(490) Heteroxenicus sinensis.
The Chinese Shout-wing.
Brachypteryx sinensis Rickett & La Touche, Bull. B. O C, vi, p. 50 (1897) (Kuatun, N. Fohkien).
Vernacular names. None recorded.
Description.— Adult male. Lores dusky black; a supercilium from the nostrils behind the ear-coverts white; remainder of upper plumage dark, dull blue; concealed parts of wings and tail dark brown; below from chin to vent and under tail-coverts smoky-blue.
Colours of soft parts. Iris brown; bill above horny-brown, below yellowish; legs fleshy-brown.
Measurements. Wing 65 to 66 mm.; tail 47 to 51 mm.; tarsus 29 mm.; culmen 11 mm.
Adult female. Lores and a ring round the eye fulvous; whole upper plumage fulvous-brown, tinged with rufous on wings and tail; below pale dull fulvous, albescent on the belly, brighter on chin, throat and fore neck; under tail-coverts ochre-yellow.
Distribution. W. China. Dibrugarh in Assam (Dr. H. N. Coltart) and Hungram, N. Cachar Hills. Probably it will be found to extend throughout the hills of extreme North Burma.
Nidification. Ricketts and La Touche found this Short-wing breeding in Kuatun in April and May. Eggs taken by them are pale, dull terra-cotta in colour and measure 21.0 x 15.3 mm.; a nest taken by one of my Naga collectors in N. Cachar at 6,000 ft,, and another brought to Dr. Coltart by Trans Dikku Nagas, in both cases the parent birds being caught on the nest, have eggs exactly similar in size, shape and texture, but in colour they are reddish olive-brown. The nests were said to be domed and to have been made of grass, leaves and moss with a lining of skeleton leaves.
Habits. These do not appear to differ from the habits of the Nepal Babbler.
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