270 TIMALIID2E. 



Measurements. Total length about 115 to 120 mm.; wing 50 

 to 53 mm.; tail about 48 mm.; tarsus about 18 mm.; culmen 

 about 10 mm. 



Distribution. Shan States to Tenasserim, Burma, North-East 

 Siam *. 



Nidification not recorded. 



Habits. Apparently those of the next race. A low-level bird 

 found from the plains up to 3,000 feet or so and haunting both 

 dense forest and the more open bamboo-, grass- and scrub-jungles. 



(280) Stachyridopsis rufifrons ambigua. 

 HARINGTON'S BED-FRONTED BABBLER. 



Stachurhidopsis nififrons ambigua Harington, J. B. N. H. S., xxiii, 

 p. 631 (1915) (Gunjong, N. Cachar). 



Vernacular names. Dao-pere-gajao (Cachari). 



Description. Differs from the last bird in having the white of 

 the throat grading into the fulvous of the lower plumage. The 

 black shaft-stripes on the crown and nape are very conspicuous and 

 the upper plumage is less grey and more olive-green ; the flanks 

 and thighs are strongly washed with olive-brown. 



Colours of soft parts. Iricles reddish brown; bill slaty-blue; 

 legs and feet pale yellowish brown, claws darker. 



Measurements. Total length 115 to 120 mm. ; wing 48 to 

 53 mm. ; tail 46 to 48 mm.; tarsus about 17 to 18 mm.; culmen 

 9 to 10 mm. 



Distribution. Sikkim, Assam North and South of the Brahma- 

 putra, Manipur. 



Nidification. The breeding season of Haringtoii's Red-fronted 

 Babbler commences in the end of March in the plains to the end 

 of June or even July in the hills. It breeds everywhere up to 

 2,000 feet and occasionally higher than this and nests of both 

 ruficeps and ambiyua may be found in the s:ime jungle. Nest 

 and eggs are quite indistiguishable from those of the Red- 

 headed Babbler and, as with that bird's eggs, pure white ones may 

 sometimes be taken of this bird. One hundred eggs average 16-1 x 

 12-4 mm. 



Habits. This species differs from the last in being a bird of much 

 lower levels. It extends well into the plains and is more plentiful 

 below 2,000 feet than over this height, though it wanders frequently 

 as high as 3,000 feet or a little over. It is more a bird of com- 

 paratively open bamboo- and scrub-jungle, grass-lands and thin 

 deciduous forest than of the deep evergreen forests, though it will 

 be found in these also. It is a companionable, cheery little bird, 

 collecting in quite big flocks and having much the same manners, 

 voice and diet as the Grolden-headed Babblers. 



* Specimens from S.W. Siam have been separated by me under the name 

 . r. obscura and this form maj possibly be found in extreme S.E. Tennsseritu. 



