212 TIMALIIB^, 



upper parts by a broad black band. Tail often nearly black at 

 the end. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in horsfiddi. 



Distribution. Practically the whole of S. India, South of the 

 range of F. h. horsfieldi, wherever there are hills and mountains. 



Nidification. Tiiis bird breeds in great numbers in the Nilgiris 

 and commonly in many other places between 2,000 and 8,000 feet. 

 It makes the usual globular nest of grass, more or less mixed u ith 

 leaves, bracken and roots, very flimsily put together and placed 

 either on the ground or low down in some bush. Many authors 

 describe the full clutch as four or five, but over the greater part 

 of its range two or three is probably the normal number. They 

 are, of course, the usual pure white, and ten eggs average about 

 26-5 X 19-7 mm. They bi-eed in December to March on the AVest 

 Coast but duringMarch, April and Mav in the INilgiris and higher 

 hills. 



Habits. A gregarious bird, going about in parties from half-a- 

 dozen to a dozen or more, working through the low bushes, or on 

 the ground under them, for insects. They employ a variety of 

 soft, rather musical notes, bursting into a chorus of abuse and 

 loud language when frightened or annoyed. Their call-note is the 

 usual hoot hoot of the family. 



(209) Pomatorhinus horsfieldi melanurus. 



The Ceylon Scimitar-Babbler. 



PomatGrliinus melamtrus Blyth, J. A. S. B., xvi, p. 481 (1847) 

 (Ceylon) ; Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 118. 



Vernacular names. JNTone recorded. 



Description. Similar to horsfieldi horsfieldi but with no demar- 

 cations between the plumage of the upper parts and the sides of 

 the breast and neck, the latter being of the same ferruginous 

 brown as the former ; the tail is very dark marked with ferru- 

 ginous at the base. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris reddish bro^\ll to dull red; orbital 

 skin and eyelid dull blue ; bill pale to dark yellow, blackish 

 on the base ; legs and feet slaty or greenish plumbeous ; feet 

 generally more bluish than tarsi, claws dusky-horny. 



Measurements. Length about 210 to 215 nun. ; u ing about 

 86 to 94 mm. ; tail about 05 mm. ; tarsus about 30 mm.; culmen 

 about 25 to 26 mm. 



Distribution. Ceylon only. 



The description given above is for the individuals obtained in 

 the South, where heat and humidity are at their greatest. Birds 

 obtained on the Horton Plains and at the highest altitudes are 

 more olive than rufous and paler, less rich, in coloiation through- 

 out. I cannot, liowever, on the material available define the 

 habitat of either form, and therefore refrain from naming another 

 new race. 



