NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 



Under tlio oaves of bouses, tombs, &c, several nests together, 

 with perhaps a few detached ones. 



In the doorways and under roofs of stables and other outhouses, 

 or between closely-set rafters. 



Under the roofs of eaves they occur in clusters; often containing" 

 fifty or more nests, with isolated ones, or small clumps of two or 

 three in close proximity to the central mass. 



Their nests, which take a long time to construct, are composed of 

 agglutinated saliva, mixed with a few feathers and straws; they are 

 of no particular shape, but if in a hole or other confined place, it 

 necessarily takes its shape ; they are at times long and narrow, 

 occasionally almost round, but generally they are of an irregular 

 oblong shape. 



The entrance is a portion of the upper part of the nest left 

 unfinished. 



The eggs, three in number, are long narrow ovals, measuring 078 

 inches in length by 057 in breadth. They are pure glossless white, 

 with a pinkish tinge when fresh and unblown. 



As previously noted they often appropriate nests of the Cliff 

 Swallows. 



102.— THE PALM SWIFT. 



Cypsellus battassiensis, J. E. Gr. 



The Palm Swift, is most abundant in those districts in which the 

 toddy palm abounds, but where these trees are absent, the Palm 

 Swifts arc absent also. 



They breed twice a year, from March to July; the nest is 

 almost always placed in a furrow formed by a plait, in the under-surface 

 of a bent palm leaf towards the centre. It is a tiny watch pocket in 

 shape, composed of vegetable down, often mixed with feathers 

 (parrots' aud doves' especially), and is cemented to the leaf by 

 agglutinated saliva; the nest itself is soft, but the upper edge is haid 

 and cordlike. The eggs, three in number, are perfect miniatures of 

 those of the Common Swift, measuring 07 inches in length by about 

 0*46 in breadth. 



Bombay, May. II. E. Barnes. 



103.— THE EDIBLE NEST SWIFTLET. 

 Collocalia unicolor, Jerd, 

 The Edible Nest Swiftlet occurs on the Malabar Coast, breeding 

 during the months of March and April. The nests, composed of 



