340 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIIl. 



POMATORHIKUS HYPOLEUCUS HTPOIEUCUS, Blyth. 



The Arracun Scimitar Babbler. 



Orthorhinus Mjpoleucus, Blyth, J. A. S. B., xiii., p. 371 (1844.) 



Pomatorhinus hypoleucus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M., vii., p. 428 ; Oates, F.B.I. , i., 

 p. 126, Baker, Ibis 1906, p. 95. 



Description. — As in Oates, F.B.I. 



Distribution. — As in Oates. And also the Chindwin basin, I have not 

 been able to examine any specimens from Arracan where the type originally 

 came from, nor the Chindwin area, where I believe it has been got breeding 

 by Mr. C. Hopwood. 



Nesting. — Stuart Baker says that this bird builds the usual type of nest ; 

 either domed or a deep cup, and that the eggs are white, and in shape 

 broad blunt oval, and range in size between 1"23" and 1'20" in length and 

 •87" and -83" in breadth. 



Pomatorhinus hypolbucus tickelli,''" Blyth. 

 TickeU's Giant Scimitar Babbler. 



Blyth, J. A. S. B., xxiv., p. 273 (1875); Sharpe, Cat. B. M., vii., p. 

 429 ; Oates, F. B. I., i., p. 127. 



Description and Distribution. — As in Oates, F. B. I. 



" [Nests and eggs do not differ from that of P. h. hypoleucus. Four in my 

 collection measure between 1-16" and 1-18" in length and -96 in breadth." — 

 E.O.S.B.] 



XiPHORHAMPHUs, Blyth (1843). 



" This genus merely differ from Pomatorhinus by its excessively long and 

 still more narrow bill. Only one species is known." — (Oates). 



XiPHORHAMPHUS SXJPERCILIARIS, Blyth. 



Blyth, J. A. S. B., xi., p. 176 (1842) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M., vii., 433 ; 

 Oates, F. B. I., i., p. 128. 



Description. — As in Oates, F. B. I. 



I have only been able to examine one specimen from Manipur, procured 

 by Godwin-Austin on the Konchungbum Peak, this has the breast much 

 paler, and not rufous, and most probably constitutes a distinct sub- 

 species. 



Nesting. — " The nest of this bird — is that of all the Scimitar Babblers. It 

 is made principally of grass and dead leaves, with a few bamboo leaves 

 where such are obtainable, and is either completely domed or semi-domed, 

 or very deep cup shaped, and placed on one side so that it appears to be 

 domed if casually examined. As a rule it is placed actually on the ground 

 in amongst bracken, ferns, or scrub jungle in forests and occasionally I 

 have taken it two or three feet up in thick bushes or in tangles of jasmines, 

 raspberries, etc." 



The eggs from 2 to 4 in number are, of course, white, and of much the 

 same shape and texture, as the eggs of the smaller Pomatorihinus. They 

 average about -96" x -72".— E. C. S. JB. 



* Pomatorhinus hypoleucus wrayi, Sharpe. 



Sharpe, P. Z. S., 1887, p. 437. 



Very similar to P. h. tickelli, Blyth differs in being much darker; the head dusky 

 brown, inclining to dark ashy; the tail black instead of rufous-brown. 

 Hab. — The mountains of Perak, Malay Peninsula- 



( To he continued. ) 



