POMATORHINUS. 87 



125. Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgs. The Rufous-necked Scimitar 



Babbler. 



Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgs., Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 29 j Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. $ E. no, 400. 



The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds in Nepal, the 

 Himalayas eastward of that State, and in the various ranges 

 running down from Assam to Burmah. 



The breeding-season appears to be April and May. They lay 

 live, or sometimes only four, eggs. 



Prom Sikhiin Mr. Gammie writes : " This species breeds, I 

 think, from the middle of April to the middle of May ; but I have 

 only as yet taken a single nest, and this I found at Rishap on the 

 5th May, at an elevation of about 4500 feet. The nest was 

 placed on the ground in open country, but partially concealed by 

 overhanging grass and weeds, and immediately adjoining a deep 

 humid ravine filled with a dense undergrowth. The nest was 

 composed of dry grass, fern, bamboo, and other dry leaves put 

 loosely together and lined with a few fibres. In shape it was 

 domed or hooded, and exteriorly it measured 5' 7 inches in height 

 and 5 in diameter. Interiorly the cavity was 2-6 in diameter, and 

 had a total depth of 3*8 measured from the roof, but of only 2 

 inches below the lower margin of the aperture. This nest con- 

 tained five eggs, much incubated ; indeed, they would have hatched 

 off in one or two days." 



The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds, according to Mr. 

 Hodgson, in the central portion of Nepal in April and May, 

 building a large, coarse, globular nest of dry grass and bamboo- 

 leaves on the ground in some thick bush or bamboo-clump. The 

 opening of the nest is at the side. They lay four or five white 

 eggs, measuring as figured 0*9 by 0*68. 



The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are rather elongated ovals, a 

 good deal pointed towards one end, pure white, the shells very 

 fine and fragile, and with a fair amount of gloss. 



Ten eggs varied from 0'85 to 1*02 in length, and from 0'62 to 

 0-74 in breadth, but the average was 0-95 by 0'68. 



129. Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vigors. The Rusty-cheeTced 

 Scimitar Babbler. 



Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vig. t Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 31 ; Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. $ E. no. 405. 



The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler breeds from April to June 

 in the Himalayas, at any rate from Darjeeling to the Valley of the 

 Beas, at elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. It may be met 

 with at double this latter altitude, but I doubt if it nests higher. 



As a rule, the nest is placed on the ground, in some thick clump 

 of dry fern or coarse grass, amongst dead leaves and moss, but at 

 times I have seen it placed in a thick bush 2 or 3 feet from the 



