56 Mr. W. E. Brooks on Birds observed 



termixed with the down of plants, and lined with finer grass. The 

 eggs were four in number, '583 in. by '458 in., white, speckled 

 sparingly with light red, but having also a broad zone or ring of 

 deeper reddish-brown very near the large end. This egg is one 

 of the most peculiar and beautiful I have seen. 



554. Phylloscopus tristis. This bird should, I think, be 

 P. rufus ; the description is exactly that of the English bird. I 

 have shot many specimens in the plains, and often heard the 

 song, which, as far as I remember, is exactly that of the Chiff- 

 chaff. I shot one specimen near Almorah, and saw others. 



560. Phylloscopus viridanus. I have ten or twelve speci- 

 mens, shot near Almorah, which may be of this species ; but Dr. 

 Jei'don's descriptions of the Phijlloscopmce are so brief that iden- 

 tification is difficult. I wish he had carefully pointed out the 

 distinguishing characters of these birds. 



562. Phylloscopus indicus. Frequently seen at Almorah. 



565. Reguloides superciliosus. Frequently seen on the 

 way up from Kaleedoongy to Nynee Tal, in April, but I never 

 met with the bird at Nynee Tal or at Almorah. It may breed 

 on the Himalayan slopes before reaching Nynee Tal, or it may 

 go much further north towards the snows. In the parts of 

 Kumaon where I was, there were no dense pine-forests ; and 

 whether this bird goes to such places for the purpose of breed- 

 ing, or not, remains to be decided. I was much disappointed in 

 seeing so little of this interesting bird when in the hills. I hope 

 some one else may be more fortunate, and discover the nest and 

 eggs. I shoot many in the plains in the cold season. 



572. Abrornis xanthoschistus. One of the commonest 

 birds wherever there are trees. I found one nest only at Al- 

 morah, on the 15th of May; it was placed on the ground near 

 the foot of a small bush on a sloping bank overgrown with grass 

 and bushes, and was a large ball-shaped structure, composed of 

 very coarse grass, moss, roots, and wool, lined with hair and wool. 

 There were four, pure white, glossy eggs in the nest, '583 in, by 

 •416 in., much pointed at the small end. I shot the bird off 

 the nest. Fully-grown young ones of this species were fre- 



