246 TIMALIID^E. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris brownish red ; bill brownish flesh ; 

 legs and feet flesh-grey (Babault). 



Measurements. Wing 68 to 74 mm. ; tail 57 to 62 mm. ; tarsus 

 28 mm. (Wells). 



Distribution. North Ceylon. 



Nidification unknown. 



Habits. This form is purely a dry district form, whereas the 

 last bird inhabits the wet portions of the island. 



(251) Pellornemn nigricapitatum. 

 THE BLACK- CAPPED BABBLER. 



Brachypteryx nigricapitata Eyton, P.Z. S., 1839, p. 103 (Malaya). 

 Drymocataphus nigricapitatus. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 145. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. The lores, a broad supercilium reaching to the 

 nape and the cheeks grey, each feather with a white shaft-stripe ; 

 ear-coverts ashy-rufous with whitish shafts ; a very narrow 

 moustachial stripe black ; forehead, crown and nape black ; the 

 whole upper plumage, tail and exposed parts of the wing deep 

 ferruginous brown ; chin and throat white ; sides of neck and the 

 whole lower plumage ferruginous, brightest on the breast and 

 tinged with brown on the flanks, lower abdomen, vent and under 

 tail -coverts. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris rhubarb-red ; upper mandible black, 

 lower fleshy-white ; legs and feet fleshy-white, slightly tinged 

 with brown or reddish-horny. 



Measurements. Total length about 170 to 180 mm. ; wing 69 to 

 72 mm. ; tail about 52 to 54 mm. ; tarsus about 28 mm. ; culmen 

 about 17 mm. 



Distribution. Tenasserim and S.W. Siam, down the Malay 

 Peninsula to Sumatra. 



Nidification. Davison describes the nest as being built on the 

 ground, of coarse fern roots on a foundation of twigs and leaves. 

 It was placed at the base of a small clump of ferns and contained 

 two eggs. They are described as creamy- white, densely speckled 

 all over with inky-purple and purplish brown. They measure 

 20-8x15-7 mm. 



Habits. The Black-capped Babbler appears to be more essen- 

 tially a ground bird than any of its relations. Davison says that 

 he never found it off the ground, and even when pressed to flight 

 it always alighted again on the ground. It has the same shy, 

 skulking habits of the birds of this and the last genus, and inhabits 

 dense cover, most often in heavy forest. Its note is said to be a 

 single loud call, and it is usually found alone or in pairs *. 



* Drymocataphtis rubiginosus Walden, A. M. N. H. XT, p. 402 (1875) (Karennee) 

 are nothing but young Pomatnrhini of some kind. 



