TROCHALOPTEKUH. 173 



Trochalopterum variegatum. 



Key to Subspecies. 



A. Outer webs of primaries and part of tail 



yellow T. v. variegatum, p. 173. 



B. Outer webs of primaries and part of tail 



slaty-blue T. v. simile, p. 174. 



(162) Trochalopterum variegatum variegatum. 



THE EASTEBST VABIEGATED LAUGHIKG-THEUSH. 



Cinclosoma varieyatum Vigors, P. Z. S., 1831, p. 56 (Himalayas, 



E. Nepal). 

 Trochalopterum variegatum. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 95. 



Vernacular names. Ganza (Nepalese). 



Description. Forehead fulvous; crown and nape ashy-brown; 

 feathers of eyelid and a spot behind the eye white ; lores and a 

 line over and below the eye to the ear-coverts black ; ear-coverts 

 white with a black patcb ; chin and upper throat black ; cheeks 

 fulvous, meeting round the black throat; sides of neck and whole 

 upper plumage olive-brown ; wing-coverts the same, the greater 

 broadly edged with rufous ; winglet and primary-coverts black ; 

 the inner webs of the inner secondaries black, the outer grey 

 tipped with white ; outer webs of other quills bright golden- 

 yellow tinged with rufous and tipped with white ; a large black 

 patch on the outer secondaries ; the middle four pairs of tail- 

 feathers black on three parts of their length, then ashy-yellow 

 and tipped with white, the other feathers ashy -yellow on the inner 

 webs, olive-yellow on the outer and tipped white ; breast and 

 sides of the body fulvescent ashy-brown ; remainder of lower 

 plumage bright tawny-buff. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill black ; legs and feet pale reddish 

 orange-brown ; iris pale yellow-green, brown, raw sienna-brown, 

 pale yellowish brown (Hume). 



Measurements. Length about 280 to 290mm.; wing 102 to 

 112 mm.; tail about 130mm.: tarsus about 38mm.; cuhnen 

 about 20 mm. 



Distribution. Himalayas from Chamba to Nepal. 

 Nidification. This Laughing-Thrush breeds from Simla to- 

 Nepal in April, May and June at elevations between 4,000 and 

 8,000 feet. The nest is a bulky cup made principally of grass 

 with a few roots, dead leaves, etc., mingled with it. Sometimes 

 there is no lining, but at other times there are a few roots and 

 grass stems. It is placed in low bushes and small trees at any 

 height above the ground from a few inches to 10 feet. The eggs 

 generally number three, sometimes four and very rarely five* 

 They are a pale, rather dull blue in colour, freckled and spotted 

 with different shades of reddish brown, and are not nearly such 



