Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/307

 STACHYRIS. 263 round the eye black; a large patch of white below the eye; bounded by a black moustachial streak; ear-coverts ashy-brown; a white superciliiim to the nape bordered above by black; sides of neck and terminal portions of the mantle featliers black with long, white, oval drops; remaining upper plumage rich golden- brown, the rump, tail and the outer webs of the wing-quills tinged with deep rufous; chin and upper throat white; remainder of lower parts ruddy ferruginous, the flanks and under tail-coverts tinged with olivaceous, the breast with very narrow white margins to the feathers, which, with those of the abdomen, have also whitish shafts.

Colours of soft parts. Iris criiuson-lake; bill black, lower mandible and commissure plumbeous; legs and feet pale dingy green {Hume 4' Davison).

Measurements. Total length about 180 mm.; wing 06 to 69 mm.; tail about 56 to 58 mm.; tarsus about US mm.; culmen about 17 to 18 mm.

Distribution. The mountains of Peninsular Burma and Siam. It has been obtained on Muleyit, on the Tliaungyin Hiver, at Malewuu in the extreme south of Tenasserim and in Kao Nawng and Trang in Siam. Nidification unknown.

Habits. According to Davison, Tickell's Spotted Babbler is found in small parties haunting jungle, both forest- and more open bamboo-jungle, in the lower hills. For the most part it keeps to the undergrowth but he never saw it actually on the ground, whereas the Xagas describe the last bird as frequenty hunting for food amongst the fallen leaves. Genus STACHYRIS Hodgson, 1844. This genus is very close indeed to the last, differing principally in its smaller, more pointed, bill, which has, however, the culmen gently curved throughout in the same manner. Keij to Species and Subspecies. A. Crown black streaked with white. a. Throat blackish grey, mottled white S. nigrireps nigriceps, p. 204. b. Throat deep grey or blaclc S.n. coltaHi, p. 2<)5. c. Throat ashy-grey 8. 7i. davisoni, p. 265. B. Crown golden-yellow streaked with black. d. A black streak through eye. a' . Upper parts olive-yellow *S'. chri/scea chiyscea, p. 265. b'. Upper parts dark olive-green. a". Under parts bright yellow . . S. c. assimiUs, p. 267. b" . Under parts dull vellow .... 'S'. c. chrysops, p. 267. e. No black streak through eye S, c. hiiKjhnmi, p. 266.