DlttONASTES. 73 



the Corvidte in structure and they might almost be placed in the 

 same family. They differ, however, in laying spotless eggs and 

 in their hubits. 



The habits of all the birds of this and the following five genera 

 are so similar that they may be disposed of now once for all. 

 All are without exception gregarious, and are found in troops of 

 from six to twenty or more individuals. They feed principally on 

 the ground, their strong feet and bills enabling them to turn over 

 leaves, and they are also found on trees, on which they take refuge 

 when disturbed. On being alarmed, or frequently without any 

 apparent cause, they break out into a chorus of notes resembling 

 laughter or loud chatter. They are also in the habit of going 

 through various amusing performances on the ground, erecting 

 their crests, drooping their wings, and expanding their tails, 

 dancing and capering about all the time. They are all found in 

 forest or amongst trees and bushes, and although cautious and 

 sometimes very shy, yet on some occasions they seem careless of 

 observation, and they are difficult to get rid of when once their 

 curiosity has been excited. 



They eat almost every sort of insect and the smaller reptiles, 

 and they no doubt partake also of fruit. They construct large 

 cup-shaped nests in trees and lay eggs which, with the exception of 

 those of some species of Trockalopterum, are spotless white or blue. 

 In Dryonastes the eggs, so far as is known, are pale blue. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Chin and throat black 



a. Ear-coverts black D. ruficollis, p. 73. 



b'. Ear-coverts white. 



a". Back chestnut D. nuchalis, p. 74. 



b' '. Back olive-brown D. chinensis, p. 74. 



b. Chin and throat white. 



c'. Tail plain D. c&ndatus, p. 75. 



d'. Tail tipped with white D. subccerulatiis, p. 76. 



c. Chin and throat chestnut-brown D. sannio, p. 76. 



d. Chin black, throat yellow D. galbanus, p. 76. 



62. Dryonastes ruficollis. The Rufous-necked Laughing-Thrush. 



Tanthocincla ruficoliis, Jard. $ Selby, III, Orn. 2nd ser. pi. 21 (1838). 



Garrulax ruficollis (J. $ S.}, Blyth, Cat. p. 97; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, 



p. 205; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 38 ; Godw.-Amt. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. ii, 



p. 269 ; Hume, N. $ E. p. 254 ; Inglis, 8. F. v, p. 34 j Hume. Cat. 



no. 410; id. S. F. xi, p. 158. 



Dryonastes ruficollis (J. Sf S.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 454; Oates 



in Humes N. Sf E. 2nd ed. i, p. 45. 



Pvbduya, Beng. ; Rapchen-pho, Lepch. ; Doopooleeka, Assam. 

 Coloration. Lores, sides of the head, cheeks, chin, throat, and 

 centre of the uppermost portion of the breast black : sides of neck 

 bright chestnut, continued upwards to the middle of the upper 



