64 
BIRDS OF BillTISH BURMAH. 
Davison say: — "The legs and feet in the first were fleshy white_, slightly 
tinged with brown^ in the second reddish horny ; in both the upper 
mandible was black, the lower mandible fleshy white ; irides rhubarb-red/' 
Length 7 inches, tail 2*4, wing 2*7, tarsus 1'2, bill from gape "9. 
The Black-headed Ground-Babbler occurs as a very rare straggler in 
the extreme south of Tenasserim, at Bankasoon and Malewoon. It ex- 
tends down the Malay peninsula and is found in Sumatra. 
This Babbler appears, from Mr. Davison^s observations, to be found 
always on the ground and singly or in pairs. They are shy birds, fre- 
quenting only the densest portion of the forest, and specially addicted to 
dense cane-brakes. Their food consists of insects, such as ants and their 
larvse &c. 
66. DRYMOCATAPHUS TICKELLI. 
TICKELL^S GROUND-BABBLER. 
Pellorneum tickelli, Bl. J. A. S. B. xxviii. p. 414 ; Hume, S. F. iii. p. 119 ; Bl. B. 
Burm. p. 114 ; Gates, S. F. iv. p. 406 ; Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, pp. 386, 451, pi. xi. f. 1 ; 
Hume, Ibis, 1878, p. 114; IIu?ne Sf Dav. S. F vi. pp. 277, 514; Hume, S. F. 
viii. p. 96 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 207. Mixornis olivaceus, Tickell, J. A. S. B. 
xxviii. p. 449. Trichastoma minor, Huine, S. F. ii, p. 535 ; Wald. in Bl. B. 
Bunn. p. 115 ; Hume 8f Dew. 8. F. vi. p. 259 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 95 ; Bingham, 
S. F. ix. p. 179. Dryinocataphus fulvus, Wald. Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, xv. 
p. 401 ; Hume, S. F. iii, p. 403, v. p. 59. Alcippe tickelli, Godwin-Austen, 
Proc. A. S. Beng. 1877, p. 146. Drymocataphus tickelli, Sharpe, Cat. Birds 
B. Mus. vii. p. 
Description. — Male and female. Whole upper plumage olive-brown with 
a tinge of rufous throughout, the forehead fulvescent, the feathers of the 
head paler shafted; ear -coverts, cheeks and whole underparts (except the 
centre of the abdomen, which is white) clear fulvous ; wings dark brown, 
the outer edges pale fulvous ; tail fulvous brown, the outer edges brighter. 
Bill dusky above, pale flesh-colour beneath ; mouth yellow ; iris reddish 
brown ; eyelids greenish flesh-colour ; legs and claws fleshy white. 
Length 6 inches, tail 2*2, wing 2*4, tarsus I, bill from gape '8. The 
female is considerably smaller. 
This bird has given rise to much controversy. Being one of very plain 
plumage and little known till recently, it was but natural that opinions 
regarding it should be conflicting. The subject has, however, been lately 
well ventilated. I have carefully gone into the question with Mr. Sharpe, 
and the above quotations may be accepted as relating to one and the same 
species. I am, however, at a loss to determine what bird is referred to 
by Messrs. Hume and Davison under the title of Pellorneum tickelli 
(S. F. vi. p. 277), inasmuch as the true P. tickelli has been already fully 
