PYCNONOTUS. 413 



and Borueo ; East throughout Siam to Cochin China, Aunam and 

 Yunnan. 



Nidification. This Bulbul breeds in the plains and lower hills 

 up to some 1,500 feet, making the usual Bulbul's cup-shaped nest 

 of leaves, grass and fern roots, fine twigs, etc., lined with fine 

 grass and fern roots. It is generally strongly bub rather slightly 

 made and is plnced in bushes or saplings at any height from 3 to 

 15 feet from the ground. It is built in small jungle or scrub, 

 occasionally in denser forest and sometimes quite close to villages 

 and human habitations. The eggs are either two or three in 

 number and most of them resemble richly-marked eggs of 

 Otocompsa, though they vary a good deal inter se. Fifteen eggs 

 average 22-4 x lG-1 mm.; the extremes are 23-1 X 16*5 and 

 21-4x1 5-2 mm. 



The breeding season is from February to June. 



Habits. Davison remarks that this is the n)ost common form 

 of Bulbul in the plains" portion of Tenasserim. "It does not 

 affect forests but is found on the outskirts of it, in scrub-jungle, 

 in cleared land and in gardens, giving perhaps the preference to 

 the latter. They do not go in flocks but there are generally so 

 many about that it is difficult to say whether they are in pairs or 

 single. The note is a rather pleasant, feeble whistling chirrup, 

 continually uttered whether the bird is sitting or flying. It is a 

 very lively bird, always on the move." It feeds both on berries 

 and insects, which it takes on the ground as well as on trees and 

 bushes. 



(428) Pycnonotus finlaysoni davisoni. 

 Davison's Steipe-thkoated Bulbul, 

 Ixus davisoni Hume, S. F., iii, p. 301 (1875) (Arrakan). 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Differs from the preceding bird in having the 

 forehead and crown concolorous except for a narrow yellow 

 line just above the lores ; the yellow on the throat and chin is 

 much less in extent ; the whole head and nape is dull olive with 

 faint golden centres to the feathers. 



Colours of soft parts as in P.fi.finlaijsoni. 



Measurements. A slightly bigger bird than Fiulayson's Bulbul, 

 the wing running from 76 mm. to 90 mm. 



Distribution. Arrakan, Chin Hills to Tenasserim West of 

 Sittaung Eiver. 



Nidification. Gates obtained two nests in Pegu — cups made of 

 stems of weeds, lined with grass and placed low down, one in a 

 bush, the other in a creeper about 4 feet from the ground. In 

 both cases there were two eggs, typical Bulbul's eggs, in every way. 



