151. Drymocataphus tickelli.
Tickell's Babbler.
Pellorneum tickelli, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxviii, p. 414 (1859); Hume, S. F. i, p. 299, iii, p. 119; Oates, S. F. iv, p. 406; Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, pp. 386, 451; Hume, Ibis, 1878, p. 114; Hume & Dav. S. F. vi, pp. 277, 514; Hume, Cat. no. 399 ter; id. S. F. xi, p. 144. Mixornis olivaceus, Tick. J. A. S. B. xxviii, p. 449 (1859). Trichastoma minor, Hume, S. F. ii, p. 535; Hume & Dav. S. F. vi, p. 259; Hume, Cat. no. 387 bis; Bingham, S. F. ix, p. 179. Turdinus garoensis, Godwin-Austen, J. A. S. B. xliii, pt. 2, p. 160, pl. viii (1874); Hume, S. F. iii, p. 393; id. Cat. no. 390 sept.; id. S. F. xi, p. 140. Drymocataphus fulvus, Wald. A. M. N. II. (4) xv, p. 401 (1875) ; Hume, S. F. iii, p. 403, v, p. 59. Drymocataphus tickelli (Blyth), Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, p. 452, pl. xi, fig. 1 ; Oates, B. B. i, p. 64 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 557 ; Oates in Humes N. & E. 2nd ed. i, p. 103.
Coloration. Whole upper plumage fulvescent olive-brown; the forehead more distinctly fulvous, the feathers of the crown pale-shafted ; tail slightly rufescent; lores, a very indistinct eyebrow, and the feathers round the eye pale fulvous; ear-coverts fulvous brown with pale shafts; sides of neck similar to the back but slightly paler; cheeks and entire lower plumage uniform fulvous, with the very faintest indications of stripes on the throat and breast; centre of abdomen albescent *.
Bill dusky above, pale flesh-colour beneath ; mouth yellow; iris reddish brown; eyelids greenish flesh-colour ; legs and claws fleshy white.
Length about 6 ; tail 2 ; wing 2.4 ; tarsus 1; bill from gape .8.
Distribution. There are undoubted specimens of this species in the Hume Collection from the Khasi hills and from Manipur. Godwin-Austen obtained it in the Garo hills.
It has been found in Karennee; on the eastern slopes of the Pegu hills ; the central and southern portions of Tenasserim, and the Thoungyeen valley, in all of which tracts it appears to be fairly common.
Habits, &c. This species is a quiet little bird found in all sorts of jungle, creeping about bushes and on the ground singly or in pairs. Bingham found the nest in March, a domed structure of bamboo-leaves and roots placed in a cane-bush about one foot above the ground. It contained three eggs, white dotted with pink. One egg measured .67 by .51.
* After examining all the specimens of birds in the Hume and Tweeddale collections, as well as others lent me by Godwin-Austen, which have a bearing on the identity of D. tickelli, I am of the same opinion as Sharpe and I arrived at some years ago - he when writing the seventh volume of the ' Catalogue,' and I when writing the Birds of Burmah.' This conclusion is briefly that Trichastoma miner of Hume is the same bird as Pellorneum tickelli of Blyth.
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