238 Mr. A. Anderson on the Nidificatiun of Indian Birds. 



changed its course, but the favourite haunts of the Thao War- 

 blers had been washed away by the late unprecedented heavy 

 rains. This added to the distance I had to travel before pro- 

 ductive hunting-ground could be reached, which, with the delay 

 in crossing the river &c., left me only two hours for actual col- 

 lecting, notwithstanding I frequently got up at 2 a.m. 



Under these circumstances any great success was hardly to be 

 expected ; and the acquisition of two nests has been the sole 

 result of my exertions. But these, I pride myself, are unique, so 

 far as Indian-taken specimens are concerned ; another week and 

 it would have been again too late. The first nest was taken on 

 the 13th of March last, and contained three well-incubated eggs ; 

 of these I saved only one specimen, which is now in the collection 

 of Mr. Brooks. The second was found on the following day, 

 and contained two callow young and one perfectly fresh egg. 

 In both cases one of the pai'ent birds was shot off the nest, so 

 that the eggs have been thoroughly identified. 



In its actions, habits, and nest-architecture B. lepida resembles 

 the true Drymcec<2. The nest is domed over, having an entrance 

 at the side ; and the cavity is comfortably lined, or rather felted, 

 with the down of the madar plant. It is fixed somewhat after 

 the fashion of that of the Heed- Warbler, in the centre of a dense 

 clump of surput grass, about two feet above the ground. On 

 the whole, the structure is rather large for so small a bird, and 

 measures six inches in height by four in breadth. 



But while the nest corresponds exactly with Canon Tristram's 

 description* of those taken by him in Palestine, there are differ- 

 ences, oologically speaking, which induce me to hope that our 

 Indian bird may yet be restored to specific distinction. In the 

 first place, my single eggs from each nest have a green ground- 

 colour, and are covered all over with reddish-brown spots. Now 

 Mr. Tristram describes his Palestine specimens as " richly 

 coloured jt7m^ eggs, with a zone of darker red near the larger end, 

 and in shape and colour resembling some of the 7-*rmm-group." 

 Is it possible for the same bird to lay such widely different eggs ? 

 If I had taken only one specimen, it might have been looked upon 



* Tristram, ou the Ornithology of Palostino, P. Z. S. 18G4, p. 437; 

 Ibis, 18G5, pp. 82, 83. 



