114 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1890. 



nests of the Striated Weaver-Bird were attached to the tops of trees 

 or rushes, on the banks of ponds or nullahs. 



697.— THE BLACK-HEADED MUNIA. 



Amadina malacca, Lin 



The Black-headed Munia, within our limits, seems confined to the 

 extreme south of the district. It is far from common in Ratnagiri, 

 and is not uncommon among the rice fields along the coast in 

 Kanara. About Belgaum it is a common seasonal visitant, breeding 

 abundantly, during the rains, in the sugar-cane fields and amongst 

 the reeds and rushes that fringe the border of the tanks and jheels, 

 and along the banks of the rivers and nullahs. 



The nests, composed of dry blades of grass, lined with finer grass, 

 are globular in shape, and considering the size of the birds, are very 

 large. 



The eggs, four to six in number, are of a pure, dead, glossless 

 white, and are elongated ovals in shape, much resembling those of 

 the Common Munia {Amadina malabarica) ; they measure 0-64 

 inches in length by about 047 in breadth. 



Kanara, August. J. Davidson. 



699.— THE SPOTTED MUNIA, 



Amadina punctulata, Lin. 



With the exception of Sind, the Spotted Munia is more or less 

 common throughout Western India, but is as a rule very locally 

 distributed. 



They are permanent residents wherever they occur, breeding 

 during the rains. The nest is very large, of a globular shape, and 

 is usually placed six or seven feet from the ground, in an acacia 

 or other thorny tree. The materials consists solely of broad blades 

 of grass or bamboo leaves, and it is well lined with fine grass. 



The eggs, from four to eight in number, occasionally more, are 

 dead white, measuring 0'65 inches in length by about 0'45 in breadth. 

 As is usually the case with pure white eggs, they have a delicate 

 tinge of rosy-pink when fresh and unblown. 



Khandeish, September a>id October. J. Davidson, C.S. 



