254 TIMALIID A. 
its ways it is more Wren than Babbler. They haunt dense, 
dark forest wherever there are openings for streams, pools or 
natural small glades and they specially affect places strewn 
with mossy boulders, fallen trees covered with ferns and orchids, 
old stumps etc. and over these they dodge about and scramble 
hither and thither just as does our little Wren at home. Some- 
times, however, they hop more sedately about amongst the fallen 
leaves, turning them over for the hidden insects, or they creep 
through the bracken and scrub more in the manner of a genuine 
Babbler. Fly they will not, but however hard pressed seek safety 
on their legs, scuttling away into the undergrowth where they 
speedily become non est. They are, so far as I know, always 
found in pairs and not in flocks but, as I have seen them princi- 
pally in the breeding season it may be that they collect in flocks 
in the winter. Their cry is a rather shrill “ chir-r-r” but they have 
also a rather pleasant but low set of whistling notes. They are 
«xtraordinarily tame and, if quiet, one can watch them for a long 
time without disturbing them. 
(259) Turdinulus roberti guttaticollis, 
Grants WREN-BABBLER. 
Turdinulus guttaticollis Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1895, p. 432 (Miri Hills, 
Assam). 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. Differs from Austen’s Wren-Babbler in being 
darker and browner above; the rufous on the sides of the breast 
and flanks is wanting and there is but little of this colour on the 
cheeks. 
Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the last race. 
Distribution. Hill-ranges of Eastern Assam North end—Seuth 
of the Brahmaputra. 
Nidification. Dr. H. N. Coltart and I found Grant’s Wren- 
Babbler breeding in some numbers in the hills and broken ground 
round about Margherita. It nests from some few hundred feet, or 
even in the plains (vide Stevens), up to 5,000 feet and is an early 
breeder, most of Dr. Coltart’s and my eggs being taken in March 
aud April. Nest and eggs cannot be distinguished from those of 
T. v. roberti.. The latter (40) average 19-3 x 14°83 mm. 
Habits. Except that this is a bird of lower levels the description 
of the last bird’s habits would suflice for this also. 
(260) Turdinulus epilepidotus davisoni. 
Davison’s WReEN-BABBLER. 
Turdinulus davisoni O.-Grant, Bull. B.0.C., xxv, p. 97 (1909) 
(Thoungyah). 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. Differs from either of the two preceding birds in 
