TEOOHAIOPTEBTJM. 61 



92. Trochalopterum squamatum (G-ould). The Blue-winged 

 Laughing-Thrush. 



Trochalopteron squamatum (Gould), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 46 : Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. fy E. no. 420. 



From Sikhim my friend Mr. Gammie writes : — " I have never as 

 yet found more than one nest of the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush, 

 and this one was found on the 18th May at Mongphoo, at an ele- 

 vation of about 3500 feet. The nest was placed in a bush (one of 

 the Zingiber acece), growing in a marshy place, in the midst of dense 

 scrub, at a height of about 4 feet from the ground, and was 

 firmly attached to several upright stems. It was composed of dry 

 bamboo-leaves, held together by the stems of delicate creepers, and 

 was lined with a few black fibres. It was cup-shaped, and mea- 

 sured externally 5-7 in diameter by 3'6 in height, and internally 3-7 

 in width by 2-6 in depth. The nest contained three eggs, which 

 were unfortunately almost ready to hatch off, so that three is 

 probably the normal number of the eggs." 



According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Blue-winged Laughing- 

 Thrush breeds in May and June in the central region of Nepal in 

 forests, at elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. The nest is 

 placed in a fork of a branch on some small tree, and is a large 

 mass of dry leaves and coarse dry grass, 7 or 8 inches in diameter 

 externally, mortar-shaped, the cavity about 2 - 5 deep, and lined with 

 hair-like fibres. The nest, though composed of loose materials, 

 is very firm and compact. They lay four or five eggs, unspotted, 

 verditer-blue, one of which is figured as a broad regular oval, only 

 slightly compressed towards one end, measuring 1*2 by - 9. 



One of the eggs taken by Mr. Gammie (the others were un- 

 fortunately broken) is a long, almost cylindrical, oval, very obtuse 

 at both ends and slightly compressed towards the smaller end, so 

 that the egg has a pyriform tendency. It measures 1*25 by 0-82. 

 The colour is an excessively pale greenish blue, precisely the same 

 as that of the eggs of Sturnia malabariea ; but then this present 

 egg was nearly ready to liatch off when taken, and the fresh eggs 

 are somewhat deeper coloured. 



Subsequent to his letter above quoted, Mr. Gammie on the 10th 

 June found a second nest of this species similar to the first, con- 

 taining three nearly fresh eggs. These are similar in shape to that 

 above described, but in colour are a beautiful clear verditer-blue, 

 altogether a much brighter and richer tint than that of the first. 

 They measure 1-2 and 1-25 by 0-88. 



One nest was taken by Mr. Gammie above Mongphoo at an 

 elevation of about 4500 feet on the 30th of April. It was placed in 

 a bush at a height of about 6 feet from the ground, and contained 

 three fresh eggs. It was a loosely put together, massive cup, some 

 7 inches in diameter and 4 in height externally. It was com- 

 posed mainly of fine twigs, creeper-stems, and grass, with a few 

 bamboo-leaves intermingled, and the cavity was carefully lined 



