50 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Genus MIXORNIS, Hodgs. 
51. MIXORNIS RUBRICAPILLA. 
THE YELLOW-BREASTED TREE-BABBLER. 
Motacilla rubicapilla, Tick. J. A. S. B. ii. p. 576. Mixornis rubicapilla, Wald. 
F. Z. S. 1866, p. 547 j id. Ibis, 1872, p. 376 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 23. Mixornis 
rubricapilla, Hume, Nests and Bggs, p. 215 ; Hume, S. F. iii. p. 118 ; Bl. B. 
Burm. p. 114; Oates, S. F. v. p. 152 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 635 j Hume 8f 
Bav. S. F. vi. p. 266 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 95. 
Description. — Male and female. A line from the nostrils, produced back 
over the eyes_, yellow ; top of the head ferruginous ; nape, back, rump, 
scapulars, wing-coverts and tail-coverts dull olive-green ; tertiaries and 
the outer webs of the other quills rufescent brown ; inner webs brown ; 
tail brown, the outer webs tinged with rufescent brown ; sides of the neck 
olive-green ; ear-coverts pale yellow ; chin, throat, cheeks and upper breast 
yellow, with black shaft-stripes ; remainder of lower plumage paler yellow, 
tinged with ashy on the flanks and vent. 
Iris dull white ; eyelids plumbeous ; bill horny brown ; legs fleshy horn- 
colour; claws yellowish. 
Length 5 inches, tail 2*1, wing 2*3, tarsus '7, bill from gape '75. The 
female is about the same size. 
The Yellow-breasted Tree-Babbler is found commonly over the whole of 
Pegu, except perhaps in the drier portions between Thayetmyo and Prome. 
Mr. Blyth records it from Arrakan. Mr. Davison states that it is common 
in Tenasserim down to the thirteenth degree of latitude. Capt. Bingham 
remarks that it is also common in the Thoungyeen valley, and Capt. 
Wardlaw Ramsay found it in Karennee. 
It ranges through the Indo-Burmese countries to Cachar and the hill- 
tracts of Eastern Bengal, and is found at low elevations in Assam, Bhootan, 
Sikhim, and Nipal. Colonel Tick ell procured it in Central India. 
This bird frequents only tree- and bush-jungle, and is not found in the 
grassy plains away from timber. It is generally seen alone or in pairs 
traversing bushes and trees in search of its insect food, and never 
descending to the ground. It has a monotonous metallic note which it 
utters for hours at a time, sitting on a bough concealed by leaves. 
This Babbler nests in June and places its nest either in a bush or on a 
stump of a tree, or even in a pine-apple plant. It is generally made of 
bamboo -leaves lined with grass, or entirely of grass. In shape it is glo- 
bular, with a hole at the side. The eggs, three in number, are white 
speckled with red. 
