(132) Garrulax pectoralis pectoralis.
The Indian Black-gorgeted Laughing-Thrush.
- Ianthocincla pectoralis Gould, P. Z. S., 1835, p. 186 (Nepal).
- Garrulax pectoralis. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 80.
Vernacnlar names. Ol-pho (Lepcha); Bura Penga (Bengali).
Description. Forehead to tail and wing-coverts fulvous olive-brown; a broad collar on the hind neck brigliter fulvous; tail like the bark, the outer feathers broadly tipped with white and with subterminal bands of black; the middle tail-feathers uni-coloured and the next two pairs with black bands only; primary-co erts black edged with hoary; exposed parts of quills olive-brown, the earlier primaries edged with hoary; lores and a narrow supercilium white; ear-coverts black iind white or almost entirely white or entirely black; a cheek-stripe from the gape, continued round the ear-coverts to the upper part of the eye, and a broad pectoral band, black; chin and throat whitish; the remainder of the under parts fulvous, albescent on the abdomen.
Colours of soft parts. Upper mandible dark horn-colour; the lower bluish-horn at the base and tip, dark brown in the middle; mouth bluish; iris yellow, orange-yellow or orange-brown; eyelids and orbital sldn dusky blue, edges of the eyelids orange-yellow; legs light to dark slaty-grey, claws pale horn.
Measurements. Total length about 330 to 340 mm.; wing 142 to 150 mm.; tail about 130 mm.; tarsus about 49 mm.; culmen about 30 mm.
Distribution. Nepal to E. Assam, North and South of the Brahmaputra, N. Burma and N. Shan States.
Nidification. Breeds from the end of March to early June, many birds having second broods in July and August. The nests are large, loosely-built cups of leaves, bamboo leaves, grass, roots and stems of weeds, sometimes moss added, and lined with finer roots, tendrils and fern stems. They may be placed in any thick bush, sapling or clump of bamboos, sometimes quite close to the ground, at other times 20 feet from it. The eggs are generally four in number, sometimes three and rarely five. In colour they are a rather deep blue-green, but quite pale ones are not uncommon; rather long in shape, the texture is smooth and there is very little gloss. 200 eggs average 31·4 × 22·7 mm. The extremes of size are 33·8 × 22·7; 29·2 × 24·1; 28·7 × 21·6 and 30·2 × 20·9 mm.
Habits. This Laughing-Thrush is a bird of low elevations; it is common in the plains near the hills and breeds principally below 2,500 though it may be found up to 4,500 feet. It is very gregarious, and may often be seen associating with other Laughing-Thrushes, especially with the Necklaced Laughing-Thrush. They are not shy, but from their habit of keeping much to dense
