(127) Dryonastes galbanus.
Austen's Laughing-Thrush.
- Garrulax galbanus Godw.-Aust., P. Z. S., 1874, p. 44 (Manipur).
- Dryonastes galbanus. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 68.
Vernacular names. None recorded.
Description. A narrow ashy-white superciliutu; crown and nape ashy-brown; rest of head and chin black; upper plumage, wing-coverts and outer webs of secondaries ochraceous brown; the outer webs of primaries ashy-olive; inner webs of all quills brown; tail greenish-ashy, the four middle feathers broadly tipped with black and sub-tipped whitish, the others broadly tipped with white preceded by blackish; lower plumage yellow washed with olive on the sides; under tail-coverts white.
Colours of soft parts. Bill black; legs ash-grey; iris red-brown (Godw.-Austen) .
Measurements. Length about 240 to 250 mm.; wing 92 to 96 mm.; tail about 105 to 110 mm.; tarsus about 35 mm.; culmen about 20 to 22 mm.
Distribution. Manipur and Chin Hills.
Nidification. In all respects like that of the last bird. Thirty eggs average 24·3 × 18·5 mm. and cannot be distinguished from those of that Laughing-Thrush, except that they are a trifle smaller and perhaps rather less glossy.
Habits. Similar to those of ruficollis, but found principally between 2,500 and 5,000 feet. It is said also to be more of a forest bird in the Chin Hills and less restricted to scrub and bush-jungle, though Hume found it frequenting grass-lands in very large flocks, 50 to 80 in number, in Manipur.
Genus GARRULAX Lesson, 1831.
The genus Garrulax differs from Dryonastes in having fewer bristles and hairs covering the nostrils, which are clearly visible. The feathers of the head are in most species long and ample, and in some are developed into long crests.
At first sight the White-headed Laughing-Thrushes appear to be divided from the rest of the genus by their fine crests and by the fact that they lay eggs of a totally different character to those of the other genera. Now, however, that Mr. J. Stewart has taken many nests of G. delesserti in Travancore, it is found that this bird, though in other respects like the species which lay blue eggs, lays round white eggs, exact miniatures of those of G. leucolophus. All the species within Indian limits lay unspotted eggs, either blue or white.
