THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. | -. 180 
take two years before completing it. A young male which was killed in 
August, 1890, and which was the father of four nearly fully-fledged nest~ 
lings, had but few signs of the adult plumage, and he must have been at 
least 14 months old. The female had the adult plumage fully developed. 
The nest of this bird was a large oval affair, much like that of the 
Pomatorhinz, and was made of bamboo leaves lined with fern roots, narrow 
strips of ekra bark and grass. It was placed about six feet high in a thick 
clump of bamboos. I have never seen an egg of this bird, but the 
natives assure me that it is very much like that of Trochalopterum 
phenicium, but marked with a paler colour. 
In its habits it is far more like the Crateropodine than the Timeline. 
Tt collects in large flocks like most of the members of that family and 
is also extremely noisy, uttering incessantly a variety of cries, all more 
or less like the notes of Garrulax leucolophus, but less harsh, nor has it the 
so-called laughing note of that bird ; though it has another equally fit 
to be called a laugh. Nearly all the birds I have seen have been in 
bamboo or thick grass jungle; indeed I can recall to mind no instance 
of ever having seen them in any other. They are not shy birds, and 
I have sometimes remained within easy shot of a party for nearly half 
an hour, following them up as they made their way along the bamboo 
tops, to all seeming causing them no anxiety or annoyance by my 
proximity, though one would now and then mount a bamboo close to me 
and loudly expostulate with me, not so much in fear as in contempt for 
my curiosity. They are comparatively active on the wing also, far 
more so than any other of the Zimelzne that I have closely observed, 
and. altogether I am inclined to think that it will eventually have to be 
placed with the Crateropdine rather than in its present position. 
(51) Pyctoruts stneNsIs.—The Yellow-eyed Babbler. 
Oates, No. 189; Hume, No. 385. 
Common everywhere in suitable localities up to nearly 3,000 feet. 
(52) PELLORANEUM MANDELLU.—Mandelli’s Spotted Babbler. 
Oates, No. 142; Hume, No. 399, Bes. 
The common form of Pelloraneum in these hills. Some time ago an 
article appeared in the “ Asian”’ over my signature under the heading 
P. ruficeps. The description and remarks, however, all applied to 
this bird, and my notes must have got very much mixed up. So 
