Nidificatiun of Indian Birds. 2'27 



being strongly interwoven and carefully put together. The 

 favourite brectling-ground of the Brown-eared Bulbul con- 

 sists of dense scrub-jungle growing at elevations over 4000 

 feet, and I think I have taken more nests from wild lemon- 

 bushes than from any other kind of shrub. These lemon- 

 trees are of exceedingly thick foliage, and the bird selects a 

 place low down in a stoutish fork in which to place its nest, 

 as a rule at heights under 3 feet from the ground, seldom, 

 if ever, over 5 feet from it. I have taken one nest fi'om a 

 bunch of coarse grass and creepers growing by a forest-track, 

 but on no other occasion have I known them to build in a 

 similar place. In ground-colour all my eggs are the same 

 delicate pale pink, of a beautifully clear tint, and the markings 

 consist of small specks, spots, and freckles, varying in shade 

 from bright light pink-red to dark brownish red ; in all, 

 however, the character is the same, and in all eggs they are 

 very numerous over the whole surface, being but slightly 

 more so at the larger end than at the smaller. Many eggs are 

 practically undistinguishable from those of H. macclellandi, 

 but, typically, they are brighter and far lighter. 



Eighteen eggs vary in length between 0"*87 and 0""96 and 

 in breadth between 0"'72 and 0""69, the average of the same 

 number being 0"-93 x G"-69. 



The texture is very much the same as that of the eggs of 

 Otocompsa, especially 0. flaviventris, but is, if anything, finer 

 and closer. In shape they are rather regular, very long 

 ovals, abnormal eggs being even longer; pegtop or spherically 

 inclined eggs I have not seen, and I can remember but two 

 eggs which were of a broad oval type. Three is the full 

 complement of eggs, almost as often only two being laid, and 

 never, in my experience, four. The birds breed principally in 

 May, and a good many in the end of April and in June, but 

 very few as late as July, in which month H. macclellandi is 

 still to be found breeding in considerable numbers. 



28. Alcukus stkiatus. {Oa/es, op. cit. i. p. 266.) 

 The few nests of this species which I have seen were all 

 very much alike in every respect : shape, materials, and con- 



