206 TIMALIIb.I. 



(199) Pomatorhinus schisticeps schisticeps. 



Tii£ Slaty-headed Scimitak-Babblkii. 



Pomntorhinus schisticeps Hodjrs., As. Re?., xix, p. 1^1 (1836) (Nepal) ; 

 Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 11(3. 



Vernacular names. Pahdoa{\ieug.); Phoije^iin-plio ov Flmrrceam- 

 pho (Lepclia); Bhialuroh (Parbuttiah). 



Description. Foreliead to nape dark slate, the shafts darker ; 

 upper ])himage and wing-coverts rufescent olive-brown ; a bold 

 superciliuni from nostrils to nape wliite ; lores and ear-coverts 

 black; a large patch on the sides of the neck' extending to sides 

 of breast and abdomen rich maroon-chestnut, streaked with white 

 except on the neck; flanks, vent and under tail-coverts dusky 

 olive-brown ; remainder of under parts from chin white. 



Fig. 3t. — Head of P. .<. ticJ/isticejis. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris pale yellow, pale reddish yellow or 

 pale creamy ; pale glaucous -brown in young birds; bill pale dull 

 yellow, the base of the upper mandible blackish ; legs slaty, claws 

 horny and soles yellowish. 



Measurements. Length about 270 mm.; wing about OS to 

 106 aim. ; tail about 115 rol20 nun. ; tarsus about 32 mm.; culmen 

 about 27 uim. 



Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and hills Xortli of the Brahma- 

 putra; how far East is not known exactly at present, but Stevens 

 found it commou in N. Lakhimpur. 



Nidification. Tliis Scimitar-Babbler breeds freely fi-om the foot- 

 hills of the Himalayas up to at least 5,000 feet, but is most 

 common between 1,500 and 2,500 feet. It makes a nest of grass, 

 leaves and fibrous material, either cup-shaped or with the 

 materials produced so as to make it doined though the top is so 

 fraf^ile that it often collapses and appears to be only part of an 

 ill-uuide. shallow saucer. The eggs are three or four in number, 

 pure white, as with all Scimitar- Babblers, fragile for their size, 

 sometimes hi^'hly glossed, sometimes almost or quite glossless, 

 o-enerally a distinctly pointed oval, and they measure about 26*4 x 

 i8-0 mm. The breeding season is April, May and June. 



Habits, riie Slaty-headed Scimitar-Babbler is a sociable, noisy 

 bird but its notes when disturbed or alarmed are very mellow 

 and musical and during the breeding season, when the flocks 

 break up into pairs, it has a low, musical " hoot-hoot," which the 



