Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/287

Rh nest is more often placed in grass nearer the ground. The eggs, generally two only in number, sometimes three, are like those of that bird, but are pinker or more terra-cotta in tint. Fifty eggs average 20·4 × 15·0 mm.

Habits. Those of the last bird, Robinson and Kloss record it from 3,000 feet, Dran, S. Annam.


 * Drymocataphus fuscicapillus Blyth, J. A. S. B., xxiii, p. 815 (1849), (S.W. Ceylon).
 * Pellorneum fuscicapillum. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 143.

Vernacular names. Batitchia (Ceylon).

Description. Forehead, crown and nape dark chocolate-brown, the shafts fulvous; upper plumage dark olive-brown, the tail tipped narrowly with ochraceous, the feathers of the wing-coverts and back with pale shafts, and the edges of the primaries tinged with rufous; lores, sides of the head and neck and whole lower plumage sienna-brown, the sides of the neck and breast with obscure striations on some of the feathers, the striations sometimes obsolete.

Colours of soft parts. Iris light to deep red; eyelid olivaceous; upper mandible deep brown with a pale margin, lower flesh-colour; legs and feet brownish-fleshy; claws pale brownish (Legge).

Measurements. Total length about 160 to 170 mm.; wing 66 to 72 mm,; tail about 56 to 61 mm.; tarsus about 26 to 28 mm.; culmen about 16 mm.

Distribution. South and South-West Ceylon.

Nidification. Mr. W. E. Wait describes the nest as similar to that of Pellorneum ruficeps, and the eggs also are exactly like rather weakly-marked specimens of that bird's and measure about 22·5 × 16·3 mm. In one clutch there were three eggs, in the others two only. The breeding season appears to be from November to February.

Habits. Legge describes the habits of this Babbler as much like those of the rest of the family. A shy skulker, frequenting thick cover and feeding on or near the ground. Its note he turns into the syllables "to-meet-you."


 * Scotocichla fuscicapillum babaulti Wells, Bull. B. O. C., xxxix, p. 69 (1919) (Trincomalee).

Vernacular names. Batitchia (Ceylon).

Description. Similar to the last but much paler, especially on the lower parts which are brownish buff rather than chestnut. The top of the head is olive-brown instead of blackish.