POMATORHINUS. 207 



two birds constantly utter as they wander about- hunting for food. 

 They keep much to low jungle, secondary growth and bamboo- 

 jungle and also feed on the ground, turning over the leaves and 

 rubbish just as the true Laughing-Thrushes do. 



(200) Pomatorhinus schisticeps cryptanthus. 

 COLTART'S SCIMITAR- BABBLER. 



Pomatorhinus schisticeps cryptanthus Hartert, Bull. B. 0. C., xxxvi, 

 p. 35 (1915) (Margherita, Assam). 



Vernacular names. Dao luku-ynlao (Cachari). 



Description. Differs from the last in having the upper parts 

 less olive and more rufescent, the red of the neck and flanks a 

 brighter, lighter chestnut and, according to Hartert, it is a trifle 

 smaller. 



Colours of soft parts. As in the last bird; the iris is often a 

 golden yellow. 



Measurements. A. little smaller than scldsticeps; wing 94 to 

 102 mm. 



Distribution. Hills South of the Brahmaputra from the Mikir 

 Hills and Cachar to Margherita. 



Nidification similar to that of P. s. schisticeps, breeding from 

 about 2,000 feet upwards to at least 5,000 feet but principally 

 About 4,000 feet. It builds its nest often in bamboo-jungle and 

 also in scrub, edges of cultivation and in forest, especially when 

 there' are open glades and streams with grassy banks. The 

 eggs number three or four, very rarely five and sixty eggs average 

 about 26'6 x 19'2 mm. The breeding season lasts from the end 

 of April to late July. 



Habits. Those of the last bird ; this race, however, is not a 

 noisy bird and, unless alarmed or excited over some special find, 

 one seldom hears more than a secret low, chuckling note and the 

 usual call of " hoot-hoot-hoot." It is, of course, a poor flyer like 

 all the Scimitar-Babblers but I should not call it a skulker as it 

 often feeds practically in the open bamboo-jungles, where it is very 

 easy to watch it. It can hop at a great pace, proceeding in long 

 bounds and when so engaged might easily be mistaken for a 

 frightened rat. Its food is principally insectivorous, but possibly 

 it also eats grain and seeds. 



(201) Pomatorhinus schisticeps mearsi, 

 GRANT'S SLATY-HEADED SCIMITAR-BABBLER. 



Pomatorhinus mearsi Ogilvie-Grant, Bull. B. O. C., xv, p. 35 (1905) 

 (Taungdwin). 



Vernacular names. JVone recorded. 



Description. This race has the chestnut still paler than in 



