THE BABBLERS. 17 



a feeble note. The eggs are blue, as usual in this group, 

 and the nest low down. 



The hills form the home of several large and showy 

 species of this group, often called Jay-Thrushes, a 

 name which well expresses their attributes. The most 

 striking is 



THE WHITE -CRESTED LAUGHING-THRUSH (Garrulax 

 leucolophus), a bird of nearly the size of a pigeon. In 

 colour it is dark -brown, with the full crest, the neck 

 and breast pure white, and a black mark along each side 

 of the head. The bill and feet are also black. Al- 

 together it reminds one of a lady in evening dress with her 

 hair powdered and wearing a black mask. Its manners, 

 however, although attractive, are not exactly lady-like ; 

 for it is a boisterous, rollicking bird, going about in 

 large parties which continuously explode in fits of laugh- 

 ter, the curiously human sound of which is most infec- 

 tious ! In an aviary it keeps up this character, and is 

 a most excellent inmate, although not to be trusted 

 with weak birds, even of its own kind. It inhabits the 

 Himalayas from Gurhwal to Arrakan, but does not range 

 above 6,000 feet. In Pegu and Tenasserim a species 

 with more white on the under-surface takes its place 

 (Garrulax belangeri), but the two are much alike. 

 Both lay white eggs in an open nest in a bush. 



The Himalayan bird is plentifully brought down to 

 Calcutta in winter, and live specimens can then be easily 

 obtained, together with some other species of large Bab- 

 blers. All will do well together in an aviary with 

 Magpies, Jays and large Mynahs, and such a collection, 

 F, GAB 2* 



