Boe TIMALIID A. 
having the sides of the head brown, instead of deep ashy; the 
breast and lower plumage are brown merely tinged with rufous, 
and the wing-spots are less conspicuous and fulvous instead of 
white. 
Colours of soft parts. Irides dark. red; upper. mandible dark 
brown, lower plumbeous, darkish at the base, paler elsewhere ; 
mouth creainy-slate colour; legs and feet pale fleshy- -brown. 
Measurements. Length about 130 mm.; wing 56 to 61 mm.; 
tail about 44 to 46 mm.; tarsus about 24 mm.; culmen about 16 mm. 
Distribution. Assam and Manipur. Probably not North of the 
Brahmaputra. 
Nidification. This Babbler breeds in May and June at all 
heights above 4,000 feet, invariably in very rocky ground on steep 
well- forested hill-sides. In the Khasia Hills it frequents rhodo- 
dendron forest fer breeding purposes, making its deep, cup-shaped 
or semi-domed nest of dead leaves, fern fronds, grass and moss 
bound tegether with roots and tendrils and lined with dead leaves. 
Although fairly well put together the materials are very rotten 
and the nest falls to pieces when handled. It is always placed on 
the ground, generally in some damp situation at the foot of a tree, 
rock or other cover and so closely resembles the rest of the decay- 
ing vegetation round it that is very hard to find. 
The egos number 2 to 4 and are a glossy china-white with 
rather sparse specks and spots, or small blotches, of reddish and 
pale pinkish purple. Thirty eggs average 21°35 x 16-0 mm. 
Habits. This is one of the most shy birds and though not un- 
common in suitable Jocalities is seldom seen and still less often 
possible to watch. At the slightest sound or movement it slinks 
away at a great pace on foot and at once becomes invisible, though 
its low, chirring note may be continued close by until the intruder 
leaves. It is generally found in pairs. but occasionally small 
family parties may be met with in the cold weather. It is a 
purely tree-forest bird and never seems to haunt the low serub- 
jungle or secondary growth so beloved by many Babblers and, 
even the forest, to suit it, must be damp and shady and much 
broken up into rocky ravines and steep slopes. It is found up to 
the top of the highest hills in 8S. Assam but in the cold weather 
may be found down as low as 3 ,000 feet. 
(257) Turdinulus brevicaudatus venningi. 
VENNING’s WREN- BABBLER. 
Turdinulus brevicaudatus venningt Warington, Bull, B, O. C., xxxix, 
p. 269 (1870) (Shan States). 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. Similar to 7’. 6. brevicaudatus but has the upper 
plumage greyer, the breast and abdomen dark rufous and the 
flanks dark brown 
