262 TIMALIID.E. 



(268) Thringorhina oglei. 

 AUSTEX'S SPOTTED BABBLER. 



Actinura oglei Godw.-Au 9 t., ,T. A. S. B., xlvi (2) p. 42 (1877) (Sadiya). 

 Thringorhina oylii. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 156. 



Vernacular names. Chitm-pitti (Trans-Dikku Nagas). 



Description. Crown, nape and hiud neck rich golden-brown ; 

 back, rump and upper tail-coverts the same but duller and 

 obsoletely cross-rayed; wing and tail umber-brown, narrowly and 

 closely cross-barred with a darker shade of the same ; forehead 

 and broad supercilium white, the former with black shafts ; on the 

 sides of the neck the supercilium breaks up into white spots 

 bordered with black ; forehead and supercilium also bordered above 

 with black ; lores and ear-coverts black ; cheeks, chin and throat 

 white; breast grey; remainder of lower plumage dull umber-brown. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris crimson-lake ; bill black above, grey 

 on lower mandible ; legs and feet umber-brown. 



Measurements. Total length about 180- mm. ; wing 68 to 

 76 mm. ; tail about 53 mm. ; tarsus about 27 mm. ; culmen about 

 16'5 to 17'5 mm. 



Distribution. Eastern Assam North and South of the Brahma- 

 putra. 



Nidincation. This bird, together with its nest and eggs, were 

 brought in by Nagas on several occasions to Dr. H. N. Coltart 

 and myself at Margherita. The remains of the nest seemed to be 

 those of large globular affairs made of bamboo leaves and grass with 

 a mixture of roots, small twigs and dead leaves and according to 

 the Nagas was always placed on the ground in ravines in heavy 

 forest with plenty of undergrowth. The eggs, three or four in 

 number, are pure white and very like those of Scimitar-Babblers 

 but more fragile and without gloss. They measure about 22-5 x 

 17-0 mm. 



The breeding season is May and June. 



Habits. Beyond the fact that this Babbler haunts thick, moist 

 forests at elevations from 6,000 feet upwards, we know little of 

 their habits. According to the Nagas they keep much to the 

 heaviest undergrowth and are silent, skulking birds. Those we 

 examined had eaten insects only. 



(269) Thringorhina guttata. 

 TICK ELL'S SPOTTED BABBLER. 



Turdinus guttatm Blyth, J. A. S. B., xxvii, p. 414 (1859) (Muleyit 



Mt). 

 Thrinyorhina guttata. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 155. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description, Lores and forehead white with black streaks ,* 



