BIRDS FROM THE NORTH CHI A HILLS. 79 



bamboos, ami uosts and eggs were precisely similar to typical 

 T. phwriiceum. 



•2\, Manipur Streaked Laughing-Thrush — Tiochalopterum virgatum. 

 (98). 



Moderately common : breeds a little later than /. cineracea ; 

 j.^.,the tirst incubated eggs I got were in May 2nd. The nest 

 is generally built in thick bushes in open jungle, or in the grass 

 round the base of a bush. It is a neat structure made of grass 

 and bamboo leaves outsiile, then a few ordinary tree leaves (dry) 

 and creeper stems, lined with fine grass and rootlets. It is 

 generally very thick at the bottom. The eggs are indistin- 

 guishable from those of T. lineatum. Average size of 22 eggs 

 r03"x "To", length varying from -95" to 1"12", and the breadth 

 from -72" to -79". 



25. Austen's Striated Laughing-Thrush — Gmmmatoptila striata austeni. 



(102). 



Nest with 3 fresh eggs on 29th April 1914. Both nest and 

 eggs very similar to those of G. ijectoralis. 



26. Spotted-breasted Laughing-Thrush — Stactocichla merulina. (103). 



Nest with 2 eggs and parent bird on 27th April 1914 ; as 

 described in Harington's notes. 



27. Grant's Scimitar Babbler — Pomatorhinus schistieeps mearsi. (116 «). 



Only found in the foot hills. 



28; Phayre's Scimitar Babbler — Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, phaynii . {^1^) . 



The birds are not uncommon, and one or two nests were 

 obtained, c/3., Fresh, 24th April 1914. c/3., Hard set, 10th 

 May 1915. 



29. Baker's Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler — Pomatorhhms i-uficollis 



bakeri. (125). 



Fairly common. Took eggs in 1913 and 1914 but none in 

 1915. 



30. McClelland's Scimitar Babbler — Pomatovhinus erythrogenus macclel- 



landi. (130). 



Extremely common. Normal clutch, 3. 



31. Burmese Spotted Babbler — Pellorneum ruficepsminus. (143). 



Foothills. 



32. Rippon's Babbler — Pelloi-neum ignotuni cinnamomeum. (148 a). 



Occurs, not rare. The nest is generally in the lowest branches 

 of a thickish bush 1' to 4' high, being worked in with, the grass 

 around, if there is any. I found one nest on the ground built 

 into the roots of a tree, from which the soil had been washed 

 away. The nest is built of grass on a foundation of bamboo 

 leaves with a lining of moss roots, and is nearly always domed, 

 often very slightly. The eggs number 2 to 4, generally 3, and 

 are reddish white, freckled all over with red-brown markings 

 generally to form a cap, or ring round the large end. In shape, 



