424 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



PyCTORHIS AliTIROSTRIS ALTIROSXRIS, Jerdoil. 



JerdorCs Babbler, 



Chrysomma altirostre, Jerclon, Ibis, 1862, p. 22. 



Pyctorhis altirostris, Sharpe, Cat., B. H., vii., -p. 512 ; Gates, F. B. I., i., p. 

 139. 



Desnription. — " Forehead and a broad stripe to the eye hoary-grey with 

 black centres ; lores grey ; sides of the head and neck greyish-brown, tinged 

 with rufous, more hoary round the eye ; whole upper plumage deep reddish- 

 brown, darkest on the wings and tail ; chin, throat, cheeks, and upper 

 breast whitish ; lower breast, flanks and abdomen ochraceous." "Upper 

 mandible pale horn-colour, lower pinkish flesh-colour ; iris hazel-brown ; eyelid 

 and orbital skin greenish-yellow ; legs and feet pinkish-brown." " Length, 

 labout 6-5"; tail, 3-3"; wing, 2-4"; tarsus, -9"; bill from gape, ••'55" (Gates). 



Wing, 57-61 mm. Average six specimens, 60 mm. 



Distribution. — Thayetmyo and the plains of Pegu, in Lower Burma. 



Habits, — Nothing is known about the habits or nidification of this species, 

 it is only found in long elephant or kine grass. 



Pyctorhis altirostris griseigularis, Hume. 



Hume's Babbler. 



Pyctorhis griseigularis, Hume, St. Frs., v., p. 116. (1877) ;Harington, Bull. 

 B. G. C, xx'xiii., p. 47. 



Description. — Similar to P. a. altirostris, Jerdon, diflers, in jiaving chin, 

 throat, and upper breast, grey, instead of white ; the lower breast, abdomen 

 •and flanks, dull rufous, instead of pale-fulvous. 



Wing, 62-64. mm. Average of seven specimens, 63. mm. 



"Bill pale horny, nearly white towards base of lower mandible ; legs 

 pale fleshy or orange-brown ; feet darker." (Hume.) 



Distribution. — Assam, and the Butan Doars. 



Four specimens procured by me at Bhamo Upper Burma, in February 

 and June, and now in the Tring Museum, are very similar to the above, 

 in having the abdomen dull rufous and breast grey ; but have the throat 

 white instead of grey, and therefore appear to form a comiecting link 

 between the Assam and Pegu birds. I found these birds very com- 

 mon in the dense " Kine-grass " around Bhamo, it is probably to be found 

 inhabiting similar localities throughout Northern Burma. 



Pyctorhis altirostris scindicus, Sub-sp. nov. 



The Sind Babbler. 



Sharpe, Cat., B. M., vii., p. 513. 



It is not always advisable to describe a new species from a single speci- 

 men, but as the only one, I have been able to examine from Sind, differs 

 ■entirely from P. a. greseigidaris, Hume, from Assam its nearest geographical- 

 ly, I think it advisable to give it a name. Dr. Sharpe, in the " Catalogue of 

 Birds," notices the difference between the Sind bird and P. altirostris. 



Description. — Similar to P. a. altirostris, Jerdon, from Pegu, differs in 

 having its upper plumage fulvous, instead of reddish-brown ; its chin and 

 throat white, breast and remainder of lower plumage ochraceous. 



Wing, 65. mm. ; culmen, 12 mm. ; bill from gape, 13. mm. 



Type. — In the British Museum. 



Haiitat. — Sukkar in Sind. 



GRGUP III. 



Elaphrornis, Legge, 1879. 

 This genus contains one species which is confined to the mountains of 

 Ce!ylon. Nothing appears to be known about it and to what family or group 

 it should belong. Mr. Gates placed it amongst the Brachypterygince, but for 



