POMATORHINUS. 211 



Colours of soft parts. Iris brown, maroon-brown or crimson; 

 legs and feet greenish plumbeous ; bill yellow, dusky at base of 

 lower inaudible. 



Measurements. Length about 250 to 260 mm. ; wing about 

 100 to 105 mm. ; tail about 105 to 108 mm. ; tarsus about 32 mm. ; 

 culmen about 25 mm. 



Distribution. Bombay, Mababaleshwar, Khandalla, Kanara and 

 the plains of Mysore, Madras and the Deccau. 



Nidification. This Scimitar-Babbler breeds from January to 

 May in broken country and low hills up to about 2,000 feet as 

 well as in the actual plains, making the usual grass, domed nest, 

 which it places on the ground in grass and bushes, or in forest. 

 The eggs apparently sometimes number as many as five, but two 

 or three are the normal clutch. Twenty-four eggs average 26'6 X 

 18'3 mm. 



Habits. Those of the genus. This is a subspecies of the low 

 country, it being represented by other races in the higher hills. 



(207) Pomatorhinus horsfieldi obscurus. 

 HUME'S SCIMITAR-BABBLER. 



Pomatorhinus obscxrus Hume, S. F., i, p. 7 (1873) (Mt. Abu) ; Blanf. 

 & Gates, i, p. 120. 



Vernacular names. Namala Pitta or Dasari Pitta (Tel.). 



Description. A much paler bird than the last, with no black 

 band separating the white of the breast from the upper plumage, 

 the ^ides of the neck and breast being practically the same colour 

 as the back. 



Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in true horsfieldi. 



Distribution. So far only recorded from Mt. Abu and Seoni. 



Nidification. Similar to that of the other races. Five eggs sent 

 me from Mr. Abu measure about 23-0 x 17-5 mm. 



Habits as in the last, but perhaps does not frequent such dense 

 jungles. Its range of elevation still requires to be carefully 

 worked out together with its full distribution. Butler says that 

 it is not gregarious, but goes about either singly or in pairs. 



(208) Pomatorhinus horsfieldi travancoriensis. 

 THE SOUTHERN INDIAN SCIMITAR-BABBLER. 



Pomatorhinus horsjieldi travancoriensis Harington, J. B. N. II. S., 

 xxiii, p. 333 (1014) (Travancore). 



Vernacular names. Namala pitta (Tel.). 



Description. Much darker than typical horsfieldi ; back a rich 

 olive-brown, head decidedly darker than back and often blotched 

 nvith black. "White of breast and abdomen divided from brown of 



p2 



