ALCIPPE. 107 



of the forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-iunt^le, I 

 have also found the nest at Xeddivattam in April. ^ 



" In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputtv, S. T^^'naad, 

 about 2800 feet above the sea, bmlt at the end of a branch'4 feet 

 rrom the ground.'' 



Mr. T. F. BourdUion ^vrites from Travancore:— ''This bird breeds 

 commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that 

 of any other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, 

 and grass. It is usuaUy placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the 

 middle of jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by l|-2 in 

 depth. The fuU number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on 

 "April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. 

 "Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. 

 "Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. 



" Aprd 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and manv nests just vacated."' 

 As m the case of Pyctorhis sinensis, the eggs "differ much in colour 

 and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by I^Iiss 

 Lockburn from Ivotagherry are moderatelv broad ovals, very obtuse 

 at the larger end and somewhat compressed towards the'smaller. 

 Ihe shell IS fine and somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white 

 or pinkish white, and they are thickly mottled and freckled, most 

 thickly at the larger end, where the markings form a more or less 

 confluent mottled cap, with two shades of pinkish-, and in some 

 spots slightly brownish, red, and towards the large end, where the 

 markings are dense, traces of pale purple clouds uuderlvino- the 

 primary markings are observable. In general appearaiice Ihese 

 eggs not a little resemble those of some of the Bulbuls, and it seems 

 difticult to believe that they are eggs of birds of the same genus as 

 Alcip2^e atriccps^, the eggs of which are so much smaller and of 

 such a totally different type. Two eggs of the same species taken 

 by Mr Davison are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed 

 towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy shell The 

 ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pi^ttv large and 

 conspicuous spots and hairlines of deep brownish red, almost^black 

 and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and clouds, gene- 

 rally lying round or about the dark spots ; and then towards the 

 large end there are several small clouds and patches of faint inky 

 purple, which appear to underlie the other markincrs. The cha- 

 racter of the markings on some of these eggs reminds" one strongly 

 of those ot the Chattineh. Other eggs taken later by Mi^s Cock- 

 burn ar Kotagherry on the 21st Januarv are just intermediate be- 

 tween the two types above described. 



All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only varv in 

 length from 075 to 0-86, and in breadth from 0-58 to 0-65. " 



* .f^'We a^/v>e/« and Aleippc p]i<socephaJa, as they have hitherto been styled 

 by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the least congeneric, as T hare pointed 

 oiit m my 'Birds of India.' I am glad to see my views corroborated by Mr 

 Hume s remarks on the eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should 

 be considered congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. 

 Iheir structure differs much. — Ed. 



