SUTHORA NIPALENSIS, Hodgs.
White-faced Suthora.
Suthora Nipalensis, Hodgs. Ind. Rev. 1838, p. 32.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 102.—
Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 334.
Temnomis Nipalensis, Hodgs: Joura. Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xiii. pl. in p. 450.
-----------atrifrons, Hodgs. Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1845, p. 31.
M r . H odgson described and made known to science the present pretty species, in the “ Indian Review ”
for 1838, under the name of Suthora Nipalensis; subsequently, if I mistake not, this gentleman applied
the name of Temnornis atrifrons to the same bird. In the British Museum collection there are several
specimens, which precisely accord with each other, except in the colouring of the head and cheeks, some
having those parts blue-grey, while in others the prevailing tint is nearly r e d ; and until positive evidence
to the contrary has been obtained, I cannot but consider these two birds as one and the same species; yet
I am at a loss to know why these varieties have not been noticed by such an observant naturalist as
Mr. Hodgson, who distinctly states the crown o f the head to be blue-grey, like that o f the upper bird in the
accompanying Plate. If these birds should prove to be identical, of which I have but little doubt, it will be
interesting to know if the variation in colour is due to age or sex, a fact which can only be satisfactorily
determined in the native country of the species.
In the short note accompanying his description Mr. Hodgson says, “ This bird is a native of the central
and northern regions of Nepaul,” and adds, “ that it is observed in the Cachar in small flocks, frequenting
brushwood and tall grass ; habits, manners and food of Parus, of which it has the entire aspect; but besides
its truncated bill it differs in its rounder wings, and in its larger and less arboreal legs and feet.”
Crown of the head and back o f the neck brownish g r e y ; cheeks pure g re y ; face and superciliary
stripes white, bounded above by a broad black lin e ; chin transversely barred with black and rusty r e d ;
upper and under surface rusty red, fading into white on the centre of the abdomen; wings dark brown,
the first two or three quills edged with white, the next two or three edged a t the base with rufous, and
the remainder edged throughout their entire length with the same colour, but a deeper h u e ; tail dark
brown, edged externally with rufous; bill black at the tip and bluish a t the base; legs fleshy white; iris
dark brown.
In some specimens the crown of the head and cheeks are rufous; in other respects the colouring is the
same.
The figures are of the natural size, on the Pinus brunoniana.