Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/430

386 Manipur it may be said to be the constant form as it is in Lushai; in the Eastern Cachar Hills birds are nearer this form than bengalensis but in Western Cachar and the Khasia Hills the Bengal bird is the normal one, though some few approach the Burmese birds. This is, however, only what we expect to find in geographical races and on the dividing lines between all the races of this Bulbul the birds inhabiting them will themselves be more or less intermediate.

Nidification. Similar to that of the birds already described but the nest is often placed in bushes on the outskirts of forest and sometimes even inside light forest, bamboo- or scrub-jungle. It is not so persistent an adherent to civilization and though it prefers the vicinity of towns and villages, will often be found in open country some distance from them. 100 eggs average 22.0 × 16.2 mm. and the extremes are 23.8 × 16.7; 22.2 × 17.5 and 20.5 × 15.5; 21.2 × 15.0 mm.

In the northern portion of its habitat four is the normal clutch for this bird, further south three only, whilst round about Rangoon it often lays but two. The breeding season lasts from April to July, earlier in the south, later still in the north.

(401) Molpastes hæmorrhous nigripileus.

.

Vernacular names. Boh-ka-lone (Burmese).

Colours of soft parts as usual. Legs and feet black.

Measurements. Wing about 85 to 99 mm.

Distribution. Burma East of the Sittang River, as far South as Tenasserim and North to Karenni. The range of this bird and that of the next has been very much confused. It appears that the whole of the South Burmese race East of the Sittang and Peninsular Siam must be placed under the name nigripileus. Oates in allowing two races to occur in the same area has been misled by the fact that here and there among birds from North-East Tenasserim one meets with individuals which have rather light ear-coverts, thus showing some approach to the next race.

Nidification. Darling found a nest of this bird containing three eggs on the 16th March in Tenasserim. This is recorded as that of the Chinese Red-vented Bulbul. Nest and eggs are in no way distinguishable from those of others of the genus. The few eggs I have seen average about 24.1 × 17.0 mm. but a larger series would assuredly decrease these figures.

Habits. This bird is said to be even more of a forest and jungle bird than the last, otherwise there is nothing to note about it.