190 TIMALIIDJE. 



they seldom show themselves. Their food is chiefly, perhaps 

 wholly, insectivorous, and their call is said to consist of two 

 harsh notes, rapidly repeated. 



Genus TURDOIDES Cretzschniar, 1826. 



This genus contains the well-known Babblers called " The 

 Seven Sisters " over so great a part of India. Unfortunately 

 we cannot employ either Crateropus or Malacocercus as a name for 

 the genus, and it must now be known as Turdoides. 



It differs from the True Laughing-Thrushes of the preceding 

 genera in having the covering membrane of the nostrils more or 

 less covered by plumes, though they have no overhanging hairs. 

 The rictal bristles are short and stout and the feathers of the 

 forehead short, firm and close. The tail is about the same in 

 length as the wing and well graduated, the outermost pair being 

 about two-thirds the length of the central feathers. The wing is 

 short and rounded, the third or fourth primary being the longest. 



There are two species which call for remark in this genus, 

 Turdoides rufescens and Turdoides cinereifrons. The former, the 

 Ceylon Babbler, is supposed to differ in having the feathers of 

 the forehead bare at the tips and spinous ; it has accordinglv been 

 generically separated with Argya subrufa as Layardia. The differ- 

 ence seems to me very minute, sometimes hardly visible, and does 

 not constitute sufficient cause for removal to another genus. 

 The other characteristic, referred to by Harington, is the more 

 slender, wholly black bill, but the difference between this and the 

 shorter yellow bill of others is bridged over by the intermediate 

 yellow and black bill of Argya subrufa. 



The second bird, the Ashy-headed Babbler, differs only from 

 typical Turdoides in having a longer bill, coloured black instead 

 of pale yellow or white as in the other species. There does not 

 appear to be any other difference, and though when first seen the 

 bird appears to be nearer Garrulax or Dryonastes than 1'urdoides, 

 1 can see no sufficient reason for instituting a new genus for it. 

 Its habits and nidification mav assist when these are known. 



Key to Species and Subspecies. 



A. Throat ashy, mottled with pale brown ; 



breast ashy-fulvous. 



a. Upper plumage paler with very in- 



distinct shaft-streaks T. terricolor terricolor, p. 191. 



b. Upper plumage darker and browner 



with distinct shaft-streaks T. t. malalaricus, p. 192. 



c. Paler and more grey everywhere, 



with shaft-streaks obsolete T. t. sindianus, p. 193. 



B. Throat and breast dark brown or 



black with ashy margins. > 



d. Tail ashy and brown ; primaries 



edged paler. 



