Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Birds Vol 1).djvu/496

450

Elachura haplonofa Stuart Baker, Ibis, 1892, p. 62 (Ilungrum, N. Cachar).

Vernacular names. Tinrjlin-rui-yajeha (Kacha Xaga).

Description. AVhole upper plumage and wing-coverts dark number-brown, rather lighter on the rump and upper tail-coverts, the feathers obsoletely edged with rather pale sienua-brown; wings dark cinnamon-brown on the exposed parts and dark brown where unexposed in the closed wing; tail brown, tinged with cinnamon-red but not so strongly as are the wing-quills; lores fulvous-brown, dusky next the eyes; chin and throat white tinged with fulvous and the feathers, except in the centre, tipped with dusky; breast and sides of the neck fulvous-brown, the feathers tipped brown and subtipped wl)ite, the white being most prominent in the centre of the breast; centre of abdomen white; flanks and under tail-coverts fulvous-brown, some of the feathers of the former tipped white; thighs greyish-brown, the shafts of the feathers paler; under wing-coverts grey; axillaries ulark fulvous-brown.

Colours of soft parts. Iris light red; bill dark horny, slightly rpaler on commissure and tip; gape black, mouth bluish-fleshy; legs sanguineous-fleshy, the claws still paler.

Measurements. Length in the flesh 10-1: mm.; wing 50 mm.; tail 40 mm.; tarsus 15 mm.; culmen 10 mm.

Distribution. The only specimen known was obtained on the Hungrum Peak, N. Cachar Hills, at 6,400 feet.

(Nidification. The nest, upon which the above bird was trapped, was made of skeleton leaves, dead leaves, roots, tiny twigs and I'rass bents fairly welt bound together, covered outside with loose dead leaves and compactly lined with skeleton leaves. In shape it was a very deep cup about 81 mm. across its broadest part by about 135 inn), deep and it was placed under a fallen tree, supported by fallen branches and rubbish, the fallen tree itself forming the top of the nest. The eggs, three in number, were pure glossy white, one faintly speckled and the others more strongly marked with pale reddish-brown. They measure about 17"2xl3'l mm. The nest was taken on the 11th May in very dense secondary trrowth in which many dead trees were left lying.

Habits. The two birds seen when watching the above nest were lust like birds of the genus Pnoejnjga in habits, very active rtind restless, quick on their legs but slow and feeble in their ifliglit. Other birds seen but not procured, with a nest similar to that above described, were just as shy and restless. The call-note is a loud, clear whistle and there is also a constantly-uttered soft " chir." The bird, trapped on its nest, had fed on ants and a species of tiny bright blue beetle.