Descriptive List of the Common Birds 
(Does not appear to occur in or about the 
towns of Bombay and Madras.) (Illus. B. C., 
p- 10, but the illustration is not a good one, a 
better idea is given in F. I., p. 10, where an 
allied species is figured.) 
The Babblers, 6-10 
6. Argya caudata: The Common Babbler, 
or Striated Bush-babbler, or Rat-bird. (F. 
105), (J. 438), (IL) 
A dingy brown bird; upper plumage 
darker than the lower. In each feather there 
is a dark line along the shaft which causes the 
bird to have a streaked appearance. It goes 
about in pairs, or in small flocks. It feeds 
largely on the ground. When it runs, its tail 
(which is about 4% inches long, i.e. half the 
total length of the bird) seems to trail on the 
ground like that of a rat, hence one of its 
names. Its note is not unpleasant. It nests 
chiefly in the hot weather. The nursery is a 
neatly constructed cup, which is invariably 
placed in a low bush. Its eggs are pale blue. 
Does not appear to occur in the neighbour- 
hood of Calcutta, Bombay, or Madras. Ad- 
dicted to arid parts of India. 
95 
