154 CEATEROPODID^E. 



160. Turdinus abbotti. Abbott's Babbler. 



Malacocincla abbotti, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiv, p. 601 (1845). 

 Trichastoraa abbotti (Blytli), Blyth, Cat. p. 147; Horsf. $ M. Cat. 



i, p. 405; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 17 ; Oates, S. F. v, p. 151 ; Tiueedd. 



Ibis, 1877, p. 452, pi. xi, fig-. 2 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. \i, pp. 259, 513 ; 



Cripps, 8. F. vii, p. 277 ; Hume, Cat. no. 387 ; id. S. F. xi, p. 138. 

 MalacopteroD olivaceum, Strickland, A. M. N. H. (1) xix, p. 132 



(1847) ; Hume, S. F. ix, p. 108. 

 Turdinus abbotti (Blyth}, Oates, B. B. i, p. 58; Sharps, Cat. B. M. 



vii, p. 541 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. i, p. 103. 



The Brown-lacked Tit-Babbler, Jerd. 



Fig. 44. Head of T. abbotti. 



Coloration. Whole upper plumage rich olive-brown, the forehead 

 with fulvous streaks, the shafts of the feathers of the other parts 

 pale ; outer webs of the quills of the wing like the back ; upper 

 tail-coverts and tail deep rufous ; lores, round the eye, and a short 

 supercilium dark grey; ear-coverts rufous with fulvous shafts; 

 chin, throat, and cheeks pale grey ; sides of neck and of the breast 

 and body earthy ferruginous ; centre of breast and abdomen whitish ; 

 under tail-coverts bright ferruginous. 



Iris reddish brown ; eyelids deep plumbeous ; upper mandible 

 dark brown, except the tip and the terminal third of the margins, 

 which, together with the lower mandible, are pale bluish ; mouth 

 yellow ; legs and feet pinkish fleshy ; claws pale horn-colour. 



Length about 6'5 ; tail 2 ; wing 2-9 ; tarsus 1 ; bill from gape '9. 



Distribution. The lower hills and valleys of Nepal and Sikhiin ; 

 the eastern portion of Bengal ; the Bhutan doars ; Assam, and the 

 whole of the countries to the south to Arrakan and Tenasserim, 

 extending down the Malay peninsula. 



Habits, fyc. This bird must be looked for in the very thickest of 

 brushwood in evergreen tracts of forest ; consequently there are 

 large areas of country in which it is absent. It occurs singly or in 

 pairs, but in suitable places the birds are so common that they appear 

 to be gregarious, though in reality they are not so. They creep about 

 bushes and low trees and also feed on the ground. Their note is very 

 pretty and constantly uttered during the breeding-season in May 

 and June. The nest is a cup made of dry leaves and placed in 

 low bushes near the ground. The eggs, three in number, are very 

 beautiful, being pinkish white, streaked and spotted with brownish 

 red. They measure about *85 by *65. 



