198 TIMALIID^E. 



Nidification. Breeds principally during the rains but at 

 different places at different times and in some, as in Assam and 

 Bengal, at almost an}' time of the year. It prefers marshy land, 

 where it makes its nest in the reeds, like that of a large Keed- 

 Warbler, or it makes a larger, more untidy nest of grasses and 

 reed-blades in a low bush or thicket of grass. The eggs are either 

 three or four in number, of the usual bright, rather deep blue-green 

 typical of the genus, in shape a rather broad oval with fine texture 

 and considerable gloss. Sixty eggs average 22-8 x 17'6 mm. 



Habits. This Babbler is a bird of wide grass-plains, marshy 

 tracts and sub-montane grass-covered hills ; wherever conditions 

 are suitable it is sure to be abundant. It is very gregarious, 

 according to Marshall, being found in flocks even in the breeding 

 season. They are very noisy birds and have the same follow-my- 

 leader style of clambering through grass and bushes and fluttering 

 from one patch of cover to another as have' the better-known 

 species. On the other hand, probably on account of their semi- 

 aquatic habits, they do not descend as much to the ground as do 

 the other birds. They are chiefly insect feeders. 



(192) Argya caudata caudata. 

 THE COMMON BABBLER. 



Cossyphus caudatus Dumont, Diet. Sci. Nat., xxix, p. 266 (1823). 

 Argya caudata. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 106. 



Vernacular names. Dumri (Hindi in the South); /Tim? (Tarn.); 

 Heddozud Lailo (Sind); Chil-chil (Hind, in the N.W.P.); Peng 

 or Chota-penga (Hindi); Sor (in the N.W.) ; Chinna sida (Tel.). 



Description. Whole upper plumage fulvous-brown, each feather 

 with a dark brown shaft-streak ; wing and tail-coverts with only 

 the shafts dark; quills brown, lighter on the outer webs; tail olive- 

 brown, cross-rayed and the shafts very dark ; chin and throat 

 f ulvous- white ; lores brown; ear-coverts rufescent; lower plumage 

 pale fulvous, albescent on the abdomen and the sides of the breast 

 faintly streaked. 



Colours of soft parts. Bill light brown, yellow at base below ; 

 legs and feet yellow; claws fleshy-brown; iris brown or yellow 

 (Bingham) ; iris red-brown (Jerdon). 



Measurements. Total length about 230 mm.; wing 78 to 84 

 mm. ; tail about 120 to 125 mm. ; tarsus about 28 mm. ; culmen 

 about 19 to 20 mm. 



Distribution. Every portion of India proper, from Sind to 

 E. Bengal and Calcutta ; from the foot of the Himalayas to the 

 Palni Hills ; the Laccadives and in Barnes wararn Island. Not 

 Burma. 



Nidification. This Babbler breeds practically throughout the 

 year, certainly having two broods and sometimes possibly three. 



