CYANODERMA. 271 



(281) Stachyridopsis pyrrhops. 

 THE BED-BILLED BABBLER. 



Stachyri* pyrrhops Hlyth, J. A. S. B., xiii, p. 379 (1844) (Nepal). 

 Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 165. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Forehead and anterior half of crown fulvous, blend- 

 ing into the olive-brown of the upper plumage ; the feathers of the 

 forehead, crown and mantle dark-shafted ; lores and chin black, 

 the lower portion of the latter barred with white ; sides of the head 

 fulvous ; lower plumage rather brighter fulvous ; the sides of the 

 body, flanks, thighs and under tail-coverts tinged with olivaceous. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris red to blood-red; upper mandible 

 brown, sometimes, probably in the breeding season, tinged with 

 >red, lower mandible fleshy-pink, reddish-fleshy or fleshy tinged 

 with slate ; legs, feet and claws pale brownish-lleshy. 



Measurements. Total length about 120 mm. ; wing 50 to 53 mm. ; 

 tail about 55 mm.; tarsus about 18 mm.; culmeii about 10 to 

 11 mm. 



Distribution. Himalayas, from Murree to Nepal. 



Nidification. The Bed-billed Babbler breeds from 3,000 to 6,000 

 feet or higher in Kashmir, making a nest of grass and reed leaves, 

 either cup-shaped, semi-domed or completely covered in. It is 

 nearly always placed low down in bushes in scrub-land or more or 

 less open forest. The eggs are like those of the rest of the genus, 

 three or four in number and measure on an average about 

 16-5 x 13-0 mm. The breeding season is from the middle of April 

 to the end of June. 



Habits. These appear to be much the same as those of the last 

 bird but they are never found below 3,000 feet and between 

 4,000 and 6,000 feet is their more usual elevation. They are said 

 in winter to mix much with flocks of other birds and to have "a 

 clear and musical note like the ringing of a tiny bell." 



Genus CYANODERMA Salvador!, 1874. 



This genus differs from the two preceding in having the orbits 

 naked and of a bright colour in life. The bill has the culmen 

 straight on the basal half and slightly curved on its terminal half. 



(282) Cyanoderma erythroptera erythroptera. 

 THE BED-WINGED BABBLER. 



Timalid erythroptera Blyth, J. A. S. B , xi, p. 794 (1842) (Malay). 

 Cyanoderma erythropterum. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 166. 



Vernacular names. None recorded. 



Description. Forehead, supercilium, ear-coverts, sides of the 

 head and neck, chin, throat and breast clear plumbeous ; abdomen, 

 flanks, vent and under tail-coverts fulvous-brown; upper plumage 

 .rufescent brown ; wings and tail bright ferruginous. 



