TURDINULUS. 253 



Colours of soft parts. Irides red ; bill dark brownish-horn, paler 

 beneath ; legs and feet fleshy-brown (Yenning}. 



Measurements. A larger bird than either of the two other 

 races; wing 65 to 74 mm., average 15 specimens 68 mm. 



Distribution. Southern Shan States, Burma and Yunnan. 



Nidification. Nothing recorded but I have in my collection 

 eggs of a Turdinulus from the S. Shan States which must be of 

 this race. They are exactly like those of T. b. striatus already 

 described and measure 21-6 x 16*9 mm. 



Habits. Nothing recorded but Eippou obtained it in the Sal- 

 ween Valley between 2,800 and 3,000 feet, a lower elevation thau 

 this species usually haunts. 



(258) Turdinulus roberti roberti. 

 AUSTEN'S W KEN-BABBLER. 



Pnoepyga roberti Godw.-Aust. & Wald., Ibis, 1875, p. 252 (Chaka, 

 Manipur). 



Vernacular names. Dao-mojo gashim,Dao-j(>ujli-kashiba(Ca,c\uiri). 



Description. Above rich brown, more rufescent on upper tail- 

 coverts ; the feathers of head, back and scapulars edged with 

 blackish and with pale greyish centres; lores grey; ear-coverts 

 brown with grey centres; supercilium and patch under ear-coverts 

 rufous, the feathers of the latter with specks at the tips; chin and 

 throat white with black specks forming three distinct lines from 

 chiu to breast ; breast rather rufous-brown with broad white 

 centres ; flanks more rufous with still paler shaft-stripes ; centre 

 of abdomen almost white with faint rufous edgings ; under tail- 

 coverts the same but darker ; wing brown, the outer webs of the 

 quills suffused with dark rufous, greater and median coverts aud 

 secondaries with distinct white tips. 



Colours of soft parts. Irides red ; upper inandiblo dark plum- 

 beous, tip and lower mandible paler and tipped almost white ; legs 

 fleshy-brown, claws paler. 



Measurements. Length about 100mm.; wing 50 to 55 mm.; 

 tail about 18 mm. ; tarsus about 18 mm. ; culmen 12 to 13 mm. 



Distribution. Cachar, Mauipur, Naga Hills and Ivhasia Hills. 



Nidification. This little Wren-Babbler breeds freely both in the 

 N. Cachar and Khasia Hilta from 4,000 feet upwards from the end 

 of April to the end of June, making a nest an absolute miniature 

 in every way of that of the Short-tailed Babbler. It also places 

 it in precisely the same sort of position and in the same forests. 



The eggs number three or four, more often the former, and are 

 like those of T. b. brevicandatus but smaller, not so glossy a white 

 and with more numerous but smaller specks and spots. Forty eggs 

 average 19*3 x 14-8 mm. 



Habits. "Wren-Babbler" describes this bird exactly and in all 



