46 NATURAL HISTORY. 



in the centre oi' a thorny bush or small tree, and is composed of 

 various materials, such as thorny twigs, coarse grass, pieces of rag, 

 &c, which form the body of the nest, while the interior is lined with 

 fine grass, hair, and the like. The eggs, usually four in number, are 

 broad oval in shape, pointed at one end, and are greenish-white 

 in colour, with brown and purple markings ; sometimes these are ill 

 defined, but occasionally they stand out clear and distinct, and not 

 seldom form an irregular zone at the larger end. They measure 

 1'05 inches in length by about 0"8 in breadth. 



257. — Lanius erythronoius : Vig, 



The Rufous-backed Shrike breeds from June to August. The nest 

 is similar to that of L. Lahtora, but is perhaps, as a rule, more com- 

 pactly built. The eggs, too, are similar in all respects except size, 

 measuring 0*92 inch in length by rather more than 0*7 in breadth. 



2G0. — Lanius vittatus: Valenc. 



The Bay-backed Shrike breeds from March to July. The nest, 

 placed in a fork of a small babool tree, is deep cup-shaped, neatly 

 and compactly built, and is composed of fine twigs, grass roots, &c, 

 lined with feathers and fine grass. The eggs, four in number, are 

 broad ovals in shape, and are of a pale greyish or greenish-white 

 colour, with an ill-defined zone of brownish and purplish spots at the 

 larger end with a few spots of the same colour scattered over the 

 remaining surface. They measure 0*83 inch in length by about 

 U'G5 in breadth. 



276. — Pericrocotus peregrinus: Lin. 



The Small Minivet breeds during July and August. The nest 

 is small, neatly and compactly built, of a deepish cup-shape, and 

 is generally located in a fork of a branch of a tree at some height 

 from the ground. It is composed of fine twigs bound together with 

 cobwebs, and so closely resembles the bark of the tree, that it looks 

 like a mere knot or excrescence ; there is very little lining. The 

 eggs, three in number, are rather broadish ovals, of a pale greenish- 

 white colour, speckled, spotted and blotched with bright brownish-red. 

 They measure 0"6G inch in length by about 053 in breadth. 



278. — Buchanga atra: Herm. 



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. The 



nests are built in forks at the extremities of branches, generally at 



