282 TIMALIID®. 
birds, shunning observation and haunting thick cover. Jerdon 
says: ‘It frequents the thickest underwood in dense and lofty 
jungles; lives in small flocks of five or six, and is constantly 
hopping about the thick bushes with an incessant loud, twittering 
note. It lives on various insects.” 
(295) Rhopocichla atriceps bourdilloni. 
BourpbiLton’s BABBLER. 
Alcippe bourdillont Hume, 8. F., iv, p. 899 (1876) (Mynall). 
Rhopocichla bourdillont. Blanf. & Oates, 1, p. 161. 
Vernacular names. None recorded. 
Description. The black of the crown, nape, lores and cheeks of 
R. a. atriceps is replaced with brown and the lower parts from 
lower breast to under tail-coverts are ferruginous. 
Distribution. Travancore, froni North to South. 
Colours of soft parts and Habits as in the last bird. Mr. T. F. 
Bourdillon describes the nest as being made of soft blades of reed- 
grass lined witt fine roots. The eggs, which are always two, 
measure 19°1 x J4°3 mm. 
The principal breeding season lasts from March to May but 
there seems to be a second brood very often in July and August. 
(296) Rhopocichla atriceps nigrifrons, 
Tor Buack-FRoNrTED BABBLER. 
Alcippe ngrifons Blyth, J. A. 8. B., xviii, p. 815 (1849) (Ceylon). 
Rhopocichla nigrifrons. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 160. 
Vernacular names. Butitchia (Ceylon). 
Description. Differs from 2. a. atriceps in having the black of 
the crown replaced by rutous-brown, a little darker than the rest 
of the upper plumage; the white feathers of the cheeks have 
lengthened black shatts and the vent, thighs and under tail-coverts 
are rufous-brown, 
Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the two preceding 
forms. 
Distribution. Ceylon only. 
Nidification. There are apparently two breeding seasons, one in 
May and Juve and the second in December and January. The 
nest is a ball of dead leaves with an inner lining of twigs and is 
usually placed in some bramble or straggling bush near a jungle 
pathway, 2 to 5 feet from the ground. The eggs, two only, 
are exactly like those of the other races and measure about 
19-2 x 14:2 mm. 
Habits. According to Legge this race is much bolder and more 
lively than either of the others and he describes it as a very 
inquisitive, cheerful little bird fluttering about the bushes and 
ollowing one another in true Babbler style. 
