164 TIMALIID^. 



shaped nests of leaves, bracken, ferns and grass witli a thin 

 lining of roots and fine grass. Outwardly the nests measure 

 about 6 inches in diameter by 3 inches in depth, and are placed 

 low down in thick bushes or tangled undergrowth in forests. 

 The eggs, two or three in number, are pale bright Thrush-egg 

 blue-green in colour, dotted and blotched sparsely at the larger 

 end with dark brownish red. In shape they are rather long ovals 

 and in texture smooth and fine with but little gloss. Fourteen 

 eggs average 29-2 x 21-3 mm. 



Habits. This bird, and indeed most of this genus, is much less 

 noisv than those of the genus GarruJax, and though sometimes 

 found in small tiocks,is not so invariably gregarious, often wander- 

 ing about in pairs. Tliey keep up a continuous conversational 

 chatter, interrupted with louder calls, some of which are quite 

 mellow and sweet. They feed almost entirely on the ground itself 

 or in the lower undergrowth in forests, and take to wing only 

 when forced to do so. They are both insectivorous and eat small 

 seeds. 



(149) Trochalopterum erythrocephalum erythrolaema. 

 Hume's Eed-iieaded Laughing-Thiiusii. 



Trochalopterum erythroliema Hume, S. F., x, p. 153 (1881) (Matchi,. 



8. Manipur) ; Blanf. & Oatea, i, p. 90. 

 Trochalopterum holerytlirops Ilippon, Bull. B. 0. C, xiv,p. 83 (1904) 



(Chill Hills). 



Vernacular names. Xone recorded. 



Description. Differs from the last in having the lores and point 

 of chin dusky brown : the chin and thi'oat chestnut like the 

 crown ; the breast chestnut and the centre of the abdomen ferru- 

 ginous. The forehead is tinged with grey. 



Colours of soft parts as in the last bird. 



Measurements. Length about 250 to 260 mm. ; wing about 91 to- 

 9.5 mm.; tail about 110 to 115 mm. ; culmen 19 to 21 mm. ; tarsus 

 27 mm. 



Distribution. East Manipur and Chin Hills. 



Nidification. The nest and eggs cannot be distinguished from 

 those of the last bird. Twenty-two eggs average 29*9 x 20-5 mm.. 



(150) Trochalopterum erythrocephalum nigrimentum. 



TUE 8IKKIM KeD-HEA1)ED LAUGlIING-TnuUSII. 



Trochalopterwn niqrimentum Oates, Blanf. & Gates, Avifauna B. I.,. 

 i, p. 91 (1889) (Nepal) (ex Hodgson MS.). 



Vernacular names. Tarpliom-pho (Lepcha) ; Paniony (Bhutea).. 



Description. Similar to T. en/throcephalum, but the forehead is 

 rufous with black shafts and the anterior portion of the crown 

 deep grey, each feather black in the centre ; the ear-coverts are- 



