TEOCHALOPTERUM. 173 



Trochalopterum variegatum. 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. Outer webs of primaries and part of tail 



yellow T.v. variegatum, p. 173. 



B. Outer webs of primaries and part of tail 



slaty-blue T.v. simile, p. 174. 



(162) Trochalopterum variegatum variegatum. 



The Easterx A^aeiegated LAUGiiii^iG-TiiKusn. 



Cinclusoma variegatum Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831, p. 56 (Himalayas, 



E. Nepal). 

 Trochalopterum variee/atum. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 95. 



Vernacular names. Ganza (Nepalese). 



Description. Forehead fulvous ; c-rown and nape ashy-brown; 

 feathers of eyelid aud a spot behind the eye white ; lores and a 

 line over and below the eye to the ear-coverts black ; ear-coverts 

 white with a black patch ; chin and upper throat bhack ; cheeks 

 fulvous, meeting round the black throat; sides of neck and whole 

 upper plumage olive-brown ; wing-coverts the same, the greater 

 broadly edged with rufous ; winglet and primary-coverts black ; 

 the inner webs of the inner secondaries black, the outer grey 

 tipped with white ; outer webs of other quills bright golden- 

 yellow tinged with rufous and tip|)ed with white; a large black 

 patch on the outer secondaries ; the middle four pairs of tail- 

 feathers black on three parts of their length, then ashy-yellow 

 and tipped with white, the other feathers ashy -yellow on the inner 

 webs, olive-yellow on the outer and tipped white ; breast and 

 sides of the body fulvescent ashy-brown; remainder of lower 

 plumage bright tawny-buff. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill black ; legs and feet pale reddish 

 orange-brown : iris pale yellou-green, brown, raw sienna-brown, 

 pale yellowish brown (Bume). 



Measurements. Length about 280 to 290 mm.; wing 102 to 

 112 mm.; tail about 130 nun.: tarsus about 38 mm.; culinen 

 about 20 mm. 



Distribution. Himalayas from Chamba to Nepal. 

 Kidification. This Laughing-Thrush breeds from Simla to 

 Nepal in April, May and June at elevations between 4,000 and 

 8,000 feet. The nest is a bulky cup made principally of grass 

 with a few roots, dead leaves, etc., mingled with it. Sometimes 

 there is no lining, but at other times there are a few roots and 

 grass stems. It is placed in low bushes and small trees at any 

 height above the ground from a few inches to 10 feet. The eggs 

 generally number three, sometimes four and very rarelv live. 

 They ai-e a pale, rather dull blue in colour, freckled and spotted 

 with different shades of reddish brown, aud are not nearly such 



