PELLOENETJM. 243 



Measurements. Total length about 160 mm. ; wing 62 to 

 68 mm.; tail about 64 to 69 mm.; tarsus about 26 mm.; culmen 

 about 15 mm. 



Distribution. Assam, South of the Brahmaputra and N. Lak- 

 himpur, North of that river. 



Nidification. I found the bird breeding in the North of 

 N. Cachar in the wide stretches of upland grass. In the hollows 

 water stood for the greater part of the year, but the nests were 

 built on the higher lands, tucked in amongst the roots of grass or 

 under the protection of some small shrub or weed. Later I found 

 them breeding in Cachar and Sylhet Plains and again in Lakhim- 

 pur where the nests were all built in reeds and grass on the 

 banks of rivers and edges of swamps. April to June appear 

 to be the breeding months, and the nest and eggs are similar 

 to those of P. r. mandellii, but the latter measure only about 

 20-6 x 15-7 mm. 



Habits. The Marsh Spotted Babbler is found principally in the 

 plains, but wanders up to at least 2,500 feet. Jerdon obtained it 

 both in long grass and reeds and in " bushes and low tree-jungle," 

 but I have never seen it in cover other than grass and reeds, 

 though this may vary from short sun-grass in N. Cachar, not 

 2 feet high, to the dense elephant-grass of the plains, over 12 feet- 

 high. The note is a sharp double chirp, syllabefized by Stevens as 

 " chi-chew," constantly repeated. They are rather noisy but very 

 skulking little birds, and one seldom sees them under ordinary 

 circumstances, but when beating for game they may often be seen 

 flitting in a rather lop-sided manner from one patch of grass to 

 another. 



(247) Pellorneum ignotum ignotum. 



THE ASSAMESE BABBLER. 



Pellorneum ignotum Hume, S. F., v, p. 339 (1877) (Sadiya, Assam) ; 

 Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 144. 



Vernacular names. Dao-chiki (Cachari). 



Description. Whole upper plumage, tail and exposed parts of 

 the wing rufescent olive-brown ; wings and tail rather more 

 rufescent than the back ; lores and over the eyes greyish brown ; 

 ear-coverts brown with paler shafts ; sides of neck like the back ; 

 chin, throat, centre of breast and abdomen dull white, very 

 slightly mottled with rufescent brown ; remainder of lower 

 plumage rusty-brown. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris dark brown ; bill pale bluish-horny, 

 paler still on lower mandible ; legs and feet light sienna-grey to 

 fleshy. 



Measurements. Length about 150 mm.; wing 56 to 59 mm.; 

 tail 5L to 55 mm.; tarsus about 23 mm.; culmen about 12 to 

 13 mm. 



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