THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN THAILAND 383 



these mountains it is uncommon and restricted to the heavy evergreen 

 between 4,600 and 5,500 feet. 



Its habits are quite like those of Stachyris n. yuntianensis and Al- 

 cippe m. laotiana, two species with which it is usually associated. 



An example from Phu Kha, April 8, had the gonads greatly enlarged ; 

 two from Doi Hua Mot, August 30, are in postnuptial molt. 



De Schauensee records (1934) that his specimens had the irides 

 red-brown ; the bill black, fleshy at the base of the mandible ; the feet, 

 toes, and claws yellow. 



In fresh plumage, the adult has the forehead and crown dull golden, 

 the feathers with ill-defined blackish central streaks; the remaining 

 upperparts olive ; the lores and, sometimes, a more or less distinct short 

 mustachial streak slaty gray; the entire underparts bright yellow. 

 In worn plumage and after death, the yellow becomes much less 

 bright. 



STACHYRIS CHRYSAEA AURATA de Schauensee 



Southern Shan Golden-headed Babbler 



Stachyris chrysaea aurata de Schauensee, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 

 vol. 90, 1938, p. 29 (Doi Pha Horn Pok, North Thailand). 



This race is still known only from the original series of three adults 

 (two males, one female), taken by de Schauensee's collectors on Doi 

 Pha Horn Pok, 6,400 feet, in February, 1938. 



From assimilis, aurata differs in having the pileum bright golden 

 and the mantle golden-olive. 



JS. c. aurata seems to be a valid form, intermediate between assimilis 

 and chrysaea. S. c. assimilis has the lores and mustachial streak slaty 

 gray, the pileum dull golden with ill-defined blackish streaks, the 

 mantle olive; aurata has the lores and mustachial streak slaty gray, 

 the pileum bright golden with ill-defined blackish streaks, the mantle 

 golden-olive; chrysaea has the lores and mustachial streak black, 

 the pileum blight golden with well-defined black streaks, and the 

 mantle olive-golden. It is, of course, essential that specimens of ap- 

 proximately the same date of collection be used for comparison. 



STACHYRIS RUFIFRONS RUFIFRONS Hume 



Peguan Rufous-fronted Babbler 



Stachyris rufifrons Hume, Stray Feathers, vol. 1, 1873, pp. 479-480 ("On the dry 

 western slopes of the Pegu Hills"). 



A single mummified specimen (Princeton), collected by me on Doi 

 Ang Ka, 4,400 feet, in April 1931, agrees best with the present race, 

 which is not otherwise known from Thailand. 



The species, always at that season in pairs, was observed several 

 times in a dense stand of lalang. 



