96 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



290.— THE BLACK-NAPED BLUE FLYCATCHER. 



Hypothi/mus azurea, Bodd. 



The Black-naped Blue Flycatcher occurs more or less commonly 

 all along the Ghats, descending at times to the adjacent forest tracts ; 

 it is very common at Khandalla, where it is a permanent resident, 

 breeding during June and July, The nest is usually placed in a 

 small fork on the outside of a tree, at a moderate height from the 

 ground; it is a deep massive cup, composed of grass stems, roots and 

 moss, compactly woven together, and lined with fine grass. It is 

 coated on the outside with cobwebs, with which small pieces of 

 lichens, dead leaves, and cocoons are incorporated. Mr. Davidson, 

 C.S., who found several nests in July on the Ghats in Khandesh, thus 

 describes the nest : — " It is a very beautiful structure, a deep cup, 

 generally attached to the side of a single hanging twig. Its sides 

 are beautifully ornamented with the white nest of some spider, the 

 pattern being so regular in some cases as to resemble lacework."* 



The eggs, four in number, are oval in shape, measuring 0*68 inches 

 in length by about 0-53 in breadth. The ground colour varies from 

 white to buffy or salmon-pink, and they are speckled and spotted 

 with red and reddish-pink, with an occasional spot of pale-purple. 

 They are very variable both in size and colour. 



Khandesh, June, July and August. J. Davidson, C. S. 



Khandalla, June. S. E. Barnes. 



292.— THE WHITE-BROWED FANTAIL FLYCATCHER. 



Leucocerca aureola, Vieill. 



The White-browed Fantail is common throughout the region, 

 excepting Ratnagiri and the more hilly and wooded tracts, where it 

 is replaced by the next species. It is a permanent resident, and 

 breeds from February to August, but March and July are the 

 months in which most eggs are to be found. They have at least 

 two broods in the year, and, if undisturbed, use the same nest for the 

 second brood. The nest is usually placed on the upper surface of a 

 horizontal bough, and is difficult to find, as it appears to be a mere 

 excrescence on the branch, with which it assimilates in colour. In 

 shape it is a rather deep cup, about one and a quarter of an inch 



* The nest figured was taken by Mr. Davidson at Khandesh.— H. E. B. 



