5 12 



PERCHING BIRDS. 



wander in flocks all over the plains of India and Burma. The scimitar-babblers 

 form another important section of the same family, highly characteristic of tropical 

 Asia, and distinguished by their long curved bills ; but we are compelled to restrict 

 our observations to one or two only of the genera. 



The birds of this group have a fairly stout bill, with the upper 



rS 'mandible distinctly arched, while the wing is short and rounded ; and 



the metatarsus, toes, and claws are remarkably strong. The style of coloration is 



generally plain and entirely devoid of gorgeous tints. Several species of the true 



ABYSSINIAN BABBLER (| nat. size). 



babblers are found in the African continent, while others are peculiar to the Indian 

 region. Among these the species (Crateropus leucopygius), here illustrated, 

 inhabits the forests of Abyssinia, frequenting dense scrub on the slopes of the 

 mountains. A social species, and rarely found without companions of its own kind, 

 it principally lives in flocks of ten or a dozen individuals, which seek their food 

 in company. The flight is laboured, the bird is generally rising but little 

 above the ground, in passing from one bush to another. It is a lively noisy 

 species like all its congeners, and readily announces its whereabouts by its busy 

 chattering. The adult is dark umber-brown above; the sides of the head and 

 chin and tail-coverts are white ; the lower-parts are dark umber-brown edged 



