MHMi 





GARRULAX PICTICOLLIS, &*a. 



Grey-banded Laughing- Thrash. 



Garrulax picticollis, Swinhoe, P. Z. S., 1872, p. 554. 



As is often the case with the birds of China and India, the present species is a close ally and representative 

 form of G. moniliger of the Himalayas. It is about the size of that species, but differs in having the tail 

 tipped with reddish ochre instead of white, and in having a grey pectoral gorget. 



This new Garrulaw is one of the most recent species described by Mr. Swinhoe ; but it has existed 

 previously in European collections, for the British Museum has had for years a specimen designated by the 

 late Mr. G. R. Gray as new to science, but no name was ever published ; and curiously enough, no sooner had 

 the bird been described, than a living specimen arrived in the Zoological Gardens. 



We know little of the habits or economy of G. picticollis. Mr. Swinhoe states that the stomachs of the 

 specimens dissected contained smooth caterpillars, grasshoppers, seeds, and pulp of fig-like berries. 



I reproduce the very complete description of the species given by the same gentleman (/. e.) : — 



" Loral region, extending into a streak over the eye, and a broad mark under eye, throat, and middle of 

 the belly white ; cheek black, spotted with white ; a black line from behind eye and another from base of bill 

 meet round the ear and extend in a broad band down side of neck, nearly meeting on breast, where it is 

 broken by buff feathers, which are only tipped with black; upper parts yellowish olive-brown, rufous on the 

 back of the neck and hind edge of the necklace ; sides of the breast and belly robin-rufous, paler on the tibise 

 and vent. Wings coloured like the back ; the primaries and secondaries with their inner webs blackish brown, 

 the outer webs of many of the former olive-buff near their tips, otherwise margined with dark olive-brown ; 

 axillaries buff, with a few black spots on the carpal edge of wing, and dark primary under-coverts ; under wing 

 whitish, tinged with buff. Tail of twelve feathers, the centrals coloured as the back, with indistinct bars of 

 deeper shade; the fifth pair similar, but with reddish ochre tips, the remainder with broad oblique black 

 band, very broadly tipped (one inch and more) with rufous buff. 



"The above description is taken from an adult female procured near the end of November 1871. The 

 fresh bird measured, length 12a ; wing 5*4, the first five quills graduated, 5th, 6th, and 7th equal and 

 longest, 8th a little shorter ; tail 5*75, outermost feather 1'6 the shortest, outer five graduated, the fifth and 

 centrals equal; tarse 1*9, Upper mandible and broad tomial edge of lower bluish black, rest of lower 

 horny, tinged with bluish; rim of eyelid blackish grey ; iris chestnut; inside of mouth black ; legs leaden, 

 with paler claws, 



" Another female, apparently younger than the last, has the necklace deep bluish grey shaded with black 

 where it crosses the breast ; inside of mouth dark green, with flesh-coloured tongue ; rim of eyelid tinged 

 with yellow. Length 12*9; wing 5*2 ; tail 5*6 ; tarsi 2*2. 



" A bird, still younger, of the male sex, has the inside of mouth orange-yellow ; rim of eyelid the 

 same ; necklace mixed with much bluish grey and widely broken on breast, the imtermediate feathers not 

 tipped with black ; underparts light, 



"The greater or less amount of black and grey in the necklace seems due to individual variation, rather 

 than to sexual difference or to age." 



The figure is taken from a skin lent to me by Mr. Swinhoe, and represents the bird of the size of life. 





s 





*■■?"> 



-I , ■ " 



mammMagmmm 



-■...■-,= 



jiiiiyMiUfiiHHMiUMiiiiHiH^KiiH 



