58 birds of india. 



The Spiny Babbler. 



Descr. — Above brown ; chin, throat, neck, and upper breast, rufes- 

 cent ; the lower part of the breast, belly, and vent, albescent, shaded 

 with brown, and passing into brown on the flanks, thighs, and 

 under tail-coverts ; cheeks pure white ; outer webs of the primaries 

 pale ; the plumage generally with black and somewhat spiny shafts 

 to the feathers. 



Bill and legs dark plumbeous ; irides hoary blue. Length 10 

 inches ; extent 10 ; wing 4 ; tail 5 ; bill at front £ ; tarsus 1-/^. 



This highly interesting bird appears to be rare, having only been 

 sent from Nepal, and I did not procure it in Sikhim or in the Terai. 

 Nothing is recorded of its habits. 



The next group is that peculiarly Indian one the Babblers. It 

 includes several more or less marked types of form, the most 

 typical of which appears to be only found in the continent of India 

 and Ceylon, and is one of the few generic types quite peculiar to 

 the plains of India. The birds composing this group are all grega- 

 rious, somewhat garrulous, chiefly ground feeders, and mostly 

 familiar birds. They construct a loose nest of twigs, and all lay 

 blue eggs. 



Gen. Malacocircus, Swainson. 



Syn. Timalia, Auct. 



Char. — Bill short or moderate, much compressed, rather deep, 

 curving from the base, barely hooked at the tip, entire ; com- 

 missure slightly curved; gonys ascending; nostrils apert; a few 

 short pale rictal seta3 ; wings short, much rounded, 4th, 5th, and 

 6th quills nearly equal and longest ; tail moderately long, broad ; 

 tarsus stout, scutellate ; feet rather large ; claws moderately curved. 



The birds composing this genus resemble one another so closely 

 that they are with difficulty recognised as distinct. The frontal 

 plumes are broad and round, but slightly rigid. They are clad 

 in sombre earthy grey, more or less mixed with rufescent, and 

 striated, and were formerly, by some authors, referred to the 

 Mynas. One or more species are to be found in every part of 

 the plains of India, and it is the type alluded to above as being 

 perhaps the most characteristic form in this geographical district. 



