MELANOCHLORA SULTANEA.
Sultan Tit.

Parus sultaneus, Hodgs. Ind. Rev., 1836, p. 31.—Gray, Zool. Misc., 1844, p. 83.—Blyth, Journ. Asiat.

vol. xiii. p. 943.—G, R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 199, Parus, sp. 41.

—— flavocristatus, Lafres. Mag. de Zool., 1837, Ois. pl. 80.—Horsf, in Proe of Heol coe (1839), p. 162.—
Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xi. p. 194, and vol. xi, p. 955.—Id. Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat.
Soc. Calcutta, p. 102.—Id. in Jard. Cont. to Orn., 1852, p. 48.

Melanochlora Sumatrana, Less. Rev. Zool 5 1839) p. 42

—— sultaneus et flavocristatus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. i. p. 333.

Parus Sumatranus, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xi. p. 792.

Crataronyx flava et ater, Eyt. Proc. of Zool. Soc. (1839), p. 104.

Melanochlora sultanea, Jerd. Birds of Ind. vol. ii.

Bon tylia pho, Lepchas (Jerdon).

Soc. Beng.,

Or
Gr
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pt. 1. p. 282.—Wald. in Proc. of Zool. Soc. (1866), p.

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OrnirHoLoaists very generally agree in placing this bird among the Paride, and Strickland went so far as
to say he considered it a typical Tit; but in my opinion we ought first to define the character

s of the family,
and then determine whether such birds as those for

ming the genera Agithalus and Calamophilus on the one
hand, and Falcunculus on the other, are members of it; if so, then Melanochlora may not be too widely

different to be admitted also. For myself, I am sure that a mere glance at the accompanying Plate will be
sufficient for even an ordinary observer to perceive how greatly the birds figured thereon differ from the
ordinary Tits. The small amount of information that has been recorded respecting their habits and economy
throws but little light on the subject: they are said to frequent the tops of large trees, and to move about
in flocks; the reed-loving Calamophilus is equally gregarious, yet it is by many writers excluded from the
Paride. Besides this difficulty as to the affinities of Melanochlora, it is a question whether there are one
or two species of this form, or if the Malaccan and Sumatran birds be identical with those from the
Himalayas. It will be seen, from the synonyms given above, that I regard them as one and the same; but
I must remark that my figures were taken from Himalayan specimens, which are always larger and
more beautifully coloured than those from Sumatra.

As is the case with the members of the genus Palcunculus, a marked difference occurs in the outward
appearance of the sexes, the female having the throat green, while in the male it is steel-blue.

The following short sentences, which are given with due acknowledgment of the sources whence they
were obtained, comprise all that has been recorded respecting this showy bird :— ;

“This magnificent Tit,” says Mr. Jerdon, “is only found in the warmer valleys of the Himalayas,
extending into Assam, and through Burmah to the Malayan peninsula, and even to Sumatra. Near
Darjeeling it is common in the valley of the great Runjeet, about ~~ feet, — thence ascends to about
4000. It frequents the tops of high trees, in small flocks, feeding on Hse chiefly, and emits a rather a
note. The Lepchas told me that it breeds in holes in lofty trees, but did na aod me the nest and eggs.

Mr. Hodgson states that ‘it is found in the northern regions of the hills, passing into ae sou Ss in
winter. It explores foliage, and feeds upon the softer arboreal insects, perfect and imperfect, is exceedingly
fond of caterpillars, and occasionally takes pulpy berries.”

Captain Beavan, who obtained a specimen at Kyodan, Salween River, Burmah, on the 14th of ee
1865, states that the species there ‘occurs in small parties in ey eg jungle, ao very noisy.
Viscount Walden, in his Notes on the Birds collected by Capt. Beavan in T enasserim and in the Andaman
Islands, remarks, on the above-mentioned specimen, that it is . a young male in immature plumage, the
yellow crest hardly extending beyond the nape, and the els boa of the plumage pe a dull eee
brown,” and adds, ‘Specimens from Penang and Darjeeling do not differ; and a gecgral eas
intermediate Tenasserim race seems to be identical with them. I adopt Mr. pele designation in
preference to that of Lafresnaye, on the authority of the date cited by site : acts ea
have yet to be compared with continental, and, if _ to be cone y Oe y : Wi 7 ee ne on
Lafresnaye’s title of flavo-cristatus. Prince Bonaparte, i his ‘ takes nee ce 7 pe

: ‘stinction than that of size, Hodgson’s species being, according to him, the
separate, but gives no hs a quite reliable; for the Prince records them both from the
smallest. This statement, however, 1s | ene
Himalayas.” (Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1866, p. 501.) ‘occ he

mm -own. lenothened crest, under wing-coverts, breast, abdomen, — an¢

me orcbeads Crows) oe black, glossed with green on the throat ; irides
under tail-coverts pure yellow ; the remainder of the plumage black, glosse 8
dark brown ; bill and feet greenish black.

oa of like he Epigynium acuminatum.
The figures represent the two sexes, of the size of life, on t pgy