BIRDS NESTING IN THE MURREE HILLS. 425 



bird off nest. The bird was a typical humii. Nest on the ground near 

 root of a tree and made almost entirely of fine grasses domed over ; 

 very neatly lined with very fine grass. No feathers. 



422. Acanthopneuste viridanus. — The Greenish Willow- Warb- 

 ler. 



Very rare. It is possible the bird is otten overlooked owing to its 

 general likeness to others of the genus. I found one nest on 1st July 

 190-4, shooting the hen bird off nest myself. The nest was marked down 

 by one of my collectors, so I went with him and took eggs and shot the 

 bird. The eggs looked small for a magnirostris, but when I examined 

 the bird I saw I had got a prize. The nest was under the roots of a tree 

 in a cutting, the earth had been washed away leaving a tangle of roots. 

 Nest a mass of moss forming a cup with a neat lining of fine grasses. 

 Eggs 4, slightly incubated and pure white ; size about the same as 

 Acanthopneuste occipitalis. 



424. Acanthopneuste magnirostris. — The Large-billed Willow- 

 Warbler. 



Fairly common. This bird was first discovered breeding near 

 Changlagali by Major K. Buchanan. I maJe a great search with 3 

 collectors, and between us obtained about 5 nests during the end of June 

 and first half of July. The nests are very difficult to find and all of 

 one type and in similar situations as the last species ; all were in a tangle 

 of roots on sides of roads where the earth had been washed away. 

 Nest of moss more or less domed and lined with grasses, but no inner 

 lining of very fine grass. Eggs pure white. I noticed one peculiarity 

 about this bird : generally one egg was laid with a break of a day before 

 the second was laid, then two and sometimes four days passed without a 

 third egg, then 2 more on successive days. I found up to 5 eggs in a 

 nest, but I think 4 the usual number, 



428. Acanthopneuste occipitalis. — The Large-crowned Willow- 

 Warbler. 



Very common, especially round Murree. Nests in almost any 

 situation. I found them in holes in trees, in banks, in stone walls, under 

 eaves in houses, and under a large stone in a deep ravine. Nest hole 

 almost always lined below and sides, leaving a small hole towards top. 

 I have found 5 eggs of Cuculas saturatus and 3 of Cticuh/s poliocepJialus, 

 in these birds' nests. On two occasions the nest was the full depth of 

 my arm inside tree stumps. 



