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Show [874.] BIRDS F R O M THE NAGA HILLS. 47 MALACOCERCUS (LAYARDIA) RUBIGINOSUS, n. sp. Description.-Above rich rusty brown, darker on the head, with black shafts to feathers; wings and tail of same colour, the latter distinctly barred; lores white, beneath pale rufescent, nearly white under chin, and pale on centre of abdomen. Bill black, well curved ; legs pale corneous or dull grey brown ; irides nearly white. Length 9*5 inches, wing 30, tail 4*8, tarsus 1*16, bill at front 0"62. I first shot this bird in long grass near the Logtak Lake, Munipur, and again obtained specimens near Kaibi in the same valley, it is essentially a grass-bird, with all the habits of M. terricolor, Hodgson. They associate about a dozen together, flying through the grass one after the other in a scattered line, never abiding long in one place. By the kind assistance of R. B. Sharpe, Esq., of the British Museum, I have been able to examine a near ally of this bird marked Malacocercus subrufus, from Malabar, which is not so intensely rufous, has no white on the throat, is greyish on the head, and has a yellow lower mandible. PRINIA RUFULA, n. sp. Description.-Above, the head ashy brown, becoming more russet on back and pale rufous on rump and upper tail-coverts ; tail brown, indistinctly barred, tipped white on the outer tail-feathers, with a subterminal dark spot; wing dark brown, with pale rusty brown edgings to primaries and secondaries; lores, round eye and ear-coverts pale ashy ; below chin sullied white, greyer white on breast; ochraceous on abdomen; flanks and thighs pale brown. Bill black, both above and below ; legs pale corneous, with darker claws ; irides ruddy ochre. Length 4*75 inches, wing 1*82, tail 2-4, tarsus 0*75, bill at front 0*4. This species was common in the Naga Hills and Munipur, and replaces P. hodgsoni, Blyth, on the Khasi-Hills side. It is quite distinct from P. gracilis, which has a marked rufous forehead, and can be distinguished at a glance from the former bird, which is remarkably ashy, with dark ear-coverts. CISTICOLA MUNIPURENSIS, n. sp. Description.-Above dark umber-brown, feathers margined pale ochre on head, broader and more rufous on back ; upper tail-coverts plain rufous brown ; the feathers on nape are paler rufous and dark shafting subdued ; tail dark umber, the two centre feathers margined rufous brown, viewed from below tipped whitish, with sub-terminal dark spots; white on chin, throat, and centre of abdomen rufescent on breast and flanks. Pale round eye. Bill black above, pale beneath; legs fleshy brown. Length 4-25 inches, wing2"0, tail 1 '65, tarsus 0' 76, bill at front 0 4 0. I obtained four specimens of this species in the reedy sides of the Logtak Lake, Munipur valley. It differs on comparison with C. schcenicola, Bouap., and C. ruficollis, Walden, which I also obtained, and is intermediate in coloration, and may be known at once bv |
