tail 3.85, tarsus 0.7, bill from gape 0.85. These measurements were taken in the flesh." (Bingham.)
Distribution. Southern Shan States, North-West Siam and East Central Burma. Wickham reports it as not uncommon at Taung-gyi.
Nidification unknown.
Habits. According to Wickham this is a Bulbul of high elevations during the breeding season, when it is found from 6,000 feet upwards. In the non-breeding season it comes down to lower elevations between 8,000 and 4,000 feet, going about in small flocks. Their note is harsh but quite typical of the family.
Genus HEMIXUS Hodgson, 1844.
The genus Hemixus, of which H. flavala is the type, contains two Indian species and many subspecies. It differs from Microscelis in having the tail square or slightly rounded and its outer feathers straight. The crest consists of a great number of short but sharply-pointed feathers. The nuchal hairs are short and indistinct, but the rictal bristles are strong. The wing is pointed, the secondaries falling well short of the longest primaries.
The bill is like that of Microscelis but the tarsus is slightly shorter, though this is not noticeable in dry skins.
Key to Species and Subspecies.
| A. |
Tail dark brown.
|
| a. |
Head and back practically concolorous
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. flavala flavala, p. 374. |
| b. |
Head much darker and contrasting with the back.
|
| a'. |
Back brown, though lighter than head
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. fl. davisoni, p. 376. |
| b'. |
Back grey
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. fl. hildebrandi, p. 376. |
| B. |
Tail green.
|
| c. |
Back green.
|
| c'. |
Breast and sides of neck strongly rufous; throat nearly pure white
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. macclellandi macclellandi, p. 377. |
| d'. |
Breast and sides of neck merely tinged rufous; throat grey
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. m. tickelli, p. 378. |
| d. |
Back brown
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
|
H. m. binghami, p. 379. |
(391) Hemixus flavala flavala.
The Himalayan Brown-eared Bulbul.
Hemixus flavala Hodgs., J. A. S. B., xiv, p. 572 (1845) (Nepal); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 263.
Vernacular names. Nalli-pindi (Lepcha), Dao bulip-gadeba (Cachari).
Description. Upper plumage and smaller wing-coverts dark ashy, the feathers of the crown edged paler and the upper tail-coverts tinged with olive-green; tail brown, tinged with olive-
