THKINGOKHINA. 261 



Nidification. In India this bird breeds in April and May and 

 sometimes in June, whilst in Burma its nest has been found from 

 February to May. It breeds only in deep, wet tree-forest with 

 ample undergrowth and preferably near some stream, making a 

 massive nest of dead leaves, weeds and grass with an inner cup of 

 leaves, roots and weeds compactly bound together and lined with 

 roots. It may be placed in a clump of weeds, a low bush or in 

 some fern-palm near the ground. The eggs number three to five 

 and are very beautiful ; the ground-colour varies from a very pale 

 to a rich pale salmon-pink, whilst the markings consist of spots, 

 blotches and lines of deep red-brown with paler spots of light red 

 ;and neutral tint. In shape they are normal ovals and the texture 

 is fine with a good gloss. They measure about 22-2 x 16-5 mm. 

 but vary greatly in size. 



Habits. Abbott's Babbler is a bird of the plains and the foot- 

 hills, rarely being found much over 2,000 feet. It haunts deep forest 

 where it is always humid and green and where the trees have an 

 ample undergrowth of plants, weeds and bushes. In N. Cachar 

 it was always to be found near rivers and streams and it is 

 very partial to places where palm-ferns grow in great luxuriance. 

 They have a pleasant whistling note but are very silent birds, 

 creeping about in the dense undergrowth very quietly and 

 stealthily. They are apparently entirely insectivorous. 



Genus THRINGORHINA Gates, 1889. 



The genus Thringorhina contains four species of peculiar 

 coloration characterized by the very large operculum over the 

 nostrils. The bill is very strong, with the culmen curved gently 



Fig. 49. Head of T. guttata. 



throughout, and the rictal bristles are weak. The feathers of the 

 forehead are harsh to the touch and those of the crown ample and 

 erectile, possibly forming a short crest in life. This genus is very 

 close to Stachyris and like that genus the birds contained in it all 

 lay pure white eggs. 



Key to Species. 



A. Wings and tail barred with brown T. oylei, p. 262. 



B. Wings and tail plain T. guttata, p. 262. 



