Habits. The Rufous-chinned Laughing-Thrush is found in pairs or in small parties of four and five and, like the rest of its relatives, haunts undergrowth, scrub and secondary growth, but always in forest or in its immediate vicinity. It is not a noisy bird, but has a large variety of notes, some of which are harsh and loud and some are soft and mellow; its flight, when it can be forced to take to wing, is feeble and ill-sustained, but in clambering about bushes and reeds it is very active and equally so on the ground, where it seeks much of its food, both insect and seed. It is found as low as 2,500 feet, but is most common between 4,000 and 6,000 feet, ascending as high as 8,000 feet.
(144) Ianthocincla rufogularis assamensis.
Hartert's Laughing-Thrush.
- Ianthocincla rufogularis assamensis Hartert, Vög. Pal., i, p. 635 (1910) (Margherita, Assam).
Vernacular names. Mi-pa-pita (Trans-Diku Nagas).
Description. Differs from typical rufogularis in having the whole chin and throat rufous and the ear-coverts almost all, or nearly all, rufous.
Colours of soft parts as in rufogularis.
Measurements. A rather smaller bird than rufogularis with wing about 91 to 94 mm.
Distribution. The whole of Assam south of the Brahmaputra as far South as the Lushai and Chittagong Hills and as far East as Lakhimpur and thence into the Chin Hills.
Nidification. Breeds from 3,500 feet upwards throughout its habitat in May and June, with an occasional second laying in August and September. The site selected is almost invariably a bush in heavy forest, though the part selected is always near an opening of some kind, river, road or a natural open glade. Nest and eggs like those of the preceding birds. 40 eggs average 26·5 × 18·9 mm.
Habits. Similar to those of rufogularis.
(145) Ianthocincla rufogularis occidentalis.
The Kashmir Laughing-Thrush.
- Ianthocincla rufogularis occidentalis Hartert, Vög. Pal. i, p. 635 (1910) (Dehra Doon).
Vernacular names. None recorded.
Description. Similar to the Rufous-chinned Laughing-Thrush, but has the ear-coverts rusty-orange and the upper parts pale, more olive and less rufous.
Colours of soft parts and Measurements the same as in the last.
