256 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[Oct. 



Like others of the family it lives in small flocks, forages about the 

 thick brushwood, and densely interwoven woody creepers. On being 

 observed, they hop and climb up the stem and thick branches of the 

 nearest large tree; but they do not appear to ascend to the tops of trees. 

 I occasionally, though rarely, observed them hopping and feeding on the 

 ground. As might be expected from the structure of their wings, they 

 fly heavily, and never to any distance. The cry of the ' laughing 

 thrush* is very peculiar, and once heard cannot be forgotten. It is a 

 sort of cracked, punch and judy laugh, and is no sooner commenced by 

 one, than several others take up the chorus. Their chief food is fruit 

 of various kinds, also caterpillars, grubs and various other insects, 



83. — C. Delesserti. — New species ? 



The only specimen I have seen of this bird was in the collection of 

 M. Delessert, who was some time on the Neil cherries. It was killed 

 near Kotagherry, and, if new, may be named in honour of that gentle- 

 man, who took home with him large collections, 



Descr. — Irides light red ; bill yellow at the base of the lower mandi- 

 ble,brown above ; head and nape brownish black; chin, throat and breast 

 white s shoulders and back dark rufous, growing lighter towards the tail ; 

 wings reddish, black ; belly and vent light reddish brown ; tail black; 

 legs pale reddish. Length about 11 inches; wing 4 T 2 -g-ths ; tail 4 T yhs ; 

 tarsus l T yhs. 



Sub-Genus POMATORHINUS, Horsf. 

 89.— P. Horsfieldii, Sykes.—Horsfield's Babbler. 



I have seen this bird, but rarely, in Goomsoor, in bamboo jungle, in 

 thick and tangled wood near Manantoddy, and among under-wood in the 

 neighbourhood of Kotagherry. It has a very loud cry which has been 

 well expressed by Colonel Sykes, as, ' hoot whoot, whoot to which the 

 female (when they are in pairs) answers ' hoot, hooee^ I saw it once in 

 pairs, at other times in small families, keeping up a continual loud call, 

 and climbing about the branches with great facility. It is a remarkably 

 shy and wary bird. Various small insects were found in the stomach of 

 those I procured. 



Irides dark red; bill yellow ; horn colour at the base of the upper 

 mandible ; legs greenish black. Length 9 to 9h inches; wing flatus 

 tail 3| ; tarsus l T Vths. 



