THE BABBLERS. 17 



The White-crested Laughing-Thrush (Garrulax 

 leucolophus), a bird of nearly the size of a pigeon. In 

 colour it is dark- brown, with the full crest, the neck and 

 breast pure white, and a black mark along each side of 

 the head. The bill and feet are also black. Altogether 

 it reminds one of a lady in evening dress with her hair 

 powdered and wearing a black mask. Its manners, 

 however, although attractive, are not exactly lady-like ; 

 for it is a boisterous, rollicking bird, going about in large 

 parties which continuously explode in fits of laughter, 

 the curiously human sound of which is most infectious ! 

 In an aviary it keeps up this character, and is a most 

 excellent inmate, although not to be trusted with weak 

 birds, even of its own kind. It inhabits the Himalayas 

 from Garhwal to Arrakan, but does not range above 

 6,000 feet. In Pegu and Tenasserim a species with more 

 white on the under-surface takes its place {Garrulax 

 helangeri), but the two are much alike. Both lay white 

 eggs in an open nest in a bush. 



The Himalayan bird is plentifully brought down to 

 Calcutta in winter, and live specimens can then be easily 

 obtained, together with some other species of large Bab- 

 blers. All will do well together in an aviary with 

 Magpies, Jays and large Mynahs, and such a collection, if 

 the aviary be large enough, will be found easy to keep and 

 the most picturesque and interesting that could be found. 

 But none of these birds are suited for small aviaries. 



Only one of the large Babblers has much repute as a 

 songster, and this may almost always be procured in 

 Calcutta. 



F, GAB 2* 



