THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN THAILAND 357 



GARRULAX LEUCOLOPHUS DIARDI (Lesson) 



Indo-Chinese White-crested Laughing-thrush 



Tardus Diardi Lesson, Traite d'ornithologie, 1831, p. 408 (Cochin-China). 



Garrulax diardi, Gtldenstolpe, Jburn. Nat. Hist. Soc. Siam, 1915, p. 164 (listed). 



Oarrulax leucolophus diardi, Gyldenstolpe, Kuiigl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 

 1916, p. 53 (Pha Kho, Khun Tan, Pang Hua Phong, Tha Chomphu) ; Ibis, 

 1920, p. 486 ("The whole of Siam"). — de Schauensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philadelphia, 1928, p. 567 (Doi Suthep) ; 1929, p. 530 (Chiang Mai, Chiang 

 Saen, Chiang Saen Kao) ; 1934, p. 183 (Chiang Mai, "Tung Sio," Chiang 

 Saen).— Deignan, Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1931, p. 136 (Doi 

 Suthep, Chiang Mai) ; 1936, p. 105 (Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai).— Chasen and 

 Boden Kloss, Journ. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl., 1932, p. 243 (Doi Suthep).— 

 Riley, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 172, 1938, p. 317 (Doi Ang Ka, Mae Khan, Chiang 

 Dao, Khun Tan, Muang Pai, Phrae, Ban Nam Khian). 



This large babbler occurs abundantly in the dry deciduous forest 

 of all our provinces from the plains to about 2,700 feet, rarely in 

 mixed-deciduous jungle as high as 3,200 feet, and has once been seen 

 in open pinewoods on Doi Ang Ka at 3.500 feet. 



Travel through the hot pa daeng is enlivened by the large flocks of 

 these birds, which, at the approach of the wayfarer, scuttle like rats 

 across the trail or skim the ground on stiffly set wings, one after the 

 other, then move along through the bushes before him to the accom- 

 paniment of hysterical "laughter." Far from showing timidity, they 

 often first intimate their presence by raising a general babble and 

 approaching for a nearer view. Their excitement is shown by beating 

 the wings and jumping off the ground, while others ascend into the 

 undergrowth and lower branches of the trees, constantly cackling and 

 laughing; as the uproar begins to die down in one quarter, it arises 

 again from another, as in a musical round. If one waits quietly, the 

 party soon loses interest in the stranger and, with conversational notes, 

 begins hunting for food, peering under the vegetation or rising into 

 the air and kicking backward with both feet at once, causing loud 

 cracklings and rustlings of the dry leaves. 



The only actual breeding record for our area is that of Gyldenstolpe 

 (1916) , who discovered at Tha Chomphu, May 2, 1914, "a nest contain- 

 ing 4 pure white eggs. The nest was placed in a low tree and rather 

 difficult to detect among the leaves though it was fairly large. The 

 Avhole structure of the nest somewhat resembled that of our common 

 Song Thrush." Since I took a male with the gonads enlarged, July 

 16, and another with the organs greatly enlarged, July 29, it is evident 

 that the breeding season covers a number of months, and, in fact, 

 Riley (1938) has shown that, in the more southern districts of Thai- 

 land, it runs from March to August. 



There is a prenuptial molt of the feathers of the head and neck, and 



