THRINGORHINA. 261 
Nidification. In India this bird breeds in April and May and 
sometimes in June, whilst in Burma its nest has been found from 
February to May.’ It breeds only in deep, wet tree-forest with 
ample undergrowth and preferably near some stream, making a 
massive nest of dead leaves, weeds and grass with an inner cup of 
leaves, roots and weeds compactly bound together and lined with 
roots. It may be placed in a clump of weeds, a low bush or in 
some fern-palm near the ground. The egos number three to five 
and are very beautiful ; the ground-colour varies from a very pale 
to a rich pale salmon- _pink, whilst the markings consist of spots, 
blotches and lines of deep red-brown with paler spots of light red 
and neutral tint. In shape they are normal ovals and the texture 
is fine with a good gloss. They measure about 22-2 16°5 mm, 
but vary greatly in size. 
Habits. Abbott’s Babbler is a bird of the plains and the foot- 
hills, rarely being found much over 2,000 feet. It haunts deep forest 
where it is always humid and green and where the trees have an 
ample undergrowth of plants, weeds and bushes. In N. Cachar 
it was always to be found near rivers and streams and it is 
very partial to places where palm-ferns grow in great luxuriance. 
They have a pleasant whistling note but are very silent birds, 
creeping about in the dense undergrowth very quietly and 
stealthily. They are apparently entirely insectivorous. 
Genus THRINGORHINA Oates, 1889. 
The genus Thringorhina contains four species of peculiar 
coloration characterized by the very large operculum over the 
nostrils. The bill is very strong, with the culmen curved gently 
Fig. 49.—Head of 7. guttata. 
throughout, and the rictal bristles are weak. The feathers of the 
forehead are harsh to the touch and those of the crown ample and 
erectile, possibly forming a short crest in life. This genus is very 
close to Stachyris avd like that genus the birds contained in it a!l 
lay pure white eggs. 
Key to Spesies. 
A. Wings and tail barred with brown........ T. oglet, p. 262. 
B. Wines and, tail plaim. 1.507. Fi jenstcan ot T. guttata, p. 262. 
