Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/262

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222
TIMALIIDÆ.

Distribution. Bhamo Hills, Yunnan into China.

Nidification. This Scimitar-Babbler breeds in some numbers in the Bhamo Hills from 5,000 feet upards and Harington took several nests at 5,500, which he describes as domed and placed on, or close to, the ground. The eggs are laid from the middle of March to early May and usually three form the full clutch, sometimes two only. They are rather broad ovals and measure about 27·0 × 21·0 mm.

Habits. Harington records that this bird is very noisy in the mornings and evenings, having a fine Blackbird-like song, which it often repeats.

(223) Pomatorhinus erythrogenys imberbis.

Salvadori's Scimitar-Babbler.

Pomatorhinus imberbis Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen., (2) vii, p. 410 (1889) (Yado, N.E. Leito).

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. Practically the same in coloration as Vigors's Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler but much smaller.

Colours of soft parts as in Vigors's Scimitar-Babbler.

Measurements. Wing about 84 to 88 mm.; tail about the same; tarsus about 37 mm.; culmen about 30 to 31 mm.

Distribution. Hills of Eastern Burma from the Ruby Mines to Tenasserim.

Nidification. Mr. J. P. Cook found this bird breeding at Kalaw in some numbers in thin grass and scattered scrub-jungle at an elevation of about 3,200 feet. The nest he describes as like that of other Scimitar-Babblers and on the 13th April he took a single egg, hard-set, measuring 26·0 × 20·3 mm.

Habits. Frequents grass-land and thin scrub leather than forest or heavy jungle.

Pomatorhinus hypoleucus.

Key to Subspecies.

a.
Sides of head not streaked with white
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
P. h. hypoleucus, p. 222.
b.
Sides of head streaked with white
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
P. h. tickelli, p. 223.

(224) Pomatorhinus hypoleucus hypoleucus.

The Arrakan Scimitar-Babbler.

Othorhinus hypoleucus Blyth, J. A. S. B., xxiv, p. 273 (1875) (Arrakan).
Pomatorhinus hypoleucus. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 126.

Vernacular names. Dao-hoot (Cachari).

Description. Upper plumage olive-brown, deeply tinged with