484 Mr. W. Jesse o)i the 



Average of 10 TaicIchow eggs '97" X ■C)^^" 



Measurement of largest egg l"-06 X "fifi" 



„ smallest egg •94" X '7o" 



No. 110. Crateropus CANORus. Jungle-Bahhler. 



Sat-l)hai ; Ghoiif^hai [H. Lucknow]. Seven- Sisters ; 

 Magpie [Anglo-Indians]. 



The Sparrow, the Crow, the Mainah, and the Jungle- 

 Babbler are the four commonest and noisiest species in 

 Lucknow. The last-named may always be seen in parties of 

 seven or eight — whence the popular name — hunting for insects 

 amongst the leaves under the trees of our parks and gardens. 

 All the time the whole assembly keep up a confused chattering, 

 which, though not pleasing, is not so intensely disagreeable 

 as the cry of A. malcolmi. 



*' When the Shikra, as it sometimes does, makes a swoop 

 at a party of Babblers, it is curious to observe how silent 

 they become, sneaking off singly to the tops of trees, where 

 they hide for some time, and then begin to file away to 

 some other locality, where they still keep very quiet until 

 well engaged in the business of feeding again." — G. 11. 



Breeds from March to June (to September. — G. R.), 

 making a poor nest of grass in almost any tree — orange, 

 citron, guava, mango, palm, sheshum, &c., — rarely at any 

 great lieight from the ground. Eggs three or four — I 

 once found six, — deep blue and very glossy. 



Average of 12 Lucknow eggs -99" x u7" 



Measurement of largest egg l"-05 X "79" 



„ smallest egg -95" x "70" 



The Hawk-Cuckoo [Hiei-ococcyx varius) and the Pied- 

 crcsted Cuckoo {Coccystes jacobinus) undoubtedly select the 

 nests of the three Babblers here given in which to deposit 

 their eggs, but it is almost impossible to identify them with 

 certainty. Elliptical or spherical eggs will probably belong 

 to one or other of these Cuckoos, and that, as a rule, is about 

 all you can say for them. 



No. 139. PvcTORHis SINENSIS. Yellow-eycd Babbler. 



Reed-Warbler [Anglo-Indian boys]. 



•' The Yellow-eyed Babbler is very common and a permanent 



