lA^TIIOCINCLA. 159 



Habits. The Rufous-cliinned Laughing-Thriisli is found in 

 pairs or in small parties of four and five and, like tiie rest of its 

 relatives, haunts undergrowth, scrub and secondary growth, but 

 always in forest or in its immediate vicinity. It is not a noisy 

 bird, but has a large variety of notes, some of which are harsh 

 and loud and some are soft and mellow ; its flight, when it can be 

 forced to take to wing, is feeble and ill-sustained, but in clambering 

 about bushes and reeds it is very active and equally so on the 

 ground, where it seeks much of its food, both insect and seed. 

 It is found as low as 2,500 feet, but is most common between 

 4,000 and 6,000 feet, ascending as high as 8,000 feet. 



(144) lanthocincla rufogularis assamensis. 



Harteet's Laughing-Thrush. 



lanfhocmcbi rufvijularis assainensis Hartert, Viig. Pal., i, p. 635 

 (1910) (Margheritaj Assam). 



Vernacular names. Mi-pa-pita (Traus-Diku Nagas). 



Description. Differs from typical rufogularis m having the 

 whole chin and throat rufous and the ear-coverts almost all, or 

 nearly all, rufous. 



Colours of soft parts as in rufogularis. 



Measurements. A rather smaller bird than rufogularis with 

 wing about 91 to 94 mm. 



Distribution. The whole of Assam south of the Brahiuaputra as 

 far South as the Lushai and Chittagong Hills and as far East 

 as Lakhimpur and thence into the Chin Hills. 



Nidification. Breeds from 3,500 feet upwards throughout its 

 habitat in May and June, with an occasional second laying in 

 August and September. The site selected is almost invariably 

 a bush in lieavy forest, though the part selected is always near an 

 opening of some kind, river, road or a natural open glade. Nest 

 and eggs like those of the preceding birds. 40 eggs average 

 26-5 X 18-9 mm. 



Habits. Similar to those of rtfogularis. 



(145) lanthocincla rufogularis occidentalis. 



The Kashmir Laughing-Thrush. 



lanthocincla rufogularis occidentalis Hartert, Vtig. Pal. i, p. 635 

 (1910) (Dehra Doou). 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Similar to the Rufous-chinned Laughing-Thrush, 

 but has the ear-coverts rusty-orange and the upper parts pale, 

 more olive and less rufous. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements the same as in the last. 



