JERDON^S GRASS-BABBLER. 
47 
48. PYCTORHIS ALTIROSTEIS. 
JERDON'S GRASS-BABBLER. 
Chrysomma altirostre, Jerd. Ibis, 1862, p. 22 ; Godw.-Aust. Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, 
xvii. p. 34 ; Hume, S, F. iv. p. 505. Pyctorhis altirostris, Bl. 8f Wald. 
B. Burm. p. 117 j Hume, S. F. iii, p. 115 ; Godw.-Aust. J. A. 8. B. xlv. pt. ii. 
pp. 74, 197, pi. ix. ; Blanf. 8. F. v. p. 245 Oates, 8. F. v. p. 249 ; Hume, 8. F. 
viii. p. 95 ; Oates, 8. F. x. p. 206. Pyctorhis griseigularis, Hume, 8. F. v. 
p. 116, viii. p. 95. 
Description. — Male and female. Chiii_, throat and upper breast greyish 
white ; lores and streak over the eye dirty white_, the centre of each feather 
"blackj giving a mottled appearance to these parts; forehead and crown 
rather bright rufous-brown_, the feathers of the forehead centred darker ; 
the whole upper plumage,, cheeks and ear-coverts uniform reddish brown^ 
paler than the head ; lesser wing-coverts with paler edges; quills brov/n^- 
with a broad outer edging of reddish brown and an inner edging of the 
same, but paler ; tertiaries nearly entirely reddish brown, the region of the 
shaft only being brown ; median and greater wing-coverts reddish brown ; 
tail brown, broadly edged with rufous externally and narrowly so internally ; 
all the rectrices indistinctly rayed across ; the underparts from the breast 
to the vent with the under wing-coverts a warm buff; the shafts of the 
feathers of the chin black and much lengthened. 
Upper mandible pale horn-colour, lower pinkish flesh-colour ; iris hazel- 
brown j eyelids and orbital skin greenish yellow ; legs and feet pinkish 
brown ; claws pinkish horn-colour. 
Length 6*2 inches, tail 3'3, wing 2'4, tarsus "9, bill from gape '55. The 
female appears to be the same size. 
Jerdon's Grass-Babbler was first discovered at Thayetmyo, at which 
place it has not, however, again been found. 
It is very abundant in the Rangoon and Shwaygheen districts from the 
village of Wau, on the banks of the Pegu canal, northwards nearly up 
to, Tonghoo. Laterally, it extends to the Pegu and Tonghoo road and to 
the Sittang river. 
It has been found in a few places in India, viz. in Scinde by Mr. Blan- 
ford, in the Bhootan Doars by Mr. Mandelli, and in the Eastern Bengal 
hill-tracts by Col. Godwin- Austen. It is probably spread over the whole 
of the Indo-Burmese countries. 
This Babbler appears to frequent nothing but immensely high, thick 
grass. , I have never seen it in tree- or bush-jungle. It threads its way 
through the grass very quietly, and it is almost impossible to shoot it or 
