202 TIMALIIPjE. 



having the sides of the head brown, instead of deep ashy ; the 

 breast and lower plumage are brown merely tinged with rufous, 

 and the wing-spots are less conspicuous and fulvous instead of 

 white. 



Colours of soft parts. Irides dark red ; upper mandible dark 

 brown, lower plumbeous, darkish at the base, paler elsewhere ; 

 mouth creamy-slate colour; legs and feet pale fleshy-brown. 



Measurements. Length about 130mm.; wing 56 to 61 mm.; 

 tail about 44 to 46 mm. ; tarsus about 24 mm.; culmen about 16 mm. 



Distribution. Assam and Manipur. Probably not North of the 

 Brahmaputra. 



Nidification. This Babbler breeds in May and June at all 

 heights above 4,000 feet, invariably in very rocky ground on steep 

 well-forested hill-sides. In the Khasia Hills it frequents rhodo- 

 dendron forest for breeding purposes, making its deep, cup-shaped 

 or semi-domed nest of dead leaves, fern fronds, grass and moss 

 bound together with roots and tendrils and lined with dead leaves. 

 Although fairly well put together the materials are very rotten 

 and the nest falls to pieces when handled.. It is always placed on 

 the ground, generally in some damp situation at the foot of a tree, 

 rock or other cover and so closelv resembles the rest of the decay- 

 ing vegetation round it that is very hard to find. 



The eggs number 2 to 4 and are a glossy china-white with 

 rather sparse specks and spots, or small blotches, of reddish and 

 pale pinkish purple. Thirty eggs average 21-3 x 16-0 mm. 



Habits. This is one of the most shy birds and though not un- 

 common in suitable localities is seldom seen and still less often 

 possible to watch. At the slightest sound or movement it slinks 

 away at a great pace on foot and at once becomes invisible, though 

 its low, chirring note may be continued close by until the intruder 

 leaves. It is generally found in pairs but occasionally small 

 family parties may be met with in the cold weather. It is a 

 purely tree-forest bird and never seems to haunt the low scrub- 

 jungle or secondary growth so beloved by many Babblers and, 

 even the forest, to suit it, must be damp and shady and much 

 broken up into rocky ravines and steep slopes. It is found up to 

 the top of the highest hills in S. Assam but in the cold weather 

 may be found down as low as 3,000 feet. 



(257) Turdinulus brevicaudatus venningi. 

 VENNING'S WHEN- BABBLER. 



Turdinulus brevicaudatus venninyi Hariugton, Bull, B. O. C., xxxix, 

 p. 269 (1870) (Shan States). 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Similar to T. b. Irevicaudalus but has the upper 

 plumage greyer, the breast and abdomen dark rufous and the 

 flanks dark brown. 



