NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 245 



It is very irregular in its breeding habits (but this trait seems 

 common to the genus) ; nests have been taken from April to October 

 and occasionally earlier. Both eggs and nests are absolutely iden- 

 tical with those of the Bengal Babbler, Malacocercus terricolor. 



Mr. Davidson says : " I have taken nests in all the jungle parts of 

 Khandesh (Satpooras and Ghats) in all jungle parts of Nassick, 

 and in Kanara." 



435.— THE RUFOUS-TAILED BABBLER. 



Malacocercus somervittei, Sykes. 



The Rufous-tailed Babbler is much more extensively distributed 

 than is usually thought ; Mr. Hume says it is confined to a narrow- 

 strip of country, sixty miles north and south of Bombay, but it 

 occurs very much further south than this, and is the common 

 Babbler of the Ratnagiri district. 



They breed from June to August, much in the same way as the 

 other Babblers. The eggs, three or four in number, are uniform 

 deep greenish-blue, and in size and shape resemble those of th,e 

 Bengal Babbler. 

 Dadur 8f Sion, near Bombay, June Sf July. H. E. Barnes. 



436.— THE LARGE GREY BABBLER. 



Argya malcolmU Syhcs. 



The Large Grey Babbler is common in the Deccan, fairly com- 

 mon in Rajputana and Guzerat, is very rare in Sind, and appears 

 to be altogether absent from Ratnagiri and the more southern 

 portions of Western India. 



They breed more or less the whole year through, but May to July 

 is the season when most nests will be found. The nest, which is a 

 loose cup-shaped structure, composed of fine twigs and grass roots, 

 is generally placed in a fork in a small tree, a babool by preference, 

 at no very great height from the ground. The eggs, three or four 

 in number, are not distinguishable from those of the Bengal Babbler ; 

 nests are often found in the trees that border the sides of the roads. 



436.— THE RUFOUS BABBLER. 



Layardia subrufa, Jerd. 

 This is another bird concerning the breeding of which little or 

 nothing seems to be known. Mr. Davidson found it to be a per- 

 manent resident in the Kanara forests, not at all common and very 

 local, He has never seen its nest. 



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