THE BABBLERS 



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bristles. The babblers belong principally to the Oriental region, though their dis- 

 tribution through the tropical parts of the world is very extensive. The laughing 

 thrushes ( Trochalopterum) of the Himalayas and Southern China are well-known 

 representatives of this group, as are the true babblers (Argya], which wander in 

 flocks all over the plains of India and Burma. The scimiter babblers form another 

 important section of the same family, highly characteristic of tropical Asia, and 

 distinguished by their long curved bills; but we are compelled to restrict our 

 observations to one or two only of the genera. 



Typical 



Babblers 



ABYSSINIAN BABBLER. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



The birds of this group have a fairly stout bill, with the tipper 

 mandible distinctly arched, while the wing is short and rounded, and 

 the metatarsus, toes, and claws are remarkably strong. The style of 

 coloration is generally plain and entirely devoid of gorgeous tints. Several species 

 of the true babblers are found in the African Continent, while others are peculiar to 

 the Indian region. Among these the species (Crateroptis leucopygius) here illus- 

 trated inhabits the forests of Abyssinia, frequenting dense scrub on the slopes of 



