193 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. VIII. 
(6) In a few eggs the marks consist almost entirely of hair-like lines 
intertwined with one another and forming a ring round the larger end, 
some ‘15" broad. Fifty of my eggs average °69" x °54"; one hun- 
dred of them vary in length between 61" * 78" and in breadth between 
-4g!! x 61", 
(61) ALCIPPE PHAYR (Vel PHACOCEPHALA).—The Burmese Babbler. 
Oates, No. 165 ; Hume, No. 888 Bis. 
I cannot with certainty assign the birds of this region either to the 
Burmese or Southern Indian form. The typical bird of North Cachar 
has either no sincipital stripe or only the very faintest indication of it ; 
moreover the colour of the lower parts varies considerably in individuals 
according to whether the plumage is abraded or not. As regards the 
cap, there is seldom any trace of it in the birds of these parts. 
Oates seems undecided ratheras to whether A. phayrii is a good 
species, and personally I think the two forms, if they can even be called 
such, should be combined under the name A. phacocephala. 
(62) StTAcHYRIS NIGRICEPS,—The Black-throated Babbler. 
Oates, No. 169 ; Hume, No. 391. 
Very common from the level of the plains, where it remains to breed, 
up to about 3,500 feet, above which it is less common, but is still met 
with, even up to the highest peaks. 
(63) 8. corvs#a.—The Golden Babbler. 
Oates, No. 170 ; Hume, No. 394. 
I have taken a great number of nests and eggs of this bird, which is 
not uncommon in a few localities, though its distribution is very con- 
fined. The majority of nests have been either completely domed or 
else very nearly so, but on a few occasions I have also taken cup-shaped 
nests, and the first year I obtained any, all I took were of this shape, 
so that I began to think this species differed from the others of the 
genus and did not build a domed nest. Since then, however, I have 
found out my mistake. It is formed of bamboo leaves, either whole 
or in strips, grasses, and, very rarely, a dried leaf or two, all loosely 
wound together and lined with finer scraps of the same material or with 
fine rootlets. On one occasion I found one lined partly with buffalo 
hair. 
