114 CEATEEOPODID^E. 



them and the sea from Goa to a short distance north of the latitude 

 of Bombay. This Babbler occurs on Bombay Island. A specimen, 

 as mentioned above, procured at Kollachal in Travancore, is refer- 

 able to this species. 



Habits, $c. In the island of Bombay this bird breeds on the date- 

 palms growing on the hills of the east and west shores, but the 

 nest has not been described. Near Khandala Mr. E. Aitken found 

 a nest at the end of May with three much-incubated eggs of an 

 intense greenish-blue colour. 



114. Crateropus rufescens. The Ceylonese Babbler. 



Malacocercus rufescens, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi, p. 453 (1847) ; id. 



Cat. p. 141 ; Legge, Birds Cei/l p. 497, pi. xxi, fig. 2. 

 Layardia rufescens (Blyth), Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 300 ; Legge, S. F. 



iii, p. 3G8 ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 386 ; id. Cat. no. 437 his. 

 Crateropus rufescens (Blyth), Oates in Hume's N. Sf E. 2nd ed. i, 



p. 81. 



Coloration. Whole upper plumage, ear-coverts, tail, and exposed 

 parts of wings rufous-brown ; lower plumage from the chin down- 

 wards ferruginous, becoming browner on the flanks, vent, and 

 under tail-coverts ; tail indistinctly cross-rayed. 



Iris white, yellowish white, or greenish white ; bill orange-yellow, 

 deepest on the basal half ; legs and feet dull chrome-yellow ; claws 

 yellowish horn; orbital skin and eyelid pale greenish yellow 

 (Legge). 



Length about 10; tail 4'6 ; wing 4; tarsus 1'3 ; bill from 

 gape 1. 



Distribution. The island of Ceylon, throughout the damper 

 portions. 



Habits, $'c. Appears to breed in May, and in one instance the 

 nest was placed among some creepers growing up a tree. The 

 eggs measure '94 by *74. 



115. Crateropus cinereifrons. The Ashy-headed Babbler. 



Garrulax cinereifrons, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xx, p. 176 (1851) ; id. Ibis, 

 1867, p. 300 ; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 448 ; Legge, Ibis, 1874, 

 p. 20 ; id. Birds Ceyl. p. 499, pi. xxii, fig. 2 ; Hume, 8. F. vii, p. 384 ; 

 id. Cat. no. 409 bis ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 447. 



Crateropus cinereifrons (Blyth), Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. i, 

 p. 81. 



Coloration. Forehead, crown, and sides of the head cinereous, 

 shading off t on the nape into the bright reddish brown which is 

 the colour of the whole upper plumage, tail, and visible portions of 

 the wings, except the outer webs of the first few primaries, which 

 are paler ; chin whitish ; remainder of lower plumage rufous- 

 brown, darker on the sides of the body and on the under tail- 

 coverts. 



