PELLORNEUM. 243 
Measurements. Total length about 160 mm.; wing 62 to 
68 min.; tail about 64 to 69 mm.; tarsus about 26 mm.; culmen 
about 15 mm. | 
Distribution. Assam, South of the Brahmaputra and N. Lak- 
himpur, North of that river. 
Nidification. I found the bird breeding in the North of 
N. Cachar in the wide stretches of upland grass. In the hollows 
water stood for the greater part of the year, but the nests were 
built on the higher lands, tucked in amongst the roots of grass or 
under the protection of some small shrub or weed. Later I found 
them breeding in Cachar and Sylhet Plains and again in Lakhim- 
pur where the nests were all built in reeds and grass on the 
banks of rivers and edges of swamps. April to June appear 
to be the breeding months, and the nest and eggs are similar 
to those of P. r. mandellti, but the latter measure only about 
20°6 x 15°7 mm. 
Habits. The Marsh Spotted Babbler is found principally in the 
plains, but wanders up to at least 2,500 feet. Jerdon obtained it 
both in long grass and reeds and in *‘ bushes and low tree-jungle,” 
but I have never seen it in cover other than grass and reeds, 
though this may vary from short sun-grass in N. Cachar, not 
2 feet high, to the dense elephant-grass of the plains, over 12 teet 
high. The note isa sharp double chirp, syllabefized by Stevens as 
‘‘chi-chew,” constantly repeated. They are rather noisy but very 
skulking little birds, and one seldom sees them under ordinary 
circumstances, but when beating for game they may often be seen 
flitting in a rather lop-sided manner from one patch of grass to 
another. 
(247) Pellorneum ignotum ignotum. 
THE ASSAMESE BABBLER. 
Pellorneum ignotum Hume, 8. F., v, p. 839 (1877) (Sadiya, Assam) ; 
Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 144. 
Vernacular names. Dao-chiki (Cachari). 
Description. Whole upper plumage, tail and exposed parts of 
the wing rufescent olive-brown; wings and tail rather more 
rufescent than the back; lores and over the eyes greyish brown ; 
ear-coverts brown with paler shafts ; sides of neck like the back ; 
chin, throat, centre of breast and abdomen dull white, very 
slightly mottled with rufescent brown; remainder of lower 
plumage rusty-brown. 
Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown; bill pale bluish-horny, 
paler still on lower mandible; legs and feet light sienna-grey to 
fleshy. 
Measurements. Length about 150 mm.; wing 56 to 59 mm.; 
tail 51 to 55 mm.; tarsus about 23 mm.; culmen about 12 to 
13 mm. 
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