THE BIRDS OF NORTE CACHAR. 139 



(300) Okeocinola dauma.— The Small-billed Mountain-Thrush. 



Oates, No. 698 ; Hume, No. 371. 

 This thrush is very rare here, but probably the few there are are 

 resident, for I once shot a pair in June and these on dissection proved 

 to be breeding, the female containing eggs, the first of which would 

 have been laid in some three or four days. No nest could, however, be 

 found, though a good deal of time and trouble was spent in the search. 

 (301) 0. mollissima.— The Plain-backed Mountain-Thrush. 



Oates, No. 701 ; Hume, No. 370. 

 Bare. Probably resident, but as yet I have never met with it either 

 in the hot weather or rains. 



(302) Zoothera monticola.— The Large Brown Thrush. 

 Oates , No. 704 ; Hume, No. 551. 

 I have not met with this bird half a dozen times in as many years 

 —never except from November to February. I doubt if it is resident 

 here, though it may, probably, breed in the higher parts of Manipur 

 and the Naga Hills. Of the five birds I have shot, four were males 

 (three young and one adult) and the fifth was a young female. 

 (303) Z. maeginata.— The Lesser Brown Thrush. 

 Oates, No. 705; Hume, No. 350 Bis. 

 The commissure is reddish, paler than the rest of the bill. The 

 young bird differs from the adult only in having the tips of the' wing- 

 coverts all with fulvous spots and the black margins of the feathers of 

 the lower plumage broader ; thus making the breast look almost wholly 

 black. By no means common, but found scattered throughout the 

 district in the cold weather ; in the hot weather and rains being confined 

 chiefly to the high ranges of the east, where it breeds in June and 

 July. The first nest I ever took of this bird was rather abnormal in its 

 construction, so I give the description of it which appeared at the time 

 in the Asian. 



"The only nest I have ever seen of this bird was found on the 18th 

 of June, 1890, and was taken from a thick tangle of cane-bush and 

 creepers, in which it was placed at a height of some six feet from the 

 ground. My attention was attracted to the bush in question by the 

 bird flying out, and, on shooting it, I found it to be of this species. 

 The nest was placed well inside the bush, and it was not until I had cut 

 away a considerable amount of leaves and branches that I could get at 



