224 



TIMALIID.i;. 



Description. Differs from the preceding bird in being Ji richer 

 olive-brown above and in having the rufous head-patch streai^ed 

 with white, the streaks increasing in size and extending on to the 

 rufous of the neck and shouklers. 



Colours of soft parts. The legs and feet vary a good deal, being 

 pale bluish green, very pale brown, or pale whitish blue ; the 

 upper mandible pale brown, the lower mandible pale whitish blue; 

 iris pale to dark brown and brownish red ; naked patch behind 

 the eye flesh-colour, more or less strongly tinged blue {Hume Sf 

 Davison). 



Measurements as in F. h. liypoUucus. 



Distribution. Tenasserim. 



Hidification. Mr. C. Hopwood describes its nest as like that of 

 the Arrakan Scimitar-Babbler, but placed in clumps of bamboo 

 and made of tendrils, twigs and roots. It breeds apparently 

 from January to March, and lays two or three white eggs 

 measuring about 30-2 x 22-7 mm. 



Habits. Davison remarks that this Babbler keeps much to 

 thick undergrowth, either in pairs or small parties, keeping to the 

 ground more exclusively than any of the other ycimitar-Babblers 

 known by him. 



Genus XIPHIRAMPHUS Blyth, 1843. 



The genus Xiplnramiihus differs only from Fomatorhinus ii> 

 liaving a much longer, more slender and still more curved bill. It 

 contains but one species. 



Fig. 37. — Head of X. superciliaris. 



(226) Xiphiramphus superciliaris. 



The SLENBiiK-BiLLED Scimitar-Babblek. 



Xipfiimmphiis superciliaris Blyth, J. A. S. B., xi, p. 175 (1842) 

 (Sikkini) ; Blanf. & Dates, i, p. 128. 



Vernacular names. Karriol--tamveep (Lepcha). 



Description. Lores black; chin and throat white streaked with 

 ashy ; a white supercilium, the rest of the head slaty-grey ; upper 

 pltimage bright rufous-brown ; tail dark brown or blackish, the 



