52 OEATEROPODID-S. 



76. Garrulax albigularis (Gould). The White-throated 

 Laughing-Thrush. 



Garrulax albogularis (Gould), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 38 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N.tyE. no. 411. 



The White-throated Laughing-Thrush breeds throughout the 

 lower southern ranges of the Himalayas from Assam to Afghanistan 

 at elevations of from 4000 to nearly 8000 feet. They lay from the 

 commencement of April to the end of June. The nest varies in 

 shape from a moderately deep cup to a broad shallow saucer, and 

 from 5 to 7 or even 8 inches in external diameter, and from less 

 than 2 to nearly 4 inches in depth internally. Coarse grass, flags, 

 creepers, dead leaves, moss, moss- and grass-roots, all at times enter 

 more or less largely into the composition of the nest, which, though 

 sometimes wholly unlined, is often neatly cushioned with red and 

 black fern and moss-roots. The nests are placed in small bushes, 

 shrubs, or trees, at heights of from 3 to 10 feet, sometimes in forks, 

 but more often, I think, on low horizontal branches, between two 

 or three upright shoots. 



Three is, I think, the regular complement of eggs, and this is the 

 number I have always found when the eggs were much incubated. 

 I have not myself observed that this species breeds in company, nor 

 can I ever remember to have taken two nests within 100 yards of 

 each other. 



Captain Hutton remarks : — " This is very common in Mussoorie 

 at all seasons, and congregates into large and noisy flocks, turning 

 up the dead leaves, and screaming and chattering together in most 

 discordant concert. It breeds in April and May, placing the nest in 

 the forks of young oaks and other trees, about 7 or 8 feet from the 

 ground, though sometimes higher, and fastening the sides of it 

 firmly to the supporting twigs by tendrils of climbing-plants. It is 

 sometimes composed externally almost entirely of such woody ten- 

 drils, intermixed with a few other twigs, and lined with black hair- 

 like fibres of mosses and lichens ; at other times it is externally 

 composed of coarse dry grasses and leaves of different kinds of 

 orchids, and lined with fibres, the materials varying with the locality. 

 The eggs are of a deep and beautiful green, shining as if recently 

 varnished, and three in number. In shape they taper somewhat 

 suddenly to the smaller end, which may almost be termed obtusely 

 pointed. The size 1-19 by 0-87 inch. The usual number of eggs 

 is three, though sometimes only one or two are found ; but only 

 on one occasion out of more than a dozen nests have I found four 

 eggs. The old bird will remain on the nest until within reach of 

 the hand." 



From Murree, Colonel C. H. T. Marshall writes : — " This was 

 the most beautiful egg taken this season, being of a rich, deep, 

 glossy, greenish-blue colour. The nest is composed of fresh ivy- 

 twigs, with the leaves attached, tightly woven together. The birds 

 breed on small trees, not high up, at the end of a branch. "While 



