260 TIMALIID^ 



Distribution. The extreme South of Tenasserim, extending 

 down the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo. 



Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded beyond the fact that 

 Hume asserts it is arboreal. 



Genus MALACOCINCLA Biittik., 1895. 



The genus Malacocincla differs from all the other genera of this 

 subfamily with stout straight bills in having the nostrils oval and 

 exposed, with no protecting membrane. The rictal bristles are 

 well developed but there are no hairs overhanging the nostrils. 

 The tail is shorter than the wing. The name Turdinus being 

 preoccupied, the above takes its place. 



Fig. 48. Head of M. s. abbottt. 



(267) Malacocincla sepiaria abbotti. 

 ABBOTT'S BABBLER. 



Malacocincla abbotti Blyth, J. A. S. B., xiv, p. 601 (1845) (Ramree, 



Arrakan). 

 Turdinus abbotti. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 154. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Whole upper plumage rich olive-brown, the fore- 

 head with fulvous streaks, the other feathers with pale shafts ; 

 exposed parts of wing-quills like the back ; upper tail-coverts and 

 tail deep rufous; lores round the eye and a short supercilium 

 dark grey ; ear-coverts rufous with fulvous shafts ; chin, throat 

 and cheeks pale grey ; sides of neck, breast and body earthy 

 ferruginous, centre of breast and abdomen whitish ; under tail- 

 coverts bright ferruginous. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris light reddish brown to red ; eyelids 

 plumbeous ; upper mandible dark horny-brown, tip and lower 

 mandible pale horny or bluish-horny ; legs and feet pale fleshy, 

 claws pale horny. 



Measurements. Total length about 180 mm. ; wing 74 to 77 mm. ; 

 tail about 50 to 52 mm. ; tarsus about 25 mm. ; culmen about 

 18 mm. 



Distribution. Nepal, Sikkim, E. Bengal, Assam, Burma to the 

 Malay Peninsula, and Siam. 



