in JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



apparently three times a year, viz. March, June and September. I 

 have never seen a nest, but they are well described by Mr. Hume 

 in his "Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds." He says: — " The nest is 

 of an oval shape, very obtuse at both ends, measuring externally 

 four inches in length and about two and three-quarters in diameter. 

 The aperture, which is near the top of the nest, is oval, and measures 

 about an inch by one and a half inches. The nest is fixed against 

 the side of two or three leafy twigs, to which it is bound tightly in 

 one or two places with grass and vegetable fibres, and two or three 

 leafy lateral twigs are incorporated into the sides of the nest, so that 

 when fresh it must have been entirely hidden by leaves. 



" The nest was in an upright position, the major axis perpendicu- 

 lar to the horizon. It is a very thin, firm, close, basket-work of fine 

 grass, flower stalks, and vegetable fibres, and has no lining, though 

 the interior surface is more closely woven and of still finer materials 

 than the outside. The cavity is nearly two and one half inches in 

 diameter." This is a description of a nest presented to Mr. Hume by 

 Mr. J. C. Parker, who took it from the swampy banks of the canals 

 that intersect the salt water lake, Calcutta. The eggs, four in number, 

 are broad regular ovals, of a nearly uniform mahogany-red, measuring 

 # 56 inches in length by 0*45 in breadth. 



They are highly glossy. 



A nest taken by Mr. Doig was lined with horse hair and fine 

 grasses. 



Eastern Narra, Sind, March, June and September. S. B. Doig. 



534.— THE ASHY WREN WARBLER. 



Prima socia/is, Sykes. 



Typical specimens of the Ashy Wren Warblers (Prinia soda/is) 

 and Stewart's Wren Warbler {Prinia stewarti) differ only in size, 

 and many birds may with equal justice be assigned to either species. 

 I am personally of opinion that there is only one species. Captain 

 (now Colonel) Butler in his Birds of Guzerat, identified all his birds 

 as 80ciali8 ; the Deccan birds are also considered to be socialis. Mr. 

 Davidson considers the birds he found in Western Khandeish to be 

 stewarti (these birds were sent to Mr. Hume, and he also identified 

 them as stewarti)', in Neemuch an intermediate type prevails. 



