oO. 
ARGYA. 199 
The principal months are March to May before the rains break 
and again in July to Septeinber. The nest is a fairly neat cup 
made of grass, with roots, grass, bark and other fibrous material 
to a lesser extent mixed with it. There is either no lining or a 
very slight one of fine grass stems. It may be placed in almost any 
position low down; generally in a thorny bush, but also in cactus 
hedges, orange-trees, babools, tufts of grass, tangles of canes or 
vines, creepers over trellis-work or any similar site. It measures 
roughly about 5” x 24” externally by about 3” x 2’, or rather 
less, inside. The eggs number three or four, in South India 
sometimes only two. They are of the typical dark glossy-blue 
colour common to the genus, in shape broad, blunt ovals, whilst 
the average of 200 eggs is 21:2 x 16-1 mm. 
Habits. In the North of India this is one of the most common 
and familiar of birds, entering and breeding in compounds and all 
round about villages, but it is found wherever there is open 
country with sufficient cover in the way of bushes, hedges and 
scrub. It does not haunt forests, but 1s often found in high erass- 
covered plains when they are dry. In the South of India it is said 
to be less confiding in its habits and rather to shun the vicinity of 
human beings. Its flight and manners generally are similar to 
those of the last bird, but it is less noisy. Its voice is described 
by Jerdon as a “low, undertoned warbling whistle” and it also 
has a constant soft chattering. 
(193) Argya caudata huttoni. 
THe AFGHAN BABBLER. 
Malacocercus huttoni Blyth, J. A. 8S. B., xvi, p. 476 (1847) (Candahar). 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. Similar to the last bird but much paler and greyer, 
the central marks less defined and not so dark. It is also a 
trifle larger. 
Colours of soft parts as in the last bird. 
Measurements. Wing 83 to 95 mmm.; tail 125 to 135 mm. 
Distribution. Afghanistan, Baluchistan and $.E. Persia. A 
specimen from “the Jay River Hills,’ Sind, is a very typical 
example of this race, but other specimens from the plains of Sind 
are true caudata, I cannot separate Hume’s eclipes. 
Nidification and Habits do not appear to differ from those 
of the Indian bird. 
(194) Argya gularis. 
Tne WHITE-THROATED BABBLER. 
Chatarrhea gularis, Blyth, J. A.S. B., xxiv, p. 478 (1855) (EE. side 
ot Bay of Bengal). 
Argya guaris. ‘Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 107. 
Vernacular names. Zay-we (Burmese). 
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