MGITHALUS FLAMMICEPS, Burton.

Flame-fronted Flower-pecker.

Aigithalus fammiceps, Burton, Proc. Zool. Soc. pt. il. p. 153.—Blyth, J. A. Soc. Beng. vol. xvi. p. 444.—Id. Cat.
Birds Mus. As. Soc. Beng. p. 105.—Gray, Hand-list of Birds, pt. i. p. 236. no. 3427.

Diceum sanguinifrons, Hay, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. vol. xv. p. 44.

Paroides flammiceps, Strickland in Jardine’s Contr. Orn. ISSE, p. 22.

Cephalopyrus flammiceps, Jerdon, Birds of India, ii. p. 267.—Cock & Marshall, Stray Feathers, 1873, p. 356.—
Hume, Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, p. 400.

 

Tuts curious little bird, to which has been given the trivial name of Flame-fronted Flower-pecker, is a
native of the North-western Himalayas, and occurs in most collections made near Murree and Simla. In
structure it is so close to the genus Agithalus that I am unable to separate it; but it seems to differ
somewhat in its habits from the true Penduline Tits, and, as will be seen from the notes given below,
it does not construct a penduline nest like the last-named birds.

Very little has been recorded concerning its life-history; and all that Mr. Jerdon states is that it “has
hitherto been found only in the North-west Himalayas, extending to Cashmere.” The following notes also
occur in Mr. Hume’s valuable work the ‘ Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds ?°—

Writing from Murree, Captain Marshall tells us, “* On the 25th of May we found the nest of this species
in a hole in a sycamore tree, about 15 feet from the ground. The nest was a neatly made, cup-shaped
one, formed principally of fine grass. We were, unfortunately, too late for the eggs, as we found four
nearly fledged young ones, showing that these birds lay about the 15th of April. Elevation 7000 feet.”

Captain Cock says, “I found a nest in the stump of an old chestnut tree at Murree. The nest was about
13 feet from the ground, near the top of the stump, placed in a natural cavity ; it was constructed of fine
grass and roots carefully woven, and was of a deep cup-shape. It contained five fully fledged young ones.
The end of May was the time when I found this; and I have never yet succeeded in finding another.”

The following description is given by Dr. Jerdon :—* Above yellowish green, brightest on the rump and
upper tail-coverts ; forehead, top of head, and chin rich shining orange-red ; wings dusky, edged with green,
and with two light bars on the wing-coverts; beneath golden yellow, paling = the lower abdomen and
under tail-coverts. The female has no red, and is duller yellow underneath. Bill plumbeous ; legs leaden
brown. | a
“Length 4 inches ; wing 23, tail 13, tarsus not quite 2, bill at front 8 millims.
The figures are taken from an example in my own collection, and are of the size of life.