LAXIUS. 319 



birds lay iu the Himalayas, which they ascend to elevations of 

 6000 feet ; and the latter half l)eing that in which we find most 

 eggs in the plains ; but in both hills and plains some eggs may be 

 found throughout the whole ])eriod above indicated. 



The nests of this species are almost invariably placed on forks of 

 trees or of their branches at no great height from the ground ; 

 indeed, of all the many nests that I have myself taken, I do not 

 think that one was above 15 feet from the ground. By preference 

 they build, I think, in thorny trees, the various species of acacia, 

 so common throughout the plains of India, being apparently their 

 favourite nesting-haunts, but 1 have found them breeding on toon 

 (Oedrela toona) and other trees. Internally the nest is always a 

 deep cup, from 3 to3| inches in diameter, and from 1| to 2^ deep. 

 The cavity is always circular and regular, and lined with fine 

 grass. Externally the nests vary greatly ; they are always massive, 

 but some are compa(.'t and of moderate dimensions externally, say 

 not exceeding 5| inches in diameter, while others are loose and 

 stragghng, with a diameter of fully 8 inches. Grass-stems, fine 

 twigs, cotton-wool, old rags, dead leaves, pieces of snake's skin, 

 and all kiuds of odds and ends are incorporated in the structure, 

 which is generally more or less strongly bound together by fine 

 tow-like vegetable fibre. Some nests indeed are so closely put 

 together that they might almost be rolled about without injury, 

 while others again are so loose that it is scarcely possible to move 

 them from the fork in vA'hich they are wedged VA'ithout pulling them 

 to pieces. 



I have innumerable notes about the nests of this Shrike, of 

 which 1 reproduce two or three. 



" Etawah, March 18th. — The nest was on a babool tree, some 

 10 feet from the ground, on one of the outside branches ; an 

 exterior framework of very thorny babool twigs, and within a very 

 warm deep circular nest made almost entirely of sun (Crofalari'a 

 juncea) fibre, a sort of fine tow, and flocks of cotton-wool, there 

 being fully as much of this latter as of the former ; a few fine 

 grass-stems are interwoven ; there are a few human and a few 

 sheep's wool hairs at the bottom as a sort of lining. The cavitv of 

 the nest is about 3 inches in diameter by 2 deep, and the side walls 

 and bottom are from 1| to 2 inches thick." 



" Bareilhj, May 27th, 1867.— Found a nest containing two fresh 

 eggs. The nest was in a small mango tree, rather massive, nearly 

 2 inches in thickness at the sides and 3 inches thick at the bottom. 

 It was rather stoutly and closely put together, though externally 

 very ragged. The interior neatly made of fine grass-stems, the 

 exterior of coarser grass-stems and roots, with a quantity of cotton- 

 wool, rags, tow string and thread intermingled. The" cavity was 

 oval, about 3| by 3 inches and 2 inches deep." 



" A(jra, August 21st. — Mr. Munro sent in from Bitchpoorie a 

 beautiful nest which he took from the fork of a mango tree about 

 40 feet from the ground, a very compact and massive cup-shaped 

 nest, not very deep." 



