206 TIMALILD. 
(199) Pomatorhinus schisticeps schisticeps. 
Tue SLATY-HEADED SCIMITAR-BABBLER. 
Pomatorhinus schisticeps Hodgs., As. Res., xix, p. 181 (1886) (Nepal) ; 
Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 116. 
Vernacular names. Pabdoa(Beng.); Phoyeum-pho or Phurreeam- 
pho (Lepcha); Bhiakuroh (Parbuttiah). 
Description. Forehead to nape dark slate, the shafts darker ; 
upper plumage and wing-coverts rufescent olive-brown; a bold 
supercilium from nostrils to nape white; 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. 34.—Head of P. s. schisticeps. 
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 98 to 
106 mm. tail about 115 to120 mm.; tarsus about 32 min.; culmen 
about 27 mm. 
Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and hills North of the Brahma- 
putra; how far East is not known exactly at present, but Stevens 
found it common in N. Lakhimpur. 
Nidification. This Scimitar-Babbler breeds freely from the foot- 
hills of the Himalayas up to at least 5,000 feet, but is most 
-eommon 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 domed though the top is so 
fragile that it often collapses and appears to be only part of an 
ill-made shallow saucer. The eggs are three or four in number, 
pure white, as with all Scimitar-Babblers, fragile for their size, 
sometimes highly glossed, sometimes almost or quite lossless, 
cenerally a distinctly pointed oval, and they measure about 26°4 x 
18:0 mm. The breeding season is April, May and June. 
Habits. The 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 
