distinguished by having the entire
under parts uniform dingy brown, or very much sullied albescent; whereas in the preceding species the
under parts are pure white tinged with ferruginous on the sides of the breast, and the flanks as well
as the lower tail-coverts are deep ferruginous. Upon a first view it might be thought that the under parts
of C. discolor are merely dirty, but the colour is not to be washed out, and five specimens before me
are all quite similar; while in the three Nepaul specimens of the other (€. Nipalensis), the white ts

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GAS” &

alike pure, and the flanks deep ferruginous.” I have had an opportunity of making a careful comparison
of the bird, to which Mr. Blyth has assigned the appellation of discolor, with the true C. Nipalensis of
Mr. Hodgson: in size, and in the general markings of their upper surface they are precisely similar ; on
the other hand, as Mr. Blyth states, the whole of the under surface of his C. discolor is of a sordid greyish
brown. I do not wish to detract from the value of Mr. Blyth’s opinion, which future research may prove to
be well-founded; but I have thought it better to figure both on one plate, rather than give separate repre-
sentations of birds in which so slight a difference is found to exist. Mr. Blyth states in one of his papers,
that the ©. discolor is common at Darjeeling, and in another that it replaces C. Nipalensis in Sikim.
As will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, this is in every respect a typical Certhia. No
; but we may reasonably

account, so far as I am aware, has yet been given of its habits, actions or economy ;

-

_

CoN

Hon

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suppose they are very similar to those of the other members of the genus. .

General plumage dark brown with a reddish tinge; the feathers of the crown with a reddish brown stripe
down the centre; over each eye a broad buffy stripe; ear-coverts and upper part of the back dark brown,
edged with black and with a mark of buff down the centre 5 wing-coverts tipped with sandy bulls primaries
and secondaries crossed by a band of buff, the former also margined with buff, and the latter with a narrow
line down the centre and spot at the tip of the same colour; throat and abdomen white; flanks, upper
‘rides dark brown; bill and feet pale brown.

and under tail-coverts rufous; tail reddish brown ; 2
tion of the C. Mpalensis, and the

The figures are of the natural size; the upper one being a representa
7 . e oy Ke Tay
lower of the bird which Mr. Blyth names C. discolor.