134 CRATEEOPODID^. 



It breeds from June to August, constructing a ball-shaped nest of 

 grass on or near the ground in busies. The eggs, four in number, 

 are white speckled with red and measure '67 by '53. 



136. Dumetia albigularis. The Small White-throated Babbler. 



Malacocercus ? albogularis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi, p. 453 (1847). 



Dumetia albogularis (Blyth\ Blyth, Cat. p. 140 ; Horsf. 9 M. Cat. i, 

 p. 403 ; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 26 ; Hume, N. # E. p. 247 ; id. Cat. no. 398 ; 

 Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 505 ; Sharpe y Cat. B. M. vii, p. 514 ; Barnes, 

 Birds Bom. p. 177; Oates in Hume's N. 8f E. 2nd ed. i, p. 94. 



The White-throated Wren-Babbler, Jerd. ; Pandi-jitta, Tel. ; Batitchia 

 Ceyl. 



Fig. 37. Head of D. albigularis. 



Coloration. Besembles D. hyperythra. Differs in having a white 

 chin and throat. 



This bird varies a good deal throughout its extensive range. 

 From Mount Abu and Deesa down to Mahableshwar the greater 

 number of birds have nearly the whole crown deep rufous with 

 pale shaft-streaks and the shafts themselves more or less black. 

 In Mysore and the Wynaad the rufous is restricted to the fore- 

 head, the feathers having intensely black shafts, and all the white 

 feathers of the throat having conspicuously black shafts. Ceylonese 

 birds resemble the Mysore and Wynaad ones, but the throat is 

 without the black shafts so conspicuous in the latter. The iris also 

 varies : Ceylon, greyish olive or white (Legge) ; Wynaad, white 

 (Davison) ; Deesa, dark brown (Butler). 



Bill, legs, and claws pinkish fleshy ; the upper mandible along 

 the culmen as also the claws tinged with brown (Davison). 



Length nearly 6; tail 2'7; wing 2-2; tarsus '75; bill from 

 gape -6. 



Distribution. From Sambhar, Abu, and Deesa down the western 

 portion of the peninsula to Ceylon. The most eastern locality 

 where this species has been obtained appears to be Groona, whence 

 King records it. It is found up to 3000 feet of elevation or even 

 higher. 



Habits, fyc. Similar to those of the preceding. This bird breeds 

 from April to July, in the same manner as the last species. The 

 eggs measure '72 by -51. 



Genus GAMPSOKHYNCHUS, Blyth, 1844. 



The present genus contains two species peculiar to India. Very 

 little is known about their habits and nothing whatever about their 



