Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/249

Rh Colours of soft parts. Iris brown, maroon-brown or crimson; legs find feet greenish plumbeous; bill yellow, dusky at base of lower mandible.

Measurements. Length about 250 to 260 mm.; wing about 100 to 105 mm.; tail about 105 to 108 mm.; tarsus about 32 mm.; culmen about 25 mm.

Distribution. Bombay, Mahabaleshwar, Khandalla, Kanara and the plains of MYsore, Madras and the Deccan.

Nidification. This Scimitar-Babbler breeds from January to May in broken country and low hills up to about 2,000 feet as well as in the actual plains, making the usual grass, domed nest, which it places on the grouud in grass and bushes, or in forest. The eggs apparently sometimes number as many as five, but two or three are the normal clutch. Twenty-four eggs average 26·6 × 18·3 mm.

Habits. Those of the genus. This is a subspecies of the low country, it being represented by other races in the higher hills.


 * Pomatorhinus obscurus Hume, S. F., i, p. 7 (1873) (Mt. Abu); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 120.

Vernacular names. Namala Pitta or Dasari Pitta (Tel.).

Description. A much paler bird than the last, with no black band separating the white of the breast from the upper plumage, the hides of the neck and breast being practically the same colour as the back.

Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in true horsfieldi.

Distribution. So far only recorded from Mt. Abu and Seoni.

Nidification. Similar to that of the other races. Five eggs sent me from Mt. Abu measure about 23·0 × 17·5 mm.

Habits as in the last, but perhaps does not frequent such dense jungles. Its range of elevation still requires to be carefully worked out together with its full distribution. Butler says that it is not gregarious, but goes about either singly or in pairs.


 * Pomatorhinus horsfieldi travancoriensis Harington, J. B. N. H. S., xxiii, p. 333 (1914) (Travancore).

Vernacular names. Namala pitta (Tel.).

Description. Much darker than typical horsfieldi; back a rich olive-brown, head decidedly darker than back and often blotched with black. White of breast and abdomen divided from brown of