NESTING IN WESTERN INDIA. 241 



some taken by Mr. ~W. Davison are described as being of a beautiful 

 reddish-pink, blotched and streaked with reddish carmine. 



390.—THE BLACK-HEADED QUAKEE THRUSH. 



Alcippe atriceps, Jerd. 



Si This brisk little bird is very common in the jungles of Kanara 

 from the sea-level to the full height of the Ghats and also in the 

 jungles above, wherever there is any bamboo jungle. They go about 

 in small parties or pairs, and seem in a chronic state of building 

 nests. Indeed, I have watched the birds building frequently 

 during the hot weather and early rains. I do not think the nests 

 are for incubation as a rule, but that after the nesting season is 

 over, the family always roost in a nest. For some reason or another 

 they soon get tired of their nest, and six or seven are generally to 

 be found close to one another. They are large masses of bamboo 

 leaves with (in the cases of new ones) a hollow inside lined with 

 fine grass ; generally (but not always) opening from the top. 



Cl The only nest I have taken with eggs was in the middle of June 

 at Karwar, but an egg undoubtedly of this bird was brought me 

 in April from, the crest of the Ghats. The eggs are large for so 

 small a bird, and are of a pale pinkish-white colour, boldly spotted 

 at the larger end with deep brick- red. There were two fresh eggs 

 in the nest I found." 



397.— THE RUFOUS-BELLIED BABBLER. 



Diimetia hi/perytltra, Franld. 

 This little Bubbler has been recorded from the Konkan and Khan- 

 desh, and from the Yindhian Hills, near Mhow. Mr. Wenden 

 found them breeding at Tanna and at Khandalla during the rains ; 

 the nest is globular in shape, composed of coarse grass blades, 

 sparingly lined with fine grass. It is frequently placed on the 

 ground amongst coarse grass, or dead leaves, with which it is not 

 infrequently incorporated ; occasionally it is found in low scrub 

 bushes only a foot or so from the ground. 



The eggs, four in number, are broad oval in shape, white in 

 colour, spotted, speckled, streaked, and blotched with brownish-red 

 and reddish-purple ; the markings are sometimes clearly defined, 

 at others they are smudgy, in others again they are speckly. They 

 measure 0*67 inches in length by about 0*53 in breadth. 



The birds are very commen at Saugor, breeding during July and 

 August. 



