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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13117-0.txt b/13117-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..76bbce8 --- /dev/null +++ b/13117-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,22724 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13117 *** + +THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN BIRDS, VOLUME 1 + +by + +ALLAN O. HUME, C.B. + +Second Edition. + +Edited by Eugene William Gates +Author of "A Handbook to the Birds of British Burmah and of the Birds +in the Fauna of British India," + +With Four Portraits. + +London + +1889 + + + + + + +[Illustration: ALLAN OCTAVIAN HUME] + + +[Illustration: ALERE FLAMMAM] + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE. + + +I have long regretted my inability to issue a revised edition of +'Nests and Eggs.' For many years after the first Rough Draft appeared, +I went on laboriously accumulating materials for a re-issue, but +subsequently circumstances prevented my undertaking the work. Now, +fortunately, my friend Mr. Eugene Gates has taken the matter up, and +much as I may personally regret having to hand over to another a task, +the performance of which I should so much have enjoyed, it is some +consolation to feel that the readers, at any rate, of this work will +have no cause for regret, but rather of rejoicing that the work has +passed into younger and stronger hands. + +One thing seems necessary to explain. The present Edition does not +include quite all the materials I had accumulated for this work. Many +years ago, during my absence from Simla, a servant broke into my +museum and stole thence several cwts. of manuscript, which he sold +as waste paper. This manuscript included more or less complete +life-histories of some 700 species of birds, and also a certain number +of detailed accounts of nidification. All small notes on slips of +paper were left, but almost every article written on full-sized +foolscap sheets was abstracted. It was not for many months that the +theft was discovered, and then very little of the MSS. could be +recovered. + +It thus happens that in the cases of some of the most interesting +species, of which I had worked up all the notes into a connected +whole, nothing, or, as in the case of _Argya subrufa_, only a single +isolated note, appears in the text. It is to be greatly regretted, for +my work was imperfect enough as it was; and this 'Selection from the +Records,' that my Philistine servant saw fit to permit himself, has +rendered it a great deal more imperfect still; but neither Mr. Oates +nor myself can be justly blamed for this. + +In conclusion, I have only to say that if this compilation should find +favour in any man's sight he must thank Mr. Oates for it, since not +only has he undergone the labour of arranging my materials and seeing +the whole work through the press--not only has he, I believe, added +himself considerably to those materials--but it is solely owing to him +that the work appears _at all_, as I know no one else to whom I could +have entrusted the arduous and, I fear, thankless duty that he has so +generously undertaken. + +ALLAN HUME. + +Rothney Castle, Simla, +October 19th, 1889. + + + + +EDITOR'S NOTE. + + +Mr. Hume has sufficiently explained the circumstances under which this +edition of his popular work has been brought about. I have merely to +add that, as I was engaged on a work on the Birds of India, I thought +it would be easier for me than for anyone else to assist Mr. Hume. +I was also in England, and knew that my labour would be very much +lightened by passing the work through the press in this country. +Another reason, perhaps the most important, was the fear that, as Mr. +Hume had given up entirely and absolutely the study of birds, the +valuable material he had taken such pains to accumulate for this +edition might be irretrievably lost or further injured by lapse of +time unless early steps were taken to utilize it. + +A few words of explanation appear necessary on the subject of the +arrangement of this edition. Mr. Hume is in no way responsible for +this arrangement nor for the nomenclature employed. He may possibly +disapprove of both. He, however, gave me his manuscript unreservedly, +and left me free to deal with it as I thought best, and I have to +thank him for reposing this confidence in me. Left thus to my own +devices, I have considered it expedient to conform in all respects to +the arrangement of my work on the Birds, which I am writing, side by +side, with this work. The classification I have elaborated for my +purpose is totally different to that employed by Jerdon and familiar +to Indian ornithologists; but a departure from Jerdon's arrangement +was merely a question of time, and no better opportunity than the +present for readjusting the classification of Indian birds appeared +likely to present itself. I have therefore adopted a new system, which +I have fully set forth in my other work. + +I take this opportunity to present the readers of Mr. Hume's work with +portraits of Mr. Hume himself, of Mr. Brian Hodgson, the late Dr. +Jerdon, and the late Colonel Tickell. + +EUGENE W. OATES. + + + + +SYSTEMATIC INDEX. + + +Order PASSERES. + +Family CORVIDAE. + +Subfamily CORVINAE. + +1. Corvus corax, _Linn._ +3. ---- corone, _Linn._ +4. ---- macrorhynchus, _Wagler_ +7. ---- splendens, _Vieill_ +8. ---- insulens, _Hume._ +9. ---- monedula, _Linn._ +10. Pica rustica (_Scop._) +12. Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl._) +13. ---- flaviostris (_Bl._) +14. Cissa chinensis (_Bodd._) +15. ---- ornata (_Wagler_) +16. Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._) +17. ---- leucogastra, _Gould_ +18. ---- himalayensis, _Bl._ +21. Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._) +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._) +24. Garrulous lanceolatus, _Vigors_ +25. ---- leucotis, _Hume_ +26. ---- bispecularis, _Vigors_ +27. Nucifraga hemispila, _Vigors_ +29. Graculus eremita (_Linn._) + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + +31. Parus atriceps, _Horsf._ +34. ---- monticola, _Vigors_ +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus _Vig._ +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._) +42. ---- xanthogenys _Vig._ +43. ---- haplonotus (_Bl._) +44. Lophophanes melanolophus _Vig._ +47. ---- rufinuchalis (_Bl._) + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + +50. Conostoma aemodium, _Hodgs._ +60. Sea orhynchus ruticeps (_Bl._) +61. ---- gularis _Horsf._ + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + +62. Dryonastes ruticollis (J.S.S.) +65. ---- caerulatus (_Hodgs._) +69. Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw._) +70. ---- belangeri, _Lesson_ +72. ---- pectoralis (_Gould_) +73. ---- moniliger (_Hodgs._) +76. ---- albigularis _Gould_ +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (_Vig._) +80. ---- rutigularis, _Gould_ +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (_Vig._) +83. ---- nigrimentum, _Hodgs._ +87. ---- phaeniceum (_Gould_) +88. ---- subunicolor, _Hodgs._ +90. ---- variegatum (_Vig._) +91. ---- simile, _Hume_ +92. ---- squamatum (_Gould_) +93. ---- cachinnans (_Jerd._) +96. ---- fairbanki, _Blanf._ +99. ---- lineatum (_Vig._) +101. Grammatoptila striata (_Vig._) +104. Argya earlii (_Bl._) +105. ---- caudata (_Duméril_) +107. ---- malcolmi (_Sykes_) +108. ---- subrufa (_Jerd._) +110. Crateropus canorus (_Linn._) +111. ---- griseus (_Gmel._) +112. Crateropus striatus (_Swains._) +113. ---- somervillii (_Sykes_) +114. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +115. ---- cinereifrons (_Bl._) +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs._ +118. ---- olivaceus, _Bl._ +119. ---- melanurus, _Bl._ +120. ---- horsfieldii, _Sykes_ +122. ---- ferruginosus, _Bl._ +125. ---- ruficollis, _Hodgs._ +129. ---- erythrogenys, _Vig._ +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth_) + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + +134. Timelia pileata, _Horsf_ +135. Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl._) +136. ---- albigularis (_Bl._) +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm._) +140. ---- nasalis, _Legge_ +142. Pellorneum mandellii, _Blanf._ +144. ---- ruficeps, _Swains_ +145. ---- subochraceum, _Swinh_ +147. ---- fuscicapillum (_Bl._) +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton_) +151. ---- tickelli (_Bl._) +160. ---- abbotti (_Bl._) +163. Alcippe nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +164. ---- phaeocephala (_Jerd._) +165. ---- phayrii, _Bl._ +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (_Jerd._) +167. ---- nigrifrons (_Bl._) +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, _Hodgs_ +170.---- chrysaea, _Hodgs._ +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps(_Bl._) +174. ---- pyrrhops (_Hodgs._) +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (_Bl._) +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (_Tick._) +177. ---- gularis (_Raffl._) +178. Schoeniparus dubius (_Hume_) +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +183. Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._) +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (_Hodgs._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, _Vig._ +188. ---- eugenii, _Hume._ +189. ---- horsfieldi, _Vig_ +191. Larvivora brunnea, _Hodgs_ +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (_Fairbank_) +194. ---- rufiventris (_Bl._) +197. Drymochares cruralis (_Bl._) +198. ---- nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (_Bl._) +201. Tesia cyaniventris, _Hodgs._ +203. Oligura castaneicoronata (_Burt._) + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + +203. Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs._ +204. Lioptila capistrata (_Vig._) +205. ---- gracilis (_McClell._) +206. ---- melanoleuca (_Bl._) +211. Actinodura egertoni, _Gould_ +213. Ixops nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +219. Siva strigula, _Hodgs._ +221. ---- cyanuroptera, _Hodgs._ +223. Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs._ +225. ---- nigrimentum (_Hodgs._) +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (_Temm._) +229. ---- ceylonensis, _Holdsworth_ +231. Ixulus occipitalis, (_Bl._) +232.---- flavicollis (_Hodgs._) + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + +235. Liothrix lutea (_Scop._) +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig._) +239. ---- melanotis, _Hodgs._ +243. Aegithina tiphia (_Linn._) +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, _Hodgs._ +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (_Bl._) +254. Irena puella (_Lath._) +257. Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs._ +258. Minla igneitincta, _Hodgs._ +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt._) +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (_vig._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + +263. Criniger flaveolus (_Gould_) +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, _Vig._ +271. ---- ganeesa, _Sykes_ +275. Hemixus macclellandi (_Horsf._) +277. Alcurus striatus (_Bl._) +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (_Gm._) +279. ---- burmanicus (_Sharpe_) +281. ---- atricapillus (_Vieill._) +282. ---- bengalensis (_Bl._) +283. ---- intermedius (_A. Hay_) +284. ---- leucogenys (_Gr._) +285. ---- lencotis (_Gould_). +288. Otocompsa emeria (_Linn._) +289. ---- fuscicaudata, _Gould_ +290. ---- flaviventris (_Tick._) +292. Spizixus canifrons, _Bl._ +295. Iole icterica (_Strickl._) +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, _Strickl._ +300. ---- davisoni (_Hume_) +301. ---- melanicterus (_Gm._) +305. ---- luteolus (_Less._) +306. ---- blanfordi, _Jerd._ + + +Family SITTIDAE. + +315. Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S._ +316. ---- cinnamomeiventris, _Bl._ +317. ---- neglecta, _Walden_ +321. ---- castaneiventris, _Frankl._ +323. ---- leucopsis, _Gould_ +325. ---- frontalis, _Horsf._ + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + +327. Dicrurus ater (_Hermann_) +328. ---- longicaudatus, _A. Hay_ +329. ---- nigrescens, _Oates_ +330. ---- caerulescens (_Linn._) +331. ---- leucopygialis, _Bl._ +334. Chaptia aenea (_Vieill._) +335. Chibia hottentotta (_Linn._) +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (_Vieill._) +339. Bhringa remifer (_Temm._) +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (_Linn._) + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + +341. Certhia himalayana, _Vig._ +342. ---- hodgsoni, _Brooks_ +347. Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl._) +352. Anorthura neglecta (_Brooks_) +355. Urocichla caudata (_Bl._) +350. Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould_) + + +Family REGULIDAE. + +358. Regulus cristatus, _Koch._ + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (_H. & E._) +366. ---- dumetorum, _Bl._ +367. ---- agricola (_Jerd._) +371. Tribura thoracica (_Bl._) +372. ---- luteiventris, _Hodgs._ +374. Orthotomus sutorius (_Forst._) +375. ---- atrigularis, _Temm._ +380. Cisticola volitans (_Swinhoe_) +381. ---- cursitans (_Frankl._) +382. Franklinia gracilis (_Frankl._) +383. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +384. ---- buchanani (_Bl._) +385. ---- cinereicapilla (_Hodgs._) +386. Laticilla burnesi (_Bl._) +388. Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd._ +389. Megalurus palustris, _Horsf._ +390. Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd._) +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (_Bl._) +394. Hypolais rama (_Sykes_) +402. Sylvia affinis (_Bl._) +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks_ +410. ---- fuscatus (_Bl._) +415. ---- proregulus (_Pall._) +416. ---- subviridis (_Brooks_) +418. Phylloscopus humii (_Brooks_) +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis (_Jerd._) +430. ---- davisoni, _Oates_ +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (_Hodgs._) +435. ---- jerdoni (_Brooks_) +436. ---- poliogenys (_Bl._) +437. ---- castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +438. ---- cantator (_Tick._) +440. Abrornis superciliaris, _Tick_ +441. ---- schisticeps (_Hodgs._) +442. ---- albigularis _Hodgs._ +445. Scotocerca inquieta (_Cretzschm._) +446. Neornis flavolivaceus (_Hodgs._) +448. Horornis fortipes _Hodgs._ +450. ---- pallidus (_Brooks_) +451. ---- pallidipes (_Blanf._) +452. ---- major (_Hodgs._) +454. Phyllergates coronatus (_Jerd. $ Bl._) +455. Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs._ +458. Suya crinigera, _Hodgs_ +459. ---- atrigularis, _Moore_ +460. ---- khasiana, _Godw.-Aust._ +462. Prinia lepida, _Bl_ +463. ---- flaviventris (_Deless_) +464. ----socialis, _Sykes_ +465. ----sylvatica, _Jerd_ +466. ----inornata, _Sykes_ +467. ----jerdoni (_Bl._) +468. ----blanfordi (_Walden_) + + +Family LANIIDAE. + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + +469. Lanius lahtora (_Sykes_) +473. ---- vittatus, _Valenc_ +475. ---- nigriceps (_Frankl._) +476. ---- erythronotus (_Vig._) +477. ---- tephronotus (_Vig_) +481. ---- cristatus, _Linn_ +484. Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_) +485. ---- capitalis (_McClell._) +480. Tephrodornis pelvicus (_Hodgs_) +487. ---- sylvicola, _Jerd_ +488. ---- pondicerianus (_Gm._) +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath._) +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst._) +495. ---- brevirostris (_Vigors_) +499. ---- roseus (_Vieill._) +500. ---- peregrinus (_Linn._) +501. ---- erythropygius (_Jerd._) +505. Campophaga melanoschista (_Hodgs._) +508. ---- sykesi (_Shield._) +509. ---- terat (_Bodd._) +510. Graucalus macii, _Lesson_ + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + +512. Artamus fuscus, _Vieill_ +513. ---- leucogaster (_Valenc._) + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + +518. Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes_ +521. ---- melanocephalus, _Linn._ +522. ---- traillii (_Vigors_) + + +Family EULABETIDAE. + +523. Eulabes religiosa (_Linn._) +524. ---- intermedia (_A. Hay_) +526. ---- ptilogenys (_Bl._) +527. Calornis chalybeïus (_Horsf._) + + +Family STURNIDAE. + +528. Pastor roseus (_Linn._) +529. Sturnus humii, _Brooks_ +531. ---- minor, _Hume_ +537. Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._) +538. ---- malabarica (_Gm._) +539. ---- nemoricola, _Jerd_ +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl_ +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm._) +546. Graculipica nigricollis (_Payk._) +549. Acridotheres tristis (_Linn._) +550. ---- melanosternus, _Legge_ +551. ---- ginginianus (_Lath._) +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (_Wayl._) +555. Sturnopastor contra (_Linn._) +556. ---- superciliaris, _Bl_ + + + + +ERRATA. + + +Page 103. _After_ Drymocataphus tickelli _insert_ (Blyth). + +Page 126. _For_ Bhringa tenuirostris _read_ B. tectirostris. + +Page 223. _For_ Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.), _read_ Pnoepyga +squamata (Gould). + +Page 311. _After_ Lanius vittatus _Insert_ Valene. + + +[Illustration: THOMAS CAVERHILL JERDON.] + + +[Illustration: BRIAN HOUGHTON HODGSON.] + + +[Illustration: SAMUEL RICHARD TICKELL.] + + + + + + +Order PASSERES. Family CORVIDAE. Subfamily CORVINAE. + + +1. Corvus corax, Linn. _The Raven_. + +Corvus corax, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind. ii_, p. 293. +Corvus lawrencii, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 657. + +I separated the Punjab Raven under the name of _Corvus lawrencei_ +('Lahore to Yarkand,' p. 83), and I then stated, what I wish now to +repeat, that if we are prepared to consider _C. corax, C. littoralis, +C. thibetanus_, and _C. japonensis_ all as one and the same species, +then _C. lawrencei_ too must be suppressed; but if any of these are +retained as distinct, then so must _C. lawrencei_ be[A]. + +[Footnote A: I think it impossible to separate the Punjab Raven +from the Ravens of Europe and other parts of the world, and I have +therefore merged it into _C. corax_.--ED.] + +The Punjab Raven breeds throughout the Punjab (except perhaps in the +Dehra Ghazee Khan District), in Bhawulpoor, Bikaneer, and the northern +portions of Jeypoor and Jodhpoor, extending rarely as far south as +Sambhur. To Sindh it is merely a seasonal visitant, and I could not +learn that they breed there, nor have I ever known of one breeding +anywhere east of the Jumna. Even in the Delhi Division of the Punjab +they breed sparingly, and one must go further north and west to find +many nests. + +The breeding-season lasts from early in December to quite the end of +March; but this varies a little according to season and locality, +though the majority of birds always, I think, lay in January. + +The nest is generally placed in single trees of no great size, +standing in fields or open jungle. The thorny Acacias are often +selected, but I have seen them on Sisoo and other trees. + +The nest, placed in a stout fork as a rule, is a large, strong, +compact, stick structure, very like a Rook's nest at home, and like +these is used year after year, whether by the same birds or others of +the same species I cannot say. Of course they never breed in company: +I _never_ found two of their nests within 100 yards of each other, +and, as a rule, they will not be found within a quarter of a mile of +each other. + +Five is, I think, the regular complement of eggs; very often I have +only found four fully incubated eggs, and on two or three occasions +six have, I know, been taken in one nest, though I never myself met +with so many. + +I find the following old note of the first nest of this species that I +ever took:-- + +"At Hansie, in Skinner's Beerh, December 19, 1867, we found our first +Raven's nest. It was in a solitary Keekur tree, which originally of no +great size had had all but two upright branches lopped away. Between +these two branches was a large compact stick nest fully 10 inches deep +and 18 inches in diameter, and not more than 20 feet from the ground. +It contained five slightly incubated eggs, which the old birds evinced +the greatest objection to part with, not only flying at the head of +the man who removed them, but some little time after they had been +removed similarly attacking the man who ascended the tree to look at +the nest. After the eggs were gone, they sat themselves on a small +branch above the nest side by side, croaking most ominously, and +shaking their heads at each other in the most amusing manner, every +now and then alternately descending to the nest and scrutinizing every +portion of the cavity with their heads on one side as if to make sure +that the eggs were really gone." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's nidification +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lay in January and February; eggs, four only; shape, ovato-pyriform; +size, 1·7 by 1·3; colour, dirty sap green, blotched with blackish +brown; also pale green spotted with greenish brown and neutral; nest +of sticks difficult to get at, placed in well-selected trees or holes +in cliffs." + +I have not verified the fact of their breeding in holes in cliffs, but +it is very possible that they do. All I found near Pind Dadan Khan +and in the Salt Range were doubtless in trees, but I explored a very +limited portion of these hills. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Bhawulpoor on the 17th February, +says: "I succeeded yesterday in getting four eggs of the Punjab Raven. +The eggs were hard-set and very difficult to clean." + +From Sambhur Mr. R.M. Adam tells us:--"This Raven is pretty common +during the cold weather, but pairs are seen about here throughout the +year. They are very fond of attaching themselves to the camps of the +numerous parties of Banjaras who visit the lake. + +"I obtained a nest at the end of January which contained three eggs, +and a fourth was found in the parent bird. The nest was about 15 feet +from the ground in a Kaggera tree (_Acacia leucophloea_) which stood +on a bare sandy waste with no other tree within half a mile in any +direction." + +The eggs of the Punjab bird are, as might be expected, much the same +as those of the European Raven. In shape they are moderately broad +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, but, as in the +Oriole, greatly elongated varieties are very common, and short +globular ones almost unknown. The texture of the egg is close and +hard, but they usually exhibit little or no gloss. In the colour of +the ground, as well as in the colour, extent, and character of the +markings, the eggs vary surprisingly. The ground-colour is in some +a clear pale greenish blue; in others pale blue; in others a dingy +olive; and in others again a pale stone-colour. The markings are +blackish brown, sepia and olive-brown, and rather pale inky purple. +Some have the markings small, sharply defined, and thinly sprinkled: +others are extensively blotched and streakily clouded; others are +freckled or smeared over the entire surface, so as to leave but +little, if any, of the ground-colour visible. Often several styles of +marking and shades of colouring are combined in the same egg. Almost +each nest of eggs exhibits some peculiarity, and varieties are +endless. With sixty or seventy eggs before one, it is easy to pick out +in almost every case all the eggs that belong to the same nest, and +this is a peculiarity that I have observed in the eggs of many members +of this family. All the eggs out of the same nest usually closely +resemble each other, while almost _any_ two eggs out of different +nests are markedly dissimilar. + +They vary from 1·72 to 2·25 in length, and from 1·2 to 1·37 in width; +but the average of seventy-two eggs measured is 1·94 by 1·31. + +Mandelli's men found four eggs of the larger Sikhim bird in Native +Sikhim, high up towards the snows, where they were shooting +Blood-Pheasants. + +These eggs are long ovals, considerably pointed towards one end; +the shell is strong and firm, and has scarcely any gloss. The +ground-colour is pale bluish green, and the eggs are smudged and +clouded all over with pale sepia; on the top of the eggs there are a +few small spots and streaks of deep brownish black. They were found on +the 5th March, and vary in length from 1·83 to 1·96, in breadth from +1·18 to 1·25. + + +3. Corvus corone, Linn. _The Carrion-Crow_. + +Corvus corone, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 295; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 659[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume, at one time separated the Indian Carrion-Crow +from _Corvus corone_ under the name _C. pseudo-corone_. In his +'Catalogue' he re-unites them. I quite agree with him that the two +birds are inseparable.--ED.] + +The only Indian eggs of the Carrion-Crow which I have seen, and one of +which, with the parent bird, I owe to Mr. Brooks, were taken by the +latter gentleman on the 30th May at Sonamerg, Cashmere. + +The eggs were broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, and +of the regular Corvine type--a pretty pale green ground, blotched, +smeared, streaked, spotted, and clouded, nowhere very profusely but +most densely about the large end, with a greenish or olive-brown and +pale sepia. The brown is a brighter and greener, or duller and more +olive, lighter or darker, in different eggs, and even in different +parts of the same egg. The shell is fine and close, but has only a +faint gloss. + +The eggs only varied from 1·67 to 1·68 in length, and from 1·14 to +1·18 in breadth. + +Whether this bird breeds regularly or only as a straggler in Cashmere +we do not know; it is always overlooked and passed by as a "Common +Crow." Future visitors to Cashmere should try and clear up both the +identity of the bird and all particulars about its nidification. + + +4. Corvus macrorhynchus, Wagler. _The Jungle-Crow_. + +Corvus culminatus, _Sykes, Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 295, +Corvus levaillantii; _Less., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 660. + +The Jungle-Crow (under which head I include[A] _C. culminatus,_ +Sykes, _C. intermedius_, Adams, _C. andamanensis_, Tytler, and each +and all of the races that occur within our limits) breeds almost +everywhere in India, alike in the low country and in the hills both of +Southern and Northern India, to an elevation of fully 8000 feet. + +[Footnote A: See 'Stray Feathers,' vol. ii. 1874, p. 243, and 'Lahore +to Yarkand,' p. 85.] + +March to May is, I consider, the normal breeding-season; in the plains +the majority lay in April, rarely later, and in the hills in May; but +in the plains a few birds lay also in February. + +The nest is placed as a rule on good-sized trees and pretty near their +summits. In the plains mangos and tamarinds seem to be preferred, but +I have found the nests on many different kinds of trees. The nest is +large, circular, and composed of moderate-sized twigs; sometimes it is +thick, massive, and compact; sometimes loose and straggling; always +with a considerable depression in the centre, which is smoothly lined +with large quantities of horsehair, or other stiff hair, grass, +grass-roots, cocoanut-fibre, &c. In the hills they use _any_ animal's +hair or fur, if the latter is pretty stiff. They do not, according to +my experience, affect luxuries in the way of soft down; it is always +something moderately stiff, of the coir or horsehair type; nothing +soft and fluffy. Coarse human hair, such as some of our native +fellow-subjects can boast of, is often taken, when it can be got, in +lieu of horsehair. + +They lay four or five eggs. I have quite as often found the latter as +the former number. I have never myself seen six eggs in one nest, but +I have heard, on good authority, of six eggs being found. + +Captain Unwin writes: "I found a nest of the Bow-billed Corby in the +Agrore Valley, containing four eggs, on the 30th April. It was placed +in a Cheer tree about 40 feet from the ground, and was made of sticks +and lined with dry grass and hair." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird in the Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the third week of April. Eggs four in number, ovato-pyriform, +measuring from 1·6 to 1·7 in length and from 1·2 to 1·25 in breadth. +Colour green spotted with brown; valley generally. Nest placed in +Chinar and difficult trees." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Corby "occurs at Mussoorie throughout +the year, and is very destructive to young fowls and pigeons; it +breeds in May and June, and selects a tall tree, near a house or +village, on which to build its nest, which is composed externally of +dried sticks and twigs, and lined with grass and hair, which latter +material it will pick from the backs of horses and cows, or from +skins of animals laid out to dry. I have had skins of the Surrow +(_Noemorhaedus thar_) nearly destroyed by their depredations. The eggs +are three or four in number." + +From the plains I have very few notes. I transcribe a few of my own. + +"On the 11th March, near Oreyah, I found a nest of a Corby--good large +stick nest, built with tamarind twigs, and placed fully 40 feet from +the ground in the fork of a mango-tree standing by itself. The nest +measured quite 18 inches in diameter and five in thickness. It was a +nearly flat platform with a central depression 8 inches in diameter, +and not more than 2 deep, but there was a solid pad of horsehair more +than an inch thick below this. I took the mass out; it must have +weighed half a pound. Four eggs much incubated. + +"_Etawah, 14th March_.--Another nest at the top of one of the huge +tamarind-trees behind the Asthul: could not get up to it. A boy +brought the nest down; it was not above a foot across, and perhaps 3 +inches deep; cavity about 6 inches in diameter, thickly lined with +grass-roots, inside which again was a coating of horsehair perhaps a +rupee in thickness; nest swarming with vermin. Eggs five, quite fresh; +four eggs normal; one quite round, a pure pale slightly greenish +blue, with only a few very minute spots and specks of brown having a +tendency to form a feeble zone round the large end. Measures only 1·25 +by 1·2. Neither in shape, size, nor colour is it like a Corby's egg; +but it is not a Koel's, or that of any of our parasitic Cuckoos, and +I have seen at home similar pale eggs of the Rook, Hooded Crow, +Carrion-Crow, and Raven. + +"_Bareilly, May 10th_.--Three fresh eggs in large nest on a +mango-tree. Nest as usual, but lined with an immense quantity of +horsehair. We brought this home and weighed it; it weighed six ounces, +and horsehair is very light." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:-- + +"This Crow, so common at Allahabad, is very scarce here at Delhi. In +fact I have only seen one pair. + +"At Allahabad it lays in February and March. I have, however, only +found one nest, a rather loose structure of twigs and a few thick +branches with rather a deep depression in the centre. It was placed on +the very crown of a high toddy palm (_Borassus flabelliformis_) and +was unlined save for a wad of human hair, on which the eggs, two in +number, lay; these I found hard-set (on the 13th March); in colour +they were a pale greenish blue, boldly blotched, spotted, and speckled +with brown." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note on the +breeding of the Jungle-Crow:-- + +"Belgaum, 12th March, 1880.--A nest containing four fresh eggs. It +consisted of a loose structure of sticks lined with hair and leaves, +and was placed at the top of and in the centre of a green-foliaged +tree in a well-concealed situation about 30 feet from the ground. 18th +March: Two nests, each containing three slightly incubated eggs; one +of the nests was quite low down in the centre of an 'arbor vitae' +about 12 feet from the ground. 31st March: Another nest containing +four slightly incubated eggs. Some of the latter nests were very +solidly built, and not so well Concealed. 11th April: Two more +nests, containing five incubated and three slightly incubated eggs +respectively; and on the 14th April a nest containing four slightly +incubated eggs. These birds, when the eggs are at all incubated, often +sit very close, especially if the nest is in an open situation, and in +many instances I have thrown several stones at the nest, and made as +much row as I could below without driving the old bird off, and I have +seen my nest-seeker within a few yards of the nest after climbing the +tree before the old bird flew off. On the 26th of April I found two +more nests, one containing four young birds just hatched, the other +three fresh eggs. On the 27th another nest containing three fresh +eggs, and on the 28th a nest of three fresh eggs. On the 5th May +two more nests containing four fresh and four incubated eggs +respectively." + +"In the Nilghiris," writes Mr. Davison, "the Corby builds a coarse +nest of twigs, lined with cocoanut-fibre or dry grass high up in some +densely-foliaged tree. The eggs are usually four, often five, in +number. The birds lay in April and May." + +Miss Cockburn again says:--"They build like all Crows on large +trees merely by laying a few sticks together on some strong branch, +generally very high up in the tree. I do not remember ever seeing more +than one nest on a tree at a time, so that they differ very much from +the Rook in that respect. They lay four eggs of a bluish green, +with dusky blotches and spots, and nothing can exceed the care and +attention they bestow on their young. Even when the latter are able +to leave their nests and take long flights, the parent birds will +accompany them as if to prevent their getting into mischief. The nests +are found in April and May." + +Mr. J. Darling, jun., writes from the Nilghiris:--"I have found the +nest of this Crow pretty nearly all over the Nilghiris. The usual +number of eggs laid is four, but on one occasion, near the Quinine +Laboratory in the Government Gardens at Ooty, I procured six from one +nest. The breeding-season is from March to May, but I have taken eggs +as early as the 12th February." + +From Ceylon, we hear from Mr. Layard that "about the villages the +Carrion-Crow builds its nest in the cocoanut-trees. In the jungles +it selects a tall tree, amid the upper branches of which it fixes +a framework of sticks, and on this constructs a nest of twigs +and grasses. The eggs, from three to five, are usually of a dull +greenish-brown colour, thickly mottled with brown, these markings +being most prevalent at the small end. They are usually laid in +January and February." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal it is "common and a +permanent resident. Occasionally found in the clumps of jungle that +are found about the country, which the next species never affects. +Breeds in the cold weather. I had noticed a pair building on a +Casuarina tree in my garden, about 50 feet off the ground, and on the +18th December, 1877, I took two perfectly fresh eggs from it; and +again on the 9th January, 1878, I found two callow young in this same +nest, the birds never having deserted it. The lining used for this +nest was principally jute-fibre--any tree is selected to build on; the +nests are placed from 15 to 50 feet off the ground. Some nests are +very well concealed, whereas others are quite exposed. On the 15th +January I found a nest about 15 feet up a small kudum tree, standing +in a large plain, and which had a lining of hair from the tail-tufts +of cows. There was one fresh egg, and a week later I got another fresh +egg from this very nest. From two to four eggs are in each nest." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"These birds all begin to build about the +same time, and I have taken numerous nests at the end of January. At +the end of February most nests contain young birds." + +Mr. W. Theobald gives the following notes on the nidification of this +bird in Tenasserim and near Deoghur:-- + +"Lays in the third week of February and fourth week of March: eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1·66 by 1·15; colour, dull sap-green much +blotched with brown; nest carefully placed in tall trees." + +The eggs, though smaller, closely resemble, as might have been +expected, those of the Raven, but they are, I think, typically +somewhat broader and shorter. Almost every variety, as far as +coloration goes, to be found amongst those of the Raven, are found +amongst the eggs of the present species, and _vice versâ_; and for a +description of these it is only necessary to refer to the account of +the former species; but I may notice that amongst the eggs of _C. +macrorhynchus_ I have not yet noticed any so boldly blotched as is +occasionally the case with some of the eggs of the Raven, which remind +one not a little, so far as the character of the markings go, of eggs +of _Oedicnemus crepitans_ and _Esacus recurvirostris_. Like those +of the Raven the eggs exhibit little gloss, though here and there +a fairly glossy egg is met with. Eggs from various parts of the +Himalayas, of the plains of Upper India, of the hills and plains of +Southern India, do not differ in any respect. _Inter se_ the eggs from +each locality differ surprisingly in size, in tone of colour, and in +character of markings; but when you compare a dozen or twenty from +each locality, you find that these differences are purely individual +and in no degree referable to locality. + +There are just as big eggs and just as small ones from Simla and +Kotegurh, from Cashmere, from Etawah, Bareilly, Futtehgurh, from +Kotagherry, and Conoor; all that one can possibly say is that perhaps +the Plains birds do on the _average_ lay a _shade larger_ eggs than +the Himalayan or Nilghiri ones. + +Taking the eggs as a whole, I think that in size and shape they are +about intermediate between the eggs of the European Carrion-Crow and +Rook. But they vary, as I said, astonishingly in size, from 1·5 to +1·95 in length, and in breadth from 1·12 to 1·22, and I have one +perfectly spherical egg, a deformity of course, which measures 1·25 by +1·2. + +The average of thirty Himalayan eggs is 1·73 by 1·18, of twenty Plains +eggs 1·74 by 1·2, and of fifteen Nilghiri eggs 1·7 by 1·18. I would +venture to predict that with fifty of each, there would not be a +hundredth of an inch between their averages. + + +7. Corvus splendens, Vieill. _The Indian House-Crow_. + +Corvus splendens, _Vieill. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 298. +Corvus impudicus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 663. + +Throughout India and Upper Burma the Common Crow resides and breeds, +not ascending the hills either in Southern or Northern India to any +great elevation, but breeding up to 4000 feet in the Himalayas. + +The breeding-season _par excellence_ is June and July, but occasional +nests will be found earlier even in Upper India, and in Southern and +Eastern India a great number lay in May. The nests are commonly placed +in trees without much regard to size or kind, though densely foliaged +ones are preferred, and I have just as often found several in the same +tree as single ones. At times they will build in nooks of ruins +or large deserted buildings, where these are in well inhabited +localities, but out of many thousands I have only seen three or four +nests in such abnormal positions. + +The nest is placed in some fork, and is usually a ragged stick +platform, with a central depression lined with grass-roots; but they +are not particular as to material; I have found wool, rags, grass, and +all kinds of vegetable fibre, and Mr. Blyth mentions that he has "seen +several nests composed more or less, and two almost exclusively, of +the wires taken from soda-water bottles, which had been purloined from +the heaps of these wires commonly set aside by the native servants +until they amount to a saleable quantity." Four is the normal number +of eggs laid, but I often have found five, and on two occasions six. +It is in this bird's nest that the Koel chiefly lays. + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"In the valley it lays in May +and June; some twenty nests were once examined on the 23rd June, and +half the number then contained young birds." + +Major Bingham says:--"Very common, of course, both at Allahabad and at +Delhi, and breeds in June, July, and beginning of August. At Allahabad +it is much persecuted by the Koel (_Eudynamys orientalis_), every +fourth or fifth nest that I found in some topes of mango-trees having +one or two of the Koel's eggs." + +Colonel Butler informs me that in Karachi it "begins to lay in the +mangrove bushes in the harbour as early as the end of May;" and that +it "breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, and August, +commencing to build in the last week of May." + +Later, he writes:--"Belgaum, 15th May, 1879. Found numerous nests in +the native infantry lines in low trees, containing fresh and incubated +eggs and young birds of all sizes. In the same locality, on the 30th +March, 1880, I found a nest containing four young birds able to fly; +the eggs must therefore have been laid quite as early as the middle of +February, if not earlier." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal writes:--"The Common Crow appears to have two broods in +the year in our district (Ratnagiri), the first in April and May, and +the second in November and December. In these four months I have +found nests, eggs, and young birds in several different places in the +district, and as yet at no other times. It is extremely improbable +that there should be one breeding-season lasting from April to +December, and I think I may State with certainty that the Crows _do +not_ breed at Ratnagiri during the months of heaviest rainfall, +viz. July, August, and September. As their breeding in November and +December appears to be exceptional, I subjoin a record of the few +nests I examined. + + "Nov. 22, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 3 young birds. + " " 1 fresh egg. + + "Nov. 23, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 1 fresh egg. + " " 1 fresh egg. + +"Dec. 4, 1878. Saugmeshwar.--One nest with 3 eggs hard-set; another +nest probably containing young birds, but the Crows pecked so +viciously at the man who was climbing the tree, that he got frightened +and came down again without reaching the nest. Crows with sticks and +feathers in their mouths are flying about all day. + +"Dec. 5, 1878. Aroli.--Found a nest with a Crow sitting in it; no one +to climb the tree." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has favoured me with the following interesting +note:--"I send you an account of a nest of the Common Crow, found in +October, 1874, in the town of Madras. My attention was first directed +to the remarkable pair of Crows to which the nest belonged, in the end +of July, when they were determinedly and industriously attempting to +fix a nest on the top ledge of a pillar in the verandah of the 'Madras +Mail' office. The ledge was so narrow that one would have thought the +Sparrow alone of all known birds would have selected it for a site; +and even the Sparrow only under the condition of a writing or +toilet-table being underneath to catch the lime, sticks, straws, rags, +feathers, and other innumerable materials that commonly strew the +ground below a Sparrow's nest. I was told that the Crows had been at +their task for two months before I saw them, and I then watched them +till nearly the end of October. The celebrated spider that taught King +Bruce a lesson in patience was eager and fitful compared with this +pair of Crows. I kept no account of the number of times their +structure was blown down, only to be immediately begun again; but as +there was a good deal of rain and wind at that season, in addition to +the regular sea-breeze, it was a common thing for the sticks to be +cleared off day after day. But perseverance will often achieve seeming +impossibilities, and, moreover, the Crows worked more indefatigably as +the season went on, and used to run up their nest with great rapidity +(no doubt, also, they improved by their practice); so that several +times the structure was completed, or nearly completed, before being +swept to the ground, though how it remained in its place for a moment +seems a mystery; and twice I saw a broken egg among the scattered +_débris_. At length, about the middle of September, the Crows +determined to try the pillar at the other end of the verandah. By this +time, of course, all the Crows in Madras had long brought up their +broods and sent them adrift; and what they thought to see an eccentric +pair of their own species forsaking society, and _building_ in +September, may be imagined. The new site selected differed in no +respect from the old one, and was no less exposed to the wind; but the +birds had grown expert at building 'castles in the air,' and now met +with fewer mishaps. In the first week of October the hen bird was +sitting regularly, so on the 8th of the month I sent a man up by a +ladder, and he held up four eggs for me to look at. It fairly seemed +after this that patience was to have its reward, but on the night of +the 20th there came a storm of wind and rain, and when I went to the +office in the morning, the nest was lying on the ground, with two +young Crows in it, with the feathers just beginning to appear. The +other two, I suppose, had fallen over into the street. And thus +ended one of the most persevering attempts on record to overcome a +difficulty insurmountable from the first. The old birds thought it +time now to stop operations, and frequented the office no more. + +"I am told by a gentleman in the 'Mail' office that the Crows have +built in that verandah regularly for five or six years past, but +nobody seems to have watched the nests. I am, therefore, hopeful that +the attempt will be repeated this year, in which case I will keep a +diary of all that takes place." + +He writes subsequently:--"I sent you a long story in my last batch of +notes about two eccentric Crows that succeeded in building a nest upon +the narrow ledge of a pillar in the verandah of my office, several +months after all well-conducted Crows had sent out their progeny to +battle with the world. I mentioned to you that they were said to build +in that unnatural place every year, and I said that I would watch them +this year. + +"Well, would you believe it? on the 26th July, when every other Crow's +nest in Madras had hard-set eggs, or newly-hatched young ones, these +two indefatigable birds set methodically to work to construct a nest +on the south pillar--the one where all their earlier efforts were made +last year, but not the one on which they succeeded in fixing their +nest. They worked all the 26th and 27th, putting up sticks as fast as +they fell down, and then desisted till the 4th August, when they began +operations on the opposite (north) pillar with redoubled energy. +Meeting with no better success they left off operations after a couple +of days' fruitless labour. Yesterday (after a delay of five weeks) +they set to work on the south pillar again and succeeded in raising +a great pile, which, however, was ignominiously blown down in the +afternoon. To-day they are continuing their work indefatigably." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps has the following note in his list of birds of +Furreedpore, Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, and a permanent resident, +affecting the haunts of man. They build and lay in May. The Koel lays +its eggs in this bird's nest. In April, 1876, I saw two nests in the +compound of the house in which I lived at Howrah, which were made +_entirely_ of galvanized wire, the thickest piece of which was as +thick as a slate pencil. How the birds managed to bend these thick +pieces of wire was a marvel to us; not a stick was incorporated with +the wires, and the lining of the nest (which was of the ordinary +size) was jute and a few feathers. The railway goods-yard, which was +alongside the house, supplied the wire, of which there was ever so +much lying about there." + +Typically the eggs may, I think, be said to be rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards the small end; but really the eggs vary so +much in shape that, even with nearly two hundred before me, it is +difficult to decide what is really the most typical form. Pyriform, +elongated, and globular varieties are common; long Cormorant-shaped +eggs and perfect ovals are not uncommon. As regards the colour of the +ground, and colour, character, and extent of marking, all that I have +above said of the Raven's eggs applies to those of this species, but +varieties occur amongst those of the latter which I have not observed +in those of the former. In some the ground is a very pale pure +bluish green, in others it is dingier and greener. All are blotched, +speckled, and streaked more or less with somewhat pale sepia markings; +but in some the spots and specks are a darker brown and, as a rule, +well defined, and there is very little streaking, while in others the +brown is pale and muddy, the markings ill-defined, and nearly the +whole surface of the egg is freckled over with smudgy streaks. +Sometimes the markings are most numerous at the large end, sometimes +at the small; no two eggs are exactly alike, and yet they have so +strong a family resemblance that there is no possibility of mistaking +them. Generally the markings as a whole are less bold, and the general +colour of a large body of them laid together is bluer and brighter +than that of a similar drawer-full of Ravens' eggs. As a whole, too, +they are more glossy. I have one egg before me bright blue and almost +as glossy as a Mynah's, thickly blotched and speckled at the broad +end, and thinly spotted elsewhere with olive-green, blackish-brown, +and pale purple. Another egg, a pale pure blue, is spotless, except +at the large end, where there is a conspicuous cap of olive-brown and +olive-green spots and speckles, and there are numerous other abnormal +varieties which I have not observed amongst the Ravens. + +On the whole the eggs do _not_ vary much in size; out of one hundred +and ninety-seven, one hundred and ninety-five varied between 1·28 and +1·65 in length, and 0·98 and 1·15 in breadth. One egg measures only +1·2 in length, and one is only 0·96 in breadth; but the average of the +whole is 1·44 by 1·06. + + +8. Corvus insolens, Hume. _The Burmese House-Crow_. + +Corvus insolens; _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 663 bis. + +The Burmese House-Crow breeds pretty well over the whole of Burma. + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"Nesting operations are +commenced about the 20th March. The nest and eggs require no +separate description, for both appear to be similar to those of _C. +splendens_." + +When large series of the eggs of both these species are compared, +those of the Burmese Crow strike one as _averaging_ somewhat brighter +coloured, otherwise they are precisely alike and need no separate +description. + + +9. Corvus monedula, Linn. _The Jackdaw_. + +Colaeus monedula (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 302. +Corvus monedula, _Linn., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 665. + +I only know positively of Jackdaws breeding in one district within our +limits, viz. Cashmere; but I have seen it in the hills in summer, as +far east as the Valley of the Beas, and it must breed everywhere in +suitable localities between the two. + +In the cold season of course the Jackdaw descends into the plains of +the North-west Punjaub, is very numerous near the foot of the hills, +and has been found in cis-Indus as far east as Umballa, and south at +Ferozpoor, Jhelum, and Kalabagh. In Trans-Indus it extends unto the +Dehra Ghazi Khan district. + +I have never taken its eggs myself. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the first week of May; eggs four, five, and six in number, +ovato-pyriform and long ovato-pyriform, measuring from 1·26, 1·45, to +1·60 in length, and from 0·9 to 1·00 in breadth; colour pale, +clear bluish green, dotted and spotted with brownish black; valley +generally; in holes of rocks, beneath roofs, and in tall trees." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"It builds in Cashmere in old ruined palaces, holes +in rocks, beneath roofs of houses, and also in tall trees, laying four +to six eggs, pale bluish green, clotted and spotted with brownish +black." + +Mr. Brookes writes:--"The Jackdaw breeds in Cashmere in all suitable +places: holes in old Chinar (Plane) trees, and in house-walls, under +the eaves of houses, &c. I did not note the materials of the nests, +but these will be the same as in England." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather elongated ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end. The shell is fine, but has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white, but in some +eggs there is very little green, while in a very few the ground is +quite a bright green. The markings, sometimes very fine and close, +sometimes rather bold and thinly set, consist of specks or spots of +deep blackish brown, olive-brown, and pale inky purple. In most eggs +all these colours are represented, but in some eggs the olive-, in +others the blackish-brown is almost entirely wanting. In some eggs +the markings are very dense towards the large end, in others they are +pretty uniformly distributed over the whole surface; in some they are +very minute and speckly, in others they average the tenth of an inch +in diameter. + +The eggs that I possess vary from 1·34 to 1·52 in length, and from +0·93 to 1·02 in breadth; but the average of sixteen eggs was 1·4 by +0·98. + + +10. Pica rustica (Scop.). _The Magpie_. + +Pica bactriana, _Bp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_, no. 668 bis. + +The Magpie breeds, we know, in Afghanistan, and also throughout Ladak +from the Zojee-la Pass right up to the Pangong Lake, but it breeds so +early that one is never in time for the eggs. The passes are not open +until long after they are hatched. + +Captain Hutton says this bird "is found all the year round from +Quettah to Girishk, and is very common. They breed in March, and the +young are fledged by the end of April. The nest is like that of the +European bird, and all the manners of the Afghan Magpie are precisely +the same. They may be seen at all seasons." + +From Afghanistan, Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes:-- + +"The Magpie is not uncommon in the hills wherever there are trees, but +it seldom descends to the plains. They commence breeding in March, in +which month and April I have examined scores of nests, which in every +case were built in the 'Wun,' a species of _Pistacia_--the only tree +found hereabouts. A stout fork near the top is usually selected. + +"The nest is shallow and cup-shaped, with a superstructure of twigs, +forming a canopy over the egg-cavity. The eggs, generally five in +number, are of the usual corvine green, blotched, spotted, and +streaked, as a rule, most densely about the large end with umber +mingled with sepia-brown. The average of thirty eggs is 1·25 by ·97." + +Colonel Biddulph writes in 'The Ibis' that in Gilgit he took a nest +with five eggs, hard set, in a mulberry-tree at Nonval (5600 feet) on +the 9th May. Also another nest with three fresh eggs at Dayour(5200 +feet) on the 25th May. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, rather pointed towards +the small end, but shorter and broader varieties, and occasionally +ones with a pyriform tendency, occur. The ground is a greenish or +brownish white. In some eggs it has none, in others a slight gloss. +Everywhere the eggs are finely and streakly freckled with a brown that +varies from olive almost to sepia; about the large end the markings +are almost always most dense, forming there a more or less noticeable, +but quite irregular and undefined cap or zone. In one or two eggs dull +purplish-brown clouds or blotches underlie and intermingle with this +cap, and occasionally a small spot of this same tint may be noticed +elsewhere when the egg is closely examined. + + +12. Urocissa occipitalis (Bl.). _The Red-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa sinensis (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 309. +Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl_.), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 671. + +I have never myself found the nest of the Red-billed Blue Magpie; +although it does breed sparingly as far east as Simla and Kotegurh, +it is not till you cross the Jumna that it is abundant. East of the +Jumna, about Mussoorie, Teeree, Grurhwal, Kumaon, and in Nepal, it is +common. + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "this species occurs at +Mussoorie throughout the year. It breeds at an elevation of 5000 feet +in May and June, making a loose nest of twigs externally and lined +with roots. The nest is built on trees, sometimes high up, at others +about 8 or 10 feet from the ground. The eggs are from three to five, +of a dull greenish ash-grey, blotched and speckled with brown dashes +confluent at the larger end, the ends nearly equal in size. It is very +terrene in its habits, feeding almost entirely on the ground." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:-- + +"The Red-billed Blue Magpie is, as far as I know, an early breeder at +Naini Tal; common as the bird is I have only found one nest and that +on the 24th April; it was a shallow slenderly built structure of fine +roots, chiefly of maiden-hair fern, in a rough outer casing of twigs, +placed on a horizontal bough overhanging a nullah about fifteen feet +from the ground. The tree had moderately dense foliage, and was about +twenty-five feet high in a small clump on a hillside covered with low +scrub at 5000 feet elevation above the sea. Around the nest several +small boughs and twigs grew out, and being very slight in structure it +was not easy to see. The old bird sat very close. There were six eggs +in the nest about half-incubated: in two of them the markings were +densest at the small end. The egg-cavity was 6 inches in diameter by +about 1¼ deep. On the 5th June I saw old birds accompanied by young +ones able to fly, but without the long tails." + +The eggs of this species much resemble those of the European Magpie, +but are considerably smaller. They are broad, rather perfect ovals, +somewhat elongated and pointed in many specimens. They exhibit but +little gloss. The ground-colour varies much, but in all the examples +that I possess, which I owe to Captain Hutton's kindness, it is either +of a yellowish-cream, pale _café au lait_ or buff colour, or pale dull +greenish. The ground is profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked (the +general character of the markings being striations parallel to the +major axis), with various shades of reddish and yellowish, brown and +pale inky purple. The markings vary much in intensity as well as in +frequency, some being so closely set as to hide the greater part of +the ground-colour; but in the majority of the eggs they are more or +less confluent at the large end, where they form a comparatively dark, +irregular blotchy zone. + +The eggs vary from 1·25 to 1·4 in length, and from 0·89 to 0·96 in +breadth; but the average of 11 eggs is 1·33 by 0·93. + +Major Bingham, referring to the Burmese Magpie, which has been +separated under by the name of _U. magnirostris_, says:-- + +"This species I have only found common in the Thoungyeen Valley. +Elsewhere it seemed to me scarce. Below I give a note about its +breeding. + +"I have found three nests of this handsome Magpie--two on the bank +of the Meplay choung on the 14th April, 1879, and 5th March, 1880, +respectively, and one near Meeawuddy on the Thoungyeen river on the +19th March, 1880. + +"The first contained three, the second four, and the third two eggs. + +"These are all of the same type, dead white, with pale claret-coloured +clashes and spots rather washed-out looking, and lying chiefly at the +large end. One egg has the spots thicker at the small end. They are +moderately broad ovals, and vary from 1·19 to 1·35 in length, and from +0·93 to 1·08 in breadth. + +"The nests were all alike, thick solid structures of twigs and +branches, lined with finer twigs about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, +and placed invariably at the top of tall straight saplings of teak, +pynkado (_Xylia dolabriformis_), and other trees at a height of about +15 feet from the ground." + +All the eggs of the Burmese bird that I have seen, nine taken by Major +Bingham, were of one and the same type. The eggs broad ovals, in most +cases pointed towards the small end. The shell fine, but as a rule +with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour a delicate +creamy white. The markings moderate-sized blotches, spots, streaks, +and specks, as a rule comparatively dense about one, generally the +large, end, where only as a rule any at all considerable sized +blotches occur, elsewhere more or less sparsely set, and generally of +a speckly character. The markings are of two colours: brown, varying +in shade in different eggs, olive-yellowish, chocolate, and a grey, +equally varying in different eggs from pale purple to pale sepia. None +of my eggs of the Himalayan bird (I have unfortunately but few of +these) correspond at all closely with these. + + +13. Urocissa flavirostris (Bl.). _The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa flavirostris (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 310; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 672. + +The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas in well-wooded localities from Hazara to Bhootan, and +very likely further east still, from April to August, mostly however, +I think, laying in May. The nest, which is rather coarse and large, +made of sticks and lined with fine grass or grass-roots, is, so far +as my experience goes, commonly placed in a fork near the top of some +moderate-sized but densely foliaged tree. + +I have never found a nest at a lower elevation than about 5000 feet; +as a rule they are a good deal higher up. + +They lay from four to six eggs, but the usual number is five. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds +commonly about Murree. I have never seen the bird below 6000 feet in +the breeding-season. They do not commence laying till May, and I have +taken eggs nearly fresh as late as the 15th August. I do not think the +bird breeds twice, as the earliest eggs taken were found on the 10th +May. + +"They build in hill oaks as a rule, the height of the nest from the +ground varying much, some being as low as 10 feet, others nearer 30 +feet. The hen bird sits close, and sometimes (when the nest is high +up) does not even leave the nest when the tree is struck below. +The nest is a rough structure built close to the trunk, externally +consisting of twigs and roots and lined with fibres. The egg-cavity is +circular and shallow, not at all neatly lined. The outer part of +the nest is large compared to what I should call the true nest, and +consists of a heap of twigs, &c. like what is gathered together for +the platform of a Crow's nest. + +"The eggs, which are four in number, vary in length from 1·45 to 1·25, +and in breadth from 0·9 to 0·75. The ordinary type is an egg a good +deal pointed at the thinner end. The ground-colour is greenish white, +blotched and freckled with ruddy brown, with a ring at the larger end +of confluent spots. The young birds are of a very dull colour until +after the first month. The normal number of eggs laid appears to be +four." + +Captain Cock wrote to me:--"_U. flavirostris_ is common at Dhurmsala, +but the nest is rather difficult to find. I have only taken six in +three years. It is usually placed amongst the branches of the hill +oak, where it has been polled, and the thickly growing shoots afford a +good cover; but sometimes it is on the top of a small slender sapling. +The nest is a good-sized structure of sticks with a rather deep cup +lined with dried roots; in fact, it is very much like the nest of +_Garrulus lanceolatus_, only larger and much deeper. They generally +lay four eggs, which differ much in colour and markings." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me once. The nest +was made of sticks and roots. The eggs, three in number, were of a +greenish-fawn colour very faintly blotched with brown." + +The eggs are of the ordinary Indian Magpie type, scarcely, if at all, +smaller than those of _U. occipitalis_, and larger than the average of +eggs of either _Dendrocitta rufa_ or _D. himalayensis_. Doubtless +all kinds of varieties occur, as the eggs of this family are very +variable; but I have only seen two types--in the one the ground is a +pale dingy yellowish stone-colour, profusely streaked, blotched, and +mottled with a somewhat pale brown, more or less olivaceous in some +eggs, the markings even in this type being generally densest towards +the large end, where they form an irregular mottled cap: in the other +type the ground is a very pale greenish-drab colour; there is a dense +confluent raw-sienna-coloured zone round the large end, and only a few +spots and specks of the same colour scattered about the rest of the +egg. All kinds of intermediate varieties occur. The texture of the +shell is fine and compact, and the eggs are mostly more or less +glossy. + +The eggs vary from 1·22 to 1·48 in length, and from 0·8 to 0·96 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-seven eggs is 1·3 by 0·92. + + +14. Cissa chinensis (Bodd.). _The Green Magpie_. + +Cissa sinensis (_Briss._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 312. +Cissa speciosa (_Shaw_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 673. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Green Magpie breeds in Nepal in +the lower valleys and in the Terai from April to July. The nest is +built in clumps of bamboos and is large and cup-shaped, composed of +sticks and leaves, coated externally with bamboo-leaves and vegetable +fibres, and lined inside with fine roots. It lays four eggs, one of +which is figured as a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards one end, +with a pale stone-coloured ground freckled and mottled all over with +sepia-brown, and measuring 1·27 by 0·89. + +Mr. Oates writes:--"In the Pegu Hills on the 19th April I found the +nest of the Green Magpie, and shot the female off it. + +"The nest was placed in a small tree, about 20 feet from the ground, +in a nullah and well exposed to view. The nest was neatly built, +exteriorly of leaves and coarse roots, and finished off interiorly +with finer fibres and roots; depth about 2 inches; inside diameter 6 +inches. Contained three eggs nearly hatched; all got broken; I have +the fragments of one. The ground-colour is greenish white, much +spotted and freckled with pale yellowish-brown spots and dashes, more +so at the larger end than elsewhere." + +Sundry fragments that reached me, kindly sent to me by Mr. Oates, had +a dull white ground, very thickly freckled and mottled all over, as +far as I could judge, with dull, pale, yellowish brown and purplish +grey, the former preponderating greatly. As to size and shape, this +deponent sayeth nought. + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 18th April I found a +nest of this most lovely bird placed at a height of 5 feet from the +ground in the fork of a bamboo-bush. It was a broad, massive, and +rather shallow cup of twigs, roots, and bamboo-leaves outside, and +lined with finer roots. It contained three eggs of a pale greenish +stone-colour, thickly and very minutely speckled with brown, which +tend to coalesce and form a cap at the larger end. I shot the female +as she flew off the nest." + +Major Bingham subsequently found another nest in Tenasserim, about +which he says:-- + +"Crossing the Wananatchoung, a little tributary of the Thoungyeen, by +the highroad leading from Meeawuddy to the sources of the Thoungyeen, +I found in a small thorny tree on the 8th April a nest of the above +bird--a great, firmly-built but shallow saucer of twigs, 6 feet or so +above the ground, and lined with fine black roots. It contained three +fresh eggs of a dingy greyish white, thickly speckled chiefly at the +large end, where it forms a cap, with light purplish brown. The eggs +measure 1·25 x 0·89, 1·18 x 0·92, and 1·20 x 0·90." + +Mr. James Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Jay is rather rare; it +frequents low quiet jungle. In April last a Kuki brought me three +young ones he had taken from a nest in a clump of tree-jungle; he said +the nest was some 20 feet from the ground and made of bamboo-leaves +and grass." + +A nest of this species taken below Yendong in Native Sikhim, on the +28th April, contained four fresh eggs. It was placed on the branches +of a medium-sized tree at a height of about 12 feet from the ground; +it was a large oval saucer, 8 inches by 6, and about 2·5 in depth, +composed mainly of dry bamboo-leaves, bound firmly together with fine +stems of creepers, and was lined with moderately fine roots; the +cavity was 5 inches by 4, and about 1 in depth. + +The eggs received from Major Bingham, as also others received from +Sikhim, where they were procured by Mr. Mandelli on the 21st and 28th +of April, are rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine, but has only a little gloss. The ground-colour +is white or slightly greyish white, and they are uniformly freckled +all over with very pale yellowish and greyish brown. The frecklings +are always somewhat densest at the large end, where in some eggs +they form a dull brown cap or zone. In some eggs the markings are +everywhere denser, in some sparser, so that some eggs look yellower or +browner, and others paler. + +The eggs are altogether of the _Garruline_ type, not of that of the +_Dendrocitta_ or _Urocissa_ type. I have eggs of _G. lanceolatus_, +that but for being smaller precisely match some of the _Cissa_ eggs. +Jerdon is, I think, certainly wrong in placing _Cissa_ between +_Urocissa_ and _Dendrocitta_, the eggs of which two last are of the +same and quite a distinct type[A]. + +[Footnote A: I am responsible, and not Mr. Hume, for calling this bird +a Magpie. Jerdon calls it a Jay, but places it among the Magpies, +which is, I consider, its proper position, notwithstanding the colour +of its eggs.--ED.] + +The eggs vary from 1·15 to 1·26 in length, and from 0·9 to 0·95 in +breadth, but the average of eight is 1·21 by 0·92. + + +15. Cissa ornata (Wagler). _The Ceylonese Magpie_. + +Cissa ornata (_Wagl._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 673 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds +during the cool season. I found its nest in the Kandapolla jungles +in January; it was situated in a fork of the top branch of a tall +sapling, about 45 feet in height, and was a tolerably bulky structure, +externally made of small sticks, in the centre of which was a deep +cup 5 inches in diameter by 2½ in depth, made entirely of fine roots; +there was but one egg in the nest, which unfortunately got broken in +being lowered to the ground. It was ovate and slightly pyriform, of +a faded bluish-green ground thickly spotted all over with very light +umber-brown, over larger spots of bluish-grey. It measured 0·98 inch +in diameter by _about_ 1·3 in length." + + +16. Dendrocitta rufa (Scop.). _The Indian Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 314; _Hume, Rough +Notes N. & E._ no. 674. + +The Indian Tree-pie breeds throughout the continent of India, alike in +the plains and in the hills, up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. + +I personally have found the nest with eggs in May, June, July, +and during the first week of August, in various districts in the +North-West Provinces, and have had them sent me from Saugor (taken +in July) and from Hansi (taken in April, May, and June); but perhaps +because the bird is so common scarcely any one has sent me notes about +its nidification, and I hardly know whether in other parts of India +and Burma its breeding-season is the same as with us. + +The nest is always placed in trees, generally in a fork, near the top +of good large ones; babool and mango are very commonly chosen in the +North-West Provinces, though I have also found it on neem and sisso +trees. It is usually built with dry twigs as a foundation, very +commonly thorny and prickly twigs being used, on which the true nest, +composed of fine twigs and lined with grass-roots, is constructed. The +nests vary much: some are large and loosely put together, say, fully 9 +inches in diameter and 6 inches in height externally; some are smaller +and more densely built, and perhaps not above 7 inches in diameter +and 4 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is usually about 5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, but they vary very much both in size +and materials; and I see that I note of one nest taken at Agra on the +3rd August--"A very shallow saucer some 6 inches in diameter, and +with a central depression not above 1½ inch in depth. It was composed +_exclusively_ of roots; externally somewhat coarse, internally of +somewhat finer ones. It was very loosely put together." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but it is very common to find +only four fully incubated ones. + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found several nests in the latter half +of April, May, and the early part of June in the neighbourhood of +Hansie. + +"Four was the greatest number of eggs I found in any nest. + +"The nests were placed in neem, keekur, and shishum trees, at heights +of from 10 to 17 feet from the ground, and were densely built of twigs +mostly of the keekur and shishum, and more or less thickly lined with +fine straw and leaves. They varied from 6 to 8 inches in diameter and +from 2 to 3 inches in depth." + +Mr. A. Anderson writes:--"The Indian Magpie lays from April to July, +and I have once actually seen a pair building in February. Their +eggs are of two very distinct types,--the one which, according to +my experience, is the ordinary one, is covered all over with +reddish-brown spots or rather blotches, chiefly towards the big end, +on a pale greenish-white ground, and is rather a handsome egg; the +other is a pale green egg with _faint brown_ markings, which are +confined almost entirely to the obtuse end. I have another clutch of +eggs taken at Budaon in 1865, which presents an intermediate variety +between the above two extremes; these are profusely blotched with +russet-brown on a dirty-white ground. + +"The second and third nests above referred to contained five eggs; but +the usual complement is not more than four. On the 2nd August, 1872, +I made the following note relative to the breeding of this bird:--The +bird flew off immediately we approached the tree, and never appeared +again. The nest viewed from below looked larger; this is owing to dry +_babool_ twigs or rather small branches (some of them having thorns +from an inch to 2 inches long!) having been used as a foundation, and +actually encircling the nest, no doubt by way of protection against +vermin; some of these thorny twigs were a foot long, and they had +to be removed piecemeal before the nest proper could be got at. The +egg-cavity is deep, measuring 5 inches in depth by 4 in breadth inside +measurement; it is well lined with khus grass." + +Major Bingham says:-- + +"Common as is this bird I have only found one nest, and that was at +Allahabad on the 9th July, and contained one half-fledged young one +and an addled egg. The nest, which was placed at the very top of a +large mango-tree, was constructed of branches and twigs of the same +lined with fine grass-roots. The egg is a yellowish white, thickly +speckled, chiefly at the large end, with rusty. Length 1·10 by 0·82 in +breadth." + +Colonel Butler tells us that it "breeds in Sind, in the hot weather. +Mr. Doig took a nest containing three fresh eggs on the 1st May, 1878. +The eggs, which seem to me to be remarkably small for the size of the +bird, are of the first type mentioned in Rough Draft of 'Nests and +Eggs,' p. 422." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes says in his 'Birds of Bombay:'--"In Sind they breed +during May and June, always choosing babool trees, placing the nest +in a stoutish fork near the top; they are composed at the bottom of +thorny twigs, which form a sort of foundation upon which the true nest +is built; the latter consists of fine twigs lined with grass-roots; +the nest is frequently of large size." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Common about all +well-wooded villages from coast to Ghâts. Breeds in April." + +With regard to Cachar Mr. Inglis writes:--"This Magpie is very common +in all the neighbouring villages, but I have not often seen it in the +jungles. It remains all the year and breeds during April and May." + +The eggs are typically somewhat elongated ovals, a good deal pointed +towards the small end. They vary extraordinarily in colour and +character, as well as extent of markings, but, as remarked when +speaking of the Raven, all the eggs out of the same nest closely +resemble each other, while the eggs of different nests are almost +invariably markedly distinct. There are, however, two leading +types--the one in which the markings are bright red, brownish red, or +pale pinkish purple; and the other in which they are olive-brown and +pale purplish brown. In the first type the ground-colour is either +pale salmon, or else very pale greenish white, and the markings are +either bold blotches, more or less confluent at the large end, where +they are far most numerous, and only a few specks and spots towards +the smaller end, or they are spots and small blotches thickly +distributed over the whole surface, or they are streaky smudges +forming a mottled ill-defined cap at the large end, and running down +thence in streaks and spots longitudinally; in the other type the +ground-colour is greenish white or pale yellowish stone-colour, and +the character of the markings varies as in the preceding type. Besides +these there are a few eggs with a dingy greyish-white ground, with +very faint, cloudy, ill-defined spots of pale yellowish brown pretty +uniformly distributed over the whole surface. In nine eggs out of +ten, the markings are most dense at the large end, where they form +irregular, more or less imperfect caps or zones. A few of the eggs are +slightly glossy. + +Of the salmon-pink type some specimens in their coloration resemble +eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_ and some of our Goatsuckers, while of +those with the greenish-white ground-colour some strongly recall the +eggs of _Lanius lahtora_. + +In length the eggs vary from 1·0 to 1·3, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·95; but the average of forty-four eggs is 1·17 by 0·87. + + +17. Dendrocitta leucogastra, Gould. _The Southern Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta leucogastra, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 317; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 678. + +From Travancore Mr. Bourdillon has kindly sent me an egg and the +following note on the nidification of the Southern Tree-pie:-- + +"Three eggs, very hard-set, of an ashy-white colour, marked with ashy +and greenish-brown blotches, 1·12 long and 0·87 broad, were taken on +9th March, 1873, from a nest in a bush 8 or 10 feet from the ground. +The nest of twigs was built after the style of the English Magpie's +nest, minus the dome. It consisted of a large platform 6 inches deep +and 8 or 10 inches broad, supporting a nest 1½ inch deep and 3½ inches +broad. The bird is not at all uncommon on the Assamboo Hills between +the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above the sea, seeming to prefer +the smaller jungle and more open parts of the heavy forest." + +Later he writes:--"On the 8th April I found another nest containing +three half-fledged Magpies (_D. leucogastra_). The nest was entirely +composed of twigs, roughly but securely put together; interior +diameter 3 inches and depth 2 inches, though there was a good-sized +base or platform, say, 5 inches in diameter. The nest was situated on +the top fork of a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. I tried to +rear the young birds, but they all died within a week." + +The egg is very like that of our other Indian Tree-pies. It is in +shape a broad and regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one +end. The shell is fine and compact and is moderately glossy. The +ground is a creamy stone-colour. It is profusely blotched and streaked +with a somewhat pale yellowish brown, these markings being most +numerous and darkest in a broad, irregular, imperfect zone round the +large end, and it exhibits further a number of pale inky-purple clouds +and blotches, which seem to underlie the brown markings, and which are +chiefly confined to the broader half of the egg. The latter measures +1·13 by 0·86. + + +18. Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bl. _The Himalayan Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta sinensis (_Lath._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 316. +Dendrocitta himalayensis, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 676. + +Common as is the Himalayan Tree-pie throughout the lower ranges of +those mountains from which it derives its name, I personally have +never taken a nest. + +It breeds, I know, at elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet, during the +latter half of May, June, July, and probably the first half of August. + +A nest in my museum taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim, at an elevation of +about 2500 feet, out of a small tree, on the 30th of July, contained +two fresh eggs. It was a very shallow cup, composed entirely of fine +stems, apparently of some kind of creeper, strongly but not at all +compactly interwoven; in fact, though the nest holds together firmly, +you can see through it everywhere. It is about 6 inches in external +diameter, and has an egg-cavity of about 4 inches wide and 1·5 deep. +It has no pretence for lining of any kind. + +Of another nest which he took Mr. Gammie says:--"I found a nest +containing three fresh eggs in a bush, at a height of about 10 feet +from the ground. The nest was a very loose, shallow, saucer-like +affair, some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and an inch or so in thickness, +composed entirely of the dry stems and tendrils of creepers. This was +at Labdah, in Sikhim, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and the date +the 14th May, 1873." Later he writes:-- + +"This Magpie breeds in the Darjeeling District in May, June, and July, +most commonly at elevations between 2000 and 4000 feet. It affects +clear cultivated tracts interspersed with a few standing shrubs and +bamboos, in which it builds. The nest is generally placed from 6 to 12 +feet from the ground in the inner part of the shrubs, and is made of +pieces of creeper stems intermixed with a few small twigs loosely +put together without any lining. There is scarcely any cup, merely a +depression towards the centre for the eggs to rest in. Internally it +measures about 4·8 in breadth by 1·5 in depth. The eggs are three or +four in number. + +"This is a very common and abundant bird between 2000 and 4000 feet, +but is rarely found far from cultivated fields. It seems to be +exceedingly fond of chestnuts, and, in autumn, when they are ripe, +lives almost entirely on them; but at other times is a great pest in +the grain-fields, devouring large quantities of the grain and being +held in detestation by the natives in consequence. Jerdon says 'it +usually feeds on trees,' but I have seen it quite as frequently +feeding on the ground as on trees." + +Mr. Hodgson has two notes on the nidification of this species in +Nepal:--"_May 18th_.--Nest, two eggs and two young; nest on the +fork of a small tree, saucer-shaped, made of slender twigs twisted +circularly and without lining; cavity 3·5 in diameter by 0·5 deep; +eggs yellowish, white, blotched with pale olive chiefly at the larger +end; young just born. + +"_Jaha Powah, 6th June_.--Female and nest in forest on a largish tree +placed on the fork of a branch; a mere bunch of sticks like a +Crow's nest; three eggs, short and thick, fawny white blotched with +fawn-brown chiefly at the thick end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me at +Darjeeling frequently. The nest is made of sticks and roots, and +the eggs, three or four in number, are of a pale dull greenish-fawn +colour, with a few pale reddish-brown spots and blotches, sometimes +very indistinct." + +Captain Hutton tells us that this species "occurs abundantly at +Mussoorie, at about 5000 feet elevation, during summer, and more +sparingly at greater elevations. In the winter it leaves the mountains +for the Dhoon. + +"It breeds in May, on the 27th of which month I took a nest with three +eggs and another with three young ones. The nest is like that of +_Urocissa occipitalis_, being composed externally of twigs and lined +with finer materials, according to the situation; one nest, taken in +a deep glen by the side of a stream, was lined with the long fibrous +leaves of the Mare's tail (_Equisetum_) which grew abundantly by the +water's edge; another, taken much higher on the hillside and away from +the water, was lined with tendrils and fine roots. The nest is placed +rather low, generally about 8 or 10 feet from the ground, sometimes at +the extremity of a horizontal branch, sometimes in the forks of young +bushy oaks. The eggs somewhat resemble those of _U. occipitalis_, but +are paler and less spotted, being of a dull greenish ash with brown +blotches and spots, somewhat thickly clustered at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps says:--"On the 15th June, 1880, I found a nest [in the +Dibrugarh District] with three fresh eggs. It was fixed in the middle +branches of a sapling, about ten feet off the ground, in dense +forest, and was built of twigs, presenting a fragile appearance; the +egg-cavity was 4½ inches [in diameter] and 1 inch deep, and lined with +fine twigs and grass-roots." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes:--"I obtained two eggs of this species +at an elevation of 4200 feet in the Karen hills east of Toungngoo on +the 16th April, 1875." + +Taking the eggs as a body they are rather regular, somewhat elongated +ovals, but broader and again more pointed varieties occur. The +ground-colour varies a great deal: in a few it is nearly pure white, +generally it has a dull greenish or yellowish-brown tinge, in some +it is creamy, in some it has a decided pinky tinge. The markings are +large irregular blotches and streaks, almost always most dense at the +large end, where they are often more or less confluent, forming an +irregular mottled cap, and not unfrequently very thinly set over the +rest of the surface of the egg. In one egg, however, the zone is about +the thick end, and there are scarcely any markings elsewhere. As a +rule the markings are of an olive-brown of one shade or another; but +when the ground is at all pinkish then the markings are more or less +of a reddish brown. Besides these primary markings, all the eggs +exhibit a greater or smaller number of faint lilac or purple spots or +blotches, which chiefly occur where the other markings are most dense. +In length they vary from 1·06 to 1·22, and in breadth from 0·8 to 1·0, +but the average of 34 eggs is 1·14 by 0·85. + + +21. Crypsirhina varians (Lath.). _The Black Racket-tailed Magpie_. + +Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quat. + +This Magpie is very common in Lower Pegu, where Mr. Oates found many +nests. He says:-- + +"This bird appears to lay from the 1st of June to the 15th of July; +most of my nests were taken in the latter month. It selects either one +of the outer branches of a very leafy thorny bush, or perhaps more +commonly a branch of a bamboo, at heights varying from 5 to 20 feet. + +"The nest is composed of fine dead twigs firmly woven together. The +interior is lined with twisted tendrils of convolvulus and other +creepers. The uniformity with which this latter material is used in +all nests is remarkable. The inside diameter is 5 inches, and the +depth only 1, thus making the structure very flat. The exterior +dimensions are not so definite, for the twigs and creepers stick out +in all directions; but making all allowances, the outside diameter may +be put down at 7 or 8 inches, and the total depth at 1½ inches. + +"The eggs are usually three in number, but occasionally only two well +incubated eggs may be found. In a nest from which two fresh eggs had +been taken, a third was found a few days later. + +"The eggs measure from 1·09 to ·88 in length, and from ·76 to ·68 in +breadth. The average of 22 eggs is ·98 by ·72." + +In shape the eggs are typically moderately broad, rather regular +ovals, but some are distinctly compressed towards the small end, some +are slightly pyriform, some even pointed, though in the great majority +of cases the egg is pretty obtuse at the small end; the shell is +compact and tolerably fine, and has a faint gloss. The ground-colour +seems to be invariably a pale yellowish stone-colour. The markings +vary a good deal: in some they are more speckly, in others more +streaky, but taking them as a whole they are intermediate between +those of _Dendrocitta_ and those of _Garrulus_, neither so bold and +streaky as the former, nor so speckly as the latter. The markings are +a yellowish olive-brown; they consist of spots, specks, small streaky +blotches and frecklings; they are always pretty densely set over the +whole surface of the egg, but they are always most dense in a zone or +sometimes a cap at the large end, where they are often, to a great +extent, confluent. In some eggs small dingy brownish-purple spots +and little blotches are intermingled in the zone. The eggs differ +in general appearance a good deal, because in some almost all the +markings are fine grained and freckly, and in such eggs but little of +the ground-colour is visible, while in other eggs the markings are +bolder (in comparison, for they are never really bold) and thinner +set, and leave a good deal of the ground-colour visible. + + +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (Temm.). _The White-winged Jay_. + +Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quint. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:-- + +"I found a nest of this bird on the 8th of April at the hot springs at +Ulu Laugat. The nest was built on the frond of a _Calamus_, the end +of which rested in the fork of a small sapling. The nest was a great +coarse structure like a Crow's, but even more coarsely and irregularly +built, and with the egg-cavity shallower. It was composed externally +of small branches and twigs, and loosely lined with coarse fibres and +strips of bark. It contained two young birds about a couple of days +old. The nest was placed about 6 feet from the ground. The surrounding +jungle was moderately thick, with a good deal of undergrowth." + + +24. Garrulus lanceolatus, Vigors. _The Black-throated Jay_. + +Garrulus lanceolatus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 308; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 670. + +The Black-throated Jay breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 4000 to 8000 feet, from the Valley of Nepal to Murree. + +They lay from the middle of April until the middle of June. + +They build on trees or thick bushes, never at any great height from +the ground, and often within reach of the hand. They always, I think, +choose a densely foliaged tree, and place the nest sometimes in a main +fork and sometimes on some horizontal bough supported by one or more +upright shoots. + +All the nests I have seen were moderately shallow cups, built with +slender twigs and sticks, some 6 inches in external diameter, and from +less than 3 inches to nearly 4 inches in height, with a nest-cavity +some 4 inches across and 2 inches deep, lined with grass and +moss-roots. Once only I found a nest almost entirely composed of +grass, and with no lining but fine grass-stems. + +The eggs vary from four to six, but this latter number is rarely met +with. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This is one of the commonest birds +about Murree; we always found it well to the front during our rambles, +chattering about in the trees. They breed from the middle of April +till the end of June. We have taken their eggs between the 20th April +and the 16th June. They keep above 5000 feet. I never observed any in +the lower ranges. The nest is not a difficult one to find, being large +and of loose construction; from 15 to 30 feet up a medium-sized tree +close to the trunk or sometimes in a large fork. They never seem to +build in the spruce firs which abound about Murree. They are by no +means shy birds, and hop about the trees close by while their nest is +being examined. Five is the ordinary number of eggs, which differ very +much in appearance and size: the longest I have measures 1·25 and the +shortest 1·1. Some are paler, some darker; some are of a uniform pale +greenish-ash colour with a darker ring, while others are thickly +speckled and freckled with a darker shade of the same colour. Some +lack the odd ink-scratch which is so often to be seen on the larger +end, and is the most peculiar feature of the egg, while a few have it +at the thinner end. + +"I should describe the average type as a long egg for its breadth; +ground-colour greenish ashy with very thick sprinklings of spots of a +darker and more greenish shade of the same colour, a ring of a darker +dull olive round the large end, on which are one or two lines that +look like a haphazard scratch from a fine steel pen." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote to me that this was "a most common +bird at Dhurmsala; appears in large flocks during the winter, and +often mixes with _Garrulus bispecularis_ and _Urocissa flavirostris_. +Pairs off about the end of April, when nidification begins. Builds a +rather rough nest of sticks, generally placed on a tall sapling oak +near the top; sometimes among the thicker branches of a pollard oak: +outer nest small twigs roughly put together; inner nest dry roots and +fibres, rather deep cup-shaped. Eggs number from four to five and vary +in shape. I have found them sometimes nearly round, but more generally +the usual shape. They vary in their colour, too, some being much +lighter than others, but most of them have a few hair-like streaks on +the larger end." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "the Black-throated Jay +breeds in May and June, placing the nest sometimes on the branch of a +tall oak tree (_Quercus incana_), at other times in a thick bush. It +is composed of a foundation of twigs, and lined with fine roots of +grass &c. mixed with the long black fibres of ferns and mosses, which +hang upon the forest trees, and have much the appearance of black +horse-hair. The nest is cup-shaped, rather shallow, loosely put +together, circular, and about 4½ inches in diameter. The eggs are +sometimes three, sometimes four in number, of a greenish stone-grey, +freckled, chiefly at the larger end, with dusky and a few black +hair-like streaks, which are not always present; they vary also in +the amount of dusky freckling at the larger end. The nestling bird is +devoid of the lanceolate markings on the throat." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Black-throated +Jay builds a very small cup-shaped nest of black hair-like creepers +and roots, intertwined and placed in a rough irregular casing of +twigs. A nest found on the 2nd June containing three hard-set eggs was +placed conspicuously on the top of a young oak sapling about 7 feet +high, standing alone in an open glade, in the forest on Aya Pata, +which is about 7000 feet above the sea. Another nest, found at an +elevation of about 4500 feet on the 9th June, contained two eggs; it +was placed about 10 feet from the ground in a small tree in a hedgerow +amongst cultivated fields." + +Mr. Hodgson notes from Jaha Powah:--"Found five nests of this species +between 18th and 30th May. Builds near the tops of moderate-sized +trees in open districts, making a very shallow nest of thin elastic +grasses sparingly used and without lining. The nest is placed on some +horizontal branch against some upright twig, or at some horizontal +fork. It is nearly round and has a diameter of about 6 inches. They +lay three or four eggs of a sordid vernal green clouded with obscure +brown." + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals, very much smaller than, though +so far as coloration goes very similar to, those of _G. glandarius_. +The ground-colour in some is a brown stone colour, in others pale +greenish white, and intermediate shades occur, and they are very +minutely and feebly freckled and mottled over the whole surface with a +somewhat pale sepia-brown. This mottling differs much in intensity; in +some few eggs indeed it is absolutely wanting, while in others, though +feeble elsewhere, it forms a distinct, though undefined, brownish cap +or zone at the large end. The eggs generally have little or no gloss. +It is not uncommon to find a few hair-like dark brown lines, more or +less zigzag, about the larger end. + +In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·23, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·88; but the average of twenty-four eggs is 1·12 by 0·85. + + +25. Garrulus leucotis, Hume. _The Burmese Jay_. + +Garrulus leucotis, _Hume, Hume, Cat._ no. 669 bis. + +The nest of this Jay has not yet been found, but Capt. Bingham +writes:-- + +"Like Mr. Davison I have found this very handsome Jay affecting only +the dry _Dillenia_ and pine-forests so common in the Thoungyeen +valley. I have seen it feeding on the ground in such places with +_Gecinus nigrigenys, Upupa longirostris_, and other birds. I shot one +specimen, a female, in April, near the Meplay river, that must have +had a nest somewhere, which, however, I failed to find, for she had a +full-formed but shell-less egg inside her." + + +26. Garrulus bispecularis, Vigors. _The Himalayan Jay_. + +Garrulus bispecularis, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 307; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 669. + +The Himalayan Jay breeds pretty well throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas. It is nowhere, that I have seen, numerically very +abundant, but it is to be met with everywhere. It lays in March and +April, and, though I have never taken the nest myself, I have now +repeatedly had it sent me. It builds at moderate heights, rarely above +25 feet from the ground, in trees or thick shrubs, at elevations of +from 3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a moderate-sized one, 6 to 8 +inches in external diameter, composed of fine twigs and grass, and +lined with finer grass and roots. + +The nest is usually placed in a fork. + +The eggs are four to six in number. + +Mr. Hodgson notes that he "found a nest" of this species "on the 20th +April, in the forest of Shewpoori, at an elevation of 7000 feet. The +nest was placed in the midst of a large tree in a fork. The nest was +very shallow, but regularly formed and compact. It was composed of +long seeding grasses wound round and round, and lined with finer +and more elastic grass-stems. The nest measured about 6½ inches in +diameter, but the cavity was only about half an inch deep." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"I only took one authenticated set +of eggs of this species (I found several with young), as it is an +early breeder--I say authenticated eggs, because I _think_ we may have +attributed some to _Garrulus lanceolatus_, as the nests and eggs are +very similar, and having a large number of the eggs of the latter, I +took some from my shikaree without verifying them. + +"The nest I took on the 6th May, 1873, at Murree, was at an elevation, +I should say, of between 6500 and 7000 feet (as it was near the top +of the hill), in the forest. The tree selected was a horse-chestnut, +about 25 feet high. The nest was near the top, which is the case with +nearly all the Crows' and Magpies' nests that I have taken. It was +of loose construction, made of twigs and fibres, and contained five +partially incubated eggs. + +"The eggs are similar to those of _G. lanceolatus_. I have carefully +compared the five of the species which I am now describing with twenty +of the other, and find that the following differences exist. The egg +of _G. bispecularis_ is more obtuse and broader, there is a brighter +gloss on it, and the speckling is more marked; but with a large series +of each I think the only perceptible difference would be its +greater breadth, which makes the egg look larger than that of the +Black-throated Jay. My four eggs measure 1·15 by 0·85 each. + +"This species only breeds once in a year, and from my observations +lays in April, all the young being hatched by the 15th May. Captain +Cock and myself carefully hunted up all the forests round Murree, +where the birds were constantly to be seen, commencing our work after +the 10th May, and we found nothing but young ones." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have found nests of this species +for the first time this year; the first on the 22nd of May, by which +time, as all recorded evidence shows it to be an early breeder, I had +given up all hopes of getting eggs. The first nest contained two fresh +eggs; it was on a horizontal limb of a large oak, at a bifurcation +about eight feet from the trunk and about the same from the ground. +The nest was more substantial than that of _G. lanceolatus_, much more +moss having been used in the outer casing, but the lining was similar; +it was a misshapen nest, and appeared, in the distance, like an old +deserted one; the bird was sitting at the time; I took one egg, hoping +more would be laid, but the other was deserted and destroyed by +vermin. Another nest I found on the 2nd June; it contained three eggs +just so much incubated that it is probable no more would be laid; this +nest was much neater in construction and better concealed than the +former one; it was in a rhododendron tree, in a bend about ten feet +from the ground, between two branches upwards of a foot each in +diameter, and covered with moss and dead fern; the tree grew out of +a precipitous bank just below a road, and though the nest was on the +level of the edge it was almost impossible to detect it; it was a very +compact thick cup of roots covered with moss outside. The eggs were +larger, more elongated, and much more richly coloured than in the +first nest. Both nests were at about 7000 feet elevation, and in both +instances the bird sat very close." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, very similar to +those of _G. lanceolatus_, but they are perhaps slightly larger, and +the markings somewhat coarser. The eggs are rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish +white, and they are pretty finely freckled and speckled (most densely +so towards the large end, where the markings are almost confluent) +with dull, rather pale, olive-brown, amongst which a little speckling +and clouding of pale greyish purple is observable. The eggs are +decidedly smaller than those of the English Jay, and few of the +specimens I have exhibit any of those black hair-like lines often +noticeable in both the English Jay and _G. lanceolatus_. + +In length the eggs that I have measured varied from 1·1 to 1·21, and +in breadth they only varied from 0·84 to 0·87. + + +27. Nucifraga hemispila, Vigors. _The Himalayan Nutcracker_. + +Nucifraga hemispila, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 304; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 666. + +The Himalayan Nutcracker is _very_ common in the fir-clad hills north +of Simla, where it particularly affects forests of the so-called +pencil cedar, which is, I think, the _Pinus excelsa_. I have never +been able to obtain the eggs, for they must lay in March or early in +April; but I have found the nest near Fagoo early in May with nearly +full-fledged young ones, and my people have taken them with young in +April below the Jalouri Pass. + +The tree where I found the nest is, or rather _was_ (for the whole +hill-slope has been denuded for potatoe cultivation), situated on a +steeply sloping hill facing the south, at an elevation of about 6500 +feet. The nest was about 50 feet from the ground, and placed on _two_ +side branches just where, about 6 inches apart, they shot out of the +trunk. The nest was just like a Crow's--a broad platform of sticks, +but rather more neatly built, and with a number of green juniper twigs +with a little moss and a good deal of grey lichen intermingled. The +nest was about 11 inches across and nearly 4 inches in external +height. There was a broad, shallow, central depression 5 or 6 inches +in diameter and perhaps 2 inches in depth, of which an inch was filled +in with a profuse lining of grass and fir-needles (the long ones of +_Pinus longifolia_) and a little moss. This was found on the 11th May, +and the young, four in number, were sufficiently advanced to hop +out to the ends of the bough and half-fly half-tumble into the +neighbouring trees, when my man with much difficulty got up to the +nest. + + +29. Graculus eremita (Linn.). _The Red-billed Chough_. + +Fregilus himalayanus, _Gould, Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 319. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs of this species from Chumbi in +Thibet; they were taken on the 8th of May from a nest under the eaves +of a high wooden house. + +Though larger than those of the European Chough, they resemble them so +closely that there can be no doubt as to their authenticity. + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals, very slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is tolerably fine and has +a slight gloss. The ground-colour is white with a faint creamy tinge, +and the whole egg is profusely spotted and striated with a pale, +somewhat yellowish brown and a very pale purplish grey. The markings +are most dense at the large end, and there, too, the largest streaks +of the grey occur. + +One egg measures 1·74 by 1·2. + + + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + + +31. Parus atriceps, Horsf. _The Indian Grey Tit_. + +Parus cinereus, _Vieill, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 278. +Parus caesius, _Tick., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 645. + +The Indian Grey Tit breeds throughout the more wooded mountains of +the Indian Empire, wherever these attain an altitude of 5000 feet, at +elevations of from 4000 or 5000 to even (where the hills exceed this +height) 9000 feet. + +In the Himalayas the breeding-season extends from the end of March to +the end of June, or even a little later, according to the season. They +have two broods--the first clutch of eggs is generally laid in the +last week of March or early in April; the second towards the end of +May or during the first half of June. + +In the Nilghiris they lay from February to May, and _probably_ a +second time in September or October. + +The nests are placed in holes in banks, in walls of buildings or +of terraced fields, in outhouses of dwellings or deserted huts and +houses, and in holes in trees, and very frequently in those cut in +some previous year for their own nests by Barbets and Woodpeckers. + +Occasionally it builds _on_ a branch of a tree, and my friend Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., found a nest containing six half-set eggs thus situated +on the 19th June at Gowra. It was on a "Banj" tree 10 feet from the +ground. + +The only nest that I have myself seen in such a situation was a pretty +large pad of soft moss, slightly saucer-shaped, about 4 inches in +diameter, with a slight depression on the upper surface, which was +everywhere thinly coated with sheep's wool and the fine white silky +hair of some animal. The nest is usually a shapeless mass of downy +fur, cattle-hair, and even feathers and wool, but when on a branch is +strengthened exteriorly with moss. Even when in holes, they sometimes +round the nest into a more or less regular though shallow cup, and use +a good deal of moss or a little grass or grass-roots; but as a rule +the hairs of soft and downy fur constitute the chief material, and +this is picked out by the birds, I believe, from the dung of the +various cats, polecats, and ferrets so common in all our hills. + +I have never found more than six eggs, and often smaller numbers, more +or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that the Indian Grey Tit is "common at Almorah. +In April and May I found the nest two or three times in holes in +terrace-walls. It was composed of grass-roots and feathers, and +contained in each case nearly fully-grown young, five in number." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote:--"_Parus cinereus_ built in +the walls of Dr. C.'s stables this year. When I found the nest it +contained young ones. I watched the parents flying in and out, but +to make sure put my ear to the wall and could hear the young ones +chirrupping. The nest was found in the early part of May 1869." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th June, 1879. A nest built in +a hollow bamboo which supported the roof of a house in the native +infantry lines. I did not see the nest myself, as unfortunately the +old bird was captured on it, and the nest and eggs destroyed; however, +the hen bird was brought to me alive by the man who caught her, and +I saw at once, by the bare breast, that she had been sitting, and on +making enquiries the above facts were elicited. The broken egg-shells +were white thickly spotted with rusty red. + +"Belgaum, 8th June, 1880.--A nest in a hole of a tree about 7 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. The nest consisted of +a dense pad of fur (goat-hair, cow-hair, human hair, and hare's fur +mixed) with a few feathers intermixed, laid on the top of a small +quantity of dry grass and moss, which formed the foundation." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes notes from Chaman in Afghanistan:--"This Tit is +very common, and remains with us all the year round. I found a nest on +the 10th April, built in a hole in a tree; it was composed entirely of +sheep's wool, and contained three incubated eggs, white, with light +red blotches, forming a zone at the larger end. They measured ·69 by +·48." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken says:-- + +"When I was in Poona, in the hot season of 1873, the Grey Tits, which +are very common there, became exceedingly busy about the end of May, +courting with all their spirit, and examining every hole they could +find. One was seen to disappear up the mouth of a cannon at the +arsenal. Finally, in July, two nests with young birds were discovered, +one by myself, and one by my brother. The nests were in the roofs of +houses, and were not easily accessible, but the parent birds were +watched assiduously carrying food to the hungry brood, which kept up a +screaming almost equal to that of a nest of minahs. On the 27th July a +young one was picked up that had escaped too soon from a third nest. +The Indian Grey Tit does not occur in Bombay, and I never saw it in +Berar." + +Speaking of Southern India Mr. Davison remarks that "the Grey Tit +breeds in holes either of trees or banks; when it builds in trees +it very often (whenever it can apparently) takes possession of the +deserted nest-hole of _Megaloema viridis_; when in banks a rat-hole is +not uncommonly chosen. All the nests I have ever seen or taken were +composed in every single instance of fur obtained from the dried +droppings of wild cats." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn sends the following interesting note:-- + +"Their nests are found in deep holes in earth-banks, and sometimes in +stone walls. Once a pair took possession of a bamboo in one of our +thatched out-houses--the safest place they could have chosen, as no +hand could get into the small hole by which they entered. These Tits +show great affection and care for their young. While hatching their +eggs, if a hand or stick is put into the nest they rise with enlarged +throats, and, hissing like a snake, peck at it till it is withdrawn. +On one occasion I told my horse-keeper to put his hand into a hole +into which I had seen one of these birds enter. He did so, but soon +drew it out with a scream, saying a 'snake had bit him.' I told him +to try again, but with no better success; he would not attempt it the +third time, so the nest was left with the bold little proprietor, who +no doubt rejoiced to find she had succeeded in frightening away the +unwelcome intruder. The materials used by these birds for their nests +consist of soft hair, downy feathers, and moss, all of which they +collect in large quantities. They build in the months of February and +March; but I once found a nest of young Indian Grey Tits so late as +the 10th November. They lay six eggs, white with light red spots. On +one occasion I saw a nest in a bank by the side of the road; when the +only young bird it contained was nearly fledged the road had to be +widened, and workmen were employed in cutting down the bank. The poor +parent birds appeared to be perfectly aware that their nest would soon +be reached, and after trying in vain to persuade the young one to come +out, they pushed it down into the road but could get it no further, +though they did their utmost to take it out of the reach of danger. I +placed it among the bushes above the road, and then the parents seemed +to be immediately conscious of its safety." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter notes that he "found a nest of the Grey Tit at +Coonoor, on the Nilgiris, on the 15th May. It was placed in a hole in +a bank by the roadside. It was a flat pad, composed of the fur of +the hill-hare, hairs of cattle, &c., and was fluffy and without +consistence. It contained three half-set eggs." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jun., says:--"I have found the nests at Ooty, Coonoor, +Neddivattam, and Kartary, at all heights from 5000 to nearly 8000 feet +above the sea, on various dates between 17th February and 10th May. + +"It builds in banks, or holes in trees, at all heights from the +ground, from 3 to 30 feet. It is fond of taking possession of the old +nest-holes of the Green Woodpecker. The nest is built of fur or fur +and moss, and always lined with fine fur, generally that of hares. Its +shape depends upon that of the hole in which it is placed, but the +egg-cavity or depression is about 3 inches in diameter and an inch in +depth. + +"It lays four, five, and sometimes six eggs, but I think more commonly +only four." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once found its nest in a deserted bungalow at +Kallia, in the corner of the house. It was made chiefly of the down of +hares (_Lepus nigricollis_), mixed with feathers, and contained six +eggs, white spotted with rusty red." + +The eggs resemble in their general character those of many of our +English Tits, and though, I think, typically slightly longer, they +appear to me to be very close to those of _Parus palustris_. In shape +they are a broad oval, but somewhat elongated and pointed towards the +small end. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and round the large end +there is a conspicuous, though irregular and imperfect, zone of red +blotches, spots, and streaks. Spots and specks of the same colour, or +occasionally of a pale purple, are scantily sprinkled over the rest of +the surface of the egg, and are most numerous in the neighbourhood of +the zone. The eggs have a faint gloss. Some eggs do not exhibit the +zone above referred to, but even in these the markings are much more +numerous and dense towards the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·65 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·58; but the average of thirty-eight is 0·71 by 0·54, so that they +are really, as indeed they look _as a body_, a shade shorter and +decidedly broader than those of _P. monticola_. + + +34. Parus monticola, Vig. _The Green-backed Tit_. + +Parus monticolus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 277; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 644. + +The Green-backed Tit breeds through the Himalayas, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, and some birds at any +rate must have two broods, since I found three fresh eggs in the +wall of the Pownda dak bungalow about the 20th June. More eggs are, +however, to be got in April than in any other month. + +They build in holes, in trees, bamboos, walls, and even banks, but +walls receive, I think, the preference. + +The nests are loose dense masses of soft downy fur or feathers, with +more or less moss, according to the situation. + +The eggs vary from six to eight, and I have repeatedly found seven +and eight young ones; but Captain Beavan has found only five of +these latter, and although I consider from six to eight the normal +complement, I believe they very often fail to complete the full +number. + +Captain Beavan says:--"At Simla, on May 4th, 1866, I found a nest of +this species in the wall of one of my servant's houses. It contained +five young ones, and was composed of fine grey pushm or wool resting +on an understructure of moss." + +At Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "breeds +early in May in holes in walls and trees, laying white eggs covered +with red spots." + +Speaking of a nest he took at Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:-- + +"The nest was in a cavity of a rhododendron tree, and was a large mass +of down of some animal; it looked like rabbit's fur, which of course +it was not, but it was some dark, soft, dense fur. The nest contained +seven eggs, and was found on the 28th April, 1869. The eggs were all +fresh." + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I got one nest of this Tit here on the 14th May in +the Chinchona reserves (Sikhim), at an elevation of about 4500 feet. +It was in partially cleared country, in a natural hole of a stump, +about 5 feet from the ground. The nest was made of moss and lined +with soft matted hair; but I pulled it out of the hole carelessly and +cannot say whether it had originally any defined shape. It contained +four hard-set eggs." + +The eggs are very like those of _Parus atriceps_; but they are +somewhat longer and more slender, and as a rule are rather more +thickly and richly marked. + +They are moderately broad ovals, sometimes almost perfectly +symmetrical, at times slightly pointed towards one end, and almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground is white, or occasionally a +delicate pinkish white, in some richly and profusely spotted and +blotched, in others more or less thickly speckled and spotted with +darker or lighter shades of blood-, brick-, slightly purplish-, or +brownish-red, as the case may be. The markings are much denser towards +the large end, where in some eggs they form an imperfect and irregular +cap. In size they vary from 0·68 to 0·76 in length, and from 0·49 to +0·54 in breadth; but the average of thirty-two eggs is 0·72 by 0·52 +nearly. + + +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (Vig.). _Red-headed Tit_. + +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 270; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 634. + +The Red-headed Tit breeds throughout the Himalayas from Murree to +Bhootan, at elevations of from 6000 to 9000 or perhaps 10,000 feet. + +They commence breeding very early. I have known nests to be taken +quite at the beginning of March, and they continue laying till the end +of May. + +The nest is, I think, most commonly placed in low stunted hill-oak +bushes, either suspended between several twigs, to all of which it is +more or less attached, or wedged into a fork. _I have_ found the nest +in a deodar tree, _laid_ on a horizontal bough. I have seen them in +tufts of grass, in banks and other unusual situations; but the great +bulk build in low bushes, and of these the hill-oak is, I think, their +favourite. + +The nests closely resemble those of the Long-tailed Tit (_Acredula +rosea_). They are large ovoidal masses of moss, lichen, and +moss-roots, often tacked together a good deal outside with +cotton-wool, down of different descriptions, and cobwebs. They average +about 4½ inches in height or length, and about 3½ inches in diameter. +The aperture is on one side near the top. The egg-cavity, which may +average about 2¼ inches in diameter and about the same in depth below +the lower edge of the aperture, is densely lined with very soft down +or feathers. + +They lay from six to eight eggs, but I once found only four eggs in a +nest, and these fully incubated. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "builds a +globular nest of moss and hair and feathers in thorny bushes. The eggs +we found were pinkish white, with a ring of obsolete brown spots at +the larger end. Size 0·55 by 0·43. Lays in May." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Red-cap Tit is "common at Mussoorie +and in the hills generally, throughout the year. It breeds in April +and May. The situation chosen is various, as one taken in the former +month at Mussoorie, at 7000 feet elevation, was placed on the side +of a bank among overhanging coarse grass, while another taken in the +latter month, at 5000 feet, was built among some ivy twining round a +tree, and at least 14 feet from the ground. The nest is in shape a +round ball with a small lateral entrance, and is composed of green +mosses warmly lined with feathers. The eggs are five in number, white +with a pinkish tinge, and sparingly sprinkled with lilac spots or +specks, and having a well-defined lilac ring at the larger end." + +From Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species makes +a beautifully neat nest of fine moss and lichens, globular, with +side entrance, and thickly lined with soft feathers. A nest found on +Cheena, above Nynee Tal, on the 24th May, 1873, at an elevation of +about 7000 feet, was wedged into a fork at the end of a bough of a +cypress tree, about 10 feet from the ground, the entrance turned +inwards towards the trunk of the tree. It contained one tiny egg, +white, with a dark cloudy zone round the larger end. + +"About the 10th of May, at Naini Tal, I was watching one of these +little birds, which kept hanging about a small rhododendron stump +about 2 feet high, with very few leaves on it, but I could see no +nest. A few days later I saw the bird carry a big caterpillar to the +same stump and come away shortly without it; so I looked more +closely and found the nest, containing nearly full-fledged young, so +beautifully wedged into the stump that it appeared to be part of it, +and nothing but the tiny circular entrance revealed that the nest was +there. It was the best-concealed nest for that style of position that +I have ever seen." + +These tiny eggs, almost smaller than those of any European bird that +I know, are broad ovals, sometimes almost globular, but generally +somewhat compressed towards one end, so as to assume something of a +pyriform shape. They are almost entirely glossless, have a pinkish or +at times creamy-white ground, and exhibit a conspicuous reddish or +purple zone towards the large end, composed of multitudes of minute +spots almost confluent, and interspaced with a purplish cloud. Faint +traces of similar excessively minute purple or red points extend more +or less above and below the zone. The eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·58 +in length, and from 0·43 to 0·46 in breadth; but the average of +twenty-five is 0·56 nearly by 0·45 nearly. + + +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (Bl.). _The Blade-spotted Yellow Tit_. + +Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 281. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong in Sikhim on the +15th June in a hole in a dead tree, about 5 feet from the ground. The +nest was a mere pad of the soft fur of some animal, in which a +little of the brown silky down from fern-stems and a little moss was +intermingled. It contained three hard-set eggs. + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, scarcely, if at all, pointed +towards the lesser end; the ground-colour is a pure dead white, and +the markings, spots, and specks of pale reddish brown, and underlying +spots of pale purple, are evenly scattered all over the egg; it +measures 0·78 by 0·55. + + +42. Machlolophus xanthogenys (Vig.). _The Yellow-cheeked Tit_. + +Machlolophus xanthogenys (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 279; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 647. + +The Yellow-cheeked Tit is one of the commonest birds in the +neighbourhood of Simla, yet curiously enough I have never found a +nest. + +I have had eggs and nest sent me, and I know it breeds throughout the +Western Himalayas, at elevations of from 4000 to 7000 feet; and that +it lays during April and May (and probably other months), making a +soft pad-like nest, composed of hair and fur, in boles in trees and +walls; but I can give no further particulars. + +Captain Hutton tells us that it is "common in the hills throughout +the year. It breeds in April, in which month a nest containing +four fledged young ones was found at 5000 feet elevation; it was +constructed of moss, hair, and feathers, and placed at the bottom of a +deep hole in a stump at the foot of an oak tree." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:--"Towards the end of April +this bird made its nest in a hole of a tree just below the terrace +of my house. Before the nest was quite finished a pair of _Passer +cinnamomeus_ bullied the old birds out of the place, which they +deserted. After they had left it I cut the nest out and found it +nearly ready to lay in, lined with soft goat-hair and that same dark +fur noticed in the nest of _Parus monticola_." + +Later he wrote to me that this species "breeds up at Dhurmsala in +April and May. It chooses an old cleft or natural cavity in a tree, +usually the hill-oak, and makes a nest of wool and fur at the bottom +of the cavity, upon which it lays five eggs much like the eggs of +_Parus monticola_. Perhaps the blotches are a little larger, otherwise +I can see no difference. I noticed on one occasion the male bird carry +wool to the nest, which, when I cut it out the same day, I found +contained hard-set eggs. I used to nail a sheepskin up in a hill-oak, +and watch it with glasses, during April and May, and many a nest have +I found by its help. _Parus atriceps, P. monticola, Machlolophus +xanthogenys, Abrornis albisuperciliaris_, and many others used to +visit it and pull off flocks of wool for their nests. Following up a +little bird with wool in its bill through jungle requires sharp eyes +and is no easy matter at first, but one soon becomes practised at it." + +The eggs are regular, somewhat elongated ovals, in some cases slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground is white or reddish white, and +they are thickly speckled, spotted, and even blotched with brick-dust +red; they have little or no gloss. + +They vary in length from 0·7 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·52 to +0·55; but I have only measured six eggs. + + +43. Machlolophus haplonotus (Bl.). _The Southern Yellow Tit_. + +_Machlolophus jerdoni (Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 280. + +Col. E.A. Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th Sept., 1879.--Found a nest of +the Southern Yellow Tit in a hole of a small tree about 10 feet from +the ground. My attention was first attracted to it by seeing the +hen-bird with her wings spread and feathers erect angrily mobbing a +palm-squirrel that had incautiously ascended the tree, and thinking +there must be a nest close by, I watched the sequel, and in a few +seconds the squirrel descended the tree and the Tit disappeared in a +small hole about halfway up. I then put a net over the hole and tapped +the bough to drive her out, but this was no easy matter, for although +the nest was only about ¾ foot from the entrance, and I made as much +noise as a thick stick could well make against a hollow bough, nothing +would induce her to leave the nest until I had cut a large wedge out +of the branch, with a saw and chisel, close to the nest, when she flew +out into the net. + +"The nest, which contained, to my great disappointment, five young +birds about a week old, was very massively built, and completely +choked up the hollow passage in which it was placed. The foundation +consisted of a quantity of dry green moss, of the kind that natives +bring in from the jungles in the rains, and sell for ornamenting +flower vases, &c. Next came a thick layer of coir, mixed with a few +dry skeleton-leaves and some short ends of old rope and a scrap or two +of paper, and finally a substantial pad of blackish hair, principally +human, but with cow- and horse-hair intermixed, forming a snug little +bed for the young ones. The total depth of the nest exteriorly was at +least 7 inches. + +"The bough, about 8 inches in diameter, was partly rotten and hollow +the whole way down, having a small hole at the side above by which the +birds entered, and another rather larger about a foot below the nest +all choked up with moss that had fallen from the base of the nest. It +is strange that it should have escaped my eye previously, as the tree +overhung my gateway, through which I passed constantly during the day. +Immediately below the nest a large black board bearing my name was +nailed to the tree. + +"At Belgaum, on the 10th July, 1880, I observed a pair of Yellow Tits +building in a crevice of a large banian tree about 9 feet from the +ground. The two birds were flying to and from the nest in company, +the hen carrying building-materials in her beak. I watched the nest +constantly for several days, but never saw the birds near it again +until the 18th inst., when the hen flew out of the hole as I passed +the tree. I visited the spot on the 19th and 20th inst., tapping the +tree loudly with a stick as I passed, but without any result, as the +bird did not fly off the nest. + +"On the 21st, thinking the nest must either be forsaken or contain +eggs, I got up and looked into the hole, and to my surprise found the +hen bird comfortably seated on the nest, notwithstanding the noise I +had been making to try and put her off. As the crevice was too small +to admit my hand, I commenced to enlarge the entrance with a chisel, +the old bird sitting closer than ever the whole time. Finding all +attempts to drive her off the eggs fruitless, I tried to poke her off: +with a piece of stick, whereupon she stuck her head into one of the +far corners and sulked. I then inserted my hand with some difficulty +and drew her gently out of the hole, but as soon as she caught sight +of me, she commenced fighting in the most pugnacious manner, digging +her claws and beak into my hand, and finally breaking loose, flying, +not away as might have been expected, but straight back into the hole +again, to commence sulking once more. Again I drew her out, keeping a +firm hold of one leg until I got her well away from the hole, when I +released her. I then extracted five fresh eggs from the hole by means +of a small round net attached to the loop end of a short piece of +wire. The nest was a simple pad of human and cows' hair, with a few +horsehairs interwoven, and one or two bits of snake's skin in the +lining, having a thin layer of green moss and thin strips of inner +bark below as a foundation--in fact a regular Tit's nest. The eggs, of +the usual parine type, were considerably larger than the eggs of _P. +atriceps_, broad ovals, slightly smaller at one end than the other, +having a white ground spotted moderately thickly all over with reddish +chestnut; no zone or cap, but in some eggs more freely marked at one +end (either small or large end) than the other, some of the markings +almost amounting to blotches and the spots as a rule rather large." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this bird in the +Deccan:--"Specimens of this Tit were procured at Lanoli in August and +at Egutpoora in March. They certainly breed at these places, as in +September, at the latter place, W. observed two parent birds with four +young ones capable of flying out very short distances." + +And Mr. Davidson further states that it is "common throughout the +district of Western Kandeish. I saw a pair building in the hole of a +large mango tree at Malpur in Pimpalnir in the end of May." + + +44. Lophophanes melanolophus (Vig.). _The Crested Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes melanolophus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 273: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 638. + +The Crested Black Tit breeds throughout the Lower Himalayas west of +Nepal, at elevations of from 6000 to 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, but the majority have +laid, I think, for the first hatch by the end of the first week in +April, unless the season has been a very backward one. They usually +rear two broods. + +They build, so far as I know, always in holes, in trees, rocks, and +walls, preferentially in the latter. Their nests involve generally two +different kinds of work--the working up of the true nests on which the +eggs repose, and the preliminary closing in and making comfortable the +cavity in which the former is placed. For this latter work they use +almost exclusively moss. Sometimes very little filling-in is +required; sometimes the mass of moss used to level and close in an +awkward-shaped recess is surprisingly great. A pair breed every year +in a terrace-wall of my garden at Simla; elevation about 7800 feet. +One year they selected an opening a foot high and 6 inches wide, and +they closed up the whole of this, leaving an entrance not 2 inches in +diameter. Some years ago I disturbed them there, and found nearly half +a cubic foot of dry green moss. Now they build in a cavity behind one +of the stones, the entrance to which is barely an inch wide, and in +this, as far as I can see, they have no moss at all. + +The nests are nothing but larger or smaller pads of closely felted +wool and fur; sometimes a little moss, and sometimes a little +vegetable down, is mingled in the moss, but the great body of the +material is always wool and fur. They vary very much in size: you +may meet with them fully 5 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick, +comparatively loosely and coarsely massed together; and you may meet +with them shallow saucers 3 inches in diameter and barely half an inch +in thickness anywhere, as closely felted as if manufactured by human +agency. + +Six to eight is considered the full complement of eggs, but the +number is very variable, and I have taken three, four, and five +well-incubated eggs. + +Captain Beavan, to judge from his description, seems to have found +a regular cup-shaped nest such, as I have never seen. He says:--"At +Simla, April 20th, 1866, I found a nest of this species with young +ones in it in an old wall in the garden. I secured the old bird for +identification, and then released her. The nest contained seven young +ones, and was large in proportion. The outside and bottom consists of +the softest moss, the nest being carefully built between two stones, +about a foot inside the wall; the rest of it is composed of the finest +grey wool or fur. Diameter inside 2·5; outside about 5 inches. Depth +inside nearly 3 inches; outside 3·6." + +Captain Cock told me that he "found several nests in May and June in +Cashmere. The first nest I found was in a natural cavity high up in a +tree, containing three eggs, which I unfortunately broke while taking +them out of the nest. The interior of the cavity was thickly lined +with fur from some small animal, such as a hare or rat. I found my +second nest close to my tent in a cleft of a pine, quite low down, +only 3 feet from the ground. I cut it out and it contained five +eggs of the usual type--broad, blunt little eggs, white, with rusty +blotches." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have only found two nests of this +species in Naini Tal, both had young (two in one nest, in the other +I could not count) on the 25th April; they were at about 7000 feet +elevation, built in holes in walls, the entrance in both cases being +very small, having nothing to distinguish it from other tiny crevices, +and nothing to lead any one to suppose that there was a nest inside. +It was only by seeing the parent birds go in that the nest was +discovered." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, with a very +slight gloss. The ground-colour is a slightly pinkish white, and they +are richly blotched and spotted, and more or less speckled (chiefly +towards the larger end), with bright, somewhat brownish red. + +The markings very commonly form a dense, almost confluent zone or cap +about the large end, and they are generally more thinly scattered +elsewhere, but the amount of the markings varies much in different +eggs. In some, although they are thicker in the zone, they are still +pretty thickly set over the entire surface, while in others they are +almost confined to one end of the egg, generally the broad end. + +These eggs vary much in size and in density of marking. The ordinary +dimensions are about 0·61 by 0·47, but in a large series they vary in +length from 0·57 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·43 to 0·54. The +very large eggs, however, indicated by these _maxima_ are rare and +abnormal. + + +47. Lophophanes rufinuchalis (Bl.). _The Simla Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes rufinuchalis (_Bl.). Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 274. + +Mr. Brooks informs us that this Tit is common at Derali and other +places of similar elevation. "I found a nest under a large stone in +the middle of a hill foot-path, up and down which people and cattle +were constantly passing; the nest contained newly-hatched young. This +was the middle of May." + +Dr. Scully, writing of the Gilgit district, tells us that this Tit is +a denizen of the pine-forests, where it breeds. + +Finally Captain Wardlaw Ramsay, writing in the 'Ibis,' states that +this Tit was breeding in Afghanistan in May. + + + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + + +50. Conostoma aemodium, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Crow-Tit_. + +Conostoma aemodium. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 10; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 381. + +A nest of the Red-billed Crow-Tit was sent me from Native Sikhim, +where it was found at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, in a cluster +of the small Ringal bamboo. It contained three eggs, two of which were +broken in blowing them. + +The nest is a very regular and perfect hemisphere, both externally and +internally. It is very compactly made, externally of coarse grass and +strips of bamboo-leaves, and internally very thickly lined with stiff +but very fine grass-stems, about the thickness of an ordinary pin, +very carefully curved to the shape of the nest. The coarser exterior +grass appears to have been used when dry; but the fine grass, with +which the interior is so densely lined, is still green. It is the most +perfectly hemispherical nest I ever saw. Exteriorly it is exactly 6 +inches in diameter and 3 in height; internally the cavity measures 4.5 +in diameter and 2·25 in depth. + +The egg is a regular moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed +towards the smaller end. The shell is fine and thin, and has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, and it is sparsely +blotched, streaked, and smudged with pale yellowish brown, besides +which, about the large end, there are a number of small pale inky +purple spots and clouds, looking as if they were beneath the surface +of the shell. + +The single egg preserved measures 1·11 by 0·8. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found, he says, in May, in Native +Sikhim, in a cluster of Ringal (hill-bamboo) at an elevation of nearly +10,000 feet. It is a large, rather broad and shallow cup, the great +bulk of the nest composed of extremely fine hair-like grass-stems, +obviously used when green, and coated thinly exteriorly with coarse +blades of grass, giving the outside a ragged and untidy appearance. +The greatest external diameter is 5.5, the height 3·2, but the cavity +is 4·5 in diameter and 2.2 in depth, so that, though owing to the +fine material used throughout except in the outer coating the nest is +extremely firm and compact, it is not at all a massive-looking one. + + +60. Scaeorhynchus ruficeps (Bl.). _The Larger Red-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 5. + +Mr. Gammie writes from Sikhim:--"In May, at 2000 feet elevation, I +took a nest of this bird, which appears to have been rarely, if ever, +taken by any European, and is not described in your Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs.' It was seated among, and fastened to, the spray of +a bamboo near its top, and is a deep, compactly built cap, measuring +externally 3·5 inches wide and the same in depth; internally 2·7 wide +by 1·9 deep. The material used is particularly clean and new-looking, +and has none of the secondhand appearance of much of the +building-stuffs of many birds. The outer layer is of strips torn off +large grass-stalks and a very few cobwebs; the lining, of fine fibrous +strips, or rather threads, of bamboo-stems. There were three eggs, +which were ready for hatching-off. They averaged 0·83 in. by 0·63 in. +I send you the nest and two of the eggs. + +"Both Jerdon and Tickell say they found this bird feeding on grain +and other seeds, but those I examined had all confined their diet to +different sorts of insects, such as would be found about the +flowers of bamboo, buckwheat, &c. Probably they do eat a few seeds +occasionally, but their principal food is certainly insects. +Very usually, in winter especially, they feed in company with +_Gampsorhynchus rufulus_. Rather curious that the two Red-heads should +affect each other's society." + +The eggs are broad ovals, rather cylindrical, very blunt at both ends. +The shell fine, with a slight gloss. The ground is white, and it +is rather thinly and irregularly spotted, blotched, and smeared in +patches with a dingy yellowish brown, chiefly about the larger end, to +which also are nearly confined the secondary markings, which are pale +greyish lilac or purplish grey. + + +61. Scaeorhynchus gularis (Horsf.). _The Hoary-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis gularis, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 5. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species was found, +he tells me, at an elevation of 8000 feet in Native Sikhim on the 17th +May. It was placed in a fork amongst the branches of a medium-sized +tree at a height of about 30 feet from the ground. The nest is a +very massive cup, composed of soft grass-blades, none of them much +exceeding ·1 inch in width, wound round and round together very +closely and compactly, and then tied over exteriorly everywhere, but +not thickly, with just enough wool and wild silk to keep the nest +perfectly strong and firm. Inside, the nest is lined with extremely +fine grass-stems; the nest is barely 4 inches in diameter exteriorly +and 2·5 in height; the egg-cavity is 2·4 in diameter and 1·2 in depth. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me an egg which he considers to belong to this +species, found near Darjeeling on the 7th May. It is a broad oval, +very slightly compressed at one end; the shell dull and glossless; the +ground a dead white, profusely streaked and smudged pretty thickly +all over with pale yellowish brown; the whole bigger end of the egg +clouded with dull inky purple and two or three hair-lines of burnt +sienna in different parts of the egg. The egg measures 0·8 by 0·61. + +Two eggs of this species, procured in Sikhim on the 17th May, are very +regular ovals, scarcely at all pointed towards the lesser end. The +ground-colour is creamy white, and the markings consist of large +indistinct blotches of pale yellow; round the large end is an almost +confluent zone or cap of purplish grey, darker in one egg; they have +no gloss, and both measure 0·82 by 0·61. + + + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + + +62. Dryonastes ruficollis (J. & S.) _The Rufous-necked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ruticollis (_J. & S.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 410. + +Of the Rufous-necked Laughing-Thrush, Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. Hodgson +figures the egg of a fine green colour." + +The egg is not figured in my collection of Mr. Hodgson's drawings. + +Writing from near Darjeeling, in Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I have +seen two nests of this bird; both were in bramble-bushes about five +feet from the ground, and exactly resembled those of _Dryonastes +caerulatus_, only they were a little smaller. One nest had three young +ones, the other three very pale blue unspotted eggs, which I left in +the nest intending to get them in another day or two, as I wanted to +see if more eggs would be laid, but when I went back to the place the +nest had been taken away by some one. Both nests were found here in +May, one at 3500 feet, the other at 4500 feet. + +"I have taken numerous nests of this species from April to June, from +the warmest elevations up to about 4000 feet. They are cup-shaped; +composed of dry leaves and small climber-stems, and lined with a few +fibrous roots. They measure externally about 5 inches in width by 3·5 +in depth; internally 3·25 across by 2·25 deep. Usually they are found +in scrubby jungle, fixed in bushes, within five or six feet of the +ground. The eggs are three or four in number." + +Many nests of this species sent me from Sikhim by my friends Messrs. +Mandelli and Gammie are all precisely of the same type--deep and +rather compact cups, varying from 5 to 6 inches in external diameter, +and 3·25 to 3·75 in height; the cavities about 3·25 in diameter +and 2·25 in depth. The nest is composed almost entirely of dry +bamboo-leaves bound together loosely with stems of creepers or roots, +and the cavity is lined with black and brown rootlets, generally not +very fine. They seem never to be placed at any very great elevation +from the ground. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have received a very large number +from Mr. Gammie, are distinguishable at once from those of all the +other species of this group with which I am acquainted. Just as the +egg of _Garrulax albigularis_ is distinguished by its very deep tone +of coloration, the egg of the present species is distinguished by its +extreme paleness. In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, often, +however, somewhat pyriform, often a good deal pointed towards the +small end. The shell is extremely fine and smooth, and has a very +fine gloss; they may be said to be almost white with a delicate +bluish-green tinge. In length they vary from 0·95 to 1·1, in breadth +from 0·6 to 0·83; but the average of forty-one eggs is 1·02 by 0·75. + + +65. Dryonastes caerulatus (Hodgs.). _The Grey-sided +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax caerulatus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 36; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 408. + +A nest of the Grey-sided Laughing-Thrush found by Mr. Gammie on the +17th June near Darjeeling, below Rishap, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet, was placed in a shrub, at a height of about six feet from the +ground, and contained one fresh egg. It was a large, deep, compact +cup, measuring about 5·5 inches in external diameter and about 4 in +height, the egg-cavity being 4 inches in diameter and 2¾ inches in +depth. Externally it was entirely composed of very broad flag-like +grass-leaves firmly twisted together, and internally of coarse black +grass and moss-roots very neatly and compactly put together. The nest +had no other lining. + +This year (1874) Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds in Sikhim +in May and Jane. I have found the nests in our Chinchona reserves, at +various elevations from 3500 to 5000 feet, always in forests with +a more or less dense undergrowth. The nest is placed in trees, at +heights of from 6 to 12 feet from the ground, between and firmly +attached to several slender upright shoots. It is cup-shaped, usually +rather shallow, composed of dry bamboo-leaves and twigs and lined with +root-fibres. One I measured was 5 inches in diameter by 2·5 in height +exteriorly; the cavity was 4 inches across and only 1·3 deep. Of +course they vary slightly. As far as my experience goes, they do not +lay more than three eggs; indeed, at times only two." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that "a nest and eggs, said to be of this bird, +were brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest loosely made with roots and +grass, and containing two pale blue eggs." + +One nest of this species taken in Native Sikhim in July, was placed in +the fork of four leafy twigs, and was in shape a slightly truncated +inverted cone, nearly 7 inches in height and 5·5 in diameter at the +base of the cone, which was uppermost. The leaves attached to the +twigs almost completely enveloped it. The nest itself was composed +almost entirely of stems of creepers, several of which were wound +round the living leaves of the twigs so as to hold them in position on +the outside of the nest; a few bamboo-leaves were intermingled with +the creeper's stems in the body of the nest. The cavity, which is +almost perfectly hemispherical, only rather deeper, is 3·5 inches in +diameter and 2·25 in depth, and is entirely and very neatly lined with +very fine black roots. Another nest, which was taken at Rishap on the +21st May, with two fresh eggs, was placed in some small bamboos at a +height of about 10 feet from the ground, it is composed externally +entirely of dry bamboo-leaves, loosely tied together by a few creepers +and a little vegetable fibre, and it is lined pretty thickly with fine +black fibrous roots. This nest is about 6 inches in diameter and 3·5 +high exteriorly, while the cavity measures 3·5 by 2. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are a beautiful clear, rather pale, +greenish blue, without any spots or markings. They have a slight +gloss. In shape they are typically much elongated and somewhat +pyriform ovals, very obtuse at both ends; but moderately broad +examples are met with. In length they vary from 1·05 to 1·33, and in +breadth from 0·76 to 0·86; but the average of thirty-five eggs is 1·18 +nearly by 0·82 nearly. + + +69. Garrulax leucolophus (Hardw.). _The Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw.), Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 35; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 407. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush breeds at various elevations in Sikhim and Nepal, from +the Terai to an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet, from April to June. It +lays from four to six eggs, which are described and figured as pure +white, very broad ovals, measuring 1·2 by 0·9. It breeds, we are told, +in small trees, constructing a rude cup-shaped nest amongst a clamp of +shoots, or between a number of slender twigs, of dry bamboo-leaves, +creepers, scales of the turmeric plant, &c., and lined with fine +roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me more than +once when at Darjeeling, the former being a large mass of roots, moss, +and grass, with a few pure white eggs." + +One nest taken in July at Darjeeling was placed on the outer branches +of a tree, at about the height of 8 feet from the ground. It was a +very broad shallow saucer, 8 inches in diameter, about an inch in +thickness, and with a depression of about an inch in depth. It was +composed of dead bamboo-leaves bound together with creepers, and lined +thinly with coarse roots. It contained four fresh eggs. Other similar +nests contained four or three eggs each. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Laughing-Thrush +breeding in May and June, up to about 3500 feet; I have rarely seen +it at higher elevations, and cannot but think that Mr. Hodgson is +mistaken in stating that it breeds up to 5000 or 6000 feet. The nests +are generally placed in shrubs, within reach of the hand, among low, +dense jungle, and are rather loosely built cup-shaped structures, +composed of twigs and grass, and lined with fibrous roots. Externally +they measure about 6 inches in diameter by 3·5 in depth; internally 4 +by 2·25. + +"The eggs are usually four or five in number, but on several occasions +I have found as few as two well-set eggs." + +Numerous nests of this species have now been sent me, taken in May, +June, and July, at elevations of from 2000 to fully 4000 feet, and +in one case it is said 5000. They are all very similar, large, very +shallow cups, from 6 to nearly 8 inches in external diameter, and from +2·5 to 3·5 in height; exteriorly all are composed of coarse grass, +of bamboo-spathes, with occasionally a few dead leaves intermingled, +loosely wound round with creepers or pliant twigs, while interiorly +they are composed and lined with black, only moderately fine roots or +pliant flower-stems of some flowering-tree, or both. Sometimes +the exterior coating of grass is not very coarse; at other times +bamboo-spathes exclusively are used, and the nest seems to be +completely packed up in these. + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals, pure white and glossy. They +vary from 1·05 to 1·13 in length, and from 0·86 to 0·95 in width, but +the average of eighteen eggs is a little over 1·1 by 0·9. + + +70. Garrulax belangeri, Less. _The Burmese White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax belangeri, _Less., Hume, Cat._ no. 407 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this bird many years ago in Burma, +has the following note:--"Nest in a bush a few feet from the ground, +on the 8th June, near Pegu. In shape hemispherical, the foundation +being of small branches and leaves of the bamboo, and the interior +and sides of small branches of the coarser weeds and fine twigs. The +latter form the egg-chamber lining and are nicely curved. Exterior and +interior diameters respectively 7 and 3½ inches. Total depth 3½ and +interior depth 2 inches. Three eggs, pure white and highly glossy, and +they measure 1·14 by ·87, 1·1 by ·88, and 1·03 by ·86." + +The nests of this species are large, loosely constructed cups, much +resembling those of its Himalayan congeners. The base and sides +consist chiefly of dry bamboo-leaves with a few dead tree-leaves +scantily held together by a few creepers, while the interior portion +of the nest, which has no separate lining, is composed of fine twigs +and stems of herbaceous plants and the slender flower-stems of trees +which bear their flowers in clusters. The nests vary a good deal in +exterior dimensions as the materials straggle far and wide in some +cases, and the external diameter may be said to vary from 6 to 8 +inches, and the height from 3·25 to 4·5; the cavities are more uniform +in size, and are about 3·5 in diameter by 2 in depth. + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, at times somewhat pointed perhaps +towards the small end, pure white and fairly glossy. + +Major C.T. Bingham thus writes of this bird:--"It is very difficult +to either watch these birds, unseen yourself, at one of their dancing +parties, or to catch one of them actually sitting on the nest. Twice +had I in the end of March this year come across nests with one or two +of these birds in the vicinity, and yet have had to leave the eggs +in them as uncertain to what bird they belonged. At last, on the 2nd +April, I came in for a piece of luck. I was roaming about in the +vicinity of my camp on the Gawbechoung, the main source of the +Thoungyeen river, and moving very slowly and silently amid the dense +clumps of bamboo, when my ears were saluted by the hearty laughter of +a flock of these birds, evidently not far off. Very quietly I crept +up, and looking cautiously from behind a thick bamboo-clump, saw ten +or twelve of them going through a most intricate dance, flirting their +wings and tails, and every now and then bursting into a chorus of +shouts, joined in by a few others who were seated looking on from +neighbouring bushes. During one of the pauses of the applause, and +while the dancers were busy twining in and out, a single rather +squeaky 'bravo' came from a bamboo-bush right opposite to me. Looking +up I was astonished to see a nest in a fork of the bamboo, and on the +nest a _Garrulax_ who, probably too busy with her maternal duties to +watch the performance going on below her attentively, came in with +a solitary shout of approbation at an unseemly time. I watched the +performance a few minutes longer, and then frightened the old hen +on the nest. The terrific scare I caused by my sudden appearance is +beyond description. The dancers scattered with screeches, and the +old hen dropped fainting over the side of her nest with a feeble +remonstrance, and disappeared in the most mysterious way. After all +the nest contained only one egg, very glossy, white, and fresh. The +nest was better and stronger built, though very like that of _Garrulax +moniliger_, constructed of twigs, and finely lined with black +hair-like roots; it measured some 6 inches in diameter, the egg-cavity +about 1½ inch deep. Subsequently I took three other nests, on the 4th +April and 23rd May. The first contained three, the two latter three +and four eggs respectively. A considerable number of eggs measure from +1·22 to 1·06 in length, and from ·92 to ·81 in breadth, and average +1·13 by 0·88." + + +72. Garrulax pectoralis (Gould). _The Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax pectoralis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 39; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 412. + +Mr. Oates tells us that he "found the nest of the Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush in the Pegu Hills, on the 27th April, containing +three fresh eggs; the bird was sitting. The nest was placed in a +bamboo-clump about 7 feet from the ground, made outwardly of dead +bamboo-leaves and coarse roots, lined with finer roots and a few +feathers; inside diameter 6 inches, depth 2 inches. Two eggs measured +1·04 by 0·83 and 0·86. Colour, a beautiful clear blue." + +One of these eggs sent by Mr. Oates[A] seems rather small for the +bird. It is a very broad, slightly pyriform oval, of a uniform pale +greenish-blue tint, and very fairly glossy. It measures 1·05 by 0·87. + +[Footnote A: I fear I may have made a mistake in identifying the +nest referred to. With this caution, however, I allow my note to +stand.--ED.] + +This egg appears to me to be an abnormally small one. A nest sent me +from Sikhim, where it was found in July, contained much larger eggs, +and more in proportion to the size of the bird. The nest I refer to +was placed in a clump of bamboos about 5 feet from the ground. It was +a tolerably compact, moderately deep, saucer-shaped nest, between 6 +and 7 inches in diameter, composed of dead bamboo-sheaths and leaves +bound together with creepers and herbaceous stems, and thinly lined +with roots. It contained two eggs. These are rather broad ovals, +somewhat pointed towards one end, of a uniform pale greenish blue, and +are fairly glossy. + +These eggs measured 1·33 and 1·30 in length, and 0·98 in breadth. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species, both taken in Native +Sikhim, the one on the 4th, the other on the 20th July. Each contained +two fresh eggs. One was placed in a small tree in heavy jungle, at +a height of about 6 feet from the ground, the other in a clump of +bamboos a, foot lower. Both are large, coarse, saucer-shaped nests, +7 to 8 inches in diameter, and 3·5 to 4 in height externally; the +cavities are about 4·5 inches in diameter, and less than 2 in depth; +the basal portion of the nests is composed entirely of dry leaves, +chiefly those of the bamboo, loosely held together by a few stems of +creepers; the sides of the nest are stems of creepers wound round and +round and loosely intertwined, and the cavity is lined with rather +coarse rootlets, and in one case with fine twigs. + +73. Garrulax moniliger (Hodgs.). _The Necklaced Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax moniliger (_Hodgs.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 40; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 413. + +Of the Necklaced Laughing-Thrush Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured both +this and the last (the Black-gorgeted Laughing-Thrush) at Darjeeling, +and have also seen one or both in Sylhet, Cachar, and Upper Burmah. +They both associate in large flocks, and frequent more open forest +than most of the previous species. The eggs are greenish blue." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of June I found a +nest in low jungle, at 2000 feet, containing four greenish-blue eggs, +but, as I did not see the bird, left it until my return a week later. +I then saw the female, but in the interval the young had been hatched. +The nest closely resembled that of _D. caerulatus_ [p. 46], both in +shape and composition, and was similarly situated between several +upright slender shoots to which it was firmly attached. It was, +however, within five feet of the ground, which is lower by 5 feet or +so than _D. caerulatus_ generally builds. + +"I have found this species breeding from April to June, up to +elevations not much exceeding 2500 feet. It affects the low, dense +scrub growing in moist situations, and usually fixes its nest between +several upright sprays, within 5 or 6 feet of the ground. The nest +is cup-shaped, made of dry bamboo-leaves, intermixed with a very few +pieces of climber-stems, and thickly lined with old leaf-stalks of +some pinnate-leaved tree. Externally it measures about 5·5 inches in +diameter by 4 in height; internally 3·5 by 2·75. + +"The eggs are four or five in number." + +Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 27th April I shot a female in the Pegu +Hills off her nest. This latter contained one young one, and one +deformed egg, which unfortunately got broken; colour a deep blue. +The nest was placed in a small seedling bamboo about 6 feet from the +ground at a joint where a number of small twigs shot out, inverted +umbrella fashion. The nest in every respect closely resembled that of +_G. pectoralis_." + +He subsequently remarked:--"Breeds in Lower Pegu chiefly in July. +Average of six eggs, 1·16 by ·88; colour, very glossy deep blue. +Nest placed in forks of saplings within reach of the hand, massive, +cup-shaped, and made of dead leaves and small branches; lined with +fine twigs. Outside diameter 7 inches and depth 4; interior 4¼ by 2." + +A nest found below Darjeeling in the first week of June on the branch +of a good-sized tree, at a height of 12 feet from the ground, was +similar to that described by Mr. Gammie, and contained a single fresh +egg. This is a moderately broad oval, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and exhibits very little gloss. It is of precisely the same +colour as those of the preceding species, but measures only 1·2 in +length by 0·9 in breadth. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Between the 25th +March and 28th April I found at least twenty nests of this bird. They +were broad, shallow cups of roots and twigs, lined with fine black +grass-roots, and placed at heights varying from 4 to 10 feet above +the ground, invariably in the forks of low bamboo. The number of eggs +varied from 3 to 5; blue in colour, and fairly glossy." + +Numerous nests from Sikhim, Pegu, and Tenasserim are all of precisely +the same type as described by Mr. Gammie; but some are fully 7 inches +in external diameter, and in several the cavity is at least 4 inches +in diameter. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie vary very much in size +and shape, and somewhat in colour. Some are considerably elongated +ovals, with a marked pyriform tendency. Others are particularly broad +ovals for this class of egg. The shell is fine and compact, and as a +rule they seem to have a fine gloss; but one or two specimens almost +want this. In colour they are a pale, clear, slightly greenish blue, +unspotted and unmarked. In length they vary from 1·01 to 1·13, and in +breadth from 0·81 to 0·9, but the average of thirteen is 1·07 by 0·85. + + +76. Garrulax albigularis (Gould). _The White-throated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax albogularis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 411. + +The White-throated Laughing-Thrush breeds throughout the lower +southern ranges of the Himalayas from Assam to Afghanistan at +elevations of from 4000 to nearly 8000 feet. They lay from the +commencement of April to the end of June. The nest varies in shape +from a moderately deep cup to a broad shallow saucer, and from 5 to 7 +or even 8 inches in external diameter, and from less than 2 to nearly +4 inches in depth internally. Coarse grass, flags, creepers, dead +leaves, moss, moss- and grass-roots, all at times enter more or less +largely into the composition of the nest, which, though sometimes +wholly unlined, is often neatly cushioned with red and black fern and +moss-roots. The nests are placed in small bushes, shrubs, or trees, at +heights of from 3 to 10 feet, sometimes in forks, but more often, +I think, on low horizontal branches, between two or three upright +shoots. + +Three is, I think, the regular complement of eggs, and this is the +number I have always found when the eggs were much incubated. I have +not myself observed that this species breeds in company, nor can I +ever remember to have taken two nests within 100 yards of each other. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is very common in Mussoorie at all +seasons, and congregates into large and noisy flocks, turning up the +dead leaves, and screaming and chattering together in most discordant +concert. It breeds in April and May, placing the nest in the forks of +young oaks and other trees, about 7 or 8 feet from the ground, +though sometimes higher, and fastening the sides of it firmly to the +supporting twigs by tendrils of climbing-plants. It is sometimes +composed externally almost entirely of such woody tendrils, intermixed +with a few other twigs, and lined with black hair-like fibres of +mosses and lichens; at other times it is externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves of different kinds of orchids, and lined with +fibres, the materials varying with the locality. The eggs are of a +deep and beautiful green, shining as if recently varnished, and three +in number. In shape they taper somewhat suddenly to the smaller end, +which may almost be termed obtusely pointed. The size 1·19 by 0·87 +inch. The usual number of eggs is three, though sometimes only one or +two are found; but only on one occasion out of more than a dozen nests +have I found four eggs. The old bird will remain on the nest until +within reach of the hand." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This was the most +beautiful egg taken this season, being of a rich, deep, glossy, +greenish-blue colour. The nest is composed of fresh ivy-twigs, with +the leaves attached, tightly woven together. The birds breed on small +trees, not high up, at the end of a branch. While their nests were +being examined, they came round in flocks to see what was happening, +chattering and making that peculiar laughing note from which this +genus takes its name. They are even gregarious in the breeding-season, +and all the nests were found pretty near each other about 6000 feet +up." + +The nest sent me by Colonel Marshall is a broad, shallow cup, or +saucer as I should perhaps call it, some 6 inches in diameter, with +a central depression of at most 1·5 inch, below which the nest is +an inch or 1·5 in thickness. It is very loosely put together, and +composed interiorly of moderately fine dry twigs and roots, but +exteriorly it is completely wound round with slender green ivy-twigs +to which the leaves are attached. It has no lining or pretence for +such. + +Captain Cock says:--"The White-throated Laughing-Thrush lays one of +the most lovely eggs with which I am acquainted. The nest is usually +low, never more than 10 feet or so from the ground; and of some +fifteen or more nests that I have taken, all were constructed of long +stalks of the ground-ivy, twisted round and round into a wreath. The +nest is not a deep cup; if anything it is rather shallow, but it +is very wide. I always found these nests in thick forest, at high +elevations from 6000 to 7000 feet. The birds used to sit close, and +when put off their nests would commence their outcries, and from all +parts they would assemble and flit about almost within reach of one's +hand, making an awful noise, and in the dark shade of the forest their +white gorgets had quite a ghostly look. The eggs are always three in +number, of a beautiful shining blue-green, sometimes of a very long +oval type. I have found the nests at Murree from the 3rd May to quite +the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writing of this species says:--"A nest found +at Nynee Tal on Ayar Pata, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained +two fresh eggs on the 31st May. The eggs were of a rich deep greenish +blue, unspotted. The nest was a scanty and loosely-built structure, +composed of roots and stems of grass and creepers, cup-shaped, rather +shallow, and lined with a curious black creeper, very like coarse +hair. The birds were gregarious even though breeding, and were moving +about the underwood in parties of three to five. The nest was near the +top of an oak-sapling in a dense coppice, placed close against the +stem in a bunch of leaves at the top. The only difficulty in finding +it lay in the scantiness of the structure rather than in the +concealment by the foliage. The bird was on the nest and only moved +off about 3 feet, sitting close by and chattering indignantly during +my inspection. They are noisy birds, constantly on the move, and +their notes, though rather harsh, are very varied and quite +_conversational_." + +The eggs are long, and pointed at the small end, to which they +sometimes taper much. They are very glossy, and vary from a deep dull +blue (the blue of a dark oil-paint, very much deeper than that of any +other of the Crateropodinae with which I am acquainted) to a deep +intense greenish blue. Possibly other as deeply coloured eggs occur +in this family, but I have seen none like them. They are of course +entirely unspotted. + +In length they vary from 1·16 to 1·25, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·86; but the average of some twenty eggs measured is 1·22 by 0·83. + + +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (Vig.). _The White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ocellatus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 41; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 414. + +I know nothing personally of the nidification of the White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush, which breeds nowhere, so far as I know, west +of Nepal, but I had a nest with a couple of eggs and one of the +parent-birds sent me from Darjeeling. The nest was taken in May in one +of the low warm valleys leading to the Great Runjeet, and is said to +have been placed close to the ground in a thick clump of fern and +grass. The nest is chiefly composed of these, intermingled with moss +and roots, and is a large loose structure some 7 inches in diameter. + +Mr. Blyth remarked in 'The Ibis' (1867) that this species was "surely +a _Trochalopteron_ rather than a _Garrulax_," and the eggs seem to +confirm this view. These are long, cylindrical ovals, very obtuse even +at the smaller end. They are about the same size as those of _Garrulax +albigularis_, with a very delicate pale blue ground and little or no +gloss. One egg is spotless; the other has a few chocolate-brown specks +or spots towards the large end. They measure 1·18 by 0·86 and 1·25 by +0·85. + + +80. Ianthocincla rufigularis, Gould. _The Rufous-chinned +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron rufogulare (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 47; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 421. + +Common as this species is about Simla, I have never yet secured the +nest, and know nothing certain about the eggs. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species appears usually in pairs, +sometimes in a family of four or five. It breeds in May, in which +month I took a nest, at about 6500 feet elevation, in a retired and +wooded glen; it was composed of small twigs externally and lined with +the fine black fibres of lichens. The nest was placed on a horizontal +bough, about 7 feet from the ground, and contained three pure white +eggs. Size 1·12 by 0·69; shape ordinary. The stomach of the old bird +contained sand, seed, and the remains of wasps." + +One egg that I possess of this species I owe to Captain Hutton, and +it is of the _Pomatorhinus_ type--a long oval, slightly pointed pure +white egg, with but little gloss, measuring 1·08 by 0·75. + +From Sikhim a nest, said to belong to this species, has been recently +sent me. It was found below Darjeeling in July, and was placed in +a double fork of the branchlets of a medium-sized tree. It is a +moderately deep cup, composed almost entirely of dry, coarser and +finer, tendrils of creepers, and is lined with a some black moss-roots +and a few scraps of dead leaves. It contained three fresh eggs. + +Numerous nests of this species subsequently sent me from Sikhim are +all of the same type, all moderately deep cups composed entirely of +creeper-tendrils, the cavity only being lined with fine black roots. +They appear from the specimens before me to be quite _sui generis_ and +unlike those of any of its congeners. No grass, no dead leaves, no +moss seems to be employed; nothing but the tendrils of some creeper. +The nests appear to be always placed at the fork, where three, four, +or more shoots diverge, and to be generally more or less like inverted +cones, measuring say 4 to 5 inches in height, and about the same in +breadth at the top, while the cavities are about 3 inches in diameter +and 1·5 to 2 in depth. The nests appear to have been found at very +varying heights from the ground from 5 to 15 feet, and at elevations +of from 3000 to 5000 feet. They appear to have contained three fresh +or more or less incubated eggs. + +The eggs were found in Sikhim on different dates between 25th May and +8th September. + +Exceptional as the coloration of the eggs of this species may seem, +there is no doubt that they are pure white. The shell is thin and +fragile, but has generally a decided gloss, and the eggs are +typically elongated ovals, obtuse-ended, and more or less pyriform or +cylindrical. The eggs vary from 0·92 to 1·13 in length, and from 0·75 +to 0·8 in breadth, but the average of eleven eggs is 1·06 by 0·77 +nearly. + + +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (Vig.). _The Red-headed +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron erythrocephalum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 415. + +From Kumaon westwards, at any rate as far as the valley of the Beas, +the Red-headed Laughing-Thrush is, next to _T. lineatum_, the most +common species of the genus. It lays in May and June, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 feet, building on low branches of trees, at a height +of from 3 to 10 feet from, the ground. + +The nests are composed chiefly of dead leaves bound round into a deep +cup with delicate fronds of ferns and coarse and fine grass, the +cavities being scantily lined with fine grass and moss-roots. It is +difficult by any description to convey an adequate idea of the beauty +of some of these nests--the deep red-brown of the withered ferns, +the black of the grass- and moss-roots, the pale yellow of the broad +flaggy grass, and the straw-yellow of some of the finer grass-stems, +all blended together into an artistic wreath, in the centre of which +the beautiful sky-blue and maroon-spotted eggs repose. Externally the +nests may average about 6 inches in diameter, but the egg-cavity is +comparatively large and very regular, measuring about 3½ inches across +and fully 2¼ inches in depth. Some nests of course are less regular +and artistic in their appearance, but, as a rule, those of this +species are particularly beautiful. + +The eggs vary from two to four in number. + +Sir E.C. Buck sent me the following note:-- + +"I found a nest of this species near Narkunda (about 30 miles north of +Simla) on the 26th June. It was placed on the branch of a banj tree, +some 8 feet from the ground, and contained two eggs, half set. Nest +and eggs forwarded." + +Dr. Jerdon says that Shore, as quoted by Gould in his 'Century,' says +that "it is by no means uncommon in Kumaon, where it frequents shady +ravines, building in hollows and their precipitous sides, and making +its nest of small sticks and grasses, the eggs being five in number, +of a sky-blue colour." But Shore, as the showman would say, is, so far +as eggs and nests are concerned, "a fabulous writer," and the eggs +are always more or less spotted, and no nest that I ever saw of this +species was composed of "small sticks." + +Mr. Blyth says:--"Mr. Hodgson figures a green egg, spotted much like +that of _Turdus musicus_, as that of the present species;" but in all +Hodgson's drawings this _green_ represents a _greenish blue_, as I +have tested in dozens of cases. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I found a nest of this species on +the 15th May at Nynee Tal on the top of Ayar Pata, at an elevation of +about 7500 feet above the sea. The nest was a rather deep cup, neatly +made and placed about 5 feet from the ground amongst the outer twigs +of a thick barberry bush, the leaves of which entirely concealed it. +It was composed of a thick layer of dead oak- and rhododendron-leaves, +bound round outside with just enough of grass-stems and moss to +keep the leaves in place; it had no lining of any description. The +egg-cavity was 3½ inches broad by nearly 2½ inches deep. The eggs, two +in number, were blue, with a few spots, streaks, and scrawls of brown +tending to form a zone at the larger end. They were large for the +size of the bird. The ground-colour was like that of the eggs of a +Song-Thrush in England. + +"Several more nests found subsequently with eggs up to 4th June were +similar in structure, but placed in small oak trees from 5 to 15 or 18 +feet from the ground. + +"I found a nest of this species containing a single hard-set egg on +the 17th August; both parent-birds were by the nest; this is unusually +late, the chief breeding-month being June." + +The eggs are very long ovals, of a delicate pale greenish-blue +ground-colour, with a few spots, streaks, and streaky blotches of a +very rich though slightly brownish red at the large end. These eggs, +though somewhat longer in shape and less freely marked, are exactly +of the same type as those of _T. cachinnans_ and _T. variegatum_. The +texture of the shell is very fine and compact, and they have a slight +gloss. In some eggs the spottings are more numerous, and, besides the +primary markings already mentioned, a few purple spots and blotches, +mostly very pale, are intermingled with the darker markings. In almost +all the eggs that I have seen the markings were absolutely confined to +the larger end. + +In length the eggs vary from 1·15 to 1·22, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·86; but the average is about 1·2 by 0·82. + + +85. Trochalopterum nigrimentum, Hodgs. _The Western Yellow-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron chrysopterum (_Gould), apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 416. + +The Western Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush breeds, so far as is yet +known, only in Nepal, Sikhim, and Bhootan, from all which localities +we have quite young birds, but no eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The eggs are greenish blue, in a nest neatly made +with roots and moss." This, of course, is wrong, as the eggs are now +well known to be spotted. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"The Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds from April to June at elevations from 5500 feet upwards. It +prefers scrubby jungle, and places its nest in bushes about six feet +or so from the ground. It is a broad, cup-shaped structure, neatly and +strongly made of fine twigs and dry grass-leaves, lined with roots and +with a few strings of green moss wound round the outside. Externally, +it measures about 6 inches wide, and 4½ deep; internally 3¼ by 2½. + +"The eggs are usually three in number." + +Six nests of this species found between the 4th May and 2nd July in +Native and British Sikhim were sent me by Mr. Mandelli. They were +placed in small trees or dense bushes at heights of from 3 to 8 feet, +and contained in some cases two, and in others three fresh or fully +incubated eggs, so that sometimes the bird only lays two eggs. Three +nests were also sent me by Mr. Gammie, taken in the neighbourhood of +the Sikhim Cinchona-Plantations. All are precisely of the same type, +all constructed with the same materials, but owing to the different +proportions in which these are used some of the nests at first sight +seem to differ widely from others. Some also are a good deal bigger +than others, but all are massive, deep cups, varying from 5·25 to 6·5 +inches in diameter, and from 3 to fully 4 in height externally; the +cavities vary from 3 to 3·5 in diameter, and from 2 to 2·5 in depth. +The body of the nests is composed of grass; the cavity is lined first +with dry leaves, and then thickly or thinly with black fibrous roots. +Externally the nest is more or less bound together by creepers and +stems of herbaceous plants. Sometimes only a few strings of moss and a +few sprays of _Selaginella_ are to be seen on the outside of the nest; +while, on the other hand, in some nests the entire outer surface is +completely covered over with green moss, not only on the sides, but +on the upper margin, so as to conceal completely the rest of the +materials of the nest, and in all the nine nests before me the extent +to which the moss is used varies. + +The eggs of this species are typically somewhat elongated ovals, some +are much pointed towards the small end, others are somewhat pyriform, +and others again are subcylindrical. The shell is fine and soft, but +has only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour, which varies +very little in shade, is a delicate pale, slightly greenish blue, +almost precisely the same colour as that of _Trochalopterum +erythrocephalum_. The eggs are sparingly (in fact, almost exclusively +about the large end) marked with deep chocolate. These markings are +in some spots and blotches, but in many assume the form of thicker or +thinner hieroglyphic lines. As a rule, three fourths of the egg is +spotless, occasionally a single speck or spot occurs towards the small +end of the egg. One or two eggs are almost spotless. In length the +eggs vary from 1·1 to 1·23, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·87, but the +average of sixteen eggs is 1·17 nearly by 0·82. + + +87. Trochalopterum phoeniceum (Gould). _The Crimson-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron phoeniceum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 422. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have found altogether seven nests of the +Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush in and about Rishap, at elevations +between 4000 and 5000 feet, and on various dates between the 4th and +23rd May. The locality chosen for the nest is in some moist forest +amongst dense undergrowth. It is placed in shrubs, at heights of from +6 to 10 feet from the ground, and is generally suspended between +several upright stems, to which it is firmly attached by fibres. It is +chiefly composed of dry bamboo-leaves and a few twigs, and lined with +black fibres and moss-roots. A few strings of moss are twisted round +it externally to aid in concealing it. It is a moderately deep cup, +measuring externally about 5 inches in diameter and 4 inches in +height, and internally 3½ inches in width and 2 inches in depth. + +"The eggs are almost always three in number, but occasionally only +two. Of the seven nests taken by me, five contained eggs and two young +birds." + +The Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5000 feet, during the +months of April, May, and June. The nest is placed in the fork of some +thick bush or small tree, where three or four sprays divide, at from 2 +to 5 feet above the ground. The nest is a very deep compact cup. One +measured _in situ_ was 4·5 inches in diameter and the same in height +externally, while the cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 2·25 +deep. It was very compact and was composed of dry leaves, creepers, +grass-flowers, and vegetable fibres, more or less lined with +moss-roots and coated externally with dry bamboo-leaves. They lay, we +are told, three or four eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs said to be of this bird were +brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest made of roots and grass, and the +eggs, three in number, pale blue, with a few narrow and wavy dusky +streaks." + +The eggs are singularly lovely. In shape they are elongated ovals, +generally very obtuse at both ends, and many of them exhibiting +cylindrical or pyriform tendencies. The shell is very fine and fairly +glossy, and the ground-colour is a most beautiful clear pale sea-green +in some, greenish blue in others. The character of the markings +is more that of the Buntings than of this family. There are a few +strongly marked deep maroon, generally more or less angular, spots or +dashes, principally about the large end, and there are a few spots +and tiny clouds of pale soft purple, and then there are an infinite +variety of hair-line hieroglyphics, twisted and scrawled in brownish +or reddish purple, about the egg. The markings are nowhere as a rule +crowded, and towards the small end are usually sparse and occasionally +wholly wanting. In some eggs a bad pen seems to have been used to +scribble the pattern, and every here and there instead of a fine +hair-line there is a coarse thick one. + +The eggs are pretty constant in size and colour, but here and there +an abnormally pale specimen, in which the green has almost entirely +disappeared, is met with. In length they vary from 0·98 to 1·15, and +in breadth from 0·7 to 0·82, but the average of thirty-one eggs is +1·04 by 0·74. + + +88. Trochalopterum subunicolor, Hodgs. _The Plain-coloured +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron subunicolor, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 44; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 417. + +The Olivaceous or Plain-coloured Laughing-Thrush breeds, according +to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the central region of Nepal from April to +June. It nests in open forests and groves, building its nest on some +low branch of a tree, 2 or 3 feet from the ground, between a number of +twigs. The nest is large and cup-shaped: one measured externally 5·5 +inches in diameter and 3·38 in height; internally 2·75 deep and 3·12 +in diameter. The nest is composed externally of grass and mosses +lined with soft bamboo-leaves. Three or four eggs are laid, unspotted +greenish blue. One is figured as 1·07 by 0·7. + + +90. Trochalopterum variegatum (Vig.). _The Eastern Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron variegatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 45; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 418 (part). + +The Eastern Variegated Laughing-Thrush breeds only at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet, from Simla to Nepal, during the latter +half of April, May, and June. The nest is a pretty compact, rather +shallow cup, composed exteriorly of coarse grass, in which a few +dead leaves are intermingled; it has no lining, but the interior is +composed of rather finer and softer grass than the exterior, and +a good number of dry needle-like fir-leaves are used towards the +interior. It is from 5 to 8 inches in diameter exteriorly, and the +cavity from 3 inches to 3·5 in diameter and about 2 inches deep. The +nest is usually placed in some low, densely-foliaged branch of a tree, +at say from 3 to 8 feet from the ground; but I recently obtained one +placed in a thick tuft of grass, growing at the roots of a young +Deodar, not above 6 inches from the ground. They lay four or five +eggs. + +The first egg that I obtained of this species, sent me by Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., and taken by himself near Narkunda, late in June, out of +a nest containing two eggs and two young ones, was a nearly perfect, +rather long oval, and precisely the same type of egg as those of _T. +erythrocephalum_ and _T. cachinnans_, but considerably smaller than +the former. The ground-colour is a pale, rather dingy greenish blue, +and it is blotched, spotted, and speckled, almost exclusively at the +larger end, and even there not very thickly, with reddish brown. +The egg appeared to have but little gloss. Other eggs subsequently +obtained by myself were very similar, but slightly larger and rather +more thickly and boldly blotched, the majority of the markings being +still at the large end. + +The colour of the markings varies a good deal: a liver-red is perhaps +the most common, but yellowish brown, pale purple, purplish red, and +brownish red also occur. Here and there an egg is met with almost +entirely devoid of markings, with perhaps only one moderately large +spot and a dozen specks, and these so deep a red as to be all but +black. + +The eggs vary from 1·07 to 1·15 in length, and from 0·76 to 0·82 in +breadth. + + +91. Trochalopterum simile, Hume. _The Western Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum simile, _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 418 bis. + +Messrs. Cock and Marshall write from Murree:--"The nidification of +this _Trochalopterum_ was apparently unknown before. We found one nest +on the 15th June, about twenty feet up a spruce-fir at the extremity +of the bough. Nest deep, cup-shaped, solidly built of grass, roots, +and twigs; the bird sits close. Eggs light greenish blue, sparingly +spotted with pale purple, the same size as those of _Merula +castanea_." + + +92. Trochalopterum squamatum (Gould). _The Blue-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron squamatum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 46; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 420. + +From Sikhim my friend Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have never as yet found +more than one nest of the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush, and this one +was found on the 18th May at Mongphoo, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet. The nest was placed in a bush (one of the _Zingiberaceae_), +growing in a marshy place, in the midst of dense scrub, at a height +of about 4 feet from the ground, and was firmly attached to several +upright stems. It was composed of dry bamboo-leaves, held together by +the stems of delicate creepers, and was lined with a few black fibres. +It was cup-shaped, and measured externally 5·7 in diameter by 3·6 +in height, and internally 3·7 in width by 2·6 in depth. The nest +contained three eggs, which were unfortunately almost ready to hatch +off, so that three is probably the normal number of the eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds in May and June in the central region of Nepal in forests, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. The nest is placed in a fork of +a branch on some small tree, and is a large mass of dry leaves and +coarse dry grass, 7 or 8 inches in diameter externally, mortar-shaped, +the cavity about 2·5 deep, and lined with hair-like fibres. The nest, +though composed of loose materials, is very firm and compact. They lay +four or five eggs, unspotted, verditer-blue, one of which is figured +as a broad regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one end, +measuring 1·2 by 0·9. + +One of the eggs taken by Mr. Gammie (the others were unfortunately +broken) is a long, almost cylindrical, oval, very obtuse at both ends +and slightly compressed towards the smaller end, so that the egg has +a pyriform tendency. It measures 1·25 by 0·82. The colour is an +excessively pale greenish blue, precisely the same as that of the eggs +of _Sturnia malabarica_; but then this present egg was nearly ready to +hatch off when taken, and the fresh eggs are somewhat deeper coloured. + +Subsequent to his letter above quoted, Mr. Gammie on the 10th June +found a second nest of this species similar to the first, containing +three nearly fresh eggs. These are similar in shape to that above +described, but in colour are a beautiful clear verditer-blue, +altogether a much brighter and richer tint than that of the first. +They measure 1·2 and 1·25 by 0·88. + +One nest was taken by Mr. Gammie above Mongphoo at an elevation of +about 4500 feet on the 30th of April. It was placed in a bush at a +height of about 6 feet from the ground, and contained three fresh +eggs. It was a loosely put together, massive cup, some 7 inches in +diameter and 4 in height externally. It was composed mainly of +fine twigs, creeper-stems, and grass, with a few bamboo-leaves +intermingled, and the cavity was carefully lined with bamboo-leaves, +and then within that thinly with black fibrous roots; the cavity +measured 3·7 inches in diameter and 2·3 in depth. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have now received many, appear to +be typically somewhat elongated ovals, and not unfrequently they are +more or less pyriform or even cylindrical. As a rule, they are fairly +glossy, a bright pale, somewhat greenish blue, quite spotless, and +varying a little in tint. In length they appear to vary from 1·11 to +1·25, and in breadth from 0·82 to 0·91; but the average of eleven eggs +is 1·2 by 0·87. + + +93. Trochalopterum cachinnans (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron cachinnans (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 423. + +The Nilghiri Laughing-Thrush breeds, according to my many informants, +throughout the more elevated portions of the mountains from which it +derives its trivial name, from February to the beginning of June. + +A nest of this species sent me by Mr. H.R.P. Carter, who took it +at Coonoor on April 22nd (when it contained two fresh eggs), is +externally a rather coarse clumsy structure, composed of roots, dead +leaves, small twigs, and a little lichen, about 5 inches in diameter, +and standing about 4½ inches high. The egg-cavity is, however, very +regularly shaped, and neatly lined with very fine grass-stems and a +little fine tow-like vegetable fibre. It is a deep cup, measuring 2½ +inches across and fully 3¾ inches in depth. + +A nest taken by Miss Cockburn was a much more compact structure, +placed between four or five twigs. It was composed of coarse grass, +dead and skeleton leaves, a very little lichen, and a quantity of +moss. The egg-cavity was lined with very fine grass. The nest was +externally about 5½ inches in diameter and nearly 6 inches in height, +but the egg-cavity had a diameter of only about 2½ inches and was only +about 2¼ inches deep. + +It was Jerdon, I believe, who gave the name of Laughing-Thrushes to +this group, and this name is applicable enough to this particular +bird, the one with which he was most familiar, for it does +_laugh_--albeit, a most maniacal laugh; but the majority of the group +have not the shadow of a giggle even in them, and should have been +designated "Screaming Squabblers." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., says:--"This bird breeds from February to May. +I have found the nests all over the Nilghiris, at elevations of from +4500 to 7500 feet above the sea. The nest is placed indiscriminately +in any bush or tree that happens to take the bird's fancy, at heights +of from 3 to 12 feet from the ground. + +"In shape it is circular, a deep cup, externally some 6 inches in +diameter and 5 or 6 inches in height, and with a cavity 3 to 4 inches +wide and often fully 4 inches in depth. The nest is composed of moss +and small twigs, at times of grass mingled with some spiders' webs: +sometimes there is a foundation of dead leaves. The cavity is lined +with fur, cotton-wool, feathers, &c. + +"The eggs are two or three in number." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_T. cachinnans_ breeds about +May, and lays from three to five oval eggs. The ground is bluish, with +ash-coloured and brown spots and blotches, and occasionally marks." +None of my other correspondents, however, admit that the bird ever +lays more than three eggs. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this bird breeds commonly on the Nilghiris, +just before the rains set in, in May and the earlier part of June, but +it occasionally breeds earlier (in April) or later (in the latter +end of June). The nest is cup-shaped, composed of dead leaves, moss, +grass, &c., and lined with a few moss-roots or fine grass. It is +placed in the fork of a branch about 6 or 8 feet from the ground. The +eggs are a bluish green, mottled chiefly towards the larger end, and +sometimes also streaked with purplish brown. The normal number of eggs +is two; sometimes, however, three are laid." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The name 'Laughing-Thrush' +is most applicable to this bird, and its notes are often mistaken for +the sound of the human voice. This bird is very shy, except when its +nest contains eggs or young, when it becomes extremely bold. I was +quite surprised to see a pair whose nest I was taking come so close +as to induce me to put out my hand to catch them. The Laughing-Thrush +builds a pretty, though large, nest, and generally selects the forked +branches of a thick bush, and commences its nest with a large quantity +of moss, after which there is a lining of fine grass and roots, and +the withered fibrous covering of the Peruvian Cherry (_Physalis +peruviana_), the nest being finished with a few feathers, in general +belonging to the bird. The inside of the nest is perfectly round, and +rarely contains more than two eggs, belonging to the owner. The eggs +are of a beautiful greenish-blue colour, with a few large and small +brown blotches and streaks, mostly at the large end. I have found the +nests of these birds in February, March, and April. Occasionally the +Black-and-white Crested Cuckoo, which appears on these hills in the +month of March, deposits its eggs (two in number) in the nest of +this Thrush. They are easily distinguished, as their colour is quite +different from the Thrush's eggs, being entirely dark bluish green." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It builds a very neat nest of moss, dried leaves, and the +outer husk of the fruit of the Brazil Cherry, lined with feathers, +bits of fur, and other soft substances. The nest is cup-shaped, and +generally contains three eggs, most peculiarly marked with blotches, +streaks, and wavy lines of a dark claret-colour on a light blue +ground. The markings are almost always at the larger end." + +The first specimens that I obtained of the eggs of this species were +kindly sent to me by the late Captain Mitchell and Mr. H.R.P. Carter +of Madras; they were taken on the Nilghiris. They are moderately broad +ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end, larger than the average eggs +of _T. lineatum_, and about the same size as large specimens of the +eggs of _Crateropus canorus_ and _Argya malcolmi_. The ground-colour +is of a delicate pale blue, and towards the large end, and sometimes +over the whole surface, they are speckled, spotted, and blotched, but +only sparingly, with brownish red and blackish brown, and amongst +these markings a few cloudy streaks and spots of dull faint reddish +purple are observable. The eggs have not much gloss. + +Numerous other specimens subsequently received from Miss Cockburn +and others correspond well with the above description. More or less +pyriform varieties are common. In some eggs the markings are almost +entirely wanting, there being only a very faint brownish-pink +freckling at the large end; and in many eggs, even some that are +profusely spotted all over, the markings consist only of darker or +lighter brownish-pink shades. Occasionally a few, almost black, +twisted lines are intermingled with the other markings, and in these +cases the lines are frequently surrounded by a reddish-purple nimbus. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·92 to 1·08, and in breadth from 0·74 to +0·8, but the average of twenty eggs measured was 1·0 by 0·76. + + +96. Trochalopterum fairbanki, Blanf. _The Palni Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum fairbanki, _Blanf., Hume, Cat._ no. 423 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, the discoverer of this species, found its nest +at Kodai Kanal, in the Palni Hills, in May. The nest was placed in +the crotch of a tree, at about 10 feet from the ground, and at an +elevation of nearly 6500 feet above the level of the sea. The eggs +are moderately elongated ovals, with a fine, fairly glossy shell. The +ground is pale greenish blue or bluish green; the markings are spots, +small blotches, hair-lines, and hieroglyphic-like scrawls, rather +thinly scattered about the surface, and varying in colour through +several shades of brownish and reddish purple to bright claret-colour. + +The only egg I have measures 1 inch in length by 0·8 inch in breadth. + + +99. Trochalopterum lineatum (Vig.). _The Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron lineatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 50; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 425[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the note on _T. imbricatum_ in the 'Rough Draft,' +because, as I have shown in the 'Birds of India,' this bird was +unknown to Hodgson, and his note refers to _T. lineatum_. Sufficient +is now known about the nidification of this latter to render the +insertion of Hodgson's note unnecessary.--ED.] + +Next to the Common House-Sparrow, the Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush is perhaps the most familiar bird about our houses +at all the hill-stations of the Himalayas westward of Nepal and +throughout the lower ranges on which these stations are situated; this +species breeds at elevations of from 5000 to 8000 feet. + +It lays from the end of April to the beginning of September, and very +possibly occasionally even earlier and later. I took a nest on the +29th April near Mussoorie; Mr. Brooks obtained eggs in May and June at +Almorah; Colonel G.F.L. Marshall at Mussoorie in July and August; and +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall at Murree from May to the end of July. I again +took them in July and August near Simla, and Captain Beavan found them +as late as the 6th of September near the same station. + +So far as my own experience goes, the nests are always placed in +very thick bushes or in low thick branches of some tree, the Deodar +appearing to be a great favourite. Those I found averaged about 4 feet +from the ground, but I took a single one in a Deodar tree fully 8 feet +up. The bird, as a rule, conceals its nest so well that, though a +loose and, for the size of the architect, a large structure, it is +difficult to find, even when one closely examines the bush in which it +is. The nest is nearly circular, with a deep cup-like cavity in the +centre, reminding one much of that of _Crateropus canorus_, and is +constructed of dry grass and the fine stems of herbaceous plants, +often intermingled with the bark of some fibrous plant, with a +considerable number of dead leaves interwoven in the fabric, +especially towards the base. The cavity is neatly lined with fine +grass-roots, or occasionally very fine grass. The cavity varies from 3 +inches to 3·5 in diameter, and from 2·25 inches to 2·75 in depth; the +walls immediately surrounding the cavity are very compact, but the +compact portion rarely exceeds from ·75 to 1 inch in thickness, beyond +which the loose ends of the material straggle more or less, so that +the external diameter varies from 5·5 inches to nearly 10. + +The normal number of eggs appears to me to be three, although Captain +Beavan cites an instance of four being found. + +Captain Hutton tells us (J.A.S.B. xvii.) that in the neighbourhood of +Mussoorie "this bird is met with in pairs, sometimes in a family of +four or five, and may be seen under every bush. The nest is placed +near the ground, in the midst of some thick low bush, or on the side +of a bank amidst overhanging coarse grass, and not unfrequently in +exposed and well-frequented places; it is loosely and rather slovenly +constructed of coarse dry grasses and stalks externally, lined +sometimes with fine grass, sometimes with fine roots. The eggs are +three in number, and in shape and size exceedingly variable, being +sometimes of an ordinary oval, at others nearly round." + +From Almorah and Nynee Tal my friend Mr. Brooks writes to me "that +this bird is common everywhere. The nest is generally placed in a low +tree or bush where the foliage is thick. It is composed of grass, and +lined with finer grass. The eggs are three in number, one inch and one +line long by nine lines broad. They are of a light greenish blue, +the tint being much the same as that of the eggs of _Acridotheres +tristis_. They lay from the commencement of May to the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells me that "the Streaked Laughing-Thrush is +very common at Mussoorie, where it is called by the public the Robin +of India. It breeds in July and August all about Landour. The nest is +cup-shaped, rather shallow, and loosely put together, made of grass +and fibre with some moss and a few dead leaves twisted into it; it +is placed in a low bush or else on the ground concealed among the +grass-roots on the hill-side. The eggs, three or four in number, are +oval, rather large for the bird, and of a pure light-blue colour +without spots. I took eggs on the 26th and 28th July and on the 16th +August." + +Sir E.C. Buck writes:--"At Mutianee, three marches north of Simla, +I found on the 28th June a nest in a bush on the side of a scantily +'jungled' hill. It was 2 feet from the ground, constructed of grass +and stalks externally, and lined with fibrous roots. It contained +three fresh eggs. The nest measured--exterior diameter 6 inches, +height exteriorly 4 inches; the interior diameter was 3 inches, and +the depth of the cavity 2 inches." + +The late Captain Beavan tells us that "on the 16th of August, 1866, I +found a nest in the garden, in a rose-bush, with four pale blue eggs +in it, like those of _Acridotheres tristis_. The nest is a large +structure, firmly built of dry twigs, bark, sticks, ferns, and roots. +Another nest, with three eggs only, was found in a thick clump of +everlasting peas close to the ground on the 6th of September. The +female sat very close, and this may have been the second nest of the +same pair that built the nest mentioned above, as it was built not far +from the first." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Being at Landour for a few days in May I +chanced on a nest of this bird, perhaps the commonest in the hills. It +was placed under an overhanging bush on the side of Lal Tiba hill, and +_on the ground_, being constructed rather loosely of pieces of +the withered stem of some creeper, intertwined with a quantity of +oak-leaves, and lined with grass-roots." + +The eggs, of which I must have seen some hundreds, as this is the +commonest Laughing-Thrush about both Mussoorie and Simla, are +typically regular and moderately broad ovals. Abnormally elongated, +spherical, and pyriform varieties occur; some are nearly round like a +Kingfisher's, and I have seen one almost as slender as a Swift's, but, +as a rule, the eggs vary but little either in shape or colour. They +are perfectly spotless, moderately glossy, and of a delicate pale +greenish blue, which of course varies a little in shade and intensity +of colour, but which is very much paler on the average than those of +any of the _Crateropi_, and at the same time less glossy. I am not at +all sure whether _T. lineatum_ is rightly associated with species like +_T. cachinnans, T. variegatum_, and _T. erythrocephalum_, which all +have spotted eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 1·13, and in breadth from 0·63 to +0·8; but the average of fifty-eight eggs carefully measured is 1·01 by +0·73. + + +101. Grammatoptila striata (Vig.). _The Striated Laughing-Thrush_. + +Grammatoptila striata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii; p. 11; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 382. + +The Striated Laughing-Thrush, remarks Mr. Blyth, "builds a compact +Jay-like nest. The eggs are spotless blue, as shown by one of Mr. +Hodgson's drawings in the British Museum." + +A nest of this species found near Darjeeling in July was placed on the +branches of a large tree, at a height of about 12 feet. + +It was a huge shallow cup, composed mainly of moss, bound together +with stems of creepers and fronds of a _Selaginella_, and lined with +coarse roots and broken pieces of dry grass. A few dead leaves were +incorporated in the body of the nest. The nest was about 8 or 9 inches +in diameter and about 2 in thickness, the broad, shallow, saucer-like +cavity being about an inch in depth. + +The nest contained two nearly fresh eggs. The eggs appear to be rather +peculiarly shaped. They are moderately elongated ovals, a good deal +pinched out and pointed towards the small end, in the same manner +(though in a less degree) as those of some Plovers, Snipe, &c. I do +not know whether this is the typical shape of this egg, or whether it +is an abnormal peculiarity of the eggs of this particular nest. The +shell is fine, but the eggs have very little gloss. In colour they are +a very pale spotless blue, not much darker than those of _Zosterops +palpebrosus_. + +The eggs measure 1·3 and 1·32 in length, and 0·89 and 0·92 in breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of May I took a +nest of the Striated Laughing-Thrush out of a small tree growing in +the forest at 5500 feet above the sea. It was fixed among spray about +10 feet up. In shape it is a shallow, broad cup, and is built in three +layers: the outer one of twining stems, which besides holding the nest +together fastened it to the spray; the middle layer is an intermixture +of green moss and fresh fern-fronds, and the inner a thick lining of +roots. Externally it measured 7·5 inches broad by 5·25 inches deep; +internally 4 inches by 2·75 inches. + +"It contained two hard-set eggs." + +Several nests of this species that I have now seen have all been of +the same type, large nests 9 or 10 inches in diameter, and 4 to 5 in +height, the body of the nest composed mainly of green moss interwoven +with and bound round about with the stems of creepers and a few pliant +twigs, many of which straggle away a good deal outside the limits +which I have assigned in stating the dimensions above. The cavities +are not quite hemispherical, a little shallower, say 4·5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, closely lined with fine black roots. +They have all been placed in the branches of trees at heights of from +8 to 20 feet. + +Eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie in May, and Mr. Mandelli +in July, are of precisely the same type. They are rather elongated +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, near which they +are not unfrequently a good deal compressed, so as to render the egg +slightly pyriform. The shell is fine and smooth, but has little gloss. +The ground-colour is a very pale greenish blue or bluish green, in +some almost white; some of them are absolutely spotless, none of them +are at all well marked, but some bear from half a dozen to a dozen +tiny specks of a dark colour. On one only there is a triangular spot +about 0·05 each way, which proves on examination with a microscope +to be a deep brownish red. On the other eggs the markings are mere +specks. + +The eggs vary from 1·25 to 1·35 in length, and from 0·89 to 0·92 in +breadth. + + +104. Argya earlii (Blyth). _The Striated Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea earlii (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 68; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 439. + +The Striated Babbler breeds in suitable localities throughout +Continental India, from Sindh to Tipperah and Assam, as also in +Burmah. Reedy-margined lakes, canals and perennial streams are its +favourite haunts, and wherever within the limits above indicated these +abound, and the locality is moist and warm, _A. earlii_ is pretty sure +to be met with. + +They lay twice during the year, between the latter end of March and +the early part of September, building a neat, compact, and rather +massive cup-shaped nest, either between the close-growing reeds, to +three or more of which it is firmly bound, or in some little bush or +shrub more or less surrounded by high reed-grass. The broad leaves +and stringy roots of the reed, common grass, and grass-roots are the +materials of which it generally constructs its nest, which varies much +in size, according to the situation and fineness of the material used. +I have seen them composed almost wholly of reed-leaves, fully 7 +inches in diameter and 5 in height, and again built entirely of fine +grass-stems not more than 4 inches across and 3 inches in height. +When semi-suspended between reeds, they are always smaller and more +compact, while when placed in a fork of a low bush they are larger +and more straggling. The cavity (always neatly finished off, but very +rarely regularly lined, and then only with very fine grass-stems or +roots) is usually about 3 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"In the Saharunpoor District _A. +earlii_ commences building about the middle of March, and the young +are hatched towards the middle of April. The nest is usually placed +in the middle of a tuft of Sarkerry grass, and sometimes in a bush +or small tree, generally 3 or 4 feet from the ground. It is a deep +cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass without lining, and +woven in with the stems if in a clump of grass, or firmly fixed in +a fork if in a bush or low tree. The interior diameter is about 3 +inches, and the depth nearly 2 inches. The eggs, four in number, are +of a clear blue colour without spots of any kind. In shape they are +oval, rather thinner at one end; the shell is smooth and thin. The +eggs are of the same colour, but considerably larger than those of +_Argya caudata. Argya earlii_ breeds commonly in the Sub-Siwalik +District of the Doab; it seems fond of water, as most of the nests I +have found were close to the canal bank. It is gregarious even in the +breeding-season; small flocks of seven or eight keeping together, +fluttering in and out of the low bushes, but seldom alighting on the +ground, and occasionally making a noisy chattering cry, especially +when disturbed." + +From the Pegu District Mr. Oates writes:--"I found two nests on the +24th May, one quite empty though finished, the other containing three +eggs. + +"The nests were placed a few feet apart in an immensely thick patch of +elephant-grass, the undergrowth being fine, once tall, but now dead, +grass. It was upon this dead stuff, which in May is much flattened +down, that I found the nests. They were not attached to anything, but +simply laid in a depressed platform about a foot above the ground, in +among the thickest of the stalks of elephant-grass. + +"The nest is a bulky structure, some 6 or 8 inches in external +diameter, and 4 inches in height, composed chiefly of coarse reeds, +becoming finer interiorly till the egg-cup is reached, where the +grasses employed are tolerably fine and neatly interwoven. The cavity +itself is more than a hemisphere, the diameter being 3 inches and the +depth about 2 inches. + +"The eggs are of a beautiful blue colour, rather pointed at one end." + +Colonel Tickell has the following note on the nidification of this +species in the Asiatic Society Journal, 1848, p. 301:-- + +"_Burra phenga_.--Nest hemispherical, of grasses rather loosely +interwoven; generally on bushes in jungle. Eggs two to four; rather +lengthened shape; clear, full, verditer blue.--June." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes of this bird in Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, +and a permanent resident, keeping to grass-fields in small parties of +seven to ten. Very noisy. On the 2nd December, 1877, I found a nest +with three slightly-incubated eggs in a small babool bush which stood +in a 'sone' grass-field. The nest was a deep cup, whose foundation was +a few leaves over which sone-grass was woven rather loosely. Lining +of fine grass-roots. The nest was placed in amongst some coarse grass +which grew up in the centre of the bush, and was three feet from the +ground. External height 4, diameter 4¼, internal diameter 2½, depth +2½ inches. Both Messrs. Marshall and Hume in their works on 'Birds' +Nesting' give March and September as the two periods for these birds +to lay, but the clutch I found were exceptionally late." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"The Striated Reed-Babbler is +exceedingly common during the whole year. It breeds from March +onwards, making its nest in longish grass." + +The eggs closely resemble those of _A. caudata_ both in colour and +shape, but they are conspicuously larger. To judge from Hewitson's +figure, for I have never seen the egg, they in shape, size, and colour +closely resemble the eggs of _Accentor alpinus_, some I have being +very slightly larger, and others exactly the same size as the figure +referred to. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·78 to 1·01, and in breadth from 0·65 to +0·75, but the average of a large series is 0·88 by 0·7. + + +105. Argya caudata (Duméril). _The Common Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea caudata (_Dum.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 67; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E_ no. 438. + +The Common Babbler breeds throughout India, not, however, ascending +any of our many mountain-ranges to any great elevation. + +They lay pretty well all the year round; at any rate from early in +March, to early in September their eggs are common. Mr. W. Blewitt +took a nest at Hansie on the 3rd January, and single nests are +recorded by others as found in October, December, and February. They +certainly have two broods a year, and perhaps more, the first being +hatched from March to May, the second from June to August. + +They build in low thorny bushes, and occasionally in clumps of high +grass, the nest being rarely more than 3 feet from the ground. The +nest itself is cup-shaped, and composed of grass and roots, often +unlined, at times lined with very fine grass-stems or horse-hair. As a +rule, it is neatly and compactly built, with a deep cavity some 2 to +3 inches in diameter, and 1·75 to 2·25 in depth, but I have seen +straggling, ragged, and comparatively shallow nests of this species, +having an external diameter of fully 7 inches. Three is the normal +number of the eggs, but four are occasionally met with. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species builds in much the same sort of places +as _A. malcolmi_, but it chooses a low thick bush, the nest not being +more than 3 feet from the ground. Nest neatly built of grass, roots, +hair, &c., and the eggs bright bluish green, very glossy, and much +resembling those of _Accentor modularis_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Oudh on the +22nd April. It contained a young bird and one unhatched egg. The nest +was made of grass not well worked together, and had a lining of finer +grass. The ground-work was composed of twigs and stems of creepers +interlaced. The exterior diameter of the nest measured 5 inches, and +the egg-cavity was 2 inches deep. In one case this bird did not lay +till the fifth day after the nest was finished. About Agra this bird +breeds during July and August. + +"This Bush-Babbler is very common about the Sambhur lake. I have noted +it breeding from the beginning of March till the beginning of July. +Although this species generally prefers building in the hedges of +prickly-pear, I have taken the nests in orange-trees, the karounda, +the babool, &c." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that in the Deccan it is "very +common and breeds." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This bird, uncommon at Allahabad, is +plentiful here at Delhi. I found several nests between March and June, +all of the Babbler type, deep cups, rather more firmly built than +those of the preceding bird, but constructed like them of coarse roots +of grass, with finer ones for the inside. They are never placed at any +great height from the ground, and generally in some thorny bush. I +have found mostly three, rarely four eggs in any one nest." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"I never saw the Common Babbler in Poona, +and it certainly does not occur in Bombay. But it is very abundant on +the arid plains of Berar, breeding in the low babool-bushes, where +large numbers of its eggs are destroyed by lizards. I have found four +eggs in a nest oftener than three." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Common Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa principally during the monsoon; but I have +found nests occasionally at other seasons of the year, as the +following table of dates will show:-- + + "April 29, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + "May 16, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "May 21, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 15, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + +"I found numerous nests from the middle of July to the beginning of +September. On the 26th July, 1876, I saw upwards of a dozen nests, +some containing fresh eggs, and others incubated. In many instances +they contained eggs of _Coccystes jacobinus_. The nest is usually +placed 3 or 4 feet from the ground in low thorny bashes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_ preferred) or in a tussock of sarpat grass. It is built of +twigs, roots, grass, &c., loosely put together exteriorly but closely +woven interiorly, the lining being composed of fine roots and +grass-stems. The eggs vary in number from three to five." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana, says:--"The Striated +Bush-Babbler breeds from March to July. The nest is usually placed in +a low thorny bush, and is composed of grass-roots and stems; it is +deep cup-shaped, neatly and compactly built." + +The eggs are typically of a moderately elongated oval shape, slightly +compressed towards one end, but more or less spherical and pyriform +varieties occur; and I have one specimen, a very long pointed egg, +which, so far as size and shape go, might pass for an egg of _Cypselus +affinis_; and though this is a peculiarly abnormal shape, I have +others which somewhat approach it in form. The eggs are glossy, often +brilliantly so, and of a delicate, pure, spotless, somewhat pale blue. +The shade of colour in this egg varies very little, and I have never +met with either the very pale or very dark varieties common amongst +the eggs of _C. canorus_ and occasionally found amongst those of _A. +malcolmi_. In colour, size, and shape they are not very unlike those +of our English Hedge-Sparrow, whose early eggs formed the prize of our +first boyish nesting-expeditions, but they are slightly larger and +typically somewhat more elongated. + +In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·92, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·7; +but the average of one hundred and fifteen eggs measured was 0·82 by +0·64. + + +107. Argya malcolmi (Sykes). _The Large Grey Babbler_. + +Malacocercus malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 64. +Argya malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Hume_, _Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 436. + +The Large Grey Babbler breeds throughout the central portions of both +the Peninsula and Continent of India from the Nilghiris to the Dhoon. +It does not extend westwards to Sindh or the North-West Punjab, or +eastwards far into Bengal Proper. In the Central and North-West +Provinces it lays from early in March well into September, having at +least two and, as I believe, often three broods. + +It builds on low branches of small trees or in thick shrubs, at no +great elevation from the ground, say at heights of from 4 to 10 feet, +a somewhat loosely woven, but yet generally neat, cup-shaped nest, +composed, as a rule, chiefly of grass-roots, but often with an +admixture of thin sticks and grass. Generally there is no lining, +but I have found nests scantily lined with very fine grass and even +horse-hair. Even when, as is the rule, entirely unlined, the inside is +finished off very nicely and smoothly. I have often seen ragged and +untidy nests, but these are the exception. Externally the nest is some +5 or 6 inches in diameter and 3 or 4 inches in height; the cavity is +from 3 to 4 inches across and from 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Four is the normal number of the eggs laid, but I have several notes +of finding five. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species breeds in waste lands overgrown with +scanty jungle. The nest is made of sticks, roots, grass, &c., is +rather bulky, and is placed in some moderate-sized bush about 7 or 8 +feet from the ground. The eggs are greenish blue, bluer and not so +brightly coloured as those of _C. terricolor_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"Near Muttra, on the 31st October, I found a +pair of birds busy lining the interior of a nest which they had built +in a plum-tree. At the Sambhur lake it is very common, and commences +to breed about the end of March." + +Writing from Kotagherry (Nilghiris), Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their +nests are built of a few twigs and roots, very loosely put together +(on some low branch of a tree), and so few of even these as hardly to +keep the eggs from falling through. These Babblers lay four oval eggs +of a greenish-blue colour, but I once saw a nest with eight, and as +there were several of these birds close to it, I have no doubt two or +three shared it together, perhaps to avoid the necessity of each pair +building for itself. Their nests are found in the months of March and +April. + +"It is in the nests of this species and our Common Laughing-Thrush +(_T. cachinnans_) that I have chiefly found the eggs of the Pied +Crested Cuckoo." + +Of this species Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I have taken eggs +on the 20th June in Cawnpoor, the 31st July in Bolundshuhur, and the +25th August in Allyghur. The nest is almost always in a keekur tree in +a fork about halfway up, and near the end of a branch. It is composed +of keekur-twigs and lined with roots. It is thinner in structure than +that of _M. terricolor_, but has an outer casing of thorns which the +latter wants. They lay four blue eggs, larger and paler than those of +_M. canorus_" + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes that in Rajputana the Large Grey Babbler +is "very common. I have found nests in each month from January to +December. They have, I believe, several broods in the year; and even +when nesting associate in small parties of seven or eight." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Common, and breeds in the Deccan." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi from +March to quite the end of August, placing its loosely constructed +(rarely firmly built) nest of twigs and fine grass-roots generally at +no great height in babool-trees. Twice only I have found them in dense +mango-trees at about thirty feet from the ground. The nests are not, I +think, as a rule, so deep as those of _Crateropus terricolor_; once +or twice I have found the soft down of the Madar (_Catatropes +hamiltonii_) incorporated into the lining of grass-roots. The eggs are +generally three or four in number." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"All the nests which I have seen of the +Large Grey Babbler have been on babool-trees. At Akola (Berar) in +1870, a great many had their nests during the month of July. I have +recorded two instances of nests placed at a height above the ground of +15 feet and 20 feet. These were at Poona, one on the 21st April, and +the other on the 10th May. I could not go up to the nests, but the +birds in both cases were sitting closely. I have twice found nests +with only three newly-hatched young ones." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "the Large Grey Babbler breeds in +the neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. Both the nest and eggs +closely resemble those of _C. terricolor_, but the latter differ +slightly in being less elongated, not so pointed at the small end, +rounder at the large end, and somewhat paler in colour. I have taken +nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 19, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "June 30, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + +"The nest in every instance was similar to that described by Jerdon, +viz.:--a loose structure of dead roots, twigs, and grass, the interior +being neatly lined with closely-woven roots of 'khus-khus.' The old +birds generally select some thorny tree (_Mimosa_ &c.) to build on, +and the nest is usually from 8 feet to 20 feet from the ground. + +"Even in the nesting-season these birds are gregarious, joining a +flock generally as soon as they leave the nest." + +The eggs of this species do not appear to me to differ perceptibly +from, those of _Crateropus canorus_. When one first takes a nest or +two of each of them, one is apt to draw distinctions and fancy that +the eggs of the two species can be discriminated; but after taking +forty or fifty nests of each species, it becomes obvious that there is +no variety of the one in either colour, shape, or size that cannot be +paralleled in the other. All I have said of the eggs of _C. canorus_ +is applicable to the eggs of this species, and the only difference +that, with a huge series of each before me, I can discover is that, as +a body, there is less variation in the colour of the eggs of _Argya +malcolmi_ than in those of _C. canorus_. + +In length they vary from 0·88 to 1·1, and in breadth from 0·73 to +0·85; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0·99 by 0·77. + + +108. Argya subrufa (Jerd.)[A]. _The Large Rufous Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: The accompanying incomplete account of the nidification +of this bird is all I can find among Mr. Hume's notes. I cannot +ascertain who was the discoverer of the nest and eggs described.--ED.] + +Layardia subrufa (_Jerd._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437. + +The nest is a deep massive cup placed in the fork of twigs, coarsely +and roughly but still strongly built. The body of the nest is chiefly +composed of leaves, some of which must have been green when used. +Outside, the leaves are held in position by blades of grass, creepers, +and stems of herbaceous plants, carelessly and roughly wound about the +exterior. The cavity is rather more neatly lined with tolerably fine +grass-bents. Exteriorly the nest is about 7 inches in height and 5 in +diameter. The cavity is about 3½ inches deep by 3 in diameter. + +The eggs are precisely like those of the several species of _Argya_, +moderately broad ovals rather obtuse at both ends, often with a +pyriform tendency. The colour is a uniform spotless clear blue with a +faint greenish tinge, and the eggs have usually a fine gloss. The eggs +measure 0·98 by 0·75. + + +110. Crateropus canorus (Linn.)[A]. _The Jungle Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: In the 'Birds of India,' I have united _C. malabaricus_ +and _C. terricolor_. Mr. Hume probably still considers these two +races distinct, and others may agree with him. To avoid confusion, +therefore, I have kept the notes appertaining to these two races +distinct from each other.--ED.] + +Malacocercus terricolor (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. + 59; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 432. +Malacocercus malabaricus, _Jerd., Jerd. t.c._ p. 62; _Hume, + t.c._ no. 434. + +_C. terricolor_. + +The Bengal Babbler breeds throughout the plains of the Bengal +Presidency (including Bengal, North-Western Provinces, Central +Provinces, Oudh, and the Punjab), and I may add in the less desert +portions of Sindh, although the race found in that province is not +exactly identical with the Bengal bird, and in some respects closely +approaches the Malabar race. In Northern Rajpootana it is rare, and +further south in the quasi-desert tracts of Central and Western +Rajpootana it disappears according to my experience. + +Eastward in Cachar and Assam it appears to occur as a mere straggler, +but I have no record of its having bred there. It lays from the latter +half of March until the close of July, but the great majority lay +during the first week after the setting in of the rains, which varies +according to locality and season, from the 1st of June to the 15th of +July. + +They build very commonly in gardens, in thick orange-, citron-, or +lime-shrubs, but their nests may be found almost anywhere, in thick +shrubs or small trees of any kind, or in thick hedges, at heights of +from 4 to 10 feet from the ground, always placed in some fork +towards the centre of the shrub or hedge. The nests are rather +loosely-put-together cups, composed of grass-stems and roots varying +in fineness, and often lined with horse-hair. Some are deep and neatly +constructed, others loose, straggling, and shallow, the cavity varying +from 3 to more than 4 inches in diameter and from less than 2 to +nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but I have repeatedly found +four. + +Captain Hutton writes to me:--"A nest of this bird was taken in the +Dehra Dhoon on the 14th May, and was composed entirely of fine roots, +the thinnest being placed within as a lining. Subsequently three +others were procured, one of which was externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots; the other +two were constructed of the fine woody tendrils of climbing-plants +and lined like the others with fine roots. These latter had a strong +resemblance to some of the nests of _Garrulax albogularis_, while the +difference exhibited in the nature of the materials used arises from +the various character of the localities in which the bird may choose +to build. Each nest contained four beautiful eggs of a full bright +turquoise-green, shining as if varnished. The eggs were nearly all +hard-set. This species does not ascend the hills, but appears to +be confined to the Dhoon, where it may be seen in small parties in +gardens, hedgerows, and low brushwood, turning over the dead leaves in +search of seeds and insects. Its flight is low, short, and apparently +laboured, from the shortness and rounded form of the wing, but on the +ground it hops along with speed. The note is clamorous and chuckling +and uttered in concert." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Although one of the most common +birds in the North-West Provinces, and in fact verging on a nuisance, +its nidification is interesting, inasmuch as its nest (in common +with that of _A. malcolmi_) is used as a nursery for the young of +_Hierococcyx varius_ and _Coccystes melanoleucus_. + +"This Babbler builds, as a general rule, during the early part of the +rains (June to August), laying usually three or four eggs of a bright +greenish-blue colour. The nest itself recalls that of the Blackbird, +but it is frequently very clumsily made. On the 21st June last a boy +brought me a nest of this species containing _eight_ eggs. Two, if not +three, of this clutch are easily separable from the others, being more +oval and somewhat smaller, and are unquestionably parasitical eggs; +but it is quite impossible to say whether they belong to _H. varius_ +or _C. melanoleucus_. + +"Again, on the 9th July, I took a nest in person, which also contained +eight eggs. Seven of these are all alike and are well incubated, while +the eighth is quite fresh, and doubtless owes its parentage to one of +the above-mentioned Cuckoos. + +"Strange to say I have now another nest marked down, which in like +manner contains the same number of callow young. It is just possible +that the foster-parents may have to perform double duty in this case. + +"From the foregoing it may be inferred that _M. canorus_ does +occasionally lay more than four eggs, or as the birds are gregarious +even during the breeding-season, it is possible enough that two birds +may occasionally deposit eggs in the same nest. + +"I should not think that _H. varius_ (the "Brain-fever and +Delirium-tremens Bird" as it is frequently called) had much difficulty +in depositing her eggs in the nest of the _Malacocerci_, for I have +frequently noticed that all the Babblers in the neighbourhood make a +clean bolt of it immediately this Cuckoo puts in an appearance, no +doubt owing to its great similarity to the Indian Sparrow-Hawk (_M. +badius_). + +"During the months of September and October I have observed several +Babblers in the act of feeding one young _H. varius_, following the +bird from tree to tree, and being most assiduous in their attentions +to the young interloper." + +Mr. H.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Agra on the +17th July. It contained five eggs, all of which were nearly hatched. +Again on the 21st I took another nest containing only one hard-set +egg." + +Writing from Calcutta, Mr. J.C. Parker says:--"I found a nest of this +bird, near my house in Garden Reach, on the 23rd June. It contained +four fresh eggs." + +Colonel Butler observes:--"The Bengal Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa as a rule, I think, during the rains and in the +cold weather, but I have found nests as late as March. The nest is +usually placed on the outside branch of some moderate-sized tree +(neem &c.). It is a somewhat solidly built structure composed almost +entirely of dead twigs, stems of dead leaves, and stalks of coarse dry +grass, being lined with a few fine fibrous roots or stems of grass. I +found nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 16, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "March 20, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "May 29, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + "Oct. 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 3, 1876. " " 4 slightly incubated. + +"In some nests I have noticed a breach upon one side of the nest as if +intended for the convenience of the bird's tail. It is not unusual to +find an egg of _C. jacobinus_ in the nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; I +have found this bird breeding from April to the end of July. All nests +that I have found have, with the exception of one, been placed in low +babool bushes; once only I found a nest near Delhi in the fork of a +low bough of a mango-tree, this was on the 31st July. The nests are +more or less loosely constructed cups of slender twigs and grass-roots +and inclined." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"On the 15th April +I found a nest on the very top of a mango-tree about 30 feet off the +ground, shooting the male as it flew off the nest." + +The eggs of this species are very variable in colour, shape, and size. +Typically they are rather broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one +end, and much the shape of, though a good deal smaller than, those +of our English Song-Thrush. Some are, however, long and cylindrical; +others more or less spherical. The colour varies from a pale blue, +like that of _Trochalopterum lineatum_, to a deep dull blue, +recalling, but yet not so dark as, that of _Garrulax albigularis_. The +eggs are typically glossy, but it is remarkable that in a large series +the deepest coloured are always far the most glossy. Some deep blue +eggs of this species are most intensely glossy, more so than almost +any other of our Indian eggs, except those of _Metopidius indicus_. I +need scarcely say that the eggs are entirely spotless and devoid of +all markings, but I may note that each egg is invariably the same +colour throughout, and that I have never met with a specimen in which +the shade of colour varied in the same egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·88 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·75 to +0·82; but the average of fifty-one eggs measured is 1·01 by 0·78. + + +_C. malabaricus_. + +The Jungle Babbler, like the White-headed one, breeds pretty well over +the whole of Southern India, but while the latter is chiefly confined +to the more open plain country, the former is the bird of the uplands, +hills, and forests. Still the Jungle Babbler is found at times in the +same localities as the White-headed one, and what is more, specimens +occur, as in Cochin, which partake of the distinctive characters of +both. A great deal still remains to be done in working out properly +this group; both in Sindh on the west and the Tributary Mehals on the +east, and again in some parts of the Nilghiris, races occur quite +intermediate between typical _C. terricolor_ and typical _C. +malabaricus_, while in the south, as already mentioned, forms +intermediate between this latter and _C. griseus_ seem common. Three +distinguishable races again of _C. griseus_ are met with, but running +the one into the other, while intermediate forms between this species +and _C. somervillii_ (Sykes) are also met with. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"This bird seems to be very irregular in its +time of breeding. I have taken the nest in May, June, October, and +December. The nest is rather a loose structure of dry grass and +leaves, lined with fine dry grass; it is generally placed in the +middle of some thick thorny bush, and cannot generally be got at +without paying the penalty of well scratched hands. The eggs, +generally five in number, are of a very deep blue with a tinge of +green, but of not so decided a tinge as in the eggs of _M. griseus_. +It breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, not ascending to more than +about 6000 feet." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_C. malabaricus_ builds a +cup-shaped nest in small trees and bushes, and lays from three to five +very round oval verditer-blue eggs." + +Captain Horace Terry says of this species:--"Rather rare at Pulungi, +but very common lower down on the slopes and in the Pittur valley. I +got a nest on April 5th at Pulungi with three incubated eggs, and on +the 6th one with two incubated eggs, in the Pittur valley. The last +was built in a hollow in the top of a stump of a tree that had been +broken off some ten feet from the ground." + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes from Mysore:--"This bird is occasionally +found with _C. griseus_ in the bigger scrub forests, but its chief +habitat is the larger forests. Its breeding-season is much the same +as _C. griseus_ but unlike it, it does not select thorny bushes +for building in, its nests being generally found in small trees or +bamboo-clumps. Four is the usual number of eggs laid, but five +are often found, and the fifth I expect is frequently that of _H. +varius_." + +Three eggs sent me by Mr. Carter from Coonoor, in the Nilghiries, are +absolutely undistinguishable from those of _Argya malcolmi_. Like +these they are a uniform, rather deep greenish blue, devoid of spots +or markings, and very glossy. I do not think that, if the eggs of _A. +malcolmi, C. malabaricus_, and _C. terricolor_ were once mixed, it +would be possible to separate them with certainty. Other eggs taken by +Mr. Davison are similar but slightly smaller, and, taking them as +a whole, I think they average rather darker than those of the two +species just mentioned. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·93 to 1·02, and in breadth from 0·71 to +0·82; but the average of nine eggs is 0·97 by nearly 0·77. + + +111. Crateropus griseus (Gm.). _The White-headed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus griseus (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 60; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 433. + +I should say that the White-headed Babbler breeds all over the plain +country of Southern India, not ascending the hills to any great +elevation. At the same time, many people would very likely separate +the Madras, Mangalore, and Anjango birds, and insist on their being +different species; but for my part, seeing how the birds vary in each +locality and what a perfect and unbroken chain of intermediate forms +connects the most different-looking examples, and that all the several +races are separable from the other species of this group by their more +or less conspicuously pale heads, I prefer to keep them all as _C. +griseus_. + +This species, thus considered, breeds apparently twice a year from +April to June, and again in October and even later. + +About Madras the nest is commonly placed in thick thorny hedges of a +shrub locally known as "Kurka-puli," said by Balfour to be _Garcinia +cambogia_, but which does not look like a _Garcinia_ at all. The nest +is a loosely-made cup, composed of grass-stems and roots, and the eggs +vary from three to five in number. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have often found the nest of this bird, which +is composed of small twigs and roots, carelessly and loosely put +together, in general at no great height from the ground. It lays three +or four blue eggs." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest containing four fresh eggs apparently +of this species (it being the common Babbler in this district) was +brought to me by some wood-cutters on the 18th March, 1880. It was +taken in the jungles about six miles from Belgaum, and measured about +2¾ inches in diameter and about 2 inches deep interiorly, and was of +the usual Babbler type, consisting of dry stems loosely but neatly +constructed. The eggs were highly glossed and deep bluish green, some +people might say greenish blue." + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes of this bird from Mysore:--"I have found +their nests in every month between March and August, and they possibly +breed both earlier and later. The nests are generally fixed in thorny +bushes and at no great height off the ground. Four is the usual number +of eggs laid, but very often five are found, and I feel much inclined +to think that the fifth egg is often that of _H. varius_." + +The eggs of this species that I possess were taken by Mr. Davison in +May, in the immediate neighbourhood of Madras. They are all pretty +regular, somewhat cylindrical ovals, excessively glossy, spotless, and +of a deep greenish blue, much deeper than the eggs of any of the other +_Crateropi_ are as a rule; in fact, they approach in colouring to the +eggs of _Garrulax albigularis_. + +They vary in length from 0·9 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·62 to +0·74; but I have seen too few eggs to be able to strike any reliable +average. + + +112. Crateropus striatus (Sw.). _The Southern-Indian Babbler_. + +Malacocercus striatus (_Sw._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 432 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing of this bird's nidification in Ceylon, +says:--"The breeding-season of the 'Seven Brothers' lasts from +(page 80 in the book.) March until July. The nest is placed in a +cinnamon-bush, shrub or bramble, at about four feet from the ground, +and is a compact cup-shaped structure, usually fixed in a fork and +made of stout grasses and plant-stalks and lined with fine grass, +which, in some instances I have observed, was plucked green. The +interior measures 2½ inches in depth by about 3 in width. The eggs +are two or three in number, small for the size of the bird, glossy in +texture, and of a uniform opaque greenish blue. They measure from 0·91 +to 1·0 in length, by 0·7 to 0·74 in breadth." + + +113. Crateropus somervillii (Sykes). _The Rufous-tailed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus somervillei (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 63; _Hume +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 435. + +Of the nidification of the Rufous-tailed Babbler (which, so far as I +yet know, is confined to the narrow strip of country lying beneath the +Ghâts for about 60 miles north and south of Bombay and to the hills or +ghâts overlooking this), all I yet know is contained in the following +brief note by Mr. E. Aitken: he says:-- + +"I once found a nest of the Rufous-tailed Babbler at Khandalla, I +cannot tell the level precisely, but it cannot have been far from 2000 +feet above the sea. It was at the end of May or the very beginning of +June. The nest was in a small spreading tree in level, open forest +country. The situation was just such a one as _A. malcolmi_ generally +chooses--the end of a horizontal branch with no other branches +underneath it; but it was not so high as those of _A. malcolmi_ +usually are, for I could reach it from the ground. The nest was +rather flat and contained three eggs, almost hatched, of an intense +greenish-blue colour. + +"In Bombay, where it is far more common, I once, on the 1st October, +saw a pair followed by one young one and a young _Coccystes +melanoleucus_. This was on a hill, and indeed these birds seem to +confine themselves pretty much to hilly ground." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"With reference to your remark that, as +far as you know, the Rufous-tailed Babbler is confined to the strip of +country beneath the Ghâts, I can certainly say that they are plentiful +on the slopes of Poorundhur hill, eighteen miles south of Poona. It +would be interesting to learn on which other of the Deccan hills it is +found. This species is decidedly fond of hilly country. It is common +on the two ranges of low hills that run along the east and west shores +of the island of Bombay, but never shows a feather in the gardens and +groves on the level ground. I spent the greater part of two days, when +I could ill spare the time, in searching for the nests, but the birds +breed in the date-trees, and it would be hopeless to think of finding +a nest without cutting away many of the branches or fronds. Moreover, +the bird is extremely wary, and it is by no means easy to guess on +which particular tree it has its nest." + + +114. Crateropus rufescens (Blyth). _The Ceylonese Babbler_. + +Layardia rufescens (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This bird breeds in the Western Province in March, April, +and May, and constructs a nest similar to the last [_M. striatus_], +of grass and small twigs, mixed perhaps with a few leaves, and placed +among creepers surrounding the trunks of trees or in a low fork of +a tree. It conceals its habitation, according to Layard, with great +care; and I am aware myself that very few nests have been found. It +lays two or three eggs, very similar to those of the last species, of +a deep greenish blue, and pointed ovals in shape--two which were taken +by Mr. MacVicar at Bolgodde measuring 0·95 by 0·75, and 0·92 by 0·74 +inch." + + +115. Crateropus cinereifrons (Blyth). _The Ashy-headed Babbler_. + +Garrulax cinereifrons (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 409 bis. + +Colonel Legge, in his work on the birds of Ceylon, says:--"The +breeding-season of this bird is from April to July. Full-fledged +nestlings may be found abroad with the parent birds in August; and +from this I base my supposition, for I have never found the nest +myself. Intelligent native woodmen, in the western forests, who are +well acquainted with the bird, have informed me that it nests in +April, building a large, cup-shaped nest in the fork of a bush-branch, +and laying three or four dark blue eggs. Whether this account be +correct or not, future investigation must decide." + + +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgs. _The Slaty-headed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 402. + +Speaking of the Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler, Dr. Jerdon says:--"A +nest made of moss and some fibres, and with four pure white eggs, was +brought to me at Darjeeling as belonging to this bird." + +Two nests were sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species, +the one found near Namtchu on the 3rd April containing four fresh +eggs, the other near Tendong on the 15th June, containing three. +Another nest which he found on the 22nd April, near the same place as +the first, contained four fresh eggs. All were placed on or very near +to the ground in brushwood and grass; all appear to have been +large, rather saucer-like nests, from 5·5 to 6·5 inches in diameter +externally, and 2·5 to 3 in height. Outside and below they are +composed chiefly of coarse grass, dead leaves, especially fern-leaves, +while interiorly they are composed of and lined with finer--in some +cases _very_ fine--grass. The cavities average, I should guess, 3·75 +inches in diameter, and 1·5, or a little more perhaps, in depth. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has the following note on the breeding of this bird in +Assam:--"A nest I got was situated at the roots of a clump of bushes, +overhanging a small river. A bridge spanning this river was within ten +yards, the intervening space being open; and for such a shy bird to +have chosen such an exposed situation to build in astonished me." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this Babbler taken on the +20th May much resembled that of _P. ferruginosus_, both in size and +structure. The egg-cavity had, however, a lining of at least half an +inch in thickness of soft, fibrous material extracted from the bark of +some tree, and a little fine grass for the eggs to lie on. It was on +the ground, among low jungle, in the Ryeng Valley, at 2000 feet of +elevation, and contained four eggs, two of them hatching off and +two addled. According to my experience, nests containing so large a +proportion of addled eggs are unusual." + +Eggs sent by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species closely +resemble those of _Pomatorhinus ferruginosus_, but are somewhat +smaller; they are oval eggs a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and with a high gloss. They were obtained on the 5th and 22nd +of April in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, and measure from 0·95 to +1·04: in length, and 0·72 to 0·73 in breadth. Eggs sent by Mr. Gammie +are precisely similar. + +Two other eggs of this species subsequently obtained were slightly +shorter and broader, and measured 0·95 by 0·77, and 0·98 by 0·78. + + +118. Pomatorhinus olivaceus, Blyth. _The Tenasserim Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus olivaceus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 403 bis. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"I found a nest of this bird on the morning of +the 21st January, 1875, at Pakchan, Tenasserim Province, Burma. It was +placed on the ground at the foot of a small screw pine, growing in +thick bamboo-jungle; it was a large globular structure, composed +externally of dry bamboo-leaves, and well secreted by the mass of dry +bamboo-leaves that surrounded it; it was in fact buried in these, and +if I had not seen the bird leave it, it would most undoubtedly have +remained undiscovered. Externally it was about a foot in length by +9 inches in height, but it was impossible to take any accurate +measurement, as the nest really had no marked external definition. +Internally was a lining about half an inch thick, composed of thin +strips of dry bark, fibres, &c. The entrance was to one side, +circular, and measuring 2·5 inches in diameter; the egg-cavity +measured 4 inches deep by about 3 in height. + +"In the nest were three pure white ovato-pyriform eggs, but so far +incubated that they would probably have hatched off before the day was +out. + +"The measurements of two were 1·1 and 1·09 in length by 0·75 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This is the _Pomatorhinus_ of the +Thoungyeen valley, being found from the sources to the mouth of that +river. A note recorded two years ago of a nest that I found is given +below:--_4th March_.--Having to go over the ground along the southern +boundary of the proposed Meplay reserve I had to cut my way through +dense bamboo, to go through a long belt of which is hard work. To make +it worse in this case several clumps had been burnt by fire and blown +down. As I was slowly progressing along, bent almost double, out of +a little hollow at my feet a bird flew with a suddenness that nearly +knocked me down. I looked into the hollow, and there under the ledge +of the sheltering bank was a nest of dry bamboo-leaves lined with +strips of the same, shredded fine. It was cup-shaped, loosely made, +about 1½ inches in diameter, and the same in depth, containing three +pure white eggs, perfectly fresh (measured afterwards two proved +respectively, 0·98 x 0·71, 0·99 x 0·73 inch); and gun in hand I +watched, hiding myself behind a clump of bamboos about thirty yards +off. For an hour I watched, but the bird did not return, so I marked +the spot and went on. Returning back the same way just before dusk, I +managed to start her again, and to get a hurried shot; she fell and I +secured and recognized her as _P. olivaceus_." + +The eggs, which seem small for the size of the bird, are rather broad +ovals, some fairly regular, some a good deal compressed just towards +the small end, which is, however, always obtuse, never pointed; the +shell is fine, compact, and thin, smooth and satiny to the touch, +but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The colour is pure spotless +white. + + +119. Pomatorhinus melanurus, Blyth. _The Ceylonese Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus melanurus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 404 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes of the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This Babbler breeds from December until February. I have +observed one collecting materials for a nest in the former month, and +at the same period Mr. Mac Vicar had the eggs brought to him; they +were taken from a nest made of leaves and grass, and placed on a bank +in jungle. Mr. Bligh has found the nest in crevices in trees, between +a projecting piece of bark and the trunk, also in a jungle-path +cutting and on a ledge of rock; it is usually composed of moss, +grass-roots, fibre, and a few dead leaves, and the structure is rather +a slovenly one. The eggs vary from three to five, and are pure white, +the shell thin and transparent, and they measure 0·96 to 0·98 in +length, by 0·7 in breadth." + + +120. Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, Sykes. _The Southern Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 404. + +The Southern Scimitar Babbler breeds throughout the hilly tracts of +Southern India, up to an elevation of fully 7000 feet. They are common +in Ootacamund, and even on Dodabet as high up as it is wooded. They +seem to breed less plentifully about Kotagherry than they do at +Ootacamund itself, Coonoor, Neddivattam, &c. + +They lay from February to May, building a largish globular nest of +grass, moss, and roots, placed on or very near to the ground in some +bush or clump of fern or grass. They lay five eggs. + +A nest of this species which I owe to Mr. Carter, and which was found +at Coonoor on the 7th April, 1869, is a huge globular mass of moss and +fine moss-roots some 7 inches in diameter, with, on the upper side, +an entrance to a small egg-cavity some 3½ inches in diameter, and 2 +inches in depth. It is a most singular nest, a great compact ball of +soft feathery moss and very fine moss-roots, which latter predominate +in the interior of the cavity, and so form a sort of lining to it. The +great body of the nest is below the cavity, the overhanging dome-like +covering of the cavity being comparatively thin. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"The nest of this bird is very peculiar in +structure, more like the nest of a field-mouse than of a bird, being +in fact merely a ball of grass rather loosely put together, the grass +on the exterior being intermingled with dry leaves and other rubbish. +The nest is generally placed either in a clump of fern, or at the +roots of some grass-grown bush. The eggs are pure white, very +elongated, and with a remarkably thin and delicate shell. The normal +number appears to be five. The breeding-season is, I think, the latter +end of April and May." + +Later, he writes:--"It must, I think, breed twice, as I found a nest +on the 10th March with fully-fledged young, and late in April another +nest with perfectly fresh eggs." + +Writing of this species Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured its nest near +Neddivattam on the Nilghiris, on a bank on the roadside, made with +moss and roots, and containing four white eggs of a very elongated +form." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, furnishes me with the following note on +the nidification of this species:--"These birds build rather large +nests, among the _roots_ of bushes, and generally prefer those which +grow on the slopes of steep hills. Their nests are composed of coarse +grass, a few roots of the same, and the bark of a bush, which cracks +when dry and is very easily pulled off. These materials are put +together into a round nest, and also form a covering above, which +makes the inside look very snug indeed. But if any attempts are made +to remove the nest, it generally falls to pieces, the materials having +no tenacity. This bird commonly uses no lining to its nest, but lays +its eggs (three to five in number) on the coarse grass of which +the inside is composed. The eggs are pure white, particularly +thin-shelled, and consequently perfectly translucent. They are found +during the months of February and March." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, remark:--"Very +common along tops of ghâts. D. got a nest with two eggs in March." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"I have been so +fortunate as to obtain two nests of this bird lately, though I have +never found any before. The first contained three fresh eggs on the +5th December last, and was situated in a bank on the roadside at +an elevation of about 3000 feet above sea-level. The nest was very +loosely made of grass, with finer kinds of grass for the lining. I +endeavoured to preserve it, but it fell to pieces on being taken from +its position, and I only succeeded in saving the eggs. As the bird, +usually a very shy one, flew off on my approach and remained close +by while I was examining the nest, I have no doubt of its identity. +Whether she would have laid more eggs I cannot say, but I fancy not; +three seems to be the usual number judging from the two clutches +taken. The other nest I found on the 8th of this month just completed. +It was in much the same position as the last, viz. a bank by the +roadside, and as it was near my bungalow I watched to see how the eggs +were deposited. The bird laid one egg each day on the 11th, 12th and +13th, and then began to sit, so on the 15th I took the nest. When +fresh the eggs are beautifully pink from the thinness of the shell." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, remarks:-- + +"Mr. Davison makes a very good remark on the nest of this bird, but I +found one once under the roots of a tree at Neddivattam, and it was +a most beautiful nest, built entirely of the fibrous bark of the +Nilghiri nettle, in the shape of an oven, with a hole to go in at one +side. It contained four pure white delicate eggs. Another one found +near the same place was of the same nature, only resting on some +fern-leaves and under a rock, and contained five eggs. + +"I found a nest down at Vythery, Wynaad, in a hole in the bank of a +road, in December 1874, made entirely of broad grass, very untidy, and +containing three eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says:--"Breeds in +April, constructing a neat domed nest of leaves on the ground, at the +foot of a bush. The nest is lined with fine grasses, and almost always +contains three eggs, which, when fresh, are of a beautiful pink +colour, owing to the yolk shining through the shell, which is +exceedingly fragile. The egg, when blown, is of a very beautiful +glossy white. If suddenly approached whilst on its nest, this bird +runs out like a rat, and flies when at a distance from the nest. An +egg in my collection measures 1·04 by ·7 inch." + +The eggs sent me from the Nilghiris by Miss Cockburn and Mr. Carter +are nearly perfect ovals, usually much elongated, but sometimes +moderately broad, and very slightly compressed towards one end. +They are very fragile, and perfectly pure spotless white in colour. +Typically, although smooth and satiny in texture, they have but little +gloss, but occasionally a fairly glossy egg is to be met with. + +In length they vary from 0·98 to 1·12, and in breadth from 0·75 to +0·79; but the average seems to be about 1·08 by 0·77. + + +122. Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, Blyth. _The Coral-billed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, _Blyth,, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 401. + +The Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet. Its nest is +placed about a foot or 2 feet above the ground, in a bamboo-clump or +some thick bush, and is firmly wedged in between the twigs and shoots. +It is composed internally of dried bamboo-leaves, grass, and vegetable +fibres, outside which bamboo-sheaths are bound on with creepers and +fibres of different kinds. The nest is more or less egg-shaped, with +the longer diameter horizontal, some 7 inches or so in length and 5 +inches in height, and with the entrance at one end, measuring some +3 inches in diameter. Four or five eggs are laid, elongated ovals, +somewhat pointed towards the small end, pure white, and measuring +about 1·08 by 0·7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird on the +19th May, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. It was placed on the +ground, among low scrub, near the outskirts of a large forest, and was +neatly made, for a _Pomatorhinus_, of bamboo-leaves and long grass, +with a thin lining of fibry strips torn from old bamboo-stems. In +shape it was a cone laid on its side. Externally it measured 9 inches +in length by the same in height at front, while the egg-cavity +measured 3·5 inches across, and 1·75 in depth. The entrance, which was +at the end, measured 3 inches in diameter. + +"Next to the lining was a layer of broadish grass-blades, placed +lengthways, _i.e._ from base to apex of the cone, then came a +cross layer of broad bamboo-leaves succeeded by a second layer of +bamboo-leaves placed lengthways. By this arrangement the nest was +kept perfectly water-tight. So nicely were these simple materials +put together that they held each other in their places without the +assistance of a single fibre. + +"The nest contained four partially incubated eggs: three of them +pointed and exactly alike, but the fourth rounded, and apparently of a +different texture, so that it may have been introduced by a Cuckoo." + +Two eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are moderately elongated ovals, somewhat +obtuse even, at the smaller end. The shell is very fine, pure white, +and has a fine gloss. They measure 1·1 by 0·83, and 1·06 by 0·78. + + +125. Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgs. _The Rufous-necked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ruficollis, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400. + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds in Nepal, the Himalayas +eastward of that State, and in the various ranges running down from +Assam to Burmah. + +The breeding-season appears to be April and May. They lay five, or +sometimes only four, eggs. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds, I think, from +the middle of April to the middle of May; but I have only as yet +taken a single nest, and this I found at Rishap on the 5th May, at an +elevation of about 4500 feet. The nest was placed on the ground in +open country, but partially concealed by overhanging grass and weeds, +and immediately adjoining a deep humid ravine filled with a dense +undergrowth. The nest was composed of dry grass, fern, bamboo, and +other dry leaves put loosely together and lined with a few fibres. In +shape it was domed or hooded, and exteriorly it measured 5·7 inches in +height and 5 in diameter. Interiorly the cavity was 2·6 in diameter, +and had a total depth of 3·8 measured from the roof, but of only 2 +inches below the lower margin of the aperture. This nest contained +five eggs, much incubated; indeed, they would have hatched off in one +or two days." + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, +in the central portion of Nepal in April and May, building a large, +coarse, globular nest of dry grass and bamboo-leaves on the ground in +some thick bush or bamboo-clump. The opening of the nest is at the +side. They lay four or five white eggs, measuring as figured 0·9 by +0·68. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are rather elongated ovals, a good deal +pointed towards one end, pure white, the shells very fine and fragile, +and with a fair amount of gloss. + +Ten eggs varied from 0·85 to 1·02 in length, and from 0·62 to 0·74 in +breadth, but the average was 0·95 by 0·68. + + +129. Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vigors. _The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 405. + +The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler breeds from April to June in the +Himalayas, at any rate from Darjeeling to the Valley of the Beas, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. It may be _met_ with at double +this latter altitude, but I doubt if it _nests_ higher. + +As a rule, the nest is placed on the ground, in some thick clump of +dry fern or coarse grass, amongst dead leaves and moss, but at times I +have seen it placed in a thick bush 2 or 3 feet from the ground. It is +very common near Kotegurh and below Narkunda, where we found nearly a +dozen nests, almost all, however, containing young ones. Typically +the nest is domed, and is loosely constructed of the materials at +hand--coarse grass, dry fern, dead leaves, moss-roots, and the like, +some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and 5 or 6 inches high, with a broad +entrance on one side, a good deal above the middle. In some cases, +however, where a dense bunch of grass or fern completely curves over +the spot selected for the nest, the latter is a mere broad, shallow +saucer. There is no regular lining to the nests, but a good many fine +roots are at times incorporated in the interior of the cavity. All +the nests that I have seen were placed near the edges of clumps of +brushwood or scrubby jungle. + +I ought here to mention that I am by no means certain that the +Nepalese and Sikhim, in fact the eastern race of this species (_P. +ferrugilatus_ Hodgs.), will not have to be separated from the more +western _P. erythrogenys_ of Gould. Long ago Blyth remarked ('Journal +Asiatic Society,' 1845, p. 598) that "there seems to be two marked +varieties of _P. erythrogenys_, one having white under-parts, with +merely faint traces of darker spots, the other with the throat and +breast densely mottled with greenish olive," or, as I should call it, +dingy olive-grey. This is perfectly true, and, as far as I can make +out, the latter variety is not one of sex or age, but is local and +confined to Kumaon (where the other form also occurs) and the hills +eastward of this province. My own remarks above given refer to the +true _P. erythrogenys_, and so do Hutton's; but Hodgson's and Mr. +Gammie's birds both appear to have been, and the latter's certainly +were, grey-throated examples. The eggs are undistinguishable, as, +indeed, though they vary somewhat in shape and size, are those of most +of the _Pomatorhini_. + +Captain Hutton says that this species is "common from 3500 feet up to +10,000 or 12,000 feet, always in pairs, turning up the dead leaves +on copsewood covered banks, uttering a loud whistle, answering and +calling each other. It breeds in April, constructing its nest on the +ground of coarse dry grasses and leaf-stalks of walnut-trees, and is +covered with a dome-shaped roof, so nicely blended with the fallen +leaves and withered grasses, among which it is placed, as to be almost +undistinguishable from them. The eggs are three in number, and pure +white; diameter 1·12 by 0·81 inches, of an ordinary oval shape. When +disturbed, the bird sprung along the ground with long bounding hops, +so quickly that, from its motions and the appearance of the nest, I +was led to believe it a species of rat. The nest is placed in a slight +hollow, probably formed by the bird itself." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species would appear to breed +at heights of from 2000 to 8000 feet. It lays in May and June. On the +20th May, and again on the 6th June, Mr. Hodgson found nests of this +species in thick bushes 3 or 4 feet above the ground. They were +broad saucer-shaped nests of coarse vegetable fibres, grass, and +grass-roots, 7 inches or so in diameter, and the cavity, which had +no lining, was about 4 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. They +contained three and four white eggs respectively. One figured measures +0·98 by 0·73. On June 8th he found two more nests at Jaha Powah, on +the ground, on edges of brushy slopes close to grassy open plains, the +nest a large mass of grass, oven-shaped, open at one and in one case +at both ends, protected by the root of a tree. There were two and +three white eggs in the nests respectively. The eggs of these nests +are figured as measuring 1·08 by 0·73. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I found a nest of this species below Rungbee, at +an elevation of about 2000 feet, on the 17th June. It was placed on, +and partially in a hole in a bank, and contained two hard-set eggs. It +was a large, loose pad of fine grass and dead fern, with a few broad +flag-like grass-leaves incorporated towards the base, and overhung by +a sort of canopy of similar materials. The basal portion was some +6 inches long and 5 inches broad, and about 2 inches thick in the +thickest part, with a broad shallow depression for the eggs of about +half that depth." + +Writing again this year (1874) he says:--"I have only found two more +nests this year, and both in the last week of April; the one contained +three partially incubated eggs, the other three young birds. These +nests were at Gielle, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. As a rule, +these birds nest in open country, immediately adjoining moist thickly +wooded ravines, in which they feed, and take refuge if disturbed from +the nest. The nest is usually placed on sloping ground, more or less +concealed by overhanging herbage, and is composed, according to my +experience, of dry grass sparingly lined with fibres. It is large; one +I measured _in situ_ was 8 inches in height and 7 inches in diameter; +the vertical diameter of the cavity was 4 inches and the horizontal 3½ +inches. I have not yet found more than three eggs or young ones in any +nest." + +Dr. Scully remarks of this bird in Nipal:--"It lays in May and June; +two nests, taken on the 30th May and 6th June, were large loosely-made +pads, not domed, and with the egg-cavity saucer-shaped, each nest +contained three pure white eggs." + +The eggs of this species are long, and at times narrow, ovals, pure +white and fairly glossy, but occasionally almost glossless, without +any marks or spottings. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·2, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·85, +but the average of twenty eggs is about 1·11 by nearly 0·8. + + +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (Blyth). _The Slender-billed +Scimitar Babbler_. + +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 33; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 406. + +The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of 3000 to 6000 feet, during the +months of May and June. The nest is a large globular one, composed of +dry bamboo-leaves and green grass, intermingled and lined with fine +roots and fibres. The entrance, which is about 2 to 2·5 inches in +diameter, is at one end. A nest containing four eggs, obtained on the +12th June, measured about 7 inches in diameter externally, and it +was placed in the crown of a stump from 2 to 3 feet from the ground. +Sometimes the nests are placed in tufts of high grass or in thick +bushes, but never at any great elevation above the ground. They lay +three or four eggs, which are pure white, and one of which is figured +as a broad oval, measuring 0·95 by 0·7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Scimitar +Babbler on the 29th May, in the middle of the large forest on the top +of the Mahalderam ridge, at about 7000 feet elevation. It was built +on the ground, on top of a dry bank by the side of a path, and was +overhung by a few grassy weeds. In shape it was a blunt cone laid on +its side, with the entrance at the wide end. It was loosely made of +the dead leaves of a deciduous orchid (_Pleione wallichiana_), small +bamboo, chestnut, and grass, intermixed with decaying stems of small +climbing-plants. It measured externally 6 inches long, with a diameter +of 5·5 at front, and of 1·75 at back. The cavity was quite devoid of +lining and measured 3·5 in length by 2·5 wide at entrance, slightly +contracting inwards. It contained three partially incubated eggs." + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie are elongated ovals, +pure white, and with only a faint gloss. They measure 0·99 and 1·05 in +length, by 0·68 and 0·75 in breadth respectively. + + + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + + +134. Timelia pileata, Horsf. _The Red-capped Babbler_. + +Timelia pileata, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 24; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 396. + +Mr. Eugene Oates records that he "found the nest of this bird at +Thayetmyo on the 2nd June with young ones a few days old. The nest +was placed on the ground in the centre of a low but very thick thorny +bush." + +Subsequently he wrote from Pegu, further south:--"The nest is placed +in the fork of a shrub, very near to, or quite on, the ground, and is +surrounded in every case by long grass. A nest found on the 4th July, +on which the female was sitting closely, contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The breeding-season seems to be in June and July. + +"The nest is made entirely of bamboo-leaves and is lined sparingly +with fine grass. No other material enters into its composition. It +is oval, about 7 inches in height and 4 in diameter, with a large +entrance at the side, its lower edge being about the middle of the +nest. + +"When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no shrubs, it +builds on the ground at the edge of a clump of grass, and I have found +two nests in such a situation, only a few feet from each other. + +"In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily trodden +down; the consequence is that if you do not find eggs, there is little +chance of their being laid later on. I have found some ten nests, more +or less completed, but only three eggs." + +And again, later on:--"This bird would appear to have two broods a +year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this year in +April, former nests having been found in June and July. With many eggs +before me I find that the density of the markings varies considerably. +The size is very constant; for the length of numerous eggs varies only +from ·75 to ·72, and the breadth from ·6 to ·54 inch." + +I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this species, +but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest, and a note on +the nidification of this species was Mr. J.C. Parker. Writing to me in +September 1875, he said:-- + +"On the 14th August I took a nest of _Timelia pileata_ on my old +ground in the Salt Lakes. I discovered this by a mere accident, for I +happened to see a female _Prinia flaviventris_ (whose eggs I was in +quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland about 10 feet +from the bank of the canal, and from her movements I thought she must +have a nest near at hand. + +"Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through a +bog. Sure enough I was not mistaken; the _Prinia_ had a nest, but it +contained only _one_ egg. Close by, however, I saw a nest, from out of +which a bird flew, and although I did not shoot it I am quite sure it +was _Timelia pileata_. The jungle was particularly thick just about +where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could not follow the +bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his mate in that +extraordinary way which these birds have, and which once heard cannot +be mistaken. + +"The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the joints of a +species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure foundation +for the nest. This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad. +Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 1½ by 2. The nest itself is very +loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass twisted +round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass. The nest was +quite open to view and about three feet from the ground. I suppose the +birds never expected that such a wild swampy spot as they had selected +would be invaded by any oologist." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"Pretty common. +Permanent resident. Oftener found in the patches of cane brushwood +jungle found in and around villages than in unfrequented jungle and +thickets as Dr. Jerdon says. I have, however, once seen it in a field +of jute, which was alongside a village. Its well-known note can be +heard a long way off. I have several times found nests in course of +construction, but only once secured a clutch of eggs. When the nests +are being built, if the bush is at all disturbed the nest is deserted. +The earliest date on which I found a nest was the 1st April, 1878; it +was half finished, and as I pulled the cane-leaves asunder to see if +there were eggs, the birds deserted it. After this I found four nests +in cane-clumps on the sides of roads, but they were empty, and as the +birds abandoned them in due course I despaired of getting any eggs; +but on the 15th June, while going along a road, the edges of which +were bounded by the small embankments natives throw up round their +holdings, and which are always overgrown with 'sone' grass, I saw one +of these birds with a straw in its bill disappear at the root of a +small date-tree. The nest could be discerned from the road. On the +20th June I returned and found two fresh eggs; the nest was placed at +the junction of the frond and the stem of the date-tree about five +inches from the ground, and was an oval deep cup and measured +externally 5 inches deep by 3¾ broad. Egg-cavity 2 broad and 1¾ deep, +composed exclusively of 'sone' grass with no lining." + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals with a tolerably fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pure white. The whole of the larger end of the +egg is pretty thickly speckled and spotted with brown, varying from an +olive to a burnt sienna intermingled with little spots and clouds of +pale inky purple, and similar spots and specks chiefly of the former +colour, but smaller in size, scattered thinly over the rest of the +egg. In size they vary from 0·69 to 0·75 in length, and from 0·55 to +0·6 in breadth. + + +135. Dumetia hyperythra (Frankl.). _The Rufous-bellied Babbler_. + +Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 397. + +The Rufous-bellied Babbler breeds throughout the Central Provinces, +Chota Nagpoor, Upper Bengal, the eastern portions of the North-West +Provinces, parts of Oudh, and even in the low valleys of Kumaon. + +It lays from the middle of June to the middle of August, building +a globular nest of broad grass-blades or bamboo-leaves some 4 or 5 +inches in diameter, sparingly lined with fine grass-roots or a little +hair, or sometimes entirely unlined. The nest is placed sometimes on +the ground amongst dead leaves, some of which are not unfrequently +incorporated in the structure; sometimes in coarse grass or some +little shrub a foot or two from the ground, but by preference, +according to my experience, in amongst the roots of a bamboo-clump. + +Four is the usual number of eggs laid. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"On the 26th June, 1867, in the broken ground +above Chunar, I took two nests in the foot of a thick bamboo-bush +about 2 feet from the ground. The nests were made of bamboo-leaves +rolled into a ball with the entrance at the side, and no lining except +a few hairs. There were two eggs in one nest and three in the other. +They were all fresh. The eggs in the two nests varied somewhat: the +ground of the one was nearly pure white, and it was finely speckled +with reddish brown, which at the large end was partly confluent: the +other nest had the eggs with a pinkish-white ground, the spots larger +and less neatly defined, and with a rather large confluent spot at the +large end." + +Writing from Hoshungabad, Mr. E.C. Nunn remarks:--"I found two nests +of this species, each containing two eggs, on the 20th July and 6th +August, 1868. Both nests were ball-shaped, of coarse grass very +firmly and compactly twisted together, and with numerous dead leaves +incorporated in the body of the nest and towards the base, forming the +major portion of the material. They were thinly lined inside with fine +grass-roots. One was placed at the root of a small thorny bush: the +other on the ground in a thick clump of rank grass." The nest Mr. Nunn +sent to me was peculiarly solidly made. The cavity was small, about +2·25 inches in depth and 1·5 in diameter. The bottom of the nest was +some 2 inches and the sides 1·25 inch thick. + +From Raipoor Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "in July and August four +nests of this Babbler were taken; in two there were four eggs each, in +the third, three, and in the fourth, two--thirteen in all. The nests +were carefully made on the ground, at the base of clumps of long grass +growing very near to bamboo thickets. Three are made exclusively of +the dry leaves of the bamboo; the fourth of coarse grass. They were +nearly globular, about 4 inches in diameter, and without any regular +lining, although in the interior of the cavity a good deal of fine +grass-stems had been incorporated in the nest. They were well hidden +in the grass." + +Mr. Henry Wenden writes:--"On July 18th, about 15 miles from Bombay, +on the line of railway, I found a nest and eggs of the following +description: nest, a rough loose ball of soft flat grasses, lined with +hard but fine grass-stems, entrance at side near top; situated in +a thorny bush in cactus-hedge, by a narrow lane, not 4 feet wide, +through which numerous people passed. The nest, about 3 feet from the +ground, was in no way concealed. On the 18th there were two eggs, and +on the 20th, when there were four eggs, the bird was snared and nest +taken." + +The eggs are short, broad ovals, very slightly compressed towards one +end. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and it is streaked, +spotted, and speckled most thickly at the large end (where there is +a tendency to form an irregular confluent cap or zone), and thinly +towards the small end, with shades of red, brownish red, and reddish +purple, varying much in different examples. In some the markings are +pretty bold and blotchy, in others they are small and speckly; in +some they are smudgy and ill-defined, in others they are clear and +distinct. Some of the eggs are miniatures of some types of _Pyctorhis +sinensis_, but many recall the eggs of the Titmouse. They are much +about the size of those of _Parus caeruleus_ and _P. palustris_, but a +trifle less broad than either of these. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·5 to 0·56; +but the average of twenty-four eggs now before me is 0·67 by 0·53. + + +136. Dumetia albigularis (Blyth). _The Small White-throated +Babbler_. + +Dumetia albogularis (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 398. + +Miss M.B. Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, tells me that "the +White-throated Babbler builds its nest in the month of June. One was +found by my nest-seekers on the 17th of that month in the year 1873. +It was constructed on a coffee-tree, and contained three eggs, which +were white, profusely covered with reddish spots of all sizes. The +bird was very shy, and would not return to the nest for some hours +after it had been discovered; when, however, she did so, she was shot. +This year (1874) I found another similar nest on the 9th of June, also +containing three eggs." + +The nest with which she favoured me was small and nearly globular (say +at most 4 inches in external diameter), composed entirely of broad +flaggy grass without any lining or any admixture whatsoever of other +material. The nest was loosely put together, and had a comparatively +narrow circular entrance near the top. + +From Mysore Mr. Iver Macpherson writes:--"This is an exceedingly +common bird in parts of this district, and their nests are so +plentiful that I never now take them. + +"I send you all the eggs I have at present, but can procure you any +number more next season. + +"The birds are to be found in all kinds of wooded country except the +heavy forests, and appear to breed from the middle of April to the end +of July, and possibly later. + +"The nest is a largish globular structure loosely made of either +bamboo-leaves or blades of grass, and all that I have ever seen have +been lined inside with a few fine fibres. + +"Four appears to be the usual number of eggs, but very often there are +only three. + +"The nests are always built near the ground, sometimes almost touching +it, and are fixed in either small bushes, tufts of grass, or young +bamboo-clumps." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., states that this bird is very common in +Culputty in the Wynaad, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and that +he has found the nests from the end of May to the middle of October. +The nest is built in high grass nearly on the ground, or in +date-palms, or in arrowroot in the jungle up to heights of 3 feet. +The nest is built entirely of grass, lined with finer grass; a nearly +round ball 6 inches in diameter outside and 5 inside, with a hole on +the side. The eggs are laid at the rate of one a day, and three are +usually found in one nest, occasionally only two. On one occasion +after securing the female bird, he found the cock bird sitting on the +eggs and he continued to sit there for three days. + +Mr. J. Davidson tells us that he found a nest of this bird on the 15th +July at Kondabhari with four fresh eggs. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The breeding-season +lasts from March until July, the nests being built in a low bush +sometimes only a few inches from the ground." + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals. The shell is very +fine and smooth, and has in some a rather bright, in some only a very +slight gloss. The ground is a China-white. The markings consist of +a profusion of specks and spots of a very bright red, which, though +spread over the whole surface, are gathered most densely into an +imperfect, more or less confluent, cap or zone at the larger end, +where also a few purplish-grey spots and specks not usually found on +any other part of the egg, are noticeable. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·66 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·55. The average of 28 eggs is 0·72 by 0·53. + + +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (Gm.). _The Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 15; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 385. + +The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds throughout the plains of India, as also +in the Nilghiris, to an elevation of 5000 feet, and in the Himalayas +to perhaps 4000 feet. It lays in the latter part of June, in July, +August, and September. Gardens are the favourite localities and in +these the little bird makes its compact and solid nest, sometimes in +a fork of the fine twigs of a lime-bush, sometimes in a mangoe-, +orange-, or apple-tree, occasionally suspended between three stout +grass-stems, or even attached to a single stem of the huge grass from +which the native pens are made. I have taken a nest, hung between +three reeds, exactly resembling in shape and position the +Reed-Warbler's nest (_Salicaria arundinacea_), figured in Mr. +Yarrell's vignette at page 313, vol. i. 3rd edition. + +The nest is typically cone-shaped (the apex downwards), from 5 to 6 +inches in depth, and 3 or 4 in diameter at the base; but it varies of +course according to situation, the cone being often broadly truncated. +In the base of the cone (which is uppermost) is the egg-cavity, +measuring from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 2·5 inches in +depth. The nest is _very_ compactly and solidly woven, of rather broad +blades of grass, and long strips of fine fibrous bark, exteriorly more +or less coated with cobwebs and gossamer-threads. Interiorly, fine +grass-stems and roots are neatly and closely interwoven. I once found +some horse-hair along with the grass-roots, but this is unusual. + +The full number of eggs is, I believe, five. I have repeatedly taken +nests containing this number, and have comparatively seldom met with a +smaller number of eggs at all incubated. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I found a nest of this species at +Roorkee in the early part of July. It contained three eggs and was +beautifully made, a deep cup fixed on to an artichoke-stock, and at a +little distance much resembled an artichoke." + +Mr. E.C. Nunn, writing from near Agra on the 26th September 1867, +says:--"I got a _Pyctorhis_' nest yesterday, suspended between two +stalks of jowar (_Holcus sorghum_), the nest firmly bound with strips +of fibrous bark, at two opposite points of its circumference, to the +two stems. This is, I imagine, something out of the usual order of +things with these birds. The nests which I have hitherto found have +been situated in young mangoe-trees, rose-bushes, or peach- and +orange-trees." + +From Futtehgurh the late Mr. A.A. Anderson sent me the following +note:--"The nest and eggs of this bird are very beautiful. A pair once +built in a pumplenose-tree (_Citrus decumana_) in my garden, laying +five long eggs. The nest, still in my collection, was placed in the +fork of _four_ small upright twigs; it was composed entirely of dry +grass-stems (no soft material inside), and laced outwardly, in and out +of the twigs, with dry fibre belonging to the plantain-tree. + +"The eggs are small for the size of the bird, and scarcely so large as +those of the Hedge-Sparrow." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This likewise is a Dhoon bird; its nest was +found there on the 1st July, when it contained four eggs of a dull +white colour, thickly speckled and blotched all over with ferruginous +spots, forming also an open darker coloured ring at the large end, and +intermixed with brown. + +"The nest is a deep cup, placed in the trifurcation of the slender +upright branch of a low shrub, and is constructed externally of coarse +grass-blades held together by cobwebs and seed-down, the lining being +fine grass-seed stalks. Diameter of the top 2½ inches; depth within 2 +inches; externally 3½ inches." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "the Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds from +July to September, or, I should say, up to the middle of September. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is not confined to any one +species, but by preference the bird selects those of small growth, +and even frequently high-growing brushwood. The nests are very neatly +made, and what is singular is that, as regards build and shape, they +are always almost exactly alike. If I have seen one, I must have seen +at least fifty this year, all with the same exterior material of +closely interlaced vegetable fibre over grass, and the inner lining of +fine grass, deep cup-shaped, and in diameter, outer and inner, varying +but little. Where it could be effected, the nest was suspended to, or +rather fastened between, two forks; or where these were not available, +between three twigs. The outer diameters of the nests were from 2·7 to +2·9 inches, inner from 2·3 to 2·5. Four is the regular number of eggs, +though occasionally five in one nest have been obtained." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"This species builds about Agra in May, June, +and July. The nest is a beautiful deep cup-shaped structure, almost +always fastened to a branch of a low bush. The normal number of eggs +appears to be four." + +From Kotagherry, near Ootacamund, Miss Cockburn records that "this +bird builds a neat cup-shaped nest, generally choosing a branch +consisting of three upright sprigs, at the bottom of which the +building is placed. The nests (one of which is now before me) are +begun with broad grass-leaves, and the inside compactly lined with +fine fibres of the same material: to render the whole firm, a few +cobwebs are added to the outside, thus fixing the nest securely to the +sprigs. These birds build in the months of June and July, and, as far +as I have observed, lay only three eggs." + +Mr. Philipps, quoted by Dr. Jerdon, says that this bird "_generally_ +builds on banyan-trees." This is clearly a mistake. I have known of +the taking, or have myself taken, altogether upwards of fifty nests +in the North-Western Provinces, whence Mr. Philipps was writing, and +never yet heard of or saw a nest of this species on a banyan. + +Mr. H. Wenden writes:--"At Egatpoora, the top of the Thull Ghât +incline, I noticed, on 30th September, a partly-built nest of this +species. Watching for some time, I ascertained that both birds shared +in the labour of construction. It was situated in the trifurcated +stalk of that plant which bears a clover-like blossom (called +Kessara-Hind and Koordoo-Mhar), about 3 feet above the ground, the +stalks passing through the side-walls of the nest, which cannot have +a better description than that given by Mr. Hume (page 238, 'Rough +Draft'). The first egg was laid on 2nd October, and another each +succeeding day until there were five. On the 10th the hen-bird was +shot and the nest taken. + +"On 30th October, in a garden near the same place, another nest was +found, on the twigs of a pangra tree, containing three young birds and +one egg." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Tolerably common in the Sholapoor +District; more so in the better-wooded parts, and breeds." + +Finally, Colonel Butler sends me the following note:-- + +"Belgaum, 14th September, 1880.--A nest in sugar-cane about 2 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. 17th September: another +nest in a sugar-cane field, containing five eggs about to hatch. In +both instances the nest was built, not on the blades of sugar-cane, +but on a solitary green-leaved weedy-looking plant growing amongst the +sugar-cane. + +"The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds during the rains. I have taken nests +on the following dates:-- + + "July 26, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "July 30, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 14, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 21, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 18, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "July 28, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"From this date to the end of August I found any number of nests +containing eggs of both types. The nest is usually built in the fork +of some low thorny tree from 3 to 7 feet from the ground. The outside +of the nest is usually smeared over with cobwebs, reminding one of the +nest of a _Rhipidura_" + +Mr. Oates writes:--"Breeds abundantly throughout Pegu in June, and +probably in the other months of the rains up to September." + +The eggs vary a good deal in size and shape, and very much in +colouring. They are mostly of a very broad oval shape, very obtuse +at the smaller end. Some are, however, slightly pyriform, and some a +little elongated. There are two very distinct types of coloration: one +has a pinkish-white ground, thickly and finely mottled and streaked +over the whole surface with more or less bright and deep brick-dust +red, so that the ground-colour only faintly shows through, here and +there, as a sort of pale mottling; in the other type the ground-colour +is pinkish white, somewhat _sparingly_, but boldly, blotched with +irregular patches and eccentric hieroglyphic-like streaks, often +Bunting-like in their character, of bright blood- or brick-dust red. +The eggs of this type, besides these primary markings, generally +exhibit towards the large end a number of pale inky-purple blotches or +clouds. There is a third type somewhat intermediate between these, in +which the ground-colour, instead of being finely freckled all over +as in the former, or sparingly blotched as in the latter, is very +coarsely mottled and clouded, as if clumsily daubed over by a child, +with a red intermediate in intensity between that usually observable +in the two first-described types. Combinations of these different +types of course occur, but fully two thirds can be separated +distinctly under the first and second varieties. Though much smaller, +many of the eggs recall those of the English Robin. The eggs have +often a fine gloss. I have one or two specimens so uniformly coloured +that, though perhaps slightly shorter and broader in form, they might +almost pass for the eggs of Cetti's Warbler. + +In length they vary from 0·65 to 0·8, and in breadth from 0·53 to +0·68; but the average of seventy-seven eggs measured is 0·73 by 0·59. + + +140. Pyctorhis nasalis, Legge. _The Ceylon Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis nasalis, _Legge, Hume, Cat._ no. 385 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"In the Western +Province this Babbler commences to breed in February; but in May I +found several nests in the Uva district near Fort Macdonald; and +that month would thus seem to be the nesting-season in the Central +Province. The nest is placed in the fork of a shrub, or in a huge tuft +of maana-grass, without any attempt at concealment, about 3 or 4 feet +from the ground. It is a neatly-made compact cup, well finished off +about the top and exterior, and constructed of dry grass, adorned with +cobwebs or lichens, and lined with fine grass or roots. The exterior +is about 2½ inches in diameter by about 2 in depth. The eggs are +usually three in number, fleshy white, boldly spotted, chiefly about +the larger end, with brownish sienna; in some these markings are +inclined to become confluent, and are at times overlaid with dark +spots oil brick-red. They are rather broad ovals, measuring, on +the average, from 0·76 to 0·79 inch in length, by 0·56 to 0·59 in +breadth." + + +142. Pellorneum mandellii, Blanf. _Mandelli's Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum nipalensis (__Hodgs._), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 399 +bis. + +This species, originally described by Hodgson as _Hemipteron +nipalensis_, was confounded by Gray and others with _P. ruficeps_, +Swainson, and subsequently rediscriminated and described by Blanford +as _P. mandellii_. + +Mandelli's Spotted Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, begins +to lay in April, the young being ready to fly in July. They build a +large, more or less oval, globular nest, laid lengthwise on the ground +in some bush or clump of rush or reed, composed of moss, dry leaves, +and vegetable fibres, and lined with moss-roots. The entrance, which +is circular, is at one end. A nest measured by Mr. Hodgson was 6·75 +inches in length and 5 in height. The aperture, at one end of the +egg-shaped nest, was about 2 inches in diameter, and the cavity was +about 2·5 in diameter and nearly 4 inches deep. The eggs are three or +four in number, and are figured as broad ovals pointed towards the +small end, measuring about 0·86 by 0·65, and having a greyish-white +ground, thickly speckled and spotted with more or less bright red or +brownish red, and most thickly so at the large end, where the markings +are nearly confluent. + +A nest said to belong to this species, and found near Darjeeling in +July, at an elevation of about 4000 feet, was placed on the ground on +the side of a bank--a very dirty untidy nest, more or less cylindrical +in shape, composed of dead leaves, including a good many of those of +the bamboo, dead twigs, and old roots, and very sparsely lined with +black moss-roots. The nest is about 4 inches in diameter externally, +and the cavity about 2-5 in diameter. + +It contained three fresh eggs, very regular, moderately broad, ovals; +the shell fine and compact, with a slight gloss. The ground-colour is +white, and the egg everywhere very finely speckled with chocolate- or +purplish brown, the markings being by far most dense at the large +end, where they form a more or less irregular, and more or less +conspicuous, speckly cap. + +Two eggs measure 0·86 and 0·9 in length, and 0·65 and 0·66 in breadth. + +Another nest, found on the 5th June in Native Sikhim, contained four +fresh eggs. It was placed on the ground, and precisely resembled that +obtained near Darjeeling in July. + +In some eggs the markings are rather bolder and coarser, and in +these there are generally some few pale lilac or inky-purple spots +intermingled where the markings are densest. Closely looked into, many +of the spots in some eggs are rather a pale yellowish brown. + +The eggs are clearly all of the same type, and vary very little. + +Four eggs varied from 0·84 to 0·9 in length, and from 0·65 to 0·68 in +breadth. + + +144. Pellorneum ruficeps, Swains., _The Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum ruficeps, _Swains., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 27; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 399. + +Writing from Kotagherry Miss Cockburn says:--"Spotted Babblers are +exceedingly shy. They associate in small flocks except during the +breeding-season, when they go about in pairs. I have only known them +to frequent small woods and brushwood, a little higher than the +elevation of the coffee-plantations. + +"Three nests of these birds were found in the months of March and +April 1871. The first was placed on the ground, close against a bush. +The nest, consisting of dry leaves and grass, appeared to be merely +a canopy for the eggs, which, were almost on the bare ground, having +only a _very few_ pieces of straw under them. The eggs were three +in number, and covered profusely with innumerable small dark spots, +making it difficult to say what the ground-colour really was. The nest +was not easily found. The bird left it so quietly as not to be heard, +and dropped down the hill like a ball. When the eggs were discovered +the bird did not return to them for fully three hours, after which she +came very cautiously, but only to meet her doom, poor thing, as she +was then shot. The second nest was built in the same way under a bush, +and contained three eggs, which were put into my egg-box lined +with cotton, but were hatched on the way home. The third nest was +constructed under a large stone and with the same materials, and +contained two young ones." + +An egg of this species, received from Miss Cockburn, is a moderately +broad and very regular oval. The ground-colour is a slightly greenish +white, and the whole surface of the egg is excessively finely freckled +and speckled with lilac or pale purplish grey and a more or less +rufous brown. The egg has a slight gloss. + +It measures 0·88 by 0·65. + + +145. Pellorneum subochraceum, Swinh. _The Burmese Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum subochraceum, _Swinh., Hume, Cat._ no. 399 sex. + +The Burmese Spotted Babbler breeds pretty well over the whole of Pegu +and Tenasserim. Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 3rd May I found a nest on +the ground near Pegu. A good many bamboo-leaves had fallen and the +nest was imbedded in these. It was formed entirely of these leaves +loosely put together, the interior only being sparingly lined with +fine grass. The structure _in situ_ was tolerably firm, but it would +not stand removal. In height it was about 7 inches, and in breadth +about 5, the longer axis being vertical. Shape cylindrical with +rounded top. Entrance 2½ inches by 1½, placed about the centre. The +interior of the nest was a rough sphere of 4 inches diameter. + +"There were three eggs, slightly incubated. The ground-colour is pure +white, and the whole surface is minutely and thickly speckled with +reddish-brown and greyish-purple spots, more closely placed at the +thick end, where they coalesce in places and form bold patches. + +"On the 29th June, I found another nest of similar construction, +placed on the ground in thick forest, at the root of a shrub." + +Mr. W. Davison in 1875 gave me the following note:--"On the morning +of the 25th March I took at Bankasoon a nest of this species in thick +forest; it was placed on the ground and was composed externally +of dead leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots and fibres. +It measured externally about 5 inches high by about 4 wide. The +egg-cavity was hardly 3 inches in diameter. The nest was only +partially domed, and was very loosely and carelessly put together. + +"The nest contained three eggs, but these were so far incubated that +it was impossible to blow two of them." + +The single egg of this species obtained by Mr. Davison is in shape a +moderately broad oval, a little pointed towards the small end; the +shell is fine, but has little gloss. The ground-colour, so far as this +is visible through the thickly-set markings, is white, and it is very +finely but densely stippled and freckled (most densely at the large +end, where the markings are not unfrequently confluent or nearly so) +with dull to bright reddish brown; here and there, especially about +the large end, more or less faint grey or red specks, spots, or tiny +clouds may be traced underlying as it were the brown or purplish +markings. + +The egg sent me from Pegu by Mr. Oates is of precisely the same size +and type, but the markings are much less dense and are brighter +coloured. The ground-colour is white, and the egg is pretty thickly +speckled with a reddish-chocolate brown. Here and there a moderately +large irregularly-shaped spot is intermingled with the finer +specklings. The markings are rather most dense at the large end, +where there is a tendency to form a zone, and here a number of pale +purplish-grey streaks and specks are also intermingled. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Early on the morning of the 7th April, +moving camp from the sources of the Thoungyeen, on the side of a hill +at the foot of a bamboo-bush not two feet from the road, I flushed +and shot a female of the above species off her nest; a little +loosely-put-together round ball of dry bamboo-leaves, unlined, though +domed over, with the entrance at the side, and containing two fresh +eggs, white, thickly speckled with brick-red and obscure purple. On +the 12th of the same month, I found a second nest behind the zayat or +rest-house at Meeawuddy. This was similar to the nest above described, +and contained three similar eggs." + +The eggs measure from ·78 to ·88 in length, and from ·58 to ·65 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is ·82 by ·62. + + +147. Pellorneum fuscicapillum (Bl.). _The Brown-capped Babbler_. + +Pellorneum fuscocapillum (_Bl), Hume, Cat._ no. 399 quint. + +Captain Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The nest of this +species is exceedingly difficult to find, and scarcely anything is +known of its nidification. Mr. Blyth succeeded in finding it in +Haputale at an elevation of 5500 feet. It was placed in a bramble +about 3 feet from the ground, and was cup-shaped, loosely constructed +of moss and leaves; it contained three young." + + +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (Eyton). _The Black-capped +Babbler_. + +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton), Hume, Cat._ no. 396 sex. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I got one nest of this bird at Klang. I was +passing through some very dense jungle, where the ground was very +marshy, when one of these birds rose from the ground about a couple of +feet in front of me, and alighted on an old stump some few feet away. +On examining the place from which the bird rose, I found the nest +placed at the base of a small clump of ferns, and concealed by a +number of overhanging withered fronds of the fern. The base of the +nest, which rested on the ground, was composed of a mass of dried +twigs, leaves, &c.; then came the real body of the nest, composed of +coarse fern-roots, the egg-cavity being lined with finer roots and +a number of hair-like fibres. It looked compactly and strongly put +together, but on trying to remove it, it all came to pieces. When the +bird saw me examining the nest it fluttered to within a couple of feet +of me, twittering in a most vehement manner, feigning a broken wing +to try and draw me away. The nest contained only two eggs, which were +slightly set." + +These eggs are extremely regular ovals, scarcely smaller, if at all, +at one end than at the other. The shell is very fine and fragile, but +has only a slight gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy +white, but the markings are so thickly set that little of this is +anywhere visible. First, pale inky-purple spots and clouds are thickly +sprinkled over the surface, and over this the whole egg is freckled +with a pale purplish brown. They measured 0·82 in length by 0·62 and +0·63 in breadth. + + +151. Drymocataphus tickelli. _Tickell's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma minus, _Hume_; _Hume, Cat._ no. 387 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham found the nest of this bird in the valley of the +Meplay river, Tenasserim, and he says:--"On the 15th March I found a +little domed nest made of dried bamboo-leaves, and lined with fine +roots, placed in a cane-bush a foot or so above the ground. It +contained three tiny white eggs, with minute pink dottings chiefly at +the larger end; one egg, however, is nearly pure white." + +One of these eggs taken by Major Bingham on the 15th March is a very +regular, somewhat elongated oval. The shell very fine and delicate, +and fairly glossy. The ground is china-white, and it is everywhere +speckled and spotted, nowhere very thickly, but most so in a zone near +one end, with pale ferruginous. It measured 0·67 by 0·51. + + +160. Turdinus abbotti (Bl.). _Abbott's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma abbotti (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 17. + +Abbott's Babbler breeds throughout Burma in suitable localities. +Writing from Kyeikpadein, in Southern Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the +22nd May I found a nest with two eggs nearly hatched, and on 23rd of +same month another with two eggs, one of which was fresh and the other +incubated. This bird builds in thick undergrowth, and the nest is +built at a height of about 2 feet from the ground. I have found very +many of their nests, but, with the above exceptions, the young had +flown. It is generally attached to a stout weed or two, and consists +of two portions. First, a platform of dead leaves about 6 inches in +diameter and 1 deep, placed loosely, and on this the nest proper is +built. This consists of a small cup, the interior diameter of which is +2 inches, and depth 1½. It is formed entirely of fine black fern-roots +well woven together. Stout weeds appear favourite sites, but I have +found old nests in dwarf palm-trees at the junction of the frond with +the trunk, and in one instance I found an old nest on the ground, +undoubtedly belonging to this bird. Three eggs measured ·84 by ·66, +·82 by ·67, and ·87 by ·65. They are very glossy and smooth. The +ground-colour is a pale pinkish white. At the cap there are a few +spots and short lines of inky-purple sunk into the shell, and over the +whole egg, very sparingly distributed, there are spots and irregular +fine scrawls of reddish brown. A few of the marks are neither spots +nor scrawls, but something like knots. The cap is suffused with a +darker tinge of pink than are the other parts of the shell. + +"A third nest, found on the 10th June, contained three eggs, and +differed from those above described in being very massive. It was +composed of dead leaves and fern-roots, and measured about 5 inches in +exterior diameter, with the egg-cup about 2½ inches broad and 2 inches +deep. It was placed on some entangled small plants about 2 feet from +the ground. Of these eggs I noted that before being blown the shell +was of a ruddy salmon colour. The marks are much as in the others +described above." + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at times towards +the small end, and occasionally slightly pyriform. The shell is fine +and glossy; the ground-colour is pinky white, with a redder shade +about the large end. A few streaks, spots, and hieroglyphics of a deep +brownish red, each more or less surrounded by a reddish nimbus, are +scattered very thinly about the surface of the egg, while, besides +these, a few small greyish-purple subsurface-looking spots may be +observed about the larger end. The average size of the seven eggs I +possess is 0·82 by 0·64. + + +163. Alcippe nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Babbler_. + +Alcippe nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 388. + +The Nepal Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds from March +to May, building a deep, massive, cup-shaped nest, firmly fastened +between two or three upright shoots, and laying three or four eggs, +which are figured as measuring 0·7 by 0·55. He has the following +note:-- + +"_Valley, April 1st_.--A pair and nest. Nest is round, 4 inches deep +on the outside and 2 inches within, and the same wide, being of the +usual soup-basin shape and open at the top, made of dry leaves bound +together with hair-like grass-fibres and moss-roots, which also form +the lining, further compacted by spiders' webs, which, being also +twisted round three adjacent twigs, form the suspenders of the nest, +the bottom of which does not rest upon anything; attached to a low +bush 1½ foot from the ground. The nest contained three eggs of a +pinkish-white ground thickly spotted with chestnut, the spots being +almost entirely confluent at the large end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me by the Lepchas. +The nest was loosely made with grass and bamboo-leaves, and the eggs +were white with a few reddish-brown spots." + +A nest of this species was found near Darjeeling in July, at an +elevation of between 3000 and 4000 feet. It was situated in a small +bush, in low brushwood, and placed only about 2 feet from the ground. +The nest is a compactly made and moderately deep cup. The exterior +portion of the nest is composed of bamboo-leaves, more or less held in +their places by fine horsehair-like black roots, with which also the +cavity is very thickly and neatly lined. Exteriorly the nest is about +3·75 inches in diameter, and nearly 3 in height. The cavity is 2·25 in +diameter and 1·6 in depth. + +The nest contained three nearly fresh eggs. The eggs are moderately +elongated ovals, very regular and slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and exhibits a slight gloss. The ground-colour +is white or pinkish white, and they are _very_ minutely speckled all +over with purplish red. The specklings exhibit a decided tendency to +form a more or less perfect, and more or less confluent, cap or zone +at the large end. + +Two of the eggs measure 0·72 and 0·71 in length, and 0·54 and 0·52 in +breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only found this Babbler +breeding in May at elevations about 5000 feet, but it doubtless breeds +also at much lower elevations, probably down to 2000 feet. The nests +are placed within 2 or 3 feet of the ground, between several +slender upright shoots, to which they are firmly attached. They are +exceedingly neat and compact-built cups, measuring externally about 4 +inches across by 2·75 deep, internally 2·15 wide by 1·6 deep. They are +composed of dry bamboo-leaves held together by a little grass and very +fine, hair-like fern-roots. The egg-cavity is lined with fern-roots. + +"The eggs are three or four in number." + +Numerous nests of this species kindly sent me by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, and others, taken during the months of May and June in +British and Native Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5500 feet, +were all of the same type and placed in the same situations, namely +amongst low scrub and brushwood, at heights of from 18 inches to 3 +feet from the ground. The interior and, in fact, the main body of +the nests appear to be in all cases chiefly composed of fine black +hair-like roots, with which, in some cases, especially about the +upper margin, a little fine grass is intermingled. The cavities are +generally much about the same size, say ~2 inches in diameter by 1·25 +in depth: but the size of the nests as a whole varies very much. The +nest is always coated exteriorly with dry leaves of trees and ferns, +broad blades of grass, and the like, fixed together sometimes by mere +pressure, but generally here and there held together by fine fibrous +roots, and this coating varies so much that one nest before me +measures 5·5 in external diameter, and another barely 4, the external +covering of fern-leaves, flags, and dry and dead leaves being very +abundant in the former, while in the other the covering consists +entirely of broad dry blades of grass very neatly laid together. Two, +three, and four fresh eggs were found in these several nests, but in +no case were more than four eggs found. + +Two nests taken by Mr. Gammie contained three and two fresh eggs +respectively. The eggs had a delicate pink ground, and were richly +blotched, in one egg exclusively, in the others chiefly about the +larger end, with chestnut, or almost maroon-red, here and there almost +deepening in spots to black, and elsewhere paling off into a rufous +haze. The markings are confluent about the large end, and there in +places intermingled with a purplish tinge. The other eggs had a +china-white ground, with more gloss than the specimens previously +described, with numerous small, blackish brownish-red spots and +specks, almost exclusively confined to the large end, where they are +more or less enveloped in a pinky-red nimbus. + +These eggs varied from 0·75 to 0·79 in length, and from 0·56 to 0·6 in +breadth. + +Other eggs, again, with the same pinky-white ground are thickly but +minutely freckled and speckled with rather pale brownish red, most +thickly towards and about the large end, where they become confluent +in patches, and where tiny purple clouds and spots are dimly +traceable. + + +164. Alcippe phaeocephala (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri Babbler_. + +Alcippe poiocephala (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E.._ no. 389. + +The Nilghiri Babbler breeds, apparently, throughout the hilly regions +of Southern India. It lays from January to June. A nest taken near +Neddivattam by Mr. Davison on the 5th April was placed between the +fork of three twigs of a bush, at the height of 5 or 6 feet from +the ground. It was a deep cup, massive enough but very loosely put +together, and composed of green moss, dead leaves, a little grass and +moss-roots. It was entirely lined with rather coarse black moss-roots. +In shape it was nearly an inverted cone, some 3½ inches in diameter +at top, and fully 5 inches in height. The cavity was over 2 inches +in diameter and nearly 2 inches in depth. A few cobwebs are here and +there intermingled in the external surface, but the grass-roots appear +to have been chiefly relied on for holding the nest together. + +Another nest found by Miss Cockburn on the 5th June on a small bush, +about 7 or 8 feet in height, standing on the banks of a stream, was +somewhat different. It was placed in the midst of a clump of leaves, +at the tips of three or four little twigs, between which the nest +was partly suspended and partly wedged in. It was composed of fine +grass-stems, with a few grass-and moss-roots as a lining interiorly, +and with several dead leaves and a good deal of wool incorporated +in the outer surface, the greater portion of which, however, was +concealed by the leaves of the twigs amongst which it was built. It +was only about 3½ inches in diameter, and the egg-cavity was less than +2½ inches across, and not above 1½ inch in depth. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"This bird breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris +in the latter end of March and April. The nest is uncommonly like that +of _Trochalopterum cachinnans_, but is of course smaller; it is deep +and cup-shaped, composed externally of moss and dead leaves, and +is lined with moss and fern-roots. It is always (as far as I have +observed) fastened to a thin branch about 6 feet from the ground. All +the nests I have ever observed were on small trees in the shadiest +parts of the jungle, far in, and never near the edge of the jungle +or in the open. The eggs are very handsome, and are, I think, the +prettiest of the eggs to be found on the Nilghiris and their slopes. +The ground-colour is of a beautiful reddish pink (especially when +fresh), blotched and streaked with purplish carmine." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, says:--"The Nilghiri Quaker-Thrush breeds +on the slopes of the Nilghiri hills, generally in the depths of the +forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle. I have also +found the nest at Neddivattam in April. + +"In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, about +2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet from the +ground." + +Mr. T.F. Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"This bird breeds +commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that of any +other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, and grass. +It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the middle of +jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by 1¾-2 in depth. The full +number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on + + "April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. + Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. + Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. + April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated." + +As in the case of _Pyctorhis sinensis_, the eggs differ much in colour +and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss Cockburn +from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse at the larger +end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller. The shell is fine and +somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they +are thickly mottled and freckled, most thickly at the larger end, +where the markings form a more or less confluent mottled cap, with +two shades of pinkish-, and in some spots slightly brownish, red, and +towards the large end, where the markings are dense, traces of pale +purple clouds underlying the primary markings are observable. In +general appearance these eggs not a little resemble those of some of +the Bulbuls, and it seems difficult to believe that they are eggs of +birds of the same genus as _Alcippe atriceps_[A], the eggs of which +are so much smaller and of such a totally different type. Two eggs +of the same species taken by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy +shell. The ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty +large and conspicuous spots and hair-lines of deep brownish red, +almost black, and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and +clouds, generally lying round or about the dark spots; and then +towards the large end there are several small clouds and patches of +faint inky purple, which appear to underlie the other markings. The +character of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly +of those of the Chaffinch. Other eggs taken later by Miss Cockburn at +Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate between the two +types above described. + +[Footnote A: _Alcippe atriceps_ and _Alcippe phaeocephala_, as they +have hitherto been styled by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the +least congeneric, as I have pointed out in my 'Birds of India.' I am +glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. Hume's remarks on the +eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should be considered +congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. Their +structure differs much.--ED.] + +All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in length +from 0·75 to 0·86, and in breadth from 0·58 to 0·65. + + +165. Alcippe phayrii, Bl. _The Burmese Babbler_. + +Alcippe phayrii, _Bl., Hume, Cat._ no. 388 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"In the half-dry bed of +one of the many streams that one has to cross between Kaukarit and +Meeawuddy, I found on the 23rd February a nest of the above species. A +firm little cup, borne up some 2 feet above the ground on the fronds +of a strong-growing fern, to three of the leaf-stems of which it +was attached. It was made of vegetable fibres and roots, and lined +interiorly with fine black hair-like roots, on which rested three +fresh eggs, in colour pinky white, blotched and streaked with dull +reddish pink, and with faint clouds and spots of purple. The eggs +measure ·79 x ·58, ·78 x ·58, and ·76 x ·59." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, informs us that on the 9th April he "took +three fresh eggs of _Alcippe phayrii_, in heavy jungle, at a very low +elevation, at the foot of Nwalabo in Tenasserim. The nest was built +in a small bush 4 feet from the ground (hanging between two forked +twigs), of bamboo and other leaves, moss, and a few fine twigs, and +lined with moss and fern-roots, 2 inches in diameter, 1½ deep. It +was exactly like very many nests of _A. phaeocephala_, taken on the +Nilghiri Hills, though some of the latter are much more compact and +pretty." + +Mr. W. Davison, also writing of Tenasserim, says:--"On the 1st +March, in a little bush about 2 feet above the ground, I found the +above-mentioned bird seated on a little moss-made nest, and utterly +refusing to move off until I almost touched her, when she hopped on to +a branch a few feet off, and disclosed three little naked fledglings +struggling or just struggled out of their shells. I retired a little +way off, and she immediately reseated herself. The eggs, to judge by +the fragments, were of a vinous claret tinge, spotted and streaked +with a darker shade of the same." + +These eggs closely resemble those of _A. nepalensis_. They are neither +broad nor elongated ovals, often with a _slight_ pyriform tendency, +always apparently very blunt at both ends. + +The ground-colour, of which but little is visible, in some eggs varies +from pinky white to pale reddish pink, and the egg is profusely +smeared and clouded with pinky or purplish red, varying much in +shade and tint. Here and there, in most eggs, are a few spots, or +occasionally short, crooked or curved lines, where the colour has +been laid on so thick that it is almost black, and such spots are +generally, though not always, more or less surrounded with a haze of a +rather deeper tint than the rest of the smear in which they occur. The +markings are often deepest coloured, or most conspicuous, about the +large end, where occasionally a recognizable cap is formed and there +a decided purplish tinge may be noticed in patches. The general +character of the eggs is very uniform; but the eggs vary to such a +degree _inter se_, that it is hopeless to attempt to describe all the +variations. They vary in length from 0·68 to 0·78 and in breadth from +0·53 to 0·59, but the average of nine eggs is 0·75 by 0·58. + + +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (Jerd.) _The Black-headed Babbler_. + +Alcippe atriceps (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 19; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 390. + +Writing from Coonoor in the Nilghiris, Mr. Wait tells me that +the Black-headed Babbler breeds in his neighbourhood in June and +July:--"It builds in weeds and grass beside the banks of old roads, at +elevations of from 5000 to 5500 feet. The nest is placed at a height +of from a foot to 2 feet from the ground, is domed and loosely built, +composed almost entirely of dry blades of the lemon-grass, and lined +with the same or a few softer grass-blades. In shape it is more or +less ovate, the longer axis vertical, and the external diameters 4 and +8 inches. They lay two or three rather broad oval eggs, which have a +white ground, speckled and spotted, chiefly at the large end, with +reddish brown." + +Miss Cockburn sends me a nest of this species which she found on the +17th June amongst reeds on the edge of a stream, about 2 or 3 feet +above the water's edge. It appears to have been a globular mass very +loosely put together, of broad reed-leaves, between 3 or 4 inches in +diameter, and with a central unlined cavity. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson, writing from Mysore, says:--"I have only met with +this bird in heavy bamboo-forest, and have only found two nests, viz., +on the 25th May and 2nd July, 1879. Both nests were fixed low down (2 +to 3 feet) in bamboo-clumps, and each contained two eggs, which, for +the size of the bird, I considered very large. Nest globular, and very +loosely constructed of bamboo-leaves and blades of grass." + +An egg sent me from Coonoor by Mr. Wait is a moderately broad, very +regular oval, only slightly compressed towards the smaller end. The +shell is very fine and satiny, but has only a slight gloss. The +ground-colour is white or slightly greyish white, and towards the +large end it is profusely speckled with minute dots of brownish and +purplish red, a few specks of the same colour being scattered about +the rest of the surface of the eggs. + +Another egg sent me from Kotagherry by Miss Cockburn exactly +corresponds with the above description. + +Both are precisely the same in size, and measure 0·75 by 0·55. +Other eggs measure from 0·75 to 0·79 in length by 0·53 to 0·58 in +breadth[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon (S.F. ix, p. 300) gives +an interesting account of the nest and eggs of a species of +_Rhopocichla_, which he failed to identify satisfactorily. It may have +been _R. atriceps_ or _R. bourdilloni_. Most probably, judging from +the locality, it was the latter. As, however, there is a doubt about +it, I do not insert the note.--ED.] + + +167. Rhopocichla nigrifrons (Bl.). _The Black-fronted Babbler_. + +Alcippe nigrifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 390 ter. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of the Black-fronted +Babbler in Ceylon:--"After finding hundreds of the curious dry-leaf +structures, mentioned in 'The Ibis,' 1874, p. 19, entirely void of +contents, and having come almost to the conclusion that they were +built as roosting-places, I at last came on a newly-constructed one +containing two eggs, on the 5th of January last; the bird was in the +nest at the time, so that my identification of the eggs was certain. +The nest of this Babbler is generally placed in a bramble or +straggling piece of undergrowth near a path in the jungle or other +open spot; it is about 3 or 4 feet from the ground, and is entirely +made of dead leaves and a few twigs; the leaves are laid one over +another horizontally, forming a smooth bottom or interior. In external +form it is a shapeless ball about 8 or 10 inches in diameter, and has +an unfinished opening at the side. The birds build with astonishing +quickness, picking up the leaves one after another from the ground +just beneath the nest. When fresh the eggs are fleshy white, becoming +pure white when emptied; they are large for the size of the bird, +rather stumpy ovals, of a smooth texture, and spotted openly and +sparingly with brownish red, over bluish-grey specks; in one specimen +the darker markings are redder than in the other, and ran mostly in +the direction of the axis. Dimensions: 0·74 by 0·56 and 0·74 by 0·55." + + +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, Hodgs. _The Black-throated Babbler_. + +Stachyris nigriceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p, 21; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 391. + +I have never taken a nest of this species, the Black-throated Babbler, +but Mr. Gammie, a careful observer, in whose neighbourhood (Rungbee, +near Darjeeling) this bird is very abundant, has taken many nests, two +of which he has sent me, with many eggs. + +One nest, found at Rishap, on the 14th May, at an elevation of about +4000 feet, contained four nearly fresh eggs. It was a very loose +structure, a shallow cup of about 3½ inches in diameter, composed of +fine grass-stems without any lining, and coated externally with broad +coarse grass-blades. + +Another nest taken low down in the valley, at about an elevation of +2000 feet, on the 17th June, contained three fresh eggs. It was placed +in a bank at the foot of a shrub. Like the previous one, it was a +loose but rather deeper cup, interiorly composed of moderately fine +grass, exteriorly of dead leaves. The egg-cavity measured about 2 +inches in diameter, and 1½ inch in depth. _In situ_, both probably +were more or less domed, the cups more or less overhung by a hood or +canopy. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I have seen numerous nests of this species in +former years, and have found two this season, but have never seen +eggs with 'faint darker spots' as mentioned by Jerdon. Hodgson's +description is quite correct. The eggs are a 'pale fawn-colour' +_before they are blown_, the shells being so translucent that the yolk +shows through partially. The shell is pure white in itself. The cavity +of the cup-shaped part of one nest beside me is 2 inches deep by 2 +inches wide; outer dimensions 5¾ inches deep (from top of hood) by 4 +inches wide across the face of entrance. It is loosely though neatly +made of bamboo-leaves and fern, lined with dry grass. The bird breeds +in May and June, and lays four or five eggs." + +Mr. Eugene Gates tells us that he "procured only one specimen of this +bird, and that was in the evergreen forests of the Pegu Hills. I shot +it off the nest on the 29th April. The nest was on a bank of a nullah +well concealed among dead leaves, about 2 feet above the bottom of +the bank. The nest is domed, about 7 inches in height and 5 inches in +diameter externally, with the entrance at the side near the top. The +outside is a mass of bamboo-leaves very loose, being in no way bound +together; each leaf is curled to the shape of the nest. The inside, a +thin lining only of vegetable fibres. There were three eggs, just on +the point of hatching; colour, pure white." + +The Black-throated Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, in April +and May, and builds a large deep cup-shaped nest, either upon the +ground in the midst of grass, or at a short distance above the +ground between five or six thin twigs; a nest which he measured was +externally 4·5 inches in diameter and 3·5 in height, while the cavity +was 2·5 in diameter and 2 in depth. The nest is composed of dry +bamboo- and other leaves wound together with grass and moss-roots, and +lined with these, and is a very firm compact structure, considering +the materials. They lay four or five eggs, which are figured as +very regular rather broad ovals, of a nearly uniform, very pale +_café-au-lait_ colour (these were the _unblown_ eggs), measuring about +0·75 by 0·58. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me at +Darjeeling, and said to be of this species. The nest was rather large, +very loosely made of bamboo-leaves and fibres, and the eggs were of a +pale salmon-colour, with some faint darker spots." + +There is no doubt that these must have been the eggs of some other +species. + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"This little bird, though not at all +common, breeds in the Sinzaway Reserve, in Tenasserim. I took five +hard-set eggs, placed in a beautiful little domed nest, at the foot of +a clump of bamboos, on the bank of a dry choung or nullah. This was on +the 20th March. The nest was composed exteriorly of dry bamboo-leaves, +and interiorly of fine grass-roots, the entrance being on one side. I +shot the female as she crept off the nest." + +It does not seem that in the Himalayas this species domes its nest. +Numerous other nests that have been sent me from Sikhim, taken in May, +June, and July, were all of the same type--shallow or deeper cups +loosely put together, exteriorly composed of coarse blades of grass, +dead leaves, bamboo-spathes and the like, held together with a little +vegetable fibre or fibrous roots, and interiorly of fine grass +generally more or less mingled with blackish roots, which in some +nests greatly predominate over the grass. + +The eggs are broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, in some +cases slightly pyriform. They are pure white, spotless, and fairly +glossy. + +They vary from 0·68 to 0·84 in length, and from 0·55 to 0·61 in +breadth, but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0·76 by somewhat over +0·58. + + +170. Stachyrhis chrysaea, Hodgs. _The Golden-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris chrysaea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 394. + +Mr. Blyth remarks:--"The egg, as figured by Mr. Hodgson, is pinkish +white, and the nest domed and placed on the summit of a sedge. _S. +praecognita_ lays a blue egg." (Ibis, 1866, p. 309.) + +There is no figure of either the nest or eggs of the Golden-headed +Babbler amongst the drawings of Mr. Hodgson that I possess. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird out of a +large forest, at 5000 feet elevation, on the 15th May. It is of an +oval shape, neatly made of small bamboo-leaves only, devoid of lining, +and was fixed vertically between a few upright sprays, within two feet +of the ground. It measures externally 5·25 inches in height by 4 in +diameter; internally 1·5 in depth, from lip of egg-cavity, by 1·75 in +diameter. The entrance is also 1·75 across. + +"The eggs were four in number; three of them well set and the fourth +quite fresh. The set eggs were altogether pure white, but the fresh +egg, unblown, was of a pinky-white colour with a pure white cap; when +blown it exactly resembled the others." + +The eggs sent as pertaining to this species by Mr. Gammie are very +regular ovals, pure white, and somewhat glossy, but they are so small +that I can scarcely credit their really belonging to this species. +Their cubit contents are not half those of the average eggs of _S. +nigriceps_. They measure 0·63 by 0·48. + + +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps, Bl. _The Red-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 393. + +The Red-headed Babbler breeds in Nepal, according to Mr. Hodgson, +from April to June, building a large massive cup-shaped nest amongst +bamboos, as a rule, at heights of from 7 to 10 feet from the ground. +The nest is wedged in between half a dozen or more creepers and +shoots, and is composed almost exclusively of dry bamboo-leaves +neatly, but rather loosely, interwoven, and lined also with these +leaves. One which he measured was rather oval in shape, 5·25 inches in +diameter one way, by 4 the other, and 3·6 in height. The leaves used +in the rim of the cup were projected a little inwards, so as to make +the mouth of the cavity a little smaller than the diameter of this +latter within. The diameter of the mouth was 2 inches, that of the +cavity 2·5, and the latter is about 1·5 deep. Four eggs are laid, a +sort of brownish white, speckled and spotted with brown or reddish +brown. The egg figured measures 0·7 by 0·52, and is a moderately +broad, regular oval. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs, said to be of this species, were +brought to me at Darjeeling. The nest was a loose structure of grass +and fibres, and contained two eggs of a greenish-white colour with +some rusty spots." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of this Babbler in +April; one of them at an elevation of 3500 feet, the other at 5000 +feet, but it no doubt breeds also both lower and higher. They are of +a neat egg-shape, with entrance at side, and were fixed vertically +between a few upright sprays, within three feet of the ground, in open +situations near large trees. Mr. Hodgson evidently did not take the +one he describes with his own hands, for he places it horizontally, +which gives a height of 3·6 inches only. The external dimensions are +about 5·5 inches in height and 4 in diameter. Internally the diameter +is 2 inches, and the depth, from roof, 3·25. The entrance is 2 across. +They are composed of dry bamboo-leaves only, put neatly and firmly +together, and are lined with a very few grassy fibres. They each +contained four well-set eggs." + +Mr. Mandelli, however, took a nest of this species at Lebong on the +23rd June, in the middle of a tea-bush which grew at the side of a +small ravine, which was neither hooded nor domed. The nest was about +18 inches from the ground and completely sheltered from above +by tea-leaves. It was a deep cup composed externally chiefly of +bamboo-leaves, but with a good many dead leaves of trees incorporated +in the base, and lined with very fine grass-stems. It contained four +fresh eggs. It is quite clear that this species, like _S. nigriceps_, +only domes its nest in certain situations. + +The eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie and Mr. Mandelli are very regular, +slightly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine and compact, but has +only a faint gloss. The ground is white and round the larger end is a +zone or imperfect cap of specks and spots of brownish red, generally +intermingled with tiny spots, usually very faint, of pale purple. A +few specks and spots brown, yellowish, or reddish brown, and sometimes +also pale purple, are scattered about the rest of the egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·64 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·50 to +0·53, but the average of eight eggs was 0·68 by 0·52 nearly. + + +174. Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Babbler_. + +Stachyris pyrrhops, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 21; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 392. + +Accounts differ somewhat as to the eggs of the Red-billed Babbler. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Nest found in low +ground, about 100 yards from the River Jheelum, situated in a low +bush, externally composed of broad dry reed-leaves, and interiorly of +fine grass, cup-shaped. Eggs, four in number, long oval, white, with a +few reddish specks at the larger end. Length ·7, breadth ·5. Lays in +the latter end of June, 4000 feet up." + +The nest, which he kindly sent me, is a deep cup, coarsely made +interiorly of grass-stems, externally of broad blades of grass, +in which a few dead leaves are incorporated; there is no lining. +Exteriorly the nest is about 3·5 inches in diameter, and about 3 in +depth; the egg-cavity is a little more than 2 inches in diameter, and +fully 1·75 in depth. + +Mr. Hodgson "found the nest" of this species in Nepal, "at an +elevation of about 6000 feet, in shrubby upland." It was "placed in a +small shrub about 2 feet from the ground." It was "a very deep cup, +about 4 inches in length, and 2·5 in diameter externally, placed +obliquely endwise upon cross-stems of the shrub, and opening, as it +were obliquely, upwards at one end," the cavity being about 1·5 in +diameter. The nest was made of "dry leaves and grass pretty compactly +woven." The nest "contained four eggs," which are described as +"whitish, with spare and faint fawn-coloured spots," and are figured +as measuring 0·65 by 0·47. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a common species both in the Dhoon +and in the hills, and may be found at all seasons, making known its +presence among the brushwood by the utterance of a clear and musical +note like the ringing of a tiny bell. In the winter time it is often +mixed up with flocks composed of _Siva strigula_ and _Liothriae +luteus_, creeping among the bushes like the _Pari_ and _Phylloscopi_. +It constructs its nest at the base of bushes, the eggs being three +in number, of a faint greenish grey, thickly irrorated with small +reddish-brown specks. The nest is composed of dry grass-blades +externally, within which is a layer of fine woody stalks and fibres, +and lined with black hair. It is cup-shaped, and placed upon a thick +bed of dried leaves, which are most probably accumulated beneath the +bush by the wind. One nest was taken at Dehra, in a garden, on the +30th July, and others at Mussoorie about the same time." + +But the eggs sent by Captain Hutton clearly do not, I think, pertain +to this species. Those taken by Colonel Marshall are certainly +genuine, and are considerably larger and very differently coloured +eggs. + +In shape they are moderately broad ovals, some of them slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is very fine and smooth, +but with scarcely any gloss; the ground is pure white, and they are +thinly speckled and spotted, the markings being much more numerous +about the large end, where they have a tendency to form an ill-defined +cap or zone with brownish red or pinky brown. + +In length they vary from 0·62 to 0·69, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·52. + + +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (Blyth). _The Red-winged Babbler_. + +Cyanoderma erythropterum, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 396 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison found the nest of the Red-winged Babbler at Bankasoon +on the 23rd April, just when he was leaving the place. Unfortunately +the birds had not yet laid. The nest was a ball composed of dry +reed-leaves, about 6 inches in diameter. Externally, with a circular +aperture on one side, very like that of _Mixornis rubricapillus_ +and of _Dumetia_, and again not at all unlike that of _Ochromela +nigrorufa_, but placed in a bush about 4 feet high and not on the +ground. + + +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (Tick.). _The Yellow-breasted Babbler_. + +Mixornis rubricapilla (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 23; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 395. + +This, though said to occur also in Central India, is a purely +Indo-Burmese form, found chiefly in the Eastern sub-Himalayan jungles, +Assam, Cachar, Burma, and Tenasserim. + +It is only from this latter province that I have any information as to +the nidification of the Yellow-breasted Babbler. + +Mr. Davison writes to me:--"At a small village, called Shymootee or +Tsinmokehtee, about 7 miles from the town of Tavoy, and very slightly +above the sea-level, say 50 feet, I found on the 6th of May, 1874, a +nest of this species. The nest was placed in a dense clump of a very +thorny plant (somewhat like a pineapple bush) about a foot from the +ground; it was not particularly well concealed. The nest was built of +bamboo-leaves, and in general appearance was not at all unlike that of +_Ochromela nigrorufa_; but the egg-cavity was very shallow, so that +by moving aside an overhanging leaf the eggs were distinctly visible. +There were three partially incubated eggs in the nest, a somewhat dull +white, spotted with pinkish dots." + +The nest is more or less egg-shaped, the longer axis vertical, with a +circular aperture on one side near the top. + +The exterior diameters are 5 and nearly 4 inches. The aperture about +1·5 in diameter. The cavity is barely 2 inches in diameter, and only +1·25 deep below the lower edge of the entrance. + +Both nest and eggs strongly recall those of _Dumetia hyperythra_. The +former is composed of the broad, grass-like leaves of the bamboo, and +with only a few stems of grass here and there intermingled as if by +accident. In the sides of the cavity the leaf-blades are so neatly +laid together, side by side, that the interior seems as if planked, +and at the bottom of the cavity there is a very scanty lining of very +fine grass-stems. + +Mr. Oates says:--"I found a nest on the 2nd June near Pegu, with three +eggs. Failing to snare the bird at once, I left the nest for a short +time, and on my return found the eggs gone. I am satisfied, however, +that the nest belonged to the present species; for I caught a glimpse +of the sitting bird. The nest was built on the top of a stump, well +concealed by leafy twigs, except the entrance, which was open to view. +It was a ball of grass with the opening at the side. + +"_28th June_.--Nest in a shrub about 10 feet from the ground. A domed +structure with an opening at the side 3 inches high by 2 broad. Height +of nest about 6 and outside width 4. Made entirely of bamboo-leaves +and lined sparingly with grass. Eggs 3. + +"I have found numerous nests of this species, but always after the +young had flown. They appear almost always to be placed in shrubs at +heights of 2 to 10 feet from the ground. One nest, however, on which I +watched the birds at work, was in a pineapple plant between the stalk +of the fruit and one of the leaves, almost on the ground." + +The eggs are regular ovals, moderately elongated, only very slightly +compressed towards the smaller end, which is only just appreciably +smaller. + +The shell is very fine and delicate, excessively smooth and fragile, +but with only a faint gloss. The ground is a dead white, with perhaps +the least possible pinkish tinge. The markings consist of _tiny_ +specks of brownish or purplish red and pale yellowish brown, thinly +scattered over the rest of the surface, but comparatively densely +clustered round the larger end, where they form a rather conspicuous +though irregular and imperfect zone, apparent enough in all, but much +more strongly marked in one egg than in the others. + +In some eggs the markings are all rather bright red and dull purplish +grey; some have a very fair amount of gloss, and a very pure +china-white ground. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·65 to 0·71, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·53. + + +177. Mixornis gularis (Raffl.). _The Sumatran Yellow-breasted +Babbler_. + +Mixornis gularis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 395 bis. + +The eggs[A] are very similar to those of _M. rubricapillus_, but +are, perhaps, as a rule, better marked. They are very regular ovals, +typically rather slightly elongated, often slightly compressed towards +the small end; the shell is very fine and fragile, and has usually a +fair amount of gloss. The ground is usually pure white, at times with +a pinkish tinge. Round the large end is a more or less conspicuous, +more or less continuous zone of specks, spots, and small irregular +blotches of two colours, the one varying in different eggs from +almost brick-red to brownish orange, the other from reddish purple to +purplish grey. In some cases a very few, in others a good many, specks +and tiny spots of the same colours are scattered about the other +portions of the egg. The eggs measure 0·7 by 0·51. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species. +Mr. Davison was probably the finder of the eggs described.--ED.] + + +178. Schoeniparus dubius (Hume). _Hume's Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus dubius, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 622 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison has furnished me with the following note:--"On the +21st of February I took a nest of this species on Muleyit mountain +containing two eggs, and out of the female which I shot off the nest +I took another egg ready for expulsion which was in every particular +precisely similar to those in the nest. + +"The nest was a large globular structure, composed externally of dried +reed-leaves, very loosely put together, the egg-cavity deep and lined +with fibres. It was placed on the ground close to a rock, and at the +foot of a Zingiberaceous plant, and rather exposed to view. The nest +was not unlike that of _Pomatorhinus_, but of course considerably +smaller, not so much domed, and with the mouth of the egg-cavity +pointing upwards. + +"A few days later, on the 25th, I took a second nest, quite similar in +shape and materials to the first one, but placed several feet above +the ground, in a dense mass of creepers growing over a rock. It was +quite exposed to view, and from a distance of 3 or 4 feet the eggs +were quite visible. + +"There were three eggs in the nest, similar to those in the first +nest. Both parent birds were obtained. The first nest measured 5 +inches long by 4·5 wide, the egg-cavity 3·8 deep by 2·75 wide at the +entrance. The other was about half an inch smaller each way. + +"The measurements of the six eggs varied from 0·76 to 0·81 in length +by 0·56 to 0·6 in width, but the average was 0·78 by 0·59." + +The eggs are rather narrow ovals, as a rule, occasionally much pointed +towards one end. The shell is very fine and has a faint gloss. The +ground-colour is white. The markings, which are difficult to describe, +consist first of spots, specks, and hair-line scratches, dark brown, +almost black occasionally, and a great amount of irregular clouding, +streaking, and smudging of a pale dirty-brown, slightly reddish in +some eggs. Besides this, about the large end there is an indistinct +irregular zone of faint inky purple spots and small blotches, and a +few spots of this same colour may be observed on other parts of the +egg. + + +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Tit-Babbler_. + +Minla castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 255; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 619. + +Mr. Hodgson's notes inform us that the Chestnut-headed Tit-Babbler +breeds in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling in May and June, laying four +eggs, which are figured as somewhat elongated ovals, having a very +pale greenish-yellow or dingy yellowish-white ground finely speckled, +chiefly at the large end, where there is a tendency to form a zone, +with red or brownish red, and measuring 0·75 by 0·52. The nest is said +to be placed in a thick bush, at a height of about 3 feet from the +ground, in a double fork; to be very broad and shallow, composed of +twigs, grass, and moss, and lined with leaves. One, taken on the 18th +May, 1846, measured 6 inches in diameter and 2·5 in height externally; +the cavity was only 2·1 in diameter and 1 in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this bird, with one fresh +egg and female, was brought to me in May. The man said he found the +nest in the Rungbee forest, at 6000 feet, among the moss growing on +the trunk of a large tree, a few feet from the ground. It was a solid +cup, made of green moss, with an inner layer of fine dark-coloured +roots, and lined with grassy fibres. Externally it measured 4 inches +in width by the same in depth; internally 1·5 wide by 1·25 deep." + +Three eggs sent by Mr. Gammie measure 0·7 to 0·75 in length and 0·55 +to 0·59 in breadth. + +Mr. Davison says:--"On the 20th of February, when encamped just under +the summit of Muleyit, on its N.W. slope, I found a nest of this bird +containing three eggs, but so hard-set that it was only with the +greatest difficulty that I managed to preserve them. + +"The nest, a deep cup, was placed about 5 feet from the ground, in +a mass of creepers growing up a sapling. It (the nest) was composed +externally of green moss and lined with fibres and dry bamboo-leaves. + +"On the 29th of the same month I took another nest, also containing +three eggs, precisely similar to those in the first nest; but these +were so far incubated and the shell was so fragile that they were +all lost. This nest was also composed externally of green moss, +beautifully worked into the moss growing on the trunk of a large tree, +and it was only with considerable difficulty, and after looking for +some time, that I found it. The egg-cavity of this nest was also lined +with fibres and dried bamboo-leaves. + +"The first nest found was open at the top, and measured 5·5 inches in +depth, 3 across the top externally, the egg-cavity 3·5 in depth by 1·8 +in diameter at top. + +"The second nest was completely domed at the top, and measured +externally 7 inches in depth by about 3·5 at top. The egg-cavity was +2·5 inches deep by 1·5 across the mouth. + +"Three eggs measured 0·7 to 0·75 in length, and 0·55 to 0·59 in +breadth." + +The eggs are broad ovals, a little pointed towards the small end, +the shell white, almost devoid of gloss. A dense ring or zone of +excessively small black spots surrounds the large end, and similar +specks are rather sparsely distributed over the whole of the rest of +the surface of the egg, having, however, a tendency to become obsolete +towards the small end. Sometimes a little brown and sometimes a little +lilac is intermingled in the zone. + + +183. Proparus vinipectus (Hodgs.). _The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 257; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 622. + +The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler is not uncommon in the higher wooded hills +between Simla and Kotegurh, and from somewhere near Mutiana Captain +Blair sent me a nest and egg, together with one of the old birds which +had been caught on the nest. + +This latter was a rather compact massive cap, composed of moderately +fine blades of grass, measuring externally about 4¼ inches in diameter +and standing about 2¼ inches high. The egg-cavity, about 2 inches in +diameter and rather in more than half an inch deep, was lined with +fine blackish-brown grass-roots. Neither nest nor egg is exactly what +I should have expected to pertain to this species; but Captain Blair +was certain that they belonged to the parent bird which he sent with +them, and I therefore describe both with entire confidence in their +authenticity. + +The egg is a moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed towards +one end; it has a pale-green ground, and near the large end has a +strongly marked but very irregular sepia-brown zone, and pale stains +of the same colour here and there running down the egg from the zone, +as well as a few isolated dark spots of the same tint. Although much +smaller, and although the colour of the markings is very different, +the ground-colour and the character of the markings much recall those +of _Liothrix luteus_. The egg has little or no gloss, and measures +0·73 by 0·55. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained two nests of this species--one at Sinchal, near +Darjeeling, at an elevation of 9000 feet, on the 2nd June; the other +at Tongloo, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, on the 29th May. The first +contained one, the second three fresh eggs, all precisely similar in +size and colour to the egg formerly sent me by Capt. Blair, though the +nests themselves were rather different in appearance. These nests were +both placed amongst the branches of dense brushwood, at heights of +3 and 4 feet from the ground; they are very compact, massive little +cups, about 3·25 inches in diameter and 2 in height exteriorly; the +cavities are about 2 inches in diameter and 1·25 in depth. The chief +materials of the nests are dry blades of grass and bamboo-leaves; but +these are only seen at the bottom of the nests, the sides and upper +margins being completely felted over with green moss. Apparently there +is a first lining of fine grass and roots; but very little of this +is seen, as the cavity is then thickly covered with black and white +hairs. + + +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (Hodgs.). _The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus chrysaeus, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 256; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 621. + +The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's +notes, near Darjeeling and in the central region of Nepal. It lays +from three to four eggs, which are figured as somewhat broad ovals, +measuring from 0·7 by 0·5, with a pinky-white ground, speckled and +spotted thinly, except towards the large end, where there is a +tendency to form a cap or zone, with brownish red. The nest is oval or +rather egg-shaped, and fixed with its longer diameter perpendicular +to the ground in a bamboo-clump between a dozen or so of the small +lateral shoots, at an elevation of only a few feet from the ground. +One, taken near Darjeeling on the 12th June, measured externally 6 +inches in height, 4·5 in breadth, and 3 inches in depth, and on one +side it had an oval aperture 2·5 in height and 1·75 in breadth. It +appeared to have been entirely composed of dry bamboo-leaves and +broad blades of grass loosely interwoven, and with a little grass and +moss-roots as lining. + +Hodgson originally named this bird _Proparus chrysotis_, but as the +bird has _silvery_ ears Hodgson himself rejected this name and adopted +the one given above. Mr. Gray, however, retains the specific name +_chrysotis_. Now, I think a man has a perfect right to change his +_own_ name; what I object to is other people presuming to do it for +him. + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, Vigors. _The Himalayan Whistling +Thrush_. + +Myiophonus temminckii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ i. p. 500: _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 343. + +The Himalayan Whistling-Thrush breeds throughout the Himalayas from +Assam to Afghanistan, in shady ravines and wooded glens, as a rule, +from an elevation of 2000 to 5000 feet, but, at times, especially far +into the interior of the hills, up to even 10,000 feet. + +It lays during the last week of April, May, and June. The number of +eggs varies from three to five. + +The nest is almost invariably placed in the closest proximity to some +mountain-stream, on the rocks and boulders of which the male so loves +to warble; sometimes on a mossy bank; sometimes in some rocky +crevice hidden amongst drooping maiden-hair; sometimes on some +stream-encircled slab, exposed to view from all sides, and not +unfrequently curtained in by the babbling waters of some little +waterfall behind which it has been constructed. The nest is always +admirably adapted to surrounding conditions. Safety is always sought +either in inaccessibility or concealment. Built on a rock in the midst +of a roaring torrent, not the smallest attempt at concealment is +made; the nest lies open to the gaze of every living thing, and the +materials are not even so chosen as to harmonize with the colour +of the site. But if an easily accessible sloping mossy bank, ever +bejewelled with the spray of some little cascade, be the spot +selected, the nest is so worked into and coated with moss as to be +absolutely invisible if looked at from below, and the place is usually +so chosen that it cannot well be looked at, at all closely, from +above. + +Captain Unwin sent me an unusually beautiful specimen of the nest of +this species, taken early in May in the Agrore Valley--a massive and +perfect cup, with a cavity of 5 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep; +the sides fully 2 inches thick; an almost solid mass of fine roots +(the finest towards the interior) externally intermingled with moss, +so as to form, to all appearance, an integral portion of the mossy +bank on which it was placed. In the bottom of the nest were interwoven +a number of dead leaves, and the whole interior was thinly lined with +very fine grass-roots and moss. In this case the nest had been placed +on a tiny natural platform and was a complete cup; but in another +nest, also sent by Captain Unwin, the cup, having been placed on the +slope of a bank, wanted (and this is the more common type) the inner +one-third altogether, the place of which was supplied by the bank-moss +_in situ_. In this case, although the cavity was only of the same size +as that above described, the outer face of the nest was fully 6 inches +high, and the wall of the nest between 3 and 3½ inches thick. The +former contained three much incubated, the latter four nearly fresh +eggs. + +A nest from Darjeeling which was taken on the 28th July, at an +elevation of about 3500 feet, from under a rock which partly overhung +a stream, and contained two fresh eggs, was composed in almost equal +proportions of fine moss-roots and dead leaves with scarcely a trace +of moss. In this case the nest was entirely concealed from view, and +no necessity, therefore, existed for coating it externally with green +moss to prevent its attracting attention. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I have had its nest and eggs brought me (at +Darjeeling); the nest is a solid mass of moss, mixed with earth +and roots, of large size, and placed (as I was informed) under an +overhanging rock near a mountain-stream. The eggs were three in +number, and dull green, thickly overlaid with reddish specks." + +"In Kumaon," writes Mr. R. Thompson, "they breed from May to July, +along all the smaller hill-streams, from 1500 up to about 4500 feet. +In the cold season it descends quite to the plains--I mean the +Sub-Himalayan plains. The nest is generally more or less circular, +5 or 6 inches in diameter, composed of moss and mud clinging to the +roots of small aquatic plants or of the moss, and lined with fine +roots and sometimes hair. A deep well-watered glen is usually chosen, +and the nest is placed in some cleft or between the ledges of some +rock, often immediately overhanging some deep gloomy pool." + +"On the 16th June," observes Captain Hutton, writing from Mussoorie, +"I took two nests of this bird, each containing three eggs, and also +another nest, containing three nearly-fledged young ones. The nest +bears a strong resemblance to that of the _Geocichlae_, but is much +more solid, being composed of a thick bed of green moss externally, +lined first with long black fibrous lichens and then with fine roots. +Externally the nest is 3½ inches deep, but within only 2½ inches; the +diameter about 4¾ inches, and the thickness of the outer or exposed +side is 2 inches. The eggs are three in number, of a greenish-ashy +colour, freckled with minute roseate specks, which become confluent +and form a patch at the larger end. The elevation at which the nests +were found was from 4000 to 4500 feet; but the bird is common, except +during the breeding-season, at all elevations up to the snows, and +in the winter it extends its range down into the Doon. In the +breeding-season it is found chiefly in the glens, in the retired +depths of which it constructs its nest; it never, like the Thrushes +and _Geocichlae_, builds in trees or bushes, but selects some high, +towering, and almost inacessible rock, forming the side of a deep +glen, on the projecting ledges of which, or in the holes from which +small boulders have fallen, it constructs its nest, and where, unless +when assailed by man, it rears its young in safety, secure alike from +the howling blast and the attack of wild animals. It is known to the +natives by the name of 'Kaljet,' and to the Europeans as the 'Hill +Blackbird.' The situation in which the nest is placed is quite unlike +that of any other of our Hill-Thrushes with which I am acquainted. The +bird itself is as often found in open rocky spots on the skirts of the +forest as among the woods, loving to jump upon some stone or rocky +pinnacle, from which it sends forth a sort of choking, chattering +song, if such it can be called, or, with an up-jerk of the tail, hops +away with a loud musical whistle, very much after the manner of the +Blackbird (_M. vulgaris_)." + +Sir E.C. Buck says:--"I found a nest at Huttoo, near Narkhunda, date +27th June, 1869, on an almost inaccessible crag overhanging a torrent. +It contained three eggs, but two were broken by stones falling in +climbing down to the nest. Nest not brought up; one egg secured and +forwarded. I saw the bird well, and have no doubt as to its identity." + +Writing from Dhurmsalla, Captain Cock informed me that he had obtained +several nests in May in and about the neighbouring streams, up to an +elevation of some 5000 feet. From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall +remarks:--"Several nests found in June, near running streams, about +4000 feet up." + +Dr. Stoliczka tells us that "it breeds at Chini and Sungnum at an +elevation of between 9000 and 11,000 feet." + +The eggs are typically of a very long oval shape, much pointed at one +end, but more or less truncated varieties (if I may use the word) +occur. They are the largest of our Indian Thrushes' eggs, and are +larger than those of any European Thrush with which I am acquainted. +Their coloration, too, is somewhat unique; a French grey, +greyish-white, or pale-greenish ground, speckled or freckled with +minute pink, pale purplish-pink, or pinkish-brown specks, in most +cases thinly, in some instances pretty thickly, in some only towards +the large end, in some pretty well all over. In the majority of +the specimens there is, besides these minute specks, a cloudy, +ill-defined, purplish-pink zone or cap at the large end. In some few +there are also a few specks of bright yellowish brown. The eggs have +scarcely any gloss. + +In length, they vary from 1·24 to 1·55 inch, and in breadth from 0·95 +to 1·1 inch, but the average of fifty eggs is 1·42 by about 1·0 inch. + + +188. Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume. _The Burmese Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophoneus eugenii, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 343 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham contributes the following note to the 'Birds +of British Burmah' regarding the nidification of this species in +Tenasserim:--"On the 16th April I was crossing the Mehkhaneh stream, +a feeder of the Meh-pa-leh, the largest tributary of the Thoungyeen +river, near its source, where it is a mere mountain-torrent brawling +over a bed of rocks strewed with great boulders. A small tree, drifted +down by the last rains, had caught across two of these, and being +jammed in by the force of the water, had half broken across, and now +formed a sort of temporary V-shaped dam, against which pieces of wood, +bark, leaves, and rubbish had collected, rising some six inches or so +above the water, which found an exit below the broken tree. On this +frail and tottering foundation was placed a round solid nest about +9 inches in diameter, made of green moss, and lined with fine black +roots and fibres, in which lay four fresh eggs of a pale stone-colour, +sparsely spotted, especially at the larger ends, with minute specks of +reddish brown. Determined to find out to what bird they belonged, I +sent my followers on and hid myself behind the trunk of a tree on the +bank and watched, gun in hand. In about twenty minutes or so a pair of +_Myiophoneus eugenii_ came flitting up the stream and, alighting near +the nest, sat for a time quietly. At last one hopped on the edge of +the nest, and after a short inspection sat down over the eggs with a +low chuckle. I then showed myself and, as the birds flew off, fired at +the bird that had been on the nest, but unfortunately missed. I was +satisfied, however, about the identity of the eggs and took them. In +shape they are somewhat like those of _Pitta_, and measure 1·45 x +1·02, 1·50 x 1·02, 1·46 x 1·01, and 1·50 x 1·01." + + +189. Myiophoneus horsfieldi. Vigors. _The Malabar Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophonus horsfieldii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 499;_Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 342. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"The Malabar Whistling-Thrush (rather a +misnomer, by the way) breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, never +ascending higher than 6000 feet. The nest is always placed on some +rock in a mountain torrent; it is a coarse and, for the size of the +bird, a very large structure, and though I have never measured the +nest, I should say that the total height was about 18 inches or more, +and the greatest diameter about 18 inches. Exteriorly it is composed +of roots, dead leaves, and decaying vegetation of all kinds; the +egg-cavity, which is saucer-shaped and comparatively shallow, is +coarsely lined with roots. It breeds during March and April." + +Miss Cockburn says:--"A nest of this bird was found on the 22nd of +March in a hole in a tree situated in a wood at a height of about 40 +feet from the ground. Two bamboo ladders had to be tied together to +reach it, for the tree had no branches except at the top. The nest +consisted of a large quantity of sticks and dried roots of young +trees, laid down in the form of a Blackbird's nest. The contents of it +were three eggs. They were quite fresh, and the bird might have laid +another. The poor birds (particularly the hen) showed great boldness +and returned frequently to the nest, while a ladder was put up and a +man ascended it." + +Such a situation for the nest of _this_ bird may seem incredible; but +my friend Miss Cockburn is a most careful observer, and she sent me +one of the eggs taken from this very nest, and it undoubtedly belonged +to this species; moreover, there is no other bird on the Nilghiris +that she, who has figured most beautifully all the Nilghiri birds, +could possibly have mistaken for this species. At the same time, the +situation in which she found the nest was altogether unusual and +exceptional. + +I now find that such a situation for the nest of this bird is not even +very unusual. On the 3rd of July Miss Cockburn took another nest in a +hole in a tree, about thirty feet from the ground, containing three +fresh eggs, which she kindly sent me; and writing from the Wynaad Mr. +J. Darling, jun., remarks that there this species commonly builds in +holes in trees. He says:--"_July 22nd_. Nest found near Kythery, S. +Wynaad, in a crevice of a log of a felled tree in a new clearing 11 +feet from the ground. Nest built entirely of roots. The foundation was +of roots from some swampy ground and had a good deal of mud about it. +Another nest was in a hole of a dead tree 32 feet from the ground." + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"Very common from the +base to near the summit of the hills, frequenting alike jungle and +open clearings, though generally found in the neighbourhood of some +running stream; I have known this species to build on ledges of rock +and in a hollow tree overhanging a stream, in either case constructing +a rather loosely put together nest of roots and coarse fibre with a +little green moss intermixed. The female lays two to four eggs, and +both birds assist in the incubation." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon records the finding of eggs on the following +dates:-- + + "April 29, 1873. Two hard-set eggs. + May 15, 1873. Three " " + May 15, 1874. One fresh egg. + May 30, 1874. Two slightly set eggs." + +Col. Butler sent me a splendid nest of this species taken in the +cliffs at Purandhur, 15 miles south of Poona. It was placed in the +angle between two rocks; it measures in front 7 inches wide, and 1·5 +in. high; posteriorly it slopes away into an obtuse angle fitting the +crevice in which it was deposited; the cavity is 4 in. in diameter, +perfectly circular, and 2·25 in depth. The compactness of the nest +is such that it might be thrown about without being damaged. It is +composed throughout of fine black roots, only a stray piece or two of +light coloured grass being intermixed, and the whole basal portion is +cemented together with mud. + +He gives the following account of the mode in which he acquired it:-- + +"I got this nest in rather a singular way which is perhaps worth +relating. At a dance last year in Karachi, in a short conversation I +had with Colonel Renny, who was then commanding the Artillery in Sind, +he mentioned that he had three Blue-winged Thrushes in his house that +he had procured at Purandhur the year before. The following day I went +over to his bungalow, and after inspecting them and satisfying myself +of their identity, ascertained from him where the nest they were taken +from was situated and the season at which it was found. Possessed with +this information I wrote in May to the Staff Officer at Purandhur, +and told him where and when the bird built and asked him if he would +kindly assist me in procuring the eggs. In reply I received a very +polite letter saying 'that he knew nothing about eggs or birds +himself, but that he would be most happy to offer me any assistance in +his power in procuring the eggs referred to, and that he would employ +a shikarri to keep the hill-side that I had mentioned watched when the +breeding-season arrived.' I wrote and thanked him, sending him at the +same time a drill and blowpipe by post, with full instructions how to +blow the eggs, in case he got any; and to my delight, at the end of +July a bhanghy parcel arrived one morning with the nest and eggs above +described. + +"Colonel Renny told me that the birds built on this cliff-side every +monsoon." + +Mr. E. Aitken has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"Of this bird I have seen two nests--one containing two hard-set eggs +on April 29, 1872, situated in a hole in a tree overhanging a stream +about 20 feet from the ground; the other containing three hard-set +eggs on May 22nd, 1872, and situated on a ledge of rock in the bed +of a stream; both the nests were rather coarsely made of roots. My +brother says he has also found three other nests, two placed in holes +of trees and the other on a rocky ledge, but the nests were in every +case near to running water. The bird stays with us all the year, and +is one of our commonest species. Its clear whistle is always to be +heard the first thing in the morning before the other birds get up, +and daring the violent rains of the S.W. monsoon it seems almost the +only bird which does not lose heart at the incessant downpour. April +and May appear to be the breeding months." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Scattered all over the Deccan in +suitable localities. W. got two nests, one on the Bhore Ghât on 5th +August, and one on the Thull Ghât on 17th of same month. That on the +Bhore Ghât was built on a ledge of rock some 15 feet _in_ from the +face of a railway tunnel where 30 or 40 trains daily passed within +a few feet of it. That on the Thull Ghât was in a cutting at the +_entrance_ of a tunnel, and about the same height above and from the +rails as the one on the Bhore Ghât. In both cases the eggs were +much discoloured by the smoke from engines, but on being washed, W. +observed that one of the three eggs in each nest was of a decidedly +_greenish blue_, finely speckled and splashed with pinky brown, while +the others were of the _pale salmon-pink_, as described in Mr. Hume's +Rough Draft of 'Nests and Eggs.' The male bird was sitting on one of +the nests and was shot. W. saw numerous other nests, some high up on +cliffs, beyond the reach of a 15-foot ladder. Two nests in holes in +trees were reported to him, but he could not go to examine them. The +nests were about 4 inches diameter by 2½ inches deep inside and 8 +to 10 inches broad outside, and not more than 10 inches high. The +foundation portion contained a great deal of clay and earth, which +seemed to be necessary to secure the nests in positions so exposed +to the heavy gusts of wind which prevail on these ghâts during the +monsoon." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"I found the +nest of this Thrush on the Seeghoor Ghaut of the Neilgherries. Mr. +Davison was with me at the time; and the nest being built on an open +ledge of rock, we both sighted it at the same moment; and I having +managed to make better use of my legs than my friend, was fortunate +enough to secure it, and one egg, which was of a pale flesh-colour, +with a few faint spots and blotches of claret towards the larger end. +The nest was made of leaves and moss mixed with clay, and lined with +fine roots. The dimensions of the egg are 1·3 inch in length by ·85 +in breadth. It was in May that I found this egg; but the nest had +evidently been deserted for some time; for the egg has a hole in its +side, through which the contents had escaped or been sucked by a snake +or some animal." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I once procured its nest, placed under a shelf of +a rock on the Burliar stream, on the slope of the Nilghiris. It was a +large structure of roots, mixed with earth, moss, &c., and contained +three eggs of a pale salmon or reddish-fawn colour, with many smallish +brown spots;" and such is unquestionably the usual situation of the +nest. + +The eggs of this species, which I have received from Kotagherry +and other parts of the Nilghiris, are broad, nearly regular ovals, +slightly compressed towards the lesser end; considerably elongated, +and more or less spherical, and pyriform varieties occur. The shell is +fine, and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is pale salmon-pink +or pinkish-white, occasionally greyish white. The whole egg is, as a +rule, finely speckled, spotted, and splashed with pinkish brown or +brownish pink. The markings, in most eggs, everywhere very fine, are +often considerably more dense at the large end, where they are not +unusually more or less underlaid by a pinkish cloud, with which they +form an irregular ill-defined and inconspicuous cap. + +At times more boldly and richly marked eggs are met with; one now +before me is everywhere thickly streaked with dull pink, in places +purplish, and over this is thinly but rather conspicuously spotted and +irregularly blotched (the blotches being small however) with light +burnt sienna-brown. + +In length they vary from 1·18 to 1·48 inch, and in breadth from 0·92 +to 1 inch. + + +191. Larvivora brunnea, Hodgs. _The Indian Blue Chat_. + +Larvivora cyana, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 145; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 507. + +I have never obtained the nest of the Indian Blue Chat. Mr. Davison +found it on the Nilghiris. He says:--"I really quite forget the +details of that one egg which I brought you along with the skin of the +parent, but it was taken in May on the Nilghiris. I remember very well +another nest of this species, which I took in the latter end of March +or the beginning of April in a shola or detached piece of jungle about +9 miles from Ootacamund. + +"The nest was in a hole in the trunk of a small tree, about 5 feet +from the ground, and was composed chiefly of moss, but mixed with dry +leaves and twigs. It contained three young birds, apparently about +four or five days old." + +The late Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found +at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet) on the 16th May. It contained three +eggs, and was placed on the ground amongst grass on a bank made by +the cutting of a hill-road. It is a broad shallow nest, composed +exteriorly of vegetable fibre, scraps of dead leaves and tiny pieces +of moss matted closely together, and is rather thickly lined with +black and red hairs, amongst which one or two soft downy feathers are +incorporated. The external diameter of the nest is about 4 inches, the +height about 1·5, the cavity is about 2·75 inches in diameter, and +rather less than 1 in depth. + +Two eggs taken by Mr. Darling[A] are very elongated, somewhat +cylindrical ovals, very obtuse at both ends. In both, the shell is +fine, and has an appreciable though not brilliant gloss. In one, the +ground is a pale delicate clay-brown, and the markings consist only +of a zone about 0·2 wide round the large end of densely set dull +brownish-red specks, and a few similar specks inside the zone only. +In the other, the ground has a light greenish tinge, the zone is less +marked and merges in a dull brownish-red mottled cap, and a faint +marbling, of a paler shade of the cap, is scattered here and there +over the whole surface of the egg. They measure 1 by 0·65 and 0·98 by +0·65. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any account of the finding of the nest of +this bird by Mr. Darling amongst Mr. Hume's notes.--Ed.] + +The egg taken by Mr. Davison is an elongated, slightly pyriform oval. +The shell is moderately fine, but with only a very slight gloss. The +ground-colour is a pale slightly greyish green, and the whole egg is +thickly (most thickly so about the large end, where the markings are +almost perfectly confluent) mottled and streaked with pale brownish +red. It measures 0·98 by 0·67. + + +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (Fairbank). _The White-bellied_ +_Short-wing_. + +Callene albiventris, _Fairb., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 339 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, to whom I have, owed much useful information +and many valuable specimens, kindly sent me the subjoined account of +the nidification of the White-bellied Short-wing in the Pulney Hills +at an elevation of about 6500 feet:--"In April, I found a nest in a +hole in the side of the trunk of a large tree some 2 feet from the +ground. The hole was just large enough for the nest, and was lined +with fine roots. I surprised the bird on her nest several times. There +were two eggs in the nest when I first found it that were 'hard-set'. +A month afterwards she laid two more in the same place, and I took +them in good condition. One egg measures 0·9 by 0·68 inch, and another +0·94 by 0·68 inch. The ground-colour is grey, with a tinge of green, +and it is thickly covered with small spots of bistre." + +Mr. Blanford, who saw the eggs, which I never did, describes them +(and by analogy, I should infer more correctly) as "of an olive-brown +colour, darker at the larger end, measuring 0·93 by 0·63 inch." + +An egg of this species sent me by Dr. Fairbank, measuring 0·93 by +0·66, is a somewhat elongated oval, slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour, so far as +this is discernible, is greyish green, but it is so thickly clouded +and mottled all over with a warm, brown, that but little of the +ground-colour is any where traceable, and the general result when the +egg is looked at from a short distance is that of a nearly uniform +olive-brown. + +Captain Horace Terry also found the nest of this bird on the Pulney +Hills. He says:--"I met with it a few times in the big _shola_ at +Kodikanal, and got two nests, each with two fresh eggs; the first on +the 7th June in a hole in a tree between 4 and 5 feet from the ground, +a deep cup of green moss; the other, in a hole in the bank of a +path running through the _shola_ was of green moss and a few fine +fern-roots. Inside 1·75 inch deep and 2·5 inches across; outside a +shapeless mass of moss filling up the hole it was built in. The nest +was very conspicuous to any one passing by." + + +194. Brachypteryx rufiventris (Blyth). _The Rufous-bellied +Short-wing_. + +Callene rufiventris, _Blyth. Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 496: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 339. + +I have been favoured with nests of the Rufous-bellied Short-wing by +Mr. Carter, who took them from holes or depressions of banks in the +Nilghiris in April and May. They closely resemble nests of _Niltava +macrigoriae_ from Darjeeling. They are soft masses of green moss, +some 4 or 5 inches in diameter externally, with more or less of a +depression towards one side, lined with very fine dark moss-roots. +This depression may average about 2½ inches across and ¾ inch in +depth; but they vary a good deal. Mr. Carter says:--"I have found the +nests of this species about Conoor in May, in holes of banks, on +roads running through thick _sholas_ (i.e. jungles not amounting to +forests). The nests are of moss, shallow, lined with fine root-fibres, +the cavity about 3-5 inches in diameter. They lay two eggs, pale +olive, shading into a decided brownish red at the larger end. The old +birds are very shy in returning to the nest when watched; indeed, they +are always shy, hiding in the brushwood of jungles or amongst fallen +timber, along which they almost creep." + +Mr. Davison informs me that "this species breeds on the Nilghiris from +about 5500 feet to about 7000 during April and May, building in holes +of trees, crevices of rocks, &c., seldom at any great elevation +above the ground. The nest is composed of moss, lined with moss and +fern-roots. Two or three eggs are laid." + +The few eggs I possess, which I owe to Messrs. Carter and Davison, and +which were taken by them in the Nilghiris, have a pale olive-brown +ground with, at the large end, an ill-defined mottled reddish-brown +cap. In some specimens the mottling extends more or less over the +whole egg, though always most dense about the larger end. Though much +larger and of a more elongated shape, they not a little resemble some +specimens of the eggs of _Pratincola indica_ that I possess. In shape +they are long ovals, recalling in that respect those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_; they have less gloss than the eggs of most of the +Thrushes. + +In length they vary from 0·97 to 1·02 inch, and in breadth from 0·65 +to 0·69 inch. + + +197. Drymochares cruralis (Blyth). _The White-browed Short-wing_ + +Brachypteryx cruralis (Bl.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 495; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 338. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, the White-browed +Short-wing breeds in April and May. It constructs its nest a foot or +so above the ground amongst grass and creeping-plants at the base of +trunks of trees; it is composed of moss and moss-roots, is somewhat +globular in shape, and is firmly attached to the creepers; dried +bamboo-leaves and pieces of fern are here and there fixed to the +exterior, and the nest is lined with hair-like fibres; the entrance is +at one side and circular. One nest measured 7 inches in height, 5·5 +in width, and 3·38 from front to back. The aperture was 2 inches in +diameter. The eggs (four in number, or at times three) are pure white, +broad ovals, pointed at one end, measuring 0·9 by 0·65 inch. +This species breeds in the central regions of Nepal and in the +neighbourhood of Darjeeling. + +Three nests of this species found early in June in Sikhim and Nepal, +at elevations of 5000 to 8000 feet, contained respectively 2, 3, and 4 +fresh eggs. They were all placed in brushwood at 2 to 3 feet above +the ground, and they are all precisely similar, being rather massive +shallow cups, composed of very fine black roots firmly felted +together, and with a few dead leaves or scraps of moss in most of them +incorporated in one portion or other of the outer surface. The nests +are about 4 inches in diameter and 2 in height; the cavity is about +2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth; but, owing to the positions in +which they are placed, they are often more or less irregularly shaped. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs which he considers to belong to this +species, on the 3rd June, near Darjeeling. I rather question the +authenticity of these eggs. They are pure white and devoid of gloss, +moderately elongated ovals, only slightly compressed towards the +smaller end. They vary from 0·83 to 0·91 in length and from 0·61 to +0·64 in breadth. + + +198. Drymochares nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx nipalensis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 494. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest taken by me on the 15th +of June at 5000 feet, close to a large forest, contained three +slightly-set eggs. It was placed on the moss-covered trunk of a fallen +tree, and was hooded, with an entrance at the side; rather neatly +made of dry leaves with an outer covering of green moss, and an inner +lining of skeletonized leaves and black fibrous roots. Externally it +measures 5 inches in height by about the same in width; internally 3 +inches high by 2·4 across. The entrance was 2·3 in diameter. The +front of the egg-cavity is but slightly depressed below the entrance, +gradually sloping backwards to the depth of nearly an inch." + +All the nests of this species that I have seen were of the same type, +more or less globular, more or less hooded or domed, according to the +situation in which they were placed, composed of dry flags and dead +and more or less skeleton leaves, bound together with a little +vegetable fibre and some moss, but chiefly with fine black fibrous +roots, with which the entire cavity is densely lined, inside which +again is a coating of more skeleton leaves; they measure exteriorly 4 +or 5 inches in diameter, and the cavities are a little above 2 by 2·5 +inches in diameter. + +Mr. Mandelli found two of these nests at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet), +near Darjeeling, on the 8th July. One contained three fresh eggs, the +other three slightly incubated ones. They were about 12 yards apart, +in a very shady damp glen, in very dense underwood, to the stems of +which they were attached in a standing position about 3 feet from the +ground. The entrance was on one side in both cases. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie belong to the same +type as those of _Brachypteryx rufiventris_ and _B. albiventris_. In +shape they are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, somewhat +obtuse at both ends. The shell is fine and compact, and very smooth to +the touch, but they have not much gloss. The ground is a pale olive +stone-colour, and they are very minutely freckled and mottled, most +densely at the large end, with pale, very slightly reddish brown; the +freckling is excessively minute and fine. + +Two eggs measured 0·8 and 0·82 in length by 0·6 in breadth. + + +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (Blyth). _The Ceylon Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx palliseri, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 338 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' says:--"Mr. Bligh +found a nest at Nuwara Eliya in April 1870; it was placed in a thick +cluster of branches on the top of a somewhat densely-foliaged small +bush, which stood in a rather open space near the foot of a large +tree; it was in shape a deep cup, composed of greenish moss, lined +with fibrous roots and the hair-like appendages of the green moss +which festoons the trees in such abundance at that elevation. It +contained three young ones, plumaged exactly like their parents, +who kept churring in the thick bushes close by, but would not show +themselves much." + + +201. Tesia cyaniventris, Hodgs. _The Slaty-bellied Short-wing_. + +Tesia cyaniventer, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 328. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Slaty-bellied Short-wing breeds +much like the next species. It constructs a huge globular nest of +green moss and black moss-roots, which it fixes in any dense dry shrub +or clump of shoots, many of which it incorporates in the walls of the +nest. The nest measures externally about 7 inches in height and 5 +inches in width; it has a circular aperture on one side, a little +above the middle, about 2 inches in diameter, and it is placed at a +height of one or two feet from the ground. Three or four eggs are +laid; these are figured as rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed +towards one end, with a whitish ground, profusely speckled and +spotted, especially towards the large end, where the markings are +nearly confluent, with bright red, and measuring 0·72 by 0·54 inch. + + +202. Oligura castaneicoronata (Burt.). _The Chestnut-headed +Short-wing_. + +Tesia castaneo-coronata (_Burt.), Jerd. E. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 327. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Short-wing builds a large globular nest, more or less egg-shaped, some +6 inches high and 4 in breadth, composed of moss-roots and fibres, and +lined with feathers, and with a circular aperture in the middle of one +side about 1·5 inch in diameter. The nest is placed in some clump of +shoots or thick bush (the twigs of which are more or less incorporated +in the sides of the nest) at a height of 1 or 2 feet from the ground. +The birds lay in April and May three or four eggs, which are figured +as moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at one end, reddish +(apparently something like a Prinia's, though this seems incredible), +and measuring 0·66 by 0·48 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest made chiefly of moss, with four small white +eggs, was brought me as the nest of this bird. It was of the ordinary +shape, rather loosely put together, and the walls of great thickness. +It was taken from the ground on a steep bank near the stump of a +tree." + +The three eggs in my museum supposed to belong to this species +pertained to this nest, and are excessively tiny, somewhat oval eggs +of a pure, dull, glossless unspotted white, very unlike our English +Wren's egg and certainly not one half the size. Dr. Jerdon was not +quite certain to which species of _Tesia_ these eggs belonged, and I +therefore only record this "_quantum valeat_". They measure 0·55 +and 0·6 inch in length by 0·4, 0·42, and 0·45 inch in breadth. I am +inclined to believe that both nest and eggs belonged to _Pnoepyga +pusilla_, Hodgs. + + + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + + +203. Sibia picaoides, Hodgs. _The Long-tailed Sibia_. + +Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 55; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 430. + +Mr. Gammie obtained a nest of the Long-tailed Sibia from the top of +a tall tree, situated at an elevation of about 4000 feet, in the +neighbourhood of Rungbee, near Darjeeling. This was on the 17th June, +and the nest contained five fresh eggs. The nest is as perplexing as +are the eggs; for the nest is that of a Bulbul, the eggs those of a +Shrike or Minivet. The nest is a deep compact cup, about 4½ inches in +diameter and 2¾ inches in depth. The egg-cavity is 3 inches across and +fully 1¾ inch in depth. Interiorly the nest is composed of excessively +fine grass-stems very firmly interwoven; externally of the stems of +some herbaceous plant, a Chenopod, to which the dry blossoms are still +attached, intermingled with coarse grass, a single dead leaf, and one +or two broad grass-blades more or less broken up into fibres. + +The eggs, for the authenticity of which Mr. Gammie positively vouches, +are very unlike what might have been expected. They are absolutely +Shrike's eggs--broad ovals, pointed towards one end, with a slight +gloss, the ground a slightly greyish white, with a good many small +spots and specks of pale yellowish brown and dingy purple, chiefly +confined to a large irregular zone towards the larger end. They vary +in length from 0·86 to 0·93, and in breadth from 0·7 to 0·73. + + +204. Lioptila capistrata (Vigors). _The Black-headed Sibia_. + +Sibia capistrata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 54; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 429. + +The Black-headed Sibia lays throughout the Himalayas from Afghanistan +to Bhootan, at elevations of from 5000 to 7000 feet. + +It lays during May and June, and perhaps part of July, for I find that +on the 11th of July I found a nest of this species a little below the +lake at Nynee Tal, on the Jewli Road, containing two young chicks +apparently not a day old. + +They build on the outskirts of forests, constructing their nests +towards the ends of branches, at heights of from 10 to 50 feet from +the ground. The nest is a neat cup, some 4 or 5 inches in diameter and +perhaps 3 inches in height, composed chiefly of moss and lined +with black moss-roots and fibres. In some of the nests that I have +preserved a good deal of grass-leaves and scraps of lichen are +incorporated in the moss. The cavity is deep, from 2½ to 3 inches in +diameter and not much less than 2 inches in depth. + +They lay two or three eggs; not more, so far as I yet know. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that "the egg of this +bird was, we believe, previously unknown, and it was a mere chance +that we found the whereabouts of their nests, as they breed high up in +the spruce firs at the outer end of a bough. The nest is neatly made +of moss, lined with stalks of the maiden-hair fern. The eggs are pale +blue, spotted and blotched with pale and reddish brown. They are ·95 +in length and ·7 in breadth. This species breeds in June, about 7000 +feet up." + +Nearly twenty years prior to this, however, Captain Hutton had +remarked:--"At Mussoorie this bird remains at an elevation of 7000 +feet throughout the year, but I never saw it under 6500 feet. Its loud +ringing note of _titteree-titteree tweëyo_, quickly repeated, may +constantly be heard on wooded banks during summer. It breeds in May, +making a neat nest of coarse dry grasses as a foundation, covered +laterally with green moss and wool and lined with fine roots. The +number of eggs I did not ascertain, as the nest was destroyed when +only one egg had been deposited, but the colour is pale bluish white, +freckled with rufous. The nest was placed on a branch of a plum-tree +in the Botanical Garden, Mussoorie." + +Captain Cock says that he "found this species breeding at Murree, at +6000 feet elevation. + +"I took my first nest on the 5th June. + +"It builds near the tops of the highest pines, and unless seen +building its nest with the glasses, it is impossible to find the nest +with the unaided eye. + +"The nest is placed on the outer extremity of an upper bough in a +pine-tree; is constructed of moss lined with stalks of the maiden-hair +fern. Three eggs is the largest number I ever found. The eggs are +light greenish white, with rusty spots and blotches principally at the +larger end." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species builds +in trees and bushes. The only nest I examined personally was a very +compact and thick cup-shaped structure of moss, grass, and roots, +lined with grass, and placed amongst the outer twigs of a blackberry +bush overhanging a cliff. It was ready for the eggs on the 23rd May. +It was found at Nynee Tal on Agar Pata, about 7000 feet above the +sea." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only myself taken two nests of +this common species. I found both of them the same day (the 21st May), +in the Chinchona reserves, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. Both +nests were in the forest, built on the outer branches of trees, at +heights the one of 15, the other of 40 feet from the ground. The nests +were cup-shaped, and very neatly made of moss, leaves and fibres, and +lined with black fibres. One measured externally 4·6 in diameter by +2·75 in height, and internally 2·4 in diameter and 1·7 in depth. One +nest contained two fresh, the other two hard-set eggs; so perhaps two +is the normal number, though the natives say that they lay three. As +might be expected from the bird's habit of feeding on the insects on +moss-covered trees in moist forests, the nests were in forest by the +sides of streams." + +The eggs are rather broad, slightly pyriform ovals, often a good deal +pulled out as it were at the small end. The shell is fine, but almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white +or very pale bluish green. The markings are various and complicated: +first there are usually a few large, irregular, moderately dark +brownish-red spots and splashes; then there are a very few, very dark, +reddish-brown hair-lines, such as one finds on Buntings' eggs; then +there is a good deal of clouding and smudging here and there of pale, +dingy purplish or brownish red (all these markings are most numerous +towards the large end); and then besides these, and almost entirely +confined to the large end, are a few pale purple specks and spots. +Sometimes the markings are almost wholly confined to the thicker end +of the egg. Of course the eggs vary somewhat, and in some specimens +the characteristic Bunting-like hair-lines are almost wholly wanting. +The eggs vary in length from 0·95 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·66 to +0·72. + + +205. Lioptila gracilis (McClell.). _The Grey Sibia_. + +Malacias gracilis (_McClell.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen is, I believe, the only ornithologist who has +as yet secured the nest and eggs of the Grey Sibia. He says:--"In the +pine forest that covers the slopes of the hills descending into the +Umian valley in Assam, one of my men marked a nest on June 25th; I +proceeded to the spot soon after I had heard of it, and on coming up +to the tree, a pine, saw the female fly off out of the head of it. +But the nest was so well hidden by the boughs of the fir, that it was +quite invisible from below. The bird after a short time came back, and +then I saw it was _Sibia gracilis_; but it was very shy and seeing +us went off again, and hung about the trees at a distance of some 50 +yards; while thus waiting, some four or five others were also seen. +The female, however, would not venture back, and I sent one of my +Goorkhas up, to cut off the head of the fir, nest and all, first +taking out the eggs. It contained three, of a pale sea-green, with +ash-brown streakings and blotchings all over. + +"The nest was constructed of dry grass, moss, and rootlets, and the +green spinules of the fir were worked into it, fixing it most firmly +in its place in the crown of the pine where it was much forked." + + +206. Lioptila melanoleuca (Bl.). _Tickell's Sibia_. + +Malacias melanoleucus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 quart. + +Mr. W. Davison was fortunate enough to secure a nest of this Sibia on +Muleyit mountain in Tenasserim. He says:--"I secured a nest of this +species on the 21st of February, containing two spotless pale blue +eggs slightly incubated. The nest, a deep compactly woven cup, was +placed about 40 feet from the ground, in the fork of one of the +smaller branches of a high tree growing on the edge of a deep ravine. + +"The egg-cavity of the nest is lined with fern-roots, fibres and fine +grass-stems; outside this is a thick coating of dried bamboo-leaves +and coarse grass, and outside this again is a thick irregular coating +of green moss, dried leaves, and coarse fibres and fern-roots. + +"Externally the nest measures about 5 inches in height, and nearly the +same in external diameter at the top. + +"The egg-cavity measures 1·7 deep by 2·7 across. + +"The eggs, a pale spotless blue, measure 0·95 and 0·98 in length by +0·66 and 0·68 in breadth." + + +211. Actinodura egertoni, Gould. _The Rufous Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura egertoni, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 52; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 427. + +There is no figure of the Rufous Bar-wing's nest or eggs amongst the +original drawings of Mr. Hodgson now in my custody, but in the British +Museum series there appears to be, since Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. +Hodgson figures the nest of this bird like that of an English +Redbreast, with pinkish-white eggs." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"On the 27th April I took a nest of +this Bar-wing in a large forest at an elevation of about 5000 feet. +It was placed about 20 feet from the ground, in a leafy tree, between +several upright shoots, to which it was firmly attached. It is +cup-shaped, mainly composed of dry leaves held together by slender +climber-stems, and lined with dark-coloured fibrous roots. A few +strings of green moss were twined round the outside to assist in +concealment. Externally it measures 4·2 inches wide by 4 deep; +internally 2·8 wide and 2·4 deep. It contained but two slightly-set +eggs. + +"I killed the female off the nest." + +Several nests have been obtained and sent me by Messrs. Gammie and +Mandelli. One was taken on the 4th May by Mr. Mandelli, at Lebong, at +an elevation of 5500 feet, which contained three fresh eggs; this +was placed on the branches of a small tree, in the midst of dense +brushwood, at a height of about 4 feet from the ground. + +Another, taken in a similar situation at the same place on the 22nd +May, contained two fresh eggs, and was at a height of about 12 feet +from the ground. + +These nests vary just in the same way as do those of _Trochalopterum +nigrimentum_; some show only a sprig or two of moss about them, while +others have a complete coating of green moss. They are cup-shaped, +some deeper, some shallower; the chief material of the nest seems to +be usually dry leaves. One before me is composed entirely of some +_Polypodium_, on which the seed-spores are all fully developed; in +another, bamboo-leaves have been chiefly used; these are all held +together in their places by black fibrous roots; occasionally towards +the upper margin a few creeper-tendrils are intermingled. The whole +cavity is lined more or less thickly, and the lip of the cup all round +is usually finished of with these same black fibrous roots; and then +outside all moss and selaginella are applied according to the taste +of the bird and, probably, the situation--a few sprigs or a complete +coating, as the case may be. + +Two eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Gammie are regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with very thin and fragile shells, and fairly but not +highly glossy. The ground is a delicate pale sea-green, and they are +profusely blotched, spotted, and marked with curious hieroglyphic-like +figures of a sort of umber-brown; while about the larger end numerous +spots and streaks of pale lilac occur. + +These eggs measure 0·98 in length, by 0·65 and 0·68 in breadth. + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Mandelli early in June are quite of the +same type, but somewhat shorter, measuring 0·85 and 0·93 in length by +0·68 and 0·7 in breadth. But the markings are rather more smudgy +and rather paler, and there are fewer of the hair-like streaks and +hieroglyphics. + + +213. Ixops nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Hoary Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 53; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 428. + +The Hoary Bar-wing is said in Mr. Hodgson's notes to breed from April +to June in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal up to an elevation +of 4000 or 6000 feet. The nest is placed in holes, in crevices +between rocks and stones; is circular and saucer-shaped. One measured +externally 3·62 in diameter by 2 inches in height; the cavity measured +2·5 in diameter and 1·37 in depth. The nest is composed of fine twigs, +grass, and fibres, and externally adorned with little pieces of +lichen, and internally lined with fine moss-roots. The birds are said +to lay from three to four eggs, which are not described, but they are +figured as pinky white, about 0·85 in length and 0·55 in width. Mr. +Blyth, however, remarks:--"One of Mr. Hodgson's drawings represents a +white egg with ferruginous spots, disposed much as in that of _Merula +vulgaris_." + +Clearly there is some mistake here. Most of the drawings I have are +the originals, taken from the fresh specimens when they were obtained, +with Mr. Hodgson's own notes, on the reverse, of the dates on and +places at which he took or obtained the eggs, nests, and birds +figured, with often a description and dimensions of the two former, +and invariably full dimensions of the latter. On the other hand, the +drawings in the British Museum are mostly more finished and artistic +_copies_ of these originals; so how the spots got on to the eggs of +the British-Museum drawing I cannot say; there is no trace of such in +mine. + + +219. Siva strigula, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Siva_. + +Siva strigula. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 252; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 616. + +The nest of the Stripe-throated Siva is placed, according to Mr. +Hodgson, in the slender fork of a tree at no great elevation from the +ground. It is composed of moss and moss-roots, intermingled with dry +bamboo-leaves, and woven into a broad compact cup-shaped nest. One +such nest, taken on the 27th May, with three eggs in it, measured +exteriorly 4·25 in diameter and 3 inches in height, with a cavity +(thickly lined with cow's hair) about 2·5 in diameter and 2·25 in +depth. The birds lay in May and June. The eggs are three or sometimes +four in number; they are pale greenish blue or bluish green, and vary +in length from 0·8 to 0·9, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·65, and are, +some thickly, some thinly, speckled and freckled, usually most densely +towards the large end, with red or brownish red. His nests were taken +both in Sikhim and Nepal. + + +221. Siva cyanuroptera, Hodgs. _The Blue-winged Siva_. + +Siva cyanouroptera, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 253; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 617. + +The Blue-winged Siva breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central regions of Nepal, and in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, in +May and June. The nest is placed in trees, at no great elevation above +the ground, and is wedged in where three or four slender twigs make a +convenient fork. A nest taken on the 2nd June was a large compact cup, +measuring exteriorly 4·75 in diameter and 3·75 in height, and having +a cavity 2·6 in diameter and 1·87 in depth. It was composed of fine +stems of grass, dry leaves, moss, and moss-roots, bound together with +pieces of creepers, roots, and vegetable fibres, and closely lined +with fine grass-roots. They lay from three to four eggs, which are +figured as moderately broad ovals, considerably pointed towards the +small end, 0·85 in length by 0·6 in width, having a pale greenish +ground pretty thickly speckled and spotted, especially on the broader +half of the egg, with a kind of brownish brick-red. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong (elevation 5500 +feet) on the 28th April. It contained four fresh eggs; it was placed +in a fork of a horizontal branch of a small tree at a height of only 3 +feet from the ground. The nest is, for the size of the bird, a +large cup, externally entirely composed of green moss firmly felted +together. This outer shell of moss is thickly lined with the dead +leaves of a _Polypodium_, and this again is thinly lined with fine +grass. The nest was about 4 inches in diameter, and 2·5 in height +externally; the cavity was about 2·5 broad and 1·5 deep. + +The nests of this species are very beautiful cups, very compact and +firm, sometimes wedged into a fork, but more commonly suspended +between two or three twigs, or sometimes attached by one side only to +a single twig. They are placed at heights of from 4 to 10 feet from +the ground in the branches of slender trees, and are usually carefully +concealed, places completely encircled by creepers being very +frequently chosen. The chief materials of the nest are dead leaves, +sometimes those of the bamboo, but more generally those of trees; but +little of this is seen, as the exterior is generally coated with moss, +and the interior is lined first with excessively fine grass, and then +more or less thinly with black buffalo- or horse-hairs. The cups are +about 3 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally, the cavities +barely 2 in diameter and perhaps 1·5 in depth: but they vary somewhat +in size and shape according to the situation in which they are placed +and the manner in which they are attached, some being considerably +broader and shallower, and some rather deeper. + +Eggs of this species sent me from Mr. Mandelli, which were obtained by +him in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, are decidedly elongated ovals, +fairly glossy, and with a pale slightly greenish-blue ground. A number +of minute red or brownish-red or yellowish-brown specks and spots +occur about the large end, sometimes irregularly scattered, sometimes +more or less gathered into an imperfect zone. The rest of the egg is +either spotless or exhibits only a few tiny specks and spots. The eggs +measure 0·75 and 0·76 by 0·51 and 0·52. + + +223. Yuhina gularis, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Yuhina_. + +Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 261; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 626. + +The Stripe-throated Yuhina breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +from April to July, building a large massive nest of moss, lined with +moss-roots, and wedged into a fork of a branch or between ledges of +rocks, more or less globular in shape, and with a circular aperture +near the top towards one side. A nest taken on the 19th June, +near Darjeeling, was quite egg-shaped, the long diameter being +perpendicular to the ground, and measured 6 inches in height and 4 +inches in breadth, the aperture, 2 inches in diameter, being well +above the middle of the nest; the cavity was lined with fine +moss-roots. The eggs are figured as rather elongated ovals, 0·8 by +0·56, with a pale buffy or _café au lait_ ground-colour, thickly +spotted with red or brownish red, the markings forming a confluent +zone about the large end. + + +225. Yuhina nigrimentum (Hodgs.). _The Black-chinned Yuhina_. + +Yuhina nigrimentum (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 262; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 628. + +A nest of the Black-chinned Yuhina, taken by Mr. Gammie on the 17th +June below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3500 feet, was placed +in a large tree, at a height of about 10 feet from the ground, and +contained four hard-set eggs. It is a mere pad, below of moss, mingled +with a little wool and moss-roots, and above, that is to say the +surface where the eggs repose, of excessively fine grass-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest was once brought me which was declared to +belong to this species; it was a very small neat fabric, of ordinary +shape, made with moss and grass, and contained three small pure +white eggs. The rarity of the bird makes me doubt if the nest really +belonged to it." + +The eggs are tiny little elongated ovals, pure white, and absolutely +glossless. + +Two sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0·58 by 0·42 and 0·57 by 0·43. + + +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (Temm.). _The Indian White-eye_. + +Zosterops palpebrosus (_Temm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 265; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 631. + +The Indian White-eye, or White-eyed Tit as Jerdon terms it, breeds +almost throughout the Indian Empire, sparingly in the hotter and more +arid plains, abundantly in the Nilghiris and other ranges of the +Peninsula to their very summits, and in the Himalayas to an elevation +of 5000 or 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends in different localities from January to +September, but I think that everywhere April is the month in which +most eggs are to be met with. + +Sometimes they have two broods; whether this is always the case I do +not know. + +The nest is placed almost indifferently at any elevation. I have taken +one from amongst the topmost twigs of a huge mohwa tree (_Bassia +latifolia_) fully 60 feet high, and I have found them in a tiny bush +not a foot off the soil. Still I think that perhaps the majority build +at low elevations, say between 2 and 6 feet from the ground. + +The nest is always a soft, delicate little cup, sometimes very +shallow, sometimes very deep, as a rule suspended between two twigs +like a miniature Oriole's nest, but on rare occasions propped in a +fork. The nest varies much in size and in the materials with which it +is composed. + +Pine grass and roots, tow, and a variety of vegetable fibres, thread, +floss silk, and cobwebs are all made use of to bind the little nest +together and attach it to the twigs whence it depends. Grass again, +moss, vegetable fibre, seed-down, silk, cotton, lichen, roots and the +like are used in the body of the nest, which is lined with silky down, +hair, moss, and fern-roots, or even silk, while at times tiny silvery +cocoons or scraps of rich-coloured lichen are affixed as ornaments to +the exterior. + +One nest before me is a very perfect and deep cup, hung between two +twigs of a mohwa tree and almost entirely hidden by the surrounding +leaves. The exterior diameter of the nest is 2½ inches, and the depth +2 inches. The egg-cavity measures scarcely more than 1½ inch across +and very nearly as much in depth. It is composed of very fine +grass-stems and is thinly coated exteriorly with cobwebs, by which +also it is firmly secured to the suspending twigs, and externally +numerous small cocoons and sundry pieces of vegetable down are +plastered on to the nest. Another nest, hung between two slender twigs +of a mango tree, is a shallow cup some 2½ inches in diameter, and not +above an inch in depth externally. The egg-cavity measures at most 1½ +inch across by three-fourths of an inch in depth. The nest is composed +of fine tow-like vegetable fibres and thread, by which it is attached +to the twigs, a little grass-down being blended in the mass, and +the cavity being very sparsely lined with very fine grass-stems. In +another nest, somewhat larger than, the last described, the nest is +made of moss slightly tacked together with cobwebs and lined with +fine grass-fibres. Another nest, a very regular shallow cup, with an +egg-cavity 2 inches in diameter and an inch in depth, is composed +almost entirely of the soft silky down of the _Calatropis gigantea_, +rather thickly lined with very fine hair-like grass, and very +thinly-coated exteriorly with a little of this same grass, moss, and +thread. Another, with a similar-sized cavity, but nearly three-fourths +of an inch thick everywhere, is externally a mass of moss, moss-roots, +and very fine lichen, and is lined entirely with very soft and +brilliantly white satin-like vegetable down. Another, with about the +same-sized cavity, but the walls of which are scarcely one-fourth of +an inch in thickness, is composed _entirely_ of this satiny down, +thinly coated exteriorly and interiorly with excessively fine +moss-roots (roots so fine that most of them are much thinner than +human hair); a few black horsehairs, which look coarse and thick +beside the other materials of the nest, are twisted round and round in +the interior of the egg-cavity. Other nests might be made entirely of +tow, so far as their appearance goes; and in fact with a very +large series before me, no two seem, to be constructed of the same +materials. + +I have nests before me now, taken in September, March, June, and +August, all of which when found contained eggs. + +Two is certainly the normal number of the eggs; about one fifth of the +nests I have seen contained three, and once only I found four. + +From Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall informs us that he took the eggs +in June at an elevation of about 6000 feet. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I have taken eggs of this species at +Cawnpore in the middle of June. I found six nests, five of which were +in neem-trees. I also found the nest in Naini Tal at 7000 feet above +the sea, with young in the middle of June; one only of all the nests I +have seen was lined, and that was lined with feathers: they were, as a +rule, about eight feet from the ground, but one was nearly forty feet +up." + +Capt. Hutton gives a very full account of the nidification of this +species. He says:--"These beautiful little birds are exceedingly +common at Mussoorie, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, during +summer, but I never saw them much higher. They arrive from the plains +about the middle of April, on the 17th of which month I saw a pair +commence building in a thick bush of _Hibiscus_, and on the 27th +of the same month the nest contained three small eggs hard-set. I +subsequently took a second from a similar bush, and several from +the drooping branches of oak-trees, to the twigs of which they were +fastened. It is not placed on a branch, but is suspended between +two thin twigs, to which it is fastened by floss silk torn from the +cocoons of _Bombyx Huttoni_, Westw., and by a few slender fibres of +the bark of trees or hair according to circumstances. + +"So slight and so fragile is the little oval cup that it is +astonishing the mere weight of the parent bird does not bring it to +the ground, and yet within it three young ones will often safely +outride a gale that will bring the weightier nests of Jays and +Thrushes to the ground. + +"Of seven nests now before me four are composed externally of little +bits of green moss, cotton, and seed-down, and the silk of the wild +mulberry-moth torn from the cocoons, with which last material, +however, the others appear to be bound together within. The lining of +two is of the long hairs of the yak's tail, two of which died on the +estate where these nests were found, and a third is lined with +black human hair. The other three are formed of somewhat different +materials, two being externally composed of fine grass-stalks, +seed-down, and shreds of bark so fine as to resemble tow; one is lined +with seed-down and black fibrous lichens resembling hair, a second is +lined with fine grass, and a third with a thick coating of pure white +silky seed-down. In all the seven, the materials of the two sides are +wound round the twigs, between which they are suspended like a cradle, +and the shape is an ovate cup, about the size of half a hen's egg +split longitudinally. The diameter and depth are respectively 2 inches +and 1½ inch by three-fourths of an inch. The eggs are usually three in +number." + +Mr. Brooks, writing from Almorah, says:--"This morning, 28th April, +I found a nest of _Zosterops palpebrosa_ containing two fresh eggs. +Yesterday I found one of the same bird containing three half-fledged +young ones. Near the Tonse River, in the Allahabad District, I found +these birds in July nesting high in a mango-tree, the nest suspended +like an Oriole's to several leaves; now I find it in low bushes, at +heights of from 3 to 5 feet from the ground. The eggs, as before, +skim-milk blue, without markings of any kind." + +From Gurhwal Mr. R. Thompson says:--"A small cup-shaped elegant nest +is built by this bird suspended by fastenings from the fork of a low +branch. The nest is about 2½ inches in diameter and three-fourths of +an inch in depth, composed of cobwebs, fine roots, hairs, &c., neatly +interwoven and lined internally with vegetable down. The eggs, two, +three, or four in number, are of a pale whitish-blue, oval, and +somewhat larger than those of _Arachnechthra asiatica_. The birds +select all kinds of trees, but the nest is always suspended. The +breeding-season is about March and April, and the brood is quickly +hatched and fledged. + +"A nest found by me on the 22nd April, and containing four eggs, was +built most ingeniously in a creeper that hung from a small tree. The +birds had arranged it so that the long down-bearing tendril of the +creeper blended with the nest, which in the main was composed of the +material surrounding it. + +"Another nest found on the 26th contained three young ones. It was +built in a low branch of a large mango-tree, and might have been 12 +feet from the ground. It was a neat compact structure, deeply hollow, +and made up of cobwebs, fine straw, and hair, and lined with vegetable +down, closely and neatly interwoven. + +"The parent birds were evidently feeding the young on the ripe fruit +of the _Khoda_ or _Chumroor_ (_Ehretia laevis_). I got one fruit from +the old birds, being anxious to know what the young ones were getting +for their dinner. + +"The pairing-season commences about the end of March, when the males +may be heard uttering a feeble kind of rambling song, which in reality +is merely modified repetitions of a single note." + +Mr. A. Anderson remarked that "the White-eye breeds throughout the +North-Western Provinces and Oudh during the months of June, July, and +August. The nest is a beautiful little model of the Oriole's; and +according to my experience it is invariably _suspended_, and _not +fixed in the fork of small branches_ as stated by Jerdon. I have on +several occasions watched a pair in the act of building their nest. +They set to work with cobwebs, and having first tied together two or +three leafy twigs to which they intend to attach their nest, they then +use fine fibre of the _sun_ (_Crotalaria juncea_), with which material +they complete the outer fabric of their very beautiful and compact +nest. As the work progresses more cobwebs and fibre of a silky kind +are applied externally, and at times the nest, when tossed about by +the wind (sometimes at a considerable elevation), would be mistaken by +a casual observer for an accidental collection of cobwebs. The inside +of the nest is well felted with the down of the madar plant, and then +it is finally lined with fine hair and grass-stems of the softest +kind. Sometimes the nest is suspended from only two twigs, exactly +after the fashion of the Mango-birds (_Oriolus kundoo_); and in this +case it is attached by means of silk-like fibres and fine fibre of +_sun_ for about 1½ inch on each side; at others it is suspended from +several twigs; and occasionally I have seen the leaves fixed on to the +sides of the nest, thus making it extremely difficult of detection. + +"In shape the nest is a perfect hollow hemisphere; one now before me +measures (inside) 1·5 in diameter. The wall is about 0·3 in thickness. + +"Almost all my nests have been built on the neem tree, the long +slender _petioles_ of which are admirably adapted for its suspension. + +"As a rule the nest is built at a considerable height, and owing +to its situation there is not a more difficult nest to take. Great +numbers get washed down in a half-finished state in a heavy fall of +rain. + +"The eggs are, exactly as Jerdon describes them, of a pale blue, +'almost like skimmed milk,' and the usual number is three, though four +are frequently laid." + +"On the 7th September," writes Mr. E.M. Adam, "in my garden in +Lucknow, I discovered a nest of this bird in course of construction, +but when it was nearly finished the birds left it. The nest was a +beautiful little cup made of fine grass and cobwebs. It was situated +in a slender fork of a mango-tree about 15 feet from the ground." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; +breeds in both places in May, June, and July. All nests I have seen +have been finely made little cups of fibres, bits of thread and +cobwebs, lined interiorly with horsehair, generally suspended between +two slender twigs at no great height from the ground." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have only actually taken one nest of the +White-eye. That was in Poona (2000 feet above the sea) on the 21st +July. The bird, however, builds abundantly in Poona about gardens, +trees on the roadside, &c. + +"This particular nest was fixed to a thin branch of a tamarind-tree on +the side of a lane among gardens. It was within reach of my hand, and +was attached both to the thin branch itself and to two twigs. It was +well sheltered among leaves. + +"The nest was a cup rather narrower at the mouth than in the middle. +Its external diameter at the top was 2½ inches; internal diameter 1½ +inch; depth 1½ inch internally. It was composed of a variety of fibres +closely interwoven with some kind of vegetable silk, and was lined +principally with horsehair and very fine fibres. It contained three +eggs." + +Mr. Davison tells us that "the White-eye breeds on the Nilghiris in +February, March, April, and the earlier part of May. + +"The nest is a small neat cup-shaped structure suspended between a +fork in some small low bush, generally only 2 or 3 feet from the +ground, but sometimes high up, about 20 or 30 feet from the ground. It +is composed externally of moss and small roots and the down from the +thistle; the egg-cavity is invariably sparingly lined with hair. The +eggs, two in number, are of a pale blue, like skimmed milk." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their nests are, I think, +more elegantly finished than those of any of the small birds I have +seen up here. They generally select a thick bush, where, when they +have chosen a horizontal forked branch, they construct a neat round +nest which is left quite open at the top. The materials they commence +with are green moss, lichen, and fine grass intertwined. I have even +found occasionally a coarse thread, which they had picked up near some +Badagar's village and used in order to fasten the little building +to the branches. The inside is carefully lined with the down of +seed-pods. White-eyes' nests are very numerous here in the months of +January, February, and March. They are extremely partial to the wild +gooseberry bush as a site to build on. One year I found ten out of +eleven nests on these bushes, the fruit of which is largely used by +the aborigines of the hills. A pair once built on a thick orange-tree +in our garden. We often stood quite close to one of them while sitting +on the eggs, and it never showed the slightest degree of fear. They +lay two eggs of a light blue colour." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Conoor, says that "_Z. palpebrosa_ breeds in +April and May, building in bushes and shrubs, and making a deep round +cup-shaped nest very neatly woven in the style of the Chaffinch, +composed of moss, grass, and silk cotton, and sparsely lined with very +fine grass and hair. The eggs are two in number, of a roundish oval +shape, and a pale greenish-blue colour." + +Finally Colonel Legge informs us that this species breeds in Ceylon in +June, July, and August. + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals (occasionally rather broader), +and a good deal pointed towards the small end. The shell is very fine +but almost glossless; here and there a somewhat more glossy egg is met +with. They are normally of a uniform very pale blue or greenish blue, +without any markings whatsoever, but once in a way an egg is seen +characterized by a cap or zone of a somewhat purer and deeper blue. +Abnormally large and small specimens are common. They vary in length +from 0·53 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·42 to 0·58; but the average of +thirty-eight eggs is 0·62 by 0·47, and the great majority of the eggs +are really about this size. + + +229. Zosterops ceylonensis, Holdsworth. _The Ceylon White-eye_. + +Zosterops ceylonensis, _Holdsw., Hume, cat._ no. 631 bis. + +Colonel Legge, referring to the nidification of the Ceylon White-eye, +says:--"This species breeds from March until May, judging from the +young birds which are seen abroad about the latter month. Mr. +Bligh found the nest in March on Catton Estate. It was built in +a coffee-bush a few feet from the ground, and was a rather frail +structure, suspended from the arms of a small fork formed by one bare +twig crossing another. In shape it was a shallow cup, well made of +small roots and bents, lined with hair-like tendrils of moss, and was +adorned about the exterior with a few cobwebs and a little moss. The +eggs were three in number, pointed ovals, and of a pale bluish-green +ground-colour. They measured, on the average, ·64 by ·45 inch." + + +231. Ixulus occipitalis (Bl.) _The Chestnut-headed Ixulus_. + +Ixulus occipitalis (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 624. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Gammie out of a small tree below +Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, was a small, somewhat +shallow cup, composed almost entirely of very fine moss-roots, but +with a little moss incorporated in the outer surface. Externally the +nest was about 3½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in height. The +egg-cavity was about 2¼ inches by barely 1¼ inch. This nest was found +on the 17th June and contained three hard-set eggs, _which_ were +thrown away! + + +232. Ixulus flavicollis (Hodgs.). _The Yellow-naped Ixulus_. + +Ixulus flavicollis (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 259; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 623. + +I have never taken a nest of the Yellow-naped Ixulus. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have only as yet found a single nest of this +species, and this was one of the most artfully concealed that I have +ever seen. I found it in forest in the Chinchona reserves, at an +elevation of about 5000 feet, on the 14th May. It was a rather deep +cup, composed of moss and fine root-fibres and thickly lined with the +latter, and was suspended at a height of about six feet amongst the +natural moss, hanging from a horizontal branch of a small tree, in +which it was entirely enveloped. A more beautiful or more completely +invisible nest it is impossible to conceive. It contained three fresh +eggs. The cup itself was exteriorly 3·7 inches in diameter and 1·9 in +depth, while the cavity was 2·5 in diameter and 1·5 in depth." + +The Yellow-naped Ixulus breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +in the central region of Nepal and the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, +laying during the months of May and June. It builds on the ground +in tufts of grass, constructing its nest of moss and moss-roots, +sometimes open and cup-like and sometimes globular, and lining it with +sheep's wool. Mr. Hodgson figures one nest suspended from a branch, +and although neither the English nor the vernacular notes confirm +this, it is supported to a certain extent by Mr. Gammie's experience. +At the same time, though the situation and surroundings of both seem +to have been similar, Mr. Hodgson figures his nest, not cup-shaped, +but egg-shaped, and with the longer diameter horizontal. Seven nests +are recorded as having been taken, and all on the ground. One, +cup-shaped, taken on the 7th June, 1846, which is also figured, in +amongst grass and leaves on the ground, measured externally 3·5 inches +in diameter, 2·5 in height, and internally 2 inches both in diameter +and depth. + +The full complement of eggs is said to be four. Two types of eggs are +figured, both rather broad ovals, measuring about 0·75 by 0·6. The one +has a buffy-white ground and is thinly speckled and streaked, except +quite at the broad end, where the markings are nearly confluent, with +pale dingy yellowish brown; the other has a pale earthy-brown ground, +and is spotted similarly to the one just described, but with red and +purple. This latter egg appears on the same plate with the suspended +nest, and is, I think, doubtful. + +Several nests of this species, which I owe to Captain Masson of +Darjeeling, are very beautiful structures, moderately shallow and +rather massive cups, externally composed of moss, and lined thickly +with fine black moss-roots. The cavity of the nests may have been +about 1¾ inch in diameter by less than 1½ inch in depth, but the sides +of the nests are from one inch to 2 inches in thickness, constructed +of firmly compacted moss. + +Other nests of this species that have since been sent me show that +the bird very commonly suspends its nest to one or two twigs, not +unfrequently making it a complete cylinder or egg in shape, with the +entrance at one side, but always using moss, in some cases fine, in +some coarse, according to the nature of the moss growing where the +nest is placed, as the sole material, and lining the cavity thickly +with fine black moss and fern-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon tells us that at Darjeeling he has repeatedly had the nest +brought to him. "It is large, made of leaves of bamboos carelessly and +loosely put together, and generally placed in a clump of bamboos. The +eggs are three to five in number, of a somewhat fleshy-white, with a +few rusty spots." + +I cannot but think that in this case wrong nests had been brought +to Dr. Jerdon. The eggs that I possess are all of one type--rather +elongated ovals with scarcely any gloss, and strongly recalling in +shape, size, and appearance densely marked varieties of the eggs of +_Hirundo rustica_, but with the markings rather browner and slightly +more smudgy. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, often slightly +compressed towards the small end, sometimes rather broader and +slightly pyriform. The shell is extremely fine and compact, but +has scarcely any gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes pure white, +sometimes has a faint brownish-reddish or creamy tinge. The markings +are invariably most dense about the large end, where they form a +zone or cap, regular, well defined and confluent in some specimens, +irregular, ill-defined and blotchy in others. As a rule these +markings, which consist of specks, spots, and tiny blotches, are +comparatively thinly scattered over the rest of the egg, but +occasionally they are pretty thickly scattered everywhere, though +nowhere anything like so densely as at the large end. The colour of +the markings is rather variable. It is a brown of varying shades, +varying not only in different eggs, but there being often two shades +on the same egg. Normally it is I think an umber-brown, yellower in +some spots, but varying slightly in tinge, leaning to burnt umber, +sienna, and raw sienna. + +Other eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie are of much the same +character as those already described, but one is a good deal shorter +and broader, and the markings are more decided red than are some of +the yellowish-brown spots observable in the eggs first obtained. + +In length the eggs seem to vary from 0·76 to 0·8, and in breadth from +0·54 to 0·58. + + + + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + + +235. Liothrix lutea (Scop.). _The Red-billed Liothrix_. + +Leiothrix luteus (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250. +Leiothrix callipyga (_Hodgs._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 614. + +The Red-billed Liothrix breeds from April to August; at elevations of +from 3000 to 6000 feet, throughout the Himalayas south, as a rule, of +the first snowy range and eastward of the Sutlej; west of the Sutlej I +have not heard of its occurrence. It also doubtless breeds throughout +the hill-ranges running down from Assam to Burmah. + +Mostly the birds lay in May, affecting well-watered and jungle-clad +valleys and ravines. They place their nests in thick bushes, at +heights of from 2 to 8 feet from the ground, and either wedge them +into some fork, tack them into three or four upright shoots between +which they hang, or else suspend them like an Oriole's or White-eye's +nest. + +The nest varies from a rather shallow to a very deep cup, and is +composed of dry leaves, moss, and lichen in varying proportions, +bamboo-leaves being great favourites, bound together with slender +creepers, grass-roots, fibres, &c., and lined with black horse- or +buffalo-hair, or hair-like moss-roots. The nests differ much in +appearance: I have seen one composed almost entirely of moss, and +another of nothing but dry bamboo-sheaths, with a scrap or two of +moss. They are always pretty substantial, but sometimes they are very +massive for the size of the bird. + +Three is certainly the usual complement of eggs. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in the central +mountainous region of Nepal, and lays from April to August. The nest, +which is somewhat purse-shaped, is placed in some upright fork between +three or four slender branches, to all of which it is more or less +attached. It is composed of moss, dry leaves, often of the bamboo, and +the bark of trees, and is compactly bound together with moss-roots and +fibres of different kinds; it is lined with horse-hair and moss-roots, +and contains generally three or four eggs. + +The following note I quote _verbatim_:--"_Central Hills, August +12th_.--Male, female, and nest. Nest in a low leafy tree 5 cubits from +the ground in the Shewpoori forest; partly suspended and partly rested +on the fork of the branch; suspension effected by twisting part of the +material round the prongs of the fork; made of moss and lichens and +dry leaves, well compacted into a deep saucer-shaped cavity; 3·62 +high, 4·5 wide outside, and inside 2·25 deep and 3 inches wide; eggs +pale verditer, spotted brown, and ready for hatching. The bird found +in small flocks of ten to twelve, except at breeding-season." + +A nest sent to me last year by Mr. Gammie was found by him on the 24th +April, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, in the neighbourhood of +Rungbee. It was built by the side of a stream in a small bush, at a +height of about 3 feet from the ground, and contained three eggs. +The nest is a deep and, for the size of the bird, very massive cup, +exteriorly composed entirely of broad flag-like grass-leaves, with +which, however, a few slender stems of creepers are intermingled, +internally of grass-roots; the egg-cavity being thinly lined with +coarse, black buffalo-hair. Externally the nest is more than 5 inches +in diameter and nearly 4 inches high; but the egg-cavity, which is +very regularly shaped, is 2½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +This year Mr. Gammie writes to me:--"I have taken many nests of the +Red-billed Liothrix here in our Chinchona reserves, at all elevations +from 3500 to 5000 feet. They breed in May and June, amongst dense +scrub, placing their nests in shrubs, at heights of from 3 to 5 feet +from the ground, and either suspending them from horizontal branches, +or hanging them between several upright stems, to which they firmly +attach them. The nest itself is cup-shaped and composed principally of +dry bamboo-leaves held together by a few fibres, and a few strings of +green moss wound round the outside. The lining consists of a few +black hairs, and the usual number of eggs is three. A nest I recently +measured was externally 4 inches in diameter and 2·7 in height, while +the cavity was 2·6 across by 1·9 in depth." + +Mr. Gammie subsequently found a nest on the very late date of 17th +October at Rishap, Darjeeling. It contained three eggs, two of which +were addled. + +Dr. Jerdon says that at Darjeeling he "got the nest and eggs +repeatedly; the nest made chiefly of grass, with roots and fibres, and +fragments of moss, and usually containing three or four eggs, bluish, +white, with a few purple and red blotches. It is generally placed in a +leafy bush at no great height from the ground. Gould, quoting from Mr. +Shore's notes, says that the eggs are black spotted with yellow: +this is of course erroneous. I have taken the nest myself on several +occasions, and killed the bird, and in every case the eggs were +coloured as above." + +I wish to add here, as I have abused him occasionally, that Mr. Shore +was, I understand, a most excellent man, and that I have now come to +the conclusion that the extraordinary fictions that he recorded about +the eggs of birds can only have been due to colour-blindness of a +peculiarly aggravated nature. It is not that he mistook eggs, but that +he describes _impossible_ eggs--Kingfishers' eggs variegated black +and white, and here in this case black eggs spotted with yellow! Why, +there _are_ no such eggs in the whole world, I believe. On the other +hand, his whole life proves that he could not have deliberately set to +work to invent falsehoods. To return. + +The eggs vary a good deal in shade and size, but are more or less long +ovals, slightly pointed towards the lesser end. The ground-colour is +a delicate very pale green or greenish blue, in one, not very common +type, almost pure white, and they are pretty boldly blotched or +spotted and speckled as the case may be, and clouded, most thickly +towards the large end, and very often almost exclusively in a zone or +cap round this latter, with various shades of red or purple and brown. +Some blotches in some eggs are almost carmine-red, but the majority +are brownish red or reddish brown, varying much in depth and intensity +of colour. There is something Shrike-like in the markings of many +eggs; and where the markings are most numerous, namely at the large +end, they are commonly intermingled with streaks and clouds of +pale lilac. The smaller end of the egg is often entirely free from +markings. I should mention that all the eggs have a faint gloss, and +that some are decidedly glossy. + +They vary in length from 0·76 to 0·95, and in breadth from 0·59 to +0·66; but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0·85 by 0·62. + + +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (Vig.). _The Red-winged Shrike-Tit_. + +Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 245; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 609. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"There is no +record about the nidification of this species. Its nest is exceedingly +difficult to find, and it was only by long and careful watching +through field-glasses that Captain Cock discovered that there was a +nest at the top of a very high chestnut-tree, to and from which the +birds kept flying with building-materials in their beaks. The nest is +most skilfully concealed, being at the top of the tree, with bunches +of leaves both above and below. The nest, like that of the Oriole, is +built pendent in a fork. It is somewhat roughly made of moss and hair. +The eggs are pinky white, blotched with red, forming in some a ring +round the larger end. They average 0·9 in length and 0·65 in breadth. +We were fortunate enough to secure two nests; both were more than 60 +feet from the ground. Breeds in the end of May, at an elevation of +7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I first found this bird building its nest on the +top of a high chestnut-tree at Murree in the month of May. When the +nest was ready I took my friend Captain C.H.T. Marshall to be present +at the taking of it, as it had never, I think, been taken before. We +took the nest on the 30th May. + +"It was an open flattish cup, like the nest of _O. kundoo_ in +structure, only shallower. It contained three eggs, pinky white, +covered with a shower of claret spots that at the larger end formed a +cap of dark claret colour. Another nest, which I took in June from the +top of an oak, contained two eggs." + +To Colonel Marshall and Captain Cock I am indebted for a nest and egg +of this species. + +The nest is a moderately deep cup, suspended between two prongs of a +horizontal fork. Externally it is about 4 inches in diameter and about +3 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is nearly hemispherical, 3 inches +in diameter and 1·5 in depth. It is a very loosely made structure, +composed internally of not very fine roots and externally coated with +green moss. Along the lines of suspension a good deal of wool is +incorporated in the structure, and it is chiefly by this wool that the +nest is suspended. The fork is a slender one, the prongs being from +0·3 to 0·4 in diameter. + +The egg is a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the small +end. The shell is very fine and compact, and has a fine gloss. The +ground-colour is white or pinky white, and is pretty thickly speckled +and finely spotted all over with brownish red and a little pale inky +purple. Just towards the large end the markings are very dense, and +form, more or less of a confluent cap of mingled brownish red and pale +lilac, the latter everywhere appearing to underlie the former. + +The egg was taken on the 10th June, and measures 0·9 by 0·68. + + +239. Pteruthius melanotis, Hodgs. _The Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit_. + +Allotrius oenobarbus, _Temm. apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 246. +Allotrius melanotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 611. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit breeds in Sikhim and Nepal up to an elevation of 6000 or +7000 feet. The nest is placed at a height of 6 to 10 feet from the +ground, between some slender, leafy, horizontal fork, between which it +is suspended like that of an Oriole or White-eye. It is composed of +moss and moss-roots and vegetable fibres, beautifully and compactly +woven into a shallow cup some 4 inches in diameter, and with a cavity +some 2·5 in diameter and less than 1 in depth. Interiorly the nest is +lined with hair-like fibres and moss-roots; exteriorly it is adorned +with pieces of lichen. The eggs are two or three in number, +very regular ovals, about 0·77 in length by 0·49 in width. The +ground-colour is a delicate pinky lilac, and they are speckled and +spotted with violet or violet-purple, the markings being most numerous +towards the large end, where they have a tendency to form a mottled +zone. + + +243. Aegithine tiphia (Linn.). _The Common Iora_. + +Iora zeylonica (Gm.) _et_ I. typhia (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, pp. 101, 103. +Aegithine tiphia (_Linn.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ nos. 467, 468. + +I have already on several occasions (see especially 'Stray Feathers,' +1877, vol. v, p. 428) recorded my inability to distinguish as +distinct species _Ae. tiphia_ and _Ae. zeylonica_. I am quite open to +conviction; but believing them, so far as my present investigations +go, to be inseparable, I propose to treat them as a single species in +the present notice. + +The Common Iora (the genus, though possibly nearly allied, is too +distinct from _Chloropsis_ to allow me to adopt, as Jerdon does, one +common trivial name for both) breeds in different localities from May +to September. I have taken nests and eggs of typical examples of both +supposed species, and have had them sent me with the parent birds by +many correspondents; and though both vary a good deal, I am convinced +that all the variations which occur in the nests and eggs of one +race occur also in those of the other. If one gets only two or three +clutches of the eggs of each, great differences, naturally attributed +to difference of species (see Captain Cock's remarks, _infrà _), may +be detected; but I have seen more than fifty, and, so far as I am +concerned, I have no hesitation in asserting that, as in the case of +the birds so in that of their nests and eggs, no constant differences +can be detected if only sufficiently large series are compared. + +The birds build usually on the upper surface of a horizontal bough, at +a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground. Sometimes, when the +bough is more or less slanting, the nest assumes somewhat more of a +pocket-shape. Occasionally it is built between three or four slender +twigs, forming an upright fork; but this is quite exceptional. + +As a rule nests of the Iora very closely resemble those of +_Leucocerca_, so much so that when I sent a beautiful photograph of a +nest, which I had myself watched building, of the latter species to +Mr. Blyth, he unhesitatingly pronounced it to be a nest of the former. +There is, however, a certain amount of difference; the Iora's nests +are looser and somewhat less compact and firm. My experience does not +confirm Mr. Brooks's remarks (_vide infrà _) that they are usually +shallower; on the contrary all those now before me are, as indeed all +the many I can remember to have seen were, deep, thin-walled cups, +which had been placed on more or less horizontal branches, not +uncommonly where some upright-growing twig afforded the nest +additional security. The egg-cavity averages about 2 inches in +diameter, and varies from an inch to 1¼ inch in depth; the walls, +composed of vegetable fibres, and varying in different specimens +from only one eighth to three eighths of an inch in thickness, are +everywhere thickly coated externally with cobwebs, by which also the +nest is firmly attached to the branch on which it is seated, as well +as, where such adjoin the nest, to any little twig springing from that +branch. Interiorly they are more or less neatly lined with very fine +grass-stems. The bottom of the nest in its thinnest part is rarely +above one eighth of an inch in thickness, but running, as it so often +does, down the curving sides of the branch, it becomes a good deal +thicker, and where placed on a small branch, say not exceeding an +inch in diameter, the lateral portions of the bottom of the nest are +sometimes more than half an inch in thickness. + +One nest which I obtained recently in the Botanical Gardens at +Calcutta was built in an upright fork of four slender twigs; and in +this case the bottom of the nest was obtusely conical, and at its +deepest point may have been nearly an inch in depth. I have never seen +a similar nest. + +The eggs are normally three in number, but I have at times found only +two, and these more or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks, writing of a nest he took in the Mirzapoor District, +says:--"Did you ever get particulars of the nest of _Iora zeylonica_ +on the forked branch of a mango-tree 12 or 14 feet from the +ground? Nest composed of the same materials as that of _Leucocerca +albifrontata_, but not quite so neat and much more shallow; eggs +salmon-coloured and spotted with pale reddish brown, intermixed with a +few larger dashes of purple-grey. The bird lays in July; three eggs. +This is the only nest I have not taken since I came to India the +second time." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"The Iora breeds from July to +September, and certainly _not_, as Dr. Jerdon supposes, twice a year. +Both birds assist in the building of the nests, and there evidently +appears to be no choice of any particular kind of tree on which to +build. I have found them indiscriminately on the mango, mowah, neem, +and other trees. The nest is invariably made either just above or +between the fork of two outshooting slender horizontal branches. It +is very neatly made, deeply cup-shaped, of grass and fibres, with +spider's web on the exterior. The maximum number of eggs is three; +they are of a pale whitish colour, marked generally, chiefly at the +broad end, with brownish spots. The brown spots vary in size on +different eggs. I secured the first eggs on the 12th July, and the +last on the 2nd September. A pair of birds were on this last date just +completing their nest, which unfortunately was destroyed by the heavy +rains." + +Captain Cock says:--"_Iora tiphia_ is tolerably common at Seetapoor +(Oudh), and I have several times taken their nests and eggs. I may +here mention that I have taken eggs of _Iora zeylonica_ at Etawah, and +that knowing the birds well, I can say that it is quite a distinct +bird; although in the marking of its eggs there is a slight +resemblance, yet the nests of the two species are quite different. On +the 13th May I observed a nest of _I. tiphia_ on a young mango-tree, +at the edge of a croquet-ground in our garden. I shot both male and +female and took the eggs; the nest was placed on the upperside of a +sloping bough, was covered outside with cobweb, and lined with thin +dry grass. It contained two fresh eggs of a delicate pink colour, with +broad irregularly-shaped dashes of light brown down the sides of the +shell, not tending to coalesce in any way at either apex. Another pair +also built their nest on the edge of the same ground in another tree; +but unfortunately in a weak moment I pointed out the nest to a lady +friend, and as thereafter no one ever played croquet on the ground +without staring at the nest, the birds got disgusted and soon deserted +it." + +To this I need merely add that _of course_ typical _Ae. tiphia_ +and typical _Ae. zeylonica_ are very distinct, but that as every +intermediate form occurs, they are not, according to my views of what +constitutes a species, entitled to specific separation, and that as +regards nest and eggs, according to my experience, every variety in +the one is to be found in the other. + +Dr. Jerdon, speaking of Southern India, remarks:--"I have seen the +nest and eggs on several occasions. The nest is deep, cup-shaped, very +neatly made with grass, various fibres, hairs, and spiders' webs; and +the eggs, two or three in number, are reddish white, with numerous +darker red spots, chiefly at the thicker end. It breeds in the south +of India in August and September; perhaps, however, twice a year." + +Writing from South Wynaad, Mr. J. Darling (Junior) says:--"I found the +nest, which with the eggs and both parents I have now sent you, in the +Teriat Hills on the 24th May, at an elevation of about 2300 feet. It +was placed on, and near the extremity of, a bough, at a height of +about 10 feet from the ground. It is round, about 2 inches in height +and the same in diameter, and the cavity was about an inch or a trifle +more in depth. It is built of grass and reed-bamboo-fibres, and is +coated with spider's web. It only contained two eggs." + +Both parents (sexes ascertained by dissection) are in the typical +_tiphia_ plumage, without one particle of black on either head, nape, +or back. + +Mr. Davidson writes:--"In the Satara and Sholapur districts the cock +puts on his summer plumage in May and the whole back of head, neck, +and back (not rump) is glossy and black. + +"This bird lays from the end of June to beginning of August. It is +very shy when building and is easily caused to forsake its nest; if a +single egg is taken from the nest it does not forsake it, however, but +lays on (three instances this year)." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks has favoured me with the following very interesting +note on the habits of this Iora:-- + +"Ioras are very numerous and have such a variety of notes that I +thought at first there were several sorts; but as far as I can see +there is but one species. Iora spreads its tail in a wonderful manner, +and comes spinning round and round towards the ground looking more +like a round ball than a bird. All the time it descends it utters a +strange note, something like that of a frog or cricket, a protracted +sibilant sound. This bird is close to _Liothrix_ and _Stachyrhis_, +although it belongs to the plains." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest on the 17th August, 1880, on the +outside branch of a silk-cotton tree in Belgaum about 12 feet from the +ground, containing three fresh eggs. + +"I found many other nests building all through the hot weather and +rains; but in every single instance except the present one they were +deserted before they were completed." + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"This species is common +throughout the country. As a rule its nest is well hid, but one I +saw in the compound of a house in Maulmain was placed in the exposed +leafless fork of a tree, not above six feet from the ground. It +contained no eggs when I examined it, and was deserted a day or two +after. This was in the beginning of May." + +Mr. Oates remarks on the breeding of this bird in Pegu:--"Nests are +found chiefly in June and July, but the birds probably lay also in +May." + +In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, slightly pointed towards +one end. They vary, however, a good deal, some being much more +elongated than others. They are almost entirely devoid of gloss. The +ground-colour is generally greyish white, but some have creamy and +some a salmon tinge; typically they have numerous long streaky pale +brown or reddish-brown blotches, chiefly confined to the large end, +where they often seem to spring from an irregular imperfect zone of +the same colour. The colour of the blotches varies a good deal. In +some it is a pale greyish or purplish brown; in others decidedly +reddish, or even well-marked and somewhat yellowish brown. Some pale, +purplish streaks and clouds generally underlie the brown blotches +where they are thickest, and there form a kind of nimbus. In some eggs +the markings are confined to a narrow imperfect zone of pale purplish +specks or very tiny blotches round the large end, and some of the eggs +remind one of those of _Leucocerca albifrontata_. The peculiar streaky +longitudinal character of the markings, almost wholly confined to the +large end, best distinguishes the eggs of the Ioras from those of any +other Indian bird with which they are likely to be confounded. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·76, and in breadth from 0·51 to +0·57: but the average of forty-seven eggs measured is 0·69, nearly, by +a trifle more than 0·54. + + +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, Hodgs. _The Fire-tailed Myzornis_. + +Myzornis pyrrboura, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 263; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 629. + +I have received a single egg said to belong to the Fire-tailed +Myzornis from Native Sikhim, where it was found in May in a small nest +(unfortunately mislaid) which was placed on a branch of a large tree +at no great height from the ground. The place where it was found had +an elevation of about 10,000 feet. Although the parent bird was sent +with the egg, I cannot say that I have any great confidence in its +authenticity, and only record the matter _quantum valeat_. + +The egg is a very regular, rather elongated oval. The egg was never +properly blown and has been consequently somewhat discoloured. It may +have been pure white, and it may have been fairly glossy when fresh, +but it is now a dull ivory-white with scarcely any gloss. It measured +0·68 in length by 0·5 in breadth. + + +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (Bl.). _Jerdon's Chloropsis_. + +Phyllornis jerdoni, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 97; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 463. + +I have never myself found the nest of Jerdon's Chloropsis, but my +friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me numerous specimens of both nests +and eggs from Raipoor and its neighbourhood. + +In that part of the country July and August appear to be the months in +which it lays; but elsewhere its eggs have been taken in April, May, +and June, so that its breeding-season is much the same as that of many +of the Bulbuls. The nest is a small, rather shallow cup, at most 3½ +inches in diameter and 1½ in depth; is composed externally entirely of +soft tow-like vegetable fibre, which appears to be worked over a light +framework of fine roots and slender tamarisk-stems, amongst which, +some little pieces of lichen are intermingled. There is no attempt +at a lining, the eggs being laid on the fine grass and slender twigs +(about the thickness of an ordinary-sized pin) which compose the +framework of the nest. + +The eggs as a rule appear to be two in number. + +Mr. Blewitt remarks:--"The Green Bulbul breeds in July and August. The +bird does not preferentially select any one description of tree for +its nest, though the greater number secured were taken from mowah +trees (_Bassia latifolia_). The nest is generally firmly affixed at +the fork of the end twigs of an upper branch from 15 to 25 feet from +the ground. Sometimes, however, eschewing twigs, the bird constructs +its nest on the _top_ of the main branch itself, cunningly securing it +with the material to the rough exterior surface of the branch. +Three is certainly the maximum number of eggs. During the period of +nidification the parent birds are very watchful and noisy, and their +alarm and over-anxiety on the near approach of a stranger often betray +the nest." + +The late Captain Beavan recorded the following interesting note in +regard to this species:-- + +"This handsome bird is very abundant in Manbhoom, where it is called +'Hurrooa' by the natives. Its note is so much like that of _Dicrurus +ater_ that I have frequently been deceived by the resemblance. It +breeds in the district. A nest with two eggs was brought to me at +Beerachalee on April 4th, 1865. It is built at the fork of a bough and +neatly suspended from it, like a hammock, by silky fibres, which are +firmly fixed to the two sprigs of the fork, and also form part of the +bottom and outside of the nest. The inside is lined with dry bents and +hairs. The eggs (creamy white with a few light pinky-brown spots) are +rather elongated, measuring 0·85 by 0·62. Interior diameter of nest +2·25, depth 1·5. The cry of alarm of this species is like that of +_Parus major_" + +Dr. Jerdon remarked ('Illustrations of Indian Ornithology'), writing +at the time from Southern India:-- + +"I have seen a nest of this species in the possession of S.N. Ward, +Esq. It is a neat but slightly cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly of +fine grass, and was placed near the extremity of a branch, some of +the nearest leaves being, it was said, brought down and loosely +surrounding it. It contained two eggs, white, with a few +claret-coloured blotches. Its nest and eggs, I may remark, show an +analogy to that of the Orioles." + +Mr. Layard tells us that this species is "extremely common in the +south of Ceylon, but rare towards the north. It feeds in small flocks +on seeds and insects, and builds an open cup-shaped nest. The eggs, +four in number, are white, thickly mottled at the obtuse end with +purplish spots." + +And Sir W. Jardine says:--"For the interesting nest and eggs of +_Phyllornis jerdoni_, Blyth, we are indebted to E.S. Layard, Esq., +Magistrate of the district of Point Pedro (the northernmost extremity +of Ceylon), in which district we understand it to have been procured. +A large groove along the underside of the nest indicates it to have +been placed upon a branch; the general form is somewhat flat, and +it is composed of very soft materials, chiefly dry grass and silky +vegetable fibres, rather compactly interwoven with some pieces of dead +leaf and bark on the outside, over which a good deal of spider's web +has been worked. It contains four eggs, white, abruptly speckled +over with dark bistre mingled with some ashy spots." Layard is not +generally reliable where eggs are concerned, for he did not usually +take them with his own hands and natives _will_ lie; and I doubt the +_four_ eggs here, but I think, so far as the nest goes, that he was +right in this case. + +The eggs are rather elongated ovals; some of them a good deal pointed +towards one end, others again slightly pyriform. The shell is very +delicate; the ground-colour white to creamy white; as a rule almost +glossless, in some specimens slightly glossy. They are sparingly +marked, usually chiefly at the large end, with spots, specks, small +blotches, hair-lines, or hieroglyphic-like figures, which are +typically almost black, but which in some eggs are blackish, or even +reddish, or purplish brown. In no specimens that I have seen were the +markings at all numerous, except just at the large end; and in some +they consist solely of a few tiny specks, scattered about the crown of +the egg. + +The eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·92 in length, and from 0·56 to 0·63 in +breadth; but the average of a dozen was 0·86 by 0·6. + + +254. Irena puella (Lath.). _The Fairy Blue-bird_. + +Irena puella (_Lath._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 105; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no 469. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon favoured me with an egg of the Fairy Blue-bird, +which with other rare eggs he obtained on the Assamboo Hills. So +little is known of this range that I quote his remarks upon this +locality. + +"I must premise that the specimens were obtained along the Assamboo +Range of hills, between the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above +sea-level. This range of hills, running in a north-westerly and +south-easterly direction from Cape Comorin to 8°33' north latitude, +forms the boundary line between Travancore and the British Territory +of Tinnevelly, the average height of the range being about 4000 +feet, while some of the peaks are as high as 5500 feet. The general +character of the hills is dense forest, broken here and there by grass +ridges and crowned by precipitous rocks, above which lies an almost +unexplored table-land, varying in width from a mile to 12 or 15 miles, +at an elevation of almost 4000 feet." + +"The egg of the Fairy Blue-bird," he adds, "was taken slightly set on +the 28th February, 1873, from a loose sparsely-built nest situated in +a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. The nest was composed of +dead twigs lined with leaves, and was about 4 inches broad and very +slightly indented." + +As will be remembered, Dr. Jerdon states that "Mr. Ward obtained, what +he was informed were, the nest and eggs; the nest was large, made of +roots and fibres and lined with moss; and the eggs, two in number, +were pale greenish, much spotted with dusky:" and I have no doubt that +Mr. Ward's eggs were genuine. + +The egg is an elongated oval, compressed almost throughout its entire +length, very blunt at both points; a long cone, the apex broadly +truncated and rounded off obtusely, sealed on half a very oblate +spheroid. In no one single point--shape, texture of shell, colour or +character of markings--does this egg approach to those of either the +Oriole or the Chloropsis. This shell is very close-grained and fine, +but only moderately glossy. The ground is pale green, and it is +streaked and blotched with pale dull brown. The markings are almost +entirely confluent over the large end (where they appear to be +underlaid by dingy, dimly discernible greyish blotches), and from the +cap thus formed they descend in streaky mottlings towards the small +end, growing fewer and further apart as they approach this latter, +which is almost devoid of markings. + +It is impossible to generalize from a single specimen as to the +position this bird _should_ hold, but this one egg renders it quite +certain to my mind that the nearest allies of _Irena_ are neither +_Oriolus_ nor _Chloropsis_, and that it is quite impossible to place +it with the _Dicruridae_. The eggs of _Psaroglossa spiloptera_ are +not very dissimilar, and I expect that it is somewhere between +the _Paradiseidae, Sturnidae_, and _Icteridae_ that _Irena_ will +ultimately have to be located. + +The egg measures 1·1 by 0·73. + +Mr. Fulton Bourdillon writes:--"The last note I have to send you at +present is that of a Blue-bird's nest (_Irena puella_). Of this there +can be no possible doubt, as my brother and I shot both the male and +female birds, and I took the nest with my own hands. It was in a +pollard tree beside a stream among some thick branches about 20 feet +from the ground. The nest was neatly but very loosely constructed of +fresh green moss, which formed the bulk of the nest, and lined with +the flower-stalks of a jungle shrub. It was very well concealed, and +was about 4 inches broad with a cavity not more than 1½ inch deep. It +contained two eggs slightly set, measuring respectively 1·11 x ·84 and +1·16 x ·81. These eggs tally very fairly in colour, shape, and size +with those sent last year; of the identity of which I was doubtful at +the time, though now I think there can be no mistake. + +"Since writing last I have had another nest of _Irena puella_ brought +me with two fresh eggs. The nest was very loosely put together and +similar in all respects to the one last sent. The eggs measure ·95 x +·81 and ·92 x ·79, with the same well-defined ring round the larger +end. The nest was in a small tree about 10 feet from the ground and +was well concealed. It was composed of twigs, without any lining." + +The nest sent me by Mr. Bourdillon is a very flimsy affair, reminding +one much of the nest of _Graucalus macii_ and not in the smallest +degree of that of an Oriole. A mere pad, some 4 inches in diameter, +composed of very thin twigs or dry flower-stalks with a couple of dead +leaves intermingled, and an external coating of green moss. + +Major C.T. Bingham has favoured me with the following notes from +Tenasserim:--"At the sources of the Winsaw stream, a feeder of the +Thoungyeen river, on the 30th April I found a nest of this bird, a +mere irregularly roundish pad of moss with very little depression in +the centre, containing two fresh eggs, and placed 12 feet or so above +the ground in the fork of an evergreen sapling. The eggs measure 1·18 +x 0·86 and 1·19 x 0·86 respectively, and are so thickly spotted and +blotched with brown as to show very little of the ground-colour, which +latter, however, appears to be of a greenish white. + +"On the 11th April I was slowly clambering along a very steep +hill-side overlooking the Queebaw choung, a small tributary of the +Meplay stream, when from a tree whose crown was below my feet I +startled a female _Irena puella_ off her nest. I could see the nest +and that it contained two eggs, so I shot the female, who had taken to +a tree a little above me. On getting the nest down, I found it a poor +affair of little twigs, with a superstructure of moss, shaped into a +shallow saucer, on which reposed two eggs, large for the size of the +bird, of a dull greenish white, much dashed, speckled, and spotted +with brown. They were so hard-set that I only managed to save one, +which measured 1·09 by 0·77 inch." + +Mr. Davison writes:--"At Kussoom, in some moderately thin tree-jungle +I found the nest of _Irena puella_. The nest was placed in the fork +of a sapling some 12 feet from the ground. The nest externally was +composed of dry twigs, carelessly and irregularly put together. The +egg-cavity was shallow, not more than 1·5 inch at its deepest part, +and it was lined with finer twigs, fern-roots, and some yellowish +fibre. The nest contained two fresh eggs." + +Two eggs, taken by Mr. Davison at Kussoom in the north of the Malay +Peninsula, to which the Malayan form does not extend, are rather +elongated ovals, with a slightly pyriform tendency. The shell is fine, +smooth, and compact, and has a perceptible gloss. The ground-colour is +greenish white; round the large end is a huge, smudgy, irregular zone +of reddish brown and inky grey, the one colour predominating in the +one egg, the other in the other. Inside the zone are specks and spots +of the same colours, and below the zone streaks and spots of these +same colours, thinly set, stretched downwards towards the small end of +the egg. + +Other eggs subsequently received are very similar to that first sent +by Mr. Bourdillon, except that in shape they are more regular ovals, +and that the brown markings in some have a reddish and in some a +purplish tinge, and that in some eggs the mottings and markings are +pretty thick even at the small end. + +In length they seem to vary from 1·08 to 1·2 inch and in breadth from +0·73 to 0·88 inch. + +In some eggs the ground appears to have no green tinge, but is simply +a greyish white. In one egg the markings are all of one colour, a sort +of chocolate-brown, a dense almost confluent mass of mottlings in a +broad irregular zone round the large end and elsewhere pretty thickly +set over the entire surface of the egg. They have always a certain +amount of gloss, but are never very glossy. + + +257. Mesia argentauris, Hodgs. _The Silver-eared Mesia_. + +Leiothrix argentauris (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 251. +Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 615. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Silver-eared Mesia breeds in the +low-lands of Nepal, laying in May and June. The nest is placed in a +bushy tree, between two or three thin twigs, to which it is attached. +It is composed of dry bamboo and other leaves, thin grass-roots and +moss, and is lined inside with fine roots. Three or four eggs are +laid: one of these is figured as a broad oval, much pointed towards +one end, measuring 0·8 by 0·6, having a pale green ground with a few +brownish-red specks, and a close circle of spots of the same colour +round the large end. + +Dr. Jerdon brought me two eggs from Darjeeling, which he believed to +belong to this species. They much resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_. +They are oval, scarcely pointed at all towards the lesser end, and +are faintly glossed. The ground-colour of one is greenish, the other +creamy, white, and both are spotted and streaked, chiefly in an +irregular zone near the large end, with different shades of red and +purple. The markings are smaller than those of the preceding species. +Further observations are necessary to confirm the authenticity of the +eggs. + +They measure 0·85 and 0·87 by 0·65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken about half a dozen nests +of this bird. They closely resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_ in size +and structure and are similarly situated, but instead of having the +egg-cavity lined with dark-coloured material, as that species has, all +I found had light-coloured linings; such was even the case with +one nest I found within three or four yards of a nest of the other +species. + +"The eggs are usually four in number." + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond with those given me +by Dr. Jerdon. They are as like the eggs of _L. lutea_ as they can +possibly be, and if there is any difference, it consists in the +markings of the present species being as a body smaller and more +speckled than those of _L. lutea_. + +The six eggs that I have vary in length from 0·82 to 0·9, and in +breadth from 0·6 to 0·65.[A] + +[Footnote A: There is in the Tweeddale collection a skin of a young +nestling of this species procured by Limborg on Muleyit mountain in +Tenasserim in the second week of April. On the label attached to the +specimen is a note to the effect that the nest from which the nestling +was taken was made of moss.--ED.] + + +258. Minla igneitincta, Hodgs. _The Red-tailed Minla_. + +Minla ignotincta, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 254: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 618. + +The Red-tailed Minla, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, +breeds in the central region of Nepal and near Darjeeling, during May +and June. It builds a beautiful rather deep cup-shaped nest of mosses, +moss-roots, and some cow's hair, lined with these two latter. The nest +is placed in the fork of three or four slender branches of some bushy +tree, at no great elevation from the ground, and is attached to one or +more of the stems in which it is placed by bands of moss and fibres. A +nest taken on the 24th May measured externally 3·28 inches in diameter +and 2·25 in height; internally the cavity was 2 inches in diameter and +1·62 in depth. They lay from two to four eggs, of a pale verditer-blue +ground, speckled and spotted pretty boldly with brownish red. An egg +is figured as a regular rather broad oval, measuring 0·78 by 0·55. + +On the other hand, Dr. Jerdon says:--"Its nest has been brought to me, +of ordinary shape, made of moss and grass, and with four white eggs, +with a few rusty red spots." + + +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (Burton). _The Fire-cap_. + +Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 267; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 633. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us:--"On the 25th +May we found the nest of this species (the Fire-cap) in a hole in a +rotten sycamore-tree about 15 feet from the ground. The nest was a +neatly made cup-shaped one, formed principally of fine grass. We were +unfortunately too late for the eggs, as we found four nearly fledged +young ones, showing that these birds lay about the 15th April. +Elevation, 7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I found a nest in the stump of an old +chestnut-tree at Murree. The nest was about 13 feet from the ground +near the top of the stump, placed in a natural cavity: it was +constructed of fine grass and roots carefully woven and was of a deep +cup shape. It contained five fully fledged young ones. The end of May +was the time when I found this, and I have never yet succeeded in +finding another." + + +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (Vigors). _The Spotted-wing_. + +Saroglossa spiloptera (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 336; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 691. + +Personally I know nothing of the nidification of the Spotted-wing. + +Captain Hutton tells us that "this species arrives in the hills about +the middle of April in small parties of five or six, but it does +not appear to ascend above 5500 to 6000 feet, and is therefore more +properly an inhabitant of the warm valleys. I do not remember seeing +it at Mussoorie, which is 6500 to 7000 feet, although at 5200 feet on +the same range it is abundant during summer. Its notes and flight are +very much those of the Starling (_Sturnus vulgaris_), and it delights +to take a short and rapid flight and return twittering to perch on the +very summit of the forest trees. I have never seen it on the ground, +and its food appears to consist of berries. + +"Like the two species of _Acridotheres_, it nidificates by itself in +the holes of trees, lining the cavity with bits of leaves. The eggs +are usually three, or sometimes four or five, of a delicate pale +sea-green speckled with blood-like stains, which sometimes tend to +form a ring near the larger end; shape oval, slightly tapering." + +The eggs are so different in character from those of all the Starlings +that doubts might reasonably arise as to whether this species is +placed exactly where it ought to be by Jerdon and others. I possess at +present only three eggs of this bird, which I owe to Captain Hutton. +They are decidedly long ovals, much pointed towards the small end, +and in shape and coloration not a little recall those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_. The eggs are glossless, of a greenish or greyish-white +ground, more or less profusely speckled and spotted with red, reddish +brown, and dingy purple. In two of the eggs the majority of the +markings are gathered into a broad irregular speckled zone round the +large end. In the third egg there is just a trace of such a zone and +no markings at all elsewhere. In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·08, +and in breadth from 0·68 to 0·74.[A] + +[Footnote A: HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS, Bonap. _The Grey Hypocolius_. +Hypocolius ampelinus, _Bp., Hume, cat._ no. 269 quat. + +Although this bird has not yet been found breeding within Indian +limits, the following account of its nidification at Fao, in the +Persian Gulf, by Mr. W.D. Cumming (Ibis, 1886. p. 478) will prove +interesting:-- + +"It is not till the middle of June that they breed. + +"In 1883, first eggs were brought by an Arab about the 13th of June, +and on the 15th of the same month I found a nest containing two fresh +eggs. In 1884, on the 14th of June a nest was brought me containing +four fresh eggs, and on the 15th I found a nest containing also four +fresh eggs. + +"2nd July, I came across four young birds able to fly. On the 3rd, +three nests were brought, one containing two fresh eggs, another three +young just fledged, and the other four eggs slightly incubated. On the +9th, another nest, containing four young just fledged was brought. On +the 15th I saw a flock of small birds well able to fly; on the 18th I +found a nest containing four young about a couple of days old, and on +the 20th a nest containing three eggs well incubated was brought from +a place called 'Goosba' on the opposite bank (Persian side) of the +river. + +"The nests are generally placed on the leaves of the date-palm, at no +very great height. The highest I have seen was built about ten feet +from the ground but from three to five feet is the average height. + +"They are substantial and cup-shaped, having a diameter of about 3¼ +inches by 2¼ inches in depth, lined inside with fine grass, the soft +fluff from the willow when in seed, wool, and sometimes hair. + +"The eggs are of a glossy leaden white, with leaden-coloured blotches +and spots towards the larger end, sometimes forming a ring round +the larger end and at times spreading over the entire egg. On rare +occasions I have noticed a greenish tinge in very fresh eggs. This, I +think, is due to the colour of the inner membrane, which is generally +a very light green, in some very faint and in others more decided; +this tinge seems to disappear after the egg is blown. + +"Very rough measurements are as follows:--0·9 x 0·63; 0·83 x 0·63; +0·83 x 0·6; 0·83 x 0·66; 0·86 x 0·66."] + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + + +263. Criniger flaveolus (Gould). _The White-throated Bulbul_. + +Criniger flaveolus (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 83; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 451. + +A nest of this species sent me from Darjeeling was found in July, at +an elevation of about 3000 feet. + +It was placed on the branches of a medium-sized tree, at a height of +only about 5 feet from the ground. + +The nest was a compact, rather shallow saucer, 5·5 inches in diameter +and about 2 inches in height externally. The cavity was about 3·5 in +diameter and an inch in depth. The greater portion of the nest was +composed of dead leaves bound together firmly by fine brown roots; +inside the leaves was just a lining of rather coarser brown roots, and +again an inner lining of black horsehair-like roots and fine steins of +the maiden-hair fern. + +The nest contained three fresh eggs. These eggs vary from broad to +somewhat elongated ovals, are more or less pointed towards the small +end, and exhibit a fine gloss. + +The ground is a beautiful salmon-pink, and it is thinly spotted, +blotched, and marked with irregular lines of deep maroon-red. Most of +the markings in one egg are gathered into a very irregular straggling +zone round the large end, and the other egg exhibits a tendency to +form a similar zone. Besides these primary markings a few spots and +clouds of dull purple, looking as if beneath the surface of the shell, +are thinly scattered about the egg, chiefly in the neighbourhood of +the zone. + +These eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·0 in length, and from 0·7 to 0·72 in +breadth. + +Several nests of this species sent me by the late Mr. Mandelli and +obtained by him in British and Native Sikhim during July and the early +part of August are all precisely of the same type. They each contained +two fresh eggs; they were all placed in the branches of small trees in +the midst of dense brushwood or heavy jungle, at heights of from 4 to +10 feet from the ground. The nests are broad and saucer-like, nearly +5 inches in diameter, but not much above 2 in height externally; the +cavities average about 3·25 in diameter and about 1 in depth. The body +of the nest is composed of dead leaves, the sides are more or less +felted round with rich brown fibrous, almost wool-like roots; inside +the leaves fine twigs and stems of herbaceous plants, all of a uniform +brown tint, are wound round and round, apparently to keep the leaves +in their places interiorly, and then the cavity is lined with +jet-black horsehair-like vegetable fibres. What these are I do not +know, but they are precisely like horsehair to look at, only they are +comparatively brittle. The contrast of colour between the jet-black +lining and the rich brown of the lip of the saucer, which is constant +in all the nests, is very striking. + +The eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Mandelli, obtained by him in +Sikhim at elevations of from 2000 to 4000 feet in July and the early +part of August, possess a very distinctive character. They are broad +ovals, much pointed towards the small end, and they are more glossy +than the eggs of any other of this family with which I am acquainted. +The ground-colour is pink. The markings consist of curious hair-line +scratches, clouded blotches, and irregular spots--in some eggs all +very hazy and ill-defined, in others more scratchy and sharp. The +great majority of the markings seem to be gathered together into +an irregular and imperfect zone round the large end. In colour the +markings vary from a deep brownish maroon to a dull brickdust-red, +sometimes they are slightly more purplish. In some eggs a few faint +clouds or small spots of subsurface-looking dusky purple may be +noticed mingled with the rest of the markings. + +These eggs are totally unlike the eggs of _Criniger ictericus_. I have +never had an opportunity of verifying the eggs myself, but as three +different nests have now been taken, all containing precisely similar +eggs, I believe there can be no doubt of their authenticity. + + +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, Vigors. _The Himalayan Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes psaroides (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 77; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 444. + +The Himalayan Black Bulbul breeds throughout the outer and lower +ranges of the Himalayas, at any rate from Bhootan to Afghanistan, at +elevations varying from 2000 to 6000 feet. + +They lay mostly in May and June, but eggs may occasionally be met with +during the latter half of April. + +The nest of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ is usually made of rather +coarse-bladed grass, with exteriorly a number of dry leaves, and more +or less moss incorporated, and lined with very fine grass-stems and +roots of moss. A good deal of spider's web is often used exteriorly to +bind the nest together, or attach it more firmly to the fork in which +it rests. Its general shape is a moderately deep cup, the cavity +measuring some 2½ inches in diameter by 1½ inch in depth. The sides, +into which leaves and moss are freely interwoven, vary from an inch to +a couple of inches in thickness. The bottom, loosely put together, is +rarely more than from a quarter to half an inch in depth. It appears +to be generally placed on the fork of a branch, at a moderate height +from the ground. + +Four is the normal number of eggs, but I have more than once found +three partially incubated eggs in a nest. + +From Darjeeling Mr. Gammie remarks:--"A nest of this bird, which I +took on the 17th June, at a height of nearly 50 feet from the ground, +on one of the topmost branches of a tree, contained three hard-set +eggs. This was below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet. The +nest was a compact, moderately deep cup, composed of very fine twigs +and stems, and with a quantity of dead leaves incorporated in the +structure, especially towards its lower surface; it had no lining, but +the stems used towards the interior of the nest were somewhat finer +than the rest. Exteriorly the nest had a diameter of about 4·5 inches, +and a height of about 2·5; interiorly a diameter of about 2·5, and a +depth of nearly 1·5." + +Mr. Hodgson, writing from Nepal, says:-- + +"_May 20th, Jaha Powah_.--Two nests on the skirts of the forest in +medium-sized trees, placed on the fork of a branch. They are made +of moss and dry fern and dry elastic twig-tops, and lined with long +elastic needles of _Pinus longifolia_. They are compact and rather +deep, half pensile, that is to say, partly slung between the branches +of the fork to which they are attached by bands of vegetable fibres. +Each contained four eggs, pinkish-white, thickly spotted with dark +sanguine." Another year he wrote:-- + +"_May 9th, in the Valley_.--A mature female with nest and eggs. Nest +saucer-shaped, the cavity 3·5 wide by 2·5 deep, made of slender twigs +and grass-fibres, with no lining. Eggs three, pale pink, blotched all +over with sanguine brown." + +Writing from Almorah, Mr. Brooks tells us that "the nest and eggs were +found by Mr. Horne on the 27th May near Bheem Tal." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall also found a nest in the same place. He +says:--"I have only myself found the nest once at Bheem Tal (4000 +feet); it was situated in a thicket. The nest of this species is +similar in shape but much more substantial than those of the Common +Bulbul. The eggs are much larger and more elongated in shape, but the +colouring is similar to those of the Bulbul, and in many cases the +blotches have a tendency to form a zone near the thick end. The nest I +found was taken on the 10th June and contained fresh eggs. + +"On the 30th May, 1875, I found a nest of this species at Naini Tal on +Ayarpata, over 7000 feet above the sea. I record the circumstance, +as their breeding at so great an elevation is exceptional. The nest +contained three fresh eggs; it was made of leaves and moss, lined with +bents of grass, between two branches but partially resting on a third, +in a bush at the outskirts of a forest on a steep bank and about eight +feet from the ground." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton recorded the following very full and +interesting note:-- + +"They breed during April, May, and June, making a rather neat +cup-shaped nest, which is usually placed in the bifurcation of a +horizontal branch of some tall tree; the bottom of it is composed of +thin dead leaves and dried grasses, and the sides of fine woody stalks +of plants, such as those used by the White-cheeked Bulbul, and they +are well plastered over externally with spiders' webs; the lining +is sometimes of very fine tendrils, at other times of dry grasses, +fibrous lichen, and thin shavings of the bark of trees left by the +wood-cutters. I have one nest, however, which is externally formed of +green moss with a few dry stalks, and the spiders' webs, instead of +being plastered all over the outside, are merely used to bind the +nest to the small branches among which it is placed. The lining is +of bark-shavings, dry grasses, black fibrous lichens, and a few fine +seed-stalks of grasses. The internal diameter of the nest is 2¾ +inches, and it is 1½ inches deep. The eggs are usually three in +number, of a rosy or purplish white, sprinkled over rather numerously +with deep claret or rufescent purple specks and spots. In colours and +distribution of spots there is great variation, sometimes the rufous +and sometimes the purple spots prevailing; sometimes the spots are +mere specks and freckles, sometimes large and forming blotches; +in some the spots are wide apart, in others they are nearly, and +sometimes in places quite, confluent; while from one nest the +eggs were white, with widely dispersed dark purple spots and dull +indistinct ones appearing under the shell. In all the spots were more +crowded at the larger end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"Numerous nests of this species were +found at Murree, agreeing well with Hutton's description. They breed +in May and June, never above 6000 feet." + +The eggs are rather long ovals. Typically a good deal pointed towards +the small end, and more or less pyriform, but at times nearly perfect +ovals. They have little or no gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white, very faintly tinged with pink, to a delicate pink, and they are +profusely speckled, spotted, blotched, or clouded with various shades +of red, brownish red, and purple. The markings vary much in character, +extent, and intensity of colour. There seem to be two leading types, +with, however, almost every possible intermediate variety of markings. +The one is thickly speckled over its whole surface with minute dots +of reddish purple, no dot much bigger than the point of a pin, and +no portion of the ground-colour exceeding 0·1 in diameter free from +spots. In these eggs the specklings are most dense, as a rule, +throughout a broad irregular zone surrounding the large end, and this +zone is thickly underlaid with irregular ill-defined streaky clouds +of dull inky purple. In some eggs of this type, the smaller end is +comparatively free from specks. In the other type, the surface of the +egg is somewhat sparingly, but boldly, blotched and splashed, first +with deep umber, chocolate, or purple-brown, and, secondly, with spots +and clouds of faint inky purple, recalling not a little the style of +markings of the eggs of _Rhynchops albicollis_. Then there are eggs +partly speckly and partly blotched, some in which the markings are all +rich red and where no secondary pale purple clouds are observable, +and others again in which all the markings are dull purplish brown. +Generally it may be said that the markings have a tendency to form a +cap or zone at the large end. + +A nest of three eggs recently obtained from Mussoorie were more richly +coloured than any I have yet seen, and were decidedly glossy. The +ground-colour is a rich rosy pink, boldly, but sparingly, blotched +and spotted with deep maroon, underlaid by clouds and spots of pale +purple, which appear as if beneath the surface of the shell. In all +the eggs the markings are far more numerous at the large end, where in +one they form a huge confluent maroon-coloured patch, mottled lighter +and darker. + +An egg recently obtained in Cashmere on the 20th June was a somewhat +elongated oval, more or less compressed towards one end; a delicate +glossy white ground with a faint pink tinge; a rich zone of +reddish-purple spots and specks round the large end; a few similar +markings scattered sparingly over the rest of the surface of the egg, +and a multitude of very faint streaks and clouds of very _pale_ inky +purple underlying the primary markings. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·7 to +0·78; but the average of twenty-five eggs measured is 1·03 by 0·75. + + +271. Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes. _The Southern-Indian Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes neilgherriensis, _Jerd._; _Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, p. 78; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 445. +Hypsipetes ganeesa, _Sykes, Jerd. t.c._ p. 78. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this species breeds from April to about the +middle of June. The nest is generally placed from 12 to 20 feet from +the ground, in some dense clump of leaves; favourite sites are the +bunches of parasitic plants with which nearly every acacia, and in +fact nearly every other tree about Ootacamund, is covered. The nest is +composed exteriorly of moss, dry leaves, and roots, lined with roots +and fibres: the normal number of eggs is two; they are white with +claret-coloured and purplish spots." + +A nest of this species taken at Coonoor on the 14th March, 1869, +by Mr. Carter, to whom I owe this and many other nests from the +Nilghiris, reminds one much of those of the Red-cheeked Bulbuls. +A wisp of dry grass and dead leaves, with the dead leaves greatly +predominating exteriorly, twisted into a shallow cup, some 4½ inches +in diameter externally, and with a shallow depression tolerably neatly +lined with finer grass-stems measuring some 3 inches across and +perhaps an inch in depth. The bottom of the nest is almost exclusively +composed of dead leaves; while even in the sides, externally, little +but these are visible, only a few grass-stems crossing in and out, +here and there, sufficiently to keep the leaves in their places. + +Mr. Wait remarks, writing from Coonoor:--"Our Black Bulbul breeds from +March to June. It builds a cup-shaped nest neatly and firmly made. +Outside, the nest is chiefly composed, as a rule, of green moss, +grass-stalks, and fibres, while inside it is lined with fine stalks +and hair. The cavity is from 2·5 to 3 inches in diameter and about +half that depth. Two is certainly the normal number of eggs; indeed, I +have never found more." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in lofty trees in the Nilghiris, building a shallow +cup-shaped nest, from 20 to 60 feet from the ground. The nest is +constructed of the dried stems of the wild forget-me-not, and lined +with a moss much resembling black horsehair. The eggs, which are two +in number, are pretty thickly spotted with pale lilac and claret on +a light pink ground-colour. I found these birds migrating in vast +flights, numbering several thousands, in the Bolumputty valley in +July. They were flying westwards towards Malabar." + +Mr. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I have taken the eggs of this Black +Bulbul every year from 1863 to 1870 during March, April, May, and part +of June, all over the Nilghiris. The nests were all made of moss, dry +leaves, and roots, lined with roots and fibres. I have only once found +three eggs (the normal number being two): in this case the eggs are +very much smaller than usual, and more blotched with the reddish +spots. I have found them at all heights from the ground up to 30 feet, +and mostly in rhododendron trees. I found two nests in S. Wynaad, at +an elevation of about 4000 feet, both with young, in June 1873." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that he procured the nest of this bird +with three fresh eggs at Manzeerabad in Mysore on the 7th April. + +Colonel Legge tells us that this Bulbul breeds in Ceylon from January +till March. + +That the Nilghiris bird should lay usually only _two_ eggs, and this +seems a well ascertained fact, while our very closely allied Himalayan +form lays, as I can personally certify, regularly _four_, is certainly +very strange. + +The eggs of this species, sent me from the Nilghiris by Messrs. Carter +and Davison, very closely resemble those of _H. psaroides_ from the +Himalayas. The eggs are of course of the Bulbul type, but in form are +typically much more elongated and conical than the true Bulbuls. The +ground-colour varies from white to a delicate pink. The markings +consist of different shades of deep red and pale washed-out purple. In +some the markings are bold, large, and blotchy, in others minute and +speckly; and in both forms there is a tendency to confluence towards +the large end, where there is commonly a more or less perfect, but +irregular, zone. The eggs though smooth and satiny have commonly +little or no gloss, and, considering their size, are very delicate and +fragile. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·17, and in breadth from 0·7 to 0·8. + + +275. Hemixus macclellandi (Horsf.). _The Rufous-bellied Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes mclellandi, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 79. +Hypsipetes m'clellandii, _Horsf., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 447. + +The Rufous-bellied Bulbul, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds in +the central region of Nepal, and low down nearly to the Terai, from +April to June. Its nest is a shallow saucer suspended between a +slender horizontal fork, to the twigs of which it is firmly bound like +an Oriole's with vegetable fibres and roots. It is composed of roots +and dry leaves bound together with fibres, and lined with fine grass +or moss-roots. The bird is said to lay four eggs, but these are +neither figured nor described. + +Dr. Scully writes from Nepal:--"This Bulbul is common throughout the +year on the hills round the valley of Nepal, but never tenants the +central woods. It is generally found in bushes and bush trees, not in +high tree-forest; and is commonly seen in pairs. The breeding-season +appears to be May and June. A nest was taken on the 6th June, which +contained two fresh eggs. The nest was somewhat oval in shape, +measuring 3·35 inches in length and 2·5 across; the egg-cavity was +about 1 inch deep in the centre, and the bottom of the nest 1·25 +thick. It was attached to a slender fork of a tree, and was composed +externally of ferns, dry leaves, roots, grass, and a little moss, +bound together with fine black hair-like fibres, which were wound +round the prongs of the fork so as regularly to suspend the nest like +an Oriole's. There was a regular lining, distinct from the body of the +nest, composed of fine long yellowish grass-stems, and a little cobweb +was spread here and there over the branches of the fork and the +outside of the nest. The eggs are rather long ovals, smaller at one +end, and fairly glossy; they measure 1·0 by 0·7, and 0·97 by 0·7. The +ground-colour is pure pinkish white, abundantly speckled and finely +spotted with reddish purple; the spots closely crowded together at the +large end, but not confluent, forming in one egg a broadish zone, and +in the other a cap; in the latter egg there are a few faint underlying +stains of purplish inky at the large end." + +Two eggs sent me by Mr. Mandelli from Darjeeling, said to belong to +this species, are elongated ovals, much pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour a dull +salmon-pink, and they are profusely and minutely freckled, speckled, +and streaked (so densely at the large end that the markings there are +almost confluent) with dull reddish purple. + +The eggs measure 1·06 and 1·11 by 0·67. + + +277. Alcurus striatus (Bl.). _The Striated Green Bulbul_. + +Alcurus striatus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 81. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found, he said, +on the 8th May about 4 feet from the ground amongst the foliage of a +kind of prickly bamboo growing out of the crevices of a patch of large +stones near Lebong (elevation 5000 feet), and contained two eggs +nearly ready to hatch. The nest is a shallow cup, about 3·75 inches in +diameter and 1·5 in height externally, composed entirely of fine brown +fibrous roots, a little bound together outside with wool and the silk +of cocoons and with two or three little bits of moss stuck about it, +and sparingly lined with hair-like grass. It is altogether a light +brown nest, no dark material being used in it at all. The cavity is +2·75 inches in diameter and about 1 deep. + + + +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (Gm.). _The Madras Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus haemorrhous (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 94. +Molpastes pusillus (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 462. + +The Madras Red-vented Bulbul, which by the way extends northwards +throughout the Central Provinces, Chota-Nagpoor, Rajpootana (the +eastern portions), the plains of the North-Western Provinces, Oudh, +Behar, and Western Bengal, breeds in the plains country chiefly in +June and July, although a few eggs _may_ also be found in April, May, +and August. In the Nilghiris the breeding-season is from February to +April, both months included. + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following notes on the nidification of +this species in the neighbourhood of Bareilly:-- + +"Close to the tank is a thick clump of sâl-trees (_Shorea robusta_), +the great building-timber of Northern India, whose natural home is in +that vast sub-Himalayan belt of forest which passes only 30 miles to +the north of Bareilly. + +"In one of these a Common Madras Bulbul had made its home. The nest +was compact and rather massive, built in a fork, on and round a small +twig. Externally it was composed of the stems (with the leaves +and flowers still on them) of a tiny groundsel-like (_Senecio_) +asteraceous plant, amongst which were mingled a number of quite dead +and skeleton leaves and a few blades of dry grass: inside, rather +coarse grass was tightly woven into a lining for the cavity, which was +deep, being about 2 inches in depth by 3 inches in diameter. + +"This is the common type of nest; but half an hour later, and scarcely +100 yards further on, we took another nest of this same species. This +one was built in a mango-tree, towards the extremity of one of the +branches, where it divided into four upright twigs, between which the +Bulbul had firmly planted his dwelling. Externally it was as usual +chiefly composed of the withered stems of the little asteraceous +plant, interwoven with a few jhow-shoots (_Tamarix dioica_) and a +little tow-like fibre of the putsan (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), while +a good deal of cobweb was applied externally here and there. The +interior was lined with excessively fine stems of some herbaceous +exogenous plant, and there did not appear to be a single dead leaf or +a single particle of grass in the whole nest. + +"The eggs, however, in both nests, three in each, closely resembled +each other, being of a delicate pink ground, with reddish-brown and +purplish-grey spots and blotches nearly equally distributed over the +whole surface of the egg, the reddish brown in places becoming almost +a maroon-red. Two eggs, however, that we took out of a nest, +similar to the first in structure but situated like the second in a +mango-tree, were of a somewhat different character and very different +in tint. The ground was dingy reddish pink, and the whole of the egg +was thickly mottled all over with very deep blood-red, the mottlings +being so thick at the large end as to form an almost perfectly +confluent cap. Altogether the colouring of these two eggs reminded one +of richly coloured types of _Neophron's_ eggs. Some of the Bulbuls' +eggs that we have taken earlier in the season were much feebler +coloured than any of those obtained to-day, and presented a very +different appearance, with a pinkish-white ground, and only moderately +thickly but very uniformly speckled all over with small spots of light +purplish grey, light reddish brown, and very dark brown. These eggs +scarcely seem to belong to the same bird as the boldly blotched and +richly-mottled specimens that we have taken to-day." + +Writing from the neighbourhood of Delhi, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says: "This +Bulbul breeds from the middle of May to about the middle of August. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is arbitrary, as I have found the +latter on almost every variety of bush and tree. The nest is neatly +cup-shaped, generally fragile in structure, though I have seen many a +nest strong and compact. The outer diameter of the nest varies from 3 +to nearly 4 inches, and the inner diameter from 2 to almost 3 inches. + +"The chief material of the nest is, on the outside, coarse grass, with +fine _khus_ or fine grass for the lining. Very frequently horsehair is +likewise used for lining the interior of the cavity. + +"I have seen some nests bound round on the outside with hemp, other +kinds of vegetable fibres, and even spider's web. + +"The regular number of the eggs is four." + +Mr. W. Theobald found the present species breeding in Monghyr in the +fourth week of June. + +Mr. Nunn remarks:--"I took a nest of this species at Hoshungabad +on 26th June, 1868, which contained four eggs; it was placed in a +lime-tree, was composed of very small twigs, and lined inside with +fine grass-roots; it was cup-shaped, and measured internally 2·25 +inches in breadth by 1·75 in depth." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote from Futtehgurh:--"On the 30th April +last (1874) I took a very beautifully and curiously constructed nest +of our Common Bulbul. In shape and size it resembled the ordinary +nest, but the curious part of it was that the upper portion of the +nest for an inch all round was composed entirely of _green twigs_ of +the neem tree on which it was built, and the under surface (below) was +felted with fresh blossoms belonging to the same tree. The green twigs +had evidently been broken off by the birds, but the flowers were +picked up from off the ground, where they were lying thick." + +Colonel Butler says:--"The Madras Red-vented Bulbul breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa all through the hot weather and in the monsoon. +I found a nest at Mount Aboo in a garden on the 15th of April in the +middle of a pot of sweet peas, containing three fresh eggs. I +found other nests in Deesa, from the 11th May to 20th August, each +containing three eggs. + +"The nest is usually built of dry grass-stems, lined with fine roots +and a few horsehairs neatly woven together. One nest I found was in a +very remarkable situation, viz. inside an uninhabited bungalow upon +the top of a door leading out of a sitting-room; the door was open and +the bolt at the top had been forced back, and it was between the top +of the door and the top of the bolt that the nest rested. The old bird +entered the building by passing first of all through the lattice-work +of the verandah, and then through a broken window-pane into the room +where the nest was built." + +Mr. R.M. Adam informs us that this bird breeds at Sambhur during June +and July. + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, speaking of Rajputana in general, states that this +Bulbul breeds from April to September. Nests are occasionally found +even earlier than this, but they are exceptions to the general rule. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The first nest I have a note of taking +was at Allahabad on the 2nd April. At Delhi it breeds from the end of +April to the end of July; I have, however, found most nests in May. +All have been firmly made little cups of slender twigs, sometimes dry +stems of some herbaceous plant, and lined with fine grass-roots. Five +is the usual number of eggs laid." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Abundant +everywhere. Breeds in April, and again in September." + +Dr. Jerdon, whose experience of this species had been gained mainly in +Madras, states that "it breeds from June to September, according to +the locality. The nest is rather neat, cup-shaped, made of roots and +grass, lined with hair, fibres, and spiders' webs[A], placed at no +great height in a shrub or hedge. The eggs are pale pinkish, with +spots of darker lake-red, most crowded at the thick end. Burgess +describes them as a rich madder colour, spotted and blotched with grey +and madder-brown: Layard as pale cream, with darker markings." + +[Footnote A: This is some _lapsus pennae_. Spiders' webs are sometimes +used exteriorly never as a lining.] + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"The Common Bulbul lays at Khandalla in +May, but I never found a nest in the plains till after the rains had +set in. I have found one nest in Bombay, one in Poona, and two in +Berar, as late as October; and my brother found a nest in Berar in +September, with three eggs which were duly hatched." + +Writing from the Nilghiris, Miss Cockburn says that "the nests, which +in shape closely resemble those of the Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul, +are composed chiefly of grass. The eggs are three in number, and may +occasionally be found in any month of the year, though most plentiful +during February, March, and April." + +In shape the eggs are typically rather long ovals, slightly compressed +or pointed towards the small end. Some are a good deal pointed and +elongated; a few are tolerably perfect broad ovals, and abnormal +shapes are not very uncommon. The ground is universally pinkish or +reddish white (in old eggs which have been kept a long time a sort of +dull French white), of which more or less is seen according to the +extent of the markings. These markings take almost every conceivable +form, defined and undefined--specks, spots, blotches, streaks, +smudges, and clouds; their combinations are as varied as their +colours, which embrace every shade of red, brownish, and purplish red. +As a rule, besides the primary markings, feeble secondary markings of +pale inky purple are exhibited, often only perceptible when the egg is +closely examined, sometimes so numerous as to give the ground-colour +of the egg a universal purple tint. In about half the eggs there is +a tendency to exhibit, more or less, an irregular zone or cap at the +large end, but solitary eggs occur in which there is a cap at the +small end. Three pretty well marked types may be separately described. +First, an egg thickly mottled and streaked all over with deep +blood-red, which is entirely confluent over one third of the surface, +namely at the large end, and leaves less than a third of the +ground-colour visible as a paler mottling over the rest of the +surface. Then there is another type with a very delicate pure pink +ground, and with a few large, bold, deep red blotches, chiefly at +the large end, where they are intermingled with a few small pale +inky-purple clouds, and with only a few spots and specks of the former +colour scattered over the rest of the surface. Lastly, there is a pale +dingy pink ground, speckled almost uniformly, but only moderately +thickly, over the whole surface, with minute specks and spots of +blood-red and pale inky purple. + +The dimensions are excessively variable. In length the eggs vary from +0·7 to 1·02, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·75, but the average of sixty +eggs measured was 0·89 by 0·65. + + +279. Molpastes burmanicus (Sharpe). _The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul._ + +The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul occurs from Manipur down to Rangoon. +Writing from Upper Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the 29th July I found a +nest in the extremity of a bamboo-frond forming one of a large clump +near my house at Boulay. It was circular, the internal diameter about +2·5 and the external 4 inches; the depth inside 1·5, and the total +height 2·5. Foundation of dead leaves, the bulk of the nest coarse +grass and small roots, and the interior of much finer grass carefully +curved to shape. Altogether the nest was a very pretty structure. Two +eggs measured 0·9 by 0·62 and 0·65. Another nest found at the same +time was placed in a small shrub about 4 feet from the ground. It was +very similar in construction and size to the above and contained three +eggs." + +Subsequently writing from Lower Pegu, he says:--"Breeds abundantly +from May to September, and has no particular preference for any one +month." + + +281. Molpastes atricapillus (Vieill.). _The Chinese Red-vented +Bulbul_. + +Molpastes atricapillus (_V.), Hume, cat._ no. 462 ter. + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., found a nest of the Chinese Red-vented Bulbul in +Tenasserim with three fresh eggs on the 16th March. It was built in a +bush little more than a foot above the ground on a hill-side. + +Except that they seem to run smaller, these eggs are not +distinguishable from those of the other species of this genus, and +there is really nothing to add to the description already given of the +eggs of _M. Haemorrhous_. The three eggs measured 0·79 by 0·6. + + +282. Molpastes bengalensis (Blyth). _The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus pygaeus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 93. +Molpastes pygmaeus (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 461. + +I have taken many nests of the Bengal Red-vented Bulbul in many +localities, and while the birds vary, getting less typical as you go +westwards, the nests are all pretty much the same, though the eastern +birds go in rather more for dead leaves than the western. Sikhim birds +are very typical, and I will therefore confine myself to quoting a +note I made there. + +Several nests taken at Darjeeling in June, at elevations of from 2000 +to 4000 feet, each contained three or four, more or less incubated, +eggs. The nests were mostly very compact and rather deep cups about 3½ +inches in diameter and 2 inches in height, very firmly woven of moss +and grass-roots, but with a certain quantity of dry and dead leaves, +and here and there a little cobweb worked into the outer surface. +Sometimes a little fine grass was used as a lining; but generally +there was no lining, only the roots that were used in finishing off +the interior of the nests were rather finer than those employed +elsewhere. The egg-cavity is very large for the size of the nest, the +sides, though very firm and compact, being scarcely above half an inch +in thickness. The nests differ very much in appearance, owing to the +fact that in some all the roots used are black, in others pale brown. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I took two or three nests of this species in the +latter half of May at Mongpho, in Sikhim, at elevations of 3500 feet +or thereabouts. They contained three eggs each, hard-set. The nests +were in trees, at a moderate height, and rather flimsy structures; +shallow caps, composed externally of fine twigs and vegetable fibre, +and generally some dead leaves intermingled, especially towards their +basal portions, and lined with the fine hair-like stem portion of the +flowering tops of grass. One nest measured internally 2½ inches in +diameter by nearly 1½ inch in depth; externally it was nearly 4 inches +in diameter and 2 inches in height. The eggs were of the usual type." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident; commits great +havoc in gardens amongst tomatoes and chillies, the red colour of +which seems to attract them. Builds its nest in very exposed places +and at all heights from two to thirty feet off the ground, in bushes +and trees. One nest I saw containing two young ones, on the 28th June, +was built on a small date-tree which stood on the side of a road along +which people were passing all day, and within six feet of them. The +nest was only five feet from the ground, but the materials of which it +was made and the colour of the bird assimilated so perfectly with the +bark of the tree that detection was difficult. I have found the nests +with eggs from the 3rd of April to the end of June; dead leaves and +cobwebs were incorporated with the twigs and grasses in all nests +which I have seen in Dacca. The natives keep these birds for fighting +purposes; large sums are lost at times on these combats." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"It breeds in May and June in +the Residency grounds, the nests being very commonly placed in small +pine-trees (_Pinus longifolia_). Three is the usual number of eggs +found, and a clutch taken on the 29th May measured in length from 0·85 +to 0·93, and in breadth from 0·64 to 0·65." + +I have fully described the leading types of the eggs of these Bulbuls +under _Molpastes haemorrhous_. I shall therefore only here say that +the eggs of this species in shape and colour exactly resemble those +of its congener, but that as a body they are larger in size; every +variety observable in the eggs of the one is, as far as I know, to be +met with amongst those of the other. Taking only the eggs of typical +birds from Lower Bengal and Sikhim, they vary from 0·88 to 1·05 in +length and from 0·67 to 0·75 in breadth. + + +283. Molpastes intermedius (A. Hay). _The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul_. + +All my specimens from the Salt Range belong to this species, and not +to _M. bengalensis_, so that Mr. W. Theobald's remarks in regard to +the Common Bulbul's nidification about Pind Dadan Khan and the Salt +Range must refer to this species. He says: "Lay in May, June, and +July; eggs, four: shape, blunt ovato-pyriform; size, 0·87 by 0·62; +colour, deep pink, blotched with deep claret-red; nest, a neat cup of +vegetable fibres in bushes." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Bulbul breds in +large numbers on the lower hills." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton remarked:--"This is more properly a +Dhoon species, as although it does ascend the hills, it is represented +there to a great extent by _M. leucogenys_. It breeds in April, May, +and June, constructing its nest in some thick bush. On the 12th May +one nest contained three eggs of a rosy-white, thickly irrorated and +blotched with purple or deep claret colour, and at the larger end +confluently stained with dull purple, appearing as if beneath the +shell. The nest is small and cup-shaped, composed of fine roots, dry +grasses, flower-stalks chiefly of forget-me-not, and a few dead leaves +occasionally interwoven; in some the outside is also smeared over here +and there with cobwebs and silky seed-down; the lining is usually of +very fine roots. Some nests have four eggs, which are liable to great +variation both in the intensity of colouring and in the size and +number of spots." + + +284. Molpastes leucogenys (Gr.). _The White-cheeked Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucogenys (_Gray), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 90; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 458. + +The White-cheeked Bulbul breeds throughout the Himalayas, from +Afghanistan to Bhootan, from April to July, and at all heights from +3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a loose, slender fabric, externally +composed of fine stems of some herbaceous plant and a few blades of +grass, and internally lined with very fine hair-like grass. The +nests may measure externally, at most, 4 inches in diameter; but the +egg-cavity, which is in proportion very large and deep, is fully 2¼ +inches across by 1¾ inch deep. As I before said, the nest is usually +very slightly and loosely put together, so that it is difficult to +remove it without injury; but sometimes they are more substantial, and +occasionally the cup is much shallower and wider than I have above +described. Four is the full complement of eggs. + +Captain Unwin says:--"I found a nest containing three fresh eggs near +the village of Jaskote, in the Agrore Valley, on the 24th April, 1870. +The nest was placed about 5 feet from the ground in a small wild +ber-tree in a water-course. On the 7th May I found another nest placed +in a small thick cheer-tree in the same valley, which contained four +eggs." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that this species +"breeds in the valleys, at about 4000 or 5000 feet up, in the end of +June. Lays four eggs with a white ground, very thickly blotched with +claret-red; nest roughly made of grass and roots, in low bushes." + +About Simla and the valleys of the Sutlej and Beas I have found it +common, and my experience of its nidification in these localities has +been above recorded. + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton wrote that it is "common in the Dhoon +throughout the year, and in the hills during the summer. It breeds in +April and May. The nest is neat and cup-shaped, placed in the forks +of bushes or pollard trees, and is composed externally of the dried +stalks of forget-me-not, lined with fine grass-stalks. Eggs three or +four, rosy or faint purplish white, thickly sprinkled with specks +and spots of darker rufescent purple or claret colour. Sometimes the +outside of the nest is composed of fine dried stalks of woody plants, +whose roughness causes them to adhere together." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks remarks:--"I found this bird common at Almorah, and +procured several nests. They were placed in a bush or small tree, and +were slightly composed of fine grass, roots, and fibres: eggs three; +ground-colour purplish white, speckled all over, most densely at the +larger end, with spots and blotches of purple-brown and purplish grey: +laying in Kumaon from the beginning of May to June." + +Dr. Scully states that in Nepal this Bulbul "breeds in May and June, +principally at elevations of from 5000 to 6000 feet. Its nests were +secured on the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 14th, and 28th June; the usual number of +eggs laid seems to be three." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species breeds both at Naini +Tal (7000 feet) and at Bheem Tal (4000 feet). In Kumaon the eggs seem +to be laid in the first half of June; the earliest date I have taken +them was a single fresh egg on the 23rd May, and the latest, four +eggs on the 25th Jane: the nest is seldom more than six feet from the +ground, and is placed either in a thick bush or in the outer twigs of +a low bough of a tree." + +The eggs are of the regular Bulbul type, as exemplified in those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, and vary much in colour, size, and shape. +Typically they are rather a long oval, somewhat pointed at one end, +have a pinkish or reddish-white ground with little or no gloss, and +are thickly speckled, freckled, streaked, or blotched, as the case may +be, with blood-, brownish-, or purplish-red, &c., and here and +there, chiefly towards the large end, exhibit, besides these primary +markings, tiny underlying spots and clouds of pale inky purple. Some +eggs have a pretty well-marked zone or irregular cap at the large end, +but this is not very common. In size they average somewhat larger than +those of _Molpastes leucotis_ and _Otocompsa emeria_, both of which +they closely resemble; but they are smaller and as a body less richly +coloured than those of _O. fuscicaudata_. They vary in length from +0·82 to 0·95, and from 0·58 to 0·7 in breadth; but the average of +fifty-seven specimens measured was 0·88 by 0·65. + + +285. Molpastes leucotis (Gould). _The White-eared Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucotis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 91; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 459. + +The White-eared Bulbul is, so far as my experience goes, entirely a +Western Indian form. In the cold weather it may be met with at Agra, +Cawnpoor, and even Jhansi, Saugor, and Hoshungabad; but during the +summer months I only know of its occurring in Cutch, Katywar, Sindh, +Rajpootana, and the Punjab. In all these localities it breeds, laying +for the most part in July and August in the Punjab, but somewhat +earlier in Sindh. I have, even in Rajpootana, seen eggs towards the +end of May, but this is the exception. + +The nests are usually in dense and thorny bushes--acacias, catechu, +and jhand (_Prosopis spicigera_)--and are placed at heights of from +4 to 6 feet from the ground. The Customs hedge is a great place for +their nests, but I have noticed that they are partial to bushes in the +immediate neighbourhood of water; and at Hansie, whence he sent me +many nests and eggs, Mr. W. Blewitt always found them either in the +fort ditch or along the banks of the canal. + +The nests, which very much resemble those of _Molpastes haemorrhous_, +are usually composed of very fine dry twigs of some herbaceous plant, +intermingled with vegetable fibre resembling tow, and scantily lined +with very fine grass-roots. They are rather slender structures, +shallow cups measuring internally from 2·5 to 3 inches in diameter, +and a little more than 1 inch in depth. Three was the largest number +of eggs I ever found in any nest, and several sets were fully +incubated. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on the nidification of this +bird in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lay in May, June, and July: eggs four; shape ovato pyriform; +size 0·91 inch by 0·64 inch: colour white, much dotted with +claret-red; nest a neat cup of vegetable fibres in bushes," + +Mr. S. Doig informs us that this bird breeds on the Eastern Narra in +Sind from May to August. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the White-eared Bulbul at +Deesa on the 5th August containing three fresh eggs. It was placed +in the fork of a low Beer tree about 4 feet from the ground, and in +structure closely resembled the nest of _M. haemorrhous_. + +"On the 17th August I found another nest built by the same pair of +birds in an exactly similar situation, about 60 yards from the first +nest, containing three more fresh eggs." + +The eggs, which I need not here describe in detail, are precisely +similar to, but as a body slightly smaller than, those of _Molpastes +leucogenys_. The only point of difference that I seem to notice, and +this might disappear with a larger series before me, is that there is +a rather greater tendency in the eggs of this species to exhibit a +zone or cap. In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·9, and in breadth from +0·52 to 0·68; but the average of twenty-three eggs measured was 0·83 +barely, by 0·64. + + +288. Otocompsa emeria(Linn.). _The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa jocosa (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p, 92 (part). +Otocompsa emeria (_Shaw), Hume, Rough Draft N.& E._ +no. 460. + +The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul breeds from March to the end of May. +Its nest is placed, according to my experience in Lower Bengal, in +any thick bush, clump of grass, or knot of creepers; sometimes in the +immediate proximity of native villages or in the gardens of Europeans, +and sometimes quite away in the jungle. It is a typical Bulbul nest, a +broad shallow saucer, compactly put together with twigs of herbaceous +plants, amongst which, especially towards the base, a few dry leaves +are incorporated, and lined with roots or fine grass. Exteriorly a +little cobweb is wound on to keep twigs and leaves firm and in their +places. All the nests that I have seen were tolerably near the ground, +at heights ranging from 3 to 5 feet. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but only the other day we +obtained one containing four. + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This bird is very common in Oudh. It affects +gardens and low scrub-jungle, flying about with a jerky flight from +bush to bush. They are very fond of the fruit of the mangot-tree (_F. +indica_), and may be seen in great numbers about these trees when the +fruit is ripe. Their note is something like that of the common Bulbul, +but livelier and louder. I have seen a number of this year's young +birds well grown, but as yet without the red cheek-tuft. + +"They build in clamps of moong-grass about 2 to 3 feet from the +ground. One I found in the tendrils of a creeper about 20 feet from +the ground. The nest is well fixed in the grass and fastened to it by +the intertwining of some of the fibres of which it is composed. It +is cup-shaped, and measures 4 inches in diameter, about 0·75 in +thickness, with an egg-cavity 2·75 in diameter and 1·5 deep. + +"The nest is formed of roots, twigs, and grass loosely worked +together, and over the exterior, with the view of binding the mass +together, dried or skeleton leaves, pieces of cloth, broad pieces +of grass, and plaintain-bark are fastened carelessly on by means of +cobwebs and the silk from cocoons. The egg-cavity is lined with fine +roots. + +"I never have found more than three eggs; on several occasions only +two." + +I do not think it possible to separate the Andaman bird. Of its +nidification in those islands Mr. Davison says:--"I found a nest of +this species in April near Port Blair, in a low mangrove-bush growing +quite at the edge of the water; it (the nest) was cup-shaped and +composed of roots, dried leaves, and small pieces of bark, lined +with fine roots and cocoanut fibres; it contained three eggs, with a +pinkish-white ground thickly mottled and blotched with purplish red, +the spots coalescing at the thicker end to form a zone." + +Mr. J.H. Cripps writes from Eastern Bengal:--"Very common and a +permanent resident; it freely enters gardens and orchards. In my +garden there was a kamiinee-tree (_Murraya exotica_), in which I found +a nest of this species on the 27th March in course of construction; +and on looking at it on the 12th April found two young that had just +been hatched. Cane-brakes are favourite places for them to nest in. +On the 6th May I found a nest in one of these about 4 feet off the +ground, and containing three partly incubated eggs. This species does +not, as a rule, build in such exposed situations as _M. bengalensis_; +it eats the fruit of jungly trees, _Ficis_, &c., as well as insects." + +On the breeding of this Bulbul in Pegu Mr. Gates remarks:--"This bird +breeds as early as February, on the 27th of which month I procured a +nest with two eggs nearly hatched. It stops nesting, I think, at the +beginning of the rains." + +Mr. W. Davison informs us that he "took a nest of this bird at +Bankasoon, in Southern Tenasserim, on the 15th March. It was placed in +a small bush growing in an old garden about 4 feet above the ground. +The nest was of the usual type, a compactly-woven cup, composed +externally of dry twigs, leaves, &c., the egg-cavity lined with +fibres. It contained three nearly fresh eggs." + +The eggs in size, colour, and shape closely resemble those of +_Molpastes leucotis_. All that I have said in regard to these latter +is applicable to those of the present species, and, so far as +varieties of coloration go, the description of the eggs of _Molpastes +leucogenys_ is equally applicable to those of the present species. If +any distinction can be drawn, it is that, as a body, bold blotches of +rich red and pale purple are more commonly exhibited in the eggs of +this species than in those of either of the preceding ones. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·9, and in breadth from 0·85 to +0·7, but the average of twenty-seven eggs was 0·83 nearly, by 0·63 +barely. + + +289. Otocompsa fuscicaudata, Gould. _The Southern Red-whiskered +Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa fuscicaudata, _Gould, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400 +bis. + +The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul is found throughout the more hilly +and more or less elevated tracts of the peninsula, from Cape Comorin +northwards as far as Mount Aboo on the west, and the Eastern Ghâts, +above Nellore, on the east. How far northwards it extends in the +centre of the peninsula I am not certain, but I have seen a specimen +from the Satpooras. + +They breed any time from the beginning of February to the end of May. +Their nests are usually placed at no great height from the ground (say +at from 2 to 6 feet) in some thick bush. + +The nests of this species that I procured at Mount Aboo, and which +have been sent me by Mr. Carter both from Coonoor and Salem, and by +other friends from other parts of the Nilghiris, where the bird is +excessively common, very much resemble those of _O. emeria_, but they +are somewhat neater and more substantial in structure. They differ a +good deal in size and shape, as the nests of Bulbuls are wont to do. +Some are rather broad and shallow, with egg-cavities measuring 3¼ +inches across, and perhaps 1 inch in depth; while others are deeper +and more cup-shaped, the cavity measuring only 2½ inches across and +fully 1½ inch in depth. They are composed in some cases almost wholly +of grass-roots, in others of very fine twigs of the furash (_Tamarix +furas_) in others again of rather fine grass, and all have a quantity +of dead leaves or dry ferns worked into the bottom, and all are lined +with either very fine grass or very fine grass-roots. The external +diameter averages about 4½ inches, but some stand fully 3 inches high, +while others are not above 2 inches in height. As might be expected, +the White-cheeked and White-eared and the two Red-whiskered Bulbuls' +types of architecture differ considerably; _inter se_, the nests of +_M. leucotis_ and _M. leucogenys_ differ just sufficiently to render +it generally possible to separate them, and the same may be said of +the nests of _O. emeria_ and _O. fuscicaudata_. But there is a very +wide difference between the nests of the two former and the two latter +species, so that it would be scarcely possible to mistake a nest +belonging to the one group for that of the other. The incorporation +of a quantity of dead leaves in the body of the nests, reminding one +much, of those of the English Nightingale, is characteristic of the +Red-whiskered Bulbul, and is scarcely to be met with in those of the +White-cheeked or White-eared ones. + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter says:--"At Coonoor on the Nilghiris I have found +the nests from the 13th March to the 22nd April, but I believe +they commence laying in February. They are generally placed in +coffee-bushes and low shrubs, as a rule in a fork, but I have +frequently found them suspended between the twigs of a bush which had +no fork. I have also found the nest of this bird in the thatch of the +eaves of a deserted bungalow, and in tufts of grass on the edge of a +cutting overhanging the public road. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, rather loosely constructed outside, but +closely and neatly finished inside. The outside is nearly always +fern-leaves at the bottom, coarse grass and fibres above, and lined +inside either with fine fibres or fine grass. + +"I have never found more than two eggs, and I have taken great numbers +of nests; but I am told that three in a nest is not uncommon." + +Writing from Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn says:--"Our Red-whiskered +Bulbul builds a cup-shaped nest in any thick bush. The foundation is +generally laid with pieces of dry leaves and fern, after which small +sticks are added, and the whole neatly finished with a lining of fine +grass. They lay two (sometimes three) very prettily spotted eggs of +different shades of red and white, which are found in February, March, +and April." + +Mr. Wait remarks:--"This bird breeds at Coonoor from February to June. +It builds usually in isolated bushes and shrubs, in gardens and +open jungle. The nest is cup-shaped, loosely but strongly built of +grass-bents, rooty fibres, and thin stalks, and is lined with finer +grass-stems and roots. I think the internal diameter averages about 2½ +inches, and about an inch in depth; but they vary a good deal in size. +They lay two or three eggs, rarely four; and the eggs vary a good +deal in shape and size, being sometimes very round and sometimes +comparatively long ovals. The birds swarm on oar coffee estates, and +breed freely in the coffee-bushes." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have frequently had its nest and eggs brought me +on the Nilghiris. The nest was very neatly made, deep, cup-shaped, of +moss, lichens, and small roots, lined with hair and down. The eggs are +barely distinguishable from those of the next bird (_M. bengalensis_), +being reddish white with spots of purplish or lake-red all over, +larger at the thick end." + +But Dr. Jerdon rarely took nests with his own hand, and in this case +clearly wrong nests must have been brought to him. + +From Trevandrum Mr. F. Bourdillon says:--"It lays three or four eggs +of a pale pink colour, with purple spots, in a nest of roots, lined +with finer roots and interwoven with the leaves of a jungle-shrub +gathered green. The nest, 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, is +generally situated in a bush 4 to 5 feet from the ground." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird simply swarms along the Western +Ghâts from Mahabuleshwur down the Koina and Werna valleys, and seems +to have a very extended breeding-time. Last year (1873) I took its +nests in March and May on several occasions, and this year I found +three nests in March and April in the Werna valley; and the Hill +people, who seem intelligent and fairly trustworthy, stated that this +species breeds there throughout the Rains, a season when, owing to the +tremendous rainfall, no European can remain. If this be true they must +breed at least twice a year. All the nests I saw were placed in bushes +from 2 to 4 feet high, some of them most carefully concealed amongst +thorns. Out of, I think, nine nests, all taken by myself personally, I +never found more than two eggs in any; and on two occasions last year +I obtained single eggs nearly fully incubated." + +Messrs Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, remark:--"Commonish +in wooded localities. D. took several nests in the Satara Hills in +March and the two following months." + +Captain Butler writes:--"The Red-whiskered Bulbul is common at Mount +Aboo and breeds in March, April, and May. The nest is usually placed +in low bushes from 4 to 8 feet from the ground, and is a neat +cup-shaped structure composed externally of fibrous roots and dry +grass-stems, and lined with fine grass, horsehair, &c. Round the edge +and woven into the outside I have generally found small spiders' nests +looking like lumps of wool. The eggs, usually two but sometimes three +in number, are of a pinkish-white colour, covered all over with spots +and blotches and streaks of purplish or lake-red, forming a dense +confluent cap at the large end. A nest I examined on the 24th April +contained two nestlings almost ready to fly. + +"On the 3rd May, 1875, I took a nest in a low carinda bush, containing +two fresh eggs." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Most +abundant in the wooded district. Common everywhere. Eggs taken March +and April. On the 5th July, 1883, I procured a, nest of this species +with three pure white eggs. I found it in a coffee-bush the day before +leaving, so snared parent bird to make sure it was _O. fuscicaudata_, +or otherwise should have left a couple of the eggs to see if young +would turn out true to parents." + +Captain Horace Terry states that on the Pulney hills this species is +"a most common bird, found wherever there are bushes. In the small +bushes along the banks of the streams is a very favourite place. I +found several nests with usually two, but sometimes three eggs." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken tells us:--"I never saw this bird in the plains, +but it is, perhaps without exception, the commonest bird at Matheran, +Khandalla, and other hill-stations in the Bombay Presidency. I have +found the nests, always with eggs in May, placed from four to seven +feet from the ground, and often in the most exposed situations. It is +not unusual to find only two eggs in a nest. The bird is not in the +least shy, and sets up no clatter, like the Common Bulbul, when its +nest is disturbed." + +Finally, Mr. J. Darling, Junior, remarks:--"I really wonder if anyone +down south does not know the Red-whiskered Bulbul and its nest. On the +Nilghiris and in the Wynaad I can safely say it is the commonest nest +to be met with, built in all sorts of places, sometimes high up. They +generally lay two, but very often three, eggs. In a friend's bungalow +in the Wynaad there were three nests built on the wall-plate of +the verandah and two eggs laid in each nest. The young were safely +hatched. + +"This year the nests have been rebuilt and contain eggs. As I am +writing, there are two pairs building in a rose-bush about 3 yards +from me. They breed from 15th February to 15th May." + +The numerous eggs of this species that I possess, though truly +Bulbul-like in character, all belong to one single type of that form. +Almost all have a dull pinkish or reddish-white ground, very thickly +freckled, mottled, and streaked all over with a rich red; in most +blood-red, in others brick-red, underneath which, when closely looked +into, a small number of pale inky-purple spots are visible. In half +the number of eggs the markings are much densest at the large end: +these eggs are one and all more brightly and intensely coloured than +any of those that I possess of _M. leucotis, M. leucogenys_, and _O. +emeria_; they are, moreover, larger than any of these. + +In length they vary from 0·82 to 0·97, and in breadth from 0·63 to +0·71; but the average of thirty-six eggs measured was 0·9 by 0·66. + + +290. Otocompsa flaviventris (Tick.). _The Black-crested Yellow +Bulbul_. + +Rubigula flaviventris (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 88. +Pycnonotus flaviventris (_Tick._), _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 456. + +The Black-crested Yellow Bulbul is another very common species of +which I have as yet seen very few eggs. The first notice of its +nidification I am acquainted with is contained in the following brief +note by Captain Bulger, which appeared in 'The Ibis.' He says:--"I +obtained several specimens, chiefly from the vicinity of the Great +Rungeet River. From a thicket on the bank, near the cane-bridge, a +nest was brought to me on the 16th May, of the ordinary cup-shape, +made of fibres and leaves, and containing three eggs, which my +_shikaree_ said belonged to this species. The eggs were of a dull +pinkish hue, very thickly marked with small specks and blotches of +brownish crimson." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing of this Bulbul in Tenasserim, +says:--"Common enough in the Thoungyeen forests, affecting chiefly the +neighbourhood of villages and clearings. The following is a note of +finding a nest and eggs I recorded in 1878:--On the 14th April I +happened to be putting up for the day in one of the abandoned Karen +houses of the old village of Podeesakai at the foot of the Warmailoo +toung, a spur from the east watershed range of the Meplay river. +Having to wait for guides, I had nothing particular to do that day, a +very rare event in my forest work; I devoted it to a fruitless search +for bears. I had returned tired and rather dispirited, and was moving +about among the ruined houses, between and among which a lot of jungle +was already springing up, when, just as I passed a low bush about 3 +feet high, out went one of the above-mentioned birds; of course the +bush contained a nest, a remarkably neat cup-shaped affair, below and +outside of fine twigs, then a layer of roots, above which was a lining +of the stems of the flower of the 'theckay' grass. It contained three +eggs on the point of hatching, out of which I was only able to save +one. It is one of the loveliest eggs I have seen; in colour I can +liken it only to a peculiar pink granite that is so common at home +in Ireland. Its ground-colour I should say was white, but it is so +thickly spotted with pink and claret that it is hard to describe. It +measured 0·85 x 0·61 inch." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes in 'The Ibis':--"I found a nest +containing two eggs in April at the foot of the Karen hills in Burma." + +I have seen too few eggs of this species to say much about them. +What I have seen were rather elongated ovals pretty markedly pointed +towards the small end. The shell fine, but with only a slight gloss; +the ground a pinky creamy white, everywhere very finely freckled +over with red, varying from brownish to maroon, and again still more +thickly with pale purple or purplish grey, this latter colour being +almost confluent over a broad zone round the large end. + + +292. Spizixus canifrons, Blyth. _The Finch-billed Bulbul_. + +Spizixus canifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 453 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen says:--"_Spizixus canifrons_ breeds in the +neighbourhood of Shillong, in May. Young birds are seen in June."[A] + +[Footnote A: TRACHYCOMUS OCHROCEPHALUS (Gm.). _The Yellow-crowned +Bulbul_. + +Trachycomus ochrocephalus (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 449 bis. + +As this bird occurs in Tenasserim, the following description of the +nest and eggs found a short distance outside our limits will prove +interesting. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this bird on the +2nd July at Kossoom. The nest was of the ordinary Bulbul type, but +much larger, and like a very shallow saucer. The foundation was a +single piece of some creeping orchid, 3 feet long, coiled round; then +a lot of coils of fern, grass, and moss-roots. The nest was 4 inches +in diameter on the inside, the walls 1/4 inch thick, and the cavity 1 +inch deep. It was built 10 feet from the ground, in a bush in a very +exposed position, and exactly where any ordinary Bulbul would have +built." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Bulbul type, rather broad +at the large end, compressed and slightly pyriform, or more or less +pointed, towards the small end. The shell fine and smooth, but with +only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour varies from very +pale pinky white to a rich warm salmon-pink. The markings are two +colours: first, a red varying from a dull brownish to almost crimson; +the second, a paler colour varying from neutral tint through purplish +grey to a full though pale purple. The first may be called the primary +markings; the others, which seem to be somewhat beneath the surface of +the shell, the secondary ones. Varying as both do in _different_ eggs, +all the primary markings of any one egg are almost precisely the same +shade; and the same is the case with the secondary ones, and there is +always a distinct harmony between both these and the ground tint. As +for the markings, they are generally much the most dense, in a more or +less confluent mottled cap, round one end, generally the largest, and +are usually more or less thinly set elsewhere. In some eggs all the +markings are rather coarse and sparse, in others fine and more thickly +set. Two eggs measured 1·06 by 0·76 and 1·03 by 0·73.] + + +295. Iole icterica (Strickl.). _The Yellow-browed Bulbul_. + +Criniger ictericus, _Strickl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 82; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no 450. + +The Yellow-browed Bulbul breeds apparently throughout the hilly +regions of Ceylon and the southern portion of the Peninsula of +India. I have never taken the nests myself, and I have only detailed +information of their nidification on the Nilghiris, which they ascend +to an elevation of from 6000 to 6500 feet, and where they lay from +March to May. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Wait near Coonoor on the 20th of +March, is a small shallow cup hung between two twigs, measuring some +3½ inches across and ¾ inch in depth. It is composed of excessively +fine twigs and lined with still finer hair-like grass, is attached to +the twigs by cobwebs, and has a few dead leaves attached by the same +means to its lower surface. It is a slight structure, nowhere I +should think above ¼ inch in thickness, and apparently carelessly put +together: but for all that, owing to the fineness of the materials +used, it is a pretty firm and compact nest. It is not easy to express +it in words; but still this nest differs very considerably in +appearance from the nests of any of the true Bulbuls with which I am +acquainted, and more approaches those of _Hypsipetes_. + +Mr. Wait sends me the following note:-- + +"This bird, although very common on the Nilghiris at elevations of +from 4000 to 5000 feet, is a very shy nester, and its nest, which is +not easily found, is, as far as my experience goes, invariably placed +in the top of young thin saplings at heights of from 6 to 10 feet from +the ground. The saplings chosen are almost always in thick cover near +the edge of dry water-courses. They generally lay during May, but I +have found nests in March. In shape the nest is a moderately deep +cup, nearly hemispherical, with an internal diameter of from 2·5 to 3 +inches--a true Bulbul's nest, composed of grass and bents and lined +with finer grasses. The nest is always suspended by the outer rim +between two lateral branches, and never, I believe, built in a fork +as is so common in the case of many other Bulbuls. They lay only two +eggs, and never, I believe, more. The eggs are longish ovals, rather +pointed at one end, a dull white or reddish white, more or less +thickly speckled and spotted or clouded with pale yellowish or reddish +brown; occasionally the eggs exhibit a few very fine black lines." + +Miss Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, says:--"The Yellow-browed +Bulbul is common on the less elevated slopes of the Nilghiris, where +it is often seen feeding upon guavas, loquots, pears, peaches, &c. +They lay generally in April and May. + +"Their nests are constructed very much like those of the common +Bulbuls, except that, instead of being placed in the forked branches +of trees, they are suspended between two twigs, and fastened to them +by cobwebs, the inside being neatly lined with fine grass. Two nests +of this bird were found, each containing two fresh eggs, of a pretty +pinkish salmon colour, with a dark ring at the thick end; but another +nest had three nearly _white_ eggs! The whole structure of the nests +was slight and thin, and the eggs could be plainly seen through. The +notes of the Yellow-browed Bulbul are loud and repeated often." + +Writing on the birds of Ceylon, Colonel Legge remarks:--"I once found +the nest of this bird in the Pasdun-Korale forests in August; little +or nothing, however, is known of its breeding-habits in Ceylon, so +that it most likely commences earlier than that month to rear its +brood. My nest was placed in the fork of a thin sapling about 8 feet +from the ground. It was of large size for such a bird, the foundation +being bulky and composed of small twigs, moss, and dead leaves, +supporting a cup of about 2½ inches in diameter, which was constructed +of moss, lined with fine roots; the upper edge of the body of the nest +was woven round the supporting branches.... The bottom of the nest was +in the fork." + +The eggs of this species sent to me by Mr. Wait from Coonoor +are totally unlike any other egg of this family with which I am +acquainted. They remind one more of the eggs of _Stoparola melanops_ +or one of the _Niltavas_ than anything else. The eggs are moderately +long and rather perfect ovals, almost devoid of gloss, and with a dull +white or pinkish-white ground, speckled more or less thickly over the +whole surface with rather pale brownish red or pink. The specklings +becoming confluent at the large end, where they form a dull irregular +mottled cap. Other specimens received from Miss Cockburn from +Kotagherry exhibit the same general characters; but the majority of +them are considerably elongated eggs, approaching, so far as shape is +concerned, the _Hypsipetes_ type. In some eggs only the faintest trace +of pale pinkish mottling towards the large end is observable; in +others, the whole surface of the egg is thickly freckled and mottled +all over, but most densely at the large end, with salmon-pink or pale +pinkish brown. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·03, and in breadth from 0·64 to +0·7.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS ANALIS (Horsf.). _The Yellow-vented Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa analis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 452 sex. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this Bulbul at +Salang in the Malay peninsula, on the 14th February. The nest was +built in a bush in secondary jungle, with a few trees scattered about. +It was in a fork 6 feet from the ground. The foundation was of dried +leaves, then fine twigs, and lined with fine grass-bents. There was a +good deal of cobweb in the construction. It was an exact facsimile of +many nests of _Otocompsa fuscicaudata_ from the Nilgherry Hills. The +egg-cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 2½ inches deep; the walls were +½ inch thick, the bottom 1 inch." + +The eggs are of the usual variable Bulbul type, some broader and more +regular, some more elongated, some more or less pyriform. The shell as +in others, and apparently rarely showing any very perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pinky white to a warm pink; the markings, specks, +and spots, or, when three or four of these latter have coalesced, +occasionally small blotches of a rich maroon-red intermixed with spots +and specks and clouds of pale purple. The markings always apparently +pretty thickly set everywhere, but almost invariably most densely in +a zone about the larger end, where they become at times more or less +confluent. Of course as in others of the genus, in some eggs all the +markings are very fine and speckly, while in others they are somewhat +bolder. In some the red greatly predominates; in others, again, the +grey underlying clouds are very widely extended, and form by far the +most conspicuous part of the markings, giving a grey tinge to the +entire egg. The eggs vary from 0·82 to 0·91 in length and from 0·61 to +0·65 in breadth.] + + +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, Strickl. _Finlayson's Stripe-throated +Bulbul_. + +Ixus finlaysoni (_Strickl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 ter. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"On the 22nd May, 1877, while wandering +about collecting in the jungles below the Circuit-house at Maulmain, I +came across a neat, though thinly made, cup-shaped nest in the fork +of a tall sapling, some 12 feet above the ground. Coming closer, I +perceived it contained eggs, which were plainly visible through the +frail structure of the sides. On looking about to find the owner, I +saw a couple of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ flitting about uneasily in a +tree close at hand; so I hid myself a few yards off, and was almost +immediately rewarded by seeing one of them (it turned out to be +the female) fly down on to the nest, and seat herself on the eggs. +Approaching cautiously, I managed to shoot her as she slipped off; +but, on taking down the nest, I found I had fired too soon, as one of +the eggs (there were but two) was smashed by a pellet of shot. The +nest was rather a deep cup, and, notwithstanding its flimsy sides, +strongly made of grass-roots, lined with very fine black roots of +fern. The one unbroken egg was rather roundish in shape, of a dull +whitish and claret colour, mixed and spotted and clouded with deeper +vinous red, chiefly at the larger end." + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, found the nest of this Bulbul on more than one +occasion at Taroar in the Malay peninsula. He writes:--"I shot this +bird off a nest with two eggs on the 8th February; the nest was in a +bush 5 feet from the ground; the foundation was of leaves and fine +grass, lined with fine grass and a few cocoanut fibres. The nest was +3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. The eggs were too hard-set to +blow. + +"On the 10th February I took another nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ +at Taroar. The nest was built in a small shrub 3 feet from the ground, +in a fork; foundation of dead leaves, built of fine twigs and fibrous +bark; lined with fine grass-bents and moss-roots. Egg-cavity 2¾ inches +in diameter, 1¾ deep; walls ¼ inch thick, bottom ¾ inch. + +"Found a nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_, with two fresh eggs, on the +16th March. The nest was built in a thin small sapling, 5½ feet from +ground, on the top of a thinly wooded hill; the nest was of the +ordinary Bulbul type, but better put together and neater. The +foundation was of broad fibrous bark and twigs, lined with fine +grass-stalks." + +The eggs vary in shape from broad ovals a good deal pointed towards +one end, to pyriform and elongated shaped, very obtuse even at the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, in some has a fine gloss, +in others it is rather dull. The ground-colour is a beautiful pink, +sometimes with a creamy tinge, and the markings are bold blotches, +spots, and streaks of a maroon of varying degrees in richness, and of +a subsurface-looking purple, varying to almost inky grey. In some eggs +the maroon, in some the purple or grey seems to predominate; in some +eggs the markings seem pretty equally distributed over the egg; in +others they form a more or less conspicuous zone about the larger end. +The eggs measure from 0·85 to 0·92 in length by 0·6 to 0·7 in breadth. + + +300. Pycnonotus davisoni (Hume). _Davison's Stripe-throated Bulbul_. + +Ixus davisoni, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 452 quat. + +Mr. Oates writes from Kyeikpadein in Pegu:--"A nest of this bird was +found on the 1st June, and another on 6th of the same month, each +containing two fresh eggs. The females, which were shot off the nest, +showed, however, no signs on dissection of being about to lay more. + +"The nest is a flimsy structure, built of the stems of small weeds and +lined with grass. A few fine black tree-roots are twisted round the +inside of the egg-chamber. The outside and inside diameters measure 4 +and 3 inches, and the depths are similarly 3 and 1·25. Both nests were +placed low down about 4 feet from the ground--one in a bush, and the +other in a creeper. + +"The eggs vary much in size. One pair measure ·92 and ·88 by ·60 +and ·65, and the other ·83 and ·82 by ·65 and ·61 respectively; +the ground-colour of all is a pinkish white. In one pair the +shell-blotches of washed-out purple are spread over the whole egg, and +the surface-spots and clashes of carneous red are also equally spread +over the whole shell. In the other pair the shell-marks are grouped +round the larger end to form a broad ring, and the whole egg is +thickly speckled and spotted with bright reddish. The eggs are very +slightly glossy." + + +301. Pycnonotus melanicterus (Gm.)._The Black-capped Bulbul_. + +Rubigula melanictera (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 455 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes:--"In April 1873 I received from a friend in +Ceylon three eggs of this bird; but I was unable to identify them +until lately, when I had an opportunity of comparing them with a +clutch taken last year in the Western Province, and about which there +was no doubt. In the latter case the nest was fixed on the top of a +small stump, and was a loose structure of grass and bents; in +shape rather a deep cup; and contained two eggs of a reddish-white +ground-colour, profusely speckled with reddish brown (in one example +confluent round the obtuse end, in the other distributed over the +whole surface) over freckles of bluish grey. Dimensions: 0·79 by 0·58, +0·78 by 0·57. The other nest was made of grass on a foundation of +dry leaves and herbaceous stalks, loosely lined with fine hair-like +tendrils of creepers. The eggs were of a reddish-white ground, thickly +covered throughout with brownish-red and dusky red spots, becoming +somewhat confluent round the obtuse end. In form they are regular +ovals, and measure 0·78 by 0·6, 0·79 by 0·58." + + +305. Pycnonotus luteolus (Less.). _The White-browed Bulbul_. + +Ixos luteolus (_Less.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 84; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 452. + +Common as is the White-browed Bulbul in Midnapoor, throughout the +Tributary Mehals, along the Eastern Ghâts, and again, it appears, in +Bombay, only two of my correspondents appear as yet to have procured +the nest or eggs. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken, writing from Bombay under date the 11th June, +says:--"I now send you a nest of _Pycnonotus luteolus_ with two eggs. +I took it this morning from, a thickly foliaged tree in a garden. It +was placed on the top of the main stem of the tree, which had been +abruptly cut off about 5 feet from the ground, where the stem was +about 3 inches thick. The nest was begun this day week, Thursday, and +the first egg was laid the day before yesterday (Tuesday). The bird is +a very common one in gardens in Bombay, though I never saw it in Berar +nor even in Poona. They build in situations similar to, but perhaps +rather more sheltered than, those chosen by the Common Bulbul; but I +remember finding one nest placed at a height of only 2 feet from the +ground. + +"This present nest was begun, as already mentioned, last Thursday, +just two days after the first severe thunder-shower preliminary to the +monsoon, now fairly on us. + +"I draw your attention to the manner in which the nest has been tied +at _one_ place to a twig to prevent its being blown off its very +(apparently) insecure site. I was obliged to take the nest, as I was +leaving at once, otherwise one or perhaps two more eggs would have +been laid." + +The nest is a rather loose straggling structure, exteriorly composed +of fine twigs. The cavity, hemispherical in shape, is carefully lined +with fine grass-stems. Outside it is very irregularly shaped, and many +of the twigs used are much too long and hang down several inches from +the nest; but on one side the outer framework has been firmly tied +with wool and a little cobweb to a live twig to which the leaves, now +withered, are still attached. No roots or hair have entered into the +composition of this nest. + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I once found a nest in Bombay, not many feet +above the level of the sea of course. + +"The first egg was laid on 14th September. The nest was built in a +bush on the edge of an inundated field, but in our garden. It was +fixed to a thin waving branch underneath the bush, which completely +overshadowed it. It was only 2 feet from the ground, a cup just large +enough to hold the body of the bird, whose head and tail always +projected over the edge; and it was made of thin twigs and neatly +lined with _coir_. The bird laid two eggs and then deserted the nest. +One of these, which I took, was thicker and rounder than a Bulbul's, +and thickly spotted with claret-coloured spots, which gathered into a +ring at the larger end. + +"The eggs were laid on successive days. I think the birds had already +had one brood (in another nest), for I saw apparently the same pair +followed by a young one not long before." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in my garden at Nellore. It was +rather loosely made with roots, grass, and hair, placed in a hedge, +and the eggs, four in number, were reddish white, with darker lake-red +spots, exceedingly like those of the Common Bulbul." + +Colonel Legge, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' tells us that this Bulbul +breeds in the west and south-west of Ceylon from December to June, the +months of April and May, however, appearing to be the favourite time. +On the eastern side of the island it breeds during the north-east +rains. + +The eggs answer well enough to Dr. Jerdon's description, but to an +oologist's eye they are excessively _un-like_ those of the Common +Bulbul; shape, tone of colour, and character of markings alike differ. + +In shape they are decidedly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and moderately glossy. The ground is reddish white, and +this is profusely speckled and blotched (the blotches being chiefly +confined, however, to a broad irregular zone round the broader end) +with a deep but certainly, I should say, _not_ lake-red, but much +nearer what one would get by mixing brown with vermilion. Besides +these red markings sundry clouds and spots of a pale greyish lilac are +intermingled in a zone, and one or two spots of the same colour may be +traced elsewhere. + +The eggs measure 0·92 by 0·62, and 0·97 by 0·63. + + +300. Pycnonotus blanfordi (Jerd.). _Blanford's Bulbul_. + +Ixus blanfordi (_Jerd.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 quint. + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest in a small tree, well concealed +by leaves, about 7 feet from the ground, near Pegu. A very neat cup +measuring 3 inches diameter externally and 2·25 internally. The depth +1·75 inch outside and 1·25 inside. The sides of the nest, though very +strongly woven, can be seen through. The materials consist of small +fine branchlets of weeds, and the inside is neatly lined with grass. +One or two dead leaves, or rather fragments, are used in the exterior +walling. + +"The nest was found on the 25th May, and contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The ground-colour is a fresh pink, but with little gloss. +The whole egg is covered with a profusion of dark purplish-red spots, +more thickly disposed at the thick end, but everywhere frequent. In +addition there are some underlying and much paler smears. The three +eggs measured respectively ·75, ·78, and ·77 in length, by ·63, ·62, +and ·61 in breadth. + +"Subsequently I found five other nests, from the 1st April to the 20th +June, all similar to the one described. Eggs invariably three. Average +size of twelve eggs ·82 by ·6." + +The nests of this species that I have seen have been very slight +flimsy structures, nearly hemispherical cups, composed of fine twigs +and the leaf-stalks of pennated leaves a little bound together with +cobwebs and thinly lined with fine hair-like grass. In some cases +a leaf or two has been attached to the outer surface to aid the +concealment of the nest. The nest is very loosely woven just like a +sieve, as a rule nowhere more than 0·25 inch thick, and with a truly +hemispherical cavity, diameter about 2·5, depth about 1·25. + +The eggs are of the ordinary Bulbul type, but not amongst the more +richly-coloured examples of these; in shape and size they vary a good +deal, but typically they seem to be moderately broad ovals slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine and smooth, but +has scarcely any appreciable gloss; the ground is pale pink or pinky +white. At the large end the markings are dense, forming in some eggs +an almost confluent zone, in others a mottled cap; they consist +of irregular-shaped spots and specks of deep red and pale +subsurface-looking greyish purple; over the rest of the surface of the +egg outside the zone or cap the markings are much smaller in size and +much more thinly scattered, and it is observable that the secondary +purple markings are to a great extent confined to the zone or cap, as +the case may be, and its immediate neighbourhood. + +Occasionally the markings, which seem always to be small and speckly, +are very sparsely set, leaving comparatively large portions of the +surface unmarked; and occasionally eggs are met with in which the +primary markings are wholly wanting, and there is nothing but a pale +reddish-purple cloudy mottling over the greater portion of the surface +of the egg.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS PLUMOSUS, Bl. _The Large Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus plumosus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 sept. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I found one nest of this Bulbul at Kossoom: +it was of the ordinary Bulbul type and placed in a small but dense +clump of cane, about 18 inches from the ground. The parent birds were +very vociferous when the nest was approached." + +The eggs of all these Bulbuls, though they are separable when +individually compared, follow so closely the same type of colouring +that, it is almost impossible to make their distinctions apparent by +any verbal descriptions. + +The eggs of the present species are like those of so many others, +moderately broad ovals, obtuse at the large end, somewhat compressed +towards the small end, at times slightly pyriform. The shell very +fine, smooth and thin, but strong, and generally with an appreciable +though not at all conspicuous gloss. + +The ground-colour is pink or pinky white, and they are very thickly +speckled and spotted everywhere, but extremely densely so, and there +blotched also in a broad irregular zone, round the large end with +rich reddish maroon and dull greyish or inky purple--the rich colour +predominating in some eggs, the dull colour in others; and in some the +markings being all extremely fine and speckly, while in others they +are rather bolder. Two eggs measure 0·9 by 0·66. + +PYCNONOTUS SIMPLEX, Less. _Moore's Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus brunneus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 oct. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"I took a nest of _P. simplex_ in some rather +thick jungle at Klang. The nest, of the ordinary Bulbul type (in fact +it might easily have passed for a nest of _Olocompsa_), was placed in +the fork of a small sapling about 6 feet from the ground. The nest +contained two eggs. The female was shot from the nest." + +The eggs are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, some +specimens having a slight pyriform tendency. The shell is fine and +compact, and seems to have generally an appreciable but not striking +gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy pink, and it is +very thickly freckled and speckled all over with a rich maroon, in +amongst which tiny clouds of pale purple may be faintly discerned; +dense as are the markings everywhere, they are generally most so in a +zone round the large end. Very possibly this species will be found to +exhibit somewhat different types of coloration, as the eggs of all +Bulbuls vary very much; but certainly typically the markings of this +species are much more speckly than in most of the others, forming a +universal stippling over the entire surface. The two eggs measure 0·9 +and 0·88 in length by 0·62 in breadth.] + + + + +Family SITTIDAE. + + +315. Sitta himalayensis, Jard. & Selby. _The White-tailed Nuthatch_. + +Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 248. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings this species begins to +lay in April, constructing a shallow saucer-like nest of moss lined +with moss-roots, in holes of trees at no great elevation from the +ground. One such nest, the measurements of which are recorded, was +3.25 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally; the cavity was +2·25 inches in diameter and 1·25 inch in depth. They lay three or four +pure white eggs slightly speckled with red, which measure about 0·72 +inch in length by 0·55 inch in width. They breed once a year, and both +sexes assist in incubating the eggs and rearing the young. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"In Kumaon the White-tailed Nuthatch breeds in +May and June, laying five or six eggs, in holes in trees, especially +in oaks." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This bird is an early breeder in +Naini Tal; a nest found on the 25th April contained half-fledged +young. It was in a natural hollow of a tree about 10 feet from the +ground in a thick trunk; the hole was closed up with a kind of stiff +gummy substance, leaving only a circular entrance about an inch in +diameter, just as I have seen in nests of _Sitta europaea_. The +old birds were busily engaged in feeding the young. Another nest +containing young was found on the 28th April in an oak tree at about +7000 feet elevation; both birds were feeding the young, and the nest +was similar to the last except that in this case it was so low down in +the trunk that, sitting on the ground, I could put my ear against +the hole. From a third nest, found on the 2nd May, the young +had apparently just fled. My experience bears out Mr. Hodgson's +observations: I have often been up here in May and June searching +closely and never found a nest; this year I came up for the first time +in April, and within a few days find three nests with young. I may add +that after the 10th May all the Nuthatches I have seen were in small +parties, apparently parents with their young." + + +316. Sitta cinnamomeiventris, Blyth. _The Cinnamon-bellied +Nuthatch_. + +Sitta cinnamomeoventris, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 387. + +Writing from Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I lately took the nest of +_Sitta cinnamomeiventris_ at 2000 feet. It was 20 feet from the ground +in a soft decaying bamboo on the edge of large jungle. The birds had +made a small hole just below an internode, and from the next internode +below had filled up the hollow of the bamboo with alternate layers of +green moss and pieces of tree-bark of about an inch or more square to +within a few inches of the entrance-hole. Each layer of moss was about +an inch thick, but the bark layer not more than a quarter of an inch, +the thickness of the bark itself. On the top of this pile, which was a +foot high, was a pad three inches wide by two in depth, of fine moss, +fur, a feather or two, and a few insects' wings intermixed, for the +eggs to rest on. The fur looks like that of a rat. There were four +hard-set eggs, which, unfortunately, got broken in the taking. One +of them only was measurable, and it was 0·65 inch by 0·5. I send the +shell-fragments to show the coloration." + + +317. Sitta neglecta, Walden. _The Burmese Nuthatch_. + +Sitta neglecta, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 250 bis. + +The Burmese Nuthatch probably breeds throughout Pegu and Tenasserim. +Of its nidification in the latter division Major C.T. Bingham +writes:--"On the 21st March, wandering about in a deserted clearing, +I saw a couple of Nuthatches (_Sitta neglecta_) flying to and from a +tree, carrying food apparently. Watching them closely with a pair of +binoculars, I saw them disappear near a knot in a branch. The tree was +a dead dry one and rather difficult to climb, but a peon of mine went +up and reported five young ones unfledged, the nest-hole being 6 +inches deep, and the opening, which was originally a large one, and +probably caused by water wearing into the site of a broken branch, +narrowed by an edging of clay. The young lay on a layer of broken +leaves. As they were featherless, blind little things I left them +alone, and was delighted to see the parents continuing to feed them." + + +321. Sitta castaneiventris, Frankl. _The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch_. + +Sitta castaneoventris, _Frankl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 386. + +The late Captain Cock furnished me with the following note a long time +ago regarding the breeding of this Nuthatch:--"A very common bird at +Sitapur in Oudh, every mango-tope containing one or more pairs. They +pair early and commence making their nests in February, laying their +eggs in March. The nests are in cavities of trees, at no great height +from the ground, and unless observed in course of construction are +difficult to find--the bird filling the whole cavity up with mud +consolidated with some viscid seed of a parasitical plant, and merely +leaving a small round hole for entrance. This composition hardens like +pucca masonry in a very short time, and secures the nest from all +marauders except the oologist. The nest consists of a few dry leaves +at the bottom of the cavity at no great depth, and upon this four eggs +are laid. The birds sit close and do not easily desert their nests, as +the following instance will show. In 1873 I found a _Sitta's_ nest in +a mango-tree, and after watching the birds for some days, when the +eggs had been laid I took the nest, placing my handkerchief in the +nest to prevent bits of mud falling in on the eggs. I opened out the +cavity, cleaning away the mud, and putting in my hand I caught the +female bird. I looked at her and let her go. In 1874 curiosity induced +me to look at the place again, and to my surprise I saw the cavity had +been built up again. I caught a bird on the nest and took four eggs; +it may have been a different bird, but there was only one pair in that +tope of trees, and was probably the same bird I caught in 1873. I +found another nest in my garden about 2 feet from the ground, and I +often used to flash the sunlight from a small hand-mirror, that I use +out birds' nesting, onto the hen bird while she sat on her eggs. Our +collection contains a large series of these eggs, the produce of some +five-and-twenty nests taken by myself at Sitapur." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"At Allahabad I found two nests of this +little Nuthatch, one in July and one in September. I regret to say +neither contained any eggs, though the birds were going in and out +constantly. The nests were in tiny holes in mango-trees, the entrances +being still more contracted by earth being plastered round." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall observes:--"A nest of the Chestnut-bellied +Nuthatch was pointed out to me at Umballa in the next garden to mine. +It was about 12 feet above the ground in an old mango-tree; the +locality chosen was the stump of a branch which had been cut off and +had rotted down. Outside there was a great deal of masonry work as +hard and firm as that on white-ant hills, in the middle of which was a +neat circular hole just large enough for the passage of the bird. The +masonry continued down inside the hole as far as I could see; I did +not break it open, as there were nearly fledged young ones inside. +I knew this because the parent birds had been seen for some days +carrying in food. I did not see the nest till the end of May. The +following spring I found another nest at Kurnal in a bokain tree; +it was constructed after the same fashion; the nest itself, which +consisted only of dead leaves, was not very far down. I was +unfortunately this time (March 15th) too early for the eggs. The +holes are not easy to see from the ground, as they are most skilfully +concealed from view." + +The eggs of this species are very regular, slightly elongated ovals, +scarcely compressed or pointed towards the small end at all. The shell +is fragile, and is either entirely glossless or has only a trace of +gloss. The ground-colour is white, with at times a faint pinkish +tinge, and the markings consist of spooks, spots, and splashes (always +most numerous at the large end, where they usually form a more or less +conspicuous though irregular cap) of dull or bright brick-red, more +or less intermingled in most specimens with dull reddish lilac. The +arrangement and size of the markings are very variable. In some eggs +they are all mere specks, forming a small speckly cap at the large +end, and elsewhere very thinly scattered about the surface; in others +many of the spots are (for the size of the egg) large, the majority +are well-marked spots and not mere specks, and the whole surface of +the egg is pretty thickly studded with them, while the broad end +exhibits a large blotched and mottled cap. The majority of the eggs +are intermediate between these two extremes. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·61 to 0·72 and in breadth from. 0·5 to +0·54, but the average of numerous specimens is 0·67 by 0·52.[A] + +[Footnote A: SITTA TEPHRONOTA, Sharpe. _The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch_ + +Sitta neumayeri, _Mich., Hume, cat._ no. 248 quint. + +The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch is abundant in Baluchistan, and without +doubt breeds there. The following note by Lieut. H.E. Barnes will +therefore be interesting. He writes from Afghanistan:--"This Nuthatch +is very common on the hills. It appears to choose very different +localities to build in. In some instances a hole in the face of a +rock is selected, and this it lines with agglutinated mud and resin, +continuing the lining-case until it, projects in the shape of a cone +to fully 8 inches. It seems fond of decorating its little palace +with feathers to a distance of 2 or even 3 feet, and it is thus a +conspicuous object; but most nests are found in holes in trees, and +even here feathers are stuck into crevices all around. They are +usually well lined with camel-hair. + +"They breed in March and April. The eggs are usually four in number (I +have sometimes found five), oval in shape, more or less glossy white, +and more or less densely or sparsely (generally most densely towards +the large end) spotted and blotched with varying shades of chestnut +to reddish brown, more or less intermingled with pale purple and +occasionally purplish grey. Some eggs are very richly marked. Some are +almost pure white. They average 0·87 by 0·57." + +The eggs of this species are typically moderately broad ovals, +slightly pointed towards the small end, but elongated and more or less +blunt-ended pyriform examples occur. The shell is extremely fine and +smooth, but has only moderate amount of gloss in any specimen that I +have seen and in some specimens has only a trace of this. The ground +colour is pure white, and the eggs are generally thinly speckled, +spotted, or blotched, about the broad end only, with a pale red; +occasionally a few greyish-purple spots and blotches are intermingled +with the other markings, and specks and tiny spots of both red and +grey sometimes extend to the smaller end of the egg also. I have seen +no such examples myself, but very probably in some eggs the principal +markings may be at the small end. Eighteen eggs vary from 0·81 to 0·91 +in length by 0·61 to 0·69 in breadth.] + + +323. Sitta leucopsis, Gould. _The White-cheeked Nuthatch_. + +Sitta leucopsis, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 249. + +Captain Cock took the eggs of the White-cheeked Nuthatch late in May +and early in June (1871) in Kashmir at Sonamurg. + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I observed it +hanging about a nest-hole on the 21st May, but on returning to take +the eggs some days later was unable to find the tree:" and he adds, +"On the 21st of June I shot a young bird just fledged near the Peiwar +Kotul." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size. In shape some are +moderately elongated, some are somewhat broad ovals, and all are, more +or less, compressed towards the smaller end, which, however, is obtuse +and not at all pointed. The ground is white and has a slight gloss. +The markings consist of small spots and minute specks, some eggs +exhibiting only the latter. In all cases the markings are most dense +towards the large end, where they generally form an irregular and +ill-defined mottled cap or zone. In colour the markings are red and +pale purple, the red varying from bright brickdust-red to brownish and +even purplish red, and the purple being sometimes lilac and sometimes +grey, and here and there in a single speck, almost black. In length +the eggs vary from 0·67 to 0·75 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 to 0·55 +inch. + + +323. Sitta frontalis,, Horsf. _The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch_. + +Dendrophila frontalis (_Horsf._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ p. 388; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 253. + +The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, lays from the middle of February to +the end of May. It breeds in the forest-tracts of the Sub-Himalayan +ranges, in the Central Indian forests, the Ghâts of Southern India, +and the well-wooded slopes of the Nilghiris, Palnis, &c. + +It builds a compact little nest of moss and feathers in a tiny hole +in a tree, selecting, I believe, generally a natural cavity, but +certainly trimming the entrance and interior itself. + +Mr. B. Thompson says:--"This species is common in all the low +densely-wooded valleys of the Sub-Himalayan ranges of Kumaon, at an +elevation of from 1500 to 2500 feet. It breeds in May and June in +hollows of trees. Any small hole suits for a nest, and it lays four or +five eggs, for I have seen it with as many young, though I never took +the trouble of getting out the eggs themselves." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This Nuthatch breeds on the Nilghiris as high up +as Ootacamund, nesting in holes of trees, and laying three or four +eggs, spotted with chestnut, pinkish red, or reddish brown. The nest +is composed of moss, moss-roots, &c., and lined with feathers. I am +not quite certain how long the breeding-season lasts, but I think that +it is from the middle of April to the early part of May." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, sends me the following account of the +first nest she took of this species:-- + +"After having wished for some years to obtain the eggs of this bird, I +was delighted to hear from my brother that he had seen a Nuthatch go +into a _small_ hole in a tree, and that, on looking into it, he had +seen something like a nest. I went prepared with a chisel and hammer, +but wished first to ascertain fully who the owner of the nest was. +After watching at a respectful distance for a long time, an Indian +Grey Tit flew to the hole and peeped in. My first thought was one +of great disappointment at having ridden many miles with such high +expectations to find only a Common Titmouse's nest; but it did not +last long; the inquisitive Grey Tit found the hole too small for him, +and flew off just as happily as he had flown to it. I continued to +watch, and was quite repaid by seeing a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch fly to +the top of the tree containing the nest, and descend rapidly down the +trunk (which was about 12 or 13 feet high), as if it knew where the +wee hole was, and disappear into it. This was sufficient proof as to +the proprietor of the nest; I walked quietly up to the tree, and when +within a foot of it out flew the bird. My handkerchief was stuffed +into the hole to prevent any chips breaking the eggs, should there be +any: and making use of the chisel and hammer, I soon made the hole +large enough to admit my hand. The nest contained three eggs, which I +most carefully extracted one by one. The nest was then brought out, +and consisted of a quantity of beautiful green moss, feathers (many of +which belong to the bird), some soft fine hair, and a few pieces of +lichen. This nest was discovered on the 10th February. The tree it was +found in grew nearly alone, at the side of a road not much frequented. + +"The eggs were quite fresh, and most probably the bird would have laid +at least one more; but these were sufficient to show the colour of +the eggs, which were pure white, with dark and light red spots and +blotches, chiefly at the thick end, besides a circle of spots like a +Flycatcher's eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing of South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in holes of trees, preferring the deserted ones +excavated by _Megalama caniceps_. The nest is built of moss, and lined +with the fluff of hares and soft feathers. The eggs are always four in +number, spotted with pinkish red on a white ground, the spots being +more numerous towards the larger end. They breed in March. Dimensions, +0·71 inch long by 0·57 broad," + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a small pad-like nest of this species found on +the 4th May in Native Sikhim. It was placed in a hollow of a trunk of +a large tree about 3 feet from the ground. It is composed of very fine +moss felted together with a little fine vegetable fibre, and the upper +surface coated with a little fine short silky fur, probably that of a +rat. + +Major Bingham, writing from Tenasserim, says:--"Fairly common in the +Thoungyeen valley. On the 18th February I found a nest in a hole in a +branch of a pynkado tree (_Xylia dolabrifomis_), but I was too early +for eggs." + +One egg of this very beautiful species was sent me by Miss Cockburn. +It is intermediate in size and colour between those of the European +Creeper and Nuthatch, while at the same time it strongly recalls the +eggs of _Parus atriceps_. In shape the egg is a broad oval (not quite +so broad, however, as those of the European Nuthatch are), slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is white, and the egg +is blotched, speckled, and spotted, chiefly, however, in a sort of +irregular zone round the large end, with brickdust-red and somewhat +pale purple. The shell is fine and compact, but devoid of gloss. The +egg measures 0·08 by 0·55 inch. + +Three other eggs from the Sikhim Terai measure 0·68 by 0·51. + + + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + + +327. Dicrurus ater (Hermann). _The Black Drongo_. + +Dicrurus macrocercus (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 427. +Buchanga albirictus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 278. + +The Black Drongo or Common King-Crow lays throughout India, at any +rate in the plain country; it does not appear to breed either in the +Himalayas or the Nilghiris at any height exceeding 5000 feet. + +A few eggs may be found towards the close of April, and again during +the first week of August, but May, June, and July are _the_ months. + +It builds usually pretty high up in tall trees, in some fork not quite +at the outside, constructing a broad shallow cup, and lays normally +four eggs, although I _have_ found five. Elsewhere I have recorded the +following in regard to its nidification:-- + +"Close at our own gate is a pretty neem tree, the '_Melia +azadirachta_,' a species now naturalized in Provence and other parts +of the south of France. High up in a fork a small nest was visible, +and projecting over it on one side a black forked tail that could +belong to nothing but the King-Crow. Of this bird we have already +taken during the last six weeks at least fifty nests, and in many +cases where we had left the empty nest in _statu quo_, we found it a +week later with a fresh batch of eggs laid therein. Many birds will +never return to a nest which has once been robbed, but others, like +the King-Crow and the Little Shrike (_Lanius vittatus_) will continue +laying even after the nest has been _twice_ robbed. The very day after +the nest has been cleared of perhaps four slightly incubated eggs, a +fresh one that otherwise would assuredly never have seen the light is +laid, and that, too, a fertile egg, which, if not meddled with, will +be hatched off in due course. It might be supposed that immediately on +discovering their loss, nature urged the birds to new intercourse, +the result of which was the fertile egg, and this, in some cases, is +probably really the case; Martins and others of the Swallow kind being +often to be seen busy with 'love's pleasing labour' before their eggs +have been well stowed away by the collector. But this will not account +for instances that I have observed of birds in confinement, who +separated from the male before they had laid their full number, and +then later, just when they began to sit deprived of their eggs, +straightway laid a second set, neither so large nor so well coloured +as the first, but still fertile eggs that were duly hatched. But for +the removal of the first set, these subsequent eggs would never have +been developed or laid. Now, the theory has always been that the +contact of the sperm- and germ-cells causes the development and +fertilization of the latter. In these cases no fresh accession of +sperm-cells was possible, and hence it would seem as if in some birds +the female organs were able to store up living sperm-cells, which +only work to fertilize and develop ova in the event of some accident +rendering it necessary, and which otherwise ultimately lose vitality +and pass away without action. + +"The nest of the King-Crow that we took was of the ordinary type; in +fact I have noticed scarcely any difference in the shape or materials +of all the numerous nests of this common bird that I have yet seen. +They are all composed of tiny twigs and fine grass-stems, and the +roots of the khus-khus grass, as a rule, neatly and tightly woven +together, and exteriorly bound round with a good deal of cobweb, in +which a few feathers are sometimes entangled. The cavity is broad and +shallow, and at times lined with horsehair or fine grass, but most +commonly only with khus. The bottom of the nest is very thin, but the +sides or rim rather firm and thick; in this case the cavity was 4 +inches in diameter, and about 1½ in depth, and contained three pure +white glossless eggs. In the very next tree, however (a mango, and +this is perhaps their favourite tree), was another similar nest, +containing four eggs, slightly glossy, with a salmon-pink tinge +throughout, and numerous well-marked brownish-red specks and +spots, most numerous towards the large end, looking vastly like +Brobdingnagian specimens of the Rocket-bird's eggs. The variation in +this bird's eggs is remarkable; out of more than one hundred eggs +nearly one third have been pure white, and between the dead glossless +purely white egg and a somewhat glossy, warm pinky grounded one, with +numerous well-marked spots and specks of maroon colour, dull-red, and +red-brown or even dusky, every possible gradation is found. Each set +of eggs, however, seems to be invariably of the same type, and we have +never yet found a quite white and a well coloured and marked egg in +the same nest. + +"These birds are very jealous of the approach of other birds even of +their own species to a nest in which they have eggs, and many a little +family would this year have been safely reared, and their ovate +cradles have escaped the plundering hands of my shikaries, had not +attention been invariably called to the thereabouts of the nest by the +pertinacious and vicious rushes of one or other of the parents from +near their nest at every feathered thing that; passed them by." + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species, which appears to be generally +diffused throughout India, is not uncommon in the Dehra Doon, but does +not ascend the hills; it breeds in June, laying four eggs of somewhat +variable size. They are pure white, thus differing widely from those +of the supposed _D. longcaudatus_ of Mussoorie. + +"It is evident likewise that the eggs which Captain Tickell assigns to +this species do not belong to it. (_Vide_ Journal As. Soc. vol. xvii. +p. 304.) + +"The nest differs from that of our hill species, being larger and +far less neatly made; it is placed in the bifurcation of the smaller +branches of a tall tree, and is composed exteriorly of two hard +semi-woody stalks of various plants, plastered over with cobwebs. +Another one was constructed entirely of fine roots, like the khus-khus +used for tatties, and plastered over like the former with cobwebs. It +is flattened or saucer-shaped, and about 3 inches in diameter." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"It breeds from the middle of May well into +August. I do not think it has two broods in the year, at least close +observation has not proved the fact. Trees of various sizes are chosen +indiscriminately for the nest, from the lofty mango and tamarind to +the low-growing roonji, &c. + +"The nest is a peculiarly slight-formed structure (occasionally I have +seen it otherwise, but this is the exception), always neatly made. +The exterior of the nest is composed of small fine twigs, roots, and +grass, with generally a good deal of spider's web round the outer +surface. The average exterior diameter of the nest is about 5·5 +inches. The cavity is frequently lined with horsehair. On three or +four occasions I have seen very fine khus substituted for the hair. +The average inner diameter of the nest is about 3·4 inches. + +"The regular number of eggs is four; in colour they are a light +reddish white, with a few spots or blotches, here and there of a +purplish red or red-brown. The eggs often differ much in size. + +"I happened to find in one nest two eggs, one of the usual size, the +other only about one third of the size. What is more surprising, it +was perfectly formed, as regards the white and yolk." + +The instance of sagacity related by Mr. Phillips, and quoted by +Jerdon, was related to him by the late Mr. Davis, my old Collector of +Customs. + +"I have on two or three occasions myself witnessed similar instances +of sagacity. This bird, during the breeding-season, is pugnacious to +a degree, fearlessly attacking every bird that approaches the tree on +which the nest may be." + +Writing from the Sambhur Lake, Mr. E.M. Adam says:--"Very common here. +The King-Crow breeds here in June and July. The eggs vary much with +regard to colouring; some are pure white without spots, some have dark +brown spots on the white ground, whilst others have a pale rufous +ground darker at the broader end, with spots of deep rust-colour and +lilac." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"At Bheera Tal, fully 4000 feet +above the sea, I found two nests of this species on the 24th May, one +contained four eggs, and the other three; the eggs varied much in +size, and out of the seven, six were pure white, almost like Barbet's +eggs, and the seventh had only a faint sprinkling of tiny dark spots +at one end. The birds, all four of which I shot, were typical _D. +ater_, with the white spot well developed. On the same day, and in the +same place, I found eggs of _D. longicaudatus_. I record this, as it +is not usual to find _D. ater_ breeding at this elevation. It may be +noticed that the eggs of this species found by Hutton in the Doon +were all pure white, while in the plains I think white is more +exceptional." + +Dr. Scully says:--"In Nepal it breeds freely at elevations of from +4000 to 5000 feet. Three nests were taken in the valley, in May and +June; these contained each three or four pure white eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I have found many nests of the King-Crow +both at Allahabad and Delhi. In both places they begin laying towards +the end of May, and I got fresh eggs at Allahabad as late as the 13th +August. The nests and eggs have been nearly always of the same type. +The former, a shallow, but well-made saucer, rather small sometimes +for the size of the bird, of grass-roots and twigs, and absolutely +without lining; the latter white, when fresh with a pink tinge, +spotted, chiefly at the larger end, rather scantily with claret-colour +and dark brown. I have never found a pure white egg." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana in general, tells us:--"The +King-Crow breeds during May and June. A few nests may be found in +July, but by far the greater number are to be found during the latter +part of May and the commencement of June." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "The Common King-Crow breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. I have taken nests on the +following dates:-- + + "June 6, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + June 7, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 9, 1875. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 young birds. + June 10, 1875 " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 11, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 13, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 8, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 12, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"The nest consists of a broad shallow saucer about 3½ inches in +diameter measured from the inside, composed of dry twigs and fine +roots, and is invariably fixed in the fork of a tree. The bottom of +the nest, though strongly woven, is often so thin that the eggs are +visible from below. The eggs, usually four in number, are of the +Oriole type, being white or creamy buff:, sparingly spotted and +speckled with deep chocolate or rusty brown, with, occasionally, +markings of inky purple. The markings of the eggs of this species, +like those of the Oriole, are apt to run if washed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, say:--"Common +and breeds." + +Mr. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Abundant. Breeds +in May." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"Breeds from March to the end of May, constructing a slight +cup-shaped nest in a tree. The nest is composed of fine twigs bound +together with cobwebs, and is rather a flimsy concern, the eggs often +being visible from below. It is generally placed in the fork of a +branch, at from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. The eggs are three in +number, occasionally only two, and vary very greatly in colour, some +being almost of a pure white, whilst others again are spotted and +blotched, especially at the larger end, with claret and light purple +on a rich salmon-coloured ground. The birds are very noisy in the +breeding-season, keeping all intruders off, not hesitating to attack +Kites and Crows. They seem to have an especial antipathy to the +latter." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken states that in Madras "the King-Crow, so +conspicuous on the backs of cattle, telegraph-wires, &c., all through +the cold and hot seasons, is conspicuous by its absence during the +breeding-season. Many of them retire to woods and gardens to breed, +but even when they do not, they keep very quiet while they have their +nests. Last June there was a nest in a tree in the Thieves' bazaar at +Madras, but the birds hardly ever showed themselves out of the tree." + +Mr. J. Inglis informs us that in Cachar "this King-Crow is extremely +common. It breeds all through the summer. It lays four or five pure +white eggs on the top of a few grasses placed in the fork of a tree. +It is very pugnacious, and attacks birds of all sizes if they approach +it." + +There are two very distinct types of this bird's eggs. The one pure +white and spotless, the other a pale salmon-colour, spotted with a +rich brownish red. These eggs unquestionably both belong to the same +species, as I have taken them times without number myself and can +positively certify to their parentage; moreover connecting links are +not wanting in a large series. I have one egg perfectly white, with +the exception of three or four blackish-brown spots, another with more +of these spots, another with almost as many as the ordinary spotted +eggs have, the ground-colour in all these being still pure white, +and the spots being blackish or very deep reddish brown. Then I +have others similar to those just described, but showing a faint +salmon-coloured halo round one or two of the largest spots, others in +which the halo is further developed, and others again with the entire +ground-colour an excessively pale salmon throughout, and so on a +complete series gradually increasing in intensity of colour till we +get the pure rich salmon-buff which is at the other end of the scale. +I am particular in this description, because the eggs of this bird +have been a subject of almost as many contradictions between Indian +naturalists as the chameleon of pious memory. In shape the eggs are +typically a rather long oval, somewhat pointed towards one end. Very +much elongated varieties are common, recalling in this respect the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_. Spherical varieties, if they occur, must +be very rare, the enormous series I possess containing no example. In +the colour of the ground, as above remarked, there is every possible, +variety of shade between pure white and a very rich salmon-colour. In +the intensity and number of the markings there is an equally great +variety. The markings, always spots and specks, the largest never +exceeding 0·1 inch in diameter, are invariably most numerous towards +the large end, where they are sometimes, though rarefy, slightly +confluent. They vary from only two or three to a number too large to +count, and in colour through many shades of reddish, blackish, and +purplish brown, the latter being rare and abnormal. + +The eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, as a rule, though here and +there a slight trace of it is observable. It is this want of gloss +alone that distinguishes some of the larger white, black-spotted +varieties from the eggs of the common Oriole, which they occasionally +exactly resemble not only in shape, colour, and character of marking, +but even (though generally smaller) in size. + +In length they vary From 0·87 to 1·15 inch, and in breadth from 0·7 +to 0·85, but the average of 152 eggs measured is 1·01 by 0·75 inch. I +have two dwarf eggs of this species not included in the above average +which I myself obtained in different nests, measuring only 0·78 by 0·5 +inch, and 0·87 by 0·62 inch. + + +328. Dicrurus longicaudatus. A. Hay. _The Indian Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus longicaudatus, _A. Hay, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 430. +Buchanga longicaudata (_A. Hay), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 280. + +The Indian Ashy Drongo, a species that, with the really large series +before me from all parts of India, I find it impossible to subdivide +into two or more species, breeds alike in the plains, in well-watered +and wooded districts, and in the Himalayas up to an elevation of 6000 +to 7000 feet, and lays during the months of May and June. + +They build generally in large trees, at a considerable height from +the ground, placing their somewhat shallow cup-shaped nests in some +slender fork towards the summit or exterior of the tree. + +The nest is neatly and firmly built, of fine grass-stems, slender +twigs, and grass-roots, closely interwoven, and externally bound +together with cobwebs, in which, as in the body of the nest, lichens +of several species are much intermingled. Exteriorly the nests are +from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 2½ in height. Interiorly +they are lined with moss, roots, hairs, and fine grass; the cavity +measuring from 3 to 3·5 inches in breadth, and from 1·1 to 1·4 inch in +depth. The normal number of the eggs is four. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"The nest is usually fixed on the upper surface of a +thin branch about 15 to 20 feet from the ground, and at its junction +with another branch, the nest being partly embedded in the fork of two +_horizontal_ branches. It is composed of grass, fibres, and roots, and +lined with finer grasses and a few hairs. The nest is broader and much +shallower than that of _D. ater_; outside it is covered with spiders' +webs and small bits of lichen. + +"The eggs are four in number, sometimes only three, and vary much in +size, shape, and colour; size 1·0 by 0·7 inch: some are buff, blotched +with light reddish brown and pale purple-grey; others are lighter +buff, almost white in fact, spotted and marked more sparingly than the +first described with the same two colours, but each of a darker tint; +others are white, marked sparingly with spots and blotches of dark +purple-brown and reddish brown, and intermixed with larger blotches +of deep purple-grey, the markings principally forming a zone at the +larger end. Others, again, are pale purplish white, spotted with dark +and light purple-brown, and intermixed with spots and blotches of +purple-grey. The shape of the egg varies as much as the colouring, +some being of a fine oval form, while others are quite pyriform. +Laying in Kumaon from the middle to end of May." + +As I shall notice further on, I think that Mr. Brooks is mistaken +about some of his eggs. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This species, the only one that visits +Mussoorie, arrives from the Doon about the middle of March, and +retires again about September. It is abundant during the summer +months, and breeds from the latter end of April till the middle of +June, making a very neat nest, which is placed in the bifurcation of +a horizontal branch of some tall tree, usually an oak tree; it +is constructed of grey lichens gathered from the trees, and fine +seed-stalks of grasses, firmly and neatly interwoven; with the latter +it is also usually lined, although sometimes a black fibrous lichen is +used; externally the materials are kept compactly together by being +plastered over with spiders' webs. It is altogether a light and +elegant nest. The shape is circular, somewhat shallow; internal +diameter 3 inches. The eggs are three or four, generally the latter +number, and so variable in colour and distribution of spots that until +I had got several specimens and compared them narrowly, I was inclined +to think we had more than one species of _Dicrurus_ here. I am, +however, now fully convinced that these variable eggs belong to the +same species. Sometimes they are dull white with brick-red spots +openly disposed in form of a rude ring at the larger end; at other +times the spots are rufescent claret, with duller indistinct ones +appearing through the shell; others are of a deep carneous hue, +clouded and coarsely blotched with deep rufescent claret; while again +some are faint carneous with large irregular blotches of rufous clay +with duller ones beneath the shell." + +Some of Captain Hutton's eggs which he sent me were clearly those of +_Hypsipetes psaroides_ (of which also be sent me specimens), and the +fact is that in thick foliage where the Red-bill is not seen nothing +is easier than to mistake this bird for _D. longicaudatus_. I have +taken a great many of these nests, and I never found eggs other than +of the two types to be below described. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"In Kumaon this species breeds from +4000 to 5000 feet above the sea; the eggs are laid in the last week of +May. I have never seen a nest at Naini Tal itself (6000 to 7000 feet), +but at Bheem Tal (4000 feet) I found numerous nests within three days, +in the first week of June; all without exception had young. The next +season I visited the place in the last week of May, and found the eggs +just laid. + +"The nests were of the usual _Dicrurus_ type, wedged in a fork at +heights varying from fifteen to fifty feet from the ground, but as far +as my experience goes always in conspicuous places and generally on +trees almost or quite bare of leaves. The nests are usually only to be +obtained by sawing off the bough they are built on." + +Long ago Captain Cock, writing from Dhurmsala, said:--"I took a +nest on the 8th of May, containing four eggs. The eggs are regular, +roundish ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is +white, here and there suffused with a faint pinkish tinge, and it is +spotted and blotched with purplish red and pale lilac, most of the +spots being gathered into an irregular zone about the large end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"Breeds in May, +in almost inaccessible places, about 7000 feet up, choosing a thin +fork at the outermost end of a bough about 50 or 60 feet from the +ground, and always on trees that have no lower branches. The nest is +almost invisible from below, as it is very neatly built on the top of +the fork; and when the female sits on it, she places her tail down the +bough so as entirely to hide herself. The eggs are only to be obtained +either by climbing higher up the tree than the nest is, and extracting +the eggs by means of a small muslin bag at the end of a long stick, or +else by lashing the bough on which the nest is to an upper bough as +the climber goes along so as to make it strong enough to support him. +The nest is much neater than that of _D. ater_; the eggs are light +salmon-coloured, with brick-red blotches sparsely scattered over them, +and are ·95 by ·7 inch." + +Dr. Scully records the following note from Nepal:--"This species lays +in the valley in May and June, the nest being placed high up in trees, +often in _Pinus longifolia_. The eggs are usually four in number, +fairly glossy, in shape moderate ovals, smaller at one end. The +ground-colour is pinkish white, with a tinge of buff, sparingly +spotted and blotched with brownish red, chiefly at the large end, +where the marks tend to coalesce, so as to form an irregular +incomplete ring. Four eggs taken on the 28th May measured 1·09 to 1·12 +in length, and 0·75 to 0·76 in breadth. The race which I identify with +_D. himalayanus_ was found, in very small numbers, on the summit of +Sheopuri, at an elevation of about 7500 feet, and was breeding at the +time I shot my specimen, viz. the 20th May." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest at Mongpho, near Darjeeling, at an elevation +of about 3500 feet on the 13th May. It was placed on an outer branch +of a tall tree and contained only one partially incubated egg. The +nest was a beautifully compact, but shallow cup, placed on the upper +surface of the bough, composed externally of roots and coated with a +little lichen and a great deal of cobweb. Interiorly lined with the +finest grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in +diameter and scarcely more than 1 inch in depth. At the bottom, where +it rested on the bough, the nest was not above ¼ inch thick, and +consisted only of the lining materials. Laterally it was about ¾ inch +thick. + +The egg was a broad oval, slightly compressed towards one end, but +not at all pointed. The shell very fine and with a slight gloss, the +ground-colour a delicate salmon-pink, and with a broad ring of deep +brownish-pink spots and blotches intermingled with pale purple +subsurface-looking clouds and spots round the large end. The rest of +the egg with some half-dozen similar spots. + +He subsequently sent me the following note:--"This species is common +in the Darjeeling district up to 4000 feet or so. It rather affects +the neighbourhood of bungalows, and is a very lively neighbour, +especially in the mornings and evenings. These birds are continually +quarrelling among themselves, sallying after insects, or making +their best attempts at singing. They are _dead_ on Kites, Crows, and +such-like depredators. For several days an Owl (_Bulaca newarensis_) +was flying about near the Cinchona Bungalow at Mongpho, and being a +stupid creature at the best, and doubly so during daylight when it had +no business to be abroad, was evidently considered fair game by the +Long-tailed Drongo and Swallow-Shrikes, and so awfully 'sat upon' by +them, that its life must have become a burden to it until it left +the place in despair of ever getting either peace or comfort about +Mongpho. + +"They lay in April and May, and have but one brood in the year. +The nest is generally either built against a tall bamboo, well up, +supported on the branch of twigs at a node, or near the extremity of a +branch of a tree, sometimes on quite slender branches of young trees, +which get so tremendously wafted about by the wind as to make the +retention of the eggs or young in the nest appear almost miraculous. +When anyone meddles with the nest, the owners make bold dashes at the +head of the robber. The Darjeeling birds are not so knowing as their +fellows of Murree, the females of whom are said to sit on the +nests with their tails along the boughs so as to entirely conceal +themselves. I have seen dozens of the nests here, and never once saw +the female in this position, but always with her tail _across_ the +bough. The nest is a compact shallow cup, measuring externally 4·5 +inches across by 1·75 in height, while the cavity is 3 inches in +diameter by about 1·2 in depth. It is made of twigs bound up with +cobwebs, among which a few lichens are intermingled. The lining is a +mixture of straw-coloured root-fibres and fine branchlets of the same +coloured grass-panicles." + +Mr. Mandelli sent me nests of this species, which were taken, at +Ging, near Darjeeling, on the 26th April and on the 22nd May, the one +contained one fresh egg, the other three. They were both placed on +branches of large trees at heights of about 20 feet from the ground. +They are broad shallow cups, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, about 2 +in height, compactly composed of fine twigs and grass-stems, bound +together with cobwebs and with many pieces of lichen and some tiny dry +leaves worked in on the outer surface. Interiorly, they are lined with +very fine hair-like grass-stems. The saucer-like cavities are about 3 +inches in diameter and about 1¼ in depth. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found its nest on one occasion, in April, in +Lower Malabar. It was shallow and loosely made with roots, and lined +with hair, about 20 feet from the ground, on the fork of a tree; and +it contained three eggs of a pinkish-white colour, with some longish +rusty or brick-red spots." + +There are two very strongly marked types of this bird's eggs. The eggs +of both types are moderately broad, or, at most, somewhat elongated +ovals, and comparatively devoid of gloss. The first, in its colouring, +exactly resembles the eggs of _Caprimulgus indicus_; a pinkish +salmon-coloured ground, streaked, blotched, and clouded, but nowhere +densely (except towards the large end, where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), with reddish pink, not differing widely in hue +from, though deeper in shade than, the ground-colour. Here and there, +where the markings are thickest, under-clouds of very faint purple +occur, but these are too feeble to attract attention, unless the egg +is looked into closely. In the other type of egg, the ground-colour +is pale pinkish white, pretty boldly blotched and spotted almost +exclusively towards the large end, where there is a broad irregular +imperfect zone, with brownish red, intermingled with blotches of very +faint inky purple. My description possibly fails to make this as +apparent as it should be, but no two eggs can, to a casual observer, +appear more distinct than these two types. There is yet, according to +Mr. Brooks, a third type of this bird's eggs; of this he has given me +a single example. In shape it is excessively long and narrow, of the +type of the eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, but its coloration and +character of markings are unlike those of any Shrike or Drongo with +which I am acquainted, and exactly resemble those of many types of the +eggs of the several Bulbuls. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and +is thickly speckled and spotted throughout with primary markings of +rich brownish red, and feeble secondary ones of excessively pale +inky purple. This egg, moreover, possesses a degree of gloss never +observable in those of the _Dicruri_, and therefore, well assured +though Mr. Brooks is of the parentage of this egg which he took with +his own hands, I feel confident, having since obtained many eggs +of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ which are exactly similar to this last +described egg, that in, perhaps, indifferent light he mistook this +bird for a _Dicrurus_. I may add that the first described type, of +which I have procured numerous specimens from different parts of +the Himalayas, taking _several_ nests with my own hands, is most +characteristic of this species. + +In the type with the pinky-white ground, large or small spots often +occur about the large end of a deep purple colour, so deep as to be +almost black, and but for the absence of gloss some of these paler +eggs are very close to those of some of the Orioles. Intermediate +varieties between the two types above described occur, but in not one +of more than sixty specimens that I have examined has there been any +perceptible gloss. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·85 to 1·01 inch, and in breadth from +0·7 to 0·75 inch, but the average of fifty-one eggs is 0·95 by 0·74 +inch. + + +329. Dicrurus nigrescens, Oates. _The Tenasserim Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus nigrescens, _Oates; Oates, B.I._ i, p. 315. + +Mr. Oates found the nest of this Drongo in Pegu. He says:--"I found +one nest on the 27th April at Kyeikpadein, near the town of Pegu, on +a small sapling near the summit. It contained four eggs[A]; they are +without gloss; the ground-colour in all is white. In three eggs the +whole shell is marked with spots of pale purple; these are perhaps +more numerous at the thick end, but not conspicuously so. The fourth +egg is blotched, not spotted, with the same colour. + +[Footnote A: I recorded the nest and eggs of this bird under the name +of _Buchanga intermedia_ (S.F. v, p. 149). The parent birds of these +eggs are fortunately still in the British Museum, and I am able to +identify them with this species, which occurs generally throughout +Tenasserim and many parts of Lower Pegu.--ED.] + +"The nest is composed of fine twigs and the dry branches of weeds; it +is lined very firmly and neatly with grass. Exterior diameter 5 inches +and depth 2; egg-chamber 3½ inches across and 1¼ deep. The outside +of the nest is profusely covered with lichens and cobwebs. The eggs +measure from ·83 to ·95 in length, and ·68 to ·71 in width." + + +330. Dicrurus caerulescens (Linn.). _The White-bellied Drongo_. + +Dicrurus caerulescens (_L._), _Jerd B. Ind_ i, p. 432. +Dicrurus caeruleus (_Müll._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 281. + +I have never seen a nest of the White-bellied Drongo. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"This bird's breeding-habitat is from 2500 to 6000 feet in the +Himalayas. It is common on the south-eastern slopes of Nyneetal. It +lays in May and June, placing its shallow cup-shaped nest in some +little fork near the top of a moderate-sized oak-tree, if breeding on +a mountain-side, but of some tall _Alnus nipalensis, Acacia elata_, +or _Acer oblongum_, if nesting in deep dells or valleys. The nest +appeared to be exactly like that of _D. ater_; but I can say nothing +very positive about it or the eggs, as, though continually seeing +them, I never, I think, took the trouble of getting one down." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall, commenting on Mr. Thompson's remark that this +Drongo is common near Naini Tal, says:--"My experience on this point +is negative; I have carefully searched the south-eastern slopes of +Naini Tal for four years without even seeing the bird, so that I do +not think it can be classed as a common breeder here." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that on the 16th July he saw a brood of +_Dicrurus caerulescens_ on the Kondabhari Ghât, just able to fly. +Referring to Western Khandeish, he tells us that he saw only two +nests. They were on adjoining trees in the Akrani; they were largish +nests, not like those of _D. ater_, but more resembling those of _D. +longicaudatus_ described in 'Nests and Eggs.' One nest contained three +young ones, the other was only building; and nothing could have been +more plucky than the way the old ones defended their nest. + + +331. Dicrurus leucopygialis, Blyth. _The White-vented Drongo_. + +Buchanga leucopygialis (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 281 +bis. + +Colonel Legge gives us the following account of the breeding of this +Drongo, which is confined to Ceylon:--"The breeding-season of this +Drongo is from March until May; and the nest is almost invariably +built at the horizontal fork of the branch of a large tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, sometimes as much as 40 feet. It +is a shallow cup, measuring about 2¼ inches in diameter by 1 in depth, +and is compactly put together, well finished round the top, but +sometimes rather loose on the exterior, which is composed of fine +grass-stalks and bark-fibres, the lining being of fine grass or +tendrils of creepers. The number of eggs varies from two to four, +three being the most common. They vary much in shape, and also in the +depth of their ground-tint; some are regular ovals, others are stumpy +at the small end, while now and then very spherical eggs are laid. +They are either reddish white, 'fleshy,' or pure white, in some cases +marked with small and large blotches of faded red, confluent at +the obtuse end, and openly dispersed over the rest of the surface, +overlying blots of faint lilac-grey; others have a conspicuous zone +round the large end, with a few scanty blotches of light red and +bluish grey on the remainder; in others, again, the markings are +confined to a few very large roundish blotches of the above colours at +one end, or, again, several still larger clouds of brick-red at the +obtuse end, with a few blotches of the same at the other. Dimensions +from 1·0 to 0·86 inch in length, by 0·72 to 0·68 in breadth. I once +observed a pair in the north of Ceylon very cleverly forming their +nest on a horizontal fork by first constructing the side furthest from +the angle, thus forming an arch, which was then joined to the fork by +the formation of the bottom of the structure. + +"The parent birds in this species display great courage, vigourously +sweeping down on any intruder who may threaten to molest their young." + + +334. Chaptia aenea (Vieill.). _The Bronzed Drongo_. + +Chaptia aenea (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 433; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 282. + +The Bronzed Drongo breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central hills of Nepal, or rather in the plains near to these hills, +rarely quitting large woods. They begin to lay in March, and build a +broad somewhat saucer-shaped nest some 4 or 5 inches in width and 2 to +3 in depth externally. The nest is placed in some slender horizontal +fork, to one at least of the twigs of which it is firmly attached by +vegetable fibres; it is composed of fine twigs and grass, and bound +round with, cobwebs in which pieces of lichen and small cocoons are +often intermingled. Mr. Hodgson specially notes:--"_June 6th, valley_. +Female, nest and eggs; nest on fork of upper branch of large tree, 4·5 +inches wide by 2·25 deep, cup-shaped, made of fibres of grass bound +with cobweb, lining none; three eggs, obtusely oval, the ground fawn +tinged white, blotched (especially at larger end) with fawn or reddish +brown," + +It appears that four is the maximum number of eggs laid; both sexes +participate in the work of incubation and rearing the young, but they +are very jealous of the approach of any birds when they have eggs or +young, driving all such intruders away with the utmost bravery. The +eggs measure from 0·88 to 0·95 inch by 0·65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found the Bronzed Drongo +breeding from April to June in the low hot valleys at about 2000 feet +above the sea. It suspends its nest in a slender horizontal fork at 10 +feet or more from the ground, and appears, like its frequent neighbour +_Dicrurus longicaudatus_, to prefer a bamboo-clump to breed in. The +nest is a compact cup, neatly made of fine grass-stalks, with an +outer coating of dry bamboo-leaves plastered over with cobwebs; it is +fastened to the supporting branches by cobwebs. Externally it measures +3·5 inches wide by 2 inches deep, internally 2·5 by 1·5. + +"The usual number of eggs is three." + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker, writing from Bangalore, tells us:--"I took +the nest of this bird on 6th April in the Shemagah District, Mysore. +It was built on the fork of a bare branch about 20 feet from the +ground in big tree-jungle, and was composed of fine grass, fibre, and +a few dry bamboo-leaves woven together with cobwebs, making a small +compact cup-like nest which measured 3 inches in diameter externally, +2·5 internally, and 1·4 deep. + +"From where I stood I saw the bird come and sit on the nest and fly +off again a dozen times at least. The eggs, three in number, measured +·9 by ·65, and were pinkish white with darker pink and light purple +blotches and spots all over, principally at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern Bengal, +this species is "rather common; generally to be found perching on the +dead branches of high trees overlooking water, especially whenever +there is a dense undergrowth of jungle. On the 1st June, 1878, I +secured a nest with three fresh eggs; it was built on a slender twig +on the outer side of a mango-tree which was standing near a ryot's +house, and was about 15 feet off the ground. External diameter 3½ +inches, depth 2; internal diameter 2-1/3, depth 1-1/8. Saucer-shaped; +the outside consisted of plaintain-leaves torn up into slips, all of +which were firmly bound together by fibres of the plaintain-leaf and +jute, which were wound round the twigs and secured the nest. Inside +lining was made of very fine pieces of 'sone' grass. The pair were +very pugnacious, attacking any birds coming near their nest. These +birds have a clear mellow ringing whistle." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I procured one nest on the 23rd April. +It was placed at the tip of an outer branch of a jack tree, and +attention was drawn to it by the vigorous attacks the parents made on +passing birds. The nest was suspended in a fork; the outside diameter +is 4 inches and inside 3, total depth 2½, and the egg-cup is about 1½; +deep. The nest is composed of fine grass, strips of plaintain-bark, +and other vegetable fibres closely woven together; the edges and the +interior are chiefly of delicate branchlets of the finer weeds and +grasses. It is overlaid at the edges, where it is attached to the +branches, with cobwebs, and a few fragments of moss are stuck on at +various points. + +"There were two fresh eggs; the ground-colour is a pale salmon-fawn, +and the shell is covered with darker spots and marks of the same. They +are only very slightly glossy. The two eggs measure 0·85 by 0·62." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 10th March, 1880, +being encamped at the head-waters of the Queebawchoung, a feeder of +the Meplay, and having an hour to spare, I took my gun and climbed up +a steep hill to the very sources of the Queebaw. Here, hanging over +the trickling stream, was a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ firmly woven and +tied on to a fork in the branch of a little tree, at a height of about +10 feet from the ground. The nest was of roots and grass lined by +soft fine black roots, and held three eggs, of a rich salmon-pink, +obscurely spotted darker at the large end; they measure 0·83 by 0·61, +0·82 by 0·61, and 0·80 by 0·61 respectively. + +"On the 15th March, 1880, in the fork of a branch of a small +zimbun-tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_), hanging over a pathway along the +bank of the Meplay stream, I found a nest of the above species. A neat +strongly-made little cup of vegetable fibres and cobwebs, containing +two fresh eggs; ground-colour dull salmon, obscurely spotted with +brownish pink. They measure 0·86 by 0·64 and 0·88 by 0·65." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., records the following notes:-- + +"26th March. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_, building, when on the +march from Tavoy to Nwalabo, some seven miles east of Tavoy, in the +fork of a bamboo-branch 12 feet from ground. + +"29th March. Took two fresh eggs of _Chaptia aenea_, and shot the bird +off nest, about twenty-three miles east of Tavoy, in open bamboo-land, +very low elevation. The nest was built in the fork of an overhanging +branch of a bamboo some 50 feet from the ground. + +"13th April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built in a tree some 40 feet from ground, in open forest +about twenty miles east of Tavoy. + +"22nd April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built at the end of a bough about 30 feet from ground, near +Tavoy." + +The nests of this species are quite of the Oriole type, more or less +deep cups suspended between the forks of small branches or twigs of +some bamboo-clump or tree. Exteriorly they are composed of dry flags +of grass, bits of bamboo-spathes, or coarse grass, bound together with +vegetable fibres and often with a good deal of cobweb worked over +them; sometimes a tiny bit or two of moss may be found added, and +often the fine thread-like flower-stems of grass. Interiorly they are +generally lined with excessively fine grass. In one or two nests very +fine black fern-roots are intermingled with the grass lining. The +nests vary a good deal in size, but are all extremely compact, and +while some are decidedly massive, nearly an inch thick at bottom, +others are scarcely a quarter of this in thickness beneath. In one the +cavity is 2·5 inches broad by 3 long, and fully 2 deep; in another it +is about 2·5 inches in diameter by scarcely 1·25 inches in depth. In +one nest four fresh eggs were found; in another three fully incubated +ones. The nests were suspended at heights of from 10 to 30 feet from +the ground. + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie very much recall the eggs of _Niltava_ and +others of the Flycatchers. They are moderately elongated ovals, in +some cases slightly pyriform, in others somewhat pointed towards the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, smooth and silky to the +touch, but they have but little gloss. The ground-colour varies from +a pale pinkish fawn to a pale salmon-pink, and they exhibit round +the large end a feeble more or less imperfect and irregular zone of +darker-coloured cloudy spots, in some cases reddish, in some rather +inclining to purple, which zone is more or less involved in a haze +of the same colour, but slightly darker than the rest of the +ground-colour of the egg. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·76 to 0·88, and in breadth from 0·6 to +0·64. The average of fifteen eggs is 0·82 by 0·61. + + +335. Chibia hottentotta (Linn.). _The Hair-crested Drongo_. + +Chibia hottentota (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 439; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 286. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"The Hair-crested Drongo is extremely common as +a breeder in all our hot valleys (Kumaon and Gurwhal). It lays in May +and June, building in forks of branches of small leafy trees situated +in warm valleys having an elevation of from 2000 to 2500 feet. The +nest is circular, about 5 inches in diameter, rather deep and hollow; +it is composed of fine roots and fibres bound together with cobwebs, +and it is lined with hairs and fine roots. They lay from three to +four much elongated, purplish-white eggs, spotted with pink or claret +colour." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The Lepchas at Darjeeling brought me the nest, +which was said to have been placed high up in a large tree; it was +composed of twigs and roots and a few bits of grass, and contained +two eggs, livid white, with purplish and claret spots, and of a very +elongated form." + +The Jobraj, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, begins to +lay in Nepal in April. It builds a large shallow nest, 8 or 9 inches +in diameter externally, with the cavity of about half that diameter, +attached, as a rule, to the slender branches of some horizontal fork, +between which it is suspended much like that of an Oriole, though much +shallower than this latter; it is composed of small twigs, fine roots, +and grass-stems bound together, and it is attached to the branches by +vegetable fibre, and more or less coated with cobwebs; little pieces +of lichen and moss are also blended in the nest. It lays three or four +eggs, rather pyriform in shape, measuring 1·25 by 0·86 inch, with a +whitish or pinky-whitish ground, speckled and spotted pretty well all +over, but most densely towards the large end, with reddish pink. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of the Hair-crested +Drongo this year in June, both at about an elevation of 1500 feet in +wooded valleys, placed well up in the outer branches of tall, slender +trees; they are of a broad saucer-shape, openly but firmly made of +roots and stems of slender climbers, and destitute of lining. There +is a good deal of cobweb on the outsides of the nests, and they were +attached to the supporting branches by the same material. One was +fixed in among several upright sprays, the other suspended in a +slender fork after the manner of an Oriole. They measured about 6 +inches broad by 2¼ deep externally, internally 4 by 1¾. One nest +contained four fresh eggs, the other three partially-incubated eggs." + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"In the first week of May I took +several nests of this bird, but in all cases the nests were situated +in such dangerous places that most of the eggs got broken; there were +three in each nest. The position of the nest and the nest itself are +very much like those of _D. paradiseus_. Comparing many nests of both +species together, the only difference appears to be that the nests of +the Hair-crested Drongo are slightly larger on the whole. + +"The only two eggs saved measure 1·10 by ·8 and 1·11 by ·81; they are +slightly glossy, dull white, minutely and thickly freckled and spotted +with reddish brown and pale underlying marks of neutral tint. + +"I may add that at the commencement of May all the eggs were much +incubated." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"During the breeding season in the end +of March and in April I saw a great number of nests round and about +Meeawuddy in Tenasserim, but all inaccessible, as they were invariably +built out at the very end of the thinnest branches of eng, teak, +thingan (_Hopea odorata_), and other trees. + +"Except during those two months, I have not seen the bird plentiful +anywhere." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has written the following valuable notes regarding +the breeding of the Hair-crested Drongo in the Dibrugarh district in +Assam:-- + +"17th May, 1879. Nest with three fresh eggs, attached to a fork in one +of the outer brandies of an otinga (_Dillenia pentagyna_) tree, and +about 15 feet off the ground. + +"15th May, 1880. Three fresh eggs in a nest 20 feet off the ground, +and a few yards from my bungalow, in an oorian (_Bischoffia javanica_, +Bl.). + +"5th June, 1880. Nest with three partly-incubated eggs, in one of the +outer branches of a jack (_Artocarpus integrifolia_) tree, and about +15 feet off the ground. + +"27th May, 1881. Three fresh eggs in a nest on a soom (_Machilus +odoratissima_) tree at the edge of the forest bordering the tea. The +nests are deep saucers, 3½ inches in diameter, internally 1½ deep, +with the sides about ¼ thick; but the bottom is so flimsy that the +eggs are easily seen from below, the materials being grass, roots, and +fine tendrils of creepers, especially if these are thorny, when they +are used as a lining. The nest is always situated in the fork of a +branch." + +The nests are large, shallow, King-Crow-like structures, often +suspended between forks, sometimes placed between four or five upright +shoots, at times resting on a horizontal bough against and attached to +some more or less upright shoots. They are composed mainly of roots +thinly but firmly twisted together, have sometimes a good deal of +cobweb twisted round their outer surface, often a good deal of +vegetable fibre used for the same purpose and, though they have no +lining, are always composed interiorly of finer material than that +used for the outer portion of the structure. Exteriorly the diameter +varies from 6 to nearly 7 inches, the height from nearly 2 to 2½; the +cavity is usually about 4 inches in diameter and 1·5 to 1·75 in depth. +I have taken the nests in May and June alike in small and large trees, +at elevations of from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. + +Typically the eggs are rather broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards +the small end, but they vary a great deal both in size and shape, are +occasionally very much elongated, and again, at times, exhibit the +characteristic pointing but feebly. The ground-colour varies from +greyish white to a delicate pale pink; as a rule the markings are +small and inconspicuous frecklings and specklings of pale purple +reddish where the ground, is pink, greyish where it is white, +tolerably thickly set about the large end and somewhat sparsely +elsewhere; but in some eggs these markings are everywhere almost +obsolete. In many there is a dull pale purplish cloud underlying the +primary markings, extending over the greater part of the large end of +the egg. Not uncommonly a few specks and spots of yellowish brown +are scattered here and there about the egg. In one egg before me the +markings are larger, more decided, and fewer in number--distinct +spots, some of them one tenth of an inch in diameter; and in this egg +the spots are decidedly brownish red, while intermixed with, them are +a few specks and clouds of inky purple. The ground in this case is a +pale pinky white. + +As a rule the eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, but one or two have a +very faint gloss. + +The eggs measure from 1·01 to 1·21 in length, and from 0·79 to 0·86 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-nine eggs is 1·12 by 0·81. + + +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (Vieill.). _The Ceylon Black Drongo_. + +Dissemuroides lophorhinus (V.), _Hume, cat._ no. 283 quat. + +Colonel Legge says, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds in +the south of Ceylon in the beginning of April. I have seen the young +just able to fly in the Opaté forests at the end of this month; but I +have not succeeded in getting any information concerning its nest or +eggs." + + +339. Bhringa remifer (Temm.). _The Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo_. + +Bhringa remifer (_Temm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 434. +Bhringa tenuirostris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 283. + +Of the Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Mr. R. Thompson says:--"This +elegant Drongo is somewhat common in our lower Kumaon ranges. Its +lively clear and ringing notes are one of the greatest charms of the +spring season in our forests. It breeds in May and June, and builds +upon lofty trees in dense forests, usually in some deep damp valley. +The nest from below looks just like that of a common King-Crow--a +broad shallow cup; but I never closely examined either nest or eggs." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest with eggs were brought to me in June, +said to be of this species. The nest was loosely made of sticks and +roots, and contained three eggs, reddish white, with a very few +reddish-brown blotches." + +From. Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken but one nest of this +Drongo. It was suspended between two small horizontal forking branches +of a tall tree, some 20 feet from ground. It is a neat, saucer-shaped +structure, somewhat triangular, to fit well up to the fork, built of +fibry roots, and firmly bound to the branches by spiders' webs. The +sides and bottom are strong, but so thin that they can everywhere be +seen through. Externally it measures 4.5 inches across by 1·9 in +height; internally 3·5 by 1·3. It was taken on the 15th May at 2500 +feet, and contained three partially incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie at Rishap (elevation 4800) +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, is a very broad shallow saucer, composed +almost entirely of moderately fine dark brown roots, but with a few +slender herbaceous twigs intermingled. It is suspended in the fork +of two widely diverging twigs, to which either margin is attached, +chiefly by cobwebs, though on one side at one place part of the +substance of the nest is wound round the twig: the cavity, which is +not lined, is oval, and measures 3·5 inches by 2·75, by barely 0·75 in +depth. The female seated on the nest had long tail-feathers, so this +species does not drop these for convenience in incubating. + +Several nests of this species obtained in Sikhim by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, &c. are all precisely similar--broad saucers, suspended +Oriole-like between the fork of a small branch. Exteriorly composed of +moderately fine brown roots, more or less bound together, especially +those portions of them that are bound round the twigs of the fork with +cobwebs, and lined interiorly with fine black horsehair-like roots. +They seem to be always right up in the angle of the fork, whereas in +_Chaptia_ they are often some inches down the fork, and consequently +the cavity is triangular on the one side, and semicircular on the +other. The cavities measure from 3 to nearly 4 inches in their +greatest diameters, and vary from 1 to 1½ inch in depth; though strong +and firm, and fully ¼ of an inch thick at bottom, the materials are so +put together that, held up against the light, they look like a fine +network. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie, though more elongated +in shape and somewhat larger, very closely resemble in coloration the +more ordinary type of the eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_. In shape +they are elongated ovals, a good deal compressed towards the smaller +end. The shell is fine, but has scarcely any gloss. The ground-colour +is a moderately warm salmon-pink. It is spotted, streaked, and +blotched thickly about the large end (where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish red, or +in some merely a darker shade of the ground-colour; where the markings +are thickest about the large end, in some only one or two, in others +numerous blotches and clouds of a dull inky purple are intermingled, +and a few specks and spots of the same colour often occur elsewhere +about the egg. + +Two eggs measure 1·09 by 0·75, and a third measures 0·98 by 0·75. + + +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (Linn.). _The Larger Racket-tailed +Drongo_. + +Edolius paradiseus (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 435. +Edolius inalabaricus (_Scop.), Jerd. t.c._ p. 437. +Dissemurus malabaroides (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 284. + +Of the Larger Racket-tailed Drongo Dr. Jerdon tells us that he has +"had its nest brought him several times at Darjeeling; rather a large +structure of twigs and roots; and the eggs, usually three in number, +pinkish white, with claret-coloured or purple spots, but they vary a +great deal in size, form, and colouring. They breed in April and May." + +The solitary egg that I possess of this species, given me by Dr. +Jerdon, is probably an exceptionally small one. It is a broad oval, +tapering a good deal towards one end, a good deal smaller than the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, and not very much larger than some eggs +of _D. ater_. Its coloration, however, resembles that of _Chibia +hottentotta_, and differs conspicuously, _when compared with them_ +(though it may be difficult to make this apparent by description), +from those of the true _Dicruri_. The ground-colour is a dead white, +and it is very thinly speckled all over, a little more thickly towards +the large end, with minute dots and spots, chiefly of a very pale inky +purple, a very few only of the spots being a dark inky purple. The +texture of the egg is fine and close, but it is devoid of gloss. This +egg measures 1·1 by 0·87 inch. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes from Mysore:-- + +"_Kakencotte State Forest, Mysore District_.--I send you six eggs, +specimens from three different nests. + +"This bird is very common in the heavy forests of the Mysore District, +but the only nest I have ever found myself was on the 2nd May, 1880, +and contained two or three young birds. I could not distinctly see how +many. The nest was fixed towards the end of a branch of a tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, and was almost impossible to get +at. Had there been eggs in it I could not have taken them. + +"The breeding-season I should say was from the beginning of April to +the end of May. + +"Three nests, each containing three eggs, were brought to me this +season on the 10th and 26th April, and 9th May, 1880, by Cooroobahs +(the jungle-tribes in these forests); and although the eggs in each +nest vary considerably from one another, there is no doubt in my mind +that the eggs belong to one and the same species of bird. + +"It is a bird so well known in these forests that it would be +impossible to mistake it for any other. + +"In one case only was the nest brought to me, and this, which +unfortunately I did not keep, was loosely made of twigs and roots." + +Professor H. Littledale, quoting Mr. J. Davidson, informs us that +this species breeds in the east of Godhra, and therefore probably +throughout the Panch Mehals. + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The Bhimraj is very +common, frequenting thick jungle; it often goes in company with other +birds, which it mimics to perfection. It lays about four eggs in a +shallow nest made of grass similar to the above; it is very easily +tamed. The hill-tribes use the long tail-feathers for ornamenting +their head-dresses." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I have taken the eggs of this species on +all dates, from the 30th April to the 16th June. + +"The nest is placed in forks of the outer branches of trees at all +heights from 20 to 70 feet, and in all cases they are very difficult +to take without breaking the eggs. + +"The nest is a cradle, and the whole of it lies below the fork to +which it is attached. It is made entirely of small branches of weeds +and creepers, finer as they approach the interior. The egg-cup is +generally, but not always, lined with dry grass. + +"The outside dimensions are 6 inches in diameter and 3 deep. The +interior measures 4 inches by 2. In one nest the sides are bound to +the fork by cotton thread in addition to the usual weeds and creepers. + +"The eggs have very little or no gloss, and differ among themselves a +good deal in colour. In one clutch the ground-colour is white, spotted +and blotched, not very thickly, with neutral tint and inky purple, +chiefly at the larger end. Other eggs are pinkish salmon, and the +shell is more or less thickly or thinly covered with pale greyish +purple or neutral tint, and brownish-yellow or orangebrown spots and +dashes. + +"They vary in size from 1·2 to 1·06 in length, and ·85 to ·8 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham has the following note:--"About five miles below +the large village of Meplay, in the district of that name, the main +stream of the Meplay river is joined by a tributary, the Theedoquee. +On the 4th April I was wading across the mouth of the latter, when my +attention was attracted by seeing a pair of the above birds dart from +a small tree growing at the very point of the fork where the streams +met, and sweep down at my dog, not actually striking him, but nearly +doing so. Of course, I made for the tree, and sure enough there, about +15 feet from the ground, in a fork, was a large mass of twigs, above +which was placed a neatly made cup-shaped nest, lined with fine black +roots, and containing three fresh eggs, densely spotted, chiefly at +the larger end, with yellowish brown and sepia, on a ground-colour +of dull greenish white. The whole time the peon I had sent up was +climbing up and getting the nest, the two birds kept sweeping round +and round with harsh cries. I secured them both for the identification +of the eggs." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather long ovals, generally a +good deal pointed towards the small end. They are dull eggs, and never +seem to have any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white to a rich warm pink. The markings are of all sizes and shapes, +from large blotches to the tiniest specks, and they vary in every egg, +being thickly set in some, thinly in others, but as a rule the largest +and most conspicuous markings are about the large end. Again, in +colour the markings vary very much: they are red, purplish red, +reddish brown, pale purple, and inky grey; generally the eggs +exhibit both coloured markings reddish and lilac, but sometimes the +white-grounded eggs have only these latter. Some of the pink eggs are +strikingly handsome, and remind one of those of some of the Bulbuls. +Others are dull eggs with only a few irregular grey clouds about the +large end, thinly interspersed with brownish-red spots, usually darker +about the centre, and elsewhere excessively minutely and thinly +speckled with spots too small to render it possible to say what colour +they are. + +An egg I received from Darjeeling measures 1·1 by 0·87; others +received from Mynall from Mr. Bourdillon, and the Kakencotte Forest, +Mysore, from Mr. I. Macpherson, vary in length from 1·16 to 1·1, and +in breadth from 0·84 to 0·75. Three eggs, taken in Pegu by Mr. Oates, +measure from 1·1 to 1·05 in length, by 0·83 to 0·81 in breadth, and +are smaller than those the dimensions of which he himself records +above. + + + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + + +341. Certhia himalayana, Vigors. _The Himalayan Tree-Creeper_. + +Certliia himalayana, _Vig., Jerd B. Ind._ i, p, 380; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 243. + +Writing from Murree of the Himalayan Tree-Creeper, Colonel C.H.T. +Marshall says:--"This is a most difficult nest to find, as the little +bird always chooses crevices where the bark has been broken or bulged +out, some 40 or 50 feet from the ground, and generally on tall +oak-trees which have no branches within 40 feet of their roots. There +were young in the few nests we found. Captain Cock secured the eggs in +Kashmir; they are very small, being only 0·6 by 0·45; the ground is +white, with numerous red spots. The nests we found were in the highest +part of Murree, about 7200 feet." + +Two eggs of this species which I possess measure 0·69 and 0·68 +respectively in length, by 0·5 in breadth. + + +342. Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks. _Hodgson's Tree-Creeper_. + +Certhia hodgsoni, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 243 bis. + +Hodgson's Tree-Creeper is the supposed _C. familiaris_ obtained by Dr. +Jerdon in Cashmir, of which he gave me two specimens. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It was seen at Gulmurg and also at Sonamurg, where +Captain Cock took a few nests. The egg is much more densely +spotted than that of the English Creeper, so as almost to hide the +reddish-white ground-colour. Size 0·59 to 0·65 inch long by 0·48 inch +broad; time of laying, the _first_ week in June." + +The egg is of smooth texture, without gloss, of a purplish-white +ground-colour, and fully spotted all over with light brownish red, +especially at the larger end. Numerous spots of reddish grey or pale +inky purple are intermingled with red ones. + +In shape the egg varies from a somewhat elongated oval, more or less +compressed towards the smaller end, to a comparatively broad oval, +also slightly compressed towards the latter end. In all the eggs that +I have seen, the markings were more or less confluent towards the +large end. Their dimensions are correctly recorded by Mr. Brooks. + + +347. Salpornis spilonota (Frankl.). _The Spotted-Grey Creeper_. + +Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl.), Jerd. B.I._ i, p. 382. + +Mr. Cleveland found a nest of this species at Hattin, in the Gurgaon +district, on the 16th April. The nest was placed on a large ber-tree +in a patch of preserved jungle, at a height of about 10 feet from the +ground. It was cup-shaped, placed on the upper surface of a horizontal +bough at the angle formed between this and a vertical shoot, to which +it was attached on one side, the other three sides being free. The +nest itself is unlike any other that I have seen. It is composed +entirely of bits of leaf-stalks, tiny bits of leaves, chips of bark, +the dung of caterpillars, all cemented together everywhere with +cobwebs, so that the whole nest is a firm but yet soft and elastic +mass. The nest is cup-shaped, but oval and not circular; its exterior +diameters are 4 and 3 inches respectively; its greatest height 2 +inches; the cavity measures 2·6 by 2·2, and 1·1 in depth. + +The texture of the nest, as I have already said, is extremely +peculiar; it is extremely strong, and though pulled off the bough on +which it rested and the off-shoot to which it was attached, is as +perfect apparently as the day it was found, bearing on the lower +surface an exact cast of the inequalities of the bark on which it +rested; but it is soft, yielding, and flabby in the hand, almost as +much so as if it was jelly. The nest contained two almost full-grown +nestlings and one addled egg. + +This egg is a very regular oval, slightly broader at one end, the +shell fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour is pale greenish +white; round the large end there is an irregular imperfect zone of +blackish-brown specks and tiny spots, and round about these is more or +less of a brown nimbus, and over the rest of the egg a very few +specks and spots of blackish, dusky, and pale brown are scattered. It +measures 0·68 by 0·53. + +Another nest was found about 15 feet up a tree. It was partly seated +on and partly wedged in between the fork of two thick oblique +branches, to the rough bark of which the bottom only was firmly +cemented with cobwebs, the sides, as in the case of the first nest, +being quite free and detached from its surroundings. As regards +dimensions and composition, the latter nest was an exact counterpart +of that first taken. It contained two partially fledged nestlings. + + +352. Anorthura neglecta (Brooks). _The Cashmir Wren_. + +Troglodytes neglecta, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 333 bis. +Troglodytes nipalensis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 333. + +The Cashmir Wren breeds in Cashmir in May and June at elevations of +from 6000 to nearly 10,000 feet. I have never seen the nest, though +I possess eggs taken by Captain Cock and Mr. Brooks in Cashmir. +The latter says:--"Only two nests of this bird were found (both at +Gulmurg), one having four eggs and the other three. In the latter +case the full number was not laid, as the nest, when first found, was +empty; on three successive mornings an egg was laid and then they were +taken. + +"In shape they vary as much as do those of the English Wren, and like +them they are white, sometimes minutely freckled with pale red and +purple-grey specks, which are principally confined to the large end, +with a tendency to form a zone. Other eggs are plain white, without +the slightest sign of a spot; but these, I think, must be the +exception, for the egg of the English Wren is usually spotted. The egg +has very little gloss, and the ground-colour is pure white." + +The eggs are very large for the size of the bird. There appear to +be two types. The one somewhat elongated ovals, slightly compressed +towards the lesser end; the others broad short ovals, decidedly +pointed at one end. Some eggs are perfectly pure unspotted white; +others have a dull white ground, with a faint zone of minute specks of +brownish red and tiny spots of greyish purple towards the large end, +and a very few markings of a similar character scattered about the +rest of the surface. All the eggs of the latter type vary in the +amount and size of markings; these latter are always sparse and very +minute. The pure white eggs appear to be less common. The eggs have +always a slight gloss, the pure white ones at times a very decided, +though never at all a brilliant gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·61 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·52 inch. + +Mr. Brooks subsequently wrote:--"The Cashmir Wren is not uncommon in +the pine-woods of Cashmir, and in habits and manners resembles its +European congener. Its song is very similar and quite as pretty. It is +a shy, active little bird, and very difficult to shoot. I found two +nests. One was placed in the roots of a large upturned pine, and +was globular with entrance at the side. It was profusely lined with +feathers and composed of moss and fibres. The eggs were white, +sparingly and minutely spotted with red, rather oval in shape; +measuring 0·66 by 0·5. A second nest was placed in the thick foliage +of a moss-grown fir-tree, and was about 7 feet above the ground. It +was similarly composed to the other nest, but the eggs were rounder +and plain white, without any spots." + + +355. Urocichla caudata (Blyth). _The Tailed Wren_. + +Pnoepyga caudata (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 490; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 331. + +The Tailed Wren, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, lays in April and +May, building a deep cup-shaped nest about the roots of trees or in +a hole of fallen timber; the nest is a dense mass of moss and +moss-roots, lined with the latter. One measured was 3·5 inches in +diameter and 3 in height; internally, the cavity was 1·6 inch, in +diameter and about 1 inch deep. They lay four or five spotless whitish +eggs, which are figured as broad ovals, rather pointed towards one +end, and measuring 0·75 by 0·54 inch. + + +356. Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.). _The Scaly-breasted Wren_. + +Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 488. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I found two nests of the +Scaly-breasted Wren this year within a few yards of each other. They +were in a small moist ravine in the Rishap forest, at 5000 feet above +sea-level. One was deserted before being quite finished, and the other +was taken a few days after three eggs had been laid. The two nests +were alike, and both were built among the moss growing on the trunks +of large trees, within a yard of the ground. The only carried material +was very fine roots, which were firmly interwoven, and the ends worked +in with the natural moss. These fine roots were worked into the shape +of a half-egg, cut lengthways, and placed with its open side against +the trunk, which thus formed one side of the nest. Near the top one +side was not quite close to the trunk, and by this irregular opening +the bird entered. Internally the nest measured 3 inches deep by 2 in +width. I killed the female off the eggs; she had eaten a caterpillar, +spiders, and other insects." + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Pattabong, elevation 5000 +feet, near Darjeeling, on the 19th May, containing three fresh eggs. +The nest was placed amongst some small bushes projecting out of a +crevice of a rock about three feet from the ground. It was completely +sheltered above, but was not hooded or domed; it was, for the size of +the bird, a rather large cup, composed of green moss rather closely +felted together and lined with fine blackish-brown roots. The cavity +measured about 2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth. + +The eggs of this species seem large for the size of the bird; they are +rather broad at the large end, considerably pointed towards the small +end. They are pure white, almost entirely devoid of gloss, and with +very delicate and fragile shells. + +The eggs varied from in 0·72 to 0·78 in length, and from 0·54 to 0·57 +in breadth. + + + + +Family REGULIDAE. + + +358. Regulus cristatus, Koch. _The Golderest_. + +Regulus himalayensis, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 206; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 580. + +All I know of the nidification of this species is that Sir E.C. Buck, +C.S., found a nest at Rogee, in the Sutlej Valley, on the 8th June, +on the end of a deodar branch 8 feet from the ground and partly +suspended. It contained seven young birds fully fledged; no crest or +signs of a crest were observable in the young. Both the parent birds +and the nest were kindly sent to me. + +The nest is a deep pouch suspended from several twigs, with the +entrance at the top, and composed entirely of fine lichens woven or +intervened into a thick, soft, flexible tissue of from three eighths +to half an inch in thickness. Externally the nest was about 3½ to 4 +inches in depth, and about 3 inches in diameter. + + + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (H. & E.). _The Indian Great +Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus brunnescens (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 154. +Calamodyta stentorea (_H. & E.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 515. + +Both Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock succeeded in securing the nests and +eggs of the Indian Great Reed-Warbler in Cashmere. Common as it is, +my own collectors failed to get eggs, though they brought plenty of +nests. + +The nest is a very deep massive cup hung to the sides of reeds. A nest +before me, taken in Cashmere on the 10th June, is an inverted and +slightly truncated cone. Externally it has a diameter of 3¼ inches +and a depth of nearly 6 inches. It is massive, but by no means neat; +composed of coarse water-grass, mingled with a few dead leaves and +fibrous roots of water-plants. The egg-cavity is lined with finer and +more compactly woven grass, and measures about 1¾ inch in diameter and +2¼ inches in depth. + +It breeds in May and June; at the beginning of July all the nests +either contained young or were empty. Four is the full complement of +eggs. + +Mr. Brooks noted _in epist._:--"_Srinuggur, 10th June_. I went out +early this morning on the lake here to look for eggs of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_, but it came on to rain so heavily that I only partially +succeeded. I took three nests, two with three eggs each, and one with +four young ones, the latter half-hatched. The eggs very much resemble +large and boldly-marked Sparrows' eggs. They are smaller than the eggs +of _A. arundinaceus_, but very similar. The latter have larger clear +spaces without spots than those of our bird. I neither saw nor heard +any other aquatic warbler." + +Later, in a paper on the eggs and nests he had obtained in Cashmere, +he stated that this species "breeds abundantly in the Cashmere lakes. +The nest is supported, about 18 inches above the water, by three or +four reeds, and is a deep cup composed of grasses and fibres. The eggs +are four, very like those of _A. arundinaceus_, but the markings are +more plentiful and smaller." + +Captain Cock writes to me that "the Large Reed-Warbler is very common +in the reeds that fringe all the lakes in Cashmere. It breeds in June, +builds a largish nest of dry sedge, woven round five or six reeds, of +a deep cup form, which it places about 2 feet above the water. It lays +four or five eggs, rather blunt ovals, equally blunt at both ends, +blotched with olive and dusky grey on a dirty-white ground." + +Mr. S.B. Doig, who found this bird breeding in the Eastern Narra in +Sind, writes:--"On the 4th August, while my man was poling along in +a canoe in a large swamp on the lookout for eggs, he passed a small +bunch of reeds and in them spotted a nest with a bird on it. The nest +contained three beautiful fresh eggs. A few days later I joined him, +and on asking about these eggs he described the bird and said he +had found several other nests of the same species, but all of them +contained young ones nearly fledged. I made him show me some of these +nests, all of which were situated in clumps of reed, in the middle of +the swamp, and in these same reeds I found and shot the young ones +which, though fledged, were not able to fly. These I sent with one of +the eggs to Mr. Hume, who has identified them as belonging to this +species. The nests were composed of frayed pieces of reed-grass and +fine sedge, the latter being principally towards the inside, thus +forming a kind of lining. The nests were loosely put together, were +about 3 inches inner diameter, 1¼ inch deep, the outer diameter being +6 inches. They were situated about a foot over water-line in the tops +of reeds growing in the water." + +Colonel Legge says:--"This species breeds in Ceylon during June +and July. Its nest was procured by me in the former month at the +Tamara-Kulam, and was a very interesting structure, built into the +fork of one of the tall seed-stalks of the rush growing there; the +walls rested exteriorly against three of the branches of the fork, but +were worked round some of the stems of the flower itself which sprung +from the base of the fork. It was composed of various fine grasses, +with a few rush-blades among them, and was lined with the fine stalks +of the flower divested, by the bird I conclude, of the seed-matter +growing on them. In form it was a tolerably deep cup, well shaped, +measuring 2½ inches in internal diameter by 2 in depth. The single egg +which it contained at the time of my finding it was a broad oval in +shape, pale green, boldly blotched with blackish over spots of olive +and olivaceous brown, mingled with linear markings of the same, under +which there were small clouds and blotches of bluish grey. The black +markings were longitudinal and thickest at the obtuse end. It measured +0·89 by 0·67 inch." + +The eggs of this species, as might have been expected, greatly +resemble those of _A. arundinaceus_. In shape they are moderately +elongated ovals, in some cases almost absolutely perfect, but +generally slightly compressed towards one end. The shell, though fine, +is entirely devoid of gloss. + +The ground-colour varies much, but the two commonest types are pale +green or greenish white and a pale somewhat creamy stone-colour. +Occasionally the ground-colour has a bluish tinge. + +The markings vary even more than the ground-colour. In one type the +ground is everywhere minutely, but not densely, stippled with minute +specks, too minute for one to be able to say of what colour; over this +are pretty thickly scattered fairly bold and well-marked spots and +blotches of greyish black, inky purple, olive-brown, yellowish olive, +and reddish-umber brown; here and there pale inky clouds underlay the +more distinct markings. In other eggs the stippling is altogether +wanting, and the markings are smaller and less well-defined. In some +eggs one or more of the colours predominate greatly, and in some +several are almost entirely wanting. In most eggs the markings are +densest towards the large end, where they sometimes form more or less +of a mottled, irregular, ill-defined cap. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·97, and in breadth from 0·58 to +0·63; but the average of the only nine eggs that I measured was 0·89, +nearly, by rather more than 0·61. + + +366. Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth. _Blyth's Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus dumetorum, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 155. +Calamodyta dumetorum (_Bl.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 516. + +Blyth's Reed-Warbler breeds, I believe, for the most part along the +course of the streams of the lower Himalayan and sub-Himalayan ranges, +and in suitable localities on and about these ranges; such at least is +my present idea. They are with us in the plains up to quite the end of +March, and are back again by the last day of August, and during May at +any rate they may be heard and seen everywhere in the valleys south of +the first snowy range. + +Mr. Brooks remarks that "this species was excessively common on the +Hindoostan side of the Pir-pinjal Range, but I have never seen it in +Cashmere. I think it breeds in the low valleys by the river-sides, +for it was in very vigorous song there at the end of May." This is my +experience also, and probably while many may go north to Central Asia +to breed, a good many remain in the localities indicated. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species arrives in the hills up to 7000 +feet at least, in April, when it is very common, and appears in pairs +with something of the manner of a _Phylloscopus_. The note is a sharp +_tchick, tchick_, resembling the sound emitted by a flint and steel. + +"It disappears by the end of May, in which month they breed; but, +owing to the high winds and strong weather experienced in that month +in 1848, many nests were left incomplete, and the birds must have +departed without breeding. + +"One nest, which I took on the 6th May, was a round ball with a +lateral entrance; it was placed in a thick barberry-bush growing at +the side of a deep and sheltered ditch; it was composed of coarse +dry grasses externally and lined with finer grass. Eggs three and +pearl-white, with minute scattered specks of rufous, chiefly at the +larger end. Diameter 0·62 by 0·5." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote the following note:--"On the fifth +day after leaving Naini Tal--ever mindful of my friend Mr. Brooks's +parting advice to me (in reference to the part of the country which +required to be investigated), 'avoid the lower hills as the plague'--I +reached Takula, which is the first march beyond Almora on the road to +the Pindari glacier, late on the evening of the 10th of May. It rained +heavily all that night, so that I was obliged to halt the next day, +my tents being far too wet to be struck, and the distance to the next +halting-place necessitating a start the first thing in the morning. + +"Takula is at an elevation between 5000 and 6000 feet; it is +beautifully wooded, with a small mountain-stream flowing right +under the camping-ground, and the climate is delightful. All things +considered, I was not sorry at having an opportunity of exploring such +productive-looking ground; and before it was fairly daylight the next +morning operations were commenced in right earnest. To each of my +collectors I apportioned off a well-wooded mountain-slope, reserving +for my own hunting-ground (as I had not yet got my _hill-legs_) the +water-courses and ravines in the immediate vicinity of my camp. + +"Not more than 20 yards from where my tent stood, there is a deep +ravine clothed on both banks with a dense jungle of the larger kind of +nettle (_Girardinia heterophylla_: such nettles too!), the hilldock +(_Rumea nepalensis_), and wild-rose trees. Wending my way through this +dark, damp, and muggy nullah to the best of my ability, I came upon +the nest of this interesting little bird; it was placed in the centre +of a rose-bush, at an elevation of some two feet above the bank and +about four feet from where I stood, but yet in a most tantalizing +situation, inasmuch as it was necessary to remove several thorny +branches before an examination of the nest was possible. + +"The act of cutting away the branches alarmed my sombre little +friend (I knew that the nest was tenanted, as the bill and head were +distinctly visible through the lateral entrance), and out she darted +with such a '_whir_' that anything like satisfactory identification +for a bird of this sort was utterly hopeless. The nest contained four +beautiful little eggs, so that to bag the parent bird was a matter of +the first importance; all my attempts, however, first to capture +her on the nest and next to shoot her as she flew off, were equally +futile, her movements being as rapid and erratic as forked lightning. +And here let me give a word of advice to my brother ornithologists: +Never attempt to shoot a _wary little bird in the act of leaving its +nest_, as you only run the risk, and mortification I may add, of +wounding perhaps an unknown bird, in which case she will never again +return to her nest; but _lie in ambush_ for her with, outlying scants, +_and make certain of her as she is returning to her nest_. She will +first alight on a neighbouring tree, then on one closer, coming nearer +and nearer each time; finally, she will perch on the very tree or bush +in which the nest is built, and while taking a look round to see that +all is well before making a final ascent, you have yourself to blame +if you fail to bag her. All this sounds very cruel; but if a bird must +be shot for scientific purposes, it is surely preferable to kill it +outright than to let it die a lingering death. Thus it was that I +eventually succeeded, even at the expense of being devoured alive by +midges and mosquitoes; but then had I not the satisfaction of +knowing that to become the happy possessor of _authentic_ eggs of +_Acrocephalus dumetorum_ was in itself sufficient to repay me for my +hill excursion! + +"I cannot, however, pretend to lay claim to originality in the +discovery of the breeding-habits of this bird, for Hutton's +description of the nest and eggs taken by him so fully accords with my +own experience, that it is but fair to conclude he was correct in his +identification. I would add, however, with reference to his remarks, +that the nest above alluded to was _more elliptical_ than _spherical_, +being about the size and shape of an Ostrich's egg, that it was +constructed throughout of the _largest_ and _coarsest_ blades +of various kinds of dry grass, the egg-cavity being lined with +grass-bents of a finer quality, and that it was domed over, having a +lateral entrance about the middle of the nest. The whole structure +was so loosely put together as to fall to pieces immediately it was +removed. + +"The eggs, four in number, are pure while, beautifully glossed, and +well covered with rufous or reddish-brown specks, most numerous at the +obtuse end. Owing to its similarity to a number of eggs, particularly +to those of the Titmouse group, it is just one of those that I would +never feel comfortable in accepting on trust. + +"It was a remarkable coincidence that the very day I took this nest +my post brought me part iv. of the P.Z.S. for 1874, containing Mr. +Dresser's interesting paper on the nidification of the _Hypolais_ +and _Acrocephalus_ groups; and if I understand him rightly, he is +certainly correct in his surmise as to the eggs of _Acrocephalus +dumetorum_ approaching those of the _Hypolais_ group. + +"My good luck, as regards Blyth's Reed-Warbler, did not end here, for +on the following day, at Bagesur, at an elevation of only 3000 feet, +I again encountered a pair of these birds, finding their nest on the +banks of the Surjoo. The position, shape, and architecture of this +nest were identical with the one I have above described, but the eggs +unfortunately had not been laid. The little birds, on this occasion, +were quite fearless, hopping from stem to stem of the dense +undergrowth which throughout the Bagesur valley fringes both banks of +the river, every now and again making a temporary halt for the purpose +of picking insects off the leaves, with an occasional '_tchick_,' +which Hutton resembles to the 'sound emitted by a flint and +steel,' but all the time enticing me away from the site of their +dwelling-place. In this way they led me a wild-goose chase several +times up and down the river-bank before I was able to discover the +whereabouts of their nest." + +Captain Hutton sent me three eggs of this species. The eggs are +otherwise unknown to me, and I describe them only on Captain Hutton's +authority. The eggs are rather broad ovals, very smooth and compact in +texture, but with little or no gloss. They are pure white, very thinly +speckled with reddish and yellowish brown, the markings being most +numerous towards the large end, and even there somewhat sparse and +very minute. They measure respectively 0·65 by 0·52, 0·65 by 0·51, and +0·62 by 0·51. + + +367. Acrocephalus agricola (Jerd.). _The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus agricolus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 156. +Calamodyta agricola (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 517. + +The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler nests apparently occasionally in May and +Jane in the valleys of the Himalayas, the great majority probably +going further north-west to breed. + +Very little is known about the matter. I have shot the birds in the +interior of the hills in May, but I have never seen a nest. + +Mr. Brooks, however, says:--"Near Shupyion (Cashmere) I found a +finished empty nest of this truly aquatic warbler in a rose-bush which +was intergrown with rank nettles. This was in the roadside where there +was a shallow stream of beautifully clear water. On either side of the +road were vast tracts of paddy swamp, in which the natives were busily +engaged planting the young rice-plants. The nest strongly resembled +that of _Curruca garrula_. The male with his throat puffed out +was singing on the bush a loud vigorous pretty song like a Lesser +Whitethroat's, but more varied. I shot the strange songster, on +which the female flew from the nest. This was the only pair of these +interesting birds that I met with. I think, therefore, that their +breeding in Cashmere is not a common occurrence." + +This nest, now in my collection, was found on the 13th June, at an +elevation of about 5500 feet, in the Valley of Cashmere. It is a deep, +almost purse-like cup, very loosely and carelessly put together, of +moderately fine grass, in amongst which a quantity of wool has been +intermingled. + + +371. Tribura thoracica (Blyth). _The Spotted Bush-Warbler_. + +Dumeticola affinis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 158. +Dumeticola brunneipectus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 519 bis. + +Mr. Hodgson gives a very careful figure of a female bird of this +species, together with its nest and egg, but he labels it underneath +_affinis_. As we know, he described _affinis_ as having spots on the +breast; but he further notes that at the same place at which he obtained +the female, nest, and eggs, he also got a male bird with spots on the +breast; in fact, in other words, he seems to have come to the conclusion +that _Dumeticola affinis_ was the male and that _Dumeticola +brunneipectus_, which he did not separately name, though he has +beautifully figured it, was the female. I have specimens of both, but +the sexes were not ascertained; still I doubt whether the two birds can +possibly be merely different sexes of the same species. Anyhow, the +female bird which he figures (No. 826) is really _brunneipectus_, and +under that name I notice the nest and eggs on which the female figured +was captured. Mr. Hodgson notes:--"_Gosainthan_. In the snows; female +and nest. + +"_August 2nd_.--Nest in a bunch of reeds placed slantingly: ovate +in shape; aperture at one side; placed about half a foot above +the ground, made of grasses and moss, 4 or 5 inches in diameter +exteriorly, interiorly between 2 and 3 inches." The eggs are figured +as moderately broad ovals, measuring 0·65 by 0·48, of a uniform deep +cinnabar-red, reminding one of the eggs of _Prinia socialis_, but much +deeper in colour[A]. + +[Footnote A: There can be no doubt, I think, that _T. affinis_ and _T. +brunneipectus_ are the same species as _T. thoracica_. I reproduce Mr. +Hodgson's note on the nesting of this species together with Mr. Hume's +remarks, but I feel sure that the nest described by Mr. Hodgson and +the egg figured by him cannot belong to the present species.--ED.] + +Mr. Mandelli sends me three nests of this species, all found near +Yendong, in Native Sikhim, at an elevation of about 9000 feet, on the +15th, 17th, and 21st July. The nests contained two, two, and three +fresh eggs respectively, and were placed, two of them in small +brushwood, and one in a clump of rush or grass, from 9 to 18 inches +above the ground. They seem to have all been rather massive little +cups, composed exteriorly of broad grass-blades rather clumsily wound +together, and lined with rather finer, but by no means fine grass. +In two of them some dead leaves have been incorporated in the basal +portion. + +They are rather dirty, shabby-looking nests, obviously made of dead +materials, old withered and partially-decayed grass, and not with +fresh grass; they seem to have measured 3 inches in diameter, and 2·5 +in height externally; the cavity was perhaps 1·5 to 1·75 in diameter, +and 1 inch more or less in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"Nest among scrub in small bush, 2 +feet from ground, at 5000 feet above the sea. Found on the 3rd June, +when it contained two eggs; taken on the 5th, with four eggs. I +dissected the bird killed off the nest, and found it to be a female; +in her stomach were the remains of a few insects. The nest is +cup-shaped, loosely made of dry leaves and grass, lined with, for the +size of the bird, coarse grass-stalks. Externally it measures 3·5 +inches in breadth by 2·5 deep; internally 2 broad by 1·5 deep." + +This nest taken by Mr. Gammie near Rungbee on the 5th June, 1875, at +an elevation of about 5000 feet, contained four eggs. It was a massive +little cup about 3 inches in diameter externally, and with an internal +cavity about 2 inches in diameter and 1¾ inch deep; was rather loosely +put together, externally composed of dead leaves and broad flags of +grass, internally lined with grass-stems. + +The eggs of this species are very regular broad ovals, the shells fine +but glossless, the ground-colour a dead white, thickly speckled and +spotted about the large end, thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish +and again purplish red. The markings are all very fine and small, but +where they are closely set at the large end there a few little pale +purplish-grey specks and spots are intermingled. + +The eggs measure 0·68 by 0·55. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Mandelli in the neighbourhood +of Darjeeling in July are so similar to those obtained by Mr. Gammie, +and of which he sent me the parent bird, that no second description is +necessary. They are a shade smaller, but the difference is not more +than is always observable in even the same species. They measure 0·67 +in length, and 0·53 to 0·55 in breadth. + + +372. Tribura luteiventris, Hodgs. _The Brown Bush-Warbler_. + +Tribura luteiventris, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 161; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 522. + +A bird unquestionably belonging to this species[A], the Brown +Bush-Warbler, was sent me along with a single egg from Native Sikhim. +The bird was said to have been killed off the nest (which was not +preserved), which was found, at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, +in low brushwood about 3 feet from the ground. + +[Footnote A: I do not place much confidence in the authenticity of the +egg of this bird sent to Mr. Hume. Being a Warbler with twelve +tail-feathers, it is unlikely to lay a red egg, and besides this the +eggs of the allied species, _T. thoracica_, as found by trustworthy +observers like Messrs. Gammie and Mandelli, are known to be white +speckled with red, in spite of Mr. Hodgson's figure representing them to +be deep cinnabar-red.--ED.] + +The egg is a very regular, rather broad oval, has only a faint gloss, +and is of a very rich deep maroon-red, slightly darker at the large +end. + +The egg measures 0·62 by 0·49. + + +374. Orthotomus sutorius (Forst.). _The Indian Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus longicauda (_Gm_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 165; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 530. + +The Indian Tailor-bird[A] breeds throughout India and Burma, alike in +the plains and in the hills (_e.g._, the Himalayas and Nilgiris), up +to an elevation of from 3000 to 4000 feet. + +[Footnote A: The notes on this bird's breeding are so very numerous +that I am compelled to omit several of them.--ED.] + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, both months included; +but in the plains more nests are to be found in July, and in the hills +more, I think, in June, than during the other months. + +The nest has been often described and figured, and, as is well known, +is a deep soft cup enclosed in leaves, which the bird sews together to +form a receptacle for it. + +It is placed at all elevations, and I have as often found it high upon +a mango-tree as low down amongst the leaves of the edible egg-plant +(_Solanum esculentum_). + +The nests vary much, in appearance, according to the number and +description of leaves which the bird employs and the manner in which +it employs them; but the nest itself is usually chiefly composed of +fine cotton-wool, with a few horsehairs and, at times, a few very fine +grass-stems as a lining, apparently to keep the wool in its place and +enable the cavity to retain permanently its shape. + +I have found the nests with three leaves fastened, at equal distances +from each other, into the sides of the nest, and not joined to each +other at all. + +I have found them between two leaves, the one forming a high back and +turned up at the end to support the bottom of the nest, the other +hiding the nest in front and hanging down well below it, the tip only +of the first leaf being sewn to the middle of the second. I have found +them with four leaves sewn together to form a canopy and sides, from +which the bottom of the nest depended bare; and I have found them +between two long leaves, whose sides from the very tips to near the +peduncles were closely and neatly sewn together. For sewing they +generally use cobweb; but silk from cocoons, thread, wool, and +vegetable fibres are also used. + +The eggs vary from three to four in number; but I find that out of +twenty-seven nests containing more or less incubated eggs, of which +I have notes, exactly two thirds contained only three, and one third +four eggs. + +About the colour of the eggs there has been some dispute, but this is +owing to the birds laying two distinct types of eggs, which will be +described below. Hutton's and Jerdon's descriptions of the eggs, +_white_ spotted with rufous or reddish brown, are quite correct, but +so are those of other writers, who call them _bluish green_, similarly +marked. Tickell, who gives them as "pale greenish blue, with irregular +patches, especially towards the larger end, resembling dried stains +of blood, and irregular and _broken lines scratched round_, forming +a zone near the larger end," had of course got hold of the eggs of a +_Franklinia_. I have taken hundreds of both types, and I note that, as +in the case of _Dicrurus ater_, eggs of the two types are never found +in the same nest. All the eggs in each nest always belong to one or +the other type. + +The parent birds that lay these very different looking eggs certainly +do not differ; that I have positively satisfied _myself_. + +I quote an exact description of a nest which I took at Bareilly, and +which was recorded on the spot:-- + +"Three of the long ovato-lanceolate leaves of the mango, whose +peduncles sprang from the same point, had been neatly drawn together +with gossamer threads run through the sides of the leaves and knotted +outside, so as to form a cavity like the end of a netted purse, with a +wide slit on the side nearest the trunk beginning near the bottom and +widening upwards. Inside this, the real nest, nearly 3 inches deep and +about 2 inches in diameter, was neatly constructed of wool and fine +vegetable fibres, the bottom being thinly lined with horsehair. In +this lay three tiny delicate bluish-white eggs, with a few pale +reddish-brown blotches at the large ends, and just a very few spots +and specks of the same colour elsewhere." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The Tailor-bird makes its nest with cotton, wool, +and various other soft materials, sometimes also lined with hair, and +draws together one leaf or more, generally two leaves, on each side +of the nest, and stitches them together with cotton, either woven +by itself, or cotton-thread picked up, and after passing the thread +through the leaf, it makes a knot at the end to fix it. I have seen +a Tailor-bird at Saugor watch till the native tailor had left the +verandah where he had been working, fly in, seize some pieces of the +thread that were lying about, and go off in triumph with them; this +was repeated in my presence several days running. I have known +many different trees selected to build in; in gardens very often a +guava-tree. The nest is generally built at from 2 to 4 feet above the +ground. The eggs are two, three, or four in number, and in every case +which I have seen were white spotted with reddish brown chiefly at +the large end.... Layard describes one nest made of cocoanut-fibre +entirely, with a dozen leaves of oleander drawn and stitched together. +I cannot call to recollection ever having seen a nest made with more +than two leaves.... Pennant gives the earliest, though somewhat +erroneous, account of the nest. He says: 'The bird picks up a dead +leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of a living one.'" + +I have often seen nests made between many leaves, and I have seen +plenty with a dead leaf stitched to a yet living one; but in these +points my experience entirely coincides with that of the late Mr. A. +Anderson, whose note I proceed to quote:-- + +"The dry leaves that are sometimes met with attached to the nest of +this species, and which gave rise to the erroneous idea that the bird +picks up a dead leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of +a living one, are easily accounted for. + +"I took a nest of the Tailor-bird a short time ago" (11th July, +1871) from a brinjal plant (_Solanum esculentum_), which had all +the appearance of having had dry leaves attached to it. The nest +originally consisted of _three_ leaves, but two of them had been +pierced (in the act of passing the thread through them) to excess, and +had in consequence not only decayed, _but actually separated from the +stem of the plant_. These decayed leaves were hanging from the side of +the nest by a mere thread, and could have been removed with perfect +safety. Perhaps instinct teaches the birds to injure certain leaves in +order that they may decay? + +"Jerdon says that he does not remember ever having seen a nest made +with more than two leaves. I have found the nest of this species +vary considerably in appearance, size, and in the number of leaves +employed, and, I would also add, in the site selected, as well as in +the markings of the eggs, which latter never exceed four in number. + +"The nest already described was built hardly _2 feet off the ground_, +was rather clumsy (if I might use such an expression), and was +composed of _three_ leaves. The eggs were white, covered with +brownish-pink blotches almost coalescing at the large end. Another +nest, taken in my presence (July, again, which is the general time) +from the _very top of a high tree_, was enclosed inside of _one_ leaf, +the sides being neatly sewn together, and the cavity at the bottom +lined with wool, down, and horsehair. These eggs (four) are covered, +chiefly at the larger ends, with minute red spots. + +"A third nest seen by me was composed of _seven_ or _eight leaves_". + +Captain Hutton tells us that he has seen many nests. All were +"composed of cotton, wool, vegetable fibre, and horsehair, formed in +the shape of a deep cup or purse, enclosed between two long leaves, +the edges of which were sewed to the sides of the nest, in a manner to +support it, by threads spun by the bird." + +He adds that the birds, though common at their bases, do not ascend +the hills; but this is a mistake, for I have repeatedly taken nests +at elevations of over 3000 feet; and Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, +says:--"We often find nests of this species near my house at Mongphoo +(which is at an elevation of about 3500 feet). I took one there on the +16th May, which contained four hard-set eggs. It was in a calicarpa +tree and between two of its long ovate leaves, the terminal halves of +which were sewn together by the edges, so as to form a purse in which +the real nest was placed. Yellow silk of some wild silkworm was the +sewing material used." + +Again, writing from the Nilgiris, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The +Tailor-bird is seldom met with on the highest ranges, but appears to +prefer the warmer climates enjoyed at the elevation of about 3500 or +4000 feet. They often build in the coffee-trees; a nest now before me +was built on a coffee-tree, two of the leaves of which were bent down +and sewn together. The threads are of cobweb, and the cavity is lined +with the down of seed-pods and fine grass. At the back of the nest the +leaves are made to meet, but are a little apart in front, so as to +form an opening for the birds to hop in and out. The depth of the nest +inside is 2½ inches. It was found in the month of June, and contained +four eggs, which were white spotted with light red." + +Of its breeding in Nepal, Dr. Scully tells us:--"It breeds freely in +the valley at an elevation of 4500 feet. I took many of its nests in +the Residency grounds, Rani Jangal, &c., in May, June, and July." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Tailor-bird breeds in April, +May, and June, both at Allahabad and at Delhi. The nest formed of one, +two, and occasionally three, leaves neatly sewn so as to form a cone, +and lined with the down of the madar, is well known." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"The Tailor-bird breeds, I fancy, at least twice in the year, as I +have seen young birds early in the hot weather both at Mount Aboo +and in Deesa, and I have also taken nests in the rains. The nest is +usually constructed with much skill and ingenuity. One nest which I +took on the 3rd September at Mount Aboo consisted of three leaves +cleverly sewn together with raw cotton, leaving a moderate-sized +entrance on one side near the top, the inside being lined exclusively +with horsehair and fine dry fibres. + +"I captured the hen bird with a horsehair noose fixed to the end of a +long thin rod as she left the nest. Another nest which I took in Deesa +on the 3rd September, 1876, was composed almost entirely of raw cotton +with a scanty lining of horsehairs and dry grass-stems. It was fixed +to the outside twigs of a lime-tree, two of the leaves of which were +sewn to it; two dead leaves were also attached to the nest, one being +sewn on each side as a support to the cotton. It was cup-shaped and +open at the top, much like a Chaffinch's nest." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This is a common bird in Burma in the plains, and +possibly also on the hills, though I did not observe it on the latter. +I found the nest of this species containing young birds in the +Thayetmyo cantonment on the 12th August. In the Pegu plains it appears +to nest from the middle of May to the end of August." + +The eggs are typically long ovals, often tapering much towards the +small end. The shells are very thin, delicate, and semi-transparent, +and have but little gloss. + +The ground-colour is either reddish white or pale bluish green. Of the +two types, the reddish white is the more common in the proportion +of two to one. The markings consist of bold blotchings or sometimes +ill-defined clouds (in this respect recalling the eggs of _Prinia +inornata_,) chiefly confined to the large end; and specks, spots, and +splashes, extending more or less over the whole surface, typically of +a bright brownish red, varying, however, in different examples both +in shade and intensity. The markings have a strong tendency to form a +bold, irregular zone or cap at the large end, and in some specimens +the markings are entirely confined to this portion of the egg's +surface. + +The eggs, which have a reddish-white ground, though smaller and of +a much more elongated shape, closely resemble those of _Suya +fuliginosa_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·45 to +0·5; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0·64 by 0·46. + + +375. Orthotomus atrigularis, Temm. _The Black-necked Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus atrigularis, _Temm., Hume, cat._ no. 530 bis. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a nest which he assures me belongs to this +species, and the bird he sent me for identification certainly did so +belong. The nest was found near the great Ranjit River on the 18th +July, and then contained three fresh eggs. The nest, which is a +regular Tailor-bird's, composed entirely of the finest imaginable +panicle-stems of flowering grass, is a deep cup placed in between two +living leaves, which have been sewn together at the tips and along the +margins from the tip for about half their length, so as to provide a +perfect pocket in which the nest rests. The leaves of which the pocket +is composed were the terminal ones of the twigs of a sapling, and only +about 3 feet from the ground. The leaves are large oval ones, each +about 7 inches in length; they have been sewn together with wild +silk carefully knotted, exactly as is the practice of the common +Tailor-bird. + +The eggs of this species are not separable from others of _O. +sutorius_, and though they may possibly average somewhat larger, I +have not seen enough of them to be able to make sure of this; and as +regards shape, colours, and markings the description given of the eggs +of _O. sutorius_ applies equally to eggs of this species. + + +380. Cisticola volitans, Swinh. _The Golden-headed Fantail-Warbler_. + +This species was not known to Jerdon, nor was it known to occur in +Burma at the time that I issued my Catalogue. Mr. Oates, writing +of the breeding of this bird in Southern Pegu, where it is common, +says:--"Breeding-operations commence in the middle of May; on the 28th +of this month I found two nests, one containing four eggs slightly +incubated, and the other two, quite fresh. + +"The nest is a small bag about 4 inches in height and 2 or 3 in +diameter, with an opening about an inch in diameter near the top. The +general shape of the nest is oval. It is composed entirely of the +white feathery flowers of the thatch-grass. The walls of the nest +are very thin but strong. The nest is placed about one foot from the +ground in a bunch of grass, and, in the two instances where I found +it, against a weed, with one or two leaves of which the materials of +the nest were slightly bound. + +"The eggs are very glossy pale blue, spotted all over with large and +small blotches of rusty brown. I have no eggs of _C. cursitans_ which +match them, in that species the spots being always minute and thickly +scattered over the shell, whereas in _O. volitans_ the marks are large +and fewer in number. Six eggs measured in length from ·54 to ·57, and +in breadth from ·42 to ·43." + + +381. Cisticola cursitans (Frankl). _The Rufous Fantail-Warbler_. + +Cisticola schoenicola, _Bp., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 174; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 539. + +The Rufous Fantail-Warbler breeds pretty well all over India and +Ceylon, confining itself, as far as my experience goes, to the low +country, and never ascending the mountains to any great elevation. + +The breeding-season lasts, according to locality, from April to +October, but it never breeds with us in dry weather, always laying +during rainy months. Very likely at the Nicobars, where it rains +pretty well all the year round, March being the only fairly dry month, +it may breed at all seasons. + +I have myself taken several, and have had a great many nests sent to +me. With rare exceptions all belonged to one type. The bird selects a +patch of dense fine-stemmed grass, from 18 inches to 2 feet in height, +and, as a rule, standing in a moist place; in this, at the height of +from 6 to 8 inches from the ground, the nest is constructed; the sides +are formed by the blades and stems of the grass, _in situ_, closely +tacked and caught together with cobwebs and very fine silky vegetable +fibre. This is done for a length of from 2 to nearly 3 inches, and, +as it were, a narrow tube, from 1 to 1·5 in diameter, formed in the +grass. To this a bottom, from 4 to 6 inches above the surface of the +ground, is added, a few of the blades of the grass being bent across, +tacked and woven together with cobwebs and fine vegetable fibre. The +whole interior is then closely felted with silky down, in Upper India +usually that of the mudar (_Calotropis hamiltoni_). The nest thus +constructed forms a deep and narrow purse, about 3 inches in depth, +an inch in diameter at top, and 1·5 at the broadest part below. The +tacking together of the stems of the grass is commonly continued a +good deal higher up on one side than on the other, and it is through +or between the untacked stems opposite to this that the tiny entrance +exists. Of course above the nest the stems and blades of the grass, +meeting together, completely hide it. The dimensions above given are +those of the interior of the nest; its exterior dimensions cannot be +given. The bird tacks together not merely the few stems absolutely +necessary to form a side to the nest, but most of the stems all +round, decreasing the extent of attachment as they recede from the +nest-cavity. It does this, too, very irregularly; on one side of the +nest perhaps no stem more than an inch distant from the interior +surface of the nest will be found in any way bound up in the fabric, +while on the opposite side perhaps stems fully 3 inches distant, +together with all the intermediate ones, will be found more or less +webbed together. Occasionally, but rarely, I have found a nest of a +different type. Of these one was built amongst the stems of a common +prickly labiate marsh-plant which has white and mauve flowers. There +was a straggling framework of fine grass, firmly netted together with +cobwebs, and a very scanty lining of down. The nest was egg-shaped, +and the aperture on one side near the top. Mr. Brooks, I believe, once +obtained a similar one; but the vast majority of the others that any +of us have ever got have been of the type first described, which +corresponds closely with Passler's account. + +Five is the usual complement of eggs; at any rate I have notes of more +than a dozen nests that contained this number, and in more than half +the cases the eggs were partly incubated. I have no record of more +than five, and though I have any number of notes of nests containing +one, two, three, and four eggs, yet these latter in almost all these +cases were fresh. + +Mr. Blyth says that this species is "remarkable for the beautiful +construction of its nest, _sewing_ together a number of growing stems +and leaves of grass, with a delicate pappus which forms also the +lining, and laying four or five translucent white eggs, with +reddish-brown spots, more numerous and forming a ring at the large +end, very like those of _Orthotomus sutorius_. It abounds in suitable +localities throughout the country." + +I must here note that Mr. Blyth never paid special attention to eggs, +or he would have hardly said this, because the character of the +markings are essentially different. Those of the Tailor-bird are +typically _blotchy_, of the present species _speckly_. + +Colonel W. Vincent Legge writes to me from Ceylon that "in the Western +Province it breeds from May until September, and constructs its nest +either in paddy-fields or in guinea-grass plots attached to bungalows." + +The nest is so beautiful and so neatly constructed that perhaps a +short description of it will not be out of place. A framework of +cotton or other fibrous material is formed round two or three upright +stalks, about 2 feet from the ground, the material being sewn into the +grass and passed from one stalk to the other until a complete net +is made. This takes the bird from one to two days to construct[A]. +Several blades, belonging to the stalks round which the cotton is +passed, are then bent down and interlaced across to form a bottom +on which, and inside the cotton network, a neat little nest of fine +strips of grass torn off from the blade is built; this is most +beautifully lined with cotton or other downy substance, which appears +to be plastered with the saliva of the bird, until it takes the +appearance and texture of soft felt. + +[Footnote A: Numbers of these birds used to build in a guinea-grass +field attached to my bungalow at Colombo, and I had full opportunity +of watching the construction of the nest on many occasions.--W.V.L.] + +"The average dimensions of the interior or cup are 2 inches in depth +by 1¼ in breadth. The whole structure is generally completed in about +five days, and the first egg laid on the fifth or sixth day from the +commencement. The number of eggs varies from two to four, most nests +containing three. The time of incubation is, as a rule, from nine to +eleven days. + +"I have found but little variation in the eggs of this species either +as regards size or colour. They are white or pale greenish white, +spotted and blotched in a zone round the larger end with red and +reddish grey, a few spots extending towards the point: axis 0·63 inch; +diameter 0·51 inch. + +"From close observation I can certify that this and many other small +birds do not here sit during the daytime. I scarcely ever found a +_Cisticola_ on the nest between sunrise and sunset," + +Colonel E.A. Butler writing from Deesa says:--"The Rufous +Fantail-Warbler breeds in the plains during the monsoon, making a long +bottle-shaped nest of silky-white vegetable down, with an entrance at +the top, in a tuft of coarse grass a few inches from the ground. I +have taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 29, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 7, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 8, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs." + +And he adds the following note:--"Belgaum, 22nd July, 1879. Four fresh +eggs. Same locality, numerous other nests in August and September." + +Major C.T. Bingham notes:--"I have not yet observed this bird at +Delhi. At Allahabad I procured one nest in the beginning of March, +shooting the birds. The nest was made of very fine dry grass, and +contained four small white eggs, speckled thickly with minute points +of brick-red. The average of the four eggs is 0·60 by 0·41 inch." + +Mr. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal this bird is very common +and a permanent resident. Eggs are found from the beginning of May to +the end of June, in grass-jungle almost on the ground. The nest is a +deep cup, externally of fine grasses, internally of the downy tops of +the sun-grass. + +In the Deccan, Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that it is "common in +all grass-lands. It breeds in the rainy season." + +Mr. Oates, writing on the breeding of this bird in Pegu, says:--"The +majority of birds begin laying at the commencement of June, and +probably nests may be found throughout the rains. I procured a nest +on the 2nd of November, a very late date I imagine. It contained four +eggs." + +I have taken the eggs of this bird myself on many occasions. I have +had them sent me with the nest and bird by Mr. Brooks from Etawah, and +Mr. F.R. Blewitt from Jhansi. From first to last I have seen fully +fifty authentic eggs of this species. All were of one and the same +type, and that type widely different from any one of those that Dr. +Bree, following European ornithologists, figures. Dr. Bree's three +figures all represent a perfectly spotless egg--one pink, the other +bluish white, and the third a pretty dark bluish green. Our eggs, on +the contrary, are _spotted_; the ground is white with, when fresh and +unblown, a delicate pink hue, due not to the shell itself, but to its +contents, which partially show through it. Occasionally the white +ground has a _faint_ greenish tinge. + +_Every_ egg is spotted, and most densely so towards the large end, +with, as a rule, excessively minute red, reddish-purple, and pale +purple specks, thus resembling, though smaller, more glossy, and far +less densely speckled, the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. These are +beyond all question the eggs of our Indian species, and the only type +of them that I have yet observed; but the question remains--Is our +Indian _Prinia cursitans_, Franklin, really identical with the +European _C. schoenicola_, Bonaparte? [A]--and this can only be +settled by careful comparison of an enormous series of good specimens +of each bird. For my part I personally have little doubts as to the +identity of the two. At the same time differences in the eggs may +indicate difference of species. Thus of the closely allied _C. +volitans_, Swinhoe, the latter gentleman informs us that "the eggs of +our bird vary from three to five, are thin and fragile, and of a pale +clear greenish blue"[B]. He called it _C. schoenicola_ when he wrote, +but he really referred to the Formosan bird, which he has since +separated. + +[Footnote A: The Indian and European birds are now generally allowed +to be perfectly identical, notwithstanding the alleged difference +in the colour of the eggs; and Mr. Hume is now, I think, of this +opinion.--ED.] + +[Footnote B: But _C. volitans_, or the closely allied race which +occurs in Pegu, assuredly lays spotted eggs. I found two nests of this +bird, both with spotted eggs _vide_ (p. 236).--ED.] + +The eggs of course vary somewhat. Of one nest I wrote at the time I +found it--"The eggs are a rather short oval, slightly pointed at one +end, with a white ground, thickly sprinkled with numerous specks and +tiny spots of pale brownish red. They measured ·58 by ·46." Of +another I say--"The ground had a faint pearly tinge, and there was a +well-marked, though, irregular and ill-defined, zone towards the large +end, formed by the agglomeration there of multitudinous specks, which +in places were almost confluent." Of another set--"The eggs were much +glossier and had a china-white ground; but instead of a multitude +of small specks over the whole surface, they had nearly the whole +colouring-matter gathered together at the large end in a cap of bold, +almost maroon-red spots, only a very few spots of the same colour +being scattered over the rest of the egg." + +The eggs measure from ·53 to ·62 in length, and from ·43 to ·48 in +breadth; but the average dimensions of a large number measured were +·59 by ·46. + + +382. Franklinia gracilis (Frankl.). _Franklin's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia gracilis, _Frankl. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 536. +Prinia hodgsoni, _Bl., Jerd. t.c._ p. 173; _Hume, t.c._ no. 538. + +I have never myself succeeded in finding a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, but my friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me no less than +forty nests and eggs, with the parents; so that, although the eggs +belong to two, I might even say three, very different types, I +entertain no doubt that he is correct in assigning them to the same +species, the more so as, although the eggs vary, the nests are +identical. He has sent me several notes in regard to this species. +He says:--"On the 1st July, three miles south of the village of +Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District, I found a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, containing three fresh eggs. It was on rocky ground +between a footpath and a water-course, about 2 feet from the ground, +and firmly sewn to a single leaf of a murori plant. The nest was +constructed exclusively of very fine grass, with spiders' web affixed +in places to the exterior. It was somewhat cup-shaped, 3·3 inches in +depth and 2·4 in breadth externally. The egg-cavity was about 1·4 in +diameter, and about the same depth. The eggs were a delicate pale +unspotted blue. + +"About 100 yards from the first, a second precisely similar, and +similarly situated, nest of this same species was found, which +contained three hard-set eggs, exactly similar in shape, texture, and +ground-colour to those in the first nest, but everywhere excessively +finely and thickly speckled with red, the specks exhibiting a strong +tendency to coalesce in a zone round the large end. + +"On the 12th and 13th July we obtained ten nests of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, all in the neighbourhood of Doongurgurh. From what I +have seen, I gather that this species breeds from the middle of June +to the middle of August in this part of the country. They appear to +resort to tracts at some little elevation, where the murori and kydia +bushes are abundant, and where grass grows rapidly in the early part +of the rains. The nests, very ingeniously made, are invariably sewn to +one or two leaves in the centre of one of the above-named bushes, +the entrance above, just as in the nest of an _Orthotomus_. They are +placed at heights of from a foot to 3 feet from the ground. Fine +grass, vegetable fibres, and other soft materials are chiefly used in +their construction, a little cobweb being often added. The eggs are +laid daily, and four is the normal number, though three hard-set ones +are sometimes found. The nest is prepared annually. As far as I know +they have only one brood. Both parents unite in building the nest and +in hatching and feeding the young. + +"Of the ten nests now taken four contained speckled and six unspeckled +eggs. The two types are never found in the same nest. I send all the +nests, eggs, and birds." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest of this species at Saugor, very +like that of the Tailor-bird but smaller, made of cotton, wool, and +various soft vegetable fibres, and occasionally bits of cloth, and I +invariably found it sewn to one leaf of the kydia, so common in the +jungles there. The eggs were pale blue, with some brown or reddish +spots often rarely visible." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Deesa:-- + + "July 26, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 15, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + Sept. 3, 1876. " " 4 incubated eggs. + +"All of the above nests were exactly alike, being composed of fine dry +grass without any lining, felted here and there exteriorly with small +lumps of woolly vegetable down, and built between two leaves carefully +sewn to the nest in the same way as the nests of _Orthotomus +sutorius_. The eggs, three or four in number, are white, sparingly +speckled with light reddish chestnut, with a cap more or less dense +of the same markings at the large end. All of the eggs in the +above-mentioned nests were of this type. I found the nests in a +grass Beerh near Deesa, studded over with low ber bushes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), generally about 2 or 3 feet from the ground, and in similar +situations to those selected by _Prinia socialis_, often amongst dry +nullahs overgrown with low bushes and long grass." + +Mr. Vidal notes in his list of the Birds of the South Konkan:--"Common +in mangrove-swamps, reeds, hedgerows, thickets, and bush-jungle +throughout the district. Breeds during the rainy months." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on the 19th +August; no details appear necessary except the colour of the eggs, +since this bird appears to lay two kinds of eggs. My eggs are very +glossy, of a light blue speckled with minute dots of reddish brown, +more thickly so at the large end than elsewhere." + +The nests sent by Mr. Blewitt are regular Tailor-birds' nests, +composed chiefly of very fine grass, about the thickness of fine human +hair, with no special lining, carefully sewn with cobwebs, silk from +cocoons, or wool, into one or two leaves, which often completely +envelop it, so as to leave no portion of the true nest visible. + +The eggs belong to at least two very distinct types. Both are +typically rather slender ovals, a good deal compressed towards one +end; but in both somewhat broader and more or less pyriform varieties +occur. In both the shell is exquisitely fine and glossy; in some +specimens it is excessively glossy. In both the ground-colour is a +very delicate pale greenish blue, _occasionally_ so pale that +the ground is all but white--in one type entirely unspeckled and +unspotted, in the other finely and thickly speckled everywhere, and +towards the large end more or less spotted, with brownish or purplish +red. The markings are densest towards the large end, where they either +actually form, or exhibit a strong tendency to form, a more or less +conspicuous speckled, semi-confluent zone. + +Out of fifty-six eggs, twenty-one belong to the latter type. As in +_Dicrurus ater_, the two types never appear to be found in the same +nest; but the nests in which the two types are found are precisely +similar, and the parent birds are identical. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·62, and in width from 0·4 to +0·45; but the average of fifty-six eggs is 0·58 by 0·42. There is no +difference whatever in the size of the two types. + + +383. Franklinia rufescens (Blyth). _Beavan's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia beavani, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 538 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this Warbler in Pegu, says:--"June +29th. Found a nest sewn into a broad soft leaf of a weed in forest +about 2 feet from the ground. The edges of the leaf are drawn together +and fastened by white vegetable fibres. The nest is composed entirely +of fine grass, no other material entering into its composition. For +further security the nest is stitched to the leaves in a few places; +the depth of the nest is about 3 inches, and internal diameter all the +way down about 1½. Eggs three, very glossy, pale blue, with specks and +dashes of pale reddish brown, chiefly at the larger end, where they +form a cap. Size ·58, ·62, ·61, by ·47." + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a regular Tailor-bird's nest as that of this +species. It was found below Yendong in Native Sikhim on the 1st May, +and contained three fresh eggs. The nest itself is a beautiful +little cup, composed of silky vegetable down and excessively fine +grass-stems, and a very little black hair firmly felted together, and +is placed between two living leaves of a sapling neatly sewn together +at the margins with bright yellow silk. + +The eggs are rather elongated, very regular ovals. The shell stout for +the size of the egg, but very fine and compact, and with a moderate +gloss. The ground-colour is a very delicate pale greenish blue. At or +round the larger end there is very generally a mottled cap or zone +(more commonly the latter) of duller or brighter brownish red, while +irregular blotches, streaks, spots, and specks of the same colour, but +usually a slightly paler shade, are more or less sparsely scattered +over the rest of the surface of the egg, sometimes they are almost +wholly wanting. Occasionally the zone is at the small end. + +The eggs measure from 0·60 to 0·62 in length, by 0·43 to 0·48 in +breadth; but the average of six eggs is 0·61 by 0·45. + + +384. Franklinia buchanani (Blyth). _The Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler_. + +Franklinia buchanani (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 186; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 551. + +The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler breeds throughout Central India, +the Central Provinces, the North-western Provinces, the Punjab, and +Rajpootana. It affects chiefly the drier and warmer tracts, and, +though said to have been obtained in the Nepal Terai, has never been +met with by _me_ either there or in any very moist, swampy locality. +The breeding-season extends from the end of May until the beginning of +September. + +The nests, according to my experience, are always placed at heights of +from a foot to 4 feet from the ground, in low scrub-jungle or bushes. +They vary greatly in size and shape, according to position. Some are +oblate spheroids with the aperture near the top, some are purse-like +and suspended, and some are regular cups. One of the former +description measured externally 5 inches in diameter one way by 3¼ +inches the other. One of the suspended nests was 7 inches long by 3 +wide, and one of the cup-shaped nests was nearly 4 inches in diameter +and stood, perhaps, at most 2½ inches high. The egg-cavity in the +different nests varies from 1¾ to 2¼ inches in diameter, and from less +than 2 to fully 3 inches in depth. Externally the nest is very loosely +and, generally, raggedly constructed of very fine grass-stems and +tow-like vegetable fibre used in different proportions in different +nests; those in which grass is chiefly used being most ragged and +straggling, and those in which most vegetable fibre has been made use +of being neatest and most compact. In all the nests that I have seen +the egg-cavity has been lined with something very soft. In many of the +nests the lining is composed of small felt-like pieces of some dull +salmon-coloured fungus, with which the whole interior is closely +plastered; in others there is a dense lining of soft silky vegetable +down; and in others the down and fungus are mingled. They lay from +four to five eggs, never more than this latter number according to my +experience. + +"At the end of June 1867," writes Mr. Brooks, "I took two nests of +this bird at Chunar in low ber bushes about 2 feet from the ground. +They were little spheres of fine grass with a hole at the side. One +contained four eggs; these were of a greyish-white ground or nearly +pure white, finely speckled over with reddish brown, some of the eggs +exhibiting a tendency to form a zone round the large end, and others +with a complete zone." + +"At Sambhur," Mr. Adam says, "this Wren-Warbler is always found +wherever there are low bushes. It breeds just before the rains, but I +have not recorded the date. I had a nest with the bird and five eggs +sent to me. The eggs are pale bluish white, with reddish-brown spots +and freckles all over them." + +"During July, August, and the early part of September," remarks Mr. W. +Blewitt, "I found a great number of the nests and eggs of this bird in +the jungle-preserves of Hansie and its neighbourhood. The nests, of +which I have already sent you several, were mostly in ber (_Zizyphus +jujuba_) and hinse (_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 +to 4 feet from the ground. Five was the largest number of eggs that I +found in any one nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I found several nests of this bird in +the beginning of October at Delhi in the jherberry bushes so plentiful +on the Ridge. Both nests and eggs are very like those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ before described; the only difference I could find was that +the entrance in the nest of _C. cursitans_ that I found was at the +top, and in all the nests of _F. buchanani_ at the side rather low +down; the nests of the latter are also firmer and more globular in +shape. The eggs are, to my eye, identical in colour and form." + +Mr. G. Reid informs us that at Lucknow it is fairly common and a +permanent resident. It makes an oblong, loosely constructed nest with +the aperture near the top, and lays three or four white eggs minutely +spotted with dingy red. + +Mr. J. Davidson writes that in Western Khandeish this Warbler is the +commonest bird, breeding about Dhulia in July, August, and September. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 27th July, 1875. It was in a grass beerh, +and placed in a heap of dead thorns overgrown with grass and about a +foot from the ground. It was composed externally of dry grass-stems, +with lumps of silky white vegetable down (_Calotropis_) scattered +sparingly over the whole nest. The lining consisted of very fine +dry grass neatly put together and felted with silky down, and a +considerable amount of the dull salmon-coloured fungus or lichen +referred to in the 'Rough Draft of Nests and Eggs,' p. 359. In shape +the nest is nearly spherical, being slightly oval however, with a +small aperture near the top. The entrance was 1½ inches in diameter, +and the nest itself roughly measured from the outside 4½ inches in +length and 4 in width. The eggs, usually four in number, are white, +closely speckled over with pale rusty red, intermingled with a few +pale washed-out inky markings, in some cases at the large end, which +is surrounded by a zone clear and well-marked in some instances, less +distinct in others. I found other nests in the same neighbourhood as +below:-- + + "Aug. 24, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + July 20, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 28, " " " 4 young birds. + Aug. 4, " " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 8, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 14, " " " 5 " " + +"In every one of the above instances the nest was exactly similar to +the one I have described, and built in the same kind of situation, +i.e. in heaps of dead thorns overgrown with long grass. The eggs are +all much the same, the spots being larger in some than in others and +more numerous in some cases than in others. In one set I have the +ground is very pale bluish white (skimmed milk) instead of being pure +white. As a rule the eggs are almost exactly like the eggs of _C. +cursitans_, and if mixed I doubt very much if any person could +separate them. On examining the salmon-coloured fungus-lining it +appears to me to be nothing more nor less than small pieces of dried +ber leaves, and I have never examined a nest without finding some of +this material at the bottom of it." + +"The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler," writes Lieut. Barnes, "breeds in +Rajpootana during July, August, and the early part of September. The +nest, composed of grass, is loosely constructed, and placed in low +bushes or scrub." + +The eggs vary somewhat in size and shape; a moderately broad oval, +slightly compressed towards the larger end, being, however, the +commonest type. Examining a large series, it appears that variations +from this type are more commonly of an elongated than a spherical +form. The eggs are of the same character as those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ (p. 236), but yet differ somewhat. The eggs are many +of them fairly glossy, the shells very delicate and fragile; the +ground-colour white, usually slightly greyish, but in some specimens +faintly tinged with very pale green or pink. Typically they are very +thickly and very finely speckled all over with somewhat dingy red or +purplish red. In three out of four eggs the markings are densest and +largest towards the large end; and, to judge from the large series +before me, at least one in four exhibits a more or less well-defined +mottled zone or cap at this end, formed by the partial confluence of +multitudinous specks. + +In some specimens the markings are pale inky purple, and in some +slightly purplish brown, but these are abnormal varieties. In one or +two eggs fairly-sized spots and blotches are intermingled with the +minute specklings, but this also is rare. Of course in different +specimens the density of the speckling varies greatly: in some eggs +not a fifth of the surface is covered with the markings, while in some +it appears as if there were more of these than of the ground-colour. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·55 to 0·66, and in breadth from 0·43 to +0·52; but the average of eighty-seven eggs is 0·62 by 0·48. + + +385. Franklinia cinereicapilla (Hodgs.). _Hodgson's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia cinereocapilla, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 537. + +Captain Hutton says[A]:--"In this species the structure of the nest +is somewhat coarser than in _P. stewarti_, and it is more loosely put +together, but like that species it is also a true Tailor-bird. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this note as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft,' but I have no faith in the identification of this rare bird by +Capt Hutton. Mr. Hume is apparently of the same opinion, as he does +not quote the Dhoon as one of the localities in which, this species +occurs (S.F. ix, p. 286). It may be well, however, to point out that +Mr. Brooks procured this species at Dhunda, in the Bhagirati valley, +so that it is not unlikely to occur in the Dhoon.--ED.] + +"In the specimen before me two large leaves are stitched together at +the edges, and between these rests the cup-shaped nest composed of +grass-stalks and fine roots, as in _P. stewarti_, and without any +lining, while, being more completely surrounded by or enfolded in the +leaves, the cottony seed-down which binds together the fibres in the +others is here dispensed with. + +"The eggs were three in number, of a pale bluish hue, irrorated with +specks of rufous-brown, and chiefly so at the larger end, where they +form an ill-defined ring. + +"The eggs measured 0·62 by 0·44. + +"The nest was found hanging on a large-leafed annual shrub growing in +the Dhoon, and was placed about 2 feet from the ground. It was taken +on 22nd July." + + +386. Laticilla burnesi (Bl.). _The Long-tailed Grass-Warbler_. +Eurycercus burnesii, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 74. + +Mr. S.B. Doig appears to be the only ornithologist who has found the +nest of the Long-tailed Grass-Warbler. Writing of the Eastern Narra +District, in Sind, he says:-- + +"This bird is in certain localities very numerous, but invariably +confines itself to dense thickets of revel and tamarisk jungle. The +discovery of my first nest was as follows: + +"On the 13th March, while closely searching some thick grass along the +banks of a small canal, I heard a peculiar twittering which I did not +recognize. After standing perfectly still for a short while, I at +length caught sight of the bird, which I at once identified as _L. +burnesi_. Leaving the bed of the canal in which I was walking and +making a slight detour, I came suddenly over the spoil-bank of the +canal on to the place where the bird had been calling. My sudden +appearance caused the bird to get very excited, and it kept on +twittering, approaching me at one time until quite close and then +going away again a short distance; I at once began searching for its +nest, and out of the first tussock of grass I touched, close to where +I was standing, flew the female, who joined her mate, after which both +birds kept up a continuous and angry twittering. On opening out the +grass, I found the nest with three fresh eggs in it, placed right in +the centre of the tuft and close to the ground. The eggs were of a +pale green ground-colour, covered with large irregular blotches of +purplish brown, and not very unlike some of the eggs of _Passer +flavicollis_. After this I found several nests, but they were all +building, and were one and all deserted, though in many instances I +never touched the nest, often never saw it, as on seeing the birds +flying in and out of the grass with building material in their bills +I left the place and returned in ten days' time, but only to find the +nest deserted. In one case where a single egg had been laid, I found +that the bird before deserting the nest had broken the egg. In July I +again got a nest and shot the parent birds; the eggs in this nest were +quite of a different type, being of a very pale cream ground-colour, +with large rusty blotches, principally confined to the larger end. +The nests of this bird are composed of coarse grass, the inside being +composed of the finer parts; they are 4 to 5 inches external diameter +and 2½ inches internal diameter, the cavity being about 1½ inches +deep. The months in which they breed are, as far as I at present know, +March, June, and September. The eggs vary in size from ·65 to ·80 in +length and from ·50 to ·55 in breadth. The average of seven eggs is +·72 in length and ·54 in breadth." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size and shape, but they are +typically regular rather elongated ovals, rather obtuse at both ends, +and often slightly compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine +and compact and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes +greenish white, sometimes faintly creamy. The eggs are generally +pretty thickly and finely speckled and scratched all over, and besides +the fine markings there are a greater or smaller number of more or +less large irregular blotches and splashes, chiefly confined to the +large end. These markings, large and small, are brown, very variable +in shade, in some eggs reddish, in some chocolate, in some raw sienna, +&c. Besides these primary markings most eggs exhibit a number of +paler subsurface secondary markings, varying in colour from sepia to +lavender or pale purple; these are mostly confined to the large end +(though tiny spots of the same tint occur occasionally on all parts of +the egg), where with the large blotches they often form a more or less +conspicuous and more or less confluent but always ill-defined zone or +even cap. Here and there an egg absolutely wants the larger blotches, +but even in such cases the specklings are more crowded about the large +end, and these with the lilac clouds still combine to indicate a sort +of zone. + +The eggs I possess of this species, sent me by Mr. Doig, vary from +0·71 to 0·81 in length by 0·52 to 0·59 in breadth; but the average of +seven eggs is 0·72 by 0·55. + + +388. Graminicola bengalensis, Jerd. _The Large Grass-Warbler_. + +Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 177. +Drymoica bengalensis (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 542. + +Long ago the late Colonel Tytler gave me the following note on this +species:--"I shot these birds at Dacca in 1852, and sent a description +and a drawing of them to Mr. Blyth. They were named after my esteemed +friend Jules Verreaux, of Paris. They are not uncommon at Dacca in +grass-jungle. I think the bird Dr. Jerdon gives in his 'Birds of +India' as _Graminicola bengalensis_, Jerdon, No. 542, p. 177, vol. +ii., is meant for this species. The genus _Graminicola_, under which +he places this bird, appears to be a genus of Dr. Jerdon's own, for +it is not in Gray's 'Genera and Subgenera of Birds in the British +Museum,' printed in 1855. If it is the same bird as Dr. Jerdon's, then +my name, which I communicated in 1851-52 not only to Mr. Blyth +but also to Prince Bonaparte and M. Jules Verreaux, and which was +published in my Fauna of Dacca, has, it seems to me, the priority." + +The birds _are_ identical. Jerdon gave me one of his Cachar specimens, +and I compared it with Tytler's types, and certainly Tytler's name was +published ten years before Jerdon's (_vide_ Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., +Sept. 1854, p. 176); but no description was published, and I fear +therefore that the name given by Colonel Tytler cannot be maintained, +unless indeed, which I have been unable to ascertain, either Bonaparte +or Verreaux figured or described the specimens Tytler sent them in +some French work. + +I have only one supposed nest of this species, brought me from Dacca +by a native collector who worked there for me under Mr. F.B. Simson. +He did not take it himself; it was brought to him with one of the +parent birds by a shikaree. The evidence is, therefore, very bad, but +I give the facts for what they are worth. + +The nest is a rather massive and deep cup, the lower portion prolonged +downwards so as to form a short truncated cone. It is fixed between +three reeds, is constructed of sedge and vegetable fibre firmly wound +together and round the reeds, and is lined with fine grass-roots. +It measures externally 5 inches in height and nearly 4 inches in +diameter, measuring outside the reeds which are incorporated in the +outer surface of the nest. The cavity is about 2½ inches in diameter +and nearly 2 inches deep. It contained four eggs, hard-set; only one +could be preserved, and that was broken in bringing up-country; so I +could not measure it, but the shell was a sort of pale greenish grey +or dull greenish white, rather thickly but very faintly speckled and +spotted with very dull purplish and reddish brown, with some grey +spots intermingled. The nest was obtained (no date noted) between the +middle of July and the middle of August. I note that the eggs were +on the point of hatching, so that the fresh egg would probably be +somewhat brighter coloured. + + +389. Megalurus palustris, Horsf. _The Striated Marsh-Warbler_. + +Megalurus palustris, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 70; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 440. + +Nothing has hitherto been recorded of the nidification of the Striated +Marsh-Warbler, although it has a very wide distribution and is very +common in suitable localities. + +The Striated Marsh-Babbler, as Jerdon calls it, has nothing of the +Babbler in it. It rises perpendicularly out of the reeds, sings rather +screechingly while in the air, and descends suddenly. It has much more +of a song than any of the Babblers, a much stronger flight, and its +sudden, upward, towering flight and equally sudden descent are unlike +anything seen amongst the Babblers. + +Mr. E.C. Nunn procured the nest and an egg of this species (which +along with the parent birds he kindly forwarded to me) at Hoshungabad +on the 4th May, 1868. The nest was round, composed of dry grass, and +situated in a cluster of reeds between two rocks in the bed of the +Nerbudda. It contained a single fresh egg. + +Writing from Wau, in the Pegu District, Mr. Oates remarks:--"I found +a nest on the 19th May containing four eggs recently laid. The female +flew off only at the last moment, when my pony was about to tread on +the tuft of grass she had selected for her home. + +"The nest was placed in a small but very dense grass-tuft about a +foot above the ground. It was made entirely of coarse grasses, and +assimilated well with the dry and entangled stems among which it lay. +The nest was very deep and purse-shaped. It was about 8 inches in +total height at the back, and some 2 inches lower in front, the upper +part of the purse being as it were cut off slantingly, and thus +leaving an entrance which was more or less circular. The width is 6½ +inches, and the breadth from front to back 4 inches. The interior is +smooth, lined with somewhat finer grass, and measures 4 inches in +depth by 3 inches from side to side, and by 2 inches from front to +back. + +"_Megalurus palustris_ is very common throughout the large plains +lying between the Pegu and Sittang Rivers. At the end of May they were +all breeding. The nest is, however, difficult to find, owing to the +vast extent of favourable ground suited to its habits. Every yard of +the land produces a clump of grass likely enough to hold a nest, and +as the female sits still till the nest is actually touched, it becomes +a difficult and laborious task to find the nest." + +He subsequently remarks:--"May seems to be the month in which these +birds lay here. The nest is very often placed on the ground under the +shelter of some grass-tuft." + +Mr. Cockburn writes to me:--"I found a nest of this bird on the north +bank of the Bramaputra, near Sadija. One of the birds darted off the +nest a foot or two from me in an excited way, which led me to search. +The nest was almost a perfect oval, with a slice taken off at the top +on one side, built in a clump of grass, and only 9 or 10 inches from +the ground. It was made of sarpat-grass, and lined internally with +finer grasses. The grass had a bleached and washed-out appearance, +while the clump was quite green. This was on the 29th May. I noticed +at the same time that the nest was not interwoven with the living +grass. I removed it easily with the hand." + +Mr. Cripps says:--"They breed in April and May in the Dibrugarh +district, placing their deep cup-shaped nests in tussocks of grass +wherever it is swampy, in some instances the bottoms of the nests +being wet. Four seems to be the greatest number of eggs in a nest." + +The eggs are much the same shape and size as those of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_. They have a dead-white ground, thickly speckled and +spotted with blackish and purplish brown, and have but a slight gloss; +the speckling, everywhere thick, is generally densest at the large +end, and there chiefly do spots, as big as an ordinary pin's head, +occur. At the large end, besides these specklings, there is a cloudy, +dull, irregular cap, or else isolated patches, of very pale inky +purple, which more or less obscure the ground-colour. In the peculiar +speckly character of the markings these eggs recall doubtless some +specimens of the eggs of the different Bulbuls, but their natural +affinities seem to be with those of the _Acrocephalinae_. + +The eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·97 in length, and from 0·61 to 0·69 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is 0·85 by 0·64. + + +390. Schoenicola platyura (Jerd.). _The Broad-tailed Grass-Warbler_. + +Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 73. + +Colonel E.A. Butler discovered the nest of the Broad-tailed +Grass-Warbler at Belgaum. He writes:-- + +"On the 1st September, 1880, I shot a pair of these birds as they rose +out of some long grass by the side of a rice-field; and, thinking +there might be a nest, I commenced a diligent search, which resulted +in my finding one. It consisted of a good-sized ball of coarse blades +of dry grass, with an entrance on one side, and was built in long +grass about a foot from the ground. Though it was apparently finished, +there were unfortunately no eggs, but dissection of the hen proved +that she would have laid in a day or two. On the 10th instant I found +another nest exactly similar, built in a tussock of coarse grass, near +the same place; but this was subsequently deserted without the bird +laying. On the 19th September I went in the early morning to the same +patch of grass and watched another pair, soon seeing the hen disappear +amongst some thick tussocks. On my approaching the spot she flew off +the nest, which contained four eggs much incubated. The nest was +precisely similar to the others, but with the entrance-hole perhaps +rather nearer the top, though still on one side. The situation in the +grass was the same--in fact it was very similar in every respect to +the nest of _Drymoeca insignis_. The eggs are very like those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, but smaller, having a purplish-white ground, +sprinkled all over with numerous small specks and spots of purple and +purplish brown, with a cap of the same at the large end, underlaid +with inky lilac. + +"These birds closely resemble _Chaetornis striatus_ in their actions +and habits, and in the breeding-season rise constantly into the air, +chirruping like that species, and descending afterwards in the same +way on to some low bush or tussock of grass, sometimes even on to +the telegraph-wires. They are fearful little skulks, however, if you +attempt to pursue them, and the moment you approach disappear into the +grass like a shot, from whence it is almost impossible to flush them +again unless you all but tread on them. It is perfectly marvellous the +way they will hide themselves in a patch of grass when they have once +taken refuge in it; and although you may know within a yard or two of +where the bird is, you may search for half an hour without finding it. +If you shoot at them and miss, they drop to the shot into the grass as +if killed, and nothing will dissuade you from the belief that they are +so until, after a long search, the little beast gets up exactly where +you have been hunting all along, from almost under your feet, and +darts off to disappear, after another short flight of fifteen or +twenty yards, in another patch of grass, from whence you may again try +in vain to dislodge it." + +The eggs of this species, though much smaller, are precisely of the +same type as those of _Megalurus palustris_ and _Chaetornis striatus_; +moderately broad ovals with a very fine compact shell, with but little +gloss, though perhaps rather more of this than in either of the +species above referred to. The ground-colour is white, with perhaps +a faint pinkish shade, and it is profusely speckled and spotted with +brownish red, almost black in some spots, more chestnut in others. +Here and there a few larger spots or small irregular blotches occur. +Besides these markings, clouds, streaks, and tiny spots of grey or +lavender-grey occur, chiefly about the large end, where, with the +markings (often more numerous there than elsewhere), they form at +times a more or less confluent but irregular and ill-defined cap. + +One egg measured 0·73 by 0·6. + + +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Spiny Warbler_. + +Acanthoptila nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p 57. +Acanthoptila pellotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 431 bis. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, this species builds, in +a fork of a tree, a very loose, shallow grass nest. One is recorded +to have measured 4·87 in diameter and 1·75 in height externally, +and internally 3·37 in diameter and an inch in depth. The eggs are +verditer-blue, and are figured as 1·1 by 0·65. + +I may here note that _Acanthoptila pellotis_ and _A. leucotis_ are +totally distinct, as Mr. Hodgson's figures clearly show. Hodgson +published _A. leucotis_ apparently under the name of _A. nipalensis_, +so that the two will stand as _A. pellotis_ and _A. nipalensis_.[A] + +[Footnote A: I do not agree with. Mr. Hume on this point. It seems +to me that this bird has both a summer and a winter plumage, and +Hodgson's two names refer to one and the same bird.--ED.] + + +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (Bl.). _The Bristled Grass-Warbler_. + +Chaetornis striatus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 72; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 441. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that Mr. Blyth mentions that the nest of +the Grass-Babbler, as he calls it, nearly accords with that of +_Malacocercus_, and that the eggs are blue. + +I cannot find the passage in which Blyth states this, and I cannot +help doubting its correctness. This bird, like the preceding, is not +a bit of a Babbler. I have often watched them in Lower Bengal amongst +comparatively low grass and rush along the margins of ponds and +jheels, not, as a rule, affecting high reed or seeking to conceal +themselves, but showing themselves freely enough, and with a song and +flight wholly unlike that of any Babbler. + +They are very restless, soaring about and singing a monotonous song of +two notes, somewhat resembling that of a Pipit, but clear and loud. +They do not soar in one spot like a Sky-Lark, as Jerdon says, but rise +to the height of from 30 to 50 yards, fly rapidly right and left, over +perhaps one fourth of a mile, and then suddenly drop on to the top of +some little bush or other convenient post, and there continue their +song. + +Mr. Brooks remarks:--"On the 28th August, 1869, I observed at the side +of the railway, at Jheenjuck Jheel, on the borders of the Etawah and +Cawnpoor Districts, several pairs of _Chaetornis_. A good part of the +jheel was covered with grass about 18 inches high, and to this they +appeared partial, though occasionally I found them among the long +reeds. The part of the jheel where they were found was drier than the +rest, there being only about an inch of water in places, while other +portions were quite dry. + +"I noticed the bird singing while seated on a bush or large clump of +grass, and sometimes it perched on the telegraph-wires alongside of +the line of railway, continuing its song while perched. + +"By habits and song it seems more nearly allied to the Pipits than the +Babblers. Males shot early in September were obviously breeding, and +a female shot on the 13th of that month contained a nearly full-sized +egg." + +It does not do to be too positive, but I should be inclined to believe +that the eggs are not uniform coloured, blue and glossy like a +Babbler's, but dull, dead, or greenish white, with numerous small +specks and spots[A]. + +[Footnote A: The discovery of this bird's eggs has proved Mr. Hume to +be right in his conjecture.--ED.] + +Colonel E.A. Butler, who was the first to discover the eggs of the +Bristled Grass-Warbler, writes:-- + +"The Grass-Babbler is not uncommon about Deesa in the rains, at which +season it breeds. I found a nest containing four eggs on the 18th +August, 1876. It consisted of a round ball of dry grass with a +circular entrance on one side, near the top, was placed on the ground +in the centre of a low scrubby bush in a grass Bheerh, and when the +hen-bird flew off, which was not until I almost put my foot on the +nest, I mistook her for _Argya caudata_. On looking, however, into the +bush, I saw at once by the eggs that it was a species new to me. I +left the spot and returned again in about an hour's time, when, to my +disappointment, I found that three of the eggs had hatched. The fourth +egg being stale, I took it and added it to my collection. The eggs are +about the size of the eggs of _A. caudata_, but in colour very like +those of _Franklinia buchanani_, namely, white, speckled all over with +reddish brown and pale lavender, most densely at the large end. This +bird has a peculiar habit in the breeding-season of rising suddenly +into the air and soaring about, often for a considerable distance, +uttering a loud note resembling the words 'chirrup, chirrup-chirrup,' +repeated all the time the bird is in the air, and then suddenly +descending slowly into the grass with outspread wings, much in +the style of _Mirafra erythroptera_. This bird is so similar in +appearance, when flying and hopping about in the long grass, to _A. +caudata_, that I have no doubt it is often mistaken for that species. +I have invariably found it during the rains in grass Bheerhs overgrown +with low thorny bushes (_Zizyphus jujuba_, &c.). Whether it remains +the whole year round I cannot say; at all events, if it does, its +close resemblance to _A. caudata_ enables it to escape notice at other +seasons." + +Mr. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, says:--"Very common in long grass +fields. Permanent resident. It utters its soft notes while on the +wing, not only in the cold season but the year through; it is very +noisy during the breeding-time. Breeds in clumps of grass a few inches +above as well as on the ground. I found five nests in the month of May +from 23rd to 28th: one was on the ground in a field of indigo; the +rest were in clumps of 'sone' grass and from the same field composed +of this grass. One nest contained three half-fledged young, and the +rest had four eggs slightly incubated in each. Although they nest in +'sone' grass which is rarely over three feet in height, it is very +difficult to find the nest, as the grass generally overhangs and hides +it. Only when the bird rises almost from your feet are you able to +discover the whereabouts. On several occasions I have noticed this +species perching on bushes." + +The eggs, which, to judge from a large series sent me by Mr. Cripps, +do not appear to vary much in shape, are moderately broad ovals, more +or less pointed towards one end. The shell is fine and fragile but +entirely devoid of gloss; the ground-colour is white with a very faint +pinky or lilac tinge, and they are thickly speckled all over with +minute markings of two different shades--the one a sort of purplish +brown (they are so small that it is difficult to make certain of the +exact colour), and the other inky purple or grey. In most eggs the +markings are most dense at or about the large end, and occasionally a +spot may be met with larger than the rest, as big as a pin's head say, +and some of these seem to have a reddish tinge, while some are more of +a sepia. + +The eggs vary from 0·75 to 0·86 in length and from 0·59 to 0·62 in +breadth, but the average of twelve eggs is almost exactly 0·8 by 0·6. + + +394. Hypolais rama (Sykes). _Sykes's Tree-Warbler_. + +Phyllopneuste rama (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 189. +Iduna caligata, _Licht., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 553. + +I have never myself obtained the nest and eggs of Sykes's +Tree-Warbler, _P. rama, apud Jerd._[A] On the 1st April, at Etawah, my +friend Mr. Brooks shot a male of this species off a nest; and I saw +the bird, nest, and eggs within an hour, and visited the spot later. +The nest was placed in a low thorny bush, about a foot from the +ground, on the side of a sloping bank in one of the large dry ravines +that in the Etawah District fringe the River Junina for a breadth of +from a mile to four miles. The nest was nearly egg-shaped, with a +circular entrance near the top. It was loosely woven with coarse +and fine grass, and a little of the fibre of the "sun" (_Crotalaria +juncea_), and very neatly felted on the whole interior surface of +the lower two thirds with a compact coating of the down of +flowering-grasses and little bits of spider's web. It was about 5 +inches in its longest and 3½ inches in its shortest diameter. It +contained three fresh eggs, which were white, very thickly speckled +with brownish pink, in places confluent and having a decided tendency +to form a zone near the large end. Three or four days later we shot +the female at the same spot. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce the note on this bird as it appeared in the +'Rough Draft,' but I think some mistake has been made, as Mr. Hume +himself suggests. Full reliance, however, may be placed on Mr. Doig's +note, which is a most interesting contribution.--ED] + +A similar nest and two eggs, taken in Jhansi on the 12th August, were +sent me with one of the parent birds by Mr. F.R. Blewitt, and, again, +another nest with four eggs was sent me from Hoshungabad. + +There ought to be no doubt about these nests and eggs, the more so +that I have several specimens of the bird from various parts of the +North-Western Provinces and Central Provinces killed in August and +September, but somehow I do not feel quite certain that we have not +made some mistake. Beyond doubt the great mass of this species migrate +and breed further north. I have never obtained specimens in June +or July; and if these nests really, as the evidence seems to show, +belonged to the birds that were shot on or near them, these latter +must have bred in India before or after their migration, as well as in +Northern Asia. + +Though one may make minute differences, I do not think either of the +three nests or sets of eggs could be certainly separated from those of +_Franklinia buchanani_, which might well have eggs about both in April +and August; and I am not prepared to say that in each of these three +cases _Hypolais rama_, which frequents precisely the same kind of +bushes that _F. buchanani_ breeds in, may not accidentally have been +shot in the immediate proximity to a nest of the latter, the owner of +which had crept noiselessly away, as these birds so often do. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have obtained the nest and eggs of this +species on one occasion only at Jaulnah in the Dekhan; the nest was +cup-shaped, made of roots and grass, and contained four pure white +eggs." + +I do not attach undue weight to this, for Dr. Jerdon did not care +about eggs, and was rather careless about them; but still his +statement has to be noted, and the whole matter requires careful +investigation. + +Mr. Doig found this species breeding on the Eastern Narra in Sind. He +writes:--"I first obtained eggs of this bird in March 1879. The first +nest was found by one of my men, who afterwards showed me a bird close +to the place he got the eggs, which he said was either the bird to +which the nest and eggs belonged or one of the same kind. This I shot +and sent to Mr. Hume with one of the eggs to identify. Some time after +I again came across a lot of these birds breeding, and this time lay +in wait myself for the bird to come to the nest and eggs, and when it +did I shot it. This I also sent to Mr. Hume to identify. Some time +after I beard from Mr. Hume, who said that there must be some mistake, +as the birds sent belonged to two different species, viz. _Sylvia +affinis_ and _Hypolais rama_, and were both, he believed, only +cold-weather visitants. This year I again 'went for' these birds and +again sent specimens of birds and eggs to Mr. Hume, who informed me +that the birds now sent were _H. rama_, and that the eggs must belong +to this species soon after this Mr. Brooks saw the eggs with Mr. Hume +and identified them as being those _H. rama_ and identical with eggs +he saw at home collected by, I think, Mr. Seebohm of this species +in Siberia. Only fancy a bird breeding on the Narra of all places, +especially in May, June, and July, in preference to Siberia! Locally +they are very numerous, as I collected upwards of 90 to 100 eggs in +one field about eight acres in size. They build in stunted tamarisk +bushes, or rather in bushes of this kind which originally were cut +down to admit of cultivation being carried on, and which afterwards +had again sprouted. These bushes are very dense, and in their centre +is situated the nest, composed of sedge, with a lining of fine grass, +mixed sometimes with a little soft grass-reed. The eggs are, as a +rule, four in number, of a dull white ground-colour with brown spots, +the large end having as a rule a ring round it of most delicate, fine, +hair-like brown lines, something similar to the tracing to be seen on +the eggs of _Drymoeca inornata_. The egg in size is also similar to +those of that species." + +The eggs of this species vary from broad to moderately elongated +ovals, but they are almost always somewhat pointed towards the small +end; the shell is fine but as a rule glossless; here and there, +however, an egg exhibits a faint gloss. The ground-colour is whitish, +never pure white, with an excessively faint greenish, greyish, creamy, +or pinky tinge. The markings are very variable in amount and extent, +but they are always black or nearly so and pale inky grey; perhaps +typically the markings consist of a zone of black hair-lines twisted +and entangled together, in which irregular shaped spots and small +blotches of the same colour appear to have been caught, which zone is +underlaid and more or less surrounded by clouds, streaks, and spots of +pale inky grey. This zone is typically about the large end, but in one +or two eggs is near the middle of the egg and in one or two is about +the small end. Outside this zone a few small specks and spots, and +rarely one or two tiny blotches, of both black and grey are thinly +scattered; occasionally, however, the hair-lines so characteristic of +this egg are almost entirely wanting, there is no apparent zone, and +the markings, spots, and specks are thinly and irregularly distributed +about the entire surface; here and there the whole of the dark +markings on the egg are entirely confined to the zone, elsewhere +only pale lilac specks are visible. Occasionally together with +a well-defined zone numerous specks, spots, and a few hair-line +scratches of black are intermingled with faint purplish-grey spots, +and pretty thinly scattered everywhere. + +The eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·68 in length and from 0·46 to 0·51 in +breadth; but the average of a very large number is 0·61 by 0·49. + + +402. Sylvia affinis (Blyth). _The Indian Lesser White-throated +Warbler_. + +Sylvia curruca (_Gm.), apud Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 209. +Sterparola curruca (_Lath.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 583. + +Of the nidification of the Lesser Whitethroat within our limits, I +only know that it was found in May, breeding abundantly in Cashmere +in the lower hills, by Mr. Brooks. He did not notice it comparatively +high up; for instance at Goolmerg, which, though not above 9000 feet +high, is at the base of a snowy range, he did not see it at all. + +It builds a loose, rather shallow, cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly +of grass, coarser on the exterior and finer interiorly, which it +places in low bushes and thickets at no great elevation from the +ground. The nest is more or less lined with fine grass and roots. + +It lays four or sometimes five eggs. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"I found this Whitethroat tolerably numerous in +Cashmere, where it appears generally distributed, occurring at from +5500 to 6500 feet elevation or thereabouts, It frequents places where +there is abundance of brushwood or underwood, especially along the +banks of rivers or near them. + +"I found several nests, and they were all placed in small bushes, and +from 4 to 6 feet above the ground. One was in a bush on a small island +in the Kangan River, which runs into the Sind River; and this nest +I well remember was just so high that I could not look into it as I +stood. The nests precisely resembled in size and structure those of +_C. garrula_ which I have seen at home, being formed of grasses, +roots, and fine fibres, and I think scantily lined with a few black +horsehairs; but I forget this now. They were slight, thinly formed +nests, very neat but strong, and had bits of spider's web stuck about +the outside here and there. This appears to be the decoration this +bird and _C. garrula_ are partial to. They were not added, I think, +for the purpose of rendering the nest inconspicuous, for there were +just enough to give the nest a spotted appearance. + +"The song of this species strongly resembles that of its congener, and +is full, loud, and sweet. I found the nests by the song of the male, +for he generally sings near the nest. The eggs don't differ from those +of _C. garrula_ in my collection." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"This Warbler was +very common and was breeding by the 27th May. All the nests found were +shallow cups, composed entirely of dried grass, and situated in small +bushes, frequently juniper, about 2½ feet from the ground. The eggs +vary much both in size and colour--some being long ovals, nearly pure +white, spotted with pale brown towards the larger end, and others of +a much rounder form and a pale greenish white, thickly spotted in a +broad zone near the thicker end and smeared with very pale brown, +or else spotted and smeared with olive-brown over the whole of the +thicker end." + +The eggs are somewhat broad ovals, typically a good deal pointed +towards the lesser end. They vary, however, much both in size and +shape: some are short and broad, decidedly pointed at the small end; +others are more elongated, and some are almost regular ellipsoids. The +eggs have little or no gloss; the ground-colour is white, with a more +or less perceptible though very faint greenish tinge. Typically they +are very Shrike-like in their markings, the majority of these being +gathered together in a more or less dense zone near the large end. +The markings consist of small spots, blotches, and specks of pale +yellowish brown, more or less intermingled with spots and specks of +dull inky purple or grey; in many eggs there are very few markings, +and these are mere spots except in the zone, while in others +full-sized markings are scattered, though thinly, more or less over +the whole surface of the egg. In some the zone is confluent and +blurred; in others composed of small sharply defined specks and spots. +Here and there a pretty large yellowish-brown cloud may be met with +partially or entirely bounded by a narrow hair-like black line. Tiny +black specks now and then occur, and little zigzag lines that might +have been borrowed from a Bunting's egg; but these are not met with in +probably more than one out of ten eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·48 to +0·55; but the average of sixteen eggs is 0·66 by 0·5. + + +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, Brooks. _Tytler's Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 560 bis. + +Tytler's Willow-Warbler, as yet a rare bird in collections, and which +appears only to straggle down to the plains of Upper India during the +cold season, was found by Captain Cock breeding at Sonamerg (9400 feet +elevation) in the Sindh Valley, Cashmere, in June. + +Mr. Brooks, who discriminated the bird, said of it and its +nidification:--"In plumage resembling _P. viridanus_, but of a richer +and deeper olive; it is entirely without the 'whitish wing-bar,' which +is always present in _viridanus_, unless in very abraded plumage. The +wing is shorter, so is the tail; but the great difference is in the +bill, which is much longer, darker, and of a more pointed and slender +form in _P. tytleri_. The song and notes are utterly different, so +are the localities frequented. _P. viridanus_ is an inhabitant of +brushwood ravines, at 9000 and 10,000 feet elevation; while _P. +tytleri_ is exclusively a pine-forest _Phylloscopus_. In the places +frequented by _P. viridanus_, it must build on the ground, or very +near it; but our new species builds, 40 feet up a pine-tree, a compact +half-domed nest on the side of a branch. + +"Captain Cock shot one of this species off the nest at Sonamerg with +four eggs. The bird he sent to me, and gave me two of the eggs. +Regarding the nest he says: 'I took a nest, containing four eggs, +about 40 feet up a pine, on the outer end of a bough, by means of +ropes and sticks, and I shot the female bird. I do not know what the +bird is. I thought it was _P. viridanus_, but I send it to you. The +nest was very deep, solidly built, and cup-shaped. Eggs, plain white.' +In conversation with Captain Cock he afterwards told me that he had +watched the bird building its nest. It was rather on the side of the +branch, and its solid formation reminded him of a Goldfinch's nest. +It was composed of grass, fibres, moss, and lichens externally and +thickly lined with hair and feathers. The eggs were pure unspotted +white, rather smaller than those of _Reguloides occipitalis_. Two of +them measured ·58 by ·48 and ·57 by ·45. They were taken on the 4th +June." + +Captain Cock himself writes to me:--"Of all the birds' nests that I +know of, this is one of the most difficult to find. One day in the +forest at Sonamerg, Cashmere, I noticed a Warbler fly into a high pine +with a feather in its bill. I watched with the glasses and saw that it +was constructing a nest, so allowing a reasonable time to elapse (nine +days or so) I went and took the nest. It was placed on the outer end +of a bough, about 40 feet up a high pine, and I had to take the nest +by means of a spar lashed at right angles to the tree, the outer +extremity of which was supported by a rope fastened to the top of +the pine. The nest was a very solid, deep cup, of grass, fibres, and +lichens externally, and lined with hair and feathers. It contained +four white eggs, measuring 0·58 by 0·48. + +"I shot the female, which I sent to Mr. Brooks for identification. + +"I forgot to add that this nest, the only one I ever found, was taken +early in June." + +The egg of this species closely resembles that of some of the species +of _Abrornis_--a moderately broad oval, slightly pointed at the small +end, pure white, and almost glossless. The only specimen I have seen +measures 0·58 by 0·45. + + +410. Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth). _The Dusky Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus fuscatus (_Blyth), Jerd B.I._ ii, p. 191. +Horornis fulviventer, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 523. + +Mr. Blyth long ago stated in 'The Ibis' that _Horornis fulviventris_ +was identical with _P. fuscatus_[A]. + +[Footnote A: It is with considerable hesitation that I reproduce this +note. _Horornis fulviventris_ with which Jerdon identified the bird, +the nest of which he describes, is certainly _P. fuscatus_. The only +doubt I have is whether Jerdon, who apparently had not seen a specimen +of _H. fulviventris_, rightly identified his bird with it. With this +explanation the note is republished as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft.'--ED.] + +Subsequently I procured several specimens which were quite distinct +from _P. fuscatus_, structurally as well as in plumage answering +perfectly to Hodgson's description. + +I wrote to Dr. Jerdon mentioning this fact, and he replied:--"I also +am not satisfied of the identity of this species (_H. fulviventris_) +with _Phylloscopus fuscatus_. I have recently got at Darjeeling what I +take to be _Horornis fulviventris_, and it is somewhat smaller in all +its dimensions, but I had not a typical _P. fuscatus_ with which to +compare it. Specimens measured 4¾ to 4-7/8 inches; expanse 6½ inches; +wing 2 to 2-1/16 inches. I procured the nest and eggs in July; the +nest, cup-shaped, on a bank, composed of grass chiefly, with a few +fibres; and the eggs, three in number, pinky white, with a few reddish +spots." + +It is certainly not _P. fuscatus_ (though possibly some specimens of +_P. fuscatus_ in the British Museum may bear a label formerly attached +to a bird of this species), nor any other _Horornis_ or _Horeites_ +included in Dr. Jerdon's work, all of which I have. Mr. Blyth possibly +went by Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum, but some +confusion has, it is known, somehow crept in amongst these; and I have +no doubt myself that _Horornis fulviventris_ is a good species, +and that it was the nest and eggs of this species which Dr. Jerdon +found[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the article on _Abrornis chloronotus_, Hodgs, +which appeared in the 'Rough Draft' under number 574 bis. There is no +manner of doubt that Hodgson got the wrong nest, a nest of a Sunbird, +and figured it as that of this bird.--ED.] + + +415. Phylloscopus proregulus (Pall.). _Pallas's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides chloronotus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 197. +Reguloides proregulus (_Pall.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 566. + +Captain Cock has the honour of being the first to take, and, I +believe, up to date the _only_ oologist who has ever taken, the nest +and eggs of Pallas's Willow-Warbler. Mr. Brooks tried hard for the +prize, but he searched on the ground and so missed the nest. He wrote +to me from Cashmere, just about the time (June 1871) that Captain +Cock found the nest he obtained:--"I have been utterly unable to do +anything with _P. proregulus_. I shot a female, with an egg nearly +ready to lay, when I first went to Goolmerg, but though I often heard +the males singing, I never could find any indication of the nesting +female. The feeble song, like that of _P. sibilatrix_, alluded to by +Blyth as being that of _P. superciliosus_, is not that of this latter +bird, but of _P. proregulus_". + +Later, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society, he noted that "Captain +Cock took the nest and eggs at Sonamerg. It builds, like the +Golden-crested Regulus, up a fir-tree, at from 6 to 40 feet elevation, +on the outer ends of the branches. The nest is of moss, wool and +fibres, and profusely lined with feathers. Eggs, four or five, pure +white, profusely spotted with red and a few spots of purple grey. +Size, 0·53 by 0·43." + +Later still he added in 'The Ibis:'--"Captain Cock writes from +Sonamerg: 'The second day I found my first nest with eggs. It was the +nest of _P. proregulus_. I shot the old bird. Three eggs. These nests +are often placed on a bough high up in a pine-tree, and are domed or +roofed, made of moss and lined with feathers. I took another one to +day with five eggs, and shot the bird just as it was entering its +nest. This was on a bough of a pine, but low down. I know of two more +nests of _P. proregulus_, all on pine-trees, from which I hope to take +eggs.' + +"After describing the nest of _P. humii_, and saying that it was lined +with the hair of the musk-deer, he adds: 'In this the nest differs +from that of _P. proregulus_, which lines its nest with feathers and +bits of thin birch-bark; and the nest of _P. proregulus_ is only +partly domed.' + +"I measured four eggs of _P. proregulus_ which Captain Cock kindly +gave me, and the dimensions are as follows: ·55 by ·44, ·53 by ·43, +·53 by ·43, and ·54 by ·43. They are pure white, richly marked with +dark brownish red, particularly at the larger end, forming there a +fine zone on most of the eggs. Intermingled with these spots, +and especially on the zone, are some spots and blotches of deep +purple-grey. The egg is very handsome, and reminds one strongly of +those of _Parus cristatus_ on a smaller scale. The dates when the eggs +were taken are 30th May and 2nd June, and the place Sonamerg, which is +four marches up the valley of the Sindh River." + +Captain Cock himself tells me that he "took several nests of this bird +at Sonamerg in Cashmere in pine-forests. It breeds in May and June, +making a partially domed nest, which is sometimes placed low down on +the bough of a pine-tree, sometimes on a small sapling pine where the +junction of the bough with the stem takes place, and at other times +high up on the outer end of a bough. It lays five eggs, like those +of _P. humii_ only smaller. The nests I found were all lined with +feathers and thin birch-bark strips. I never found a hair-lining in +any of this bird's nests. The outer portions of the nest consisted of +moss and lichen, arranged so as to harmonize with the bough on which +it was placed. The nests are compact little structures." + +Mr. Brooks, writing of the valley of the Bhagirati river, +says:--"Common in the alpine parts of the valley. It breeds about +Derali, Bairamghati, and Gangaotri, in the large moss-grown deodars." + +The eggs of this species closely resemble those of _P. humii_, but are +smaller, and, to judge from a few specimens taken by Captain Cock that +I have seen, they are somewhat shorter and broader. + +Texture smooth, without any perceptible gloss. Ground-colour pure +white, spotted freely and principally towards the larger end with red: +brick-dust red would perhaps scarcely be a correct term. The colour +would be obtained by mixing a little brown and a good deal of purple +with vermilion, or by mixing Indian red with a little Venetian red. +At the larger end they have an irregular zone of small, more or less +confluent, spots and specks of this red, mingled with reddish or +brownish purple, and a few specks and spots of the red scattered over +the rest of the surface of the egg. + +This egg may also be well described, as regards colour and mode of +marking, by saying that it resembles the illustration in Hewitson's +work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus_, except that the egg of _P. +proregulus_ has a distinct zone of nearly confluent spots, and their +colour is more of a brownish red than those shown in the plate above +referred to, which by-the-by do not correctly represent the colour of +the spots upon the eggs of _P. cristatus_ which I have seen. These +spots are coloured with too much of a tendency towards crimson instead +of brownish red. + +Three of the eggs taken by Captain Cock varied from 0·53 to 0·55 in +length, and from 0·43 to 0·44 in breadth. + + +416. Phylloscopus subviridis (Brooks). _Brooks's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides subviridis, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 566 bis. + +Colonel Biddulph remarks that this species is common in Gilgit at 5000 +feet in March, April, May, and beginning of June, and that it breeds +in the Nulter valley in July at 10,000 feet. Young birds were shot in +August fully fledged. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay observes on the label of a specimen procured by +him at Bian Kheyl in Afghanistan in April, "evidently breeding"; and +on that of another specimen shot in May at the same place, "contained +eggs nearly ready to lay." + + +418. Phylloscopus humii (Brooks). _Hume's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides humii, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 565 bis. +Reguloides superciliosus (_Gm), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 565. + +Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock are the only persons I know of who have +taken the eggs and nests of this species. The nest and eggs sent to +and described by me in 'The Ibis' as belonging to this bird cannot +really have pertained to it. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that _P. humii_ "is very abundant in Cashmere, and +I believe in all hills immediately below the snows. It would be +vain to look for this bird at elevations below 8000 feet, or at any +distance from the snows. It was common even in the birch woods above +the upper line of pines. I found many nests. It builds a globular nest +of coarse grass on a bank side, always on the ground, and never up a +tree. The nest is lined with hair in greater or lesser quantities. +The eggs, four or five in number, average ·56 by ·44, are pure white, +profusely spotted with red, and sometimes have also a few spots of +purplish grey. On the 15th June I found a nest with four young ones on +the south side of the Pir-Pinjal Pass. This bird has no song, only a +double chirp in addition to its callnote. The double chirp, which +is very loud, is intended for a song, for the male bird incessantly +repeats it as he feeds from tree to tree near where the female is +sitting upon her nest." + +Nests of this species obtained in Cashmere towards the end of May +and during June near Goolmerg, and brought me by Mr. Brooks, were +certainly by no means worthy of this pretty little Warbler. They are +very loosely made, more or less straggling cups of somewhat coarse +grass, only slightly lined interiorly with fine moss-roots. The +egg-cavity is very small compared with the size of the nest, some of +which, look like balls of grass with a small hole in the centre. They +average from 4 to 5 inches in external diameter, and from 2 to 3 +inches in height. The egg cavity does not exceed 2 inches in diameter, +and seems often to be less, and is from an inch to half an inch in +depth. + +From Cashmere, when in the thick of the nests of this species, Mr. +Brooks wrote to me as follows:-- + +"From Goolmerg, which is at the foot of a snowy range, I went up to +the foot of the snows through pine-forests. The pines ceased near the +snow and were replaced by birch wood on tremendously rocky ground, +which bothered me greatly to get over. I had missed _P. humii_ after +leaving the foot of the hill, where water was plentiful, but here +again the bird became abundant. I could not, however, find a nest +here, though I watched several pairs. I think in the cooler country +they breed later. Flowers which had gone out of bloom below I again +met with up here in full flower. + +"Blyth says: '_R. superciliosus_ has not any song, unless a sort of +double call, consisting of two notes, can be called a song,' This the +males vigorously uttered all day long, but I did not notice this much; +but as soon as the female sharply and rapidly uttered the well-known +bell-like call, I knew she was disturbed from her nest, or had left it +of her own accord. Whichever of us heard this rushed quickly to the +spot, and the female once sighted was kept in view as she flitted from +tree to tree, apparently carelessly feeding all the while; soon she +came lower down to the bashes below, and now her note quickened and +betokened anxiety; generally before half an hour would elapse she +would make a dash at a particular spot, and wish to go in but checked +herself. This would be repeated two or three times, and now the nest +was within the compass of 2 or 3 yards. At last down she went and her +note ceased. When all had been quiet for a minute or two, the male +meanwhile continuing his double note in the trees above, I cautiously +approached the place. Sometimes the nest was very artfully concealed, +but other times there it was--the round green ball with the opening at +one side. I often saw the female put her head out and then partially +draw it in again. Her well-defined supercilium was very distinct. I +thought I could catch her on the nest once, and went round above her, +but out came her head a little further, and she bolted as I brought +down my pocket handkerchief on the nest. I shot one or two from the +nest, but this I found unnecessary. In every case the female shouted +vigorously on leaving the nest or immediately after, and by her very +peculiar note fully authenticated the eggs." + +Elsewhere Mr. Brooks has remarked:--"Goolmerg is one of those mountain +downs, or extensive pasture lands, which are numerous on the top of +the range of hills immediately below the Pir-Pinjal Range, which is +the first snowy range. It is a beautiful mountain common, about +3000 feet above the level of Sirinugger, which latter place has an +elevation of 5235 feet. This common is about 3 miles long and about a +couple of miles wide, but of very irregular shape. On all sides the +undulating grass-land is surrounded by pine-clad hills, and on one +side the pine-slopes are surmounted by snowy mountains. On the side +near the snow the supply of water in the woods is ample. The whole +hill-side is intersected by small ravines, and each ravine has its +stream of pure cold water--water so different from the tepid fluid we +drink in the plains. In such places where there were water and old +pines _P. humii_ was very abundant: every few yards was the domain of +a pair. The males were very noisy, and continually uttered their song. +This song is not that described by Mr. Blyth as being similar to the +notes of the English Wood-Wren (_P. sibilatrix_) but fainter--it is a +loud double chirp or call, hardly worthy of being dignified with the +name of song at all. While the female was sitting, the male continued +vigorously to utter his double note as he fed from tree to tree. To +this note I and my native assistants paid but little attention; +but when the female, being off the nest, uttered her well-known +'_tiss-yip_,' as Mr. Blyth expresses the call of a Willow-Wren, we +repaired rapidly to the spot and kept her in view. In every instance, +before an hour had passed, she went into her nest, first making a few +impatient dashes at the place where it was, as much as to say--'There +it is, but I don't want you to see me go in.' + +"The nest of _P. humii_ is always, so far as my observation goes +placed on the ground on some sloping bank or ravine-side. The +situation preferred is the lower slope near the edge of the wood, and +at the root of some very small bush or tree; often, however, on quite +open ground, where the newly growing herbage was so short that it only +partially concealed it. In form it is a true Willow-Wren's nest--a +rather large globular structure with the entrance at one side. +Regarding the first nest taken, I have noted that it was placed on a +sloping bank on the ground, among some low ferns and other plants, and +close to the root of a small broken fir tree which, being somewhat +inclined over the nest, protected it from being trodden upon. It was +composed of coarse dry grass and moss and lined with finer grass and a +few black hairs. The cavity was about 2 inches, and the entrance about +1½ inch in diameter. About 20 yards from the nest was a large, old, +hollow fir tree, and in this I sat till the female returned to her +nest. My attendant then quietly approached the spot, when she flew +out of the nest and sat on a low bank 2 or 3 yards from it: then she +uttered her '_tiss-yip_,' which I know so well, and darted away among +the pines. My man retired, upon which she soon returned, and having +called for a few minutes in the vicinity of the nest, she ceased her +note and quickly entered. Again she was quietly disturbed, and sat on +a twig not far from the nest. I heard her call once more, and then +shot her. There were five eggs, which were slightly incubated. + + * * * * * + +"My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the ground. +The third was similarly placed, and composed of coarse grass and moss, +and lined with black horsehair. In each of these nests the number of +eggs was five. + +"Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was placed on +the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin bush. It was +composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss, and lined with finer +grasses and a few hairs. The eggs were five or six days incubated. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under the +inclined trunk of a small fir. The same materials were used. + +"Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping bank and +quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to conceal it. It was +composed as before, with the addition of a few feathers in the outer +portion of the nest. + +"Another nest was at the roots of a fern growing on a very steep bank. +The new shoots of the fern grew up above the nest, and last year's +dead leaves overhung it and entirely concealed it. + +"Another was placed on a sloping bank, immediately under the trunk of +a fallen and decayed pine. On account of the irregularities in the +ground, the trunk did not touch the ground where the nest was by about +2 feet. This was again an instance of contrivance for the nest's +protection. It was composed of the same materials as usual. + +"Another was among the branches of a shrub, right in the centre of the +bush and on the ground, which was sloping as usual. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, taken on 3rd June, was placed in the +steep bank of a small stream, only 3 feet 6 inches above the water. + +"The above examples will give a very fair idea of the situation of the +nest; and it now remains only to describe the eggs, which average ·56 +long by ·44 broad. The largest egg which was measured was ·62 long +and ·45 broad, and the smallest measured ·52 long and ·43 broad. The +ground-colour is always pure white, more or less spotted with brownish +red, the spots being much more numerous and frequently in the form of +a rich zone or cap at the larger end. Intermixed with the red spots +are sometimes a few purplish-grey ones. Other eggs are marked with +deep purple-brown spots, like those of the Chiffchaff, and the spots +are also intermingled with purplish grey. Some eggs are boldly and +richly marked, while others are minutely spotted. The egg also varies +in shape; but, as a general rule, they are rather short and round, +resembling in shape those of _P. trochilus_. In returning from +Cashmere, on the south face of the Pir-Pinjal Mountain and close to +the footpath, I found on the 15th June a nest of this bird with four +young ones. This nest was placed in an unusually steep bank. Half an +hour after finding the nest, and perhaps 1000 feet lower down the +hill, I stood upon a mass of snow which had accumulated in the bed of +a mountain-stream." + +Captain Charles R. Cock writes to me that he "took numbers of nests at +Sonamerg, in the Sindh Valley in Cashmere, during a nesting trip that +I took in 1871 with my valued and esteemed friend W.E. Brooks, Esq. +Although at the time of our finding the nest of this Warbler we were +about 80 miles apart, yet we both found our first nest on the same +day--the 31st May. I believe he was by a couple of hours or so the +winner, as I do not think the egg had ever been taken before. + +"Breeds in May or June on the ground in banks; makes a globular nest +of moss, well lined with fine grass, musk-deer hair, or horse-hair. It +lays five eggs, white spotted with rusty red, inclining to a zone at +the larger end." + +Typically the eggs of this species are broad ovals, slightly +compressed towards one end; the ground pure white and almost perfectly +devoid of gloss, speckled and spotted with red or purplish red, the +markings, most dense about the large end, often forming an irregular +mottled cap or zone. These are the general characters, but the eggs +vary very much in shape, size, colour, and density of markings. Some +eggs are almost spherical; others are somewhat elongated; others +slightly pyriform. As a body, alike in shape and coloration, they +remind one of the eggs of many species of Indian Tit, especially +those of _Lophophanes melanolophus_. In some eggs the markings are +a slightly brownish brickdust-red, moderate sized spots and specks +scattered pretty thickly over the whole surface, but gathered into +a dense, more or less confluent, zone or cap towards the large end. +Intermingled with these primary markings a few pale purple spots +are scattered towards the large end of the eggs. In other eggs the +markings are mostly mere specks, and in this type of egg the specks +are mostly brownish purple, in some almost black. Occasionally an +egg is almost entirely spotless, having only towards the large end a +clouded dingy reddish-purple zone. In some eggs again the colour of +the markings is pale and washed out. As a rule, the eggs in which the +markings are of the brickdust-red type have these larger, bolder, and +more numerous; while those in which the markings are purple have them +of a more minute character. + +The shape of the eggs, as already noticed, varies much, being +sometimes longer than those of _P. trochilus_, and at other times very +much of the same rounded shape. Frequently they are more pointed at +the smaller end than those of _P. trochilus_ usually are. The texture +of the egg is similar to that of _P. trochilus_, with scarcely any +gloss. The ground-colour is always pure white, and the markings, +which are always more or less plentiful, are either reddish brown +or purple-brown, intermingled sparingly with lighter or darker +purple-grey. + +Some eggs contain hardly a speck of the purple-grey, while others have +considerable blotches of that colour scattered amongst the red spots. + +Some eggs are scantily marked, and have the spots very small; while +others are densely spotted and blotched, the spots often being more or +less confluent at the larger end. Frequently they accumulate round +the larger end in the form of a confluent zone. The variety with deep +purple-brown spots, which is the rarest, resembles those of _P. +rufa_ in miniature; but, as a rule, the egg bears a much stronger +resemblance to that of _P. trochilus_, though it is of course +much smaller. _As far as the colour goes_, the representations in +Hewitson's work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus, Parus coeruleus_, +and _Phylloscopus trochilus_ will give a very correct idea of the +different varieties of the egg of the present bird. + +The greatest number of eggs found in any nest by Captain Cock and Mr. +Brooks was five; frequently, however, four was the number upon which +the bird was sitting; eggs partially incubated. On the Pir-Pinjal +Mountain, just below the snows, a nest with four young ones was found +on the 15th June, so that, though five seems to be the usual number, +the bird frequently lays only four. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·52 to 0·62, and in breadth from 0·43 to +0·47; but the average of fifty eggs carefully measured was 0·56 full +by 0·44. + + +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis, Jerd. _The Large Crowned +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides occipitalis (_Jerd.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 196; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 563. + +The Large Crowned Willow-Warbler breeds in Cashmere and the North-west +Himalayas generally, during the latter half of May, June, and the +first half of July, apparently at any elevation from 4000 to 8000 +feet. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This is perhaps the commonest bird in Cashmere, +even more so than _Passer indicus_. It is found at almost all +elevations above the valley where good woods occur. + +"I only took three nests, as the little bird is very cunning, and, +unlike the simple _P. humii_, is very careful indeed how it approaches +its nest when an enemy is near. + +"The nest is placed in a hole under the roots of a large tree on some +steep bank-side. I found one in a decayed stump of a large fir-tree, +inside the rotten wood. It was placed on a level with the ground, and +could not be seen till I had broken away part of the outside of the +stump. It was composed of green moss and small dead leaves, a scanty +and loosely formed nest, and not domed. It was lined with fine grass +and a little wool, and also a very few hairs. There were five eggs. + +"Another nest was also placed in a rotten stump, but under the roots. +A third nest was placed in a hole under the roots of a large living +pine, and in front of the hole grew a small rose-bush quite against +the tree-trunk. This nest was most carefully concealed, for the hole +behind the roots of the rose-bush was most difficult to find. + +"The eggs, four or five in number, are of a rather longer form than +those of _P. humii_, and are pure white without any spots. They +average ·65 by ·5." + +He added _in epist._:--"This is a much shier bird than _P. humii_. I +watched many a one without effect. The nest is a loose structure of +moss lined with a little wool, and would not retain its shape after +coming out of the hole. It is a most amusing bird, very noisy, with a +short poor song, and utters a variety of notes when you are near the +nest." + +Certainly the nests he brought me are nothing but little pads of moss, +3 to 4 inches in diameter and perhaps an inch in thickness. There is +no pretence for a lining, but a certain amount of wool and excessively +fine moss-roots are incorporated in the body of the nest. _In situ_ +they would appear to be sometimes more or less domed. + +Captain Cock writes to me:--"I have taken numbers of nests of this +bird in Cashmere and in and about the hill-station of Murree. They +commence breeding in May and have finished by July. The nests are +placed under roots of trees, in crevices of trees, between large +stems, and a favourite locality is, where the road has a stone +embankment to support it, between the stones. The nest is globular, +made of moss, and the number of eggs is four. I have often caught the +old bird on the nest. The nests are easy to find, as the birds are +very noisy and demonstrative when any one is near their nests." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall also very kindly gives me the following most +interesting note on the nidification of this species in the vicinity +of Murree. He says:-- + +"This little Willow-Warbler, so far as my own experience goes, always +prefers a pretty high elevation for breeding. Out of the dozen nests +found by Captain Cock and myself in the neighbourhood of Murree, none +were at an elevation of less than 6500 feet above the sea; and my +shikaree, who was always on the look out for me in the lower ranges, +never came across the nest of this species. + +"The nest is generally placed in holes at the foot of the large spruce +firs. It is a difficult nest to find, as the bird selects holes into +which the hand will not go, and outside there are no signs of there +being any nest within. + +"The cock bird spends most of his time at the tops of trees, coming +down at intervals. The only chance of success in taking the eggs is to +watch carefully any that may be flying low in the bushes, until they +disappear cautiously into the holes where they are breeding. I should +mention that we have also found some nests in the rough stone walls on +the hill road-sides. + +"The nest is as neatly and carefully built as if it had to be exposed +on the branch of a tree. It is globular in shape, made of moss, and +lined with feathers. The eggs are pure white. They apparently rear two +broods in the year. In the first nest, which we found under the root +of an old spruce-fir on the 17th May, the eggs were quite hard-set; +and I may remark that immediately over this nest, about 8 feet up the +tree in a crack in the wood, a little _Muscicapula superciliaris_ was +sitting on five eggs. Later at the end of June we found _fresh_ eggs +in several nests. The eggs in our collection were all taken between +the 17th May and the 10th July." + +They do not always, however, select such situations as those referred +to in the above accounts. Sir E.C. Buck, C.S., says:--"I found a nest +on 11th June in the roof of Major Batchelor's bungalow at Nachar, in +the Sutlej Valley; it contained young birds. I was not allowed to +disturb the nest, which was composed externally of moss. I noticed a +second half-made nest near the other." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, somewhat larger +than those of _P. humii_, and they are of a different character, being +spotless, white, and slightly glossy. In shape the eggs vary from +a nearly perfect, moderately elongated oval to a slightly pyriform +shape, broad at the large end, and a good deal compressed and somewhat +pointed towards the small end (_vide_ the representation of the eggs +of _Ruticilla tithys_ in Hewitson's work). + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·48 to +0·53; but the average of fifteen eggs measured is 0·65 by 0·5. + + +430. Acanthopneuste davisoni, Oates. _The Tenasserim White-tailed +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides viridipennis (_Blyth), apud Hume, cat._ no. 507[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume is of opinion that this bird is the true _P. +viridipennis_ of Blyth. I have elsewhere stated my reasons for +disagreeing with him.--ED.] + +It was on the 2nd of February, just at the foot of the final cone of +Mooleyit, at an elevation of over 6000 feet, that Mr. Davison came +upon the nest of this species. He says:-- + +"In a deep ravine close below the summit of Mooleyit I found a nest of +this Willow-Warbler. It was placed in a mass of creepers growing over +the face of a rock about 7 feet from the ground. It was only partially +screened, and I easily detected it on the bird leaving it. I was very +much astonished at finding a nest of a Willow-Warbler in Burmah, so +I determined to make positively certain of the owner. I marked the +place, and after a short time returned very quietly. I got within a +couple of feet of the nest; the bird sat still, and I watched her for +some time; the markings on the top of the head were very conspicuous. +On my attempting to go closer the bird flew off, and settled on a +small branch a few feet off. I moved back a short distance and shot +her, using a very small charge. + +"The nest was a globular structure, with the roof slightly projecting +over the entrance. It was composed externally chiefly of moss, +intermingled with dried leaves and fibres; the egg-cavity was warmly +and thickly lined with a felt of pappus. + +"The external diameter of the nest was about 4 inches; the egg-cavity +1 inch at the entrance, and 2 inches deep. + +"The nest contained three small pure white eggs." + +The three eggs here mentioned measured 0·59 and 0·6 in length, by 0·49 +in breadth. + + +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (Hodgs.) _Holgson's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albosuperciliaris, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 573. + +Throughout the Himalayas south of the first snowy ranges, and in all +wooded valleys in rear of these, from Darjeeling to Murree, this +Warbler appears to be a permanent resident. + +I have received its nests and eggs from several sources, and have +taken them in the Sutlej and Beas Valleys myself. They lay in the last +week of March, and throughout April and May, constructing a large +globular nest of moss, more or less mingled exteriorly with dry grass +and lined thinly with goat's hair, and then inside this thickly with +the softest wool or, in one nest that I found, with the inner downy +fur of hares. The entrance to the nest is sometimes on one side, +sometimes almost at the top, and is rather large for the size of the +bird. The nest is almost without exception placed on a grassy bank, at +the foot of some small bush, and usually contains four eggs. + +Talking of this species, and writing from Almorah on the 17th May, Mr. +Brooks said:--"I have just taken a nest. It was placed on a sloping +bank-side near the foot of a small bush. The bank was overgrown with +grass. The nest, which was on the ground, was a large ball-shaped one, +composed of very coarse grass, moss-roots, and wool, and lined with +hair and wool. It contained four pure white glossy eggs, which were +much pointed at the small end. I shot the bird off the nest. I had +already frequently met with fully-grown young birds of this species." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock remarked:--"On the 8th April I +found a nest of this species containing four white eggs; it was placed +on the ground, under a bush, on a steep bank. The nest was globular, +with rather a large entrance-hole, and was made of moss, with dry +grass outside, then black hair of goats, and thickly lined with the +softest of wool: _no feathers_ in the nest. I caught the bird on the +nest; it is common here." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells us:--"A nest found on the 22nd May at +Naini Tal, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained three hard-set +eggs. The eggs were pure white. The nest was a most beautiful little +structure of moss, lined with wool; it was globular, with the entrance +at one side, and placed on a bank among some ground-ivy, the outer +part of the nest having a few broad grass-blades interwoven so as to +assimilate the appearance of the nest to that of the bank against +which it lay. It was at the side of a narrow glen with a northern +aspect, and about four feet above the pathway, close to the spring +from which my _bhisti_ daily draws water, the bird sitting fearlessly +while passed and repassed by people going down the glen within a foot +or two of the nest." + +The eggs are pure white, and generally fairly glossy. In texture the +shells are very fine and compact. The eggs are moderately broad ovals, +much pointed towards the small end, and vary from 0·6 to 0·65 in +length, and from 0·48 to 0·52 in breadth; but the average of twenty +eggs measured is 0·63 by 0·5 nearly. + + +435. Cryptolopha jerdoni (Brooks). _Brooks's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis xanthoschistos (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 572. + +This Warbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes[A], both in +Nepal and Sikhim up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. They lay in +May three or four pure white eggs. They make their nest on the ground +in thick bushes, or in holes in banks, or under roots of trees. The +nest is a large mass of moss and dry leaves, somewhat egg-shaped, with +the entrance at one end, some 6 inches in length, 4 inches in breadth, +and 3·5 in height externally, and with an oval entrance about 1·5 high +and 2·25 wide. Inside it is carefully lined with moss-roots. Both +sexes assist in hatching and rearing the young, which are ready to fly +in July. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum are _C. +xanthoschista_; but _C. jerdoni_ also occurs in Nepal, and Mr. Hodgson +_may_ have found the nests of both. I leave the note as it appeared +in the 'Rough Draft,' as the two species are not likely to differ in +their habits, and it matters little to which species Mr. Hodgson's +note refers, provided the above remarks are borne in mind.--ED.] + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie says:--"I found one nest of this species at +Rishap, at an elevation of 5000 feet, on the 20th May. The nest was in +thin forest, near its outer edge, and placed on the ground beside a +small stem. It was domed, and composed entirely of moss, with the +exception of a few fibres in the hood or dome portion, and was lined +with thistle-down. The exterior diameter was 3·3, the height 3·2: the +cavity was 1·6 in diameter, and only an inch in depth below the lower +margin of the entrance, which was the rim of the true cup, over which +the hood was drawn. The nest contained four fresh eggs." + +Several nests of this species that have been sent me from Sikhim +were all of the same type--beautiful little cups, some placed on the +ground, some amongst the twigs of brushwood a little above the ground, +composed entirely of fine moss and a little fern-root, and with the +interior of the cavity not indeed regularly lined but dotted about +with tufts of silky seed-down. + +The eggs are very similar to but smaller than those of the preceding +species--very broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and faintly glossy. In length they vary from 0·53 to 0·58, and +in breadth from 0·45 to 0·49. + + +436. Cryptolopha poliogenys (Blyth). _The Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis poliogenys (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of the Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler, taken on the 8th May in large forest at 6000 feet, +contained three hard-set eggs. It was suspended to a snag among the +moss growing on the stem of a small tree at five feet up. The moss +supported it more than did the snag. It is a solid cup-shaped +structure, made of green moss and lined with very fine roots. +Externally it measures 3½ inches across and 2¼ deep; internally 2 +inches wide and 1¾ deep." + +The eggs of this species, like those of _C. xanthoschista_ and _C. +jerdoni_, are pure white. They are not, I think, separable from the +eggs of these two species. Those sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0·66 +and 0·67 in length by 0·5 in breadth. + + +437. Cryptolopha castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 205; _Hume. +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 578. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler breeds in the central hill-region of Nepal from +April to June, laying three or four eggs, which are neither figured +nor described. The nest itself is a beautiful structure of mosses, +lichens, moss- and fern-roots, and fine stems worked into the shape +of a large egg, measuring 6 and 4 inches along the longer and shorter +diameters; it is placed on the ground in the midst of a clump of ferns +or thick grass, with the longer diameter perpendicular to the ground. +The aperture, which is about halfway between the middle and the top of +the nest, and on one side, is oval, about 2 inches in width and 1·75 +in height. Both sexes are said to assist in hatching and rearing the +young. + + +438. Cryptolopha cantator (Tick.). _Tickell's Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Culicipeta cantator (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 200. +Abrornis cantator (_Tick.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 570. + +A nest containing a single egg has been sent me as that of Tickell's +Flycatcher-Warbler. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at an +elevation, it is said, of 12,000 feet. It was suspended to the tip of +a branch of a tree at a height of about 8 feet from the ground. The +nest is a most lovely one; but I confess that I have doubts as to its +really belonging to this species. + +The nest is, for the size of the bird, a large watch-pocket, some 6 +inches in total length and 3·5 in breadth, composed entirely of white, +satiny seed-down, densely felted together to the thickness of half +an inch. The lower part, sides, and back very thinly, and the upper +portion and the margin of the mouth of the pocket thickly, coated with +excessively fine green moss and very fine soft vegetable fibre. + +My sole reason for doubting the authenticity of the nest is that +another _precisely_ similar one was sent me by another collector, a +European, as belonging to an _Aethopyga_, together with the female +which he shot off the nest. + +The present nest contained a pure white egg; the other spotted eggs. +Both collectors I have no doubt were fully assured of the correctness +of their identification, and it may be that both species of birds +construct similar nests; but I entertain considerable doubts on this +subject, and think it right to note the fact. + +The egg is a very broad oval, pure white, and very glossy, and +measures 0·6 by 0·49. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a lovely nest, which he says belongs to this +species. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at about 12,000 feet +elevation. It was suspended from the tiny branch of a tree at a height +of about 8 feet from the ground. The nest is a perfect watch-pocket, +composed entirely of white silky down belonging to one of the +bombaxes, thinly coated here and there with strings of moss to keep +it together, and more thickly so with this and vegetable fibre at and +about the point of suspension and round the rim of the mouth of the +pocket. The nest is altogether about. 6 inches long and about 3 inches +in diameter at its broadest; the lower edge of the aperture into the +pocket is 2 inches from the bottom of the nest, and the aperture is +about 2 inches wide. It is altogether one of the loveliest nests I +have ever seen: but I cannot feel certain that the nest really belongs +to this species; for I have had a precisely similar nest, also found +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, similarly suspended at a height of about +5 feet from the ground, sent me as belonging to another species of +_Abrornis_; and though Mr. Mandelli is usually right, I think the +matter requires further confirmation. + + +440. Abrornis superciliaris, Tick. _The Yellow-bellied +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis flaviventris, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major T.C. Bingham says:-- + +"I have shot this bird on the Zammee choung, where I got a nest with +eggs; and I have more than once seen it in the Thoungyeen forests. + +"The following is an account of the nest I found, recorded in my +note-book:-- + +"Khasat village--Khasat choung, Zammee river, 9th March, 1878.--My +camp to-day was pitched in the midst of a dense bamboo-break, close to +a path leading to the village. + +"About ten feet from my tent on this path, passers-by had cut one +of the bamboos in a clump and left it leaning up against the clump; +between two knots of this a rough hack had broken an irregular hole +into a joint. + +"Sitting outside my tent and looking carelessly about, my attention +was attracted by what I took to be a leaf flutter down close to the +above-mentioned bamboo, and to my surprise disappear before it reached +the ground. Wondering at this, I got up and approached the place, when +from the aforementioned hole in the bamboo out darted a little bird; +and looking in I saw a neat little nest of fibres placed on the lower +knot with three eggs, white densely speckled, chiefly in a ring at the +larger end, with pinkish claret spots. + +"I went back to my tent, watched the bird return, and shot her as on +being frightened off she flew out a second time. It proved to be the +above species. + +"I took the nest and eggs. The latter, I regret to say, were lost +subsequently through the carelessness of a servant, but I had luckily +measured and taken a description of them. + +"Their dimensions were respectively 0·57 x 0·42, 0·59 x 0·42, and 0·59 +x 0·44." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Warbler on the +15th June at 1800 feet elevation. It was inside a bamboo-stem near the +banks of the Ryeng stream. Just under a node some one had cut out a +notch, which the birds made their entrance. The nest rested on the +node below and fitted the hollow of the bamboo. It was made of dry +bamboo-leaves, and lined with soft, fibrous material. It measured +5 inches deep and 3 inches wide, with an egg cavity of 2 inches in +depth, by 1¾ inch in width. The eggs, which were hard-set, were but +three in number." + +The eggs are rather long ovals, the shell fine but with very little +gloss; the ground-colour is a dull white or pinky white, and it is +thickly freckled and mottled about the large end and thinly elsewhere +with red, in some cases slightly browner, in others purple. The +markings have a tendency to form a cap or zone about the large end, +and here, where the markings are densest, some little lilac or +purplish-grey spots and clouds are intermingled. + +An egg measures 0·61 by 0·43. + + +441. Abrornis schisticeps (Hodgs.). _The Black-faced +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 201; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 571. + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Black-faced Flycatcher-Warbler is "a +common species in the neighbourhood of Mussoorie, at 5000 feet, and +commences building in March. A pair of these birds selected a thick +China rose-bush trained against the side of the house, and had +completed the nest and laid one egg when a rat destroyed it. I +subsequently took two other nests in May, both placed on the ground +in holes in the side of a bank by the roadside. In form the nest is +a ball, with a round lateral entrance, and is composed externally +of dried grasses and green moss, lined with bits of wool, cotton, +feathers, thread, and hair. The eggs are three in number." + +Two eggs of this species, sent to me by Captain Hutton, are very +perfect ovals, pure white[A], and rather glossy. + +[Footnote A: There can be little doubt that Capt. Hutton's eggs were +wrongly identified.--ED.] + +They both measure 0·62 by 0·48. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"The only nest I ever found of this +Warbler was in a natural hole in a small tree in an open part of a +large forest, at 5500 feet above the sea. In a cleft, five feet from +ground, where a limb had been lopped off, there was a small hole, +barely large enough, at entrance to admit the bird, but gradually +widening out for the seven or eight inches of its depth. In the bottom +of this cavity was a loose lining of dry bamboo-leaves, on which lay +five eggs. They do not agree with those taken by Captain Hutton, which +were 'pure white,' but I am absolutely certain of the authenticity of +the eggs taken by me. They were well-set, so five is probably the full +complement. They were taken on the 26th May." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie, for the authenticity of which he vouches, +are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed and pyriform towards +the small end. They have but little gloss, and are of the same type as +_A. superciliaris_ and _A. albigularis_. The ground is a dull pinkish +white, and they are profusely mottled and streaked with red, which in +some eggs is brownish, in some purplish. The markings are densest at +the large end, where they have a tendency to form an irregular zone, +which in some specimens is very conspicuous. + +These eggs vary from 0·56 to 0·57 in length, and from 0·41 to 0·42 in +breadth. + + +442. Abrornis albigularis, Hodgs. _The White-throated +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albigularis, _Hodgs._, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 204. + +A nest of this species found in Native Sikhim, below Namtchu, on +the 28th July, is a regular Tailor-bird's nest, absolutely +undistinguishable from the one also sent me by Mr. Mandelli as +belonging to _Orthotomus atrigularis_, so that for the moment I have +some doubts as to the authenticity of this nest. Two leaves, precisely +of the same species as those made use of by the Tailor-bird in +question, have been sewn together with the same bright yellow silk, +and the little deep cup-shaped nest within is composed exactly of the +same excessively fine grass. Another nest, also said to belong to this +species, but of a very different character, has been sent me by Mr. +Mandelli. This was found at Yendong, in Native Sikhim, on the 6th +July, and contained four fresh eggs precisely of the type of those of +_A. schisticeps_. The nest was placed in the cavity of a truncated +bamboo about 4 feet from the ground, and was a loose cup, the basal +portion composed of dry bamboo-leaves, and the rest of the nest being +made of excessively fine grass, flower-stems, similar to those used +in the Tailor-bird-like nest above described, but with a quantity of +feathers mingled with this in the lining of the nest. + +The eggs of this species are of precisely the same type as those of +_A. schisticeps_ and _A. superciliaris_, but they are the smallest +of all. They are little regular oval eggs, with a white, greyish, or +pinky white ground, with deep red freckled and mottled markings, which +are densely set about the large end, where they generally form a cap +or zone, and usually much less dense elsewhere. + +The eggs sent me measured 0·55 and 0·57 by 0·43. + + +445. Scotocerca inquieta (Cretzschm.). _The Streaked Scrub-Warbler_. + +Scotocerca inquieta (_Rüpp._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550 +bis. + +The Streaked Scrub-Warbler is a permanent resident of the bare stony +hills which, under many names and broken into multitudinous ranges, +run down from the Khyber Pass to the sea, dividing the Punjab and Sind +from Afghanistan and Khelat. + +An account of its nidification is contained in the following note +furnished me by the late Captain Cock:-- + +"I first discovered this bird breeding in February in the Khuttuck +Hills. It is common throughout the range of stony hills between +Peshawur and Attock, and I have seen it on the hills between Jhelum +and Pindi, but never took their nest in this latter locality. At +Nowshera it is very common, and towards the end of February a +collector could take four or five nests in a day. It builds in a low +thorny shrub, about 1½ feet from the ground, makes a largish globular +nest of thin dry grass-stems, with an opening in the side, thickly +lined with seed-down, and containing four or five eggs. Their +nesting-operations are over by the end of March." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, who observed the bird at Chaman in Afghanistan, +says:--"These birds are quite common about here on the plains, but I +have not observed them on the hills. They commence breeding towards +the end of March; the nest is globular in shape, not unlike that of +_Franklinia buchanani_, but somewhat larger, built invariably in +stunted bushes about two feet from the ground. It is well lined with +feathers and fine grass, the outer portion being composed of fibres +and coarse grass. The normal number of eggs is six. I have found less, +but never more, and whenever a lesser number has been taken they have +always proved to be fresh laid. + +"The eggs are oval in shape, white, with a pinkish tinge when fresh, +very minutely spotted and speckled with light red, most densely at the +larger end. The average of twelve eggs is 0·62 by 0·43." + +The eggs are moderately broad and regular ovals, usually somewhat +compressed towards one end, but occasionally exhibiting no trace of +this. The shell is very fine and delicate, but, as a rule, entirely +devoid of gloss. The ground-colour varies from pure to pinky white. +The markings are always minute, but in some they are comparatively +much bolder and larger than in others, and they vary in colour from +reddish pink to a comparatively bright red. In many eggs the markings +are much more dense towards the large end, where they form, or exhibit +a strong tendency to form, an irregular, more or less confluent zone; +and wherever the markings are dense there a certain number of tiny +pale purple or lilac spots or clouds will be found intermingled with +and underlying the red markings. Some eggs show none of these spots +and exhibit no tendency to form a zone, being pretty uniformly +speckled and spotted all over. Some are not very unlike eggs of +the Grasshopper and Dartford Warblers; others, again, are almost +counterparts of the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·51. + + +446. Neomis flavolivaceus, Hodgs.[A] _The Aberrant Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I have transferred Hodgson's notes under this title in +the 'Rough Draft' to _Horornis fortipes_, to which bird Hodgson's +account of the nidification undoubtedly relates, his type-birds No. +900 being _Neornis assimilis_.--ED.] + +Neornis flavolivacea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 188. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird at Darjeeling:--"Lays in the second week in July. Eggs three in +number, blunt, ovato-pyriform. Size 0·69 by 0·55. Colour deep dull +claret-red, with a darker band at broad end. Nest, a deep cup, outside +of bamboo-leaves, inside fine vegetable fibres, lined with feathers." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Tree-Warbler +(though why it should be called a Tree-Warbler I cannot imagine, for +it sticks closely to grass and low scrub, and never by any chance +perches on a tree) breeding from May to July at elevations from 3500 +up to 6000 feet. All the nests I have seen were of a globular shape +with entrance near the top. Both in shape and position the nest much +resembles that of _Suya atrigularis_, and is, I have no doubt, the one +brought to Jerdon as belonging to that bird. It is placed in grassy +bushes, in open country, within a foot or so of the ground, and +is made of bamboo-leaves and, for the size of the bird, coarse +grass-stems, with an inner layer of fine grass-panicles, from which +the seeds have dropped, and lined with feathers. Externally it +measures about 6 inches in depth by 4 in width. The egg-cavity, from +lower edge of entrance, is 2¼ inches deep by 1¾ wide. The entrance is +2 inches across. The usual number of eggs is three." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are very regular, rather broad, oval eggs, +with a decided but not very strong gloss. In colour they are a uniform +deep chocolate-purple. In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·69, and in +breadth from 0·49 to 0·52.[A] + +[Footnote A: I cannot identify the following bird, which appears in +the 'Rough Draft' under the number 552 bis. I reproduce the note +together with some additional matter furnished later on by Mr. Gammie. +_Neornis assimilis_ is nothing but _Horornis fortipes_; but I cannot +reconcile Mr. Gammie's account of the nest with that of _H. fortipes_, +inasmuch as nothing is said about a lining of feathers, which appears +to be an unfailing characteristic of the nest of _H. fortipes_.--ED. + + +No. 552 bis.--NEORNIS ASSIMILIS, _Hodgs._ + +Mr. Gammie sent me a bird unmistakably of this species--Blyth's +Aberrant Tree-Warbler--together with the lining of a nest and three +eggs. + +He says:--"The nest, eggs, and bird were brought to me on the 18th May +by a native, who said the nest was placed in a shrub, about 6 feet +from the ground, in a place filled with scrub near Rishap, at about +3500 feet above the sea. I noted at the time the man's account, but as +I did not take the nest myself, I kept no account of it. All I know +about it is written on the ticket attached to the nest sent to you. +The bird was snared on the nest. Though I did not take it myself, I +have little doubt that it is quite correct." + +The lining of the nest is a little, soft, shallow saucer 2½ inches in +diameter, composed of the finest and softest brown roots. + +The eggs are somewhat of the same type as those of _N. flavolivaceus_, +but in colour more resembling those of some of the ten-tail-feathered +_Prinias_. They are very short broad ovals, pulled out and pointed +towards one end, _approximating_ to the peg-top type. They are very +glossy and of a uniform Indian red; duller coloured rather than +those of the _Prinias_; not so deep or purple as those of _N. +flavolivaceus_. + +They measured 0·65 by 0·52. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes further:--"This bird, I find, does not +build in bushes, but on the ground, or rather on low leaf or weed +heaps. It not unfrequently takes advantage of the small weed heaps +collected round the edges of native cultivations. On the tops of these +heaps it collects a lot of dry leaves, and places its nest among them. +It sits exceedingly close, only rising when almost stepped on. + +"The nest is a rather deep cup, neatly made of dry grass and a +few leaves, and lined with fine roots, and the bare twigs of fine +grass-panicles. It measures externally about 3·2 inches in diameter by +2·8 in depth; internally 2 inches by 1·75. + +"The eggs are three or four in number, and are laid in May from low +elevations up to about 3500 feet." + +The eggs of this species, of which Mr. Gammie has now sent me two +nests, are of the regular _Prinia_ type--typically broad ovals, +approximating to the peg-top type, but sometimes more elongated and +pointed towards the small end. They are very glossy and of a uniform +dull Indian red, deeper coloured than any _Prinia's_ that I have seen. + +They vary from 0·65 to 0·69 in length, and from 0·48 to 0·52 in +breadth.] + + +448. Horornis fortipes, Hodgs. _The Strong-footed Bush-Warbler_. + +Horornis fortipes, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 162. +Dumeticola fortipes, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 526. + +According to Mr. Hodgson[A], this Tree-Warbler breeds from May to July +in the central region of Nepal. They build a tolerably compact and +rather shallow cup-shaped nest of grass and dry bamboo-leaves, mingled +with grass-roots and vegetable fibre and lined with feathers. + +[Footnote A: This note of Mr. Hodgson's refers to his plate No. +900. The birds in his collection bearing this number are _Neornis +assimilis_, and are the same as _Horornis fortipes_.--ED.] + +A nest taken on the 29th May measured externally 3·5 in diameter and +2 inches in height, and internally 2 inches in diameter by 1·37 +in depth. It contained four eggs, which are figured as deep dull +purple-red. Dr. Jerdon gave me two eggs, as I now feel certain, +belonging to this species; there is no mistaking them, as they are the +most wonderful coloured eggs I ever saw; but as he was not certain +to what species they belonged, I unfortunately threw them away. Mr. +Hodgson figures the egg as a moderately broad oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, slightly glossy, and measuring 0·65 by 0·47. + +Two nests and eggs, together with one of the parent birds, of the +Strong-footed Bush-Warbler were sent me from Sikhim. Both nests were +found in thick brushwood or low jungle, at elevations of 5000 to 5500 +feet--the one at Lebong on the 12th June, the other on another spur of +the same hill in July. + +The nests were very similar--small massive cups, composed exteriorly +of dry blades of grass and leaves, and lined internally with fine +grass and a few feathers. Both nests exhibit this lining of feathers, +so that it is no accident but a characteristic of the bird's +architecture. In one nest a good deal more of the fine flower-panicle +stems of grasses are intermingled than in the other. Externally the +nests are about 4·5 in diameter and 2·5 in height; the cavity 2 inches +in diameter and about 1·25 in depth. + +Five more nests of this species have been taken by Mr. Mandelli in the +neighbourhood of Lebong, between the 18th May and 15th July; with one +exception, where there were only three slightly set eggs, all the +nests contained four more or less incubated ones. All the nests were +placed in amongst the twigs of low brushwood at heights of from 1 to +3 feet from the ground, and all present the invariable characteristic +feature of this species, namely, a greater or less admixture of +feathers in the lining of the cavity. Examining the nests carefully, +it will be seen that they are composed of three layers--exteriorly +everywhere coarse blades of grass and straw loosely put together, +inside this a mass of extremely fine panicle-stems of flowering grass, +and then inside this the lining of moderately fine grass mingled +with feathers. The nests vary a good deal in size, according to the +thickness of the coarse outer layer and the extent to which this +straggles; but they seem to be generally from 4 to 5 inches in +diameter, and 2·5 in height, whilst the cavity is about 2 inches in +diameter, and 1, or a little more than 1, in depth. + +The eggs (each nest contained four) are _sui generis_, moderately +broad regular ovals, with a decided but not brilliant gloss, and of +a nearly uniform chocolate-purple. The eggs of one nest are of a a +slightly deeper shade than those of another, probably in consequence +of one set being more incubated than the other. They vary in length +from 0·66 to 0·69, and from 0·49 to 0·52 in breadth. + +I do not entertain the slightest doubt of these nests and eggs. + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me many more eggs of this species, mostly deep +chocolate-purple, but here and there an egg somewhat paler, what might +be called a pinkish chocolate. They vary from 0·61 to 0·70 in length, +and from 0·48 to 0·53 in breadth; but the average of fifteen eggs is +0·67 by 0·51 nearly. + + +450. Horornis pallidus(Brooks). _The Pale Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidus, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 527 bis. + +The Pale Bush-Warbler breeds in Cashmere, according to Mr. Brooks, +during May. I know nothing either of the bird or its nidification +myself. I have never even closely examined a specimen, and merely +accept the species on Mr. Brooks's authority. + +He tells me that he found a nest on the 25th May at Kangan in +Cashmere. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"The nest of _Horornis pallidus_, which I found +near Kangan in Cashmere, up the Sind Valley, was placed in tangled +brushwood, and about five feet above the ground. It was on a slightly +sloping bank, and close to the edge of a patch of jungle, not far from +the right bank of the river. + +"It was composed of coarse dry grass externally, with fine roots and +fibres towards the inside of the nest, and was profusely lined with +feathers. It was large for the bird, being 7 or 8 inches in external +diameter, of a globular form, with the entrance at the side. I don't +remember the size of the cavity of the nest, but its walls were very +thick. + +"In external appearance it was rough and clumsy, and looked more like +a Sparrow's nest than that of a small Sylvine bird. The entrance was +about 1¾ inch in diameter, and was with the interior of the nest neat +and strong. _Horornis pallidus_ occurs at from 5600 feet elevation up +to 7000 and even 8000 feet. It was abundant at Suki up the Bhagirutti +Valley, and I heard of one even at Grangootree." + +The shape of the egg is peculiar, being rather flattened in outline +at the sides and then suddenly rounded at the smaller end. There is +a considerable amount of gloss on the surface, which is of a dull +purple-brown, rather darker in tint at the large end. There are a very +few indistinct cloudy markings of brown scattered here and there +over the egg. In general appearance the egg puts one in mind of a +_Prinia's_. + +The egg measured 0·64 by 0·49. + + +451. Horornis pallidipes (Blanf.). _Blanfords Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidipes (_Blanf.), Hume, cat._ no. 527 quat. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species. The one was found on +the 24th May at Ging, near the Rungnoo River, Sikhim, and contained +four fresh eggs; it was placed on the ground amongst coarse grass. The +other, which was similarly placed, was found on the 29th June below +Lebong at an elevation of about 4000 feet, and contained three fresh +eggs. Both nests are rather coarse untidy little cups, some 3 inches +in diameter, and 1·75 in height exteriorly, lined and mainly composed +of very fine grass, but coated exteriorly everywhere with dry flags, +bits of bamboo spathes, and with one or two dead leaves incorporated +at the bottom of the structure. + + +452. Horornis major (Hodgs.). _The Large Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites major, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 529 (err. +629). + +A nest said to belong to the Large Bush-Warbler was sent in with one +of the parent birds in July from near Lachong in Native Sikhim, where +it was found at an elevation of about 14,000 feet. It was placed at +a height of about a foot from the ground in a stunted thorny shrub +common at these high elevations. It was a very warm little cup, about +3 inches in diameter, composed of the finest fern and moss-roots, tiny +fern-leaves, wool, and numbers of the coarse white crinkly hairs of +the burhel. It contained three fresh eggs, regular, slightly elongated +ovals, a little pointed towards the small end; the shell fine and +compact, but with scarcely any gloss. + +The ground-colour is white with a faint greenish-blue tinge, and on +the larger half of the egg excessively minute specks of brownish red +are thinly sprinkled, except just at the crown of the egg, where the +specks are denser and exhibit a tendency to form a tiny cap. On the +smaller half of the egg very few, if any, specklings are to be traced. + +In length the eggs measure 0·7 and 0·71, and in breadth 0·53 to 0·55. + + +454. Phyllergates coronatus (Jerd. & Bl.). _The Golden-headed +Warbler_. + +Orthotomus coronatus, _Jerd. & Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 168; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 531. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me, said to be +those of this bird. The nest was similar to that of the last [_O. +sutorius_], but not so carefully made; the leaves were loosely +attached, and with fewer stitches. The eggs were two in number, white, +with rusty spots." + + +455. Horeites brunneifrons, Hodgs. _The Rufous-capped Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 163. + +The egg is a rather broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the +small end; the shell is pretty stout for the size of the egg, and +is entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale drabby +stone-colour, and all about the large end is a broad dense zone of +dull brownish purple. The zone consists of a nearly confluent mass of +extremely minute ill-defined speckles, and outside the zone similar +speckles and tiny spots occur, though nowhere very noticeable unless +closely examined. + +Two eggs of this species were brought from Native Sikhim, together +with one of the parent birds; they are regular ovals, slightly pointed +towards the small end. + +The ground-colour is dull, glossless, pinky white; the markings +consist chiefly of a broad ill-defined zone of dull dark purple; the +other parts of the egg are sparingly, but pretty evenly speckled and +spotted with pale purple. + +The eggs measure 0·66 by 0·49 and 0·64 by 0·48[A]. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species +amongst Mr. Hume's papers. There is nothing beyond the above two notes +on the eggs.--ED.] + + +458. Suya crinigera, Hodgs. _The Brown Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya criniger, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 183; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 547. + +The Brown Hill-Warbler breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 2000 to 6000 feet, at any rate from Sikhim, where it is +comparatively rare, to the borders of Afghanistan. + +The breeding-season lasts from the beginning of May until the middle +of July, but the majority of the birds lay during May. + +A nest which I took at Dilloo, in the Kangra Valley, on the 26th May, +was situated near the base of a low bush on the side of a steep hill; +it was placed in the fork of several twigs near the centre of the +bush, about 2 feet from the ground. It was an excessively flimsy deep +cup, about 3 inches in diameter, and 2½ inches in depth internally. It +was composed of downy seeds of grass held together externally by a +few very fine blades of grass, and irregularly and loosely lined with +excessively fine grass-stems. + +Many other nests subsequently obtained were similar in their +materials, the great body of the nest consisting of grass-down, +slightly felted together and wound round with slender blades of grass. +The nest, however, is by no means always cup-shaped; it is often +covered in above, an aperture being left on one side near the top. + +A nest which I found near Kotegurh is composed of fine grass _very_ +loosely and slightly put together, all the interspaces being carefully +filled in with grass-down firmly felted together. The nest is nearly +the shape of an egg, the entrance being on one side, and extending +from about the middle to close to the top. The exterior dimensions of +the nest are about 5½ inches for the major axis, and 3 inches for +the minor. The entrance-aperture is circular, and about 2 inches in +diameter. The thickness of the nest is a little over three eighths +of an inch; but the lower portion, which is lined with _very_ fine +grass-stems, is somewhat thicker. The nest was in a thorny bush, +partly suspended from just above the entrance-aperture and partly +resting against, though not attached to, some neighbouring twigs. It +contained seven eggs, and was taken at Kirlee (Kotegurh) on the 30th +May. Of course, the position of the nest was that of an egg standing +on end and not lying on its side. + +They lay from five to seven eggs, and have, _I think_ two broods. + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it makes a large, loosely constructed nest of +fine grass, the opening near the top a little at one side, and lays +three or four eggs of a fleshy white, with numerous small rusty-red +spots tending to form a ring at the large end." + +Writing about a collection of eggs made at Murree, Messrs. Cock and +Marshall tell us:--"Nest built in high jungle-grass, loosely but +neatly made of very fine grass and cobwebs, opening at one side near +the top. Breeds late in June at about 4000 feet elevation." + +From Almorah Mr. Brooks writes that this species was "common on +hill-sides where low bushes were numerous. One nest found was +suspended in a low bush, and was a very neat purse-shaped one, with an +opening near the top and rather on one side. It was composed of fine +soft grass of a kind which had dried green, and was intermixed with +the down of plants and lined with finer grass. The eggs were four in +number; the ground-colour white, speckled sparingly with light red, +but having also a broad zone or ring of deeper reddish brown very near +the large end--on the top of the larger end, in fact. + +"Laying in Kumaon in May." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton remarks:--"This little bird appears on +the hill, at about 5000 feet, in May. A nest taken much lower down in +June was composed of grasses neatly interwoven in the shape of +an ovate ball, the smaller end uppermost and forming the mouth or +entrance; it was lined first with cottony seed-down, and then with +fine grass-stalks; it was suspended among high grass, and contained +five beautiful little eggs of a carneous white colour, thicky freckled +with deep rufous, and with a darkish confluent ring of the same at the +larger end. I have seen this species as high as 7000 feet in October. +It delights to sit on the summit of tall grass, or even of an oak, +from whence it pours forth a loud and long-continued grating note like +the filing of a saw." + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"A nest taken on the 29th June +contained only two fresh eggs. The nest was of the shape of a mangoe, +the small end being uppermost, and the entrance on one side, near the +top; its measurements externally were, in height 5·2, in breadth +3·6 in one direction and 2·65 in the other; the opening was nearly +circular, 1·8 in diameter. It was rather flimsy in structure, +composed of grass-down, more or less felted together, and bound round +externally with dry green grass-blades; internally it was scantily +lined with fine grass-stems, which were used to strengthen the lower +lip of the entrance-hole. The eggs were fairly glossy, moderate or +longish oval in shape, and measured 0·65 by 0·5 and 0·7 by 0·49; +the ground-colour was pinkish white, the small end nearly free from +markings, the middle portion with faint streaks and tiny indistinct +spots of brownish red, and the large end with a zone of bright +brownish red or a confluent cap of the same colour." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This Suya breeds from May to June in +the warmest valleys up to 3500 feet. It affects open grassy tracts, +and builds its nest in a bunch of grass, within a foot or two of the +ground. The nest is an extremely neat egg-shaped structure, with +entrance at side, made of fine grass-stems thickly felted over with +the white seeds of a tall flowering grass, which gives it a very +pretty appearance. Externally it measures 5 inches in height by 3 +in diameter; the cavity is 2·25 wide and 2 deep, from lower edge of +entrance. The entrance is about 2·25 across. + +"The usual number of eggs is four. I have never found more, but on +several occasions as few as two and three well-incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie near Mongphoo, on the 18th +April, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, contained three fresh eggs. +It closely resembles nests that I have taken of _S. crinigera_ in +shape, somewhat like an egg, with the entrance on one side, near the +top, exteriorly about 5 inches in length, and 2¾ inches in diameter, +with an aperture a little less than 2 inches across. It was built +amongst grass, of which a few fine stalks constitute the outer +framework, and the whole body of the nest inside this framework +consists solely of the flower-down of grass firmly felted together. It +is lined pretty thickly everywhere with the excessively fine stalks +which bear this down. + +Taking a large series, I should describe the eggs as typically regular +but somewhat elongated ovals, often fairly glossy, at times +almost glossless. The ground varies from pale pinky white to pale +salmon-colour. A dense, more or less mottled, zone or cap at the +large end, varying in different specimens from reddish pink to almost +brick-red, and more or less of speckling, mottling, or freckling of a +somewhat lighter shade than the zone spreads in some thinly, in some +densely over the rest of the egg. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·55; but the average of sixty-five eggs is 0·69 by 0·52. + + +459. Suya atrigularis, Moore[A]. _The Black-throated Hill-Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this article nearly as it appears in the +'Rough Draft;' but I have great doubts as to the occurrence of this +bird in Kumaon, and I further doubt the identification of Hodgson's +notes with this species. It is quite clear, from his specimens in the +British Museum, that Hodgson confounded _S. atrigularis_ in winter +plumage with _S. crinigera_, and his plate of the former in summer +plumage contains no note on nidification.--ED.] + +Suya atrogularis, _Moore, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 184; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 549. + +The Black-throated Hill-Warbler breeds in Kumaon and the Himalayas +eastwards from thence, at elevations of 4000 to 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from April to July, but the birds mostly lay +in May and June. Open grassy hillsides dotted about with scrub, thin +forests, or gardens are the localities it affects. The nest is placed +at times in some low bush surrounded with and grown through by grass, +more commonly in clumps of grass, and never at any great height from +the ground. It is more or less egg-shaped, and placed with the longer +diameter vertical, the entrance being on one side above the middle. It +is composed exteriorly sometimes of fine grass-roots, sometimes of the +finest possible grass, loosely but sufficiently firmly interwoven, +a little moss being often incorporated in the upper portion, and +internally always, I think, exclusively of fine grass. + +Four is perhaps the usual number of the eggs, but I have found five. + +Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, says:--"I have found four nests of +this species this year in the Chinchona reserves, at elevations of +from 4500 to 5500 feet, during the months of May and June. The nests +were all in open grassy country, in grass by the sides of low banks, +and not above a foot off the ground. They are globular, with a lateral +entrance, composed of grass, and with a little moss about the +dome. One I measured was 5·5 high, and 4·5 in diameter externally; +internally the nest was 2·4 in diameter, and the cavity had a total +height of 3·9, of which 2 inches was below the lower edge of the +entrance. According to my experience four is the regular complement of +eggs. I have repeatedly (three times this year) shot the female off +the nest, and beyond question Jerdon is wrong about this bird's laying +Indian-red eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in groves and +open forest in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal from April to +June, building a large globular nest in clumps of grass, of dry grass, +roots, and moss, lined with fine grass and moss-roots. The entrance, +which is circular, is at one side; the nest is egg-shaped, the longer +diameter being perpendicular, and is placed at a height of about 6 +inches from the ground. A nest taken on the 30th. May measured 6·12 +in height and 3·5 in diameter externally, and the circular aperture, +which was just above the middle, was 1·75 in diameter. It contained +four eggs, which are represented as ovals, a good deal pointed towards +one end, measuring 0·69 by 0·55. The ground-colour is a pale green, +and they are speckled and spotted with bright red, the markings being +most numerous towards the large end, where they have a tendency to +form a zone or cap. + +Dr. Jerdon says that "it makes its nest of fine grass and withered +stalks, large, very loosely put together, globular, with a hole near +the top, and lays three or four eggs of an entirely dull Indian-red +colour." This undoubtedly is a mistake; the eggs he refers to are, I +think, those of _Neornis flavolivaceus_. He gave them to me, but was +not certain of the species they belonged to. + +The eggs of the present species are of much the same shape as those +of the preceding, and there is a certain similarity in the colour of +both; but in these eggs the ground-colour instead of being pink or +pinky white, is a pale, delicate, sometimes greyish, green. Then +though there is the same kind of zone round the large end, it is a +purple or purplish, instead of a brick-red, and it is manifestly made +up of innumerable minute specks, and has not the cloudy confluent +character of the zone in _S. crinigera_. Outside the zone minute +specks of the same purplish red are scattered, in some pretty thickly, +in others sparsely, over the whole of the rest of the surface. As a +body the eggs have a faint gloss, decidedly less, however, than those +of _S. crinigera_, but some few are absolutely glossless. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·63 to 0·79, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·43; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0·68 by 0·5. + + +460. Suya khasiana, Godw.-Aust. _Austen's Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya khasiana, _Godw.-Aust., Hume, cat._ no. 549 bis. + +I found this bird high up in the eastern hills of Mauipur, frequenting +dense herbaceous undergrowth of balsams and the like in forest. On +the 11th of May I caught a female on her nest, containing four +well-incubated eggs. The nest was placed in a wild ginger-plant, about +two feet from the ground, in forest at the very summit of the Makhi +hill. + + +462. Prinia lepida, Blyth. _The Streaked Wren-Warbler_ + +Burnesia lepida (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 185. +Burnesia gracilis, _Rüpp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550. + +I have never happened to meet with the nest of the Streaked +Wren-Warbler, and all the information I possess in regard to its +nidification I owe to others. + +The late Mr. Anderson remarked:--"Although this species was far +from uncommon, I found it very local and confined entirely to the +tamarisk-covered islands and 'churs' along the Ganges. + +"The first nest was taken on the 13th March last, and contained three +well-incubated eggs; of these I saved only one specimen, which is now +in the collection of Mr. Brooks. The second was found on the following +day, and contained two callow young and one perfectly fresh egg. + +"The nest is domed over, having an entrance at the side; and the +cavity is comfortably lined, or rather felted, with the down of the +madar plant. It is fixed, somewhat after the fashion of that of the +Reed-Warbler, in the centre of a dense clump of surpat grass, about 2 +feet above the ground. On the whole the structure is rather large +for so small a bird, and measures 6 inches in height by 4 inches in +breadth. + +"But while the _nest_ corresponds exactly with Canon Tristram's +description[A] of those taken by him in Palestine, there are +differences, oologically speaking, which induce me to hope that our +Indian bird may yet be restored to specific distinction[B]. In +the first place, my single eggs from each nest have a _green_ +ground-colour, and are covered all over with reddish-brown spots. Now +Mr. Tristram describes his Palestine specimens as 'richly coloured +_pink_ eggs, with a zone of darker red near the larger end, and +in shape and colour resembling some of the _Prinia_ group.' Is it +possible for the same birds to lay such widely different eggs? If I +had taken only one specimen, it might have been looked upon as a mere +variety. Again, our Indian bird lays three eggs, and I have never +seen the parent birds feeding more than this number of young ones, +occasionally only two. Mr. Tristram, _per contra_, mentions having met +with as many as five and six. The egg is certainly the prettiest, and +one of the smallest, I have ever seen; indeed, I found it too small to +risk measurement." + +[Footnote A: Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine, P. 2. S. 1864, +p. 437; Ibis, 865, pp. 82, 83.] + +[Footnote B: The two birds are now considered distinct by all +ornithologists.--ED.] + +He adds:--"Since writing the above, which appeared in 'The Ibis,' I +have discovered that this species breeds in September and October, +as well as in February and March, so some of them probably have two +broods in the year. I took a nest on the 9th October at Futtegurh, +which contained two callow young and one (_fresh_) egg, which I send +you, and which is exactly similar to all the others I have taken from +time to time." + +The egg sent me by Mr. Anderson is a very broad oval in shape, a good +deal compressed however, and pointed towards the small end. The shell +is very fine and has a decided gloss. In colouring the egg is exactly +like those of some of the Blackbirds--a pale green ground, profusely +freckled and streaked with a bright, only slightly brownish, red; the +markings are densest round the large end, where they form a broad, +nearly confluent, well-marked, but imperfect and irregular, zone. It +measures 0·55 by 0·41. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"The Streaked Wren-Warbler breeds in +great numbers near Delhi in March; Mr. C.T. Bingham has found several +of them in the clumps of surpat grass that had been cut within three +feet of the ground on the alluvial land of the Jumna. It was when out +with him in the end of March 1876 that I first saw the nest of this +species. The locality of the nest is exactly that described by Mr. +Anderson; it is oval in shape, with a large side entrance near the +top; it is built of fine grass and seed-down, no cobweb being employed +in the structure; it is loosely made, and there are always a few +feathers in the egg-cavity. The whereabouts is generally pointed out +by the cock bird, who, seated on the top of the highest blade of grass +he can find near where his hen is sitting, pours out with untiring +energy his feeble monotonous song, little knowing that by so doing he +has betrayed the spot where he has fixed his nest to the marauder. +The eggs, of which I have seen about fifteen or twenty, answer the +description given in 'Stray Feathers' exactly." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"Between the 12th and 31st March this +year I found ten nests of this bird, which is very common in the +grass-covered land of the Jumna. These nests were all alike, of fine +dry grass mixed with the down of the surpat, which also thickly lined +the inside. In shape the nests are blunt ovals, with a tiny hole +for entrance a little above the centre. Seven out of the ten nests +contained four eggs each, the rest three each. The eggs in colour are +a pale yellowish white with a tinge of green, thickly speckled with +dashes rather than spots of rusty red, tending in some to form a cap, +in others a zone round the large end. The average of twenty eggs +measured is 0·53 by 0·44 inch. The nests were all, with one exception, +supported by stems of the grass being worked into the sides. The one +exception was a nest I found in the fork of a tamarisk bush. It is not +a difficult nest to find, for when you are in the vicinity of one, one +of the birds will flit about the stems of the surrounding clumps of +grass and above you freely, opening its tiny mouth absurdly wide, but +giving forth the feeblest of feeble sounds." + +Writing on the Avifauna of Mt. Abu and N. Guzerat, Colonel E.A. Butler +says:--"I found a nest in a tussock of coarse grass in the sandy bed +of a river, amongst a number of tamarisk-bushes, on the 8th July, +1875, in the neighbourhood of Deesa. It was composed of fine dry +fibrous roots and grass-stems exteriorly, and lined with silky +vegetable down. It was a long bottled-shaped structure with a small +entrance on one side. The nest, eggs, situation, locality, &c. all +agree so exactly with the descriptions quoted by Dr. Jerdon and with +Mr. Anderson's note in 'Nests and Eggs,' _Rough Draft_, that I should +have found it difficult to avoid copying these two gentlemen in +describing my own nest. + +"The nest contained three hard-set eggs and one young one just +hatched." + +Referring to its occurrence in the Eastern Narra District, Mr. Doig +tells us:--"This little Warbler is very common. I took the first nest +in March and again in May; they build in stunted tamarisk-bushes; the +nest is circular dome-shaped, with the entrance on one side the top, +the inside being very beautifully and softly lined with the pappus of +grass-seeds. Four is the usual number of eggs in one nest." + +The Blackbird type of egg above described is by no means the commonest +one; the great mass of the eggs have the ground greyish, greenish, +or pinkish white, and they are very thickly and finely freckled and +speckled all over, but most densely about the large end, with a +slightly brownish, rarely a slightly purplish grey. Occasionally when +the markings are very dense in a cap at the large end there is a +distinct purplish-grey tinge there, and on the rest of the surface +of the egg the markings are somewhat less thickly set, leaving small +portions of the ground-colour clearly visible. Typically the eggs are +moderately broad ovals, a little compressed towards the small end, and +though none are very glossy, the great majority have a fair amount of +gloss. + + +463. Prinia flaviventris (Deless.). _The Yellow-bellied +Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia flaviventris (_Deless.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 169: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 532. + +Of the Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler's nidification I know personally +nothing. + +Tickell describes the nest as pensile but quite open, being a +hemisphere with one side prolonged, by which it is suspended from a +twig. The eggs, he says, are bright brick-red without a spot. + +Mr. H.C. Parker tells me that "this bird breeds in the Salt-Water +Lake, or rather on the swampy banks of the principal canals that +intersect it. The nest is nearly always placed on an ash-leaved +shrub-like plant growing on the banks of the canal and overhanging the +water. One taken on the 26th July, 1873, containing four nearly fresh +eggs, was almost touching the water at high tide. The male has the +habit, when the female is sitting, of hopping to the extreme point +of a tall species of cane-like grass which grows abundantly in these +swamps, whence he gives forth a rather pleasing song, erecting his +tail at the same time, after which he drops into the jungle and is +seen no more. It is almost impossible to make him show himself again." + +The nest, which I owe to Mr. Parker, and which was found in the +neighbourhood of the Salt-Water Lake, Calcutta, on the 26th July, is +of an oval shape, very obtuse at both ends, measuring externally 4 +inches in length and about 2¾ inches in diameter. The aperture, which +is near the top of the nest, is oval, and measures about 1 inch by 1½ +inch. The nest is fixed against the side of two or three tiny leafy +twigs, to which it is bound lightly in one or two places with grass +and vegetable fibre; and two or three leafy lateral twiglets are +incorporated into the sides of the nest, so that when fresh it must +have been entirely hidden by leaves. The nest was in an upright +position, the major axis perpendicular to the horizon. It is a very +thin, firm, close basket-work of fine grass, flower-stalks, and +vegetable fibre, and has no lining, though the interior surface of +the nest is more closely woven and of still finer materials than the +outside. The cavity is nearly 2½ inches deep, measuring from the lower +edge of the entrance, and is about 2 inches in diameter. + +During this present year (1874) Mr. Parker obtained several more +nests of this species, all built in the low jungle that fringes the +mud-banks of the congeries of channels and creeks that are known in +Calcutta by the name of the "Salt Lake." + +This jungle consists chiefly of the blue-flowered holly-leaved +_Acanthus ilicifolia_ and of the trailing semi-creeper-like _Derris +scandens_. It is in amongst the drooping twigs of the latter that the +nest is invariably made. + +The nests vary a good deal in shape; some are regular cylinders +rounded off at both ends, with the aperture on one side above the +centre--a small oval entrance neatly worked. Such a nest is about 4.5 +inches in length externally from top to bottom, and 2·75 in diameter; +the aperture 1·3 in height, and barely 1·0 in width. + +Others are still more egg-shaped, with a similar aperture near the +top, and others are more purse-like. The material used appears to be +always much the same--fine grass-stems intermingled with blades of +grass, and here and there dry leaves of some rush, a little seed-down, +scraps of herbaceous plants, and the like; the interior, always of the +finest grass-stems, neatly arranged and curved to the shape of the +cavity. The nests are firmly attached to the drooping twigs, to and +between which they are suspended, sometimes by line vegetable fibre, +but more commonly by cobwebs and silk from cocoons, a good deal of +both of which are generally to be seen wound about the surface of the +nest near the points of suspension or attachment. + +Four appears to be the full number of the eggs. Mr. Doig, writing from +Sind, says:--"This bird is tolerably common all along the Narra, but +as it keeps in very thick jungle it is not often seen unless looked +for. I took my first nest on the 12th, and my second on the 17th of +May. This evidently is the second brood, as I noticed on the same day +a lot of young birds which must have been fully six weeks old. One +nest was lined with horsehair and fine grasses. Four was the normal +number of eggs." + +Mr. Gates writes:--"The Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler is very abundant +throughout Lower Pegu in suitable localities. In the plains between +the Sittang and Pegu rivers they are constant residents, breeding +freely from May to August and September. In Rangoon also, all round +the Timber Depot at Kemandine, and in the low-lying land between the +town proper and Monkey Point, they are very numerous." + +The eggs are of the well-known _Prinia_ type--broad regular ovals, of +a nearly uniform mahogany-red, and very glossy. To judge from the +few specimens I have seen, they average a good deal smaller, and are +somewhat less deeply coloured, than those of _P. socialis_. They vary +from 0·52 to 0·6 in length, and from 0·43 to 0·48 in breadth. + + +464. Prinia socialis, Sykes. _The Ashy Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia socialis, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 170: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 534. +Prinia stewarti, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 171; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 535. + +_Prinia socialis_. + +The Ashy Wren-Warbler breeds throughout the southern portion of the +Peninsula and Ceylon, alike in the low country and in the hills, up to +all elevation of nearly 7000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends from March to September, but I am +uncertain whether they have more than one brood. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"Colonel Sykes remarks that this species has the +same ingenious nest as _O. longicauda_. I have found the nest on +several occasions, and verified Colonel Sykes's observations; but it +is not so neatly sewn together as the nest of the true Tailor-bird, +and there is generally more grass and other vegetable fibres used in +the construction. The eggs are usually reddish white, with numerous +darker red dots at the large end often coalescing, and sometimes the +eggs are uniform brick-red throughout." + +Now, first, as regards the eggs, it is clearly wrong to say that the +eggs are usually reddish white; that such eggs, as exceptions, may +have occurred I do not doubt, but I have seen more than fifty eggs +of this bird taken by Miss Cockburn, Messrs. Carter, Davison, Wait, +Theobald, and others, and all were without exception mahogany- or +brick-red, at times mottled, somewhat paler and darker here and there, +but making no approach, even the most distant, to what Dr. Jerdon says +is the _usual_ type. Moreover, I have taken _many hundreds_ of the +eggs of _stewarti_ (the northern, rather smaller form), which is not +only _most_ closely allied but really _very_ doubtfully distinct, and +yet I never met with one single egg of this type. At the same time +Mr. Swinhoe ('Ibis,' 1860, p. 50) tells us that _P. sonitans_ also at +times exhibits a reddish-white egg; so I do not for a moment question +that Dr. Jerdon had seen such eggs, only it must be understood that, +so far from constituting the _usual type_, it is in reality a most +abnormal and rare variety. Out of eight correspondents who have +collected for me in Southern India, I cannot learn that any one has +ever yet even seen an egg of this type. + +As regards the nest, this species often constructs a Tailor-bird nest, +the true nest being filled in between two or more leaves carefully +stitched together to the nest; but it also, like that species, often +builds a very different structure. + +A nest now before me, sent from Conoor, is a loosely-made cup--a very +slight fabric of grass-stems, matted with a quantity of the downy seed +of some flowering grass and with a lining of fine grass-roots. It is +an irregular cup about 2½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +Four seems to be the regular number of the eggs. + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn writes that "the Ashy Wren-Warbler +builds a neat little hanging nest very much in the Tailor-bird style, +for it draws the leaves of the branch on which the nest is constructed +close together, and sews them so tightly as sometimes to make them +nearly touch each other, while a small quantity of fine grass, wool, +and the down of seed-pods is used as a lining and also placed between +the leaves. These nests are built very low, and contain three +_beautiful_ little bright red eggs, a shade darker at the thick end. +They are easily discovered; for the birds get so agitated if any one +approaches the bush on which they have built that they invariably +attract one to the very spot they most wish to conceal. They build in +the months of June and July." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This bird breeds on the Nilghiris in March, April, +and May, and sometimes as late as the earlier part of June. The nest +is generally placed low down near the roots of a bush or tuft of +grass. It is made of grass beautifully and closely woven, domed, and +with the entrance near the top. The eggs, three or four in number, +are of a deep brick-red, darker at the larger end, where there is +generally a zone, and are very glossy. I once obtained a nest made +of grass and bits of cotton, but instead of being built as above +described it was placed between, and sewn to, two leaves of the +_Datura stramonium_. It contained three eggs of a deep brick-red; in +fact, precisely like those described above." + +Mr. Wait tells us that "in September I found two nests, the one deeply +cup-shaped, the other domed, both constructed of similar materials. +The latter of the two was placed at the bottom of a large bunch of +lemon-grass, and was constructed of root-fibre and grass, grass-bents, +and down of thistle and hawkweed, all intermixed. Exteriorly it +measured between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The nests contained three +and five eggs, all highly glossy and of a deep brownish-red, deeper +than brick-red, mottled with a still deeper shade." + +Colonel "W.Y. Legge, writing from Ceylon, tells us that "_P. socialis_ +breeds with us in the commencement of the S.W. monsoon during the +months of May, June, and July. It nests in long grass on the Patnas in +the Central Province, in guinea-grass fields, and in sugarcane-brakes +where these exist, as in the Galle District for instance. I can +scarcely imagine that Jerdon is correct about this Warbler's nesting. + +"Nothing can be more un-Tailor-bird-like than the nest which it builds +in _this_ country, and this led me to think that ours was a different +species until my specimens were identified by Lord Walden. In May 1870 +a pair resorted to a large guinea-grass field attached to my bungalow +at Colombo, for the purpose of breeding. I soon found the nest, which +was the most peculiarly constructed one I have ever seen. It was, in +fact, an almost shapeless ball of guinea-grass roots, _thrown_ as it +were between the upright stalks of the plant at about 2 feet from +the ground: I say 'thrown,' because it was scarcely attached to the +supporting stalks at all. It was formed entirely of the roots of the +plant, which, when it is old, crop out of the ground and are easily +plucked up by the bird, the bottom or more solid part being interwoven +with cotton and such-like substances to impart additional strength. +The entrance was at the side in the upper half, and was tolerably +neatly made; it was about an inch in diameter, the whole structure +measuring about 6 inches in depth by 5 inches in breadth. I found the +nest in a partial state of completion on the 10th of May; by the 19th +it was finished and the first of a clutch of three eggs laid. The nest +and eggs were both taken on the evening of the 24th, and the following +day another was commenced close at hand. This was somewhat smaller, +but constructed in the same peculiar manner as the first. This was +completed, and the first of another clutch laid. The eggs are somewhat +pointed at the smaller end, and of an almost uniform dull mahogany +ground-colour, showing indications of a paler underground at the +point." + +Birds like these, that build half-a-dozen different kinds of nests, +ought to be abolished; they lead to all kinds of mistakes and +differences of opinion, and are more trouble than they are worth. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"Found numerous nests of this species at +Belgaum on the following dates:-- + + "July 13. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + " 22. " " " 3 " + " 25. " " " 4 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 28. " " " 2 slightly incubated eggs. + Aug. 5. " " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 6. " " " 4 " + +"All of the above nests were built in sugarcane-fields or in +corn-fields; and most of them were stitched up in leaves of various +plants after the fashion of Tailor-birds' nests; but in some instances +they were of the other type, simply supported by the blades of +sugar-cane or corn they were built in. In addition to the above I +found numerous other nests all through August, many of which were +destroyed by something or other--what, I do not know! In fact, it has +always been a puzzle to me what it is that takes the eggs of these +small birds: three out of four nests, when visited a second time, are +either empty, gone altogether, or pulled down; and how the birds ever +manage to hatch off a brood at all with so many enemies I do not know. + +"I found a nest of the Ashy Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 21st July, +containing three fresh eggs, of a highly polished deep mahogany-red +colour, with an almost invisible cap of the same colour a shade darker +at the large end. The nest, which was placed in the centre of a low +bush and fixed to a few small twigs, was oval in shape, measuring 3¾ +inches in length exteriorly and 2-5/8 in width, with a small round +entrance near the top about 1¼ inch in diameter. It was composed +of fine dry fibrous grass, with silky vegetable down (_Calotropis +giganten_) and cobwebs smeared over the exterior. The walls were very +thin, but the bottom of the nest somewhat solid. The whole well woven +and compactly built. Later on I got nests on the following dates:-- + + "Aug. 1. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + " 1. " " 2 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 8. " " 3 " + " 9. " " 4 " + " 26. " " 3 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests containing young birds on the +15th, 17th, and 23rd August. + +"The nests are of two distinct types. One as above described; the +other, which is the commoner of the two, a regular Tailor-bird's nest +stitched between two leaves but without any lining. The eggs vary a +good deal in shade, some being paler than others. Some eggs I have +look almost like little balls of red carnelian. Creepers (convolvulus +&c.) growing up low thorny bushes in grass-beerhs are a favourite +place for the nest." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Warbler breeds +from July to September. + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that this bird is common in the +Deccan and breeds in August. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"It builds +in March, constructing a very neat pendent nest, which is artfully +concealed, and supported by sewing one or two leaves round it. This +is very neatly done with the fine silk which surrounds the eggs of a +small brown spider. The nest is generally built of fine grass, and +contains three eggs of a bright brick-colour with a high polish. The +entrance to the nest is at the top and a little on one side. An egg +measured 0·7 inch in length by 0·48 in breadth." + +As for the eggs, it is unnecessary to describe them; they are +precisely similar to those of _P. stewarti_, fully described below. +All that can be said is that as a body they are slightly larger, and +_possibly_, as a _whole_, the least shade less dark. In length they +vary from 0·52 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·45 to 0·52; but the +average of twenty-one eggs measured is 0·64 by rather more than +0·47[A]. + +[Footnote A: As a matter of convenience I keep the notes on _P. +socialis_ and _P. stewarti_ separate, as is done in the 'Rough Draft'; +but there is no doubt whatever now that the two birds are the same +species.--ED.] + +_Prinia stewarti_. + +Stewart's Wren-Warbler is one of those forms in regard to which at +present great difference of opinion prevails as to whether or no they +merit specific separation. _P. stewarti_ from the N.W. Provinces and +_P. socialis_ from the Nilghiris differ only in size; the latter is +somewhat more robust, and probably weighs one fifth more than the +former. But then in the Central Provinces you meet with intermediate +sizes, and I have plenty of birds which might be assigned +indifferently to either race as a rather small example of the one or +rather large one of the other. I myself consider all to belong to one +species, but as this is not the general view I have kept my notes on +their nidification separate. + +This species or race breeds almost throughout the plains of Upper +India and in the Sub-Himalayan ranges to an elevation of 3000 or +4000 feet. In the plains the breeding-season extends from the first +downfall of rain in June (I have never found them earlier) to quite +the end of August. In the moist Sub-Himalayan region, the Terais, +Doons, Bhaburs, and the low hills, they commence laying nearly a month +earlier. + +This species often constructs as neatly sewn a nest as does the +_Orthotomus_; in fact, many of the nests built by these two species so +closely resemble each other that it would be difficult to distinguish +them were there not very generally a difference in the lining. With +few exceptions all the innumerable nests of _O. sutorius_ that I have +seen were lined with some soft substance--cotton-wool, the silky down +of the cotton-tree(_Bomlax heptaphyllum_) grass-down, soft horsehair, +or even human hair, while the nests of _P. stewarti_ are almost +without exception _lined_ with fine grass-roots. + +Our present bird does not, however, invariably construct a "tailored" +nest. When it does, like _O. sittorius_, it sews two, three, four, +or five leaves together, as may be most convenient, filling the +intervening space with down, fine grass, vegetable fibre, or wool, +held firmly into its place by cross-threads, sometimes composed of +cobwebs, sometimes made by the bird itself of cotton, and sometimes +apparently derived from unravelled rags. It also, however, often +makes a nest entirely composed of fine vegetable fibre, cotton, and +grass-down, and lined as usual with fine grass-roots. Sometimes these +nests are long and purse-like, and sometimes globular, either attached +to, or pendent from, two or more twigs. One nest before me, a sort of +deep watch-pocket, suspended from five twigs of the jhao (_Tamarix +dioica_), measures externally 2·75 inches in diameter, is a good deal +longer at what may be called the back than the front, and at the back +fully 5·5 long. Internally the diameter is about 1·5, and the cavity, +measuring from the lowest portion of the external rim, is 2·5. This +is a _very_ large nest. Another, built between three leaves, has an +external diameter of about 2½ inches, and is externally not above 3 +inches long. It is unnecessary here to describe the beautiful manner +in which, when it makes use of leaves, this bird sews them together, +as this has already been well described by others where _O. sutorius_ +is concerned, and _P. stewarti_ is, in some cases, when forming a nest +with leaves, fully as neat a workman. + +The nests vary so much, and I have heard so much, discussion about +them, that having seen at least a hundred and having taken full notes +of some twenty of them, I shall reproduce a few of these notes:-- + +"_Agra, July 17th_.--Two nests--one nearly globular, composed entirely +of fibrous roots, hair, wool, and thread, and lined with fine grass, +suspended by a few fibres and hairs between the fork of a branchlet +in a little dense bush of Indian box; the other, suspended from the +tendril of an elephant creeper, was principally formed by one of the +leaves of this, to which, to form the remaining third of the exterior, +a second leaf of the same plant was carefully sewn. Interiorly there +was a little wool, and at the bottom fine grass. + +"_July 20th_.--On a furash-tree (_Tamarix furas_), beautifully made +of fine soft wool, shreds of tow and string, very fine grass and +grass-roots, and the bottom neatly lined with very fine grass-roots. +In shape the nest is like one half of a long old-fashioned silk purse, +round-bottomed and very compact, with a long slit-like opening on one +side towards the top. It contained five eggs. + +"_July 26th_.--Two nests, one formed almost entirely in a single +mango-leaf, the sides of which are curled round so as nearly to meet, +and then laced by a succession of cross-threads of cobweb, carefully +knotted at each place where the margin of the leaf is pierced. The +intervening space is closed by fine tow, wool, and the silky down of +the cotton-tree, with just the top of a small mango-leaf caught in +from above so as to form an arched roof. The other nest was rounder in +form, having less of a leafy structure. It had, however, the leaf of +the _Phalsa_ forming the back and sides (partly), whilst the whole of +the front was composed of soft wool, tow, dry grass-roots, thread, and +a few pieces of the soft tree-cotton. It had a neighbouring leaf just +caught in on one side. This contained four fresh eggs. + +"_July 30th_.--A beautiful nest between three twigs, several of the +leaves of each of which had been tacked on to the outside of the nest. +The nest itself was firmly put together with fine grass-roots, and was +nearly globular in shape, with one side continued upwards into a sort +of hood overhanging the greater portion of the aperture. It contained +four eggs of the usual deep red colour. + +"_August 8th_.--At Bichpoori found a number of nests, and some of them +of a strangely different type. One was inside a tiny hut on the line, +about 3 feet above the head of the chaprassie's bed. It had no leaves +about it, and was composed of thread, wool, and a few very fine +grass-stems, and lined thinly with fine grass-stems and a little black +horsehair. It was about two thirds of a sphere, the external diameter +of which was about 3¼ inches, and the internal 2½ inches. The bird was +on the nest, so that there could be no mistake, otherwise it would +have been impossible to believe that it belonged to _P. stewarti_, +of which we have taken so many sewn in leaves. A little further on +another nest of the same species, built in the ragged eaves of a +thatch, externally composed almost entirely of cotton-wool, with a +little tow-fibre binding the structure together, internally as usual +lined with very fine grass-roots with a few horsehairs. Another nest +of the _Prinia_ was in one respect even more remarkable. It was +built in the usual situation in a low herbaceous plant, sewn to and +suspended from two leaves, and two or three others worked into its +sides. It was constructed almost entirely of fine grass-roots and +fibres, with a few tiny tufts of cotton-wool, and the leaves as usual +firmly tacked on with threads and cobweb fibres. It would seem that, +after constructing the nest, but before laying, a large female spider +took possession of the bottom of the nest, and shut herself in by +constructing a diaphragm of web horizontally across the nest, thus +occupying the whole of the cavity of the nest. The little bird +accepted this change of circumstances, built the nest a little higher +at the sides, and over the spider's web placed a false bottom of +fine grass-roots, on which she laid her four eggs, and there she was +sitting when the nest was taken, the spider, alive and apparently +happy in the cell below, plainly visible through the interstices of +the grass, with a huge sac of eggs which she was incubating. Her +chamber is fully one half of the nest." + +I may add that this latter nest, with the _now_ dead spider, _in +situ_, is still in our museum. + +In number the eggs are sometimes four, sometimes five, and I have +_heard_ of six being found. + +They rear usually two broods; if their eggs are taken they will lay +three or four sets; sometimes they use the same nest twice; sometimes, +directly the first brood is at all able to shift for themselves, the +parents leave them in the old nest, and commence building a new one at +no great distance. + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Owing to the inclemency of the +weather (August) the geranium-pots in the garden were placed in the +verandah of the house I am at present living in, and, strange to say, +a pair of these Warblers commenced building in the leaves of one of +the plants immediately under my window. + +"When the nest was about half-finished the birds' forsook it without +apparently any reason, as they were never molested in any way. On +examining the nest, however, the cause was evident, and afforded a +remarkable instance of instinct on the part of the little architects. +The leaves that had been pierced and sewn together had actually +commenced to _wither_, and in the course of a few days later the whole +structure came down bodily. + +"This is the only _Prinia_ to be found at Futtehgurh, and they are one +of our most common garden-birds. Their beautiful brick-red eggs and +neatly-sewn nests are too well known to require description. + +"Four generally, and five frequently, is the number of eggs they lay. +I have _one_ record of _six_ on the 17th August, 1873; in this case +one egg was laid daily, the first having been laid on the 12th, and +the sixth on the 17th." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a true Tailor-bird in respect to +the construction of the nest, which is composed of one leaf as a +supporting base stitched to two others meeting it perpendicularly, the +apices of all three being neatly sewn together with threads roughly +spun from the cottony down of seeds. Between or within these leaves is +placed the nest, very slightly and loosely constructed of fine roots, +grass-stalks, and seed-down, the latter material being interwoven to +hold the coarser fibres of the nest together. There is no finer lining +within, and the edges of the exterior leaves are drawn together round +the nest and held there partly by roughly-spun threads of down, and +partly by the ends of the stiff fibres being thrust through them. The +whole forms a very light and graceful fabric. Within this nest were +four beautiful and highly polished eggs of a deep brick-red colour, +darkest at the larger end, faint specks and blotches of a deeper +colour being indistinctly discernible beneath the surface of the +shell, which shines as if it had been varnished. The nest is not +closed above, but is open and deeply cup-shaped. This was taken in the +Dhoon on the 30th May." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds at Allahabad in June, July, and +August. At Delhi I have not yet found its nest. I once found in July +three nests all attached together in a sort of triangle, but whether +built by separate pairs of birds I cannot say. Only one nest contained +eggs." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found in July in the Cawnpoor +district was built of grass, a deep oblong domed nest with the +entrance at the side near the top. It was placed close to the ground +in a tuft of surkerry grass sloping rather backwards. The position is, +I believe, unusual. The old birds were still putting finishing touches +to the building when I found it." + +The eggs are ovals, as a rule, neither very broad nor much elongated. +Pyriform examples occur, but a somewhat perfect oval is the usual +type, and the examination of a large series shows that the tendency +is to vary to a globular and not to an elongated shape. The eggs +are brilliantly glossy, and, though considerably smaller, strongly +resemble, as is well known, those of the little short-tailed Cetti's +Warbler. + +In colour they are brick-red, some, however, being paler and yellower, +others deeper and more mahogany-coloured. There is a strong tendency +to exhibit all ill-defined cloudy cap or zone, of far greater +intensity than the colour of the rest of the egg, at or towards the +large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·45 to +0·5; but the average of seventy eggs measured is 0·62 by 0·46. + + +465. Prinia sylvatica, Jerd. _The Jungle Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus sylvaticus, _Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 181; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 545. +Drymoipus neglectus, _Jerd. R. Ind._ ii, p. 182; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 546. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in low jungle near Nellore, made +chiefly of grass, with a few roots and fibres, globular, large, with +a hole at one side near the top, and the eggs white, spotted very +thickly with rusty red, especially at the thick end." + +Mr. Blewitt appears to have taken many eggs of this species in the +Raipoor District, and he has sent me the following notes, together +with numerous eggs. He says:-- + +"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the Raipoor District from about +the middle of June to the middle of August. Low thorn-bushes on rocky +ground are chiefly selected for the nest, and both parent birds assist +in building it and in hatching and rearing the young. A new nest is +made each year, and four is the maximum number of eggs. + +"On the 1st July this year I found a nest of this species in the +centre of a low thorny bush, growing in rocky ground, about two miles +north of Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District. + +"The nest was about 4 feet from the ground, firmly attached to and +supported by the branches. It was of a deep cup shape, 3·6 in diameter +and 4·9 in height, composed of coarser and finer grasses firmly +interwoven, and contained four fresh eggs. In the same locality we +secured a second similarly situated nest, about 2½ feet from the +ground, and it contained a single fresh egg. It was rather more neatly +and massively made than the former. It was about 4 inches in diameter +and 5 inches in height, and the egg-cavity was nearly 3 inches deep. +The lining is of fine grass-stalks well interwoven. The exterior is +composed of coarse grass mixed with a little greyish-white fibre. + +"Subsequently several other similar and similarly situated nests were +found." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of July, August, and September. +The following are the dates upon which I found nests this year +(1876):-- + + "July 28. A nest containing 4 young birds. + " 29. " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1. " 4 " + " 5. " 5 " + Aug. 13. " 5 " + " 16. " 4 young birds fledged. + " 17. " 5 " + " " " 3 " + " 19. " 4 " + " " " 5 " + " 30. " 5 " + Sept. 3. " 5 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests in the same neighbourhood in +1875. One on the 14th August containing four young birds almost ready +to leave the nest. It was placed in the middle of a tussock of coarse +grass on the side of a nullah on a bank overgrown with grass and +bushes, and my attention was attracted first of all to the spot by the +incessant chattering and uneasiness of the two old birds, one of which +had a large grasshopper in its mouth. After hiding behind a bush for +a few minutes, I saw the hen bird fly to the nest, which led to its +discovery. The nest was dome-shaped, with an entrance upon one side, +composed exteriorly of blades of rather coarse dry grass (green, +however, as a rule when the nest is first built), and interiorly of +similar, but finer, material. It is an easy nest to find when once +the locality in which the birds breed is discovered, as it is +a conspicuous ball of grass, smeared over, often more or less, +exteriorly with a silky white vegetable-down or cobweb, and many of +the blades of the tussock in which it is placed are often drawn down +and woven into the nest, which at once attracts attention. Then, +again, the cock bird is almost always to be found on the top of some +low tree near the nest, uttering his peculiar ventriloquistic note +'_tissip, tissip, tissip_,' etc. All the above nests were exactly +alike and in similar situations, viz. fixed in the centre of a tussock +of coarse grass on the banks of some deep nullahs running through a +large grass 'Beerh.' The eggs remind me more of the English Robin's +eggs than those of any other species I know. The ground-colour is dull +white, sometimes tinted with pale green, and the markings reddish +fawn. In some cases the eggs are peppered all over with a conspicuous +zone at the large end, sometimes a dense cap instead of a zone. In +other cases the markings, though always present, are almost invisible, +as also the zone or cap. They are about the size of the eggs of the +Spotted Flycatcher. I found a few other nests besides those I have +mentioned during July and August 1875." + +Captain Cock informed me that this species is "common in the jungles +around Seetapore. Nest is largish, dome-shaped, and placed low down in +a thorny bush. The bird lays in August five eggs, the _fac-simile_ of +the eggs of _Pratincola ferrea_, perhaps of a more elongated type than +the eggs of that bird." + +Mr. H. Parker, writing on the birds of North-west Ceylon, refers to +this bird under the titles _D. jerdoni_ and _D. valida_, and informs +us that it breeds from January to May. + +The eggs of this species are somewhat elongated ovals. The +ground-colour is a greenish or greyish stone-colour, and they are +finely and often rather sparsely freckled all over with very faint +reddish brown, or brownish pink in most eggs; these frecklings are +gathered together into a more or less dense zone round the large +end, forming a conspicuous ring there much darker-coloured than the +frecklings over the rest of the surface. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·68 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·49 to +0·52, but the average appears to be 0·7 by 0·5. + + +466. Prinia inornata, Sykes. _The Indian Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus inornatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 178; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 543. +Drymoipus longicaudatus (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 180. +Drymoipus terricolor, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N, & E._ no. 543 bis. + +The breeding-season of this Wren-Warbler commences with the first fall +of rain, and lasts through July and August to quite the middle of +September. + +The birds construct a very elegant nest, always closely and compactly +woven, of very fine blades, or strips of blades, of grass, in no nests +exceeding one-twentieth of an inch in width, and in many of not above +half this breadth. The grass is always used when fresh and green, +so as to be easily woven in and out. Both parents work at the nest, +clinging at first to the neighbouring stems of grass or twigs, and +later to the nest itself, while they push the ends of the grass +backwards and forwards in and out; in fact, they work very much like +the Baya (_P. baya_), and the nest, though much smaller, is in texture +very like that of this latter species, the great difference being that +the Baya, with us, more often uses _stems_, and _Prinia_ strips of +_blades_ of grass. The nest varies in shape and in size, according to +its situation: a very favourite locality is in amongst clumps of the +_sarpatta_, or serpent-grass, in which case the bird builds a long +and purse-like nest, attached above and all round to the surrounding +grass-stems, with a small entrance near the top. Such nests are +often 8 or 9 inches in length, and 3 inches or even more in external +diameter, and with an internal cavity measuring 1½ inch in diameter, +and having a depth of nearly 4 inches below the lower margin of the +entrance-hole. At other times they are hung between bare twigs, often +of some thorny bush, or are even placed in low herbaceous plants; in +these cases they are usually nearly globular, with the entrance-hole +near the top; they are then probably 3½ inches in external diameter +in every direction. In other cases they are hung to or between two or +more leaves to which the birds attach the nest, much as a Tailor-bird +would do, using, however, fine grass instead of cobwebs or cotton-wool +for ligaments. I have never found more than five eggs in any nest, and +four is certainly the normal number. + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I had a nest brought me in Oudh on the 17th +April, containing four eggs. About Agra and Muttra, where as you know +the birds are _very_ common, I have always obtained the greatest +number of eggs during August; four is the regular number; in one taken +on the 16th August I found five eggs." + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During July, August, and the early part +of September I found multitudes of nests of this species in the +neighbourhood of Hausie, almost exclusively in the Dhasapoor, Dhana, +and Secundapoor _Beerhs_ or jungle-preserves. + +"The nests, of which numerous specimens were sent to you, were of the +usual type, and were nearly all found in ber (_Z. jujuba_) and hinse +(_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 to 4 feet from the +ground. I did not meet with more than four eggs in any one nest." + +Colonel E.A. Butler says:--"The Indian Wren-Warbler is very common in +the plains, frequenting low scrub-jungle and long grass studied +with low bushes (_Calotropis, Zizyphus_, &c.). It breeds during the +monsoon, commencing to build in July, during which month and August +in the neighbourhood of Deesa I must have examined some three or four +dozen nests. There are two distinct types of nests, and there may be +two species of this genus in this part of the country; but I must +confess that after shooting a large number of specimens of both sexes, +and after examining an immense series of the eggs, I have failed to +make out more than one species, and that Mr. Hume informs me is his +_Drymoipus terricolor_. The nests alluded to vary as follows:--One +type is very closely and compactly woven, as described of _D. +terricolor_ ('Nests and Eggs, Rough Draft,' p. 349), with the entrance +almost at the top. The other type is built of the same material, with +the exception that the grass is rather coarser, but is more in shape +like a Wren's nest, and the grass is somewhat loosely put together +instead of being woven, and it has the entrance with a slight canopy +over it upon one side. The eggs four, and not uncommonly five, in +number, were exactly alike in both types, as also were the specimens +of the birds themselves that I obtained. + +"Nearly all the nests I have seen have been built on the outside of +ber bushes (_Z. jujuba_), at heights varying from 2½ to 5 feet from +the ground." + +Mr. B. Aitken says:--"I found this nest at Bombay on the 13th October, +1873, at the edge of a tank some 2 feet above the ground. I have found +four or five precisely similar ones before, generally in similar +situations. The nest was strongly attached to the stems and leaves +of four herbaceous plants growing close together. In many cases the +strips of grass had been passed through and pierced the leaves. The +nest is deep and purse-shaped; the sides were prolonged upwards, +except in front where the entrance was, and joined above so as to +form a canopy. The nest has no lining, and none of the nests of this +species that I ever saw have ever had any lining. The whole nest +inside and out is composed of fine strips of blades of grass +interwoven. The eggs, five in number, varied much in size. In colour +they were bright blue, most irregularly blotched with various shades +of purplish brown: some of the blotches very large, some mere specks. +Each egg had also washed-out stains or blotches. The smaller eggs were +by far the brighter. + +"By reason of the roof and walls the entrance to the nest was at one +side, but there was nothing that could be called a hole. The roof +projected over the entrance, forming a porch. + +"Six or eight nests which I have seen of this species were all over +water. But the birds are by no means confined to marshy localities. + +"Even in the middle of the rains the nests are invariably made of dry +yellow grass. + +"One nest found in Berar was in a babool bush, where of course there +could have been no leaves pierced." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have found a good many nests in Bombay, and +it breeds in Poona too. My notes only mention two nests with eggs, on +the 22nd and 25th August, but I found some much later; and I am +almost certain it begins to lay much earlier, if not actually at the +beginning of the monsoon, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_. + +"It builds in gardens and cultivated fields, especially in the +vicinity of water, and often among plants growing in water. + +"The nest is very firmly attached to the twigs of some plant where +long grass or other plants completely surround and conceal it. It +is usually about 3 foot from the ground. It varies much in size and +shape, some being much deeper than others, and some having the top +open; others an entrance somewhat to one side. + +"I have always found three or four eggs--bright blue, with large +irregular purplish-brown blotches and no hair-lines. I should have +said that the nest is a bag, very uniformly woven, of fine grass, and +_never with any lining_--at any rate in none that I have ever found. +They never use the same nest twice, always building a fresh one even +if you only rob without injuring the first. I think they have only one +brood in the year, but, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_, one or two +nests are generally deserted or destroyed by some accident before they +succeed in rearing a brood." + +Major C.T. Bingham informs us that this Wren-Warbler is a common +breeder both at Allahabad and at Delhi from March to September. Builds +a neat bottle-shaped nest in clumps of surpat grass, of fine strips of +the grass itself, which I have repeatedly watched the birds tearing +off. The eggs are lovely little oval fragile shells of a deep blue, +blotched and speckled and covered with fine hair-like lines, chiefly +at the large end, of a deep chocolate-brown. + +The eggs are a moderately long, and generally a pretty perfect, oval, +often pointed towards one end, sometimes globular, seldom, if ever, +much elongated. The shell is fine and glossy, and comparatively thick +and strong. The ground-colour is normally a beautiful pale greenish +blue, most richly marked with various shades of deep chocolate and +reddish brown. Nothing can exceed the beauty or variety of the +markings, which are a combination of bold blotches, clouds, and spots, +with delicate, intricately interwoven lines, recalling somewhat, +but more elaborate and, I think, finer than, those of our early +favourite--the Yellow Ammer. The markings are invariably most +conspicuous at the large end, where there is very commonly a +conspicuous confluent cap, and the delicate lines are almost without +exception confined to the broader half of the egg. + +Very commonly the smaller end of the egg is entirely spotless, and I +have a beautiful specimen now before me in which the only markings +consist of a ring of delicate lines round the large end. Some idea of +the delicacy and intricacy of these lines may be formed when I mention +that this zone is barely one tenth of an inch broad, and yet in a good +light between twenty and thirty interlaced lines making up this zone +may be counted. + +The intricacy of the pattern is in some cases almost incredible, and, +what with the remarkable character of the patterns and the rich and +varying shades of their colours, these little eggs are, I think, +amongst the most beautiful known. + +Occasionally the ground-colour of the eggs, instead of being a bright +greenish blue, is a pale, rather dull, olive-green, and still more +rarely it is a clear pinkish white. These latter eggs are so rare that +I have only seen six in about as many hundreds. + +In size the eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·7 in length, and from 0·42 to 0·5 +in breadth; but the average of one hundred and twenty eggs measured +was 0·61 by 0·45. + + +467. Prinia jerdoni (Blyth). _The Southern Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca jerdoni (_Blyth_), _Hume, cat._ no. 544 ter. + +Mr. Davison says:--"The Southern Wren-Warbler breeds chiefly on the +slopes of the Nilgiris about the Badaga cultivation. The nest is +entirely composed of fine grass, and is generally placed about 2 or 3 +feet from the ground, either in a clump of long grass or attached to +the branch of a small bush. It is often suspended, domed, and with the +opening near the top. The eggs, generally three, are blue, spotted and +lined with deep red-brown." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "the Common Wren-Warbler +has no song, but is loud and frequent in its repetition of a few notes +during the breeding-season. Its nest, which is globular, is built in +the same shape as that of _P. socialis_, with the entrance at one end, +on some low bush, but it only uses _one_ material, namely fine long +grass, and does not add any soft lining. The colour of its eggs, +however, is totally different, of a light bluish green, and having +a number of spots and streaks like dark threads carried round +and through the spots, which are mostly at the thick end. The +breeding-season lasts from April to July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Fairly +common throughout the district. Eggs taken on the 15th July, 1882." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, remarks:--"It builds a +neat pendent nest in long grass on the Nilgiris. The nest is composed +entirely of short pieces of grass fitted together, and is very +compact. The eggs are three in number, and are of a blue colour, with +large blotches and hair-like streaks of a dark reddish brown at the +upper end. An egg measured ·69 inch by ·5." + +The eggs of this species do not differ materially in size, shape, or +markings from those of _P. inornata_ which are very fully described +above. + + +468. Prinia blanfordi (Walden). _The Burmese Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca blanfordi, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 543 ter. + +Mr. Oates, who found this bird very common in Pegu, writes:--"The +Burmese Wren-Warbler is perhaps the commonest bird of the Pegu plains. +From Myitkyo on the Sittang, and possibly from further north, down to +Rangoon, it is to be found in all the low tracts covered with grass. + +"Where it occurs it is a constant resident and breeds from May to +August. I have found the nest in the middle of May, but it is not till +July that the bulk of the birds lay. + +"The nest is never more than 4 feet from the ground, and is attached +either to two or more stalks of elephant-grass or to the stem of a low +weed, or to the blades of certain tender grasses which grow in thick +tufts. There is little or no attempt at concealment. The materials +forming the nest are entirely fine grasses, of equal coarseness or +fineness throughout, gathered green, and so beautifully woven together +that it is almost impossible to destroy a nest by tearing it asunder, +although it may be looked through. In shape it is somewhat of a +cylinder, with a tendency to swell out at the middle. Its length, or +rather height (for its longer axis, being invariably parallel to the +stalks to which the nest is attached, is generally upright), is from +6 to 8 inches, and its extreme width 4. The entrance is placed at the +top of the nest, the sides of which are produced an inch or two above +the lower edge of the entrance. The thickness of the walls is very +small, seldom reaching half, and generally being only a quarter, of an +inch. Occasionally the nest is almost globular, but the back of the +entrance is in every case produced upwards some inches. There is no +lining at all. + +"The eggs never exceed four, and frequently are only three, in number, +and the female does not commence sitting till the full number is laid. +She deserts the nest on the slightest provocation; and if a nest with +only one or two eggs is found, and the fingers inserted, it is useless +to leave the eggs in hopes of getting more. She will lay no more. I +have tested this in at least ten cases." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"About Kaukarit, on the Houndraw river +in Tenasserim, I found this species, in June 1878, very common. +They were then breeding, and I found several nests, all, however, +unfinished; these were, in material and make, very like the nests of +_P. inornata_ which I had taken years ago in India." + +The eggs of this species recall in many respects those of _P. +inornata_, but the ground-colour is much more variable, and the +markings are more blotchy and less intricate in shape. They are pretty +regular ovals, and while some are very glossy others exhibit but +little of this. The ground-colour is perhaps typically pale greenish +blue, but in a great many specimens this is more or less obliterated +by a reddish or pinkish tinge, as if the colour of the markings had +run; in some the ground is a sort of reddish olive, in some pinky +white. The markings are large blotches and spots, often forming zones +or caps about the larger end, where they seem almost always to be most +conspicuous, as they vary in colour from an intense burnt-sienna which +is almost black, through a dingy maroon, and again to a dull, somewhat +pale reddish brown; here and there individual eggs exhibit a hair-line +or two, or a hieroglyphic-like mark, but these are the exceptions. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·53 to 0·64 inch, and in breadth from +0·42 to 0·45; but the average of fourteen eggs is 0·58 by 0·44. + +Very constantly smears or clouds of a paler shade than the blotches +cover large portions of the surface between these. Occasionally all +the markings are smeared and ill-defined, and in some eggs they are +almost entirely wanting, and nothing but a scratch or two about the +large end is to be seen. + + + + +Family LANIIDAE + + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + + +469. Lanius lahtora(Sykes). _The Indian Grey Shrike_. + +Lamus lahtora (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 400. +Collyrio lahtora, _Sykes, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 256. + +The Indian Grey Shrike lays from January to August, and occasionally +up to October, but the majority of my eggs have been obtained during +March or April. + +It builds, generally, a very compact and heavy, deep, cup-shaped nest, +which it places at heights of from 4 to 10 or 12 feet from the ground +in a fork, towards the centre of some densely growing thorny bush +or moderate-sized tree, the various carounders, capers, plums, and +acacias being those most commonly selected. + +As a rule it builds a new nest every year, but it not unfrequently +only repairs one that has served it in the previous season, and even +at times takes possession of those of other species. + +The nest is composed of very various materials, so much so that it is +difficult to generalize in regard to them. I have found them built +entirely of grass-roots, with much sheep's wool, lined with hair and +feathers, or solidly woven of silky vegetable fibre, mostly that of +the putsun (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), in which were incorporated little +pieces of rag and strips of the bark of the wild plum (_Zizyphus +jujuba_); but I think that most commonly thorny twigs, coarse grass, +and grass-roots form the body of the nest, while the cavity is lined +with feathers, hair, soft grass, and the like. + +Generally the nests are very compact and solid, 6 or 7 inches in +diameter, and the egg-cavity 3 to 4 in diameter, and 2 to 2½ in depth, +but I have come across very loosely built and straggling ones. + +They have at times two broods in the year (but I do not think that +this is always the case), and lay from three to six eggs, four or five +being the usual number. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, writing from Jhansie and Saugor, and detailing his +experiences there and in the Delhi Districts, says:-- + +"The Common Indian Grey Shrike breeds from February to July; it builds +on trees; if it has a preference, it is for the close-growing roonj +tree (_Acacia leucophlaea_). I have particularly noticed this fact +both here and at Gurhi Hursroo. The nest in structure is neat and +compact (though I have occasionally seen some very roughly put +together), and generally-well fixed into the forks of an off-shooting +branch. In shape it is circular, varying from 5 to 7½ inches in +diameter, and from 1½ to 3½ inches in thickness; thorn twigs, coarse +grass, grass-roots, old rags, &c. form the outer materials of the +nest, and closely interwoven fine grass and roots the border-rim. The +egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, from 3½ to 5 inches in diameter, and +lined with fine grass and khus; exceptionally shreds of cloth are +interwoven with the khus and grass. + +"On one occasion I got a nest with the cup interior entirely lined +with old cloth pieces, very cleverly and ingeniously worked into the +exterior framework. Five is the regular number of eggs, though at +times six have been obtained in one nest. The birds often make their +own nests each year, but this is not invariably the case. When at +Gurhi Hursroo in February last, I found on an isolated roonj tree four +nests within a foot of each other. The under centre one, an _old_ +Shrike nest (the other three were of other birds), was occupied by +a Shrike sitting on five eggs. I very carefully examined it, and my +impression at the time was that the parent birds had returned, to rear +a second progeny, to the nest constructed by them the year previous. + +"I do not know whether you have noticed the fact, but both _L. +lahtora_ and _L. erythronotus_ often lay in old nests, of which they +first carefully repair the egg-cavity with new materials. It is not +only, however, in old nests of their own species that these birds +make a home in the breeding-season. At times they take possession of +fabrics clearly not the work of any Shrike. Quite recently I found a +pair of _L. lahtora_ with four eggs in a small nest entirely woven of +hemp, the bottom of which was thickly coated with the droppings of +former occupants. Again, on the 8th June, a nest with four eggs was +found on a roonj tree. This wonderful nest, which I have kept, is +entirely composed of what I take to be old felt and feathers, the +bottom of the cavity of which, when found, was almost covered with the +dung of young birds. + +"Evidently this nest was not _originally_ made by the Shrike, but, as +would appear, was taken possession of by it, after the brood of some +other species of birds had left it." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lays in the last week of March to the end of April. Eggs five +only, shape ovato-pyriform, size 1·06 inch by 0·8 inch; colour pale +greenish white, blotched and tinged with yellowish grey and neutral +markings; vary much in intensity and colour. Nest of twigs, lined with +cotton or wool, and usually placed in stiff thorny bushes." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing from Chaman in Southern Afghanistan, +remarks:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is extremely common, breeding about +the end of March, in much the same situations as in India. I have +collected many specimens, and failed to detect any difference between +the Indian bird and the one found here. The average of twelve eggs is +·97 by ·75." + +He adds subsequently:--"This is the commonest Shrike in the country; +it breeds in March and April, and the young are easily reared in +captivity." + +Mr. W. Blewitt says that he "took four nests of this bird near Hansee +on the 28th-30th March; they contained, one 5, two 4, and one 3 +eggs; all but the latter (which, curiously enough, were a good deal +incubated) quite fresh. The nests were placed in acacia and caper +bushes, at heights of from 6 to 14 feet from the ground; they were +from 6 to 7 inches in diameter exteriorly, rather loosely constructed +of thorny twigs, with egg-cavities from 2 to 2½ inches deep, lined +with fine straw and leaves." Again he writes: "Took numerous nests in +the neighbourhood of Hansee during the month of July; most of the eggs +were much incubated, and four was the largest number found in any one +nest. + +"The nests were all placed upon keekur trees at an average height of +some 10 feet from the ground; they were composed of thorny twigs, +some with and some without a lining of fine grass and feathers, and +averaged some 5 or 6 inches in diameter by 2 to 4 inches in depth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says that "this bird is excessively common about +Delhi, far more so than at Allahabad. At the latter place I only found +it breeding in March and April, but at Delhi I have found nests in +every month from March to August. One evening in June I remember +counting in my walk thirteen nests within the radius of a mile; some +of these contained fresh eggs, some hard-set, some young. One nest I +robbed in April of eggs contained young in the latter end of May, and +I believe many of them have two if not more broods in the year. All +nests that I have seen have been well made, firm, deep cups of babool +branches, lined with grass-roots, and occasionally with bits of rag +and tow. The eggs are broad ovals of a dead chalky bluish-white +colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end, with purple and brown. Five +is the greatest number of eggs I have found in a nest." + +Mr. George Reid informs us that this Shrike breeds from March to +July in the Lucknow Division, making a massive nest in babool trees, +generally in solitary ones on open plains. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Indian Grey Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in February, March, April, May, June, and July. +I nave taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "Feb. 19. A nest containing 4 slightly incubated eggs. + March 13. " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 16. " " 4 " + " 19. " " 4 " + " 20. " " 3 " + " 20. " " 4 " + " 28. " " 4 incubated eggs. + April 9. " " 4 " " + June 1. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 7. " " 4 young birds. + " 7. " " 2 incubated eggs. + July 9. " " 4 " " + +"The nest is usually placed in some low, isolated leafless thorny tree +(_Acacia, Zizyphus_, &c.), from six to ten feet from the ground. It +is solidly built of small dry thorny twigs, old rags, &c. externally, +with a thick felt lining of the silky fibre of _Calotropis gigantea_. +The eggs vary a good deal in shape, some being much more pointed at +the small end than others; some I have are almost perfect peg-tops. +They vary in number from three to five; and as a rule the colour is a +dingy white, spotted and speckled sparingly all over with olive-brown +and inky purple, which together form a well-marked zone at the large +end." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Common, and breeds abundantly in +the Poona and Sholapoor Collectorates at the end of the hot weather. +W. has noticed it breeding at Nuluar and Raichore. Davidson observed +that it was very rare in the Satara Districts." + +Mr. J. Davidson further informs us that _L. lahtora_ is a permanent +resident in Western Khandeish, and breeds in every month from January +to July. + +My friend Mr. Benjamin Aitken furnishes me with the following +interesting note:--"You say that the Indian Grey Shrike lays from +February to July. Now, in Berar, where this bird is very common, I +have found their eggs frequently in the first week of January, and +on not only to July, but to September; and I once found a nest in +October. I was never able to satisfy myself that the same pair had two +broods in the year, but I scarcely think there can be any doubt about +the matter. I once found, like your correspondent Mr. Blewitt, four +nests in a small babool tree, and only one of them occupied. This was +at Poona. My brother first pointed out to me that this species affects +the dusty barren plain, whereas _L. erythronotus_ prefers the cool and +shaded country. This difference in the habits of the two birds is very +observable at Poona, where both species are exceedingly common. Where +a _jungly_ or watered piece of country borders upon the open plain, +you may see half a dozen of each kind within an area of half a mile +radius, and yet never find the one trespassing upon the domain of the +other. When you say you have never found a nest more than 1500 feet +above the level of the sea, I would remind you that although _L. +lahtora_ never ascends the hills, it is yet very abundant in the +Deccan, which is 2000 feet above the sea-level. + +"I think I have written to you before that during a residence of +twelve years I never saw _L. lahtora_ in Bombay." + +This Shrike is, however, essentially a plains bird, and never seems +to ascend the Himalayas to any elevation. I have never myself found a +nest more 1500 feet above the level of the sea. + +Typically, the eggs are of a broad oval shape, more or less pointed +towards one end, of a delicate greenish-white ground, pretty thickly +blotched and spotted with various shades of brown and purple markings, +which, always most numerous towards the large end, exhibit a strong +tendency to form there an ill-defined zone or irregular mottled cap. +The variations, however, in shape, size, colour, extent, and intensity +of markings are very great; and yet, in the huge series before me, +there is not one that an oologist would not at once unhesitatingly +set down as a Shrike's. In some the ground-colour is a delicate pale +sea-green. In some it is pale stone-colour; in others creamy, and in a +few it has almost a pink tinge. The markings, commonly somewhat dull +and ill-defined, are occasionally bold and bright; and in colour they +vary through every shade of yellowish, reddish, olive, and purplish +brown, while subsurface-looking pale purple clouds are intermingled +with the darker and more defined markings. In one egg the markings may +be almost exclusively confined to a broad, very irregular zone of bold +blotches near the large end. In others the whole surface is more or +less thickly clotted with blotches and spots, so closely crowded +towards the large end as almost wholly to obscure the ground-colour +there. As a rule, the markings are irregular blotches of greater or +less extent, but occasionally these blotches form the exceptions, and +the majority of the markings are mere spots and specks. In some eggs +the purple cloudings greatly predominate; in others scarcely a trace +of them is observable. Some eggs are comparatively long and +narrow, while some are pyriform and blunt at both ends; and yet, +notwithstanding all these great differences, there is a strong family +likeness between all the eggs. In size they are, I think, somewhat +smaller than those of _L. excubitor_. They vary in length from 0·9 to +1·17 inch, and in width from 0·75 to 0·83 inch; but the average of +more than fifty eggs is 1·03 by 0·79 inch. + + +473. Lanius vittatus. _The Bay-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius hardwickii (_Vigors), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 405. +Lanius vittatus, _Dum., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 260. + +The Bay-backed Shrike breeds throughout the plains of India and in the +Sub-Himalayan Ranges up to an elevation of fully 4000 feet. + +The laying-season lasts from April to September, but the great +majority of eggs are found during the latter half of June and July; in +fact, according to my experience, the great body of the birds do not +lay until the rains set in. + +The nests are placed indifferently on all kinds of trees (I have notes +of finding them on mango, plum, orange, tamarind, toon, &c.), never at +any great elevation from the ground, and usually in _small_ trees, be +the kind chosen what it may. Sometimes a high hedgerow, such as our +great Customs hedge, is chosen, and occasionally a solitary caper or +stunted acacia-bush. + +The nests (almost invariably fixed in forks of slender boughs) are +neat, compactly and solidly built cups, the cavities being deep and +rather more than hemispherical, from 2·25 to fully 3·5 inches in +diameter, and from 1·5 to 2 inches in depth. The nest-walls vary from +0·5 to 1·25 inch in thickness. The composition of the nest is various. +The following are brief descriptions which I have noted from time to +time:-- + +"Compactly woven of grass-stems and a few fine twigs, but with more +or less wool, rag, cotton, or feathers incorporated; there _is no +lining_. + +"The nest was rather massive, externally composed of wool, rags, +cotton, thread, and feathers, and a little grass; the cavity rather +neatly lined with fine grass. + +"Composed almost entirely of cobweb, with a few soft feathers, wool, +string, rags, and a few pieces of very fine twigs compactly woven. The +interior was lined with fine straw and fibrous roots." + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following note on the nidification of +this species:-- + +"This bird, or rather birds of this species, have been laying ever +since the middle of April, but nests were then few and far between, +and now in July they are common enough. The nest that we had just +found was precisely like twenty others that we had found during the +past two months. Rather deep, with a nearly hemispherical cavity; very +compactly and firmly woven of fine grass, rags, feathers, soft twine, +wool, and a few fine twigs, the whole entwined exteriorly with lots of +cobwebs; and the interior cavity about 1¾ inch deep by 2¼ in diameter, +neatly lined with very fine grass, one or two horsehairs, shreds of +string, and one or two soft feathers. The walls were a good inch in +thickness. The nest was placed in a fork of a thorny jujube or ber +tree (_Zizyphus jujuba_), near the centre of the tree, and some 15 +feet from the ground. It contained four fresh eggs, feebly coloured +miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_, which latter so closely +resemble those of _L. excubitor_ that if you mixed the eggs, you could +never, I think, certainly separate them again. The eggs exhibit the +zone so characteristic of those of all Shrikes. They have a dull pale +ground, not white, and yet it is difficult to say what colour it is +that tinges it; in these four eggs it is a yellowish stone-colour, but +in others it is greenish, and in some grey; near the middle, towards +the large end, there is a broad and conspicuous, but broken and +irregular zone of feeble, more or less confluent spots and small +blotches of pale yellowish brown and very pale washed-out purple. +There are a few faint specks and spots of the same colour here and +there about the rest of the egg. In some eggs previously obtained the +zone is quite in the middle, and in others close round the large end. +In some the colours of the markings are clear and bright, in others +they are as faint and feeble as one of our modern Manchester +warranted-fast-coloured muslins, after its third visit to a native +washerman. In size, too, the eggs vary a good deal. + +"The little Shrike had a great mind to fight for his _penates_, and +twice made a vehement demonstration of attack; but his heart failed +him, and he retreated to a neighbouring mango branch, whence a few +minutes after we saw him making short dashes after his insect prey, +apparently oblivious of the domestic calamity that had so recently +befallen him." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, then at Gurhi Hursroo, near Delhi, sent me some +years ago the following interesting note:-- + +"Breeds from March to at least the middle of August. It builds its +nest in low trees and high hedgerows, preferring the former. + +"In shape the nest is circular, with a diameter, outside, of from 5½ +to 6½ inches, and from 1·5 to 2 in thickness. + +"For the exterior framework thorny twigs, old rags, hemp, +thread-pieces, and coarse grass are more or less used, and compactly +worked together. The egg-cavity is deep and cup-shaped, lined with +fine grass and khus; pieces of rag or cotton are sometimes worked up +with the former. + +"Five to six is the regular number of eggs. In colour they are a light +greenish white, with blotches and spots generally of a light, but +sometimes of a darker, reddish brown. The spots and blotches vary much +in size, and they are mostly confined to the broad end of the eggs. + +"I had frequently noticed on a tree in the garden an _old_ Shrike's +nest. It was in the beginning of May that a male bird suddenly made +his appearance and established himself in the garden, and morning and +evening without fail did he sit and alternately chatter and warble +away for hours. His perfect imitation of the notes of other birds was +remarkable. + +"In the beginning of June his singing suddenly ceased, the secret of +which I soon discovered. He had secured a mate, and daily did I watch +for the nest, which I thought they would prepare. Late on the evening +of the 23rd June, happening to look up at the _old_ nest, to my +surprise I found it occupied by the female, the male the while sitting +on a branch near her. Next morning on searching the nest I found four +eggs. Whether this nest was prepared the year previous by these birds +or by another pair I cannot tell. + +"That day, the day of the robbery, the female disappeared. The male +followed next day, but only to return after two or three days and +recommence with renewed energy his chattering and warbling. This +he continued daily till near the end of July, when, as before, he +suddenly ceased to sing. I then found that he had again secured a +mate, whether the old female or a new bride I am not certain; they +soon set about making a nest on a neighbouring tree, very cunningly, +as I thought, selected; and now the young birds reared are nearly +full-fledged. An old nest, evidently of last year's make, was brought +me the other day with five eggs, but the _lining_, as by the way was +done in the one in the garden, had been wholly removed and _new_ grass +and khus substituted." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi in +May, June, and July. At the former place I never got the eggs, but +have seen some that were taken; but at Delhi I found numbers of their +nests in June and July, and one in May. It makes a much softer nest +than either of the two above-mentioned Shrikes. One nest I took on the +15th June was composed wholly of tow, but generally they have an outer +foundation of twigs, and are lined with tow, bits of cotton, human +hair, or rags. Some eggs are a yellow-white, with very faint marks, +others are miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_. + +"Five is the greatest number I have found in one nest." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding in +the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lays from the commencement of May to the middle of June. Eggs +three or four in number; shape varies from ovato-pyriform to blunt +ovato-pyriform, and measuring from 0·73 to 0·87 inch in length +and from 0·55 to 0·65[A] inch in breadth. Colour, same as _L. +erythronotus_, also creamy or yellowish white, spotted with darker. +Nest compact, in forks of thorny trees; outside fibrous stalks, +bound with silk or spider-web, and covered with lichens or cocoons, +imitating a weathered structure; inside lined with fine grass and +vegetable down." + +[Footnote A: I think that there must be some error in these +dimensions, for mine are taken from forty-five specimens, the largest +and smallest, out of some hundreds of eggs.--A.O.H.] + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"These little +Shrikes breed in the hills, as well as the plains, up to 5000 feet +high." + +Colonel Butler has the following notes on the breeding of this Shrike +in Sind:-- + +"Kurrachi, 7th May, 1877.--I found two nests on this date, one in the +fork of a babool tree, the other on the stump of a broken-off branch +of a tree between the stump and the trunk of the tree. The former +contained four incubated eggs, exact miniatures of many eggs I have +of _L. erythronotus_, the latter two small chicks.--May 12th, same +locality, a nest containing two fresh eggs, and another containing +two fully fledged young ones.--June 20th, same locality, one nest +containing three fresh eggs, another containing four young birds. Eggs +most typical are those which have a well-marked zone near the centre." + +"Hydrabad, Sind, 19th June, 1878.--A nest on the outer bough of a +babool tree about ten feet from the ground, containing three fresh +eggs." + +And he further notes:--"The Bay-backed Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa at the end of the hot weather. The nest is a +very firm and compactly built cup, usually placed in the fork of some +low thorny tree at heights varying from seven to ten feet from the +ground. + + "June 15th, 1875. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + July 1st, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 15th, " " " 5 incubated eggs. + July 29th, " " " 4 young birds. + +"These birds always retire from the more open parts of the country to +low thorny tree-jungle to breed." + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This species breeds about Sambhur in July. On +the 1st August I saw numbers of nests and fledglings in the Marot +jungle." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Abundant, +and breeds all over the Deccan." + +And the former gentleman informs us that this species is also very +common in Western Khandeish, and that it breeds in the plains in June +and July, and in the Satpuras in March. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"This is a very familiar bird, and builds +readily in some roadside tree, where men and carts are passing all day +long. I have the following notes of its nests:-- + +"1st-8th May, 1869. Nest and three eggs taken at Khandalla, above the +Bhore Ghât. + +"12th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Poona. + +"16th-18th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Khandalla. This nest was +in a corinda bush, placed about 1½ feet from the ground. + +"13th May, 1873. A clutch of young birds left the nest this morning at +Poona. + +"19th May, 1873. I found a nest of half-fledged young birds this day +at Poona. The tree was almost denuded of leaves, and the heat of the +sun being very intense, the parent bird was nevertheless sitting +close. Its eyes were closed, and it was gasping hard. One of the young +ones had crawled out from under the parent, and was sitting on the +edge of the nest, also gasping hard. + +"I do not exactly gather from your notes in the 'Rough Draft' what +form the spots usually take. In my nest taken on the 12th May all +four eggs had the zone quite as distinct as the eggs of a Fan-tailed +Flycatcher. The seven eggs taken from two nests at Khandalla, on the +other hand, had not the least appearance of a zone, but were spotted, +after the manner of Sparrows' eggs. In both the latter cases I saw the +old bird fly off the nest and alight on a tree a few yards off. + +"I remember one little Shrike of this species which used to come down +every day to pick up crumbs of bread and pieces of potatoe put out for +the Sparrows. (Being a true naturalist I love Sparrows.) + +"My brother on one occasion saw one of these Shrikes trying to catch a +garden lizard--not a gecko. + +"Of course you know that the young of this handsome and brightly +coloured Shrike have a plain and curiously marked plumage, reminding +one a little of the _pateela_ Partridge. I never saw this Shrike in +Bombay." + +The eggs of this, the smallest of all our Indian Shrikes, differ in no +particular, so far as shape, colour, and markings go, from those of +its larger congeners; that is to say, for every egg of this species +an exactly similar one might be picked out from a large series of _L. +lahtora_ or _L. erythronotus_; but at the same time there is no doubt +that pale-creamy and pale-brownish stone-coloured grounds predominate +more amongst the eggs of this species than in those of the two +above-named. The markings are also, as a rule, more minute and less +well-defined; indeed, in the large series I possess there is not one +which exhibits the bold sharp blotches common in the eggs of _L. +lahtora_, and not uncommon in those of _L. erythronotus_. + +In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·95 inch, and in breadth from 0·62 +to 0·71 inch; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0·83 by 0·66 inch +nearly. + + +475. Lanius nigriceps (Franklin). _The Black-headed Shrike_. + +Lanius nigriceps (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 404. +Collyrio nigriceps, _Frankl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 259. + +I have never myself taken the eggs or nests of the Black-headed +Shrike. + +Mr. E. Thompson says:--"This Shrike breeds all along the south-western +termination of the Kumaon and Gurhwal forests, and is usually found +in swampy, high grassy lands. It lays in July, August, and September, +building a large cup-shaped nest, composed of roots and fine grasses, +in small trees or shrubs in low, open grass-covered country. + +"I found this the Common Shrike in the hilly jungly tracts in Southern +Mirzapore, but I do not know whether it breeds there. The cry is quite +like that of _L. erythronotus_. + +"The southern limit of _Lanius nigriceps_ is interesting and +remarkable. It disappears after you go south-west of the Mykle Range, +and on the Range itself it is found only near marshy places. This +Mykle Range extends as far east as Ummerkuntuk, with a spur going off +north of that, and joining on with the Kymore Range, parts of which I +explored in March last in Pergunnahs Agrore and Singrowlee. Down in +those places this _Lanius_ was the Common Shrike, but south and +west of Ummerkuntuk all the Shrikes disappear more or less, and _L. +nigriceps_ entirely." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures this species breeds in +the Valley of Nepal, laying in April and May, and building in thorny +bushes, hedges, and trees, often in the immediate neighbourhood of +villages. The following are two of Mr. Hodgson's notes:-- + +"Valley, May 18th.--Nest near the top of a fir of mean size, fixed +securely in the midst of several diverging branches, made compactly of +dry grasses, of which the inner ones, which constitute the lining, are +hard and elastic, and well fitted to preserve the shape, which is a +deep cup with an internal cavity 3·5 inches in diameter and nearly 3 +deep. It contained six eggs, milk-and-water white, with pale olive +spots, chiefly at the large end, measuring 0·95 by 0·68 inch. + +"Jahar Powah, May 16th.--Ascent of Sheopoori, skirts of large forests; +nest on lateral branches of a large tree made of downy tops of plants, +of moss and thick grasses strongly compacted, and lined with fine +elastic hair-like grass; the cavity is circular, 3 inches in diameter +by more than 2 inches in depth; the whole nest is a solid deep cup; it +contained four eggs, bluish white, with grey-brown remote spots." + +Of another nest he gives the dimensions as:--external diameter 4·25 +inches; external height 3·87; internal diameter 2·87; depth of cavity +2·75. He figures it as a very compact and deep cup resting on a +horizontal fir branch between four or five upright sprays. He states +that the young are ready to fly towards the end of June, and that it +breeds only once a year. + +Dr. Scully, also writing of Nepal, says:--"This Shrike breeds on +the hillsides of the valley, usually in places where there is no +tree-forest, and not uncommonly in the neighbourhood of hamlets. +Several nests were obtained in May and June; these were large +cup-shaped structures, composed of grass-roots, fibres, and fine +seed-down intermixed. The egg-cavity was circular, lined with fine +grass-stems, about 4 inches in diameter, and 2 inches deep in the +middle. The usual number of eggs is five; the ground-colour pale +greenish white, boldly blotched and spotted with olive marks in an +irregular zone round the large end. A clutch of five eggs taken on the +14th June gave the following dimensions:--0·94 to 0·97 in length, and +0·65 to 0·7 in breadth." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest of this species on the 17th May at Mongfoo, +near Darjeeling, at an elevation of 3500 feet. The nest was placed in +a wormwood bush, and was supported between several slender upright +shoots, to which the exterior of the nest was more or less attached. +The nest was a deep compact cup, externally composed of fine twigs, +scraps of roots, and stems of herbaceous plants, intermingled with a +great deal of flowering grass. Internally it was lined with very fine +grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in diameter, +and was fully 2 inches deep. The external diameter was about 5 inches, +and height 3½ or thereabout. + +Subsequently he sent me the following full account of the nidification +of this Shrike:-- + +"I have found this Shrike breeding abundantly in the Cinchona reserves +in May and June, at elevations of from 3000 to 4500 feet above the +sea. It affects open, cultivated places, and builds, from 6 to 20 feet +from the ground, in shrubs, bamboos, or small trees. The nest is +often suspended between several upright shoots, to which it is firmly +attached by fibres twisted round the stems and the ends worked into +the body of the nest; sometimes against a bamboo-stem seated on, and +attached to, the bunch of twigs given out at a node; or in a fork of a +small tree, or end of an upright cut branch where several shoots have +sprung away from under the cut and keep the nest in position, when it +has a large pad of an everlasting plant or of the downy heads of a +large flowering grass to rest on--when the former material is handy it +is preferred. The nest is sometimes exposed to view, but generally is +tolerably well concealed. It is of a deep cup-shape, very compactly +built of flowering grass and stems of herbaceous plants intermixed +with fibry twigs, and lined with the small fibry-looking branchlets of +grass-panicles. Externally it measures 5 inches across by 3½ inches +in depth; internally the cavity is 3½ inches in diameter by nearly 2 +inches deep. Usually the eggs are either four or five in number. On +one occasion only have I seen so many as six. The coloration is of two +distinct types, but one type only is found in the same nest. I suspect +that the age of the bird has something to do with the variation +of colour in the eggs. In a nest containing four eggs one had the +majority of the spots collected on the small, instead of the thick end +as usual, and, strange to say, it was addled white. The other three +were hard-set. The parents get very much excited when their young are +approached, and, as long as the intruder is in the vicinity, keep up +an incessant volley of their harsh grating cries, at the same time +stretching out their necks and jerking about their tails violently." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident. Prefers open +plains interspersed with bushes, also the small bushes on road-sides +are a favourite haunt of theirs. Breeds in the district. I took ten +nests this season from the 11th April to 4th June, with from one to +five eggs in each. Four nests were placed in bamboo clumps from 9 to +30 feet high; one 40 feet from the ground on a casuarina-tree, one 20 +feet up in a but-tree, and the rest in babool-trees at from 6 to 15 +feet high from the ground. There is no attempt at concealment. The +nest is a deep cup fixed in a fork, and is made of grasses with a deal +of the downy tops of the same for an outside lining; this peculiarity +at once distinguishes the nest of this species. The description given +by Mr. Hodgson of a nest found by him on the 16th May at Jahar Powah, +in 'Nests and Eggs,' p. 172, correctly describes the nests I have +found. This species imitates the call of several kinds of small birds, +as Sparrows, King-Crows, &c., and I have often been deceived by it." + +The eggs of this species, of which, thanks to Mr. Gammie, I now +possess a noble series, vary very much in shape and size. Typically +they are very broad ovals, a little compressed towards one end, but +moderately elongated ovals are not uncommon. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and often has a more or less perceptible gloss; in no +case, however, very pronounced. + +There are two distinct types of colouring. In the one, the +ground-colour is a delicate very pale green or greenish white, in +some few pale, still faintly greenish, stone-colour; and the markings +consist as a rule of specks and spots of brownish olive, mostly +gathered into a broad zone about the large end, intermingled with +specks and spots of pale inky purple. In some eggs the whole of +the markings are very pale and washed-out, but in the majority the +brownish-olive or olive-brown spots, as the case may be, are rather +bright, especially in the zone. In the other type (and out of 42 eggs, +12 belong to this type) the ground-colour varies from pinky white to a +warm salmon-pink, and the markings, distributed and arranged as in the +first type, are a rather dull red and pale purple. In fact the two +types differ as markedly as do those of _Dicrurus ater_; and though +I have as yet received none such, I doubt not that with a couple of +hundred eggs before one intermediate varieties, as in the case of _D. +ater_, would be found to exist--as it is, two more different looking +eggs than the two types of this species could hardly be conceived. I +may add that in eggs of both types it sometimes, though very rarely, +happens that the zone is round the small end. + +In length they vary from 0·82 to 1·01, and in breadth from 0·68 to +0·79; but the average of forty-two eggs measured is 0·92 by 0·75. + + +476. Lanius erythronotus (Vigors). _The Rufous-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius erythronotus (_Vig._); _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 402. +Collyrio erythronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 257. +Collyrio caniceps[A] (_Blyth_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 257 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume may probably still consider _L. caniceps_ +separable from _L. erythronotus_. I therefore keep the notes on the +two races distinct as they appeared in the 'Rough Draft,' merely +adding a few later notes.--ED.] + +_Lanius erythronotus_. + +The Rufous-backed Shrike lays from March to August; the first half of +this period being that in which the majority of these birds lay in +the Himalayas, which they ascend to elevations of 6000 feet: and the +latter half being that in which we find most eggs in the plains; but +in both hills and plains some eggs may be found throughout the whole +period above indicated. + +The nests of this species are almost invariably placed on forks of +trees or of their branches at no great height from the ground; indeed, +of all the many nests that I have myself taken, I do not think that +one was above 15 feet from the ground. By preference they build, I +think, in thorny trees, the various species of acacia, so common +throughout the plains of India, being apparently their favourite +nesting-haunts, but I have found them breeding on toon (_Cedrela +toona_) and other trees. Internally the nest is always a deep cup, +from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and from 1¾ to 2-1/8 deep. The cavity +is always circular and regular, and lined with fine grass. Externally +the nests vary greatly; they are always massive, but some are compact +and of moderate dimensions externally, say not exceeding 5½ inches in +diameter, while others are loose and straggling, with a diameter of +fully 8 inches. Grass-stems, fine twigs, cotton-wool, old rags, dead +leaves, pieces of snake's skin, and all kinds of odds and ends are +incorporated in the structure, which is generally more or less +strongly bound together by fine tow-like vegetable fibre. Some nests +indeed are so closely put together that they might almost be rolled +about without injury, while others again are so loose that it is +scarcely possible to move them from the fork in which they are wedged +without pulling them to pieces. + +I have innumerable notes about the nests of this Shrike, of which I +reproduce two or three. + +"_Etawah, March 18th_.--The nest was on a babool tree, some 10 feet +from the ground, on one of the outside branches; an exterior framework +of very thorny babool twigs, and within a very warm deep circular nest +made almost entirely of sun (_Crotalaria juncea_) fibre, a sort of +fine tow, and flocks of cotton-wool, there being fully as much of this +latter as of the former; a few fine grass-stems are interwoven; there +are a few human and a few sleep's wool hairs at the bottom as a sort +of lining. The cavity of the nest is about 3 inches in diameter by 2 +deep, and the side walls and bottom are from 1½ to 2 inches thick." + +"_Bareilly, May 27th_, 1867.--Found a nest containing two fresh eggs. +The nest was in a small mango tree, rather massive, nearly 2 inches in +thickness at the sides and 3 inches thick at the bottom. It was rather +stoutly and closely put together, though externally very ragged. The +interior neatly made of fine grass-stems, the exterior of coarser +grass-stems and roots, with a quantity of cotton-wool, rags, tow +string and thread intermingled. The cavity was oval, about 3½ by 3 +inches and 2 inches deep." + +"_Agra, August 21st_.--Mr. Munro sent in from Bitchpoorie a beautiful +nest which he took from the fork of a mango tree about 40 feet from +the ground, a very compact and massive cup-shaped nest, not very +deep." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt records the following note:--"Breeds from March to +August, on low trees, and, as would appear, without preference for any +one kind. + +"The nest in shape much resembles that of _Lanius lahtora_; but +judging from the half-dozen or so I have seen, _L. erythronotus_ +certainly displays more skill and ingenuity in preparing its nest, +which in structure is more neat and compact than that of _L. lahtora_. +In shape it is circular, ordinarily varying from 5½ to 7 inches in +diameter, and from 2 to 2½ inches in thickness. Hemp, old rags, and +thorny twigs are freely used in the formation of the outer portion of +the nest, but the Shrike shows a decided predilection for the former. +In one nest I observed the cast skin of a snake worked in with the +outer materials; in two others some kind of vegetable fibre was used +to bind and secure the thorn twigs, and one had the margin made of +fine neem-tree twigs and leaves. The egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, +from 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and _lined_ usually with fine grass. +Five appears to be the regular number of eggs; but on this score I +cannot be very certain, seeing that my experience is confined to some +half-dozen or so of nests. + +"I have recently reared three young birds, and it is very amusing to +witness their many antics, shrewdness, and intelligence. They are very +tame, flying in and out of the bungalow at pleasure; when irritated, +which is rather a failing with them, they show every sign of +resentment. If one is inclined to be rebellious, not coming to call, +the show of a piece of meat at once secures its submission and +capture. Singular how partial they are to raw meat, and more singular +to see the expert way in which they catch up the meat with the claws +of either leg, and hold it from them while they devour it piecemeal. +I saw the other evening an old bird pounce on a field-mouse, kill it, +and then bring and cleverly fix the victim firmly between the two +forks of a branch and pull it in pieces. It consumed but a part of the +mouse." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Kaias in the Salt +Range:--'"Lay in May; eggs five to six; shape blunt, ovato-pyriform; +size varies from 0·88 to 0·93 of an inch in length, and from 0·68 +to 0·81 of an inch in breadth. Colour white or pale greenish white, +slightly ringed and spotted with yellowish grey and neutral tint. Nest +of roots, coarse grass, rags, cotton, &c., lined with fine grass, and +placed in forks of trees." + +Captain Hutton, who recognizes the distinctions between this species +and _L. caniceps_, says:--"This is an abundant species in the Doon, +but is found also within the mountains up to about 5000 feet. In +the Doon I took a nest on the 28th June containing four eggs. It +is composed of grass and fine stalks of small plants roughly put +together, bits of rag, shreds of fine bark, and lined with very fine +grass-seed stalks; internal diameter 3 inches, external 6 inches; +depth 2½ inches." + +Sir E.C. Buck notes having taken a nest containing four hard-set eggs +on the 22nd of June, far in the interior of the Himalayas, at Niratu, +north-east of Notgurh. The nest was in a tuhar tree and was composed +externally of grass-seed ears, internally of finer grass; a very +different-looking nest from any I have elsewhere seen, but he +forwarded the bird and eggs, so that there could be no mistake. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Found numerous nests in +the valleys in May and June, between 4000 and 5000 feet up." + +From four to six eggs are laid, and in regard to this Shrike I have +had no reason to think that it rears more than one brood in the year. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay say says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I found a +great many nests in May and June. The first (27th May) was situated in +the centre of a dense thorny creeper, and contained six eggs, white, +faintly washed with pale green, and spotted and blotched with purplish +stone-colour and pale brown. The nest was composed of green grass, +moss, cotton-wool, thistle-down, rags, cows' hair, mules' hair, shreds +of juniper-bark, &c., &c. Other nests were found in willows by the +river-bank and in apricot-trees. In a large orchard at Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, I found three nests within a few yards of one +another." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"I have only found one nest of this +Shrike, which is, however, common enough both at Allahabad and at +Delhi. This nest I found on the 3rd June in the Nicholson gardens at +Delhi. It was placed high up in the fork of a babool tree, and though +more straggling and loosely built was very like that of _L. lahtora_; +the two eggs it contained, except that they are a trifle smaller, are +very like those of _L. lahtora_" + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:--The +Rufous-backed Shrike commences nidification at Mt. Aboo about the end +of May. I took a nest on the 11th June containing five fresh eggs. It +was placed in the fork of one of the outer branches of a mango-tree +about 15 feet, from the ground. The hen bird sat very close, allowing +the native I sent up the tree to put his hand almost on to her +back before she moved, and then she only flew to a bough close by, +remaining there chattering and scolding angrily the whole time the +nest was being robbed. The nest, which is coarse and somewhat large +for the size of the bird, is composed externally of dry grass-roots, +twigs, rags, raw cotton, string, and other miscellaneous articles +all woven together. The interior is neatly lined with dry grass and +horsehair. The eggs, five in number, are of a pale greenish-white +colour, spotted all over with olivaceous inky-brown spots and specks, +increasing in size and forming a zone at the large end. They vary much +in shape, some being pyriform, and others blunt and similar in shape +at both ends. I took another nest on the 19th June near the same +place containing five fresh eggs, similar in every respect to the one +already described, except that it was built on a thorn-tree about 10 +feet from the ground. I took a nest at Deesa on the 8th July, 1875, +containing four fresh eggs; these eggs are smaller and rounder than +those from Aboo, and the blotches are larger and more distinct. The +same pair of birds built another nest a few days later, on 18th July, +within ten yards of the tree from which the other nest was taken, +laying five eggs. + +"I found other nests at Deesa on the following dates:-- + + "July 2nd. A nest containing 4 incubated eggs. + " 7th. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 8th. " " 4 " + " 9th. " " 2 " + " 10th. " " 5 " + " 10th. " " 4 " + Aug. 9th. " " 3 " + +"I found many other nests in the same neighbourhood containing young +birds during the last week of July." + +Regarding the Rufous-backed Shrike, Mr. Benjamin Aitken has sent me +the subjoined interesting note:--"This Shrike makes its appearance in +Bombay regularly during the last week of September, and announces its +arrival by loud cries for the first few days, till it has made itself +at home in the new neighbourhood; after which it spends nearly the +whole of its days on a favourite perch, darting down on every insect +that appears within a radius of thirty yards. It pursues this +occupation with a system and perseverance to which _L. lahtora_ makes +but a small approach. When its stomach is full, it enlivens the weary +hours with the nearest semblance to a song of which its vocal organs +are capable; for while many human bipeds have a good voice but no +ear, the _L. erythronotus_ has an excellent ear but a voice that no +modulation will make tolerable. It remains in Bombay till towards the +end of February, and then suddenly becomes restless and quarrelsome, +making as much ado as the _Koel_ in June, and then taking its +departure, for what part of the world I do not know. This I know, that +from March to August there is never a Rufous-backed Shrike in Bombay. + +"The Rufous-backed Shrike, though not so large as the Grey Shrike, is +a much bolder and fiercer bird. It will come down at once to a cage of +small birds exposed at a window, and I once had an Amadavat killed and +partly eaten through the wires by one of these Shrikes, which I saw in +the act with my own eyes. The next day I caught the Shrike in a large +basket which I set over the cage of Amadavats. On another occasion I +exposed a rat in a cage for the purpose of attracting a Hawk, and in a +few minutes found a _L. erythronotus_ fiercely attacking the cage on +all sides. I once caught one alive and kept it for some time. As soon +as it found itself safely enclosed in the cage, it scorned to show any +fear, and the third day took food from my hand. It was very fond of +bathing, and was a handsome and interesting pet." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Very common in Satara; breeding +freely in beginning of the rains; observed at Lanoli. Bare in the +Sholapoor District and does not appear to breed there." And the former +gentleman, writing of Western Khandeish, says:--"A few pairs breed +about Dhulia in June and July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor records the following note from Manzeerabad in +Mysore:--"Plentiful all over the district. Breeding in May; eggs taken +on the 7th." + +I have so fully described the eggs of _L. lahtora_, of which the eggs +of this present species are almost miniatures, that I need say but +little in regard to these. On the whole, the markings in this species +are, I think, feebler and less numerous than in _L. lahtora_; and +though this would not strike one in the comparison of a few eggs in +each, it is apparent enough when several hundreds of each are laid +side by side, four or five abreast, in broad parallel rows. The +ground-colour, too, in the egg of _L. erythronotus_ has seldom, if +ever, as much green in it, and has commonly more of the pale creamy or +pinky stone-colour than in the case of _L. lahtora_. + +In size the eggs of _L. erythronotus_ appear to approach those of +the English Red-backed Shrike, though they average perhaps somewhat +smaller. + +In length they vary from 0·85 to 1·05 inch, and in breadth from 0·65 +to 0·77 inch, but the average of more than one hundred eggs measured +is 0·92 by 0·71 inch. + +_Lanius caniceps_. + +This closely allied species, the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike, breeds +only, so far as I yet know, in the Nilghiris, Palanis, &c. + +It lays from March to July, the majority, I think, breeding in June. + +Its nest is very similar and is similarly placed to that of the +preceding, from which, if it differs at all, it only differs in being +somewhat smaller. + +It lays from four to six eggs, slightly more elongated ovals than +those of _L. erythronotus_, taken as a body, but not, in my opinion, +separable from these when mixed with a large number. + +Captain Hutton, however, does not concur in this: he remarks:--"This +species, which is very common in Afghanistan, occurs also in the Doon +and on the hills up to about 6000 feet. At Jeripanee I took a nest +on the 21st June containing five eggs, of a pale livid white colour, +sprinkled with brown spots, chiefly collected at the larger end, +where, however, they cannot be said to form a ring; interspersed with +these are other dull sepia spots appearing beneath the shell. Diameter +0·94 by 0·69 inch, or in some rather more. Shape rather tapering +ovate. + +"The differences perceptible between this and the last are the much +smaller size of the spots and blotches, the latter, indeed, scarcely +existing, while in _L. erythronotus_ they are large and numerous; +there is great difference likewise in the shape of the egg, those of +the present species being less globular or more tapering. The nest was +found in a thick bush about 5 feet from the ground, and was far more +neatly made than that of the foregoing species; it is likewise less +deep internally. It was composed of the dry stalks of 'forget-me-not,' +compactly held together by the intermixture of a quantity of moss +interwoven with fine flax and seed-down, and lined with fine +grass-stalks. Internal diameter 3½ inches; external 6 inches; depth +1½ inch, forming a flattish cup, of which the sides are about 1½ inch +thick. The depth, therefore, is less by 1 inch than in that of the +last-mentioned nest." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter tells me that "at Coonoor, on the Nilghiris, this +species breeds in April and May, placing its nest in large shrubs, +orange-trees, and other low trees which are thick and leafy. The nest +is externally irregular in shape, and is composed of fibres and roots +mixed with cotton-wool and rags; in one nest I found a piece of lace, +6 or 8 inches long; internally it is a deep cup, some 4 inches in +diameter and 2 in depth. The eggs are sometimes three in number, +sometimes four." + +Mr. Wait says that "the breeding-season extends from March to July in +the Nilghiris; the nest, cup-shaped and neatly built, is placed in low +trees, shrubs, and bushes, generally thorny ones; the outside of the +nest is chiefly composed of weeds (a white downy species is invariably +present), fibres, and hay, and it is lined with grass and hair; there +is often a good deal of earth built in, with roots and fibres in the +foundation of this nest; four appears to be the usual number of eggs +laid." + +Miss Cockburn, from Kotagherry, also on the Nilghiris, tells me that +"the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike builds in the months of February and +March and forms a large nest, the foundation of which is occasionally +laid with large pieces of rags, or (as I have once or twice found) +pieces of carpet. To these they add sticks, moss, and fine grass as +a lining, and lay four eggs, which are white, but have a circle of +ash-coloured streaks and blotches at the thick end, resembling those +on Flycatchers' eggs. They are exceedingly watchful of their nests +while they contain eggs or young, and never go out of sight of the +bush which contains the precious abode." + +Mr. Davison remarks that "this species builds in bushes or trees at +about 6 to 20 feet from the ground: a thorny thick bush is generally +preferred, _Berberis asiatica_ being a favourite. The nest is a large +deep cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass, mingled with +odd pieces of rag, paper, &c., and lined with fine grass. The eggs, +four or five in number, are white, spotted with blackish brown, +chiefly at the thicker end, where the spots generally form a zone. +The usual breeding-season is May and the early part of June, though +sometimes nests are found in April and even as late as the last week +in June, by which time the south-west monsoon has generally burst on +the Nilghiris." + +Dr. Fairbank writes:--"This bird lives through the year on the Palanis +and breeds there. I found a nest with five eggs when there in 1867, +but have not the notes then made about it." + +Captain Horace Terry informs us that this Shrike is a most common bird +in the Palani hills, found everywhere and breeding freely. + +Mr. H. Parker, writing from Ceylon, says:--"A pair of these Shrikes +reared three clutches of young in my compound (two of them out of +one nest) from December to May, inclusive; but this must be abnormal +breeding." + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds in +the Jaffna district and on the north-west coast from February until +May. Mr. Holdsworth found its nest in a thorn-bush about 6 feet high, +near the compound of his bungalow, in the beginning of February.... +Layard speaks of the young being fledged in June at Point Pedro, and +says that it builds in _Euphorbia_-trees in that district." + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from the Doon and +by numerous correspondents from the Nilghiris, are indistinguishable +from many types of _L. erythronotus_, and indeed the birds are so +closely allied that this was only to be expected. It is unnecessary +to describe these at length, as my description of the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_ applies equally to these. + +In size the eggs, however, vary less and _average_ longer than those +of this latter species. In length they range from 0·93 to 1 inch, and +in breadth from 0·7 to 0·72 inch, but the average of twenty was 0·95 +by 0·7 inch. + + +477. Lanius tephronotus (Vigors). _The Grey-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius tephronotus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 403. +Collyrio tephronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 258. + +As far as I yet know, the Grey-backed Shrike breeds, within our +limits, only in the Himalayas, and chiefly in the interior, at heights +of from 5000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level. In the interior of +Sikhim, in the Sutlej Valley near Chini, in Lahoul, and well up the +valley of the Beas, they are pretty common during the summer; they lay +from May to July, and the young are about by the end of July or the +early part of August. I have never seen a nest, although I have had +eggs and birds sent me from both Sikhim and the Sutlej Valley. There +were only two eggs in each case, but doubtless, like other Shrikes, +they lay from four to six. + +Mr. Blanford remarks that _L. tephronotus_ was "common at Láchung, in +Sikhim, 8000 to 9000 feet, in the beginning of September, but three +weeks later all had disappeared. Many of those seen were in young +plumage, with hair on the breast, back, and scapulars." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall records from Murree:--"This species much +resembles _L. erythronotus_, but the eggs differ considerably, being +more creamy white, blotched and spotted (more particularly at the +larger end) with pale red and grey. They are the same size as those +of the preceding species. Lays in the beginning of July at the same +elevation as _L. erythronotus_." + +As to the size I cannot concur with the above. + +Colonel Marshall has since kindly sent me two of the eggs above +referred to; they are clearly, it seems to me, eggs of _Dicrurus +longicaudatus_, or the slightly smaller hill-form named _himalayanus_, +Tytler. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found at about three feet +from the ground in a thick bush at Bheem Tal, at the edge of the lake, +contained five fresh eggs on the 28th May: the nest was a coarsely +built massive cup; the eggs were about the same size as those of _L. +erythronotus_, but the spots were larger and less closely gathered +than is usual with that species." + +Dr. Scully says:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is common in the Valley of +Nepal from about the end of September to the middle of March; it is +the only Shrike found in the Valley during the winter season, but it +migrates further north to breed. In December it was fairly common +about Chitlang, which is higher than Kathmandu, but seemed to be +entirely replaced in the Hetoura Dun by _L. nigriceps_. It frequents +gardens, groves, and cultivated ground, perching on bushes and hedges +and small bare trees. It has a very harsh chattering note, louder than +that of _L. nigriceps_, and appears to be most noisy towards sunset, +when its cry would often lead one to suppose that the bird was being +strangled in the clutches of a raptor." + +Mr. O. Möller has kindly furnished me with the following note:--"On +the 7th June, 1879, my men brought a nest containing four fresh eggs, +together with a bird of the present species; I send two of the eggs: +perhaps you recollect the eggs of _L. tephronotus_, in which case you +of course will be able to see at a glance if I am correct. I have +never come across such large eggs of _L. nigriceps_, the eggs of which +also as a rule have well-defined spots and no blotches; the two other +eggs the nest contained measure 1 by 0·74, and 1·01 by 0·76 inch." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Shrike type, moderately +elongated ovals, a little compressed towards the small end. The shell +extremely smooth and compact, but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pale greenish or yellowish white; the markings +chiefly confined to a broad irregular ill-defined zone round the large +end--blotches, spots, specks, and smears of pale yellowish brown more +or less intermingled with small clouds and spots of pale sepia-grey or +inky purple. In some eggs a good number of the smaller markings and +occasionally one or two larger ones are scattered over the entire +surface of the egg, but typically the bulk of the markings are +comprised within the zone above referred to. + +In length four eggs vary from 0·97 to 1·06 inch, and in breadth from +0·76 to 0·81 inch. + + +481. Lanius cristatus, Linn. _The Brown Shrike_. + +Lanius cristatus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 406: _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 261. + +I am induced to notice this species, the Brown Shrike, although I +possess no detailed information as to its nidification, in consequence +of Lord Walden's remarks on this subject in 'The Ibis' of 1867. He +says "Does it, then, cross the vast ranges of the Himalaya in its +northern migration? or does it not rather find on the southern slopes +and in the valleys of those mountains all the conditions suitable for +nesting?"; and he adds in a note, "It is extremely doubtful whether +any passerine bird which frequents the plains of India during the +cooler months crosses to the north of the snowy ranges of the Himalaya +after quitting the plains to escape the rainy season or the intense +heat of summer." + +Now, it is quite certain, as I have shown in 'Lahore to Yarkand,' that +several of our Indian passerine birds do cross the entire succession +of Snowy Ranges which divide the plains of India from Central Asia, +and it is tolerably certain from my researches and those of numerous +contributors that _L. cristatus_ breeds _only_ north of these ranges. +True, Tickell gives the following account of the nidification of this +species in the plains of India:-- + +"Nest found in large bushes or thickets, shallow, circular, 4 inches +in diameter, rather coarsely made of fine twigs and grass. Eggs three, +ordinary; 29/32 by 21/32: pale rose-colour, thickly sprinkled +with blood-red spots, with a darkish livid zone at the larger +end.--_June_." But Tickell, though he warns us at the commencement +of his paper (Journal As. Soc. 1848, p. 297) of the "attempts at +duplicity of which the wary oologist must take good heed," gives the +egg of the Sarus as plain white, and says he has seen upwards of a +dozen like this, those of the Roller as full deep Antwerp blue, those +of _Cypselus palmarum_ as white with large spots of deep claret-brown, +and so on, and it is quite clear that his supposed eggs and nest of +_L. cristatus_ belonged to one of the Bulbuls. + +Of more than fifty oologists who have collected for me at different +times in hills and plains, from the Nilghiris to Huzára on the one +side, and to Sikhim on the other, not one has ever met with a nest of +_L. cristatus_. This is doubtless purely negative evidence, but it is +still entitled to considerable weight. + +From the valleys of the Beas and the Sutlej, as also from Kumaon and +Gurhwal, these Shrikes seem to disappear entirely during the summer, +and they are then, as we also know, found breeding in Yarkand. It is +only in the latter part of the autumn that they reappear in the former +named localities, finding their way by the commencement of the cold +season to the foot of the hills. + +Mr. R. Thompson, to quote one of many close observers, remarks:--"This +bird appears regularly at Huldwanee and Rumnugger at the foot of the +Kumaon Hills during the cold weather, confining itself to thick hedges +and deep groves of trees. Where it goes to in summer I cannot say, it +certainly does not remain in our hills." + + +484. Hemipus picatus (Sykes). _The Black-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 412; _Hume, Rough +Draft_ _N. & E._ no 267. + +I quite agree with Mr. Gray that this bird is a Flycatcher and not a +Shrike; no one in fact who has watched it in life can have any doubt +on this subject; but yet, except for their being more strongly marked, +its eggs have no doubt a very Shrike-like character, at the same time +that they exhibit many affinities to those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ +and other undoubted Flycatchers. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"About the first week in March 1871, I found +at Ootacamund a nest of this bird placed in the fork of one of the +topmost branches of a rather tall _Berberis leschenaulti_. For the +size of the bird this was an exceedingly small shallow nest, and from +its position between the fork, its size, and the materials of which it +was composed externally, might very easily have passed unnoticed; the +bird sitting on it appeared to be sitting only on a small lump of moss +and lichen, the whole of the bird's tail, and as low down as the lower +part of the breast, being visible. The nest was composed of grass and +fine roots covered externally with cobweb and pieces of a grey lichen, +and bits of moss taken apparently from the same tree on which the nest +was built: the eggs were three in number. The tree on which this nest +was built was opposite my window, and I watched the birds building for +nearly a week; and, again, when having the nest taken, the birds sat +till the native lad I had sent up put out his hand to take the nest. +I am _absolutely_ certain, as to the identity of this nest and these +eggs." + +The eggs brought me by Mr. Davison, of the authenticity of which he is +positive, are very Shrike-like in their appearance; they are rather +elongated ovals, somewhat obtuse at both ends, and entirely devoid of +gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish or greyish white, and they +are profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked with darker and lighter +shades of umber-brown; in both eggs these markings are more or less +confluent along a broad zone, which in one egg encircles the larger, +in the other the smaller end: these eggs measure 0·7 by 0·5 inch and +0·69 by 0·49 inch. + +Captain Horace Terry writes from the Palani Hills:--"Pittur Valley. I +had a nest brought me which from the description of the bird must, I +think, have belonged to this species. Nest rather a shallow cup placed +in a thorny tree about ten feet from the ground, neatly made of grass +and moss, lined with fine grass and a few feathers, covered a great +deal on the outside with dusky-coloured cobwebs, 2·5 inches across and +1·5 inch deep inside, and 3·25 inches to 3·5 inches across, and 2·25 +inches deep outside: contained five very much incubated eggs; shape +and marking exactly like those of _L. caniceps_, having a well-defined +zone round the larger end; size about the same or rather smaller than +those of _Pratincola bicolor_." + + +485. Hemipus capitalis (McClelland). _The Brown-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus capitalis (_McClell._), _Hume, cat._ no. 267 A. + +I must premise that to the best of my belief there is no such thing +as _H. capitalis_, McClell., in India, or, in other words, that this +latter name is a mere synonym of _H. picatus_.[A] + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume would probably now agree with me that _H. +picatus_ and _H. capitalis_ are distinct species. _H. picatus_, +however, is not confined to Southern India, but occurs along the +Terais of Sikhim and Nepal, and throughout Burma. _H. capitalis_ +occurs on the Himalayas from Gurwhal to Assam. There is little +doubt that Captain Hutton's nest did not really belong to a Pied +Shrike.--ED.] + +Mr. Blyth remarks, Ibis, 1866:--"_Hemipus picatus_. Under this name +two very distinct species are brought together by Dr. Jerdon: _H. +capitalis_ (McClell., 1839; _H. picaecolor_, Hodgson, 1845) of the +Himalaya, which is larger, with proportionally longer tail, and has +a brown back; and _H. picatus_ (Sykes) of Southern India and Ceylon, +which has a black back. Mr. Wallace has good series of both of them. + +"_Hemipus capitalis_ has accordingly to be added to the birds of +India." + +Now, out of India, Mr. Wallace may have got hold of some brown-backed +_Hemipus_, which is really distinct, but nothing is more certain (I +speak after comparison of a large series from Southern India with a +still larger, gathered from all parts of the Himalayas) than that the +Southern and Northern Indian birds are identical, and that in both +localities the males have black and the females brown backs. + +Capt. T. Hutton says:--"On the 12th of May I procured a nest of this +bird in the Dehra Doon; it was placed on the ground at the base of an +overhanging rock, and was composed entirely of the hair of horses and +cows and other cattle, which had doubtless been collected from the +bushes and pasture-lands in the vicinity. There were four eggs of a +pale sea-green, spotted with rufous-brown, and forming an indistinct +and nearly confluent ring at the larger end. The bird had begun to +sit. + +"This curious little species is not uncommon in the outer hills up to +5000 feet in the summer months." + +The three eggs sent me by Captain Hutton appear to differ somewhat +conspicuously from any other eggs of the _Laniidae_ that I have yet +seen. The ground-colour is a very pale greenish white, and they are +moderately thickly freckled and mottled all over, but most densely +towards the large end (where, in one egg, there is a well-marked, +though somewhat irregular, zone), with pale brownish pink and very +pale purple. In shape the eggs are very regular, rather broad ovals, +and appear to have but little or no gloss. They vary in length from +0·66 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·53 to 0·55 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon's evidence, so far as it goes, tallies with Captain +Hutton's account. He says:--"I obtained its nest once at Darjeeling, +made of roots and grasses, with three greenish-white eggs, having a +few rusty-red spots." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"At page 178 of 'Nests and Eggs of +Indian Birds' (Rough Draft), Captain T. Hutton's description of the +nest and eggs of _Hemipus picatus_ is given, and at page 179 that of +Mr. W. Davison. The two descriptions differ so radically that, as +there remarked, one of the two must be in error. Permit me to record +my limited experience of the nesting of this bird. + +"Common as it is in Sikhim I have but once taken its nest, and that in +the first week of May, at 4000 feet elevation. The nest, which is well +described by Mr. Davison, is made of black, fibry roots, sparingly +lined with fine grass-stalks, and covered outwardly with small +pieces of lichens bound to the sides with cobwebs. It is a very neat +diminutive cup, measuring externally 1·9 inch across by an inch deep; +internally 1·5 by half an inch. + +"The whole nest, although quite a substantially built structure, is +barely the eighth part of an ounce in weight. It was placed on the +upper side of a horizontal branch close to its broken end, about +fifteen feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. I send +you the nest and an egg, both of which will, I think, be found on +comparison to agree exactly with those taken by Mr. Davison." + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me two nests of this species, found on the 15th +August above Namtchu in Native Sikhim. They were placed about two feet +from each other, each in a small fork of the branches of a small tree +which was situated in heavy forest. Each contained two fresh eggs. +The nests are very similar, but one is rather larger and less tidily +finished-off than the other. Both are shallow cups, miniatures of some +of the nests of _Dicrurus_, composed of excessively fine grass-stems, +coated exteriorly all round the sides with cobwebs, and, in the case +of one of them, plastered exteriorly with tiny films of bark and dry +leaves like some of the nests of the _Pericrocoti_. Both have a little +soft silky vegetable down at the bottom of the cavity. The one nest is +about two inches, the other about two and a half inches in diameter +exteriorly, and both are a little less than three quarters of an inch +high outside. The cavity in the one is about an inch and a half, in +the other about an inch and three quarters in diameter, and both are +about half an inch deep. + +Eggs received from Sikhim are broad ovals, glossless, with +greenish-white grounds, profusely speckled and mottled with slightly +varying shades of brown, here and there intermingled with dull, pale +inky purple. The markings are densest generally round the broadest +part of the egg. They measured from 0·61 to 0·7 in length, and from +0·51 to 0·55 in breadth. + + +486. Tephrodornis pelvicus (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pelvica (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume. cat._ +no. 263. + +The Nepal Wood-Shrike is a permanent resident throughout Burma, Assam, +Cachar, and the sub-Himalayan Terais and Ranges to which the typical +Indo-Burmese fauna extends. Still we have no information as to its +nidification, and the only egg of the species that I possess was +extracted from the oviduct of a female shot by Mr. Davison on the 26th +of March, 1874, near Tavoy in Tenasserim. The egg is rather a handsome +one--very Shrike-like in its character, but rather small for the size +of the bird. In shape it is a broad oval, very slightly compressed +towards one end. The shell is fine and compact, but has no gloss. +The ground is white, with the faintest possible greenish tinge only +noticeable when the egg is placed alongside a pure white one, such as +a Bee-eater's for instance. The markings are bold, but except at the +large end not very dense--spots and blotches of a light clear brown, +and (chiefly at the large end) somewhat pale inky grey. Where the two +colours overlap each other, there the result of the mixture is a dark +dusky brown, so that the markings appear to be of three colours. Fully +half the markings are gathered into a broad conspicuous but very +broken and irregular zone about the broad end. The egg measured only +0·86 by 0·69. + +Subsequently to writing the above Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this +species found at Ging near Darjeeling on the 27th April. It contained +four fresh eggs, and was placed on branches of a very large tree about +22 feet from the ground. The tree was situated at an elevation of +about 3000 feet. The nest is a large massive cup, 5 inches in exterior +diameter and rather more than 3 in height. It is composed of tendrils +of creepers and stems of herbaceous plants, to many of which the +bright yellow amaranth flowers remain attached; and all over the sides +and bottom masses of flower-stems of grass with the white silky down +attached are thickly plastered, which, intermingled as this white down +is with the glistening yellow flowers, produces a very ornamental +effect, and looks as it the bird had really had an eye to decoration. + +Inside the nest is entirely lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest +is everywhere about an inch thick, and the cavity about 3 inches in +diameter by nearly 2 deep. + +Eggs said to belong to this species kindly sent me by Mr. Mandelli, +whose men obtained them on the 27th April, are very Shrike-like in +their appearance. In shape they vary from broad to ordinary ovals, +generally somewhat compressed towards the small end. The shell is +white but almost glossless. The ground-colour is a dead white, and +they are profusely speckled and spotted with yellowish brown, paler in +some eggs, darker in others. In all the eggs the markings are by far +the most numerous towards the large end. Two eggs measure 0·95 and +0·91 in length by 0·74 and 0·72 in breadth respectively. + + +487. Tephrodornis sylvicola, Jerdon. _The Malabar Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis sylvicola, _Jerd., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume, cat._ +no. 204. + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker has furnished me with the following note on +the nidification of the Malabar Wood-Shrike:--"I took the nest of this +bird on April 13th, 1875. It was composed of fine roots and fibres, +neatly woven into a shallow cup-like nest, secured to the fork of +a horizontal bough and fixed in its place with cobweb, and covered +externally with lichen corresponding to that on the bough. It measured +4·2 inches in diameter externally, and 2·4 internally and ·7 deep. +Both parent birds were shot. The eggs two in number, rather round, +coloured white with faint inky and brown spots." + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, the shell fine but +glossless, the ground-colour white, with a faint greenish tinge; round +the large end is a pretty conspicuous zone of black or blackish-brown +and pale inky purple spots and small blotches, and similar spots and +blotches of the same colour are somewhat sparsely scattered over the +rest of the surface of the egg. The egg measured 0·98 by 0·73. + + +488. Tephrodornis pondicerianus (Gm.). _The Common Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pondiceriana (_Gm.), Jerd B. Ind._ i, p. 410; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 265. + +The Common Wood-Shrike lays during the latter half of March and April. +This at least is, I think, the normal season, but Mr. W. Blevutt found +a nest at Hansee on the 2nd of June containing two fresh eggs. + +I have only taken one nest myself (though I have had many others +sent me), and that was on the 2nd of April at Chundowah in Jodpoor, +Rajpootana. The nest was in the fork of a ber tree (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), on a small horizontal bough, about 5 feet from the ground. +It was a broad shallow cup, somewhat oval interiorly, with the +materials very compactly and closely put together. The basal portion +and framework of the sides consisted of very fine stems of some +herbaceous plant about the thickness of an ordinary pin. It was lined +with a little wool and a quantity of silky fibre; exteriorly it was +bound round with a good deal of the same fibre and pretty thickly +felted with cobwebs. The egg-cavity measured 2·5 inches in diameter +one way and only 2 the other way, while in depth it was barely ·86. +The exterior diameter of the nest was about 4 inches and the height +nearly 2 inches. It contained three fresh eggs, of a slightly +greyish-white ground, very thickly spotted and speckled with yellowish +brown, dark umber-brown, and a pale washed-out inky-purple. In all, +the spots were thickest in a zone round the large end, where they +became more or less confluent. I have, however, a large series of +these nests, and taking them as a whole, although much more massive, +they remind one no little of those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ and +_Terpsiphone paradisi_ and even _Aegithina tiphia_. They are broad +shallow cups, measuring internally 2¼ inches across and about 7/8 inch +in depth. They are placed in a horizontal fork of a branch, and are +composed of vegetable fibre and fine grass-roots, thickly coated +externally with cobwebs, by which also they are fixed on to branches, +and lined internally with silky vegetable down or fibre. Externally +their colour always approximates closely to the bark of the branch on +which they are placed; they are not thin, basket-like structures like +those of _Aegithina_ or _Rhipidura_, but are fully ½ inch thick at the +sides and probably ¾ inch thick at the bottom. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Common Wood-Shrike builds in +the Saharunpoor district in the latter half of March, the young being +hatched early in April. The bird is common; but owing to the small +size and bark-like colour of its nest, the latter is very difficult to +find. On the 8th April I fired at a specimen and missed it; it then +flew off and settled in a fork of another tree about 30 feet from the +ground. On looking carefully with an opera-glass, I found that it was +sitting on its nest. I drove it off and shot it. The nest was very +small and shallow, cup-shaped, and wedged in between two small boughs +at their junction, and not appearing either above or below. The +egg-receptacle was 2¼ inches in diameter. The nest was made of grass +and bits of bark, beautifully woven together and bound with cobwebs, +and exactly resembling the boughs between which it was placed, or, I +might say, wedged in. The eggs, four in number, were slightly set; +they were small for the bird, and of a rather round oval shape; the +colour was a creamy-yellow ground, thickly spotted and blotched with +the different shades of brown and sienna, the bulk of the spots +tending to form a zone near the thick end, as in the typical form, +of the eggs of the _Laniidae_ and a number of faint purple blotches +underlying the zone." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"I have only found three nests of this bird, +and these at Delhi. At Allahabad it was not very common. It is a +difficult nest to find, being generally well hidden in the forks of +leafy trees. All three nests I got were of one type--shallow saucers, +made of vegetable fibre matted together into a soft felt-like +substance. In two of the nests I found three and in the third one egg. +These are thickly spotted and blotched with brown and a washed-out +purple, on a pale greyish-yellow ground. The average measurements of +the seven eggs are--length 0·77, breadth 0·61." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Sind:-- + +"_Hyderabad, 19th April_, 1878.--Noticed two young birds scarcely able +to fly; fresh eggs were laid, therefore, about the beginning of March. +On the 20th April near the same place I found a nest containing young +birds. It consisted of a neat little cup composed of dry grass smeared +all over exteriorly with cobwebs, and fixed in a fork of one of the +outer branches of a large babool-tree about 10 feet from the ground. +The nest was very small for the size of the bird, and had I not seen +the old bird on it. I should have taken it for a nest of _Rhipidura +albifrontata_." + +The late Captain Beavan remarked that this bird "appears to come to +the Maunbhoom District for the purpose of breeding. I procured the +nest and eggs early in April, and the young were nearly fledged by the +20th of that month; they appear to come year after year to particular +localities to breed. + +"Several nests were brought me from the neighbourhood of Kashurghur +both in 1864 and 1865, whereas none were seen elsewhere. The nest is +very small for the size of the bird, and the material of which it is +composed closely resembles the bird's plumage in colour. The nest +is round and very shallow, something like a Chaffinch's, being very +neatly made; diameter inside 2 inches, depth 1 inch; composed of grey +fibres, bits of bark, grass, and the like, cemented with spider's web. +The eggs are two in number, greenish white, spotted with brown and +slate-coloured dots, which in most specimens form a well-defined zone +round the thickest part of the egg, leaving both ends without marks. +Length of the egg ·75 inch; breadth ·59 inch. This bird was not +observed in Maunbhoom except during the breeding-season." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing from the South Konkan, remarks:--"Common, as +also at Sávant VádÃ. Nest found with three hard-set eggs on the 18th +February, low down in a mango-tree. Nest a very neat compact cap of +grasses and fibres, woven throughout with spiders' webs. Eggs greyish +white, with brown and inky-purple spots." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The nest has been brought to me in August at +Nellore, chiefly made of roots and lined with hair; and the eggs, +three in number, were greenish white with large brown blotches." + +Major M.F. Coussmaker sends me the following note from Mysore:--"I +took the nest of this bird on April 16th. It was composed of fine +roots and fibres closely woven into a compact nest, secured to a +horizontal bough with cobweb and covered externally with lichen to +match the tree. It measured in diameter 4·1 inches externally and 2·2 +internally and ·8 deep. The parent bird was shot from the nest. + +"The nest contained two eggs, white with brown spots and markings. +They were so broken when I got them that no reliable measurements +could be taken." + +Lastly, Mr. Gates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on +the 3rd March near Pegu." + +The eggs are very Shrike-like in appearance, and many of them are +perfect miniatures of the eggs of _Lanius lahtora_, but some of them +have a more uniformly brown tint than any of this latter species that +I have yet met with. The ground-colour is generally either a very pale +greenish white or a creamy-stone colour, and more or less thickly +spotted and blotched with different shades of yellowish and reddish +brown; many of the markings are almost invariably gathered into a +conspicuous, but irregular and ill-defined, zone near the large end, +in which zone clouds of subsurface-looking, pale, and dingy purple, +not usually observable on any other portion of the egg, are thickly +intermingled. The texture of the shell is fine and close, but scarcely +any gloss is ever perceptible. Occasionally the eggs are very faintly +coloured, and have a dull white ground, while the markings consist of +only a few spots and specks of very pale purple and pale rust-colour +confined to a zone near the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·69 to 0·8 inch, and in breadth from +0·57 to 0·65 inch; but the average of a dozen eggs is 0·75 by 0·61 +inch nearly. + + +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (Lath.). _The Indian Scarlet Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath.). Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 419; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 271. + +Captain Hutton records that the Indian Scarlet Minivet breeds both on +the Doon and in the hills overlooking it, to an elevation of about +5000 feet. He says:--"The nest is generally placed high up on the +branch of some tall tree, often overhanging the side of a fearful +precipice. On the 6th and 17th of June I procured two nests in ravines +opening upon the Doon, one of which contained four, and the other five +eggs, of a dull-white colour, sparingly spotted and blotched with +earthy brown, more thickly so at the larger end, where they form an +open ring of spots; other small blotches of a fainter colour are seen +beneath the shell. + +"It is a curious fact that in the latter nest, out of the five eggs +_three_ were ringed at the larger end, and the other two _at the +smaller end_. The nest is rather coarsely made, being very thick at +the sides, and the materials not neatly interwoven; it is composed +externally of dried grasses and the fine stalks of various small +plants, interspersed with bits of cotton and grass-roots, and lined +with the fine seed-stalks of small grasses." + +I am not at all sure that there is not some mistake here. The nest +described is rather that of _L. erythronotus_ than of any of the +_Pericrocoti_, and but for the excellent authority on which the above +rests, I should certainly not have accepted it. + +This species breeds in the forests of the central hills of Nepal; +recording to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings they begin laying about +April, and lay three or four eggs, which are neither described nor +figured. The nest is a beautiful deep cup externally about 3·25 inches +in diameter, and rather more than 2 inches high, composed of moss +and moss-roots lined internally with the latter, and entirely coated +exteriorly with lichen and a few stray pieces of green moss firmly +secured in their places by spiders' webs. The nest is placed in some +slender branch between three or four upright sprays. This, I may note, +is just the kind of nest one would have expected this Large Minivet to +build. + +The only specimens, supposed to be the eggs of this species, that I +possess I owe to Captain Hutton. They closely resemble the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_, but are perhaps shorter, and hence _look_ broader than +those of this latter. They are slightly bigger than the eggs of _L. +vittatus_. In shape they seem to be typically a slightly broader oval +than those of any of our true Shrikes, but elongated and pointed +examples occur. Their ground-colour is a very pale greyish white, +thickly spotted all over the large end, and thickly dotted elsewhere, +with specks, spots, and tiny blotches of pale yellowish brown and pale +inky-purple. Compared with the eggs of the other _Pericrocoti_, they +are very dingily coloured. The eggs are devoid of gloss. I am doubtful +about these eggs. + +In length they vary from 0·88 to 0·93 inch, and in breadth from 0·72 +to 0·75 inch; but the average of five eggs is 0·9 by 0·72 inch. + + +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (Forst.). _The Orange Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 420; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 272. + +The Orange Minivet lays, I believe, in June and July on the Nilghiris. +I have never taken a nest myself, but I have received several, with a +few words in regard to them, from Miss Cockburn. + +The nests are comparatively massive little cups placed on, or +sometimes in, the forks of slender boughs. They are usually composed +of excessively fine twigs, the size of fir-needles, and they are +densely plastered over the whole exterior surface with greenish-grey +lichen, so closely and cleverly put together that the side of the nest +looks exactly like a piece of a lichen-covered branch. There appears +to be no lining, and the eggs are laid on the fine little twigs which +compose the body of the nest. + +The nests are externally from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and about 1½ +inch deep, with an egg-cavity about 2 inches in diameter and about ¾ +inch in depth. Some, however, when placed in a fork are much deeper +and narrower, say externally 2½ inches in diameter and the same +height; the egg-cavity about 1¾ inch in diameter and 1¼ inch in depth. + +Miss Cockburn notes that one nest was found on the 24th of June on a +high tree, the nest being placed on a thin branch between 30 or 40 +feet from the ground. It contained a single fresh egg, which was +broken in the fall of the branch, which had to be cut. This egg, the +remains of which were sent me, had a pale greenish ground, and was +pretty thickly streaked and spotted, most thickly so at the large end, +with pale yellowish brown and pale rather dingy-purple, the latter +colour predominating. + +Another egg which she subsequently sent me, obtained on the 17th of +July, is a regular, moderately elongated oval, a little pointed +towards one end. The shell is fine, but glossless. The ground is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish white, and it is rather sparsely +spotted and speckled with pale yellowish brown. Only one or two +purplish-grey specks are to be detected on this egg; it measures 0·9 +by 0·67. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, sends me the following note:--"I had the good +fortune to find a nest of the Orange Minivet at Neddivattam, about +6000 feet above the level of the sea, on the 5th September, 1870. It +was placed on a tall tree near the edge of a jungle and was built in a +fork, about 30 feet from the ground. + +"The nest was built of small twigs and grasses, and covered on the +outside with lichens, moss, and cobwebs, making it appear as part and +parcel of the tree. I noticed it merely from the fact of seeing the +bird sitting on her nest, and even then could not make up my mind, and +came away. Being of an inquisitive nature, next day I went again and +saw the bird in the same place, so I climbed up and managed to pull +the nest towards me with a hook, and took two eggs, one of which I +send you. + +"In August 1874 at Vythory I saw a bird sitting on her nest, and +watched her rear and take away her brood, but could not get at the +nest." + +An egg sent me by Mr. Darling is very similar to the eggs sent me +by Miss Cockburn, except that the brown markings are rather more +numerous, especially in a broad zone round the large end, and that +with these a good many pale purple or lilac spots or specks are +intermingled. It measures 0·88 by 0·68 inch. + + +495. Pericrocotus brevirostris (Vigors). _The Short-billed Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus brevirostris (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 421; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 273. + +The Short-billed Minivet breeds in the Himalayas at elevations of from +3000 to 6000 feet in Kumaon, and again in Kulu and the valley of the +Sutlej. It lays in May and June, building a compact and delicate +cup-shaped nest on a horizontal bough pretty high up in some oak, +rhododendron, or other forest tree. I have never seen one on any kind +of fir-tree. + +Sometimes the nest is merely placed on, and attached firmly to, the +upper surface of the branch; but, more commonly, the place where two +smallish branches fork horizontally is chosen, and the nest is placed +just at the fork. I got one nest at Kotgurh, however, wedged in +between two upright shoots from a horizontal oak-branch. The nests are +composed of fine twigs, fir-needles, grass-roots, fine grass, slender +dry stems of herbaceous plants, as the case may be, generally loosely, +but occasionally compactly interlaced, intermingled and densely coated +over the whole exterior with cobwebs and pieces of lichen, the latter +so neatly put on that they appear to have grown where they are. +Sometimes, especially at the base of the nest, a little moss is +attached exteriorly, but, as a rule, there is nothing but lichen. The +nest has no lining. The external diameter is about 2½ inches, and the +usual height of the nest from 1½ to 2 inches; but this varies a good +deal according to situation, and the bottom of the nest, which in some +may be at most ¼ inch thick, in another is a full inch. The sides +rarely exceed ¼ inch in thickness. The egg-cavity has a diameter of +about 2 inches, and a depth of from 1 to 1·25 inch. + +Five seems to be the maximum number of eggs laid, but I have now twice +met with three, more or less incubated, eggs. + +Mr. Hodgson notes:--"May 16th: At the top of the great forest of +Sheopoori, secured a nest built near the top of a kaiphul tree, and +laid on a thick branch amongst smaller twigs. The nest is about 2 +inches deep and the same in diameter: inside it is 1·5 inch deep; it +is made of paper-like bits of lichen welded together with spiders' +webs, and with a lining of elastic fibres. It is the shape of a deep +soap-stand, open at the top of course. It contained two eggs of a +bluish or greenish-white ground, much spotted with liver colour, +especially near the large end, where the spots are clustered into a +zone." + +Dr. Scully, writing also from Nepal, says:--"During the +breeding-season (May and June) this Minivet is found in forests on +the hills up to an elevation of 7500 feet. A nest was found in the +Sheopoori forest on the 17th June, which contained two very young +birds and one egg." + +The eggs of this species that I have seen are moderately broad ovals, +as a rule, very regular in their shape, and scarcely compressed at all +towards the lesser end. The shell is fine and satiny, but the eggs +have little or no real gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, +sometimes slightly tinged with pink, sometimes with green, and they +are richly and profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked, most +densely, as a rule, towards the large end, with brownish red and +pale purple. Most eggs exhibit a more or less conspicuous, though +irregular, zone round the larger end. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·71 to 0·8 inch, and in breadth from +0·54 to 0·6 inch. + + +499. Pericrocotus roseus (Vieill.). _The Rosy Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus roseus (_Vieill._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 422; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 275. + +The only one of my contributors who appears to have taken the eggs +of the Rosy Minivet is Colonel C.H.T. Marshall. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"They breed in the warmer valleys of Kumaon, up to an elevation +of some 5000 feet, in May and June;" but he adds: "have never got down +the nests." + +Colonel Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"The Rosy Minivet builds +a beautifully little shallow cup-shaped nest, the outer edge being +quite narrow and pointed. The external covering of the nest is fine +pieces of lichen fastened on with cobwebs. It was found on the 12th of +June, and contained three fresh eggs, white, with greyish-brown spots +and blotches sparsely scattered about the larger end; the length is +0·8 by 0·55 inch; 5000 feet up." + +The nest, which I owe to this gentleman, is externally a short section +of a cylinder, rather than a cup, the walls standing up outside almost +perpendicularly. It is 2·5 inches in diameter and nearly 1·75 in +height. The rim of the nest is ¼ inch wide, and the cavity, a shallow +cup, 2 inches wide by scarcely an inch deep; the walls of the nest +increase in thickness as they approach the base. + +Externally the whole surface is _entirely_ covered by small scales of +lichen, firmly bound into their respective places by gossamer threads; +internally the nest is a very loosely put together basket-work of +excessively fine twigs and grass-stems not thicker than common +needles. A morsel or two of moss have become involved in the fabric, +as well as two fine blades of grass; but there is no lining, and the +eggs are obviously laid upon the soft loose basket frame of the nest. + +The egg which accompanied the nest is a regular oval, slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish white +entirely devoid of gloss. The egg is richly blotched, spotted, and +speckled (most densely so towards the larger end) with reddish brown +and greenish purple, there being two conspicuously different shades +(a much darker and a much lighter, the latter of which appears like +subsurface tints) of each of these colours. This egg measures 0·82 by +0·6 inch nearly. + +Another egg of the same clutch was less richly coloured, the markings +being merely brown, with scarcely a perceptible reddish tinge, and +dull mostly inky, but here and there somewhat reddish, purple. The +markings, too, were fewer in number, but there was a more marked +tendency for these to form a zone about the larger end. + +In another clutch the markings were almost entirely confined to a +dense zone round the larger end about a third of the way up from the +middle of the egg. In this zone they were so densely set as to be +quite confluent, and they consisted of yellowish brown and inky +purple. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps found the nest of this Minivet in the Bhaman +tea-garden, in the Dibrugarh District of Assam, on the 31st May, 1879. +The nest contained three eggs, and was placed on the upper side of +a large lateral branch of a tree that grew on the main garden road, +about 15 feet from the ground. + +Seven eggs of this bird vary in length from 0·75 to 0·86, and in +breadth from 0·58 to 0·6. + + +500. Pericrocotus peregrinus (Linn.). _The Small Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus peregrinus (_Linn_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 423; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 276. + +Our Small Minivet lays during the latter half of June (as soon, in +fact, as the rains set in), and throughout July and August. I believe +it breeds pretty well all over India and Burma. + +The nest is small and neat, and done up generally like a Chaffinch's, +to resemble the bark of the tree on which it is placed. + +The nests that I have seen have been invariably placed at a +considerable height from the ground in the fork of a branch, most +commonly, I think, a mango-tree, though I have occasionally noticed +them in other trees. + +The nest is a small moderately deep cup, with an internal cavity about +1·7 inch to 1·9 in diameter, and nearly an inch in depth. The sides of +the nest are about 3/8 inch thick, and the thickness of the bottom of +the nest varies according to the shape of the fork chosen, whether +obtuse or acute-angled. In the former case the bottom of the nest +is sometimes not above ¼ inch in depth. In the latter case, it is +sometimes as much as an inch in thickness. It is composed of very +fine, needle-like twigs (with at times here and there a few feathers) +carefully bound together externally with cobwebs, and coated with +small pieces of bark or dead leaves, or both, so that looked at from +below with the naked eye it is impossible to distinguish it from one +of the many little excrescences so common, especially on mango-trees. +There appears to be rarely any regular lining, a very little down and +cobwebs forming the only bed for the eggs, and even this is often +wanting. Sometimes a few tiny dead leaves or a little lichen will be +found incorporated in the nest, and occasionally, but rarely, fine +grass-stems take the place of very slender twigs. + +Three is, I believe, the normal number of the eggs. I extract a couple +of old notes I made in regard to the nests of this species:--"_August +5th_.--Took three eggs of this bird, shooting the two old birds at the +same time. The tree was a mango, the nest was in the fork of a branch, +some 40 feet from the ground, built interiorly with very small twigs, +with here and there a very few feathers intermixed, and was exteriorly +coated with fine flakes of bark held in their place by gossamer +threads. It was cup-shaped, with an interior diameter of 1-7/8 by ¾ +inch. + +"The eggs had a slightly greenish-white ground, thickly spotted and +speckled, and towards the larger end blotched, with somewhat brownish +red; the markings showing a decided tendency to form a zone round, or +cap at the larger end." + +"_Allygurh, August 27th_.--Another beautiful little nest in a +mango-tree high up, a tiny cup about 1½ inch internal diameter by ¾ +inch deep, woven with very fine twigs, and exteriorly coated with tiny +fragments of bark and dead leaves firmly secured in their places with +gossamer threads and cobwebs. It contained two fresh eggs; a pale +slightly greenish-white ground, richly speckled and spotted and +sparsely blotched with a purplish and a brownish red, the markings +greatly predominating towards the larger end." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, detailing his experiences in Jhansie and Saugor, +says:--"Breeds in June and July. The tamarind-tree is by preference +chosen by this bird for its nest; at least the three I saw were all on +tamarind-trees. The nest, cup-shaped, is a compactly made structure; +the exterior appeared to be composed of the very fine petioles of +leaves, with a thick coating all over of what looked like spider's +web; attached to this web-like substance here and there, for better +disguise, were the dry leaves of the tamarind-tree; the lining of very +fine grass. The outer diameter of a nest may fairly be given at 2·2 +inches, inner at 1·8, depth of nest 0·9. Two is the regular number +of eggs, at least that was the number in the three nests I took. In +colour they are of a pale greenish white, sparingly speckled on the +narrower half of the egg with brownish spots, but they have on the +broader half the spots more dense, and forming at the end a more or +less complete cap. The feat of securing a nest is a most hazardous +one, for it is always fixed close in between two delicate forks at the +extreme end of a slight side-branch near to the top of the tree. On +each occasion that the nest was detected the male bird was found +flitting about near to it, the female all the while sitting on the +eggs. On the last two occasions of finding the nests, it was this +flitting to and fro of the male that attracted us; otherwise the nest, +is so small that from the ground the eye can scarcely distinguish +it from the branch. The bird appears to be migratory, for since the +termination of the breeding-season it has disappeared from these +parts." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes to me:--"Although this bird is common enough +both at Allahabad and at Delhi, I have found it difficult to find its +nest, from the fact that it is placed at the very extreme tip of leafy +branches. However, with careful watching and patience, I managed to +find one nest at Allahabad and five at Delhi. The first I found on +the 3rd July at Chupree near Allahabad. It contained two well-fledged +young ones, that hopped out as soon as the nest was touched. Out of +the five at Delhi I managed to get six eggs; three of the nests when +found being empty, were afterwards deserted by the birds. Of the two +nests with eggs, one contained four and the other two. The nests are +tiny little cups, made of very fine grass, and coated externally with +cobwebs, to which are attached bits of bark and dry leaves. The eggs +are a greenish stone-colour, thickly speckled with light purple and +brownish red. The earliest nest I have found was on the 21st March, +on the banks of the canal at Delhi, so that the bird occasionally, at +Delhi at least, lays in spring. The average of eggs I have is 0·68 in +length, and 0·55 in breadth." + +Colonel E.A. Butler furnishes us with the following interesting +note:--"Found a nest at Belgaum, containing two fresh eggs, on the 3rd +September, 1879. It was situated in the fork of one of the small outer +top branches of a tall mango-tree, and was on the whole about the +prettiest nest I have seen in India. It consisted of a tiny cup about +1¼ x 2 inches measured interiorly, and 1-7/8 x 2½ inches exteriorly. +Depth inside 1 inch, outside 1½ inches from rim to proper base, +excluding about an inch of lichen continued down one side of the bough +below the fork in which the nest was built. It was composed, so far as +I could judge after a very minute examination, almost entirely of the +white lichen which grows so freely on the bark of every tree during +the rains, with a few cobwebs incorporated and wound round the outside +to keep it together, assimilating so perfectly with the branch upon +which it was placed, which was also overgrown with the same kind of +lichen, that without watching the old birds closely it never could +have been discovered. + +"It contained no regular lining, though a few coarse dry leaf-stems +of a dark colour were encircled within. I observed the birds building +first on the 21st August, and the nest from below looked then almost +finished. The cock and hen worked together, flying to and fro very +busily with bits of lichen picked off the branches of another tree +adjoining. On the 25th I watched the nest for some time, but the birds +only came to it once, and then the hen bird went on and smeared some +cobwebs round the outside, at least that is what she seemed to me to +be doing. On the 28th I watched it again, and although both birds were +in the adjoining tree, I did not see them go to the nest. On the 31st, +about 10 A.M., I found the hen on the nest, and she remained on till +about 10.30, when she flew off and joined the cock, who was sitting +pluming himself on a branch of the next tree the whole time she was on +the nest. Immediately she joined him, he commenced catching flies and +feeding her, as if she were a young bird, and eventually they both +flew away together. Arriving at the conclusion that she only went on +the nest to lay, I decided on taking the nest three days later, and +accordingly returned for that purpose with a small boy on the 3rd +Sept., and found, as I expected, the hen sitting and the cock in +another tree close by. + +"I sent the boy up the tree, and as he approached the nest, which was +some 30 or 35 feet from the ground, the hen bird became very uneasy, +moving her head from side to side, and looking down to see what was +going on below. When the boy was within about 10 feet of the nest she +flew off and joined the cock, after which I saw her no more. The eggs +were then secured with difficulty, as the branches surrounding the +nest were very thin and blown about a good deal by the wind. + +"After breaking off the bough, nest and all, the boy descended. One +branch of the fork in which the nest was placed was rotten, and broke +off at the junction at the base of the nest as the boy was descending +the tree; but the nest, which was firmly bound to it with cobwebs, +remained in its place and was not injured, and I had the nest and +bough beautifully painted for me by a lady friend the same day. The +eggs were pale bluish green, speckled and spotted, most densely at +the large end, with two shades of dusky purple, the markings of the +lighter shade appearing to underlie those of the darker. On the +6th Sept., the same pair of birds commenced a new nest on another +mango-tree about 20 yards off. This time it was placed in a fork of +one of the small outside lateral branches about 25 feet from the +ground, and resembled in every respect the first nest. On the 15th +Sept., the hen bird began to sit, and on the 18th I sent a boy up the +tree by means of a ladder, and secured two more fresh, eggs, similar +to those already described. On this occasion the two old birds evinced +signs of the greatest anxiety, the hen remaining on the nest till the +boy was close to her, and, joined by the cock immediately she left +it, the pair kept flying from bough to bough in the greatest possible +state of excitement the whole time the nest was being taken, the hen +actually once or twice going on to the nest again after she had left +it, when the boy was within 3 feet of her. On examining the nest I +found that one of the branches of the fork consisted of a small rotten +stump, similar to the one described in the first nest, and in the +bottom of both nests there were three or four small black downy +feathers, intermingled with the dead leaf-stems that constituted the +lining." + +In his recent "Notes on Birds'-nesting in Rajpootana," Lieut. H.E. +Barnes writes, "The Small Minivet breeds during July and August." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"You say that the Small Minivet lays +during the latter half of June and throughout July and August. I +would therefore remark that on the 11th November, 1871, I saw several +newly-fledged young ones at Poona. There could be no mistake about +this, as I stood under the tree, which was a small one, and saw the +young ones being fed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark that in the Deccan it is "common, +and breeds in the rains." + +The latter gentleman subsequently added the following note:--"In July, +my men found a nest with two eggs at Nulwar, Deccan. It was built on a +small branch of a tamarind-tree, 20 feet from the ground. The nest +is similar to that described in the 'Rough Draft' as being found at +Allyghur. The whole of the bark used on the outer coating is that +of tamarind-tree, and there are a good many feathers and much down +incorporated into the structure, inside and out. The eggs differ +considerably in colouring. In both the ground-colour is greenish +white. One is profusely speckled all over, but more thickly at the +smaller end, with brownish red and a few purple blotches, whilst the +other egg has the specks less numerous but larger, and chiefly on +the larger end, with little or no purple, and the small end almost +unsullied." + +Finally, Mr. Oates records that "in Lower Pegu nests of this bird may +be found from the end of April to the middle of June." + +The eggs are of a rather broad oval shape, and, as is often the +case even in the typical Shrikes, very blunt at both ends. The +ground-colour is a pale delicate greenish white, and they are more or +less richly marked with bright, slightly brownish-red specks, spots, +and blotches, which, always more numerous at the large end, have a +tendency there to form a mottled irregular cap. In many eggs, besides +these primary markings, a number of small faint, patches and blotches +of pale inky purple are observable, almost exclusively at the large +end. The eggs appear to be quite devoid of gloss. I have eggs both of +_Copsychus saularis_ and _Thamnobia cambaiensis_, strange as it may +seem, closely resembling, except in size, some types of this bird's +egg; and I have one egg of _Merula simillima_ from the Nilghiris, +which, though immensely larger, so far as tint, colour, and character +of ground and markings go, is positively identical with eggs that I +have of this species. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 +to 0·56 inch, but the average of twenty-eight eggs is 0·67 nearly by +0·53 inch. + + +501. Pericrocotus erythropygius (Jerd.). _The White-bellied +Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus erythropygius (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 424; _Hume, +cat._ no. 277. + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., is apparently the only ornithologist who has +discovered the nest of the White-bellied Minivet. Writing on the 25th +August, from Khandeish, he says:--"Yesterday I took two nests of +_Pericrocotus erythropygius_. Both nests were like those of _P. +peregrinus_, and were placed about 2½ feet from the ground in a fork +of a straggling thorn-bush among thin scrub-jungle. One contained 3 +young birds, and one 3 hard-set eggs. I watched the nest, and found +the cock sitting on the eggs, and watched him for a minute, so there +is no possibility of mistake; but the eggs are not the least what I +expected. They are fairly glossy, one being very much elongated, of a +greenish-grey ground, with long longitudinal dashes of dark brown, as +unlike Minivets' eggs as they can possibly be. They were the only two +pairs I saw in a long morning walk, and the nests were easily found by +watching the birds. I wish I had known the birds were breeding where +they were, as by going three weeks ago I should probably have found +many nests, as there are miles and miles of similar jungle, and it is +barely 12 miles from Dhulia. It is very provoking. I have had great +trouble trying to make the Bhils work for me. They will bring in eggs +but not mark them down." + +Later on, Mr. Davidson wrote:--"I happened to be staying a few days at +Arvee, in the extreme south of Dhulia, and found this bird breeding +there in considerable numbers. This was in the end of August (26th to +31st), and I was rather late, most of the nests containing young, and +in some cases the young were able to fly. I, however, found eight +nests with eggs (most of them hard-set). All the nests, which are +small and less ornamented than those of _P. peregrinus_, were placed +from 3 to 4 feet from the ground, in a small common thorny scrub. They +were all placed in low thin jungle, and never where the jungle was +thick and difficult to walk through. A great deal of the jungle round +Arvee is full of anjan-trees, but none of the birds seem to breed in +these." + +The nests are elegant little cups, reminding one of those of +_Rhipidura albifrontata_, measuring internally about 1·75 inch in +diameter and 1 inch in depth, the thickness of the walls of the nest +being usually somewhat less than a quarter of an inch. Interiorly the +nest is composed of excessively fine flowering-stems of grasses, and +externally and on the upper edge it is densely coated with fine, +rather silky greyish-white vegetable fibres, in places more or less +felted together. It is not ornamented externally with moss and +lichen, as those of so many of the _Pericrocoti_ commonly are, only +occasionally one or two little ornamental brown patches of withered +glossy vegetable scales are worked into the exterior of the nest. + +The eggs are not at all like those of the other _Pericrocoti_ with +which we are best acquainted; though less densely, and even more +streakily marked, they most remind me of the egg of _Volvocivora_, and +in a lesser degree of that of _Hemipus picatus_. + +The eggs vary in shape from rather broad to rather elongated ovals. +The shell is very fine and smooth, but has scarcely any perceptible +gloss. The ground-colour is greenish or greyish white, and they are +profusely marked with comparatively fine longitudinal streaks of a +moderately dark brown, which in some lines is more of a chocolate, in +others perhaps more umber. At both ends of the egg, but especially the +smaller end, the markings often become spotty or speckly, but the fine +longitudinal streaking of the sides of the egg is very conspicuous. + +In size the eggs vary from 0·69 to 0·71 in length, by 0·51 to 0·58 in +breadth. I have measured too few eggs to be able to give a reliable +average. + + +505. Campophaga melanoschista (Hodgs.). _The Dark-grey +Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora melaschistos, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 415: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 269. + +I have never found the nest of the Dark-grey Cuckoo-Shrike. Captain +Hutton tells us:-- + +"This, too, is a mere summer visitor in the hills, arriving up to 7000 +feet about the end of March, and breeding early in May. The nest is +small and shallow, placed in the bifurcation of a horizontal bough +of some tall oak tree, and always high up; it is composed externally +almost entirely of grey lichens picked from the tree, and lined with +bits of very fine roots or thin stalks of leaves. Seen from beneath +the tree the nest appears like a bunch of moss or lichens, and the +smallness and frailty would lead one to suppose it incapable of +holding two young birds of such size. Externally the nest is compactly +held together by being thickly pasted over with cobwebs. The eggs, +two in number, of a dull grey-green, closely and in part confluently +dashed with streaks of dusky brown." + +This species, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, breeds in +Nepal in the central districts of the hills from April to July, laying +three or four eggs. The nest is a broad shallow saucer, some 4 inches +in external diameter and 1·75 inch in height; it is placed in a fork +where two or three slender branches divide, to one or more of which it +is firmly bound with vegetable fibres and grass-roots, and is composed +of fine roots and vegetable fibres, and plastered over externally +with pieces of lichen and moss. The eggs are regular ovals, with a +pale-greenish ground, blotched and spotted with a somewhat olivaceous +brown. + +A nest of this species found at Mongphoo (elevation 5500 feet) on the +15th June contained three eggs nearly ready to hatch off. The nest was +placed on a nearly horizontal fork of a small branch. It is composed +of very fine twigs loosely twisted together and coated everywhere +exteriorly with cobwebs and scraps of grey lichen. At the lower part, +which, owing to the slope of the branch, had to be thicker, it is +exteriorly about an inch and a half in height. At the upper end it is +only about half an inch high. The shallow saucer-like cavity is about +two and a half inches in diameter and about half an inch in depth. + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from Mussoorie, +much resemble those of _Graucalus macii_ and _C. sykesi_, but they +are decidedly longer than the latter, and the general tone of their +colouring is somewhat duller. In shape they are somewhat elongated +ovals, more or less compressed towards one end; the general colour is +greenish white, very thickly blotched and streaked with dull brown +and very pale purple. The markings are very closely set, leaving but +little of the ground-colour visible. They have little or no gloss. + +They measure 1·03 by 0·72 inch, and 0·95 by 0·68 inch. + +Other eggs that I have since obtained have been quite similar, but +have not had the markings quite so densely set: the secondary markings +have been greyer and less purple, and several eggs have exhibited +an appreciable gloss; others, again, were quite like those first +described and entirely devoid of gloss. They measured 0·9 to 0·98 in +length by 0·65 to 0·71 in breadth. + + +508. Campophaga sykesi (Strickl.). _The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora sykesii (_Strickl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 414; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 268. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt took the eggs of Sykes's Cuckoo-Shrike many years +ago. He furnishes the following note:-- + +"I first met with this bird in the southern part of Bundlekund. +Nowhere here is it common, and I have never seen more than a pair +together. It is to be found in wooded tracts of country, but more +frequently among thin large trees surrounding villages. Dr. Jerdon has +correctly described its restless habits, and its careful examination +of the foliage and branches of trees for food. It is usually a silent +bird, but during the earlier portion of the breeding-season the male +bird may frequently be heard repeating for minutes together his clear +plaintive notes. Each time, as it flies from one tree to another, the +song is repeated. The flight is easy, slightly undulating, and the +strokes of the wing somewhat rapid. In the latter end of July I +procured one nest. It was found on a mowa-tree (_Bassia latifolia_), +placed on and at the end of two small out-shooting branches. When my +man, mounting the tree, approached the nest the parent birds evinced +the greatest anxiety, flew just above his head, uttering all the while +a sharply repeated cry. Even when one of the birds was shot the other +would not leave the spot, but remained hovering about and uttering its +shrill cry. The nest is slightly made, and constructed of thin twigs +and roots; the exterior is covered slightly with spider's web. If we +except the size, the formation of this Cuckoo-Shrike's nest is almost +identical with that of _Graucalus macii_. I secured two eggs in the +nest. In colour they are, when fresh, of a deepish green, mottled +with dark brown spots; indeed the eggs, when first taken, a good deal +resemble those of _Copsychus saularis_. The maximum number of eggs, no +doubt, is three, as those I secured were fresh-laid. The bird breeds +from June to August." + +The nest above referred to, and now in my museum, was a very shallow, +rather broad cup. The egg-cavity about 2½ inches in diameter and about +¾ inch deep, and the nest very loosely put together of very fine +twigs, and exteriorly coated and bound together with cobwebs. The +sides of the nest are about 0·6 inch thick, but the bottom is a mere +network of slender twigs, not above ¼ inch thick, and can be readily +looked through. + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes:--"This bird is found in the open +scrub-forests of the Mysore district, but is nowhere common. + +"14th May, 1880.--While passing a small sandal-wood tree a bird flew +out, and on looking into the tree I found a very shallow nest at the +junction of two small branches about 10 feet from the ground; the nest +contained three eggs. + +"Returned again in a quarter of an hour and shot the bird (the male) +as it flew out of the tree. The eggs were within a few days of being +hatched off. + +"20th May, 1880.--While out driving this morning saw a male bird +of this species fly out of a small sandal-wood tree close to the +roadside. Pulled up to watch, and shortly saw the female bird fly +into the tree. Got out and shot her and took the nest, which was +beautifully fixed in a fork with three branches only eight feet from +the ground. + +"The nest contained three eggs very hard-set." + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., remarks:--"This pretty little Cuckoo-Shrike is +one of the earliest migrants in the rains, arriving about the 8th of +June, and breeding all along the scrub-jungles which stretch between +the Nasik and Khandeish Collectorates. It appears particularly partial +to the Angan forest, and, as far as I remember, all the many nests I +have seen have been in forks of angan trees. The nest is a pretty firm +platform composed of fine roots; and the eggs, which much resemble +those of the Magpie-Robin, are three in number." + +Colonel Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"With us this +Cuckoo-Shrike breeds in April in the Western Province. Mr. MacVicar +writes me of the discovery, by himself, of two nests last year near +Colombo. One was built on the topmost branch of a young jack-tree +about 40 feet high. It was very small and shallow, measuring 2·8 +inches in breadth and only 0·8 inch in depth, and the old bird could +be seen plainly from beneath sitting across it. The other was situated +on the top of a tree about 20 feet from the ground, and was built in +the same manner. The materials are not mentioned." + +I have only seen two eggs of this species, sent me with the nest and +parent bird by Mr. F.R. Blewitt. They are oval eggs, moderately broad +and obtuse at both ends, about the same size as average eggs +of _Lanius vittatus_. They are slightly glossy, have a pale +greenish-white ground, and are thickly blotched and streaked +throughout, but most densely so towards the large end, with somewhat +pale brown, much the same colour as the markings on typical eggs of +_L. erythronotus_. They measure 0·85 inch in length by 0·65 and 0·68 +inch in breadth respectively. Other eggs since received from Calcutta +and Mysore measure from 0·87 to 0·81 in length, and from 0·68 to 0·62 +in breadth. + + +509. Campophaga terat (Bodd.)[A]. _The Pied Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note among Mr. Hume's papers regarding +the discovery of the nest of this bird. The nest may possibly have +been found at Camorta (Nicobar Islands), where this species is not +uncommon.--ED.] + +Lalage terat (_Bodd.), Hume, cat._ no, 269 ter. + +The eggs are quite of the _Graucalus_ and _Campophaga_ type, but +perhaps a little more elongated in shape. Very regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with scarcely any gloss on them, the ground greenish +white, but everywhere thickly streaked and mottled and freckled over, +most thickly about the large end, with a dull pale slightly olivaceous +brown intermingled with brownish, or in some specimens faintly +purplish grey. The two eggs I possess measure 0·85 and 0·87 in length, +by 0·61 and 0·62 respectively in breadth. + + +510. Graucalus macii, Lesson. _The Large Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Graucalus macei, _Less., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 417; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 270. + +My friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt seems to be the only ornithologist who +has taken many nests of the Large Grey Cuckoo-Shrike. I never was so +fortunate as to find one. He says:--"This Shrike begins to pair +about May, and in June the work of nidification commences. The place +selected for the nest is the most lofty branch of a tree, and is built +near the fork of two outlying twigs. If this bird has a preference it +would appear to be for mango and mowa trees, on which I found most of +the nests. The nest is in form circular, and its exterior is somewhat +thickly made; the interior is moderately cup-shaped. Thin twigs and +grass-roots are freely used in its construction, while the outer +part of the nest is somewhat thickly covered with what appears to be +spider's web. Altogether the nest, considering the size of the birds, +is of light structure. I am sorry I did not take the dimensions of +each nest secured, but I sent you two very perfect ones. I found the +first eggs in the beginning of July. They are of a dull lightish +green, with brown spots of all sizes, more dense towards the large +end. The maximum number of eggs is three. The bird breeds from June to +August." + +The nests which Mr. Blewitt sent me remind one a good deal of those +of the _Dicruri_. They are broad shallow saucers, with an egg-cavity +about 3 inches in diameter, and ¾ inch in depth, composed in the only +two specimens that I possess of very fine twigs, chiefly those of the +furash (_Tamarix orientalis_). Exteriorly they are bound round with +cobwebs, in which a quantity of lichen is incorporated. The nests are +loose flimsy fabrics, which but for the exterior coating of cobwebs +would certainly never have borne removal. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once obtained its nest and eggs. The nest was +built in a lofty casuarina tree, close to my house at Tellicherry; it +was composed of small twigs and roots merely, of Moderate size, and +rather deeply cup-shaped, and contained three eggs, of a greenish-fawn +colour, with large blotches of purplish brown." + +Professor H. Littledale writing from Baroda says:--"The Large +Cuckoo-Shrike is a permanent resident here. I found six nests last +August near Baroda, each with one egg; and my men found a nest +building in the Police Lines at Khaira on the 10th October." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that "a pair of _Graucalus macii_ were +apparently breeding near this place (the Kondabhari Ghât). He found a +nest with two young in the previous September near the same place." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, referring to the South Konkan, says:--"Common; breeds +in February and March." + +A nest that was placed in the fork of a bough was composed entirely +of slender twigs, the petioles of some pennated-leaved tree, bound +together all round the outside with abundance of cobwebs, so that +notwithstanding the incoherent nature of the materials the nest was +extremely firm. It is a shallow saucer quite of the Dicrurine type, +with a cavity 3 inches in diameter and barely 0·75 in depth. + +The eggs are typically of a somewhat elongated oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, but some are broader and more of a typical +Shrike shape. The eggs are of course considerably larger than those of +_Lanius lahtora_. The shell is compact and fine, and faintly glossy. +The ground-colour is a palish-green stone-colour, greener in some, and +somewhat more creamy in others. The markings are very Shrike-like, and +consist of brown blotches, streaks, and spots, with numerous clouds +and blotches of pale inky-purple, which appear to underlie the brown +markings. The markings in some eggs are all very faint, and, as it +were, half washed out, while in others they are very bright and clear. +In some these are comparatively sparse and few; in others close-set +and numerous, especially in a broad zone near the large end; but this +zone is by no means invariably present; in fact, not above one in five +eggs exhibit it. There is something in these eggs which reminds one +of some of the Terns' eggs; and although, when compared with a large +series of _L. lahtora_, individuals of this latter species may be +found resembling them to a certain extent, I do not think that at +first sight any zoologist would have felt sure that they _were_ +Shrike's eggs. + +They vary in length from 1·12 to 1·41 inch, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·95 inch, but the average of eight eggs is 1·26 by 0·9 inch nearly. + + + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + + +512. Artamus fuscus, Vieill. _The Ashy Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus fuscus, _V., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 441; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & +E._ no. 287. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"I have frequently found the nests of the Ashy +Swallow-Shrike, and have watched the old birds constructing them, but +never took down their eggs. Two or three pairs may always be found +nesting on the long-leaved pine, as one comes up from Kaladoongee to +Nyneetal and passes halfway up from the first dâk chokee at Ghutgurh. +They lay in May and June, constructing their nest on the horizontal +extension of a main branch of some lofty tree, generally _Pinus +longifolia_. The nest, composed of fine grasses, roots, and fibres, +is a loose, only slightly cup-shaped structure, some 5 inches in +diameter." + +Dr. Jerdon says on the other hand:--"I have procured the nest of this +bird situated on a palmyra tree on the stem of the leaf. It was a deep +cup-shaped nest, made of grass, leaves, and numerous feathers, and +contained two eggs, white with a greenish tinge, and with light brown +spots, chiefly at the larger end. I see that Mr. Layard procured the +nest in Ceylon, where this bird is common, in the heads of cocoanut +trees, made of fibres and grasses, and it was probably the nest of +this bird that was brought to Tickell as that of the Palm-Swift." + +According to Mr. Hodgson this species begins to lay in March, the +young being fledged in June; the nest is a broad shallow saucer, from +6 to 8 inches in diameter, composed of grass and roots, together with +a little lichen, loosely put together, a green leaf or two being +sometimes found as a lining to the nest. The nest is placed on some +broad horizontal branch, where two or three slender twigs or shoots +grow out of it, or on the top of some stump of a tree, or broken end +of a branch, generally, at a considerable height from the ground. The +eggs are _figured_ as white, spotted and blotched almost exclusively +at the large end with yellowish brown, and measuring 0·8 by 0·52 inch, +but no actual measurements are recorded. + +Mr. Gammie, however, himself found, and kindly sent me, a nest and +eggs of this species, at Mongpho near Darjeeling, at an elevation of +about 3500 feet, on the 13th May, 1873. It was placed in the hole of a +trunk of a dead tree at a height of about 40 feet from the ground, and +it contained three hard-set eggs. The nest was a loose shallow saucer +of coarse roots devoid of lining. The eggs were rather narrow ovals, +a good deal pointed towards one end; the shell fine and with a slight +gloss. The ground-colour was creamy white, and the markings, which are +almost entirely confined to a broad ring round the large end and the +space within it, consisted of spots and clouds of very pale yellowish +brown, intermingled with clouds and specks of excessively pale, nearly +washed out, lilac. + +He subsequently furnished me with the following note from Sikhim:--"In +the hills this bird is migratory, coming about the last week in +February and leaving in the last week of October. It is exceedingly +abundant on the outer ridges running in from the Teesta Valley, and +most numerous about the elevation of 3000 feet, but stragglers get up +as high as 5000 feet. It prefers dry ridges on which there are a +few scattered tall trees, from the tops of which it can make short +flights, over the open country, after insects. It goes very little +abroad in the height of the day, and feeds principally in the +evenings. It rarely keeps on the wing for more than a minute or two at +a time, but occasionally will fly for ten minutes on end. It is quite +as bold and persevering in its habit of attacking and driving off +hawks and kites as the king-crow. Towards the end of September it +begins to congregate in rows along dead branches in the tops of trees. + +"It begins to lay in April and, I think, has only one brood in the +year. It builds in holes of trees, on surfaces of large horizontal +branches 30 or 40 feet up, or in depressions in ends of lofty stumps. +The nest is a shallow saucer, made entirely of light-coloured roots +and twigs loosely put together. The usual number of eggs appears to be +three." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal this +species is "common, and a permanent resident, very partial to perching +on the tips of bamboos, and I have seen as many as 13 sitting side +by side on a bamboo tip. I took seven nests this season, all from +date-trees (_Phoenix sylvestris_), which trees are very common in the +district. The nest is generally built at the junction of the leaf-stem +and the trunk of the tree, though in two instances the nest was placed +on a ledge from which all leaves had been removed to enable the tree +to be tapped for its juice. In every instance the nest was exposed, +and if any bird, even a hawk, came near, these courageous little +fellows would drive it off. My nests were found from the 5th April to +6th June; shallow saucers made of fine twigs and grasses with a lining +of the same, and contained two to four eggs in each. Height of nest +from ground about 12 to 15 feet. On the 17th April I took two fresh +eggs from a nest, and the birds laying again, I, on the 8th May, +again took three fresh eggs. When on the wing they utter their note, +generally returning to the same perch." + +And he adds:-- + +"_16th April, 1878_.--Took two perfectly fresh eggs from a nest built +on a date-tree. The date-trees in this district are tapped annually +for the juice, from which sugar is manufactured. The leaves and the +bark for a depth of 3 inches are sliced away from one half of the +trunk, the leaves on the other half remaining, and at the root of +one of these the nest was built, wedged in between the trunk and the +leaves; the external diameter was 4½ inches, depth 3 inches, thickness +of sides of nest ¾ inch; a rather shallow cup, composed exclusively of +fine grasses with no attempt at a lining. + +"_17th April, 1878_.--Secured two fresh eggs from another nest on a +date-tree. In size and shape they were similar and the materials were +the same grasses with no lining. The trees these nests were on formed +a small clump alongside a ryot's house. People were passing under them +all day, but the birds never noticed them. Any bird, from a Kite to +a Bulbul, coming near received a warm welcome. The nests are at all +times exposed, and the natives believe that two males and one female +are found occupying one nest. The birds being gregarious build on +adjoining trees, and while the ladies are engaged with their domestic +affairs their lords keep each other company, so the natives put them +down as polyandrous. I have found over a dozen nests, and every one +has been the counterpart of the other, and only on date-trees." + +Miss Cockburn writes from the Nilghiris:--"On the 17th May, 1873, a +nest of this bird was found. It was formed in a perpendicular hole in +a dried stump of a tree, about 15 feet in height. The nest consisted +entirely of slight sticks lined with fine grass, no soft material +being added as a finish, and the whole structure went to pieces when +removed. This nest contained three eggs, their colour white, with a +few dark and light brown spots and blotches all over, and a strongly +marked ring round the thick end. + +"The birds frequently returned to the place while the eggs were being +taken, till one of them was shot." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird is very local in the Tumkur +districts in Mysore, and I have only found it in three or four +gardens. I knew it had been breeding (from dissection) since March, +but till to-day (May 9th) I could not find its nest. To-day, however, +I saw four or five birds perpetually flying round and round a very +ragged old cocoanut-tree, the highest in that part of the garden, and +determined to send a man up. Two birds, however, at that moment lit on +one branch and I shot them both, and they proved to be fully-fledged +young ones. I sent the man up, however, and was rewarded by his +announcing two old nests and a new one containing one egg. The nests +were near the trunk of the tree on the horizontal leaves, and were +formed of thin roots and a little grass and were very slight. The egg, +which is large for the size of the bird, is creamy white, with a broad +ring round the larger end formed of blotches of orange, brown, and +purple, and in the cap within the ring there are a number of faint +purple spots. The egg was perfectly fresh, and the old birds defended +it by swooping down upon the man; and I can't help thinking that both +the young birds and the new nest belonged to one pair of birds, and +that as soon as their first brood was fledged they had commenced to +lay again." + +A nest taken by Mr. Gammie on the 24th April, at an elevation of about +3500 feet in Sikhim, was placed on a dead horizontal limb near the top +of a large tree. It contained four eggs slightly set; it is a somewhat +shallow cup, interiorly 3 inches in diameter by nearly 1½ in depth, +and composed almost entirely of fine roots, pretty firmly interwoven. +It has no lining, but at the bottom exteriorly it is coated partially +with a sort of plaster, composed apparently of strips of bark and +vegetable fibre partially cemented together in some way. + +The egg sent me by Miss Cockburn is of quite the same type as those +found by Mr. Gammie, but it is a trifle longer, measuring 1·0 by 0·7, +and the colouring is much brighter. The ground is a sort of creamy +white. There is a strongly marked though irregular zone round the +large end of more or less confluent brownish rusty patches (amongst +which a few pale grey spots may be detected), and a good many spots +and small blotches of the same are scattered about the whole of the +rest of the surface of the egg. + +Numerous eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond well with +those already described as procured by himself and Miss Cockburn. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·82 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·6 to +0·72, but the average is 0·94 by 0·68. + + +513. Artamus leucogaster (Valenc.). _The White-rumped +Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus leucorhynchus (_Gm.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 287 bis. + +The White-rumped Swallow-Shrike breeds, we know, in the Andamans and +Great Cocos, and that is nearly all we do know. Mr. Davison says:--"On +the 2nd of May I saw a bird of this species fly into a hollow at the +top of a rotten mangrove stump about 20 feet high. The next day I +went, but did not like to climb the stump, as it appeared unsafe, so +I determined to cut it down, and after giving about six strokes that +made the stump shake from end to end, the bird flew out. I made sure +that as the bird sat so close the nest must contain eggs, so I ceased +cutting and managed to get a very light native, who voluntered to +climb it; but on his reaching the top, he found, to my astonishment, +that the nest, although apparently finished, was empty. The nest was +built entirely of grass, somewhat coarse on the exterior, finer on the +inside; it was a shallow saucer-shaped structure, and was placed in a +hollow at the top of the stump." + + + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + + +518. Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. _The Indian Oriole_. + +Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 107; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 470. + +The Indian Oriole breeds from May to August (the great majority, +however, laying in June and July) almost throughout the plains country +of India and in the lower ranges of the Himalayas to an elevation of +4000 feet. In Southern and Eastern Bengal it only, so far as I +know, occurs as a straggler during the cold season, and I have no +information of its breeding there. It does not apparently ascend the +Nilghiris, and throughout the southern portion of the peninsula +it breeds very sparingly, if at all; indeed, it is just at the +commencement of the breeding-season, when the mangoes are ripening, +that Upper India is suddenly visited by vast numbers of this species +migrating from the south. + +The nest is placed on some large tree, I do not think the bird has +any special preference, and is a moderately deep purse or pocket, +suspended between some slender fork towards the extremity of one of +the higher boughs. From below it looks like a round ball of grass +wedged into the fork, and the sitting bird is completely hidden within +it; but when in the hand it proves to be a most beautifully woven +purse, shallower or deeper as the case may be, hung from the fork of +two twigs, made of fine grass and slender strips of some tenacious +bark and bound round and round the twigs, and secured to them much +as a prawn-net is to its wooden framework. Some nests contain no +extraneous matters, but others have all kinds of odds and ends--scraps +of newspaper or cloth, shavings, rags, snake-skins, thread, +&c.--interwoven in the exterior. The interior is always neatly lined +with fine grass-stems. + +Very commonly the bird so selects the site for its nest that the +leaves of the twigs it uses as a framework form more or less of a +shady canopy overhead; in fact, as a rule, it is from very few points +of view that even a passing bird of prey can catch sight of the female +on her eggs. Possibly the brilliant plumage of the bird (which has +endowed it amongst the natives with the name of _Peeluk_, or "The +Yellow One") may have had something to do with the concealment it so +generally affects. + +The nests vary a good deal in size. I have seen one with an internal +cavity 3½ inches in diameter and over 2½ deep. I have seen others +scarcely over 2½ inches in diameter and not 2 in depth, which you +could have put bodily, twigs and all, inside the former. As a rule, +the purse is strong and compact, the material closely matted and +firmly bound together; but I have seen very flimsy structures, through +which it was quite possible to see the eggs. + +Four is the greatest number of eggs I have ever found in one nest, but +it is quite common to find only three well-incubated ones. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall reports having found several nests of this +species about Murree at low elevations. + +Mr. W. Blewitt tells me that he obtained two nests near Hansie on the +1st and 14th July respectively. The nests (which he kindly sent) were +of the usual type, and were placed, the one on an acacia, the other +on a loquat tree, at heights of 10 and 12 feet from the ground. +Each contained three eggs, the one clutch much incubated, the other +perfectly fresh. + +Dr. Scully writes:--"The Indian Oriole is a seasonal visitant to the +valley of Nepal, arriving about the 1st of April and departing in +August. It frequents some of the central woods, gardens, and groves, +and breeds in May and June." + +Colonel J. Biddulph remarks regarding the nidification of this Oriole +in Gilgit:--"A summer visitant and common. Appears about the 1st of +May. Nest with three eggs hard-set, taken 8th of June; several other +nests taken later on." + +Writing from near Rohtuk, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says:--"The breeding-season +is from the middle of May to July. The nest is made on large trees, +and always suspended between the fork of a branch. I have certainly +obtained more nests from the tamarind than any other kind of tree. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, light, neat, and compact. The average outer +diameter is 4·8 inches; the inner or cup-cavity about 3·6. Hemp-like +fibre is almost exclusively used in the exterior structure of the +nest, and by this it is firmly secured to the two limbs of the fork. +Cleverly indeed is this work performed, the hemp being well wrapped +round the stems and then brought again into the outer framework. +Occasionally bits of cloth, thread pieces, vegetable fibres, &c. are +introduced. On one occasion I got a nest with a cast-off snake-skin +neatly worked into the outer material. + +"The lining of the egg-cavity is simply fine grass, if we except the +occasional capricious addition of a feather or two, an odd piece of +cotton or rag, &c. Three appears to be the regular number of eggs. +This bird is to be found in small numbers all over the country here; +its habits are well described by Jerdon. It is, as I have observed, +hard to please in its choice of a nest site. I have watched it for +days going backwards and forwards, from tree to tree and from fork to +fork, before it made up its mind where to commence work." + +Capt. Hutton records that "this is a common bird in the Dhoon, and +arrives at Jerripanee, elevation 4500 feet, in the summer months to +breed. Its beautiful cradle-like nest was taken in the Dhoon on +the 29th of May, at which time it contained three pure white +eggs, sparingly sprinkled over with variously sized spots of deep +purplish-brown, giving the egg the appearance of having been splashed +with dark mud. The spots are chiefly at the larger end, but there is +no indication of a ring. The nest is a slight, somewhat cup-shaped +cradle, rather longer than wide, and is so placed, between the fork +of a thin branch, as to be suspended between the limbs by having the +materials of the two sides bound round them. It is composed of fine +dry grasses, both blade and stalk, intermixed with silky and cottony +seed-down, especially at that part where the materials are wound round +the two supporting twigs; and in the specimen before me there are +several small silky cocoons of a diminutive _Bombyx_ attached to the +outside, the silk of which has been interwoven with the fibres of the +external nest. It is so slightly constructed as to be seen through, +and it appears quite surprising that so large a bird, to say nothing +of the weight of the three or four young ones, does not entirely +destroy it." + +From Futtehgurh, the late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"The nest and +eggs of this bird so closely resemble those of its European congener +(_O. galbula_) that little or no description is necessary. The +Mango-bird lays throughout the rains, July being the principal month. +One very beautifully constructed nest was taken by me on the 9th July, +1872, containing four eggs, which, according to my experience, is in +excess of the number usually laid. I have frequently taken only a pair +of well-incubated eggs. + +"Two of the four eggs above alluded to were quite fresh, while the +other two were tolerably well incubated. The nest is fitted outwardly +with tow, which I have never before seen. One of the pieces of cloth +used in the construction of this nest was 6 inches long." + +"At Lucknow," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I found this species on the 20th +May building a nest in a neem-tree, and on the 24th I took two eggs +from the nest. On the 10th June I saw another pair, only making love, +so they probably did not lay till the end of that month." + +Dr. Jerdon notes that he "procured a nest at Saugor from a high branch +of a banian tree in cantonments. It was situated between the forks of +a branch, made of fine roots and grass, with some hair and a feather +or two internally, and suspended by a long roll of cloth about +three quarters of an inch wide, which it must have pilfered from a +neighbouring verandah where a tailor worked. This strip was wound +round each limb of the fork, then passed round the nest beneath, fixed +to the other limb, and again brought round the nest to the opposite +side; there were four or five of these supports on either side. It was +indeed a most curious nest, and so securely fixed that it could not +have been removed till the supporting bands had been cut or rotted +away. The eggs were white, with a few dark claret-coloured spots." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing from Afghanistan:--"At Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, in June, I found them in great numbers: some +were breeding; but as I saw quite young birds, it is probable that the +nesting-season was nearly over." + +Colonel Butler contributes the following note:--"The Indian Oriole +breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of May, June, and +July. I took nests on the following dates:-- + + "24th May, 1876. A nest containing 1 fresh egg. + 29th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 12th June " " " 2 much incubated eggs. + 12th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 13th " " " " 2 " + 19th " " " " 3 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 3 " + 3rd July " " " 2 " + 6th " " " " 3 " + 30th " " " " 2 " + +"The nest found on the 24th May was suspended from a small fork of a +neem-tree about ten feet from the ground, and was very neatly built of +dry grass (fine interiorly, coarse exteriorly), old rags, and cotton +(woven, not raw). The rim was firmly bound to the branches of the fork +with rags and coarse blades of dry grass. It is an easy nest to find +when the birds are building, as both birds are always together and +keep constantly flying to and from the nest with materials for +building. The cock, as before mentioned, always accompanies the hen +to and from the nest whilst she is building; but I do not think he +assists in its construction, as I never saw him carrying any of the +materials, neither have I ever seen him on the nest. On the contrary, +whilst the hen is at the nest building he is generally waiting for +her, either on the same tree or else on another close by, occasionally +uttering his well-known rich mellow note. On the 29th May I sent a boy +up a tree to examine a nest. The hen bird had been sitting for a week, +and was on the nest when the boy ascended the tree. The cock bird flew +past, and being a brilliant specimen I shot him, thinking of course +that the nest contained a full complement of eggs. To my astonishment, +however, though the hen bird sat very close, there were no eggs in the +nest, and although she returned to it once or twice afterwards, she +eventually forsook it without laying. Possibly she may have laid, and +that the eggs were destroyed by Crows. In addition to the materials +already mentioned, this nest was also composed of tow, string, and +strips of paper, all neatly woven into the exterior, and many of the +other nests mentioned were exactly similar; sometimes I have found +pieces of snake-skin woven into the exterior. + +"On the 9th of July I observed a pair of Orioles building on a +neem-tree in one of the compounds in Deesa. When the nest was nearly +finished a gale of wind rose one night and scattered it all over the +bough it was fixed to. The birds at once commenced to remove it, and +in a couple of days carried off: every particle of it to another tree +about 100 yards off, upon which they built a new nest of the materials +they had removed from the other tree. I ascended the tree on the 17th +of July, and found it contained three fresh eggs. + +"The eggs are pure white, sparingly spotted with moderately-sized +blackish-looking spots, if washed the spots run. They vary a good +deal in shape and size, some being very perfect ovals, others greatly +elongated, &c." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Oriole builds at Allahabad and +at Delhi from the beginning of April to the end of July. In the cold +weather this bird seems to migrate more or less, as but few are seen +and none heard during that season. The nests are built generally at +the top of mango-trees and well concealed; they are constructed of +fine grass, beautifully soft, mixed with strips of plaintain-bark, +with which, or with strips of cotton cloth purloined from somewhere, +the nest is usually bound to a fork in the branch. The egg-cavity is +pretty deep, that is to say from 1½ to 3 inches." + +Mr. George Reid records the following note from Lucknow:--"The +Mango-bird, or Indian Oriole, though a permanent resident, is never +so abundant during the cold weather as it is during the hot and rainy +seasons from about the time the mango-trees begin to bloom to the +end of September. It frequents gardens, avenues, mango-topes, and is +frequently seen in open country, taking long flights between trees, +principally the banian and other _Fici_, upon the berries and buds of +which it feeds. I have the following record of its nests:-- + + "June 16th. Nest and no eggs (building). + July 2nd. 2 eggs (fresh). + July 2nd. 1 egg (fresh). + July 5th. 3 eggs (fresh). + July 25th. 3 young (just hatched). + August 5th. 2 young (fledged)." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of this bird in the Deccan, +say:--"Common, and breeds in June and July." + +Colonel A.C. McMaster informs us that he "found several nests of this +bird at Kamptee during June and July; they corresponded exactly with +Jerdon's admirable description. Has any writer mentioned that this +bird has a faint, but very sweet and plaintive song, which he +continues for a considerable time? I have only heard it when a +family, old and young, were together, _i.e._ at the close of the +breeding-season." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajpootana in general, tells us that +this Oriole breeds during July and August. + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, speaking of Manzeerabad in Mysore, says:--"Abundant +in the plains. Rare in the higher portions of the district. Breeding +in June and July." + +The eggs are typically a moderately elongated oval, tapering a good +deal towards one end, but they vary much in shape as well as size. +Some are pyriform, and some very long and cylindrical, quite the shape +of the egg of a Cormorant or Solan Goose, or that of a Diver. They are +always of a pure excessively glossy china-white, which, when they +are fresh and unblown, appears suffused with a delicate salmon-pink, +caused by the partial translucency of the shell. Well-defined spots +and specks, typically black, are more or less thinly sprinkled over +the surface of the egg, chiefly at the large end. Normally, as I +said, the spots are black and sharply defined, and there are neither +blotches nor splashes, but numerous variations occur. Sometimes, as in +an egg sent me by Mr. Nunn, all the spots are pale yellowish brown. +Sometimes, as in an egg I took at Bareilly, a few spots of this colour +are mingled with the black ones. Deep reddish brown often takes the +place of the typical black, and the spots are not very unfrequently +surrounded by a more or less extensive brownish-pink nimbus, which in +one egg I have is so extensive that the ground-colour of the whole of +the large end appears to be a delicate pink. Occasionally several of +the clear-cut spots appear to run together and form a coarse irregular +blotch, and one egg I possess exhibits on one side a large splash. The +eggs as a body, as might have been expected, closely resemble those of +the Golden Oriole, to which the bird itself is so nearly related; and +as observed by Professor Newton in regard to the eggs of that species, +so in _my_ large series, the prevalence of greatly elongated examples +is remarkable. + +The eggs vary in length from 1·03 to 1·32, and from 0·75 to 0·87 in +breadth; but the average of fifty eggs measured was 1·11 by 0·81. + + +521. Oriolus melanocephalus(Linn.). _The Indian Black-headed +Oriole_. + +Oriolus melanocephalus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 110; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_ no. 472. +Oriolus ceylonensis, _Bonap., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 111. + +I have already noticed ('Stray Feathers,' vol. i, p. 439) how +impossible it is to draw any hard-and-fast line, in practice, between +this the so-called "Bengal Black-headed Oriole" and the supposed +distinct southern species, _O. ceylonensis_, Bp. + +The present species certainly breeds in suitable (i.e. well-wooded +and not too bare or arid) localities throughout Northern and Central +India, Assam, and Burma, and I have specimens from Mahableshwar, +from the Nilgiris, and even Anjango, that are nearer to typical _O. +melanocephalus_ than to typical _O. ceylonensis_. Of its nidification +southwards I know nothing. I have only myself taken its eggs in the +neighbourhood of Calcutta. + +It appears to lay from April to the end of August. The nest of this +species, though perhaps slightly deeper, is very much like that of _O. +kundoo_; it is a deep cup, carefully suspended between two twigs, and +is composed chiefly of tow-like vegetable fibres, thin slips of bark +and the like, and is internally lined with very fine tamarisk twigs or +fine grass, and is externally generally more or less covered over with +odds and ends, bits of lichen, thin flakes of bark, &c. It is slightly +smaller than the average run of the nests of _O. kundoo_. The +egg-cavity measures about 3 inches in diameter and nearly 2 inches in +depth. I myself have never found more than three eggs, but I daresay +that, like _O. kundoo_, it may not unfrequently lay four. + +The late Captain Beavan writes:--"A nest with three eggs, brought to +me in Manbhoom on 5th April, 1865, is cup-shaped; interior diameter +3·5, depth inside 2 inches. It is composed outside of woolly fibres, +flax, and bits of dried leaves, and inside of bents and small dried +twigs, the whole compact and neat. The eggs are of a light pink ground +(almost flesh-coloured), with a few scattered spots of brownish pink, +darker and more numerous at the blunt end. They measure 1·125 by +barely 0·8." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"_Oriolus melanocephalus_ +indiscriminately selects the mango, mowah, or any other kind of large +tree for its nest, which is invariably firmly attached to the extreme +terminal twigs of an upper horizontal branch, varying from 20 to 35 +feet from the ground. Owing to the position it selects for the safety +of its nest, it sometimes happens that the latter cannot be secured +without the destruction of the eggs. It nidificates in June and July, +and it would appear that both the birds, male and female, engage in +the construction of the nest. Three is the normal number of the eggs, +though on one occasion my shikaree found four in a nest." + +Buchanan Hamilton tells us that this species "frequents the groves and +gardens of Bengal during the whole year, and builds a very rude nest +of bamboo-leaves and the fibres that invest the top of the cocoanut or +other palms. In March I found a nest with the young unfledged." + +I confess that I believe this to be a mistake: neither season nor nest +correspond with what I have myself seen about Calcutta. The nests, so +far from being _rude_, are very neat. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal:--"Very +common, and a permanent resident. On the 20th April I found a nest +containing two half-fledged young ones; in the garden was a clump of +mango-trees, and attached to one of the outer twigs, but overhung by +a lot of leaves, and about 12 feet from the ground, hung the nest, of +the usual type." + +Mr. J. Davidson met with this Oriole on the Kondabhari Ghât in +Khandeish. On the 16th August he saw a brood, while on an adjoining +tree there was a nest with two slightly-set eggs. He says:--"It was a +very deep cup on the end of a thin branch, and though in cutting the +branch to get at the nest, it got turned at right angles to its proper +position, the eggs were uninjured. I do not think this nest belonged +to the same pair as that which had young ones flying. + +"These Orioles are very common here, and I found three nests: one +was new and empty; from another the birds had just flown; while the +remaining one contained one fresh egg. The bird would no doubt have +laid more; but to get at the nest I had to cut the branch off, and it +was only then I discovered that only one egg had been laid." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Plentiful at Allahabad across the Ganges, +notwithstanding which I only found one nest, and that I have no note +about, but I remember it was some time in June, and contained four +half-fledged young ones; the materials of the nest were the same as +those used by _O. kundoo_." + +Writing of his experience in Tenasserim he adds:--"On the 5th March I +found a nest of this bird in a small tree near the village of Hpamee. +It, however, contained three unfledged young, so I left it alone. + +"On the 21st April I found a second nest suspended from the tip of a +bamboo that overhung the path from Shwaobah village to Hpamee. This +contained two awfully hard-set eggs, white, with a few dark purple +blotches and spots at the larger ends. Nest made of grass and dry +bamboo-leaves, lined with the dry midribs of leaves, and firmly bound +on to the fork of the bamboo with a strip of some bark." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"My nests of this Oriole have been found +in March, April, and May, but I have no doubt they also breed in June. +No details appear necessary." + +Typically the eggs are somewhat elongated ovals, only slightly +compressed towards one end, but pyriform as well as more pointed +varieties may be met with. The shell is very fine and moderately +glossy. The ground-colour varies from a creamy or pinky white to a +decided but very pale salmon-colour. They are sparingly spotted and +streaked with dark brown and pale inky purple. In most eggs the +markings are more numerous towards the large end. Some have no +markings elsewhere. The dark spots, especially towards the large end, +are not unfrequently more or less enveloped in a reddish-pink nimbus. +Though much larger and much more glossy, some of the eggs, so far as +shape, colour, and markings go, exactly resemble some of the eggs of +_Dicrurus ater_. The eggs of _O. kundoo_ are typically excessively +glossy china-white, with few well-defined black spots. The eggs of +_O. melanocephalus_ are typically somewhat less glossy, with a pinky +ground and more numerous and less defined brownish-purple spots and +streaks. I have not yet seen one egg of either species that could be +mistaken for one of the other, although of course abnormal varieties +of each approach each other more closely than do the typical forms. + +The dozen eggs that I possess of this species vary from 1·1 to 1·2 in +length, and from 0·78 to 0·87 in breadth, and the average is 1·14 +by 0·82. Although the average is somewhat larger than that of the +preceding species, and although none of the eggs are quite _as_ small +as many of those of _O. kundoo_, still none are nearly so large as the +finest specimens of the latter's egg. Probably had I an equally large +series of the eggs of the present species, we should find that as +regards size there was no perceptible difference between the two. + + +522. Oriolus traillii (Vigors). _The Maroon Oriole_. + +Oriolus traillii (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 112; _Hume, cat._ +no. 474. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Oriole on the +24th April, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. It was suspended, +within ten feet of the ground, from an outer fork of a branch of a +small leafy tree, which grew in a patch of low dense jangle. It is a +neat cup, composed of fibrous bark and strips of the outer part of dry +grass-stems, intermixed with skeletonized leaves and green moss, and +lined with fine grass. Besides being firmly bound by the rim of the +cup to the horizontal forking branches by fibrous barks, several +strings extended from one branch to the other, both under and in +front of the nest, while other strings from the body of the nest were +fastened to an upright twig that rose immediately behind the fork, +thus most securely retaining it in its position. + +"Externally the nest measured 5 inches wide by 2·75 in height; +internally 3·25 wide by 2 deep. It contained three fresh eggs. + +"The female came quite close, making loud complaints against the +robbing of her nest." + +The nest is that of a typical Oriole, usually very firmly and +substantially built, and of course always suspended at a fork between +two twigs. A nest taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim on the 20th April, at +an elevation of about 2500 feet, is a deep substantial cup, nearly 4 +inches in diameter and 2½ in depth internally. It is everywhere nearly +an inch in thickness. The suspensory portion composed of vegetable +fibres; towards the exterior dead leaves, bamboo-sheaths, green +moss, and tendrils of creeping plants are profusely intermingled; +interiorly, it is closely and regularly lined with very fine grass. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found on the 3rd April at Namtchu, +and contained three fresh eggs. It is precisely similar to the one +above described, except that in the lining roots are mingled with the +fine grass, and that instead of being suspended in a fork, it was +partly wedged into and partly rested on a fork. + +As a rule, however, as I know from other nests subsequently obtained, +the nests are always suspended like those of the Common Oriole. + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie closely resemble those +of _O. melanocephalus_. In shape they are regular moderately elongated +ovals; the shell is strong, firm, and moderately glossy. The ground +is white with a creamy or brownish-pink tinge; the markings are +blackish-brown spots and specks, almost confined to a zone about the +large end, where they are all more or less enveloped in a brownish-red +haze or _nimbus_. In length they measure 1·12 by 0·82, and 1·14 by +0·83. + + + + +Family EULABETIDAE + + +523. Eulabes religiosa (Linn.). _Jerd. B. Southern Grackle_. + +Eulabes religiosa (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 337; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 692. + +The Southern Grackle breeds in Southern India and Ceylon from March to +October. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon, writing from Travancore, gives me the following +account of the eggs. He says:--"This bird, an abundant resident, lays +a blue egg pretty evenly marked with brown spots, some light and some +darkish, in a nest of straw and feathers in a hole of a tree generally +a considerable height from the ground. + +"I have only taken one nest, which contained a single egg slightly +set, on 23rd March, 1873, the egg measuring 1·37 long and 0·87 broad." + +Later Mr. Bourdillon says:--"Since writing the foregoing I took on +21st April two fresh eggs from the nest of a Southern Hill-Mynah +(_Eulabes religiosa_). The nest was of grass, feathers, and odds and +ends in a hole in a nanga (_Mesua coromandeliana_) stump, about 25 +feet from the ground. The eggs of this Mynah are blue, with purplish +and more decided brown spots. + +"I am _positive_ as to the identity of the egg. Both the eggs taken +last year and the two taken the other day were obtained under my +personal supervision. In both instances I watched the birds building, +and when we robbed the nests saw the female fly off them." + +These two eggs sent me by Mr. Bourdillon are very beautiful. In shape +they are very gracefully elongated ovals; the shell is very fine and +smooth, but has only a rather faint gloss. The ground-colour is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish blue, and the eggs are more or +less profusely spotted or splashed with purplish, or, in some spots, +chocolate-brown and a very pale purple, which looks more like the +stain that might be supposed to be left by one of the more decided +coloured markings that had been partially washed out than anything +else. + +The eggs measure 1·37 by 0·9 and 1·35 by 0·87. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, writes:--"The Southern Grackle breeds in the +S. Wynaad rather plentifully, and I have had numbers of tame ones +brought up from the nest, but have never succeeded in getting a +perfect egg owing to my having found all the nests in very hard places +to get at. + +"I cut down a tree containing a nest and broke all the eggs, which +must have been very pretty--blue ground, very regularly marked +with purplish-brown spots. The nest was composed of sticks, twigs, +feathers, and some snake-skin. I have found them in March, April, +September, and October. I hope this year to get a number of eggs, as +Culputty is a very good place for them." + +Mr. C J.W. Taylor notes from Manzeerabad in Mysore:-- + +"Common up in the wooded portions of the district. Breeding in April +and May." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon, speaking of this Grackle in Travancore, +says:--"This bird lays one or two light blue eggs beautifully blotched +with purple in the holes of trees. It does not like heavy jungle, +but after a clearing has been felled and burnt it is sure to appear. +During the fine weather it is very abundant on the hills, descending +to the low country at the foot when the rains have fairly set in. The +nest scarcely deserves the name, being only a few dead leaves or some +powdered wood at the bottom of the hole, and there about the end of +March the egg or eggs are laid. The young birds, which can be taught +to speak and become very tame, are often taken by the natives, as they +can sell them in the low country. I have obtained on the following +dates eggs and young birds:-- + + "March 29th. One egg slightly set. + April 20th. Two young birds. + April 22nd. " " + April 25th. Two eggs slightly set. + May 2nd. One young bird. + +"I also had three eggs, slightly set, brought me on May 21. They are +rather smaller and a deeper blue than the ones obtained before, being +1·25 x 1, 1·19 x ·95, 1·21 x ·97 inch. They were all out of the same +nest, so that the bird sometimes lays three eggs, though the usual +number is two." + +Colonel Legge writes in the 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The Black Myna was +breeding in the Pasdun Korale on the occasion of a visit I made to +that part in August, but I did not procure its eggs." + +Other eggs subsequently sent me by Mr. Bourdillon from Mynall, in +Southern Travancore, taken on the 9th and 13th April, 1875, are +precisely similar to those already described. The eggs that I have +measured have only varied from 1·22 to 1·37 in length, and from 0·86 +to 0·9 in width. + + +524. Eulabes intermedia[A] (A. Hay). _The Indian Grackle_. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume does not recognize _E. javanensis_ and _E. +intermedia_ as distinct. The following account refers to the +nidification of the latter, except perhaps Major Bingham's later note, +in which he states that he procured two distinct sizes of eggs in the +Meplay valley (Thoungyeen). It is very probable that Major Bingham +found the nests of both species on this occasion. I have seen no +specimen of _E. javanensis_ from the Thoungyeen valley, but at +Malewun, further south, it occurs along with _E. intermedia_.--ED.] + +Eulabes intermedia (_A. Hay_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 339. +Eulabes javanensis (_Osbeck_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693. + +The Indian Grackle, under which name I include _E. andamanensis_, +Tytler, breeds, I know, in the Nepal Terai and in the Kumaon Bhabur; +and many are the young birds that I have seen extracted by the natives +out of holes, high up in large trees, in the old anti-mutiny days when +we used to go tiger-shooting in these grand jungles. I never saw the +eggs however, which, I think, must have all been hatched off in May, +when we used to be out. + +"In the Andamans," writes Davison, "they breed in April and May, +building a nest of grass, dried leaves, &c. in holes of trees." He +also, however, never took the eggs. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that this species is "common during March to +October in Dibrugarh, after which it retires to the hills which border +the east and south of the district. About the tea-gardens of Dibrugarh +there are always a number of dead trees standing, and in these the +Grackles nest, choosing those that are rotten, in which they excavate +a hole. I have seen numbers of nests, but as these were so high up and +the tree so long dead and rotten, no native would risk going up." + +Mr. J. Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Hill-Mynah is common in the +hilly district. It breeds in the holes of trees during April, May, and +June." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I saw several nest-holes +of this bird, which was very common in the Reserve, but none of them +were accessible; and it wasn't till the 18th April that I chanced on +one in a low tree, the nest being in the hollow of a stump of a broken +branch. It was composed and loosely put together of grass, leaves, and +twigs, and contained three half-fledged young and one addled egg of +a light blue colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end with purplish +brown." + +The eggs very similar to those of _E. religiosa_, but, what is very +surprising, it is very considerably _smaller_. + +Of _E. religiosa_ the eggs vary from 1·2 to 1·37 in length, and from +0·86 to 0·9 in breadth, and the average of eight is 1·31 by 0·88. + +This present egg only measures 1·12 by 0·8, and it must, I should +fancy, be abnormally small. + +In shape it is an extremely regular oval. The ground is a pale +greenish blue, and it is spotted and blotched pretty thickly at the +large end (where all the larger markings are) and very thinly at the +smaller end with purple and two shades (a darker and lighter one) of +chocolate-brown, the latter colour much predominating. The shell is +very fine and close, but has but little gloss. + +And later on Major Bingham again wrote:--"One of the commonest and +most widely spread birds in the province. The following is an account +of its nidification:-- + +"This bird lays two distinct sizes of eggs, all, however, of the same +type and coloration. Out of holes in neighbouring trees, on the +bank of the Meplay, on the 13th March, 1880, I took two nests, one +containing three, and the other two eggs. The first lot of eggs +measured respectively 1·15 x 0·77, 1·15 x 0·80, and 1·16 x 0·79 inch; +while those in the second nest 1·30 x 0·95, and 1·27 x 0·93 inch +respectively. All the eggs, however, are a pale blue, spotted chiefly +at the larger end with light chocolate. The nests were in natural +hollows in the trees, and lined with grass and leaves loosely put +together." + +The eggs apparently vary extraordinarily in size; they are generally +more or less elongated ovals, some slightly pyriform and slightly +obtuse at both ends, some rather pointed towards the small end. The +shell in all is very fine and compact and smooth, but some have +scarcely any appreciable gloss, while others have a really fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pretty uniform in all, a delicate pale greenish +blue. The markings are always chiefly confined to one end, usually the +broad end; even about the large end they are never very dense, and +elsewhere they are commonly very sparse or almost or altogether +wanting. In some eggs the markings are pretty large irregular blotches +mingled with small spots and specks, but in many eggs again the +largest spot does not exceed one twelfth of an inch in diameter. In +colour these markings are normally a chocolate, often with more or +less of a brown tinge, in some of the small spots so thickly laid on +as to be almost black, in many of the larger blotches becoming only a +pale reddish purple, or here and there a pale purplish grey. In some +eggs all the markings are pale and washed out, in others all are +sharply defined and intense in colour. Occasionally some of the +smaller spots become almost a yellowish brown. + + +526. Eulabes ptilogenys (Blyth). _The Ceylon Grackle_. + +Eulabes ptilogenys (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 693 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds +in June, July, and August, laying its eggs in a hole of a tree, or in +one which has been previously excavated by the Yellow-fronted Barbet +or Red Woodpecker. It often nests in the sugar- or kitool-palm, and in +one of these trees in the Peak forest I took its eggs in the month of +August. There was an absence of all nest or lining at the bottom of +the hole, the eggs, which were two in number, being deposited on the +bare wood. The female was sitting at the time, and was being brought +fruit and berries by the male bird. While the eggs were being taken +the birds flew round repeatedly, and settled on an adjacent tree, +keeping up a loud whistling. The eggs are obtuse-ended ovals, of +a pale greenish-blue ground-colour (one being much paler than the +other), sparingly spotted with large and small spots of lilac-grey, +and blotched over this with a few neutral-brown and sepia blots. They +measure from 1·3 to 1·32 inch in length by 0·96 to 0·99 in breadth." + + +527. Calornis chalybeïus (Horsf.). _The Glossy Calornis_. + +Calornis chalybaeus[A] (_Horsf.), Hume, cat._ no. 690 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume considers the Andaman _Calornis_ distinct from +the _Calornis_ inhabiting Cachar, Tenasserim, &c. I have united them +in the 'Birds of India.'--Ed.] + +Of the Glossy Calornis Mr. Davison remarks that "it is a permanent +resident at the Nicobars, breeding in holes in trees and in the +decayed stumps of old cocoanut-palms, apparently from December to +March. At the Andamans it is much less numerous, and is only met with +in pairs or in small parties, frequenting the same situations as it +does in the Nicobars." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"This Tree-Stare is rather rare. It +breeds about April in the holes of dead trees; when the young are able +to fly it departs. It again returns about the middle of February." + +In Tenasserim this species was observed nesting by Mr. J. Darling, +junior, who says:--"22nd March. Noticed several pairs of _Calornis_, +with nests, in the big wooden bridge over the Kyouk-tyne Creek about +1½ mile out of Tavoy, and also a great number of their nests in the +old wooden posts of an old bridge further down the Creek." + +Mr. W. Davison, when in the Malay peninsula, took the eggs of this +bird. He remarks:--"I found a few pairs frequenting some areca-palms +at Laugat, and breeding in them, but only one nest contained eggs, +three in number. The nest was a loose structure almost globular, but +open at the top, composed externally of very coarse dry grass (lallung +or elephant-grass), and lined with green durian leaves cut into small +bits. The nest was too lightly put together to preserve. This nest and +several other empty ones were placed at the base of the leaves where +they meet the trunk. + +"The three eggs obtained were slightly set, so that three is probably +the normal number laid. + +"I noticed several other pairs breeding at the same time in holes of a +huge dead tree on Jugra Hill at Laugat, but I was unable to get at the +nests." + +The eggs are quite of the _Eulabes_ type, moderately broad ovals, more +or less compressed towards the small end, occasionally pyriform. The +shell firm and strong, though fine, smooth to the touch in some cases, +with but little, but generally with a fair amount of gloss. The ground +is a very pale greenish blue. A number of fairly large spots and +blotches, intermingled with smaller specks and spots, are scattered +about the large end, often forming an imperfect irregular zone, and a +few similar specks and spots are scattered thinly about the central +portion of the egg, occasionally extending to the small end. The +colour of these spots varies; they are generally a brownish-reddish +purple and a paler greyer purple, but in some eggs the spots are so +thick in colour that they seem almost black. In some they are almost +purely reddish brown without any purplish tinge, and some again, lying +deep in the shell, are pale grey. + +Six eggs measure from 0·92 to 1·1 in length, and from 0·71 to 0·76 in +breadth, but the average of six eggs is 1 by 0·74. + + + + +Family STURNIDAE. + + +528. Pastor roseus (Linn.). _The Rose-coloured Starling_. + +Pastor roseus (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 333; _Hume, cat._ no. +690. + +The Rose-coloured Starling has not yet been discovered breeding in +India, but Mr. Doig has written the following note on the subject, +which is one of great interest. He writes from the Eastern Narra, in +Sind:-- + +"Though I have not as yet discovered the breeding-place of this bird, +I think it as well to put on record what little I have noticed, in the +hope that it may be of assistance in eventually finding out where it +goes to breed. I began watching the birds in the middle of April, and +every week shot one or two and dissected them, but did not perceive +any decisive signs of their breeding until the 10th May, when I shot +two males, both of which showed signs of being about to breed at an +early date. Again, on the 15th May, out of seven that I shot in a +flock, six were males with the generative organs fully developed; the +seventh was a young female in immature plumage, the ovaries being +quite undeveloped. The birds were feeding in the bed of a dried-up +swamp, along with flocks of _Sturnus minor_, and were constantly +flying in flocks, backwards and forwards, in one direction. +Unfortunately, important work called me to another part of the +district, and when I returned in a fortnight's time I could not see +one. Where can they have gone? And they remain away such a short time! +I have seen the old birds return as early as the 7th July, accompanied +by young birds barely fledged, and I should not be at all surprised +if these birds are found to breed in some of the Native States on the +_east_ of Sind. That they could find time to migrate to the Caspian +Sea and Central Asia to breed, and return again by the middle of July, +I cannot believe, especially after having found them so thoroughly in +breeding-time, while still in the east of Sind. Another suspicious +circumstance is the absence of females in the flocks I met with. +Perhaps some of my readers may have an opportunity of finding out +whether _Pastor roseus_ occurs in the districts lying to the east of +Sind in the month of June, as there is no doubt that the breeding-time +lies between the 20th May and the commencement of July." + + +529. Sturnus humii, Brooks. _The Himalayan Starling_. + +Sturnus unicolor, _Marm., apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 322. +Sturnus nitens, _Hume; Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 682. + +The Himalayan Starling breeds in Candahar, Cashmere, and the extreme +north-west of the Punjab. It is the bird which Dr. Jerdon includes in +his work as _S. unicolor_ (a very different bird, which does not occur +within our limits), and which Mr. Theobald referred to as breeding in +Cashmere as _Sturnus vulgaris_, which bird does not, as far as I can +learn, occur in the Valley of Cashmere, though it may in Yarkand. + +This Starling lays towards the end of April at Peshawur, where I found +it nesting in holes in willow-trees in the cantonment compounds. In +Candahar it lays somewhat earlier, and in the Valley of Cashmere +somewhat later, viz. in the month of May. + +It builds in holes of trees, in river-banks, and in old buildings and +bridges, constructing a loose nest of grass and grass-roots, with +sometimes a few thin sticks; it is perhaps more of a lining to the +hole than a true nest. It lays five or six eggs. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It is like _S. unicolor_, but smaller, with shorter +wing and more beautiful reflections. It is excessively abundant in +Cashmere, at moderate elevations, and in the Valley, and breeds in +holes of trees and in river-banks. The eggs are like those of _S. +vulgaris_, but rather smaller. The latter bird[A] occurs plentifully +in the plains of India in the cold weather, and is as profusely +spotted as English specimens. The bills vary in length, and are not +longer, as a rule, than those of British birds. I did not meet with +_S. vulgaris_ in Cashmere. It appears to migrate more to the west, for +it is said to be common in Afghanistan. _S. nitens_ also occurs in the +plains in the cold season. I have Etawah specimens. They are at that +time slightly spotted, but can always be very easily distinguished +from _S. vulgaris_." + +[Footnote A: Mr. Brooks here refers to _S. menzbieri_.--ED.] + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remark on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:--"Lays in the second and third weeks of May; eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1·15 by 0·85; colour, pale clear bluish green; +valley generally, in holes of bridges, tall trees, &c., in company +with _Corvus monedula_." + +Captain Hutton records that "_S. vulgaris_ remains only during the +coldest months, and departs as spring approaches: whereas the present +species builds in the spring at Candahar, laying seven or eight blue +eggs, and the young are fledged about the first week in May." + +The eggs of this species are generally somewhat elongated ovals, a +good deal compressed towards one end, and not uncommonly more or less +pyriform. They are glossy, but in a good light have the surface a good +deal pitted. They are entirely devoid of markings, and seem to have +the ground one uniform very pale sea-greenish blue. They appear to +vary very little in colour, and to average generally a good deal +smaller than those of the Common Starling. + +They vary in length from 1·02 to 1·19, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·87; but the average of twenty eggs is 1·13 by 0·83.[A] + +[Footnote A: STURNUS PORPHYRONOTUS, Sharpe. _The Central-Asian +Starling_. + +This species breeds in Kashgharia, and visits India in winter. Dr. +Scully writes:--"This Starling breeds in May and June, making its nest +in the holes of trees and walls, and in gourds and pots placed near +houses by the Yarkandis for the purpose. It seems to make only a +simple lining for its hole, composed of grass and fibres. The eggs +vary in shape from a broadish oval to an elongated oval compressed at +one end; they are glossy and, in a strong light, the surface looks +pitted. The eggs are quite spotless, but the colour seems also to vary +a good deal--from a deep greenish blue to a very pale light sea-blue. +In size they vary from 1·1 to 1·22 in length, and from 0·80 to 0·86 in +breadth; but the average of nine eggs is 1·19 by 0·83."] + + +531. Sturnus minor, Hume. _The Small Indian Starling_. + +Sturnus minor, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 681 bis. + +Mr. Scrope Doig furnishes us with the following interesting note on +the breeding of _S. minor_ in Sindh:-- + +"Last year I mentioned to my friend, Captain Butler, that I had +noticed Starlings going in and out of holes in trees along the 'Narra' +in the month of March, and that I thought they must be breeding there; +he said that I must be mistaken, as _S. vulgaris_ never bred so far +south. As it happens we were both correct--he in saying _S. vulgaris_ +did not breed here, and I in saying that _Starlings_ did. My Starling +turns out to be the species originally described from Sindh as +_Sturnus minor_ by Mr. Hume; and as I have now sent Mr. Hume a series +of skins and eggs, I trust he will give us a note on the subject of +our Indian Starlings. In February I shot one of these birds, and on +dissection found that they were beginning to breed; later on, early in +March, I again dissected one and found that there was no doubt on the +subject, and so began to look for their nests; these I found in holes +in kundy trees growing along the banks of the Narra, and also situated +in the middle of swamps. The eggs were laid on a pad of feathers +of _Platalea leucorodia_ and _Tantalus leucocephalus_, which were +breeding on the same trees, the young birds being nearly fledged; the +greatest number of eggs in any one nest was five. The first date on +which I took eggs was the 13th March, and the last was on the 15th +May. + +"The eggs are oval, broad at one end and elongated at the other; the +texture is rather waxy, with a fine gloss, and they are of a pale +delicate sea-green colour. + +"The birds during the breeding-time confine themselves closely to +their breeding-ground, so much so, that except when close to their +haunts none are ever seen. + +"The size of the eggs varies from 1·00 to 1·10 in length, and from ·70 +to ·80 in breadth. The average of twelve eggs is 1·03 in length and +·79 in breadth." + +He subsequently wrote:--"I first noticed this bird breeding on the +11th March; on the 10th, while marching, I saw some on the side of +the road and shot one, and on opening it found it was breeding. +Accordingly on the 11th, on searching, I found their breeding-ground, +which was in the middle of a Dhund thickly studded over with kundy +trees, in the holes of which they had their nests. The nest lay at +the bottom of the hole, which was generally some 18 inches deep, and +consists of a few bits of coarse sedge-grass and feathers of _T. +leucocephalus_ and _P. leucorodia_ (which were breeding close by). +Five was the maximum number of eggs, but four was the normal number in +each nest. + +"I afterwards found these birds breeding in great numbers all along +the Eastern Narra wherever there were suitable trees (kundy trees). At +the place I first found them in, the young ones are now many of +them fledged and flying about, while in other places they are just +beginning to lay. + +"The total length of their breeding-ground in any district must be +close on 200 miles, but entirely confined to the banks of the river. +If you looked four miles from, the river, one side or the other, you +would not see one. Can _Pastor roseus_ breed in India in some similar +secluded spot? I have been rather unlucky in getting their eggs, as at +each place which I visited personally the birds had either young ones +or were just going to lay." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, sometimes +slightly elongated, always more or less appreciably pointed towards +the small end. The shell is extremely smooth and has a fine gloss. +The colour, which is extremely uniform in all the specimens, is an +excessively delicate pale blue with a faint greenish tinge, a very +beautiful colour. They vary from 1 to 1·18 in length, and from 0·71 to +0·82 in breadth. + + +537. Sturnia blythii (Jerdon). _Blyth's Myna_. + +Temenuchus blythii (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 331. +Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._), _Hume, cat._ no. 689. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson sent me from Mysore three eggs and a skin of a +Myna, which latter, although in very bad order, is undoubtedly _S. +Blythii_. He says:--"It is very possible that the bird now sent is _S. +malabarica_, and it is such a bad specimen that I fear it will not be +of much use to you for the purpose of identification. I think it is +_Sturnia blythii_, as Jerdon says that _S. malabarica_ is only a +cold-weather visitant in the south of India. + +"I will, however, try and procure you a good specimen of the bird. It +is only found in our forests bordering the Wynaad, and as it is far +from common, I am not well acquainted with it. + +"I am also inclined to think that it is not a permanent resident with +us, but that a few couples come to these forests only to breed. + +"The only nest I have ever found was taken on the 24th April, 1880, +and was in a hole of a dry standing tree in a clearing made for a teak +plantation and contained three fresh eggs. + +"A few days subsequently I saw a brood of young ones flying about a +dry tree in the forest, so probably the breeding-season here extends +through April and May." + +The eggs are very similar to those of _Sturnia malabarica_ and +_S. nemoricola_, but perhaps slightly larger. They are moderately +elongated ovals, generally decidedly pointed towards the small end. +The shell is very fine and smooth, and has a fair amount of gloss. In +colour they are a very delicate pale greenish blue. They measure 0·99 +and 1 in length by 0·71 in breadth. + + +538. Sturnia malabarica (Gm.). _The Grey-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus malabaricus (Gm.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 330; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 688. + +I have never met with the nest of the Grey-headed Myna myself, but am +indebted to Mr. Gammie for its eggs and nest. That gentleman says:--"I +obtained a nest of this species near Mongphoo (14 miles from +Darjeeling), at an elevation of about 3400 feet. The nest was in the +hollow of a tree, and was a shallow pad of fine twigs, with long +strips of bark intermingled in the base of the structure, and thinly +lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest was about 4 inches in +diameter and less than 1½ inch in height exteriorly, and interiorly +the depression was perhaps half an inch deep. It contained four +hard-set eggs." + +This year he writes to me:--"The Grey-headed Myna breeds about +Mongphoo, laying in May and June. I have taken several nests now, and +I found that they prefer cleared tracts where only a few trees have +been left standing here and there, especially on low but breezy +ridges, at elevations of from 2500 to 4000 feet. They always nest in +natural holes of trees both dead and living, and at any height from 20 +to 50 feet from the ground. The nest is shallow, principally composed +of twigs put roughly together in the bottom of the hole. They lay four +or five eggs. + +"The Grey-headed Myna is not a winter resident in the hills. It +arrives in early spring and leaves in autumn. It is very abundant on +the outer ranges of the Teesta Valley, and is generally found in those +places frequented by _Artamus fuscus_. It feeds about equally on trees +and on the ground, and a flock of 40 or 50 feeding on the ground in +the early morning is no unusual sight." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, says:--"Very +common from the end of April to October, after which a few birds may +be seen at times. I cannot call to mind ever having seen these birds +descend to the ground. They must nest here, though I failed to find +one. In front of my verandah was a large _Poinciana regia_, in the +trunk of which, and at about seven feet from the ground, was an old +nest-hole of _Xantholaema_ which a pair of these birds widened out. +During all May and June I watched these birds pecking away at the +rotten wood and throwing the bits out. They generally used to engage +in this work during the heat of the day; and, although I several times +searched the hole, no eggs were found; the pair were not pecking at +the decayed wood for insects, for I watched them through a glass. Had +I remained another month at the factory most likely they would have +laid during that time; it was on this account their lives were spared. +This species associates with its congeners on the peepul trees when +they are in fruit, which they eat greedily." + +Subsequently detailing his experiences at Dibrugarh in Assam, he +adds:--"On the 27th May I found a nest with three callow young and one +fresh egg. The birds had excavated a hole in a rotten and dead tree +about 18 feet from the ground, and had placed a pad of leaves only at +the bottom of the hole. They build both in forest as well as the open +cultivated parts of the country." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This Myna lays in Pegu in holes of trees at all +heights above 20 feet. It selects a hole which is difficult of access, +and I have only been able to take one nest. This was on the 13th May. +This nest, a small pad of grass and leaves, contained three eggs, +which were slightly incubated. They measured 0·86 by 0·7, 0·8 by 0·7, +and 0·83 by 0·72." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I shot a Myna as she flew +out of a hole in a zimbun tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_). I had nearly a +fortnight before seen the birds; there was a pair of them, busy taking +straw and grass-roots into the hole; and so on the 18th April, when I +shot the birds, I made sure of finding the full complement of eggs, +but to my regret on opening the hollow, I only found one egg resting +in a loose and irregularly formed nest of roots and leaves. This +solitary egg is of a pale blue colour." + +The eggs vary a good deal in shape: some are broad and some are +elongated ovals, but all are more or less pointed towards the small +end; the shell is very fine and delicate, and rather glossy; the +colour is a very delicate pale sea-green, without any markings of any +kind. They vary from 0·89 to 1·0 in length, and from 0·69 to 0·72 in +breadth; but the average of ten eggs is 0·93 by 0·7. + + +539. Sturnia nemoricola, Jerdon. _The White-winged Myna_. + +Sturnia nemoricola, _Jerd., Hume, cat._ no. 688 bis. + +Mr. Gates writes from Lower Pegu:--"Of _S. nemoricola_ I have taken +two sets of eggs: one set of two eggs fresh, and one of three on the +point of being hatched; the former on 12th May, the latter on 6th +June. In size the two clutches vary extraordinarily. The first two +eggs measure ·82 x ·62 and ·85 x ·63; the second lot measure 1·01 x +·7, 1·0 x ·7, and 1·0 x ·7. + +"The eggs are very glossy, and the colour is a uniform dark greenish +blue, of much the same tint as the egg of _Acridotheres tristis_." + + +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, Blyth. _The Gold-crest Myna_. + +Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693 sex; +_id. cat._ no. 693 ter. + +Of the nidification of this beautiful species, the Gold-crest Myna, we +possess but little information. My friend Mr. Davison, who has secured +many specimens of the bird, writes:--"On the 13th April, 1874, two +miles from the town of Tavoy, on a low range of hills about 200 feet +above the sea-level, I found a nest of the Gold-crest Grakle. The nest +was about 20 feet from the ground in a hole in the branch of a large +tree. It was composed entirely of coarse dry grass, mixed with dried +leaves, twigs, and bits of bark, but contained no feathers, rags, or +such substances as are usually found in the nests of the other Mynas. +The nest contained three young ones only a day or two old." + + +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (Gm.). _The Black-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 329; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 687. + +The Pagoda or Black-headed Myna breeds throughout the more open, dry, +and well-wooded or cultivated portions of India. In Sindh and in the +more arid and barren parts of the Punjab and Rajpootana on the one +hand, or in the more humid and jungly localities of Lower Bengal on +the other, it occurs, if at all, merely as a seasonal straggler. How +Adams, quoted by Jerdon (vol. ii, p. 330), could say that he never saw +it in the plains of the North-West Provinces (where, as a matter of +fact, it is one of our commonest resident species), altogether puzzles +me. + +Neither in the north nor in the south does it appear to ascend the +hills or breed in them at any elevations exceeding 3000 or 4000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but in Upper India the +great majority lay in June. + +According to my experience in Northern India it nests exclusively in +holes in trees. Dr. Jerdon says that "at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c." This is doubtless correct, but has +not been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, +who all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees. + +The whole is thinly lined with a few dead leaves, a little grass, and +a few feathers, and occasionally with a few small scraps of some other +soft material. + +They lay from three to five eggs. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During June and the early part +of July I found numerous nests of this species in holes of shishum, +peepul, neem, and siriss trees situated on the bank of the Hissar +Canal. The holes where at heights of from 12 to 15 feet from the +ground, and in each a few leaves or feathers were laid under the eggs. +Five was the greatest number found in any one hole." + +Recording his experience in the Delhi, Jhansi, and Saugor Divisions, +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that the Pagoda Myna breeds from May to +July, building its nest in holes of trees, selecting where possible +those most inaccessible. I have always found the nest in the holes of +mango, tamarind, and high-growing jamún trees. Feathers and grass, +sometimes an odd piece of rag, are loosely placed at the bottom of the +hole, and on these the eggs repose. + +"The eggs are pale bluish green, and from four to five form the +regular number. I may add that only on one occasion did I obtain five +eggs in a nest." + +"In Oudh," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I took one nest of this species, in +a hole in a mango-tree, on the 5th May, containing five eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"All nests I have found at Allahabad and +Delhi have been in holes in trees, in the end of May, June, and July. +Nest strictly speaking there is none, but the holes are lined with +feathers and straw, in which the eggs, four in number, are generally +half buried." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes tells us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana in +June, and that he found one nest in that month in a hole of a tree +with three eggs. + +Colonel E.A. Butler records the following notes:--"The Black-headed +Myna breeds plentifully in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, +and August, but somehow or other I was unlucky this year (1876) in +procuring eggs. On the 30th July I found a nest containing four young +birds and another containing four eggs about to hatch. On the 2nd of +August I found three nests, all containing young birds. On the 20th +August I found four more nests; three contained young birds and the +fourth four fresh eggs. All of these nests were in holes of trees, in +most instances only just large enough at the entrance for the bird to +pass through. In some cases there was no lining at all except wood +dust, in others a small quantity of dry grass and a few feathers. The +average height from the ground was about 8 or 10 feet; some nests +were, however, not more than 4 or 5 feet high. + +"Belgaum, 21st May, 1879.--A nest in the roof of a house under the +tiles; three fresh eggs. Another nest on the same date in a hole of +a tree, containing one fresh egg. The hole appeared to be an old +nest-hole of a Barbet. Other nests observed later on, in June and +July, in the roofs of houses under the tiles. Another nest in the +hole of a tree, 27th April, containing four fresh eggs. Three more +nests, 4th May, containing three incubated eggs, three fresh eggs, +and three young birds respectively. Two of the nests were in the +nest-holes of Barbets, from which I had taken eggs the month previous. +7th May, another nest containing four fresh eggs. + +"I can confirm Dr. Jerdon's statement, quoted in the Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,' relative to this species breeding in +large buildings, having observed several nests myself this season at +Belgaum on the roofs of bungalows. In one bungalow, the mess-house of +the 83rd Regt., there were no less than three nests at one time built +under the eaves of the roof." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Not quite +so common as _Acridotheres tristis_. Breeds at Satara in May." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken remarks:--"In Nests and Eggs, p. 433, you +write:--'Dr. Jerdon says that at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c.' This is doubtless correct, but has not +been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, who +all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees.' On the 29th June last +year I was at the Anniversary Meeting of the Medical College, and the +proceedings were disturbed by the incessant clatter of _two_ broods of +young of this species. The nests were in holes in the wall near the +roof, and the two pairs of old birds, which were feeding their young, +kept coming and going the whole time, flying in at the windows and +popping into the holes over the peoples' heads. In the following month +a nest of young were taken out of a hole in the outer wall of a house +I was staying at, and the birds laid again and hatched another brood. + +"I very rarely saw the Black-headed Myna in Bombay, Poona, or Berar, +but here, in Madras, it is, if anything, commoner than _A. tristis_." + +And Mr. J. Davidson, writing from Mysore, also confirms Jerdon's +statement; he says:--"_T. pagodarum_ breeds here in holes in the roofs +of houses as well as in trees." + +Of the breeding of this Myna in Ceylon, Colonel Legge says:--"In the +northern part of Ceylon this Myna breeds in July and August, and +nests, I am informed, in the holes of trees." + +Mr. A.G.R. Theobald notes that "early in August I found a nest of _T. +pagodarum_ at Ahtoor, the hill-station of the Shevaroys. It was +down in the inside of a partly hollow nut-tree log, attached to a +scaffolding, about 2 1/2 feet down and, say, 35 feet from the ground, +and was composed of dry leaves and a few feathers. It contained three +fresh eggs." + +The eggs of this Myna are, of course, glossy and spotless, and the +colour varies from very pale bluish white to pale blue or greenish +blue. I have never seen an egg of this species of the full clear +sky-blue often exhibited by those of _A. tristis, S. contra_, and _A. +giuginianus_. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·86 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·66 to +0·8; but the average of fifty-four eggs is 0·97 by 0·75. + + +546. Graculipica nigricollis (Payk.). _The Black-necked Myna_. + +All that we know of the nidification of this species is contained in +the following brief note by Dr. John Anderson:-- + +"It has much the same habits as _Sturnopastor contra_ var. +_superciliaris_. I found it breeding in the month of May in one of the +few clumps of trees at Muangla." + +Muangla lies to the east of Bhamo. + + +549. Acridotheres tristis (Linn.). _The Common Myna_. + +Acridotheres tristis (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 325; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 684. + +The Common Myna breeds throughout the Indian Empire, alike in the +plains and in the hills. A pair breed yearly in the roof of my +verandah at Simla, at an elevation of 7800 feet. + +They are very domestic birds, and greatly affect the habitations of +man and their immediate neighbourhood. They build in roofs of houses, +holes in walls, trees, and even old wells, in the earthen chatties +that in some parts the natives hang out for their use (as the +Americans hang boxes for the Purple Martin), and, though _very_ +rarely, once in a way _on_ the branches of trees. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a summer visitor in the hills, and +arrives at Mussoorie with the _A. fuscus_, Wagl. It builds in the +hole of a tree, which is lined with dry grass and feathers, and on +no occasion have I _ever_ seen a nest made on the branches of a tree +composed of twigs and grass as stated by Captain Tickell." + +But in this instance Captain Tickell may have been right, for I +have once seen such a nest myself, and Mr. H.M. Adam writes:--"Near +Sambhur, on the 7th July, I saw a pair of this species building a +large cup-shaped nest in a babool tree;" while Colonel G.F.L. Marshall +affirms that this species "_frequently_ lays in cup-shaped nests of +sticks placed in trees, like small Crows' nests." And he subsequently +writes:--"I can distinctly reaffirm, what I said as to this species +building a nest in the fork of a tree. In the compound of Kalunder +gari choki, in the Bolundshahr district, I found no less than five of +these nests on one day; the compound is densely planted with sheeshum +trees, which were there about twenty feet high, and the nests were +near the tops of these trees. I found several other similar nests on +the canal-bank, one with young on the 11th September." + +Also writing in this connection from Allahabad, Major C.T. Bingham +says:-- + +"Twice I have found the nest of this bird in trees, but it generally +builds in holes, both in trees and walls, and commonly in the thatch +of houses. Once I got a couple of eggs from a nest made amidst a +thick-growing creeper." + +Neglecting exceptional cases like these, the nest is a shapeless but +warm lining to the hole, composed chiefly of straw and feathers, but +in which fine twigs, bits of cotton, strips of rags, bits of old rope, +and all kinds of odds and ends may at times be found incorporated. + +The normal breeding-season lasts from June to August, during which +period they rear two broods; but in Ross Island (Andamans), where they +were introduced some years ago, they seem to breed _all-through_ +the year. Captain Wimberley, who sent me some of their eggs thence, +remarks:--"The bird is now very common here. As soon as it has cleared +out one young brood, it commences building and laying again. This +continues all the year round." + +I think this great prolificness may be connected with the uniformly +warm temperature of these islands and the great heat of the sun there +all through the year rendering much incubation unnecessary. Even in +the plains of Northern India in the hot weather when they breed these +birds do not sit close, and since at the Andamans the weather is such +all the year round that the eggs almost hatch themselves this may be +partly the reason why these birds have so many more broods there than +with us, where, for at least half the year, constant incubation would +be necessary. I particularly noticed when at Bareilly how very little +trouble these Mynas sometimes took in hatching their eggs, and I may +quote what I then recorded about the matter:-- + +"In a nest in the wall of our verandah we found four young ones. This +was particularly noteworthy, because from my study-window the pair had +been watched for the last month, first courting, then flitting in and +out of the hole with straws and feathers, ever and anon clinging to +the mouth of the aperture, and laboriously dislodging some projecting +point of mortar; then marching up and down on the ground, the male +screeching out his harsh love-song, bowing and swelling out his throat +all the while, and then rushing after and soundly thrashing any chance +Crow (four times his weight at least) that inadvertently passed too +near him; never during the whole time had either bird been long +absent, and both had been seen together daily at all hours. I made +certain that they had not even begun to sit, and behold there were +four fine young ones a full week old chirping in the nest! Clearly +these birds are not close sitters down here; but I well remember a +pair at Mussoorie, some 6000 feet above the level of the sea, the most +exemplary parents, one or other being on the eggs at all hours of the +day and night. The morning's sun beats full upon the wall in the inner +side of which the entrance to the nest is; the nest itself is within 4 +inches of the exterior surface; at 11 o'clock the thermometer gave 98° +as its temperature. I have often observed in the river Terns (_Seena +aurantia, Rhynchops albicollis, Sterna javanica_) and Pratincoles +(_Glareola lactea_) who lay their eggs in the bare white glittering +river-sands, that so long as the sun is high and the sand hot they +rarely sit _upon_ their eggs, though one or other of the parents +constantly remains beside or hovering near and over them, but in the +early morning, in somewhat cold and cloudy days, and as the night +draws on, they are all close sitters. I suspect that instinct teaches +the birds that, when the natural temperature of the nest reaches a +certain point, any addition of their body-heat is unnecessary, and +this may explain why during the hot days (when we alone noticed them), +in this very hot hole, the parent Mynas spent so little of their time +in the nest whilst the process of hatching was going on." + +They lay indifferently four or five eggs. I have just as often found +the former as the latter number, but I have never yet met with more. + +From Lucknow Mr. G. Reid tells us:--"Generally speaking the Common +Myna, like the Crow (_Corvus splendens_) commences to breed with the +first fall of rain in June--early or late as the case may be--and has +done breeding by the middle of September. It nests indiscriminately +in old ruins, verandahs, walls of houses, &c., but preferentially, I +think, in holes of trees, laying generally four, but sometimes five +eggs." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"In Karachi Mynas begin to lay at the end +of April. The Common Myna breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa during +the monsoon, principally in the months of July and August, at which +season every pair seems to be engaged in nidification. I have taken +nests containing fresh eggs during the first week of September; and +birds that have had their first nests robbed or young destroyed +probably lay even later still." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana +during June and July. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has furnished me with the following interesting +note:--"A pair of Mynas clung tenaciously for two years, from June +1863 to August 1865, to a hole in some matting in the upper verandah +of a house in Bombay. During this period they hatched six broods, one +of which I took and another was destroyed, by rats perhaps. I had +a strong suspicion that more than one set of eggs were destroyed +besides. + +"The remarkable thing I wish to note is that every alternate brood +of young contained an _albino_, pure white and with pink eyes; being +three in all. Every time a new set of eggs was to be laid, a new nest +was built on the top of the old one. I once tore down the whole pile, +as it was infested with vermin, and found that seven nests had been +made, one upon another, showing that the Mynas must have occupied the +hole long before I noticed them. Each nest was complete in itself +and well lined, and as Mynas are not sparing of their materials, +the accumulated heap was nearly two feet deep. Every separate nest +contained a piece of a snake's skin, and with reference to your remark +on this point I may say that every Myna's nest that I have ever +examined has had a piece of snake-skin in it. This may, I think, be +simply accounted for by the fact of snake-skin lying about plentifully +in those places where Mynas mostly pick up their building-materials. +The breeding-season extends into September in Bombay; and though +it usually begins in June, I found a nest of half-fledged young at +Khandalla on the 31st May, 1871. + +"With reference to your remarks in 'Nests and Eggs,' that you have +never met with more than five eggs in a nest, I would mention that I +took six eggs from a nest in the roof of a house I occupied at Akola, +on the 20th June, 1870. + +"At the same station in August 1869 a nest of young Mynas was reared +above the hinge of the semaphore signal at the railway-station. One or +other arm of the signal must have risen and fallen every time a train +passed, but the motion neither alarmed the birds nor disarranged the +nest." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this Myna in the +Deccan:--"Common, and breeds in May and June." + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The commonest of all birds +here. Breeds throughout the summer months. It makes its nest generally +in the roofs of houses or in holes in trees. It lays about five eggs +of a very pale blue colour." + +Finally, Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Commences making nest about +15th March. I have taken eggs as late as 17th July, but in this case +the previous brood had been destroyed. Normally no eggs are to be +found after June." + +The eggs, which are larger than those of either _Sturnopastor contra_ +or _A. ginginianus_, in other respects resemble these eggs greatly, +but when fresh are, I think, on the whole of a slightly darker colour. +They are rather long, oval, often pear-shaped, eggs, spotless and +brilliantly glossy, varying from very pale blue to pure sky- or +greenish blue. + +In length they vary from 1·05 to 1·28, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·95; but the average of ninety-seven eggs is 1·19 by 0·86. + + +550. Acridotheres melanosternus, Legge. _The Common Ceylon Myna_. + +Acridotheres melanosternus, _Legge, Hume, cat._ no. 684 bis. + +Colonel Legge tells us, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' that "this species +breeds in Ceylon from February until May, nesting perhaps more in the +month of March than in any other. It builds in holes of trees, often +choosing a cocoanut-palm which has been hollowed out by a Woodpecker, +and in the cavity thus formed makes a nest of grass, fibres, and +roots. I once found a nest in the end of a hollow areca-palm which was +the cross beam of a swing used by the children of the Orphan School, +Bonavista, and the noise of whose play and mirth seemed to be viewed +by the birds with the utmost unconcern. The eggs are from three to +five in number; they are broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and are uniform, unspotted, pale bluish or ethereal green. +They vary in length from 1·07 to 1·2 inch and in breadth from 0·85 to +0·92 inch. + +"Layard styles the eggs 'light blue, much resembling those of the +European Starling in shape, but rather darker in colour.'" + + +551. Acridotheres ginginianus (Lath.). _The Bank Myna_. + +Acridotheres ginginianus (_Lath.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 326; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 685. + +The Bank Myna breeds throughout the North-West Provinces and Oudh, +Behar, and Central Bengal, the greater portion of the Central +Provinces, and the Punjab and Sindh. Adams says it does not _occur_ in +the Punjab; but, as Colonel C.H.T. Marshall correctly pointed out to +me years ago, and I have verified the facts, it breeds about Lahore +and many other places, and in the high banks of the Beas, the Sutlej, +the Jhelum, and the Indus, congregating in large numbers on these +rivers just as it does on the Jumna or the Ganges. + +It builds exclusively, so far as my experience goes, in earthen banks +and cliffs, in holes which it excavates for itself, always, I think, +in close proximity to water, and by preference in places overhanging +or overlooking running water. + +The breeding-season lasts from the middle of April to the middle of +July, but I have found more eggs in May than in any other month. + +Four is the usual number of the eggs; I have found five, but never +more. If Theobald got seven or eight, they belonged to two pairs; and +the nests so run into each other that this is a mistake that might +easily be made, even where coolies were digging into the bank before +one. + +There is really no variety in their nesting arrangements, and a note +I recorded in regard to one colony that I robbed will, I think, +sufficiently illustrate the subject. All that can be said is that very +commonly they nest low down in earthy cliffs, where it is next to +impossible to explore thoroughly their workings, while in the instance +referred to these were very accessible:-- + +"One morning, driving out near Bareilly, we found that a colony of the +Bank Myna had taken possession of some fresh excavations on the banks +of a small stream. The excavation was about 10 feet deep, and in its +face, in a band of softer and sandier earth than the rest of the bank, +about a foot below the surface of the ground, these Mynas had bored +innumerable holes. They had taken no notice of the workman who had +been continuously employed within a few yards of them, and who +informed us that the Mynas had first made their appearance there only +a month previously. On digging into the bank we found the holes all +connected with each other, in one place or another, so that apparently +every Myna could get into or out from its nest by any one of the +hundred odd holes in the face of the excavation. The holes averaged +about 3 inches in diameter, and twisted and turned up and down, right +and left, in a wonderful manner; each hole terminated in a more +or less well-marked bulb (if I may use the term), or egg-chamber, +situated from 4 to 7 feet from the face of the bank. The egg-chamber +was floored with a loose nest of grass, a few feathers, and, in many +instances, scraps of snake-skins. + +"Are birds superstitious, I wonder? Do they believe in charms? If not +what induces so many birds that build in holes in banks to select out +of the infinite variety of things, organic or inorganic, pieces of +snake-skin for their nests? They are at best harsh, unmanageable +things, neither so warm as feathers, which are ten times more +numerous, nor so soft as cotton or old rags, which lie about +broadcast, nor so cleanly as dry twigs and grass. Can it be that +snakes have any repugnance to their 'worn out weeds,' that they +dislike these mementos of _their_ fall[A], and that birds which breed +in holes into which snakes are likely to come by instinct select these +exuviae as scare-snakes? + +[Footnote A: "When the snake," says an Arabic commentator, "tempted +Adam it was a winged animal. To punish its misdeeds the Almighty +deprived it of wings, and condemned it thereafter to creep for ever on +its belly, adding, as a perpetual reminder to it of its trespass, a +command for it to cast its skin yearly."] + +"In some of the nests we found three or four callow young ones, but +in the majority of the terminal chambers were four, more or less, +incubated eggs. + +"I noticed that the tops of all the mud-pillars (which had been left +standing to measure the work by) had been drilled through, and through +by the Mynas, obviously not for nesting-purposes, as not one of them +contained the vestige of a nest, but either for amusement or to afford +pleasant sitting-places for the birds not engaged in incubation. +Whilst we were robbing the nests, the whole colony kept screaming and +flying in and out of these holes in the various pillar-tops in a very +remarkable manner, and it may be that, after the fashion of Lapwings, +they thought to lead us away from their eggs and induce a belief that +their real homes were in the pillar tops." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"This species breeds in the +Bolundshahr District in June and July. It makes its nest in a hole +in a bank, but more often in the side of a kucha or earthen well. A +number of birds generally breed in company. The nest is formed by +lining the cavity with a little grass and roots and a few feathers. On +the 8th July I found a colony breeding in a well near Khoorjah, and +took a dozen fresh eggs." + +Writing from Lucknow, Mr. G. Reid says:--"During the breeding season +it associates in large flocks along the banks of the Groomti, where it +nidificates in colonies in holes in the banks of the river. From some +of these holes I took a few fresh eggs on the 15th May, and again on +the 30th June on revisiting the spot. In the district it breeds in old +irrigation-wells and occasionally in ravines with good steep banks." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing from Allahabad, says:--"Breeds in June, +July, and August in holes in sandy banks of rivers and nullahs. Eggs, +five in number, laid on a lining of straw and feathers." + +Colonel E.A. Butler notes:--"The Bank Myna lays about Deesa in June +and July. On the 26th June I lowered a man down several wells, finding +nests containing eggs and nests containing young ones, some nearly +fledged. The nests are generally in holes in the brickwork, often +further in than a man can reach, and several pairs of birds usually +occupy the same well. The eggs vary much in shape and number. In some +nests I found as many as five, in others only two or three. In colour +they closely resemble the eggs of _A. tristis_, but they are slightly +smaller, the tint is of a decidedly deeper shade, and the shell more +glossy. July 5th, several nests, some containing eggs, others young +ones. July 13th, numerous nests in wells and banks, some containing +fresh, others incubated eggs, and others young birds of all sizes. The +eggs varied in number from two to five. I took twenty-six fresh eggs +and then discontinued." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Myna breeds about +May. + +The eggs are typically, I think, shorter and proportionally broader +than those of other kindred species already described; very pyriform +varieties are, however, common. They are as usual spotless, very +glossy, and of different shades of very pale sky- and greenish blue. +Although, when a large series of the eggs of this and each of the +preceding species are grouped together, a certain difference is +observable, individual eggs can by no means be discriminated, and +it is only by taking the eggs with one's own hand that one can feel +certain of their authenticity. + +In length they vary from 0·95 to 1·16, and in breadth from 0·72 to +0·87; but the average of forty-seven eggs is 1·05 by 0·82. + + +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (Wagl.). _The Jungle Myna_. + +Acridotheres fuscus (_Wagl.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 327; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 686. + +The Jungle Myna eschews the open cultivated plains of Upper, Central, +and Western India. It breeds throughout the Himalayas, at any +elevations up to 7000 feet, where the hills are not bare, and in some +places in the sub-Himalayan jungles. It breeds in the plains country +of Lower Bengal, and in both plains and hills of Assam, Cachar, and +Burma, and also in great numbers in the Nilgiris and all the wooded +ranges and hilly country of the Peninsula. The breeding-season lasts +from March to July, but the majority lay everywhere, I think, in +April, except in the extreme north-west, where they are later. + +Normally, they build in holes of trees, and are more or less social in +their nidification. As a rule, if you find one nest you will find a +dozen within a radius of 100 yards, and not unfrequently within one of +ten yards. But, besides trees, they readily build in holes in temples +and old ruins, in any large stone wall, in the thatch of old houses, +and even in their chimneys. + +The nest is a mere lining for the hole they select, and varies in size +and shape with this latter; fine twigs, dry grass, and feathers are +the materials most commonly used, the feathers being chiefly gathered +together to form a bed for the eggs; but moss, moss and fern roots, +flocks of wool, lichen, and down may often be found in greater or less +quantities intermingled with the grass and straw which forms the main +body, or with the feathers that constitute the lining, of the nest. I +have never found more than five eggs, but Miss Cockburn says that they +sometimes lay six. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Myna, which takes +the place of _A. tristis_ in the higher hills, breeds always in holes +in trees. We found five or six nests in June and early in July." + +They breed near Solan, below Kussowlee, and close to Jerripani, +Captain Hutton's place below Mussoorie, in both which localities I +have taken their nests myself. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a summer visitant in the hills, and +is common at Mussoorie during that season; but it does not appear to +visit Simla, although it is to be found in some of the valleys below +it to the south. It breeds at Mussoorie in May and June, selecting +holes in the forest trees, generally large oaks, which it lines with +dry grass and feathers. The eggs are from three to five, of a pale +greenish blue, shape ordinary, but somewhat inclined to taper to the +smaller end. This species usually arrives from the valleys of the +Dhoon about the middle of March; and, until they begin to sit on their +eggs, they congregate every morning and evening into small flocks, and +roost together in trees near houses; in the morning they separate for +the day into pairs, and proceed with the building of nests or laying +of eggs. After the young are hatched and well able to fly, all betake +themselves to the Dhoon in July." + +In Kumaon I found them breeding near the Ramghur Ironworks, and, +writing from Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says that they "breed +very commonly at Bheem Tal (4000 feet), but I have not noticed them at +Nynee Tal. I took a great many eggs; they were all laid in holes in +rotten trees at a height of 2 to 8 feet from the ground; they average +much smaller than the eggs of _A. tristis_, but are similar in +colour." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"This species is common and a +permanent resident in the Valley of Nepal, but does not occur in such +great numbers as _A. tristis_. It is also found in tolerable abundance +in the Nawakot district and the Hetoura Dun in winter. It breeds in +the Valley in May and June, laying in holes in trees or walls; the +eggs are very like those of _A. tristis_, but smaller--not so broad. I +noticed on two or three occasions an albino of this species, which was +greatly persecuted by the Crows." + +Mr. G. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Exceedingly +common. Breeds in May. The irides of all I have seen were pale +slate-blue." + +"In the Nilgiris," writes Mr. Wait, "the Jungle Myna's eggs may be +found at any time from the end of February to the beginning of July. +They nest in chimneys, hollow trees, holes in stone walls, &c., +filling in the hole with hay, straw, moss, and twigs, and lining +the cavity with feathers. They lay from three to five long, oval, +greenish-blue eggs, a shade darker than those of the English +Starling." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "these Mynas breed in the +months of March and April, and construct their nests (which consist +of a few straws, sticks, and feathers put carelessly together) in the +holes of trees and old thatched houses. They lay five or six eggs of +a beautiful light blue, and are extremely careful of their young. The +nests of these birds are so common in the months above mentioned that +herd-boys have brought me more than fifty eggs at a time. + +"About a year ago a pair took up their abode in my pigeon-cot, and +although the eggs were often destroyed they would not leave the place, +but continued to lay in the same nest. At last one of them was caught; +the other went away, but returned the next day accompanied by a +new mate. At length the hole was shut up, as they committed great +depredations in the garden, and were useful only in giving a sudden +sharp cry of alarm when the Mhorunghee Hawk-Eagle, a terrible enemy to +Pigeons, made its appearance, thus enabling the gardeners to balk him +of his intended victim." + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it is most abundant on the Nilgiris, where it +is a permanent resident, breeding in holes in trees, making a large +nest of moss and feathers, and laying three to five eggs of a pale +greenish-blue colour." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that at Manzeerabad, in Mysore, this Myna +is common everywhere, and breeds in April and May. + +Captain Horace Terry notes that in the Pulney hills the Jungle Myna +nests in April. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds on the Neilgherries in holes of trees. The hole is +filled up with sticks to within about a foot of the entrance, and a +smooth lining of paper, rags, feathers, &c. laid down, on which are +deposited from two to six light blue eggs. The young are fed on small +frogs, grasshoppers, and fruit. An egg measured 1·2 inch by ·88. +Breeds in May." + +At Dacca Colonel Tytler found them nesting in temples and houses about +the sepoy lines. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this species +is "pretty common, and a permanent resident. This species associates +with _A. tristis_, but is seen on trees away from villages, which the +latter never is. Prefers well-wooded country, whereas _A. tristis_ +never goes into jungle. On the 29th of June, 1877, I found a nest in +a hole of a tree, about 12 feet off the ground. The diameter of the +entrance-hole was two and a half inches, and inside it widened to six +inches and about twenty inches in depth. The nest was a mere pad of +grass and feathers, and contained four very slightly incubated eggs. +And again on the 17th July, seeing the hole occupied, I again sent up +a boy, who found another four fresh eggs. The tree formed one of an +avenue leading from the house to the vats, and as men were always +going along the road it surprised me to find these birds laying there; +the hole had been caused by the heart of the tree rotting," + +Mr. Gates remarks of this Myna in Pegu:--"This bird does not appear to +lay till about the 15th April. I have taken the eggs, and I have seen +numerous nests with young ones of various ages in the middle of May. +They breed by preference in holes of trees and occasionally in the +high roofs of monastic buildings." + +The eggs of this species, which I have from Mussoorie, Dacca, Kumaon, +and the Nilgiris, approximate closer to those of _Acridotheres +tristis_ than to those of _A. ginginianus_. They are rather long +ovals, somewhat pointed usually, but often pyriform. They are perhaps, +as a rule, somewhat paler than those of either of the above-named +species, and are of the usual spotless glossy type, varying in colour +from that of skimmed milk to pale blue or greenish, blue. Typically, +I think, they are proportionally more elongated and attenuated than +those either of _A. tristis, A. ginginianus_ or _S. contra_. + +In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·31, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·9; but the average of forty eggs is 1·19 by 0·83. + + +555. Sturnopastor contra (Linn.). _The Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor contra (_Linn_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 323; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683. + +The Pied Pastor, or Myna, breeds throughout the North-Western +Provinces and Oudh, Bengal, the eastern portions of the Punjab and +Rajpootana (it does not extend to the western portions nor to Sindh), +the Central Provinces, and Central India. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but the majority of the +birds lay in June and July. It builds in trees, at heights of from +10 to 30 feet, usually towards the extremities of lateral branches, +constructing a huge clumsy nest of straw, grass, twigs, roots, and +rags, with a deep cavity lined as a rule with quantities of feathers. +Occasionally, but very rarely, it places its nest in some huge hole in +a great arm of a mango-tree. I have seen many hundreds of their nests, +but only two thus situated. + +As a rule these birds do not build in society, but at times, +especially in Lower Bengal, I have seen a dozen of their nests on a +single tree. + +The nest is usually a shapeless mass of rubbish loosely put together, +rough and ragged. + +A note I recorded on one taken at Bareilly will illustrate +sufficiently the kind of thing:-- + +"At the extremity of one of the branches of these same mango-trees, a +small truss of hay, as it seemed, at once caught every eye. This was +one of the huge nests of the Pied Pastor, and proved to be some 2 feet +in length and 18 inches in diameter, composed chiefly of dry grass, +but with a few twigs, many feathers, and a strip or two of rags +intermingled in the mass. The materials were loosely put together, and +the nest was placed high up in a fork near the extremity of a branch. +In the centre was a well-like cavity some 9 inches deep by 3½ inches +in diameter, at the bottom of which, amongst many feathers, lay four +fresh eggs." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but they very often lay only +four, and once in a hundred times six are met with. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found numerous nests during +May and June. They were all placed all keekur-trees, at heights of +from 10 to 15 feet from the ground, the trees for the most part being +situated on the banks of a canal or in the Dhana Beerh, a sort of +jungle preserve. + +"The nests were densely built of keekur and zizyphus twigs, and +thickly lined with rags, leaves, and straw. Five was the greatest +number of eggs that I found in any one nest." + +Writing of his experience in the Delhi and Jhansi Divisions, Mr. F.R. +Blewitt remarks that "the Pied Pastor breeds from June to August, +making its nests between the outer branchlets of the larger lateral +branches of trees, without special choice for any one kind. The nest +is altogether roughly made, though some ingenuity is evinced in +putting all the material of which it is composed together. Twigs, +grasses, rags, feathers, &c. are all brought into requisition to form +the large-made structure, which I have found, though less commonly, at +a higher altitude from the ground than the 8 or 10 feet Jerdon speaks +of." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds in Allahabad in June, July, and +August; and at Delhi in May, June, and July. The nest is a large +shapeless mass of straw, feathers, and rags, having a deep cavity +for the eggs, which are generally five in number. The nest is almost +always placed at the extreme tip of some slender branch, and there is +no attempt at concealment." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this Myna +is "very common, and a permanent resident. They eat fruit as well as +insects. Lay in May and June, building their huge nests at various +heights from the ground, and in any tree that comes in handy. I +have generally found the nests lined with the white feathers of the +paddy-birds; some of the feathers being as much as six and seven +inches in length. The nests were composed principally of doob-grass; +three to four eggs in each nest." + +From Cachar Mr. J. Inglis writes:--"The Pied Pastor is very common all +the year. It breeds during March, April, May, and June, making its +nest on any sort of tree about 15 feet or more from the ground; about +100 nests may often be seen together. It prefers nesting on trees on +the open fields. I do not know the number of its eggs." + +The eggs are typically moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed +towards one end, but pyriform and elongated examples occur; in fact, a +great number of the eggs are more or less pear-shaped. Like those of +all the members of this subfamily, the eggs are blue, spotless, and +commonly brilliantly glossy. In shade they vary from a delicate bluish +white to a pure, though somewhat pale, sky-blue, and not uncommonly +are more or less tinged with green. They vary in length from 0·95 to +1·25, and in breadth from 0·75 to 0·9; but the average of one hundred +eggs is 1·11 by 0·82 nearly. + + +556. Sturnopastor superciliaris, Blyth. _The Burmese Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor superciliaris, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683 +bis. + +Of the Burmese Pied Pastor, or Myna, Mr. Eugene Oates says that it is +common and resident throughout the plains of Pegu. Writing from Wau he +says:-- + +"On the 28th of April, having a spare morning, I took a very large +number of nests and eggs. The eggs were in various stages of +incubation, but the majority were freshly laid. On May 7th I took +another nest with two eggs. These were quite fresh. + +"The nest is a huge cylindrical structure, about 18 inches long and +a foot in diameter, composed of straw, leaves, and feathers. It is +placed at a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground, in a most +conspicuous situation, generally at the end of a branch, which has +been broken off and where a few leaves are struggling to come out. A +bamboo-bush is also a favourite site. This Myna will, by preference, +build near houses, but in no case _in_ a house; it must have a tree." + +The eggs, which I owe to Mr. Oates, are, as might be expected, very +similar indeed to those of our Common Pied Pastor, but they seem to +average somewhat smaller. + +They are moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one +end, and in some cases more or less compressed there, and slightly +pyriform. + +The specimens sent are only moderately glossy. In colour they vary +from _very_ pale bluish green to a moderately dark greenish blue, but +the great majority are pale. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·1, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·82; +but the average of fifteen eggs is 1·04 by 0·77. + + + + +INDEX. + + +abbotti, Trichastoma, +---- Turdinus, +Abrornis albigularis, +---- albosuperciliaris, +---- castaneiceps, +---- chloronotus, +---- flaviventris, +---- poliogenys, +---- schisticeps, +---- superciliaris, +---- xanthoschistos, +Acanthopneuste davisoni, +---- occipitalis, +Acanthoptila leucotis, +---- nepalensis, +---- pellotis, +Accentor alpinus, +---- modularis, +Acredula rosea, +Aeridotheres fuscus, +---- ginginianus, +---- melanosternus, +---- tristis, +Acrocephalus agricola, +---- arundinaceus, +---- brunnescens, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentoreus, +Actinodura egertoni, +Actinodura nipalensis, +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus, +Aegithina tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +aemodium, Conostoma. +aenea, Chaptia, +Aethiopsar fuscus, +affinis, Cypselus, +----, Dumeticola, +----, Sylvia, +----, Tribura, +agricola, Acrocephalus, +----, Calamodyta, +albicollis, Rhynchops, +albifrontata, Rhipidura, +----, Leucocerca, +albigularis, Abrornis, +----, Dumetia, +----, Garrulax, +albirictus, Buchanga, +albiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +----, Pnoepyga, +albosuperciliaris, Abrornis, +Alcippe atriceps, +---- nepalensis, +---- nigrifrons, +Alcippe phaeocephala, +---- phayrii, +---- poiocephala, +Alcurus striatus, +Allotrius melanotis, +---- oenobarbus, +alpinus, Accentor, +Ampeliceps coronatus, +ampelinus, Hypocolius, +analis, Otocompsa, +----, Pycnonotus, +andamanensis, Corvus, +Anorthura neglecta, +Arachnechthra asiatica, +argentauris, Leiothrix, +----, Mesia, +Argya caudata, +---- earlii, +---- malcolmi, +---- subrufa, +Artamus fuscus, +---- leucogaster, +---- leucorhynchus, +arundinacea, Salicaria, +arundinaceus, Acrocephalus, +asiatica, Arachnechthra, +assimilis, Neornis, +ater, Dicrurus, +atricapillus, Molpastes, +atriceps, Alcippe, +----, Parus, +----, Rhopocichla, +atrigularis, Orthotomus, +----, Suya, +aurantia, Seena, + +bactriana, Pica, +badius, Micronisus, +baya, Ploccus, +beavani, Prinia, +belangeri, Garrulax, +bengalensis, Graminicola, +----, Molpastes, +Bhringa remifer, +---- tectirostris, +bicolor, Pratincola, +bispecularis, Garrulus, +blanfordi, Drymoeca, +----, Ixus, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +blythii, Sturnia, +----, Temenuchus, +bourdilloni, Rhopocichla, +Brachypteryx albiventris, +---- cruralis, +---- nipalensis, +---- palliseri, +---- rufiventris, +brevirostris, Pericrocotus, +brunnea, Larvivora, +brunneifrons, Horeites, +brunneipectus, Dumeticola, +----, Tribura, +brunnescens, Acrocephalus, +brunneus, Ixus, +buchanani, Franklinia, +Buchanga albirictus, +---- intermedia, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudata, +Bulaca newarensis, +burmanicus, Molpastes, +burnesi, Laticilla, +Burnesia gracilis, +---- lepida, +burnesii, Eurycercus, + +cachinnans, Trochalopterum, +caerulatus, Dryonastes, +caerulescens, Dicrurus, +caeruleus, Dicrurus, +----, Parus, +caesius, Parus, +Calamodyta agricola, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentorea, +caligata, Iduna, +Callene albiventris, +---- rufiventris, +callipyga, Leiothrix, +Calornis chalybeïus, +Campophaga melanoschista, +---- sykesi, +---- terat, +caniceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Megalaema, +canifrons, Spizixus, +canorus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +cantator, Cryptolopha, +capistrata, Lioptila, +----, Sibia, +capitalis, Hemipus, +Caprimulgus indicus, +castanea, Merula, +castaneiceps, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Minla, +----, Sittiparus, +castaneicoronata, Oligura, +castaneiventris, Sitta, +castaneo-coronata, Tesia, +caudata, Argya, +caudata, Chatarrhaea, +----, Pnoepyga, +----, Urocichla, +Cephalopyrus flammiceps, +Certhia familiaris, +---- himalayana, +---- hodgsoni, +ceylonensis, Oriolus, +----, Zosterops, +Chaetornis locustelloides, +---- striatus, +chalybeïus, Calornis, +Chaptia aenea, +Chatarrhaea caudata, +---- earlii, +Chibia hottentotta, +chinensis, Cissa, +chloronotus, Abrornis, +----, Proregulus, +Chloropsis jerdoni, +chrysaea, Stachyrhis, +chrysaeus, Lioparus, +----, Proparus, +chrysopterum, Trochalopteron, +chrysotis, Proparus, +cinereicapilla, Franklinia, +cinereifrons, Crateropus, +----, Garrulax, +cinereocapilla, Prinia, +cinereus, Parus, +cinnamomeiventris, Sitta, +cinnamomeus, Passer, +Cissa chinensis, +---- ornata, +---- sinensis, +---- speciosa, +Cisticola cursitans, +---- schoenicola, +---- volitans, +Coccystes jacobinus, +---- melanoleucus, +Colaeus monedula, +Collyrio caniceps, +---- erythronotus, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +Conostoma aemodium, +contra, Sturnopastor, +Copsychus saularis, +corax, Corvus, +coronatus, Ampeliceps, +----, Orthotomus, +----, Phyllergates, +corone, Corvus, +Corvus andamanensis, +---- corax, +---- corone, +---- culminatus, +---- impudicus, +---- insolens, +---- intermedius, +---- japonensis, +---- lawrencii, +---- levaillantii, +---- littoralis, +---- macrorhynchus, +---- monedula, +---- pseudo-corone, +---- splendens, +---- thibetanus, +Crateropus canorus, +---- cinereifrons, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- rufescens, +---- somervillii, +---- striatus, +---- terricolor, +crepitans, Oedicnemus, +Criniger flaveolus, +---- ictericus, +crinigera, Suya, +cristatus, Lanius, +----, Parus, +----, Regulus, +cruralis, Brachypteryx, +----, Drymochares, +Crypsirhina varians, +Cryptolopha cantator, +---- castaneiceps, +---- jerdoni, +---- poliogenys, +---- xanthoschista, +culminatus, Corvus, +Curruca garrula, +curruca, Sterparola, +----, Sylvia, +cursitans, Cisticola, +----, Prinia, +cyana, Larvivora, +cyaniventris, Tesia, +Cyanoderma erythropterum +cyanuroptera, Siva, +Cypselus affinis, +---- palmarum, + +davisoni, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Dendrocitta himalayensis, +---- leucogastra, +---- rufa, +---- sinensis, +Dendrophila frontalis, +Dicrurus ater, +---- caerulescens, +---- caeruleus, +---- himalayanus, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudatus, +---- macrocercus, +---- nigrescens, +Dissemuroides lophorhinus, +Dissemurulus lophorhinus, +Dissemurus paradiseus, +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus, +---- tickelli, +Drymochares cruralis, +---- nepalensis, +Drymoeca blanfordi, +---- inornata, +---- insignis, +---- jerdoni, +---- valida, +Drymoica bengalensis, +Drymoipus inornatus, +---- longicaudatus, +Drymoipus neglectus, +---- sylvaticus, +---- terricolor, +Dryonastes caerulatus, +---- ruficollis, +dubius, Proparus, +----, Schoeniparus, +Dumetia albigularis, +---- hyperythra, +Dumeticola affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- fortipes, +dumetorum, Acrocephalus, +---- Calamodyta, + +earlii, Argya, +----, Chatarrhaea, +egertoni, Actinodura, +Elaphrornis palliseri, +emeria, Otocompsa, +eremita, Graculus, +erythrocephalum, Trochalopterum, +erythrocephalus, Aegithaliscus, +erythrogenys, Pomatorhinus, +erythronotus, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +erythroptera, Mirafra, +erythropterum, Cyanoderma, +erythropterus, Pteruthius, +erythropygius, Pericrocotus, +Esacus recurvirostris, +Eudynamys orientalis, +eugenii, Myiophoneus, +Eulabes intermedia, +---- javanensis, +---- ptilogenys, +---- religiosa, +europaea, Sitta, +Eurycercus burnesii, +excubitor, Lanius, + +fairbanki, Trochalopterum, +familiaris, Certhia, +ferrea, Pratincola, +ferrugilatus, Pomatorhinus, +ferruginosus, Pomatorhinus, +finlaysoni, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +flammeus, Pericrocotus, +flammiceps, Cephalopyrus, +flaveolus, Criniger, +flavicollis, Ixulus, +----, Passer, +flavirostris, Urocissa, +flaviventris, Abrornis, +----, Otocompsa, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +flavolivaceus, Neornis, +fortipes, Dumeticola, +----, Horornis, +Franklinia buchanani, +---- cinereicapilla, +---- gracilis, +---- rufescens, +Fregilus himalayensis, +frontalis, Dendrophila, +----, Sitta, +fuliginosa, Suya, +fulviventer, Horornis, +fuscatus, Phylloscopus, +fuscicapillum, Pellorneum +fuscicaudata, Otocompsa, +fuscus, Acridotheres, +----, Aethiopsar, +----, Artamus, + +galbula, Oriolus, +Gampsorhynchus rufulus, +ganeesa, Hypsipetes, +garrula, Curruca, +Garrulax albigularis, +---- belangeri, +---- cinereifrons, +---- leucolophus, +---- moniliger, +---- ocellatus, +---- pectoralis, +---- ruficollis, +Grarrulus bispecularis, +---- glandarius, +---- lanceolatus, +---- leucotis, +Gecinus nigrigenys, +ginginianus, Acridotheres, +glandarius, Grarrulus, +Glareola lactea, +gracilis, Burnesia, +----, Franklinia, +----, Lioptila, +----, Malacias, +----, Prinia, +----, Sibia, +Graculipica, nigricollis, +Graculus eremita, +Graminicola bengalensis, +Grammatoptila striata, +Graucalus macii, +griseus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +gularis, Mixornis, +----, Paradoxornis, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Yuhina, + +haemorrhous, Molpastes, +----, Pycnonotus, +haplonotus, Machlolophus, +hardwickii, Lanius, +Hemipteron nepalensis, +Hemipus capitalis, +---- picaecolor, +---- picatus, +hemispila, Nucifraga, +Hemixus macclellandi, +Hierococcyx varius, +himalayana, Certhia, +himalayanus, Dicrurus, +himalayensis, Dendrocitta, +----, Fregilus, +----, Sitta, +Hirundo rustica, +hodgsoni, Certhia, +----, Prinia, +Horeites brunneifrons, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +Horornis fortipes, +---- fulviventer, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +horsfieldi, Myiophoneus, +horsfieldii, Pomatorhinus, +hottentotta, Chibia, +humii, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Sturnus, +hyperythra, Dumetia, +Hypocolius ampelinus, +Hypolais rama, +Hypsipetes ganeesa, +---- macclellandi, +---- neilgherriensis, +---- psaroides, + +Ianthocincla ocellata, +---- rufigularis, +icterica, Iole, +ictericus, Criniger, +Iduna caligata, +igneitincta, Minla, +imbricatum, Trochalopterum, +impudicus, Corvus, +indica, Pratincola, +indicus, Caprimulgus, +----, Metopidius, +----, Passer, +inornata, Drymoeca, +----, Prinia, +inornatus, Drymoipus, +inquieta, Scotocerca, +insignis, Drymoeca, +insolens, Corvus, +intermedia, Buchanga, +----, Eulabes, +intermedius, Corvus, +----, Molpastes, +Iole icterica, +Iora tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +Irena puella, +Ixops nepalensis, +Ixulus flavicollis, +---- occipitalis, +Ixus blanfordi, +---- brunneus, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- luteolus, +---- plumosus, + +jacobinus, Coccystes, +japonensis, Corvus, +javanensis, Eulabes, +javanica, Sterna, +jerdoni, Chloropsis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Drymoeca, +----, Machlolophus, +----, Phyllornis, +----, Prinia, +jocosa, Otocompsa, + +khasiana, Suya, +kundoo, Oriolus, + +lactea, Glareola, +lahtora, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +Lalage terat, +lanceolatus, Garrulus, +Lanius caniceps, +---- cristatus, +---- erythronotus, +---- excubitor, +---- hardwickii, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +---- tephronotus, +---- vittatus, +Larvivora brunnea, +---- cyana, +Laticilla burnesi, +Lawrencii, Corvus, +Layardia rufescens, +---- subrufa, +Leiothrix argentauris, +---- callipyga, +lepida, Burnesia, +----, Prinia, +leucocephalus, Tantalus, +Leucocerca albifrontata, +leucogaster, Artamus, +leucogastra, Dendrocitta, +leucogenys, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +leucolophus, Grarrulax, +leucopsis, Sitta, +leucopterus, Platysmurus, +leucopygialis, Buchanga, +----, Dicrurus, +leucorhynchus, Artamus, +leucorodia, Platalea, +leucotis, Acanthoptila, +----, Garrulus, +----, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +levaillantii, Corvus, +lineatum, Trochalopterum, +Lioparus chrysaeus, +Lioptila capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- melanoleuca, +Liothrix lutea, +littoralis, Corvus, +locustelloides, Chaetornis, +longicauda, Orthotomus, +longicaudata, Buchanga, +longicaudatus, Dicrurus, +----, Drymoipus, +longirostris, Upupa, +Lophophanes melanolophus, +---- rufinuchalis, +lophorhinus, Dissemuroides, +----, Dissemurulus, +lutea, Liothrix, +luteiventris, Tribura, +luteolus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +luteus, Liothrix, + +macclellandi, Hemixus, +----, Hypsipetes, +macgrigoriae, Niltava, +Machlolophus haplonotus, +---- jerdoni, +---- spilonotus, +---- xanthogenys, +macii, Graucalus, +macrocercus, Dicrurus, +macrorhynchus, Corvus, +magnirostris, Urocissa, +major. Horeites, +----, Horornis, +----, Parus, +malabarica, Sturnia, +malabaricus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +----, Temenuchus, +Malacias gracilis, +---- melanoleucus, +Malacocercus canorus, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- malcolmi, +---- somervillei, +---- striatus, +Malacocercus terricolor, +malcolmi, Argya, +----, Malacocercus +mandellii, Pellorneum, +Megalaema caniceps, +Megalaima viridis, +Megalurus palustris, +melanicterus, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +melanocephalus, Oriolus, +melanoleuca, Lioptila, +melanoleucus, Coccystes, +----, Malacias, +melanolophus, Lophophanes, +melanops, Stoparola, +melanoschista, Campophaga, +melanosternus, Acridotheres, +melanotis, Allotrius, +----, Pteruthius, +melanurus, Pomatorhinus, +melaschistos, Volvocivora, +Merula castanea, +---- simillima, +---- vulgaris, +Mesia argentauris, +Metopidius indicus, +Micronisus badius, +Minla castaneiceps, +---- igneitincta, +minor, Sturnus, +minus, Trichastoma, +Mirafra erythroptera, +Mixornis gularis, +---- rubricapillus, +modularis, Accentor, +Molpastes atricapillus, +---- bengalensis, +---- burmanicus, +---- haemorrhous, +---- intermedius, +---- leucogenys, +Molpastes lencotis, +---- pusillus, +---- pygmaeus, +monedula, Colaeus, +----, Corvus, +moniliger, Grarrulax, +monticola, Parus, +Muscicapula superciliaris, +musicus, Turdus, +Myiophoneus eugenii, +---- horsfieldi, +---- temmincki, +Myzornis pyrrhura, + +nasalis, Pyctorhis, +neglecta, Anorthura, +----, Sitta, +----, Troglodytes, +neglectus, Drymoipus, +neilgherriensis, Hypsipetes, +nemoricola, Sturnia, +Neornis assimilis, +---- flavolivaceus, +nepalensis, Acanthoptila, +----, Alcippe, +----, Drymochares, +----, Ixops, +newarensis, Bulaca, +nigrescens, Dicrurus, +nigricapitatus, Drymocataphus, +nigriceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Stachyrhis, +nigrifrons, Alcippe, +----, Rhopocichla, +nigrigenys, Gecinus, +nigrimentum, Trochalopterum, +----, Yuhina, +nigrorufa, Ochromela, +Niltava macgrigoriae, +nipalensis, Actinodura. +----, Brachypteryx, +----, Hemipteron, +nipalensis, Pellorneum, +----, Troglodytes, +nitens, Sturnus, +Nucifraga hemispila, + +occipitalis, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixulus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Urocissa, +ocellata, Ianthocincla, +ocellatus, Garrulax, +ochrocephalus, Trachycomus, +Ochromela nigrorufa, +Oedicnemus crepitans, +oenobarbus, Allotrius, +Oligura castaneicoronata, +olivaceus, Pomatorhinus, +orientalis, Eudynamys, +Oriolus ceylonensis, +---- galbula, +---- kundoo, +---- melanocephalus, +---- traillii, +ornata, Cissa, +Orthotomus atrigularis, +---- coronatus, +---- longicauda, +---- sutorius, +Otocompsa analis, +---- emeria, +---- flaviventris, +---- fuscicaudata, +---- jocosa, +---- leucogenys, +---- leucotis, + +pagodarum, Temenuchus, +pallidipes, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +pallidus, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +palliseri, Brachypteryx, +----, Elaphrornis, +palmarum, Cypselus, +palpebrosus, Zosterops, +palustris, Megalurus, +----, Parus, +paradiseus, Dissemurus, +paradisi, Terpsiphone, +Paradoxornis gularis, +---- ruficeps, +Parus atriceps, +---- caeruleus, +---- caesius, +---- cinereus, +---- cristatus, +---- major, +---- monticola, +---- palustris, +Passer cinnamomeus, +---- flavicollis, +---- indicus, +Pastor roseus, +pectoralis, Garrulax, +Pellorneum fuscicapillum, +---- mandellii, +---- nipalensis, +---- ruficeps, +---- subochraceum, +pellotis, Acanthoptila, +pelvicus, Tephrodornis, +peregrinus, Pericrocotus, +Pericrocotus brevirostris, +---- erythropygius, +---- flammeus, +---- peregrinus, +---- roseus, +---- speciosus, +phaeocephala, Alcippe, +phayrii, Alcippe, +phoeniceum, Trochalopterum, +Phyllergates coronatus, +Phyllopneuste rama, +Phyllornis jerdoni, +Phylloscopus fuscatus, +---- humii, +---- proregulus, +---- rufa, +---- sibilatrix, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- trochilus, +---- tytleri, +---- viridanus, +---- viridipennis, +Pica bactriana, +---- rustica, +picaecolor, Hemipus, +picaoides, Sibia, +picatus, Hemipus, +pileata, Timelia, +Platalea leucorodia, +Platysmurus leucopterus, +platyura, Schoenicola, +Ploccus baya, +plumosus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Pnoepyga albiventris, +---- caudata, +---- pusilla, +---- squamata, +poiocephala, Alcippe, +poliogenys, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, +---- ferrugilatus, +---- ferruginosus, +---- horsfieldii, +---- melanurus, +---- olivaceus, +---- ruficollis, +---- schisticeps, +pondicerianus, Tephrodornis, +porphyronotus, Sturnus, +praecognita, Stachyris, +Pratincola bicolor, +---- ferrea, +---- indica, +Prinia beavani, +---- blanfordi, +---- cinereocapilla, +---- cursitans, +---- flaviventris, +---- gracilis, +---- hodgsoni, +---- inornata, +---- jerdoni, +---- lepida, +---- socialis, +---- sonitans, +---- stewarti, +---- sylvatica, +Proparus dubius, +---- chrysaeus, +---- chrysotis, +---- vinipectus, +proregulus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +Psaroglossa spiloptera, +psaroides, Hypsipetes, +pseudo-corone, Corvus, +Pteruthius erythropterus, +---- melanotis, +ptilogenys, Eulabes, +puella, Irena, +pusilla, Pnoepyga, +pusillus, Molpastes, +Pycnonotus analis, +---- blanfordi, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- flaviventris, +---- haemorrhous, +---- luteolus, +---- melanicterus, +---- plumosus, +---- pygaeus, +---- simplex, +Pyctorhis nasalis, +---- sinensis, +pygaeus, Pycnonotus, +pygmaeus, Molpastes, +pyrrhops, Stachyris, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +pyrrhura, Myzornis, +---- rama, Hypolais, +----, Phyllopneuste, + +recurvirostris, Esacus, +Reguloides chloronotus, +---- humii, +---- occipitalis, +---- proregulus, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- viridipennis, +Regulus cristatus, +religiosa, Eulabes, +remifer, Bhringa, +Rhipidura albifrontata, +Rhopocichla, atriceps, +---- bourdilloni, +---- nigrifrons, +Rhynchops albicollis, +rosea, Acredula, +roseus, Pastor, +----, Pericrocotus, +Rubigula flaviventris, +---- melanicterus, +rubricapillus, Mixornis, +rufa, Dendrocitta, +----, Phylloscopus, +rufescens, Crateropus, +----, Franklinia, +----, Layardia, +ruficeps, Paradoxornis, +----, Pellorneum, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +----, Stachyris, +ruficollis, Grarrulax, +----, Dryonastes, +----, Pomatorhinus, +rufigularis, Ianthocincla, +rufinuchalis, Lophophanes, +rufiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +rufogulare, Trochalopteron, +rufulus, Gampsorhynchus, +rustica, Hirundo, +----, Pica, +Ruticilla tithys, + +Salicaria arundinacea, +Salpornis spilonota, +Saroglossa spiloptera, +saularis, Copsychus, +Scaeorhynchus gularis, +---- ruficeps, +schisticeps, Abrornis, +----, Pomatorhinus, +schoenicola, Cisticola, +Schoenicola platyura, +Schoeniparus dubius, +Scotocerca inquieta, +Seena aurantia, +Sibia capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- picaoides, +sibilatrix, Phylloscopus, +simile, Trochalopterum, +simillima, Merula, +simplex, Pycnonotus, +sinensis, Cissa, +----, Dendrocitta, +----, Pyctorhis, +----, Urocissa, +Sitta castaneiventris, +---- cinnamomeiventris, +---- europaea, +---- frontalis, +---- himalayensis, +---- leucopsis, +---- neglecta, +---- tephronota, +Sittiparus castaneiceps, +Siva cyanuroptera, +---- strigula, +socialis, Prinia, +somervillei, Malacocercus, +somervillii, Crateropus, +sonitans, Prinia, +speciosa, Cissa, +speciosa, Pericrocotus, +spilonota, Salpornis, +spilonotus, Machlolophus, +spiloptera, Saroglossa, +----, Psaroglossa, +Spizixus canifrons, +splendens, Corvus, +squamata, Pnoepyga, +squamatum, Trochalopterum, +Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +Stachyrhis chrysaea, +---- nigriceps, +---- praecognita, +---- pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +stentorea, Calamodyta, +stentoreus, Acrocephalus, +Sterna javanica, +Sterparola curruca, +stewarti, Prinia, +Stoparola melanops, +striata, Grammatoptila, +striatus, Alcurus, +----, Chaetornis, +----, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +strigula, Siva, +Sturnia blythii, +---- malabarica, +---- nemoricola, +Sturnopastor contra, +---- superciliaris, +Sturnus humii, +---- minor, +---- nitens, +---- porphyronotus, +---- unicolor, +---- vulgaris, +subochraceum, Pellorneum, +subrufa, Argya, +----, Layardia, +subunicolor, Trochalopterum, +subviridis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +superciliaris, Abrornis, +----, Muscicapula, +----, Sturnopastor, +----, Xiphorhamphus, +superciliosus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +sutorius, Orthotomus, +Suya atrigularis, +---- crinigera, +---- fuliginosa, +---- khasiana, +sykesi, Campophaga, +sykesii, Volvocivora, +sylvatica, Prinia, +sylvaticus, Drymoipus, +Sylvia affinis, +---- curruca, +sylvicola, Tephrodornis, + +Tantalus leucocephalus, +tectirostris, Bhringa, +Temenuchus blythii, +---- malabaricus, +---- pagodarum, +temmincki, Myiophoneus, +Tephrodornis pelvicus, +---- pondicerianus, +---- sylvicola, +tephronota, Sitta, +tephronotus, Lanius, +terat, Campophaga, +----, Lalage, +Terpsiphone paradisi, +terricolor, Crateropus, +----, Drymoipus, +----, Malacocercus, +Tesia castaneo-coronata, +---- cyaniventris, +Thamnobia cambaiensis, +thibetanus, Corvus, +thoracica, Tribura, +tickelli, Drymocataphus, +Timelia pileata, +tiphia, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +tithys, Ruticilla, +Trachycomus ochrocephalus, +traillii, Oriolus, +Tribura affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- luteiventris, +---- thoracica, +Trichastoma abbotti, +---- minus, +tristis, Acridotheres, +Trochalopterum cachinnans, +---- chrysopterum, +---- erythrocephalum, +---- fairbanki, +---- imbricatum, +---- lineatum, +---- nigrimentum, +---- phoeniceum, +---- rufogulare, +---- simile, +---- squamatum, +---- subunicolor, +---- variegatum, +trochilus, Phylloscopus, +Troglodytes neglecta, +---- nipalensis, +Turdinus abbotti, +Turdus musicus, +tytleri, Phylloscopus, + +unicolor, Sturnus, +Upupa longirostris, +Urocichla caudata, +Urocissa flavirostris, +---- magnirostris, +---- occipitalis, +---- sinensis, + +valida, Drymoeca, +varians, Crypsirhina, +variegatum, Trochalopterum, +varius, Hierococcyx, +vinipectus, Proparus, +viridanus, Phylloscopus, +viridipennis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +viridis, Megalaima, +vittatus, Lanius, +volitans, Cisticola, +Volvocivora melaschistos, +---- sykesii, +vulgaris, Merula, +----, Sturnus, + +xanthogenys, Machlolophus, +xanthoschista, Cryptolopha, +xanthoschistos, Abrornis, +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris, + +Yuhina gularis, +---- nigrimentum, + +zeylonica, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +Zosterops ceylonensis, +---- palpebrosus, + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13117 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ba7989 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13117 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13117) diff --git a/old/13117-8.txt b/old/13117-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..57ec8ca --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13117-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23117 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, Volume 1, +by Allan O. Hume, Edited by Eugene William Gates + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, Volume 1 + +Author: Allan O. Hume + +Release Date: August 5, 2004 [eBook #13117] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN +BIRDS, VOLUME 1*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team from images provided by the Million Book Project + + + +THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN BIRDS, VOLUME 1 + +by + +ALLAN O. HUME, C.B. + +Second Edition. + +Edited by Eugene William Gates +Author of "A Handbook to the Birds of British Burmah and of the Birds +in the Fauna of British India," + +With Four Portraits. + +London + +1889 + + + + + + +[Illustration: ALLAN OCTAVIAN HUME] + + +[Illustration: ALERE FLAMMAM] + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE. + + +I have long regretted my inability to issue a revised edition of +'Nests and Eggs.' For many years after the first Rough Draft appeared, +I went on laboriously accumulating materials for a re-issue, but +subsequently circumstances prevented my undertaking the work. Now, +fortunately, my friend Mr. Eugene Gates has taken the matter up, and +much as I may personally regret having to hand over to another a task, +the performance of which I should so much have enjoyed, it is some +consolation to feel that the readers, at any rate, of this work will +have no cause for regret, but rather of rejoicing that the work has +passed into younger and stronger hands. + +One thing seems necessary to explain. The present Edition does not +include quite all the materials I had accumulated for this work. Many +years ago, during my absence from Simla, a servant broke into my +museum and stole thence several cwts. of manuscript, which he sold +as waste paper. This manuscript included more or less complete +life-histories of some 700 species of birds, and also a certain number +of detailed accounts of nidification. All small notes on slips of +paper were left, but almost every article written on full-sized +foolscap sheets was abstracted. It was not for many months that the +theft was discovered, and then very little of the MSS. could be +recovered. + +It thus happens that in the cases of some of the most interesting +species, of which I had worked up all the notes into a connected +whole, nothing, or, as in the case of _Argya subrufa_, only a single +isolated note, appears in the text. It is to be greatly regretted, for +my work was imperfect enough as it was; and this 'Selection from the +Records,' that my Philistine servant saw fit to permit himself, has +rendered it a great deal more imperfect still; but neither Mr. Oates +nor myself can be justly blamed for this. + +In conclusion, I have only to say that if this compilation should find +favour in any man's sight he must thank Mr. Oates for it, since not +only has he undergone the labour of arranging my materials and seeing +the whole work through the press--not only has he, I believe, added +himself considerably to those materials--but it is solely owing to him +that the work appears _at all_, as I know no one else to whom I could +have entrusted the arduous and, I fear, thankless duty that he has so +generously undertaken. + +ALLAN HUME. + +Rothney Castle, Simla, +October 19th, 1889. + + + + +EDITOR'S NOTE. + + +Mr. Hume has sufficiently explained the circumstances under which this +edition of his popular work has been brought about. I have merely to +add that, as I was engaged on a work on the Birds of India, I thought +it would be easier for me than for anyone else to assist Mr. Hume. +I was also in England, and knew that my labour would be very much +lightened by passing the work through the press in this country. +Another reason, perhaps the most important, was the fear that, as Mr. +Hume had given up entirely and absolutely the study of birds, the +valuable material he had taken such pains to accumulate for this +edition might be irretrievably lost or further injured by lapse of +time unless early steps were taken to utilize it. + +A few words of explanation appear necessary on the subject of the +arrangement of this edition. Mr. Hume is in no way responsible for +this arrangement nor for the nomenclature employed. He may possibly +disapprove of both. He, however, gave me his manuscript unreservedly, +and left me free to deal with it as I thought best, and I have to +thank him for reposing this confidence in me. Left thus to my own +devices, I have considered it expedient to conform in all respects to +the arrangement of my work on the Birds, which I am writing, side by +side, with this work. The classification I have elaborated for my +purpose is totally different to that employed by Jerdon and familiar +to Indian ornithologists; but a departure from Jerdon's arrangement +was merely a question of time, and no better opportunity than the +present for readjusting the classification of Indian birds appeared +likely to present itself. I have therefore adopted a new system, which +I have fully set forth in my other work. + +I take this opportunity to present the readers of Mr. Hume's work with +portraits of Mr. Hume himself, of Mr. Brian Hodgson, the late Dr. +Jerdon, and the late Colonel Tickell. + +EUGENE W. OATES. + + + + +SYSTEMATIC INDEX. + + +Order PASSERES. + +Family CORVIDAE. + +Subfamily CORVINAE. + +1. Corvus corax, _Linn._ +3. ---- corone, _Linn._ +4. ---- macrorhynchus, _Wagler_ +7. ---- splendens, _Vieill_ +8. ---- insulens, _Hume._ +9. ---- monedula, _Linn._ +10. Pica rustica (_Scop._) +12. Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl._) +13. ---- flaviostris (_Bl._) +14. Cissa chinensis (_Bodd._) +15. ---- ornata (_Wagler_) +16. Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._) +17. ---- leucogastra, _Gould_ +18. ---- himalayensis, _Bl._ +21. Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._) +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._) +24. Garrulous lanceolatus, _Vigors_ +25. ---- leucotis, _Hume_ +26. ---- bispecularis, _Vigors_ +27. Nucifraga hemispila, _Vigors_ +29. Graculus eremita (_Linn._) + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + +31. Parus atriceps, _Horsf._ +34. ---- monticola, _Vigors_ +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus _Vig._ +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._) +42. ---- xanthogenys _Vig._ +43. ---- haplonotus (_Bl._) +44. Lophophanes melanolophus _Vig._ +47. ---- rufinuchalis (_Bl._) + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + +50. Conostoma aemodium, _Hodgs._ +60. Sea orhynchus ruticeps (_Bl._) +61. ---- gularis _Horsf._ + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + +62. Dryonastes ruticollis (J.S.S.) +65. ---- caerulatus (_Hodgs._) +69. Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw._) +70. ---- belangeri, _Lesson_ +72. ---- pectoralis (_Gould_) +73. ---- moniliger (_Hodgs._) +76. ---- albigularis _Gould_ +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (_Vig._) +80. ---- rutigularis, _Gould_ +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (_Vig._) +83. ---- nigrimentum, _Hodgs._ +87. ---- phaeniceum (_Gould_) +88. ---- subunicolor, _Hodgs._ +90. ---- variegatum (_Vig._) +91. ---- simile, _Hume_ +92. ---- squamatum (_Gould_) +93. ---- cachinnans (_Jerd._) +96. ---- fairbanki, _Blanf._ +99. ---- lineatum (_Vig._) +101. Grammatoptila striata (_Vig._) +104. Argya earlii (_Bl._) +105. ---- caudata (_Duméril_) +107. ---- malcolmi (_Sykes_) +108. ---- subrufa (_Jerd._) +110. Crateropus canorus (_Linn._) +111. ---- griseus (_Gmel._) +112. Crateropus striatus (_Swains._) +113. ---- somervillii (_Sykes_) +114. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +115. ---- cinereifrons (_Bl._) +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs._ +118. ---- olivaceus, _Bl._ +119. ---- melanurus, _Bl._ +120. ---- horsfieldii, _Sykes_ +122. ---- ferruginosus, _Bl._ +125. ---- ruficollis, _Hodgs._ +129. ---- erythrogenys, _Vig._ +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth_) + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + +134. Timelia pileata, _Horsf_ +135. Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl._) +136. ---- albigularis (_Bl._) +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm._) +140. ---- nasalis, _Legge_ +142. Pellorneum mandellii, _Blanf._ +144. ---- ruficeps, _Swains_ +145. ---- subochraceum, _Swinh_ +147. ---- fuscicapillum (_Bl._) +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton_) +151. ---- tickelli (_Bl._) +160. ---- abbotti (_Bl._) +163. Alcippe nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +164. ---- phaeocephala (_Jerd._) +165. ---- phayrii, _Bl._ +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (_Jerd._) +167. ---- nigrifrons (_Bl._) +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, _Hodgs_ +170.---- chrysaea, _Hodgs._ +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps(_Bl._) +174. ---- pyrrhops (_Hodgs._) +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (_Bl._) +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (_Tick._) +177. ---- gularis (_Raffl._) +178. Schoeniparus dubius (_Hume_) +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +183. Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._) +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (_Hodgs._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, _Vig._ +188. ---- eugenii, _Hume._ +189. ---- horsfieldi, _Vig_ +191. Larvivora brunnea, _Hodgs_ +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (_Fairbank_) +194. ---- rufiventris (_Bl._) +197. Drymochares cruralis (_Bl._) +198. ---- nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (_Bl._) +201. Tesia cyaniventris, _Hodgs._ +203. Oligura castaneicoronata (_Burt._) + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + +203. Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs._ +204. Lioptila capistrata (_Vig._) +205. ---- gracilis (_McClell._) +206. ---- melanoleuca (_Bl._) +211. Actinodura egertoni, _Gould_ +213. Ixops nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +219. Siva strigula, _Hodgs._ +221. ---- cyanuroptera, _Hodgs._ +223. Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs._ +225. ---- nigrimentum (_Hodgs._) +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (_Temm._) +229. ---- ceylonensis, _Holdsworth_ +231. Ixulus occipitalis, (_Bl._) +232.---- flavicollis (_Hodgs._) + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + +235. Liothrix lutea (_Scop._) +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig._) +239. ---- melanotis, _Hodgs._ +243. Aegithina tiphia (_Linn._) +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, _Hodgs._ +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (_Bl._) +254. Irena puella (_Lath._) +257. Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs._ +258. Minla igneitincta, _Hodgs._ +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt._) +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (_vig._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + +263. Criniger flaveolus (_Gould_) +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, _Vig._ +271. ---- ganeesa, _Sykes_ +275. Hemixus macclellandi (_Horsf._) +277. Alcurus striatus (_Bl._) +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (_Gm._) +279. ---- burmanicus (_Sharpe_) +281. ---- atricapillus (_Vieill._) +282. ---- bengalensis (_Bl._) +283. ---- intermedius (_A. Hay_) +284. ---- leucogenys (_Gr._) +285. ---- lencotis (_Gould_). +288. Otocompsa emeria (_Linn._) +289. ---- fuscicaudata, _Gould_ +290. ---- flaviventris (_Tick._) +292. Spizixus canifrons, _Bl._ +295. Iole icterica (_Strickl._) +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, _Strickl._ +300. ---- davisoni (_Hume_) +301. ---- melanicterus (_Gm._) +305. ---- luteolus (_Less._) +306. ---- blanfordi, _Jerd._ + + +Family SITTIDAE. + +315. Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S._ +316. ---- cinnamomeiventris, _Bl._ +317. ---- neglecta, _Walden_ +321. ---- castaneiventris, _Frankl._ +323. ---- leucopsis, _Gould_ +325. ---- frontalis, _Horsf._ + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + +327. Dicrurus ater (_Hermann_) +328. ---- longicaudatus, _A. Hay_ +329. ---- nigrescens, _Oates_ +330. ---- caerulescens (_Linn._) +331. ---- leucopygialis, _Bl._ +334. Chaptia aenea (_Vieill._) +335. Chibia hottentotta (_Linn._) +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (_Vieill._) +339. Bhringa remifer (_Temm._) +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (_Linn._) + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + +341. Certhia himalayana, _Vig._ +342. ---- hodgsoni, _Brooks_ +347. Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl._) +352. Anorthura neglecta (_Brooks_) +355. Urocichla caudata (_Bl._) +350. Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould_) + + +Family REGULIDAE. + +358. Regulus cristatus, _Koch._ + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (_H. & E._) +366. ---- dumetorum, _Bl._ +367. ---- agricola (_Jerd._) +371. Tribura thoracica (_Bl._) +372. ---- luteiventris, _Hodgs._ +374. Orthotomus sutorius (_Forst._) +375. ---- atrigularis, _Temm._ +380. Cisticola volitans (_Swinhoe_) +381. ---- cursitans (_Frankl._) +382. Franklinia gracilis (_Frankl._) +383. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +384. ---- buchanani (_Bl._) +385. ---- cinereicapilla (_Hodgs._) +386. Laticilla burnesi (_Bl._) +388. Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd._ +389. Megalurus palustris, _Horsf._ +390. Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd._) +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (_Bl._) +394. Hypolais rama (_Sykes_) +402. Sylvia affinis (_Bl._) +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks_ +410. ---- fuscatus (_Bl._) +415. ---- proregulus (_Pall._) +416. ---- subviridis (_Brooks_) +418. Phylloscopus humii (_Brooks_) +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis (_Jerd._) +430. ---- davisoni, _Oates_ +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (_Hodgs._) +435. ---- jerdoni (_Brooks_) +436. ---- poliogenys (_Bl._) +437. ---- castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +438. ---- cantator (_Tick._) +440. Abrornis superciliaris, _Tick_ +441. ---- schisticeps (_Hodgs._) +442. ---- albigularis _Hodgs._ +445. Scotocerca inquieta (_Cretzschm._) +446. Neornis flavolivaceus (_Hodgs._) +448. Horornis fortipes _Hodgs._ +450. ---- pallidus (_Brooks_) +451. ---- pallidipes (_Blanf._) +452. ---- major (_Hodgs._) +454. Phyllergates coronatus (_Jerd. $ Bl._) +455. Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs._ +458. Suya crinigera, _Hodgs_ +459. ---- atrigularis, _Moore_ +460. ---- khasiana, _Godw.-Aust._ +462. Prinia lepida, _Bl_ +463. ---- flaviventris (_Deless_) +464. ----socialis, _Sykes_ +465. ----sylvatica, _Jerd_ +466. ----inornata, _Sykes_ +467. ----jerdoni (_Bl._) +468. ----blanfordi (_Walden_) + + +Family LANIIDAE. + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + +469. Lanius lahtora (_Sykes_) +473. ---- vittatus, _Valenc_ +475. ---- nigriceps (_Frankl._) +476. ---- erythronotus (_Vig._) +477. ---- tephronotus (_Vig_) +481. ---- cristatus, _Linn_ +484. Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_) +485. ---- capitalis (_McClell._) +480. Tephrodornis pelvicus (_Hodgs_) +487. ---- sylvicola, _Jerd_ +488. ---- pondicerianus (_Gm._) +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath._) +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst._) +495. ---- brevirostris (_Vigors_) +499. ---- roseus (_Vieill._) +500. ---- peregrinus (_Linn._) +501. ---- erythropygius (_Jerd._) +505. Campophaga melanoschista (_Hodgs._) +508. ---- sykesi (_Shield._) +509. ---- terat (_Bodd._) +510. Graucalus macii, _Lesson_ + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + +512. Artamus fuscus, _Vieill_ +513. ---- leucogaster (_Valenc._) + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + +518. Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes_ +521. ---- melanocephalus, _Linn._ +522. ---- traillii (_Vigors_) + + +Family EULABETIDAE. + +523. Eulabes religiosa (_Linn._) +524. ---- intermedia (_A. Hay_) +526. ---- ptilogenys (_Bl._) +527. Calornis chalybeïus (_Horsf._) + + +Family STURNIDAE. + +528. Pastor roseus (_Linn._) +529. Sturnus humii, _Brooks_ +531. ---- minor, _Hume_ +537. Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._) +538. ---- malabarica (_Gm._) +539. ---- nemoricola, _Jerd_ +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl_ +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm._) +546. Graculipica nigricollis (_Payk._) +549. Acridotheres tristis (_Linn._) +550. ---- melanosternus, _Legge_ +551. ---- ginginianus (_Lath._) +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (_Wayl._) +555. Sturnopastor contra (_Linn._) +556. ---- superciliaris, _Bl_ + + + + +ERRATA. + + +Page 103. _After_ Drymocataphus tickelli _insert_ (Blyth). + +Page 126. _For_ Bhringa tenuirostris _read_ B. tectirostris. + +Page 223. _For_ Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.), _read_ Pnoepyga +squamata (Gould). + +Page 311. _After_ Lanius vittatus _Insert_ Valene. + + +[Illustration: THOMAS CAVERHILL JERDON.] + + +[Illustration: BRIAN HOUGHTON HODGSON.] + + +[Illustration: SAMUEL RICHARD TICKELL.] + + + + + + +Order PASSERES. Family CORVIDAE. Subfamily CORVINAE. + + +1. Corvus corax, Linn. _The Raven_. + +Corvus corax, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind. ii_, p. 293. +Corvus lawrencii, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 657. + +I separated the Punjab Raven under the name of _Corvus lawrencei_ +('Lahore to Yarkand,' p. 83), and I then stated, what I wish now to +repeat, that if we are prepared to consider _C. corax, C. littoralis, +C. thibetanus_, and _C. japonensis_ all as one and the same species, +then _C. lawrencei_ too must be suppressed; but if any of these are +retained as distinct, then so must _C. lawrencei_ be[A]. + +[Footnote A: I think it impossible to separate the Punjab Raven +from the Ravens of Europe and other parts of the world, and I have +therefore merged it into _C. corax_.--ED.] + +The Punjab Raven breeds throughout the Punjab (except perhaps in the +Dehra Ghazee Khan District), in Bhawulpoor, Bikaneer, and the northern +portions of Jeypoor and Jodhpoor, extending rarely as far south as +Sambhur. To Sindh it is merely a seasonal visitant, and I could not +learn that they breed there, nor have I ever known of one breeding +anywhere east of the Jumna. Even in the Delhi Division of the Punjab +they breed sparingly, and one must go further north and west to find +many nests. + +The breeding-season lasts from early in December to quite the end of +March; but this varies a little according to season and locality, +though the majority of birds always, I think, lay in January. + +The nest is generally placed in single trees of no great size, +standing in fields or open jungle. The thorny Acacias are often +selected, but I have seen them on Sisoo and other trees. + +The nest, placed in a stout fork as a rule, is a large, strong, +compact, stick structure, very like a Rook's nest at home, and like +these is used year after year, whether by the same birds or others of +the same species I cannot say. Of course they never breed in company: +I _never_ found two of their nests within 100 yards of each other, +and, as a rule, they will not be found within a quarter of a mile of +each other. + +Five is, I think, the regular complement of eggs; very often I have +only found four fully incubated eggs, and on two or three occasions +six have, I know, been taken in one nest, though I never myself met +with so many. + +I find the following old note of the first nest of this species that I +ever took:-- + +"At Hansie, in Skinner's Beerh, December 19, 1867, we found our first +Raven's nest. It was in a solitary Keekur tree, which originally of no +great size had had all but two upright branches lopped away. Between +these two branches was a large compact stick nest fully 10 inches deep +and 18 inches in diameter, and not more than 20 feet from the ground. +It contained five slightly incubated eggs, which the old birds evinced +the greatest objection to part with, not only flying at the head of +the man who removed them, but some little time after they had been +removed similarly attacking the man who ascended the tree to look at +the nest. After the eggs were gone, they sat themselves on a small +branch above the nest side by side, croaking most ominously, and +shaking their heads at each other in the most amusing manner, every +now and then alternately descending to the nest and scrutinizing every +portion of the cavity with their heads on one side as if to make sure +that the eggs were really gone." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's nidification +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lay in January and February; eggs, four only; shape, ovato-pyriform; +size, 1·7 by 1·3; colour, dirty sap green, blotched with blackish +brown; also pale green spotted with greenish brown and neutral; nest +of sticks difficult to get at, placed in well-selected trees or holes +in cliffs." + +I have not verified the fact of their breeding in holes in cliffs, but +it is very possible that they do. All I found near Pind Dadan Khan +and in the Salt Range were doubtless in trees, but I explored a very +limited portion of these hills. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Bhawulpoor on the 17th February, +says: "I succeeded yesterday in getting four eggs of the Punjab Raven. +The eggs were hard-set and very difficult to clean." + +From Sambhur Mr. R.M. Adam tells us:--"This Raven is pretty common +during the cold weather, but pairs are seen about here throughout the +year. They are very fond of attaching themselves to the camps of the +numerous parties of Banjaras who visit the lake. + +"I obtained a nest at the end of January which contained three eggs, +and a fourth was found in the parent bird. The nest was about 15 feet +from the ground in a Kaggera tree (_Acacia leucophloea_) which stood +on a bare sandy waste with no other tree within half a mile in any +direction." + +The eggs of the Punjab bird are, as might be expected, much the same +as those of the European Raven. In shape they are moderately broad +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, but, as in the +Oriole, greatly elongated varieties are very common, and short +globular ones almost unknown. The texture of the egg is close and +hard, but they usually exhibit little or no gloss. In the colour of +the ground, as well as in the colour, extent, and character of the +markings, the eggs vary surprisingly. The ground-colour is in some +a clear pale greenish blue; in others pale blue; in others a dingy +olive; and in others again a pale stone-colour. The markings are +blackish brown, sepia and olive-brown, and rather pale inky purple. +Some have the markings small, sharply defined, and thinly sprinkled: +others are extensively blotched and streakily clouded; others are +freckled or smeared over the entire surface, so as to leave but +little, if any, of the ground-colour visible. Often several styles of +marking and shades of colouring are combined in the same egg. Almost +each nest of eggs exhibits some peculiarity, and varieties are +endless. With sixty or seventy eggs before one, it is easy to pick out +in almost every case all the eggs that belong to the same nest, and +this is a peculiarity that I have observed in the eggs of many members +of this family. All the eggs out of the same nest usually closely +resemble each other, while almost _any_ two eggs out of different +nests are markedly dissimilar. + +They vary from 1·72 to 2·25 in length, and from 1·2 to 1·37 in width; +but the average of seventy-two eggs measured is 1·94 by 1·31. + +Mandelli's men found four eggs of the larger Sikhim bird in Native +Sikhim, high up towards the snows, where they were shooting +Blood-Pheasants. + +These eggs are long ovals, considerably pointed towards one end; +the shell is strong and firm, and has scarcely any gloss. The +ground-colour is pale bluish green, and the eggs are smudged and +clouded all over with pale sepia; on the top of the eggs there are a +few small spots and streaks of deep brownish black. They were found on +the 5th March, and vary in length from 1·83 to 1·96, in breadth from +1·18 to 1·25. + + +3. Corvus corone, Linn. _The Carrion-Crow_. + +Corvus corone, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 295; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 659[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume, at one time separated the Indian Carrion-Crow +from _Corvus corone_ under the name _C. pseudo-corone_. In his +'Catalogue' he re-unites them. I quite agree with him that the two +birds are inseparable.--ED.] + +The only Indian eggs of the Carrion-Crow which I have seen, and one of +which, with the parent bird, I owe to Mr. Brooks, were taken by the +latter gentleman on the 30th May at Sonamerg, Cashmere. + +The eggs were broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, and +of the regular Corvine type--a pretty pale green ground, blotched, +smeared, streaked, spotted, and clouded, nowhere very profusely but +most densely about the large end, with a greenish or olive-brown and +pale sepia. The brown is a brighter and greener, or duller and more +olive, lighter or darker, in different eggs, and even in different +parts of the same egg. The shell is fine and close, but has only a +faint gloss. + +The eggs only varied from 1·67 to 1·68 in length, and from 1·14 to +1·18 in breadth. + +Whether this bird breeds regularly or only as a straggler in Cashmere +we do not know; it is always overlooked and passed by as a "Common +Crow." Future visitors to Cashmere should try and clear up both the +identity of the bird and all particulars about its nidification. + + +4. Corvus macrorhynchus, Wagler. _The Jungle-Crow_. + +Corvus culminatus, _Sykes, Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 295, +Corvus levaillantii; _Less., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 660. + +The Jungle-Crow (under which head I include[A] _C. culminatus,_ +Sykes, _C. intermedius_, Adams, _C. andamanensis_, Tytler, and each +and all of the races that occur within our limits) breeds almost +everywhere in India, alike in the low country and in the hills both of +Southern and Northern India, to an elevation of fully 8000 feet. + +[Footnote A: See 'Stray Feathers,' vol. ii. 1874, p. 243, and 'Lahore +to Yarkand,' p. 85.] + +March to May is, I consider, the normal breeding-season; in the plains +the majority lay in April, rarely later, and in the hills in May; but +in the plains a few birds lay also in February. + +The nest is placed as a rule on good-sized trees and pretty near their +summits. In the plains mangos and tamarinds seem to be preferred, but +I have found the nests on many different kinds of trees. The nest is +large, circular, and composed of moderate-sized twigs; sometimes it is +thick, massive, and compact; sometimes loose and straggling; always +with a considerable depression in the centre, which is smoothly lined +with large quantities of horsehair, or other stiff hair, grass, +grass-roots, cocoanut-fibre, &c. In the hills they use _any_ animal's +hair or fur, if the latter is pretty stiff. They do not, according to +my experience, affect luxuries in the way of soft down; it is always +something moderately stiff, of the coir or horsehair type; nothing +soft and fluffy. Coarse human hair, such as some of our native +fellow-subjects can boast of, is often taken, when it can be got, in +lieu of horsehair. + +They lay four or five eggs. I have quite as often found the latter as +the former number. I have never myself seen six eggs in one nest, but +I have heard, on good authority, of six eggs being found. + +Captain Unwin writes: "I found a nest of the Bow-billed Corby in the +Agrore Valley, containing four eggs, on the 30th April. It was placed +in a Cheer tree about 40 feet from the ground, and was made of sticks +and lined with dry grass and hair." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird in the Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the third week of April. Eggs four in number, ovato-pyriform, +measuring from 1·6 to 1·7 in length and from 1·2 to 1·25 in breadth. +Colour green spotted with brown; valley generally. Nest placed in +Chinar and difficult trees." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Corby "occurs at Mussoorie throughout +the year, and is very destructive to young fowls and pigeons; it +breeds in May and June, and selects a tall tree, near a house or +village, on which to build its nest, which is composed externally of +dried sticks and twigs, and lined with grass and hair, which latter +material it will pick from the backs of horses and cows, or from +skins of animals laid out to dry. I have had skins of the Surrow +(_Noemorhaedus thar_) nearly destroyed by their depredations. The eggs +are three or four in number." + +From the plains I have very few notes. I transcribe a few of my own. + +"On the 11th March, near Oreyah, I found a nest of a Corby--good large +stick nest, built with tamarind twigs, and placed fully 40 feet from +the ground in the fork of a mango-tree standing by itself. The nest +measured quite 18 inches in diameter and five in thickness. It was a +nearly flat platform with a central depression 8 inches in diameter, +and not more than 2 deep, but there was a solid pad of horsehair more +than an inch thick below this. I took the mass out; it must have +weighed half a pound. Four eggs much incubated. + +"_Etawah, 14th March_.--Another nest at the top of one of the huge +tamarind-trees behind the Asthul: could not get up to it. A boy +brought the nest down; it was not above a foot across, and perhaps 3 +inches deep; cavity about 6 inches in diameter, thickly lined with +grass-roots, inside which again was a coating of horsehair perhaps a +rupee in thickness; nest swarming with vermin. Eggs five, quite fresh; +four eggs normal; one quite round, a pure pale slightly greenish +blue, with only a few very minute spots and specks of brown having a +tendency to form a feeble zone round the large end. Measures only 1·25 +by 1·2. Neither in shape, size, nor colour is it like a Corby's egg; +but it is not a Koel's, or that of any of our parasitic Cuckoos, and +I have seen at home similar pale eggs of the Rook, Hooded Crow, +Carrion-Crow, and Raven. + +"_Bareilly, May 10th_.--Three fresh eggs in large nest on a +mango-tree. Nest as usual, but lined with an immense quantity of +horsehair. We brought this home and weighed it; it weighed six ounces, +and horsehair is very light." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:-- + +"This Crow, so common at Allahabad, is very scarce here at Delhi. In +fact I have only seen one pair. + +"At Allahabad it lays in February and March. I have, however, only +found one nest, a rather loose structure of twigs and a few thick +branches with rather a deep depression in the centre. It was placed on +the very crown of a high toddy palm (_Borassus flabelliformis_) and +was unlined save for a wad of human hair, on which the eggs, two in +number, lay; these I found hard-set (on the 13th March); in colour +they were a pale greenish blue, boldly blotched, spotted, and speckled +with brown." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note on the +breeding of the Jungle-Crow:-- + +"Belgaum, 12th March, 1880.--A nest containing four fresh eggs. It +consisted of a loose structure of sticks lined with hair and leaves, +and was placed at the top of and in the centre of a green-foliaged +tree in a well-concealed situation about 30 feet from the ground. 18th +March: Two nests, each containing three slightly incubated eggs; one +of the nests was quite low down in the centre of an 'arbor vitae' +about 12 feet from the ground. 31st March: Another nest containing +four slightly incubated eggs. Some of the latter nests were very +solidly built, and not so well Concealed. 11th April: Two more +nests, containing five incubated and three slightly incubated eggs +respectively; and on the 14th April a nest containing four slightly +incubated eggs. These birds, when the eggs are at all incubated, often +sit very close, especially if the nest is in an open situation, and in +many instances I have thrown several stones at the nest, and made as +much row as I could below without driving the old bird off, and I have +seen my nest-seeker within a few yards of the nest after climbing the +tree before the old bird flew off. On the 26th of April I found two +more nests, one containing four young birds just hatched, the other +three fresh eggs. On the 27th another nest containing three fresh +eggs, and on the 28th a nest of three fresh eggs. On the 5th May +two more nests containing four fresh and four incubated eggs +respectively." + +"In the Nilghiris," writes Mr. Davison, "the Corby builds a coarse +nest of twigs, lined with cocoanut-fibre or dry grass high up in some +densely-foliaged tree. The eggs are usually four, often five, in +number. The birds lay in April and May." + +Miss Cockburn again says:--"They build like all Crows on large +trees merely by laying a few sticks together on some strong branch, +generally very high up in the tree. I do not remember ever seeing more +than one nest on a tree at a time, so that they differ very much from +the Rook in that respect. They lay four eggs of a bluish green, +with dusky blotches and spots, and nothing can exceed the care and +attention they bestow on their young. Even when the latter are able +to leave their nests and take long flights, the parent birds will +accompany them as if to prevent their getting into mischief. The nests +are found in April and May." + +Mr. J. Darling, jun., writes from the Nilghiris:--"I have found the +nest of this Crow pretty nearly all over the Nilghiris. The usual +number of eggs laid is four, but on one occasion, near the Quinine +Laboratory in the Government Gardens at Ooty, I procured six from one +nest. The breeding-season is from March to May, but I have taken eggs +as early as the 12th February." + +From Ceylon, we hear from Mr. Layard that "about the villages the +Carrion-Crow builds its nest in the cocoanut-trees. In the jungles +it selects a tall tree, amid the upper branches of which it fixes +a framework of sticks, and on this constructs a nest of twigs +and grasses. The eggs, from three to five, are usually of a dull +greenish-brown colour, thickly mottled with brown, these markings +being most prevalent at the small end. They are usually laid in +January and February." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal it is "common and a +permanent resident. Occasionally found in the clumps of jungle that +are found about the country, which the next species never affects. +Breeds in the cold weather. I had noticed a pair building on a +Casuarina tree in my garden, about 50 feet off the ground, and on the +18th December, 1877, I took two perfectly fresh eggs from it; and +again on the 9th January, 1878, I found two callow young in this same +nest, the birds never having deserted it. The lining used for this +nest was principally jute-fibre--any tree is selected to build on; the +nests are placed from 15 to 50 feet off the ground. Some nests are +very well concealed, whereas others are quite exposed. On the 15th +January I found a nest about 15 feet up a small kudum tree, standing +in a large plain, and which had a lining of hair from the tail-tufts +of cows. There was one fresh egg, and a week later I got another fresh +egg from this very nest. From two to four eggs are in each nest." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"These birds all begin to build about the +same time, and I have taken numerous nests at the end of January. At +the end of February most nests contain young birds." + +Mr. W. Theobald gives the following notes on the nidification of this +bird in Tenasserim and near Deoghur:-- + +"Lays in the third week of February and fourth week of March: eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1·66 by 1·15; colour, dull sap-green much +blotched with brown; nest carefully placed in tall trees." + +The eggs, though smaller, closely resemble, as might have been +expected, those of the Raven, but they are, I think, typically +somewhat broader and shorter. Almost every variety, as far as +coloration goes, to be found amongst those of the Raven, are found +amongst the eggs of the present species, and _vice versâ_; and for a +description of these it is only necessary to refer to the account of +the former species; but I may notice that amongst the eggs of _C. +macrorhynchus_ I have not yet noticed any so boldly blotched as is +occasionally the case with some of the eggs of the Raven, which remind +one not a little, so far as the character of the markings go, of eggs +of _Oedicnemus crepitans_ and _Esacus recurvirostris_. Like those +of the Raven the eggs exhibit little gloss, though here and there +a fairly glossy egg is met with. Eggs from various parts of the +Himalayas, of the plains of Upper India, of the hills and plains of +Southern India, do not differ in any respect. _Inter se_ the eggs from +each locality differ surprisingly in size, in tone of colour, and in +character of markings; but when you compare a dozen or twenty from +each locality, you find that these differences are purely individual +and in no degree referable to locality. + +There are just as big eggs and just as small ones from Simla and +Kotegurh, from Cashmere, from Etawah, Bareilly, Futtehgurh, from +Kotagherry, and Conoor; all that one can possibly say is that perhaps +the Plains birds do on the _average_ lay a _shade larger_ eggs than +the Himalayan or Nilghiri ones. + +Taking the eggs as a whole, I think that in size and shape they are +about intermediate between the eggs of the European Carrion-Crow and +Rook. But they vary, as I said, astonishingly in size, from 1·5 to +1·95 in length, and in breadth from 1·12 to 1·22, and I have one +perfectly spherical egg, a deformity of course, which measures 1·25 by +1·2. + +The average of thirty Himalayan eggs is 1·73 by 1·18, of twenty Plains +eggs 1·74 by 1·2, and of fifteen Nilghiri eggs 1·7 by 1·18. I would +venture to predict that with fifty of each, there would not be a +hundredth of an inch between their averages. + + +7. Corvus splendens, Vieill. _The Indian House-Crow_. + +Corvus splendens, _Vieill. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 298. +Corvus impudicus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 663. + +Throughout India and Upper Burma the Common Crow resides and breeds, +not ascending the hills either in Southern or Northern India to any +great elevation, but breeding up to 4000 feet in the Himalayas. + +The breeding-season _par excellence_ is June and July, but occasional +nests will be found earlier even in Upper India, and in Southern and +Eastern India a great number lay in May. The nests are commonly placed +in trees without much regard to size or kind, though densely foliaged +ones are preferred, and I have just as often found several in the same +tree as single ones. At times they will build in nooks of ruins +or large deserted buildings, where these are in well inhabited +localities, but out of many thousands I have only seen three or four +nests in such abnormal positions. + +The nest is placed in some fork, and is usually a ragged stick +platform, with a central depression lined with grass-roots; but they +are not particular as to material; I have found wool, rags, grass, and +all kinds of vegetable fibre, and Mr. Blyth mentions that he has "seen +several nests composed more or less, and two almost exclusively, of +the wires taken from soda-water bottles, which had been purloined from +the heaps of these wires commonly set aside by the native servants +until they amount to a saleable quantity." Four is the normal number +of eggs laid, but I often have found five, and on two occasions six. +It is in this bird's nest that the Koel chiefly lays. + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"In the valley it lays in May +and June; some twenty nests were once examined on the 23rd June, and +half the number then contained young birds." + +Major Bingham says:--"Very common, of course, both at Allahabad and at +Delhi, and breeds in June, July, and beginning of August. At Allahabad +it is much persecuted by the Koel (_Eudynamys orientalis_), every +fourth or fifth nest that I found in some topes of mango-trees having +one or two of the Koel's eggs." + +Colonel Butler informs me that in Karachi it "begins to lay in the +mangrove bushes in the harbour as early as the end of May;" and that +it "breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, and August, +commencing to build in the last week of May." + +Later, he writes:--"Belgaum, 15th May, 1879. Found numerous nests in +the native infantry lines in low trees, containing fresh and incubated +eggs and young birds of all sizes. In the same locality, on the 30th +March, 1880, I found a nest containing four young birds able to fly; +the eggs must therefore have been laid quite as early as the middle of +February, if not earlier." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal writes:--"The Common Crow appears to have two broods in +the year in our district (Ratnagiri), the first in April and May, and +the second in November and December. In these four months I have +found nests, eggs, and young birds in several different places in the +district, and as yet at no other times. It is extremely improbable +that there should be one breeding-season lasting from April to +December, and I think I may State with certainty that the Crows _do +not_ breed at Ratnagiri during the months of heaviest rainfall, +viz. July, August, and September. As their breeding in November and +December appears to be exceptional, I subjoin a record of the few +nests I examined. + + "Nov. 22, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 3 young birds. + " " 1 fresh egg. + + "Nov. 23, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 1 fresh egg. + " " 1 fresh egg. + +"Dec. 4, 1878. Saugmeshwar.--One nest with 3 eggs hard-set; another +nest probably containing young birds, but the Crows pecked so +viciously at the man who was climbing the tree, that he got frightened +and came down again without reaching the nest. Crows with sticks and +feathers in their mouths are flying about all day. + +"Dec. 5, 1878. Aroli.--Found a nest with a Crow sitting in it; no one +to climb the tree." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has favoured me with the following interesting +note:--"I send you an account of a nest of the Common Crow, found in +October, 1874, in the town of Madras. My attention was first directed +to the remarkable pair of Crows to which the nest belonged, in the end +of July, when they were determinedly and industriously attempting to +fix a nest on the top ledge of a pillar in the verandah of the 'Madras +Mail' office. The ledge was so narrow that one would have thought the +Sparrow alone of all known birds would have selected it for a site; +and even the Sparrow only under the condition of a writing or +toilet-table being underneath to catch the lime, sticks, straws, rags, +feathers, and other innumerable materials that commonly strew the +ground below a Sparrow's nest. I was told that the Crows had been at +their task for two months before I saw them, and I then watched them +till nearly the end of October. The celebrated spider that taught King +Bruce a lesson in patience was eager and fitful compared with this +pair of Crows. I kept no account of the number of times their +structure was blown down, only to be immediately begun again; but as +there was a good deal of rain and wind at that season, in addition to +the regular sea-breeze, it was a common thing for the sticks to be +cleared off day after day. But perseverance will often achieve seeming +impossibilities, and, moreover, the Crows worked more indefatigably as +the season went on, and used to run up their nest with great rapidity +(no doubt, also, they improved by their practice); so that several +times the structure was completed, or nearly completed, before being +swept to the ground, though how it remained in its place for a moment +seems a mystery; and twice I saw a broken egg among the scattered +_débris_. At length, about the middle of September, the Crows +determined to try the pillar at the other end of the verandah. By this +time, of course, all the Crows in Madras had long brought up their +broods and sent them adrift; and what they thought to see an eccentric +pair of their own species forsaking society, and _building_ in +September, may be imagined. The new site selected differed in no +respect from the old one, and was no less exposed to the wind; but the +birds had grown expert at building 'castles in the air,' and now met +with fewer mishaps. In the first week of October the hen bird was +sitting regularly, so on the 8th of the month I sent a man up by a +ladder, and he held up four eggs for me to look at. It fairly seemed +after this that patience was to have its reward, but on the night of +the 20th there came a storm of wind and rain, and when I went to the +office in the morning, the nest was lying on the ground, with two +young Crows in it, with the feathers just beginning to appear. The +other two, I suppose, had fallen over into the street. And thus +ended one of the most persevering attempts on record to overcome a +difficulty insurmountable from the first. The old birds thought it +time now to stop operations, and frequented the office no more. + +"I am told by a gentleman in the 'Mail' office that the Crows have +built in that verandah regularly for five or six years past, but +nobody seems to have watched the nests. I am, therefore, hopeful that +the attempt will be repeated this year, in which case I will keep a +diary of all that takes place." + +He writes subsequently:--"I sent you a long story in my last batch of +notes about two eccentric Crows that succeeded in building a nest upon +the narrow ledge of a pillar in the verandah of my office, several +months after all well-conducted Crows had sent out their progeny to +battle with the world. I mentioned to you that they were said to build +in that unnatural place every year, and I said that I would watch them +this year. + +"Well, would you believe it? on the 26th July, when every other Crow's +nest in Madras had hard-set eggs, or newly-hatched young ones, these +two indefatigable birds set methodically to work to construct a nest +on the south pillar--the one where all their earlier efforts were made +last year, but not the one on which they succeeded in fixing their +nest. They worked all the 26th and 27th, putting up sticks as fast as +they fell down, and then desisted till the 4th August, when they began +operations on the opposite (north) pillar with redoubled energy. +Meeting with no better success they left off operations after a couple +of days' fruitless labour. Yesterday (after a delay of five weeks) +they set to work on the south pillar again and succeeded in raising +a great pile, which, however, was ignominiously blown down in the +afternoon. To-day they are continuing their work indefatigably." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps has the following note in his list of birds of +Furreedpore, Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, and a permanent resident, +affecting the haunts of man. They build and lay in May. The Koel lays +its eggs in this bird's nest. In April, 1876, I saw two nests in the +compound of the house in which I lived at Howrah, which were made +_entirely_ of galvanized wire, the thickest piece of which was as +thick as a slate pencil. How the birds managed to bend these thick +pieces of wire was a marvel to us; not a stick was incorporated with +the wires, and the lining of the nest (which was of the ordinary +size) was jute and a few feathers. The railway goods-yard, which was +alongside the house, supplied the wire, of which there was ever so +much lying about there." + +Typically the eggs may, I think, be said to be rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards the small end; but really the eggs vary so +much in shape that, even with nearly two hundred before me, it is +difficult to decide what is really the most typical form. Pyriform, +elongated, and globular varieties are common; long Cormorant-shaped +eggs and perfect ovals are not uncommon. As regards the colour of the +ground, and colour, character, and extent of marking, all that I have +above said of the Raven's eggs applies to those of this species, but +varieties occur amongst those of the latter which I have not observed +in those of the former. In some the ground is a very pale pure +bluish green, in others it is dingier and greener. All are blotched, +speckled, and streaked more or less with somewhat pale sepia markings; +but in some the spots and specks are a darker brown and, as a rule, +well defined, and there is very little streaking, while in others the +brown is pale and muddy, the markings ill-defined, and nearly the +whole surface of the egg is freckled over with smudgy streaks. +Sometimes the markings are most numerous at the large end, sometimes +at the small; no two eggs are exactly alike, and yet they have so +strong a family resemblance that there is no possibility of mistaking +them. Generally the markings as a whole are less bold, and the general +colour of a large body of them laid together is bluer and brighter +than that of a similar drawer-full of Ravens' eggs. As a whole, too, +they are more glossy. I have one egg before me bright blue and almost +as glossy as a Mynah's, thickly blotched and speckled at the broad +end, and thinly spotted elsewhere with olive-green, blackish-brown, +and pale purple. Another egg, a pale pure blue, is spotless, except +at the large end, where there is a conspicuous cap of olive-brown and +olive-green spots and speckles, and there are numerous other abnormal +varieties which I have not observed amongst the Ravens. + +On the whole the eggs do _not_ vary much in size; out of one hundred +and ninety-seven, one hundred and ninety-five varied between 1·28 and +1·65 in length, and 0·98 and 1·15 in breadth. One egg measures only +1·2 in length, and one is only 0·96 in breadth; but the average of the +whole is 1·44 by 1·06. + + +8. Corvus insolens, Hume. _The Burmese House-Crow_. + +Corvus insolens; _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 663 bis. + +The Burmese House-Crow breeds pretty well over the whole of Burma. + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"Nesting operations are +commenced about the 20th March. The nest and eggs require no +separate description, for both appear to be similar to those of _C. +splendens_." + +When large series of the eggs of both these species are compared, +those of the Burmese Crow strike one as _averaging_ somewhat brighter +coloured, otherwise they are precisely alike and need no separate +description. + + +9. Corvus monedula, Linn. _The Jackdaw_. + +Colaeus monedula (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 302. +Corvus monedula, _Linn., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 665. + +I only know positively of Jackdaws breeding in one district within our +limits, viz. Cashmere; but I have seen it in the hills in summer, as +far east as the Valley of the Beas, and it must breed everywhere in +suitable localities between the two. + +In the cold season of course the Jackdaw descends into the plains of +the North-west Punjaub, is very numerous near the foot of the hills, +and has been found in cis-Indus as far east as Umballa, and south at +Ferozpoor, Jhelum, and Kalabagh. In Trans-Indus it extends unto the +Dehra Ghazi Khan district. + +I have never taken its eggs myself. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the first week of May; eggs four, five, and six in number, +ovato-pyriform and long ovato-pyriform, measuring from 1·26, 1·45, to +1·60 in length, and from 0·9 to 1·00 in breadth; colour pale, +clear bluish green, dotted and spotted with brownish black; valley +generally; in holes of rocks, beneath roofs, and in tall trees." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"It builds in Cashmere in old ruined palaces, holes +in rocks, beneath roofs of houses, and also in tall trees, laying four +to six eggs, pale bluish green, clotted and spotted with brownish +black." + +Mr. Brookes writes:--"The Jackdaw breeds in Cashmere in all suitable +places: holes in old Chinar (Plane) trees, and in house-walls, under +the eaves of houses, &c. I did not note the materials of the nests, +but these will be the same as in England." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather elongated ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end. The shell is fine, but has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white, but in some +eggs there is very little green, while in a very few the ground is +quite a bright green. The markings, sometimes very fine and close, +sometimes rather bold and thinly set, consist of specks or spots of +deep blackish brown, olive-brown, and pale inky purple. In most eggs +all these colours are represented, but in some eggs the olive-, in +others the blackish-brown is almost entirely wanting. In some eggs +the markings are very dense towards the large end, in others they are +pretty uniformly distributed over the whole surface; in some they are +very minute and speckly, in others they average the tenth of an inch +in diameter. + +The eggs that I possess vary from 1·34 to 1·52 in length, and from +0·93 to 1·02 in breadth; but the average of sixteen eggs was 1·4 by +0·98. + + +10. Pica rustica (Scop.). _The Magpie_. + +Pica bactriana, _Bp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_, no. 668 bis. + +The Magpie breeds, we know, in Afghanistan, and also throughout Ladak +from the Zojee-la Pass right up to the Pangong Lake, but it breeds so +early that one is never in time for the eggs. The passes are not open +until long after they are hatched. + +Captain Hutton says this bird "is found all the year round from +Quettah to Girishk, and is very common. They breed in March, and the +young are fledged by the end of April. The nest is like that of the +European bird, and all the manners of the Afghan Magpie are precisely +the same. They may be seen at all seasons." + +From Afghanistan, Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes:-- + +"The Magpie is not uncommon in the hills wherever there are trees, but +it seldom descends to the plains. They commence breeding in March, in +which month and April I have examined scores of nests, which in every +case were built in the 'Wun,' a species of _Pistacia_--the only tree +found hereabouts. A stout fork near the top is usually selected. + +"The nest is shallow and cup-shaped, with a superstructure of twigs, +forming a canopy over the egg-cavity. The eggs, generally five in +number, are of the usual corvine green, blotched, spotted, and +streaked, as a rule, most densely about the large end with umber +mingled with sepia-brown. The average of thirty eggs is 1·25 by ·97." + +Colonel Biddulph writes in 'The Ibis' that in Gilgit he took a nest +with five eggs, hard set, in a mulberry-tree at Nonval (5600 feet) on +the 9th May. Also another nest with three fresh eggs at Dayour(5200 +feet) on the 25th May. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, rather pointed towards +the small end, but shorter and broader varieties, and occasionally +ones with a pyriform tendency, occur. The ground is a greenish or +brownish white. In some eggs it has none, in others a slight gloss. +Everywhere the eggs are finely and streakly freckled with a brown that +varies from olive almost to sepia; about the large end the markings +are almost always most dense, forming there a more or less noticeable, +but quite irregular and undefined cap or zone. In one or two eggs dull +purplish-brown clouds or blotches underlie and intermingle with this +cap, and occasionally a small spot of this same tint may be noticed +elsewhere when the egg is closely examined. + + +12. Urocissa occipitalis (Bl.). _The Red-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa sinensis (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 309. +Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl_.), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 671. + +I have never myself found the nest of the Red-billed Blue Magpie; +although it does breed sparingly as far east as Simla and Kotegurh, +it is not till you cross the Jumna that it is abundant. East of the +Jumna, about Mussoorie, Teeree, Grurhwal, Kumaon, and in Nepal, it is +common. + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "this species occurs at +Mussoorie throughout the year. It breeds at an elevation of 5000 feet +in May and June, making a loose nest of twigs externally and lined +with roots. The nest is built on trees, sometimes high up, at others +about 8 or 10 feet from the ground. The eggs are from three to five, +of a dull greenish ash-grey, blotched and speckled with brown dashes +confluent at the larger end, the ends nearly equal in size. It is very +terrene in its habits, feeding almost entirely on the ground." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:-- + +"The Red-billed Blue Magpie is, as far as I know, an early breeder at +Naini Tal; common as the bird is I have only found one nest and that +on the 24th April; it was a shallow slenderly built structure of fine +roots, chiefly of maiden-hair fern, in a rough outer casing of twigs, +placed on a horizontal bough overhanging a nullah about fifteen feet +from the ground. The tree had moderately dense foliage, and was about +twenty-five feet high in a small clump on a hillside covered with low +scrub at 5000 feet elevation above the sea. Around the nest several +small boughs and twigs grew out, and being very slight in structure it +was not easy to see. The old bird sat very close. There were six eggs +in the nest about half-incubated: in two of them the markings were +densest at the small end. The egg-cavity was 6 inches in diameter by +about 1¼ deep. On the 5th June I saw old birds accompanied by young +ones able to fly, but without the long tails." + +The eggs of this species much resemble those of the European Magpie, +but are considerably smaller. They are broad, rather perfect ovals, +somewhat elongated and pointed in many specimens. They exhibit but +little gloss. The ground-colour varies much, but in all the examples +that I possess, which I owe to Captain Hutton's kindness, it is either +of a yellowish-cream, pale _café au lait_ or buff colour, or pale dull +greenish. The ground is profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked (the +general character of the markings being striations parallel to the +major axis), with various shades of reddish and yellowish, brown and +pale inky purple. The markings vary much in intensity as well as in +frequency, some being so closely set as to hide the greater part of +the ground-colour; but in the majority of the eggs they are more or +less confluent at the large end, where they form a comparatively dark, +irregular blotchy zone. + +The eggs vary from 1·25 to 1·4 in length, and from 0·89 to 0·96 in +breadth; but the average of 11 eggs is 1·33 by 0·93. + +Major Bingham, referring to the Burmese Magpie, which has been +separated under by the name of _U. magnirostris_, says:-- + +"This species I have only found common in the Thoungyeen Valley. +Elsewhere it seemed to me scarce. Below I give a note about its +breeding. + +"I have found three nests of this handsome Magpie--two on the bank +of the Meplay choung on the 14th April, 1879, and 5th March, 1880, +respectively, and one near Meeawuddy on the Thoungyeen river on the +19th March, 1880. + +"The first contained three, the second four, and the third two eggs. + +"These are all of the same type, dead white, with pale claret-coloured +clashes and spots rather washed-out looking, and lying chiefly at the +large end. One egg has the spots thicker at the small end. They are +moderately broad ovals, and vary from 1·19 to 1·35 in length, and from +0·93 to 1·08 in breadth. + +"The nests were all alike, thick solid structures of twigs and +branches, lined with finer twigs about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, +and placed invariably at the top of tall straight saplings of teak, +pynkado (_Xylia dolabriformis_), and other trees at a height of about +15 feet from the ground." + +All the eggs of the Burmese bird that I have seen, nine taken by Major +Bingham, were of one and the same type. The eggs broad ovals, in most +cases pointed towards the small end. The shell fine, but as a rule +with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour a delicate +creamy white. The markings moderate-sized blotches, spots, streaks, +and specks, as a rule comparatively dense about one, generally the +large, end, where only as a rule any at all considerable sized +blotches occur, elsewhere more or less sparsely set, and generally of +a speckly character. The markings are of two colours: brown, varying +in shade in different eggs, olive-yellowish, chocolate, and a grey, +equally varying in different eggs from pale purple to pale sepia. None +of my eggs of the Himalayan bird (I have unfortunately but few of +these) correspond at all closely with these. + + +13. Urocissa flavirostris (Bl.). _The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa flavirostris (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 310; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 672. + +The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas in well-wooded localities from Hazara to Bhootan, and +very likely further east still, from April to August, mostly however, +I think, laying in May. The nest, which is rather coarse and large, +made of sticks and lined with fine grass or grass-roots, is, so far +as my experience goes, commonly placed in a fork near the top of some +moderate-sized but densely foliaged tree. + +I have never found a nest at a lower elevation than about 5000 feet; +as a rule they are a good deal higher up. + +They lay from four to six eggs, but the usual number is five. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds +commonly about Murree. I have never seen the bird below 6000 feet in +the breeding-season. They do not commence laying till May, and I have +taken eggs nearly fresh as late as the 15th August. I do not think the +bird breeds twice, as the earliest eggs taken were found on the 10th +May. + +"They build in hill oaks as a rule, the height of the nest from the +ground varying much, some being as low as 10 feet, others nearer 30 +feet. The hen bird sits close, and sometimes (when the nest is high +up) does not even leave the nest when the tree is struck below. +The nest is a rough structure built close to the trunk, externally +consisting of twigs and roots and lined with fibres. The egg-cavity is +circular and shallow, not at all neatly lined. The outer part of +the nest is large compared to what I should call the true nest, and +consists of a heap of twigs, &c. like what is gathered together for +the platform of a Crow's nest. + +"The eggs, which are four in number, vary in length from 1·45 to 1·25, +and in breadth from 0·9 to 0·75. The ordinary type is an egg a good +deal pointed at the thinner end. The ground-colour is greenish white, +blotched and freckled with ruddy brown, with a ring at the larger end +of confluent spots. The young birds are of a very dull colour until +after the first month. The normal number of eggs laid appears to be +four." + +Captain Cock wrote to me:--"_U. flavirostris_ is common at Dhurmsala, +but the nest is rather difficult to find. I have only taken six in +three years. It is usually placed amongst the branches of the hill +oak, where it has been polled, and the thickly growing shoots afford a +good cover; but sometimes it is on the top of a small slender sapling. +The nest is a good-sized structure of sticks with a rather deep cup +lined with dried roots; in fact, it is very much like the nest of +_Garrulus lanceolatus_, only larger and much deeper. They generally +lay four eggs, which differ much in colour and markings." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me once. The nest +was made of sticks and roots. The eggs, three in number, were of a +greenish-fawn colour very faintly blotched with brown." + +The eggs are of the ordinary Indian Magpie type, scarcely, if at all, +smaller than those of _U. occipitalis_, and larger than the average of +eggs of either _Dendrocitta rufa_ or _D. himalayensis_. Doubtless +all kinds of varieties occur, as the eggs of this family are very +variable; but I have only seen two types--in the one the ground is a +pale dingy yellowish stone-colour, profusely streaked, blotched, and +mottled with a somewhat pale brown, more or less olivaceous in some +eggs, the markings even in this type being generally densest towards +the large end, where they form an irregular mottled cap: in the other +type the ground is a very pale greenish-drab colour; there is a dense +confluent raw-sienna-coloured zone round the large end, and only a few +spots and specks of the same colour scattered about the rest of the +egg. All kinds of intermediate varieties occur. The texture of the +shell is fine and compact, and the eggs are mostly more or less +glossy. + +The eggs vary from 1·22 to 1·48 in length, and from 0·8 to 0·96 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-seven eggs is 1·3 by 0·92. + + +14. Cissa chinensis (Bodd.). _The Green Magpie_. + +Cissa sinensis (_Briss._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 312. +Cissa speciosa (_Shaw_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 673. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Green Magpie breeds in Nepal in +the lower valleys and in the Terai from April to July. The nest is +built in clumps of bamboos and is large and cup-shaped, composed of +sticks and leaves, coated externally with bamboo-leaves and vegetable +fibres, and lined inside with fine roots. It lays four eggs, one of +which is figured as a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards one end, +with a pale stone-coloured ground freckled and mottled all over with +sepia-brown, and measuring 1·27 by 0·89. + +Mr. Oates writes:--"In the Pegu Hills on the 19th April I found the +nest of the Green Magpie, and shot the female off it. + +"The nest was placed in a small tree, about 20 feet from the ground, +in a nullah and well exposed to view. The nest was neatly built, +exteriorly of leaves and coarse roots, and finished off interiorly +with finer fibres and roots; depth about 2 inches; inside diameter 6 +inches. Contained three eggs nearly hatched; all got broken; I have +the fragments of one. The ground-colour is greenish white, much +spotted and freckled with pale yellowish-brown spots and dashes, more +so at the larger end than elsewhere." + +Sundry fragments that reached me, kindly sent to me by Mr. Oates, had +a dull white ground, very thickly freckled and mottled all over, as +far as I could judge, with dull, pale, yellowish brown and purplish +grey, the former preponderating greatly. As to size and shape, this +deponent sayeth nought. + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 18th April I found a +nest of this most lovely bird placed at a height of 5 feet from the +ground in the fork of a bamboo-bush. It was a broad, massive, and +rather shallow cup of twigs, roots, and bamboo-leaves outside, and +lined with finer roots. It contained three eggs of a pale greenish +stone-colour, thickly and very minutely speckled with brown, which +tend to coalesce and form a cap at the larger end. I shot the female +as she flew off the nest." + +Major Bingham subsequently found another nest in Tenasserim, about +which he says:-- + +"Crossing the Wananatchoung, a little tributary of the Thoungyeen, by +the highroad leading from Meeawuddy to the sources of the Thoungyeen, +I found in a small thorny tree on the 8th April a nest of the above +bird--a great, firmly-built but shallow saucer of twigs, 6 feet or so +above the ground, and lined with fine black roots. It contained three +fresh eggs of a dingy greyish white, thickly speckled chiefly at the +large end, where it forms a cap, with light purplish brown. The eggs +measure 1·25 x 0·89, 1·18 x 0·92, and 1·20 x 0·90." + +Mr. James Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Jay is rather rare; it +frequents low quiet jungle. In April last a Kuki brought me three +young ones he had taken from a nest in a clump of tree-jungle; he said +the nest was some 20 feet from the ground and made of bamboo-leaves +and grass." + +A nest of this species taken below Yendong in Native Sikhim, on the +28th April, contained four fresh eggs. It was placed on the branches +of a medium-sized tree at a height of about 12 feet from the ground; +it was a large oval saucer, 8 inches by 6, and about 2·5 in depth, +composed mainly of dry bamboo-leaves, bound firmly together with fine +stems of creepers, and was lined with moderately fine roots; the +cavity was 5 inches by 4, and about 1 in depth. + +The eggs received from Major Bingham, as also others received from +Sikhim, where they were procured by Mr. Mandelli on the 21st and 28th +of April, are rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine, but has only a little gloss. The ground-colour +is white or slightly greyish white, and they are uniformly freckled +all over with very pale yellowish and greyish brown. The frecklings +are always somewhat densest at the large end, where in some eggs +they form a dull brown cap or zone. In some eggs the markings are +everywhere denser, in some sparser, so that some eggs look yellower or +browner, and others paler. + +The eggs are altogether of the _Garruline_ type, not of that of the +_Dendrocitta_ or _Urocissa_ type. I have eggs of _G. lanceolatus_, +that but for being smaller precisely match some of the _Cissa_ eggs. +Jerdon is, I think, certainly wrong in placing _Cissa_ between +_Urocissa_ and _Dendrocitta_, the eggs of which two last are of the +same and quite a distinct type[A]. + +[Footnote A: I am responsible, and not Mr. Hume, for calling this bird +a Magpie. Jerdon calls it a Jay, but places it among the Magpies, +which is, I consider, its proper position, notwithstanding the colour +of its eggs.--ED.] + +The eggs vary from 1·15 to 1·26 in length, and from 0·9 to 0·95 in +breadth, but the average of eight is 1·21 by 0·92. + + +15. Cissa ornata (Wagler). _The Ceylonese Magpie_. + +Cissa ornata (_Wagl._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 673 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds +during the cool season. I found its nest in the Kandapolla jungles +in January; it was situated in a fork of the top branch of a tall +sapling, about 45 feet in height, and was a tolerably bulky structure, +externally made of small sticks, in the centre of which was a deep +cup 5 inches in diameter by 2½ in depth, made entirely of fine roots; +there was but one egg in the nest, which unfortunately got broken in +being lowered to the ground. It was ovate and slightly pyriform, of +a faded bluish-green ground thickly spotted all over with very light +umber-brown, over larger spots of bluish-grey. It measured 0·98 inch +in diameter by _about_ 1·3 in length." + + +16. Dendrocitta rufa (Scop.). _The Indian Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 314; _Hume, Rough +Notes N. & E._ no. 674. + +The Indian Tree-pie breeds throughout the continent of India, alike in +the plains and in the hills, up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. + +I personally have found the nest with eggs in May, June, July, +and during the first week of August, in various districts in the +North-West Provinces, and have had them sent me from Saugor (taken +in July) and from Hansi (taken in April, May, and June); but perhaps +because the bird is so common scarcely any one has sent me notes about +its nidification, and I hardly know whether in other parts of India +and Burma its breeding-season is the same as with us. + +The nest is always placed in trees, generally in a fork, near the top +of good large ones; babool and mango are very commonly chosen in the +North-West Provinces, though I have also found it on neem and sisso +trees. It is usually built with dry twigs as a foundation, very +commonly thorny and prickly twigs being used, on which the true nest, +composed of fine twigs and lined with grass-roots, is constructed. The +nests vary much: some are large and loosely put together, say, fully 9 +inches in diameter and 6 inches in height externally; some are smaller +and more densely built, and perhaps not above 7 inches in diameter +and 4 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is usually about 5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, but they vary very much both in size +and materials; and I see that I note of one nest taken at Agra on the +3rd August--"A very shallow saucer some 6 inches in diameter, and +with a central depression not above 1½ inch in depth. It was composed +_exclusively_ of roots; externally somewhat coarse, internally of +somewhat finer ones. It was very loosely put together." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but it is very common to find +only four fully incubated ones. + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found several nests in the latter half +of April, May, and the early part of June in the neighbourhood of +Hansie. + +"Four was the greatest number of eggs I found in any nest. + +"The nests were placed in neem, keekur, and shishum trees, at heights +of from 10 to 17 feet from the ground, and were densely built of twigs +mostly of the keekur and shishum, and more or less thickly lined with +fine straw and leaves. They varied from 6 to 8 inches in diameter and +from 2 to 3 inches in depth." + +Mr. A. Anderson writes:--"The Indian Magpie lays from April to July, +and I have once actually seen a pair building in February. Their +eggs are of two very distinct types,--the one which, according to +my experience, is the ordinary one, is covered all over with +reddish-brown spots or rather blotches, chiefly towards the big end, +on a pale greenish-white ground, and is rather a handsome egg; the +other is a pale green egg with _faint brown_ markings, which are +confined almost entirely to the obtuse end. I have another clutch of +eggs taken at Budaon in 1865, which presents an intermediate variety +between the above two extremes; these are profusely blotched with +russet-brown on a dirty-white ground. + +"The second and third nests above referred to contained five eggs; but +the usual complement is not more than four. On the 2nd August, 1872, +I made the following note relative to the breeding of this bird:--The +bird flew off immediately we approached the tree, and never appeared +again. The nest viewed from below looked larger; this is owing to dry +_babool_ twigs or rather small branches (some of them having thorns +from an inch to 2 inches long!) having been used as a foundation, and +actually encircling the nest, no doubt by way of protection against +vermin; some of these thorny twigs were a foot long, and they had +to be removed piecemeal before the nest proper could be got at. The +egg-cavity is deep, measuring 5 inches in depth by 4 in breadth inside +measurement; it is well lined with khus grass." + +Major Bingham says:-- + +"Common as is this bird I have only found one nest, and that was at +Allahabad on the 9th July, and contained one half-fledged young one +and an addled egg. The nest, which was placed at the very top of a +large mango-tree, was constructed of branches and twigs of the same +lined with fine grass-roots. The egg is a yellowish white, thickly +speckled, chiefly at the large end, with rusty. Length 1·10 by 0·82 in +breadth." + +Colonel Butler tells us that it "breeds in Sind, in the hot weather. +Mr. Doig took a nest containing three fresh eggs on the 1st May, 1878. +The eggs, which seem to me to be remarkably small for the size of the +bird, are of the first type mentioned in Rough Draft of 'Nests and +Eggs,' p. 422." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes says in his 'Birds of Bombay:'--"In Sind they breed +during May and June, always choosing babool trees, placing the nest +in a stoutish fork near the top; they are composed at the bottom of +thorny twigs, which form a sort of foundation upon which the true nest +is built; the latter consists of fine twigs lined with grass-roots; +the nest is frequently of large size." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Common about all +well-wooded villages from coast to Ghâts. Breeds in April." + +With regard to Cachar Mr. Inglis writes:--"This Magpie is very common +in all the neighbouring villages, but I have not often seen it in the +jungles. It remains all the year and breeds during April and May." + +The eggs are typically somewhat elongated ovals, a good deal pointed +towards the small end. They vary extraordinarily in colour and +character, as well as extent of markings, but, as remarked when +speaking of the Raven, all the eggs out of the same nest closely +resemble each other, while the eggs of different nests are almost +invariably markedly distinct. There are, however, two leading +types--the one in which the markings are bright red, brownish red, or +pale pinkish purple; and the other in which they are olive-brown and +pale purplish brown. In the first type the ground-colour is either +pale salmon, or else very pale greenish white, and the markings are +either bold blotches, more or less confluent at the large end, where +they are far most numerous, and only a few specks and spots towards +the smaller end, or they are spots and small blotches thickly +distributed over the whole surface, or they are streaky smudges +forming a mottled ill-defined cap at the large end, and running down +thence in streaks and spots longitudinally; in the other type the +ground-colour is greenish white or pale yellowish stone-colour, and +the character of the markings varies as in the preceding type. Besides +these there are a few eggs with a dingy greyish-white ground, with +very faint, cloudy, ill-defined spots of pale yellowish brown pretty +uniformly distributed over the whole surface. In nine eggs out of +ten, the markings are most dense at the large end, where they form +irregular, more or less imperfect caps or zones. A few of the eggs are +slightly glossy. + +Of the salmon-pink type some specimens in their coloration resemble +eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_ and some of our Goatsuckers, while of +those with the greenish-white ground-colour some strongly recall the +eggs of _Lanius lahtora_. + +In length the eggs vary from 1·0 to 1·3, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·95; but the average of forty-four eggs is 1·17 by 0·87. + + +17. Dendrocitta leucogastra, Gould. _The Southern Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta leucogastra, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 317; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 678. + +From Travancore Mr. Bourdillon has kindly sent me an egg and the +following note on the nidification of the Southern Tree-pie:-- + +"Three eggs, very hard-set, of an ashy-white colour, marked with ashy +and greenish-brown blotches, 1·12 long and 0·87 broad, were taken on +9th March, 1873, from a nest in a bush 8 or 10 feet from the ground. +The nest of twigs was built after the style of the English Magpie's +nest, minus the dome. It consisted of a large platform 6 inches deep +and 8 or 10 inches broad, supporting a nest 1½ inch deep and 3½ inches +broad. The bird is not at all uncommon on the Assamboo Hills between +the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above the sea, seeming to prefer +the smaller jungle and more open parts of the heavy forest." + +Later he writes:--"On the 8th April I found another nest containing +three half-fledged Magpies (_D. leucogastra_). The nest was entirely +composed of twigs, roughly but securely put together; interior +diameter 3 inches and depth 2 inches, though there was a good-sized +base or platform, say, 5 inches in diameter. The nest was situated on +the top fork of a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. I tried to +rear the young birds, but they all died within a week." + +The egg is very like that of our other Indian Tree-pies. It is in +shape a broad and regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one +end. The shell is fine and compact and is moderately glossy. The +ground is a creamy stone-colour. It is profusely blotched and streaked +with a somewhat pale yellowish brown, these markings being most +numerous and darkest in a broad, irregular, imperfect zone round the +large end, and it exhibits further a number of pale inky-purple clouds +and blotches, which seem to underlie the brown markings, and which are +chiefly confined to the broader half of the egg. The latter measures +1·13 by 0·86. + + +18. Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bl. _The Himalayan Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta sinensis (_Lath._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 316. +Dendrocitta himalayensis, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 676. + +Common as is the Himalayan Tree-pie throughout the lower ranges of +those mountains from which it derives its name, I personally have +never taken a nest. + +It breeds, I know, at elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet, during the +latter half of May, June, July, and probably the first half of August. + +A nest in my museum taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim, at an elevation of +about 2500 feet, out of a small tree, on the 30th of July, contained +two fresh eggs. It was a very shallow cup, composed entirely of fine +stems, apparently of some kind of creeper, strongly but not at all +compactly interwoven; in fact, though the nest holds together firmly, +you can see through it everywhere. It is about 6 inches in external +diameter, and has an egg-cavity of about 4 inches wide and 1·5 deep. +It has no pretence for lining of any kind. + +Of another nest which he took Mr. Gammie says:--"I found a nest +containing three fresh eggs in a bush, at a height of about 10 feet +from the ground. The nest was a very loose, shallow, saucer-like +affair, some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and an inch or so in thickness, +composed entirely of the dry stems and tendrils of creepers. This was +at Labdah, in Sikhim, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and the date +the 14th May, 1873." Later he writes:-- + +"This Magpie breeds in the Darjeeling District in May, June, and July, +most commonly at elevations between 2000 and 4000 feet. It affects +clear cultivated tracts interspersed with a few standing shrubs and +bamboos, in which it builds. The nest is generally placed from 6 to 12 +feet from the ground in the inner part of the shrubs, and is made of +pieces of creeper stems intermixed with a few small twigs loosely +put together without any lining. There is scarcely any cup, merely a +depression towards the centre for the eggs to rest in. Internally it +measures about 4·8 in breadth by 1·5 in depth. The eggs are three or +four in number. + +"This is a very common and abundant bird between 2000 and 4000 feet, +but is rarely found far from cultivated fields. It seems to be +exceedingly fond of chestnuts, and, in autumn, when they are ripe, +lives almost entirely on them; but at other times is a great pest in +the grain-fields, devouring large quantities of the grain and being +held in detestation by the natives in consequence. Jerdon says 'it +usually feeds on trees,' but I have seen it quite as frequently +feeding on the ground as on trees." + +Mr. Hodgson has two notes on the nidification of this species in +Nepal:--"_May 18th_.--Nest, two eggs and two young; nest on the +fork of a small tree, saucer-shaped, made of slender twigs twisted +circularly and without lining; cavity 3·5 in diameter by 0·5 deep; +eggs yellowish, white, blotched with pale olive chiefly at the larger +end; young just born. + +"_Jaha Powah, 6th June_.--Female and nest in forest on a largish tree +placed on the fork of a branch; a mere bunch of sticks like a +Crow's nest; three eggs, short and thick, fawny white blotched with +fawn-brown chiefly at the thick end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me at +Darjeeling frequently. The nest is made of sticks and roots, and +the eggs, three or four in number, are of a pale dull greenish-fawn +colour, with a few pale reddish-brown spots and blotches, sometimes +very indistinct." + +Captain Hutton tells us that this species "occurs abundantly at +Mussoorie, at about 5000 feet elevation, during summer, and more +sparingly at greater elevations. In the winter it leaves the mountains +for the Dhoon. + +"It breeds in May, on the 27th of which month I took a nest with three +eggs and another with three young ones. The nest is like that of +_Urocissa occipitalis_, being composed externally of twigs and lined +with finer materials, according to the situation; one nest, taken in +a deep glen by the side of a stream, was lined with the long fibrous +leaves of the Mare's tail (_Equisetum_) which grew abundantly by the +water's edge; another, taken much higher on the hillside and away from +the water, was lined with tendrils and fine roots. The nest is placed +rather low, generally about 8 or 10 feet from the ground, sometimes at +the extremity of a horizontal branch, sometimes in the forks of young +bushy oaks. The eggs somewhat resemble those of _U. occipitalis_, but +are paler and less spotted, being of a dull greenish ash with brown +blotches and spots, somewhat thickly clustered at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps says:--"On the 15th June, 1880, I found a nest [in the +Dibrugarh District] with three fresh eggs. It was fixed in the middle +branches of a sapling, about ten feet off the ground, in dense +forest, and was built of twigs, presenting a fragile appearance; the +egg-cavity was 4½ inches [in diameter] and 1 inch deep, and lined with +fine twigs and grass-roots." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes:--"I obtained two eggs of this species +at an elevation of 4200 feet in the Karen hills east of Toungngoo on +the 16th April, 1875." + +Taking the eggs as a body they are rather regular, somewhat elongated +ovals, but broader and again more pointed varieties occur. The +ground-colour varies a great deal: in a few it is nearly pure white, +generally it has a dull greenish or yellowish-brown tinge, in some +it is creamy, in some it has a decided pinky tinge. The markings are +large irregular blotches and streaks, almost always most dense at the +large end, where they are often more or less confluent, forming an +irregular mottled cap, and not unfrequently very thinly set over the +rest of the surface of the egg. In one egg, however, the zone is about +the thick end, and there are scarcely any markings elsewhere. As a +rule the markings are of an olive-brown of one shade or another; but +when the ground is at all pinkish then the markings are more or less +of a reddish brown. Besides these primary markings, all the eggs +exhibit a greater or smaller number of faint lilac or purple spots or +blotches, which chiefly occur where the other markings are most dense. +In length they vary from 1·06 to 1·22, and in breadth from 0·8 to 1·0, +but the average of 34 eggs is 1·14 by 0·85. + + +21. Crypsirhina varians (Lath.). _The Black Racket-tailed Magpie_. + +Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quat. + +This Magpie is very common in Lower Pegu, where Mr. Oates found many +nests. He says:-- + +"This bird appears to lay from the 1st of June to the 15th of July; +most of my nests were taken in the latter month. It selects either one +of the outer branches of a very leafy thorny bush, or perhaps more +commonly a branch of a bamboo, at heights varying from 5 to 20 feet. + +"The nest is composed of fine dead twigs firmly woven together. The +interior is lined with twisted tendrils of convolvulus and other +creepers. The uniformity with which this latter material is used in +all nests is remarkable. The inside diameter is 5 inches, and the +depth only 1, thus making the structure very flat. The exterior +dimensions are not so definite, for the twigs and creepers stick out +in all directions; but making all allowances, the outside diameter may +be put down at 7 or 8 inches, and the total depth at 1½ inches. + +"The eggs are usually three in number, but occasionally only two well +incubated eggs may be found. In a nest from which two fresh eggs had +been taken, a third was found a few days later. + +"The eggs measure from 1·09 to ·88 in length, and from ·76 to ·68 in +breadth. The average of 22 eggs is ·98 by ·72." + +In shape the eggs are typically moderately broad, rather regular +ovals, but some are distinctly compressed towards the small end, some +are slightly pyriform, some even pointed, though in the great majority +of cases the egg is pretty obtuse at the small end; the shell is +compact and tolerably fine, and has a faint gloss. The ground-colour +seems to be invariably a pale yellowish stone-colour. The markings +vary a good deal: in some they are more speckly, in others more +streaky, but taking them as a whole they are intermediate between +those of _Dendrocitta_ and those of _Garrulus_, neither so bold and +streaky as the former, nor so speckly as the latter. The markings are +a yellowish olive-brown; they consist of spots, specks, small streaky +blotches and frecklings; they are always pretty densely set over the +whole surface of the egg, but they are always most dense in a zone or +sometimes a cap at the large end, where they are often, to a great +extent, confluent. In some eggs small dingy brownish-purple spots +and little blotches are intermingled in the zone. The eggs differ +in general appearance a good deal, because in some almost all the +markings are fine grained and freckly, and in such eggs but little of +the ground-colour is visible, while in other eggs the markings are +bolder (in comparison, for they are never really bold) and thinner +set, and leave a good deal of the ground-colour visible. + + +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (Temm.). _The White-winged Jay_. + +Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quint. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:-- + +"I found a nest of this bird on the 8th of April at the hot springs at +Ulu Laugat. The nest was built on the frond of a _Calamus_, the end +of which rested in the fork of a small sapling. The nest was a great +coarse structure like a Crow's, but even more coarsely and irregularly +built, and with the egg-cavity shallower. It was composed externally +of small branches and twigs, and loosely lined with coarse fibres and +strips of bark. It contained two young birds about a couple of days +old. The nest was placed about 6 feet from the ground. The surrounding +jungle was moderately thick, with a good deal of undergrowth." + + +24. Garrulus lanceolatus, Vigors. _The Black-throated Jay_. + +Garrulus lanceolatus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 308; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 670. + +The Black-throated Jay breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 4000 to 8000 feet, from the Valley of Nepal to Murree. + +They lay from the middle of April until the middle of June. + +They build on trees or thick bushes, never at any great height from +the ground, and often within reach of the hand. They always, I think, +choose a densely foliaged tree, and place the nest sometimes in a main +fork and sometimes on some horizontal bough supported by one or more +upright shoots. + +All the nests I have seen were moderately shallow cups, built with +slender twigs and sticks, some 6 inches in external diameter, and from +less than 3 inches to nearly 4 inches in height, with a nest-cavity +some 4 inches across and 2 inches deep, lined with grass and +moss-roots. Once only I found a nest almost entirely composed of +grass, and with no lining but fine grass-stems. + +The eggs vary from four to six, but this latter number is rarely met +with. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This is one of the commonest birds +about Murree; we always found it well to the front during our rambles, +chattering about in the trees. They breed from the middle of April +till the end of June. We have taken their eggs between the 20th April +and the 16th June. They keep above 5000 feet. I never observed any in +the lower ranges. The nest is not a difficult one to find, being large +and of loose construction; from 15 to 30 feet up a medium-sized tree +close to the trunk or sometimes in a large fork. They never seem to +build in the spruce firs which abound about Murree. They are by no +means shy birds, and hop about the trees close by while their nest is +being examined. Five is the ordinary number of eggs, which differ very +much in appearance and size: the longest I have measures 1·25 and the +shortest 1·1. Some are paler, some darker; some are of a uniform pale +greenish-ash colour with a darker ring, while others are thickly +speckled and freckled with a darker shade of the same colour. Some +lack the odd ink-scratch which is so often to be seen on the larger +end, and is the most peculiar feature of the egg, while a few have it +at the thinner end. + +"I should describe the average type as a long egg for its breadth; +ground-colour greenish ashy with very thick sprinklings of spots of a +darker and more greenish shade of the same colour, a ring of a darker +dull olive round the large end, on which are one or two lines that +look like a haphazard scratch from a fine steel pen." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote to me that this was "a most common +bird at Dhurmsala; appears in large flocks during the winter, and +often mixes with _Garrulus bispecularis_ and _Urocissa flavirostris_. +Pairs off about the end of April, when nidification begins. Builds a +rather rough nest of sticks, generally placed on a tall sapling oak +near the top; sometimes among the thicker branches of a pollard oak: +outer nest small twigs roughly put together; inner nest dry roots and +fibres, rather deep cup-shaped. Eggs number from four to five and vary +in shape. I have found them sometimes nearly round, but more generally +the usual shape. They vary in their colour, too, some being much +lighter than others, but most of them have a few hair-like streaks on +the larger end." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "the Black-throated Jay +breeds in May and June, placing the nest sometimes on the branch of a +tall oak tree (_Quercus incana_), at other times in a thick bush. It +is composed of a foundation of twigs, and lined with fine roots of +grass &c. mixed with the long black fibres of ferns and mosses, which +hang upon the forest trees, and have much the appearance of black +horse-hair. The nest is cup-shaped, rather shallow, loosely put +together, circular, and about 4½ inches in diameter. The eggs are +sometimes three, sometimes four in number, of a greenish stone-grey, +freckled, chiefly at the larger end, with dusky and a few black +hair-like streaks, which are not always present; they vary also in +the amount of dusky freckling at the larger end. The nestling bird is +devoid of the lanceolate markings on the throat." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Black-throated +Jay builds a very small cup-shaped nest of black hair-like creepers +and roots, intertwined and placed in a rough irregular casing of +twigs. A nest found on the 2nd June containing three hard-set eggs was +placed conspicuously on the top of a young oak sapling about 7 feet +high, standing alone in an open glade, in the forest on Aya Pata, +which is about 7000 feet above the sea. Another nest, found at an +elevation of about 4500 feet on the 9th June, contained two eggs; it +was placed about 10 feet from the ground in a small tree in a hedgerow +amongst cultivated fields." + +Mr. Hodgson notes from Jaha Powah:--"Found five nests of this species +between 18th and 30th May. Builds near the tops of moderate-sized +trees in open districts, making a very shallow nest of thin elastic +grasses sparingly used and without lining. The nest is placed on some +horizontal branch against some upright twig, or at some horizontal +fork. It is nearly round and has a diameter of about 6 inches. They +lay three or four eggs of a sordid vernal green clouded with obscure +brown." + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals, very much smaller than, though +so far as coloration goes very similar to, those of _G. glandarius_. +The ground-colour in some is a brown stone colour, in others pale +greenish white, and intermediate shades occur, and they are very +minutely and feebly freckled and mottled over the whole surface with a +somewhat pale sepia-brown. This mottling differs much in intensity; in +some few eggs indeed it is absolutely wanting, while in others, though +feeble elsewhere, it forms a distinct, though undefined, brownish cap +or zone at the large end. The eggs generally have little or no gloss. +It is not uncommon to find a few hair-like dark brown lines, more or +less zigzag, about the larger end. + +In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·23, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·88; but the average of twenty-four eggs is 1·12 by 0·85. + + +25. Garrulus leucotis, Hume. _The Burmese Jay_. + +Garrulus leucotis, _Hume, Hume, Cat._ no. 669 bis. + +The nest of this Jay has not yet been found, but Capt. Bingham +writes:-- + +"Like Mr. Davison I have found this very handsome Jay affecting only +the dry _Dillenia_ and pine-forests so common in the Thoungyeen +valley. I have seen it feeding on the ground in such places with +_Gecinus nigrigenys, Upupa longirostris_, and other birds. I shot one +specimen, a female, in April, near the Meplay river, that must have +had a nest somewhere, which, however, I failed to find, for she had a +full-formed but shell-less egg inside her." + + +26. Garrulus bispecularis, Vigors. _The Himalayan Jay_. + +Garrulus bispecularis, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 307; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 669. + +The Himalayan Jay breeds pretty well throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas. It is nowhere, that I have seen, numerically very +abundant, but it is to be met with everywhere. It lays in March and +April, and, though I have never taken the nest myself, I have now +repeatedly had it sent me. It builds at moderate heights, rarely above +25 feet from the ground, in trees or thick shrubs, at elevations of +from 3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a moderate-sized one, 6 to 8 +inches in external diameter, composed of fine twigs and grass, and +lined with finer grass and roots. + +The nest is usually placed in a fork. + +The eggs are four to six in number. + +Mr. Hodgson notes that he "found a nest" of this species "on the 20th +April, in the forest of Shewpoori, at an elevation of 7000 feet. The +nest was placed in the midst of a large tree in a fork. The nest was +very shallow, but regularly formed and compact. It was composed of +long seeding grasses wound round and round, and lined with finer +and more elastic grass-stems. The nest measured about 6½ inches in +diameter, but the cavity was only about half an inch deep." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"I only took one authenticated set +of eggs of this species (I found several with young), as it is an +early breeder--I say authenticated eggs, because I _think_ we may have +attributed some to _Garrulus lanceolatus_, as the nests and eggs are +very similar, and having a large number of the eggs of the latter, I +took some from my shikaree without verifying them. + +"The nest I took on the 6th May, 1873, at Murree, was at an elevation, +I should say, of between 6500 and 7000 feet (as it was near the top +of the hill), in the forest. The tree selected was a horse-chestnut, +about 25 feet high. The nest was near the top, which is the case with +nearly all the Crows' and Magpies' nests that I have taken. It was +of loose construction, made of twigs and fibres, and contained five +partially incubated eggs. + +"The eggs are similar to those of _G. lanceolatus_. I have carefully +compared the five of the species which I am now describing with twenty +of the other, and find that the following differences exist. The egg +of _G. bispecularis_ is more obtuse and broader, there is a brighter +gloss on it, and the speckling is more marked; but with a large series +of each I think the only perceptible difference would be its +greater breadth, which makes the egg look larger than that of the +Black-throated Jay. My four eggs measure 1·15 by 0·85 each. + +"This species only breeds once in a year, and from my observations +lays in April, all the young being hatched by the 15th May. Captain +Cock and myself carefully hunted up all the forests round Murree, +where the birds were constantly to be seen, commencing our work after +the 10th May, and we found nothing but young ones." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have found nests of this species +for the first time this year; the first on the 22nd of May, by which +time, as all recorded evidence shows it to be an early breeder, I had +given up all hopes of getting eggs. The first nest contained two fresh +eggs; it was on a horizontal limb of a large oak, at a bifurcation +about eight feet from the trunk and about the same from the ground. +The nest was more substantial than that of _G. lanceolatus_, much more +moss having been used in the outer casing, but the lining was similar; +it was a misshapen nest, and appeared, in the distance, like an old +deserted one; the bird was sitting at the time; I took one egg, hoping +more would be laid, but the other was deserted and destroyed by +vermin. Another nest I found on the 2nd June; it contained three eggs +just so much incubated that it is probable no more would be laid; this +nest was much neater in construction and better concealed than the +former one; it was in a rhododendron tree, in a bend about ten feet +from the ground, between two branches upwards of a foot each in +diameter, and covered with moss and dead fern; the tree grew out of +a precipitous bank just below a road, and though the nest was on the +level of the edge it was almost impossible to detect it; it was a very +compact thick cup of roots covered with moss outside. The eggs were +larger, more elongated, and much more richly coloured than in the +first nest. Both nests were at about 7000 feet elevation, and in both +instances the bird sat very close." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, very similar to +those of _G. lanceolatus_, but they are perhaps slightly larger, and +the markings somewhat coarser. The eggs are rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish +white, and they are pretty finely freckled and speckled (most densely +so towards the large end, where the markings are almost confluent) +with dull, rather pale, olive-brown, amongst which a little speckling +and clouding of pale greyish purple is observable. The eggs are +decidedly smaller than those of the English Jay, and few of the +specimens I have exhibit any of those black hair-like lines often +noticeable in both the English Jay and _G. lanceolatus_. + +In length the eggs that I have measured varied from 1·1 to 1·21, and +in breadth they only varied from 0·84 to 0·87. + + +27. Nucifraga hemispila, Vigors. _The Himalayan Nutcracker_. + +Nucifraga hemispila, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 304; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 666. + +The Himalayan Nutcracker is _very_ common in the fir-clad hills north +of Simla, where it particularly affects forests of the so-called +pencil cedar, which is, I think, the _Pinus excelsa_. I have never +been able to obtain the eggs, for they must lay in March or early in +April; but I have found the nest near Fagoo early in May with nearly +full-fledged young ones, and my people have taken them with young in +April below the Jalouri Pass. + +The tree where I found the nest is, or rather _was_ (for the whole +hill-slope has been denuded for potatoe cultivation), situated on a +steeply sloping hill facing the south, at an elevation of about 6500 +feet. The nest was about 50 feet from the ground, and placed on _two_ +side branches just where, about 6 inches apart, they shot out of the +trunk. The nest was just like a Crow's--a broad platform of sticks, +but rather more neatly built, and with a number of green juniper twigs +with a little moss and a good deal of grey lichen intermingled. The +nest was about 11 inches across and nearly 4 inches in external +height. There was a broad, shallow, central depression 5 or 6 inches +in diameter and perhaps 2 inches in depth, of which an inch was filled +in with a profuse lining of grass and fir-needles (the long ones of +_Pinus longifolia_) and a little moss. This was found on the 11th May, +and the young, four in number, were sufficiently advanced to hop +out to the ends of the bough and half-fly half-tumble into the +neighbouring trees, when my man with much difficulty got up to the +nest. + + +29. Graculus eremita (Linn.). _The Red-billed Chough_. + +Fregilus himalayanus, _Gould, Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 319. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs of this species from Chumbi in +Thibet; they were taken on the 8th of May from a nest under the eaves +of a high wooden house. + +Though larger than those of the European Chough, they resemble them so +closely that there can be no doubt as to their authenticity. + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals, very slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is tolerably fine and has +a slight gloss. The ground-colour is white with a faint creamy tinge, +and the whole egg is profusely spotted and striated with a pale, +somewhat yellowish brown and a very pale purplish grey. The markings +are most dense at the large end, and there, too, the largest streaks +of the grey occur. + +One egg measures 1·74 by 1·2. + + + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + + +31. Parus atriceps, Horsf. _The Indian Grey Tit_. + +Parus cinereus, _Vieill, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 278. +Parus caesius, _Tick., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 645. + +The Indian Grey Tit breeds throughout the more wooded mountains of +the Indian Empire, wherever these attain an altitude of 5000 feet, at +elevations of from 4000 or 5000 to even (where the hills exceed this +height) 9000 feet. + +In the Himalayas the breeding-season extends from the end of March to +the end of June, or even a little later, according to the season. They +have two broods--the first clutch of eggs is generally laid in the +last week of March or early in April; the second towards the end of +May or during the first half of June. + +In the Nilghiris they lay from February to May, and _probably_ a +second time in September or October. + +The nests are placed in holes in banks, in walls of buildings or +of terraced fields, in outhouses of dwellings or deserted huts and +houses, and in holes in trees, and very frequently in those cut in +some previous year for their own nests by Barbets and Woodpeckers. + +Occasionally it builds _on_ a branch of a tree, and my friend Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., found a nest containing six half-set eggs thus situated +on the 19th June at Gowra. It was on a "Banj" tree 10 feet from the +ground. + +The only nest that I have myself seen in such a situation was a pretty +large pad of soft moss, slightly saucer-shaped, about 4 inches in +diameter, with a slight depression on the upper surface, which was +everywhere thinly coated with sheep's wool and the fine white silky +hair of some animal. The nest is usually a shapeless mass of downy +fur, cattle-hair, and even feathers and wool, but when on a branch is +strengthened exteriorly with moss. Even when in holes, they sometimes +round the nest into a more or less regular though shallow cup, and use +a good deal of moss or a little grass or grass-roots; but as a rule +the hairs of soft and downy fur constitute the chief material, and +this is picked out by the birds, I believe, from the dung of the +various cats, polecats, and ferrets so common in all our hills. + +I have never found more than six eggs, and often smaller numbers, more +or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that the Indian Grey Tit is "common at Almorah. +In April and May I found the nest two or three times in holes in +terrace-walls. It was composed of grass-roots and feathers, and +contained in each case nearly fully-grown young, five in number." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote:--"_Parus cinereus_ built in +the walls of Dr. C.'s stables this year. When I found the nest it +contained young ones. I watched the parents flying in and out, but +to make sure put my ear to the wall and could hear the young ones +chirrupping. The nest was found in the early part of May 1869." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th June, 1879. A nest built in +a hollow bamboo which supported the roof of a house in the native +infantry lines. I did not see the nest myself, as unfortunately the +old bird was captured on it, and the nest and eggs destroyed; however, +the hen bird was brought to me alive by the man who caught her, and +I saw at once, by the bare breast, that she had been sitting, and on +making enquiries the above facts were elicited. The broken egg-shells +were white thickly spotted with rusty red. + +"Belgaum, 8th June, 1880.--A nest in a hole of a tree about 7 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. The nest consisted of +a dense pad of fur (goat-hair, cow-hair, human hair, and hare's fur +mixed) with a few feathers intermixed, laid on the top of a small +quantity of dry grass and moss, which formed the foundation." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes notes from Chaman in Afghanistan:--"This Tit is +very common, and remains with us all the year round. I found a nest on +the 10th April, built in a hole in a tree; it was composed entirely of +sheep's wool, and contained three incubated eggs, white, with light +red blotches, forming a zone at the larger end. They measured ·69 by +·48." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken says:-- + +"When I was in Poona, in the hot season of 1873, the Grey Tits, which +are very common there, became exceedingly busy about the end of May, +courting with all their spirit, and examining every hole they could +find. One was seen to disappear up the mouth of a cannon at the +arsenal. Finally, in July, two nests with young birds were discovered, +one by myself, and one by my brother. The nests were in the roofs of +houses, and were not easily accessible, but the parent birds were +watched assiduously carrying food to the hungry brood, which kept up a +screaming almost equal to that of a nest of minahs. On the 27th July a +young one was picked up that had escaped too soon from a third nest. +The Indian Grey Tit does not occur in Bombay, and I never saw it in +Berar." + +Speaking of Southern India Mr. Davison remarks that "the Grey Tit +breeds in holes either of trees or banks; when it builds in trees +it very often (whenever it can apparently) takes possession of the +deserted nest-hole of _Megaloema viridis_; when in banks a rat-hole is +not uncommonly chosen. All the nests I have ever seen or taken were +composed in every single instance of fur obtained from the dried +droppings of wild cats." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn sends the following interesting note:-- + +"Their nests are found in deep holes in earth-banks, and sometimes in +stone walls. Once a pair took possession of a bamboo in one of our +thatched out-houses--the safest place they could have chosen, as no +hand could get into the small hole by which they entered. These Tits +show great affection and care for their young. While hatching their +eggs, if a hand or stick is put into the nest they rise with enlarged +throats, and, hissing like a snake, peck at it till it is withdrawn. +On one occasion I told my horse-keeper to put his hand into a hole +into which I had seen one of these birds enter. He did so, but soon +drew it out with a scream, saying a 'snake had bit him.' I told him +to try again, but with no better success; he would not attempt it the +third time, so the nest was left with the bold little proprietor, who +no doubt rejoiced to find she had succeeded in frightening away the +unwelcome intruder. The materials used by these birds for their nests +consist of soft hair, downy feathers, and moss, all of which they +collect in large quantities. They build in the months of February and +March; but I once found a nest of young Indian Grey Tits so late as +the 10th November. They lay six eggs, white with light red spots. On +one occasion I saw a nest in a bank by the side of the road; when the +only young bird it contained was nearly fledged the road had to be +widened, and workmen were employed in cutting down the bank. The poor +parent birds appeared to be perfectly aware that their nest would soon +be reached, and after trying in vain to persuade the young one to come +out, they pushed it down into the road but could get it no further, +though they did their utmost to take it out of the reach of danger. I +placed it among the bushes above the road, and then the parents seemed +to be immediately conscious of its safety." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter notes that he "found a nest of the Grey Tit at +Coonoor, on the Nilgiris, on the 15th May. It was placed in a hole in +a bank by the roadside. It was a flat pad, composed of the fur of +the hill-hare, hairs of cattle, &c., and was fluffy and without +consistence. It contained three half-set eggs." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jun., says:--"I have found the nests at Ooty, Coonoor, +Neddivattam, and Kartary, at all heights from 5000 to nearly 8000 feet +above the sea, on various dates between 17th February and 10th May. + +"It builds in banks, or holes in trees, at all heights from the +ground, from 3 to 30 feet. It is fond of taking possession of the old +nest-holes of the Green Woodpecker. The nest is built of fur or fur +and moss, and always lined with fine fur, generally that of hares. Its +shape depends upon that of the hole in which it is placed, but the +egg-cavity or depression is about 3 inches in diameter and an inch in +depth. + +"It lays four, five, and sometimes six eggs, but I think more commonly +only four." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once found its nest in a deserted bungalow at +Kallia, in the corner of the house. It was made chiefly of the down of +hares (_Lepus nigricollis_), mixed with feathers, and contained six +eggs, white spotted with rusty red." + +The eggs resemble in their general character those of many of our +English Tits, and though, I think, typically slightly longer, they +appear to me to be very close to those of _Parus palustris_. In shape +they are a broad oval, but somewhat elongated and pointed towards the +small end. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and round the large end +there is a conspicuous, though irregular and imperfect, zone of red +blotches, spots, and streaks. Spots and specks of the same colour, or +occasionally of a pale purple, are scantily sprinkled over the rest of +the surface of the egg, and are most numerous in the neighbourhood of +the zone. The eggs have a faint gloss. Some eggs do not exhibit the +zone above referred to, but even in these the markings are much more +numerous and dense towards the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·65 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·58; but the average of thirty-eight is 0·71 by 0·54, so that they +are really, as indeed they look _as a body_, a shade shorter and +decidedly broader than those of _P. monticola_. + + +34. Parus monticola, Vig. _The Green-backed Tit_. + +Parus monticolus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 277; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 644. + +The Green-backed Tit breeds through the Himalayas, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, and some birds at any +rate must have two broods, since I found three fresh eggs in the +wall of the Pownda dak bungalow about the 20th June. More eggs are, +however, to be got in April than in any other month. + +They build in holes, in trees, bamboos, walls, and even banks, but +walls receive, I think, the preference. + +The nests are loose dense masses of soft downy fur or feathers, with +more or less moss, according to the situation. + +The eggs vary from six to eight, and I have repeatedly found seven +and eight young ones; but Captain Beavan has found only five of +these latter, and although I consider from six to eight the normal +complement, I believe they very often fail to complete the full +number. + +Captain Beavan says:--"At Simla, on May 4th, 1866, I found a nest of +this species in the wall of one of my servant's houses. It contained +five young ones, and was composed of fine grey pushm or wool resting +on an understructure of moss." + +At Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "breeds +early in May in holes in walls and trees, laying white eggs covered +with red spots." + +Speaking of a nest he took at Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:-- + +"The nest was in a cavity of a rhododendron tree, and was a large mass +of down of some animal; it looked like rabbit's fur, which of course +it was not, but it was some dark, soft, dense fur. The nest contained +seven eggs, and was found on the 28th April, 1869. The eggs were all +fresh." + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I got one nest of this Tit here on the 14th May in +the Chinchona reserves (Sikhim), at an elevation of about 4500 feet. +It was in partially cleared country, in a natural hole of a stump, +about 5 feet from the ground. The nest was made of moss and lined +with soft matted hair; but I pulled it out of the hole carelessly and +cannot say whether it had originally any defined shape. It contained +four hard-set eggs." + +The eggs are very like those of _Parus atriceps_; but they are +somewhat longer and more slender, and as a rule are rather more +thickly and richly marked. + +They are moderately broad ovals, sometimes almost perfectly +symmetrical, at times slightly pointed towards one end, and almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground is white, or occasionally a +delicate pinkish white, in some richly and profusely spotted and +blotched, in others more or less thickly speckled and spotted with +darker or lighter shades of blood-, brick-, slightly purplish-, or +brownish-red, as the case may be. The markings are much denser towards +the large end, where in some eggs they form an imperfect and irregular +cap. In size they vary from 0·68 to 0·76 in length, and from 0·49 to +0·54 in breadth; but the average of thirty-two eggs is 0·72 by 0·52 +nearly. + + +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (Vig.). _Red-headed Tit_. + +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 270; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 634. + +The Red-headed Tit breeds throughout the Himalayas from Murree to +Bhootan, at elevations of from 6000 to 9000 or perhaps 10,000 feet. + +They commence breeding very early. I have known nests to be taken +quite at the beginning of March, and they continue laying till the end +of May. + +The nest is, I think, most commonly placed in low stunted hill-oak +bushes, either suspended between several twigs, to all of which it is +more or less attached, or wedged into a fork. _I have_ found the nest +in a deodar tree, _laid_ on a horizontal bough. I have seen them in +tufts of grass, in banks and other unusual situations; but the great +bulk build in low bushes, and of these the hill-oak is, I think, their +favourite. + +The nests closely resemble those of the Long-tailed Tit (_Acredula +rosea_). They are large ovoidal masses of moss, lichen, and +moss-roots, often tacked together a good deal outside with +cotton-wool, down of different descriptions, and cobwebs. They average +about 4½ inches in height or length, and about 3½ inches in diameter. +The aperture is on one side near the top. The egg-cavity, which may +average about 2¼ inches in diameter and about the same in depth below +the lower edge of the aperture, is densely lined with very soft down +or feathers. + +They lay from six to eight eggs, but I once found only four eggs in a +nest, and these fully incubated. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "builds a +globular nest of moss and hair and feathers in thorny bushes. The eggs +we found were pinkish white, with a ring of obsolete brown spots at +the larger end. Size 0·55 by 0·43. Lays in May." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Red-cap Tit is "common at Mussoorie +and in the hills generally, throughout the year. It breeds in April +and May. The situation chosen is various, as one taken in the former +month at Mussoorie, at 7000 feet elevation, was placed on the side +of a bank among overhanging coarse grass, while another taken in the +latter month, at 5000 feet, was built among some ivy twining round a +tree, and at least 14 feet from the ground. The nest is in shape a +round ball with a small lateral entrance, and is composed of green +mosses warmly lined with feathers. The eggs are five in number, white +with a pinkish tinge, and sparingly sprinkled with lilac spots or +specks, and having a well-defined lilac ring at the larger end." + +From Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species makes +a beautifully neat nest of fine moss and lichens, globular, with +side entrance, and thickly lined with soft feathers. A nest found on +Cheena, above Nynee Tal, on the 24th May, 1873, at an elevation of +about 7000 feet, was wedged into a fork at the end of a bough of a +cypress tree, about 10 feet from the ground, the entrance turned +inwards towards the trunk of the tree. It contained one tiny egg, +white, with a dark cloudy zone round the larger end. + +"About the 10th of May, at Naini Tal, I was watching one of these +little birds, which kept hanging about a small rhododendron stump +about 2 feet high, with very few leaves on it, but I could see no +nest. A few days later I saw the bird carry a big caterpillar to the +same stump and come away shortly without it; so I looked more +closely and found the nest, containing nearly full-fledged young, so +beautifully wedged into the stump that it appeared to be part of it, +and nothing but the tiny circular entrance revealed that the nest was +there. It was the best-concealed nest for that style of position that +I have ever seen." + +These tiny eggs, almost smaller than those of any European bird that +I know, are broad ovals, sometimes almost globular, but generally +somewhat compressed towards one end, so as to assume something of a +pyriform shape. They are almost entirely glossless, have a pinkish or +at times creamy-white ground, and exhibit a conspicuous reddish or +purple zone towards the large end, composed of multitudes of minute +spots almost confluent, and interspaced with a purplish cloud. Faint +traces of similar excessively minute purple or red points extend more +or less above and below the zone. The eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·58 +in length, and from 0·43 to 0·46 in breadth; but the average of +twenty-five is 0·56 nearly by 0·45 nearly. + + +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (Bl.). _The Blade-spotted Yellow Tit_. + +Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 281. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong in Sikhim on the +15th June in a hole in a dead tree, about 5 feet from the ground. The +nest was a mere pad of the soft fur of some animal, in which a +little of the brown silky down from fern-stems and a little moss was +intermingled. It contained three hard-set eggs. + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, scarcely, if at all, pointed +towards the lesser end; the ground-colour is a pure dead white, and +the markings, spots, and specks of pale reddish brown, and underlying +spots of pale purple, are evenly scattered all over the egg; it +measures 0·78 by 0·55. + + +42. Machlolophus xanthogenys (Vig.). _The Yellow-cheeked Tit_. + +Machlolophus xanthogenys (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 279; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 647. + +The Yellow-cheeked Tit is one of the commonest birds in the +neighbourhood of Simla, yet curiously enough I have never found a +nest. + +I have had eggs and nest sent me, and I know it breeds throughout the +Western Himalayas, at elevations of from 4000 to 7000 feet; and that +it lays during April and May (and probably other months), making a +soft pad-like nest, composed of hair and fur, in boles in trees and +walls; but I can give no further particulars. + +Captain Hutton tells us that it is "common in the hills throughout +the year. It breeds in April, in which month a nest containing +four fledged young ones was found at 5000 feet elevation; it was +constructed of moss, hair, and feathers, and placed at the bottom of a +deep hole in a stump at the foot of an oak tree." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:--"Towards the end of April +this bird made its nest in a hole of a tree just below the terrace +of my house. Before the nest was quite finished a pair of _Passer +cinnamomeus_ bullied the old birds out of the place, which they +deserted. After they had left it I cut the nest out and found it +nearly ready to lay in, lined with soft goat-hair and that same dark +fur noticed in the nest of _Parus monticola_." + +Later he wrote to me that this species "breeds up at Dhurmsala in +April and May. It chooses an old cleft or natural cavity in a tree, +usually the hill-oak, and makes a nest of wool and fur at the bottom +of the cavity, upon which it lays five eggs much like the eggs of +_Parus monticola_. Perhaps the blotches are a little larger, otherwise +I can see no difference. I noticed on one occasion the male bird carry +wool to the nest, which, when I cut it out the same day, I found +contained hard-set eggs. I used to nail a sheepskin up in a hill-oak, +and watch it with glasses, during April and May, and many a nest have +I found by its help. _Parus atriceps, P. monticola, Machlolophus +xanthogenys, Abrornis albisuperciliaris_, and many others used to +visit it and pull off flocks of wool for their nests. Following up a +little bird with wool in its bill through jungle requires sharp eyes +and is no easy matter at first, but one soon becomes practised at it." + +The eggs are regular, somewhat elongated ovals, in some cases slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground is white or reddish white, and +they are thickly speckled, spotted, and even blotched with brick-dust +red; they have little or no gloss. + +They vary in length from 0·7 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·52 to +0·55; but I have only measured six eggs. + + +43. Machlolophus haplonotus (Bl.). _The Southern Yellow Tit_. + +_Machlolophus jerdoni (Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 280. + +Col. E.A. Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th Sept., 1879.--Found a nest of +the Southern Yellow Tit in a hole of a small tree about 10 feet from +the ground. My attention was first attracted to it by seeing the +hen-bird with her wings spread and feathers erect angrily mobbing a +palm-squirrel that had incautiously ascended the tree, and thinking +there must be a nest close by, I watched the sequel, and in a few +seconds the squirrel descended the tree and the Tit disappeared in a +small hole about halfway up. I then put a net over the hole and tapped +the bough to drive her out, but this was no easy matter, for although +the nest was only about ¾ foot from the entrance, and I made as much +noise as a thick stick could well make against a hollow bough, nothing +would induce her to leave the nest until I had cut a large wedge out +of the branch, with a saw and chisel, close to the nest, when she flew +out into the net. + +"The nest, which contained, to my great disappointment, five young +birds about a week old, was very massively built, and completely +choked up the hollow passage in which it was placed. The foundation +consisted of a quantity of dry green moss, of the kind that natives +bring in from the jungles in the rains, and sell for ornamenting +flower vases, &c. Next came a thick layer of coir, mixed with a few +dry skeleton-leaves and some short ends of old rope and a scrap or two +of paper, and finally a substantial pad of blackish hair, principally +human, but with cow- and horse-hair intermixed, forming a snug little +bed for the young ones. The total depth of the nest exteriorly was at +least 7 inches. + +"The bough, about 8 inches in diameter, was partly rotten and hollow +the whole way down, having a small hole at the side above by which the +birds entered, and another rather larger about a foot below the nest +all choked up with moss that had fallen from the base of the nest. It +is strange that it should have escaped my eye previously, as the tree +overhung my gateway, through which I passed constantly during the day. +Immediately below the nest a large black board bearing my name was +nailed to the tree. + +"At Belgaum, on the 10th July, 1880, I observed a pair of Yellow Tits +building in a crevice of a large banian tree about 9 feet from the +ground. The two birds were flying to and from the nest in company, +the hen carrying building-materials in her beak. I watched the nest +constantly for several days, but never saw the birds near it again +until the 18th inst., when the hen flew out of the hole as I passed +the tree. I visited the spot on the 19th and 20th inst., tapping the +tree loudly with a stick as I passed, but without any result, as the +bird did not fly off the nest. + +"On the 21st, thinking the nest must either be forsaken or contain +eggs, I got up and looked into the hole, and to my surprise found the +hen bird comfortably seated on the nest, notwithstanding the noise I +had been making to try and put her off. As the crevice was too small +to admit my hand, I commenced to enlarge the entrance with a chisel, +the old bird sitting closer than ever the whole time. Finding all +attempts to drive her off the eggs fruitless, I tried to poke her off: +with a piece of stick, whereupon she stuck her head into one of the +far corners and sulked. I then inserted my hand with some difficulty +and drew her gently out of the hole, but as soon as she caught sight +of me, she commenced fighting in the most pugnacious manner, digging +her claws and beak into my hand, and finally breaking loose, flying, +not away as might have been expected, but straight back into the hole +again, to commence sulking once more. Again I drew her out, keeping a +firm hold of one leg until I got her well away from the hole, when I +released her. I then extracted five fresh eggs from the hole by means +of a small round net attached to the loop end of a short piece of +wire. The nest was a simple pad of human and cows' hair, with a few +horsehairs interwoven, and one or two bits of snake's skin in the +lining, having a thin layer of green moss and thin strips of inner +bark below as a foundation--in fact a regular Tit's nest. The eggs, of +the usual parine type, were considerably larger than the eggs of _P. +atriceps_, broad ovals, slightly smaller at one end than the other, +having a white ground spotted moderately thickly all over with reddish +chestnut; no zone or cap, but in some eggs more freely marked at one +end (either small or large end) than the other, some of the markings +almost amounting to blotches and the spots as a rule rather large." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this bird in the +Deccan:--"Specimens of this Tit were procured at Lanoli in August and +at Egutpoora in March. They certainly breed at these places, as in +September, at the latter place, W. observed two parent birds with four +young ones capable of flying out very short distances." + +And Mr. Davidson further states that it is "common throughout the +district of Western Kandeish. I saw a pair building in the hole of a +large mango tree at Malpur in Pimpalnir in the end of May." + + +44. Lophophanes melanolophus (Vig.). _The Crested Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes melanolophus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 273: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 638. + +The Crested Black Tit breeds throughout the Lower Himalayas west of +Nepal, at elevations of from 6000 to 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, but the majority have +laid, I think, for the first hatch by the end of the first week in +April, unless the season has been a very backward one. They usually +rear two broods. + +They build, so far as I know, always in holes, in trees, rocks, and +walls, preferentially in the latter. Their nests involve generally two +different kinds of work--the working up of the true nests on which the +eggs repose, and the preliminary closing in and making comfortable the +cavity in which the former is placed. For this latter work they use +almost exclusively moss. Sometimes very little filling-in is +required; sometimes the mass of moss used to level and close in an +awkward-shaped recess is surprisingly great. A pair breed every year +in a terrace-wall of my garden at Simla; elevation about 7800 feet. +One year they selected an opening a foot high and 6 inches wide, and +they closed up the whole of this, leaving an entrance not 2 inches in +diameter. Some years ago I disturbed them there, and found nearly half +a cubic foot of dry green moss. Now they build in a cavity behind one +of the stones, the entrance to which is barely an inch wide, and in +this, as far as I can see, they have no moss at all. + +The nests are nothing but larger or smaller pads of closely felted +wool and fur; sometimes a little moss, and sometimes a little +vegetable down, is mingled in the moss, but the great body of the +material is always wool and fur. They vary very much in size: you +may meet with them fully 5 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick, +comparatively loosely and coarsely massed together; and you may meet +with them shallow saucers 3 inches in diameter and barely half an inch +in thickness anywhere, as closely felted as if manufactured by human +agency. + +Six to eight is considered the full complement of eggs, but the +number is very variable, and I have taken three, four, and five +well-incubated eggs. + +Captain Beavan, to judge from his description, seems to have found +a regular cup-shaped nest such, as I have never seen. He says:--"At +Simla, April 20th, 1866, I found a nest of this species with young +ones in it in an old wall in the garden. I secured the old bird for +identification, and then released her. The nest contained seven young +ones, and was large in proportion. The outside and bottom consists of +the softest moss, the nest being carefully built between two stones, +about a foot inside the wall; the rest of it is composed of the finest +grey wool or fur. Diameter inside 2·5; outside about 5 inches. Depth +inside nearly 3 inches; outside 3·6." + +Captain Cock told me that he "found several nests in May and June in +Cashmere. The first nest I found was in a natural cavity high up in a +tree, containing three eggs, which I unfortunately broke while taking +them out of the nest. The interior of the cavity was thickly lined +with fur from some small animal, such as a hare or rat. I found my +second nest close to my tent in a cleft of a pine, quite low down, +only 3 feet from the ground. I cut it out and it contained five +eggs of the usual type--broad, blunt little eggs, white, with rusty +blotches." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have only found two nests of this +species in Naini Tal, both had young (two in one nest, in the other +I could not count) on the 25th April; they were at about 7000 feet +elevation, built in holes in walls, the entrance in both cases being +very small, having nothing to distinguish it from other tiny crevices, +and nothing to lead any one to suppose that there was a nest inside. +It was only by seeing the parent birds go in that the nest was +discovered." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, with a very +slight gloss. The ground-colour is a slightly pinkish white, and they +are richly blotched and spotted, and more or less speckled (chiefly +towards the larger end), with bright, somewhat brownish red. + +The markings very commonly form a dense, almost confluent zone or cap +about the large end, and they are generally more thinly scattered +elsewhere, but the amount of the markings varies much in different +eggs. In some, although they are thicker in the zone, they are still +pretty thickly set over the entire surface, while in others they are +almost confined to one end of the egg, generally the broad end. + +These eggs vary much in size and in density of marking. The ordinary +dimensions are about 0·61 by 0·47, but in a large series they vary in +length from 0·57 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·43 to 0·54. The +very large eggs, however, indicated by these _maxima_ are rare and +abnormal. + + +47. Lophophanes rufinuchalis (Bl.). _The Simla Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes rufinuchalis (_Bl.). Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 274. + +Mr. Brooks informs us that this Tit is common at Derali and other +places of similar elevation. "I found a nest under a large stone in +the middle of a hill foot-path, up and down which people and cattle +were constantly passing; the nest contained newly-hatched young. This +was the middle of May." + +Dr. Scully, writing of the Gilgit district, tells us that this Tit is +a denizen of the pine-forests, where it breeds. + +Finally Captain Wardlaw Ramsay, writing in the 'Ibis,' states that +this Tit was breeding in Afghanistan in May. + + + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + + +50. Conostoma aemodium, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Crow-Tit_. + +Conostoma aemodium. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 10; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 381. + +A nest of the Red-billed Crow-Tit was sent me from Native Sikhim, +where it was found at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, in a cluster +of the small Ringal bamboo. It contained three eggs, two of which were +broken in blowing them. + +The nest is a very regular and perfect hemisphere, both externally and +internally. It is very compactly made, externally of coarse grass and +strips of bamboo-leaves, and internally very thickly lined with stiff +but very fine grass-stems, about the thickness of an ordinary pin, +very carefully curved to the shape of the nest. The coarser exterior +grass appears to have been used when dry; but the fine grass, with +which the interior is so densely lined, is still green. It is the most +perfectly hemispherical nest I ever saw. Exteriorly it is exactly 6 +inches in diameter and 3 in height; internally the cavity measures 4.5 +in diameter and 2·25 in depth. + +The egg is a regular moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed +towards the smaller end. The shell is fine and thin, and has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, and it is sparsely +blotched, streaked, and smudged with pale yellowish brown, besides +which, about the large end, there are a number of small pale inky +purple spots and clouds, looking as if they were beneath the surface +of the shell. + +The single egg preserved measures 1·11 by 0·8. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found, he says, in May, in Native +Sikhim, in a cluster of Ringal (hill-bamboo) at an elevation of nearly +10,000 feet. It is a large, rather broad and shallow cup, the great +bulk of the nest composed of extremely fine hair-like grass-stems, +obviously used when green, and coated thinly exteriorly with coarse +blades of grass, giving the outside a ragged and untidy appearance. +The greatest external diameter is 5.5, the height 3·2, but the cavity +is 4·5 in diameter and 2.2 in depth, so that, though owing to the +fine material used throughout except in the outer coating the nest is +extremely firm and compact, it is not at all a massive-looking one. + + +60. Scaeorhynchus ruficeps (Bl.). _The Larger Red-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 5. + +Mr. Gammie writes from Sikhim:--"In May, at 2000 feet elevation, I +took a nest of this bird, which appears to have been rarely, if ever, +taken by any European, and is not described in your Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs.' It was seated among, and fastened to, the spray of +a bamboo near its top, and is a deep, compactly built cap, measuring +externally 3·5 inches wide and the same in depth; internally 2·7 wide +by 1·9 deep. The material used is particularly clean and new-looking, +and has none of the secondhand appearance of much of the +building-stuffs of many birds. The outer layer is of strips torn off +large grass-stalks and a very few cobwebs; the lining, of fine fibrous +strips, or rather threads, of bamboo-stems. There were three eggs, +which were ready for hatching-off. They averaged 0·83 in. by 0·63 in. +I send you the nest and two of the eggs. + +"Both Jerdon and Tickell say they found this bird feeding on grain +and other seeds, but those I examined had all confined their diet to +different sorts of insects, such as would be found about the +flowers of bamboo, buckwheat, &c. Probably they do eat a few seeds +occasionally, but their principal food is certainly insects. +Very usually, in winter especially, they feed in company with +_Gampsorhynchus rufulus_. Rather curious that the two Red-heads should +affect each other's society." + +The eggs are broad ovals, rather cylindrical, very blunt at both ends. +The shell fine, with a slight gloss. The ground is white, and it +is rather thinly and irregularly spotted, blotched, and smeared in +patches with a dingy yellowish brown, chiefly about the larger end, to +which also are nearly confined the secondary markings, which are pale +greyish lilac or purplish grey. + + +61. Scaeorhynchus gularis (Horsf.). _The Hoary-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis gularis, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 5. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species was found, +he tells me, at an elevation of 8000 feet in Native Sikhim on the 17th +May. It was placed in a fork amongst the branches of a medium-sized +tree at a height of about 30 feet from the ground. The nest is a +very massive cup, composed of soft grass-blades, none of them much +exceeding ·1 inch in width, wound round and round together very +closely and compactly, and then tied over exteriorly everywhere, but +not thickly, with just enough wool and wild silk to keep the nest +perfectly strong and firm. Inside, the nest is lined with extremely +fine grass-stems; the nest is barely 4 inches in diameter exteriorly +and 2·5 in height; the egg-cavity is 2·4 in diameter and 1·2 in depth. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me an egg which he considers to belong to this +species, found near Darjeeling on the 7th May. It is a broad oval, +very slightly compressed at one end; the shell dull and glossless; the +ground a dead white, profusely streaked and smudged pretty thickly +all over with pale yellowish brown; the whole bigger end of the egg +clouded with dull inky purple and two or three hair-lines of burnt +sienna in different parts of the egg. The egg measures 0·8 by 0·61. + +Two eggs of this species, procured in Sikhim on the 17th May, are very +regular ovals, scarcely at all pointed towards the lesser end. The +ground-colour is creamy white, and the markings consist of large +indistinct blotches of pale yellow; round the large end is an almost +confluent zone or cap of purplish grey, darker in one egg; they have +no gloss, and both measure 0·82 by 0·61. + + + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + + +62. Dryonastes ruficollis (J. & S.) _The Rufous-necked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ruticollis (_J. & S.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 410. + +Of the Rufous-necked Laughing-Thrush, Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. Hodgson +figures the egg of a fine green colour." + +The egg is not figured in my collection of Mr. Hodgson's drawings. + +Writing from near Darjeeling, in Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I have +seen two nests of this bird; both were in bramble-bushes about five +feet from the ground, and exactly resembled those of _Dryonastes +caerulatus_, only they were a little smaller. One nest had three young +ones, the other three very pale blue unspotted eggs, which I left in +the nest intending to get them in another day or two, as I wanted to +see if more eggs would be laid, but when I went back to the place the +nest had been taken away by some one. Both nests were found here in +May, one at 3500 feet, the other at 4500 feet. + +"I have taken numerous nests of this species from April to June, from +the warmest elevations up to about 4000 feet. They are cup-shaped; +composed of dry leaves and small climber-stems, and lined with a few +fibrous roots. They measure externally about 5 inches in width by 3·5 +in depth; internally 3·25 across by 2·25 deep. Usually they are found +in scrubby jungle, fixed in bushes, within five or six feet of the +ground. The eggs are three or four in number." + +Many nests of this species sent me from Sikhim by my friends Messrs. +Mandelli and Gammie are all precisely of the same type--deep and +rather compact cups, varying from 5 to 6 inches in external diameter, +and 3·25 to 3·75 in height; the cavities about 3·25 in diameter +and 2·25 in depth. The nest is composed almost entirely of dry +bamboo-leaves bound together loosely with stems of creepers or roots, +and the cavity is lined with black and brown rootlets, generally not +very fine. They seem never to be placed at any very great elevation +from the ground. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have received a very large number +from Mr. Gammie, are distinguishable at once from those of all the +other species of this group with which I am acquainted. Just as the +egg of _Garrulax albigularis_ is distinguished by its very deep tone +of coloration, the egg of the present species is distinguished by its +extreme paleness. In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, often, +however, somewhat pyriform, often a good deal pointed towards the +small end. The shell is extremely fine and smooth, and has a very +fine gloss; they may be said to be almost white with a delicate +bluish-green tinge. In length they vary from 0·95 to 1·1, in breadth +from 0·6 to 0·83; but the average of forty-one eggs is 1·02 by 0·75. + + +65. Dryonastes caerulatus (Hodgs.). _The Grey-sided +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax caerulatus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 36; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 408. + +A nest of the Grey-sided Laughing-Thrush found by Mr. Gammie on the +17th June near Darjeeling, below Rishap, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet, was placed in a shrub, at a height of about six feet from the +ground, and contained one fresh egg. It was a large, deep, compact +cup, measuring about 5·5 inches in external diameter and about 4 in +height, the egg-cavity being 4 inches in diameter and 2¾ inches in +depth. Externally it was entirely composed of very broad flag-like +grass-leaves firmly twisted together, and internally of coarse black +grass and moss-roots very neatly and compactly put together. The nest +had no other lining. + +This year (1874) Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds in Sikhim +in May and Jane. I have found the nests in our Chinchona reserves, at +various elevations from 3500 to 5000 feet, always in forests with +a more or less dense undergrowth. The nest is placed in trees, at +heights of from 6 to 12 feet from the ground, between and firmly +attached to several slender upright shoots. It is cup-shaped, usually +rather shallow, composed of dry bamboo-leaves and twigs and lined with +root-fibres. One I measured was 5 inches in diameter by 2·5 in height +exteriorly; the cavity was 4 inches across and only 1·3 deep. Of +course they vary slightly. As far as my experience goes, they do not +lay more than three eggs; indeed, at times only two." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that "a nest and eggs, said to be of this bird, +were brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest loosely made with roots and +grass, and containing two pale blue eggs." + +One nest of this species taken in Native Sikhim in July, was placed in +the fork of four leafy twigs, and was in shape a slightly truncated +inverted cone, nearly 7 inches in height and 5·5 in diameter at the +base of the cone, which was uppermost. The leaves attached to the +twigs almost completely enveloped it. The nest itself was composed +almost entirely of stems of creepers, several of which were wound +round the living leaves of the twigs so as to hold them in position on +the outside of the nest; a few bamboo-leaves were intermingled with +the creeper's stems in the body of the nest. The cavity, which is +almost perfectly hemispherical, only rather deeper, is 3·5 inches in +diameter and 2·25 in depth, and is entirely and very neatly lined with +very fine black roots. Another nest, which was taken at Rishap on the +21st May, with two fresh eggs, was placed in some small bamboos at a +height of about 10 feet from the ground, it is composed externally +entirely of dry bamboo-leaves, loosely tied together by a few creepers +and a little vegetable fibre, and it is lined pretty thickly with fine +black fibrous roots. This nest is about 6 inches in diameter and 3·5 +high exteriorly, while the cavity measures 3·5 by 2. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are a beautiful clear, rather pale, +greenish blue, without any spots or markings. They have a slight +gloss. In shape they are typically much elongated and somewhat +pyriform ovals, very obtuse at both ends; but moderately broad +examples are met with. In length they vary from 1·05 to 1·33, and in +breadth from 0·76 to 0·86; but the average of thirty-five eggs is 1·18 +nearly by 0·82 nearly. + + +69. Garrulax leucolophus (Hardw.). _The Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw.), Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 35; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 407. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush breeds at various elevations in Sikhim and Nepal, from +the Terai to an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet, from April to June. It +lays from four to six eggs, which are described and figured as pure +white, very broad ovals, measuring 1·2 by 0·9. It breeds, we are told, +in small trees, constructing a rude cup-shaped nest amongst a clamp of +shoots, or between a number of slender twigs, of dry bamboo-leaves, +creepers, scales of the turmeric plant, &c., and lined with fine +roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me more than +once when at Darjeeling, the former being a large mass of roots, moss, +and grass, with a few pure white eggs." + +One nest taken in July at Darjeeling was placed on the outer branches +of a tree, at about the height of 8 feet from the ground. It was a +very broad shallow saucer, 8 inches in diameter, about an inch in +thickness, and with a depression of about an inch in depth. It was +composed of dead bamboo-leaves bound together with creepers, and lined +thinly with coarse roots. It contained four fresh eggs. Other similar +nests contained four or three eggs each. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Laughing-Thrush +breeding in May and June, up to about 3500 feet; I have rarely seen +it at higher elevations, and cannot but think that Mr. Hodgson is +mistaken in stating that it breeds up to 5000 or 6000 feet. The nests +are generally placed in shrubs, within reach of the hand, among low, +dense jungle, and are rather loosely built cup-shaped structures, +composed of twigs and grass, and lined with fibrous roots. Externally +they measure about 6 inches in diameter by 3·5 in depth; internally 4 +by 2·25. + +"The eggs are usually four or five in number, but on several occasions +I have found as few as two well-set eggs." + +Numerous nests of this species have now been sent me, taken in May, +June, and July, at elevations of from 2000 to fully 4000 feet, and +in one case it is said 5000. They are all very similar, large, very +shallow cups, from 6 to nearly 8 inches in external diameter, and from +2·5 to 3·5 in height; exteriorly all are composed of coarse grass, +of bamboo-spathes, with occasionally a few dead leaves intermingled, +loosely wound round with creepers or pliant twigs, while interiorly +they are composed and lined with black, only moderately fine roots or +pliant flower-stems of some flowering-tree, or both. Sometimes +the exterior coating of grass is not very coarse; at other times +bamboo-spathes exclusively are used, and the nest seems to be +completely packed up in these. + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals, pure white and glossy. They +vary from 1·05 to 1·13 in length, and from 0·86 to 0·95 in width, but +the average of eighteen eggs is a little over 1·1 by 0·9. + + +70. Garrulax belangeri, Less. _The Burmese White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax belangeri, _Less., Hume, Cat._ no. 407 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this bird many years ago in Burma, +has the following note:--"Nest in a bush a few feet from the ground, +on the 8th June, near Pegu. In shape hemispherical, the foundation +being of small branches and leaves of the bamboo, and the interior +and sides of small branches of the coarser weeds and fine twigs. The +latter form the egg-chamber lining and are nicely curved. Exterior and +interior diameters respectively 7 and 3½ inches. Total depth 3½ and +interior depth 2 inches. Three eggs, pure white and highly glossy, and +they measure 1·14 by ·87, 1·1 by ·88, and 1·03 by ·86." + +The nests of this species are large, loosely constructed cups, much +resembling those of its Himalayan congeners. The base and sides +consist chiefly of dry bamboo-leaves with a few dead tree-leaves +scantily held together by a few creepers, while the interior portion +of the nest, which has no separate lining, is composed of fine twigs +and stems of herbaceous plants and the slender flower-stems of trees +which bear their flowers in clusters. The nests vary a good deal in +exterior dimensions as the materials straggle far and wide in some +cases, and the external diameter may be said to vary from 6 to 8 +inches, and the height from 3·25 to 4·5; the cavities are more uniform +in size, and are about 3·5 in diameter by 2 in depth. + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, at times somewhat pointed perhaps +towards the small end, pure white and fairly glossy. + +Major C.T. Bingham thus writes of this bird:--"It is very difficult +to either watch these birds, unseen yourself, at one of their dancing +parties, or to catch one of them actually sitting on the nest. Twice +had I in the end of March this year come across nests with one or two +of these birds in the vicinity, and yet have had to leave the eggs +in them as uncertain to what bird they belonged. At last, on the 2nd +April, I came in for a piece of luck. I was roaming about in the +vicinity of my camp on the Gawbechoung, the main source of the +Thoungyeen river, and moving very slowly and silently amid the dense +clumps of bamboo, when my ears were saluted by the hearty laughter of +a flock of these birds, evidently not far off. Very quietly I crept +up, and looking cautiously from behind a thick bamboo-clump, saw ten +or twelve of them going through a most intricate dance, flirting their +wings and tails, and every now and then bursting into a chorus of +shouts, joined in by a few others who were seated looking on from +neighbouring bushes. During one of the pauses of the applause, and +while the dancers were busy twining in and out, a single rather +squeaky 'bravo' came from a bamboo-bush right opposite to me. Looking +up I was astonished to see a nest in a fork of the bamboo, and on the +nest a _Garrulax_ who, probably too busy with her maternal duties to +watch the performance going on below her attentively, came in with +a solitary shout of approbation at an unseemly time. I watched the +performance a few minutes longer, and then frightened the old hen +on the nest. The terrific scare I caused by my sudden appearance is +beyond description. The dancers scattered with screeches, and the +old hen dropped fainting over the side of her nest with a feeble +remonstrance, and disappeared in the most mysterious way. After all +the nest contained only one egg, very glossy, white, and fresh. The +nest was better and stronger built, though very like that of _Garrulax +moniliger_, constructed of twigs, and finely lined with black +hair-like roots; it measured some 6 inches in diameter, the egg-cavity +about 1½ inch deep. Subsequently I took three other nests, on the 4th +April and 23rd May. The first contained three, the two latter three +and four eggs respectively. A considerable number of eggs measure from +1·22 to 1·06 in length, and from ·92 to ·81 in breadth, and average +1·13 by 0·88." + + +72. Garrulax pectoralis (Gould). _The Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax pectoralis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 39; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 412. + +Mr. Oates tells us that he "found the nest of the Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush in the Pegu Hills, on the 27th April, containing +three fresh eggs; the bird was sitting. The nest was placed in a +bamboo-clump about 7 feet from the ground, made outwardly of dead +bamboo-leaves and coarse roots, lined with finer roots and a few +feathers; inside diameter 6 inches, depth 2 inches. Two eggs measured +1·04 by 0·83 and 0·86. Colour, a beautiful clear blue." + +One of these eggs sent by Mr. Oates[A] seems rather small for the +bird. It is a very broad, slightly pyriform oval, of a uniform pale +greenish-blue tint, and very fairly glossy. It measures 1·05 by 0·87. + +[Footnote A: I fear I may have made a mistake in identifying the +nest referred to. With this caution, however, I allow my note to +stand.--ED.] + +This egg appears to me to be an abnormally small one. A nest sent me +from Sikhim, where it was found in July, contained much larger eggs, +and more in proportion to the size of the bird. The nest I refer to +was placed in a clump of bamboos about 5 feet from the ground. It was +a tolerably compact, moderately deep, saucer-shaped nest, between 6 +and 7 inches in diameter, composed of dead bamboo-sheaths and leaves +bound together with creepers and herbaceous stems, and thinly lined +with roots. It contained two eggs. These are rather broad ovals, +somewhat pointed towards one end, of a uniform pale greenish blue, and +are fairly glossy. + +These eggs measured 1·33 and 1·30 in length, and 0·98 in breadth. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species, both taken in Native +Sikhim, the one on the 4th, the other on the 20th July. Each contained +two fresh eggs. One was placed in a small tree in heavy jungle, at +a height of about 6 feet from the ground, the other in a clump of +bamboos a, foot lower. Both are large, coarse, saucer-shaped nests, +7 to 8 inches in diameter, and 3·5 to 4 in height externally; the +cavities are about 4·5 inches in diameter, and less than 2 in depth; +the basal portion of the nests is composed entirely of dry leaves, +chiefly those of the bamboo, loosely held together by a few stems of +creepers; the sides of the nest are stems of creepers wound round and +round and loosely intertwined, and the cavity is lined with rather +coarse rootlets, and in one case with fine twigs. + +73. Garrulax moniliger (Hodgs.). _The Necklaced Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax moniliger (_Hodgs.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 40; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 413. + +Of the Necklaced Laughing-Thrush Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured both +this and the last (the Black-gorgeted Laughing-Thrush) at Darjeeling, +and have also seen one or both in Sylhet, Cachar, and Upper Burmah. +They both associate in large flocks, and frequent more open forest +than most of the previous species. The eggs are greenish blue." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of June I found a +nest in low jungle, at 2000 feet, containing four greenish-blue eggs, +but, as I did not see the bird, left it until my return a week later. +I then saw the female, but in the interval the young had been hatched. +The nest closely resembled that of _D. caerulatus_ [p. 46], both in +shape and composition, and was similarly situated between several +upright slender shoots to which it was firmly attached. It was, +however, within five feet of the ground, which is lower by 5 feet or +so than _D. caerulatus_ generally builds. + +"I have found this species breeding from April to June, up to +elevations not much exceeding 2500 feet. It affects the low, dense +scrub growing in moist situations, and usually fixes its nest between +several upright sprays, within 5 or 6 feet of the ground. The nest +is cup-shaped, made of dry bamboo-leaves, intermixed with a very few +pieces of climber-stems, and thickly lined with old leaf-stalks of +some pinnate-leaved tree. Externally it measures about 5·5 inches in +diameter by 4 in height; internally 3·5 by 2·75. + +"The eggs are four or five in number." + +Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 27th April I shot a female in the Pegu +Hills off her nest. This latter contained one young one, and one +deformed egg, which unfortunately got broken; colour a deep blue. +The nest was placed in a small seedling bamboo about 6 feet from the +ground at a joint where a number of small twigs shot out, inverted +umbrella fashion. The nest in every respect closely resembled that of +_G. pectoralis_." + +He subsequently remarked:--"Breeds in Lower Pegu chiefly in July. +Average of six eggs, 1·16 by ·88; colour, very glossy deep blue. +Nest placed in forks of saplings within reach of the hand, massive, +cup-shaped, and made of dead leaves and small branches; lined with +fine twigs. Outside diameter 7 inches and depth 4; interior 4¼ by 2." + +A nest found below Darjeeling in the first week of June on the branch +of a good-sized tree, at a height of 12 feet from the ground, was +similar to that described by Mr. Gammie, and contained a single fresh +egg. This is a moderately broad oval, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and exhibits very little gloss. It is of precisely the same +colour as those of the preceding species, but measures only 1·2 in +length by 0·9 in breadth. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Between the 25th +March and 28th April I found at least twenty nests of this bird. They +were broad, shallow cups of roots and twigs, lined with fine black +grass-roots, and placed at heights varying from 4 to 10 feet above +the ground, invariably in the forks of low bamboo. The number of eggs +varied from 3 to 5; blue in colour, and fairly glossy." + +Numerous nests from Sikhim, Pegu, and Tenasserim are all of precisely +the same type as described by Mr. Gammie; but some are fully 7 inches +in external diameter, and in several the cavity is at least 4 inches +in diameter. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie vary very much in size +and shape, and somewhat in colour. Some are considerably elongated +ovals, with a marked pyriform tendency. Others are particularly broad +ovals for this class of egg. The shell is fine and compact, and as a +rule they seem to have a fine gloss; but one or two specimens almost +want this. In colour they are a pale, clear, slightly greenish blue, +unspotted and unmarked. In length they vary from 1·01 to 1·13, and in +breadth from 0·81 to 0·9, but the average of thirteen is 1·07 by 0·85. + + +76. Garrulax albigularis (Gould). _The White-throated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax albogularis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 411. + +The White-throated Laughing-Thrush breeds throughout the lower +southern ranges of the Himalayas from Assam to Afghanistan at +elevations of from 4000 to nearly 8000 feet. They lay from the +commencement of April to the end of June. The nest varies in shape +from a moderately deep cup to a broad shallow saucer, and from 5 to 7 +or even 8 inches in external diameter, and from less than 2 to nearly +4 inches in depth internally. Coarse grass, flags, creepers, dead +leaves, moss, moss- and grass-roots, all at times enter more or less +largely into the composition of the nest, which, though sometimes +wholly unlined, is often neatly cushioned with red and black fern and +moss-roots. The nests are placed in small bushes, shrubs, or trees, at +heights of from 3 to 10 feet, sometimes in forks, but more often, +I think, on low horizontal branches, between two or three upright +shoots. + +Three is, I think, the regular complement of eggs, and this is the +number I have always found when the eggs were much incubated. I have +not myself observed that this species breeds in company, nor can I +ever remember to have taken two nests within 100 yards of each other. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is very common in Mussoorie at all +seasons, and congregates into large and noisy flocks, turning up the +dead leaves, and screaming and chattering together in most discordant +concert. It breeds in April and May, placing the nest in the forks of +young oaks and other trees, about 7 or 8 feet from the ground, +though sometimes higher, and fastening the sides of it firmly to the +supporting twigs by tendrils of climbing-plants. It is sometimes +composed externally almost entirely of such woody tendrils, intermixed +with a few other twigs, and lined with black hair-like fibres of +mosses and lichens; at other times it is externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves of different kinds of orchids, and lined with +fibres, the materials varying with the locality. The eggs are of a +deep and beautiful green, shining as if recently varnished, and three +in number. In shape they taper somewhat suddenly to the smaller end, +which may almost be termed obtusely pointed. The size 1·19 by 0·87 +inch. The usual number of eggs is three, though sometimes only one or +two are found; but only on one occasion out of more than a dozen nests +have I found four eggs. The old bird will remain on the nest until +within reach of the hand." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This was the most +beautiful egg taken this season, being of a rich, deep, glossy, +greenish-blue colour. The nest is composed of fresh ivy-twigs, with +the leaves attached, tightly woven together. The birds breed on small +trees, not high up, at the end of a branch. While their nests were +being examined, they came round in flocks to see what was happening, +chattering and making that peculiar laughing note from which this +genus takes its name. They are even gregarious in the breeding-season, +and all the nests were found pretty near each other about 6000 feet +up." + +The nest sent me by Colonel Marshall is a broad, shallow cup, or +saucer as I should perhaps call it, some 6 inches in diameter, with +a central depression of at most 1·5 inch, below which the nest is +an inch or 1·5 in thickness. It is very loosely put together, and +composed interiorly of moderately fine dry twigs and roots, but +exteriorly it is completely wound round with slender green ivy-twigs +to which the leaves are attached. It has no lining or pretence for +such. + +Captain Cock says:--"The White-throated Laughing-Thrush lays one of +the most lovely eggs with which I am acquainted. The nest is usually +low, never more than 10 feet or so from the ground; and of some +fifteen or more nests that I have taken, all were constructed of long +stalks of the ground-ivy, twisted round and round into a wreath. The +nest is not a deep cup; if anything it is rather shallow, but it +is very wide. I always found these nests in thick forest, at high +elevations from 6000 to 7000 feet. The birds used to sit close, and +when put off their nests would commence their outcries, and from all +parts they would assemble and flit about almost within reach of one's +hand, making an awful noise, and in the dark shade of the forest their +white gorgets had quite a ghostly look. The eggs are always three in +number, of a beautiful shining blue-green, sometimes of a very long +oval type. I have found the nests at Murree from the 3rd May to quite +the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writing of this species says:--"A nest found +at Nynee Tal on Ayar Pata, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained +two fresh eggs on the 31st May. The eggs were of a rich deep greenish +blue, unspotted. The nest was a scanty and loosely-built structure, +composed of roots and stems of grass and creepers, cup-shaped, rather +shallow, and lined with a curious black creeper, very like coarse +hair. The birds were gregarious even though breeding, and were moving +about the underwood in parties of three to five. The nest was near the +top of an oak-sapling in a dense coppice, placed close against the +stem in a bunch of leaves at the top. The only difficulty in finding +it lay in the scantiness of the structure rather than in the +concealment by the foliage. The bird was on the nest and only moved +off about 3 feet, sitting close by and chattering indignantly during +my inspection. They are noisy birds, constantly on the move, and +their notes, though rather harsh, are very varied and quite +_conversational_." + +The eggs are long, and pointed at the small end, to which they +sometimes taper much. They are very glossy, and vary from a deep dull +blue (the blue of a dark oil-paint, very much deeper than that of any +other of the Crateropodinae with which I am acquainted) to a deep +intense greenish blue. Possibly other as deeply coloured eggs occur +in this family, but I have seen none like them. They are of course +entirely unspotted. + +In length they vary from 1·16 to 1·25, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·86; but the average of some twenty eggs measured is 1·22 by 0·83. + + +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (Vig.). _The White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ocellatus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 41; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 414. + +I know nothing personally of the nidification of the White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush, which breeds nowhere, so far as I know, west +of Nepal, but I had a nest with a couple of eggs and one of the +parent-birds sent me from Darjeeling. The nest was taken in May in one +of the low warm valleys leading to the Great Runjeet, and is said to +have been placed close to the ground in a thick clump of fern and +grass. The nest is chiefly composed of these, intermingled with moss +and roots, and is a large loose structure some 7 inches in diameter. + +Mr. Blyth remarked in 'The Ibis' (1867) that this species was "surely +a _Trochalopteron_ rather than a _Garrulax_," and the eggs seem to +confirm this view. These are long, cylindrical ovals, very obtuse even +at the smaller end. They are about the same size as those of _Garrulax +albigularis_, with a very delicate pale blue ground and little or no +gloss. One egg is spotless; the other has a few chocolate-brown specks +or spots towards the large end. They measure 1·18 by 0·86 and 1·25 by +0·85. + + +80. Ianthocincla rufigularis, Gould. _The Rufous-chinned +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron rufogulare (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 47; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 421. + +Common as this species is about Simla, I have never yet secured the +nest, and know nothing certain about the eggs. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species appears usually in pairs, +sometimes in a family of four or five. It breeds in May, in which +month I took a nest, at about 6500 feet elevation, in a retired and +wooded glen; it was composed of small twigs externally and lined with +the fine black fibres of lichens. The nest was placed on a horizontal +bough, about 7 feet from the ground, and contained three pure white +eggs. Size 1·12 by 0·69; shape ordinary. The stomach of the old bird +contained sand, seed, and the remains of wasps." + +One egg that I possess of this species I owe to Captain Hutton, and +it is of the _Pomatorhinus_ type--a long oval, slightly pointed pure +white egg, with but little gloss, measuring 1·08 by 0·75. + +From Sikhim a nest, said to belong to this species, has been recently +sent me. It was found below Darjeeling in July, and was placed in +a double fork of the branchlets of a medium-sized tree. It is a +moderately deep cup, composed almost entirely of dry, coarser and +finer, tendrils of creepers, and is lined with a some black moss-roots +and a few scraps of dead leaves. It contained three fresh eggs. + +Numerous nests of this species subsequently sent me from Sikhim are +all of the same type, all moderately deep cups composed entirely of +creeper-tendrils, the cavity only being lined with fine black roots. +They appear from the specimens before me to be quite _sui generis_ and +unlike those of any of its congeners. No grass, no dead leaves, no +moss seems to be employed; nothing but the tendrils of some creeper. +The nests appear to be always placed at the fork, where three, four, +or more shoots diverge, and to be generally more or less like inverted +cones, measuring say 4 to 5 inches in height, and about the same in +breadth at the top, while the cavities are about 3 inches in diameter +and 1·5 to 2 in depth. The nests appear to have been found at very +varying heights from the ground from 5 to 15 feet, and at elevations +of from 3000 to 5000 feet. They appear to have contained three fresh +or more or less incubated eggs. + +The eggs were found in Sikhim on different dates between 25th May and +8th September. + +Exceptional as the coloration of the eggs of this species may seem, +there is no doubt that they are pure white. The shell is thin and +fragile, but has generally a decided gloss, and the eggs are +typically elongated ovals, obtuse-ended, and more or less pyriform or +cylindrical. The eggs vary from 0·92 to 1·13 in length, and from 0·75 +to 0·8 in breadth, but the average of eleven eggs is 1·06 by 0·77 +nearly. + + +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (Vig.). _The Red-headed +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron erythrocephalum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 415. + +From Kumaon westwards, at any rate as far as the valley of the Beas, +the Red-headed Laughing-Thrush is, next to _T. lineatum_, the most +common species of the genus. It lays in May and June, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 feet, building on low branches of trees, at a height +of from 3 to 10 feet from, the ground. + +The nests are composed chiefly of dead leaves bound round into a deep +cup with delicate fronds of ferns and coarse and fine grass, the +cavities being scantily lined with fine grass and moss-roots. It is +difficult by any description to convey an adequate idea of the beauty +of some of these nests--the deep red-brown of the withered ferns, +the black of the grass- and moss-roots, the pale yellow of the broad +flaggy grass, and the straw-yellow of some of the finer grass-stems, +all blended together into an artistic wreath, in the centre of which +the beautiful sky-blue and maroon-spotted eggs repose. Externally the +nests may average about 6 inches in diameter, but the egg-cavity is +comparatively large and very regular, measuring about 3½ inches across +and fully 2¼ inches in depth. Some nests of course are less regular +and artistic in their appearance, but, as a rule, those of this +species are particularly beautiful. + +The eggs vary from two to four in number. + +Sir E.C. Buck sent me the following note:-- + +"I found a nest of this species near Narkunda (about 30 miles north of +Simla) on the 26th June. It was placed on the branch of a banj tree, +some 8 feet from the ground, and contained two eggs, half set. Nest +and eggs forwarded." + +Dr. Jerdon says that Shore, as quoted by Gould in his 'Century,' says +that "it is by no means uncommon in Kumaon, where it frequents shady +ravines, building in hollows and their precipitous sides, and making +its nest of small sticks and grasses, the eggs being five in number, +of a sky-blue colour." But Shore, as the showman would say, is, so far +as eggs and nests are concerned, "a fabulous writer," and the eggs +are always more or less spotted, and no nest that I ever saw of this +species was composed of "small sticks." + +Mr. Blyth says:--"Mr. Hodgson figures a green egg, spotted much like +that of _Turdus musicus_, as that of the present species;" but in all +Hodgson's drawings this _green_ represents a _greenish blue_, as I +have tested in dozens of cases. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I found a nest of this species on +the 15th May at Nynee Tal on the top of Ayar Pata, at an elevation of +about 7500 feet above the sea. The nest was a rather deep cup, neatly +made and placed about 5 feet from the ground amongst the outer twigs +of a thick barberry bush, the leaves of which entirely concealed it. +It was composed of a thick layer of dead oak- and rhododendron-leaves, +bound round outside with just enough of grass-stems and moss to +keep the leaves in place; it had no lining of any description. The +egg-cavity was 3½ inches broad by nearly 2½ inches deep. The eggs, two +in number, were blue, with a few spots, streaks, and scrawls of brown +tending to form a zone at the larger end. They were large for the +size of the bird. The ground-colour was like that of the eggs of a +Song-Thrush in England. + +"Several more nests found subsequently with eggs up to 4th June were +similar in structure, but placed in small oak trees from 5 to 15 or 18 +feet from the ground. + +"I found a nest of this species containing a single hard-set egg on +the 17th August; both parent-birds were by the nest; this is unusually +late, the chief breeding-month being June." + +The eggs are very long ovals, of a delicate pale greenish-blue +ground-colour, with a few spots, streaks, and streaky blotches of a +very rich though slightly brownish red at the large end. These eggs, +though somewhat longer in shape and less freely marked, are exactly +of the same type as those of _T. cachinnans_ and _T. variegatum_. The +texture of the shell is very fine and compact, and they have a slight +gloss. In some eggs the spottings are more numerous, and, besides the +primary markings already mentioned, a few purple spots and blotches, +mostly very pale, are intermingled with the darker markings. In almost +all the eggs that I have seen the markings were absolutely confined to +the larger end. + +In length the eggs vary from 1·15 to 1·22, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·86; but the average is about 1·2 by 0·82. + + +85. Trochalopterum nigrimentum, Hodgs. _The Western Yellow-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron chrysopterum (_Gould), apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 416. + +The Western Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush breeds, so far as is yet +known, only in Nepal, Sikhim, and Bhootan, from all which localities +we have quite young birds, but no eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The eggs are greenish blue, in a nest neatly made +with roots and moss." This, of course, is wrong, as the eggs are now +well known to be spotted. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"The Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds from April to June at elevations from 5500 feet upwards. It +prefers scrubby jungle, and places its nest in bushes about six feet +or so from the ground. It is a broad, cup-shaped structure, neatly and +strongly made of fine twigs and dry grass-leaves, lined with roots and +with a few strings of green moss wound round the outside. Externally, +it measures about 6 inches wide, and 4½ deep; internally 3¼ by 2½. + +"The eggs are usually three in number." + +Six nests of this species found between the 4th May and 2nd July in +Native and British Sikhim were sent me by Mr. Mandelli. They were +placed in small trees or dense bushes at heights of from 3 to 8 feet, +and contained in some cases two, and in others three fresh or fully +incubated eggs, so that sometimes the bird only lays two eggs. Three +nests were also sent me by Mr. Gammie, taken in the neighbourhood of +the Sikhim Cinchona-Plantations. All are precisely of the same type, +all constructed with the same materials, but owing to the different +proportions in which these are used some of the nests at first sight +seem to differ widely from others. Some also are a good deal bigger +than others, but all are massive, deep cups, varying from 5·25 to 6·5 +inches in diameter, and from 3 to fully 4 in height externally; the +cavities vary from 3 to 3·5 in diameter, and from 2 to 2·5 in depth. +The body of the nests is composed of grass; the cavity is lined first +with dry leaves, and then thickly or thinly with black fibrous roots. +Externally the nest is more or less bound together by creepers and +stems of herbaceous plants. Sometimes only a few strings of moss and a +few sprays of _Selaginella_ are to be seen on the outside of the nest; +while, on the other hand, in some nests the entire outer surface is +completely covered over with green moss, not only on the sides, but +on the upper margin, so as to conceal completely the rest of the +materials of the nest, and in all the nine nests before me the extent +to which the moss is used varies. + +The eggs of this species are typically somewhat elongated ovals, some +are much pointed towards the small end, others are somewhat pyriform, +and others again are subcylindrical. The shell is fine and soft, but +has only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour, which varies +very little in shade, is a delicate pale, slightly greenish blue, +almost precisely the same colour as that of _Trochalopterum +erythrocephalum_. The eggs are sparingly (in fact, almost exclusively +about the large end) marked with deep chocolate. These markings are +in some spots and blotches, but in many assume the form of thicker or +thinner hieroglyphic lines. As a rule, three fourths of the egg is +spotless, occasionally a single speck or spot occurs towards the small +end of the egg. One or two eggs are almost spotless. In length the +eggs vary from 1·1 to 1·23, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·87, but the +average of sixteen eggs is 1·17 nearly by 0·82. + + +87. Trochalopterum phoeniceum (Gould). _The Crimson-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron phoeniceum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 422. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have found altogether seven nests of the +Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush in and about Rishap, at elevations +between 4000 and 5000 feet, and on various dates between the 4th and +23rd May. The locality chosen for the nest is in some moist forest +amongst dense undergrowth. It is placed in shrubs, at heights of from +6 to 10 feet from the ground, and is generally suspended between +several upright stems, to which it is firmly attached by fibres. It is +chiefly composed of dry bamboo-leaves and a few twigs, and lined with +black fibres and moss-roots. A few strings of moss are twisted round +it externally to aid in concealing it. It is a moderately deep cup, +measuring externally about 5 inches in diameter and 4 inches in +height, and internally 3½ inches in width and 2 inches in depth. + +"The eggs are almost always three in number, but occasionally only +two. Of the seven nests taken by me, five contained eggs and two young +birds." + +The Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5000 feet, during the +months of April, May, and June. The nest is placed in the fork of some +thick bush or small tree, where three or four sprays divide, at from 2 +to 5 feet above the ground. The nest is a very deep compact cup. One +measured _in situ_ was 4·5 inches in diameter and the same in height +externally, while the cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 2·25 +deep. It was very compact and was composed of dry leaves, creepers, +grass-flowers, and vegetable fibres, more or less lined with +moss-roots and coated externally with dry bamboo-leaves. They lay, we +are told, three or four eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs said to be of this bird were +brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest made of roots and grass, and the +eggs, three in number, pale blue, with a few narrow and wavy dusky +streaks." + +The eggs are singularly lovely. In shape they are elongated ovals, +generally very obtuse at both ends, and many of them exhibiting +cylindrical or pyriform tendencies. The shell is very fine and fairly +glossy, and the ground-colour is a most beautiful clear pale sea-green +in some, greenish blue in others. The character of the markings +is more that of the Buntings than of this family. There are a few +strongly marked deep maroon, generally more or less angular, spots or +dashes, principally about the large end, and there are a few spots +and tiny clouds of pale soft purple, and then there are an infinite +variety of hair-line hieroglyphics, twisted and scrawled in brownish +or reddish purple, about the egg. The markings are nowhere as a rule +crowded, and towards the small end are usually sparse and occasionally +wholly wanting. In some eggs a bad pen seems to have been used to +scribble the pattern, and every here and there instead of a fine +hair-line there is a coarse thick one. + +The eggs are pretty constant in size and colour, but here and there +an abnormally pale specimen, in which the green has almost entirely +disappeared, is met with. In length they vary from 0·98 to 1·15, and +in breadth from 0·7 to 0·82, but the average of thirty-one eggs is +1·04 by 0·74. + + +88. Trochalopterum subunicolor, Hodgs. _The Plain-coloured +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron subunicolor, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 44; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 417. + +The Olivaceous or Plain-coloured Laughing-Thrush breeds, according +to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the central region of Nepal from April to +June. It nests in open forests and groves, building its nest on some +low branch of a tree, 2 or 3 feet from the ground, between a number of +twigs. The nest is large and cup-shaped: one measured externally 5·5 +inches in diameter and 3·38 in height; internally 2·75 deep and 3·12 +in diameter. The nest is composed externally of grass and mosses +lined with soft bamboo-leaves. Three or four eggs are laid, unspotted +greenish blue. One is figured as 1·07 by 0·7. + + +90. Trochalopterum variegatum (Vig.). _The Eastern Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron variegatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 45; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 418 (part). + +The Eastern Variegated Laughing-Thrush breeds only at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet, from Simla to Nepal, during the latter +half of April, May, and June. The nest is a pretty compact, rather +shallow cup, composed exteriorly of coarse grass, in which a few +dead leaves are intermingled; it has no lining, but the interior is +composed of rather finer and softer grass than the exterior, and +a good number of dry needle-like fir-leaves are used towards the +interior. It is from 5 to 8 inches in diameter exteriorly, and the +cavity from 3 inches to 3·5 in diameter and about 2 inches deep. The +nest is usually placed in some low, densely-foliaged branch of a tree, +at say from 3 to 8 feet from the ground; but I recently obtained one +placed in a thick tuft of grass, growing at the roots of a young +Deodar, not above 6 inches from the ground. They lay four or five +eggs. + +The first egg that I obtained of this species, sent me by Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., and taken by himself near Narkunda, late in June, out of +a nest containing two eggs and two young ones, was a nearly perfect, +rather long oval, and precisely the same type of egg as those of _T. +erythrocephalum_ and _T. cachinnans_, but considerably smaller than +the former. The ground-colour is a pale, rather dingy greenish blue, +and it is blotched, spotted, and speckled, almost exclusively at the +larger end, and even there not very thickly, with reddish brown. +The egg appeared to have but little gloss. Other eggs subsequently +obtained by myself were very similar, but slightly larger and rather +more thickly and boldly blotched, the majority of the markings being +still at the large end. + +The colour of the markings varies a good deal: a liver-red is perhaps +the most common, but yellowish brown, pale purple, purplish red, and +brownish red also occur. Here and there an egg is met with almost +entirely devoid of markings, with perhaps only one moderately large +spot and a dozen specks, and these so deep a red as to be all but +black. + +The eggs vary from 1·07 to 1·15 in length, and from 0·76 to 0·82 in +breadth. + + +91. Trochalopterum simile, Hume. _The Western Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum simile, _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 418 bis. + +Messrs. Cock and Marshall write from Murree:--"The nidification of +this _Trochalopterum_ was apparently unknown before. We found one nest +on the 15th June, about twenty feet up a spruce-fir at the extremity +of the bough. Nest deep, cup-shaped, solidly built of grass, roots, +and twigs; the bird sits close. Eggs light greenish blue, sparingly +spotted with pale purple, the same size as those of _Merula +castanea_." + + +92. Trochalopterum squamatum (Gould). _The Blue-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron squamatum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 46; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 420. + +From Sikhim my friend Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have never as yet found +more than one nest of the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush, and this one +was found on the 18th May at Mongphoo, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet. The nest was placed in a bush (one of the _Zingiberaceae_), +growing in a marshy place, in the midst of dense scrub, at a height +of about 4 feet from the ground, and was firmly attached to several +upright stems. It was composed of dry bamboo-leaves, held together by +the stems of delicate creepers, and was lined with a few black fibres. +It was cup-shaped, and measured externally 5·7 in diameter by 3·6 +in height, and internally 3·7 in width by 2·6 in depth. The nest +contained three eggs, which were unfortunately almost ready to hatch +off, so that three is probably the normal number of the eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds in May and June in the central region of Nepal in forests, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. The nest is placed in a fork of +a branch on some small tree, and is a large mass of dry leaves and +coarse dry grass, 7 or 8 inches in diameter externally, mortar-shaped, +the cavity about 2·5 deep, and lined with hair-like fibres. The nest, +though composed of loose materials, is very firm and compact. They lay +four or five eggs, unspotted, verditer-blue, one of which is figured +as a broad regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one end, +measuring 1·2 by 0·9. + +One of the eggs taken by Mr. Gammie (the others were unfortunately +broken) is a long, almost cylindrical, oval, very obtuse at both ends +and slightly compressed towards the smaller end, so that the egg has +a pyriform tendency. It measures 1·25 by 0·82. The colour is an +excessively pale greenish blue, precisely the same as that of the eggs +of _Sturnia malabarica_; but then this present egg was nearly ready to +hatch off when taken, and the fresh eggs are somewhat deeper coloured. + +Subsequent to his letter above quoted, Mr. Gammie on the 10th June +found a second nest of this species similar to the first, containing +three nearly fresh eggs. These are similar in shape to that above +described, but in colour are a beautiful clear verditer-blue, +altogether a much brighter and richer tint than that of the first. +They measure 1·2 and 1·25 by 0·88. + +One nest was taken by Mr. Gammie above Mongphoo at an elevation of +about 4500 feet on the 30th of April. It was placed in a bush at a +height of about 6 feet from the ground, and contained three fresh +eggs. It was a loosely put together, massive cup, some 7 inches in +diameter and 4 in height externally. It was composed mainly of +fine twigs, creeper-stems, and grass, with a few bamboo-leaves +intermingled, and the cavity was carefully lined with bamboo-leaves, +and then within that thinly with black fibrous roots; the cavity +measured 3·7 inches in diameter and 2·3 in depth. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have now received many, appear to +be typically somewhat elongated ovals, and not unfrequently they are +more or less pyriform or even cylindrical. As a rule, they are fairly +glossy, a bright pale, somewhat greenish blue, quite spotless, and +varying a little in tint. In length they appear to vary from 1·11 to +1·25, and in breadth from 0·82 to 0·91; but the average of eleven eggs +is 1·2 by 0·87. + + +93. Trochalopterum cachinnans (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron cachinnans (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 423. + +The Nilghiri Laughing-Thrush breeds, according to my many informants, +throughout the more elevated portions of the mountains from which it +derives its trivial name, from February to the beginning of June. + +A nest of this species sent me by Mr. H.R.P. Carter, who took it +at Coonoor on April 22nd (when it contained two fresh eggs), is +externally a rather coarse clumsy structure, composed of roots, dead +leaves, small twigs, and a little lichen, about 5 inches in diameter, +and standing about 4½ inches high. The egg-cavity is, however, very +regularly shaped, and neatly lined with very fine grass-stems and a +little fine tow-like vegetable fibre. It is a deep cup, measuring 2½ +inches across and fully 3¾ inches in depth. + +A nest taken by Miss Cockburn was a much more compact structure, +placed between four or five twigs. It was composed of coarse grass, +dead and skeleton leaves, a very little lichen, and a quantity of +moss. The egg-cavity was lined with very fine grass. The nest was +externally about 5½ inches in diameter and nearly 6 inches in height, +but the egg-cavity had a diameter of only about 2½ inches and was only +about 2¼ inches deep. + +It was Jerdon, I believe, who gave the name of Laughing-Thrushes to +this group, and this name is applicable enough to this particular +bird, the one with which he was most familiar, for it does +_laugh_--albeit, a most maniacal laugh; but the majority of the group +have not the shadow of a giggle even in them, and should have been +designated "Screaming Squabblers." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., says:--"This bird breeds from February to May. +I have found the nests all over the Nilghiris, at elevations of from +4500 to 7500 feet above the sea. The nest is placed indiscriminately +in any bush or tree that happens to take the bird's fancy, at heights +of from 3 to 12 feet from the ground. + +"In shape it is circular, a deep cup, externally some 6 inches in +diameter and 5 or 6 inches in height, and with a cavity 3 to 4 inches +wide and often fully 4 inches in depth. The nest is composed of moss +and small twigs, at times of grass mingled with some spiders' webs: +sometimes there is a foundation of dead leaves. The cavity is lined +with fur, cotton-wool, feathers, &c. + +"The eggs are two or three in number." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_T. cachinnans_ breeds about +May, and lays from three to five oval eggs. The ground is bluish, with +ash-coloured and brown spots and blotches, and occasionally marks." +None of my other correspondents, however, admit that the bird ever +lays more than three eggs. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this bird breeds commonly on the Nilghiris, +just before the rains set in, in May and the earlier part of June, but +it occasionally breeds earlier (in April) or later (in the latter +end of June). The nest is cup-shaped, composed of dead leaves, moss, +grass, &c., and lined with a few moss-roots or fine grass. It is +placed in the fork of a branch about 6 or 8 feet from the ground. The +eggs are a bluish green, mottled chiefly towards the larger end, and +sometimes also streaked with purplish brown. The normal number of eggs +is two; sometimes, however, three are laid." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The name 'Laughing-Thrush' +is most applicable to this bird, and its notes are often mistaken for +the sound of the human voice. This bird is very shy, except when its +nest contains eggs or young, when it becomes extremely bold. I was +quite surprised to see a pair whose nest I was taking come so close +as to induce me to put out my hand to catch them. The Laughing-Thrush +builds a pretty, though large, nest, and generally selects the forked +branches of a thick bush, and commences its nest with a large quantity +of moss, after which there is a lining of fine grass and roots, and +the withered fibrous covering of the Peruvian Cherry (_Physalis +peruviana_), the nest being finished with a few feathers, in general +belonging to the bird. The inside of the nest is perfectly round, and +rarely contains more than two eggs, belonging to the owner. The eggs +are of a beautiful greenish-blue colour, with a few large and small +brown blotches and streaks, mostly at the large end. I have found the +nests of these birds in February, March, and April. Occasionally the +Black-and-white Crested Cuckoo, which appears on these hills in the +month of March, deposits its eggs (two in number) in the nest of +this Thrush. They are easily distinguished, as their colour is quite +different from the Thrush's eggs, being entirely dark bluish green." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It builds a very neat nest of moss, dried leaves, and the +outer husk of the fruit of the Brazil Cherry, lined with feathers, +bits of fur, and other soft substances. The nest is cup-shaped, and +generally contains three eggs, most peculiarly marked with blotches, +streaks, and wavy lines of a dark claret-colour on a light blue +ground. The markings are almost always at the larger end." + +The first specimens that I obtained of the eggs of this species were +kindly sent to me by the late Captain Mitchell and Mr. H.R.P. Carter +of Madras; they were taken on the Nilghiris. They are moderately broad +ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end, larger than the average eggs +of _T. lineatum_, and about the same size as large specimens of the +eggs of _Crateropus canorus_ and _Argya malcolmi_. The ground-colour +is of a delicate pale blue, and towards the large end, and sometimes +over the whole surface, they are speckled, spotted, and blotched, but +only sparingly, with brownish red and blackish brown, and amongst +these markings a few cloudy streaks and spots of dull faint reddish +purple are observable. The eggs have not much gloss. + +Numerous other specimens subsequently received from Miss Cockburn +and others correspond well with the above description. More or less +pyriform varieties are common. In some eggs the markings are almost +entirely wanting, there being only a very faint brownish-pink +freckling at the large end; and in many eggs, even some that are +profusely spotted all over, the markings consist only of darker or +lighter brownish-pink shades. Occasionally a few, almost black, +twisted lines are intermingled with the other markings, and in these +cases the lines are frequently surrounded by a reddish-purple nimbus. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·92 to 1·08, and in breadth from 0·74 to +0·8, but the average of twenty eggs measured was 1·0 by 0·76. + + +96. Trochalopterum fairbanki, Blanf. _The Palni Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum fairbanki, _Blanf., Hume, Cat._ no. 423 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, the discoverer of this species, found its nest +at Kodai Kanal, in the Palni Hills, in May. The nest was placed in +the crotch of a tree, at about 10 feet from the ground, and at an +elevation of nearly 6500 feet above the level of the sea. The eggs +are moderately elongated ovals, with a fine, fairly glossy shell. The +ground is pale greenish blue or bluish green; the markings are spots, +small blotches, hair-lines, and hieroglyphic-like scrawls, rather +thinly scattered about the surface, and varying in colour through +several shades of brownish and reddish purple to bright claret-colour. + +The only egg I have measures 1 inch in length by 0·8 inch in breadth. + + +99. Trochalopterum lineatum (Vig.). _The Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron lineatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 50; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 425[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the note on _T. imbricatum_ in the 'Rough Draft,' +because, as I have shown in the 'Birds of India,' this bird was +unknown to Hodgson, and his note refers to _T. lineatum_. Sufficient +is now known about the nidification of this latter to render the +insertion of Hodgson's note unnecessary.--ED.] + +Next to the Common House-Sparrow, the Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush is perhaps the most familiar bird about our houses +at all the hill-stations of the Himalayas westward of Nepal and +throughout the lower ranges on which these stations are situated; this +species breeds at elevations of from 5000 to 8000 feet. + +It lays from the end of April to the beginning of September, and very +possibly occasionally even earlier and later. I took a nest on the +29th April near Mussoorie; Mr. Brooks obtained eggs in May and June at +Almorah; Colonel G.F.L. Marshall at Mussoorie in July and August; and +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall at Murree from May to the end of July. I again +took them in July and August near Simla, and Captain Beavan found them +as late as the 6th of September near the same station. + +So far as my own experience goes, the nests are always placed in +very thick bushes or in low thick branches of some tree, the Deodar +appearing to be a great favourite. Those I found averaged about 4 feet +from the ground, but I took a single one in a Deodar tree fully 8 feet +up. The bird, as a rule, conceals its nest so well that, though a +loose and, for the size of the architect, a large structure, it is +difficult to find, even when one closely examines the bush in which it +is. The nest is nearly circular, with a deep cup-like cavity in the +centre, reminding one much of that of _Crateropus canorus_, and is +constructed of dry grass and the fine stems of herbaceous plants, +often intermingled with the bark of some fibrous plant, with a +considerable number of dead leaves interwoven in the fabric, +especially towards the base. The cavity is neatly lined with fine +grass-roots, or occasionally very fine grass. The cavity varies from 3 +inches to 3·5 in diameter, and from 2·25 inches to 2·75 in depth; the +walls immediately surrounding the cavity are very compact, but the +compact portion rarely exceeds from ·75 to 1 inch in thickness, beyond +which the loose ends of the material straggle more or less, so that +the external diameter varies from 5·5 inches to nearly 10. + +The normal number of eggs appears to me to be three, although Captain +Beavan cites an instance of four being found. + +Captain Hutton tells us (J.A.S.B. xvii.) that in the neighbourhood of +Mussoorie "this bird is met with in pairs, sometimes in a family of +four or five, and may be seen under every bush. The nest is placed +near the ground, in the midst of some thick low bush, or on the side +of a bank amidst overhanging coarse grass, and not unfrequently in +exposed and well-frequented places; it is loosely and rather slovenly +constructed of coarse dry grasses and stalks externally, lined +sometimes with fine grass, sometimes with fine roots. The eggs are +three in number, and in shape and size exceedingly variable, being +sometimes of an ordinary oval, at others nearly round." + +From Almorah and Nynee Tal my friend Mr. Brooks writes to me "that +this bird is common everywhere. The nest is generally placed in a low +tree or bush where the foliage is thick. It is composed of grass, and +lined with finer grass. The eggs are three in number, one inch and one +line long by nine lines broad. They are of a light greenish blue, +the tint being much the same as that of the eggs of _Acridotheres +tristis_. They lay from the commencement of May to the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells me that "the Streaked Laughing-Thrush is +very common at Mussoorie, where it is called by the public the Robin +of India. It breeds in July and August all about Landour. The nest is +cup-shaped, rather shallow, and loosely put together, made of grass +and fibre with some moss and a few dead leaves twisted into it; it +is placed in a low bush or else on the ground concealed among the +grass-roots on the hill-side. The eggs, three or four in number, are +oval, rather large for the bird, and of a pure light-blue colour +without spots. I took eggs on the 26th and 28th July and on the 16th +August." + +Sir E.C. Buck writes:--"At Mutianee, three marches north of Simla, +I found on the 28th June a nest in a bush on the side of a scantily +'jungled' hill. It was 2 feet from the ground, constructed of grass +and stalks externally, and lined with fibrous roots. It contained +three fresh eggs. The nest measured--exterior diameter 6 inches, +height exteriorly 4 inches; the interior diameter was 3 inches, and +the depth of the cavity 2 inches." + +The late Captain Beavan tells us that "on the 16th of August, 1866, I +found a nest in the garden, in a rose-bush, with four pale blue eggs +in it, like those of _Acridotheres tristis_. The nest is a large +structure, firmly built of dry twigs, bark, sticks, ferns, and roots. +Another nest, with three eggs only, was found in a thick clump of +everlasting peas close to the ground on the 6th of September. The +female sat very close, and this may have been the second nest of the +same pair that built the nest mentioned above, as it was built not far +from the first." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Being at Landour for a few days in May I +chanced on a nest of this bird, perhaps the commonest in the hills. It +was placed under an overhanging bush on the side of Lal Tiba hill, and +_on the ground_, being constructed rather loosely of pieces of +the withered stem of some creeper, intertwined with a quantity of +oak-leaves, and lined with grass-roots." + +The eggs, of which I must have seen some hundreds, as this is the +commonest Laughing-Thrush about both Mussoorie and Simla, are +typically regular and moderately broad ovals. Abnormally elongated, +spherical, and pyriform varieties occur; some are nearly round like a +Kingfisher's, and I have seen one almost as slender as a Swift's, but, +as a rule, the eggs vary but little either in shape or colour. They +are perfectly spotless, moderately glossy, and of a delicate pale +greenish blue, which of course varies a little in shade and intensity +of colour, but which is very much paler on the average than those of +any of the _Crateropi_, and at the same time less glossy. I am not at +all sure whether _T. lineatum_ is rightly associated with species like +_T. cachinnans, T. variegatum_, and _T. erythrocephalum_, which all +have spotted eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 1·13, and in breadth from 0·63 to +0·8; but the average of fifty-eight eggs carefully measured is 1·01 by +0·73. + + +101. Grammatoptila striata (Vig.). _The Striated Laughing-Thrush_. + +Grammatoptila striata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii; p. 11; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 382. + +The Striated Laughing-Thrush, remarks Mr. Blyth, "builds a compact +Jay-like nest. The eggs are spotless blue, as shown by one of Mr. +Hodgson's drawings in the British Museum." + +A nest of this species found near Darjeeling in July was placed on the +branches of a large tree, at a height of about 12 feet. + +It was a huge shallow cup, composed mainly of moss, bound together +with stems of creepers and fronds of a _Selaginella_, and lined with +coarse roots and broken pieces of dry grass. A few dead leaves were +incorporated in the body of the nest. The nest was about 8 or 9 inches +in diameter and about 2 in thickness, the broad, shallow, saucer-like +cavity being about an inch in depth. + +The nest contained two nearly fresh eggs. The eggs appear to be rather +peculiarly shaped. They are moderately elongated ovals, a good deal +pinched out and pointed towards the small end, in the same manner +(though in a less degree) as those of some Plovers, Snipe, &c. I do +not know whether this is the typical shape of this egg, or whether it +is an abnormal peculiarity of the eggs of this particular nest. The +shell is fine, but the eggs have very little gloss. In colour they are +a very pale spotless blue, not much darker than those of _Zosterops +palpebrosus_. + +The eggs measure 1·3 and 1·32 in length, and 0·89 and 0·92 in breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of May I took a +nest of the Striated Laughing-Thrush out of a small tree growing in +the forest at 5500 feet above the sea. It was fixed among spray about +10 feet up. In shape it is a shallow, broad cup, and is built in three +layers: the outer one of twining stems, which besides holding the nest +together fastened it to the spray; the middle layer is an intermixture +of green moss and fresh fern-fronds, and the inner a thick lining of +roots. Externally it measured 7·5 inches broad by 5·25 inches deep; +internally 4 inches by 2·75 inches. + +"It contained two hard-set eggs." + +Several nests of this species that I have now seen have all been of +the same type, large nests 9 or 10 inches in diameter, and 4 to 5 in +height, the body of the nest composed mainly of green moss interwoven +with and bound round about with the stems of creepers and a few pliant +twigs, many of which straggle away a good deal outside the limits +which I have assigned in stating the dimensions above. The cavities +are not quite hemispherical, a little shallower, say 4·5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, closely lined with fine black roots. +They have all been placed in the branches of trees at heights of from +8 to 20 feet. + +Eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie in May, and Mr. Mandelli +in July, are of precisely the same type. They are rather elongated +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, near which they +are not unfrequently a good deal compressed, so as to render the egg +slightly pyriform. The shell is fine and smooth, but has little gloss. +The ground-colour is a very pale greenish blue or bluish green, in +some almost white; some of them are absolutely spotless, none of them +are at all well marked, but some bear from half a dozen to a dozen +tiny specks of a dark colour. On one only there is a triangular spot +about 0·05 each way, which proves on examination with a microscope +to be a deep brownish red. On the other eggs the markings are mere +specks. + +The eggs vary from 1·25 to 1·35 in length, and from 0·89 to 0·92 in +breadth. + + +104. Argya earlii (Blyth). _The Striated Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea earlii (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 68; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 439. + +The Striated Babbler breeds in suitable localities throughout +Continental India, from Sindh to Tipperah and Assam, as also in +Burmah. Reedy-margined lakes, canals and perennial streams are its +favourite haunts, and wherever within the limits above indicated these +abound, and the locality is moist and warm, _A. earlii_ is pretty sure +to be met with. + +They lay twice during the year, between the latter end of March and +the early part of September, building a neat, compact, and rather +massive cup-shaped nest, either between the close-growing reeds, to +three or more of which it is firmly bound, or in some little bush or +shrub more or less surrounded by high reed-grass. The broad leaves +and stringy roots of the reed, common grass, and grass-roots are the +materials of which it generally constructs its nest, which varies much +in size, according to the situation and fineness of the material used. +I have seen them composed almost wholly of reed-leaves, fully 7 +inches in diameter and 5 in height, and again built entirely of fine +grass-stems not more than 4 inches across and 3 inches in height. +When semi-suspended between reeds, they are always smaller and more +compact, while when placed in a fork of a low bush they are larger +and more straggling. The cavity (always neatly finished off, but very +rarely regularly lined, and then only with very fine grass-stems or +roots) is usually about 3 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"In the Saharunpoor District _A. +earlii_ commences building about the middle of March, and the young +are hatched towards the middle of April. The nest is usually placed +in the middle of a tuft of Sarkerry grass, and sometimes in a bush +or small tree, generally 3 or 4 feet from the ground. It is a deep +cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass without lining, and +woven in with the stems if in a clump of grass, or firmly fixed in +a fork if in a bush or low tree. The interior diameter is about 3 +inches, and the depth nearly 2 inches. The eggs, four in number, are +of a clear blue colour without spots of any kind. In shape they are +oval, rather thinner at one end; the shell is smooth and thin. The +eggs are of the same colour, but considerably larger than those of +_Argya caudata. Argya earlii_ breeds commonly in the Sub-Siwalik +District of the Doab; it seems fond of water, as most of the nests I +have found were close to the canal bank. It is gregarious even in the +breeding-season; small flocks of seven or eight keeping together, +fluttering in and out of the low bushes, but seldom alighting on the +ground, and occasionally making a noisy chattering cry, especially +when disturbed." + +From the Pegu District Mr. Oates writes:--"I found two nests on the +24th May, one quite empty though finished, the other containing three +eggs. + +"The nests were placed a few feet apart in an immensely thick patch of +elephant-grass, the undergrowth being fine, once tall, but now dead, +grass. It was upon this dead stuff, which in May is much flattened +down, that I found the nests. They were not attached to anything, but +simply laid in a depressed platform about a foot above the ground, in +among the thickest of the stalks of elephant-grass. + +"The nest is a bulky structure, some 6 or 8 inches in external +diameter, and 4 inches in height, composed chiefly of coarse reeds, +becoming finer interiorly till the egg-cup is reached, where the +grasses employed are tolerably fine and neatly interwoven. The cavity +itself is more than a hemisphere, the diameter being 3 inches and the +depth about 2 inches. + +"The eggs are of a beautiful blue colour, rather pointed at one end." + +Colonel Tickell has the following note on the nidification of this +species in the Asiatic Society Journal, 1848, p. 301:-- + +"_Burra phenga_.--Nest hemispherical, of grasses rather loosely +interwoven; generally on bushes in jungle. Eggs two to four; rather +lengthened shape; clear, full, verditer blue.--June." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes of this bird in Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, +and a permanent resident, keeping to grass-fields in small parties of +seven to ten. Very noisy. On the 2nd December, 1877, I found a nest +with three slightly-incubated eggs in a small babool bush which stood +in a 'sone' grass-field. The nest was a deep cup, whose foundation was +a few leaves over which sone-grass was woven rather loosely. Lining +of fine grass-roots. The nest was placed in amongst some coarse grass +which grew up in the centre of the bush, and was three feet from the +ground. External height 4, diameter 4¼, internal diameter 2½, depth +2½ inches. Both Messrs. Marshall and Hume in their works on 'Birds' +Nesting' give March and September as the two periods for these birds +to lay, but the clutch I found were exceptionally late." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"The Striated Reed-Babbler is +exceedingly common during the whole year. It breeds from March +onwards, making its nest in longish grass." + +The eggs closely resemble those of _A. caudata_ both in colour and +shape, but they are conspicuously larger. To judge from Hewitson's +figure, for I have never seen the egg, they in shape, size, and colour +closely resemble the eggs of _Accentor alpinus_, some I have being +very slightly larger, and others exactly the same size as the figure +referred to. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·78 to 1·01, and in breadth from 0·65 to +0·75, but the average of a large series is 0·88 by 0·7. + + +105. Argya caudata (Duméril). _The Common Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea caudata (_Dum.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 67; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E_ no. 438. + +The Common Babbler breeds throughout India, not, however, ascending +any of our many mountain-ranges to any great elevation. + +They lay pretty well all the year round; at any rate from early in +March, to early in September their eggs are common. Mr. W. Blewitt +took a nest at Hansie on the 3rd January, and single nests are +recorded by others as found in October, December, and February. They +certainly have two broods a year, and perhaps more, the first being +hatched from March to May, the second from June to August. + +They build in low thorny bushes, and occasionally in clumps of high +grass, the nest being rarely more than 3 feet from the ground. The +nest itself is cup-shaped, and composed of grass and roots, often +unlined, at times lined with very fine grass-stems or horse-hair. As a +rule, it is neatly and compactly built, with a deep cavity some 2 to +3 inches in diameter, and 1·75 to 2·25 in depth, but I have seen +straggling, ragged, and comparatively shallow nests of this species, +having an external diameter of fully 7 inches. Three is the normal +number of the eggs, but four are occasionally met with. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species builds in much the same sort of places +as _A. malcolmi_, but it chooses a low thick bush, the nest not being +more than 3 feet from the ground. Nest neatly built of grass, roots, +hair, &c., and the eggs bright bluish green, very glossy, and much +resembling those of _Accentor modularis_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Oudh on the +22nd April. It contained a young bird and one unhatched egg. The nest +was made of grass not well worked together, and had a lining of finer +grass. The ground-work was composed of twigs and stems of creepers +interlaced. The exterior diameter of the nest measured 5 inches, and +the egg-cavity was 2 inches deep. In one case this bird did not lay +till the fifth day after the nest was finished. About Agra this bird +breeds during July and August. + +"This Bush-Babbler is very common about the Sambhur lake. I have noted +it breeding from the beginning of March till the beginning of July. +Although this species generally prefers building in the hedges of +prickly-pear, I have taken the nests in orange-trees, the karounda, +the babool, &c." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that in the Deccan it is "very +common and breeds." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This bird, uncommon at Allahabad, is +plentiful here at Delhi. I found several nests between March and June, +all of the Babbler type, deep cups, rather more firmly built than +those of the preceding bird, but constructed like them of coarse roots +of grass, with finer ones for the inside. They are never placed at any +great height from the ground, and generally in some thorny bush. I +have found mostly three, rarely four eggs in any one nest." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"I never saw the Common Babbler in Poona, +and it certainly does not occur in Bombay. But it is very abundant on +the arid plains of Berar, breeding in the low babool-bushes, where +large numbers of its eggs are destroyed by lizards. I have found four +eggs in a nest oftener than three." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Common Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa principally during the monsoon; but I have +found nests occasionally at other seasons of the year, as the +following table of dates will show:-- + + "April 29, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + "May 16, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "May 21, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 15, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + +"I found numerous nests from the middle of July to the beginning of +September. On the 26th July, 1876, I saw upwards of a dozen nests, +some containing fresh eggs, and others incubated. In many instances +they contained eggs of _Coccystes jacobinus_. The nest is usually +placed 3 or 4 feet from the ground in low thorny bashes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_ preferred) or in a tussock of sarpat grass. It is built of +twigs, roots, grass, &c., loosely put together exteriorly but closely +woven interiorly, the lining being composed of fine roots and +grass-stems. The eggs vary in number from three to five." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana, says:--"The Striated +Bush-Babbler breeds from March to July. The nest is usually placed in +a low thorny bush, and is composed of grass-roots and stems; it is +deep cup-shaped, neatly and compactly built." + +The eggs are typically of a moderately elongated oval shape, slightly +compressed towards one end, but more or less spherical and pyriform +varieties occur; and I have one specimen, a very long pointed egg, +which, so far as size and shape go, might pass for an egg of _Cypselus +affinis_; and though this is a peculiarly abnormal shape, I have +others which somewhat approach it in form. The eggs are glossy, often +brilliantly so, and of a delicate, pure, spotless, somewhat pale blue. +The shade of colour in this egg varies very little, and I have never +met with either the very pale or very dark varieties common amongst +the eggs of _C. canorus_ and occasionally found amongst those of _A. +malcolmi_. In colour, size, and shape they are not very unlike those +of our English Hedge-Sparrow, whose early eggs formed the prize of our +first boyish nesting-expeditions, but they are slightly larger and +typically somewhat more elongated. + +In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·92, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·7; +but the average of one hundred and fifteen eggs measured was 0·82 by +0·64. + + +107. Argya malcolmi (Sykes). _The Large Grey Babbler_. + +Malacocercus malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 64. +Argya malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Hume_, _Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 436. + +The Large Grey Babbler breeds throughout the central portions of both +the Peninsula and Continent of India from the Nilghiris to the Dhoon. +It does not extend westwards to Sindh or the North-West Punjab, or +eastwards far into Bengal Proper. In the Central and North-West +Provinces it lays from early in March well into September, having at +least two and, as I believe, often three broods. + +It builds on low branches of small trees or in thick shrubs, at no +great elevation from the ground, say at heights of from 4 to 10 feet, +a somewhat loosely woven, but yet generally neat, cup-shaped nest, +composed, as a rule, chiefly of grass-roots, but often with an +admixture of thin sticks and grass. Generally there is no lining, +but I have found nests scantily lined with very fine grass and even +horse-hair. Even when, as is the rule, entirely unlined, the inside is +finished off very nicely and smoothly. I have often seen ragged and +untidy nests, but these are the exception. Externally the nest is some +5 or 6 inches in diameter and 3 or 4 inches in height; the cavity is +from 3 to 4 inches across and from 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Four is the normal number of the eggs laid, but I have several notes +of finding five. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species breeds in waste lands overgrown with +scanty jungle. The nest is made of sticks, roots, grass, &c., is +rather bulky, and is placed in some moderate-sized bush about 7 or 8 +feet from the ground. The eggs are greenish blue, bluer and not so +brightly coloured as those of _C. terricolor_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"Near Muttra, on the 31st October, I found a +pair of birds busy lining the interior of a nest which they had built +in a plum-tree. At the Sambhur lake it is very common, and commences +to breed about the end of March." + +Writing from Kotagherry (Nilghiris), Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their +nests are built of a few twigs and roots, very loosely put together +(on some low branch of a tree), and so few of even these as hardly to +keep the eggs from falling through. These Babblers lay four oval eggs +of a greenish-blue colour, but I once saw a nest with eight, and as +there were several of these birds close to it, I have no doubt two or +three shared it together, perhaps to avoid the necessity of each pair +building for itself. Their nests are found in the months of March and +April. + +"It is in the nests of this species and our Common Laughing-Thrush +(_T. cachinnans_) that I have chiefly found the eggs of the Pied +Crested Cuckoo." + +Of this species Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I have taken eggs +on the 20th June in Cawnpoor, the 31st July in Bolundshuhur, and the +25th August in Allyghur. The nest is almost always in a keekur tree in +a fork about halfway up, and near the end of a branch. It is composed +of keekur-twigs and lined with roots. It is thinner in structure than +that of _M. terricolor_, but has an outer casing of thorns which the +latter wants. They lay four blue eggs, larger and paler than those of +_M. canorus_" + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes that in Rajputana the Large Grey Babbler +is "very common. I have found nests in each month from January to +December. They have, I believe, several broods in the year; and even +when nesting associate in small parties of seven or eight." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Common, and breeds in the Deccan." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi from +March to quite the end of August, placing its loosely constructed +(rarely firmly built) nest of twigs and fine grass-roots generally at +no great height in babool-trees. Twice only I have found them in dense +mango-trees at about thirty feet from the ground. The nests are not, I +think, as a rule, so deep as those of _Crateropus terricolor_; once +or twice I have found the soft down of the Madar (_Catatropes +hamiltonii_) incorporated into the lining of grass-roots. The eggs are +generally three or four in number." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"All the nests which I have seen of the +Large Grey Babbler have been on babool-trees. At Akola (Berar) in +1870, a great many had their nests during the month of July. I have +recorded two instances of nests placed at a height above the ground of +15 feet and 20 feet. These were at Poona, one on the 21st April, and +the other on the 10th May. I could not go up to the nests, but the +birds in both cases were sitting closely. I have twice found nests +with only three newly-hatched young ones." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "the Large Grey Babbler breeds in +the neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. Both the nest and eggs +closely resemble those of _C. terricolor_, but the latter differ +slightly in being less elongated, not so pointed at the small end, +rounder at the large end, and somewhat paler in colour. I have taken +nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 19, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "June 30, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + +"The nest in every instance was similar to that described by Jerdon, +viz.:--a loose structure of dead roots, twigs, and grass, the interior +being neatly lined with closely-woven roots of 'khus-khus.' The old +birds generally select some thorny tree (_Mimosa_ &c.) to build on, +and the nest is usually from 8 feet to 20 feet from the ground. + +"Even in the nesting-season these birds are gregarious, joining a +flock generally as soon as they leave the nest." + +The eggs of this species do not appear to me to differ perceptibly +from, those of _Crateropus canorus_. When one first takes a nest or +two of each of them, one is apt to draw distinctions and fancy that +the eggs of the two species can be discriminated; but after taking +forty or fifty nests of each species, it becomes obvious that there is +no variety of the one in either colour, shape, or size that cannot be +paralleled in the other. All I have said of the eggs of _C. canorus_ +is applicable to the eggs of this species, and the only difference +that, with a huge series of each before me, I can discover is that, as +a body, there is less variation in the colour of the eggs of _Argya +malcolmi_ than in those of _C. canorus_. + +In length they vary from 0·88 to 1·1, and in breadth from 0·73 to +0·85; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0·99 by 0·77. + + +108. Argya subrufa (Jerd.)[A]. _The Large Rufous Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: The accompanying incomplete account of the nidification +of this bird is all I can find among Mr. Hume's notes. I cannot +ascertain who was the discoverer of the nest and eggs described.--ED.] + +Layardia subrufa (_Jerd._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437. + +The nest is a deep massive cup placed in the fork of twigs, coarsely +and roughly but still strongly built. The body of the nest is chiefly +composed of leaves, some of which must have been green when used. +Outside, the leaves are held in position by blades of grass, creepers, +and stems of herbaceous plants, carelessly and roughly wound about the +exterior. The cavity is rather more neatly lined with tolerably fine +grass-bents. Exteriorly the nest is about 7 inches in height and 5 in +diameter. The cavity is about 3½ inches deep by 3 in diameter. + +The eggs are precisely like those of the several species of _Argya_, +moderately broad ovals rather obtuse at both ends, often with a +pyriform tendency. The colour is a uniform spotless clear blue with a +faint greenish tinge, and the eggs have usually a fine gloss. The eggs +measure 0·98 by 0·75. + + +110. Crateropus canorus (Linn.)[A]. _The Jungle Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: In the 'Birds of India,' I have united _C. malabaricus_ +and _C. terricolor_. Mr. Hume probably still considers these two +races distinct, and others may agree with him. To avoid confusion, +therefore, I have kept the notes appertaining to these two races +distinct from each other.--ED.] + +Malacocercus terricolor (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. + 59; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 432. +Malacocercus malabaricus, _Jerd., Jerd. t.c._ p. 62; _Hume, + t.c._ no. 434. + +_C. terricolor_. + +The Bengal Babbler breeds throughout the plains of the Bengal +Presidency (including Bengal, North-Western Provinces, Central +Provinces, Oudh, and the Punjab), and I may add in the less desert +portions of Sindh, although the race found in that province is not +exactly identical with the Bengal bird, and in some respects closely +approaches the Malabar race. In Northern Rajpootana it is rare, and +further south in the quasi-desert tracts of Central and Western +Rajpootana it disappears according to my experience. + +Eastward in Cachar and Assam it appears to occur as a mere straggler, +but I have no record of its having bred there. It lays from the latter +half of March until the close of July, but the great majority lay +during the first week after the setting in of the rains, which varies +according to locality and season, from the 1st of June to the 15th of +July. + +They build very commonly in gardens, in thick orange-, citron-, or +lime-shrubs, but their nests may be found almost anywhere, in thick +shrubs or small trees of any kind, or in thick hedges, at heights of +from 4 to 10 feet from the ground, always placed in some fork +towards the centre of the shrub or hedge. The nests are rather +loosely-put-together cups, composed of grass-stems and roots varying +in fineness, and often lined with horse-hair. Some are deep and neatly +constructed, others loose, straggling, and shallow, the cavity varying +from 3 to more than 4 inches in diameter and from less than 2 to +nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but I have repeatedly found +four. + +Captain Hutton writes to me:--"A nest of this bird was taken in the +Dehra Dhoon on the 14th May, and was composed entirely of fine roots, +the thinnest being placed within as a lining. Subsequently three +others were procured, one of which was externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots; the other +two were constructed of the fine woody tendrils of climbing-plants +and lined like the others with fine roots. These latter had a strong +resemblance to some of the nests of _Garrulax albogularis_, while the +difference exhibited in the nature of the materials used arises from +the various character of the localities in which the bird may choose +to build. Each nest contained four beautiful eggs of a full bright +turquoise-green, shining as if varnished. The eggs were nearly all +hard-set. This species does not ascend the hills, but appears to +be confined to the Dhoon, where it may be seen in small parties in +gardens, hedgerows, and low brushwood, turning over the dead leaves in +search of seeds and insects. Its flight is low, short, and apparently +laboured, from the shortness and rounded form of the wing, but on the +ground it hops along with speed. The note is clamorous and chuckling +and uttered in concert." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Although one of the most common +birds in the North-West Provinces, and in fact verging on a nuisance, +its nidification is interesting, inasmuch as its nest (in common +with that of _A. malcolmi_) is used as a nursery for the young of +_Hierococcyx varius_ and _Coccystes melanoleucus_. + +"This Babbler builds, as a general rule, during the early part of the +rains (June to August), laying usually three or four eggs of a bright +greenish-blue colour. The nest itself recalls that of the Blackbird, +but it is frequently very clumsily made. On the 21st June last a boy +brought me a nest of this species containing _eight_ eggs. Two, if not +three, of this clutch are easily separable from the others, being more +oval and somewhat smaller, and are unquestionably parasitical eggs; +but it is quite impossible to say whether they belong to _H. varius_ +or _C. melanoleucus_. + +"Again, on the 9th July, I took a nest in person, which also contained +eight eggs. Seven of these are all alike and are well incubated, while +the eighth is quite fresh, and doubtless owes its parentage to one of +the above-mentioned Cuckoos. + +"Strange to say I have now another nest marked down, which in like +manner contains the same number of callow young. It is just possible +that the foster-parents may have to perform double duty in this case. + +"From the foregoing it may be inferred that _M. canorus_ does +occasionally lay more than four eggs, or as the birds are gregarious +even during the breeding-season, it is possible enough that two birds +may occasionally deposit eggs in the same nest. + +"I should not think that _H. varius_ (the "Brain-fever and +Delirium-tremens Bird" as it is frequently called) had much difficulty +in depositing her eggs in the nest of the _Malacocerci_, for I have +frequently noticed that all the Babblers in the neighbourhood make a +clean bolt of it immediately this Cuckoo puts in an appearance, no +doubt owing to its great similarity to the Indian Sparrow-Hawk (_M. +badius_). + +"During the months of September and October I have observed several +Babblers in the act of feeding one young _H. varius_, following the +bird from tree to tree, and being most assiduous in their attentions +to the young interloper." + +Mr. H.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Agra on the +17th July. It contained five eggs, all of which were nearly hatched. +Again on the 21st I took another nest containing only one hard-set +egg." + +Writing from Calcutta, Mr. J.C. Parker says:--"I found a nest of this +bird, near my house in Garden Reach, on the 23rd June. It contained +four fresh eggs." + +Colonel Butler observes:--"The Bengal Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa as a rule, I think, during the rains and in the +cold weather, but I have found nests as late as March. The nest is +usually placed on the outside branch of some moderate-sized tree +(neem &c.). It is a somewhat solidly built structure composed almost +entirely of dead twigs, stems of dead leaves, and stalks of coarse dry +grass, being lined with a few fine fibrous roots or stems of grass. I +found nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 16, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "March 20, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "May 29, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + "Oct. 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 3, 1876. " " 4 slightly incubated. + +"In some nests I have noticed a breach upon one side of the nest as if +intended for the convenience of the bird's tail. It is not unusual to +find an egg of _C. jacobinus_ in the nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; I +have found this bird breeding from April to the end of July. All nests +that I have found have, with the exception of one, been placed in low +babool bushes; once only I found a nest near Delhi in the fork of a +low bough of a mango-tree, this was on the 31st July. The nests are +more or less loosely constructed cups of slender twigs and grass-roots +and inclined." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"On the 15th April +I found a nest on the very top of a mango-tree about 30 feet off the +ground, shooting the male as it flew off the nest." + +The eggs of this species are very variable in colour, shape, and size. +Typically they are rather broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one +end, and much the shape of, though a good deal smaller than, those +of our English Song-Thrush. Some are, however, long and cylindrical; +others more or less spherical. The colour varies from a pale blue, +like that of _Trochalopterum lineatum_, to a deep dull blue, +recalling, but yet not so dark as, that of _Garrulax albigularis_. The +eggs are typically glossy, but it is remarkable that in a large series +the deepest coloured are always far the most glossy. Some deep blue +eggs of this species are most intensely glossy, more so than almost +any other of our Indian eggs, except those of _Metopidius indicus_. I +need scarcely say that the eggs are entirely spotless and devoid of +all markings, but I may note that each egg is invariably the same +colour throughout, and that I have never met with a specimen in which +the shade of colour varied in the same egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·88 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·75 to +0·82; but the average of fifty-one eggs measured is 1·01 by 0·78. + + +_C. malabaricus_. + +The Jungle Babbler, like the White-headed one, breeds pretty well over +the whole of Southern India, but while the latter is chiefly confined +to the more open plain country, the former is the bird of the uplands, +hills, and forests. Still the Jungle Babbler is found at times in the +same localities as the White-headed one, and what is more, specimens +occur, as in Cochin, which partake of the distinctive characters of +both. A great deal still remains to be done in working out properly +this group; both in Sindh on the west and the Tributary Mehals on the +east, and again in some parts of the Nilghiris, races occur quite +intermediate between typical _C. terricolor_ and typical _C. +malabaricus_, while in the south, as already mentioned, forms +intermediate between this latter and _C. griseus_ seem common. Three +distinguishable races again of _C. griseus_ are met with, but running +the one into the other, while intermediate forms between this species +and _C. somervillii_ (Sykes) are also met with. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"This bird seems to be very irregular in its +time of breeding. I have taken the nest in May, June, October, and +December. The nest is rather a loose structure of dry grass and +leaves, lined with fine dry grass; it is generally placed in the +middle of some thick thorny bush, and cannot generally be got at +without paying the penalty of well scratched hands. The eggs, +generally five in number, are of a very deep blue with a tinge of +green, but of not so decided a tinge as in the eggs of _M. griseus_. +It breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, not ascending to more than +about 6000 feet." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_C. malabaricus_ builds a +cup-shaped nest in small trees and bushes, and lays from three to five +very round oval verditer-blue eggs." + +Captain Horace Terry says of this species:--"Rather rare at Pulungi, +but very common lower down on the slopes and in the Pittur valley. I +got a nest on April 5th at Pulungi with three incubated eggs, and on +the 6th one with two incubated eggs, in the Pittur valley. The last +was built in a hollow in the top of a stump of a tree that had been +broken off some ten feet from the ground." + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes from Mysore:--"This bird is occasionally +found with _C. griseus_ in the bigger scrub forests, but its chief +habitat is the larger forests. Its breeding-season is much the same +as _C. griseus_ but unlike it, it does not select thorny bushes +for building in, its nests being generally found in small trees or +bamboo-clumps. Four is the usual number of eggs laid, but five +are often found, and the fifth I expect is frequently that of _H. +varius_." + +Three eggs sent me by Mr. Carter from Coonoor, in the Nilghiries, are +absolutely undistinguishable from those of _Argya malcolmi_. Like +these they are a uniform, rather deep greenish blue, devoid of spots +or markings, and very glossy. I do not think that, if the eggs of _A. +malcolmi, C. malabaricus_, and _C. terricolor_ were once mixed, it +would be possible to separate them with certainty. Other eggs taken by +Mr. Davison are similar but slightly smaller, and, taking them as +a whole, I think they average rather darker than those of the two +species just mentioned. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·93 to 1·02, and in breadth from 0·71 to +0·82; but the average of nine eggs is 0·97 by nearly 0·77. + + +111. Crateropus griseus (Gm.). _The White-headed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus griseus (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 60; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 433. + +I should say that the White-headed Babbler breeds all over the plain +country of Southern India, not ascending the hills to any great +elevation. At the same time, many people would very likely separate +the Madras, Mangalore, and Anjango birds, and insist on their being +different species; but for my part, seeing how the birds vary in each +locality and what a perfect and unbroken chain of intermediate forms +connects the most different-looking examples, and that all the several +races are separable from the other species of this group by their more +or less conspicuously pale heads, I prefer to keep them all as _C. +griseus_. + +This species, thus considered, breeds apparently twice a year from +April to June, and again in October and even later. + +About Madras the nest is commonly placed in thick thorny hedges of a +shrub locally known as "Kurka-puli," said by Balfour to be _Garcinia +cambogia_, but which does not look like a _Garcinia_ at all. The nest +is a loosely-made cup, composed of grass-stems and roots, and the eggs +vary from three to five in number. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have often found the nest of this bird, which +is composed of small twigs and roots, carelessly and loosely put +together, in general at no great height from the ground. It lays three +or four blue eggs." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest containing four fresh eggs apparently +of this species (it being the common Babbler in this district) was +brought to me by some wood-cutters on the 18th March, 1880. It was +taken in the jungles about six miles from Belgaum, and measured about +2¾ inches in diameter and about 2 inches deep interiorly, and was of +the usual Babbler type, consisting of dry stems loosely but neatly +constructed. The eggs were highly glossed and deep bluish green, some +people might say greenish blue." + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes of this bird from Mysore:--"I have found +their nests in every month between March and August, and they possibly +breed both earlier and later. The nests are generally fixed in thorny +bushes and at no great height off the ground. Four is the usual number +of eggs laid, but very often five are found, and I feel much inclined +to think that the fifth egg is often that of _H. varius_." + +The eggs of this species that I possess were taken by Mr. Davison in +May, in the immediate neighbourhood of Madras. They are all pretty +regular, somewhat cylindrical ovals, excessively glossy, spotless, and +of a deep greenish blue, much deeper than the eggs of any of the other +_Crateropi_ are as a rule; in fact, they approach in colouring to the +eggs of _Garrulax albigularis_. + +They vary in length from 0·9 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·62 to +0·74; but I have seen too few eggs to be able to strike any reliable +average. + + +112. Crateropus striatus (Sw.). _The Southern-Indian Babbler_. + +Malacocercus striatus (_Sw._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 432 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing of this bird's nidification in Ceylon, +says:--"The breeding-season of the 'Seven Brothers' lasts from +(page 80 in the book.) March until July. The nest is placed in a +cinnamon-bush, shrub or bramble, at about four feet from the ground, +and is a compact cup-shaped structure, usually fixed in a fork and +made of stout grasses and plant-stalks and lined with fine grass, +which, in some instances I have observed, was plucked green. The +interior measures 2½ inches in depth by about 3 in width. The eggs +are two or three in number, small for the size of the bird, glossy in +texture, and of a uniform opaque greenish blue. They measure from 0·91 +to 1·0 in length, by 0·7 to 0·74 in breadth." + + +113. Crateropus somervillii (Sykes). _The Rufous-tailed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus somervillei (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 63; _Hume +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 435. + +Of the nidification of the Rufous-tailed Babbler (which, so far as I +yet know, is confined to the narrow strip of country lying beneath the +Ghâts for about 60 miles north and south of Bombay and to the hills or +ghâts overlooking this), all I yet know is contained in the following +brief note by Mr. E. Aitken: he says:-- + +"I once found a nest of the Rufous-tailed Babbler at Khandalla, I +cannot tell the level precisely, but it cannot have been far from 2000 +feet above the sea. It was at the end of May or the very beginning of +June. The nest was in a small spreading tree in level, open forest +country. The situation was just such a one as _A. malcolmi_ generally +chooses--the end of a horizontal branch with no other branches +underneath it; but it was not so high as those of _A. malcolmi_ +usually are, for I could reach it from the ground. The nest was +rather flat and contained three eggs, almost hatched, of an intense +greenish-blue colour. + +"In Bombay, where it is far more common, I once, on the 1st October, +saw a pair followed by one young one and a young _Coccystes +melanoleucus_. This was on a hill, and indeed these birds seem to +confine themselves pretty much to hilly ground." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"With reference to your remark that, as +far as you know, the Rufous-tailed Babbler is confined to the strip of +country beneath the Ghâts, I can certainly say that they are plentiful +on the slopes of Poorundhur hill, eighteen miles south of Poona. It +would be interesting to learn on which other of the Deccan hills it is +found. This species is decidedly fond of hilly country. It is common +on the two ranges of low hills that run along the east and west shores +of the island of Bombay, but never shows a feather in the gardens and +groves on the level ground. I spent the greater part of two days, when +I could ill spare the time, in searching for the nests, but the birds +breed in the date-trees, and it would be hopeless to think of finding +a nest without cutting away many of the branches or fronds. Moreover, +the bird is extremely wary, and it is by no means easy to guess on +which particular tree it has its nest." + + +114. Crateropus rufescens (Blyth). _The Ceylonese Babbler_. + +Layardia rufescens (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This bird breeds in the Western Province in March, April, +and May, and constructs a nest similar to the last [_M. striatus_], +of grass and small twigs, mixed perhaps with a few leaves, and placed +among creepers surrounding the trunks of trees or in a low fork of +a tree. It conceals its habitation, according to Layard, with great +care; and I am aware myself that very few nests have been found. It +lays two or three eggs, very similar to those of the last species, of +a deep greenish blue, and pointed ovals in shape--two which were taken +by Mr. MacVicar at Bolgodde measuring 0·95 by 0·75, and 0·92 by 0·74 +inch." + + +115. Crateropus cinereifrons (Blyth). _The Ashy-headed Babbler_. + +Garrulax cinereifrons (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 409 bis. + +Colonel Legge, in his work on the birds of Ceylon, says:--"The +breeding-season of this bird is from April to July. Full-fledged +nestlings may be found abroad with the parent birds in August; and +from this I base my supposition, for I have never found the nest +myself. Intelligent native woodmen, in the western forests, who are +well acquainted with the bird, have informed me that it nests in +April, building a large, cup-shaped nest in the fork of a bush-branch, +and laying three or four dark blue eggs. Whether this account be +correct or not, future investigation must decide." + + +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgs. _The Slaty-headed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 402. + +Speaking of the Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler, Dr. Jerdon says:--"A +nest made of moss and some fibres, and with four pure white eggs, was +brought to me at Darjeeling as belonging to this bird." + +Two nests were sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species, +the one found near Namtchu on the 3rd April containing four fresh +eggs, the other near Tendong on the 15th June, containing three. +Another nest which he found on the 22nd April, near the same place as +the first, contained four fresh eggs. All were placed on or very near +to the ground in brushwood and grass; all appear to have been +large, rather saucer-like nests, from 5·5 to 6·5 inches in diameter +externally, and 2·5 to 3 in height. Outside and below they are +composed chiefly of coarse grass, dead leaves, especially fern-leaves, +while interiorly they are composed of and lined with finer--in some +cases _very_ fine--grass. The cavities average, I should guess, 3·75 +inches in diameter, and 1·5, or a little more perhaps, in depth. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has the following note on the breeding of this bird in +Assam:--"A nest I got was situated at the roots of a clump of bushes, +overhanging a small river. A bridge spanning this river was within ten +yards, the intervening space being open; and for such a shy bird to +have chosen such an exposed situation to build in astonished me." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this Babbler taken on the +20th May much resembled that of _P. ferruginosus_, both in size and +structure. The egg-cavity had, however, a lining of at least half an +inch in thickness of soft, fibrous material extracted from the bark of +some tree, and a little fine grass for the eggs to lie on. It was on +the ground, among low jungle, in the Ryeng Valley, at 2000 feet of +elevation, and contained four eggs, two of them hatching off and +two addled. According to my experience, nests containing so large a +proportion of addled eggs are unusual." + +Eggs sent by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species closely +resemble those of _Pomatorhinus ferruginosus_, but are somewhat +smaller; they are oval eggs a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and with a high gloss. They were obtained on the 5th and 22nd +of April in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, and measure from 0·95 to +1·04: in length, and 0·72 to 0·73 in breadth. Eggs sent by Mr. Gammie +are precisely similar. + +Two other eggs of this species subsequently obtained were slightly +shorter and broader, and measured 0·95 by 0·77, and 0·98 by 0·78. + + +118. Pomatorhinus olivaceus, Blyth. _The Tenasserim Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus olivaceus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 403 bis. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"I found a nest of this bird on the morning of +the 21st January, 1875, at Pakchan, Tenasserim Province, Burma. It was +placed on the ground at the foot of a small screw pine, growing in +thick bamboo-jungle; it was a large globular structure, composed +externally of dry bamboo-leaves, and well secreted by the mass of dry +bamboo-leaves that surrounded it; it was in fact buried in these, and +if I had not seen the bird leave it, it would most undoubtedly have +remained undiscovered. Externally it was about a foot in length by +9 inches in height, but it was impossible to take any accurate +measurement, as the nest really had no marked external definition. +Internally was a lining about half an inch thick, composed of thin +strips of dry bark, fibres, &c. The entrance was to one side, +circular, and measuring 2·5 inches in diameter; the egg-cavity +measured 4 inches deep by about 3 in height. + +"In the nest were three pure white ovato-pyriform eggs, but so far +incubated that they would probably have hatched off before the day was +out. + +"The measurements of two were 1·1 and 1·09 in length by 0·75 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This is the _Pomatorhinus_ of the +Thoungyeen valley, being found from the sources to the mouth of that +river. A note recorded two years ago of a nest that I found is given +below:--_4th March_.--Having to go over the ground along the southern +boundary of the proposed Meplay reserve I had to cut my way through +dense bamboo, to go through a long belt of which is hard work. To make +it worse in this case several clumps had been burnt by fire and blown +down. As I was slowly progressing along, bent almost double, out of +a little hollow at my feet a bird flew with a suddenness that nearly +knocked me down. I looked into the hollow, and there under the ledge +of the sheltering bank was a nest of dry bamboo-leaves lined with +strips of the same, shredded fine. It was cup-shaped, loosely made, +about 1½ inches in diameter, and the same in depth, containing three +pure white eggs, perfectly fresh (measured afterwards two proved +respectively, 0·98 x 0·71, 0·99 x 0·73 inch); and gun in hand I +watched, hiding myself behind a clump of bamboos about thirty yards +off. For an hour I watched, but the bird did not return, so I marked +the spot and went on. Returning back the same way just before dusk, I +managed to start her again, and to get a hurried shot; she fell and I +secured and recognized her as _P. olivaceus_." + +The eggs, which seem small for the size of the bird, are rather broad +ovals, some fairly regular, some a good deal compressed just towards +the small end, which is, however, always obtuse, never pointed; the +shell is fine, compact, and thin, smooth and satiny to the touch, +but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The colour is pure spotless +white. + + +119. Pomatorhinus melanurus, Blyth. _The Ceylonese Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus melanurus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 404 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes of the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This Babbler breeds from December until February. I have +observed one collecting materials for a nest in the former month, and +at the same period Mr. Mac Vicar had the eggs brought to him; they +were taken from a nest made of leaves and grass, and placed on a bank +in jungle. Mr. Bligh has found the nest in crevices in trees, between +a projecting piece of bark and the trunk, also in a jungle-path +cutting and on a ledge of rock; it is usually composed of moss, +grass-roots, fibre, and a few dead leaves, and the structure is rather +a slovenly one. The eggs vary from three to five, and are pure white, +the shell thin and transparent, and they measure 0·96 to 0·98 in +length, by 0·7 in breadth." + + +120. Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, Sykes. _The Southern Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 404. + +The Southern Scimitar Babbler breeds throughout the hilly tracts of +Southern India, up to an elevation of fully 7000 feet. They are common +in Ootacamund, and even on Dodabet as high up as it is wooded. They +seem to breed less plentifully about Kotagherry than they do at +Ootacamund itself, Coonoor, Neddivattam, &c. + +They lay from February to May, building a largish globular nest of +grass, moss, and roots, placed on or very near to the ground in some +bush or clump of fern or grass. They lay five eggs. + +A nest of this species which I owe to Mr. Carter, and which was found +at Coonoor on the 7th April, 1869, is a huge globular mass of moss and +fine moss-roots some 7 inches in diameter, with, on the upper side, +an entrance to a small egg-cavity some 3½ inches in diameter, and 2 +inches in depth. It is a most singular nest, a great compact ball of +soft feathery moss and very fine moss-roots, which latter predominate +in the interior of the cavity, and so form a sort of lining to it. The +great body of the nest is below the cavity, the overhanging dome-like +covering of the cavity being comparatively thin. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"The nest of this bird is very peculiar in +structure, more like the nest of a field-mouse than of a bird, being +in fact merely a ball of grass rather loosely put together, the grass +on the exterior being intermingled with dry leaves and other rubbish. +The nest is generally placed either in a clump of fern, or at the +roots of some grass-grown bush. The eggs are pure white, very +elongated, and with a remarkably thin and delicate shell. The normal +number appears to be five. The breeding-season is, I think, the latter +end of April and May." + +Later, he writes:--"It must, I think, breed twice, as I found a nest +on the 10th March with fully-fledged young, and late in April another +nest with perfectly fresh eggs." + +Writing of this species Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured its nest near +Neddivattam on the Nilghiris, on a bank on the roadside, made with +moss and roots, and containing four white eggs of a very elongated +form." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, furnishes me with the following note on +the nidification of this species:--"These birds build rather large +nests, among the _roots_ of bushes, and generally prefer those which +grow on the slopes of steep hills. Their nests are composed of coarse +grass, a few roots of the same, and the bark of a bush, which cracks +when dry and is very easily pulled off. These materials are put +together into a round nest, and also form a covering above, which +makes the inside look very snug indeed. But if any attempts are made +to remove the nest, it generally falls to pieces, the materials having +no tenacity. This bird commonly uses no lining to its nest, but lays +its eggs (three to five in number) on the coarse grass of which +the inside is composed. The eggs are pure white, particularly +thin-shelled, and consequently perfectly translucent. They are found +during the months of February and March." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, remark:--"Very +common along tops of ghâts. D. got a nest with two eggs in March." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"I have been so +fortunate as to obtain two nests of this bird lately, though I have +never found any before. The first contained three fresh eggs on the +5th December last, and was situated in a bank on the roadside at +an elevation of about 3000 feet above sea-level. The nest was very +loosely made of grass, with finer kinds of grass for the lining. I +endeavoured to preserve it, but it fell to pieces on being taken from +its position, and I only succeeded in saving the eggs. As the bird, +usually a very shy one, flew off on my approach and remained close +by while I was examining the nest, I have no doubt of its identity. +Whether she would have laid more eggs I cannot say, but I fancy not; +three seems to be the usual number judging from the two clutches +taken. The other nest I found on the 8th of this month just completed. +It was in much the same position as the last, viz. a bank by the +roadside, and as it was near my bungalow I watched to see how the eggs +were deposited. The bird laid one egg each day on the 11th, 12th and +13th, and then began to sit, so on the 15th I took the nest. When +fresh the eggs are beautifully pink from the thinness of the shell." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, remarks:-- + +"Mr. Davison makes a very good remark on the nest of this bird, but I +found one once under the roots of a tree at Neddivattam, and it was +a most beautiful nest, built entirely of the fibrous bark of the +Nilghiri nettle, in the shape of an oven, with a hole to go in at one +side. It contained four pure white delicate eggs. Another one found +near the same place was of the same nature, only resting on some +fern-leaves and under a rock, and contained five eggs. + +"I found a nest down at Vythery, Wynaad, in a hole in the bank of a +road, in December 1874, made entirely of broad grass, very untidy, and +containing three eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says:--"Breeds in +April, constructing a neat domed nest of leaves on the ground, at the +foot of a bush. The nest is lined with fine grasses, and almost always +contains three eggs, which, when fresh, are of a beautiful pink +colour, owing to the yolk shining through the shell, which is +exceedingly fragile. The egg, when blown, is of a very beautiful +glossy white. If suddenly approached whilst on its nest, this bird +runs out like a rat, and flies when at a distance from the nest. An +egg in my collection measures 1·04 by ·7 inch." + +The eggs sent me from the Nilghiris by Miss Cockburn and Mr. Carter +are nearly perfect ovals, usually much elongated, but sometimes +moderately broad, and very slightly compressed towards one end. +They are very fragile, and perfectly pure spotless white in colour. +Typically, although smooth and satiny in texture, they have but little +gloss, but occasionally a fairly glossy egg is to be met with. + +In length they vary from 0·98 to 1·12, and in breadth from 0·75 to +0·79; but the average seems to be about 1·08 by 0·77. + + +122. Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, Blyth. _The Coral-billed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, _Blyth,, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 401. + +The Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet. Its nest is +placed about a foot or 2 feet above the ground, in a bamboo-clump or +some thick bush, and is firmly wedged in between the twigs and shoots. +It is composed internally of dried bamboo-leaves, grass, and vegetable +fibres, outside which bamboo-sheaths are bound on with creepers and +fibres of different kinds. The nest is more or less egg-shaped, with +the longer diameter horizontal, some 7 inches or so in length and 5 +inches in height, and with the entrance at one end, measuring some +3 inches in diameter. Four or five eggs are laid, elongated ovals, +somewhat pointed towards the small end, pure white, and measuring +about 1·08 by 0·7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird on the +19th May, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. It was placed on the +ground, among low scrub, near the outskirts of a large forest, and was +neatly made, for a _Pomatorhinus_, of bamboo-leaves and long grass, +with a thin lining of fibry strips torn from old bamboo-stems. In +shape it was a cone laid on its side. Externally it measured 9 inches +in length by the same in height at front, while the egg-cavity +measured 3·5 inches across, and 1·75 in depth. The entrance, which was +at the end, measured 3 inches in diameter. + +"Next to the lining was a layer of broadish grass-blades, placed +lengthways, _i.e._ from base to apex of the cone, then came a +cross layer of broad bamboo-leaves succeeded by a second layer of +bamboo-leaves placed lengthways. By this arrangement the nest was +kept perfectly water-tight. So nicely were these simple materials +put together that they held each other in their places without the +assistance of a single fibre. + +"The nest contained four partially incubated eggs: three of them +pointed and exactly alike, but the fourth rounded, and apparently of a +different texture, so that it may have been introduced by a Cuckoo." + +Two eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are moderately elongated ovals, somewhat +obtuse even, at the smaller end. The shell is very fine, pure white, +and has a fine gloss. They measure 1·1 by 0·83, and 1·06 by 0·78. + + +125. Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgs. _The Rufous-necked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ruficollis, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400. + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds in Nepal, the Himalayas +eastward of that State, and in the various ranges running down from +Assam to Burmah. + +The breeding-season appears to be April and May. They lay five, or +sometimes only four, eggs. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds, I think, from +the middle of April to the middle of May; but I have only as yet +taken a single nest, and this I found at Rishap on the 5th May, at an +elevation of about 4500 feet. The nest was placed on the ground in +open country, but partially concealed by overhanging grass and weeds, +and immediately adjoining a deep humid ravine filled with a dense +undergrowth. The nest was composed of dry grass, fern, bamboo, and +other dry leaves put loosely together and lined with a few fibres. In +shape it was domed or hooded, and exteriorly it measured 5·7 inches in +height and 5 in diameter. Interiorly the cavity was 2·6 in diameter, +and had a total depth of 3·8 measured from the roof, but of only 2 +inches below the lower margin of the aperture. This nest contained +five eggs, much incubated; indeed, they would have hatched off in one +or two days." + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, +in the central portion of Nepal in April and May, building a large, +coarse, globular nest of dry grass and bamboo-leaves on the ground in +some thick bush or bamboo-clump. The opening of the nest is at the +side. They lay four or five white eggs, measuring as figured 0·9 by +0·68. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are rather elongated ovals, a good deal +pointed towards one end, pure white, the shells very fine and fragile, +and with a fair amount of gloss. + +Ten eggs varied from 0·85 to 1·02 in length, and from 0·62 to 0·74 in +breadth, but the average was 0·95 by 0·68. + + +129. Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vigors. _The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 405. + +The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler breeds from April to June in the +Himalayas, at any rate from Darjeeling to the Valley of the Beas, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. It may be _met_ with at double +this latter altitude, but I doubt if it _nests_ higher. + +As a rule, the nest is placed on the ground, in some thick clump of +dry fern or coarse grass, amongst dead leaves and moss, but at times I +have seen it placed in a thick bush 2 or 3 feet from the ground. It is +very common near Kotegurh and below Narkunda, where we found nearly a +dozen nests, almost all, however, containing young ones. Typically +the nest is domed, and is loosely constructed of the materials at +hand--coarse grass, dry fern, dead leaves, moss-roots, and the like, +some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and 5 or 6 inches high, with a broad +entrance on one side, a good deal above the middle. In some cases, +however, where a dense bunch of grass or fern completely curves over +the spot selected for the nest, the latter is a mere broad, shallow +saucer. There is no regular lining to the nests, but a good many fine +roots are at times incorporated in the interior of the cavity. All +the nests that I have seen were placed near the edges of clumps of +brushwood or scrubby jungle. + +I ought here to mention that I am by no means certain that the +Nepalese and Sikhim, in fact the eastern race of this species (_P. +ferrugilatus_ Hodgs.), will not have to be separated from the more +western _P. erythrogenys_ of Gould. Long ago Blyth remarked ('Journal +Asiatic Society,' 1845, p. 598) that "there seems to be two marked +varieties of _P. erythrogenys_, one having white under-parts, with +merely faint traces of darker spots, the other with the throat and +breast densely mottled with greenish olive," or, as I should call it, +dingy olive-grey. This is perfectly true, and, as far as I can make +out, the latter variety is not one of sex or age, but is local and +confined to Kumaon (where the other form also occurs) and the hills +eastward of this province. My own remarks above given refer to the +true _P. erythrogenys_, and so do Hutton's; but Hodgson's and Mr. +Gammie's birds both appear to have been, and the latter's certainly +were, grey-throated examples. The eggs are undistinguishable, as, +indeed, though they vary somewhat in shape and size, are those of most +of the _Pomatorhini_. + +Captain Hutton says that this species is "common from 3500 feet up to +10,000 or 12,000 feet, always in pairs, turning up the dead leaves +on copsewood covered banks, uttering a loud whistle, answering and +calling each other. It breeds in April, constructing its nest on the +ground of coarse dry grasses and leaf-stalks of walnut-trees, and is +covered with a dome-shaped roof, so nicely blended with the fallen +leaves and withered grasses, among which it is placed, as to be almost +undistinguishable from them. The eggs are three in number, and pure +white; diameter 1·12 by 0·81 inches, of an ordinary oval shape. When +disturbed, the bird sprung along the ground with long bounding hops, +so quickly that, from its motions and the appearance of the nest, I +was led to believe it a species of rat. The nest is placed in a slight +hollow, probably formed by the bird itself." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species would appear to breed +at heights of from 2000 to 8000 feet. It lays in May and June. On the +20th May, and again on the 6th June, Mr. Hodgson found nests of this +species in thick bushes 3 or 4 feet above the ground. They were +broad saucer-shaped nests of coarse vegetable fibres, grass, and +grass-roots, 7 inches or so in diameter, and the cavity, which had +no lining, was about 4 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. They +contained three and four white eggs respectively. One figured measures +0·98 by 0·73. On June 8th he found two more nests at Jaha Powah, on +the ground, on edges of brushy slopes close to grassy open plains, the +nest a large mass of grass, oven-shaped, open at one and in one case +at both ends, protected by the root of a tree. There were two and +three white eggs in the nests respectively. The eggs of these nests +are figured as measuring 1·08 by 0·73. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I found a nest of this species below Rungbee, at +an elevation of about 2000 feet, on the 17th June. It was placed on, +and partially in a hole in a bank, and contained two hard-set eggs. It +was a large, loose pad of fine grass and dead fern, with a few broad +flag-like grass-leaves incorporated towards the base, and overhung by +a sort of canopy of similar materials. The basal portion was some +6 inches long and 5 inches broad, and about 2 inches thick in the +thickest part, with a broad shallow depression for the eggs of about +half that depth." + +Writing again this year (1874) he says:--"I have only found two more +nests this year, and both in the last week of April; the one contained +three partially incubated eggs, the other three young birds. These +nests were at Gielle, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. As a rule, +these birds nest in open country, immediately adjoining moist thickly +wooded ravines, in which they feed, and take refuge if disturbed from +the nest. The nest is usually placed on sloping ground, more or less +concealed by overhanging herbage, and is composed, according to my +experience, of dry grass sparingly lined with fibres. It is large; one +I measured _in situ_ was 8 inches in height and 7 inches in diameter; +the vertical diameter of the cavity was 4 inches and the horizontal 3½ +inches. I have not yet found more than three eggs or young ones in any +nest." + +Dr. Scully remarks of this bird in Nipal:--"It lays in May and June; +two nests, taken on the 30th May and 6th June, were large loosely-made +pads, not domed, and with the egg-cavity saucer-shaped, each nest +contained three pure white eggs." + +The eggs of this species are long, and at times narrow, ovals, pure +white and fairly glossy, but occasionally almost glossless, without +any marks or spottings. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·2, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·85, +but the average of twenty eggs is about 1·11 by nearly 0·8. + + +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (Blyth). _The Slender-billed +Scimitar Babbler_. + +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 33; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 406. + +The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of 3000 to 6000 feet, during the +months of May and June. The nest is a large globular one, composed of +dry bamboo-leaves and green grass, intermingled and lined with fine +roots and fibres. The entrance, which is about 2 to 2·5 inches in +diameter, is at one end. A nest containing four eggs, obtained on the +12th June, measured about 7 inches in diameter externally, and it +was placed in the crown of a stump from 2 to 3 feet from the ground. +Sometimes the nests are placed in tufts of high grass or in thick +bushes, but never at any great elevation above the ground. They lay +three or four eggs, which are pure white, and one of which is figured +as a broad oval, measuring 0·95 by 0·7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Scimitar +Babbler on the 29th May, in the middle of the large forest on the top +of the Mahalderam ridge, at about 7000 feet elevation. It was built +on the ground, on top of a dry bank by the side of a path, and was +overhung by a few grassy weeds. In shape it was a blunt cone laid on +its side, with the entrance at the wide end. It was loosely made of +the dead leaves of a deciduous orchid (_Pleione wallichiana_), small +bamboo, chestnut, and grass, intermixed with decaying stems of small +climbing-plants. It measured externally 6 inches long, with a diameter +of 5·5 at front, and of 1·75 at back. The cavity was quite devoid of +lining and measured 3·5 in length by 2·5 wide at entrance, slightly +contracting inwards. It contained three partially incubated eggs." + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie are elongated ovals, +pure white, and with only a faint gloss. They measure 0·99 and 1·05 in +length, by 0·68 and 0·75 in breadth respectively. + + + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + + +134. Timelia pileata, Horsf. _The Red-capped Babbler_. + +Timelia pileata, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 24; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 396. + +Mr. Eugene Oates records that he "found the nest of this bird at +Thayetmyo on the 2nd June with young ones a few days old. The nest +was placed on the ground in the centre of a low but very thick thorny +bush." + +Subsequently he wrote from Pegu, further south:--"The nest is placed +in the fork of a shrub, very near to, or quite on, the ground, and is +surrounded in every case by long grass. A nest found on the 4th July, +on which the female was sitting closely, contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The breeding-season seems to be in June and July. + +"The nest is made entirely of bamboo-leaves and is lined sparingly +with fine grass. No other material enters into its composition. It +is oval, about 7 inches in height and 4 in diameter, with a large +entrance at the side, its lower edge being about the middle of the +nest. + +"When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no shrubs, it +builds on the ground at the edge of a clump of grass, and I have found +two nests in such a situation, only a few feet from each other. + +"In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily trodden +down; the consequence is that if you do not find eggs, there is little +chance of their being laid later on. I have found some ten nests, more +or less completed, but only three eggs." + +And again, later on:--"This bird would appear to have two broods a +year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this year in +April, former nests having been found in June and July. With many eggs +before me I find that the density of the markings varies considerably. +The size is very constant; for the length of numerous eggs varies only +from ·75 to ·72, and the breadth from ·6 to ·54 inch." + +I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this species, +but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest, and a note on +the nidification of this species was Mr. J.C. Parker. Writing to me in +September 1875, he said:-- + +"On the 14th August I took a nest of _Timelia pileata_ on my old +ground in the Salt Lakes. I discovered this by a mere accident, for I +happened to see a female _Prinia flaviventris_ (whose eggs I was in +quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland about 10 feet +from the bank of the canal, and from her movements I thought she must +have a nest near at hand. + +"Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through a +bog. Sure enough I was not mistaken; the _Prinia_ had a nest, but it +contained only _one_ egg. Close by, however, I saw a nest, from out of +which a bird flew, and although I did not shoot it I am quite sure it +was _Timelia pileata_. The jungle was particularly thick just about +where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could not follow the +bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his mate in that +extraordinary way which these birds have, and which once heard cannot +be mistaken. + +"The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the joints of a +species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure foundation +for the nest. This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad. +Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 1½ by 2. The nest itself is very +loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass twisted +round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass. The nest was +quite open to view and about three feet from the ground. I suppose the +birds never expected that such a wild swampy spot as they had selected +would be invaded by any oologist." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"Pretty common. +Permanent resident. Oftener found in the patches of cane brushwood +jungle found in and around villages than in unfrequented jungle and +thickets as Dr. Jerdon says. I have, however, once seen it in a field +of jute, which was alongside a village. Its well-known note can be +heard a long way off. I have several times found nests in course of +construction, but only once secured a clutch of eggs. When the nests +are being built, if the bush is at all disturbed the nest is deserted. +The earliest date on which I found a nest was the 1st April, 1878; it +was half finished, and as I pulled the cane-leaves asunder to see if +there were eggs, the birds deserted it. After this I found four nests +in cane-clumps on the sides of roads, but they were empty, and as the +birds abandoned them in due course I despaired of getting any eggs; +but on the 15th June, while going along a road, the edges of which +were bounded by the small embankments natives throw up round their +holdings, and which are always overgrown with 'sone' grass, I saw one +of these birds with a straw in its bill disappear at the root of a +small date-tree. The nest could be discerned from the road. On the +20th June I returned and found two fresh eggs; the nest was placed at +the junction of the frond and the stem of the date-tree about five +inches from the ground, and was an oval deep cup and measured +externally 5 inches deep by 3¾ broad. Egg-cavity 2 broad and 1¾ deep, +composed exclusively of 'sone' grass with no lining." + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals with a tolerably fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pure white. The whole of the larger end of the +egg is pretty thickly speckled and spotted with brown, varying from an +olive to a burnt sienna intermingled with little spots and clouds of +pale inky purple, and similar spots and specks chiefly of the former +colour, but smaller in size, scattered thinly over the rest of the +egg. In size they vary from 0·69 to 0·75 in length, and from 0·55 to +0·6 in breadth. + + +135. Dumetia hyperythra (Frankl.). _The Rufous-bellied Babbler_. + +Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 397. + +The Rufous-bellied Babbler breeds throughout the Central Provinces, +Chota Nagpoor, Upper Bengal, the eastern portions of the North-West +Provinces, parts of Oudh, and even in the low valleys of Kumaon. + +It lays from the middle of June to the middle of August, building +a globular nest of broad grass-blades or bamboo-leaves some 4 or 5 +inches in diameter, sparingly lined with fine grass-roots or a little +hair, or sometimes entirely unlined. The nest is placed sometimes on +the ground amongst dead leaves, some of which are not unfrequently +incorporated in the structure; sometimes in coarse grass or some +little shrub a foot or two from the ground, but by preference, +according to my experience, in amongst the roots of a bamboo-clump. + +Four is the usual number of eggs laid. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"On the 26th June, 1867, in the broken ground +above Chunar, I took two nests in the foot of a thick bamboo-bush +about 2 feet from the ground. The nests were made of bamboo-leaves +rolled into a ball with the entrance at the side, and no lining except +a few hairs. There were two eggs in one nest and three in the other. +They were all fresh. The eggs in the two nests varied somewhat: the +ground of the one was nearly pure white, and it was finely speckled +with reddish brown, which at the large end was partly confluent: the +other nest had the eggs with a pinkish-white ground, the spots larger +and less neatly defined, and with a rather large confluent spot at the +large end." + +Writing from Hoshungabad, Mr. E.C. Nunn remarks:--"I found two nests +of this species, each containing two eggs, on the 20th July and 6th +August, 1868. Both nests were ball-shaped, of coarse grass very +firmly and compactly twisted together, and with numerous dead leaves +incorporated in the body of the nest and towards the base, forming the +major portion of the material. They were thinly lined inside with fine +grass-roots. One was placed at the root of a small thorny bush: the +other on the ground in a thick clump of rank grass." The nest Mr. Nunn +sent to me was peculiarly solidly made. The cavity was small, about +2·25 inches in depth and 1·5 in diameter. The bottom of the nest was +some 2 inches and the sides 1·25 inch thick. + +From Raipoor Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "in July and August four +nests of this Babbler were taken; in two there were four eggs each, in +the third, three, and in the fourth, two--thirteen in all. The nests +were carefully made on the ground, at the base of clumps of long grass +growing very near to bamboo thickets. Three are made exclusively of +the dry leaves of the bamboo; the fourth of coarse grass. They were +nearly globular, about 4 inches in diameter, and without any regular +lining, although in the interior of the cavity a good deal of fine +grass-stems had been incorporated in the nest. They were well hidden +in the grass." + +Mr. Henry Wenden writes:--"On July 18th, about 15 miles from Bombay, +on the line of railway, I found a nest and eggs of the following +description: nest, a rough loose ball of soft flat grasses, lined with +hard but fine grass-stems, entrance at side near top; situated in +a thorny bush in cactus-hedge, by a narrow lane, not 4 feet wide, +through which numerous people passed. The nest, about 3 feet from the +ground, was in no way concealed. On the 18th there were two eggs, and +on the 20th, when there were four eggs, the bird was snared and nest +taken." + +The eggs are short, broad ovals, very slightly compressed towards one +end. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and it is streaked, +spotted, and speckled most thickly at the large end (where there is +a tendency to form an irregular confluent cap or zone), and thinly +towards the small end, with shades of red, brownish red, and reddish +purple, varying much in different examples. In some the markings are +pretty bold and blotchy, in others they are small and speckly; in +some they are smudgy and ill-defined, in others they are clear and +distinct. Some of the eggs are miniatures of some types of _Pyctorhis +sinensis_, but many recall the eggs of the Titmouse. They are much +about the size of those of _Parus caeruleus_ and _P. palustris_, but a +trifle less broad than either of these. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·5 to 0·56; +but the average of twenty-four eggs now before me is 0·67 by 0·53. + + +136. Dumetia albigularis (Blyth). _The Small White-throated +Babbler_. + +Dumetia albogularis (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 398. + +Miss M.B. Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, tells me that "the +White-throated Babbler builds its nest in the month of June. One was +found by my nest-seekers on the 17th of that month in the year 1873. +It was constructed on a coffee-tree, and contained three eggs, which +were white, profusely covered with reddish spots of all sizes. The +bird was very shy, and would not return to the nest for some hours +after it had been discovered; when, however, she did so, she was shot. +This year (1874) I found another similar nest on the 9th of June, also +containing three eggs." + +The nest with which she favoured me was small and nearly globular (say +at most 4 inches in external diameter), composed entirely of broad +flaggy grass without any lining or any admixture whatsoever of other +material. The nest was loosely put together, and had a comparatively +narrow circular entrance near the top. + +From Mysore Mr. Iver Macpherson writes:--"This is an exceedingly +common bird in parts of this district, and their nests are so +plentiful that I never now take them. + +"I send you all the eggs I have at present, but can procure you any +number more next season. + +"The birds are to be found in all kinds of wooded country except the +heavy forests, and appear to breed from the middle of April to the end +of July, and possibly later. + +"The nest is a largish globular structure loosely made of either +bamboo-leaves or blades of grass, and all that I have ever seen have +been lined inside with a few fine fibres. + +"Four appears to be the usual number of eggs, but very often there are +only three. + +"The nests are always built near the ground, sometimes almost touching +it, and are fixed in either small bushes, tufts of grass, or young +bamboo-clumps." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., states that this bird is very common in +Culputty in the Wynaad, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and that +he has found the nests from the end of May to the middle of October. +The nest is built in high grass nearly on the ground, or in +date-palms, or in arrowroot in the jungle up to heights of 3 feet. +The nest is built entirely of grass, lined with finer grass; a nearly +round ball 6 inches in diameter outside and 5 inside, with a hole on +the side. The eggs are laid at the rate of one a day, and three are +usually found in one nest, occasionally only two. On one occasion +after securing the female bird, he found the cock bird sitting on the +eggs and he continued to sit there for three days. + +Mr. J. Davidson tells us that he found a nest of this bird on the 15th +July at Kondabhari with four fresh eggs. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The breeding-season +lasts from March until July, the nests being built in a low bush +sometimes only a few inches from the ground." + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals. The shell is very +fine and smooth, and has in some a rather bright, in some only a very +slight gloss. The ground is a China-white. The markings consist of +a profusion of specks and spots of a very bright red, which, though +spread over the whole surface, are gathered most densely into an +imperfect, more or less confluent, cap or zone at the larger end, +where also a few purplish-grey spots and specks not usually found on +any other part of the egg, are noticeable. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·66 to 0·78, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·55. The average of 28 eggs is 0·72 by 0·53. + + +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (Gm.). _The Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 15; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 385. + +The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds throughout the plains of India, as also +in the Nilghiris, to an elevation of 5000 feet, and in the Himalayas +to perhaps 4000 feet. It lays in the latter part of June, in July, +August, and September. Gardens are the favourite localities and in +these the little bird makes its compact and solid nest, sometimes in +a fork of the fine twigs of a lime-bush, sometimes in a mangoe-, +orange-, or apple-tree, occasionally suspended between three stout +grass-stems, or even attached to a single stem of the huge grass from +which the native pens are made. I have taken a nest, hung between +three reeds, exactly resembling in shape and position the +Reed-Warbler's nest (_Salicaria arundinacea_), figured in Mr. +Yarrell's vignette at page 313, vol. i. 3rd edition. + +The nest is typically cone-shaped (the apex downwards), from 5 to 6 +inches in depth, and 3 or 4 in diameter at the base; but it varies of +course according to situation, the cone being often broadly truncated. +In the base of the cone (which is uppermost) is the egg-cavity, +measuring from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 2·5 inches in +depth. The nest is _very_ compactly and solidly woven, of rather broad +blades of grass, and long strips of fine fibrous bark, exteriorly more +or less coated with cobwebs and gossamer-threads. Interiorly, fine +grass-stems and roots are neatly and closely interwoven. I once found +some horse-hair along with the grass-roots, but this is unusual. + +The full number of eggs is, I believe, five. I have repeatedly taken +nests containing this number, and have comparatively seldom met with a +smaller number of eggs at all incubated. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I found a nest of this species at +Roorkee in the early part of July. It contained three eggs and was +beautifully made, a deep cup fixed on to an artichoke-stock, and at a +little distance much resembled an artichoke." + +Mr. E.C. Nunn, writing from near Agra on the 26th September 1867, +says:--"I got a _Pyctorhis_' nest yesterday, suspended between two +stalks of jowar (_Holcus sorghum_), the nest firmly bound with strips +of fibrous bark, at two opposite points of its circumference, to the +two stems. This is, I imagine, something out of the usual order of +things with these birds. The nests which I have hitherto found have +been situated in young mangoe-trees, rose-bushes, or peach- and +orange-trees." + +From Futtehgurh the late Mr. A.A. Anderson sent me the following +note:--"The nest and eggs of this bird are very beautiful. A pair once +built in a pumplenose-tree (_Citrus decumana_) in my garden, laying +five long eggs. The nest, still in my collection, was placed in the +fork of _four_ small upright twigs; it was composed entirely of dry +grass-stems (no soft material inside), and laced outwardly, in and out +of the twigs, with dry fibre belonging to the plantain-tree. + +"The eggs are small for the size of the bird, and scarcely so large as +those of the Hedge-Sparrow." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This likewise is a Dhoon bird; its nest was +found there on the 1st July, when it contained four eggs of a dull +white colour, thickly speckled and blotched all over with ferruginous +spots, forming also an open darker coloured ring at the large end, and +intermixed with brown. + +"The nest is a deep cup, placed in the trifurcation of the slender +upright branch of a low shrub, and is constructed externally of coarse +grass-blades held together by cobwebs and seed-down, the lining being +fine grass-seed stalks. Diameter of the top 2½ inches; depth within 2 +inches; externally 3½ inches." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "the Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds from +July to September, or, I should say, up to the middle of September. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is not confined to any one +species, but by preference the bird selects those of small growth, +and even frequently high-growing brushwood. The nests are very neatly +made, and what is singular is that, as regards build and shape, they +are always almost exactly alike. If I have seen one, I must have seen +at least fifty this year, all with the same exterior material of +closely interlaced vegetable fibre over grass, and the inner lining of +fine grass, deep cup-shaped, and in diameter, outer and inner, varying +but little. Where it could be effected, the nest was suspended to, or +rather fastened between, two forks; or where these were not available, +between three twigs. The outer diameters of the nests were from 2·7 to +2·9 inches, inner from 2·3 to 2·5. Four is the regular number of eggs, +though occasionally five in one nest have been obtained." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"This species builds about Agra in May, June, +and July. The nest is a beautiful deep cup-shaped structure, almost +always fastened to a branch of a low bush. The normal number of eggs +appears to be four." + +From Kotagherry, near Ootacamund, Miss Cockburn records that "this +bird builds a neat cup-shaped nest, generally choosing a branch +consisting of three upright sprigs, at the bottom of which the +building is placed. The nests (one of which is now before me) are +begun with broad grass-leaves, and the inside compactly lined with +fine fibres of the same material: to render the whole firm, a few +cobwebs are added to the outside, thus fixing the nest securely to the +sprigs. These birds build in the months of June and July, and, as far +as I have observed, lay only three eggs." + +Mr. Philipps, quoted by Dr. Jerdon, says that this bird "_generally_ +builds on banyan-trees." This is clearly a mistake. I have known of +the taking, or have myself taken, altogether upwards of fifty nests +in the North-Western Provinces, whence Mr. Philipps was writing, and +never yet heard of or saw a nest of this species on a banyan. + +Mr. H. Wenden writes:--"At Egatpoora, the top of the Thull Ghât +incline, I noticed, on 30th September, a partly-built nest of this +species. Watching for some time, I ascertained that both birds shared +in the labour of construction. It was situated in the trifurcated +stalk of that plant which bears a clover-like blossom (called +Kessara-Hind and Koordoo-Mhar), about 3 feet above the ground, the +stalks passing through the side-walls of the nest, which cannot have +a better description than that given by Mr. Hume (page 238, 'Rough +Draft'). The first egg was laid on 2nd October, and another each +succeeding day until there were five. On the 10th the hen-bird was +shot and the nest taken. + +"On 30th October, in a garden near the same place, another nest was +found, on the twigs of a pangra tree, containing three young birds and +one egg." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Tolerably common in the Sholapoor +District; more so in the better-wooded parts, and breeds." + +Finally, Colonel Butler sends me the following note:-- + +"Belgaum, 14th September, 1880.--A nest in sugar-cane about 2 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. 17th September: another +nest in a sugar-cane field, containing five eggs about to hatch. In +both instances the nest was built, not on the blades of sugar-cane, +but on a solitary green-leaved weedy-looking plant growing amongst the +sugar-cane. + +"The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds during the rains. I have taken nests +on the following dates:-- + + "July 26, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "July 30, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 14, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 21, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 18, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "July 28, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"From this date to the end of August I found any number of nests +containing eggs of both types. The nest is usually built in the fork +of some low thorny tree from 3 to 7 feet from the ground. The outside +of the nest is usually smeared over with cobwebs, reminding one of the +nest of a _Rhipidura_" + +Mr. Oates writes:--"Breeds abundantly throughout Pegu in June, and +probably in the other months of the rains up to September." + +The eggs vary a good deal in size and shape, and very much in +colouring. They are mostly of a very broad oval shape, very obtuse +at the smaller end. Some are, however, slightly pyriform, and some a +little elongated. There are two very distinct types of coloration: one +has a pinkish-white ground, thickly and finely mottled and streaked +over the whole surface with more or less bright and deep brick-dust +red, so that the ground-colour only faintly shows through, here and +there, as a sort of pale mottling; in the other type the ground-colour +is pinkish white, somewhat _sparingly_, but boldly, blotched with +irregular patches and eccentric hieroglyphic-like streaks, often +Bunting-like in their character, of bright blood- or brick-dust red. +The eggs of this type, besides these primary markings, generally +exhibit towards the large end a number of pale inky-purple blotches or +clouds. There is a third type somewhat intermediate between these, in +which the ground-colour, instead of being finely freckled all over +as in the former, or sparingly blotched as in the latter, is very +coarsely mottled and clouded, as if clumsily daubed over by a child, +with a red intermediate in intensity between that usually observable +in the two first-described types. Combinations of these different +types of course occur, but fully two thirds can be separated +distinctly under the first and second varieties. Though much smaller, +many of the eggs recall those of the English Robin. The eggs have +often a fine gloss. I have one or two specimens so uniformly coloured +that, though perhaps slightly shorter and broader in form, they might +almost pass for the eggs of Cetti's Warbler. + +In length they vary from 0·65 to 0·8, and in breadth from 0·53 to +0·68; but the average of seventy-seven eggs measured is 0·73 by 0·59. + + +140. Pyctorhis nasalis, Legge. _The Ceylon Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis nasalis, _Legge, Hume, Cat._ no. 385 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"In the Western +Province this Babbler commences to breed in February; but in May I +found several nests in the Uva district near Fort Macdonald; and +that month would thus seem to be the nesting-season in the Central +Province. The nest is placed in the fork of a shrub, or in a huge tuft +of maana-grass, without any attempt at concealment, about 3 or 4 feet +from the ground. It is a neatly-made compact cup, well finished off +about the top and exterior, and constructed of dry grass, adorned with +cobwebs or lichens, and lined with fine grass or roots. The exterior +is about 2½ inches in diameter by about 2 in depth. The eggs are +usually three in number, fleshy white, boldly spotted, chiefly about +the larger end, with brownish sienna; in some these markings are +inclined to become confluent, and are at times overlaid with dark +spots oil brick-red. They are rather broad ovals, measuring, on +the average, from 0·76 to 0·79 inch in length, by 0·56 to 0·59 in +breadth." + + +142. Pellorneum mandellii, Blanf. _Mandelli's Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum nipalensis (__Hodgs._), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 399 +bis. + +This species, originally described by Hodgson as _Hemipteron +nipalensis_, was confounded by Gray and others with _P. ruficeps_, +Swainson, and subsequently rediscriminated and described by Blanford +as _P. mandellii_. + +Mandelli's Spotted Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, begins +to lay in April, the young being ready to fly in July. They build a +large, more or less oval, globular nest, laid lengthwise on the ground +in some bush or clump of rush or reed, composed of moss, dry leaves, +and vegetable fibres, and lined with moss-roots. The entrance, which +is circular, is at one end. A nest measured by Mr. Hodgson was 6·75 +inches in length and 5 in height. The aperture, at one end of the +egg-shaped nest, was about 2 inches in diameter, and the cavity was +about 2·5 in diameter and nearly 4 inches deep. The eggs are three or +four in number, and are figured as broad ovals pointed towards the +small end, measuring about 0·86 by 0·65, and having a greyish-white +ground, thickly speckled and spotted with more or less bright red or +brownish red, and most thickly so at the large end, where the markings +are nearly confluent. + +A nest said to belong to this species, and found near Darjeeling in +July, at an elevation of about 4000 feet, was placed on the ground on +the side of a bank--a very dirty untidy nest, more or less cylindrical +in shape, composed of dead leaves, including a good many of those of +the bamboo, dead twigs, and old roots, and very sparsely lined with +black moss-roots. The nest is about 4 inches in diameter externally, +and the cavity about 2-5 in diameter. + +It contained three fresh eggs, very regular, moderately broad, ovals; +the shell fine and compact, with a slight gloss. The ground-colour is +white, and the egg everywhere very finely speckled with chocolate- or +purplish brown, the markings being by far most dense at the large +end, where they form a more or less irregular, and more or less +conspicuous, speckly cap. + +Two eggs measure 0·86 and 0·9 in length, and 0·65 and 0·66 in breadth. + +Another nest, found on the 5th June in Native Sikhim, contained four +fresh eggs. It was placed on the ground, and precisely resembled that +obtained near Darjeeling in July. + +In some eggs the markings are rather bolder and coarser, and in +these there are generally some few pale lilac or inky-purple spots +intermingled where the markings are densest. Closely looked into, many +of the spots in some eggs are rather a pale yellowish brown. + +The eggs are clearly all of the same type, and vary very little. + +Four eggs varied from 0·84 to 0·9 in length, and from 0·65 to 0·68 in +breadth. + + +144. Pellorneum ruficeps, Swains., _The Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum ruficeps, _Swains., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 27; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 399. + +Writing from Kotagherry Miss Cockburn says:--"Spotted Babblers are +exceedingly shy. They associate in small flocks except during the +breeding-season, when they go about in pairs. I have only known them +to frequent small woods and brushwood, a little higher than the +elevation of the coffee-plantations. + +"Three nests of these birds were found in the months of March and +April 1871. The first was placed on the ground, close against a bush. +The nest, consisting of dry leaves and grass, appeared to be merely +a canopy for the eggs, which, were almost on the bare ground, having +only a _very few_ pieces of straw under them. The eggs were three +in number, and covered profusely with innumerable small dark spots, +making it difficult to say what the ground-colour really was. The nest +was not easily found. The bird left it so quietly as not to be heard, +and dropped down the hill like a ball. When the eggs were discovered +the bird did not return to them for fully three hours, after which she +came very cautiously, but only to meet her doom, poor thing, as she +was then shot. The second nest was built in the same way under a bush, +and contained three eggs, which were put into my egg-box lined +with cotton, but were hatched on the way home. The third nest was +constructed under a large stone and with the same materials, and +contained two young ones." + +An egg of this species, received from Miss Cockburn, is a moderately +broad and very regular oval. The ground-colour is a slightly greenish +white, and the whole surface of the egg is excessively finely freckled +and speckled with lilac or pale purplish grey and a more or less +rufous brown. The egg has a slight gloss. + +It measures 0·88 by 0·65. + + +145. Pellorneum subochraceum, Swinh. _The Burmese Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum subochraceum, _Swinh., Hume, Cat._ no. 399 sex. + +The Burmese Spotted Babbler breeds pretty well over the whole of Pegu +and Tenasserim. Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 3rd May I found a nest on +the ground near Pegu. A good many bamboo-leaves had fallen and the +nest was imbedded in these. It was formed entirely of these leaves +loosely put together, the interior only being sparingly lined with +fine grass. The structure _in situ_ was tolerably firm, but it would +not stand removal. In height it was about 7 inches, and in breadth +about 5, the longer axis being vertical. Shape cylindrical with +rounded top. Entrance 2½ inches by 1½, placed about the centre. The +interior of the nest was a rough sphere of 4 inches diameter. + +"There were three eggs, slightly incubated. The ground-colour is pure +white, and the whole surface is minutely and thickly speckled with +reddish-brown and greyish-purple spots, more closely placed at the +thick end, where they coalesce in places and form bold patches. + +"On the 29th June, I found another nest of similar construction, +placed on the ground in thick forest, at the root of a shrub." + +Mr. W. Davison in 1875 gave me the following note:--"On the morning +of the 25th March I took at Bankasoon a nest of this species in thick +forest; it was placed on the ground and was composed externally +of dead leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots and fibres. +It measured externally about 5 inches high by about 4 wide. The +egg-cavity was hardly 3 inches in diameter. The nest was only +partially domed, and was very loosely and carelessly put together. + +"The nest contained three eggs, but these were so far incubated that +it was impossible to blow two of them." + +The single egg of this species obtained by Mr. Davison is in shape a +moderately broad oval, a little pointed towards the small end; the +shell is fine, but has little gloss. The ground-colour, so far as this +is visible through the thickly-set markings, is white, and it is very +finely but densely stippled and freckled (most densely at the large +end, where the markings are not unfrequently confluent or nearly so) +with dull to bright reddish brown; here and there, especially about +the large end, more or less faint grey or red specks, spots, or tiny +clouds may be traced underlying as it were the brown or purplish +markings. + +The egg sent me from Pegu by Mr. Oates is of precisely the same size +and type, but the markings are much less dense and are brighter +coloured. The ground-colour is white, and the egg is pretty thickly +speckled with a reddish-chocolate brown. Here and there a moderately +large irregularly-shaped spot is intermingled with the finer +specklings. The markings are rather most dense at the large end, +where there is a tendency to form a zone, and here a number of pale +purplish-grey streaks and specks are also intermingled. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Early on the morning of the 7th April, +moving camp from the sources of the Thoungyeen, on the side of a hill +at the foot of a bamboo-bush not two feet from the road, I flushed +and shot a female of the above species off her nest; a little +loosely-put-together round ball of dry bamboo-leaves, unlined, though +domed over, with the entrance at the side, and containing two fresh +eggs, white, thickly speckled with brick-red and obscure purple. On +the 12th of the same month, I found a second nest behind the zayat or +rest-house at Meeawuddy. This was similar to the nest above described, +and contained three similar eggs." + +The eggs measure from ·78 to ·88 in length, and from ·58 to ·65 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is ·82 by ·62. + + +147. Pellorneum fuscicapillum (Bl.). _The Brown-capped Babbler_. + +Pellorneum fuscocapillum (_Bl), Hume, Cat._ no. 399 quint. + +Captain Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The nest of this +species is exceedingly difficult to find, and scarcely anything is +known of its nidification. Mr. Blyth succeeded in finding it in +Haputale at an elevation of 5500 feet. It was placed in a bramble +about 3 feet from the ground, and was cup-shaped, loosely constructed +of moss and leaves; it contained three young." + + +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (Eyton). _The Black-capped +Babbler_. + +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton), Hume, Cat._ no. 396 sex. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I got one nest of this bird at Klang. I was +passing through some very dense jungle, where the ground was very +marshy, when one of these birds rose from the ground about a couple of +feet in front of me, and alighted on an old stump some few feet away. +On examining the place from which the bird rose, I found the nest +placed at the base of a small clump of ferns, and concealed by a +number of overhanging withered fronds of the fern. The base of the +nest, which rested on the ground, was composed of a mass of dried +twigs, leaves, &c.; then came the real body of the nest, composed of +coarse fern-roots, the egg-cavity being lined with finer roots and +a number of hair-like fibres. It looked compactly and strongly put +together, but on trying to remove it, it all came to pieces. When the +bird saw me examining the nest it fluttered to within a couple of feet +of me, twittering in a most vehement manner, feigning a broken wing +to try and draw me away. The nest contained only two eggs, which were +slightly set." + +These eggs are extremely regular ovals, scarcely smaller, if at all, +at one end than at the other. The shell is very fine and fragile, but +has only a slight gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy +white, but the markings are so thickly set that little of this is +anywhere visible. First, pale inky-purple spots and clouds are thickly +sprinkled over the surface, and over this the whole egg is freckled +with a pale purplish brown. They measured 0·82 in length by 0·62 and +0·63 in breadth. + + +151. Drymocataphus tickelli. _Tickell's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma minus, _Hume_; _Hume, Cat._ no. 387 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham found the nest of this bird in the valley of the +Meplay river, Tenasserim, and he says:--"On the 15th March I found a +little domed nest made of dried bamboo-leaves, and lined with fine +roots, placed in a cane-bush a foot or so above the ground. It +contained three tiny white eggs, with minute pink dottings chiefly at +the larger end; one egg, however, is nearly pure white." + +One of these eggs taken by Major Bingham on the 15th March is a very +regular, somewhat elongated oval. The shell very fine and delicate, +and fairly glossy. The ground is china-white, and it is everywhere +speckled and spotted, nowhere very thickly, but most so in a zone near +one end, with pale ferruginous. It measured 0·67 by 0·51. + + +160. Turdinus abbotti (Bl.). _Abbott's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma abbotti (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 17. + +Abbott's Babbler breeds throughout Burma in suitable localities. +Writing from Kyeikpadein, in Southern Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the +22nd May I found a nest with two eggs nearly hatched, and on 23rd of +same month another with two eggs, one of which was fresh and the other +incubated. This bird builds in thick undergrowth, and the nest is +built at a height of about 2 feet from the ground. I have found very +many of their nests, but, with the above exceptions, the young had +flown. It is generally attached to a stout weed or two, and consists +of two portions. First, a platform of dead leaves about 6 inches in +diameter and 1 deep, placed loosely, and on this the nest proper is +built. This consists of a small cup, the interior diameter of which is +2 inches, and depth 1½. It is formed entirely of fine black fern-roots +well woven together. Stout weeds appear favourite sites, but I have +found old nests in dwarf palm-trees at the junction of the frond with +the trunk, and in one instance I found an old nest on the ground, +undoubtedly belonging to this bird. Three eggs measured ·84 by ·66, +·82 by ·67, and ·87 by ·65. They are very glossy and smooth. The +ground-colour is a pale pinkish white. At the cap there are a few +spots and short lines of inky-purple sunk into the shell, and over the +whole egg, very sparingly distributed, there are spots and irregular +fine scrawls of reddish brown. A few of the marks are neither spots +nor scrawls, but something like knots. The cap is suffused with a +darker tinge of pink than are the other parts of the shell. + +"A third nest, found on the 10th June, contained three eggs, and +differed from those above described in being very massive. It was +composed of dead leaves and fern-roots, and measured about 5 inches in +exterior diameter, with the egg-cup about 2½ inches broad and 2 inches +deep. It was placed on some entangled small plants about 2 feet from +the ground. Of these eggs I noted that before being blown the shell +was of a ruddy salmon colour. The marks are much as in the others +described above." + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at times towards +the small end, and occasionally slightly pyriform. The shell is fine +and glossy; the ground-colour is pinky white, with a redder shade +about the large end. A few streaks, spots, and hieroglyphics of a deep +brownish red, each more or less surrounded by a reddish nimbus, are +scattered very thinly about the surface of the egg, while, besides +these, a few small greyish-purple subsurface-looking spots may be +observed about the larger end. The average size of the seven eggs I +possess is 0·82 by 0·64. + + +163. Alcippe nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Babbler_. + +Alcippe nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 388. + +The Nepal Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds from March +to May, building a deep, massive, cup-shaped nest, firmly fastened +between two or three upright shoots, and laying three or four eggs, +which are figured as measuring 0·7 by 0·55. He has the following +note:-- + +"_Valley, April 1st_.--A pair and nest. Nest is round, 4 inches deep +on the outside and 2 inches within, and the same wide, being of the +usual soup-basin shape and open at the top, made of dry leaves bound +together with hair-like grass-fibres and moss-roots, which also form +the lining, further compacted by spiders' webs, which, being also +twisted round three adjacent twigs, form the suspenders of the nest, +the bottom of which does not rest upon anything; attached to a low +bush 1½ foot from the ground. The nest contained three eggs of a +pinkish-white ground thickly spotted with chestnut, the spots being +almost entirely confluent at the large end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me by the Lepchas. +The nest was loosely made with grass and bamboo-leaves, and the eggs +were white with a few reddish-brown spots." + +A nest of this species was found near Darjeeling in July, at an +elevation of between 3000 and 4000 feet. It was situated in a small +bush, in low brushwood, and placed only about 2 feet from the ground. +The nest is a compactly made and moderately deep cup. The exterior +portion of the nest is composed of bamboo-leaves, more or less held in +their places by fine horsehair-like black roots, with which also the +cavity is very thickly and neatly lined. Exteriorly the nest is about +3·75 inches in diameter, and nearly 3 in height. The cavity is 2·25 in +diameter and 1·6 in depth. + +The nest contained three nearly fresh eggs. The eggs are moderately +elongated ovals, very regular and slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and exhibits a slight gloss. The ground-colour +is white or pinkish white, and they are _very_ minutely speckled all +over with purplish red. The specklings exhibit a decided tendency to +form a more or less perfect, and more or less confluent, cap or zone +at the large end. + +Two of the eggs measure 0·72 and 0·71 in length, and 0·54 and 0·52 in +breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only found this Babbler +breeding in May at elevations about 5000 feet, but it doubtless breeds +also at much lower elevations, probably down to 2000 feet. The nests +are placed within 2 or 3 feet of the ground, between several +slender upright shoots, to which they are firmly attached. They are +exceedingly neat and compact-built cups, measuring externally about 4 +inches across by 2·75 deep, internally 2·15 wide by 1·6 deep. They are +composed of dry bamboo-leaves held together by a little grass and very +fine, hair-like fern-roots. The egg-cavity is lined with fern-roots. + +"The eggs are three or four in number." + +Numerous nests of this species kindly sent me by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, and others, taken during the months of May and June in +British and Native Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5500 feet, +were all of the same type and placed in the same situations, namely +amongst low scrub and brushwood, at heights of from 18 inches to 3 +feet from the ground. The interior and, in fact, the main body of +the nests appear to be in all cases chiefly composed of fine black +hair-like roots, with which, in some cases, especially about the +upper margin, a little fine grass is intermingled. The cavities are +generally much about the same size, say ~2 inches in diameter by 1·25 +in depth: but the size of the nests as a whole varies very much. The +nest is always coated exteriorly with dry leaves of trees and ferns, +broad blades of grass, and the like, fixed together sometimes by mere +pressure, but generally here and there held together by fine fibrous +roots, and this coating varies so much that one nest before me +measures 5·5 in external diameter, and another barely 4, the external +covering of fern-leaves, flags, and dry and dead leaves being very +abundant in the former, while in the other the covering consists +entirely of broad dry blades of grass very neatly laid together. Two, +three, and four fresh eggs were found in these several nests, but in +no case were more than four eggs found. + +Two nests taken by Mr. Gammie contained three and two fresh eggs +respectively. The eggs had a delicate pink ground, and were richly +blotched, in one egg exclusively, in the others chiefly about the +larger end, with chestnut, or almost maroon-red, here and there almost +deepening in spots to black, and elsewhere paling off into a rufous +haze. The markings are confluent about the large end, and there in +places intermingled with a purplish tinge. The other eggs had a +china-white ground, with more gloss than the specimens previously +described, with numerous small, blackish brownish-red spots and +specks, almost exclusively confined to the large end, where they are +more or less enveloped in a pinky-red nimbus. + +These eggs varied from 0·75 to 0·79 in length, and from 0·56 to 0·6 in +breadth. + +Other eggs, again, with the same pinky-white ground are thickly but +minutely freckled and speckled with rather pale brownish red, most +thickly towards and about the large end, where they become confluent +in patches, and where tiny purple clouds and spots are dimly +traceable. + + +164. Alcippe phaeocephala (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri Babbler_. + +Alcippe poiocephala (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E.._ no. 389. + +The Nilghiri Babbler breeds, apparently, throughout the hilly regions +of Southern India. It lays from January to June. A nest taken near +Neddivattam by Mr. Davison on the 5th April was placed between the +fork of three twigs of a bush, at the height of 5 or 6 feet from +the ground. It was a deep cup, massive enough but very loosely put +together, and composed of green moss, dead leaves, a little grass and +moss-roots. It was entirely lined with rather coarse black moss-roots. +In shape it was nearly an inverted cone, some 3½ inches in diameter +at top, and fully 5 inches in height. The cavity was over 2 inches +in diameter and nearly 2 inches in depth. A few cobwebs are here and +there intermingled in the external surface, but the grass-roots appear +to have been chiefly relied on for holding the nest together. + +Another nest found by Miss Cockburn on the 5th June on a small bush, +about 7 or 8 feet in height, standing on the banks of a stream, was +somewhat different. It was placed in the midst of a clump of leaves, +at the tips of three or four little twigs, between which the nest +was partly suspended and partly wedged in. It was composed of fine +grass-stems, with a few grass-and moss-roots as a lining interiorly, +and with several dead leaves and a good deal of wool incorporated +in the outer surface, the greater portion of which, however, was +concealed by the leaves of the twigs amongst which it was built. It +was only about 3½ inches in diameter, and the egg-cavity was less than +2½ inches across, and not above 1½ inch in depth. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"This bird breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris +in the latter end of March and April. The nest is uncommonly like that +of _Trochalopterum cachinnans_, but is of course smaller; it is deep +and cup-shaped, composed externally of moss and dead leaves, and +is lined with moss and fern-roots. It is always (as far as I have +observed) fastened to a thin branch about 6 feet from the ground. All +the nests I have ever observed were on small trees in the shadiest +parts of the jungle, far in, and never near the edge of the jungle +or in the open. The eggs are very handsome, and are, I think, the +prettiest of the eggs to be found on the Nilghiris and their slopes. +The ground-colour is of a beautiful reddish pink (especially when +fresh), blotched and streaked with purplish carmine." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, says:--"The Nilghiri Quaker-Thrush breeds +on the slopes of the Nilghiri hills, generally in the depths of the +forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle. I have also +found the nest at Neddivattam in April. + +"In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, about +2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet from the +ground." + +Mr. T.F. Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"This bird breeds +commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that of any +other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, and grass. +It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the middle of +jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by 1¾-2 in depth. The full +number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on + + "April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. + Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. + Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. + April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated." + +As in the case of _Pyctorhis sinensis_, the eggs differ much in colour +and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss Cockburn +from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse at the larger +end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller. The shell is fine and +somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they +are thickly mottled and freckled, most thickly at the larger end, +where the markings form a more or less confluent mottled cap, with +two shades of pinkish-, and in some spots slightly brownish, red, and +towards the large end, where the markings are dense, traces of pale +purple clouds underlying the primary markings are observable. In +general appearance these eggs not a little resemble those of some of +the Bulbuls, and it seems difficult to believe that they are eggs of +birds of the same genus as _Alcippe atriceps_[A], the eggs of which +are so much smaller and of such a totally different type. Two eggs +of the same species taken by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy +shell. The ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty +large and conspicuous spots and hair-lines of deep brownish red, +almost black, and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and +clouds, generally lying round or about the dark spots; and then +towards the large end there are several small clouds and patches of +faint inky purple, which appear to underlie the other markings. The +character of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly +of those of the Chaffinch. Other eggs taken later by Miss Cockburn at +Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate between the two +types above described. + +[Footnote A: _Alcippe atriceps_ and _Alcippe phaeocephala_, as they +have hitherto been styled by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the +least congeneric, as I have pointed out in my 'Birds of India.' I am +glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. Hume's remarks on the +eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should be considered +congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. Their +structure differs much.--ED.] + +All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in length +from 0·75 to 0·86, and in breadth from 0·58 to 0·65. + + +165. Alcippe phayrii, Bl. _The Burmese Babbler_. + +Alcippe phayrii, _Bl., Hume, Cat._ no. 388 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"In the half-dry bed of +one of the many streams that one has to cross between Kaukarit and +Meeawuddy, I found on the 23rd February a nest of the above species. A +firm little cup, borne up some 2 feet above the ground on the fronds +of a strong-growing fern, to three of the leaf-stems of which it +was attached. It was made of vegetable fibres and roots, and lined +interiorly with fine black hair-like roots, on which rested three +fresh eggs, in colour pinky white, blotched and streaked with dull +reddish pink, and with faint clouds and spots of purple. The eggs +measure ·79 x ·58, ·78 x ·58, and ·76 x ·59." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, informs us that on the 9th April he "took +three fresh eggs of _Alcippe phayrii_, in heavy jungle, at a very low +elevation, at the foot of Nwalabo in Tenasserim. The nest was built +in a small bush 4 feet from the ground (hanging between two forked +twigs), of bamboo and other leaves, moss, and a few fine twigs, and +lined with moss and fern-roots, 2 inches in diameter, 1½ deep. It +was exactly like very many nests of _A. phaeocephala_, taken on the +Nilghiri Hills, though some of the latter are much more compact and +pretty." + +Mr. W. Davison, also writing of Tenasserim, says:--"On the 1st +March, in a little bush about 2 feet above the ground, I found the +above-mentioned bird seated on a little moss-made nest, and utterly +refusing to move off until I almost touched her, when she hopped on to +a branch a few feet off, and disclosed three little naked fledglings +struggling or just struggled out of their shells. I retired a little +way off, and she immediately reseated herself. The eggs, to judge by +the fragments, were of a vinous claret tinge, spotted and streaked +with a darker shade of the same." + +These eggs closely resemble those of _A. nepalensis_. They are neither +broad nor elongated ovals, often with a _slight_ pyriform tendency, +always apparently very blunt at both ends. + +The ground-colour, of which but little is visible, in some eggs varies +from pinky white to pale reddish pink, and the egg is profusely +smeared and clouded with pinky or purplish red, varying much in +shade and tint. Here and there, in most eggs, are a few spots, or +occasionally short, crooked or curved lines, where the colour has +been laid on so thick that it is almost black, and such spots are +generally, though not always, more or less surrounded with a haze of a +rather deeper tint than the rest of the smear in which they occur. The +markings are often deepest coloured, or most conspicuous, about the +large end, where occasionally a recognizable cap is formed and there +a decided purplish tinge may be noticed in patches. The general +character of the eggs is very uniform; but the eggs vary to such a +degree _inter se_, that it is hopeless to attempt to describe all the +variations. They vary in length from 0·68 to 0·78 and in breadth from +0·53 to 0·59, but the average of nine eggs is 0·75 by 0·58. + + +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (Jerd.) _The Black-headed Babbler_. + +Alcippe atriceps (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 19; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 390. + +Writing from Coonoor in the Nilghiris, Mr. Wait tells me that +the Black-headed Babbler breeds in his neighbourhood in June and +July:--"It builds in weeds and grass beside the banks of old roads, at +elevations of from 5000 to 5500 feet. The nest is placed at a height +of from a foot to 2 feet from the ground, is domed and loosely built, +composed almost entirely of dry blades of the lemon-grass, and lined +with the same or a few softer grass-blades. In shape it is more or +less ovate, the longer axis vertical, and the external diameters 4 and +8 inches. They lay two or three rather broad oval eggs, which have a +white ground, speckled and spotted, chiefly at the large end, with +reddish brown." + +Miss Cockburn sends me a nest of this species which she found on the +17th June amongst reeds on the edge of a stream, about 2 or 3 feet +above the water's edge. It appears to have been a globular mass very +loosely put together, of broad reed-leaves, between 3 or 4 inches in +diameter, and with a central unlined cavity. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson, writing from Mysore, says:--"I have only met with +this bird in heavy bamboo-forest, and have only found two nests, viz., +on the 25th May and 2nd July, 1879. Both nests were fixed low down (2 +to 3 feet) in bamboo-clumps, and each contained two eggs, which, for +the size of the bird, I considered very large. Nest globular, and very +loosely constructed of bamboo-leaves and blades of grass." + +An egg sent me from Coonoor by Mr. Wait is a moderately broad, very +regular oval, only slightly compressed towards the smaller end. The +shell is very fine and satiny, but has only a slight gloss. The +ground-colour is white or slightly greyish white, and towards the +large end it is profusely speckled with minute dots of brownish and +purplish red, a few specks of the same colour being scattered about +the rest of the surface of the eggs. + +Another egg sent me from Kotagherry by Miss Cockburn exactly +corresponds with the above description. + +Both are precisely the same in size, and measure 0·75 by 0·55. +Other eggs measure from 0·75 to 0·79 in length by 0·53 to 0·58 in +breadth[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon (S.F. ix, p. 300) gives +an interesting account of the nest and eggs of a species of +_Rhopocichla_, which he failed to identify satisfactorily. It may have +been _R. atriceps_ or _R. bourdilloni_. Most probably, judging from +the locality, it was the latter. As, however, there is a doubt about +it, I do not insert the note.--ED.] + + +167. Rhopocichla nigrifrons (Bl.). _The Black-fronted Babbler_. + +Alcippe nigrifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 390 ter. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of the Black-fronted +Babbler in Ceylon:--"After finding hundreds of the curious dry-leaf +structures, mentioned in 'The Ibis,' 1874, p. 19, entirely void of +contents, and having come almost to the conclusion that they were +built as roosting-places, I at last came on a newly-constructed one +containing two eggs, on the 5th of January last; the bird was in the +nest at the time, so that my identification of the eggs was certain. +The nest of this Babbler is generally placed in a bramble or +straggling piece of undergrowth near a path in the jungle or other +open spot; it is about 3 or 4 feet from the ground, and is entirely +made of dead leaves and a few twigs; the leaves are laid one over +another horizontally, forming a smooth bottom or interior. In external +form it is a shapeless ball about 8 or 10 inches in diameter, and has +an unfinished opening at the side. The birds build with astonishing +quickness, picking up the leaves one after another from the ground +just beneath the nest. When fresh the eggs are fleshy white, becoming +pure white when emptied; they are large for the size of the bird, +rather stumpy ovals, of a smooth texture, and spotted openly and +sparingly with brownish red, over bluish-grey specks; in one specimen +the darker markings are redder than in the other, and ran mostly in +the direction of the axis. Dimensions: 0·74 by 0·56 and 0·74 by 0·55." + + +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, Hodgs. _The Black-throated Babbler_. + +Stachyris nigriceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p, 21; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 391. + +I have never taken a nest of this species, the Black-throated Babbler, +but Mr. Gammie, a careful observer, in whose neighbourhood (Rungbee, +near Darjeeling) this bird is very abundant, has taken many nests, two +of which he has sent me, with many eggs. + +One nest, found at Rishap, on the 14th May, at an elevation of about +4000 feet, contained four nearly fresh eggs. It was a very loose +structure, a shallow cup of about 3½ inches in diameter, composed of +fine grass-stems without any lining, and coated externally with broad +coarse grass-blades. + +Another nest taken low down in the valley, at about an elevation of +2000 feet, on the 17th June, contained three fresh eggs. It was placed +in a bank at the foot of a shrub. Like the previous one, it was a +loose but rather deeper cup, interiorly composed of moderately fine +grass, exteriorly of dead leaves. The egg-cavity measured about 2 +inches in diameter, and 1½ inch in depth. _In situ_, both probably +were more or less domed, the cups more or less overhung by a hood or +canopy. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I have seen numerous nests of this species in +former years, and have found two this season, but have never seen +eggs with 'faint darker spots' as mentioned by Jerdon. Hodgson's +description is quite correct. The eggs are a 'pale fawn-colour' +_before they are blown_, the shells being so translucent that the yolk +shows through partially. The shell is pure white in itself. The cavity +of the cup-shaped part of one nest beside me is 2 inches deep by 2 +inches wide; outer dimensions 5¾ inches deep (from top of hood) by 4 +inches wide across the face of entrance. It is loosely though neatly +made of bamboo-leaves and fern, lined with dry grass. The bird breeds +in May and June, and lays four or five eggs." + +Mr. Eugene Gates tells us that he "procured only one specimen of this +bird, and that was in the evergreen forests of the Pegu Hills. I shot +it off the nest on the 29th April. The nest was on a bank of a nullah +well concealed among dead leaves, about 2 feet above the bottom of +the bank. The nest is domed, about 7 inches in height and 5 inches in +diameter externally, with the entrance at the side near the top. The +outside is a mass of bamboo-leaves very loose, being in no way bound +together; each leaf is curled to the shape of the nest. The inside, a +thin lining only of vegetable fibres. There were three eggs, just on +the point of hatching; colour, pure white." + +The Black-throated Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, in April +and May, and builds a large deep cup-shaped nest, either upon the +ground in the midst of grass, or at a short distance above the +ground between five or six thin twigs; a nest which he measured was +externally 4·5 inches in diameter and 3·5 in height, while the cavity +was 2·5 in diameter and 2 in depth. The nest is composed of dry +bamboo- and other leaves wound together with grass and moss-roots, and +lined with these, and is a very firm compact structure, considering +the materials. They lay four or five eggs, which are figured as +very regular rather broad ovals, of a nearly uniform, very pale +_café-au-lait_ colour (these were the _unblown_ eggs), measuring about +0·75 by 0·58. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me at +Darjeeling, and said to be of this species. The nest was rather large, +very loosely made of bamboo-leaves and fibres, and the eggs were of a +pale salmon-colour, with some faint darker spots." + +There is no doubt that these must have been the eggs of some other +species. + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"This little bird, though not at all +common, breeds in the Sinzaway Reserve, in Tenasserim. I took five +hard-set eggs, placed in a beautiful little domed nest, at the foot of +a clump of bamboos, on the bank of a dry choung or nullah. This was on +the 20th March. The nest was composed exteriorly of dry bamboo-leaves, +and interiorly of fine grass-roots, the entrance being on one side. I +shot the female as she crept off the nest." + +It does not seem that in the Himalayas this species domes its nest. +Numerous other nests that have been sent me from Sikhim, taken in May, +June, and July, were all of the same type--shallow or deeper cups +loosely put together, exteriorly composed of coarse blades of grass, +dead leaves, bamboo-spathes and the like, held together with a little +vegetable fibre or fibrous roots, and interiorly of fine grass +generally more or less mingled with blackish roots, which in some +nests greatly predominate over the grass. + +The eggs are broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, in some +cases slightly pyriform. They are pure white, spotless, and fairly +glossy. + +They vary from 0·68 to 0·84 in length, and from 0·55 to 0·61 in +breadth, but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0·76 by somewhat over +0·58. + + +170. Stachyrhis chrysaea, Hodgs. _The Golden-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris chrysaea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 394. + +Mr. Blyth remarks:--"The egg, as figured by Mr. Hodgson, is pinkish +white, and the nest domed and placed on the summit of a sedge. _S. +praecognita_ lays a blue egg." (Ibis, 1866, p. 309.) + +There is no figure of either the nest or eggs of the Golden-headed +Babbler amongst the drawings of Mr. Hodgson that I possess. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird out of a +large forest, at 5000 feet elevation, on the 15th May. It is of an +oval shape, neatly made of small bamboo-leaves only, devoid of lining, +and was fixed vertically between a few upright sprays, within two feet +of the ground. It measures externally 5·25 inches in height by 4 in +diameter; internally 1·5 in depth, from lip of egg-cavity, by 1·75 in +diameter. The entrance is also 1·75 across. + +"The eggs were four in number; three of them well set and the fourth +quite fresh. The set eggs were altogether pure white, but the fresh +egg, unblown, was of a pinky-white colour with a pure white cap; when +blown it exactly resembled the others." + +The eggs sent as pertaining to this species by Mr. Gammie are very +regular ovals, pure white, and somewhat glossy, but they are so small +that I can scarcely credit their really belonging to this species. +Their cubit contents are not half those of the average eggs of _S. +nigriceps_. They measure 0·63 by 0·48. + + +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps, Bl. _The Red-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 393. + +The Red-headed Babbler breeds in Nepal, according to Mr. Hodgson, +from April to June, building a large massive cup-shaped nest amongst +bamboos, as a rule, at heights of from 7 to 10 feet from the ground. +The nest is wedged in between half a dozen or more creepers and +shoots, and is composed almost exclusively of dry bamboo-leaves +neatly, but rather loosely, interwoven, and lined also with these +leaves. One which he measured was rather oval in shape, 5·25 inches in +diameter one way, by 4 the other, and 3·6 in height. The leaves used +in the rim of the cup were projected a little inwards, so as to make +the mouth of the cavity a little smaller than the diameter of this +latter within. The diameter of the mouth was 2 inches, that of the +cavity 2·5, and the latter is about 1·5 deep. Four eggs are laid, a +sort of brownish white, speckled and spotted with brown or reddish +brown. The egg figured measures 0·7 by 0·52, and is a moderately +broad, regular oval. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs, said to be of this species, were +brought to me at Darjeeling. The nest was a loose structure of grass +and fibres, and contained two eggs of a greenish-white colour with +some rusty spots." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of this Babbler in +April; one of them at an elevation of 3500 feet, the other at 5000 +feet, but it no doubt breeds also both lower and higher. They are of +a neat egg-shape, with entrance at side, and were fixed vertically +between a few upright sprays, within three feet of the ground, in open +situations near large trees. Mr. Hodgson evidently did not take the +one he describes with his own hands, for he places it horizontally, +which gives a height of 3·6 inches only. The external dimensions are +about 5·5 inches in height and 4 in diameter. Internally the diameter +is 2 inches, and the depth, from roof, 3·25. The entrance is 2 across. +They are composed of dry bamboo-leaves only, put neatly and firmly +together, and are lined with a very few grassy fibres. They each +contained four well-set eggs." + +Mr. Mandelli, however, took a nest of this species at Lebong on the +23rd June, in the middle of a tea-bush which grew at the side of a +small ravine, which was neither hooded nor domed. The nest was about +18 inches from the ground and completely sheltered from above +by tea-leaves. It was a deep cup composed externally chiefly of +bamboo-leaves, but with a good many dead leaves of trees incorporated +in the base, and lined with very fine grass-stems. It contained four +fresh eggs. It is quite clear that this species, like _S. nigriceps_, +only domes its nest in certain situations. + +The eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie and Mr. Mandelli are very regular, +slightly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine and compact, but has +only a faint gloss. The ground is white and round the larger end is a +zone or imperfect cap of specks and spots of brownish red, generally +intermingled with tiny spots, usually very faint, of pale purple. A +few specks and spots brown, yellowish, or reddish brown, and sometimes +also pale purple, are scattered about the rest of the egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·64 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·50 to +0·53, but the average of eight eggs was 0·68 by 0·52 nearly. + + +174. Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Babbler_. + +Stachyris pyrrhops, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 21; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 392. + +Accounts differ somewhat as to the eggs of the Red-billed Babbler. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Nest found in low +ground, about 100 yards from the River Jheelum, situated in a low +bush, externally composed of broad dry reed-leaves, and interiorly of +fine grass, cup-shaped. Eggs, four in number, long oval, white, with a +few reddish specks at the larger end. Length ·7, breadth ·5. Lays in +the latter end of June, 4000 feet up." + +The nest, which he kindly sent me, is a deep cup, coarsely made +interiorly of grass-stems, externally of broad blades of grass, +in which a few dead leaves are incorporated; there is no lining. +Exteriorly the nest is about 3·5 inches in diameter, and about 3 in +depth; the egg-cavity is a little more than 2 inches in diameter, and +fully 1·75 in depth. + +Mr. Hodgson "found the nest" of this species in Nepal, "at an +elevation of about 6000 feet, in shrubby upland." It was "placed in a +small shrub about 2 feet from the ground." It was "a very deep cup, +about 4 inches in length, and 2·5 in diameter externally, placed +obliquely endwise upon cross-stems of the shrub, and opening, as it +were obliquely, upwards at one end," the cavity being about 1·5 in +diameter. The nest was made of "dry leaves and grass pretty compactly +woven." The nest "contained four eggs," which are described as +"whitish, with spare and faint fawn-coloured spots," and are figured +as measuring 0·65 by 0·47. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a common species both in the Dhoon +and in the hills, and may be found at all seasons, making known its +presence among the brushwood by the utterance of a clear and musical +note like the ringing of a tiny bell. In the winter time it is often +mixed up with flocks composed of _Siva strigula_ and _Liothriae +luteus_, creeping among the bushes like the _Pari_ and _Phylloscopi_. +It constructs its nest at the base of bushes, the eggs being three +in number, of a faint greenish grey, thickly irrorated with small +reddish-brown specks. The nest is composed of dry grass-blades +externally, within which is a layer of fine woody stalks and fibres, +and lined with black hair. It is cup-shaped, and placed upon a thick +bed of dried leaves, which are most probably accumulated beneath the +bush by the wind. One nest was taken at Dehra, in a garden, on the +30th July, and others at Mussoorie about the same time." + +But the eggs sent by Captain Hutton clearly do not, I think, pertain +to this species. Those taken by Colonel Marshall are certainly +genuine, and are considerably larger and very differently coloured +eggs. + +In shape they are moderately broad ovals, some of them slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is very fine and smooth, +but with scarcely any gloss; the ground is pure white, and they are +thinly speckled and spotted, the markings being much more numerous +about the large end, where they have a tendency to form an ill-defined +cap or zone with brownish red or pinky brown. + +In length they vary from 0·62 to 0·69, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·52. + + +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (Blyth). _The Red-winged Babbler_. + +Cyanoderma erythropterum, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 396 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison found the nest of the Red-winged Babbler at Bankasoon +on the 23rd April, just when he was leaving the place. Unfortunately +the birds had not yet laid. The nest was a ball composed of dry +reed-leaves, about 6 inches in diameter. Externally, with a circular +aperture on one side, very like that of _Mixornis rubricapillus_ +and of _Dumetia_, and again not at all unlike that of _Ochromela +nigrorufa_, but placed in a bush about 4 feet high and not on the +ground. + + +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (Tick.). _The Yellow-breasted Babbler_. + +Mixornis rubricapilla (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 23; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 395. + +This, though said to occur also in Central India, is a purely +Indo-Burmese form, found chiefly in the Eastern sub-Himalayan jungles, +Assam, Cachar, Burma, and Tenasserim. + +It is only from this latter province that I have any information as to +the nidification of the Yellow-breasted Babbler. + +Mr. Davison writes to me:--"At a small village, called Shymootee or +Tsinmokehtee, about 7 miles from the town of Tavoy, and very slightly +above the sea-level, say 50 feet, I found on the 6th of May, 1874, a +nest of this species. The nest was placed in a dense clump of a very +thorny plant (somewhat like a pineapple bush) about a foot from the +ground; it was not particularly well concealed. The nest was built of +bamboo-leaves, and in general appearance was not at all unlike that of +_Ochromela nigrorufa_; but the egg-cavity was very shallow, so that +by moving aside an overhanging leaf the eggs were distinctly visible. +There were three partially incubated eggs in the nest, a somewhat dull +white, spotted with pinkish dots." + +The nest is more or less egg-shaped, the longer axis vertical, with a +circular aperture on one side near the top. + +The exterior diameters are 5 and nearly 4 inches. The aperture about +1·5 in diameter. The cavity is barely 2 inches in diameter, and only +1·25 deep below the lower edge of the entrance. + +Both nest and eggs strongly recall those of _Dumetia hyperythra_. The +former is composed of the broad, grass-like leaves of the bamboo, and +with only a few stems of grass here and there intermingled as if by +accident. In the sides of the cavity the leaf-blades are so neatly +laid together, side by side, that the interior seems as if planked, +and at the bottom of the cavity there is a very scanty lining of very +fine grass-stems. + +Mr. Oates says:--"I found a nest on the 2nd June near Pegu, with three +eggs. Failing to snare the bird at once, I left the nest for a short +time, and on my return found the eggs gone. I am satisfied, however, +that the nest belonged to the present species; for I caught a glimpse +of the sitting bird. The nest was built on the top of a stump, well +concealed by leafy twigs, except the entrance, which was open to view. +It was a ball of grass with the opening at the side. + +"_28th June_.--Nest in a shrub about 10 feet from the ground. A domed +structure with an opening at the side 3 inches high by 2 broad. Height +of nest about 6 and outside width 4. Made entirely of bamboo-leaves +and lined sparingly with grass. Eggs 3. + +"I have found numerous nests of this species, but always after the +young had flown. They appear almost always to be placed in shrubs at +heights of 2 to 10 feet from the ground. One nest, however, on which I +watched the birds at work, was in a pineapple plant between the stalk +of the fruit and one of the leaves, almost on the ground." + +The eggs are regular ovals, moderately elongated, only very slightly +compressed towards the smaller end, which is only just appreciably +smaller. + +The shell is very fine and delicate, excessively smooth and fragile, +but with only a faint gloss. The ground is a dead white, with perhaps +the least possible pinkish tinge. The markings consist of _tiny_ +specks of brownish or purplish red and pale yellowish brown, thinly +scattered over the rest of the surface, but comparatively densely +clustered round the larger end, where they form a rather conspicuous +though irregular and imperfect zone, apparent enough in all, but much +more strongly marked in one egg than in the others. + +In some eggs the markings are all rather bright red and dull purplish +grey; some have a very fair amount of gloss, and a very pure +china-white ground. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·65 to 0·71, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·53. + + +177. Mixornis gularis (Raffl.). _The Sumatran Yellow-breasted +Babbler_. + +Mixornis gularis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 395 bis. + +The eggs[A] are very similar to those of _M. rubricapillus_, but +are, perhaps, as a rule, better marked. They are very regular ovals, +typically rather slightly elongated, often slightly compressed towards +the small end; the shell is very fine and fragile, and has usually a +fair amount of gloss. The ground is usually pure white, at times with +a pinkish tinge. Round the large end is a more or less conspicuous, +more or less continuous zone of specks, spots, and small irregular +blotches of two colours, the one varying in different eggs from +almost brick-red to brownish orange, the other from reddish purple to +purplish grey. In some cases a very few, in others a good many, specks +and tiny spots of the same colours are scattered about the other +portions of the egg. The eggs measure 0·7 by 0·51. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species. +Mr. Davison was probably the finder of the eggs described.--ED.] + + +178. Schoeniparus dubius (Hume). _Hume's Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus dubius, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 622 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison has furnished me with the following note:--"On the +21st of February I took a nest of this species on Muleyit mountain +containing two eggs, and out of the female which I shot off the nest +I took another egg ready for expulsion which was in every particular +precisely similar to those in the nest. + +"The nest was a large globular structure, composed externally of dried +reed-leaves, very loosely put together, the egg-cavity deep and lined +with fibres. It was placed on the ground close to a rock, and at the +foot of a Zingiberaceous plant, and rather exposed to view. The nest +was not unlike that of _Pomatorhinus_, but of course considerably +smaller, not so much domed, and with the mouth of the egg-cavity +pointing upwards. + +"A few days later, on the 25th, I took a second nest, quite similar in +shape and materials to the first one, but placed several feet above +the ground, in a dense mass of creepers growing over a rock. It was +quite exposed to view, and from a distance of 3 or 4 feet the eggs +were quite visible. + +"There were three eggs in the nest, similar to those in the first +nest. Both parent birds were obtained. The first nest measured 5 +inches long by 4·5 wide, the egg-cavity 3·8 deep by 2·75 wide at the +entrance. The other was about half an inch smaller each way. + +"The measurements of the six eggs varied from 0·76 to 0·81 in length +by 0·56 to 0·6 in width, but the average was 0·78 by 0·59." + +The eggs are rather narrow ovals, as a rule, occasionally much pointed +towards one end. The shell is very fine and has a faint gloss. The +ground-colour is white. The markings, which are difficult to describe, +consist first of spots, specks, and hair-line scratches, dark brown, +almost black occasionally, and a great amount of irregular clouding, +streaking, and smudging of a pale dirty-brown, slightly reddish in +some eggs. Besides this, about the large end there is an indistinct +irregular zone of faint inky purple spots and small blotches, and a +few spots of this same colour may be observed on other parts of the +egg. + + +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Tit-Babbler_. + +Minla castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 255; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 619. + +Mr. Hodgson's notes inform us that the Chestnut-headed Tit-Babbler +breeds in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling in May and June, laying four +eggs, which are figured as somewhat elongated ovals, having a very +pale greenish-yellow or dingy yellowish-white ground finely speckled, +chiefly at the large end, where there is a tendency to form a zone, +with red or brownish red, and measuring 0·75 by 0·52. The nest is said +to be placed in a thick bush, at a height of about 3 feet from the +ground, in a double fork; to be very broad and shallow, composed of +twigs, grass, and moss, and lined with leaves. One, taken on the 18th +May, 1846, measured 6 inches in diameter and 2·5 in height externally; +the cavity was only 2·1 in diameter and 1 in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this bird, with one fresh +egg and female, was brought to me in May. The man said he found the +nest in the Rungbee forest, at 6000 feet, among the moss growing on +the trunk of a large tree, a few feet from the ground. It was a solid +cup, made of green moss, with an inner layer of fine dark-coloured +roots, and lined with grassy fibres. Externally it measured 4 inches +in width by the same in depth; internally 1·5 wide by 1·25 deep." + +Three eggs sent by Mr. Gammie measure 0·7 to 0·75 in length and 0·55 +to 0·59 in breadth. + +Mr. Davison says:--"On the 20th of February, when encamped just under +the summit of Muleyit, on its N.W. slope, I found a nest of this bird +containing three eggs, but so hard-set that it was only with the +greatest difficulty that I managed to preserve them. + +"The nest, a deep cup, was placed about 5 feet from the ground, in +a mass of creepers growing up a sapling. It (the nest) was composed +externally of green moss and lined with fibres and dry bamboo-leaves. + +"On the 29th of the same month I took another nest, also containing +three eggs, precisely similar to those in the first nest; but these +were so far incubated and the shell was so fragile that they were +all lost. This nest was also composed externally of green moss, +beautifully worked into the moss growing on the trunk of a large tree, +and it was only with considerable difficulty, and after looking for +some time, that I found it. The egg-cavity of this nest was also lined +with fibres and dried bamboo-leaves. + +"The first nest found was open at the top, and measured 5·5 inches in +depth, 3 across the top externally, the egg-cavity 3·5 in depth by 1·8 +in diameter at top. + +"The second nest was completely domed at the top, and measured +externally 7 inches in depth by about 3·5 at top. The egg-cavity was +2·5 inches deep by 1·5 across the mouth. + +"Three eggs measured 0·7 to 0·75 in length, and 0·55 to 0·59 in +breadth." + +The eggs are broad ovals, a little pointed towards the small end, +the shell white, almost devoid of gloss. A dense ring or zone of +excessively small black spots surrounds the large end, and similar +specks are rather sparsely distributed over the whole of the rest of +the surface of the egg, having, however, a tendency to become obsolete +towards the small end. Sometimes a little brown and sometimes a little +lilac is intermingled in the zone. + + +183. Proparus vinipectus (Hodgs.). _The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 257; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 622. + +The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler is not uncommon in the higher wooded hills +between Simla and Kotegurh, and from somewhere near Mutiana Captain +Blair sent me a nest and egg, together with one of the old birds which +had been caught on the nest. + +This latter was a rather compact massive cap, composed of moderately +fine blades of grass, measuring externally about 4¼ inches in diameter +and standing about 2¼ inches high. The egg-cavity, about 2 inches in +diameter and rather in more than half an inch deep, was lined with +fine blackish-brown grass-roots. Neither nest nor egg is exactly what +I should have expected to pertain to this species; but Captain Blair +was certain that they belonged to the parent bird which he sent with +them, and I therefore describe both with entire confidence in their +authenticity. + +The egg is a moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed towards +one end; it has a pale-green ground, and near the large end has a +strongly marked but very irregular sepia-brown zone, and pale stains +of the same colour here and there running down the egg from the zone, +as well as a few isolated dark spots of the same tint. Although much +smaller, and although the colour of the markings is very different, +the ground-colour and the character of the markings much recall those +of _Liothrix luteus_. The egg has little or no gloss, and measures +0·73 by 0·55. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained two nests of this species--one at Sinchal, near +Darjeeling, at an elevation of 9000 feet, on the 2nd June; the other +at Tongloo, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, on the 29th May. The first +contained one, the second three fresh eggs, all precisely similar in +size and colour to the egg formerly sent me by Capt. Blair, though the +nests themselves were rather different in appearance. These nests were +both placed amongst the branches of dense brushwood, at heights of +3 and 4 feet from the ground; they are very compact, massive little +cups, about 3·25 inches in diameter and 2 in height exteriorly; the +cavities are about 2 inches in diameter and 1·25 in depth. The chief +materials of the nests are dry blades of grass and bamboo-leaves; but +these are only seen at the bottom of the nests, the sides and upper +margins being completely felted over with green moss. Apparently there +is a first lining of fine grass and roots; but very little of this +is seen, as the cavity is then thickly covered with black and white +hairs. + + +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (Hodgs.). _The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus chrysaeus, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 256; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 621. + +The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's +notes, near Darjeeling and in the central region of Nepal. It lays +from three to four eggs, which are figured as somewhat broad ovals, +measuring from 0·7 by 0·5, with a pinky-white ground, speckled and +spotted thinly, except towards the large end, where there is a +tendency to form a cap or zone, with brownish red. The nest is oval or +rather egg-shaped, and fixed with its longer diameter perpendicular +to the ground in a bamboo-clump between a dozen or so of the small +lateral shoots, at an elevation of only a few feet from the ground. +One, taken near Darjeeling on the 12th June, measured externally 6 +inches in height, 4·5 in breadth, and 3 inches in depth, and on one +side it had an oval aperture 2·5 in height and 1·75 in breadth. It +appeared to have been entirely composed of dry bamboo-leaves and +broad blades of grass loosely interwoven, and with a little grass and +moss-roots as lining. + +Hodgson originally named this bird _Proparus chrysotis_, but as the +bird has _silvery_ ears Hodgson himself rejected this name and adopted +the one given above. Mr. Gray, however, retains the specific name +_chrysotis_. Now, I think a man has a perfect right to change his +_own_ name; what I object to is other people presuming to do it for +him. + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, Vigors. _The Himalayan Whistling +Thrush_. + +Myiophonus temminckii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ i. p. 500: _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 343. + +The Himalayan Whistling-Thrush breeds throughout the Himalayas from +Assam to Afghanistan, in shady ravines and wooded glens, as a rule, +from an elevation of 2000 to 5000 feet, but, at times, especially far +into the interior of the hills, up to even 10,000 feet. + +It lays during the last week of April, May, and June. The number of +eggs varies from three to five. + +The nest is almost invariably placed in the closest proximity to some +mountain-stream, on the rocks and boulders of which the male so loves +to warble; sometimes on a mossy bank; sometimes in some rocky +crevice hidden amongst drooping maiden-hair; sometimes on some +stream-encircled slab, exposed to view from all sides, and not +unfrequently curtained in by the babbling waters of some little +waterfall behind which it has been constructed. The nest is always +admirably adapted to surrounding conditions. Safety is always sought +either in inaccessibility or concealment. Built on a rock in the midst +of a roaring torrent, not the smallest attempt at concealment is +made; the nest lies open to the gaze of every living thing, and the +materials are not even so chosen as to harmonize with the colour +of the site. But if an easily accessible sloping mossy bank, ever +bejewelled with the spray of some little cascade, be the spot +selected, the nest is so worked into and coated with moss as to be +absolutely invisible if looked at from below, and the place is usually +so chosen that it cannot well be looked at, at all closely, from +above. + +Captain Unwin sent me an unusually beautiful specimen of the nest of +this species, taken early in May in the Agrore Valley--a massive and +perfect cup, with a cavity of 5 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep; +the sides fully 2 inches thick; an almost solid mass of fine roots +(the finest towards the interior) externally intermingled with moss, +so as to form, to all appearance, an integral portion of the mossy +bank on which it was placed. In the bottom of the nest were interwoven +a number of dead leaves, and the whole interior was thinly lined with +very fine grass-roots and moss. In this case the nest had been placed +on a tiny natural platform and was a complete cup; but in another +nest, also sent by Captain Unwin, the cup, having been placed on the +slope of a bank, wanted (and this is the more common type) the inner +one-third altogether, the place of which was supplied by the bank-moss +_in situ_. In this case, although the cavity was only of the same size +as that above described, the outer face of the nest was fully 6 inches +high, and the wall of the nest between 3 and 3½ inches thick. The +former contained three much incubated, the latter four nearly fresh +eggs. + +A nest from Darjeeling which was taken on the 28th July, at an +elevation of about 3500 feet, from under a rock which partly overhung +a stream, and contained two fresh eggs, was composed in almost equal +proportions of fine moss-roots and dead leaves with scarcely a trace +of moss. In this case the nest was entirely concealed from view, and +no necessity, therefore, existed for coating it externally with green +moss to prevent its attracting attention. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I have had its nest and eggs brought me (at +Darjeeling); the nest is a solid mass of moss, mixed with earth +and roots, of large size, and placed (as I was informed) under an +overhanging rock near a mountain-stream. The eggs were three in +number, and dull green, thickly overlaid with reddish specks." + +"In Kumaon," writes Mr. R. Thompson, "they breed from May to July, +along all the smaller hill-streams, from 1500 up to about 4500 feet. +In the cold season it descends quite to the plains--I mean the +Sub-Himalayan plains. The nest is generally more or less circular, +5 or 6 inches in diameter, composed of moss and mud clinging to the +roots of small aquatic plants or of the moss, and lined with fine +roots and sometimes hair. A deep well-watered glen is usually chosen, +and the nest is placed in some cleft or between the ledges of some +rock, often immediately overhanging some deep gloomy pool." + +"On the 16th June," observes Captain Hutton, writing from Mussoorie, +"I took two nests of this bird, each containing three eggs, and also +another nest, containing three nearly-fledged young ones. The nest +bears a strong resemblance to that of the _Geocichlae_, but is much +more solid, being composed of a thick bed of green moss externally, +lined first with long black fibrous lichens and then with fine roots. +Externally the nest is 3½ inches deep, but within only 2½ inches; the +diameter about 4¾ inches, and the thickness of the outer or exposed +side is 2 inches. The eggs are three in number, of a greenish-ashy +colour, freckled with minute roseate specks, which become confluent +and form a patch at the larger end. The elevation at which the nests +were found was from 4000 to 4500 feet; but the bird is common, except +during the breeding-season, at all elevations up to the snows, and +in the winter it extends its range down into the Doon. In the +breeding-season it is found chiefly in the glens, in the retired +depths of which it constructs its nest; it never, like the Thrushes +and _Geocichlae_, builds in trees or bushes, but selects some high, +towering, and almost inacessible rock, forming the side of a deep +glen, on the projecting ledges of which, or in the holes from which +small boulders have fallen, it constructs its nest, and where, unless +when assailed by man, it rears its young in safety, secure alike from +the howling blast and the attack of wild animals. It is known to the +natives by the name of 'Kaljet,' and to the Europeans as the 'Hill +Blackbird.' The situation in which the nest is placed is quite unlike +that of any other of our Hill-Thrushes with which I am acquainted. The +bird itself is as often found in open rocky spots on the skirts of the +forest as among the woods, loving to jump upon some stone or rocky +pinnacle, from which it sends forth a sort of choking, chattering +song, if such it can be called, or, with an up-jerk of the tail, hops +away with a loud musical whistle, very much after the manner of the +Blackbird (_M. vulgaris_)." + +Sir E.C. Buck says:--"I found a nest at Huttoo, near Narkhunda, date +27th June, 1869, on an almost inaccessible crag overhanging a torrent. +It contained three eggs, but two were broken by stones falling in +climbing down to the nest. Nest not brought up; one egg secured and +forwarded. I saw the bird well, and have no doubt as to its identity." + +Writing from Dhurmsalla, Captain Cock informed me that he had obtained +several nests in May in and about the neighbouring streams, up to an +elevation of some 5000 feet. From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall +remarks:--"Several nests found in June, near running streams, about +4000 feet up." + +Dr. Stoliczka tells us that "it breeds at Chini and Sungnum at an +elevation of between 9000 and 11,000 feet." + +The eggs are typically of a very long oval shape, much pointed at one +end, but more or less truncated varieties (if I may use the word) +occur. They are the largest of our Indian Thrushes' eggs, and are +larger than those of any European Thrush with which I am acquainted. +Their coloration, too, is somewhat unique; a French grey, +greyish-white, or pale-greenish ground, speckled or freckled with +minute pink, pale purplish-pink, or pinkish-brown specks, in most +cases thinly, in some instances pretty thickly, in some only towards +the large end, in some pretty well all over. In the majority of +the specimens there is, besides these minute specks, a cloudy, +ill-defined, purplish-pink zone or cap at the large end. In some few +there are also a few specks of bright yellowish brown. The eggs have +scarcely any gloss. + +In length, they vary from 1·24 to 1·55 inch, and in breadth from 0·95 +to 1·1 inch, but the average of fifty eggs is 1·42 by about 1·0 inch. + + +188. Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume. _The Burmese Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophoneus eugenii, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 343 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham contributes the following note to the 'Birds +of British Burmah' regarding the nidification of this species in +Tenasserim:--"On the 16th April I was crossing the Mehkhaneh stream, +a feeder of the Meh-pa-leh, the largest tributary of the Thoungyeen +river, near its source, where it is a mere mountain-torrent brawling +over a bed of rocks strewed with great boulders. A small tree, drifted +down by the last rains, had caught across two of these, and being +jammed in by the force of the water, had half broken across, and now +formed a sort of temporary V-shaped dam, against which pieces of wood, +bark, leaves, and rubbish had collected, rising some six inches or so +above the water, which found an exit below the broken tree. On this +frail and tottering foundation was placed a round solid nest about +9 inches in diameter, made of green moss, and lined with fine black +roots and fibres, in which lay four fresh eggs of a pale stone-colour, +sparsely spotted, especially at the larger ends, with minute specks of +reddish brown. Determined to find out to what bird they belonged, I +sent my followers on and hid myself behind the trunk of a tree on the +bank and watched, gun in hand. In about twenty minutes or so a pair of +_Myiophoneus eugenii_ came flitting up the stream and, alighting near +the nest, sat for a time quietly. At last one hopped on the edge of +the nest, and after a short inspection sat down over the eggs with a +low chuckle. I then showed myself and, as the birds flew off, fired at +the bird that had been on the nest, but unfortunately missed. I was +satisfied, however, about the identity of the eggs and took them. In +shape they are somewhat like those of _Pitta_, and measure 1·45 x +1·02, 1·50 x 1·02, 1·46 x 1·01, and 1·50 x 1·01." + + +189. Myiophoneus horsfieldi. Vigors. _The Malabar Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophonus horsfieldii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 499;_Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 342. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"The Malabar Whistling-Thrush (rather a +misnomer, by the way) breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, never +ascending higher than 6000 feet. The nest is always placed on some +rock in a mountain torrent; it is a coarse and, for the size of the +bird, a very large structure, and though I have never measured the +nest, I should say that the total height was about 18 inches or more, +and the greatest diameter about 18 inches. Exteriorly it is composed +of roots, dead leaves, and decaying vegetation of all kinds; the +egg-cavity, which is saucer-shaped and comparatively shallow, is +coarsely lined with roots. It breeds during March and April." + +Miss Cockburn says:--"A nest of this bird was found on the 22nd of +March in a hole in a tree situated in a wood at a height of about 40 +feet from the ground. Two bamboo ladders had to be tied together to +reach it, for the tree had no branches except at the top. The nest +consisted of a large quantity of sticks and dried roots of young +trees, laid down in the form of a Blackbird's nest. The contents of it +were three eggs. They were quite fresh, and the bird might have laid +another. The poor birds (particularly the hen) showed great boldness +and returned frequently to the nest, while a ladder was put up and a +man ascended it." + +Such a situation for the nest of _this_ bird may seem incredible; but +my friend Miss Cockburn is a most careful observer, and she sent me +one of the eggs taken from this very nest, and it undoubtedly belonged +to this species; moreover, there is no other bird on the Nilghiris +that she, who has figured most beautifully all the Nilghiri birds, +could possibly have mistaken for this species. At the same time, the +situation in which she found the nest was altogether unusual and +exceptional. + +I now find that such a situation for the nest of this bird is not even +very unusual. On the 3rd of July Miss Cockburn took another nest in a +hole in a tree, about thirty feet from the ground, containing three +fresh eggs, which she kindly sent me; and writing from the Wynaad Mr. +J. Darling, jun., remarks that there this species commonly builds in +holes in trees. He says:--"_July 22nd_. Nest found near Kythery, S. +Wynaad, in a crevice of a log of a felled tree in a new clearing 11 +feet from the ground. Nest built entirely of roots. The foundation was +of roots from some swampy ground and had a good deal of mud about it. +Another nest was in a hole of a dead tree 32 feet from the ground." + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"Very common from the +base to near the summit of the hills, frequenting alike jungle and +open clearings, though generally found in the neighbourhood of some +running stream; I have known this species to build on ledges of rock +and in a hollow tree overhanging a stream, in either case constructing +a rather loosely put together nest of roots and coarse fibre with a +little green moss intermixed. The female lays two to four eggs, and +both birds assist in the incubation." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon records the finding of eggs on the following +dates:-- + + "April 29, 1873. Two hard-set eggs. + May 15, 1873. Three " " + May 15, 1874. One fresh egg. + May 30, 1874. Two slightly set eggs." + +Col. Butler sent me a splendid nest of this species taken in the +cliffs at Purandhur, 15 miles south of Poona. It was placed in the +angle between two rocks; it measures in front 7 inches wide, and 1·5 +in. high; posteriorly it slopes away into an obtuse angle fitting the +crevice in which it was deposited; the cavity is 4 in. in diameter, +perfectly circular, and 2·25 in depth. The compactness of the nest +is such that it might be thrown about without being damaged. It is +composed throughout of fine black roots, only a stray piece or two of +light coloured grass being intermixed, and the whole basal portion is +cemented together with mud. + +He gives the following account of the mode in which he acquired it:-- + +"I got this nest in rather a singular way which is perhaps worth +relating. At a dance last year in Karachi, in a short conversation I +had with Colonel Renny, who was then commanding the Artillery in Sind, +he mentioned that he had three Blue-winged Thrushes in his house that +he had procured at Purandhur the year before. The following day I went +over to his bungalow, and after inspecting them and satisfying myself +of their identity, ascertained from him where the nest they were taken +from was situated and the season at which it was found. Possessed with +this information I wrote in May to the Staff Officer at Purandhur, +and told him where and when the bird built and asked him if he would +kindly assist me in procuring the eggs. In reply I received a very +polite letter saying 'that he knew nothing about eggs or birds +himself, but that he would be most happy to offer me any assistance in +his power in procuring the eggs referred to, and that he would employ +a shikarri to keep the hill-side that I had mentioned watched when the +breeding-season arrived.' I wrote and thanked him, sending him at the +same time a drill and blowpipe by post, with full instructions how to +blow the eggs, in case he got any; and to my delight, at the end of +July a bhanghy parcel arrived one morning with the nest and eggs above +described. + +"Colonel Renny told me that the birds built on this cliff-side every +monsoon." + +Mr. E. Aitken has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"Of this bird I have seen two nests--one containing two hard-set eggs +on April 29, 1872, situated in a hole in a tree overhanging a stream +about 20 feet from the ground; the other containing three hard-set +eggs on May 22nd, 1872, and situated on a ledge of rock in the bed +of a stream; both the nests were rather coarsely made of roots. My +brother says he has also found three other nests, two placed in holes +of trees and the other on a rocky ledge, but the nests were in every +case near to running water. The bird stays with us all the year, and +is one of our commonest species. Its clear whistle is always to be +heard the first thing in the morning before the other birds get up, +and daring the violent rains of the S.W. monsoon it seems almost the +only bird which does not lose heart at the incessant downpour. April +and May appear to be the breeding months." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Scattered all over the Deccan in +suitable localities. W. got two nests, one on the Bhore Ghât on 5th +August, and one on the Thull Ghât on 17th of same month. That on the +Bhore Ghât was built on a ledge of rock some 15 feet _in_ from the +face of a railway tunnel where 30 or 40 trains daily passed within +a few feet of it. That on the Thull Ghât was in a cutting at the +_entrance_ of a tunnel, and about the same height above and from the +rails as the one on the Bhore Ghât. In both cases the eggs were +much discoloured by the smoke from engines, but on being washed, W. +observed that one of the three eggs in each nest was of a decidedly +_greenish blue_, finely speckled and splashed with pinky brown, while +the others were of the _pale salmon-pink_, as described in Mr. Hume's +Rough Draft of 'Nests and Eggs.' The male bird was sitting on one of +the nests and was shot. W. saw numerous other nests, some high up on +cliffs, beyond the reach of a 15-foot ladder. Two nests in holes in +trees were reported to him, but he could not go to examine them. The +nests were about 4 inches diameter by 2½ inches deep inside and 8 +to 10 inches broad outside, and not more than 10 inches high. The +foundation portion contained a great deal of clay and earth, which +seemed to be necessary to secure the nests in positions so exposed +to the heavy gusts of wind which prevail on these ghâts during the +monsoon." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"I found the +nest of this Thrush on the Seeghoor Ghaut of the Neilgherries. Mr. +Davison was with me at the time; and the nest being built on an open +ledge of rock, we both sighted it at the same moment; and I having +managed to make better use of my legs than my friend, was fortunate +enough to secure it, and one egg, which was of a pale flesh-colour, +with a few faint spots and blotches of claret towards the larger end. +The nest was made of leaves and moss mixed with clay, and lined with +fine roots. The dimensions of the egg are 1·3 inch in length by ·85 +in breadth. It was in May that I found this egg; but the nest had +evidently been deserted for some time; for the egg has a hole in its +side, through which the contents had escaped or been sucked by a snake +or some animal." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I once procured its nest, placed under a shelf of +a rock on the Burliar stream, on the slope of the Nilghiris. It was a +large structure of roots, mixed with earth, moss, &c., and contained +three eggs of a pale salmon or reddish-fawn colour, with many smallish +brown spots;" and such is unquestionably the usual situation of the +nest. + +The eggs of this species, which I have received from Kotagherry +and other parts of the Nilghiris, are broad, nearly regular ovals, +slightly compressed towards the lesser end; considerably elongated, +and more or less spherical, and pyriform varieties occur. The shell is +fine, and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is pale salmon-pink +or pinkish-white, occasionally greyish white. The whole egg is, as a +rule, finely speckled, spotted, and splashed with pinkish brown or +brownish pink. The markings, in most eggs, everywhere very fine, are +often considerably more dense at the large end, where they are not +unusually more or less underlaid by a pinkish cloud, with which they +form an irregular ill-defined and inconspicuous cap. + +At times more boldly and richly marked eggs are met with; one now +before me is everywhere thickly streaked with dull pink, in places +purplish, and over this is thinly but rather conspicuously spotted and +irregularly blotched (the blotches being small however) with light +burnt sienna-brown. + +In length they vary from 1·18 to 1·48 inch, and in breadth from 0·92 +to 1 inch. + + +191. Larvivora brunnea, Hodgs. _The Indian Blue Chat_. + +Larvivora cyana, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 145; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 507. + +I have never obtained the nest of the Indian Blue Chat. Mr. Davison +found it on the Nilghiris. He says:--"I really quite forget the +details of that one egg which I brought you along with the skin of the +parent, but it was taken in May on the Nilghiris. I remember very well +another nest of this species, which I took in the latter end of March +or the beginning of April in a shola or detached piece of jungle about +9 miles from Ootacamund. + +"The nest was in a hole in the trunk of a small tree, about 5 feet +from the ground, and was composed chiefly of moss, but mixed with dry +leaves and twigs. It contained three young birds, apparently about +four or five days old." + +The late Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found +at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet) on the 16th May. It contained three +eggs, and was placed on the ground amongst grass on a bank made by +the cutting of a hill-road. It is a broad shallow nest, composed +exteriorly of vegetable fibre, scraps of dead leaves and tiny pieces +of moss matted closely together, and is rather thickly lined with +black and red hairs, amongst which one or two soft downy feathers are +incorporated. The external diameter of the nest is about 4 inches, the +height about 1·5, the cavity is about 2·75 inches in diameter, and +rather less than 1 in depth. + +Two eggs taken by Mr. Darling[A] are very elongated, somewhat +cylindrical ovals, very obtuse at both ends. In both, the shell is +fine, and has an appreciable though not brilliant gloss. In one, the +ground is a pale delicate clay-brown, and the markings consist only +of a zone about 0·2 wide round the large end of densely set dull +brownish-red specks, and a few similar specks inside the zone only. +In the other, the ground has a light greenish tinge, the zone is less +marked and merges in a dull brownish-red mottled cap, and a faint +marbling, of a paler shade of the cap, is scattered here and there +over the whole surface of the egg. They measure 1 by 0·65 and 0·98 by +0·65. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any account of the finding of the nest of +this bird by Mr. Darling amongst Mr. Hume's notes.--Ed.] + +The egg taken by Mr. Davison is an elongated, slightly pyriform oval. +The shell is moderately fine, but with only a very slight gloss. The +ground-colour is a pale slightly greyish green, and the whole egg is +thickly (most thickly so about the large end, where the markings are +almost perfectly confluent) mottled and streaked with pale brownish +red. It measures 0·98 by 0·67. + + +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (Fairbank). _The White-bellied_ +_Short-wing_. + +Callene albiventris, _Fairb., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 339 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, to whom I have, owed much useful information +and many valuable specimens, kindly sent me the subjoined account of +the nidification of the White-bellied Short-wing in the Pulney Hills +at an elevation of about 6500 feet:--"In April, I found a nest in a +hole in the side of the trunk of a large tree some 2 feet from the +ground. The hole was just large enough for the nest, and was lined +with fine roots. I surprised the bird on her nest several times. There +were two eggs in the nest when I first found it that were 'hard-set'. +A month afterwards she laid two more in the same place, and I took +them in good condition. One egg measures 0·9 by 0·68 inch, and another +0·94 by 0·68 inch. The ground-colour is grey, with a tinge of green, +and it is thickly covered with small spots of bistre." + +Mr. Blanford, who saw the eggs, which I never did, describes them +(and by analogy, I should infer more correctly) as "of an olive-brown +colour, darker at the larger end, measuring 0·93 by 0·63 inch." + +An egg of this species sent me by Dr. Fairbank, measuring 0·93 by +0·66, is a somewhat elongated oval, slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour, so far as +this is discernible, is greyish green, but it is so thickly clouded +and mottled all over with a warm, brown, that but little of the +ground-colour is any where traceable, and the general result when the +egg is looked at from a short distance is that of a nearly uniform +olive-brown. + +Captain Horace Terry also found the nest of this bird on the Pulney +Hills. He says:--"I met with it a few times in the big _shola_ at +Kodikanal, and got two nests, each with two fresh eggs; the first on +the 7th June in a hole in a tree between 4 and 5 feet from the ground, +a deep cup of green moss; the other, in a hole in the bank of a +path running through the _shola_ was of green moss and a few fine +fern-roots. Inside 1·75 inch deep and 2·5 inches across; outside a +shapeless mass of moss filling up the hole it was built in. The nest +was very conspicuous to any one passing by." + + +194. Brachypteryx rufiventris (Blyth). _The Rufous-bellied +Short-wing_. + +Callene rufiventris, _Blyth. Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 496: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 339. + +I have been favoured with nests of the Rufous-bellied Short-wing by +Mr. Carter, who took them from holes or depressions of banks in the +Nilghiris in April and May. They closely resemble nests of _Niltava +macrigoriae_ from Darjeeling. They are soft masses of green moss, +some 4 or 5 inches in diameter externally, with more or less of a +depression towards one side, lined with very fine dark moss-roots. +This depression may average about 2½ inches across and ¾ inch in +depth; but they vary a good deal. Mr. Carter says:--"I have found the +nests of this species about Conoor in May, in holes of banks, on +roads running through thick _sholas_ (i.e. jungles not amounting to +forests). The nests are of moss, shallow, lined with fine root-fibres, +the cavity about 3-5 inches in diameter. They lay two eggs, pale +olive, shading into a decided brownish red at the larger end. The old +birds are very shy in returning to the nest when watched; indeed, they +are always shy, hiding in the brushwood of jungles or amongst fallen +timber, along which they almost creep." + +Mr. Davison informs me that "this species breeds on the Nilghiris from +about 5500 feet to about 7000 during April and May, building in holes +of trees, crevices of rocks, &c., seldom at any great elevation +above the ground. The nest is composed of moss, lined with moss and +fern-roots. Two or three eggs are laid." + +The few eggs I possess, which I owe to Messrs. Carter and Davison, and +which were taken by them in the Nilghiris, have a pale olive-brown +ground with, at the large end, an ill-defined mottled reddish-brown +cap. In some specimens the mottling extends more or less over the +whole egg, though always most dense about the larger end. Though much +larger and of a more elongated shape, they not a little resemble some +specimens of the eggs of _Pratincola indica_ that I possess. In shape +they are long ovals, recalling in that respect those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_; they have less gloss than the eggs of most of the +Thrushes. + +In length they vary from 0·97 to 1·02 inch, and in breadth from 0·65 +to 0·69 inch. + + +197. Drymochares cruralis (Blyth). _The White-browed Short-wing_ + +Brachypteryx cruralis (Bl.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 495; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 338. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, the White-browed +Short-wing breeds in April and May. It constructs its nest a foot or +so above the ground amongst grass and creeping-plants at the base of +trunks of trees; it is composed of moss and moss-roots, is somewhat +globular in shape, and is firmly attached to the creepers; dried +bamboo-leaves and pieces of fern are here and there fixed to the +exterior, and the nest is lined with hair-like fibres; the entrance is +at one side and circular. One nest measured 7 inches in height, 5·5 +in width, and 3·38 from front to back. The aperture was 2 inches in +diameter. The eggs (four in number, or at times three) are pure white, +broad ovals, pointed at one end, measuring 0·9 by 0·65 inch. +This species breeds in the central regions of Nepal and in the +neighbourhood of Darjeeling. + +Three nests of this species found early in June in Sikhim and Nepal, +at elevations of 5000 to 8000 feet, contained respectively 2, 3, and 4 +fresh eggs. They were all placed in brushwood at 2 to 3 feet above +the ground, and they are all precisely similar, being rather massive +shallow cups, composed of very fine black roots firmly felted +together, and with a few dead leaves or scraps of moss in most of them +incorporated in one portion or other of the outer surface. The nests +are about 4 inches in diameter and 2 in height; the cavity is about +2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth; but, owing to the positions in +which they are placed, they are often more or less irregularly shaped. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs which he considers to belong to this +species, on the 3rd June, near Darjeeling. I rather question the +authenticity of these eggs. They are pure white and devoid of gloss, +moderately elongated ovals, only slightly compressed towards the +smaller end. They vary from 0·83 to 0·91 in length and from 0·61 to +0·64 in breadth. + + +198. Drymochares nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx nipalensis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 494. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest taken by me on the 15th +of June at 5000 feet, close to a large forest, contained three +slightly-set eggs. It was placed on the moss-covered trunk of a fallen +tree, and was hooded, with an entrance at the side; rather neatly +made of dry leaves with an outer covering of green moss, and an inner +lining of skeletonized leaves and black fibrous roots. Externally it +measures 5 inches in height by about the same in width; internally 3 +inches high by 2·4 across. The entrance was 2·3 in diameter. The +front of the egg-cavity is but slightly depressed below the entrance, +gradually sloping backwards to the depth of nearly an inch." + +All the nests of this species that I have seen were of the same type, +more or less globular, more or less hooded or domed, according to the +situation in which they were placed, composed of dry flags and dead +and more or less skeleton leaves, bound together with a little +vegetable fibre and some moss, but chiefly with fine black fibrous +roots, with which the entire cavity is densely lined, inside which +again is a coating of more skeleton leaves; they measure exteriorly 4 +or 5 inches in diameter, and the cavities are a little above 2 by 2·5 +inches in diameter. + +Mr. Mandelli found two of these nests at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet), +near Darjeeling, on the 8th July. One contained three fresh eggs, the +other three slightly incubated ones. They were about 12 yards apart, +in a very shady damp glen, in very dense underwood, to the stems of +which they were attached in a standing position about 3 feet from the +ground. The entrance was on one side in both cases. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie belong to the same +type as those of _Brachypteryx rufiventris_ and _B. albiventris_. In +shape they are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, somewhat +obtuse at both ends. The shell is fine and compact, and very smooth to +the touch, but they have not much gloss. The ground is a pale olive +stone-colour, and they are very minutely freckled and mottled, most +densely at the large end, with pale, very slightly reddish brown; the +freckling is excessively minute and fine. + +Two eggs measured 0·8 and 0·82 in length by 0·6 in breadth. + + +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (Blyth). _The Ceylon Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx palliseri, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 338 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' says:--"Mr. Bligh +found a nest at Nuwara Eliya in April 1870; it was placed in a thick +cluster of branches on the top of a somewhat densely-foliaged small +bush, which stood in a rather open space near the foot of a large +tree; it was in shape a deep cup, composed of greenish moss, lined +with fibrous roots and the hair-like appendages of the green moss +which festoons the trees in such abundance at that elevation. It +contained three young ones, plumaged exactly like their parents, +who kept churring in the thick bushes close by, but would not show +themselves much." + + +201. Tesia cyaniventris, Hodgs. _The Slaty-bellied Short-wing_. + +Tesia cyaniventer, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 328. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Slaty-bellied Short-wing breeds +much like the next species. It constructs a huge globular nest of +green moss and black moss-roots, which it fixes in any dense dry shrub +or clump of shoots, many of which it incorporates in the walls of the +nest. The nest measures externally about 7 inches in height and 5 +inches in width; it has a circular aperture on one side, a little +above the middle, about 2 inches in diameter, and it is placed at a +height of one or two feet from the ground. Three or four eggs are +laid; these are figured as rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed +towards one end, with a whitish ground, profusely speckled and +spotted, especially towards the large end, where the markings are +nearly confluent, with bright red, and measuring 0·72 by 0·54 inch. + + +202. Oligura castaneicoronata (Burt.). _The Chestnut-headed +Short-wing_. + +Tesia castaneo-coronata (_Burt.), Jerd. E. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 327. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Short-wing builds a large globular nest, more or less egg-shaped, some +6 inches high and 4 in breadth, composed of moss-roots and fibres, and +lined with feathers, and with a circular aperture in the middle of one +side about 1·5 inch in diameter. The nest is placed in some clump of +shoots or thick bush (the twigs of which are more or less incorporated +in the sides of the nest) at a height of 1 or 2 feet from the ground. +The birds lay in April and May three or four eggs, which are figured +as moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at one end, reddish +(apparently something like a Prinia's, though this seems incredible), +and measuring 0·66 by 0·48 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest made chiefly of moss, with four small white +eggs, was brought me as the nest of this bird. It was of the ordinary +shape, rather loosely put together, and the walls of great thickness. +It was taken from the ground on a steep bank near the stump of a +tree." + +The three eggs in my museum supposed to belong to this species +pertained to this nest, and are excessively tiny, somewhat oval eggs +of a pure, dull, glossless unspotted white, very unlike our English +Wren's egg and certainly not one half the size. Dr. Jerdon was not +quite certain to which species of _Tesia_ these eggs belonged, and I +therefore only record this "_quantum valeat_". They measure 0·55 +and 0·6 inch in length by 0·4, 0·42, and 0·45 inch in breadth. I am +inclined to believe that both nest and eggs belonged to _Pnoepyga +pusilla_, Hodgs. + + + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + + +203. Sibia picaoides, Hodgs. _The Long-tailed Sibia_. + +Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 55; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 430. + +Mr. Gammie obtained a nest of the Long-tailed Sibia from the top of +a tall tree, situated at an elevation of about 4000 feet, in the +neighbourhood of Rungbee, near Darjeeling. This was on the 17th June, +and the nest contained five fresh eggs. The nest is as perplexing as +are the eggs; for the nest is that of a Bulbul, the eggs those of a +Shrike or Minivet. The nest is a deep compact cup, about 4½ inches in +diameter and 2¾ inches in depth. The egg-cavity is 3 inches across and +fully 1¾ inch in depth. Interiorly the nest is composed of excessively +fine grass-stems very firmly interwoven; externally of the stems of +some herbaceous plant, a Chenopod, to which the dry blossoms are still +attached, intermingled with coarse grass, a single dead leaf, and one +or two broad grass-blades more or less broken up into fibres. + +The eggs, for the authenticity of which Mr. Gammie positively vouches, +are very unlike what might have been expected. They are absolutely +Shrike's eggs--broad ovals, pointed towards one end, with a slight +gloss, the ground a slightly greyish white, with a good many small +spots and specks of pale yellowish brown and dingy purple, chiefly +confined to a large irregular zone towards the larger end. They vary +in length from 0·86 to 0·93, and in breadth from 0·7 to 0·73. + + +204. Lioptila capistrata (Vigors). _The Black-headed Sibia_. + +Sibia capistrata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 54; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 429. + +The Black-headed Sibia lays throughout the Himalayas from Afghanistan +to Bhootan, at elevations of from 5000 to 7000 feet. + +It lays during May and June, and perhaps part of July, for I find that +on the 11th of July I found a nest of this species a little below the +lake at Nynee Tal, on the Jewli Road, containing two young chicks +apparently not a day old. + +They build on the outskirts of forests, constructing their nests +towards the ends of branches, at heights of from 10 to 50 feet from +the ground. The nest is a neat cup, some 4 or 5 inches in diameter and +perhaps 3 inches in height, composed chiefly of moss and lined +with black moss-roots and fibres. In some of the nests that I have +preserved a good deal of grass-leaves and scraps of lichen are +incorporated in the moss. The cavity is deep, from 2½ to 3 inches in +diameter and not much less than 2 inches in depth. + +They lay two or three eggs; not more, so far as I yet know. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that "the egg of this +bird was, we believe, previously unknown, and it was a mere chance +that we found the whereabouts of their nests, as they breed high up in +the spruce firs at the outer end of a bough. The nest is neatly made +of moss, lined with stalks of the maiden-hair fern. The eggs are pale +blue, spotted and blotched with pale and reddish brown. They are ·95 +in length and ·7 in breadth. This species breeds in June, about 7000 +feet up." + +Nearly twenty years prior to this, however, Captain Hutton had +remarked:--"At Mussoorie this bird remains at an elevation of 7000 +feet throughout the year, but I never saw it under 6500 feet. Its loud +ringing note of _titteree-titteree tweëyo_, quickly repeated, may +constantly be heard on wooded banks during summer. It breeds in May, +making a neat nest of coarse dry grasses as a foundation, covered +laterally with green moss and wool and lined with fine roots. The +number of eggs I did not ascertain, as the nest was destroyed when +only one egg had been deposited, but the colour is pale bluish white, +freckled with rufous. The nest was placed on a branch of a plum-tree +in the Botanical Garden, Mussoorie." + +Captain Cock says that he "found this species breeding at Murree, at +6000 feet elevation. + +"I took my first nest on the 5th June. + +"It builds near the tops of the highest pines, and unless seen +building its nest with the glasses, it is impossible to find the nest +with the unaided eye. + +"The nest is placed on the outer extremity of an upper bough in a +pine-tree; is constructed of moss lined with stalks of the maiden-hair +fern. Three eggs is the largest number I ever found. The eggs are +light greenish white, with rusty spots and blotches principally at the +larger end." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species builds +in trees and bushes. The only nest I examined personally was a very +compact and thick cup-shaped structure of moss, grass, and roots, +lined with grass, and placed amongst the outer twigs of a blackberry +bush overhanging a cliff. It was ready for the eggs on the 23rd May. +It was found at Nynee Tal on Agar Pata, about 7000 feet above the +sea." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only myself taken two nests of +this common species. I found both of them the same day (the 21st May), +in the Chinchona reserves, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. Both +nests were in the forest, built on the outer branches of trees, at +heights the one of 15, the other of 40 feet from the ground. The nests +were cup-shaped, and very neatly made of moss, leaves and fibres, and +lined with black fibres. One measured externally 4·6 in diameter by +2·75 in height, and internally 2·4 in diameter and 1·7 in depth. One +nest contained two fresh, the other two hard-set eggs; so perhaps two +is the normal number, though the natives say that they lay three. As +might be expected from the bird's habit of feeding on the insects on +moss-covered trees in moist forests, the nests were in forest by the +sides of streams." + +The eggs are rather broad, slightly pyriform ovals, often a good deal +pulled out as it were at the small end. The shell is fine, but almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white +or very pale bluish green. The markings are various and complicated: +first there are usually a few large, irregular, moderately dark +brownish-red spots and splashes; then there are a very few, very dark, +reddish-brown hair-lines, such as one finds on Buntings' eggs; then +there is a good deal of clouding and smudging here and there of pale, +dingy purplish or brownish red (all these markings are most numerous +towards the large end); and then besides these, and almost entirely +confined to the large end, are a few pale purple specks and spots. +Sometimes the markings are almost wholly confined to the thicker end +of the egg. Of course the eggs vary somewhat, and in some specimens +the characteristic Bunting-like hair-lines are almost wholly wanting. +The eggs vary in length from 0·95 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·66 to +0·72. + + +205. Lioptila gracilis (McClell.). _The Grey Sibia_. + +Malacias gracilis (_McClell.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen is, I believe, the only ornithologist who has +as yet secured the nest and eggs of the Grey Sibia. He says:--"In the +pine forest that covers the slopes of the hills descending into the +Umian valley in Assam, one of my men marked a nest on June 25th; I +proceeded to the spot soon after I had heard of it, and on coming up +to the tree, a pine, saw the female fly off out of the head of it. +But the nest was so well hidden by the boughs of the fir, that it was +quite invisible from below. The bird after a short time came back, and +then I saw it was _Sibia gracilis_; but it was very shy and seeing +us went off again, and hung about the trees at a distance of some 50 +yards; while thus waiting, some four or five others were also seen. +The female, however, would not venture back, and I sent one of my +Goorkhas up, to cut off the head of the fir, nest and all, first +taking out the eggs. It contained three, of a pale sea-green, with +ash-brown streakings and blotchings all over. + +"The nest was constructed of dry grass, moss, and rootlets, and the +green spinules of the fir were worked into it, fixing it most firmly +in its place in the crown of the pine where it was much forked." + + +206. Lioptila melanoleuca (Bl.). _Tickell's Sibia_. + +Malacias melanoleucus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 quart. + +Mr. W. Davison was fortunate enough to secure a nest of this Sibia on +Muleyit mountain in Tenasserim. He says:--"I secured a nest of this +species on the 21st of February, containing two spotless pale blue +eggs slightly incubated. The nest, a deep compactly woven cup, was +placed about 40 feet from the ground, in the fork of one of the +smaller branches of a high tree growing on the edge of a deep ravine. + +"The egg-cavity of the nest is lined with fern-roots, fibres and fine +grass-stems; outside this is a thick coating of dried bamboo-leaves +and coarse grass, and outside this again is a thick irregular coating +of green moss, dried leaves, and coarse fibres and fern-roots. + +"Externally the nest measures about 5 inches in height, and nearly the +same in external diameter at the top. + +"The egg-cavity measures 1·7 deep by 2·7 across. + +"The eggs, a pale spotless blue, measure 0·95 and 0·98 in length by +0·66 and 0·68 in breadth." + + +211. Actinodura egertoni, Gould. _The Rufous Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura egertoni, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 52; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 427. + +There is no figure of the Rufous Bar-wing's nest or eggs amongst the +original drawings of Mr. Hodgson now in my custody, but in the British +Museum series there appears to be, since Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. +Hodgson figures the nest of this bird like that of an English +Redbreast, with pinkish-white eggs." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"On the 27th April I took a nest of +this Bar-wing in a large forest at an elevation of about 5000 feet. +It was placed about 20 feet from the ground, in a leafy tree, between +several upright shoots, to which it was firmly attached. It is +cup-shaped, mainly composed of dry leaves held together by slender +climber-stems, and lined with dark-coloured fibrous roots. A few +strings of green moss were twined round the outside to assist in +concealment. Externally it measures 4·2 inches wide by 4 deep; +internally 2·8 wide and 2·4 deep. It contained but two slightly-set +eggs. + +"I killed the female off the nest." + +Several nests have been obtained and sent me by Messrs. Gammie and +Mandelli. One was taken on the 4th May by Mr. Mandelli, at Lebong, at +an elevation of 5500 feet, which contained three fresh eggs; this +was placed on the branches of a small tree, in the midst of dense +brushwood, at a height of about 4 feet from the ground. + +Another, taken in a similar situation at the same place on the 22nd +May, contained two fresh eggs, and was at a height of about 12 feet +from the ground. + +These nests vary just in the same way as do those of _Trochalopterum +nigrimentum_; some show only a sprig or two of moss about them, while +others have a complete coating of green moss. They are cup-shaped, +some deeper, some shallower; the chief material of the nest seems to +be usually dry leaves. One before me is composed entirely of some +_Polypodium_, on which the seed-spores are all fully developed; in +another, bamboo-leaves have been chiefly used; these are all held +together in their places by black fibrous roots; occasionally towards +the upper margin a few creeper-tendrils are intermingled. The whole +cavity is lined more or less thickly, and the lip of the cup all round +is usually finished of with these same black fibrous roots; and then +outside all moss and selaginella are applied according to the taste +of the bird and, probably, the situation--a few sprigs or a complete +coating, as the case may be. + +Two eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Gammie are regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with very thin and fragile shells, and fairly but not +highly glossy. The ground is a delicate pale sea-green, and they are +profusely blotched, spotted, and marked with curious hieroglyphic-like +figures of a sort of umber-brown; while about the larger end numerous +spots and streaks of pale lilac occur. + +These eggs measure 0·98 in length, by 0·65 and 0·68 in breadth. + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Mandelli early in June are quite of the +same type, but somewhat shorter, measuring 0·85 and 0·93 in length by +0·68 and 0·7 in breadth. But the markings are rather more smudgy +and rather paler, and there are fewer of the hair-like streaks and +hieroglyphics. + + +213. Ixops nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Hoary Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 53; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 428. + +The Hoary Bar-wing is said in Mr. Hodgson's notes to breed from April +to June in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal up to an elevation +of 4000 or 6000 feet. The nest is placed in holes, in crevices +between rocks and stones; is circular and saucer-shaped. One measured +externally 3·62 in diameter by 2 inches in height; the cavity measured +2·5 in diameter and 1·37 in depth. The nest is composed of fine twigs, +grass, and fibres, and externally adorned with little pieces of +lichen, and internally lined with fine moss-roots. The birds are said +to lay from three to four eggs, which are not described, but they are +figured as pinky white, about 0·85 in length and 0·55 in width. Mr. +Blyth, however, remarks:--"One of Mr. Hodgson's drawings represents a +white egg with ferruginous spots, disposed much as in that of _Merula +vulgaris_." + +Clearly there is some mistake here. Most of the drawings I have are +the originals, taken from the fresh specimens when they were obtained, +with Mr. Hodgson's own notes, on the reverse, of the dates on and +places at which he took or obtained the eggs, nests, and birds +figured, with often a description and dimensions of the two former, +and invariably full dimensions of the latter. On the other hand, the +drawings in the British Museum are mostly more finished and artistic +_copies_ of these originals; so how the spots got on to the eggs of +the British-Museum drawing I cannot say; there is no trace of such in +mine. + + +219. Siva strigula, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Siva_. + +Siva strigula. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 252; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 616. + +The nest of the Stripe-throated Siva is placed, according to Mr. +Hodgson, in the slender fork of a tree at no great elevation from the +ground. It is composed of moss and moss-roots, intermingled with dry +bamboo-leaves, and woven into a broad compact cup-shaped nest. One +such nest, taken on the 27th May, with three eggs in it, measured +exteriorly 4·25 in diameter and 3 inches in height, with a cavity +(thickly lined with cow's hair) about 2·5 in diameter and 2·25 in +depth. The birds lay in May and June. The eggs are three or sometimes +four in number; they are pale greenish blue or bluish green, and vary +in length from 0·8 to 0·9, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·65, and are, +some thickly, some thinly, speckled and freckled, usually most densely +towards the large end, with red or brownish red. His nests were taken +both in Sikhim and Nepal. + + +221. Siva cyanuroptera, Hodgs. _The Blue-winged Siva_. + +Siva cyanouroptera, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 253; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 617. + +The Blue-winged Siva breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central regions of Nepal, and in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, in +May and June. The nest is placed in trees, at no great elevation above +the ground, and is wedged in where three or four slender twigs make a +convenient fork. A nest taken on the 2nd June was a large compact cup, +measuring exteriorly 4·75 in diameter and 3·75 in height, and having +a cavity 2·6 in diameter and 1·87 in depth. It was composed of fine +stems of grass, dry leaves, moss, and moss-roots, bound together with +pieces of creepers, roots, and vegetable fibres, and closely lined +with fine grass-roots. They lay from three to four eggs, which are +figured as moderately broad ovals, considerably pointed towards the +small end, 0·85 in length by 0·6 in width, having a pale greenish +ground pretty thickly speckled and spotted, especially on the broader +half of the egg, with a kind of brownish brick-red. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong (elevation 5500 +feet) on the 28th April. It contained four fresh eggs; it was placed +in a fork of a horizontal branch of a small tree at a height of only 3 +feet from the ground. The nest is, for the size of the bird, a +large cup, externally entirely composed of green moss firmly felted +together. This outer shell of moss is thickly lined with the dead +leaves of a _Polypodium_, and this again is thinly lined with fine +grass. The nest was about 4 inches in diameter, and 2·5 in height +externally; the cavity was about 2·5 broad and 1·5 deep. + +The nests of this species are very beautiful cups, very compact and +firm, sometimes wedged into a fork, but more commonly suspended +between two or three twigs, or sometimes attached by one side only to +a single twig. They are placed at heights of from 4 to 10 feet from +the ground in the branches of slender trees, and are usually carefully +concealed, places completely encircled by creepers being very +frequently chosen. The chief materials of the nest are dead leaves, +sometimes those of the bamboo, but more generally those of trees; but +little of this is seen, as the exterior is generally coated with moss, +and the interior is lined first with excessively fine grass, and then +more or less thinly with black buffalo- or horse-hairs. The cups are +about 3 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally, the cavities +barely 2 in diameter and perhaps 1·5 in depth: but they vary somewhat +in size and shape according to the situation in which they are placed +and the manner in which they are attached, some being considerably +broader and shallower, and some rather deeper. + +Eggs of this species sent me from Mr. Mandelli, which were obtained by +him in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, are decidedly elongated ovals, +fairly glossy, and with a pale slightly greenish-blue ground. A number +of minute red or brownish-red or yellowish-brown specks and spots +occur about the large end, sometimes irregularly scattered, sometimes +more or less gathered into an imperfect zone. The rest of the egg is +either spotless or exhibits only a few tiny specks and spots. The eggs +measure 0·75 and 0·76 by 0·51 and 0·52. + + +223. Yuhina gularis, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Yuhina_. + +Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 261; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 626. + +The Stripe-throated Yuhina breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +from April to July, building a large massive nest of moss, lined with +moss-roots, and wedged into a fork of a branch or between ledges of +rocks, more or less globular in shape, and with a circular aperture +near the top towards one side. A nest taken on the 19th June, +near Darjeeling, was quite egg-shaped, the long diameter being +perpendicular to the ground, and measured 6 inches in height and 4 +inches in breadth, the aperture, 2 inches in diameter, being well +above the middle of the nest; the cavity was lined with fine +moss-roots. The eggs are figured as rather elongated ovals, 0·8 by +0·56, with a pale buffy or _café au lait_ ground-colour, thickly +spotted with red or brownish red, the markings forming a confluent +zone about the large end. + + +225. Yuhina nigrimentum (Hodgs.). _The Black-chinned Yuhina_. + +Yuhina nigrimentum (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 262; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 628. + +A nest of the Black-chinned Yuhina, taken by Mr. Gammie on the 17th +June below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3500 feet, was placed +in a large tree, at a height of about 10 feet from the ground, and +contained four hard-set eggs. It is a mere pad, below of moss, mingled +with a little wool and moss-roots, and above, that is to say the +surface where the eggs repose, of excessively fine grass-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest was once brought me which was declared to +belong to this species; it was a very small neat fabric, of ordinary +shape, made with moss and grass, and contained three small pure +white eggs. The rarity of the bird makes me doubt if the nest really +belonged to it." + +The eggs are tiny little elongated ovals, pure white, and absolutely +glossless. + +Two sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0·58 by 0·42 and 0·57 by 0·43. + + +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (Temm.). _The Indian White-eye_. + +Zosterops palpebrosus (_Temm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 265; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 631. + +The Indian White-eye, or White-eyed Tit as Jerdon terms it, breeds +almost throughout the Indian Empire, sparingly in the hotter and more +arid plains, abundantly in the Nilghiris and other ranges of the +Peninsula to their very summits, and in the Himalayas to an elevation +of 5000 or 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends in different localities from January to +September, but I think that everywhere April is the month in which +most eggs are to be met with. + +Sometimes they have two broods; whether this is always the case I do +not know. + +The nest is placed almost indifferently at any elevation. I have taken +one from amongst the topmost twigs of a huge mohwa tree (_Bassia +latifolia_) fully 60 feet high, and I have found them in a tiny bush +not a foot off the soil. Still I think that perhaps the majority build +at low elevations, say between 2 and 6 feet from the ground. + +The nest is always a soft, delicate little cup, sometimes very +shallow, sometimes very deep, as a rule suspended between two twigs +like a miniature Oriole's nest, but on rare occasions propped in a +fork. The nest varies much in size and in the materials with which it +is composed. + +Pine grass and roots, tow, and a variety of vegetable fibres, thread, +floss silk, and cobwebs are all made use of to bind the little nest +together and attach it to the twigs whence it depends. Grass again, +moss, vegetable fibre, seed-down, silk, cotton, lichen, roots and the +like are used in the body of the nest, which is lined with silky down, +hair, moss, and fern-roots, or even silk, while at times tiny silvery +cocoons or scraps of rich-coloured lichen are affixed as ornaments to +the exterior. + +One nest before me is a very perfect and deep cup, hung between two +twigs of a mohwa tree and almost entirely hidden by the surrounding +leaves. The exterior diameter of the nest is 2½ inches, and the depth +2 inches. The egg-cavity measures scarcely more than 1½ inch across +and very nearly as much in depth. It is composed of very fine +grass-stems and is thinly coated exteriorly with cobwebs, by which +also it is firmly secured to the suspending twigs, and externally +numerous small cocoons and sundry pieces of vegetable down are +plastered on to the nest. Another nest, hung between two slender twigs +of a mango tree, is a shallow cup some 2½ inches in diameter, and not +above an inch in depth externally. The egg-cavity measures at most 1½ +inch across by three-fourths of an inch in depth. The nest is composed +of fine tow-like vegetable fibres and thread, by which it is attached +to the twigs, a little grass-down being blended in the mass, and +the cavity being very sparsely lined with very fine grass-stems. In +another nest, somewhat larger than, the last described, the nest is +made of moss slightly tacked together with cobwebs and lined with +fine grass-fibres. Another nest, a very regular shallow cup, with an +egg-cavity 2 inches in diameter and an inch in depth, is composed +almost entirely of the soft silky down of the _Calatropis gigantea_, +rather thickly lined with very fine hair-like grass, and very +thinly-coated exteriorly with a little of this same grass, moss, and +thread. Another, with a similar-sized cavity, but nearly three-fourths +of an inch thick everywhere, is externally a mass of moss, moss-roots, +and very fine lichen, and is lined entirely with very soft and +brilliantly white satin-like vegetable down. Another, with about the +same-sized cavity, but the walls of which are scarcely one-fourth of +an inch in thickness, is composed _entirely_ of this satiny down, +thinly coated exteriorly and interiorly with excessively fine +moss-roots (roots so fine that most of them are much thinner than +human hair); a few black horsehairs, which look coarse and thick +beside the other materials of the nest, are twisted round and round in +the interior of the egg-cavity. Other nests might be made entirely of +tow, so far as their appearance goes; and in fact with a very +large series before me, no two seem, to be constructed of the same +materials. + +I have nests before me now, taken in September, March, June, and +August, all of which when found contained eggs. + +Two is certainly the normal number of the eggs; about one fifth of the +nests I have seen contained three, and once only I found four. + +From Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall informs us that he took the eggs +in June at an elevation of about 6000 feet. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I have taken eggs of this species at +Cawnpore in the middle of June. I found six nests, five of which were +in neem-trees. I also found the nest in Naini Tal at 7000 feet above +the sea, with young in the middle of June; one only of all the nests I +have seen was lined, and that was lined with feathers: they were, as a +rule, about eight feet from the ground, but one was nearly forty feet +up." + +Capt. Hutton gives a very full account of the nidification of this +species. He says:--"These beautiful little birds are exceedingly +common at Mussoorie, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, during +summer, but I never saw them much higher. They arrive from the plains +about the middle of April, on the 17th of which month I saw a pair +commence building in a thick bush of _Hibiscus_, and on the 27th +of the same month the nest contained three small eggs hard-set. I +subsequently took a second from a similar bush, and several from +the drooping branches of oak-trees, to the twigs of which they were +fastened. It is not placed on a branch, but is suspended between +two thin twigs, to which it is fastened by floss silk torn from the +cocoons of _Bombyx Huttoni_, Westw., and by a few slender fibres of +the bark of trees or hair according to circumstances. + +"So slight and so fragile is the little oval cup that it is +astonishing the mere weight of the parent bird does not bring it to +the ground, and yet within it three young ones will often safely +outride a gale that will bring the weightier nests of Jays and +Thrushes to the ground. + +"Of seven nests now before me four are composed externally of little +bits of green moss, cotton, and seed-down, and the silk of the wild +mulberry-moth torn from the cocoons, with which last material, +however, the others appear to be bound together within. The lining of +two is of the long hairs of the yak's tail, two of which died on the +estate where these nests were found, and a third is lined with +black human hair. The other three are formed of somewhat different +materials, two being externally composed of fine grass-stalks, +seed-down, and shreds of bark so fine as to resemble tow; one is lined +with seed-down and black fibrous lichens resembling hair, a second is +lined with fine grass, and a third with a thick coating of pure white +silky seed-down. In all the seven, the materials of the two sides are +wound round the twigs, between which they are suspended like a cradle, +and the shape is an ovate cup, about the size of half a hen's egg +split longitudinally. The diameter and depth are respectively 2 inches +and 1½ inch by three-fourths of an inch. The eggs are usually three in +number." + +Mr. Brooks, writing from Almorah, says:--"This morning, 28th April, +I found a nest of _Zosterops palpebrosa_ containing two fresh eggs. +Yesterday I found one of the same bird containing three half-fledged +young ones. Near the Tonse River, in the Allahabad District, I found +these birds in July nesting high in a mango-tree, the nest suspended +like an Oriole's to several leaves; now I find it in low bushes, at +heights of from 3 to 5 feet from the ground. The eggs, as before, +skim-milk blue, without markings of any kind." + +From Gurhwal Mr. R. Thompson says:--"A small cup-shaped elegant nest +is built by this bird suspended by fastenings from the fork of a low +branch. The nest is about 2½ inches in diameter and three-fourths of +an inch in depth, composed of cobwebs, fine roots, hairs, &c., neatly +interwoven and lined internally with vegetable down. The eggs, two, +three, or four in number, are of a pale whitish-blue, oval, and +somewhat larger than those of _Arachnechthra asiatica_. The birds +select all kinds of trees, but the nest is always suspended. The +breeding-season is about March and April, and the brood is quickly +hatched and fledged. + +"A nest found by me on the 22nd April, and containing four eggs, was +built most ingeniously in a creeper that hung from a small tree. The +birds had arranged it so that the long down-bearing tendril of the +creeper blended with the nest, which in the main was composed of the +material surrounding it. + +"Another nest found on the 26th contained three young ones. It was +built in a low branch of a large mango-tree, and might have been 12 +feet from the ground. It was a neat compact structure, deeply hollow, +and made up of cobwebs, fine straw, and hair, and lined with vegetable +down, closely and neatly interwoven. + +"The parent birds were evidently feeding the young on the ripe fruit +of the _Khoda_ or _Chumroor_ (_Ehretia laevis_). I got one fruit from +the old birds, being anxious to know what the young ones were getting +for their dinner. + +"The pairing-season commences about the end of March, when the males +may be heard uttering a feeble kind of rambling song, which in reality +is merely modified repetitions of a single note." + +Mr. A. Anderson remarked that "the White-eye breeds throughout the +North-Western Provinces and Oudh during the months of June, July, and +August. The nest is a beautiful little model of the Oriole's; and +according to my experience it is invariably _suspended_, and _not +fixed in the fork of small branches_ as stated by Jerdon. I have on +several occasions watched a pair in the act of building their nest. +They set to work with cobwebs, and having first tied together two or +three leafy twigs to which they intend to attach their nest, they then +use fine fibre of the _sun_ (_Crotalaria juncea_), with which material +they complete the outer fabric of their very beautiful and compact +nest. As the work progresses more cobwebs and fibre of a silky kind +are applied externally, and at times the nest, when tossed about by +the wind (sometimes at a considerable elevation), would be mistaken by +a casual observer for an accidental collection of cobwebs. The inside +of the nest is well felted with the down of the madar plant, and then +it is finally lined with fine hair and grass-stems of the softest +kind. Sometimes the nest is suspended from only two twigs, exactly +after the fashion of the Mango-birds (_Oriolus kundoo_); and in this +case it is attached by means of silk-like fibres and fine fibre of +_sun_ for about 1½ inch on each side; at others it is suspended from +several twigs; and occasionally I have seen the leaves fixed on to the +sides of the nest, thus making it extremely difficult of detection. + +"In shape the nest is a perfect hollow hemisphere; one now before me +measures (inside) 1·5 in diameter. The wall is about 0·3 in thickness. + +"Almost all my nests have been built on the neem tree, the long +slender _petioles_ of which are admirably adapted for its suspension. + +"As a rule the nest is built at a considerable height, and owing +to its situation there is not a more difficult nest to take. Great +numbers get washed down in a half-finished state in a heavy fall of +rain. + +"The eggs are, exactly as Jerdon describes them, of a pale blue, +'almost like skimmed milk,' and the usual number is three, though four +are frequently laid." + +"On the 7th September," writes Mr. E.M. Adam, "in my garden in +Lucknow, I discovered a nest of this bird in course of construction, +but when it was nearly finished the birds left it. The nest was a +beautiful little cup made of fine grass and cobwebs. It was situated +in a slender fork of a mango-tree about 15 feet from the ground." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; +breeds in both places in May, June, and July. All nests I have seen +have been finely made little cups of fibres, bits of thread and +cobwebs, lined interiorly with horsehair, generally suspended between +two slender twigs at no great height from the ground." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have only actually taken one nest of the +White-eye. That was in Poona (2000 feet above the sea) on the 21st +July. The bird, however, builds abundantly in Poona about gardens, +trees on the roadside, &c. + +"This particular nest was fixed to a thin branch of a tamarind-tree on +the side of a lane among gardens. It was within reach of my hand, and +was attached both to the thin branch itself and to two twigs. It was +well sheltered among leaves. + +"The nest was a cup rather narrower at the mouth than in the middle. +Its external diameter at the top was 2½ inches; internal diameter 1½ +inch; depth 1½ inch internally. It was composed of a variety of fibres +closely interwoven with some kind of vegetable silk, and was lined +principally with horsehair and very fine fibres. It contained three +eggs." + +Mr. Davison tells us that "the White-eye breeds on the Nilghiris in +February, March, April, and the earlier part of May. + +"The nest is a small neat cup-shaped structure suspended between a +fork in some small low bush, generally only 2 or 3 feet from the +ground, but sometimes high up, about 20 or 30 feet from the ground. It +is composed externally of moss and small roots and the down from the +thistle; the egg-cavity is invariably sparingly lined with hair. The +eggs, two in number, are of a pale blue, like skimmed milk." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their nests are, I think, +more elegantly finished than those of any of the small birds I have +seen up here. They generally select a thick bush, where, when they +have chosen a horizontal forked branch, they construct a neat round +nest which is left quite open at the top. The materials they commence +with are green moss, lichen, and fine grass intertwined. I have even +found occasionally a coarse thread, which they had picked up near some +Badagar's village and used in order to fasten the little building +to the branches. The inside is carefully lined with the down of +seed-pods. White-eyes' nests are very numerous here in the months of +January, February, and March. They are extremely partial to the wild +gooseberry bush as a site to build on. One year I found ten out of +eleven nests on these bushes, the fruit of which is largely used by +the aborigines of the hills. A pair once built on a thick orange-tree +in our garden. We often stood quite close to one of them while sitting +on the eggs, and it never showed the slightest degree of fear. They +lay two eggs of a light blue colour." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Conoor, says that "_Z. palpebrosa_ breeds in +April and May, building in bushes and shrubs, and making a deep round +cup-shaped nest very neatly woven in the style of the Chaffinch, +composed of moss, grass, and silk cotton, and sparsely lined with very +fine grass and hair. The eggs are two in number, of a roundish oval +shape, and a pale greenish-blue colour." + +Finally Colonel Legge informs us that this species breeds in Ceylon in +June, July, and August. + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals (occasionally rather broader), +and a good deal pointed towards the small end. The shell is very fine +but almost glossless; here and there a somewhat more glossy egg is met +with. They are normally of a uniform very pale blue or greenish blue, +without any markings whatsoever, but once in a way an egg is seen +characterized by a cap or zone of a somewhat purer and deeper blue. +Abnormally large and small specimens are common. They vary in length +from 0·53 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·42 to 0·58; but the average of +thirty-eight eggs is 0·62 by 0·47, and the great majority of the eggs +are really about this size. + + +229. Zosterops ceylonensis, Holdsworth. _The Ceylon White-eye_. + +Zosterops ceylonensis, _Holdsw., Hume, cat._ no. 631 bis. + +Colonel Legge, referring to the nidification of the Ceylon White-eye, +says:--"This species breeds from March until May, judging from the +young birds which are seen abroad about the latter month. Mr. +Bligh found the nest in March on Catton Estate. It was built in +a coffee-bush a few feet from the ground, and was a rather frail +structure, suspended from the arms of a small fork formed by one bare +twig crossing another. In shape it was a shallow cup, well made of +small roots and bents, lined with hair-like tendrils of moss, and was +adorned about the exterior with a few cobwebs and a little moss. The +eggs were three in number, pointed ovals, and of a pale bluish-green +ground-colour. They measured, on the average, ·64 by ·45 inch." + + +231. Ixulus occipitalis (Bl.) _The Chestnut-headed Ixulus_. + +Ixulus occipitalis (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 624. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Gammie out of a small tree below +Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, was a small, somewhat +shallow cup, composed almost entirely of very fine moss-roots, but +with a little moss incorporated in the outer surface. Externally the +nest was about 3½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in height. The +egg-cavity was about 2¼ inches by barely 1¼ inch. This nest was found +on the 17th June and contained three hard-set eggs, _which_ were +thrown away! + + +232. Ixulus flavicollis (Hodgs.). _The Yellow-naped Ixulus_. + +Ixulus flavicollis (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 259; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 623. + +I have never taken a nest of the Yellow-naped Ixulus. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have only as yet found a single nest of this +species, and this was one of the most artfully concealed that I have +ever seen. I found it in forest in the Chinchona reserves, at an +elevation of about 5000 feet, on the 14th May. It was a rather deep +cup, composed of moss and fine root-fibres and thickly lined with the +latter, and was suspended at a height of about six feet amongst the +natural moss, hanging from a horizontal branch of a small tree, in +which it was entirely enveloped. A more beautiful or more completely +invisible nest it is impossible to conceive. It contained three fresh +eggs. The cup itself was exteriorly 3·7 inches in diameter and 1·9 in +depth, while the cavity was 2·5 in diameter and 1·5 in depth." + +The Yellow-naped Ixulus breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +in the central region of Nepal and the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, +laying during the months of May and June. It builds on the ground +in tufts of grass, constructing its nest of moss and moss-roots, +sometimes open and cup-like and sometimes globular, and lining it with +sheep's wool. Mr. Hodgson figures one nest suspended from a branch, +and although neither the English nor the vernacular notes confirm +this, it is supported to a certain extent by Mr. Gammie's experience. +At the same time, though the situation and surroundings of both seem +to have been similar, Mr. Hodgson figures his nest, not cup-shaped, +but egg-shaped, and with the longer diameter horizontal. Seven nests +are recorded as having been taken, and all on the ground. One, +cup-shaped, taken on the 7th June, 1846, which is also figured, in +amongst grass and leaves on the ground, measured externally 3·5 inches +in diameter, 2·5 in height, and internally 2 inches both in diameter +and depth. + +The full complement of eggs is said to be four. Two types of eggs are +figured, both rather broad ovals, measuring about 0·75 by 0·6. The one +has a buffy-white ground and is thinly speckled and streaked, except +quite at the broad end, where the markings are nearly confluent, with +pale dingy yellowish brown; the other has a pale earthy-brown ground, +and is spotted similarly to the one just described, but with red and +purple. This latter egg appears on the same plate with the suspended +nest, and is, I think, doubtful. + +Several nests of this species, which I owe to Captain Masson of +Darjeeling, are very beautiful structures, moderately shallow and +rather massive cups, externally composed of moss, and lined thickly +with fine black moss-roots. The cavity of the nests may have been +about 1¾ inch in diameter by less than 1½ inch in depth, but the sides +of the nests are from one inch to 2 inches in thickness, constructed +of firmly compacted moss. + +Other nests of this species that have since been sent me show that +the bird very commonly suspends its nest to one or two twigs, not +unfrequently making it a complete cylinder or egg in shape, with the +entrance at one side, but always using moss, in some cases fine, in +some coarse, according to the nature of the moss growing where the +nest is placed, as the sole material, and lining the cavity thickly +with fine black moss and fern-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon tells us that at Darjeeling he has repeatedly had the nest +brought to him. "It is large, made of leaves of bamboos carelessly and +loosely put together, and generally placed in a clump of bamboos. The +eggs are three to five in number, of a somewhat fleshy-white, with a +few rusty spots." + +I cannot but think that in this case wrong nests had been brought +to Dr. Jerdon. The eggs that I possess are all of one type--rather +elongated ovals with scarcely any gloss, and strongly recalling in +shape, size, and appearance densely marked varieties of the eggs of +_Hirundo rustica_, but with the markings rather browner and slightly +more smudgy. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, often slightly +compressed towards the small end, sometimes rather broader and +slightly pyriform. The shell is extremely fine and compact, but +has scarcely any gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes pure white, +sometimes has a faint brownish-reddish or creamy tinge. The markings +are invariably most dense about the large end, where they form a +zone or cap, regular, well defined and confluent in some specimens, +irregular, ill-defined and blotchy in others. As a rule these +markings, which consist of specks, spots, and tiny blotches, are +comparatively thinly scattered over the rest of the egg, but +occasionally they are pretty thickly scattered everywhere, though +nowhere anything like so densely as at the large end. The colour of +the markings is rather variable. It is a brown of varying shades, +varying not only in different eggs, but there being often two shades +on the same egg. Normally it is I think an umber-brown, yellower in +some spots, but varying slightly in tinge, leaning to burnt umber, +sienna, and raw sienna. + +Other eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie are of much the same +character as those already described, but one is a good deal shorter +and broader, and the markings are more decided red than are some of +the yellowish-brown spots observable in the eggs first obtained. + +In length the eggs seem to vary from 0·76 to 0·8, and in breadth from +0·54 to 0·58. + + + + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + + +235. Liothrix lutea (Scop.). _The Red-billed Liothrix_. + +Leiothrix luteus (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250. +Leiothrix callipyga (_Hodgs._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 614. + +The Red-billed Liothrix breeds from April to August; at elevations of +from 3000 to 6000 feet, throughout the Himalayas south, as a rule, of +the first snowy range and eastward of the Sutlej; west of the Sutlej I +have not heard of its occurrence. It also doubtless breeds throughout +the hill-ranges running down from Assam to Burmah. + +Mostly the birds lay in May, affecting well-watered and jungle-clad +valleys and ravines. They place their nests in thick bushes, at +heights of from 2 to 8 feet from the ground, and either wedge them +into some fork, tack them into three or four upright shoots between +which they hang, or else suspend them like an Oriole's or White-eye's +nest. + +The nest varies from a rather shallow to a very deep cup, and is +composed of dry leaves, moss, and lichen in varying proportions, +bamboo-leaves being great favourites, bound together with slender +creepers, grass-roots, fibres, &c., and lined with black horse- or +buffalo-hair, or hair-like moss-roots. The nests differ much in +appearance: I have seen one composed almost entirely of moss, and +another of nothing but dry bamboo-sheaths, with a scrap or two of +moss. They are always pretty substantial, but sometimes they are very +massive for the size of the bird. + +Three is certainly the usual complement of eggs. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in the central +mountainous region of Nepal, and lays from April to August. The nest, +which is somewhat purse-shaped, is placed in some upright fork between +three or four slender branches, to all of which it is more or less +attached. It is composed of moss, dry leaves, often of the bamboo, and +the bark of trees, and is compactly bound together with moss-roots and +fibres of different kinds; it is lined with horse-hair and moss-roots, +and contains generally three or four eggs. + +The following note I quote _verbatim_:--"_Central Hills, August +12th_.--Male, female, and nest. Nest in a low leafy tree 5 cubits from +the ground in the Shewpoori forest; partly suspended and partly rested +on the fork of the branch; suspension effected by twisting part of the +material round the prongs of the fork; made of moss and lichens and +dry leaves, well compacted into a deep saucer-shaped cavity; 3·62 +high, 4·5 wide outside, and inside 2·25 deep and 3 inches wide; eggs +pale verditer, spotted brown, and ready for hatching. The bird found +in small flocks of ten to twelve, except at breeding-season." + +A nest sent to me last year by Mr. Gammie was found by him on the 24th +April, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, in the neighbourhood of +Rungbee. It was built by the side of a stream in a small bush, at a +height of about 3 feet from the ground, and contained three eggs. +The nest is a deep and, for the size of the bird, very massive cup, +exteriorly composed entirely of broad flag-like grass-leaves, with +which, however, a few slender stems of creepers are intermingled, +internally of grass-roots; the egg-cavity being thinly lined with +coarse, black buffalo-hair. Externally the nest is more than 5 inches +in diameter and nearly 4 inches high; but the egg-cavity, which is +very regularly shaped, is 2½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +This year Mr. Gammie writes to me:--"I have taken many nests of the +Red-billed Liothrix here in our Chinchona reserves, at all elevations +from 3500 to 5000 feet. They breed in May and June, amongst dense +scrub, placing their nests in shrubs, at heights of from 3 to 5 feet +from the ground, and either suspending them from horizontal branches, +or hanging them between several upright stems, to which they firmly +attach them. The nest itself is cup-shaped and composed principally of +dry bamboo-leaves held together by a few fibres, and a few strings of +green moss wound round the outside. The lining consists of a few +black hairs, and the usual number of eggs is three. A nest I recently +measured was externally 4 inches in diameter and 2·7 in height, while +the cavity was 2·6 across by 1·9 in depth." + +Mr. Gammie subsequently found a nest on the very late date of 17th +October at Rishap, Darjeeling. It contained three eggs, two of which +were addled. + +Dr. Jerdon says that at Darjeeling he "got the nest and eggs +repeatedly; the nest made chiefly of grass, with roots and fibres, and +fragments of moss, and usually containing three or four eggs, bluish, +white, with a few purple and red blotches. It is generally placed in a +leafy bush at no great height from the ground. Gould, quoting from Mr. +Shore's notes, says that the eggs are black spotted with yellow: +this is of course erroneous. I have taken the nest myself on several +occasions, and killed the bird, and in every case the eggs were +coloured as above." + +I wish to add here, as I have abused him occasionally, that Mr. Shore +was, I understand, a most excellent man, and that I have now come to +the conclusion that the extraordinary fictions that he recorded about +the eggs of birds can only have been due to colour-blindness of a +peculiarly aggravated nature. It is not that he mistook eggs, but that +he describes _impossible_ eggs--Kingfishers' eggs variegated black +and white, and here in this case black eggs spotted with yellow! Why, +there _are_ no such eggs in the whole world, I believe. On the other +hand, his whole life proves that he could not have deliberately set to +work to invent falsehoods. To return. + +The eggs vary a good deal in shade and size, but are more or less long +ovals, slightly pointed towards the lesser end. The ground-colour is +a delicate very pale green or greenish blue, in one, not very common +type, almost pure white, and they are pretty boldly blotched or +spotted and speckled as the case may be, and clouded, most thickly +towards the large end, and very often almost exclusively in a zone or +cap round this latter, with various shades of red or purple and brown. +Some blotches in some eggs are almost carmine-red, but the majority +are brownish red or reddish brown, varying much in depth and intensity +of colour. There is something Shrike-like in the markings of many +eggs; and where the markings are most numerous, namely at the large +end, they are commonly intermingled with streaks and clouds of +pale lilac. The smaller end of the egg is often entirely free from +markings. I should mention that all the eggs have a faint gloss, and +that some are decidedly glossy. + +They vary in length from 0·76 to 0·95, and in breadth from 0·59 to +0·66; but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0·85 by 0·62. + + +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (Vig.). _The Red-winged Shrike-Tit_. + +Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 245; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 609. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"There is no +record about the nidification of this species. Its nest is exceedingly +difficult to find, and it was only by long and careful watching +through field-glasses that Captain Cock discovered that there was a +nest at the top of a very high chestnut-tree, to and from which the +birds kept flying with building-materials in their beaks. The nest is +most skilfully concealed, being at the top of the tree, with bunches +of leaves both above and below. The nest, like that of the Oriole, is +built pendent in a fork. It is somewhat roughly made of moss and hair. +The eggs are pinky white, blotched with red, forming in some a ring +round the larger end. They average 0·9 in length and 0·65 in breadth. +We were fortunate enough to secure two nests; both were more than 60 +feet from the ground. Breeds in the end of May, at an elevation of +7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I first found this bird building its nest on the +top of a high chestnut-tree at Murree in the month of May. When the +nest was ready I took my friend Captain C.H.T. Marshall to be present +at the taking of it, as it had never, I think, been taken before. We +took the nest on the 30th May. + +"It was an open flattish cup, like the nest of _O. kundoo_ in +structure, only shallower. It contained three eggs, pinky white, +covered with a shower of claret spots that at the larger end formed a +cap of dark claret colour. Another nest, which I took in June from the +top of an oak, contained two eggs." + +To Colonel Marshall and Captain Cock I am indebted for a nest and egg +of this species. + +The nest is a moderately deep cup, suspended between two prongs of a +horizontal fork. Externally it is about 4 inches in diameter and about +3 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is nearly hemispherical, 3 inches +in diameter and 1·5 in depth. It is a very loosely made structure, +composed internally of not very fine roots and externally coated with +green moss. Along the lines of suspension a good deal of wool is +incorporated in the structure, and it is chiefly by this wool that the +nest is suspended. The fork is a slender one, the prongs being from +0·3 to 0·4 in diameter. + +The egg is a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the small +end. The shell is very fine and compact, and has a fine gloss. The +ground-colour is white or pinky white, and is pretty thickly speckled +and finely spotted all over with brownish red and a little pale inky +purple. Just towards the large end the markings are very dense, and +form, more or less of a confluent cap of mingled brownish red and pale +lilac, the latter everywhere appearing to underlie the former. + +The egg was taken on the 10th June, and measures 0·9 by 0·68. + + +239. Pteruthius melanotis, Hodgs. _The Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit_. + +Allotrius oenobarbus, _Temm. apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 246. +Allotrius melanotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 611. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit breeds in Sikhim and Nepal up to an elevation of 6000 or +7000 feet. The nest is placed at a height of 6 to 10 feet from the +ground, between some slender, leafy, horizontal fork, between which it +is suspended like that of an Oriole or White-eye. It is composed of +moss and moss-roots and vegetable fibres, beautifully and compactly +woven into a shallow cup some 4 inches in diameter, and with a cavity +some 2·5 in diameter and less than 1 in depth. Interiorly the nest is +lined with hair-like fibres and moss-roots; exteriorly it is adorned +with pieces of lichen. The eggs are two or three in number, +very regular ovals, about 0·77 in length by 0·49 in width. The +ground-colour is a delicate pinky lilac, and they are speckled and +spotted with violet or violet-purple, the markings being most numerous +towards the large end, where they have a tendency to form a mottled +zone. + + +243. Aegithine tiphia (Linn.). _The Common Iora_. + +Iora zeylonica (Gm.) _et_ I. typhia (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, pp. 101, 103. +Aegithine tiphia (_Linn.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ nos. 467, 468. + +I have already on several occasions (see especially 'Stray Feathers,' +1877, vol. v, p. 428) recorded my inability to distinguish as +distinct species _Ae. tiphia_ and _Ae. zeylonica_. I am quite open to +conviction; but believing them, so far as my present investigations +go, to be inseparable, I propose to treat them as a single species in +the present notice. + +The Common Iora (the genus, though possibly nearly allied, is too +distinct from _Chloropsis_ to allow me to adopt, as Jerdon does, one +common trivial name for both) breeds in different localities from May +to September. I have taken nests and eggs of typical examples of both +supposed species, and have had them sent me with the parent birds by +many correspondents; and though both vary a good deal, I am convinced +that all the variations which occur in the nests and eggs of one +race occur also in those of the other. If one gets only two or three +clutches of the eggs of each, great differences, naturally attributed +to difference of species (see Captain Cock's remarks, _infrà_), may +be detected; but I have seen more than fifty, and, so far as I am +concerned, I have no hesitation in asserting that, as in the case of +the birds so in that of their nests and eggs, no constant differences +can be detected if only sufficiently large series are compared. + +The birds build usually on the upper surface of a horizontal bough, at +a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground. Sometimes, when the +bough is more or less slanting, the nest assumes somewhat more of a +pocket-shape. Occasionally it is built between three or four slender +twigs, forming an upright fork; but this is quite exceptional. + +As a rule nests of the Iora very closely resemble those of +_Leucocerca_, so much so that when I sent a beautiful photograph of a +nest, which I had myself watched building, of the latter species to +Mr. Blyth, he unhesitatingly pronounced it to be a nest of the former. +There is, however, a certain amount of difference; the Iora's nests +are looser and somewhat less compact and firm. My experience does not +confirm Mr. Brooks's remarks (_vide infrà_) that they are usually +shallower; on the contrary all those now before me are, as indeed all +the many I can remember to have seen were, deep, thin-walled cups, +which had been placed on more or less horizontal branches, not +uncommonly where some upright-growing twig afforded the nest +additional security. The egg-cavity averages about 2 inches in +diameter, and varies from an inch to 1¼ inch in depth; the walls, +composed of vegetable fibres, and varying in different specimens +from only one eighth to three eighths of an inch in thickness, are +everywhere thickly coated externally with cobwebs, by which also the +nest is firmly attached to the branch on which it is seated, as well +as, where such adjoin the nest, to any little twig springing from that +branch. Interiorly they are more or less neatly lined with very fine +grass-stems. The bottom of the nest in its thinnest part is rarely +above one eighth of an inch in thickness, but running, as it so often +does, down the curving sides of the branch, it becomes a good deal +thicker, and where placed on a small branch, say not exceeding an +inch in diameter, the lateral portions of the bottom of the nest are +sometimes more than half an inch in thickness. + +One nest which I obtained recently in the Botanical Gardens at +Calcutta was built in an upright fork of four slender twigs; and in +this case the bottom of the nest was obtusely conical, and at its +deepest point may have been nearly an inch in depth. I have never seen +a similar nest. + +The eggs are normally three in number, but I have at times found only +two, and these more or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks, writing of a nest he took in the Mirzapoor District, +says:--"Did you ever get particulars of the nest of _Iora zeylonica_ +on the forked branch of a mango-tree 12 or 14 feet from the +ground? Nest composed of the same materials as that of _Leucocerca +albifrontata_, but not quite so neat and much more shallow; eggs +salmon-coloured and spotted with pale reddish brown, intermixed with a +few larger dashes of purple-grey. The bird lays in July; three eggs. +This is the only nest I have not taken since I came to India the +second time." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"The Iora breeds from July to +September, and certainly _not_, as Dr. Jerdon supposes, twice a year. +Both birds assist in the building of the nests, and there evidently +appears to be no choice of any particular kind of tree on which to +build. I have found them indiscriminately on the mango, mowah, neem, +and other trees. The nest is invariably made either just above or +between the fork of two outshooting slender horizontal branches. It +is very neatly made, deeply cup-shaped, of grass and fibres, with +spider's web on the exterior. The maximum number of eggs is three; +they are of a pale whitish colour, marked generally, chiefly at the +broad end, with brownish spots. The brown spots vary in size on +different eggs. I secured the first eggs on the 12th July, and the +last on the 2nd September. A pair of birds were on this last date just +completing their nest, which unfortunately was destroyed by the heavy +rains." + +Captain Cock says:--"_Iora tiphia_ is tolerably common at Seetapoor +(Oudh), and I have several times taken their nests and eggs. I may +here mention that I have taken eggs of _Iora zeylonica_ at Etawah, and +that knowing the birds well, I can say that it is quite a distinct +bird; although in the marking of its eggs there is a slight +resemblance, yet the nests of the two species are quite different. On +the 13th May I observed a nest of _I. tiphia_ on a young mango-tree, +at the edge of a croquet-ground in our garden. I shot both male and +female and took the eggs; the nest was placed on the upperside of a +sloping bough, was covered outside with cobweb, and lined with thin +dry grass. It contained two fresh eggs of a delicate pink colour, with +broad irregularly-shaped dashes of light brown down the sides of the +shell, not tending to coalesce in any way at either apex. Another pair +also built their nest on the edge of the same ground in another tree; +but unfortunately in a weak moment I pointed out the nest to a lady +friend, and as thereafter no one ever played croquet on the ground +without staring at the nest, the birds got disgusted and soon deserted +it." + +To this I need merely add that _of course_ typical _Ae. tiphia_ +and typical _Ae. zeylonica_ are very distinct, but that as every +intermediate form occurs, they are not, according to my views of what +constitutes a species, entitled to specific separation, and that as +regards nest and eggs, according to my experience, every variety in +the one is to be found in the other. + +Dr. Jerdon, speaking of Southern India, remarks:--"I have seen the +nest and eggs on several occasions. The nest is deep, cup-shaped, very +neatly made with grass, various fibres, hairs, and spiders' webs; and +the eggs, two or three in number, are reddish white, with numerous +darker red spots, chiefly at the thicker end. It breeds in the south +of India in August and September; perhaps, however, twice a year." + +Writing from South Wynaad, Mr. J. Darling (Junior) says:--"I found the +nest, which with the eggs and both parents I have now sent you, in the +Teriat Hills on the 24th May, at an elevation of about 2300 feet. It +was placed on, and near the extremity of, a bough, at a height of +about 10 feet from the ground. It is round, about 2 inches in height +and the same in diameter, and the cavity was about an inch or a trifle +more in depth. It is built of grass and reed-bamboo-fibres, and is +coated with spider's web. It only contained two eggs." + +Both parents (sexes ascertained by dissection) are in the typical +_tiphia_ plumage, without one particle of black on either head, nape, +or back. + +Mr. Davidson writes:--"In the Satara and Sholapur districts the cock +puts on his summer plumage in May and the whole back of head, neck, +and back (not rump) is glossy and black. + +"This bird lays from the end of June to beginning of August. It is +very shy when building and is easily caused to forsake its nest; if a +single egg is taken from the nest it does not forsake it, however, but +lays on (three instances this year)." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks has favoured me with the following very interesting +note on the habits of this Iora:-- + +"Ioras are very numerous and have such a variety of notes that I +thought at first there were several sorts; but as far as I can see +there is but one species. Iora spreads its tail in a wonderful manner, +and comes spinning round and round towards the ground looking more +like a round ball than a bird. All the time it descends it utters a +strange note, something like that of a frog or cricket, a protracted +sibilant sound. This bird is close to _Liothrix_ and _Stachyrhis_, +although it belongs to the plains." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest on the 17th August, 1880, on the +outside branch of a silk-cotton tree in Belgaum about 12 feet from the +ground, containing three fresh eggs. + +"I found many other nests building all through the hot weather and +rains; but in every single instance except the present one they were +deserted before they were completed." + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"This species is common +throughout the country. As a rule its nest is well hid, but one I +saw in the compound of a house in Maulmain was placed in the exposed +leafless fork of a tree, not above six feet from the ground. It +contained no eggs when I examined it, and was deserted a day or two +after. This was in the beginning of May." + +Mr. Oates remarks on the breeding of this bird in Pegu:--"Nests are +found chiefly in June and July, but the birds probably lay also in +May." + +In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, slightly pointed towards +one end. They vary, however, a good deal, some being much more +elongated than others. They are almost entirely devoid of gloss. The +ground-colour is generally greyish white, but some have creamy and +some a salmon tinge; typically they have numerous long streaky pale +brown or reddish-brown blotches, chiefly confined to the large end, +where they often seem to spring from an irregular imperfect zone of +the same colour. The colour of the blotches varies a good deal. In +some it is a pale greyish or purplish brown; in others decidedly +reddish, or even well-marked and somewhat yellowish brown. Some pale, +purplish streaks and clouds generally underlie the brown blotches +where they are thickest, and there form a kind of nimbus. In some eggs +the markings are confined to a narrow imperfect zone of pale purplish +specks or very tiny blotches round the large end, and some of the eggs +remind one of those of _Leucocerca albifrontata_. The peculiar streaky +longitudinal character of the markings, almost wholly confined to the +large end, best distinguishes the eggs of the Ioras from those of any +other Indian bird with which they are likely to be confounded. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·76, and in breadth from 0·51 to +0·57: but the average of forty-seven eggs measured is 0·69, nearly, by +a trifle more than 0·54. + + +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, Hodgs. _The Fire-tailed Myzornis_. + +Myzornis pyrrboura, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 263; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 629. + +I have received a single egg said to belong to the Fire-tailed +Myzornis from Native Sikhim, where it was found in May in a small nest +(unfortunately mislaid) which was placed on a branch of a large tree +at no great height from the ground. The place where it was found had +an elevation of about 10,000 feet. Although the parent bird was sent +with the egg, I cannot say that I have any great confidence in its +authenticity, and only record the matter _quantum valeat_. + +The egg is a very regular, rather elongated oval. The egg was never +properly blown and has been consequently somewhat discoloured. It may +have been pure white, and it may have been fairly glossy when fresh, +but it is now a dull ivory-white with scarcely any gloss. It measured +0·68 in length by 0·5 in breadth. + + +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (Bl.). _Jerdon's Chloropsis_. + +Phyllornis jerdoni, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 97; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 463. + +I have never myself found the nest of Jerdon's Chloropsis, but my +friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me numerous specimens of both nests +and eggs from Raipoor and its neighbourhood. + +In that part of the country July and August appear to be the months in +which it lays; but elsewhere its eggs have been taken in April, May, +and June, so that its breeding-season is much the same as that of many +of the Bulbuls. The nest is a small, rather shallow cup, at most 3½ +inches in diameter and 1½ in depth; is composed externally entirely of +soft tow-like vegetable fibre, which appears to be worked over a light +framework of fine roots and slender tamarisk-stems, amongst which, +some little pieces of lichen are intermingled. There is no attempt +at a lining, the eggs being laid on the fine grass and slender twigs +(about the thickness of an ordinary-sized pin) which compose the +framework of the nest. + +The eggs as a rule appear to be two in number. + +Mr. Blewitt remarks:--"The Green Bulbul breeds in July and August. The +bird does not preferentially select any one description of tree for +its nest, though the greater number secured were taken from mowah +trees (_Bassia latifolia_). The nest is generally firmly affixed at +the fork of the end twigs of an upper branch from 15 to 25 feet from +the ground. Sometimes, however, eschewing twigs, the bird constructs +its nest on the _top_ of the main branch itself, cunningly securing it +with the material to the rough exterior surface of the branch. +Three is certainly the maximum number of eggs. During the period of +nidification the parent birds are very watchful and noisy, and their +alarm and over-anxiety on the near approach of a stranger often betray +the nest." + +The late Captain Beavan recorded the following interesting note in +regard to this species:-- + +"This handsome bird is very abundant in Manbhoom, where it is called +'Hurrooa' by the natives. Its note is so much like that of _Dicrurus +ater_ that I have frequently been deceived by the resemblance. It +breeds in the district. A nest with two eggs was brought to me at +Beerachalee on April 4th, 1865. It is built at the fork of a bough and +neatly suspended from it, like a hammock, by silky fibres, which are +firmly fixed to the two sprigs of the fork, and also form part of the +bottom and outside of the nest. The inside is lined with dry bents and +hairs. The eggs (creamy white with a few light pinky-brown spots) are +rather elongated, measuring 0·85 by 0·62. Interior diameter of nest +2·25, depth 1·5. The cry of alarm of this species is like that of +_Parus major_" + +Dr. Jerdon remarked ('Illustrations of Indian Ornithology'), writing +at the time from Southern India:-- + +"I have seen a nest of this species in the possession of S.N. Ward, +Esq. It is a neat but slightly cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly of +fine grass, and was placed near the extremity of a branch, some of +the nearest leaves being, it was said, brought down and loosely +surrounding it. It contained two eggs, white, with a few +claret-coloured blotches. Its nest and eggs, I may remark, show an +analogy to that of the Orioles." + +Mr. Layard tells us that this species is "extremely common in the +south of Ceylon, but rare towards the north. It feeds in small flocks +on seeds and insects, and builds an open cup-shaped nest. The eggs, +four in number, are white, thickly mottled at the obtuse end with +purplish spots." + +And Sir W. Jardine says:--"For the interesting nest and eggs of +_Phyllornis jerdoni_, Blyth, we are indebted to E.S. Layard, Esq., +Magistrate of the district of Point Pedro (the northernmost extremity +of Ceylon), in which district we understand it to have been procured. +A large groove along the underside of the nest indicates it to have +been placed upon a branch; the general form is somewhat flat, and +it is composed of very soft materials, chiefly dry grass and silky +vegetable fibres, rather compactly interwoven with some pieces of dead +leaf and bark on the outside, over which a good deal of spider's web +has been worked. It contains four eggs, white, abruptly speckled +over with dark bistre mingled with some ashy spots." Layard is not +generally reliable where eggs are concerned, for he did not usually +take them with his own hands and natives _will_ lie; and I doubt the +_four_ eggs here, but I think, so far as the nest goes, that he was +right in this case. + +The eggs are rather elongated ovals; some of them a good deal pointed +towards one end, others again slightly pyriform. The shell is very +delicate; the ground-colour white to creamy white; as a rule almost +glossless, in some specimens slightly glossy. They are sparingly +marked, usually chiefly at the large end, with spots, specks, small +blotches, hair-lines, or hieroglyphic-like figures, which are +typically almost black, but which in some eggs are blackish, or even +reddish, or purplish brown. In no specimens that I have seen were the +markings at all numerous, except just at the large end; and in some +they consist solely of a few tiny specks, scattered about the crown of +the egg. + +The eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·92 in length, and from 0·56 to 0·63 in +breadth; but the average of a dozen was 0·86 by 0·6. + + +254. Irena puella (Lath.). _The Fairy Blue-bird_. + +Irena puella (_Lath._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 105; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no 469. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon favoured me with an egg of the Fairy Blue-bird, +which with other rare eggs he obtained on the Assamboo Hills. So +little is known of this range that I quote his remarks upon this +locality. + +"I must premise that the specimens were obtained along the Assamboo +Range of hills, between the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above +sea-level. This range of hills, running in a north-westerly and +south-easterly direction from Cape Comorin to 8°33' north latitude, +forms the boundary line between Travancore and the British Territory +of Tinnevelly, the average height of the range being about 4000 +feet, while some of the peaks are as high as 5500 feet. The general +character of the hills is dense forest, broken here and there by grass +ridges and crowned by precipitous rocks, above which lies an almost +unexplored table-land, varying in width from a mile to 12 or 15 miles, +at an elevation of almost 4000 feet." + +"The egg of the Fairy Blue-bird," he adds, "was taken slightly set on +the 28th February, 1873, from a loose sparsely-built nest situated in +a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. The nest was composed of +dead twigs lined with leaves, and was about 4 inches broad and very +slightly indented." + +As will be remembered, Dr. Jerdon states that "Mr. Ward obtained, what +he was informed were, the nest and eggs; the nest was large, made of +roots and fibres and lined with moss; and the eggs, two in number, +were pale greenish, much spotted with dusky:" and I have no doubt that +Mr. Ward's eggs were genuine. + +The egg is an elongated oval, compressed almost throughout its entire +length, very blunt at both points; a long cone, the apex broadly +truncated and rounded off obtusely, sealed on half a very oblate +spheroid. In no one single point--shape, texture of shell, colour or +character of markings--does this egg approach to those of either the +Oriole or the Chloropsis. This shell is very close-grained and fine, +but only moderately glossy. The ground is pale green, and it is +streaked and blotched with pale dull brown. The markings are almost +entirely confluent over the large end (where they appear to be +underlaid by dingy, dimly discernible greyish blotches), and from the +cap thus formed they descend in streaky mottlings towards the small +end, growing fewer and further apart as they approach this latter, +which is almost devoid of markings. + +It is impossible to generalize from a single specimen as to the +position this bird _should_ hold, but this one egg renders it quite +certain to my mind that the nearest allies of _Irena_ are neither +_Oriolus_ nor _Chloropsis_, and that it is quite impossible to place +it with the _Dicruridae_. The eggs of _Psaroglossa spiloptera_ are +not very dissimilar, and I expect that it is somewhere between +the _Paradiseidae, Sturnidae_, and _Icteridae_ that _Irena_ will +ultimately have to be located. + +The egg measures 1·1 by 0·73. + +Mr. Fulton Bourdillon writes:--"The last note I have to send you at +present is that of a Blue-bird's nest (_Irena puella_). Of this there +can be no possible doubt, as my brother and I shot both the male and +female birds, and I took the nest with my own hands. It was in a +pollard tree beside a stream among some thick branches about 20 feet +from the ground. The nest was neatly but very loosely constructed of +fresh green moss, which formed the bulk of the nest, and lined with +the flower-stalks of a jungle shrub. It was very well concealed, and +was about 4 inches broad with a cavity not more than 1½ inch deep. It +contained two eggs slightly set, measuring respectively 1·11 x ·84 and +1·16 x ·81. These eggs tally very fairly in colour, shape, and size +with those sent last year; of the identity of which I was doubtful at +the time, though now I think there can be no mistake. + +"Since writing last I have had another nest of _Irena puella_ brought +me with two fresh eggs. The nest was very loosely put together and +similar in all respects to the one last sent. The eggs measure ·95 x +·81 and ·92 x ·79, with the same well-defined ring round the larger +end. The nest was in a small tree about 10 feet from the ground and +was well concealed. It was composed of twigs, without any lining." + +The nest sent me by Mr. Bourdillon is a very flimsy affair, reminding +one much of the nest of _Graucalus macii_ and not in the smallest +degree of that of an Oriole. A mere pad, some 4 inches in diameter, +composed of very thin twigs or dry flower-stalks with a couple of dead +leaves intermingled, and an external coating of green moss. + +Major C.T. Bingham has favoured me with the following notes from +Tenasserim:--"At the sources of the Winsaw stream, a feeder of the +Thoungyeen river, on the 30th April I found a nest of this bird, a +mere irregularly roundish pad of moss with very little depression in +the centre, containing two fresh eggs, and placed 12 feet or so above +the ground in the fork of an evergreen sapling. The eggs measure 1·18 +x 0·86 and 1·19 x 0·86 respectively, and are so thickly spotted and +blotched with brown as to show very little of the ground-colour, which +latter, however, appears to be of a greenish white. + +"On the 11th April I was slowly clambering along a very steep +hill-side overlooking the Queebaw choung, a small tributary of the +Meplay stream, when from a tree whose crown was below my feet I +startled a female _Irena puella_ off her nest. I could see the nest +and that it contained two eggs, so I shot the female, who had taken to +a tree a little above me. On getting the nest down, I found it a poor +affair of little twigs, with a superstructure of moss, shaped into a +shallow saucer, on which reposed two eggs, large for the size of the +bird, of a dull greenish white, much dashed, speckled, and spotted +with brown. They were so hard-set that I only managed to save one, +which measured 1·09 by 0·77 inch." + +Mr. Davison writes:--"At Kussoom, in some moderately thin tree-jungle +I found the nest of _Irena puella_. The nest was placed in the fork +of a sapling some 12 feet from the ground. The nest externally was +composed of dry twigs, carelessly and irregularly put together. The +egg-cavity was shallow, not more than 1·5 inch at its deepest part, +and it was lined with finer twigs, fern-roots, and some yellowish +fibre. The nest contained two fresh eggs." + +Two eggs, taken by Mr. Davison at Kussoom in the north of the Malay +Peninsula, to which the Malayan form does not extend, are rather +elongated ovals, with a slightly pyriform tendency. The shell is fine, +smooth, and compact, and has a perceptible gloss. The ground-colour is +greenish white; round the large end is a huge, smudgy, irregular zone +of reddish brown and inky grey, the one colour predominating in the +one egg, the other in the other. Inside the zone are specks and spots +of the same colours, and below the zone streaks and spots of these +same colours, thinly set, stretched downwards towards the small end of +the egg. + +Other eggs subsequently received are very similar to that first sent +by Mr. Bourdillon, except that in shape they are more regular ovals, +and that the brown markings in some have a reddish and in some a +purplish tinge, and that in some eggs the mottings and markings are +pretty thick even at the small end. + +In length they seem to vary from 1·08 to 1·2 inch and in breadth from +0·73 to 0·88 inch. + +In some eggs the ground appears to have no green tinge, but is simply +a greyish white. In one egg the markings are all of one colour, a sort +of chocolate-brown, a dense almost confluent mass of mottlings in a +broad irregular zone round the large end and elsewhere pretty thickly +set over the entire surface of the egg. They have always a certain +amount of gloss, but are never very glossy. + + +257. Mesia argentauris, Hodgs. _The Silver-eared Mesia_. + +Leiothrix argentauris (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 251. +Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 615. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Silver-eared Mesia breeds in the +low-lands of Nepal, laying in May and June. The nest is placed in a +bushy tree, between two or three thin twigs, to which it is attached. +It is composed of dry bamboo and other leaves, thin grass-roots and +moss, and is lined inside with fine roots. Three or four eggs are +laid: one of these is figured as a broad oval, much pointed towards +one end, measuring 0·8 by 0·6, having a pale green ground with a few +brownish-red specks, and a close circle of spots of the same colour +round the large end. + +Dr. Jerdon brought me two eggs from Darjeeling, which he believed to +belong to this species. They much resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_. +They are oval, scarcely pointed at all towards the lesser end, and +are faintly glossed. The ground-colour of one is greenish, the other +creamy, white, and both are spotted and streaked, chiefly in an +irregular zone near the large end, with different shades of red and +purple. The markings are smaller than those of the preceding species. +Further observations are necessary to confirm the authenticity of the +eggs. + +They measure 0·85 and 0·87 by 0·65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken about half a dozen nests +of this bird. They closely resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_ in size +and structure and are similarly situated, but instead of having the +egg-cavity lined with dark-coloured material, as that species has, all +I found had light-coloured linings; such was even the case with +one nest I found within three or four yards of a nest of the other +species. + +"The eggs are usually four in number." + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond with those given me +by Dr. Jerdon. They are as like the eggs of _L. lutea_ as they can +possibly be, and if there is any difference, it consists in the +markings of the present species being as a body smaller and more +speckled than those of _L. lutea_. + +The six eggs that I have vary in length from 0·82 to 0·9, and in +breadth from 0·6 to 0·65.[A] + +[Footnote A: There is in the Tweeddale collection a skin of a young +nestling of this species procured by Limborg on Muleyit mountain in +Tenasserim in the second week of April. On the label attached to the +specimen is a note to the effect that the nest from which the nestling +was taken was made of moss.--ED.] + + +258. Minla igneitincta, Hodgs. _The Red-tailed Minla_. + +Minla ignotincta, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 254: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 618. + +The Red-tailed Minla, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, +breeds in the central region of Nepal and near Darjeeling, during May +and June. It builds a beautiful rather deep cup-shaped nest of mosses, +moss-roots, and some cow's hair, lined with these two latter. The nest +is placed in the fork of three or four slender branches of some bushy +tree, at no great elevation from the ground, and is attached to one or +more of the stems in which it is placed by bands of moss and fibres. A +nest taken on the 24th May measured externally 3·28 inches in diameter +and 2·25 in height; internally the cavity was 2 inches in diameter and +1·62 in depth. They lay from two to four eggs, of a pale verditer-blue +ground, speckled and spotted pretty boldly with brownish red. An egg +is figured as a regular rather broad oval, measuring 0·78 by 0·55. + +On the other hand, Dr. Jerdon says:--"Its nest has been brought to me, +of ordinary shape, made of moss and grass, and with four white eggs, +with a few rusty red spots." + + +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (Burton). _The Fire-cap_. + +Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 267; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 633. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us:--"On the 25th +May we found the nest of this species (the Fire-cap) in a hole in a +rotten sycamore-tree about 15 feet from the ground. The nest was a +neatly made cup-shaped one, formed principally of fine grass. We were +unfortunately too late for the eggs, as we found four nearly fledged +young ones, showing that these birds lay about the 15th April. +Elevation, 7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I found a nest in the stump of an old +chestnut-tree at Murree. The nest was about 13 feet from the ground +near the top of the stump, placed in a natural cavity: it was +constructed of fine grass and roots carefully woven and was of a deep +cup shape. It contained five fully fledged young ones. The end of May +was the time when I found this, and I have never yet succeeded in +finding another." + + +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (Vigors). _The Spotted-wing_. + +Saroglossa spiloptera (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 336; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 691. + +Personally I know nothing of the nidification of the Spotted-wing. + +Captain Hutton tells us that "this species arrives in the hills about +the middle of April in small parties of five or six, but it does +not appear to ascend above 5500 to 6000 feet, and is therefore more +properly an inhabitant of the warm valleys. I do not remember seeing +it at Mussoorie, which is 6500 to 7000 feet, although at 5200 feet on +the same range it is abundant during summer. Its notes and flight are +very much those of the Starling (_Sturnus vulgaris_), and it delights +to take a short and rapid flight and return twittering to perch on the +very summit of the forest trees. I have never seen it on the ground, +and its food appears to consist of berries. + +"Like the two species of _Acridotheres_, it nidificates by itself in +the holes of trees, lining the cavity with bits of leaves. The eggs +are usually three, or sometimes four or five, of a delicate pale +sea-green speckled with blood-like stains, which sometimes tend to +form a ring near the larger end; shape oval, slightly tapering." + +The eggs are so different in character from those of all the Starlings +that doubts might reasonably arise as to whether this species is +placed exactly where it ought to be by Jerdon and others. I possess at +present only three eggs of this bird, which I owe to Captain Hutton. +They are decidedly long ovals, much pointed towards the small end, +and in shape and coloration not a little recall those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_. The eggs are glossless, of a greenish or greyish-white +ground, more or less profusely speckled and spotted with red, reddish +brown, and dingy purple. In two of the eggs the majority of the +markings are gathered into a broad irregular speckled zone round the +large end. In the third egg there is just a trace of such a zone and +no markings at all elsewhere. In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·08, +and in breadth from 0·68 to 0·74.[A] + +[Footnote A: HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS, Bonap. _The Grey Hypocolius_. +Hypocolius ampelinus, _Bp., Hume, cat._ no. 269 quat. + +Although this bird has not yet been found breeding within Indian +limits, the following account of its nidification at Fao, in the +Persian Gulf, by Mr. W.D. Cumming (Ibis, 1886. p. 478) will prove +interesting:-- + +"It is not till the middle of June that they breed. + +"In 1883, first eggs were brought by an Arab about the 13th of June, +and on the 15th of the same month I found a nest containing two fresh +eggs. In 1884, on the 14th of June a nest was brought me containing +four fresh eggs, and on the 15th I found a nest containing also four +fresh eggs. + +"2nd July, I came across four young birds able to fly. On the 3rd, +three nests were brought, one containing two fresh eggs, another three +young just fledged, and the other four eggs slightly incubated. On the +9th, another nest, containing four young just fledged was brought. On +the 15th I saw a flock of small birds well able to fly; on the 18th I +found a nest containing four young about a couple of days old, and on +the 20th a nest containing three eggs well incubated was brought from +a place called 'Goosba' on the opposite bank (Persian side) of the +river. + +"The nests are generally placed on the leaves of the date-palm, at no +very great height. The highest I have seen was built about ten feet +from the ground but from three to five feet is the average height. + +"They are substantial and cup-shaped, having a diameter of about 3¼ +inches by 2¼ inches in depth, lined inside with fine grass, the soft +fluff from the willow when in seed, wool, and sometimes hair. + +"The eggs are of a glossy leaden white, with leaden-coloured blotches +and spots towards the larger end, sometimes forming a ring round +the larger end and at times spreading over the entire egg. On rare +occasions I have noticed a greenish tinge in very fresh eggs. This, I +think, is due to the colour of the inner membrane, which is generally +a very light green, in some very faint and in others more decided; +this tinge seems to disappear after the egg is blown. + +"Very rough measurements are as follows:--0·9 x 0·63; 0·83 x 0·63; +0·83 x 0·6; 0·83 x 0·66; 0·86 x 0·66."] + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + + +263. Criniger flaveolus (Gould). _The White-throated Bulbul_. + +Criniger flaveolus (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 83; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 451. + +A nest of this species sent me from Darjeeling was found in July, at +an elevation of about 3000 feet. + +It was placed on the branches of a medium-sized tree, at a height of +only about 5 feet from the ground. + +The nest was a compact, rather shallow saucer, 5·5 inches in diameter +and about 2 inches in height externally. The cavity was about 3·5 in +diameter and an inch in depth. The greater portion of the nest was +composed of dead leaves bound together firmly by fine brown roots; +inside the leaves was just a lining of rather coarser brown roots, and +again an inner lining of black horsehair-like roots and fine steins of +the maiden-hair fern. + +The nest contained three fresh eggs. These eggs vary from broad to +somewhat elongated ovals, are more or less pointed towards the small +end, and exhibit a fine gloss. + +The ground is a beautiful salmon-pink, and it is thinly spotted, +blotched, and marked with irregular lines of deep maroon-red. Most of +the markings in one egg are gathered into a very irregular straggling +zone round the large end, and the other egg exhibits a tendency to +form a similar zone. Besides these primary markings a few spots and +clouds of dull purple, looking as if beneath the surface of the shell, +are thinly scattered about the egg, chiefly in the neighbourhood of +the zone. + +These eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·0 in length, and from 0·7 to 0·72 in +breadth. + +Several nests of this species sent me by the late Mr. Mandelli and +obtained by him in British and Native Sikhim during July and the early +part of August are all precisely of the same type. They each contained +two fresh eggs; they were all placed in the branches of small trees in +the midst of dense brushwood or heavy jungle, at heights of from 4 to +10 feet from the ground. The nests are broad and saucer-like, nearly +5 inches in diameter, but not much above 2 in height externally; the +cavities average about 3·25 in diameter and about 1 in depth. The body +of the nest is composed of dead leaves, the sides are more or less +felted round with rich brown fibrous, almost wool-like roots; inside +the leaves fine twigs and stems of herbaceous plants, all of a uniform +brown tint, are wound round and round, apparently to keep the leaves +in their places interiorly, and then the cavity is lined with +jet-black horsehair-like vegetable fibres. What these are I do not +know, but they are precisely like horsehair to look at, only they are +comparatively brittle. The contrast of colour between the jet-black +lining and the rich brown of the lip of the saucer, which is constant +in all the nests, is very striking. + +The eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Mandelli, obtained by him in +Sikhim at elevations of from 2000 to 4000 feet in July and the early +part of August, possess a very distinctive character. They are broad +ovals, much pointed towards the small end, and they are more glossy +than the eggs of any other of this family with which I am acquainted. +The ground-colour is pink. The markings consist of curious hair-line +scratches, clouded blotches, and irregular spots--in some eggs all +very hazy and ill-defined, in others more scratchy and sharp. The +great majority of the markings seem to be gathered together into +an irregular and imperfect zone round the large end. In colour the +markings vary from a deep brownish maroon to a dull brickdust-red, +sometimes they are slightly more purplish. In some eggs a few faint +clouds or small spots of subsurface-looking dusky purple may be +noticed mingled with the rest of the markings. + +These eggs are totally unlike the eggs of _Criniger ictericus_. I have +never had an opportunity of verifying the eggs myself, but as three +different nests have now been taken, all containing precisely similar +eggs, I believe there can be no doubt of their authenticity. + + +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, Vigors. _The Himalayan Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes psaroides (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 77; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 444. + +The Himalayan Black Bulbul breeds throughout the outer and lower +ranges of the Himalayas, at any rate from Bhootan to Afghanistan, at +elevations varying from 2000 to 6000 feet. + +They lay mostly in May and June, but eggs may occasionally be met with +during the latter half of April. + +The nest of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ is usually made of rather +coarse-bladed grass, with exteriorly a number of dry leaves, and more +or less moss incorporated, and lined with very fine grass-stems and +roots of moss. A good deal of spider's web is often used exteriorly to +bind the nest together, or attach it more firmly to the fork in which +it rests. Its general shape is a moderately deep cup, the cavity +measuring some 2½ inches in diameter by 1½ inch in depth. The sides, +into which leaves and moss are freely interwoven, vary from an inch to +a couple of inches in thickness. The bottom, loosely put together, is +rarely more than from a quarter to half an inch in depth. It appears +to be generally placed on the fork of a branch, at a moderate height +from the ground. + +Four is the normal number of eggs, but I have more than once found +three partially incubated eggs in a nest. + +From Darjeeling Mr. Gammie remarks:--"A nest of this bird, which I +took on the 17th June, at a height of nearly 50 feet from the ground, +on one of the topmost branches of a tree, contained three hard-set +eggs. This was below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet. The +nest was a compact, moderately deep cup, composed of very fine twigs +and stems, and with a quantity of dead leaves incorporated in the +structure, especially towards its lower surface; it had no lining, but +the stems used towards the interior of the nest were somewhat finer +than the rest. Exteriorly the nest had a diameter of about 4·5 inches, +and a height of about 2·5; interiorly a diameter of about 2·5, and a +depth of nearly 1·5." + +Mr. Hodgson, writing from Nepal, says:-- + +"_May 20th, Jaha Powah_.--Two nests on the skirts of the forest in +medium-sized trees, placed on the fork of a branch. They are made +of moss and dry fern and dry elastic twig-tops, and lined with long +elastic needles of _Pinus longifolia_. They are compact and rather +deep, half pensile, that is to say, partly slung between the branches +of the fork to which they are attached by bands of vegetable fibres. +Each contained four eggs, pinkish-white, thickly spotted with dark +sanguine." Another year he wrote:-- + +"_May 9th, in the Valley_.--A mature female with nest and eggs. Nest +saucer-shaped, the cavity 3·5 wide by 2·5 deep, made of slender twigs +and grass-fibres, with no lining. Eggs three, pale pink, blotched all +over with sanguine brown." + +Writing from Almorah, Mr. Brooks tells us that "the nest and eggs were +found by Mr. Horne on the 27th May near Bheem Tal." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall also found a nest in the same place. He +says:--"I have only myself found the nest once at Bheem Tal (4000 +feet); it was situated in a thicket. The nest of this species is +similar in shape but much more substantial than those of the Common +Bulbul. The eggs are much larger and more elongated in shape, but the +colouring is similar to those of the Bulbul, and in many cases the +blotches have a tendency to form a zone near the thick end. The nest I +found was taken on the 10th June and contained fresh eggs. + +"On the 30th May, 1875, I found a nest of this species at Naini Tal on +Ayarpata, over 7000 feet above the sea. I record the circumstance, +as their breeding at so great an elevation is exceptional. The nest +contained three fresh eggs; it was made of leaves and moss, lined with +bents of grass, between two branches but partially resting on a third, +in a bush at the outskirts of a forest on a steep bank and about eight +feet from the ground." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton recorded the following very full and +interesting note:-- + +"They breed during April, May, and June, making a rather neat +cup-shaped nest, which is usually placed in the bifurcation of a +horizontal branch of some tall tree; the bottom of it is composed of +thin dead leaves and dried grasses, and the sides of fine woody stalks +of plants, such as those used by the White-cheeked Bulbul, and they +are well plastered over externally with spiders' webs; the lining +is sometimes of very fine tendrils, at other times of dry grasses, +fibrous lichen, and thin shavings of the bark of trees left by the +wood-cutters. I have one nest, however, which is externally formed of +green moss with a few dry stalks, and the spiders' webs, instead of +being plastered all over the outside, are merely used to bind the +nest to the small branches among which it is placed. The lining is +of bark-shavings, dry grasses, black fibrous lichens, and a few fine +seed-stalks of grasses. The internal diameter of the nest is 2¾ +inches, and it is 1½ inches deep. The eggs are usually three in +number, of a rosy or purplish white, sprinkled over rather numerously +with deep claret or rufescent purple specks and spots. In colours and +distribution of spots there is great variation, sometimes the rufous +and sometimes the purple spots prevailing; sometimes the spots are +mere specks and freckles, sometimes large and forming blotches; +in some the spots are wide apart, in others they are nearly, and +sometimes in places quite, confluent; while from one nest the +eggs were white, with widely dispersed dark purple spots and dull +indistinct ones appearing under the shell. In all the spots were more +crowded at the larger end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"Numerous nests of this species were +found at Murree, agreeing well with Hutton's description. They breed +in May and June, never above 6000 feet." + +The eggs are rather long ovals. Typically a good deal pointed towards +the small end, and more or less pyriform, but at times nearly perfect +ovals. They have little or no gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white, very faintly tinged with pink, to a delicate pink, and they are +profusely speckled, spotted, blotched, or clouded with various shades +of red, brownish red, and purple. The markings vary much in character, +extent, and intensity of colour. There seem to be two leading types, +with, however, almost every possible intermediate variety of markings. +The one is thickly speckled over its whole surface with minute dots +of reddish purple, no dot much bigger than the point of a pin, and +no portion of the ground-colour exceeding 0·1 in diameter free from +spots. In these eggs the specklings are most dense, as a rule, +throughout a broad irregular zone surrounding the large end, and this +zone is thickly underlaid with irregular ill-defined streaky clouds +of dull inky purple. In some eggs of this type, the smaller end is +comparatively free from specks. In the other type, the surface of the +egg is somewhat sparingly, but boldly, blotched and splashed, first +with deep umber, chocolate, or purple-brown, and, secondly, with spots +and clouds of faint inky purple, recalling not a little the style of +markings of the eggs of _Rhynchops albicollis_. Then there are eggs +partly speckly and partly blotched, some in which the markings are all +rich red and where no secondary pale purple clouds are observable, +and others again in which all the markings are dull purplish brown. +Generally it may be said that the markings have a tendency to form a +cap or zone at the large end. + +A nest of three eggs recently obtained from Mussoorie were more richly +coloured than any I have yet seen, and were decidedly glossy. The +ground-colour is a rich rosy pink, boldly, but sparingly, blotched +and spotted with deep maroon, underlaid by clouds and spots of pale +purple, which appear as if beneath the surface of the shell. In all +the eggs the markings are far more numerous at the large end, where in +one they form a huge confluent maroon-coloured patch, mottled lighter +and darker. + +An egg recently obtained in Cashmere on the 20th June was a somewhat +elongated oval, more or less compressed towards one end; a delicate +glossy white ground with a faint pink tinge; a rich zone of +reddish-purple spots and specks round the large end; a few similar +markings scattered sparingly over the rest of the surface of the egg, +and a multitude of very faint streaks and clouds of very _pale_ inky +purple underlying the primary markings. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·7 to +0·78; but the average of twenty-five eggs measured is 1·03 by 0·75. + + +271. Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes. _The Southern-Indian Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes neilgherriensis, _Jerd._; _Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, p. 78; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 445. +Hypsipetes ganeesa, _Sykes, Jerd. t.c._ p. 78. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this species breeds from April to about the +middle of June. The nest is generally placed from 12 to 20 feet from +the ground, in some dense clump of leaves; favourite sites are the +bunches of parasitic plants with which nearly every acacia, and in +fact nearly every other tree about Ootacamund, is covered. The nest is +composed exteriorly of moss, dry leaves, and roots, lined with roots +and fibres: the normal number of eggs is two; they are white with +claret-coloured and purplish spots." + +A nest of this species taken at Coonoor on the 14th March, 1869, +by Mr. Carter, to whom I owe this and many other nests from the +Nilghiris, reminds one much of those of the Red-cheeked Bulbuls. +A wisp of dry grass and dead leaves, with the dead leaves greatly +predominating exteriorly, twisted into a shallow cup, some 4½ inches +in diameter externally, and with a shallow depression tolerably neatly +lined with finer grass-stems measuring some 3 inches across and +perhaps an inch in depth. The bottom of the nest is almost exclusively +composed of dead leaves; while even in the sides, externally, little +but these are visible, only a few grass-stems crossing in and out, +here and there, sufficiently to keep the leaves in their places. + +Mr. Wait remarks, writing from Coonoor:--"Our Black Bulbul breeds from +March to June. It builds a cup-shaped nest neatly and firmly made. +Outside, the nest is chiefly composed, as a rule, of green moss, +grass-stalks, and fibres, while inside it is lined with fine stalks +and hair. The cavity is from 2·5 to 3 inches in diameter and about +half that depth. Two is certainly the normal number of eggs; indeed, I +have never found more." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in lofty trees in the Nilghiris, building a shallow +cup-shaped nest, from 20 to 60 feet from the ground. The nest is +constructed of the dried stems of the wild forget-me-not, and lined +with a moss much resembling black horsehair. The eggs, which are two +in number, are pretty thickly spotted with pale lilac and claret on +a light pink ground-colour. I found these birds migrating in vast +flights, numbering several thousands, in the Bolumputty valley in +July. They were flying westwards towards Malabar." + +Mr. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I have taken the eggs of this Black +Bulbul every year from 1863 to 1870 during March, April, May, and part +of June, all over the Nilghiris. The nests were all made of moss, dry +leaves, and roots, lined with roots and fibres. I have only once found +three eggs (the normal number being two): in this case the eggs are +very much smaller than usual, and more blotched with the reddish +spots. I have found them at all heights from the ground up to 30 feet, +and mostly in rhododendron trees. I found two nests in S. Wynaad, at +an elevation of about 4000 feet, both with young, in June 1873." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that he procured the nest of this bird +with three fresh eggs at Manzeerabad in Mysore on the 7th April. + +Colonel Legge tells us that this Bulbul breeds in Ceylon from January +till March. + +That the Nilghiris bird should lay usually only _two_ eggs, and this +seems a well ascertained fact, while our very closely allied Himalayan +form lays, as I can personally certify, regularly _four_, is certainly +very strange. + +The eggs of this species, sent me from the Nilghiris by Messrs. Carter +and Davison, very closely resemble those of _H. psaroides_ from the +Himalayas. The eggs are of course of the Bulbul type, but in form are +typically much more elongated and conical than the true Bulbuls. The +ground-colour varies from white to a delicate pink. The markings +consist of different shades of deep red and pale washed-out purple. In +some the markings are bold, large, and blotchy, in others minute and +speckly; and in both forms there is a tendency to confluence towards +the large end, where there is commonly a more or less perfect, but +irregular, zone. The eggs though smooth and satiny have commonly +little or no gloss, and, considering their size, are very delicate and +fragile. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·17, and in breadth from 0·7 to 0·8. + + +275. Hemixus macclellandi (Horsf.). _The Rufous-bellied Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes mclellandi, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 79. +Hypsipetes m'clellandii, _Horsf., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 447. + +The Rufous-bellied Bulbul, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds in +the central region of Nepal, and low down nearly to the Terai, from +April to June. Its nest is a shallow saucer suspended between a +slender horizontal fork, to the twigs of which it is firmly bound like +an Oriole's with vegetable fibres and roots. It is composed of roots +and dry leaves bound together with fibres, and lined with fine grass +or moss-roots. The bird is said to lay four eggs, but these are +neither figured nor described. + +Dr. Scully writes from Nepal:--"This Bulbul is common throughout the +year on the hills round the valley of Nepal, but never tenants the +central woods. It is generally found in bushes and bush trees, not in +high tree-forest; and is commonly seen in pairs. The breeding-season +appears to be May and June. A nest was taken on the 6th June, which +contained two fresh eggs. The nest was somewhat oval in shape, +measuring 3·35 inches in length and 2·5 across; the egg-cavity was +about 1 inch deep in the centre, and the bottom of the nest 1·25 +thick. It was attached to a slender fork of a tree, and was composed +externally of ferns, dry leaves, roots, grass, and a little moss, +bound together with fine black hair-like fibres, which were wound +round the prongs of the fork so as regularly to suspend the nest like +an Oriole's. There was a regular lining, distinct from the body of the +nest, composed of fine long yellowish grass-stems, and a little cobweb +was spread here and there over the branches of the fork and the +outside of the nest. The eggs are rather long ovals, smaller at one +end, and fairly glossy; they measure 1·0 by 0·7, and 0·97 by 0·7. The +ground-colour is pure pinkish white, abundantly speckled and finely +spotted with reddish purple; the spots closely crowded together at the +large end, but not confluent, forming in one egg a broadish zone, and +in the other a cap; in the latter egg there are a few faint underlying +stains of purplish inky at the large end." + +Two eggs sent me by Mr. Mandelli from Darjeeling, said to belong to +this species, are elongated ovals, much pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour a dull +salmon-pink, and they are profusely and minutely freckled, speckled, +and streaked (so densely at the large end that the markings there are +almost confluent) with dull reddish purple. + +The eggs measure 1·06 and 1·11 by 0·67. + + +277. Alcurus striatus (Bl.). _The Striated Green Bulbul_. + +Alcurus striatus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 81. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found, he said, +on the 8th May about 4 feet from the ground amongst the foliage of a +kind of prickly bamboo growing out of the crevices of a patch of large +stones near Lebong (elevation 5000 feet), and contained two eggs +nearly ready to hatch. The nest is a shallow cup, about 3·75 inches in +diameter and 1·5 in height externally, composed entirely of fine brown +fibrous roots, a little bound together outside with wool and the silk +of cocoons and with two or three little bits of moss stuck about it, +and sparingly lined with hair-like grass. It is altogether a light +brown nest, no dark material being used in it at all. The cavity is +2·75 inches in diameter and about 1 deep. + + + +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (Gm.). _The Madras Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus haemorrhous (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 94. +Molpastes pusillus (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 462. + +The Madras Red-vented Bulbul, which by the way extends northwards +throughout the Central Provinces, Chota-Nagpoor, Rajpootana (the +eastern portions), the plains of the North-Western Provinces, Oudh, +Behar, and Western Bengal, breeds in the plains country chiefly in +June and July, although a few eggs _may_ also be found in April, May, +and August. In the Nilghiris the breeding-season is from February to +April, both months included. + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following notes on the nidification of +this species in the neighbourhood of Bareilly:-- + +"Close to the tank is a thick clump of sâl-trees (_Shorea robusta_), +the great building-timber of Northern India, whose natural home is in +that vast sub-Himalayan belt of forest which passes only 30 miles to +the north of Bareilly. + +"In one of these a Common Madras Bulbul had made its home. The nest +was compact and rather massive, built in a fork, on and round a small +twig. Externally it was composed of the stems (with the leaves +and flowers still on them) of a tiny groundsel-like (_Senecio_) +asteraceous plant, amongst which were mingled a number of quite dead +and skeleton leaves and a few blades of dry grass: inside, rather +coarse grass was tightly woven into a lining for the cavity, which was +deep, being about 2 inches in depth by 3 inches in diameter. + +"This is the common type of nest; but half an hour later, and scarcely +100 yards further on, we took another nest of this same species. This +one was built in a mango-tree, towards the extremity of one of the +branches, where it divided into four upright twigs, between which the +Bulbul had firmly planted his dwelling. Externally it was as usual +chiefly composed of the withered stems of the little asteraceous +plant, interwoven with a few jhow-shoots (_Tamarix dioica_) and a +little tow-like fibre of the putsan (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), while +a good deal of cobweb was applied externally here and there. The +interior was lined with excessively fine stems of some herbaceous +exogenous plant, and there did not appear to be a single dead leaf or +a single particle of grass in the whole nest. + +"The eggs, however, in both nests, three in each, closely resembled +each other, being of a delicate pink ground, with reddish-brown and +purplish-grey spots and blotches nearly equally distributed over the +whole surface of the egg, the reddish brown in places becoming almost +a maroon-red. Two eggs, however, that we took out of a nest, +similar to the first in structure but situated like the second in a +mango-tree, were of a somewhat different character and very different +in tint. The ground was dingy reddish pink, and the whole of the egg +was thickly mottled all over with very deep blood-red, the mottlings +being so thick at the large end as to form an almost perfectly +confluent cap. Altogether the colouring of these two eggs reminded one +of richly coloured types of _Neophron's_ eggs. Some of the Bulbuls' +eggs that we have taken earlier in the season were much feebler +coloured than any of those obtained to-day, and presented a very +different appearance, with a pinkish-white ground, and only moderately +thickly but very uniformly speckled all over with small spots of light +purplish grey, light reddish brown, and very dark brown. These eggs +scarcely seem to belong to the same bird as the boldly blotched and +richly-mottled specimens that we have taken to-day." + +Writing from the neighbourhood of Delhi, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says: "This +Bulbul breeds from the middle of May to about the middle of August. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is arbitrary, as I have found the +latter on almost every variety of bush and tree. The nest is neatly +cup-shaped, generally fragile in structure, though I have seen many a +nest strong and compact. The outer diameter of the nest varies from 3 +to nearly 4 inches, and the inner diameter from 2 to almost 3 inches. + +"The chief material of the nest is, on the outside, coarse grass, with +fine _khus_ or fine grass for the lining. Very frequently horsehair is +likewise used for lining the interior of the cavity. + +"I have seen some nests bound round on the outside with hemp, other +kinds of vegetable fibres, and even spider's web. + +"The regular number of the eggs is four." + +Mr. W. Theobald found the present species breeding in Monghyr in the +fourth week of June. + +Mr. Nunn remarks:--"I took a nest of this species at Hoshungabad +on 26th June, 1868, which contained four eggs; it was placed in a +lime-tree, was composed of very small twigs, and lined inside with +fine grass-roots; it was cup-shaped, and measured internally 2·25 +inches in breadth by 1·75 in depth." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote from Futtehgurh:--"On the 30th April +last (1874) I took a very beautifully and curiously constructed nest +of our Common Bulbul. In shape and size it resembled the ordinary +nest, but the curious part of it was that the upper portion of the +nest for an inch all round was composed entirely of _green twigs_ of +the neem tree on which it was built, and the under surface (below) was +felted with fresh blossoms belonging to the same tree. The green twigs +had evidently been broken off by the birds, but the flowers were +picked up from off the ground, where they were lying thick." + +Colonel Butler says:--"The Madras Red-vented Bulbul breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa all through the hot weather and in the monsoon. +I found a nest at Mount Aboo in a garden on the 15th of April in the +middle of a pot of sweet peas, containing three fresh eggs. I +found other nests in Deesa, from the 11th May to 20th August, each +containing three eggs. + +"The nest is usually built of dry grass-stems, lined with fine roots +and a few horsehairs neatly woven together. One nest I found was in a +very remarkable situation, viz. inside an uninhabited bungalow upon +the top of a door leading out of a sitting-room; the door was open and +the bolt at the top had been forced back, and it was between the top +of the door and the top of the bolt that the nest rested. The old bird +entered the building by passing first of all through the lattice-work +of the verandah, and then through a broken window-pane into the room +where the nest was built." + +Mr. R.M. Adam informs us that this bird breeds at Sambhur during June +and July. + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, speaking of Rajputana in general, states that this +Bulbul breeds from April to September. Nests are occasionally found +even earlier than this, but they are exceptions to the general rule. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The first nest I have a note of taking +was at Allahabad on the 2nd April. At Delhi it breeds from the end of +April to the end of July; I have, however, found most nests in May. +All have been firmly made little cups of slender twigs, sometimes dry +stems of some herbaceous plant, and lined with fine grass-roots. Five +is the usual number of eggs laid." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Abundant +everywhere. Breeds in April, and again in September." + +Dr. Jerdon, whose experience of this species had been gained mainly in +Madras, states that "it breeds from June to September, according to +the locality. The nest is rather neat, cup-shaped, made of roots and +grass, lined with hair, fibres, and spiders' webs[A], placed at no +great height in a shrub or hedge. The eggs are pale pinkish, with +spots of darker lake-red, most crowded at the thick end. Burgess +describes them as a rich madder colour, spotted and blotched with grey +and madder-brown: Layard as pale cream, with darker markings." + +[Footnote A: This is some _lapsus pennae_. Spiders' webs are sometimes +used exteriorly never as a lining.] + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"The Common Bulbul lays at Khandalla in +May, but I never found a nest in the plains till after the rains had +set in. I have found one nest in Bombay, one in Poona, and two in +Berar, as late as October; and my brother found a nest in Berar in +September, with three eggs which were duly hatched." + +Writing from the Nilghiris, Miss Cockburn says that "the nests, which +in shape closely resemble those of the Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul, +are composed chiefly of grass. The eggs are three in number, and may +occasionally be found in any month of the year, though most plentiful +during February, March, and April." + +In shape the eggs are typically rather long ovals, slightly compressed +or pointed towards the small end. Some are a good deal pointed and +elongated; a few are tolerably perfect broad ovals, and abnormal +shapes are not very uncommon. The ground is universally pinkish or +reddish white (in old eggs which have been kept a long time a sort of +dull French white), of which more or less is seen according to the +extent of the markings. These markings take almost every conceivable +form, defined and undefined--specks, spots, blotches, streaks, +smudges, and clouds; their combinations are as varied as their +colours, which embrace every shade of red, brownish, and purplish red. +As a rule, besides the primary markings, feeble secondary markings of +pale inky purple are exhibited, often only perceptible when the egg is +closely examined, sometimes so numerous as to give the ground-colour +of the egg a universal purple tint. In about half the eggs there is +a tendency to exhibit, more or less, an irregular zone or cap at the +large end, but solitary eggs occur in which there is a cap at the +small end. Three pretty well marked types may be separately described. +First, an egg thickly mottled and streaked all over with deep +blood-red, which is entirely confluent over one third of the surface, +namely at the large end, and leaves less than a third of the +ground-colour visible as a paler mottling over the rest of the +surface. Then there is another type with a very delicate pure pink +ground, and with a few large, bold, deep red blotches, chiefly at +the large end, where they are intermingled with a few small pale +inky-purple clouds, and with only a few spots and specks of the former +colour scattered over the rest of the surface. Lastly, there is a pale +dingy pink ground, speckled almost uniformly, but only moderately +thickly, over the whole surface, with minute specks and spots of +blood-red and pale inky purple. + +The dimensions are excessively variable. In length the eggs vary from +0·7 to 1·02, and in breadth from 0·6 to 0·75, but the average of sixty +eggs measured was 0·89 by 0·65. + + +279. Molpastes burmanicus (Sharpe). _The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul._ + +The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul occurs from Manipur down to Rangoon. +Writing from Upper Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the 29th July I found a +nest in the extremity of a bamboo-frond forming one of a large clump +near my house at Boulay. It was circular, the internal diameter about +2·5 and the external 4 inches; the depth inside 1·5, and the total +height 2·5. Foundation of dead leaves, the bulk of the nest coarse +grass and small roots, and the interior of much finer grass carefully +curved to shape. Altogether the nest was a very pretty structure. Two +eggs measured 0·9 by 0·62 and 0·65. Another nest found at the same +time was placed in a small shrub about 4 feet from the ground. It was +very similar in construction and size to the above and contained three +eggs." + +Subsequently writing from Lower Pegu, he says:--"Breeds abundantly +from May to September, and has no particular preference for any one +month." + + +281. Molpastes atricapillus (Vieill.). _The Chinese Red-vented +Bulbul_. + +Molpastes atricapillus (_V.), Hume, cat._ no. 462 ter. + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., found a nest of the Chinese Red-vented Bulbul in +Tenasserim with three fresh eggs on the 16th March. It was built in a +bush little more than a foot above the ground on a hill-side. + +Except that they seem to run smaller, these eggs are not +distinguishable from those of the other species of this genus, and +there is really nothing to add to the description already given of the +eggs of _M. Haemorrhous_. The three eggs measured 0·79 by 0·6. + + +282. Molpastes bengalensis (Blyth). _The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus pygaeus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 93. +Molpastes pygmaeus (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 461. + +I have taken many nests of the Bengal Red-vented Bulbul in many +localities, and while the birds vary, getting less typical as you go +westwards, the nests are all pretty much the same, though the eastern +birds go in rather more for dead leaves than the western. Sikhim birds +are very typical, and I will therefore confine myself to quoting a +note I made there. + +Several nests taken at Darjeeling in June, at elevations of from 2000 +to 4000 feet, each contained three or four, more or less incubated, +eggs. The nests were mostly very compact and rather deep cups about 3½ +inches in diameter and 2 inches in height, very firmly woven of moss +and grass-roots, but with a certain quantity of dry and dead leaves, +and here and there a little cobweb worked into the outer surface. +Sometimes a little fine grass was used as a lining; but generally +there was no lining, only the roots that were used in finishing off +the interior of the nests were rather finer than those employed +elsewhere. The egg-cavity is very large for the size of the nest, the +sides, though very firm and compact, being scarcely above half an inch +in thickness. The nests differ very much in appearance, owing to the +fact that in some all the roots used are black, in others pale brown. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I took two or three nests of this species in the +latter half of May at Mongpho, in Sikhim, at elevations of 3500 feet +or thereabouts. They contained three eggs each, hard-set. The nests +were in trees, at a moderate height, and rather flimsy structures; +shallow caps, composed externally of fine twigs and vegetable fibre, +and generally some dead leaves intermingled, especially towards their +basal portions, and lined with the fine hair-like stem portion of the +flowering tops of grass. One nest measured internally 2½ inches in +diameter by nearly 1½ inch in depth; externally it was nearly 4 inches +in diameter and 2 inches in height. The eggs were of the usual type." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident; commits great +havoc in gardens amongst tomatoes and chillies, the red colour of +which seems to attract them. Builds its nest in very exposed places +and at all heights from two to thirty feet off the ground, in bushes +and trees. One nest I saw containing two young ones, on the 28th June, +was built on a small date-tree which stood on the side of a road along +which people were passing all day, and within six feet of them. The +nest was only five feet from the ground, but the materials of which it +was made and the colour of the bird assimilated so perfectly with the +bark of the tree that detection was difficult. I have found the nests +with eggs from the 3rd of April to the end of June; dead leaves and +cobwebs were incorporated with the twigs and grasses in all nests +which I have seen in Dacca. The natives keep these birds for fighting +purposes; large sums are lost at times on these combats." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"It breeds in May and June in +the Residency grounds, the nests being very commonly placed in small +pine-trees (_Pinus longifolia_). Three is the usual number of eggs +found, and a clutch taken on the 29th May measured in length from 0·85 +to 0·93, and in breadth from 0·64 to 0·65." + +I have fully described the leading types of the eggs of these Bulbuls +under _Molpastes haemorrhous_. I shall therefore only here say that +the eggs of this species in shape and colour exactly resemble those +of its congener, but that as a body they are larger in size; every +variety observable in the eggs of the one is, as far as I know, to be +met with amongst those of the other. Taking only the eggs of typical +birds from Lower Bengal and Sikhim, they vary from 0·88 to 1·05 in +length and from 0·67 to 0·75 in breadth. + + +283. Molpastes intermedius (A. Hay). _The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul_. + +All my specimens from the Salt Range belong to this species, and not +to _M. bengalensis_, so that Mr. W. Theobald's remarks in regard to +the Common Bulbul's nidification about Pind Dadan Khan and the Salt +Range must refer to this species. He says: "Lay in May, June, and +July; eggs, four: shape, blunt ovato-pyriform; size, 0·87 by 0·62; +colour, deep pink, blotched with deep claret-red; nest, a neat cup of +vegetable fibres in bushes." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Bulbul breds in +large numbers on the lower hills." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton remarked:--"This is more properly a +Dhoon species, as although it does ascend the hills, it is represented +there to a great extent by _M. leucogenys_. It breeds in April, May, +and June, constructing its nest in some thick bush. On the 12th May +one nest contained three eggs of a rosy-white, thickly irrorated and +blotched with purple or deep claret colour, and at the larger end +confluently stained with dull purple, appearing as if beneath the +shell. The nest is small and cup-shaped, composed of fine roots, dry +grasses, flower-stalks chiefly of forget-me-not, and a few dead leaves +occasionally interwoven; in some the outside is also smeared over here +and there with cobwebs and silky seed-down; the lining is usually of +very fine roots. Some nests have four eggs, which are liable to great +variation both in the intensity of colouring and in the size and +number of spots." + + +284. Molpastes leucogenys (Gr.). _The White-cheeked Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucogenys (_Gray), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 90; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 458. + +The White-cheeked Bulbul breeds throughout the Himalayas, from +Afghanistan to Bhootan, from April to July, and at all heights from +3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a loose, slender fabric, externally +composed of fine stems of some herbaceous plant and a few blades of +grass, and internally lined with very fine hair-like grass. The +nests may measure externally, at most, 4 inches in diameter; but the +egg-cavity, which is in proportion very large and deep, is fully 2¼ +inches across by 1¾ inch deep. As I before said, the nest is usually +very slightly and loosely put together, so that it is difficult to +remove it without injury; but sometimes they are more substantial, and +occasionally the cup is much shallower and wider than I have above +described. Four is the full complement of eggs. + +Captain Unwin says:--"I found a nest containing three fresh eggs near +the village of Jaskote, in the Agrore Valley, on the 24th April, 1870. +The nest was placed about 5 feet from the ground in a small wild +ber-tree in a water-course. On the 7th May I found another nest placed +in a small thick cheer-tree in the same valley, which contained four +eggs." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that this species +"breeds in the valleys, at about 4000 or 5000 feet up, in the end of +June. Lays four eggs with a white ground, very thickly blotched with +claret-red; nest roughly made of grass and roots, in low bushes." + +About Simla and the valleys of the Sutlej and Beas I have found it +common, and my experience of its nidification in these localities has +been above recorded. + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton wrote that it is "common in the Dhoon +throughout the year, and in the hills during the summer. It breeds in +April and May. The nest is neat and cup-shaped, placed in the forks +of bushes or pollard trees, and is composed externally of the dried +stalks of forget-me-not, lined with fine grass-stalks. Eggs three or +four, rosy or faint purplish white, thickly sprinkled with specks +and spots of darker rufescent purple or claret colour. Sometimes the +outside of the nest is composed of fine dried stalks of woody plants, +whose roughness causes them to adhere together." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks remarks:--"I found this bird common at Almorah, and +procured several nests. They were placed in a bush or small tree, and +were slightly composed of fine grass, roots, and fibres: eggs three; +ground-colour purplish white, speckled all over, most densely at the +larger end, with spots and blotches of purple-brown and purplish grey: +laying in Kumaon from the beginning of May to June." + +Dr. Scully states that in Nepal this Bulbul "breeds in May and June, +principally at elevations of from 5000 to 6000 feet. Its nests were +secured on the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 14th, and 28th June; the usual number of +eggs laid seems to be three." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species breeds both at Naini +Tal (7000 feet) and at Bheem Tal (4000 feet). In Kumaon the eggs seem +to be laid in the first half of June; the earliest date I have taken +them was a single fresh egg on the 23rd May, and the latest, four +eggs on the 25th Jane: the nest is seldom more than six feet from the +ground, and is placed either in a thick bush or in the outer twigs of +a low bough of a tree." + +The eggs are of the regular Bulbul type, as exemplified in those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, and vary much in colour, size, and shape. +Typically they are rather a long oval, somewhat pointed at one end, +have a pinkish or reddish-white ground with little or no gloss, and +are thickly speckled, freckled, streaked, or blotched, as the case may +be, with blood-, brownish-, or purplish-red, &c., and here and +there, chiefly towards the large end, exhibit, besides these primary +markings, tiny underlying spots and clouds of pale inky purple. Some +eggs have a pretty well-marked zone or irregular cap at the large end, +but this is not very common. In size they average somewhat larger than +those of _Molpastes leucotis_ and _Otocompsa emeria_, both of which +they closely resemble; but they are smaller and as a body less richly +coloured than those of _O. fuscicaudata_. They vary in length from +0·82 to 0·95, and from 0·58 to 0·7 in breadth; but the average of +fifty-seven specimens measured was 0·88 by 0·65. + + +285. Molpastes leucotis (Gould). _The White-eared Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucotis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 91; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 459. + +The White-eared Bulbul is, so far as my experience goes, entirely a +Western Indian form. In the cold weather it may be met with at Agra, +Cawnpoor, and even Jhansi, Saugor, and Hoshungabad; but during the +summer months I only know of its occurring in Cutch, Katywar, Sindh, +Rajpootana, and the Punjab. In all these localities it breeds, laying +for the most part in July and August in the Punjab, but somewhat +earlier in Sindh. I have, even in Rajpootana, seen eggs towards the +end of May, but this is the exception. + +The nests are usually in dense and thorny bushes--acacias, catechu, +and jhand (_Prosopis spicigera_)--and are placed at heights of from +4 to 6 feet from the ground. The Customs hedge is a great place for +their nests, but I have noticed that they are partial to bushes in the +immediate neighbourhood of water; and at Hansie, whence he sent me +many nests and eggs, Mr. W. Blewitt always found them either in the +fort ditch or along the banks of the canal. + +The nests, which very much resemble those of _Molpastes haemorrhous_, +are usually composed of very fine dry twigs of some herbaceous plant, +intermingled with vegetable fibre resembling tow, and scantily lined +with very fine grass-roots. They are rather slender structures, +shallow cups measuring internally from 2·5 to 3 inches in diameter, +and a little more than 1 inch in depth. Three was the largest number +of eggs I ever found in any nest, and several sets were fully +incubated. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on the nidification of this +bird in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lay in May, June, and July: eggs four; shape ovato pyriform; +size 0·91 inch by 0·64 inch: colour white, much dotted with +claret-red; nest a neat cup of vegetable fibres in bushes," + +Mr. S. Doig informs us that this bird breeds on the Eastern Narra in +Sind from May to August. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the White-eared Bulbul at +Deesa on the 5th August containing three fresh eggs. It was placed +in the fork of a low Beer tree about 4 feet from the ground, and in +structure closely resembled the nest of _M. haemorrhous_. + +"On the 17th August I found another nest built by the same pair of +birds in an exactly similar situation, about 60 yards from the first +nest, containing three more fresh eggs." + +The eggs, which I need not here describe in detail, are precisely +similar to, but as a body slightly smaller than, those of _Molpastes +leucogenys_. The only point of difference that I seem to notice, and +this might disappear with a larger series before me, is that there is +a rather greater tendency in the eggs of this species to exhibit a +zone or cap. In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·9, and in breadth from +0·52 to 0·68; but the average of twenty-three eggs measured was 0·83 +barely, by 0·64. + + +288. Otocompsa emeria(Linn.). _The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa jocosa (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p, 92 (part). +Otocompsa emeria (_Shaw), Hume, Rough Draft N.& E._ +no. 460. + +The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul breeds from March to the end of May. +Its nest is placed, according to my experience in Lower Bengal, in +any thick bush, clump of grass, or knot of creepers; sometimes in the +immediate proximity of native villages or in the gardens of Europeans, +and sometimes quite away in the jungle. It is a typical Bulbul nest, a +broad shallow saucer, compactly put together with twigs of herbaceous +plants, amongst which, especially towards the base, a few dry leaves +are incorporated, and lined with roots or fine grass. Exteriorly a +little cobweb is wound on to keep twigs and leaves firm and in their +places. All the nests that I have seen were tolerably near the ground, +at heights ranging from 3 to 5 feet. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but only the other day we +obtained one containing four. + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This bird is very common in Oudh. It affects +gardens and low scrub-jungle, flying about with a jerky flight from +bush to bush. They are very fond of the fruit of the mangot-tree (_F. +indica_), and may be seen in great numbers about these trees when the +fruit is ripe. Their note is something like that of the common Bulbul, +but livelier and louder. I have seen a number of this year's young +birds well grown, but as yet without the red cheek-tuft. + +"They build in clamps of moong-grass about 2 to 3 feet from the +ground. One I found in the tendrils of a creeper about 20 feet from +the ground. The nest is well fixed in the grass and fastened to it by +the intertwining of some of the fibres of which it is composed. It +is cup-shaped, and measures 4 inches in diameter, about 0·75 in +thickness, with an egg-cavity 2·75 in diameter and 1·5 deep. + +"The nest is formed of roots, twigs, and grass loosely worked +together, and over the exterior, with the view of binding the mass +together, dried or skeleton leaves, pieces of cloth, broad pieces +of grass, and plaintain-bark are fastened carelessly on by means of +cobwebs and the silk from cocoons. The egg-cavity is lined with fine +roots. + +"I never have found more than three eggs; on several occasions only +two." + +I do not think it possible to separate the Andaman bird. Of its +nidification in those islands Mr. Davison says:--"I found a nest of +this species in April near Port Blair, in a low mangrove-bush growing +quite at the edge of the water; it (the nest) was cup-shaped and +composed of roots, dried leaves, and small pieces of bark, lined +with fine roots and cocoanut fibres; it contained three eggs, with a +pinkish-white ground thickly mottled and blotched with purplish red, +the spots coalescing at the thicker end to form a zone." + +Mr. J.H. Cripps writes from Eastern Bengal:--"Very common and a +permanent resident; it freely enters gardens and orchards. In my +garden there was a kamiinee-tree (_Murraya exotica_), in which I found +a nest of this species on the 27th March in course of construction; +and on looking at it on the 12th April found two young that had just +been hatched. Cane-brakes are favourite places for them to nest in. +On the 6th May I found a nest in one of these about 4 feet off the +ground, and containing three partly incubated eggs. This species does +not, as a rule, build in such exposed situations as _M. bengalensis_; +it eats the fruit of jungly trees, _Ficis_, &c., as well as insects." + +On the breeding of this Bulbul in Pegu Mr. Gates remarks:--"This bird +breeds as early as February, on the 27th of which month I procured a +nest with two eggs nearly hatched. It stops nesting, I think, at the +beginning of the rains." + +Mr. W. Davison informs us that he "took a nest of this bird at +Bankasoon, in Southern Tenasserim, on the 15th March. It was placed in +a small bush growing in an old garden about 4 feet above the ground. +The nest was of the usual type, a compactly-woven cup, composed +externally of dry twigs, leaves, &c., the egg-cavity lined with +fibres. It contained three nearly fresh eggs." + +The eggs in size, colour, and shape closely resemble those of +_Molpastes leucotis_. All that I have said in regard to these latter +is applicable to those of the present species, and, so far as +varieties of coloration go, the description of the eggs of _Molpastes +leucogenys_ is equally applicable to those of the present species. If +any distinction can be drawn, it is that, as a body, bold blotches of +rich red and pale purple are more commonly exhibited in the eggs of +this species than in those of either of the preceding ones. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·9, and in breadth from 0·85 to +0·7, but the average of twenty-seven eggs was 0·83 nearly, by 0·63 +barely. + + +289. Otocompsa fuscicaudata, Gould. _The Southern Red-whiskered +Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa fuscicaudata, _Gould, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400 +bis. + +The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul is found throughout the more hilly +and more or less elevated tracts of the peninsula, from Cape Comorin +northwards as far as Mount Aboo on the west, and the Eastern Ghâts, +above Nellore, on the east. How far northwards it extends in the +centre of the peninsula I am not certain, but I have seen a specimen +from the Satpooras. + +They breed any time from the beginning of February to the end of May. +Their nests are usually placed at no great height from the ground (say +at from 2 to 6 feet) in some thick bush. + +The nests of this species that I procured at Mount Aboo, and which +have been sent me by Mr. Carter both from Coonoor and Salem, and by +other friends from other parts of the Nilghiris, where the bird is +excessively common, very much resemble those of _O. emeria_, but they +are somewhat neater and more substantial in structure. They differ a +good deal in size and shape, as the nests of Bulbuls are wont to do. +Some are rather broad and shallow, with egg-cavities measuring 3¼ +inches across, and perhaps 1 inch in depth; while others are deeper +and more cup-shaped, the cavity measuring only 2½ inches across and +fully 1½ inch in depth. They are composed in some cases almost wholly +of grass-roots, in others of very fine twigs of the furash (_Tamarix +furas_) in others again of rather fine grass, and all have a quantity +of dead leaves or dry ferns worked into the bottom, and all are lined +with either very fine grass or very fine grass-roots. The external +diameter averages about 4½ inches, but some stand fully 3 inches high, +while others are not above 2 inches in height. As might be expected, +the White-cheeked and White-eared and the two Red-whiskered Bulbuls' +types of architecture differ considerably; _inter se_, the nests of +_M. leucotis_ and _M. leucogenys_ differ just sufficiently to render +it generally possible to separate them, and the same may be said of +the nests of _O. emeria_ and _O. fuscicaudata_. But there is a very +wide difference between the nests of the two former and the two latter +species, so that it would be scarcely possible to mistake a nest +belonging to the one group for that of the other. The incorporation +of a quantity of dead leaves in the body of the nests, reminding one +much, of those of the English Nightingale, is characteristic of the +Red-whiskered Bulbul, and is scarcely to be met with in those of the +White-cheeked or White-eared ones. + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter says:--"At Coonoor on the Nilghiris I have found +the nests from the 13th March to the 22nd April, but I believe +they commence laying in February. They are generally placed in +coffee-bushes and low shrubs, as a rule in a fork, but I have +frequently found them suspended between the twigs of a bush which had +no fork. I have also found the nest of this bird in the thatch of the +eaves of a deserted bungalow, and in tufts of grass on the edge of a +cutting overhanging the public road. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, rather loosely constructed outside, but +closely and neatly finished inside. The outside is nearly always +fern-leaves at the bottom, coarse grass and fibres above, and lined +inside either with fine fibres or fine grass. + +"I have never found more than two eggs, and I have taken great numbers +of nests; but I am told that three in a nest is not uncommon." + +Writing from Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn says:--"Our Red-whiskered +Bulbul builds a cup-shaped nest in any thick bush. The foundation is +generally laid with pieces of dry leaves and fern, after which small +sticks are added, and the whole neatly finished with a lining of fine +grass. They lay two (sometimes three) very prettily spotted eggs of +different shades of red and white, which are found in February, March, +and April." + +Mr. Wait remarks:--"This bird breeds at Coonoor from February to June. +It builds usually in isolated bushes and shrubs, in gardens and +open jungle. The nest is cup-shaped, loosely but strongly built of +grass-bents, rooty fibres, and thin stalks, and is lined with finer +grass-stems and roots. I think the internal diameter averages about 2½ +inches, and about an inch in depth; but they vary a good deal in size. +They lay two or three eggs, rarely four; and the eggs vary a good +deal in shape and size, being sometimes very round and sometimes +comparatively long ovals. The birds swarm on oar coffee estates, and +breed freely in the coffee-bushes." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have frequently had its nest and eggs brought me +on the Nilghiris. The nest was very neatly made, deep, cup-shaped, of +moss, lichens, and small roots, lined with hair and down. The eggs are +barely distinguishable from those of the next bird (_M. bengalensis_), +being reddish white with spots of purplish or lake-red all over, +larger at the thick end." + +But Dr. Jerdon rarely took nests with his own hand, and in this case +clearly wrong nests must have been brought to him. + +From Trevandrum Mr. F. Bourdillon says:--"It lays three or four eggs +of a pale pink colour, with purple spots, in a nest of roots, lined +with finer roots and interwoven with the leaves of a jungle-shrub +gathered green. The nest, 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, is +generally situated in a bush 4 to 5 feet from the ground." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird simply swarms along the Western +Ghâts from Mahabuleshwur down the Koina and Werna valleys, and seems +to have a very extended breeding-time. Last year (1873) I took its +nests in March and May on several occasions, and this year I found +three nests in March and April in the Werna valley; and the Hill +people, who seem intelligent and fairly trustworthy, stated that this +species breeds there throughout the Rains, a season when, owing to the +tremendous rainfall, no European can remain. If this be true they must +breed at least twice a year. All the nests I saw were placed in bushes +from 2 to 4 feet high, some of them most carefully concealed amongst +thorns. Out of, I think, nine nests, all taken by myself personally, I +never found more than two eggs in any; and on two occasions last year +I obtained single eggs nearly fully incubated." + +Messrs Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, remark:--"Commonish +in wooded localities. D. took several nests in the Satara Hills in +March and the two following months." + +Captain Butler writes:--"The Red-whiskered Bulbul is common at Mount +Aboo and breeds in March, April, and May. The nest is usually placed +in low bushes from 4 to 8 feet from the ground, and is a neat +cup-shaped structure composed externally of fibrous roots and dry +grass-stems, and lined with fine grass, horsehair, &c. Round the edge +and woven into the outside I have generally found small spiders' nests +looking like lumps of wool. The eggs, usually two but sometimes three +in number, are of a pinkish-white colour, covered all over with spots +and blotches and streaks of purplish or lake-red, forming a dense +confluent cap at the large end. A nest I examined on the 24th April +contained two nestlings almost ready to fly. + +"On the 3rd May, 1875, I took a nest in a low carinda bush, containing +two fresh eggs." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Most +abundant in the wooded district. Common everywhere. Eggs taken March +and April. On the 5th July, 1883, I procured a, nest of this species +with three pure white eggs. I found it in a coffee-bush the day before +leaving, so snared parent bird to make sure it was _O. fuscicaudata_, +or otherwise should have left a couple of the eggs to see if young +would turn out true to parents." + +Captain Horace Terry states that on the Pulney hills this species is +"a most common bird, found wherever there are bushes. In the small +bushes along the banks of the streams is a very favourite place. I +found several nests with usually two, but sometimes three eggs." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken tells us:--"I never saw this bird in the plains, +but it is, perhaps without exception, the commonest bird at Matheran, +Khandalla, and other hill-stations in the Bombay Presidency. I have +found the nests, always with eggs in May, placed from four to seven +feet from the ground, and often in the most exposed situations. It is +not unusual to find only two eggs in a nest. The bird is not in the +least shy, and sets up no clatter, like the Common Bulbul, when its +nest is disturbed." + +Finally, Mr. J. Darling, Junior, remarks:--"I really wonder if anyone +down south does not know the Red-whiskered Bulbul and its nest. On the +Nilghiris and in the Wynaad I can safely say it is the commonest nest +to be met with, built in all sorts of places, sometimes high up. They +generally lay two, but very often three, eggs. In a friend's bungalow +in the Wynaad there were three nests built on the wall-plate of +the verandah and two eggs laid in each nest. The young were safely +hatched. + +"This year the nests have been rebuilt and contain eggs. As I am +writing, there are two pairs building in a rose-bush about 3 yards +from me. They breed from 15th February to 15th May." + +The numerous eggs of this species that I possess, though truly +Bulbul-like in character, all belong to one single type of that form. +Almost all have a dull pinkish or reddish-white ground, very thickly +freckled, mottled, and streaked all over with a rich red; in most +blood-red, in others brick-red, underneath which, when closely looked +into, a small number of pale inky-purple spots are visible. In half +the number of eggs the markings are much densest at the large end: +these eggs are one and all more brightly and intensely coloured than +any of those that I possess of _M. leucotis, M. leucogenys_, and _O. +emeria_; they are, moreover, larger than any of these. + +In length they vary from 0·82 to 0·97, and in breadth from 0·63 to +0·71; but the average of thirty-six eggs measured was 0·9 by 0·66. + + +290. Otocompsa flaviventris (Tick.). _The Black-crested Yellow +Bulbul_. + +Rubigula flaviventris (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 88. +Pycnonotus flaviventris (_Tick._), _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 456. + +The Black-crested Yellow Bulbul is another very common species of +which I have as yet seen very few eggs. The first notice of its +nidification I am acquainted with is contained in the following brief +note by Captain Bulger, which appeared in 'The Ibis.' He says:--"I +obtained several specimens, chiefly from the vicinity of the Great +Rungeet River. From a thicket on the bank, near the cane-bridge, a +nest was brought to me on the 16th May, of the ordinary cup-shape, +made of fibres and leaves, and containing three eggs, which my +_shikaree_ said belonged to this species. The eggs were of a dull +pinkish hue, very thickly marked with small specks and blotches of +brownish crimson." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing of this Bulbul in Tenasserim, +says:--"Common enough in the Thoungyeen forests, affecting chiefly the +neighbourhood of villages and clearings. The following is a note of +finding a nest and eggs I recorded in 1878:--On the 14th April I +happened to be putting up for the day in one of the abandoned Karen +houses of the old village of Podeesakai at the foot of the Warmailoo +toung, a spur from the east watershed range of the Meplay river. +Having to wait for guides, I had nothing particular to do that day, a +very rare event in my forest work; I devoted it to a fruitless search +for bears. I had returned tired and rather dispirited, and was moving +about among the ruined houses, between and among which a lot of jungle +was already springing up, when, just as I passed a low bush about 3 +feet high, out went one of the above-mentioned birds; of course the +bush contained a nest, a remarkably neat cup-shaped affair, below and +outside of fine twigs, then a layer of roots, above which was a lining +of the stems of the flower of the 'theckay' grass. It contained three +eggs on the point of hatching, out of which I was only able to save +one. It is one of the loveliest eggs I have seen; in colour I can +liken it only to a peculiar pink granite that is so common at home +in Ireland. Its ground-colour I should say was white, but it is so +thickly spotted with pink and claret that it is hard to describe. It +measured 0·85 x 0·61 inch." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes in 'The Ibis':--"I found a nest +containing two eggs in April at the foot of the Karen hills in Burma." + +I have seen too few eggs of this species to say much about them. +What I have seen were rather elongated ovals pretty markedly pointed +towards the small end. The shell fine, but with only a slight gloss; +the ground a pinky creamy white, everywhere very finely freckled +over with red, varying from brownish to maroon, and again still more +thickly with pale purple or purplish grey, this latter colour being +almost confluent over a broad zone round the large end. + + +292. Spizixus canifrons, Blyth. _The Finch-billed Bulbul_. + +Spizixus canifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 453 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen says:--"_Spizixus canifrons_ breeds in the +neighbourhood of Shillong, in May. Young birds are seen in June."[A] + +[Footnote A: TRACHYCOMUS OCHROCEPHALUS (Gm.). _The Yellow-crowned +Bulbul_. + +Trachycomus ochrocephalus (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 449 bis. + +As this bird occurs in Tenasserim, the following description of the +nest and eggs found a short distance outside our limits will prove +interesting. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this bird on the +2nd July at Kossoom. The nest was of the ordinary Bulbul type, but +much larger, and like a very shallow saucer. The foundation was a +single piece of some creeping orchid, 3 feet long, coiled round; then +a lot of coils of fern, grass, and moss-roots. The nest was 4 inches +in diameter on the inside, the walls 1/4 inch thick, and the cavity 1 +inch deep. It was built 10 feet from the ground, in a bush in a very +exposed position, and exactly where any ordinary Bulbul would have +built." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Bulbul type, rather broad +at the large end, compressed and slightly pyriform, or more or less +pointed, towards the small end. The shell fine and smooth, but with +only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour varies from very +pale pinky white to a rich warm salmon-pink. The markings are two +colours: first, a red varying from a dull brownish to almost crimson; +the second, a paler colour varying from neutral tint through purplish +grey to a full though pale purple. The first may be called the primary +markings; the others, which seem to be somewhat beneath the surface of +the shell, the secondary ones. Varying as both do in _different_ eggs, +all the primary markings of any one egg are almost precisely the same +shade; and the same is the case with the secondary ones, and there is +always a distinct harmony between both these and the ground tint. As +for the markings, they are generally much the most dense, in a more or +less confluent mottled cap, round one end, generally the largest, and +are usually more or less thinly set elsewhere. In some eggs all the +markings are rather coarse and sparse, in others fine and more thickly +set. Two eggs measured 1·06 by 0·76 and 1·03 by 0·73.] + + +295. Iole icterica (Strickl.). _The Yellow-browed Bulbul_. + +Criniger ictericus, _Strickl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 82; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no 450. + +The Yellow-browed Bulbul breeds apparently throughout the hilly +regions of Ceylon and the southern portion of the Peninsula of +India. I have never taken the nests myself, and I have only detailed +information of their nidification on the Nilghiris, which they ascend +to an elevation of from 6000 to 6500 feet, and where they lay from +March to May. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Wait near Coonoor on the 20th of +March, is a small shallow cup hung between two twigs, measuring some +3½ inches across and ¾ inch in depth. It is composed of excessively +fine twigs and lined with still finer hair-like grass, is attached to +the twigs by cobwebs, and has a few dead leaves attached by the same +means to its lower surface. It is a slight structure, nowhere I +should think above ¼ inch in thickness, and apparently carelessly put +together: but for all that, owing to the fineness of the materials +used, it is a pretty firm and compact nest. It is not easy to express +it in words; but still this nest differs very considerably in +appearance from the nests of any of the true Bulbuls with which I am +acquainted, and more approaches those of _Hypsipetes_. + +Mr. Wait sends me the following note:-- + +"This bird, although very common on the Nilghiris at elevations of +from 4000 to 5000 feet, is a very shy nester, and its nest, which is +not easily found, is, as far as my experience goes, invariably placed +in the top of young thin saplings at heights of from 6 to 10 feet from +the ground. The saplings chosen are almost always in thick cover near +the edge of dry water-courses. They generally lay during May, but I +have found nests in March. In shape the nest is a moderately deep +cup, nearly hemispherical, with an internal diameter of from 2·5 to 3 +inches--a true Bulbul's nest, composed of grass and bents and lined +with finer grasses. The nest is always suspended by the outer rim +between two lateral branches, and never, I believe, built in a fork +as is so common in the case of many other Bulbuls. They lay only two +eggs, and never, I believe, more. The eggs are longish ovals, rather +pointed at one end, a dull white or reddish white, more or less +thickly speckled and spotted or clouded with pale yellowish or reddish +brown; occasionally the eggs exhibit a few very fine black lines." + +Miss Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, says:--"The Yellow-browed +Bulbul is common on the less elevated slopes of the Nilghiris, where +it is often seen feeding upon guavas, loquots, pears, peaches, &c. +They lay generally in April and May. + +"Their nests are constructed very much like those of the common +Bulbuls, except that, instead of being placed in the forked branches +of trees, they are suspended between two twigs, and fastened to them +by cobwebs, the inside being neatly lined with fine grass. Two nests +of this bird were found, each containing two fresh eggs, of a pretty +pinkish salmon colour, with a dark ring at the thick end; but another +nest had three nearly _white_ eggs! The whole structure of the nests +was slight and thin, and the eggs could be plainly seen through. The +notes of the Yellow-browed Bulbul are loud and repeated often." + +Writing on the birds of Ceylon, Colonel Legge remarks:--"I once found +the nest of this bird in the Pasdun-Korale forests in August; little +or nothing, however, is known of its breeding-habits in Ceylon, so +that it most likely commences earlier than that month to rear its +brood. My nest was placed in the fork of a thin sapling about 8 feet +from the ground. It was of large size for such a bird, the foundation +being bulky and composed of small twigs, moss, and dead leaves, +supporting a cup of about 2½ inches in diameter, which was constructed +of moss, lined with fine roots; the upper edge of the body of the nest +was woven round the supporting branches.... The bottom of the nest was +in the fork." + +The eggs of this species sent to me by Mr. Wait from Coonoor +are totally unlike any other egg of this family with which I am +acquainted. They remind one more of the eggs of _Stoparola melanops_ +or one of the _Niltavas_ than anything else. The eggs are moderately +long and rather perfect ovals, almost devoid of gloss, and with a dull +white or pinkish-white ground, speckled more or less thickly over the +whole surface with rather pale brownish red or pink. The specklings +becoming confluent at the large end, where they form a dull irregular +mottled cap. Other specimens received from Miss Cockburn from +Kotagherry exhibit the same general characters; but the majority of +them are considerably elongated eggs, approaching, so far as shape is +concerned, the _Hypsipetes_ type. In some eggs only the faintest trace +of pale pinkish mottling towards the large end is observable; in +others, the whole surface of the egg is thickly freckled and mottled +all over, but most densely at the large end, with salmon-pink or pale +pinkish brown. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·9 to 1·03, and in breadth from 0·64 to +0·7.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS ANALIS (Horsf.). _The Yellow-vented Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa analis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 452 sex. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this Bulbul at +Salang in the Malay peninsula, on the 14th February. The nest was +built in a bush in secondary jungle, with a few trees scattered about. +It was in a fork 6 feet from the ground. The foundation was of dried +leaves, then fine twigs, and lined with fine grass-bents. There was a +good deal of cobweb in the construction. It was an exact facsimile of +many nests of _Otocompsa fuscicaudata_ from the Nilgherry Hills. The +egg-cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 2½ inches deep; the walls were +½ inch thick, the bottom 1 inch." + +The eggs are of the usual variable Bulbul type, some broader and more +regular, some more elongated, some more or less pyriform. The shell as +in others, and apparently rarely showing any very perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pinky white to a warm pink; the markings, specks, +and spots, or, when three or four of these latter have coalesced, +occasionally small blotches of a rich maroon-red intermixed with spots +and specks and clouds of pale purple. The markings always apparently +pretty thickly set everywhere, but almost invariably most densely in +a zone about the larger end, where they become at times more or less +confluent. Of course as in others of the genus, in some eggs all the +markings are very fine and speckly, while in others they are somewhat +bolder. In some the red greatly predominates; in others, again, the +grey underlying clouds are very widely extended, and form by far the +most conspicuous part of the markings, giving a grey tinge to the +entire egg. The eggs vary from 0·82 to 0·91 in length and from 0·61 to +0·65 in breadth.] + + +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, Strickl. _Finlayson's Stripe-throated +Bulbul_. + +Ixus finlaysoni (_Strickl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 ter. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"On the 22nd May, 1877, while wandering +about collecting in the jungles below the Circuit-house at Maulmain, I +came across a neat, though thinly made, cup-shaped nest in the fork +of a tall sapling, some 12 feet above the ground. Coming closer, I +perceived it contained eggs, which were plainly visible through the +frail structure of the sides. On looking about to find the owner, I +saw a couple of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ flitting about uneasily in a +tree close at hand; so I hid myself a few yards off, and was almost +immediately rewarded by seeing one of them (it turned out to be +the female) fly down on to the nest, and seat herself on the eggs. +Approaching cautiously, I managed to shoot her as she slipped off; +but, on taking down the nest, I found I had fired too soon, as one of +the eggs (there were but two) was smashed by a pellet of shot. The +nest was rather a deep cup, and, notwithstanding its flimsy sides, +strongly made of grass-roots, lined with very fine black roots of +fern. The one unbroken egg was rather roundish in shape, of a dull +whitish and claret colour, mixed and spotted and clouded with deeper +vinous red, chiefly at the larger end." + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, found the nest of this Bulbul on more than one +occasion at Taroar in the Malay peninsula. He writes:--"I shot this +bird off a nest with two eggs on the 8th February; the nest was in a +bush 5 feet from the ground; the foundation was of leaves and fine +grass, lined with fine grass and a few cocoanut fibres. The nest was +3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. The eggs were too hard-set to +blow. + +"On the 10th February I took another nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ +at Taroar. The nest was built in a small shrub 3 feet from the ground, +in a fork; foundation of dead leaves, built of fine twigs and fibrous +bark; lined with fine grass-bents and moss-roots. Egg-cavity 2¾ inches +in diameter, 1¾ deep; walls ¼ inch thick, bottom ¾ inch. + +"Found a nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_, with two fresh eggs, on the +16th March. The nest was built in a thin small sapling, 5½ feet from +ground, on the top of a thinly wooded hill; the nest was of the +ordinary Bulbul type, but better put together and neater. The +foundation was of broad fibrous bark and twigs, lined with fine +grass-stalks." + +The eggs vary in shape from broad ovals a good deal pointed towards +one end, to pyriform and elongated shaped, very obtuse even at the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, in some has a fine gloss, +in others it is rather dull. The ground-colour is a beautiful pink, +sometimes with a creamy tinge, and the markings are bold blotches, +spots, and streaks of a maroon of varying degrees in richness, and of +a subsurface-looking purple, varying to almost inky grey. In some eggs +the maroon, in some the purple or grey seems to predominate; in some +eggs the markings seem pretty equally distributed over the egg; in +others they form a more or less conspicuous zone about the larger end. +The eggs measure from 0·85 to 0·92 in length by 0·6 to 0·7 in breadth. + + +300. Pycnonotus davisoni (Hume). _Davison's Stripe-throated Bulbul_. + +Ixus davisoni, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 452 quat. + +Mr. Oates writes from Kyeikpadein in Pegu:--"A nest of this bird was +found on the 1st June, and another on 6th of the same month, each +containing two fresh eggs. The females, which were shot off the nest, +showed, however, no signs on dissection of being about to lay more. + +"The nest is a flimsy structure, built of the stems of small weeds and +lined with grass. A few fine black tree-roots are twisted round the +inside of the egg-chamber. The outside and inside diameters measure 4 +and 3 inches, and the depths are similarly 3 and 1·25. Both nests were +placed low down about 4 feet from the ground--one in a bush, and the +other in a creeper. + +"The eggs vary much in size. One pair measure ·92 and ·88 by ·60 +and ·65, and the other ·83 and ·82 by ·65 and ·61 respectively; +the ground-colour of all is a pinkish white. In one pair the +shell-blotches of washed-out purple are spread over the whole egg, and +the surface-spots and clashes of carneous red are also equally spread +over the whole shell. In the other pair the shell-marks are grouped +round the larger end to form a broad ring, and the whole egg is +thickly speckled and spotted with bright reddish. The eggs are very +slightly glossy." + + +301. Pycnonotus melanicterus (Gm.)._The Black-capped Bulbul_. + +Rubigula melanictera (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 455 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes:--"In April 1873 I received from a friend in +Ceylon three eggs of this bird; but I was unable to identify them +until lately, when I had an opportunity of comparing them with a +clutch taken last year in the Western Province, and about which there +was no doubt. In the latter case the nest was fixed on the top of a +small stump, and was a loose structure of grass and bents; in +shape rather a deep cup; and contained two eggs of a reddish-white +ground-colour, profusely speckled with reddish brown (in one example +confluent round the obtuse end, in the other distributed over the +whole surface) over freckles of bluish grey. Dimensions: 0·79 by 0·58, +0·78 by 0·57. The other nest was made of grass on a foundation of +dry leaves and herbaceous stalks, loosely lined with fine hair-like +tendrils of creepers. The eggs were of a reddish-white ground, thickly +covered throughout with brownish-red and dusky red spots, becoming +somewhat confluent round the obtuse end. In form they are regular +ovals, and measure 0·78 by 0·6, 0·79 by 0·58." + + +305. Pycnonotus luteolus (Less.). _The White-browed Bulbul_. + +Ixos luteolus (_Less.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 84; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 452. + +Common as is the White-browed Bulbul in Midnapoor, throughout the +Tributary Mehals, along the Eastern Ghâts, and again, it appears, in +Bombay, only two of my correspondents appear as yet to have procured +the nest or eggs. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken, writing from Bombay under date the 11th June, +says:--"I now send you a nest of _Pycnonotus luteolus_ with two eggs. +I took it this morning from, a thickly foliaged tree in a garden. It +was placed on the top of the main stem of the tree, which had been +abruptly cut off about 5 feet from the ground, where the stem was +about 3 inches thick. The nest was begun this day week, Thursday, and +the first egg was laid the day before yesterday (Tuesday). The bird is +a very common one in gardens in Bombay, though I never saw it in Berar +nor even in Poona. They build in situations similar to, but perhaps +rather more sheltered than, those chosen by the Common Bulbul; but I +remember finding one nest placed at a height of only 2 feet from the +ground. + +"This present nest was begun, as already mentioned, last Thursday, +just two days after the first severe thunder-shower preliminary to the +monsoon, now fairly on us. + +"I draw your attention to the manner in which the nest has been tied +at _one_ place to a twig to prevent its being blown off its very +(apparently) insecure site. I was obliged to take the nest, as I was +leaving at once, otherwise one or perhaps two more eggs would have +been laid." + +The nest is a rather loose straggling structure, exteriorly composed +of fine twigs. The cavity, hemispherical in shape, is carefully lined +with fine grass-stems. Outside it is very irregularly shaped, and many +of the twigs used are much too long and hang down several inches from +the nest; but on one side the outer framework has been firmly tied +with wool and a little cobweb to a live twig to which the leaves, now +withered, are still attached. No roots or hair have entered into the +composition of this nest. + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I once found a nest in Bombay, not many feet +above the level of the sea of course. + +"The first egg was laid on 14th September. The nest was built in a +bush on the edge of an inundated field, but in our garden. It was +fixed to a thin waving branch underneath the bush, which completely +overshadowed it. It was only 2 feet from the ground, a cup just large +enough to hold the body of the bird, whose head and tail always +projected over the edge; and it was made of thin twigs and neatly +lined with _coir_. The bird laid two eggs and then deserted the nest. +One of these, which I took, was thicker and rounder than a Bulbul's, +and thickly spotted with claret-coloured spots, which gathered into a +ring at the larger end. + +"The eggs were laid on successive days. I think the birds had already +had one brood (in another nest), for I saw apparently the same pair +followed by a young one not long before." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in my garden at Nellore. It was +rather loosely made with roots, grass, and hair, placed in a hedge, +and the eggs, four in number, were reddish white, with darker lake-red +spots, exceedingly like those of the Common Bulbul." + +Colonel Legge, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' tells us that this Bulbul +breeds in the west and south-west of Ceylon from December to June, the +months of April and May, however, appearing to be the favourite time. +On the eastern side of the island it breeds during the north-east +rains. + +The eggs answer well enough to Dr. Jerdon's description, but to an +oologist's eye they are excessively _un-like_ those of the Common +Bulbul; shape, tone of colour, and character of markings alike differ. + +In shape they are decidedly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and moderately glossy. The ground is reddish white, and +this is profusely speckled and blotched (the blotches being chiefly +confined, however, to a broad irregular zone round the broader end) +with a deep but certainly, I should say, _not_ lake-red, but much +nearer what one would get by mixing brown with vermilion. Besides +these red markings sundry clouds and spots of a pale greyish lilac are +intermingled in a zone, and one or two spots of the same colour may be +traced elsewhere. + +The eggs measure 0·92 by 0·62, and 0·97 by 0·63. + + +300. Pycnonotus blanfordi (Jerd.). _Blanford's Bulbul_. + +Ixus blanfordi (_Jerd.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 quint. + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest in a small tree, well concealed +by leaves, about 7 feet from the ground, near Pegu. A very neat cup +measuring 3 inches diameter externally and 2·25 internally. The depth +1·75 inch outside and 1·25 inside. The sides of the nest, though very +strongly woven, can be seen through. The materials consist of small +fine branchlets of weeds, and the inside is neatly lined with grass. +One or two dead leaves, or rather fragments, are used in the exterior +walling. + +"The nest was found on the 25th May, and contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The ground-colour is a fresh pink, but with little gloss. +The whole egg is covered with a profusion of dark purplish-red spots, +more thickly disposed at the thick end, but everywhere frequent. In +addition there are some underlying and much paler smears. The three +eggs measured respectively ·75, ·78, and ·77 in length, by ·63, ·62, +and ·61 in breadth. + +"Subsequently I found five other nests, from the 1st April to the 20th +June, all similar to the one described. Eggs invariably three. Average +size of twelve eggs ·82 by ·6." + +The nests of this species that I have seen have been very slight +flimsy structures, nearly hemispherical cups, composed of fine twigs +and the leaf-stalks of pennated leaves a little bound together with +cobwebs and thinly lined with fine hair-like grass. In some cases +a leaf or two has been attached to the outer surface to aid the +concealment of the nest. The nest is very loosely woven just like a +sieve, as a rule nowhere more than 0·25 inch thick, and with a truly +hemispherical cavity, diameter about 2·5, depth about 1·25. + +The eggs are of the ordinary Bulbul type, but not amongst the more +richly-coloured examples of these; in shape and size they vary a good +deal, but typically they seem to be moderately broad ovals slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine and smooth, but +has scarcely any appreciable gloss; the ground is pale pink or pinky +white. At the large end the markings are dense, forming in some eggs +an almost confluent zone, in others a mottled cap; they consist +of irregular-shaped spots and specks of deep red and pale +subsurface-looking greyish purple; over the rest of the surface of the +egg outside the zone or cap the markings are much smaller in size and +much more thinly scattered, and it is observable that the secondary +purple markings are to a great extent confined to the zone or cap, as +the case may be, and its immediate neighbourhood. + +Occasionally the markings, which seem always to be small and speckly, +are very sparsely set, leaving comparatively large portions of the +surface unmarked; and occasionally eggs are met with in which the +primary markings are wholly wanting, and there is nothing but a pale +reddish-purple cloudy mottling over the greater portion of the surface +of the egg.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS PLUMOSUS, Bl. _The Large Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus plumosus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 sept. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I found one nest of this Bulbul at Kossoom: +it was of the ordinary Bulbul type and placed in a small but dense +clump of cane, about 18 inches from the ground. The parent birds were +very vociferous when the nest was approached." + +The eggs of all these Bulbuls, though they are separable when +individually compared, follow so closely the same type of colouring +that, it is almost impossible to make their distinctions apparent by +any verbal descriptions. + +The eggs of the present species are like those of so many others, +moderately broad ovals, obtuse at the large end, somewhat compressed +towards the small end, at times slightly pyriform. The shell very +fine, smooth and thin, but strong, and generally with an appreciable +though not at all conspicuous gloss. + +The ground-colour is pink or pinky white, and they are very thickly +speckled and spotted everywhere, but extremely densely so, and there +blotched also in a broad irregular zone, round the large end with +rich reddish maroon and dull greyish or inky purple--the rich colour +predominating in some eggs, the dull colour in others; and in some the +markings being all extremely fine and speckly, while in others they +are rather bolder. Two eggs measure 0·9 by 0·66. + +PYCNONOTUS SIMPLEX, Less. _Moore's Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus brunneus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 oct. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"I took a nest of _P. simplex_ in some rather +thick jungle at Klang. The nest, of the ordinary Bulbul type (in fact +it might easily have passed for a nest of _Olocompsa_), was placed in +the fork of a small sapling about 6 feet from the ground. The nest +contained two eggs. The female was shot from the nest." + +The eggs are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, some +specimens having a slight pyriform tendency. The shell is fine and +compact, and seems to have generally an appreciable but not striking +gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy pink, and it is +very thickly freckled and speckled all over with a rich maroon, in +amongst which tiny clouds of pale purple may be faintly discerned; +dense as are the markings everywhere, they are generally most so in a +zone round the large end. Very possibly this species will be found to +exhibit somewhat different types of coloration, as the eggs of all +Bulbuls vary very much; but certainly typically the markings of this +species are much more speckly than in most of the others, forming a +universal stippling over the entire surface. The two eggs measure 0·9 +and 0·88 in length by 0·62 in breadth.] + + + + +Family SITTIDAE. + + +315. Sitta himalayensis, Jard. & Selby. _The White-tailed Nuthatch_. + +Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 248. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings this species begins to +lay in April, constructing a shallow saucer-like nest of moss lined +with moss-roots, in holes of trees at no great elevation from the +ground. One such nest, the measurements of which are recorded, was +3.25 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally; the cavity was +2·25 inches in diameter and 1·25 inch in depth. They lay three or four +pure white eggs slightly speckled with red, which measure about 0·72 +inch in length by 0·55 inch in width. They breed once a year, and both +sexes assist in incubating the eggs and rearing the young. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"In Kumaon the White-tailed Nuthatch breeds in +May and June, laying five or six eggs, in holes in trees, especially +in oaks." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This bird is an early breeder in +Naini Tal; a nest found on the 25th April contained half-fledged +young. It was in a natural hollow of a tree about 10 feet from the +ground in a thick trunk; the hole was closed up with a kind of stiff +gummy substance, leaving only a circular entrance about an inch in +diameter, just as I have seen in nests of _Sitta europaea_. The +old birds were busily engaged in feeding the young. Another nest +containing young was found on the 28th April in an oak tree at about +7000 feet elevation; both birds were feeding the young, and the nest +was similar to the last except that in this case it was so low down in +the trunk that, sitting on the ground, I could put my ear against +the hole. From a third nest, found on the 2nd May, the young +had apparently just fled. My experience bears out Mr. Hodgson's +observations: I have often been up here in May and June searching +closely and never found a nest; this year I came up for the first time +in April, and within a few days find three nests with young. I may add +that after the 10th May all the Nuthatches I have seen were in small +parties, apparently parents with their young." + + +316. Sitta cinnamomeiventris, Blyth. _The Cinnamon-bellied +Nuthatch_. + +Sitta cinnamomeoventris, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 387. + +Writing from Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I lately took the nest of +_Sitta cinnamomeiventris_ at 2000 feet. It was 20 feet from the ground +in a soft decaying bamboo on the edge of large jungle. The birds had +made a small hole just below an internode, and from the next internode +below had filled up the hollow of the bamboo with alternate layers of +green moss and pieces of tree-bark of about an inch or more square to +within a few inches of the entrance-hole. Each layer of moss was about +an inch thick, but the bark layer not more than a quarter of an inch, +the thickness of the bark itself. On the top of this pile, which was a +foot high, was a pad three inches wide by two in depth, of fine moss, +fur, a feather or two, and a few insects' wings intermixed, for the +eggs to rest on. The fur looks like that of a rat. There were four +hard-set eggs, which, unfortunately, got broken in the taking. One +of them only was measurable, and it was 0·65 inch by 0·5. I send the +shell-fragments to show the coloration." + + +317. Sitta neglecta, Walden. _The Burmese Nuthatch_. + +Sitta neglecta, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 250 bis. + +The Burmese Nuthatch probably breeds throughout Pegu and Tenasserim. +Of its nidification in the latter division Major C.T. Bingham +writes:--"On the 21st March, wandering about in a deserted clearing, +I saw a couple of Nuthatches (_Sitta neglecta_) flying to and from a +tree, carrying food apparently. Watching them closely with a pair of +binoculars, I saw them disappear near a knot in a branch. The tree was +a dead dry one and rather difficult to climb, but a peon of mine went +up and reported five young ones unfledged, the nest-hole being 6 +inches deep, and the opening, which was originally a large one, and +probably caused by water wearing into the site of a broken branch, +narrowed by an edging of clay. The young lay on a layer of broken +leaves. As they were featherless, blind little things I left them +alone, and was delighted to see the parents continuing to feed them." + + +321. Sitta castaneiventris, Frankl. _The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch_. + +Sitta castaneoventris, _Frankl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 386. + +The late Captain Cock furnished me with the following note a long time +ago regarding the breeding of this Nuthatch:--"A very common bird at +Sitapur in Oudh, every mango-tope containing one or more pairs. They +pair early and commence making their nests in February, laying their +eggs in March. The nests are in cavities of trees, at no great height +from the ground, and unless observed in course of construction are +difficult to find--the bird filling the whole cavity up with mud +consolidated with some viscid seed of a parasitical plant, and merely +leaving a small round hole for entrance. This composition hardens like +pucca masonry in a very short time, and secures the nest from all +marauders except the oologist. The nest consists of a few dry leaves +at the bottom of the cavity at no great depth, and upon this four eggs +are laid. The birds sit close and do not easily desert their nests, as +the following instance will show. In 1873 I found a _Sitta's_ nest in +a mango-tree, and after watching the birds for some days, when the +eggs had been laid I took the nest, placing my handkerchief in the +nest to prevent bits of mud falling in on the eggs. I opened out the +cavity, cleaning away the mud, and putting in my hand I caught the +female bird. I looked at her and let her go. In 1874 curiosity induced +me to look at the place again, and to my surprise I saw the cavity had +been built up again. I caught a bird on the nest and took four eggs; +it may have been a different bird, but there was only one pair in that +tope of trees, and was probably the same bird I caught in 1873. I +found another nest in my garden about 2 feet from the ground, and I +often used to flash the sunlight from a small hand-mirror, that I use +out birds' nesting, onto the hen bird while she sat on her eggs. Our +collection contains a large series of these eggs, the produce of some +five-and-twenty nests taken by myself at Sitapur." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"At Allahabad I found two nests of this +little Nuthatch, one in July and one in September. I regret to say +neither contained any eggs, though the birds were going in and out +constantly. The nests were in tiny holes in mango-trees, the entrances +being still more contracted by earth being plastered round." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall observes:--"A nest of the Chestnut-bellied +Nuthatch was pointed out to me at Umballa in the next garden to mine. +It was about 12 feet above the ground in an old mango-tree; the +locality chosen was the stump of a branch which had been cut off and +had rotted down. Outside there was a great deal of masonry work as +hard and firm as that on white-ant hills, in the middle of which was a +neat circular hole just large enough for the passage of the bird. The +masonry continued down inside the hole as far as I could see; I did +not break it open, as there were nearly fledged young ones inside. +I knew this because the parent birds had been seen for some days +carrying in food. I did not see the nest till the end of May. The +following spring I found another nest at Kurnal in a bokain tree; +it was constructed after the same fashion; the nest itself, which +consisted only of dead leaves, was not very far down. I was +unfortunately this time (March 15th) too early for the eggs. The +holes are not easy to see from the ground, as they are most skilfully +concealed from view." + +The eggs of this species are very regular, slightly elongated ovals, +scarcely compressed or pointed towards the small end at all. The shell +is fragile, and is either entirely glossless or has only a trace of +gloss. The ground-colour is white, with at times a faint pinkish +tinge, and the markings consist of spooks, spots, and splashes (always +most numerous at the large end, where they usually form a more or less +conspicuous though irregular cap) of dull or bright brick-red, more +or less intermingled in most specimens with dull reddish lilac. The +arrangement and size of the markings are very variable. In some eggs +they are all mere specks, forming a small speckly cap at the large +end, and elsewhere very thinly scattered about the surface; in others +many of the spots are (for the size of the egg) large, the majority +are well-marked spots and not mere specks, and the whole surface of +the egg is pretty thickly studded with them, while the broad end +exhibits a large blotched and mottled cap. The majority of the eggs +are intermediate between these two extremes. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·61 to 0·72 and in breadth from. 0·5 to +0·54, but the average of numerous specimens is 0·67 by 0·52.[A] + +[Footnote A: SITTA TEPHRONOTA, Sharpe. _The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch_ + +Sitta neumayeri, _Mich., Hume, cat._ no. 248 quint. + +The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch is abundant in Baluchistan, and without +doubt breeds there. The following note by Lieut. H.E. Barnes will +therefore be interesting. He writes from Afghanistan:--"This Nuthatch +is very common on the hills. It appears to choose very different +localities to build in. In some instances a hole in the face of a +rock is selected, and this it lines with agglutinated mud and resin, +continuing the lining-case until it, projects in the shape of a cone +to fully 8 inches. It seems fond of decorating its little palace +with feathers to a distance of 2 or even 3 feet, and it is thus a +conspicuous object; but most nests are found in holes in trees, and +even here feathers are stuck into crevices all around. They are +usually well lined with camel-hair. + +"They breed in March and April. The eggs are usually four in number (I +have sometimes found five), oval in shape, more or less glossy white, +and more or less densely or sparsely (generally most densely towards +the large end) spotted and blotched with varying shades of chestnut +to reddish brown, more or less intermingled with pale purple and +occasionally purplish grey. Some eggs are very richly marked. Some are +almost pure white. They average 0·87 by 0·57." + +The eggs of this species are typically moderately broad ovals, +slightly pointed towards the small end, but elongated and more or less +blunt-ended pyriform examples occur. The shell is extremely fine and +smooth, but has only moderate amount of gloss in any specimen that I +have seen and in some specimens has only a trace of this. The ground +colour is pure white, and the eggs are generally thinly speckled, +spotted, or blotched, about the broad end only, with a pale red; +occasionally a few greyish-purple spots and blotches are intermingled +with the other markings, and specks and tiny spots of both red and +grey sometimes extend to the smaller end of the egg also. I have seen +no such examples myself, but very probably in some eggs the principal +markings may be at the small end. Eighteen eggs vary from 0·81 to 0·91 +in length by 0·61 to 0·69 in breadth.] + + +323. Sitta leucopsis, Gould. _The White-cheeked Nuthatch_. + +Sitta leucopsis, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 249. + +Captain Cock took the eggs of the White-cheeked Nuthatch late in May +and early in June (1871) in Kashmir at Sonamurg. + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I observed it +hanging about a nest-hole on the 21st May, but on returning to take +the eggs some days later was unable to find the tree:" and he adds, +"On the 21st of June I shot a young bird just fledged near the Peiwar +Kotul." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size. In shape some are +moderately elongated, some are somewhat broad ovals, and all are, more +or less, compressed towards the smaller end, which, however, is obtuse +and not at all pointed. The ground is white and has a slight gloss. +The markings consist of small spots and minute specks, some eggs +exhibiting only the latter. In all cases the markings are most dense +towards the large end, where they generally form an irregular and +ill-defined mottled cap or zone. In colour the markings are red and +pale purple, the red varying from bright brickdust-red to brownish and +even purplish red, and the purple being sometimes lilac and sometimes +grey, and here and there in a single speck, almost black. In length +the eggs vary from 0·67 to 0·75 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 to 0·55 +inch. + + +323. Sitta frontalis,, Horsf. _The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch_. + +Dendrophila frontalis (_Horsf._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ p. 388; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 253. + +The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, lays from the middle of February to +the end of May. It breeds in the forest-tracts of the Sub-Himalayan +ranges, in the Central Indian forests, the Ghâts of Southern India, +and the well-wooded slopes of the Nilghiris, Palnis, &c. + +It builds a compact little nest of moss and feathers in a tiny hole +in a tree, selecting, I believe, generally a natural cavity, but +certainly trimming the entrance and interior itself. + +Mr. B. Thompson says:--"This species is common in all the low +densely-wooded valleys of the Sub-Himalayan ranges of Kumaon, at an +elevation of from 1500 to 2500 feet. It breeds in May and June in +hollows of trees. Any small hole suits for a nest, and it lays four or +five eggs, for I have seen it with as many young, though I never took +the trouble of getting out the eggs themselves." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This Nuthatch breeds on the Nilghiris as high up +as Ootacamund, nesting in holes of trees, and laying three or four +eggs, spotted with chestnut, pinkish red, or reddish brown. The nest +is composed of moss, moss-roots, &c., and lined with feathers. I am +not quite certain how long the breeding-season lasts, but I think that +it is from the middle of April to the early part of May." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, sends me the following account of the +first nest she took of this species:-- + +"After having wished for some years to obtain the eggs of this bird, I +was delighted to hear from my brother that he had seen a Nuthatch go +into a _small_ hole in a tree, and that, on looking into it, he had +seen something like a nest. I went prepared with a chisel and hammer, +but wished first to ascertain fully who the owner of the nest was. +After watching at a respectful distance for a long time, an Indian +Grey Tit flew to the hole and peeped in. My first thought was one +of great disappointment at having ridden many miles with such high +expectations to find only a Common Titmouse's nest; but it did not +last long; the inquisitive Grey Tit found the hole too small for him, +and flew off just as happily as he had flown to it. I continued to +watch, and was quite repaid by seeing a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch fly to +the top of the tree containing the nest, and descend rapidly down the +trunk (which was about 12 or 13 feet high), as if it knew where the +wee hole was, and disappear into it. This was sufficient proof as to +the proprietor of the nest; I walked quietly up to the tree, and when +within a foot of it out flew the bird. My handkerchief was stuffed +into the hole to prevent any chips breaking the eggs, should there be +any: and making use of the chisel and hammer, I soon made the hole +large enough to admit my hand. The nest contained three eggs, which I +most carefully extracted one by one. The nest was then brought out, +and consisted of a quantity of beautiful green moss, feathers (many of +which belong to the bird), some soft fine hair, and a few pieces of +lichen. This nest was discovered on the 10th February. The tree it was +found in grew nearly alone, at the side of a road not much frequented. + +"The eggs were quite fresh, and most probably the bird would have laid +at least one more; but these were sufficient to show the colour of +the eggs, which were pure white, with dark and light red spots and +blotches, chiefly at the thick end, besides a circle of spots like a +Flycatcher's eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing of South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in holes of trees, preferring the deserted ones +excavated by _Megalama caniceps_. The nest is built of moss, and lined +with the fluff of hares and soft feathers. The eggs are always four in +number, spotted with pinkish red on a white ground, the spots being +more numerous towards the larger end. They breed in March. Dimensions, +0·71 inch long by 0·57 broad," + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a small pad-like nest of this species found on +the 4th May in Native Sikhim. It was placed in a hollow of a trunk of +a large tree about 3 feet from the ground. It is composed of very fine +moss felted together with a little fine vegetable fibre, and the upper +surface coated with a little fine short silky fur, probably that of a +rat. + +Major Bingham, writing from Tenasserim, says:--"Fairly common in the +Thoungyeen valley. On the 18th February I found a nest in a hole in a +branch of a pynkado tree (_Xylia dolabrifomis_), but I was too early +for eggs." + +One egg of this very beautiful species was sent me by Miss Cockburn. +It is intermediate in size and colour between those of the European +Creeper and Nuthatch, while at the same time it strongly recalls the +eggs of _Parus atriceps_. In shape the egg is a broad oval (not quite +so broad, however, as those of the European Nuthatch are), slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is white, and the egg +is blotched, speckled, and spotted, chiefly, however, in a sort of +irregular zone round the large end, with brickdust-red and somewhat +pale purple. The shell is fine and compact, but devoid of gloss. The +egg measures 0·08 by 0·55 inch. + +Three other eggs from the Sikhim Terai measure 0·68 by 0·51. + + + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + + +327. Dicrurus ater (Hermann). _The Black Drongo_. + +Dicrurus macrocercus (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 427. +Buchanga albirictus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 278. + +The Black Drongo or Common King-Crow lays throughout India, at any +rate in the plain country; it does not appear to breed either in the +Himalayas or the Nilghiris at any height exceeding 5000 feet. + +A few eggs may be found towards the close of April, and again during +the first week of August, but May, June, and July are _the_ months. + +It builds usually pretty high up in tall trees, in some fork not quite +at the outside, constructing a broad shallow cup, and lays normally +four eggs, although I _have_ found five. Elsewhere I have recorded the +following in regard to its nidification:-- + +"Close at our own gate is a pretty neem tree, the '_Melia +azadirachta_,' a species now naturalized in Provence and other parts +of the south of France. High up in a fork a small nest was visible, +and projecting over it on one side a black forked tail that could +belong to nothing but the King-Crow. Of this bird we have already +taken during the last six weeks at least fifty nests, and in many +cases where we had left the empty nest in _statu quo_, we found it a +week later with a fresh batch of eggs laid therein. Many birds will +never return to a nest which has once been robbed, but others, like +the King-Crow and the Little Shrike (_Lanius vittatus_) will continue +laying even after the nest has been _twice_ robbed. The very day after +the nest has been cleared of perhaps four slightly incubated eggs, a +fresh one that otherwise would assuredly never have seen the light is +laid, and that, too, a fertile egg, which, if not meddled with, will +be hatched off in due course. It might be supposed that immediately on +discovering their loss, nature urged the birds to new intercourse, +the result of which was the fertile egg, and this, in some cases, is +probably really the case; Martins and others of the Swallow kind being +often to be seen busy with 'love's pleasing labour' before their eggs +have been well stowed away by the collector. But this will not account +for instances that I have observed of birds in confinement, who +separated from the male before they had laid their full number, and +then later, just when they began to sit deprived of their eggs, +straightway laid a second set, neither so large nor so well coloured +as the first, but still fertile eggs that were duly hatched. But for +the removal of the first set, these subsequent eggs would never have +been developed or laid. Now, the theory has always been that the +contact of the sperm- and germ-cells causes the development and +fertilization of the latter. In these cases no fresh accession of +sperm-cells was possible, and hence it would seem as if in some birds +the female organs were able to store up living sperm-cells, which +only work to fertilize and develop ova in the event of some accident +rendering it necessary, and which otherwise ultimately lose vitality +and pass away without action. + +"The nest of the King-Crow that we took was of the ordinary type; in +fact I have noticed scarcely any difference in the shape or materials +of all the numerous nests of this common bird that I have yet seen. +They are all composed of tiny twigs and fine grass-stems, and the +roots of the khus-khus grass, as a rule, neatly and tightly woven +together, and exteriorly bound round with a good deal of cobweb, in +which a few feathers are sometimes entangled. The cavity is broad and +shallow, and at times lined with horsehair or fine grass, but most +commonly only with khus. The bottom of the nest is very thin, but the +sides or rim rather firm and thick; in this case the cavity was 4 +inches in diameter, and about 1½ in depth, and contained three pure +white glossless eggs. In the very next tree, however (a mango, and +this is perhaps their favourite tree), was another similar nest, +containing four eggs, slightly glossy, with a salmon-pink tinge +throughout, and numerous well-marked brownish-red specks and +spots, most numerous towards the large end, looking vastly like +Brobdingnagian specimens of the Rocket-bird's eggs. The variation in +this bird's eggs is remarkable; out of more than one hundred eggs +nearly one third have been pure white, and between the dead glossless +purely white egg and a somewhat glossy, warm pinky grounded one, with +numerous well-marked spots and specks of maroon colour, dull-red, and +red-brown or even dusky, every possible gradation is found. Each set +of eggs, however, seems to be invariably of the same type, and we have +never yet found a quite white and a well coloured and marked egg in +the same nest. + +"These birds are very jealous of the approach of other birds even of +their own species to a nest in which they have eggs, and many a little +family would this year have been safely reared, and their ovate +cradles have escaped the plundering hands of my shikaries, had not +attention been invariably called to the thereabouts of the nest by the +pertinacious and vicious rushes of one or other of the parents from +near their nest at every feathered thing that; passed them by." + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species, which appears to be generally +diffused throughout India, is not uncommon in the Dehra Doon, but does +not ascend the hills; it breeds in June, laying four eggs of somewhat +variable size. They are pure white, thus differing widely from those +of the supposed _D. longcaudatus_ of Mussoorie. + +"It is evident likewise that the eggs which Captain Tickell assigns to +this species do not belong to it. (_Vide_ Journal As. Soc. vol. xvii. +p. 304.) + +"The nest differs from that of our hill species, being larger and +far less neatly made; it is placed in the bifurcation of the smaller +branches of a tall tree, and is composed exteriorly of two hard +semi-woody stalks of various plants, plastered over with cobwebs. +Another one was constructed entirely of fine roots, like the khus-khus +used for tatties, and plastered over like the former with cobwebs. It +is flattened or saucer-shaped, and about 3 inches in diameter." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"It breeds from the middle of May well into +August. I do not think it has two broods in the year, at least close +observation has not proved the fact. Trees of various sizes are chosen +indiscriminately for the nest, from the lofty mango and tamarind to +the low-growing roonji, &c. + +"The nest is a peculiarly slight-formed structure (occasionally I have +seen it otherwise, but this is the exception), always neatly made. +The exterior of the nest is composed of small fine twigs, roots, and +grass, with generally a good deal of spider's web round the outer +surface. The average exterior diameter of the nest is about 5·5 +inches. The cavity is frequently lined with horsehair. On three or +four occasions I have seen very fine khus substituted for the hair. +The average inner diameter of the nest is about 3·4 inches. + +"The regular number of eggs is four; in colour they are a light +reddish white, with a few spots or blotches, here and there of a +purplish red or red-brown. The eggs often differ much in size. + +"I happened to find in one nest two eggs, one of the usual size, the +other only about one third of the size. What is more surprising, it +was perfectly formed, as regards the white and yolk." + +The instance of sagacity related by Mr. Phillips, and quoted by +Jerdon, was related to him by the late Mr. Davis, my old Collector of +Customs. + +"I have on two or three occasions myself witnessed similar instances +of sagacity. This bird, during the breeding-season, is pugnacious to +a degree, fearlessly attacking every bird that approaches the tree on +which the nest may be." + +Writing from the Sambhur Lake, Mr. E.M. Adam says:--"Very common here. +The King-Crow breeds here in June and July. The eggs vary much with +regard to colouring; some are pure white without spots, some have dark +brown spots on the white ground, whilst others have a pale rufous +ground darker at the broader end, with spots of deep rust-colour and +lilac." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"At Bheera Tal, fully 4000 feet +above the sea, I found two nests of this species on the 24th May, one +contained four eggs, and the other three; the eggs varied much in +size, and out of the seven, six were pure white, almost like Barbet's +eggs, and the seventh had only a faint sprinkling of tiny dark spots +at one end. The birds, all four of which I shot, were typical _D. +ater_, with the white spot well developed. On the same day, and in the +same place, I found eggs of _D. longicaudatus_. I record this, as it +is not usual to find _D. ater_ breeding at this elevation. It may be +noticed that the eggs of this species found by Hutton in the Doon +were all pure white, while in the plains I think white is more +exceptional." + +Dr. Scully says:--"In Nepal it breeds freely at elevations of from +4000 to 5000 feet. Three nests were taken in the valley, in May and +June; these contained each three or four pure white eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I have found many nests of the King-Crow +both at Allahabad and Delhi. In both places they begin laying towards +the end of May, and I got fresh eggs at Allahabad as late as the 13th +August. The nests and eggs have been nearly always of the same type. +The former, a shallow, but well-made saucer, rather small sometimes +for the size of the bird, of grass-roots and twigs, and absolutely +without lining; the latter white, when fresh with a pink tinge, +spotted, chiefly at the larger end, rather scantily with claret-colour +and dark brown. I have never found a pure white egg." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana in general, tells us:--"The +King-Crow breeds during May and June. A few nests may be found in +July, but by far the greater number are to be found during the latter +part of May and the commencement of June." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "The Common King-Crow breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. I have taken nests on the +following dates:-- + + "June 6, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + June 7, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 9, 1875. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 young birds. + June 10, 1875 " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 11, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 13, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 8, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 12, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"The nest consists of a broad shallow saucer about 3½ inches in +diameter measured from the inside, composed of dry twigs and fine +roots, and is invariably fixed in the fork of a tree. The bottom of +the nest, though strongly woven, is often so thin that the eggs are +visible from below. The eggs, usually four in number, are of the +Oriole type, being white or creamy buff:, sparingly spotted and +speckled with deep chocolate or rusty brown, with, occasionally, +markings of inky purple. The markings of the eggs of this species, +like those of the Oriole, are apt to run if washed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, say:--"Common +and breeds." + +Mr. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Abundant. Breeds +in May." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"Breeds from March to the end of May, constructing a slight +cup-shaped nest in a tree. The nest is composed of fine twigs bound +together with cobwebs, and is rather a flimsy concern, the eggs often +being visible from below. It is generally placed in the fork of a +branch, at from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. The eggs are three in +number, occasionally only two, and vary very greatly in colour, some +being almost of a pure white, whilst others again are spotted and +blotched, especially at the larger end, with claret and light purple +on a rich salmon-coloured ground. The birds are very noisy in the +breeding-season, keeping all intruders off, not hesitating to attack +Kites and Crows. They seem to have an especial antipathy to the +latter." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken states that in Madras "the King-Crow, so +conspicuous on the backs of cattle, telegraph-wires, &c., all through +the cold and hot seasons, is conspicuous by its absence during the +breeding-season. Many of them retire to woods and gardens to breed, +but even when they do not, they keep very quiet while they have their +nests. Last June there was a nest in a tree in the Thieves' bazaar at +Madras, but the birds hardly ever showed themselves out of the tree." + +Mr. J. Inglis informs us that in Cachar "this King-Crow is extremely +common. It breeds all through the summer. It lays four or five pure +white eggs on the top of a few grasses placed in the fork of a tree. +It is very pugnacious, and attacks birds of all sizes if they approach +it." + +There are two very distinct types of this bird's eggs. The one pure +white and spotless, the other a pale salmon-colour, spotted with a +rich brownish red. These eggs unquestionably both belong to the same +species, as I have taken them times without number myself and can +positively certify to their parentage; moreover connecting links are +not wanting in a large series. I have one egg perfectly white, with +the exception of three or four blackish-brown spots, another with more +of these spots, another with almost as many as the ordinary spotted +eggs have, the ground-colour in all these being still pure white, +and the spots being blackish or very deep reddish brown. Then I +have others similar to those just described, but showing a faint +salmon-coloured halo round one or two of the largest spots, others in +which the halo is further developed, and others again with the entire +ground-colour an excessively pale salmon throughout, and so on a +complete series gradually increasing in intensity of colour till we +get the pure rich salmon-buff which is at the other end of the scale. +I am particular in this description, because the eggs of this bird +have been a subject of almost as many contradictions between Indian +naturalists as the chameleon of pious memory. In shape the eggs are +typically a rather long oval, somewhat pointed towards one end. Very +much elongated varieties are common, recalling in this respect the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_. Spherical varieties, if they occur, must +be very rare, the enormous series I possess containing no example. In +the colour of the ground, as above remarked, there is every possible, +variety of shade between pure white and a very rich salmon-colour. In +the intensity and number of the markings there is an equally great +variety. The markings, always spots and specks, the largest never +exceeding 0·1 inch in diameter, are invariably most numerous towards +the large end, where they are sometimes, though rarefy, slightly +confluent. They vary from only two or three to a number too large to +count, and in colour through many shades of reddish, blackish, and +purplish brown, the latter being rare and abnormal. + +The eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, as a rule, though here and +there a slight trace of it is observable. It is this want of gloss +alone that distinguishes some of the larger white, black-spotted +varieties from the eggs of the common Oriole, which they occasionally +exactly resemble not only in shape, colour, and character of marking, +but even (though generally smaller) in size. + +In length they vary From 0·87 to 1·15 inch, and in breadth from 0·7 +to 0·85, but the average of 152 eggs measured is 1·01 by 0·75 inch. I +have two dwarf eggs of this species not included in the above average +which I myself obtained in different nests, measuring only 0·78 by 0·5 +inch, and 0·87 by 0·62 inch. + + +328. Dicrurus longicaudatus. A. Hay. _The Indian Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus longicaudatus, _A. Hay, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 430. +Buchanga longicaudata (_A. Hay), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 280. + +The Indian Ashy Drongo, a species that, with the really large series +before me from all parts of India, I find it impossible to subdivide +into two or more species, breeds alike in the plains, in well-watered +and wooded districts, and in the Himalayas up to an elevation of 6000 +to 7000 feet, and lays during the months of May and June. + +They build generally in large trees, at a considerable height from +the ground, placing their somewhat shallow cup-shaped nests in some +slender fork towards the summit or exterior of the tree. + +The nest is neatly and firmly built, of fine grass-stems, slender +twigs, and grass-roots, closely interwoven, and externally bound +together with cobwebs, in which, as in the body of the nest, lichens +of several species are much intermingled. Exteriorly the nests are +from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 2½ in height. Interiorly +they are lined with moss, roots, hairs, and fine grass; the cavity +measuring from 3 to 3·5 inches in breadth, and from 1·1 to 1·4 inch in +depth. The normal number of the eggs is four. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"The nest is usually fixed on the upper surface of a +thin branch about 15 to 20 feet from the ground, and at its junction +with another branch, the nest being partly embedded in the fork of two +_horizontal_ branches. It is composed of grass, fibres, and roots, and +lined with finer grasses and a few hairs. The nest is broader and much +shallower than that of _D. ater_; outside it is covered with spiders' +webs and small bits of lichen. + +"The eggs are four in number, sometimes only three, and vary much in +size, shape, and colour; size 1·0 by 0·7 inch: some are buff, blotched +with light reddish brown and pale purple-grey; others are lighter +buff, almost white in fact, spotted and marked more sparingly than the +first described with the same two colours, but each of a darker tint; +others are white, marked sparingly with spots and blotches of dark +purple-brown and reddish brown, and intermixed with larger blotches +of deep purple-grey, the markings principally forming a zone at the +larger end. Others, again, are pale purplish white, spotted with dark +and light purple-brown, and intermixed with spots and blotches of +purple-grey. The shape of the egg varies as much as the colouring, +some being of a fine oval form, while others are quite pyriform. +Laying in Kumaon from the middle to end of May." + +As I shall notice further on, I think that Mr. Brooks is mistaken +about some of his eggs. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This species, the only one that visits +Mussoorie, arrives from the Doon about the middle of March, and +retires again about September. It is abundant during the summer +months, and breeds from the latter end of April till the middle of +June, making a very neat nest, which is placed in the bifurcation of +a horizontal branch of some tall tree, usually an oak tree; it +is constructed of grey lichens gathered from the trees, and fine +seed-stalks of grasses, firmly and neatly interwoven; with the latter +it is also usually lined, although sometimes a black fibrous lichen is +used; externally the materials are kept compactly together by being +plastered over with spiders' webs. It is altogether a light and +elegant nest. The shape is circular, somewhat shallow; internal +diameter 3 inches. The eggs are three or four, generally the latter +number, and so variable in colour and distribution of spots that until +I had got several specimens and compared them narrowly, I was inclined +to think we had more than one species of _Dicrurus_ here. I am, +however, now fully convinced that these variable eggs belong to the +same species. Sometimes they are dull white with brick-red spots +openly disposed in form of a rude ring at the larger end; at other +times the spots are rufescent claret, with duller indistinct ones +appearing through the shell; others are of a deep carneous hue, +clouded and coarsely blotched with deep rufescent claret; while again +some are faint carneous with large irregular blotches of rufous clay +with duller ones beneath the shell." + +Some of Captain Hutton's eggs which he sent me were clearly those of +_Hypsipetes psaroides_ (of which also be sent me specimens), and the +fact is that in thick foliage where the Red-bill is not seen nothing +is easier than to mistake this bird for _D. longicaudatus_. I have +taken a great many of these nests, and I never found eggs other than +of the two types to be below described. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"In Kumaon this species breeds from +4000 to 5000 feet above the sea; the eggs are laid in the last week of +May. I have never seen a nest at Naini Tal itself (6000 to 7000 feet), +but at Bheem Tal (4000 feet) I found numerous nests within three days, +in the first week of June; all without exception had young. The next +season I visited the place in the last week of May, and found the eggs +just laid. + +"The nests were of the usual _Dicrurus_ type, wedged in a fork at +heights varying from fifteen to fifty feet from the ground, but as far +as my experience goes always in conspicuous places and generally on +trees almost or quite bare of leaves. The nests are usually only to be +obtained by sawing off the bough they are built on." + +Long ago Captain Cock, writing from Dhurmsala, said:--"I took a +nest on the 8th of May, containing four eggs. The eggs are regular, +roundish ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is +white, here and there suffused with a faint pinkish tinge, and it is +spotted and blotched with purplish red and pale lilac, most of the +spots being gathered into an irregular zone about the large end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"Breeds in May, +in almost inaccessible places, about 7000 feet up, choosing a thin +fork at the outermost end of a bough about 50 or 60 feet from the +ground, and always on trees that have no lower branches. The nest is +almost invisible from below, as it is very neatly built on the top of +the fork; and when the female sits on it, she places her tail down the +bough so as entirely to hide herself. The eggs are only to be obtained +either by climbing higher up the tree than the nest is, and extracting +the eggs by means of a small muslin bag at the end of a long stick, or +else by lashing the bough on which the nest is to an upper bough as +the climber goes along so as to make it strong enough to support him. +The nest is much neater than that of _D. ater_; the eggs are light +salmon-coloured, with brick-red blotches sparsely scattered over them, +and are ·95 by ·7 inch." + +Dr. Scully records the following note from Nepal:--"This species lays +in the valley in May and June, the nest being placed high up in trees, +often in _Pinus longifolia_. The eggs are usually four in number, +fairly glossy, in shape moderate ovals, smaller at one end. The +ground-colour is pinkish white, with a tinge of buff, sparingly +spotted and blotched with brownish red, chiefly at the large end, +where the marks tend to coalesce, so as to form an irregular +incomplete ring. Four eggs taken on the 28th May measured 1·09 to 1·12 +in length, and 0·75 to 0·76 in breadth. The race which I identify with +_D. himalayanus_ was found, in very small numbers, on the summit of +Sheopuri, at an elevation of about 7500 feet, and was breeding at the +time I shot my specimen, viz. the 20th May." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest at Mongpho, near Darjeeling, at an elevation +of about 3500 feet on the 13th May. It was placed on an outer branch +of a tall tree and contained only one partially incubated egg. The +nest was a beautifully compact, but shallow cup, placed on the upper +surface of the bough, composed externally of roots and coated with a +little lichen and a great deal of cobweb. Interiorly lined with the +finest grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in +diameter and scarcely more than 1 inch in depth. At the bottom, where +it rested on the bough, the nest was not above ¼ inch thick, and +consisted only of the lining materials. Laterally it was about ¾ inch +thick. + +The egg was a broad oval, slightly compressed towards one end, but +not at all pointed. The shell very fine and with a slight gloss, the +ground-colour a delicate salmon-pink, and with a broad ring of deep +brownish-pink spots and blotches intermingled with pale purple +subsurface-looking clouds and spots round the large end. The rest of +the egg with some half-dozen similar spots. + +He subsequently sent me the following note:--"This species is common +in the Darjeeling district up to 4000 feet or so. It rather affects +the neighbourhood of bungalows, and is a very lively neighbour, +especially in the mornings and evenings. These birds are continually +quarrelling among themselves, sallying after insects, or making +their best attempts at singing. They are _dead_ on Kites, Crows, and +such-like depredators. For several days an Owl (_Bulaca newarensis_) +was flying about near the Cinchona Bungalow at Mongpho, and being a +stupid creature at the best, and doubly so during daylight when it had +no business to be abroad, was evidently considered fair game by the +Long-tailed Drongo and Swallow-Shrikes, and so awfully 'sat upon' by +them, that its life must have become a burden to it until it left +the place in despair of ever getting either peace or comfort about +Mongpho. + +"They lay in April and May, and have but one brood in the year. +The nest is generally either built against a tall bamboo, well up, +supported on the branch of twigs at a node, or near the extremity of a +branch of a tree, sometimes on quite slender branches of young trees, +which get so tremendously wafted about by the wind as to make the +retention of the eggs or young in the nest appear almost miraculous. +When anyone meddles with the nest, the owners make bold dashes at the +head of the robber. The Darjeeling birds are not so knowing as their +fellows of Murree, the females of whom are said to sit on the +nests with their tails along the boughs so as to entirely conceal +themselves. I have seen dozens of the nests here, and never once saw +the female in this position, but always with her tail _across_ the +bough. The nest is a compact shallow cup, measuring externally 4·5 +inches across by 1·75 in height, while the cavity is 3 inches in +diameter by about 1·2 in depth. It is made of twigs bound up with +cobwebs, among which a few lichens are intermingled. The lining is a +mixture of straw-coloured root-fibres and fine branchlets of the same +coloured grass-panicles." + +Mr. Mandelli sent me nests of this species, which were taken, at +Ging, near Darjeeling, on the 26th April and on the 22nd May, the one +contained one fresh egg, the other three. They were both placed on +branches of large trees at heights of about 20 feet from the ground. +They are broad shallow cups, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, about 2 +in height, compactly composed of fine twigs and grass-stems, bound +together with cobwebs and with many pieces of lichen and some tiny dry +leaves worked in on the outer surface. Interiorly, they are lined with +very fine hair-like grass-stems. The saucer-like cavities are about 3 +inches in diameter and about 1¼ in depth. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found its nest on one occasion, in April, in +Lower Malabar. It was shallow and loosely made with roots, and lined +with hair, about 20 feet from the ground, on the fork of a tree; and +it contained three eggs of a pinkish-white colour, with some longish +rusty or brick-red spots." + +There are two very strongly marked types of this bird's eggs. The eggs +of both types are moderately broad, or, at most, somewhat elongated +ovals, and comparatively devoid of gloss. The first, in its colouring, +exactly resembles the eggs of _Caprimulgus indicus_; a pinkish +salmon-coloured ground, streaked, blotched, and clouded, but nowhere +densely (except towards the large end, where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), with reddish pink, not differing widely in hue +from, though deeper in shade than, the ground-colour. Here and there, +where the markings are thickest, under-clouds of very faint purple +occur, but these are too feeble to attract attention, unless the egg +is looked into closely. In the other type of egg, the ground-colour +is pale pinkish white, pretty boldly blotched and spotted almost +exclusively towards the large end, where there is a broad irregular +imperfect zone, with brownish red, intermingled with blotches of very +faint inky purple. My description possibly fails to make this as +apparent as it should be, but no two eggs can, to a casual observer, +appear more distinct than these two types. There is yet, according to +Mr. Brooks, a third type of this bird's eggs; of this he has given me +a single example. In shape it is excessively long and narrow, of the +type of the eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, but its coloration and +character of markings are unlike those of any Shrike or Drongo with +which I am acquainted, and exactly resemble those of many types of the +eggs of the several Bulbuls. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and +is thickly speckled and spotted throughout with primary markings of +rich brownish red, and feeble secondary ones of excessively pale +inky purple. This egg, moreover, possesses a degree of gloss never +observable in those of the _Dicruri_, and therefore, well assured +though Mr. Brooks is of the parentage of this egg which he took with +his own hands, I feel confident, having since obtained many eggs +of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ which are exactly similar to this last +described egg, that in, perhaps, indifferent light he mistook this +bird for a _Dicrurus_. I may add that the first described type, of +which I have procured numerous specimens from different parts of +the Himalayas, taking _several_ nests with my own hands, is most +characteristic of this species. + +In the type with the pinky-white ground, large or small spots often +occur about the large end of a deep purple colour, so deep as to be +almost black, and but for the absence of gloss some of these paler +eggs are very close to those of some of the Orioles. Intermediate +varieties between the two types above described occur, but in not one +of more than sixty specimens that I have examined has there been any +perceptible gloss. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·85 to 1·01 inch, and in breadth from +0·7 to 0·75 inch, but the average of fifty-one eggs is 0·95 by 0·74 +inch. + + +329. Dicrurus nigrescens, Oates. _The Tenasserim Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus nigrescens, _Oates; Oates, B.I._ i, p. 315. + +Mr. Oates found the nest of this Drongo in Pegu. He says:--"I found +one nest on the 27th April at Kyeikpadein, near the town of Pegu, on +a small sapling near the summit. It contained four eggs[A]; they are +without gloss; the ground-colour in all is white. In three eggs the +whole shell is marked with spots of pale purple; these are perhaps +more numerous at the thick end, but not conspicuously so. The fourth +egg is blotched, not spotted, with the same colour. + +[Footnote A: I recorded the nest and eggs of this bird under the name +of _Buchanga intermedia_ (S.F. v, p. 149). The parent birds of these +eggs are fortunately still in the British Museum, and I am able to +identify them with this species, which occurs generally throughout +Tenasserim and many parts of Lower Pegu.--ED.] + +"The nest is composed of fine twigs and the dry branches of weeds; it +is lined very firmly and neatly with grass. Exterior diameter 5 inches +and depth 2; egg-chamber 3½ inches across and 1¼ deep. The outside +of the nest is profusely covered with lichens and cobwebs. The eggs +measure from ·83 to ·95 in length, and ·68 to ·71 in width." + + +330. Dicrurus caerulescens (Linn.). _The White-bellied Drongo_. + +Dicrurus caerulescens (_L._), _Jerd B. Ind_ i, p. 432. +Dicrurus caeruleus (_Müll._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 281. + +I have never seen a nest of the White-bellied Drongo. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"This bird's breeding-habitat is from 2500 to 6000 feet in the +Himalayas. It is common on the south-eastern slopes of Nyneetal. It +lays in May and June, placing its shallow cup-shaped nest in some +little fork near the top of a moderate-sized oak-tree, if breeding on +a mountain-side, but of some tall _Alnus nipalensis, Acacia elata_, +or _Acer oblongum_, if nesting in deep dells or valleys. The nest +appeared to be exactly like that of _D. ater_; but I can say nothing +very positive about it or the eggs, as, though continually seeing +them, I never, I think, took the trouble of getting one down." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall, commenting on Mr. Thompson's remark that this +Drongo is common near Naini Tal, says:--"My experience on this point +is negative; I have carefully searched the south-eastern slopes of +Naini Tal for four years without even seeing the bird, so that I do +not think it can be classed as a common breeder here." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that on the 16th July he saw a brood of +_Dicrurus caerulescens_ on the Kondabhari Ghât, just able to fly. +Referring to Western Khandeish, he tells us that he saw only two +nests. They were on adjoining trees in the Akrani; they were largish +nests, not like those of _D. ater_, but more resembling those of _D. +longicaudatus_ described in 'Nests and Eggs.' One nest contained three +young ones, the other was only building; and nothing could have been +more plucky than the way the old ones defended their nest. + + +331. Dicrurus leucopygialis, Blyth. _The White-vented Drongo_. + +Buchanga leucopygialis (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 281 +bis. + +Colonel Legge gives us the following account of the breeding of this +Drongo, which is confined to Ceylon:--"The breeding-season of this +Drongo is from March until May; and the nest is almost invariably +built at the horizontal fork of the branch of a large tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, sometimes as much as 40 feet. It +is a shallow cup, measuring about 2¼ inches in diameter by 1 in depth, +and is compactly put together, well finished round the top, but +sometimes rather loose on the exterior, which is composed of fine +grass-stalks and bark-fibres, the lining being of fine grass or +tendrils of creepers. The number of eggs varies from two to four, +three being the most common. They vary much in shape, and also in the +depth of their ground-tint; some are regular ovals, others are stumpy +at the small end, while now and then very spherical eggs are laid. +They are either reddish white, 'fleshy,' or pure white, in some cases +marked with small and large blotches of faded red, confluent at +the obtuse end, and openly dispersed over the rest of the surface, +overlying blots of faint lilac-grey; others have a conspicuous zone +round the large end, with a few scanty blotches of light red and +bluish grey on the remainder; in others, again, the markings are +confined to a few very large roundish blotches of the above colours at +one end, or, again, several still larger clouds of brick-red at the +obtuse end, with a few blotches of the same at the other. Dimensions +from 1·0 to 0·86 inch in length, by 0·72 to 0·68 in breadth. I once +observed a pair in the north of Ceylon very cleverly forming their +nest on a horizontal fork by first constructing the side furthest from +the angle, thus forming an arch, which was then joined to the fork by +the formation of the bottom of the structure. + +"The parent birds in this species display great courage, vigourously +sweeping down on any intruder who may threaten to molest their young." + + +334. Chaptia aenea (Vieill.). _The Bronzed Drongo_. + +Chaptia aenea (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 433; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 282. + +The Bronzed Drongo breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central hills of Nepal, or rather in the plains near to these hills, +rarely quitting large woods. They begin to lay in March, and build a +broad somewhat saucer-shaped nest some 4 or 5 inches in width and 2 to +3 in depth externally. The nest is placed in some slender horizontal +fork, to one at least of the twigs of which it is firmly attached by +vegetable fibres; it is composed of fine twigs and grass, and bound +round with, cobwebs in which pieces of lichen and small cocoons are +often intermingled. Mr. Hodgson specially notes:--"_June 6th, valley_. +Female, nest and eggs; nest on fork of upper branch of large tree, 4·5 +inches wide by 2·25 deep, cup-shaped, made of fibres of grass bound +with cobweb, lining none; three eggs, obtusely oval, the ground fawn +tinged white, blotched (especially at larger end) with fawn or reddish +brown," + +It appears that four is the maximum number of eggs laid; both sexes +participate in the work of incubation and rearing the young, but they +are very jealous of the approach of any birds when they have eggs or +young, driving all such intruders away with the utmost bravery. The +eggs measure from 0·88 to 0·95 inch by 0·65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found the Bronzed Drongo +breeding from April to June in the low hot valleys at about 2000 feet +above the sea. It suspends its nest in a slender horizontal fork at 10 +feet or more from the ground, and appears, like its frequent neighbour +_Dicrurus longicaudatus_, to prefer a bamboo-clump to breed in. The +nest is a compact cup, neatly made of fine grass-stalks, with an +outer coating of dry bamboo-leaves plastered over with cobwebs; it is +fastened to the supporting branches by cobwebs. Externally it measures +3·5 inches wide by 2 inches deep, internally 2·5 by 1·5. + +"The usual number of eggs is three." + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker, writing from Bangalore, tells us:--"I took +the nest of this bird on 6th April in the Shemagah District, Mysore. +It was built on the fork of a bare branch about 20 feet from the +ground in big tree-jungle, and was composed of fine grass, fibre, and +a few dry bamboo-leaves woven together with cobwebs, making a small +compact cup-like nest which measured 3 inches in diameter externally, +2·5 internally, and 1·4 deep. + +"From where I stood I saw the bird come and sit on the nest and fly +off again a dozen times at least. The eggs, three in number, measured +·9 by ·65, and were pinkish white with darker pink and light purple +blotches and spots all over, principally at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern Bengal, +this species is "rather common; generally to be found perching on the +dead branches of high trees overlooking water, especially whenever +there is a dense undergrowth of jungle. On the 1st June, 1878, I +secured a nest with three fresh eggs; it was built on a slender twig +on the outer side of a mango-tree which was standing near a ryot's +house, and was about 15 feet off the ground. External diameter 3½ +inches, depth 2; internal diameter 2-1/3, depth 1-1/8. Saucer-shaped; +the outside consisted of plaintain-leaves torn up into slips, all of +which were firmly bound together by fibres of the plaintain-leaf and +jute, which were wound round the twigs and secured the nest. Inside +lining was made of very fine pieces of 'sone' grass. The pair were +very pugnacious, attacking any birds coming near their nest. These +birds have a clear mellow ringing whistle." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I procured one nest on the 23rd April. +It was placed at the tip of an outer branch of a jack tree, and +attention was drawn to it by the vigorous attacks the parents made on +passing birds. The nest was suspended in a fork; the outside diameter +is 4 inches and inside 3, total depth 2½, and the egg-cup is about 1½; +deep. The nest is composed of fine grass, strips of plaintain-bark, +and other vegetable fibres closely woven together; the edges and the +interior are chiefly of delicate branchlets of the finer weeds and +grasses. It is overlaid at the edges, where it is attached to the +branches, with cobwebs, and a few fragments of moss are stuck on at +various points. + +"There were two fresh eggs; the ground-colour is a pale salmon-fawn, +and the shell is covered with darker spots and marks of the same. They +are only very slightly glossy. The two eggs measure 0·85 by 0·62." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 10th March, 1880, +being encamped at the head-waters of the Queebawchoung, a feeder of +the Meplay, and having an hour to spare, I took my gun and climbed up +a steep hill to the very sources of the Queebaw. Here, hanging over +the trickling stream, was a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ firmly woven and +tied on to a fork in the branch of a little tree, at a height of about +10 feet from the ground. The nest was of roots and grass lined by +soft fine black roots, and held three eggs, of a rich salmon-pink, +obscurely spotted darker at the large end; they measure 0·83 by 0·61, +0·82 by 0·61, and 0·80 by 0·61 respectively. + +"On the 15th March, 1880, in the fork of a branch of a small +zimbun-tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_), hanging over a pathway along the +bank of the Meplay stream, I found a nest of the above species. A neat +strongly-made little cup of vegetable fibres and cobwebs, containing +two fresh eggs; ground-colour dull salmon, obscurely spotted with +brownish pink. They measure 0·86 by 0·64 and 0·88 by 0·65." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., records the following notes:-- + +"26th March. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_, building, when on the +march from Tavoy to Nwalabo, some seven miles east of Tavoy, in the +fork of a bamboo-branch 12 feet from ground. + +"29th March. Took two fresh eggs of _Chaptia aenea_, and shot the bird +off nest, about twenty-three miles east of Tavoy, in open bamboo-land, +very low elevation. The nest was built in the fork of an overhanging +branch of a bamboo some 50 feet from the ground. + +"13th April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built in a tree some 40 feet from ground, in open forest +about twenty miles east of Tavoy. + +"22nd April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built at the end of a bough about 30 feet from ground, near +Tavoy." + +The nests of this species are quite of the Oriole type, more or less +deep cups suspended between the forks of small branches or twigs of +some bamboo-clump or tree. Exteriorly they are composed of dry flags +of grass, bits of bamboo-spathes, or coarse grass, bound together with +vegetable fibres and often with a good deal of cobweb worked over +them; sometimes a tiny bit or two of moss may be found added, and +often the fine thread-like flower-stems of grass. Interiorly they are +generally lined with excessively fine grass. In one or two nests very +fine black fern-roots are intermingled with the grass lining. The +nests vary a good deal in size, but are all extremely compact, and +while some are decidedly massive, nearly an inch thick at bottom, +others are scarcely a quarter of this in thickness beneath. In one the +cavity is 2·5 inches broad by 3 long, and fully 2 deep; in another it +is about 2·5 inches in diameter by scarcely 1·25 inches in depth. In +one nest four fresh eggs were found; in another three fully incubated +ones. The nests were suspended at heights of from 10 to 30 feet from +the ground. + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie very much recall the eggs of _Niltava_ and +others of the Flycatchers. They are moderately elongated ovals, in +some cases slightly pyriform, in others somewhat pointed towards the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, smooth and silky to the +touch, but they have but little gloss. The ground-colour varies from +a pale pinkish fawn to a pale salmon-pink, and they exhibit round +the large end a feeble more or less imperfect and irregular zone of +darker-coloured cloudy spots, in some cases reddish, in some rather +inclining to purple, which zone is more or less involved in a haze +of the same colour, but slightly darker than the rest of the +ground-colour of the egg. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·76 to 0·88, and in breadth from 0·6 to +0·64. The average of fifteen eggs is 0·82 by 0·61. + + +335. Chibia hottentotta (Linn.). _The Hair-crested Drongo_. + +Chibia hottentota (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 439; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 286. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"The Hair-crested Drongo is extremely common as +a breeder in all our hot valleys (Kumaon and Gurwhal). It lays in May +and June, building in forks of branches of small leafy trees situated +in warm valleys having an elevation of from 2000 to 2500 feet. The +nest is circular, about 5 inches in diameter, rather deep and hollow; +it is composed of fine roots and fibres bound together with cobwebs, +and it is lined with hairs and fine roots. They lay from three to +four much elongated, purplish-white eggs, spotted with pink or claret +colour." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The Lepchas at Darjeeling brought me the nest, +which was said to have been placed high up in a large tree; it was +composed of twigs and roots and a few bits of grass, and contained +two eggs, livid white, with purplish and claret spots, and of a very +elongated form." + +The Jobraj, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, begins to +lay in Nepal in April. It builds a large shallow nest, 8 or 9 inches +in diameter externally, with the cavity of about half that diameter, +attached, as a rule, to the slender branches of some horizontal fork, +between which it is suspended much like that of an Oriole, though much +shallower than this latter; it is composed of small twigs, fine roots, +and grass-stems bound together, and it is attached to the branches by +vegetable fibre, and more or less coated with cobwebs; little pieces +of lichen and moss are also blended in the nest. It lays three or four +eggs, rather pyriform in shape, measuring 1·25 by 0·86 inch, with a +whitish or pinky-whitish ground, speckled and spotted pretty well all +over, but most densely towards the large end, with reddish pink. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of the Hair-crested +Drongo this year in June, both at about an elevation of 1500 feet in +wooded valleys, placed well up in the outer branches of tall, slender +trees; they are of a broad saucer-shape, openly but firmly made of +roots and stems of slender climbers, and destitute of lining. There +is a good deal of cobweb on the outsides of the nests, and they were +attached to the supporting branches by the same material. One was +fixed in among several upright sprays, the other suspended in a +slender fork after the manner of an Oriole. They measured about 6 +inches broad by 2¼ deep externally, internally 4 by 1¾. One nest +contained four fresh eggs, the other three partially-incubated eggs." + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"In the first week of May I took +several nests of this bird, but in all cases the nests were situated +in such dangerous places that most of the eggs got broken; there were +three in each nest. The position of the nest and the nest itself are +very much like those of _D. paradiseus_. Comparing many nests of both +species together, the only difference appears to be that the nests of +the Hair-crested Drongo are slightly larger on the whole. + +"The only two eggs saved measure 1·10 by ·8 and 1·11 by ·81; they are +slightly glossy, dull white, minutely and thickly freckled and spotted +with reddish brown and pale underlying marks of neutral tint. + +"I may add that at the commencement of May all the eggs were much +incubated." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"During the breeding season in the end +of March and in April I saw a great number of nests round and about +Meeawuddy in Tenasserim, but all inaccessible, as they were invariably +built out at the very end of the thinnest branches of eng, teak, +thingan (_Hopea odorata_), and other trees. + +"Except during those two months, I have not seen the bird plentiful +anywhere." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has written the following valuable notes regarding +the breeding of the Hair-crested Drongo in the Dibrugarh district in +Assam:-- + +"17th May, 1879. Nest with three fresh eggs, attached to a fork in one +of the outer brandies of an otinga (_Dillenia pentagyna_) tree, and +about 15 feet off the ground. + +"15th May, 1880. Three fresh eggs in a nest 20 feet off the ground, +and a few yards from my bungalow, in an oorian (_Bischoffia javanica_, +Bl.). + +"5th June, 1880. Nest with three partly-incubated eggs, in one of the +outer branches of a jack (_Artocarpus integrifolia_) tree, and about +15 feet off the ground. + +"27th May, 1881. Three fresh eggs in a nest on a soom (_Machilus +odoratissima_) tree at the edge of the forest bordering the tea. The +nests are deep saucers, 3½ inches in diameter, internally 1½ deep, +with the sides about ¼ thick; but the bottom is so flimsy that the +eggs are easily seen from below, the materials being grass, roots, and +fine tendrils of creepers, especially if these are thorny, when they +are used as a lining. The nest is always situated in the fork of a +branch." + +The nests are large, shallow, King-Crow-like structures, often +suspended between forks, sometimes placed between four or five upright +shoots, at times resting on a horizontal bough against and attached to +some more or less upright shoots. They are composed mainly of roots +thinly but firmly twisted together, have sometimes a good deal of +cobweb twisted round their outer surface, often a good deal of +vegetable fibre used for the same purpose and, though they have no +lining, are always composed interiorly of finer material than that +used for the outer portion of the structure. Exteriorly the diameter +varies from 6 to nearly 7 inches, the height from nearly 2 to 2½; the +cavity is usually about 4 inches in diameter and 1·5 to 1·75 in depth. +I have taken the nests in May and June alike in small and large trees, +at elevations of from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. + +Typically the eggs are rather broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards +the small end, but they vary a great deal both in size and shape, are +occasionally very much elongated, and again, at times, exhibit the +characteristic pointing but feebly. The ground-colour varies from +greyish white to a delicate pale pink; as a rule the markings are +small and inconspicuous frecklings and specklings of pale purple +reddish where the ground, is pink, greyish where it is white, +tolerably thickly set about the large end and somewhat sparsely +elsewhere; but in some eggs these markings are everywhere almost +obsolete. In many there is a dull pale purplish cloud underlying the +primary markings, extending over the greater part of the large end of +the egg. Not uncommonly a few specks and spots of yellowish brown +are scattered here and there about the egg. In one egg before me the +markings are larger, more decided, and fewer in number--distinct +spots, some of them one tenth of an inch in diameter; and in this egg +the spots are decidedly brownish red, while intermixed with, them are +a few specks and clouds of inky purple. The ground in this case is a +pale pinky white. + +As a rule the eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, but one or two have a +very faint gloss. + +The eggs measure from 1·01 to 1·21 in length, and from 0·79 to 0·86 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-nine eggs is 1·12 by 0·81. + + +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (Vieill.). _The Ceylon Black Drongo_. + +Dissemuroides lophorhinus (V.), _Hume, cat._ no. 283 quat. + +Colonel Legge says, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds in +the south of Ceylon in the beginning of April. I have seen the young +just able to fly in the Opaté forests at the end of this month; but I +have not succeeded in getting any information concerning its nest or +eggs." + + +339. Bhringa remifer (Temm.). _The Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo_. + +Bhringa remifer (_Temm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 434. +Bhringa tenuirostris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 283. + +Of the Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Mr. R. Thompson says:--"This +elegant Drongo is somewhat common in our lower Kumaon ranges. Its +lively clear and ringing notes are one of the greatest charms of the +spring season in our forests. It breeds in May and June, and builds +upon lofty trees in dense forests, usually in some deep damp valley. +The nest from below looks just like that of a common King-Crow--a +broad shallow cup; but I never closely examined either nest or eggs." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest with eggs were brought to me in June, +said to be of this species. The nest was loosely made of sticks and +roots, and contained three eggs, reddish white, with a very few +reddish-brown blotches." + +From. Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken but one nest of this +Drongo. It was suspended between two small horizontal forking branches +of a tall tree, some 20 feet from ground. It is a neat, saucer-shaped +structure, somewhat triangular, to fit well up to the fork, built of +fibry roots, and firmly bound to the branches by spiders' webs. The +sides and bottom are strong, but so thin that they can everywhere be +seen through. Externally it measures 4.5 inches across by 1·9 in +height; internally 3·5 by 1·3. It was taken on the 15th May at 2500 +feet, and contained three partially incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie at Rishap (elevation 4800) +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, is a very broad shallow saucer, composed +almost entirely of moderately fine dark brown roots, but with a few +slender herbaceous twigs intermingled. It is suspended in the fork +of two widely diverging twigs, to which either margin is attached, +chiefly by cobwebs, though on one side at one place part of the +substance of the nest is wound round the twig: the cavity, which is +not lined, is oval, and measures 3·5 inches by 2·75, by barely 0·75 in +depth. The female seated on the nest had long tail-feathers, so this +species does not drop these for convenience in incubating. + +Several nests of this species obtained in Sikhim by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, &c. are all precisely similar--broad saucers, suspended +Oriole-like between the fork of a small branch. Exteriorly composed of +moderately fine brown roots, more or less bound together, especially +those portions of them that are bound round the twigs of the fork with +cobwebs, and lined interiorly with fine black horsehair-like roots. +They seem to be always right up in the angle of the fork, whereas in +_Chaptia_ they are often some inches down the fork, and consequently +the cavity is triangular on the one side, and semicircular on the +other. The cavities measure from 3 to nearly 4 inches in their +greatest diameters, and vary from 1 to 1½ inch in depth; though strong +and firm, and fully ¼ of an inch thick at bottom, the materials are so +put together that, held up against the light, they look like a fine +network. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie, though more elongated +in shape and somewhat larger, very closely resemble in coloration the +more ordinary type of the eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_. In shape +they are elongated ovals, a good deal compressed towards the smaller +end. The shell is fine, but has scarcely any gloss. The ground-colour +is a moderately warm salmon-pink. It is spotted, streaked, and +blotched thickly about the large end (where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish red, or +in some merely a darker shade of the ground-colour; where the markings +are thickest about the large end, in some only one or two, in others +numerous blotches and clouds of a dull inky purple are intermingled, +and a few specks and spots of the same colour often occur elsewhere +about the egg. + +Two eggs measure 1·09 by 0·75, and a third measures 0·98 by 0·75. + + +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (Linn.). _The Larger Racket-tailed +Drongo_. + +Edolius paradiseus (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 435. +Edolius inalabaricus (_Scop.), Jerd. t.c._ p. 437. +Dissemurus malabaroides (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 284. + +Of the Larger Racket-tailed Drongo Dr. Jerdon tells us that he has +"had its nest brought him several times at Darjeeling; rather a large +structure of twigs and roots; and the eggs, usually three in number, +pinkish white, with claret-coloured or purple spots, but they vary a +great deal in size, form, and colouring. They breed in April and May." + +The solitary egg that I possess of this species, given me by Dr. +Jerdon, is probably an exceptionally small one. It is a broad oval, +tapering a good deal towards one end, a good deal smaller than the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, and not very much larger than some eggs +of _D. ater_. Its coloration, however, resembles that of _Chibia +hottentotta_, and differs conspicuously, _when compared with them_ +(though it may be difficult to make this apparent by description), +from those of the true _Dicruri_. The ground-colour is a dead white, +and it is very thinly speckled all over, a little more thickly towards +the large end, with minute dots and spots, chiefly of a very pale inky +purple, a very few only of the spots being a dark inky purple. The +texture of the egg is fine and close, but it is devoid of gloss. This +egg measures 1·1 by 0·87 inch. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes from Mysore:-- + +"_Kakencotte State Forest, Mysore District_.--I send you six eggs, +specimens from three different nests. + +"This bird is very common in the heavy forests of the Mysore District, +but the only nest I have ever found myself was on the 2nd May, 1880, +and contained two or three young birds. I could not distinctly see how +many. The nest was fixed towards the end of a branch of a tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, and was almost impossible to get +at. Had there been eggs in it I could not have taken them. + +"The breeding-season I should say was from the beginning of April to +the end of May. + +"Three nests, each containing three eggs, were brought to me this +season on the 10th and 26th April, and 9th May, 1880, by Cooroobahs +(the jungle-tribes in these forests); and although the eggs in each +nest vary considerably from one another, there is no doubt in my mind +that the eggs belong to one and the same species of bird. + +"It is a bird so well known in these forests that it would be +impossible to mistake it for any other. + +"In one case only was the nest brought to me, and this, which +unfortunately I did not keep, was loosely made of twigs and roots." + +Professor H. Littledale, quoting Mr. J. Davidson, informs us that +this species breeds in the east of Godhra, and therefore probably +throughout the Panch Mehals. + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The Bhimraj is very +common, frequenting thick jungle; it often goes in company with other +birds, which it mimics to perfection. It lays about four eggs in a +shallow nest made of grass similar to the above; it is very easily +tamed. The hill-tribes use the long tail-feathers for ornamenting +their head-dresses." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I have taken the eggs of this species on +all dates, from the 30th April to the 16th June. + +"The nest is placed in forks of the outer branches of trees at all +heights from 20 to 70 feet, and in all cases they are very difficult +to take without breaking the eggs. + +"The nest is a cradle, and the whole of it lies below the fork to +which it is attached. It is made entirely of small branches of weeds +and creepers, finer as they approach the interior. The egg-cup is +generally, but not always, lined with dry grass. + +"The outside dimensions are 6 inches in diameter and 3 deep. The +interior measures 4 inches by 2. In one nest the sides are bound to +the fork by cotton thread in addition to the usual weeds and creepers. + +"The eggs have very little or no gloss, and differ among themselves a +good deal in colour. In one clutch the ground-colour is white, spotted +and blotched, not very thickly, with neutral tint and inky purple, +chiefly at the larger end. Other eggs are pinkish salmon, and the +shell is more or less thickly or thinly covered with pale greyish +purple or neutral tint, and brownish-yellow or orangebrown spots and +dashes. + +"They vary in size from 1·2 to 1·06 in length, and ·85 to ·8 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham has the following note:--"About five miles below +the large village of Meplay, in the district of that name, the main +stream of the Meplay river is joined by a tributary, the Theedoquee. +On the 4th April I was wading across the mouth of the latter, when my +attention was attracted by seeing a pair of the above birds dart from +a small tree growing at the very point of the fork where the streams +met, and sweep down at my dog, not actually striking him, but nearly +doing so. Of course, I made for the tree, and sure enough there, about +15 feet from the ground, in a fork, was a large mass of twigs, above +which was placed a neatly made cup-shaped nest, lined with fine black +roots, and containing three fresh eggs, densely spotted, chiefly at +the larger end, with yellowish brown and sepia, on a ground-colour +of dull greenish white. The whole time the peon I had sent up was +climbing up and getting the nest, the two birds kept sweeping round +and round with harsh cries. I secured them both for the identification +of the eggs." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather long ovals, generally a +good deal pointed towards the small end. They are dull eggs, and never +seem to have any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white to a rich warm pink. The markings are of all sizes and shapes, +from large blotches to the tiniest specks, and they vary in every egg, +being thickly set in some, thinly in others, but as a rule the largest +and most conspicuous markings are about the large end. Again, in +colour the markings vary very much: they are red, purplish red, +reddish brown, pale purple, and inky grey; generally the eggs +exhibit both coloured markings reddish and lilac, but sometimes the +white-grounded eggs have only these latter. Some of the pink eggs are +strikingly handsome, and remind one of those of some of the Bulbuls. +Others are dull eggs with only a few irregular grey clouds about the +large end, thinly interspersed with brownish-red spots, usually darker +about the centre, and elsewhere excessively minutely and thinly +speckled with spots too small to render it possible to say what colour +they are. + +An egg I received from Darjeeling measures 1·1 by 0·87; others +received from Mynall from Mr. Bourdillon, and the Kakencotte Forest, +Mysore, from Mr. I. Macpherson, vary in length from 1·16 to 1·1, and +in breadth from 0·84 to 0·75. Three eggs, taken in Pegu by Mr. Oates, +measure from 1·1 to 1·05 in length, by 0·83 to 0·81 in breadth, and +are smaller than those the dimensions of which he himself records +above. + + + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + + +341. Certhia himalayana, Vigors. _The Himalayan Tree-Creeper_. + +Certliia himalayana, _Vig., Jerd B. Ind._ i, p, 380; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 243. + +Writing from Murree of the Himalayan Tree-Creeper, Colonel C.H.T. +Marshall says:--"This is a most difficult nest to find, as the little +bird always chooses crevices where the bark has been broken or bulged +out, some 40 or 50 feet from the ground, and generally on tall +oak-trees which have no branches within 40 feet of their roots. There +were young in the few nests we found. Captain Cock secured the eggs in +Kashmir; they are very small, being only 0·6 by 0·45; the ground is +white, with numerous red spots. The nests we found were in the highest +part of Murree, about 7200 feet." + +Two eggs of this species which I possess measure 0·69 and 0·68 +respectively in length, by 0·5 in breadth. + + +342. Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks. _Hodgson's Tree-Creeper_. + +Certhia hodgsoni, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 243 bis. + +Hodgson's Tree-Creeper is the supposed _C. familiaris_ obtained by Dr. +Jerdon in Cashmir, of which he gave me two specimens. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It was seen at Gulmurg and also at Sonamurg, where +Captain Cock took a few nests. The egg is much more densely +spotted than that of the English Creeper, so as almost to hide the +reddish-white ground-colour. Size 0·59 to 0·65 inch long by 0·48 inch +broad; time of laying, the _first_ week in June." + +The egg is of smooth texture, without gloss, of a purplish-white +ground-colour, and fully spotted all over with light brownish red, +especially at the larger end. Numerous spots of reddish grey or pale +inky purple are intermingled with red ones. + +In shape the egg varies from a somewhat elongated oval, more or less +compressed towards the smaller end, to a comparatively broad oval, +also slightly compressed towards the latter end. In all the eggs that +I have seen, the markings were more or less confluent towards the +large end. Their dimensions are correctly recorded by Mr. Brooks. + + +347. Salpornis spilonota (Frankl.). _The Spotted-Grey Creeper_. + +Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl.), Jerd. B.I._ i, p. 382. + +Mr. Cleveland found a nest of this species at Hattin, in the Gurgaon +district, on the 16th April. The nest was placed on a large ber-tree +in a patch of preserved jungle, at a height of about 10 feet from the +ground. It was cup-shaped, placed on the upper surface of a horizontal +bough at the angle formed between this and a vertical shoot, to which +it was attached on one side, the other three sides being free. The +nest itself is unlike any other that I have seen. It is composed +entirely of bits of leaf-stalks, tiny bits of leaves, chips of bark, +the dung of caterpillars, all cemented together everywhere with +cobwebs, so that the whole nest is a firm but yet soft and elastic +mass. The nest is cup-shaped, but oval and not circular; its exterior +diameters are 4 and 3 inches respectively; its greatest height 2 +inches; the cavity measures 2·6 by 2·2, and 1·1 in depth. + +The texture of the nest, as I have already said, is extremely +peculiar; it is extremely strong, and though pulled off the bough on +which it rested and the off-shoot to which it was attached, is as +perfect apparently as the day it was found, bearing on the lower +surface an exact cast of the inequalities of the bark on which it +rested; but it is soft, yielding, and flabby in the hand, almost as +much so as if it was jelly. The nest contained two almost full-grown +nestlings and one addled egg. + +This egg is a very regular oval, slightly broader at one end, the +shell fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour is pale greenish +white; round the large end there is an irregular imperfect zone of +blackish-brown specks and tiny spots, and round about these is more or +less of a brown nimbus, and over the rest of the egg a very few +specks and spots of blackish, dusky, and pale brown are scattered. It +measures 0·68 by 0·53. + +Another nest was found about 15 feet up a tree. It was partly seated +on and partly wedged in between the fork of two thick oblique +branches, to the rough bark of which the bottom only was firmly +cemented with cobwebs, the sides, as in the case of the first nest, +being quite free and detached from its surroundings. As regards +dimensions and composition, the latter nest was an exact counterpart +of that first taken. It contained two partially fledged nestlings. + + +352. Anorthura neglecta (Brooks). _The Cashmir Wren_. + +Troglodytes neglecta, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 333 bis. +Troglodytes nipalensis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 333. + +The Cashmir Wren breeds in Cashmir in May and June at elevations of +from 6000 to nearly 10,000 feet. I have never seen the nest, though +I possess eggs taken by Captain Cock and Mr. Brooks in Cashmir. +The latter says:--"Only two nests of this bird were found (both at +Gulmurg), one having four eggs and the other three. In the latter +case the full number was not laid, as the nest, when first found, was +empty; on three successive mornings an egg was laid and then they were +taken. + +"In shape they vary as much as do those of the English Wren, and like +them they are white, sometimes minutely freckled with pale red and +purple-grey specks, which are principally confined to the large end, +with a tendency to form a zone. Other eggs are plain white, without +the slightest sign of a spot; but these, I think, must be the +exception, for the egg of the English Wren is usually spotted. The egg +has very little gloss, and the ground-colour is pure white." + +The eggs are very large for the size of the bird. There appear to +be two types. The one somewhat elongated ovals, slightly compressed +towards the lesser end; the others broad short ovals, decidedly +pointed at one end. Some eggs are perfectly pure unspotted white; +others have a dull white ground, with a faint zone of minute specks of +brownish red and tiny spots of greyish purple towards the large end, +and a very few markings of a similar character scattered about the +rest of the surface. All the eggs of the latter type vary in the +amount and size of markings; these latter are always sparse and very +minute. The pure white eggs appear to be less common. The eggs have +always a slight gloss, the pure white ones at times a very decided, +though never at all a brilliant gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·61 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 to +0·52 inch. + +Mr. Brooks subsequently wrote:--"The Cashmir Wren is not uncommon in +the pine-woods of Cashmir, and in habits and manners resembles its +European congener. Its song is very similar and quite as pretty. It is +a shy, active little bird, and very difficult to shoot. I found two +nests. One was placed in the roots of a large upturned pine, and +was globular with entrance at the side. It was profusely lined with +feathers and composed of moss and fibres. The eggs were white, +sparingly and minutely spotted with red, rather oval in shape; +measuring 0·66 by 0·5. A second nest was placed in the thick foliage +of a moss-grown fir-tree, and was about 7 feet above the ground. It +was similarly composed to the other nest, but the eggs were rounder +and plain white, without any spots." + + +355. Urocichla caudata (Blyth). _The Tailed Wren_. + +Pnoepyga caudata (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 490; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 331. + +The Tailed Wren, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, lays in April and +May, building a deep cup-shaped nest about the roots of trees or in +a hole of fallen timber; the nest is a dense mass of moss and +moss-roots, lined with the latter. One measured was 3·5 inches in +diameter and 3 in height; internally, the cavity was 1·6 inch, in +diameter and about 1 inch deep. They lay four or five spotless whitish +eggs, which are figured as broad ovals, rather pointed towards one +end, and measuring 0·75 by 0·54 inch. + + +356. Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.). _The Scaly-breasted Wren_. + +Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 488. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I found two nests of the +Scaly-breasted Wren this year within a few yards of each other. They +were in a small moist ravine in the Rishap forest, at 5000 feet above +sea-level. One was deserted before being quite finished, and the other +was taken a few days after three eggs had been laid. The two nests +were alike, and both were built among the moss growing on the trunks +of large trees, within a yard of the ground. The only carried material +was very fine roots, which were firmly interwoven, and the ends worked +in with the natural moss. These fine roots were worked into the shape +of a half-egg, cut lengthways, and placed with its open side against +the trunk, which thus formed one side of the nest. Near the top one +side was not quite close to the trunk, and by this irregular opening +the bird entered. Internally the nest measured 3 inches deep by 2 in +width. I killed the female off the eggs; she had eaten a caterpillar, +spiders, and other insects." + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Pattabong, elevation 5000 +feet, near Darjeeling, on the 19th May, containing three fresh eggs. +The nest was placed amongst some small bushes projecting out of a +crevice of a rock about three feet from the ground. It was completely +sheltered above, but was not hooded or domed; it was, for the size of +the bird, a rather large cup, composed of green moss rather closely +felted together and lined with fine blackish-brown roots. The cavity +measured about 2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth. + +The eggs of this species seem large for the size of the bird; they are +rather broad at the large end, considerably pointed towards the small +end. They are pure white, almost entirely devoid of gloss, and with +very delicate and fragile shells. + +The eggs varied from in 0·72 to 0·78 in length, and from 0·54 to 0·57 +in breadth. + + + + +Family REGULIDAE. + + +358. Regulus cristatus, Koch. _The Golderest_. + +Regulus himalayensis, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 206; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 580. + +All I know of the nidification of this species is that Sir E.C. Buck, +C.S., found a nest at Rogee, in the Sutlej Valley, on the 8th June, +on the end of a deodar branch 8 feet from the ground and partly +suspended. It contained seven young birds fully fledged; no crest or +signs of a crest were observable in the young. Both the parent birds +and the nest were kindly sent to me. + +The nest is a deep pouch suspended from several twigs, with the +entrance at the top, and composed entirely of fine lichens woven or +intervened into a thick, soft, flexible tissue of from three eighths +to half an inch in thickness. Externally the nest was about 3½ to 4 +inches in depth, and about 3 inches in diameter. + + + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (H. & E.). _The Indian Great +Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus brunnescens (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 154. +Calamodyta stentorea (_H. & E.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 515. + +Both Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock succeeded in securing the nests and +eggs of the Indian Great Reed-Warbler in Cashmere. Common as it is, +my own collectors failed to get eggs, though they brought plenty of +nests. + +The nest is a very deep massive cup hung to the sides of reeds. A nest +before me, taken in Cashmere on the 10th June, is an inverted and +slightly truncated cone. Externally it has a diameter of 3¼ inches +and a depth of nearly 6 inches. It is massive, but by no means neat; +composed of coarse water-grass, mingled with a few dead leaves and +fibrous roots of water-plants. The egg-cavity is lined with finer and +more compactly woven grass, and measures about 1¾ inch in diameter and +2¼ inches in depth. + +It breeds in May and June; at the beginning of July all the nests +either contained young or were empty. Four is the full complement of +eggs. + +Mr. Brooks noted _in epist._:--"_Srinuggur, 10th June_. I went out +early this morning on the lake here to look for eggs of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_, but it came on to rain so heavily that I only partially +succeeded. I took three nests, two with three eggs each, and one with +four young ones, the latter half-hatched. The eggs very much resemble +large and boldly-marked Sparrows' eggs. They are smaller than the eggs +of _A. arundinaceus_, but very similar. The latter have larger clear +spaces without spots than those of our bird. I neither saw nor heard +any other aquatic warbler." + +Later, in a paper on the eggs and nests he had obtained in Cashmere, +he stated that this species "breeds abundantly in the Cashmere lakes. +The nest is supported, about 18 inches above the water, by three or +four reeds, and is a deep cup composed of grasses and fibres. The eggs +are four, very like those of _A. arundinaceus_, but the markings are +more plentiful and smaller." + +Captain Cock writes to me that "the Large Reed-Warbler is very common +in the reeds that fringe all the lakes in Cashmere. It breeds in June, +builds a largish nest of dry sedge, woven round five or six reeds, of +a deep cup form, which it places about 2 feet above the water. It lays +four or five eggs, rather blunt ovals, equally blunt at both ends, +blotched with olive and dusky grey on a dirty-white ground." + +Mr. S.B. Doig, who found this bird breeding in the Eastern Narra in +Sind, writes:--"On the 4th August, while my man was poling along in +a canoe in a large swamp on the lookout for eggs, he passed a small +bunch of reeds and in them spotted a nest with a bird on it. The nest +contained three beautiful fresh eggs. A few days later I joined him, +and on asking about these eggs he described the bird and said he +had found several other nests of the same species, but all of them +contained young ones nearly fledged. I made him show me some of these +nests, all of which were situated in clumps of reed, in the middle of +the swamp, and in these same reeds I found and shot the young ones +which, though fledged, were not able to fly. These I sent with one of +the eggs to Mr. Hume, who has identified them as belonging to this +species. The nests were composed of frayed pieces of reed-grass and +fine sedge, the latter being principally towards the inside, thus +forming a kind of lining. The nests were loosely put together, were +about 3 inches inner diameter, 1¼ inch deep, the outer diameter being +6 inches. They were situated about a foot over water-line in the tops +of reeds growing in the water." + +Colonel Legge says:--"This species breeds in Ceylon during June +and July. Its nest was procured by me in the former month at the +Tamara-Kulam, and was a very interesting structure, built into the +fork of one of the tall seed-stalks of the rush growing there; the +walls rested exteriorly against three of the branches of the fork, but +were worked round some of the stems of the flower itself which sprung +from the base of the fork. It was composed of various fine grasses, +with a few rush-blades among them, and was lined with the fine stalks +of the flower divested, by the bird I conclude, of the seed-matter +growing on them. In form it was a tolerably deep cup, well shaped, +measuring 2½ inches in internal diameter by 2 in depth. The single egg +which it contained at the time of my finding it was a broad oval in +shape, pale green, boldly blotched with blackish over spots of olive +and olivaceous brown, mingled with linear markings of the same, under +which there were small clouds and blotches of bluish grey. The black +markings were longitudinal and thickest at the obtuse end. It measured +0·89 by 0·67 inch." + +The eggs of this species, as might have been expected, greatly +resemble those of _A. arundinaceus_. In shape they are moderately +elongated ovals, in some cases almost absolutely perfect, but +generally slightly compressed towards one end. The shell, though fine, +is entirely devoid of gloss. + +The ground-colour varies much, but the two commonest types are pale +green or greenish white and a pale somewhat creamy stone-colour. +Occasionally the ground-colour has a bluish tinge. + +The markings vary even more than the ground-colour. In one type the +ground is everywhere minutely, but not densely, stippled with minute +specks, too minute for one to be able to say of what colour; over this +are pretty thickly scattered fairly bold and well-marked spots and +blotches of greyish black, inky purple, olive-brown, yellowish olive, +and reddish-umber brown; here and there pale inky clouds underlay the +more distinct markings. In other eggs the stippling is altogether +wanting, and the markings are smaller and less well-defined. In some +eggs one or more of the colours predominate greatly, and in some +several are almost entirely wanting. In most eggs the markings are +densest towards the large end, where they sometimes form more or less +of a mottled, irregular, ill-defined cap. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·97, and in breadth from 0·58 to +0·63; but the average of the only nine eggs that I measured was 0·89, +nearly, by rather more than 0·61. + + +366. Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth. _Blyth's Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus dumetorum, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 155. +Calamodyta dumetorum (_Bl.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 516. + +Blyth's Reed-Warbler breeds, I believe, for the most part along the +course of the streams of the lower Himalayan and sub-Himalayan ranges, +and in suitable localities on and about these ranges; such at least is +my present idea. They are with us in the plains up to quite the end of +March, and are back again by the last day of August, and during May at +any rate they may be heard and seen everywhere in the valleys south of +the first snowy range. + +Mr. Brooks remarks that "this species was excessively common on the +Hindoostan side of the Pir-pinjal Range, but I have never seen it in +Cashmere. I think it breeds in the low valleys by the river-sides, +for it was in very vigorous song there at the end of May." This is my +experience also, and probably while many may go north to Central Asia +to breed, a good many remain in the localities indicated. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species arrives in the hills up to 7000 +feet at least, in April, when it is very common, and appears in pairs +with something of the manner of a _Phylloscopus_. The note is a sharp +_tchick, tchick_, resembling the sound emitted by a flint and steel. + +"It disappears by the end of May, in which month they breed; but, +owing to the high winds and strong weather experienced in that month +in 1848, many nests were left incomplete, and the birds must have +departed without breeding. + +"One nest, which I took on the 6th May, was a round ball with a +lateral entrance; it was placed in a thick barberry-bush growing at +the side of a deep and sheltered ditch; it was composed of coarse +dry grasses externally and lined with finer grass. Eggs three and +pearl-white, with minute scattered specks of rufous, chiefly at the +larger end. Diameter 0·62 by 0·5." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote the following note:--"On the fifth +day after leaving Naini Tal--ever mindful of my friend Mr. Brooks's +parting advice to me (in reference to the part of the country which +required to be investigated), 'avoid the lower hills as the plague'--I +reached Takula, which is the first march beyond Almora on the road to +the Pindari glacier, late on the evening of the 10th of May. It rained +heavily all that night, so that I was obliged to halt the next day, +my tents being far too wet to be struck, and the distance to the next +halting-place necessitating a start the first thing in the morning. + +"Takula is at an elevation between 5000 and 6000 feet; it is +beautifully wooded, with a small mountain-stream flowing right +under the camping-ground, and the climate is delightful. All things +considered, I was not sorry at having an opportunity of exploring such +productive-looking ground; and before it was fairly daylight the next +morning operations were commenced in right earnest. To each of my +collectors I apportioned off a well-wooded mountain-slope, reserving +for my own hunting-ground (as I had not yet got my _hill-legs_) the +water-courses and ravines in the immediate vicinity of my camp. + +"Not more than 20 yards from where my tent stood, there is a deep +ravine clothed on both banks with a dense jungle of the larger kind of +nettle (_Girardinia heterophylla_: such nettles too!), the hilldock +(_Rumea nepalensis_), and wild-rose trees. Wending my way through this +dark, damp, and muggy nullah to the best of my ability, I came upon +the nest of this interesting little bird; it was placed in the centre +of a rose-bush, at an elevation of some two feet above the bank and +about four feet from where I stood, but yet in a most tantalizing +situation, inasmuch as it was necessary to remove several thorny +branches before an examination of the nest was possible. + +"The act of cutting away the branches alarmed my sombre little +friend (I knew that the nest was tenanted, as the bill and head were +distinctly visible through the lateral entrance), and out she darted +with such a '_whir_' that anything like satisfactory identification +for a bird of this sort was utterly hopeless. The nest contained four +beautiful little eggs, so that to bag the parent bird was a matter of +the first importance; all my attempts, however, first to capture +her on the nest and next to shoot her as she flew off, were equally +futile, her movements being as rapid and erratic as forked lightning. +And here let me give a word of advice to my brother ornithologists: +Never attempt to shoot a _wary little bird in the act of leaving its +nest_, as you only run the risk, and mortification I may add, of +wounding perhaps an unknown bird, in which case she will never again +return to her nest; but _lie in ambush_ for her with, outlying scants, +_and make certain of her as she is returning to her nest_. She will +first alight on a neighbouring tree, then on one closer, coming nearer +and nearer each time; finally, she will perch on the very tree or bush +in which the nest is built, and while taking a look round to see that +all is well before making a final ascent, you have yourself to blame +if you fail to bag her. All this sounds very cruel; but if a bird must +be shot for scientific purposes, it is surely preferable to kill it +outright than to let it die a lingering death. Thus it was that I +eventually succeeded, even at the expense of being devoured alive by +midges and mosquitoes; but then had I not the satisfaction of +knowing that to become the happy possessor of _authentic_ eggs of +_Acrocephalus dumetorum_ was in itself sufficient to repay me for my +hill excursion! + +"I cannot, however, pretend to lay claim to originality in the +discovery of the breeding-habits of this bird, for Hutton's +description of the nest and eggs taken by him so fully accords with my +own experience, that it is but fair to conclude he was correct in his +identification. I would add, however, with reference to his remarks, +that the nest above alluded to was _more elliptical_ than _spherical_, +being about the size and shape of an Ostrich's egg, that it was +constructed throughout of the _largest_ and _coarsest_ blades +of various kinds of dry grass, the egg-cavity being lined with +grass-bents of a finer quality, and that it was domed over, having a +lateral entrance about the middle of the nest. The whole structure +was so loosely put together as to fall to pieces immediately it was +removed. + +"The eggs, four in number, are pure while, beautifully glossed, and +well covered with rufous or reddish-brown specks, most numerous at the +obtuse end. Owing to its similarity to a number of eggs, particularly +to those of the Titmouse group, it is just one of those that I would +never feel comfortable in accepting on trust. + +"It was a remarkable coincidence that the very day I took this nest +my post brought me part iv. of the P.Z.S. for 1874, containing Mr. +Dresser's interesting paper on the nidification of the _Hypolais_ +and _Acrocephalus_ groups; and if I understand him rightly, he is +certainly correct in his surmise as to the eggs of _Acrocephalus +dumetorum_ approaching those of the _Hypolais_ group. + +"My good luck, as regards Blyth's Reed-Warbler, did not end here, for +on the following day, at Bagesur, at an elevation of only 3000 feet, +I again encountered a pair of these birds, finding their nest on the +banks of the Surjoo. The position, shape, and architecture of this +nest were identical with the one I have above described, but the eggs +unfortunately had not been laid. The little birds, on this occasion, +were quite fearless, hopping from stem to stem of the dense +undergrowth which throughout the Bagesur valley fringes both banks of +the river, every now and again making a temporary halt for the purpose +of picking insects off the leaves, with an occasional '_tchick_,' +which Hutton resembles to the 'sound emitted by a flint and +steel,' but all the time enticing me away from the site of their +dwelling-place. In this way they led me a wild-goose chase several +times up and down the river-bank before I was able to discover the +whereabouts of their nest." + +Captain Hutton sent me three eggs of this species. The eggs are +otherwise unknown to me, and I describe them only on Captain Hutton's +authority. The eggs are rather broad ovals, very smooth and compact in +texture, but with little or no gloss. They are pure white, very thinly +speckled with reddish and yellowish brown, the markings being most +numerous towards the large end, and even there somewhat sparse and +very minute. They measure respectively 0·65 by 0·52, 0·65 by 0·51, and +0·62 by 0·51. + + +367. Acrocephalus agricola (Jerd.). _The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus agricolus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 156. +Calamodyta agricola (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 517. + +The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler nests apparently occasionally in May and +Jane in the valleys of the Himalayas, the great majority probably +going further north-west to breed. + +Very little is known about the matter. I have shot the birds in the +interior of the hills in May, but I have never seen a nest. + +Mr. Brooks, however, says:--"Near Shupyion (Cashmere) I found a +finished empty nest of this truly aquatic warbler in a rose-bush which +was intergrown with rank nettles. This was in the roadside where there +was a shallow stream of beautifully clear water. On either side of the +road were vast tracts of paddy swamp, in which the natives were busily +engaged planting the young rice-plants. The nest strongly resembled +that of _Curruca garrula_. The male with his throat puffed out +was singing on the bush a loud vigorous pretty song like a Lesser +Whitethroat's, but more varied. I shot the strange songster, on +which the female flew from the nest. This was the only pair of these +interesting birds that I met with. I think, therefore, that their +breeding in Cashmere is not a common occurrence." + +This nest, now in my collection, was found on the 13th June, at an +elevation of about 5500 feet, in the Valley of Cashmere. It is a deep, +almost purse-like cup, very loosely and carelessly put together, of +moderately fine grass, in amongst which a quantity of wool has been +intermingled. + + +371. Tribura thoracica (Blyth). _The Spotted Bush-Warbler_. + +Dumeticola affinis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 158. +Dumeticola brunneipectus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 519 bis. + +Mr. Hodgson gives a very careful figure of a female bird of this +species, together with its nest and egg, but he labels it underneath +_affinis_. As we know, he described _affinis_ as having spots on the +breast; but he further notes that at the same place at which he obtained +the female, nest, and eggs, he also got a male bird with spots on the +breast; in fact, in other words, he seems to have come to the conclusion +that _Dumeticola affinis_ was the male and that _Dumeticola +brunneipectus_, which he did not separately name, though he has +beautifully figured it, was the female. I have specimens of both, but +the sexes were not ascertained; still I doubt whether the two birds can +possibly be merely different sexes of the same species. Anyhow, the +female bird which he figures (No. 826) is really _brunneipectus_, and +under that name I notice the nest and eggs on which the female figured +was captured. Mr. Hodgson notes:--"_Gosainthan_. In the snows; female +and nest. + +"_August 2nd_.--Nest in a bunch of reeds placed slantingly: ovate +in shape; aperture at one side; placed about half a foot above +the ground, made of grasses and moss, 4 or 5 inches in diameter +exteriorly, interiorly between 2 and 3 inches." The eggs are figured +as moderately broad ovals, measuring 0·65 by 0·48, of a uniform deep +cinnabar-red, reminding one of the eggs of _Prinia socialis_, but much +deeper in colour[A]. + +[Footnote A: There can be no doubt, I think, that _T. affinis_ and _T. +brunneipectus_ are the same species as _T. thoracica_. I reproduce Mr. +Hodgson's note on the nesting of this species together with Mr. Hume's +remarks, but I feel sure that the nest described by Mr. Hodgson and +the egg figured by him cannot belong to the present species.--ED.] + +Mr. Mandelli sends me three nests of this species, all found near +Yendong, in Native Sikhim, at an elevation of about 9000 feet, on the +15th, 17th, and 21st July. The nests contained two, two, and three +fresh eggs respectively, and were placed, two of them in small +brushwood, and one in a clump of rush or grass, from 9 to 18 inches +above the ground. They seem to have all been rather massive little +cups, composed exteriorly of broad grass-blades rather clumsily wound +together, and lined with rather finer, but by no means fine grass. +In two of them some dead leaves have been incorporated in the basal +portion. + +They are rather dirty, shabby-looking nests, obviously made of dead +materials, old withered and partially-decayed grass, and not with +fresh grass; they seem to have measured 3 inches in diameter, and 2·5 +in height externally; the cavity was perhaps 1·5 to 1·75 in diameter, +and 1 inch more or less in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"Nest among scrub in small bush, 2 +feet from ground, at 5000 feet above the sea. Found on the 3rd June, +when it contained two eggs; taken on the 5th, with four eggs. I +dissected the bird killed off the nest, and found it to be a female; +in her stomach were the remains of a few insects. The nest is +cup-shaped, loosely made of dry leaves and grass, lined with, for the +size of the bird, coarse grass-stalks. Externally it measures 3·5 +inches in breadth by 2·5 deep; internally 2 broad by 1·5 deep." + +This nest taken by Mr. Gammie near Rungbee on the 5th June, 1875, at +an elevation of about 5000 feet, contained four eggs. It was a massive +little cup about 3 inches in diameter externally, and with an internal +cavity about 2 inches in diameter and 1¾ inch deep; was rather loosely +put together, externally composed of dead leaves and broad flags of +grass, internally lined with grass-stems. + +The eggs of this species are very regular broad ovals, the shells fine +but glossless, the ground-colour a dead white, thickly speckled and +spotted about the large end, thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish +and again purplish red. The markings are all very fine and small, but +where they are closely set at the large end there a few little pale +purplish-grey specks and spots are intermingled. + +The eggs measure 0·68 by 0·55. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Mandelli in the neighbourhood +of Darjeeling in July are so similar to those obtained by Mr. Gammie, +and of which he sent me the parent bird, that no second description is +necessary. They are a shade smaller, but the difference is not more +than is always observable in even the same species. They measure 0·67 +in length, and 0·53 to 0·55 in breadth. + + +372. Tribura luteiventris, Hodgs. _The Brown Bush-Warbler_. + +Tribura luteiventris, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 161; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 522. + +A bird unquestionably belonging to this species[A], the Brown +Bush-Warbler, was sent me along with a single egg from Native Sikhim. +The bird was said to have been killed off the nest (which was not +preserved), which was found, at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, +in low brushwood about 3 feet from the ground. + +[Footnote A: I do not place much confidence in the authenticity of the +egg of this bird sent to Mr. Hume. Being a Warbler with twelve +tail-feathers, it is unlikely to lay a red egg, and besides this the +eggs of the allied species, _T. thoracica_, as found by trustworthy +observers like Messrs. Gammie and Mandelli, are known to be white +speckled with red, in spite of Mr. Hodgson's figure representing them to +be deep cinnabar-red.--ED.] + +The egg is a very regular, rather broad oval, has only a faint gloss, +and is of a very rich deep maroon-red, slightly darker at the large +end. + +The egg measures 0·62 by 0·49. + + +374. Orthotomus sutorius (Forst.). _The Indian Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus longicauda (_Gm_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 165; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 530. + +The Indian Tailor-bird[A] breeds throughout India and Burma, alike in +the plains and in the hills (_e.g._, the Himalayas and Nilgiris), up +to an elevation of from 3000 to 4000 feet. + +[Footnote A: The notes on this bird's breeding are so very numerous +that I am compelled to omit several of them.--ED.] + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, both months included; +but in the plains more nests are to be found in July, and in the hills +more, I think, in June, than during the other months. + +The nest has been often described and figured, and, as is well known, +is a deep soft cup enclosed in leaves, which the bird sews together to +form a receptacle for it. + +It is placed at all elevations, and I have as often found it high upon +a mango-tree as low down amongst the leaves of the edible egg-plant +(_Solanum esculentum_). + +The nests vary much, in appearance, according to the number and +description of leaves which the bird employs and the manner in which +it employs them; but the nest itself is usually chiefly composed of +fine cotton-wool, with a few horsehairs and, at times, a few very fine +grass-stems as a lining, apparently to keep the wool in its place and +enable the cavity to retain permanently its shape. + +I have found the nests with three leaves fastened, at equal distances +from each other, into the sides of the nest, and not joined to each +other at all. + +I have found them between two leaves, the one forming a high back and +turned up at the end to support the bottom of the nest, the other +hiding the nest in front and hanging down well below it, the tip only +of the first leaf being sewn to the middle of the second. I have found +them with four leaves sewn together to form a canopy and sides, from +which the bottom of the nest depended bare; and I have found them +between two long leaves, whose sides from the very tips to near the +peduncles were closely and neatly sewn together. For sewing they +generally use cobweb; but silk from cocoons, thread, wool, and +vegetable fibres are also used. + +The eggs vary from three to four in number; but I find that out of +twenty-seven nests containing more or less incubated eggs, of which +I have notes, exactly two thirds contained only three, and one third +four eggs. + +About the colour of the eggs there has been some dispute, but this is +owing to the birds laying two distinct types of eggs, which will be +described below. Hutton's and Jerdon's descriptions of the eggs, +_white_ spotted with rufous or reddish brown, are quite correct, but +so are those of other writers, who call them _bluish green_, similarly +marked. Tickell, who gives them as "pale greenish blue, with irregular +patches, especially towards the larger end, resembling dried stains +of blood, and irregular and _broken lines scratched round_, forming +a zone near the larger end," had of course got hold of the eggs of a +_Franklinia_. I have taken hundreds of both types, and I note that, as +in the case of _Dicrurus ater_, eggs of the two types are never found +in the same nest. All the eggs in each nest always belong to one or +the other type. + +The parent birds that lay these very different looking eggs certainly +do not differ; that I have positively satisfied _myself_. + +I quote an exact description of a nest which I took at Bareilly, and +which was recorded on the spot:-- + +"Three of the long ovato-lanceolate leaves of the mango, whose +peduncles sprang from the same point, had been neatly drawn together +with gossamer threads run through the sides of the leaves and knotted +outside, so as to form a cavity like the end of a netted purse, with a +wide slit on the side nearest the trunk beginning near the bottom and +widening upwards. Inside this, the real nest, nearly 3 inches deep and +about 2 inches in diameter, was neatly constructed of wool and fine +vegetable fibres, the bottom being thinly lined with horsehair. In +this lay three tiny delicate bluish-white eggs, with a few pale +reddish-brown blotches at the large ends, and just a very few spots +and specks of the same colour elsewhere." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The Tailor-bird makes its nest with cotton, wool, +and various other soft materials, sometimes also lined with hair, and +draws together one leaf or more, generally two leaves, on each side +of the nest, and stitches them together with cotton, either woven +by itself, or cotton-thread picked up, and after passing the thread +through the leaf, it makes a knot at the end to fix it. I have seen +a Tailor-bird at Saugor watch till the native tailor had left the +verandah where he had been working, fly in, seize some pieces of the +thread that were lying about, and go off in triumph with them; this +was repeated in my presence several days running. I have known +many different trees selected to build in; in gardens very often a +guava-tree. The nest is generally built at from 2 to 4 feet above the +ground. The eggs are two, three, or four in number, and in every case +which I have seen were white spotted with reddish brown chiefly at +the large end.... Layard describes one nest made of cocoanut-fibre +entirely, with a dozen leaves of oleander drawn and stitched together. +I cannot call to recollection ever having seen a nest made with more +than two leaves.... Pennant gives the earliest, though somewhat +erroneous, account of the nest. He says: 'The bird picks up a dead +leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of a living one.'" + +I have often seen nests made between many leaves, and I have seen +plenty with a dead leaf stitched to a yet living one; but in these +points my experience entirely coincides with that of the late Mr. A. +Anderson, whose note I proceed to quote:-- + +"The dry leaves that are sometimes met with attached to the nest of +this species, and which gave rise to the erroneous idea that the bird +picks up a dead leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of +a living one, are easily accounted for. + +"I took a nest of the Tailor-bird a short time ago" (11th July, +1871) from a brinjal plant (_Solanum esculentum_), which had all +the appearance of having had dry leaves attached to it. The nest +originally consisted of _three_ leaves, but two of them had been +pierced (in the act of passing the thread through them) to excess, and +had in consequence not only decayed, _but actually separated from the +stem of the plant_. These decayed leaves were hanging from the side of +the nest by a mere thread, and could have been removed with perfect +safety. Perhaps instinct teaches the birds to injure certain leaves in +order that they may decay? + +"Jerdon says that he does not remember ever having seen a nest made +with more than two leaves. I have found the nest of this species +vary considerably in appearance, size, and in the number of leaves +employed, and, I would also add, in the site selected, as well as in +the markings of the eggs, which latter never exceed four in number. + +"The nest already described was built hardly _2 feet off the ground_, +was rather clumsy (if I might use such an expression), and was +composed of _three_ leaves. The eggs were white, covered with +brownish-pink blotches almost coalescing at the large end. Another +nest, taken in my presence (July, again, which is the general time) +from the _very top of a high tree_, was enclosed inside of _one_ leaf, +the sides being neatly sewn together, and the cavity at the bottom +lined with wool, down, and horsehair. These eggs (four) are covered, +chiefly at the larger ends, with minute red spots. + +"A third nest seen by me was composed of _seven_ or _eight leaves_". + +Captain Hutton tells us that he has seen many nests. All were +"composed of cotton, wool, vegetable fibre, and horsehair, formed in +the shape of a deep cup or purse, enclosed between two long leaves, +the edges of which were sewed to the sides of the nest, in a manner to +support it, by threads spun by the bird." + +He adds that the birds, though common at their bases, do not ascend +the hills; but this is a mistake, for I have repeatedly taken nests +at elevations of over 3000 feet; and Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, +says:--"We often find nests of this species near my house at Mongphoo +(which is at an elevation of about 3500 feet). I took one there on the +16th May, which contained four hard-set eggs. It was in a calicarpa +tree and between two of its long ovate leaves, the terminal halves of +which were sewn together by the edges, so as to form a purse in which +the real nest was placed. Yellow silk of some wild silkworm was the +sewing material used." + +Again, writing from the Nilgiris, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The +Tailor-bird is seldom met with on the highest ranges, but appears to +prefer the warmer climates enjoyed at the elevation of about 3500 or +4000 feet. They often build in the coffee-trees; a nest now before me +was built on a coffee-tree, two of the leaves of which were bent down +and sewn together. The threads are of cobweb, and the cavity is lined +with the down of seed-pods and fine grass. At the back of the nest the +leaves are made to meet, but are a little apart in front, so as to +form an opening for the birds to hop in and out. The depth of the nest +inside is 2½ inches. It was found in the month of June, and contained +four eggs, which were white spotted with light red." + +Of its breeding in Nepal, Dr. Scully tells us:--"It breeds freely in +the valley at an elevation of 4500 feet. I took many of its nests in +the Residency grounds, Rani Jangal, &c., in May, June, and July." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Tailor-bird breeds in April, +May, and June, both at Allahabad and at Delhi. The nest formed of one, +two, and occasionally three, leaves neatly sewn so as to form a cone, +and lined with the down of the madar, is well known." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"The Tailor-bird breeds, I fancy, at least twice in the year, as I +have seen young birds early in the hot weather both at Mount Aboo +and in Deesa, and I have also taken nests in the rains. The nest is +usually constructed with much skill and ingenuity. One nest which I +took on the 3rd September at Mount Aboo consisted of three leaves +cleverly sewn together with raw cotton, leaving a moderate-sized +entrance on one side near the top, the inside being lined exclusively +with horsehair and fine dry fibres. + +"I captured the hen bird with a horsehair noose fixed to the end of a +long thin rod as she left the nest. Another nest which I took in Deesa +on the 3rd September, 1876, was composed almost entirely of raw cotton +with a scanty lining of horsehairs and dry grass-stems. It was fixed +to the outside twigs of a lime-tree, two of the leaves of which were +sewn to it; two dead leaves were also attached to the nest, one being +sewn on each side as a support to the cotton. It was cup-shaped and +open at the top, much like a Chaffinch's nest." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This is a common bird in Burma in the plains, and +possibly also on the hills, though I did not observe it on the latter. +I found the nest of this species containing young birds in the +Thayetmyo cantonment on the 12th August. In the Pegu plains it appears +to nest from the middle of May to the end of August." + +The eggs are typically long ovals, often tapering much towards the +small end. The shells are very thin, delicate, and semi-transparent, +and have but little gloss. + +The ground-colour is either reddish white or pale bluish green. Of the +two types, the reddish white is the more common in the proportion +of two to one. The markings consist of bold blotchings or sometimes +ill-defined clouds (in this respect recalling the eggs of _Prinia +inornata_,) chiefly confined to the large end; and specks, spots, and +splashes, extending more or less over the whole surface, typically of +a bright brownish red, varying, however, in different examples both +in shade and intensity. The markings have a strong tendency to form a +bold, irregular zone or cap at the large end, and in some specimens +the markings are entirely confined to this portion of the egg's +surface. + +The eggs, which have a reddish-white ground, though smaller and of +a much more elongated shape, closely resemble those of _Suya +fuliginosa_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·7, and in breadth from 0·45 to +0·5; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0·64 by 0·46. + + +375. Orthotomus atrigularis, Temm. _The Black-necked Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus atrigularis, _Temm., Hume, cat._ no. 530 bis. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a nest which he assures me belongs to this +species, and the bird he sent me for identification certainly did so +belong. The nest was found near the great Ranjit River on the 18th +July, and then contained three fresh eggs. The nest, which is a +regular Tailor-bird's, composed entirely of the finest imaginable +panicle-stems of flowering grass, is a deep cup placed in between two +living leaves, which have been sewn together at the tips and along the +margins from the tip for about half their length, so as to provide a +perfect pocket in which the nest rests. The leaves of which the pocket +is composed were the terminal ones of the twigs of a sapling, and only +about 3 feet from the ground. The leaves are large oval ones, each +about 7 inches in length; they have been sewn together with wild +silk carefully knotted, exactly as is the practice of the common +Tailor-bird. + +The eggs of this species are not separable from others of _O. +sutorius_, and though they may possibly average somewhat larger, I +have not seen enough of them to be able to make sure of this; and as +regards shape, colours, and markings the description given of the eggs +of _O. sutorius_ applies equally to eggs of this species. + + +380. Cisticola volitans, Swinh. _The Golden-headed Fantail-Warbler_. + +This species was not known to Jerdon, nor was it known to occur in +Burma at the time that I issued my Catalogue. Mr. Oates, writing +of the breeding of this bird in Southern Pegu, where it is common, +says:--"Breeding-operations commence in the middle of May; on the 28th +of this month I found two nests, one containing four eggs slightly +incubated, and the other two, quite fresh. + +"The nest is a small bag about 4 inches in height and 2 or 3 in +diameter, with an opening about an inch in diameter near the top. The +general shape of the nest is oval. It is composed entirely of the +white feathery flowers of the thatch-grass. The walls of the nest +are very thin but strong. The nest is placed about one foot from the +ground in a bunch of grass, and, in the two instances where I found +it, against a weed, with one or two leaves of which the materials of +the nest were slightly bound. + +"The eggs are very glossy pale blue, spotted all over with large and +small blotches of rusty brown. I have no eggs of _C. cursitans_ which +match them, in that species the spots being always minute and thickly +scattered over the shell, whereas in _O. volitans_ the marks are large +and fewer in number. Six eggs measured in length from ·54 to ·57, and +in breadth from ·42 to ·43." + + +381. Cisticola cursitans (Frankl). _The Rufous Fantail-Warbler_. + +Cisticola schoenicola, _Bp., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 174; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 539. + +The Rufous Fantail-Warbler breeds pretty well all over India and +Ceylon, confining itself, as far as my experience goes, to the low +country, and never ascending the mountains to any great elevation. + +The breeding-season lasts, according to locality, from April to +October, but it never breeds with us in dry weather, always laying +during rainy months. Very likely at the Nicobars, where it rains +pretty well all the year round, March being the only fairly dry month, +it may breed at all seasons. + +I have myself taken several, and have had a great many nests sent to +me. With rare exceptions all belonged to one type. The bird selects a +patch of dense fine-stemmed grass, from 18 inches to 2 feet in height, +and, as a rule, standing in a moist place; in this, at the height of +from 6 to 8 inches from the ground, the nest is constructed; the sides +are formed by the blades and stems of the grass, _in situ_, closely +tacked and caught together with cobwebs and very fine silky vegetable +fibre. This is done for a length of from 2 to nearly 3 inches, and, +as it were, a narrow tube, from 1 to 1·5 in diameter, formed in the +grass. To this a bottom, from 4 to 6 inches above the surface of the +ground, is added, a few of the blades of the grass being bent across, +tacked and woven together with cobwebs and fine vegetable fibre. The +whole interior is then closely felted with silky down, in Upper India +usually that of the mudar (_Calotropis hamiltoni_). The nest thus +constructed forms a deep and narrow purse, about 3 inches in depth, +an inch in diameter at top, and 1·5 at the broadest part below. The +tacking together of the stems of the grass is commonly continued a +good deal higher up on one side than on the other, and it is through +or between the untacked stems opposite to this that the tiny entrance +exists. Of course above the nest the stems and blades of the grass, +meeting together, completely hide it. The dimensions above given are +those of the interior of the nest; its exterior dimensions cannot be +given. The bird tacks together not merely the few stems absolutely +necessary to form a side to the nest, but most of the stems all +round, decreasing the extent of attachment as they recede from the +nest-cavity. It does this, too, very irregularly; on one side of the +nest perhaps no stem more than an inch distant from the interior +surface of the nest will be found in any way bound up in the fabric, +while on the opposite side perhaps stems fully 3 inches distant, +together with all the intermediate ones, will be found more or less +webbed together. Occasionally, but rarely, I have found a nest of a +different type. Of these one was built amongst the stems of a common +prickly labiate marsh-plant which has white and mauve flowers. There +was a straggling framework of fine grass, firmly netted together with +cobwebs, and a very scanty lining of down. The nest was egg-shaped, +and the aperture on one side near the top. Mr. Brooks, I believe, once +obtained a similar one; but the vast majority of the others that any +of us have ever got have been of the type first described, which +corresponds closely with Passler's account. + +Five is the usual complement of eggs; at any rate I have notes of more +than a dozen nests that contained this number, and in more than half +the cases the eggs were partly incubated. I have no record of more +than five, and though I have any number of notes of nests containing +one, two, three, and four eggs, yet these latter in almost all these +cases were fresh. + +Mr. Blyth says that this species is "remarkable for the beautiful +construction of its nest, _sewing_ together a number of growing stems +and leaves of grass, with a delicate pappus which forms also the +lining, and laying four or five translucent white eggs, with +reddish-brown spots, more numerous and forming a ring at the large +end, very like those of _Orthotomus sutorius_. It abounds in suitable +localities throughout the country." + +I must here note that Mr. Blyth never paid special attention to eggs, +or he would have hardly said this, because the character of the +markings are essentially different. Those of the Tailor-bird are +typically _blotchy_, of the present species _speckly_. + +Colonel W. Vincent Legge writes to me from Ceylon that "in the Western +Province it breeds from May until September, and constructs its nest +either in paddy-fields or in guinea-grass plots attached to bungalows." + +The nest is so beautiful and so neatly constructed that perhaps a +short description of it will not be out of place. A framework of +cotton or other fibrous material is formed round two or three upright +stalks, about 2 feet from the ground, the material being sewn into the +grass and passed from one stalk to the other until a complete net +is made. This takes the bird from one to two days to construct[A]. +Several blades, belonging to the stalks round which the cotton is +passed, are then bent down and interlaced across to form a bottom +on which, and inside the cotton network, a neat little nest of fine +strips of grass torn off from the blade is built; this is most +beautifully lined with cotton or other downy substance, which appears +to be plastered with the saliva of the bird, until it takes the +appearance and texture of soft felt. + +[Footnote A: Numbers of these birds used to build in a guinea-grass +field attached to my bungalow at Colombo, and I had full opportunity +of watching the construction of the nest on many occasions.--W.V.L.] + +"The average dimensions of the interior or cup are 2 inches in depth +by 1¼ in breadth. The whole structure is generally completed in about +five days, and the first egg laid on the fifth or sixth day from the +commencement. The number of eggs varies from two to four, most nests +containing three. The time of incubation is, as a rule, from nine to +eleven days. + +"I have found but little variation in the eggs of this species either +as regards size or colour. They are white or pale greenish white, +spotted and blotched in a zone round the larger end with red and +reddish grey, a few spots extending towards the point: axis 0·63 inch; +diameter 0·51 inch. + +"From close observation I can certify that this and many other small +birds do not here sit during the daytime. I scarcely ever found a +_Cisticola_ on the nest between sunrise and sunset," + +Colonel E.A. Butler writing from Deesa says:--"The Rufous +Fantail-Warbler breeds in the plains during the monsoon, making a long +bottle-shaped nest of silky-white vegetable down, with an entrance at +the top, in a tuft of coarse grass a few inches from the ground. I +have taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 29, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 7, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 8, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs." + +And he adds the following note:--"Belgaum, 22nd July, 1879. Four fresh +eggs. Same locality, numerous other nests in August and September." + +Major C.T. Bingham notes:--"I have not yet observed this bird at +Delhi. At Allahabad I procured one nest in the beginning of March, +shooting the birds. The nest was made of very fine dry grass, and +contained four small white eggs, speckled thickly with minute points +of brick-red. The average of the four eggs is 0·60 by 0·41 inch." + +Mr. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal this bird is very common +and a permanent resident. Eggs are found from the beginning of May to +the end of June, in grass-jungle almost on the ground. The nest is a +deep cup, externally of fine grasses, internally of the downy tops of +the sun-grass. + +In the Deccan, Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that it is "common in +all grass-lands. It breeds in the rainy season." + +Mr. Oates, writing on the breeding of this bird in Pegu, says:--"The +majority of birds begin laying at the commencement of June, and +probably nests may be found throughout the rains. I procured a nest +on the 2nd of November, a very late date I imagine. It contained four +eggs." + +I have taken the eggs of this bird myself on many occasions. I have +had them sent me with the nest and bird by Mr. Brooks from Etawah, and +Mr. F.R. Blewitt from Jhansi. From first to last I have seen fully +fifty authentic eggs of this species. All were of one and the same +type, and that type widely different from any one of those that Dr. +Bree, following European ornithologists, figures. Dr. Bree's three +figures all represent a perfectly spotless egg--one pink, the other +bluish white, and the third a pretty dark bluish green. Our eggs, on +the contrary, are _spotted_; the ground is white with, when fresh and +unblown, a delicate pink hue, due not to the shell itself, but to its +contents, which partially show through it. Occasionally the white +ground has a _faint_ greenish tinge. + +_Every_ egg is spotted, and most densely so towards the large end, +with, as a rule, excessively minute red, reddish-purple, and pale +purple specks, thus resembling, though smaller, more glossy, and far +less densely speckled, the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. These are +beyond all question the eggs of our Indian species, and the only type +of them that I have yet observed; but the question remains--Is our +Indian _Prinia cursitans_, Franklin, really identical with the +European _C. schoenicola_, Bonaparte? [A]--and this can only be +settled by careful comparison of an enormous series of good specimens +of each bird. For my part I personally have little doubts as to the +identity of the two. At the same time differences in the eggs may +indicate difference of species. Thus of the closely allied _C. +volitans_, Swinhoe, the latter gentleman informs us that "the eggs of +our bird vary from three to five, are thin and fragile, and of a pale +clear greenish blue"[B]. He called it _C. schoenicola_ when he wrote, +but he really referred to the Formosan bird, which he has since +separated. + +[Footnote A: The Indian and European birds are now generally allowed +to be perfectly identical, notwithstanding the alleged difference +in the colour of the eggs; and Mr. Hume is now, I think, of this +opinion.--ED.] + +[Footnote B: But _C. volitans_, or the closely allied race which +occurs in Pegu, assuredly lays spotted eggs. I found two nests of this +bird, both with spotted eggs _vide_ (p. 236).--ED.] + +The eggs of course vary somewhat. Of one nest I wrote at the time I +found it--"The eggs are a rather short oval, slightly pointed at one +end, with a white ground, thickly sprinkled with numerous specks and +tiny spots of pale brownish red. They measured ·58 by ·46." Of +another I say--"The ground had a faint pearly tinge, and there was a +well-marked, though, irregular and ill-defined, zone towards the large +end, formed by the agglomeration there of multitudinous specks, which +in places were almost confluent." Of another set--"The eggs were much +glossier and had a china-white ground; but instead of a multitude +of small specks over the whole surface, they had nearly the whole +colouring-matter gathered together at the large end in a cap of bold, +almost maroon-red spots, only a very few spots of the same colour +being scattered over the rest of the egg." + +The eggs measure from ·53 to ·62 in length, and from ·43 to ·48 in +breadth; but the average dimensions of a large number measured were +·59 by ·46. + + +382. Franklinia gracilis (Frankl.). _Franklin's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia gracilis, _Frankl. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 536. +Prinia hodgsoni, _Bl., Jerd. t.c._ p. 173; _Hume, t.c._ no. 538. + +I have never myself succeeded in finding a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, but my friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me no less than +forty nests and eggs, with the parents; so that, although the eggs +belong to two, I might even say three, very different types, I +entertain no doubt that he is correct in assigning them to the same +species, the more so as, although the eggs vary, the nests are +identical. He has sent me several notes in regard to this species. +He says:--"On the 1st July, three miles south of the village of +Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District, I found a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, containing three fresh eggs. It was on rocky ground +between a footpath and a water-course, about 2 feet from the ground, +and firmly sewn to a single leaf of a murori plant. The nest was +constructed exclusively of very fine grass, with spiders' web affixed +in places to the exterior. It was somewhat cup-shaped, 3·3 inches in +depth and 2·4 in breadth externally. The egg-cavity was about 1·4 in +diameter, and about the same depth. The eggs were a delicate pale +unspotted blue. + +"About 100 yards from the first, a second precisely similar, and +similarly situated, nest of this same species was found, which +contained three hard-set eggs, exactly similar in shape, texture, and +ground-colour to those in the first nest, but everywhere excessively +finely and thickly speckled with red, the specks exhibiting a strong +tendency to coalesce in a zone round the large end. + +"On the 12th and 13th July we obtained ten nests of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, all in the neighbourhood of Doongurgurh. From what I +have seen, I gather that this species breeds from the middle of June +to the middle of August in this part of the country. They appear to +resort to tracts at some little elevation, where the murori and kydia +bushes are abundant, and where grass grows rapidly in the early part +of the rains. The nests, very ingeniously made, are invariably sewn to +one or two leaves in the centre of one of the above-named bushes, +the entrance above, just as in the nest of an _Orthotomus_. They are +placed at heights of from a foot to 3 feet from the ground. Fine +grass, vegetable fibres, and other soft materials are chiefly used in +their construction, a little cobweb being often added. The eggs are +laid daily, and four is the normal number, though three hard-set ones +are sometimes found. The nest is prepared annually. As far as I know +they have only one brood. Both parents unite in building the nest and +in hatching and feeding the young. + +"Of the ten nests now taken four contained speckled and six unspeckled +eggs. The two types are never found in the same nest. I send all the +nests, eggs, and birds." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest of this species at Saugor, very +like that of the Tailor-bird but smaller, made of cotton, wool, and +various soft vegetable fibres, and occasionally bits of cloth, and I +invariably found it sewn to one leaf of the kydia, so common in the +jungles there. The eggs were pale blue, with some brown or reddish +spots often rarely visible." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Deesa:-- + + "July 26, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 15, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + Sept. 3, 1876. " " 4 incubated eggs. + +"All of the above nests were exactly alike, being composed of fine dry +grass without any lining, felted here and there exteriorly with small +lumps of woolly vegetable down, and built between two leaves carefully +sewn to the nest in the same way as the nests of _Orthotomus +sutorius_. The eggs, three or four in number, are white, sparingly +speckled with light reddish chestnut, with a cap more or less dense +of the same markings at the large end. All of the eggs in the +above-mentioned nests were of this type. I found the nests in a +grass Beerh near Deesa, studded over with low ber bushes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), generally about 2 or 3 feet from the ground, and in similar +situations to those selected by _Prinia socialis_, often amongst dry +nullahs overgrown with low bushes and long grass." + +Mr. Vidal notes in his list of the Birds of the South Konkan:--"Common +in mangrove-swamps, reeds, hedgerows, thickets, and bush-jungle +throughout the district. Breeds during the rainy months." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on the 19th +August; no details appear necessary except the colour of the eggs, +since this bird appears to lay two kinds of eggs. My eggs are very +glossy, of a light blue speckled with minute dots of reddish brown, +more thickly so at the large end than elsewhere." + +The nests sent by Mr. Blewitt are regular Tailor-birds' nests, +composed chiefly of very fine grass, about the thickness of fine human +hair, with no special lining, carefully sewn with cobwebs, silk from +cocoons, or wool, into one or two leaves, which often completely +envelop it, so as to leave no portion of the true nest visible. + +The eggs belong to at least two very distinct types. Both are +typically rather slender ovals, a good deal compressed towards one +end; but in both somewhat broader and more or less pyriform varieties +occur. In both the shell is exquisitely fine and glossy; in some +specimens it is excessively glossy. In both the ground-colour is a +very delicate pale greenish blue, _occasionally_ so pale that +the ground is all but white--in one type entirely unspeckled and +unspotted, in the other finely and thickly speckled everywhere, and +towards the large end more or less spotted, with brownish or purplish +red. The markings are densest towards the large end, where they either +actually form, or exhibit a strong tendency to form, a more or less +conspicuous speckled, semi-confluent zone. + +Out of fifty-six eggs, twenty-one belong to the latter type. As in +_Dicrurus ater_, the two types never appear to be found in the same +nest; but the nests in which the two types are found are precisely +similar, and the parent birds are identical. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·62, and in width from 0·4 to +0·45; but the average of fifty-six eggs is 0·58 by 0·42. There is no +difference whatever in the size of the two types. + + +383. Franklinia rufescens (Blyth). _Beavan's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia beavani, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 538 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this Warbler in Pegu, says:--"June +29th. Found a nest sewn into a broad soft leaf of a weed in forest +about 2 feet from the ground. The edges of the leaf are drawn together +and fastened by white vegetable fibres. The nest is composed entirely +of fine grass, no other material entering into its composition. For +further security the nest is stitched to the leaves in a few places; +the depth of the nest is about 3 inches, and internal diameter all the +way down about 1½. Eggs three, very glossy, pale blue, with specks and +dashes of pale reddish brown, chiefly at the larger end, where they +form a cap. Size ·58, ·62, ·61, by ·47." + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a regular Tailor-bird's nest as that of this +species. It was found below Yendong in Native Sikhim on the 1st May, +and contained three fresh eggs. The nest itself is a beautiful +little cup, composed of silky vegetable down and excessively fine +grass-stems, and a very little black hair firmly felted together, and +is placed between two living leaves of a sapling neatly sewn together +at the margins with bright yellow silk. + +The eggs are rather elongated, very regular ovals. The shell stout for +the size of the egg, but very fine and compact, and with a moderate +gloss. The ground-colour is a very delicate pale greenish blue. At or +round the larger end there is very generally a mottled cap or zone +(more commonly the latter) of duller or brighter brownish red, while +irregular blotches, streaks, spots, and specks of the same colour, but +usually a slightly paler shade, are more or less sparsely scattered +over the rest of the surface of the egg, sometimes they are almost +wholly wanting. Occasionally the zone is at the small end. + +The eggs measure from 0·60 to 0·62 in length, by 0·43 to 0·48 in +breadth; but the average of six eggs is 0·61 by 0·45. + + +384. Franklinia buchanani (Blyth). _The Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler_. + +Franklinia buchanani (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 186; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 551. + +The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler breeds throughout Central India, +the Central Provinces, the North-western Provinces, the Punjab, and +Rajpootana. It affects chiefly the drier and warmer tracts, and, +though said to have been obtained in the Nepal Terai, has never been +met with by _me_ either there or in any very moist, swampy locality. +The breeding-season extends from the end of May until the beginning of +September. + +The nests, according to my experience, are always placed at heights of +from a foot to 4 feet from the ground, in low scrub-jungle or bushes. +They vary greatly in size and shape, according to position. Some are +oblate spheroids with the aperture near the top, some are purse-like +and suspended, and some are regular cups. One of the former +description measured externally 5 inches in diameter one way by 3¼ +inches the other. One of the suspended nests was 7 inches long by 3 +wide, and one of the cup-shaped nests was nearly 4 inches in diameter +and stood, perhaps, at most 2½ inches high. The egg-cavity in the +different nests varies from 1¾ to 2¼ inches in diameter, and from less +than 2 to fully 3 inches in depth. Externally the nest is very loosely +and, generally, raggedly constructed of very fine grass-stems and +tow-like vegetable fibre used in different proportions in different +nests; those in which grass is chiefly used being most ragged and +straggling, and those in which most vegetable fibre has been made use +of being neatest and most compact. In all the nests that I have seen +the egg-cavity has been lined with something very soft. In many of the +nests the lining is composed of small felt-like pieces of some dull +salmon-coloured fungus, with which the whole interior is closely +plastered; in others there is a dense lining of soft silky vegetable +down; and in others the down and fungus are mingled. They lay from +four to five eggs, never more than this latter number according to my +experience. + +"At the end of June 1867," writes Mr. Brooks, "I took two nests of +this bird at Chunar in low ber bushes about 2 feet from the ground. +They were little spheres of fine grass with a hole at the side. One +contained four eggs; these were of a greyish-white ground or nearly +pure white, finely speckled over with reddish brown, some of the eggs +exhibiting a tendency to form a zone round the large end, and others +with a complete zone." + +"At Sambhur," Mr. Adam says, "this Wren-Warbler is always found +wherever there are low bushes. It breeds just before the rains, but I +have not recorded the date. I had a nest with the bird and five eggs +sent to me. The eggs are pale bluish white, with reddish-brown spots +and freckles all over them." + +"During July, August, and the early part of September," remarks Mr. W. +Blewitt, "I found a great number of the nests and eggs of this bird in +the jungle-preserves of Hansie and its neighbourhood. The nests, of +which I have already sent you several, were mostly in ber (_Zizyphus +jujuba_) and hinse (_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 +to 4 feet from the ground. Five was the largest number of eggs that I +found in any one nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I found several nests of this bird in +the beginning of October at Delhi in the jherberry bushes so plentiful +on the Ridge. Both nests and eggs are very like those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ before described; the only difference I could find was that +the entrance in the nest of _C. cursitans_ that I found was at the +top, and in all the nests of _F. buchanani_ at the side rather low +down; the nests of the latter are also firmer and more globular in +shape. The eggs are, to my eye, identical in colour and form." + +Mr. G. Reid informs us that at Lucknow it is fairly common and a +permanent resident. It makes an oblong, loosely constructed nest with +the aperture near the top, and lays three or four white eggs minutely +spotted with dingy red. + +Mr. J. Davidson writes that in Western Khandeish this Warbler is the +commonest bird, breeding about Dhulia in July, August, and September. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 27th July, 1875. It was in a grass beerh, +and placed in a heap of dead thorns overgrown with grass and about a +foot from the ground. It was composed externally of dry grass-stems, +with lumps of silky white vegetable down (_Calotropis_) scattered +sparingly over the whole nest. The lining consisted of very fine +dry grass neatly put together and felted with silky down, and a +considerable amount of the dull salmon-coloured fungus or lichen +referred to in the 'Rough Draft of Nests and Eggs,' p. 359. In shape +the nest is nearly spherical, being slightly oval however, with a +small aperture near the top. The entrance was 1½ inches in diameter, +and the nest itself roughly measured from the outside 4½ inches in +length and 4 in width. The eggs, usually four in number, are white, +closely speckled over with pale rusty red, intermingled with a few +pale washed-out inky markings, in some cases at the large end, which +is surrounded by a zone clear and well-marked in some instances, less +distinct in others. I found other nests in the same neighbourhood as +below:-- + + "Aug. 24, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + July 20, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 28, " " " 4 young birds. + Aug. 4, " " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 8, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 14, " " " 5 " " + +"In every one of the above instances the nest was exactly similar to +the one I have described, and built in the same kind of situation, +i.e. in heaps of dead thorns overgrown with long grass. The eggs are +all much the same, the spots being larger in some than in others and +more numerous in some cases than in others. In one set I have the +ground is very pale bluish white (skimmed milk) instead of being pure +white. As a rule the eggs are almost exactly like the eggs of _C. +cursitans_, and if mixed I doubt very much if any person could +separate them. On examining the salmon-coloured fungus-lining it +appears to me to be nothing more nor less than small pieces of dried +ber leaves, and I have never examined a nest without finding some of +this material at the bottom of it." + +"The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler," writes Lieut. Barnes, "breeds in +Rajpootana during July, August, and the early part of September. The +nest, composed of grass, is loosely constructed, and placed in low +bushes or scrub." + +The eggs vary somewhat in size and shape; a moderately broad oval, +slightly compressed towards the larger end, being, however, the +commonest type. Examining a large series, it appears that variations +from this type are more commonly of an elongated than a spherical +form. The eggs are of the same character as those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ (p. 236), but yet differ somewhat. The eggs are many +of them fairly glossy, the shells very delicate and fragile; the +ground-colour white, usually slightly greyish, but in some specimens +faintly tinged with very pale green or pink. Typically they are very +thickly and very finely speckled all over with somewhat dingy red or +purplish red. In three out of four eggs the markings are densest and +largest towards the large end; and, to judge from the large series +before me, at least one in four exhibits a more or less well-defined +mottled zone or cap at this end, formed by the partial confluence of +multitudinous specks. + +In some specimens the markings are pale inky purple, and in some +slightly purplish brown, but these are abnormal varieties. In one or +two eggs fairly-sized spots and blotches are intermingled with the +minute specklings, but this also is rare. Of course in different +specimens the density of the speckling varies greatly: in some eggs +not a fifth of the surface is covered with the markings, while in some +it appears as if there were more of these than of the ground-colour. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·55 to 0·66, and in breadth from 0·43 to +0·52; but the average of eighty-seven eggs is 0·62 by 0·48. + + +385. Franklinia cinereicapilla (Hodgs.). _Hodgson's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia cinereocapilla, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 537. + +Captain Hutton says[A]:--"In this species the structure of the nest +is somewhat coarser than in _P. stewarti_, and it is more loosely put +together, but like that species it is also a true Tailor-bird. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this note as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft,' but I have no faith in the identification of this rare bird by +Capt Hutton. Mr. Hume is apparently of the same opinion, as he does +not quote the Dhoon as one of the localities in which, this species +occurs (S.F. ix, p. 286). It may be well, however, to point out that +Mr. Brooks procured this species at Dhunda, in the Bhagirati valley, +so that it is not unlikely to occur in the Dhoon.--ED.] + +"In the specimen before me two large leaves are stitched together at +the edges, and between these rests the cup-shaped nest composed of +grass-stalks and fine roots, as in _P. stewarti_, and without any +lining, while, being more completely surrounded by or enfolded in the +leaves, the cottony seed-down which binds together the fibres in the +others is here dispensed with. + +"The eggs were three in number, of a pale bluish hue, irrorated with +specks of rufous-brown, and chiefly so at the larger end, where they +form an ill-defined ring. + +"The eggs measured 0·62 by 0·44. + +"The nest was found hanging on a large-leafed annual shrub growing in +the Dhoon, and was placed about 2 feet from the ground. It was taken +on 22nd July." + + +386. Laticilla burnesi (Bl.). _The Long-tailed Grass-Warbler_. +Eurycercus burnesii, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 74. + +Mr. S.B. Doig appears to be the only ornithologist who has found the +nest of the Long-tailed Grass-Warbler. Writing of the Eastern Narra +District, in Sind, he says:-- + +"This bird is in certain localities very numerous, but invariably +confines itself to dense thickets of revel and tamarisk jungle. The +discovery of my first nest was as follows: + +"On the 13th March, while closely searching some thick grass along the +banks of a small canal, I heard a peculiar twittering which I did not +recognize. After standing perfectly still for a short while, I at +length caught sight of the bird, which I at once identified as _L. +burnesi_. Leaving the bed of the canal in which I was walking and +making a slight detour, I came suddenly over the spoil-bank of the +canal on to the place where the bird had been calling. My sudden +appearance caused the bird to get very excited, and it kept on +twittering, approaching me at one time until quite close and then +going away again a short distance; I at once began searching for its +nest, and out of the first tussock of grass I touched, close to where +I was standing, flew the female, who joined her mate, after which both +birds kept up a continuous and angry twittering. On opening out the +grass, I found the nest with three fresh eggs in it, placed right in +the centre of the tuft and close to the ground. The eggs were of a +pale green ground-colour, covered with large irregular blotches of +purplish brown, and not very unlike some of the eggs of _Passer +flavicollis_. After this I found several nests, but they were all +building, and were one and all deserted, though in many instances I +never touched the nest, often never saw it, as on seeing the birds +flying in and out of the grass with building material in their bills +I left the place and returned in ten days' time, but only to find the +nest deserted. In one case where a single egg had been laid, I found +that the bird before deserting the nest had broken the egg. In July I +again got a nest and shot the parent birds; the eggs in this nest were +quite of a different type, being of a very pale cream ground-colour, +with large rusty blotches, principally confined to the larger end. +The nests of this bird are composed of coarse grass, the inside being +composed of the finer parts; they are 4 to 5 inches external diameter +and 2½ inches internal diameter, the cavity being about 1½ inches +deep. The months in which they breed are, as far as I at present know, +March, June, and September. The eggs vary in size from ·65 to ·80 in +length and from ·50 to ·55 in breadth. The average of seven eggs is +·72 in length and ·54 in breadth." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size and shape, but they are +typically regular rather elongated ovals, rather obtuse at both ends, +and often slightly compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine +and compact and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes +greenish white, sometimes faintly creamy. The eggs are generally +pretty thickly and finely speckled and scratched all over, and besides +the fine markings there are a greater or smaller number of more or +less large irregular blotches and splashes, chiefly confined to the +large end. These markings, large and small, are brown, very variable +in shade, in some eggs reddish, in some chocolate, in some raw sienna, +&c. Besides these primary markings most eggs exhibit a number of +paler subsurface secondary markings, varying in colour from sepia to +lavender or pale purple; these are mostly confined to the large end +(though tiny spots of the same tint occur occasionally on all parts of +the egg), where with the large blotches they often form a more or less +conspicuous and more or less confluent but always ill-defined zone or +even cap. Here and there an egg absolutely wants the larger blotches, +but even in such cases the specklings are more crowded about the large +end, and these with the lilac clouds still combine to indicate a sort +of zone. + +The eggs I possess of this species, sent me by Mr. Doig, vary from +0·71 to 0·81 in length by 0·52 to 0·59 in breadth; but the average of +seven eggs is 0·72 by 0·55. + + +388. Graminicola bengalensis, Jerd. _The Large Grass-Warbler_. + +Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 177. +Drymoica bengalensis (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 542. + +Long ago the late Colonel Tytler gave me the following note on this +species:--"I shot these birds at Dacca in 1852, and sent a description +and a drawing of them to Mr. Blyth. They were named after my esteemed +friend Jules Verreaux, of Paris. They are not uncommon at Dacca in +grass-jungle. I think the bird Dr. Jerdon gives in his 'Birds of +India' as _Graminicola bengalensis_, Jerdon, No. 542, p. 177, vol. +ii., is meant for this species. The genus _Graminicola_, under which +he places this bird, appears to be a genus of Dr. Jerdon's own, for +it is not in Gray's 'Genera and Subgenera of Birds in the British +Museum,' printed in 1855. If it is the same bird as Dr. Jerdon's, then +my name, which I communicated in 1851-52 not only to Mr. Blyth +but also to Prince Bonaparte and M. Jules Verreaux, and which was +published in my Fauna of Dacca, has, it seems to me, the priority." + +The birds _are_ identical. Jerdon gave me one of his Cachar specimens, +and I compared it with Tytler's types, and certainly Tytler's name was +published ten years before Jerdon's (_vide_ Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., +Sept. 1854, p. 176); but no description was published, and I fear +therefore that the name given by Colonel Tytler cannot be maintained, +unless indeed, which I have been unable to ascertain, either Bonaparte +or Verreaux figured or described the specimens Tytler sent them in +some French work. + +I have only one supposed nest of this species, brought me from Dacca +by a native collector who worked there for me under Mr. F.B. Simson. +He did not take it himself; it was brought to him with one of the +parent birds by a shikaree. The evidence is, therefore, very bad, but +I give the facts for what they are worth. + +The nest is a rather massive and deep cup, the lower portion prolonged +downwards so as to form a short truncated cone. It is fixed between +three reeds, is constructed of sedge and vegetable fibre firmly wound +together and round the reeds, and is lined with fine grass-roots. +It measures externally 5 inches in height and nearly 4 inches in +diameter, measuring outside the reeds which are incorporated in the +outer surface of the nest. The cavity is about 2½ inches in diameter +and nearly 2 inches deep. It contained four eggs, hard-set; only one +could be preserved, and that was broken in bringing up-country; so I +could not measure it, but the shell was a sort of pale greenish grey +or dull greenish white, rather thickly but very faintly speckled and +spotted with very dull purplish and reddish brown, with some grey +spots intermingled. The nest was obtained (no date noted) between the +middle of July and the middle of August. I note that the eggs were +on the point of hatching, so that the fresh egg would probably be +somewhat brighter coloured. + + +389. Megalurus palustris, Horsf. _The Striated Marsh-Warbler_. + +Megalurus palustris, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 70; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 440. + +Nothing has hitherto been recorded of the nidification of the Striated +Marsh-Warbler, although it has a very wide distribution and is very +common in suitable localities. + +The Striated Marsh-Babbler, as Jerdon calls it, has nothing of the +Babbler in it. It rises perpendicularly out of the reeds, sings rather +screechingly while in the air, and descends suddenly. It has much more +of a song than any of the Babblers, a much stronger flight, and its +sudden, upward, towering flight and equally sudden descent are unlike +anything seen amongst the Babblers. + +Mr. E.C. Nunn procured the nest and an egg of this species (which +along with the parent birds he kindly forwarded to me) at Hoshungabad +on the 4th May, 1868. The nest was round, composed of dry grass, and +situated in a cluster of reeds between two rocks in the bed of the +Nerbudda. It contained a single fresh egg. + +Writing from Wau, in the Pegu District, Mr. Oates remarks:--"I found +a nest on the 19th May containing four eggs recently laid. The female +flew off only at the last moment, when my pony was about to tread on +the tuft of grass she had selected for her home. + +"The nest was placed in a small but very dense grass-tuft about a +foot above the ground. It was made entirely of coarse grasses, and +assimilated well with the dry and entangled stems among which it lay. +The nest was very deep and purse-shaped. It was about 8 inches in +total height at the back, and some 2 inches lower in front, the upper +part of the purse being as it were cut off slantingly, and thus +leaving an entrance which was more or less circular. The width is 6½ +inches, and the breadth from front to back 4 inches. The interior is +smooth, lined with somewhat finer grass, and measures 4 inches in +depth by 3 inches from side to side, and by 2 inches from front to +back. + +"_Megalurus palustris_ is very common throughout the large plains +lying between the Pegu and Sittang Rivers. At the end of May they were +all breeding. The nest is, however, difficult to find, owing to the +vast extent of favourable ground suited to its habits. Every yard of +the land produces a clump of grass likely enough to hold a nest, and +as the female sits still till the nest is actually touched, it becomes +a difficult and laborious task to find the nest." + +He subsequently remarks:--"May seems to be the month in which these +birds lay here. The nest is very often placed on the ground under the +shelter of some grass-tuft." + +Mr. Cockburn writes to me:--"I found a nest of this bird on the north +bank of the Bramaputra, near Sadija. One of the birds darted off the +nest a foot or two from me in an excited way, which led me to search. +The nest was almost a perfect oval, with a slice taken off at the top +on one side, built in a clump of grass, and only 9 or 10 inches from +the ground. It was made of sarpat-grass, and lined internally with +finer grasses. The grass had a bleached and washed-out appearance, +while the clump was quite green. This was on the 29th May. I noticed +at the same time that the nest was not interwoven with the living +grass. I removed it easily with the hand." + +Mr. Cripps says:--"They breed in April and May in the Dibrugarh +district, placing their deep cup-shaped nests in tussocks of grass +wherever it is swampy, in some instances the bottoms of the nests +being wet. Four seems to be the greatest number of eggs in a nest." + +The eggs are much the same shape and size as those of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_. They have a dead-white ground, thickly speckled and +spotted with blackish and purplish brown, and have but a slight gloss; +the speckling, everywhere thick, is generally densest at the large +end, and there chiefly do spots, as big as an ordinary pin's head, +occur. At the large end, besides these specklings, there is a cloudy, +dull, irregular cap, or else isolated patches, of very pale inky +purple, which more or less obscure the ground-colour. In the peculiar +speckly character of the markings these eggs recall doubtless some +specimens of the eggs of the different Bulbuls, but their natural +affinities seem to be with those of the _Acrocephalinae_. + +The eggs vary from 0·8 to 0·97 in length, and from 0·61 to 0·69 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is 0·85 by 0·64. + + +390. Schoenicola platyura (Jerd.). _The Broad-tailed Grass-Warbler_. + +Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 73. + +Colonel E.A. Butler discovered the nest of the Broad-tailed +Grass-Warbler at Belgaum. He writes:-- + +"On the 1st September, 1880, I shot a pair of these birds as they rose +out of some long grass by the side of a rice-field; and, thinking +there might be a nest, I commenced a diligent search, which resulted +in my finding one. It consisted of a good-sized ball of coarse blades +of dry grass, with an entrance on one side, and was built in long +grass about a foot from the ground. Though it was apparently finished, +there were unfortunately no eggs, but dissection of the hen proved +that she would have laid in a day or two. On the 10th instant I found +another nest exactly similar, built in a tussock of coarse grass, near +the same place; but this was subsequently deserted without the bird +laying. On the 19th September I went in the early morning to the same +patch of grass and watched another pair, soon seeing the hen disappear +amongst some thick tussocks. On my approaching the spot she flew off +the nest, which contained four eggs much incubated. The nest was +precisely similar to the others, but with the entrance-hole perhaps +rather nearer the top, though still on one side. The situation in the +grass was the same--in fact it was very similar in every respect to +the nest of _Drymoeca insignis_. The eggs are very like those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, but smaller, having a purplish-white ground, +sprinkled all over with numerous small specks and spots of purple and +purplish brown, with a cap of the same at the large end, underlaid +with inky lilac. + +"These birds closely resemble _Chaetornis striatus_ in their actions +and habits, and in the breeding-season rise constantly into the air, +chirruping like that species, and descending afterwards in the same +way on to some low bush or tussock of grass, sometimes even on to +the telegraph-wires. They are fearful little skulks, however, if you +attempt to pursue them, and the moment you approach disappear into the +grass like a shot, from whence it is almost impossible to flush them +again unless you all but tread on them. It is perfectly marvellous the +way they will hide themselves in a patch of grass when they have once +taken refuge in it; and although you may know within a yard or two of +where the bird is, you may search for half an hour without finding it. +If you shoot at them and miss, they drop to the shot into the grass as +if killed, and nothing will dissuade you from the belief that they are +so until, after a long search, the little beast gets up exactly where +you have been hunting all along, from almost under your feet, and +darts off to disappear, after another short flight of fifteen or +twenty yards, in another patch of grass, from whence you may again try +in vain to dislodge it." + +The eggs of this species, though much smaller, are precisely of the +same type as those of _Megalurus palustris_ and _Chaetornis striatus_; +moderately broad ovals with a very fine compact shell, with but little +gloss, though perhaps rather more of this than in either of the +species above referred to. The ground-colour is white, with perhaps +a faint pinkish shade, and it is profusely speckled and spotted with +brownish red, almost black in some spots, more chestnut in others. +Here and there a few larger spots or small irregular blotches occur. +Besides these markings, clouds, streaks, and tiny spots of grey or +lavender-grey occur, chiefly about the large end, where, with the +markings (often more numerous there than elsewhere), they form at +times a more or less confluent but irregular and ill-defined cap. + +One egg measured 0·73 by 0·6. + + +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Spiny Warbler_. + +Acanthoptila nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p 57. +Acanthoptila pellotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 431 bis. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, this species builds, in +a fork of a tree, a very loose, shallow grass nest. One is recorded +to have measured 4·87 in diameter and 1·75 in height externally, +and internally 3·37 in diameter and an inch in depth. The eggs are +verditer-blue, and are figured as 1·1 by 0·65. + +I may here note that _Acanthoptila pellotis_ and _A. leucotis_ are +totally distinct, as Mr. Hodgson's figures clearly show. Hodgson +published _A. leucotis_ apparently under the name of _A. nipalensis_, +so that the two will stand as _A. pellotis_ and _A. nipalensis_.[A] + +[Footnote A: I do not agree with. Mr. Hume on this point. It seems +to me that this bird has both a summer and a winter plumage, and +Hodgson's two names refer to one and the same bird.--ED.] + + +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (Bl.). _The Bristled Grass-Warbler_. + +Chaetornis striatus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 72; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 441. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that Mr. Blyth mentions that the nest of +the Grass-Babbler, as he calls it, nearly accords with that of +_Malacocercus_, and that the eggs are blue. + +I cannot find the passage in which Blyth states this, and I cannot +help doubting its correctness. This bird, like the preceding, is not +a bit of a Babbler. I have often watched them in Lower Bengal amongst +comparatively low grass and rush along the margins of ponds and +jheels, not, as a rule, affecting high reed or seeking to conceal +themselves, but showing themselves freely enough, and with a song and +flight wholly unlike that of any Babbler. + +They are very restless, soaring about and singing a monotonous song of +two notes, somewhat resembling that of a Pipit, but clear and loud. +They do not soar in one spot like a Sky-Lark, as Jerdon says, but rise +to the height of from 30 to 50 yards, fly rapidly right and left, over +perhaps one fourth of a mile, and then suddenly drop on to the top of +some little bush or other convenient post, and there continue their +song. + +Mr. Brooks remarks:--"On the 28th August, 1869, I observed at the side +of the railway, at Jheenjuck Jheel, on the borders of the Etawah and +Cawnpoor Districts, several pairs of _Chaetornis_. A good part of the +jheel was covered with grass about 18 inches high, and to this they +appeared partial, though occasionally I found them among the long +reeds. The part of the jheel where they were found was drier than the +rest, there being only about an inch of water in places, while other +portions were quite dry. + +"I noticed the bird singing while seated on a bush or large clump of +grass, and sometimes it perched on the telegraph-wires alongside of +the line of railway, continuing its song while perched. + +"By habits and song it seems more nearly allied to the Pipits than the +Babblers. Males shot early in September were obviously breeding, and +a female shot on the 13th of that month contained a nearly full-sized +egg." + +It does not do to be too positive, but I should be inclined to believe +that the eggs are not uniform coloured, blue and glossy like a +Babbler's, but dull, dead, or greenish white, with numerous small +specks and spots[A]. + +[Footnote A: The discovery of this bird's eggs has proved Mr. Hume to +be right in his conjecture.--ED.] + +Colonel E.A. Butler, who was the first to discover the eggs of the +Bristled Grass-Warbler, writes:-- + +"The Grass-Babbler is not uncommon about Deesa in the rains, at which +season it breeds. I found a nest containing four eggs on the 18th +August, 1876. It consisted of a round ball of dry grass with a +circular entrance on one side, near the top, was placed on the ground +in the centre of a low scrubby bush in a grass Bheerh, and when the +hen-bird flew off, which was not until I almost put my foot on the +nest, I mistook her for _Argya caudata_. On looking, however, into the +bush, I saw at once by the eggs that it was a species new to me. I +left the spot and returned again in about an hour's time, when, to my +disappointment, I found that three of the eggs had hatched. The fourth +egg being stale, I took it and added it to my collection. The eggs are +about the size of the eggs of _A. caudata_, but in colour very like +those of _Franklinia buchanani_, namely, white, speckled all over with +reddish brown and pale lavender, most densely at the large end. This +bird has a peculiar habit in the breeding-season of rising suddenly +into the air and soaring about, often for a considerable distance, +uttering a loud note resembling the words 'chirrup, chirrup-chirrup,' +repeated all the time the bird is in the air, and then suddenly +descending slowly into the grass with outspread wings, much in +the style of _Mirafra erythroptera_. This bird is so similar in +appearance, when flying and hopping about in the long grass, to _A. +caudata_, that I have no doubt it is often mistaken for that species. +I have invariably found it during the rains in grass Bheerhs overgrown +with low thorny bushes (_Zizyphus jujuba_, &c.). Whether it remains +the whole year round I cannot say; at all events, if it does, its +close resemblance to _A. caudata_ enables it to escape notice at other +seasons." + +Mr. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, says:--"Very common in long grass +fields. Permanent resident. It utters its soft notes while on the +wing, not only in the cold season but the year through; it is very +noisy during the breeding-time. Breeds in clumps of grass a few inches +above as well as on the ground. I found five nests in the month of May +from 23rd to 28th: one was on the ground in a field of indigo; the +rest were in clumps of 'sone' grass and from the same field composed +of this grass. One nest contained three half-fledged young, and the +rest had four eggs slightly incubated in each. Although they nest in +'sone' grass which is rarely over three feet in height, it is very +difficult to find the nest, as the grass generally overhangs and hides +it. Only when the bird rises almost from your feet are you able to +discover the whereabouts. On several occasions I have noticed this +species perching on bushes." + +The eggs, which, to judge from a large series sent me by Mr. Cripps, +do not appear to vary much in shape, are moderately broad ovals, more +or less pointed towards one end. The shell is fine and fragile but +entirely devoid of gloss; the ground-colour is white with a very faint +pinky or lilac tinge, and they are thickly speckled all over with +minute markings of two different shades--the one a sort of purplish +brown (they are so small that it is difficult to make certain of the +exact colour), and the other inky purple or grey. In most eggs the +markings are most dense at or about the large end, and occasionally a +spot may be met with larger than the rest, as big as a pin's head say, +and some of these seem to have a reddish tinge, while some are more of +a sepia. + +The eggs vary from 0·75 to 0·86 in length and from 0·59 to 0·62 in +breadth, but the average of twelve eggs is almost exactly 0·8 by 0·6. + + +394. Hypolais rama (Sykes). _Sykes's Tree-Warbler_. + +Phyllopneuste rama (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 189. +Iduna caligata, _Licht., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 553. + +I have never myself obtained the nest and eggs of Sykes's +Tree-Warbler, _P. rama, apud Jerd._[A] On the 1st April, at Etawah, my +friend Mr. Brooks shot a male of this species off a nest; and I saw +the bird, nest, and eggs within an hour, and visited the spot later. +The nest was placed in a low thorny bush, about a foot from the +ground, on the side of a sloping bank in one of the large dry ravines +that in the Etawah District fringe the River Junina for a breadth of +from a mile to four miles. The nest was nearly egg-shaped, with a +circular entrance near the top. It was loosely woven with coarse +and fine grass, and a little of the fibre of the "sun" (_Crotalaria +juncea_), and very neatly felted on the whole interior surface of +the lower two thirds with a compact coating of the down of +flowering-grasses and little bits of spider's web. It was about 5 +inches in its longest and 3½ inches in its shortest diameter. It +contained three fresh eggs, which were white, very thickly speckled +with brownish pink, in places confluent and having a decided tendency +to form a zone near the large end. Three or four days later we shot +the female at the same spot. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce the note on this bird as it appeared in the +'Rough Draft,' but I think some mistake has been made, as Mr. Hume +himself suggests. Full reliance, however, may be placed on Mr. Doig's +note, which is a most interesting contribution.--ED] + +A similar nest and two eggs, taken in Jhansi on the 12th August, were +sent me with one of the parent birds by Mr. F.R. Blewitt, and, again, +another nest with four eggs was sent me from Hoshungabad. + +There ought to be no doubt about these nests and eggs, the more so +that I have several specimens of the bird from various parts of the +North-Western Provinces and Central Provinces killed in August and +September, but somehow I do not feel quite certain that we have not +made some mistake. Beyond doubt the great mass of this species migrate +and breed further north. I have never obtained specimens in June +or July; and if these nests really, as the evidence seems to show, +belonged to the birds that were shot on or near them, these latter +must have bred in India before or after their migration, as well as in +Northern Asia. + +Though one may make minute differences, I do not think either of the +three nests or sets of eggs could be certainly separated from those of +_Franklinia buchanani_, which might well have eggs about both in April +and August; and I am not prepared to say that in each of these three +cases _Hypolais rama_, which frequents precisely the same kind of +bushes that _F. buchanani_ breeds in, may not accidentally have been +shot in the immediate proximity to a nest of the latter, the owner of +which had crept noiselessly away, as these birds so often do. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have obtained the nest and eggs of this +species on one occasion only at Jaulnah in the Dekhan; the nest was +cup-shaped, made of roots and grass, and contained four pure white +eggs." + +I do not attach undue weight to this, for Dr. Jerdon did not care +about eggs, and was rather careless about them; but still his +statement has to be noted, and the whole matter requires careful +investigation. + +Mr. Doig found this species breeding on the Eastern Narra in Sind. He +writes:--"I first obtained eggs of this bird in March 1879. The first +nest was found by one of my men, who afterwards showed me a bird close +to the place he got the eggs, which he said was either the bird to +which the nest and eggs belonged or one of the same kind. This I shot +and sent to Mr. Hume with one of the eggs to identify. Some time after +I again came across a lot of these birds breeding, and this time lay +in wait myself for the bird to come to the nest and eggs, and when it +did I shot it. This I also sent to Mr. Hume to identify. Some time +after I beard from Mr. Hume, who said that there must be some mistake, +as the birds sent belonged to two different species, viz. _Sylvia +affinis_ and _Hypolais rama_, and were both, he believed, only +cold-weather visitants. This year I again 'went for' these birds and +again sent specimens of birds and eggs to Mr. Hume, who informed me +that the birds now sent were _H. rama_, and that the eggs must belong +to this species soon after this Mr. Brooks saw the eggs with Mr. Hume +and identified them as being those _H. rama_ and identical with eggs +he saw at home collected by, I think, Mr. Seebohm of this species +in Siberia. Only fancy a bird breeding on the Narra of all places, +especially in May, June, and July, in preference to Siberia! Locally +they are very numerous, as I collected upwards of 90 to 100 eggs in +one field about eight acres in size. They build in stunted tamarisk +bushes, or rather in bushes of this kind which originally were cut +down to admit of cultivation being carried on, and which afterwards +had again sprouted. These bushes are very dense, and in their centre +is situated the nest, composed of sedge, with a lining of fine grass, +mixed sometimes with a little soft grass-reed. The eggs are, as a +rule, four in number, of a dull white ground-colour with brown spots, +the large end having as a rule a ring round it of most delicate, fine, +hair-like brown lines, something similar to the tracing to be seen on +the eggs of _Drymoeca inornata_. The egg in size is also similar to +those of that species." + +The eggs of this species vary from broad to moderately elongated +ovals, but they are almost always somewhat pointed towards the small +end; the shell is fine but as a rule glossless; here and there, +however, an egg exhibits a faint gloss. The ground-colour is whitish, +never pure white, with an excessively faint greenish, greyish, creamy, +or pinky tinge. The markings are very variable in amount and extent, +but they are always black or nearly so and pale inky grey; perhaps +typically the markings consist of a zone of black hair-lines twisted +and entangled together, in which irregular shaped spots and small +blotches of the same colour appear to have been caught, which zone is +underlaid and more or less surrounded by clouds, streaks, and spots of +pale inky grey. This zone is typically about the large end, but in one +or two eggs is near the middle of the egg and in one or two is about +the small end. Outside this zone a few small specks and spots, and +rarely one or two tiny blotches, of both black and grey are thinly +scattered; occasionally, however, the hair-lines so characteristic of +this egg are almost entirely wanting, there is no apparent zone, and +the markings, spots, and specks are thinly and irregularly distributed +about the entire surface; here and there the whole of the dark +markings on the egg are entirely confined to the zone, elsewhere +only pale lilac specks are visible. Occasionally together with +a well-defined zone numerous specks, spots, and a few hair-line +scratches of black are intermingled with faint purplish-grey spots, +and pretty thinly scattered everywhere. + +The eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·68 in length and from 0·46 to 0·51 in +breadth; but the average of a very large number is 0·61 by 0·49. + + +402. Sylvia affinis (Blyth). _The Indian Lesser White-throated +Warbler_. + +Sylvia curruca (_Gm.), apud Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 209. +Sterparola curruca (_Lath.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 583. + +Of the nidification of the Lesser Whitethroat within our limits, I +only know that it was found in May, breeding abundantly in Cashmere +in the lower hills, by Mr. Brooks. He did not notice it comparatively +high up; for instance at Goolmerg, which, though not above 9000 feet +high, is at the base of a snowy range, he did not see it at all. + +It builds a loose, rather shallow, cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly +of grass, coarser on the exterior and finer interiorly, which it +places in low bushes and thickets at no great elevation from the +ground. The nest is more or less lined with fine grass and roots. + +It lays four or sometimes five eggs. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"I found this Whitethroat tolerably numerous in +Cashmere, where it appears generally distributed, occurring at from +5500 to 6500 feet elevation or thereabouts, It frequents places where +there is abundance of brushwood or underwood, especially along the +banks of rivers or near them. + +"I found several nests, and they were all placed in small bushes, and +from 4 to 6 feet above the ground. One was in a bush on a small island +in the Kangan River, which runs into the Sind River; and this nest +I well remember was just so high that I could not look into it as I +stood. The nests precisely resembled in size and structure those of +_C. garrula_ which I have seen at home, being formed of grasses, +roots, and fine fibres, and I think scantily lined with a few black +horsehairs; but I forget this now. They were slight, thinly formed +nests, very neat but strong, and had bits of spider's web stuck about +the outside here and there. This appears to be the decoration this +bird and _C. garrula_ are partial to. They were not added, I think, +for the purpose of rendering the nest inconspicuous, for there were +just enough to give the nest a spotted appearance. + +"The song of this species strongly resembles that of its congener, and +is full, loud, and sweet. I found the nests by the song of the male, +for he generally sings near the nest. The eggs don't differ from those +of _C. garrula_ in my collection." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"This Warbler was +very common and was breeding by the 27th May. All the nests found were +shallow cups, composed entirely of dried grass, and situated in small +bushes, frequently juniper, about 2½ feet from the ground. The eggs +vary much both in size and colour--some being long ovals, nearly pure +white, spotted with pale brown towards the larger end, and others of +a much rounder form and a pale greenish white, thickly spotted in a +broad zone near the thicker end and smeared with very pale brown, +or else spotted and smeared with olive-brown over the whole of the +thicker end." + +The eggs are somewhat broad ovals, typically a good deal pointed +towards the lesser end. They vary, however, much both in size and +shape: some are short and broad, decidedly pointed at the small end; +others are more elongated, and some are almost regular ellipsoids. The +eggs have little or no gloss; the ground-colour is white, with a more +or less perceptible though very faint greenish tinge. Typically they +are very Shrike-like in their markings, the majority of these being +gathered together in a more or less dense zone near the large end. +The markings consist of small spots, blotches, and specks of pale +yellowish brown, more or less intermingled with spots and specks of +dull inky purple or grey; in many eggs there are very few markings, +and these are mere spots except in the zone, while in others +full-sized markings are scattered, though thinly, more or less over +the whole surface of the egg. In some the zone is confluent and +blurred; in others composed of small sharply defined specks and spots. +Here and there a pretty large yellowish-brown cloud may be met with +partially or entirely bounded by a narrow hair-like black line. Tiny +black specks now and then occur, and little zigzag lines that might +have been borrowed from a Bunting's egg; but these are not met with in +probably more than one out of ten eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·48 to +0·55; but the average of sixteen eggs is 0·66 by 0·5. + + +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, Brooks. _Tytler's Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 560 bis. + +Tytler's Willow-Warbler, as yet a rare bird in collections, and which +appears only to straggle down to the plains of Upper India during the +cold season, was found by Captain Cock breeding at Sonamerg (9400 feet +elevation) in the Sindh Valley, Cashmere, in June. + +Mr. Brooks, who discriminated the bird, said of it and its +nidification:--"In plumage resembling _P. viridanus_, but of a richer +and deeper olive; it is entirely without the 'whitish wing-bar,' which +is always present in _viridanus_, unless in very abraded plumage. The +wing is shorter, so is the tail; but the great difference is in the +bill, which is much longer, darker, and of a more pointed and slender +form in _P. tytleri_. The song and notes are utterly different, so +are the localities frequented. _P. viridanus_ is an inhabitant of +brushwood ravines, at 9000 and 10,000 feet elevation; while _P. +tytleri_ is exclusively a pine-forest _Phylloscopus_. In the places +frequented by _P. viridanus_, it must build on the ground, or very +near it; but our new species builds, 40 feet up a pine-tree, a compact +half-domed nest on the side of a branch. + +"Captain Cock shot one of this species off the nest at Sonamerg with +four eggs. The bird he sent to me, and gave me two of the eggs. +Regarding the nest he says: 'I took a nest, containing four eggs, +about 40 feet up a pine, on the outer end of a bough, by means of +ropes and sticks, and I shot the female bird. I do not know what the +bird is. I thought it was _P. viridanus_, but I send it to you. The +nest was very deep, solidly built, and cup-shaped. Eggs, plain white.' +In conversation with Captain Cock he afterwards told me that he had +watched the bird building its nest. It was rather on the side of the +branch, and its solid formation reminded him of a Goldfinch's nest. +It was composed of grass, fibres, moss, and lichens externally and +thickly lined with hair and feathers. The eggs were pure unspotted +white, rather smaller than those of _Reguloides occipitalis_. Two of +them measured ·58 by ·48 and ·57 by ·45. They were taken on the 4th +June." + +Captain Cock himself writes to me:--"Of all the birds' nests that I +know of, this is one of the most difficult to find. One day in the +forest at Sonamerg, Cashmere, I noticed a Warbler fly into a high pine +with a feather in its bill. I watched with the glasses and saw that it +was constructing a nest, so allowing a reasonable time to elapse (nine +days or so) I went and took the nest. It was placed on the outer end +of a bough, about 40 feet up a high pine, and I had to take the nest +by means of a spar lashed at right angles to the tree, the outer +extremity of which was supported by a rope fastened to the top of +the pine. The nest was a very solid, deep cup, of grass, fibres, and +lichens externally, and lined with hair and feathers. It contained +four white eggs, measuring 0·58 by 0·48. + +"I shot the female, which I sent to Mr. Brooks for identification. + +"I forgot to add that this nest, the only one I ever found, was taken +early in June." + +The egg of this species closely resembles that of some of the species +of _Abrornis_--a moderately broad oval, slightly pointed at the small +end, pure white, and almost glossless. The only specimen I have seen +measures 0·58 by 0·45. + + +410. Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth). _The Dusky Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus fuscatus (_Blyth), Jerd B.I._ ii, p. 191. +Horornis fulviventer, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 523. + +Mr. Blyth long ago stated in 'The Ibis' that _Horornis fulviventris_ +was identical with _P. fuscatus_[A]. + +[Footnote A: It is with considerable hesitation that I reproduce this +note. _Horornis fulviventris_ with which Jerdon identified the bird, +the nest of which he describes, is certainly _P. fuscatus_. The only +doubt I have is whether Jerdon, who apparently had not seen a specimen +of _H. fulviventris_, rightly identified his bird with it. With this +explanation the note is republished as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft.'--ED.] + +Subsequently I procured several specimens which were quite distinct +from _P. fuscatus_, structurally as well as in plumage answering +perfectly to Hodgson's description. + +I wrote to Dr. Jerdon mentioning this fact, and he replied:--"I also +am not satisfied of the identity of this species (_H. fulviventris_) +with _Phylloscopus fuscatus_. I have recently got at Darjeeling what I +take to be _Horornis fulviventris_, and it is somewhat smaller in all +its dimensions, but I had not a typical _P. fuscatus_ with which to +compare it. Specimens measured 4¾ to 4-7/8 inches; expanse 6½ inches; +wing 2 to 2-1/16 inches. I procured the nest and eggs in July; the +nest, cup-shaped, on a bank, composed of grass chiefly, with a few +fibres; and the eggs, three in number, pinky white, with a few reddish +spots." + +It is certainly not _P. fuscatus_ (though possibly some specimens of +_P. fuscatus_ in the British Museum may bear a label formerly attached +to a bird of this species), nor any other _Horornis_ or _Horeites_ +included in Dr. Jerdon's work, all of which I have. Mr. Blyth possibly +went by Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum, but some +confusion has, it is known, somehow crept in amongst these; and I have +no doubt myself that _Horornis fulviventris_ is a good species, +and that it was the nest and eggs of this species which Dr. Jerdon +found[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the article on _Abrornis chloronotus_, Hodgs, +which appeared in the 'Rough Draft' under number 574 bis. There is no +manner of doubt that Hodgson got the wrong nest, a nest of a Sunbird, +and figured it as that of this bird.--ED.] + + +415. Phylloscopus proregulus (Pall.). _Pallas's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides chloronotus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 197. +Reguloides proregulus (_Pall.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 566. + +Captain Cock has the honour of being the first to take, and, I +believe, up to date the _only_ oologist who has ever taken, the nest +and eggs of Pallas's Willow-Warbler. Mr. Brooks tried hard for the +prize, but he searched on the ground and so missed the nest. He wrote +to me from Cashmere, just about the time (June 1871) that Captain +Cock found the nest he obtained:--"I have been utterly unable to do +anything with _P. proregulus_. I shot a female, with an egg nearly +ready to lay, when I first went to Goolmerg, but though I often heard +the males singing, I never could find any indication of the nesting +female. The feeble song, like that of _P. sibilatrix_, alluded to by +Blyth as being that of _P. superciliosus_, is not that of this latter +bird, but of _P. proregulus_". + +Later, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society, he noted that "Captain +Cock took the nest and eggs at Sonamerg. It builds, like the +Golden-crested Regulus, up a fir-tree, at from 6 to 40 feet elevation, +on the outer ends of the branches. The nest is of moss, wool and +fibres, and profusely lined with feathers. Eggs, four or five, pure +white, profusely spotted with red and a few spots of purple grey. +Size, 0·53 by 0·43." + +Later still he added in 'The Ibis:'--"Captain Cock writes from +Sonamerg: 'The second day I found my first nest with eggs. It was the +nest of _P. proregulus_. I shot the old bird. Three eggs. These nests +are often placed on a bough high up in a pine-tree, and are domed or +roofed, made of moss and lined with feathers. I took another one to +day with five eggs, and shot the bird just as it was entering its +nest. This was on a bough of a pine, but low down. I know of two more +nests of _P. proregulus_, all on pine-trees, from which I hope to take +eggs.' + +"After describing the nest of _P. humii_, and saying that it was lined +with the hair of the musk-deer, he adds: 'In this the nest differs +from that of _P. proregulus_, which lines its nest with feathers and +bits of thin birch-bark; and the nest of _P. proregulus_ is only +partly domed.' + +"I measured four eggs of _P. proregulus_ which Captain Cock kindly +gave me, and the dimensions are as follows: ·55 by ·44, ·53 by ·43, +·53 by ·43, and ·54 by ·43. They are pure white, richly marked with +dark brownish red, particularly at the larger end, forming there a +fine zone on most of the eggs. Intermingled with these spots, +and especially on the zone, are some spots and blotches of deep +purple-grey. The egg is very handsome, and reminds one strongly of +those of _Parus cristatus_ on a smaller scale. The dates when the eggs +were taken are 30th May and 2nd June, and the place Sonamerg, which is +four marches up the valley of the Sindh River." + +Captain Cock himself tells me that he "took several nests of this bird +at Sonamerg in Cashmere in pine-forests. It breeds in May and June, +making a partially domed nest, which is sometimes placed low down on +the bough of a pine-tree, sometimes on a small sapling pine where the +junction of the bough with the stem takes place, and at other times +high up on the outer end of a bough. It lays five eggs, like those +of _P. humii_ only smaller. The nests I found were all lined with +feathers and thin birch-bark strips. I never found a hair-lining in +any of this bird's nests. The outer portions of the nest consisted of +moss and lichen, arranged so as to harmonize with the bough on which +it was placed. The nests are compact little structures." + +Mr. Brooks, writing of the valley of the Bhagirati river, +says:--"Common in the alpine parts of the valley. It breeds about +Derali, Bairamghati, and Gangaotri, in the large moss-grown deodars." + +The eggs of this species closely resemble those of _P. humii_, but are +smaller, and, to judge from a few specimens taken by Captain Cock that +I have seen, they are somewhat shorter and broader. + +Texture smooth, without any perceptible gloss. Ground-colour pure +white, spotted freely and principally towards the larger end with red: +brick-dust red would perhaps scarcely be a correct term. The colour +would be obtained by mixing a little brown and a good deal of purple +with vermilion, or by mixing Indian red with a little Venetian red. +At the larger end they have an irregular zone of small, more or less +confluent, spots and specks of this red, mingled with reddish or +brownish purple, and a few specks and spots of the red scattered over +the rest of the surface of the egg. + +This egg may also be well described, as regards colour and mode of +marking, by saying that it resembles the illustration in Hewitson's +work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus_, except that the egg of _P. +proregulus_ has a distinct zone of nearly confluent spots, and their +colour is more of a brownish red than those shown in the plate above +referred to, which by-the-by do not correctly represent the colour of +the spots upon the eggs of _P. cristatus_ which I have seen. These +spots are coloured with too much of a tendency towards crimson instead +of brownish red. + +Three of the eggs taken by Captain Cock varied from 0·53 to 0·55 in +length, and from 0·43 to 0·44 in breadth. + + +416. Phylloscopus subviridis (Brooks). _Brooks's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides subviridis, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 566 bis. + +Colonel Biddulph remarks that this species is common in Gilgit at 5000 +feet in March, April, May, and beginning of June, and that it breeds +in the Nulter valley in July at 10,000 feet. Young birds were shot in +August fully fledged. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay observes on the label of a specimen procured by +him at Bian Kheyl in Afghanistan in April, "evidently breeding"; and +on that of another specimen shot in May at the same place, "contained +eggs nearly ready to lay." + + +418. Phylloscopus humii (Brooks). _Hume's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides humii, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 565 bis. +Reguloides superciliosus (_Gm), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 565. + +Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock are the only persons I know of who have +taken the eggs and nests of this species. The nest and eggs sent to +and described by me in 'The Ibis' as belonging to this bird cannot +really have pertained to it. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that _P. humii_ "is very abundant in Cashmere, and +I believe in all hills immediately below the snows. It would be +vain to look for this bird at elevations below 8000 feet, or at any +distance from the snows. It was common even in the birch woods above +the upper line of pines. I found many nests. It builds a globular nest +of coarse grass on a bank side, always on the ground, and never up a +tree. The nest is lined with hair in greater or lesser quantities. +The eggs, four or five in number, average ·56 by ·44, are pure white, +profusely spotted with red, and sometimes have also a few spots of +purplish grey. On the 15th June I found a nest with four young ones on +the south side of the Pir-Pinjal Pass. This bird has no song, only a +double chirp in addition to its callnote. The double chirp, which +is very loud, is intended for a song, for the male bird incessantly +repeats it as he feeds from tree to tree near where the female is +sitting upon her nest." + +Nests of this species obtained in Cashmere towards the end of May +and during June near Goolmerg, and brought me by Mr. Brooks, were +certainly by no means worthy of this pretty little Warbler. They are +very loosely made, more or less straggling cups of somewhat coarse +grass, only slightly lined interiorly with fine moss-roots. The +egg-cavity is very small compared with the size of the nest, some of +which, look like balls of grass with a small hole in the centre. They +average from 4 to 5 inches in external diameter, and from 2 to 3 +inches in height. The egg cavity does not exceed 2 inches in diameter, +and seems often to be less, and is from an inch to half an inch in +depth. + +From Cashmere, when in the thick of the nests of this species, Mr. +Brooks wrote to me as follows:-- + +"From Goolmerg, which is at the foot of a snowy range, I went up to +the foot of the snows through pine-forests. The pines ceased near the +snow and were replaced by birch wood on tremendously rocky ground, +which bothered me greatly to get over. I had missed _P. humii_ after +leaving the foot of the hill, where water was plentiful, but here +again the bird became abundant. I could not, however, find a nest +here, though I watched several pairs. I think in the cooler country +they breed later. Flowers which had gone out of bloom below I again +met with up here in full flower. + +"Blyth says: '_R. superciliosus_ has not any song, unless a sort of +double call, consisting of two notes, can be called a song,' This the +males vigorously uttered all day long, but I did not notice this much; +but as soon as the female sharply and rapidly uttered the well-known +bell-like call, I knew she was disturbed from her nest, or had left it +of her own accord. Whichever of us heard this rushed quickly to the +spot, and the female once sighted was kept in view as she flitted from +tree to tree, apparently carelessly feeding all the while; soon she +came lower down to the bashes below, and now her note quickened and +betokened anxiety; generally before half an hour would elapse she +would make a dash at a particular spot, and wish to go in but checked +herself. This would be repeated two or three times, and now the nest +was within the compass of 2 or 3 yards. At last down she went and her +note ceased. When all had been quiet for a minute or two, the male +meanwhile continuing his double note in the trees above, I cautiously +approached the place. Sometimes the nest was very artfully concealed, +but other times there it was--the round green ball with the opening at +one side. I often saw the female put her head out and then partially +draw it in again. Her well-defined supercilium was very distinct. I +thought I could catch her on the nest once, and went round above her, +but out came her head a little further, and she bolted as I brought +down my pocket handkerchief on the nest. I shot one or two from the +nest, but this I found unnecessary. In every case the female shouted +vigorously on leaving the nest or immediately after, and by her very +peculiar note fully authenticated the eggs." + +Elsewhere Mr. Brooks has remarked:--"Goolmerg is one of those mountain +downs, or extensive pasture lands, which are numerous on the top of +the range of hills immediately below the Pir-Pinjal Range, which is +the first snowy range. It is a beautiful mountain common, about +3000 feet above the level of Sirinugger, which latter place has an +elevation of 5235 feet. This common is about 3 miles long and about a +couple of miles wide, but of very irregular shape. On all sides the +undulating grass-land is surrounded by pine-clad hills, and on one +side the pine-slopes are surmounted by snowy mountains. On the side +near the snow the supply of water in the woods is ample. The whole +hill-side is intersected by small ravines, and each ravine has its +stream of pure cold water--water so different from the tepid fluid we +drink in the plains. In such places where there were water and old +pines _P. humii_ was very abundant: every few yards was the domain of +a pair. The males were very noisy, and continually uttered their song. +This song is not that described by Mr. Blyth as being similar to the +notes of the English Wood-Wren (_P. sibilatrix_) but fainter--it is a +loud double chirp or call, hardly worthy of being dignified with the +name of song at all. While the female was sitting, the male continued +vigorously to utter his double note as he fed from tree to tree. To +this note I and my native assistants paid but little attention; +but when the female, being off the nest, uttered her well-known +'_tiss-yip_,' as Mr. Blyth expresses the call of a Willow-Wren, we +repaired rapidly to the spot and kept her in view. In every instance, +before an hour had passed, she went into her nest, first making a few +impatient dashes at the place where it was, as much as to say--'There +it is, but I don't want you to see me go in.' + +"The nest of _P. humii_ is always, so far as my observation goes +placed on the ground on some sloping bank or ravine-side. The +situation preferred is the lower slope near the edge of the wood, and +at the root of some very small bush or tree; often, however, on quite +open ground, where the newly growing herbage was so short that it only +partially concealed it. In form it is a true Willow-Wren's nest--a +rather large globular structure with the entrance at one side. +Regarding the first nest taken, I have noted that it was placed on a +sloping bank on the ground, among some low ferns and other plants, and +close to the root of a small broken fir tree which, being somewhat +inclined over the nest, protected it from being trodden upon. It was +composed of coarse dry grass and moss and lined with finer grass and a +few black hairs. The cavity was about 2 inches, and the entrance about +1½ inch in diameter. About 20 yards from the nest was a large, old, +hollow fir tree, and in this I sat till the female returned to her +nest. My attendant then quietly approached the spot, when she flew +out of the nest and sat on a low bank 2 or 3 yards from it: then she +uttered her '_tiss-yip_,' which I know so well, and darted away among +the pines. My man retired, upon which she soon returned, and having +called for a few minutes in the vicinity of the nest, she ceased her +note and quickly entered. Again she was quietly disturbed, and sat on +a twig not far from the nest. I heard her call once more, and then +shot her. There were five eggs, which were slightly incubated. + + * * * * * + +"My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the ground. +The third was similarly placed, and composed of coarse grass and moss, +and lined with black horsehair. In each of these nests the number of +eggs was five. + +"Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was placed on +the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin bush. It was +composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss, and lined with finer +grasses and a few hairs. The eggs were five or six days incubated. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under the +inclined trunk of a small fir. The same materials were used. + +"Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping bank and +quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to conceal it. It was +composed as before, with the addition of a few feathers in the outer +portion of the nest. + +"Another nest was at the roots of a fern growing on a very steep bank. +The new shoots of the fern grew up above the nest, and last year's +dead leaves overhung it and entirely concealed it. + +"Another was placed on a sloping bank, immediately under the trunk of +a fallen and decayed pine. On account of the irregularities in the +ground, the trunk did not touch the ground where the nest was by about +2 feet. This was again an instance of contrivance for the nest's +protection. It was composed of the same materials as usual. + +"Another was among the branches of a shrub, right in the centre of the +bush and on the ground, which was sloping as usual. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, taken on 3rd June, was placed in the +steep bank of a small stream, only 3 feet 6 inches above the water. + +"The above examples will give a very fair idea of the situation of the +nest; and it now remains only to describe the eggs, which average ·56 +long by ·44 broad. The largest egg which was measured was ·62 long +and ·45 broad, and the smallest measured ·52 long and ·43 broad. The +ground-colour is always pure white, more or less spotted with brownish +red, the spots being much more numerous and frequently in the form of +a rich zone or cap at the larger end. Intermixed with the red spots +are sometimes a few purplish-grey ones. Other eggs are marked with +deep purple-brown spots, like those of the Chiffchaff, and the spots +are also intermingled with purplish grey. Some eggs are boldly and +richly marked, while others are minutely spotted. The egg also varies +in shape; but, as a general rule, they are rather short and round, +resembling in shape those of _P. trochilus_. In returning from +Cashmere, on the south face of the Pir-Pinjal Mountain and close to +the footpath, I found on the 15th June a nest of this bird with four +young ones. This nest was placed in an unusually steep bank. Half an +hour after finding the nest, and perhaps 1000 feet lower down the +hill, I stood upon a mass of snow which had accumulated in the bed of +a mountain-stream." + +Captain Charles R. Cock writes to me that he "took numbers of nests at +Sonamerg, in the Sindh Valley in Cashmere, during a nesting trip that +I took in 1871 with my valued and esteemed friend W.E. Brooks, Esq. +Although at the time of our finding the nest of this Warbler we were +about 80 miles apart, yet we both found our first nest on the same +day--the 31st May. I believe he was by a couple of hours or so the +winner, as I do not think the egg had ever been taken before. + +"Breeds in May or June on the ground in banks; makes a globular nest +of moss, well lined with fine grass, musk-deer hair, or horse-hair. It +lays five eggs, white spotted with rusty red, inclining to a zone at +the larger end." + +Typically the eggs of this species are broad ovals, slightly +compressed towards one end; the ground pure white and almost perfectly +devoid of gloss, speckled and spotted with red or purplish red, the +markings, most dense about the large end, often forming an irregular +mottled cap or zone. These are the general characters, but the eggs +vary very much in shape, size, colour, and density of markings. Some +eggs are almost spherical; others are somewhat elongated; others +slightly pyriform. As a body, alike in shape and coloration, they +remind one of the eggs of many species of Indian Tit, especially +those of _Lophophanes melanolophus_. In some eggs the markings are +a slightly brownish brickdust-red, moderate sized spots and specks +scattered pretty thickly over the whole surface, but gathered into +a dense, more or less confluent, zone or cap towards the large end. +Intermingled with these primary markings a few pale purple spots +are scattered towards the large end of the eggs. In other eggs the +markings are mostly mere specks, and in this type of egg the specks +are mostly brownish purple, in some almost black. Occasionally an +egg is almost entirely spotless, having only towards the large end a +clouded dingy reddish-purple zone. In some eggs again the colour of +the markings is pale and washed out. As a rule, the eggs in which the +markings are of the brickdust-red type have these larger, bolder, and +more numerous; while those in which the markings are purple have them +of a more minute character. + +The shape of the eggs, as already noticed, varies much, being +sometimes longer than those of _P. trochilus_, and at other times very +much of the same rounded shape. Frequently they are more pointed at +the smaller end than those of _P. trochilus_ usually are. The texture +of the egg is similar to that of _P. trochilus_, with scarcely any +gloss. The ground-colour is always pure white, and the markings, +which are always more or less plentiful, are either reddish brown +or purple-brown, intermingled sparingly with lighter or darker +purple-grey. + +Some eggs contain hardly a speck of the purple-grey, while others have +considerable blotches of that colour scattered amongst the red spots. + +Some eggs are scantily marked, and have the spots very small; while +others are densely spotted and blotched, the spots often being more or +less confluent at the larger end. Frequently they accumulate round +the larger end in the form of a confluent zone. The variety with deep +purple-brown spots, which is the rarest, resembles those of _P. +rufa_ in miniature; but, as a rule, the egg bears a much stronger +resemblance to that of _P. trochilus_, though it is of course +much smaller. _As far as the colour goes_, the representations in +Hewitson's work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus, Parus coeruleus_, +and _Phylloscopus trochilus_ will give a very correct idea of the +different varieties of the egg of the present bird. + +The greatest number of eggs found in any nest by Captain Cock and Mr. +Brooks was five; frequently, however, four was the number upon which +the bird was sitting; eggs partially incubated. On the Pir-Pinjal +Mountain, just below the snows, a nest with four young ones was found +on the 15th June, so that, though five seems to be the usual number, +the bird frequently lays only four. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·52 to 0·62, and in breadth from 0·43 to +0·47; but the average of fifty eggs carefully measured was 0·56 full +by 0·44. + + +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis, Jerd. _The Large Crowned +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides occipitalis (_Jerd.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 196; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 563. + +The Large Crowned Willow-Warbler breeds in Cashmere and the North-west +Himalayas generally, during the latter half of May, June, and the +first half of July, apparently at any elevation from 4000 to 8000 +feet. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This is perhaps the commonest bird in Cashmere, +even more so than _Passer indicus_. It is found at almost all +elevations above the valley where good woods occur. + +"I only took three nests, as the little bird is very cunning, and, +unlike the simple _P. humii_, is very careful indeed how it approaches +its nest when an enemy is near. + +"The nest is placed in a hole under the roots of a large tree on some +steep bank-side. I found one in a decayed stump of a large fir-tree, +inside the rotten wood. It was placed on a level with the ground, and +could not be seen till I had broken away part of the outside of the +stump. It was composed of green moss and small dead leaves, a scanty +and loosely formed nest, and not domed. It was lined with fine grass +and a little wool, and also a very few hairs. There were five eggs. + +"Another nest was also placed in a rotten stump, but under the roots. +A third nest was placed in a hole under the roots of a large living +pine, and in front of the hole grew a small rose-bush quite against +the tree-trunk. This nest was most carefully concealed, for the hole +behind the roots of the rose-bush was most difficult to find. + +"The eggs, four or five in number, are of a rather longer form than +those of _P. humii_, and are pure white without any spots. They +average ·65 by ·5." + +He added _in epist._:--"This is a much shier bird than _P. humii_. I +watched many a one without effect. The nest is a loose structure of +moss lined with a little wool, and would not retain its shape after +coming out of the hole. It is a most amusing bird, very noisy, with a +short poor song, and utters a variety of notes when you are near the +nest." + +Certainly the nests he brought me are nothing but little pads of moss, +3 to 4 inches in diameter and perhaps an inch in thickness. There is +no pretence for a lining, but a certain amount of wool and excessively +fine moss-roots are incorporated in the body of the nest. _In situ_ +they would appear to be sometimes more or less domed. + +Captain Cock writes to me:--"I have taken numbers of nests of this +bird in Cashmere and in and about the hill-station of Murree. They +commence breeding in May and have finished by July. The nests are +placed under roots of trees, in crevices of trees, between large +stems, and a favourite locality is, where the road has a stone +embankment to support it, between the stones. The nest is globular, +made of moss, and the number of eggs is four. I have often caught the +old bird on the nest. The nests are easy to find, as the birds are +very noisy and demonstrative when any one is near their nests." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall also very kindly gives me the following most +interesting note on the nidification of this species in the vicinity +of Murree. He says:-- + +"This little Willow-Warbler, so far as my own experience goes, always +prefers a pretty high elevation for breeding. Out of the dozen nests +found by Captain Cock and myself in the neighbourhood of Murree, none +were at an elevation of less than 6500 feet above the sea; and my +shikaree, who was always on the look out for me in the lower ranges, +never came across the nest of this species. + +"The nest is generally placed in holes at the foot of the large spruce +firs. It is a difficult nest to find, as the bird selects holes into +which the hand will not go, and outside there are no signs of there +being any nest within. + +"The cock bird spends most of his time at the tops of trees, coming +down at intervals. The only chance of success in taking the eggs is to +watch carefully any that may be flying low in the bushes, until they +disappear cautiously into the holes where they are breeding. I should +mention that we have also found some nests in the rough stone walls on +the hill road-sides. + +"The nest is as neatly and carefully built as if it had to be exposed +on the branch of a tree. It is globular in shape, made of moss, and +lined with feathers. The eggs are pure white. They apparently rear two +broods in the year. In the first nest, which we found under the root +of an old spruce-fir on the 17th May, the eggs were quite hard-set; +and I may remark that immediately over this nest, about 8 feet up the +tree in a crack in the wood, a little _Muscicapula superciliaris_ was +sitting on five eggs. Later at the end of June we found _fresh_ eggs +in several nests. The eggs in our collection were all taken between +the 17th May and the 10th July." + +They do not always, however, select such situations as those referred +to in the above accounts. Sir E.C. Buck, C.S., says:--"I found a nest +on 11th June in the roof of Major Batchelor's bungalow at Nachar, in +the Sutlej Valley; it contained young birds. I was not allowed to +disturb the nest, which was composed externally of moss. I noticed a +second half-made nest near the other." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, somewhat larger +than those of _P. humii_, and they are of a different character, being +spotless, white, and slightly glossy. In shape the eggs vary from +a nearly perfect, moderately elongated oval to a slightly pyriform +shape, broad at the large end, and a good deal compressed and somewhat +pointed towards the small end (_vide_ the representation of the eggs +of _Ruticilla tithys_ in Hewitson's work). + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·48 to +0·53; but the average of fifteen eggs measured is 0·65 by 0·5. + + +430. Acanthopneuste davisoni, Oates. _The Tenasserim White-tailed +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides viridipennis (_Blyth), apud Hume, cat._ no. 507[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume is of opinion that this bird is the true _P. +viridipennis_ of Blyth. I have elsewhere stated my reasons for +disagreeing with him.--ED.] + +It was on the 2nd of February, just at the foot of the final cone of +Mooleyit, at an elevation of over 6000 feet, that Mr. Davison came +upon the nest of this species. He says:-- + +"In a deep ravine close below the summit of Mooleyit I found a nest of +this Willow-Warbler. It was placed in a mass of creepers growing over +the face of a rock about 7 feet from the ground. It was only partially +screened, and I easily detected it on the bird leaving it. I was very +much astonished at finding a nest of a Willow-Warbler in Burmah, so +I determined to make positively certain of the owner. I marked the +place, and after a short time returned very quietly. I got within a +couple of feet of the nest; the bird sat still, and I watched her for +some time; the markings on the top of the head were very conspicuous. +On my attempting to go closer the bird flew off, and settled on a +small branch a few feet off. I moved back a short distance and shot +her, using a very small charge. + +"The nest was a globular structure, with the roof slightly projecting +over the entrance. It was composed externally chiefly of moss, +intermingled with dried leaves and fibres; the egg-cavity was warmly +and thickly lined with a felt of pappus. + +"The external diameter of the nest was about 4 inches; the egg-cavity +1 inch at the entrance, and 2 inches deep. + +"The nest contained three small pure white eggs." + +The three eggs here mentioned measured 0·59 and 0·6 in length, by 0·49 +in breadth. + + +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (Hodgs.) _Holgson's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albosuperciliaris, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 573. + +Throughout the Himalayas south of the first snowy ranges, and in all +wooded valleys in rear of these, from Darjeeling to Murree, this +Warbler appears to be a permanent resident. + +I have received its nests and eggs from several sources, and have +taken them in the Sutlej and Beas Valleys myself. They lay in the last +week of March, and throughout April and May, constructing a large +globular nest of moss, more or less mingled exteriorly with dry grass +and lined thinly with goat's hair, and then inside this thickly with +the softest wool or, in one nest that I found, with the inner downy +fur of hares. The entrance to the nest is sometimes on one side, +sometimes almost at the top, and is rather large for the size of the +bird. The nest is almost without exception placed on a grassy bank, at +the foot of some small bush, and usually contains four eggs. + +Talking of this species, and writing from Almorah on the 17th May, Mr. +Brooks said:--"I have just taken a nest. It was placed on a sloping +bank-side near the foot of a small bush. The bank was overgrown with +grass. The nest, which was on the ground, was a large ball-shaped one, +composed of very coarse grass, moss-roots, and wool, and lined with +hair and wool. It contained four pure white glossy eggs, which were +much pointed at the small end. I shot the bird off the nest. I had +already frequently met with fully-grown young birds of this species." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock remarked:--"On the 8th April I +found a nest of this species containing four white eggs; it was placed +on the ground, under a bush, on a steep bank. The nest was globular, +with rather a large entrance-hole, and was made of moss, with dry +grass outside, then black hair of goats, and thickly lined with the +softest of wool: _no feathers_ in the nest. I caught the bird on the +nest; it is common here." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells us:--"A nest found on the 22nd May at +Naini Tal, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained three hard-set +eggs. The eggs were pure white. The nest was a most beautiful little +structure of moss, lined with wool; it was globular, with the entrance +at one side, and placed on a bank among some ground-ivy, the outer +part of the nest having a few broad grass-blades interwoven so as to +assimilate the appearance of the nest to that of the bank against +which it lay. It was at the side of a narrow glen with a northern +aspect, and about four feet above the pathway, close to the spring +from which my _bhisti_ daily draws water, the bird sitting fearlessly +while passed and repassed by people going down the glen within a foot +or two of the nest." + +The eggs are pure white, and generally fairly glossy. In texture the +shells are very fine and compact. The eggs are moderately broad ovals, +much pointed towards the small end, and vary from 0·6 to 0·65 in +length, and from 0·48 to 0·52 in breadth; but the average of twenty +eggs measured is 0·63 by 0·5 nearly. + + +435. Cryptolopha jerdoni (Brooks). _Brooks's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis xanthoschistos (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 572. + +This Warbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes[A], both in +Nepal and Sikhim up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. They lay in +May three or four pure white eggs. They make their nest on the ground +in thick bushes, or in holes in banks, or under roots of trees. The +nest is a large mass of moss and dry leaves, somewhat egg-shaped, with +the entrance at one end, some 6 inches in length, 4 inches in breadth, +and 3·5 in height externally, and with an oval entrance about 1·5 high +and 2·25 wide. Inside it is carefully lined with moss-roots. Both +sexes assist in hatching and rearing the young, which are ready to fly +in July. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum are _C. +xanthoschista_; but _C. jerdoni_ also occurs in Nepal, and Mr. Hodgson +_may_ have found the nests of both. I leave the note as it appeared +in the 'Rough Draft,' as the two species are not likely to differ in +their habits, and it matters little to which species Mr. Hodgson's +note refers, provided the above remarks are borne in mind.--ED.] + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie says:--"I found one nest of this species at +Rishap, at an elevation of 5000 feet, on the 20th May. The nest was in +thin forest, near its outer edge, and placed on the ground beside a +small stem. It was domed, and composed entirely of moss, with the +exception of a few fibres in the hood or dome portion, and was lined +with thistle-down. The exterior diameter was 3·3, the height 3·2: the +cavity was 1·6 in diameter, and only an inch in depth below the lower +margin of the entrance, which was the rim of the true cup, over which +the hood was drawn. The nest contained four fresh eggs." + +Several nests of this species that have been sent me from Sikhim +were all of the same type--beautiful little cups, some placed on the +ground, some amongst the twigs of brushwood a little above the ground, +composed entirely of fine moss and a little fern-root, and with the +interior of the cavity not indeed regularly lined but dotted about +with tufts of silky seed-down. + +The eggs are very similar to but smaller than those of the preceding +species--very broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and faintly glossy. In length they vary from 0·53 to 0·58, and +in breadth from 0·45 to 0·49. + + +436. Cryptolopha poliogenys (Blyth). _The Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis poliogenys (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of the Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler, taken on the 8th May in large forest at 6000 feet, +contained three hard-set eggs. It was suspended to a snag among the +moss growing on the stem of a small tree at five feet up. The moss +supported it more than did the snag. It is a solid cup-shaped +structure, made of green moss and lined with very fine roots. +Externally it measures 3½ inches across and 2¼ deep; internally 2 +inches wide and 1¾ deep." + +The eggs of this species, like those of _C. xanthoschista_ and _C. +jerdoni_, are pure white. They are not, I think, separable from the +eggs of these two species. Those sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0·66 +and 0·67 in length by 0·5 in breadth. + + +437. Cryptolopha castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 205; _Hume. +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 578. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler breeds in the central hill-region of Nepal from +April to June, laying three or four eggs, which are neither figured +nor described. The nest itself is a beautiful structure of mosses, +lichens, moss- and fern-roots, and fine stems worked into the shape +of a large egg, measuring 6 and 4 inches along the longer and shorter +diameters; it is placed on the ground in the midst of a clump of ferns +or thick grass, with the longer diameter perpendicular to the ground. +The aperture, which is about halfway between the middle and the top of +the nest, and on one side, is oval, about 2 inches in width and 1·75 +in height. Both sexes are said to assist in hatching and rearing the +young. + + +438. Cryptolopha cantator (Tick.). _Tickell's Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Culicipeta cantator (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 200. +Abrornis cantator (_Tick.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 570. + +A nest containing a single egg has been sent me as that of Tickell's +Flycatcher-Warbler. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at an +elevation, it is said, of 12,000 feet. It was suspended to the tip of +a branch of a tree at a height of about 8 feet from the ground. The +nest is a most lovely one; but I confess that I have doubts as to its +really belonging to this species. + +The nest is, for the size of the bird, a large watch-pocket, some 6 +inches in total length and 3·5 in breadth, composed entirely of white, +satiny seed-down, densely felted together to the thickness of half +an inch. The lower part, sides, and back very thinly, and the upper +portion and the margin of the mouth of the pocket thickly, coated with +excessively fine green moss and very fine soft vegetable fibre. + +My sole reason for doubting the authenticity of the nest is that +another _precisely_ similar one was sent me by another collector, a +European, as belonging to an _Aethopyga_, together with the female +which he shot off the nest. + +The present nest contained a pure white egg; the other spotted eggs. +Both collectors I have no doubt were fully assured of the correctness +of their identification, and it may be that both species of birds +construct similar nests; but I entertain considerable doubts on this +subject, and think it right to note the fact. + +The egg is a very broad oval, pure white, and very glossy, and +measures 0·6 by 0·49. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a lovely nest, which he says belongs to this +species. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at about 12,000 feet +elevation. It was suspended from the tiny branch of a tree at a height +of about 8 feet from the ground. The nest is a perfect watch-pocket, +composed entirely of white silky down belonging to one of the +bombaxes, thinly coated here and there with strings of moss to keep +it together, and more thickly so with this and vegetable fibre at and +about the point of suspension and round the rim of the mouth of the +pocket. The nest is altogether about. 6 inches long and about 3 inches +in diameter at its broadest; the lower edge of the aperture into the +pocket is 2 inches from the bottom of the nest, and the aperture is +about 2 inches wide. It is altogether one of the loveliest nests I +have ever seen: but I cannot feel certain that the nest really belongs +to this species; for I have had a precisely similar nest, also found +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, similarly suspended at a height of about +5 feet from the ground, sent me as belonging to another species of +_Abrornis_; and though Mr. Mandelli is usually right, I think the +matter requires further confirmation. + + +440. Abrornis superciliaris, Tick. _The Yellow-bellied +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis flaviventris, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major T.C. Bingham says:-- + +"I have shot this bird on the Zammee choung, where I got a nest with +eggs; and I have more than once seen it in the Thoungyeen forests. + +"The following is an account of the nest I found, recorded in my +note-book:-- + +"Khasat village--Khasat choung, Zammee river, 9th March, 1878.--My +camp to-day was pitched in the midst of a dense bamboo-break, close to +a path leading to the village. + +"About ten feet from my tent on this path, passers-by had cut one +of the bamboos in a clump and left it leaning up against the clump; +between two knots of this a rough hack had broken an irregular hole +into a joint. + +"Sitting outside my tent and looking carelessly about, my attention +was attracted by what I took to be a leaf flutter down close to the +above-mentioned bamboo, and to my surprise disappear before it reached +the ground. Wondering at this, I got up and approached the place, when +from the aforementioned hole in the bamboo out darted a little bird; +and looking in I saw a neat little nest of fibres placed on the lower +knot with three eggs, white densely speckled, chiefly in a ring at the +larger end, with pinkish claret spots. + +"I went back to my tent, watched the bird return, and shot her as on +being frightened off she flew out a second time. It proved to be the +above species. + +"I took the nest and eggs. The latter, I regret to say, were lost +subsequently through the carelessness of a servant, but I had luckily +measured and taken a description of them. + +"Their dimensions were respectively 0·57 x 0·42, 0·59 x 0·42, and 0·59 +x 0·44." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Warbler on the +15th June at 1800 feet elevation. It was inside a bamboo-stem near the +banks of the Ryeng stream. Just under a node some one had cut out a +notch, which the birds made their entrance. The nest rested on the +node below and fitted the hollow of the bamboo. It was made of dry +bamboo-leaves, and lined with soft, fibrous material. It measured +5 inches deep and 3 inches wide, with an egg cavity of 2 inches in +depth, by 1¾ inch in width. The eggs, which were hard-set, were but +three in number." + +The eggs are rather long ovals, the shell fine but with very little +gloss; the ground-colour is a dull white or pinky white, and it is +thickly freckled and mottled about the large end and thinly elsewhere +with red, in some cases slightly browner, in others purple. The +markings have a tendency to form a cap or zone about the large end, +and here, where the markings are densest, some little lilac or +purplish-grey spots and clouds are intermingled. + +An egg measures 0·61 by 0·43. + + +441. Abrornis schisticeps (Hodgs.). _The Black-faced +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 201; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 571. + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Black-faced Flycatcher-Warbler is "a +common species in the neighbourhood of Mussoorie, at 5000 feet, and +commences building in March. A pair of these birds selected a thick +China rose-bush trained against the side of the house, and had +completed the nest and laid one egg when a rat destroyed it. I +subsequently took two other nests in May, both placed on the ground +in holes in the side of a bank by the roadside. In form the nest is +a ball, with a round lateral entrance, and is composed externally +of dried grasses and green moss, lined with bits of wool, cotton, +feathers, thread, and hair. The eggs are three in number." + +Two eggs of this species, sent to me by Captain Hutton, are very +perfect ovals, pure white[A], and rather glossy. + +[Footnote A: There can be little doubt that Capt. Hutton's eggs were +wrongly identified.--ED.] + +They both measure 0·62 by 0·48. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"The only nest I ever found of this +Warbler was in a natural hole in a small tree in an open part of a +large forest, at 5500 feet above the sea. In a cleft, five feet from +ground, where a limb had been lopped off, there was a small hole, +barely large enough, at entrance to admit the bird, but gradually +widening out for the seven or eight inches of its depth. In the bottom +of this cavity was a loose lining of dry bamboo-leaves, on which lay +five eggs. They do not agree with those taken by Captain Hutton, which +were 'pure white,' but I am absolutely certain of the authenticity of +the eggs taken by me. They were well-set, so five is probably the full +complement. They were taken on the 26th May." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie, for the authenticity of which he vouches, +are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed and pyriform towards +the small end. They have but little gloss, and are of the same type as +_A. superciliaris_ and _A. albigularis_. The ground is a dull pinkish +white, and they are profusely mottled and streaked with red, which in +some eggs is brownish, in some purplish. The markings are densest at +the large end, where they have a tendency to form an irregular zone, +which in some specimens is very conspicuous. + +These eggs vary from 0·56 to 0·57 in length, and from 0·41 to 0·42 in +breadth. + + +442. Abrornis albigularis, Hodgs. _The White-throated +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albigularis, _Hodgs._, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 204. + +A nest of this species found in Native Sikhim, below Namtchu, on +the 28th July, is a regular Tailor-bird's nest, absolutely +undistinguishable from the one also sent me by Mr. Mandelli as +belonging to _Orthotomus atrigularis_, so that for the moment I have +some doubts as to the authenticity of this nest. Two leaves, precisely +of the same species as those made use of by the Tailor-bird in +question, have been sewn together with the same bright yellow silk, +and the little deep cup-shaped nest within is composed exactly of the +same excessively fine grass. Another nest, also said to belong to this +species, but of a very different character, has been sent me by Mr. +Mandelli. This was found at Yendong, in Native Sikhim, on the 6th +July, and contained four fresh eggs precisely of the type of those of +_A. schisticeps_. The nest was placed in the cavity of a truncated +bamboo about 4 feet from the ground, and was a loose cup, the basal +portion composed of dry bamboo-leaves, and the rest of the nest being +made of excessively fine grass, flower-stems, similar to those used +in the Tailor-bird-like nest above described, but with a quantity of +feathers mingled with this in the lining of the nest. + +The eggs of this species are of precisely the same type as those of +_A. schisticeps_ and _A. superciliaris_, but they are the smallest +of all. They are little regular oval eggs, with a white, greyish, or +pinky white ground, with deep red freckled and mottled markings, which +are densely set about the large end, where they generally form a cap +or zone, and usually much less dense elsewhere. + +The eggs sent me measured 0·55 and 0·57 by 0·43. + + +445. Scotocerca inquieta (Cretzschm.). _The Streaked Scrub-Warbler_. + +Scotocerca inquieta (_Rüpp._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550 +bis. + +The Streaked Scrub-Warbler is a permanent resident of the bare stony +hills which, under many names and broken into multitudinous ranges, +run down from the Khyber Pass to the sea, dividing the Punjab and Sind +from Afghanistan and Khelat. + +An account of its nidification is contained in the following note +furnished me by the late Captain Cock:-- + +"I first discovered this bird breeding in February in the Khuttuck +Hills. It is common throughout the range of stony hills between +Peshawur and Attock, and I have seen it on the hills between Jhelum +and Pindi, but never took their nest in this latter locality. At +Nowshera it is very common, and towards the end of February a +collector could take four or five nests in a day. It builds in a low +thorny shrub, about 1½ feet from the ground, makes a largish globular +nest of thin dry grass-stems, with an opening in the side, thickly +lined with seed-down, and containing four or five eggs. Their +nesting-operations are over by the end of March." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, who observed the bird at Chaman in Afghanistan, +says:--"These birds are quite common about here on the plains, but I +have not observed them on the hills. They commence breeding towards +the end of March; the nest is globular in shape, not unlike that of +_Franklinia buchanani_, but somewhat larger, built invariably in +stunted bushes about two feet from the ground. It is well lined with +feathers and fine grass, the outer portion being composed of fibres +and coarse grass. The normal number of eggs is six. I have found less, +but never more, and whenever a lesser number has been taken they have +always proved to be fresh laid. + +"The eggs are oval in shape, white, with a pinkish tinge when fresh, +very minutely spotted and speckled with light red, most densely at the +larger end. The average of twelve eggs is 0·62 by 0·43." + +The eggs are moderately broad and regular ovals, usually somewhat +compressed towards one end, but occasionally exhibiting no trace of +this. The shell is very fine and delicate, but, as a rule, entirely +devoid of gloss. The ground-colour varies from pure to pinky white. +The markings are always minute, but in some they are comparatively +much bolder and larger than in others, and they vary in colour from +reddish pink to a comparatively bright red. In many eggs the markings +are much more dense towards the large end, where they form, or exhibit +a strong tendency to form, an irregular, more or less confluent zone; +and wherever the markings are dense there a certain number of tiny +pale purple or lilac spots or clouds will be found intermingled with +and underlying the red markings. Some eggs show none of these spots +and exhibit no tendency to form a zone, being pretty uniformly +speckled and spotted all over. Some are not very unlike eggs of +the Grasshopper and Dartford Warblers; others, again, are almost +counterparts of the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·51. + + +446. Neomis flavolivaceus, Hodgs.[A] _The Aberrant Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I have transferred Hodgson's notes under this title in +the 'Rough Draft' to _Horornis fortipes_, to which bird Hodgson's +account of the nidification undoubtedly relates, his type-birds No. +900 being _Neornis assimilis_.--ED.] + +Neornis flavolivacea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 188. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird at Darjeeling:--"Lays in the second week in July. Eggs three in +number, blunt, ovato-pyriform. Size 0·69 by 0·55. Colour deep dull +claret-red, with a darker band at broad end. Nest, a deep cup, outside +of bamboo-leaves, inside fine vegetable fibres, lined with feathers." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Tree-Warbler +(though why it should be called a Tree-Warbler I cannot imagine, for +it sticks closely to grass and low scrub, and never by any chance +perches on a tree) breeding from May to July at elevations from 3500 +up to 6000 feet. All the nests I have seen were of a globular shape +with entrance near the top. Both in shape and position the nest much +resembles that of _Suya atrigularis_, and is, I have no doubt, the one +brought to Jerdon as belonging to that bird. It is placed in grassy +bushes, in open country, within a foot or so of the ground, and +is made of bamboo-leaves and, for the size of the bird, coarse +grass-stems, with an inner layer of fine grass-panicles, from which +the seeds have dropped, and lined with feathers. Externally it +measures about 6 inches in depth by 4 in width. The egg-cavity, from +lower edge of entrance, is 2¼ inches deep by 1¾ wide. The entrance is +2 inches across. The usual number of eggs is three." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are very regular, rather broad, oval eggs, +with a decided but not very strong gloss. In colour they are a uniform +deep chocolate-purple. In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·69, and in +breadth from 0·49 to 0·52.[A] + +[Footnote A: I cannot identify the following bird, which appears in +the 'Rough Draft' under the number 552 bis. I reproduce the note +together with some additional matter furnished later on by Mr. Gammie. +_Neornis assimilis_ is nothing but _Horornis fortipes_; but I cannot +reconcile Mr. Gammie's account of the nest with that of _H. fortipes_, +inasmuch as nothing is said about a lining of feathers, which appears +to be an unfailing characteristic of the nest of _H. fortipes_.--ED. + + +No. 552 bis.--NEORNIS ASSIMILIS, _Hodgs._ + +Mr. Gammie sent me a bird unmistakably of this species--Blyth's +Aberrant Tree-Warbler--together with the lining of a nest and three +eggs. + +He says:--"The nest, eggs, and bird were brought to me on the 18th May +by a native, who said the nest was placed in a shrub, about 6 feet +from the ground, in a place filled with scrub near Rishap, at about +3500 feet above the sea. I noted at the time the man's account, but as +I did not take the nest myself, I kept no account of it. All I know +about it is written on the ticket attached to the nest sent to you. +The bird was snared on the nest. Though I did not take it myself, I +have little doubt that it is quite correct." + +The lining of the nest is a little, soft, shallow saucer 2½ inches in +diameter, composed of the finest and softest brown roots. + +The eggs are somewhat of the same type as those of _N. flavolivaceus_, +but in colour more resembling those of some of the ten-tail-feathered +_Prinias_. They are very short broad ovals, pulled out and pointed +towards one end, _approximating_ to the peg-top type. They are very +glossy and of a uniform Indian red; duller coloured rather than +those of the _Prinias_; not so deep or purple as those of _N. +flavolivaceus_. + +They measured 0·65 by 0·52. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes further:--"This bird, I find, does not +build in bushes, but on the ground, or rather on low leaf or weed +heaps. It not unfrequently takes advantage of the small weed heaps +collected round the edges of native cultivations. On the tops of these +heaps it collects a lot of dry leaves, and places its nest among them. +It sits exceedingly close, only rising when almost stepped on. + +"The nest is a rather deep cup, neatly made of dry grass and a +few leaves, and lined with fine roots, and the bare twigs of fine +grass-panicles. It measures externally about 3·2 inches in diameter by +2·8 in depth; internally 2 inches by 1·75. + +"The eggs are three or four in number, and are laid in May from low +elevations up to about 3500 feet." + +The eggs of this species, of which Mr. Gammie has now sent me two +nests, are of the regular _Prinia_ type--typically broad ovals, +approximating to the peg-top type, but sometimes more elongated and +pointed towards the small end. They are very glossy and of a uniform +dull Indian red, deeper coloured than any _Prinia's_ that I have seen. + +They vary from 0·65 to 0·69 in length, and from 0·48 to 0·52 in +breadth.] + + +448. Horornis fortipes, Hodgs. _The Strong-footed Bush-Warbler_. + +Horornis fortipes, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 162. +Dumeticola fortipes, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 526. + +According to Mr. Hodgson[A], this Tree-Warbler breeds from May to July +in the central region of Nepal. They build a tolerably compact and +rather shallow cup-shaped nest of grass and dry bamboo-leaves, mingled +with grass-roots and vegetable fibre and lined with feathers. + +[Footnote A: This note of Mr. Hodgson's refers to his plate No. +900. The birds in his collection bearing this number are _Neornis +assimilis_, and are the same as _Horornis fortipes_.--ED.] + +A nest taken on the 29th May measured externally 3·5 in diameter and +2 inches in height, and internally 2 inches in diameter by 1·37 +in depth. It contained four eggs, which are figured as deep dull +purple-red. Dr. Jerdon gave me two eggs, as I now feel certain, +belonging to this species; there is no mistaking them, as they are the +most wonderful coloured eggs I ever saw; but as he was not certain +to what species they belonged, I unfortunately threw them away. Mr. +Hodgson figures the egg as a moderately broad oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, slightly glossy, and measuring 0·65 by 0·47. + +Two nests and eggs, together with one of the parent birds, of the +Strong-footed Bush-Warbler were sent me from Sikhim. Both nests were +found in thick brushwood or low jungle, at elevations of 5000 to 5500 +feet--the one at Lebong on the 12th June, the other on another spur of +the same hill in July. + +The nests were very similar--small massive cups, composed exteriorly +of dry blades of grass and leaves, and lined internally with fine +grass and a few feathers. Both nests exhibit this lining of feathers, +so that it is no accident but a characteristic of the bird's +architecture. In one nest a good deal more of the fine flower-panicle +stems of grasses are intermingled than in the other. Externally the +nests are about 4·5 in diameter and 2·5 in height; the cavity 2 inches +in diameter and about 1·25 in depth. + +Five more nests of this species have been taken by Mr. Mandelli in the +neighbourhood of Lebong, between the 18th May and 15th July; with one +exception, where there were only three slightly set eggs, all the +nests contained four more or less incubated ones. All the nests were +placed in amongst the twigs of low brushwood at heights of from 1 to +3 feet from the ground, and all present the invariable characteristic +feature of this species, namely, a greater or less admixture of +feathers in the lining of the cavity. Examining the nests carefully, +it will be seen that they are composed of three layers--exteriorly +everywhere coarse blades of grass and straw loosely put together, +inside this a mass of extremely fine panicle-stems of flowering grass, +and then inside this the lining of moderately fine grass mingled +with feathers. The nests vary a good deal in size, according to the +thickness of the coarse outer layer and the extent to which this +straggles; but they seem to be generally from 4 to 5 inches in +diameter, and 2·5 in height, whilst the cavity is about 2 inches in +diameter, and 1, or a little more than 1, in depth. + +The eggs (each nest contained four) are _sui generis_, moderately +broad regular ovals, with a decided but not brilliant gloss, and of +a nearly uniform chocolate-purple. The eggs of one nest are of a a +slightly deeper shade than those of another, probably in consequence +of one set being more incubated than the other. They vary in length +from 0·66 to 0·69, and from 0·49 to 0·52 in breadth. + +I do not entertain the slightest doubt of these nests and eggs. + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me many more eggs of this species, mostly deep +chocolate-purple, but here and there an egg somewhat paler, what might +be called a pinkish chocolate. They vary from 0·61 to 0·70 in length, +and from 0·48 to 0·53 in breadth; but the average of fifteen eggs is +0·67 by 0·51 nearly. + + +450. Horornis pallidus(Brooks). _The Pale Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidus, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 527 bis. + +The Pale Bush-Warbler breeds in Cashmere, according to Mr. Brooks, +during May. I know nothing either of the bird or its nidification +myself. I have never even closely examined a specimen, and merely +accept the species on Mr. Brooks's authority. + +He tells me that he found a nest on the 25th May at Kangan in +Cashmere. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"The nest of _Horornis pallidus_, which I found +near Kangan in Cashmere, up the Sind Valley, was placed in tangled +brushwood, and about five feet above the ground. It was on a slightly +sloping bank, and close to the edge of a patch of jungle, not far from +the right bank of the river. + +"It was composed of coarse dry grass externally, with fine roots and +fibres towards the inside of the nest, and was profusely lined with +feathers. It was large for the bird, being 7 or 8 inches in external +diameter, of a globular form, with the entrance at the side. I don't +remember the size of the cavity of the nest, but its walls were very +thick. + +"In external appearance it was rough and clumsy, and looked more like +a Sparrow's nest than that of a small Sylvine bird. The entrance was +about 1¾ inch in diameter, and was with the interior of the nest neat +and strong. _Horornis pallidus_ occurs at from 5600 feet elevation up +to 7000 and even 8000 feet. It was abundant at Suki up the Bhagirutti +Valley, and I heard of one even at Grangootree." + +The shape of the egg is peculiar, being rather flattened in outline +at the sides and then suddenly rounded at the smaller end. There is +a considerable amount of gloss on the surface, which is of a dull +purple-brown, rather darker in tint at the large end. There are a very +few indistinct cloudy markings of brown scattered here and there +over the egg. In general appearance the egg puts one in mind of a +_Prinia's_. + +The egg measured 0·64 by 0·49. + + +451. Horornis pallidipes (Blanf.). _Blanfords Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidipes (_Blanf.), Hume, cat._ no. 527 quat. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species. The one was found on +the 24th May at Ging, near the Rungnoo River, Sikhim, and contained +four fresh eggs; it was placed on the ground amongst coarse grass. The +other, which was similarly placed, was found on the 29th June below +Lebong at an elevation of about 4000 feet, and contained three fresh +eggs. Both nests are rather coarse untidy little cups, some 3 inches +in diameter, and 1·75 in height exteriorly, lined and mainly composed +of very fine grass, but coated exteriorly everywhere with dry flags, +bits of bamboo spathes, and with one or two dead leaves incorporated +at the bottom of the structure. + + +452. Horornis major (Hodgs.). _The Large Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites major, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 529 (err. +629). + +A nest said to belong to the Large Bush-Warbler was sent in with one +of the parent birds in July from near Lachong in Native Sikhim, where +it was found at an elevation of about 14,000 feet. It was placed at +a height of about a foot from the ground in a stunted thorny shrub +common at these high elevations. It was a very warm little cup, about +3 inches in diameter, composed of the finest fern and moss-roots, tiny +fern-leaves, wool, and numbers of the coarse white crinkly hairs of +the burhel. It contained three fresh eggs, regular, slightly elongated +ovals, a little pointed towards the small end; the shell fine and +compact, but with scarcely any gloss. + +The ground-colour is white with a faint greenish-blue tinge, and on +the larger half of the egg excessively minute specks of brownish red +are thinly sprinkled, except just at the crown of the egg, where the +specks are denser and exhibit a tendency to form a tiny cap. On the +smaller half of the egg very few, if any, specklings are to be traced. + +In length the eggs measure 0·7 and 0·71, and in breadth 0·53 to 0·55. + + +454. Phyllergates coronatus (Jerd. & Bl.). _The Golden-headed +Warbler_. + +Orthotomus coronatus, _Jerd. & Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 168; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 531. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me, said to be +those of this bird. The nest was similar to that of the last [_O. +sutorius_], but not so carefully made; the leaves were loosely +attached, and with fewer stitches. The eggs were two in number, white, +with rusty spots." + + +455. Horeites brunneifrons, Hodgs. _The Rufous-capped Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 163. + +The egg is a rather broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the +small end; the shell is pretty stout for the size of the egg, and +is entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale drabby +stone-colour, and all about the large end is a broad dense zone of +dull brownish purple. The zone consists of a nearly confluent mass of +extremely minute ill-defined speckles, and outside the zone similar +speckles and tiny spots occur, though nowhere very noticeable unless +closely examined. + +Two eggs of this species were brought from Native Sikhim, together +with one of the parent birds; they are regular ovals, slightly pointed +towards the small end. + +The ground-colour is dull, glossless, pinky white; the markings +consist chiefly of a broad ill-defined zone of dull dark purple; the +other parts of the egg are sparingly, but pretty evenly speckled and +spotted with pale purple. + +The eggs measure 0·66 by 0·49 and 0·64 by 0·48[A]. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species +amongst Mr. Hume's papers. There is nothing beyond the above two notes +on the eggs.--ED.] + + +458. Suya crinigera, Hodgs. _The Brown Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya criniger, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 183; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 547. + +The Brown Hill-Warbler breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 2000 to 6000 feet, at any rate from Sikhim, where it is +comparatively rare, to the borders of Afghanistan. + +The breeding-season lasts from the beginning of May until the middle +of July, but the majority of the birds lay during May. + +A nest which I took at Dilloo, in the Kangra Valley, on the 26th May, +was situated near the base of a low bush on the side of a steep hill; +it was placed in the fork of several twigs near the centre of the +bush, about 2 feet from the ground. It was an excessively flimsy deep +cup, about 3 inches in diameter, and 2½ inches in depth internally. It +was composed of downy seeds of grass held together externally by a +few very fine blades of grass, and irregularly and loosely lined with +excessively fine grass-stems. + +Many other nests subsequently obtained were similar in their +materials, the great body of the nest consisting of grass-down, +slightly felted together and wound round with slender blades of grass. +The nest, however, is by no means always cup-shaped; it is often +covered in above, an aperture being left on one side near the top. + +A nest which I found near Kotegurh is composed of fine grass _very_ +loosely and slightly put together, all the interspaces being carefully +filled in with grass-down firmly felted together. The nest is nearly +the shape of an egg, the entrance being on one side, and extending +from about the middle to close to the top. The exterior dimensions of +the nest are about 5½ inches for the major axis, and 3 inches for +the minor. The entrance-aperture is circular, and about 2 inches in +diameter. The thickness of the nest is a little over three eighths +of an inch; but the lower portion, which is lined with _very_ fine +grass-stems, is somewhat thicker. The nest was in a thorny bush, +partly suspended from just above the entrance-aperture and partly +resting against, though not attached to, some neighbouring twigs. It +contained seven eggs, and was taken at Kirlee (Kotegurh) on the 30th +May. Of course, the position of the nest was that of an egg standing +on end and not lying on its side. + +They lay from five to seven eggs, and have, _I think_ two broods. + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it makes a large, loosely constructed nest of +fine grass, the opening near the top a little at one side, and lays +three or four eggs of a fleshy white, with numerous small rusty-red +spots tending to form a ring at the large end." + +Writing about a collection of eggs made at Murree, Messrs. Cock and +Marshall tell us:--"Nest built in high jungle-grass, loosely but +neatly made of very fine grass and cobwebs, opening at one side near +the top. Breeds late in June at about 4000 feet elevation." + +From Almorah Mr. Brooks writes that this species was "common on +hill-sides where low bushes were numerous. One nest found was +suspended in a low bush, and was a very neat purse-shaped one, with an +opening near the top and rather on one side. It was composed of fine +soft grass of a kind which had dried green, and was intermixed with +the down of plants and lined with finer grass. The eggs were four in +number; the ground-colour white, speckled sparingly with light red, +but having also a broad zone or ring of deeper reddish brown very near +the large end--on the top of the larger end, in fact. + +"Laying in Kumaon in May." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton remarks:--"This little bird appears on +the hill, at about 5000 feet, in May. A nest taken much lower down in +June was composed of grasses neatly interwoven in the shape of +an ovate ball, the smaller end uppermost and forming the mouth or +entrance; it was lined first with cottony seed-down, and then with +fine grass-stalks; it was suspended among high grass, and contained +five beautiful little eggs of a carneous white colour, thicky freckled +with deep rufous, and with a darkish confluent ring of the same at the +larger end. I have seen this species as high as 7000 feet in October. +It delights to sit on the summit of tall grass, or even of an oak, +from whence it pours forth a loud and long-continued grating note like +the filing of a saw." + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"A nest taken on the 29th June +contained only two fresh eggs. The nest was of the shape of a mangoe, +the small end being uppermost, and the entrance on one side, near the +top; its measurements externally were, in height 5·2, in breadth +3·6 in one direction and 2·65 in the other; the opening was nearly +circular, 1·8 in diameter. It was rather flimsy in structure, +composed of grass-down, more or less felted together, and bound round +externally with dry green grass-blades; internally it was scantily +lined with fine grass-stems, which were used to strengthen the lower +lip of the entrance-hole. The eggs were fairly glossy, moderate or +longish oval in shape, and measured 0·65 by 0·5 and 0·7 by 0·49; +the ground-colour was pinkish white, the small end nearly free from +markings, the middle portion with faint streaks and tiny indistinct +spots of brownish red, and the large end with a zone of bright +brownish red or a confluent cap of the same colour." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This Suya breeds from May to June in +the warmest valleys up to 3500 feet. It affects open grassy tracts, +and builds its nest in a bunch of grass, within a foot or two of the +ground. The nest is an extremely neat egg-shaped structure, with +entrance at side, made of fine grass-stems thickly felted over with +the white seeds of a tall flowering grass, which gives it a very +pretty appearance. Externally it measures 5 inches in height by 3 +in diameter; the cavity is 2·25 wide and 2 deep, from lower edge of +entrance. The entrance is about 2·25 across. + +"The usual number of eggs is four. I have never found more, but on +several occasions as few as two and three well-incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie near Mongphoo, on the 18th +April, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, contained three fresh eggs. +It closely resembles nests that I have taken of _S. crinigera_ in +shape, somewhat like an egg, with the entrance on one side, near the +top, exteriorly about 5 inches in length, and 2¾ inches in diameter, +with an aperture a little less than 2 inches across. It was built +amongst grass, of which a few fine stalks constitute the outer +framework, and the whole body of the nest inside this framework +consists solely of the flower-down of grass firmly felted together. It +is lined pretty thickly everywhere with the excessively fine stalks +which bear this down. + +Taking a large series, I should describe the eggs as typically regular +but somewhat elongated ovals, often fairly glossy, at times +almost glossless. The ground varies from pale pinky white to pale +salmon-colour. A dense, more or less mottled, zone or cap at the +large end, varying in different specimens from reddish pink to almost +brick-red, and more or less of speckling, mottling, or freckling of a +somewhat lighter shade than the zone spreads in some thinly, in some +densely over the rest of the egg. + +In length they vary from 0·63 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·55; but the average of sixty-five eggs is 0·69 by 0·52. + + +459. Suya atrigularis, Moore[A]. _The Black-throated Hill-Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this article nearly as it appears in the +'Rough Draft;' but I have great doubts as to the occurrence of this +bird in Kumaon, and I further doubt the identification of Hodgson's +notes with this species. It is quite clear, from his specimens in the +British Museum, that Hodgson confounded _S. atrigularis_ in winter +plumage with _S. crinigera_, and his plate of the former in summer +plumage contains no note on nidification.--ED.] + +Suya atrogularis, _Moore, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 184; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 549. + +The Black-throated Hill-Warbler breeds in Kumaon and the Himalayas +eastwards from thence, at elevations of 4000 to 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from April to July, but the birds mostly lay +in May and June. Open grassy hillsides dotted about with scrub, thin +forests, or gardens are the localities it affects. The nest is placed +at times in some low bush surrounded with and grown through by grass, +more commonly in clumps of grass, and never at any great height from +the ground. It is more or less egg-shaped, and placed with the longer +diameter vertical, the entrance being on one side above the middle. It +is composed exteriorly sometimes of fine grass-roots, sometimes of the +finest possible grass, loosely but sufficiently firmly interwoven, +a little moss being often incorporated in the upper portion, and +internally always, I think, exclusively of fine grass. + +Four is perhaps the usual number of the eggs, but I have found five. + +Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, says:--"I have found four nests of +this species this year in the Chinchona reserves, at elevations of +from 4500 to 5500 feet, during the months of May and June. The nests +were all in open grassy country, in grass by the sides of low banks, +and not above a foot off the ground. They are globular, with a lateral +entrance, composed of grass, and with a little moss about the +dome. One I measured was 5·5 high, and 4·5 in diameter externally; +internally the nest was 2·4 in diameter, and the cavity had a total +height of 3·9, of which 2 inches was below the lower edge of the +entrance. According to my experience four is the regular complement of +eggs. I have repeatedly (three times this year) shot the female off +the nest, and beyond question Jerdon is wrong about this bird's laying +Indian-red eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in groves and +open forest in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal from April to +June, building a large globular nest in clumps of grass, of dry grass, +roots, and moss, lined with fine grass and moss-roots. The entrance, +which is circular, is at one side; the nest is egg-shaped, the longer +diameter being perpendicular, and is placed at a height of about 6 +inches from the ground. A nest taken on the 30th. May measured 6·12 +in height and 3·5 in diameter externally, and the circular aperture, +which was just above the middle, was 1·75 in diameter. It contained +four eggs, which are represented as ovals, a good deal pointed towards +one end, measuring 0·69 by 0·55. The ground-colour is a pale green, +and they are speckled and spotted with bright red, the markings being +most numerous towards the large end, where they have a tendency to +form a zone or cap. + +Dr. Jerdon says that "it makes its nest of fine grass and withered +stalks, large, very loosely put together, globular, with a hole near +the top, and lays three or four eggs of an entirely dull Indian-red +colour." This undoubtedly is a mistake; the eggs he refers to are, I +think, those of _Neornis flavolivaceus_. He gave them to me, but was +not certain of the species they belonged to. + +The eggs of the present species are of much the same shape as those +of the preceding, and there is a certain similarity in the colour of +both; but in these eggs the ground-colour instead of being pink or +pinky white, is a pale, delicate, sometimes greyish, green. Then +though there is the same kind of zone round the large end, it is a +purple or purplish, instead of a brick-red, and it is manifestly made +up of innumerable minute specks, and has not the cloudy confluent +character of the zone in _S. crinigera_. Outside the zone minute +specks of the same purplish red are scattered, in some pretty thickly, +in others sparsely, over the whole of the rest of the surface. As a +body the eggs have a faint gloss, decidedly less, however, than those +of _S. crinigera_, but some few are absolutely glossless. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·63 to 0·79, and in breadth from 0·46 to +0·43; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0·68 by 0·5. + + +460. Suya khasiana, Godw.-Aust. _Austen's Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya khasiana, _Godw.-Aust., Hume, cat._ no. 549 bis. + +I found this bird high up in the eastern hills of Mauipur, frequenting +dense herbaceous undergrowth of balsams and the like in forest. On +the 11th of May I caught a female on her nest, containing four +well-incubated eggs. The nest was placed in a wild ginger-plant, about +two feet from the ground, in forest at the very summit of the Makhi +hill. + + +462. Prinia lepida, Blyth. _The Streaked Wren-Warbler_ + +Burnesia lepida (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 185. +Burnesia gracilis, _Rüpp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550. + +I have never happened to meet with the nest of the Streaked +Wren-Warbler, and all the information I possess in regard to its +nidification I owe to others. + +The late Mr. Anderson remarked:--"Although this species was far +from uncommon, I found it very local and confined entirely to the +tamarisk-covered islands and 'churs' along the Ganges. + +"The first nest was taken on the 13th March last, and contained three +well-incubated eggs; of these I saved only one specimen, which is now +in the collection of Mr. Brooks. The second was found on the following +day, and contained two callow young and one perfectly fresh egg. + +"The nest is domed over, having an entrance at the side; and the +cavity is comfortably lined, or rather felted, with the down of the +madar plant. It is fixed, somewhat after the fashion of that of the +Reed-Warbler, in the centre of a dense clump of surpat grass, about 2 +feet above the ground. On the whole the structure is rather large +for so small a bird, and measures 6 inches in height by 4 inches in +breadth. + +"But while the _nest_ corresponds exactly with Canon Tristram's +description[A] of those taken by him in Palestine, there are +differences, oologically speaking, which induce me to hope that our +Indian bird may yet be restored to specific distinction[B]. In +the first place, my single eggs from each nest have a _green_ +ground-colour, and are covered all over with reddish-brown spots. Now +Mr. Tristram describes his Palestine specimens as 'richly coloured +_pink_ eggs, with a zone of darker red near the larger end, and +in shape and colour resembling some of the _Prinia_ group.' Is it +possible for the same birds to lay such widely different eggs? If I +had taken only one specimen, it might have been looked upon as a mere +variety. Again, our Indian bird lays three eggs, and I have never +seen the parent birds feeding more than this number of young ones, +occasionally only two. Mr. Tristram, _per contra_, mentions having met +with as many as five and six. The egg is certainly the prettiest, and +one of the smallest, I have ever seen; indeed, I found it too small to +risk measurement." + +[Footnote A: Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine, P. 2. S. 1864, +p. 437; Ibis, 865, pp. 82, 83.] + +[Footnote B: The two birds are now considered distinct by all +ornithologists.--ED.] + +He adds:--"Since writing the above, which appeared in 'The Ibis,' I +have discovered that this species breeds in September and October, +as well as in February and March, so some of them probably have two +broods in the year. I took a nest on the 9th October at Futtegurh, +which contained two callow young and one (_fresh_) egg, which I send +you, and which is exactly similar to all the others I have taken from +time to time." + +The egg sent me by Mr. Anderson is a very broad oval in shape, a good +deal compressed however, and pointed towards the small end. The shell +is very fine and has a decided gloss. In colouring the egg is exactly +like those of some of the Blackbirds--a pale green ground, profusely +freckled and streaked with a bright, only slightly brownish, red; the +markings are densest round the large end, where they form a broad, +nearly confluent, well-marked, but imperfect and irregular, zone. It +measures 0·55 by 0·41. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"The Streaked Wren-Warbler breeds in +great numbers near Delhi in March; Mr. C.T. Bingham has found several +of them in the clumps of surpat grass that had been cut within three +feet of the ground on the alluvial land of the Jumna. It was when out +with him in the end of March 1876 that I first saw the nest of this +species. The locality of the nest is exactly that described by Mr. +Anderson; it is oval in shape, with a large side entrance near the +top; it is built of fine grass and seed-down, no cobweb being employed +in the structure; it is loosely made, and there are always a few +feathers in the egg-cavity. The whereabouts is generally pointed out +by the cock bird, who, seated on the top of the highest blade of grass +he can find near where his hen is sitting, pours out with untiring +energy his feeble monotonous song, little knowing that by so doing he +has betrayed the spot where he has fixed his nest to the marauder. +The eggs, of which I have seen about fifteen or twenty, answer the +description given in 'Stray Feathers' exactly." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"Between the 12th and 31st March this +year I found ten nests of this bird, which is very common in the +grass-covered land of the Jumna. These nests were all alike, of fine +dry grass mixed with the down of the surpat, which also thickly lined +the inside. In shape the nests are blunt ovals, with a tiny hole +for entrance a little above the centre. Seven out of the ten nests +contained four eggs each, the rest three each. The eggs in colour are +a pale yellowish white with a tinge of green, thickly speckled with +dashes rather than spots of rusty red, tending in some to form a cap, +in others a zone round the large end. The average of twenty eggs +measured is 0·53 by 0·44 inch. The nests were all, with one exception, +supported by stems of the grass being worked into the sides. The one +exception was a nest I found in the fork of a tamarisk bush. It is not +a difficult nest to find, for when you are in the vicinity of one, one +of the birds will flit about the stems of the surrounding clumps of +grass and above you freely, opening its tiny mouth absurdly wide, but +giving forth the feeblest of feeble sounds." + +Writing on the Avifauna of Mt. Abu and N. Guzerat, Colonel E.A. Butler +says:--"I found a nest in a tussock of coarse grass in the sandy bed +of a river, amongst a number of tamarisk-bushes, on the 8th July, +1875, in the neighbourhood of Deesa. It was composed of fine dry +fibrous roots and grass-stems exteriorly, and lined with silky +vegetable down. It was a long bottled-shaped structure with a small +entrance on one side. The nest, eggs, situation, locality, &c. all +agree so exactly with the descriptions quoted by Dr. Jerdon and with +Mr. Anderson's note in 'Nests and Eggs,' _Rough Draft_, that I should +have found it difficult to avoid copying these two gentlemen in +describing my own nest. + +"The nest contained three hard-set eggs and one young one just +hatched." + +Referring to its occurrence in the Eastern Narra District, Mr. Doig +tells us:--"This little Warbler is very common. I took the first nest +in March and again in May; they build in stunted tamarisk-bushes; the +nest is circular dome-shaped, with the entrance on one side the top, +the inside being very beautifully and softly lined with the pappus of +grass-seeds. Four is the usual number of eggs in one nest." + +The Blackbird type of egg above described is by no means the commonest +one; the great mass of the eggs have the ground greyish, greenish, +or pinkish white, and they are very thickly and finely freckled and +speckled all over, but most densely about the large end, with a +slightly brownish, rarely a slightly purplish grey. Occasionally when +the markings are very dense in a cap at the large end there is a +distinct purplish-grey tinge there, and on the rest of the surface +of the egg the markings are somewhat less thickly set, leaving small +portions of the ground-colour clearly visible. Typically the eggs are +moderately broad ovals, a little compressed towards the small end, and +though none are very glossy, the great majority have a fair amount of +gloss. + + +463. Prinia flaviventris (Deless.). _The Yellow-bellied +Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia flaviventris (_Deless.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 169: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 532. + +Of the Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler's nidification I know personally +nothing. + +Tickell describes the nest as pensile but quite open, being a +hemisphere with one side prolonged, by which it is suspended from a +twig. The eggs, he says, are bright brick-red without a spot. + +Mr. H.C. Parker tells me that "this bird breeds in the Salt-Water +Lake, or rather on the swampy banks of the principal canals that +intersect it. The nest is nearly always placed on an ash-leaved +shrub-like plant growing on the banks of the canal and overhanging the +water. One taken on the 26th July, 1873, containing four nearly fresh +eggs, was almost touching the water at high tide. The male has the +habit, when the female is sitting, of hopping to the extreme point +of a tall species of cane-like grass which grows abundantly in these +swamps, whence he gives forth a rather pleasing song, erecting his +tail at the same time, after which he drops into the jungle and is +seen no more. It is almost impossible to make him show himself again." + +The nest, which I owe to Mr. Parker, and which was found in the +neighbourhood of the Salt-Water Lake, Calcutta, on the 26th July, is +of an oval shape, very obtuse at both ends, measuring externally 4 +inches in length and about 2¾ inches in diameter. The aperture, which +is near the top of the nest, is oval, and measures about 1 inch by 1½ +inch. The nest is fixed against the side of two or three tiny leafy +twigs, to which it is bound lightly in one or two places with grass +and vegetable fibre; and two or three leafy lateral twiglets are +incorporated into the sides of the nest, so that when fresh it must +have been entirely hidden by leaves. The nest was in an upright +position, the major axis perpendicular to the horizon. It is a very +thin, firm, close basket-work of fine grass, flower-stalks, and +vegetable fibre, and has no lining, though the interior surface of +the nest is more closely woven and of still finer materials than the +outside. The cavity is nearly 2½ inches deep, measuring from the lower +edge of the entrance, and is about 2 inches in diameter. + +During this present year (1874) Mr. Parker obtained several more +nests of this species, all built in the low jungle that fringes the +mud-banks of the congeries of channels and creeks that are known in +Calcutta by the name of the "Salt Lake." + +This jungle consists chiefly of the blue-flowered holly-leaved +_Acanthus ilicifolia_ and of the trailing semi-creeper-like _Derris +scandens_. It is in amongst the drooping twigs of the latter that the +nest is invariably made. + +The nests vary a good deal in shape; some are regular cylinders +rounded off at both ends, with the aperture on one side above the +centre--a small oval entrance neatly worked. Such a nest is about 4.5 +inches in length externally from top to bottom, and 2·75 in diameter; +the aperture 1·3 in height, and barely 1·0 in width. + +Others are still more egg-shaped, with a similar aperture near the +top, and others are more purse-like. The material used appears to be +always much the same--fine grass-stems intermingled with blades of +grass, and here and there dry leaves of some rush, a little seed-down, +scraps of herbaceous plants, and the like; the interior, always of the +finest grass-stems, neatly arranged and curved to the shape of the +cavity. The nests are firmly attached to the drooping twigs, to and +between which they are suspended, sometimes by line vegetable fibre, +but more commonly by cobwebs and silk from cocoons, a good deal of +both of which are generally to be seen wound about the surface of the +nest near the points of suspension or attachment. + +Four appears to be the full number of the eggs. Mr. Doig, writing from +Sind, says:--"This bird is tolerably common all along the Narra, but +as it keeps in very thick jungle it is not often seen unless looked +for. I took my first nest on the 12th, and my second on the 17th of +May. This evidently is the second brood, as I noticed on the same day +a lot of young birds which must have been fully six weeks old. One +nest was lined with horsehair and fine grasses. Four was the normal +number of eggs." + +Mr. Gates writes:--"The Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler is very abundant +throughout Lower Pegu in suitable localities. In the plains between +the Sittang and Pegu rivers they are constant residents, breeding +freely from May to August and September. In Rangoon also, all round +the Timber Depot at Kemandine, and in the low-lying land between the +town proper and Monkey Point, they are very numerous." + +The eggs are of the well-known _Prinia_ type--broad regular ovals, of +a nearly uniform mahogany-red, and very glossy. To judge from the +few specimens I have seen, they average a good deal smaller, and are +somewhat less deeply coloured, than those of _P. socialis_. They vary +from 0·52 to 0·6 in length, and from 0·43 to 0·48 in breadth. + + +464. Prinia socialis, Sykes. _The Ashy Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia socialis, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 170: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 534. +Prinia stewarti, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 171; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 535. + +_Prinia socialis_. + +The Ashy Wren-Warbler breeds throughout the southern portion of the +Peninsula and Ceylon, alike in the low country and in the hills, up to +all elevation of nearly 7000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends from March to September, but I am +uncertain whether they have more than one brood. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"Colonel Sykes remarks that this species has the +same ingenious nest as _O. longicauda_. I have found the nest on +several occasions, and verified Colonel Sykes's observations; but it +is not so neatly sewn together as the nest of the true Tailor-bird, +and there is generally more grass and other vegetable fibres used in +the construction. The eggs are usually reddish white, with numerous +darker red dots at the large end often coalescing, and sometimes the +eggs are uniform brick-red throughout." + +Now, first, as regards the eggs, it is clearly wrong to say that the +eggs are usually reddish white; that such eggs, as exceptions, may +have occurred I do not doubt, but I have seen more than fifty eggs +of this bird taken by Miss Cockburn, Messrs. Carter, Davison, Wait, +Theobald, and others, and all were without exception mahogany- or +brick-red, at times mottled, somewhat paler and darker here and there, +but making no approach, even the most distant, to what Dr. Jerdon says +is the _usual_ type. Moreover, I have taken _many hundreds_ of the +eggs of _stewarti_ (the northern, rather smaller form), which is not +only _most_ closely allied but really _very_ doubtfully distinct, and +yet I never met with one single egg of this type. At the same time +Mr. Swinhoe ('Ibis,' 1860, p. 50) tells us that _P. sonitans_ also at +times exhibits a reddish-white egg; so I do not for a moment question +that Dr. Jerdon had seen such eggs, only it must be understood that, +so far from constituting the _usual type_, it is in reality a most +abnormal and rare variety. Out of eight correspondents who have +collected for me in Southern India, I cannot learn that any one has +ever yet even seen an egg of this type. + +As regards the nest, this species often constructs a Tailor-bird nest, +the true nest being filled in between two or more leaves carefully +stitched together to the nest; but it also, like that species, often +builds a very different structure. + +A nest now before me, sent from Conoor, is a loosely-made cup--a very +slight fabric of grass-stems, matted with a quantity of the downy seed +of some flowering grass and with a lining of fine grass-roots. It is +an irregular cup about 2½ inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +Four seems to be the regular number of the eggs. + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn writes that "the Ashy Wren-Warbler +builds a neat little hanging nest very much in the Tailor-bird style, +for it draws the leaves of the branch on which the nest is constructed +close together, and sews them so tightly as sometimes to make them +nearly touch each other, while a small quantity of fine grass, wool, +and the down of seed-pods is used as a lining and also placed between +the leaves. These nests are built very low, and contain three +_beautiful_ little bright red eggs, a shade darker at the thick end. +They are easily discovered; for the birds get so agitated if any one +approaches the bush on which they have built that they invariably +attract one to the very spot they most wish to conceal. They build in +the months of June and July." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This bird breeds on the Nilghiris in March, April, +and May, and sometimes as late as the earlier part of June. The nest +is generally placed low down near the roots of a bush or tuft of +grass. It is made of grass beautifully and closely woven, domed, and +with the entrance near the top. The eggs, three or four in number, +are of a deep brick-red, darker at the larger end, where there is +generally a zone, and are very glossy. I once obtained a nest made +of grass and bits of cotton, but instead of being built as above +described it was placed between, and sewn to, two leaves of the +_Datura stramonium_. It contained three eggs of a deep brick-red; in +fact, precisely like those described above." + +Mr. Wait tells us that "in September I found two nests, the one deeply +cup-shaped, the other domed, both constructed of similar materials. +The latter of the two was placed at the bottom of a large bunch of +lemon-grass, and was constructed of root-fibre and grass, grass-bents, +and down of thistle and hawkweed, all intermixed. Exteriorly it +measured between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The nests contained three +and five eggs, all highly glossy and of a deep brownish-red, deeper +than brick-red, mottled with a still deeper shade." + +Colonel "W.Y. Legge, writing from Ceylon, tells us that "_P. socialis_ +breeds with us in the commencement of the S.W. monsoon during the +months of May, June, and July. It nests in long grass on the Patnas in +the Central Province, in guinea-grass fields, and in sugarcane-brakes +where these exist, as in the Galle District for instance. I can +scarcely imagine that Jerdon is correct about this Warbler's nesting. + +"Nothing can be more un-Tailor-bird-like than the nest which it builds +in _this_ country, and this led me to think that ours was a different +species until my specimens were identified by Lord Walden. In May 1870 +a pair resorted to a large guinea-grass field attached to my bungalow +at Colombo, for the purpose of breeding. I soon found the nest, which +was the most peculiarly constructed one I have ever seen. It was, in +fact, an almost shapeless ball of guinea-grass roots, _thrown_ as it +were between the upright stalks of the plant at about 2 feet from +the ground: I say 'thrown,' because it was scarcely attached to the +supporting stalks at all. It was formed entirely of the roots of the +plant, which, when it is old, crop out of the ground and are easily +plucked up by the bird, the bottom or more solid part being interwoven +with cotton and such-like substances to impart additional strength. +The entrance was at the side in the upper half, and was tolerably +neatly made; it was about an inch in diameter, the whole structure +measuring about 6 inches in depth by 5 inches in breadth. I found the +nest in a partial state of completion on the 10th of May; by the 19th +it was finished and the first of a clutch of three eggs laid. The nest +and eggs were both taken on the evening of the 24th, and the following +day another was commenced close at hand. This was somewhat smaller, +but constructed in the same peculiar manner as the first. This was +completed, and the first of another clutch laid. The eggs are somewhat +pointed at the smaller end, and of an almost uniform dull mahogany +ground-colour, showing indications of a paler underground at the +point." + +Birds like these, that build half-a-dozen different kinds of nests, +ought to be abolished; they lead to all kinds of mistakes and +differences of opinion, and are more trouble than they are worth. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"Found numerous nests of this species at +Belgaum on the following dates:-- + + "July 13. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + " 22. " " " 3 " + " 25. " " " 4 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 28. " " " 2 slightly incubated eggs. + Aug. 5. " " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 6. " " " 4 " + +"All of the above nests were built in sugarcane-fields or in +corn-fields; and most of them were stitched up in leaves of various +plants after the fashion of Tailor-birds' nests; but in some instances +they were of the other type, simply supported by the blades of +sugar-cane or corn they were built in. In addition to the above I +found numerous other nests all through August, many of which were +destroyed by something or other--what, I do not know! In fact, it has +always been a puzzle to me what it is that takes the eggs of these +small birds: three out of four nests, when visited a second time, are +either empty, gone altogether, or pulled down; and how the birds ever +manage to hatch off a brood at all with so many enemies I do not know. + +"I found a nest of the Ashy Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 21st July, +containing three fresh eggs, of a highly polished deep mahogany-red +colour, with an almost invisible cap of the same colour a shade darker +at the large end. The nest, which was placed in the centre of a low +bush and fixed to a few small twigs, was oval in shape, measuring 3¾ +inches in length exteriorly and 2-5/8 in width, with a small round +entrance near the top about 1¼ inch in diameter. It was composed +of fine dry fibrous grass, with silky vegetable down (_Calotropis +giganten_) and cobwebs smeared over the exterior. The walls were very +thin, but the bottom of the nest somewhat solid. The whole well woven +and compactly built. Later on I got nests on the following dates:-- + + "Aug. 1. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + " 1. " " 2 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 8. " " 3 " + " 9. " " 4 " + " 26. " " 3 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests containing young birds on the +15th, 17th, and 23rd August. + +"The nests are of two distinct types. One as above described; the +other, which is the commoner of the two, a regular Tailor-bird's nest +stitched between two leaves but without any lining. The eggs vary a +good deal in shade, some being paler than others. Some eggs I have +look almost like little balls of red carnelian. Creepers (convolvulus +&c.) growing up low thorny bushes in grass-beerhs are a favourite +place for the nest." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Warbler breeds +from July to September. + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that this bird is common in the +Deccan and breeds in August. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"It builds +in March, constructing a very neat pendent nest, which is artfully +concealed, and supported by sewing one or two leaves round it. This +is very neatly done with the fine silk which surrounds the eggs of a +small brown spider. The nest is generally built of fine grass, and +contains three eggs of a bright brick-colour with a high polish. The +entrance to the nest is at the top and a little on one side. An egg +measured 0·7 inch in length by 0·48 in breadth." + +As for the eggs, it is unnecessary to describe them; they are +precisely similar to those of _P. stewarti_, fully described below. +All that can be said is that as a body they are slightly larger, and +_possibly_, as a _whole_, the least shade less dark. In length they +vary from 0·52 to 0·72, and in breadth from 0·45 to 0·52; but the +average of twenty-one eggs measured is 0·64 by rather more than +0·47[A]. + +[Footnote A: As a matter of convenience I keep the notes on _P. +socialis_ and _P. stewarti_ separate, as is done in the 'Rough Draft'; +but there is no doubt whatever now that the two birds are the same +species.--ED.] + +_Prinia stewarti_. + +Stewart's Wren-Warbler is one of those forms in regard to which at +present great difference of opinion prevails as to whether or no they +merit specific separation. _P. stewarti_ from the N.W. Provinces and +_P. socialis_ from the Nilghiris differ only in size; the latter is +somewhat more robust, and probably weighs one fifth more than the +former. But then in the Central Provinces you meet with intermediate +sizes, and I have plenty of birds which might be assigned +indifferently to either race as a rather small example of the one or +rather large one of the other. I myself consider all to belong to one +species, but as this is not the general view I have kept my notes on +their nidification separate. + +This species or race breeds almost throughout the plains of Upper +India and in the Sub-Himalayan ranges to an elevation of 3000 or +4000 feet. In the plains the breeding-season extends from the first +downfall of rain in June (I have never found them earlier) to quite +the end of August. In the moist Sub-Himalayan region, the Terais, +Doons, Bhaburs, and the low hills, they commence laying nearly a month +earlier. + +This species often constructs as neatly sewn a nest as does the +_Orthotomus_; in fact, many of the nests built by these two species so +closely resemble each other that it would be difficult to distinguish +them were there not very generally a difference in the lining. With +few exceptions all the innumerable nests of _O. sutorius_ that I have +seen were lined with some soft substance--cotton-wool, the silky down +of the cotton-tree(_Bomlax heptaphyllum_) grass-down, soft horsehair, +or even human hair, while the nests of _P. stewarti_ are almost +without exception _lined_ with fine grass-roots. + +Our present bird does not, however, invariably construct a "tailored" +nest. When it does, like _O. sittorius_, it sews two, three, four, +or five leaves together, as may be most convenient, filling the +intervening space with down, fine grass, vegetable fibre, or wool, +held firmly into its place by cross-threads, sometimes composed of +cobwebs, sometimes made by the bird itself of cotton, and sometimes +apparently derived from unravelled rags. It also, however, often +makes a nest entirely composed of fine vegetable fibre, cotton, and +grass-down, and lined as usual with fine grass-roots. Sometimes these +nests are long and purse-like, and sometimes globular, either attached +to, or pendent from, two or more twigs. One nest before me, a sort of +deep watch-pocket, suspended from five twigs of the jhao (_Tamarix +dioica_), measures externally 2·75 inches in diameter, is a good deal +longer at what may be called the back than the front, and at the back +fully 5·5 long. Internally the diameter is about 1·5, and the cavity, +measuring from the lowest portion of the external rim, is 2·5. This +is a _very_ large nest. Another, built between three leaves, has an +external diameter of about 2½ inches, and is externally not above 3 +inches long. It is unnecessary here to describe the beautiful manner +in which, when it makes use of leaves, this bird sews them together, +as this has already been well described by others where _O. sutorius_ +is concerned, and _P. stewarti_ is, in some cases, when forming a nest +with leaves, fully as neat a workman. + +The nests vary so much, and I have heard so much, discussion about +them, that having seen at least a hundred and having taken full notes +of some twenty of them, I shall reproduce a few of these notes:-- + +"_Agra, July 17th_.--Two nests--one nearly globular, composed entirely +of fibrous roots, hair, wool, and thread, and lined with fine grass, +suspended by a few fibres and hairs between the fork of a branchlet +in a little dense bush of Indian box; the other, suspended from the +tendril of an elephant creeper, was principally formed by one of the +leaves of this, to which, to form the remaining third of the exterior, +a second leaf of the same plant was carefully sewn. Interiorly there +was a little wool, and at the bottom fine grass. + +"_July 20th_.--On a furash-tree (_Tamarix furas_), beautifully made +of fine soft wool, shreds of tow and string, very fine grass and +grass-roots, and the bottom neatly lined with very fine grass-roots. +In shape the nest is like one half of a long old-fashioned silk purse, +round-bottomed and very compact, with a long slit-like opening on one +side towards the top. It contained five eggs. + +"_July 26th_.--Two nests, one formed almost entirely in a single +mango-leaf, the sides of which are curled round so as nearly to meet, +and then laced by a succession of cross-threads of cobweb, carefully +knotted at each place where the margin of the leaf is pierced. The +intervening space is closed by fine tow, wool, and the silky down of +the cotton-tree, with just the top of a small mango-leaf caught in +from above so as to form an arched roof. The other nest was rounder in +form, having less of a leafy structure. It had, however, the leaf of +the _Phalsa_ forming the back and sides (partly), whilst the whole of +the front was composed of soft wool, tow, dry grass-roots, thread, and +a few pieces of the soft tree-cotton. It had a neighbouring leaf just +caught in on one side. This contained four fresh eggs. + +"_July 30th_.--A beautiful nest between three twigs, several of the +leaves of each of which had been tacked on to the outside of the nest. +The nest itself was firmly put together with fine grass-roots, and was +nearly globular in shape, with one side continued upwards into a sort +of hood overhanging the greater portion of the aperture. It contained +four eggs of the usual deep red colour. + +"_August 8th_.--At Bichpoori found a number of nests, and some of them +of a strangely different type. One was inside a tiny hut on the line, +about 3 feet above the head of the chaprassie's bed. It had no leaves +about it, and was composed of thread, wool, and a few very fine +grass-stems, and lined thinly with fine grass-stems and a little black +horsehair. It was about two thirds of a sphere, the external diameter +of which was about 3¼ inches, and the internal 2½ inches. The bird was +on the nest, so that there could be no mistake, otherwise it would +have been impossible to believe that it belonged to _P. stewarti_, +of which we have taken so many sewn in leaves. A little further on +another nest of the same species, built in the ragged eaves of a +thatch, externally composed almost entirely of cotton-wool, with a +little tow-fibre binding the structure together, internally as usual +lined with very fine grass-roots with a few horsehairs. Another nest +of the _Prinia_ was in one respect even more remarkable. It was +built in the usual situation in a low herbaceous plant, sewn to and +suspended from two leaves, and two or three others worked into its +sides. It was constructed almost entirely of fine grass-roots and +fibres, with a few tiny tufts of cotton-wool, and the leaves as usual +firmly tacked on with threads and cobweb fibres. It would seem that, +after constructing the nest, but before laying, a large female spider +took possession of the bottom of the nest, and shut herself in by +constructing a diaphragm of web horizontally across the nest, thus +occupying the whole of the cavity of the nest. The little bird +accepted this change of circumstances, built the nest a little higher +at the sides, and over the spider's web placed a false bottom of +fine grass-roots, on which she laid her four eggs, and there she was +sitting when the nest was taken, the spider, alive and apparently +happy in the cell below, plainly visible through the interstices of +the grass, with a huge sac of eggs which she was incubating. Her +chamber is fully one half of the nest." + +I may add that this latter nest, with the _now_ dead spider, _in +situ_, is still in our museum. + +In number the eggs are sometimes four, sometimes five, and I have +_heard_ of six being found. + +They rear usually two broods; if their eggs are taken they will lay +three or four sets; sometimes they use the same nest twice; sometimes, +directly the first brood is at all able to shift for themselves, the +parents leave them in the old nest, and commence building a new one at +no great distance. + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Owing to the inclemency of the +weather (August) the geranium-pots in the garden were placed in the +verandah of the house I am at present living in, and, strange to say, +a pair of these Warblers commenced building in the leaves of one of +the plants immediately under my window. + +"When the nest was about half-finished the birds' forsook it without +apparently any reason, as they were never molested in any way. On +examining the nest, however, the cause was evident, and afforded a +remarkable instance of instinct on the part of the little architects. +The leaves that had been pierced and sewn together had actually +commenced to _wither_, and in the course of a few days later the whole +structure came down bodily. + +"This is the only _Prinia_ to be found at Futtehgurh, and they are one +of our most common garden-birds. Their beautiful brick-red eggs and +neatly-sewn nests are too well known to require description. + +"Four generally, and five frequently, is the number of eggs they lay. +I have _one_ record of _six_ on the 17th August, 1873; in this case +one egg was laid daily, the first having been laid on the 12th, and +the sixth on the 17th." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a true Tailor-bird in respect to +the construction of the nest, which is composed of one leaf as a +supporting base stitched to two others meeting it perpendicularly, the +apices of all three being neatly sewn together with threads roughly +spun from the cottony down of seeds. Between or within these leaves is +placed the nest, very slightly and loosely constructed of fine roots, +grass-stalks, and seed-down, the latter material being interwoven to +hold the coarser fibres of the nest together. There is no finer lining +within, and the edges of the exterior leaves are drawn together round +the nest and held there partly by roughly-spun threads of down, and +partly by the ends of the stiff fibres being thrust through them. The +whole forms a very light and graceful fabric. Within this nest were +four beautiful and highly polished eggs of a deep brick-red colour, +darkest at the larger end, faint specks and blotches of a deeper +colour being indistinctly discernible beneath the surface of the +shell, which shines as if it had been varnished. The nest is not +closed above, but is open and deeply cup-shaped. This was taken in the +Dhoon on the 30th May." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds at Allahabad in June, July, and +August. At Delhi I have not yet found its nest. I once found in July +three nests all attached together in a sort of triangle, but whether +built by separate pairs of birds I cannot say. Only one nest contained +eggs." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found in July in the Cawnpoor +district was built of grass, a deep oblong domed nest with the +entrance at the side near the top. It was placed close to the ground +in a tuft of surkerry grass sloping rather backwards. The position is, +I believe, unusual. The old birds were still putting finishing touches +to the building when I found it." + +The eggs are ovals, as a rule, neither very broad nor much elongated. +Pyriform examples occur, but a somewhat perfect oval is the usual +type, and the examination of a large series shows that the tendency +is to vary to a globular and not to an elongated shape. The eggs +are brilliantly glossy, and, though considerably smaller, strongly +resemble, as is well known, those of the little short-tailed Cetti's +Warbler. + +In colour they are brick-red, some, however, being paler and yellower, +others deeper and more mahogany-coloured. There is a strong tendency +to exhibit all ill-defined cloudy cap or zone, of far greater +intensity than the colour of the rest of the egg, at or towards the +large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·68, and in breadth from 0·45 to +0·5; but the average of seventy eggs measured is 0·62 by 0·46. + + +465. Prinia sylvatica, Jerd. _The Jungle Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus sylvaticus, _Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 181; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 545. +Drymoipus neglectus, _Jerd. R. Ind._ ii, p. 182; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 546. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in low jungle near Nellore, made +chiefly of grass, with a few roots and fibres, globular, large, with +a hole at one side near the top, and the eggs white, spotted very +thickly with rusty red, especially at the thick end." + +Mr. Blewitt appears to have taken many eggs of this species in the +Raipoor District, and he has sent me the following notes, together +with numerous eggs. He says:-- + +"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the Raipoor District from about +the middle of June to the middle of August. Low thorn-bushes on rocky +ground are chiefly selected for the nest, and both parent birds assist +in building it and in hatching and rearing the young. A new nest is +made each year, and four is the maximum number of eggs. + +"On the 1st July this year I found a nest of this species in the +centre of a low thorny bush, growing in rocky ground, about two miles +north of Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District. + +"The nest was about 4 feet from the ground, firmly attached to and +supported by the branches. It was of a deep cup shape, 3·6 in diameter +and 4·9 in height, composed of coarser and finer grasses firmly +interwoven, and contained four fresh eggs. In the same locality we +secured a second similarly situated nest, about 2½ feet from the +ground, and it contained a single fresh egg. It was rather more neatly +and massively made than the former. It was about 4 inches in diameter +and 5 inches in height, and the egg-cavity was nearly 3 inches deep. +The lining is of fine grass-stalks well interwoven. The exterior is +composed of coarse grass mixed with a little greyish-white fibre. + +"Subsequently several other similar and similarly situated nests were +found." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of July, August, and September. +The following are the dates upon which I found nests this year +(1876):-- + + "July 28. A nest containing 4 young birds. + " 29. " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1. " 4 " + " 5. " 5 " + Aug. 13. " 5 " + " 16. " 4 young birds fledged. + " 17. " 5 " + " " " 3 " + " 19. " 4 " + " " " 5 " + " 30. " 5 " + Sept. 3. " 5 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests in the same neighbourhood in +1875. One on the 14th August containing four young birds almost ready +to leave the nest. It was placed in the middle of a tussock of coarse +grass on the side of a nullah on a bank overgrown with grass and +bushes, and my attention was attracted first of all to the spot by the +incessant chattering and uneasiness of the two old birds, one of which +had a large grasshopper in its mouth. After hiding behind a bush for +a few minutes, I saw the hen bird fly to the nest, which led to its +discovery. The nest was dome-shaped, with an entrance upon one side, +composed exteriorly of blades of rather coarse dry grass (green, +however, as a rule when the nest is first built), and interiorly of +similar, but finer, material. It is an easy nest to find when once +the locality in which the birds breed is discovered, as it is +a conspicuous ball of grass, smeared over, often more or less, +exteriorly with a silky white vegetable-down or cobweb, and many of +the blades of the tussock in which it is placed are often drawn down +and woven into the nest, which at once attracts attention. Then, +again, the cock bird is almost always to be found on the top of some +low tree near the nest, uttering his peculiar ventriloquistic note +'_tissip, tissip, tissip_,' etc. All the above nests were exactly +alike and in similar situations, viz. fixed in the centre of a tussock +of coarse grass on the banks of some deep nullahs running through a +large grass 'Beerh.' The eggs remind me more of the English Robin's +eggs than those of any other species I know. The ground-colour is dull +white, sometimes tinted with pale green, and the markings reddish +fawn. In some cases the eggs are peppered all over with a conspicuous +zone at the large end, sometimes a dense cap instead of a zone. In +other cases the markings, though always present, are almost invisible, +as also the zone or cap. They are about the size of the eggs of the +Spotted Flycatcher. I found a few other nests besides those I have +mentioned during July and August 1875." + +Captain Cock informed me that this species is "common in the jungles +around Seetapore. Nest is largish, dome-shaped, and placed low down in +a thorny bush. The bird lays in August five eggs, the _fac-simile_ of +the eggs of _Pratincola ferrea_, perhaps of a more elongated type than +the eggs of that bird." + +Mr. H. Parker, writing on the birds of North-west Ceylon, refers to +this bird under the titles _D. jerdoni_ and _D. valida_, and informs +us that it breeds from January to May. + +The eggs of this species are somewhat elongated ovals. The +ground-colour is a greenish or greyish stone-colour, and they are +finely and often rather sparsely freckled all over with very faint +reddish brown, or brownish pink in most eggs; these frecklings are +gathered together into a more or less dense zone round the large +end, forming a conspicuous ring there much darker-coloured than the +frecklings over the rest of the surface. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0·68 to 0·75, and in breadth from 0·49 to +0·52, but the average appears to be 0·7 by 0·5. + + +466. Prinia inornata, Sykes. _The Indian Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus inornatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 178; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 543. +Drymoipus longicaudatus (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 180. +Drymoipus terricolor, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N, & E._ no. 543 bis. + +The breeding-season of this Wren-Warbler commences with the first fall +of rain, and lasts through July and August to quite the middle of +September. + +The birds construct a very elegant nest, always closely and compactly +woven, of very fine blades, or strips of blades, of grass, in no nests +exceeding one-twentieth of an inch in width, and in many of not above +half this breadth. The grass is always used when fresh and green, +so as to be easily woven in and out. Both parents work at the nest, +clinging at first to the neighbouring stems of grass or twigs, and +later to the nest itself, while they push the ends of the grass +backwards and forwards in and out; in fact, they work very much like +the Baya (_P. baya_), and the nest, though much smaller, is in texture +very like that of this latter species, the great difference being that +the Baya, with us, more often uses _stems_, and _Prinia_ strips of +_blades_ of grass. The nest varies in shape and in size, according to +its situation: a very favourite locality is in amongst clumps of the +_sarpatta_, or serpent-grass, in which case the bird builds a long +and purse-like nest, attached above and all round to the surrounding +grass-stems, with a small entrance near the top. Such nests are +often 8 or 9 inches in length, and 3 inches or even more in external +diameter, and with an internal cavity measuring 1½ inch in diameter, +and having a depth of nearly 4 inches below the lower margin of the +entrance-hole. At other times they are hung between bare twigs, often +of some thorny bush, or are even placed in low herbaceous plants; in +these cases they are usually nearly globular, with the entrance-hole +near the top; they are then probably 3½ inches in external diameter +in every direction. In other cases they are hung to or between two or +more leaves to which the birds attach the nest, much as a Tailor-bird +would do, using, however, fine grass instead of cobwebs or cotton-wool +for ligaments. I have never found more than five eggs in any nest, and +four is certainly the normal number. + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I had a nest brought me in Oudh on the 17th +April, containing four eggs. About Agra and Muttra, where as you know +the birds are _very_ common, I have always obtained the greatest +number of eggs during August; four is the regular number; in one taken +on the 16th August I found five eggs." + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During July, August, and the early part +of September I found multitudes of nests of this species in the +neighbourhood of Hausie, almost exclusively in the Dhasapoor, Dhana, +and Secundapoor _Beerhs_ or jungle-preserves. + +"The nests, of which numerous specimens were sent to you, were of the +usual type, and were nearly all found in ber (_Z. jujuba_) and hinse +(_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 to 4 feet from the +ground. I did not meet with more than four eggs in any one nest." + +Colonel E.A. Butler says:--"The Indian Wren-Warbler is very common in +the plains, frequenting low scrub-jungle and long grass studied +with low bushes (_Calotropis, Zizyphus_, &c.). It breeds during the +monsoon, commencing to build in July, during which month and August +in the neighbourhood of Deesa I must have examined some three or four +dozen nests. There are two distinct types of nests, and there may be +two species of this genus in this part of the country; but I must +confess that after shooting a large number of specimens of both sexes, +and after examining an immense series of the eggs, I have failed to +make out more than one species, and that Mr. Hume informs me is his +_Drymoipus terricolor_. The nests alluded to vary as follows:--One +type is very closely and compactly woven, as described of _D. +terricolor_ ('Nests and Eggs, Rough Draft,' p. 349), with the entrance +almost at the top. The other type is built of the same material, with +the exception that the grass is rather coarser, but is more in shape +like a Wren's nest, and the grass is somewhat loosely put together +instead of being woven, and it has the entrance with a slight canopy +over it upon one side. The eggs four, and not uncommonly five, in +number, were exactly alike in both types, as also were the specimens +of the birds themselves that I obtained. + +"Nearly all the nests I have seen have been built on the outside of +ber bushes (_Z. jujuba_), at heights varying from 2½ to 5 feet from +the ground." + +Mr. B. Aitken says:--"I found this nest at Bombay on the 13th October, +1873, at the edge of a tank some 2 feet above the ground. I have found +four or five precisely similar ones before, generally in similar +situations. The nest was strongly attached to the stems and leaves +of four herbaceous plants growing close together. In many cases the +strips of grass had been passed through and pierced the leaves. The +nest is deep and purse-shaped; the sides were prolonged upwards, +except in front where the entrance was, and joined above so as to +form a canopy. The nest has no lining, and none of the nests of this +species that I ever saw have ever had any lining. The whole nest +inside and out is composed of fine strips of blades of grass +interwoven. The eggs, five in number, varied much in size. In colour +they were bright blue, most irregularly blotched with various shades +of purplish brown: some of the blotches very large, some mere specks. +Each egg had also washed-out stains or blotches. The smaller eggs were +by far the brighter. + +"By reason of the roof and walls the entrance to the nest was at one +side, but there was nothing that could be called a hole. The roof +projected over the entrance, forming a porch. + +"Six or eight nests which I have seen of this species were all over +water. But the birds are by no means confined to marshy localities. + +"Even in the middle of the rains the nests are invariably made of dry +yellow grass. + +"One nest found in Berar was in a babool bush, where of course there +could have been no leaves pierced." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have found a good many nests in Bombay, and +it breeds in Poona too. My notes only mention two nests with eggs, on +the 22nd and 25th August, but I found some much later; and I am +almost certain it begins to lay much earlier, if not actually at the +beginning of the monsoon, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_. + +"It builds in gardens and cultivated fields, especially in the +vicinity of water, and often among plants growing in water. + +"The nest is very firmly attached to the twigs of some plant where +long grass or other plants completely surround and conceal it. It +is usually about 3 foot from the ground. It varies much in size and +shape, some being much deeper than others, and some having the top +open; others an entrance somewhat to one side. + +"I have always found three or four eggs--bright blue, with large +irregular purplish-brown blotches and no hair-lines. I should have +said that the nest is a bag, very uniformly woven, of fine grass, and +_never with any lining_--at any rate in none that I have ever found. +They never use the same nest twice, always building a fresh one even +if you only rob without injuring the first. I think they have only one +brood in the year, but, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_, one or two +nests are generally deserted or destroyed by some accident before they +succeed in rearing a brood." + +Major C.T. Bingham informs us that this Wren-Warbler is a common +breeder both at Allahabad and at Delhi from March to September. Builds +a neat bottle-shaped nest in clumps of surpat grass, of fine strips of +the grass itself, which I have repeatedly watched the birds tearing +off. The eggs are lovely little oval fragile shells of a deep blue, +blotched and speckled and covered with fine hair-like lines, chiefly +at the large end, of a deep chocolate-brown. + +The eggs are a moderately long, and generally a pretty perfect, oval, +often pointed towards one end, sometimes globular, seldom, if ever, +much elongated. The shell is fine and glossy, and comparatively thick +and strong. The ground-colour is normally a beautiful pale greenish +blue, most richly marked with various shades of deep chocolate and +reddish brown. Nothing can exceed the beauty or variety of the +markings, which are a combination of bold blotches, clouds, and spots, +with delicate, intricately interwoven lines, recalling somewhat, +but more elaborate and, I think, finer than, those of our early +favourite--the Yellow Ammer. The markings are invariably most +conspicuous at the large end, where there is very commonly a +conspicuous confluent cap, and the delicate lines are almost without +exception confined to the broader half of the egg. + +Very commonly the smaller end of the egg is entirely spotless, and I +have a beautiful specimen now before me in which the only markings +consist of a ring of delicate lines round the large end. Some idea of +the delicacy and intricacy of these lines may be formed when I mention +that this zone is barely one tenth of an inch broad, and yet in a good +light between twenty and thirty interlaced lines making up this zone +may be counted. + +The intricacy of the pattern is in some cases almost incredible, and, +what with the remarkable character of the patterns and the rich and +varying shades of their colours, these little eggs are, I think, +amongst the most beautiful known. + +Occasionally the ground-colour of the eggs, instead of being a bright +greenish blue, is a pale, rather dull, olive-green, and still more +rarely it is a clear pinkish white. These latter eggs are so rare that +I have only seen six in about as many hundreds. + +In size the eggs vary from 0·53 to 0·7 in length, and from 0·42 to 0·5 +in breadth; but the average of one hundred and twenty eggs measured +was 0·61 by 0·45. + + +467. Prinia jerdoni (Blyth). _The Southern Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca jerdoni (_Blyth_), _Hume, cat._ no. 544 ter. + +Mr. Davison says:--"The Southern Wren-Warbler breeds chiefly on the +slopes of the Nilgiris about the Badaga cultivation. The nest is +entirely composed of fine grass, and is generally placed about 2 or 3 +feet from the ground, either in a clump of long grass or attached to +the branch of a small bush. It is often suspended, domed, and with the +opening near the top. The eggs, generally three, are blue, spotted and +lined with deep red-brown." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "the Common Wren-Warbler +has no song, but is loud and frequent in its repetition of a few notes +during the breeding-season. Its nest, which is globular, is built in +the same shape as that of _P. socialis_, with the entrance at one end, +on some low bush, but it only uses _one_ material, namely fine long +grass, and does not add any soft lining. The colour of its eggs, +however, is totally different, of a light bluish green, and having +a number of spots and streaks like dark threads carried round +and through the spots, which are mostly at the thick end. The +breeding-season lasts from April to July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Fairly +common throughout the district. Eggs taken on the 15th July, 1882." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, remarks:--"It builds a +neat pendent nest in long grass on the Nilgiris. The nest is composed +entirely of short pieces of grass fitted together, and is very +compact. The eggs are three in number, and are of a blue colour, with +large blotches and hair-like streaks of a dark reddish brown at the +upper end. An egg measured ·69 inch by ·5." + +The eggs of this species do not differ materially in size, shape, or +markings from those of _P. inornata_ which are very fully described +above. + + +468. Prinia blanfordi (Walden). _The Burmese Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca blanfordi, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 543 ter. + +Mr. Oates, who found this bird very common in Pegu, writes:--"The +Burmese Wren-Warbler is perhaps the commonest bird of the Pegu plains. +From Myitkyo on the Sittang, and possibly from further north, down to +Rangoon, it is to be found in all the low tracts covered with grass. + +"Where it occurs it is a constant resident and breeds from May to +August. I have found the nest in the middle of May, but it is not till +July that the bulk of the birds lay. + +"The nest is never more than 4 feet from the ground, and is attached +either to two or more stalks of elephant-grass or to the stem of a low +weed, or to the blades of certain tender grasses which grow in thick +tufts. There is little or no attempt at concealment. The materials +forming the nest are entirely fine grasses, of equal coarseness or +fineness throughout, gathered green, and so beautifully woven together +that it is almost impossible to destroy a nest by tearing it asunder, +although it may be looked through. In shape it is somewhat of a +cylinder, with a tendency to swell out at the middle. Its length, or +rather height (for its longer axis, being invariably parallel to the +stalks to which the nest is attached, is generally upright), is from +6 to 8 inches, and its extreme width 4. The entrance is placed at the +top of the nest, the sides of which are produced an inch or two above +the lower edge of the entrance. The thickness of the walls is very +small, seldom reaching half, and generally being only a quarter, of an +inch. Occasionally the nest is almost globular, but the back of the +entrance is in every case produced upwards some inches. There is no +lining at all. + +"The eggs never exceed four, and frequently are only three, in number, +and the female does not commence sitting till the full number is laid. +She deserts the nest on the slightest provocation; and if a nest with +only one or two eggs is found, and the fingers inserted, it is useless +to leave the eggs in hopes of getting more. She will lay no more. I +have tested this in at least ten cases." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"About Kaukarit, on the Houndraw river +in Tenasserim, I found this species, in June 1878, very common. +They were then breeding, and I found several nests, all, however, +unfinished; these were, in material and make, very like the nests of +_P. inornata_ which I had taken years ago in India." + +The eggs of this species recall in many respects those of _P. +inornata_, but the ground-colour is much more variable, and the +markings are more blotchy and less intricate in shape. They are pretty +regular ovals, and while some are very glossy others exhibit but +little of this. The ground-colour is perhaps typically pale greenish +blue, but in a great many specimens this is more or less obliterated +by a reddish or pinkish tinge, as if the colour of the markings had +run; in some the ground is a sort of reddish olive, in some pinky +white. The markings are large blotches and spots, often forming zones +or caps about the larger end, where they seem almost always to be most +conspicuous, as they vary in colour from an intense burnt-sienna which +is almost black, through a dingy maroon, and again to a dull, somewhat +pale reddish brown; here and there individual eggs exhibit a hair-line +or two, or a hieroglyphic-like mark, but these are the exceptions. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·53 to 0·64 inch, and in breadth from +0·42 to 0·45; but the average of fourteen eggs is 0·58 by 0·44. + +Very constantly smears or clouds of a paler shade than the blotches +cover large portions of the surface between these. Occasionally all +the markings are smeared and ill-defined, and in some eggs they are +almost entirely wanting, and nothing but a scratch or two about the +large end is to be seen. + + + + +Family LANIIDAE + + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + + +469. Lanius lahtora(Sykes). _The Indian Grey Shrike_. + +Lamus lahtora (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 400. +Collyrio lahtora, _Sykes, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 256. + +The Indian Grey Shrike lays from January to August, and occasionally +up to October, but the majority of my eggs have been obtained during +March or April. + +It builds, generally, a very compact and heavy, deep, cup-shaped nest, +which it places at heights of from 4 to 10 or 12 feet from the ground +in a fork, towards the centre of some densely growing thorny bush +or moderate-sized tree, the various carounders, capers, plums, and +acacias being those most commonly selected. + +As a rule it builds a new nest every year, but it not unfrequently +only repairs one that has served it in the previous season, and even +at times takes possession of those of other species. + +The nest is composed of very various materials, so much so that it is +difficult to generalize in regard to them. I have found them built +entirely of grass-roots, with much sheep's wool, lined with hair and +feathers, or solidly woven of silky vegetable fibre, mostly that of +the putsun (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), in which were incorporated little +pieces of rag and strips of the bark of the wild plum (_Zizyphus +jujuba_); but I think that most commonly thorny twigs, coarse grass, +and grass-roots form the body of the nest, while the cavity is lined +with feathers, hair, soft grass, and the like. + +Generally the nests are very compact and solid, 6 or 7 inches in +diameter, and the egg-cavity 3 to 4 in diameter, and 2 to 2½ in depth, +but I have come across very loosely built and straggling ones. + +They have at times two broods in the year (but I do not think that +this is always the case), and lay from three to six eggs, four or five +being the usual number. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, writing from Jhansie and Saugor, and detailing his +experiences there and in the Delhi Districts, says:-- + +"The Common Indian Grey Shrike breeds from February to July; it builds +on trees; if it has a preference, it is for the close-growing roonj +tree (_Acacia leucophlaea_). I have particularly noticed this fact +both here and at Gurhi Hursroo. The nest in structure is neat and +compact (though I have occasionally seen some very roughly put +together), and generally-well fixed into the forks of an off-shooting +branch. In shape it is circular, varying from 5 to 7½ inches in +diameter, and from 1½ to 3½ inches in thickness; thorn twigs, coarse +grass, grass-roots, old rags, &c. form the outer materials of the +nest, and closely interwoven fine grass and roots the border-rim. The +egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, from 3½ to 5 inches in diameter, and +lined with fine grass and khus; exceptionally shreds of cloth are +interwoven with the khus and grass. + +"On one occasion I got a nest with the cup interior entirely lined +with old cloth pieces, very cleverly and ingeniously worked into the +exterior framework. Five is the regular number of eggs, though at +times six have been obtained in one nest. The birds often make their +own nests each year, but this is not invariably the case. When at +Gurhi Hursroo in February last, I found on an isolated roonj tree four +nests within a foot of each other. The under centre one, an _old_ +Shrike nest (the other three were of other birds), was occupied by +a Shrike sitting on five eggs. I very carefully examined it, and my +impression at the time was that the parent birds had returned, to rear +a second progeny, to the nest constructed by them the year previous. + +"I do not know whether you have noticed the fact, but both _L. +lahtora_ and _L. erythronotus_ often lay in old nests, of which they +first carefully repair the egg-cavity with new materials. It is not +only, however, in old nests of their own species that these birds +make a home in the breeding-season. At times they take possession of +fabrics clearly not the work of any Shrike. Quite recently I found a +pair of _L. lahtora_ with four eggs in a small nest entirely woven of +hemp, the bottom of which was thickly coated with the droppings of +former occupants. Again, on the 8th June, a nest with four eggs was +found on a roonj tree. This wonderful nest, which I have kept, is +entirely composed of what I take to be old felt and feathers, the +bottom of the cavity of which, when found, was almost covered with the +dung of young birds. + +"Evidently this nest was not _originally_ made by the Shrike, but, as +would appear, was taken possession of by it, after the brood of some +other species of birds had left it." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lays in the last week of March to the end of April. Eggs five +only, shape ovato-pyriform, size 1·06 inch by 0·8 inch; colour pale +greenish white, blotched and tinged with yellowish grey and neutral +markings; vary much in intensity and colour. Nest of twigs, lined with +cotton or wool, and usually placed in stiff thorny bushes." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing from Chaman in Southern Afghanistan, +remarks:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is extremely common, breeding about +the end of March, in much the same situations as in India. I have +collected many specimens, and failed to detect any difference between +the Indian bird and the one found here. The average of twelve eggs is +·97 by ·75." + +He adds subsequently:--"This is the commonest Shrike in the country; +it breeds in March and April, and the young are easily reared in +captivity." + +Mr. W. Blewitt says that he "took four nests of this bird near Hansee +on the 28th-30th March; they contained, one 5, two 4, and one 3 +eggs; all but the latter (which, curiously enough, were a good deal +incubated) quite fresh. The nests were placed in acacia and caper +bushes, at heights of from 6 to 14 feet from the ground; they were +from 6 to 7 inches in diameter exteriorly, rather loosely constructed +of thorny twigs, with egg-cavities from 2 to 2½ inches deep, lined +with fine straw and leaves." Again he writes: "Took numerous nests in +the neighbourhood of Hansee during the month of July; most of the eggs +were much incubated, and four was the largest number found in any one +nest. + +"The nests were all placed upon keekur trees at an average height of +some 10 feet from the ground; they were composed of thorny twigs, +some with and some without a lining of fine grass and feathers, and +averaged some 5 or 6 inches in diameter by 2 to 4 inches in depth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says that "this bird is excessively common about +Delhi, far more so than at Allahabad. At the latter place I only found +it breeding in March and April, but at Delhi I have found nests in +every month from March to August. One evening in June I remember +counting in my walk thirteen nests within the radius of a mile; some +of these contained fresh eggs, some hard-set, some young. One nest I +robbed in April of eggs contained young in the latter end of May, and +I believe many of them have two if not more broods in the year. All +nests that I have seen have been well made, firm, deep cups of babool +branches, lined with grass-roots, and occasionally with bits of rag +and tow. The eggs are broad ovals of a dead chalky bluish-white +colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end, with purple and brown. Five +is the greatest number of eggs I have found in a nest." + +Mr. George Reid informs us that this Shrike breeds from March to +July in the Lucknow Division, making a massive nest in babool trees, +generally in solitary ones on open plains. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Indian Grey Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in February, March, April, May, June, and July. +I nave taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "Feb. 19. A nest containing 4 slightly incubated eggs. + March 13. " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 16. " " 4 " + " 19. " " 4 " + " 20. " " 3 " + " 20. " " 4 " + " 28. " " 4 incubated eggs. + April 9. " " 4 " " + June 1. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 7. " " 4 young birds. + " 7. " " 2 incubated eggs. + July 9. " " 4 " " + +"The nest is usually placed in some low, isolated leafless thorny tree +(_Acacia, Zizyphus_, &c.), from six to ten feet from the ground. It +is solidly built of small dry thorny twigs, old rags, &c. externally, +with a thick felt lining of the silky fibre of _Calotropis gigantea_. +The eggs vary a good deal in shape, some being much more pointed at +the small end than others; some I have are almost perfect peg-tops. +They vary in number from three to five; and as a rule the colour is a +dingy white, spotted and speckled sparingly all over with olive-brown +and inky purple, which together form a well-marked zone at the large +end." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Common, and breeds abundantly in +the Poona and Sholapoor Collectorates at the end of the hot weather. +W. has noticed it breeding at Nuluar and Raichore. Davidson observed +that it was very rare in the Satara Districts." + +Mr. J. Davidson further informs us that _L. lahtora_ is a permanent +resident in Western Khandeish, and breeds in every month from January +to July. + +My friend Mr. Benjamin Aitken furnishes me with the following +interesting note:--"You say that the Indian Grey Shrike lays from +February to July. Now, in Berar, where this bird is very common, I +have found their eggs frequently in the first week of January, and +on not only to July, but to September; and I once found a nest in +October. I was never able to satisfy myself that the same pair had two +broods in the year, but I scarcely think there can be any doubt about +the matter. I once found, like your correspondent Mr. Blewitt, four +nests in a small babool tree, and only one of them occupied. This was +at Poona. My brother first pointed out to me that this species affects +the dusty barren plain, whereas _L. erythronotus_ prefers the cool and +shaded country. This difference in the habits of the two birds is very +observable at Poona, where both species are exceedingly common. Where +a _jungly_ or watered piece of country borders upon the open plain, +you may see half a dozen of each kind within an area of half a mile +radius, and yet never find the one trespassing upon the domain of the +other. When you say you have never found a nest more than 1500 feet +above the level of the sea, I would remind you that although _L. +lahtora_ never ascends the hills, it is yet very abundant in the +Deccan, which is 2000 feet above the sea-level. + +"I think I have written to you before that during a residence of +twelve years I never saw _L. lahtora_ in Bombay." + +This Shrike is, however, essentially a plains bird, and never seems +to ascend the Himalayas to any elevation. I have never myself found a +nest more 1500 feet above the level of the sea. + +Typically, the eggs are of a broad oval shape, more or less pointed +towards one end, of a delicate greenish-white ground, pretty thickly +blotched and spotted with various shades of brown and purple markings, +which, always most numerous towards the large end, exhibit a strong +tendency to form there an ill-defined zone or irregular mottled cap. +The variations, however, in shape, size, colour, extent, and intensity +of markings are very great; and yet, in the huge series before me, +there is not one that an oologist would not at once unhesitatingly +set down as a Shrike's. In some the ground-colour is a delicate pale +sea-green. In some it is pale stone-colour; in others creamy, and in a +few it has almost a pink tinge. The markings, commonly somewhat dull +and ill-defined, are occasionally bold and bright; and in colour they +vary through every shade of yellowish, reddish, olive, and purplish +brown, while subsurface-looking pale purple clouds are intermingled +with the darker and more defined markings. In one egg the markings may +be almost exclusively confined to a broad, very irregular zone of bold +blotches near the large end. In others the whole surface is more or +less thickly clotted with blotches and spots, so closely crowded +towards the large end as almost wholly to obscure the ground-colour +there. As a rule, the markings are irregular blotches of greater or +less extent, but occasionally these blotches form the exceptions, and +the majority of the markings are mere spots and specks. In some eggs +the purple cloudings greatly predominate; in others scarcely a trace +of them is observable. Some eggs are comparatively long and +narrow, while some are pyriform and blunt at both ends; and yet, +notwithstanding all these great differences, there is a strong family +likeness between all the eggs. In size they are, I think, somewhat +smaller than those of _L. excubitor_. They vary in length from 0·9 to +1·17 inch, and in width from 0·75 to 0·83 inch; but the average of +more than fifty eggs is 1·03 by 0·79 inch. + + +473. Lanius vittatus. _The Bay-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius hardwickii (_Vigors), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 405. +Lanius vittatus, _Dum., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 260. + +The Bay-backed Shrike breeds throughout the plains of India and in the +Sub-Himalayan Ranges up to an elevation of fully 4000 feet. + +The laying-season lasts from April to September, but the great +majority of eggs are found during the latter half of June and July; in +fact, according to my experience, the great body of the birds do not +lay until the rains set in. + +The nests are placed indifferently on all kinds of trees (I have notes +of finding them on mango, plum, orange, tamarind, toon, &c.), never at +any great elevation from the ground, and usually in _small_ trees, be +the kind chosen what it may. Sometimes a high hedgerow, such as our +great Customs hedge, is chosen, and occasionally a solitary caper or +stunted acacia-bush. + +The nests (almost invariably fixed in forks of slender boughs) are +neat, compactly and solidly built cups, the cavities being deep and +rather more than hemispherical, from 2·25 to fully 3·5 inches in +diameter, and from 1·5 to 2 inches in depth. The nest-walls vary from +0·5 to 1·25 inch in thickness. The composition of the nest is various. +The following are brief descriptions which I have noted from time to +time:-- + +"Compactly woven of grass-stems and a few fine twigs, but with more +or less wool, rag, cotton, or feathers incorporated; there _is no +lining_. + +"The nest was rather massive, externally composed of wool, rags, +cotton, thread, and feathers, and a little grass; the cavity rather +neatly lined with fine grass. + +"Composed almost entirely of cobweb, with a few soft feathers, wool, +string, rags, and a few pieces of very fine twigs compactly woven. The +interior was lined with fine straw and fibrous roots." + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following note on the nidification of +this species:-- + +"This bird, or rather birds of this species, have been laying ever +since the middle of April, but nests were then few and far between, +and now in July they are common enough. The nest that we had just +found was precisely like twenty others that we had found during the +past two months. Rather deep, with a nearly hemispherical cavity; very +compactly and firmly woven of fine grass, rags, feathers, soft twine, +wool, and a few fine twigs, the whole entwined exteriorly with lots of +cobwebs; and the interior cavity about 1¾ inch deep by 2¼ in diameter, +neatly lined with very fine grass, one or two horsehairs, shreds of +string, and one or two soft feathers. The walls were a good inch in +thickness. The nest was placed in a fork of a thorny jujube or ber +tree (_Zizyphus jujuba_), near the centre of the tree, and some 15 +feet from the ground. It contained four fresh eggs, feebly coloured +miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_, which latter so closely +resemble those of _L. excubitor_ that if you mixed the eggs, you could +never, I think, certainly separate them again. The eggs exhibit the +zone so characteristic of those of all Shrikes. They have a dull pale +ground, not white, and yet it is difficult to say what colour it is +that tinges it; in these four eggs it is a yellowish stone-colour, but +in others it is greenish, and in some grey; near the middle, towards +the large end, there is a broad and conspicuous, but broken and +irregular zone of feeble, more or less confluent spots and small +blotches of pale yellowish brown and very pale washed-out purple. +There are a few faint specks and spots of the same colour here and +there about the rest of the egg. In some eggs previously obtained the +zone is quite in the middle, and in others close round the large end. +In some the colours of the markings are clear and bright, in others +they are as faint and feeble as one of our modern Manchester +warranted-fast-coloured muslins, after its third visit to a native +washerman. In size, too, the eggs vary a good deal. + +"The little Shrike had a great mind to fight for his _penates_, and +twice made a vehement demonstration of attack; but his heart failed +him, and he retreated to a neighbouring mango branch, whence a few +minutes after we saw him making short dashes after his insect prey, +apparently oblivious of the domestic calamity that had so recently +befallen him." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, then at Gurhi Hursroo, near Delhi, sent me some +years ago the following interesting note:-- + +"Breeds from March to at least the middle of August. It builds its +nest in low trees and high hedgerows, preferring the former. + +"In shape the nest is circular, with a diameter, outside, of from 5½ +to 6½ inches, and from 1·5 to 2 in thickness. + +"For the exterior framework thorny twigs, old rags, hemp, +thread-pieces, and coarse grass are more or less used, and compactly +worked together. The egg-cavity is deep and cup-shaped, lined with +fine grass and khus; pieces of rag or cotton are sometimes worked up +with the former. + +"Five to six is the regular number of eggs. In colour they are a light +greenish white, with blotches and spots generally of a light, but +sometimes of a darker, reddish brown. The spots and blotches vary much +in size, and they are mostly confined to the broad end of the eggs. + +"I had frequently noticed on a tree in the garden an _old_ Shrike's +nest. It was in the beginning of May that a male bird suddenly made +his appearance and established himself in the garden, and morning and +evening without fail did he sit and alternately chatter and warble +away for hours. His perfect imitation of the notes of other birds was +remarkable. + +"In the beginning of June his singing suddenly ceased, the secret of +which I soon discovered. He had secured a mate, and daily did I watch +for the nest, which I thought they would prepare. Late on the evening +of the 23rd June, happening to look up at the _old_ nest, to my +surprise I found it occupied by the female, the male the while sitting +on a branch near her. Next morning on searching the nest I found four +eggs. Whether this nest was prepared the year previous by these birds +or by another pair I cannot tell. + +"That day, the day of the robbery, the female disappeared. The male +followed next day, but only to return after two or three days and +recommence with renewed energy his chattering and warbling. This +he continued daily till near the end of July, when, as before, he +suddenly ceased to sing. I then found that he had again secured a +mate, whether the old female or a new bride I am not certain; they +soon set about making a nest on a neighbouring tree, very cunningly, +as I thought, selected; and now the young birds reared are nearly +full-fledged. An old nest, evidently of last year's make, was brought +me the other day with five eggs, but the _lining_, as by the way was +done in the one in the garden, had been wholly removed and _new_ grass +and khus substituted." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi in +May, June, and July. At the former place I never got the eggs, but +have seen some that were taken; but at Delhi I found numbers of their +nests in June and July, and one in May. It makes a much softer nest +than either of the two above-mentioned Shrikes. One nest I took on the +15th June was composed wholly of tow, but generally they have an outer +foundation of twigs, and are lined with tow, bits of cotton, human +hair, or rags. Some eggs are a yellow-white, with very faint marks, +others are miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_. + +"Five is the greatest number I have found in one nest." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding in +the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lays from the commencement of May to the middle of June. Eggs +three or four in number; shape varies from ovato-pyriform to blunt +ovato-pyriform, and measuring from 0·73 to 0·87 inch in length +and from 0·55 to 0·65[A] inch in breadth. Colour, same as _L. +erythronotus_, also creamy or yellowish white, spotted with darker. +Nest compact, in forks of thorny trees; outside fibrous stalks, +bound with silk or spider-web, and covered with lichens or cocoons, +imitating a weathered structure; inside lined with fine grass and +vegetable down." + +[Footnote A: I think that there must be some error in these +dimensions, for mine are taken from forty-five specimens, the largest +and smallest, out of some hundreds of eggs.--A.O.H.] + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"These little +Shrikes breed in the hills, as well as the plains, up to 5000 feet +high." + +Colonel Butler has the following notes on the breeding of this Shrike +in Sind:-- + +"Kurrachi, 7th May, 1877.--I found two nests on this date, one in the +fork of a babool tree, the other on the stump of a broken-off branch +of a tree between the stump and the trunk of the tree. The former +contained four incubated eggs, exact miniatures of many eggs I have +of _L. erythronotus_, the latter two small chicks.--May 12th, same +locality, a nest containing two fresh eggs, and another containing +two fully fledged young ones.--June 20th, same locality, one nest +containing three fresh eggs, another containing four young birds. Eggs +most typical are those which have a well-marked zone near the centre." + +"Hydrabad, Sind, 19th June, 1878.--A nest on the outer bough of a +babool tree about ten feet from the ground, containing three fresh +eggs." + +And he further notes:--"The Bay-backed Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa at the end of the hot weather. The nest is a +very firm and compactly built cup, usually placed in the fork of some +low thorny tree at heights varying from seven to ten feet from the +ground. + + "June 15th, 1875. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + July 1st, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 15th, " " " 5 incubated eggs. + July 29th, " " " 4 young birds. + +"These birds always retire from the more open parts of the country to +low thorny tree-jungle to breed." + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This species breeds about Sambhur in July. On +the 1st August I saw numbers of nests and fledglings in the Marot +jungle." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Abundant, +and breeds all over the Deccan." + +And the former gentleman informs us that this species is also very +common in Western Khandeish, and that it breeds in the plains in June +and July, and in the Satpuras in March. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"This is a very familiar bird, and builds +readily in some roadside tree, where men and carts are passing all day +long. I have the following notes of its nests:-- + +"1st-8th May, 1869. Nest and three eggs taken at Khandalla, above the +Bhore Ghât. + +"12th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Poona. + +"16th-18th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Khandalla. This nest was +in a corinda bush, placed about 1½ feet from the ground. + +"13th May, 1873. A clutch of young birds left the nest this morning at +Poona. + +"19th May, 1873. I found a nest of half-fledged young birds this day +at Poona. The tree was almost denuded of leaves, and the heat of the +sun being very intense, the parent bird was nevertheless sitting +close. Its eyes were closed, and it was gasping hard. One of the young +ones had crawled out from under the parent, and was sitting on the +edge of the nest, also gasping hard. + +"I do not exactly gather from your notes in the 'Rough Draft' what +form the spots usually take. In my nest taken on the 12th May all +four eggs had the zone quite as distinct as the eggs of a Fan-tailed +Flycatcher. The seven eggs taken from two nests at Khandalla, on the +other hand, had not the least appearance of a zone, but were spotted, +after the manner of Sparrows' eggs. In both the latter cases I saw the +old bird fly off the nest and alight on a tree a few yards off. + +"I remember one little Shrike of this species which used to come down +every day to pick up crumbs of bread and pieces of potatoe put out for +the Sparrows. (Being a true naturalist I love Sparrows.) + +"My brother on one occasion saw one of these Shrikes trying to catch a +garden lizard--not a gecko. + +"Of course you know that the young of this handsome and brightly +coloured Shrike have a plain and curiously marked plumage, reminding +one a little of the _pateela_ Partridge. I never saw this Shrike in +Bombay." + +The eggs of this, the smallest of all our Indian Shrikes, differ in no +particular, so far as shape, colour, and markings go, from those of +its larger congeners; that is to say, for every egg of this species +an exactly similar one might be picked out from a large series of _L. +lahtora_ or _L. erythronotus_; but at the same time there is no doubt +that pale-creamy and pale-brownish stone-coloured grounds predominate +more amongst the eggs of this species than in those of the two +above-named. The markings are also, as a rule, more minute and less +well-defined; indeed, in the large series I possess there is not one +which exhibits the bold sharp blotches common in the eggs of _L. +lahtora_, and not uncommon in those of _L. erythronotus_. + +In length they vary from 0·75 to 0·95 inch, and in breadth from 0·62 +to 0·71 inch; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0·83 by 0·66 inch +nearly. + + +475. Lanius nigriceps (Franklin). _The Black-headed Shrike_. + +Lanius nigriceps (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 404. +Collyrio nigriceps, _Frankl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 259. + +I have never myself taken the eggs or nests of the Black-headed +Shrike. + +Mr. E. Thompson says:--"This Shrike breeds all along the south-western +termination of the Kumaon and Gurhwal forests, and is usually found +in swampy, high grassy lands. It lays in July, August, and September, +building a large cup-shaped nest, composed of roots and fine grasses, +in small trees or shrubs in low, open grass-covered country. + +"I found this the Common Shrike in the hilly jungly tracts in Southern +Mirzapore, but I do not know whether it breeds there. The cry is quite +like that of _L. erythronotus_. + +"The southern limit of _Lanius nigriceps_ is interesting and +remarkable. It disappears after you go south-west of the Mykle Range, +and on the Range itself it is found only near marshy places. This +Mykle Range extends as far east as Ummerkuntuk, with a spur going off +north of that, and joining on with the Kymore Range, parts of which I +explored in March last in Pergunnahs Agrore and Singrowlee. Down in +those places this _Lanius_ was the Common Shrike, but south and +west of Ummerkuntuk all the Shrikes disappear more or less, and _L. +nigriceps_ entirely." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures this species breeds in +the Valley of Nepal, laying in April and May, and building in thorny +bushes, hedges, and trees, often in the immediate neighbourhood of +villages. The following are two of Mr. Hodgson's notes:-- + +"Valley, May 18th.--Nest near the top of a fir of mean size, fixed +securely in the midst of several diverging branches, made compactly of +dry grasses, of which the inner ones, which constitute the lining, are +hard and elastic, and well fitted to preserve the shape, which is a +deep cup with an internal cavity 3·5 inches in diameter and nearly 3 +deep. It contained six eggs, milk-and-water white, with pale olive +spots, chiefly at the large end, measuring 0·95 by 0·68 inch. + +"Jahar Powah, May 16th.--Ascent of Sheopoori, skirts of large forests; +nest on lateral branches of a large tree made of downy tops of plants, +of moss and thick grasses strongly compacted, and lined with fine +elastic hair-like grass; the cavity is circular, 3 inches in diameter +by more than 2 inches in depth; the whole nest is a solid deep cup; it +contained four eggs, bluish white, with grey-brown remote spots." + +Of another nest he gives the dimensions as:--external diameter 4·25 +inches; external height 3·87; internal diameter 2·87; depth of cavity +2·75. He figures it as a very compact and deep cup resting on a +horizontal fir branch between four or five upright sprays. He states +that the young are ready to fly towards the end of June, and that it +breeds only once a year. + +Dr. Scully, also writing of Nepal, says:--"This Shrike breeds on +the hillsides of the valley, usually in places where there is no +tree-forest, and not uncommonly in the neighbourhood of hamlets. +Several nests were obtained in May and June; these were large +cup-shaped structures, composed of grass-roots, fibres, and fine +seed-down intermixed. The egg-cavity was circular, lined with fine +grass-stems, about 4 inches in diameter, and 2 inches deep in the +middle. The usual number of eggs is five; the ground-colour pale +greenish white, boldly blotched and spotted with olive marks in an +irregular zone round the large end. A clutch of five eggs taken on the +14th June gave the following dimensions:--0·94 to 0·97 in length, and +0·65 to 0·7 in breadth." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest of this species on the 17th May at Mongfoo, +near Darjeeling, at an elevation of 3500 feet. The nest was placed in +a wormwood bush, and was supported between several slender upright +shoots, to which the exterior of the nest was more or less attached. +The nest was a deep compact cup, externally composed of fine twigs, +scraps of roots, and stems of herbaceous plants, intermingled with a +great deal of flowering grass. Internally it was lined with very fine +grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in diameter, +and was fully 2 inches deep. The external diameter was about 5 inches, +and height 3½ or thereabout. + +Subsequently he sent me the following full account of the nidification +of this Shrike:-- + +"I have found this Shrike breeding abundantly in the Cinchona reserves +in May and June, at elevations of from 3000 to 4500 feet above the +sea. It affects open, cultivated places, and builds, from 6 to 20 feet +from the ground, in shrubs, bamboos, or small trees. The nest is +often suspended between several upright shoots, to which it is firmly +attached by fibres twisted round the stems and the ends worked into +the body of the nest; sometimes against a bamboo-stem seated on, and +attached to, the bunch of twigs given out at a node; or in a fork of a +small tree, or end of an upright cut branch where several shoots have +sprung away from under the cut and keep the nest in position, when it +has a large pad of an everlasting plant or of the downy heads of a +large flowering grass to rest on--when the former material is handy it +is preferred. The nest is sometimes exposed to view, but generally is +tolerably well concealed. It is of a deep cup-shape, very compactly +built of flowering grass and stems of herbaceous plants intermixed +with fibry twigs, and lined with the small fibry-looking branchlets of +grass-panicles. Externally it measures 5 inches across by 3½ inches +in depth; internally the cavity is 3½ inches in diameter by nearly 2 +inches deep. Usually the eggs are either four or five in number. On +one occasion only have I seen so many as six. The coloration is of two +distinct types, but one type only is found in the same nest. I suspect +that the age of the bird has something to do with the variation +of colour in the eggs. In a nest containing four eggs one had the +majority of the spots collected on the small, instead of the thick end +as usual, and, strange to say, it was addled white. The other three +were hard-set. The parents get very much excited when their young are +approached, and, as long as the intruder is in the vicinity, keep up +an incessant volley of their harsh grating cries, at the same time +stretching out their necks and jerking about their tails violently." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident. Prefers open +plains interspersed with bushes, also the small bushes on road-sides +are a favourite haunt of theirs. Breeds in the district. I took ten +nests this season from the 11th April to 4th June, with from one to +five eggs in each. Four nests were placed in bamboo clumps from 9 to +30 feet high; one 40 feet from the ground on a casuarina-tree, one 20 +feet up in a but-tree, and the rest in babool-trees at from 6 to 15 +feet high from the ground. There is no attempt at concealment. The +nest is a deep cup fixed in a fork, and is made of grasses with a deal +of the downy tops of the same for an outside lining; this peculiarity +at once distinguishes the nest of this species. The description given +by Mr. Hodgson of a nest found by him on the 16th May at Jahar Powah, +in 'Nests and Eggs,' p. 172, correctly describes the nests I have +found. This species imitates the call of several kinds of small birds, +as Sparrows, King-Crows, &c., and I have often been deceived by it." + +The eggs of this species, of which, thanks to Mr. Gammie, I now +possess a noble series, vary very much in shape and size. Typically +they are very broad ovals, a little compressed towards one end, but +moderately elongated ovals are not uncommon. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and often has a more or less perceptible gloss; in no +case, however, very pronounced. + +There are two distinct types of colouring. In the one, the +ground-colour is a delicate very pale green or greenish white, in +some few pale, still faintly greenish, stone-colour; and the markings +consist as a rule of specks and spots of brownish olive, mostly +gathered into a broad zone about the large end, intermingled with +specks and spots of pale inky purple. In some eggs the whole of +the markings are very pale and washed-out, but in the majority the +brownish-olive or olive-brown spots, as the case may be, are rather +bright, especially in the zone. In the other type (and out of 42 eggs, +12 belong to this type) the ground-colour varies from pinky white to a +warm salmon-pink, and the markings, distributed and arranged as in the +first type, are a rather dull red and pale purple. In fact the two +types differ as markedly as do those of _Dicrurus ater_; and though +I have as yet received none such, I doubt not that with a couple of +hundred eggs before one intermediate varieties, as in the case of _D. +ater_, would be found to exist--as it is, two more different looking +eggs than the two types of this species could hardly be conceived. I +may add that in eggs of both types it sometimes, though very rarely, +happens that the zone is round the small end. + +In length they vary from 0·82 to 1·01, and in breadth from 0·68 to +0·79; but the average of forty-two eggs measured is 0·92 by 0·75. + + +476. Lanius erythronotus (Vigors). _The Rufous-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius erythronotus (_Vig._); _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 402. +Collyrio erythronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 257. +Collyrio caniceps[A] (_Blyth_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 257 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume may probably still consider _L. caniceps_ +separable from _L. erythronotus_. I therefore keep the notes on the +two races distinct as they appeared in the 'Rough Draft,' merely +adding a few later notes.--ED.] + +_Lanius erythronotus_. + +The Rufous-backed Shrike lays from March to August; the first half of +this period being that in which the majority of these birds lay in +the Himalayas, which they ascend to elevations of 6000 feet: and the +latter half being that in which we find most eggs in the plains; but +in both hills and plains some eggs may be found throughout the whole +period above indicated. + +The nests of this species are almost invariably placed on forks of +trees or of their branches at no great height from the ground; indeed, +of all the many nests that I have myself taken, I do not think that +one was above 15 feet from the ground. By preference they build, I +think, in thorny trees, the various species of acacia, so common +throughout the plains of India, being apparently their favourite +nesting-haunts, but I have found them breeding on toon (_Cedrela +toona_) and other trees. Internally the nest is always a deep cup, +from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and from 1¾ to 2-1/8 deep. The cavity +is always circular and regular, and lined with fine grass. Externally +the nests vary greatly; they are always massive, but some are compact +and of moderate dimensions externally, say not exceeding 5½ inches in +diameter, while others are loose and straggling, with a diameter of +fully 8 inches. Grass-stems, fine twigs, cotton-wool, old rags, dead +leaves, pieces of snake's skin, and all kinds of odds and ends are +incorporated in the structure, which is generally more or less +strongly bound together by fine tow-like vegetable fibre. Some nests +indeed are so closely put together that they might almost be rolled +about without injury, while others again are so loose that it is +scarcely possible to move them from the fork in which they are wedged +without pulling them to pieces. + +I have innumerable notes about the nests of this Shrike, of which I +reproduce two or three. + +"_Etawah, March 18th_.--The nest was on a babool tree, some 10 feet +from the ground, on one of the outside branches; an exterior framework +of very thorny babool twigs, and within a very warm deep circular nest +made almost entirely of sun (_Crotalaria juncea_) fibre, a sort of +fine tow, and flocks of cotton-wool, there being fully as much of this +latter as of the former; a few fine grass-stems are interwoven; there +are a few human and a few sleep's wool hairs at the bottom as a sort +of lining. The cavity of the nest is about 3 inches in diameter by 2 +deep, and the side walls and bottom are from 1½ to 2 inches thick." + +"_Bareilly, May 27th_, 1867.--Found a nest containing two fresh eggs. +The nest was in a small mango tree, rather massive, nearly 2 inches in +thickness at the sides and 3 inches thick at the bottom. It was rather +stoutly and closely put together, though externally very ragged. The +interior neatly made of fine grass-stems, the exterior of coarser +grass-stems and roots, with a quantity of cotton-wool, rags, tow +string and thread intermingled. The cavity was oval, about 3½ by 3 +inches and 2 inches deep." + +"_Agra, August 21st_.--Mr. Munro sent in from Bitchpoorie a beautiful +nest which he took from the fork of a mango tree about 40 feet from +the ground, a very compact and massive cup-shaped nest, not very +deep." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt records the following note:--"Breeds from March to +August, on low trees, and, as would appear, without preference for any +one kind. + +"The nest in shape much resembles that of _Lanius lahtora_; but +judging from the half-dozen or so I have seen, _L. erythronotus_ +certainly displays more skill and ingenuity in preparing its nest, +which in structure is more neat and compact than that of _L. lahtora_. +In shape it is circular, ordinarily varying from 5½ to 7 inches in +diameter, and from 2 to 2½ inches in thickness. Hemp, old rags, and +thorny twigs are freely used in the formation of the outer portion of +the nest, but the Shrike shows a decided predilection for the former. +In one nest I observed the cast skin of a snake worked in with the +outer materials; in two others some kind of vegetable fibre was used +to bind and secure the thorn twigs, and one had the margin made of +fine neem-tree twigs and leaves. The egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, +from 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and _lined_ usually with fine grass. +Five appears to be the regular number of eggs; but on this score I +cannot be very certain, seeing that my experience is confined to some +half-dozen or so of nests. + +"I have recently reared three young birds, and it is very amusing to +witness their many antics, shrewdness, and intelligence. They are very +tame, flying in and out of the bungalow at pleasure; when irritated, +which is rather a failing with them, they show every sign of +resentment. If one is inclined to be rebellious, not coming to call, +the show of a piece of meat at once secures its submission and +capture. Singular how partial they are to raw meat, and more singular +to see the expert way in which they catch up the meat with the claws +of either leg, and hold it from them while they devour it piecemeal. +I saw the other evening an old bird pounce on a field-mouse, kill it, +and then bring and cleverly fix the victim firmly between the two +forks of a branch and pull it in pieces. It consumed but a part of the +mouse." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Kaias in the Salt +Range:--'"Lay in May; eggs five to six; shape blunt, ovato-pyriform; +size varies from 0·88 to 0·93 of an inch in length, and from 0·68 +to 0·81 of an inch in breadth. Colour white or pale greenish white, +slightly ringed and spotted with yellowish grey and neutral tint. Nest +of roots, coarse grass, rags, cotton, &c., lined with fine grass, and +placed in forks of trees." + +Captain Hutton, who recognizes the distinctions between this species +and _L. caniceps_, says:--"This is an abundant species in the Doon, +but is found also within the mountains up to about 5000 feet. In +the Doon I took a nest on the 28th June containing four eggs. It +is composed of grass and fine stalks of small plants roughly put +together, bits of rag, shreds of fine bark, and lined with very fine +grass-seed stalks; internal diameter 3 inches, external 6 inches; +depth 2½ inches." + +Sir E.C. Buck notes having taken a nest containing four hard-set eggs +on the 22nd of June, far in the interior of the Himalayas, at Niratu, +north-east of Notgurh. The nest was in a tuhar tree and was composed +externally of grass-seed ears, internally of finer grass; a very +different-looking nest from any I have elsewhere seen, but he +forwarded the bird and eggs, so that there could be no mistake. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Found numerous nests in +the valleys in May and June, between 4000 and 5000 feet up." + +From four to six eggs are laid, and in regard to this Shrike I have +had no reason to think that it rears more than one brood in the year. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay say says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I found a +great many nests in May and June. The first (27th May) was situated in +the centre of a dense thorny creeper, and contained six eggs, white, +faintly washed with pale green, and spotted and blotched with purplish +stone-colour and pale brown. The nest was composed of green grass, +moss, cotton-wool, thistle-down, rags, cows' hair, mules' hair, shreds +of juniper-bark, &c., &c. Other nests were found in willows by the +river-bank and in apricot-trees. In a large orchard at Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, I found three nests within a few yards of one +another." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"I have only found one nest of this +Shrike, which is, however, common enough both at Allahabad and at +Delhi. This nest I found on the 3rd June in the Nicholson gardens at +Delhi. It was placed high up in the fork of a babool tree, and though +more straggling and loosely built was very like that of _L. lahtora_; +the two eggs it contained, except that they are a trifle smaller, are +very like those of _L. lahtora_" + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:--The +Rufous-backed Shrike commences nidification at Mt. Aboo about the end +of May. I took a nest on the 11th June containing five fresh eggs. It +was placed in the fork of one of the outer branches of a mango-tree +about 15 feet, from the ground. The hen bird sat very close, allowing +the native I sent up the tree to put his hand almost on to her +back before she moved, and then she only flew to a bough close by, +remaining there chattering and scolding angrily the whole time the +nest was being robbed. The nest, which is coarse and somewhat large +for the size of the bird, is composed externally of dry grass-roots, +twigs, rags, raw cotton, string, and other miscellaneous articles +all woven together. The interior is neatly lined with dry grass and +horsehair. The eggs, five in number, are of a pale greenish-white +colour, spotted all over with olivaceous inky-brown spots and specks, +increasing in size and forming a zone at the large end. They vary much +in shape, some being pyriform, and others blunt and similar in shape +at both ends. I took another nest on the 19th June near the same +place containing five fresh eggs, similar in every respect to the one +already described, except that it was built on a thorn-tree about 10 +feet from the ground. I took a nest at Deesa on the 8th July, 1875, +containing four fresh eggs; these eggs are smaller and rounder than +those from Aboo, and the blotches are larger and more distinct. The +same pair of birds built another nest a few days later, on 18th July, +within ten yards of the tree from which the other nest was taken, +laying five eggs. + +"I found other nests at Deesa on the following dates:-- + + "July 2nd. A nest containing 4 incubated eggs. + " 7th. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 8th. " " 4 " + " 9th. " " 2 " + " 10th. " " 5 " + " 10th. " " 4 " + Aug. 9th. " " 3 " + +"I found many other nests in the same neighbourhood containing young +birds during the last week of July." + +Regarding the Rufous-backed Shrike, Mr. Benjamin Aitken has sent me +the subjoined interesting note:--"This Shrike makes its appearance in +Bombay regularly during the last week of September, and announces its +arrival by loud cries for the first few days, till it has made itself +at home in the new neighbourhood; after which it spends nearly the +whole of its days on a favourite perch, darting down on every insect +that appears within a radius of thirty yards. It pursues this +occupation with a system and perseverance to which _L. lahtora_ makes +but a small approach. When its stomach is full, it enlivens the weary +hours with the nearest semblance to a song of which its vocal organs +are capable; for while many human bipeds have a good voice but no +ear, the _L. erythronotus_ has an excellent ear but a voice that no +modulation will make tolerable. It remains in Bombay till towards the +end of February, and then suddenly becomes restless and quarrelsome, +making as much ado as the _Koel_ in June, and then taking its +departure, for what part of the world I do not know. This I know, that +from March to August there is never a Rufous-backed Shrike in Bombay. + +"The Rufous-backed Shrike, though not so large as the Grey Shrike, is +a much bolder and fiercer bird. It will come down at once to a cage of +small birds exposed at a window, and I once had an Amadavat killed and +partly eaten through the wires by one of these Shrikes, which I saw in +the act with my own eyes. The next day I caught the Shrike in a large +basket which I set over the cage of Amadavats. On another occasion I +exposed a rat in a cage for the purpose of attracting a Hawk, and in a +few minutes found a _L. erythronotus_ fiercely attacking the cage on +all sides. I once caught one alive and kept it for some time. As soon +as it found itself safely enclosed in the cage, it scorned to show any +fear, and the third day took food from my hand. It was very fond of +bathing, and was a handsome and interesting pet." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Very common in Satara; breeding +freely in beginning of the rains; observed at Lanoli. Bare in the +Sholapoor District and does not appear to breed there." And the former +gentleman, writing of Western Khandeish, says:--"A few pairs breed +about Dhulia in June and July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor records the following note from Manzeerabad in +Mysore:--"Plentiful all over the district. Breeding in May; eggs taken +on the 7th." + +I have so fully described the eggs of _L. lahtora_, of which the eggs +of this present species are almost miniatures, that I need say but +little in regard to these. On the whole, the markings in this species +are, I think, feebler and less numerous than in _L. lahtora_; and +though this would not strike one in the comparison of a few eggs in +each, it is apparent enough when several hundreds of each are laid +side by side, four or five abreast, in broad parallel rows. The +ground-colour, too, in the egg of _L. erythronotus_ has seldom, if +ever, as much green in it, and has commonly more of the pale creamy or +pinky stone-colour than in the case of _L. lahtora_. + +In size the eggs of _L. erythronotus_ appear to approach those of +the English Red-backed Shrike, though they average perhaps somewhat +smaller. + +In length they vary from 0·85 to 1·05 inch, and in breadth from 0·65 +to 0·77 inch, but the average of more than one hundred eggs measured +is 0·92 by 0·71 inch. + +_Lanius caniceps_. + +This closely allied species, the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike, breeds +only, so far as I yet know, in the Nilghiris, Palanis, &c. + +It lays from March to July, the majority, I think, breeding in June. + +Its nest is very similar and is similarly placed to that of the +preceding, from which, if it differs at all, it only differs in being +somewhat smaller. + +It lays from four to six eggs, slightly more elongated ovals than +those of _L. erythronotus_, taken as a body, but not, in my opinion, +separable from these when mixed with a large number. + +Captain Hutton, however, does not concur in this: he remarks:--"This +species, which is very common in Afghanistan, occurs also in the Doon +and on the hills up to about 6000 feet. At Jeripanee I took a nest +on the 21st June containing five eggs, of a pale livid white colour, +sprinkled with brown spots, chiefly collected at the larger end, +where, however, they cannot be said to form a ring; interspersed with +these are other dull sepia spots appearing beneath the shell. Diameter +0·94 by 0·69 inch, or in some rather more. Shape rather tapering +ovate. + +"The differences perceptible between this and the last are the much +smaller size of the spots and blotches, the latter, indeed, scarcely +existing, while in _L. erythronotus_ they are large and numerous; +there is great difference likewise in the shape of the egg, those of +the present species being less globular or more tapering. The nest was +found in a thick bush about 5 feet from the ground, and was far more +neatly made than that of the foregoing species; it is likewise less +deep internally. It was composed of the dry stalks of 'forget-me-not,' +compactly held together by the intermixture of a quantity of moss +interwoven with fine flax and seed-down, and lined with fine +grass-stalks. Internal diameter 3½ inches; external 6 inches; depth +1½ inch, forming a flattish cup, of which the sides are about 1½ inch +thick. The depth, therefore, is less by 1 inch than in that of the +last-mentioned nest." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter tells me that "at Coonoor, on the Nilghiris, this +species breeds in April and May, placing its nest in large shrubs, +orange-trees, and other low trees which are thick and leafy. The nest +is externally irregular in shape, and is composed of fibres and roots +mixed with cotton-wool and rags; in one nest I found a piece of lace, +6 or 8 inches long; internally it is a deep cup, some 4 inches in +diameter and 2 in depth. The eggs are sometimes three in number, +sometimes four." + +Mr. Wait says that "the breeding-season extends from March to July in +the Nilghiris; the nest, cup-shaped and neatly built, is placed in low +trees, shrubs, and bushes, generally thorny ones; the outside of the +nest is chiefly composed of weeds (a white downy species is invariably +present), fibres, and hay, and it is lined with grass and hair; there +is often a good deal of earth built in, with roots and fibres in the +foundation of this nest; four appears to be the usual number of eggs +laid." + +Miss Cockburn, from Kotagherry, also on the Nilghiris, tells me that +"the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike builds in the months of February and +March and forms a large nest, the foundation of which is occasionally +laid with large pieces of rags, or (as I have once or twice found) +pieces of carpet. To these they add sticks, moss, and fine grass as +a lining, and lay four eggs, which are white, but have a circle of +ash-coloured streaks and blotches at the thick end, resembling those +on Flycatchers' eggs. They are exceedingly watchful of their nests +while they contain eggs or young, and never go out of sight of the +bush which contains the precious abode." + +Mr. Davison remarks that "this species builds in bushes or trees at +about 6 to 20 feet from the ground: a thorny thick bush is generally +preferred, _Berberis asiatica_ being a favourite. The nest is a large +deep cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass, mingled with +odd pieces of rag, paper, &c., and lined with fine grass. The eggs, +four or five in number, are white, spotted with blackish brown, +chiefly at the thicker end, where the spots generally form a zone. +The usual breeding-season is May and the early part of June, though +sometimes nests are found in April and even as late as the last week +in June, by which time the south-west monsoon has generally burst on +the Nilghiris." + +Dr. Fairbank writes:--"This bird lives through the year on the Palanis +and breeds there. I found a nest with five eggs when there in 1867, +but have not the notes then made about it." + +Captain Horace Terry informs us that this Shrike is a most common bird +in the Palani hills, found everywhere and breeding freely. + +Mr. H. Parker, writing from Ceylon, says:--"A pair of these Shrikes +reared three clutches of young in my compound (two of them out of +one nest) from December to May, inclusive; but this must be abnormal +breeding." + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds in +the Jaffna district and on the north-west coast from February until +May. Mr. Holdsworth found its nest in a thorn-bush about 6 feet high, +near the compound of his bungalow, in the beginning of February.... +Layard speaks of the young being fledged in June at Point Pedro, and +says that it builds in _Euphorbia_-trees in that district." + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from the Doon and +by numerous correspondents from the Nilghiris, are indistinguishable +from many types of _L. erythronotus_, and indeed the birds are so +closely allied that this was only to be expected. It is unnecessary +to describe these at length, as my description of the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_ applies equally to these. + +In size the eggs, however, vary less and _average_ longer than those +of this latter species. In length they range from 0·93 to 1 inch, and +in breadth from 0·7 to 0·72 inch, but the average of twenty was 0·95 +by 0·7 inch. + + +477. Lanius tephronotus (Vigors). _The Grey-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius tephronotus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 403. +Collyrio tephronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 258. + +As far as I yet know, the Grey-backed Shrike breeds, within our +limits, only in the Himalayas, and chiefly in the interior, at heights +of from 5000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level. In the interior of +Sikhim, in the Sutlej Valley near Chini, in Lahoul, and well up the +valley of the Beas, they are pretty common during the summer; they lay +from May to July, and the young are about by the end of July or the +early part of August. I have never seen a nest, although I have had +eggs and birds sent me from both Sikhim and the Sutlej Valley. There +were only two eggs in each case, but doubtless, like other Shrikes, +they lay from four to six. + +Mr. Blanford remarks that _L. tephronotus_ was "common at Láchung, in +Sikhim, 8000 to 9000 feet, in the beginning of September, but three +weeks later all had disappeared. Many of those seen were in young +plumage, with hair on the breast, back, and scapulars." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall records from Murree:--"This species much +resembles _L. erythronotus_, but the eggs differ considerably, being +more creamy white, blotched and spotted (more particularly at the +larger end) with pale red and grey. They are the same size as those +of the preceding species. Lays in the beginning of July at the same +elevation as _L. erythronotus_." + +As to the size I cannot concur with the above. + +Colonel Marshall has since kindly sent me two of the eggs above +referred to; they are clearly, it seems to me, eggs of _Dicrurus +longicaudatus_, or the slightly smaller hill-form named _himalayanus_, +Tytler. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found at about three feet +from the ground in a thick bush at Bheem Tal, at the edge of the lake, +contained five fresh eggs on the 28th May: the nest was a coarsely +built massive cup; the eggs were about the same size as those of _L. +erythronotus_, but the spots were larger and less closely gathered +than is usual with that species." + +Dr. Scully says:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is common in the Valley of +Nepal from about the end of September to the middle of March; it is +the only Shrike found in the Valley during the winter season, but it +migrates further north to breed. In December it was fairly common +about Chitlang, which is higher than Kathmandu, but seemed to be +entirely replaced in the Hetoura Dun by _L. nigriceps_. It frequents +gardens, groves, and cultivated ground, perching on bushes and hedges +and small bare trees. It has a very harsh chattering note, louder than +that of _L. nigriceps_, and appears to be most noisy towards sunset, +when its cry would often lead one to suppose that the bird was being +strangled in the clutches of a raptor." + +Mr. O. Möller has kindly furnished me with the following note:--"On +the 7th June, 1879, my men brought a nest containing four fresh eggs, +together with a bird of the present species; I send two of the eggs: +perhaps you recollect the eggs of _L. tephronotus_, in which case you +of course will be able to see at a glance if I am correct. I have +never come across such large eggs of _L. nigriceps_, the eggs of which +also as a rule have well-defined spots and no blotches; the two other +eggs the nest contained measure 1 by 0·74, and 1·01 by 0·76 inch." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Shrike type, moderately +elongated ovals, a little compressed towards the small end. The shell +extremely smooth and compact, but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pale greenish or yellowish white; the markings +chiefly confined to a broad irregular ill-defined zone round the large +end--blotches, spots, specks, and smears of pale yellowish brown more +or less intermingled with small clouds and spots of pale sepia-grey or +inky purple. In some eggs a good number of the smaller markings and +occasionally one or two larger ones are scattered over the entire +surface of the egg, but typically the bulk of the markings are +comprised within the zone above referred to. + +In length four eggs vary from 0·97 to 1·06 inch, and in breadth from +0·76 to 0·81 inch. + + +481. Lanius cristatus, Linn. _The Brown Shrike_. + +Lanius cristatus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 406: _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 261. + +I am induced to notice this species, the Brown Shrike, although I +possess no detailed information as to its nidification, in consequence +of Lord Walden's remarks on this subject in 'The Ibis' of 1867. He +says "Does it, then, cross the vast ranges of the Himalaya in its +northern migration? or does it not rather find on the southern slopes +and in the valleys of those mountains all the conditions suitable for +nesting?"; and he adds in a note, "It is extremely doubtful whether +any passerine bird which frequents the plains of India during the +cooler months crosses to the north of the snowy ranges of the Himalaya +after quitting the plains to escape the rainy season or the intense +heat of summer." + +Now, it is quite certain, as I have shown in 'Lahore to Yarkand,' that +several of our Indian passerine birds do cross the entire succession +of Snowy Ranges which divide the plains of India from Central Asia, +and it is tolerably certain from my researches and those of numerous +contributors that _L. cristatus_ breeds _only_ north of these ranges. +True, Tickell gives the following account of the nidification of this +species in the plains of India:-- + +"Nest found in large bushes or thickets, shallow, circular, 4 inches +in diameter, rather coarsely made of fine twigs and grass. Eggs three, +ordinary; 29/32 by 21/32: pale rose-colour, thickly sprinkled +with blood-red spots, with a darkish livid zone at the larger +end.--_June_." But Tickell, though he warns us at the commencement +of his paper (Journal As. Soc. 1848, p. 297) of the "attempts at +duplicity of which the wary oologist must take good heed," gives the +egg of the Sarus as plain white, and says he has seen upwards of a +dozen like this, those of the Roller as full deep Antwerp blue, those +of _Cypselus palmarum_ as white with large spots of deep claret-brown, +and so on, and it is quite clear that his supposed eggs and nest of +_L. cristatus_ belonged to one of the Bulbuls. + +Of more than fifty oologists who have collected for me at different +times in hills and plains, from the Nilghiris to Huzára on the one +side, and to Sikhim on the other, not one has ever met with a nest of +_L. cristatus_. This is doubtless purely negative evidence, but it is +still entitled to considerable weight. + +From the valleys of the Beas and the Sutlej, as also from Kumaon and +Gurhwal, these Shrikes seem to disappear entirely during the summer, +and they are then, as we also know, found breeding in Yarkand. It is +only in the latter part of the autumn that they reappear in the former +named localities, finding their way by the commencement of the cold +season to the foot of the hills. + +Mr. R. Thompson, to quote one of many close observers, remarks:--"This +bird appears regularly at Huldwanee and Rumnugger at the foot of the +Kumaon Hills during the cold weather, confining itself to thick hedges +and deep groves of trees. Where it goes to in summer I cannot say, it +certainly does not remain in our hills." + + +484. Hemipus picatus (Sykes). _The Black-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 412; _Hume, Rough +Draft_ _N. & E._ no 267. + +I quite agree with Mr. Gray that this bird is a Flycatcher and not a +Shrike; no one in fact who has watched it in life can have any doubt +on this subject; but yet, except for their being more strongly marked, +its eggs have no doubt a very Shrike-like character, at the same time +that they exhibit many affinities to those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ +and other undoubted Flycatchers. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"About the first week in March 1871, I found +at Ootacamund a nest of this bird placed in the fork of one of the +topmost branches of a rather tall _Berberis leschenaulti_. For the +size of the bird this was an exceedingly small shallow nest, and from +its position between the fork, its size, and the materials of which it +was composed externally, might very easily have passed unnoticed; the +bird sitting on it appeared to be sitting only on a small lump of moss +and lichen, the whole of the bird's tail, and as low down as the lower +part of the breast, being visible. The nest was composed of grass and +fine roots covered externally with cobweb and pieces of a grey lichen, +and bits of moss taken apparently from the same tree on which the nest +was built: the eggs were three in number. The tree on which this nest +was built was opposite my window, and I watched the birds building for +nearly a week; and, again, when having the nest taken, the birds sat +till the native lad I had sent up put out his hand to take the nest. +I am _absolutely_ certain, as to the identity of this nest and these +eggs." + +The eggs brought me by Mr. Davison, of the authenticity of which he is +positive, are very Shrike-like in their appearance; they are rather +elongated ovals, somewhat obtuse at both ends, and entirely devoid of +gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish or greyish white, and they +are profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked with darker and lighter +shades of umber-brown; in both eggs these markings are more or less +confluent along a broad zone, which in one egg encircles the larger, +in the other the smaller end: these eggs measure 0·7 by 0·5 inch and +0·69 by 0·49 inch. + +Captain Horace Terry writes from the Palani Hills:--"Pittur Valley. I +had a nest brought me which from the description of the bird must, I +think, have belonged to this species. Nest rather a shallow cup placed +in a thorny tree about ten feet from the ground, neatly made of grass +and moss, lined with fine grass and a few feathers, covered a great +deal on the outside with dusky-coloured cobwebs, 2·5 inches across and +1·5 inch deep inside, and 3·25 inches to 3·5 inches across, and 2·25 +inches deep outside: contained five very much incubated eggs; shape +and marking exactly like those of _L. caniceps_, having a well-defined +zone round the larger end; size about the same or rather smaller than +those of _Pratincola bicolor_." + + +485. Hemipus capitalis (McClelland). _The Brown-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus capitalis (_McClell._), _Hume, cat._ no. 267 A. + +I must premise that to the best of my belief there is no such thing +as _H. capitalis_, McClell., in India, or, in other words, that this +latter name is a mere synonym of _H. picatus_.[A] + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume would probably now agree with me that _H. +picatus_ and _H. capitalis_ are distinct species. _H. picatus_, +however, is not confined to Southern India, but occurs along the +Terais of Sikhim and Nepal, and throughout Burma. _H. capitalis_ +occurs on the Himalayas from Gurwhal to Assam. There is little +doubt that Captain Hutton's nest did not really belong to a Pied +Shrike.--ED.] + +Mr. Blyth remarks, Ibis, 1866:--"_Hemipus picatus_. Under this name +two very distinct species are brought together by Dr. Jerdon: _H. +capitalis_ (McClell., 1839; _H. picaecolor_, Hodgson, 1845) of the +Himalaya, which is larger, with proportionally longer tail, and has +a brown back; and _H. picatus_ (Sykes) of Southern India and Ceylon, +which has a black back. Mr. Wallace has good series of both of them. + +"_Hemipus capitalis_ has accordingly to be added to the birds of +India." + +Now, out of India, Mr. Wallace may have got hold of some brown-backed +_Hemipus_, which is really distinct, but nothing is more certain (I +speak after comparison of a large series from Southern India with a +still larger, gathered from all parts of the Himalayas) than that the +Southern and Northern Indian birds are identical, and that in both +localities the males have black and the females brown backs. + +Capt. T. Hutton says:--"On the 12th of May I procured a nest of this +bird in the Dehra Doon; it was placed on the ground at the base of an +overhanging rock, and was composed entirely of the hair of horses and +cows and other cattle, which had doubtless been collected from the +bushes and pasture-lands in the vicinity. There were four eggs of a +pale sea-green, spotted with rufous-brown, and forming an indistinct +and nearly confluent ring at the larger end. The bird had begun to +sit. + +"This curious little species is not uncommon in the outer hills up to +5000 feet in the summer months." + +The three eggs sent me by Captain Hutton appear to differ somewhat +conspicuously from any other eggs of the _Laniidae_ that I have yet +seen. The ground-colour is a very pale greenish white, and they are +moderately thickly freckled and mottled all over, but most densely +towards the large end (where, in one egg, there is a well-marked, +though somewhat irregular, zone), with pale brownish pink and very +pale purple. In shape the eggs are very regular, rather broad ovals, +and appear to have but little or no gloss. They vary in length from +0·66 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·53 to 0·55 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon's evidence, so far as it goes, tallies with Captain +Hutton's account. He says:--"I obtained its nest once at Darjeeling, +made of roots and grasses, with three greenish-white eggs, having a +few rusty-red spots." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"At page 178 of 'Nests and Eggs of +Indian Birds' (Rough Draft), Captain T. Hutton's description of the +nest and eggs of _Hemipus picatus_ is given, and at page 179 that of +Mr. W. Davison. The two descriptions differ so radically that, as +there remarked, one of the two must be in error. Permit me to record +my limited experience of the nesting of this bird. + +"Common as it is in Sikhim I have but once taken its nest, and that in +the first week of May, at 4000 feet elevation. The nest, which is well +described by Mr. Davison, is made of black, fibry roots, sparingly +lined with fine grass-stalks, and covered outwardly with small +pieces of lichens bound to the sides with cobwebs. It is a very neat +diminutive cup, measuring externally 1·9 inch across by an inch deep; +internally 1·5 by half an inch. + +"The whole nest, although quite a substantially built structure, is +barely the eighth part of an ounce in weight. It was placed on the +upper side of a horizontal branch close to its broken end, about +fifteen feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. I send +you the nest and an egg, both of which will, I think, be found on +comparison to agree exactly with those taken by Mr. Davison." + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me two nests of this species, found on the 15th +August above Namtchu in Native Sikhim. They were placed about two feet +from each other, each in a small fork of the branches of a small tree +which was situated in heavy forest. Each contained two fresh eggs. +The nests are very similar, but one is rather larger and less tidily +finished-off than the other. Both are shallow cups, miniatures of some +of the nests of _Dicrurus_, composed of excessively fine grass-stems, +coated exteriorly all round the sides with cobwebs, and, in the case +of one of them, plastered exteriorly with tiny films of bark and dry +leaves like some of the nests of the _Pericrocoti_. Both have a little +soft silky vegetable down at the bottom of the cavity. The one nest is +about two inches, the other about two and a half inches in diameter +exteriorly, and both are a little less than three quarters of an inch +high outside. The cavity in the one is about an inch and a half, in +the other about an inch and three quarters in diameter, and both are +about half an inch deep. + +Eggs received from Sikhim are broad ovals, glossless, with +greenish-white grounds, profusely speckled and mottled with slightly +varying shades of brown, here and there intermingled with dull, pale +inky purple. The markings are densest generally round the broadest +part of the egg. They measured from 0·61 to 0·7 in length, and from +0·51 to 0·55 in breadth. + + +486. Tephrodornis pelvicus (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pelvica (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume. cat._ +no. 263. + +The Nepal Wood-Shrike is a permanent resident throughout Burma, Assam, +Cachar, and the sub-Himalayan Terais and Ranges to which the typical +Indo-Burmese fauna extends. Still we have no information as to its +nidification, and the only egg of the species that I possess was +extracted from the oviduct of a female shot by Mr. Davison on the 26th +of March, 1874, near Tavoy in Tenasserim. The egg is rather a handsome +one--very Shrike-like in its character, but rather small for the size +of the bird. In shape it is a broad oval, very slightly compressed +towards one end. The shell is fine and compact, but has no gloss. +The ground is white, with the faintest possible greenish tinge only +noticeable when the egg is placed alongside a pure white one, such as +a Bee-eater's for instance. The markings are bold, but except at the +large end not very dense--spots and blotches of a light clear brown, +and (chiefly at the large end) somewhat pale inky grey. Where the two +colours overlap each other, there the result of the mixture is a dark +dusky brown, so that the markings appear to be of three colours. Fully +half the markings are gathered into a broad conspicuous but very +broken and irregular zone about the broad end. The egg measured only +0·86 by 0·69. + +Subsequently to writing the above Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this +species found at Ging near Darjeeling on the 27th April. It contained +four fresh eggs, and was placed on branches of a very large tree about +22 feet from the ground. The tree was situated at an elevation of +about 3000 feet. The nest is a large massive cup, 5 inches in exterior +diameter and rather more than 3 in height. It is composed of tendrils +of creepers and stems of herbaceous plants, to many of which the +bright yellow amaranth flowers remain attached; and all over the sides +and bottom masses of flower-stems of grass with the white silky down +attached are thickly plastered, which, intermingled as this white down +is with the glistening yellow flowers, produces a very ornamental +effect, and looks as it the bird had really had an eye to decoration. + +Inside the nest is entirely lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest +is everywhere about an inch thick, and the cavity about 3 inches in +diameter by nearly 2 deep. + +Eggs said to belong to this species kindly sent me by Mr. Mandelli, +whose men obtained them on the 27th April, are very Shrike-like in +their appearance. In shape they vary from broad to ordinary ovals, +generally somewhat compressed towards the small end. The shell is +white but almost glossless. The ground-colour is a dead white, and +they are profusely speckled and spotted with yellowish brown, paler in +some eggs, darker in others. In all the eggs the markings are by far +the most numerous towards the large end. Two eggs measure 0·95 and +0·91 in length by 0·74 and 0·72 in breadth respectively. + + +487. Tephrodornis sylvicola, Jerdon. _The Malabar Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis sylvicola, _Jerd., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume, cat._ +no. 204. + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker has furnished me with the following note on +the nidification of the Malabar Wood-Shrike:--"I took the nest of this +bird on April 13th, 1875. It was composed of fine roots and fibres, +neatly woven into a shallow cup-like nest, secured to the fork of +a horizontal bough and fixed in its place with cobweb, and covered +externally with lichen corresponding to that on the bough. It measured +4·2 inches in diameter externally, and 2·4 internally and ·7 deep. +Both parent birds were shot. The eggs two in number, rather round, +coloured white with faint inky and brown spots." + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, the shell fine but +glossless, the ground-colour white, with a faint greenish tinge; round +the large end is a pretty conspicuous zone of black or blackish-brown +and pale inky purple spots and small blotches, and similar spots and +blotches of the same colour are somewhat sparsely scattered over the +rest of the surface of the egg. The egg measured 0·98 by 0·73. + + +488. Tephrodornis pondicerianus (Gm.). _The Common Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pondiceriana (_Gm.), Jerd B. Ind._ i, p. 410; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 265. + +The Common Wood-Shrike lays during the latter half of March and April. +This at least is, I think, the normal season, but Mr. W. Blevutt found +a nest at Hansee on the 2nd of June containing two fresh eggs. + +I have only taken one nest myself (though I have had many others +sent me), and that was on the 2nd of April at Chundowah in Jodpoor, +Rajpootana. The nest was in the fork of a ber tree (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), on a small horizontal bough, about 5 feet from the ground. +It was a broad shallow cup, somewhat oval interiorly, with the +materials very compactly and closely put together. The basal portion +and framework of the sides consisted of very fine stems of some +herbaceous plant about the thickness of an ordinary pin. It was lined +with a little wool and a quantity of silky fibre; exteriorly it was +bound round with a good deal of the same fibre and pretty thickly +felted with cobwebs. The egg-cavity measured 2·5 inches in diameter +one way and only 2 the other way, while in depth it was barely ·86. +The exterior diameter of the nest was about 4 inches and the height +nearly 2 inches. It contained three fresh eggs, of a slightly +greyish-white ground, very thickly spotted and speckled with yellowish +brown, dark umber-brown, and a pale washed-out inky-purple. In all, +the spots were thickest in a zone round the large end, where they +became more or less confluent. I have, however, a large series of +these nests, and taking them as a whole, although much more massive, +they remind one no little of those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ and +_Terpsiphone paradisi_ and even _Aegithina tiphia_. They are broad +shallow cups, measuring internally 2¼ inches across and about 7/8 inch +in depth. They are placed in a horizontal fork of a branch, and are +composed of vegetable fibre and fine grass-roots, thickly coated +externally with cobwebs, by which also they are fixed on to branches, +and lined internally with silky vegetable down or fibre. Externally +their colour always approximates closely to the bark of the branch on +which they are placed; they are not thin, basket-like structures like +those of _Aegithina_ or _Rhipidura_, but are fully ½ inch thick at the +sides and probably ¾ inch thick at the bottom. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Common Wood-Shrike builds in +the Saharunpoor district in the latter half of March, the young being +hatched early in April. The bird is common; but owing to the small +size and bark-like colour of its nest, the latter is very difficult to +find. On the 8th April I fired at a specimen and missed it; it then +flew off and settled in a fork of another tree about 30 feet from the +ground. On looking carefully with an opera-glass, I found that it was +sitting on its nest. I drove it off and shot it. The nest was very +small and shallow, cup-shaped, and wedged in between two small boughs +at their junction, and not appearing either above or below. The +egg-receptacle was 2¼ inches in diameter. The nest was made of grass +and bits of bark, beautifully woven together and bound with cobwebs, +and exactly resembling the boughs between which it was placed, or, I +might say, wedged in. The eggs, four in number, were slightly set; +they were small for the bird, and of a rather round oval shape; the +colour was a creamy-yellow ground, thickly spotted and blotched with +the different shades of brown and sienna, the bulk of the spots +tending to form a zone near the thick end, as in the typical form, +of the eggs of the _Laniidae_ and a number of faint purple blotches +underlying the zone." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"I have only found three nests of this bird, +and these at Delhi. At Allahabad it was not very common. It is a +difficult nest to find, being generally well hidden in the forks of +leafy trees. All three nests I got were of one type--shallow saucers, +made of vegetable fibre matted together into a soft felt-like +substance. In two of the nests I found three and in the third one egg. +These are thickly spotted and blotched with brown and a washed-out +purple, on a pale greyish-yellow ground. The average measurements of +the seven eggs are--length 0·77, breadth 0·61." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Sind:-- + +"_Hyderabad, 19th April_, 1878.--Noticed two young birds scarcely able +to fly; fresh eggs were laid, therefore, about the beginning of March. +On the 20th April near the same place I found a nest containing young +birds. It consisted of a neat little cup composed of dry grass smeared +all over exteriorly with cobwebs, and fixed in a fork of one of the +outer branches of a large babool-tree about 10 feet from the ground. +The nest was very small for the size of the bird, and had I not seen +the old bird on it. I should have taken it for a nest of _Rhipidura +albifrontata_." + +The late Captain Beavan remarked that this bird "appears to come to +the Maunbhoom District for the purpose of breeding. I procured the +nest and eggs early in April, and the young were nearly fledged by the +20th of that month; they appear to come year after year to particular +localities to breed. + +"Several nests were brought me from the neighbourhood of Kashurghur +both in 1864 and 1865, whereas none were seen elsewhere. The nest is +very small for the size of the bird, and the material of which it is +composed closely resembles the bird's plumage in colour. The nest +is round and very shallow, something like a Chaffinch's, being very +neatly made; diameter inside 2 inches, depth 1 inch; composed of grey +fibres, bits of bark, grass, and the like, cemented with spider's web. +The eggs are two in number, greenish white, spotted with brown and +slate-coloured dots, which in most specimens form a well-defined zone +round the thickest part of the egg, leaving both ends without marks. +Length of the egg ·75 inch; breadth ·59 inch. This bird was not +observed in Maunbhoom except during the breeding-season." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing from the South Konkan, remarks:--"Common, as +also at Sávant Vádí. Nest found with three hard-set eggs on the 18th +February, low down in a mango-tree. Nest a very neat compact cap of +grasses and fibres, woven throughout with spiders' webs. Eggs greyish +white, with brown and inky-purple spots." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The nest has been brought to me in August at +Nellore, chiefly made of roots and lined with hair; and the eggs, +three in number, were greenish white with large brown blotches." + +Major M.F. Coussmaker sends me the following note from Mysore:--"I +took the nest of this bird on April 16th. It was composed of fine +roots and fibres closely woven into a compact nest, secured to a +horizontal bough with cobweb and covered externally with lichen to +match the tree. It measured in diameter 4·1 inches externally and 2·2 +internally and ·8 deep. The parent bird was shot from the nest. + +"The nest contained two eggs, white with brown spots and markings. +They were so broken when I got them that no reliable measurements +could be taken." + +Lastly, Mr. Gates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on +the 3rd March near Pegu." + +The eggs are very Shrike-like in appearance, and many of them are +perfect miniatures of the eggs of _Lanius lahtora_, but some of them +have a more uniformly brown tint than any of this latter species that +I have yet met with. The ground-colour is generally either a very pale +greenish white or a creamy-stone colour, and more or less thickly +spotted and blotched with different shades of yellowish and reddish +brown; many of the markings are almost invariably gathered into a +conspicuous, but irregular and ill-defined, zone near the large end, +in which zone clouds of subsurface-looking, pale, and dingy purple, +not usually observable on any other portion of the egg, are thickly +intermingled. The texture of the shell is fine and close, but scarcely +any gloss is ever perceptible. Occasionally the eggs are very faintly +coloured, and have a dull white ground, while the markings consist of +only a few spots and specks of very pale purple and pale rust-colour +confined to a zone near the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·69 to 0·8 inch, and in breadth from +0·57 to 0·65 inch; but the average of a dozen eggs is 0·75 by 0·61 +inch nearly. + + +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (Lath.). _The Indian Scarlet Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath.). Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 419; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 271. + +Captain Hutton records that the Indian Scarlet Minivet breeds both on +the Doon and in the hills overlooking it, to an elevation of about +5000 feet. He says:--"The nest is generally placed high up on the +branch of some tall tree, often overhanging the side of a fearful +precipice. On the 6th and 17th of June I procured two nests in ravines +opening upon the Doon, one of which contained four, and the other five +eggs, of a dull-white colour, sparingly spotted and blotched with +earthy brown, more thickly so at the larger end, where they form an +open ring of spots; other small blotches of a fainter colour are seen +beneath the shell. + +"It is a curious fact that in the latter nest, out of the five eggs +_three_ were ringed at the larger end, and the other two _at the +smaller end_. The nest is rather coarsely made, being very thick at +the sides, and the materials not neatly interwoven; it is composed +externally of dried grasses and the fine stalks of various small +plants, interspersed with bits of cotton and grass-roots, and lined +with the fine seed-stalks of small grasses." + +I am not at all sure that there is not some mistake here. The nest +described is rather that of _L. erythronotus_ than of any of the +_Pericrocoti_, and but for the excellent authority on which the above +rests, I should certainly not have accepted it. + +This species breeds in the forests of the central hills of Nepal; +recording to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings they begin laying about +April, and lay three or four eggs, which are neither described nor +figured. The nest is a beautiful deep cup externally about 3·25 inches +in diameter, and rather more than 2 inches high, composed of moss +and moss-roots lined internally with the latter, and entirely coated +exteriorly with lichen and a few stray pieces of green moss firmly +secured in their places by spiders' webs. The nest is placed in some +slender branch between three or four upright sprays. This, I may note, +is just the kind of nest one would have expected this Large Minivet to +build. + +The only specimens, supposed to be the eggs of this species, that I +possess I owe to Captain Hutton. They closely resemble the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_, but are perhaps shorter, and hence _look_ broader than +those of this latter. They are slightly bigger than the eggs of _L. +vittatus_. In shape they seem to be typically a slightly broader oval +than those of any of our true Shrikes, but elongated and pointed +examples occur. Their ground-colour is a very pale greyish white, +thickly spotted all over the large end, and thickly dotted elsewhere, +with specks, spots, and tiny blotches of pale yellowish brown and pale +inky-purple. Compared with the eggs of the other _Pericrocoti_, they +are very dingily coloured. The eggs are devoid of gloss. I am doubtful +about these eggs. + +In length they vary from 0·88 to 0·93 inch, and in breadth from 0·72 +to 0·75 inch; but the average of five eggs is 0·9 by 0·72 inch. + + +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (Forst.). _The Orange Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 420; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 272. + +The Orange Minivet lays, I believe, in June and July on the Nilghiris. +I have never taken a nest myself, but I have received several, with a +few words in regard to them, from Miss Cockburn. + +The nests are comparatively massive little cups placed on, or +sometimes in, the forks of slender boughs. They are usually composed +of excessively fine twigs, the size of fir-needles, and they are +densely plastered over the whole exterior surface with greenish-grey +lichen, so closely and cleverly put together that the side of the nest +looks exactly like a piece of a lichen-covered branch. There appears +to be no lining, and the eggs are laid on the fine little twigs which +compose the body of the nest. + +The nests are externally from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and about 1½ +inch deep, with an egg-cavity about 2 inches in diameter and about ¾ +inch in depth. Some, however, when placed in a fork are much deeper +and narrower, say externally 2½ inches in diameter and the same +height; the egg-cavity about 1¾ inch in diameter and 1¼ inch in depth. + +Miss Cockburn notes that one nest was found on the 24th of June on a +high tree, the nest being placed on a thin branch between 30 or 40 +feet from the ground. It contained a single fresh egg, which was +broken in the fall of the branch, which had to be cut. This egg, the +remains of which were sent me, had a pale greenish ground, and was +pretty thickly streaked and spotted, most thickly so at the large end, +with pale yellowish brown and pale rather dingy-purple, the latter +colour predominating. + +Another egg which she subsequently sent me, obtained on the 17th of +July, is a regular, moderately elongated oval, a little pointed +towards one end. The shell is fine, but glossless. The ground is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish white, and it is rather sparsely +spotted and speckled with pale yellowish brown. Only one or two +purplish-grey specks are to be detected on this egg; it measures 0·9 +by 0·67. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, sends me the following note:--"I had the good +fortune to find a nest of the Orange Minivet at Neddivattam, about +6000 feet above the level of the sea, on the 5th September, 1870. It +was placed on a tall tree near the edge of a jungle and was built in a +fork, about 30 feet from the ground. + +"The nest was built of small twigs and grasses, and covered on the +outside with lichens, moss, and cobwebs, making it appear as part and +parcel of the tree. I noticed it merely from the fact of seeing the +bird sitting on her nest, and even then could not make up my mind, and +came away. Being of an inquisitive nature, next day I went again and +saw the bird in the same place, so I climbed up and managed to pull +the nest towards me with a hook, and took two eggs, one of which I +send you. + +"In August 1874 at Vythory I saw a bird sitting on her nest, and +watched her rear and take away her brood, but could not get at the +nest." + +An egg sent me by Mr. Darling is very similar to the eggs sent me +by Miss Cockburn, except that the brown markings are rather more +numerous, especially in a broad zone round the large end, and that +with these a good many pale purple or lilac spots or specks are +intermingled. It measures 0·88 by 0·68 inch. + + +495. Pericrocotus brevirostris (Vigors). _The Short-billed Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus brevirostris (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 421; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 273. + +The Short-billed Minivet breeds in the Himalayas at elevations of from +3000 to 6000 feet in Kumaon, and again in Kulu and the valley of the +Sutlej. It lays in May and June, building a compact and delicate +cup-shaped nest on a horizontal bough pretty high up in some oak, +rhododendron, or other forest tree. I have never seen one on any kind +of fir-tree. + +Sometimes the nest is merely placed on, and attached firmly to, the +upper surface of the branch; but, more commonly, the place where two +smallish branches fork horizontally is chosen, and the nest is placed +just at the fork. I got one nest at Kotgurh, however, wedged in +between two upright shoots from a horizontal oak-branch. The nests are +composed of fine twigs, fir-needles, grass-roots, fine grass, slender +dry stems of herbaceous plants, as the case may be, generally loosely, +but occasionally compactly interlaced, intermingled and densely coated +over the whole exterior with cobwebs and pieces of lichen, the latter +so neatly put on that they appear to have grown where they are. +Sometimes, especially at the base of the nest, a little moss is +attached exteriorly, but, as a rule, there is nothing but lichen. The +nest has no lining. The external diameter is about 2½ inches, and the +usual height of the nest from 1½ to 2 inches; but this varies a good +deal according to situation, and the bottom of the nest, which in some +may be at most ¼ inch thick, in another is a full inch. The sides +rarely exceed ¼ inch in thickness. The egg-cavity has a diameter of +about 2 inches, and a depth of from 1 to 1·25 inch. + +Five seems to be the maximum number of eggs laid, but I have now twice +met with three, more or less incubated, eggs. + +Mr. Hodgson notes:--"May 16th: At the top of the great forest of +Sheopoori, secured a nest built near the top of a kaiphul tree, and +laid on a thick branch amongst smaller twigs. The nest is about 2 +inches deep and the same in diameter: inside it is 1·5 inch deep; it +is made of paper-like bits of lichen welded together with spiders' +webs, and with a lining of elastic fibres. It is the shape of a deep +soap-stand, open at the top of course. It contained two eggs of a +bluish or greenish-white ground, much spotted with liver colour, +especially near the large end, where the spots are clustered into a +zone." + +Dr. Scully, writing also from Nepal, says:--"During the +breeding-season (May and June) this Minivet is found in forests on +the hills up to an elevation of 7500 feet. A nest was found in the +Sheopoori forest on the 17th June, which contained two very young +birds and one egg." + +The eggs of this species that I have seen are moderately broad ovals, +as a rule, very regular in their shape, and scarcely compressed at all +towards the lesser end. The shell is fine and satiny, but the eggs +have little or no real gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, +sometimes slightly tinged with pink, sometimes with green, and they +are richly and profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked, most +densely, as a rule, towards the large end, with brownish red and +pale purple. Most eggs exhibit a more or less conspicuous, though +irregular, zone round the larger end. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·71 to 0·8 inch, and in breadth from +0·54 to 0·6 inch. + + +499. Pericrocotus roseus (Vieill.). _The Rosy Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus roseus (_Vieill._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 422; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 275. + +The only one of my contributors who appears to have taken the eggs +of the Rosy Minivet is Colonel C.H.T. Marshall. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"They breed in the warmer valleys of Kumaon, up to an elevation +of some 5000 feet, in May and June;" but he adds: "have never got down +the nests." + +Colonel Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"The Rosy Minivet builds +a beautifully little shallow cup-shaped nest, the outer edge being +quite narrow and pointed. The external covering of the nest is fine +pieces of lichen fastened on with cobwebs. It was found on the 12th of +June, and contained three fresh eggs, white, with greyish-brown spots +and blotches sparsely scattered about the larger end; the length is +0·8 by 0·55 inch; 5000 feet up." + +The nest, which I owe to this gentleman, is externally a short section +of a cylinder, rather than a cup, the walls standing up outside almost +perpendicularly. It is 2·5 inches in diameter and nearly 1·75 in +height. The rim of the nest is ¼ inch wide, and the cavity, a shallow +cup, 2 inches wide by scarcely an inch deep; the walls of the nest +increase in thickness as they approach the base. + +Externally the whole surface is _entirely_ covered by small scales of +lichen, firmly bound into their respective places by gossamer threads; +internally the nest is a very loosely put together basket-work of +excessively fine twigs and grass-stems not thicker than common +needles. A morsel or two of moss have become involved in the fabric, +as well as two fine blades of grass; but there is no lining, and the +eggs are obviously laid upon the soft loose basket frame of the nest. + +The egg which accompanied the nest is a regular oval, slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish white +entirely devoid of gloss. The egg is richly blotched, spotted, and +speckled (most densely so towards the larger end) with reddish brown +and greenish purple, there being two conspicuously different shades +(a much darker and a much lighter, the latter of which appears like +subsurface tints) of each of these colours. This egg measures 0·82 by +0·6 inch nearly. + +Another egg of the same clutch was less richly coloured, the markings +being merely brown, with scarcely a perceptible reddish tinge, and +dull mostly inky, but here and there somewhat reddish, purple. The +markings, too, were fewer in number, but there was a more marked +tendency for these to form a zone about the larger end. + +In another clutch the markings were almost entirely confined to a +dense zone round the larger end about a third of the way up from the +middle of the egg. In this zone they were so densely set as to be +quite confluent, and they consisted of yellowish brown and inky +purple. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps found the nest of this Minivet in the Bhaman +tea-garden, in the Dibrugarh District of Assam, on the 31st May, 1879. +The nest contained three eggs, and was placed on the upper side of +a large lateral branch of a tree that grew on the main garden road, +about 15 feet from the ground. + +Seven eggs of this bird vary in length from 0·75 to 0·86, and in +breadth from 0·58 to 0·6. + + +500. Pericrocotus peregrinus (Linn.). _The Small Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus peregrinus (_Linn_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 423; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 276. + +Our Small Minivet lays during the latter half of June (as soon, in +fact, as the rains set in), and throughout July and August. I believe +it breeds pretty well all over India and Burma. + +The nest is small and neat, and done up generally like a Chaffinch's, +to resemble the bark of the tree on which it is placed. + +The nests that I have seen have been invariably placed at a +considerable height from the ground in the fork of a branch, most +commonly, I think, a mango-tree, though I have occasionally noticed +them in other trees. + +The nest is a small moderately deep cup, with an internal cavity about +1·7 inch to 1·9 in diameter, and nearly an inch in depth. The sides of +the nest are about 3/8 inch thick, and the thickness of the bottom of +the nest varies according to the shape of the fork chosen, whether +obtuse or acute-angled. In the former case the bottom of the nest +is sometimes not above ¼ inch in depth. In the latter case, it is +sometimes as much as an inch in thickness. It is composed of very +fine, needle-like twigs (with at times here and there a few feathers) +carefully bound together externally with cobwebs, and coated with +small pieces of bark or dead leaves, or both, so that looked at from +below with the naked eye it is impossible to distinguish it from one +of the many little excrescences so common, especially on mango-trees. +There appears to be rarely any regular lining, a very little down and +cobwebs forming the only bed for the eggs, and even this is often +wanting. Sometimes a few tiny dead leaves or a little lichen will be +found incorporated in the nest, and occasionally, but rarely, fine +grass-stems take the place of very slender twigs. + +Three is, I believe, the normal number of the eggs. I extract a couple +of old notes I made in regard to the nests of this species:--"_August +5th_.--Took three eggs of this bird, shooting the two old birds at the +same time. The tree was a mango, the nest was in the fork of a branch, +some 40 feet from the ground, built interiorly with very small twigs, +with here and there a very few feathers intermixed, and was exteriorly +coated with fine flakes of bark held in their place by gossamer +threads. It was cup-shaped, with an interior diameter of 1-7/8 by ¾ +inch. + +"The eggs had a slightly greenish-white ground, thickly spotted and +speckled, and towards the larger end blotched, with somewhat brownish +red; the markings showing a decided tendency to form a zone round, or +cap at the larger end." + +"_Allygurh, August 27th_.--Another beautiful little nest in a +mango-tree high up, a tiny cup about 1½ inch internal diameter by ¾ +inch deep, woven with very fine twigs, and exteriorly coated with tiny +fragments of bark and dead leaves firmly secured in their places with +gossamer threads and cobwebs. It contained two fresh eggs; a pale +slightly greenish-white ground, richly speckled and spotted and +sparsely blotched with a purplish and a brownish red, the markings +greatly predominating towards the larger end." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, detailing his experiences in Jhansie and Saugor, +says:--"Breeds in June and July. The tamarind-tree is by preference +chosen by this bird for its nest; at least the three I saw were all on +tamarind-trees. The nest, cup-shaped, is a compactly made structure; +the exterior appeared to be composed of the very fine petioles of +leaves, with a thick coating all over of what looked like spider's +web; attached to this web-like substance here and there, for better +disguise, were the dry leaves of the tamarind-tree; the lining of very +fine grass. The outer diameter of a nest may fairly be given at 2·2 +inches, inner at 1·8, depth of nest 0·9. Two is the regular number +of eggs, at least that was the number in the three nests I took. In +colour they are of a pale greenish white, sparingly speckled on the +narrower half of the egg with brownish spots, but they have on the +broader half the spots more dense, and forming at the end a more or +less complete cap. The feat of securing a nest is a most hazardous +one, for it is always fixed close in between two delicate forks at the +extreme end of a slight side-branch near to the top of the tree. On +each occasion that the nest was detected the male bird was found +flitting about near to it, the female all the while sitting on the +eggs. On the last two occasions of finding the nests, it was this +flitting to and fro of the male that attracted us; otherwise the nest, +is so small that from the ground the eye can scarcely distinguish +it from the branch. The bird appears to be migratory, for since the +termination of the breeding-season it has disappeared from these +parts." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes to me:--"Although this bird is common enough +both at Allahabad and at Delhi, I have found it difficult to find its +nest, from the fact that it is placed at the very extreme tip of leafy +branches. However, with careful watching and patience, I managed to +find one nest at Allahabad and five at Delhi. The first I found on +the 3rd July at Chupree near Allahabad. It contained two well-fledged +young ones, that hopped out as soon as the nest was touched. Out of +the five at Delhi I managed to get six eggs; three of the nests when +found being empty, were afterwards deserted by the birds. Of the two +nests with eggs, one contained four and the other two. The nests are +tiny little cups, made of very fine grass, and coated externally with +cobwebs, to which are attached bits of bark and dry leaves. The eggs +are a greenish stone-colour, thickly speckled with light purple and +brownish red. The earliest nest I have found was on the 21st March, +on the banks of the canal at Delhi, so that the bird occasionally, at +Delhi at least, lays in spring. The average of eggs I have is 0·68 in +length, and 0·55 in breadth." + +Colonel E.A. Butler furnishes us with the following interesting +note:--"Found a nest at Belgaum, containing two fresh eggs, on the 3rd +September, 1879. It was situated in the fork of one of the small outer +top branches of a tall mango-tree, and was on the whole about the +prettiest nest I have seen in India. It consisted of a tiny cup about +1¼ x 2 inches measured interiorly, and 1-7/8 x 2½ inches exteriorly. +Depth inside 1 inch, outside 1½ inches from rim to proper base, +excluding about an inch of lichen continued down one side of the bough +below the fork in which the nest was built. It was composed, so far as +I could judge after a very minute examination, almost entirely of the +white lichen which grows so freely on the bark of every tree during +the rains, with a few cobwebs incorporated and wound round the outside +to keep it together, assimilating so perfectly with the branch upon +which it was placed, which was also overgrown with the same kind of +lichen, that without watching the old birds closely it never could +have been discovered. + +"It contained no regular lining, though a few coarse dry leaf-stems +of a dark colour were encircled within. I observed the birds building +first on the 21st August, and the nest from below looked then almost +finished. The cock and hen worked together, flying to and fro very +busily with bits of lichen picked off the branches of another tree +adjoining. On the 25th I watched the nest for some time, but the birds +only came to it once, and then the hen bird went on and smeared some +cobwebs round the outside, at least that is what she seemed to me to +be doing. On the 28th I watched it again, and although both birds were +in the adjoining tree, I did not see them go to the nest. On the 31st, +about 10 A.M., I found the hen on the nest, and she remained on till +about 10.30, when she flew off and joined the cock, who was sitting +pluming himself on a branch of the next tree the whole time she was on +the nest. Immediately she joined him, he commenced catching flies and +feeding her, as if she were a young bird, and eventually they both +flew away together. Arriving at the conclusion that she only went on +the nest to lay, I decided on taking the nest three days later, and +accordingly returned for that purpose with a small boy on the 3rd +Sept., and found, as I expected, the hen sitting and the cock in +another tree close by. + +"I sent the boy up the tree, and as he approached the nest, which was +some 30 or 35 feet from the ground, the hen bird became very uneasy, +moving her head from side to side, and looking down to see what was +going on below. When the boy was within about 10 feet of the nest she +flew off and joined the cock, after which I saw her no more. The eggs +were then secured with difficulty, as the branches surrounding the +nest were very thin and blown about a good deal by the wind. + +"After breaking off the bough, nest and all, the boy descended. One +branch of the fork in which the nest was placed was rotten, and broke +off at the junction at the base of the nest as the boy was descending +the tree; but the nest, which was firmly bound to it with cobwebs, +remained in its place and was not injured, and I had the nest and +bough beautifully painted for me by a lady friend the same day. The +eggs were pale bluish green, speckled and spotted, most densely at +the large end, with two shades of dusky purple, the markings of the +lighter shade appearing to underlie those of the darker. On the +6th Sept., the same pair of birds commenced a new nest on another +mango-tree about 20 yards off. This time it was placed in a fork of +one of the small outside lateral branches about 25 feet from the +ground, and resembled in every respect the first nest. On the 15th +Sept., the hen bird began to sit, and on the 18th I sent a boy up the +tree by means of a ladder, and secured two more fresh, eggs, similar +to those already described. On this occasion the two old birds evinced +signs of the greatest anxiety, the hen remaining on the nest till the +boy was close to her, and, joined by the cock immediately she left +it, the pair kept flying from bough to bough in the greatest possible +state of excitement the whole time the nest was being taken, the hen +actually once or twice going on to the nest again after she had left +it, when the boy was within 3 feet of her. On examining the nest I +found that one of the branches of the fork consisted of a small rotten +stump, similar to the one described in the first nest, and in the +bottom of both nests there were three or four small black downy +feathers, intermingled with the dead leaf-stems that constituted the +lining." + +In his recent "Notes on Birds'-nesting in Rajpootana," Lieut. H.E. +Barnes writes, "The Small Minivet breeds during July and August." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"You say that the Small Minivet lays +during the latter half of June and throughout July and August. I +would therefore remark that on the 11th November, 1871, I saw several +newly-fledged young ones at Poona. There could be no mistake about +this, as I stood under the tree, which was a small one, and saw the +young ones being fed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark that in the Deccan it is "common, +and breeds in the rains." + +The latter gentleman subsequently added the following note:--"In July, +my men found a nest with two eggs at Nulwar, Deccan. It was built on a +small branch of a tamarind-tree, 20 feet from the ground. The nest +is similar to that described in the 'Rough Draft' as being found at +Allyghur. The whole of the bark used on the outer coating is that +of tamarind-tree, and there are a good many feathers and much down +incorporated into the structure, inside and out. The eggs differ +considerably in colouring. In both the ground-colour is greenish +white. One is profusely speckled all over, but more thickly at the +smaller end, with brownish red and a few purple blotches, whilst the +other egg has the specks less numerous but larger, and chiefly on +the larger end, with little or no purple, and the small end almost +unsullied." + +Finally, Mr. Oates records that "in Lower Pegu nests of this bird may +be found from the end of April to the middle of June." + +The eggs are of a rather broad oval shape, and, as is often the +case even in the typical Shrikes, very blunt at both ends. The +ground-colour is a pale delicate greenish white, and they are more or +less richly marked with bright, slightly brownish-red specks, spots, +and blotches, which, always more numerous at the large end, have a +tendency there to form a mottled irregular cap. In many eggs, besides +these primary markings, a number of small faint, patches and blotches +of pale inky purple are observable, almost exclusively at the large +end. The eggs appear to be quite devoid of gloss. I have eggs both of +_Copsychus saularis_ and _Thamnobia cambaiensis_, strange as it may +seem, closely resembling, except in size, some types of this bird's +egg; and I have one egg of _Merula simillima_ from the Nilghiris, +which, though immensely larger, so far as tint, colour, and character +of ground and markings go, is positively identical with eggs that I +have of this species. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·6 to 0·7 inch, and in breadth from 0·5 +to 0·56 inch, but the average of twenty-eight eggs is 0·67 nearly by +0·53 inch. + + +501. Pericrocotus erythropygius (Jerd.). _The White-bellied +Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus erythropygius (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 424; _Hume, +cat._ no. 277. + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., is apparently the only ornithologist who has +discovered the nest of the White-bellied Minivet. Writing on the 25th +August, from Khandeish, he says:--"Yesterday I took two nests of +_Pericrocotus erythropygius_. Both nests were like those of _P. +peregrinus_, and were placed about 2½ feet from the ground in a fork +of a straggling thorn-bush among thin scrub-jungle. One contained 3 +young birds, and one 3 hard-set eggs. I watched the nest, and found +the cock sitting on the eggs, and watched him for a minute, so there +is no possibility of mistake; but the eggs are not the least what I +expected. They are fairly glossy, one being very much elongated, of a +greenish-grey ground, with long longitudinal dashes of dark brown, as +unlike Minivets' eggs as they can possibly be. They were the only two +pairs I saw in a long morning walk, and the nests were easily found by +watching the birds. I wish I had known the birds were breeding where +they were, as by going three weeks ago I should probably have found +many nests, as there are miles and miles of similar jungle, and it is +barely 12 miles from Dhulia. It is very provoking. I have had great +trouble trying to make the Bhils work for me. They will bring in eggs +but not mark them down." + +Later on, Mr. Davidson wrote:--"I happened to be staying a few days at +Arvee, in the extreme south of Dhulia, and found this bird breeding +there in considerable numbers. This was in the end of August (26th to +31st), and I was rather late, most of the nests containing young, and +in some cases the young were able to fly. I, however, found eight +nests with eggs (most of them hard-set). All the nests, which are +small and less ornamented than those of _P. peregrinus_, were placed +from 3 to 4 feet from the ground, in a small common thorny scrub. They +were all placed in low thin jungle, and never where the jungle was +thick and difficult to walk through. A great deal of the jungle round +Arvee is full of anjan-trees, but none of the birds seem to breed in +these." + +The nests are elegant little cups, reminding one of those of +_Rhipidura albifrontata_, measuring internally about 1·75 inch in +diameter and 1 inch in depth, the thickness of the walls of the nest +being usually somewhat less than a quarter of an inch. Interiorly the +nest is composed of excessively fine flowering-stems of grasses, and +externally and on the upper edge it is densely coated with fine, +rather silky greyish-white vegetable fibres, in places more or less +felted together. It is not ornamented externally with moss and +lichen, as those of so many of the _Pericrocoti_ commonly are, only +occasionally one or two little ornamental brown patches of withered +glossy vegetable scales are worked into the exterior of the nest. + +The eggs are not at all like those of the other _Pericrocoti_ with +which we are best acquainted; though less densely, and even more +streakily marked, they most remind me of the egg of _Volvocivora_, and +in a lesser degree of that of _Hemipus picatus_. + +The eggs vary in shape from rather broad to rather elongated ovals. +The shell is very fine and smooth, but has scarcely any perceptible +gloss. The ground-colour is greenish or greyish white, and they are +profusely marked with comparatively fine longitudinal streaks of a +moderately dark brown, which in some lines is more of a chocolate, in +others perhaps more umber. At both ends of the egg, but especially the +smaller end, the markings often become spotty or speckly, but the fine +longitudinal streaking of the sides of the egg is very conspicuous. + +In size the eggs vary from 0·69 to 0·71 in length, by 0·51 to 0·58 in +breadth. I have measured too few eggs to be able to give a reliable +average. + + +505. Campophaga melanoschista (Hodgs.). _The Dark-grey +Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora melaschistos, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 415: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 269. + +I have never found the nest of the Dark-grey Cuckoo-Shrike. Captain +Hutton tells us:-- + +"This, too, is a mere summer visitor in the hills, arriving up to 7000 +feet about the end of March, and breeding early in May. The nest is +small and shallow, placed in the bifurcation of a horizontal bough +of some tall oak tree, and always high up; it is composed externally +almost entirely of grey lichens picked from the tree, and lined with +bits of very fine roots or thin stalks of leaves. Seen from beneath +the tree the nest appears like a bunch of moss or lichens, and the +smallness and frailty would lead one to suppose it incapable of +holding two young birds of such size. Externally the nest is compactly +held together by being thickly pasted over with cobwebs. The eggs, +two in number, of a dull grey-green, closely and in part confluently +dashed with streaks of dusky brown." + +This species, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, breeds in +Nepal in the central districts of the hills from April to July, laying +three or four eggs. The nest is a broad shallow saucer, some 4 inches +in external diameter and 1·75 inch in height; it is placed in a fork +where two or three slender branches divide, to one or more of which it +is firmly bound with vegetable fibres and grass-roots, and is composed +of fine roots and vegetable fibres, and plastered over externally +with pieces of lichen and moss. The eggs are regular ovals, with a +pale-greenish ground, blotched and spotted with a somewhat olivaceous +brown. + +A nest of this species found at Mongphoo (elevation 5500 feet) on the +15th June contained three eggs nearly ready to hatch off. The nest was +placed on a nearly horizontal fork of a small branch. It is composed +of very fine twigs loosely twisted together and coated everywhere +exteriorly with cobwebs and scraps of grey lichen. At the lower part, +which, owing to the slope of the branch, had to be thicker, it is +exteriorly about an inch and a half in height. At the upper end it is +only about half an inch high. The shallow saucer-like cavity is about +two and a half inches in diameter and about half an inch in depth. + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from Mussoorie, +much resemble those of _Graucalus macii_ and _C. sykesi_, but they +are decidedly longer than the latter, and the general tone of their +colouring is somewhat duller. In shape they are somewhat elongated +ovals, more or less compressed towards one end; the general colour is +greenish white, very thickly blotched and streaked with dull brown +and very pale purple. The markings are very closely set, leaving but +little of the ground-colour visible. They have little or no gloss. + +They measure 1·03 by 0·72 inch, and 0·95 by 0·68 inch. + +Other eggs that I have since obtained have been quite similar, but +have not had the markings quite so densely set: the secondary markings +have been greyer and less purple, and several eggs have exhibited +an appreciable gloss; others, again, were quite like those first +described and entirely devoid of gloss. They measured 0·9 to 0·98 in +length by 0·65 to 0·71 in breadth. + + +508. Campophaga sykesi (Strickl.). _The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora sykesii (_Strickl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 414; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 268. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt took the eggs of Sykes's Cuckoo-Shrike many years +ago. He furnishes the following note:-- + +"I first met with this bird in the southern part of Bundlekund. +Nowhere here is it common, and I have never seen more than a pair +together. It is to be found in wooded tracts of country, but more +frequently among thin large trees surrounding villages. Dr. Jerdon has +correctly described its restless habits, and its careful examination +of the foliage and branches of trees for food. It is usually a silent +bird, but during the earlier portion of the breeding-season the male +bird may frequently be heard repeating for minutes together his clear +plaintive notes. Each time, as it flies from one tree to another, the +song is repeated. The flight is easy, slightly undulating, and the +strokes of the wing somewhat rapid. In the latter end of July I +procured one nest. It was found on a mowa-tree (_Bassia latifolia_), +placed on and at the end of two small out-shooting branches. When my +man, mounting the tree, approached the nest the parent birds evinced +the greatest anxiety, flew just above his head, uttering all the while +a sharply repeated cry. Even when one of the birds was shot the other +would not leave the spot, but remained hovering about and uttering its +shrill cry. The nest is slightly made, and constructed of thin twigs +and roots; the exterior is covered slightly with spider's web. If we +except the size, the formation of this Cuckoo-Shrike's nest is almost +identical with that of _Graucalus macii_. I secured two eggs in the +nest. In colour they are, when fresh, of a deepish green, mottled +with dark brown spots; indeed the eggs, when first taken, a good deal +resemble those of _Copsychus saularis_. The maximum number of eggs, no +doubt, is three, as those I secured were fresh-laid. The bird breeds +from June to August." + +The nest above referred to, and now in my museum, was a very shallow, +rather broad cup. The egg-cavity about 2½ inches in diameter and about +¾ inch deep, and the nest very loosely put together of very fine +twigs, and exteriorly coated and bound together with cobwebs. The +sides of the nest are about 0·6 inch thick, but the bottom is a mere +network of slender twigs, not above ¼ inch thick, and can be readily +looked through. + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes:--"This bird is found in the open +scrub-forests of the Mysore district, but is nowhere common. + +"14th May, 1880.--While passing a small sandal-wood tree a bird flew +out, and on looking into the tree I found a very shallow nest at the +junction of two small branches about 10 feet from the ground; the nest +contained three eggs. + +"Returned again in a quarter of an hour and shot the bird (the male) +as it flew out of the tree. The eggs were within a few days of being +hatched off. + +"20th May, 1880.--While out driving this morning saw a male bird +of this species fly out of a small sandal-wood tree close to the +roadside. Pulled up to watch, and shortly saw the female bird fly +into the tree. Got out and shot her and took the nest, which was +beautifully fixed in a fork with three branches only eight feet from +the ground. + +"The nest contained three eggs very hard-set." + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., remarks:--"This pretty little Cuckoo-Shrike is +one of the earliest migrants in the rains, arriving about the 8th of +June, and breeding all along the scrub-jungles which stretch between +the Nasik and Khandeish Collectorates. It appears particularly partial +to the Angan forest, and, as far as I remember, all the many nests I +have seen have been in forks of angan trees. The nest is a pretty firm +platform composed of fine roots; and the eggs, which much resemble +those of the Magpie-Robin, are three in number." + +Colonel Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"With us this +Cuckoo-Shrike breeds in April in the Western Province. Mr. MacVicar +writes me of the discovery, by himself, of two nests last year near +Colombo. One was built on the topmost branch of a young jack-tree +about 40 feet high. It was very small and shallow, measuring 2·8 +inches in breadth and only 0·8 inch in depth, and the old bird could +be seen plainly from beneath sitting across it. The other was situated +on the top of a tree about 20 feet from the ground, and was built in +the same manner. The materials are not mentioned." + +I have only seen two eggs of this species, sent me with the nest and +parent bird by Mr. F.R. Blewitt. They are oval eggs, moderately broad +and obtuse at both ends, about the same size as average eggs +of _Lanius vittatus_. They are slightly glossy, have a pale +greenish-white ground, and are thickly blotched and streaked +throughout, but most densely so towards the large end, with somewhat +pale brown, much the same colour as the markings on typical eggs of +_L. erythronotus_. They measure 0·85 inch in length by 0·65 and 0·68 +inch in breadth respectively. Other eggs since received from Calcutta +and Mysore measure from 0·87 to 0·81 in length, and from 0·68 to 0·62 +in breadth. + + +509. Campophaga terat (Bodd.)[A]. _The Pied Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note among Mr. Hume's papers regarding +the discovery of the nest of this bird. The nest may possibly have +been found at Camorta (Nicobar Islands), where this species is not +uncommon.--ED.] + +Lalage terat (_Bodd.), Hume, cat._ no, 269 ter. + +The eggs are quite of the _Graucalus_ and _Campophaga_ type, but +perhaps a little more elongated in shape. Very regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with scarcely any gloss on them, the ground greenish +white, but everywhere thickly streaked and mottled and freckled over, +most thickly about the large end, with a dull pale slightly olivaceous +brown intermingled with brownish, or in some specimens faintly +purplish grey. The two eggs I possess measure 0·85 and 0·87 in length, +by 0·61 and 0·62 respectively in breadth. + + +510. Graucalus macii, Lesson. _The Large Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Graucalus macei, _Less., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 417; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 270. + +My friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt seems to be the only ornithologist who +has taken many nests of the Large Grey Cuckoo-Shrike. I never was so +fortunate as to find one. He says:--"This Shrike begins to pair +about May, and in June the work of nidification commences. The place +selected for the nest is the most lofty branch of a tree, and is built +near the fork of two outlying twigs. If this bird has a preference it +would appear to be for mango and mowa trees, on which I found most of +the nests. The nest is in form circular, and its exterior is somewhat +thickly made; the interior is moderately cup-shaped. Thin twigs and +grass-roots are freely used in its construction, while the outer +part of the nest is somewhat thickly covered with what appears to be +spider's web. Altogether the nest, considering the size of the birds, +is of light structure. I am sorry I did not take the dimensions of +each nest secured, but I sent you two very perfect ones. I found the +first eggs in the beginning of July. They are of a dull lightish +green, with brown spots of all sizes, more dense towards the large +end. The maximum number of eggs is three. The bird breeds from June to +August." + +The nests which Mr. Blewitt sent me remind one a good deal of those +of the _Dicruri_. They are broad shallow saucers, with an egg-cavity +about 3 inches in diameter, and ¾ inch in depth, composed in the only +two specimens that I possess of very fine twigs, chiefly those of the +furash (_Tamarix orientalis_). Exteriorly they are bound round with +cobwebs, in which a quantity of lichen is incorporated. The nests are +loose flimsy fabrics, which but for the exterior coating of cobwebs +would certainly never have borne removal. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once obtained its nest and eggs. The nest was +built in a lofty casuarina tree, close to my house at Tellicherry; it +was composed of small twigs and roots merely, of Moderate size, and +rather deeply cup-shaped, and contained three eggs, of a greenish-fawn +colour, with large blotches of purplish brown." + +Professor H. Littledale writing from Baroda says:--"The Large +Cuckoo-Shrike is a permanent resident here. I found six nests last +August near Baroda, each with one egg; and my men found a nest +building in the Police Lines at Khaira on the 10th October." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that "a pair of _Graucalus macii_ were +apparently breeding near this place (the Kondabhari Ghât). He found a +nest with two young in the previous September near the same place." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, referring to the South Konkan, says:--"Common; breeds +in February and March." + +A nest that was placed in the fork of a bough was composed entirely +of slender twigs, the petioles of some pennated-leaved tree, bound +together all round the outside with abundance of cobwebs, so that +notwithstanding the incoherent nature of the materials the nest was +extremely firm. It is a shallow saucer quite of the Dicrurine type, +with a cavity 3 inches in diameter and barely 0·75 in depth. + +The eggs are typically of a somewhat elongated oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, but some are broader and more of a typical +Shrike shape. The eggs are of course considerably larger than those of +_Lanius lahtora_. The shell is compact and fine, and faintly glossy. +The ground-colour is a palish-green stone-colour, greener in some, and +somewhat more creamy in others. The markings are very Shrike-like, and +consist of brown blotches, streaks, and spots, with numerous clouds +and blotches of pale inky-purple, which appear to underlie the brown +markings. The markings in some eggs are all very faint, and, as it +were, half washed out, while in others they are very bright and clear. +In some these are comparatively sparse and few; in others close-set +and numerous, especially in a broad zone near the large end; but this +zone is by no means invariably present; in fact, not above one in five +eggs exhibit it. There is something in these eggs which reminds one +of some of the Terns' eggs; and although, when compared with a large +series of _L. lahtora_, individuals of this latter species may be +found resembling them to a certain extent, I do not think that at +first sight any zoologist would have felt sure that they _were_ +Shrike's eggs. + +They vary in length from 1·12 to 1·41 inch, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·95 inch, but the average of eight eggs is 1·26 by 0·9 inch nearly. + + + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + + +512. Artamus fuscus, Vieill. _The Ashy Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus fuscus, _V., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 441; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & +E._ no. 287. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"I have frequently found the nests of the Ashy +Swallow-Shrike, and have watched the old birds constructing them, but +never took down their eggs. Two or three pairs may always be found +nesting on the long-leaved pine, as one comes up from Kaladoongee to +Nyneetal and passes halfway up from the first dâk chokee at Ghutgurh. +They lay in May and June, constructing their nest on the horizontal +extension of a main branch of some lofty tree, generally _Pinus +longifolia_. The nest, composed of fine grasses, roots, and fibres, +is a loose, only slightly cup-shaped structure, some 5 inches in +diameter." + +Dr. Jerdon says on the other hand:--"I have procured the nest of this +bird situated on a palmyra tree on the stem of the leaf. It was a deep +cup-shaped nest, made of grass, leaves, and numerous feathers, and +contained two eggs, white with a greenish tinge, and with light brown +spots, chiefly at the larger end. I see that Mr. Layard procured the +nest in Ceylon, where this bird is common, in the heads of cocoanut +trees, made of fibres and grasses, and it was probably the nest of +this bird that was brought to Tickell as that of the Palm-Swift." + +According to Mr. Hodgson this species begins to lay in March, the +young being fledged in June; the nest is a broad shallow saucer, from +6 to 8 inches in diameter, composed of grass and roots, together with +a little lichen, loosely put together, a green leaf or two being +sometimes found as a lining to the nest. The nest is placed on some +broad horizontal branch, where two or three slender twigs or shoots +grow out of it, or on the top of some stump of a tree, or broken end +of a branch, generally, at a considerable height from the ground. The +eggs are _figured_ as white, spotted and blotched almost exclusively +at the large end with yellowish brown, and measuring 0·8 by 0·52 inch, +but no actual measurements are recorded. + +Mr. Gammie, however, himself found, and kindly sent me, a nest and +eggs of this species, at Mongpho near Darjeeling, at an elevation of +about 3500 feet, on the 13th May, 1873. It was placed in the hole of a +trunk of a dead tree at a height of about 40 feet from the ground, and +it contained three hard-set eggs. The nest was a loose shallow saucer +of coarse roots devoid of lining. The eggs were rather narrow ovals, +a good deal pointed towards one end; the shell fine and with a slight +gloss. The ground-colour was creamy white, and the markings, which are +almost entirely confined to a broad ring round the large end and the +space within it, consisted of spots and clouds of very pale yellowish +brown, intermingled with clouds and specks of excessively pale, nearly +washed out, lilac. + +He subsequently furnished me with the following note from Sikhim:--"In +the hills this bird is migratory, coming about the last week in +February and leaving in the last week of October. It is exceedingly +abundant on the outer ridges running in from the Teesta Valley, and +most numerous about the elevation of 3000 feet, but stragglers get up +as high as 5000 feet. It prefers dry ridges on which there are a +few scattered tall trees, from the tops of which it can make short +flights, over the open country, after insects. It goes very little +abroad in the height of the day, and feeds principally in the +evenings. It rarely keeps on the wing for more than a minute or two at +a time, but occasionally will fly for ten minutes on end. It is quite +as bold and persevering in its habit of attacking and driving off +hawks and kites as the king-crow. Towards the end of September it +begins to congregate in rows along dead branches in the tops of trees. + +"It begins to lay in April and, I think, has only one brood in the +year. It builds in holes of trees, on surfaces of large horizontal +branches 30 or 40 feet up, or in depressions in ends of lofty stumps. +The nest is a shallow saucer, made entirely of light-coloured roots +and twigs loosely put together. The usual number of eggs appears to be +three." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal this +species is "common, and a permanent resident, very partial to perching +on the tips of bamboos, and I have seen as many as 13 sitting side +by side on a bamboo tip. I took seven nests this season, all from +date-trees (_Phoenix sylvestris_), which trees are very common in the +district. The nest is generally built at the junction of the leaf-stem +and the trunk of the tree, though in two instances the nest was placed +on a ledge from which all leaves had been removed to enable the tree +to be tapped for its juice. In every instance the nest was exposed, +and if any bird, even a hawk, came near, these courageous little +fellows would drive it off. My nests were found from the 5th April to +6th June; shallow saucers made of fine twigs and grasses with a lining +of the same, and contained two to four eggs in each. Height of nest +from ground about 12 to 15 feet. On the 17th April I took two fresh +eggs from a nest, and the birds laying again, I, on the 8th May, +again took three fresh eggs. When on the wing they utter their note, +generally returning to the same perch." + +And he adds:-- + +"_16th April, 1878_.--Took two perfectly fresh eggs from a nest built +on a date-tree. The date-trees in this district are tapped annually +for the juice, from which sugar is manufactured. The leaves and the +bark for a depth of 3 inches are sliced away from one half of the +trunk, the leaves on the other half remaining, and at the root of +one of these the nest was built, wedged in between the trunk and the +leaves; the external diameter was 4½ inches, depth 3 inches, thickness +of sides of nest ¾ inch; a rather shallow cup, composed exclusively of +fine grasses with no attempt at a lining. + +"_17th April, 1878_.--Secured two fresh eggs from another nest on a +date-tree. In size and shape they were similar and the materials were +the same grasses with no lining. The trees these nests were on formed +a small clump alongside a ryot's house. People were passing under them +all day, but the birds never noticed them. Any bird, from a Kite to +a Bulbul, coming near received a warm welcome. The nests are at all +times exposed, and the natives believe that two males and one female +are found occupying one nest. The birds being gregarious build on +adjoining trees, and while the ladies are engaged with their domestic +affairs their lords keep each other company, so the natives put them +down as polyandrous. I have found over a dozen nests, and every one +has been the counterpart of the other, and only on date-trees." + +Miss Cockburn writes from the Nilghiris:--"On the 17th May, 1873, a +nest of this bird was found. It was formed in a perpendicular hole in +a dried stump of a tree, about 15 feet in height. The nest consisted +entirely of slight sticks lined with fine grass, no soft material +being added as a finish, and the whole structure went to pieces when +removed. This nest contained three eggs, their colour white, with a +few dark and light brown spots and blotches all over, and a strongly +marked ring round the thick end. + +"The birds frequently returned to the place while the eggs were being +taken, till one of them was shot." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird is very local in the Tumkur +districts in Mysore, and I have only found it in three or four +gardens. I knew it had been breeding (from dissection) since March, +but till to-day (May 9th) I could not find its nest. To-day, however, +I saw four or five birds perpetually flying round and round a very +ragged old cocoanut-tree, the highest in that part of the garden, and +determined to send a man up. Two birds, however, at that moment lit on +one branch and I shot them both, and they proved to be fully-fledged +young ones. I sent the man up, however, and was rewarded by his +announcing two old nests and a new one containing one egg. The nests +were near the trunk of the tree on the horizontal leaves, and were +formed of thin roots and a little grass and were very slight. The egg, +which is large for the size of the bird, is creamy white, with a broad +ring round the larger end formed of blotches of orange, brown, and +purple, and in the cap within the ring there are a number of faint +purple spots. The egg was perfectly fresh, and the old birds defended +it by swooping down upon the man; and I can't help thinking that both +the young birds and the new nest belonged to one pair of birds, and +that as soon as their first brood was fledged they had commenced to +lay again." + +A nest taken by Mr. Gammie on the 24th April, at an elevation of about +3500 feet in Sikhim, was placed on a dead horizontal limb near the top +of a large tree. It contained four eggs slightly set; it is a somewhat +shallow cup, interiorly 3 inches in diameter by nearly 1½ in depth, +and composed almost entirely of fine roots, pretty firmly interwoven. +It has no lining, but at the bottom exteriorly it is coated partially +with a sort of plaster, composed apparently of strips of bark and +vegetable fibre partially cemented together in some way. + +The egg sent me by Miss Cockburn is of quite the same type as those +found by Mr. Gammie, but it is a trifle longer, measuring 1·0 by 0·7, +and the colouring is much brighter. The ground is a sort of creamy +white. There is a strongly marked though irregular zone round the +large end of more or less confluent brownish rusty patches (amongst +which a few pale grey spots may be detected), and a good many spots +and small blotches of the same are scattered about the whole of the +rest of the surface of the egg. + +Numerous eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond well with +those already described as procured by himself and Miss Cockburn. + +In length the eggs vary from 0·82 to 1·0, and in breadth from 0·6 to +0·72, but the average is 0·94 by 0·68. + + +513. Artamus leucogaster (Valenc.). _The White-rumped +Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus leucorhynchus (_Gm.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 287 bis. + +The White-rumped Swallow-Shrike breeds, we know, in the Andamans and +Great Cocos, and that is nearly all we do know. Mr. Davison says:--"On +the 2nd of May I saw a bird of this species fly into a hollow at the +top of a rotten mangrove stump about 20 feet high. The next day I +went, but did not like to climb the stump, as it appeared unsafe, so +I determined to cut it down, and after giving about six strokes that +made the stump shake from end to end, the bird flew out. I made sure +that as the bird sat so close the nest must contain eggs, so I ceased +cutting and managed to get a very light native, who voluntered to +climb it; but on his reaching the top, he found, to my astonishment, +that the nest, although apparently finished, was empty. The nest was +built entirely of grass, somewhat coarse on the exterior, finer on the +inside; it was a shallow saucer-shaped structure, and was placed in a +hollow at the top of the stump." + + + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + + +518. Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. _The Indian Oriole_. + +Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 107; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 470. + +The Indian Oriole breeds from May to August (the great majority, +however, laying in June and July) almost throughout the plains country +of India and in the lower ranges of the Himalayas to an elevation of +4000 feet. In Southern and Eastern Bengal it only, so far as I +know, occurs as a straggler during the cold season, and I have no +information of its breeding there. It does not apparently ascend the +Nilghiris, and throughout the southern portion of the peninsula +it breeds very sparingly, if at all; indeed, it is just at the +commencement of the breeding-season, when the mangoes are ripening, +that Upper India is suddenly visited by vast numbers of this species +migrating from the south. + +The nest is placed on some large tree, I do not think the bird has +any special preference, and is a moderately deep purse or pocket, +suspended between some slender fork towards the extremity of one of +the higher boughs. From below it looks like a round ball of grass +wedged into the fork, and the sitting bird is completely hidden within +it; but when in the hand it proves to be a most beautifully woven +purse, shallower or deeper as the case may be, hung from the fork of +two twigs, made of fine grass and slender strips of some tenacious +bark and bound round and round the twigs, and secured to them much +as a prawn-net is to its wooden framework. Some nests contain no +extraneous matters, but others have all kinds of odds and ends--scraps +of newspaper or cloth, shavings, rags, snake-skins, thread, +&c.--interwoven in the exterior. The interior is always neatly lined +with fine grass-stems. + +Very commonly the bird so selects the site for its nest that the +leaves of the twigs it uses as a framework form more or less of a +shady canopy overhead; in fact, as a rule, it is from very few points +of view that even a passing bird of prey can catch sight of the female +on her eggs. Possibly the brilliant plumage of the bird (which has +endowed it amongst the natives with the name of _Peeluk_, or "The +Yellow One") may have had something to do with the concealment it so +generally affects. + +The nests vary a good deal in size. I have seen one with an internal +cavity 3½ inches in diameter and over 2½ deep. I have seen others +scarcely over 2½ inches in diameter and not 2 in depth, which you +could have put bodily, twigs and all, inside the former. As a rule, +the purse is strong and compact, the material closely matted and +firmly bound together; but I have seen very flimsy structures, through +which it was quite possible to see the eggs. + +Four is the greatest number of eggs I have ever found in one nest, but +it is quite common to find only three well-incubated ones. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall reports having found several nests of this +species about Murree at low elevations. + +Mr. W. Blewitt tells me that he obtained two nests near Hansie on the +1st and 14th July respectively. The nests (which he kindly sent) were +of the usual type, and were placed, the one on an acacia, the other +on a loquat tree, at heights of 10 and 12 feet from the ground. +Each contained three eggs, the one clutch much incubated, the other +perfectly fresh. + +Dr. Scully writes:--"The Indian Oriole is a seasonal visitant to the +valley of Nepal, arriving about the 1st of April and departing in +August. It frequents some of the central woods, gardens, and groves, +and breeds in May and June." + +Colonel J. Biddulph remarks regarding the nidification of this Oriole +in Gilgit:--"A summer visitant and common. Appears about the 1st of +May. Nest with three eggs hard-set, taken 8th of June; several other +nests taken later on." + +Writing from near Rohtuk, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says:--"The breeding-season +is from the middle of May to July. The nest is made on large trees, +and always suspended between the fork of a branch. I have certainly +obtained more nests from the tamarind than any other kind of tree. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, light, neat, and compact. The average outer +diameter is 4·8 inches; the inner or cup-cavity about 3·6. Hemp-like +fibre is almost exclusively used in the exterior structure of the +nest, and by this it is firmly secured to the two limbs of the fork. +Cleverly indeed is this work performed, the hemp being well wrapped +round the stems and then brought again into the outer framework. +Occasionally bits of cloth, thread pieces, vegetable fibres, &c. are +introduced. On one occasion I got a nest with a cast-off snake-skin +neatly worked into the outer material. + +"The lining of the egg-cavity is simply fine grass, if we except the +occasional capricious addition of a feather or two, an odd piece of +cotton or rag, &c. Three appears to be the regular number of eggs. +This bird is to be found in small numbers all over the country here; +its habits are well described by Jerdon. It is, as I have observed, +hard to please in its choice of a nest site. I have watched it for +days going backwards and forwards, from tree to tree and from fork to +fork, before it made up its mind where to commence work." + +Capt. Hutton records that "this is a common bird in the Dhoon, and +arrives at Jerripanee, elevation 4500 feet, in the summer months to +breed. Its beautiful cradle-like nest was taken in the Dhoon on +the 29th of May, at which time it contained three pure white +eggs, sparingly sprinkled over with variously sized spots of deep +purplish-brown, giving the egg the appearance of having been splashed +with dark mud. The spots are chiefly at the larger end, but there is +no indication of a ring. The nest is a slight, somewhat cup-shaped +cradle, rather longer than wide, and is so placed, between the fork +of a thin branch, as to be suspended between the limbs by having the +materials of the two sides bound round them. It is composed of fine +dry grasses, both blade and stalk, intermixed with silky and cottony +seed-down, especially at that part where the materials are wound round +the two supporting twigs; and in the specimen before me there are +several small silky cocoons of a diminutive _Bombyx_ attached to the +outside, the silk of which has been interwoven with the fibres of the +external nest. It is so slightly constructed as to be seen through, +and it appears quite surprising that so large a bird, to say nothing +of the weight of the three or four young ones, does not entirely +destroy it." + +From Futtehgurh, the late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"The nest and +eggs of this bird so closely resemble those of its European congener +(_O. galbula_) that little or no description is necessary. The +Mango-bird lays throughout the rains, July being the principal month. +One very beautifully constructed nest was taken by me on the 9th July, +1872, containing four eggs, which, according to my experience, is in +excess of the number usually laid. I have frequently taken only a pair +of well-incubated eggs. + +"Two of the four eggs above alluded to were quite fresh, while the +other two were tolerably well incubated. The nest is fitted outwardly +with tow, which I have never before seen. One of the pieces of cloth +used in the construction of this nest was 6 inches long." + +"At Lucknow," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I found this species on the 20th +May building a nest in a neem-tree, and on the 24th I took two eggs +from the nest. On the 10th June I saw another pair, only making love, +so they probably did not lay till the end of that month." + +Dr. Jerdon notes that he "procured a nest at Saugor from a high branch +of a banian tree in cantonments. It was situated between the forks of +a branch, made of fine roots and grass, with some hair and a feather +or two internally, and suspended by a long roll of cloth about +three quarters of an inch wide, which it must have pilfered from a +neighbouring verandah where a tailor worked. This strip was wound +round each limb of the fork, then passed round the nest beneath, fixed +to the other limb, and again brought round the nest to the opposite +side; there were four or five of these supports on either side. It was +indeed a most curious nest, and so securely fixed that it could not +have been removed till the supporting bands had been cut or rotted +away. The eggs were white, with a few dark claret-coloured spots." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing from Afghanistan:--"At Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, in June, I found them in great numbers: some +were breeding; but as I saw quite young birds, it is probable that the +nesting-season was nearly over." + +Colonel Butler contributes the following note:--"The Indian Oriole +breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of May, June, and +July. I took nests on the following dates:-- + + "24th May, 1876. A nest containing 1 fresh egg. + 29th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 12th June " " " 2 much incubated eggs. + 12th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 13th " " " " 2 " + 19th " " " " 3 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 3 " + 3rd July " " " 2 " + 6th " " " " 3 " + 30th " " " " 2 " + +"The nest found on the 24th May was suspended from a small fork of a +neem-tree about ten feet from the ground, and was very neatly built of +dry grass (fine interiorly, coarse exteriorly), old rags, and cotton +(woven, not raw). The rim was firmly bound to the branches of the fork +with rags and coarse blades of dry grass. It is an easy nest to find +when the birds are building, as both birds are always together and +keep constantly flying to and from the nest with materials for +building. The cock, as before mentioned, always accompanies the hen +to and from the nest whilst she is building; but I do not think he +assists in its construction, as I never saw him carrying any of the +materials, neither have I ever seen him on the nest. On the contrary, +whilst the hen is at the nest building he is generally waiting for +her, either on the same tree or else on another close by, occasionally +uttering his well-known rich mellow note. On the 29th May I sent a boy +up a tree to examine a nest. The hen bird had been sitting for a week, +and was on the nest when the boy ascended the tree. The cock bird flew +past, and being a brilliant specimen I shot him, thinking of course +that the nest contained a full complement of eggs. To my astonishment, +however, though the hen bird sat very close, there were no eggs in the +nest, and although she returned to it once or twice afterwards, she +eventually forsook it without laying. Possibly she may have laid, and +that the eggs were destroyed by Crows. In addition to the materials +already mentioned, this nest was also composed of tow, string, and +strips of paper, all neatly woven into the exterior, and many of the +other nests mentioned were exactly similar; sometimes I have found +pieces of snake-skin woven into the exterior. + +"On the 9th of July I observed a pair of Orioles building on a +neem-tree in one of the compounds in Deesa. When the nest was nearly +finished a gale of wind rose one night and scattered it all over the +bough it was fixed to. The birds at once commenced to remove it, and +in a couple of days carried off: every particle of it to another tree +about 100 yards off, upon which they built a new nest of the materials +they had removed from the other tree. I ascended the tree on the 17th +of July, and found it contained three fresh eggs. + +"The eggs are pure white, sparingly spotted with moderately-sized +blackish-looking spots, if washed the spots run. They vary a good +deal in shape and size, some being very perfect ovals, others greatly +elongated, &c." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Oriole builds at Allahabad and +at Delhi from the beginning of April to the end of July. In the cold +weather this bird seems to migrate more or less, as but few are seen +and none heard during that season. The nests are built generally at +the top of mango-trees and well concealed; they are constructed of +fine grass, beautifully soft, mixed with strips of plaintain-bark, +with which, or with strips of cotton cloth purloined from somewhere, +the nest is usually bound to a fork in the branch. The egg-cavity is +pretty deep, that is to say from 1½ to 3 inches." + +Mr. George Reid records the following note from Lucknow:--"The +Mango-bird, or Indian Oriole, though a permanent resident, is never +so abundant during the cold weather as it is during the hot and rainy +seasons from about the time the mango-trees begin to bloom to the +end of September. It frequents gardens, avenues, mango-topes, and is +frequently seen in open country, taking long flights between trees, +principally the banian and other _Fici_, upon the berries and buds of +which it feeds. I have the following record of its nests:-- + + "June 16th. Nest and no eggs (building). + July 2nd. 2 eggs (fresh). + July 2nd. 1 egg (fresh). + July 5th. 3 eggs (fresh). + July 25th. 3 young (just hatched). + August 5th. 2 young (fledged)." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of this bird in the Deccan, +say:--"Common, and breeds in June and July." + +Colonel A.C. McMaster informs us that he "found several nests of this +bird at Kamptee during June and July; they corresponded exactly with +Jerdon's admirable description. Has any writer mentioned that this +bird has a faint, but very sweet and plaintive song, which he +continues for a considerable time? I have only heard it when a +family, old and young, were together, _i.e._ at the close of the +breeding-season." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajpootana in general, tells us that +this Oriole breeds during July and August. + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, speaking of Manzeerabad in Mysore, says:--"Abundant +in the plains. Rare in the higher portions of the district. Breeding +in June and July." + +The eggs are typically a moderately elongated oval, tapering a good +deal towards one end, but they vary much in shape as well as size. +Some are pyriform, and some very long and cylindrical, quite the shape +of the egg of a Cormorant or Solan Goose, or that of a Diver. They are +always of a pure excessively glossy china-white, which, when they +are fresh and unblown, appears suffused with a delicate salmon-pink, +caused by the partial translucency of the shell. Well-defined spots +and specks, typically black, are more or less thinly sprinkled over +the surface of the egg, chiefly at the large end. Normally, as I +said, the spots are black and sharply defined, and there are neither +blotches nor splashes, but numerous variations occur. Sometimes, as in +an egg sent me by Mr. Nunn, all the spots are pale yellowish brown. +Sometimes, as in an egg I took at Bareilly, a few spots of this colour +are mingled with the black ones. Deep reddish brown often takes the +place of the typical black, and the spots are not very unfrequently +surrounded by a more or less extensive brownish-pink nimbus, which in +one egg I have is so extensive that the ground-colour of the whole of +the large end appears to be a delicate pink. Occasionally several of +the clear-cut spots appear to run together and form a coarse irregular +blotch, and one egg I possess exhibits on one side a large splash. The +eggs as a body, as might have been expected, closely resemble those of +the Golden Oriole, to which the bird itself is so nearly related; and +as observed by Professor Newton in regard to the eggs of that species, +so in _my_ large series, the prevalence of greatly elongated examples +is remarkable. + +The eggs vary in length from 1·03 to 1·32, and from 0·75 to 0·87 in +breadth; but the average of fifty eggs measured was 1·11 by 0·81. + + +521. Oriolus melanocephalus(Linn.). _The Indian Black-headed +Oriole_. + +Oriolus melanocephalus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 110; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_ no. 472. +Oriolus ceylonensis, _Bonap., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 111. + +I have already noticed ('Stray Feathers,' vol. i, p. 439) how +impossible it is to draw any hard-and-fast line, in practice, between +this the so-called "Bengal Black-headed Oriole" and the supposed +distinct southern species, _O. ceylonensis_, Bp. + +The present species certainly breeds in suitable (i.e. well-wooded +and not too bare or arid) localities throughout Northern and Central +India, Assam, and Burma, and I have specimens from Mahableshwar, +from the Nilgiris, and even Anjango, that are nearer to typical _O. +melanocephalus_ than to typical _O. ceylonensis_. Of its nidification +southwards I know nothing. I have only myself taken its eggs in the +neighbourhood of Calcutta. + +It appears to lay from April to the end of August. The nest of this +species, though perhaps slightly deeper, is very much like that of _O. +kundoo_; it is a deep cup, carefully suspended between two twigs, and +is composed chiefly of tow-like vegetable fibres, thin slips of bark +and the like, and is internally lined with very fine tamarisk twigs or +fine grass, and is externally generally more or less covered over with +odds and ends, bits of lichen, thin flakes of bark, &c. It is slightly +smaller than the average run of the nests of _O. kundoo_. The +egg-cavity measures about 3 inches in diameter and nearly 2 inches in +depth. I myself have never found more than three eggs, but I daresay +that, like _O. kundoo_, it may not unfrequently lay four. + +The late Captain Beavan writes:--"A nest with three eggs, brought to +me in Manbhoom on 5th April, 1865, is cup-shaped; interior diameter +3·5, depth inside 2 inches. It is composed outside of woolly fibres, +flax, and bits of dried leaves, and inside of bents and small dried +twigs, the whole compact and neat. The eggs are of a light pink ground +(almost flesh-coloured), with a few scattered spots of brownish pink, +darker and more numerous at the blunt end. They measure 1·125 by +barely 0·8." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"_Oriolus melanocephalus_ +indiscriminately selects the mango, mowah, or any other kind of large +tree for its nest, which is invariably firmly attached to the extreme +terminal twigs of an upper horizontal branch, varying from 20 to 35 +feet from the ground. Owing to the position it selects for the safety +of its nest, it sometimes happens that the latter cannot be secured +without the destruction of the eggs. It nidificates in June and July, +and it would appear that both the birds, male and female, engage in +the construction of the nest. Three is the normal number of the eggs, +though on one occasion my shikaree found four in a nest." + +Buchanan Hamilton tells us that this species "frequents the groves and +gardens of Bengal during the whole year, and builds a very rude nest +of bamboo-leaves and the fibres that invest the top of the cocoanut or +other palms. In March I found a nest with the young unfledged." + +I confess that I believe this to be a mistake: neither season nor nest +correspond with what I have myself seen about Calcutta. The nests, so +far from being _rude_, are very neat. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal:--"Very +common, and a permanent resident. On the 20th April I found a nest +containing two half-fledged young ones; in the garden was a clump of +mango-trees, and attached to one of the outer twigs, but overhung by +a lot of leaves, and about 12 feet from the ground, hung the nest, of +the usual type." + +Mr. J. Davidson met with this Oriole on the Kondabhari Ghât in +Khandeish. On the 16th August he saw a brood, while on an adjoining +tree there was a nest with two slightly-set eggs. He says:--"It was a +very deep cup on the end of a thin branch, and though in cutting the +branch to get at the nest, it got turned at right angles to its proper +position, the eggs were uninjured. I do not think this nest belonged +to the same pair as that which had young ones flying. + +"These Orioles are very common here, and I found three nests: one +was new and empty; from another the birds had just flown; while the +remaining one contained one fresh egg. The bird would no doubt have +laid more; but to get at the nest I had to cut the branch off, and it +was only then I discovered that only one egg had been laid." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Plentiful at Allahabad across the Ganges, +notwithstanding which I only found one nest, and that I have no note +about, but I remember it was some time in June, and contained four +half-fledged young ones; the materials of the nest were the same as +those used by _O. kundoo_." + +Writing of his experience in Tenasserim he adds:--"On the 5th March I +found a nest of this bird in a small tree near the village of Hpamee. +It, however, contained three unfledged young, so I left it alone. + +"On the 21st April I found a second nest suspended from the tip of a +bamboo that overhung the path from Shwaobah village to Hpamee. This +contained two awfully hard-set eggs, white, with a few dark purple +blotches and spots at the larger ends. Nest made of grass and dry +bamboo-leaves, lined with the dry midribs of leaves, and firmly bound +on to the fork of the bamboo with a strip of some bark." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"My nests of this Oriole have been found +in March, April, and May, but I have no doubt they also breed in June. +No details appear necessary." + +Typically the eggs are somewhat elongated ovals, only slightly +compressed towards one end, but pyriform as well as more pointed +varieties may be met with. The shell is very fine and moderately +glossy. The ground-colour varies from a creamy or pinky white to a +decided but very pale salmon-colour. They are sparingly spotted and +streaked with dark brown and pale inky purple. In most eggs the +markings are more numerous towards the large end. Some have no +markings elsewhere. The dark spots, especially towards the large end, +are not unfrequently more or less enveloped in a reddish-pink nimbus. +Though much larger and much more glossy, some of the eggs, so far as +shape, colour, and markings go, exactly resemble some of the eggs of +_Dicrurus ater_. The eggs of _O. kundoo_ are typically excessively +glossy china-white, with few well-defined black spots. The eggs of +_O. melanocephalus_ are typically somewhat less glossy, with a pinky +ground and more numerous and less defined brownish-purple spots and +streaks. I have not yet seen one egg of either species that could be +mistaken for one of the other, although of course abnormal varieties +of each approach each other more closely than do the typical forms. + +The dozen eggs that I possess of this species vary from 1·1 to 1·2 in +length, and from 0·78 to 0·87 in breadth, and the average is 1·14 +by 0·82. Although the average is somewhat larger than that of the +preceding species, and although none of the eggs are quite _as_ small +as many of those of _O. kundoo_, still none are nearly so large as the +finest specimens of the latter's egg. Probably had I an equally large +series of the eggs of the present species, we should find that as +regards size there was no perceptible difference between the two. + + +522. Oriolus traillii (Vigors). _The Maroon Oriole_. + +Oriolus traillii (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 112; _Hume, cat._ +no. 474. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Oriole on the +24th April, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. It was suspended, +within ten feet of the ground, from an outer fork of a branch of a +small leafy tree, which grew in a patch of low dense jangle. It is a +neat cup, composed of fibrous bark and strips of the outer part of dry +grass-stems, intermixed with skeletonized leaves and green moss, and +lined with fine grass. Besides being firmly bound by the rim of the +cup to the horizontal forking branches by fibrous barks, several +strings extended from one branch to the other, both under and in +front of the nest, while other strings from the body of the nest were +fastened to an upright twig that rose immediately behind the fork, +thus most securely retaining it in its position. + +"Externally the nest measured 5 inches wide by 2·75 in height; +internally 3·25 wide by 2 deep. It contained three fresh eggs. + +"The female came quite close, making loud complaints against the +robbing of her nest." + +The nest is that of a typical Oriole, usually very firmly and +substantially built, and of course always suspended at a fork between +two twigs. A nest taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim on the 20th April, at +an elevation of about 2500 feet, is a deep substantial cup, nearly 4 +inches in diameter and 2½ in depth internally. It is everywhere nearly +an inch in thickness. The suspensory portion composed of vegetable +fibres; towards the exterior dead leaves, bamboo-sheaths, green +moss, and tendrils of creeping plants are profusely intermingled; +interiorly, it is closely and regularly lined with very fine grass. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found on the 3rd April at Namtchu, +and contained three fresh eggs. It is precisely similar to the one +above described, except that in the lining roots are mingled with the +fine grass, and that instead of being suspended in a fork, it was +partly wedged into and partly rested on a fork. + +As a rule, however, as I know from other nests subsequently obtained, +the nests are always suspended like those of the Common Oriole. + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie closely resemble those +of _O. melanocephalus_. In shape they are regular moderately elongated +ovals; the shell is strong, firm, and moderately glossy. The ground +is white with a creamy or brownish-pink tinge; the markings are +blackish-brown spots and specks, almost confined to a zone about the +large end, where they are all more or less enveloped in a brownish-red +haze or _nimbus_. In length they measure 1·12 by 0·82, and 1·14 by +0·83. + + + + +Family EULABETIDAE + + +523. Eulabes religiosa (Linn.). _Jerd. B. Southern Grackle_. + +Eulabes religiosa (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 337; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 692. + +The Southern Grackle breeds in Southern India and Ceylon from March to +October. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon, writing from Travancore, gives me the following +account of the eggs. He says:--"This bird, an abundant resident, lays +a blue egg pretty evenly marked with brown spots, some light and some +darkish, in a nest of straw and feathers in a hole of a tree generally +a considerable height from the ground. + +"I have only taken one nest, which contained a single egg slightly +set, on 23rd March, 1873, the egg measuring 1·37 long and 0·87 broad." + +Later Mr. Bourdillon says:--"Since writing the foregoing I took on +21st April two fresh eggs from the nest of a Southern Hill-Mynah +(_Eulabes religiosa_). The nest was of grass, feathers, and odds and +ends in a hole in a nanga (_Mesua coromandeliana_) stump, about 25 +feet from the ground. The eggs of this Mynah are blue, with purplish +and more decided brown spots. + +"I am _positive_ as to the identity of the egg. Both the eggs taken +last year and the two taken the other day were obtained under my +personal supervision. In both instances I watched the birds building, +and when we robbed the nests saw the female fly off them." + +These two eggs sent me by Mr. Bourdillon are very beautiful. In shape +they are very gracefully elongated ovals; the shell is very fine and +smooth, but has only a rather faint gloss. The ground-colour is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish blue, and the eggs are more or +less profusely spotted or splashed with purplish, or, in some spots, +chocolate-brown and a very pale purple, which looks more like the +stain that might be supposed to be left by one of the more decided +coloured markings that had been partially washed out than anything +else. + +The eggs measure 1·37 by 0·9 and 1·35 by 0·87. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, writes:--"The Southern Grackle breeds in the +S. Wynaad rather plentifully, and I have had numbers of tame ones +brought up from the nest, but have never succeeded in getting a +perfect egg owing to my having found all the nests in very hard places +to get at. + +"I cut down a tree containing a nest and broke all the eggs, which +must have been very pretty--blue ground, very regularly marked +with purplish-brown spots. The nest was composed of sticks, twigs, +feathers, and some snake-skin. I have found them in March, April, +September, and October. I hope this year to get a number of eggs, as +Culputty is a very good place for them." + +Mr. C J.W. Taylor notes from Manzeerabad in Mysore:-- + +"Common up in the wooded portions of the district. Breeding in April +and May." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon, speaking of this Grackle in Travancore, +says:--"This bird lays one or two light blue eggs beautifully blotched +with purple in the holes of trees. It does not like heavy jungle, +but after a clearing has been felled and burnt it is sure to appear. +During the fine weather it is very abundant on the hills, descending +to the low country at the foot when the rains have fairly set in. The +nest scarcely deserves the name, being only a few dead leaves or some +powdered wood at the bottom of the hole, and there about the end of +March the egg or eggs are laid. The young birds, which can be taught +to speak and become very tame, are often taken by the natives, as they +can sell them in the low country. I have obtained on the following +dates eggs and young birds:-- + + "March 29th. One egg slightly set. + April 20th. Two young birds. + April 22nd. " " + April 25th. Two eggs slightly set. + May 2nd. One young bird. + +"I also had three eggs, slightly set, brought me on May 21. They are +rather smaller and a deeper blue than the ones obtained before, being +1·25 x 1, 1·19 x ·95, 1·21 x ·97 inch. They were all out of the same +nest, so that the bird sometimes lays three eggs, though the usual +number is two." + +Colonel Legge writes in the 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The Black Myna was +breeding in the Pasdun Korale on the occasion of a visit I made to +that part in August, but I did not procure its eggs." + +Other eggs subsequently sent me by Mr. Bourdillon from Mynall, in +Southern Travancore, taken on the 9th and 13th April, 1875, are +precisely similar to those already described. The eggs that I have +measured have only varied from 1·22 to 1·37 in length, and from 0·86 +to 0·9 in width. + + +524. Eulabes intermedia[A] (A. Hay). _The Indian Grackle_. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume does not recognize _E. javanensis_ and _E. +intermedia_ as distinct. The following account refers to the +nidification of the latter, except perhaps Major Bingham's later note, +in which he states that he procured two distinct sizes of eggs in the +Meplay valley (Thoungyeen). It is very probable that Major Bingham +found the nests of both species on this occasion. I have seen no +specimen of _E. javanensis_ from the Thoungyeen valley, but at +Malewun, further south, it occurs along with _E. intermedia_.--ED.] + +Eulabes intermedia (_A. Hay_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 339. +Eulabes javanensis (_Osbeck_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693. + +The Indian Grackle, under which name I include _E. andamanensis_, +Tytler, breeds, I know, in the Nepal Terai and in the Kumaon Bhabur; +and many are the young birds that I have seen extracted by the natives +out of holes, high up in large trees, in the old anti-mutiny days when +we used to go tiger-shooting in these grand jungles. I never saw the +eggs however, which, I think, must have all been hatched off in May, +when we used to be out. + +"In the Andamans," writes Davison, "they breed in April and May, +building a nest of grass, dried leaves, &c. in holes of trees." He +also, however, never took the eggs. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that this species is "common during March to +October in Dibrugarh, after which it retires to the hills which border +the east and south of the district. About the tea-gardens of Dibrugarh +there are always a number of dead trees standing, and in these the +Grackles nest, choosing those that are rotten, in which they excavate +a hole. I have seen numbers of nests, but as these were so high up and +the tree so long dead and rotten, no native would risk going up." + +Mr. J. Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Hill-Mynah is common in the +hilly district. It breeds in the holes of trees during April, May, and +June." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I saw several nest-holes +of this bird, which was very common in the Reserve, but none of them +were accessible; and it wasn't till the 18th April that I chanced on +one in a low tree, the nest being in the hollow of a stump of a broken +branch. It was composed and loosely put together of grass, leaves, and +twigs, and contained three half-fledged young and one addled egg of +a light blue colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end with purplish +brown." + +The eggs very similar to those of _E. religiosa_, but, what is very +surprising, it is very considerably _smaller_. + +Of _E. religiosa_ the eggs vary from 1·2 to 1·37 in length, and from +0·86 to 0·9 in breadth, and the average of eight is 1·31 by 0·88. + +This present egg only measures 1·12 by 0·8, and it must, I should +fancy, be abnormally small. + +In shape it is an extremely regular oval. The ground is a pale +greenish blue, and it is spotted and blotched pretty thickly at the +large end (where all the larger markings are) and very thinly at the +smaller end with purple and two shades (a darker and lighter one) of +chocolate-brown, the latter colour much predominating. The shell is +very fine and close, but has but little gloss. + +And later on Major Bingham again wrote:--"One of the commonest and +most widely spread birds in the province. The following is an account +of its nidification:-- + +"This bird lays two distinct sizes of eggs, all, however, of the same +type and coloration. Out of holes in neighbouring trees, on the +bank of the Meplay, on the 13th March, 1880, I took two nests, one +containing three, and the other two eggs. The first lot of eggs +measured respectively 1·15 x 0·77, 1·15 x 0·80, and 1·16 x 0·79 inch; +while those in the second nest 1·30 x 0·95, and 1·27 x 0·93 inch +respectively. All the eggs, however, are a pale blue, spotted chiefly +at the larger end with light chocolate. The nests were in natural +hollows in the trees, and lined with grass and leaves loosely put +together." + +The eggs apparently vary extraordinarily in size; they are generally +more or less elongated ovals, some slightly pyriform and slightly +obtuse at both ends, some rather pointed towards the small end. The +shell in all is very fine and compact and smooth, but some have +scarcely any appreciable gloss, while others have a really fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pretty uniform in all, a delicate pale greenish +blue. The markings are always chiefly confined to one end, usually the +broad end; even about the large end they are never very dense, and +elsewhere they are commonly very sparse or almost or altogether +wanting. In some eggs the markings are pretty large irregular blotches +mingled with small spots and specks, but in many eggs again the +largest spot does not exceed one twelfth of an inch in diameter. In +colour these markings are normally a chocolate, often with more or +less of a brown tinge, in some of the small spots so thickly laid on +as to be almost black, in many of the larger blotches becoming only a +pale reddish purple, or here and there a pale purplish grey. In some +eggs all the markings are pale and washed out, in others all are +sharply defined and intense in colour. Occasionally some of the +smaller spots become almost a yellowish brown. + + +526. Eulabes ptilogenys (Blyth). _The Ceylon Grackle_. + +Eulabes ptilogenys (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 693 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds +in June, July, and August, laying its eggs in a hole of a tree, or in +one which has been previously excavated by the Yellow-fronted Barbet +or Red Woodpecker. It often nests in the sugar- or kitool-palm, and in +one of these trees in the Peak forest I took its eggs in the month of +August. There was an absence of all nest or lining at the bottom of +the hole, the eggs, which were two in number, being deposited on the +bare wood. The female was sitting at the time, and was being brought +fruit and berries by the male bird. While the eggs were being taken +the birds flew round repeatedly, and settled on an adjacent tree, +keeping up a loud whistling. The eggs are obtuse-ended ovals, of +a pale greenish-blue ground-colour (one being much paler than the +other), sparingly spotted with large and small spots of lilac-grey, +and blotched over this with a few neutral-brown and sepia blots. They +measure from 1·3 to 1·32 inch in length by 0·96 to 0·99 in breadth." + + +527. Calornis chalybeïus (Horsf.). _The Glossy Calornis_. + +Calornis chalybaeus[A] (_Horsf.), Hume, cat._ no. 690 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume considers the Andaman _Calornis_ distinct from +the _Calornis_ inhabiting Cachar, Tenasserim, &c. I have united them +in the 'Birds of India.'--Ed.] + +Of the Glossy Calornis Mr. Davison remarks that "it is a permanent +resident at the Nicobars, breeding in holes in trees and in the +decayed stumps of old cocoanut-palms, apparently from December to +March. At the Andamans it is much less numerous, and is only met with +in pairs or in small parties, frequenting the same situations as it +does in the Nicobars." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"This Tree-Stare is rather rare. It +breeds about April in the holes of dead trees; when the young are able +to fly it departs. It again returns about the middle of February." + +In Tenasserim this species was observed nesting by Mr. J. Darling, +junior, who says:--"22nd March. Noticed several pairs of _Calornis_, +with nests, in the big wooden bridge over the Kyouk-tyne Creek about +1½ mile out of Tavoy, and also a great number of their nests in the +old wooden posts of an old bridge further down the Creek." + +Mr. W. Davison, when in the Malay peninsula, took the eggs of this +bird. He remarks:--"I found a few pairs frequenting some areca-palms +at Laugat, and breeding in them, but only one nest contained eggs, +three in number. The nest was a loose structure almost globular, but +open at the top, composed externally of very coarse dry grass (lallung +or elephant-grass), and lined with green durian leaves cut into small +bits. The nest was too lightly put together to preserve. This nest and +several other empty ones were placed at the base of the leaves where +they meet the trunk. + +"The three eggs obtained were slightly set, so that three is probably +the normal number laid. + +"I noticed several other pairs breeding at the same time in holes of a +huge dead tree on Jugra Hill at Laugat, but I was unable to get at the +nests." + +The eggs are quite of the _Eulabes_ type, moderately broad ovals, more +or less compressed towards the small end, occasionally pyriform. The +shell firm and strong, though fine, smooth to the touch in some cases, +with but little, but generally with a fair amount of gloss. The ground +is a very pale greenish blue. A number of fairly large spots and +blotches, intermingled with smaller specks and spots, are scattered +about the large end, often forming an imperfect irregular zone, and a +few similar specks and spots are scattered thinly about the central +portion of the egg, occasionally extending to the small end. The +colour of these spots varies; they are generally a brownish-reddish +purple and a paler greyer purple, but in some eggs the spots are so +thick in colour that they seem almost black. In some they are almost +purely reddish brown without any purplish tinge, and some again, lying +deep in the shell, are pale grey. + +Six eggs measure from 0·92 to 1·1 in length, and from 0·71 to 0·76 in +breadth, but the average of six eggs is 1 by 0·74. + + + + +Family STURNIDAE. + + +528. Pastor roseus (Linn.). _The Rose-coloured Starling_. + +Pastor roseus (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 333; _Hume, cat._ no. +690. + +The Rose-coloured Starling has not yet been discovered breeding in +India, but Mr. Doig has written the following note on the subject, +which is one of great interest. He writes from the Eastern Narra, in +Sind:-- + +"Though I have not as yet discovered the breeding-place of this bird, +I think it as well to put on record what little I have noticed, in the +hope that it may be of assistance in eventually finding out where it +goes to breed. I began watching the birds in the middle of April, and +every week shot one or two and dissected them, but did not perceive +any decisive signs of their breeding until the 10th May, when I shot +two males, both of which showed signs of being about to breed at an +early date. Again, on the 15th May, out of seven that I shot in a +flock, six were males with the generative organs fully developed; the +seventh was a young female in immature plumage, the ovaries being +quite undeveloped. The birds were feeding in the bed of a dried-up +swamp, along with flocks of _Sturnus minor_, and were constantly +flying in flocks, backwards and forwards, in one direction. +Unfortunately, important work called me to another part of the +district, and when I returned in a fortnight's time I could not see +one. Where can they have gone? And they remain away such a short time! +I have seen the old birds return as early as the 7th July, accompanied +by young birds barely fledged, and I should not be at all surprised +if these birds are found to breed in some of the Native States on the +_east_ of Sind. That they could find time to migrate to the Caspian +Sea and Central Asia to breed, and return again by the middle of July, +I cannot believe, especially after having found them so thoroughly in +breeding-time, while still in the east of Sind. Another suspicious +circumstance is the absence of females in the flocks I met with. +Perhaps some of my readers may have an opportunity of finding out +whether _Pastor roseus_ occurs in the districts lying to the east of +Sind in the month of June, as there is no doubt that the breeding-time +lies between the 20th May and the commencement of July." + + +529. Sturnus humii, Brooks. _The Himalayan Starling_. + +Sturnus unicolor, _Marm., apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 322. +Sturnus nitens, _Hume; Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 682. + +The Himalayan Starling breeds in Candahar, Cashmere, and the extreme +north-west of the Punjab. It is the bird which Dr. Jerdon includes in +his work as _S. unicolor_ (a very different bird, which does not occur +within our limits), and which Mr. Theobald referred to as breeding in +Cashmere as _Sturnus vulgaris_, which bird does not, as far as I can +learn, occur in the Valley of Cashmere, though it may in Yarkand. + +This Starling lays towards the end of April at Peshawur, where I found +it nesting in holes in willow-trees in the cantonment compounds. In +Candahar it lays somewhat earlier, and in the Valley of Cashmere +somewhat later, viz. in the month of May. + +It builds in holes of trees, in river-banks, and in old buildings and +bridges, constructing a loose nest of grass and grass-roots, with +sometimes a few thin sticks; it is perhaps more of a lining to the +hole than a true nest. It lays five or six eggs. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It is like _S. unicolor_, but smaller, with shorter +wing and more beautiful reflections. It is excessively abundant in +Cashmere, at moderate elevations, and in the Valley, and breeds in +holes of trees and in river-banks. The eggs are like those of _S. +vulgaris_, but rather smaller. The latter bird[A] occurs plentifully +in the plains of India in the cold weather, and is as profusely +spotted as English specimens. The bills vary in length, and are not +longer, as a rule, than those of British birds. I did not meet with +_S. vulgaris_ in Cashmere. It appears to migrate more to the west, for +it is said to be common in Afghanistan. _S. nitens_ also occurs in the +plains in the cold season. I have Etawah specimens. They are at that +time slightly spotted, but can always be very easily distinguished +from _S. vulgaris_." + +[Footnote A: Mr. Brooks here refers to _S. menzbieri_.--ED.] + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remark on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:--"Lays in the second and third weeks of May; eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1·15 by 0·85; colour, pale clear bluish green; +valley generally, in holes of bridges, tall trees, &c., in company +with _Corvus monedula_." + +Captain Hutton records that "_S. vulgaris_ remains only during the +coldest months, and departs as spring approaches: whereas the present +species builds in the spring at Candahar, laying seven or eight blue +eggs, and the young are fledged about the first week in May." + +The eggs of this species are generally somewhat elongated ovals, a +good deal compressed towards one end, and not uncommonly more or less +pyriform. They are glossy, but in a good light have the surface a good +deal pitted. They are entirely devoid of markings, and seem to have +the ground one uniform very pale sea-greenish blue. They appear to +vary very little in colour, and to average generally a good deal +smaller than those of the Common Starling. + +They vary in length from 1·02 to 1·19, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·87; but the average of twenty eggs is 1·13 by 0·83.[A] + +[Footnote A: STURNUS PORPHYRONOTUS, Sharpe. _The Central-Asian +Starling_. + +This species breeds in Kashgharia, and visits India in winter. Dr. +Scully writes:--"This Starling breeds in May and June, making its nest +in the holes of trees and walls, and in gourds and pots placed near +houses by the Yarkandis for the purpose. It seems to make only a +simple lining for its hole, composed of grass and fibres. The eggs +vary in shape from a broadish oval to an elongated oval compressed at +one end; they are glossy and, in a strong light, the surface looks +pitted. The eggs are quite spotless, but the colour seems also to vary +a good deal--from a deep greenish blue to a very pale light sea-blue. +In size they vary from 1·1 to 1·22 in length, and from 0·80 to 0·86 in +breadth; but the average of nine eggs is 1·19 by 0·83."] + + +531. Sturnus minor, Hume. _The Small Indian Starling_. + +Sturnus minor, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 681 bis. + +Mr. Scrope Doig furnishes us with the following interesting note on +the breeding of _S. minor_ in Sindh:-- + +"Last year I mentioned to my friend, Captain Butler, that I had +noticed Starlings going in and out of holes in trees along the 'Narra' +in the month of March, and that I thought they must be breeding there; +he said that I must be mistaken, as _S. vulgaris_ never bred so far +south. As it happens we were both correct--he in saying _S. vulgaris_ +did not breed here, and I in saying that _Starlings_ did. My Starling +turns out to be the species originally described from Sindh as +_Sturnus minor_ by Mr. Hume; and as I have now sent Mr. Hume a series +of skins and eggs, I trust he will give us a note on the subject of +our Indian Starlings. In February I shot one of these birds, and on +dissection found that they were beginning to breed; later on, early in +March, I again dissected one and found that there was no doubt on the +subject, and so began to look for their nests; these I found in holes +in kundy trees growing along the banks of the Narra, and also situated +in the middle of swamps. The eggs were laid on a pad of feathers +of _Platalea leucorodia_ and _Tantalus leucocephalus_, which were +breeding on the same trees, the young birds being nearly fledged; the +greatest number of eggs in any one nest was five. The first date on +which I took eggs was the 13th March, and the last was on the 15th +May. + +"The eggs are oval, broad at one end and elongated at the other; the +texture is rather waxy, with a fine gloss, and they are of a pale +delicate sea-green colour. + +"The birds during the breeding-time confine themselves closely to +their breeding-ground, so much so, that except when close to their +haunts none are ever seen. + +"The size of the eggs varies from 1·00 to 1·10 in length, and from ·70 +to ·80 in breadth. The average of twelve eggs is 1·03 in length and +·79 in breadth." + +He subsequently wrote:--"I first noticed this bird breeding on the +11th March; on the 10th, while marching, I saw some on the side of +the road and shot one, and on opening it found it was breeding. +Accordingly on the 11th, on searching, I found their breeding-ground, +which was in the middle of a Dhund thickly studded over with kundy +trees, in the holes of which they had their nests. The nest lay at +the bottom of the hole, which was generally some 18 inches deep, and +consists of a few bits of coarse sedge-grass and feathers of _T. +leucocephalus_ and _P. leucorodia_ (which were breeding close by). +Five was the maximum number of eggs, but four was the normal number in +each nest. + +"I afterwards found these birds breeding in great numbers all along +the Eastern Narra wherever there were suitable trees (kundy trees). At +the place I first found them in, the young ones are now many of +them fledged and flying about, while in other places they are just +beginning to lay. + +"The total length of their breeding-ground in any district must be +close on 200 miles, but entirely confined to the banks of the river. +If you looked four miles from, the river, one side or the other, you +would not see one. Can _Pastor roseus_ breed in India in some similar +secluded spot? I have been rather unlucky in getting their eggs, as at +each place which I visited personally the birds had either young ones +or were just going to lay." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, sometimes +slightly elongated, always more or less appreciably pointed towards +the small end. The shell is extremely smooth and has a fine gloss. +The colour, which is extremely uniform in all the specimens, is an +excessively delicate pale blue with a faint greenish tinge, a very +beautiful colour. They vary from 1 to 1·18 in length, and from 0·71 to +0·82 in breadth. + + +537. Sturnia blythii (Jerdon). _Blyth's Myna_. + +Temenuchus blythii (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 331. +Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._), _Hume, cat._ no. 689. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson sent me from Mysore three eggs and a skin of a +Myna, which latter, although in very bad order, is undoubtedly _S. +Blythii_. He says:--"It is very possible that the bird now sent is _S. +malabarica_, and it is such a bad specimen that I fear it will not be +of much use to you for the purpose of identification. I think it is +_Sturnia blythii_, as Jerdon says that _S. malabarica_ is only a +cold-weather visitant in the south of India. + +"I will, however, try and procure you a good specimen of the bird. It +is only found in our forests bordering the Wynaad, and as it is far +from common, I am not well acquainted with it. + +"I am also inclined to think that it is not a permanent resident with +us, but that a few couples come to these forests only to breed. + +"The only nest I have ever found was taken on the 24th April, 1880, +and was in a hole of a dry standing tree in a clearing made for a teak +plantation and contained three fresh eggs. + +"A few days subsequently I saw a brood of young ones flying about a +dry tree in the forest, so probably the breeding-season here extends +through April and May." + +The eggs are very similar to those of _Sturnia malabarica_ and +_S. nemoricola_, but perhaps slightly larger. They are moderately +elongated ovals, generally decidedly pointed towards the small end. +The shell is very fine and smooth, and has a fair amount of gloss. In +colour they are a very delicate pale greenish blue. They measure 0·99 +and 1 in length by 0·71 in breadth. + + +538. Sturnia malabarica (Gm.). _The Grey-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus malabaricus (Gm.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 330; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 688. + +I have never met with the nest of the Grey-headed Myna myself, but am +indebted to Mr. Gammie for its eggs and nest. That gentleman says:--"I +obtained a nest of this species near Mongphoo (14 miles from +Darjeeling), at an elevation of about 3400 feet. The nest was in the +hollow of a tree, and was a shallow pad of fine twigs, with long +strips of bark intermingled in the base of the structure, and thinly +lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest was about 4 inches in +diameter and less than 1½ inch in height exteriorly, and interiorly +the depression was perhaps half an inch deep. It contained four +hard-set eggs." + +This year he writes to me:--"The Grey-headed Myna breeds about +Mongphoo, laying in May and June. I have taken several nests now, and +I found that they prefer cleared tracts where only a few trees have +been left standing here and there, especially on low but breezy +ridges, at elevations of from 2500 to 4000 feet. They always nest in +natural holes of trees both dead and living, and at any height from 20 +to 50 feet from the ground. The nest is shallow, principally composed +of twigs put roughly together in the bottom of the hole. They lay four +or five eggs. + +"The Grey-headed Myna is not a winter resident in the hills. It +arrives in early spring and leaves in autumn. It is very abundant on +the outer ranges of the Teesta Valley, and is generally found in those +places frequented by _Artamus fuscus_. It feeds about equally on trees +and on the ground, and a flock of 40 or 50 feeding on the ground in +the early morning is no unusual sight." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, says:--"Very +common from the end of April to October, after which a few birds may +be seen at times. I cannot call to mind ever having seen these birds +descend to the ground. They must nest here, though I failed to find +one. In front of my verandah was a large _Poinciana regia_, in the +trunk of which, and at about seven feet from the ground, was an old +nest-hole of _Xantholaema_ which a pair of these birds widened out. +During all May and June I watched these birds pecking away at the +rotten wood and throwing the bits out. They generally used to engage +in this work during the heat of the day; and, although I several times +searched the hole, no eggs were found; the pair were not pecking at +the decayed wood for insects, for I watched them through a glass. Had +I remained another month at the factory most likely they would have +laid during that time; it was on this account their lives were spared. +This species associates with its congeners on the peepul trees when +they are in fruit, which they eat greedily." + +Subsequently detailing his experiences at Dibrugarh in Assam, he +adds:--"On the 27th May I found a nest with three callow young and one +fresh egg. The birds had excavated a hole in a rotten and dead tree +about 18 feet from the ground, and had placed a pad of leaves only at +the bottom of the hole. They build both in forest as well as the open +cultivated parts of the country." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This Myna lays in Pegu in holes of trees at all +heights above 20 feet. It selects a hole which is difficult of access, +and I have only been able to take one nest. This was on the 13th May. +This nest, a small pad of grass and leaves, contained three eggs, +which were slightly incubated. They measured 0·86 by 0·7, 0·8 by 0·7, +and 0·83 by 0·72." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I shot a Myna as she flew +out of a hole in a zimbun tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_). I had nearly a +fortnight before seen the birds; there was a pair of them, busy taking +straw and grass-roots into the hole; and so on the 18th April, when I +shot the birds, I made sure of finding the full complement of eggs, +but to my regret on opening the hollow, I only found one egg resting +in a loose and irregularly formed nest of roots and leaves. This +solitary egg is of a pale blue colour." + +The eggs vary a good deal in shape: some are broad and some are +elongated ovals, but all are more or less pointed towards the small +end; the shell is very fine and delicate, and rather glossy; the +colour is a very delicate pale sea-green, without any markings of any +kind. They vary from 0·89 to 1·0 in length, and from 0·69 to 0·72 in +breadth; but the average of ten eggs is 0·93 by 0·7. + + +539. Sturnia nemoricola, Jerdon. _The White-winged Myna_. + +Sturnia nemoricola, _Jerd., Hume, cat._ no. 688 bis. + +Mr. Gates writes from Lower Pegu:--"Of _S. nemoricola_ I have taken +two sets of eggs: one set of two eggs fresh, and one of three on the +point of being hatched; the former on 12th May, the latter on 6th +June. In size the two clutches vary extraordinarily. The first two +eggs measure ·82 x ·62 and ·85 x ·63; the second lot measure 1·01 x +·7, 1·0 x ·7, and 1·0 x ·7. + +"The eggs are very glossy, and the colour is a uniform dark greenish +blue, of much the same tint as the egg of _Acridotheres tristis_." + + +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, Blyth. _The Gold-crest Myna_. + +Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693 sex; +_id. cat._ no. 693 ter. + +Of the nidification of this beautiful species, the Gold-crest Myna, we +possess but little information. My friend Mr. Davison, who has secured +many specimens of the bird, writes:--"On the 13th April, 1874, two +miles from the town of Tavoy, on a low range of hills about 200 feet +above the sea-level, I found a nest of the Gold-crest Grakle. The nest +was about 20 feet from the ground in a hole in the branch of a large +tree. It was composed entirely of coarse dry grass, mixed with dried +leaves, twigs, and bits of bark, but contained no feathers, rags, or +such substances as are usually found in the nests of the other Mynas. +The nest contained three young ones only a day or two old." + + +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (Gm.). _The Black-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 329; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 687. + +The Pagoda or Black-headed Myna breeds throughout the more open, dry, +and well-wooded or cultivated portions of India. In Sindh and in the +more arid and barren parts of the Punjab and Rajpootana on the one +hand, or in the more humid and jungly localities of Lower Bengal on +the other, it occurs, if at all, merely as a seasonal straggler. How +Adams, quoted by Jerdon (vol. ii, p. 330), could say that he never saw +it in the plains of the North-West Provinces (where, as a matter of +fact, it is one of our commonest resident species), altogether puzzles +me. + +Neither in the north nor in the south does it appear to ascend the +hills or breed in them at any elevations exceeding 3000 or 4000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but in Upper India the +great majority lay in June. + +According to my experience in Northern India it nests exclusively in +holes in trees. Dr. Jerdon says that "at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c." This is doubtless correct, but has +not been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, +who all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees. + +The whole is thinly lined with a few dead leaves, a little grass, and +a few feathers, and occasionally with a few small scraps of some other +soft material. + +They lay from three to five eggs. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During June and the early part +of July I found numerous nests of this species in holes of shishum, +peepul, neem, and siriss trees situated on the bank of the Hissar +Canal. The holes where at heights of from 12 to 15 feet from the +ground, and in each a few leaves or feathers were laid under the eggs. +Five was the greatest number found in any one hole." + +Recording his experience in the Delhi, Jhansi, and Saugor Divisions, +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that the Pagoda Myna breeds from May to +July, building its nest in holes of trees, selecting where possible +those most inaccessible. I have always found the nest in the holes of +mango, tamarind, and high-growing jamún trees. Feathers and grass, +sometimes an odd piece of rag, are loosely placed at the bottom of the +hole, and on these the eggs repose. + +"The eggs are pale bluish green, and from four to five form the +regular number. I may add that only on one occasion did I obtain five +eggs in a nest." + +"In Oudh," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I took one nest of this species, in +a hole in a mango-tree, on the 5th May, containing five eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"All nests I have found at Allahabad and +Delhi have been in holes in trees, in the end of May, June, and July. +Nest strictly speaking there is none, but the holes are lined with +feathers and straw, in which the eggs, four in number, are generally +half buried." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes tells us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana in +June, and that he found one nest in that month in a hole of a tree +with three eggs. + +Colonel E.A. Butler records the following notes:--"The Black-headed +Myna breeds plentifully in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, +and August, but somehow or other I was unlucky this year (1876) in +procuring eggs. On the 30th July I found a nest containing four young +birds and another containing four eggs about to hatch. On the 2nd of +August I found three nests, all containing young birds. On the 20th +August I found four more nests; three contained young birds and the +fourth four fresh eggs. All of these nests were in holes of trees, in +most instances only just large enough at the entrance for the bird to +pass through. In some cases there was no lining at all except wood +dust, in others a small quantity of dry grass and a few feathers. The +average height from the ground was about 8 or 10 feet; some nests +were, however, not more than 4 or 5 feet high. + +"Belgaum, 21st May, 1879.--A nest in the roof of a house under the +tiles; three fresh eggs. Another nest on the same date in a hole of +a tree, containing one fresh egg. The hole appeared to be an old +nest-hole of a Barbet. Other nests observed later on, in June and +July, in the roofs of houses under the tiles. Another nest in the +hole of a tree, 27th April, containing four fresh eggs. Three more +nests, 4th May, containing three incubated eggs, three fresh eggs, +and three young birds respectively. Two of the nests were in the +nest-holes of Barbets, from which I had taken eggs the month previous. +7th May, another nest containing four fresh eggs. + +"I can confirm Dr. Jerdon's statement, quoted in the Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,' relative to this species breeding in +large buildings, having observed several nests myself this season at +Belgaum on the roofs of bungalows. In one bungalow, the mess-house of +the 83rd Regt., there were no less than three nests at one time built +under the eaves of the roof." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Not quite +so common as _Acridotheres tristis_. Breeds at Satara in May." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken remarks:--"In Nests and Eggs, p. 433, you +write:--'Dr. Jerdon says that at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c.' This is doubtless correct, but has not +been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, who +all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees.' On the 29th June last +year I was at the Anniversary Meeting of the Medical College, and the +proceedings were disturbed by the incessant clatter of _two_ broods of +young of this species. The nests were in holes in the wall near the +roof, and the two pairs of old birds, which were feeding their young, +kept coming and going the whole time, flying in at the windows and +popping into the holes over the peoples' heads. In the following month +a nest of young were taken out of a hole in the outer wall of a house +I was staying at, and the birds laid again and hatched another brood. + +"I very rarely saw the Black-headed Myna in Bombay, Poona, or Berar, +but here, in Madras, it is, if anything, commoner than _A. tristis_." + +And Mr. J. Davidson, writing from Mysore, also confirms Jerdon's +statement; he says:--"_T. pagodarum_ breeds here in holes in the roofs +of houses as well as in trees." + +Of the breeding of this Myna in Ceylon, Colonel Legge says:--"In the +northern part of Ceylon this Myna breeds in July and August, and +nests, I am informed, in the holes of trees." + +Mr. A.G.R. Theobald notes that "early in August I found a nest of _T. +pagodarum_ at Ahtoor, the hill-station of the Shevaroys. It was +down in the inside of a partly hollow nut-tree log, attached to a +scaffolding, about 2 1/2 feet down and, say, 35 feet from the ground, +and was composed of dry leaves and a few feathers. It contained three +fresh eggs." + +The eggs of this Myna are, of course, glossy and spotless, and the +colour varies from very pale bluish white to pale blue or greenish +blue. I have never seen an egg of this species of the full clear +sky-blue often exhibited by those of _A. tristis, S. contra_, and _A. +giuginianus_. + +The eggs vary in length from 0·86 to 1·15, and in breadth from 0·66 to +0·8; but the average of fifty-four eggs is 0·97 by 0·75. + + +546. Graculipica nigricollis (Payk.). _The Black-necked Myna_. + +All that we know of the nidification of this species is contained in +the following brief note by Dr. John Anderson:-- + +"It has much the same habits as _Sturnopastor contra_ var. +_superciliaris_. I found it breeding in the month of May in one of the +few clumps of trees at Muangla." + +Muangla lies to the east of Bhamo. + + +549. Acridotheres tristis (Linn.). _The Common Myna_. + +Acridotheres tristis (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 325; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 684. + +The Common Myna breeds throughout the Indian Empire, alike in the +plains and in the hills. A pair breed yearly in the roof of my +verandah at Simla, at an elevation of 7800 feet. + +They are very domestic birds, and greatly affect the habitations of +man and their immediate neighbourhood. They build in roofs of houses, +holes in walls, trees, and even old wells, in the earthen chatties +that in some parts the natives hang out for their use (as the +Americans hang boxes for the Purple Martin), and, though _very_ +rarely, once in a way _on_ the branches of trees. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a summer visitor in the hills, and +arrives at Mussoorie with the _A. fuscus_, Wagl. It builds in the +hole of a tree, which is lined with dry grass and feathers, and on +no occasion have I _ever_ seen a nest made on the branches of a tree +composed of twigs and grass as stated by Captain Tickell." + +But in this instance Captain Tickell may have been right, for I +have once seen such a nest myself, and Mr. H.M. Adam writes:--"Near +Sambhur, on the 7th July, I saw a pair of this species building a +large cup-shaped nest in a babool tree;" while Colonel G.F.L. Marshall +affirms that this species "_frequently_ lays in cup-shaped nests of +sticks placed in trees, like small Crows' nests." And he subsequently +writes:--"I can distinctly reaffirm, what I said as to this species +building a nest in the fork of a tree. In the compound of Kalunder +gari choki, in the Bolundshahr district, I found no less than five of +these nests on one day; the compound is densely planted with sheeshum +trees, which were there about twenty feet high, and the nests were +near the tops of these trees. I found several other similar nests on +the canal-bank, one with young on the 11th September." + +Also writing in this connection from Allahabad, Major C.T. Bingham +says:-- + +"Twice I have found the nest of this bird in trees, but it generally +builds in holes, both in trees and walls, and commonly in the thatch +of houses. Once I got a couple of eggs from a nest made amidst a +thick-growing creeper." + +Neglecting exceptional cases like these, the nest is a shapeless but +warm lining to the hole, composed chiefly of straw and feathers, but +in which fine twigs, bits of cotton, strips of rags, bits of old rope, +and all kinds of odds and ends may at times be found incorporated. + +The normal breeding-season lasts from June to August, during which +period they rear two broods; but in Ross Island (Andamans), where they +were introduced some years ago, they seem to breed _all-through_ +the year. Captain Wimberley, who sent me some of their eggs thence, +remarks:--"The bird is now very common here. As soon as it has cleared +out one young brood, it commences building and laying again. This +continues all the year round." + +I think this great prolificness may be connected with the uniformly +warm temperature of these islands and the great heat of the sun there +all through the year rendering much incubation unnecessary. Even in +the plains of Northern India in the hot weather when they breed these +birds do not sit close, and since at the Andamans the weather is such +all the year round that the eggs almost hatch themselves this may be +partly the reason why these birds have so many more broods there than +with us, where, for at least half the year, constant incubation would +be necessary. I particularly noticed when at Bareilly how very little +trouble these Mynas sometimes took in hatching their eggs, and I may +quote what I then recorded about the matter:-- + +"In a nest in the wall of our verandah we found four young ones. This +was particularly noteworthy, because from my study-window the pair had +been watched for the last month, first courting, then flitting in and +out of the hole with straws and feathers, ever and anon clinging to +the mouth of the aperture, and laboriously dislodging some projecting +point of mortar; then marching up and down on the ground, the male +screeching out his harsh love-song, bowing and swelling out his throat +all the while, and then rushing after and soundly thrashing any chance +Crow (four times his weight at least) that inadvertently passed too +near him; never during the whole time had either bird been long +absent, and both had been seen together daily at all hours. I made +certain that they had not even begun to sit, and behold there were +four fine young ones a full week old chirping in the nest! Clearly +these birds are not close sitters down here; but I well remember a +pair at Mussoorie, some 6000 feet above the level of the sea, the most +exemplary parents, one or other being on the eggs at all hours of the +day and night. The morning's sun beats full upon the wall in the inner +side of which the entrance to the nest is; the nest itself is within 4 +inches of the exterior surface; at 11 o'clock the thermometer gave 98° +as its temperature. I have often observed in the river Terns (_Seena +aurantia, Rhynchops albicollis, Sterna javanica_) and Pratincoles +(_Glareola lactea_) who lay their eggs in the bare white glittering +river-sands, that so long as the sun is high and the sand hot they +rarely sit _upon_ their eggs, though one or other of the parents +constantly remains beside or hovering near and over them, but in the +early morning, in somewhat cold and cloudy days, and as the night +draws on, they are all close sitters. I suspect that instinct teaches +the birds that, when the natural temperature of the nest reaches a +certain point, any addition of their body-heat is unnecessary, and +this may explain why during the hot days (when we alone noticed them), +in this very hot hole, the parent Mynas spent so little of their time +in the nest whilst the process of hatching was going on." + +They lay indifferently four or five eggs. I have just as often found +the former as the latter number, but I have never yet met with more. + +From Lucknow Mr. G. Reid tells us:--"Generally speaking the Common +Myna, like the Crow (_Corvus splendens_) commences to breed with the +first fall of rain in June--early or late as the case may be--and has +done breeding by the middle of September. It nests indiscriminately +in old ruins, verandahs, walls of houses, &c., but preferentially, I +think, in holes of trees, laying generally four, but sometimes five +eggs." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"In Karachi Mynas begin to lay at the end +of April. The Common Myna breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa during +the monsoon, principally in the months of July and August, at which +season every pair seems to be engaged in nidification. I have taken +nests containing fresh eggs during the first week of September; and +birds that have had their first nests robbed or young destroyed +probably lay even later still." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana +during June and July. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has furnished me with the following interesting +note:--"A pair of Mynas clung tenaciously for two years, from June +1863 to August 1865, to a hole in some matting in the upper verandah +of a house in Bombay. During this period they hatched six broods, one +of which I took and another was destroyed, by rats perhaps. I had +a strong suspicion that more than one set of eggs were destroyed +besides. + +"The remarkable thing I wish to note is that every alternate brood +of young contained an _albino_, pure white and with pink eyes; being +three in all. Every time a new set of eggs was to be laid, a new nest +was built on the top of the old one. I once tore down the whole pile, +as it was infested with vermin, and found that seven nests had been +made, one upon another, showing that the Mynas must have occupied the +hole long before I noticed them. Each nest was complete in itself +and well lined, and as Mynas are not sparing of their materials, +the accumulated heap was nearly two feet deep. Every separate nest +contained a piece of a snake's skin, and with reference to your remark +on this point I may say that every Myna's nest that I have ever +examined has had a piece of snake-skin in it. This may, I think, be +simply accounted for by the fact of snake-skin lying about plentifully +in those places where Mynas mostly pick up their building-materials. +The breeding-season extends into September in Bombay; and though +it usually begins in June, I found a nest of half-fledged young at +Khandalla on the 31st May, 1871. + +"With reference to your remarks in 'Nests and Eggs,' that you have +never met with more than five eggs in a nest, I would mention that I +took six eggs from a nest in the roof of a house I occupied at Akola, +on the 20th June, 1870. + +"At the same station in August 1869 a nest of young Mynas was reared +above the hinge of the semaphore signal at the railway-station. One or +other arm of the signal must have risen and fallen every time a train +passed, but the motion neither alarmed the birds nor disarranged the +nest." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this Myna in the +Deccan:--"Common, and breeds in May and June." + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The commonest of all birds +here. Breeds throughout the summer months. It makes its nest generally +in the roofs of houses or in holes in trees. It lays about five eggs +of a very pale blue colour." + +Finally, Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Commences making nest about +15th March. I have taken eggs as late as 17th July, but in this case +the previous brood had been destroyed. Normally no eggs are to be +found after June." + +The eggs, which are larger than those of either _Sturnopastor contra_ +or _A. ginginianus_, in other respects resemble these eggs greatly, +but when fresh are, I think, on the whole of a slightly darker colour. +They are rather long, oval, often pear-shaped, eggs, spotless and +brilliantly glossy, varying from very pale blue to pure sky- or +greenish blue. + +In length they vary from 1·05 to 1·28, and in breadth from 0·8 to +0·95; but the average of ninety-seven eggs is 1·19 by 0·86. + + +550. Acridotheres melanosternus, Legge. _The Common Ceylon Myna_. + +Acridotheres melanosternus, _Legge, Hume, cat._ no. 684 bis. + +Colonel Legge tells us, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' that "this species +breeds in Ceylon from February until May, nesting perhaps more in the +month of March than in any other. It builds in holes of trees, often +choosing a cocoanut-palm which has been hollowed out by a Woodpecker, +and in the cavity thus formed makes a nest of grass, fibres, and +roots. I once found a nest in the end of a hollow areca-palm which was +the cross beam of a swing used by the children of the Orphan School, +Bonavista, and the noise of whose play and mirth seemed to be viewed +by the birds with the utmost unconcern. The eggs are from three to +five in number; they are broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and are uniform, unspotted, pale bluish or ethereal green. +They vary in length from 1·07 to 1·2 inch and in breadth from 0·85 to +0·92 inch. + +"Layard styles the eggs 'light blue, much resembling those of the +European Starling in shape, but rather darker in colour.'" + + +551. Acridotheres ginginianus (Lath.). _The Bank Myna_. + +Acridotheres ginginianus (_Lath.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 326; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 685. + +The Bank Myna breeds throughout the North-West Provinces and Oudh, +Behar, and Central Bengal, the greater portion of the Central +Provinces, and the Punjab and Sindh. Adams says it does not _occur_ in +the Punjab; but, as Colonel C.H.T. Marshall correctly pointed out to +me years ago, and I have verified the facts, it breeds about Lahore +and many other places, and in the high banks of the Beas, the Sutlej, +the Jhelum, and the Indus, congregating in large numbers on these +rivers just as it does on the Jumna or the Ganges. + +It builds exclusively, so far as my experience goes, in earthen banks +and cliffs, in holes which it excavates for itself, always, I think, +in close proximity to water, and by preference in places overhanging +or overlooking running water. + +The breeding-season lasts from the middle of April to the middle of +July, but I have found more eggs in May than in any other month. + +Four is the usual number of the eggs; I have found five, but never +more. If Theobald got seven or eight, they belonged to two pairs; and +the nests so run into each other that this is a mistake that might +easily be made, even where coolies were digging into the bank before +one. + +There is really no variety in their nesting arrangements, and a note +I recorded in regard to one colony that I robbed will, I think, +sufficiently illustrate the subject. All that can be said is that very +commonly they nest low down in earthy cliffs, where it is next to +impossible to explore thoroughly their workings, while in the instance +referred to these were very accessible:-- + +"One morning, driving out near Bareilly, we found that a colony of the +Bank Myna had taken possession of some fresh excavations on the banks +of a small stream. The excavation was about 10 feet deep, and in its +face, in a band of softer and sandier earth than the rest of the bank, +about a foot below the surface of the ground, these Mynas had bored +innumerable holes. They had taken no notice of the workman who had +been continuously employed within a few yards of them, and who +informed us that the Mynas had first made their appearance there only +a month previously. On digging into the bank we found the holes all +connected with each other, in one place or another, so that apparently +every Myna could get into or out from its nest by any one of the +hundred odd holes in the face of the excavation. The holes averaged +about 3 inches in diameter, and twisted and turned up and down, right +and left, in a wonderful manner; each hole terminated in a more +or less well-marked bulb (if I may use the term), or egg-chamber, +situated from 4 to 7 feet from the face of the bank. The egg-chamber +was floored with a loose nest of grass, a few feathers, and, in many +instances, scraps of snake-skins. + +"Are birds superstitious, I wonder? Do they believe in charms? If not +what induces so many birds that build in holes in banks to select out +of the infinite variety of things, organic or inorganic, pieces of +snake-skin for their nests? They are at best harsh, unmanageable +things, neither so warm as feathers, which are ten times more +numerous, nor so soft as cotton or old rags, which lie about +broadcast, nor so cleanly as dry twigs and grass. Can it be that +snakes have any repugnance to their 'worn out weeds,' that they +dislike these mementos of _their_ fall[A], and that birds which breed +in holes into which snakes are likely to come by instinct select these +exuviae as scare-snakes? + +[Footnote A: "When the snake," says an Arabic commentator, "tempted +Adam it was a winged animal. To punish its misdeeds the Almighty +deprived it of wings, and condemned it thereafter to creep for ever on +its belly, adding, as a perpetual reminder to it of its trespass, a +command for it to cast its skin yearly."] + +"In some of the nests we found three or four callow young ones, but +in the majority of the terminal chambers were four, more or less, +incubated eggs. + +"I noticed that the tops of all the mud-pillars (which had been left +standing to measure the work by) had been drilled through, and through +by the Mynas, obviously not for nesting-purposes, as not one of them +contained the vestige of a nest, but either for amusement or to afford +pleasant sitting-places for the birds not engaged in incubation. +Whilst we were robbing the nests, the whole colony kept screaming and +flying in and out of these holes in the various pillar-tops in a very +remarkable manner, and it may be that, after the fashion of Lapwings, +they thought to lead us away from their eggs and induce a belief that +their real homes were in the pillar tops." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"This species breeds in the +Bolundshahr District in June and July. It makes its nest in a hole +in a bank, but more often in the side of a kucha or earthen well. A +number of birds generally breed in company. The nest is formed by +lining the cavity with a little grass and roots and a few feathers. On +the 8th July I found a colony breeding in a well near Khoorjah, and +took a dozen fresh eggs." + +Writing from Lucknow, Mr. G. Reid says:--"During the breeding season +it associates in large flocks along the banks of the Groomti, where it +nidificates in colonies in holes in the banks of the river. From some +of these holes I took a few fresh eggs on the 15th May, and again on +the 30th June on revisiting the spot. In the district it breeds in old +irrigation-wells and occasionally in ravines with good steep banks." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing from Allahabad, says:--"Breeds in June, +July, and August in holes in sandy banks of rivers and nullahs. Eggs, +five in number, laid on a lining of straw and feathers." + +Colonel E.A. Butler notes:--"The Bank Myna lays about Deesa in June +and July. On the 26th June I lowered a man down several wells, finding +nests containing eggs and nests containing young ones, some nearly +fledged. The nests are generally in holes in the brickwork, often +further in than a man can reach, and several pairs of birds usually +occupy the same well. The eggs vary much in shape and number. In some +nests I found as many as five, in others only two or three. In colour +they closely resemble the eggs of _A. tristis_, but they are slightly +smaller, the tint is of a decidedly deeper shade, and the shell more +glossy. July 5th, several nests, some containing eggs, others young +ones. July 13th, numerous nests in wells and banks, some containing +fresh, others incubated eggs, and others young birds of all sizes. The +eggs varied in number from two to five. I took twenty-six fresh eggs +and then discontinued." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Myna breeds about +May. + +The eggs are typically, I think, shorter and proportionally broader +than those of other kindred species already described; very pyriform +varieties are, however, common. They are as usual spotless, very +glossy, and of different shades of very pale sky- and greenish blue. +Although, when a large series of the eggs of this and each of the +preceding species are grouped together, a certain difference is +observable, individual eggs can by no means be discriminated, and +it is only by taking the eggs with one's own hand that one can feel +certain of their authenticity. + +In length they vary from 0·95 to 1·16, and in breadth from 0·72 to +0·87; but the average of forty-seven eggs is 1·05 by 0·82. + + +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (Wagl.). _The Jungle Myna_. + +Acridotheres fuscus (_Wagl.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 327; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 686. + +The Jungle Myna eschews the open cultivated plains of Upper, Central, +and Western India. It breeds throughout the Himalayas, at any +elevations up to 7000 feet, where the hills are not bare, and in some +places in the sub-Himalayan jungles. It breeds in the plains country +of Lower Bengal, and in both plains and hills of Assam, Cachar, and +Burma, and also in great numbers in the Nilgiris and all the wooded +ranges and hilly country of the Peninsula. The breeding-season lasts +from March to July, but the majority lay everywhere, I think, in +April, except in the extreme north-west, where they are later. + +Normally, they build in holes of trees, and are more or less social in +their nidification. As a rule, if you find one nest you will find a +dozen within a radius of 100 yards, and not unfrequently within one of +ten yards. But, besides trees, they readily build in holes in temples +and old ruins, in any large stone wall, in the thatch of old houses, +and even in their chimneys. + +The nest is a mere lining for the hole they select, and varies in size +and shape with this latter; fine twigs, dry grass, and feathers are +the materials most commonly used, the feathers being chiefly gathered +together to form a bed for the eggs; but moss, moss and fern roots, +flocks of wool, lichen, and down may often be found in greater or less +quantities intermingled with the grass and straw which forms the main +body, or with the feathers that constitute the lining, of the nest. I +have never found more than five eggs, but Miss Cockburn says that they +sometimes lay six. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Myna, which takes +the place of _A. tristis_ in the higher hills, breeds always in holes +in trees. We found five or six nests in June and early in July." + +They breed near Solan, below Kussowlee, and close to Jerripani, +Captain Hutton's place below Mussoorie, in both which localities I +have taken their nests myself. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a summer visitant in the hills, and +is common at Mussoorie during that season; but it does not appear to +visit Simla, although it is to be found in some of the valleys below +it to the south. It breeds at Mussoorie in May and June, selecting +holes in the forest trees, generally large oaks, which it lines with +dry grass and feathers. The eggs are from three to five, of a pale +greenish blue, shape ordinary, but somewhat inclined to taper to the +smaller end. This species usually arrives from the valleys of the +Dhoon about the middle of March; and, until they begin to sit on their +eggs, they congregate every morning and evening into small flocks, and +roost together in trees near houses; in the morning they separate for +the day into pairs, and proceed with the building of nests or laying +of eggs. After the young are hatched and well able to fly, all betake +themselves to the Dhoon in July." + +In Kumaon I found them breeding near the Ramghur Ironworks, and, +writing from Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says that they "breed +very commonly at Bheem Tal (4000 feet), but I have not noticed them at +Nynee Tal. I took a great many eggs; they were all laid in holes in +rotten trees at a height of 2 to 8 feet from the ground; they average +much smaller than the eggs of _A. tristis_, but are similar in +colour." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"This species is common and a +permanent resident in the Valley of Nepal, but does not occur in such +great numbers as _A. tristis_. It is also found in tolerable abundance +in the Nawakot district and the Hetoura Dun in winter. It breeds in +the Valley in May and June, laying in holes in trees or walls; the +eggs are very like those of _A. tristis_, but smaller--not so broad. I +noticed on two or three occasions an albino of this species, which was +greatly persecuted by the Crows." + +Mr. G. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Exceedingly +common. Breeds in May. The irides of all I have seen were pale +slate-blue." + +"In the Nilgiris," writes Mr. Wait, "the Jungle Myna's eggs may be +found at any time from the end of February to the beginning of July. +They nest in chimneys, hollow trees, holes in stone walls, &c., +filling in the hole with hay, straw, moss, and twigs, and lining +the cavity with feathers. They lay from three to five long, oval, +greenish-blue eggs, a shade darker than those of the English +Starling." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "these Mynas breed in the +months of March and April, and construct their nests (which consist +of a few straws, sticks, and feathers put carelessly together) in the +holes of trees and old thatched houses. They lay five or six eggs of +a beautiful light blue, and are extremely careful of their young. The +nests of these birds are so common in the months above mentioned that +herd-boys have brought me more than fifty eggs at a time. + +"About a year ago a pair took up their abode in my pigeon-cot, and +although the eggs were often destroyed they would not leave the place, +but continued to lay in the same nest. At last one of them was caught; +the other went away, but returned the next day accompanied by a +new mate. At length the hole was shut up, as they committed great +depredations in the garden, and were useful only in giving a sudden +sharp cry of alarm when the Mhorunghee Hawk-Eagle, a terrible enemy to +Pigeons, made its appearance, thus enabling the gardeners to balk him +of his intended victim." + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it is most abundant on the Nilgiris, where it +is a permanent resident, breeding in holes in trees, making a large +nest of moss and feathers, and laying three to five eggs of a pale +greenish-blue colour." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that at Manzeerabad, in Mysore, this Myna +is common everywhere, and breeds in April and May. + +Captain Horace Terry notes that in the Pulney hills the Jungle Myna +nests in April. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds on the Neilgherries in holes of trees. The hole is +filled up with sticks to within about a foot of the entrance, and a +smooth lining of paper, rags, feathers, &c. laid down, on which are +deposited from two to six light blue eggs. The young are fed on small +frogs, grasshoppers, and fruit. An egg measured 1·2 inch by ·88. +Breeds in May." + +At Dacca Colonel Tytler found them nesting in temples and houses about +the sepoy lines. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this species +is "pretty common, and a permanent resident. This species associates +with _A. tristis_, but is seen on trees away from villages, which the +latter never is. Prefers well-wooded country, whereas _A. tristis_ +never goes into jungle. On the 29th of June, 1877, I found a nest in +a hole of a tree, about 12 feet off the ground. The diameter of the +entrance-hole was two and a half inches, and inside it widened to six +inches and about twenty inches in depth. The nest was a mere pad of +grass and feathers, and contained four very slightly incubated eggs. +And again on the 17th July, seeing the hole occupied, I again sent up +a boy, who found another four fresh eggs. The tree formed one of an +avenue leading from the house to the vats, and as men were always +going along the road it surprised me to find these birds laying there; +the hole had been caused by the heart of the tree rotting," + +Mr. Gates remarks of this Myna in Pegu:--"This bird does not appear to +lay till about the 15th April. I have taken the eggs, and I have seen +numerous nests with young ones of various ages in the middle of May. +They breed by preference in holes of trees and occasionally in the +high roofs of monastic buildings." + +The eggs of this species, which I have from Mussoorie, Dacca, Kumaon, +and the Nilgiris, approximate closer to those of _Acridotheres +tristis_ than to those of _A. ginginianus_. They are rather long +ovals, somewhat pointed usually, but often pyriform. They are perhaps, +as a rule, somewhat paler than those of either of the above-named +species, and are of the usual spotless glossy type, varying in colour +from that of skimmed milk to pale blue or greenish, blue. Typically, +I think, they are proportionally more elongated and attenuated than +those either of _A. tristis, A. ginginianus_ or _S. contra_. + +In length they vary from 1·03 to 1·31, and in breadth from 0·78 to +0·9; but the average of forty eggs is 1·19 by 0·83. + + +555. Sturnopastor contra (Linn.). _The Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor contra (_Linn_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 323; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683. + +The Pied Pastor, or Myna, breeds throughout the North-Western +Provinces and Oudh, Bengal, the eastern portions of the Punjab and +Rajpootana (it does not extend to the western portions nor to Sindh), +the Central Provinces, and Central India. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but the majority of the +birds lay in June and July. It builds in trees, at heights of from +10 to 30 feet, usually towards the extremities of lateral branches, +constructing a huge clumsy nest of straw, grass, twigs, roots, and +rags, with a deep cavity lined as a rule with quantities of feathers. +Occasionally, but very rarely, it places its nest in some huge hole in +a great arm of a mango-tree. I have seen many hundreds of their nests, +but only two thus situated. + +As a rule these birds do not build in society, but at times, +especially in Lower Bengal, I have seen a dozen of their nests on a +single tree. + +The nest is usually a shapeless mass of rubbish loosely put together, +rough and ragged. + +A note I recorded on one taken at Bareilly will illustrate +sufficiently the kind of thing:-- + +"At the extremity of one of the branches of these same mango-trees, a +small truss of hay, as it seemed, at once caught every eye. This was +one of the huge nests of the Pied Pastor, and proved to be some 2 feet +in length and 18 inches in diameter, composed chiefly of dry grass, +but with a few twigs, many feathers, and a strip or two of rags +intermingled in the mass. The materials were loosely put together, and +the nest was placed high up in a fork near the extremity of a branch. +In the centre was a well-like cavity some 9 inches deep by 3½ inches +in diameter, at the bottom of which, amongst many feathers, lay four +fresh eggs." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but they very often lay only +four, and once in a hundred times six are met with. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found numerous nests during +May and June. They were all placed all keekur-trees, at heights of +from 10 to 15 feet from the ground, the trees for the most part being +situated on the banks of a canal or in the Dhana Beerh, a sort of +jungle preserve. + +"The nests were densely built of keekur and zizyphus twigs, and +thickly lined with rags, leaves, and straw. Five was the greatest +number of eggs that I found in any one nest." + +Writing of his experience in the Delhi and Jhansi Divisions, Mr. F.R. +Blewitt remarks that "the Pied Pastor breeds from June to August, +making its nests between the outer branchlets of the larger lateral +branches of trees, without special choice for any one kind. The nest +is altogether roughly made, though some ingenuity is evinced in +putting all the material of which it is composed together. Twigs, +grasses, rags, feathers, &c. are all brought into requisition to form +the large-made structure, which I have found, though less commonly, at +a higher altitude from the ground than the 8 or 10 feet Jerdon speaks +of." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds in Allahabad in June, July, and +August; and at Delhi in May, June, and July. The nest is a large +shapeless mass of straw, feathers, and rags, having a deep cavity +for the eggs, which are generally five in number. The nest is almost +always placed at the extreme tip of some slender branch, and there is +no attempt at concealment." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this Myna +is "very common, and a permanent resident. They eat fruit as well as +insects. Lay in May and June, building their huge nests at various +heights from the ground, and in any tree that comes in handy. I +have generally found the nests lined with the white feathers of the +paddy-birds; some of the feathers being as much as six and seven +inches in length. The nests were composed principally of doob-grass; +three to four eggs in each nest." + +From Cachar Mr. J. Inglis writes:--"The Pied Pastor is very common all +the year. It breeds during March, April, May, and June, making its +nest on any sort of tree about 15 feet or more from the ground; about +100 nests may often be seen together. It prefers nesting on trees on +the open fields. I do not know the number of its eggs." + +The eggs are typically moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed +towards one end, but pyriform and elongated examples occur; in fact, a +great number of the eggs are more or less pear-shaped. Like those of +all the members of this subfamily, the eggs are blue, spotless, and +commonly brilliantly glossy. In shade they vary from a delicate bluish +white to a pure, though somewhat pale, sky-blue, and not uncommonly +are more or less tinged with green. They vary in length from 0·95 to +1·25, and in breadth from 0·75 to 0·9; but the average of one hundred +eggs is 1·11 by 0·82 nearly. + + +556. Sturnopastor superciliaris, Blyth. _The Burmese Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor superciliaris, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683 +bis. + +Of the Burmese Pied Pastor, or Myna, Mr. Eugene Oates says that it is +common and resident throughout the plains of Pegu. Writing from Wau he +says:-- + +"On the 28th of April, having a spare morning, I took a very large +number of nests and eggs. The eggs were in various stages of +incubation, but the majority were freshly laid. On May 7th I took +another nest with two eggs. These were quite fresh. + +"The nest is a huge cylindrical structure, about 18 inches long and +a foot in diameter, composed of straw, leaves, and feathers. It is +placed at a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground, in a most +conspicuous situation, generally at the end of a branch, which has +been broken off and where a few leaves are struggling to come out. A +bamboo-bush is also a favourite site. This Myna will, by preference, +build near houses, but in no case _in_ a house; it must have a tree." + +The eggs, which I owe to Mr. Oates, are, as might be expected, very +similar indeed to those of our Common Pied Pastor, but they seem to +average somewhat smaller. + +They are moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one +end, and in some cases more or less compressed there, and slightly +pyriform. + +The specimens sent are only moderately glossy. In colour they vary +from _very_ pale bluish green to a moderately dark greenish blue, but +the great majority are pale. + +In length they vary from 1·0 to 1·1, and in breadth from 0·73 to 0·82; +but the average of fifteen eggs is 1·04 by 0·77. + + + + +INDEX. + + +abbotti, Trichastoma, +---- Turdinus, +Abrornis albigularis, +---- albosuperciliaris, +---- castaneiceps, +---- chloronotus, +---- flaviventris, +---- poliogenys, +---- schisticeps, +---- superciliaris, +---- xanthoschistos, +Acanthopneuste davisoni, +---- occipitalis, +Acanthoptila leucotis, +---- nepalensis, +---- pellotis, +Accentor alpinus, +---- modularis, +Acredula rosea, +Aeridotheres fuscus, +---- ginginianus, +---- melanosternus, +---- tristis, +Acrocephalus agricola, +---- arundinaceus, +---- brunnescens, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentoreus, +Actinodura egertoni, +Actinodura nipalensis, +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus, +Aegithina tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +aemodium, Conostoma. +aenea, Chaptia, +Aethiopsar fuscus, +affinis, Cypselus, +----, Dumeticola, +----, Sylvia, +----, Tribura, +agricola, Acrocephalus, +----, Calamodyta, +albicollis, Rhynchops, +albifrontata, Rhipidura, +----, Leucocerca, +albigularis, Abrornis, +----, Dumetia, +----, Garrulax, +albirictus, Buchanga, +albiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +----, Pnoepyga, +albosuperciliaris, Abrornis, +Alcippe atriceps, +---- nepalensis, +---- nigrifrons, +Alcippe phaeocephala, +---- phayrii, +---- poiocephala, +Alcurus striatus, +Allotrius melanotis, +---- oenobarbus, +alpinus, Accentor, +Ampeliceps coronatus, +ampelinus, Hypocolius, +analis, Otocompsa, +----, Pycnonotus, +andamanensis, Corvus, +Anorthura neglecta, +Arachnechthra asiatica, +argentauris, Leiothrix, +----, Mesia, +Argya caudata, +---- earlii, +---- malcolmi, +---- subrufa, +Artamus fuscus, +---- leucogaster, +---- leucorhynchus, +arundinacea, Salicaria, +arundinaceus, Acrocephalus, +asiatica, Arachnechthra, +assimilis, Neornis, +ater, Dicrurus, +atricapillus, Molpastes, +atriceps, Alcippe, +----, Parus, +----, Rhopocichla, +atrigularis, Orthotomus, +----, Suya, +aurantia, Seena, + +bactriana, Pica, +badius, Micronisus, +baya, Ploccus, +beavani, Prinia, +belangeri, Garrulax, +bengalensis, Graminicola, +----, Molpastes, +Bhringa remifer, +---- tectirostris, +bicolor, Pratincola, +bispecularis, Garrulus, +blanfordi, Drymoeca, +----, Ixus, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +blythii, Sturnia, +----, Temenuchus, +bourdilloni, Rhopocichla, +Brachypteryx albiventris, +---- cruralis, +---- nipalensis, +---- palliseri, +---- rufiventris, +brevirostris, Pericrocotus, +brunnea, Larvivora, +brunneifrons, Horeites, +brunneipectus, Dumeticola, +----, Tribura, +brunnescens, Acrocephalus, +brunneus, Ixus, +buchanani, Franklinia, +Buchanga albirictus, +---- intermedia, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudata, +Bulaca newarensis, +burmanicus, Molpastes, +burnesi, Laticilla, +Burnesia gracilis, +---- lepida, +burnesii, Eurycercus, + +cachinnans, Trochalopterum, +caerulatus, Dryonastes, +caerulescens, Dicrurus, +caeruleus, Dicrurus, +----, Parus, +caesius, Parus, +Calamodyta agricola, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentorea, +caligata, Iduna, +Callene albiventris, +---- rufiventris, +callipyga, Leiothrix, +Calornis chalybeïus, +Campophaga melanoschista, +---- sykesi, +---- terat, +caniceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Megalaema, +canifrons, Spizixus, +canorus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +cantator, Cryptolopha, +capistrata, Lioptila, +----, Sibia, +capitalis, Hemipus, +Caprimulgus indicus, +castanea, Merula, +castaneiceps, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Minla, +----, Sittiparus, +castaneicoronata, Oligura, +castaneiventris, Sitta, +castaneo-coronata, Tesia, +caudata, Argya, +caudata, Chatarrhaea, +----, Pnoepyga, +----, Urocichla, +Cephalopyrus flammiceps, +Certhia familiaris, +---- himalayana, +---- hodgsoni, +ceylonensis, Oriolus, +----, Zosterops, +Chaetornis locustelloides, +---- striatus, +chalybeïus, Calornis, +Chaptia aenea, +Chatarrhaea caudata, +---- earlii, +Chibia hottentotta, +chinensis, Cissa, +chloronotus, Abrornis, +----, Proregulus, +Chloropsis jerdoni, +chrysaea, Stachyrhis, +chrysaeus, Lioparus, +----, Proparus, +chrysopterum, Trochalopteron, +chrysotis, Proparus, +cinereicapilla, Franklinia, +cinereifrons, Crateropus, +----, Garrulax, +cinereocapilla, Prinia, +cinereus, Parus, +cinnamomeiventris, Sitta, +cinnamomeus, Passer, +Cissa chinensis, +---- ornata, +---- sinensis, +---- speciosa, +Cisticola cursitans, +---- schoenicola, +---- volitans, +Coccystes jacobinus, +---- melanoleucus, +Colaeus monedula, +Collyrio caniceps, +---- erythronotus, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +Conostoma aemodium, +contra, Sturnopastor, +Copsychus saularis, +corax, Corvus, +coronatus, Ampeliceps, +----, Orthotomus, +----, Phyllergates, +corone, Corvus, +Corvus andamanensis, +---- corax, +---- corone, +---- culminatus, +---- impudicus, +---- insolens, +---- intermedius, +---- japonensis, +---- lawrencii, +---- levaillantii, +---- littoralis, +---- macrorhynchus, +---- monedula, +---- pseudo-corone, +---- splendens, +---- thibetanus, +Crateropus canorus, +---- cinereifrons, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- rufescens, +---- somervillii, +---- striatus, +---- terricolor, +crepitans, Oedicnemus, +Criniger flaveolus, +---- ictericus, +crinigera, Suya, +cristatus, Lanius, +----, Parus, +----, Regulus, +cruralis, Brachypteryx, +----, Drymochares, +Crypsirhina varians, +Cryptolopha cantator, +---- castaneiceps, +---- jerdoni, +---- poliogenys, +---- xanthoschista, +culminatus, Corvus, +Curruca garrula, +curruca, Sterparola, +----, Sylvia, +cursitans, Cisticola, +----, Prinia, +cyana, Larvivora, +cyaniventris, Tesia, +Cyanoderma erythropterum +cyanuroptera, Siva, +Cypselus affinis, +---- palmarum, + +davisoni, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Dendrocitta himalayensis, +---- leucogastra, +---- rufa, +---- sinensis, +Dendrophila frontalis, +Dicrurus ater, +---- caerulescens, +---- caeruleus, +---- himalayanus, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudatus, +---- macrocercus, +---- nigrescens, +Dissemuroides lophorhinus, +Dissemurulus lophorhinus, +Dissemurus paradiseus, +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus, +---- tickelli, +Drymochares cruralis, +---- nepalensis, +Drymoeca blanfordi, +---- inornata, +---- insignis, +---- jerdoni, +---- valida, +Drymoica bengalensis, +Drymoipus inornatus, +---- longicaudatus, +Drymoipus neglectus, +---- sylvaticus, +---- terricolor, +Dryonastes caerulatus, +---- ruficollis, +dubius, Proparus, +----, Schoeniparus, +Dumetia albigularis, +---- hyperythra, +Dumeticola affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- fortipes, +dumetorum, Acrocephalus, +---- Calamodyta, + +earlii, Argya, +----, Chatarrhaea, +egertoni, Actinodura, +Elaphrornis palliseri, +emeria, Otocompsa, +eremita, Graculus, +erythrocephalum, Trochalopterum, +erythrocephalus, Aegithaliscus, +erythrogenys, Pomatorhinus, +erythronotus, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +erythroptera, Mirafra, +erythropterum, Cyanoderma, +erythropterus, Pteruthius, +erythropygius, Pericrocotus, +Esacus recurvirostris, +Eudynamys orientalis, +eugenii, Myiophoneus, +Eulabes intermedia, +---- javanensis, +---- ptilogenys, +---- religiosa, +europaea, Sitta, +Eurycercus burnesii, +excubitor, Lanius, + +fairbanki, Trochalopterum, +familiaris, Certhia, +ferrea, Pratincola, +ferrugilatus, Pomatorhinus, +ferruginosus, Pomatorhinus, +finlaysoni, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +flammeus, Pericrocotus, +flammiceps, Cephalopyrus, +flaveolus, Criniger, +flavicollis, Ixulus, +----, Passer, +flavirostris, Urocissa, +flaviventris, Abrornis, +----, Otocompsa, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +flavolivaceus, Neornis, +fortipes, Dumeticola, +----, Horornis, +Franklinia buchanani, +---- cinereicapilla, +---- gracilis, +---- rufescens, +Fregilus himalayensis, +frontalis, Dendrophila, +----, Sitta, +fuliginosa, Suya, +fulviventer, Horornis, +fuscatus, Phylloscopus, +fuscicapillum, Pellorneum +fuscicaudata, Otocompsa, +fuscus, Acridotheres, +----, Aethiopsar, +----, Artamus, + +galbula, Oriolus, +Gampsorhynchus rufulus, +ganeesa, Hypsipetes, +garrula, Curruca, +Garrulax albigularis, +---- belangeri, +---- cinereifrons, +---- leucolophus, +---- moniliger, +---- ocellatus, +---- pectoralis, +---- ruficollis, +Grarrulus bispecularis, +---- glandarius, +---- lanceolatus, +---- leucotis, +Gecinus nigrigenys, +ginginianus, Acridotheres, +glandarius, Grarrulus, +Glareola lactea, +gracilis, Burnesia, +----, Franklinia, +----, Lioptila, +----, Malacias, +----, Prinia, +----, Sibia, +Graculipica, nigricollis, +Graculus eremita, +Graminicola bengalensis, +Grammatoptila striata, +Graucalus macii, +griseus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +gularis, Mixornis, +----, Paradoxornis, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Yuhina, + +haemorrhous, Molpastes, +----, Pycnonotus, +haplonotus, Machlolophus, +hardwickii, Lanius, +Hemipteron nepalensis, +Hemipus capitalis, +---- picaecolor, +---- picatus, +hemispila, Nucifraga, +Hemixus macclellandi, +Hierococcyx varius, +himalayana, Certhia, +himalayanus, Dicrurus, +himalayensis, Dendrocitta, +----, Fregilus, +----, Sitta, +Hirundo rustica, +hodgsoni, Certhia, +----, Prinia, +Horeites brunneifrons, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +Horornis fortipes, +---- fulviventer, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +horsfieldi, Myiophoneus, +horsfieldii, Pomatorhinus, +hottentotta, Chibia, +humii, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Sturnus, +hyperythra, Dumetia, +Hypocolius ampelinus, +Hypolais rama, +Hypsipetes ganeesa, +---- macclellandi, +---- neilgherriensis, +---- psaroides, + +Ianthocincla ocellata, +---- rufigularis, +icterica, Iole, +ictericus, Criniger, +Iduna caligata, +igneitincta, Minla, +imbricatum, Trochalopterum, +impudicus, Corvus, +indica, Pratincola, +indicus, Caprimulgus, +----, Metopidius, +----, Passer, +inornata, Drymoeca, +----, Prinia, +inornatus, Drymoipus, +inquieta, Scotocerca, +insignis, Drymoeca, +insolens, Corvus, +intermedia, Buchanga, +----, Eulabes, +intermedius, Corvus, +----, Molpastes, +Iole icterica, +Iora tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +Irena puella, +Ixops nepalensis, +Ixulus flavicollis, +---- occipitalis, +Ixus blanfordi, +---- brunneus, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- luteolus, +---- plumosus, + +jacobinus, Coccystes, +japonensis, Corvus, +javanensis, Eulabes, +javanica, Sterna, +jerdoni, Chloropsis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Drymoeca, +----, Machlolophus, +----, Phyllornis, +----, Prinia, +jocosa, Otocompsa, + +khasiana, Suya, +kundoo, Oriolus, + +lactea, Glareola, +lahtora, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +Lalage terat, +lanceolatus, Garrulus, +Lanius caniceps, +---- cristatus, +---- erythronotus, +---- excubitor, +---- hardwickii, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +---- tephronotus, +---- vittatus, +Larvivora brunnea, +---- cyana, +Laticilla burnesi, +Lawrencii, Corvus, +Layardia rufescens, +---- subrufa, +Leiothrix argentauris, +---- callipyga, +lepida, Burnesia, +----, Prinia, +leucocephalus, Tantalus, +Leucocerca albifrontata, +leucogaster, Artamus, +leucogastra, Dendrocitta, +leucogenys, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +leucolophus, Grarrulax, +leucopsis, Sitta, +leucopterus, Platysmurus, +leucopygialis, Buchanga, +----, Dicrurus, +leucorhynchus, Artamus, +leucorodia, Platalea, +leucotis, Acanthoptila, +----, Garrulus, +----, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +levaillantii, Corvus, +lineatum, Trochalopterum, +Lioparus chrysaeus, +Lioptila capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- melanoleuca, +Liothrix lutea, +littoralis, Corvus, +locustelloides, Chaetornis, +longicauda, Orthotomus, +longicaudata, Buchanga, +longicaudatus, Dicrurus, +----, Drymoipus, +longirostris, Upupa, +Lophophanes melanolophus, +---- rufinuchalis, +lophorhinus, Dissemuroides, +----, Dissemurulus, +lutea, Liothrix, +luteiventris, Tribura, +luteolus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +luteus, Liothrix, + +macclellandi, Hemixus, +----, Hypsipetes, +macgrigoriae, Niltava, +Machlolophus haplonotus, +---- jerdoni, +---- spilonotus, +---- xanthogenys, +macii, Graucalus, +macrocercus, Dicrurus, +macrorhynchus, Corvus, +magnirostris, Urocissa, +major. Horeites, +----, Horornis, +----, Parus, +malabarica, Sturnia, +malabaricus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +----, Temenuchus, +Malacias gracilis, +---- melanoleucus, +Malacocercus canorus, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- malcolmi, +---- somervillei, +---- striatus, +Malacocercus terricolor, +malcolmi, Argya, +----, Malacocercus +mandellii, Pellorneum, +Megalaema caniceps, +Megalaima viridis, +Megalurus palustris, +melanicterus, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +melanocephalus, Oriolus, +melanoleuca, Lioptila, +melanoleucus, Coccystes, +----, Malacias, +melanolophus, Lophophanes, +melanops, Stoparola, +melanoschista, Campophaga, +melanosternus, Acridotheres, +melanotis, Allotrius, +----, Pteruthius, +melanurus, Pomatorhinus, +melaschistos, Volvocivora, +Merula castanea, +---- simillima, +---- vulgaris, +Mesia argentauris, +Metopidius indicus, +Micronisus badius, +Minla castaneiceps, +---- igneitincta, +minor, Sturnus, +minus, Trichastoma, +Mirafra erythroptera, +Mixornis gularis, +---- rubricapillus, +modularis, Accentor, +Molpastes atricapillus, +---- bengalensis, +---- burmanicus, +---- haemorrhous, +---- intermedius, +---- leucogenys, +Molpastes lencotis, +---- pusillus, +---- pygmaeus, +monedula, Colaeus, +----, Corvus, +moniliger, Grarrulax, +monticola, Parus, +Muscicapula superciliaris, +musicus, Turdus, +Myiophoneus eugenii, +---- horsfieldi, +---- temmincki, +Myzornis pyrrhura, + +nasalis, Pyctorhis, +neglecta, Anorthura, +----, Sitta, +----, Troglodytes, +neglectus, Drymoipus, +neilgherriensis, Hypsipetes, +nemoricola, Sturnia, +Neornis assimilis, +---- flavolivaceus, +nepalensis, Acanthoptila, +----, Alcippe, +----, Drymochares, +----, Ixops, +newarensis, Bulaca, +nigrescens, Dicrurus, +nigricapitatus, Drymocataphus, +nigriceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Stachyrhis, +nigrifrons, Alcippe, +----, Rhopocichla, +nigrigenys, Gecinus, +nigrimentum, Trochalopterum, +----, Yuhina, +nigrorufa, Ochromela, +Niltava macgrigoriae, +nipalensis, Actinodura. +----, Brachypteryx, +----, Hemipteron, +nipalensis, Pellorneum, +----, Troglodytes, +nitens, Sturnus, +Nucifraga hemispila, + +occipitalis, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixulus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Urocissa, +ocellata, Ianthocincla, +ocellatus, Garrulax, +ochrocephalus, Trachycomus, +Ochromela nigrorufa, +Oedicnemus crepitans, +oenobarbus, Allotrius, +Oligura castaneicoronata, +olivaceus, Pomatorhinus, +orientalis, Eudynamys, +Oriolus ceylonensis, +---- galbula, +---- kundoo, +---- melanocephalus, +---- traillii, +ornata, Cissa, +Orthotomus atrigularis, +---- coronatus, +---- longicauda, +---- sutorius, +Otocompsa analis, +---- emeria, +---- flaviventris, +---- fuscicaudata, +---- jocosa, +---- leucogenys, +---- leucotis, + +pagodarum, Temenuchus, +pallidipes, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +pallidus, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +palliseri, Brachypteryx, +----, Elaphrornis, +palmarum, Cypselus, +palpebrosus, Zosterops, +palustris, Megalurus, +----, Parus, +paradiseus, Dissemurus, +paradisi, Terpsiphone, +Paradoxornis gularis, +---- ruficeps, +Parus atriceps, +---- caeruleus, +---- caesius, +---- cinereus, +---- cristatus, +---- major, +---- monticola, +---- palustris, +Passer cinnamomeus, +---- flavicollis, +---- indicus, +Pastor roseus, +pectoralis, Garrulax, +Pellorneum fuscicapillum, +---- mandellii, +---- nipalensis, +---- ruficeps, +---- subochraceum, +pellotis, Acanthoptila, +pelvicus, Tephrodornis, +peregrinus, Pericrocotus, +Pericrocotus brevirostris, +---- erythropygius, +---- flammeus, +---- peregrinus, +---- roseus, +---- speciosus, +phaeocephala, Alcippe, +phayrii, Alcippe, +phoeniceum, Trochalopterum, +Phyllergates coronatus, +Phyllopneuste rama, +Phyllornis jerdoni, +Phylloscopus fuscatus, +---- humii, +---- proregulus, +---- rufa, +---- sibilatrix, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- trochilus, +---- tytleri, +---- viridanus, +---- viridipennis, +Pica bactriana, +---- rustica, +picaecolor, Hemipus, +picaoides, Sibia, +picatus, Hemipus, +pileata, Timelia, +Platalea leucorodia, +Platysmurus leucopterus, +platyura, Schoenicola, +Ploccus baya, +plumosus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Pnoepyga albiventris, +---- caudata, +---- pusilla, +---- squamata, +poiocephala, Alcippe, +poliogenys, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, +---- ferrugilatus, +---- ferruginosus, +---- horsfieldii, +---- melanurus, +---- olivaceus, +---- ruficollis, +---- schisticeps, +pondicerianus, Tephrodornis, +porphyronotus, Sturnus, +praecognita, Stachyris, +Pratincola bicolor, +---- ferrea, +---- indica, +Prinia beavani, +---- blanfordi, +---- cinereocapilla, +---- cursitans, +---- flaviventris, +---- gracilis, +---- hodgsoni, +---- inornata, +---- jerdoni, +---- lepida, +---- socialis, +---- sonitans, +---- stewarti, +---- sylvatica, +Proparus dubius, +---- chrysaeus, +---- chrysotis, +---- vinipectus, +proregulus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +Psaroglossa spiloptera, +psaroides, Hypsipetes, +pseudo-corone, Corvus, +Pteruthius erythropterus, +---- melanotis, +ptilogenys, Eulabes, +puella, Irena, +pusilla, Pnoepyga, +pusillus, Molpastes, +Pycnonotus analis, +---- blanfordi, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- flaviventris, +---- haemorrhous, +---- luteolus, +---- melanicterus, +---- plumosus, +---- pygaeus, +---- simplex, +Pyctorhis nasalis, +---- sinensis, +pygaeus, Pycnonotus, +pygmaeus, Molpastes, +pyrrhops, Stachyris, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +pyrrhura, Myzornis, +---- rama, Hypolais, +----, Phyllopneuste, + +recurvirostris, Esacus, +Reguloides chloronotus, +---- humii, +---- occipitalis, +---- proregulus, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- viridipennis, +Regulus cristatus, +religiosa, Eulabes, +remifer, Bhringa, +Rhipidura albifrontata, +Rhopocichla, atriceps, +---- bourdilloni, +---- nigrifrons, +Rhynchops albicollis, +rosea, Acredula, +roseus, Pastor, +----, Pericrocotus, +Rubigula flaviventris, +---- melanicterus, +rubricapillus, Mixornis, +rufa, Dendrocitta, +----, Phylloscopus, +rufescens, Crateropus, +----, Franklinia, +----, Layardia, +ruficeps, Paradoxornis, +----, Pellorneum, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +----, Stachyris, +ruficollis, Grarrulax, +----, Dryonastes, +----, Pomatorhinus, +rufigularis, Ianthocincla, +rufinuchalis, Lophophanes, +rufiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +rufogulare, Trochalopteron, +rufulus, Gampsorhynchus, +rustica, Hirundo, +----, Pica, +Ruticilla tithys, + +Salicaria arundinacea, +Salpornis spilonota, +Saroglossa spiloptera, +saularis, Copsychus, +Scaeorhynchus gularis, +---- ruficeps, +schisticeps, Abrornis, +----, Pomatorhinus, +schoenicola, Cisticola, +Schoenicola platyura, +Schoeniparus dubius, +Scotocerca inquieta, +Seena aurantia, +Sibia capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- picaoides, +sibilatrix, Phylloscopus, +simile, Trochalopterum, +simillima, Merula, +simplex, Pycnonotus, +sinensis, Cissa, +----, Dendrocitta, +----, Pyctorhis, +----, Urocissa, +Sitta castaneiventris, +---- cinnamomeiventris, +---- europaea, +---- frontalis, +---- himalayensis, +---- leucopsis, +---- neglecta, +---- tephronota, +Sittiparus castaneiceps, +Siva cyanuroptera, +---- strigula, +socialis, Prinia, +somervillei, Malacocercus, +somervillii, Crateropus, +sonitans, Prinia, +speciosa, Cissa, +speciosa, Pericrocotus, +spilonota, Salpornis, +spilonotus, Machlolophus, +spiloptera, Saroglossa, +----, Psaroglossa, +Spizixus canifrons, +splendens, Corvus, +squamata, Pnoepyga, +squamatum, Trochalopterum, +Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +Stachyrhis chrysaea, +---- nigriceps, +---- praecognita, +---- pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +stentorea, Calamodyta, +stentoreus, Acrocephalus, +Sterna javanica, +Sterparola curruca, +stewarti, Prinia, +Stoparola melanops, +striata, Grammatoptila, +striatus, Alcurus, +----, Chaetornis, +----, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +strigula, Siva, +Sturnia blythii, +---- malabarica, +---- nemoricola, +Sturnopastor contra, +---- superciliaris, +Sturnus humii, +---- minor, +---- nitens, +---- porphyronotus, +---- unicolor, +---- vulgaris, +subochraceum, Pellorneum, +subrufa, Argya, +----, Layardia, +subunicolor, Trochalopterum, +subviridis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +superciliaris, Abrornis, +----, Muscicapula, +----, Sturnopastor, +----, Xiphorhamphus, +superciliosus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +sutorius, Orthotomus, +Suya atrigularis, +---- crinigera, +---- fuliginosa, +---- khasiana, +sykesi, Campophaga, +sykesii, Volvocivora, +sylvatica, Prinia, +sylvaticus, Drymoipus, +Sylvia affinis, +---- curruca, +sylvicola, Tephrodornis, + +Tantalus leucocephalus, +tectirostris, Bhringa, +Temenuchus blythii, +---- malabaricus, +---- pagodarum, +temmincki, Myiophoneus, +Tephrodornis pelvicus, +---- pondicerianus, +---- sylvicola, +tephronota, Sitta, +tephronotus, Lanius, +terat, Campophaga, +----, Lalage, +Terpsiphone paradisi, +terricolor, Crateropus, +----, Drymoipus, +----, Malacocercus, +Tesia castaneo-coronata, +---- cyaniventris, +Thamnobia cambaiensis, +thibetanus, Corvus, +thoracica, Tribura, +tickelli, Drymocataphus, +Timelia pileata, +tiphia, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +tithys, Ruticilla, +Trachycomus ochrocephalus, +traillii, Oriolus, +Tribura affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- luteiventris, +---- thoracica, +Trichastoma abbotti, +---- minus, +tristis, Acridotheres, +Trochalopterum cachinnans, +---- chrysopterum, +---- erythrocephalum, +---- fairbanki, +---- imbricatum, +---- lineatum, +---- nigrimentum, +---- phoeniceum, +---- rufogulare, +---- simile, +---- squamatum, +---- subunicolor, +---- variegatum, +trochilus, Phylloscopus, +Troglodytes neglecta, +---- nipalensis, +Turdinus abbotti, +Turdus musicus, +tytleri, Phylloscopus, + +unicolor, Sturnus, +Upupa longirostris, +Urocichla caudata, +Urocissa flavirostris, +---- magnirostris, +---- occipitalis, +---- sinensis, + +valida, Drymoeca, +varians, Crypsirhina, +variegatum, Trochalopterum, +varius, Hierococcyx, +vinipectus, Proparus, +viridanus, Phylloscopus, +viridipennis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +viridis, Megalaima, +vittatus, Lanius, +volitans, Cisticola, +Volvocivora melaschistos, +---- sykesii, +vulgaris, Merula, +----, Sturnus, + +xanthogenys, Machlolophus, +xanthoschista, Cryptolopha, +xanthoschistos, Abrornis, +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris, + +Yuhina gularis, +---- nigrimentum, + +zeylonica, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +Zosterops ceylonensis, +---- palpebrosus, + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN BIRDS, +VOLUME 1*** + + +******* This file should be named 13117-8.txt or 13117-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/1/13117 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/old/13117-8.zip b/old/13117-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9dc3da --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13117-8.zip diff --git a/old/13117.txt b/old/13117.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c4ea3d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13117.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23117 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, Volume 1, +by Allan O. Hume, Edited by Eugene William Gates + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, Volume 1 + +Author: Allan O. Hume + +Release Date: August 5, 2004 [eBook #13117] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN +BIRDS, VOLUME 1*** + + +E-text prepared by the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading +Team from images provided by the Million Book Project + + + +THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN BIRDS, VOLUME 1 + +by + +ALLAN O. HUME, C.B. + +Second Edition. + +Edited by Eugene William Gates +Author of "A Handbook to the Birds of British Burmah and of the Birds +in the Fauna of British India," + +With Four Portraits. + +London + +1889 + + + + + + +[Illustration: ALLAN OCTAVIAN HUME] + + +[Illustration: ALERE FLAMMAM] + + + +AUTHOR'S PREFACE. + + +I have long regretted my inability to issue a revised edition of +'Nests and Eggs.' For many years after the first Rough Draft appeared, +I went on laboriously accumulating materials for a re-issue, but +subsequently circumstances prevented my undertaking the work. Now, +fortunately, my friend Mr. Eugene Gates has taken the matter up, and +much as I may personally regret having to hand over to another a task, +the performance of which I should so much have enjoyed, it is some +consolation to feel that the readers, at any rate, of this work will +have no cause for regret, but rather of rejoicing that the work has +passed into younger and stronger hands. + +One thing seems necessary to explain. The present Edition does not +include quite all the materials I had accumulated for this work. Many +years ago, during my absence from Simla, a servant broke into my +museum and stole thence several cwts. of manuscript, which he sold +as waste paper. This manuscript included more or less complete +life-histories of some 700 species of birds, and also a certain number +of detailed accounts of nidification. All small notes on slips of +paper were left, but almost every article written on full-sized +foolscap sheets was abstracted. It was not for many months that the +theft was discovered, and then very little of the MSS. could be +recovered. + +It thus happens that in the cases of some of the most interesting +species, of which I had worked up all the notes into a connected +whole, nothing, or, as in the case of _Argya subrufa_, only a single +isolated note, appears in the text. It is to be greatly regretted, for +my work was imperfect enough as it was; and this 'Selection from the +Records,' that my Philistine servant saw fit to permit himself, has +rendered it a great deal more imperfect still; but neither Mr. Oates +nor myself can be justly blamed for this. + +In conclusion, I have only to say that if this compilation should find +favour in any man's sight he must thank Mr. Oates for it, since not +only has he undergone the labour of arranging my materials and seeing +the whole work through the press--not only has he, I believe, added +himself considerably to those materials--but it is solely owing to him +that the work appears _at all_, as I know no one else to whom I could +have entrusted the arduous and, I fear, thankless duty that he has so +generously undertaken. + +ALLAN HUME. + +Rothney Castle, Simla, +October 19th, 1889. + + + + +EDITOR'S NOTE. + + +Mr. Hume has sufficiently explained the circumstances under which this +edition of his popular work has been brought about. I have merely to +add that, as I was engaged on a work on the Birds of India, I thought +it would be easier for me than for anyone else to assist Mr. Hume. +I was also in England, and knew that my labour would be very much +lightened by passing the work through the press in this country. +Another reason, perhaps the most important, was the fear that, as Mr. +Hume had given up entirely and absolutely the study of birds, the +valuable material he had taken such pains to accumulate for this +edition might be irretrievably lost or further injured by lapse of +time unless early steps were taken to utilize it. + +A few words of explanation appear necessary on the subject of the +arrangement of this edition. Mr. Hume is in no way responsible for +this arrangement nor for the nomenclature employed. He may possibly +disapprove of both. He, however, gave me his manuscript unreservedly, +and left me free to deal with it as I thought best, and I have to +thank him for reposing this confidence in me. Left thus to my own +devices, I have considered it expedient to conform in all respects to +the arrangement of my work on the Birds, which I am writing, side by +side, with this work. The classification I have elaborated for my +purpose is totally different to that employed by Jerdon and familiar +to Indian ornithologists; but a departure from Jerdon's arrangement +was merely a question of time, and no better opportunity than the +present for readjusting the classification of Indian birds appeared +likely to present itself. I have therefore adopted a new system, which +I have fully set forth in my other work. + +I take this opportunity to present the readers of Mr. Hume's work with +portraits of Mr. Hume himself, of Mr. Brian Hodgson, the late Dr. +Jerdon, and the late Colonel Tickell. + +EUGENE W. OATES. + + + + +SYSTEMATIC INDEX. + + +Order PASSERES. + +Family CORVIDAE. + +Subfamily CORVINAE. + +1. Corvus corax, _Linn._ +3. ---- corone, _Linn._ +4. ---- macrorhynchus, _Wagler_ +7. ---- splendens, _Vieill_ +8. ---- insulens, _Hume._ +9. ---- monedula, _Linn._ +10. Pica rustica (_Scop._) +12. Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl._) +13. ---- flaviostris (_Bl._) +14. Cissa chinensis (_Bodd._) +15. ---- ornata (_Wagler_) +16. Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._) +17. ---- leucogastra, _Gould_ +18. ---- himalayensis, _Bl._ +21. Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._) +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._) +24. Garrulous lanceolatus, _Vigors_ +25. ---- leucotis, _Hume_ +26. ---- bispecularis, _Vigors_ +27. Nucifraga hemispila, _Vigors_ +29. Graculus eremita (_Linn._) + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + +31. Parus atriceps, _Horsf._ +34. ---- monticola, _Vigors_ +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus _Vig._ +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._) +42. ---- xanthogenys _Vig._ +43. ---- haplonotus (_Bl._) +44. Lophophanes melanolophus _Vig._ +47. ---- rufinuchalis (_Bl._) + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + +50. Conostoma aemodium, _Hodgs._ +60. Sea orhynchus ruticeps (_Bl._) +61. ---- gularis _Horsf._ + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + +62. Dryonastes ruticollis (J.S.S.) +65. ---- caerulatus (_Hodgs._) +69. Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw._) +70. ---- belangeri, _Lesson_ +72. ---- pectoralis (_Gould_) +73. ---- moniliger (_Hodgs._) +76. ---- albigularis _Gould_ +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (_Vig._) +80. ---- rutigularis, _Gould_ +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (_Vig._) +83. ---- nigrimentum, _Hodgs._ +87. ---- phaeniceum (_Gould_) +88. ---- subunicolor, _Hodgs._ +90. ---- variegatum (_Vig._) +91. ---- simile, _Hume_ +92. ---- squamatum (_Gould_) +93. ---- cachinnans (_Jerd._) +96. ---- fairbanki, _Blanf._ +99. ---- lineatum (_Vig._) +101. Grammatoptila striata (_Vig._) +104. Argya earlii (_Bl._) +105. ---- caudata (_Dumeril_) +107. ---- malcolmi (_Sykes_) +108. ---- subrufa (_Jerd._) +110. Crateropus canorus (_Linn._) +111. ---- griseus (_Gmel._) +112. Crateropus striatus (_Swains._) +113. ---- somervillii (_Sykes_) +114. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +115. ---- cinereifrons (_Bl._) +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs._ +118. ---- olivaceus, _Bl._ +119. ---- melanurus, _Bl._ +120. ---- horsfieldii, _Sykes_ +122. ---- ferruginosus, _Bl._ +125. ---- ruficollis, _Hodgs._ +129. ---- erythrogenys, _Vig._ +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth_) + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + +134. Timelia pileata, _Horsf_ +135. Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl._) +136. ---- albigularis (_Bl._) +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm._) +140. ---- nasalis, _Legge_ +142. Pellorneum mandellii, _Blanf._ +144. ---- ruficeps, _Swains_ +145. ---- subochraceum, _Swinh_ +147. ---- fuscicapillum (_Bl._) +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton_) +151. ---- tickelli (_Bl._) +160. ---- abbotti (_Bl._) +163. Alcippe nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +164. ---- phaeocephala (_Jerd._) +165. ---- phayrii, _Bl._ +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (_Jerd._) +167. ---- nigrifrons (_Bl._) +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, _Hodgs_ +170.---- chrysaea, _Hodgs._ +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps(_Bl._) +174. ---- pyrrhops (_Hodgs._) +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (_Bl._) +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (_Tick._) +177. ---- gularis (_Raffl._) +178. Schoeniparus dubius (_Hume_) +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +183. Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._) +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (_Hodgs._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, _Vig._ +188. ---- eugenii, _Hume._ +189. ---- horsfieldi, _Vig_ +191. Larvivora brunnea, _Hodgs_ +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (_Fairbank_) +194. ---- rufiventris (_Bl._) +197. Drymochares cruralis (_Bl._) +198. ---- nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (_Bl._) +201. Tesia cyaniventris, _Hodgs._ +203. Oligura castaneicoronata (_Burt._) + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + +203. Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs._ +204. Lioptila capistrata (_Vig._) +205. ---- gracilis (_McClell._) +206. ---- melanoleuca (_Bl._) +211. Actinodura egertoni, _Gould_ +213. Ixops nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +219. Siva strigula, _Hodgs._ +221. ---- cyanuroptera, _Hodgs._ +223. Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs._ +225. ---- nigrimentum (_Hodgs._) +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (_Temm._) +229. ---- ceylonensis, _Holdsworth_ +231. Ixulus occipitalis, (_Bl._) +232.---- flavicollis (_Hodgs._) + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + +235. Liothrix lutea (_Scop._) +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig._) +239. ---- melanotis, _Hodgs._ +243. Aegithina tiphia (_Linn._) +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, _Hodgs._ +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (_Bl._) +254. Irena puella (_Lath._) +257. Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs._ +258. Minla igneitincta, _Hodgs._ +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt._) +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (_vig._) + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + +263. Criniger flaveolus (_Gould_) +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, _Vig._ +271. ---- ganeesa, _Sykes_ +275. Hemixus macclellandi (_Horsf._) +277. Alcurus striatus (_Bl._) +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (_Gm._) +279. ---- burmanicus (_Sharpe_) +281. ---- atricapillus (_Vieill._) +282. ---- bengalensis (_Bl._) +283. ---- intermedius (_A. Hay_) +284. ---- leucogenys (_Gr._) +285. ---- lencotis (_Gould_). +288. Otocompsa emeria (_Linn._) +289. ---- fuscicaudata, _Gould_ +290. ---- flaviventris (_Tick._) +292. Spizixus canifrons, _Bl._ +295. Iole icterica (_Strickl._) +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, _Strickl._ +300. ---- davisoni (_Hume_) +301. ---- melanicterus (_Gm._) +305. ---- luteolus (_Less._) +306. ---- blanfordi, _Jerd._ + + +Family SITTIDAE. + +315. Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S._ +316. ---- cinnamomeiventris, _Bl._ +317. ---- neglecta, _Walden_ +321. ---- castaneiventris, _Frankl._ +323. ---- leucopsis, _Gould_ +325. ---- frontalis, _Horsf._ + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + +327. Dicrurus ater (_Hermann_) +328. ---- longicaudatus, _A. Hay_ +329. ---- nigrescens, _Oates_ +330. ---- caerulescens (_Linn._) +331. ---- leucopygialis, _Bl._ +334. Chaptia aenea (_Vieill._) +335. Chibia hottentotta (_Linn._) +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (_Vieill._) +339. Bhringa remifer (_Temm._) +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (_Linn._) + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + +341. Certhia himalayana, _Vig._ +342. ---- hodgsoni, _Brooks_ +347. Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl._) +352. Anorthura neglecta (_Brooks_) +355. Urocichla caudata (_Bl._) +350. Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould_) + + +Family REGULIDAE. + +358. Regulus cristatus, _Koch._ + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (_H. & E._) +366. ---- dumetorum, _Bl._ +367. ---- agricola (_Jerd._) +371. Tribura thoracica (_Bl._) +372. ---- luteiventris, _Hodgs._ +374. Orthotomus sutorius (_Forst._) +375. ---- atrigularis, _Temm._ +380. Cisticola volitans (_Swinhoe_) +381. ---- cursitans (_Frankl._) +382. Franklinia gracilis (_Frankl._) +383. ---- rufescens (_Bl._) +384. ---- buchanani (_Bl._) +385. ---- cinereicapilla (_Hodgs._) +386. Laticilla burnesi (_Bl._) +388. Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd._ +389. Megalurus palustris, _Horsf._ +390. Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd._) +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (_Hodgs._) +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (_Bl._) +394. Hypolais rama (_Sykes_) +402. Sylvia affinis (_Bl._) +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks_ +410. ---- fuscatus (_Bl._) +415. ---- proregulus (_Pall._) +416. ---- subviridis (_Brooks_) +418. Phylloscopus humii (_Brooks_) +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis (_Jerd._) +430. ---- davisoni, _Oates_ +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (_Hodgs._) +435. ---- jerdoni (_Brooks_) +436. ---- poliogenys (_Bl._) +437. ---- castaneiceps (_Hodgs._) +438. ---- cantator (_Tick._) +440. Abrornis superciliaris, _Tick_ +441. ---- schisticeps (_Hodgs._) +442. ---- albigularis _Hodgs._ +445. Scotocerca inquieta (_Cretzschm._) +446. Neornis flavolivaceus (_Hodgs._) +448. Horornis fortipes _Hodgs._ +450. ---- pallidus (_Brooks_) +451. ---- pallidipes (_Blanf._) +452. ---- major (_Hodgs._) +454. Phyllergates coronatus (_Jerd. $ Bl._) +455. Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs._ +458. Suya crinigera, _Hodgs_ +459. ---- atrigularis, _Moore_ +460. ---- khasiana, _Godw.-Aust._ +462. Prinia lepida, _Bl_ +463. ---- flaviventris (_Deless_) +464. ----socialis, _Sykes_ +465. ----sylvatica, _Jerd_ +466. ----inornata, _Sykes_ +467. ----jerdoni (_Bl._) +468. ----blanfordi (_Walden_) + + +Family LANIIDAE. + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + +469. Lanius lahtora (_Sykes_) +473. ---- vittatus, _Valenc_ +475. ---- nigriceps (_Frankl._) +476. ---- erythronotus (_Vig._) +477. ---- tephronotus (_Vig_) +481. ---- cristatus, _Linn_ +484. Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_) +485. ---- capitalis (_McClell._) +480. Tephrodornis pelvicus (_Hodgs_) +487. ---- sylvicola, _Jerd_ +488. ---- pondicerianus (_Gm._) +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath._) +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst._) +495. ---- brevirostris (_Vigors_) +499. ---- roseus (_Vieill._) +500. ---- peregrinus (_Linn._) +501. ---- erythropygius (_Jerd._) +505. Campophaga melanoschista (_Hodgs._) +508. ---- sykesi (_Shield._) +509. ---- terat (_Bodd._) +510. Graucalus macii, _Lesson_ + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + +512. Artamus fuscus, _Vieill_ +513. ---- leucogaster (_Valenc._) + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + +518. Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes_ +521. ---- melanocephalus, _Linn._ +522. ---- traillii (_Vigors_) + + +Family EULABETIDAE. + +523. Eulabes religiosa (_Linn._) +524. ---- intermedia (_A. Hay_) +526. ---- ptilogenys (_Bl._) +527. Calornis chalybeius (_Horsf._) + + +Family STURNIDAE. + +528. Pastor roseus (_Linn._) +529. Sturnus humii, _Brooks_ +531. ---- minor, _Hume_ +537. Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._) +538. ---- malabarica (_Gm._) +539. ---- nemoricola, _Jerd_ +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl_ +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm._) +546. Graculipica nigricollis (_Payk._) +549. Acridotheres tristis (_Linn._) +550. ---- melanosternus, _Legge_ +551. ---- ginginianus (_Lath._) +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (_Wayl._) +555. Sturnopastor contra (_Linn._) +556. ---- superciliaris, _Bl_ + + + + +ERRATA. + + +Page 103. _After_ Drymocataphus tickelli _insert_ (Blyth). + +Page 126. _For_ Bhringa tenuirostris _read_ B. tectirostris. + +Page 223. _For_ Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.), _read_ Pnoepyga +squamata (Gould). + +Page 311. _After_ Lanius vittatus _Insert_ Valene. + + +[Illustration: THOMAS CAVERHILL JERDON.] + + +[Illustration: BRIAN HOUGHTON HODGSON.] + + +[Illustration: SAMUEL RICHARD TICKELL.] + + + + + + +Order PASSERES. Family CORVIDAE. Subfamily CORVINAE. + + +1. Corvus corax, Linn. _The Raven_. + +Corvus corax, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind. ii_, p. 293. +Corvus lawrencii, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 657. + +I separated the Punjab Raven under the name of _Corvus lawrencei_ +('Lahore to Yarkand,' p. 83), and I then stated, what I wish now to +repeat, that if we are prepared to consider _C. corax, C. littoralis, +C. thibetanus_, and _C. japonensis_ all as one and the same species, +then _C. lawrencei_ too must be suppressed; but if any of these are +retained as distinct, then so must _C. lawrencei_ be[A]. + +[Footnote A: I think it impossible to separate the Punjab Raven +from the Ravens of Europe and other parts of the world, and I have +therefore merged it into _C. corax_.--ED.] + +The Punjab Raven breeds throughout the Punjab (except perhaps in the +Dehra Ghazee Khan District), in Bhawulpoor, Bikaneer, and the northern +portions of Jeypoor and Jodhpoor, extending rarely as far south as +Sambhur. To Sindh it is merely a seasonal visitant, and I could not +learn that they breed there, nor have I ever known of one breeding +anywhere east of the Jumna. Even in the Delhi Division of the Punjab +they breed sparingly, and one must go further north and west to find +many nests. + +The breeding-season lasts from early in December to quite the end of +March; but this varies a little according to season and locality, +though the majority of birds always, I think, lay in January. + +The nest is generally placed in single trees of no great size, +standing in fields or open jungle. The thorny Acacias are often +selected, but I have seen them on Sisoo and other trees. + +The nest, placed in a stout fork as a rule, is a large, strong, +compact, stick structure, very like a Rook's nest at home, and like +these is used year after year, whether by the same birds or others of +the same species I cannot say. Of course they never breed in company: +I _never_ found two of their nests within 100 yards of each other, +and, as a rule, they will not be found within a quarter of a mile of +each other. + +Five is, I think, the regular complement of eggs; very often I have +only found four fully incubated eggs, and on two or three occasions +six have, I know, been taken in one nest, though I never myself met +with so many. + +I find the following old note of the first nest of this species that I +ever took:-- + +"At Hansie, in Skinner's Beerh, December 19, 1867, we found our first +Raven's nest. It was in a solitary Keekur tree, which originally of no +great size had had all but two upright branches lopped away. Between +these two branches was a large compact stick nest fully 10 inches deep +and 18 inches in diameter, and not more than 20 feet from the ground. +It contained five slightly incubated eggs, which the old birds evinced +the greatest objection to part with, not only flying at the head of +the man who removed them, but some little time after they had been +removed similarly attacking the man who ascended the tree to look at +the nest. After the eggs were gone, they sat themselves on a small +branch above the nest side by side, croaking most ominously, and +shaking their heads at each other in the most amusing manner, every +now and then alternately descending to the nest and scrutinizing every +portion of the cavity with their heads on one side as if to make sure +that the eggs were really gone." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's nidification +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lay in January and February; eggs, four only; shape, ovato-pyriform; +size, 1.7 by 1.3; colour, dirty sap green, blotched with blackish +brown; also pale green spotted with greenish brown and neutral; nest +of sticks difficult to get at, placed in well-selected trees or holes +in cliffs." + +I have not verified the fact of their breeding in holes in cliffs, but +it is very possible that they do. All I found near Pind Dadan Khan +and in the Salt Range were doubtless in trees, but I explored a very +limited portion of these hills. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Bhawulpoor on the 17th February, +says: "I succeeded yesterday in getting four eggs of the Punjab Raven. +The eggs were hard-set and very difficult to clean." + +From Sambhur Mr. R.M. Adam tells us:--"This Raven is pretty common +during the cold weather, but pairs are seen about here throughout the +year. They are very fond of attaching themselves to the camps of the +numerous parties of Banjaras who visit the lake. + +"I obtained a nest at the end of January which contained three eggs, +and a fourth was found in the parent bird. The nest was about 15 feet +from the ground in a Kaggera tree (_Acacia leucophloea_) which stood +on a bare sandy waste with no other tree within half a mile in any +direction." + +The eggs of the Punjab bird are, as might be expected, much the same +as those of the European Raven. In shape they are moderately broad +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, but, as in the +Oriole, greatly elongated varieties are very common, and short +globular ones almost unknown. The texture of the egg is close and +hard, but they usually exhibit little or no gloss. In the colour of +the ground, as well as in the colour, extent, and character of the +markings, the eggs vary surprisingly. The ground-colour is in some +a clear pale greenish blue; in others pale blue; in others a dingy +olive; and in others again a pale stone-colour. The markings are +blackish brown, sepia and olive-brown, and rather pale inky purple. +Some have the markings small, sharply defined, and thinly sprinkled: +others are extensively blotched and streakily clouded; others are +freckled or smeared over the entire surface, so as to leave but +little, if any, of the ground-colour visible. Often several styles of +marking and shades of colouring are combined in the same egg. Almost +each nest of eggs exhibits some peculiarity, and varieties are +endless. With sixty or seventy eggs before one, it is easy to pick out +in almost every case all the eggs that belong to the same nest, and +this is a peculiarity that I have observed in the eggs of many members +of this family. All the eggs out of the same nest usually closely +resemble each other, while almost _any_ two eggs out of different +nests are markedly dissimilar. + +They vary from 1.72 to 2.25 in length, and from 1.2 to 1.37 in width; +but the average of seventy-two eggs measured is 1.94 by 1.31. + +Mandelli's men found four eggs of the larger Sikhim bird in Native +Sikhim, high up towards the snows, where they were shooting +Blood-Pheasants. + +These eggs are long ovals, considerably pointed towards one end; +the shell is strong and firm, and has scarcely any gloss. The +ground-colour is pale bluish green, and the eggs are smudged and +clouded all over with pale sepia; on the top of the eggs there are a +few small spots and streaks of deep brownish black. They were found on +the 5th March, and vary in length from 1.83 to 1.96, in breadth from +1.18 to 1.25. + + +3. Corvus corone, Linn. _The Carrion-Crow_. + +Corvus corone, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 295; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 659[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume, at one time separated the Indian Carrion-Crow +from _Corvus corone_ under the name _C. pseudo-corone_. In his +'Catalogue' he re-unites them. I quite agree with him that the two +birds are inseparable.--ED.] + +The only Indian eggs of the Carrion-Crow which I have seen, and one of +which, with the parent bird, I owe to Mr. Brooks, were taken by the +latter gentleman on the 30th May at Sonamerg, Cashmere. + +The eggs were broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, and +of the regular Corvine type--a pretty pale green ground, blotched, +smeared, streaked, spotted, and clouded, nowhere very profusely but +most densely about the large end, with a greenish or olive-brown and +pale sepia. The brown is a brighter and greener, or duller and more +olive, lighter or darker, in different eggs, and even in different +parts of the same egg. The shell is fine and close, but has only a +faint gloss. + +The eggs only varied from 1.67 to 1.68 in length, and from 1.14 to +1.18 in breadth. + +Whether this bird breeds regularly or only as a straggler in Cashmere +we do not know; it is always overlooked and passed by as a "Common +Crow." Future visitors to Cashmere should try and clear up both the +identity of the bird and all particulars about its nidification. + + +4. Corvus macrorhynchus, Wagler. _The Jungle-Crow_. + +Corvus culminatus, _Sykes, Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 295, +Corvus levaillantii; _Less., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 660. + +The Jungle-Crow (under which head I include[A] _C. culminatus,_ +Sykes, _C. intermedius_, Adams, _C. andamanensis_, Tytler, and each +and all of the races that occur within our limits) breeds almost +everywhere in India, alike in the low country and in the hills both of +Southern and Northern India, to an elevation of fully 8000 feet. + +[Footnote A: See 'Stray Feathers,' vol. ii. 1874, p. 243, and 'Lahore +to Yarkand,' p. 85.] + +March to May is, I consider, the normal breeding-season; in the plains +the majority lay in April, rarely later, and in the hills in May; but +in the plains a few birds lay also in February. + +The nest is placed as a rule on good-sized trees and pretty near their +summits. In the plains mangos and tamarinds seem to be preferred, but +I have found the nests on many different kinds of trees. The nest is +large, circular, and composed of moderate-sized twigs; sometimes it is +thick, massive, and compact; sometimes loose and straggling; always +with a considerable depression in the centre, which is smoothly lined +with large quantities of horsehair, or other stiff hair, grass, +grass-roots, cocoanut-fibre, &c. In the hills they use _any_ animal's +hair or fur, if the latter is pretty stiff. They do not, according to +my experience, affect luxuries in the way of soft down; it is always +something moderately stiff, of the coir or horsehair type; nothing +soft and fluffy. Coarse human hair, such as some of our native +fellow-subjects can boast of, is often taken, when it can be got, in +lieu of horsehair. + +They lay four or five eggs. I have quite as often found the latter as +the former number. I have never myself seen six eggs in one nest, but +I have heard, on good authority, of six eggs being found. + +Captain Unwin writes: "I found a nest of the Bow-billed Corby in the +Agrore Valley, containing four eggs, on the 30th April. It was placed +in a Cheer tree about 40 feet from the ground, and was made of sticks +and lined with dry grass and hair." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird in the Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the third week of April. Eggs four in number, ovato-pyriform, +measuring from 1.6 to 1.7 in length and from 1.2 to 1.25 in breadth. +Colour green spotted with brown; valley generally. Nest placed in +Chinar and difficult trees." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Corby "occurs at Mussoorie throughout +the year, and is very destructive to young fowls and pigeons; it +breeds in May and June, and selects a tall tree, near a house or +village, on which to build its nest, which is composed externally of +dried sticks and twigs, and lined with grass and hair, which latter +material it will pick from the backs of horses and cows, or from +skins of animals laid out to dry. I have had skins of the Surrow +(_Noemorhaedus thar_) nearly destroyed by their depredations. The eggs +are three or four in number." + +From the plains I have very few notes. I transcribe a few of my own. + +"On the 11th March, near Oreyah, I found a nest of a Corby--good large +stick nest, built with tamarind twigs, and placed fully 40 feet from +the ground in the fork of a mango-tree standing by itself. The nest +measured quite 18 inches in diameter and five in thickness. It was a +nearly flat platform with a central depression 8 inches in diameter, +and not more than 2 deep, but there was a solid pad of horsehair more +than an inch thick below this. I took the mass out; it must have +weighed half a pound. Four eggs much incubated. + +"_Etawah, 14th March_.--Another nest at the top of one of the huge +tamarind-trees behind the Asthul: could not get up to it. A boy +brought the nest down; it was not above a foot across, and perhaps 3 +inches deep; cavity about 6 inches in diameter, thickly lined with +grass-roots, inside which again was a coating of horsehair perhaps a +rupee in thickness; nest swarming with vermin. Eggs five, quite fresh; +four eggs normal; one quite round, a pure pale slightly greenish +blue, with only a few very minute spots and specks of brown having a +tendency to form a feeble zone round the large end. Measures only 1.25 +by 1.2. Neither in shape, size, nor colour is it like a Corby's egg; +but it is not a Koel's, or that of any of our parasitic Cuckoos, and +I have seen at home similar pale eggs of the Rook, Hooded Crow, +Carrion-Crow, and Raven. + +"_Bareilly, May 10th_.--Three fresh eggs in large nest on a +mango-tree. Nest as usual, but lined with an immense quantity of +horsehair. We brought this home and weighed it; it weighed six ounces, +and horsehair is very light." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:-- + +"This Crow, so common at Allahabad, is very scarce here at Delhi. In +fact I have only seen one pair. + +"At Allahabad it lays in February and March. I have, however, only +found one nest, a rather loose structure of twigs and a few thick +branches with rather a deep depression in the centre. It was placed on +the very crown of a high toddy palm (_Borassus flabelliformis_) and +was unlined save for a wad of human hair, on which the eggs, two in +number, lay; these I found hard-set (on the 13th March); in colour +they were a pale greenish blue, boldly blotched, spotted, and speckled +with brown." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note on the +breeding of the Jungle-Crow:-- + +"Belgaum, 12th March, 1880.--A nest containing four fresh eggs. It +consisted of a loose structure of sticks lined with hair and leaves, +and was placed at the top of and in the centre of a green-foliaged +tree in a well-concealed situation about 30 feet from the ground. 18th +March: Two nests, each containing three slightly incubated eggs; one +of the nests was quite low down in the centre of an 'arbor vitae' +about 12 feet from the ground. 31st March: Another nest containing +four slightly incubated eggs. Some of the latter nests were very +solidly built, and not so well Concealed. 11th April: Two more +nests, containing five incubated and three slightly incubated eggs +respectively; and on the 14th April a nest containing four slightly +incubated eggs. These birds, when the eggs are at all incubated, often +sit very close, especially if the nest is in an open situation, and in +many instances I have thrown several stones at the nest, and made as +much row as I could below without driving the old bird off, and I have +seen my nest-seeker within a few yards of the nest after climbing the +tree before the old bird flew off. On the 26th of April I found two +more nests, one containing four young birds just hatched, the other +three fresh eggs. On the 27th another nest containing three fresh +eggs, and on the 28th a nest of three fresh eggs. On the 5th May +two more nests containing four fresh and four incubated eggs +respectively." + +"In the Nilghiris," writes Mr. Davison, "the Corby builds a coarse +nest of twigs, lined with cocoanut-fibre or dry grass high up in some +densely-foliaged tree. The eggs are usually four, often five, in +number. The birds lay in April and May." + +Miss Cockburn again says:--"They build like all Crows on large +trees merely by laying a few sticks together on some strong branch, +generally very high up in the tree. I do not remember ever seeing more +than one nest on a tree at a time, so that they differ very much from +the Rook in that respect. They lay four eggs of a bluish green, +with dusky blotches and spots, and nothing can exceed the care and +attention they bestow on their young. Even when the latter are able +to leave their nests and take long flights, the parent birds will +accompany them as if to prevent their getting into mischief. The nests +are found in April and May." + +Mr. J. Darling, jun., writes from the Nilghiris:--"I have found the +nest of this Crow pretty nearly all over the Nilghiris. The usual +number of eggs laid is four, but on one occasion, near the Quinine +Laboratory in the Government Gardens at Ooty, I procured six from one +nest. The breeding-season is from March to May, but I have taken eggs +as early as the 12th February." + +From Ceylon, we hear from Mr. Layard that "about the villages the +Carrion-Crow builds its nest in the cocoanut-trees. In the jungles +it selects a tall tree, amid the upper branches of which it fixes +a framework of sticks, and on this constructs a nest of twigs +and grasses. The eggs, from three to five, are usually of a dull +greenish-brown colour, thickly mottled with brown, these markings +being most prevalent at the small end. They are usually laid in +January and February." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal it is "common and a +permanent resident. Occasionally found in the clumps of jungle that +are found about the country, which the next species never affects. +Breeds in the cold weather. I had noticed a pair building on a +Casuarina tree in my garden, about 50 feet off the ground, and on the +18th December, 1877, I took two perfectly fresh eggs from it; and +again on the 9th January, 1878, I found two callow young in this same +nest, the birds never having deserted it. The lining used for this +nest was principally jute-fibre--any tree is selected to build on; the +nests are placed from 15 to 50 feet off the ground. Some nests are +very well concealed, whereas others are quite exposed. On the 15th +January I found a nest about 15 feet up a small kudum tree, standing +in a large plain, and which had a lining of hair from the tail-tufts +of cows. There was one fresh egg, and a week later I got another fresh +egg from this very nest. From two to four eggs are in each nest." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"These birds all begin to build about the +same time, and I have taken numerous nests at the end of January. At +the end of February most nests contain young birds." + +Mr. W. Theobald gives the following notes on the nidification of this +bird in Tenasserim and near Deoghur:-- + +"Lays in the third week of February and fourth week of March: eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1.66 by 1.15; colour, dull sap-green much +blotched with brown; nest carefully placed in tall trees." + +The eggs, though smaller, closely resemble, as might have been +expected, those of the Raven, but they are, I think, typically +somewhat broader and shorter. Almost every variety, as far as +coloration goes, to be found amongst those of the Raven, are found +amongst the eggs of the present species, and _vice versa_; and for a +description of these it is only necessary to refer to the account of +the former species; but I may notice that amongst the eggs of _C. +macrorhynchus_ I have not yet noticed any so boldly blotched as is +occasionally the case with some of the eggs of the Raven, which remind +one not a little, so far as the character of the markings go, of eggs +of _Oedicnemus crepitans_ and _Esacus recurvirostris_. Like those +of the Raven the eggs exhibit little gloss, though here and there +a fairly glossy egg is met with. Eggs from various parts of the +Himalayas, of the plains of Upper India, of the hills and plains of +Southern India, do not differ in any respect. _Inter se_ the eggs from +each locality differ surprisingly in size, in tone of colour, and in +character of markings; but when you compare a dozen or twenty from +each locality, you find that these differences are purely individual +and in no degree referable to locality. + +There are just as big eggs and just as small ones from Simla and +Kotegurh, from Cashmere, from Etawah, Bareilly, Futtehgurh, from +Kotagherry, and Conoor; all that one can possibly say is that perhaps +the Plains birds do on the _average_ lay a _shade larger_ eggs than +the Himalayan or Nilghiri ones. + +Taking the eggs as a whole, I think that in size and shape they are +about intermediate between the eggs of the European Carrion-Crow and +Rook. But they vary, as I said, astonishingly in size, from 1.5 to +1.95 in length, and in breadth from 1.12 to 1.22, and I have one +perfectly spherical egg, a deformity of course, which measures 1.25 by +1.2. + +The average of thirty Himalayan eggs is 1.73 by 1.18, of twenty Plains +eggs 1.74 by 1.2, and of fifteen Nilghiri eggs 1.7 by 1.18. I would +venture to predict that with fifty of each, there would not be a +hundredth of an inch between their averages. + + +7. Corvus splendens, Vieill. _The Indian House-Crow_. + +Corvus splendens, _Vieill. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 298. +Corvus impudicus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 663. + +Throughout India and Upper Burma the Common Crow resides and breeds, +not ascending the hills either in Southern or Northern India to any +great elevation, but breeding up to 4000 feet in the Himalayas. + +The breeding-season _par excellence_ is June and July, but occasional +nests will be found earlier even in Upper India, and in Southern and +Eastern India a great number lay in May. The nests are commonly placed +in trees without much regard to size or kind, though densely foliaged +ones are preferred, and I have just as often found several in the same +tree as single ones. At times they will build in nooks of ruins +or large deserted buildings, where these are in well inhabited +localities, but out of many thousands I have only seen three or four +nests in such abnormal positions. + +The nest is placed in some fork, and is usually a ragged stick +platform, with a central depression lined with grass-roots; but they +are not particular as to material; I have found wool, rags, grass, and +all kinds of vegetable fibre, and Mr. Blyth mentions that he has "seen +several nests composed more or less, and two almost exclusively, of +the wires taken from soda-water bottles, which had been purloined from +the heaps of these wires commonly set aside by the native servants +until they amount to a saleable quantity." Four is the normal number +of eggs laid, but I often have found five, and on two occasions six. +It is in this bird's nest that the Koel chiefly lays. + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"In the valley it lays in May +and June; some twenty nests were once examined on the 23rd June, and +half the number then contained young birds." + +Major Bingham says:--"Very common, of course, both at Allahabad and at +Delhi, and breeds in June, July, and beginning of August. At Allahabad +it is much persecuted by the Koel (_Eudynamys orientalis_), every +fourth or fifth nest that I found in some topes of mango-trees having +one or two of the Koel's eggs." + +Colonel Butler informs me that in Karachi it "begins to lay in the +mangrove bushes in the harbour as early as the end of May;" and that +it "breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, and August, +commencing to build in the last week of May." + +Later, he writes:--"Belgaum, 15th May, 1879. Found numerous nests in +the native infantry lines in low trees, containing fresh and incubated +eggs and young birds of all sizes. In the same locality, on the 30th +March, 1880, I found a nest containing four young birds able to fly; +the eggs must therefore have been laid quite as early as the middle of +February, if not earlier." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal writes:--"The Common Crow appears to have two broods in +the year in our district (Ratnagiri), the first in April and May, and +the second in November and December. In these four months I have +found nests, eggs, and young birds in several different places in the +district, and as yet at no other times. It is extremely improbable +that there should be one breeding-season lasting from April to +December, and I think I may State with certainty that the Crows _do +not_ breed at Ratnagiri during the months of heaviest rainfall, +viz. July, August, and September. As their breeding in November and +December appears to be exceptional, I subjoin a record of the few +nests I examined. + + "Nov. 22, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 3 young birds. + " " 1 fresh egg. + + "Nov. 23, 1878. Ratnagiri: + One nest with 1 fresh egg. + " " 1 fresh egg. + +"Dec. 4, 1878. Saugmeshwar.--One nest with 3 eggs hard-set; another +nest probably containing young birds, but the Crows pecked so +viciously at the man who was climbing the tree, that he got frightened +and came down again without reaching the nest. Crows with sticks and +feathers in their mouths are flying about all day. + +"Dec. 5, 1878. Aroli.--Found a nest with a Crow sitting in it; no one +to climb the tree." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has favoured me with the following interesting +note:--"I send you an account of a nest of the Common Crow, found in +October, 1874, in the town of Madras. My attention was first directed +to the remarkable pair of Crows to which the nest belonged, in the end +of July, when they were determinedly and industriously attempting to +fix a nest on the top ledge of a pillar in the verandah of the 'Madras +Mail' office. The ledge was so narrow that one would have thought the +Sparrow alone of all known birds would have selected it for a site; +and even the Sparrow only under the condition of a writing or +toilet-table being underneath to catch the lime, sticks, straws, rags, +feathers, and other innumerable materials that commonly strew the +ground below a Sparrow's nest. I was told that the Crows had been at +their task for two months before I saw them, and I then watched them +till nearly the end of October. The celebrated spider that taught King +Bruce a lesson in patience was eager and fitful compared with this +pair of Crows. I kept no account of the number of times their +structure was blown down, only to be immediately begun again; but as +there was a good deal of rain and wind at that season, in addition to +the regular sea-breeze, it was a common thing for the sticks to be +cleared off day after day. But perseverance will often achieve seeming +impossibilities, and, moreover, the Crows worked more indefatigably as +the season went on, and used to run up their nest with great rapidity +(no doubt, also, they improved by their practice); so that several +times the structure was completed, or nearly completed, before being +swept to the ground, though how it remained in its place for a moment +seems a mystery; and twice I saw a broken egg among the scattered +_debris_. At length, about the middle of September, the Crows +determined to try the pillar at the other end of the verandah. By this +time, of course, all the Crows in Madras had long brought up their +broods and sent them adrift; and what they thought to see an eccentric +pair of their own species forsaking society, and _building_ in +September, may be imagined. The new site selected differed in no +respect from the old one, and was no less exposed to the wind; but the +birds had grown expert at building 'castles in the air,' and now met +with fewer mishaps. In the first week of October the hen bird was +sitting regularly, so on the 8th of the month I sent a man up by a +ladder, and he held up four eggs for me to look at. It fairly seemed +after this that patience was to have its reward, but on the night of +the 20th there came a storm of wind and rain, and when I went to the +office in the morning, the nest was lying on the ground, with two +young Crows in it, with the feathers just beginning to appear. The +other two, I suppose, had fallen over into the street. And thus +ended one of the most persevering attempts on record to overcome a +difficulty insurmountable from the first. The old birds thought it +time now to stop operations, and frequented the office no more. + +"I am told by a gentleman in the 'Mail' office that the Crows have +built in that verandah regularly for five or six years past, but +nobody seems to have watched the nests. I am, therefore, hopeful that +the attempt will be repeated this year, in which case I will keep a +diary of all that takes place." + +He writes subsequently:--"I sent you a long story in my last batch of +notes about two eccentric Crows that succeeded in building a nest upon +the narrow ledge of a pillar in the verandah of my office, several +months after all well-conducted Crows had sent out their progeny to +battle with the world. I mentioned to you that they were said to build +in that unnatural place every year, and I said that I would watch them +this year. + +"Well, would you believe it? on the 26th July, when every other Crow's +nest in Madras had hard-set eggs, or newly-hatched young ones, these +two indefatigable birds set methodically to work to construct a nest +on the south pillar--the one where all their earlier efforts were made +last year, but not the one on which they succeeded in fixing their +nest. They worked all the 26th and 27th, putting up sticks as fast as +they fell down, and then desisted till the 4th August, when they began +operations on the opposite (north) pillar with redoubled energy. +Meeting with no better success they left off operations after a couple +of days' fruitless labour. Yesterday (after a delay of five weeks) +they set to work on the south pillar again and succeeded in raising +a great pile, which, however, was ignominiously blown down in the +afternoon. To-day they are continuing their work indefatigably." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps has the following note in his list of birds of +Furreedpore, Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, and a permanent resident, +affecting the haunts of man. They build and lay in May. The Koel lays +its eggs in this bird's nest. In April, 1876, I saw two nests in the +compound of the house in which I lived at Howrah, which were made +_entirely_ of galvanized wire, the thickest piece of which was as +thick as a slate pencil. How the birds managed to bend these thick +pieces of wire was a marvel to us; not a stick was incorporated with +the wires, and the lining of the nest (which was of the ordinary +size) was jute and a few feathers. The railway goods-yard, which was +alongside the house, supplied the wire, of which there was ever so +much lying about there." + +Typically the eggs may, I think, be said to be rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards the small end; but really the eggs vary so +much in shape that, even with nearly two hundred before me, it is +difficult to decide what is really the most typical form. Pyriform, +elongated, and globular varieties are common; long Cormorant-shaped +eggs and perfect ovals are not uncommon. As regards the colour of the +ground, and colour, character, and extent of marking, all that I have +above said of the Raven's eggs applies to those of this species, but +varieties occur amongst those of the latter which I have not observed +in those of the former. In some the ground is a very pale pure +bluish green, in others it is dingier and greener. All are blotched, +speckled, and streaked more or less with somewhat pale sepia markings; +but in some the spots and specks are a darker brown and, as a rule, +well defined, and there is very little streaking, while in others the +brown is pale and muddy, the markings ill-defined, and nearly the +whole surface of the egg is freckled over with smudgy streaks. +Sometimes the markings are most numerous at the large end, sometimes +at the small; no two eggs are exactly alike, and yet they have so +strong a family resemblance that there is no possibility of mistaking +them. Generally the markings as a whole are less bold, and the general +colour of a large body of them laid together is bluer and brighter +than that of a similar drawer-full of Ravens' eggs. As a whole, too, +they are more glossy. I have one egg before me bright blue and almost +as glossy as a Mynah's, thickly blotched and speckled at the broad +end, and thinly spotted elsewhere with olive-green, blackish-brown, +and pale purple. Another egg, a pale pure blue, is spotless, except +at the large end, where there is a conspicuous cap of olive-brown and +olive-green spots and speckles, and there are numerous other abnormal +varieties which I have not observed amongst the Ravens. + +On the whole the eggs do _not_ vary much in size; out of one hundred +and ninety-seven, one hundred and ninety-five varied between 1.28 and +1.65 in length, and 0.98 and 1.15 in breadth. One egg measures only +1.2 in length, and one is only 0.96 in breadth; but the average of the +whole is 1.44 by 1.06. + + +8. Corvus insolens, Hume. _The Burmese House-Crow_. + +Corvus insolens; _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 663 bis. + +The Burmese House-Crow breeds pretty well over the whole of Burma. + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"Nesting operations are +commenced about the 20th March. The nest and eggs require no +separate description, for both appear to be similar to those of _C. +splendens_." + +When large series of the eggs of both these species are compared, +those of the Burmese Crow strike one as _averaging_ somewhat brighter +coloured, otherwise they are precisely alike and need no separate +description. + + +9. Corvus monedula, Linn. _The Jackdaw_. + +Colaeus monedula (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 302. +Corvus monedula, _Linn., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 665. + +I only know positively of Jackdaws breeding in one district within our +limits, viz. Cashmere; but I have seen it in the hills in summer, as +far east as the Valley of the Beas, and it must breed everywhere in +suitable localities between the two. + +In the cold season of course the Jackdaw descends into the plains of +the North-west Punjaub, is very numerous near the foot of the hills, +and has been found in cis-Indus as far east as Umballa, and south at +Ferozpoor, Jhelum, and Kalabagh. In Trans-Indus it extends unto the +Dehra Ghazi Khan district. + +I have never taken its eggs myself. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:-- + +"Lays in the first week of May; eggs four, five, and six in number, +ovato-pyriform and long ovato-pyriform, measuring from 1.26, 1.45, to +1.60 in length, and from 0.9 to 1.00 in breadth; colour pale, +clear bluish green, dotted and spotted with brownish black; valley +generally; in holes of rocks, beneath roofs, and in tall trees." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"It builds in Cashmere in old ruined palaces, holes +in rocks, beneath roofs of houses, and also in tall trees, laying four +to six eggs, pale bluish green, clotted and spotted with brownish +black." + +Mr. Brookes writes:--"The Jackdaw breeds in Cashmere in all suitable +places: holes in old Chinar (Plane) trees, and in house-walls, under +the eaves of houses, &c. I did not note the materials of the nests, +but these will be the same as in England." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather elongated ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end. The shell is fine, but has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white, but in some +eggs there is very little green, while in a very few the ground is +quite a bright green. The markings, sometimes very fine and close, +sometimes rather bold and thinly set, consist of specks or spots of +deep blackish brown, olive-brown, and pale inky purple. In most eggs +all these colours are represented, but in some eggs the olive-, in +others the blackish-brown is almost entirely wanting. In some eggs +the markings are very dense towards the large end, in others they are +pretty uniformly distributed over the whole surface; in some they are +very minute and speckly, in others they average the tenth of an inch +in diameter. + +The eggs that I possess vary from 1.34 to 1.52 in length, and from +0.93 to 1.02 in breadth; but the average of sixteen eggs was 1.4 by +0.98. + + +10. Pica rustica (Scop.). _The Magpie_. + +Pica bactriana, _Bp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_, no. 668 bis. + +The Magpie breeds, we know, in Afghanistan, and also throughout Ladak +from the Zojee-la Pass right up to the Pangong Lake, but it breeds so +early that one is never in time for the eggs. The passes are not open +until long after they are hatched. + +Captain Hutton says this bird "is found all the year round from +Quettah to Girishk, and is very common. They breed in March, and the +young are fledged by the end of April. The nest is like that of the +European bird, and all the manners of the Afghan Magpie are precisely +the same. They may be seen at all seasons." + +From Afghanistan, Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes:-- + +"The Magpie is not uncommon in the hills wherever there are trees, but +it seldom descends to the plains. They commence breeding in March, in +which month and April I have examined scores of nests, which in every +case were built in the 'Wun,' a species of _Pistacia_--the only tree +found hereabouts. A stout fork near the top is usually selected. + +"The nest is shallow and cup-shaped, with a superstructure of twigs, +forming a canopy over the egg-cavity. The eggs, generally five in +number, are of the usual corvine green, blotched, spotted, and +streaked, as a rule, most densely about the large end with umber +mingled with sepia-brown. The average of thirty eggs is 1.25 by .97." + +Colonel Biddulph writes in 'The Ibis' that in Gilgit he took a nest +with five eggs, hard set, in a mulberry-tree at Nonval (5600 feet) on +the 9th May. Also another nest with three fresh eggs at Dayour(5200 +feet) on the 25th May. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, rather pointed towards +the small end, but shorter and broader varieties, and occasionally +ones with a pyriform tendency, occur. The ground is a greenish or +brownish white. In some eggs it has none, in others a slight gloss. +Everywhere the eggs are finely and streakly freckled with a brown that +varies from olive almost to sepia; about the large end the markings +are almost always most dense, forming there a more or less noticeable, +but quite irregular and undefined cap or zone. In one or two eggs dull +purplish-brown clouds or blotches underlie and intermingle with this +cap, and occasionally a small spot of this same tint may be noticed +elsewhere when the egg is closely examined. + + +12. Urocissa occipitalis (Bl.). _The Red-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa sinensis (_Linn._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 309. +Urocissa occipitalis (_Bl_.), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_. no. 671. + +I have never myself found the nest of the Red-billed Blue Magpie; +although it does breed sparingly as far east as Simla and Kotegurh, +it is not till you cross the Jumna that it is abundant. East of the +Jumna, about Mussoorie, Teeree, Grurhwal, Kumaon, and in Nepal, it is +common. + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "this species occurs at +Mussoorie throughout the year. It breeds at an elevation of 5000 feet +in May and June, making a loose nest of twigs externally and lined +with roots. The nest is built on trees, sometimes high up, at others +about 8 or 10 feet from the ground. The eggs are from three to five, +of a dull greenish ash-grey, blotched and speckled with brown dashes +confluent at the larger end, the ends nearly equal in size. It is very +terrene in its habits, feeding almost entirely on the ground." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:-- + +"The Red-billed Blue Magpie is, as far as I know, an early breeder at +Naini Tal; common as the bird is I have only found one nest and that +on the 24th April; it was a shallow slenderly built structure of fine +roots, chiefly of maiden-hair fern, in a rough outer casing of twigs, +placed on a horizontal bough overhanging a nullah about fifteen feet +from the ground. The tree had moderately dense foliage, and was about +twenty-five feet high in a small clump on a hillside covered with low +scrub at 5000 feet elevation above the sea. Around the nest several +small boughs and twigs grew out, and being very slight in structure it +was not easy to see. The old bird sat very close. There were six eggs +in the nest about half-incubated: in two of them the markings were +densest at the small end. The egg-cavity was 6 inches in diameter by +about 11/4 deep. On the 5th June I saw old birds accompanied by young +ones able to fly, but without the long tails." + +The eggs of this species much resemble those of the European Magpie, +but are considerably smaller. They are broad, rather perfect ovals, +somewhat elongated and pointed in many specimens. They exhibit but +little gloss. The ground-colour varies much, but in all the examples +that I possess, which I owe to Captain Hutton's kindness, it is either +of a yellowish-cream, pale _cafe au lait_ or buff colour, or pale dull +greenish. The ground is profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked (the +general character of the markings being striations parallel to the +major axis), with various shades of reddish and yellowish, brown and +pale inky purple. The markings vary much in intensity as well as in +frequency, some being so closely set as to hide the greater part of +the ground-colour; but in the majority of the eggs they are more or +less confluent at the large end, where they form a comparatively dark, +irregular blotchy zone. + +The eggs vary from 1.25 to 1.4 in length, and from 0.89 to 0.96 in +breadth; but the average of 11 eggs is 1.33 by 0.93. + +Major Bingham, referring to the Burmese Magpie, which has been +separated under by the name of _U. magnirostris_, says:-- + +"This species I have only found common in the Thoungyeen Valley. +Elsewhere it seemed to me scarce. Below I give a note about its +breeding. + +"I have found three nests of this handsome Magpie--two on the bank +of the Meplay choung on the 14th April, 1879, and 5th March, 1880, +respectively, and one near Meeawuddy on the Thoungyeen river on the +19th March, 1880. + +"The first contained three, the second four, and the third two eggs. + +"These are all of the same type, dead white, with pale claret-coloured +clashes and spots rather washed-out looking, and lying chiefly at the +large end. One egg has the spots thicker at the small end. They are +moderately broad ovals, and vary from 1.19 to 1.35 in length, and from +0.93 to 1.08 in breadth. + +"The nests were all alike, thick solid structures of twigs and +branches, lined with finer twigs about 8 or 9 inches in diameter, +and placed invariably at the top of tall straight saplings of teak, +pynkado (_Xylia dolabriformis_), and other trees at a height of about +15 feet from the ground." + +All the eggs of the Burmese bird that I have seen, nine taken by Major +Bingham, were of one and the same type. The eggs broad ovals, in most +cases pointed towards the small end. The shell fine, but as a rule +with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour a delicate +creamy white. The markings moderate-sized blotches, spots, streaks, +and specks, as a rule comparatively dense about one, generally the +large, end, where only as a rule any at all considerable sized +blotches occur, elsewhere more or less sparsely set, and generally of +a speckly character. The markings are of two colours: brown, varying +in shade in different eggs, olive-yellowish, chocolate, and a grey, +equally varying in different eggs from pale purple to pale sepia. None +of my eggs of the Himalayan bird (I have unfortunately but few of +these) correspond at all closely with these. + + +13. Urocissa flavirostris (Bl.). _The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie_. + +Urocissa flavirostris (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 310; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 672. + +The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas in well-wooded localities from Hazara to Bhootan, and +very likely further east still, from April to August, mostly however, +I think, laying in May. The nest, which is rather coarse and large, +made of sticks and lined with fine grass or grass-roots, is, so far +as my experience goes, commonly placed in a fork near the top of some +moderate-sized but densely foliaged tree. + +I have never found a nest at a lower elevation than about 5000 feet; +as a rule they are a good deal higher up. + +They lay from four to six eggs, but the usual number is five. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie breeds +commonly about Murree. I have never seen the bird below 6000 feet in +the breeding-season. They do not commence laying till May, and I have +taken eggs nearly fresh as late as the 15th August. I do not think the +bird breeds twice, as the earliest eggs taken were found on the 10th +May. + +"They build in hill oaks as a rule, the height of the nest from the +ground varying much, some being as low as 10 feet, others nearer 30 +feet. The hen bird sits close, and sometimes (when the nest is high +up) does not even leave the nest when the tree is struck below. +The nest is a rough structure built close to the trunk, externally +consisting of twigs and roots and lined with fibres. The egg-cavity is +circular and shallow, not at all neatly lined. The outer part of +the nest is large compared to what I should call the true nest, and +consists of a heap of twigs, &c. like what is gathered together for +the platform of a Crow's nest. + +"The eggs, which are four in number, vary in length from 1.45 to 1.25, +and in breadth from 0.9 to 0.75. The ordinary type is an egg a good +deal pointed at the thinner end. The ground-colour is greenish white, +blotched and freckled with ruddy brown, with a ring at the larger end +of confluent spots. The young birds are of a very dull colour until +after the first month. The normal number of eggs laid appears to be +four." + +Captain Cock wrote to me:--"_U. flavirostris_ is common at Dhurmsala, +but the nest is rather difficult to find. I have only taken six in +three years. It is usually placed amongst the branches of the hill +oak, where it has been polled, and the thickly growing shoots afford a +good cover; but sometimes it is on the top of a small slender sapling. +The nest is a good-sized structure of sticks with a rather deep cup +lined with dried roots; in fact, it is very much like the nest of +_Garrulus lanceolatus_, only larger and much deeper. They generally +lay four eggs, which differ much in colour and markings." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me once. The nest +was made of sticks and roots. The eggs, three in number, were of a +greenish-fawn colour very faintly blotched with brown." + +The eggs are of the ordinary Indian Magpie type, scarcely, if at all, +smaller than those of _U. occipitalis_, and larger than the average of +eggs of either _Dendrocitta rufa_ or _D. himalayensis_. Doubtless +all kinds of varieties occur, as the eggs of this family are very +variable; but I have only seen two types--in the one the ground is a +pale dingy yellowish stone-colour, profusely streaked, blotched, and +mottled with a somewhat pale brown, more or less olivaceous in some +eggs, the markings even in this type being generally densest towards +the large end, where they form an irregular mottled cap: in the other +type the ground is a very pale greenish-drab colour; there is a dense +confluent raw-sienna-coloured zone round the large end, and only a few +spots and specks of the same colour scattered about the rest of the +egg. All kinds of intermediate varieties occur. The texture of the +shell is fine and compact, and the eggs are mostly more or less +glossy. + +The eggs vary from 1.22 to 1.48 in length, and from 0.8 to 0.96 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-seven eggs is 1.3 by 0.92. + + +14. Cissa chinensis (Bodd.). _The Green Magpie_. + +Cissa sinensis (_Briss._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 312. +Cissa speciosa (_Shaw_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 673. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Green Magpie breeds in Nepal in +the lower valleys and in the Terai from April to July. The nest is +built in clumps of bamboos and is large and cup-shaped, composed of +sticks and leaves, coated externally with bamboo-leaves and vegetable +fibres, and lined inside with fine roots. It lays four eggs, one of +which is figured as a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards one end, +with a pale stone-coloured ground freckled and mottled all over with +sepia-brown, and measuring 1.27 by 0.89. + +Mr. Oates writes:--"In the Pegu Hills on the 19th April I found the +nest of the Green Magpie, and shot the female off it. + +"The nest was placed in a small tree, about 20 feet from the ground, +in a nullah and well exposed to view. The nest was neatly built, +exteriorly of leaves and coarse roots, and finished off interiorly +with finer fibres and roots; depth about 2 inches; inside diameter 6 +inches. Contained three eggs nearly hatched; all got broken; I have +the fragments of one. The ground-colour is greenish white, much +spotted and freckled with pale yellowish-brown spots and dashes, more +so at the larger end than elsewhere." + +Sundry fragments that reached me, kindly sent to me by Mr. Oates, had +a dull white ground, very thickly freckled and mottled all over, as +far as I could judge, with dull, pale, yellowish brown and purplish +grey, the former preponderating greatly. As to size and shape, this +deponent sayeth nought. + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 18th April I found a +nest of this most lovely bird placed at a height of 5 feet from the +ground in the fork of a bamboo-bush. It was a broad, massive, and +rather shallow cup of twigs, roots, and bamboo-leaves outside, and +lined with finer roots. It contained three eggs of a pale greenish +stone-colour, thickly and very minutely speckled with brown, which +tend to coalesce and form a cap at the larger end. I shot the female +as she flew off the nest." + +Major Bingham subsequently found another nest in Tenasserim, about +which he says:-- + +"Crossing the Wananatchoung, a little tributary of the Thoungyeen, by +the highroad leading from Meeawuddy to the sources of the Thoungyeen, +I found in a small thorny tree on the 8th April a nest of the above +bird--a great, firmly-built but shallow saucer of twigs, 6 feet or so +above the ground, and lined with fine black roots. It contained three +fresh eggs of a dingy greyish white, thickly speckled chiefly at the +large end, where it forms a cap, with light purplish brown. The eggs +measure 1.25 x 0.89, 1.18 x 0.92, and 1.20 x 0.90." + +Mr. James Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Jay is rather rare; it +frequents low quiet jungle. In April last a Kuki brought me three +young ones he had taken from a nest in a clump of tree-jungle; he said +the nest was some 20 feet from the ground and made of bamboo-leaves +and grass." + +A nest of this species taken below Yendong in Native Sikhim, on the +28th April, contained four fresh eggs. It was placed on the branches +of a medium-sized tree at a height of about 12 feet from the ground; +it was a large oval saucer, 8 inches by 6, and about 2.5 in depth, +composed mainly of dry bamboo-leaves, bound firmly together with fine +stems of creepers, and was lined with moderately fine roots; the +cavity was 5 inches by 4, and about 1 in depth. + +The eggs received from Major Bingham, as also others received from +Sikhim, where they were procured by Mr. Mandelli on the 21st and 28th +of April, are rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine, but has only a little gloss. The ground-colour +is white or slightly greyish white, and they are uniformly freckled +all over with very pale yellowish and greyish brown. The frecklings +are always somewhat densest at the large end, where in some eggs +they form a dull brown cap or zone. In some eggs the markings are +everywhere denser, in some sparser, so that some eggs look yellower or +browner, and others paler. + +The eggs are altogether of the _Garruline_ type, not of that of the +_Dendrocitta_ or _Urocissa_ type. I have eggs of _G. lanceolatus_, +that but for being smaller precisely match some of the _Cissa_ eggs. +Jerdon is, I think, certainly wrong in placing _Cissa_ between +_Urocissa_ and _Dendrocitta_, the eggs of which two last are of the +same and quite a distinct type[A]. + +[Footnote A: I am responsible, and not Mr. Hume, for calling this bird +a Magpie. Jerdon calls it a Jay, but places it among the Magpies, +which is, I consider, its proper position, notwithstanding the colour +of its eggs.--ED.] + +The eggs vary from 1.15 to 1.26 in length, and from 0.9 to 0.95 in +breadth, but the average of eight is 1.21 by 0.92. + + +15. Cissa ornata (Wagler). _The Ceylonese Magpie_. + +Cissa ornata (_Wagl._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 673 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds +during the cool season. I found its nest in the Kandapolla jungles +in January; it was situated in a fork of the top branch of a tall +sapling, about 45 feet in height, and was a tolerably bulky structure, +externally made of small sticks, in the centre of which was a deep +cup 5 inches in diameter by 21/2 in depth, made entirely of fine roots; +there was but one egg in the nest, which unfortunately got broken in +being lowered to the ground. It was ovate and slightly pyriform, of +a faded bluish-green ground thickly spotted all over with very light +umber-brown, over larger spots of bluish-grey. It measured 0.98 inch +in diameter by _about_ 1.3 in length." + + +16. Dendrocitta rufa (Scop.). _The Indian Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta rufa (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 314; _Hume, Rough +Notes N. & E._ no. 674. + +The Indian Tree-pie breeds throughout the continent of India, alike in +the plains and in the hills, up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. + +I personally have found the nest with eggs in May, June, July, +and during the first week of August, in various districts in the +North-West Provinces, and have had them sent me from Saugor (taken +in July) and from Hansi (taken in April, May, and June); but perhaps +because the bird is so common scarcely any one has sent me notes about +its nidification, and I hardly know whether in other parts of India +and Burma its breeding-season is the same as with us. + +The nest is always placed in trees, generally in a fork, near the top +of good large ones; babool and mango are very commonly chosen in the +North-West Provinces, though I have also found it on neem and sisso +trees. It is usually built with dry twigs as a foundation, very +commonly thorny and prickly twigs being used, on which the true nest, +composed of fine twigs and lined with grass-roots, is constructed. The +nests vary much: some are large and loosely put together, say, fully 9 +inches in diameter and 6 inches in height externally; some are smaller +and more densely built, and perhaps not above 7 inches in diameter +and 4 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is usually about 5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, but they vary very much both in size +and materials; and I see that I note of one nest taken at Agra on the +3rd August--"A very shallow saucer some 6 inches in diameter, and +with a central depression not above 11/2 inch in depth. It was composed +_exclusively_ of roots; externally somewhat coarse, internally of +somewhat finer ones. It was very loosely put together." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but it is very common to find +only four fully incubated ones. + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found several nests in the latter half +of April, May, and the early part of June in the neighbourhood of +Hansie. + +"Four was the greatest number of eggs I found in any nest. + +"The nests were placed in neem, keekur, and shishum trees, at heights +of from 10 to 17 feet from the ground, and were densely built of twigs +mostly of the keekur and shishum, and more or less thickly lined with +fine straw and leaves. They varied from 6 to 8 inches in diameter and +from 2 to 3 inches in depth." + +Mr. A. Anderson writes:--"The Indian Magpie lays from April to July, +and I have once actually seen a pair building in February. Their +eggs are of two very distinct types,--the one which, according to +my experience, is the ordinary one, is covered all over with +reddish-brown spots or rather blotches, chiefly towards the big end, +on a pale greenish-white ground, and is rather a handsome egg; the +other is a pale green egg with _faint brown_ markings, which are +confined almost entirely to the obtuse end. I have another clutch of +eggs taken at Budaon in 1865, which presents an intermediate variety +between the above two extremes; these are profusely blotched with +russet-brown on a dirty-white ground. + +"The second and third nests above referred to contained five eggs; but +the usual complement is not more than four. On the 2nd August, 1872, +I made the following note relative to the breeding of this bird:--The +bird flew off immediately we approached the tree, and never appeared +again. The nest viewed from below looked larger; this is owing to dry +_babool_ twigs or rather small branches (some of them having thorns +from an inch to 2 inches long!) having been used as a foundation, and +actually encircling the nest, no doubt by way of protection against +vermin; some of these thorny twigs were a foot long, and they had +to be removed piecemeal before the nest proper could be got at. The +egg-cavity is deep, measuring 5 inches in depth by 4 in breadth inside +measurement; it is well lined with khus grass." + +Major Bingham says:-- + +"Common as is this bird I have only found one nest, and that was at +Allahabad on the 9th July, and contained one half-fledged young one +and an addled egg. The nest, which was placed at the very top of a +large mango-tree, was constructed of branches and twigs of the same +lined with fine grass-roots. The egg is a yellowish white, thickly +speckled, chiefly at the large end, with rusty. Length 1.10 by 0.82 in +breadth." + +Colonel Butler tells us that it "breeds in Sind, in the hot weather. +Mr. Doig took a nest containing three fresh eggs on the 1st May, 1878. +The eggs, which seem to me to be remarkably small for the size of the +bird, are of the first type mentioned in Rough Draft of 'Nests and +Eggs,' p. 422." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes says in his 'Birds of Bombay:'--"In Sind they breed +during May and June, always choosing babool trees, placing the nest +in a stoutish fork near the top; they are composed at the bottom of +thorny twigs, which form a sort of foundation upon which the true nest +is built; the latter consists of fine twigs lined with grass-roots; +the nest is frequently of large size." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Common about all +well-wooded villages from coast to Ghats. Breeds in April." + +With regard to Cachar Mr. Inglis writes:--"This Magpie is very common +in all the neighbouring villages, but I have not often seen it in the +jungles. It remains all the year and breeds during April and May." + +The eggs are typically somewhat elongated ovals, a good deal pointed +towards the small end. They vary extraordinarily in colour and +character, as well as extent of markings, but, as remarked when +speaking of the Raven, all the eggs out of the same nest closely +resemble each other, while the eggs of different nests are almost +invariably markedly distinct. There are, however, two leading +types--the one in which the markings are bright red, brownish red, or +pale pinkish purple; and the other in which they are olive-brown and +pale purplish brown. In the first type the ground-colour is either +pale salmon, or else very pale greenish white, and the markings are +either bold blotches, more or less confluent at the large end, where +they are far most numerous, and only a few specks and spots towards +the smaller end, or they are spots and small blotches thickly +distributed over the whole surface, or they are streaky smudges +forming a mottled ill-defined cap at the large end, and running down +thence in streaks and spots longitudinally; in the other type the +ground-colour is greenish white or pale yellowish stone-colour, and +the character of the markings varies as in the preceding type. Besides +these there are a few eggs with a dingy greyish-white ground, with +very faint, cloudy, ill-defined spots of pale yellowish brown pretty +uniformly distributed over the whole surface. In nine eggs out of +ten, the markings are most dense at the large end, where they form +irregular, more or less imperfect caps or zones. A few of the eggs are +slightly glossy. + +Of the salmon-pink type some specimens in their coloration resemble +eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_ and some of our Goatsuckers, while of +those with the greenish-white ground-colour some strongly recall the +eggs of _Lanius lahtora_. + +In length the eggs vary from 1.0 to 1.3, and in breadth from 0.78 to +0.95; but the average of forty-four eggs is 1.17 by 0.87. + + +17. Dendrocitta leucogastra, Gould. _The Southern Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta leucogastra, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 317; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 678. + +From Travancore Mr. Bourdillon has kindly sent me an egg and the +following note on the nidification of the Southern Tree-pie:-- + +"Three eggs, very hard-set, of an ashy-white colour, marked with ashy +and greenish-brown blotches, 1.12 long and 0.87 broad, were taken on +9th March, 1873, from a nest in a bush 8 or 10 feet from the ground. +The nest of twigs was built after the style of the English Magpie's +nest, minus the dome. It consisted of a large platform 6 inches deep +and 8 or 10 inches broad, supporting a nest 11/2 inch deep and 31/2 inches +broad. The bird is not at all uncommon on the Assamboo Hills between +the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above the sea, seeming to prefer +the smaller jungle and more open parts of the heavy forest." + +Later he writes:--"On the 8th April I found another nest containing +three half-fledged Magpies (_D. leucogastra_). The nest was entirely +composed of twigs, roughly but securely put together; interior +diameter 3 inches and depth 2 inches, though there was a good-sized +base or platform, say, 5 inches in diameter. The nest was situated on +the top fork of a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. I tried to +rear the young birds, but they all died within a week." + +The egg is very like that of our other Indian Tree-pies. It is in +shape a broad and regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one +end. The shell is fine and compact and is moderately glossy. The +ground is a creamy stone-colour. It is profusely blotched and streaked +with a somewhat pale yellowish brown, these markings being most +numerous and darkest in a broad, irregular, imperfect zone round the +large end, and it exhibits further a number of pale inky-purple clouds +and blotches, which seem to underlie the brown markings, and which are +chiefly confined to the broader half of the egg. The latter measures +1.13 by 0.86. + + +18. Dendrocitta himalayensis, Bl. _The Himalayan Tree-pie_. + +Dendrocitta sinensis (_Lath._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 316. +Dendrocitta himalayensis, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 676. + +Common as is the Himalayan Tree-pie throughout the lower ranges of +those mountains from which it derives its name, I personally have +never taken a nest. + +It breeds, I know, at elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet, during the +latter half of May, June, July, and probably the first half of August. + +A nest in my museum taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim, at an elevation of +about 2500 feet, out of a small tree, on the 30th of July, contained +two fresh eggs. It was a very shallow cup, composed entirely of fine +stems, apparently of some kind of creeper, strongly but not at all +compactly interwoven; in fact, though the nest holds together firmly, +you can see through it everywhere. It is about 6 inches in external +diameter, and has an egg-cavity of about 4 inches wide and 1.5 deep. +It has no pretence for lining of any kind. + +Of another nest which he took Mr. Gammie says:--"I found a nest +containing three fresh eggs in a bush, at a height of about 10 feet +from the ground. The nest was a very loose, shallow, saucer-like +affair, some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and an inch or so in thickness, +composed entirely of the dry stems and tendrils of creepers. This was +at Labdah, in Sikhim, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and the date +the 14th May, 1873." Later he writes:-- + +"This Magpie breeds in the Darjeeling District in May, June, and July, +most commonly at elevations between 2000 and 4000 feet. It affects +clear cultivated tracts interspersed with a few standing shrubs and +bamboos, in which it builds. The nest is generally placed from 6 to 12 +feet from the ground in the inner part of the shrubs, and is made of +pieces of creeper stems intermixed with a few small twigs loosely +put together without any lining. There is scarcely any cup, merely a +depression towards the centre for the eggs to rest in. Internally it +measures about 4.8 in breadth by 1.5 in depth. The eggs are three or +four in number. + +"This is a very common and abundant bird between 2000 and 4000 feet, +but is rarely found far from cultivated fields. It seems to be +exceedingly fond of chestnuts, and, in autumn, when they are ripe, +lives almost entirely on them; but at other times is a great pest in +the grain-fields, devouring large quantities of the grain and being +held in detestation by the natives in consequence. Jerdon says 'it +usually feeds on trees,' but I have seen it quite as frequently +feeding on the ground as on trees." + +Mr. Hodgson has two notes on the nidification of this species in +Nepal:--"_May 18th_.--Nest, two eggs and two young; nest on the +fork of a small tree, saucer-shaped, made of slender twigs twisted +circularly and without lining; cavity 3.5 in diameter by 0.5 deep; +eggs yellowish, white, blotched with pale olive chiefly at the larger +end; young just born. + +"_Jaha Powah, 6th June_.--Female and nest in forest on a largish tree +placed on the fork of a branch; a mere bunch of sticks like a +Crow's nest; three eggs, short and thick, fawny white blotched with +fawn-brown chiefly at the thick end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me at +Darjeeling frequently. The nest is made of sticks and roots, and +the eggs, three or four in number, are of a pale dull greenish-fawn +colour, with a few pale reddish-brown spots and blotches, sometimes +very indistinct." + +Captain Hutton tells us that this species "occurs abundantly at +Mussoorie, at about 5000 feet elevation, during summer, and more +sparingly at greater elevations. In the winter it leaves the mountains +for the Dhoon. + +"It breeds in May, on the 27th of which month I took a nest with three +eggs and another with three young ones. The nest is like that of +_Urocissa occipitalis_, being composed externally of twigs and lined +with finer materials, according to the situation; one nest, taken in +a deep glen by the side of a stream, was lined with the long fibrous +leaves of the Mare's tail (_Equisetum_) which grew abundantly by the +water's edge; another, taken much higher on the hillside and away from +the water, was lined with tendrils and fine roots. The nest is placed +rather low, generally about 8 or 10 feet from the ground, sometimes at +the extremity of a horizontal branch, sometimes in the forks of young +bushy oaks. The eggs somewhat resemble those of _U. occipitalis_, but +are paler and less spotted, being of a dull greenish ash with brown +blotches and spots, somewhat thickly clustered at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps says:--"On the 15th June, 1880, I found a nest [in the +Dibrugarh District] with three fresh eggs. It was fixed in the middle +branches of a sapling, about ten feet off the ground, in dense +forest, and was built of twigs, presenting a fragile appearance; the +egg-cavity was 41/2 inches [in diameter] and 1 inch deep, and lined with +fine twigs and grass-roots." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes:--"I obtained two eggs of this species +at an elevation of 4200 feet in the Karen hills east of Toungngoo on +the 16th April, 1875." + +Taking the eggs as a body they are rather regular, somewhat elongated +ovals, but broader and again more pointed varieties occur. The +ground-colour varies a great deal: in a few it is nearly pure white, +generally it has a dull greenish or yellowish-brown tinge, in some +it is creamy, in some it has a decided pinky tinge. The markings are +large irregular blotches and streaks, almost always most dense at the +large end, where they are often more or less confluent, forming an +irregular mottled cap, and not unfrequently very thinly set over the +rest of the surface of the egg. In one egg, however, the zone is about +the thick end, and there are scarcely any markings elsewhere. As a +rule the markings are of an olive-brown of one shade or another; but +when the ground is at all pinkish then the markings are more or less +of a reddish brown. Besides these primary markings, all the eggs +exhibit a greater or smaller number of faint lilac or purple spots or +blotches, which chiefly occur where the other markings are most dense. +In length they vary from 1.06 to 1.22, and in breadth from 0.8 to 1.0, +but the average of 34 eggs is 1.14 by 0.85. + + +21. Crypsirhina varians (Lath.). _The Black Racket-tailed Magpie_. + +Crypsirhina varians (_Lath._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quat. + +This Magpie is very common in Lower Pegu, where Mr. Oates found many +nests. He says:-- + +"This bird appears to lay from the 1st of June to the 15th of July; +most of my nests were taken in the latter month. It selects either one +of the outer branches of a very leafy thorny bush, or perhaps more +commonly a branch of a bamboo, at heights varying from 5 to 20 feet. + +"The nest is composed of fine dead twigs firmly woven together. The +interior is lined with twisted tendrils of convolvulus and other +creepers. The uniformity with which this latter material is used in +all nests is remarkable. The inside diameter is 5 inches, and the +depth only 1, thus making the structure very flat. The exterior +dimensions are not so definite, for the twigs and creepers stick out +in all directions; but making all allowances, the outside diameter may +be put down at 7 or 8 inches, and the total depth at 11/2 inches. + +"The eggs are usually three in number, but occasionally only two well +incubated eggs may be found. In a nest from which two fresh eggs had +been taken, a third was found a few days later. + +"The eggs measure from 1.09 to .88 in length, and from .76 to .68 in +breadth. The average of 22 eggs is .98 by .72." + +In shape the eggs are typically moderately broad, rather regular +ovals, but some are distinctly compressed towards the small end, some +are slightly pyriform, some even pointed, though in the great majority +of cases the egg is pretty obtuse at the small end; the shell is +compact and tolerably fine, and has a faint gloss. The ground-colour +seems to be invariably a pale yellowish stone-colour. The markings +vary a good deal: in some they are more speckly, in others more +streaky, but taking them as a whole they are intermediate between +those of _Dendrocitta_ and those of _Garrulus_, neither so bold and +streaky as the former, nor so speckly as the latter. The markings are +a yellowish olive-brown; they consist of spots, specks, small streaky +blotches and frecklings; they are always pretty densely set over the +whole surface of the egg, but they are always most dense in a zone or +sometimes a cap at the large end, where they are often, to a great +extent, confluent. In some eggs small dingy brownish-purple spots +and little blotches are intermingled in the zone. The eggs differ +in general appearance a good deal, because in some almost all the +markings are fine grained and freckly, and in such eggs but little of +the ground-colour is visible, while in other eggs the markings are +bolder (in comparison, for they are never really bold) and thinner +set, and leave a good deal of the ground-colour visible. + + +23. Platysmurus leucopterus (Temm.). _The White-winged Jay_. + +Platysmurus leucopterus (_Temm._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 678 quint. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:-- + +"I found a nest of this bird on the 8th of April at the hot springs at +Ulu Laugat. The nest was built on the frond of a _Calamus_, the end +of which rested in the fork of a small sapling. The nest was a great +coarse structure like a Crow's, but even more coarsely and irregularly +built, and with the egg-cavity shallower. It was composed externally +of small branches and twigs, and loosely lined with coarse fibres and +strips of bark. It contained two young birds about a couple of days +old. The nest was placed about 6 feet from the ground. The surrounding +jungle was moderately thick, with a good deal of undergrowth." + + +24. Garrulus lanceolatus, Vigors. _The Black-throated Jay_. + +Garrulus lanceolatus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 308; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 670. + +The Black-throated Jay breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 4000 to 8000 feet, from the Valley of Nepal to Murree. + +They lay from the middle of April until the middle of June. + +They build on trees or thick bushes, never at any great height from +the ground, and often within reach of the hand. They always, I think, +choose a densely foliaged tree, and place the nest sometimes in a main +fork and sometimes on some horizontal bough supported by one or more +upright shoots. + +All the nests I have seen were moderately shallow cups, built with +slender twigs and sticks, some 6 inches in external diameter, and from +less than 3 inches to nearly 4 inches in height, with a nest-cavity +some 4 inches across and 2 inches deep, lined with grass and +moss-roots. Once only I found a nest almost entirely composed of +grass, and with no lining but fine grass-stems. + +The eggs vary from four to six, but this latter number is rarely met +with. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This is one of the commonest birds +about Murree; we always found it well to the front during our rambles, +chattering about in the trees. They breed from the middle of April +till the end of June. We have taken their eggs between the 20th April +and the 16th June. They keep above 5000 feet. I never observed any in +the lower ranges. The nest is not a difficult one to find, being large +and of loose construction; from 15 to 30 feet up a medium-sized tree +close to the trunk or sometimes in a large fork. They never seem to +build in the spruce firs which abound about Murree. They are by no +means shy birds, and hop about the trees close by while their nest is +being examined. Five is the ordinary number of eggs, which differ very +much in appearance and size: the longest I have measures 1.25 and the +shortest 1.1. Some are paler, some darker; some are of a uniform pale +greenish-ash colour with a darker ring, while others are thickly +speckled and freckled with a darker shade of the same colour. Some +lack the odd ink-scratch which is so often to be seen on the larger +end, and is the most peculiar feature of the egg, while a few have it +at the thinner end. + +"I should describe the average type as a long egg for its breadth; +ground-colour greenish ashy with very thick sprinklings of spots of a +darker and more greenish shade of the same colour, a ring of a darker +dull olive round the large end, on which are one or two lines that +look like a haphazard scratch from a fine steel pen." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote to me that this was "a most common +bird at Dhurmsala; appears in large flocks during the winter, and +often mixes with _Garrulus bispecularis_ and _Urocissa flavirostris_. +Pairs off about the end of April, when nidification begins. Builds a +rather rough nest of sticks, generally placed on a tall sapling oak +near the top; sometimes among the thicker branches of a pollard oak: +outer nest small twigs roughly put together; inner nest dry roots and +fibres, rather deep cup-shaped. Eggs number from four to five and vary +in shape. I have found them sometimes nearly round, but more generally +the usual shape. They vary in their colour, too, some being much +lighter than others, but most of them have a few hair-like streaks on +the larger end." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton tells us that "the Black-throated Jay +breeds in May and June, placing the nest sometimes on the branch of a +tall oak tree (_Quercus incana_), at other times in a thick bush. It +is composed of a foundation of twigs, and lined with fine roots of +grass &c. mixed with the long black fibres of ferns and mosses, which +hang upon the forest trees, and have much the appearance of black +horse-hair. The nest is cup-shaped, rather shallow, loosely put +together, circular, and about 41/2 inches in diameter. The eggs are +sometimes three, sometimes four in number, of a greenish stone-grey, +freckled, chiefly at the larger end, with dusky and a few black +hair-like streaks, which are not always present; they vary also in +the amount of dusky freckling at the larger end. The nestling bird is +devoid of the lanceolate markings on the throat." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Black-throated +Jay builds a very small cup-shaped nest of black hair-like creepers +and roots, intertwined and placed in a rough irregular casing of +twigs. A nest found on the 2nd June containing three hard-set eggs was +placed conspicuously on the top of a young oak sapling about 7 feet +high, standing alone in an open glade, in the forest on Aya Pata, +which is about 7000 feet above the sea. Another nest, found at an +elevation of about 4500 feet on the 9th June, contained two eggs; it +was placed about 10 feet from the ground in a small tree in a hedgerow +amongst cultivated fields." + +Mr. Hodgson notes from Jaha Powah:--"Found five nests of this species +between 18th and 30th May. Builds near the tops of moderate-sized +trees in open districts, making a very shallow nest of thin elastic +grasses sparingly used and without lining. The nest is placed on some +horizontal branch against some upright twig, or at some horizontal +fork. It is nearly round and has a diameter of about 6 inches. They +lay three or four eggs of a sordid vernal green clouded with obscure +brown." + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals, very much smaller than, though +so far as coloration goes very similar to, those of _G. glandarius_. +The ground-colour in some is a brown stone colour, in others pale +greenish white, and intermediate shades occur, and they are very +minutely and feebly freckled and mottled over the whole surface with a +somewhat pale sepia-brown. This mottling differs much in intensity; in +some few eggs indeed it is absolutely wanting, while in others, though +feeble elsewhere, it forms a distinct, though undefined, brownish cap +or zone at the large end. The eggs generally have little or no gloss. +It is not uncommon to find a few hair-like dark brown lines, more or +less zigzag, about the larger end. + +In length they vary from 1.03 to 1.23, and in breadth from 0.78 to +0.88; but the average of twenty-four eggs is 1.12 by 0.85. + + +25. Garrulus leucotis, Hume. _The Burmese Jay_. + +Garrulus leucotis, _Hume, Hume, Cat._ no. 669 bis. + +The nest of this Jay has not yet been found, but Capt. Bingham +writes:-- + +"Like Mr. Davison I have found this very handsome Jay affecting only +the dry _Dillenia_ and pine-forests so common in the Thoungyeen +valley. I have seen it feeding on the ground in such places with +_Gecinus nigrigenys, Upupa longirostris_, and other birds. I shot one +specimen, a female, in April, near the Meplay river, that must have +had a nest somewhere, which, however, I failed to find, for she had a +full-formed but shell-less egg inside her." + + +26. Garrulus bispecularis, Vigors. _The Himalayan Jay_. + +Garrulus bispecularis, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 307; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 669. + +The Himalayan Jay breeds pretty well throughout the lower ranges of +the Himalayas. It is nowhere, that I have seen, numerically very +abundant, but it is to be met with everywhere. It lays in March and +April, and, though I have never taken the nest myself, I have now +repeatedly had it sent me. It builds at moderate heights, rarely above +25 feet from the ground, in trees or thick shrubs, at elevations of +from 3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a moderate-sized one, 6 to 8 +inches in external diameter, composed of fine twigs and grass, and +lined with finer grass and roots. + +The nest is usually placed in a fork. + +The eggs are four to six in number. + +Mr. Hodgson notes that he "found a nest" of this species "on the 20th +April, in the forest of Shewpoori, at an elevation of 7000 feet. The +nest was placed in the midst of a large tree in a fork. The nest was +very shallow, but regularly formed and compact. It was composed of +long seeding grasses wound round and round, and lined with finer +and more elastic grass-stems. The nest measured about 61/2 inches in +diameter, but the cavity was only about half an inch deep." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"I only took one authenticated set +of eggs of this species (I found several with young), as it is an +early breeder--I say authenticated eggs, because I _think_ we may have +attributed some to _Garrulus lanceolatus_, as the nests and eggs are +very similar, and having a large number of the eggs of the latter, I +took some from my shikaree without verifying them. + +"The nest I took on the 6th May, 1873, at Murree, was at an elevation, +I should say, of between 6500 and 7000 feet (as it was near the top +of the hill), in the forest. The tree selected was a horse-chestnut, +about 25 feet high. The nest was near the top, which is the case with +nearly all the Crows' and Magpies' nests that I have taken. It was +of loose construction, made of twigs and fibres, and contained five +partially incubated eggs. + +"The eggs are similar to those of _G. lanceolatus_. I have carefully +compared the five of the species which I am now describing with twenty +of the other, and find that the following differences exist. The egg +of _G. bispecularis_ is more obtuse and broader, there is a brighter +gloss on it, and the speckling is more marked; but with a large series +of each I think the only perceptible difference would be its +greater breadth, which makes the egg look larger than that of the +Black-throated Jay. My four eggs measure 1.15 by 0.85 each. + +"This species only breeds once in a year, and from my observations +lays in April, all the young being hatched by the 15th May. Captain +Cock and myself carefully hunted up all the forests round Murree, +where the birds were constantly to be seen, commencing our work after +the 10th May, and we found nothing but young ones." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have found nests of this species +for the first time this year; the first on the 22nd of May, by which +time, as all recorded evidence shows it to be an early breeder, I had +given up all hopes of getting eggs. The first nest contained two fresh +eggs; it was on a horizontal limb of a large oak, at a bifurcation +about eight feet from the trunk and about the same from the ground. +The nest was more substantial than that of _G. lanceolatus_, much more +moss having been used in the outer casing, but the lining was similar; +it was a misshapen nest, and appeared, in the distance, like an old +deserted one; the bird was sitting at the time; I took one egg, hoping +more would be laid, but the other was deserted and destroyed by +vermin. Another nest I found on the 2nd June; it contained three eggs +just so much incubated that it is probable no more would be laid; this +nest was much neater in construction and better concealed than the +former one; it was in a rhododendron tree, in a bend about ten feet +from the ground, between two branches upwards of a foot each in +diameter, and covered with moss and dead fern; the tree grew out of +a precipitous bank just below a road, and though the nest was on the +level of the edge it was almost impossible to detect it; it was a very +compact thick cup of roots covered with moss outside. The eggs were +larger, more elongated, and much more richly coloured than in the +first nest. Both nests were at about 7000 feet elevation, and in both +instances the bird sat very close." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, very similar to +those of _G. lanceolatus_, but they are perhaps slightly larger, and +the markings somewhat coarser. The eggs are rather broad ovals, a +good deal pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish +white, and they are pretty finely freckled and speckled (most densely +so towards the large end, where the markings are almost confluent) +with dull, rather pale, olive-brown, amongst which a little speckling +and clouding of pale greyish purple is observable. The eggs are +decidedly smaller than those of the English Jay, and few of the +specimens I have exhibit any of those black hair-like lines often +noticeable in both the English Jay and _G. lanceolatus_. + +In length the eggs that I have measured varied from 1.1 to 1.21, and +in breadth they only varied from 0.84 to 0.87. + + +27. Nucifraga hemispila, Vigors. _The Himalayan Nutcracker_. + +Nucifraga hemispila, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 304; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 666. + +The Himalayan Nutcracker is _very_ common in the fir-clad hills north +of Simla, where it particularly affects forests of the so-called +pencil cedar, which is, I think, the _Pinus excelsa_. I have never +been able to obtain the eggs, for they must lay in March or early in +April; but I have found the nest near Fagoo early in May with nearly +full-fledged young ones, and my people have taken them with young in +April below the Jalouri Pass. + +The tree where I found the nest is, or rather _was_ (for the whole +hill-slope has been denuded for potatoe cultivation), situated on a +steeply sloping hill facing the south, at an elevation of about 6500 +feet. The nest was about 50 feet from the ground, and placed on _two_ +side branches just where, about 6 inches apart, they shot out of the +trunk. The nest was just like a Crow's--a broad platform of sticks, +but rather more neatly built, and with a number of green juniper twigs +with a little moss and a good deal of grey lichen intermingled. The +nest was about 11 inches across and nearly 4 inches in external +height. There was a broad, shallow, central depression 5 or 6 inches +in diameter and perhaps 2 inches in depth, of which an inch was filled +in with a profuse lining of grass and fir-needles (the long ones of +_Pinus longifolia_) and a little moss. This was found on the 11th May, +and the young, four in number, were sufficiently advanced to hop +out to the ends of the bough and half-fly half-tumble into the +neighbouring trees, when my man with much difficulty got up to the +nest. + + +29. Graculus eremita (Linn.). _The Red-billed Chough_. + +Fregilus himalayanus, _Gould, Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 319. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs of this species from Chumbi in +Thibet; they were taken on the 8th of May from a nest under the eaves +of a high wooden house. + +Though larger than those of the European Chough, they resemble them so +closely that there can be no doubt as to their authenticity. + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals, very slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is tolerably fine and has +a slight gloss. The ground-colour is white with a faint creamy tinge, +and the whole egg is profusely spotted and striated with a pale, +somewhat yellowish brown and a very pale purplish grey. The markings +are most dense at the large end, and there, too, the largest streaks +of the grey occur. + +One egg measures 1.74 by 1.2. + + + + +Subfamily PARINAE. + + +31. Parus atriceps, Horsf. _The Indian Grey Tit_. + +Parus cinereus, _Vieill, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 278. +Parus caesius, _Tick., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 645. + +The Indian Grey Tit breeds throughout the more wooded mountains of +the Indian Empire, wherever these attain an altitude of 5000 feet, at +elevations of from 4000 or 5000 to even (where the hills exceed this +height) 9000 feet. + +In the Himalayas the breeding-season extends from the end of March to +the end of June, or even a little later, according to the season. They +have two broods--the first clutch of eggs is generally laid in the +last week of March or early in April; the second towards the end of +May or during the first half of June. + +In the Nilghiris they lay from February to May, and _probably_ a +second time in September or October. + +The nests are placed in holes in banks, in walls of buildings or +of terraced fields, in outhouses of dwellings or deserted huts and +houses, and in holes in trees, and very frequently in those cut in +some previous year for their own nests by Barbets and Woodpeckers. + +Occasionally it builds _on_ a branch of a tree, and my friend Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., found a nest containing six half-set eggs thus situated +on the 19th June at Gowra. It was on a "Banj" tree 10 feet from the +ground. + +The only nest that I have myself seen in such a situation was a pretty +large pad of soft moss, slightly saucer-shaped, about 4 inches in +diameter, with a slight depression on the upper surface, which was +everywhere thinly coated with sheep's wool and the fine white silky +hair of some animal. The nest is usually a shapeless mass of downy +fur, cattle-hair, and even feathers and wool, but when on a branch is +strengthened exteriorly with moss. Even when in holes, they sometimes +round the nest into a more or less regular though shallow cup, and use +a good deal of moss or a little grass or grass-roots; but as a rule +the hairs of soft and downy fur constitute the chief material, and +this is picked out by the birds, I believe, from the dung of the +various cats, polecats, and ferrets so common in all our hills. + +I have never found more than six eggs, and often smaller numbers, more +or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that the Indian Grey Tit is "common at Almorah. +In April and May I found the nest two or three times in holes in +terrace-walls. It was composed of grass-roots and feathers, and +contained in each case nearly fully-grown young, five in number." + +From Dhurmsala Captain Cock wrote:--"_Parus cinereus_ built in +the walls of Dr. C.'s stables this year. When I found the nest it +contained young ones. I watched the parents flying in and out, but +to make sure put my ear to the wall and could hear the young ones +chirrupping. The nest was found in the early part of May 1869." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th June, 1879. A nest built in +a hollow bamboo which supported the roof of a house in the native +infantry lines. I did not see the nest myself, as unfortunately the +old bird was captured on it, and the nest and eggs destroyed; however, +the hen bird was brought to me alive by the man who caught her, and +I saw at once, by the bare breast, that she had been sitting, and on +making enquiries the above facts were elicited. The broken egg-shells +were white thickly spotted with rusty red. + +"Belgaum, 8th June, 1880.--A nest in a hole of a tree about 7 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. The nest consisted of +a dense pad of fur (goat-hair, cow-hair, human hair, and hare's fur +mixed) with a few feathers intermixed, laid on the top of a small +quantity of dry grass and moss, which formed the foundation." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes notes from Chaman in Afghanistan:--"This Tit is +very common, and remains with us all the year round. I found a nest on +the 10th April, built in a hole in a tree; it was composed entirely of +sheep's wool, and contained three incubated eggs, white, with light +red blotches, forming a zone at the larger end. They measured .69 by +.48." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken says:-- + +"When I was in Poona, in the hot season of 1873, the Grey Tits, which +are very common there, became exceedingly busy about the end of May, +courting with all their spirit, and examining every hole they could +find. One was seen to disappear up the mouth of a cannon at the +arsenal. Finally, in July, two nests with young birds were discovered, +one by myself, and one by my brother. The nests were in the roofs of +houses, and were not easily accessible, but the parent birds were +watched assiduously carrying food to the hungry brood, which kept up a +screaming almost equal to that of a nest of minahs. On the 27th July a +young one was picked up that had escaped too soon from a third nest. +The Indian Grey Tit does not occur in Bombay, and I never saw it in +Berar." + +Speaking of Southern India Mr. Davison remarks that "the Grey Tit +breeds in holes either of trees or banks; when it builds in trees +it very often (whenever it can apparently) takes possession of the +deserted nest-hole of _Megaloema viridis_; when in banks a rat-hole is +not uncommonly chosen. All the nests I have ever seen or taken were +composed in every single instance of fur obtained from the dried +droppings of wild cats." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn sends the following interesting note:-- + +"Their nests are found in deep holes in earth-banks, and sometimes in +stone walls. Once a pair took possession of a bamboo in one of our +thatched out-houses--the safest place they could have chosen, as no +hand could get into the small hole by which they entered. These Tits +show great affection and care for their young. While hatching their +eggs, if a hand or stick is put into the nest they rise with enlarged +throats, and, hissing like a snake, peck at it till it is withdrawn. +On one occasion I told my horse-keeper to put his hand into a hole +into which I had seen one of these birds enter. He did so, but soon +drew it out with a scream, saying a 'snake had bit him.' I told him +to try again, but with no better success; he would not attempt it the +third time, so the nest was left with the bold little proprietor, who +no doubt rejoiced to find she had succeeded in frightening away the +unwelcome intruder. The materials used by these birds for their nests +consist of soft hair, downy feathers, and moss, all of which they +collect in large quantities. They build in the months of February and +March; but I once found a nest of young Indian Grey Tits so late as +the 10th November. They lay six eggs, white with light red spots. On +one occasion I saw a nest in a bank by the side of the road; when the +only young bird it contained was nearly fledged the road had to be +widened, and workmen were employed in cutting down the bank. The poor +parent birds appeared to be perfectly aware that their nest would soon +be reached, and after trying in vain to persuade the young one to come +out, they pushed it down into the road but could get it no further, +though they did their utmost to take it out of the reach of danger. I +placed it among the bushes above the road, and then the parents seemed +to be immediately conscious of its safety." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter notes that he "found a nest of the Grey Tit at +Coonoor, on the Nilgiris, on the 15th May. It was placed in a hole in +a bank by the roadside. It was a flat pad, composed of the fur of +the hill-hare, hairs of cattle, &c., and was fluffy and without +consistence. It contained three half-set eggs." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jun., says:--"I have found the nests at Ooty, Coonoor, +Neddivattam, and Kartary, at all heights from 5000 to nearly 8000 feet +above the sea, on various dates between 17th February and 10th May. + +"It builds in banks, or holes in trees, at all heights from the +ground, from 3 to 30 feet. It is fond of taking possession of the old +nest-holes of the Green Woodpecker. The nest is built of fur or fur +and moss, and always lined with fine fur, generally that of hares. Its +shape depends upon that of the hole in which it is placed, but the +egg-cavity or depression is about 3 inches in diameter and an inch in +depth. + +"It lays four, five, and sometimes six eggs, but I think more commonly +only four." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once found its nest in a deserted bungalow at +Kallia, in the corner of the house. It was made chiefly of the down of +hares (_Lepus nigricollis_), mixed with feathers, and contained six +eggs, white spotted with rusty red." + +The eggs resemble in their general character those of many of our +English Tits, and though, I think, typically slightly longer, they +appear to me to be very close to those of _Parus palustris_. In shape +they are a broad oval, but somewhat elongated and pointed towards the +small end. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and round the large end +there is a conspicuous, though irregular and imperfect, zone of red +blotches, spots, and streaks. Spots and specks of the same colour, or +occasionally of a pale purple, are scantily sprinkled over the rest of +the surface of the egg, and are most numerous in the neighbourhood of +the zone. The eggs have a faint gloss. Some eggs do not exhibit the +zone above referred to, but even in these the markings are much more +numerous and dense towards the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.65 to 0.78, and in breadth from 0.5 to +0.58; but the average of thirty-eight is 0.71 by 0.54, so that they +are really, as indeed they look _as a body_, a shade shorter and +decidedly broader than those of _P. monticola_. + + +34. Parus monticola, Vig. _The Green-backed Tit_. + +Parus monticolus, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 277; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 644. + +The Green-backed Tit breeds through the Himalayas, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, and some birds at any +rate must have two broods, since I found three fresh eggs in the +wall of the Pownda dak bungalow about the 20th June. More eggs are, +however, to be got in April than in any other month. + +They build in holes, in trees, bamboos, walls, and even banks, but +walls receive, I think, the preference. + +The nests are loose dense masses of soft downy fur or feathers, with +more or less moss, according to the situation. + +The eggs vary from six to eight, and I have repeatedly found seven +and eight young ones; but Captain Beavan has found only five of +these latter, and although I consider from six to eight the normal +complement, I believe they very often fail to complete the full +number. + +Captain Beavan says:--"At Simla, on May 4th, 1866, I found a nest of +this species in the wall of one of my servant's houses. It contained +five young ones, and was composed of fine grey pushm or wool resting +on an understructure of moss." + +At Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "breeds +early in May in holes in walls and trees, laying white eggs covered +with red spots." + +Speaking of a nest he took at Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:-- + +"The nest was in a cavity of a rhododendron tree, and was a large mass +of down of some animal; it looked like rabbit's fur, which of course +it was not, but it was some dark, soft, dense fur. The nest contained +seven eggs, and was found on the 28th April, 1869. The eggs were all +fresh." + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I got one nest of this Tit here on the 14th May in +the Chinchona reserves (Sikhim), at an elevation of about 4500 feet. +It was in partially cleared country, in a natural hole of a stump, +about 5 feet from the ground. The nest was made of moss and lined +with soft matted hair; but I pulled it out of the hole carelessly and +cannot say whether it had originally any defined shape. It contained +four hard-set eggs." + +The eggs are very like those of _Parus atriceps_; but they are +somewhat longer and more slender, and as a rule are rather more +thickly and richly marked. + +They are moderately broad ovals, sometimes almost perfectly +symmetrical, at times slightly pointed towards one end, and almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground is white, or occasionally a +delicate pinkish white, in some richly and profusely spotted and +blotched, in others more or less thickly speckled and spotted with +darker or lighter shades of blood-, brick-, slightly purplish-, or +brownish-red, as the case may be. The markings are much denser towards +the large end, where in some eggs they form an imperfect and irregular +cap. In size they vary from 0.68 to 0.76 in length, and from 0.49 to +0.54 in breadth; but the average of thirty-two eggs is 0.72 by 0.52 +nearly. + + +35. Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (Vig.). _Red-headed Tit_. + +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 270; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 634. + +The Red-headed Tit breeds throughout the Himalayas from Murree to +Bhootan, at elevations of from 6000 to 9000 or perhaps 10,000 feet. + +They commence breeding very early. I have known nests to be taken +quite at the beginning of March, and they continue laying till the end +of May. + +The nest is, I think, most commonly placed in low stunted hill-oak +bushes, either suspended between several twigs, to all of which it is +more or less attached, or wedged into a fork. _I have_ found the nest +in a deodar tree, _laid_ on a horizontal bough. I have seen them in +tufts of grass, in banks and other unusual situations; but the great +bulk build in low bushes, and of these the hill-oak is, I think, their +favourite. + +The nests closely resemble those of the Long-tailed Tit (_Acredula +rosea_). They are large ovoidal masses of moss, lichen, and +moss-roots, often tacked together a good deal outside with +cotton-wool, down of different descriptions, and cobwebs. They average +about 41/2 inches in height or length, and about 31/2 inches in diameter. +The aperture is on one side near the top. The egg-cavity, which may +average about 21/4 inches in diameter and about the same in depth below +the lower edge of the aperture, is densely lined with very soft down +or feathers. + +They lay from six to eight eggs, but I once found only four eggs in a +nest, and these fully incubated. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall notes that this species "builds a +globular nest of moss and hair and feathers in thorny bushes. The eggs +we found were pinkish white, with a ring of obsolete brown spots at +the larger end. Size 0.55 by 0.43. Lays in May." + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Red-cap Tit is "common at Mussoorie +and in the hills generally, throughout the year. It breeds in April +and May. The situation chosen is various, as one taken in the former +month at Mussoorie, at 7000 feet elevation, was placed on the side +of a bank among overhanging coarse grass, while another taken in the +latter month, at 5000 feet, was built among some ivy twining round a +tree, and at least 14 feet from the ground. The nest is in shape a +round ball with a small lateral entrance, and is composed of green +mosses warmly lined with feathers. The eggs are five in number, white +with a pinkish tinge, and sparingly sprinkled with lilac spots or +specks, and having a well-defined lilac ring at the larger end." + +From Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species makes +a beautifully neat nest of fine moss and lichens, globular, with +side entrance, and thickly lined with soft feathers. A nest found on +Cheena, above Nynee Tal, on the 24th May, 1873, at an elevation of +about 7000 feet, was wedged into a fork at the end of a bough of a +cypress tree, about 10 feet from the ground, the entrance turned +inwards towards the trunk of the tree. It contained one tiny egg, +white, with a dark cloudy zone round the larger end. + +"About the 10th of May, at Naini Tal, I was watching one of these +little birds, which kept hanging about a small rhododendron stump +about 2 feet high, with very few leaves on it, but I could see no +nest. A few days later I saw the bird carry a big caterpillar to the +same stump and come away shortly without it; so I looked more +closely and found the nest, containing nearly full-fledged young, so +beautifully wedged into the stump that it appeared to be part of it, +and nothing but the tiny circular entrance revealed that the nest was +there. It was the best-concealed nest for that style of position that +I have ever seen." + +These tiny eggs, almost smaller than those of any European bird that +I know, are broad ovals, sometimes almost globular, but generally +somewhat compressed towards one end, so as to assume something of a +pyriform shape. They are almost entirely glossless, have a pinkish or +at times creamy-white ground, and exhibit a conspicuous reddish or +purple zone towards the large end, composed of multitudes of minute +spots almost confluent, and interspaced with a purplish cloud. Faint +traces of similar excessively minute purple or red points extend more +or less above and below the zone. The eggs vary from 0.53 to 0.58 +in length, and from 0.43 to 0.46 in breadth; but the average of +twenty-five is 0.56 nearly by 0.45 nearly. + + +41. Machlolophus spilonotus (Bl.). _The Blade-spotted Yellow Tit_. + +Machlolophus spilonotus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 281. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong in Sikhim on the +15th June in a hole in a dead tree, about 5 feet from the ground. The +nest was a mere pad of the soft fur of some animal, in which a +little of the brown silky down from fern-stems and a little moss was +intermingled. It contained three hard-set eggs. + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, scarcely, if at all, pointed +towards the lesser end; the ground-colour is a pure dead white, and +the markings, spots, and specks of pale reddish brown, and underlying +spots of pale purple, are evenly scattered all over the egg; it +measures 0.78 by 0.55. + + +42. Machlolophus xanthogenys (Vig.). _The Yellow-cheeked Tit_. + +Machlolophus xanthogenys (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 279; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 647. + +The Yellow-cheeked Tit is one of the commonest birds in the +neighbourhood of Simla, yet curiously enough I have never found a +nest. + +I have had eggs and nest sent me, and I know it breeds throughout the +Western Himalayas, at elevations of from 4000 to 7000 feet; and that +it lays during April and May (and probably other months), making a +soft pad-like nest, composed of hair and fur, in boles in trees and +walls; but I can give no further particulars. + +Captain Hutton tells us that it is "common in the hills throughout +the year. It breeds in April, in which month a nest containing +four fledged young ones was found at 5000 feet elevation; it was +constructed of moss, hair, and feathers, and placed at the bottom of a +deep hole in a stump at the foot of an oak tree." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock says:--"Towards the end of April +this bird made its nest in a hole of a tree just below the terrace +of my house. Before the nest was quite finished a pair of _Passer +cinnamomeus_ bullied the old birds out of the place, which they +deserted. After they had left it I cut the nest out and found it +nearly ready to lay in, lined with soft goat-hair and that same dark +fur noticed in the nest of _Parus monticola_." + +Later he wrote to me that this species "breeds up at Dhurmsala in +April and May. It chooses an old cleft or natural cavity in a tree, +usually the hill-oak, and makes a nest of wool and fur at the bottom +of the cavity, upon which it lays five eggs much like the eggs of +_Parus monticola_. Perhaps the blotches are a little larger, otherwise +I can see no difference. I noticed on one occasion the male bird carry +wool to the nest, which, when I cut it out the same day, I found +contained hard-set eggs. I used to nail a sheepskin up in a hill-oak, +and watch it with glasses, during April and May, and many a nest have +I found by its help. _Parus atriceps, P. monticola, Machlolophus +xanthogenys, Abrornis albisuperciliaris_, and many others used to +visit it and pull off flocks of wool for their nests. Following up a +little bird with wool in its bill through jungle requires sharp eyes +and is no easy matter at first, but one soon becomes practised at it." + +The eggs are regular, somewhat elongated ovals, in some cases slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground is white or reddish white, and +they are thickly speckled, spotted, and even blotched with brick-dust +red; they have little or no gloss. + +They vary in length from 0.7 to 0.78, and in breadth from 0.52 to +0.55; but I have only measured six eggs. + + +43. Machlolophus haplonotus (Bl.). _The Southern Yellow Tit_. + +_Machlolophus jerdoni (Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 280. + +Col. E.A. Butler writes:--"Belgaum, 12th Sept., 1879.--Found a nest of +the Southern Yellow Tit in a hole of a small tree about 10 feet from +the ground. My attention was first attracted to it by seeing the +hen-bird with her wings spread and feathers erect angrily mobbing a +palm-squirrel that had incautiously ascended the tree, and thinking +there must be a nest close by, I watched the sequel, and in a few +seconds the squirrel descended the tree and the Tit disappeared in a +small hole about halfway up. I then put a net over the hole and tapped +the bough to drive her out, but this was no easy matter, for although +the nest was only about 3/4 foot from the entrance, and I made as much +noise as a thick stick could well make against a hollow bough, nothing +would induce her to leave the nest until I had cut a large wedge out +of the branch, with a saw and chisel, close to the nest, when she flew +out into the net. + +"The nest, which contained, to my great disappointment, five young +birds about a week old, was very massively built, and completely +choked up the hollow passage in which it was placed. The foundation +consisted of a quantity of dry green moss, of the kind that natives +bring in from the jungles in the rains, and sell for ornamenting +flower vases, &c. Next came a thick layer of coir, mixed with a few +dry skeleton-leaves and some short ends of old rope and a scrap or two +of paper, and finally a substantial pad of blackish hair, principally +human, but with cow- and horse-hair intermixed, forming a snug little +bed for the young ones. The total depth of the nest exteriorly was at +least 7 inches. + +"The bough, about 8 inches in diameter, was partly rotten and hollow +the whole way down, having a small hole at the side above by which the +birds entered, and another rather larger about a foot below the nest +all choked up with moss that had fallen from the base of the nest. It +is strange that it should have escaped my eye previously, as the tree +overhung my gateway, through which I passed constantly during the day. +Immediately below the nest a large black board bearing my name was +nailed to the tree. + +"At Belgaum, on the 10th July, 1880, I observed a pair of Yellow Tits +building in a crevice of a large banian tree about 9 feet from the +ground. The two birds were flying to and from the nest in company, +the hen carrying building-materials in her beak. I watched the nest +constantly for several days, but never saw the birds near it again +until the 18th inst., when the hen flew out of the hole as I passed +the tree. I visited the spot on the 19th and 20th inst., tapping the +tree loudly with a stick as I passed, but without any result, as the +bird did not fly off the nest. + +"On the 21st, thinking the nest must either be forsaken or contain +eggs, I got up and looked into the hole, and to my surprise found the +hen bird comfortably seated on the nest, notwithstanding the noise I +had been making to try and put her off. As the crevice was too small +to admit my hand, I commenced to enlarge the entrance with a chisel, +the old bird sitting closer than ever the whole time. Finding all +attempts to drive her off the eggs fruitless, I tried to poke her off: +with a piece of stick, whereupon she stuck her head into one of the +far corners and sulked. I then inserted my hand with some difficulty +and drew her gently out of the hole, but as soon as she caught sight +of me, she commenced fighting in the most pugnacious manner, digging +her claws and beak into my hand, and finally breaking loose, flying, +not away as might have been expected, but straight back into the hole +again, to commence sulking once more. Again I drew her out, keeping a +firm hold of one leg until I got her well away from the hole, when I +released her. I then extracted five fresh eggs from the hole by means +of a small round net attached to the loop end of a short piece of +wire. The nest was a simple pad of human and cows' hair, with a few +horsehairs interwoven, and one or two bits of snake's skin in the +lining, having a thin layer of green moss and thin strips of inner +bark below as a foundation--in fact a regular Tit's nest. The eggs, of +the usual parine type, were considerably larger than the eggs of _P. +atriceps_, broad ovals, slightly smaller at one end than the other, +having a white ground spotted moderately thickly all over with reddish +chestnut; no zone or cap, but in some eggs more freely marked at one +end (either small or large end) than the other, some of the markings +almost amounting to blotches and the spots as a rule rather large." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this bird in the +Deccan:--"Specimens of this Tit were procured at Lanoli in August and +at Egutpoora in March. They certainly breed at these places, as in +September, at the latter place, W. observed two parent birds with four +young ones capable of flying out very short distances." + +And Mr. Davidson further states that it is "common throughout the +district of Western Kandeish. I saw a pair building in the hole of a +large mango tree at Malpur in Pimpalnir in the end of May." + + +44. Lophophanes melanolophus (Vig.). _The Crested Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes melanolophus (_Vig._) _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 273: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 638. + +The Crested Black Tit breeds throughout the Lower Himalayas west of +Nepal, at elevations of from 6000 to 8000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from March to June, but the majority have +laid, I think, for the first hatch by the end of the first week in +April, unless the season has been a very backward one. They usually +rear two broods. + +They build, so far as I know, always in holes, in trees, rocks, and +walls, preferentially in the latter. Their nests involve generally two +different kinds of work--the working up of the true nests on which the +eggs repose, and the preliminary closing in and making comfortable the +cavity in which the former is placed. For this latter work they use +almost exclusively moss. Sometimes very little filling-in is +required; sometimes the mass of moss used to level and close in an +awkward-shaped recess is surprisingly great. A pair breed every year +in a terrace-wall of my garden at Simla; elevation about 7800 feet. +One year they selected an opening a foot high and 6 inches wide, and +they closed up the whole of this, leaving an entrance not 2 inches in +diameter. Some years ago I disturbed them there, and found nearly half +a cubic foot of dry green moss. Now they build in a cavity behind one +of the stones, the entrance to which is barely an inch wide, and in +this, as far as I can see, they have no moss at all. + +The nests are nothing but larger or smaller pads of closely felted +wool and fur; sometimes a little moss, and sometimes a little +vegetable down, is mingled in the moss, but the great body of the +material is always wool and fur. They vary very much in size: you +may meet with them fully 5 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick, +comparatively loosely and coarsely massed together; and you may meet +with them shallow saucers 3 inches in diameter and barely half an inch +in thickness anywhere, as closely felted as if manufactured by human +agency. + +Six to eight is considered the full complement of eggs, but the +number is very variable, and I have taken three, four, and five +well-incubated eggs. + +Captain Beavan, to judge from his description, seems to have found +a regular cup-shaped nest such, as I have never seen. He says:--"At +Simla, April 20th, 1866, I found a nest of this species with young +ones in it in an old wall in the garden. I secured the old bird for +identification, and then released her. The nest contained seven young +ones, and was large in proportion. The outside and bottom consists of +the softest moss, the nest being carefully built between two stones, +about a foot inside the wall; the rest of it is composed of the finest +grey wool or fur. Diameter inside 2.5; outside about 5 inches. Depth +inside nearly 3 inches; outside 3.6." + +Captain Cock told me that he "found several nests in May and June in +Cashmere. The first nest I found was in a natural cavity high up in a +tree, containing three eggs, which I unfortunately broke while taking +them out of the nest. The interior of the cavity was thickly lined +with fur from some small animal, such as a hare or rat. I found my +second nest close to my tent in a cleft of a pine, quite low down, +only 3 feet from the ground. I cut it out and it contained five +eggs of the usual type--broad, blunt little eggs, white, with rusty +blotches." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"I have only found two nests of this +species in Naini Tal, both had young (two in one nest, in the other +I could not count) on the 25th April; they were at about 7000 feet +elevation, built in holes in walls, the entrance in both cases being +very small, having nothing to distinguish it from other tiny crevices, +and nothing to lead any one to suppose that there was a nest inside. +It was only by seeing the parent birds go in that the nest was +discovered." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, with a very +slight gloss. The ground-colour is a slightly pinkish white, and they +are richly blotched and spotted, and more or less speckled (chiefly +towards the larger end), with bright, somewhat brownish red. + +The markings very commonly form a dense, almost confluent zone or cap +about the large end, and they are generally more thinly scattered +elsewhere, but the amount of the markings varies much in different +eggs. In some, although they are thicker in the zone, they are still +pretty thickly set over the entire surface, while in others they are +almost confined to one end of the egg, generally the broad end. + +These eggs vary much in size and in density of marking. The ordinary +dimensions are about 0.61 by 0.47, but in a large series they vary in +length from 0.57 to 0.72, and in breadth from 0.43 to 0.54. The +very large eggs, however, indicated by these _maxima_ are rare and +abnormal. + + +47. Lophophanes rufinuchalis (Bl.). _The Simla Black Tit_. + +Lophophanes rufinuchalis (_Bl.). Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 274. + +Mr. Brooks informs us that this Tit is common at Derali and other +places of similar elevation. "I found a nest under a large stone in +the middle of a hill foot-path, up and down which people and cattle +were constantly passing; the nest contained newly-hatched young. This +was the middle of May." + +Dr. Scully, writing of the Gilgit district, tells us that this Tit is +a denizen of the pine-forests, where it breeds. + +Finally Captain Wardlaw Ramsay, writing in the 'Ibis,' states that +this Tit was breeding in Afghanistan in May. + + + + +Subfamily PARADOXORNITHINAE. + + +50. Conostoma aemodium, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Crow-Tit_. + +Conostoma aemodium. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 10; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 381. + +A nest of the Red-billed Crow-Tit was sent me from Native Sikhim, +where it was found at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, in a cluster +of the small Ringal bamboo. It contained three eggs, two of which were +broken in blowing them. + +The nest is a very regular and perfect hemisphere, both externally and +internally. It is very compactly made, externally of coarse grass and +strips of bamboo-leaves, and internally very thickly lined with stiff +but very fine grass-stems, about the thickness of an ordinary pin, +very carefully curved to the shape of the nest. The coarser exterior +grass appears to have been used when dry; but the fine grass, with +which the interior is so densely lined, is still green. It is the most +perfectly hemispherical nest I ever saw. Exteriorly it is exactly 6 +inches in diameter and 3 in height; internally the cavity measures 4.5 +in diameter and 2.25 in depth. + +The egg is a regular moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed +towards the smaller end. The shell is fine and thin, and has only a +faint gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, and it is sparsely +blotched, streaked, and smudged with pale yellowish brown, besides +which, about the large end, there are a number of small pale inky +purple spots and clouds, looking as if they were beneath the surface +of the shell. + +The single egg preserved measures 1.11 by 0.8. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found, he says, in May, in Native +Sikhim, in a cluster of Ringal (hill-bamboo) at an elevation of nearly +10,000 feet. It is a large, rather broad and shallow cup, the great +bulk of the nest composed of extremely fine hair-like grass-stems, +obviously used when green, and coated thinly exteriorly with coarse +blades of grass, giving the outside a ragged and untidy appearance. +The greatest external diameter is 5.5, the height 3.2, but the cavity +is 4.5 in diameter and 2.2 in depth, so that, though owing to the +fine material used throughout except in the outer coating the nest is +extremely firm and compact, it is not at all a massive-looking one. + + +60. Scaeorhynchus ruficeps (Bl.). _The Larger Red-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 5. + +Mr. Gammie writes from Sikhim:--"In May, at 2000 feet elevation, I +took a nest of this bird, which appears to have been rarely, if ever, +taken by any European, and is not described in your Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs.' It was seated among, and fastened to, the spray of +a bamboo near its top, and is a deep, compactly built cap, measuring +externally 3.5 inches wide and the same in depth; internally 2.7 wide +by 1.9 deep. The material used is particularly clean and new-looking, +and has none of the secondhand appearance of much of the +building-stuffs of many birds. The outer layer is of strips torn off +large grass-stalks and a very few cobwebs; the lining, of fine fibrous +strips, or rather threads, of bamboo-stems. There were three eggs, +which were ready for hatching-off. They averaged 0.83 in. by 0.63 in. +I send you the nest and two of the eggs. + +"Both Jerdon and Tickell say they found this bird feeding on grain +and other seeds, but those I examined had all confined their diet to +different sorts of insects, such as would be found about the +flowers of bamboo, buckwheat, &c. Probably they do eat a few seeds +occasionally, but their principal food is certainly insects. +Very usually, in winter especially, they feed in company with +_Gampsorhynchus rufulus_. Rather curious that the two Red-heads should +affect each other's society." + +The eggs are broad ovals, rather cylindrical, very blunt at both ends. +The shell fine, with a slight gloss. The ground is white, and it +is rather thinly and irregularly spotted, blotched, and smeared in +patches with a dingy yellowish brown, chiefly about the larger end, to +which also are nearly confined the secondary markings, which are pale +greyish lilac or purplish grey. + + +61. Scaeorhynchus gularis (Horsf.). _The Hoary-headed Crow-Tit_. + +Paradoxornis gularis, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 5. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species was found, +he tells me, at an elevation of 8000 feet in Native Sikhim on the 17th +May. It was placed in a fork amongst the branches of a medium-sized +tree at a height of about 30 feet from the ground. The nest is a +very massive cup, composed of soft grass-blades, none of them much +exceeding .1 inch in width, wound round and round together very +closely and compactly, and then tied over exteriorly everywhere, but +not thickly, with just enough wool and wild silk to keep the nest +perfectly strong and firm. Inside, the nest is lined with extremely +fine grass-stems; the nest is barely 4 inches in diameter exteriorly +and 2.5 in height; the egg-cavity is 2.4 in diameter and 1.2 in depth. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me an egg which he considers to belong to this +species, found near Darjeeling on the 7th May. It is a broad oval, +very slightly compressed at one end; the shell dull and glossless; the +ground a dead white, profusely streaked and smudged pretty thickly +all over with pale yellowish brown; the whole bigger end of the egg +clouded with dull inky purple and two or three hair-lines of burnt +sienna in different parts of the egg. The egg measures 0.8 by 0.61. + +Two eggs of this species, procured in Sikhim on the 17th May, are very +regular ovals, scarcely at all pointed towards the lesser end. The +ground-colour is creamy white, and the markings consist of large +indistinct blotches of pale yellow; round the large end is an almost +confluent zone or cap of purplish grey, darker in one egg; they have +no gloss, and both measure 0.82 by 0.61. + + + + +Family CRATEROPODIDAE. + +Subfamily CRATEROPODINAE. + + +62. Dryonastes ruficollis (J. & S.) _The Rufous-necked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ruticollis (_J. & S.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 410. + +Of the Rufous-necked Laughing-Thrush, Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. Hodgson +figures the egg of a fine green colour." + +The egg is not figured in my collection of Mr. Hodgson's drawings. + +Writing from near Darjeeling, in Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I have +seen two nests of this bird; both were in bramble-bushes about five +feet from the ground, and exactly resembled those of _Dryonastes +caerulatus_, only they were a little smaller. One nest had three young +ones, the other three very pale blue unspotted eggs, which I left in +the nest intending to get them in another day or two, as I wanted to +see if more eggs would be laid, but when I went back to the place the +nest had been taken away by some one. Both nests were found here in +May, one at 3500 feet, the other at 4500 feet. + +"I have taken numerous nests of this species from April to June, from +the warmest elevations up to about 4000 feet. They are cup-shaped; +composed of dry leaves and small climber-stems, and lined with a few +fibrous roots. They measure externally about 5 inches in width by 3.5 +in depth; internally 3.25 across by 2.25 deep. Usually they are found +in scrubby jungle, fixed in bushes, within five or six feet of the +ground. The eggs are three or four in number." + +Many nests of this species sent me from Sikhim by my friends Messrs. +Mandelli and Gammie are all precisely of the same type--deep and +rather compact cups, varying from 5 to 6 inches in external diameter, +and 3.25 to 3.75 in height; the cavities about 3.25 in diameter +and 2.25 in depth. The nest is composed almost entirely of dry +bamboo-leaves bound together loosely with stems of creepers or roots, +and the cavity is lined with black and brown rootlets, generally not +very fine. They seem never to be placed at any very great elevation +from the ground. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have received a very large number +from Mr. Gammie, are distinguishable at once from those of all the +other species of this group with which I am acquainted. Just as the +egg of _Garrulax albigularis_ is distinguished by its very deep tone +of coloration, the egg of the present species is distinguished by its +extreme paleness. In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, often, +however, somewhat pyriform, often a good deal pointed towards the +small end. The shell is extremely fine and smooth, and has a very +fine gloss; they may be said to be almost white with a delicate +bluish-green tinge. In length they vary from 0.95 to 1.1, in breadth +from 0.6 to 0.83; but the average of forty-one eggs is 1.02 by 0.75. + + +65. Dryonastes caerulatus (Hodgs.). _The Grey-sided +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax caerulatus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 36; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 408. + +A nest of the Grey-sided Laughing-Thrush found by Mr. Gammie on the +17th June near Darjeeling, below Rishap, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet, was placed in a shrub, at a height of about six feet from the +ground, and contained one fresh egg. It was a large, deep, compact +cup, measuring about 5.5 inches in external diameter and about 4 in +height, the egg-cavity being 4 inches in diameter and 23/4 inches in +depth. Externally it was entirely composed of very broad flag-like +grass-leaves firmly twisted together, and internally of coarse black +grass and moss-roots very neatly and compactly put together. The nest +had no other lining. + +This year (1874) Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds in Sikhim +in May and Jane. I have found the nests in our Chinchona reserves, at +various elevations from 3500 to 5000 feet, always in forests with +a more or less dense undergrowth. The nest is placed in trees, at +heights of from 6 to 12 feet from the ground, between and firmly +attached to several slender upright shoots. It is cup-shaped, usually +rather shallow, composed of dry bamboo-leaves and twigs and lined with +root-fibres. One I measured was 5 inches in diameter by 2.5 in height +exteriorly; the cavity was 4 inches across and only 1.3 deep. Of +course they vary slightly. As far as my experience goes, they do not +lay more than three eggs; indeed, at times only two." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that "a nest and eggs, said to be of this bird, +were brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest loosely made with roots and +grass, and containing two pale blue eggs." + +One nest of this species taken in Native Sikhim in July, was placed in +the fork of four leafy twigs, and was in shape a slightly truncated +inverted cone, nearly 7 inches in height and 5.5 in diameter at the +base of the cone, which was uppermost. The leaves attached to the +twigs almost completely enveloped it. The nest itself was composed +almost entirely of stems of creepers, several of which were wound +round the living leaves of the twigs so as to hold them in position on +the outside of the nest; a few bamboo-leaves were intermingled with +the creeper's stems in the body of the nest. The cavity, which is +almost perfectly hemispherical, only rather deeper, is 3.5 inches in +diameter and 2.25 in depth, and is entirely and very neatly lined with +very fine black roots. Another nest, which was taken at Rishap on the +21st May, with two fresh eggs, was placed in some small bamboos at a +height of about 10 feet from the ground, it is composed externally +entirely of dry bamboo-leaves, loosely tied together by a few creepers +and a little vegetable fibre, and it is lined pretty thickly with fine +black fibrous roots. This nest is about 6 inches in diameter and 3.5 +high exteriorly, while the cavity measures 3.5 by 2. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are a beautiful clear, rather pale, +greenish blue, without any spots or markings. They have a slight +gloss. In shape they are typically much elongated and somewhat +pyriform ovals, very obtuse at both ends; but moderately broad +examples are met with. In length they vary from 1.05 to 1.33, and in +breadth from 0.76 to 0.86; but the average of thirty-five eggs is 1.18 +nearly by 0.82 nearly. + + +69. Garrulax leucolophus (Hardw.). _The Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax leucolophus (_Hardw.), Jerd. B, Ind._ ii, p. 35; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 407. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Himalayan White-crested +Laughing-Thrush breeds at various elevations in Sikhim and Nepal, from +the Terai to an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet, from April to June. It +lays from four to six eggs, which are described and figured as pure +white, very broad ovals, measuring 1.2 by 0.9. It breeds, we are told, +in small trees, constructing a rude cup-shaped nest amongst a clamp of +shoots, or between a number of slender twigs, of dry bamboo-leaves, +creepers, scales of the turmeric plant, &c., and lined with fine +roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have had the nest and eggs brought me more than +once when at Darjeeling, the former being a large mass of roots, moss, +and grass, with a few pure white eggs." + +One nest taken in July at Darjeeling was placed on the outer branches +of a tree, at about the height of 8 feet from the ground. It was a +very broad shallow saucer, 8 inches in diameter, about an inch in +thickness, and with a depression of about an inch in depth. It was +composed of dead bamboo-leaves bound together with creepers, and lined +thinly with coarse roots. It contained four fresh eggs. Other similar +nests contained four or three eggs each. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Laughing-Thrush +breeding in May and June, up to about 3500 feet; I have rarely seen +it at higher elevations, and cannot but think that Mr. Hodgson is +mistaken in stating that it breeds up to 5000 or 6000 feet. The nests +are generally placed in shrubs, within reach of the hand, among low, +dense jungle, and are rather loosely built cup-shaped structures, +composed of twigs and grass, and lined with fibrous roots. Externally +they measure about 6 inches in diameter by 3.5 in depth; internally 4 +by 2.25. + +"The eggs are usually four or five in number, but on several occasions +I have found as few as two well-set eggs." + +Numerous nests of this species have now been sent me, taken in May, +June, and July, at elevations of from 2000 to fully 4000 feet, and +in one case it is said 5000. They are all very similar, large, very +shallow cups, from 6 to nearly 8 inches in external diameter, and from +2.5 to 3.5 in height; exteriorly all are composed of coarse grass, +of bamboo-spathes, with occasionally a few dead leaves intermingled, +loosely wound round with creepers or pliant twigs, while interiorly +they are composed and lined with black, only moderately fine roots or +pliant flower-stems of some flowering-tree, or both. Sometimes +the exterior coating of grass is not very coarse; at other times +bamboo-spathes exclusively are used, and the nest seems to be +completely packed up in these. + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals, pure white and glossy. They +vary from 1.05 to 1.13 in length, and from 0.86 to 0.95 in width, but +the average of eighteen eggs is a little over 1.1 by 0.9. + + +70. Garrulax belangeri, Less. _The Burmese White-crested +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax belangeri, _Less., Hume, Cat._ no. 407 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this bird many years ago in Burma, +has the following note:--"Nest in a bush a few feet from the ground, +on the 8th June, near Pegu. In shape hemispherical, the foundation +being of small branches and leaves of the bamboo, and the interior +and sides of small branches of the coarser weeds and fine twigs. The +latter form the egg-chamber lining and are nicely curved. Exterior and +interior diameters respectively 7 and 31/2 inches. Total depth 31/2 and +interior depth 2 inches. Three eggs, pure white and highly glossy, and +they measure 1.14 by .87, 1.1 by .88, and 1.03 by .86." + +The nests of this species are large, loosely constructed cups, much +resembling those of its Himalayan congeners. The base and sides +consist chiefly of dry bamboo-leaves with a few dead tree-leaves +scantily held together by a few creepers, while the interior portion +of the nest, which has no separate lining, is composed of fine twigs +and stems of herbaceous plants and the slender flower-stems of trees +which bear their flowers in clusters. The nests vary a good deal in +exterior dimensions as the materials straggle far and wide in some +cases, and the external diameter may be said to vary from 6 to 8 +inches, and the height from 3.25 to 4.5; the cavities are more uniform +in size, and are about 3.5 in diameter by 2 in depth. + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, at times somewhat pointed perhaps +towards the small end, pure white and fairly glossy. + +Major C.T. Bingham thus writes of this bird:--"It is very difficult +to either watch these birds, unseen yourself, at one of their dancing +parties, or to catch one of them actually sitting on the nest. Twice +had I in the end of March this year come across nests with one or two +of these birds in the vicinity, and yet have had to leave the eggs +in them as uncertain to what bird they belonged. At last, on the 2nd +April, I came in for a piece of luck. I was roaming about in the +vicinity of my camp on the Gawbechoung, the main source of the +Thoungyeen river, and moving very slowly and silently amid the dense +clumps of bamboo, when my ears were saluted by the hearty laughter of +a flock of these birds, evidently not far off. Very quietly I crept +up, and looking cautiously from behind a thick bamboo-clump, saw ten +or twelve of them going through a most intricate dance, flirting their +wings and tails, and every now and then bursting into a chorus of +shouts, joined in by a few others who were seated looking on from +neighbouring bushes. During one of the pauses of the applause, and +while the dancers were busy twining in and out, a single rather +squeaky 'bravo' came from a bamboo-bush right opposite to me. Looking +up I was astonished to see a nest in a fork of the bamboo, and on the +nest a _Garrulax_ who, probably too busy with her maternal duties to +watch the performance going on below her attentively, came in with +a solitary shout of approbation at an unseemly time. I watched the +performance a few minutes longer, and then frightened the old hen +on the nest. The terrific scare I caused by my sudden appearance is +beyond description. The dancers scattered with screeches, and the +old hen dropped fainting over the side of her nest with a feeble +remonstrance, and disappeared in the most mysterious way. After all +the nest contained only one egg, very glossy, white, and fresh. The +nest was better and stronger built, though very like that of _Garrulax +moniliger_, constructed of twigs, and finely lined with black +hair-like roots; it measured some 6 inches in diameter, the egg-cavity +about 11/2 inch deep. Subsequently I took three other nests, on the 4th +April and 23rd May. The first contained three, the two latter three +and four eggs respectively. A considerable number of eggs measure from +1.22 to 1.06 in length, and from .92 to .81 in breadth, and average +1.13 by 0.88." + + +72. Garrulax pectoralis (Gould). _The Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax pectoralis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 39; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 412. + +Mr. Oates tells us that he "found the nest of the Black-gorgeted +Laughing-Thrush in the Pegu Hills, on the 27th April, containing +three fresh eggs; the bird was sitting. The nest was placed in a +bamboo-clump about 7 feet from the ground, made outwardly of dead +bamboo-leaves and coarse roots, lined with finer roots and a few +feathers; inside diameter 6 inches, depth 2 inches. Two eggs measured +1.04 by 0.83 and 0.86. Colour, a beautiful clear blue." + +One of these eggs sent by Mr. Oates[A] seems rather small for the +bird. It is a very broad, slightly pyriform oval, of a uniform pale +greenish-blue tint, and very fairly glossy. It measures 1.05 by 0.87. + +[Footnote A: I fear I may have made a mistake in identifying the +nest referred to. With this caution, however, I allow my note to +stand.--ED.] + +This egg appears to me to be an abnormally small one. A nest sent me +from Sikhim, where it was found in July, contained much larger eggs, +and more in proportion to the size of the bird. The nest I refer to +was placed in a clump of bamboos about 5 feet from the ground. It was +a tolerably compact, moderately deep, saucer-shaped nest, between 6 +and 7 inches in diameter, composed of dead bamboo-sheaths and leaves +bound together with creepers and herbaceous stems, and thinly lined +with roots. It contained two eggs. These are rather broad ovals, +somewhat pointed towards one end, of a uniform pale greenish blue, and +are fairly glossy. + +These eggs measured 1.33 and 1.30 in length, and 0.98 in breadth. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species, both taken in Native +Sikhim, the one on the 4th, the other on the 20th July. Each contained +two fresh eggs. One was placed in a small tree in heavy jungle, at +a height of about 6 feet from the ground, the other in a clump of +bamboos a, foot lower. Both are large, coarse, saucer-shaped nests, +7 to 8 inches in diameter, and 3.5 to 4 in height externally; the +cavities are about 4.5 inches in diameter, and less than 2 in depth; +the basal portion of the nests is composed entirely of dry leaves, +chiefly those of the bamboo, loosely held together by a few stems of +creepers; the sides of the nest are stems of creepers wound round and +round and loosely intertwined, and the cavity is lined with rather +coarse rootlets, and in one case with fine twigs. + +73. Garrulax moniliger (Hodgs.). _The Necklaced Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax moniliger (_Hodgs.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 40; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 413. + +Of the Necklaced Laughing-Thrush Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured both +this and the last (the Black-gorgeted Laughing-Thrush) at Darjeeling, +and have also seen one or both in Sylhet, Cachar, and Upper Burmah. +They both associate in large flocks, and frequent more open forest +than most of the previous species. The eggs are greenish blue." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of June I found a +nest in low jungle, at 2000 feet, containing four greenish-blue eggs, +but, as I did not see the bird, left it until my return a week later. +I then saw the female, but in the interval the young had been hatched. +The nest closely resembled that of _D. caerulatus_ [p. 46], both in +shape and composition, and was similarly situated between several +upright slender shoots to which it was firmly attached. It was, +however, within five feet of the ground, which is lower by 5 feet or +so than _D. caerulatus_ generally builds. + +"I have found this species breeding from April to June, up to +elevations not much exceeding 2500 feet. It affects the low, dense +scrub growing in moist situations, and usually fixes its nest between +several upright sprays, within 5 or 6 feet of the ground. The nest +is cup-shaped, made of dry bamboo-leaves, intermixed with a very few +pieces of climber-stems, and thickly lined with old leaf-stalks of +some pinnate-leaved tree. Externally it measures about 5.5 inches in +diameter by 4 in height; internally 3.5 by 2.75. + +"The eggs are four or five in number." + +Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 27th April I shot a female in the Pegu +Hills off her nest. This latter contained one young one, and one +deformed egg, which unfortunately got broken; colour a deep blue. +The nest was placed in a small seedling bamboo about 6 feet from the +ground at a joint where a number of small twigs shot out, inverted +umbrella fashion. The nest in every respect closely resembled that of +_G. pectoralis_." + +He subsequently remarked:--"Breeds in Lower Pegu chiefly in July. +Average of six eggs, 1.16 by .88; colour, very glossy deep blue. +Nest placed in forks of saplings within reach of the hand, massive, +cup-shaped, and made of dead leaves and small branches; lined with +fine twigs. Outside diameter 7 inches and depth 4; interior 41/4 by 2." + +A nest found below Darjeeling in the first week of June on the branch +of a good-sized tree, at a height of 12 feet from the ground, was +similar to that described by Mr. Gammie, and contained a single fresh +egg. This is a moderately broad oval, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and exhibits very little gloss. It is of precisely the same +colour as those of the preceding species, but measures only 1.2 in +length by 0.9 in breadth. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Between the 25th +March and 28th April I found at least twenty nests of this bird. They +were broad, shallow cups of roots and twigs, lined with fine black +grass-roots, and placed at heights varying from 4 to 10 feet above +the ground, invariably in the forks of low bamboo. The number of eggs +varied from 3 to 5; blue in colour, and fairly glossy." + +Numerous nests from Sikhim, Pegu, and Tenasserim are all of precisely +the same type as described by Mr. Gammie; but some are fully 7 inches +in external diameter, and in several the cavity is at least 4 inches +in diameter. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie vary very much in size +and shape, and somewhat in colour. Some are considerably elongated +ovals, with a marked pyriform tendency. Others are particularly broad +ovals for this class of egg. The shell is fine and compact, and as a +rule they seem to have a fine gloss; but one or two specimens almost +want this. In colour they are a pale, clear, slightly greenish blue, +unspotted and unmarked. In length they vary from 1.01 to 1.13, and in +breadth from 0.81 to 0.9, but the average of thirteen is 1.07 by 0.85. + + +76. Garrulax albigularis (Gould). _The White-throated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax albogularis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p, 38; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 411. + +The White-throated Laughing-Thrush breeds throughout the lower +southern ranges of the Himalayas from Assam to Afghanistan at +elevations of from 4000 to nearly 8000 feet. They lay from the +commencement of April to the end of June. The nest varies in shape +from a moderately deep cup to a broad shallow saucer, and from 5 to 7 +or even 8 inches in external diameter, and from less than 2 to nearly +4 inches in depth internally. Coarse grass, flags, creepers, dead +leaves, moss, moss- and grass-roots, all at times enter more or less +largely into the composition of the nest, which, though sometimes +wholly unlined, is often neatly cushioned with red and black fern and +moss-roots. The nests are placed in small bushes, shrubs, or trees, at +heights of from 3 to 10 feet, sometimes in forks, but more often, +I think, on low horizontal branches, between two or three upright +shoots. + +Three is, I think, the regular complement of eggs, and this is the +number I have always found when the eggs were much incubated. I have +not myself observed that this species breeds in company, nor can I +ever remember to have taken two nests within 100 yards of each other. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is very common in Mussoorie at all +seasons, and congregates into large and noisy flocks, turning up the +dead leaves, and screaming and chattering together in most discordant +concert. It breeds in April and May, placing the nest in the forks of +young oaks and other trees, about 7 or 8 feet from the ground, +though sometimes higher, and fastening the sides of it firmly to the +supporting twigs by tendrils of climbing-plants. It is sometimes +composed externally almost entirely of such woody tendrils, intermixed +with a few other twigs, and lined with black hair-like fibres of +mosses and lichens; at other times it is externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves of different kinds of orchids, and lined with +fibres, the materials varying with the locality. The eggs are of a +deep and beautiful green, shining as if recently varnished, and three +in number. In shape they taper somewhat suddenly to the smaller end, +which may almost be termed obtusely pointed. The size 1.19 by 0.87 +inch. The usual number of eggs is three, though sometimes only one or +two are found; but only on one occasion out of more than a dozen nests +have I found four eggs. The old bird will remain on the nest until +within reach of the hand." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This was the most +beautiful egg taken this season, being of a rich, deep, glossy, +greenish-blue colour. The nest is composed of fresh ivy-twigs, with +the leaves attached, tightly woven together. The birds breed on small +trees, not high up, at the end of a branch. While their nests were +being examined, they came round in flocks to see what was happening, +chattering and making that peculiar laughing note from which this +genus takes its name. They are even gregarious in the breeding-season, +and all the nests were found pretty near each other about 6000 feet +up." + +The nest sent me by Colonel Marshall is a broad, shallow cup, or +saucer as I should perhaps call it, some 6 inches in diameter, with +a central depression of at most 1.5 inch, below which the nest is +an inch or 1.5 in thickness. It is very loosely put together, and +composed interiorly of moderately fine dry twigs and roots, but +exteriorly it is completely wound round with slender green ivy-twigs +to which the leaves are attached. It has no lining or pretence for +such. + +Captain Cock says:--"The White-throated Laughing-Thrush lays one of +the most lovely eggs with which I am acquainted. The nest is usually +low, never more than 10 feet or so from the ground; and of some +fifteen or more nests that I have taken, all were constructed of long +stalks of the ground-ivy, twisted round and round into a wreath. The +nest is not a deep cup; if anything it is rather shallow, but it +is very wide. I always found these nests in thick forest, at high +elevations from 6000 to 7000 feet. The birds used to sit close, and +when put off their nests would commence their outcries, and from all +parts they would assemble and flit about almost within reach of one's +hand, making an awful noise, and in the dark shade of the forest their +white gorgets had quite a ghostly look. The eggs are always three in +number, of a beautiful shining blue-green, sometimes of a very long +oval type. I have found the nests at Murree from the 3rd May to quite +the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writing of this species says:--"A nest found +at Nynee Tal on Ayar Pata, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained +two fresh eggs on the 31st May. The eggs were of a rich deep greenish +blue, unspotted. The nest was a scanty and loosely-built structure, +composed of roots and stems of grass and creepers, cup-shaped, rather +shallow, and lined with a curious black creeper, very like coarse +hair. The birds were gregarious even though breeding, and were moving +about the underwood in parties of three to five. The nest was near the +top of an oak-sapling in a dense coppice, placed close against the +stem in a bunch of leaves at the top. The only difficulty in finding +it lay in the scantiness of the structure rather than in the +concealment by the foliage. The bird was on the nest and only moved +off about 3 feet, sitting close by and chattering indignantly during +my inspection. They are noisy birds, constantly on the move, and +their notes, though rather harsh, are very varied and quite +_conversational_." + +The eggs are long, and pointed at the small end, to which they +sometimes taper much. They are very glossy, and vary from a deep dull +blue (the blue of a dark oil-paint, very much deeper than that of any +other of the Crateropodinae with which I am acquainted) to a deep +intense greenish blue. Possibly other as deeply coloured eggs occur +in this family, but I have seen none like them. They are of course +entirely unspotted. + +In length they vary from 1.16 to 1.25, and in breadth from 0.8 to +0.86; but the average of some twenty eggs measured is 1.22 by 0.83. + + +78. Ianthocincla ocellata (Vig.). _The White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Garrulax ocellatus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 41; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 414. + +I know nothing personally of the nidification of the White-spotted +Laughing-Thrush, which breeds nowhere, so far as I know, west +of Nepal, but I had a nest with a couple of eggs and one of the +parent-birds sent me from Darjeeling. The nest was taken in May in one +of the low warm valleys leading to the Great Runjeet, and is said to +have been placed close to the ground in a thick clump of fern and +grass. The nest is chiefly composed of these, intermingled with moss +and roots, and is a large loose structure some 7 inches in diameter. + +Mr. Blyth remarked in 'The Ibis' (1867) that this species was "surely +a _Trochalopteron_ rather than a _Garrulax_," and the eggs seem to +confirm this view. These are long, cylindrical ovals, very obtuse even +at the smaller end. They are about the same size as those of _Garrulax +albigularis_, with a very delicate pale blue ground and little or no +gloss. One egg is spotless; the other has a few chocolate-brown specks +or spots towards the large end. They measure 1.18 by 0.86 and 1.25 by +0.85. + + +80. Ianthocincla rufigularis, Gould. _The Rufous-chinned +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron rufogulare (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 47; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 421. + +Common as this species is about Simla, I have never yet secured the +nest, and know nothing certain about the eggs. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species appears usually in pairs, +sometimes in a family of four or five. It breeds in May, in which +month I took a nest, at about 6500 feet elevation, in a retired and +wooded glen; it was composed of small twigs externally and lined with +the fine black fibres of lichens. The nest was placed on a horizontal +bough, about 7 feet from the ground, and contained three pure white +eggs. Size 1.12 by 0.69; shape ordinary. The stomach of the old bird +contained sand, seed, and the remains of wasps." + +One egg that I possess of this species I owe to Captain Hutton, and +it is of the _Pomatorhinus_ type--a long oval, slightly pointed pure +white egg, with but little gloss, measuring 1.08 by 0.75. + +From Sikhim a nest, said to belong to this species, has been recently +sent me. It was found below Darjeeling in July, and was placed in +a double fork of the branchlets of a medium-sized tree. It is a +moderately deep cup, composed almost entirely of dry, coarser and +finer, tendrils of creepers, and is lined with a some black moss-roots +and a few scraps of dead leaves. It contained three fresh eggs. + +Numerous nests of this species subsequently sent me from Sikhim are +all of the same type, all moderately deep cups composed entirely of +creeper-tendrils, the cavity only being lined with fine black roots. +They appear from the specimens before me to be quite _sui generis_ and +unlike those of any of its congeners. No grass, no dead leaves, no +moss seems to be employed; nothing but the tendrils of some creeper. +The nests appear to be always placed at the fork, where three, four, +or more shoots diverge, and to be generally more or less like inverted +cones, measuring say 4 to 5 inches in height, and about the same in +breadth at the top, while the cavities are about 3 inches in diameter +and 1.5 to 2 in depth. The nests appear to have been found at very +varying heights from the ground from 5 to 15 feet, and at elevations +of from 3000 to 5000 feet. They appear to have contained three fresh +or more or less incubated eggs. + +The eggs were found in Sikhim on different dates between 25th May and +8th September. + +Exceptional as the coloration of the eggs of this species may seem, +there is no doubt that they are pure white. The shell is thin and +fragile, but has generally a decided gloss, and the eggs are +typically elongated ovals, obtuse-ended, and more or less pyriform or +cylindrical. The eggs vary from 0.92 to 1.13 in length, and from 0.75 +to 0.8 in breadth, but the average of eleven eggs is 1.06 by 0.77 +nearly. + + +82. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum (Vig.). _The Red-headed +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron erythrocephalum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 415. + +From Kumaon westwards, at any rate as far as the valley of the Beas, +the Red-headed Laughing-Thrush is, next to _T. lineatum_, the most +common species of the genus. It lays in May and June, at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 feet, building on low branches of trees, at a height +of from 3 to 10 feet from, the ground. + +The nests are composed chiefly of dead leaves bound round into a deep +cup with delicate fronds of ferns and coarse and fine grass, the +cavities being scantily lined with fine grass and moss-roots. It is +difficult by any description to convey an adequate idea of the beauty +of some of these nests--the deep red-brown of the withered ferns, +the black of the grass- and moss-roots, the pale yellow of the broad +flaggy grass, and the straw-yellow of some of the finer grass-stems, +all blended together into an artistic wreath, in the centre of which +the beautiful sky-blue and maroon-spotted eggs repose. Externally the +nests may average about 6 inches in diameter, but the egg-cavity is +comparatively large and very regular, measuring about 31/2 inches across +and fully 21/4 inches in depth. Some nests of course are less regular +and artistic in their appearance, but, as a rule, those of this +species are particularly beautiful. + +The eggs vary from two to four in number. + +Sir E.C. Buck sent me the following note:-- + +"I found a nest of this species near Narkunda (about 30 miles north of +Simla) on the 26th June. It was placed on the branch of a banj tree, +some 8 feet from the ground, and contained two eggs, half set. Nest +and eggs forwarded." + +Dr. Jerdon says that Shore, as quoted by Gould in his 'Century,' says +that "it is by no means uncommon in Kumaon, where it frequents shady +ravines, building in hollows and their precipitous sides, and making +its nest of small sticks and grasses, the eggs being five in number, +of a sky-blue colour." But Shore, as the showman would say, is, so far +as eggs and nests are concerned, "a fabulous writer," and the eggs +are always more or less spotted, and no nest that I ever saw of this +species was composed of "small sticks." + +Mr. Blyth says:--"Mr. Hodgson figures a green egg, spotted much like +that of _Turdus musicus_, as that of the present species;" but in all +Hodgson's drawings this _green_ represents a _greenish blue_, as I +have tested in dozens of cases. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I found a nest of this species on +the 15th May at Nynee Tal on the top of Ayar Pata, at an elevation of +about 7500 feet above the sea. The nest was a rather deep cup, neatly +made and placed about 5 feet from the ground amongst the outer twigs +of a thick barberry bush, the leaves of which entirely concealed it. +It was composed of a thick layer of dead oak- and rhododendron-leaves, +bound round outside with just enough of grass-stems and moss to +keep the leaves in place; it had no lining of any description. The +egg-cavity was 31/2 inches broad by nearly 21/2 inches deep. The eggs, two +in number, were blue, with a few spots, streaks, and scrawls of brown +tending to form a zone at the larger end. They were large for the +size of the bird. The ground-colour was like that of the eggs of a +Song-Thrush in England. + +"Several more nests found subsequently with eggs up to 4th June were +similar in structure, but placed in small oak trees from 5 to 15 or 18 +feet from the ground. + +"I found a nest of this species containing a single hard-set egg on +the 17th August; both parent-birds were by the nest; this is unusually +late, the chief breeding-month being June." + +The eggs are very long ovals, of a delicate pale greenish-blue +ground-colour, with a few spots, streaks, and streaky blotches of a +very rich though slightly brownish red at the large end. These eggs, +though somewhat longer in shape and less freely marked, are exactly +of the same type as those of _T. cachinnans_ and _T. variegatum_. The +texture of the shell is very fine and compact, and they have a slight +gloss. In some eggs the spottings are more numerous, and, besides the +primary markings already mentioned, a few purple spots and blotches, +mostly very pale, are intermingled with the darker markings. In almost +all the eggs that I have seen the markings were absolutely confined to +the larger end. + +In length the eggs vary from 1.15 to 1.22, and in breadth from 0.8 to +0.86; but the average is about 1.2 by 0.82. + + +85. Trochalopterum nigrimentum, Hodgs. _The Western Yellow-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron chrysopterum (_Gould), apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 43; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 416. + +The Western Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush breeds, so far as is yet +known, only in Nepal, Sikhim, and Bhootan, from all which localities +we have quite young birds, but no eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The eggs are greenish blue, in a nest neatly made +with roots and moss." This, of course, is wrong, as the eggs are now +well known to be spotted. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"The Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds from April to June at elevations from 5500 feet upwards. It +prefers scrubby jungle, and places its nest in bushes about six feet +or so from the ground. It is a broad, cup-shaped structure, neatly and +strongly made of fine twigs and dry grass-leaves, lined with roots and +with a few strings of green moss wound round the outside. Externally, +it measures about 6 inches wide, and 41/2 deep; internally 31/4 by 21/2. + +"The eggs are usually three in number." + +Six nests of this species found between the 4th May and 2nd July in +Native and British Sikhim were sent me by Mr. Mandelli. They were +placed in small trees or dense bushes at heights of from 3 to 8 feet, +and contained in some cases two, and in others three fresh or fully +incubated eggs, so that sometimes the bird only lays two eggs. Three +nests were also sent me by Mr. Gammie, taken in the neighbourhood of +the Sikhim Cinchona-Plantations. All are precisely of the same type, +all constructed with the same materials, but owing to the different +proportions in which these are used some of the nests at first sight +seem to differ widely from others. Some also are a good deal bigger +than others, but all are massive, deep cups, varying from 5.25 to 6.5 +inches in diameter, and from 3 to fully 4 in height externally; the +cavities vary from 3 to 3.5 in diameter, and from 2 to 2.5 in depth. +The body of the nests is composed of grass; the cavity is lined first +with dry leaves, and then thickly or thinly with black fibrous roots. +Externally the nest is more or less bound together by creepers and +stems of herbaceous plants. Sometimes only a few strings of moss and a +few sprays of _Selaginella_ are to be seen on the outside of the nest; +while, on the other hand, in some nests the entire outer surface is +completely covered over with green moss, not only on the sides, but +on the upper margin, so as to conceal completely the rest of the +materials of the nest, and in all the nine nests before me the extent +to which the moss is used varies. + +The eggs of this species are typically somewhat elongated ovals, some +are much pointed towards the small end, others are somewhat pyriform, +and others again are subcylindrical. The shell is fine and soft, but +has only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour, which varies +very little in shade, is a delicate pale, slightly greenish blue, +almost precisely the same colour as that of _Trochalopterum +erythrocephalum_. The eggs are sparingly (in fact, almost exclusively +about the large end) marked with deep chocolate. These markings are +in some spots and blotches, but in many assume the form of thicker or +thinner hieroglyphic lines. As a rule, three fourths of the egg is +spotless, occasionally a single speck or spot occurs towards the small +end of the egg. One or two eggs are almost spotless. In length the +eggs vary from 1.1 to 1.23, and in breadth from 0.73 to 0.87, but the +average of sixteen eggs is 1.17 nearly by 0.82. + + +87. Trochalopterum phoeniceum (Gould). _The Crimson-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron phoeniceum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 422. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have found altogether seven nests of the +Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush in and about Rishap, at elevations +between 4000 and 5000 feet, and on various dates between the 4th and +23rd May. The locality chosen for the nest is in some moist forest +amongst dense undergrowth. It is placed in shrubs, at heights of from +6 to 10 feet from the ground, and is generally suspended between +several upright stems, to which it is firmly attached by fibres. It is +chiefly composed of dry bamboo-leaves and a few twigs, and lined with +black fibres and moss-roots. A few strings of moss are twisted round +it externally to aid in concealing it. It is a moderately deep cup, +measuring externally about 5 inches in diameter and 4 inches in +height, and internally 31/2 inches in width and 2 inches in depth. + +"The eggs are almost always three in number, but occasionally only +two. Of the seven nests taken by me, five contained eggs and two young +birds." + +The Crimson-winged Laughing-Thrush, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5000 feet, during the +months of April, May, and June. The nest is placed in the fork of some +thick bush or small tree, where three or four sprays divide, at from 2 +to 5 feet above the ground. The nest is a very deep compact cup. One +measured _in situ_ was 4.5 inches in diameter and the same in height +externally, while the cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 2.25 +deep. It was very compact and was composed of dry leaves, creepers, +grass-flowers, and vegetable fibres, more or less lined with +moss-roots and coated externally with dry bamboo-leaves. They lay, we +are told, three or four eggs. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs said to be of this bird were +brought to me at Darjeeling; the nest made of roots and grass, and the +eggs, three in number, pale blue, with a few narrow and wavy dusky +streaks." + +The eggs are singularly lovely. In shape they are elongated ovals, +generally very obtuse at both ends, and many of them exhibiting +cylindrical or pyriform tendencies. The shell is very fine and fairly +glossy, and the ground-colour is a most beautiful clear pale sea-green +in some, greenish blue in others. The character of the markings +is more that of the Buntings than of this family. There are a few +strongly marked deep maroon, generally more or less angular, spots or +dashes, principally about the large end, and there are a few spots +and tiny clouds of pale soft purple, and then there are an infinite +variety of hair-line hieroglyphics, twisted and scrawled in brownish +or reddish purple, about the egg. The markings are nowhere as a rule +crowded, and towards the small end are usually sparse and occasionally +wholly wanting. In some eggs a bad pen seems to have been used to +scribble the pattern, and every here and there instead of a fine +hair-line there is a coarse thick one. + +The eggs are pretty constant in size and colour, but here and there +an abnormally pale specimen, in which the green has almost entirely +disappeared, is met with. In length they vary from 0.98 to 1.15, and +in breadth from 0.7 to 0.82, but the average of thirty-one eggs is +1.04 by 0.74. + + +88. Trochalopterum subunicolor, Hodgs. _The Plain-coloured +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron subunicolor, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 44; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 417. + +The Olivaceous or Plain-coloured Laughing-Thrush breeds, according +to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the central region of Nepal from April to +June. It nests in open forests and groves, building its nest on some +low branch of a tree, 2 or 3 feet from the ground, between a number of +twigs. The nest is large and cup-shaped: one measured externally 5.5 +inches in diameter and 3.38 in height; internally 2.75 deep and 3.12 +in diameter. The nest is composed externally of grass and mosses +lined with soft bamboo-leaves. Three or four eggs are laid, unspotted +greenish blue. One is figured as 1.07 by 0.7. + + +90. Trochalopterum variegatum (Vig.). _The Eastern Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron variegatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 45; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 418 (part). + +The Eastern Variegated Laughing-Thrush breeds only at elevations of +from 4000 to 7000 or 8000 feet, from Simla to Nepal, during the latter +half of April, May, and June. The nest is a pretty compact, rather +shallow cup, composed exteriorly of coarse grass, in which a few +dead leaves are intermingled; it has no lining, but the interior is +composed of rather finer and softer grass than the exterior, and +a good number of dry needle-like fir-leaves are used towards the +interior. It is from 5 to 8 inches in diameter exteriorly, and the +cavity from 3 inches to 3.5 in diameter and about 2 inches deep. The +nest is usually placed in some low, densely-foliaged branch of a tree, +at say from 3 to 8 feet from the ground; but I recently obtained one +placed in a thick tuft of grass, growing at the roots of a young +Deodar, not above 6 inches from the ground. They lay four or five +eggs. + +The first egg that I obtained of this species, sent me by Sir E.C. +Buck, C.S., and taken by himself near Narkunda, late in June, out of +a nest containing two eggs and two young ones, was a nearly perfect, +rather long oval, and precisely the same type of egg as those of _T. +erythrocephalum_ and _T. cachinnans_, but considerably smaller than +the former. The ground-colour is a pale, rather dingy greenish blue, +and it is blotched, spotted, and speckled, almost exclusively at the +larger end, and even there not very thickly, with reddish brown. +The egg appeared to have but little gloss. Other eggs subsequently +obtained by myself were very similar, but slightly larger and rather +more thickly and boldly blotched, the majority of the markings being +still at the large end. + +The colour of the markings varies a good deal: a liver-red is perhaps +the most common, but yellowish brown, pale purple, purplish red, and +brownish red also occur. Here and there an egg is met with almost +entirely devoid of markings, with perhaps only one moderately large +spot and a dozen specks, and these so deep a red as to be all but +black. + +The eggs vary from 1.07 to 1.15 in length, and from 0.76 to 0.82 in +breadth. + + +91. Trochalopterum simile, Hume. _The Western Variegated +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum simile, _Hume; Hume, Cat._ no. 418 bis. + +Messrs. Cock and Marshall write from Murree:--"The nidification of +this _Trochalopterum_ was apparently unknown before. We found one nest +on the 15th June, about twenty feet up a spruce-fir at the extremity +of the bough. Nest deep, cup-shaped, solidly built of grass, roots, +and twigs; the bird sits close. Eggs light greenish blue, sparingly +spotted with pale purple, the same size as those of _Merula +castanea_." + + +92. Trochalopterum squamatum (Gould). _The Blue-winged +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron squamatum (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 46; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 420. + +From Sikhim my friend Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have never as yet found +more than one nest of the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush, and this one +was found on the 18th May at Mongphoo, at an elevation of about 3500 +feet. The nest was placed in a bush (one of the _Zingiberaceae_), +growing in a marshy place, in the midst of dense scrub, at a height +of about 4 feet from the ground, and was firmly attached to several +upright stems. It was composed of dry bamboo-leaves, held together by +the stems of delicate creepers, and was lined with a few black fibres. +It was cup-shaped, and measured externally 5.7 in diameter by 3.6 +in height, and internally 3.7 in width by 2.6 in depth. The nest +contained three eggs, which were unfortunately almost ready to hatch +off, so that three is probably the normal number of the eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes the Blue-winged Laughing-Thrush +breeds in May and June in the central region of Nepal in forests, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. The nest is placed in a fork of +a branch on some small tree, and is a large mass of dry leaves and +coarse dry grass, 7 or 8 inches in diameter externally, mortar-shaped, +the cavity about 2.5 deep, and lined with hair-like fibres. The nest, +though composed of loose materials, is very firm and compact. They lay +four or five eggs, unspotted, verditer-blue, one of which is figured +as a broad regular oval, only slightly compressed towards one end, +measuring 1.2 by 0.9. + +One of the eggs taken by Mr. Gammie (the others were unfortunately +broken) is a long, almost cylindrical, oval, very obtuse at both ends +and slightly compressed towards the smaller end, so that the egg has +a pyriform tendency. It measures 1.25 by 0.82. The colour is an +excessively pale greenish blue, precisely the same as that of the eggs +of _Sturnia malabarica_; but then this present egg was nearly ready to +hatch off when taken, and the fresh eggs are somewhat deeper coloured. + +Subsequent to his letter above quoted, Mr. Gammie on the 10th June +found a second nest of this species similar to the first, containing +three nearly fresh eggs. These are similar in shape to that above +described, but in colour are a beautiful clear verditer-blue, +altogether a much brighter and richer tint than that of the first. +They measure 1.2 and 1.25 by 0.88. + +One nest was taken by Mr. Gammie above Mongphoo at an elevation of +about 4500 feet on the 30th of April. It was placed in a bush at a +height of about 6 feet from the ground, and contained three fresh +eggs. It was a loosely put together, massive cup, some 7 inches in +diameter and 4 in height externally. It was composed mainly of +fine twigs, creeper-stems, and grass, with a few bamboo-leaves +intermingled, and the cavity was carefully lined with bamboo-leaves, +and then within that thinly with black fibrous roots; the cavity +measured 3.7 inches in diameter and 2.3 in depth. + +The eggs of this species, of which I have now received many, appear to +be typically somewhat elongated ovals, and not unfrequently they are +more or less pyriform or even cylindrical. As a rule, they are fairly +glossy, a bright pale, somewhat greenish blue, quite spotless, and +varying a little in tint. In length they appear to vary from 1.11 to +1.25, and in breadth from 0.82 to 0.91; but the average of eleven eggs +is 1.2 by 0.87. + + +93. Trochalopterum cachinnans (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron cachinnans (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 48; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 423. + +The Nilghiri Laughing-Thrush breeds, according to my many informants, +throughout the more elevated portions of the mountains from which it +derives its trivial name, from February to the beginning of June. + +A nest of this species sent me by Mr. H.R.P. Carter, who took it +at Coonoor on April 22nd (when it contained two fresh eggs), is +externally a rather coarse clumsy structure, composed of roots, dead +leaves, small twigs, and a little lichen, about 5 inches in diameter, +and standing about 41/2 inches high. The egg-cavity is, however, very +regularly shaped, and neatly lined with very fine grass-stems and a +little fine tow-like vegetable fibre. It is a deep cup, measuring 21/2 +inches across and fully 33/4 inches in depth. + +A nest taken by Miss Cockburn was a much more compact structure, +placed between four or five twigs. It was composed of coarse grass, +dead and skeleton leaves, a very little lichen, and a quantity of +moss. The egg-cavity was lined with very fine grass. The nest was +externally about 51/2 inches in diameter and nearly 6 inches in height, +but the egg-cavity had a diameter of only about 21/2 inches and was only +about 21/4 inches deep. + +It was Jerdon, I believe, who gave the name of Laughing-Thrushes to +this group, and this name is applicable enough to this particular +bird, the one with which he was most familiar, for it does +_laugh_--albeit, a most maniacal laugh; but the majority of the group +have not the shadow of a giggle even in them, and should have been +designated "Screaming Squabblers." + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., says:--"This bird breeds from February to May. +I have found the nests all over the Nilghiris, at elevations of from +4500 to 7500 feet above the sea. The nest is placed indiscriminately +in any bush or tree that happens to take the bird's fancy, at heights +of from 3 to 12 feet from the ground. + +"In shape it is circular, a deep cup, externally some 6 inches in +diameter and 5 or 6 inches in height, and with a cavity 3 to 4 inches +wide and often fully 4 inches in depth. The nest is composed of moss +and small twigs, at times of grass mingled with some spiders' webs: +sometimes there is a foundation of dead leaves. The cavity is lined +with fur, cotton-wool, feathers, &c. + +"The eggs are two or three in number." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_T. cachinnans_ breeds about +May, and lays from three to five oval eggs. The ground is bluish, with +ash-coloured and brown spots and blotches, and occasionally marks." +None of my other correspondents, however, admit that the bird ever +lays more than three eggs. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this bird breeds commonly on the Nilghiris, +just before the rains set in, in May and the earlier part of June, but +it occasionally breeds earlier (in April) or later (in the latter +end of June). The nest is cup-shaped, composed of dead leaves, moss, +grass, &c., and lined with a few moss-roots or fine grass. It is +placed in the fork of a branch about 6 or 8 feet from the ground. The +eggs are a bluish green, mottled chiefly towards the larger end, and +sometimes also streaked with purplish brown. The normal number of eggs +is two; sometimes, however, three are laid." + +From Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The name 'Laughing-Thrush' +is most applicable to this bird, and its notes are often mistaken for +the sound of the human voice. This bird is very shy, except when its +nest contains eggs or young, when it becomes extremely bold. I was +quite surprised to see a pair whose nest I was taking come so close +as to induce me to put out my hand to catch them. The Laughing-Thrush +builds a pretty, though large, nest, and generally selects the forked +branches of a thick bush, and commences its nest with a large quantity +of moss, after which there is a lining of fine grass and roots, and +the withered fibrous covering of the Peruvian Cherry (_Physalis +peruviana_), the nest being finished with a few feathers, in general +belonging to the bird. The inside of the nest is perfectly round, and +rarely contains more than two eggs, belonging to the owner. The eggs +are of a beautiful greenish-blue colour, with a few large and small +brown blotches and streaks, mostly at the large end. I have found the +nests of these birds in February, March, and April. Occasionally the +Black-and-white Crested Cuckoo, which appears on these hills in the +month of March, deposits its eggs (two in number) in the nest of +this Thrush. They are easily distinguished, as their colour is quite +different from the Thrush's eggs, being entirely dark bluish green." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It builds a very neat nest of moss, dried leaves, and the +outer husk of the fruit of the Brazil Cherry, lined with feathers, +bits of fur, and other soft substances. The nest is cup-shaped, and +generally contains three eggs, most peculiarly marked with blotches, +streaks, and wavy lines of a dark claret-colour on a light blue +ground. The markings are almost always at the larger end." + +The first specimens that I obtained of the eggs of this species were +kindly sent to me by the late Captain Mitchell and Mr. H.R.P. Carter +of Madras; they were taken on the Nilghiris. They are moderately broad +ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end, larger than the average eggs +of _T. lineatum_, and about the same size as large specimens of the +eggs of _Crateropus canorus_ and _Argya malcolmi_. The ground-colour +is of a delicate pale blue, and towards the large end, and sometimes +over the whole surface, they are speckled, spotted, and blotched, but +only sparingly, with brownish red and blackish brown, and amongst +these markings a few cloudy streaks and spots of dull faint reddish +purple are observable. The eggs have not much gloss. + +Numerous other specimens subsequently received from Miss Cockburn +and others correspond well with the above description. More or less +pyriform varieties are common. In some eggs the markings are almost +entirely wanting, there being only a very faint brownish-pink +freckling at the large end; and in many eggs, even some that are +profusely spotted all over, the markings consist only of darker or +lighter brownish-pink shades. Occasionally a few, almost black, +twisted lines are intermingled with the other markings, and in these +cases the lines are frequently surrounded by a reddish-purple nimbus. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.92 to 1.08, and in breadth from 0.74 to +0.8, but the average of twenty eggs measured was 1.0 by 0.76. + + +96. Trochalopterum fairbanki, Blanf. _The Palni Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopterum fairbanki, _Blanf., Hume, Cat._ no. 423 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, the discoverer of this species, found its nest +at Kodai Kanal, in the Palni Hills, in May. The nest was placed in +the crotch of a tree, at about 10 feet from the ground, and at an +elevation of nearly 6500 feet above the level of the sea. The eggs +are moderately elongated ovals, with a fine, fairly glossy shell. The +ground is pale greenish blue or bluish green; the markings are spots, +small blotches, hair-lines, and hieroglyphic-like scrawls, rather +thinly scattered about the surface, and varying in colour through +several shades of brownish and reddish purple to bright claret-colour. + +The only egg I have measures 1 inch in length by 0.8 inch in breadth. + + +99. Trochalopterum lineatum (Vig.). _The Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush_. + +Trochalopteron lineatum (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 50; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 425[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the note on _T. imbricatum_ in the 'Rough Draft,' +because, as I have shown in the 'Birds of India,' this bird was +unknown to Hodgson, and his note refers to _T. lineatum_. Sufficient +is now known about the nidification of this latter to render the +insertion of Hodgson's note unnecessary.--ED.] + +Next to the Common House-Sparrow, the Himalayan Streaked +Laughing-Thrush is perhaps the most familiar bird about our houses +at all the hill-stations of the Himalayas westward of Nepal and +throughout the lower ranges on which these stations are situated; this +species breeds at elevations of from 5000 to 8000 feet. + +It lays from the end of April to the beginning of September, and very +possibly occasionally even earlier and later. I took a nest on the +29th April near Mussoorie; Mr. Brooks obtained eggs in May and June at +Almorah; Colonel G.F.L. Marshall at Mussoorie in July and August; and +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall at Murree from May to the end of July. I again +took them in July and August near Simla, and Captain Beavan found them +as late as the 6th of September near the same station. + +So far as my own experience goes, the nests are always placed in +very thick bushes or in low thick branches of some tree, the Deodar +appearing to be a great favourite. Those I found averaged about 4 feet +from the ground, but I took a single one in a Deodar tree fully 8 feet +up. The bird, as a rule, conceals its nest so well that, though a +loose and, for the size of the architect, a large structure, it is +difficult to find, even when one closely examines the bush in which it +is. The nest is nearly circular, with a deep cup-like cavity in the +centre, reminding one much of that of _Crateropus canorus_, and is +constructed of dry grass and the fine stems of herbaceous plants, +often intermingled with the bark of some fibrous plant, with a +considerable number of dead leaves interwoven in the fabric, +especially towards the base. The cavity is neatly lined with fine +grass-roots, or occasionally very fine grass. The cavity varies from 3 +inches to 3.5 in diameter, and from 2.25 inches to 2.75 in depth; the +walls immediately surrounding the cavity are very compact, but the +compact portion rarely exceeds from .75 to 1 inch in thickness, beyond +which the loose ends of the material straggle more or less, so that +the external diameter varies from 5.5 inches to nearly 10. + +The normal number of eggs appears to me to be three, although Captain +Beavan cites an instance of four being found. + +Captain Hutton tells us (J.A.S.B. xvii.) that in the neighbourhood of +Mussoorie "this bird is met with in pairs, sometimes in a family of +four or five, and may be seen under every bush. The nest is placed +near the ground, in the midst of some thick low bush, or on the side +of a bank amidst overhanging coarse grass, and not unfrequently in +exposed and well-frequented places; it is loosely and rather slovenly +constructed of coarse dry grasses and stalks externally, lined +sometimes with fine grass, sometimes with fine roots. The eggs are +three in number, and in shape and size exceedingly variable, being +sometimes of an ordinary oval, at others nearly round." + +From Almorah and Nynee Tal my friend Mr. Brooks writes to me "that +this bird is common everywhere. The nest is generally placed in a low +tree or bush where the foliage is thick. It is composed of grass, and +lined with finer grass. The eggs are three in number, one inch and one +line long by nine lines broad. They are of a light greenish blue, +the tint being much the same as that of the eggs of _Acridotheres +tristis_. They lay from the commencement of May to the end of June." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells me that "the Streaked Laughing-Thrush is +very common at Mussoorie, where it is called by the public the Robin +of India. It breeds in July and August all about Landour. The nest is +cup-shaped, rather shallow, and loosely put together, made of grass +and fibre with some moss and a few dead leaves twisted into it; it +is placed in a low bush or else on the ground concealed among the +grass-roots on the hill-side. The eggs, three or four in number, are +oval, rather large for the bird, and of a pure light-blue colour +without spots. I took eggs on the 26th and 28th July and on the 16th +August." + +Sir E.C. Buck writes:--"At Mutianee, three marches north of Simla, +I found on the 28th June a nest in a bush on the side of a scantily +'jungled' hill. It was 2 feet from the ground, constructed of grass +and stalks externally, and lined with fibrous roots. It contained +three fresh eggs. The nest measured--exterior diameter 6 inches, +height exteriorly 4 inches; the interior diameter was 3 inches, and +the depth of the cavity 2 inches." + +The late Captain Beavan tells us that "on the 16th of August, 1866, I +found a nest in the garden, in a rose-bush, with four pale blue eggs +in it, like those of _Acridotheres tristis_. The nest is a large +structure, firmly built of dry twigs, bark, sticks, ferns, and roots. +Another nest, with three eggs only, was found in a thick clump of +everlasting peas close to the ground on the 6th of September. The +female sat very close, and this may have been the second nest of the +same pair that built the nest mentioned above, as it was built not far +from the first." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Being at Landour for a few days in May I +chanced on a nest of this bird, perhaps the commonest in the hills. It +was placed under an overhanging bush on the side of Lal Tiba hill, and +_on the ground_, being constructed rather loosely of pieces of +the withered stem of some creeper, intertwined with a quantity of +oak-leaves, and lined with grass-roots." + +The eggs, of which I must have seen some hundreds, as this is the +commonest Laughing-Thrush about both Mussoorie and Simla, are +typically regular and moderately broad ovals. Abnormally elongated, +spherical, and pyriform varieties occur; some are nearly round like a +Kingfisher's, and I have seen one almost as slender as a Swift's, but, +as a rule, the eggs vary but little either in shape or colour. They +are perfectly spotless, moderately glossy, and of a delicate pale +greenish blue, which of course varies a little in shade and intensity +of colour, but which is very much paler on the average than those of +any of the _Crateropi_, and at the same time less glossy. I am not at +all sure whether _T. lineatum_ is rightly associated with species like +_T. cachinnans, T. variegatum_, and _T. erythrocephalum_, which all +have spotted eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.8 to 1.13, and in breadth from 0.63 to +0.8; but the average of fifty-eight eggs carefully measured is 1.01 by +0.73. + + +101. Grammatoptila striata (Vig.). _The Striated Laughing-Thrush_. + +Grammatoptila striata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii; p. 11; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 382. + +The Striated Laughing-Thrush, remarks Mr. Blyth, "builds a compact +Jay-like nest. The eggs are spotless blue, as shown by one of Mr. +Hodgson's drawings in the British Museum." + +A nest of this species found near Darjeeling in July was placed on the +branches of a large tree, at a height of about 12 feet. + +It was a huge shallow cup, composed mainly of moss, bound together +with stems of creepers and fronds of a _Selaginella_, and lined with +coarse roots and broken pieces of dry grass. A few dead leaves were +incorporated in the body of the nest. The nest was about 8 or 9 inches +in diameter and about 2 in thickness, the broad, shallow, saucer-like +cavity being about an inch in depth. + +The nest contained two nearly fresh eggs. The eggs appear to be rather +peculiarly shaped. They are moderately elongated ovals, a good deal +pinched out and pointed towards the small end, in the same manner +(though in a less degree) as those of some Plovers, Snipe, &c. I do +not know whether this is the typical shape of this egg, or whether it +is an abnormal peculiarity of the eggs of this particular nest. The +shell is fine, but the eggs have very little gloss. In colour they are +a very pale spotless blue, not much darker than those of _Zosterops +palpebrosus_. + +The eggs measure 1.3 and 1.32 in length, and 0.89 and 0.92 in breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"In the first week of May I took a +nest of the Striated Laughing-Thrush out of a small tree growing in +the forest at 5500 feet above the sea. It was fixed among spray about +10 feet up. In shape it is a shallow, broad cup, and is built in three +layers: the outer one of twining stems, which besides holding the nest +together fastened it to the spray; the middle layer is an intermixture +of green moss and fresh fern-fronds, and the inner a thick lining of +roots. Externally it measured 7.5 inches broad by 5.25 inches deep; +internally 4 inches by 2.75 inches. + +"It contained two hard-set eggs." + +Several nests of this species that I have now seen have all been of +the same type, large nests 9 or 10 inches in diameter, and 4 to 5 in +height, the body of the nest composed mainly of green moss interwoven +with and bound round about with the stems of creepers and a few pliant +twigs, many of which straggle away a good deal outside the limits +which I have assigned in stating the dimensions above. The cavities +are not quite hemispherical, a little shallower, say 4.5 inches in +diameter and 2 inches in depth, closely lined with fine black roots. +They have all been placed in the branches of trees at heights of from +8 to 20 feet. + +Eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie in May, and Mr. Mandelli +in July, are of precisely the same type. They are rather elongated +ovals, a good deal pointed towards the small end, near which they +are not unfrequently a good deal compressed, so as to render the egg +slightly pyriform. The shell is fine and smooth, but has little gloss. +The ground-colour is a very pale greenish blue or bluish green, in +some almost white; some of them are absolutely spotless, none of them +are at all well marked, but some bear from half a dozen to a dozen +tiny specks of a dark colour. On one only there is a triangular spot +about 0.05 each way, which proves on examination with a microscope +to be a deep brownish red. On the other eggs the markings are mere +specks. + +The eggs vary from 1.25 to 1.35 in length, and from 0.89 to 0.92 in +breadth. + + +104. Argya earlii (Blyth). _The Striated Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea earlii (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 68; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 439. + +The Striated Babbler breeds in suitable localities throughout +Continental India, from Sindh to Tipperah and Assam, as also in +Burmah. Reedy-margined lakes, canals and perennial streams are its +favourite haunts, and wherever within the limits above indicated these +abound, and the locality is moist and warm, _A. earlii_ is pretty sure +to be met with. + +They lay twice during the year, between the latter end of March and +the early part of September, building a neat, compact, and rather +massive cup-shaped nest, either between the close-growing reeds, to +three or more of which it is firmly bound, or in some little bush or +shrub more or less surrounded by high reed-grass. The broad leaves +and stringy roots of the reed, common grass, and grass-roots are the +materials of which it generally constructs its nest, which varies much +in size, according to the situation and fineness of the material used. +I have seen them composed almost wholly of reed-leaves, fully 7 +inches in diameter and 5 in height, and again built entirely of fine +grass-stems not more than 4 inches across and 3 inches in height. +When semi-suspended between reeds, they are always smaller and more +compact, while when placed in a fork of a low bush they are larger +and more straggling. The cavity (always neatly finished off, but very +rarely regularly lined, and then only with very fine grass-stems or +roots) is usually about 3 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"In the Saharunpoor District _A. +earlii_ commences building about the middle of March, and the young +are hatched towards the middle of April. The nest is usually placed +in the middle of a tuft of Sarkerry grass, and sometimes in a bush +or small tree, generally 3 or 4 feet from the ground. It is a deep +cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass without lining, and +woven in with the stems if in a clump of grass, or firmly fixed in +a fork if in a bush or low tree. The interior diameter is about 3 +inches, and the depth nearly 2 inches. The eggs, four in number, are +of a clear blue colour without spots of any kind. In shape they are +oval, rather thinner at one end; the shell is smooth and thin. The +eggs are of the same colour, but considerably larger than those of +_Argya caudata. Argya earlii_ breeds commonly in the Sub-Siwalik +District of the Doab; it seems fond of water, as most of the nests I +have found were close to the canal bank. It is gregarious even in the +breeding-season; small flocks of seven or eight keeping together, +fluttering in and out of the low bushes, but seldom alighting on the +ground, and occasionally making a noisy chattering cry, especially +when disturbed." + +From the Pegu District Mr. Oates writes:--"I found two nests on the +24th May, one quite empty though finished, the other containing three +eggs. + +"The nests were placed a few feet apart in an immensely thick patch of +elephant-grass, the undergrowth being fine, once tall, but now dead, +grass. It was upon this dead stuff, which in May is much flattened +down, that I found the nests. They were not attached to anything, but +simply laid in a depressed platform about a foot above the ground, in +among the thickest of the stalks of elephant-grass. + +"The nest is a bulky structure, some 6 or 8 inches in external +diameter, and 4 inches in height, composed chiefly of coarse reeds, +becoming finer interiorly till the egg-cup is reached, where the +grasses employed are tolerably fine and neatly interwoven. The cavity +itself is more than a hemisphere, the diameter being 3 inches and the +depth about 2 inches. + +"The eggs are of a beautiful blue colour, rather pointed at one end." + +Colonel Tickell has the following note on the nidification of this +species in the Asiatic Society Journal, 1848, p. 301:-- + +"_Burra phenga_.--Nest hemispherical, of grasses rather loosely +interwoven; generally on bushes in jungle. Eggs two to four; rather +lengthened shape; clear, full, verditer blue.--June." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes of this bird in Eastern Bengal:--"Very common, +and a permanent resident, keeping to grass-fields in small parties of +seven to ten. Very noisy. On the 2nd December, 1877, I found a nest +with three slightly-incubated eggs in a small babool bush which stood +in a 'sone' grass-field. The nest was a deep cup, whose foundation was +a few leaves over which sone-grass was woven rather loosely. Lining +of fine grass-roots. The nest was placed in amongst some coarse grass +which grew up in the centre of the bush, and was three feet from the +ground. External height 4, diameter 41/4, internal diameter 21/2, depth +21/2 inches. Both Messrs. Marshall and Hume in their works on 'Birds' +Nesting' give March and September as the two periods for these birds +to lay, but the clutch I found were exceptionally late." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"The Striated Reed-Babbler is +exceedingly common during the whole year. It breeds from March +onwards, making its nest in longish grass." + +The eggs closely resemble those of _A. caudata_ both in colour and +shape, but they are conspicuously larger. To judge from Hewitson's +figure, for I have never seen the egg, they in shape, size, and colour +closely resemble the eggs of _Accentor alpinus_, some I have being +very slightly larger, and others exactly the same size as the figure +referred to. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.78 to 1.01, and in breadth from 0.65 to +0.75, but the average of a large series is 0.88 by 0.7. + + +105. Argya caudata (Dumeril). _The Common Babbler_. + +Chatarrhaea caudata (_Dum.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 67; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E_ no. 438. + +The Common Babbler breeds throughout India, not, however, ascending +any of our many mountain-ranges to any great elevation. + +They lay pretty well all the year round; at any rate from early in +March, to early in September their eggs are common. Mr. W. Blewitt +took a nest at Hansie on the 3rd January, and single nests are +recorded by others as found in October, December, and February. They +certainly have two broods a year, and perhaps more, the first being +hatched from March to May, the second from June to August. + +They build in low thorny bushes, and occasionally in clumps of high +grass, the nest being rarely more than 3 feet from the ground. The +nest itself is cup-shaped, and composed of grass and roots, often +unlined, at times lined with very fine grass-stems or horse-hair. As a +rule, it is neatly and compactly built, with a deep cavity some 2 to +3 inches in diameter, and 1.75 to 2.25 in depth, but I have seen +straggling, ragged, and comparatively shallow nests of this species, +having an external diameter of fully 7 inches. Three is the normal +number of the eggs, but four are occasionally met with. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species builds in much the same sort of places +as _A. malcolmi_, but it chooses a low thick bush, the nest not being +more than 3 feet from the ground. Nest neatly built of grass, roots, +hair, &c., and the eggs bright bluish green, very glossy, and much +resembling those of _Accentor modularis_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Oudh on the +22nd April. It contained a young bird and one unhatched egg. The nest +was made of grass not well worked together, and had a lining of finer +grass. The ground-work was composed of twigs and stems of creepers +interlaced. The exterior diameter of the nest measured 5 inches, and +the egg-cavity was 2 inches deep. In one case this bird did not lay +till the fifth day after the nest was finished. About Agra this bird +breeds during July and August. + +"This Bush-Babbler is very common about the Sambhur lake. I have noted +it breeding from the beginning of March till the beginning of July. +Although this species generally prefers building in the hedges of +prickly-pear, I have taken the nests in orange-trees, the karounda, +the babool, &c." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that in the Deccan it is "very +common and breeds." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This bird, uncommon at Allahabad, is +plentiful here at Delhi. I found several nests between March and June, +all of the Babbler type, deep cups, rather more firmly built than +those of the preceding bird, but constructed like them of coarse roots +of grass, with finer ones for the inside. They are never placed at any +great height from the ground, and generally in some thorny bush. I +have found mostly three, rarely four eggs in any one nest." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"I never saw the Common Babbler in Poona, +and it certainly does not occur in Bombay. But it is very abundant on +the arid plains of Berar, breeding in the low babool-bushes, where +large numbers of its eggs are destroyed by lizards. I have found four +eggs in a nest oftener than three." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Common Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa principally during the monsoon; but I have +found nests occasionally at other seasons of the year, as the +following table of dates will show:-- + + "April 29, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + "May 16, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "May 21, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 15, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + +"I found numerous nests from the middle of July to the beginning of +September. On the 26th July, 1876, I saw upwards of a dozen nests, +some containing fresh eggs, and others incubated. In many instances +they contained eggs of _Coccystes jacobinus_. The nest is usually +placed 3 or 4 feet from the ground in low thorny bashes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_ preferred) or in a tussock of sarpat grass. It is built of +twigs, roots, grass, &c., loosely put together exteriorly but closely +woven interiorly, the lining being composed of fine roots and +grass-stems. The eggs vary in number from three to five." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana, says:--"The Striated +Bush-Babbler breeds from March to July. The nest is usually placed in +a low thorny bush, and is composed of grass-roots and stems; it is +deep cup-shaped, neatly and compactly built." + +The eggs are typically of a moderately elongated oval shape, slightly +compressed towards one end, but more or less spherical and pyriform +varieties occur; and I have one specimen, a very long pointed egg, +which, so far as size and shape go, might pass for an egg of _Cypselus +affinis_; and though this is a peculiarly abnormal shape, I have +others which somewhat approach it in form. The eggs are glossy, often +brilliantly so, and of a delicate, pure, spotless, somewhat pale blue. +The shade of colour in this egg varies very little, and I have never +met with either the very pale or very dark varieties common amongst +the eggs of _C. canorus_ and occasionally found amongst those of _A. +malcolmi_. In colour, size, and shape they are not very unlike those +of our English Hedge-Sparrow, whose early eggs formed the prize of our +first boyish nesting-expeditions, but they are slightly larger and +typically somewhat more elongated. + +In length they vary from 0.75 to 0.92, and in breadth from 0.6 to 0.7; +but the average of one hundred and fifteen eggs measured was 0.82 by +0.64. + + +107. Argya malcolmi (Sykes). _The Large Grey Babbler_. + +Malacocercus malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 64. +Argya malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Hume_, _Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 436. + +The Large Grey Babbler breeds throughout the central portions of both +the Peninsula and Continent of India from the Nilghiris to the Dhoon. +It does not extend westwards to Sindh or the North-West Punjab, or +eastwards far into Bengal Proper. In the Central and North-West +Provinces it lays from early in March well into September, having at +least two and, as I believe, often three broods. + +It builds on low branches of small trees or in thick shrubs, at no +great elevation from the ground, say at heights of from 4 to 10 feet, +a somewhat loosely woven, but yet generally neat, cup-shaped nest, +composed, as a rule, chiefly of grass-roots, but often with an +admixture of thin sticks and grass. Generally there is no lining, +but I have found nests scantily lined with very fine grass and even +horse-hair. Even when, as is the rule, entirely unlined, the inside is +finished off very nicely and smoothly. I have often seen ragged and +untidy nests, but these are the exception. Externally the nest is some +5 or 6 inches in diameter and 3 or 4 inches in height; the cavity is +from 3 to 4 inches across and from 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Four is the normal number of the eggs laid, but I have several notes +of finding five. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This species breeds in waste lands overgrown with +scanty jungle. The nest is made of sticks, roots, grass, &c., is +rather bulky, and is placed in some moderate-sized bush about 7 or 8 +feet from the ground. The eggs are greenish blue, bluer and not so +brightly coloured as those of _C. terricolor_." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"Near Muttra, on the 31st October, I found a +pair of birds busy lining the interior of a nest which they had built +in a plum-tree. At the Sambhur lake it is very common, and commences +to breed about the end of March." + +Writing from Kotagherry (Nilghiris), Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their +nests are built of a few twigs and roots, very loosely put together +(on some low branch of a tree), and so few of even these as hardly to +keep the eggs from falling through. These Babblers lay four oval eggs +of a greenish-blue colour, but I once saw a nest with eight, and as +there were several of these birds close to it, I have no doubt two or +three shared it together, perhaps to avoid the necessity of each pair +building for itself. Their nests are found in the months of March and +April. + +"It is in the nests of this species and our Common Laughing-Thrush +(_T. cachinnans_) that I have chiefly found the eggs of the Pied +Crested Cuckoo." + +Of this species Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I have taken eggs +on the 20th June in Cawnpoor, the 31st July in Bolundshuhur, and the +25th August in Allyghur. The nest is almost always in a keekur tree in +a fork about halfway up, and near the end of a branch. It is composed +of keekur-twigs and lined with roots. It is thinner in structure than +that of _M. terricolor_, but has an outer casing of thorns which the +latter wants. They lay four blue eggs, larger and paler than those of +_M. canorus_" + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes that in Rajputana the Large Grey Babbler +is "very common. I have found nests in each month from January to +December. They have, I believe, several broods in the year; and even +when nesting associate in small parties of seven or eight." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Common, and breeds in the Deccan." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi from +March to quite the end of August, placing its loosely constructed +(rarely firmly built) nest of twigs and fine grass-roots generally at +no great height in babool-trees. Twice only I have found them in dense +mango-trees at about thirty feet from the ground. The nests are not, I +think, as a rule, so deep as those of _Crateropus terricolor_; once +or twice I have found the soft down of the Madar (_Catatropes +hamiltonii_) incorporated into the lining of grass-roots. The eggs are +generally three or four in number." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"All the nests which I have seen of the +Large Grey Babbler have been on babool-trees. At Akola (Berar) in +1870, a great many had their nests during the month of July. I have +recorded two instances of nests placed at a height above the ground of +15 feet and 20 feet. These were at Poona, one on the 21st April, and +the other on the 10th May. I could not go up to the nests, but the +birds in both cases were sitting closely. I have twice found nests +with only three newly-hatched young ones." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "the Large Grey Babbler breeds in +the neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. Both the nest and eggs +closely resemble those of _C. terricolor_, but the latter differ +slightly in being less elongated, not so pointed at the small end, +rounder at the large end, and somewhat paler in colour. I have taken +nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 19, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "June 30, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + +"The nest in every instance was similar to that described by Jerdon, +viz.:--a loose structure of dead roots, twigs, and grass, the interior +being neatly lined with closely-woven roots of 'khus-khus.' The old +birds generally select some thorny tree (_Mimosa_ &c.) to build on, +and the nest is usually from 8 feet to 20 feet from the ground. + +"Even in the nesting-season these birds are gregarious, joining a +flock generally as soon as they leave the nest." + +The eggs of this species do not appear to me to differ perceptibly +from, those of _Crateropus canorus_. When one first takes a nest or +two of each of them, one is apt to draw distinctions and fancy that +the eggs of the two species can be discriminated; but after taking +forty or fifty nests of each species, it becomes obvious that there is +no variety of the one in either colour, shape, or size that cannot be +paralleled in the other. All I have said of the eggs of _C. canorus_ +is applicable to the eggs of this species, and the only difference +that, with a huge series of each before me, I can discover is that, as +a body, there is less variation in the colour of the eggs of _Argya +malcolmi_ than in those of _C. canorus_. + +In length they vary from 0.88 to 1.1, and in breadth from 0.73 to +0.85; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0.99 by 0.77. + + +108. Argya subrufa (Jerd.)[A]. _The Large Rufous Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: The accompanying incomplete account of the nidification +of this bird is all I can find among Mr. Hume's notes. I cannot +ascertain who was the discoverer of the nest and eggs described.--ED.] + +Layardia subrufa (_Jerd._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437. + +The nest is a deep massive cup placed in the fork of twigs, coarsely +and roughly but still strongly built. The body of the nest is chiefly +composed of leaves, some of which must have been green when used. +Outside, the leaves are held in position by blades of grass, creepers, +and stems of herbaceous plants, carelessly and roughly wound about the +exterior. The cavity is rather more neatly lined with tolerably fine +grass-bents. Exteriorly the nest is about 7 inches in height and 5 in +diameter. The cavity is about 31/2 inches deep by 3 in diameter. + +The eggs are precisely like those of the several species of _Argya_, +moderately broad ovals rather obtuse at both ends, often with a +pyriform tendency. The colour is a uniform spotless clear blue with a +faint greenish tinge, and the eggs have usually a fine gloss. The eggs +measure 0.98 by 0.75. + + +110. Crateropus canorus (Linn.)[A]. _The Jungle Babbler_. + +[Footnote A: In the 'Birds of India,' I have united _C. malabaricus_ +and _C. terricolor_. Mr. Hume probably still considers these two +races distinct, and others may agree with him. To avoid confusion, +therefore, I have kept the notes appertaining to these two races +distinct from each other.--ED.] + +Malacocercus terricolor (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. + 59; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 432. +Malacocercus malabaricus, _Jerd., Jerd. t.c._ p. 62; _Hume, + t.c._ no. 434. + +_C. terricolor_. + +The Bengal Babbler breeds throughout the plains of the Bengal +Presidency (including Bengal, North-Western Provinces, Central +Provinces, Oudh, and the Punjab), and I may add in the less desert +portions of Sindh, although the race found in that province is not +exactly identical with the Bengal bird, and in some respects closely +approaches the Malabar race. In Northern Rajpootana it is rare, and +further south in the quasi-desert tracts of Central and Western +Rajpootana it disappears according to my experience. + +Eastward in Cachar and Assam it appears to occur as a mere straggler, +but I have no record of its having bred there. It lays from the latter +half of March until the close of July, but the great majority lay +during the first week after the setting in of the rains, which varies +according to locality and season, from the 1st of June to the 15th of +July. + +They build very commonly in gardens, in thick orange-, citron-, or +lime-shrubs, but their nests may be found almost anywhere, in thick +shrubs or small trees of any kind, or in thick hedges, at heights of +from 4 to 10 feet from the ground, always placed in some fork +towards the centre of the shrub or hedge. The nests are rather +loosely-put-together cups, composed of grass-stems and roots varying +in fineness, and often lined with horse-hair. Some are deep and neatly +constructed, others loose, straggling, and shallow, the cavity varying +from 3 to more than 4 inches in diameter and from less than 2 to +nearly 3 inches in depth. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but I have repeatedly found +four. + +Captain Hutton writes to me:--"A nest of this bird was taken in the +Dehra Dhoon on the 14th May, and was composed entirely of fine roots, +the thinnest being placed within as a lining. Subsequently three +others were procured, one of which was externally composed of coarse +dry grasses and leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots; the other +two were constructed of the fine woody tendrils of climbing-plants +and lined like the others with fine roots. These latter had a strong +resemblance to some of the nests of _Garrulax albogularis_, while the +difference exhibited in the nature of the materials used arises from +the various character of the localities in which the bird may choose +to build. Each nest contained four beautiful eggs of a full bright +turquoise-green, shining as if varnished. The eggs were nearly all +hard-set. This species does not ascend the hills, but appears to +be confined to the Dhoon, where it may be seen in small parties in +gardens, hedgerows, and low brushwood, turning over the dead leaves in +search of seeds and insects. Its flight is low, short, and apparently +laboured, from the shortness and rounded form of the wing, but on the +ground it hops along with speed. The note is clamorous and chuckling +and uttered in concert." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Although one of the most common +birds in the North-West Provinces, and in fact verging on a nuisance, +its nidification is interesting, inasmuch as its nest (in common +with that of _A. malcolmi_) is used as a nursery for the young of +_Hierococcyx varius_ and _Coccystes melanoleucus_. + +"This Babbler builds, as a general rule, during the early part of the +rains (June to August), laying usually three or four eggs of a bright +greenish-blue colour. The nest itself recalls that of the Blackbird, +but it is frequently very clumsily made. On the 21st June last a boy +brought me a nest of this species containing _eight_ eggs. Two, if not +three, of this clutch are easily separable from the others, being more +oval and somewhat smaller, and are unquestionably parasitical eggs; +but it is quite impossible to say whether they belong to _H. varius_ +or _C. melanoleucus_. + +"Again, on the 9th July, I took a nest in person, which also contained +eight eggs. Seven of these are all alike and are well incubated, while +the eighth is quite fresh, and doubtless owes its parentage to one of +the above-mentioned Cuckoos. + +"Strange to say I have now another nest marked down, which in like +manner contains the same number of callow young. It is just possible +that the foster-parents may have to perform double duty in this case. + +"From the foregoing it may be inferred that _M. canorus_ does +occasionally lay more than four eggs, or as the birds are gregarious +even during the breeding-season, it is possible enough that two birds +may occasionally deposit eggs in the same nest. + +"I should not think that _H. varius_ (the "Brain-fever and +Delirium-tremens Bird" as it is frequently called) had much difficulty +in depositing her eggs in the nest of the _Malacocerci_, for I have +frequently noticed that all the Babblers in the neighbourhood make a +clean bolt of it immediately this Cuckoo puts in an appearance, no +doubt owing to its great similarity to the Indian Sparrow-Hawk (_M. +badius_). + +"During the months of September and October I have observed several +Babblers in the act of feeding one young _H. varius_, following the +bird from tree to tree, and being most assiduous in their attentions +to the young interloper." + +Mr. H.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Agra on the +17th July. It contained five eggs, all of which were nearly hatched. +Again on the 21st I took another nest containing only one hard-set +egg." + +Writing from Calcutta, Mr. J.C. Parker says:--"I found a nest of this +bird, near my house in Garden Reach, on the 23rd June. It contained +four fresh eggs." + +Colonel Butler observes:--"The Bengal Babbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa as a rule, I think, during the rains and in the +cold weather, but I have found nests as late as March. The nest is +usually placed on the outside branch of some moderate-sized tree +(neem &c.). It is a somewhat solidly built structure composed almost +entirely of dead twigs, stems of dead leaves, and stalks of coarse dry +grass, being lined with a few fine fibrous roots or stems of grass. I +found nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 16, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "March 20, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "May 29, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "June 17, 1876. " " 4 young birds. + "Oct. 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Nov. 3, 1876. " " 4 slightly incubated. + +"In some nests I have noticed a breach upon one side of the nest as if +intended for the convenience of the bird's tail. It is not unusual to +find an egg of _C. jacobinus_ in the nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; I +have found this bird breeding from April to the end of July. All nests +that I have found have, with the exception of one, been placed in low +babool bushes; once only I found a nest near Delhi in the fork of a +low bough of a mango-tree, this was on the 31st July. The nests are +more or less loosely constructed cups of slender twigs and grass-roots +and inclined." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"On the 15th April +I found a nest on the very top of a mango-tree about 30 feet off the +ground, shooting the male as it flew off the nest." + +The eggs of this species are very variable in colour, shape, and size. +Typically they are rather broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one +end, and much the shape of, though a good deal smaller than, those +of our English Song-Thrush. Some are, however, long and cylindrical; +others more or less spherical. The colour varies from a pale blue, +like that of _Trochalopterum lineatum_, to a deep dull blue, +recalling, but yet not so dark as, that of _Garrulax albigularis_. The +eggs are typically glossy, but it is remarkable that in a large series +the deepest coloured are always far the most glossy. Some deep blue +eggs of this species are most intensely glossy, more so than almost +any other of our Indian eggs, except those of _Metopidius indicus_. I +need scarcely say that the eggs are entirely spotless and devoid of +all markings, but I may note that each egg is invariably the same +colour throughout, and that I have never met with a specimen in which +the shade of colour varied in the same egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.88 to 1.15, and in breadth from 0.75 to +0.82; but the average of fifty-one eggs measured is 1.01 by 0.78. + + +_C. malabaricus_. + +The Jungle Babbler, like the White-headed one, breeds pretty well over +the whole of Southern India, but while the latter is chiefly confined +to the more open plain country, the former is the bird of the uplands, +hills, and forests. Still the Jungle Babbler is found at times in the +same localities as the White-headed one, and what is more, specimens +occur, as in Cochin, which partake of the distinctive characters of +both. A great deal still remains to be done in working out properly +this group; both in Sindh on the west and the Tributary Mehals on the +east, and again in some parts of the Nilghiris, races occur quite +intermediate between typical _C. terricolor_ and typical _C. +malabaricus_, while in the south, as already mentioned, forms +intermediate between this latter and _C. griseus_ seem common. Three +distinguishable races again of _C. griseus_ are met with, but running +the one into the other, while intermediate forms between this species +and _C. somervillii_ (Sykes) are also met with. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"This bird seems to be very irregular in its +time of breeding. I have taken the nest in May, June, October, and +December. The nest is rather a loose structure of dry grass and +leaves, lined with fine dry grass; it is generally placed in the +middle of some thick thorny bush, and cannot generally be got at +without paying the penalty of well scratched hands. The eggs, +generally five in number, are of a very deep blue with a tinge of +green, but of not so decided a tinge as in the eggs of _M. griseus_. +It breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, not ascending to more than +about 6000 feet." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Coonoor, says:--"_C. malabaricus_ builds a +cup-shaped nest in small trees and bushes, and lays from three to five +very round oval verditer-blue eggs." + +Captain Horace Terry says of this species:--"Rather rare at Pulungi, +but very common lower down on the slopes and in the Pittur valley. I +got a nest on April 5th at Pulungi with three incubated eggs, and on +the 6th one with two incubated eggs, in the Pittur valley. The last +was built in a hollow in the top of a stump of a tree that had been +broken off some ten feet from the ground." + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes from Mysore:--"This bird is occasionally +found with _C. griseus_ in the bigger scrub forests, but its chief +habitat is the larger forests. Its breeding-season is much the same +as _C. griseus_ but unlike it, it does not select thorny bushes +for building in, its nests being generally found in small trees or +bamboo-clumps. Four is the usual number of eggs laid, but five +are often found, and the fifth I expect is frequently that of _H. +varius_." + +Three eggs sent me by Mr. Carter from Coonoor, in the Nilghiries, are +absolutely undistinguishable from those of _Argya malcolmi_. Like +these they are a uniform, rather deep greenish blue, devoid of spots +or markings, and very glossy. I do not think that, if the eggs of _A. +malcolmi, C. malabaricus_, and _C. terricolor_ were once mixed, it +would be possible to separate them with certainty. Other eggs taken by +Mr. Davison are similar but slightly smaller, and, taking them as +a whole, I think they average rather darker than those of the two +species just mentioned. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.93 to 1.02, and in breadth from 0.71 to +0.82; but the average of nine eggs is 0.97 by nearly 0.77. + + +111. Crateropus griseus (Gm.). _The White-headed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus griseus (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 60; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 433. + +I should say that the White-headed Babbler breeds all over the plain +country of Southern India, not ascending the hills to any great +elevation. At the same time, many people would very likely separate +the Madras, Mangalore, and Anjango birds, and insist on their being +different species; but for my part, seeing how the birds vary in each +locality and what a perfect and unbroken chain of intermediate forms +connects the most different-looking examples, and that all the several +races are separable from the other species of this group by their more +or less conspicuously pale heads, I prefer to keep them all as _C. +griseus_. + +This species, thus considered, breeds apparently twice a year from +April to June, and again in October and even later. + +About Madras the nest is commonly placed in thick thorny hedges of a +shrub locally known as "Kurka-puli," said by Balfour to be _Garcinia +cambogia_, but which does not look like a _Garcinia_ at all. The nest +is a loosely-made cup, composed of grass-stems and roots, and the eggs +vary from three to five in number. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have often found the nest of this bird, which +is composed of small twigs and roots, carelessly and loosely put +together, in general at no great height from the ground. It lays three +or four blue eggs." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest containing four fresh eggs apparently +of this species (it being the common Babbler in this district) was +brought to me by some wood-cutters on the 18th March, 1880. It was +taken in the jungles about six miles from Belgaum, and measured about +23/4 inches in diameter and about 2 inches deep interiorly, and was of +the usual Babbler type, consisting of dry stems loosely but neatly +constructed. The eggs were highly glossed and deep bluish green, some +people might say greenish blue." + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes of this bird from Mysore:--"I have found +their nests in every month between March and August, and they possibly +breed both earlier and later. The nests are generally fixed in thorny +bushes and at no great height off the ground. Four is the usual number +of eggs laid, but very often five are found, and I feel much inclined +to think that the fifth egg is often that of _H. varius_." + +The eggs of this species that I possess were taken by Mr. Davison in +May, in the immediate neighbourhood of Madras. They are all pretty +regular, somewhat cylindrical ovals, excessively glossy, spotless, and +of a deep greenish blue, much deeper than the eggs of any of the other +_Crateropi_ are as a rule; in fact, they approach in colouring to the +eggs of _Garrulax albigularis_. + +They vary in length from 0.9 to 1.0, and in breadth from 0.62 to +0.74; but I have seen too few eggs to be able to strike any reliable +average. + + +112. Crateropus striatus (Sw.). _The Southern-Indian Babbler_. + +Malacocercus striatus (_Sw._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 432 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing of this bird's nidification in Ceylon, +says:--"The breeding-season of the 'Seven Brothers' lasts from +(page 80 in the book.) March until July. The nest is placed in a +cinnamon-bush, shrub or bramble, at about four feet from the ground, +and is a compact cup-shaped structure, usually fixed in a fork and +made of stout grasses and plant-stalks and lined with fine grass, +which, in some instances I have observed, was plucked green. The +interior measures 21/2 inches in depth by about 3 in width. The eggs +are two or three in number, small for the size of the bird, glossy in +texture, and of a uniform opaque greenish blue. They measure from 0.91 +to 1.0 in length, by 0.7 to 0.74 in breadth." + + +113. Crateropus somervillii (Sykes). _The Rufous-tailed Babbler_. + +Malacocercus somervillei (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 63; _Hume +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 435. + +Of the nidification of the Rufous-tailed Babbler (which, so far as I +yet know, is confined to the narrow strip of country lying beneath the +Ghats for about 60 miles north and south of Bombay and to the hills or +ghats overlooking this), all I yet know is contained in the following +brief note by Mr. E. Aitken: he says:-- + +"I once found a nest of the Rufous-tailed Babbler at Khandalla, I +cannot tell the level precisely, but it cannot have been far from 2000 +feet above the sea. It was at the end of May or the very beginning of +June. The nest was in a small spreading tree in level, open forest +country. The situation was just such a one as _A. malcolmi_ generally +chooses--the end of a horizontal branch with no other branches +underneath it; but it was not so high as those of _A. malcolmi_ +usually are, for I could reach it from the ground. The nest was +rather flat and contained three eggs, almost hatched, of an intense +greenish-blue colour. + +"In Bombay, where it is far more common, I once, on the 1st October, +saw a pair followed by one young one and a young _Coccystes +melanoleucus_. This was on a hill, and indeed these birds seem to +confine themselves pretty much to hilly ground." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"With reference to your remark that, as +far as you know, the Rufous-tailed Babbler is confined to the strip of +country beneath the Ghats, I can certainly say that they are plentiful +on the slopes of Poorundhur hill, eighteen miles south of Poona. It +would be interesting to learn on which other of the Deccan hills it is +found. This species is decidedly fond of hilly country. It is common +on the two ranges of low hills that run along the east and west shores +of the island of Bombay, but never shows a feather in the gardens and +groves on the level ground. I spent the greater part of two days, when +I could ill spare the time, in searching for the nests, but the birds +breed in the date-trees, and it would be hopeless to think of finding +a nest without cutting away many of the branches or fronds. Moreover, +the bird is extremely wary, and it is by no means easy to guess on +which particular tree it has its nest." + + +114. Crateropus rufescens (Blyth). _The Ceylonese Babbler_. + +Layardia rufescens (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This bird breeds in the Western Province in March, April, +and May, and constructs a nest similar to the last [_M. striatus_], +of grass and small twigs, mixed perhaps with a few leaves, and placed +among creepers surrounding the trunks of trees or in a low fork of +a tree. It conceals its habitation, according to Layard, with great +care; and I am aware myself that very few nests have been found. It +lays two or three eggs, very similar to those of the last species, of +a deep greenish blue, and pointed ovals in shape--two which were taken +by Mr. MacVicar at Bolgodde measuring 0.95 by 0.75, and 0.92 by 0.74 +inch." + + +115. Crateropus cinereifrons (Blyth). _The Ashy-headed Babbler_. + +Garrulax cinereifrons (_Blyth_), _Hume, Cat._ no. 409 bis. + +Colonel Legge, in his work on the birds of Ceylon, says:--"The +breeding-season of this bird is from April to July. Full-fledged +nestlings may be found abroad with the parent birds in August; and +from this I base my supposition, for I have never found the nest +myself. Intelligent native woodmen, in the western forests, who are +well acquainted with the bird, have informed me that it nests in +April, building a large, cup-shaped nest in the fork of a bush-branch, +and laying three or four dark blue eggs. Whether this account be +correct or not, future investigation must decide." + + +116. Pomatorhinus schisticeps, Hodgs. _The Slaty-headed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 402. + +Speaking of the Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler, Dr. Jerdon says:--"A +nest made of moss and some fibres, and with four pure white eggs, was +brought to me at Darjeeling as belonging to this bird." + +Two nests were sent me by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species, +the one found near Namtchu on the 3rd April containing four fresh +eggs, the other near Tendong on the 15th June, containing three. +Another nest which he found on the 22nd April, near the same place as +the first, contained four fresh eggs. All were placed on or very near +to the ground in brushwood and grass; all appear to have been +large, rather saucer-like nests, from 5.5 to 6.5 inches in diameter +externally, and 2.5 to 3 in height. Outside and below they are +composed chiefly of coarse grass, dead leaves, especially fern-leaves, +while interiorly they are composed of and lined with finer--in some +cases _very_ fine--grass. The cavities average, I should guess, 3.75 +inches in diameter, and 1.5, or a little more perhaps, in depth. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has the following note on the breeding of this bird in +Assam:--"A nest I got was situated at the roots of a clump of bushes, +overhanging a small river. A bridge spanning this river was within ten +yards, the intervening space being open; and for such a shy bird to +have chosen such an exposed situation to build in astonished me." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this Babbler taken on the +20th May much resembled that of _P. ferruginosus_, both in size and +structure. The egg-cavity had, however, a lining of at least half an +inch in thickness of soft, fibrous material extracted from the bark of +some tree, and a little fine grass for the eggs to lie on. It was on +the ground, among low jungle, in the Ryeng Valley, at 2000 feet of +elevation, and contained four eggs, two of them hatching off and +two addled. According to my experience, nests containing so large a +proportion of addled eggs are unusual." + +Eggs sent by Mr. Mandelli as belonging to this species closely +resemble those of _Pomatorhinus ferruginosus_, but are somewhat +smaller; they are oval eggs a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and with a high gloss. They were obtained on the 5th and 22nd +of April in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, and measure from 0.95 to +1.04: in length, and 0.72 to 0.73 in breadth. Eggs sent by Mr. Gammie +are precisely similar. + +Two other eggs of this species subsequently obtained were slightly +shorter and broader, and measured 0.95 by 0.77, and 0.98 by 0.78. + + +118. Pomatorhinus olivaceus, Blyth. _The Tenasserim Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus olivaceus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 403 bis. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"I found a nest of this bird on the morning of +the 21st January, 1875, at Pakchan, Tenasserim Province, Burma. It was +placed on the ground at the foot of a small screw pine, growing in +thick bamboo-jungle; it was a large globular structure, composed +externally of dry bamboo-leaves, and well secreted by the mass of dry +bamboo-leaves that surrounded it; it was in fact buried in these, and +if I had not seen the bird leave it, it would most undoubtedly have +remained undiscovered. Externally it was about a foot in length by +9 inches in height, but it was impossible to take any accurate +measurement, as the nest really had no marked external definition. +Internally was a lining about half an inch thick, composed of thin +strips of dry bark, fibres, &c. The entrance was to one side, +circular, and measuring 2.5 inches in diameter; the egg-cavity +measured 4 inches deep by about 3 in height. + +"In the nest were three pure white ovato-pyriform eggs, but so far +incubated that they would probably have hatched off before the day was +out. + +"The measurements of two were 1.1 and 1.09 in length by 0.75 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"This is the _Pomatorhinus_ of the +Thoungyeen valley, being found from the sources to the mouth of that +river. A note recorded two years ago of a nest that I found is given +below:--_4th March_.--Having to go over the ground along the southern +boundary of the proposed Meplay reserve I had to cut my way through +dense bamboo, to go through a long belt of which is hard work. To make +it worse in this case several clumps had been burnt by fire and blown +down. As I was slowly progressing along, bent almost double, out of +a little hollow at my feet a bird flew with a suddenness that nearly +knocked me down. I looked into the hollow, and there under the ledge +of the sheltering bank was a nest of dry bamboo-leaves lined with +strips of the same, shredded fine. It was cup-shaped, loosely made, +about 11/2 inches in diameter, and the same in depth, containing three +pure white eggs, perfectly fresh (measured afterwards two proved +respectively, 0.98 x 0.71, 0.99 x 0.73 inch); and gun in hand I +watched, hiding myself behind a clump of bamboos about thirty yards +off. For an hour I watched, but the bird did not return, so I marked +the spot and went on. Returning back the same way just before dusk, I +managed to start her again, and to get a hurried shot; she fell and I +secured and recognized her as _P. olivaceus_." + +The eggs, which seem small for the size of the bird, are rather broad +ovals, some fairly regular, some a good deal compressed just towards +the small end, which is, however, always obtuse, never pointed; the +shell is fine, compact, and thin, smooth and satiny to the touch, +but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. The colour is pure spotless +white. + + +119. Pomatorhinus melanurus, Blyth. _The Ceylonese Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus melanurus, _Blyth, Hume, Cat._ no. 404 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes of the nidification of this bird in +Ceylon:--"This Babbler breeds from December until February. I have +observed one collecting materials for a nest in the former month, and +at the same period Mr. Mac Vicar had the eggs brought to him; they +were taken from a nest made of leaves and grass, and placed on a bank +in jungle. Mr. Bligh has found the nest in crevices in trees, between +a projecting piece of bark and the trunk, also in a jungle-path +cutting and on a ledge of rock; it is usually composed of moss, +grass-roots, fibre, and a few dead leaves, and the structure is rather +a slovenly one. The eggs vary from three to five, and are pure white, +the shell thin and transparent, and they measure 0.96 to 0.98 in +length, by 0.7 in breadth." + + +120. Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, Sykes. _The Southern Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus horsfieldii, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 404. + +The Southern Scimitar Babbler breeds throughout the hilly tracts of +Southern India, up to an elevation of fully 7000 feet. They are common +in Ootacamund, and even on Dodabet as high up as it is wooded. They +seem to breed less plentifully about Kotagherry than they do at +Ootacamund itself, Coonoor, Neddivattam, &c. + +They lay from February to May, building a largish globular nest of +grass, moss, and roots, placed on or very near to the ground in some +bush or clump of fern or grass. They lay five eggs. + +A nest of this species which I owe to Mr. Carter, and which was found +at Coonoor on the 7th April, 1869, is a huge globular mass of moss and +fine moss-roots some 7 inches in diameter, with, on the upper side, +an entrance to a small egg-cavity some 31/2 inches in diameter, and 2 +inches in depth. It is a most singular nest, a great compact ball of +soft feathery moss and very fine moss-roots, which latter predominate +in the interior of the cavity, and so form a sort of lining to it. The +great body of the nest is below the cavity, the overhanging dome-like +covering of the cavity being comparatively thin. + +Mr. Davison remarks:--"The nest of this bird is very peculiar in +structure, more like the nest of a field-mouse than of a bird, being +in fact merely a ball of grass rather loosely put together, the grass +on the exterior being intermingled with dry leaves and other rubbish. +The nest is generally placed either in a clump of fern, or at the +roots of some grass-grown bush. The eggs are pure white, very +elongated, and with a remarkably thin and delicate shell. The normal +number appears to be five. The breeding-season is, I think, the latter +end of April and May." + +Later, he writes:--"It must, I think, breed twice, as I found a nest +on the 10th March with fully-fledged young, and late in April another +nest with perfectly fresh eggs." + +Writing of this species Dr. Jerdon says:--"I procured its nest near +Neddivattam on the Nilghiris, on a bank on the roadside, made with +moss and roots, and containing four white eggs of a very elongated +form." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, furnishes me with the following note on +the nidification of this species:--"These birds build rather large +nests, among the _roots_ of bushes, and generally prefer those which +grow on the slopes of steep hills. Their nests are composed of coarse +grass, a few roots of the same, and the bark of a bush, which cracks +when dry and is very easily pulled off. These materials are put +together into a round nest, and also form a covering above, which +makes the inside look very snug indeed. But if any attempts are made +to remove the nest, it generally falls to pieces, the materials having +no tenacity. This bird commonly uses no lining to its nest, but lays +its eggs (three to five in number) on the coarse grass of which +the inside is composed. The eggs are pure white, particularly +thin-shelled, and consequently perfectly translucent. They are found +during the months of February and March." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, remark:--"Very +common along tops of ghats. D. got a nest with two eggs in March." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"I have been so +fortunate as to obtain two nests of this bird lately, though I have +never found any before. The first contained three fresh eggs on the +5th December last, and was situated in a bank on the roadside at +an elevation of about 3000 feet above sea-level. The nest was very +loosely made of grass, with finer kinds of grass for the lining. I +endeavoured to preserve it, but it fell to pieces on being taken from +its position, and I only succeeded in saving the eggs. As the bird, +usually a very shy one, flew off on my approach and remained close +by while I was examining the nest, I have no doubt of its identity. +Whether she would have laid more eggs I cannot say, but I fancy not; +three seems to be the usual number judging from the two clutches +taken. The other nest I found on the 8th of this month just completed. +It was in much the same position as the last, viz. a bank by the +roadside, and as it was near my bungalow I watched to see how the eggs +were deposited. The bird laid one egg each day on the 11th, 12th and +13th, and then began to sit, so on the 15th I took the nest. When +fresh the eggs are beautifully pink from the thinness of the shell." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, remarks:-- + +"Mr. Davison makes a very good remark on the nest of this bird, but I +found one once under the roots of a tree at Neddivattam, and it was +a most beautiful nest, built entirely of the fibrous bark of the +Nilghiri nettle, in the shape of an oven, with a hole to go in at one +side. It contained four pure white delicate eggs. Another one found +near the same place was of the same nature, only resting on some +fern-leaves and under a rock, and contained five eggs. + +"I found a nest down at Vythery, Wynaad, in a hole in the bank of a +road, in December 1874, made entirely of broad grass, very untidy, and +containing three eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says:--"Breeds in +April, constructing a neat domed nest of leaves on the ground, at the +foot of a bush. The nest is lined with fine grasses, and almost always +contains three eggs, which, when fresh, are of a beautiful pink +colour, owing to the yolk shining through the shell, which is +exceedingly fragile. The egg, when blown, is of a very beautiful +glossy white. If suddenly approached whilst on its nest, this bird +runs out like a rat, and flies when at a distance from the nest. An +egg in my collection measures 1.04 by .7 inch." + +The eggs sent me from the Nilghiris by Miss Cockburn and Mr. Carter +are nearly perfect ovals, usually much elongated, but sometimes +moderately broad, and very slightly compressed towards one end. +They are very fragile, and perfectly pure spotless white in colour. +Typically, although smooth and satiny in texture, they have but little +gloss, but occasionally a fairly glossy egg is to be met with. + +In length they vary from 0.98 to 1.12, and in breadth from 0.75 to +0.79; but the average seems to be about 1.08 by 0.77. + + +122. Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, Blyth. _The Coral-billed Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ferruginosus, _Blyth,, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 401. + +The Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet. Its nest is +placed about a foot or 2 feet above the ground, in a bamboo-clump or +some thick bush, and is firmly wedged in between the twigs and shoots. +It is composed internally of dried bamboo-leaves, grass, and vegetable +fibres, outside which bamboo-sheaths are bound on with creepers and +fibres of different kinds. The nest is more or less egg-shaped, with +the longer diameter horizontal, some 7 inches or so in length and 5 +inches in height, and with the entrance at one end, measuring some +3 inches in diameter. Four or five eggs are laid, elongated ovals, +somewhat pointed towards the small end, pure white, and measuring +about 1.08 by 0.7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird on the +19th May, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. It was placed on the +ground, among low scrub, near the outskirts of a large forest, and was +neatly made, for a _Pomatorhinus_, of bamboo-leaves and long grass, +with a thin lining of fibry strips torn from old bamboo-stems. In +shape it was a cone laid on its side. Externally it measured 9 inches +in length by the same in height at front, while the egg-cavity +measured 3.5 inches across, and 1.75 in depth. The entrance, which was +at the end, measured 3 inches in diameter. + +"Next to the lining was a layer of broadish grass-blades, placed +lengthways, _i.e._ from base to apex of the cone, then came a +cross layer of broad bamboo-leaves succeeded by a second layer of +bamboo-leaves placed lengthways. By this arrangement the nest was +kept perfectly water-tight. So nicely were these simple materials +put together that they held each other in their places without the +assistance of a single fibre. + +"The nest contained four partially incubated eggs: three of them +pointed and exactly alike, but the fourth rounded, and apparently of a +different texture, so that it may have been introduced by a Cuckoo." + +Two eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are moderately elongated ovals, somewhat +obtuse even, at the smaller end. The shell is very fine, pure white, +and has a fine gloss. They measure 1.1 by 0.83, and 1.06 by 0.78. + + +125. Pomatorhinus ruficollis, Hodgs. _The Rufous-necked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus ruficollis, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ ii, p. 29; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400. + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds in Nepal, the Himalayas +eastward of that State, and in the various ranges running down from +Assam to Burmah. + +The breeding-season appears to be April and May. They lay five, or +sometimes only four, eggs. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This species breeds, I think, from +the middle of April to the middle of May; but I have only as yet +taken a single nest, and this I found at Rishap on the 5th May, at an +elevation of about 4500 feet. The nest was placed on the ground in +open country, but partially concealed by overhanging grass and weeds, +and immediately adjoining a deep humid ravine filled with a dense +undergrowth. The nest was composed of dry grass, fern, bamboo, and +other dry leaves put loosely together and lined with a few fibres. In +shape it was domed or hooded, and exteriorly it measured 5.7 inches in +height and 5 in diameter. Interiorly the cavity was 2.6 in diameter, +and had a total depth of 3.8 measured from the roof, but of only 2 +inches below the lower margin of the aperture. This nest contained +five eggs, much incubated; indeed, they would have hatched off in one +or two days." + +The Rufous-necked Scimitar Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, +in the central portion of Nepal in April and May, building a large, +coarse, globular nest of dry grass and bamboo-leaves on the ground in +some thick bush or bamboo-clump. The opening of the nest is at the +side. They lay four or five white eggs, measuring as figured 0.9 by +0.68. + +The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are rather elongated ovals, a good deal +pointed towards one end, pure white, the shells very fine and fragile, +and with a fair amount of gloss. + +Ten eggs varied from 0.85 to 1.02 in length, and from 0.62 to 0.74 in +breadth, but the average was 0.95 by 0.68. + + +129. Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, Vigors. _The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar +Babbler_. + +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 31; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 405. + +The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler breeds from April to June in the +Himalayas, at any rate from Darjeeling to the Valley of the Beas, at +elevations of from 2000 to 6000 feet. It may be _met_ with at double +this latter altitude, but I doubt if it _nests_ higher. + +As a rule, the nest is placed on the ground, in some thick clump of +dry fern or coarse grass, amongst dead leaves and moss, but at times I +have seen it placed in a thick bush 2 or 3 feet from the ground. It is +very common near Kotegurh and below Narkunda, where we found nearly a +dozen nests, almost all, however, containing young ones. Typically +the nest is domed, and is loosely constructed of the materials at +hand--coarse grass, dry fern, dead leaves, moss-roots, and the like, +some 6 or 7 inches in diameter and 5 or 6 inches high, with a broad +entrance on one side, a good deal above the middle. In some cases, +however, where a dense bunch of grass or fern completely curves over +the spot selected for the nest, the latter is a mere broad, shallow +saucer. There is no regular lining to the nests, but a good many fine +roots are at times incorporated in the interior of the cavity. All +the nests that I have seen were placed near the edges of clumps of +brushwood or scrubby jungle. + +I ought here to mention that I am by no means certain that the +Nepalese and Sikhim, in fact the eastern race of this species (_P. +ferrugilatus_ Hodgs.), will not have to be separated from the more +western _P. erythrogenys_ of Gould. Long ago Blyth remarked ('Journal +Asiatic Society,' 1845, p. 598) that "there seems to be two marked +varieties of _P. erythrogenys_, one having white under-parts, with +merely faint traces of darker spots, the other with the throat and +breast densely mottled with greenish olive," or, as I should call it, +dingy olive-grey. This is perfectly true, and, as far as I can make +out, the latter variety is not one of sex or age, but is local and +confined to Kumaon (where the other form also occurs) and the hills +eastward of this province. My own remarks above given refer to the +true _P. erythrogenys_, and so do Hutton's; but Hodgson's and Mr. +Gammie's birds both appear to have been, and the latter's certainly +were, grey-throated examples. The eggs are undistinguishable, as, +indeed, though they vary somewhat in shape and size, are those of most +of the _Pomatorhini_. + +Captain Hutton says that this species is "common from 3500 feet up to +10,000 or 12,000 feet, always in pairs, turning up the dead leaves +on copsewood covered banks, uttering a loud whistle, answering and +calling each other. It breeds in April, constructing its nest on the +ground of coarse dry grasses and leaf-stalks of walnut-trees, and is +covered with a dome-shaped roof, so nicely blended with the fallen +leaves and withered grasses, among which it is placed, as to be almost +undistinguishable from them. The eggs are three in number, and pure +white; diameter 1.12 by 0.81 inches, of an ordinary oval shape. When +disturbed, the bird sprung along the ground with long bounding hops, +so quickly that, from its motions and the appearance of the nest, I +was led to believe it a species of rat. The nest is placed in a slight +hollow, probably formed by the bird itself." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species would appear to breed +at heights of from 2000 to 8000 feet. It lays in May and June. On the +20th May, and again on the 6th June, Mr. Hodgson found nests of this +species in thick bushes 3 or 4 feet above the ground. They were +broad saucer-shaped nests of coarse vegetable fibres, grass, and +grass-roots, 7 inches or so in diameter, and the cavity, which had +no lining, was about 4 inches in diameter by 2 inches in depth. They +contained three and four white eggs respectively. One figured measures +0.98 by 0.73. On June 8th he found two more nests at Jaha Powah, on +the ground, on edges of brushy slopes close to grassy open plains, the +nest a large mass of grass, oven-shaped, open at one and in one case +at both ends, protected by the root of a tree. There were two and +three white eggs in the nests respectively. The eggs of these nests +are figured as measuring 1.08 by 0.73. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I found a nest of this species below Rungbee, at +an elevation of about 2000 feet, on the 17th June. It was placed on, +and partially in a hole in a bank, and contained two hard-set eggs. It +was a large, loose pad of fine grass and dead fern, with a few broad +flag-like grass-leaves incorporated towards the base, and overhung by +a sort of canopy of similar materials. The basal portion was some +6 inches long and 5 inches broad, and about 2 inches thick in the +thickest part, with a broad shallow depression for the eggs of about +half that depth." + +Writing again this year (1874) he says:--"I have only found two more +nests this year, and both in the last week of April; the one contained +three partially incubated eggs, the other three young birds. These +nests were at Gielle, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. As a rule, +these birds nest in open country, immediately adjoining moist thickly +wooded ravines, in which they feed, and take refuge if disturbed from +the nest. The nest is usually placed on sloping ground, more or less +concealed by overhanging herbage, and is composed, according to my +experience, of dry grass sparingly lined with fibres. It is large; one +I measured _in situ_ was 8 inches in height and 7 inches in diameter; +the vertical diameter of the cavity was 4 inches and the horizontal 31/2 +inches. I have not yet found more than three eggs or young ones in any +nest." + +Dr. Scully remarks of this bird in Nipal:--"It lays in May and June; +two nests, taken on the 30th May and 6th June, were large loosely-made +pads, not domed, and with the egg-cavity saucer-shaped, each nest +contained three pure white eggs." + +The eggs of this species are long, and at times narrow, ovals, pure +white and fairly glossy, but occasionally almost glossless, without +any marks or spottings. + +In length they vary from 1.0 to 1.2, and in breadth from 0.73 to 0.85, +but the average of twenty eggs is about 1.11 by nearly 0.8. + + +133. Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (Blyth). _The Slender-billed +Scimitar Babbler_. + +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 33; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 406. + +The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +breeds in Sikhim, at elevations of 3000 to 6000 feet, during the +months of May and June. The nest is a large globular one, composed of +dry bamboo-leaves and green grass, intermingled and lined with fine +roots and fibres. The entrance, which is about 2 to 2.5 inches in +diameter, is at one end. A nest containing four eggs, obtained on the +12th June, measured about 7 inches in diameter externally, and it +was placed in the crown of a stump from 2 to 3 feet from the ground. +Sometimes the nests are placed in tufts of high grass or in thick +bushes, but never at any great elevation above the ground. They lay +three or four eggs, which are pure white, and one of which is figured +as a broad oval, measuring 0.95 by 0.7. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Scimitar +Babbler on the 29th May, in the middle of the large forest on the top +of the Mahalderam ridge, at about 7000 feet elevation. It was built +on the ground, on top of a dry bank by the side of a path, and was +overhung by a few grassy weeds. In shape it was a blunt cone laid on +its side, with the entrance at the wide end. It was loosely made of +the dead leaves of a deciduous orchid (_Pleione wallichiana_), small +bamboo, chestnut, and grass, intermixed with decaying stems of small +climbing-plants. It measured externally 6 inches long, with a diameter +of 5.5 at front, and of 1.75 at back. The cavity was quite devoid of +lining and measured 3.5 in length by 2.5 wide at entrance, slightly +contracting inwards. It contained three partially incubated eggs." + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie are elongated ovals, +pure white, and with only a faint gloss. They measure 0.99 and 1.05 in +length, by 0.68 and 0.75 in breadth respectively. + + + + +Subfamily TIMELIINAE. + + +134. Timelia pileata, Horsf. _The Red-capped Babbler_. + +Timelia pileata, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 24; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 396. + +Mr. Eugene Oates records that he "found the nest of this bird at +Thayetmyo on the 2nd June with young ones a few days old. The nest +was placed on the ground in the centre of a low but very thick thorny +bush." + +Subsequently he wrote from Pegu, further south:--"The nest is placed +in the fork of a shrub, very near to, or quite on, the ground, and is +surrounded in every case by long grass. A nest found on the 4th July, +on which the female was sitting closely, contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The breeding-season seems to be in June and July. + +"The nest is made entirely of bamboo-leaves and is lined sparingly +with fine grass. No other material enters into its composition. It +is oval, about 7 inches in height and 4 in diameter, with a large +entrance at the side, its lower edge being about the middle of the +nest. + +"When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no shrubs, it +builds on the ground at the edge of a clump of grass, and I have found +two nests in such a situation, only a few feet from each other. + +"In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily trodden +down; the consequence is that if you do not find eggs, there is little +chance of their being laid later on. I have found some ten nests, more +or less completed, but only three eggs." + +And again, later on:--"This bird would appear to have two broods a +year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this year in +April, former nests having been found in June and July. With many eggs +before me I find that the density of the markings varies considerably. +The size is very constant; for the length of numerous eggs varies only +from .75 to .72, and the breadth from .6 to .54 inch." + +I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this species, +but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest, and a note on +the nidification of this species was Mr. J.C. Parker. Writing to me in +September 1875, he said:-- + +"On the 14th August I took a nest of _Timelia pileata_ on my old +ground in the Salt Lakes. I discovered this by a mere accident, for I +happened to see a female _Prinia flaviventris_ (whose eggs I was in +quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland about 10 feet +from the bank of the canal, and from her movements I thought she must +have a nest near at hand. + +"Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through a +bog. Sure enough I was not mistaken; the _Prinia_ had a nest, but it +contained only _one_ egg. Close by, however, I saw a nest, from out of +which a bird flew, and although I did not shoot it I am quite sure it +was _Timelia pileata_. The jungle was particularly thick just about +where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could not follow the +bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his mate in that +extraordinary way which these birds have, and which once heard cannot +be mistaken. + +"The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the joints of a +species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure foundation +for the nest. This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad. +Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 11/2 by 2. The nest itself is very +loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass twisted +round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass. The nest was +quite open to view and about three feet from the ground. I suppose the +birds never expected that such a wild swampy spot as they had selected +would be invaded by any oologist." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"Pretty common. +Permanent resident. Oftener found in the patches of cane brushwood +jungle found in and around villages than in unfrequented jungle and +thickets as Dr. Jerdon says. I have, however, once seen it in a field +of jute, which was alongside a village. Its well-known note can be +heard a long way off. I have several times found nests in course of +construction, but only once secured a clutch of eggs. When the nests +are being built, if the bush is at all disturbed the nest is deserted. +The earliest date on which I found a nest was the 1st April, 1878; it +was half finished, and as I pulled the cane-leaves asunder to see if +there were eggs, the birds deserted it. After this I found four nests +in cane-clumps on the sides of roads, but they were empty, and as the +birds abandoned them in due course I despaired of getting any eggs; +but on the 15th June, while going along a road, the edges of which +were bounded by the small embankments natives throw up round their +holdings, and which are always overgrown with 'sone' grass, I saw one +of these birds with a straw in its bill disappear at the root of a +small date-tree. The nest could be discerned from the road. On the +20th June I returned and found two fresh eggs; the nest was placed at +the junction of the frond and the stem of the date-tree about five +inches from the ground, and was an oval deep cup and measured +externally 5 inches deep by 33/4 broad. Egg-cavity 2 broad and 13/4 deep, +composed exclusively of 'sone' grass with no lining." + +The eggs of this species are broad ovals with a tolerably fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pure white. The whole of the larger end of the +egg is pretty thickly speckled and spotted with brown, varying from an +olive to a burnt sienna intermingled with little spots and clouds of +pale inky purple, and similar spots and specks chiefly of the former +colour, but smaller in size, scattered thinly over the rest of the +egg. In size they vary from 0.69 to 0.75 in length, and from 0.55 to +0.6 in breadth. + + +135. Dumetia hyperythra (Frankl.). _The Rufous-bellied Babbler_. + +Dumetia hyperythra (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 397. + +The Rufous-bellied Babbler breeds throughout the Central Provinces, +Chota Nagpoor, Upper Bengal, the eastern portions of the North-West +Provinces, parts of Oudh, and even in the low valleys of Kumaon. + +It lays from the middle of June to the middle of August, building +a globular nest of broad grass-blades or bamboo-leaves some 4 or 5 +inches in diameter, sparingly lined with fine grass-roots or a little +hair, or sometimes entirely unlined. The nest is placed sometimes on +the ground amongst dead leaves, some of which are not unfrequently +incorporated in the structure; sometimes in coarse grass or some +little shrub a foot or two from the ground, but by preference, +according to my experience, in amongst the roots of a bamboo-clump. + +Four is the usual number of eggs laid. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"On the 26th June, 1867, in the broken ground +above Chunar, I took two nests in the foot of a thick bamboo-bush +about 2 feet from the ground. The nests were made of bamboo-leaves +rolled into a ball with the entrance at the side, and no lining except +a few hairs. There were two eggs in one nest and three in the other. +They were all fresh. The eggs in the two nests varied somewhat: the +ground of the one was nearly pure white, and it was finely speckled +with reddish brown, which at the large end was partly confluent: the +other nest had the eggs with a pinkish-white ground, the spots larger +and less neatly defined, and with a rather large confluent spot at the +large end." + +Writing from Hoshungabad, Mr. E.C. Nunn remarks:--"I found two nests +of this species, each containing two eggs, on the 20th July and 6th +August, 1868. Both nests were ball-shaped, of coarse grass very +firmly and compactly twisted together, and with numerous dead leaves +incorporated in the body of the nest and towards the base, forming the +major portion of the material. They were thinly lined inside with fine +grass-roots. One was placed at the root of a small thorny bush: the +other on the ground in a thick clump of rank grass." The nest Mr. Nunn +sent to me was peculiarly solidly made. The cavity was small, about +2.25 inches in depth and 1.5 in diameter. The bottom of the nest was +some 2 inches and the sides 1.25 inch thick. + +From Raipoor Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "in July and August four +nests of this Babbler were taken; in two there were four eggs each, in +the third, three, and in the fourth, two--thirteen in all. The nests +were carefully made on the ground, at the base of clumps of long grass +growing very near to bamboo thickets. Three are made exclusively of +the dry leaves of the bamboo; the fourth of coarse grass. They were +nearly globular, about 4 inches in diameter, and without any regular +lining, although in the interior of the cavity a good deal of fine +grass-stems had been incorporated in the nest. They were well hidden +in the grass." + +Mr. Henry Wenden writes:--"On July 18th, about 15 miles from Bombay, +on the line of railway, I found a nest and eggs of the following +description: nest, a rough loose ball of soft flat grasses, lined with +hard but fine grass-stems, entrance at side near top; situated in +a thorny bush in cactus-hedge, by a narrow lane, not 4 feet wide, +through which numerous people passed. The nest, about 3 feet from the +ground, was in no way concealed. On the 18th there were two eggs, and +on the 20th, when there were four eggs, the bird was snared and nest +taken." + +The eggs are short, broad ovals, very slightly compressed towards one +end. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and it is streaked, +spotted, and speckled most thickly at the large end (where there is +a tendency to form an irregular confluent cap or zone), and thinly +towards the small end, with shades of red, brownish red, and reddish +purple, varying much in different examples. In some the markings are +pretty bold and blotchy, in others they are small and speckly; in +some they are smudgy and ill-defined, in others they are clear and +distinct. Some of the eggs are miniatures of some types of _Pyctorhis +sinensis_, but many recall the eggs of the Titmouse. They are much +about the size of those of _Parus caeruleus_ and _P. palustris_, but a +trifle less broad than either of these. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0.63 to 0.7, and in breadth from 0.5 to 0.56; +but the average of twenty-four eggs now before me is 0.67 by 0.53. + + +136. Dumetia albigularis (Blyth). _The Small White-throated +Babbler_. + +Dumetia albogularis (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 26; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 398. + +Miss M.B. Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, tells me that "the +White-throated Babbler builds its nest in the month of June. One was +found by my nest-seekers on the 17th of that month in the year 1873. +It was constructed on a coffee-tree, and contained three eggs, which +were white, profusely covered with reddish spots of all sizes. The +bird was very shy, and would not return to the nest for some hours +after it had been discovered; when, however, she did so, she was shot. +This year (1874) I found another similar nest on the 9th of June, also +containing three eggs." + +The nest with which she favoured me was small and nearly globular (say +at most 4 inches in external diameter), composed entirely of broad +flaggy grass without any lining or any admixture whatsoever of other +material. The nest was loosely put together, and had a comparatively +narrow circular entrance near the top. + +From Mysore Mr. Iver Macpherson writes:--"This is an exceedingly +common bird in parts of this district, and their nests are so +plentiful that I never now take them. + +"I send you all the eggs I have at present, but can procure you any +number more next season. + +"The birds are to be found in all kinds of wooded country except the +heavy forests, and appear to breed from the middle of April to the end +of July, and possibly later. + +"The nest is a largish globular structure loosely made of either +bamboo-leaves or blades of grass, and all that I have ever seen have +been lined inside with a few fine fibres. + +"Four appears to be the usual number of eggs, but very often there are +only three. + +"The nests are always built near the ground, sometimes almost touching +it, and are fixed in either small bushes, tufts of grass, or young +bamboo-clumps." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., states that this bird is very common in +Culputty in the Wynaad, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, and that +he has found the nests from the end of May to the middle of October. +The nest is built in high grass nearly on the ground, or in +date-palms, or in arrowroot in the jungle up to heights of 3 feet. +The nest is built entirely of grass, lined with finer grass; a nearly +round ball 6 inches in diameter outside and 5 inside, with a hole on +the side. The eggs are laid at the rate of one a day, and three are +usually found in one nest, occasionally only two. On one occasion +after securing the female bird, he found the cock bird sitting on the +eggs and he continued to sit there for three days. + +Mr. J. Davidson tells us that he found a nest of this bird on the 15th +July at Kondabhari with four fresh eggs. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The breeding-season +lasts from March until July, the nests being built in a low bush +sometimes only a few inches from the ground." + +In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals. The shell is very +fine and smooth, and has in some a rather bright, in some only a very +slight gloss. The ground is a China-white. The markings consist of +a profusion of specks and spots of a very bright red, which, though +spread over the whole surface, are gathered most densely into an +imperfect, more or less confluent, cap or zone at the larger end, +where also a few purplish-grey spots and specks not usually found on +any other part of the egg, are noticeable. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.66 to 0.78, and in breadth from 0.5 to +0.55. The average of 28 eggs is 0.72 by 0.53. + + +139. Pyctorhis sinensis (Gm.). _The Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis sinensis (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 15; _Hume, Rough +Draft N.& E._ no. 385. + +The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds throughout the plains of India, as also +in the Nilghiris, to an elevation of 5000 feet, and in the Himalayas +to perhaps 4000 feet. It lays in the latter part of June, in July, +August, and September. Gardens are the favourite localities and in +these the little bird makes its compact and solid nest, sometimes in +a fork of the fine twigs of a lime-bush, sometimes in a mangoe-, +orange-, or apple-tree, occasionally suspended between three stout +grass-stems, or even attached to a single stem of the huge grass from +which the native pens are made. I have taken a nest, hung between +three reeds, exactly resembling in shape and position the +Reed-Warbler's nest (_Salicaria arundinacea_), figured in Mr. +Yarrell's vignette at page 313, vol. i. 3rd edition. + +The nest is typically cone-shaped (the apex downwards), from 5 to 6 +inches in depth, and 3 or 4 in diameter at the base; but it varies of +course according to situation, the cone being often broadly truncated. +In the base of the cone (which is uppermost) is the egg-cavity, +measuring from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 2.5 inches in +depth. The nest is _very_ compactly and solidly woven, of rather broad +blades of grass, and long strips of fine fibrous bark, exteriorly more +or less coated with cobwebs and gossamer-threads. Interiorly, fine +grass-stems and roots are neatly and closely interwoven. I once found +some horse-hair along with the grass-roots, but this is unusual. + +The full number of eggs is, I believe, five. I have repeatedly taken +nests containing this number, and have comparatively seldom met with a +smaller number of eggs at all incubated. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I found a nest of this species at +Roorkee in the early part of July. It contained three eggs and was +beautifully made, a deep cup fixed on to an artichoke-stock, and at a +little distance much resembled an artichoke." + +Mr. E.C. Nunn, writing from near Agra on the 26th September 1867, +says:--"I got a _Pyctorhis_' nest yesterday, suspended between two +stalks of jowar (_Holcus sorghum_), the nest firmly bound with strips +of fibrous bark, at two opposite points of its circumference, to the +two stems. This is, I imagine, something out of the usual order of +things with these birds. The nests which I have hitherto found have +been situated in young mangoe-trees, rose-bushes, or peach- and +orange-trees." + +From Futtehgurh the late Mr. A.A. Anderson sent me the following +note:--"The nest and eggs of this bird are very beautiful. A pair once +built in a pumplenose-tree (_Citrus decumana_) in my garden, laying +five long eggs. The nest, still in my collection, was placed in the +fork of _four_ small upright twigs; it was composed entirely of dry +grass-stems (no soft material inside), and laced outwardly, in and out +of the twigs, with dry fibre belonging to the plantain-tree. + +"The eggs are small for the size of the bird, and scarcely so large as +those of the Hedge-Sparrow." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This likewise is a Dhoon bird; its nest was +found there on the 1st July, when it contained four eggs of a dull +white colour, thickly speckled and blotched all over with ferruginous +spots, forming also an open darker coloured ring at the large end, and +intermixed with brown. + +"The nest is a deep cup, placed in the trifurcation of the slender +upright branch of a low shrub, and is constructed externally of coarse +grass-blades held together by cobwebs and seed-down, the lining being +fine grass-seed stalks. Diameter of the top 21/2 inches; depth within 2 +inches; externally 31/2 inches." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that "the Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds from +July to September, or, I should say, up to the middle of September. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is not confined to any one +species, but by preference the bird selects those of small growth, +and even frequently high-growing brushwood. The nests are very neatly +made, and what is singular is that, as regards build and shape, they +are always almost exactly alike. If I have seen one, I must have seen +at least fifty this year, all with the same exterior material of +closely interlaced vegetable fibre over grass, and the inner lining of +fine grass, deep cup-shaped, and in diameter, outer and inner, varying +but little. Where it could be effected, the nest was suspended to, or +rather fastened between, two forks; or where these were not available, +between three twigs. The outer diameters of the nests were from 2.7 to +2.9 inches, inner from 2.3 to 2.5. Four is the regular number of eggs, +though occasionally five in one nest have been obtained." + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"This species builds about Agra in May, June, +and July. The nest is a beautiful deep cup-shaped structure, almost +always fastened to a branch of a low bush. The normal number of eggs +appears to be four." + +From Kotagherry, near Ootacamund, Miss Cockburn records that "this +bird builds a neat cup-shaped nest, generally choosing a branch +consisting of three upright sprigs, at the bottom of which the +building is placed. The nests (one of which is now before me) are +begun with broad grass-leaves, and the inside compactly lined with +fine fibres of the same material: to render the whole firm, a few +cobwebs are added to the outside, thus fixing the nest securely to the +sprigs. These birds build in the months of June and July, and, as far +as I have observed, lay only three eggs." + +Mr. Philipps, quoted by Dr. Jerdon, says that this bird "_generally_ +builds on banyan-trees." This is clearly a mistake. I have known of +the taking, or have myself taken, altogether upwards of fifty nests +in the North-Western Provinces, whence Mr. Philipps was writing, and +never yet heard of or saw a nest of this species on a banyan. + +Mr. H. Wenden writes:--"At Egatpoora, the top of the Thull Ghat +incline, I noticed, on 30th September, a partly-built nest of this +species. Watching for some time, I ascertained that both birds shared +in the labour of construction. It was situated in the trifurcated +stalk of that plant which bears a clover-like blossom (called +Kessara-Hind and Koordoo-Mhar), about 3 feet above the ground, the +stalks passing through the side-walls of the nest, which cannot have +a better description than that given by Mr. Hume (page 238, 'Rough +Draft'). The first egg was laid on 2nd October, and another each +succeeding day until there were five. On the 10th the hen-bird was +shot and the nest taken. + +"On 30th October, in a garden near the same place, another nest was +found, on the twigs of a pangra tree, containing three young birds and +one egg." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Tolerably common in the Sholapoor +District; more so in the better-wooded parts, and breeds." + +Finally, Colonel Butler sends me the following note:-- + +"Belgaum, 14th September, 1880.--A nest in sugar-cane about 2 feet +from the ground, containing five fresh eggs. 17th September: another +nest in a sugar-cane field, containing five eggs about to hatch. In +both instances the nest was built, not on the blades of sugar-cane, +but on a solitary green-leaved weedy-looking plant growing amongst the +sugar-cane. + +"The Yellow-eyed Babbler breeds during the rains. I have taken nests +on the following dates:-- + + "July 26, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + "July 30, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 14, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "Aug. 21, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 18, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + "July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + "July 28, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"From this date to the end of August I found any number of nests +containing eggs of both types. The nest is usually built in the fork +of some low thorny tree from 3 to 7 feet from the ground. The outside +of the nest is usually smeared over with cobwebs, reminding one of the +nest of a _Rhipidura_" + +Mr. Oates writes:--"Breeds abundantly throughout Pegu in June, and +probably in the other months of the rains up to September." + +The eggs vary a good deal in size and shape, and very much in +colouring. They are mostly of a very broad oval shape, very obtuse +at the smaller end. Some are, however, slightly pyriform, and some a +little elongated. There are two very distinct types of coloration: one +has a pinkish-white ground, thickly and finely mottled and streaked +over the whole surface with more or less bright and deep brick-dust +red, so that the ground-colour only faintly shows through, here and +there, as a sort of pale mottling; in the other type the ground-colour +is pinkish white, somewhat _sparingly_, but boldly, blotched with +irregular patches and eccentric hieroglyphic-like streaks, often +Bunting-like in their character, of bright blood- or brick-dust red. +The eggs of this type, besides these primary markings, generally +exhibit towards the large end a number of pale inky-purple blotches or +clouds. There is a third type somewhat intermediate between these, in +which the ground-colour, instead of being finely freckled all over +as in the former, or sparingly blotched as in the latter, is very +coarsely mottled and clouded, as if clumsily daubed over by a child, +with a red intermediate in intensity between that usually observable +in the two first-described types. Combinations of these different +types of course occur, but fully two thirds can be separated +distinctly under the first and second varieties. Though much smaller, +many of the eggs recall those of the English Robin. The eggs have +often a fine gloss. I have one or two specimens so uniformly coloured +that, though perhaps slightly shorter and broader in form, they might +almost pass for the eggs of Cetti's Warbler. + +In length they vary from 0.65 to 0.8, and in breadth from 0.53 to +0.68; but the average of seventy-seven eggs measured is 0.73 by 0.59. + + +140. Pyctorhis nasalis, Legge. _The Ceylon Yellow-eyed Babbler_. + +Pyctorhis nasalis, _Legge, Hume, Cat._ no. 385 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"In the Western +Province this Babbler commences to breed in February; but in May I +found several nests in the Uva district near Fort Macdonald; and +that month would thus seem to be the nesting-season in the Central +Province. The nest is placed in the fork of a shrub, or in a huge tuft +of maana-grass, without any attempt at concealment, about 3 or 4 feet +from the ground. It is a neatly-made compact cup, well finished off +about the top and exterior, and constructed of dry grass, adorned with +cobwebs or lichens, and lined with fine grass or roots. The exterior +is about 21/2 inches in diameter by about 2 in depth. The eggs are +usually three in number, fleshy white, boldly spotted, chiefly about +the larger end, with brownish sienna; in some these markings are +inclined to become confluent, and are at times overlaid with dark +spots oil brick-red. They are rather broad ovals, measuring, on +the average, from 0.76 to 0.79 inch in length, by 0.56 to 0.59 in +breadth." + + +142. Pellorneum mandellii, Blanf. _Mandelli's Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum nipalensis (__Hodgs._), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 399 +bis. + +This species, originally described by Hodgson as _Hemipteron +nipalensis_, was confounded by Gray and others with _P. ruficeps_, +Swainson, and subsequently rediscriminated and described by Blanford +as _P. mandellii_. + +Mandelli's Spotted Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, begins +to lay in April, the young being ready to fly in July. They build a +large, more or less oval, globular nest, laid lengthwise on the ground +in some bush or clump of rush or reed, composed of moss, dry leaves, +and vegetable fibres, and lined with moss-roots. The entrance, which +is circular, is at one end. A nest measured by Mr. Hodgson was 6.75 +inches in length and 5 in height. The aperture, at one end of the +egg-shaped nest, was about 2 inches in diameter, and the cavity was +about 2.5 in diameter and nearly 4 inches deep. The eggs are three or +four in number, and are figured as broad ovals pointed towards the +small end, measuring about 0.86 by 0.65, and having a greyish-white +ground, thickly speckled and spotted with more or less bright red or +brownish red, and most thickly so at the large end, where the markings +are nearly confluent. + +A nest said to belong to this species, and found near Darjeeling in +July, at an elevation of about 4000 feet, was placed on the ground on +the side of a bank--a very dirty untidy nest, more or less cylindrical +in shape, composed of dead leaves, including a good many of those of +the bamboo, dead twigs, and old roots, and very sparsely lined with +black moss-roots. The nest is about 4 inches in diameter externally, +and the cavity about 2-5 in diameter. + +It contained three fresh eggs, very regular, moderately broad, ovals; +the shell fine and compact, with a slight gloss. The ground-colour is +white, and the egg everywhere very finely speckled with chocolate- or +purplish brown, the markings being by far most dense at the large +end, where they form a more or less irregular, and more or less +conspicuous, speckly cap. + +Two eggs measure 0.86 and 0.9 in length, and 0.65 and 0.66 in breadth. + +Another nest, found on the 5th June in Native Sikhim, contained four +fresh eggs. It was placed on the ground, and precisely resembled that +obtained near Darjeeling in July. + +In some eggs the markings are rather bolder and coarser, and in +these there are generally some few pale lilac or inky-purple spots +intermingled where the markings are densest. Closely looked into, many +of the spots in some eggs are rather a pale yellowish brown. + +The eggs are clearly all of the same type, and vary very little. + +Four eggs varied from 0.84 to 0.9 in length, and from 0.65 to 0.68 in +breadth. + + +144. Pellorneum ruficeps, Swains., _The Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum ruficeps, _Swains., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 27; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 399. + +Writing from Kotagherry Miss Cockburn says:--"Spotted Babblers are +exceedingly shy. They associate in small flocks except during the +breeding-season, when they go about in pairs. I have only known them +to frequent small woods and brushwood, a little higher than the +elevation of the coffee-plantations. + +"Three nests of these birds were found in the months of March and +April 1871. The first was placed on the ground, close against a bush. +The nest, consisting of dry leaves and grass, appeared to be merely +a canopy for the eggs, which, were almost on the bare ground, having +only a _very few_ pieces of straw under them. The eggs were three +in number, and covered profusely with innumerable small dark spots, +making it difficult to say what the ground-colour really was. The nest +was not easily found. The bird left it so quietly as not to be heard, +and dropped down the hill like a ball. When the eggs were discovered +the bird did not return to them for fully three hours, after which she +came very cautiously, but only to meet her doom, poor thing, as she +was then shot. The second nest was built in the same way under a bush, +and contained three eggs, which were put into my egg-box lined +with cotton, but were hatched on the way home. The third nest was +constructed under a large stone and with the same materials, and +contained two young ones." + +An egg of this species, received from Miss Cockburn, is a moderately +broad and very regular oval. The ground-colour is a slightly greenish +white, and the whole surface of the egg is excessively finely freckled +and speckled with lilac or pale purplish grey and a more or less +rufous brown. The egg has a slight gloss. + +It measures 0.88 by 0.65. + + +145. Pellorneum subochraceum, Swinh. _The Burmese Spotted Babbler_. + +Pellorneum subochraceum, _Swinh., Hume, Cat._ no. 399 sex. + +The Burmese Spotted Babbler breeds pretty well over the whole of Pegu +and Tenasserim. Mr. Oates writes:--"On the 3rd May I found a nest on +the ground near Pegu. A good many bamboo-leaves had fallen and the +nest was imbedded in these. It was formed entirely of these leaves +loosely put together, the interior only being sparingly lined with +fine grass. The structure _in situ_ was tolerably firm, but it would +not stand removal. In height it was about 7 inches, and in breadth +about 5, the longer axis being vertical. Shape cylindrical with +rounded top. Entrance 21/2 inches by 11/2, placed about the centre. The +interior of the nest was a rough sphere of 4 inches diameter. + +"There were three eggs, slightly incubated. The ground-colour is pure +white, and the whole surface is minutely and thickly speckled with +reddish-brown and greyish-purple spots, more closely placed at the +thick end, where they coalesce in places and form bold patches. + +"On the 29th June, I found another nest of similar construction, +placed on the ground in thick forest, at the root of a shrub." + +Mr. W. Davison in 1875 gave me the following note:--"On the morning +of the 25th March I took at Bankasoon a nest of this species in thick +forest; it was placed on the ground and was composed externally +of dead leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots and fibres. +It measured externally about 5 inches high by about 4 wide. The +egg-cavity was hardly 3 inches in diameter. The nest was only +partially domed, and was very loosely and carelessly put together. + +"The nest contained three eggs, but these were so far incubated that +it was impossible to blow two of them." + +The single egg of this species obtained by Mr. Davison is in shape a +moderately broad oval, a little pointed towards the small end; the +shell is fine, but has little gloss. The ground-colour, so far as this +is visible through the thickly-set markings, is white, and it is very +finely but densely stippled and freckled (most densely at the large +end, where the markings are not unfrequently confluent or nearly so) +with dull to bright reddish brown; here and there, especially about +the large end, more or less faint grey or red specks, spots, or tiny +clouds may be traced underlying as it were the brown or purplish +markings. + +The egg sent me from Pegu by Mr. Oates is of precisely the same size +and type, but the markings are much less dense and are brighter +coloured. The ground-colour is white, and the egg is pretty thickly +speckled with a reddish-chocolate brown. Here and there a moderately +large irregularly-shaped spot is intermingled with the finer +specklings. The markings are rather most dense at the large end, +where there is a tendency to form a zone, and here a number of pale +purplish-grey streaks and specks are also intermingled. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Early on the morning of the 7th April, +moving camp from the sources of the Thoungyeen, on the side of a hill +at the foot of a bamboo-bush not two feet from the road, I flushed +and shot a female of the above species off her nest; a little +loosely-put-together round ball of dry bamboo-leaves, unlined, though +domed over, with the entrance at the side, and containing two fresh +eggs, white, thickly speckled with brick-red and obscure purple. On +the 12th of the same month, I found a second nest behind the zayat or +rest-house at Meeawuddy. This was similar to the nest above described, +and contained three similar eggs." + +The eggs measure from .78 to .88 in length, and from .58 to .65 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is .82 by .62. + + +147. Pellorneum fuscicapillum (Bl.). _The Brown-capped Babbler_. + +Pellorneum fuscocapillum (_Bl), Hume, Cat._ no. 399 quint. + +Captain Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The nest of this +species is exceedingly difficult to find, and scarcely anything is +known of its nidification. Mr. Blyth succeeded in finding it in +Haputale at an elevation of 5500 feet. It was placed in a bramble +about 3 feet from the ground, and was cup-shaped, loosely constructed +of moss and leaves; it contained three young." + + +149. Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (Eyton). _The Black-capped +Babbler_. + +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus (_Eyton), Hume, Cat._ no. 396 sex. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I got one nest of this bird at Klang. I was +passing through some very dense jungle, where the ground was very +marshy, when one of these birds rose from the ground about a couple of +feet in front of me, and alighted on an old stump some few feet away. +On examining the place from which the bird rose, I found the nest +placed at the base of a small clump of ferns, and concealed by a +number of overhanging withered fronds of the fern. The base of the +nest, which rested on the ground, was composed of a mass of dried +twigs, leaves, &c.; then came the real body of the nest, composed of +coarse fern-roots, the egg-cavity being lined with finer roots and +a number of hair-like fibres. It looked compactly and strongly put +together, but on trying to remove it, it all came to pieces. When the +bird saw me examining the nest it fluttered to within a couple of feet +of me, twittering in a most vehement manner, feigning a broken wing +to try and draw me away. The nest contained only two eggs, which were +slightly set." + +These eggs are extremely regular ovals, scarcely smaller, if at all, +at one end than at the other. The shell is very fine and fragile, but +has only a slight gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy +white, but the markings are so thickly set that little of this is +anywhere visible. First, pale inky-purple spots and clouds are thickly +sprinkled over the surface, and over this the whole egg is freckled +with a pale purplish brown. They measured 0.82 in length by 0.62 and +0.63 in breadth. + + +151. Drymocataphus tickelli. _Tickell's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma minus, _Hume_; _Hume, Cat._ no. 387 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham found the nest of this bird in the valley of the +Meplay river, Tenasserim, and he says:--"On the 15th March I found a +little domed nest made of dried bamboo-leaves, and lined with fine +roots, placed in a cane-bush a foot or so above the ground. It +contained three tiny white eggs, with minute pink dottings chiefly at +the larger end; one egg, however, is nearly pure white." + +One of these eggs taken by Major Bingham on the 15th March is a very +regular, somewhat elongated oval. The shell very fine and delicate, +and fairly glossy. The ground is china-white, and it is everywhere +speckled and spotted, nowhere very thickly, but most so in a zone near +one end, with pale ferruginous. It measured 0.67 by 0.51. + + +160. Turdinus abbotti (Bl.). _Abbott's Babbler_. + +Trichastoma abbotti (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 17. + +Abbott's Babbler breeds throughout Burma in suitable localities. +Writing from Kyeikpadein, in Southern Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the +22nd May I found a nest with two eggs nearly hatched, and on 23rd of +same month another with two eggs, one of which was fresh and the other +incubated. This bird builds in thick undergrowth, and the nest is +built at a height of about 2 feet from the ground. I have found very +many of their nests, but, with the above exceptions, the young had +flown. It is generally attached to a stout weed or two, and consists +of two portions. First, a platform of dead leaves about 6 inches in +diameter and 1 deep, placed loosely, and on this the nest proper is +built. This consists of a small cup, the interior diameter of which is +2 inches, and depth 11/2. It is formed entirely of fine black fern-roots +well woven together. Stout weeds appear favourite sites, but I have +found old nests in dwarf palm-trees at the junction of the frond with +the trunk, and in one instance I found an old nest on the ground, +undoubtedly belonging to this bird. Three eggs measured .84 by .66, +.82 by .67, and .87 by .65. They are very glossy and smooth. The +ground-colour is a pale pinkish white. At the cap there are a few +spots and short lines of inky-purple sunk into the shell, and over the +whole egg, very sparingly distributed, there are spots and irregular +fine scrawls of reddish brown. A few of the marks are neither spots +nor scrawls, but something like knots. The cap is suffused with a +darker tinge of pink than are the other parts of the shell. + +"A third nest, found on the 10th June, contained three eggs, and +differed from those above described in being very massive. It was +composed of dead leaves and fern-roots, and measured about 5 inches in +exterior diameter, with the egg-cup about 21/2 inches broad and 2 inches +deep. It was placed on some entangled small plants about 2 feet from +the ground. Of these eggs I noted that before being blown the shell +was of a ruddy salmon colour. The marks are much as in the others +described above." + +The eggs are moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at times towards +the small end, and occasionally slightly pyriform. The shell is fine +and glossy; the ground-colour is pinky white, with a redder shade +about the large end. A few streaks, spots, and hieroglyphics of a deep +brownish red, each more or less surrounded by a reddish nimbus, are +scattered very thinly about the surface of the egg, while, besides +these, a few small greyish-purple subsurface-looking spots may be +observed about the larger end. The average size of the seven eggs I +possess is 0.82 by 0.64. + + +163. Alcippe nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Babbler_. + +Alcippe nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 388. + +The Nepal Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds from March +to May, building a deep, massive, cup-shaped nest, firmly fastened +between two or three upright shoots, and laying three or four eggs, +which are figured as measuring 0.7 by 0.55. He has the following +note:-- + +"_Valley, April 1st_.--A pair and nest. Nest is round, 4 inches deep +on the outside and 2 inches within, and the same wide, being of the +usual soup-basin shape and open at the top, made of dry leaves bound +together with hair-like grass-fibres and moss-roots, which also form +the lining, further compacted by spiders' webs, which, being also +twisted round three adjacent twigs, form the suspenders of the nest, +the bottom of which does not rest upon anything; attached to a low +bush 11/2 foot from the ground. The nest contained three eggs of a +pinkish-white ground thickly spotted with chestnut, the spots being +almost entirely confluent at the large end." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I had the nest and eggs brought me by the Lepchas. +The nest was loosely made with grass and bamboo-leaves, and the eggs +were white with a few reddish-brown spots." + +A nest of this species was found near Darjeeling in July, at an +elevation of between 3000 and 4000 feet. It was situated in a small +bush, in low brushwood, and placed only about 2 feet from the ground. +The nest is a compactly made and moderately deep cup. The exterior +portion of the nest is composed of bamboo-leaves, more or less held in +their places by fine horsehair-like black roots, with which also the +cavity is very thickly and neatly lined. Exteriorly the nest is about +3.75 inches in diameter, and nearly 3 in height. The cavity is 2.25 in +diameter and 1.6 in depth. + +The nest contained three nearly fresh eggs. The eggs are moderately +elongated ovals, very regular and slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and exhibits a slight gloss. The ground-colour +is white or pinkish white, and they are _very_ minutely speckled all +over with purplish red. The specklings exhibit a decided tendency to +form a more or less perfect, and more or less confluent, cap or zone +at the large end. + +Two of the eggs measure 0.72 and 0.71 in length, and 0.54 and 0.52 in +breadth. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only found this Babbler +breeding in May at elevations about 5000 feet, but it doubtless breeds +also at much lower elevations, probably down to 2000 feet. The nests +are placed within 2 or 3 feet of the ground, between several +slender upright shoots, to which they are firmly attached. They are +exceedingly neat and compact-built cups, measuring externally about 4 +inches across by 2.75 deep, internally 2.15 wide by 1.6 deep. They are +composed of dry bamboo-leaves held together by a little grass and very +fine, hair-like fern-roots. The egg-cavity is lined with fern-roots. + +"The eggs are three or four in number." + +Numerous nests of this species kindly sent me by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, and others, taken during the months of May and June in +British and Native Sikhim, at elevations of from 3000 to 5500 feet, +were all of the same type and placed in the same situations, namely +amongst low scrub and brushwood, at heights of from 18 inches to 3 +feet from the ground. The interior and, in fact, the main body of +the nests appear to be in all cases chiefly composed of fine black +hair-like roots, with which, in some cases, especially about the +upper margin, a little fine grass is intermingled. The cavities are +generally much about the same size, say ~2 inches in diameter by 1.25 +in depth: but the size of the nests as a whole varies very much. The +nest is always coated exteriorly with dry leaves of trees and ferns, +broad blades of grass, and the like, fixed together sometimes by mere +pressure, but generally here and there held together by fine fibrous +roots, and this coating varies so much that one nest before me +measures 5.5 in external diameter, and another barely 4, the external +covering of fern-leaves, flags, and dry and dead leaves being very +abundant in the former, while in the other the covering consists +entirely of broad dry blades of grass very neatly laid together. Two, +three, and four fresh eggs were found in these several nests, but in +no case were more than four eggs found. + +Two nests taken by Mr. Gammie contained three and two fresh eggs +respectively. The eggs had a delicate pink ground, and were richly +blotched, in one egg exclusively, in the others chiefly about the +larger end, with chestnut, or almost maroon-red, here and there almost +deepening in spots to black, and elsewhere paling off into a rufous +haze. The markings are confluent about the large end, and there in +places intermingled with a purplish tinge. The other eggs had a +china-white ground, with more gloss than the specimens previously +described, with numerous small, blackish brownish-red spots and +specks, almost exclusively confined to the large end, where they are +more or less enveloped in a pinky-red nimbus. + +These eggs varied from 0.75 to 0.79 in length, and from 0.56 to 0.6 in +breadth. + +Other eggs, again, with the same pinky-white ground are thickly but +minutely freckled and speckled with rather pale brownish red, most +thickly towards and about the large end, where they become confluent +in patches, and where tiny purple clouds and spots are dimly +traceable. + + +164. Alcippe phaeocephala (Jerd.). _The Nilghiri Babbler_. + +Alcippe poiocephala (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E.._ no. 389. + +The Nilghiri Babbler breeds, apparently, throughout the hilly regions +of Southern India. It lays from January to June. A nest taken near +Neddivattam by Mr. Davison on the 5th April was placed between the +fork of three twigs of a bush, at the height of 5 or 6 feet from +the ground. It was a deep cup, massive enough but very loosely put +together, and composed of green moss, dead leaves, a little grass and +moss-roots. It was entirely lined with rather coarse black moss-roots. +In shape it was nearly an inverted cone, some 31/2 inches in diameter +at top, and fully 5 inches in height. The cavity was over 2 inches +in diameter and nearly 2 inches in depth. A few cobwebs are here and +there intermingled in the external surface, but the grass-roots appear +to have been chiefly relied on for holding the nest together. + +Another nest found by Miss Cockburn on the 5th June on a small bush, +about 7 or 8 feet in height, standing on the banks of a stream, was +somewhat different. It was placed in the midst of a clump of leaves, +at the tips of three or four little twigs, between which the nest +was partly suspended and partly wedged in. It was composed of fine +grass-stems, with a few grass-and moss-roots as a lining interiorly, +and with several dead leaves and a good deal of wool incorporated +in the outer surface, the greater portion of which, however, was +concealed by the leaves of the twigs amongst which it was built. It +was only about 31/2 inches in diameter, and the egg-cavity was less than +21/2 inches across, and not above 11/2 inch in depth. + +Mr. Davison writes:--"This bird breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris +in the latter end of March and April. The nest is uncommonly like that +of _Trochalopterum cachinnans_, but is of course smaller; it is deep +and cup-shaped, composed externally of moss and dead leaves, and +is lined with moss and fern-roots. It is always (as far as I have +observed) fastened to a thin branch about 6 feet from the ground. All +the nests I have ever observed were on small trees in the shadiest +parts of the jungle, far in, and never near the edge of the jungle +or in the open. The eggs are very handsome, and are, I think, the +prettiest of the eggs to be found on the Nilghiris and their slopes. +The ground-colour is of a beautiful reddish pink (especially when +fresh), blotched and streaked with purplish carmine." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, says:--"The Nilghiri Quaker-Thrush breeds +on the slopes of the Nilghiri hills, generally in the depths of the +forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle. I have also +found the nest at Neddivattam in April. + +"In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, about +2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet from the +ground." + +Mr. T.F. Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"This bird breeds +commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that of any +other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, and grass. +It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the middle of +jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by 13/4-2 in depth. The full +number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on + + "April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. + Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. + Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. + April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated." + +As in the case of _Pyctorhis sinensis_, the eggs differ much in colour +and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss Cockburn +from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse at the larger +end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller. The shell is fine and +somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they +are thickly mottled and freckled, most thickly at the larger end, +where the markings form a more or less confluent mottled cap, with +two shades of pinkish-, and in some spots slightly brownish, red, and +towards the large end, where the markings are dense, traces of pale +purple clouds underlying the primary markings are observable. In +general appearance these eggs not a little resemble those of some of +the Bulbuls, and it seems difficult to believe that they are eggs of +birds of the same genus as _Alcippe atriceps_[A], the eggs of which +are so much smaller and of such a totally different type. Two eggs +of the same species taken by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals, +somewhat compressed towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy +shell. The ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty +large and conspicuous spots and hair-lines of deep brownish red, +almost black, and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and +clouds, generally lying round or about the dark spots; and then +towards the large end there are several small clouds and patches of +faint inky purple, which appear to underlie the other markings. The +character of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly +of those of the Chaffinch. Other eggs taken later by Miss Cockburn at +Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate between the two +types above described. + +[Footnote A: _Alcippe atriceps_ and _Alcippe phaeocephala_, as they +have hitherto been styled by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the +least congeneric, as I have pointed out in my 'Birds of India.' I am +glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. Hume's remarks on the +eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should be considered +congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. Their +structure differs much.--ED.] + +All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in length +from 0.75 to 0.86, and in breadth from 0.58 to 0.65. + + +165. Alcippe phayrii, Bl. _The Burmese Babbler_. + +Alcippe phayrii, _Bl., Hume, Cat._ no. 388 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"In the half-dry bed of +one of the many streams that one has to cross between Kaukarit and +Meeawuddy, I found on the 23rd February a nest of the above species. A +firm little cup, borne up some 2 feet above the ground on the fronds +of a strong-growing fern, to three of the leaf-stems of which it +was attached. It was made of vegetable fibres and roots, and lined +interiorly with fine black hair-like roots, on which rested three +fresh eggs, in colour pinky white, blotched and streaked with dull +reddish pink, and with faint clouds and spots of purple. The eggs +measure .79 x .58, .78 x .58, and .76 x .59." + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, informs us that on the 9th April he "took +three fresh eggs of _Alcippe phayrii_, in heavy jungle, at a very low +elevation, at the foot of Nwalabo in Tenasserim. The nest was built +in a small bush 4 feet from the ground (hanging between two forked +twigs), of bamboo and other leaves, moss, and a few fine twigs, and +lined with moss and fern-roots, 2 inches in diameter, 11/2 deep. It +was exactly like very many nests of _A. phaeocephala_, taken on the +Nilghiri Hills, though some of the latter are much more compact and +pretty." + +Mr. W. Davison, also writing of Tenasserim, says:--"On the 1st +March, in a little bush about 2 feet above the ground, I found the +above-mentioned bird seated on a little moss-made nest, and utterly +refusing to move off until I almost touched her, when she hopped on to +a branch a few feet off, and disclosed three little naked fledglings +struggling or just struggled out of their shells. I retired a little +way off, and she immediately reseated herself. The eggs, to judge by +the fragments, were of a vinous claret tinge, spotted and streaked +with a darker shade of the same." + +These eggs closely resemble those of _A. nepalensis_. They are neither +broad nor elongated ovals, often with a _slight_ pyriform tendency, +always apparently very blunt at both ends. + +The ground-colour, of which but little is visible, in some eggs varies +from pinky white to pale reddish pink, and the egg is profusely +smeared and clouded with pinky or purplish red, varying much in +shade and tint. Here and there, in most eggs, are a few spots, or +occasionally short, crooked or curved lines, where the colour has +been laid on so thick that it is almost black, and such spots are +generally, though not always, more or less surrounded with a haze of a +rather deeper tint than the rest of the smear in which they occur. The +markings are often deepest coloured, or most conspicuous, about the +large end, where occasionally a recognizable cap is formed and there +a decided purplish tinge may be noticed in patches. The general +character of the eggs is very uniform; but the eggs vary to such a +degree _inter se_, that it is hopeless to attempt to describe all the +variations. They vary in length from 0.68 to 0.78 and in breadth from +0.53 to 0.59, but the average of nine eggs is 0.75 by 0.58. + + +166. Rhopocichla atriceps (Jerd.) _The Black-headed Babbler_. + +Alcippe atriceps (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 19; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 390. + +Writing from Coonoor in the Nilghiris, Mr. Wait tells me that +the Black-headed Babbler breeds in his neighbourhood in June and +July:--"It builds in weeds and grass beside the banks of old roads, at +elevations of from 5000 to 5500 feet. The nest is placed at a height +of from a foot to 2 feet from the ground, is domed and loosely built, +composed almost entirely of dry blades of the lemon-grass, and lined +with the same or a few softer grass-blades. In shape it is more or +less ovate, the longer axis vertical, and the external diameters 4 and +8 inches. They lay two or three rather broad oval eggs, which have a +white ground, speckled and spotted, chiefly at the large end, with +reddish brown." + +Miss Cockburn sends me a nest of this species which she found on the +17th June amongst reeds on the edge of a stream, about 2 or 3 feet +above the water's edge. It appears to have been a globular mass very +loosely put together, of broad reed-leaves, between 3 or 4 inches in +diameter, and with a central unlined cavity. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson, writing from Mysore, says:--"I have only met with +this bird in heavy bamboo-forest, and have only found two nests, viz., +on the 25th May and 2nd July, 1879. Both nests were fixed low down (2 +to 3 feet) in bamboo-clumps, and each contained two eggs, which, for +the size of the bird, I considered very large. Nest globular, and very +loosely constructed of bamboo-leaves and blades of grass." + +An egg sent me from Coonoor by Mr. Wait is a moderately broad, very +regular oval, only slightly compressed towards the smaller end. The +shell is very fine and satiny, but has only a slight gloss. The +ground-colour is white or slightly greyish white, and towards the +large end it is profusely speckled with minute dots of brownish and +purplish red, a few specks of the same colour being scattered about +the rest of the surface of the eggs. + +Another egg sent me from Kotagherry by Miss Cockburn exactly +corresponds with the above description. + +Both are precisely the same in size, and measure 0.75 by 0.55. +Other eggs measure from 0.75 to 0.79 in length by 0.53 to 0.58 in +breadth[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon (S.F. ix, p. 300) gives +an interesting account of the nest and eggs of a species of +_Rhopocichla_, which he failed to identify satisfactorily. It may have +been _R. atriceps_ or _R. bourdilloni_. Most probably, judging from +the locality, it was the latter. As, however, there is a doubt about +it, I do not insert the note.--ED.] + + +167. Rhopocichla nigrifrons (Bl.). _The Black-fronted Babbler_. + +Alcippe nigrifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 390 ter. + +Colonel Legge writes regarding the nidification of the Black-fronted +Babbler in Ceylon:--"After finding hundreds of the curious dry-leaf +structures, mentioned in 'The Ibis,' 1874, p. 19, entirely void of +contents, and having come almost to the conclusion that they were +built as roosting-places, I at last came on a newly-constructed one +containing two eggs, on the 5th of January last; the bird was in the +nest at the time, so that my identification of the eggs was certain. +The nest of this Babbler is generally placed in a bramble or +straggling piece of undergrowth near a path in the jungle or other +open spot; it is about 3 or 4 feet from the ground, and is entirely +made of dead leaves and a few twigs; the leaves are laid one over +another horizontally, forming a smooth bottom or interior. In external +form it is a shapeless ball about 8 or 10 inches in diameter, and has +an unfinished opening at the side. The birds build with astonishing +quickness, picking up the leaves one after another from the ground +just beneath the nest. When fresh the eggs are fleshy white, becoming +pure white when emptied; they are large for the size of the bird, +rather stumpy ovals, of a smooth texture, and spotted openly and +sparingly with brownish red, over bluish-grey specks; in one specimen +the darker markings are redder than in the other, and ran mostly in +the direction of the axis. Dimensions: 0.74 by 0.56 and 0.74 by 0.55." + + +169. Stachyrhis nigriceps, Hodgs. _The Black-throated Babbler_. + +Stachyris nigriceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p, 21; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 391. + +I have never taken a nest of this species, the Black-throated Babbler, +but Mr. Gammie, a careful observer, in whose neighbourhood (Rungbee, +near Darjeeling) this bird is very abundant, has taken many nests, two +of which he has sent me, with many eggs. + +One nest, found at Rishap, on the 14th May, at an elevation of about +4000 feet, contained four nearly fresh eggs. It was a very loose +structure, a shallow cup of about 31/2 inches in diameter, composed of +fine grass-stems without any lining, and coated externally with broad +coarse grass-blades. + +Another nest taken low down in the valley, at about an elevation of +2000 feet, on the 17th June, contained three fresh eggs. It was placed +in a bank at the foot of a shrub. Like the previous one, it was a +loose but rather deeper cup, interiorly composed of moderately fine +grass, exteriorly of dead leaves. The egg-cavity measured about 2 +inches in diameter, and 11/2 inch in depth. _In situ_, both probably +were more or less domed, the cups more or less overhung by a hood or +canopy. + +Mr. Gammie remarks:--"I have seen numerous nests of this species in +former years, and have found two this season, but have never seen +eggs with 'faint darker spots' as mentioned by Jerdon. Hodgson's +description is quite correct. The eggs are a 'pale fawn-colour' +_before they are blown_, the shells being so translucent that the yolk +shows through partially. The shell is pure white in itself. The cavity +of the cup-shaped part of one nest beside me is 2 inches deep by 2 +inches wide; outer dimensions 53/4 inches deep (from top of hood) by 4 +inches wide across the face of entrance. It is loosely though neatly +made of bamboo-leaves and fern, lined with dry grass. The bird breeds +in May and June, and lays four or five eggs." + +Mr. Eugene Gates tells us that he "procured only one specimen of this +bird, and that was in the evergreen forests of the Pegu Hills. I shot +it off the nest on the 29th April. The nest was on a bank of a nullah +well concealed among dead leaves, about 2 feet above the bottom of +the bank. The nest is domed, about 7 inches in height and 5 inches in +diameter externally, with the entrance at the side near the top. The +outside is a mass of bamboo-leaves very loose, being in no way bound +together; each leaf is curled to the shape of the nest. The inside, a +thin lining only of vegetable fibres. There were three eggs, just on +the point of hatching; colour, pure white." + +The Black-throated Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson, in April +and May, and builds a large deep cup-shaped nest, either upon the +ground in the midst of grass, or at a short distance above the +ground between five or six thin twigs; a nest which he measured was +externally 4.5 inches in diameter and 3.5 in height, while the cavity +was 2.5 in diameter and 2 in depth. The nest is composed of dry +bamboo- and other leaves wound together with grass and moss-roots, and +lined with these, and is a very firm compact structure, considering +the materials. They lay four or five eggs, which are figured as +very regular rather broad ovals, of a nearly uniform, very pale +_cafe-au-lait_ colour (these were the _unblown_ eggs), measuring about +0.75 by 0.58. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me at +Darjeeling, and said to be of this species. The nest was rather large, +very loosely made of bamboo-leaves and fibres, and the eggs were of a +pale salmon-colour, with some faint darker spots." + +There is no doubt that these must have been the eggs of some other +species. + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"This little bird, though not at all +common, breeds in the Sinzaway Reserve, in Tenasserim. I took five +hard-set eggs, placed in a beautiful little domed nest, at the foot of +a clump of bamboos, on the bank of a dry choung or nullah. This was on +the 20th March. The nest was composed exteriorly of dry bamboo-leaves, +and interiorly of fine grass-roots, the entrance being on one side. I +shot the female as she crept off the nest." + +It does not seem that in the Himalayas this species domes its nest. +Numerous other nests that have been sent me from Sikhim, taken in May, +June, and July, were all of the same type--shallow or deeper cups +loosely put together, exteriorly composed of coarse blades of grass, +dead leaves, bamboo-spathes and the like, held together with a little +vegetable fibre or fibrous roots, and interiorly of fine grass +generally more or less mingled with blackish roots, which in some +nests greatly predominate over the grass. + +The eggs are broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, in some +cases slightly pyriform. They are pure white, spotless, and fairly +glossy. + +They vary from 0.68 to 0.84 in length, and from 0.55 to 0.61 in +breadth, but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0.76 by somewhat over +0.58. + + +170. Stachyrhis chrysaea, Hodgs. _The Golden-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris chrysaea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 394. + +Mr. Blyth remarks:--"The egg, as figured by Mr. Hodgson, is pinkish +white, and the nest domed and placed on the summit of a sedge. _S. +praecognita_ lays a blue egg." (Ibis, 1866, p. 309.) + +There is no figure of either the nest or eggs of the Golden-headed +Babbler amongst the drawings of Mr. Hodgson that I possess. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this bird out of a +large forest, at 5000 feet elevation, on the 15th May. It is of an +oval shape, neatly made of small bamboo-leaves only, devoid of lining, +and was fixed vertically between a few upright sprays, within two feet +of the ground. It measures externally 5.25 inches in height by 4 in +diameter; internally 1.5 in depth, from lip of egg-cavity, by 1.75 in +diameter. The entrance is also 1.75 across. + +"The eggs were four in number; three of them well set and the fourth +quite fresh. The set eggs were altogether pure white, but the fresh +egg, unblown, was of a pinky-white colour with a pure white cap; when +blown it exactly resembled the others." + +The eggs sent as pertaining to this species by Mr. Gammie are very +regular ovals, pure white, and somewhat glossy, but they are so small +that I can scarcely credit their really belonging to this species. +Their cubit contents are not half those of the average eggs of _S. +nigriceps_. They measure 0.63 by 0.48. + + +172. Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps, Bl. _The Red-headed Babbler_. + +Stachyris ruficeps, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 22; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 393. + +The Red-headed Babbler breeds in Nepal, according to Mr. Hodgson, +from April to June, building a large massive cup-shaped nest amongst +bamboos, as a rule, at heights of from 7 to 10 feet from the ground. +The nest is wedged in between half a dozen or more creepers and +shoots, and is composed almost exclusively of dry bamboo-leaves +neatly, but rather loosely, interwoven, and lined also with these +leaves. One which he measured was rather oval in shape, 5.25 inches in +diameter one way, by 4 the other, and 3.6 in height. The leaves used +in the rim of the cup were projected a little inwards, so as to make +the mouth of the cavity a little smaller than the diameter of this +latter within. The diameter of the mouth was 2 inches, that of the +cavity 2.5, and the latter is about 1.5 deep. Four eggs are laid, a +sort of brownish white, speckled and spotted with brown or reddish +brown. The egg figured measures 0.7 by 0.52, and is a moderately +broad, regular oval. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs, said to be of this species, were +brought to me at Darjeeling. The nest was a loose structure of grass +and fibres, and contained two eggs of a greenish-white colour with +some rusty spots." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of this Babbler in +April; one of them at an elevation of 3500 feet, the other at 5000 +feet, but it no doubt breeds also both lower and higher. They are of +a neat egg-shape, with entrance at side, and were fixed vertically +between a few upright sprays, within three feet of the ground, in open +situations near large trees. Mr. Hodgson evidently did not take the +one he describes with his own hands, for he places it horizontally, +which gives a height of 3.6 inches only. The external dimensions are +about 5.5 inches in height and 4 in diameter. Internally the diameter +is 2 inches, and the depth, from roof, 3.25. The entrance is 2 across. +They are composed of dry bamboo-leaves only, put neatly and firmly +together, and are lined with a very few grassy fibres. They each +contained four well-set eggs." + +Mr. Mandelli, however, took a nest of this species at Lebong on the +23rd June, in the middle of a tea-bush which grew at the side of a +small ravine, which was neither hooded nor domed. The nest was about +18 inches from the ground and completely sheltered from above +by tea-leaves. It was a deep cup composed externally chiefly of +bamboo-leaves, but with a good many dead leaves of trees incorporated +in the base, and lined with very fine grass-stems. It contained four +fresh eggs. It is quite clear that this species, like _S. nigriceps_, +only domes its nest in certain situations. + +The eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie and Mr. Mandelli are very regular, +slightly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine and compact, but has +only a faint gloss. The ground is white and round the larger end is a +zone or imperfect cap of specks and spots of brownish red, generally +intermingled with tiny spots, usually very faint, of pale purple. A +few specks and spots brown, yellowish, or reddish brown, and sometimes +also pale purple, are scattered about the rest of the egg. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.64 to 0.72, and in breadth from 0.50 to +0.53, but the average of eight eggs was 0.68 by 0.52 nearly. + + +174. Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, Hodgs. _The Red-billed Babbler_. + +Stachyris pyrrhops, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 21; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 392. + +Accounts differ somewhat as to the eggs of the Red-billed Babbler. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Nest found in low +ground, about 100 yards from the River Jheelum, situated in a low +bush, externally composed of broad dry reed-leaves, and interiorly of +fine grass, cup-shaped. Eggs, four in number, long oval, white, with a +few reddish specks at the larger end. Length .7, breadth .5. Lays in +the latter end of June, 4000 feet up." + +The nest, which he kindly sent me, is a deep cup, coarsely made +interiorly of grass-stems, externally of broad blades of grass, +in which a few dead leaves are incorporated; there is no lining. +Exteriorly the nest is about 3.5 inches in diameter, and about 3 in +depth; the egg-cavity is a little more than 2 inches in diameter, and +fully 1.75 in depth. + +Mr. Hodgson "found the nest" of this species in Nepal, "at an +elevation of about 6000 feet, in shrubby upland." It was "placed in a +small shrub about 2 feet from the ground." It was "a very deep cup, +about 4 inches in length, and 2.5 in diameter externally, placed +obliquely endwise upon cross-stems of the shrub, and opening, as it +were obliquely, upwards at one end," the cavity being about 1.5 in +diameter. The nest was made of "dry leaves and grass pretty compactly +woven." The nest "contained four eggs," which are described as +"whitish, with spare and faint fawn-coloured spots," and are figured +as measuring 0.65 by 0.47. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a common species both in the Dhoon +and in the hills, and may be found at all seasons, making known its +presence among the brushwood by the utterance of a clear and musical +note like the ringing of a tiny bell. In the winter time it is often +mixed up with flocks composed of _Siva strigula_ and _Liothriae +luteus_, creeping among the bushes like the _Pari_ and _Phylloscopi_. +It constructs its nest at the base of bushes, the eggs being three +in number, of a faint greenish grey, thickly irrorated with small +reddish-brown specks. The nest is composed of dry grass-blades +externally, within which is a layer of fine woody stalks and fibres, +and lined with black hair. It is cup-shaped, and placed upon a thick +bed of dried leaves, which are most probably accumulated beneath the +bush by the wind. One nest was taken at Dehra, in a garden, on the +30th July, and others at Mussoorie about the same time." + +But the eggs sent by Captain Hutton clearly do not, I think, pertain +to this species. Those taken by Colonel Marshall are certainly +genuine, and are considerably larger and very differently coloured +eggs. + +In shape they are moderately broad ovals, some of them slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is very fine and smooth, +but with scarcely any gloss; the ground is pure white, and they are +thinly speckled and spotted, the markings being much more numerous +about the large end, where they have a tendency to form an ill-defined +cap or zone with brownish red or pinky brown. + +In length they vary from 0.62 to 0.69, and in breadth from 0.5 to +0.52. + + +175. Cyanoderma erythropterum (Blyth). _The Red-winged Babbler_. + +Cyanoderma erythropterum, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 396 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison found the nest of the Red-winged Babbler at Bankasoon +on the 23rd April, just when he was leaving the place. Unfortunately +the birds had not yet laid. The nest was a ball composed of dry +reed-leaves, about 6 inches in diameter. Externally, with a circular +aperture on one side, very like that of _Mixornis rubricapillus_ +and of _Dumetia_, and again not at all unlike that of _Ochromela +nigrorufa_, but placed in a bush about 4 feet high and not on the +ground. + + +176. Mixornis rubricapillus (Tick.). _The Yellow-breasted Babbler_. + +Mixornis rubricapilla (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 23; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 395. + +This, though said to occur also in Central India, is a purely +Indo-Burmese form, found chiefly in the Eastern sub-Himalayan jungles, +Assam, Cachar, Burma, and Tenasserim. + +It is only from this latter province that I have any information as to +the nidification of the Yellow-breasted Babbler. + +Mr. Davison writes to me:--"At a small village, called Shymootee or +Tsinmokehtee, about 7 miles from the town of Tavoy, and very slightly +above the sea-level, say 50 feet, I found on the 6th of May, 1874, a +nest of this species. The nest was placed in a dense clump of a very +thorny plant (somewhat like a pineapple bush) about a foot from the +ground; it was not particularly well concealed. The nest was built of +bamboo-leaves, and in general appearance was not at all unlike that of +_Ochromela nigrorufa_; but the egg-cavity was very shallow, so that +by moving aside an overhanging leaf the eggs were distinctly visible. +There were three partially incubated eggs in the nest, a somewhat dull +white, spotted with pinkish dots." + +The nest is more or less egg-shaped, the longer axis vertical, with a +circular aperture on one side near the top. + +The exterior diameters are 5 and nearly 4 inches. The aperture about +1.5 in diameter. The cavity is barely 2 inches in diameter, and only +1.25 deep below the lower edge of the entrance. + +Both nest and eggs strongly recall those of _Dumetia hyperythra_. The +former is composed of the broad, grass-like leaves of the bamboo, and +with only a few stems of grass here and there intermingled as if by +accident. In the sides of the cavity the leaf-blades are so neatly +laid together, side by side, that the interior seems as if planked, +and at the bottom of the cavity there is a very scanty lining of very +fine grass-stems. + +Mr. Oates says:--"I found a nest on the 2nd June near Pegu, with three +eggs. Failing to snare the bird at once, I left the nest for a short +time, and on my return found the eggs gone. I am satisfied, however, +that the nest belonged to the present species; for I caught a glimpse +of the sitting bird. The nest was built on the top of a stump, well +concealed by leafy twigs, except the entrance, which was open to view. +It was a ball of grass with the opening at the side. + +"_28th June_.--Nest in a shrub about 10 feet from the ground. A domed +structure with an opening at the side 3 inches high by 2 broad. Height +of nest about 6 and outside width 4. Made entirely of bamboo-leaves +and lined sparingly with grass. Eggs 3. + +"I have found numerous nests of this species, but always after the +young had flown. They appear almost always to be placed in shrubs at +heights of 2 to 10 feet from the ground. One nest, however, on which I +watched the birds at work, was in a pineapple plant between the stalk +of the fruit and one of the leaves, almost on the ground." + +The eggs are regular ovals, moderately elongated, only very slightly +compressed towards the smaller end, which is only just appreciably +smaller. + +The shell is very fine and delicate, excessively smooth and fragile, +but with only a faint gloss. The ground is a dead white, with perhaps +the least possible pinkish tinge. The markings consist of _tiny_ +specks of brownish or purplish red and pale yellowish brown, thinly +scattered over the rest of the surface, but comparatively densely +clustered round the larger end, where they form a rather conspicuous +though irregular and imperfect zone, apparent enough in all, but much +more strongly marked in one egg than in the others. + +In some eggs the markings are all rather bright red and dull purplish +grey; some have a very fair amount of gloss, and a very pure +china-white ground. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.65 to 0.71, and in breadth from 0.5 to +0.53. + + +177. Mixornis gularis (Raffl.). _The Sumatran Yellow-breasted +Babbler_. + +Mixornis gularis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 395 bis. + +The eggs[A] are very similar to those of _M. rubricapillus_, but +are, perhaps, as a rule, better marked. They are very regular ovals, +typically rather slightly elongated, often slightly compressed towards +the small end; the shell is very fine and fragile, and has usually a +fair amount of gloss. The ground is usually pure white, at times with +a pinkish tinge. Round the large end is a more or less conspicuous, +more or less continuous zone of specks, spots, and small irregular +blotches of two colours, the one varying in different eggs from +almost brick-red to brownish orange, the other from reddish purple to +purplish grey. In some cases a very few, in others a good many, specks +and tiny spots of the same colours are scattered about the other +portions of the egg. The eggs measure 0.7 by 0.51. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species. +Mr. Davison was probably the finder of the eggs described.--ED.] + + +178. Schoeniparus dubius (Hume). _Hume's Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus dubius, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 622 bis. + +Mr. W. Davison has furnished me with the following note:--"On the +21st of February I took a nest of this species on Muleyit mountain +containing two eggs, and out of the female which I shot off the nest +I took another egg ready for expulsion which was in every particular +precisely similar to those in the nest. + +"The nest was a large globular structure, composed externally of dried +reed-leaves, very loosely put together, the egg-cavity deep and lined +with fibres. It was placed on the ground close to a rock, and at the +foot of a Zingiberaceous plant, and rather exposed to view. The nest +was not unlike that of _Pomatorhinus_, but of course considerably +smaller, not so much domed, and with the mouth of the egg-cavity +pointing upwards. + +"A few days later, on the 25th, I took a second nest, quite similar in +shape and materials to the first one, but placed several feet above +the ground, in a dense mass of creepers growing over a rock. It was +quite exposed to view, and from a distance of 3 or 4 feet the eggs +were quite visible. + +"There were three eggs in the nest, similar to those in the first +nest. Both parent birds were obtained. The first nest measured 5 +inches long by 4.5 wide, the egg-cavity 3.8 deep by 2.75 wide at the +entrance. The other was about half an inch smaller each way. + +"The measurements of the six eggs varied from 0.76 to 0.81 in length +by 0.56 to 0.6 in width, but the average was 0.78 by 0.59." + +The eggs are rather narrow ovals, as a rule, occasionally much pointed +towards one end. The shell is very fine and has a faint gloss. The +ground-colour is white. The markings, which are difficult to describe, +consist first of spots, specks, and hair-line scratches, dark brown, +almost black occasionally, and a great amount of irregular clouding, +streaking, and smudging of a pale dirty-brown, slightly reddish in +some eggs. Besides this, about the large end there is an indistinct +irregular zone of faint inky purple spots and small blotches, and a +few spots of this same colour may be observed on other parts of the +egg. + + +182. Sittiparus castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Tit-Babbler_. + +Minla castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 255; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 619. + +Mr. Hodgson's notes inform us that the Chestnut-headed Tit-Babbler +breeds in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling in May and June, laying four +eggs, which are figured as somewhat elongated ovals, having a very +pale greenish-yellow or dingy yellowish-white ground finely speckled, +chiefly at the large end, where there is a tendency to form a zone, +with red or brownish red, and measuring 0.75 by 0.52. The nest is said +to be placed in a thick bush, at a height of about 3 feet from the +ground, in a double fork; to be very broad and shallow, composed of +twigs, grass, and moss, and lined with leaves. One, taken on the 18th +May, 1846, measured 6 inches in diameter and 2.5 in height externally; +the cavity was only 2.1 in diameter and 1 in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of this bird, with one fresh +egg and female, was brought to me in May. The man said he found the +nest in the Rungbee forest, at 6000 feet, among the moss growing on +the trunk of a large tree, a few feet from the ground. It was a solid +cup, made of green moss, with an inner layer of fine dark-coloured +roots, and lined with grassy fibres. Externally it measured 4 inches +in width by the same in depth; internally 1.5 wide by 1.25 deep." + +Three eggs sent by Mr. Gammie measure 0.7 to 0.75 in length and 0.55 +to 0.59 in breadth. + +Mr. Davison says:--"On the 20th of February, when encamped just under +the summit of Muleyit, on its N.W. slope, I found a nest of this bird +containing three eggs, but so hard-set that it was only with the +greatest difficulty that I managed to preserve them. + +"The nest, a deep cup, was placed about 5 feet from the ground, in +a mass of creepers growing up a sapling. It (the nest) was composed +externally of green moss and lined with fibres and dry bamboo-leaves. + +"On the 29th of the same month I took another nest, also containing +three eggs, precisely similar to those in the first nest; but these +were so far incubated and the shell was so fragile that they were +all lost. This nest was also composed externally of green moss, +beautifully worked into the moss growing on the trunk of a large tree, +and it was only with considerable difficulty, and after looking for +some time, that I found it. The egg-cavity of this nest was also lined +with fibres and dried bamboo-leaves. + +"The first nest found was open at the top, and measured 5.5 inches in +depth, 3 across the top externally, the egg-cavity 3.5 in depth by 1.8 +in diameter at top. + +"The second nest was completely domed at the top, and measured +externally 7 inches in depth by about 3.5 at top. The egg-cavity was +2.5 inches deep by 1.5 across the mouth. + +"Three eggs measured 0.7 to 0.75 in length, and 0.55 to 0.59 in +breadth." + +The eggs are broad ovals, a little pointed towards the small end, +the shell white, almost devoid of gloss. A dense ring or zone of +excessively small black spots surrounds the large end, and similar +specks are rather sparsely distributed over the whole of the rest of +the surface of the egg, having, however, a tendency to become obsolete +towards the small end. Sometimes a little brown and sometimes a little +lilac is intermingled in the zone. + + +183. Proparus vinipectus (Hodgs.). _The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus vinipectus (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 257; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 622. + +The Plain-brown Tit-Babbler is not uncommon in the higher wooded hills +between Simla and Kotegurh, and from somewhere near Mutiana Captain +Blair sent me a nest and egg, together with one of the old birds which +had been caught on the nest. + +This latter was a rather compact massive cap, composed of moderately +fine blades of grass, measuring externally about 41/4 inches in diameter +and standing about 21/4 inches high. The egg-cavity, about 2 inches in +diameter and rather in more than half an inch deep, was lined with +fine blackish-brown grass-roots. Neither nest nor egg is exactly what +I should have expected to pertain to this species; but Captain Blair +was certain that they belonged to the parent bird which he sent with +them, and I therefore describe both with entire confidence in their +authenticity. + +The egg is a moderately elongated oval, slightly compressed towards +one end; it has a pale-green ground, and near the large end has a +strongly marked but very irregular sepia-brown zone, and pale stains +of the same colour here and there running down the egg from the zone, +as well as a few isolated dark spots of the same tint. Although much +smaller, and although the colour of the markings is very different, +the ground-colour and the character of the markings much recall those +of _Liothrix luteus_. The egg has little or no gloss, and measures +0.73 by 0.55. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained two nests of this species--one at Sinchal, near +Darjeeling, at an elevation of 9000 feet, on the 2nd June; the other +at Tongloo, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, on the 29th May. The first +contained one, the second three fresh eggs, all precisely similar in +size and colour to the egg formerly sent me by Capt. Blair, though the +nests themselves were rather different in appearance. These nests were +both placed amongst the branches of dense brushwood, at heights of +3 and 4 feet from the ground; they are very compact, massive little +cups, about 3.25 inches in diameter and 2 in height exteriorly; the +cavities are about 2 inches in diameter and 1.25 in depth. The chief +materials of the nests are dry blades of grass and bamboo-leaves; but +these are only seen at the bottom of the nests, the sides and upper +margins being completely felted over with green moss. Apparently there +is a first lining of fine grass and roots; but very little of this +is seen, as the cavity is then thickly covered with black and white +hairs. + + +184. Lioparus chrysaeus (Hodgs.). _The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler_. + +Proparus chrysaeus, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 256; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 621. + +The Golden-breasted Tit-Babbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's +notes, near Darjeeling and in the central region of Nepal. It lays +from three to four eggs, which are figured as somewhat broad ovals, +measuring from 0.7 by 0.5, with a pinky-white ground, speckled and +spotted thinly, except towards the large end, where there is a +tendency to form a cap or zone, with brownish red. The nest is oval or +rather egg-shaped, and fixed with its longer diameter perpendicular +to the ground in a bamboo-clump between a dozen or so of the small +lateral shoots, at an elevation of only a few feet from the ground. +One, taken near Darjeeling on the 12th June, measured externally 6 +inches in height, 4.5 in breadth, and 3 inches in depth, and on one +side it had an oval aperture 2.5 in height and 1.75 in breadth. It +appeared to have been entirely composed of dry bamboo-leaves and +broad blades of grass loosely interwoven, and with a little grass and +moss-roots as lining. + +Hodgson originally named this bird _Proparus chrysotis_, but as the +bird has _silvery_ ears Hodgson himself rejected this name and adopted +the one given above. Mr. Gray, however, retains the specific name +_chrysotis_. Now, I think a man has a perfect right to change his +_own_ name; what I object to is other people presuming to do it for +him. + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINAE. + + +187. Myiophoneus temmincki, Vigors. _The Himalayan Whistling +Thrush_. + +Myiophonus temminckii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ i. p. 500: _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 343. + +The Himalayan Whistling-Thrush breeds throughout the Himalayas from +Assam to Afghanistan, in shady ravines and wooded glens, as a rule, +from an elevation of 2000 to 5000 feet, but, at times, especially far +into the interior of the hills, up to even 10,000 feet. + +It lays during the last week of April, May, and June. The number of +eggs varies from three to five. + +The nest is almost invariably placed in the closest proximity to some +mountain-stream, on the rocks and boulders of which the male so loves +to warble; sometimes on a mossy bank; sometimes in some rocky +crevice hidden amongst drooping maiden-hair; sometimes on some +stream-encircled slab, exposed to view from all sides, and not +unfrequently curtained in by the babbling waters of some little +waterfall behind which it has been constructed. The nest is always +admirably adapted to surrounding conditions. Safety is always sought +either in inaccessibility or concealment. Built on a rock in the midst +of a roaring torrent, not the smallest attempt at concealment is +made; the nest lies open to the gaze of every living thing, and the +materials are not even so chosen as to harmonize with the colour +of the site. But if an easily accessible sloping mossy bank, ever +bejewelled with the spray of some little cascade, be the spot +selected, the nest is so worked into and coated with moss as to be +absolutely invisible if looked at from below, and the place is usually +so chosen that it cannot well be looked at, at all closely, from +above. + +Captain Unwin sent me an unusually beautiful specimen of the nest of +this species, taken early in May in the Agrore Valley--a massive and +perfect cup, with a cavity of 5 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep; +the sides fully 2 inches thick; an almost solid mass of fine roots +(the finest towards the interior) externally intermingled with moss, +so as to form, to all appearance, an integral portion of the mossy +bank on which it was placed. In the bottom of the nest were interwoven +a number of dead leaves, and the whole interior was thinly lined with +very fine grass-roots and moss. In this case the nest had been placed +on a tiny natural platform and was a complete cup; but in another +nest, also sent by Captain Unwin, the cup, having been placed on the +slope of a bank, wanted (and this is the more common type) the inner +one-third altogether, the place of which was supplied by the bank-moss +_in situ_. In this case, although the cavity was only of the same size +as that above described, the outer face of the nest was fully 6 inches +high, and the wall of the nest between 3 and 31/2 inches thick. The +former contained three much incubated, the latter four nearly fresh +eggs. + +A nest from Darjeeling which was taken on the 28th July, at an +elevation of about 3500 feet, from under a rock which partly overhung +a stream, and contained two fresh eggs, was composed in almost equal +proportions of fine moss-roots and dead leaves with scarcely a trace +of moss. In this case the nest was entirely concealed from view, and +no necessity, therefore, existed for coating it externally with green +moss to prevent its attracting attention. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I have had its nest and eggs brought me (at +Darjeeling); the nest is a solid mass of moss, mixed with earth +and roots, of large size, and placed (as I was informed) under an +overhanging rock near a mountain-stream. The eggs were three in +number, and dull green, thickly overlaid with reddish specks." + +"In Kumaon," writes Mr. R. Thompson, "they breed from May to July, +along all the smaller hill-streams, from 1500 up to about 4500 feet. +In the cold season it descends quite to the plains--I mean the +Sub-Himalayan plains. The nest is generally more or less circular, +5 or 6 inches in diameter, composed of moss and mud clinging to the +roots of small aquatic plants or of the moss, and lined with fine +roots and sometimes hair. A deep well-watered glen is usually chosen, +and the nest is placed in some cleft or between the ledges of some +rock, often immediately overhanging some deep gloomy pool." + +"On the 16th June," observes Captain Hutton, writing from Mussoorie, +"I took two nests of this bird, each containing three eggs, and also +another nest, containing three nearly-fledged young ones. The nest +bears a strong resemblance to that of the _Geocichlae_, but is much +more solid, being composed of a thick bed of green moss externally, +lined first with long black fibrous lichens and then with fine roots. +Externally the nest is 31/2 inches deep, but within only 21/2 inches; the +diameter about 43/4 inches, and the thickness of the outer or exposed +side is 2 inches. The eggs are three in number, of a greenish-ashy +colour, freckled with minute roseate specks, which become confluent +and form a patch at the larger end. The elevation at which the nests +were found was from 4000 to 4500 feet; but the bird is common, except +during the breeding-season, at all elevations up to the snows, and +in the winter it extends its range down into the Doon. In the +breeding-season it is found chiefly in the glens, in the retired +depths of which it constructs its nest; it never, like the Thrushes +and _Geocichlae_, builds in trees or bushes, but selects some high, +towering, and almost inacessible rock, forming the side of a deep +glen, on the projecting ledges of which, or in the holes from which +small boulders have fallen, it constructs its nest, and where, unless +when assailed by man, it rears its young in safety, secure alike from +the howling blast and the attack of wild animals. It is known to the +natives by the name of 'Kaljet,' and to the Europeans as the 'Hill +Blackbird.' The situation in which the nest is placed is quite unlike +that of any other of our Hill-Thrushes with which I am acquainted. The +bird itself is as often found in open rocky spots on the skirts of the +forest as among the woods, loving to jump upon some stone or rocky +pinnacle, from which it sends forth a sort of choking, chattering +song, if such it can be called, or, with an up-jerk of the tail, hops +away with a loud musical whistle, very much after the manner of the +Blackbird (_M. vulgaris_)." + +Sir E.C. Buck says:--"I found a nest at Huttoo, near Narkhunda, date +27th June, 1869, on an almost inaccessible crag overhanging a torrent. +It contained three eggs, but two were broken by stones falling in +climbing down to the nest. Nest not brought up; one egg secured and +forwarded. I saw the bird well, and have no doubt as to its identity." + +Writing from Dhurmsalla, Captain Cock informed me that he had obtained +several nests in May in and about the neighbouring streams, up to an +elevation of some 5000 feet. From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall +remarks:--"Several nests found in June, near running streams, about +4000 feet up." + +Dr. Stoliczka tells us that "it breeds at Chini and Sungnum at an +elevation of between 9000 and 11,000 feet." + +The eggs are typically of a very long oval shape, much pointed at one +end, but more or less truncated varieties (if I may use the word) +occur. They are the largest of our Indian Thrushes' eggs, and are +larger than those of any European Thrush with which I am acquainted. +Their coloration, too, is somewhat unique; a French grey, +greyish-white, or pale-greenish ground, speckled or freckled with +minute pink, pale purplish-pink, or pinkish-brown specks, in most +cases thinly, in some instances pretty thickly, in some only towards +the large end, in some pretty well all over. In the majority of +the specimens there is, besides these minute specks, a cloudy, +ill-defined, purplish-pink zone or cap at the large end. In some few +there are also a few specks of bright yellowish brown. The eggs have +scarcely any gloss. + +In length, they vary from 1.24 to 1.55 inch, and in breadth from 0.95 +to 1.1 inch, but the average of fifty eggs is 1.42 by about 1.0 inch. + + +188. Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume. _The Burmese Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophoneus eugenii, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 343 bis. + +Major C.T. Bingham contributes the following note to the 'Birds +of British Burmah' regarding the nidification of this species in +Tenasserim:--"On the 16th April I was crossing the Mehkhaneh stream, +a feeder of the Meh-pa-leh, the largest tributary of the Thoungyeen +river, near its source, where it is a mere mountain-torrent brawling +over a bed of rocks strewed with great boulders. A small tree, drifted +down by the last rains, had caught across two of these, and being +jammed in by the force of the water, had half broken across, and now +formed a sort of temporary V-shaped dam, against which pieces of wood, +bark, leaves, and rubbish had collected, rising some six inches or so +above the water, which found an exit below the broken tree. On this +frail and tottering foundation was placed a round solid nest about +9 inches in diameter, made of green moss, and lined with fine black +roots and fibres, in which lay four fresh eggs of a pale stone-colour, +sparsely spotted, especially at the larger ends, with minute specks of +reddish brown. Determined to find out to what bird they belonged, I +sent my followers on and hid myself behind the trunk of a tree on the +bank and watched, gun in hand. In about twenty minutes or so a pair of +_Myiophoneus eugenii_ came flitting up the stream and, alighting near +the nest, sat for a time quietly. At last one hopped on the edge of +the nest, and after a short inspection sat down over the eggs with a +low chuckle. I then showed myself and, as the birds flew off, fired at +the bird that had been on the nest, but unfortunately missed. I was +satisfied, however, about the identity of the eggs and took them. In +shape they are somewhat like those of _Pitta_, and measure 1.45 x +1.02, 1.50 x 1.02, 1.46 x 1.01, and 1.50 x 1.01." + + +189. Myiophoneus horsfieldi. Vigors. _The Malabar Whistling-Thrush_. + +Myiophonus horsfieldii, _Vig., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 499;_Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 342. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"The Malabar Whistling-Thrush (rather a +misnomer, by the way) breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris, never +ascending higher than 6000 feet. The nest is always placed on some +rock in a mountain torrent; it is a coarse and, for the size of the +bird, a very large structure, and though I have never measured the +nest, I should say that the total height was about 18 inches or more, +and the greatest diameter about 18 inches. Exteriorly it is composed +of roots, dead leaves, and decaying vegetation of all kinds; the +egg-cavity, which is saucer-shaped and comparatively shallow, is +coarsely lined with roots. It breeds during March and April." + +Miss Cockburn says:--"A nest of this bird was found on the 22nd of +March in a hole in a tree situated in a wood at a height of about 40 +feet from the ground. Two bamboo ladders had to be tied together to +reach it, for the tree had no branches except at the top. The nest +consisted of a large quantity of sticks and dried roots of young +trees, laid down in the form of a Blackbird's nest. The contents of it +were three eggs. They were quite fresh, and the bird might have laid +another. The poor birds (particularly the hen) showed great boldness +and returned frequently to the nest, while a ladder was put up and a +man ascended it." + +Such a situation for the nest of _this_ bird may seem incredible; but +my friend Miss Cockburn is a most careful observer, and she sent me +one of the eggs taken from this very nest, and it undoubtedly belonged +to this species; moreover, there is no other bird on the Nilghiris +that she, who has figured most beautifully all the Nilghiri birds, +could possibly have mistaken for this species. At the same time, the +situation in which she found the nest was altogether unusual and +exceptional. + +I now find that such a situation for the nest of this bird is not even +very unusual. On the 3rd of July Miss Cockburn took another nest in a +hole in a tree, about thirty feet from the ground, containing three +fresh eggs, which she kindly sent me; and writing from the Wynaad Mr. +J. Darling, jun., remarks that there this species commonly builds in +holes in trees. He says:--"_July 22nd_. Nest found near Kythery, S. +Wynaad, in a crevice of a log of a felled tree in a new clearing 11 +feet from the ground. Nest built entirely of roots. The foundation was +of roots from some swampy ground and had a good deal of mud about it. +Another nest was in a hole of a dead tree 32 feet from the ground." + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"Very common from the +base to near the summit of the hills, frequenting alike jungle and +open clearings, though generally found in the neighbourhood of some +running stream; I have known this species to build on ledges of rock +and in a hollow tree overhanging a stream, in either case constructing +a rather loosely put together nest of roots and coarse fibre with a +little green moss intermixed. The female lays two to four eggs, and +both birds assist in the incubation." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon records the finding of eggs on the following +dates:-- + + "April 29, 1873. Two hard-set eggs. + May 15, 1873. Three " " + May 15, 1874. One fresh egg. + May 30, 1874. Two slightly set eggs." + +Col. Butler sent me a splendid nest of this species taken in the +cliffs at Purandhur, 15 miles south of Poona. It was placed in the +angle between two rocks; it measures in front 7 inches wide, and 1.5 +in. high; posteriorly it slopes away into an obtuse angle fitting the +crevice in which it was deposited; the cavity is 4 in. in diameter, +perfectly circular, and 2.25 in depth. The compactness of the nest +is such that it might be thrown about without being damaged. It is +composed throughout of fine black roots, only a stray piece or two of +light coloured grass being intermixed, and the whole basal portion is +cemented together with mud. + +He gives the following account of the mode in which he acquired it:-- + +"I got this nest in rather a singular way which is perhaps worth +relating. At a dance last year in Karachi, in a short conversation I +had with Colonel Renny, who was then commanding the Artillery in Sind, +he mentioned that he had three Blue-winged Thrushes in his house that +he had procured at Purandhur the year before. The following day I went +over to his bungalow, and after inspecting them and satisfying myself +of their identity, ascertained from him where the nest they were taken +from was situated and the season at which it was found. Possessed with +this information I wrote in May to the Staff Officer at Purandhur, +and told him where and when the bird built and asked him if he would +kindly assist me in procuring the eggs. In reply I received a very +polite letter saying 'that he knew nothing about eggs or birds +himself, but that he would be most happy to offer me any assistance in +his power in procuring the eggs referred to, and that he would employ +a shikarri to keep the hill-side that I had mentioned watched when the +breeding-season arrived.' I wrote and thanked him, sending him at the +same time a drill and blowpipe by post, with full instructions how to +blow the eggs, in case he got any; and to my delight, at the end of +July a bhanghy parcel arrived one morning with the nest and eggs above +described. + +"Colonel Renny told me that the birds built on this cliff-side every +monsoon." + +Mr. E. Aitken has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"Of this bird I have seen two nests--one containing two hard-set eggs +on April 29, 1872, situated in a hole in a tree overhanging a stream +about 20 feet from the ground; the other containing three hard-set +eggs on May 22nd, 1872, and situated on a ledge of rock in the bed +of a stream; both the nests were rather coarsely made of roots. My +brother says he has also found three other nests, two placed in holes +of trees and the other on a rocky ledge, but the nests were in every +case near to running water. The bird stays with us all the year, and +is one of our commonest species. Its clear whistle is always to be +heard the first thing in the morning before the other birds get up, +and daring the violent rains of the S.W. monsoon it seems almost the +only bird which does not lose heart at the incessant downpour. April +and May appear to be the breeding months." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Scattered all over the Deccan in +suitable localities. W. got two nests, one on the Bhore Ghat on 5th +August, and one on the Thull Ghat on 17th of same month. That on the +Bhore Ghat was built on a ledge of rock some 15 feet _in_ from the +face of a railway tunnel where 30 or 40 trains daily passed within +a few feet of it. That on the Thull Ghat was in a cutting at the +_entrance_ of a tunnel, and about the same height above and from the +rails as the one on the Bhore Ghat. In both cases the eggs were +much discoloured by the smoke from engines, but on being washed, W. +observed that one of the three eggs in each nest was of a decidedly +_greenish blue_, finely speckled and splashed with pinky brown, while +the others were of the _pale salmon-pink_, as described in Mr. Hume's +Rough Draft of 'Nests and Eggs.' The male bird was sitting on one of +the nests and was shot. W. saw numerous other nests, some high up on +cliffs, beyond the reach of a 15-foot ladder. Two nests in holes in +trees were reported to him, but he could not go to examine them. The +nests were about 4 inches diameter by 21/2 inches deep inside and 8 +to 10 inches broad outside, and not more than 10 inches high. The +foundation portion contained a great deal of clay and earth, which +seemed to be necessary to secure the nests in positions so exposed +to the heavy gusts of wind which prevail on these ghats during the +monsoon." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"I found the +nest of this Thrush on the Seeghoor Ghaut of the Neilgherries. Mr. +Davison was with me at the time; and the nest being built on an open +ledge of rock, we both sighted it at the same moment; and I having +managed to make better use of my legs than my friend, was fortunate +enough to secure it, and one egg, which was of a pale flesh-colour, +with a few faint spots and blotches of claret towards the larger end. +The nest was made of leaves and moss mixed with clay, and lined with +fine roots. The dimensions of the egg are 1.3 inch in length by .85 +in breadth. It was in May that I found this egg; but the nest had +evidently been deserted for some time; for the egg has a hole in its +side, through which the contents had escaped or been sucked by a snake +or some animal." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I once procured its nest, placed under a shelf of +a rock on the Burliar stream, on the slope of the Nilghiris. It was a +large structure of roots, mixed with earth, moss, &c., and contained +three eggs of a pale salmon or reddish-fawn colour, with many smallish +brown spots;" and such is unquestionably the usual situation of the +nest. + +The eggs of this species, which I have received from Kotagherry +and other parts of the Nilghiris, are broad, nearly regular ovals, +slightly compressed towards the lesser end; considerably elongated, +and more or less spherical, and pyriform varieties occur. The shell is +fine, and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is pale salmon-pink +or pinkish-white, occasionally greyish white. The whole egg is, as a +rule, finely speckled, spotted, and splashed with pinkish brown or +brownish pink. The markings, in most eggs, everywhere very fine, are +often considerably more dense at the large end, where they are not +unusually more or less underlaid by a pinkish cloud, with which they +form an irregular ill-defined and inconspicuous cap. + +At times more boldly and richly marked eggs are met with; one now +before me is everywhere thickly streaked with dull pink, in places +purplish, and over this is thinly but rather conspicuously spotted and +irregularly blotched (the blotches being small however) with light +burnt sienna-brown. + +In length they vary from 1.18 to 1.48 inch, and in breadth from 0.92 +to 1 inch. + + +191. Larvivora brunnea, Hodgs. _The Indian Blue Chat_. + +Larvivora cyana, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 145; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 507. + +I have never obtained the nest of the Indian Blue Chat. Mr. Davison +found it on the Nilghiris. He says:--"I really quite forget the +details of that one egg which I brought you along with the skin of the +parent, but it was taken in May on the Nilghiris. I remember very well +another nest of this species, which I took in the latter end of March +or the beginning of April in a shola or detached piece of jungle about +9 miles from Ootacamund. + +"The nest was in a hole in the trunk of a small tree, about 5 feet +from the ground, and was composed chiefly of moss, but mixed with dry +leaves and twigs. It contained three young birds, apparently about +four or five days old." + +The late Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found +at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet) on the 16th May. It contained three +eggs, and was placed on the ground amongst grass on a bank made by +the cutting of a hill-road. It is a broad shallow nest, composed +exteriorly of vegetable fibre, scraps of dead leaves and tiny pieces +of moss matted closely together, and is rather thickly lined with +black and red hairs, amongst which one or two soft downy feathers are +incorporated. The external diameter of the nest is about 4 inches, the +height about 1.5, the cavity is about 2.75 inches in diameter, and +rather less than 1 in depth. + +Two eggs taken by Mr. Darling[A] are very elongated, somewhat +cylindrical ovals, very obtuse at both ends. In both, the shell is +fine, and has an appreciable though not brilliant gloss. In one, the +ground is a pale delicate clay-brown, and the markings consist only +of a zone about 0.2 wide round the large end of densely set dull +brownish-red specks, and a few similar specks inside the zone only. +In the other, the ground has a light greenish tinge, the zone is less +marked and merges in a dull brownish-red mottled cap, and a faint +marbling, of a paler shade of the cap, is scattered here and there +over the whole surface of the egg. They measure 1 by 0.65 and 0.98 by +0.65. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any account of the finding of the nest of +this bird by Mr. Darling amongst Mr. Hume's notes.--Ed.] + +The egg taken by Mr. Davison is an elongated, slightly pyriform oval. +The shell is moderately fine, but with only a very slight gloss. The +ground-colour is a pale slightly greyish green, and the whole egg is +thickly (most thickly so about the large end, where the markings are +almost perfectly confluent) mottled and streaked with pale brownish +red. It measures 0.98 by 0.67. + + +193. Brachypteryx albiventris (Fairbank). _The White-bellied_ +_Short-wing_. + +Callene albiventris, _Fairb., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 339 bis. + +The Rev. S.B. Fairbank, to whom I have, owed much useful information +and many valuable specimens, kindly sent me the subjoined account of +the nidification of the White-bellied Short-wing in the Pulney Hills +at an elevation of about 6500 feet:--"In April, I found a nest in a +hole in the side of the trunk of a large tree some 2 feet from the +ground. The hole was just large enough for the nest, and was lined +with fine roots. I surprised the bird on her nest several times. There +were two eggs in the nest when I first found it that were 'hard-set'. +A month afterwards she laid two more in the same place, and I took +them in good condition. One egg measures 0.9 by 0.68 inch, and another +0.94 by 0.68 inch. The ground-colour is grey, with a tinge of green, +and it is thickly covered with small spots of bistre." + +Mr. Blanford, who saw the eggs, which I never did, describes them +(and by analogy, I should infer more correctly) as "of an olive-brown +colour, darker at the larger end, measuring 0.93 by 0.63 inch." + +An egg of this species sent me by Dr. Fairbank, measuring 0.93 by +0.66, is a somewhat elongated oval, slightly pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour, so far as +this is discernible, is greyish green, but it is so thickly clouded +and mottled all over with a warm, brown, that but little of the +ground-colour is any where traceable, and the general result when the +egg is looked at from a short distance is that of a nearly uniform +olive-brown. + +Captain Horace Terry also found the nest of this bird on the Pulney +Hills. He says:--"I met with it a few times in the big _shola_ at +Kodikanal, and got two nests, each with two fresh eggs; the first on +the 7th June in a hole in a tree between 4 and 5 feet from the ground, +a deep cup of green moss; the other, in a hole in the bank of a +path running through the _shola_ was of green moss and a few fine +fern-roots. Inside 1.75 inch deep and 2.5 inches across; outside a +shapeless mass of moss filling up the hole it was built in. The nest +was very conspicuous to any one passing by." + + +194. Brachypteryx rufiventris (Blyth). _The Rufous-bellied +Short-wing_. + +Callene rufiventris, _Blyth. Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 496: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 339. + +I have been favoured with nests of the Rufous-bellied Short-wing by +Mr. Carter, who took them from holes or depressions of banks in the +Nilghiris in April and May. They closely resemble nests of _Niltava +macrigoriae_ from Darjeeling. They are soft masses of green moss, +some 4 or 5 inches in diameter externally, with more or less of a +depression towards one side, lined with very fine dark moss-roots. +This depression may average about 21/2 inches across and 3/4 inch in +depth; but they vary a good deal. Mr. Carter says:--"I have found the +nests of this species about Conoor in May, in holes of banks, on +roads running through thick _sholas_ (i.e. jungles not amounting to +forests). The nests are of moss, shallow, lined with fine root-fibres, +the cavity about 3-5 inches in diameter. They lay two eggs, pale +olive, shading into a decided brownish red at the larger end. The old +birds are very shy in returning to the nest when watched; indeed, they +are always shy, hiding in the brushwood of jungles or amongst fallen +timber, along which they almost creep." + +Mr. Davison informs me that "this species breeds on the Nilghiris from +about 5500 feet to about 7000 during April and May, building in holes +of trees, crevices of rocks, &c., seldom at any great elevation +above the ground. The nest is composed of moss, lined with moss and +fern-roots. Two or three eggs are laid." + +The few eggs I possess, which I owe to Messrs. Carter and Davison, and +which were taken by them in the Nilghiris, have a pale olive-brown +ground with, at the large end, an ill-defined mottled reddish-brown +cap. In some specimens the mottling extends more or less over the +whole egg, though always most dense about the larger end. Though much +larger and of a more elongated shape, they not a little resemble some +specimens of the eggs of _Pratincola indica_ that I possess. In shape +they are long ovals, recalling in that respect those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_; they have less gloss than the eggs of most of the +Thrushes. + +In length they vary from 0.97 to 1.02 inch, and in breadth from 0.65 +to 0.69 inch. + + +197. Drymochares cruralis (Blyth). _The White-browed Short-wing_ + +Brachypteryx cruralis (Bl.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 495; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 338. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, the White-browed +Short-wing breeds in April and May. It constructs its nest a foot or +so above the ground amongst grass and creeping-plants at the base of +trunks of trees; it is composed of moss and moss-roots, is somewhat +globular in shape, and is firmly attached to the creepers; dried +bamboo-leaves and pieces of fern are here and there fixed to the +exterior, and the nest is lined with hair-like fibres; the entrance is +at one side and circular. One nest measured 7 inches in height, 5.5 +in width, and 3.38 from front to back. The aperture was 2 inches in +diameter. The eggs (four in number, or at times three) are pure white, +broad ovals, pointed at one end, measuring 0.9 by 0.65 inch. +This species breeds in the central regions of Nepal and in the +neighbourhood of Darjeeling. + +Three nests of this species found early in June in Sikhim and Nepal, +at elevations of 5000 to 8000 feet, contained respectively 2, 3, and 4 +fresh eggs. They were all placed in brushwood at 2 to 3 feet above +the ground, and they are all precisely similar, being rather massive +shallow cups, composed of very fine black roots firmly felted +together, and with a few dead leaves or scraps of moss in most of them +incorporated in one portion or other of the outer surface. The nests +are about 4 inches in diameter and 2 in height; the cavity is about +2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth; but, owing to the positions in +which they are placed, they are often more or less irregularly shaped. + +Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs which he considers to belong to this +species, on the 3rd June, near Darjeeling. I rather question the +authenticity of these eggs. They are pure white and devoid of gloss, +moderately elongated ovals, only slightly compressed towards the +smaller end. They vary from 0.83 to 0.91 in length and from 0.61 to +0.64 in breadth. + + +198. Drymochares nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx nipalensis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 494. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest taken by me on the 15th +of June at 5000 feet, close to a large forest, contained three +slightly-set eggs. It was placed on the moss-covered trunk of a fallen +tree, and was hooded, with an entrance at the side; rather neatly +made of dry leaves with an outer covering of green moss, and an inner +lining of skeletonized leaves and black fibrous roots. Externally it +measures 5 inches in height by about the same in width; internally 3 +inches high by 2.4 across. The entrance was 2.3 in diameter. The +front of the egg-cavity is but slightly depressed below the entrance, +gradually sloping backwards to the depth of nearly an inch." + +All the nests of this species that I have seen were of the same type, +more or less globular, more or less hooded or domed, according to the +situation in which they were placed, composed of dry flags and dead +and more or less skeleton leaves, bound together with a little +vegetable fibre and some moss, but chiefly with fine black fibrous +roots, with which the entire cavity is densely lined, inside which +again is a coating of more skeleton leaves; they measure exteriorly 4 +or 5 inches in diameter, and the cavities are a little above 2 by 2.5 +inches in diameter. + +Mr. Mandelli found two of these nests at Lebong (elevation 5500 feet), +near Darjeeling, on the 8th July. One contained three fresh eggs, the +other three slightly incubated ones. They were about 12 yards apart, +in a very shady damp glen, in very dense underwood, to the stems of +which they were attached in a standing position about 3 feet from the +ground. The entrance was on one side in both cases. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie belong to the same +type as those of _Brachypteryx rufiventris_ and _B. albiventris_. In +shape they are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, somewhat +obtuse at both ends. The shell is fine and compact, and very smooth to +the touch, but they have not much gloss. The ground is a pale olive +stone-colour, and they are very minutely freckled and mottled, most +densely at the large end, with pale, very slightly reddish brown; the +freckling is excessively minute and fine. + +Two eggs measured 0.8 and 0.82 in length by 0.6 in breadth. + + +200. Elaphrornis palliseri (Blyth). _The Ceylon Short-wing_. + +Brachypteryx palliseri, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 338 bis. + +Colonel Legge, writing in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' says:--"Mr. Bligh +found a nest at Nuwara Eliya in April 1870; it was placed in a thick +cluster of branches on the top of a somewhat densely-foliaged small +bush, which stood in a rather open space near the foot of a large +tree; it was in shape a deep cup, composed of greenish moss, lined +with fibrous roots and the hair-like appendages of the green moss +which festoons the trees in such abundance at that elevation. It +contained three young ones, plumaged exactly like their parents, +who kept churring in the thick bushes close by, but would not show +themselves much." + + +201. Tesia cyaniventris, Hodgs. _The Slaty-bellied Short-wing_. + +Tesia cyaniventer, _Hodgs., Jerd, B. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 328. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Slaty-bellied Short-wing breeds +much like the next species. It constructs a huge globular nest of +green moss and black moss-roots, which it fixes in any dense dry shrub +or clump of shoots, many of which it incorporates in the walls of the +nest. The nest measures externally about 7 inches in height and 5 +inches in width; it has a circular aperture on one side, a little +above the middle, about 2 inches in diameter, and it is placed at a +height of one or two feet from the ground. Three or four eggs are +laid; these are figured as rather broad ovals, somewhat pointed +towards one end, with a whitish ground, profusely speckled and +spotted, especially towards the large end, where the markings are +nearly confluent, with bright red, and measuring 0.72 by 0.54 inch. + + +202. Oligura castaneicoronata (Burt.). _The Chestnut-headed +Short-wing_. + +Tesia castaneo-coronata (_Burt.), Jerd. E. Ind._ i, p. 487; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 327. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Short-wing builds a large globular nest, more or less egg-shaped, some +6 inches high and 4 in breadth, composed of moss-roots and fibres, and +lined with feathers, and with a circular aperture in the middle of one +side about 1.5 inch in diameter. The nest is placed in some clump of +shoots or thick bush (the twigs of which are more or less incorporated +in the sides of the nest) at a height of 1 or 2 feet from the ground. +The birds lay in April and May three or four eggs, which are figured +as moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at one end, reddish +(apparently something like a Prinia's, though this seems incredible), +and measuring 0.66 by 0.48 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest made chiefly of moss, with four small white +eggs, was brought me as the nest of this bird. It was of the ordinary +shape, rather loosely put together, and the walls of great thickness. +It was taken from the ground on a steep bank near the stump of a +tree." + +The three eggs in my museum supposed to belong to this species +pertained to this nest, and are excessively tiny, somewhat oval eggs +of a pure, dull, glossless unspotted white, very unlike our English +Wren's egg and certainly not one half the size. Dr. Jerdon was not +quite certain to which species of _Tesia_ these eggs belonged, and I +therefore only record this "_quantum valeat_". They measure 0.55 +and 0.6 inch in length by 0.4, 0.42, and 0.45 inch in breadth. I am +inclined to believe that both nest and eggs belonged to _Pnoepyga +pusilla_, Hodgs. + + + + +Subfamily SIBIINAE. + + +203. Sibia picaoides, Hodgs. _The Long-tailed Sibia_. + +Sibia picaoides, _Hodgs. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 55; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 430. + +Mr. Gammie obtained a nest of the Long-tailed Sibia from the top of +a tall tree, situated at an elevation of about 4000 feet, in the +neighbourhood of Rungbee, near Darjeeling. This was on the 17th June, +and the nest contained five fresh eggs. The nest is as perplexing as +are the eggs; for the nest is that of a Bulbul, the eggs those of a +Shrike or Minivet. The nest is a deep compact cup, about 41/2 inches in +diameter and 23/4 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is 3 inches across and +fully 13/4 inch in depth. Interiorly the nest is composed of excessively +fine grass-stems very firmly interwoven; externally of the stems of +some herbaceous plant, a Chenopod, to which the dry blossoms are still +attached, intermingled with coarse grass, a single dead leaf, and one +or two broad grass-blades more or less broken up into fibres. + +The eggs, for the authenticity of which Mr. Gammie positively vouches, +are very unlike what might have been expected. They are absolutely +Shrike's eggs--broad ovals, pointed towards one end, with a slight +gloss, the ground a slightly greyish white, with a good many small +spots and specks of pale yellowish brown and dingy purple, chiefly +confined to a large irregular zone towards the larger end. They vary +in length from 0.86 to 0.93, and in breadth from 0.7 to 0.73. + + +204. Lioptila capistrata (Vigors). _The Black-headed Sibia_. + +Sibia capistrata (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 54; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 429. + +The Black-headed Sibia lays throughout the Himalayas from Afghanistan +to Bhootan, at elevations of from 5000 to 7000 feet. + +It lays during May and June, and perhaps part of July, for I find that +on the 11th of July I found a nest of this species a little below the +lake at Nynee Tal, on the Jewli Road, containing two young chicks +apparently not a day old. + +They build on the outskirts of forests, constructing their nests +towards the ends of branches, at heights of from 10 to 50 feet from +the ground. The nest is a neat cup, some 4 or 5 inches in diameter and +perhaps 3 inches in height, composed chiefly of moss and lined +with black moss-roots and fibres. In some of the nests that I have +preserved a good deal of grass-leaves and scraps of lichen are +incorporated in the moss. The cavity is deep, from 21/2 to 3 inches in +diameter and not much less than 2 inches in depth. + +They lay two or three eggs; not more, so far as I yet know. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that "the egg of this +bird was, we believe, previously unknown, and it was a mere chance +that we found the whereabouts of their nests, as they breed high up in +the spruce firs at the outer end of a bough. The nest is neatly made +of moss, lined with stalks of the maiden-hair fern. The eggs are pale +blue, spotted and blotched with pale and reddish brown. They are .95 +in length and .7 in breadth. This species breeds in June, about 7000 +feet up." + +Nearly twenty years prior to this, however, Captain Hutton had +remarked:--"At Mussoorie this bird remains at an elevation of 7000 +feet throughout the year, but I never saw it under 6500 feet. Its loud +ringing note of _titteree-titteree tweeyo_, quickly repeated, may +constantly be heard on wooded banks during summer. It breeds in May, +making a neat nest of coarse dry grasses as a foundation, covered +laterally with green moss and wool and lined with fine roots. The +number of eggs I did not ascertain, as the nest was destroyed when +only one egg had been deposited, but the colour is pale bluish white, +freckled with rufous. The nest was placed on a branch of a plum-tree +in the Botanical Garden, Mussoorie." + +Captain Cock says that he "found this species breeding at Murree, at +6000 feet elevation. + +"I took my first nest on the 5th June. + +"It builds near the tops of the highest pines, and unless seen +building its nest with the glasses, it is impossible to find the nest +with the unaided eye. + +"The nest is placed on the outer extremity of an upper bough in a +pine-tree; is constructed of moss lined with stalks of the maiden-hair +fern. Three eggs is the largest number I ever found. The eggs are +light greenish white, with rusty spots and blotches principally at the +larger end." + +From Nynee Tal Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species builds +in trees and bushes. The only nest I examined personally was a very +compact and thick cup-shaped structure of moss, grass, and roots, +lined with grass, and placed amongst the outer twigs of a blackberry +bush overhanging a cliff. It was ready for the eggs on the 23rd May. +It was found at Nynee Tal on Agar Pata, about 7000 feet above the +sea." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have only myself taken two nests of +this common species. I found both of them the same day (the 21st May), +in the Chinchona reserves, at an elevation of about 5000 feet. Both +nests were in the forest, built on the outer branches of trees, at +heights the one of 15, the other of 40 feet from the ground. The nests +were cup-shaped, and very neatly made of moss, leaves and fibres, and +lined with black fibres. One measured externally 4.6 in diameter by +2.75 in height, and internally 2.4 in diameter and 1.7 in depth. One +nest contained two fresh, the other two hard-set eggs; so perhaps two +is the normal number, though the natives say that they lay three. As +might be expected from the bird's habit of feeding on the insects on +moss-covered trees in moist forests, the nests were in forest by the +sides of streams." + +The eggs are rather broad, slightly pyriform ovals, often a good deal +pulled out as it were at the small end. The shell is fine, but almost +entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish white +or very pale bluish green. The markings are various and complicated: +first there are usually a few large, irregular, moderately dark +brownish-red spots and splashes; then there are a very few, very dark, +reddish-brown hair-lines, such as one finds on Buntings' eggs; then +there is a good deal of clouding and smudging here and there of pale, +dingy purplish or brownish red (all these markings are most numerous +towards the large end); and then besides these, and almost entirely +confined to the large end, are a few pale purple specks and spots. +Sometimes the markings are almost wholly confined to the thicker end +of the egg. Of course the eggs vary somewhat, and in some specimens +the characteristic Bunting-like hair-lines are almost wholly wanting. +The eggs vary in length from 0.95 to 1.0, and in breadth from 0.66 to +0.72. + + +205. Lioptila gracilis (McClell.). _The Grey Sibia_. + +Malacias gracilis (_McClell.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen is, I believe, the only ornithologist who has +as yet secured the nest and eggs of the Grey Sibia. He says:--"In the +pine forest that covers the slopes of the hills descending into the +Umian valley in Assam, one of my men marked a nest on June 25th; I +proceeded to the spot soon after I had heard of it, and on coming up +to the tree, a pine, saw the female fly off out of the head of it. +But the nest was so well hidden by the boughs of the fir, that it was +quite invisible from below. The bird after a short time came back, and +then I saw it was _Sibia gracilis_; but it was very shy and seeing +us went off again, and hung about the trees at a distance of some 50 +yards; while thus waiting, some four or five others were also seen. +The female, however, would not venture back, and I sent one of my +Goorkhas up, to cut off the head of the fir, nest and all, first +taking out the eggs. It contained three, of a pale sea-green, with +ash-brown streakings and blotchings all over. + +"The nest was constructed of dry grass, moss, and rootlets, and the +green spinules of the fir were worked into it, fixing it most firmly +in its place in the crown of the pine where it was much forked." + + +206. Lioptila melanoleuca (Bl.). _Tickell's Sibia_. + +Malacias melanoleucus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 429 quart. + +Mr. W. Davison was fortunate enough to secure a nest of this Sibia on +Muleyit mountain in Tenasserim. He says:--"I secured a nest of this +species on the 21st of February, containing two spotless pale blue +eggs slightly incubated. The nest, a deep compactly woven cup, was +placed about 40 feet from the ground, in the fork of one of the +smaller branches of a high tree growing on the edge of a deep ravine. + +"The egg-cavity of the nest is lined with fern-roots, fibres and fine +grass-stems; outside this is a thick coating of dried bamboo-leaves +and coarse grass, and outside this again is a thick irregular coating +of green moss, dried leaves, and coarse fibres and fern-roots. + +"Externally the nest measures about 5 inches in height, and nearly the +same in external diameter at the top. + +"The egg-cavity measures 1.7 deep by 2.7 across. + +"The eggs, a pale spotless blue, measure 0.95 and 0.98 in length by +0.66 and 0.68 in breadth." + + +211. Actinodura egertoni, Gould. _The Rufous Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura egertoni, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 52; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 427. + +There is no figure of the Rufous Bar-wing's nest or eggs amongst the +original drawings of Mr. Hodgson now in my custody, but in the British +Museum series there appears to be, since Mr. Blyth remarks:--"Mr. +Hodgson figures the nest of this bird like that of an English +Redbreast, with pinkish-white eggs." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"On the 27th April I took a nest of +this Bar-wing in a large forest at an elevation of about 5000 feet. +It was placed about 20 feet from the ground, in a leafy tree, between +several upright shoots, to which it was firmly attached. It is +cup-shaped, mainly composed of dry leaves held together by slender +climber-stems, and lined with dark-coloured fibrous roots. A few +strings of green moss were twined round the outside to assist in +concealment. Externally it measures 4.2 inches wide by 4 deep; +internally 2.8 wide and 2.4 deep. It contained but two slightly-set +eggs. + +"I killed the female off the nest." + +Several nests have been obtained and sent me by Messrs. Gammie and +Mandelli. One was taken on the 4th May by Mr. Mandelli, at Lebong, at +an elevation of 5500 feet, which contained three fresh eggs; this +was placed on the branches of a small tree, in the midst of dense +brushwood, at a height of about 4 feet from the ground. + +Another, taken in a similar situation at the same place on the 22nd +May, contained two fresh eggs, and was at a height of about 12 feet +from the ground. + +These nests vary just in the same way as do those of _Trochalopterum +nigrimentum_; some show only a sprig or two of moss about them, while +others have a complete coating of green moss. They are cup-shaped, +some deeper, some shallower; the chief material of the nest seems to +be usually dry leaves. One before me is composed entirely of some +_Polypodium_, on which the seed-spores are all fully developed; in +another, bamboo-leaves have been chiefly used; these are all held +together in their places by black fibrous roots; occasionally towards +the upper margin a few creeper-tendrils are intermingled. The whole +cavity is lined more or less thickly, and the lip of the cup all round +is usually finished of with these same black fibrous roots; and then +outside all moss and selaginella are applied according to the taste +of the bird and, probably, the situation--a few sprigs or a complete +coating, as the case may be. + +Two eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Gammie are regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with very thin and fragile shells, and fairly but not +highly glossy. The ground is a delicate pale sea-green, and they are +profusely blotched, spotted, and marked with curious hieroglyphic-like +figures of a sort of umber-brown; while about the larger end numerous +spots and streaks of pale lilac occur. + +These eggs measure 0.98 in length, by 0.65 and 0.68 in breadth. + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Mandelli early in June are quite of the +same type, but somewhat shorter, measuring 0.85 and 0.93 in length by +0.68 and 0.7 in breadth. But the markings are rather more smudgy +and rather paler, and there are fewer of the hair-like streaks and +hieroglyphics. + + +213. Ixops nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Hoary Bar-wing_. + +Actinodura nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 53; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 428. + +The Hoary Bar-wing is said in Mr. Hodgson's notes to breed from April +to June in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal up to an elevation +of 4000 or 6000 feet. The nest is placed in holes, in crevices +between rocks and stones; is circular and saucer-shaped. One measured +externally 3.62 in diameter by 2 inches in height; the cavity measured +2.5 in diameter and 1.37 in depth. The nest is composed of fine twigs, +grass, and fibres, and externally adorned with little pieces of +lichen, and internally lined with fine moss-roots. The birds are said +to lay from three to four eggs, which are not described, but they are +figured as pinky white, about 0.85 in length and 0.55 in width. Mr. +Blyth, however, remarks:--"One of Mr. Hodgson's drawings represents a +white egg with ferruginous spots, disposed much as in that of _Merula +vulgaris_." + +Clearly there is some mistake here. Most of the drawings I have are +the originals, taken from the fresh specimens when they were obtained, +with Mr. Hodgson's own notes, on the reverse, of the dates on and +places at which he took or obtained the eggs, nests, and birds +figured, with often a description and dimensions of the two former, +and invariably full dimensions of the latter. On the other hand, the +drawings in the British Museum are mostly more finished and artistic +_copies_ of these originals; so how the spots got on to the eggs of +the British-Museum drawing I cannot say; there is no trace of such in +mine. + + +219. Siva strigula, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Siva_. + +Siva strigula. _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 252; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 616. + +The nest of the Stripe-throated Siva is placed, according to Mr. +Hodgson, in the slender fork of a tree at no great elevation from the +ground. It is composed of moss and moss-roots, intermingled with dry +bamboo-leaves, and woven into a broad compact cup-shaped nest. One +such nest, taken on the 27th May, with three eggs in it, measured +exteriorly 4.25 in diameter and 3 inches in height, with a cavity +(thickly lined with cow's hair) about 2.5 in diameter and 2.25 in +depth. The birds lay in May and June. The eggs are three or sometimes +four in number; they are pale greenish blue or bluish green, and vary +in length from 0.8 to 0.9, and in breadth from 0.6 to 0.65, and are, +some thickly, some thinly, speckled and freckled, usually most densely +towards the large end, with red or brownish red. His nests were taken +both in Sikhim and Nepal. + + +221. Siva cyanuroptera, Hodgs. _The Blue-winged Siva_. + +Siva cyanouroptera, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 253; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 617. + +The Blue-winged Siva breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central regions of Nepal, and in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, in +May and June. The nest is placed in trees, at no great elevation above +the ground, and is wedged in where three or four slender twigs make a +convenient fork. A nest taken on the 2nd June was a large compact cup, +measuring exteriorly 4.75 in diameter and 3.75 in height, and having +a cavity 2.6 in diameter and 1.87 in depth. It was composed of fine +stems of grass, dry leaves, moss, and moss-roots, bound together with +pieces of creepers, roots, and vegetable fibres, and closely lined +with fine grass-roots. They lay from three to four eggs, which are +figured as moderately broad ovals, considerably pointed towards the +small end, 0.85 in length by 0.6 in width, having a pale greenish +ground pretty thickly speckled and spotted, especially on the broader +half of the egg, with a kind of brownish brick-red. + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Lebong (elevation 5500 +feet) on the 28th April. It contained four fresh eggs; it was placed +in a fork of a horizontal branch of a small tree at a height of only 3 +feet from the ground. The nest is, for the size of the bird, a +large cup, externally entirely composed of green moss firmly felted +together. This outer shell of moss is thickly lined with the dead +leaves of a _Polypodium_, and this again is thinly lined with fine +grass. The nest was about 4 inches in diameter, and 2.5 in height +externally; the cavity was about 2.5 broad and 1.5 deep. + +The nests of this species are very beautiful cups, very compact and +firm, sometimes wedged into a fork, but more commonly suspended +between two or three twigs, or sometimes attached by one side only to +a single twig. They are placed at heights of from 4 to 10 feet from +the ground in the branches of slender trees, and are usually carefully +concealed, places completely encircled by creepers being very +frequently chosen. The chief materials of the nest are dead leaves, +sometimes those of the bamboo, but more generally those of trees; but +little of this is seen, as the exterior is generally coated with moss, +and the interior is lined first with excessively fine grass, and then +more or less thinly with black buffalo- or horse-hairs. The cups are +about 3 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally, the cavities +barely 2 in diameter and perhaps 1.5 in depth: but they vary somewhat +in size and shape according to the situation in which they are placed +and the manner in which they are attached, some being considerably +broader and shallower, and some rather deeper. + +Eggs of this species sent me from Mr. Mandelli, which were obtained by +him in the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, are decidedly elongated ovals, +fairly glossy, and with a pale slightly greenish-blue ground. A number +of minute red or brownish-red or yellowish-brown specks and spots +occur about the large end, sometimes irregularly scattered, sometimes +more or less gathered into an imperfect zone. The rest of the egg is +either spotless or exhibits only a few tiny specks and spots. The eggs +measure 0.75 and 0.76 by 0.51 and 0.52. + + +223. Yuhina gularis, Hodgs. _The Stripe-throated Yuhina_. + +Yuhina gularis, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 261; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 626. + +The Stripe-throated Yuhina breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +from April to July, building a large massive nest of moss, lined with +moss-roots, and wedged into a fork of a branch or between ledges of +rocks, more or less globular in shape, and with a circular aperture +near the top towards one side. A nest taken on the 19th June, +near Darjeeling, was quite egg-shaped, the long diameter being +perpendicular to the ground, and measured 6 inches in height and 4 +inches in breadth, the aperture, 2 inches in diameter, being well +above the middle of the nest; the cavity was lined with fine +moss-roots. The eggs are figured as rather elongated ovals, 0.8 by +0.56, with a pale buffy or _cafe au lait_ ground-colour, thickly +spotted with red or brownish red, the markings forming a confluent +zone about the large end. + + +225. Yuhina nigrimentum (Hodgs.). _The Black-chinned Yuhina_. + +Yuhina nigrimentum (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 262; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 628. + +A nest of the Black-chinned Yuhina, taken by Mr. Gammie on the 17th +June below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3500 feet, was placed +in a large tree, at a height of about 10 feet from the ground, and +contained four hard-set eggs. It is a mere pad, below of moss, mingled +with a little wool and moss-roots, and above, that is to say the +surface where the eggs repose, of excessively fine grass-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest was once brought me which was declared to +belong to this species; it was a very small neat fabric, of ordinary +shape, made with moss and grass, and contained three small pure +white eggs. The rarity of the bird makes me doubt if the nest really +belonged to it." + +The eggs are tiny little elongated ovals, pure white, and absolutely +glossless. + +Two sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0.58 by 0.42 and 0.57 by 0.43. + + +226. Zosterops palpebrosa (Temm.). _The Indian White-eye_. + +Zosterops palpebrosus (_Temm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 265; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 631. + +The Indian White-eye, or White-eyed Tit as Jerdon terms it, breeds +almost throughout the Indian Empire, sparingly in the hotter and more +arid plains, abundantly in the Nilghiris and other ranges of the +Peninsula to their very summits, and in the Himalayas to an elevation +of 5000 or 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends in different localities from January to +September, but I think that everywhere April is the month in which +most eggs are to be met with. + +Sometimes they have two broods; whether this is always the case I do +not know. + +The nest is placed almost indifferently at any elevation. I have taken +one from amongst the topmost twigs of a huge mohwa tree (_Bassia +latifolia_) fully 60 feet high, and I have found them in a tiny bush +not a foot off the soil. Still I think that perhaps the majority build +at low elevations, say between 2 and 6 feet from the ground. + +The nest is always a soft, delicate little cup, sometimes very +shallow, sometimes very deep, as a rule suspended between two twigs +like a miniature Oriole's nest, but on rare occasions propped in a +fork. The nest varies much in size and in the materials with which it +is composed. + +Pine grass and roots, tow, and a variety of vegetable fibres, thread, +floss silk, and cobwebs are all made use of to bind the little nest +together and attach it to the twigs whence it depends. Grass again, +moss, vegetable fibre, seed-down, silk, cotton, lichen, roots and the +like are used in the body of the nest, which is lined with silky down, +hair, moss, and fern-roots, or even silk, while at times tiny silvery +cocoons or scraps of rich-coloured lichen are affixed as ornaments to +the exterior. + +One nest before me is a very perfect and deep cup, hung between two +twigs of a mohwa tree and almost entirely hidden by the surrounding +leaves. The exterior diameter of the nest is 21/2 inches, and the depth +2 inches. The egg-cavity measures scarcely more than 11/2 inch across +and very nearly as much in depth. It is composed of very fine +grass-stems and is thinly coated exteriorly with cobwebs, by which +also it is firmly secured to the suspending twigs, and externally +numerous small cocoons and sundry pieces of vegetable down are +plastered on to the nest. Another nest, hung between two slender twigs +of a mango tree, is a shallow cup some 21/2 inches in diameter, and not +above an inch in depth externally. The egg-cavity measures at most 11/2 +inch across by three-fourths of an inch in depth. The nest is composed +of fine tow-like vegetable fibres and thread, by which it is attached +to the twigs, a little grass-down being blended in the mass, and +the cavity being very sparsely lined with very fine grass-stems. In +another nest, somewhat larger than, the last described, the nest is +made of moss slightly tacked together with cobwebs and lined with +fine grass-fibres. Another nest, a very regular shallow cup, with an +egg-cavity 2 inches in diameter and an inch in depth, is composed +almost entirely of the soft silky down of the _Calatropis gigantea_, +rather thickly lined with very fine hair-like grass, and very +thinly-coated exteriorly with a little of this same grass, moss, and +thread. Another, with a similar-sized cavity, but nearly three-fourths +of an inch thick everywhere, is externally a mass of moss, moss-roots, +and very fine lichen, and is lined entirely with very soft and +brilliantly white satin-like vegetable down. Another, with about the +same-sized cavity, but the walls of which are scarcely one-fourth of +an inch in thickness, is composed _entirely_ of this satiny down, +thinly coated exteriorly and interiorly with excessively fine +moss-roots (roots so fine that most of them are much thinner than +human hair); a few black horsehairs, which look coarse and thick +beside the other materials of the nest, are twisted round and round in +the interior of the egg-cavity. Other nests might be made entirely of +tow, so far as their appearance goes; and in fact with a very +large series before me, no two seem, to be constructed of the same +materials. + +I have nests before me now, taken in September, March, June, and +August, all of which when found contained eggs. + +Two is certainly the normal number of the eggs; about one fifth of the +nests I have seen contained three, and once only I found four. + +From Murree Colonel C.H.T. Marshall informs us that he took the eggs +in June at an elevation of about 6000 feet. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says:--"I have taken eggs of this species at +Cawnpore in the middle of June. I found six nests, five of which were +in neem-trees. I also found the nest in Naini Tal at 7000 feet above +the sea, with young in the middle of June; one only of all the nests I +have seen was lined, and that was lined with feathers: they were, as a +rule, about eight feet from the ground, but one was nearly forty feet +up." + +Capt. Hutton gives a very full account of the nidification of this +species. He says:--"These beautiful little birds are exceedingly +common at Mussoorie, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, during +summer, but I never saw them much higher. They arrive from the plains +about the middle of April, on the 17th of which month I saw a pair +commence building in a thick bush of _Hibiscus_, and on the 27th +of the same month the nest contained three small eggs hard-set. I +subsequently took a second from a similar bush, and several from +the drooping branches of oak-trees, to the twigs of which they were +fastened. It is not placed on a branch, but is suspended between +two thin twigs, to which it is fastened by floss silk torn from the +cocoons of _Bombyx Huttoni_, Westw., and by a few slender fibres of +the bark of trees or hair according to circumstances. + +"So slight and so fragile is the little oval cup that it is +astonishing the mere weight of the parent bird does not bring it to +the ground, and yet within it three young ones will often safely +outride a gale that will bring the weightier nests of Jays and +Thrushes to the ground. + +"Of seven nests now before me four are composed externally of little +bits of green moss, cotton, and seed-down, and the silk of the wild +mulberry-moth torn from the cocoons, with which last material, +however, the others appear to be bound together within. The lining of +two is of the long hairs of the yak's tail, two of which died on the +estate where these nests were found, and a third is lined with +black human hair. The other three are formed of somewhat different +materials, two being externally composed of fine grass-stalks, +seed-down, and shreds of bark so fine as to resemble tow; one is lined +with seed-down and black fibrous lichens resembling hair, a second is +lined with fine grass, and a third with a thick coating of pure white +silky seed-down. In all the seven, the materials of the two sides are +wound round the twigs, between which they are suspended like a cradle, +and the shape is an ovate cup, about the size of half a hen's egg +split longitudinally. The diameter and depth are respectively 2 inches +and 11/2 inch by three-fourths of an inch. The eggs are usually three in +number." + +Mr. Brooks, writing from Almorah, says:--"This morning, 28th April, +I found a nest of _Zosterops palpebrosa_ containing two fresh eggs. +Yesterday I found one of the same bird containing three half-fledged +young ones. Near the Tonse River, in the Allahabad District, I found +these birds in July nesting high in a mango-tree, the nest suspended +like an Oriole's to several leaves; now I find it in low bushes, at +heights of from 3 to 5 feet from the ground. The eggs, as before, +skim-milk blue, without markings of any kind." + +From Gurhwal Mr. R. Thompson says:--"A small cup-shaped elegant nest +is built by this bird suspended by fastenings from the fork of a low +branch. The nest is about 21/2 inches in diameter and three-fourths of +an inch in depth, composed of cobwebs, fine roots, hairs, &c., neatly +interwoven and lined internally with vegetable down. The eggs, two, +three, or four in number, are of a pale whitish-blue, oval, and +somewhat larger than those of _Arachnechthra asiatica_. The birds +select all kinds of trees, but the nest is always suspended. The +breeding-season is about March and April, and the brood is quickly +hatched and fledged. + +"A nest found by me on the 22nd April, and containing four eggs, was +built most ingeniously in a creeper that hung from a small tree. The +birds had arranged it so that the long down-bearing tendril of the +creeper blended with the nest, which in the main was composed of the +material surrounding it. + +"Another nest found on the 26th contained three young ones. It was +built in a low branch of a large mango-tree, and might have been 12 +feet from the ground. It was a neat compact structure, deeply hollow, +and made up of cobwebs, fine straw, and hair, and lined with vegetable +down, closely and neatly interwoven. + +"The parent birds were evidently feeding the young on the ripe fruit +of the _Khoda_ or _Chumroor_ (_Ehretia laevis_). I got one fruit from +the old birds, being anxious to know what the young ones were getting +for their dinner. + +"The pairing-season commences about the end of March, when the males +may be heard uttering a feeble kind of rambling song, which in reality +is merely modified repetitions of a single note." + +Mr. A. Anderson remarked that "the White-eye breeds throughout the +North-Western Provinces and Oudh during the months of June, July, and +August. The nest is a beautiful little model of the Oriole's; and +according to my experience it is invariably _suspended_, and _not +fixed in the fork of small branches_ as stated by Jerdon. I have on +several occasions watched a pair in the act of building their nest. +They set to work with cobwebs, and having first tied together two or +three leafy twigs to which they intend to attach their nest, they then +use fine fibre of the _sun_ (_Crotalaria juncea_), with which material +they complete the outer fabric of their very beautiful and compact +nest. As the work progresses more cobwebs and fibre of a silky kind +are applied externally, and at times the nest, when tossed about by +the wind (sometimes at a considerable elevation), would be mistaken by +a casual observer for an accidental collection of cobwebs. The inside +of the nest is well felted with the down of the madar plant, and then +it is finally lined with fine hair and grass-stems of the softest +kind. Sometimes the nest is suspended from only two twigs, exactly +after the fashion of the Mango-birds (_Oriolus kundoo_); and in this +case it is attached by means of silk-like fibres and fine fibre of +_sun_ for about 11/2 inch on each side; at others it is suspended from +several twigs; and occasionally I have seen the leaves fixed on to the +sides of the nest, thus making it extremely difficult of detection. + +"In shape the nest is a perfect hollow hemisphere; one now before me +measures (inside) 1.5 in diameter. The wall is about 0.3 in thickness. + +"Almost all my nests have been built on the neem tree, the long +slender _petioles_ of which are admirably adapted for its suspension. + +"As a rule the nest is built at a considerable height, and owing +to its situation there is not a more difficult nest to take. Great +numbers get washed down in a half-finished state in a heavy fall of +rain. + +"The eggs are, exactly as Jerdon describes them, of a pale blue, +'almost like skimmed milk,' and the usual number is three, though four +are frequently laid." + +"On the 7th September," writes Mr. E.M. Adam, "in my garden in +Lucknow, I discovered a nest of this bird in course of construction, +but when it was nearly finished the birds left it. The nest was a +beautiful little cup made of fine grass and cobwebs. It was situated +in a slender fork of a mango-tree about 15 feet from the ground." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; +breeds in both places in May, June, and July. All nests I have seen +have been finely made little cups of fibres, bits of thread and +cobwebs, lined interiorly with horsehair, generally suspended between +two slender twigs at no great height from the ground." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have only actually taken one nest of the +White-eye. That was in Poona (2000 feet above the sea) on the 21st +July. The bird, however, builds abundantly in Poona about gardens, +trees on the roadside, &c. + +"This particular nest was fixed to a thin branch of a tamarind-tree on +the side of a lane among gardens. It was within reach of my hand, and +was attached both to the thin branch itself and to two twigs. It was +well sheltered among leaves. + +"The nest was a cup rather narrower at the mouth than in the middle. +Its external diameter at the top was 21/2 inches; internal diameter 11/2 +inch; depth 11/2 inch internally. It was composed of a variety of fibres +closely interwoven with some kind of vegetable silk, and was lined +principally with horsehair and very fine fibres. It contained three +eggs." + +Mr. Davison tells us that "the White-eye breeds on the Nilghiris in +February, March, April, and the earlier part of May. + +"The nest is a small neat cup-shaped structure suspended between a +fork in some small low bush, generally only 2 or 3 feet from the +ground, but sometimes high up, about 20 or 30 feet from the ground. It +is composed externally of moss and small roots and the down from the +thistle; the egg-cavity is invariably sparingly lined with hair. The +eggs, two in number, are of a pale blue, like skimmed milk." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their nests are, I think, +more elegantly finished than those of any of the small birds I have +seen up here. They generally select a thick bush, where, when they +have chosen a horizontal forked branch, they construct a neat round +nest which is left quite open at the top. The materials they commence +with are green moss, lichen, and fine grass intertwined. I have even +found occasionally a coarse thread, which they had picked up near some +Badagar's village and used in order to fasten the little building +to the branches. The inside is carefully lined with the down of +seed-pods. White-eyes' nests are very numerous here in the months of +January, February, and March. They are extremely partial to the wild +gooseberry bush as a site to build on. One year I found ten out of +eleven nests on these bushes, the fruit of which is largely used by +the aborigines of the hills. A pair once built on a thick orange-tree +in our garden. We often stood quite close to one of them while sitting +on the eggs, and it never showed the slightest degree of fear. They +lay two eggs of a light blue colour." + +Mr. Wait, writing from Conoor, says that "_Z. palpebrosa_ breeds in +April and May, building in bushes and shrubs, and making a deep round +cup-shaped nest very neatly woven in the style of the Chaffinch, +composed of moss, grass, and silk cotton, and sparsely lined with very +fine grass and hair. The eggs are two in number, of a roundish oval +shape, and a pale greenish-blue colour." + +Finally Colonel Legge informs us that this species breeds in Ceylon in +June, July, and August. + +The eggs are somewhat lengthened ovals (occasionally rather broader), +and a good deal pointed towards the small end. The shell is very fine +but almost glossless; here and there a somewhat more glossy egg is met +with. They are normally of a uniform very pale blue or greenish blue, +without any markings whatsoever, but once in a way an egg is seen +characterized by a cap or zone of a somewhat purer and deeper blue. +Abnormally large and small specimens are common. They vary in length +from 0.53 to 0.7, and in breadth from 0.42 to 0.58; but the average of +thirty-eight eggs is 0.62 by 0.47, and the great majority of the eggs +are really about this size. + + +229. Zosterops ceylonensis, Holdsworth. _The Ceylon White-eye_. + +Zosterops ceylonensis, _Holdsw., Hume, cat._ no. 631 bis. + +Colonel Legge, referring to the nidification of the Ceylon White-eye, +says:--"This species breeds from March until May, judging from the +young birds which are seen abroad about the latter month. Mr. +Bligh found the nest in March on Catton Estate. It was built in +a coffee-bush a few feet from the ground, and was a rather frail +structure, suspended from the arms of a small fork formed by one bare +twig crossing another. In shape it was a shallow cup, well made of +small roots and bents, lined with hair-like tendrils of moss, and was +adorned about the exterior with a few cobwebs and a little moss. The +eggs were three in number, pointed ovals, and of a pale bluish-green +ground-colour. They measured, on the average, .64 by .45 inch." + + +231. Ixulus occipitalis (Bl.) _The Chestnut-headed Ixulus_. + +Ixulus occipitalis (_Bl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 624. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Gammie out of a small tree below +Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, was a small, somewhat +shallow cup, composed almost entirely of very fine moss-roots, but +with a little moss incorporated in the outer surface. Externally the +nest was about 31/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height. The +egg-cavity was about 21/4 inches by barely 11/4 inch. This nest was found +on the 17th June and contained three hard-set eggs, _which_ were +thrown away! + + +232. Ixulus flavicollis (Hodgs.). _The Yellow-naped Ixulus_. + +Ixulus flavicollis (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 259; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 623. + +I have never taken a nest of the Yellow-naped Ixulus. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I have only as yet found a single nest of this +species, and this was one of the most artfully concealed that I have +ever seen. I found it in forest in the Chinchona reserves, at an +elevation of about 5000 feet, on the 14th May. It was a rather deep +cup, composed of moss and fine root-fibres and thickly lined with the +latter, and was suspended at a height of about six feet amongst the +natural moss, hanging from a horizontal branch of a small tree, in +which it was entirely enveloped. A more beautiful or more completely +invisible nest it is impossible to conceive. It contained three fresh +eggs. The cup itself was exteriorly 3.7 inches in diameter and 1.9 in +depth, while the cavity was 2.5 in diameter and 1.5 in depth." + +The Yellow-naped Ixulus breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, +in the central region of Nepal and the neighbourhood of Darjeeling, +laying during the months of May and June. It builds on the ground +in tufts of grass, constructing its nest of moss and moss-roots, +sometimes open and cup-like and sometimes globular, and lining it with +sheep's wool. Mr. Hodgson figures one nest suspended from a branch, +and although neither the English nor the vernacular notes confirm +this, it is supported to a certain extent by Mr. Gammie's experience. +At the same time, though the situation and surroundings of both seem +to have been similar, Mr. Hodgson figures his nest, not cup-shaped, +but egg-shaped, and with the longer diameter horizontal. Seven nests +are recorded as having been taken, and all on the ground. One, +cup-shaped, taken on the 7th June, 1846, which is also figured, in +amongst grass and leaves on the ground, measured externally 3.5 inches +in diameter, 2.5 in height, and internally 2 inches both in diameter +and depth. + +The full complement of eggs is said to be four. Two types of eggs are +figured, both rather broad ovals, measuring about 0.75 by 0.6. The one +has a buffy-white ground and is thinly speckled and streaked, except +quite at the broad end, where the markings are nearly confluent, with +pale dingy yellowish brown; the other has a pale earthy-brown ground, +and is spotted similarly to the one just described, but with red and +purple. This latter egg appears on the same plate with the suspended +nest, and is, I think, doubtful. + +Several nests of this species, which I owe to Captain Masson of +Darjeeling, are very beautiful structures, moderately shallow and +rather massive cups, externally composed of moss, and lined thickly +with fine black moss-roots. The cavity of the nests may have been +about 13/4 inch in diameter by less than 11/2 inch in depth, but the sides +of the nests are from one inch to 2 inches in thickness, constructed +of firmly compacted moss. + +Other nests of this species that have since been sent me show that +the bird very commonly suspends its nest to one or two twigs, not +unfrequently making it a complete cylinder or egg in shape, with the +entrance at one side, but always using moss, in some cases fine, in +some coarse, according to the nature of the moss growing where the +nest is placed, as the sole material, and lining the cavity thickly +with fine black moss and fern-roots. + +Dr. Jerdon tells us that at Darjeeling he has repeatedly had the nest +brought to him. "It is large, made of leaves of bamboos carelessly and +loosely put together, and generally placed in a clump of bamboos. The +eggs are three to five in number, of a somewhat fleshy-white, with a +few rusty spots." + +I cannot but think that in this case wrong nests had been brought +to Dr. Jerdon. The eggs that I possess are all of one type--rather +elongated ovals with scarcely any gloss, and strongly recalling in +shape, size, and appearance densely marked varieties of the eggs of +_Hirundo rustica_, but with the markings rather browner and slightly +more smudgy. + +The eggs are typically rather elongated ovals, often slightly +compressed towards the small end, sometimes rather broader and +slightly pyriform. The shell is extremely fine and compact, but +has scarcely any gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes pure white, +sometimes has a faint brownish-reddish or creamy tinge. The markings +are invariably most dense about the large end, where they form a +zone or cap, regular, well defined and confluent in some specimens, +irregular, ill-defined and blotchy in others. As a rule these +markings, which consist of specks, spots, and tiny blotches, are +comparatively thinly scattered over the rest of the egg, but +occasionally they are pretty thickly scattered everywhere, though +nowhere anything like so densely as at the large end. The colour of +the markings is rather variable. It is a brown of varying shades, +varying not only in different eggs, but there being often two shades +on the same egg. Normally it is I think an umber-brown, yellower in +some spots, but varying slightly in tinge, leaning to burnt umber, +sienna, and raw sienna. + +Other eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie are of much the same +character as those already described, but one is a good deal shorter +and broader, and the markings are more decided red than are some of +the yellowish-brown spots observable in the eggs first obtained. + +In length the eggs seem to vary from 0.76 to 0.8, and in breadth from +0.54 to 0.58. + + + + +Subfamily LIOTRICHINAE. + + +235. Liothrix lutea (Scop.). _The Red-billed Liothrix_. + +Leiothrix luteus (_Scop._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 250. +Leiothrix callipyga (_Hodgs._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 614. + +The Red-billed Liothrix breeds from April to August; at elevations of +from 3000 to 6000 feet, throughout the Himalayas south, as a rule, of +the first snowy range and eastward of the Sutlej; west of the Sutlej I +have not heard of its occurrence. It also doubtless breeds throughout +the hill-ranges running down from Assam to Burmah. + +Mostly the birds lay in May, affecting well-watered and jungle-clad +valleys and ravines. They place their nests in thick bushes, at +heights of from 2 to 8 feet from the ground, and either wedge them +into some fork, tack them into three or four upright shoots between +which they hang, or else suspend them like an Oriole's or White-eye's +nest. + +The nest varies from a rather shallow to a very deep cup, and is +composed of dry leaves, moss, and lichen in varying proportions, +bamboo-leaves being great favourites, bound together with slender +creepers, grass-roots, fibres, &c., and lined with black horse- or +buffalo-hair, or hair-like moss-roots. The nests differ much in +appearance: I have seen one composed almost entirely of moss, and +another of nothing but dry bamboo-sheaths, with a scrap or two of +moss. They are always pretty substantial, but sometimes they are very +massive for the size of the bird. + +Three is certainly the usual complement of eggs. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in the central +mountainous region of Nepal, and lays from April to August. The nest, +which is somewhat purse-shaped, is placed in some upright fork between +three or four slender branches, to all of which it is more or less +attached. It is composed of moss, dry leaves, often of the bamboo, and +the bark of trees, and is compactly bound together with moss-roots and +fibres of different kinds; it is lined with horse-hair and moss-roots, +and contains generally three or four eggs. + +The following note I quote _verbatim_:--"_Central Hills, August +12th_.--Male, female, and nest. Nest in a low leafy tree 5 cubits from +the ground in the Shewpoori forest; partly suspended and partly rested +on the fork of the branch; suspension effected by twisting part of the +material round the prongs of the fork; made of moss and lichens and +dry leaves, well compacted into a deep saucer-shaped cavity; 3.62 +high, 4.5 wide outside, and inside 2.25 deep and 3 inches wide; eggs +pale verditer, spotted brown, and ready for hatching. The bird found +in small flocks of ten to twelve, except at breeding-season." + +A nest sent to me last year by Mr. Gammie was found by him on the 24th +April, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, in the neighbourhood of +Rungbee. It was built by the side of a stream in a small bush, at a +height of about 3 feet from the ground, and contained three eggs. +The nest is a deep and, for the size of the bird, very massive cup, +exteriorly composed entirely of broad flag-like grass-leaves, with +which, however, a few slender stems of creepers are intermingled, +internally of grass-roots; the egg-cavity being thinly lined with +coarse, black buffalo-hair. Externally the nest is more than 5 inches +in diameter and nearly 4 inches high; but the egg-cavity, which is +very regularly shaped, is 21/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +This year Mr. Gammie writes to me:--"I have taken many nests of the +Red-billed Liothrix here in our Chinchona reserves, at all elevations +from 3500 to 5000 feet. They breed in May and June, amongst dense +scrub, placing their nests in shrubs, at heights of from 3 to 5 feet +from the ground, and either suspending them from horizontal branches, +or hanging them between several upright stems, to which they firmly +attach them. The nest itself is cup-shaped and composed principally of +dry bamboo-leaves held together by a few fibres, and a few strings of +green moss wound round the outside. The lining consists of a few +black hairs, and the usual number of eggs is three. A nest I recently +measured was externally 4 inches in diameter and 2.7 in height, while +the cavity was 2.6 across by 1.9 in depth." + +Mr. Gammie subsequently found a nest on the very late date of 17th +October at Rishap, Darjeeling. It contained three eggs, two of which +were addled. + +Dr. Jerdon says that at Darjeeling he "got the nest and eggs +repeatedly; the nest made chiefly of grass, with roots and fibres, and +fragments of moss, and usually containing three or four eggs, bluish, +white, with a few purple and red blotches. It is generally placed in a +leafy bush at no great height from the ground. Gould, quoting from Mr. +Shore's notes, says that the eggs are black spotted with yellow: +this is of course erroneous. I have taken the nest myself on several +occasions, and killed the bird, and in every case the eggs were +coloured as above." + +I wish to add here, as I have abused him occasionally, that Mr. Shore +was, I understand, a most excellent man, and that I have now come to +the conclusion that the extraordinary fictions that he recorded about +the eggs of birds can only have been due to colour-blindness of a +peculiarly aggravated nature. It is not that he mistook eggs, but that +he describes _impossible_ eggs--Kingfishers' eggs variegated black +and white, and here in this case black eggs spotted with yellow! Why, +there _are_ no such eggs in the whole world, I believe. On the other +hand, his whole life proves that he could not have deliberately set to +work to invent falsehoods. To return. + +The eggs vary a good deal in shade and size, but are more or less long +ovals, slightly pointed towards the lesser end. The ground-colour is +a delicate very pale green or greenish blue, in one, not very common +type, almost pure white, and they are pretty boldly blotched or +spotted and speckled as the case may be, and clouded, most thickly +towards the large end, and very often almost exclusively in a zone or +cap round this latter, with various shades of red or purple and brown. +Some blotches in some eggs are almost carmine-red, but the majority +are brownish red or reddish brown, varying much in depth and intensity +of colour. There is something Shrike-like in the markings of many +eggs; and where the markings are most numerous, namely at the large +end, they are commonly intermingled with streaks and clouds of +pale lilac. The smaller end of the egg is often entirely free from +markings. I should mention that all the eggs have a faint gloss, and +that some are decidedly glossy. + +They vary in length from 0.76 to 0.95, and in breadth from 0.59 to +0.66; but the average of thirty-four eggs is 0.85 by 0.62. + + +237. Pteruthius erythropterus (Vig.). _The Red-winged Shrike-Tit_. + +Pteruthius erythropterus (_Vig.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 245; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 609. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"There is no +record about the nidification of this species. Its nest is exceedingly +difficult to find, and it was only by long and careful watching +through field-glasses that Captain Cock discovered that there was a +nest at the top of a very high chestnut-tree, to and from which the +birds kept flying with building-materials in their beaks. The nest is +most skilfully concealed, being at the top of the tree, with bunches +of leaves both above and below. The nest, like that of the Oriole, is +built pendent in a fork. It is somewhat roughly made of moss and hair. +The eggs are pinky white, blotched with red, forming in some a ring +round the larger end. They average 0.9 in length and 0.65 in breadth. +We were fortunate enough to secure two nests; both were more than 60 +feet from the ground. Breeds in the end of May, at an elevation of +7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I first found this bird building its nest on the +top of a high chestnut-tree at Murree in the month of May. When the +nest was ready I took my friend Captain C.H.T. Marshall to be present +at the taking of it, as it had never, I think, been taken before. We +took the nest on the 30th May. + +"It was an open flattish cup, like the nest of _O. kundoo_ in +structure, only shallower. It contained three eggs, pinky white, +covered with a shower of claret spots that at the larger end formed a +cap of dark claret colour. Another nest, which I took in June from the +top of an oak, contained two eggs." + +To Colonel Marshall and Captain Cock I am indebted for a nest and egg +of this species. + +The nest is a moderately deep cup, suspended between two prongs of a +horizontal fork. Externally it is about 4 inches in diameter and about +3 inches in depth. The egg-cavity is nearly hemispherical, 3 inches +in diameter and 1.5 in depth. It is a very loosely made structure, +composed internally of not very fine roots and externally coated with +green moss. Along the lines of suspension a good deal of wool is +incorporated in the structure, and it is chiefly by this wool that the +nest is suspended. The fork is a slender one, the prongs being from +0.3 to 0.4 in diameter. + +The egg is a broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the small +end. The shell is very fine and compact, and has a fine gloss. The +ground-colour is white or pinky white, and is pretty thickly speckled +and finely spotted all over with brownish red and a little pale inky +purple. Just towards the large end the markings are very dense, and +form, more or less of a confluent cap of mingled brownish red and pale +lilac, the latter everywhere appearing to underlie the former. + +The egg was taken on the 10th June, and measures 0.9 by 0.68. + + +239. Pteruthius melanotis, Hodgs. _The Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit_. + +Allotrius oenobarbus, _Temm. apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 246. +Allotrius melanotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 611. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-throated +Shrike-Tit breeds in Sikhim and Nepal up to an elevation of 6000 or +7000 feet. The nest is placed at a height of 6 to 10 feet from the +ground, between some slender, leafy, horizontal fork, between which it +is suspended like that of an Oriole or White-eye. It is composed of +moss and moss-roots and vegetable fibres, beautifully and compactly +woven into a shallow cup some 4 inches in diameter, and with a cavity +some 2.5 in diameter and less than 1 in depth. Interiorly the nest is +lined with hair-like fibres and moss-roots; exteriorly it is adorned +with pieces of lichen. The eggs are two or three in number, +very regular ovals, about 0.77 in length by 0.49 in width. The +ground-colour is a delicate pinky lilac, and they are speckled and +spotted with violet or violet-purple, the markings being most numerous +towards the large end, where they have a tendency to form a mottled +zone. + + +243. Aegithine tiphia (Linn.). _The Common Iora_. + +Iora zeylonica (Gm.) _et_ I. typhia (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, pp. 101, 103. +Aegithine tiphia (_Linn.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ nos. 467, 468. + +I have already on several occasions (see especially 'Stray Feathers,' +1877, vol. v, p. 428) recorded my inability to distinguish as +distinct species _Ae. tiphia_ and _Ae. zeylonica_. I am quite open to +conviction; but believing them, so far as my present investigations +go, to be inseparable, I propose to treat them as a single species in +the present notice. + +The Common Iora (the genus, though possibly nearly allied, is too +distinct from _Chloropsis_ to allow me to adopt, as Jerdon does, one +common trivial name for both) breeds in different localities from May +to September. I have taken nests and eggs of typical examples of both +supposed species, and have had them sent me with the parent birds by +many correspondents; and though both vary a good deal, I am convinced +that all the variations which occur in the nests and eggs of one +race occur also in those of the other. If one gets only two or three +clutches of the eggs of each, great differences, naturally attributed +to difference of species (see Captain Cock's remarks, _infra_), may +be detected; but I have seen more than fifty, and, so far as I am +concerned, I have no hesitation in asserting that, as in the case of +the birds so in that of their nests and eggs, no constant differences +can be detected if only sufficiently large series are compared. + +The birds build usually on the upper surface of a horizontal bough, at +a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground. Sometimes, when the +bough is more or less slanting, the nest assumes somewhat more of a +pocket-shape. Occasionally it is built between three or four slender +twigs, forming an upright fork; but this is quite exceptional. + +As a rule nests of the Iora very closely resemble those of +_Leucocerca_, so much so that when I sent a beautiful photograph of a +nest, which I had myself watched building, of the latter species to +Mr. Blyth, he unhesitatingly pronounced it to be a nest of the former. +There is, however, a certain amount of difference; the Iora's nests +are looser and somewhat less compact and firm. My experience does not +confirm Mr. Brooks's remarks (_vide infra_) that they are usually +shallower; on the contrary all those now before me are, as indeed all +the many I can remember to have seen were, deep, thin-walled cups, +which had been placed on more or less horizontal branches, not +uncommonly where some upright-growing twig afforded the nest +additional security. The egg-cavity averages about 2 inches in +diameter, and varies from an inch to 11/4 inch in depth; the walls, +composed of vegetable fibres, and varying in different specimens +from only one eighth to three eighths of an inch in thickness, are +everywhere thickly coated externally with cobwebs, by which also the +nest is firmly attached to the branch on which it is seated, as well +as, where such adjoin the nest, to any little twig springing from that +branch. Interiorly they are more or less neatly lined with very fine +grass-stems. The bottom of the nest in its thinnest part is rarely +above one eighth of an inch in thickness, but running, as it so often +does, down the curving sides of the branch, it becomes a good deal +thicker, and where placed on a small branch, say not exceeding an +inch in diameter, the lateral portions of the bottom of the nest are +sometimes more than half an inch in thickness. + +One nest which I obtained recently in the Botanical Gardens at +Calcutta was built in an upright fork of four slender twigs; and in +this case the bottom of the nest was obtusely conical, and at its +deepest point may have been nearly an inch in depth. I have never seen +a similar nest. + +The eggs are normally three in number, but I have at times found only +two, and these more or less incubated. + +Mr. Brooks, writing of a nest he took in the Mirzapoor District, +says:--"Did you ever get particulars of the nest of _Iora zeylonica_ +on the forked branch of a mango-tree 12 or 14 feet from the +ground? Nest composed of the same materials as that of _Leucocerca +albifrontata_, but not quite so neat and much more shallow; eggs +salmon-coloured and spotted with pale reddish brown, intermixed with a +few larger dashes of purple-grey. The bird lays in July; three eggs. +This is the only nest I have not taken since I came to India the +second time." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"The Iora breeds from July to +September, and certainly _not_, as Dr. Jerdon supposes, twice a year. +Both birds assist in the building of the nests, and there evidently +appears to be no choice of any particular kind of tree on which to +build. I have found them indiscriminately on the mango, mowah, neem, +and other trees. The nest is invariably made either just above or +between the fork of two outshooting slender horizontal branches. It +is very neatly made, deeply cup-shaped, of grass and fibres, with +spider's web on the exterior. The maximum number of eggs is three; +they are of a pale whitish colour, marked generally, chiefly at the +broad end, with brownish spots. The brown spots vary in size on +different eggs. I secured the first eggs on the 12th July, and the +last on the 2nd September. A pair of birds were on this last date just +completing their nest, which unfortunately was destroyed by the heavy +rains." + +Captain Cock says:--"_Iora tiphia_ is tolerably common at Seetapoor +(Oudh), and I have several times taken their nests and eggs. I may +here mention that I have taken eggs of _Iora zeylonica_ at Etawah, and +that knowing the birds well, I can say that it is quite a distinct +bird; although in the marking of its eggs there is a slight +resemblance, yet the nests of the two species are quite different. On +the 13th May I observed a nest of _I. tiphia_ on a young mango-tree, +at the edge of a croquet-ground in our garden. I shot both male and +female and took the eggs; the nest was placed on the upperside of a +sloping bough, was covered outside with cobweb, and lined with thin +dry grass. It contained two fresh eggs of a delicate pink colour, with +broad irregularly-shaped dashes of light brown down the sides of the +shell, not tending to coalesce in any way at either apex. Another pair +also built their nest on the edge of the same ground in another tree; +but unfortunately in a weak moment I pointed out the nest to a lady +friend, and as thereafter no one ever played croquet on the ground +without staring at the nest, the birds got disgusted and soon deserted +it." + +To this I need merely add that _of course_ typical _Ae. tiphia_ +and typical _Ae. zeylonica_ are very distinct, but that as every +intermediate form occurs, they are not, according to my views of what +constitutes a species, entitled to specific separation, and that as +regards nest and eggs, according to my experience, every variety in +the one is to be found in the other. + +Dr. Jerdon, speaking of Southern India, remarks:--"I have seen the +nest and eggs on several occasions. The nest is deep, cup-shaped, very +neatly made with grass, various fibres, hairs, and spiders' webs; and +the eggs, two or three in number, are reddish white, with numerous +darker red spots, chiefly at the thicker end. It breeds in the south +of India in August and September; perhaps, however, twice a year." + +Writing from South Wynaad, Mr. J. Darling (Junior) says:--"I found the +nest, which with the eggs and both parents I have now sent you, in the +Teriat Hills on the 24th May, at an elevation of about 2300 feet. It +was placed on, and near the extremity of, a bough, at a height of +about 10 feet from the ground. It is round, about 2 inches in height +and the same in diameter, and the cavity was about an inch or a trifle +more in depth. It is built of grass and reed-bamboo-fibres, and is +coated with spider's web. It only contained two eggs." + +Both parents (sexes ascertained by dissection) are in the typical +_tiphia_ plumage, without one particle of black on either head, nape, +or back. + +Mr. Davidson writes:--"In the Satara and Sholapur districts the cock +puts on his summer plumage in May and the whole back of head, neck, +and back (not rump) is glossy and black. + +"This bird lays from the end of June to beginning of August. It is +very shy when building and is easily caused to forsake its nest; if a +single egg is taken from the nest it does not forsake it, however, but +lays on (three instances this year)." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks has favoured me with the following very interesting +note on the habits of this Iora:-- + +"Ioras are very numerous and have such a variety of notes that I +thought at first there were several sorts; but as far as I can see +there is but one species. Iora spreads its tail in a wonderful manner, +and comes spinning round and round towards the ground looking more +like a round ball than a bird. All the time it descends it utters a +strange note, something like that of a frog or cricket, a protracted +sibilant sound. This bird is close to _Liothrix_ and _Stachyrhis_, +although it belongs to the plains." + +Colonel Butler writes:--"A nest on the 17th August, 1880, on the +outside branch of a silk-cotton tree in Belgaum about 12 feet from the +ground, containing three fresh eggs. + +"I found many other nests building all through the hot weather and +rains; but in every single instance except the present one they were +deserted before they were completed." + +Major Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"This species is common +throughout the country. As a rule its nest is well hid, but one I +saw in the compound of a house in Maulmain was placed in the exposed +leafless fork of a tree, not above six feet from the ground. It +contained no eggs when I examined it, and was deserted a day or two +after. This was in the beginning of May." + +Mr. Oates remarks on the breeding of this bird in Pegu:--"Nests are +found chiefly in June and July, but the birds probably lay also in +May." + +In shape the eggs are moderately broad ovals, slightly pointed towards +one end. They vary, however, a good deal, some being much more +elongated than others. They are almost entirely devoid of gloss. The +ground-colour is generally greyish white, but some have creamy and +some a salmon tinge; typically they have numerous long streaky pale +brown or reddish-brown blotches, chiefly confined to the large end, +where they often seem to spring from an irregular imperfect zone of +the same colour. The colour of the blotches varies a good deal. In +some it is a pale greyish or purplish brown; in others decidedly +reddish, or even well-marked and somewhat yellowish brown. Some pale, +purplish streaks and clouds generally underlie the brown blotches +where they are thickest, and there form a kind of nimbus. In some eggs +the markings are confined to a narrow imperfect zone of pale purplish +specks or very tiny blotches round the large end, and some of the eggs +remind one of those of _Leucocerca albifrontata_. The peculiar streaky +longitudinal character of the markings, almost wholly confined to the +large end, best distinguishes the eggs of the Ioras from those of any +other Indian bird with which they are likely to be confounded. + +In length they vary from 0.63 to 0.76, and in breadth from 0.51 to +0.57: but the average of forty-seven eggs measured is 0.69, nearly, by +a trifle more than 0.54. + + +246. Myzornis pyrrhura, Hodgs. _The Fire-tailed Myzornis_. + +Myzornis pyrrboura, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 263; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 629. + +I have received a single egg said to belong to the Fire-tailed +Myzornis from Native Sikhim, where it was found in May in a small nest +(unfortunately mislaid) which was placed on a branch of a large tree +at no great height from the ground. The place where it was found had +an elevation of about 10,000 feet. Although the parent bird was sent +with the egg, I cannot say that I have any great confidence in its +authenticity, and only record the matter _quantum valeat_. + +The egg is a very regular, rather elongated oval. The egg was never +properly blown and has been consequently somewhat discoloured. It may +have been pure white, and it may have been fairly glossy when fresh, +but it is now a dull ivory-white with scarcely any gloss. It measured +0.68 in length by 0.5 in breadth. + + +252. Chloropsis jerdoni (Bl.). _Jerdon's Chloropsis_. + +Phyllornis jerdoni, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 97; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 463. + +I have never myself found the nest of Jerdon's Chloropsis, but my +friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me numerous specimens of both nests +and eggs from Raipoor and its neighbourhood. + +In that part of the country July and August appear to be the months in +which it lays; but elsewhere its eggs have been taken in April, May, +and June, so that its breeding-season is much the same as that of many +of the Bulbuls. The nest is a small, rather shallow cup, at most 31/2 +inches in diameter and 11/2 in depth; is composed externally entirely of +soft tow-like vegetable fibre, which appears to be worked over a light +framework of fine roots and slender tamarisk-stems, amongst which, +some little pieces of lichen are intermingled. There is no attempt +at a lining, the eggs being laid on the fine grass and slender twigs +(about the thickness of an ordinary-sized pin) which compose the +framework of the nest. + +The eggs as a rule appear to be two in number. + +Mr. Blewitt remarks:--"The Green Bulbul breeds in July and August. The +bird does not preferentially select any one description of tree for +its nest, though the greater number secured were taken from mowah +trees (_Bassia latifolia_). The nest is generally firmly affixed at +the fork of the end twigs of an upper branch from 15 to 25 feet from +the ground. Sometimes, however, eschewing twigs, the bird constructs +its nest on the _top_ of the main branch itself, cunningly securing it +with the material to the rough exterior surface of the branch. +Three is certainly the maximum number of eggs. During the period of +nidification the parent birds are very watchful and noisy, and their +alarm and over-anxiety on the near approach of a stranger often betray +the nest." + +The late Captain Beavan recorded the following interesting note in +regard to this species:-- + +"This handsome bird is very abundant in Manbhoom, where it is called +'Hurrooa' by the natives. Its note is so much like that of _Dicrurus +ater_ that I have frequently been deceived by the resemblance. It +breeds in the district. A nest with two eggs was brought to me at +Beerachalee on April 4th, 1865. It is built at the fork of a bough and +neatly suspended from it, like a hammock, by silky fibres, which are +firmly fixed to the two sprigs of the fork, and also form part of the +bottom and outside of the nest. The inside is lined with dry bents and +hairs. The eggs (creamy white with a few light pinky-brown spots) are +rather elongated, measuring 0.85 by 0.62. Interior diameter of nest +2.25, depth 1.5. The cry of alarm of this species is like that of +_Parus major_" + +Dr. Jerdon remarked ('Illustrations of Indian Ornithology'), writing +at the time from Southern India:-- + +"I have seen a nest of this species in the possession of S.N. Ward, +Esq. It is a neat but slightly cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly of +fine grass, and was placed near the extremity of a branch, some of +the nearest leaves being, it was said, brought down and loosely +surrounding it. It contained two eggs, white, with a few +claret-coloured blotches. Its nest and eggs, I may remark, show an +analogy to that of the Orioles." + +Mr. Layard tells us that this species is "extremely common in the +south of Ceylon, but rare towards the north. It feeds in small flocks +on seeds and insects, and builds an open cup-shaped nest. The eggs, +four in number, are white, thickly mottled at the obtuse end with +purplish spots." + +And Sir W. Jardine says:--"For the interesting nest and eggs of +_Phyllornis jerdoni_, Blyth, we are indebted to E.S. Layard, Esq., +Magistrate of the district of Point Pedro (the northernmost extremity +of Ceylon), in which district we understand it to have been procured. +A large groove along the underside of the nest indicates it to have +been placed upon a branch; the general form is somewhat flat, and +it is composed of very soft materials, chiefly dry grass and silky +vegetable fibres, rather compactly interwoven with some pieces of dead +leaf and bark on the outside, over which a good deal of spider's web +has been worked. It contains four eggs, white, abruptly speckled +over with dark bistre mingled with some ashy spots." Layard is not +generally reliable where eggs are concerned, for he did not usually +take them with his own hands and natives _will_ lie; and I doubt the +_four_ eggs here, but I think, so far as the nest goes, that he was +right in this case. + +The eggs are rather elongated ovals; some of them a good deal pointed +towards one end, others again slightly pyriform. The shell is very +delicate; the ground-colour white to creamy white; as a rule almost +glossless, in some specimens slightly glossy. They are sparingly +marked, usually chiefly at the large end, with spots, specks, small +blotches, hair-lines, or hieroglyphic-like figures, which are +typically almost black, but which in some eggs are blackish, or even +reddish, or purplish brown. In no specimens that I have seen were the +markings at all numerous, except just at the large end; and in some +they consist solely of a few tiny specks, scattered about the crown of +the egg. + +The eggs vary from 0.8 to 0.92 in length, and from 0.56 to 0.63 in +breadth; but the average of a dozen was 0.86 by 0.6. + + +254. Irena puella (Lath.). _The Fairy Blue-bird_. + +Irena puella (_Lath._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 105; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no 469. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon favoured me with an egg of the Fairy Blue-bird, +which with other rare eggs he obtained on the Assamboo Hills. So +little is known of this range that I quote his remarks upon this +locality. + +"I must premise that the specimens were obtained along the Assamboo +Range of hills, between the elevations of 1500 and 3000 feet above +sea-level. This range of hills, running in a north-westerly and +south-easterly direction from Cape Comorin to 8 deg.33' north latitude, +forms the boundary line between Travancore and the British Territory +of Tinnevelly, the average height of the range being about 4000 +feet, while some of the peaks are as high as 5500 feet. The general +character of the hills is dense forest, broken here and there by grass +ridges and crowned by precipitous rocks, above which lies an almost +unexplored table-land, varying in width from a mile to 12 or 15 miles, +at an elevation of almost 4000 feet." + +"The egg of the Fairy Blue-bird," he adds, "was taken slightly set on +the 28th February, 1873, from a loose sparsely-built nest situated in +a sapling about 12 feet from the ground. The nest was composed of +dead twigs lined with leaves, and was about 4 inches broad and very +slightly indented." + +As will be remembered, Dr. Jerdon states that "Mr. Ward obtained, what +he was informed were, the nest and eggs; the nest was large, made of +roots and fibres and lined with moss; and the eggs, two in number, +were pale greenish, much spotted with dusky:" and I have no doubt that +Mr. Ward's eggs were genuine. + +The egg is an elongated oval, compressed almost throughout its entire +length, very blunt at both points; a long cone, the apex broadly +truncated and rounded off obtusely, sealed on half a very oblate +spheroid. In no one single point--shape, texture of shell, colour or +character of markings--does this egg approach to those of either the +Oriole or the Chloropsis. This shell is very close-grained and fine, +but only moderately glossy. The ground is pale green, and it is +streaked and blotched with pale dull brown. The markings are almost +entirely confluent over the large end (where they appear to be +underlaid by dingy, dimly discernible greyish blotches), and from the +cap thus formed they descend in streaky mottlings towards the small +end, growing fewer and further apart as they approach this latter, +which is almost devoid of markings. + +It is impossible to generalize from a single specimen as to the +position this bird _should_ hold, but this one egg renders it quite +certain to my mind that the nearest allies of _Irena_ are neither +_Oriolus_ nor _Chloropsis_, and that it is quite impossible to place +it with the _Dicruridae_. The eggs of _Psaroglossa spiloptera_ are +not very dissimilar, and I expect that it is somewhere between +the _Paradiseidae, Sturnidae_, and _Icteridae_ that _Irena_ will +ultimately have to be located. + +The egg measures 1.1 by 0.73. + +Mr. Fulton Bourdillon writes:--"The last note I have to send you at +present is that of a Blue-bird's nest (_Irena puella_). Of this there +can be no possible doubt, as my brother and I shot both the male and +female birds, and I took the nest with my own hands. It was in a +pollard tree beside a stream among some thick branches about 20 feet +from the ground. The nest was neatly but very loosely constructed of +fresh green moss, which formed the bulk of the nest, and lined with +the flower-stalks of a jungle shrub. It was very well concealed, and +was about 4 inches broad with a cavity not more than 11/2 inch deep. It +contained two eggs slightly set, measuring respectively 1.11 x .84 and +1.16 x .81. These eggs tally very fairly in colour, shape, and size +with those sent last year; of the identity of which I was doubtful at +the time, though now I think there can be no mistake. + +"Since writing last I have had another nest of _Irena puella_ brought +me with two fresh eggs. The nest was very loosely put together and +similar in all respects to the one last sent. The eggs measure .95 x +.81 and .92 x .79, with the same well-defined ring round the larger +end. The nest was in a small tree about 10 feet from the ground and +was well concealed. It was composed of twigs, without any lining." + +The nest sent me by Mr. Bourdillon is a very flimsy affair, reminding +one much of the nest of _Graucalus macii_ and not in the smallest +degree of that of an Oriole. A mere pad, some 4 inches in diameter, +composed of very thin twigs or dry flower-stalks with a couple of dead +leaves intermingled, and an external coating of green moss. + +Major C.T. Bingham has favoured me with the following notes from +Tenasserim:--"At the sources of the Winsaw stream, a feeder of the +Thoungyeen river, on the 30th April I found a nest of this bird, a +mere irregularly roundish pad of moss with very little depression in +the centre, containing two fresh eggs, and placed 12 feet or so above +the ground in the fork of an evergreen sapling. The eggs measure 1.18 +x 0.86 and 1.19 x 0.86 respectively, and are so thickly spotted and +blotched with brown as to show very little of the ground-colour, which +latter, however, appears to be of a greenish white. + +"On the 11th April I was slowly clambering along a very steep +hill-side overlooking the Queebaw choung, a small tributary of the +Meplay stream, when from a tree whose crown was below my feet I +startled a female _Irena puella_ off her nest. I could see the nest +and that it contained two eggs, so I shot the female, who had taken to +a tree a little above me. On getting the nest down, I found it a poor +affair of little twigs, with a superstructure of moss, shaped into a +shallow saucer, on which reposed two eggs, large for the size of the +bird, of a dull greenish white, much dashed, speckled, and spotted +with brown. They were so hard-set that I only managed to save one, +which measured 1.09 by 0.77 inch." + +Mr. Davison writes:--"At Kussoom, in some moderately thin tree-jungle +I found the nest of _Irena puella_. The nest was placed in the fork +of a sapling some 12 feet from the ground. The nest externally was +composed of dry twigs, carelessly and irregularly put together. The +egg-cavity was shallow, not more than 1.5 inch at its deepest part, +and it was lined with finer twigs, fern-roots, and some yellowish +fibre. The nest contained two fresh eggs." + +Two eggs, taken by Mr. Davison at Kussoom in the north of the Malay +Peninsula, to which the Malayan form does not extend, are rather +elongated ovals, with a slightly pyriform tendency. The shell is fine, +smooth, and compact, and has a perceptible gloss. The ground-colour is +greenish white; round the large end is a huge, smudgy, irregular zone +of reddish brown and inky grey, the one colour predominating in the +one egg, the other in the other. Inside the zone are specks and spots +of the same colours, and below the zone streaks and spots of these +same colours, thinly set, stretched downwards towards the small end of +the egg. + +Other eggs subsequently received are very similar to that first sent +by Mr. Bourdillon, except that in shape they are more regular ovals, +and that the brown markings in some have a reddish and in some a +purplish tinge, and that in some eggs the mottings and markings are +pretty thick even at the small end. + +In length they seem to vary from 1.08 to 1.2 inch and in breadth from +0.73 to 0.88 inch. + +In some eggs the ground appears to have no green tinge, but is simply +a greyish white. In one egg the markings are all of one colour, a sort +of chocolate-brown, a dense almost confluent mass of mottlings in a +broad irregular zone round the large end and elsewhere pretty thickly +set over the entire surface of the egg. They have always a certain +amount of gloss, but are never very glossy. + + +257. Mesia argentauris, Hodgs. _The Silver-eared Mesia_. + +Leiothrix argentauris (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 251. +Mesia argentauris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 615. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Silver-eared Mesia breeds in the +low-lands of Nepal, laying in May and June. The nest is placed in a +bushy tree, between two or three thin twigs, to which it is attached. +It is composed of dry bamboo and other leaves, thin grass-roots and +moss, and is lined inside with fine roots. Three or four eggs are +laid: one of these is figured as a broad oval, much pointed towards +one end, measuring 0.8 by 0.6, having a pale green ground with a few +brownish-red specks, and a close circle of spots of the same colour +round the large end. + +Dr. Jerdon brought me two eggs from Darjeeling, which he believed to +belong to this species. They much resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_. +They are oval, scarcely pointed at all towards the lesser end, and +are faintly glossed. The ground-colour of one is greenish, the other +creamy, white, and both are spotted and streaked, chiefly in an +irregular zone near the large end, with different shades of red and +purple. The markings are smaller than those of the preceding species. +Further observations are necessary to confirm the authenticity of the +eggs. + +They measure 0.85 and 0.87 by 0.65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken about half a dozen nests +of this bird. They closely resemble those of _Liothrix lutea_ in size +and structure and are similarly situated, but instead of having the +egg-cavity lined with dark-coloured material, as that species has, all +I found had light-coloured linings; such was even the case with +one nest I found within three or four yards of a nest of the other +species. + +"The eggs are usually four in number." + +Other eggs obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond with those given me +by Dr. Jerdon. They are as like the eggs of _L. lutea_ as they can +possibly be, and if there is any difference, it consists in the +markings of the present species being as a body smaller and more +speckled than those of _L. lutea_. + +The six eggs that I have vary in length from 0.82 to 0.9, and in +breadth from 0.6 to 0.65.[A] + +[Footnote A: There is in the Tweeddale collection a skin of a young +nestling of this species procured by Limborg on Muleyit mountain in +Tenasserim in the second week of April. On the label attached to the +specimen is a note to the effect that the nest from which the nestling +was taken was made of moss.--ED.] + + +258. Minla igneitincta, Hodgs. _The Red-tailed Minla_. + +Minla ignotincta, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 254: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 618. + +The Red-tailed Minla, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, +breeds in the central region of Nepal and near Darjeeling, during May +and June. It builds a beautiful rather deep cup-shaped nest of mosses, +moss-roots, and some cow's hair, lined with these two latter. The nest +is placed in the fork of three or four slender branches of some bushy +tree, at no great elevation from the ground, and is attached to one or +more of the stems in which it is placed by bands of moss and fibres. A +nest taken on the 24th May measured externally 3.28 inches in diameter +and 2.25 in height; internally the cavity was 2 inches in diameter and +1.62 in depth. They lay from two to four eggs, of a pale verditer-blue +ground, speckled and spotted pretty boldly with brownish red. An egg +is figured as a regular rather broad oval, measuring 0.78 by 0.55. + +On the other hand, Dr. Jerdon says:--"Its nest has been brought to me, +of ordinary shape, made of moss and grass, and with four white eggs, +with a few rusty red spots." + + +260. Cephalopyrus flammiceps (Burton). _The Fire-cap_. + +Cephalopyrus flammiceps (_Burt.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 267; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 633. + +Writing from Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us:--"On the 25th +May we found the nest of this species (the Fire-cap) in a hole in a +rotten sycamore-tree about 15 feet from the ground. The nest was a +neatly made cup-shaped one, formed principally of fine grass. We were +unfortunately too late for the eggs, as we found four nearly fledged +young ones, showing that these birds lay about the 15th April. +Elevation, 7000 feet." + +Captain Cock says:--"I found a nest in the stump of an old +chestnut-tree at Murree. The nest was about 13 feet from the ground +near the top of the stump, placed in a natural cavity: it was +constructed of fine grass and roots carefully woven and was of a deep +cup shape. It contained five fully fledged young ones. The end of May +was the time when I found this, and I have never yet succeeded in +finding another." + + +261. Psaroglossa spiloptera (Vigors). _The Spotted-wing_. + +Saroglossa spiloptera (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 336; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 691. + +Personally I know nothing of the nidification of the Spotted-wing. + +Captain Hutton tells us that "this species arrives in the hills about +the middle of April in small parties of five or six, but it does +not appear to ascend above 5500 to 6000 feet, and is therefore more +properly an inhabitant of the warm valleys. I do not remember seeing +it at Mussoorie, which is 6500 to 7000 feet, although at 5200 feet on +the same range it is abundant during summer. Its notes and flight are +very much those of the Starling (_Sturnus vulgaris_), and it delights +to take a short and rapid flight and return twittering to perch on the +very summit of the forest trees. I have never seen it on the ground, +and its food appears to consist of berries. + +"Like the two species of _Acridotheres_, it nidificates by itself in +the holes of trees, lining the cavity with bits of leaves. The eggs +are usually three, or sometimes four or five, of a delicate pale +sea-green speckled with blood-like stains, which sometimes tend to +form a ring near the larger end; shape oval, slightly tapering." + +The eggs are so different in character from those of all the Starlings +that doubts might reasonably arise as to whether this species is +placed exactly where it ought to be by Jerdon and others. I possess at +present only three eggs of this bird, which I owe to Captain Hutton. +They are decidedly long ovals, much pointed towards the small end, +and in shape and coloration not a little recall those of _Myiophoneus +temmincki_. The eggs are glossless, of a greenish or greyish-white +ground, more or less profusely speckled and spotted with red, reddish +brown, and dingy purple. In two of the eggs the majority of the +markings are gathered into a broad irregular speckled zone round the +large end. In the third egg there is just a trace of such a zone and +no markings at all elsewhere. In length they vary from 1.03 to 1.08, +and in breadth from 0.68 to 0.74.[A] + +[Footnote A: HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS, Bonap. _The Grey Hypocolius_. +Hypocolius ampelinus, _Bp., Hume, cat._ no. 269 quat. + +Although this bird has not yet been found breeding within Indian +limits, the following account of its nidification at Fao, in the +Persian Gulf, by Mr. W.D. Cumming (Ibis, 1886. p. 478) will prove +interesting:-- + +"It is not till the middle of June that they breed. + +"In 1883, first eggs were brought by an Arab about the 13th of June, +and on the 15th of the same month I found a nest containing two fresh +eggs. In 1884, on the 14th of June a nest was brought me containing +four fresh eggs, and on the 15th I found a nest containing also four +fresh eggs. + +"2nd July, I came across four young birds able to fly. On the 3rd, +three nests were brought, one containing two fresh eggs, another three +young just fledged, and the other four eggs slightly incubated. On the +9th, another nest, containing four young just fledged was brought. On +the 15th I saw a flock of small birds well able to fly; on the 18th I +found a nest containing four young about a couple of days old, and on +the 20th a nest containing three eggs well incubated was brought from +a place called 'Goosba' on the opposite bank (Persian side) of the +river. + +"The nests are generally placed on the leaves of the date-palm, at no +very great height. The highest I have seen was built about ten feet +from the ground but from three to five feet is the average height. + +"They are substantial and cup-shaped, having a diameter of about 31/4 +inches by 21/4 inches in depth, lined inside with fine grass, the soft +fluff from the willow when in seed, wool, and sometimes hair. + +"The eggs are of a glossy leaden white, with leaden-coloured blotches +and spots towards the larger end, sometimes forming a ring round +the larger end and at times spreading over the entire egg. On rare +occasions I have noticed a greenish tinge in very fresh eggs. This, I +think, is due to the colour of the inner membrane, which is generally +a very light green, in some very faint and in others more decided; +this tinge seems to disappear after the egg is blown. + +"Very rough measurements are as follows:--0.9 x 0.63; 0.83 x 0.63; +0.83 x 0.6; 0.83 x 0.66; 0.86 x 0.66."] + + + + +Subfamily BRACHYPODINAE. + + +263. Criniger flaveolus (Gould). _The White-throated Bulbul_. + +Criniger flaveolus (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 83; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 451. + +A nest of this species sent me from Darjeeling was found in July, at +an elevation of about 3000 feet. + +It was placed on the branches of a medium-sized tree, at a height of +only about 5 feet from the ground. + +The nest was a compact, rather shallow saucer, 5.5 inches in diameter +and about 2 inches in height externally. The cavity was about 3.5 in +diameter and an inch in depth. The greater portion of the nest was +composed of dead leaves bound together firmly by fine brown roots; +inside the leaves was just a lining of rather coarser brown roots, and +again an inner lining of black horsehair-like roots and fine steins of +the maiden-hair fern. + +The nest contained three fresh eggs. These eggs vary from broad to +somewhat elongated ovals, are more or less pointed towards the small +end, and exhibit a fine gloss. + +The ground is a beautiful salmon-pink, and it is thinly spotted, +blotched, and marked with irregular lines of deep maroon-red. Most of +the markings in one egg are gathered into a very irregular straggling +zone round the large end, and the other egg exhibits a tendency to +form a similar zone. Besides these primary markings a few spots and +clouds of dull purple, looking as if beneath the surface of the shell, +are thinly scattered about the egg, chiefly in the neighbourhood of +the zone. + +These eggs vary from 0.9 to 1.0 in length, and from 0.7 to 0.72 in +breadth. + +Several nests of this species sent me by the late Mr. Mandelli and +obtained by him in British and Native Sikhim during July and the early +part of August are all precisely of the same type. They each contained +two fresh eggs; they were all placed in the branches of small trees in +the midst of dense brushwood or heavy jungle, at heights of from 4 to +10 feet from the ground. The nests are broad and saucer-like, nearly +5 inches in diameter, but not much above 2 in height externally; the +cavities average about 3.25 in diameter and about 1 in depth. The body +of the nest is composed of dead leaves, the sides are more or less +felted round with rich brown fibrous, almost wool-like roots; inside +the leaves fine twigs and stems of herbaceous plants, all of a uniform +brown tint, are wound round and round, apparently to keep the leaves +in their places interiorly, and then the cavity is lined with +jet-black horsehair-like vegetable fibres. What these are I do not +know, but they are precisely like horsehair to look at, only they are +comparatively brittle. The contrast of colour between the jet-black +lining and the rich brown of the lip of the saucer, which is constant +in all the nests, is very striking. + +The eggs of this species sent me by Mr. Mandelli, obtained by him in +Sikhim at elevations of from 2000 to 4000 feet in July and the early +part of August, possess a very distinctive character. They are broad +ovals, much pointed towards the small end, and they are more glossy +than the eggs of any other of this family with which I am acquainted. +The ground-colour is pink. The markings consist of curious hair-line +scratches, clouded blotches, and irregular spots--in some eggs all +very hazy and ill-defined, in others more scratchy and sharp. The +great majority of the markings seem to be gathered together into +an irregular and imperfect zone round the large end. In colour the +markings vary from a deep brownish maroon to a dull brickdust-red, +sometimes they are slightly more purplish. In some eggs a few faint +clouds or small spots of subsurface-looking dusky purple may be +noticed mingled with the rest of the markings. + +These eggs are totally unlike the eggs of _Criniger ictericus_. I have +never had an opportunity of verifying the eggs myself, but as three +different nests have now been taken, all containing precisely similar +eggs, I believe there can be no doubt of their authenticity. + + +269. Hypsipetes psaroides, Vigors. _The Himalayan Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes psaroides (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 77; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 444. + +The Himalayan Black Bulbul breeds throughout the outer and lower +ranges of the Himalayas, at any rate from Bhootan to Afghanistan, at +elevations varying from 2000 to 6000 feet. + +They lay mostly in May and June, but eggs may occasionally be met with +during the latter half of April. + +The nest of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ is usually made of rather +coarse-bladed grass, with exteriorly a number of dry leaves, and more +or less moss incorporated, and lined with very fine grass-stems and +roots of moss. A good deal of spider's web is often used exteriorly to +bind the nest together, or attach it more firmly to the fork in which +it rests. Its general shape is a moderately deep cup, the cavity +measuring some 21/2 inches in diameter by 11/2 inch in depth. The sides, +into which leaves and moss are freely interwoven, vary from an inch to +a couple of inches in thickness. The bottom, loosely put together, is +rarely more than from a quarter to half an inch in depth. It appears +to be generally placed on the fork of a branch, at a moderate height +from the ground. + +Four is the normal number of eggs, but I have more than once found +three partially incubated eggs in a nest. + +From Darjeeling Mr. Gammie remarks:--"A nest of this bird, which I +took on the 17th June, at a height of nearly 50 feet from the ground, +on one of the topmost branches of a tree, contained three hard-set +eggs. This was below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3000 feet. The +nest was a compact, moderately deep cup, composed of very fine twigs +and stems, and with a quantity of dead leaves incorporated in the +structure, especially towards its lower surface; it had no lining, but +the stems used towards the interior of the nest were somewhat finer +than the rest. Exteriorly the nest had a diameter of about 4.5 inches, +and a height of about 2.5; interiorly a diameter of about 2.5, and a +depth of nearly 1.5." + +Mr. Hodgson, writing from Nepal, says:-- + +"_May 20th, Jaha Powah_.--Two nests on the skirts of the forest in +medium-sized trees, placed on the fork of a branch. They are made +of moss and dry fern and dry elastic twig-tops, and lined with long +elastic needles of _Pinus longifolia_. They are compact and rather +deep, half pensile, that is to say, partly slung between the branches +of the fork to which they are attached by bands of vegetable fibres. +Each contained four eggs, pinkish-white, thickly spotted with dark +sanguine." Another year he wrote:-- + +"_May 9th, in the Valley_.--A mature female with nest and eggs. Nest +saucer-shaped, the cavity 3.5 wide by 2.5 deep, made of slender twigs +and grass-fibres, with no lining. Eggs three, pale pink, blotched all +over with sanguine brown." + +Writing from Almorah, Mr. Brooks tells us that "the nest and eggs were +found by Mr. Horne on the 27th May near Bheem Tal." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall also found a nest in the same place. He +says:--"I have only myself found the nest once at Bheem Tal (4000 +feet); it was situated in a thicket. The nest of this species is +similar in shape but much more substantial than those of the Common +Bulbul. The eggs are much larger and more elongated in shape, but the +colouring is similar to those of the Bulbul, and in many cases the +blotches have a tendency to form a zone near the thick end. The nest I +found was taken on the 10th June and contained fresh eggs. + +"On the 30th May, 1875, I found a nest of this species at Naini Tal on +Ayarpata, over 7000 feet above the sea. I record the circumstance, +as their breeding at so great an elevation is exceptional. The nest +contained three fresh eggs; it was made of leaves and moss, lined with +bents of grass, between two branches but partially resting on a third, +in a bush at the outskirts of a forest on a steep bank and about eight +feet from the ground." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton recorded the following very full and +interesting note:-- + +"They breed during April, May, and June, making a rather neat +cup-shaped nest, which is usually placed in the bifurcation of a +horizontal branch of some tall tree; the bottom of it is composed of +thin dead leaves and dried grasses, and the sides of fine woody stalks +of plants, such as those used by the White-cheeked Bulbul, and they +are well plastered over externally with spiders' webs; the lining +is sometimes of very fine tendrils, at other times of dry grasses, +fibrous lichen, and thin shavings of the bark of trees left by the +wood-cutters. I have one nest, however, which is externally formed of +green moss with a few dry stalks, and the spiders' webs, instead of +being plastered all over the outside, are merely used to bind the +nest to the small branches among which it is placed. The lining is +of bark-shavings, dry grasses, black fibrous lichens, and a few fine +seed-stalks of grasses. The internal diameter of the nest is 23/4 +inches, and it is 11/2 inches deep. The eggs are usually three in +number, of a rosy or purplish white, sprinkled over rather numerously +with deep claret or rufescent purple specks and spots. In colours and +distribution of spots there is great variation, sometimes the rufous +and sometimes the purple spots prevailing; sometimes the spots are +mere specks and freckles, sometimes large and forming blotches; +in some the spots are wide apart, in others they are nearly, and +sometimes in places quite, confluent; while from one nest the +eggs were white, with widely dispersed dark purple spots and dull +indistinct ones appearing under the shell. In all the spots were more +crowded at the larger end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall remarks:--"Numerous nests of this species were +found at Murree, agreeing well with Hutton's description. They breed +in May and June, never above 6000 feet." + +The eggs are rather long ovals. Typically a good deal pointed towards +the small end, and more or less pyriform, but at times nearly perfect +ovals. They have little or no gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white, very faintly tinged with pink, to a delicate pink, and they are +profusely speckled, spotted, blotched, or clouded with various shades +of red, brownish red, and purple. The markings vary much in character, +extent, and intensity of colour. There seem to be two leading types, +with, however, almost every possible intermediate variety of markings. +The one is thickly speckled over its whole surface with minute dots +of reddish purple, no dot much bigger than the point of a pin, and +no portion of the ground-colour exceeding 0.1 in diameter free from +spots. In these eggs the specklings are most dense, as a rule, +throughout a broad irregular zone surrounding the large end, and this +zone is thickly underlaid with irregular ill-defined streaky clouds +of dull inky purple. In some eggs of this type, the smaller end is +comparatively free from specks. In the other type, the surface of the +egg is somewhat sparingly, but boldly, blotched and splashed, first +with deep umber, chocolate, or purple-brown, and, secondly, with spots +and clouds of faint inky purple, recalling not a little the style of +markings of the eggs of _Rhynchops albicollis_. Then there are eggs +partly speckly and partly blotched, some in which the markings are all +rich red and where no secondary pale purple clouds are observable, +and others again in which all the markings are dull purplish brown. +Generally it may be said that the markings have a tendency to form a +cap or zone at the large end. + +A nest of three eggs recently obtained from Mussoorie were more richly +coloured than any I have yet seen, and were decidedly glossy. The +ground-colour is a rich rosy pink, boldly, but sparingly, blotched +and spotted with deep maroon, underlaid by clouds and spots of pale +purple, which appear as if beneath the surface of the shell. In all +the eggs the markings are far more numerous at the large end, where in +one they form a huge confluent maroon-coloured patch, mottled lighter +and darker. + +An egg recently obtained in Cashmere on the 20th June was a somewhat +elongated oval, more or less compressed towards one end; a delicate +glossy white ground with a faint pink tinge; a rich zone of +reddish-purple spots and specks round the large end; a few similar +markings scattered sparingly over the rest of the surface of the egg, +and a multitude of very faint streaks and clouds of very _pale_ inky +purple underlying the primary markings. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.9 to 1.15, and in breadth from 0.7 to +0.78; but the average of twenty-five eggs measured is 1.03 by 0.75. + + +271. Hypsipetes ganeesa, Sykes. _The Southern-Indian Black Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes neilgherriensis, _Jerd._; _Jerd. B. Ind._ +ii, p. 78; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 445. +Hypsipetes ganeesa, _Sykes, Jerd. t.c._ p. 78. + +Mr. Davison tells me that "this species breeds from April to about the +middle of June. The nest is generally placed from 12 to 20 feet from +the ground, in some dense clump of leaves; favourite sites are the +bunches of parasitic plants with which nearly every acacia, and in +fact nearly every other tree about Ootacamund, is covered. The nest is +composed exteriorly of moss, dry leaves, and roots, lined with roots +and fibres: the normal number of eggs is two; they are white with +claret-coloured and purplish spots." + +A nest of this species taken at Coonoor on the 14th March, 1869, +by Mr. Carter, to whom I owe this and many other nests from the +Nilghiris, reminds one much of those of the Red-cheeked Bulbuls. +A wisp of dry grass and dead leaves, with the dead leaves greatly +predominating exteriorly, twisted into a shallow cup, some 41/2 inches +in diameter externally, and with a shallow depression tolerably neatly +lined with finer grass-stems measuring some 3 inches across and +perhaps an inch in depth. The bottom of the nest is almost exclusively +composed of dead leaves; while even in the sides, externally, little +but these are visible, only a few grass-stems crossing in and out, +here and there, sufficiently to keep the leaves in their places. + +Mr. Wait remarks, writing from Coonoor:--"Our Black Bulbul breeds from +March to June. It builds a cup-shaped nest neatly and firmly made. +Outside, the nest is chiefly composed, as a rule, of green moss, +grass-stalks, and fibres, while inside it is lined with fine stalks +and hair. The cavity is from 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and about +half that depth. Two is certainly the normal number of eggs; indeed, I +have never found more." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in lofty trees in the Nilghiris, building a shallow +cup-shaped nest, from 20 to 60 feet from the ground. The nest is +constructed of the dried stems of the wild forget-me-not, and lined +with a moss much resembling black horsehair. The eggs, which are two +in number, are pretty thickly spotted with pale lilac and claret on +a light pink ground-colour. I found these birds migrating in vast +flights, numbering several thousands, in the Bolumputty valley in +July. They were flying westwards towards Malabar." + +Mr. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I have taken the eggs of this Black +Bulbul every year from 1863 to 1870 during March, April, May, and part +of June, all over the Nilghiris. The nests were all made of moss, dry +leaves, and roots, lined with roots and fibres. I have only once found +three eggs (the normal number being two): in this case the eggs are +very much smaller than usual, and more blotched with the reddish +spots. I have found them at all heights from the ground up to 30 feet, +and mostly in rhododendron trees. I found two nests in S. Wynaad, at +an elevation of about 4000 feet, both with young, in June 1873." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that he procured the nest of this bird +with three fresh eggs at Manzeerabad in Mysore on the 7th April. + +Colonel Legge tells us that this Bulbul breeds in Ceylon from January +till March. + +That the Nilghiris bird should lay usually only _two_ eggs, and this +seems a well ascertained fact, while our very closely allied Himalayan +form lays, as I can personally certify, regularly _four_, is certainly +very strange. + +The eggs of this species, sent me from the Nilghiris by Messrs. Carter +and Davison, very closely resemble those of _H. psaroides_ from the +Himalayas. The eggs are of course of the Bulbul type, but in form are +typically much more elongated and conical than the true Bulbuls. The +ground-colour varies from white to a delicate pink. The markings +consist of different shades of deep red and pale washed-out purple. In +some the markings are bold, large, and blotchy, in others minute and +speckly; and in both forms there is a tendency to confluence towards +the large end, where there is commonly a more or less perfect, but +irregular, zone. The eggs though smooth and satiny have commonly +little or no gloss, and, considering their size, are very delicate and +fragile. + +In length they vary from 1.0 to 1.17, and in breadth from 0.7 to 0.8. + + +275. Hemixus macclellandi (Horsf.). _The Rufous-bellied Bulbul_. + +Hypsipetes mclellandi, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 79. +Hypsipetes m'clellandii, _Horsf., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 447. + +The Rufous-bellied Bulbul, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds in +the central region of Nepal, and low down nearly to the Terai, from +April to June. Its nest is a shallow saucer suspended between a +slender horizontal fork, to the twigs of which it is firmly bound like +an Oriole's with vegetable fibres and roots. It is composed of roots +and dry leaves bound together with fibres, and lined with fine grass +or moss-roots. The bird is said to lay four eggs, but these are +neither figured nor described. + +Dr. Scully writes from Nepal:--"This Bulbul is common throughout the +year on the hills round the valley of Nepal, but never tenants the +central woods. It is generally found in bushes and bush trees, not in +high tree-forest; and is commonly seen in pairs. The breeding-season +appears to be May and June. A nest was taken on the 6th June, which +contained two fresh eggs. The nest was somewhat oval in shape, +measuring 3.35 inches in length and 2.5 across; the egg-cavity was +about 1 inch deep in the centre, and the bottom of the nest 1.25 +thick. It was attached to a slender fork of a tree, and was composed +externally of ferns, dry leaves, roots, grass, and a little moss, +bound together with fine black hair-like fibres, which were wound +round the prongs of the fork so as regularly to suspend the nest like +an Oriole's. There was a regular lining, distinct from the body of the +nest, composed of fine long yellowish grass-stems, and a little cobweb +was spread here and there over the branches of the fork and the +outside of the nest. The eggs are rather long ovals, smaller at one +end, and fairly glossy; they measure 1.0 by 0.7, and 0.97 by 0.7. The +ground-colour is pure pinkish white, abundantly speckled and finely +spotted with reddish purple; the spots closely crowded together at the +large end, but not confluent, forming in one egg a broadish zone, and +in the other a cap; in the latter egg there are a few faint underlying +stains of purplish inky at the large end." + +Two eggs sent me by Mr. Mandelli from Darjeeling, said to belong to +this species, are elongated ovals, much pointed towards the small +end. The shell is fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour a dull +salmon-pink, and they are profusely and minutely freckled, speckled, +and streaked (so densely at the large end that the markings there are +almost confluent) with dull reddish purple. + +The eggs measure 1.06 and 1.11 by 0.67. + + +277. Alcurus striatus (Bl.). _The Striated Green Bulbul_. + +Alcurus striatus (_Bl._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 81. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this species which was found, he said, +on the 8th May about 4 feet from the ground amongst the foliage of a +kind of prickly bamboo growing out of the crevices of a patch of large +stones near Lebong (elevation 5000 feet), and contained two eggs +nearly ready to hatch. The nest is a shallow cup, about 3.75 inches in +diameter and 1.5 in height externally, composed entirely of fine brown +fibrous roots, a little bound together outside with wool and the silk +of cocoons and with two or three little bits of moss stuck about it, +and sparingly lined with hair-like grass. It is altogether a light +brown nest, no dark material being used in it at all. The cavity is +2.75 inches in diameter and about 1 deep. + + + +278. Molpastes haemorrhous (Gm.). _The Madras Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus haemorrhous (_Gm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 94. +Molpastes pusillus (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 462. + +The Madras Red-vented Bulbul, which by the way extends northwards +throughout the Central Provinces, Chota-Nagpoor, Rajpootana (the +eastern portions), the plains of the North-Western Provinces, Oudh, +Behar, and Western Bengal, breeds in the plains country chiefly in +June and July, although a few eggs _may_ also be found in April, May, +and August. In the Nilghiris the breeding-season is from February to +April, both months included. + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following notes on the nidification of +this species in the neighbourhood of Bareilly:-- + +"Close to the tank is a thick clump of sal-trees (_Shorea robusta_), +the great building-timber of Northern India, whose natural home is in +that vast sub-Himalayan belt of forest which passes only 30 miles to +the north of Bareilly. + +"In one of these a Common Madras Bulbul had made its home. The nest +was compact and rather massive, built in a fork, on and round a small +twig. Externally it was composed of the stems (with the leaves +and flowers still on them) of a tiny groundsel-like (_Senecio_) +asteraceous plant, amongst which were mingled a number of quite dead +and skeleton leaves and a few blades of dry grass: inside, rather +coarse grass was tightly woven into a lining for the cavity, which was +deep, being about 2 inches in depth by 3 inches in diameter. + +"This is the common type of nest; but half an hour later, and scarcely +100 yards further on, we took another nest of this same species. This +one was built in a mango-tree, towards the extremity of one of the +branches, where it divided into four upright twigs, between which the +Bulbul had firmly planted his dwelling. Externally it was as usual +chiefly composed of the withered stems of the little asteraceous +plant, interwoven with a few jhow-shoots (_Tamarix dioica_) and a +little tow-like fibre of the putsan (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), while +a good deal of cobweb was applied externally here and there. The +interior was lined with excessively fine stems of some herbaceous +exogenous plant, and there did not appear to be a single dead leaf or +a single particle of grass in the whole nest. + +"The eggs, however, in both nests, three in each, closely resembled +each other, being of a delicate pink ground, with reddish-brown and +purplish-grey spots and blotches nearly equally distributed over the +whole surface of the egg, the reddish brown in places becoming almost +a maroon-red. Two eggs, however, that we took out of a nest, +similar to the first in structure but situated like the second in a +mango-tree, were of a somewhat different character and very different +in tint. The ground was dingy reddish pink, and the whole of the egg +was thickly mottled all over with very deep blood-red, the mottlings +being so thick at the large end as to form an almost perfectly +confluent cap. Altogether the colouring of these two eggs reminded one +of richly coloured types of _Neophron's_ eggs. Some of the Bulbuls' +eggs that we have taken earlier in the season were much feebler +coloured than any of those obtained to-day, and presented a very +different appearance, with a pinkish-white ground, and only moderately +thickly but very uniformly speckled all over with small spots of light +purplish grey, light reddish brown, and very dark brown. These eggs +scarcely seem to belong to the same bird as the boldly blotched and +richly-mottled specimens that we have taken to-day." + +Writing from the neighbourhood of Delhi, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says: "This +Bulbul breeds from the middle of May to about the middle of August. +Its selection of a tree for its nest is arbitrary, as I have found the +latter on almost every variety of bush and tree. The nest is neatly +cup-shaped, generally fragile in structure, though I have seen many a +nest strong and compact. The outer diameter of the nest varies from 3 +to nearly 4 inches, and the inner diameter from 2 to almost 3 inches. + +"The chief material of the nest is, on the outside, coarse grass, with +fine _khus_ or fine grass for the lining. Very frequently horsehair is +likewise used for lining the interior of the cavity. + +"I have seen some nests bound round on the outside with hemp, other +kinds of vegetable fibres, and even spider's web. + +"The regular number of the eggs is four." + +Mr. W. Theobald found the present species breeding in Monghyr in the +fourth week of June. + +Mr. Nunn remarks:--"I took a nest of this species at Hoshungabad +on 26th June, 1868, which contained four eggs; it was placed in a +lime-tree, was composed of very small twigs, and lined inside with +fine grass-roots; it was cup-shaped, and measured internally 2.25 +inches in breadth by 1.75 in depth." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote from Futtehgurh:--"On the 30th April +last (1874) I took a very beautifully and curiously constructed nest +of our Common Bulbul. In shape and size it resembled the ordinary +nest, but the curious part of it was that the upper portion of the +nest for an inch all round was composed entirely of _green twigs_ of +the neem tree on which it was built, and the under surface (below) was +felted with fresh blossoms belonging to the same tree. The green twigs +had evidently been broken off by the birds, but the flowers were +picked up from off the ground, where they were lying thick." + +Colonel Butler says:--"The Madras Red-vented Bulbul breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa all through the hot weather and in the monsoon. +I found a nest at Mount Aboo in a garden on the 15th of April in the +middle of a pot of sweet peas, containing three fresh eggs. I +found other nests in Deesa, from the 11th May to 20th August, each +containing three eggs. + +"The nest is usually built of dry grass-stems, lined with fine roots +and a few horsehairs neatly woven together. One nest I found was in a +very remarkable situation, viz. inside an uninhabited bungalow upon +the top of a door leading out of a sitting-room; the door was open and +the bolt at the top had been forced back, and it was between the top +of the door and the top of the bolt that the nest rested. The old bird +entered the building by passing first of all through the lattice-work +of the verandah, and then through a broken window-pane into the room +where the nest was built." + +Mr. R.M. Adam informs us that this bird breeds at Sambhur during June +and July. + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, speaking of Rajputana in general, states that this +Bulbul breeds from April to September. Nests are occasionally found +even earlier than this, but they are exceptions to the general rule. + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The first nest I have a note of taking +was at Allahabad on the 2nd April. At Delhi it breeds from the end of +April to the end of July; I have, however, found most nests in May. +All have been firmly made little cups of slender twigs, sometimes dry +stems of some herbaceous plant, and lined with fine grass-roots. Five +is the usual number of eggs laid." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing of the South Konkan, says:--"Abundant +everywhere. Breeds in April, and again in September." + +Dr. Jerdon, whose experience of this species had been gained mainly in +Madras, states that "it breeds from June to September, according to +the locality. The nest is rather neat, cup-shaped, made of roots and +grass, lined with hair, fibres, and spiders' webs[A], placed at no +great height in a shrub or hedge. The eggs are pale pinkish, with +spots of darker lake-red, most crowded at the thick end. Burgess +describes them as a rich madder colour, spotted and blotched with grey +and madder-brown: Layard as pale cream, with darker markings." + +[Footnote A: This is some _lapsus pennae_. Spiders' webs are sometimes +used exteriorly never as a lining.] + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"The Common Bulbul lays at Khandalla in +May, but I never found a nest in the plains till after the rains had +set in. I have found one nest in Bombay, one in Poona, and two in +Berar, as late as October; and my brother found a nest in Berar in +September, with three eggs which were duly hatched." + +Writing from the Nilghiris, Miss Cockburn says that "the nests, which +in shape closely resemble those of the Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul, +are composed chiefly of grass. The eggs are three in number, and may +occasionally be found in any month of the year, though most plentiful +during February, March, and April." + +In shape the eggs are typically rather long ovals, slightly compressed +or pointed towards the small end. Some are a good deal pointed and +elongated; a few are tolerably perfect broad ovals, and abnormal +shapes are not very uncommon. The ground is universally pinkish or +reddish white (in old eggs which have been kept a long time a sort of +dull French white), of which more or less is seen according to the +extent of the markings. These markings take almost every conceivable +form, defined and undefined--specks, spots, blotches, streaks, +smudges, and clouds; their combinations are as varied as their +colours, which embrace every shade of red, brownish, and purplish red. +As a rule, besides the primary markings, feeble secondary markings of +pale inky purple are exhibited, often only perceptible when the egg is +closely examined, sometimes so numerous as to give the ground-colour +of the egg a universal purple tint. In about half the eggs there is +a tendency to exhibit, more or less, an irregular zone or cap at the +large end, but solitary eggs occur in which there is a cap at the +small end. Three pretty well marked types may be separately described. +First, an egg thickly mottled and streaked all over with deep +blood-red, which is entirely confluent over one third of the surface, +namely at the large end, and leaves less than a third of the +ground-colour visible as a paler mottling over the rest of the +surface. Then there is another type with a very delicate pure pink +ground, and with a few large, bold, deep red blotches, chiefly at +the large end, where they are intermingled with a few small pale +inky-purple clouds, and with only a few spots and specks of the former +colour scattered over the rest of the surface. Lastly, there is a pale +dingy pink ground, speckled almost uniformly, but only moderately +thickly, over the whole surface, with minute specks and spots of +blood-red and pale inky purple. + +The dimensions are excessively variable. In length the eggs vary from +0.7 to 1.02, and in breadth from 0.6 to 0.75, but the average of sixty +eggs measured was 0.89 by 0.65. + + +279. Molpastes burmanicus (Sharpe). _The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul._ + +The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul occurs from Manipur down to Rangoon. +Writing from Upper Pegu, Mr. Oates says:--"On the 29th July I found a +nest in the extremity of a bamboo-frond forming one of a large clump +near my house at Boulay. It was circular, the internal diameter about +2.5 and the external 4 inches; the depth inside 1.5, and the total +height 2.5. Foundation of dead leaves, the bulk of the nest coarse +grass and small roots, and the interior of much finer grass carefully +curved to shape. Altogether the nest was a very pretty structure. Two +eggs measured 0.9 by 0.62 and 0.65. Another nest found at the same +time was placed in a small shrub about 4 feet from the ground. It was +very similar in construction and size to the above and contained three +eggs." + +Subsequently writing from Lower Pegu, he says:--"Breeds abundantly +from May to September, and has no particular preference for any one +month." + + +281. Molpastes atricapillus (Vieill.). _The Chinese Red-vented +Bulbul_. + +Molpastes atricapillus (_V.), Hume, cat._ no. 462 ter. + +Mr. J. Darling, Jr., found a nest of the Chinese Red-vented Bulbul in +Tenasserim with three fresh eggs on the 16th March. It was built in a +bush little more than a foot above the ground on a hill-side. + +Except that they seem to run smaller, these eggs are not +distinguishable from those of the other species of this genus, and +there is really nothing to add to the description already given of the +eggs of _M. Haemorrhous_. The three eggs measured 0.79 by 0.6. + + +282. Molpastes bengalensis (Blyth). _The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul_. + +Pycnonotus pygaeus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 93. +Molpastes pygmaeus (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 461. + +I have taken many nests of the Bengal Red-vented Bulbul in many +localities, and while the birds vary, getting less typical as you go +westwards, the nests are all pretty much the same, though the eastern +birds go in rather more for dead leaves than the western. Sikhim birds +are very typical, and I will therefore confine myself to quoting a +note I made there. + +Several nests taken at Darjeeling in June, at elevations of from 2000 +to 4000 feet, each contained three or four, more or less incubated, +eggs. The nests were mostly very compact and rather deep cups about 31/2 +inches in diameter and 2 inches in height, very firmly woven of moss +and grass-roots, but with a certain quantity of dry and dead leaves, +and here and there a little cobweb worked into the outer surface. +Sometimes a little fine grass was used as a lining; but generally +there was no lining, only the roots that were used in finishing off +the interior of the nests were rather finer than those employed +elsewhere. The egg-cavity is very large for the size of the nest, the +sides, though very firm and compact, being scarcely above half an inch +in thickness. The nests differ very much in appearance, owing to the +fact that in some all the roots used are black, in others pale brown. + +Mr. Gammie says:--"I took two or three nests of this species in the +latter half of May at Mongpho, in Sikhim, at elevations of 3500 feet +or thereabouts. They contained three eggs each, hard-set. The nests +were in trees, at a moderate height, and rather flimsy structures; +shallow caps, composed externally of fine twigs and vegetable fibre, +and generally some dead leaves intermingled, especially towards their +basal portions, and lined with the fine hair-like stem portion of the +flowering tops of grass. One nest measured internally 21/2 inches in +diameter by nearly 11/2 inch in depth; externally it was nearly 4 inches +in diameter and 2 inches in height. The eggs were of the usual type." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident; commits great +havoc in gardens amongst tomatoes and chillies, the red colour of +which seems to attract them. Builds its nest in very exposed places +and at all heights from two to thirty feet off the ground, in bushes +and trees. One nest I saw containing two young ones, on the 28th June, +was built on a small date-tree which stood on the side of a road along +which people were passing all day, and within six feet of them. The +nest was only five feet from the ground, but the materials of which it +was made and the colour of the bird assimilated so perfectly with the +bark of the tree that detection was difficult. I have found the nests +with eggs from the 3rd of April to the end of June; dead leaves and +cobwebs were incorporated with the twigs and grasses in all nests +which I have seen in Dacca. The natives keep these birds for fighting +purposes; large sums are lost at times on these combats." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully remarks:--"It breeds in May and June in +the Residency grounds, the nests being very commonly placed in small +pine-trees (_Pinus longifolia_). Three is the usual number of eggs +found, and a clutch taken on the 29th May measured in length from 0.85 +to 0.93, and in breadth from 0.64 to 0.65." + +I have fully described the leading types of the eggs of these Bulbuls +under _Molpastes haemorrhous_. I shall therefore only here say that +the eggs of this species in shape and colour exactly resemble those +of its congener, but that as a body they are larger in size; every +variety observable in the eggs of the one is, as far as I know, to be +met with amongst those of the other. Taking only the eggs of typical +birds from Lower Bengal and Sikhim, they vary from 0.88 to 1.05 in +length and from 0.67 to 0.75 in breadth. + + +283. Molpastes intermedius (A. Hay). _The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul_. + +All my specimens from the Salt Range belong to this species, and not +to _M. bengalensis_, so that Mr. W. Theobald's remarks in regard to +the Common Bulbul's nidification about Pind Dadan Khan and the Salt +Range must refer to this species. He says: "Lay in May, June, and +July; eggs, four: shape, blunt ovato-pyriform; size, 0.87 by 0.62; +colour, deep pink, blotched with deep claret-red; nest, a neat cup of +vegetable fibres in bushes." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Bulbul breds in +large numbers on the lower hills." + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton remarked:--"This is more properly a +Dhoon species, as although it does ascend the hills, it is represented +there to a great extent by _M. leucogenys_. It breeds in April, May, +and June, constructing its nest in some thick bush. On the 12th May +one nest contained three eggs of a rosy-white, thickly irrorated and +blotched with purple or deep claret colour, and at the larger end +confluently stained with dull purple, appearing as if beneath the +shell. The nest is small and cup-shaped, composed of fine roots, dry +grasses, flower-stalks chiefly of forget-me-not, and a few dead leaves +occasionally interwoven; in some the outside is also smeared over here +and there with cobwebs and silky seed-down; the lining is usually of +very fine roots. Some nests have four eggs, which are liable to great +variation both in the intensity of colouring and in the size and +number of spots." + + +284. Molpastes leucogenys (Gr.). _The White-cheeked Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucogenys (_Gray), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 90; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 458. + +The White-cheeked Bulbul breeds throughout the Himalayas, from +Afghanistan to Bhootan, from April to July, and at all heights from +3000 to 7000 feet. The nest is a loose, slender fabric, externally +composed of fine stems of some herbaceous plant and a few blades of +grass, and internally lined with very fine hair-like grass. The +nests may measure externally, at most, 4 inches in diameter; but the +egg-cavity, which is in proportion very large and deep, is fully 21/4 +inches across by 13/4 inch deep. As I before said, the nest is usually +very slightly and loosely put together, so that it is difficult to +remove it without injury; but sometimes they are more substantial, and +occasionally the cup is much shallower and wider than I have above +described. Four is the full complement of eggs. + +Captain Unwin says:--"I found a nest containing three fresh eggs near +the village of Jaskote, in the Agrore Valley, on the 24th April, 1870. +The nest was placed about 5 feet from the ground in a small wild +ber-tree in a water-course. On the 7th May I found another nest placed +in a small thick cheer-tree in the same valley, which contained four +eggs." + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall tells us that this species +"breeds in the valleys, at about 4000 or 5000 feet up, in the end of +June. Lays four eggs with a white ground, very thickly blotched with +claret-red; nest roughly made of grass and roots, in low bushes." + +About Simla and the valleys of the Sutlej and Beas I have found it +common, and my experience of its nidification in these localities has +been above recorded. + +From Mussoorie, Captain Hutton wrote that it is "common in the Dhoon +throughout the year, and in the hills during the summer. It breeds in +April and May. The nest is neat and cup-shaped, placed in the forks +of bushes or pollard trees, and is composed externally of the dried +stalks of forget-me-not, lined with fine grass-stalks. Eggs three or +four, rosy or faint purplish white, thickly sprinkled with specks +and spots of darker rufescent purple or claret colour. Sometimes the +outside of the nest is composed of fine dried stalks of woody plants, +whose roughness causes them to adhere together." + +Mr. W.E. Brooks remarks:--"I found this bird common at Almorah, and +procured several nests. They were placed in a bush or small tree, and +were slightly composed of fine grass, roots, and fibres: eggs three; +ground-colour purplish white, speckled all over, most densely at the +larger end, with spots and blotches of purple-brown and purplish grey: +laying in Kumaon from the beginning of May to June." + +Dr. Scully states that in Nepal this Bulbul "breeds in May and June, +principally at elevations of from 5000 to 6000 feet. Its nests were +secured on the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 14th, and 28th June; the usual number of +eggs laid seems to be three." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This species breeds both at Naini +Tal (7000 feet) and at Bheem Tal (4000 feet). In Kumaon the eggs seem +to be laid in the first half of June; the earliest date I have taken +them was a single fresh egg on the 23rd May, and the latest, four +eggs on the 25th Jane: the nest is seldom more than six feet from the +ground, and is placed either in a thick bush or in the outer twigs of +a low bough of a tree." + +The eggs are of the regular Bulbul type, as exemplified in those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, and vary much in colour, size, and shape. +Typically they are rather a long oval, somewhat pointed at one end, +have a pinkish or reddish-white ground with little or no gloss, and +are thickly speckled, freckled, streaked, or blotched, as the case may +be, with blood-, brownish-, or purplish-red, &c., and here and +there, chiefly towards the large end, exhibit, besides these primary +markings, tiny underlying spots and clouds of pale inky purple. Some +eggs have a pretty well-marked zone or irregular cap at the large end, +but this is not very common. In size they average somewhat larger than +those of _Molpastes leucotis_ and _Otocompsa emeria_, both of which +they closely resemble; but they are smaller and as a body less richly +coloured than those of _O. fuscicaudata_. They vary in length from +0.82 to 0.95, and from 0.58 to 0.7 in breadth; but the average of +fifty-seven specimens measured was 0.88 by 0.65. + + +285. Molpastes leucotis (Gould). _The White-eared Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa leucotis (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 91; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 459. + +The White-eared Bulbul is, so far as my experience goes, entirely a +Western Indian form. In the cold weather it may be met with at Agra, +Cawnpoor, and even Jhansi, Saugor, and Hoshungabad; but during the +summer months I only know of its occurring in Cutch, Katywar, Sindh, +Rajpootana, and the Punjab. In all these localities it breeds, laying +for the most part in July and August in the Punjab, but somewhat +earlier in Sindh. I have, even in Rajpootana, seen eggs towards the +end of May, but this is the exception. + +The nests are usually in dense and thorny bushes--acacias, catechu, +and jhand (_Prosopis spicigera_)--and are placed at heights of from +4 to 6 feet from the ground. The Customs hedge is a great place for +their nests, but I have noticed that they are partial to bushes in the +immediate neighbourhood of water; and at Hansie, whence he sent me +many nests and eggs, Mr. W. Blewitt always found them either in the +fort ditch or along the banks of the canal. + +The nests, which very much resemble those of _Molpastes haemorrhous_, +are usually composed of very fine dry twigs of some herbaceous plant, +intermingled with vegetable fibre resembling tow, and scantily lined +with very fine grass-roots. They are rather slender structures, +shallow cups measuring internally from 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter, +and a little more than 1 inch in depth. Three was the largest number +of eggs I ever found in any nest, and several sets were fully +incubated. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on the nidification of this +bird in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lay in May, June, and July: eggs four; shape ovato pyriform; +size 0.91 inch by 0.64 inch: colour white, much dotted with +claret-red; nest a neat cup of vegetable fibres in bushes," + +Mr. S. Doig informs us that this bird breeds on the Eastern Narra in +Sind from May to August. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the White-eared Bulbul at +Deesa on the 5th August containing three fresh eggs. It was placed +in the fork of a low Beer tree about 4 feet from the ground, and in +structure closely resembled the nest of _M. haemorrhous_. + +"On the 17th August I found another nest built by the same pair of +birds in an exactly similar situation, about 60 yards from the first +nest, containing three more fresh eggs." + +The eggs, which I need not here describe in detail, are precisely +similar to, but as a body slightly smaller than, those of _Molpastes +leucogenys_. The only point of difference that I seem to notice, and +this might disappear with a larger series before me, is that there is +a rather greater tendency in the eggs of this species to exhibit a +zone or cap. In length they vary from 0.75 to 0.9, and in breadth from +0.52 to 0.68; but the average of twenty-three eggs measured was 0.83 +barely, by 0.64. + + +288. Otocompsa emeria(Linn.). _The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa jocosa (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p, 92 (part). +Otocompsa emeria (_Shaw), Hume, Rough Draft N.& E._ +no. 460. + +The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul breeds from March to the end of May. +Its nest is placed, according to my experience in Lower Bengal, in +any thick bush, clump of grass, or knot of creepers; sometimes in the +immediate proximity of native villages or in the gardens of Europeans, +and sometimes quite away in the jungle. It is a typical Bulbul nest, a +broad shallow saucer, compactly put together with twigs of herbaceous +plants, amongst which, especially towards the base, a few dry leaves +are incorporated, and lined with roots or fine grass. Exteriorly a +little cobweb is wound on to keep twigs and leaves firm and in their +places. All the nests that I have seen were tolerably near the ground, +at heights ranging from 3 to 5 feet. + +Three is the normal number of the eggs, but only the other day we +obtained one containing four. + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This bird is very common in Oudh. It affects +gardens and low scrub-jungle, flying about with a jerky flight from +bush to bush. They are very fond of the fruit of the mangot-tree (_F. +indica_), and may be seen in great numbers about these trees when the +fruit is ripe. Their note is something like that of the common Bulbul, +but livelier and louder. I have seen a number of this year's young +birds well grown, but as yet without the red cheek-tuft. + +"They build in clamps of moong-grass about 2 to 3 feet from the +ground. One I found in the tendrils of a creeper about 20 feet from +the ground. The nest is well fixed in the grass and fastened to it by +the intertwining of some of the fibres of which it is composed. It +is cup-shaped, and measures 4 inches in diameter, about 0.75 in +thickness, with an egg-cavity 2.75 in diameter and 1.5 deep. + +"The nest is formed of roots, twigs, and grass loosely worked +together, and over the exterior, with the view of binding the mass +together, dried or skeleton leaves, pieces of cloth, broad pieces +of grass, and plaintain-bark are fastened carelessly on by means of +cobwebs and the silk from cocoons. The egg-cavity is lined with fine +roots. + +"I never have found more than three eggs; on several occasions only +two." + +I do not think it possible to separate the Andaman bird. Of its +nidification in those islands Mr. Davison says:--"I found a nest of +this species in April near Port Blair, in a low mangrove-bush growing +quite at the edge of the water; it (the nest) was cup-shaped and +composed of roots, dried leaves, and small pieces of bark, lined +with fine roots and cocoanut fibres; it contained three eggs, with a +pinkish-white ground thickly mottled and blotched with purplish red, +the spots coalescing at the thicker end to form a zone." + +Mr. J.H. Cripps writes from Eastern Bengal:--"Very common and a +permanent resident; it freely enters gardens and orchards. In my +garden there was a kamiinee-tree (_Murraya exotica_), in which I found +a nest of this species on the 27th March in course of construction; +and on looking at it on the 12th April found two young that had just +been hatched. Cane-brakes are favourite places for them to nest in. +On the 6th May I found a nest in one of these about 4 feet off the +ground, and containing three partly incubated eggs. This species does +not, as a rule, build in such exposed situations as _M. bengalensis_; +it eats the fruit of jungly trees, _Ficis_, &c., as well as insects." + +On the breeding of this Bulbul in Pegu Mr. Gates remarks:--"This bird +breeds as early as February, on the 27th of which month I procured a +nest with two eggs nearly hatched. It stops nesting, I think, at the +beginning of the rains." + +Mr. W. Davison informs us that he "took a nest of this bird at +Bankasoon, in Southern Tenasserim, on the 15th March. It was placed in +a small bush growing in an old garden about 4 feet above the ground. +The nest was of the usual type, a compactly-woven cup, composed +externally of dry twigs, leaves, &c., the egg-cavity lined with +fibres. It contained three nearly fresh eggs." + +The eggs in size, colour, and shape closely resemble those of +_Molpastes leucotis_. All that I have said in regard to these latter +is applicable to those of the present species, and, so far as +varieties of coloration go, the description of the eggs of _Molpastes +leucogenys_ is equally applicable to those of the present species. If +any distinction can be drawn, it is that, as a body, bold blotches of +rich red and pale purple are more commonly exhibited in the eggs of +this species than in those of either of the preceding ones. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.8 to 0.9, and in breadth from 0.85 to +0.7, but the average of twenty-seven eggs was 0.83 nearly, by 0.63 +barely. + + +289. Otocompsa fuscicaudata, Gould. _The Southern Red-whiskered +Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa fuscicaudata, _Gould, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 400 +bis. + +The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul is found throughout the more hilly +and more or less elevated tracts of the peninsula, from Cape Comorin +northwards as far as Mount Aboo on the west, and the Eastern Ghats, +above Nellore, on the east. How far northwards it extends in the +centre of the peninsula I am not certain, but I have seen a specimen +from the Satpooras. + +They breed any time from the beginning of February to the end of May. +Their nests are usually placed at no great height from the ground (say +at from 2 to 6 feet) in some thick bush. + +The nests of this species that I procured at Mount Aboo, and which +have been sent me by Mr. Carter both from Coonoor and Salem, and by +other friends from other parts of the Nilghiris, where the bird is +excessively common, very much resemble those of _O. emeria_, but they +are somewhat neater and more substantial in structure. They differ a +good deal in size and shape, as the nests of Bulbuls are wont to do. +Some are rather broad and shallow, with egg-cavities measuring 31/4 +inches across, and perhaps 1 inch in depth; while others are deeper +and more cup-shaped, the cavity measuring only 21/2 inches across and +fully 11/2 inch in depth. They are composed in some cases almost wholly +of grass-roots, in others of very fine twigs of the furash (_Tamarix +furas_) in others again of rather fine grass, and all have a quantity +of dead leaves or dry ferns worked into the bottom, and all are lined +with either very fine grass or very fine grass-roots. The external +diameter averages about 41/2 inches, but some stand fully 3 inches high, +while others are not above 2 inches in height. As might be expected, +the White-cheeked and White-eared and the two Red-whiskered Bulbuls' +types of architecture differ considerably; _inter se_, the nests of +_M. leucotis_ and _M. leucogenys_ differ just sufficiently to render +it generally possible to separate them, and the same may be said of +the nests of _O. emeria_ and _O. fuscicaudata_. But there is a very +wide difference between the nests of the two former and the two latter +species, so that it would be scarcely possible to mistake a nest +belonging to the one group for that of the other. The incorporation +of a quantity of dead leaves in the body of the nests, reminding one +much, of those of the English Nightingale, is characteristic of the +Red-whiskered Bulbul, and is scarcely to be met with in those of the +White-cheeked or White-eared ones. + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter says:--"At Coonoor on the Nilghiris I have found +the nests from the 13th March to the 22nd April, but I believe +they commence laying in February. They are generally placed in +coffee-bushes and low shrubs, as a rule in a fork, but I have +frequently found them suspended between the twigs of a bush which had +no fork. I have also found the nest of this bird in the thatch of the +eaves of a deserted bungalow, and in tufts of grass on the edge of a +cutting overhanging the public road. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, rather loosely constructed outside, but +closely and neatly finished inside. The outside is nearly always +fern-leaves at the bottom, coarse grass and fibres above, and lined +inside either with fine fibres or fine grass. + +"I have never found more than two eggs, and I have taken great numbers +of nests; but I am told that three in a nest is not uncommon." + +Writing from Kotagherry, Miss Cockburn says:--"Our Red-whiskered +Bulbul builds a cup-shaped nest in any thick bush. The foundation is +generally laid with pieces of dry leaves and fern, after which small +sticks are added, and the whole neatly finished with a lining of fine +grass. They lay two (sometimes three) very prettily spotted eggs of +different shades of red and white, which are found in February, March, +and April." + +Mr. Wait remarks:--"This bird breeds at Coonoor from February to June. +It builds usually in isolated bushes and shrubs, in gardens and +open jungle. The nest is cup-shaped, loosely but strongly built of +grass-bents, rooty fibres, and thin stalks, and is lined with finer +grass-stems and roots. I think the internal diameter averages about 21/2 +inches, and about an inch in depth; but they vary a good deal in size. +They lay two or three eggs, rarely four; and the eggs vary a good +deal in shape and size, being sometimes very round and sometimes +comparatively long ovals. The birds swarm on oar coffee estates, and +breed freely in the coffee-bushes." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have frequently had its nest and eggs brought me +on the Nilghiris. The nest was very neatly made, deep, cup-shaped, of +moss, lichens, and small roots, lined with hair and down. The eggs are +barely distinguishable from those of the next bird (_M. bengalensis_), +being reddish white with spots of purplish or lake-red all over, +larger at the thick end." + +But Dr. Jerdon rarely took nests with his own hand, and in this case +clearly wrong nests must have been brought to him. + +From Trevandrum Mr. F. Bourdillon says:--"It lays three or four eggs +of a pale pink colour, with purple spots, in a nest of roots, lined +with finer roots and interwoven with the leaves of a jungle-shrub +gathered green. The nest, 3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, is +generally situated in a bush 4 to 5 feet from the ground." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird simply swarms along the Western +Ghats from Mahabuleshwur down the Koina and Werna valleys, and seems +to have a very extended breeding-time. Last year (1873) I took its +nests in March and May on several occasions, and this year I found +three nests in March and April in the Werna valley; and the Hill +people, who seem intelligent and fairly trustworthy, stated that this +species breeds there throughout the Rains, a season when, owing to the +tremendous rainfall, no European can remain. If this be true they must +breed at least twice a year. All the nests I saw were placed in bushes +from 2 to 4 feet high, some of them most carefully concealed amongst +thorns. Out of, I think, nine nests, all taken by myself personally, I +never found more than two eggs in any; and on two occasions last year +I obtained single eggs nearly fully incubated." + +Messrs Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, remark:--"Commonish +in wooded localities. D. took several nests in the Satara Hills in +March and the two following months." + +Captain Butler writes:--"The Red-whiskered Bulbul is common at Mount +Aboo and breeds in March, April, and May. The nest is usually placed +in low bushes from 4 to 8 feet from the ground, and is a neat +cup-shaped structure composed externally of fibrous roots and dry +grass-stems, and lined with fine grass, horsehair, &c. Round the edge +and woven into the outside I have generally found small spiders' nests +looking like lumps of wool. The eggs, usually two but sometimes three +in number, are of a pinkish-white colour, covered all over with spots +and blotches and streaks of purplish or lake-red, forming a dense +confluent cap at the large end. A nest I examined on the 24th April +contained two nestlings almost ready to fly. + +"On the 3rd May, 1875, I took a nest in a low carinda bush, containing +two fresh eggs." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Most +abundant in the wooded district. Common everywhere. Eggs taken March +and April. On the 5th July, 1883, I procured a, nest of this species +with three pure white eggs. I found it in a coffee-bush the day before +leaving, so snared parent bird to make sure it was _O. fuscicaudata_, +or otherwise should have left a couple of the eggs to see if young +would turn out true to parents." + +Captain Horace Terry states that on the Pulney hills this species is +"a most common bird, found wherever there are bushes. In the small +bushes along the banks of the streams is a very favourite place. I +found several nests with usually two, but sometimes three eggs." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken tells us:--"I never saw this bird in the plains, +but it is, perhaps without exception, the commonest bird at Matheran, +Khandalla, and other hill-stations in the Bombay Presidency. I have +found the nests, always with eggs in May, placed from four to seven +feet from the ground, and often in the most exposed situations. It is +not unusual to find only two eggs in a nest. The bird is not in the +least shy, and sets up no clatter, like the Common Bulbul, when its +nest is disturbed." + +Finally, Mr. J. Darling, Junior, remarks:--"I really wonder if anyone +down south does not know the Red-whiskered Bulbul and its nest. On the +Nilghiris and in the Wynaad I can safely say it is the commonest nest +to be met with, built in all sorts of places, sometimes high up. They +generally lay two, but very often three, eggs. In a friend's bungalow +in the Wynaad there were three nests built on the wall-plate of +the verandah and two eggs laid in each nest. The young were safely +hatched. + +"This year the nests have been rebuilt and contain eggs. As I am +writing, there are two pairs building in a rose-bush about 3 yards +from me. They breed from 15th February to 15th May." + +The numerous eggs of this species that I possess, though truly +Bulbul-like in character, all belong to one single type of that form. +Almost all have a dull pinkish or reddish-white ground, very thickly +freckled, mottled, and streaked all over with a rich red; in most +blood-red, in others brick-red, underneath which, when closely looked +into, a small number of pale inky-purple spots are visible. In half +the number of eggs the markings are much densest at the large end: +these eggs are one and all more brightly and intensely coloured than +any of those that I possess of _M. leucotis, M. leucogenys_, and _O. +emeria_; they are, moreover, larger than any of these. + +In length they vary from 0.82 to 0.97, and in breadth from 0.63 to +0.71; but the average of thirty-six eggs measured was 0.9 by 0.66. + + +290. Otocompsa flaviventris (Tick.). _The Black-crested Yellow +Bulbul_. + +Rubigula flaviventris (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 88. +Pycnonotus flaviventris (_Tick._), _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 456. + +The Black-crested Yellow Bulbul is another very common species of +which I have as yet seen very few eggs. The first notice of its +nidification I am acquainted with is contained in the following brief +note by Captain Bulger, which appeared in 'The Ibis.' He says:--"I +obtained several specimens, chiefly from the vicinity of the Great +Rungeet River. From a thicket on the bank, near the cane-bridge, a +nest was brought to me on the 16th May, of the ordinary cup-shape, +made of fibres and leaves, and containing three eggs, which my +_shikaree_ said belonged to this species. The eggs were of a dull +pinkish hue, very thickly marked with small specks and blotches of +brownish crimson." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing of this Bulbul in Tenasserim, +says:--"Common enough in the Thoungyeen forests, affecting chiefly the +neighbourhood of villages and clearings. The following is a note of +finding a nest and eggs I recorded in 1878:--On the 14th April I +happened to be putting up for the day in one of the abandoned Karen +houses of the old village of Podeesakai at the foot of the Warmailoo +toung, a spur from the east watershed range of the Meplay river. +Having to wait for guides, I had nothing particular to do that day, a +very rare event in my forest work; I devoted it to a fruitless search +for bears. I had returned tired and rather dispirited, and was moving +about among the ruined houses, between and among which a lot of jungle +was already springing up, when, just as I passed a low bush about 3 +feet high, out went one of the above-mentioned birds; of course the +bush contained a nest, a remarkably neat cup-shaped affair, below and +outside of fine twigs, then a layer of roots, above which was a lining +of the stems of the flower of the 'theckay' grass. It contained three +eggs on the point of hatching, out of which I was only able to save +one. It is one of the loveliest eggs I have seen; in colour I can +liken it only to a peculiar pink granite that is so common at home +in Ireland. Its ground-colour I should say was white, but it is so +thickly spotted with pink and claret that it is hard to describe. It +measured 0.85 x 0.61 inch." + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay writes in 'The Ibis':--"I found a nest +containing two eggs in April at the foot of the Karen hills in Burma." + +I have seen too few eggs of this species to say much about them. +What I have seen were rather elongated ovals pretty markedly pointed +towards the small end. The shell fine, but with only a slight gloss; +the ground a pinky creamy white, everywhere very finely freckled +over with red, varying from brownish to maroon, and again still more +thickly with pale purple or purplish grey, this latter colour being +almost confluent over a broad zone round the large end. + + +292. Spizixus canifrons, Blyth. _The Finch-billed Bulbul_. + +Spizixus canifrons, _Bl., Hume, cat._ no. 453 bis. + +Colonel Godwin-Austen says:--"_Spizixus canifrons_ breeds in the +neighbourhood of Shillong, in May. Young birds are seen in June."[A] + +[Footnote A: TRACHYCOMUS OCHROCEPHALUS (Gm.). _The Yellow-crowned +Bulbul_. + +Trachycomus ochrocephalus (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 449 bis. + +As this bird occurs in Tenasserim, the following description of the +nest and eggs found a short distance outside our limits will prove +interesting. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this bird on the +2nd July at Kossoom. The nest was of the ordinary Bulbul type, but +much larger, and like a very shallow saucer. The foundation was a +single piece of some creeping orchid, 3 feet long, coiled round; then +a lot of coils of fern, grass, and moss-roots. The nest was 4 inches +in diameter on the inside, the walls 1/4 inch thick, and the cavity 1 +inch deep. It was built 10 feet from the ground, in a bush in a very +exposed position, and exactly where any ordinary Bulbul would have +built." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Bulbul type, rather broad +at the large end, compressed and slightly pyriform, or more or less +pointed, towards the small end. The shell fine and smooth, but with +only a moderate amount of gloss. The ground-colour varies from very +pale pinky white to a rich warm salmon-pink. The markings are two +colours: first, a red varying from a dull brownish to almost crimson; +the second, a paler colour varying from neutral tint through purplish +grey to a full though pale purple. The first may be called the primary +markings; the others, which seem to be somewhat beneath the surface of +the shell, the secondary ones. Varying as both do in _different_ eggs, +all the primary markings of any one egg are almost precisely the same +shade; and the same is the case with the secondary ones, and there is +always a distinct harmony between both these and the ground tint. As +for the markings, they are generally much the most dense, in a more or +less confluent mottled cap, round one end, generally the largest, and +are usually more or less thinly set elsewhere. In some eggs all the +markings are rather coarse and sparse, in others fine and more thickly +set. Two eggs measured 1.06 by 0.76 and 1.03 by 0.73.] + + +295. Iole icterica (Strickl.). _The Yellow-browed Bulbul_. + +Criniger ictericus, _Strickl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 82; _Hume. Rough +Draft N. & E._ no 450. + +The Yellow-browed Bulbul breeds apparently throughout the hilly +regions of Ceylon and the southern portion of the Peninsula of +India. I have never taken the nests myself, and I have only detailed +information of their nidification on the Nilghiris, which they ascend +to an elevation of from 6000 to 6500 feet, and where they lay from +March to May. + +A nest of this species, taken by Mr. Wait near Coonoor on the 20th of +March, is a small shallow cup hung between two twigs, measuring some +31/2 inches across and 3/4 inch in depth. It is composed of excessively +fine twigs and lined with still finer hair-like grass, is attached to +the twigs by cobwebs, and has a few dead leaves attached by the same +means to its lower surface. It is a slight structure, nowhere I +should think above 1/4 inch in thickness, and apparently carelessly put +together: but for all that, owing to the fineness of the materials +used, it is a pretty firm and compact nest. It is not easy to express +it in words; but still this nest differs very considerably in +appearance from the nests of any of the true Bulbuls with which I am +acquainted, and more approaches those of _Hypsipetes_. + +Mr. Wait sends me the following note:-- + +"This bird, although very common on the Nilghiris at elevations of +from 4000 to 5000 feet, is a very shy nester, and its nest, which is +not easily found, is, as far as my experience goes, invariably placed +in the top of young thin saplings at heights of from 6 to 10 feet from +the ground. The saplings chosen are almost always in thick cover near +the edge of dry water-courses. They generally lay during May, but I +have found nests in March. In shape the nest is a moderately deep +cup, nearly hemispherical, with an internal diameter of from 2.5 to 3 +inches--a true Bulbul's nest, composed of grass and bents and lined +with finer grasses. The nest is always suspended by the outer rim +between two lateral branches, and never, I believe, built in a fork +as is so common in the case of many other Bulbuls. They lay only two +eggs, and never, I believe, more. The eggs are longish ovals, rather +pointed at one end, a dull white or reddish white, more or less +thickly speckled and spotted or clouded with pale yellowish or reddish +brown; occasionally the eggs exhibit a few very fine black lines." + +Miss Cockburn, writing from Kotagherry, says:--"The Yellow-browed +Bulbul is common on the less elevated slopes of the Nilghiris, where +it is often seen feeding upon guavas, loquots, pears, peaches, &c. +They lay generally in April and May. + +"Their nests are constructed very much like those of the common +Bulbuls, except that, instead of being placed in the forked branches +of trees, they are suspended between two twigs, and fastened to them +by cobwebs, the inside being neatly lined with fine grass. Two nests +of this bird were found, each containing two fresh eggs, of a pretty +pinkish salmon colour, with a dark ring at the thick end; but another +nest had three nearly _white_ eggs! The whole structure of the nests +was slight and thin, and the eggs could be plainly seen through. The +notes of the Yellow-browed Bulbul are loud and repeated often." + +Writing on the birds of Ceylon, Colonel Legge remarks:--"I once found +the nest of this bird in the Pasdun-Korale forests in August; little +or nothing, however, is known of its breeding-habits in Ceylon, so +that it most likely commences earlier than that month to rear its +brood. My nest was placed in the fork of a thin sapling about 8 feet +from the ground. It was of large size for such a bird, the foundation +being bulky and composed of small twigs, moss, and dead leaves, +supporting a cup of about 21/2 inches in diameter, which was constructed +of moss, lined with fine roots; the upper edge of the body of the nest +was woven round the supporting branches.... The bottom of the nest was +in the fork." + +The eggs of this species sent to me by Mr. Wait from Coonoor +are totally unlike any other egg of this family with which I am +acquainted. They remind one more of the eggs of _Stoparola melanops_ +or one of the _Niltavas_ than anything else. The eggs are moderately +long and rather perfect ovals, almost devoid of gloss, and with a dull +white or pinkish-white ground, speckled more or less thickly over the +whole surface with rather pale brownish red or pink. The specklings +becoming confluent at the large end, where they form a dull irregular +mottled cap. Other specimens received from Miss Cockburn from +Kotagherry exhibit the same general characters; but the majority of +them are considerably elongated eggs, approaching, so far as shape is +concerned, the _Hypsipetes_ type. In some eggs only the faintest trace +of pale pinkish mottling towards the large end is observable; in +others, the whole surface of the egg is thickly freckled and mottled +all over, but most densely at the large end, with salmon-pink or pale +pinkish brown. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.9 to 1.03, and in breadth from 0.64 to +0.7.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS ANALIS (Horsf.). _The Yellow-vented Bulbul_. + +Otocompsa analis (_Horsf._), _Hume, cat._ no. 452 sex. + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, writes:--"I found the nest of this Bulbul at +Salang in the Malay peninsula, on the 14th February. The nest was +built in a bush in secondary jungle, with a few trees scattered about. +It was in a fork 6 feet from the ground. The foundation was of dried +leaves, then fine twigs, and lined with fine grass-bents. There was a +good deal of cobweb in the construction. It was an exact facsimile of +many nests of _Otocompsa fuscicaudata_ from the Nilgherry Hills. The +egg-cavity was 3 inches in diameter and 21/2 inches deep; the walls were +1/2 inch thick, the bottom 1 inch." + +The eggs are of the usual variable Bulbul type, some broader and more +regular, some more elongated, some more or less pyriform. The shell as +in others, and apparently rarely showing any very perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pinky white to a warm pink; the markings, specks, +and spots, or, when three or four of these latter have coalesced, +occasionally small blotches of a rich maroon-red intermixed with spots +and specks and clouds of pale purple. The markings always apparently +pretty thickly set everywhere, but almost invariably most densely in +a zone about the larger end, where they become at times more or less +confluent. Of course as in others of the genus, in some eggs all the +markings are very fine and speckly, while in others they are somewhat +bolder. In some the red greatly predominates; in others, again, the +grey underlying clouds are very widely extended, and form by far the +most conspicuous part of the markings, giving a grey tinge to the +entire egg. The eggs vary from 0.82 to 0.91 in length and from 0.61 to +0.65 in breadth.] + + +299. Pycnonotus finlaysoni, Strickl. _Finlayson's Stripe-throated +Bulbul_. + +Ixus finlaysoni (_Strickl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 ter. + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"On the 22nd May, 1877, while wandering +about collecting in the jungles below the Circuit-house at Maulmain, I +came across a neat, though thinly made, cup-shaped nest in the fork +of a tall sapling, some 12 feet above the ground. Coming closer, I +perceived it contained eggs, which were plainly visible through the +frail structure of the sides. On looking about to find the owner, I +saw a couple of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ flitting about uneasily in a +tree close at hand; so I hid myself a few yards off, and was almost +immediately rewarded by seeing one of them (it turned out to be +the female) fly down on to the nest, and seat herself on the eggs. +Approaching cautiously, I managed to shoot her as she slipped off; +but, on taking down the nest, I found I had fired too soon, as one of +the eggs (there were but two) was smashed by a pellet of shot. The +nest was rather a deep cup, and, notwithstanding its flimsy sides, +strongly made of grass-roots, lined with very fine black roots of +fern. The one unbroken egg was rather roundish in shape, of a dull +whitish and claret colour, mixed and spotted and clouded with deeper +vinous red, chiefly at the larger end." + +Mr. J. Darling, Junior, found the nest of this Bulbul on more than one +occasion at Taroar in the Malay peninsula. He writes:--"I shot this +bird off a nest with two eggs on the 8th February; the nest was in a +bush 5 feet from the ground; the foundation was of leaves and fine +grass, lined with fine grass and a few cocoanut fibres. The nest was +3 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. The eggs were too hard-set to +blow. + +"On the 10th February I took another nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_ +at Taroar. The nest was built in a small shrub 3 feet from the ground, +in a fork; foundation of dead leaves, built of fine twigs and fibrous +bark; lined with fine grass-bents and moss-roots. Egg-cavity 23/4 inches +in diameter, 13/4 deep; walls 1/4 inch thick, bottom 3/4 inch. + +"Found a nest of _Pycnonotus finlaysoni_, with two fresh eggs, on the +16th March. The nest was built in a thin small sapling, 51/2 feet from +ground, on the top of a thinly wooded hill; the nest was of the +ordinary Bulbul type, but better put together and neater. The +foundation was of broad fibrous bark and twigs, lined with fine +grass-stalks." + +The eggs vary in shape from broad ovals a good deal pointed towards +one end, to pyriform and elongated shaped, very obtuse even at the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, in some has a fine gloss, +in others it is rather dull. The ground-colour is a beautiful pink, +sometimes with a creamy tinge, and the markings are bold blotches, +spots, and streaks of a maroon of varying degrees in richness, and of +a subsurface-looking purple, varying to almost inky grey. In some eggs +the maroon, in some the purple or grey seems to predominate; in some +eggs the markings seem pretty equally distributed over the egg; in +others they form a more or less conspicuous zone about the larger end. +The eggs measure from 0.85 to 0.92 in length by 0.6 to 0.7 in breadth. + + +300. Pycnonotus davisoni (Hume). _Davison's Stripe-throated Bulbul_. + +Ixus davisoni, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 452 quat. + +Mr. Oates writes from Kyeikpadein in Pegu:--"A nest of this bird was +found on the 1st June, and another on 6th of the same month, each +containing two fresh eggs. The females, which were shot off the nest, +showed, however, no signs on dissection of being about to lay more. + +"The nest is a flimsy structure, built of the stems of small weeds and +lined with grass. A few fine black tree-roots are twisted round the +inside of the egg-chamber. The outside and inside diameters measure 4 +and 3 inches, and the depths are similarly 3 and 1.25. Both nests were +placed low down about 4 feet from the ground--one in a bush, and the +other in a creeper. + +"The eggs vary much in size. One pair measure .92 and .88 by .60 +and .65, and the other .83 and .82 by .65 and .61 respectively; +the ground-colour of all is a pinkish white. In one pair the +shell-blotches of washed-out purple are spread over the whole egg, and +the surface-spots and clashes of carneous red are also equally spread +over the whole shell. In the other pair the shell-marks are grouped +round the larger end to form a broad ring, and the whole egg is +thickly speckled and spotted with bright reddish. The eggs are very +slightly glossy." + + +301. Pycnonotus melanicterus (Gm.)._The Black-capped Bulbul_. + +Rubigula melanictera (_Gm.), Hume, cat._ no. 455 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes:--"In April 1873 I received from a friend in +Ceylon three eggs of this bird; but I was unable to identify them +until lately, when I had an opportunity of comparing them with a +clutch taken last year in the Western Province, and about which there +was no doubt. In the latter case the nest was fixed on the top of a +small stump, and was a loose structure of grass and bents; in +shape rather a deep cup; and contained two eggs of a reddish-white +ground-colour, profusely speckled with reddish brown (in one example +confluent round the obtuse end, in the other distributed over the +whole surface) over freckles of bluish grey. Dimensions: 0.79 by 0.58, +0.78 by 0.57. The other nest was made of grass on a foundation of +dry leaves and herbaceous stalks, loosely lined with fine hair-like +tendrils of creepers. The eggs were of a reddish-white ground, thickly +covered throughout with brownish-red and dusky red spots, becoming +somewhat confluent round the obtuse end. In form they are regular +ovals, and measure 0.78 by 0.6, 0.79 by 0.58." + + +305. Pycnonotus luteolus (Less.). _The White-browed Bulbul_. + +Ixos luteolus (_Less.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 84; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 452. + +Common as is the White-browed Bulbul in Midnapoor, throughout the +Tributary Mehals, along the Eastern Ghats, and again, it appears, in +Bombay, only two of my correspondents appear as yet to have procured +the nest or eggs. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken, writing from Bombay under date the 11th June, +says:--"I now send you a nest of _Pycnonotus luteolus_ with two eggs. +I took it this morning from, a thickly foliaged tree in a garden. It +was placed on the top of the main stem of the tree, which had been +abruptly cut off about 5 feet from the ground, where the stem was +about 3 inches thick. The nest was begun this day week, Thursday, and +the first egg was laid the day before yesterday (Tuesday). The bird is +a very common one in gardens in Bombay, though I never saw it in Berar +nor even in Poona. They build in situations similar to, but perhaps +rather more sheltered than, those chosen by the Common Bulbul; but I +remember finding one nest placed at a height of only 2 feet from the +ground. + +"This present nest was begun, as already mentioned, last Thursday, +just two days after the first severe thunder-shower preliminary to the +monsoon, now fairly on us. + +"I draw your attention to the manner in which the nest has been tied +at _one_ place to a twig to prevent its being blown off its very +(apparently) insecure site. I was obliged to take the nest, as I was +leaving at once, otherwise one or perhaps two more eggs would have +been laid." + +The nest is a rather loose straggling structure, exteriorly composed +of fine twigs. The cavity, hemispherical in shape, is carefully lined +with fine grass-stems. Outside it is very irregularly shaped, and many +of the twigs used are much too long and hang down several inches from +the nest; but on one side the outer framework has been firmly tied +with wool and a little cobweb to a live twig to which the leaves, now +withered, are still attached. No roots or hair have entered into the +composition of this nest. + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I once found a nest in Bombay, not many feet +above the level of the sea of course. + +"The first egg was laid on 14th September. The nest was built in a +bush on the edge of an inundated field, but in our garden. It was +fixed to a thin waving branch underneath the bush, which completely +overshadowed it. It was only 2 feet from the ground, a cup just large +enough to hold the body of the bird, whose head and tail always +projected over the edge; and it was made of thin twigs and neatly +lined with _coir_. The bird laid two eggs and then deserted the nest. +One of these, which I took, was thicker and rounder than a Bulbul's, +and thickly spotted with claret-coloured spots, which gathered into a +ring at the larger end. + +"The eggs were laid on successive days. I think the birds had already +had one brood (in another nest), for I saw apparently the same pair +followed by a young one not long before." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in my garden at Nellore. It was +rather loosely made with roots, grass, and hair, placed in a hedge, +and the eggs, four in number, were reddish white, with darker lake-red +spots, exceedingly like those of the Common Bulbul." + +Colonel Legge, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' tells us that this Bulbul +breeds in the west and south-west of Ceylon from December to June, the +months of April and May, however, appearing to be the favourite time. +On the eastern side of the island it breeds during the north-east +rains. + +The eggs answer well enough to Dr. Jerdon's description, but to an +oologist's eye they are excessively _un-like_ those of the Common +Bulbul; shape, tone of colour, and character of markings alike differ. + +In shape they are decidedly elongated ovals. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and moderately glossy. The ground is reddish white, and +this is profusely speckled and blotched (the blotches being chiefly +confined, however, to a broad irregular zone round the broader end) +with a deep but certainly, I should say, _not_ lake-red, but much +nearer what one would get by mixing brown with vermilion. Besides +these red markings sundry clouds and spots of a pale greyish lilac are +intermingled in a zone, and one or two spots of the same colour may be +traced elsewhere. + +The eggs measure 0.92 by 0.62, and 0.97 by 0.63. + + +300. Pycnonotus blanfordi (Jerd.). _Blanford's Bulbul_. + +Ixus blanfordi (_Jerd.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 quint. + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest in a small tree, well concealed +by leaves, about 7 feet from the ground, near Pegu. A very neat cup +measuring 3 inches diameter externally and 2.25 internally. The depth +1.75 inch outside and 1.25 inside. The sides of the nest, though very +strongly woven, can be seen through. The materials consist of small +fine branchlets of weeds, and the inside is neatly lined with grass. +One or two dead leaves, or rather fragments, are used in the exterior +walling. + +"The nest was found on the 25th May, and contained three eggs slightly +incubated. The ground-colour is a fresh pink, but with little gloss. +The whole egg is covered with a profusion of dark purplish-red spots, +more thickly disposed at the thick end, but everywhere frequent. In +addition there are some underlying and much paler smears. The three +eggs measured respectively .75, .78, and .77 in length, by .63, .62, +and .61 in breadth. + +"Subsequently I found five other nests, from the 1st April to the 20th +June, all similar to the one described. Eggs invariably three. Average +size of twelve eggs .82 by .6." + +The nests of this species that I have seen have been very slight +flimsy structures, nearly hemispherical cups, composed of fine twigs +and the leaf-stalks of pennated leaves a little bound together with +cobwebs and thinly lined with fine hair-like grass. In some cases +a leaf or two has been attached to the outer surface to aid the +concealment of the nest. The nest is very loosely woven just like a +sieve, as a rule nowhere more than 0.25 inch thick, and with a truly +hemispherical cavity, diameter about 2.5, depth about 1.25. + +The eggs are of the ordinary Bulbul type, but not amongst the more +richly-coloured examples of these; in shape and size they vary a good +deal, but typically they seem to be moderately broad ovals slightly +compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine and smooth, but +has scarcely any appreciable gloss; the ground is pale pink or pinky +white. At the large end the markings are dense, forming in some eggs +an almost confluent zone, in others a mottled cap; they consist +of irregular-shaped spots and specks of deep red and pale +subsurface-looking greyish purple; over the rest of the surface of the +egg outside the zone or cap the markings are much smaller in size and +much more thinly scattered, and it is observable that the secondary +purple markings are to a great extent confined to the zone or cap, as +the case may be, and its immediate neighbourhood. + +Occasionally the markings, which seem always to be small and speckly, +are very sparsely set, leaving comparatively large portions of the +surface unmarked; and occasionally eggs are met with in which the +primary markings are wholly wanting, and there is nothing but a pale +reddish-purple cloudy mottling over the greater portion of the surface +of the egg.[A] + +[Footnote A: PYCNONOTUS PLUMOSUS, Bl. _The Large Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus plumosus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 sept. + +Mr. W. Davison writes:--"I found one nest of this Bulbul at Kossoom: +it was of the ordinary Bulbul type and placed in a small but dense +clump of cane, about 18 inches from the ground. The parent birds were +very vociferous when the nest was approached." + +The eggs of all these Bulbuls, though they are separable when +individually compared, follow so closely the same type of colouring +that, it is almost impossible to make their distinctions apparent by +any verbal descriptions. + +The eggs of the present species are like those of so many others, +moderately broad ovals, obtuse at the large end, somewhat compressed +towards the small end, at times slightly pyriform. The shell very +fine, smooth and thin, but strong, and generally with an appreciable +though not at all conspicuous gloss. + +The ground-colour is pink or pinky white, and they are very thickly +speckled and spotted everywhere, but extremely densely so, and there +blotched also in a broad irregular zone, round the large end with +rich reddish maroon and dull greyish or inky purple--the rich colour +predominating in some eggs, the dull colour in others; and in some the +markings being all extremely fine and speckly, while in others they +are rather bolder. Two eggs measure 0.9 by 0.66. + +PYCNONOTUS SIMPLEX, Less. _Moore's Olive Bulbul_. + +Ixus brunneus (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 452 oct. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"I took a nest of _P. simplex_ in some rather +thick jungle at Klang. The nest, of the ordinary Bulbul type (in fact +it might easily have passed for a nest of _Olocompsa_), was placed in +the fork of a small sapling about 6 feet from the ground. The nest +contained two eggs. The female was shot from the nest." + +The eggs are moderately elongated, rather regular ovals, some +specimens having a slight pyriform tendency. The shell is fine and +compact, and seems to have generally an appreciable but not striking +gloss. The ground-colour appears to have been creamy pink, and it is +very thickly freckled and speckled all over with a rich maroon, in +amongst which tiny clouds of pale purple may be faintly discerned; +dense as are the markings everywhere, they are generally most so in a +zone round the large end. Very possibly this species will be found to +exhibit somewhat different types of coloration, as the eggs of all +Bulbuls vary very much; but certainly typically the markings of this +species are much more speckly than in most of the others, forming a +universal stippling over the entire surface. The two eggs measure 0.9 +and 0.88 in length by 0.62 in breadth.] + + + + +Family SITTIDAE. + + +315. Sitta himalayensis, Jard. & Selby. _The White-tailed Nuthatch_. + +Sitta himalayensis, _J. & S., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 248. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings this species begins to +lay in April, constructing a shallow saucer-like nest of moss lined +with moss-roots, in holes of trees at no great elevation from the +ground. One such nest, the measurements of which are recorded, was +3.25 inches in diameter and 2 in height externally; the cavity was +2.25 inches in diameter and 1.25 inch in depth. They lay three or four +pure white eggs slightly speckled with red, which measure about 0.72 +inch in length by 0.55 inch in width. They breed once a year, and both +sexes assist in incubating the eggs and rearing the young. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"In Kumaon the White-tailed Nuthatch breeds in +May and June, laying five or six eggs, in holes in trees, especially +in oaks." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"This bird is an early breeder in +Naini Tal; a nest found on the 25th April contained half-fledged +young. It was in a natural hollow of a tree about 10 feet from the +ground in a thick trunk; the hole was closed up with a kind of stiff +gummy substance, leaving only a circular entrance about an inch in +diameter, just as I have seen in nests of _Sitta europaea_. The +old birds were busily engaged in feeding the young. Another nest +containing young was found on the 28th April in an oak tree at about +7000 feet elevation; both birds were feeding the young, and the nest +was similar to the last except that in this case it was so low down in +the trunk that, sitting on the ground, I could put my ear against +the hole. From a third nest, found on the 2nd May, the young +had apparently just fled. My experience bears out Mr. Hodgson's +observations: I have often been up here in May and June searching +closely and never found a nest; this year I came up for the first time +in April, and within a few days find three nests with young. I may add +that after the 10th May all the Nuthatches I have seen were in small +parties, apparently parents with their young." + + +316. Sitta cinnamomeiventris, Blyth. _The Cinnamon-bellied +Nuthatch_. + +Sitta cinnamomeoventris, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 387. + +Writing from Sikhim, Mr. Gammie says:--"I lately took the nest of +_Sitta cinnamomeiventris_ at 2000 feet. It was 20 feet from the ground +in a soft decaying bamboo on the edge of large jungle. The birds had +made a small hole just below an internode, and from the next internode +below had filled up the hollow of the bamboo with alternate layers of +green moss and pieces of tree-bark of about an inch or more square to +within a few inches of the entrance-hole. Each layer of moss was about +an inch thick, but the bark layer not more than a quarter of an inch, +the thickness of the bark itself. On the top of this pile, which was a +foot high, was a pad three inches wide by two in depth, of fine moss, +fur, a feather or two, and a few insects' wings intermixed, for the +eggs to rest on. The fur looks like that of a rat. There were four +hard-set eggs, which, unfortunately, got broken in the taking. One +of them only was measurable, and it was 0.65 inch by 0.5. I send the +shell-fragments to show the coloration." + + +317. Sitta neglecta, Walden. _The Burmese Nuthatch_. + +Sitta neglecta, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 250 bis. + +The Burmese Nuthatch probably breeds throughout Pegu and Tenasserim. +Of its nidification in the latter division Major C.T. Bingham +writes:--"On the 21st March, wandering about in a deserted clearing, +I saw a couple of Nuthatches (_Sitta neglecta_) flying to and from a +tree, carrying food apparently. Watching them closely with a pair of +binoculars, I saw them disappear near a knot in a branch. The tree was +a dead dry one and rather difficult to climb, but a peon of mine went +up and reported five young ones unfledged, the nest-hole being 6 +inches deep, and the opening, which was originally a large one, and +probably caused by water wearing into the site of a broken branch, +narrowed by an edging of clay. The young lay on a layer of broken +leaves. As they were featherless, blind little things I left them +alone, and was delighted to see the parents continuing to feed them." + + +321. Sitta castaneiventris, Frankl. _The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch_. + +Sitta castaneoventris, _Frankl., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 386. + +The late Captain Cock furnished me with the following note a long time +ago regarding the breeding of this Nuthatch:--"A very common bird at +Sitapur in Oudh, every mango-tope containing one or more pairs. They +pair early and commence making their nests in February, laying their +eggs in March. The nests are in cavities of trees, at no great height +from the ground, and unless observed in course of construction are +difficult to find--the bird filling the whole cavity up with mud +consolidated with some viscid seed of a parasitical plant, and merely +leaving a small round hole for entrance. This composition hardens like +pucca masonry in a very short time, and secures the nest from all +marauders except the oologist. The nest consists of a few dry leaves +at the bottom of the cavity at no great depth, and upon this four eggs +are laid. The birds sit close and do not easily desert their nests, as +the following instance will show. In 1873 I found a _Sitta's_ nest in +a mango-tree, and after watching the birds for some days, when the +eggs had been laid I took the nest, placing my handkerchief in the +nest to prevent bits of mud falling in on the eggs. I opened out the +cavity, cleaning away the mud, and putting in my hand I caught the +female bird. I looked at her and let her go. In 1874 curiosity induced +me to look at the place again, and to my surprise I saw the cavity had +been built up again. I caught a bird on the nest and took four eggs; +it may have been a different bird, but there was only one pair in that +tope of trees, and was probably the same bird I caught in 1873. I +found another nest in my garden about 2 feet from the ground, and I +often used to flash the sunlight from a small hand-mirror, that I use +out birds' nesting, onto the hen bird while she sat on her eggs. Our +collection contains a large series of these eggs, the produce of some +five-and-twenty nests taken by myself at Sitapur." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"At Allahabad I found two nests of this +little Nuthatch, one in July and one in September. I regret to say +neither contained any eggs, though the birds were going in and out +constantly. The nests were in tiny holes in mango-trees, the entrances +being still more contracted by earth being plastered round." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall observes:--"A nest of the Chestnut-bellied +Nuthatch was pointed out to me at Umballa in the next garden to mine. +It was about 12 feet above the ground in an old mango-tree; the +locality chosen was the stump of a branch which had been cut off and +had rotted down. Outside there was a great deal of masonry work as +hard and firm as that on white-ant hills, in the middle of which was a +neat circular hole just large enough for the passage of the bird. The +masonry continued down inside the hole as far as I could see; I did +not break it open, as there were nearly fledged young ones inside. +I knew this because the parent birds had been seen for some days +carrying in food. I did not see the nest till the end of May. The +following spring I found another nest at Kurnal in a bokain tree; +it was constructed after the same fashion; the nest itself, which +consisted only of dead leaves, was not very far down. I was +unfortunately this time (March 15th) too early for the eggs. The +holes are not easy to see from the ground, as they are most skilfully +concealed from view." + +The eggs of this species are very regular, slightly elongated ovals, +scarcely compressed or pointed towards the small end at all. The shell +is fragile, and is either entirely glossless or has only a trace of +gloss. The ground-colour is white, with at times a faint pinkish +tinge, and the markings consist of spooks, spots, and splashes (always +most numerous at the large end, where they usually form a more or less +conspicuous though irregular cap) of dull or bright brick-red, more +or less intermingled in most specimens with dull reddish lilac. The +arrangement and size of the markings are very variable. In some eggs +they are all mere specks, forming a small speckly cap at the large +end, and elsewhere very thinly scattered about the surface; in others +many of the spots are (for the size of the egg) large, the majority +are well-marked spots and not mere specks, and the whole surface of +the egg is pretty thickly studded with them, while the broad end +exhibits a large blotched and mottled cap. The majority of the eggs +are intermediate between these two extremes. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.61 to 0.72 and in breadth from. 0.5 to +0.54, but the average of numerous specimens is 0.67 by 0.52.[A] + +[Footnote A: SITTA TEPHRONOTA, Sharpe. _The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch_ + +Sitta neumayeri, _Mich., Hume, cat._ no. 248 quint. + +The Eastern Rock-Nuthatch is abundant in Baluchistan, and without +doubt breeds there. The following note by Lieut. H.E. Barnes will +therefore be interesting. He writes from Afghanistan:--"This Nuthatch +is very common on the hills. It appears to choose very different +localities to build in. In some instances a hole in the face of a +rock is selected, and this it lines with agglutinated mud and resin, +continuing the lining-case until it, projects in the shape of a cone +to fully 8 inches. It seems fond of decorating its little palace +with feathers to a distance of 2 or even 3 feet, and it is thus a +conspicuous object; but most nests are found in holes in trees, and +even here feathers are stuck into crevices all around. They are +usually well lined with camel-hair. + +"They breed in March and April. The eggs are usually four in number (I +have sometimes found five), oval in shape, more or less glossy white, +and more or less densely or sparsely (generally most densely towards +the large end) spotted and blotched with varying shades of chestnut +to reddish brown, more or less intermingled with pale purple and +occasionally purplish grey. Some eggs are very richly marked. Some are +almost pure white. They average 0.87 by 0.57." + +The eggs of this species are typically moderately broad ovals, +slightly pointed towards the small end, but elongated and more or less +blunt-ended pyriform examples occur. The shell is extremely fine and +smooth, but has only moderate amount of gloss in any specimen that I +have seen and in some specimens has only a trace of this. The ground +colour is pure white, and the eggs are generally thinly speckled, +spotted, or blotched, about the broad end only, with a pale red; +occasionally a few greyish-purple spots and blotches are intermingled +with the other markings, and specks and tiny spots of both red and +grey sometimes extend to the smaller end of the egg also. I have seen +no such examples myself, but very probably in some eggs the principal +markings may be at the small end. Eighteen eggs vary from 0.81 to 0.91 +in length by 0.61 to 0.69 in breadth.] + + +323. Sitta leucopsis, Gould. _The White-cheeked Nuthatch_. + +Sitta leucopsis, _Gould, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 385; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 249. + +Captain Cock took the eggs of the White-cheeked Nuthatch late in May +and early in June (1871) in Kashmir at Sonamurg. + +Captain Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I observed it +hanging about a nest-hole on the 21st May, but on returning to take +the eggs some days later was unable to find the tree:" and he adds, +"On the 21st of June I shot a young bird just fledged near the Peiwar +Kotul." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size. In shape some are +moderately elongated, some are somewhat broad ovals, and all are, more +or less, compressed towards the smaller end, which, however, is obtuse +and not at all pointed. The ground is white and has a slight gloss. +The markings consist of small spots and minute specks, some eggs +exhibiting only the latter. In all cases the markings are most dense +towards the large end, where they generally form an irregular and +ill-defined mottled cap or zone. In colour the markings are red and +pale purple, the red varying from bright brickdust-red to brownish and +even purplish red, and the purple being sometimes lilac and sometimes +grey, and here and there in a single speck, almost black. In length +the eggs vary from 0.67 to 0.75 inch, and in breadth from 0.5 to 0.55 +inch. + + +323. Sitta frontalis,, Horsf. _The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch_. + +Dendrophila frontalis (_Horsf._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ p. 388; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 253. + +The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, lays from the middle of February to +the end of May. It breeds in the forest-tracts of the Sub-Himalayan +ranges, in the Central Indian forests, the Ghats of Southern India, +and the well-wooded slopes of the Nilghiris, Palnis, &c. + +It builds a compact little nest of moss and feathers in a tiny hole +in a tree, selecting, I believe, generally a natural cavity, but +certainly trimming the entrance and interior itself. + +Mr. B. Thompson says:--"This species is common in all the low +densely-wooded valleys of the Sub-Himalayan ranges of Kumaon, at an +elevation of from 1500 to 2500 feet. It breeds in May and June in +hollows of trees. Any small hole suits for a nest, and it lays four or +five eggs, for I have seen it with as many young, though I never took +the trouble of getting out the eggs themselves." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This Nuthatch breeds on the Nilghiris as high up +as Ootacamund, nesting in holes of trees, and laying three or four +eggs, spotted with chestnut, pinkish red, or reddish brown. The nest +is composed of moss, moss-roots, &c., and lined with feathers. I am +not quite certain how long the breeding-season lasts, but I think that +it is from the middle of April to the early part of May." + +Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, sends me the following account of the +first nest she took of this species:-- + +"After having wished for some years to obtain the eggs of this bird, I +was delighted to hear from my brother that he had seen a Nuthatch go +into a _small_ hole in a tree, and that, on looking into it, he had +seen something like a nest. I went prepared with a chisel and hammer, +but wished first to ascertain fully who the owner of the nest was. +After watching at a respectful distance for a long time, an Indian +Grey Tit flew to the hole and peeped in. My first thought was one +of great disappointment at having ridden many miles with such high +expectations to find only a Common Titmouse's nest; but it did not +last long; the inquisitive Grey Tit found the hole too small for him, +and flew off just as happily as he had flown to it. I continued to +watch, and was quite repaid by seeing a Velvet-fronted Nuthatch fly to +the top of the tree containing the nest, and descend rapidly down the +trunk (which was about 12 or 13 feet high), as if it knew where the +wee hole was, and disappear into it. This was sufficient proof as to +the proprietor of the nest; I walked quietly up to the tree, and when +within a foot of it out flew the bird. My handkerchief was stuffed +into the hole to prevent any chips breaking the eggs, should there be +any: and making use of the chisel and hammer, I soon made the hole +large enough to admit my hand. The nest contained three eggs, which I +most carefully extracted one by one. The nest was then brought out, +and consisted of a quantity of beautiful green moss, feathers (many of +which belong to the bird), some soft fine hair, and a few pieces of +lichen. This nest was discovered on the 10th February. The tree it was +found in grew nearly alone, at the side of a road not much frequented. + +"The eggs were quite fresh, and most probably the bird would have laid +at least one more; but these were sufficient to show the colour of +the eggs, which were pure white, with dark and light red spots and +blotches, chiefly at the thick end, besides a circle of spots like a +Flycatcher's eggs." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing of South India, says, in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds in holes of trees, preferring the deserted ones +excavated by _Megalama caniceps_. The nest is built of moss, and lined +with the fluff of hares and soft feathers. The eggs are always four in +number, spotted with pinkish red on a white ground, the spots being +more numerous towards the larger end. They breed in March. Dimensions, +0.71 inch long by 0.57 broad," + +Mr. Mandelli sent me a small pad-like nest of this species found on +the 4th May in Native Sikhim. It was placed in a hollow of a trunk of +a large tree about 3 feet from the ground. It is composed of very fine +moss felted together with a little fine vegetable fibre, and the upper +surface coated with a little fine short silky fur, probably that of a +rat. + +Major Bingham, writing from Tenasserim, says:--"Fairly common in the +Thoungyeen valley. On the 18th February I found a nest in a hole in a +branch of a pynkado tree (_Xylia dolabrifomis_), but I was too early +for eggs." + +One egg of this very beautiful species was sent me by Miss Cockburn. +It is intermediate in size and colour between those of the European +Creeper and Nuthatch, while at the same time it strongly recalls the +eggs of _Parus atriceps_. In shape the egg is a broad oval (not quite +so broad, however, as those of the European Nuthatch are), slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is white, and the egg +is blotched, speckled, and spotted, chiefly, however, in a sort of +irregular zone round the large end, with brickdust-red and somewhat +pale purple. The shell is fine and compact, but devoid of gloss. The +egg measures 0.08 by 0.55 inch. + +Three other eggs from the Sikhim Terai measure 0.68 by 0.51. + + + + +Family DICRURIDAE. + + +327. Dicrurus ater (Hermann). _The Black Drongo_. + +Dicrurus macrocercus (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 427. +Buchanga albirictus, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 278. + +The Black Drongo or Common King-Crow lays throughout India, at any +rate in the plain country; it does not appear to breed either in the +Himalayas or the Nilghiris at any height exceeding 5000 feet. + +A few eggs may be found towards the close of April, and again during +the first week of August, but May, June, and July are _the_ months. + +It builds usually pretty high up in tall trees, in some fork not quite +at the outside, constructing a broad shallow cup, and lays normally +four eggs, although I _have_ found five. Elsewhere I have recorded the +following in regard to its nidification:-- + +"Close at our own gate is a pretty neem tree, the '_Melia +azadirachta_,' a species now naturalized in Provence and other parts +of the south of France. High up in a fork a small nest was visible, +and projecting over it on one side a black forked tail that could +belong to nothing but the King-Crow. Of this bird we have already +taken during the last six weeks at least fifty nests, and in many +cases where we had left the empty nest in _statu quo_, we found it a +week later with a fresh batch of eggs laid therein. Many birds will +never return to a nest which has once been robbed, but others, like +the King-Crow and the Little Shrike (_Lanius vittatus_) will continue +laying even after the nest has been _twice_ robbed. The very day after +the nest has been cleared of perhaps four slightly incubated eggs, a +fresh one that otherwise would assuredly never have seen the light is +laid, and that, too, a fertile egg, which, if not meddled with, will +be hatched off in due course. It might be supposed that immediately on +discovering their loss, nature urged the birds to new intercourse, +the result of which was the fertile egg, and this, in some cases, is +probably really the case; Martins and others of the Swallow kind being +often to be seen busy with 'love's pleasing labour' before their eggs +have been well stowed away by the collector. But this will not account +for instances that I have observed of birds in confinement, who +separated from the male before they had laid their full number, and +then later, just when they began to sit deprived of their eggs, +straightway laid a second set, neither so large nor so well coloured +as the first, but still fertile eggs that were duly hatched. But for +the removal of the first set, these subsequent eggs would never have +been developed or laid. Now, the theory has always been that the +contact of the sperm- and germ-cells causes the development and +fertilization of the latter. In these cases no fresh accession of +sperm-cells was possible, and hence it would seem as if in some birds +the female organs were able to store up living sperm-cells, which +only work to fertilize and develop ova in the event of some accident +rendering it necessary, and which otherwise ultimately lose vitality +and pass away without action. + +"The nest of the King-Crow that we took was of the ordinary type; in +fact I have noticed scarcely any difference in the shape or materials +of all the numerous nests of this common bird that I have yet seen. +They are all composed of tiny twigs and fine grass-stems, and the +roots of the khus-khus grass, as a rule, neatly and tightly woven +together, and exteriorly bound round with a good deal of cobweb, in +which a few feathers are sometimes entangled. The cavity is broad and +shallow, and at times lined with horsehair or fine grass, but most +commonly only with khus. The bottom of the nest is very thin, but the +sides or rim rather firm and thick; in this case the cavity was 4 +inches in diameter, and about 11/2 in depth, and contained three pure +white glossless eggs. In the very next tree, however (a mango, and +this is perhaps their favourite tree), was another similar nest, +containing four eggs, slightly glossy, with a salmon-pink tinge +throughout, and numerous well-marked brownish-red specks and +spots, most numerous towards the large end, looking vastly like +Brobdingnagian specimens of the Rocket-bird's eggs. The variation in +this bird's eggs is remarkable; out of more than one hundred eggs +nearly one third have been pure white, and between the dead glossless +purely white egg and a somewhat glossy, warm pinky grounded one, with +numerous well-marked spots and specks of maroon colour, dull-red, and +red-brown or even dusky, every possible gradation is found. Each set +of eggs, however, seems to be invariably of the same type, and we have +never yet found a quite white and a well coloured and marked egg in +the same nest. + +"These birds are very jealous of the approach of other birds even of +their own species to a nest in which they have eggs, and many a little +family would this year have been safely reared, and their ovate +cradles have escaped the plundering hands of my shikaries, had not +attention been invariably called to the thereabouts of the nest by the +pertinacious and vicious rushes of one or other of the parents from +near their nest at every feathered thing that; passed them by." + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species, which appears to be generally +diffused throughout India, is not uncommon in the Dehra Doon, but does +not ascend the hills; it breeds in June, laying four eggs of somewhat +variable size. They are pure white, thus differing widely from those +of the supposed _D. longcaudatus_ of Mussoorie. + +"It is evident likewise that the eggs which Captain Tickell assigns to +this species do not belong to it. (_Vide_ Journal As. Soc. vol. xvii. +p. 304.) + +"The nest differs from that of our hill species, being larger and +far less neatly made; it is placed in the bifurcation of the smaller +branches of a tall tree, and is composed exteriorly of two hard +semi-woody stalks of various plants, plastered over with cobwebs. +Another one was constructed entirely of fine roots, like the khus-khus +used for tatties, and plastered over like the former with cobwebs. It +is flattened or saucer-shaped, and about 3 inches in diameter." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"It breeds from the middle of May well into +August. I do not think it has two broods in the year, at least close +observation has not proved the fact. Trees of various sizes are chosen +indiscriminately for the nest, from the lofty mango and tamarind to +the low-growing roonji, &c. + +"The nest is a peculiarly slight-formed structure (occasionally I have +seen it otherwise, but this is the exception), always neatly made. +The exterior of the nest is composed of small fine twigs, roots, and +grass, with generally a good deal of spider's web round the outer +surface. The average exterior diameter of the nest is about 5.5 +inches. The cavity is frequently lined with horsehair. On three or +four occasions I have seen very fine khus substituted for the hair. +The average inner diameter of the nest is about 3.4 inches. + +"The regular number of eggs is four; in colour they are a light +reddish white, with a few spots or blotches, here and there of a +purplish red or red-brown. The eggs often differ much in size. + +"I happened to find in one nest two eggs, one of the usual size, the +other only about one third of the size. What is more surprising, it +was perfectly formed, as regards the white and yolk." + +The instance of sagacity related by Mr. Phillips, and quoted by +Jerdon, was related to him by the late Mr. Davis, my old Collector of +Customs. + +"I have on two or three occasions myself witnessed similar instances +of sagacity. This bird, during the breeding-season, is pugnacious to +a degree, fearlessly attacking every bird that approaches the tree on +which the nest may be." + +Writing from the Sambhur Lake, Mr. E.M. Adam says:--"Very common here. +The King-Crow breeds here in June and July. The eggs vary much with +regard to colouring; some are pure white without spots, some have dark +brown spots on the white ground, whilst others have a pale rufous +ground darker at the broader end, with spots of deep rust-colour and +lilac." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"At Bheera Tal, fully 4000 feet +above the sea, I found two nests of this species on the 24th May, one +contained four eggs, and the other three; the eggs varied much in +size, and out of the seven, six were pure white, almost like Barbet's +eggs, and the seventh had only a faint sprinkling of tiny dark spots +at one end. The birds, all four of which I shot, were typical _D. +ater_, with the white spot well developed. On the same day, and in the +same place, I found eggs of _D. longicaudatus_. I record this, as it +is not usual to find _D. ater_ breeding at this elevation. It may be +noticed that the eggs of this species found by Hutton in the Doon +were all pure white, while in the plains I think white is more +exceptional." + +Dr. Scully says:--"In Nepal it breeds freely at elevations of from +4000 to 5000 feet. Three nests were taken in the valley, in May and +June; these contained each three or four pure white eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I have found many nests of the King-Crow +both at Allahabad and Delhi. In both places they begin laying towards +the end of May, and I got fresh eggs at Allahabad as late as the 13th +August. The nests and eggs have been nearly always of the same type. +The former, a shallow, but well-made saucer, rather small sometimes +for the size of the bird, of grass-roots and twigs, and absolutely +without lining; the latter white, when fresh with a pink tinge, +spotted, chiefly at the larger end, rather scantily with claret-colour +and dark brown. I have never found a pure white egg." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajputana in general, tells us:--"The +King-Crow breeds during May and June. A few nests may be found in +July, but by far the greater number are to be found during the latter +part of May and the commencement of June." + +Colonel Butler informs us that "The Common King-Crow breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. I have taken nests on the +following dates:-- + + "June 6, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + June 7, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 9, 1875. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 young birds. + June 10, 1875 " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 11, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + June 13, 1875. " " 3 fresh eggs. + " " " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 8, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + July 12, 1875. " " 4 fresh eggs. + +"The nest consists of a broad shallow saucer about 31/2 inches in +diameter measured from the inside, composed of dry twigs and fine +roots, and is invariably fixed in the fork of a tree. The bottom of +the nest, though strongly woven, is often so thin that the eggs are +visible from below. The eggs, usually four in number, are of the +Oriole type, being white or creamy buff:, sparingly spotted and +speckled with deep chocolate or rusty brown, with, occasionally, +markings of inky purple. The markings of the eggs of this species, +like those of the Oriole, are apt to run if washed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing from the Deccan, say:--"Common +and breeds." + +Mr. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Abundant. Breeds +in May." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"Breeds from March to the end of May, constructing a slight +cup-shaped nest in a tree. The nest is composed of fine twigs bound +together with cobwebs, and is rather a flimsy concern, the eggs often +being visible from below. It is generally placed in the fork of a +branch, at from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. The eggs are three in +number, occasionally only two, and vary very greatly in colour, some +being almost of a pure white, whilst others again are spotted and +blotched, especially at the larger end, with claret and light purple +on a rich salmon-coloured ground. The birds are very noisy in the +breeding-season, keeping all intruders off, not hesitating to attack +Kites and Crows. They seem to have an especial antipathy to the +latter." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken states that in Madras "the King-Crow, so +conspicuous on the backs of cattle, telegraph-wires, &c., all through +the cold and hot seasons, is conspicuous by its absence during the +breeding-season. Many of them retire to woods and gardens to breed, +but even when they do not, they keep very quiet while they have their +nests. Last June there was a nest in a tree in the Thieves' bazaar at +Madras, but the birds hardly ever showed themselves out of the tree." + +Mr. J. Inglis informs us that in Cachar "this King-Crow is extremely +common. It breeds all through the summer. It lays four or five pure +white eggs on the top of a few grasses placed in the fork of a tree. +It is very pugnacious, and attacks birds of all sizes if they approach +it." + +There are two very distinct types of this bird's eggs. The one pure +white and spotless, the other a pale salmon-colour, spotted with a +rich brownish red. These eggs unquestionably both belong to the same +species, as I have taken them times without number myself and can +positively certify to their parentage; moreover connecting links are +not wanting in a large series. I have one egg perfectly white, with +the exception of three or four blackish-brown spots, another with more +of these spots, another with almost as many as the ordinary spotted +eggs have, the ground-colour in all these being still pure white, +and the spots being blackish or very deep reddish brown. Then I +have others similar to those just described, but showing a faint +salmon-coloured halo round one or two of the largest spots, others in +which the halo is further developed, and others again with the entire +ground-colour an excessively pale salmon throughout, and so on a +complete series gradually increasing in intensity of colour till we +get the pure rich salmon-buff which is at the other end of the scale. +I am particular in this description, because the eggs of this bird +have been a subject of almost as many contradictions between Indian +naturalists as the chameleon of pious memory. In shape the eggs are +typically a rather long oval, somewhat pointed towards one end. Very +much elongated varieties are common, recalling in this respect the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_. Spherical varieties, if they occur, must +be very rare, the enormous series I possess containing no example. In +the colour of the ground, as above remarked, there is every possible, +variety of shade between pure white and a very rich salmon-colour. In +the intensity and number of the markings there is an equally great +variety. The markings, always spots and specks, the largest never +exceeding 0.1 inch in diameter, are invariably most numerous towards +the large end, where they are sometimes, though rarefy, slightly +confluent. They vary from only two or three to a number too large to +count, and in colour through many shades of reddish, blackish, and +purplish brown, the latter being rare and abnormal. + +The eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, as a rule, though here and +there a slight trace of it is observable. It is this want of gloss +alone that distinguishes some of the larger white, black-spotted +varieties from the eggs of the common Oriole, which they occasionally +exactly resemble not only in shape, colour, and character of marking, +but even (though generally smaller) in size. + +In length they vary From 0.87 to 1.15 inch, and in breadth from 0.7 +to 0.85, but the average of 152 eggs measured is 1.01 by 0.75 inch. I +have two dwarf eggs of this species not included in the above average +which I myself obtained in different nests, measuring only 0.78 by 0.5 +inch, and 0.87 by 0.62 inch. + + +328. Dicrurus longicaudatus. A. Hay. _The Indian Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus longicaudatus, _A. Hay, Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 430. +Buchanga longicaudata (_A. Hay), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 280. + +The Indian Ashy Drongo, a species that, with the really large series +before me from all parts of India, I find it impossible to subdivide +into two or more species, breeds alike in the plains, in well-watered +and wooded districts, and in the Himalayas up to an elevation of 6000 +to 7000 feet, and lays during the months of May and June. + +They build generally in large trees, at a considerable height from +the ground, placing their somewhat shallow cup-shaped nests in some +slender fork towards the summit or exterior of the tree. + +The nest is neatly and firmly built, of fine grass-stems, slender +twigs, and grass-roots, closely interwoven, and externally bound +together with cobwebs, in which, as in the body of the nest, lichens +of several species are much intermingled. Exteriorly the nests are +from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, and from 2 to 21/2 in height. Interiorly +they are lined with moss, roots, hairs, and fine grass; the cavity +measuring from 3 to 3.5 inches in breadth, and from 1.1 to 1.4 inch in +depth. The normal number of the eggs is four. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"The nest is usually fixed on the upper surface of a +thin branch about 15 to 20 feet from the ground, and at its junction +with another branch, the nest being partly embedded in the fork of two +_horizontal_ branches. It is composed of grass, fibres, and roots, and +lined with finer grasses and a few hairs. The nest is broader and much +shallower than that of _D. ater_; outside it is covered with spiders' +webs and small bits of lichen. + +"The eggs are four in number, sometimes only three, and vary much in +size, shape, and colour; size 1.0 by 0.7 inch: some are buff, blotched +with light reddish brown and pale purple-grey; others are lighter +buff, almost white in fact, spotted and marked more sparingly than the +first described with the same two colours, but each of a darker tint; +others are white, marked sparingly with spots and blotches of dark +purple-brown and reddish brown, and intermixed with larger blotches +of deep purple-grey, the markings principally forming a zone at the +larger end. Others, again, are pale purplish white, spotted with dark +and light purple-brown, and intermixed with spots and blotches of +purple-grey. The shape of the egg varies as much as the colouring, +some being of a fine oval form, while others are quite pyriform. +Laying in Kumaon from the middle to end of May." + +As I shall notice further on, I think that Mr. Brooks is mistaken +about some of his eggs. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This species, the only one that visits +Mussoorie, arrives from the Doon about the middle of March, and +retires again about September. It is abundant during the summer +months, and breeds from the latter end of April till the middle of +June, making a very neat nest, which is placed in the bifurcation of +a horizontal branch of some tall tree, usually an oak tree; it +is constructed of grey lichens gathered from the trees, and fine +seed-stalks of grasses, firmly and neatly interwoven; with the latter +it is also usually lined, although sometimes a black fibrous lichen is +used; externally the materials are kept compactly together by being +plastered over with spiders' webs. It is altogether a light and +elegant nest. The shape is circular, somewhat shallow; internal +diameter 3 inches. The eggs are three or four, generally the latter +number, and so variable in colour and distribution of spots that until +I had got several specimens and compared them narrowly, I was inclined +to think we had more than one species of _Dicrurus_ here. I am, +however, now fully convinced that these variable eggs belong to the +same species. Sometimes they are dull white with brick-red spots +openly disposed in form of a rude ring at the larger end; at other +times the spots are rufescent claret, with duller indistinct ones +appearing through the shell; others are of a deep carneous hue, +clouded and coarsely blotched with deep rufescent claret; while again +some are faint carneous with large irregular blotches of rufous clay +with duller ones beneath the shell." + +Some of Captain Hutton's eggs which he sent me were clearly those of +_Hypsipetes psaroides_ (of which also be sent me specimens), and the +fact is that in thick foliage where the Red-bill is not seen nothing +is easier than to mistake this bird for _D. longicaudatus_. I have +taken a great many of these nests, and I never found eggs other than +of the two types to be below described. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"In Kumaon this species breeds from +4000 to 5000 feet above the sea; the eggs are laid in the last week of +May. I have never seen a nest at Naini Tal itself (6000 to 7000 feet), +but at Bheem Tal (4000 feet) I found numerous nests within three days, +in the first week of June; all without exception had young. The next +season I visited the place in the last week of May, and found the eggs +just laid. + +"The nests were of the usual _Dicrurus_ type, wedged in a fork at +heights varying from fifteen to fifty feet from the ground, but as far +as my experience goes always in conspicuous places and generally on +trees almost or quite bare of leaves. The nests are usually only to be +obtained by sawing off the bough they are built on." + +Long ago Captain Cock, writing from Dhurmsala, said:--"I took a +nest on the 8th of May, containing four eggs. The eggs are regular, +roundish ovals, somewhat pointed towards one end. The ground-colour is +white, here and there suffused with a faint pinkish tinge, and it is +spotted and blotched with purplish red and pale lilac, most of the +spots being gathered into an irregular zone about the large end." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"Breeds in May, +in almost inaccessible places, about 7000 feet up, choosing a thin +fork at the outermost end of a bough about 50 or 60 feet from the +ground, and always on trees that have no lower branches. The nest is +almost invisible from below, as it is very neatly built on the top of +the fork; and when the female sits on it, she places her tail down the +bough so as entirely to hide herself. The eggs are only to be obtained +either by climbing higher up the tree than the nest is, and extracting +the eggs by means of a small muslin bag at the end of a long stick, or +else by lashing the bough on which the nest is to an upper bough as +the climber goes along so as to make it strong enough to support him. +The nest is much neater than that of _D. ater_; the eggs are light +salmon-coloured, with brick-red blotches sparsely scattered over them, +and are .95 by .7 inch." + +Dr. Scully records the following note from Nepal:--"This species lays +in the valley in May and June, the nest being placed high up in trees, +often in _Pinus longifolia_. The eggs are usually four in number, +fairly glossy, in shape moderate ovals, smaller at one end. The +ground-colour is pinkish white, with a tinge of buff, sparingly +spotted and blotched with brownish red, chiefly at the large end, +where the marks tend to coalesce, so as to form an irregular +incomplete ring. Four eggs taken on the 28th May measured 1.09 to 1.12 +in length, and 0.75 to 0.76 in breadth. The race which I identify with +_D. himalayanus_ was found, in very small numbers, on the summit of +Sheopuri, at an elevation of about 7500 feet, and was breeding at the +time I shot my specimen, viz. the 20th May." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest at Mongpho, near Darjeeling, at an elevation +of about 3500 feet on the 13th May. It was placed on an outer branch +of a tall tree and contained only one partially incubated egg. The +nest was a beautifully compact, but shallow cup, placed on the upper +surface of the bough, composed externally of roots and coated with a +little lichen and a great deal of cobweb. Interiorly lined with the +finest grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in +diameter and scarcely more than 1 inch in depth. At the bottom, where +it rested on the bough, the nest was not above 1/4 inch thick, and +consisted only of the lining materials. Laterally it was about 3/4 inch +thick. + +The egg was a broad oval, slightly compressed towards one end, but +not at all pointed. The shell very fine and with a slight gloss, the +ground-colour a delicate salmon-pink, and with a broad ring of deep +brownish-pink spots and blotches intermingled with pale purple +subsurface-looking clouds and spots round the large end. The rest of +the egg with some half-dozen similar spots. + +He subsequently sent me the following note:--"This species is common +in the Darjeeling district up to 4000 feet or so. It rather affects +the neighbourhood of bungalows, and is a very lively neighbour, +especially in the mornings and evenings. These birds are continually +quarrelling among themselves, sallying after insects, or making +their best attempts at singing. They are _dead_ on Kites, Crows, and +such-like depredators. For several days an Owl (_Bulaca newarensis_) +was flying about near the Cinchona Bungalow at Mongpho, and being a +stupid creature at the best, and doubly so during daylight when it had +no business to be abroad, was evidently considered fair game by the +Long-tailed Drongo and Swallow-Shrikes, and so awfully 'sat upon' by +them, that its life must have become a burden to it until it left +the place in despair of ever getting either peace or comfort about +Mongpho. + +"They lay in April and May, and have but one brood in the year. +The nest is generally either built against a tall bamboo, well up, +supported on the branch of twigs at a node, or near the extremity of a +branch of a tree, sometimes on quite slender branches of young trees, +which get so tremendously wafted about by the wind as to make the +retention of the eggs or young in the nest appear almost miraculous. +When anyone meddles with the nest, the owners make bold dashes at the +head of the robber. The Darjeeling birds are not so knowing as their +fellows of Murree, the females of whom are said to sit on the +nests with their tails along the boughs so as to entirely conceal +themselves. I have seen dozens of the nests here, and never once saw +the female in this position, but always with her tail _across_ the +bough. The nest is a compact shallow cup, measuring externally 4.5 +inches across by 1.75 in height, while the cavity is 3 inches in +diameter by about 1.2 in depth. It is made of twigs bound up with +cobwebs, among which a few lichens are intermingled. The lining is a +mixture of straw-coloured root-fibres and fine branchlets of the same +coloured grass-panicles." + +Mr. Mandelli sent me nests of this species, which were taken, at +Ging, near Darjeeling, on the 26th April and on the 22nd May, the one +contained one fresh egg, the other three. They were both placed on +branches of large trees at heights of about 20 feet from the ground. +They are broad shallow cups, from 4 to 5 inches in diameter, about 2 +in height, compactly composed of fine twigs and grass-stems, bound +together with cobwebs and with many pieces of lichen and some tiny dry +leaves worked in on the outer surface. Interiorly, they are lined with +very fine hair-like grass-stems. The saucer-like cavities are about 3 +inches in diameter and about 11/4 in depth. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found its nest on one occasion, in April, in +Lower Malabar. It was shallow and loosely made with roots, and lined +with hair, about 20 feet from the ground, on the fork of a tree; and +it contained three eggs of a pinkish-white colour, with some longish +rusty or brick-red spots." + +There are two very strongly marked types of this bird's eggs. The eggs +of both types are moderately broad, or, at most, somewhat elongated +ovals, and comparatively devoid of gloss. The first, in its colouring, +exactly resembles the eggs of _Caprimulgus indicus_; a pinkish +salmon-coloured ground, streaked, blotched, and clouded, but nowhere +densely (except towards the large end, where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), with reddish pink, not differing widely in hue +from, though deeper in shade than, the ground-colour. Here and there, +where the markings are thickest, under-clouds of very faint purple +occur, but these are too feeble to attract attention, unless the egg +is looked into closely. In the other type of egg, the ground-colour +is pale pinkish white, pretty boldly blotched and spotted almost +exclusively towards the large end, where there is a broad irregular +imperfect zone, with brownish red, intermingled with blotches of very +faint inky purple. My description possibly fails to make this as +apparent as it should be, but no two eggs can, to a casual observer, +appear more distinct than these two types. There is yet, according to +Mr. Brooks, a third type of this bird's eggs; of this he has given me +a single example. In shape it is excessively long and narrow, of the +type of the eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, but its coloration and +character of markings are unlike those of any Shrike or Drongo with +which I am acquainted, and exactly resemble those of many types of the +eggs of the several Bulbuls. The ground-colour is pinkish white, and +is thickly speckled and spotted throughout with primary markings of +rich brownish red, and feeble secondary ones of excessively pale +inky purple. This egg, moreover, possesses a degree of gloss never +observable in those of the _Dicruri_, and therefore, well assured +though Mr. Brooks is of the parentage of this egg which he took with +his own hands, I feel confident, having since obtained many eggs +of _Hypsipetes psaroides_ which are exactly similar to this last +described egg, that in, perhaps, indifferent light he mistook this +bird for a _Dicrurus_. I may add that the first described type, of +which I have procured numerous specimens from different parts of +the Himalayas, taking _several_ nests with my own hands, is most +characteristic of this species. + +In the type with the pinky-white ground, large or small spots often +occur about the large end of a deep purple colour, so deep as to be +almost black, and but for the absence of gloss some of these paler +eggs are very close to those of some of the Orioles. Intermediate +varieties between the two types above described occur, but in not one +of more than sixty specimens that I have examined has there been any +perceptible gloss. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.85 to 1.01 inch, and in breadth from +0.7 to 0.75 inch, but the average of fifty-one eggs is 0.95 by 0.74 +inch. + + +329. Dicrurus nigrescens, Oates. _The Tenasserim Ashy Drongo_. + +Dicrurus nigrescens, _Oates; Oates, B.I._ i, p. 315. + +Mr. Oates found the nest of this Drongo in Pegu. He says:--"I found +one nest on the 27th April at Kyeikpadein, near the town of Pegu, on +a small sapling near the summit. It contained four eggs[A]; they are +without gloss; the ground-colour in all is white. In three eggs the +whole shell is marked with spots of pale purple; these are perhaps +more numerous at the thick end, but not conspicuously so. The fourth +egg is blotched, not spotted, with the same colour. + +[Footnote A: I recorded the nest and eggs of this bird under the name +of _Buchanga intermedia_ (S.F. v, p. 149). The parent birds of these +eggs are fortunately still in the British Museum, and I am able to +identify them with this species, which occurs generally throughout +Tenasserim and many parts of Lower Pegu.--ED.] + +"The nest is composed of fine twigs and the dry branches of weeds; it +is lined very firmly and neatly with grass. Exterior diameter 5 inches +and depth 2; egg-chamber 31/2 inches across and 11/4 deep. The outside +of the nest is profusely covered with lichens and cobwebs. The eggs +measure from .83 to .95 in length, and .68 to .71 in width." + + +330. Dicrurus caerulescens (Linn.). _The White-bellied Drongo_. + +Dicrurus caerulescens (_L._), _Jerd B. Ind_ i, p. 432. +Dicrurus caeruleus (_Muell._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 281. + +I have never seen a nest of the White-bellied Drongo. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"This bird's breeding-habitat is from 2500 to 6000 feet in the +Himalayas. It is common on the south-eastern slopes of Nyneetal. It +lays in May and June, placing its shallow cup-shaped nest in some +little fork near the top of a moderate-sized oak-tree, if breeding on +a mountain-side, but of some tall _Alnus nipalensis, Acacia elata_, +or _Acer oblongum_, if nesting in deep dells or valleys. The nest +appeared to be exactly like that of _D. ater_; but I can say nothing +very positive about it or the eggs, as, though continually seeing +them, I never, I think, took the trouble of getting one down." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall, commenting on Mr. Thompson's remark that this +Drongo is common near Naini Tal, says:--"My experience on this point +is negative; I have carefully searched the south-eastern slopes of +Naini Tal for four years without even seeing the bird, so that I do +not think it can be classed as a common breeder here." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that on the 16th July he saw a brood of +_Dicrurus caerulescens_ on the Kondabhari Ghat, just able to fly. +Referring to Western Khandeish, he tells us that he saw only two +nests. They were on adjoining trees in the Akrani; they were largish +nests, not like those of _D. ater_, but more resembling those of _D. +longicaudatus_ described in 'Nests and Eggs.' One nest contained three +young ones, the other was only building; and nothing could have been +more plucky than the way the old ones defended their nest. + + +331. Dicrurus leucopygialis, Blyth. _The White-vented Drongo_. + +Buchanga leucopygialis (_Bl._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 281 +bis. + +Colonel Legge gives us the following account of the breeding of this +Drongo, which is confined to Ceylon:--"The breeding-season of this +Drongo is from March until May; and the nest is almost invariably +built at the horizontal fork of the branch of a large tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, sometimes as much as 40 feet. It +is a shallow cup, measuring about 21/4 inches in diameter by 1 in depth, +and is compactly put together, well finished round the top, but +sometimes rather loose on the exterior, which is composed of fine +grass-stalks and bark-fibres, the lining being of fine grass or +tendrils of creepers. The number of eggs varies from two to four, +three being the most common. They vary much in shape, and also in the +depth of their ground-tint; some are regular ovals, others are stumpy +at the small end, while now and then very spherical eggs are laid. +They are either reddish white, 'fleshy,' or pure white, in some cases +marked with small and large blotches of faded red, confluent at +the obtuse end, and openly dispersed over the rest of the surface, +overlying blots of faint lilac-grey; others have a conspicuous zone +round the large end, with a few scanty blotches of light red and +bluish grey on the remainder; in others, again, the markings are +confined to a few very large roundish blotches of the above colours at +one end, or, again, several still larger clouds of brick-red at the +obtuse end, with a few blotches of the same at the other. Dimensions +from 1.0 to 0.86 inch in length, by 0.72 to 0.68 in breadth. I once +observed a pair in the north of Ceylon very cleverly forming their +nest on a horizontal fork by first constructing the side furthest from +the angle, thus forming an arch, which was then joined to the fork by +the formation of the bottom of the structure. + +"The parent birds in this species display great courage, vigourously +sweeping down on any intruder who may threaten to molest their young." + + +334. Chaptia aenea (Vieill.). _The Bronzed Drongo_. + +Chaptia aenea (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 433; _Hume, Rough Draft N. +& E._ no. 282. + +The Bronzed Drongo breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the +central hills of Nepal, or rather in the plains near to these hills, +rarely quitting large woods. They begin to lay in March, and build a +broad somewhat saucer-shaped nest some 4 or 5 inches in width and 2 to +3 in depth externally. The nest is placed in some slender horizontal +fork, to one at least of the twigs of which it is firmly attached by +vegetable fibres; it is composed of fine twigs and grass, and bound +round with, cobwebs in which pieces of lichen and small cocoons are +often intermingled. Mr. Hodgson specially notes:--"_June 6th, valley_. +Female, nest and eggs; nest on fork of upper branch of large tree, 4.5 +inches wide by 2.25 deep, cup-shaped, made of fibres of grass bound +with cobweb, lining none; three eggs, obtusely oval, the ground fawn +tinged white, blotched (especially at larger end) with fawn or reddish +brown," + +It appears that four is the maximum number of eggs laid; both sexes +participate in the work of incubation and rearing the young, but they +are very jealous of the approach of any birds when they have eggs or +young, driving all such intruders away with the utmost bravery. The +eggs measure from 0.88 to 0.95 inch by 0.65. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found the Bronzed Drongo +breeding from April to June in the low hot valleys at about 2000 feet +above the sea. It suspends its nest in a slender horizontal fork at 10 +feet or more from the ground, and appears, like its frequent neighbour +_Dicrurus longicaudatus_, to prefer a bamboo-clump to breed in. The +nest is a compact cup, neatly made of fine grass-stalks, with an +outer coating of dry bamboo-leaves plastered over with cobwebs; it is +fastened to the supporting branches by cobwebs. Externally it measures +3.5 inches wide by 2 inches deep, internally 2.5 by 1.5. + +"The usual number of eggs is three." + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker, writing from Bangalore, tells us:--"I took +the nest of this bird on 6th April in the Shemagah District, Mysore. +It was built on the fork of a bare branch about 20 feet from the +ground in big tree-jungle, and was composed of fine grass, fibre, and +a few dry bamboo-leaves woven together with cobwebs, making a small +compact cup-like nest which measured 3 inches in diameter externally, +2.5 internally, and 1.4 deep. + +"From where I stood I saw the bird come and sit on the nest and fly +off again a dozen times at least. The eggs, three in number, measured +.9 by .65, and were pinkish white with darker pink and light purple +blotches and spots all over, principally at the larger end." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern Bengal, +this species is "rather common; generally to be found perching on the +dead branches of high trees overlooking water, especially whenever +there is a dense undergrowth of jungle. On the 1st June, 1878, I +secured a nest with three fresh eggs; it was built on a slender twig +on the outer side of a mango-tree which was standing near a ryot's +house, and was about 15 feet off the ground. External diameter 31/2 +inches, depth 2; internal diameter 2-1/3, depth 1-1/8. Saucer-shaped; +the outside consisted of plaintain-leaves torn up into slips, all of +which were firmly bound together by fibres of the plaintain-leaf and +jute, which were wound round the twigs and secured the nest. Inside +lining was made of very fine pieces of 'sone' grass. The pair were +very pugnacious, attacking any birds coming near their nest. These +birds have a clear mellow ringing whistle." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I procured one nest on the 23rd April. +It was placed at the tip of an outer branch of a jack tree, and +attention was drawn to it by the vigorous attacks the parents made on +passing birds. The nest was suspended in a fork; the outside diameter +is 4 inches and inside 3, total depth 21/2, and the egg-cup is about 11/2; +deep. The nest is composed of fine grass, strips of plaintain-bark, +and other vegetable fibres closely woven together; the edges and the +interior are chiefly of delicate branchlets of the finer weeds and +grasses. It is overlaid at the edges, where it is attached to the +branches, with cobwebs, and a few fragments of moss are stuck on at +various points. + +"There were two fresh eggs; the ground-colour is a pale salmon-fawn, +and the shell is covered with darker spots and marks of the same. They +are only very slightly glossy. The two eggs measure 0.85 by 0.62." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 10th March, 1880, +being encamped at the head-waters of the Queebawchoung, a feeder of +the Meplay, and having an hour to spare, I took my gun and climbed up +a steep hill to the very sources of the Queebaw. Here, hanging over +the trickling stream, was a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ firmly woven and +tied on to a fork in the branch of a little tree, at a height of about +10 feet from the ground. The nest was of roots and grass lined by +soft fine black roots, and held three eggs, of a rich salmon-pink, +obscurely spotted darker at the large end; they measure 0.83 by 0.61, +0.82 by 0.61, and 0.80 by 0.61 respectively. + +"On the 15th March, 1880, in the fork of a branch of a small +zimbun-tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_), hanging over a pathway along the +bank of the Meplay stream, I found a nest of the above species. A neat +strongly-made little cup of vegetable fibres and cobwebs, containing +two fresh eggs; ground-colour dull salmon, obscurely spotted with +brownish pink. They measure 0.86 by 0.64 and 0.88 by 0.65." + +Mr. J.L. Darling, Jun., records the following notes:-- + +"26th March. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_, building, when on the +march from Tavoy to Nwalabo, some seven miles east of Tavoy, in the +fork of a bamboo-branch 12 feet from ground. + +"29th March. Took two fresh eggs of _Chaptia aenea_, and shot the bird +off nest, about twenty-three miles east of Tavoy, in open bamboo-land, +very low elevation. The nest was built in the fork of an overhanging +branch of a bamboo some 50 feet from the ground. + +"13th April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built in a tree some 40 feet from ground, in open forest +about twenty miles east of Tavoy. + +"22nd April. Found a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ with two large young +ones. Nest built at the end of a bough about 30 feet from ground, near +Tavoy." + +The nests of this species are quite of the Oriole type, more or less +deep cups suspended between the forks of small branches or twigs of +some bamboo-clump or tree. Exteriorly they are composed of dry flags +of grass, bits of bamboo-spathes, or coarse grass, bound together with +vegetable fibres and often with a good deal of cobweb worked over +them; sometimes a tiny bit or two of moss may be found added, and +often the fine thread-like flower-stems of grass. Interiorly they are +generally lined with excessively fine grass. In one or two nests very +fine black fern-roots are intermingled with the grass lining. The +nests vary a good deal in size, but are all extremely compact, and +while some are decidedly massive, nearly an inch thick at bottom, +others are scarcely a quarter of this in thickness beneath. In one the +cavity is 2.5 inches broad by 3 long, and fully 2 deep; in another it +is about 2.5 inches in diameter by scarcely 1.25 inches in depth. In +one nest four fresh eggs were found; in another three fully incubated +ones. The nests were suspended at heights of from 10 to 30 feet from +the ground. + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie very much recall the eggs of _Niltava_ and +others of the Flycatchers. They are moderately elongated ovals, in +some cases slightly pyriform, in others somewhat pointed towards the +small end. The shell is fine and compact, smooth and silky to the +touch, but they have but little gloss. The ground-colour varies from +a pale pinkish fawn to a pale salmon-pink, and they exhibit round +the large end a feeble more or less imperfect and irregular zone of +darker-coloured cloudy spots, in some cases reddish, in some rather +inclining to purple, which zone is more or less involved in a haze +of the same colour, but slightly darker than the rest of the +ground-colour of the egg. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.76 to 0.88, and in breadth from 0.6 to +0.64. The average of fifteen eggs is 0.82 by 0.61. + + +335. Chibia hottentotta (Linn.). _The Hair-crested Drongo_. + +Chibia hottentota (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 439; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 286. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"The Hair-crested Drongo is extremely common as +a breeder in all our hot valleys (Kumaon and Gurwhal). It lays in May +and June, building in forks of branches of small leafy trees situated +in warm valleys having an elevation of from 2000 to 2500 feet. The +nest is circular, about 5 inches in diameter, rather deep and hollow; +it is composed of fine roots and fibres bound together with cobwebs, +and it is lined with hairs and fine roots. They lay from three to +four much elongated, purplish-white eggs, spotted with pink or claret +colour." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The Lepchas at Darjeeling brought me the nest, +which was said to have been placed high up in a large tree; it was +composed of twigs and roots and a few bits of grass, and contained +two eggs, livid white, with purplish and claret spots, and of a very +elongated form." + +The Jobraj, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, begins to +lay in Nepal in April. It builds a large shallow nest, 8 or 9 inches +in diameter externally, with the cavity of about half that diameter, +attached, as a rule, to the slender branches of some horizontal fork, +between which it is suspended much like that of an Oriole, though much +shallower than this latter; it is composed of small twigs, fine roots, +and grass-stems bound together, and it is attached to the branches by +vegetable fibre, and more or less coated with cobwebs; little pieces +of lichen and moss are also blended in the nest. It lays three or four +eggs, rather pyriform in shape, measuring 1.25 by 0.86 inch, with a +whitish or pinky-whitish ground, speckled and spotted pretty well all +over, but most densely towards the large end, with reddish pink. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took two nests of the Hair-crested +Drongo this year in June, both at about an elevation of 1500 feet in +wooded valleys, placed well up in the outer branches of tall, slender +trees; they are of a broad saucer-shape, openly but firmly made of +roots and stems of slender climbers, and destitute of lining. There +is a good deal of cobweb on the outsides of the nests, and they were +attached to the supporting branches by the same material. One was +fixed in among several upright sprays, the other suspended in a +slender fork after the manner of an Oriole. They measured about 6 +inches broad by 21/4 deep externally, internally 4 by 13/4. One nest +contained four fresh eggs, the other three partially-incubated eggs." + +Mr. Oates, writing from Pegu, says:--"In the first week of May I took +several nests of this bird, but in all cases the nests were situated +in such dangerous places that most of the eggs got broken; there were +three in each nest. The position of the nest and the nest itself are +very much like those of _D. paradiseus_. Comparing many nests of both +species together, the only difference appears to be that the nests of +the Hair-crested Drongo are slightly larger on the whole. + +"The only two eggs saved measure 1.10 by .8 and 1.11 by .81; they are +slightly glossy, dull white, minutely and thickly freckled and spotted +with reddish brown and pale underlying marks of neutral tint. + +"I may add that at the commencement of May all the eggs were much +incubated." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"During the breeding season in the end +of March and in April I saw a great number of nests round and about +Meeawuddy in Tenasserim, but all inaccessible, as they were invariably +built out at the very end of the thinnest branches of eng, teak, +thingan (_Hopea odorata_), and other trees. + +"Except during those two months, I have not seen the bird plentiful +anywhere." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps has written the following valuable notes regarding +the breeding of the Hair-crested Drongo in the Dibrugarh district in +Assam:-- + +"17th May, 1879. Nest with three fresh eggs, attached to a fork in one +of the outer brandies of an otinga (_Dillenia pentagyna_) tree, and +about 15 feet off the ground. + +"15th May, 1880. Three fresh eggs in a nest 20 feet off the ground, +and a few yards from my bungalow, in an oorian (_Bischoffia javanica_, +Bl.). + +"5th June, 1880. Nest with three partly-incubated eggs, in one of the +outer branches of a jack (_Artocarpus integrifolia_) tree, and about +15 feet off the ground. + +"27th May, 1881. Three fresh eggs in a nest on a soom (_Machilus +odoratissima_) tree at the edge of the forest bordering the tea. The +nests are deep saucers, 31/2 inches in diameter, internally 11/2 deep, +with the sides about 1/4 thick; but the bottom is so flimsy that the +eggs are easily seen from below, the materials being grass, roots, and +fine tendrils of creepers, especially if these are thorny, when they +are used as a lining. The nest is always situated in the fork of a +branch." + +The nests are large, shallow, King-Crow-like structures, often +suspended between forks, sometimes placed between four or five upright +shoots, at times resting on a horizontal bough against and attached to +some more or less upright shoots. They are composed mainly of roots +thinly but firmly twisted together, have sometimes a good deal of +cobweb twisted round their outer surface, often a good deal of +vegetable fibre used for the same purpose and, though they have no +lining, are always composed interiorly of finer material than that +used for the outer portion of the structure. Exteriorly the diameter +varies from 6 to nearly 7 inches, the height from nearly 2 to 21/2; the +cavity is usually about 4 inches in diameter and 1.5 to 1.75 in depth. +I have taken the nests in May and June alike in small and large trees, +at elevations of from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. + +Typically the eggs are rather broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards +the small end, but they vary a great deal both in size and shape, are +occasionally very much elongated, and again, at times, exhibit the +characteristic pointing but feebly. The ground-colour varies from +greyish white to a delicate pale pink; as a rule the markings are +small and inconspicuous frecklings and specklings of pale purple +reddish where the ground, is pink, greyish where it is white, +tolerably thickly set about the large end and somewhat sparsely +elsewhere; but in some eggs these markings are everywhere almost +obsolete. In many there is a dull pale purplish cloud underlying the +primary markings, extending over the greater part of the large end of +the egg. Not uncommonly a few specks and spots of yellowish brown +are scattered here and there about the egg. In one egg before me the +markings are larger, more decided, and fewer in number--distinct +spots, some of them one tenth of an inch in diameter; and in this egg +the spots are decidedly brownish red, while intermixed with, them are +a few specks and clouds of inky purple. The ground in this case is a +pale pinky white. + +As a rule the eggs are entirely devoid of gloss, but one or two have a +very faint gloss. + +The eggs measure from 1.01 to 1.21 in length, and from 0.79 to 0.86 in +breadth; but the average of twenty-nine eggs is 1.12 by 0.81. + + +338. Dissemurulus lophorhinus (Vieill.). _The Ceylon Black Drongo_. + +Dissemuroides lophorhinus (V.), _Hume, cat._ no. 283 quat. + +Colonel Legge says, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds in +the south of Ceylon in the beginning of April. I have seen the young +just able to fly in the Opate forests at the end of this month; but I +have not succeeded in getting any information concerning its nest or +eggs." + + +339. Bhringa remifer (Temm.). _The Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo_. + +Bhringa remifer (_Temm._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 434. +Bhringa tenuirostris, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 283. + +Of the Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Mr. R. Thompson says:--"This +elegant Drongo is somewhat common in our lower Kumaon ranges. Its +lively clear and ringing notes are one of the greatest charms of the +spring season in our forests. It breeds in May and June, and builds +upon lofty trees in dense forests, usually in some deep damp valley. +The nest from below looks just like that of a common King-Crow--a +broad shallow cup; but I never closely examined either nest or eggs." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"A nest with eggs were brought to me in June, +said to be of this species. The nest was loosely made of sticks and +roots, and contained three eggs, reddish white, with a very few +reddish-brown blotches." + +From. Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have taken but one nest of this +Drongo. It was suspended between two small horizontal forking branches +of a tall tree, some 20 feet from ground. It is a neat, saucer-shaped +structure, somewhat triangular, to fit well up to the fork, built of +fibry roots, and firmly bound to the branches by spiders' webs. The +sides and bottom are strong, but so thin that they can everywhere be +seen through. Externally it measures 4.5 inches across by 1.9 in +height; internally 3.5 by 1.3. It was taken on the 15th May at 2500 +feet, and contained three partially incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie at Rishap (elevation 4800) +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, is a very broad shallow saucer, composed +almost entirely of moderately fine dark brown roots, but with a few +slender herbaceous twigs intermingled. It is suspended in the fork +of two widely diverging twigs, to which either margin is attached, +chiefly by cobwebs, though on one side at one place part of the +substance of the nest is wound round the twig: the cavity, which is +not lined, is oval, and measures 3.5 inches by 2.75, by barely 0.75 in +depth. The female seated on the nest had long tail-feathers, so this +species does not drop these for convenience in incubating. + +Several nests of this species obtained in Sikhim by Messrs. Gammie, +Mandelli, &c. are all precisely similar--broad saucers, suspended +Oriole-like between the fork of a small branch. Exteriorly composed of +moderately fine brown roots, more or less bound together, especially +those portions of them that are bound round the twigs of the fork with +cobwebs, and lined interiorly with fine black horsehair-like roots. +They seem to be always right up in the angle of the fork, whereas in +_Chaptia_ they are often some inches down the fork, and consequently +the cavity is triangular on the one side, and semicircular on the +other. The cavities measure from 3 to nearly 4 inches in their +greatest diameters, and vary from 1 to 11/2 inch in depth; though strong +and firm, and fully 1/4 of an inch thick at bottom, the materials are so +put together that, held up against the light, they look like a fine +network. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie, though more elongated +in shape and somewhat larger, very closely resemble in coloration the +more ordinary type of the eggs of _Dicrurus longicaudatus_. In shape +they are elongated ovals, a good deal compressed towards the smaller +end. The shell is fine, but has scarcely any gloss. The ground-colour +is a moderately warm salmon-pink. It is spotted, streaked, and +blotched thickly about the large end (where there is a tendency to +form a cap or zone), thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish red, or +in some merely a darker shade of the ground-colour; where the markings +are thickest about the large end, in some only one or two, in others +numerous blotches and clouds of a dull inky purple are intermingled, +and a few specks and spots of the same colour often occur elsewhere +about the egg. + +Two eggs measure 1.09 by 0.75, and a third measures 0.98 by 0.75. + + +340. Dissemurus paradiseus (Linn.). _The Larger Racket-tailed +Drongo_. + +Edolius paradiseus (_L.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 435. +Edolius inalabaricus (_Scop.), Jerd. t.c._ p. 437. +Dissemurus malabaroides (_Hodgs.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 284. + +Of the Larger Racket-tailed Drongo Dr. Jerdon tells us that he has +"had its nest brought him several times at Darjeeling; rather a large +structure of twigs and roots; and the eggs, usually three in number, +pinkish white, with claret-coloured or purple spots, but they vary a +great deal in size, form, and colouring. They breed in April and May." + +The solitary egg that I possess of this species, given me by Dr. +Jerdon, is probably an exceptionally small one. It is a broad oval, +tapering a good deal towards one end, a good deal smaller than the +eggs of _Chibia hottentotta_, and not very much larger than some eggs +of _D. ater_. Its coloration, however, resembles that of _Chibia +hottentotta_, and differs conspicuously, _when compared with them_ +(though it may be difficult to make this apparent by description), +from those of the true _Dicruri_. The ground-colour is a dead white, +and it is very thinly speckled all over, a little more thickly towards +the large end, with minute dots and spots, chiefly of a very pale inky +purple, a very few only of the spots being a dark inky purple. The +texture of the egg is fine and close, but it is devoid of gloss. This +egg measures 1.1 by 0.87 inch. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson writes from Mysore:-- + +"_Kakencotte State Forest, Mysore District_.--I send you six eggs, +specimens from three different nests. + +"This bird is very common in the heavy forests of the Mysore District, +but the only nest I have ever found myself was on the 2nd May, 1880, +and contained two or three young birds. I could not distinctly see how +many. The nest was fixed towards the end of a branch of a tree, at a +considerable height from the ground, and was almost impossible to get +at. Had there been eggs in it I could not have taken them. + +"The breeding-season I should say was from the beginning of April to +the end of May. + +"Three nests, each containing three eggs, were brought to me this +season on the 10th and 26th April, and 9th May, 1880, by Cooroobahs +(the jungle-tribes in these forests); and although the eggs in each +nest vary considerably from one another, there is no doubt in my mind +that the eggs belong to one and the same species of bird. + +"It is a bird so well known in these forests that it would be +impossible to mistake it for any other. + +"In one case only was the nest brought to me, and this, which +unfortunately I did not keep, was loosely made of twigs and roots." + +Professor H. Littledale, quoting Mr. J. Davidson, informs us that +this species breeds in the east of Godhra, and therefore probably +throughout the Panch Mehals. + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The Bhimraj is very +common, frequenting thick jungle; it often goes in company with other +birds, which it mimics to perfection. It lays about four eggs in a +shallow nest made of grass similar to the above; it is very easily +tamed. The hill-tribes use the long tail-feathers for ornamenting +their head-dresses." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I have taken the eggs of this species on +all dates, from the 30th April to the 16th June. + +"The nest is placed in forks of the outer branches of trees at all +heights from 20 to 70 feet, and in all cases they are very difficult +to take without breaking the eggs. + +"The nest is a cradle, and the whole of it lies below the fork to +which it is attached. It is made entirely of small branches of weeds +and creepers, finer as they approach the interior. The egg-cup is +generally, but not always, lined with dry grass. + +"The outside dimensions are 6 inches in diameter and 3 deep. The +interior measures 4 inches by 2. In one nest the sides are bound to +the fork by cotton thread in addition to the usual weeds and creepers. + +"The eggs have very little or no gloss, and differ among themselves a +good deal in colour. In one clutch the ground-colour is white, spotted +and blotched, not very thickly, with neutral tint and inky purple, +chiefly at the larger end. Other eggs are pinkish salmon, and the +shell is more or less thickly or thinly covered with pale greyish +purple or neutral tint, and brownish-yellow or orangebrown spots and +dashes. + +"They vary in size from 1.2 to 1.06 in length, and .85 to .8 in +breadth." + +Major C.T. Bingham has the following note:--"About five miles below +the large village of Meplay, in the district of that name, the main +stream of the Meplay river is joined by a tributary, the Theedoquee. +On the 4th April I was wading across the mouth of the latter, when my +attention was attracted by seeing a pair of the above birds dart from +a small tree growing at the very point of the fork where the streams +met, and sweep down at my dog, not actually striking him, but nearly +doing so. Of course, I made for the tree, and sure enough there, about +15 feet from the ground, in a fork, was a large mass of twigs, above +which was placed a neatly made cup-shaped nest, lined with fine black +roots, and containing three fresh eggs, densely spotted, chiefly at +the larger end, with yellowish brown and sepia, on a ground-colour +of dull greenish white. The whole time the peon I had sent up was +climbing up and getting the nest, the two birds kept sweeping round +and round with harsh cries. I secured them both for the identification +of the eggs." + +The eggs of this species are typically rather long ovals, generally a +good deal pointed towards the small end. They are dull eggs, and never +seem to have any perceptible gloss. The ground-colour varies from +white to a rich warm pink. The markings are of all sizes and shapes, +from large blotches to the tiniest specks, and they vary in every egg, +being thickly set in some, thinly in others, but as a rule the largest +and most conspicuous markings are about the large end. Again, in +colour the markings vary very much: they are red, purplish red, +reddish brown, pale purple, and inky grey; generally the eggs +exhibit both coloured markings reddish and lilac, but sometimes the +white-grounded eggs have only these latter. Some of the pink eggs are +strikingly handsome, and remind one of those of some of the Bulbuls. +Others are dull eggs with only a few irregular grey clouds about the +large end, thinly interspersed with brownish-red spots, usually darker +about the centre, and elsewhere excessively minutely and thinly +speckled with spots too small to render it possible to say what colour +they are. + +An egg I received from Darjeeling measures 1.1 by 0.87; others +received from Mynall from Mr. Bourdillon, and the Kakencotte Forest, +Mysore, from Mr. I. Macpherson, vary in length from 1.16 to 1.1, and +in breadth from 0.84 to 0.75. Three eggs, taken in Pegu by Mr. Oates, +measure from 1.1 to 1.05 in length, by 0.83 to 0.81 in breadth, and +are smaller than those the dimensions of which he himself records +above. + + + + +Family CERTHIIDAE. + + +341. Certhia himalayana, Vigors. _The Himalayan Tree-Creeper_. + +Certliia himalayana, _Vig., Jerd B. Ind._ i, p, 380; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 243. + +Writing from Murree of the Himalayan Tree-Creeper, Colonel C.H.T. +Marshall says:--"This is a most difficult nest to find, as the little +bird always chooses crevices where the bark has been broken or bulged +out, some 40 or 50 feet from the ground, and generally on tall +oak-trees which have no branches within 40 feet of their roots. There +were young in the few nests we found. Captain Cock secured the eggs in +Kashmir; they are very small, being only 0.6 by 0.45; the ground is +white, with numerous red spots. The nests we found were in the highest +part of Murree, about 7200 feet." + +Two eggs of this species which I possess measure 0.69 and 0.68 +respectively in length, by 0.5 in breadth. + + +342. Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks. _Hodgson's Tree-Creeper_. + +Certhia hodgsoni, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 243 bis. + +Hodgson's Tree-Creeper is the supposed _C. familiaris_ obtained by Dr. +Jerdon in Cashmir, of which he gave me two specimens. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It was seen at Gulmurg and also at Sonamurg, where +Captain Cock took a few nests. The egg is much more densely +spotted than that of the English Creeper, so as almost to hide the +reddish-white ground-colour. Size 0.59 to 0.65 inch long by 0.48 inch +broad; time of laying, the _first_ week in June." + +The egg is of smooth texture, without gloss, of a purplish-white +ground-colour, and fully spotted all over with light brownish red, +especially at the larger end. Numerous spots of reddish grey or pale +inky purple are intermingled with red ones. + +In shape the egg varies from a somewhat elongated oval, more or less +compressed towards the smaller end, to a comparatively broad oval, +also slightly compressed towards the latter end. In all the eggs that +I have seen, the markings were more or less confluent towards the +large end. Their dimensions are correctly recorded by Mr. Brooks. + + +347. Salpornis spilonota (Frankl.). _The Spotted-Grey Creeper_. + +Salpornis spilonota (_Frankl.), Jerd. B.I._ i, p. 382. + +Mr. Cleveland found a nest of this species at Hattin, in the Gurgaon +district, on the 16th April. The nest was placed on a large ber-tree +in a patch of preserved jungle, at a height of about 10 feet from the +ground. It was cup-shaped, placed on the upper surface of a horizontal +bough at the angle formed between this and a vertical shoot, to which +it was attached on one side, the other three sides being free. The +nest itself is unlike any other that I have seen. It is composed +entirely of bits of leaf-stalks, tiny bits of leaves, chips of bark, +the dung of caterpillars, all cemented together everywhere with +cobwebs, so that the whole nest is a firm but yet soft and elastic +mass. The nest is cup-shaped, but oval and not circular; its exterior +diameters are 4 and 3 inches respectively; its greatest height 2 +inches; the cavity measures 2.6 by 2.2, and 1.1 in depth. + +The texture of the nest, as I have already said, is extremely +peculiar; it is extremely strong, and though pulled off the bough on +which it rested and the off-shoot to which it was attached, is as +perfect apparently as the day it was found, bearing on the lower +surface an exact cast of the inequalities of the bark on which it +rested; but it is soft, yielding, and flabby in the hand, almost as +much so as if it was jelly. The nest contained two almost full-grown +nestlings and one addled egg. + +This egg is a very regular oval, slightly broader at one end, the +shell fine and fairly glossy; the ground-colour is pale greenish +white; round the large end there is an irregular imperfect zone of +blackish-brown specks and tiny spots, and round about these is more or +less of a brown nimbus, and over the rest of the egg a very few +specks and spots of blackish, dusky, and pale brown are scattered. It +measures 0.68 by 0.53. + +Another nest was found about 15 feet up a tree. It was partly seated +on and partly wedged in between the fork of two thick oblique +branches, to the rough bark of which the bottom only was firmly +cemented with cobwebs, the sides, as in the case of the first nest, +being quite free and detached from its surroundings. As regards +dimensions and composition, the latter nest was an exact counterpart +of that first taken. It contained two partially fledged nestlings. + + +352. Anorthura neglecta (Brooks). _The Cashmir Wren_. + +Troglodytes neglecta, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 333 bis. +Troglodytes nipalensis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 333. + +The Cashmir Wren breeds in Cashmir in May and June at elevations of +from 6000 to nearly 10,000 feet. I have never seen the nest, though +I possess eggs taken by Captain Cock and Mr. Brooks in Cashmir. +The latter says:--"Only two nests of this bird were found (both at +Gulmurg), one having four eggs and the other three. In the latter +case the full number was not laid, as the nest, when first found, was +empty; on three successive mornings an egg was laid and then they were +taken. + +"In shape they vary as much as do those of the English Wren, and like +them they are white, sometimes minutely freckled with pale red and +purple-grey specks, which are principally confined to the large end, +with a tendency to form a zone. Other eggs are plain white, without +the slightest sign of a spot; but these, I think, must be the +exception, for the egg of the English Wren is usually spotted. The egg +has very little gloss, and the ground-colour is pure white." + +The eggs are very large for the size of the bird. There appear to +be two types. The one somewhat elongated ovals, slightly compressed +towards the lesser end; the others broad short ovals, decidedly +pointed at one end. Some eggs are perfectly pure unspotted white; +others have a dull white ground, with a faint zone of minute specks of +brownish red and tiny spots of greyish purple towards the large end, +and a very few markings of a similar character scattered about the +rest of the surface. All the eggs of the latter type vary in the +amount and size of markings; these latter are always sparse and very +minute. The pure white eggs appear to be less common. The eggs have +always a slight gloss, the pure white ones at times a very decided, +though never at all a brilliant gloss. + +In length they vary from 0.61 to 0.7 inch, and in breadth from 0.5 to +0.52 inch. + +Mr. Brooks subsequently wrote:--"The Cashmir Wren is not uncommon in +the pine-woods of Cashmir, and in habits and manners resembles its +European congener. Its song is very similar and quite as pretty. It is +a shy, active little bird, and very difficult to shoot. I found two +nests. One was placed in the roots of a large upturned pine, and +was globular with entrance at the side. It was profusely lined with +feathers and composed of moss and fibres. The eggs were white, +sparingly and minutely spotted with red, rather oval in shape; +measuring 0.66 by 0.5. A second nest was placed in the thick foliage +of a moss-grown fir-tree, and was about 7 feet above the ground. It +was similarly composed to the other nest, but the eggs were rounder +and plain white, without any spots." + + +355. Urocichla caudata (Blyth). _The Tailed Wren_. + +Pnoepyga caudata (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 490; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 331. + +The Tailed Wren, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, lays in April and +May, building a deep cup-shaped nest about the roots of trees or in +a hole of fallen timber; the nest is a dense mass of moss and +moss-roots, lined with the latter. One measured was 3.5 inches in +diameter and 3 in height; internally, the cavity was 1.6 inch, in +diameter and about 1 inch deep. They lay four or five spotless whitish +eggs, which are figured as broad ovals, rather pointed towards one +end, and measuring 0.75 by 0.54 inch. + + +356. Pnoepyga albiventris (Hodgs.). _The Scaly-breasted Wren_. + +Pnoepyga squamata (_Gould), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 488. + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"I found two nests of the +Scaly-breasted Wren this year within a few yards of each other. They +were in a small moist ravine in the Rishap forest, at 5000 feet above +sea-level. One was deserted before being quite finished, and the other +was taken a few days after three eggs had been laid. The two nests +were alike, and both were built among the moss growing on the trunks +of large trees, within a yard of the ground. The only carried material +was very fine roots, which were firmly interwoven, and the ends worked +in with the natural moss. These fine roots were worked into the shape +of a half-egg, cut lengthways, and placed with its open side against +the trunk, which thus formed one side of the nest. Near the top one +side was not quite close to the trunk, and by this irregular opening +the bird entered. Internally the nest measured 3 inches deep by 2 in +width. I killed the female off the eggs; she had eaten a caterpillar, +spiders, and other insects." + +Mr. Mandelli found a nest of this species at Pattabong, elevation 5000 +feet, near Darjeeling, on the 19th May, containing three fresh eggs. +The nest was placed amongst some small bushes projecting out of a +crevice of a rock about three feet from the ground. It was completely +sheltered above, but was not hooded or domed; it was, for the size of +the bird, a rather large cup, composed of green moss rather closely +felted together and lined with fine blackish-brown roots. The cavity +measured about 2 inches in diameter and 1 in depth. + +The eggs of this species seem large for the size of the bird; they are +rather broad at the large end, considerably pointed towards the small +end. They are pure white, almost entirely devoid of gloss, and with +very delicate and fragile shells. + +The eggs varied from in 0.72 to 0.78 in length, and from 0.54 to 0.57 +in breadth. + + + + +Family REGULIDAE. + + +358. Regulus cristatus, Koch. _The Golderest_. + +Regulus himalayensis, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 206; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 580. + +All I know of the nidification of this species is that Sir E.C. Buck, +C.S., found a nest at Rogee, in the Sutlej Valley, on the 8th June, +on the end of a deodar branch 8 feet from the ground and partly +suspended. It contained seven young birds fully fledged; no crest or +signs of a crest were observable in the young. Both the parent birds +and the nest were kindly sent to me. + +The nest is a deep pouch suspended from several twigs, with the +entrance at the top, and composed entirely of fine lichens woven or +intervened into a thick, soft, flexible tissue of from three eighths +to half an inch in thickness. Externally the nest was about 31/2 to 4 +inches in depth, and about 3 inches in diameter. + + + + +Family SYLVIIDAE. + + +363. Acrocephalus stentoreus (H. & E.). _The Indian Great +Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus brunnescens (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 154. +Calamodyta stentorea (_H. & E.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 515. + +Both Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock succeeded in securing the nests and +eggs of the Indian Great Reed-Warbler in Cashmere. Common as it is, +my own collectors failed to get eggs, though they brought plenty of +nests. + +The nest is a very deep massive cup hung to the sides of reeds. A nest +before me, taken in Cashmere on the 10th June, is an inverted and +slightly truncated cone. Externally it has a diameter of 31/4 inches +and a depth of nearly 6 inches. It is massive, but by no means neat; +composed of coarse water-grass, mingled with a few dead leaves and +fibrous roots of water-plants. The egg-cavity is lined with finer and +more compactly woven grass, and measures about 13/4 inch in diameter and +21/4 inches in depth. + +It breeds in May and June; at the beginning of July all the nests +either contained young or were empty. Four is the full complement of +eggs. + +Mr. Brooks noted _in epist._:--"_Srinuggur, 10th June_. I went out +early this morning on the lake here to look for eggs of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_, but it came on to rain so heavily that I only partially +succeeded. I took three nests, two with three eggs each, and one with +four young ones, the latter half-hatched. The eggs very much resemble +large and boldly-marked Sparrows' eggs. They are smaller than the eggs +of _A. arundinaceus_, but very similar. The latter have larger clear +spaces without spots than those of our bird. I neither saw nor heard +any other aquatic warbler." + +Later, in a paper on the eggs and nests he had obtained in Cashmere, +he stated that this species "breeds abundantly in the Cashmere lakes. +The nest is supported, about 18 inches above the water, by three or +four reeds, and is a deep cup composed of grasses and fibres. The eggs +are four, very like those of _A. arundinaceus_, but the markings are +more plentiful and smaller." + +Captain Cock writes to me that "the Large Reed-Warbler is very common +in the reeds that fringe all the lakes in Cashmere. It breeds in June, +builds a largish nest of dry sedge, woven round five or six reeds, of +a deep cup form, which it places about 2 feet above the water. It lays +four or five eggs, rather blunt ovals, equally blunt at both ends, +blotched with olive and dusky grey on a dirty-white ground." + +Mr. S.B. Doig, who found this bird breeding in the Eastern Narra in +Sind, writes:--"On the 4th August, while my man was poling along in +a canoe in a large swamp on the lookout for eggs, he passed a small +bunch of reeds and in them spotted a nest with a bird on it. The nest +contained three beautiful fresh eggs. A few days later I joined him, +and on asking about these eggs he described the bird and said he +had found several other nests of the same species, but all of them +contained young ones nearly fledged. I made him show me some of these +nests, all of which were situated in clumps of reed, in the middle of +the swamp, and in these same reeds I found and shot the young ones +which, though fledged, were not able to fly. These I sent with one of +the eggs to Mr. Hume, who has identified them as belonging to this +species. The nests were composed of frayed pieces of reed-grass and +fine sedge, the latter being principally towards the inside, thus +forming a kind of lining. The nests were loosely put together, were +about 3 inches inner diameter, 11/4 inch deep, the outer diameter being +6 inches. They were situated about a foot over water-line in the tops +of reeds growing in the water." + +Colonel Legge says:--"This species breeds in Ceylon during June +and July. Its nest was procured by me in the former month at the +Tamara-Kulam, and was a very interesting structure, built into the +fork of one of the tall seed-stalks of the rush growing there; the +walls rested exteriorly against three of the branches of the fork, but +were worked round some of the stems of the flower itself which sprung +from the base of the fork. It was composed of various fine grasses, +with a few rush-blades among them, and was lined with the fine stalks +of the flower divested, by the bird I conclude, of the seed-matter +growing on them. In form it was a tolerably deep cup, well shaped, +measuring 21/2 inches in internal diameter by 2 in depth. The single egg +which it contained at the time of my finding it was a broad oval in +shape, pale green, boldly blotched with blackish over spots of olive +and olivaceous brown, mingled with linear markings of the same, under +which there were small clouds and blotches of bluish grey. The black +markings were longitudinal and thickest at the obtuse end. It measured +0.89 by 0.67 inch." + +The eggs of this species, as might have been expected, greatly +resemble those of _A. arundinaceus_. In shape they are moderately +elongated ovals, in some cases almost absolutely perfect, but +generally slightly compressed towards one end. The shell, though fine, +is entirely devoid of gloss. + +The ground-colour varies much, but the two commonest types are pale +green or greenish white and a pale somewhat creamy stone-colour. +Occasionally the ground-colour has a bluish tinge. + +The markings vary even more than the ground-colour. In one type the +ground is everywhere minutely, but not densely, stippled with minute +specks, too minute for one to be able to say of what colour; over this +are pretty thickly scattered fairly bold and well-marked spots and +blotches of greyish black, inky purple, olive-brown, yellowish olive, +and reddish-umber brown; here and there pale inky clouds underlay the +more distinct markings. In other eggs the stippling is altogether +wanting, and the markings are smaller and less well-defined. In some +eggs one or more of the colours predominate greatly, and in some +several are almost entirely wanting. In most eggs the markings are +densest towards the large end, where they sometimes form more or less +of a mottled, irregular, ill-defined cap. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.8 to 0.97, and in breadth from 0.58 to +0.63; but the average of the only nine eggs that I measured was 0.89, +nearly, by rather more than 0.61. + + +366. Acrocephalus dumetorum, Blyth. _Blyth's Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus dumetorum, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 155. +Calamodyta dumetorum (_Bl.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 516. + +Blyth's Reed-Warbler breeds, I believe, for the most part along the +course of the streams of the lower Himalayan and sub-Himalayan ranges, +and in suitable localities on and about these ranges; such at least is +my present idea. They are with us in the plains up to quite the end of +March, and are back again by the last day of August, and during May at +any rate they may be heard and seen everywhere in the valleys south of +the first snowy range. + +Mr. Brooks remarks that "this species was excessively common on the +Hindoostan side of the Pir-pinjal Range, but I have never seen it in +Cashmere. I think it breeds in the low valleys by the river-sides, +for it was in very vigorous song there at the end of May." This is my +experience also, and probably while many may go north to Central Asia +to breed, a good many remain in the localities indicated. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This species arrives in the hills up to 7000 +feet at least, in April, when it is very common, and appears in pairs +with something of the manner of a _Phylloscopus_. The note is a sharp +_tchick, tchick_, resembling the sound emitted by a flint and steel. + +"It disappears by the end of May, in which month they breed; but, +owing to the high winds and strong weather experienced in that month +in 1848, many nests were left incomplete, and the birds must have +departed without breeding. + +"One nest, which I took on the 6th May, was a round ball with a +lateral entrance; it was placed in a thick barberry-bush growing at +the side of a deep and sheltered ditch; it was composed of coarse +dry grasses externally and lined with finer grass. Eggs three and +pearl-white, with minute scattered specks of rufous, chiefly at the +larger end. Diameter 0.62 by 0.5." + +The late Mr. A. Anderson wrote the following note:--"On the fifth +day after leaving Naini Tal--ever mindful of my friend Mr. Brooks's +parting advice to me (in reference to the part of the country which +required to be investigated), 'avoid the lower hills as the plague'--I +reached Takula, which is the first march beyond Almora on the road to +the Pindari glacier, late on the evening of the 10th of May. It rained +heavily all that night, so that I was obliged to halt the next day, +my tents being far too wet to be struck, and the distance to the next +halting-place necessitating a start the first thing in the morning. + +"Takula is at an elevation between 5000 and 6000 feet; it is +beautifully wooded, with a small mountain-stream flowing right +under the camping-ground, and the climate is delightful. All things +considered, I was not sorry at having an opportunity of exploring such +productive-looking ground; and before it was fairly daylight the next +morning operations were commenced in right earnest. To each of my +collectors I apportioned off a well-wooded mountain-slope, reserving +for my own hunting-ground (as I had not yet got my _hill-legs_) the +water-courses and ravines in the immediate vicinity of my camp. + +"Not more than 20 yards from where my tent stood, there is a deep +ravine clothed on both banks with a dense jungle of the larger kind of +nettle (_Girardinia heterophylla_: such nettles too!), the hilldock +(_Rumea nepalensis_), and wild-rose trees. Wending my way through this +dark, damp, and muggy nullah to the best of my ability, I came upon +the nest of this interesting little bird; it was placed in the centre +of a rose-bush, at an elevation of some two feet above the bank and +about four feet from where I stood, but yet in a most tantalizing +situation, inasmuch as it was necessary to remove several thorny +branches before an examination of the nest was possible. + +"The act of cutting away the branches alarmed my sombre little +friend (I knew that the nest was tenanted, as the bill and head were +distinctly visible through the lateral entrance), and out she darted +with such a '_whir_' that anything like satisfactory identification +for a bird of this sort was utterly hopeless. The nest contained four +beautiful little eggs, so that to bag the parent bird was a matter of +the first importance; all my attempts, however, first to capture +her on the nest and next to shoot her as she flew off, were equally +futile, her movements being as rapid and erratic as forked lightning. +And here let me give a word of advice to my brother ornithologists: +Never attempt to shoot a _wary little bird in the act of leaving its +nest_, as you only run the risk, and mortification I may add, of +wounding perhaps an unknown bird, in which case she will never again +return to her nest; but _lie in ambush_ for her with, outlying scants, +_and make certain of her as she is returning to her nest_. She will +first alight on a neighbouring tree, then on one closer, coming nearer +and nearer each time; finally, she will perch on the very tree or bush +in which the nest is built, and while taking a look round to see that +all is well before making a final ascent, you have yourself to blame +if you fail to bag her. All this sounds very cruel; but if a bird must +be shot for scientific purposes, it is surely preferable to kill it +outright than to let it die a lingering death. Thus it was that I +eventually succeeded, even at the expense of being devoured alive by +midges and mosquitoes; but then had I not the satisfaction of +knowing that to become the happy possessor of _authentic_ eggs of +_Acrocephalus dumetorum_ was in itself sufficient to repay me for my +hill excursion! + +"I cannot, however, pretend to lay claim to originality in the +discovery of the breeding-habits of this bird, for Hutton's +description of the nest and eggs taken by him so fully accords with my +own experience, that it is but fair to conclude he was correct in his +identification. I would add, however, with reference to his remarks, +that the nest above alluded to was _more elliptical_ than _spherical_, +being about the size and shape of an Ostrich's egg, that it was +constructed throughout of the _largest_ and _coarsest_ blades +of various kinds of dry grass, the egg-cavity being lined with +grass-bents of a finer quality, and that it was domed over, having a +lateral entrance about the middle of the nest. The whole structure +was so loosely put together as to fall to pieces immediately it was +removed. + +"The eggs, four in number, are pure while, beautifully glossed, and +well covered with rufous or reddish-brown specks, most numerous at the +obtuse end. Owing to its similarity to a number of eggs, particularly +to those of the Titmouse group, it is just one of those that I would +never feel comfortable in accepting on trust. + +"It was a remarkable coincidence that the very day I took this nest +my post brought me part iv. of the P.Z.S. for 1874, containing Mr. +Dresser's interesting paper on the nidification of the _Hypolais_ +and _Acrocephalus_ groups; and if I understand him rightly, he is +certainly correct in his surmise as to the eggs of _Acrocephalus +dumetorum_ approaching those of the _Hypolais_ group. + +"My good luck, as regards Blyth's Reed-Warbler, did not end here, for +on the following day, at Bagesur, at an elevation of only 3000 feet, +I again encountered a pair of these birds, finding their nest on the +banks of the Surjoo. The position, shape, and architecture of this +nest were identical with the one I have above described, but the eggs +unfortunately had not been laid. The little birds, on this occasion, +were quite fearless, hopping from stem to stem of the dense +undergrowth which throughout the Bagesur valley fringes both banks of +the river, every now and again making a temporary halt for the purpose +of picking insects off the leaves, with an occasional '_tchick_,' +which Hutton resembles to the 'sound emitted by a flint and +steel,' but all the time enticing me away from the site of their +dwelling-place. In this way they led me a wild-goose chase several +times up and down the river-bank before I was able to discover the +whereabouts of their nest." + +Captain Hutton sent me three eggs of this species. The eggs are +otherwise unknown to me, and I describe them only on Captain Hutton's +authority. The eggs are rather broad ovals, very smooth and compact in +texture, but with little or no gloss. They are pure white, very thinly +speckled with reddish and yellowish brown, the markings being most +numerous towards the large end, and even there somewhat sparse and +very minute. They measure respectively 0.65 by 0.52, 0.65 by 0.51, and +0.62 by 0.51. + + +367. Acrocephalus agricola (Jerd.). _The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler_. + +Acrocephalus agricolus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 156. +Calamodyta agricola (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 517. + +The Paddy-field Reed-Warbler nests apparently occasionally in May and +Jane in the valleys of the Himalayas, the great majority probably +going further north-west to breed. + +Very little is known about the matter. I have shot the birds in the +interior of the hills in May, but I have never seen a nest. + +Mr. Brooks, however, says:--"Near Shupyion (Cashmere) I found a +finished empty nest of this truly aquatic warbler in a rose-bush which +was intergrown with rank nettles. This was in the roadside where there +was a shallow stream of beautifully clear water. On either side of the +road were vast tracts of paddy swamp, in which the natives were busily +engaged planting the young rice-plants. The nest strongly resembled +that of _Curruca garrula_. The male with his throat puffed out +was singing on the bush a loud vigorous pretty song like a Lesser +Whitethroat's, but more varied. I shot the strange songster, on +which the female flew from the nest. This was the only pair of these +interesting birds that I met with. I think, therefore, that their +breeding in Cashmere is not a common occurrence." + +This nest, now in my collection, was found on the 13th June, at an +elevation of about 5500 feet, in the Valley of Cashmere. It is a deep, +almost purse-like cup, very loosely and carelessly put together, of +moderately fine grass, in amongst which a quantity of wool has been +intermingled. + + +371. Tribura thoracica (Blyth). _The Spotted Bush-Warbler_. + +Dumeticola affinis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 158. +Dumeticola brunneipectus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 519 bis. + +Mr. Hodgson gives a very careful figure of a female bird of this +species, together with its nest and egg, but he labels it underneath +_affinis_. As we know, he described _affinis_ as having spots on the +breast; but he further notes that at the same place at which he obtained +the female, nest, and eggs, he also got a male bird with spots on the +breast; in fact, in other words, he seems to have come to the conclusion +that _Dumeticola affinis_ was the male and that _Dumeticola +brunneipectus_, which he did not separately name, though he has +beautifully figured it, was the female. I have specimens of both, but +the sexes were not ascertained; still I doubt whether the two birds can +possibly be merely different sexes of the same species. Anyhow, the +female bird which he figures (No. 826) is really _brunneipectus_, and +under that name I notice the nest and eggs on which the female figured +was captured. Mr. Hodgson notes:--"_Gosainthan_. In the snows; female +and nest. + +"_August 2nd_.--Nest in a bunch of reeds placed slantingly: ovate +in shape; aperture at one side; placed about half a foot above +the ground, made of grasses and moss, 4 or 5 inches in diameter +exteriorly, interiorly between 2 and 3 inches." The eggs are figured +as moderately broad ovals, measuring 0.65 by 0.48, of a uniform deep +cinnabar-red, reminding one of the eggs of _Prinia socialis_, but much +deeper in colour[A]. + +[Footnote A: There can be no doubt, I think, that _T. affinis_ and _T. +brunneipectus_ are the same species as _T. thoracica_. I reproduce Mr. +Hodgson's note on the nesting of this species together with Mr. Hume's +remarks, but I feel sure that the nest described by Mr. Hodgson and +the egg figured by him cannot belong to the present species.--ED.] + +Mr. Mandelli sends me three nests of this species, all found near +Yendong, in Native Sikhim, at an elevation of about 9000 feet, on the +15th, 17th, and 21st July. The nests contained two, two, and three +fresh eggs respectively, and were placed, two of them in small +brushwood, and one in a clump of rush or grass, from 9 to 18 inches +above the ground. They seem to have all been rather massive little +cups, composed exteriorly of broad grass-blades rather clumsily wound +together, and lined with rather finer, but by no means fine grass. +In two of them some dead leaves have been incorporated in the basal +portion. + +They are rather dirty, shabby-looking nests, obviously made of dead +materials, old withered and partially-decayed grass, and not with +fresh grass; they seem to have measured 3 inches in diameter, and 2.5 +in height externally; the cavity was perhaps 1.5 to 1.75 in diameter, +and 1 inch more or less in depth. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"Nest among scrub in small bush, 2 +feet from ground, at 5000 feet above the sea. Found on the 3rd June, +when it contained two eggs; taken on the 5th, with four eggs. I +dissected the bird killed off the nest, and found it to be a female; +in her stomach were the remains of a few insects. The nest is +cup-shaped, loosely made of dry leaves and grass, lined with, for the +size of the bird, coarse grass-stalks. Externally it measures 3.5 +inches in breadth by 2.5 deep; internally 2 broad by 1.5 deep." + +This nest taken by Mr. Gammie near Rungbee on the 5th June, 1875, at +an elevation of about 5000 feet, contained four eggs. It was a massive +little cup about 3 inches in diameter externally, and with an internal +cavity about 2 inches in diameter and 13/4 inch deep; was rather loosely +put together, externally composed of dead leaves and broad flags of +grass, internally lined with grass-stems. + +The eggs of this species are very regular broad ovals, the shells fine +but glossless, the ground-colour a dead white, thickly speckled and +spotted about the large end, thinly elsewhere, with somewhat brownish +and again purplish red. The markings are all very fine and small, but +where they are closely set at the large end there a few little pale +purplish-grey specks and spots are intermingled. + +The eggs measure 0.68 by 0.55. + +The eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Mandelli in the neighbourhood +of Darjeeling in July are so similar to those obtained by Mr. Gammie, +and of which he sent me the parent bird, that no second description is +necessary. They are a shade smaller, but the difference is not more +than is always observable in even the same species. They measure 0.67 +in length, and 0.53 to 0.55 in breadth. + + +372. Tribura luteiventris, Hodgs. _The Brown Bush-Warbler_. + +Tribura luteiventris, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 161; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 522. + +A bird unquestionably belonging to this species[A], the Brown +Bush-Warbler, was sent me along with a single egg from Native Sikhim. +The bird was said to have been killed off the nest (which was not +preserved), which was found, at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, +in low brushwood about 3 feet from the ground. + +[Footnote A: I do not place much confidence in the authenticity of the +egg of this bird sent to Mr. Hume. Being a Warbler with twelve +tail-feathers, it is unlikely to lay a red egg, and besides this the +eggs of the allied species, _T. thoracica_, as found by trustworthy +observers like Messrs. Gammie and Mandelli, are known to be white +speckled with red, in spite of Mr. Hodgson's figure representing them to +be deep cinnabar-red.--ED.] + +The egg is a very regular, rather broad oval, has only a faint gloss, +and is of a very rich deep maroon-red, slightly darker at the large +end. + +The egg measures 0.62 by 0.49. + + +374. Orthotomus sutorius (Forst.). _The Indian Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus longicauda (_Gm_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 165; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 530. + +The Indian Tailor-bird[A] breeds throughout India and Burma, alike in +the plains and in the hills (_e.g._, the Himalayas and Nilgiris), up +to an elevation of from 3000 to 4000 feet. + +[Footnote A: The notes on this bird's breeding are so very numerous +that I am compelled to omit several of them.--ED.] + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, both months included; +but in the plains more nests are to be found in July, and in the hills +more, I think, in June, than during the other months. + +The nest has been often described and figured, and, as is well known, +is a deep soft cup enclosed in leaves, which the bird sews together to +form a receptacle for it. + +It is placed at all elevations, and I have as often found it high upon +a mango-tree as low down amongst the leaves of the edible egg-plant +(_Solanum esculentum_). + +The nests vary much, in appearance, according to the number and +description of leaves which the bird employs and the manner in which +it employs them; but the nest itself is usually chiefly composed of +fine cotton-wool, with a few horsehairs and, at times, a few very fine +grass-stems as a lining, apparently to keep the wool in its place and +enable the cavity to retain permanently its shape. + +I have found the nests with three leaves fastened, at equal distances +from each other, into the sides of the nest, and not joined to each +other at all. + +I have found them between two leaves, the one forming a high back and +turned up at the end to support the bottom of the nest, the other +hiding the nest in front and hanging down well below it, the tip only +of the first leaf being sewn to the middle of the second. I have found +them with four leaves sewn together to form a canopy and sides, from +which the bottom of the nest depended bare; and I have found them +between two long leaves, whose sides from the very tips to near the +peduncles were closely and neatly sewn together. For sewing they +generally use cobweb; but silk from cocoons, thread, wool, and +vegetable fibres are also used. + +The eggs vary from three to four in number; but I find that out of +twenty-seven nests containing more or less incubated eggs, of which +I have notes, exactly two thirds contained only three, and one third +four eggs. + +About the colour of the eggs there has been some dispute, but this is +owing to the birds laying two distinct types of eggs, which will be +described below. Hutton's and Jerdon's descriptions of the eggs, +_white_ spotted with rufous or reddish brown, are quite correct, but +so are those of other writers, who call them _bluish green_, similarly +marked. Tickell, who gives them as "pale greenish blue, with irregular +patches, especially towards the larger end, resembling dried stains +of blood, and irregular and _broken lines scratched round_, forming +a zone near the larger end," had of course got hold of the eggs of a +_Franklinia_. I have taken hundreds of both types, and I note that, as +in the case of _Dicrurus ater_, eggs of the two types are never found +in the same nest. All the eggs in each nest always belong to one or +the other type. + +The parent birds that lay these very different looking eggs certainly +do not differ; that I have positively satisfied _myself_. + +I quote an exact description of a nest which I took at Bareilly, and +which was recorded on the spot:-- + +"Three of the long ovato-lanceolate leaves of the mango, whose +peduncles sprang from the same point, had been neatly drawn together +with gossamer threads run through the sides of the leaves and knotted +outside, so as to form a cavity like the end of a netted purse, with a +wide slit on the side nearest the trunk beginning near the bottom and +widening upwards. Inside this, the real nest, nearly 3 inches deep and +about 2 inches in diameter, was neatly constructed of wool and fine +vegetable fibres, the bottom being thinly lined with horsehair. In +this lay three tiny delicate bluish-white eggs, with a few pale +reddish-brown blotches at the large ends, and just a very few spots +and specks of the same colour elsewhere." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"The Tailor-bird makes its nest with cotton, wool, +and various other soft materials, sometimes also lined with hair, and +draws together one leaf or more, generally two leaves, on each side +of the nest, and stitches them together with cotton, either woven +by itself, or cotton-thread picked up, and after passing the thread +through the leaf, it makes a knot at the end to fix it. I have seen +a Tailor-bird at Saugor watch till the native tailor had left the +verandah where he had been working, fly in, seize some pieces of the +thread that were lying about, and go off in triumph with them; this +was repeated in my presence several days running. I have known +many different trees selected to build in; in gardens very often a +guava-tree. The nest is generally built at from 2 to 4 feet above the +ground. The eggs are two, three, or four in number, and in every case +which I have seen were white spotted with reddish brown chiefly at +the large end.... Layard describes one nest made of cocoanut-fibre +entirely, with a dozen leaves of oleander drawn and stitched together. +I cannot call to recollection ever having seen a nest made with more +than two leaves.... Pennant gives the earliest, though somewhat +erroneous, account of the nest. He says: 'The bird picks up a dead +leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of a living one.'" + +I have often seen nests made between many leaves, and I have seen +plenty with a dead leaf stitched to a yet living one; but in these +points my experience entirely coincides with that of the late Mr. A. +Anderson, whose note I proceed to quote:-- + +"The dry leaves that are sometimes met with attached to the nest of +this species, and which gave rise to the erroneous idea that the bird +picks up a dead leaf and, surprising to relate, sews it to the side of +a living one, are easily accounted for. + +"I took a nest of the Tailor-bird a short time ago" (11th July, +1871) from a brinjal plant (_Solanum esculentum_), which had all +the appearance of having had dry leaves attached to it. The nest +originally consisted of _three_ leaves, but two of them had been +pierced (in the act of passing the thread through them) to excess, and +had in consequence not only decayed, _but actually separated from the +stem of the plant_. These decayed leaves were hanging from the side of +the nest by a mere thread, and could have been removed with perfect +safety. Perhaps instinct teaches the birds to injure certain leaves in +order that they may decay? + +"Jerdon says that he does not remember ever having seen a nest made +with more than two leaves. I have found the nest of this species +vary considerably in appearance, size, and in the number of leaves +employed, and, I would also add, in the site selected, as well as in +the markings of the eggs, which latter never exceed four in number. + +"The nest already described was built hardly _2 feet off the ground_, +was rather clumsy (if I might use such an expression), and was +composed of _three_ leaves. The eggs were white, covered with +brownish-pink blotches almost coalescing at the large end. Another +nest, taken in my presence (July, again, which is the general time) +from the _very top of a high tree_, was enclosed inside of _one_ leaf, +the sides being neatly sewn together, and the cavity at the bottom +lined with wool, down, and horsehair. These eggs (four) are covered, +chiefly at the larger ends, with minute red spots. + +"A third nest seen by me was composed of _seven_ or _eight leaves_". + +Captain Hutton tells us that he has seen many nests. All were +"composed of cotton, wool, vegetable fibre, and horsehair, formed in +the shape of a deep cup or purse, enclosed between two long leaves, +the edges of which were sewed to the sides of the nest, in a manner to +support it, by threads spun by the bird." + +He adds that the birds, though common at their bases, do not ascend +the hills; but this is a mistake, for I have repeatedly taken nests +at elevations of over 3000 feet; and Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, +says:--"We often find nests of this species near my house at Mongphoo +(which is at an elevation of about 3500 feet). I took one there on the +16th May, which contained four hard-set eggs. It was in a calicarpa +tree and between two of its long ovate leaves, the terminal halves of +which were sewn together by the edges, so as to form a purse in which +the real nest was placed. Yellow silk of some wild silkworm was the +sewing material used." + +Again, writing from the Nilgiris, Miss Cockburn remarks:--"The +Tailor-bird is seldom met with on the highest ranges, but appears to +prefer the warmer climates enjoyed at the elevation of about 3500 or +4000 feet. They often build in the coffee-trees; a nest now before me +was built on a coffee-tree, two of the leaves of which were bent down +and sewn together. The threads are of cobweb, and the cavity is lined +with the down of seed-pods and fine grass. At the back of the nest the +leaves are made to meet, but are a little apart in front, so as to +form an opening for the birds to hop in and out. The depth of the nest +inside is 21/2 inches. It was found in the month of June, and contained +four eggs, which were white spotted with light red." + +Of its breeding in Nepal, Dr. Scully tells us:--"It breeds freely in +the valley at an elevation of 4500 feet. I took many of its nests in +the Residency grounds, Rani Jangal, &c., in May, June, and July." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Tailor-bird breeds in April, +May, and June, both at Allahabad and at Delhi. The nest formed of one, +two, and occasionally three, leaves neatly sewn so as to form a cone, +and lined with the down of the madar, is well known." + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:-- + +"The Tailor-bird breeds, I fancy, at least twice in the year, as I +have seen young birds early in the hot weather both at Mount Aboo +and in Deesa, and I have also taken nests in the rains. The nest is +usually constructed with much skill and ingenuity. One nest which I +took on the 3rd September at Mount Aboo consisted of three leaves +cleverly sewn together with raw cotton, leaving a moderate-sized +entrance on one side near the top, the inside being lined exclusively +with horsehair and fine dry fibres. + +"I captured the hen bird with a horsehair noose fixed to the end of a +long thin rod as she left the nest. Another nest which I took in Deesa +on the 3rd September, 1876, was composed almost entirely of raw cotton +with a scanty lining of horsehairs and dry grass-stems. It was fixed +to the outside twigs of a lime-tree, two of the leaves of which were +sewn to it; two dead leaves were also attached to the nest, one being +sewn on each side as a support to the cotton. It was cup-shaped and +open at the top, much like a Chaffinch's nest." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This is a common bird in Burma in the plains, and +possibly also on the hills, though I did not observe it on the latter. +I found the nest of this species containing young birds in the +Thayetmyo cantonment on the 12th August. In the Pegu plains it appears +to nest from the middle of May to the end of August." + +The eggs are typically long ovals, often tapering much towards the +small end. The shells are very thin, delicate, and semi-transparent, +and have but little gloss. + +The ground-colour is either reddish white or pale bluish green. Of the +two types, the reddish white is the more common in the proportion +of two to one. The markings consist of bold blotchings or sometimes +ill-defined clouds (in this respect recalling the eggs of _Prinia +inornata_,) chiefly confined to the large end; and specks, spots, and +splashes, extending more or less over the whole surface, typically of +a bright brownish red, varying, however, in different examples both +in shade and intensity. The markings have a strong tendency to form a +bold, irregular zone or cap at the large end, and in some specimens +the markings are entirely confined to this portion of the egg's +surface. + +The eggs, which have a reddish-white ground, though smaller and of +a much more elongated shape, closely resemble those of _Suya +fuliginosa_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.6 to 0.7, and in breadth from 0.45 to +0.5; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 0.64 by 0.46. + + +375. Orthotomus atrigularis, Temm. _The Black-necked Tailor-bird_. + +Orthotomus atrigularis, _Temm., Hume, cat._ no. 530 bis. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a nest which he assures me belongs to this +species, and the bird he sent me for identification certainly did so +belong. The nest was found near the great Ranjit River on the 18th +July, and then contained three fresh eggs. The nest, which is a +regular Tailor-bird's, composed entirely of the finest imaginable +panicle-stems of flowering grass, is a deep cup placed in between two +living leaves, which have been sewn together at the tips and along the +margins from the tip for about half their length, so as to provide a +perfect pocket in which the nest rests. The leaves of which the pocket +is composed were the terminal ones of the twigs of a sapling, and only +about 3 feet from the ground. The leaves are large oval ones, each +about 7 inches in length; they have been sewn together with wild +silk carefully knotted, exactly as is the practice of the common +Tailor-bird. + +The eggs of this species are not separable from others of _O. +sutorius_, and though they may possibly average somewhat larger, I +have not seen enough of them to be able to make sure of this; and as +regards shape, colours, and markings the description given of the eggs +of _O. sutorius_ applies equally to eggs of this species. + + +380. Cisticola volitans, Swinh. _The Golden-headed Fantail-Warbler_. + +This species was not known to Jerdon, nor was it known to occur in +Burma at the time that I issued my Catalogue. Mr. Oates, writing +of the breeding of this bird in Southern Pegu, where it is common, +says:--"Breeding-operations commence in the middle of May; on the 28th +of this month I found two nests, one containing four eggs slightly +incubated, and the other two, quite fresh. + +"The nest is a small bag about 4 inches in height and 2 or 3 in +diameter, with an opening about an inch in diameter near the top. The +general shape of the nest is oval. It is composed entirely of the +white feathery flowers of the thatch-grass. The walls of the nest +are very thin but strong. The nest is placed about one foot from the +ground in a bunch of grass, and, in the two instances where I found +it, against a weed, with one or two leaves of which the materials of +the nest were slightly bound. + +"The eggs are very glossy pale blue, spotted all over with large and +small blotches of rusty brown. I have no eggs of _C. cursitans_ which +match them, in that species the spots being always minute and thickly +scattered over the shell, whereas in _O. volitans_ the marks are large +and fewer in number. Six eggs measured in length from .54 to .57, and +in breadth from .42 to .43." + + +381. Cisticola cursitans (Frankl). _The Rufous Fantail-Warbler_. + +Cisticola schoenicola, _Bp., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 174; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 539. + +The Rufous Fantail-Warbler breeds pretty well all over India and +Ceylon, confining itself, as far as my experience goes, to the low +country, and never ascending the mountains to any great elevation. + +The breeding-season lasts, according to locality, from April to +October, but it never breeds with us in dry weather, always laying +during rainy months. Very likely at the Nicobars, where it rains +pretty well all the year round, March being the only fairly dry month, +it may breed at all seasons. + +I have myself taken several, and have had a great many nests sent to +me. With rare exceptions all belonged to one type. The bird selects a +patch of dense fine-stemmed grass, from 18 inches to 2 feet in height, +and, as a rule, standing in a moist place; in this, at the height of +from 6 to 8 inches from the ground, the nest is constructed; the sides +are formed by the blades and stems of the grass, _in situ_, closely +tacked and caught together with cobwebs and very fine silky vegetable +fibre. This is done for a length of from 2 to nearly 3 inches, and, +as it were, a narrow tube, from 1 to 1.5 in diameter, formed in the +grass. To this a bottom, from 4 to 6 inches above the surface of the +ground, is added, a few of the blades of the grass being bent across, +tacked and woven together with cobwebs and fine vegetable fibre. The +whole interior is then closely felted with silky down, in Upper India +usually that of the mudar (_Calotropis hamiltoni_). The nest thus +constructed forms a deep and narrow purse, about 3 inches in depth, +an inch in diameter at top, and 1.5 at the broadest part below. The +tacking together of the stems of the grass is commonly continued a +good deal higher up on one side than on the other, and it is through +or between the untacked stems opposite to this that the tiny entrance +exists. Of course above the nest the stems and blades of the grass, +meeting together, completely hide it. The dimensions above given are +those of the interior of the nest; its exterior dimensions cannot be +given. The bird tacks together not merely the few stems absolutely +necessary to form a side to the nest, but most of the stems all +round, decreasing the extent of attachment as they recede from the +nest-cavity. It does this, too, very irregularly; on one side of the +nest perhaps no stem more than an inch distant from the interior +surface of the nest will be found in any way bound up in the fabric, +while on the opposite side perhaps stems fully 3 inches distant, +together with all the intermediate ones, will be found more or less +webbed together. Occasionally, but rarely, I have found a nest of a +different type. Of these one was built amongst the stems of a common +prickly labiate marsh-plant which has white and mauve flowers. There +was a straggling framework of fine grass, firmly netted together with +cobwebs, and a very scanty lining of down. The nest was egg-shaped, +and the aperture on one side near the top. Mr. Brooks, I believe, once +obtained a similar one; but the vast majority of the others that any +of us have ever got have been of the type first described, which +corresponds closely with Passler's account. + +Five is the usual complement of eggs; at any rate I have notes of more +than a dozen nests that contained this number, and in more than half +the cases the eggs were partly incubated. I have no record of more +than five, and though I have any number of notes of nests containing +one, two, three, and four eggs, yet these latter in almost all these +cases were fresh. + +Mr. Blyth says that this species is "remarkable for the beautiful +construction of its nest, _sewing_ together a number of growing stems +and leaves of grass, with a delicate pappus which forms also the +lining, and laying four or five translucent white eggs, with +reddish-brown spots, more numerous and forming a ring at the large +end, very like those of _Orthotomus sutorius_. It abounds in suitable +localities throughout the country." + +I must here note that Mr. Blyth never paid special attention to eggs, +or he would have hardly said this, because the character of the +markings are essentially different. Those of the Tailor-bird are +typically _blotchy_, of the present species _speckly_. + +Colonel W. Vincent Legge writes to me from Ceylon that "in the Western +Province it breeds from May until September, and constructs its nest +either in paddy-fields or in guinea-grass plots attached to bungalows." + +The nest is so beautiful and so neatly constructed that perhaps a +short description of it will not be out of place. A framework of +cotton or other fibrous material is formed round two or three upright +stalks, about 2 feet from the ground, the material being sewn into the +grass and passed from one stalk to the other until a complete net +is made. This takes the bird from one to two days to construct[A]. +Several blades, belonging to the stalks round which the cotton is +passed, are then bent down and interlaced across to form a bottom +on which, and inside the cotton network, a neat little nest of fine +strips of grass torn off from the blade is built; this is most +beautifully lined with cotton or other downy substance, which appears +to be plastered with the saliva of the bird, until it takes the +appearance and texture of soft felt. + +[Footnote A: Numbers of these birds used to build in a guinea-grass +field attached to my bungalow at Colombo, and I had full opportunity +of watching the construction of the nest on many occasions.--W.V.L.] + +"The average dimensions of the interior or cup are 2 inches in depth +by 11/4 in breadth. The whole structure is generally completed in about +five days, and the first egg laid on the fifth or sixth day from the +commencement. The number of eggs varies from two to four, most nests +containing three. The time of incubation is, as a rule, from nine to +eleven days. + +"I have found but little variation in the eggs of this species either +as regards size or colour. They are white or pale greenish white, +spotted and blotched in a zone round the larger end with red and +reddish grey, a few spots extending towards the point: axis 0.63 inch; +diameter 0.51 inch. + +"From close observation I can certify that this and many other small +birds do not here sit during the daytime. I scarcely ever found a +_Cisticola_ on the nest between sunrise and sunset," + +Colonel E.A. Butler writing from Deesa says:--"The Rufous +Fantail-Warbler breeds in the plains during the monsoon, making a long +bottle-shaped nest of silky-white vegetable down, with an entrance at +the top, in a tuft of coarse grass a few inches from the ground. I +have taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "July 29, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 7, 1876. " " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 8, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs." + +And he adds the following note:--"Belgaum, 22nd July, 1879. Four fresh +eggs. Same locality, numerous other nests in August and September." + +Major C.T. Bingham notes:--"I have not yet observed this bird at +Delhi. At Allahabad I procured one nest in the beginning of March, +shooting the birds. The nest was made of very fine dry grass, and +contained four small white eggs, speckled thickly with minute points +of brick-red. The average of the four eggs is 0.60 by 0.41 inch." + +Mr. Cripps informs us that in Eastern Bengal this bird is very common +and a permanent resident. Eggs are found from the beginning of May to +the end of June, in grass-jungle almost on the ground. The nest is a +deep cup, externally of fine grasses, internally of the downy tops of +the sun-grass. + +In the Deccan, Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that it is "common in +all grass-lands. It breeds in the rainy season." + +Mr. Oates, writing on the breeding of this bird in Pegu, says:--"The +majority of birds begin laying at the commencement of June, and +probably nests may be found throughout the rains. I procured a nest +on the 2nd of November, a very late date I imagine. It contained four +eggs." + +I have taken the eggs of this bird myself on many occasions. I have +had them sent me with the nest and bird by Mr. Brooks from Etawah, and +Mr. F.R. Blewitt from Jhansi. From first to last I have seen fully +fifty authentic eggs of this species. All were of one and the same +type, and that type widely different from any one of those that Dr. +Bree, following European ornithologists, figures. Dr. Bree's three +figures all represent a perfectly spotless egg--one pink, the other +bluish white, and the third a pretty dark bluish green. Our eggs, on +the contrary, are _spotted_; the ground is white with, when fresh and +unblown, a delicate pink hue, due not to the shell itself, but to its +contents, which partially show through it. Occasionally the white +ground has a _faint_ greenish tinge. + +_Every_ egg is spotted, and most densely so towards the large end, +with, as a rule, excessively minute red, reddish-purple, and pale +purple specks, thus resembling, though smaller, more glossy, and far +less densely speckled, the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. These are +beyond all question the eggs of our Indian species, and the only type +of them that I have yet observed; but the question remains--Is our +Indian _Prinia cursitans_, Franklin, really identical with the +European _C. schoenicola_, Bonaparte? [A]--and this can only be +settled by careful comparison of an enormous series of good specimens +of each bird. For my part I personally have little doubts as to the +identity of the two. At the same time differences in the eggs may +indicate difference of species. Thus of the closely allied _C. +volitans_, Swinhoe, the latter gentleman informs us that "the eggs of +our bird vary from three to five, are thin and fragile, and of a pale +clear greenish blue"[B]. He called it _C. schoenicola_ when he wrote, +but he really referred to the Formosan bird, which he has since +separated. + +[Footnote A: The Indian and European birds are now generally allowed +to be perfectly identical, notwithstanding the alleged difference +in the colour of the eggs; and Mr. Hume is now, I think, of this +opinion.--ED.] + +[Footnote B: But _C. volitans_, or the closely allied race which +occurs in Pegu, assuredly lays spotted eggs. I found two nests of this +bird, both with spotted eggs _vide_ (p. 236).--ED.] + +The eggs of course vary somewhat. Of one nest I wrote at the time I +found it--"The eggs are a rather short oval, slightly pointed at one +end, with a white ground, thickly sprinkled with numerous specks and +tiny spots of pale brownish red. They measured .58 by .46." Of +another I say--"The ground had a faint pearly tinge, and there was a +well-marked, though, irregular and ill-defined, zone towards the large +end, formed by the agglomeration there of multitudinous specks, which +in places were almost confluent." Of another set--"The eggs were much +glossier and had a china-white ground; but instead of a multitude +of small specks over the whole surface, they had nearly the whole +colouring-matter gathered together at the large end in a cap of bold, +almost maroon-red spots, only a very few spots of the same colour +being scattered over the rest of the egg." + +The eggs measure from .53 to .62 in length, and from .43 to .48 in +breadth; but the average dimensions of a large number measured were +.59 by .46. + + +382. Franklinia gracilis (Frankl.). _Franklin's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia gracilis, _Frankl. Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 536. +Prinia hodgsoni, _Bl., Jerd. t.c._ p. 173; _Hume, t.c._ no. 538. + +I have never myself succeeded in finding a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, but my friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt has sent me no less than +forty nests and eggs, with the parents; so that, although the eggs +belong to two, I might even say three, very different types, I +entertain no doubt that he is correct in assigning them to the same +species, the more so as, although the eggs vary, the nests are +identical. He has sent me several notes in regard to this species. +He says:--"On the 1st July, three miles south of the village of +Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District, I found a nest of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, containing three fresh eggs. It was on rocky ground +between a footpath and a water-course, about 2 feet from the ground, +and firmly sewn to a single leaf of a murori plant. The nest was +constructed exclusively of very fine grass, with spiders' web affixed +in places to the exterior. It was somewhat cup-shaped, 3.3 inches in +depth and 2.4 in breadth externally. The egg-cavity was about 1.4 in +diameter, and about the same depth. The eggs were a delicate pale +unspotted blue. + +"About 100 yards from the first, a second precisely similar, and +similarly situated, nest of this same species was found, which +contained three hard-set eggs, exactly similar in shape, texture, and +ground-colour to those in the first nest, but everywhere excessively +finely and thickly speckled with red, the specks exhibiting a strong +tendency to coalesce in a zone round the large end. + +"On the 12th and 13th July we obtained ten nests of Franklin's +Wren-Warbler, all in the neighbourhood of Doongurgurh. From what I +have seen, I gather that this species breeds from the middle of June +to the middle of August in this part of the country. They appear to +resort to tracts at some little elevation, where the murori and kydia +bushes are abundant, and where grass grows rapidly in the early part +of the rains. The nests, very ingeniously made, are invariably sewn to +one or two leaves in the centre of one of the above-named bushes, +the entrance above, just as in the nest of an _Orthotomus_. They are +placed at heights of from a foot to 3 feet from the ground. Fine +grass, vegetable fibres, and other soft materials are chiefly used in +their construction, a little cobweb being often added. The eggs are +laid daily, and four is the normal number, though three hard-set ones +are sometimes found. The nest is prepared annually. As far as I know +they have only one brood. Both parents unite in building the nest and +in hatching and feeding the young. + +"Of the ten nests now taken four contained speckled and six unspeckled +eggs. The two types are never found in the same nest. I send all the +nests, eggs, and birds." + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest of this species at Saugor, very +like that of the Tailor-bird but smaller, made of cotton, wool, and +various soft vegetable fibres, and occasionally bits of cloth, and I +invariably found it sewn to one leaf of the kydia, so common in the +jungles there. The eggs were pale blue, with some brown or reddish +spots often rarely visible." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Deesa:-- + + "July 26, 1876. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 15, 1876. " " 2 fresh eggs. + Sept. 3, 1876. " " 4 incubated eggs. + +"All of the above nests were exactly alike, being composed of fine dry +grass without any lining, felted here and there exteriorly with small +lumps of woolly vegetable down, and built between two leaves carefully +sewn to the nest in the same way as the nests of _Orthotomus +sutorius_. The eggs, three or four in number, are white, sparingly +speckled with light reddish chestnut, with a cap more or less dense +of the same markings at the large end. All of the eggs in the +above-mentioned nests were of this type. I found the nests in a +grass Beerh near Deesa, studded over with low ber bushes (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), generally about 2 or 3 feet from the ground, and in similar +situations to those selected by _Prinia socialis_, often amongst dry +nullahs overgrown with low bushes and long grass." + +Mr. Vidal notes in his list of the Birds of the South Konkan:--"Common +in mangrove-swamps, reeds, hedgerows, thickets, and bush-jungle +throughout the district. Breeds during the rainy months." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on the 19th +August; no details appear necessary except the colour of the eggs, +since this bird appears to lay two kinds of eggs. My eggs are very +glossy, of a light blue speckled with minute dots of reddish brown, +more thickly so at the large end than elsewhere." + +The nests sent by Mr. Blewitt are regular Tailor-birds' nests, +composed chiefly of very fine grass, about the thickness of fine human +hair, with no special lining, carefully sewn with cobwebs, silk from +cocoons, or wool, into one or two leaves, which often completely +envelop it, so as to leave no portion of the true nest visible. + +The eggs belong to at least two very distinct types. Both are +typically rather slender ovals, a good deal compressed towards one +end; but in both somewhat broader and more or less pyriform varieties +occur. In both the shell is exquisitely fine and glossy; in some +specimens it is excessively glossy. In both the ground-colour is a +very delicate pale greenish blue, _occasionally_ so pale that +the ground is all but white--in one type entirely unspeckled and +unspotted, in the other finely and thickly speckled everywhere, and +towards the large end more or less spotted, with brownish or purplish +red. The markings are densest towards the large end, where they either +actually form, or exhibit a strong tendency to form, a more or less +conspicuous speckled, semi-confluent zone. + +Out of fifty-six eggs, twenty-one belong to the latter type. As in +_Dicrurus ater_, the two types never appear to be found in the same +nest; but the nests in which the two types are found are precisely +similar, and the parent birds are identical. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.53 to 0.62, and in width from 0.4 to +0.45; but the average of fifty-six eggs is 0.58 by 0.42. There is no +difference whatever in the size of the two types. + + +383. Franklinia rufescens (Blyth). _Beavan's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia beavani, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 538 bis. + +Mr. Oates, who found the nest of this Warbler in Pegu, says:--"June +29th. Found a nest sewn into a broad soft leaf of a weed in forest +about 2 feet from the ground. The edges of the leaf are drawn together +and fastened by white vegetable fibres. The nest is composed entirely +of fine grass, no other material entering into its composition. For +further security the nest is stitched to the leaves in a few places; +the depth of the nest is about 3 inches, and internal diameter all the +way down about 11/2. Eggs three, very glossy, pale blue, with specks and +dashes of pale reddish brown, chiefly at the larger end, where they +form a cap. Size .58, .62, .61, by .47." + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a regular Tailor-bird's nest as that of this +species. It was found below Yendong in Native Sikhim on the 1st May, +and contained three fresh eggs. The nest itself is a beautiful +little cup, composed of silky vegetable down and excessively fine +grass-stems, and a very little black hair firmly felted together, and +is placed between two living leaves of a sapling neatly sewn together +at the margins with bright yellow silk. + +The eggs are rather elongated, very regular ovals. The shell stout for +the size of the egg, but very fine and compact, and with a moderate +gloss. The ground-colour is a very delicate pale greenish blue. At or +round the larger end there is very generally a mottled cap or zone +(more commonly the latter) of duller or brighter brownish red, while +irregular blotches, streaks, spots, and specks of the same colour, but +usually a slightly paler shade, are more or less sparsely scattered +over the rest of the surface of the egg, sometimes they are almost +wholly wanting. Occasionally the zone is at the small end. + +The eggs measure from 0.60 to 0.62 in length, by 0.43 to 0.48 in +breadth; but the average of six eggs is 0.61 by 0.45. + + +384. Franklinia buchanani (Blyth). _The Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler_. + +Franklinia buchanani (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 186; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 551. + +The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler breeds throughout Central India, +the Central Provinces, the North-western Provinces, the Punjab, and +Rajpootana. It affects chiefly the drier and warmer tracts, and, +though said to have been obtained in the Nepal Terai, has never been +met with by _me_ either there or in any very moist, swampy locality. +The breeding-season extends from the end of May until the beginning of +September. + +The nests, according to my experience, are always placed at heights of +from a foot to 4 feet from the ground, in low scrub-jungle or bushes. +They vary greatly in size and shape, according to position. Some are +oblate spheroids with the aperture near the top, some are purse-like +and suspended, and some are regular cups. One of the former +description measured externally 5 inches in diameter one way by 31/4 +inches the other. One of the suspended nests was 7 inches long by 3 +wide, and one of the cup-shaped nests was nearly 4 inches in diameter +and stood, perhaps, at most 21/2 inches high. The egg-cavity in the +different nests varies from 13/4 to 21/4 inches in diameter, and from less +than 2 to fully 3 inches in depth. Externally the nest is very loosely +and, generally, raggedly constructed of very fine grass-stems and +tow-like vegetable fibre used in different proportions in different +nests; those in which grass is chiefly used being most ragged and +straggling, and those in which most vegetable fibre has been made use +of being neatest and most compact. In all the nests that I have seen +the egg-cavity has been lined with something very soft. In many of the +nests the lining is composed of small felt-like pieces of some dull +salmon-coloured fungus, with which the whole interior is closely +plastered; in others there is a dense lining of soft silky vegetable +down; and in others the down and fungus are mingled. They lay from +four to five eggs, never more than this latter number according to my +experience. + +"At the end of June 1867," writes Mr. Brooks, "I took two nests of +this bird at Chunar in low ber bushes about 2 feet from the ground. +They were little spheres of fine grass with a hole at the side. One +contained four eggs; these were of a greyish-white ground or nearly +pure white, finely speckled over with reddish brown, some of the eggs +exhibiting a tendency to form a zone round the large end, and others +with a complete zone." + +"At Sambhur," Mr. Adam says, "this Wren-Warbler is always found +wherever there are low bushes. It breeds just before the rains, but I +have not recorded the date. I had a nest with the bird and five eggs +sent to me. The eggs are pale bluish white, with reddish-brown spots +and freckles all over them." + +"During July, August, and the early part of September," remarks Mr. W. +Blewitt, "I found a great number of the nests and eggs of this bird in +the jungle-preserves of Hansie and its neighbourhood. The nests, of +which I have already sent you several, were mostly in ber (_Zizyphus +jujuba_) and hinse (_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 +to 4 feet from the ground. Five was the largest number of eggs that I +found in any one nest." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"I found several nests of this bird in +the beginning of October at Delhi in the jherberry bushes so plentiful +on the Ridge. Both nests and eggs are very like those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ before described; the only difference I could find was that +the entrance in the nest of _C. cursitans_ that I found was at the +top, and in all the nests of _F. buchanani_ at the side rather low +down; the nests of the latter are also firmer and more globular in +shape. The eggs are, to my eye, identical in colour and form." + +Mr. G. Reid informs us that at Lucknow it is fairly common and a +permanent resident. It makes an oblong, loosely constructed nest with +the aperture near the top, and lays three or four white eggs minutely +spotted with dingy red. + +Mr. J. Davidson writes that in Western Khandeish this Warbler is the +commonest bird, breeding about Dhulia in July, August, and September. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"I found a nest of the Rufous-fronted +Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 27th July, 1875. It was in a grass beerh, +and placed in a heap of dead thorns overgrown with grass and about a +foot from the ground. It was composed externally of dry grass-stems, +with lumps of silky white vegetable down (_Calotropis_) scattered +sparingly over the whole nest. The lining consisted of very fine +dry grass neatly put together and felted with silky down, and a +considerable amount of the dull salmon-coloured fungus or lichen +referred to in the 'Rough Draft of Nests and Eggs,' p. 359. In shape +the nest is nearly spherical, being slightly oval however, with a +small aperture near the top. The entrance was 11/2 inches in diameter, +and the nest itself roughly measured from the outside 41/2 inches in +length and 4 in width. The eggs, usually four in number, are white, +closely speckled over with pale rusty red, intermingled with a few +pale washed-out inky markings, in some cases at the large end, which +is surrounded by a zone clear and well-marked in some instances, less +distinct in others. I found other nests in the same neighbourhood as +below:-- + + "Aug. 24, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + July 20, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 28, " " " 4 young birds. + Aug. 4, " " " 4 fresh eggs. + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 4 " " + Aug. 5, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 8, " " " 5 " " + Aug. 14, " " " 5 " " + +"In every one of the above instances the nest was exactly similar to +the one I have described, and built in the same kind of situation, +i.e. in heaps of dead thorns overgrown with long grass. The eggs are +all much the same, the spots being larger in some than in others and +more numerous in some cases than in others. In one set I have the +ground is very pale bluish white (skimmed milk) instead of being pure +white. As a rule the eggs are almost exactly like the eggs of _C. +cursitans_, and if mixed I doubt very much if any person could +separate them. On examining the salmon-coloured fungus-lining it +appears to me to be nothing more nor less than small pieces of dried +ber leaves, and I have never examined a nest without finding some of +this material at the bottom of it." + +"The Rufous-fronted Wren-Warbler," writes Lieut. Barnes, "breeds in +Rajpootana during July, August, and the early part of September. The +nest, composed of grass, is loosely constructed, and placed in low +bushes or scrub." + +The eggs vary somewhat in size and shape; a moderately broad oval, +slightly compressed towards the larger end, being, however, the +commonest type. Examining a large series, it appears that variations +from this type are more commonly of an elongated than a spherical +form. The eggs are of the same character as those of _Cisticola +cursitans_ (p. 236), but yet differ somewhat. The eggs are many +of them fairly glossy, the shells very delicate and fragile; the +ground-colour white, usually slightly greyish, but in some specimens +faintly tinged with very pale green or pink. Typically they are very +thickly and very finely speckled all over with somewhat dingy red or +purplish red. In three out of four eggs the markings are densest and +largest towards the large end; and, to judge from the large series +before me, at least one in four exhibits a more or less well-defined +mottled zone or cap at this end, formed by the partial confluence of +multitudinous specks. + +In some specimens the markings are pale inky purple, and in some +slightly purplish brown, but these are abnormal varieties. In one or +two eggs fairly-sized spots and blotches are intermingled with the +minute specklings, but this also is rare. Of course in different +specimens the density of the speckling varies greatly: in some eggs +not a fifth of the surface is covered with the markings, while in some +it appears as if there were more of these than of the ground-colour. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.55 to 0.66, and in breadth from 0.43 to +0.52; but the average of eighty-seven eggs is 0.62 by 0.48. + + +385. Franklinia cinereicapilla (Hodgs.). _Hodgson's Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia cinereocapilla, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 172; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 537. + +Captain Hutton says[A]:--"In this species the structure of the nest +is somewhat coarser than in _P. stewarti_, and it is more loosely put +together, but like that species it is also a true Tailor-bird. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this note as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft,' but I have no faith in the identification of this rare bird by +Capt Hutton. Mr. Hume is apparently of the same opinion, as he does +not quote the Dhoon as one of the localities in which, this species +occurs (S.F. ix, p. 286). It may be well, however, to point out that +Mr. Brooks procured this species at Dhunda, in the Bhagirati valley, +so that it is not unlikely to occur in the Dhoon.--ED.] + +"In the specimen before me two large leaves are stitched together at +the edges, and between these rests the cup-shaped nest composed of +grass-stalks and fine roots, as in _P. stewarti_, and without any +lining, while, being more completely surrounded by or enfolded in the +leaves, the cottony seed-down which binds together the fibres in the +others is here dispensed with. + +"The eggs were three in number, of a pale bluish hue, irrorated with +specks of rufous-brown, and chiefly so at the larger end, where they +form an ill-defined ring. + +"The eggs measured 0.62 by 0.44. + +"The nest was found hanging on a large-leafed annual shrub growing in +the Dhoon, and was placed about 2 feet from the ground. It was taken +on 22nd July." + + +386. Laticilla burnesi (Bl.). _The Long-tailed Grass-Warbler_. +Eurycercus burnesii, _Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 74. + +Mr. S.B. Doig appears to be the only ornithologist who has found the +nest of the Long-tailed Grass-Warbler. Writing of the Eastern Narra +District, in Sind, he says:-- + +"This bird is in certain localities very numerous, but invariably +confines itself to dense thickets of revel and tamarisk jungle. The +discovery of my first nest was as follows: + +"On the 13th March, while closely searching some thick grass along the +banks of a small canal, I heard a peculiar twittering which I did not +recognize. After standing perfectly still for a short while, I at +length caught sight of the bird, which I at once identified as _L. +burnesi_. Leaving the bed of the canal in which I was walking and +making a slight detour, I came suddenly over the spoil-bank of the +canal on to the place where the bird had been calling. My sudden +appearance caused the bird to get very excited, and it kept on +twittering, approaching me at one time until quite close and then +going away again a short distance; I at once began searching for its +nest, and out of the first tussock of grass I touched, close to where +I was standing, flew the female, who joined her mate, after which both +birds kept up a continuous and angry twittering. On opening out the +grass, I found the nest with three fresh eggs in it, placed right in +the centre of the tuft and close to the ground. The eggs were of a +pale green ground-colour, covered with large irregular blotches of +purplish brown, and not very unlike some of the eggs of _Passer +flavicollis_. After this I found several nests, but they were all +building, and were one and all deserted, though in many instances I +never touched the nest, often never saw it, as on seeing the birds +flying in and out of the grass with building material in their bills +I left the place and returned in ten days' time, but only to find the +nest deserted. In one case where a single egg had been laid, I found +that the bird before deserting the nest had broken the egg. In July I +again got a nest and shot the parent birds; the eggs in this nest were +quite of a different type, being of a very pale cream ground-colour, +with large rusty blotches, principally confined to the larger end. +The nests of this bird are composed of coarse grass, the inside being +composed of the finer parts; they are 4 to 5 inches external diameter +and 21/2 inches internal diameter, the cavity being about 11/2 inches +deep. The months in which they breed are, as far as I at present know, +March, June, and September. The eggs vary in size from .65 to .80 in +length and from .50 to .55 in breadth. The average of seven eggs is +.72 in length and .54 in breadth." + +The eggs of this species vary somewhat in size and shape, but they are +typically regular rather elongated ovals, rather obtuse at both ends, +and often slightly compressed towards the small end. The shell is fine +and compact and has a slight gloss; the ground-colour is sometimes +greenish white, sometimes faintly creamy. The eggs are generally +pretty thickly and finely speckled and scratched all over, and besides +the fine markings there are a greater or smaller number of more or +less large irregular blotches and splashes, chiefly confined to the +large end. These markings, large and small, are brown, very variable +in shade, in some eggs reddish, in some chocolate, in some raw sienna, +&c. Besides these primary markings most eggs exhibit a number of +paler subsurface secondary markings, varying in colour from sepia to +lavender or pale purple; these are mostly confined to the large end +(though tiny spots of the same tint occur occasionally on all parts of +the egg), where with the large blotches they often form a more or less +conspicuous and more or less confluent but always ill-defined zone or +even cap. Here and there an egg absolutely wants the larger blotches, +but even in such cases the specklings are more crowded about the large +end, and these with the lilac clouds still combine to indicate a sort +of zone. + +The eggs I possess of this species, sent me by Mr. Doig, vary from +0.71 to 0.81 in length by 0.52 to 0.59 in breadth; but the average of +seven eggs is 0.72 by 0.55. + + +388. Graminicola bengalensis, Jerd. _The Large Grass-Warbler_. + +Graminicola bengalensis, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 177. +Drymoica bengalensis (_Jerd.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 542. + +Long ago the late Colonel Tytler gave me the following note on this +species:--"I shot these birds at Dacca in 1852, and sent a description +and a drawing of them to Mr. Blyth. They were named after my esteemed +friend Jules Verreaux, of Paris. They are not uncommon at Dacca in +grass-jungle. I think the bird Dr. Jerdon gives in his 'Birds of +India' as _Graminicola bengalensis_, Jerdon, No. 542, p. 177, vol. +ii., is meant for this species. The genus _Graminicola_, under which +he places this bird, appears to be a genus of Dr. Jerdon's own, for +it is not in Gray's 'Genera and Subgenera of Birds in the British +Museum,' printed in 1855. If it is the same bird as Dr. Jerdon's, then +my name, which I communicated in 1851-52 not only to Mr. Blyth +but also to Prince Bonaparte and M. Jules Verreaux, and which was +published in my Fauna of Dacca, has, it seems to me, the priority." + +The birds _are_ identical. Jerdon gave me one of his Cachar specimens, +and I compared it with Tytler's types, and certainly Tytler's name was +published ten years before Jerdon's (_vide_ Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., +Sept. 1854, p. 176); but no description was published, and I fear +therefore that the name given by Colonel Tytler cannot be maintained, +unless indeed, which I have been unable to ascertain, either Bonaparte +or Verreaux figured or described the specimens Tytler sent them in +some French work. + +I have only one supposed nest of this species, brought me from Dacca +by a native collector who worked there for me under Mr. F.B. Simson. +He did not take it himself; it was brought to him with one of the +parent birds by a shikaree. The evidence is, therefore, very bad, but +I give the facts for what they are worth. + +The nest is a rather massive and deep cup, the lower portion prolonged +downwards so as to form a short truncated cone. It is fixed between +three reeds, is constructed of sedge and vegetable fibre firmly wound +together and round the reeds, and is lined with fine grass-roots. +It measures externally 5 inches in height and nearly 4 inches in +diameter, measuring outside the reeds which are incorporated in the +outer surface of the nest. The cavity is about 21/2 inches in diameter +and nearly 2 inches deep. It contained four eggs, hard-set; only one +could be preserved, and that was broken in bringing up-country; so I +could not measure it, but the shell was a sort of pale greenish grey +or dull greenish white, rather thickly but very faintly speckled and +spotted with very dull purplish and reddish brown, with some grey +spots intermingled. The nest was obtained (no date noted) between the +middle of July and the middle of August. I note that the eggs were +on the point of hatching, so that the fresh egg would probably be +somewhat brighter coloured. + + +389. Megalurus palustris, Horsf. _The Striated Marsh-Warbler_. + +Megalurus palustris, _Horsf., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 70; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 440. + +Nothing has hitherto been recorded of the nidification of the Striated +Marsh-Warbler, although it has a very wide distribution and is very +common in suitable localities. + +The Striated Marsh-Babbler, as Jerdon calls it, has nothing of the +Babbler in it. It rises perpendicularly out of the reeds, sings rather +screechingly while in the air, and descends suddenly. It has much more +of a song than any of the Babblers, a much stronger flight, and its +sudden, upward, towering flight and equally sudden descent are unlike +anything seen amongst the Babblers. + +Mr. E.C. Nunn procured the nest and an egg of this species (which +along with the parent birds he kindly forwarded to me) at Hoshungabad +on the 4th May, 1868. The nest was round, composed of dry grass, and +situated in a cluster of reeds between two rocks in the bed of the +Nerbudda. It contained a single fresh egg. + +Writing from Wau, in the Pegu District, Mr. Oates remarks:--"I found +a nest on the 19th May containing four eggs recently laid. The female +flew off only at the last moment, when my pony was about to tread on +the tuft of grass she had selected for her home. + +"The nest was placed in a small but very dense grass-tuft about a +foot above the ground. It was made entirely of coarse grasses, and +assimilated well with the dry and entangled stems among which it lay. +The nest was very deep and purse-shaped. It was about 8 inches in +total height at the back, and some 2 inches lower in front, the upper +part of the purse being as it were cut off slantingly, and thus +leaving an entrance which was more or less circular. The width is 61/2 +inches, and the breadth from front to back 4 inches. The interior is +smooth, lined with somewhat finer grass, and measures 4 inches in +depth by 3 inches from side to side, and by 2 inches from front to +back. + +"_Megalurus palustris_ is very common throughout the large plains +lying between the Pegu and Sittang Rivers. At the end of May they were +all breeding. The nest is, however, difficult to find, owing to the +vast extent of favourable ground suited to its habits. Every yard of +the land produces a clump of grass likely enough to hold a nest, and +as the female sits still till the nest is actually touched, it becomes +a difficult and laborious task to find the nest." + +He subsequently remarks:--"May seems to be the month in which these +birds lay here. The nest is very often placed on the ground under the +shelter of some grass-tuft." + +Mr. Cockburn writes to me:--"I found a nest of this bird on the north +bank of the Bramaputra, near Sadija. One of the birds darted off the +nest a foot or two from me in an excited way, which led me to search. +The nest was almost a perfect oval, with a slice taken off at the top +on one side, built in a clump of grass, and only 9 or 10 inches from +the ground. It was made of sarpat-grass, and lined internally with +finer grasses. The grass had a bleached and washed-out appearance, +while the clump was quite green. This was on the 29th May. I noticed +at the same time that the nest was not interwoven with the living +grass. I removed it easily with the hand." + +Mr. Cripps says:--"They breed in April and May in the Dibrugarh +district, placing their deep cup-shaped nests in tussocks of grass +wherever it is swampy, in some instances the bottoms of the nests +being wet. Four seems to be the greatest number of eggs in a nest." + +The eggs are much the same shape and size as those of _Acrocephalus +stentoreus_. They have a dead-white ground, thickly speckled and +spotted with blackish and purplish brown, and have but a slight gloss; +the speckling, everywhere thick, is generally densest at the large +end, and there chiefly do spots, as big as an ordinary pin's head, +occur. At the large end, besides these specklings, there is a cloudy, +dull, irregular cap, or else isolated patches, of very pale inky +purple, which more or less obscure the ground-colour. In the peculiar +speckly character of the markings these eggs recall doubtless some +specimens of the eggs of the different Bulbuls, but their natural +affinities seem to be with those of the _Acrocephalinae_. + +The eggs vary from 0.8 to 0.97 in length, and from 0.61 to 0.69 in +breadth; but the average of twelve eggs is 0.85 by 0.64. + + +390. Schoenicola platyura (Jerd.). _The Broad-tailed Grass-Warbler_. + +Schoenicola platyura (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 73. + +Colonel E.A. Butler discovered the nest of the Broad-tailed +Grass-Warbler at Belgaum. He writes:-- + +"On the 1st September, 1880, I shot a pair of these birds as they rose +out of some long grass by the side of a rice-field; and, thinking +there might be a nest, I commenced a diligent search, which resulted +in my finding one. It consisted of a good-sized ball of coarse blades +of dry grass, with an entrance on one side, and was built in long +grass about a foot from the ground. Though it was apparently finished, +there were unfortunately no eggs, but dissection of the hen proved +that she would have laid in a day or two. On the 10th instant I found +another nest exactly similar, built in a tussock of coarse grass, near +the same place; but this was subsequently deserted without the bird +laying. On the 19th September I went in the early morning to the same +patch of grass and watched another pair, soon seeing the hen disappear +amongst some thick tussocks. On my approaching the spot she flew off +the nest, which contained four eggs much incubated. The nest was +precisely similar to the others, but with the entrance-hole perhaps +rather nearer the top, though still on one side. The situation in the +grass was the same--in fact it was very similar in every respect to +the nest of _Drymoeca insignis_. The eggs are very like those of +_Molpastes haemorrhous_, but smaller, having a purplish-white ground, +sprinkled all over with numerous small specks and spots of purple and +purplish brown, with a cap of the same at the large end, underlaid +with inky lilac. + +"These birds closely resemble _Chaetornis striatus_ in their actions +and habits, and in the breeding-season rise constantly into the air, +chirruping like that species, and descending afterwards in the same +way on to some low bush or tussock of grass, sometimes even on to +the telegraph-wires. They are fearful little skulks, however, if you +attempt to pursue them, and the moment you approach disappear into the +grass like a shot, from whence it is almost impossible to flush them +again unless you all but tread on them. It is perfectly marvellous the +way they will hide themselves in a patch of grass when they have once +taken refuge in it; and although you may know within a yard or two of +where the bird is, you may search for half an hour without finding it. +If you shoot at them and miss, they drop to the shot into the grass as +if killed, and nothing will dissuade you from the belief that they are +so until, after a long search, the little beast gets up exactly where +you have been hunting all along, from almost under your feet, and +darts off to disappear, after another short flight of fifteen or +twenty yards, in another patch of grass, from whence you may again try +in vain to dislodge it." + +The eggs of this species, though much smaller, are precisely of the +same type as those of _Megalurus palustris_ and _Chaetornis striatus_; +moderately broad ovals with a very fine compact shell, with but little +gloss, though perhaps rather more of this than in either of the +species above referred to. The ground-colour is white, with perhaps +a faint pinkish shade, and it is profusely speckled and spotted with +brownish red, almost black in some spots, more chestnut in others. +Here and there a few larger spots or small irregular blotches occur. +Besides these markings, clouds, streaks, and tiny spots of grey or +lavender-grey occur, chiefly about the large end, where, with the +markings (often more numerous there than elsewhere), they form at +times a more or less confluent but irregular and ill-defined cap. + +One egg measured 0.73 by 0.6. + + +391. Acanthoptila nepalensis (Hodgs.). _The Spiny Warbler_. + +Acanthoptila nipalensis (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p 57. +Acanthoptila pellotis, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 431 bis. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, this species builds, in +a fork of a tree, a very loose, shallow grass nest. One is recorded +to have measured 4.87 in diameter and 1.75 in height externally, +and internally 3.37 in diameter and an inch in depth. The eggs are +verditer-blue, and are figured as 1.1 by 0.65. + +I may here note that _Acanthoptila pellotis_ and _A. leucotis_ are +totally distinct, as Mr. Hodgson's figures clearly show. Hodgson +published _A. leucotis_ apparently under the name of _A. nipalensis_, +so that the two will stand as _A. pellotis_ and _A. nipalensis_.[A] + +[Footnote A: I do not agree with. Mr. Hume on this point. It seems +to me that this bird has both a summer and a winter plumage, and +Hodgson's two names refer to one and the same bird.--ED.] + + +392. Chaetornis locustelloides (Bl.). _The Bristled Grass-Warbler_. + +Chaetornis striatus (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 72; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 441. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks that Mr. Blyth mentions that the nest of +the Grass-Babbler, as he calls it, nearly accords with that of +_Malacocercus_, and that the eggs are blue. + +I cannot find the passage in which Blyth states this, and I cannot +help doubting its correctness. This bird, like the preceding, is not +a bit of a Babbler. I have often watched them in Lower Bengal amongst +comparatively low grass and rush along the margins of ponds and +jheels, not, as a rule, affecting high reed or seeking to conceal +themselves, but showing themselves freely enough, and with a song and +flight wholly unlike that of any Babbler. + +They are very restless, soaring about and singing a monotonous song of +two notes, somewhat resembling that of a Pipit, but clear and loud. +They do not soar in one spot like a Sky-Lark, as Jerdon says, but rise +to the height of from 30 to 50 yards, fly rapidly right and left, over +perhaps one fourth of a mile, and then suddenly drop on to the top of +some little bush or other convenient post, and there continue their +song. + +Mr. Brooks remarks:--"On the 28th August, 1869, I observed at the side +of the railway, at Jheenjuck Jheel, on the borders of the Etawah and +Cawnpoor Districts, several pairs of _Chaetornis_. A good part of the +jheel was covered with grass about 18 inches high, and to this they +appeared partial, though occasionally I found them among the long +reeds. The part of the jheel where they were found was drier than the +rest, there being only about an inch of water in places, while other +portions were quite dry. + +"I noticed the bird singing while seated on a bush or large clump of +grass, and sometimes it perched on the telegraph-wires alongside of +the line of railway, continuing its song while perched. + +"By habits and song it seems more nearly allied to the Pipits than the +Babblers. Males shot early in September were obviously breeding, and +a female shot on the 13th of that month contained a nearly full-sized +egg." + +It does not do to be too positive, but I should be inclined to believe +that the eggs are not uniform coloured, blue and glossy like a +Babbler's, but dull, dead, or greenish white, with numerous small +specks and spots[A]. + +[Footnote A: The discovery of this bird's eggs has proved Mr. Hume to +be right in his conjecture.--ED.] + +Colonel E.A. Butler, who was the first to discover the eggs of the +Bristled Grass-Warbler, writes:-- + +"The Grass-Babbler is not uncommon about Deesa in the rains, at which +season it breeds. I found a nest containing four eggs on the 18th +August, 1876. It consisted of a round ball of dry grass with a +circular entrance on one side, near the top, was placed on the ground +in the centre of a low scrubby bush in a grass Bheerh, and when the +hen-bird flew off, which was not until I almost put my foot on the +nest, I mistook her for _Argya caudata_. On looking, however, into the +bush, I saw at once by the eggs that it was a species new to me. I +left the spot and returned again in about an hour's time, when, to my +disappointment, I found that three of the eggs had hatched. The fourth +egg being stale, I took it and added it to my collection. The eggs are +about the size of the eggs of _A. caudata_, but in colour very like +those of _Franklinia buchanani_, namely, white, speckled all over with +reddish brown and pale lavender, most densely at the large end. This +bird has a peculiar habit in the breeding-season of rising suddenly +into the air and soaring about, often for a considerable distance, +uttering a loud note resembling the words 'chirrup, chirrup-chirrup,' +repeated all the time the bird is in the air, and then suddenly +descending slowly into the grass with outspread wings, much in +the style of _Mirafra erythroptera_. This bird is so similar in +appearance, when flying and hopping about in the long grass, to _A. +caudata_, that I have no doubt it is often mistaken for that species. +I have invariably found it during the rains in grass Bheerhs overgrown +with low thorny bushes (_Zizyphus jujuba_, &c.). Whether it remains +the whole year round I cannot say; at all events, if it does, its +close resemblance to _A. caudata_ enables it to escape notice at other +seasons." + +Mr. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, says:--"Very common in long grass +fields. Permanent resident. It utters its soft notes while on the +wing, not only in the cold season but the year through; it is very +noisy during the breeding-time. Breeds in clumps of grass a few inches +above as well as on the ground. I found five nests in the month of May +from 23rd to 28th: one was on the ground in a field of indigo; the +rest were in clumps of 'sone' grass and from the same field composed +of this grass. One nest contained three half-fledged young, and the +rest had four eggs slightly incubated in each. Although they nest in +'sone' grass which is rarely over three feet in height, it is very +difficult to find the nest, as the grass generally overhangs and hides +it. Only when the bird rises almost from your feet are you able to +discover the whereabouts. On several occasions I have noticed this +species perching on bushes." + +The eggs, which, to judge from a large series sent me by Mr. Cripps, +do not appear to vary much in shape, are moderately broad ovals, more +or less pointed towards one end. The shell is fine and fragile but +entirely devoid of gloss; the ground-colour is white with a very faint +pinky or lilac tinge, and they are thickly speckled all over with +minute markings of two different shades--the one a sort of purplish +brown (they are so small that it is difficult to make certain of the +exact colour), and the other inky purple or grey. In most eggs the +markings are most dense at or about the large end, and occasionally a +spot may be met with larger than the rest, as big as a pin's head say, +and some of these seem to have a reddish tinge, while some are more of +a sepia. + +The eggs vary from 0.75 to 0.86 in length and from 0.59 to 0.62 in +breadth, but the average of twelve eggs is almost exactly 0.8 by 0.6. + + +394. Hypolais rama (Sykes). _Sykes's Tree-Warbler_. + +Phyllopneuste rama (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 189. +Iduna caligata, _Licht., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 553. + +I have never myself obtained the nest and eggs of Sykes's +Tree-Warbler, _P. rama, apud Jerd._[A] On the 1st April, at Etawah, my +friend Mr. Brooks shot a male of this species off a nest; and I saw +the bird, nest, and eggs within an hour, and visited the spot later. +The nest was placed in a low thorny bush, about a foot from the +ground, on the side of a sloping bank in one of the large dry ravines +that in the Etawah District fringe the River Junina for a breadth of +from a mile to four miles. The nest was nearly egg-shaped, with a +circular entrance near the top. It was loosely woven with coarse +and fine grass, and a little of the fibre of the "sun" (_Crotalaria +juncea_), and very neatly felted on the whole interior surface of +the lower two thirds with a compact coating of the down of +flowering-grasses and little bits of spider's web. It was about 5 +inches in its longest and 31/2 inches in its shortest diameter. It +contained three fresh eggs, which were white, very thickly speckled +with brownish pink, in places confluent and having a decided tendency +to form a zone near the large end. Three or four days later we shot +the female at the same spot. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce the note on this bird as it appeared in the +'Rough Draft,' but I think some mistake has been made, as Mr. Hume +himself suggests. Full reliance, however, may be placed on Mr. Doig's +note, which is a most interesting contribution.--ED] + +A similar nest and two eggs, taken in Jhansi on the 12th August, were +sent me with one of the parent birds by Mr. F.R. Blewitt, and, again, +another nest with four eggs was sent me from Hoshungabad. + +There ought to be no doubt about these nests and eggs, the more so +that I have several specimens of the bird from various parts of the +North-Western Provinces and Central Provinces killed in August and +September, but somehow I do not feel quite certain that we have not +made some mistake. Beyond doubt the great mass of this species migrate +and breed further north. I have never obtained specimens in June +or July; and if these nests really, as the evidence seems to show, +belonged to the birds that were shot on or near them, these latter +must have bred in India before or after their migration, as well as in +Northern Asia. + +Though one may make minute differences, I do not think either of the +three nests or sets of eggs could be certainly separated from those of +_Franklinia buchanani_, which might well have eggs about both in April +and August; and I am not prepared to say that in each of these three +cases _Hypolais rama_, which frequents precisely the same kind of +bushes that _F. buchanani_ breeds in, may not accidentally have been +shot in the immediate proximity to a nest of the latter, the owner of +which had crept noiselessly away, as these birds so often do. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I have obtained the nest and eggs of this +species on one occasion only at Jaulnah in the Dekhan; the nest was +cup-shaped, made of roots and grass, and contained four pure white +eggs." + +I do not attach undue weight to this, for Dr. Jerdon did not care +about eggs, and was rather careless about them; but still his +statement has to be noted, and the whole matter requires careful +investigation. + +Mr. Doig found this species breeding on the Eastern Narra in Sind. He +writes:--"I first obtained eggs of this bird in March 1879. The first +nest was found by one of my men, who afterwards showed me a bird close +to the place he got the eggs, which he said was either the bird to +which the nest and eggs belonged or one of the same kind. This I shot +and sent to Mr. Hume with one of the eggs to identify. Some time after +I again came across a lot of these birds breeding, and this time lay +in wait myself for the bird to come to the nest and eggs, and when it +did I shot it. This I also sent to Mr. Hume to identify. Some time +after I beard from Mr. Hume, who said that there must be some mistake, +as the birds sent belonged to two different species, viz. _Sylvia +affinis_ and _Hypolais rama_, and were both, he believed, only +cold-weather visitants. This year I again 'went for' these birds and +again sent specimens of birds and eggs to Mr. Hume, who informed me +that the birds now sent were _H. rama_, and that the eggs must belong +to this species soon after this Mr. Brooks saw the eggs with Mr. Hume +and identified them as being those _H. rama_ and identical with eggs +he saw at home collected by, I think, Mr. Seebohm of this species +in Siberia. Only fancy a bird breeding on the Narra of all places, +especially in May, June, and July, in preference to Siberia! Locally +they are very numerous, as I collected upwards of 90 to 100 eggs in +one field about eight acres in size. They build in stunted tamarisk +bushes, or rather in bushes of this kind which originally were cut +down to admit of cultivation being carried on, and which afterwards +had again sprouted. These bushes are very dense, and in their centre +is situated the nest, composed of sedge, with a lining of fine grass, +mixed sometimes with a little soft grass-reed. The eggs are, as a +rule, four in number, of a dull white ground-colour with brown spots, +the large end having as a rule a ring round it of most delicate, fine, +hair-like brown lines, something similar to the tracing to be seen on +the eggs of _Drymoeca inornata_. The egg in size is also similar to +those of that species." + +The eggs of this species vary from broad to moderately elongated +ovals, but they are almost always somewhat pointed towards the small +end; the shell is fine but as a rule glossless; here and there, +however, an egg exhibits a faint gloss. The ground-colour is whitish, +never pure white, with an excessively faint greenish, greyish, creamy, +or pinky tinge. The markings are very variable in amount and extent, +but they are always black or nearly so and pale inky grey; perhaps +typically the markings consist of a zone of black hair-lines twisted +and entangled together, in which irregular shaped spots and small +blotches of the same colour appear to have been caught, which zone is +underlaid and more or less surrounded by clouds, streaks, and spots of +pale inky grey. This zone is typically about the large end, but in one +or two eggs is near the middle of the egg and in one or two is about +the small end. Outside this zone a few small specks and spots, and +rarely one or two tiny blotches, of both black and grey are thinly +scattered; occasionally, however, the hair-lines so characteristic of +this egg are almost entirely wanting, there is no apparent zone, and +the markings, spots, and specks are thinly and irregularly distributed +about the entire surface; here and there the whole of the dark +markings on the egg are entirely confined to the zone, elsewhere +only pale lilac specks are visible. Occasionally together with +a well-defined zone numerous specks, spots, and a few hair-line +scratches of black are intermingled with faint purplish-grey spots, +and pretty thinly scattered everywhere. + +The eggs vary from 0.53 to 0.68 in length and from 0.46 to 0.51 in +breadth; but the average of a very large number is 0.61 by 0.49. + + +402. Sylvia affinis (Blyth). _The Indian Lesser White-throated +Warbler_. + +Sylvia curruca (_Gm.), apud Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 209. +Sterparola curruca (_Lath.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 583. + +Of the nidification of the Lesser Whitethroat within our limits, I +only know that it was found in May, breeding abundantly in Cashmere +in the lower hills, by Mr. Brooks. He did not notice it comparatively +high up; for instance at Goolmerg, which, though not above 9000 feet +high, is at the base of a snowy range, he did not see it at all. + +It builds a loose, rather shallow, cup-shaped nest, composed chiefly +of grass, coarser on the exterior and finer interiorly, which it +places in low bushes and thickets at no great elevation from the +ground. The nest is more or less lined with fine grass and roots. + +It lays four or sometimes five eggs. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"I found this Whitethroat tolerably numerous in +Cashmere, where it appears generally distributed, occurring at from +5500 to 6500 feet elevation or thereabouts, It frequents places where +there is abundance of brushwood or underwood, especially along the +banks of rivers or near them. + +"I found several nests, and they were all placed in small bushes, and +from 4 to 6 feet above the ground. One was in a bush on a small island +in the Kangan River, which runs into the Sind River; and this nest +I well remember was just so high that I could not look into it as I +stood. The nests precisely resembled in size and structure those of +_C. garrula_ which I have seen at home, being formed of grasses, +roots, and fine fibres, and I think scantily lined with a few black +horsehairs; but I forget this now. They were slight, thinly formed +nests, very neat but strong, and had bits of spider's web stuck about +the outside here and there. This appears to be the decoration this +bird and _C. garrula_ are partial to. They were not added, I think, +for the purpose of rendering the nest inconspicuous, for there were +just enough to give the nest a spotted appearance. + +"The song of this species strongly resembles that of its congener, and +is full, loud, and sweet. I found the nests by the song of the male, +for he generally sings near the nest. The eggs don't differ from those +of _C. garrula_ in my collection." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing of Afghanistan:--"This Warbler was +very common and was breeding by the 27th May. All the nests found were +shallow cups, composed entirely of dried grass, and situated in small +bushes, frequently juniper, about 21/2 feet from the ground. The eggs +vary much both in size and colour--some being long ovals, nearly pure +white, spotted with pale brown towards the larger end, and others of +a much rounder form and a pale greenish white, thickly spotted in a +broad zone near the thicker end and smeared with very pale brown, +or else spotted and smeared with olive-brown over the whole of the +thicker end." + +The eggs are somewhat broad ovals, typically a good deal pointed +towards the lesser end. They vary, however, much both in size and +shape: some are short and broad, decidedly pointed at the small end; +others are more elongated, and some are almost regular ellipsoids. The +eggs have little or no gloss; the ground-colour is white, with a more +or less perceptible though very faint greenish tinge. Typically they +are very Shrike-like in their markings, the majority of these being +gathered together in a more or less dense zone near the large end. +The markings consist of small spots, blotches, and specks of pale +yellowish brown, more or less intermingled with spots and specks of +dull inky purple or grey; in many eggs there are very few markings, +and these are mere spots except in the zone, while in others +full-sized markings are scattered, though thinly, more or less over +the whole surface of the egg. In some the zone is confluent and +blurred; in others composed of small sharply defined specks and spots. +Here and there a pretty large yellowish-brown cloud may be met with +partially or entirely bounded by a narrow hair-like black line. Tiny +black specks now and then occur, and little zigzag lines that might +have been borrowed from a Bunting's egg; but these are not met with in +probably more than one out of ten eggs. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.6 to 0.75, and in breadth from 0.48 to +0.55; but the average of sixteen eggs is 0.66 by 0.5. + + +406. Phylloscopus tytleri, Brooks. _Tytler's Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus tytleri, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 560 bis. + +Tytler's Willow-Warbler, as yet a rare bird in collections, and which +appears only to straggle down to the plains of Upper India during the +cold season, was found by Captain Cock breeding at Sonamerg (9400 feet +elevation) in the Sindh Valley, Cashmere, in June. + +Mr. Brooks, who discriminated the bird, said of it and its +nidification:--"In plumage resembling _P. viridanus_, but of a richer +and deeper olive; it is entirely without the 'whitish wing-bar,' which +is always present in _viridanus_, unless in very abraded plumage. The +wing is shorter, so is the tail; but the great difference is in the +bill, which is much longer, darker, and of a more pointed and slender +form in _P. tytleri_. The song and notes are utterly different, so +are the localities frequented. _P. viridanus_ is an inhabitant of +brushwood ravines, at 9000 and 10,000 feet elevation; while _P. +tytleri_ is exclusively a pine-forest _Phylloscopus_. In the places +frequented by _P. viridanus_, it must build on the ground, or very +near it; but our new species builds, 40 feet up a pine-tree, a compact +half-domed nest on the side of a branch. + +"Captain Cock shot one of this species off the nest at Sonamerg with +four eggs. The bird he sent to me, and gave me two of the eggs. +Regarding the nest he says: 'I took a nest, containing four eggs, +about 40 feet up a pine, on the outer end of a bough, by means of +ropes and sticks, and I shot the female bird. I do not know what the +bird is. I thought it was _P. viridanus_, but I send it to you. The +nest was very deep, solidly built, and cup-shaped. Eggs, plain white.' +In conversation with Captain Cock he afterwards told me that he had +watched the bird building its nest. It was rather on the side of the +branch, and its solid formation reminded him of a Goldfinch's nest. +It was composed of grass, fibres, moss, and lichens externally and +thickly lined with hair and feathers. The eggs were pure unspotted +white, rather smaller than those of _Reguloides occipitalis_. Two of +them measured .58 by .48 and .57 by .45. They were taken on the 4th +June." + +Captain Cock himself writes to me:--"Of all the birds' nests that I +know of, this is one of the most difficult to find. One day in the +forest at Sonamerg, Cashmere, I noticed a Warbler fly into a high pine +with a feather in its bill. I watched with the glasses and saw that it +was constructing a nest, so allowing a reasonable time to elapse (nine +days or so) I went and took the nest. It was placed on the outer end +of a bough, about 40 feet up a high pine, and I had to take the nest +by means of a spar lashed at right angles to the tree, the outer +extremity of which was supported by a rope fastened to the top of +the pine. The nest was a very solid, deep cup, of grass, fibres, and +lichens externally, and lined with hair and feathers. It contained +four white eggs, measuring 0.58 by 0.48. + +"I shot the female, which I sent to Mr. Brooks for identification. + +"I forgot to add that this nest, the only one I ever found, was taken +early in June." + +The egg of this species closely resembles that of some of the species +of _Abrornis_--a moderately broad oval, slightly pointed at the small +end, pure white, and almost glossless. The only specimen I have seen +measures 0.58 by 0.45. + + +410. Phylloscopus fuscatus (Blyth). _The Dusky Willow-Warbler_. + +Phylloscopus fuscatus (_Blyth), Jerd B.I._ ii, p. 191. +Horornis fulviventer, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 523. + +Mr. Blyth long ago stated in 'The Ibis' that _Horornis fulviventris_ +was identical with _P. fuscatus_[A]. + +[Footnote A: It is with considerable hesitation that I reproduce this +note. _Horornis fulviventris_ with which Jerdon identified the bird, +the nest of which he describes, is certainly _P. fuscatus_. The only +doubt I have is whether Jerdon, who apparently had not seen a specimen +of _H. fulviventris_, rightly identified his bird with it. With this +explanation the note is republished as it appeared in the 'Rough +Draft.'--ED.] + +Subsequently I procured several specimens which were quite distinct +from _P. fuscatus_, structurally as well as in plumage answering +perfectly to Hodgson's description. + +I wrote to Dr. Jerdon mentioning this fact, and he replied:--"I also +am not satisfied of the identity of this species (_H. fulviventris_) +with _Phylloscopus fuscatus_. I have recently got at Darjeeling what I +take to be _Horornis fulviventris_, and it is somewhat smaller in all +its dimensions, but I had not a typical _P. fuscatus_ with which to +compare it. Specimens measured 43/4 to 4-7/8 inches; expanse 61/2 inches; +wing 2 to 2-1/16 inches. I procured the nest and eggs in July; the +nest, cup-shaped, on a bank, composed of grass chiefly, with a few +fibres; and the eggs, three in number, pinky white, with a few reddish +spots." + +It is certainly not _P. fuscatus_ (though possibly some specimens of +_P. fuscatus_ in the British Museum may bear a label formerly attached +to a bird of this species), nor any other _Horornis_ or _Horeites_ +included in Dr. Jerdon's work, all of which I have. Mr. Blyth possibly +went by Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum, but some +confusion has, it is known, somehow crept in amongst these; and I have +no doubt myself that _Horornis fulviventris_ is a good species, +and that it was the nest and eggs of this species which Dr. Jerdon +found[A]. + +[Footnote A: I omit the article on _Abrornis chloronotus_, Hodgs, +which appeared in the 'Rough Draft' under number 574 bis. There is no +manner of doubt that Hodgson got the wrong nest, a nest of a Sunbird, +and figured it as that of this bird.--ED.] + + +415. Phylloscopus proregulus (Pall.). _Pallas's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides chloronotus (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 197. +Reguloides proregulus (_Pall.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 566. + +Captain Cock has the honour of being the first to take, and, I +believe, up to date the _only_ oologist who has ever taken, the nest +and eggs of Pallas's Willow-Warbler. Mr. Brooks tried hard for the +prize, but he searched on the ground and so missed the nest. He wrote +to me from Cashmere, just about the time (June 1871) that Captain +Cock found the nest he obtained:--"I have been utterly unable to do +anything with _P. proregulus_. I shot a female, with an egg nearly +ready to lay, when I first went to Goolmerg, but though I often heard +the males singing, I never could find any indication of the nesting +female. The feeble song, like that of _P. sibilatrix_, alluded to by +Blyth as being that of _P. superciliosus_, is not that of this latter +bird, but of _P. proregulus_". + +Later, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society, he noted that "Captain +Cock took the nest and eggs at Sonamerg. It builds, like the +Golden-crested Regulus, up a fir-tree, at from 6 to 40 feet elevation, +on the outer ends of the branches. The nest is of moss, wool and +fibres, and profusely lined with feathers. Eggs, four or five, pure +white, profusely spotted with red and a few spots of purple grey. +Size, 0.53 by 0.43." + +Later still he added in 'The Ibis:'--"Captain Cock writes from +Sonamerg: 'The second day I found my first nest with eggs. It was the +nest of _P. proregulus_. I shot the old bird. Three eggs. These nests +are often placed on a bough high up in a pine-tree, and are domed or +roofed, made of moss and lined with feathers. I took another one to +day with five eggs, and shot the bird just as it was entering its +nest. This was on a bough of a pine, but low down. I know of two more +nests of _P. proregulus_, all on pine-trees, from which I hope to take +eggs.' + +"After describing the nest of _P. humii_, and saying that it was lined +with the hair of the musk-deer, he adds: 'In this the nest differs +from that of _P. proregulus_, which lines its nest with feathers and +bits of thin birch-bark; and the nest of _P. proregulus_ is only +partly domed.' + +"I measured four eggs of _P. proregulus_ which Captain Cock kindly +gave me, and the dimensions are as follows: .55 by .44, .53 by .43, +.53 by .43, and .54 by .43. They are pure white, richly marked with +dark brownish red, particularly at the larger end, forming there a +fine zone on most of the eggs. Intermingled with these spots, +and especially on the zone, are some spots and blotches of deep +purple-grey. The egg is very handsome, and reminds one strongly of +those of _Parus cristatus_ on a smaller scale. The dates when the eggs +were taken are 30th May and 2nd June, and the place Sonamerg, which is +four marches up the valley of the Sindh River." + +Captain Cock himself tells me that he "took several nests of this bird +at Sonamerg in Cashmere in pine-forests. It breeds in May and June, +making a partially domed nest, which is sometimes placed low down on +the bough of a pine-tree, sometimes on a small sapling pine where the +junction of the bough with the stem takes place, and at other times +high up on the outer end of a bough. It lays five eggs, like those +of _P. humii_ only smaller. The nests I found were all lined with +feathers and thin birch-bark strips. I never found a hair-lining in +any of this bird's nests. The outer portions of the nest consisted of +moss and lichen, arranged so as to harmonize with the bough on which +it was placed. The nests are compact little structures." + +Mr. Brooks, writing of the valley of the Bhagirati river, +says:--"Common in the alpine parts of the valley. It breeds about +Derali, Bairamghati, and Gangaotri, in the large moss-grown deodars." + +The eggs of this species closely resemble those of _P. humii_, but are +smaller, and, to judge from a few specimens taken by Captain Cock that +I have seen, they are somewhat shorter and broader. + +Texture smooth, without any perceptible gloss. Ground-colour pure +white, spotted freely and principally towards the larger end with red: +brick-dust red would perhaps scarcely be a correct term. The colour +would be obtained by mixing a little brown and a good deal of purple +with vermilion, or by mixing Indian red with a little Venetian red. +At the larger end they have an irregular zone of small, more or less +confluent, spots and specks of this red, mingled with reddish or +brownish purple, and a few specks and spots of the red scattered over +the rest of the surface of the egg. + +This egg may also be well described, as regards colour and mode of +marking, by saying that it resembles the illustration in Hewitson's +work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus_, except that the egg of _P. +proregulus_ has a distinct zone of nearly confluent spots, and their +colour is more of a brownish red than those shown in the plate above +referred to, which by-the-by do not correctly represent the colour of +the spots upon the eggs of _P. cristatus_ which I have seen. These +spots are coloured with too much of a tendency towards crimson instead +of brownish red. + +Three of the eggs taken by Captain Cock varied from 0.53 to 0.55 in +length, and from 0.43 to 0.44 in breadth. + + +416. Phylloscopus subviridis (Brooks). _Brooks's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides subviridis, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 566 bis. + +Colonel Biddulph remarks that this species is common in Gilgit at 5000 +feet in March, April, May, and beginning of June, and that it breeds +in the Nulter valley in July at 10,000 feet. Young birds were shot in +August fully fledged. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay observes on the label of a specimen procured by +him at Bian Kheyl in Afghanistan in April, "evidently breeding"; and +on that of another specimen shot in May at the same place, "contained +eggs nearly ready to lay." + + +418. Phylloscopus humii (Brooks). _Hume's Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides humii, _Brooks, Hume, cat._ no. 565 bis. +Reguloides superciliosus (_Gm), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 565. + +Mr. Brooks and Captain Cock are the only persons I know of who have +taken the eggs and nests of this species. The nest and eggs sent to +and described by me in 'The Ibis' as belonging to this bird cannot +really have pertained to it. + +Mr. Brooks tells us that _P. humii_ "is very abundant in Cashmere, and +I believe in all hills immediately below the snows. It would be +vain to look for this bird at elevations below 8000 feet, or at any +distance from the snows. It was common even in the birch woods above +the upper line of pines. I found many nests. It builds a globular nest +of coarse grass on a bank side, always on the ground, and never up a +tree. The nest is lined with hair in greater or lesser quantities. +The eggs, four or five in number, average .56 by .44, are pure white, +profusely spotted with red, and sometimes have also a few spots of +purplish grey. On the 15th June I found a nest with four young ones on +the south side of the Pir-Pinjal Pass. This bird has no song, only a +double chirp in addition to its callnote. The double chirp, which +is very loud, is intended for a song, for the male bird incessantly +repeats it as he feeds from tree to tree near where the female is +sitting upon her nest." + +Nests of this species obtained in Cashmere towards the end of May +and during June near Goolmerg, and brought me by Mr. Brooks, were +certainly by no means worthy of this pretty little Warbler. They are +very loosely made, more or less straggling cups of somewhat coarse +grass, only slightly lined interiorly with fine moss-roots. The +egg-cavity is very small compared with the size of the nest, some of +which, look like balls of grass with a small hole in the centre. They +average from 4 to 5 inches in external diameter, and from 2 to 3 +inches in height. The egg cavity does not exceed 2 inches in diameter, +and seems often to be less, and is from an inch to half an inch in +depth. + +From Cashmere, when in the thick of the nests of this species, Mr. +Brooks wrote to me as follows:-- + +"From Goolmerg, which is at the foot of a snowy range, I went up to +the foot of the snows through pine-forests. The pines ceased near the +snow and were replaced by birch wood on tremendously rocky ground, +which bothered me greatly to get over. I had missed _P. humii_ after +leaving the foot of the hill, where water was plentiful, but here +again the bird became abundant. I could not, however, find a nest +here, though I watched several pairs. I think in the cooler country +they breed later. Flowers which had gone out of bloom below I again +met with up here in full flower. + +"Blyth says: '_R. superciliosus_ has not any song, unless a sort of +double call, consisting of two notes, can be called a song,' This the +males vigorously uttered all day long, but I did not notice this much; +but as soon as the female sharply and rapidly uttered the well-known +bell-like call, I knew she was disturbed from her nest, or had left it +of her own accord. Whichever of us heard this rushed quickly to the +spot, and the female once sighted was kept in view as she flitted from +tree to tree, apparently carelessly feeding all the while; soon she +came lower down to the bashes below, and now her note quickened and +betokened anxiety; generally before half an hour would elapse she +would make a dash at a particular spot, and wish to go in but checked +herself. This would be repeated two or three times, and now the nest +was within the compass of 2 or 3 yards. At last down she went and her +note ceased. When all had been quiet for a minute or two, the male +meanwhile continuing his double note in the trees above, I cautiously +approached the place. Sometimes the nest was very artfully concealed, +but other times there it was--the round green ball with the opening at +one side. I often saw the female put her head out and then partially +draw it in again. Her well-defined supercilium was very distinct. I +thought I could catch her on the nest once, and went round above her, +but out came her head a little further, and she bolted as I brought +down my pocket handkerchief on the nest. I shot one or two from the +nest, but this I found unnecessary. In every case the female shouted +vigorously on leaving the nest or immediately after, and by her very +peculiar note fully authenticated the eggs." + +Elsewhere Mr. Brooks has remarked:--"Goolmerg is one of those mountain +downs, or extensive pasture lands, which are numerous on the top of +the range of hills immediately below the Pir-Pinjal Range, which is +the first snowy range. It is a beautiful mountain common, about +3000 feet above the level of Sirinugger, which latter place has an +elevation of 5235 feet. This common is about 3 miles long and about a +couple of miles wide, but of very irregular shape. On all sides the +undulating grass-land is surrounded by pine-clad hills, and on one +side the pine-slopes are surmounted by snowy mountains. On the side +near the snow the supply of water in the woods is ample. The whole +hill-side is intersected by small ravines, and each ravine has its +stream of pure cold water--water so different from the tepid fluid we +drink in the plains. In such places where there were water and old +pines _P. humii_ was very abundant: every few yards was the domain of +a pair. The males were very noisy, and continually uttered their song. +This song is not that described by Mr. Blyth as being similar to the +notes of the English Wood-Wren (_P. sibilatrix_) but fainter--it is a +loud double chirp or call, hardly worthy of being dignified with the +name of song at all. While the female was sitting, the male continued +vigorously to utter his double note as he fed from tree to tree. To +this note I and my native assistants paid but little attention; +but when the female, being off the nest, uttered her well-known +'_tiss-yip_,' as Mr. Blyth expresses the call of a Willow-Wren, we +repaired rapidly to the spot and kept her in view. In every instance, +before an hour had passed, she went into her nest, first making a few +impatient dashes at the place where it was, as much as to say--'There +it is, but I don't want you to see me go in.' + +"The nest of _P. humii_ is always, so far as my observation goes +placed on the ground on some sloping bank or ravine-side. The +situation preferred is the lower slope near the edge of the wood, and +at the root of some very small bush or tree; often, however, on quite +open ground, where the newly growing herbage was so short that it only +partially concealed it. In form it is a true Willow-Wren's nest--a +rather large globular structure with the entrance at one side. +Regarding the first nest taken, I have noted that it was placed on a +sloping bank on the ground, among some low ferns and other plants, and +close to the root of a small broken fir tree which, being somewhat +inclined over the nest, protected it from being trodden upon. It was +composed of coarse dry grass and moss and lined with finer grass and a +few black hairs. The cavity was about 2 inches, and the entrance about +11/2 inch in diameter. About 20 yards from the nest was a large, old, +hollow fir tree, and in this I sat till the female returned to her +nest. My attendant then quietly approached the spot, when she flew +out of the nest and sat on a low bank 2 or 3 yards from it: then she +uttered her '_tiss-yip_,' which I know so well, and darted away among +the pines. My man retired, upon which she soon returned, and having +called for a few minutes in the vicinity of the nest, she ceased her +note and quickly entered. Again she was quietly disturbed, and sat on +a twig not far from the nest. I heard her call once more, and then +shot her. There were five eggs, which were slightly incubated. + + * * * * * + +"My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the ground. +The third was similarly placed, and composed of coarse grass and moss, +and lined with black horsehair. In each of these nests the number of +eggs was five. + +"Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was placed on +the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin bush. It was +composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss, and lined with finer +grasses and a few hairs. The eggs were five or six days incubated. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under the +inclined trunk of a small fir. The same materials were used. + +"Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping bank and +quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to conceal it. It was +composed as before, with the addition of a few feathers in the outer +portion of the nest. + +"Another nest was at the roots of a fern growing on a very steep bank. +The new shoots of the fern grew up above the nest, and last year's +dead leaves overhung it and entirely concealed it. + +"Another was placed on a sloping bank, immediately under the trunk of +a fallen and decayed pine. On account of the irregularities in the +ground, the trunk did not touch the ground where the nest was by about +2 feet. This was again an instance of contrivance for the nest's +protection. It was composed of the same materials as usual. + +"Another was among the branches of a shrub, right in the centre of the +bush and on the ground, which was sloping as usual. + +"Another nest, with four eggs, taken on 3rd June, was placed in the +steep bank of a small stream, only 3 feet 6 inches above the water. + +"The above examples will give a very fair idea of the situation of the +nest; and it now remains only to describe the eggs, which average .56 +long by .44 broad. The largest egg which was measured was .62 long +and .45 broad, and the smallest measured .52 long and .43 broad. The +ground-colour is always pure white, more or less spotted with brownish +red, the spots being much more numerous and frequently in the form of +a rich zone or cap at the larger end. Intermixed with the red spots +are sometimes a few purplish-grey ones. Other eggs are marked with +deep purple-brown spots, like those of the Chiffchaff, and the spots +are also intermingled with purplish grey. Some eggs are boldly and +richly marked, while others are minutely spotted. The egg also varies +in shape; but, as a general rule, they are rather short and round, +resembling in shape those of _P. trochilus_. In returning from +Cashmere, on the south face of the Pir-Pinjal Mountain and close to +the footpath, I found on the 15th June a nest of this bird with four +young ones. This nest was placed in an unusually steep bank. Half an +hour after finding the nest, and perhaps 1000 feet lower down the +hill, I stood upon a mass of snow which had accumulated in the bed of +a mountain-stream." + +Captain Charles R. Cock writes to me that he "took numbers of nests at +Sonamerg, in the Sindh Valley in Cashmere, during a nesting trip that +I took in 1871 with my valued and esteemed friend W.E. Brooks, Esq. +Although at the time of our finding the nest of this Warbler we were +about 80 miles apart, yet we both found our first nest on the same +day--the 31st May. I believe he was by a couple of hours or so the +winner, as I do not think the egg had ever been taken before. + +"Breeds in May or June on the ground in banks; makes a globular nest +of moss, well lined with fine grass, musk-deer hair, or horse-hair. It +lays five eggs, white spotted with rusty red, inclining to a zone at +the larger end." + +Typically the eggs of this species are broad ovals, slightly +compressed towards one end; the ground pure white and almost perfectly +devoid of gloss, speckled and spotted with red or purplish red, the +markings, most dense about the large end, often forming an irregular +mottled cap or zone. These are the general characters, but the eggs +vary very much in shape, size, colour, and density of markings. Some +eggs are almost spherical; others are somewhat elongated; others +slightly pyriform. As a body, alike in shape and coloration, they +remind one of the eggs of many species of Indian Tit, especially +those of _Lophophanes melanolophus_. In some eggs the markings are +a slightly brownish brickdust-red, moderate sized spots and specks +scattered pretty thickly over the whole surface, but gathered into +a dense, more or less confluent, zone or cap towards the large end. +Intermingled with these primary markings a few pale purple spots +are scattered towards the large end of the eggs. In other eggs the +markings are mostly mere specks, and in this type of egg the specks +are mostly brownish purple, in some almost black. Occasionally an +egg is almost entirely spotless, having only towards the large end a +clouded dingy reddish-purple zone. In some eggs again the colour of +the markings is pale and washed out. As a rule, the eggs in which the +markings are of the brickdust-red type have these larger, bolder, and +more numerous; while those in which the markings are purple have them +of a more minute character. + +The shape of the eggs, as already noticed, varies much, being +sometimes longer than those of _P. trochilus_, and at other times very +much of the same rounded shape. Frequently they are more pointed at +the smaller end than those of _P. trochilus_ usually are. The texture +of the egg is similar to that of _P. trochilus_, with scarcely any +gloss. The ground-colour is always pure white, and the markings, +which are always more or less plentiful, are either reddish brown +or purple-brown, intermingled sparingly with lighter or darker +purple-grey. + +Some eggs contain hardly a speck of the purple-grey, while others have +considerable blotches of that colour scattered amongst the red spots. + +Some eggs are scantily marked, and have the spots very small; while +others are densely spotted and blotched, the spots often being more or +less confluent at the larger end. Frequently they accumulate round +the larger end in the form of a confluent zone. The variety with deep +purple-brown spots, which is the rarest, resembles those of _P. +rufa_ in miniature; but, as a rule, the egg bears a much stronger +resemblance to that of _P. trochilus_, though it is of course +much smaller. _As far as the colour goes_, the representations in +Hewitson's work of the eggs of _Parus cristatus, Parus coeruleus_, +and _Phylloscopus trochilus_ will give a very correct idea of the +different varieties of the egg of the present bird. + +The greatest number of eggs found in any nest by Captain Cock and Mr. +Brooks was five; frequently, however, four was the number upon which +the bird was sitting; eggs partially incubated. On the Pir-Pinjal +Mountain, just below the snows, a nest with four young ones was found +on the 15th June, so that, though five seems to be the usual number, +the bird frequently lays only four. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.52 to 0.62, and in breadth from 0.43 to +0.47; but the average of fifty eggs carefully measured was 0.56 full +by 0.44. + + +428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis, Jerd. _The Large Crowned +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides occipitalis (_Jerd.), Jerd. B.I._ ii, p. 196; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 563. + +The Large Crowned Willow-Warbler breeds in Cashmere and the North-west +Himalayas generally, during the latter half of May, June, and the +first half of July, apparently at any elevation from 4000 to 8000 +feet. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"This is perhaps the commonest bird in Cashmere, +even more so than _Passer indicus_. It is found at almost all +elevations above the valley where good woods occur. + +"I only took three nests, as the little bird is very cunning, and, +unlike the simple _P. humii_, is very careful indeed how it approaches +its nest when an enemy is near. + +"The nest is placed in a hole under the roots of a large tree on some +steep bank-side. I found one in a decayed stump of a large fir-tree, +inside the rotten wood. It was placed on a level with the ground, and +could not be seen till I had broken away part of the outside of the +stump. It was composed of green moss and small dead leaves, a scanty +and loosely formed nest, and not domed. It was lined with fine grass +and a little wool, and also a very few hairs. There were five eggs. + +"Another nest was also placed in a rotten stump, but under the roots. +A third nest was placed in a hole under the roots of a large living +pine, and in front of the hole grew a small rose-bush quite against +the tree-trunk. This nest was most carefully concealed, for the hole +behind the roots of the rose-bush was most difficult to find. + +"The eggs, four or five in number, are of a rather longer form than +those of _P. humii_, and are pure white without any spots. They +average .65 by .5." + +He added _in epist._:--"This is a much shier bird than _P. humii_. I +watched many a one without effect. The nest is a loose structure of +moss lined with a little wool, and would not retain its shape after +coming out of the hole. It is a most amusing bird, very noisy, with a +short poor song, and utters a variety of notes when you are near the +nest." + +Certainly the nests he brought me are nothing but little pads of moss, +3 to 4 inches in diameter and perhaps an inch in thickness. There is +no pretence for a lining, but a certain amount of wool and excessively +fine moss-roots are incorporated in the body of the nest. _In situ_ +they would appear to be sometimes more or less domed. + +Captain Cock writes to me:--"I have taken numbers of nests of this +bird in Cashmere and in and about the hill-station of Murree. They +commence breeding in May and have finished by July. The nests are +placed under roots of trees, in crevices of trees, between large +stems, and a favourite locality is, where the road has a stone +embankment to support it, between the stones. The nest is globular, +made of moss, and the number of eggs is four. I have often caught the +old bird on the nest. The nests are easy to find, as the birds are +very noisy and demonstrative when any one is near their nests." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall also very kindly gives me the following most +interesting note on the nidification of this species in the vicinity +of Murree. He says:-- + +"This little Willow-Warbler, so far as my own experience goes, always +prefers a pretty high elevation for breeding. Out of the dozen nests +found by Captain Cock and myself in the neighbourhood of Murree, none +were at an elevation of less than 6500 feet above the sea; and my +shikaree, who was always on the look out for me in the lower ranges, +never came across the nest of this species. + +"The nest is generally placed in holes at the foot of the large spruce +firs. It is a difficult nest to find, as the bird selects holes into +which the hand will not go, and outside there are no signs of there +being any nest within. + +"The cock bird spends most of his time at the tops of trees, coming +down at intervals. The only chance of success in taking the eggs is to +watch carefully any that may be flying low in the bushes, until they +disappear cautiously into the holes where they are breeding. I should +mention that we have also found some nests in the rough stone walls on +the hill road-sides. + +"The nest is as neatly and carefully built as if it had to be exposed +on the branch of a tree. It is globular in shape, made of moss, and +lined with feathers. The eggs are pure white. They apparently rear two +broods in the year. In the first nest, which we found under the root +of an old spruce-fir on the 17th May, the eggs were quite hard-set; +and I may remark that immediately over this nest, about 8 feet up the +tree in a crack in the wood, a little _Muscicapula superciliaris_ was +sitting on five eggs. Later at the end of June we found _fresh_ eggs +in several nests. The eggs in our collection were all taken between +the 17th May and the 10th July." + +They do not always, however, select such situations as those referred +to in the above accounts. Sir E.C. Buck, C.S., says:--"I found a nest +on 11th June in the roof of Major Batchelor's bungalow at Nachar, in +the Sutlej Valley; it contained young birds. I was not allowed to +disturb the nest, which was composed externally of moss. I noticed a +second half-made nest near the other." + +The eggs of this species are, as might be expected, somewhat larger +than those of _P. humii_, and they are of a different character, being +spotless, white, and slightly glossy. In shape the eggs vary from +a nearly perfect, moderately elongated oval to a slightly pyriform +shape, broad at the large end, and a good deal compressed and somewhat +pointed towards the small end (_vide_ the representation of the eggs +of _Ruticilla tithys_ in Hewitson's work). + +In length they vary from 0.63 to 0.68, and in breadth from 0.48 to +0.53; but the average of fifteen eggs measured is 0.65 by 0.5. + + +430. Acanthopneuste davisoni, Oates. _The Tenasserim White-tailed +Willow-Warbler_. + +Reguloides viridipennis (_Blyth), apud Hume, cat._ no. 507[A]. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume is of opinion that this bird is the true _P. +viridipennis_ of Blyth. I have elsewhere stated my reasons for +disagreeing with him.--ED.] + +It was on the 2nd of February, just at the foot of the final cone of +Mooleyit, at an elevation of over 6000 feet, that Mr. Davison came +upon the nest of this species. He says:-- + +"In a deep ravine close below the summit of Mooleyit I found a nest of +this Willow-Warbler. It was placed in a mass of creepers growing over +the face of a rock about 7 feet from the ground. It was only partially +screened, and I easily detected it on the bird leaving it. I was very +much astonished at finding a nest of a Willow-Warbler in Burmah, so +I determined to make positively certain of the owner. I marked the +place, and after a short time returned very quietly. I got within a +couple of feet of the nest; the bird sat still, and I watched her for +some time; the markings on the top of the head were very conspicuous. +On my attempting to go closer the bird flew off, and settled on a +small branch a few feet off. I moved back a short distance and shot +her, using a very small charge. + +"The nest was a globular structure, with the roof slightly projecting +over the entrance. It was composed externally chiefly of moss, +intermingled with dried leaves and fibres; the egg-cavity was warmly +and thickly lined with a felt of pappus. + +"The external diameter of the nest was about 4 inches; the egg-cavity +1 inch at the entrance, and 2 inches deep. + +"The nest contained three small pure white eggs." + +The three eggs here mentioned measured 0.59 and 0.6 in length, by 0.49 +in breadth. + + +434. Cryptolopha xanthoschista (Hodgs.) _Holgson's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albosuperciliaris, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 573. + +Throughout the Himalayas south of the first snowy ranges, and in all +wooded valleys in rear of these, from Darjeeling to Murree, this +Warbler appears to be a permanent resident. + +I have received its nests and eggs from several sources, and have +taken them in the Sutlej and Beas Valleys myself. They lay in the last +week of March, and throughout April and May, constructing a large +globular nest of moss, more or less mingled exteriorly with dry grass +and lined thinly with goat's hair, and then inside this thickly with +the softest wool or, in one nest that I found, with the inner downy +fur of hares. The entrance to the nest is sometimes on one side, +sometimes almost at the top, and is rather large for the size of the +bird. The nest is almost without exception placed on a grassy bank, at +the foot of some small bush, and usually contains four eggs. + +Talking of this species, and writing from Almorah on the 17th May, Mr. +Brooks said:--"I have just taken a nest. It was placed on a sloping +bank-side near the foot of a small bush. The bank was overgrown with +grass. The nest, which was on the ground, was a large ball-shaped one, +composed of very coarse grass, moss-roots, and wool, and lined with +hair and wool. It contained four pure white glossy eggs, which were +much pointed at the small end. I shot the bird off the nest. I had +already frequently met with fully-grown young birds of this species." + +Writing from Dhurmsala, Captain Cock remarked:--"On the 8th April I +found a nest of this species containing four white eggs; it was placed +on the ground, under a bush, on a steep bank. The nest was globular, +with rather a large entrance-hole, and was made of moss, with dry +grass outside, then black hair of goats, and thickly lined with the +softest of wool: _no feathers_ in the nest. I caught the bird on the +nest; it is common here." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall tells us:--"A nest found on the 22nd May at +Naini Tal, about 7000 feet above the sea, contained three hard-set +eggs. The eggs were pure white. The nest was a most beautiful little +structure of moss, lined with wool; it was globular, with the entrance +at one side, and placed on a bank among some ground-ivy, the outer +part of the nest having a few broad grass-blades interwoven so as to +assimilate the appearance of the nest to that of the bank against +which it lay. It was at the side of a narrow glen with a northern +aspect, and about four feet above the pathway, close to the spring +from which my _bhisti_ daily draws water, the bird sitting fearlessly +while passed and repassed by people going down the glen within a foot +or two of the nest." + +The eggs are pure white, and generally fairly glossy. In texture the +shells are very fine and compact. The eggs are moderately broad ovals, +much pointed towards the small end, and vary from 0.6 to 0.65 in +length, and from 0.48 to 0.52 in breadth; but the average of twenty +eggs measured is 0.63 by 0.5 nearly. + + +435. Cryptolopha jerdoni (Brooks). _Brooks's Grey-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis xanthoschistos (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 202; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 572. + +This Warbler breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes[A], both in +Nepal and Sikhim up to an elevation of 6000 or 7000 feet. They lay in +May three or four pure white eggs. They make their nest on the ground +in thick bushes, or in holes in banks, or under roots of trees. The +nest is a large mass of moss and dry leaves, somewhat egg-shaped, with +the entrance at one end, some 6 inches in length, 4 inches in breadth, +and 3.5 in height externally, and with an oval entrance about 1.5 high +and 2.25 wide. Inside it is carefully lined with moss-roots. Both +sexes assist in hatching and rearing the young, which are ready to fly +in July. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hodgson's specimens in the British Museum are _C. +xanthoschista_; but _C. jerdoni_ also occurs in Nepal, and Mr. Hodgson +_may_ have found the nests of both. I leave the note as it appeared +in the 'Rough Draft,' as the two species are not likely to differ in +their habits, and it matters little to which species Mr. Hodgson's +note refers, provided the above remarks are borne in mind.--ED.] + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie says:--"I found one nest of this species at +Rishap, at an elevation of 5000 feet, on the 20th May. The nest was in +thin forest, near its outer edge, and placed on the ground beside a +small stem. It was domed, and composed entirely of moss, with the +exception of a few fibres in the hood or dome portion, and was lined +with thistle-down. The exterior diameter was 3.3, the height 3.2: the +cavity was 1.6 in diameter, and only an inch in depth below the lower +margin of the entrance, which was the rim of the true cup, over which +the hood was drawn. The nest contained four fresh eggs." + +Several nests of this species that have been sent me from Sikhim +were all of the same type--beautiful little cups, some placed on the +ground, some amongst the twigs of brushwood a little above the ground, +composed entirely of fine moss and a little fern-root, and with the +interior of the cavity not indeed regularly lined but dotted about +with tufts of silky seed-down. + +The eggs are very similar to but smaller than those of the preceding +species--very broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one end, pure +white, and faintly glossy. In length they vary from 0.53 to 0.58, and +in breadth from 0.45 to 0.49. + + +436. Cryptolopha poliogenys (Blyth). _The Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis poliogenys (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"A nest of the Grey-cheeked +Flycatcher-Warbler, taken on the 8th May in large forest at 6000 feet, +contained three hard-set eggs. It was suspended to a snag among the +moss growing on the stem of a small tree at five feet up. The moss +supported it more than did the snag. It is a solid cup-shaped +structure, made of green moss and lined with very fine roots. +Externally it measures 31/2 inches across and 21/4 deep; internally 2 +inches wide and 13/4 deep." + +The eggs of this species, like those of _C. xanthoschista_ and _C. +jerdoni_, are pure white. They are not, I think, separable from the +eggs of these two species. Those sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0.66 +and 0.67 in length by 0.5 in breadth. + + +437. Cryptolopha castaneiceps (Hodgs.). _The Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis castaneiceps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 205; _Hume. +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 578. + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures, the Chestnut-headed +Flycatcher-Warbler breeds in the central hill-region of Nepal from +April to June, laying three or four eggs, which are neither figured +nor described. The nest itself is a beautiful structure of mosses, +lichens, moss- and fern-roots, and fine stems worked into the shape +of a large egg, measuring 6 and 4 inches along the longer and shorter +diameters; it is placed on the ground in the midst of a clump of ferns +or thick grass, with the longer diameter perpendicular to the ground. +The aperture, which is about halfway between the middle and the top of +the nest, and on one side, is oval, about 2 inches in width and 1.75 +in height. Both sexes are said to assist in hatching and rearing the +young. + + +438. Cryptolopha cantator (Tick.). _Tickell's Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Culicipeta cantator (_Tick.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 200. +Abrornis cantator (_Tick.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 570. + +A nest containing a single egg has been sent me as that of Tickell's +Flycatcher-Warbler. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at an +elevation, it is said, of 12,000 feet. It was suspended to the tip of +a branch of a tree at a height of about 8 feet from the ground. The +nest is a most lovely one; but I confess that I have doubts as to its +really belonging to this species. + +The nest is, for the size of the bird, a large watch-pocket, some 6 +inches in total length and 3.5 in breadth, composed entirely of white, +satiny seed-down, densely felted together to the thickness of half +an inch. The lower part, sides, and back very thinly, and the upper +portion and the margin of the mouth of the pocket thickly, coated with +excessively fine green moss and very fine soft vegetable fibre. + +My sole reason for doubting the authenticity of the nest is that +another _precisely_ similar one was sent me by another collector, a +European, as belonging to an _Aethopyga_, together with the female +which he shot off the nest. + +The present nest contained a pure white egg; the other spotted eggs. +Both collectors I have no doubt were fully assured of the correctness +of their identification, and it may be that both species of birds +construct similar nests; but I entertain considerable doubts on this +subject, and think it right to note the fact. + +The egg is a very broad oval, pure white, and very glossy, and +measures 0.6 by 0.49. + +Mr. Mandelli sends me a lovely nest, which he says belongs to this +species. It was found in May in Native Sikhim, at about 12,000 feet +elevation. It was suspended from the tiny branch of a tree at a height +of about 8 feet from the ground. The nest is a perfect watch-pocket, +composed entirely of white silky down belonging to one of the +bombaxes, thinly coated here and there with strings of moss to keep +it together, and more thickly so with this and vegetable fibre at and +about the point of suspension and round the rim of the mouth of the +pocket. The nest is altogether about. 6 inches long and about 3 inches +in diameter at its broadest; the lower edge of the aperture into the +pocket is 2 inches from the bottom of the nest, and the aperture is +about 2 inches wide. It is altogether one of the loveliest nests I +have ever seen: but I cannot feel certain that the nest really belongs +to this species; for I have had a precisely similar nest, also found +in Sikhim, on the 20th May, similarly suspended at a height of about +5 feet from the ground, sent me as belonging to another species of +_Abrornis_; and though Mr. Mandelli is usually right, I think the +matter requires further confirmation. + + +440. Abrornis superciliaris, Tick. _The Yellow-bellied +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis flaviventris, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 203. + +Writing from Tenasserim, Major T.C. Bingham says:-- + +"I have shot this bird on the Zammee choung, where I got a nest with +eggs; and I have more than once seen it in the Thoungyeen forests. + +"The following is an account of the nest I found, recorded in my +note-book:-- + +"Khasat village--Khasat choung, Zammee river, 9th March, 1878.--My +camp to-day was pitched in the midst of a dense bamboo-break, close to +a path leading to the village. + +"About ten feet from my tent on this path, passers-by had cut one +of the bamboos in a clump and left it leaning up against the clump; +between two knots of this a rough hack had broken an irregular hole +into a joint. + +"Sitting outside my tent and looking carelessly about, my attention +was attracted by what I took to be a leaf flutter down close to the +above-mentioned bamboo, and to my surprise disappear before it reached +the ground. Wondering at this, I got up and approached the place, when +from the aforementioned hole in the bamboo out darted a little bird; +and looking in I saw a neat little nest of fibres placed on the lower +knot with three eggs, white densely speckled, chiefly in a ring at the +larger end, with pinkish claret spots. + +"I went back to my tent, watched the bird return, and shot her as on +being frightened off she flew out a second time. It proved to be the +above species. + +"I took the nest and eggs. The latter, I regret to say, were lost +subsequently through the carelessness of a servant, but I had luckily +measured and taken a description of them. + +"Their dimensions were respectively 0.57 x 0.42, 0.59 x 0.42, and 0.59 +x 0.44." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Warbler on the +15th June at 1800 feet elevation. It was inside a bamboo-stem near the +banks of the Ryeng stream. Just under a node some one had cut out a +notch, which the birds made their entrance. The nest rested on the +node below and fitted the hollow of the bamboo. It was made of dry +bamboo-leaves, and lined with soft, fibrous material. It measured +5 inches deep and 3 inches wide, with an egg cavity of 2 inches in +depth, by 13/4 inch in width. The eggs, which were hard-set, were but +three in number." + +The eggs are rather long ovals, the shell fine but with very little +gloss; the ground-colour is a dull white or pinky white, and it is +thickly freckled and mottled about the large end and thinly elsewhere +with red, in some cases slightly browner, in others purple. The +markings have a tendency to form a cap or zone about the large end, +and here, where the markings are densest, some little lilac or +purplish-grey spots and clouds are intermingled. + +An egg measures 0.61 by 0.43. + + +441. Abrornis schisticeps (Hodgs.). _The Black-faced +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis schisticeps, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 201; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 571. + +Captain Hutton tells us that the Black-faced Flycatcher-Warbler is "a +common species in the neighbourhood of Mussoorie, at 5000 feet, and +commences building in March. A pair of these birds selected a thick +China rose-bush trained against the side of the house, and had +completed the nest and laid one egg when a rat destroyed it. I +subsequently took two other nests in May, both placed on the ground +in holes in the side of a bank by the roadside. In form the nest is +a ball, with a round lateral entrance, and is composed externally +of dried grasses and green moss, lined with bits of wool, cotton, +feathers, thread, and hair. The eggs are three in number." + +Two eggs of this species, sent to me by Captain Hutton, are very +perfect ovals, pure white[A], and rather glossy. + +[Footnote A: There can be little doubt that Capt. Hutton's eggs were +wrongly identified.--ED.] + +They both measure 0.62 by 0.48. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"The only nest I ever found of this +Warbler was in a natural hole in a small tree in an open part of a +large forest, at 5500 feet above the sea. In a cleft, five feet from +ground, where a limb had been lopped off, there was a small hole, +barely large enough, at entrance to admit the bird, but gradually +widening out for the seven or eight inches of its depth. In the bottom +of this cavity was a loose lining of dry bamboo-leaves, on which lay +five eggs. They do not agree with those taken by Captain Hutton, which +were 'pure white,' but I am absolutely certain of the authenticity of +the eggs taken by me. They were well-set, so five is probably the full +complement. They were taken on the 26th May." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie, for the authenticity of which he vouches, +are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed and pyriform towards +the small end. They have but little gloss, and are of the same type as +_A. superciliaris_ and _A. albigularis_. The ground is a dull pinkish +white, and they are profusely mottled and streaked with red, which in +some eggs is brownish, in some purplish. The markings are densest at +the large end, where they have a tendency to form an irregular zone, +which in some specimens is very conspicuous. + +These eggs vary from 0.56 to 0.57 in length, and from 0.41 to 0.42 in +breadth. + + +442. Abrornis albigularis, Hodgs. _The White-throated +Flycatcher-Warbler_. + +Abrornis albigularis, _Hodgs._, _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 204. + +A nest of this species found in Native Sikhim, below Namtchu, on +the 28th July, is a regular Tailor-bird's nest, absolutely +undistinguishable from the one also sent me by Mr. Mandelli as +belonging to _Orthotomus atrigularis_, so that for the moment I have +some doubts as to the authenticity of this nest. Two leaves, precisely +of the same species as those made use of by the Tailor-bird in +question, have been sewn together with the same bright yellow silk, +and the little deep cup-shaped nest within is composed exactly of the +same excessively fine grass. Another nest, also said to belong to this +species, but of a very different character, has been sent me by Mr. +Mandelli. This was found at Yendong, in Native Sikhim, on the 6th +July, and contained four fresh eggs precisely of the type of those of +_A. schisticeps_. The nest was placed in the cavity of a truncated +bamboo about 4 feet from the ground, and was a loose cup, the basal +portion composed of dry bamboo-leaves, and the rest of the nest being +made of excessively fine grass, flower-stems, similar to those used +in the Tailor-bird-like nest above described, but with a quantity of +feathers mingled with this in the lining of the nest. + +The eggs of this species are of precisely the same type as those of +_A. schisticeps_ and _A. superciliaris_, but they are the smallest +of all. They are little regular oval eggs, with a white, greyish, or +pinky white ground, with deep red freckled and mottled markings, which +are densely set about the large end, where they generally form a cap +or zone, and usually much less dense elsewhere. + +The eggs sent me measured 0.55 and 0.57 by 0.43. + + +445. Scotocerca inquieta (Cretzschm.). _The Streaked Scrub-Warbler_. + +Scotocerca inquieta (_Ruepp._), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550 +bis. + +The Streaked Scrub-Warbler is a permanent resident of the bare stony +hills which, under many names and broken into multitudinous ranges, +run down from the Khyber Pass to the sea, dividing the Punjab and Sind +from Afghanistan and Khelat. + +An account of its nidification is contained in the following note +furnished me by the late Captain Cock:-- + +"I first discovered this bird breeding in February in the Khuttuck +Hills. It is common throughout the range of stony hills between +Peshawur and Attock, and I have seen it on the hills between Jhelum +and Pindi, but never took their nest in this latter locality. At +Nowshera it is very common, and towards the end of February a +collector could take four or five nests in a day. It builds in a low +thorny shrub, about 11/2 feet from the ground, makes a largish globular +nest of thin dry grass-stems, with an opening in the side, thickly +lined with seed-down, and containing four or five eggs. Their +nesting-operations are over by the end of March." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, who observed the bird at Chaman in Afghanistan, +says:--"These birds are quite common about here on the plains, but I +have not observed them on the hills. They commence breeding towards +the end of March; the nest is globular in shape, not unlike that of +_Franklinia buchanani_, but somewhat larger, built invariably in +stunted bushes about two feet from the ground. It is well lined with +feathers and fine grass, the outer portion being composed of fibres +and coarse grass. The normal number of eggs is six. I have found less, +but never more, and whenever a lesser number has been taken they have +always proved to be fresh laid. + +"The eggs are oval in shape, white, with a pinkish tinge when fresh, +very minutely spotted and speckled with light red, most densely at the +larger end. The average of twelve eggs is 0.62 by 0.43." + +The eggs are moderately broad and regular ovals, usually somewhat +compressed towards one end, but occasionally exhibiting no trace of +this. The shell is very fine and delicate, but, as a rule, entirely +devoid of gloss. The ground-colour varies from pure to pinky white. +The markings are always minute, but in some they are comparatively +much bolder and larger than in others, and they vary in colour from +reddish pink to a comparatively bright red. In many eggs the markings +are much more dense towards the large end, where they form, or exhibit +a strong tendency to form, an irregular, more or less confluent zone; +and wherever the markings are dense there a certain number of tiny +pale purple or lilac spots or clouds will be found intermingled with +and underlying the red markings. Some eggs show none of these spots +and exhibit no tendency to form a zone, being pretty uniformly +speckled and spotted all over. Some are not very unlike eggs of +the Grasshopper and Dartford Warblers; others, again, are almost +counterparts of the eggs of _Franklinia buchanani_. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.6 to 0.68, and in breadth from 0.46 to +0.51. + + +446. Neomis flavolivaceus, Hodgs.[A] _The Aberrant Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I have transferred Hodgson's notes under this title in +the 'Rough Draft' to _Horornis fortipes_, to which bird Hodgson's +account of the nidification undoubtedly relates, his type-birds No. +900 being _Neornis assimilis_.--ED.] + +Neornis flavolivacea, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 188. + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the breeding of this +bird at Darjeeling:--"Lays in the second week in July. Eggs three in +number, blunt, ovato-pyriform. Size 0.69 by 0.55. Colour deep dull +claret-red, with a darker band at broad end. Nest, a deep cup, outside +of bamboo-leaves, inside fine vegetable fibres, lined with feathers." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found this Tree-Warbler +(though why it should be called a Tree-Warbler I cannot imagine, for +it sticks closely to grass and low scrub, and never by any chance +perches on a tree) breeding from May to July at elevations from 3500 +up to 6000 feet. All the nests I have seen were of a globular shape +with entrance near the top. Both in shape and position the nest much +resembles that of _Suya atrigularis_, and is, I have no doubt, the one +brought to Jerdon as belonging to that bird. It is placed in grassy +bushes, in open country, within a foot or so of the ground, and +is made of bamboo-leaves and, for the size of the bird, coarse +grass-stems, with an inner layer of fine grass-panicles, from which +the seeds have dropped, and lined with feathers. Externally it +measures about 6 inches in depth by 4 in width. The egg-cavity, from +lower edge of entrance, is 21/4 inches deep by 13/4 wide. The entrance is +2 inches across. The usual number of eggs is three." + +The eggs sent by Mr. Gammie are very regular, rather broad, oval eggs, +with a decided but not very strong gloss. In colour they are a uniform +deep chocolate-purple. In length they vary from 0.63 to 0.69, and in +breadth from 0.49 to 0.52.[A] + +[Footnote A: I cannot identify the following bird, which appears in +the 'Rough Draft' under the number 552 bis. I reproduce the note +together with some additional matter furnished later on by Mr. Gammie. +_Neornis assimilis_ is nothing but _Horornis fortipes_; but I cannot +reconcile Mr. Gammie's account of the nest with that of _H. fortipes_, +inasmuch as nothing is said about a lining of feathers, which appears +to be an unfailing characteristic of the nest of _H. fortipes_.--ED. + + +No. 552 bis.--NEORNIS ASSIMILIS, _Hodgs._ + +Mr. Gammie sent me a bird unmistakably of this species--Blyth's +Aberrant Tree-Warbler--together with the lining of a nest and three +eggs. + +He says:--"The nest, eggs, and bird were brought to me on the 18th May +by a native, who said the nest was placed in a shrub, about 6 feet +from the ground, in a place filled with scrub near Rishap, at about +3500 feet above the sea. I noted at the time the man's account, but as +I did not take the nest myself, I kept no account of it. All I know +about it is written on the ticket attached to the nest sent to you. +The bird was snared on the nest. Though I did not take it myself, I +have little doubt that it is quite correct." + +The lining of the nest is a little, soft, shallow saucer 21/2 inches in +diameter, composed of the finest and softest brown roots. + +The eggs are somewhat of the same type as those of _N. flavolivaceus_, +but in colour more resembling those of some of the ten-tail-feathered +_Prinias_. They are very short broad ovals, pulled out and pointed +towards one end, _approximating_ to the peg-top type. They are very +glossy and of a uniform Indian red; duller coloured rather than +those of the _Prinias_; not so deep or purple as those of _N. +flavolivaceus_. + +They measured 0.65 by 0.52. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes further:--"This bird, I find, does not +build in bushes, but on the ground, or rather on low leaf or weed +heaps. It not unfrequently takes advantage of the small weed heaps +collected round the edges of native cultivations. On the tops of these +heaps it collects a lot of dry leaves, and places its nest among them. +It sits exceedingly close, only rising when almost stepped on. + +"The nest is a rather deep cup, neatly made of dry grass and a +few leaves, and lined with fine roots, and the bare twigs of fine +grass-panicles. It measures externally about 3.2 inches in diameter by +2.8 in depth; internally 2 inches by 1.75. + +"The eggs are three or four in number, and are laid in May from low +elevations up to about 3500 feet." + +The eggs of this species, of which Mr. Gammie has now sent me two +nests, are of the regular _Prinia_ type--typically broad ovals, +approximating to the peg-top type, but sometimes more elongated and +pointed towards the small end. They are very glossy and of a uniform +dull Indian red, deeper coloured than any _Prinia's_ that I have seen. + +They vary from 0.65 to 0.69 in length, and from 0.48 to 0.52 in +breadth.] + + +448. Horornis fortipes, Hodgs. _The Strong-footed Bush-Warbler_. + +Horornis fortipes, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 162. +Dumeticola fortipes, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 526. + +According to Mr. Hodgson[A], this Tree-Warbler breeds from May to July +in the central region of Nepal. They build a tolerably compact and +rather shallow cup-shaped nest of grass and dry bamboo-leaves, mingled +with grass-roots and vegetable fibre and lined with feathers. + +[Footnote A: This note of Mr. Hodgson's refers to his plate No. +900. The birds in his collection bearing this number are _Neornis +assimilis_, and are the same as _Horornis fortipes_.--ED.] + +A nest taken on the 29th May measured externally 3.5 in diameter and +2 inches in height, and internally 2 inches in diameter by 1.37 +in depth. It contained four eggs, which are figured as deep dull +purple-red. Dr. Jerdon gave me two eggs, as I now feel certain, +belonging to this species; there is no mistaking them, as they are the +most wonderful coloured eggs I ever saw; but as he was not certain +to what species they belonged, I unfortunately threw them away. Mr. +Hodgson figures the egg as a moderately broad oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, slightly glossy, and measuring 0.65 by 0.47. + +Two nests and eggs, together with one of the parent birds, of the +Strong-footed Bush-Warbler were sent me from Sikhim. Both nests were +found in thick brushwood or low jungle, at elevations of 5000 to 5500 +feet--the one at Lebong on the 12th June, the other on another spur of +the same hill in July. + +The nests were very similar--small massive cups, composed exteriorly +of dry blades of grass and leaves, and lined internally with fine +grass and a few feathers. Both nests exhibit this lining of feathers, +so that it is no accident but a characteristic of the bird's +architecture. In one nest a good deal more of the fine flower-panicle +stems of grasses are intermingled than in the other. Externally the +nests are about 4.5 in diameter and 2.5 in height; the cavity 2 inches +in diameter and about 1.25 in depth. + +Five more nests of this species have been taken by Mr. Mandelli in the +neighbourhood of Lebong, between the 18th May and 15th July; with one +exception, where there were only three slightly set eggs, all the +nests contained four more or less incubated ones. All the nests were +placed in amongst the twigs of low brushwood at heights of from 1 to +3 feet from the ground, and all present the invariable characteristic +feature of this species, namely, a greater or less admixture of +feathers in the lining of the cavity. Examining the nests carefully, +it will be seen that they are composed of three layers--exteriorly +everywhere coarse blades of grass and straw loosely put together, +inside this a mass of extremely fine panicle-stems of flowering grass, +and then inside this the lining of moderately fine grass mingled +with feathers. The nests vary a good deal in size, according to the +thickness of the coarse outer layer and the extent to which this +straggles; but they seem to be generally from 4 to 5 inches in +diameter, and 2.5 in height, whilst the cavity is about 2 inches in +diameter, and 1, or a little more than 1, in depth. + +The eggs (each nest contained four) are _sui generis_, moderately +broad regular ovals, with a decided but not brilliant gloss, and of +a nearly uniform chocolate-purple. The eggs of one nest are of a a +slightly deeper shade than those of another, probably in consequence +of one set being more incubated than the other. They vary in length +from 0.66 to 0.69, and from 0.49 to 0.52 in breadth. + +I do not entertain the slightest doubt of these nests and eggs. + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me many more eggs of this species, mostly deep +chocolate-purple, but here and there an egg somewhat paler, what might +be called a pinkish chocolate. They vary from 0.61 to 0.70 in length, +and from 0.48 to 0.53 in breadth; but the average of fifteen eggs is +0.67 by 0.51 nearly. + + +450. Horornis pallidus(Brooks). _The Pale Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidus, _Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 527 bis. + +The Pale Bush-Warbler breeds in Cashmere, according to Mr. Brooks, +during May. I know nothing either of the bird or its nidification +myself. I have never even closely examined a specimen, and merely +accept the species on Mr. Brooks's authority. + +He tells me that he found a nest on the 25th May at Kangan in +Cashmere. + +Mr. Brooks writes:--"The nest of _Horornis pallidus_, which I found +near Kangan in Cashmere, up the Sind Valley, was placed in tangled +brushwood, and about five feet above the ground. It was on a slightly +sloping bank, and close to the edge of a patch of jungle, not far from +the right bank of the river. + +"It was composed of coarse dry grass externally, with fine roots and +fibres towards the inside of the nest, and was profusely lined with +feathers. It was large for the bird, being 7 or 8 inches in external +diameter, of a globular form, with the entrance at the side. I don't +remember the size of the cavity of the nest, but its walls were very +thick. + +"In external appearance it was rough and clumsy, and looked more like +a Sparrow's nest than that of a small Sylvine bird. The entrance was +about 13/4 inch in diameter, and was with the interior of the nest neat +and strong. _Horornis pallidus_ occurs at from 5600 feet elevation up +to 7000 and even 8000 feet. It was abundant at Suki up the Bhagirutti +Valley, and I heard of one even at Grangootree." + +The shape of the egg is peculiar, being rather flattened in outline +at the sides and then suddenly rounded at the smaller end. There is +a considerable amount of gloss on the surface, which is of a dull +purple-brown, rather darker in tint at the large end. There are a very +few indistinct cloudy markings of brown scattered here and there +over the egg. In general appearance the egg puts one in mind of a +_Prinia's_. + +The egg measured 0.64 by 0.49. + + +451. Horornis pallidipes (Blanf.). _Blanfords Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites pallidipes (_Blanf.), Hume, cat._ no. 527 quat. + +Mr. Mandelli sent me two nests of this species. The one was found on +the 24th May at Ging, near the Rungnoo River, Sikhim, and contained +four fresh eggs; it was placed on the ground amongst coarse grass. The +other, which was similarly placed, was found on the 29th June below +Lebong at an elevation of about 4000 feet, and contained three fresh +eggs. Both nests are rather coarse untidy little cups, some 3 inches +in diameter, and 1.75 in height exteriorly, lined and mainly composed +of very fine grass, but coated exteriorly everywhere with dry flags, +bits of bamboo spathes, and with one or two dead leaves incorporated +at the bottom of the structure. + + +452. Horornis major (Hodgs.). _The Large Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites major, _Hodgs., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 529 (err. +629). + +A nest said to belong to the Large Bush-Warbler was sent in with one +of the parent birds in July from near Lachong in Native Sikhim, where +it was found at an elevation of about 14,000 feet. It was placed at +a height of about a foot from the ground in a stunted thorny shrub +common at these high elevations. It was a very warm little cup, about +3 inches in diameter, composed of the finest fern and moss-roots, tiny +fern-leaves, wool, and numbers of the coarse white crinkly hairs of +the burhel. It contained three fresh eggs, regular, slightly elongated +ovals, a little pointed towards the small end; the shell fine and +compact, but with scarcely any gloss. + +The ground-colour is white with a faint greenish-blue tinge, and on +the larger half of the egg excessively minute specks of brownish red +are thinly sprinkled, except just at the crown of the egg, where the +specks are denser and exhibit a tendency to form a tiny cap. On the +smaller half of the egg very few, if any, specklings are to be traced. + +In length the eggs measure 0.7 and 0.71, and in breadth 0.53 to 0.55. + + +454. Phyllergates coronatus (Jerd. & Bl.). _The Golden-headed +Warbler_. + +Orthotomus coronatus, _Jerd. & Bl., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 168; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 531. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"A nest and eggs were brought to me, said to be +those of this bird. The nest was similar to that of the last [_O. +sutorius_], but not so carefully made; the leaves were loosely +attached, and with fewer stitches. The eggs were two in number, white, +with rusty spots." + + +455. Horeites brunneifrons, Hodgs. _The Rufous-capped Bush-Warbler_. + +Horeites brunneifrons, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 163. + +The egg is a rather broad oval, a good deal pointed towards the +small end; the shell is pretty stout for the size of the egg, and +is entirely devoid of gloss. The ground-colour is a pale drabby +stone-colour, and all about the large end is a broad dense zone of +dull brownish purple. The zone consists of a nearly confluent mass of +extremely minute ill-defined speckles, and outside the zone similar +speckles and tiny spots occur, though nowhere very noticeable unless +closely examined. + +Two eggs of this species were brought from Native Sikhim, together +with one of the parent birds; they are regular ovals, slightly pointed +towards the small end. + +The ground-colour is dull, glossless, pinky white; the markings +consist chiefly of a broad ill-defined zone of dull dark purple; the +other parts of the egg are sparingly, but pretty evenly speckled and +spotted with pale purple. + +The eggs measure 0.66 by 0.49 and 0.64 by 0.48[A]. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note about the nest of this species +amongst Mr. Hume's papers. There is nothing beyond the above two notes +on the eggs.--ED.] + + +458. Suya crinigera, Hodgs. _The Brown Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya criniger, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 183; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 547. + +The Brown Hill-Warbler breeds throughout the Himalayas, at elevations +of from 2000 to 6000 feet, at any rate from Sikhim, where it is +comparatively rare, to the borders of Afghanistan. + +The breeding-season lasts from the beginning of May until the middle +of July, but the majority of the birds lay during May. + +A nest which I took at Dilloo, in the Kangra Valley, on the 26th May, +was situated near the base of a low bush on the side of a steep hill; +it was placed in the fork of several twigs near the centre of the +bush, about 2 feet from the ground. It was an excessively flimsy deep +cup, about 3 inches in diameter, and 21/2 inches in depth internally. It +was composed of downy seeds of grass held together externally by a +few very fine blades of grass, and irregularly and loosely lined with +excessively fine grass-stems. + +Many other nests subsequently obtained were similar in their +materials, the great body of the nest consisting of grass-down, +slightly felted together and wound round with slender blades of grass. +The nest, however, is by no means always cup-shaped; it is often +covered in above, an aperture being left on one side near the top. + +A nest which I found near Kotegurh is composed of fine grass _very_ +loosely and slightly put together, all the interspaces being carefully +filled in with grass-down firmly felted together. The nest is nearly +the shape of an egg, the entrance being on one side, and extending +from about the middle to close to the top. The exterior dimensions of +the nest are about 51/2 inches for the major axis, and 3 inches for +the minor. The entrance-aperture is circular, and about 2 inches in +diameter. The thickness of the nest is a little over three eighths +of an inch; but the lower portion, which is lined with _very_ fine +grass-stems, is somewhat thicker. The nest was in a thorny bush, +partly suspended from just above the entrance-aperture and partly +resting against, though not attached to, some neighbouring twigs. It +contained seven eggs, and was taken at Kirlee (Kotegurh) on the 30th +May. Of course, the position of the nest was that of an egg standing +on end and not lying on its side. + +They lay from five to seven eggs, and have, _I think_ two broods. + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it makes a large, loosely constructed nest of +fine grass, the opening near the top a little at one side, and lays +three or four eggs of a fleshy white, with numerous small rusty-red +spots tending to form a ring at the large end." + +Writing about a collection of eggs made at Murree, Messrs. Cock and +Marshall tell us:--"Nest built in high jungle-grass, loosely but +neatly made of very fine grass and cobwebs, opening at one side near +the top. Breeds late in June at about 4000 feet elevation." + +From Almorah Mr. Brooks writes that this species was "common on +hill-sides where low bushes were numerous. One nest found was +suspended in a low bush, and was a very neat purse-shaped one, with an +opening near the top and rather on one side. It was composed of fine +soft grass of a kind which had dried green, and was intermixed with +the down of plants and lined with finer grass. The eggs were four in +number; the ground-colour white, speckled sparingly with light red, +but having also a broad zone or ring of deeper reddish brown very near +the large end--on the top of the larger end, in fact. + +"Laying in Kumaon in May." + +From Mussoorie Captain Hutton remarks:--"This little bird appears on +the hill, at about 5000 feet, in May. A nest taken much lower down in +June was composed of grasses neatly interwoven in the shape of +an ovate ball, the smaller end uppermost and forming the mouth or +entrance; it was lined first with cottony seed-down, and then with +fine grass-stalks; it was suspended among high grass, and contained +five beautiful little eggs of a carneous white colour, thicky freckled +with deep rufous, and with a darkish confluent ring of the same at the +larger end. I have seen this species as high as 7000 feet in October. +It delights to sit on the summit of tall grass, or even of an oak, +from whence it pours forth a loud and long-continued grating note like +the filing of a saw." + +Writing of Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"A nest taken on the 29th June +contained only two fresh eggs. The nest was of the shape of a mangoe, +the small end being uppermost, and the entrance on one side, near the +top; its measurements externally were, in height 5.2, in breadth +3.6 in one direction and 2.65 in the other; the opening was nearly +circular, 1.8 in diameter. It was rather flimsy in structure, +composed of grass-down, more or less felted together, and bound round +externally with dry green grass-blades; internally it was scantily +lined with fine grass-stems, which were used to strengthen the lower +lip of the entrance-hole. The eggs were fairly glossy, moderate or +longish oval in shape, and measured 0.65 by 0.5 and 0.7 by 0.49; +the ground-colour was pinkish white, the small end nearly free from +markings, the middle portion with faint streaks and tiny indistinct +spots of brownish red, and the large end with a zone of bright +brownish red or a confluent cap of the same colour." + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"This Suya breeds from May to June in +the warmest valleys up to 3500 feet. It affects open grassy tracts, +and builds its nest in a bunch of grass, within a foot or two of the +ground. The nest is an extremely neat egg-shaped structure, with +entrance at side, made of fine grass-stems thickly felted over with +the white seeds of a tall flowering grass, which gives it a very +pretty appearance. Externally it measures 5 inches in height by 3 +in diameter; the cavity is 2.25 wide and 2 deep, from lower edge of +entrance. The entrance is about 2.25 across. + +"The usual number of eggs is four. I have never found more, but on +several occasions as few as two and three well-incubated eggs." + +A nest of this species taken by Mr. Gammie near Mongphoo, on the 18th +April, at an elevation of about 3000 feet, contained three fresh eggs. +It closely resembles nests that I have taken of _S. crinigera_ in +shape, somewhat like an egg, with the entrance on one side, near the +top, exteriorly about 5 inches in length, and 23/4 inches in diameter, +with an aperture a little less than 2 inches across. It was built +amongst grass, of which a few fine stalks constitute the outer +framework, and the whole body of the nest inside this framework +consists solely of the flower-down of grass firmly felted together. It +is lined pretty thickly everywhere with the excessively fine stalks +which bear this down. + +Taking a large series, I should describe the eggs as typically regular +but somewhat elongated ovals, often fairly glossy, at times +almost glossless. The ground varies from pale pinky white to pale +salmon-colour. A dense, more or less mottled, zone or cap at the +large end, varying in different specimens from reddish pink to almost +brick-red, and more or less of speckling, mottling, or freckling of a +somewhat lighter shade than the zone spreads in some thinly, in some +densely over the rest of the egg. + +In length they vary from 0.63 to 0.75, and in breadth from 0.46 to +0.55; but the average of sixty-five eggs is 0.69 by 0.52. + + +459. Suya atrigularis, Moore[A]. _The Black-throated Hill-Warbler_. + +[Footnote A: I reproduce this article nearly as it appears in the +'Rough Draft;' but I have great doubts as to the occurrence of this +bird in Kumaon, and I further doubt the identification of Hodgson's +notes with this species. It is quite clear, from his specimens in the +British Museum, that Hodgson confounded _S. atrigularis_ in winter +plumage with _S. crinigera_, and his plate of the former in summer +plumage contains no note on nidification.--ED.] + +Suya atrogularis, _Moore, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 184; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 549. + +The Black-throated Hill-Warbler breeds in Kumaon and the Himalayas +eastwards from thence, at elevations of 4000 to 6000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from April to July, but the birds mostly lay +in May and June. Open grassy hillsides dotted about with scrub, thin +forests, or gardens are the localities it affects. The nest is placed +at times in some low bush surrounded with and grown through by grass, +more commonly in clumps of grass, and never at any great height from +the ground. It is more or less egg-shaped, and placed with the longer +diameter vertical, the entrance being on one side above the middle. It +is composed exteriorly sometimes of fine grass-roots, sometimes of the +finest possible grass, loosely but sufficiently firmly interwoven, +a little moss being often incorporated in the upper portion, and +internally always, I think, exclusively of fine grass. + +Four is perhaps the usual number of the eggs, but I have found five. + +Mr. Gammie, writing from Sikhim, says:--"I have found four nests of +this species this year in the Chinchona reserves, at elevations of +from 4500 to 5500 feet, during the months of May and June. The nests +were all in open grassy country, in grass by the sides of low banks, +and not above a foot off the ground. They are globular, with a lateral +entrance, composed of grass, and with a little moss about the +dome. One I measured was 5.5 high, and 4.5 in diameter externally; +internally the nest was 2.4 in diameter, and the cavity had a total +height of 3.9, of which 2 inches was below the lower edge of the +entrance. According to my experience four is the regular complement of +eggs. I have repeatedly (three times this year) shot the female off +the nest, and beyond question Jerdon is wrong about this bird's laying +Indian-red eggs." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in groves and +open forest in Sikhim and the central region of Nepal from April to +June, building a large globular nest in clumps of grass, of dry grass, +roots, and moss, lined with fine grass and moss-roots. The entrance, +which is circular, is at one side; the nest is egg-shaped, the longer +diameter being perpendicular, and is placed at a height of about 6 +inches from the ground. A nest taken on the 30th. May measured 6.12 +in height and 3.5 in diameter externally, and the circular aperture, +which was just above the middle, was 1.75 in diameter. It contained +four eggs, which are represented as ovals, a good deal pointed towards +one end, measuring 0.69 by 0.55. The ground-colour is a pale green, +and they are speckled and spotted with bright red, the markings being +most numerous towards the large end, where they have a tendency to +form a zone or cap. + +Dr. Jerdon says that "it makes its nest of fine grass and withered +stalks, large, very loosely put together, globular, with a hole near +the top, and lays three or four eggs of an entirely dull Indian-red +colour." This undoubtedly is a mistake; the eggs he refers to are, I +think, those of _Neornis flavolivaceus_. He gave them to me, but was +not certain of the species they belonged to. + +The eggs of the present species are of much the same shape as those +of the preceding, and there is a certain similarity in the colour of +both; but in these eggs the ground-colour instead of being pink or +pinky white, is a pale, delicate, sometimes greyish, green. Then +though there is the same kind of zone round the large end, it is a +purple or purplish, instead of a brick-red, and it is manifestly made +up of innumerable minute specks, and has not the cloudy confluent +character of the zone in _S. crinigera_. Outside the zone minute +specks of the same purplish red are scattered, in some pretty thickly, +in others sparsely, over the whole of the rest of the surface. As a +body the eggs have a faint gloss, decidedly less, however, than those +of _S. crinigera_, but some few are absolutely glossless. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.63 to 0.79, and in breadth from 0.46 to +0.43; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0.68 by 0.5. + + +460. Suya khasiana, Godw.-Aust. _Austen's Hill-Warbler_. + +Suya khasiana, _Godw.-Aust., Hume, cat._ no. 549 bis. + +I found this bird high up in the eastern hills of Mauipur, frequenting +dense herbaceous undergrowth of balsams and the like in forest. On +the 11th of May I caught a female on her nest, containing four +well-incubated eggs. The nest was placed in a wild ginger-plant, about +two feet from the ground, in forest at the very summit of the Makhi +hill. + + +462. Prinia lepida, Blyth. _The Streaked Wren-Warbler_ + +Burnesia lepida (_Blyth), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 185. +Burnesia gracilis, _Ruepp., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 550. + +I have never happened to meet with the nest of the Streaked +Wren-Warbler, and all the information I possess in regard to its +nidification I owe to others. + +The late Mr. Anderson remarked:--"Although this species was far +from uncommon, I found it very local and confined entirely to the +tamarisk-covered islands and 'churs' along the Ganges. + +"The first nest was taken on the 13th March last, and contained three +well-incubated eggs; of these I saved only one specimen, which is now +in the collection of Mr. Brooks. The second was found on the following +day, and contained two callow young and one perfectly fresh egg. + +"The nest is domed over, having an entrance at the side; and the +cavity is comfortably lined, or rather felted, with the down of the +madar plant. It is fixed, somewhat after the fashion of that of the +Reed-Warbler, in the centre of a dense clump of surpat grass, about 2 +feet above the ground. On the whole the structure is rather large +for so small a bird, and measures 6 inches in height by 4 inches in +breadth. + +"But while the _nest_ corresponds exactly with Canon Tristram's +description[A] of those taken by him in Palestine, there are +differences, oologically speaking, which induce me to hope that our +Indian bird may yet be restored to specific distinction[B]. In +the first place, my single eggs from each nest have a _green_ +ground-colour, and are covered all over with reddish-brown spots. Now +Mr. Tristram describes his Palestine specimens as 'richly coloured +_pink_ eggs, with a zone of darker red near the larger end, and +in shape and colour resembling some of the _Prinia_ group.' Is it +possible for the same birds to lay such widely different eggs? If I +had taken only one specimen, it might have been looked upon as a mere +variety. Again, our Indian bird lays three eggs, and I have never +seen the parent birds feeding more than this number of young ones, +occasionally only two. Mr. Tristram, _per contra_, mentions having met +with as many as five and six. The egg is certainly the prettiest, and +one of the smallest, I have ever seen; indeed, I found it too small to +risk measurement." + +[Footnote A: Tristram on the Ornithology of Palestine, P. 2. S. 1864, +p. 437; Ibis, 865, pp. 82, 83.] + +[Footnote B: The two birds are now considered distinct by all +ornithologists.--ED.] + +He adds:--"Since writing the above, which appeared in 'The Ibis,' I +have discovered that this species breeds in September and October, +as well as in February and March, so some of them probably have two +broods in the year. I took a nest on the 9th October at Futtegurh, +which contained two callow young and one (_fresh_) egg, which I send +you, and which is exactly similar to all the others I have taken from +time to time." + +The egg sent me by Mr. Anderson is a very broad oval in shape, a good +deal compressed however, and pointed towards the small end. The shell +is very fine and has a decided gloss. In colouring the egg is exactly +like those of some of the Blackbirds--a pale green ground, profusely +freckled and streaked with a bright, only slightly brownish, red; the +markings are densest round the large end, where they form a broad, +nearly confluent, well-marked, but imperfect and irregular, zone. It +measures 0.55 by 0.41. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:--"The Streaked Wren-Warbler breeds in +great numbers near Delhi in March; Mr. C.T. Bingham has found several +of them in the clumps of surpat grass that had been cut within three +feet of the ground on the alluvial land of the Jumna. It was when out +with him in the end of March 1876 that I first saw the nest of this +species. The locality of the nest is exactly that described by Mr. +Anderson; it is oval in shape, with a large side entrance near the +top; it is built of fine grass and seed-down, no cobweb being employed +in the structure; it is loosely made, and there are always a few +feathers in the egg-cavity. The whereabouts is generally pointed out +by the cock bird, who, seated on the top of the highest blade of grass +he can find near where his hen is sitting, pours out with untiring +energy his feeble monotonous song, little knowing that by so doing he +has betrayed the spot where he has fixed his nest to the marauder. +The eggs, of which I have seen about fifteen or twenty, answer the +description given in 'Stray Feathers' exactly." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"Between the 12th and 31st March this +year I found ten nests of this bird, which is very common in the +grass-covered land of the Jumna. These nests were all alike, of fine +dry grass mixed with the down of the surpat, which also thickly lined +the inside. In shape the nests are blunt ovals, with a tiny hole +for entrance a little above the centre. Seven out of the ten nests +contained four eggs each, the rest three each. The eggs in colour are +a pale yellowish white with a tinge of green, thickly speckled with +dashes rather than spots of rusty red, tending in some to form a cap, +in others a zone round the large end. The average of twenty eggs +measured is 0.53 by 0.44 inch. The nests were all, with one exception, +supported by stems of the grass being worked into the sides. The one +exception was a nest I found in the fork of a tamarisk bush. It is not +a difficult nest to find, for when you are in the vicinity of one, one +of the birds will flit about the stems of the surrounding clumps of +grass and above you freely, opening its tiny mouth absurdly wide, but +giving forth the feeblest of feeble sounds." + +Writing on the Avifauna of Mt. Abu and N. Guzerat, Colonel E.A. Butler +says:--"I found a nest in a tussock of coarse grass in the sandy bed +of a river, amongst a number of tamarisk-bushes, on the 8th July, +1875, in the neighbourhood of Deesa. It was composed of fine dry +fibrous roots and grass-stems exteriorly, and lined with silky +vegetable down. It was a long bottled-shaped structure with a small +entrance on one side. The nest, eggs, situation, locality, &c. all +agree so exactly with the descriptions quoted by Dr. Jerdon and with +Mr. Anderson's note in 'Nests and Eggs,' _Rough Draft_, that I should +have found it difficult to avoid copying these two gentlemen in +describing my own nest. + +"The nest contained three hard-set eggs and one young one just +hatched." + +Referring to its occurrence in the Eastern Narra District, Mr. Doig +tells us:--"This little Warbler is very common. I took the first nest +in March and again in May; they build in stunted tamarisk-bushes; the +nest is circular dome-shaped, with the entrance on one side the top, +the inside being very beautifully and softly lined with the pappus of +grass-seeds. Four is the usual number of eggs in one nest." + +The Blackbird type of egg above described is by no means the commonest +one; the great mass of the eggs have the ground greyish, greenish, +or pinkish white, and they are very thickly and finely freckled and +speckled all over, but most densely about the large end, with a +slightly brownish, rarely a slightly purplish grey. Occasionally when +the markings are very dense in a cap at the large end there is a +distinct purplish-grey tinge there, and on the rest of the surface +of the egg the markings are somewhat less thickly set, leaving small +portions of the ground-colour clearly visible. Typically the eggs are +moderately broad ovals, a little compressed towards the small end, and +though none are very glossy, the great majority have a fair amount of +gloss. + + +463. Prinia flaviventris (Deless.). _The Yellow-bellied +Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia flaviventris (_Deless.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 169: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 532. + +Of the Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler's nidification I know personally +nothing. + +Tickell describes the nest as pensile but quite open, being a +hemisphere with one side prolonged, by which it is suspended from a +twig. The eggs, he says, are bright brick-red without a spot. + +Mr. H.C. Parker tells me that "this bird breeds in the Salt-Water +Lake, or rather on the swampy banks of the principal canals that +intersect it. The nest is nearly always placed on an ash-leaved +shrub-like plant growing on the banks of the canal and overhanging the +water. One taken on the 26th July, 1873, containing four nearly fresh +eggs, was almost touching the water at high tide. The male has the +habit, when the female is sitting, of hopping to the extreme point +of a tall species of cane-like grass which grows abundantly in these +swamps, whence he gives forth a rather pleasing song, erecting his +tail at the same time, after which he drops into the jungle and is +seen no more. It is almost impossible to make him show himself again." + +The nest, which I owe to Mr. Parker, and which was found in the +neighbourhood of the Salt-Water Lake, Calcutta, on the 26th July, is +of an oval shape, very obtuse at both ends, measuring externally 4 +inches in length and about 23/4 inches in diameter. The aperture, which +is near the top of the nest, is oval, and measures about 1 inch by 11/2 +inch. The nest is fixed against the side of two or three tiny leafy +twigs, to which it is bound lightly in one or two places with grass +and vegetable fibre; and two or three leafy lateral twiglets are +incorporated into the sides of the nest, so that when fresh it must +have been entirely hidden by leaves. The nest was in an upright +position, the major axis perpendicular to the horizon. It is a very +thin, firm, close basket-work of fine grass, flower-stalks, and +vegetable fibre, and has no lining, though the interior surface of +the nest is more closely woven and of still finer materials than the +outside. The cavity is nearly 21/2 inches deep, measuring from the lower +edge of the entrance, and is about 2 inches in diameter. + +During this present year (1874) Mr. Parker obtained several more +nests of this species, all built in the low jungle that fringes the +mud-banks of the congeries of channels and creeks that are known in +Calcutta by the name of the "Salt Lake." + +This jungle consists chiefly of the blue-flowered holly-leaved +_Acanthus ilicifolia_ and of the trailing semi-creeper-like _Derris +scandens_. It is in amongst the drooping twigs of the latter that the +nest is invariably made. + +The nests vary a good deal in shape; some are regular cylinders +rounded off at both ends, with the aperture on one side above the +centre--a small oval entrance neatly worked. Such a nest is about 4.5 +inches in length externally from top to bottom, and 2.75 in diameter; +the aperture 1.3 in height, and barely 1.0 in width. + +Others are still more egg-shaped, with a similar aperture near the +top, and others are more purse-like. The material used appears to be +always much the same--fine grass-stems intermingled with blades of +grass, and here and there dry leaves of some rush, a little seed-down, +scraps of herbaceous plants, and the like; the interior, always of the +finest grass-stems, neatly arranged and curved to the shape of the +cavity. The nests are firmly attached to the drooping twigs, to and +between which they are suspended, sometimes by line vegetable fibre, +but more commonly by cobwebs and silk from cocoons, a good deal of +both of which are generally to be seen wound about the surface of the +nest near the points of suspension or attachment. + +Four appears to be the full number of the eggs. Mr. Doig, writing from +Sind, says:--"This bird is tolerably common all along the Narra, but +as it keeps in very thick jungle it is not often seen unless looked +for. I took my first nest on the 12th, and my second on the 17th of +May. This evidently is the second brood, as I noticed on the same day +a lot of young birds which must have been fully six weeks old. One +nest was lined with horsehair and fine grasses. Four was the normal +number of eggs." + +Mr. Gates writes:--"The Yellow-bellied Wren-Warbler is very abundant +throughout Lower Pegu in suitable localities. In the plains between +the Sittang and Pegu rivers they are constant residents, breeding +freely from May to August and September. In Rangoon also, all round +the Timber Depot at Kemandine, and in the low-lying land between the +town proper and Monkey Point, they are very numerous." + +The eggs are of the well-known _Prinia_ type--broad regular ovals, of +a nearly uniform mahogany-red, and very glossy. To judge from the +few specimens I have seen, they average a good deal smaller, and are +somewhat less deeply coloured, than those of _P. socialis_. They vary +from 0.52 to 0.6 in length, and from 0.43 to 0.48 in breadth. + + +464. Prinia socialis, Sykes. _The Ashy Wren-Warbler_. + +Prinia socialis, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 170: _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 534. +Prinia stewarti, _Blyth, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 171; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 535. + +_Prinia socialis_. + +The Ashy Wren-Warbler breeds throughout the southern portion of the +Peninsula and Ceylon, alike in the low country and in the hills, up to +all elevation of nearly 7000 feet. + +The breeding-season extends from March to September, but I am +uncertain whether they have more than one brood. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"Colonel Sykes remarks that this species has the +same ingenious nest as _O. longicauda_. I have found the nest on +several occasions, and verified Colonel Sykes's observations; but it +is not so neatly sewn together as the nest of the true Tailor-bird, +and there is generally more grass and other vegetable fibres used in +the construction. The eggs are usually reddish white, with numerous +darker red dots at the large end often coalescing, and sometimes the +eggs are uniform brick-red throughout." + +Now, first, as regards the eggs, it is clearly wrong to say that the +eggs are usually reddish white; that such eggs, as exceptions, may +have occurred I do not doubt, but I have seen more than fifty eggs +of this bird taken by Miss Cockburn, Messrs. Carter, Davison, Wait, +Theobald, and others, and all were without exception mahogany- or +brick-red, at times mottled, somewhat paler and darker here and there, +but making no approach, even the most distant, to what Dr. Jerdon says +is the _usual_ type. Moreover, I have taken _many hundreds_ of the +eggs of _stewarti_ (the northern, rather smaller form), which is not +only _most_ closely allied but really _very_ doubtfully distinct, and +yet I never met with one single egg of this type. At the same time +Mr. Swinhoe ('Ibis,' 1860, p. 50) tells us that _P. sonitans_ also at +times exhibits a reddish-white egg; so I do not for a moment question +that Dr. Jerdon had seen such eggs, only it must be understood that, +so far from constituting the _usual type_, it is in reality a most +abnormal and rare variety. Out of eight correspondents who have +collected for me in Southern India, I cannot learn that any one has +ever yet even seen an egg of this type. + +As regards the nest, this species often constructs a Tailor-bird nest, +the true nest being filled in between two or more leaves carefully +stitched together to the nest; but it also, like that species, often +builds a very different structure. + +A nest now before me, sent from Conoor, is a loosely-made cup--a very +slight fabric of grass-stems, matted with a quantity of the downy seed +of some flowering grass and with a lining of fine grass-roots. It is +an irregular cup about 21/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches in depth. + +Four seems to be the regular number of the eggs. + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn writes that "the Ashy Wren-Warbler +builds a neat little hanging nest very much in the Tailor-bird style, +for it draws the leaves of the branch on which the nest is constructed +close together, and sews them so tightly as sometimes to make them +nearly touch each other, while a small quantity of fine grass, wool, +and the down of seed-pods is used as a lining and also placed between +the leaves. These nests are built very low, and contain three +_beautiful_ little bright red eggs, a shade darker at the thick end. +They are easily discovered; for the birds get so agitated if any one +approaches the bush on which they have built that they invariably +attract one to the very spot they most wish to conceal. They build in +the months of June and July." + +Mr. Davison says:--"This bird breeds on the Nilghiris in March, April, +and May, and sometimes as late as the earlier part of June. The nest +is generally placed low down near the roots of a bush or tuft of +grass. It is made of grass beautifully and closely woven, domed, and +with the entrance near the top. The eggs, three or four in number, +are of a deep brick-red, darker at the larger end, where there is +generally a zone, and are very glossy. I once obtained a nest made +of grass and bits of cotton, but instead of being built as above +described it was placed between, and sewn to, two leaves of the +_Datura stramonium_. It contained three eggs of a deep brick-red; in +fact, precisely like those described above." + +Mr. Wait tells us that "in September I found two nests, the one deeply +cup-shaped, the other domed, both constructed of similar materials. +The latter of the two was placed at the bottom of a large bunch of +lemon-grass, and was constructed of root-fibre and grass, grass-bents, +and down of thistle and hawkweed, all intermixed. Exteriorly it +measured between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The nests contained three +and five eggs, all highly glossy and of a deep brownish-red, deeper +than brick-red, mottled with a still deeper shade." + +Colonel "W.Y. Legge, writing from Ceylon, tells us that "_P. socialis_ +breeds with us in the commencement of the S.W. monsoon during the +months of May, June, and July. It nests in long grass on the Patnas in +the Central Province, in guinea-grass fields, and in sugarcane-brakes +where these exist, as in the Galle District for instance. I can +scarcely imagine that Jerdon is correct about this Warbler's nesting. + +"Nothing can be more un-Tailor-bird-like than the nest which it builds +in _this_ country, and this led me to think that ours was a different +species until my specimens were identified by Lord Walden. In May 1870 +a pair resorted to a large guinea-grass field attached to my bungalow +at Colombo, for the purpose of breeding. I soon found the nest, which +was the most peculiarly constructed one I have ever seen. It was, in +fact, an almost shapeless ball of guinea-grass roots, _thrown_ as it +were between the upright stalks of the plant at about 2 feet from +the ground: I say 'thrown,' because it was scarcely attached to the +supporting stalks at all. It was formed entirely of the roots of the +plant, which, when it is old, crop out of the ground and are easily +plucked up by the bird, the bottom or more solid part being interwoven +with cotton and such-like substances to impart additional strength. +The entrance was at the side in the upper half, and was tolerably +neatly made; it was about an inch in diameter, the whole structure +measuring about 6 inches in depth by 5 inches in breadth. I found the +nest in a partial state of completion on the 10th of May; by the 19th +it was finished and the first of a clutch of three eggs laid. The nest +and eggs were both taken on the evening of the 24th, and the following +day another was commenced close at hand. This was somewhat smaller, +but constructed in the same peculiar manner as the first. This was +completed, and the first of another clutch laid. The eggs are somewhat +pointed at the smaller end, and of an almost uniform dull mahogany +ground-colour, showing indications of a paler underground at the +point." + +Birds like these, that build half-a-dozen different kinds of nests, +ought to be abolished; they lead to all kinds of mistakes and +differences of opinion, and are more trouble than they are worth. + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"Found numerous nests of this species at +Belgaum on the following dates:-- + + "July 13. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs. + " 22. " " " 3 " + " 25. " " " 4 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 26. " " " 3 " + " 28. " " " 2 slightly incubated eggs. + Aug. 5. " " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 6. " " " 4 " + +"All of the above nests were built in sugarcane-fields or in +corn-fields; and most of them were stitched up in leaves of various +plants after the fashion of Tailor-birds' nests; but in some instances +they were of the other type, simply supported by the blades of +sugar-cane or corn they were built in. In addition to the above I +found numerous other nests all through August, many of which were +destroyed by something or other--what, I do not know! In fact, it has +always been a puzzle to me what it is that takes the eggs of these +small birds: three out of four nests, when visited a second time, are +either empty, gone altogether, or pulled down; and how the birds ever +manage to hatch off a brood at all with so many enemies I do not know. + +"I found a nest of the Ashy Wren-Warbler at Deesa on the 21st July, +containing three fresh eggs, of a highly polished deep mahogany-red +colour, with an almost invisible cap of the same colour a shade darker +at the large end. The nest, which was placed in the centre of a low +bush and fixed to a few small twigs, was oval in shape, measuring 33/4 +inches in length exteriorly and 2-5/8 in width, with a small round +entrance near the top about 11/4 inch in diameter. It was composed +of fine dry fibrous grass, with silky vegetable down (_Calotropis +giganten_) and cobwebs smeared over the exterior. The walls were very +thin, but the bottom of the nest somewhat solid. The whole well woven +and compactly built. Later on I got nests on the following dates:-- + + "Aug. 1. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + " 1. " " 2 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 5. " " 4 " + " 8. " " 3 " + " 9. " " 4 " + " 26. " " 3 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests containing young birds on the +15th, 17th, and 23rd August. + +"The nests are of two distinct types. One as above described; the +other, which is the commoner of the two, a regular Tailor-bird's nest +stitched between two leaves but without any lining. The eggs vary a +good deal in shade, some being paler than others. Some eggs I have +look almost like little balls of red carnelian. Creepers (convolvulus +&c.) growing up low thorny bushes in grass-beerhs are a favourite +place for the nest." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Warbler breeds +from July to September. + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that this bird is common in the +Deccan and breeds in August. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says:--"It builds +in March, constructing a very neat pendent nest, which is artfully +concealed, and supported by sewing one or two leaves round it. This +is very neatly done with the fine silk which surrounds the eggs of a +small brown spider. The nest is generally built of fine grass, and +contains three eggs of a bright brick-colour with a high polish. The +entrance to the nest is at the top and a little on one side. An egg +measured 0.7 inch in length by 0.48 in breadth." + +As for the eggs, it is unnecessary to describe them; they are +precisely similar to those of _P. stewarti_, fully described below. +All that can be said is that as a body they are slightly larger, and +_possibly_, as a _whole_, the least shade less dark. In length they +vary from 0.52 to 0.72, and in breadth from 0.45 to 0.52; but the +average of twenty-one eggs measured is 0.64 by rather more than +0.47[A]. + +[Footnote A: As a matter of convenience I keep the notes on _P. +socialis_ and _P. stewarti_ separate, as is done in the 'Rough Draft'; +but there is no doubt whatever now that the two birds are the same +species.--ED.] + +_Prinia stewarti_. + +Stewart's Wren-Warbler is one of those forms in regard to which at +present great difference of opinion prevails as to whether or no they +merit specific separation. _P. stewarti_ from the N.W. Provinces and +_P. socialis_ from the Nilghiris differ only in size; the latter is +somewhat more robust, and probably weighs one fifth more than the +former. But then in the Central Provinces you meet with intermediate +sizes, and I have plenty of birds which might be assigned +indifferently to either race as a rather small example of the one or +rather large one of the other. I myself consider all to belong to one +species, but as this is not the general view I have kept my notes on +their nidification separate. + +This species or race breeds almost throughout the plains of Upper +India and in the Sub-Himalayan ranges to an elevation of 3000 or +4000 feet. In the plains the breeding-season extends from the first +downfall of rain in June (I have never found them earlier) to quite +the end of August. In the moist Sub-Himalayan region, the Terais, +Doons, Bhaburs, and the low hills, they commence laying nearly a month +earlier. + +This species often constructs as neatly sewn a nest as does the +_Orthotomus_; in fact, many of the nests built by these two species so +closely resemble each other that it would be difficult to distinguish +them were there not very generally a difference in the lining. With +few exceptions all the innumerable nests of _O. sutorius_ that I have +seen were lined with some soft substance--cotton-wool, the silky down +of the cotton-tree(_Bomlax heptaphyllum_) grass-down, soft horsehair, +or even human hair, while the nests of _P. stewarti_ are almost +without exception _lined_ with fine grass-roots. + +Our present bird does not, however, invariably construct a "tailored" +nest. When it does, like _O. sittorius_, it sews two, three, four, +or five leaves together, as may be most convenient, filling the +intervening space with down, fine grass, vegetable fibre, or wool, +held firmly into its place by cross-threads, sometimes composed of +cobwebs, sometimes made by the bird itself of cotton, and sometimes +apparently derived from unravelled rags. It also, however, often +makes a nest entirely composed of fine vegetable fibre, cotton, and +grass-down, and lined as usual with fine grass-roots. Sometimes these +nests are long and purse-like, and sometimes globular, either attached +to, or pendent from, two or more twigs. One nest before me, a sort of +deep watch-pocket, suspended from five twigs of the jhao (_Tamarix +dioica_), measures externally 2.75 inches in diameter, is a good deal +longer at what may be called the back than the front, and at the back +fully 5.5 long. Internally the diameter is about 1.5, and the cavity, +measuring from the lowest portion of the external rim, is 2.5. This +is a _very_ large nest. Another, built between three leaves, has an +external diameter of about 21/2 inches, and is externally not above 3 +inches long. It is unnecessary here to describe the beautiful manner +in which, when it makes use of leaves, this bird sews them together, +as this has already been well described by others where _O. sutorius_ +is concerned, and _P. stewarti_ is, in some cases, when forming a nest +with leaves, fully as neat a workman. + +The nests vary so much, and I have heard so much, discussion about +them, that having seen at least a hundred and having taken full notes +of some twenty of them, I shall reproduce a few of these notes:-- + +"_Agra, July 17th_.--Two nests--one nearly globular, composed entirely +of fibrous roots, hair, wool, and thread, and lined with fine grass, +suspended by a few fibres and hairs between the fork of a branchlet +in a little dense bush of Indian box; the other, suspended from the +tendril of an elephant creeper, was principally formed by one of the +leaves of this, to which, to form the remaining third of the exterior, +a second leaf of the same plant was carefully sewn. Interiorly there +was a little wool, and at the bottom fine grass. + +"_July 20th_.--On a furash-tree (_Tamarix furas_), beautifully made +of fine soft wool, shreds of tow and string, very fine grass and +grass-roots, and the bottom neatly lined with very fine grass-roots. +In shape the nest is like one half of a long old-fashioned silk purse, +round-bottomed and very compact, with a long slit-like opening on one +side towards the top. It contained five eggs. + +"_July 26th_.--Two nests, one formed almost entirely in a single +mango-leaf, the sides of which are curled round so as nearly to meet, +and then laced by a succession of cross-threads of cobweb, carefully +knotted at each place where the margin of the leaf is pierced. The +intervening space is closed by fine tow, wool, and the silky down of +the cotton-tree, with just the top of a small mango-leaf caught in +from above so as to form an arched roof. The other nest was rounder in +form, having less of a leafy structure. It had, however, the leaf of +the _Phalsa_ forming the back and sides (partly), whilst the whole of +the front was composed of soft wool, tow, dry grass-roots, thread, and +a few pieces of the soft tree-cotton. It had a neighbouring leaf just +caught in on one side. This contained four fresh eggs. + +"_July 30th_.--A beautiful nest between three twigs, several of the +leaves of each of which had been tacked on to the outside of the nest. +The nest itself was firmly put together with fine grass-roots, and was +nearly globular in shape, with one side continued upwards into a sort +of hood overhanging the greater portion of the aperture. It contained +four eggs of the usual deep red colour. + +"_August 8th_.--At Bichpoori found a number of nests, and some of them +of a strangely different type. One was inside a tiny hut on the line, +about 3 feet above the head of the chaprassie's bed. It had no leaves +about it, and was composed of thread, wool, and a few very fine +grass-stems, and lined thinly with fine grass-stems and a little black +horsehair. It was about two thirds of a sphere, the external diameter +of which was about 31/4 inches, and the internal 21/2 inches. The bird was +on the nest, so that there could be no mistake, otherwise it would +have been impossible to believe that it belonged to _P. stewarti_, +of which we have taken so many sewn in leaves. A little further on +another nest of the same species, built in the ragged eaves of a +thatch, externally composed almost entirely of cotton-wool, with a +little tow-fibre binding the structure together, internally as usual +lined with very fine grass-roots with a few horsehairs. Another nest +of the _Prinia_ was in one respect even more remarkable. It was +built in the usual situation in a low herbaceous plant, sewn to and +suspended from two leaves, and two or three others worked into its +sides. It was constructed almost entirely of fine grass-roots and +fibres, with a few tiny tufts of cotton-wool, and the leaves as usual +firmly tacked on with threads and cobweb fibres. It would seem that, +after constructing the nest, but before laying, a large female spider +took possession of the bottom of the nest, and shut herself in by +constructing a diaphragm of web horizontally across the nest, thus +occupying the whole of the cavity of the nest. The little bird +accepted this change of circumstances, built the nest a little higher +at the sides, and over the spider's web placed a false bottom of +fine grass-roots, on which she laid her four eggs, and there she was +sitting when the nest was taken, the spider, alive and apparently +happy in the cell below, plainly visible through the interstices of +the grass, with a huge sac of eggs which she was incubating. Her +chamber is fully one half of the nest." + +I may add that this latter nest, with the _now_ dead spider, _in +situ_, is still in our museum. + +In number the eggs are sometimes four, sometimes five, and I have +_heard_ of six being found. + +They rear usually two broods; if their eggs are taken they will lay +three or four sets; sometimes they use the same nest twice; sometimes, +directly the first brood is at all able to shift for themselves, the +parents leave them in the old nest, and commence building a new one at +no great distance. + +The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Owing to the inclemency of the +weather (August) the geranium-pots in the garden were placed in the +verandah of the house I am at present living in, and, strange to say, +a pair of these Warblers commenced building in the leaves of one of +the plants immediately under my window. + +"When the nest was about half-finished the birds' forsook it without +apparently any reason, as they were never molested in any way. On +examining the nest, however, the cause was evident, and afforded a +remarkable instance of instinct on the part of the little architects. +The leaves that had been pierced and sewn together had actually +commenced to _wither_, and in the course of a few days later the whole +structure came down bodily. + +"This is the only _Prinia_ to be found at Futtehgurh, and they are one +of our most common garden-birds. Their beautiful brick-red eggs and +neatly-sewn nests are too well known to require description. + +"Four generally, and five frequently, is the number of eggs they lay. +I have _one_ record of _six_ on the 17th August, 1873; in this case +one egg was laid daily, the first having been laid on the 12th, and +the sixth on the 17th." + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a true Tailor-bird in respect to +the construction of the nest, which is composed of one leaf as a +supporting base stitched to two others meeting it perpendicularly, the +apices of all three being neatly sewn together with threads roughly +spun from the cottony down of seeds. Between or within these leaves is +placed the nest, very slightly and loosely constructed of fine roots, +grass-stalks, and seed-down, the latter material being interwoven to +hold the coarser fibres of the nest together. There is no finer lining +within, and the edges of the exterior leaves are drawn together round +the nest and held there partly by roughly-spun threads of down, and +partly by the ends of the stiff fibres being thrust through them. The +whole forms a very light and graceful fabric. Within this nest were +four beautiful and highly polished eggs of a deep brick-red colour, +darkest at the larger end, faint specks and blotches of a deeper +colour being indistinctly discernible beneath the surface of the +shell, which shines as if it had been varnished. The nest is not +closed above, but is open and deeply cup-shaped. This was taken in the +Dhoon on the 30th May." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds at Allahabad in June, July, and +August. At Delhi I have not yet found its nest. I once found in July +three nests all attached together in a sort of triangle, but whether +built by separate pairs of birds I cannot say. Only one nest contained +eggs." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found in July in the Cawnpoor +district was built of grass, a deep oblong domed nest with the +entrance at the side near the top. It was placed close to the ground +in a tuft of surkerry grass sloping rather backwards. The position is, +I believe, unusual. The old birds were still putting finishing touches +to the building when I found it." + +The eggs are ovals, as a rule, neither very broad nor much elongated. +Pyriform examples occur, but a somewhat perfect oval is the usual +type, and the examination of a large series shows that the tendency +is to vary to a globular and not to an elongated shape. The eggs +are brilliantly glossy, and, though considerably smaller, strongly +resemble, as is well known, those of the little short-tailed Cetti's +Warbler. + +In colour they are brick-red, some, however, being paler and yellower, +others deeper and more mahogany-coloured. There is a strong tendency +to exhibit all ill-defined cloudy cap or zone, of far greater +intensity than the colour of the rest of the egg, at or towards the +large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.6 to 0.68, and in breadth from 0.45 to +0.5; but the average of seventy eggs measured is 0.62 by 0.46. + + +465. Prinia sylvatica, Jerd. _The Jungle Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus sylvaticus, _Jerd. B. Ind_ ii, p. 181; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 545. +Drymoipus neglectus, _Jerd. R. Ind._ ii, p. 182; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 546. + +Dr. Jerdon says:--"I found the nest in low jungle near Nellore, made +chiefly of grass, with a few roots and fibres, globular, large, with +a hole at one side near the top, and the eggs white, spotted very +thickly with rusty red, especially at the thick end." + +Mr. Blewitt appears to have taken many eggs of this species in the +Raipoor District, and he has sent me the following notes, together +with numerous eggs. He says:-- + +"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the Raipoor District from about +the middle of June to the middle of August. Low thorn-bushes on rocky +ground are chiefly selected for the nest, and both parent birds assist +in building it and in hatching and rearing the young. A new nest is +made each year, and four is the maximum number of eggs. + +"On the 1st July this year I found a nest of this species in the +centre of a low thorny bush, growing in rocky ground, about two miles +north of Doongurgurh in the Raipoor District. + +"The nest was about 4 feet from the ground, firmly attached to and +supported by the branches. It was of a deep cup shape, 3.6 in diameter +and 4.9 in height, composed of coarser and finer grasses firmly +interwoven, and contained four fresh eggs. In the same locality we +secured a second similarly situated nest, about 21/2 feet from the +ground, and it contained a single fresh egg. It was rather more neatly +and massively made than the former. It was about 4 inches in diameter +and 5 inches in height, and the egg-cavity was nearly 3 inches deep. +The lining is of fine grass-stalks well interwoven. The exterior is +composed of coarse grass mixed with a little greyish-white fibre. + +"Subsequently several other similar and similarly situated nests were +found." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"The Jungle Wren-Warbler breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of July, August, and September. +The following are the dates upon which I found nests this year +(1876):-- + + "July 28. A nest containing 4 young birds. + " 29. " 5 fresh eggs. + Aug. 1. " 4 " + " 5. " 5 " + Aug. 13. " 5 " + " 16. " 4 young birds fledged. + " 17. " 5 " + " " " 3 " + " 19. " 4 " + " " " 5 " + " 30. " 5 " + Sept. 3. " 5 " + +"In addition to the above, I found nests in the same neighbourhood in +1875. One on the 14th August containing four young birds almost ready +to leave the nest. It was placed in the middle of a tussock of coarse +grass on the side of a nullah on a bank overgrown with grass and +bushes, and my attention was attracted first of all to the spot by the +incessant chattering and uneasiness of the two old birds, one of which +had a large grasshopper in its mouth. After hiding behind a bush for +a few minutes, I saw the hen bird fly to the nest, which led to its +discovery. The nest was dome-shaped, with an entrance upon one side, +composed exteriorly of blades of rather coarse dry grass (green, +however, as a rule when the nest is first built), and interiorly of +similar, but finer, material. It is an easy nest to find when once +the locality in which the birds breed is discovered, as it is +a conspicuous ball of grass, smeared over, often more or less, +exteriorly with a silky white vegetable-down or cobweb, and many of +the blades of the tussock in which it is placed are often drawn down +and woven into the nest, which at once attracts attention. Then, +again, the cock bird is almost always to be found on the top of some +low tree near the nest, uttering his peculiar ventriloquistic note +'_tissip, tissip, tissip_,' etc. All the above nests were exactly +alike and in similar situations, viz. fixed in the centre of a tussock +of coarse grass on the banks of some deep nullahs running through a +large grass 'Beerh.' The eggs remind me more of the English Robin's +eggs than those of any other species I know. The ground-colour is dull +white, sometimes tinted with pale green, and the markings reddish +fawn. In some cases the eggs are peppered all over with a conspicuous +zone at the large end, sometimes a dense cap instead of a zone. In +other cases the markings, though always present, are almost invisible, +as also the zone or cap. They are about the size of the eggs of the +Spotted Flycatcher. I found a few other nests besides those I have +mentioned during July and August 1875." + +Captain Cock informed me that this species is "common in the jungles +around Seetapore. Nest is largish, dome-shaped, and placed low down in +a thorny bush. The bird lays in August five eggs, the _fac-simile_ of +the eggs of _Pratincola ferrea_, perhaps of a more elongated type than +the eggs of that bird." + +Mr. H. Parker, writing on the birds of North-west Ceylon, refers to +this bird under the titles _D. jerdoni_ and _D. valida_, and informs +us that it breeds from January to May. + +The eggs of this species are somewhat elongated ovals. The +ground-colour is a greenish or greyish stone-colour, and they are +finely and often rather sparsely freckled all over with very faint +reddish brown, or brownish pink in most eggs; these frecklings are +gathered together into a more or less dense zone round the large +end, forming a conspicuous ring there much darker-coloured than the +frecklings over the rest of the surface. The eggs have a faint gloss. + +In length they vary from 0.68 to 0.75, and in breadth from 0.49 to +0.52, but the average appears to be 0.7 by 0.5. + + +466. Prinia inornata, Sykes. _The Indian Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoipus inornatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 178; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 543. +Drymoipus longicaudatus (_Tick._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 180. +Drymoipus terricolor, _Hume_; _Hume, Rough Draft N, & E._ no. 543 bis. + +The breeding-season of this Wren-Warbler commences with the first fall +of rain, and lasts through July and August to quite the middle of +September. + +The birds construct a very elegant nest, always closely and compactly +woven, of very fine blades, or strips of blades, of grass, in no nests +exceeding one-twentieth of an inch in width, and in many of not above +half this breadth. The grass is always used when fresh and green, +so as to be easily woven in and out. Both parents work at the nest, +clinging at first to the neighbouring stems of grass or twigs, and +later to the nest itself, while they push the ends of the grass +backwards and forwards in and out; in fact, they work very much like +the Baya (_P. baya_), and the nest, though much smaller, is in texture +very like that of this latter species, the great difference being that +the Baya, with us, more often uses _stems_, and _Prinia_ strips of +_blades_ of grass. The nest varies in shape and in size, according to +its situation: a very favourite locality is in amongst clumps of the +_sarpatta_, or serpent-grass, in which case the bird builds a long +and purse-like nest, attached above and all round to the surrounding +grass-stems, with a small entrance near the top. Such nests are +often 8 or 9 inches in length, and 3 inches or even more in external +diameter, and with an internal cavity measuring 11/2 inch in diameter, +and having a depth of nearly 4 inches below the lower margin of the +entrance-hole. At other times they are hung between bare twigs, often +of some thorny bush, or are even placed in low herbaceous plants; in +these cases they are usually nearly globular, with the entrance-hole +near the top; they are then probably 31/2 inches in external diameter +in every direction. In other cases they are hung to or between two or +more leaves to which the birds attach the nest, much as a Tailor-bird +would do, using, however, fine grass instead of cobwebs or cotton-wool +for ligaments. I have never found more than five eggs in any nest, and +four is certainly the normal number. + +Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"I had a nest brought me in Oudh on the 17th +April, containing four eggs. About Agra and Muttra, where as you know +the birds are _very_ common, I have always obtained the greatest +number of eggs during August; four is the regular number; in one taken +on the 16th August I found five eggs." + +Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During July, August, and the early part +of September I found multitudes of nests of this species in the +neighbourhood of Hausie, almost exclusively in the Dhasapoor, Dhana, +and Secundapoor _Beerhs_ or jungle-preserves. + +"The nests, of which numerous specimens were sent to you, were of the +usual type, and were nearly all found in ber (_Z. jujuba_) and hinse +(_Capparis aphylla_) bushes, at heights of from 3 to 4 feet from the +ground. I did not meet with more than four eggs in any one nest." + +Colonel E.A. Butler says:--"The Indian Wren-Warbler is very common in +the plains, frequenting low scrub-jungle and long grass studied +with low bushes (_Calotropis, Zizyphus_, &c.). It breeds during the +monsoon, commencing to build in July, during which month and August +in the neighbourhood of Deesa I must have examined some three or four +dozen nests. There are two distinct types of nests, and there may be +two species of this genus in this part of the country; but I must +confess that after shooting a large number of specimens of both sexes, +and after examining an immense series of the eggs, I have failed to +make out more than one species, and that Mr. Hume informs me is his +_Drymoipus terricolor_. The nests alluded to vary as follows:--One +type is very closely and compactly woven, as described of _D. +terricolor_ ('Nests and Eggs, Rough Draft,' p. 349), with the entrance +almost at the top. The other type is built of the same material, with +the exception that the grass is rather coarser, but is more in shape +like a Wren's nest, and the grass is somewhat loosely put together +instead of being woven, and it has the entrance with a slight canopy +over it upon one side. The eggs four, and not uncommonly five, in +number, were exactly alike in both types, as also were the specimens +of the birds themselves that I obtained. + +"Nearly all the nests I have seen have been built on the outside of +ber bushes (_Z. jujuba_), at heights varying from 21/2 to 5 feet from +the ground." + +Mr. B. Aitken says:--"I found this nest at Bombay on the 13th October, +1873, at the edge of a tank some 2 feet above the ground. I have found +four or five precisely similar ones before, generally in similar +situations. The nest was strongly attached to the stems and leaves +of four herbaceous plants growing close together. In many cases the +strips of grass had been passed through and pierced the leaves. The +nest is deep and purse-shaped; the sides were prolonged upwards, +except in front where the entrance was, and joined above so as to +form a canopy. The nest has no lining, and none of the nests of this +species that I ever saw have ever had any lining. The whole nest +inside and out is composed of fine strips of blades of grass +interwoven. The eggs, five in number, varied much in size. In colour +they were bright blue, most irregularly blotched with various shades +of purplish brown: some of the blotches very large, some mere specks. +Each egg had also washed-out stains or blotches. The smaller eggs were +by far the brighter. + +"By reason of the roof and walls the entrance to the nest was at one +side, but there was nothing that could be called a hole. The roof +projected over the entrance, forming a porch. + +"Six or eight nests which I have seen of this species were all over +water. But the birds are by no means confined to marshy localities. + +"Even in the middle of the rains the nests are invariably made of dry +yellow grass. + +"One nest found in Berar was in a babool bush, where of course there +could have been no leaves pierced." + +Mr. E. Aitken writes:--"I have found a good many nests in Bombay, and +it breeds in Poona too. My notes only mention two nests with eggs, on +the 22nd and 25th August, but I found some much later; and I am +almost certain it begins to lay much earlier, if not actually at the +beginning of the monsoon, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_. + +"It builds in gardens and cultivated fields, especially in the +vicinity of water, and often among plants growing in water. + +"The nest is very firmly attached to the twigs of some plant where +long grass or other plants completely surround and conceal it. It +is usually about 3 foot from the ground. It varies much in size and +shape, some being much deeper than others, and some having the top +open; others an entrance somewhat to one side. + +"I have always found three or four eggs--bright blue, with large +irregular purplish-brown blotches and no hair-lines. I should have +said that the nest is a bag, very uniformly woven, of fine grass, and +_never with any lining_--at any rate in none that I have ever found. +They never use the same nest twice, always building a fresh one even +if you only rob without injuring the first. I think they have only one +brood in the year, but, like _Orthotomus_ and _Prinia_, one or two +nests are generally deserted or destroyed by some accident before they +succeed in rearing a brood." + +Major C.T. Bingham informs us that this Wren-Warbler is a common +breeder both at Allahabad and at Delhi from March to September. Builds +a neat bottle-shaped nest in clumps of surpat grass, of fine strips of +the grass itself, which I have repeatedly watched the birds tearing +off. The eggs are lovely little oval fragile shells of a deep blue, +blotched and speckled and covered with fine hair-like lines, chiefly +at the large end, of a deep chocolate-brown. + +The eggs are a moderately long, and generally a pretty perfect, oval, +often pointed towards one end, sometimes globular, seldom, if ever, +much elongated. The shell is fine and glossy, and comparatively thick +and strong. The ground-colour is normally a beautiful pale greenish +blue, most richly marked with various shades of deep chocolate and +reddish brown. Nothing can exceed the beauty or variety of the +markings, which are a combination of bold blotches, clouds, and spots, +with delicate, intricately interwoven lines, recalling somewhat, +but more elaborate and, I think, finer than, those of our early +favourite--the Yellow Ammer. The markings are invariably most +conspicuous at the large end, where there is very commonly a +conspicuous confluent cap, and the delicate lines are almost without +exception confined to the broader half of the egg. + +Very commonly the smaller end of the egg is entirely spotless, and I +have a beautiful specimen now before me in which the only markings +consist of a ring of delicate lines round the large end. Some idea of +the delicacy and intricacy of these lines may be formed when I mention +that this zone is barely one tenth of an inch broad, and yet in a good +light between twenty and thirty interlaced lines making up this zone +may be counted. + +The intricacy of the pattern is in some cases almost incredible, and, +what with the remarkable character of the patterns and the rich and +varying shades of their colours, these little eggs are, I think, +amongst the most beautiful known. + +Occasionally the ground-colour of the eggs, instead of being a bright +greenish blue, is a pale, rather dull, olive-green, and still more +rarely it is a clear pinkish white. These latter eggs are so rare that +I have only seen six in about as many hundreds. + +In size the eggs vary from 0.53 to 0.7 in length, and from 0.42 to 0.5 +in breadth; but the average of one hundred and twenty eggs measured +was 0.61 by 0.45. + + +467. Prinia jerdoni (Blyth). _The Southern Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca jerdoni (_Blyth_), _Hume, cat._ no. 544 ter. + +Mr. Davison says:--"The Southern Wren-Warbler breeds chiefly on the +slopes of the Nilgiris about the Badaga cultivation. The nest is +entirely composed of fine grass, and is generally placed about 2 or 3 +feet from the ground, either in a clump of long grass or attached to +the branch of a small bush. It is often suspended, domed, and with the +opening near the top. The eggs, generally three, are blue, spotted and +lined with deep red-brown." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "the Common Wren-Warbler +has no song, but is loud and frequent in its repetition of a few notes +during the breeding-season. Its nest, which is globular, is built in +the same shape as that of _P. socialis_, with the entrance at one end, +on some low bush, but it only uses _one_ material, namely fine long +grass, and does not add any soft lining. The colour of its eggs, +however, is totally different, of a light bluish green, and having +a number of spots and streaks like dark threads carried round +and through the spots, which are mostly at the thick end. The +breeding-season lasts from April to July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says:--"Fairly +common throughout the district. Eggs taken on the 15th July, 1882." + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, remarks:--"It builds a +neat pendent nest in long grass on the Nilgiris. The nest is composed +entirely of short pieces of grass fitted together, and is very +compact. The eggs are three in number, and are of a blue colour, with +large blotches and hair-like streaks of a dark reddish brown at the +upper end. An egg measured .69 inch by .5." + +The eggs of this species do not differ materially in size, shape, or +markings from those of _P. inornata_ which are very fully described +above. + + +468. Prinia blanfordi (Walden). _The Burmese Wren-Warbler_. + +Drymoeca blanfordi, _Wald., Hume, cat._ no. 543 ter. + +Mr. Oates, who found this bird very common in Pegu, writes:--"The +Burmese Wren-Warbler is perhaps the commonest bird of the Pegu plains. +From Myitkyo on the Sittang, and possibly from further north, down to +Rangoon, it is to be found in all the low tracts covered with grass. + +"Where it occurs it is a constant resident and breeds from May to +August. I have found the nest in the middle of May, but it is not till +July that the bulk of the birds lay. + +"The nest is never more than 4 feet from the ground, and is attached +either to two or more stalks of elephant-grass or to the stem of a low +weed, or to the blades of certain tender grasses which grow in thick +tufts. There is little or no attempt at concealment. The materials +forming the nest are entirely fine grasses, of equal coarseness or +fineness throughout, gathered green, and so beautifully woven together +that it is almost impossible to destroy a nest by tearing it asunder, +although it may be looked through. In shape it is somewhat of a +cylinder, with a tendency to swell out at the middle. Its length, or +rather height (for its longer axis, being invariably parallel to the +stalks to which the nest is attached, is generally upright), is from +6 to 8 inches, and its extreme width 4. The entrance is placed at the +top of the nest, the sides of which are produced an inch or two above +the lower edge of the entrance. The thickness of the walls is very +small, seldom reaching half, and generally being only a quarter, of an +inch. Occasionally the nest is almost globular, but the back of the +entrance is in every case produced upwards some inches. There is no +lining at all. + +"The eggs never exceed four, and frequently are only three, in number, +and the female does not commence sitting till the full number is laid. +She deserts the nest on the slightest provocation; and if a nest with +only one or two eggs is found, and the fingers inserted, it is useless +to leave the eggs in hopes of getting more. She will lay no more. I +have tested this in at least ten cases." + +Major C.T. Bingham tells us:--"About Kaukarit, on the Houndraw river +in Tenasserim, I found this species, in June 1878, very common. +They were then breeding, and I found several nests, all, however, +unfinished; these were, in material and make, very like the nests of +_P. inornata_ which I had taken years ago in India." + +The eggs of this species recall in many respects those of _P. +inornata_, but the ground-colour is much more variable, and the +markings are more blotchy and less intricate in shape. They are pretty +regular ovals, and while some are very glossy others exhibit but +little of this. The ground-colour is perhaps typically pale greenish +blue, but in a great many specimens this is more or less obliterated +by a reddish or pinkish tinge, as if the colour of the markings had +run; in some the ground is a sort of reddish olive, in some pinky +white. The markings are large blotches and spots, often forming zones +or caps about the larger end, where they seem almost always to be most +conspicuous, as they vary in colour from an intense burnt-sienna which +is almost black, through a dingy maroon, and again to a dull, somewhat +pale reddish brown; here and there individual eggs exhibit a hair-line +or two, or a hieroglyphic-like mark, but these are the exceptions. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.53 to 0.64 inch, and in breadth from +0.42 to 0.45; but the average of fourteen eggs is 0.58 by 0.44. + +Very constantly smears or clouds of a paler shade than the blotches +cover large portions of the surface between these. Occasionally all +the markings are smeared and ill-defined, and in some eggs they are +almost entirely wanting, and nothing but a scratch or two about the +large end is to be seen. + + + + +Family LANIIDAE + + +Subfamily LANIINAE. + + +469. Lanius lahtora(Sykes). _The Indian Grey Shrike_. + +Lamus lahtora (_Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 400. +Collyrio lahtora, _Sykes, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 256. + +The Indian Grey Shrike lays from January to August, and occasionally +up to October, but the majority of my eggs have been obtained during +March or April. + +It builds, generally, a very compact and heavy, deep, cup-shaped nest, +which it places at heights of from 4 to 10 or 12 feet from the ground +in a fork, towards the centre of some densely growing thorny bush +or moderate-sized tree, the various carounders, capers, plums, and +acacias being those most commonly selected. + +As a rule it builds a new nest every year, but it not unfrequently +only repairs one that has served it in the previous season, and even +at times takes possession of those of other species. + +The nest is composed of very various materials, so much so that it is +difficult to generalize in regard to them. I have found them built +entirely of grass-roots, with much sheep's wool, lined with hair and +feathers, or solidly woven of silky vegetable fibre, mostly that of +the putsun (_Hibiscus cannabinus_), in which were incorporated little +pieces of rag and strips of the bark of the wild plum (_Zizyphus +jujuba_); but I think that most commonly thorny twigs, coarse grass, +and grass-roots form the body of the nest, while the cavity is lined +with feathers, hair, soft grass, and the like. + +Generally the nests are very compact and solid, 6 or 7 inches in +diameter, and the egg-cavity 3 to 4 in diameter, and 2 to 21/2 in depth, +but I have come across very loosely built and straggling ones. + +They have at times two broods in the year (but I do not think that +this is always the case), and lay from three to six eggs, four or five +being the usual number. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, writing from Jhansie and Saugor, and detailing his +experiences there and in the Delhi Districts, says:-- + +"The Common Indian Grey Shrike breeds from February to July; it builds +on trees; if it has a preference, it is for the close-growing roonj +tree (_Acacia leucophlaea_). I have particularly noticed this fact +both here and at Gurhi Hursroo. The nest in structure is neat and +compact (though I have occasionally seen some very roughly put +together), and generally-well fixed into the forks of an off-shooting +branch. In shape it is circular, varying from 5 to 71/2 inches in +diameter, and from 11/2 to 31/2 inches in thickness; thorn twigs, coarse +grass, grass-roots, old rags, &c. form the outer materials of the +nest, and closely interwoven fine grass and roots the border-rim. The +egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, from 31/2 to 5 inches in diameter, and +lined with fine grass and khus; exceptionally shreds of cloth are +interwoven with the khus and grass. + +"On one occasion I got a nest with the cup interior entirely lined +with old cloth pieces, very cleverly and ingeniously worked into the +exterior framework. Five is the regular number of eggs, though at +times six have been obtained in one nest. The birds often make their +own nests each year, but this is not invariably the case. When at +Gurhi Hursroo in February last, I found on an isolated roonj tree four +nests within a foot of each other. The under centre one, an _old_ +Shrike nest (the other three were of other birds), was occupied by +a Shrike sitting on five eggs. I very carefully examined it, and my +impression at the time was that the parent birds had returned, to rear +a second progeny, to the nest constructed by them the year previous. + +"I do not know whether you have noticed the fact, but both _L. +lahtora_ and _L. erythronotus_ often lay in old nests, of which they +first carefully repair the egg-cavity with new materials. It is not +only, however, in old nests of their own species that these birds +make a home in the breeding-season. At times they take possession of +fabrics clearly not the work of any Shrike. Quite recently I found a +pair of _L. lahtora_ with four eggs in a small nest entirely woven of +hemp, the bottom of which was thickly coated with the droppings of +former occupants. Again, on the 8th June, a nest with four eggs was +found on a roonj tree. This wonderful nest, which I have kept, is +entirely composed of what I take to be old felt and feathers, the +bottom of the cavity of which, when found, was almost covered with the +dung of young birds. + +"Evidently this nest was not _originally_ made by the Shrike, but, as +would appear, was taken possession of by it, after the brood of some +other species of birds had left it." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt +Range:--"Lays in the last week of March to the end of April. Eggs five +only, shape ovato-pyriform, size 1.06 inch by 0.8 inch; colour pale +greenish white, blotched and tinged with yellowish grey and neutral +markings; vary much in intensity and colour. Nest of twigs, lined with +cotton or wool, and usually placed in stiff thorny bushes." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing from Chaman in Southern Afghanistan, +remarks:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is extremely common, breeding about +the end of March, in much the same situations as in India. I have +collected many specimens, and failed to detect any difference between +the Indian bird and the one found here. The average of twelve eggs is +.97 by .75." + +He adds subsequently:--"This is the commonest Shrike in the country; +it breeds in March and April, and the young are easily reared in +captivity." + +Mr. W. Blewitt says that he "took four nests of this bird near Hansee +on the 28th-30th March; they contained, one 5, two 4, and one 3 +eggs; all but the latter (which, curiously enough, were a good deal +incubated) quite fresh. The nests were placed in acacia and caper +bushes, at heights of from 6 to 14 feet from the ground; they were +from 6 to 7 inches in diameter exteriorly, rather loosely constructed +of thorny twigs, with egg-cavities from 2 to 21/2 inches deep, lined +with fine straw and leaves." Again he writes: "Took numerous nests in +the neighbourhood of Hansee during the month of July; most of the eggs +were much incubated, and four was the largest number found in any one +nest. + +"The nests were all placed upon keekur trees at an average height of +some 10 feet from the ground; they were composed of thorny twigs, +some with and some without a lining of fine grass and feathers, and +averaged some 5 or 6 inches in diameter by 2 to 4 inches in depth." + +Major C.T. Bingham says that "this bird is excessively common about +Delhi, far more so than at Allahabad. At the latter place I only found +it breeding in March and April, but at Delhi I have found nests in +every month from March to August. One evening in June I remember +counting in my walk thirteen nests within the radius of a mile; some +of these contained fresh eggs, some hard-set, some young. One nest I +robbed in April of eggs contained young in the latter end of May, and +I believe many of them have two if not more broods in the year. All +nests that I have seen have been well made, firm, deep cups of babool +branches, lined with grass-roots, and occasionally with bits of rag +and tow. The eggs are broad ovals of a dead chalky bluish-white +colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end, with purple and brown. Five +is the greatest number of eggs I have found in a nest." + +Mr. George Reid informs us that this Shrike breeds from March to +July in the Lucknow Division, making a massive nest in babool trees, +generally in solitary ones on open plains. + +Colonel Butler writes:--"The Indian Grey Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa in February, March, April, May, June, and July. +I nave taken nests on the following dates:-- + + "Feb. 19. A nest containing 4 slightly incubated eggs. + March 13. " " 4 fresh eggs. + " 16. " " 4 " + " 19. " " 4 " + " 20. " " 3 " + " 20. " " 4 " + " 28. " " 4 incubated eggs. + April 9. " " 4 " " + June 1. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 7. " " 4 young birds. + " 7. " " 2 incubated eggs. + July 9. " " 4 " " + +"The nest is usually placed in some low, isolated leafless thorny tree +(_Acacia, Zizyphus_, &c.), from six to ten feet from the ground. It +is solidly built of small dry thorny twigs, old rags, &c. externally, +with a thick felt lining of the silky fibre of _Calotropis gigantea_. +The eggs vary a good deal in shape, some being much more pointed at +the small end than others; some I have are almost perfect peg-tops. +They vary in number from three to five; and as a rule the colour is a +dingy white, spotted and speckled sparingly all over with olive-brown +and inky purple, which together form a well-marked zone at the large +end." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Common, and breeds abundantly in +the Poona and Sholapoor Collectorates at the end of the hot weather. +W. has noticed it breeding at Nuluar and Raichore. Davidson observed +that it was very rare in the Satara Districts." + +Mr. J. Davidson further informs us that _L. lahtora_ is a permanent +resident in Western Khandeish, and breeds in every month from January +to July. + +My friend Mr. Benjamin Aitken furnishes me with the following +interesting note:--"You say that the Indian Grey Shrike lays from +February to July. Now, in Berar, where this bird is very common, I +have found their eggs frequently in the first week of January, and +on not only to July, but to September; and I once found a nest in +October. I was never able to satisfy myself that the same pair had two +broods in the year, but I scarcely think there can be any doubt about +the matter. I once found, like your correspondent Mr. Blewitt, four +nests in a small babool tree, and only one of them occupied. This was +at Poona. My brother first pointed out to me that this species affects +the dusty barren plain, whereas _L. erythronotus_ prefers the cool and +shaded country. This difference in the habits of the two birds is very +observable at Poona, where both species are exceedingly common. Where +a _jungly_ or watered piece of country borders upon the open plain, +you may see half a dozen of each kind within an area of half a mile +radius, and yet never find the one trespassing upon the domain of the +other. When you say you have never found a nest more than 1500 feet +above the level of the sea, I would remind you that although _L. +lahtora_ never ascends the hills, it is yet very abundant in the +Deccan, which is 2000 feet above the sea-level. + +"I think I have written to you before that during a residence of +twelve years I never saw _L. lahtora_ in Bombay." + +This Shrike is, however, essentially a plains bird, and never seems +to ascend the Himalayas to any elevation. I have never myself found a +nest more 1500 feet above the level of the sea. + +Typically, the eggs are of a broad oval shape, more or less pointed +towards one end, of a delicate greenish-white ground, pretty thickly +blotched and spotted with various shades of brown and purple markings, +which, always most numerous towards the large end, exhibit a strong +tendency to form there an ill-defined zone or irregular mottled cap. +The variations, however, in shape, size, colour, extent, and intensity +of markings are very great; and yet, in the huge series before me, +there is not one that an oologist would not at once unhesitatingly +set down as a Shrike's. In some the ground-colour is a delicate pale +sea-green. In some it is pale stone-colour; in others creamy, and in a +few it has almost a pink tinge. The markings, commonly somewhat dull +and ill-defined, are occasionally bold and bright; and in colour they +vary through every shade of yellowish, reddish, olive, and purplish +brown, while subsurface-looking pale purple clouds are intermingled +with the darker and more defined markings. In one egg the markings may +be almost exclusively confined to a broad, very irregular zone of bold +blotches near the large end. In others the whole surface is more or +less thickly clotted with blotches and spots, so closely crowded +towards the large end as almost wholly to obscure the ground-colour +there. As a rule, the markings are irregular blotches of greater or +less extent, but occasionally these blotches form the exceptions, and +the majority of the markings are mere spots and specks. In some eggs +the purple cloudings greatly predominate; in others scarcely a trace +of them is observable. Some eggs are comparatively long and +narrow, while some are pyriform and blunt at both ends; and yet, +notwithstanding all these great differences, there is a strong family +likeness between all the eggs. In size they are, I think, somewhat +smaller than those of _L. excubitor_. They vary in length from 0.9 to +1.17 inch, and in width from 0.75 to 0.83 inch; but the average of +more than fifty eggs is 1.03 by 0.79 inch. + + +473. Lanius vittatus. _The Bay-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius hardwickii (_Vigors), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 405. +Lanius vittatus, _Dum., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 260. + +The Bay-backed Shrike breeds throughout the plains of India and in the +Sub-Himalayan Ranges up to an elevation of fully 4000 feet. + +The laying-season lasts from April to September, but the great +majority of eggs are found during the latter half of June and July; in +fact, according to my experience, the great body of the birds do not +lay until the rains set in. + +The nests are placed indifferently on all kinds of trees (I have notes +of finding them on mango, plum, orange, tamarind, toon, &c.), never at +any great elevation from the ground, and usually in _small_ trees, be +the kind chosen what it may. Sometimes a high hedgerow, such as our +great Customs hedge, is chosen, and occasionally a solitary caper or +stunted acacia-bush. + +The nests (almost invariably fixed in forks of slender boughs) are +neat, compactly and solidly built cups, the cavities being deep and +rather more than hemispherical, from 2.25 to fully 3.5 inches in +diameter, and from 1.5 to 2 inches in depth. The nest-walls vary from +0.5 to 1.25 inch in thickness. The composition of the nest is various. +The following are brief descriptions which I have noted from time to +time:-- + +"Compactly woven of grass-stems and a few fine twigs, but with more +or less wool, rag, cotton, or feathers incorporated; there _is no +lining_. + +"The nest was rather massive, externally composed of wool, rags, +cotton, thread, and feathers, and a little grass; the cavity rather +neatly lined with fine grass. + +"Composed almost entirely of cobweb, with a few soft feathers, wool, +string, rags, and a few pieces of very fine twigs compactly woven. The +interior was lined with fine straw and fibrous roots." + +Elsewhere I have recorded the following note on the nidification of +this species:-- + +"This bird, or rather birds of this species, have been laying ever +since the middle of April, but nests were then few and far between, +and now in July they are common enough. The nest that we had just +found was precisely like twenty others that we had found during the +past two months. Rather deep, with a nearly hemispherical cavity; very +compactly and firmly woven of fine grass, rags, feathers, soft twine, +wool, and a few fine twigs, the whole entwined exteriorly with lots of +cobwebs; and the interior cavity about 13/4 inch deep by 21/4 in diameter, +neatly lined with very fine grass, one or two horsehairs, shreds of +string, and one or two soft feathers. The walls were a good inch in +thickness. The nest was placed in a fork of a thorny jujube or ber +tree (_Zizyphus jujuba_), near the centre of the tree, and some 15 +feet from the ground. It contained four fresh eggs, feebly coloured +miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_, which latter so closely +resemble those of _L. excubitor_ that if you mixed the eggs, you could +never, I think, certainly separate them again. The eggs exhibit the +zone so characteristic of those of all Shrikes. They have a dull pale +ground, not white, and yet it is difficult to say what colour it is +that tinges it; in these four eggs it is a yellowish stone-colour, but +in others it is greenish, and in some grey; near the middle, towards +the large end, there is a broad and conspicuous, but broken and +irregular zone of feeble, more or less confluent spots and small +blotches of pale yellowish brown and very pale washed-out purple. +There are a few faint specks and spots of the same colour here and +there about the rest of the egg. In some eggs previously obtained the +zone is quite in the middle, and in others close round the large end. +In some the colours of the markings are clear and bright, in others +they are as faint and feeble as one of our modern Manchester +warranted-fast-coloured muslins, after its third visit to a native +washerman. In size, too, the eggs vary a good deal. + +"The little Shrike had a great mind to fight for his _penates_, and +twice made a vehement demonstration of attack; but his heart failed +him, and he retreated to a neighbouring mango branch, whence a few +minutes after we saw him making short dashes after his insect prey, +apparently oblivious of the domestic calamity that had so recently +befallen him." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, then at Gurhi Hursroo, near Delhi, sent me some +years ago the following interesting note:-- + +"Breeds from March to at least the middle of August. It builds its +nest in low trees and high hedgerows, preferring the former. + +"In shape the nest is circular, with a diameter, outside, of from 51/2 +to 61/2 inches, and from 1.5 to 2 in thickness. + +"For the exterior framework thorny twigs, old rags, hemp, +thread-pieces, and coarse grass are more or less used, and compactly +worked together. The egg-cavity is deep and cup-shaped, lined with +fine grass and khus; pieces of rag or cotton are sometimes worked up +with the former. + +"Five to six is the regular number of eggs. In colour they are a light +greenish white, with blotches and spots generally of a light, but +sometimes of a darker, reddish brown. The spots and blotches vary much +in size, and they are mostly confined to the broad end of the eggs. + +"I had frequently noticed on a tree in the garden an _old_ Shrike's +nest. It was in the beginning of May that a male bird suddenly made +his appearance and established himself in the garden, and morning and +evening without fail did he sit and alternately chatter and warble +away for hours. His perfect imitation of the notes of other birds was +remarkable. + +"In the beginning of June his singing suddenly ceased, the secret of +which I soon discovered. He had secured a mate, and daily did I watch +for the nest, which I thought they would prepare. Late on the evening +of the 23rd June, happening to look up at the _old_ nest, to my +surprise I found it occupied by the female, the male the while sitting +on a branch near her. Next morning on searching the nest I found four +eggs. Whether this nest was prepared the year previous by these birds +or by another pair I cannot tell. + +"That day, the day of the robbery, the female disappeared. The male +followed next day, but only to return after two or three days and +recommence with renewed energy his chattering and warbling. This +he continued daily till near the end of July, when, as before, he +suddenly ceased to sing. I then found that he had again secured a +mate, whether the old female or a new bride I am not certain; they +soon set about making a nest on a neighbouring tree, very cunningly, +as I thought, selected; and now the young birds reared are nearly +full-fledged. An old nest, evidently of last year's make, was brought +me the other day with five eggs, but the _lining_, as by the way was +done in the one in the garden, had been wholly removed and _new_ grass +and khus substituted." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi in +May, June, and July. At the former place I never got the eggs, but +have seen some that were taken; but at Delhi I found numbers of their +nests in June and July, and one in May. It makes a much softer nest +than either of the two above-mentioned Shrikes. One nest I took on the +15th June was composed wholly of tow, but generally they have an outer +foundation of twigs, and are lined with tow, bits of cotton, human +hair, or rags. Some eggs are a yellow-white, with very faint marks, +others are miniatures of the eggs of _L. lahtora_. + +"Five is the greatest number I have found in one nest." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding in +the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt Range:-- + +"Lays from the commencement of May to the middle of June. Eggs +three or four in number; shape varies from ovato-pyriform to blunt +ovato-pyriform, and measuring from 0.73 to 0.87 inch in length +and from 0.55 to 0.65[A] inch in breadth. Colour, same as _L. +erythronotus_, also creamy or yellowish white, spotted with darker. +Nest compact, in forks of thorny trees; outside fibrous stalks, +bound with silk or spider-web, and covered with lichens or cocoons, +imitating a weathered structure; inside lined with fine grass and +vegetable down." + +[Footnote A: I think that there must be some error in these +dimensions, for mine are taken from forty-five specimens, the largest +and smallest, out of some hundreds of eggs.--A.O.H.] + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"These little +Shrikes breed in the hills, as well as the plains, up to 5000 feet +high." + +Colonel Butler has the following notes on the breeding of this Shrike +in Sind:-- + +"Kurrachi, 7th May, 1877.--I found two nests on this date, one in the +fork of a babool tree, the other on the stump of a broken-off branch +of a tree between the stump and the trunk of the tree. The former +contained four incubated eggs, exact miniatures of many eggs I have +of _L. erythronotus_, the latter two small chicks.--May 12th, same +locality, a nest containing two fresh eggs, and another containing +two fully fledged young ones.--June 20th, same locality, one nest +containing three fresh eggs, another containing four young birds. Eggs +most typical are those which have a well-marked zone near the centre." + +"Hydrabad, Sind, 19th June, 1878.--A nest on the outer bough of a +babool tree about ten feet from the ground, containing three fresh +eggs." + +And he further notes:--"The Bay-backed Shrike breeds in the +neighbourhood of Deesa at the end of the hot weather. The nest is a +very firm and compactly built cup, usually placed in the fork of some +low thorny tree at heights varying from seven to ten feet from the +ground. + + "June 15th, 1875. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. + July 1st, 1876. " " 4 " " + July 15th, " " " 5 incubated eggs. + July 29th, " " " 4 young birds. + +"These birds always retire from the more open parts of the country to +low thorny tree-jungle to breed." + +Mr. R.M. Adam says:--"This species breeds about Sambhur in July. On +the 1st August I saw numbers of nests and fledglings in the Marot +jungle." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Abundant, +and breeds all over the Deccan." + +And the former gentleman informs us that this species is also very +common in Western Khandeish, and that it breeds in the plains in June +and July, and in the Satpuras in March. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"This is a very familiar bird, and builds +readily in some roadside tree, where men and carts are passing all day +long. I have the following notes of its nests:-- + +"1st-8th May, 1869. Nest and three eggs taken at Khandalla, above the +Bhore Ghat. + +"12th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Poona. + +"16th-18th May, 1871. Nest and four eggs at Khandalla. This nest was +in a corinda bush, placed about 11/2 feet from the ground. + +"13th May, 1873. A clutch of young birds left the nest this morning at +Poona. + +"19th May, 1873. I found a nest of half-fledged young birds this day +at Poona. The tree was almost denuded of leaves, and the heat of the +sun being very intense, the parent bird was nevertheless sitting +close. Its eyes were closed, and it was gasping hard. One of the young +ones had crawled out from under the parent, and was sitting on the +edge of the nest, also gasping hard. + +"I do not exactly gather from your notes in the 'Rough Draft' what +form the spots usually take. In my nest taken on the 12th May all +four eggs had the zone quite as distinct as the eggs of a Fan-tailed +Flycatcher. The seven eggs taken from two nests at Khandalla, on the +other hand, had not the least appearance of a zone, but were spotted, +after the manner of Sparrows' eggs. In both the latter cases I saw the +old bird fly off the nest and alight on a tree a few yards off. + +"I remember one little Shrike of this species which used to come down +every day to pick up crumbs of bread and pieces of potatoe put out for +the Sparrows. (Being a true naturalist I love Sparrows.) + +"My brother on one occasion saw one of these Shrikes trying to catch a +garden lizard--not a gecko. + +"Of course you know that the young of this handsome and brightly +coloured Shrike have a plain and curiously marked plumage, reminding +one a little of the _pateela_ Partridge. I never saw this Shrike in +Bombay." + +The eggs of this, the smallest of all our Indian Shrikes, differ in no +particular, so far as shape, colour, and markings go, from those of +its larger congeners; that is to say, for every egg of this species +an exactly similar one might be picked out from a large series of _L. +lahtora_ or _L. erythronotus_; but at the same time there is no doubt +that pale-creamy and pale-brownish stone-coloured grounds predominate +more amongst the eggs of this species than in those of the two +above-named. The markings are also, as a rule, more minute and less +well-defined; indeed, in the large series I possess there is not one +which exhibits the bold sharp blotches common in the eggs of _L. +lahtora_, and not uncommon in those of _L. erythronotus_. + +In length they vary from 0.75 to 0.95 inch, and in breadth from 0.62 +to 0.71 inch; but the average of forty-five eggs is 0.83 by 0.66 inch +nearly. + + +475. Lanius nigriceps (Franklin). _The Black-headed Shrike_. + +Lanius nigriceps (_Frankl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 404. +Collyrio nigriceps, _Frankl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 259. + +I have never myself taken the eggs or nests of the Black-headed +Shrike. + +Mr. E. Thompson says:--"This Shrike breeds all along the south-western +termination of the Kumaon and Gurhwal forests, and is usually found +in swampy, high grassy lands. It lays in July, August, and September, +building a large cup-shaped nest, composed of roots and fine grasses, +in small trees or shrubs in low, open grass-covered country. + +"I found this the Common Shrike in the hilly jungly tracts in Southern +Mirzapore, but I do not know whether it breeds there. The cry is quite +like that of _L. erythronotus_. + +"The southern limit of _Lanius nigriceps_ is interesting and +remarkable. It disappears after you go south-west of the Mykle Range, +and on the Range itself it is found only near marshy places. This +Mykle Range extends as far east as Ummerkuntuk, with a spur going off +north of that, and joining on with the Kymore Range, parts of which I +explored in March last in Pergunnahs Agrore and Singrowlee. Down in +those places this _Lanius_ was the Common Shrike, but south and +west of Ummerkuntuk all the Shrikes disappear more or less, and _L. +nigriceps_ entirely." + +According to Mr. Hodgson's notes and figures this species breeds in +the Valley of Nepal, laying in April and May, and building in thorny +bushes, hedges, and trees, often in the immediate neighbourhood of +villages. The following are two of Mr. Hodgson's notes:-- + +"Valley, May 18th.--Nest near the top of a fir of mean size, fixed +securely in the midst of several diverging branches, made compactly of +dry grasses, of which the inner ones, which constitute the lining, are +hard and elastic, and well fitted to preserve the shape, which is a +deep cup with an internal cavity 3.5 inches in diameter and nearly 3 +deep. It contained six eggs, milk-and-water white, with pale olive +spots, chiefly at the large end, measuring 0.95 by 0.68 inch. + +"Jahar Powah, May 16th.--Ascent of Sheopoori, skirts of large forests; +nest on lateral branches of a large tree made of downy tops of plants, +of moss and thick grasses strongly compacted, and lined with fine +elastic hair-like grass; the cavity is circular, 3 inches in diameter +by more than 2 inches in depth; the whole nest is a solid deep cup; it +contained four eggs, bluish white, with grey-brown remote spots." + +Of another nest he gives the dimensions as:--external diameter 4.25 +inches; external height 3.87; internal diameter 2.87; depth of cavity +2.75. He figures it as a very compact and deep cup resting on a +horizontal fir branch between four or five upright sprays. He states +that the young are ready to fly towards the end of June, and that it +breeds only once a year. + +Dr. Scully, also writing of Nepal, says:--"This Shrike breeds on +the hillsides of the valley, usually in places where there is no +tree-forest, and not uncommonly in the neighbourhood of hamlets. +Several nests were obtained in May and June; these were large +cup-shaped structures, composed of grass-roots, fibres, and fine +seed-down intermixed. The egg-cavity was circular, lined with fine +grass-stems, about 4 inches in diameter, and 2 inches deep in the +middle. The usual number of eggs is five; the ground-colour pale +greenish white, boldly blotched and spotted with olive marks in an +irregular zone round the large end. A clutch of five eggs taken on the +14th June gave the following dimensions:--0.94 to 0.97 in length, and +0.65 to 0.7 in breadth." + +Mr. Gammie found a nest of this species on the 17th May at Mongfoo, +near Darjeeling, at an elevation of 3500 feet. The nest was placed in +a wormwood bush, and was supported between several slender upright +shoots, to which the exterior of the nest was more or less attached. +The nest was a deep compact cup, externally composed of fine twigs, +scraps of roots, and stems of herbaceous plants, intermingled with a +great deal of flowering grass. Internally it was lined with very fine +grass and moss-roots. The cavity measured about 3 inches in diameter, +and was fully 2 inches deep. The external diameter was about 5 inches, +and height 31/2 or thereabout. + +Subsequently he sent me the following full account of the nidification +of this Shrike:-- + +"I have found this Shrike breeding abundantly in the Cinchona reserves +in May and June, at elevations of from 3000 to 4500 feet above the +sea. It affects open, cultivated places, and builds, from 6 to 20 feet +from the ground, in shrubs, bamboos, or small trees. The nest is +often suspended between several upright shoots, to which it is firmly +attached by fibres twisted round the stems and the ends worked into +the body of the nest; sometimes against a bamboo-stem seated on, and +attached to, the bunch of twigs given out at a node; or in a fork of a +small tree, or end of an upright cut branch where several shoots have +sprung away from under the cut and keep the nest in position, when it +has a large pad of an everlasting plant or of the downy heads of a +large flowering grass to rest on--when the former material is handy it +is preferred. The nest is sometimes exposed to view, but generally is +tolerably well concealed. It is of a deep cup-shape, very compactly +built of flowering grass and stems of herbaceous plants intermixed +with fibry twigs, and lined with the small fibry-looking branchlets of +grass-panicles. Externally it measures 5 inches across by 31/2 inches +in depth; internally the cavity is 31/2 inches in diameter by nearly 2 +inches deep. Usually the eggs are either four or five in number. On +one occasion only have I seen so many as six. The coloration is of two +distinct types, but one type only is found in the same nest. I suspect +that the age of the bird has something to do with the variation +of colour in the eggs. In a nest containing four eggs one had the +majority of the spots collected on the small, instead of the thick end +as usual, and, strange to say, it was addled white. The other three +were hard-set. The parents get very much excited when their young are +approached, and, as long as the intruder is in the vicinity, keep up +an incessant volley of their harsh grating cries, at the same time +stretching out their necks and jerking about their tails violently." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal, +says:--"Excessively common and a permanent resident. Prefers open +plains interspersed with bushes, also the small bushes on road-sides +are a favourite haunt of theirs. Breeds in the district. I took ten +nests this season from the 11th April to 4th June, with from one to +five eggs in each. Four nests were placed in bamboo clumps from 9 to +30 feet high; one 40 feet from the ground on a casuarina-tree, one 20 +feet up in a but-tree, and the rest in babool-trees at from 6 to 15 +feet high from the ground. There is no attempt at concealment. The +nest is a deep cup fixed in a fork, and is made of grasses with a deal +of the downy tops of the same for an outside lining; this peculiarity +at once distinguishes the nest of this species. The description given +by Mr. Hodgson of a nest found by him on the 16th May at Jahar Powah, +in 'Nests and Eggs,' p. 172, correctly describes the nests I have +found. This species imitates the call of several kinds of small birds, +as Sparrows, King-Crows, &c., and I have often been deceived by it." + +The eggs of this species, of which, thanks to Mr. Gammie, I now +possess a noble series, vary very much in shape and size. Typically +they are very broad ovals, a little compressed towards one end, but +moderately elongated ovals are not uncommon. The shell is very fine +and smooth, and often has a more or less perceptible gloss; in no +case, however, very pronounced. + +There are two distinct types of colouring. In the one, the +ground-colour is a delicate very pale green or greenish white, in +some few pale, still faintly greenish, stone-colour; and the markings +consist as a rule of specks and spots of brownish olive, mostly +gathered into a broad zone about the large end, intermingled with +specks and spots of pale inky purple. In some eggs the whole of +the markings are very pale and washed-out, but in the majority the +brownish-olive or olive-brown spots, as the case may be, are rather +bright, especially in the zone. In the other type (and out of 42 eggs, +12 belong to this type) the ground-colour varies from pinky white to a +warm salmon-pink, and the markings, distributed and arranged as in the +first type, are a rather dull red and pale purple. In fact the two +types differ as markedly as do those of _Dicrurus ater_; and though +I have as yet received none such, I doubt not that with a couple of +hundred eggs before one intermediate varieties, as in the case of _D. +ater_, would be found to exist--as it is, two more different looking +eggs than the two types of this species could hardly be conceived. I +may add that in eggs of both types it sometimes, though very rarely, +happens that the zone is round the small end. + +In length they vary from 0.82 to 1.01, and in breadth from 0.68 to +0.79; but the average of forty-two eggs measured is 0.92 by 0.75. + + +476. Lanius erythronotus (Vigors). _The Rufous-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius erythronotus (_Vig._); _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 402. +Collyrio erythronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 257. +Collyrio caniceps[A] (_Blyth_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ +no. 257 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume may probably still consider _L. caniceps_ +separable from _L. erythronotus_. I therefore keep the notes on the +two races distinct as they appeared in the 'Rough Draft,' merely +adding a few later notes.--ED.] + +_Lanius erythronotus_. + +The Rufous-backed Shrike lays from March to August; the first half of +this period being that in which the majority of these birds lay in +the Himalayas, which they ascend to elevations of 6000 feet: and the +latter half being that in which we find most eggs in the plains; but +in both hills and plains some eggs may be found throughout the whole +period above indicated. + +The nests of this species are almost invariably placed on forks of +trees or of their branches at no great height from the ground; indeed, +of all the many nests that I have myself taken, I do not think that +one was above 15 feet from the ground. By preference they build, I +think, in thorny trees, the various species of acacia, so common +throughout the plains of India, being apparently their favourite +nesting-haunts, but I have found them breeding on toon (_Cedrela +toona_) and other trees. Internally the nest is always a deep cup, +from 3 to 31/4 inches in diameter, and from 13/4 to 2-1/8 deep. The cavity +is always circular and regular, and lined with fine grass. Externally +the nests vary greatly; they are always massive, but some are compact +and of moderate dimensions externally, say not exceeding 51/2 inches in +diameter, while others are loose and straggling, with a diameter of +fully 8 inches. Grass-stems, fine twigs, cotton-wool, old rags, dead +leaves, pieces of snake's skin, and all kinds of odds and ends are +incorporated in the structure, which is generally more or less +strongly bound together by fine tow-like vegetable fibre. Some nests +indeed are so closely put together that they might almost be rolled +about without injury, while others again are so loose that it is +scarcely possible to move them from the fork in which they are wedged +without pulling them to pieces. + +I have innumerable notes about the nests of this Shrike, of which I +reproduce two or three. + +"_Etawah, March 18th_.--The nest was on a babool tree, some 10 feet +from the ground, on one of the outside branches; an exterior framework +of very thorny babool twigs, and within a very warm deep circular nest +made almost entirely of sun (_Crotalaria juncea_) fibre, a sort of +fine tow, and flocks of cotton-wool, there being fully as much of this +latter as of the former; a few fine grass-stems are interwoven; there +are a few human and a few sleep's wool hairs at the bottom as a sort +of lining. The cavity of the nest is about 3 inches in diameter by 2 +deep, and the side walls and bottom are from 11/2 to 2 inches thick." + +"_Bareilly, May 27th_, 1867.--Found a nest containing two fresh eggs. +The nest was in a small mango tree, rather massive, nearly 2 inches in +thickness at the sides and 3 inches thick at the bottom. It was rather +stoutly and closely put together, though externally very ragged. The +interior neatly made of fine grass-stems, the exterior of coarser +grass-stems and roots, with a quantity of cotton-wool, rags, tow +string and thread intermingled. The cavity was oval, about 31/2 by 3 +inches and 2 inches deep." + +"_Agra, August 21st_.--Mr. Munro sent in from Bitchpoorie a beautiful +nest which he took from the fork of a mango tree about 40 feet from +the ground, a very compact and massive cup-shaped nest, not very +deep." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt records the following note:--"Breeds from March to +August, on low trees, and, as would appear, without preference for any +one kind. + +"The nest in shape much resembles that of _Lanius lahtora_; but +judging from the half-dozen or so I have seen, _L. erythronotus_ +certainly displays more skill and ingenuity in preparing its nest, +which in structure is more neat and compact than that of _L. lahtora_. +In shape it is circular, ordinarily varying from 51/2 to 7 inches in +diameter, and from 2 to 21/2 inches in thickness. Hemp, old rags, and +thorny twigs are freely used in the formation of the outer portion of +the nest, but the Shrike shows a decided predilection for the former. +In one nest I observed the cast skin of a snake worked in with the +outer materials; in two others some kind of vegetable fibre was used +to bind and secure the thorn twigs, and one had the margin made of +fine neem-tree twigs and leaves. The egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, +from 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and _lined_ usually with fine grass. +Five appears to be the regular number of eggs; but on this score I +cannot be very certain, seeing that my experience is confined to some +half-dozen or so of nests. + +"I have recently reared three young birds, and it is very amusing to +witness their many antics, shrewdness, and intelligence. They are very +tame, flying in and out of the bungalow at pleasure; when irritated, +which is rather a failing with them, they show every sign of +resentment. If one is inclined to be rebellious, not coming to call, +the show of a piece of meat at once secures its submission and +capture. Singular how partial they are to raw meat, and more singular +to see the expert way in which they catch up the meat with the claws +of either leg, and hold it from them while they devour it piecemeal. +I saw the other evening an old bird pounce on a field-mouse, kill it, +and then bring and cleverly fix the victim firmly between the two +forks of a branch and pull it in pieces. It consumed but a part of the +mouse." + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on this bird's breeding +in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Kaias in the Salt +Range:--'"Lay in May; eggs five to six; shape blunt, ovato-pyriform; +size varies from 0.88 to 0.93 of an inch in length, and from 0.68 +to 0.81 of an inch in breadth. Colour white or pale greenish white, +slightly ringed and spotted with yellowish grey and neutral tint. Nest +of roots, coarse grass, rags, cotton, &c., lined with fine grass, and +placed in forks of trees." + +Captain Hutton, who recognizes the distinctions between this species +and _L. caniceps_, says:--"This is an abundant species in the Doon, +but is found also within the mountains up to about 5000 feet. In +the Doon I took a nest on the 28th June containing four eggs. It +is composed of grass and fine stalks of small plants roughly put +together, bits of rag, shreds of fine bark, and lined with very fine +grass-seed stalks; internal diameter 3 inches, external 6 inches; +depth 21/2 inches." + +Sir E.C. Buck notes having taken a nest containing four hard-set eggs +on the 22nd of June, far in the interior of the Himalayas, at Niratu, +north-east of Notgurh. The nest was in a tuhar tree and was composed +externally of grass-seed ears, internally of finer grass; a very +different-looking nest from any I have elsewhere seen, but he +forwarded the bird and eggs, so that there could be no mistake. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Found numerous nests in +the valleys in May and June, between 4000 and 5000 feet up." + +From four to six eggs are laid, and in regard to this Shrike I have +had no reason to think that it rears more than one brood in the year. + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay say says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I found a +great many nests in May and June. The first (27th May) was situated in +the centre of a dense thorny creeper, and contained six eggs, white, +faintly washed with pale green, and spotted and blotched with purplish +stone-colour and pale brown. The nest was composed of green grass, +moss, cotton-wool, thistle-down, rags, cows' hair, mules' hair, shreds +of juniper-bark, &c., &c. Other nests were found in willows by the +river-bank and in apricot-trees. In a large orchard at Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, I found three nests within a few yards of one +another." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"I have only found one nest of this +Shrike, which is, however, common enough both at Allahabad and at +Delhi. This nest I found on the 3rd June in the Nicholson gardens at +Delhi. It was placed high up in the fork of a babool tree, and though +more straggling and loosely built was very like that of _L. lahtora_; +the two eggs it contained, except that they are a trifle smaller, are +very like those of _L. lahtora_" + +Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:--The +Rufous-backed Shrike commences nidification at Mt. Aboo about the end +of May. I took a nest on the 11th June containing five fresh eggs. It +was placed in the fork of one of the outer branches of a mango-tree +about 15 feet, from the ground. The hen bird sat very close, allowing +the native I sent up the tree to put his hand almost on to her +back before she moved, and then she only flew to a bough close by, +remaining there chattering and scolding angrily the whole time the +nest was being robbed. The nest, which is coarse and somewhat large +for the size of the bird, is composed externally of dry grass-roots, +twigs, rags, raw cotton, string, and other miscellaneous articles +all woven together. The interior is neatly lined with dry grass and +horsehair. The eggs, five in number, are of a pale greenish-white +colour, spotted all over with olivaceous inky-brown spots and specks, +increasing in size and forming a zone at the large end. They vary much +in shape, some being pyriform, and others blunt and similar in shape +at both ends. I took another nest on the 19th June near the same +place containing five fresh eggs, similar in every respect to the one +already described, except that it was built on a thorn-tree about 10 +feet from the ground. I took a nest at Deesa on the 8th July, 1875, +containing four fresh eggs; these eggs are smaller and rounder than +those from Aboo, and the blotches are larger and more distinct. The +same pair of birds built another nest a few days later, on 18th July, +within ten yards of the tree from which the other nest was taken, +laying five eggs. + +"I found other nests at Deesa on the following dates:-- + + "July 2nd. A nest containing 4 incubated eggs. + " 7th. " " 2 fresh eggs. + " 8th. " " 4 " + " 9th. " " 2 " + " 10th. " " 5 " + " 10th. " " 4 " + Aug. 9th. " " 3 " + +"I found many other nests in the same neighbourhood containing young +birds during the last week of July." + +Regarding the Rufous-backed Shrike, Mr. Benjamin Aitken has sent me +the subjoined interesting note:--"This Shrike makes its appearance in +Bombay regularly during the last week of September, and announces its +arrival by loud cries for the first few days, till it has made itself +at home in the new neighbourhood; after which it spends nearly the +whole of its days on a favourite perch, darting down on every insect +that appears within a radius of thirty yards. It pursues this +occupation with a system and perseverance to which _L. lahtora_ makes +but a small approach. When its stomach is full, it enlivens the weary +hours with the nearest semblance to a song of which its vocal organs +are capable; for while many human bipeds have a good voice but no +ear, the _L. erythronotus_ has an excellent ear but a voice that no +modulation will make tolerable. It remains in Bombay till towards the +end of February, and then suddenly becomes restless and quarrelsome, +making as much ado as the _Koel_ in June, and then taking its +departure, for what part of the world I do not know. This I know, that +from March to August there is never a Rufous-backed Shrike in Bombay. + +"The Rufous-backed Shrike, though not so large as the Grey Shrike, is +a much bolder and fiercer bird. It will come down at once to a cage of +small birds exposed at a window, and I once had an Amadavat killed and +partly eaten through the wires by one of these Shrikes, which I saw in +the act with my own eyes. The next day I caught the Shrike in a large +basket which I set over the cage of Amadavats. On another occasion I +exposed a rat in a cage for the purpose of attracting a Hawk, and in a +few minutes found a _L. erythronotus_ fiercely attacking the cage on +all sides. I once caught one alive and kept it for some time. As soon +as it found itself safely enclosed in the cage, it scorned to show any +fear, and the third day took food from my hand. It was very fond of +bathing, and was a handsome and interesting pet." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Very common in Satara; breeding +freely in beginning of the rains; observed at Lanoli. Bare in the +Sholapoor District and does not appear to breed there." And the former +gentleman, writing of Western Khandeish, says:--"A few pairs breed +about Dhulia in June and July." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor records the following note from Manzeerabad in +Mysore:--"Plentiful all over the district. Breeding in May; eggs taken +on the 7th." + +I have so fully described the eggs of _L. lahtora_, of which the eggs +of this present species are almost miniatures, that I need say but +little in regard to these. On the whole, the markings in this species +are, I think, feebler and less numerous than in _L. lahtora_; and +though this would not strike one in the comparison of a few eggs in +each, it is apparent enough when several hundreds of each are laid +side by side, four or five abreast, in broad parallel rows. The +ground-colour, too, in the egg of _L. erythronotus_ has seldom, if +ever, as much green in it, and has commonly more of the pale creamy or +pinky stone-colour than in the case of _L. lahtora_. + +In size the eggs of _L. erythronotus_ appear to approach those of +the English Red-backed Shrike, though they average perhaps somewhat +smaller. + +In length they vary from 0.85 to 1.05 inch, and in breadth from 0.65 +to 0.77 inch, but the average of more than one hundred eggs measured +is 0.92 by 0.71 inch. + +_Lanius caniceps_. + +This closely allied species, the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike, breeds +only, so far as I yet know, in the Nilghiris, Palanis, &c. + +It lays from March to July, the majority, I think, breeding in June. + +Its nest is very similar and is similarly placed to that of the +preceding, from which, if it differs at all, it only differs in being +somewhat smaller. + +It lays from four to six eggs, slightly more elongated ovals than +those of _L. erythronotus_, taken as a body, but not, in my opinion, +separable from these when mixed with a large number. + +Captain Hutton, however, does not concur in this: he remarks:--"This +species, which is very common in Afghanistan, occurs also in the Doon +and on the hills up to about 6000 feet. At Jeripanee I took a nest +on the 21st June containing five eggs, of a pale livid white colour, +sprinkled with brown spots, chiefly collected at the larger end, +where, however, they cannot be said to form a ring; interspersed with +these are other dull sepia spots appearing beneath the shell. Diameter +0.94 by 0.69 inch, or in some rather more. Shape rather tapering +ovate. + +"The differences perceptible between this and the last are the much +smaller size of the spots and blotches, the latter, indeed, scarcely +existing, while in _L. erythronotus_ they are large and numerous; +there is great difference likewise in the shape of the egg, those of +the present species being less globular or more tapering. The nest was +found in a thick bush about 5 feet from the ground, and was far more +neatly made than that of the foregoing species; it is likewise less +deep internally. It was composed of the dry stalks of 'forget-me-not,' +compactly held together by the intermixture of a quantity of moss +interwoven with fine flax and seed-down, and lined with fine +grass-stalks. Internal diameter 31/2 inches; external 6 inches; depth +11/2 inch, forming a flattish cup, of which the sides are about 11/2 inch +thick. The depth, therefore, is less by 1 inch than in that of the +last-mentioned nest." + +Mr. H.R.P. Carter tells me that "at Coonoor, on the Nilghiris, this +species breeds in April and May, placing its nest in large shrubs, +orange-trees, and other low trees which are thick and leafy. The nest +is externally irregular in shape, and is composed of fibres and roots +mixed with cotton-wool and rags; in one nest I found a piece of lace, +6 or 8 inches long; internally it is a deep cup, some 4 inches in +diameter and 2 in depth. The eggs are sometimes three in number, +sometimes four." + +Mr. Wait says that "the breeding-season extends from March to July in +the Nilghiris; the nest, cup-shaped and neatly built, is placed in low +trees, shrubs, and bushes, generally thorny ones; the outside of the +nest is chiefly composed of weeds (a white downy species is invariably +present), fibres, and hay, and it is lined with grass and hair; there +is often a good deal of earth built in, with roots and fibres in the +foundation of this nest; four appears to be the usual number of eggs +laid." + +Miss Cockburn, from Kotagherry, also on the Nilghiris, tells me that +"the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike builds in the months of February and +March and forms a large nest, the foundation of which is occasionally +laid with large pieces of rags, or (as I have once or twice found) +pieces of carpet. To these they add sticks, moss, and fine grass as +a lining, and lay four eggs, which are white, but have a circle of +ash-coloured streaks and blotches at the thick end, resembling those +on Flycatchers' eggs. They are exceedingly watchful of their nests +while they contain eggs or young, and never go out of sight of the +bush which contains the precious abode." + +Mr. Davison remarks that "this species builds in bushes or trees at +about 6 to 20 feet from the ground: a thorny thick bush is generally +preferred, _Berberis asiatica_ being a favourite. The nest is a large +deep cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass, mingled with +odd pieces of rag, paper, &c., and lined with fine grass. The eggs, +four or five in number, are white, spotted with blackish brown, +chiefly at the thicker end, where the spots generally form a zone. +The usual breeding-season is May and the early part of June, though +sometimes nests are found in April and even as late as the last week +in June, by which time the south-west monsoon has generally burst on +the Nilghiris." + +Dr. Fairbank writes:--"This bird lives through the year on the Palanis +and breeds there. I found a nest with five eggs when there in 1867, +but have not the notes then made about it." + +Captain Horace Terry informs us that this Shrike is a most common bird +in the Palani hills, found everywhere and breeding freely. + +Mr. H. Parker, writing from Ceylon, says:--"A pair of these Shrikes +reared three clutches of young in my compound (two of them out of +one nest) from December to May, inclusive; but this must be abnormal +breeding." + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds in +the Jaffna district and on the north-west coast from February until +May. Mr. Holdsworth found its nest in a thorn-bush about 6 feet high, +near the compound of his bungalow, in the beginning of February.... +Layard speaks of the young being fledged in June at Point Pedro, and +says that it builds in _Euphorbia_-trees in that district." + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from the Doon and +by numerous correspondents from the Nilghiris, are indistinguishable +from many types of _L. erythronotus_, and indeed the birds are so +closely allied that this was only to be expected. It is unnecessary +to describe these at length, as my description of the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_ applies equally to these. + +In size the eggs, however, vary less and _average_ longer than those +of this latter species. In length they range from 0.93 to 1 inch, and +in breadth from 0.7 to 0.72 inch, but the average of twenty was 0.95 +by 0.7 inch. + + +477. Lanius tephronotus (Vigors). _The Grey-backed Shrike_. + +Lanius tephronotus (_Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 403. +Collyrio tephronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 258. + +As far as I yet know, the Grey-backed Shrike breeds, within our +limits, only in the Himalayas, and chiefly in the interior, at heights +of from 5000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level. In the interior of +Sikhim, in the Sutlej Valley near Chini, in Lahoul, and well up the +valley of the Beas, they are pretty common during the summer; they lay +from May to July, and the young are about by the end of July or the +early part of August. I have never seen a nest, although I have had +eggs and birds sent me from both Sikhim and the Sutlej Valley. There +were only two eggs in each case, but doubtless, like other Shrikes, +they lay from four to six. + +Mr. Blanford remarks that _L. tephronotus_ was "common at Lachung, in +Sikhim, 8000 to 9000 feet, in the beginning of September, but three +weeks later all had disappeared. Many of those seen were in young +plumage, with hair on the breast, back, and scapulars." + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall records from Murree:--"This species much +resembles _L. erythronotus_, but the eggs differ considerably, being +more creamy white, blotched and spotted (more particularly at the +larger end) with pale red and grey. They are the same size as those +of the preceding species. Lays in the beginning of July at the same +elevation as _L. erythronotus_." + +As to the size I cannot concur with the above. + +Colonel Marshall has since kindly sent me two of the eggs above +referred to; they are clearly, it seems to me, eggs of _Dicrurus +longicaudatus_, or the slightly smaller hill-form named _himalayanus_, +Tytler. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"A nest found at about three feet +from the ground in a thick bush at Bheem Tal, at the edge of the lake, +contained five fresh eggs on the 28th May: the nest was a coarsely +built massive cup; the eggs were about the same size as those of _L. +erythronotus_, but the spots were larger and less closely gathered +than is usual with that species." + +Dr. Scully says:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is common in the Valley of +Nepal from about the end of September to the middle of March; it is +the only Shrike found in the Valley during the winter season, but it +migrates further north to breed. In December it was fairly common +about Chitlang, which is higher than Kathmandu, but seemed to be +entirely replaced in the Hetoura Dun by _L. nigriceps_. It frequents +gardens, groves, and cultivated ground, perching on bushes and hedges +and small bare trees. It has a very harsh chattering note, louder than +that of _L. nigriceps_, and appears to be most noisy towards sunset, +when its cry would often lead one to suppose that the bird was being +strangled in the clutches of a raptor." + +Mr. O. Moeller has kindly furnished me with the following note:--"On +the 7th June, 1879, my men brought a nest containing four fresh eggs, +together with a bird of the present species; I send two of the eggs: +perhaps you recollect the eggs of _L. tephronotus_, in which case you +of course will be able to see at a glance if I am correct. I have +never come across such large eggs of _L. nigriceps_, the eggs of which +also as a rule have well-defined spots and no blotches; the two other +eggs the nest contained measure 1 by 0.74, and 1.01 by 0.76 inch." + +The eggs of this species are of the ordinary Shrike type, moderately +elongated ovals, a little compressed towards the small end. The shell +extremely smooth and compact, but with scarcely any perceptible gloss. +The ground-colour pale greenish or yellowish white; the markings +chiefly confined to a broad irregular ill-defined zone round the large +end--blotches, spots, specks, and smears of pale yellowish brown more +or less intermingled with small clouds and spots of pale sepia-grey or +inky purple. In some eggs a good number of the smaller markings and +occasionally one or two larger ones are scattered over the entire +surface of the egg, but typically the bulk of the markings are +comprised within the zone above referred to. + +In length four eggs vary from 0.97 to 1.06 inch, and in breadth from +0.76 to 0.81 inch. + + +481. Lanius cristatus, Linn. _The Brown Shrike_. + +Lanius cristatus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 406: _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 261. + +I am induced to notice this species, the Brown Shrike, although I +possess no detailed information as to its nidification, in consequence +of Lord Walden's remarks on this subject in 'The Ibis' of 1867. He +says "Does it, then, cross the vast ranges of the Himalaya in its +northern migration? or does it not rather find on the southern slopes +and in the valleys of those mountains all the conditions suitable for +nesting?"; and he adds in a note, "It is extremely doubtful whether +any passerine bird which frequents the plains of India during the +cooler months crosses to the north of the snowy ranges of the Himalaya +after quitting the plains to escape the rainy season or the intense +heat of summer." + +Now, it is quite certain, as I have shown in 'Lahore to Yarkand,' that +several of our Indian passerine birds do cross the entire succession +of Snowy Ranges which divide the plains of India from Central Asia, +and it is tolerably certain from my researches and those of numerous +contributors that _L. cristatus_ breeds _only_ north of these ranges. +True, Tickell gives the following account of the nidification of this +species in the plains of India:-- + +"Nest found in large bushes or thickets, shallow, circular, 4 inches +in diameter, rather coarsely made of fine twigs and grass. Eggs three, +ordinary; 29/32 by 21/32: pale rose-colour, thickly sprinkled +with blood-red spots, with a darkish livid zone at the larger +end.--_June_." But Tickell, though he warns us at the commencement +of his paper (Journal As. Soc. 1848, p. 297) of the "attempts at +duplicity of which the wary oologist must take good heed," gives the +egg of the Sarus as plain white, and says he has seen upwards of a +dozen like this, those of the Roller as full deep Antwerp blue, those +of _Cypselus palmarum_ as white with large spots of deep claret-brown, +and so on, and it is quite clear that his supposed eggs and nest of +_L. cristatus_ belonged to one of the Bulbuls. + +Of more than fifty oologists who have collected for me at different +times in hills and plains, from the Nilghiris to Huzara on the one +side, and to Sikhim on the other, not one has ever met with a nest of +_L. cristatus_. This is doubtless purely negative evidence, but it is +still entitled to considerable weight. + +From the valleys of the Beas and the Sutlej, as also from Kumaon and +Gurhwal, these Shrikes seem to disappear entirely during the summer, +and they are then, as we also know, found breeding in Yarkand. It is +only in the latter part of the autumn that they reappear in the former +named localities, finding their way by the commencement of the cold +season to the foot of the hills. + +Mr. R. Thompson, to quote one of many close observers, remarks:--"This +bird appears regularly at Huldwanee and Rumnugger at the foot of the +Kumaon Hills during the cold weather, confining itself to thick hedges +and deep groves of trees. Where it goes to in summer I cannot say, it +certainly does not remain in our hills." + + +484. Hemipus picatus (Sykes). _The Black-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus picatus (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 412; _Hume, Rough +Draft_ _N. & E._ no 267. + +I quite agree with Mr. Gray that this bird is a Flycatcher and not a +Shrike; no one in fact who has watched it in life can have any doubt +on this subject; but yet, except for their being more strongly marked, +its eggs have no doubt a very Shrike-like character, at the same time +that they exhibit many affinities to those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ +and other undoubted Flycatchers. + +Mr. W. Davison says:--"About the first week in March 1871, I found +at Ootacamund a nest of this bird placed in the fork of one of the +topmost branches of a rather tall _Berberis leschenaulti_. For the +size of the bird this was an exceedingly small shallow nest, and from +its position between the fork, its size, and the materials of which it +was composed externally, might very easily have passed unnoticed; the +bird sitting on it appeared to be sitting only on a small lump of moss +and lichen, the whole of the bird's tail, and as low down as the lower +part of the breast, being visible. The nest was composed of grass and +fine roots covered externally with cobweb and pieces of a grey lichen, +and bits of moss taken apparently from the same tree on which the nest +was built: the eggs were three in number. The tree on which this nest +was built was opposite my window, and I watched the birds building for +nearly a week; and, again, when having the nest taken, the birds sat +till the native lad I had sent up put out his hand to take the nest. +I am _absolutely_ certain, as to the identity of this nest and these +eggs." + +The eggs brought me by Mr. Davison, of the authenticity of which he is +positive, are very Shrike-like in their appearance; they are rather +elongated ovals, somewhat obtuse at both ends, and entirely devoid of +gloss. The ground-colour is a pale greenish or greyish white, and they +are profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked with darker and lighter +shades of umber-brown; in both eggs these markings are more or less +confluent along a broad zone, which in one egg encircles the larger, +in the other the smaller end: these eggs measure 0.7 by 0.5 inch and +0.69 by 0.49 inch. + +Captain Horace Terry writes from the Palani Hills:--"Pittur Valley. I +had a nest brought me which from the description of the bird must, I +think, have belonged to this species. Nest rather a shallow cup placed +in a thorny tree about ten feet from the ground, neatly made of grass +and moss, lined with fine grass and a few feathers, covered a great +deal on the outside with dusky-coloured cobwebs, 2.5 inches across and +1.5 inch deep inside, and 3.25 inches to 3.5 inches across, and 2.25 +inches deep outside: contained five very much incubated eggs; shape +and marking exactly like those of _L. caniceps_, having a well-defined +zone round the larger end; size about the same or rather smaller than +those of _Pratincola bicolor_." + + +485. Hemipus capitalis (McClelland). _The Brown-backed Pied Shrike_. + +Hemipus capitalis (_McClell._), _Hume, cat._ no. 267 A. + +I must premise that to the best of my belief there is no such thing +as _H. capitalis_, McClell., in India, or, in other words, that this +latter name is a mere synonym of _H. picatus_.[A] + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume would probably now agree with me that _H. +picatus_ and _H. capitalis_ are distinct species. _H. picatus_, +however, is not confined to Southern India, but occurs along the +Terais of Sikhim and Nepal, and throughout Burma. _H. capitalis_ +occurs on the Himalayas from Gurwhal to Assam. There is little +doubt that Captain Hutton's nest did not really belong to a Pied +Shrike.--ED.] + +Mr. Blyth remarks, Ibis, 1866:--"_Hemipus picatus_. Under this name +two very distinct species are brought together by Dr. Jerdon: _H. +capitalis_ (McClell., 1839; _H. picaecolor_, Hodgson, 1845) of the +Himalaya, which is larger, with proportionally longer tail, and has +a brown back; and _H. picatus_ (Sykes) of Southern India and Ceylon, +which has a black back. Mr. Wallace has good series of both of them. + +"_Hemipus capitalis_ has accordingly to be added to the birds of +India." + +Now, out of India, Mr. Wallace may have got hold of some brown-backed +_Hemipus_, which is really distinct, but nothing is more certain (I +speak after comparison of a large series from Southern India with a +still larger, gathered from all parts of the Himalayas) than that the +Southern and Northern Indian birds are identical, and that in both +localities the males have black and the females brown backs. + +Capt. T. Hutton says:--"On the 12th of May I procured a nest of this +bird in the Dehra Doon; it was placed on the ground at the base of an +overhanging rock, and was composed entirely of the hair of horses and +cows and other cattle, which had doubtless been collected from the +bushes and pasture-lands in the vicinity. There were four eggs of a +pale sea-green, spotted with rufous-brown, and forming an indistinct +and nearly confluent ring at the larger end. The bird had begun to +sit. + +"This curious little species is not uncommon in the outer hills up to +5000 feet in the summer months." + +The three eggs sent me by Captain Hutton appear to differ somewhat +conspicuously from any other eggs of the _Laniidae_ that I have yet +seen. The ground-colour is a very pale greenish white, and they are +moderately thickly freckled and mottled all over, but most densely +towards the large end (where, in one egg, there is a well-marked, +though somewhat irregular, zone), with pale brownish pink and very +pale purple. In shape the eggs are very regular, rather broad ovals, +and appear to have but little or no gloss. They vary in length from +0.66 to 0.7 inch, and in breadth from 0.53 to 0.55 inch. + +Dr. Jerdon's evidence, so far as it goes, tallies with Captain +Hutton's account. He says:--"I obtained its nest once at Darjeeling, +made of roots and grasses, with three greenish-white eggs, having a +few rusty-red spots." + +From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes:--"At page 178 of 'Nests and Eggs of +Indian Birds' (Rough Draft), Captain T. Hutton's description of the +nest and eggs of _Hemipus picatus_ is given, and at page 179 that of +Mr. W. Davison. The two descriptions differ so radically that, as +there remarked, one of the two must be in error. Permit me to record +my limited experience of the nesting of this bird. + +"Common as it is in Sikhim I have but once taken its nest, and that in +the first week of May, at 4000 feet elevation. The nest, which is well +described by Mr. Davison, is made of black, fibry roots, sparingly +lined with fine grass-stalks, and covered outwardly with small +pieces of lichens bound to the sides with cobwebs. It is a very neat +diminutive cup, measuring externally 1.9 inch across by an inch deep; +internally 1.5 by half an inch. + +"The whole nest, although quite a substantially built structure, is +barely the eighth part of an ounce in weight. It was placed on the +upper side of a horizontal branch close to its broken end, about +fifteen feet from the ground, and contained two fresh eggs. I send +you the nest and an egg, both of which will, I think, be found on +comparison to agree exactly with those taken by Mr. Davison." + +Mr. Mandelli has sent me two nests of this species, found on the 15th +August above Namtchu in Native Sikhim. They were placed about two feet +from each other, each in a small fork of the branches of a small tree +which was situated in heavy forest. Each contained two fresh eggs. +The nests are very similar, but one is rather larger and less tidily +finished-off than the other. Both are shallow cups, miniatures of some +of the nests of _Dicrurus_, composed of excessively fine grass-stems, +coated exteriorly all round the sides with cobwebs, and, in the case +of one of them, plastered exteriorly with tiny films of bark and dry +leaves like some of the nests of the _Pericrocoti_. Both have a little +soft silky vegetable down at the bottom of the cavity. The one nest is +about two inches, the other about two and a half inches in diameter +exteriorly, and both are a little less than three quarters of an inch +high outside. The cavity in the one is about an inch and a half, in +the other about an inch and three quarters in diameter, and both are +about half an inch deep. + +Eggs received from Sikhim are broad ovals, glossless, with +greenish-white grounds, profusely speckled and mottled with slightly +varying shades of brown, here and there intermingled with dull, pale +inky purple. The markings are densest generally round the broadest +part of the egg. They measured from 0.61 to 0.7 in length, and from +0.51 to 0.55 in breadth. + + +486. Tephrodornis pelvicus (Hodgs.). _The Nepal Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pelvica (_Hodgs.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume. cat._ +no. 263. + +The Nepal Wood-Shrike is a permanent resident throughout Burma, Assam, +Cachar, and the sub-Himalayan Terais and Ranges to which the typical +Indo-Burmese fauna extends. Still we have no information as to its +nidification, and the only egg of the species that I possess was +extracted from the oviduct of a female shot by Mr. Davison on the 26th +of March, 1874, near Tavoy in Tenasserim. The egg is rather a handsome +one--very Shrike-like in its character, but rather small for the size +of the bird. In shape it is a broad oval, very slightly compressed +towards one end. The shell is fine and compact, but has no gloss. +The ground is white, with the faintest possible greenish tinge only +noticeable when the egg is placed alongside a pure white one, such as +a Bee-eater's for instance. The markings are bold, but except at the +large end not very dense--spots and blotches of a light clear brown, +and (chiefly at the large end) somewhat pale inky grey. Where the two +colours overlap each other, there the result of the mixture is a dark +dusky brown, so that the markings appear to be of three colours. Fully +half the markings are gathered into a broad conspicuous but very +broken and irregular zone about the broad end. The egg measured only +0.86 by 0.69. + +Subsequently to writing the above Mr. Mandelli sent me a nest of this +species found at Ging near Darjeeling on the 27th April. It contained +four fresh eggs, and was placed on branches of a very large tree about +22 feet from the ground. The tree was situated at an elevation of +about 3000 feet. The nest is a large massive cup, 5 inches in exterior +diameter and rather more than 3 in height. It is composed of tendrils +of creepers and stems of herbaceous plants, to many of which the +bright yellow amaranth flowers remain attached; and all over the sides +and bottom masses of flower-stems of grass with the white silky down +attached are thickly plastered, which, intermingled as this white down +is with the glistening yellow flowers, produces a very ornamental +effect, and looks as it the bird had really had an eye to decoration. + +Inside the nest is entirely lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest +is everywhere about an inch thick, and the cavity about 3 inches in +diameter by nearly 2 deep. + +Eggs said to belong to this species kindly sent me by Mr. Mandelli, +whose men obtained them on the 27th April, are very Shrike-like in +their appearance. In shape they vary from broad to ordinary ovals, +generally somewhat compressed towards the small end. The shell is +white but almost glossless. The ground-colour is a dead white, and +they are profusely speckled and spotted with yellowish brown, paler in +some eggs, darker in others. In all the eggs the markings are by far +the most numerous towards the large end. Two eggs measure 0.95 and +0.91 in length by 0.74 and 0.72 in breadth respectively. + + +487. Tephrodornis sylvicola, Jerdon. _The Malabar Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis sylvicola, _Jerd., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 409; _Hume, cat._ +no. 204. + +Major M. Forbes Coussmaker has furnished me with the following note on +the nidification of the Malabar Wood-Shrike:--"I took the nest of this +bird on April 13th, 1875. It was composed of fine roots and fibres, +neatly woven into a shallow cup-like nest, secured to the fork of +a horizontal bough and fixed in its place with cobweb, and covered +externally with lichen corresponding to that on the bough. It measured +4.2 inches in diameter externally, and 2.4 internally and .7 deep. +Both parent birds were shot. The eggs two in number, rather round, +coloured white with faint inky and brown spots." + +One of these eggs is a very regular oval, the shell fine but +glossless, the ground-colour white, with a faint greenish tinge; round +the large end is a pretty conspicuous zone of black or blackish-brown +and pale inky purple spots and small blotches, and similar spots and +blotches of the same colour are somewhat sparsely scattered over the +rest of the surface of the egg. The egg measured 0.98 by 0.73. + + +488. Tephrodornis pondicerianus (Gm.). _The Common Wood-Shrike_. + +Tephrodornis pondiceriana (_Gm.), Jerd B. Ind._ i, p. 410; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 265. + +The Common Wood-Shrike lays during the latter half of March and April. +This at least is, I think, the normal season, but Mr. W. Blevutt found +a nest at Hansee on the 2nd of June containing two fresh eggs. + +I have only taken one nest myself (though I have had many others +sent me), and that was on the 2nd of April at Chundowah in Jodpoor, +Rajpootana. The nest was in the fork of a ber tree (_Zizyphus +jujuba_), on a small horizontal bough, about 5 feet from the ground. +It was a broad shallow cup, somewhat oval interiorly, with the +materials very compactly and closely put together. The basal portion +and framework of the sides consisted of very fine stems of some +herbaceous plant about the thickness of an ordinary pin. It was lined +with a little wool and a quantity of silky fibre; exteriorly it was +bound round with a good deal of the same fibre and pretty thickly +felted with cobwebs. The egg-cavity measured 2.5 inches in diameter +one way and only 2 the other way, while in depth it was barely .86. +The exterior diameter of the nest was about 4 inches and the height +nearly 2 inches. It contained three fresh eggs, of a slightly +greyish-white ground, very thickly spotted and speckled with yellowish +brown, dark umber-brown, and a pale washed-out inky-purple. In all, +the spots were thickest in a zone round the large end, where they +became more or less confluent. I have, however, a large series of +these nests, and taking them as a whole, although much more massive, +they remind one no little of those of _Rhipidura albifrontata_ and +_Terpsiphone paradisi_ and even _Aegithina tiphia_. They are broad +shallow cups, measuring internally 21/4 inches across and about 7/8 inch +in depth. They are placed in a horizontal fork of a branch, and are +composed of vegetable fibre and fine grass-roots, thickly coated +externally with cobwebs, by which also they are fixed on to branches, +and lined internally with silky vegetable down or fibre. Externally +their colour always approximates closely to the bark of the branch on +which they are placed; they are not thin, basket-like structures like +those of _Aegithina_ or _Rhipidura_, but are fully 1/2 inch thick at the +sides and probably 3/4 inch thick at the bottom. + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall writes:--"The Common Wood-Shrike builds in +the Saharunpoor district in the latter half of March, the young being +hatched early in April. The bird is common; but owing to the small +size and bark-like colour of its nest, the latter is very difficult to +find. On the 8th April I fired at a specimen and missed it; it then +flew off and settled in a fork of another tree about 30 feet from the +ground. On looking carefully with an opera-glass, I found that it was +sitting on its nest. I drove it off and shot it. The nest was very +small and shallow, cup-shaped, and wedged in between two small boughs +at their junction, and not appearing either above or below. The +egg-receptacle was 21/4 inches in diameter. The nest was made of grass +and bits of bark, beautifully woven together and bound with cobwebs, +and exactly resembling the boughs between which it was placed, or, I +might say, wedged in. The eggs, four in number, were slightly set; +they were small for the bird, and of a rather round oval shape; the +colour was a creamy-yellow ground, thickly spotted and blotched with +the different shades of brown and sienna, the bulk of the spots +tending to form a zone near the thick end, as in the typical form, +of the eggs of the _Laniidae_ and a number of faint purple blotches +underlying the zone." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"I have only found three nests of this bird, +and these at Delhi. At Allahabad it was not very common. It is a +difficult nest to find, being generally well hidden in the forks of +leafy trees. All three nests I got were of one type--shallow saucers, +made of vegetable fibre matted together into a soft felt-like +substance. In two of the nests I found three and in the third one egg. +These are thickly spotted and blotched with brown and a washed-out +purple, on a pale greyish-yellow ground. The average measurements of +the seven eggs are--length 0.77, breadth 0.61." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes from Sind:-- + +"_Hyderabad, 19th April_, 1878.--Noticed two young birds scarcely able +to fly; fresh eggs were laid, therefore, about the beginning of March. +On the 20th April near the same place I found a nest containing young +birds. It consisted of a neat little cup composed of dry grass smeared +all over exteriorly with cobwebs, and fixed in a fork of one of the +outer branches of a large babool-tree about 10 feet from the ground. +The nest was very small for the size of the bird, and had I not seen +the old bird on it. I should have taken it for a nest of _Rhipidura +albifrontata_." + +The late Captain Beavan remarked that this bird "appears to come to +the Maunbhoom District for the purpose of breeding. I procured the +nest and eggs early in April, and the young were nearly fledged by the +20th of that month; they appear to come year after year to particular +localities to breed. + +"Several nests were brought me from the neighbourhood of Kashurghur +both in 1864 and 1865, whereas none were seen elsewhere. The nest is +very small for the size of the bird, and the material of which it is +composed closely resembles the bird's plumage in colour. The nest +is round and very shallow, something like a Chaffinch's, being very +neatly made; diameter inside 2 inches, depth 1 inch; composed of grey +fibres, bits of bark, grass, and the like, cemented with spider's web. +The eggs are two in number, greenish white, spotted with brown and +slate-coloured dots, which in most specimens form a well-defined zone +round the thickest part of the egg, leaving both ends without marks. +Length of the egg .75 inch; breadth .59 inch. This bird was not +observed in Maunbhoom except during the breeding-season." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, writing from the South Konkan, remarks:--"Common, as +also at Savant Vadi. Nest found with three hard-set eggs on the 18th +February, low down in a mango-tree. Nest a very neat compact cap of +grasses and fibres, woven throughout with spiders' webs. Eggs greyish +white, with brown and inky-purple spots." + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"The nest has been brought to me in August at +Nellore, chiefly made of roots and lined with hair; and the eggs, +three in number, were greenish white with large brown blotches." + +Major M.F. Coussmaker sends me the following note from Mysore:--"I +took the nest of this bird on April 16th. It was composed of fine +roots and fibres closely woven into a compact nest, secured to a +horizontal bough with cobweb and covered externally with lichen to +match the tree. It measured in diameter 4.1 inches externally and 2.2 +internally and .8 deep. The parent bird was shot from the nest. + +"The nest contained two eggs, white with brown spots and markings. +They were so broken when I got them that no reliable measurements +could be taken." + +Lastly, Mr. Gates writes from Pegu:--"Nest with three fresh eggs on +the 3rd March near Pegu." + +The eggs are very Shrike-like in appearance, and many of them are +perfect miniatures of the eggs of _Lanius lahtora_, but some of them +have a more uniformly brown tint than any of this latter species that +I have yet met with. The ground-colour is generally either a very pale +greenish white or a creamy-stone colour, and more or less thickly +spotted and blotched with different shades of yellowish and reddish +brown; many of the markings are almost invariably gathered into a +conspicuous, but irregular and ill-defined, zone near the large end, +in which zone clouds of subsurface-looking, pale, and dingy purple, +not usually observable on any other portion of the egg, are thickly +intermingled. The texture of the shell is fine and close, but scarcely +any gloss is ever perceptible. Occasionally the eggs are very faintly +coloured, and have a dull white ground, while the markings consist of +only a few spots and specks of very pale purple and pale rust-colour +confined to a zone near the large end. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.69 to 0.8 inch, and in breadth from +0.57 to 0.65 inch; but the average of a dozen eggs is 0.75 by 0.61 +inch nearly. + + +490. Pericrocotus speciosus (Lath.). _The Indian Scarlet Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus speciosus (_Lath.). Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 419; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 271. + +Captain Hutton records that the Indian Scarlet Minivet breeds both on +the Doon and in the hills overlooking it, to an elevation of about +5000 feet. He says:--"The nest is generally placed high up on the +branch of some tall tree, often overhanging the side of a fearful +precipice. On the 6th and 17th of June I procured two nests in ravines +opening upon the Doon, one of which contained four, and the other five +eggs, of a dull-white colour, sparingly spotted and blotched with +earthy brown, more thickly so at the larger end, where they form an +open ring of spots; other small blotches of a fainter colour are seen +beneath the shell. + +"It is a curious fact that in the latter nest, out of the five eggs +_three_ were ringed at the larger end, and the other two _at the +smaller end_. The nest is rather coarsely made, being very thick at +the sides, and the materials not neatly interwoven; it is composed +externally of dried grasses and the fine stalks of various small +plants, interspersed with bits of cotton and grass-roots, and lined +with the fine seed-stalks of small grasses." + +I am not at all sure that there is not some mistake here. The nest +described is rather that of _L. erythronotus_ than of any of the +_Pericrocoti_, and but for the excellent authority on which the above +rests, I should certainly not have accepted it. + +This species breeds in the forests of the central hills of Nepal; +recording to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings they begin laying about +April, and lay three or four eggs, which are neither described nor +figured. The nest is a beautiful deep cup externally about 3.25 inches +in diameter, and rather more than 2 inches high, composed of moss +and moss-roots lined internally with the latter, and entirely coated +exteriorly with lichen and a few stray pieces of green moss firmly +secured in their places by spiders' webs. The nest is placed in some +slender branch between three or four upright sprays. This, I may note, +is just the kind of nest one would have expected this Large Minivet to +build. + +The only specimens, supposed to be the eggs of this species, that I +possess I owe to Captain Hutton. They closely resemble the eggs of _L. +erythronotus_, but are perhaps shorter, and hence _look_ broader than +those of this latter. They are slightly bigger than the eggs of _L. +vittatus_. In shape they seem to be typically a slightly broader oval +than those of any of our true Shrikes, but elongated and pointed +examples occur. Their ground-colour is a very pale greyish white, +thickly spotted all over the large end, and thickly dotted elsewhere, +with specks, spots, and tiny blotches of pale yellowish brown and pale +inky-purple. Compared with the eggs of the other _Pericrocoti_, they +are very dingily coloured. The eggs are devoid of gloss. I am doubtful +about these eggs. + +In length they vary from 0.88 to 0.93 inch, and in breadth from 0.72 +to 0.75 inch; but the average of five eggs is 0.9 by 0.72 inch. + + +494. Pericrocotus flammeus (Forst.). _The Orange Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 420; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 272. + +The Orange Minivet lays, I believe, in June and July on the Nilghiris. +I have never taken a nest myself, but I have received several, with a +few words in regard to them, from Miss Cockburn. + +The nests are comparatively massive little cups placed on, or +sometimes in, the forks of slender boughs. They are usually composed +of excessively fine twigs, the size of fir-needles, and they are +densely plastered over the whole exterior surface with greenish-grey +lichen, so closely and cleverly put together that the side of the nest +looks exactly like a piece of a lichen-covered branch. There appears +to be no lining, and the eggs are laid on the fine little twigs which +compose the body of the nest. + +The nests are externally from 3 to 31/4 inches in diameter, and about 11/2 +inch deep, with an egg-cavity about 2 inches in diameter and about 3/4 +inch in depth. Some, however, when placed in a fork are much deeper +and narrower, say externally 21/2 inches in diameter and the same +height; the egg-cavity about 13/4 inch in diameter and 11/4 inch in depth. + +Miss Cockburn notes that one nest was found on the 24th of June on a +high tree, the nest being placed on a thin branch between 30 or 40 +feet from the ground. It contained a single fresh egg, which was +broken in the fall of the branch, which had to be cut. This egg, the +remains of which were sent me, had a pale greenish ground, and was +pretty thickly streaked and spotted, most thickly so at the large end, +with pale yellowish brown and pale rather dingy-purple, the latter +colour predominating. + +Another egg which she subsequently sent me, obtained on the 17th of +July, is a regular, moderately elongated oval, a little pointed +towards one end. The shell is fine, but glossless. The ground is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish white, and it is rather sparsely +spotted and speckled with pale yellowish brown. Only one or two +purplish-grey specks are to be detected on this egg; it measures 0.9 +by 0.67. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, sends me the following note:--"I had the good +fortune to find a nest of the Orange Minivet at Neddivattam, about +6000 feet above the level of the sea, on the 5th September, 1870. It +was placed on a tall tree near the edge of a jungle and was built in a +fork, about 30 feet from the ground. + +"The nest was built of small twigs and grasses, and covered on the +outside with lichens, moss, and cobwebs, making it appear as part and +parcel of the tree. I noticed it merely from the fact of seeing the +bird sitting on her nest, and even then could not make up my mind, and +came away. Being of an inquisitive nature, next day I went again and +saw the bird in the same place, so I climbed up and managed to pull +the nest towards me with a hook, and took two eggs, one of which I +send you. + +"In August 1874 at Vythory I saw a bird sitting on her nest, and +watched her rear and take away her brood, but could not get at the +nest." + +An egg sent me by Mr. Darling is very similar to the eggs sent me +by Miss Cockburn, except that the brown markings are rather more +numerous, especially in a broad zone round the large end, and that +with these a good many pale purple or lilac spots or specks are +intermingled. It measures 0.88 by 0.68 inch. + + +495. Pericrocotus brevirostris (Vigors). _The Short-billed Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus brevirostris (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 421; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 273. + +The Short-billed Minivet breeds in the Himalayas at elevations of from +3000 to 6000 feet in Kumaon, and again in Kulu and the valley of the +Sutlej. It lays in May and June, building a compact and delicate +cup-shaped nest on a horizontal bough pretty high up in some oak, +rhododendron, or other forest tree. I have never seen one on any kind +of fir-tree. + +Sometimes the nest is merely placed on, and attached firmly to, the +upper surface of the branch; but, more commonly, the place where two +smallish branches fork horizontally is chosen, and the nest is placed +just at the fork. I got one nest at Kotgurh, however, wedged in +between two upright shoots from a horizontal oak-branch. The nests are +composed of fine twigs, fir-needles, grass-roots, fine grass, slender +dry stems of herbaceous plants, as the case may be, generally loosely, +but occasionally compactly interlaced, intermingled and densely coated +over the whole exterior with cobwebs and pieces of lichen, the latter +so neatly put on that they appear to have grown where they are. +Sometimes, especially at the base of the nest, a little moss is +attached exteriorly, but, as a rule, there is nothing but lichen. The +nest has no lining. The external diameter is about 21/2 inches, and the +usual height of the nest from 11/2 to 2 inches; but this varies a good +deal according to situation, and the bottom of the nest, which in some +may be at most 1/4 inch thick, in another is a full inch. The sides +rarely exceed 1/4 inch in thickness. The egg-cavity has a diameter of +about 2 inches, and a depth of from 1 to 1.25 inch. + +Five seems to be the maximum number of eggs laid, but I have now twice +met with three, more or less incubated, eggs. + +Mr. Hodgson notes:--"May 16th: At the top of the great forest of +Sheopoori, secured a nest built near the top of a kaiphul tree, and +laid on a thick branch amongst smaller twigs. The nest is about 2 +inches deep and the same in diameter: inside it is 1.5 inch deep; it +is made of paper-like bits of lichen welded together with spiders' +webs, and with a lining of elastic fibres. It is the shape of a deep +soap-stand, open at the top of course. It contained two eggs of a +bluish or greenish-white ground, much spotted with liver colour, +especially near the large end, where the spots are clustered into a +zone." + +Dr. Scully, writing also from Nepal, says:--"During the +breeding-season (May and June) this Minivet is found in forests on +the hills up to an elevation of 7500 feet. A nest was found in the +Sheopoori forest on the 17th June, which contained two very young +birds and one egg." + +The eggs of this species that I have seen are moderately broad ovals, +as a rule, very regular in their shape, and scarcely compressed at all +towards the lesser end. The shell is fine and satiny, but the eggs +have little or no real gloss. The ground-colour is a dull white, +sometimes slightly tinged with pink, sometimes with green, and they +are richly and profusely blotched, spotted, and streaked, most +densely, as a rule, towards the large end, with brownish red and +pale purple. Most eggs exhibit a more or less conspicuous, though +irregular, zone round the larger end. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.71 to 0.8 inch, and in breadth from +0.54 to 0.6 inch. + + +499. Pericrocotus roseus (Vieill.). _The Rosy Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus roseus (_Vieill._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 422; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 275. + +The only one of my contributors who appears to have taken the eggs +of the Rosy Minivet is Colonel C.H.T. Marshall. Mr. R. Thompson +says:--"They breed in the warmer valleys of Kumaon, up to an elevation +of some 5000 feet, in May and June;" but he adds: "have never got down +the nests." + +Colonel Marshall, writing from Murree, says:--"The Rosy Minivet builds +a beautifully little shallow cup-shaped nest, the outer edge being +quite narrow and pointed. The external covering of the nest is fine +pieces of lichen fastened on with cobwebs. It was found on the 12th of +June, and contained three fresh eggs, white, with greyish-brown spots +and blotches sparsely scattered about the larger end; the length is +0.8 by 0.55 inch; 5000 feet up." + +The nest, which I owe to this gentleman, is externally a short section +of a cylinder, rather than a cup, the walls standing up outside almost +perpendicularly. It is 2.5 inches in diameter and nearly 1.75 in +height. The rim of the nest is 1/4 inch wide, and the cavity, a shallow +cup, 2 inches wide by scarcely an inch deep; the walls of the nest +increase in thickness as they approach the base. + +Externally the whole surface is _entirely_ covered by small scales of +lichen, firmly bound into their respective places by gossamer threads; +internally the nest is a very loosely put together basket-work of +excessively fine twigs and grass-stems not thicker than common +needles. A morsel or two of moss have become involved in the fabric, +as well as two fine blades of grass; but there is no lining, and the +eggs are obviously laid upon the soft loose basket frame of the nest. + +The egg which accompanied the nest is a regular oval, slightly +compressed towards one end. The ground-colour is pale greenish white +entirely devoid of gloss. The egg is richly blotched, spotted, and +speckled (most densely so towards the larger end) with reddish brown +and greenish purple, there being two conspicuously different shades +(a much darker and a much lighter, the latter of which appears like +subsurface tints) of each of these colours. This egg measures 0.82 by +0.6 inch nearly. + +Another egg of the same clutch was less richly coloured, the markings +being merely brown, with scarcely a perceptible reddish tinge, and +dull mostly inky, but here and there somewhat reddish, purple. The +markings, too, were fewer in number, but there was a more marked +tendency for these to form a zone about the larger end. + +In another clutch the markings were almost entirely confined to a +dense zone round the larger end about a third of the way up from the +middle of the egg. In this zone they were so densely set as to be +quite confluent, and they consisted of yellowish brown and inky +purple. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps found the nest of this Minivet in the Bhaman +tea-garden, in the Dibrugarh District of Assam, on the 31st May, 1879. +The nest contained three eggs, and was placed on the upper side of +a large lateral branch of a tree that grew on the main garden road, +about 15 feet from the ground. + +Seven eggs of this bird vary in length from 0.75 to 0.86, and in +breadth from 0.58 to 0.6. + + +500. Pericrocotus peregrinus (Linn.). _The Small Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus peregrinus (_Linn_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 423; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 276. + +Our Small Minivet lays during the latter half of June (as soon, in +fact, as the rains set in), and throughout July and August. I believe +it breeds pretty well all over India and Burma. + +The nest is small and neat, and done up generally like a Chaffinch's, +to resemble the bark of the tree on which it is placed. + +The nests that I have seen have been invariably placed at a +considerable height from the ground in the fork of a branch, most +commonly, I think, a mango-tree, though I have occasionally noticed +them in other trees. + +The nest is a small moderately deep cup, with an internal cavity about +1.7 inch to 1.9 in diameter, and nearly an inch in depth. The sides of +the nest are about 3/8 inch thick, and the thickness of the bottom of +the nest varies according to the shape of the fork chosen, whether +obtuse or acute-angled. In the former case the bottom of the nest +is sometimes not above 1/4 inch in depth. In the latter case, it is +sometimes as much as an inch in thickness. It is composed of very +fine, needle-like twigs (with at times here and there a few feathers) +carefully bound together externally with cobwebs, and coated with +small pieces of bark or dead leaves, or both, so that looked at from +below with the naked eye it is impossible to distinguish it from one +of the many little excrescences so common, especially on mango-trees. +There appears to be rarely any regular lining, a very little down and +cobwebs forming the only bed for the eggs, and even this is often +wanting. Sometimes a few tiny dead leaves or a little lichen will be +found incorporated in the nest, and occasionally, but rarely, fine +grass-stems take the place of very slender twigs. + +Three is, I believe, the normal number of the eggs. I extract a couple +of old notes I made in regard to the nests of this species:--"_August +5th_.--Took three eggs of this bird, shooting the two old birds at the +same time. The tree was a mango, the nest was in the fork of a branch, +some 40 feet from the ground, built interiorly with very small twigs, +with here and there a very few feathers intermixed, and was exteriorly +coated with fine flakes of bark held in their place by gossamer +threads. It was cup-shaped, with an interior diameter of 1-7/8 by 3/4 +inch. + +"The eggs had a slightly greenish-white ground, thickly spotted and +speckled, and towards the larger end blotched, with somewhat brownish +red; the markings showing a decided tendency to form a zone round, or +cap at the larger end." + +"_Allygurh, August 27th_.--Another beautiful little nest in a +mango-tree high up, a tiny cup about 11/2 inch internal diameter by 3/4 +inch deep, woven with very fine twigs, and exteriorly coated with tiny +fragments of bark and dead leaves firmly secured in their places with +gossamer threads and cobwebs. It contained two fresh eggs; a pale +slightly greenish-white ground, richly speckled and spotted and +sparsely blotched with a purplish and a brownish red, the markings +greatly predominating towards the larger end." + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt, detailing his experiences in Jhansie and Saugor, +says:--"Breeds in June and July. The tamarind-tree is by preference +chosen by this bird for its nest; at least the three I saw were all on +tamarind-trees. The nest, cup-shaped, is a compactly made structure; +the exterior appeared to be composed of the very fine petioles of +leaves, with a thick coating all over of what looked like spider's +web; attached to this web-like substance here and there, for better +disguise, were the dry leaves of the tamarind-tree; the lining of very +fine grass. The outer diameter of a nest may fairly be given at 2.2 +inches, inner at 1.8, depth of nest 0.9. Two is the regular number +of eggs, at least that was the number in the three nests I took. In +colour they are of a pale greenish white, sparingly speckled on the +narrower half of the egg with brownish spots, but they have on the +broader half the spots more dense, and forming at the end a more or +less complete cap. The feat of securing a nest is a most hazardous +one, for it is always fixed close in between two delicate forks at the +extreme end of a slight side-branch near to the top of the tree. On +each occasion that the nest was detected the male bird was found +flitting about near to it, the female all the while sitting on the +eggs. On the last two occasions of finding the nests, it was this +flitting to and fro of the male that attracted us; otherwise the nest, +is so small that from the ground the eye can scarcely distinguish +it from the branch. The bird appears to be migratory, for since the +termination of the breeding-season it has disappeared from these +parts." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes to me:--"Although this bird is common enough +both at Allahabad and at Delhi, I have found it difficult to find its +nest, from the fact that it is placed at the very extreme tip of leafy +branches. However, with careful watching and patience, I managed to +find one nest at Allahabad and five at Delhi. The first I found on +the 3rd July at Chupree near Allahabad. It contained two well-fledged +young ones, that hopped out as soon as the nest was touched. Out of +the five at Delhi I managed to get six eggs; three of the nests when +found being empty, were afterwards deserted by the birds. Of the two +nests with eggs, one contained four and the other two. The nests are +tiny little cups, made of very fine grass, and coated externally with +cobwebs, to which are attached bits of bark and dry leaves. The eggs +are a greenish stone-colour, thickly speckled with light purple and +brownish red. The earliest nest I have found was on the 21st March, +on the banks of the canal at Delhi, so that the bird occasionally, at +Delhi at least, lays in spring. The average of eggs I have is 0.68 in +length, and 0.55 in breadth." + +Colonel E.A. Butler furnishes us with the following interesting +note:--"Found a nest at Belgaum, containing two fresh eggs, on the 3rd +September, 1879. It was situated in the fork of one of the small outer +top branches of a tall mango-tree, and was on the whole about the +prettiest nest I have seen in India. It consisted of a tiny cup about +11/4 x 2 inches measured interiorly, and 1-7/8 x 21/2 inches exteriorly. +Depth inside 1 inch, outside 11/2 inches from rim to proper base, +excluding about an inch of lichen continued down one side of the bough +below the fork in which the nest was built. It was composed, so far as +I could judge after a very minute examination, almost entirely of the +white lichen which grows so freely on the bark of every tree during +the rains, with a few cobwebs incorporated and wound round the outside +to keep it together, assimilating so perfectly with the branch upon +which it was placed, which was also overgrown with the same kind of +lichen, that without watching the old birds closely it never could +have been discovered. + +"It contained no regular lining, though a few coarse dry leaf-stems +of a dark colour were encircled within. I observed the birds building +first on the 21st August, and the nest from below looked then almost +finished. The cock and hen worked together, flying to and fro very +busily with bits of lichen picked off the branches of another tree +adjoining. On the 25th I watched the nest for some time, but the birds +only came to it once, and then the hen bird went on and smeared some +cobwebs round the outside, at least that is what she seemed to me to +be doing. On the 28th I watched it again, and although both birds were +in the adjoining tree, I did not see them go to the nest. On the 31st, +about 10 A.M., I found the hen on the nest, and she remained on till +about 10.30, when she flew off and joined the cock, who was sitting +pluming himself on a branch of the next tree the whole time she was on +the nest. Immediately she joined him, he commenced catching flies and +feeding her, as if she were a young bird, and eventually they both +flew away together. Arriving at the conclusion that she only went on +the nest to lay, I decided on taking the nest three days later, and +accordingly returned for that purpose with a small boy on the 3rd +Sept., and found, as I expected, the hen sitting and the cock in +another tree close by. + +"I sent the boy up the tree, and as he approached the nest, which was +some 30 or 35 feet from the ground, the hen bird became very uneasy, +moving her head from side to side, and looking down to see what was +going on below. When the boy was within about 10 feet of the nest she +flew off and joined the cock, after which I saw her no more. The eggs +were then secured with difficulty, as the branches surrounding the +nest were very thin and blown about a good deal by the wind. + +"After breaking off the bough, nest and all, the boy descended. One +branch of the fork in which the nest was placed was rotten, and broke +off at the junction at the base of the nest as the boy was descending +the tree; but the nest, which was firmly bound to it with cobwebs, +remained in its place and was not injured, and I had the nest and +bough beautifully painted for me by a lady friend the same day. The +eggs were pale bluish green, speckled and spotted, most densely at +the large end, with two shades of dusky purple, the markings of the +lighter shade appearing to underlie those of the darker. On the +6th Sept., the same pair of birds commenced a new nest on another +mango-tree about 20 yards off. This time it was placed in a fork of +one of the small outside lateral branches about 25 feet from the +ground, and resembled in every respect the first nest. On the 15th +Sept., the hen bird began to sit, and on the 18th I sent a boy up the +tree by means of a ladder, and secured two more fresh, eggs, similar +to those already described. On this occasion the two old birds evinced +signs of the greatest anxiety, the hen remaining on the nest till the +boy was close to her, and, joined by the cock immediately she left +it, the pair kept flying from bough to bough in the greatest possible +state of excitement the whole time the nest was being taken, the hen +actually once or twice going on to the nest again after she had left +it, when the boy was within 3 feet of her. On examining the nest I +found that one of the branches of the fork consisted of a small rotten +stump, similar to the one described in the first nest, and in the +bottom of both nests there were three or four small black downy +feathers, intermingled with the dead leaf-stems that constituted the +lining." + +In his recent "Notes on Birds'-nesting in Rajpootana," Lieut. H.E. +Barnes writes, "The Small Minivet breeds during July and August." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"You say that the Small Minivet lays +during the latter half of June and throughout July and August. I +would therefore remark that on the 11th November, 1871, I saw several +newly-fledged young ones at Poona. There could be no mistake about +this, as I stood under the tree, which was a small one, and saw the +young ones being fed." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark that in the Deccan it is "common, +and breeds in the rains." + +The latter gentleman subsequently added the following note:--"In July, +my men found a nest with two eggs at Nulwar, Deccan. It was built on a +small branch of a tamarind-tree, 20 feet from the ground. The nest +is similar to that described in the 'Rough Draft' as being found at +Allyghur. The whole of the bark used on the outer coating is that +of tamarind-tree, and there are a good many feathers and much down +incorporated into the structure, inside and out. The eggs differ +considerably in colouring. In both the ground-colour is greenish +white. One is profusely speckled all over, but more thickly at the +smaller end, with brownish red and a few purple blotches, whilst the +other egg has the specks less numerous but larger, and chiefly on +the larger end, with little or no purple, and the small end almost +unsullied." + +Finally, Mr. Oates records that "in Lower Pegu nests of this bird may +be found from the end of April to the middle of June." + +The eggs are of a rather broad oval shape, and, as is often the +case even in the typical Shrikes, very blunt at both ends. The +ground-colour is a pale delicate greenish white, and they are more or +less richly marked with bright, slightly brownish-red specks, spots, +and blotches, which, always more numerous at the large end, have a +tendency there to form a mottled irregular cap. In many eggs, besides +these primary markings, a number of small faint, patches and blotches +of pale inky purple are observable, almost exclusively at the large +end. The eggs appear to be quite devoid of gloss. I have eggs both of +_Copsychus saularis_ and _Thamnobia cambaiensis_, strange as it may +seem, closely resembling, except in size, some types of this bird's +egg; and I have one egg of _Merula simillima_ from the Nilghiris, +which, though immensely larger, so far as tint, colour, and character +of ground and markings go, is positively identical with eggs that I +have of this species. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.6 to 0.7 inch, and in breadth from 0.5 +to 0.56 inch, but the average of twenty-eight eggs is 0.67 nearly by +0.53 inch. + + +501. Pericrocotus erythropygius (Jerd.). _The White-bellied +Minivet_. + +Pericrocotus erythropygius (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 424; _Hume, +cat._ no. 277. + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., is apparently the only ornithologist who has +discovered the nest of the White-bellied Minivet. Writing on the 25th +August, from Khandeish, he says:--"Yesterday I took two nests of +_Pericrocotus erythropygius_. Both nests were like those of _P. +peregrinus_, and were placed about 21/2 feet from the ground in a fork +of a straggling thorn-bush among thin scrub-jungle. One contained 3 +young birds, and one 3 hard-set eggs. I watched the nest, and found +the cock sitting on the eggs, and watched him for a minute, so there +is no possibility of mistake; but the eggs are not the least what I +expected. They are fairly glossy, one being very much elongated, of a +greenish-grey ground, with long longitudinal dashes of dark brown, as +unlike Minivets' eggs as they can possibly be. They were the only two +pairs I saw in a long morning walk, and the nests were easily found by +watching the birds. I wish I had known the birds were breeding where +they were, as by going three weeks ago I should probably have found +many nests, as there are miles and miles of similar jungle, and it is +barely 12 miles from Dhulia. It is very provoking. I have had great +trouble trying to make the Bhils work for me. They will bring in eggs +but not mark them down." + +Later on, Mr. Davidson wrote:--"I happened to be staying a few days at +Arvee, in the extreme south of Dhulia, and found this bird breeding +there in considerable numbers. This was in the end of August (26th to +31st), and I was rather late, most of the nests containing young, and +in some cases the young were able to fly. I, however, found eight +nests with eggs (most of them hard-set). All the nests, which are +small and less ornamented than those of _P. peregrinus_, were placed +from 3 to 4 feet from the ground, in a small common thorny scrub. They +were all placed in low thin jungle, and never where the jungle was +thick and difficult to walk through. A great deal of the jungle round +Arvee is full of anjan-trees, but none of the birds seem to breed in +these." + +The nests are elegant little cups, reminding one of those of +_Rhipidura albifrontata_, measuring internally about 1.75 inch in +diameter and 1 inch in depth, the thickness of the walls of the nest +being usually somewhat less than a quarter of an inch. Interiorly the +nest is composed of excessively fine flowering-stems of grasses, and +externally and on the upper edge it is densely coated with fine, +rather silky greyish-white vegetable fibres, in places more or less +felted together. It is not ornamented externally with moss and +lichen, as those of so many of the _Pericrocoti_ commonly are, only +occasionally one or two little ornamental brown patches of withered +glossy vegetable scales are worked into the exterior of the nest. + +The eggs are not at all like those of the other _Pericrocoti_ with +which we are best acquainted; though less densely, and even more +streakily marked, they most remind me of the egg of _Volvocivora_, and +in a lesser degree of that of _Hemipus picatus_. + +The eggs vary in shape from rather broad to rather elongated ovals. +The shell is very fine and smooth, but has scarcely any perceptible +gloss. The ground-colour is greenish or greyish white, and they are +profusely marked with comparatively fine longitudinal streaks of a +moderately dark brown, which in some lines is more of a chocolate, in +others perhaps more umber. At both ends of the egg, but especially the +smaller end, the markings often become spotty or speckly, but the fine +longitudinal streaking of the sides of the egg is very conspicuous. + +In size the eggs vary from 0.69 to 0.71 in length, by 0.51 to 0.58 in +breadth. I have measured too few eggs to be able to give a reliable +average. + + +505. Campophaga melanoschista (Hodgs.). _The Dark-grey +Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora melaschistos, _Hodgs., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 415: _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 269. + +I have never found the nest of the Dark-grey Cuckoo-Shrike. Captain +Hutton tells us:-- + +"This, too, is a mere summer visitor in the hills, arriving up to 7000 +feet about the end of March, and breeding early in May. The nest is +small and shallow, placed in the bifurcation of a horizontal bough +of some tall oak tree, and always high up; it is composed externally +almost entirely of grey lichens picked from the tree, and lined with +bits of very fine roots or thin stalks of leaves. Seen from beneath +the tree the nest appears like a bunch of moss or lichens, and the +smallness and frailty would lead one to suppose it incapable of +holding two young birds of such size. Externally the nest is compactly +held together by being thickly pasted over with cobwebs. The eggs, +two in number, of a dull grey-green, closely and in part confluently +dashed with streaks of dusky brown." + +This species, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes and drawings, breeds in +Nepal in the central districts of the hills from April to July, laying +three or four eggs. The nest is a broad shallow saucer, some 4 inches +in external diameter and 1.75 inch in height; it is placed in a fork +where two or three slender branches divide, to one or more of which it +is firmly bound with vegetable fibres and grass-roots, and is composed +of fine roots and vegetable fibres, and plastered over externally +with pieces of lichen and moss. The eggs are regular ovals, with a +pale-greenish ground, blotched and spotted with a somewhat olivaceous +brown. + +A nest of this species found at Mongphoo (elevation 5500 feet) on the +15th June contained three eggs nearly ready to hatch off. The nest was +placed on a nearly horizontal fork of a small branch. It is composed +of very fine twigs loosely twisted together and coated everywhere +exteriorly with cobwebs and scraps of grey lichen. At the lower part, +which, owing to the slope of the branch, had to be thicker, it is +exteriorly about an inch and a half in height. At the upper end it is +only about half an inch high. The shallow saucer-like cavity is about +two and a half inches in diameter and about half an inch in depth. + +The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from Mussoorie, +much resemble those of _Graucalus macii_ and _C. sykesi_, but they +are decidedly longer than the latter, and the general tone of their +colouring is somewhat duller. In shape they are somewhat elongated +ovals, more or less compressed towards one end; the general colour is +greenish white, very thickly blotched and streaked with dull brown +and very pale purple. The markings are very closely set, leaving but +little of the ground-colour visible. They have little or no gloss. + +They measure 1.03 by 0.72 inch, and 0.95 by 0.68 inch. + +Other eggs that I have since obtained have been quite similar, but +have not had the markings quite so densely set: the secondary markings +have been greyer and less purple, and several eggs have exhibited +an appreciable gloss; others, again, were quite like those first +described and entirely devoid of gloss. They measured 0.9 to 0.98 in +length by 0.65 to 0.71 in breadth. + + +508. Campophaga sykesi (Strickl.). _The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Volvocivora sykesii (_Strickl.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 414; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 268. + +Mr. F.R. Blewitt took the eggs of Sykes's Cuckoo-Shrike many years +ago. He furnishes the following note:-- + +"I first met with this bird in the southern part of Bundlekund. +Nowhere here is it common, and I have never seen more than a pair +together. It is to be found in wooded tracts of country, but more +frequently among thin large trees surrounding villages. Dr. Jerdon has +correctly described its restless habits, and its careful examination +of the foliage and branches of trees for food. It is usually a silent +bird, but during the earlier portion of the breeding-season the male +bird may frequently be heard repeating for minutes together his clear +plaintive notes. Each time, as it flies from one tree to another, the +song is repeated. The flight is easy, slightly undulating, and the +strokes of the wing somewhat rapid. In the latter end of July I +procured one nest. It was found on a mowa-tree (_Bassia latifolia_), +placed on and at the end of two small out-shooting branches. When my +man, mounting the tree, approached the nest the parent birds evinced +the greatest anxiety, flew just above his head, uttering all the while +a sharply repeated cry. Even when one of the birds was shot the other +would not leave the spot, but remained hovering about and uttering its +shrill cry. The nest is slightly made, and constructed of thin twigs +and roots; the exterior is covered slightly with spider's web. If we +except the size, the formation of this Cuckoo-Shrike's nest is almost +identical with that of _Graucalus macii_. I secured two eggs in the +nest. In colour they are, when fresh, of a deepish green, mottled +with dark brown spots; indeed the eggs, when first taken, a good deal +resemble those of _Copsychus saularis_. The maximum number of eggs, no +doubt, is three, as those I secured were fresh-laid. The bird breeds +from June to August." + +The nest above referred to, and now in my museum, was a very shallow, +rather broad cup. The egg-cavity about 21/2 inches in diameter and about +3/4 inch deep, and the nest very loosely put together of very fine +twigs, and exteriorly coated and bound together with cobwebs. The +sides of the nest are about 0.6 inch thick, but the bottom is a mere +network of slender twigs, not above 1/4 inch thick, and can be readily +looked through. + +Mr. I. Macpherson writes:--"This bird is found in the open +scrub-forests of the Mysore district, but is nowhere common. + +"14th May, 1880.--While passing a small sandal-wood tree a bird flew +out, and on looking into the tree I found a very shallow nest at the +junction of two small branches about 10 feet from the ground; the nest +contained three eggs. + +"Returned again in a quarter of an hour and shot the bird (the male) +as it flew out of the tree. The eggs were within a few days of being +hatched off. + +"20th May, 1880.--While out driving this morning saw a male bird +of this species fly out of a small sandal-wood tree close to the +roadside. Pulled up to watch, and shortly saw the female bird fly +into the tree. Got out and shot her and took the nest, which was +beautifully fixed in a fork with three branches only eight feet from +the ground. + +"The nest contained three eggs very hard-set." + +Mr. J. Davidson, C.S., remarks:--"This pretty little Cuckoo-Shrike is +one of the earliest migrants in the rains, arriving about the 8th of +June, and breeding all along the scrub-jungles which stretch between +the Nasik and Khandeish Collectorates. It appears particularly partial +to the Angan forest, and, as far as I remember, all the many nests I +have seen have been in forks of angan trees. The nest is a pretty firm +platform composed of fine roots; and the eggs, which much resemble +those of the Magpie-Robin, are three in number." + +Colonel Legge writes, in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"With us this +Cuckoo-Shrike breeds in April in the Western Province. Mr. MacVicar +writes me of the discovery, by himself, of two nests last year near +Colombo. One was built on the topmost branch of a young jack-tree +about 40 feet high. It was very small and shallow, measuring 2.8 +inches in breadth and only 0.8 inch in depth, and the old bird could +be seen plainly from beneath sitting across it. The other was situated +on the top of a tree about 20 feet from the ground, and was built in +the same manner. The materials are not mentioned." + +I have only seen two eggs of this species, sent me with the nest and +parent bird by Mr. F.R. Blewitt. They are oval eggs, moderately broad +and obtuse at both ends, about the same size as average eggs +of _Lanius vittatus_. They are slightly glossy, have a pale +greenish-white ground, and are thickly blotched and streaked +throughout, but most densely so towards the large end, with somewhat +pale brown, much the same colour as the markings on typical eggs of +_L. erythronotus_. They measure 0.85 inch in length by 0.65 and 0.68 +inch in breadth respectively. Other eggs since received from Calcutta +and Mysore measure from 0.87 to 0.81 in length, and from 0.68 to 0.62 +in breadth. + + +509. Campophaga terat (Bodd.)[A]. _The Pied Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +[Footnote A: I cannot find any note among Mr. Hume's papers regarding +the discovery of the nest of this bird. The nest may possibly have +been found at Camorta (Nicobar Islands), where this species is not +uncommon.--ED.] + +Lalage terat (_Bodd.), Hume, cat._ no, 269 ter. + +The eggs are quite of the _Graucalus_ and _Campophaga_ type, but +perhaps a little more elongated in shape. Very regular, slightly +elongated ovals, with scarcely any gloss on them, the ground greenish +white, but everywhere thickly streaked and mottled and freckled over, +most thickly about the large end, with a dull pale slightly olivaceous +brown intermingled with brownish, or in some specimens faintly +purplish grey. The two eggs I possess measure 0.85 and 0.87 in length, +by 0.61 and 0.62 respectively in breadth. + + +510. Graucalus macii, Lesson. _The Large Cuckoo-Shrike_. + +Graucalus macei, _Less., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 417; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 270. + +My friend Mr. F.R. Blewitt seems to be the only ornithologist who +has taken many nests of the Large Grey Cuckoo-Shrike. I never was so +fortunate as to find one. He says:--"This Shrike begins to pair +about May, and in June the work of nidification commences. The place +selected for the nest is the most lofty branch of a tree, and is built +near the fork of two outlying twigs. If this bird has a preference it +would appear to be for mango and mowa trees, on which I found most of +the nests. The nest is in form circular, and its exterior is somewhat +thickly made; the interior is moderately cup-shaped. Thin twigs and +grass-roots are freely used in its construction, while the outer +part of the nest is somewhat thickly covered with what appears to be +spider's web. Altogether the nest, considering the size of the birds, +is of light structure. I am sorry I did not take the dimensions of +each nest secured, but I sent you two very perfect ones. I found the +first eggs in the beginning of July. They are of a dull lightish +green, with brown spots of all sizes, more dense towards the large +end. The maximum number of eggs is three. The bird breeds from June to +August." + +The nests which Mr. Blewitt sent me remind one a good deal of those +of the _Dicruri_. They are broad shallow saucers, with an egg-cavity +about 3 inches in diameter, and 3/4 inch in depth, composed in the only +two specimens that I possess of very fine twigs, chiefly those of the +furash (_Tamarix orientalis_). Exteriorly they are bound round with +cobwebs, in which a quantity of lichen is incorporated. The nests are +loose flimsy fabrics, which but for the exterior coating of cobwebs +would certainly never have borne removal. + +Dr. Jerdon remarks:--"I once obtained its nest and eggs. The nest was +built in a lofty casuarina tree, close to my house at Tellicherry; it +was composed of small twigs and roots merely, of Moderate size, and +rather deeply cup-shaped, and contained three eggs, of a greenish-fawn +colour, with large blotches of purplish brown." + +Professor H. Littledale writing from Baroda says:--"The Large +Cuckoo-Shrike is a permanent resident here. I found six nests last +August near Baroda, each with one egg; and my men found a nest +building in the Police Lines at Khaira on the 10th October." + +Mr. J. Davidson informs us that "a pair of _Graucalus macii_ were +apparently breeding near this place (the Kondabhari Ghat). He found a +nest with two young in the previous September near the same place." + +Mr. G.W. Vidal, referring to the South Konkan, says:--"Common; breeds +in February and March." + +A nest that was placed in the fork of a bough was composed entirely +of slender twigs, the petioles of some pennated-leaved tree, bound +together all round the outside with abundance of cobwebs, so that +notwithstanding the incoherent nature of the materials the nest was +extremely firm. It is a shallow saucer quite of the Dicrurine type, +with a cavity 3 inches in diameter and barely 0.75 in depth. + +The eggs are typically of a somewhat elongated oval, a good deal +pointed towards one end, but some are broader and more of a typical +Shrike shape. The eggs are of course considerably larger than those of +_Lanius lahtora_. The shell is compact and fine, and faintly glossy. +The ground-colour is a palish-green stone-colour, greener in some, and +somewhat more creamy in others. The markings are very Shrike-like, and +consist of brown blotches, streaks, and spots, with numerous clouds +and blotches of pale inky-purple, which appear to underlie the brown +markings. The markings in some eggs are all very faint, and, as it +were, half washed out, while in others they are very bright and clear. +In some these are comparatively sparse and few; in others close-set +and numerous, especially in a broad zone near the large end; but this +zone is by no means invariably present; in fact, not above one in five +eggs exhibit it. There is something in these eggs which reminds one +of some of the Terns' eggs; and although, when compared with a large +series of _L. lahtora_, individuals of this latter species may be +found resembling them to a certain extent, I do not think that at +first sight any zoologist would have felt sure that they _were_ +Shrike's eggs. + +They vary in length from 1.12 to 1.41 inch, and in breadth from 0.8 to +0.95 inch, but the average of eight eggs is 1.26 by 0.9 inch nearly. + + + + +Subfamily ARTAMINAE. + + +512. Artamus fuscus, Vieill. _The Ashy Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus fuscus, _V., Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 441; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & +E._ no. 287. + +Mr. R. Thompson says:--"I have frequently found the nests of the Ashy +Swallow-Shrike, and have watched the old birds constructing them, but +never took down their eggs. Two or three pairs may always be found +nesting on the long-leaved pine, as one comes up from Kaladoongee to +Nyneetal and passes halfway up from the first dak chokee at Ghutgurh. +They lay in May and June, constructing their nest on the horizontal +extension of a main branch of some lofty tree, generally _Pinus +longifolia_. The nest, composed of fine grasses, roots, and fibres, +is a loose, only slightly cup-shaped structure, some 5 inches in +diameter." + +Dr. Jerdon says on the other hand:--"I have procured the nest of this +bird situated on a palmyra tree on the stem of the leaf. It was a deep +cup-shaped nest, made of grass, leaves, and numerous feathers, and +contained two eggs, white with a greenish tinge, and with light brown +spots, chiefly at the larger end. I see that Mr. Layard procured the +nest in Ceylon, where this bird is common, in the heads of cocoanut +trees, made of fibres and grasses, and it was probably the nest of +this bird that was brought to Tickell as that of the Palm-Swift." + +According to Mr. Hodgson this species begins to lay in March, the +young being fledged in June; the nest is a broad shallow saucer, from +6 to 8 inches in diameter, composed of grass and roots, together with +a little lichen, loosely put together, a green leaf or two being +sometimes found as a lining to the nest. The nest is placed on some +broad horizontal branch, where two or three slender twigs or shoots +grow out of it, or on the top of some stump of a tree, or broken end +of a branch, generally, at a considerable height from the ground. The +eggs are _figured_ as white, spotted and blotched almost exclusively +at the large end with yellowish brown, and measuring 0.8 by 0.52 inch, +but no actual measurements are recorded. + +Mr. Gammie, however, himself found, and kindly sent me, a nest and +eggs of this species, at Mongpho near Darjeeling, at an elevation of +about 3500 feet, on the 13th May, 1873. It was placed in the hole of a +trunk of a dead tree at a height of about 40 feet from the ground, and +it contained three hard-set eggs. The nest was a loose shallow saucer +of coarse roots devoid of lining. The eggs were rather narrow ovals, +a good deal pointed towards one end; the shell fine and with a slight +gloss. The ground-colour was creamy white, and the markings, which are +almost entirely confined to a broad ring round the large end and the +space within it, consisted of spots and clouds of very pale yellowish +brown, intermingled with clouds and specks of excessively pale, nearly +washed out, lilac. + +He subsequently furnished me with the following note from Sikhim:--"In +the hills this bird is migratory, coming about the last week in +February and leaving in the last week of October. It is exceedingly +abundant on the outer ridges running in from the Teesta Valley, and +most numerous about the elevation of 3000 feet, but stragglers get up +as high as 5000 feet. It prefers dry ridges on which there are a +few scattered tall trees, from the tops of which it can make short +flights, over the open country, after insects. It goes very little +abroad in the height of the day, and feeds principally in the +evenings. It rarely keeps on the wing for more than a minute or two at +a time, but occasionally will fly for ten minutes on end. It is quite +as bold and persevering in its habit of attacking and driving off +hawks and kites as the king-crow. Towards the end of September it +begins to congregate in rows along dead branches in the tops of trees. + +"It begins to lay in April and, I think, has only one brood in the +year. It builds in holes of trees, on surfaces of large horizontal +branches 30 or 40 feet up, or in depressions in ends of lofty stumps. +The nest is a shallow saucer, made entirely of light-coloured roots +and twigs loosely put together. The usual number of eggs appears to be +three." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal this +species is "common, and a permanent resident, very partial to perching +on the tips of bamboos, and I have seen as many as 13 sitting side +by side on a bamboo tip. I took seven nests this season, all from +date-trees (_Phoenix sylvestris_), which trees are very common in the +district. The nest is generally built at the junction of the leaf-stem +and the trunk of the tree, though in two instances the nest was placed +on a ledge from which all leaves had been removed to enable the tree +to be tapped for its juice. In every instance the nest was exposed, +and if any bird, even a hawk, came near, these courageous little +fellows would drive it off. My nests were found from the 5th April to +6th June; shallow saucers made of fine twigs and grasses with a lining +of the same, and contained two to four eggs in each. Height of nest +from ground about 12 to 15 feet. On the 17th April I took two fresh +eggs from a nest, and the birds laying again, I, on the 8th May, +again took three fresh eggs. When on the wing they utter their note, +generally returning to the same perch." + +And he adds:-- + +"_16th April, 1878_.--Took two perfectly fresh eggs from a nest built +on a date-tree. The date-trees in this district are tapped annually +for the juice, from which sugar is manufactured. The leaves and the +bark for a depth of 3 inches are sliced away from one half of the +trunk, the leaves on the other half remaining, and at the root of +one of these the nest was built, wedged in between the trunk and the +leaves; the external diameter was 41/2 inches, depth 3 inches, thickness +of sides of nest 3/4 inch; a rather shallow cup, composed exclusively of +fine grasses with no attempt at a lining. + +"_17th April, 1878_.--Secured two fresh eggs from another nest on a +date-tree. In size and shape they were similar and the materials were +the same grasses with no lining. The trees these nests were on formed +a small clump alongside a ryot's house. People were passing under them +all day, but the birds never noticed them. Any bird, from a Kite to +a Bulbul, coming near received a warm welcome. The nests are at all +times exposed, and the natives believe that two males and one female +are found occupying one nest. The birds being gregarious build on +adjoining trees, and while the ladies are engaged with their domestic +affairs their lords keep each other company, so the natives put them +down as polyandrous. I have found over a dozen nests, and every one +has been the counterpart of the other, and only on date-trees." + +Miss Cockburn writes from the Nilghiris:--"On the 17th May, 1873, a +nest of this bird was found. It was formed in a perpendicular hole in +a dried stump of a tree, about 15 feet in height. The nest consisted +entirely of slight sticks lined with fine grass, no soft material +being added as a finish, and the whole structure went to pieces when +removed. This nest contained three eggs, their colour white, with a +few dark and light brown spots and blotches all over, and a strongly +marked ring round the thick end. + +"The birds frequently returned to the place while the eggs were being +taken, till one of them was shot." + +Mr. J. Davidson remarks:--"This bird is very local in the Tumkur +districts in Mysore, and I have only found it in three or four +gardens. I knew it had been breeding (from dissection) since March, +but till to-day (May 9th) I could not find its nest. To-day, however, +I saw four or five birds perpetually flying round and round a very +ragged old cocoanut-tree, the highest in that part of the garden, and +determined to send a man up. Two birds, however, at that moment lit on +one branch and I shot them both, and they proved to be fully-fledged +young ones. I sent the man up, however, and was rewarded by his +announcing two old nests and a new one containing one egg. The nests +were near the trunk of the tree on the horizontal leaves, and were +formed of thin roots and a little grass and were very slight. The egg, +which is large for the size of the bird, is creamy white, with a broad +ring round the larger end formed of blotches of orange, brown, and +purple, and in the cap within the ring there are a number of faint +purple spots. The egg was perfectly fresh, and the old birds defended +it by swooping down upon the man; and I can't help thinking that both +the young birds and the new nest belonged to one pair of birds, and +that as soon as their first brood was fledged they had commenced to +lay again." + +A nest taken by Mr. Gammie on the 24th April, at an elevation of about +3500 feet in Sikhim, was placed on a dead horizontal limb near the top +of a large tree. It contained four eggs slightly set; it is a somewhat +shallow cup, interiorly 3 inches in diameter by nearly 11/2 in depth, +and composed almost entirely of fine roots, pretty firmly interwoven. +It has no lining, but at the bottom exteriorly it is coated partially +with a sort of plaster, composed apparently of strips of bark and +vegetable fibre partially cemented together in some way. + +The egg sent me by Miss Cockburn is of quite the same type as those +found by Mr. Gammie, but it is a trifle longer, measuring 1.0 by 0.7, +and the colouring is much brighter. The ground is a sort of creamy +white. There is a strongly marked though irregular zone round the +large end of more or less confluent brownish rusty patches (amongst +which a few pale grey spots may be detected), and a good many spots +and small blotches of the same are scattered about the whole of the +rest of the surface of the egg. + +Numerous eggs subsequently obtained by Mr. Gammie correspond well with +those already described as procured by himself and Miss Cockburn. + +In length the eggs vary from 0.82 to 1.0, and in breadth from 0.6 to +0.72, but the average is 0.94 by 0.68. + + +513. Artamus leucogaster (Valenc.). _The White-rumped +Swallow-Shrike_. + +Artamus leucorhynchus (_Gm.), Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 287 bis. + +The White-rumped Swallow-Shrike breeds, we know, in the Andamans and +Great Cocos, and that is nearly all we do know. Mr. Davison says:--"On +the 2nd of May I saw a bird of this species fly into a hollow at the +top of a rotten mangrove stump about 20 feet high. The next day I +went, but did not like to climb the stump, as it appeared unsafe, so +I determined to cut it down, and after giving about six strokes that +made the stump shake from end to end, the bird flew out. I made sure +that as the bird sat so close the nest must contain eggs, so I ceased +cutting and managed to get a very light native, who voluntered to +climb it; but on his reaching the top, he found, to my astonishment, +that the nest, although apparently finished, was empty. The nest was +built entirely of grass, somewhat coarse on the exterior, finer on the +inside; it was a shallow saucer-shaped structure, and was placed in a +hollow at the top of the stump." + + + + +Family ORIOLIDAE. + + +518. Oriolus kundoo, Sykes. _The Indian Oriole_. + +Oriolus kundoo, _Sykes, Jerd. B. Ind._ ii. p. 107; _Hume, Rough Draft +N. & E._ no. 470. + +The Indian Oriole breeds from May to August (the great majority, +however, laying in June and July) almost throughout the plains country +of India and in the lower ranges of the Himalayas to an elevation of +4000 feet. In Southern and Eastern Bengal it only, so far as I +know, occurs as a straggler during the cold season, and I have no +information of its breeding there. It does not apparently ascend the +Nilghiris, and throughout the southern portion of the peninsula +it breeds very sparingly, if at all; indeed, it is just at the +commencement of the breeding-season, when the mangoes are ripening, +that Upper India is suddenly visited by vast numbers of this species +migrating from the south. + +The nest is placed on some large tree, I do not think the bird has +any special preference, and is a moderately deep purse or pocket, +suspended between some slender fork towards the extremity of one of +the higher boughs. From below it looks like a round ball of grass +wedged into the fork, and the sitting bird is completely hidden within +it; but when in the hand it proves to be a most beautifully woven +purse, shallower or deeper as the case may be, hung from the fork of +two twigs, made of fine grass and slender strips of some tenacious +bark and bound round and round the twigs, and secured to them much +as a prawn-net is to its wooden framework. Some nests contain no +extraneous matters, but others have all kinds of odds and ends--scraps +of newspaper or cloth, shavings, rags, snake-skins, thread, +&c.--interwoven in the exterior. The interior is always neatly lined +with fine grass-stems. + +Very commonly the bird so selects the site for its nest that the +leaves of the twigs it uses as a framework form more or less of a +shady canopy overhead; in fact, as a rule, it is from very few points +of view that even a passing bird of prey can catch sight of the female +on her eggs. Possibly the brilliant plumage of the bird (which has +endowed it amongst the natives with the name of _Peeluk_, or "The +Yellow One") may have had something to do with the concealment it so +generally affects. + +The nests vary a good deal in size. I have seen one with an internal +cavity 31/2 inches in diameter and over 21/2 deep. I have seen others +scarcely over 21/2 inches in diameter and not 2 in depth, which you +could have put bodily, twigs and all, inside the former. As a rule, +the purse is strong and compact, the material closely matted and +firmly bound together; but I have seen very flimsy structures, through +which it was quite possible to see the eggs. + +Four is the greatest number of eggs I have ever found in one nest, but +it is quite common to find only three well-incubated ones. + +Colonel C.H.T. Marshall reports having found several nests of this +species about Murree at low elevations. + +Mr. W. Blewitt tells me that he obtained two nests near Hansie on the +1st and 14th July respectively. The nests (which he kindly sent) were +of the usual type, and were placed, the one on an acacia, the other +on a loquat tree, at heights of 10 and 12 feet from the ground. +Each contained three eggs, the one clutch much incubated, the other +perfectly fresh. + +Dr. Scully writes:--"The Indian Oriole is a seasonal visitant to the +valley of Nepal, arriving about the 1st of April and departing in +August. It frequents some of the central woods, gardens, and groves, +and breeds in May and June." + +Colonel J. Biddulph remarks regarding the nidification of this Oriole +in Gilgit:--"A summer visitant and common. Appears about the 1st of +May. Nest with three eggs hard-set, taken 8th of June; several other +nests taken later on." + +Writing from near Rohtuk, Mr. F.R. Blewitt says:--"The breeding-season +is from the middle of May to July. The nest is made on large trees, +and always suspended between the fork of a branch. I have certainly +obtained more nests from the tamarind than any other kind of tree. + +"The nest is cup-shaped, light, neat, and compact. The average outer +diameter is 4.8 inches; the inner or cup-cavity about 3.6. Hemp-like +fibre is almost exclusively used in the exterior structure of the +nest, and by this it is firmly secured to the two limbs of the fork. +Cleverly indeed is this work performed, the hemp being well wrapped +round the stems and then brought again into the outer framework. +Occasionally bits of cloth, thread pieces, vegetable fibres, &c. are +introduced. On one occasion I got a nest with a cast-off snake-skin +neatly worked into the outer material. + +"The lining of the egg-cavity is simply fine grass, if we except the +occasional capricious addition of a feather or two, an odd piece of +cotton or rag, &c. Three appears to be the regular number of eggs. +This bird is to be found in small numbers all over the country here; +its habits are well described by Jerdon. It is, as I have observed, +hard to please in its choice of a nest site. I have watched it for +days going backwards and forwards, from tree to tree and from fork to +fork, before it made up its mind where to commence work." + +Capt. Hutton records that "this is a common bird in the Dhoon, and +arrives at Jerripanee, elevation 4500 feet, in the summer months to +breed. Its beautiful cradle-like nest was taken in the Dhoon on +the 29th of May, at which time it contained three pure white +eggs, sparingly sprinkled over with variously sized spots of deep +purplish-brown, giving the egg the appearance of having been splashed +with dark mud. The spots are chiefly at the larger end, but there is +no indication of a ring. The nest is a slight, somewhat cup-shaped +cradle, rather longer than wide, and is so placed, between the fork +of a thin branch, as to be suspended between the limbs by having the +materials of the two sides bound round them. It is composed of fine +dry grasses, both blade and stalk, intermixed with silky and cottony +seed-down, especially at that part where the materials are wound round +the two supporting twigs; and in the specimen before me there are +several small silky cocoons of a diminutive _Bombyx_ attached to the +outside, the silk of which has been interwoven with the fibres of the +external nest. It is so slightly constructed as to be seen through, +and it appears quite surprising that so large a bird, to say nothing +of the weight of the three or four young ones, does not entirely +destroy it." + +From Futtehgurh, the late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"The nest and +eggs of this bird so closely resemble those of its European congener +(_O. galbula_) that little or no description is necessary. The +Mango-bird lays throughout the rains, July being the principal month. +One very beautifully constructed nest was taken by me on the 9th July, +1872, containing four eggs, which, according to my experience, is in +excess of the number usually laid. I have frequently taken only a pair +of well-incubated eggs. + +"Two of the four eggs above alluded to were quite fresh, while the +other two were tolerably well incubated. The nest is fitted outwardly +with tow, which I have never before seen. One of the pieces of cloth +used in the construction of this nest was 6 inches long." + +"At Lucknow," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I found this species on the 20th +May building a nest in a neem-tree, and on the 24th I took two eggs +from the nest. On the 10th June I saw another pair, only making love, +so they probably did not lay till the end of that month." + +Dr. Jerdon notes that he "procured a nest at Saugor from a high branch +of a banian tree in cantonments. It was situated between the forks of +a branch, made of fine roots and grass, with some hair and a feather +or two internally, and suspended by a long roll of cloth about +three quarters of an inch wide, which it must have pilfered from a +neighbouring verandah where a tailor worked. This strip was wound +round each limb of the fork, then passed round the nest beneath, fixed +to the other limb, and again brought round the nest to the opposite +side; there were four or five of these supports on either side. It was +indeed a most curious nest, and so securely fixed that it could not +have been removed till the supporting bands had been cut or rotted +away. The eggs were white, with a few dark claret-coloured spots." + +Major Wardlaw Ramsay says, writing from Afghanistan:--"At Shalofyan, +in the Kurrum valley, in June, I found them in great numbers: some +were breeding; but as I saw quite young birds, it is probable that the +nesting-season was nearly over." + +Colonel Butler contributes the following note:--"The Indian Oriole +breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in the months of May, June, and +July. I took nests on the following dates:-- + + "24th May, 1876. A nest containing 1 fresh egg. + 29th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 12th June " " " 2 much incubated eggs. + 12th " " " " 3 fresh eggs. + 13th " " " " 2 " + 19th " " " " 3 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 2 " + 29th " " " " 3 " + 3rd July " " " 2 " + 6th " " " " 3 " + 30th " " " " 2 " + +"The nest found on the 24th May was suspended from a small fork of a +neem-tree about ten feet from the ground, and was very neatly built of +dry grass (fine interiorly, coarse exteriorly), old rags, and cotton +(woven, not raw). The rim was firmly bound to the branches of the fork +with rags and coarse blades of dry grass. It is an easy nest to find +when the birds are building, as both birds are always together and +keep constantly flying to and from the nest with materials for +building. The cock, as before mentioned, always accompanies the hen +to and from the nest whilst she is building; but I do not think he +assists in its construction, as I never saw him carrying any of the +materials, neither have I ever seen him on the nest. On the contrary, +whilst the hen is at the nest building he is generally waiting for +her, either on the same tree or else on another close by, occasionally +uttering his well-known rich mellow note. On the 29th May I sent a boy +up a tree to examine a nest. The hen bird had been sitting for a week, +and was on the nest when the boy ascended the tree. The cock bird flew +past, and being a brilliant specimen I shot him, thinking of course +that the nest contained a full complement of eggs. To my astonishment, +however, though the hen bird sat very close, there were no eggs in the +nest, and although she returned to it once or twice afterwards, she +eventually forsook it without laying. Possibly she may have laid, and +that the eggs were destroyed by Crows. In addition to the materials +already mentioned, this nest was also composed of tow, string, and +strips of paper, all neatly woven into the exterior, and many of the +other nests mentioned were exactly similar; sometimes I have found +pieces of snake-skin woven into the exterior. + +"On the 9th of July I observed a pair of Orioles building on a +neem-tree in one of the compounds in Deesa. When the nest was nearly +finished a gale of wind rose one night and scattered it all over the +bough it was fixed to. The birds at once commenced to remove it, and +in a couple of days carried off: every particle of it to another tree +about 100 yards off, upon which they built a new nest of the materials +they had removed from the other tree. I ascended the tree on the 17th +of July, and found it contained three fresh eggs. + +"The eggs are pure white, sparingly spotted with moderately-sized +blackish-looking spots, if washed the spots run. They vary a good +deal in shape and size, some being very perfect ovals, others greatly +elongated, &c." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"The Indian Oriole builds at Allahabad and +at Delhi from the beginning of April to the end of July. In the cold +weather this bird seems to migrate more or less, as but few are seen +and none heard during that season. The nests are built generally at +the top of mango-trees and well concealed; they are constructed of +fine grass, beautifully soft, mixed with strips of plaintain-bark, +with which, or with strips of cotton cloth purloined from somewhere, +the nest is usually bound to a fork in the branch. The egg-cavity is +pretty deep, that is to say from 11/2 to 3 inches." + +Mr. George Reid records the following note from Lucknow:--"The +Mango-bird, or Indian Oriole, though a permanent resident, is never +so abundant during the cold weather as it is during the hot and rainy +seasons from about the time the mango-trees begin to bloom to the +end of September. It frequents gardens, avenues, mango-topes, and is +frequently seen in open country, taking long flights between trees, +principally the banian and other _Fici_, upon the berries and buds of +which it feeds. I have the following record of its nests:-- + + "June 16th. Nest and no eggs (building). + July 2nd. 2 eggs (fresh). + July 2nd. 1 egg (fresh). + July 5th. 3 eggs (fresh). + July 25th. 3 young (just hatched). + August 5th. 2 young (fledged)." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of this bird in the Deccan, +say:--"Common, and breeds in June and July." + +Colonel A.C. McMaster informs us that he "found several nests of this +bird at Kamptee during June and July; they corresponded exactly with +Jerdon's admirable description. Has any writer mentioned that this +bird has a faint, but very sweet and plaintive song, which he +continues for a considerable time? I have only heard it when a +family, old and young, were together, _i.e._ at the close of the +breeding-season." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing of Rajpootana in general, tells us that +this Oriole breeds during July and August. + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor, speaking of Manzeerabad in Mysore, says:--"Abundant +in the plains. Rare in the higher portions of the district. Breeding +in June and July." + +The eggs are typically a moderately elongated oval, tapering a good +deal towards one end, but they vary much in shape as well as size. +Some are pyriform, and some very long and cylindrical, quite the shape +of the egg of a Cormorant or Solan Goose, or that of a Diver. They are +always of a pure excessively glossy china-white, which, when they +are fresh and unblown, appears suffused with a delicate salmon-pink, +caused by the partial translucency of the shell. Well-defined spots +and specks, typically black, are more or less thinly sprinkled over +the surface of the egg, chiefly at the large end. Normally, as I +said, the spots are black and sharply defined, and there are neither +blotches nor splashes, but numerous variations occur. Sometimes, as in +an egg sent me by Mr. Nunn, all the spots are pale yellowish brown. +Sometimes, as in an egg I took at Bareilly, a few spots of this colour +are mingled with the black ones. Deep reddish brown often takes the +place of the typical black, and the spots are not very unfrequently +surrounded by a more or less extensive brownish-pink nimbus, which in +one egg I have is so extensive that the ground-colour of the whole of +the large end appears to be a delicate pink. Occasionally several of +the clear-cut spots appear to run together and form a coarse irregular +blotch, and one egg I possess exhibits on one side a large splash. The +eggs as a body, as might have been expected, closely resemble those of +the Golden Oriole, to which the bird itself is so nearly related; and +as observed by Professor Newton in regard to the eggs of that species, +so in _my_ large series, the prevalence of greatly elongated examples +is remarkable. + +The eggs vary in length from 1.03 to 1.32, and from 0.75 to 0.87 in +breadth; but the average of fifty eggs measured was 1.11 by 0.81. + + +521. Oriolus melanocephalus(Linn.). _The Indian Black-headed +Oriole_. + +Oriolus melanocephalus, _Linn., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 110; +_Hume, Rough Draft N. & E_ no. 472. +Oriolus ceylonensis, _Bonap., Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 111. + +I have already noticed ('Stray Feathers,' vol. i, p. 439) how +impossible it is to draw any hard-and-fast line, in practice, between +this the so-called "Bengal Black-headed Oriole" and the supposed +distinct southern species, _O. ceylonensis_, Bp. + +The present species certainly breeds in suitable (i.e. well-wooded +and not too bare or arid) localities throughout Northern and Central +India, Assam, and Burma, and I have specimens from Mahableshwar, +from the Nilgiris, and even Anjango, that are nearer to typical _O. +melanocephalus_ than to typical _O. ceylonensis_. Of its nidification +southwards I know nothing. I have only myself taken its eggs in the +neighbourhood of Calcutta. + +It appears to lay from April to the end of August. The nest of this +species, though perhaps slightly deeper, is very much like that of _O. +kundoo_; it is a deep cup, carefully suspended between two twigs, and +is composed chiefly of tow-like vegetable fibres, thin slips of bark +and the like, and is internally lined with very fine tamarisk twigs or +fine grass, and is externally generally more or less covered over with +odds and ends, bits of lichen, thin flakes of bark, &c. It is slightly +smaller than the average run of the nests of _O. kundoo_. The +egg-cavity measures about 3 inches in diameter and nearly 2 inches in +depth. I myself have never found more than three eggs, but I daresay +that, like _O. kundoo_, it may not unfrequently lay four. + +The late Captain Beavan writes:--"A nest with three eggs, brought to +me in Manbhoom on 5th April, 1865, is cup-shaped; interior diameter +3.5, depth inside 2 inches. It is composed outside of woolly fibres, +flax, and bits of dried leaves, and inside of bents and small dried +twigs, the whole compact and neat. The eggs are of a light pink ground +(almost flesh-coloured), with a few scattered spots of brownish pink, +darker and more numerous at the blunt end. They measure 1.125 by +barely 0.8." + +From Raipoor, Mr. F.R. Blewitt remarks:--"_Oriolus melanocephalus_ +indiscriminately selects the mango, mowah, or any other kind of large +tree for its nest, which is invariably firmly attached to the extreme +terminal twigs of an upper horizontal branch, varying from 20 to 35 +feet from the ground. Owing to the position it selects for the safety +of its nest, it sometimes happens that the latter cannot be secured +without the destruction of the eggs. It nidificates in June and July, +and it would appear that both the birds, male and female, engage in +the construction of the nest. Three is the normal number of the eggs, +though on one occasion my shikaree found four in a nest." + +Buchanan Hamilton tells us that this species "frequents the groves and +gardens of Bengal during the whole year, and builds a very rude nest +of bamboo-leaves and the fibres that invest the top of the cocoanut or +other palms. In March I found a nest with the young unfledged." + +I confess that I believe this to be a mistake: neither season nor nest +correspond with what I have myself seen about Calcutta. The nests, so +far from being _rude_, are very neat. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps writes from Furreedpore in Eastern Bengal:--"Very +common, and a permanent resident. On the 20th April I found a nest +containing two half-fledged young ones; in the garden was a clump of +mango-trees, and attached to one of the outer twigs, but overhung by +a lot of leaves, and about 12 feet from the ground, hung the nest, of +the usual type." + +Mr. J. Davidson met with this Oriole on the Kondabhari Ghat in +Khandeish. On the 16th August he saw a brood, while on an adjoining +tree there was a nest with two slightly-set eggs. He says:--"It was a +very deep cup on the end of a thin branch, and though in cutting the +branch to get at the nest, it got turned at right angles to its proper +position, the eggs were uninjured. I do not think this nest belonged +to the same pair as that which had young ones flying. + +"These Orioles are very common here, and I found three nests: one +was new and empty; from another the birds had just flown; while the +remaining one contained one fresh egg. The bird would no doubt have +laid more; but to get at the nest I had to cut the branch off, and it +was only then I discovered that only one egg had been laid." + +Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Plentiful at Allahabad across the Ganges, +notwithstanding which I only found one nest, and that I have no note +about, but I remember it was some time in June, and contained four +half-fledged young ones; the materials of the nest were the same as +those used by _O. kundoo_." + +Writing of his experience in Tenasserim he adds:--"On the 5th March I +found a nest of this bird in a small tree near the village of Hpamee. +It, however, contained three unfledged young, so I left it alone. + +"On the 21st April I found a second nest suspended from the tip of a +bamboo that overhung the path from Shwaobah village to Hpamee. This +contained two awfully hard-set eggs, white, with a few dark purple +blotches and spots at the larger ends. Nest made of grass and dry +bamboo-leaves, lined with the dry midribs of leaves, and firmly bound +on to the fork of the bamboo with a strip of some bark." + +Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"My nests of this Oriole have been found +in March, April, and May, but I have no doubt they also breed in June. +No details appear necessary." + +Typically the eggs are somewhat elongated ovals, only slightly +compressed towards one end, but pyriform as well as more pointed +varieties may be met with. The shell is very fine and moderately +glossy. The ground-colour varies from a creamy or pinky white to a +decided but very pale salmon-colour. They are sparingly spotted and +streaked with dark brown and pale inky purple. In most eggs the +markings are more numerous towards the large end. Some have no +markings elsewhere. The dark spots, especially towards the large end, +are not unfrequently more or less enveloped in a reddish-pink nimbus. +Though much larger and much more glossy, some of the eggs, so far as +shape, colour, and markings go, exactly resemble some of the eggs of +_Dicrurus ater_. The eggs of _O. kundoo_ are typically excessively +glossy china-white, with few well-defined black spots. The eggs of +_O. melanocephalus_ are typically somewhat less glossy, with a pinky +ground and more numerous and less defined brownish-purple spots and +streaks. I have not yet seen one egg of either species that could be +mistaken for one of the other, although of course abnormal varieties +of each approach each other more closely than do the typical forms. + +The dozen eggs that I possess of this species vary from 1.1 to 1.2 in +length, and from 0.78 to 0.87 in breadth, and the average is 1.14 +by 0.82. Although the average is somewhat larger than that of the +preceding species, and although none of the eggs are quite _as_ small +as many of those of _O. kundoo_, still none are nearly so large as the +finest specimens of the latter's egg. Probably had I an equally large +series of the eggs of the present species, we should find that as +regards size there was no perceptible difference between the two. + + +522. Oriolus traillii (Vigors). _The Maroon Oriole_. + +Oriolus traillii (_Vig._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 112; _Hume, cat._ +no. 474. + +From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I took a nest of this Oriole on the +24th April, at an elevation of about 2500 feet. It was suspended, +within ten feet of the ground, from an outer fork of a branch of a +small leafy tree, which grew in a patch of low dense jangle. It is a +neat cup, composed of fibrous bark and strips of the outer part of dry +grass-stems, intermixed with skeletonized leaves and green moss, and +lined with fine grass. Besides being firmly bound by the rim of the +cup to the horizontal forking branches by fibrous barks, several +strings extended from one branch to the other, both under and in +front of the nest, while other strings from the body of the nest were +fastened to an upright twig that rose immediately behind the fork, +thus most securely retaining it in its position. + +"Externally the nest measured 5 inches wide by 2.75 in height; +internally 3.25 wide by 2 deep. It contained three fresh eggs. + +"The female came quite close, making loud complaints against the +robbing of her nest." + +The nest is that of a typical Oriole, usually very firmly and +substantially built, and of course always suspended at a fork between +two twigs. A nest taken by Mr. Gammie in Sikhim on the 20th April, at +an elevation of about 2500 feet, is a deep substantial cup, nearly 4 +inches in diameter and 21/2 in depth internally. It is everywhere nearly +an inch in thickness. The suspensory portion composed of vegetable +fibres; towards the exterior dead leaves, bamboo-sheaths, green +moss, and tendrils of creeping plants are profusely intermingled; +interiorly, it is closely and regularly lined with very fine grass. + +A nest sent me by Mr. Mandelli was found on the 3rd April at Namtchu, +and contained three fresh eggs. It is precisely similar to the one +above described, except that in the lining roots are mingled with the +fine grass, and that instead of being suspended in a fork, it was +partly wedged into and partly rested on a fork. + +As a rule, however, as I know from other nests subsequently obtained, +the nests are always suspended like those of the Common Oriole. + +Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie closely resemble those +of _O. melanocephalus_. In shape they are regular moderately elongated +ovals; the shell is strong, firm, and moderately glossy. The ground +is white with a creamy or brownish-pink tinge; the markings are +blackish-brown spots and specks, almost confined to a zone about the +large end, where they are all more or less enveloped in a brownish-red +haze or _nimbus_. In length they measure 1.12 by 0.82, and 1.14 by +0.83. + + + + +Family EULABETIDAE + + +523. Eulabes religiosa (Linn.). _Jerd. B. Southern Grackle_. + +Eulabes religiosa (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 337; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 692. + +The Southern Grackle breeds in Southern India and Ceylon from March to +October. + +Mr. Frank Bourdillon, writing from Travancore, gives me the following +account of the eggs. He says:--"This bird, an abundant resident, lays +a blue egg pretty evenly marked with brown spots, some light and some +darkish, in a nest of straw and feathers in a hole of a tree generally +a considerable height from the ground. + +"I have only taken one nest, which contained a single egg slightly +set, on 23rd March, 1873, the egg measuring 1.37 long and 0.87 broad." + +Later Mr. Bourdillon says:--"Since writing the foregoing I took on +21st April two fresh eggs from the nest of a Southern Hill-Mynah +(_Eulabes religiosa_). The nest was of grass, feathers, and odds and +ends in a hole in a nanga (_Mesua coromandeliana_) stump, about 25 +feet from the ground. The eggs of this Mynah are blue, with purplish +and more decided brown spots. + +"I am _positive_ as to the identity of the egg. Both the eggs taken +last year and the two taken the other day were obtained under my +personal supervision. In both instances I watched the birds building, +and when we robbed the nests saw the female fly off them." + +These two eggs sent me by Mr. Bourdillon are very beautiful. In shape +they are very gracefully elongated ovals; the shell is very fine and +smooth, but has only a rather faint gloss. The ground-colour is a +delicate pale sea-green or greenish blue, and the eggs are more or +less profusely spotted or splashed with purplish, or, in some spots, +chocolate-brown and a very pale purple, which looks more like the +stain that might be supposed to be left by one of the more decided +coloured markings that had been partially washed out than anything +else. + +The eggs measure 1.37 by 0.9 and 1.35 by 0.87. + +Mr. J. Darling, junior, writes:--"The Southern Grackle breeds in the +S. Wynaad rather plentifully, and I have had numbers of tame ones +brought up from the nest, but have never succeeded in getting a +perfect egg owing to my having found all the nests in very hard places +to get at. + +"I cut down a tree containing a nest and broke all the eggs, which +must have been very pretty--blue ground, very regularly marked +with purplish-brown spots. The nest was composed of sticks, twigs, +feathers, and some snake-skin. I have found them in March, April, +September, and October. I hope this year to get a number of eggs, as +Culputty is a very good place for them." + +Mr. C J.W. Taylor notes from Manzeerabad in Mysore:-- + +"Common up in the wooded portions of the district. Breeding in April +and May." + +Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon, speaking of this Grackle in Travancore, +says:--"This bird lays one or two light blue eggs beautifully blotched +with purple in the holes of trees. It does not like heavy jungle, +but after a clearing has been felled and burnt it is sure to appear. +During the fine weather it is very abundant on the hills, descending +to the low country at the foot when the rains have fairly set in. The +nest scarcely deserves the name, being only a few dead leaves or some +powdered wood at the bottom of the hole, and there about the end of +March the egg or eggs are laid. The young birds, which can be taught +to speak and become very tame, are often taken by the natives, as they +can sell them in the low country. I have obtained on the following +dates eggs and young birds:-- + + "March 29th. One egg slightly set. + April 20th. Two young birds. + April 22nd. " " + April 25th. Two eggs slightly set. + May 2nd. One young bird. + +"I also had three eggs, slightly set, brought me on May 21. They are +rather smaller and a deeper blue than the ones obtained before, being +1.25 x 1, 1.19 x .95, 1.21 x .97 inch. They were all out of the same +nest, so that the bird sometimes lays three eggs, though the usual +number is two." + +Colonel Legge writes in the 'Birds of Ceylon':--"The Black Myna was +breeding in the Pasdun Korale on the occasion of a visit I made to +that part in August, but I did not procure its eggs." + +Other eggs subsequently sent me by Mr. Bourdillon from Mynall, in +Southern Travancore, taken on the 9th and 13th April, 1875, are +precisely similar to those already described. The eggs that I have +measured have only varied from 1.22 to 1.37 in length, and from 0.86 +to 0.9 in width. + + +524. Eulabes intermedia[A] (A. Hay). _The Indian Grackle_. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume does not recognize _E. javanensis_ and _E. +intermedia_ as distinct. The following account refers to the +nidification of the latter, except perhaps Major Bingham's later note, +in which he states that he procured two distinct sizes of eggs in the +Meplay valley (Thoungyeen). It is very probable that Major Bingham +found the nests of both species on this occasion. I have seen no +specimen of _E. javanensis_ from the Thoungyeen valley, but at +Malewun, further south, it occurs along with _E. intermedia_.--ED.] + +Eulabes intermedia (_A. Hay_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 339. +Eulabes javanensis (_Osbeck_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693. + +The Indian Grackle, under which name I include _E. andamanensis_, +Tytler, breeds, I know, in the Nepal Terai and in the Kumaon Bhabur; +and many are the young birds that I have seen extracted by the natives +out of holes, high up in large trees, in the old anti-mutiny days when +we used to go tiger-shooting in these grand jungles. I never saw the +eggs however, which, I think, must have all been hatched off in May, +when we used to be out. + +"In the Andamans," writes Davison, "they breed in April and May, +building a nest of grass, dried leaves, &c. in holes of trees." He +also, however, never took the eggs. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that this species is "common during March to +October in Dibrugarh, after which it retires to the hills which border +the east and south of the district. About the tea-gardens of Dibrugarh +there are always a number of dead trees standing, and in these the +Grackles nest, choosing those that are rotten, in which they excavate +a hole. I have seen numbers of nests, but as these were so high up and +the tree so long dead and rotten, no native would risk going up." + +Mr. J. Inglis notes from Cachar:--"This Hill-Mynah is common in the +hilly district. It breeds in the holes of trees during April, May, and +June." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I saw several nest-holes +of this bird, which was very common in the Reserve, but none of them +were accessible; and it wasn't till the 18th April that I chanced on +one in a low tree, the nest being in the hollow of a stump of a broken +branch. It was composed and loosely put together of grass, leaves, and +twigs, and contained three half-fledged young and one addled egg of +a light blue colour, spotted, chiefly at the large end with purplish +brown." + +The eggs very similar to those of _E. religiosa_, but, what is very +surprising, it is very considerably _smaller_. + +Of _E. religiosa_ the eggs vary from 1.2 to 1.37 in length, and from +0.86 to 0.9 in breadth, and the average of eight is 1.31 by 0.88. + +This present egg only measures 1.12 by 0.8, and it must, I should +fancy, be abnormally small. + +In shape it is an extremely regular oval. The ground is a pale +greenish blue, and it is spotted and blotched pretty thickly at the +large end (where all the larger markings are) and very thinly at the +smaller end with purple and two shades (a darker and lighter one) of +chocolate-brown, the latter colour much predominating. The shell is +very fine and close, but has but little gloss. + +And later on Major Bingham again wrote:--"One of the commonest and +most widely spread birds in the province. The following is an account +of its nidification:-- + +"This bird lays two distinct sizes of eggs, all, however, of the same +type and coloration. Out of holes in neighbouring trees, on the +bank of the Meplay, on the 13th March, 1880, I took two nests, one +containing three, and the other two eggs. The first lot of eggs +measured respectively 1.15 x 0.77, 1.15 x 0.80, and 1.16 x 0.79 inch; +while those in the second nest 1.30 x 0.95, and 1.27 x 0.93 inch +respectively. All the eggs, however, are a pale blue, spotted chiefly +at the larger end with light chocolate. The nests were in natural +hollows in the trees, and lined with grass and leaves loosely put +together." + +The eggs apparently vary extraordinarily in size; they are generally +more or less elongated ovals, some slightly pyriform and slightly +obtuse at both ends, some rather pointed towards the small end. The +shell in all is very fine and compact and smooth, but some have +scarcely any appreciable gloss, while others have a really fine gloss. +The ground-colour is pretty uniform in all, a delicate pale greenish +blue. The markings are always chiefly confined to one end, usually the +broad end; even about the large end they are never very dense, and +elsewhere they are commonly very sparse or almost or altogether +wanting. In some eggs the markings are pretty large irregular blotches +mingled with small spots and specks, but in many eggs again the +largest spot does not exceed one twelfth of an inch in diameter. In +colour these markings are normally a chocolate, often with more or +less of a brown tinge, in some of the small spots so thickly laid on +as to be almost black, in many of the larger blotches becoming only a +pale reddish purple, or here and there a pale purplish grey. In some +eggs all the markings are pale and washed out, in others all are +sharply defined and intense in colour. Occasionally some of the +smaller spots become almost a yellowish brown. + + +526. Eulabes ptilogenys (Blyth). _The Ceylon Grackle_. + +Eulabes ptilogenys (_Bl.), Hume, cat._ no. 693 bis. + +Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This species breeds +in June, July, and August, laying its eggs in a hole of a tree, or in +one which has been previously excavated by the Yellow-fronted Barbet +or Red Woodpecker. It often nests in the sugar- or kitool-palm, and in +one of these trees in the Peak forest I took its eggs in the month of +August. There was an absence of all nest or lining at the bottom of +the hole, the eggs, which were two in number, being deposited on the +bare wood. The female was sitting at the time, and was being brought +fruit and berries by the male bird. While the eggs were being taken +the birds flew round repeatedly, and settled on an adjacent tree, +keeping up a loud whistling. The eggs are obtuse-ended ovals, of +a pale greenish-blue ground-colour (one being much paler than the +other), sparingly spotted with large and small spots of lilac-grey, +and blotched over this with a few neutral-brown and sepia blots. They +measure from 1.3 to 1.32 inch in length by 0.96 to 0.99 in breadth." + + +527. Calornis chalybeius (Horsf.). _The Glossy Calornis_. + +Calornis chalybaeus[A] (_Horsf.), Hume, cat._ no. 690 bis. + +[Footnote A: Mr. Hume considers the Andaman _Calornis_ distinct from +the _Calornis_ inhabiting Cachar, Tenasserim, &c. I have united them +in the 'Birds of India.'--Ed.] + +Of the Glossy Calornis Mr. Davison remarks that "it is a permanent +resident at the Nicobars, breeding in holes in trees and in the +decayed stumps of old cocoanut-palms, apparently from December to +March. At the Andamans it is much less numerous, and is only met with +in pairs or in small parties, frequenting the same situations as it +does in the Nicobars." + +Mr. J. Inglis writes from Cachar:--"This Tree-Stare is rather rare. It +breeds about April in the holes of dead trees; when the young are able +to fly it departs. It again returns about the middle of February." + +In Tenasserim this species was observed nesting by Mr. J. Darling, +junior, who says:--"22nd March. Noticed several pairs of _Calornis_, +with nests, in the big wooden bridge over the Kyouk-tyne Creek about +11/2 mile out of Tavoy, and also a great number of their nests in the +old wooden posts of an old bridge further down the Creek." + +Mr. W. Davison, when in the Malay peninsula, took the eggs of this +bird. He remarks:--"I found a few pairs frequenting some areca-palms +at Laugat, and breeding in them, but only one nest contained eggs, +three in number. The nest was a loose structure almost globular, but +open at the top, composed externally of very coarse dry grass (lallung +or elephant-grass), and lined with green durian leaves cut into small +bits. The nest was too lightly put together to preserve. This nest and +several other empty ones were placed at the base of the leaves where +they meet the trunk. + +"The three eggs obtained were slightly set, so that three is probably +the normal number laid. + +"I noticed several other pairs breeding at the same time in holes of a +huge dead tree on Jugra Hill at Laugat, but I was unable to get at the +nests." + +The eggs are quite of the _Eulabes_ type, moderately broad ovals, more +or less compressed towards the small end, occasionally pyriform. The +shell firm and strong, though fine, smooth to the touch in some cases, +with but little, but generally with a fair amount of gloss. The ground +is a very pale greenish blue. A number of fairly large spots and +blotches, intermingled with smaller specks and spots, are scattered +about the large end, often forming an imperfect irregular zone, and a +few similar specks and spots are scattered thinly about the central +portion of the egg, occasionally extending to the small end. The +colour of these spots varies; they are generally a brownish-reddish +purple and a paler greyer purple, but in some eggs the spots are so +thick in colour that they seem almost black. In some they are almost +purely reddish brown without any purplish tinge, and some again, lying +deep in the shell, are pale grey. + +Six eggs measure from 0.92 to 1.1 in length, and from 0.71 to 0.76 in +breadth, but the average of six eggs is 1 by 0.74. + + + + +Family STURNIDAE. + + +528. Pastor roseus (Linn.). _The Rose-coloured Starling_. + +Pastor roseus (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 333; _Hume, cat._ no. +690. + +The Rose-coloured Starling has not yet been discovered breeding in +India, but Mr. Doig has written the following note on the subject, +which is one of great interest. He writes from the Eastern Narra, in +Sind:-- + +"Though I have not as yet discovered the breeding-place of this bird, +I think it as well to put on record what little I have noticed, in the +hope that it may be of assistance in eventually finding out where it +goes to breed. I began watching the birds in the middle of April, and +every week shot one or two and dissected them, but did not perceive +any decisive signs of their breeding until the 10th May, when I shot +two males, both of which showed signs of being about to breed at an +early date. Again, on the 15th May, out of seven that I shot in a +flock, six were males with the generative organs fully developed; the +seventh was a young female in immature plumage, the ovaries being +quite undeveloped. The birds were feeding in the bed of a dried-up +swamp, along with flocks of _Sturnus minor_, and were constantly +flying in flocks, backwards and forwards, in one direction. +Unfortunately, important work called me to another part of the +district, and when I returned in a fortnight's time I could not see +one. Where can they have gone? And they remain away such a short time! +I have seen the old birds return as early as the 7th July, accompanied +by young birds barely fledged, and I should not be at all surprised +if these birds are found to breed in some of the Native States on the +_east_ of Sind. That they could find time to migrate to the Caspian +Sea and Central Asia to breed, and return again by the middle of July, +I cannot believe, especially after having found them so thoroughly in +breeding-time, while still in the east of Sind. Another suspicious +circumstance is the absence of females in the flocks I met with. +Perhaps some of my readers may have an opportunity of finding out +whether _Pastor roseus_ occurs in the districts lying to the east of +Sind in the month of June, as there is no doubt that the breeding-time +lies between the 20th May and the commencement of July." + + +529. Sturnus humii, Brooks. _The Himalayan Starling_. + +Sturnus unicolor, _Marm., apud Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 322. +Sturnus nitens, _Hume; Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 682. + +The Himalayan Starling breeds in Candahar, Cashmere, and the extreme +north-west of the Punjab. It is the bird which Dr. Jerdon includes in +his work as _S. unicolor_ (a very different bird, which does not occur +within our limits), and which Mr. Theobald referred to as breeding in +Cashmere as _Sturnus vulgaris_, which bird does not, as far as I can +learn, occur in the Valley of Cashmere, though it may in Yarkand. + +This Starling lays towards the end of April at Peshawur, where I found +it nesting in holes in willow-trees in the cantonment compounds. In +Candahar it lays somewhat earlier, and in the Valley of Cashmere +somewhat later, viz. in the month of May. + +It builds in holes of trees, in river-banks, and in old buildings and +bridges, constructing a loose nest of grass and grass-roots, with +sometimes a few thin sticks; it is perhaps more of a lining to the +hole than a true nest. It lays five or six eggs. + +Mr. Brooks says:--"It is like _S. unicolor_, but smaller, with shorter +wing and more beautiful reflections. It is excessively abundant in +Cashmere, at moderate elevations, and in the Valley, and breeds in +holes of trees and in river-banks. The eggs are like those of _S. +vulgaris_, but rather smaller. The latter bird[A] occurs plentifully +in the plains of India in the cold weather, and is as profusely +spotted as English specimens. The bills vary in length, and are not +longer, as a rule, than those of British birds. I did not meet with +_S. vulgaris_ in Cashmere. It appears to migrate more to the west, for +it is said to be common in Afghanistan. _S. nitens_ also occurs in the +plains in the cold season. I have Etawah specimens. They are at that +time slightly spotted, but can always be very easily distinguished +from _S. vulgaris_." + +[Footnote A: Mr. Brooks here refers to _S. menzbieri_.--ED.] + +Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remark on its nidification in the +Valley of Cashmere:--"Lays in the second and third weeks of May; eggs +ovato-pyriform; size 1.15 by 0.85; colour, pale clear bluish green; +valley generally, in holes of bridges, tall trees, &c., in company +with _Corvus monedula_." + +Captain Hutton records that "_S. vulgaris_ remains only during the +coldest months, and departs as spring approaches: whereas the present +species builds in the spring at Candahar, laying seven or eight blue +eggs, and the young are fledged about the first week in May." + +The eggs of this species are generally somewhat elongated ovals, a +good deal compressed towards one end, and not uncommonly more or less +pyriform. They are glossy, but in a good light have the surface a good +deal pitted. They are entirely devoid of markings, and seem to have +the ground one uniform very pale sea-greenish blue. They appear to +vary very little in colour, and to average generally a good deal +smaller than those of the Common Starling. + +They vary in length from 1.02 to 1.19, and in breadth from 0.78 to +0.87; but the average of twenty eggs is 1.13 by 0.83.[A] + +[Footnote A: STURNUS PORPHYRONOTUS, Sharpe. _The Central-Asian +Starling_. + +This species breeds in Kashgharia, and visits India in winter. Dr. +Scully writes:--"This Starling breeds in May and June, making its nest +in the holes of trees and walls, and in gourds and pots placed near +houses by the Yarkandis for the purpose. It seems to make only a +simple lining for its hole, composed of grass and fibres. The eggs +vary in shape from a broadish oval to an elongated oval compressed at +one end; they are glossy and, in a strong light, the surface looks +pitted. The eggs are quite spotless, but the colour seems also to vary +a good deal--from a deep greenish blue to a very pale light sea-blue. +In size they vary from 1.1 to 1.22 in length, and from 0.80 to 0.86 in +breadth; but the average of nine eggs is 1.19 by 0.83."] + + +531. Sturnus minor, Hume. _The Small Indian Starling_. + +Sturnus minor, _Hume; Hume, cat._ no. 681 bis. + +Mr. Scrope Doig furnishes us with the following interesting note on +the breeding of _S. minor_ in Sindh:-- + +"Last year I mentioned to my friend, Captain Butler, that I had +noticed Starlings going in and out of holes in trees along the 'Narra' +in the month of March, and that I thought they must be breeding there; +he said that I must be mistaken, as _S. vulgaris_ never bred so far +south. As it happens we were both correct--he in saying _S. vulgaris_ +did not breed here, and I in saying that _Starlings_ did. My Starling +turns out to be the species originally described from Sindh as +_Sturnus minor_ by Mr. Hume; and as I have now sent Mr. Hume a series +of skins and eggs, I trust he will give us a note on the subject of +our Indian Starlings. In February I shot one of these birds, and on +dissection found that they were beginning to breed; later on, early in +March, I again dissected one and found that there was no doubt on the +subject, and so began to look for their nests; these I found in holes +in kundy trees growing along the banks of the Narra, and also situated +in the middle of swamps. The eggs were laid on a pad of feathers +of _Platalea leucorodia_ and _Tantalus leucocephalus_, which were +breeding on the same trees, the young birds being nearly fledged; the +greatest number of eggs in any one nest was five. The first date on +which I took eggs was the 13th March, and the last was on the 15th +May. + +"The eggs are oval, broad at one end and elongated at the other; the +texture is rather waxy, with a fine gloss, and they are of a pale +delicate sea-green colour. + +"The birds during the breeding-time confine themselves closely to +their breeding-ground, so much so, that except when close to their +haunts none are ever seen. + +"The size of the eggs varies from 1.00 to 1.10 in length, and from .70 +to .80 in breadth. The average of twelve eggs is 1.03 in length and +.79 in breadth." + +He subsequently wrote:--"I first noticed this bird breeding on the +11th March; on the 10th, while marching, I saw some on the side of +the road and shot one, and on opening it found it was breeding. +Accordingly on the 11th, on searching, I found their breeding-ground, +which was in the middle of a Dhund thickly studded over with kundy +trees, in the holes of which they had their nests. The nest lay at +the bottom of the hole, which was generally some 18 inches deep, and +consists of a few bits of coarse sedge-grass and feathers of _T. +leucocephalus_ and _P. leucorodia_ (which were breeding close by). +Five was the maximum number of eggs, but four was the normal number in +each nest. + +"I afterwards found these birds breeding in great numbers all along +the Eastern Narra wherever there were suitable trees (kundy trees). At +the place I first found them in, the young ones are now many of +them fledged and flying about, while in other places they are just +beginning to lay. + +"The total length of their breeding-ground in any district must be +close on 200 miles, but entirely confined to the banks of the river. +If you looked four miles from, the river, one side or the other, you +would not see one. Can _Pastor roseus_ breed in India in some similar +secluded spot? I have been rather unlucky in getting their eggs, as at +each place which I visited personally the birds had either young ones +or were just going to lay." + +The eggs of this species are moderately broad ovals, sometimes +slightly elongated, always more or less appreciably pointed towards +the small end. The shell is extremely smooth and has a fine gloss. +The colour, which is extremely uniform in all the specimens, is an +excessively delicate pale blue with a faint greenish tinge, a very +beautiful colour. They vary from 1 to 1.18 in length, and from 0.71 to +0.82 in breadth. + + +537. Sturnia blythii (Jerdon). _Blyth's Myna_. + +Temenuchus blythii (_Jerd._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 331. +Sturnia blythii (_Jerd._), _Hume, cat._ no. 689. + +Mr. Iver Macpherson sent me from Mysore three eggs and a skin of a +Myna, which latter, although in very bad order, is undoubtedly _S. +Blythii_. He says:--"It is very possible that the bird now sent is _S. +malabarica_, and it is such a bad specimen that I fear it will not be +of much use to you for the purpose of identification. I think it is +_Sturnia blythii_, as Jerdon says that _S. malabarica_ is only a +cold-weather visitant in the south of India. + +"I will, however, try and procure you a good specimen of the bird. It +is only found in our forests bordering the Wynaad, and as it is far +from common, I am not well acquainted with it. + +"I am also inclined to think that it is not a permanent resident with +us, but that a few couples come to these forests only to breed. + +"The only nest I have ever found was taken on the 24th April, 1880, +and was in a hole of a dry standing tree in a clearing made for a teak +plantation and contained three fresh eggs. + +"A few days subsequently I saw a brood of young ones flying about a +dry tree in the forest, so probably the breeding-season here extends +through April and May." + +The eggs are very similar to those of _Sturnia malabarica_ and +_S. nemoricola_, but perhaps slightly larger. They are moderately +elongated ovals, generally decidedly pointed towards the small end. +The shell is very fine and smooth, and has a fair amount of gloss. In +colour they are a very delicate pale greenish blue. They measure 0.99 +and 1 in length by 0.71 in breadth. + + +538. Sturnia malabarica (Gm.). _The Grey-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus malabaricus (Gm.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 330; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 688. + +I have never met with the nest of the Grey-headed Myna myself, but am +indebted to Mr. Gammie for its eggs and nest. That gentleman says:--"I +obtained a nest of this species near Mongphoo (14 miles from +Darjeeling), at an elevation of about 3400 feet. The nest was in the +hollow of a tree, and was a shallow pad of fine twigs, with long +strips of bark intermingled in the base of the structure, and thinly +lined with very fine grass-stems. The nest was about 4 inches in +diameter and less than 11/2 inch in height exteriorly, and interiorly +the depression was perhaps half an inch deep. It contained four +hard-set eggs." + +This year he writes to me:--"The Grey-headed Myna breeds about +Mongphoo, laying in May and June. I have taken several nests now, and +I found that they prefer cleared tracts where only a few trees have +been left standing here and there, especially on low but breezy +ridges, at elevations of from 2500 to 4000 feet. They always nest in +natural holes of trees both dead and living, and at any height from 20 +to 50 feet from the ground. The nest is shallow, principally composed +of twigs put roughly together in the bottom of the hole. They lay four +or five eggs. + +"The Grey-headed Myna is not a winter resident in the hills. It +arrives in early spring and leaves in autumn. It is very abundant on +the outer ranges of the Teesta Valley, and is generally found in those +places frequented by _Artamus fuscus_. It feeds about equally on trees +and on the ground, and a flock of 40 or 50 feeding on the ground in +the early morning is no unusual sight." + +Mr. J.R. Cripps, writing from Fureedpore, Eastern Bengal, says:--"Very +common from the end of April to October, after which a few birds may +be seen at times. I cannot call to mind ever having seen these birds +descend to the ground. They must nest here, though I failed to find +one. In front of my verandah was a large _Poinciana regia_, in the +trunk of which, and at about seven feet from the ground, was an old +nest-hole of _Xantholaema_ which a pair of these birds widened out. +During all May and June I watched these birds pecking away at the +rotten wood and throwing the bits out. They generally used to engage +in this work during the heat of the day; and, although I several times +searched the hole, no eggs were found; the pair were not pecking at +the decayed wood for insects, for I watched them through a glass. Had +I remained another month at the factory most likely they would have +laid during that time; it was on this account their lives were spared. +This species associates with its congeners on the peepul trees when +they are in fruit, which they eat greedily." + +Subsequently detailing his experiences at Dibrugarh in Assam, he +adds:--"On the 27th May I found a nest with three callow young and one +fresh egg. The birds had excavated a hole in a rotten and dead tree +about 18 feet from the ground, and had placed a pad of leaves only at +the bottom of the hole. They build both in forest as well as the open +cultivated parts of the country." + +Mr. Oates remarks:--"This Myna lays in Pegu in holes of trees at all +heights above 20 feet. It selects a hole which is difficult of access, +and I have only been able to take one nest. This was on the 13th May. +This nest, a small pad of grass and leaves, contained three eggs, +which were slightly incubated. They measured 0.86 by 0.7, 0.8 by 0.7, +and 0.83 by 0.72." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"I shot a Myna as she flew +out of a hole in a zimbun tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_). I had nearly a +fortnight before seen the birds; there was a pair of them, busy taking +straw and grass-roots into the hole; and so on the 18th April, when I +shot the birds, I made sure of finding the full complement of eggs, +but to my regret on opening the hollow, I only found one egg resting +in a loose and irregularly formed nest of roots and leaves. This +solitary egg is of a pale blue colour." + +The eggs vary a good deal in shape: some are broad and some are +elongated ovals, but all are more or less pointed towards the small +end; the shell is very fine and delicate, and rather glossy; the +colour is a very delicate pale sea-green, without any markings of any +kind. They vary from 0.89 to 1.0 in length, and from 0.69 to 0.72 in +breadth; but the average of ten eggs is 0.93 by 0.7. + + +539. Sturnia nemoricola, Jerdon. _The White-winged Myna_. + +Sturnia nemoricola, _Jerd., Hume, cat._ no. 688 bis. + +Mr. Gates writes from Lower Pegu:--"Of _S. nemoricola_ I have taken +two sets of eggs: one set of two eggs fresh, and one of three on the +point of being hatched; the former on 12th May, the latter on 6th +June. In size the two clutches vary extraordinarily. The first two +eggs measure .82 x .62 and .85 x .63; the second lot measure 1.01 x +.7, 1.0 x .7, and 1.0 x .7. + +"The eggs are very glossy, and the colour is a uniform dark greenish +blue, of much the same tint as the egg of _Acridotheres tristis_." + + +543. Ampeliceps coronatus, Blyth. _The Gold-crest Myna_. + +Ampeliceps coronatus, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 693 sex; +_id. cat._ no. 693 ter. + +Of the nidification of this beautiful species, the Gold-crest Myna, we +possess but little information. My friend Mr. Davison, who has secured +many specimens of the bird, writes:--"On the 13th April, 1874, two +miles from the town of Tavoy, on a low range of hills about 200 feet +above the sea-level, I found a nest of the Gold-crest Grakle. The nest +was about 20 feet from the ground in a hole in the branch of a large +tree. It was composed entirely of coarse dry grass, mixed with dried +leaves, twigs, and bits of bark, but contained no feathers, rags, or +such substances as are usually found in the nests of the other Mynas. +The nest contained three young ones only a day or two old." + + +544. Temenuchus pagodarum (Gm.). _The Black-headed Myna_. + +Temenuchus pagodarum (_Gm.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 329; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 687. + +The Pagoda or Black-headed Myna breeds throughout the more open, dry, +and well-wooded or cultivated portions of India. In Sindh and in the +more arid and barren parts of the Punjab and Rajpootana on the one +hand, or in the more humid and jungly localities of Lower Bengal on +the other, it occurs, if at all, merely as a seasonal straggler. How +Adams, quoted by Jerdon (vol. ii, p. 330), could say that he never saw +it in the plains of the North-West Provinces (where, as a matter of +fact, it is one of our commonest resident species), altogether puzzles +me. + +Neither in the north nor in the south does it appear to ascend the +hills or breed in them at any elevations exceeding 3000 or 4000 feet. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but in Upper India the +great majority lay in June. + +According to my experience in Northern India it nests exclusively in +holes in trees. Dr. Jerdon says that "at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c." This is doubtless correct, but has +not been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, +who all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees. + +The whole is thinly lined with a few dead leaves, a little grass, and +a few feathers, and occasionally with a few small scraps of some other +soft material. + +They lay from three to five eggs. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes:--"During June and the early part +of July I found numerous nests of this species in holes of shishum, +peepul, neem, and siriss trees situated on the bank of the Hissar +Canal. The holes where at heights of from 12 to 15 feet from the +ground, and in each a few leaves or feathers were laid under the eggs. +Five was the greatest number found in any one hole." + +Recording his experience in the Delhi, Jhansi, and Saugor Divisions, +Mr. F.R. Blewitt tells us that the Pagoda Myna breeds from May to +July, building its nest in holes of trees, selecting where possible +those most inaccessible. I have always found the nest in the holes of +mango, tamarind, and high-growing jamun trees. Feathers and grass, +sometimes an odd piece of rag, are loosely placed at the bottom of the +hole, and on these the eggs repose. + +"The eggs are pale bluish green, and from four to five form the +regular number. I may add that only on one occasion did I obtain five +eggs in a nest." + +"In Oudh," writes Mr. R.M. Adam, "I took one nest of this species, in +a hole in a mango-tree, on the 5th May, containing five eggs." + +Major C.T. Bingham remarks:--"All nests I have found at Allahabad and +Delhi have been in holes in trees, in the end of May, June, and July. +Nest strictly speaking there is none, but the holes are lined with +feathers and straw, in which the eggs, four in number, are generally +half buried." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes tells us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana in +June, and that he found one nest in that month in a hole of a tree +with three eggs. + +Colonel E.A. Butler records the following notes:--"The Black-headed +Myna breeds plentifully in the neighbourhood of Deesa in June, July, +and August, but somehow or other I was unlucky this year (1876) in +procuring eggs. On the 30th July I found a nest containing four young +birds and another containing four eggs about to hatch. On the 2nd of +August I found three nests, all containing young birds. On the 20th +August I found four more nests; three contained young birds and the +fourth four fresh eggs. All of these nests were in holes of trees, in +most instances only just large enough at the entrance for the bird to +pass through. In some cases there was no lining at all except wood +dust, in others a small quantity of dry grass and a few feathers. The +average height from the ground was about 8 or 10 feet; some nests +were, however, not more than 4 or 5 feet high. + +"Belgaum, 21st May, 1879.--A nest in the roof of a house under the +tiles; three fresh eggs. Another nest on the same date in a hole of +a tree, containing one fresh egg. The hole appeared to be an old +nest-hole of a Barbet. Other nests observed later on, in June and +July, in the roofs of houses under the tiles. Another nest in the +hole of a tree, 27th April, containing four fresh eggs. Three more +nests, 4th May, containing three incubated eggs, three fresh eggs, +and three young birds respectively. Two of the nests were in the +nest-holes of Barbets, from which I had taken eggs the month previous. +7th May, another nest containing four fresh eggs. + +"I can confirm Dr. Jerdon's statement, quoted in the Rough Draft of +'Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,' relative to this species breeding in +large buildings, having observed several nests myself this season at +Belgaum on the roofs of bungalows. In one bungalow, the mess-house of +the 83rd Regt., there were no less than three nests at one time built +under the eaves of the roof." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, say:--"Not quite +so common as _Acridotheres tristis_. Breeds at Satara in May." + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken remarks:--"In Nests and Eggs, p. 433, you +write:--'Dr. Jerdon says that at Madras it breeds about large +buildings, pagodas, houses, &c.' This is doubtless correct, but has not +been confirmed as yet by any of my Southern Indian correspondents, who +all talk of finding its nest in holes of trees.' On the 29th June last +year I was at the Anniversary Meeting of the Medical College, and the +proceedings were disturbed by the incessant clatter of _two_ broods of +young of this species. The nests were in holes in the wall near the +roof, and the two pairs of old birds, which were feeding their young, +kept coming and going the whole time, flying in at the windows and +popping into the holes over the peoples' heads. In the following month +a nest of young were taken out of a hole in the outer wall of a house +I was staying at, and the birds laid again and hatched another brood. + +"I very rarely saw the Black-headed Myna in Bombay, Poona, or Berar, +but here, in Madras, it is, if anything, commoner than _A. tristis_." + +And Mr. J. Davidson, writing from Mysore, also confirms Jerdon's +statement; he says:--"_T. pagodarum_ breeds here in holes in the roofs +of houses as well as in trees." + +Of the breeding of this Myna in Ceylon, Colonel Legge says:--"In the +northern part of Ceylon this Myna breeds in July and August, and +nests, I am informed, in the holes of trees." + +Mr. A.G.R. Theobald notes that "early in August I found a nest of _T. +pagodarum_ at Ahtoor, the hill-station of the Shevaroys. It was +down in the inside of a partly hollow nut-tree log, attached to a +scaffolding, about 2 1/2 feet down and, say, 35 feet from the ground, +and was composed of dry leaves and a few feathers. It contained three +fresh eggs." + +The eggs of this Myna are, of course, glossy and spotless, and the +colour varies from very pale bluish white to pale blue or greenish +blue. I have never seen an egg of this species of the full clear +sky-blue often exhibited by those of _A. tristis, S. contra_, and _A. +giuginianus_. + +The eggs vary in length from 0.86 to 1.15, and in breadth from 0.66 to +0.8; but the average of fifty-four eggs is 0.97 by 0.75. + + +546. Graculipica nigricollis (Payk.). _The Black-necked Myna_. + +All that we know of the nidification of this species is contained in +the following brief note by Dr. John Anderson:-- + +"It has much the same habits as _Sturnopastor contra_ var. +_superciliaris_. I found it breeding in the month of May in one of the +few clumps of trees at Muangla." + +Muangla lies to the east of Bhamo. + + +549. Acridotheres tristis (Linn.). _The Common Myna_. + +Acridotheres tristis (_Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 325; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 684. + +The Common Myna breeds throughout the Indian Empire, alike in the +plains and in the hills. A pair breed yearly in the roof of my +verandah at Simla, at an elevation of 7800 feet. + +They are very domestic birds, and greatly affect the habitations of +man and their immediate neighbourhood. They build in roofs of houses, +holes in walls, trees, and even old wells, in the earthen chatties +that in some parts the natives hang out for their use (as the +Americans hang boxes for the Purple Martin), and, though _very_ +rarely, once in a way _on_ the branches of trees. + +Captain Hutton says:--"This is a summer visitor in the hills, and +arrives at Mussoorie with the _A. fuscus_, Wagl. It builds in the +hole of a tree, which is lined with dry grass and feathers, and on +no occasion have I _ever_ seen a nest made on the branches of a tree +composed of twigs and grass as stated by Captain Tickell." + +But in this instance Captain Tickell may have been right, for I +have once seen such a nest myself, and Mr. H.M. Adam writes:--"Near +Sambhur, on the 7th July, I saw a pair of this species building a +large cup-shaped nest in a babool tree;" while Colonel G.F.L. Marshall +affirms that this species "_frequently_ lays in cup-shaped nests of +sticks placed in trees, like small Crows' nests." And he subsequently +writes:--"I can distinctly reaffirm, what I said as to this species +building a nest in the fork of a tree. In the compound of Kalunder +gari choki, in the Bolundshahr district, I found no less than five of +these nests on one day; the compound is densely planted with sheeshum +trees, which were there about twenty feet high, and the nests were +near the tops of these trees. I found several other similar nests on +the canal-bank, one with young on the 11th September." + +Also writing in this connection from Allahabad, Major C.T. Bingham +says:-- + +"Twice I have found the nest of this bird in trees, but it generally +builds in holes, both in trees and walls, and commonly in the thatch +of houses. Once I got a couple of eggs from a nest made amidst a +thick-growing creeper." + +Neglecting exceptional cases like these, the nest is a shapeless but +warm lining to the hole, composed chiefly of straw and feathers, but +in which fine twigs, bits of cotton, strips of rags, bits of old rope, +and all kinds of odds and ends may at times be found incorporated. + +The normal breeding-season lasts from June to August, during which +period they rear two broods; but in Ross Island (Andamans), where they +were introduced some years ago, they seem to breed _all-through_ +the year. Captain Wimberley, who sent me some of their eggs thence, +remarks:--"The bird is now very common here. As soon as it has cleared +out one young brood, it commences building and laying again. This +continues all the year round." + +I think this great prolificness may be connected with the uniformly +warm temperature of these islands and the great heat of the sun there +all through the year rendering much incubation unnecessary. Even in +the plains of Northern India in the hot weather when they breed these +birds do not sit close, and since at the Andamans the weather is such +all the year round that the eggs almost hatch themselves this may be +partly the reason why these birds have so many more broods there than +with us, where, for at least half the year, constant incubation would +be necessary. I particularly noticed when at Bareilly how very little +trouble these Mynas sometimes took in hatching their eggs, and I may +quote what I then recorded about the matter:-- + +"In a nest in the wall of our verandah we found four young ones. This +was particularly noteworthy, because from my study-window the pair had +been watched for the last month, first courting, then flitting in and +out of the hole with straws and feathers, ever and anon clinging to +the mouth of the aperture, and laboriously dislodging some projecting +point of mortar; then marching up and down on the ground, the male +screeching out his harsh love-song, bowing and swelling out his throat +all the while, and then rushing after and soundly thrashing any chance +Crow (four times his weight at least) that inadvertently passed too +near him; never during the whole time had either bird been long +absent, and both had been seen together daily at all hours. I made +certain that they had not even begun to sit, and behold there were +four fine young ones a full week old chirping in the nest! Clearly +these birds are not close sitters down here; but I well remember a +pair at Mussoorie, some 6000 feet above the level of the sea, the most +exemplary parents, one or other being on the eggs at all hours of the +day and night. The morning's sun beats full upon the wall in the inner +side of which the entrance to the nest is; the nest itself is within 4 +inches of the exterior surface; at 11 o'clock the thermometer gave 98 deg. +as its temperature. I have often observed in the river Terns (_Seena +aurantia, Rhynchops albicollis, Sterna javanica_) and Pratincoles +(_Glareola lactea_) who lay their eggs in the bare white glittering +river-sands, that so long as the sun is high and the sand hot they +rarely sit _upon_ their eggs, though one or other of the parents +constantly remains beside or hovering near and over them, but in the +early morning, in somewhat cold and cloudy days, and as the night +draws on, they are all close sitters. I suspect that instinct teaches +the birds that, when the natural temperature of the nest reaches a +certain point, any addition of their body-heat is unnecessary, and +this may explain why during the hot days (when we alone noticed them), +in this very hot hole, the parent Mynas spent so little of their time +in the nest whilst the process of hatching was going on." + +They lay indifferently four or five eggs. I have just as often found +the former as the latter number, but I have never yet met with more. + +From Lucknow Mr. G. Reid tells us:--"Generally speaking the Common +Myna, like the Crow (_Corvus splendens_) commences to breed with the +first fall of rain in June--early or late as the case may be--and has +done breeding by the middle of September. It nests indiscriminately +in old ruins, verandahs, walls of houses, &c., but preferentially, I +think, in holes of trees, laying generally four, but sometimes five +eggs." + +Colonel E.A. Butler writes:--"In Karachi Mynas begin to lay at the end +of April. The Common Myna breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa during +the monsoon, principally in the months of July and August, at which +season every pair seems to be engaged in nidification. I have taken +nests containing fresh eggs during the first week of September; and +birds that have had their first nests robbed or young destroyed +probably lay even later still." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that this Myna breeds in Rajputana +during June and July. + +Mr. Benjamin Aitken has furnished me with the following interesting +note:--"A pair of Mynas clung tenaciously for two years, from June +1863 to August 1865, to a hole in some matting in the upper verandah +of a house in Bombay. During this period they hatched six broods, one +of which I took and another was destroyed, by rats perhaps. I had +a strong suspicion that more than one set of eggs were destroyed +besides. + +"The remarkable thing I wish to note is that every alternate brood +of young contained an _albino_, pure white and with pink eyes; being +three in all. Every time a new set of eggs was to be laid, a new nest +was built on the top of the old one. I once tore down the whole pile, +as it was infested with vermin, and found that seven nests had been +made, one upon another, showing that the Mynas must have occupied the +hole long before I noticed them. Each nest was complete in itself +and well lined, and as Mynas are not sparing of their materials, +the accumulated heap was nearly two feet deep. Every separate nest +contained a piece of a snake's skin, and with reference to your remark +on this point I may say that every Myna's nest that I have ever +examined has had a piece of snake-skin in it. This may, I think, be +simply accounted for by the fact of snake-skin lying about plentifully +in those places where Mynas mostly pick up their building-materials. +The breeding-season extends into September in Bombay; and though +it usually begins in June, I found a nest of half-fledged young at +Khandalla on the 31st May, 1871. + +"With reference to your remarks in 'Nests and Eggs,' that you have +never met with more than five eggs in a nest, I would mention that I +took six eggs from a nest in the roof of a house I occupied at Akola, +on the 20th June, 1870. + +"At the same station in August 1869 a nest of young Mynas was reared +above the hinge of the semaphore signal at the railway-station. One or +other arm of the signal must have risen and fallen every time a train +passed, but the motion neither alarmed the birds nor disarranged the +nest." + +Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark of this Myna in the +Deccan:--"Common, and breeds in May and June." + +Mr. J. Inglis, writing from Cachar, says:--"The commonest of all birds +here. Breeds throughout the summer months. It makes its nest generally +in the roofs of houses or in holes in trees. It lays about five eggs +of a very pale blue colour." + +Finally, Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"Commences making nest about +15th March. I have taken eggs as late as 17th July, but in this case +the previous brood had been destroyed. Normally no eggs are to be +found after June." + +The eggs, which are larger than those of either _Sturnopastor contra_ +or _A. ginginianus_, in other respects resemble these eggs greatly, +but when fresh are, I think, on the whole of a slightly darker colour. +They are rather long, oval, often pear-shaped, eggs, spotless and +brilliantly glossy, varying from very pale blue to pure sky- or +greenish blue. + +In length they vary from 1.05 to 1.28, and in breadth from 0.8 to +0.95; but the average of ninety-seven eggs is 1.19 by 0.86. + + +550. Acridotheres melanosternus, Legge. _The Common Ceylon Myna_. + +Acridotheres melanosternus, _Legge, Hume, cat._ no. 684 bis. + +Colonel Legge tells us, in his 'Birds of Ceylon,' that "this species +breeds in Ceylon from February until May, nesting perhaps more in the +month of March than in any other. It builds in holes of trees, often +choosing a cocoanut-palm which has been hollowed out by a Woodpecker, +and in the cavity thus formed makes a nest of grass, fibres, and +roots. I once found a nest in the end of a hollow areca-palm which was +the cross beam of a swing used by the children of the Orphan School, +Bonavista, and the noise of whose play and mirth seemed to be viewed +by the birds with the utmost unconcern. The eggs are from three to +five in number; they are broad ovals, somewhat pointed towards the +small end, and are uniform, unspotted, pale bluish or ethereal green. +They vary in length from 1.07 to 1.2 inch and in breadth from 0.85 to +0.92 inch. + +"Layard styles the eggs 'light blue, much resembling those of the +European Starling in shape, but rather darker in colour.'" + + +551. Acridotheres ginginianus (Lath.). _The Bank Myna_. + +Acridotheres ginginianus (_Lath.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 326; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 685. + +The Bank Myna breeds throughout the North-West Provinces and Oudh, +Behar, and Central Bengal, the greater portion of the Central +Provinces, and the Punjab and Sindh. Adams says it does not _occur_ in +the Punjab; but, as Colonel C.H.T. Marshall correctly pointed out to +me years ago, and I have verified the facts, it breeds about Lahore +and many other places, and in the high banks of the Beas, the Sutlej, +the Jhelum, and the Indus, congregating in large numbers on these +rivers just as it does on the Jumna or the Ganges. + +It builds exclusively, so far as my experience goes, in earthen banks +and cliffs, in holes which it excavates for itself, always, I think, +in close proximity to water, and by preference in places overhanging +or overlooking running water. + +The breeding-season lasts from the middle of April to the middle of +July, but I have found more eggs in May than in any other month. + +Four is the usual number of the eggs; I have found five, but never +more. If Theobald got seven or eight, they belonged to two pairs; and +the nests so run into each other that this is a mistake that might +easily be made, even where coolies were digging into the bank before +one. + +There is really no variety in their nesting arrangements, and a note +I recorded in regard to one colony that I robbed will, I think, +sufficiently illustrate the subject. All that can be said is that very +commonly they nest low down in earthy cliffs, where it is next to +impossible to explore thoroughly their workings, while in the instance +referred to these were very accessible:-- + +"One morning, driving out near Bareilly, we found that a colony of the +Bank Myna had taken possession of some fresh excavations on the banks +of a small stream. The excavation was about 10 feet deep, and in its +face, in a band of softer and sandier earth than the rest of the bank, +about a foot below the surface of the ground, these Mynas had bored +innumerable holes. They had taken no notice of the workman who had +been continuously employed within a few yards of them, and who +informed us that the Mynas had first made their appearance there only +a month previously. On digging into the bank we found the holes all +connected with each other, in one place or another, so that apparently +every Myna could get into or out from its nest by any one of the +hundred odd holes in the face of the excavation. The holes averaged +about 3 inches in diameter, and twisted and turned up and down, right +and left, in a wonderful manner; each hole terminated in a more +or less well-marked bulb (if I may use the term), or egg-chamber, +situated from 4 to 7 feet from the face of the bank. The egg-chamber +was floored with a loose nest of grass, a few feathers, and, in many +instances, scraps of snake-skins. + +"Are birds superstitious, I wonder? Do they believe in charms? If not +what induces so many birds that build in holes in banks to select out +of the infinite variety of things, organic or inorganic, pieces of +snake-skin for their nests? They are at best harsh, unmanageable +things, neither so warm as feathers, which are ten times more +numerous, nor so soft as cotton or old rags, which lie about +broadcast, nor so cleanly as dry twigs and grass. Can it be that +snakes have any repugnance to their 'worn out weeds,' that they +dislike these mementos of _their_ fall[A], and that birds which breed +in holes into which snakes are likely to come by instinct select these +exuviae as scare-snakes? + +[Footnote A: "When the snake," says an Arabic commentator, "tempted +Adam it was a winged animal. To punish its misdeeds the Almighty +deprived it of wings, and condemned it thereafter to creep for ever on +its belly, adding, as a perpetual reminder to it of its trespass, a +command for it to cast its skin yearly."] + +"In some of the nests we found three or four callow young ones, but +in the majority of the terminal chambers were four, more or less, +incubated eggs. + +"I noticed that the tops of all the mud-pillars (which had been left +standing to measure the work by) had been drilled through, and through +by the Mynas, obviously not for nesting-purposes, as not one of them +contained the vestige of a nest, but either for amusement or to afford +pleasant sitting-places for the birds not engaged in incubation. +Whilst we were robbing the nests, the whole colony kept screaming and +flying in and out of these holes in the various pillar-tops in a very +remarkable manner, and it may be that, after the fashion of Lapwings, +they thought to lead us away from their eggs and induce a belief that +their real homes were in the pillar tops." + +Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"This species breeds in the +Bolundshahr District in June and July. It makes its nest in a hole +in a bank, but more often in the side of a kucha or earthen well. A +number of birds generally breed in company. The nest is formed by +lining the cavity with a little grass and roots and a few feathers. On +the 8th July I found a colony breeding in a well near Khoorjah, and +took a dozen fresh eggs." + +Writing from Lucknow, Mr. G. Reid says:--"During the breeding season +it associates in large flocks along the banks of the Groomti, where it +nidificates in colonies in holes in the banks of the river. From some +of these holes I took a few fresh eggs on the 15th May, and again on +the 30th June on revisiting the spot. In the district it breeds in old +irrigation-wells and occasionally in ravines with good steep banks." + +Major C.T. Bingham, writing from Allahabad, says:--"Breeds in June, +July, and August in holes in sandy banks of rivers and nullahs. Eggs, +five in number, laid on a lining of straw and feathers." + +Colonel E.A. Butler notes:--"The Bank Myna lays about Deesa in June +and July. On the 26th June I lowered a man down several wells, finding +nests containing eggs and nests containing young ones, some nearly +fledged. The nests are generally in holes in the brickwork, often +further in than a man can reach, and several pairs of birds usually +occupy the same well. The eggs vary much in shape and number. In some +nests I found as many as five, in others only two or three. In colour +they closely resemble the eggs of _A. tristis_, but they are slightly +smaller, the tint is of a decidedly deeper shade, and the shell more +glossy. July 5th, several nests, some containing eggs, others young +ones. July 13th, numerous nests in wells and banks, some containing +fresh, others incubated eggs, and others young birds of all sizes. The +eggs varied in number from two to five. I took twenty-six fresh eggs +and then discontinued." + +Lieut. H.E. Barnes informs us that in Rajputana this Myna breeds about +May. + +The eggs are typically, I think, shorter and proportionally broader +than those of other kindred species already described; very pyriform +varieties are, however, common. They are as usual spotless, very +glossy, and of different shades of very pale sky- and greenish blue. +Although, when a large series of the eggs of this and each of the +preceding species are grouped together, a certain difference is +observable, individual eggs can by no means be discriminated, and +it is only by taking the eggs with one's own hand that one can feel +certain of their authenticity. + +In length they vary from 0.95 to 1.16, and in breadth from 0.72 to +0.87; but the average of forty-seven eggs is 1.05 by 0.82. + + +552. Aethiopsar fuscus (Wagl.). _The Jungle Myna_. + +Acridotheres fuscus (_Wagl.) Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 327; _Hume, Rough +Draft N. & E._ no. 686. + +The Jungle Myna eschews the open cultivated plains of Upper, Central, +and Western India. It breeds throughout the Himalayas, at any +elevations up to 7000 feet, where the hills are not bare, and in some +places in the sub-Himalayan jungles. It breeds in the plains country +of Lower Bengal, and in both plains and hills of Assam, Cachar, and +Burma, and also in great numbers in the Nilgiris and all the wooded +ranges and hilly country of the Peninsula. The breeding-season lasts +from March to July, but the majority lay everywhere, I think, in +April, except in the extreme north-west, where they are later. + +Normally, they build in holes of trees, and are more or less social in +their nidification. As a rule, if you find one nest you will find a +dozen within a radius of 100 yards, and not unfrequently within one of +ten yards. But, besides trees, they readily build in holes in temples +and old ruins, in any large stone wall, in the thatch of old houses, +and even in their chimneys. + +The nest is a mere lining for the hole they select, and varies in size +and shape with this latter; fine twigs, dry grass, and feathers are +the materials most commonly used, the feathers being chiefly gathered +together to form a bed for the eggs; but moss, moss and fern roots, +flocks of wool, lichen, and down may often be found in greater or less +quantities intermingled with the grass and straw which forms the main +body, or with the feathers that constitute the lining, of the nest. I +have never found more than five eggs, but Miss Cockburn says that they +sometimes lay six. + +From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"This Myna, which takes +the place of _A. tristis_ in the higher hills, breeds always in holes +in trees. We found five or six nests in June and early in July." + +They breed near Solan, below Kussowlee, and close to Jerripani, +Captain Hutton's place below Mussoorie, in both which localities I +have taken their nests myself. + +Captain Hutton remarks:--"This is a summer visitant in the hills, and +is common at Mussoorie during that season; but it does not appear to +visit Simla, although it is to be found in some of the valleys below +it to the south. It breeds at Mussoorie in May and June, selecting +holes in the forest trees, generally large oaks, which it lines with +dry grass and feathers. The eggs are from three to five, of a pale +greenish blue, shape ordinary, but somewhat inclined to taper to the +smaller end. This species usually arrives from the valleys of the +Dhoon about the middle of March; and, until they begin to sit on their +eggs, they congregate every morning and evening into small flocks, and +roost together in trees near houses; in the morning they separate for +the day into pairs, and proceed with the building of nests or laying +of eggs. After the young are hatched and well able to fly, all betake +themselves to the Dhoon in July." + +In Kumaon I found them breeding near the Ramghur Ironworks, and, +writing from Nynee Tal, Colonel G.F.L. Marshall says that they "breed +very commonly at Bheem Tal (4000 feet), but I have not noticed them at +Nynee Tal. I took a great many eggs; they were all laid in holes in +rotten trees at a height of 2 to 8 feet from the ground; they average +much smaller than the eggs of _A. tristis_, but are similar in +colour." + +Writing from Nepal, Dr. Scully says:--"This species is common and a +permanent resident in the Valley of Nepal, but does not occur in such +great numbers as _A. tristis_. It is also found in tolerable abundance +in the Nawakot district and the Hetoura Dun in winter. It breeds in +the Valley in May and June, laying in holes in trees or walls; the +eggs are very like those of _A. tristis_, but smaller--not so broad. I +noticed on two or three occasions an albino of this species, which was +greatly persecuted by the Crows." + +Mr. G. Vidal remarks of this bird in the South Konkan:--"Exceedingly +common. Breeds in May. The irides of all I have seen were pale +slate-blue." + +"In the Nilgiris," writes Mr. Wait, "the Jungle Myna's eggs may be +found at any time from the end of February to the beginning of July. +They nest in chimneys, hollow trees, holes in stone walls, &c., +filling in the hole with hay, straw, moss, and twigs, and lining +the cavity with feathers. They lay from three to five long, oval, +greenish-blue eggs, a shade darker than those of the English +Starling." + +From Kotagherry Miss Cockburn tells us that "these Mynas breed in the +months of March and April, and construct their nests (which consist +of a few straws, sticks, and feathers put carelessly together) in the +holes of trees and old thatched houses. They lay five or six eggs of +a beautiful light blue, and are extremely careful of their young. The +nests of these birds are so common in the months above mentioned that +herd-boys have brought me more than fifty eggs at a time. + +"About a year ago a pair took up their abode in my pigeon-cot, and +although the eggs were often destroyed they would not leave the place, +but continued to lay in the same nest. At last one of them was caught; +the other went away, but returned the next day accompanied by a +new mate. At length the hole was shut up, as they committed great +depredations in the garden, and were useful only in giving a sudden +sharp cry of alarm when the Mhorunghee Hawk-Eagle, a terrible enemy to +Pigeons, made its appearance, thus enabling the gardeners to balk him +of his intended victim." + +Dr. Jerdon states that "it is most abundant on the Nilgiris, where it +is a permanent resident, breeding in holes in trees, making a large +nest of moss and feathers, and laying three to five eggs of a pale +greenish-blue colour." + +Mr. C.J.W. Taylor informs us that at Manzeerabad, in Mysore, this Myna +is common everywhere, and breeds in April and May. + +Captain Horace Terry notes that in the Pulney hills the Jungle Myna +nests in April. + +Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says in 'The +Ibis':--"It breeds on the Neilgherries in holes of trees. The hole is +filled up with sticks to within about a foot of the entrance, and a +smooth lining of paper, rags, feathers, &c. laid down, on which are +deposited from two to six light blue eggs. The young are fed on small +frogs, grasshoppers, and fruit. An egg measured 1.2 inch by .88. +Breeds in May." + +At Dacca Colonel Tytler found them nesting in temples and houses about +the sepoy lines. + +Mr. J.R. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this species +is "pretty common, and a permanent resident. This species associates +with _A. tristis_, but is seen on trees away from villages, which the +latter never is. Prefers well-wooded country, whereas _A. tristis_ +never goes into jungle. On the 29th of June, 1877, I found a nest in +a hole of a tree, about 12 feet off the ground. The diameter of the +entrance-hole was two and a half inches, and inside it widened to six +inches and about twenty inches in depth. The nest was a mere pad of +grass and feathers, and contained four very slightly incubated eggs. +And again on the 17th July, seeing the hole occupied, I again sent up +a boy, who found another four fresh eggs. The tree formed one of an +avenue leading from the house to the vats, and as men were always +going along the road it surprised me to find these birds laying there; +the hole had been caused by the heart of the tree rotting," + +Mr. Gates remarks of this Myna in Pegu:--"This bird does not appear to +lay till about the 15th April. I have taken the eggs, and I have seen +numerous nests with young ones of various ages in the middle of May. +They breed by preference in holes of trees and occasionally in the +high roofs of monastic buildings." + +The eggs of this species, which I have from Mussoorie, Dacca, Kumaon, +and the Nilgiris, approximate closer to those of _Acridotheres +tristis_ than to those of _A. ginginianus_. They are rather long +ovals, somewhat pointed usually, but often pyriform. They are perhaps, +as a rule, somewhat paler than those of either of the above-named +species, and are of the usual spotless glossy type, varying in colour +from that of skimmed milk to pale blue or greenish, blue. Typically, +I think, they are proportionally more elongated and attenuated than +those either of _A. tristis, A. ginginianus_ or _S. contra_. + +In length they vary from 1.03 to 1.31, and in breadth from 0.78 to +0.9; but the average of forty eggs is 1.19 by 0.83. + + +555. Sturnopastor contra (Linn.). _The Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor contra (_Linn_.), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 323; _Hume, +Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683. + +The Pied Pastor, or Myna, breeds throughout the North-Western +Provinces and Oudh, Bengal, the eastern portions of the Punjab and +Rajpootana (it does not extend to the western portions nor to Sindh), +the Central Provinces, and Central India. + +The breeding-season lasts from May to August, but the majority of the +birds lay in June and July. It builds in trees, at heights of from +10 to 30 feet, usually towards the extremities of lateral branches, +constructing a huge clumsy nest of straw, grass, twigs, roots, and +rags, with a deep cavity lined as a rule with quantities of feathers. +Occasionally, but very rarely, it places its nest in some huge hole in +a great arm of a mango-tree. I have seen many hundreds of their nests, +but only two thus situated. + +As a rule these birds do not build in society, but at times, +especially in Lower Bengal, I have seen a dozen of their nests on a +single tree. + +The nest is usually a shapeless mass of rubbish loosely put together, +rough and ragged. + +A note I recorded on one taken at Bareilly will illustrate +sufficiently the kind of thing:-- + +"At the extremity of one of the branches of these same mango-trees, a +small truss of hay, as it seemed, at once caught every eye. This was +one of the huge nests of the Pied Pastor, and proved to be some 2 feet +in length and 18 inches in diameter, composed chiefly of dry grass, +but with a few twigs, many feathers, and a strip or two of rags +intermingled in the mass. The materials were loosely put together, and +the nest was placed high up in a fork near the extremity of a branch. +In the centre was a well-like cavity some 9 inches deep by 31/2 inches +in diameter, at the bottom of which, amongst many feathers, lay four +fresh eggs." + +Five is the full complement of eggs, but they very often lay only +four, and once in a hundred times six are met with. + +From Hansie Mr. W. Blewitt writes that he "found numerous nests during +May and June. They were all placed all keekur-trees, at heights of +from 10 to 15 feet from the ground, the trees for the most part being +situated on the banks of a canal or in the Dhana Beerh, a sort of +jungle preserve. + +"The nests were densely built of keekur and zizyphus twigs, and +thickly lined with rags, leaves, and straw. Five was the greatest +number of eggs that I found in any one nest." + +Writing of his experience in the Delhi and Jhansi Divisions, Mr. F.R. +Blewitt remarks that "the Pied Pastor breeds from June to August, +making its nests between the outer branchlets of the larger lateral +branches of trees, without special choice for any one kind. The nest +is altogether roughly made, though some ingenuity is evinced in +putting all the material of which it is composed together. Twigs, +grasses, rags, feathers, &c. are all brought into requisition to form +the large-made structure, which I have found, though less commonly, at +a higher altitude from the ground than the 8 or 10 feet Jerdon speaks +of." + +Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Breeds in Allahabad in June, July, and +August; and at Delhi in May, June, and July. The nest is a large +shapeless mass of straw, feathers, and rags, having a deep cavity +for the eggs, which are generally five in number. The nest is almost +always placed at the extreme tip of some slender branch, and there is +no attempt at concealment." + +Mr. J.E. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Bengal, this Myna +is "very common, and a permanent resident. They eat fruit as well as +insects. Lay in May and June, building their huge nests at various +heights from the ground, and in any tree that comes in handy. I +have generally found the nests lined with the white feathers of the +paddy-birds; some of the feathers being as much as six and seven +inches in length. The nests were composed principally of doob-grass; +three to four eggs in each nest." + +From Cachar Mr. J. Inglis writes:--"The Pied Pastor is very common all +the year. It breeds during March, April, May, and June, making its +nest on any sort of tree about 15 feet or more from the ground; about +100 nests may often be seen together. It prefers nesting on trees on +the open fields. I do not know the number of its eggs." + +The eggs are typically moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed +towards one end, but pyriform and elongated examples occur; in fact, a +great number of the eggs are more or less pear-shaped. Like those of +all the members of this subfamily, the eggs are blue, spotless, and +commonly brilliantly glossy. In shade they vary from a delicate bluish +white to a pure, though somewhat pale, sky-blue, and not uncommonly +are more or less tinged with green. They vary in length from 0.95 to +1.25, and in breadth from 0.75 to 0.9; but the average of one hundred +eggs is 1.11 by 0.82 nearly. + + +556. Sturnopastor superciliaris, Blyth. _The Burmese Pied Myna_. + +Sturnopastor superciliaris, _Bl., Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 683 +bis. + +Of the Burmese Pied Pastor, or Myna, Mr. Eugene Oates says that it is +common and resident throughout the plains of Pegu. Writing from Wau he +says:-- + +"On the 28th of April, having a spare morning, I took a very large +number of nests and eggs. The eggs were in various stages of +incubation, but the majority were freshly laid. On May 7th I took +another nest with two eggs. These were quite fresh. + +"The nest is a huge cylindrical structure, about 18 inches long and +a foot in diameter, composed of straw, leaves, and feathers. It is +placed at a height of from 10 to 25 feet from the ground, in a most +conspicuous situation, generally at the end of a branch, which has +been broken off and where a few leaves are struggling to come out. A +bamboo-bush is also a favourite site. This Myna will, by preference, +build near houses, but in no case _in_ a house; it must have a tree." + +The eggs, which I owe to Mr. Oates, are, as might be expected, very +similar indeed to those of our Common Pied Pastor, but they seem to +average somewhat smaller. + +They are moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one +end, and in some cases more or less compressed there, and slightly +pyriform. + +The specimens sent are only moderately glossy. In colour they vary +from _very_ pale bluish green to a moderately dark greenish blue, but +the great majority are pale. + +In length they vary from 1.0 to 1.1, and in breadth from 0.73 to 0.82; +but the average of fifteen eggs is 1.04 by 0.77. + + + + +INDEX. + + +abbotti, Trichastoma, +---- Turdinus, +Abrornis albigularis, +---- albosuperciliaris, +---- castaneiceps, +---- chloronotus, +---- flaviventris, +---- poliogenys, +---- schisticeps, +---- superciliaris, +---- xanthoschistos, +Acanthopneuste davisoni, +---- occipitalis, +Acanthoptila leucotis, +---- nepalensis, +---- pellotis, +Accentor alpinus, +---- modularis, +Acredula rosea, +Aeridotheres fuscus, +---- ginginianus, +---- melanosternus, +---- tristis, +Acrocephalus agricola, +---- arundinaceus, +---- brunnescens, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentoreus, +Actinodura egertoni, +Actinodura nipalensis, +Aegithaliscus erythrocephalus, +Aegithina tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +aemodium, Conostoma. +aenea, Chaptia, +Aethiopsar fuscus, +affinis, Cypselus, +----, Dumeticola, +----, Sylvia, +----, Tribura, +agricola, Acrocephalus, +----, Calamodyta, +albicollis, Rhynchops, +albifrontata, Rhipidura, +----, Leucocerca, +albigularis, Abrornis, +----, Dumetia, +----, Garrulax, +albirictus, Buchanga, +albiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +----, Pnoepyga, +albosuperciliaris, Abrornis, +Alcippe atriceps, +---- nepalensis, +---- nigrifrons, +Alcippe phaeocephala, +---- phayrii, +---- poiocephala, +Alcurus striatus, +Allotrius melanotis, +---- oenobarbus, +alpinus, Accentor, +Ampeliceps coronatus, +ampelinus, Hypocolius, +analis, Otocompsa, +----, Pycnonotus, +andamanensis, Corvus, +Anorthura neglecta, +Arachnechthra asiatica, +argentauris, Leiothrix, +----, Mesia, +Argya caudata, +---- earlii, +---- malcolmi, +---- subrufa, +Artamus fuscus, +---- leucogaster, +---- leucorhynchus, +arundinacea, Salicaria, +arundinaceus, Acrocephalus, +asiatica, Arachnechthra, +assimilis, Neornis, +ater, Dicrurus, +atricapillus, Molpastes, +atriceps, Alcippe, +----, Parus, +----, Rhopocichla, +atrigularis, Orthotomus, +----, Suya, +aurantia, Seena, + +bactriana, Pica, +badius, Micronisus, +baya, Ploccus, +beavani, Prinia, +belangeri, Garrulax, +bengalensis, Graminicola, +----, Molpastes, +Bhringa remifer, +---- tectirostris, +bicolor, Pratincola, +bispecularis, Garrulus, +blanfordi, Drymoeca, +----, Ixus, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +blythii, Sturnia, +----, Temenuchus, +bourdilloni, Rhopocichla, +Brachypteryx albiventris, +---- cruralis, +---- nipalensis, +---- palliseri, +---- rufiventris, +brevirostris, Pericrocotus, +brunnea, Larvivora, +brunneifrons, Horeites, +brunneipectus, Dumeticola, +----, Tribura, +brunnescens, Acrocephalus, +brunneus, Ixus, +buchanani, Franklinia, +Buchanga albirictus, +---- intermedia, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudata, +Bulaca newarensis, +burmanicus, Molpastes, +burnesi, Laticilla, +Burnesia gracilis, +---- lepida, +burnesii, Eurycercus, + +cachinnans, Trochalopterum, +caerulatus, Dryonastes, +caerulescens, Dicrurus, +caeruleus, Dicrurus, +----, Parus, +caesius, Parus, +Calamodyta agricola, +---- dumetorum, +---- stentorea, +caligata, Iduna, +Callene albiventris, +---- rufiventris, +callipyga, Leiothrix, +Calornis chalybeius, +Campophaga melanoschista, +---- sykesi, +---- terat, +caniceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Megalaema, +canifrons, Spizixus, +canorus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +cantator, Cryptolopha, +capistrata, Lioptila, +----, Sibia, +capitalis, Hemipus, +Caprimulgus indicus, +castanea, Merula, +castaneiceps, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Minla, +----, Sittiparus, +castaneicoronata, Oligura, +castaneiventris, Sitta, +castaneo-coronata, Tesia, +caudata, Argya, +caudata, Chatarrhaea, +----, Pnoepyga, +----, Urocichla, +Cephalopyrus flammiceps, +Certhia familiaris, +---- himalayana, +---- hodgsoni, +ceylonensis, Oriolus, +----, Zosterops, +Chaetornis locustelloides, +---- striatus, +chalybeius, Calornis, +Chaptia aenea, +Chatarrhaea caudata, +---- earlii, +Chibia hottentotta, +chinensis, Cissa, +chloronotus, Abrornis, +----, Proregulus, +Chloropsis jerdoni, +chrysaea, Stachyrhis, +chrysaeus, Lioparus, +----, Proparus, +chrysopterum, Trochalopteron, +chrysotis, Proparus, +cinereicapilla, Franklinia, +cinereifrons, Crateropus, +----, Garrulax, +cinereocapilla, Prinia, +cinereus, Parus, +cinnamomeiventris, Sitta, +cinnamomeus, Passer, +Cissa chinensis, +---- ornata, +---- sinensis, +---- speciosa, +Cisticola cursitans, +---- schoenicola, +---- volitans, +Coccystes jacobinus, +---- melanoleucus, +Colaeus monedula, +Collyrio caniceps, +---- erythronotus, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +Conostoma aemodium, +contra, Sturnopastor, +Copsychus saularis, +corax, Corvus, +coronatus, Ampeliceps, +----, Orthotomus, +----, Phyllergates, +corone, Corvus, +Corvus andamanensis, +---- corax, +---- corone, +---- culminatus, +---- impudicus, +---- insolens, +---- intermedius, +---- japonensis, +---- lawrencii, +---- levaillantii, +---- littoralis, +---- macrorhynchus, +---- monedula, +---- pseudo-corone, +---- splendens, +---- thibetanus, +Crateropus canorus, +---- cinereifrons, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- rufescens, +---- somervillii, +---- striatus, +---- terricolor, +crepitans, Oedicnemus, +Criniger flaveolus, +---- ictericus, +crinigera, Suya, +cristatus, Lanius, +----, Parus, +----, Regulus, +cruralis, Brachypteryx, +----, Drymochares, +Crypsirhina varians, +Cryptolopha cantator, +---- castaneiceps, +---- jerdoni, +---- poliogenys, +---- xanthoschista, +culminatus, Corvus, +Curruca garrula, +curruca, Sterparola, +----, Sylvia, +cursitans, Cisticola, +----, Prinia, +cyana, Larvivora, +cyaniventris, Tesia, +Cyanoderma erythropterum +cyanuroptera, Siva, +Cypselus affinis, +---- palmarum, + +davisoni, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Dendrocitta himalayensis, +---- leucogastra, +---- rufa, +---- sinensis, +Dendrophila frontalis, +Dicrurus ater, +---- caerulescens, +---- caeruleus, +---- himalayanus, +---- leucopygialis, +---- longicaudatus, +---- macrocercus, +---- nigrescens, +Dissemuroides lophorhinus, +Dissemurulus lophorhinus, +Dissemurus paradiseus, +Drymocataphus nigricapitatus, +---- tickelli, +Drymochares cruralis, +---- nepalensis, +Drymoeca blanfordi, +---- inornata, +---- insignis, +---- jerdoni, +---- valida, +Drymoica bengalensis, +Drymoipus inornatus, +---- longicaudatus, +Drymoipus neglectus, +---- sylvaticus, +---- terricolor, +Dryonastes caerulatus, +---- ruficollis, +dubius, Proparus, +----, Schoeniparus, +Dumetia albigularis, +---- hyperythra, +Dumeticola affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- fortipes, +dumetorum, Acrocephalus, +---- Calamodyta, + +earlii, Argya, +----, Chatarrhaea, +egertoni, Actinodura, +Elaphrornis palliseri, +emeria, Otocompsa, +eremita, Graculus, +erythrocephalum, Trochalopterum, +erythrocephalus, Aegithaliscus, +erythrogenys, Pomatorhinus, +erythronotus, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +erythroptera, Mirafra, +erythropterum, Cyanoderma, +erythropterus, Pteruthius, +erythropygius, Pericrocotus, +Esacus recurvirostris, +Eudynamys orientalis, +eugenii, Myiophoneus, +Eulabes intermedia, +---- javanensis, +---- ptilogenys, +---- religiosa, +europaea, Sitta, +Eurycercus burnesii, +excubitor, Lanius, + +fairbanki, Trochalopterum, +familiaris, Certhia, +ferrea, Pratincola, +ferrugilatus, Pomatorhinus, +ferruginosus, Pomatorhinus, +finlaysoni, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +flammeus, Pericrocotus, +flammiceps, Cephalopyrus, +flaveolus, Criniger, +flavicollis, Ixulus, +----, Passer, +flavirostris, Urocissa, +flaviventris, Abrornis, +----, Otocompsa, +----, Prinia, +----, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +flavolivaceus, Neornis, +fortipes, Dumeticola, +----, Horornis, +Franklinia buchanani, +---- cinereicapilla, +---- gracilis, +---- rufescens, +Fregilus himalayensis, +frontalis, Dendrophila, +----, Sitta, +fuliginosa, Suya, +fulviventer, Horornis, +fuscatus, Phylloscopus, +fuscicapillum, Pellorneum +fuscicaudata, Otocompsa, +fuscus, Acridotheres, +----, Aethiopsar, +----, Artamus, + +galbula, Oriolus, +Gampsorhynchus rufulus, +ganeesa, Hypsipetes, +garrula, Curruca, +Garrulax albigularis, +---- belangeri, +---- cinereifrons, +---- leucolophus, +---- moniliger, +---- ocellatus, +---- pectoralis, +---- ruficollis, +Grarrulus bispecularis, +---- glandarius, +---- lanceolatus, +---- leucotis, +Gecinus nigrigenys, +ginginianus, Acridotheres, +glandarius, Grarrulus, +Glareola lactea, +gracilis, Burnesia, +----, Franklinia, +----, Lioptila, +----, Malacias, +----, Prinia, +----, Sibia, +Graculipica, nigricollis, +Graculus eremita, +Graminicola bengalensis, +Grammatoptila striata, +Graucalus macii, +griseus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +gularis, Mixornis, +----, Paradoxornis, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Yuhina, + +haemorrhous, Molpastes, +----, Pycnonotus, +haplonotus, Machlolophus, +hardwickii, Lanius, +Hemipteron nepalensis, +Hemipus capitalis, +---- picaecolor, +---- picatus, +hemispila, Nucifraga, +Hemixus macclellandi, +Hierococcyx varius, +himalayana, Certhia, +himalayanus, Dicrurus, +himalayensis, Dendrocitta, +----, Fregilus, +----, Sitta, +Hirundo rustica, +hodgsoni, Certhia, +----, Prinia, +Horeites brunneifrons, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +Horornis fortipes, +---- fulviventer, +---- major, +---- pallidipes, +---- pallidus, +horsfieldi, Myiophoneus, +horsfieldii, Pomatorhinus, +hottentotta, Chibia, +humii, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Sturnus, +hyperythra, Dumetia, +Hypocolius ampelinus, +Hypolais rama, +Hypsipetes ganeesa, +---- macclellandi, +---- neilgherriensis, +---- psaroides, + +Ianthocincla ocellata, +---- rufigularis, +icterica, Iole, +ictericus, Criniger, +Iduna caligata, +igneitincta, Minla, +imbricatum, Trochalopterum, +impudicus, Corvus, +indica, Pratincola, +indicus, Caprimulgus, +----, Metopidius, +----, Passer, +inornata, Drymoeca, +----, Prinia, +inornatus, Drymoipus, +inquieta, Scotocerca, +insignis, Drymoeca, +insolens, Corvus, +intermedia, Buchanga, +----, Eulabes, +intermedius, Corvus, +----, Molpastes, +Iole icterica, +Iora tiphia, +---- zeylonica, +Irena puella, +Ixops nepalensis, +Ixulus flavicollis, +---- occipitalis, +Ixus blanfordi, +---- brunneus, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- luteolus, +---- plumosus, + +jacobinus, Coccystes, +japonensis, Corvus, +javanensis, Eulabes, +javanica, Sterna, +jerdoni, Chloropsis, +----, Cryptolopha, +----, Drymoeca, +----, Machlolophus, +----, Phyllornis, +----, Prinia, +jocosa, Otocompsa, + +khasiana, Suya, +kundoo, Oriolus, + +lactea, Glareola, +lahtora, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +Lalage terat, +lanceolatus, Garrulus, +Lanius caniceps, +---- cristatus, +---- erythronotus, +---- excubitor, +---- hardwickii, +---- lahtora, +---- nigriceps, +---- tephronotus, +---- vittatus, +Larvivora brunnea, +---- cyana, +Laticilla burnesi, +Lawrencii, Corvus, +Layardia rufescens, +---- subrufa, +Leiothrix argentauris, +---- callipyga, +lepida, Burnesia, +----, Prinia, +leucocephalus, Tantalus, +Leucocerca albifrontata, +leucogaster, Artamus, +leucogastra, Dendrocitta, +leucogenys, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +leucolophus, Grarrulax, +leucopsis, Sitta, +leucopterus, Platysmurus, +leucopygialis, Buchanga, +----, Dicrurus, +leucorhynchus, Artamus, +leucorodia, Platalea, +leucotis, Acanthoptila, +----, Garrulus, +----, Molpastes, +----, Otocompsa, +levaillantii, Corvus, +lineatum, Trochalopterum, +Lioparus chrysaeus, +Lioptila capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- melanoleuca, +Liothrix lutea, +littoralis, Corvus, +locustelloides, Chaetornis, +longicauda, Orthotomus, +longicaudata, Buchanga, +longicaudatus, Dicrurus, +----, Drymoipus, +longirostris, Upupa, +Lophophanes melanolophus, +---- rufinuchalis, +lophorhinus, Dissemuroides, +----, Dissemurulus, +lutea, Liothrix, +luteiventris, Tribura, +luteolus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +luteus, Liothrix, + +macclellandi, Hemixus, +----, Hypsipetes, +macgrigoriae, Niltava, +Machlolophus haplonotus, +---- jerdoni, +---- spilonotus, +---- xanthogenys, +macii, Graucalus, +macrocercus, Dicrurus, +macrorhynchus, Corvus, +magnirostris, Urocissa, +major. Horeites, +----, Horornis, +----, Parus, +malabarica, Sturnia, +malabaricus, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +----, Temenuchus, +Malacias gracilis, +---- melanoleucus, +Malacocercus canorus, +---- griseus, +---- malabaricus, +---- malcolmi, +---- somervillei, +---- striatus, +Malacocercus terricolor, +malcolmi, Argya, +----, Malacocercus +mandellii, Pellorneum, +Megalaema caniceps, +Megalaima viridis, +Megalurus palustris, +melanicterus, Pycnonotus, +----, Rubigula, +melanocephalus, Oriolus, +melanoleuca, Lioptila, +melanoleucus, Coccystes, +----, Malacias, +melanolophus, Lophophanes, +melanops, Stoparola, +melanoschista, Campophaga, +melanosternus, Acridotheres, +melanotis, Allotrius, +----, Pteruthius, +melanurus, Pomatorhinus, +melaschistos, Volvocivora, +Merula castanea, +---- simillima, +---- vulgaris, +Mesia argentauris, +Metopidius indicus, +Micronisus badius, +Minla castaneiceps, +---- igneitincta, +minor, Sturnus, +minus, Trichastoma, +Mirafra erythroptera, +Mixornis gularis, +---- rubricapillus, +modularis, Accentor, +Molpastes atricapillus, +---- bengalensis, +---- burmanicus, +---- haemorrhous, +---- intermedius, +---- leucogenys, +Molpastes lencotis, +---- pusillus, +---- pygmaeus, +monedula, Colaeus, +----, Corvus, +moniliger, Grarrulax, +monticola, Parus, +Muscicapula superciliaris, +musicus, Turdus, +Myiophoneus eugenii, +---- horsfieldi, +---- temmincki, +Myzornis pyrrhura, + +nasalis, Pyctorhis, +neglecta, Anorthura, +----, Sitta, +----, Troglodytes, +neglectus, Drymoipus, +neilgherriensis, Hypsipetes, +nemoricola, Sturnia, +Neornis assimilis, +---- flavolivaceus, +nepalensis, Acanthoptila, +----, Alcippe, +----, Drymochares, +----, Ixops, +newarensis, Bulaca, +nigrescens, Dicrurus, +nigricapitatus, Drymocataphus, +nigriceps, Collyrio, +----, Lanius, +----, Stachyrhis, +nigrifrons, Alcippe, +----, Rhopocichla, +nigrigenys, Gecinus, +nigrimentum, Trochalopterum, +----, Yuhina, +nigrorufa, Ochromela, +Niltava macgrigoriae, +nipalensis, Actinodura. +----, Brachypteryx, +----, Hemipteron, +nipalensis, Pellorneum, +----, Troglodytes, +nitens, Sturnus, +Nucifraga hemispila, + +occipitalis, Acanthopneuste, +----, Ixulus, +----, Reguloides, +----, Urocissa, +ocellata, Ianthocincla, +ocellatus, Garrulax, +ochrocephalus, Trachycomus, +Ochromela nigrorufa, +Oedicnemus crepitans, +oenobarbus, Allotrius, +Oligura castaneicoronata, +olivaceus, Pomatorhinus, +orientalis, Eudynamys, +Oriolus ceylonensis, +---- galbula, +---- kundoo, +---- melanocephalus, +---- traillii, +ornata, Cissa, +Orthotomus atrigularis, +---- coronatus, +---- longicauda, +---- sutorius, +Otocompsa analis, +---- emeria, +---- flaviventris, +---- fuscicaudata, +---- jocosa, +---- leucogenys, +---- leucotis, + +pagodarum, Temenuchus, +pallidipes, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +pallidus, Horeites, +----, Horornis, +palliseri, Brachypteryx, +----, Elaphrornis, +palmarum, Cypselus, +palpebrosus, Zosterops, +palustris, Megalurus, +----, Parus, +paradiseus, Dissemurus, +paradisi, Terpsiphone, +Paradoxornis gularis, +---- ruficeps, +Parus atriceps, +---- caeruleus, +---- caesius, +---- cinereus, +---- cristatus, +---- major, +---- monticola, +---- palustris, +Passer cinnamomeus, +---- flavicollis, +---- indicus, +Pastor roseus, +pectoralis, Garrulax, +Pellorneum fuscicapillum, +---- mandellii, +---- nipalensis, +---- ruficeps, +---- subochraceum, +pellotis, Acanthoptila, +pelvicus, Tephrodornis, +peregrinus, Pericrocotus, +Pericrocotus brevirostris, +---- erythropygius, +---- flammeus, +---- peregrinus, +---- roseus, +---- speciosus, +phaeocephala, Alcippe, +phayrii, Alcippe, +phoeniceum, Trochalopterum, +Phyllergates coronatus, +Phyllopneuste rama, +Phyllornis jerdoni, +Phylloscopus fuscatus, +---- humii, +---- proregulus, +---- rufa, +---- sibilatrix, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- trochilus, +---- tytleri, +---- viridanus, +---- viridipennis, +Pica bactriana, +---- rustica, +picaecolor, Hemipus, +picaoides, Sibia, +picatus, Hemipus, +pileata, Timelia, +Platalea leucorodia, +Platysmurus leucopterus, +platyura, Schoenicola, +Ploccus baya, +plumosus, Ixus, +----, Pycnonotus, +Pnoepyga albiventris, +---- caudata, +---- pusilla, +---- squamata, +poiocephala, Alcippe, +poliogenys, Abrornis, +----, Cryptolopha, +Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, +---- ferrugilatus, +---- ferruginosus, +---- horsfieldii, +---- melanurus, +---- olivaceus, +---- ruficollis, +---- schisticeps, +pondicerianus, Tephrodornis, +porphyronotus, Sturnus, +praecognita, Stachyris, +Pratincola bicolor, +---- ferrea, +---- indica, +Prinia beavani, +---- blanfordi, +---- cinereocapilla, +---- cursitans, +---- flaviventris, +---- gracilis, +---- hodgsoni, +---- inornata, +---- jerdoni, +---- lepida, +---- socialis, +---- sonitans, +---- stewarti, +---- sylvatica, +Proparus dubius, +---- chrysaeus, +---- chrysotis, +---- vinipectus, +proregulus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +Psaroglossa spiloptera, +psaroides, Hypsipetes, +pseudo-corone, Corvus, +Pteruthius erythropterus, +---- melanotis, +ptilogenys, Eulabes, +puella, Irena, +pusilla, Pnoepyga, +pusillus, Molpastes, +Pycnonotus analis, +---- blanfordi, +---- davisoni, +---- finlaysoni, +---- flaviventris, +---- haemorrhous, +---- luteolus, +---- melanicterus, +---- plumosus, +---- pygaeus, +---- simplex, +Pyctorhis nasalis, +---- sinensis, +pygaeus, Pycnonotus, +pygmaeus, Molpastes, +pyrrhops, Stachyris, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +pyrrhura, Myzornis, +---- rama, Hypolais, +----, Phyllopneuste, + +recurvirostris, Esacus, +Reguloides chloronotus, +---- humii, +---- occipitalis, +---- proregulus, +---- subviridis, +---- superciliosus, +---- viridipennis, +Regulus cristatus, +religiosa, Eulabes, +remifer, Bhringa, +Rhipidura albifrontata, +Rhopocichla, atriceps, +---- bourdilloni, +---- nigrifrons, +Rhynchops albicollis, +rosea, Acredula, +roseus, Pastor, +----, Pericrocotus, +Rubigula flaviventris, +---- melanicterus, +rubricapillus, Mixornis, +rufa, Dendrocitta, +----, Phylloscopus, +rufescens, Crateropus, +----, Franklinia, +----, Layardia, +ruficeps, Paradoxornis, +----, Pellorneum, +----, Scaeorhynchus, +----, Stachyrhidopsis, +----, Stachyris, +ruficollis, Grarrulax, +----, Dryonastes, +----, Pomatorhinus, +rufigularis, Ianthocincla, +rufinuchalis, Lophophanes, +rufiventris, Brachypteryx, +----, Callene, +rufogulare, Trochalopteron, +rufulus, Gampsorhynchus, +rustica, Hirundo, +----, Pica, +Ruticilla tithys, + +Salicaria arundinacea, +Salpornis spilonota, +Saroglossa spiloptera, +saularis, Copsychus, +Scaeorhynchus gularis, +---- ruficeps, +schisticeps, Abrornis, +----, Pomatorhinus, +schoenicola, Cisticola, +Schoenicola platyura, +Schoeniparus dubius, +Scotocerca inquieta, +Seena aurantia, +Sibia capistrata, +---- gracilis, +---- picaoides, +sibilatrix, Phylloscopus, +simile, Trochalopterum, +simillima, Merula, +simplex, Pycnonotus, +sinensis, Cissa, +----, Dendrocitta, +----, Pyctorhis, +----, Urocissa, +Sitta castaneiventris, +---- cinnamomeiventris, +---- europaea, +---- frontalis, +---- himalayensis, +---- leucopsis, +---- neglecta, +---- tephronota, +Sittiparus castaneiceps, +Siva cyanuroptera, +---- strigula, +socialis, Prinia, +somervillei, Malacocercus, +somervillii, Crateropus, +sonitans, Prinia, +speciosa, Cissa, +speciosa, Pericrocotus, +spilonota, Salpornis, +spilonotus, Machlolophus, +spiloptera, Saroglossa, +----, Psaroglossa, +Spizixus canifrons, +splendens, Corvus, +squamata, Pnoepyga, +squamatum, Trochalopterum, +Stachyrhidopsis pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +Stachyrhis chrysaea, +---- nigriceps, +---- praecognita, +---- pyrrhops, +---- ruficeps, +stentorea, Calamodyta, +stentoreus, Acrocephalus, +Sterna javanica, +Sterparola curruca, +stewarti, Prinia, +Stoparola melanops, +striata, Grammatoptila, +striatus, Alcurus, +----, Chaetornis, +----, Crateropus, +----, Malacocercus, +strigula, Siva, +Sturnia blythii, +---- malabarica, +---- nemoricola, +Sturnopastor contra, +---- superciliaris, +Sturnus humii, +---- minor, +---- nitens, +---- porphyronotus, +---- unicolor, +---- vulgaris, +subochraceum, Pellorneum, +subrufa, Argya, +----, Layardia, +subunicolor, Trochalopterum, +subviridis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +superciliaris, Abrornis, +----, Muscicapula, +----, Sturnopastor, +----, Xiphorhamphus, +superciliosus, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +sutorius, Orthotomus, +Suya atrigularis, +---- crinigera, +---- fuliginosa, +---- khasiana, +sykesi, Campophaga, +sykesii, Volvocivora, +sylvatica, Prinia, +sylvaticus, Drymoipus, +Sylvia affinis, +---- curruca, +sylvicola, Tephrodornis, + +Tantalus leucocephalus, +tectirostris, Bhringa, +Temenuchus blythii, +---- malabaricus, +---- pagodarum, +temmincki, Myiophoneus, +Tephrodornis pelvicus, +---- pondicerianus, +---- sylvicola, +tephronota, Sitta, +tephronotus, Lanius, +terat, Campophaga, +----, Lalage, +Terpsiphone paradisi, +terricolor, Crateropus, +----, Drymoipus, +----, Malacocercus, +Tesia castaneo-coronata, +---- cyaniventris, +Thamnobia cambaiensis, +thibetanus, Corvus, +thoracica, Tribura, +tickelli, Drymocataphus, +Timelia pileata, +tiphia, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +tithys, Ruticilla, +Trachycomus ochrocephalus, +traillii, Oriolus, +Tribura affinis, +---- brunneipectus, +---- luteiventris, +---- thoracica, +Trichastoma abbotti, +---- minus, +tristis, Acridotheres, +Trochalopterum cachinnans, +---- chrysopterum, +---- erythrocephalum, +---- fairbanki, +---- imbricatum, +---- lineatum, +---- nigrimentum, +---- phoeniceum, +---- rufogulare, +---- simile, +---- squamatum, +---- subunicolor, +---- variegatum, +trochilus, Phylloscopus, +Troglodytes neglecta, +---- nipalensis, +Turdinus abbotti, +Turdus musicus, +tytleri, Phylloscopus, + +unicolor, Sturnus, +Upupa longirostris, +Urocichla caudata, +Urocissa flavirostris, +---- magnirostris, +---- occipitalis, +---- sinensis, + +valida, Drymoeca, +varians, Crypsirhina, +variegatum, Trochalopterum, +varius, Hierococcyx, +vinipectus, Proparus, +viridanus, Phylloscopus, +viridipennis, Phylloscopus, +----, Reguloides, +viridis, Megalaima, +vittatus, Lanius, +volitans, Cisticola, +Volvocivora melaschistos, +---- sykesii, +vulgaris, Merula, +----, Sturnus, + +xanthogenys, Machlolophus, +xanthoschista, Cryptolopha, +xanthoschistos, Abrornis, +Xiphorhamphus superciliaris, + +Yuhina gularis, +---- nigrimentum, + +zeylonica, Aegithina, +----, Iora, +Zosterops ceylonensis, +---- palpebrosus, + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NESTS AND EGGS OF INDIAN BIRDS, +VOLUME 1*** + + +******* This file should be named 13117.txt or 13117.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/1/13117 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without 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