414 Mr. C. E. Stuart Baker on Indian 



others always spotted. I refer to the Laughing Thrushes 

 of the genus Trochalopterum, a handsome group of birds 

 usually furnished with fine colour on the wing, in many 

 cases not unlike the speculum of a duck, hut of course never 

 metallic. 



NoAv the strongest affinities shown by this genus are un- 

 doubtedly to GarruXaoe and laathuchicla, typical Laughing 

 Thrushes, all laying whole-coloured eggs ; but, on the 

 other hand, I think, the individual birds show certain 

 characteristics found in members of other subfamilies, 

 notably in Act'uiodura, and less so in Lioptila and Sibia — 

 all of which genera belong to the subfamily Brachypterygincs, 

 and lay spotted eggs, yet make nests very similar to those of 

 Trochalopterum. We may therefore consider that this 

 genus forms the connecting link between the first subfamily 

 and the others. 



If we admit this, it would necessitate the alteration of the 

 order in which the genera are placed by Gates, and they 

 might be arranged thus : — (1) Xiphorhamplms, (2) Pomato- 

 rhinus, R\i(\ (3) lanthocincla, laying white eggs; (4) Dryo- 

 nastes and (5) Garrulax, laying either white or blue eggs ; 

 (6) Argya, (7) Crateropus, (8) Grammatoptila, and (9) Stacto- 

 cichht, all laying whole-coloured blue eggs ; and finally 

 Trochalopterum, the birds of which genus lay either whole- 

 coloured blue eggs or else have them more or less spotted 

 and speckled. 



As regards the two genera which lay either white or blue 

 eggs, I can suggest no natural division following the color- 

 ation; but future workers on this subject should note that 

 the white-headed Laughing Thrushes not only lay eggs which 

 are white, but which are also totally different in texture and 

 shape from those of any other Laughing Thrushes with the 

 one exception of Dryonastes galbanus. 



The gloss on the eggs in these two genera varies in extent 

 from intense brilliance in the Rufous-necked Laughing 

 Thrush to comparative dullness in the Necklaced Laughing- 

 Thrushes. The smoothness again varies to the same extent, 

 and the porousness of the shell and closeness of texture in 



