112. Crateropus striatus.
The Southern-Indian Babbler.
Malacocercus striatus, Swains. Zool. Ill. new series, pl, 127 (1831); Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 59; Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 300; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 449; Hume, S. F. iv, p. 458, vii, p. 385; id. Cat. no. 432 bis; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 494; Parker, S. F. ix, p. 479. Crateropus striatus (Sw.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. vii, p. 481; Oates in Hume's N. & E. 2nd ed. i, p, 79.
Demelitcha, Ceyl.; Punil, Tam.
Coloration. Upper plumage and sides of head and neck brown, the feathers of the head edged with cinereous, those of the back with large whitish shaft-streaks, and a dark streak on each web ; quills dark brown, edged with ashy on the outer webs; upper tail-coverts tinged with rufous ; tail dark brown, paler at base, cross-rayed ; chin, throat, and breast very dark brown, sometimes almost black, with broad ashy edges ; remainder of lower plumage dark fulvous, the sides of the body tinged with brown.
Legs, feet, claws, bill and orbital skin dirty fleshy white; upper mandible and claws tinged pale brown ; iris clear white (Davison).
Length about 10; tail 4; wing 4.2; tarsus 1.3; bill from gape 1.
This species closely resembles C. canorus, from which it differs chiefly in the dark colour of the throat and breast.
Distribution. Ceylon, Ramesvaram, and part of Southern India. There are many specimens of this bird in the British Museum, collected at Coonoor and Ootacamund, on the Nilgiris, quite inseparable from Ceylon birds.
Habits, &c. Breeds in Ceylon from March to July, building its nest in bushes and laying two or three eggs, which measure .96 by .72.
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