206 TIM ALII l)X. 



(199) Pomatorhinus schisticeps schisticeps. 

 THE SLATY-HEADED SCIMITAK-BABBLER. 



Pomatorhinus schisticeps Hodgs., As. Res., xix, p. 181 (1836) (Nepal) ; 

 Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 116. 



Vernacular names. Pabdoa(T$eng.) ; Phoyeiim-pho or Phwreeam- 

 plio (Lepcha); Bhialcuroh (Parbuttiah). 



Description. Forehead to nape dark slate, the shafts darker ; 

 upper plumage and wing-coverts rufescent olive-brown ; a bold 

 supercilium from nostrils to nape white ; lores and ear-coverts 

 black ; a large patch on the sides of the neck extending to sides 

 of breast and abdomen rich maroon-chestnut, streaked with white 

 except on the neck; flanks, vent and under tail-coverts dusky 

 olive-brown ; remainder of under parts from chin white. 



Fig. 34. Head of P. s. schisticeps. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris pale yellow, pale reddish yellow or 

 pale creamy ; pale glaucous -brown in young birds; bill pale dull 

 vellow, the base of the upper mandible blackish ; legs slaty, claws 

 horny and soles yellowish. 



Measurements. Length about 270 mm.; wing about 98 to 

 106 mm. : tail about 115 to 120 mm. ; tarsus about '32 mm.; culmen 

 about 27 mm. 



Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim and hills North of the Brahma- 

 putra; how far East is not known exactly at present, but Stevens 

 found it common in N. Lakhimpur. 



Nidification. This Scimitar-Babbler breeds freely from the foot- 

 hills of the Himalayas up to at least 5,000 feet, but is most 

 common between 1,500 and 2,500 feet. It makes a nest of grass, 

 leaves and fibrous material, either cup-shaped or with the 

 materials produced so as to make it domed though the top is so 

 fragile that it often collapses and appears to be only part of an 

 ill-made shallow saucer. The eggs are three or four in number, 

 pure white, as with all Scimitar- Babblers, fragile for their size, 

 sometimes highly glossed, sometimes almost or quite glossless, 

 generally a distinctly pointed oval, and they measure about 26'4x 

 i8-0 mm. The breeding season is April, May and June. 



Habits. The Slaty-headed Scimitar-Babbler is a sociable, noisy 

 bird but its notes 'when disturbed or alarmed are very mellow 

 and musical and during the breeding season, when the flocks 

 break up into pairs, it has a low, musical " hoot-hoot," which the 



