168 CKATEKOPODID^E. 



Habits, fyc. This species is usually found in tree- and bush-jungle 

 creeping about the branches, and it does not appear to feed on the 

 ground. I have never seen it except on trees. It has a mono- 

 tonous note, which is constantly uttered throughout the day. It 

 breeds in May and June, constructing a round nest of grass or 

 bamboo-leaves in a thick bush not many feet above the ground. 

 The eggs, usually three in number, are white speckled with red, 

 and measure -68 by -5. 



177. Mixornis* gularis. The Sumatran Yellow-breasted Babbler. 



Motacilla gularis, Raffl. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 312 (1820). 

 Mixornis gularis (Ecfffi.\ Blyth, Cat. p. 149; Horsf. & M. Cat. i, 



p. 229 ; Wald. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 548, 1872, p. 376 ; Hume $ Dav. 



S. F. vi, p. 266 ; Hume, Cat, no. 895 bis ; Oates, B. B. i, p, 51 ; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 576 j Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. 



i, p. 116. 



Coloration. Resembles M. rubricapillus. Differs in having the 

 cheeks, chin, throat, and upper breast with broad black shaft- 

 streaks (not black shafts merely) ; the crown of a chestnut-brown 

 (not pale ferruginous) ; the upper plumage more rufous, and the 

 exposed parts of the wings castaneous. 



Iris pale red-brown ; lower mandible and orbital skin pale blue; 

 rest of bill bluish brown ; legs and feet greenish brown (Davison). 



Of very slightly larger size than M. rubricapillus. 



In addition to the points of difference noted above as existing 

 between this species and M. rubricapillus, it should be observed 

 that the iris is red-brown as recorded by Davison. 



Distribution. Southern Tenasserim from Mergui, extending down 

 the Malay peninsula to Sumatra. 



Genus SCH(ENIPARUS, Hume, 1874. 



With the genus Sclioeniparus we enter on a group of small birds 

 with short blunt bills like the Tits, and with very strong feet. 

 Their proper position is undoubtedly in this subfamily, both on 

 account of their structure and their habits. 



This first genus Schoeniparus may be separated from the three 

 that follow it, first, by the nostrils being free and not overhung by 

 hairs, and, secondly, by the tail being equal in length to the wing. 

 The bill is also stronger than in the other genera. 



Key to the Species. 



a. No chestnut band across throat. 



a'. Sides of neck plain S. dubius, p. 168. 



b'. Sides of neck streaked S. mandellii, p. 169. 



b. A chestnut baud across throat S. ruf gularis, p. 170. 



178. Schoeniparus dubius. Hume's Tit-Babbler. 

 Proparus dubius, Hume, Proc. A. S. B. 1874, p. 107 ; id. S. F. ii, 



