KTJBIGULA. 409 



Habits. Davison remarks : " Occurs only at the Nicobars, 

 where it is comparatively common ; it keeps to the forest gener- 

 ally, but is also found in gardens, in the secondary jungle, and not 

 infrequently in places where there are only a few scattered 

 bushes ; it is usually seen singly, in pairs, or in small parties of 

 five or six ; but I have seen them on several occasions in flocks 

 of nearly a hundred. They have a chattering note, very similar 

 to the other Hypsipetes, aud when thev are in flocks they make 

 nearly as much noise as a flock of Mynas settling down for 

 the night." 



Genus RUBIGULA Blyth, .1845. 



The genus Rubigula contains species of small Bulbuls of hand- 

 some appearance with squamated plumage. The bill is broader 

 than high and shorter than the tarsus ; the rictal bristles are 

 strongly developed and the nostrils are exposed aud not hidden 

 by bristles. The tail is well graduated. 



The only member of the genus found within our limits is a 

 geographical race of Rubigula squamata of Java. 



(424) Rubigula squamata webberi. 



WEBBER'S BULBUL. 

 Ixidia webberi Hume, S. F., viii, p. 40 (1879) (Tonka). 



Vernacular names. JS"one recorded. 



Description. Head and neck black ; back golden olive, shading 

 into golden yellow on the upper tail-coverts ; tail black with a 

 broad diagonal white band on the end of the outer tail-feathers, 

 decreasing in extent inwardly on each succeeding pair ; visible 

 portions of the wing like the back but greater coverts edged with 

 brighter yellow; quills and bastard wing black; below, throat and 

 ides of neck white, with tiny black striae ; breast and flanks 

 black with white edges, giving a beautiful squamated appearance 

 to these parts ; centre of abdomen white ; under tail-coverts deep 

 bright yellow. 



Colours of soft parts. Irides deep red ; bill brownish black ; 

 legs and feet plumbeous brown. 



Measurements. Total length about 150 mm. ; wing 73 to 

 76 mm. ; tail about 60 to 65 mm. ; tarsus about 15 mm. ; culmen 

 about 14 mm. 



Distribution. Peninsular Burma and Siam, throughout Malay 

 Peninsula to Sumatra. 



Nidification and Habits. Practically nothing recorded. 



