PlITLLOSCOPUS. 205 



a twig not far from the nest. I heard her call once more, aiul then 

 shot her. There were five eggs, which were slightly iucubated. 

 * * * * 



"My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the 

 ground. The third was similarly placed, and composed of coarse 

 grass and moss, and lined with black horsehair. In each of these 

 nests the number of eggs was five. 



" Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was 

 placed on the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin 

 bush. It was composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss, 

 and lined with finer grasses and a few hairs. The eggs were five 

 or six days incubated. 



" Another nest, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under 

 the inclined trunk of a small fir. Tlie same materials were used. 



" Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping 

 bank and quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to con- 

 ceal it. It was composed as before, with the addition of a few 

 feathers in the outer portion of the nest. 



" Another nest was at the roots of a fern growing on a very 

 steep bank. The new shoots of the fern grew up above the nest, 

 and last year's dead leaves overhung it and entirely concealed it. 



" Another w as placed on a sloping bank, immediately under the 

 trunk of a fallen and decayed pine. On account of the irregu- 

 larities in the ground, the trunk chd not touch the ground where 

 the nest was by about 2 feet. This was again an instance of con- 

 trivance for the nest's protection. It was composed of the same 

 materials as usual. 



" Another was among the branches of a shrub, right in the centre 

 of the bush and on the ground, which was sloping as usual. 



" Another nest, with four eggs, taken on 3rd June, was placed 

 in the steep bank of a small stream only 3 feet 6 inches above the 

 water. 



" The above examples will give a very fair idea of the situation 

 of the nest ; and it now remains only to describe the eggs, whicli 

 avei'age '56 long by "44 broad. The largest egg which was measured 

 was '62 long and "45 broad, and the smallest measured '52 long 

 and •43 broad. The ground-colour is always pure white, more or 

 less spotted \^ith brownish red, the spots being much more numerous 

 and frequently in the form of a rich zone or cap at the larger end. 

 Intermixed with the red spots nre sometimes a few purplish- 

 grey ones. Other eggs are marked with deep purple-brown spots, 

 like those of the Chiffchaff, and the spots are also intermingled 

 with purplish grey. Home eggs are boldly and richly marked, 

 while others are minutely spotted. The egg also varies in shape ; 

 but, as a general rule, they are rather short and round, resembling 

 in shape those of P. trochilus. In returning from Cashmere, on 

 the south face of the Pir-Pinjal Mountain and close to the footpath, 

 I found on the 15th June a nest of this bird with four young ones. 

 This nest was placed in an unusually steep bank. Half an hour 

 after finding the nest, and perhaps 1000 feet lower down the hill. 



