AND IN PARTS OF WYNAAD AND SOUTHERN MYSORE. 381 
all mention of the black chin, the most important characteris- 
tie serving at once to separate it from the other two closely 
allied species, fairbanki and meridionale.* 
433.—Malacocercus griseus, Lath. The White- 
headed Babbler. 
I only met with this species in the Mysore country, and 
even there only in places that were not heavily wooded. I 
found it most numerous between Muddur and Gundaluput. 
It was nowhere very common. Jerdon has given a very full 
and elaborate description of the habits of this bird (vide B. of 
I., Vol. II., page 60.) } 
The following are the dimensions, &c., of three specimens :— 
Length, 9:0 to 9:2; expanse, 12°45 to 12°5; tail, 3°8 to 
4:6; wing, 3°9; tarsus, 1°26 to 1:3; bill from gape, 0°9 to 
1:0; weight, 2°25 to 2°5 ozs. Legs, feet, claws, bill, and 
orbital skin dead white, slightly tinged with yellow; irides 
creamy white. 
434.—Malacocercus malabaricus, Jerd. The Jungle 
Babbler. 
All over the Nilghiris and its slopes, and through the 
Wynaad, this species is common. Jerdon calls it the Jungle 
Babbler. As far as my experience of it goes, it studiously avoids 
all heavy jungle, and I doubt if it ever enters any forest or 
heavy jungle a distance of a hundred yards. Its chief haunts 
are among scrub, and in the cultivated lands in the vicinity 
of Ootacamund, Coonoor, Kotagherry, &c., it is specially 
abundant; these fields are asa rule intersected in all direc- 
tions by ravines filled with brushwood, besides many 
patches of scrubby uncultivated land; the birds feed in the 
fields, and when disturbed, or they retire of themselves, they 
betake themselves to this scrub. They are always in parties, 
even in the breeding season, and in habits resemble other 
members of the genus, feeding much on the ground, and mov- 
ing about together. Their note isa sort of chuckling laugh, 
and as soon as one commences, the whole party join in a chorus ; 
they are noisy though sprightly birds. The following are the 
measurements, &c., taken in the flesh of two males and two 
females. The sexes do not differ in size :— 
Length, 9:5 to 10°1; expanse, 12°3 to 13:1; tail, 3-9 to 4:1; 
wing, 3°8 to 4°31; tarsus, 1:3 to 1:38; bill from gape, 
1:05 to 1:1 ; weight, 2°5 ozs. 
Legs, feet, claws, bill, and orbital skin dirty fleshy white; 
upper mandible and claws tinged more or less strongly in dif- 
* But these two were then unknown, and he says like cachinnans which has the 
chin black.—Ep., S. F 
