136 TIMELIID^E. 



Hal. From Cachar to the neighbourhood of Thayetmyo. The specimens 

 in the British Museum are from Dilkoosha, Cachar. 



605. Pellorneum ruflcepS, Swains, Faun. Bor. Amer. Birds, 

 p. 487; Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi. p. 883; Bp. Consp.i.^. 219; Horsf. and 

 Moore, Cat. B. Br. Mus. i. p. 224 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 27, No. 399 ; 

 Ball, Str. F. 1874, p. 409; Fairbk. Str. F. 1876, p. 258; Bourd. t t. c. 

 p. 399; Fairbk. Str. F. 1877, p. 404; Hume, Str. F. 1878, i. p. 277; 

 Ball, Str. F. 1878, p. 214; Hume, Str. F. 1879, P- 9 6 ; Vidal, Str. F. 

 1880, p. 63; Butler, t. c. p. 400; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. vii. p. 520. 

 The SPOTTED WREN -BABBLER. 



Head and nape dull rufous with fulvescent mesial shaft streaks, more 

 distinct on the forehead ; lores, supercilium extending to the sides of the 

 nape and feathers round the eye ochraceous or vinous buff ; the feathers of 

 the superciliary streak tipped with black only just above the eye, a dusky 

 spot in front of the eye ; ear coverts dusky white, with fulvous shaft 

 streaks ; entire throat and cheeks buffy white, the latter with dusky hair-like 

 streaks ; the foreneck and breast ochraceous buff, streaked with dark brown ; 

 rest of under surface of body plain ochraceous buff, except the centre of the 

 abdomen, which is whitish, and the sides of the body olive brown margined 

 with ochraceous buff ; under tail coverts whitish with dusky brown centres ; 

 axillaries, under wing coverts and thighs rufescent ochre ; upper parts dull 

 olive brown; the lower back and rump more uniform and without olive 

 margins as on the mantle and upper back ; upper tail coverts the same ; 

 wing coverts like the back with paler shaft lines ; quills dusky brown, the outer 

 margins olive brown; tail uniform ashy brown, slightly olive on the edges. 

 Bill horny above, yellowish fleshy beneath; legs fleshy yellow; irides 

 brick-red. 



Length. 6-9 to 7'O inches ; wing 2-8 to 3 ; tail 2-65 to 3 ; tarsus ri. 



jj a l, The hills of Southern India (Nilghiris), Matheran, and Mahablesh- 

 war in the Concan and Deccan, also on the west coast and Madras on the 

 east, occurring also in the Rajmehal Hills and in Maunbhoom. Jerdon says it 

 occurs also in Central India, the S.-E. Himalayas, the Khasia Hills, and 

 through Burmah to Tenasserim, but of this extensive range there is some 

 doubt. He adds that it associates in small flocks, frequenting underwood and 

 thickets in forest jungle, often descending to the ground, where it hops about 

 in search of insects. It keeps up a continual chattering, and occasionally one 

 of them, perched on a bough, elevating the head and neck, gives utterance to 

 a sort of crowing laugh, not unlike that of Trochalopterum cacchinans. 

 Mr. W. Mahon Daly says the bird is rather rare on the Shevaroys, and is very 

 shy. It generally frequents streams and thick scrub jungle. He only once saw it 

 on a path from the coffee plantation to his bungalow it was building a nest on 

 an orange tree. He removed one of the two eggs, but the bird never returned. 



