MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 519 



reef islands, but only l\ feet in diameter ! On the 21st of August all the seven 

 eggs were hatched out, the shells being opened in the neatest manner possible 

 by a line pecked evenly all round the upper part of the egg and about '37 of an 

 inch from the crown. I removed all the seven eggs, and also found their tops 

 which I have fixed on to the body, and guage the total average length to be 1'08 

 and diameter '82. 



They are of a dull-yellowish colour with brown or light-brownish speckles, 

 and have a hard and comparatively thick but smooth shell substance. The 

 seven little birds stayed in the mud nest which had been cunningly chosen, for 

 one noticed when looking closely, the young and prickly shoots of a wild thorn 

 bush springing up amongst the grass ! The young birds did not stay long in the 

 nest, but after the first day scattered over the island, and when the floods sub- 

 sided and the mother called with a " chip " " chip," off they went to the back 

 lawn the grass of which had not been cut ! Some were caught and these freely 

 pecked up white ants when attracted to them by scratching the ground ! They 

 constantly ''chip" " chiped " standing in an erect position, and evidently 

 waiting to hear the "chip" '"chip" reply of their mother ! The mother 

 remaining in the long grass I had them all put back. 



R. H, HEATH. 

 Sirsa, Punjab, 13th September 1903. 



No. V— THE NESTING OF (474) LANIUS COLLURIOIDES (THE 



BURMESE SHRIKE) AND (512) ARTAMUS FUSCUS (THE ASHY 



SWALLOW SHRIKE) IN UPPER BURMA. 



As either of the above birds is recorded as breeding in Burma (proper) it 

 may be interesting to note the following : — 



The Burmese Shrike. — In April 1903 out shooting, I found two nests of this 

 bird, and saw many birds about, but had not the time to look for their nests. 

 I found these nests in scrub jungle in the Pyawbwe District, Upper Burma. 

 Nest and eggs the same as those found in the S. Shan States. 



The Ashy Swallow Shrike. — This bird breeds plentifully in the dry jungle 

 common in the Pyawbwe District. When out shooting in May last, I found 

 many of their nests ; most of them were inaccessible as they were built on dead 

 trees. Some of the nests were placed in the small branches well above the thick 

 ones, and were saucer-shaped and easily seen from below ; otherwise they were 

 exactly as described in Hume's "Nests and Eggs," i.e., on broken branches and in 

 holes. 



H. H. HARINGTON, Captain. 

 Monywa, 16$ September 1903. 



No. VI.— THE NESTING OF (117) POMATORHINUS NUCHALIS 

 (THE TWEEDDALE SCIMITAR BABBLER). 



On the 6th May 1902 at Loilem, S. Shan States, I found a Scimitar Babbler's 

 nest containing three eggs. The bird unfortunately escaped, and deserted the 



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