258 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV. 



(10) Argya subrufa. — The Large Rufous Babbler. 



Oaten, No. 108 ; Jerdon, No. 437. 

 Oates gives the distribution of this Babbler as "the Western Ghats 

 from Coonoor and Kotagiri on the Nilgiris to Khandala near Bombay." 

 It is, however, fairly common on the hills throughout Travancore down to 

 the extreme south. It frequents thick jungle, but the secondary 

 growth in old abandoned coffee clearings is a favourite resort for it. 



(11) Crateropus canorus. — The Jungle Babbler. 



Oates, No. 110 ; Jerdon, No. 434. 

 The Jungle Babbler is common at the foot of the hills. Oates 

 remarks that " it appears to ascend the hills to about 5,000 feet of 

 elevation or probably higher in the south." 1 have not found it any- 

 where but at the foot of the hills in South Travancore ; but I got one 

 specimen at about 4,000 feet on the high range in the north. 



(12) Crateropus griseus. — The White-headed Babbler. 

 Oates, No. Ill ; Jerdon, No. 433. 

 This bird is fairly common in the plains, and especially so about 

 Cape Comorin. It breeds in June. Mr. T. F. Bourdillon writes : — 

 " The eggs vary from three to five in number. They are pretty regular 

 cylindrical ovals, excessively glossy, spotless and of a deep greenish- 

 blue, much deeper than the eggs of any of the other Malacocirci. They 

 vary in length from 0'9 to 1*0 and in breadth from 0*62 to 0*74." 



(13) Crateropus striatus. — The Southern Indian Babbler. 



Oates, No. 112 ; Jerdon, No. 59. 

 This is by far the commonest of the Babblers in the south. It 

 breeds in April and May. 



(14) Crateropus somervillii. — The Rufous-tailed Babbler. 



Oates, No. 113 ; Jerdon, No. 435. 

 I include this in my list of Travancore birds on the strength of the 

 specimen mentioned by Oates as having been procured at " Kollachal in 

 Travancore." 1 have not come across it myself. 

 (15) Pomatorhinus horsfieldii. — The Southern Scimitar Babbler. 

 Oates, No. 120 ; Jerdon, No. 404. 

 This is a common bird from about 2,000 feet upwards, and may some- 

 times be found lower than this. It is more frequently heard than 

 seen, as it is very shy and frequents thick underwood. Mr. F. W. 

 Bourdillon describes it as " common at all elevations," but this is not 

 my experience. He further adds : — <c It builds a largo wove nest of 

 grass and rattan leaves placed beneath some overhanging bank or tuft 



