SIMALIN^E. 181 



THE LARGE GREY BABBLER. 



Length, 11 ; wing, 4'6 ; tail, 575; tarsus, 1'3 ; bill at front 

 0-9. 



Bill horny ; irides light-yellow ; legs dirty-yellow. 



Above of a pale brownish-grey, lighter and more cinereous 

 on the rump ; quills and middle rectrices darker, the latter with 

 some faint cross bands, and the lateral feathers whitish ; fore- 

 head pale-bluish, the feathers with white shafts ; the first three 

 quills with the outer webs pale-yellowish ; beneath uniform 

 : whitish-grey, with a tinge of fulvescent, or rufescent, most 

 distinct on the breast and upper part of the abdomen. 



The Large Grey Babbler is a permanent resident throughout 

 the district, but is much less common in Sind than elsewhere. 



It breeds nearly the whole year round, as I have taken eggs 

 from January to the end of October. A small babool tree is- 

 generally selected as the site of the nest, and on a low branch,, 

 not more than 5 or 10 feet from the ground, it constructs a rather 

 loosely woven, but neat cup-shaped, nest. The materials of 

 which it is composed are generally dried grass, and roots inter- 

 mixed with fine twigs. The eggs, generally four in number, are 

 indistinguishable from those of Malococercus terricolor. 



GENUS, Layardia, Blyth. 



Similar to Malacocercus, but of more decided colors ; the bill 

 shorter and deeper ; the wings shorter and rounded ; the frontal 

 plumes hispid, but of open texture, and monticolus in its 

 habits. 



Layardia subrufa, Jerdon. 



437. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 66 ; Butler, Deccan ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 401. 



THE RUFOUS BABBLER. 



Length, 9'5 ; wing, 37 ; tail, 4'25 ; tarsus, 1'3; bill at front, 

 07. 



Above darkish olive-brown ; forehead pale bluish-ash, the 

 frontal feathers somewhat rigid ; beneath deep-rufous, paler on 

 the chin. 



The Rufous Babbler occurs in various parts of the Deccan ; it 

 has not been recorded from any other portion of our limits. 



GENUS, Chatarrhcea, Blyth. 



Bill longer than in Malacocercus, more slender, and very 

 gently curved, both in the commissure and culmen ; tail long, 

 narrow ; lateral toes about equal ; hind-toe very long ; claws 

 slightly curved. 



Chatarrhcea caudata, Dumeril. 



438. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 67 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 472 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 



