SIMALINJC. 183 



strong bristles between the gape and the eyes, forming an almost 

 vertical range curved stiffly outwards ; wing somewhat long ; third 

 quill longest ; fourth and fifth nearly equal to it ; second equal to 

 the seventh ; feet and legs strong ; tarsus moderately long, the 

 middle -toe elongate ; laterals unequal ; inner-toe very versatile ; 

 hind-toe long ; all the claws slightly curved. 



Chaetornis striatus, Jerd. 



441. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 72 ; Butler, Aboo and 

 : Northern Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. V, p. 209. 



THE GRASS BABBLER. 



Length, 7 to 8-25 ; expanse, 11; wing, 3 to 3'5 ; tail, 375; 

 tarsus, 1*1 ; bill at front, 0'48. 



Bill dusky-brown above, fleshy brown beneath ; irides yellow- 

 brown or dull grey in some ; legs brownish-fleshy. 



Above olive or yellowish-brown, the feathers all centred with 

 deep brown; tail brownish, banded with dusky externally, and 

 dusky along the centre of each feather, which is tipped fulvous- 

 white, and the outer feathers have further a dark brown sub- 

 terminal band ; beneath the color is white, tinged with earthy- 

 brown on the breast, and with a few dark specks. 



The Grass Babbler occurs in Central India, and is not uncommon 

 in the neighbourhood of Deesa. 



It breeds during the rains, constructing a roundish nest of dry 

 grass, with the entrance on one side near the top, which it places 

 on the ground in the centre of a low bush. The eggs, four in 

 number, are white in color, speckled all over with reddish-brown 

 and pale lavender, more profusely at the large end. They 

 strongly recall eggs of FranJdinia buchanani, but are much 

 larger, equalling those of Chatarrhosa caudata. 



GENUS, Schcenicola, Blyth, 



Bill moderate, rather deep, much compressed, slightly curved 

 on the culmen ; a few strong rictal bristles ; wings moderate, 

 slightly rounded ; fourth quill longest ; third quill equal to fifth ; 

 tail moderate, very broad, soft ; tarsus long ; toes grasping ; plu- 

 mage somewhat lax. 



Schoenicola platyurus, Jerdon. 



442. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 73 ; Butler, Deccan ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 401. 



THE BROAD-TAILED REED BIRD. 



Length, 575 ; expanse, 8 ; wing, 2'5 ; tail, 2'5 ; tarsus, 0'88 ; 

 bill at front, 0'4. 



Bill horny-yellow ; irides yellowish-brown ; legs fleshy-yellow. 



Above dark olive-brown ; the feathers of the tail obsoletely 

 barred ; beneath ochrey-yellowish. 



The Broad-tailed Reed Bird is very rare. Major Butler found 



