673. Anthipes olivaceus poliogenys

(673) Anthipes olivaceus poliogenys.

Brooks' Flycatcher.

Cyornis poliogenys Brooks, S. F., viii, p. 469 (1879) (Salbari, Sikkim Terai). Anthipes poliogenys. Blanf. & Oates, ii, p 33.

Vernacular names. Dao-putti (Cachari).

Description. Above similar to Hume's Flycatcher, but generally rather darker ; below orange-buff, paler and albescent on the chin and pale buff on the centre of the abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts.

Colours of soft parts. As in Hume's Flycatcher.

Measurements. Wing 69 to 77 mm.; culmen 11.5 to 12.5 mm.

Young. Dark brown striated with pale fulvous above, below deep, dull fulvous, the feathers margined with dark brown.

Distribution. Sikkim Terai and Bhutan Dooars through the lower hills of both North and South Assam, Manipur, Lushai, Chin Hills as far East as Irrawaddy.

Nidification. This Flycatcher breeds freely throughout the hills of Assam from the foot-hills of a thousand feet or so up to some 5,000 feet, during the months of April, May and June. The nest is cup-shaped and is made of moss, often mixed with grass and leaves, sometimes with no real lining but the moss itself, at others with quite a well-made lining of roots. It is placed either on a bank in a hollow or between boulders, or in a hollow of a stump or dead tree, but is always well concealed. The eggs vary from three to five in number and bear no resemblance to those of Brooks' Flycatcher, but are typical Cyornis eggs in appearance. The ground-colour is pale sea-green, pale buff or stone-colour, and the markings consist of tiny but profuse freckles of reddish brown which sometimes cover practically the whole surface, whilst at other times they are somewhat less numerous at the smaller end, though they never form rings and very seldom caps. The average of 40 eggs is 18.5 x 14.6 mm.: maxima 20.4 x 15.3 and 19.3 x 16.0 mm.; minima 16.8 X 13.4 mm.

Habits. This Flycatcher is resident from the foot-hills and plains m their immediate vicinity to about 3,000 feet and less often up to some 2,000 feet higher. They keep much to forest, m the breeding-season, though they prefer the more open parts of those, feeding from some height up in trees and also visiting scrub and lower hushes when there is anything special to tempt, them. In the Winter they frequent more open country and will even enter compounds or scrub in the vicinity of villages. The song is sweet, though rather weak and broken.