Birds of Lucknow. 485 



resident, rather more abundant during the cold weather 

 than in the hot and rainy seasons. It is fond of grassy bush 

 and dhak-jungle, but fonder still of patches and rows of tall 

 tliatching-grass_, on the stalks of which, when seeding, it 

 settles and searches diligently for insects, generally in parties 

 ranging from six to a dozen. During the heat of the day 

 the birds usually retire to rest in some bush overgrown 

 with long grass, where they may be heard conversing in a 

 low chatter. If then disturbed they make a great noise, and 

 scuttle through the adjoining grass in all directions, becoming 

 silent as they hide or squat, and remaining so until the 

 intruder moves off, when they generally re-assemble in the 

 same bush, or in some other close by. The male bird sings 

 very sweetly, oftenest, I think, in the cold dewy November 

 mornings.^'' — G. R. 



I have nothing to add to Mr. Reid's statements, beyond 

 the fact that I do not consider the bird quite so common — 

 in Lucknow, at all events — as he infers. It breeds during 

 the "rains,'^ but not commonly. The Martiniere boys only 

 get one nest or so every year, and they are far too clever 

 to let much escape them. 



On July 29th, 1898, Lieut. S. A. Davies, of the 2nd E. 

 Lancashire Regimeutj and I took five hard-set eggs in a 

 beautiful nest woven into some high patowal grass near the 

 railway-line. The structure was a deep inverted cone, and 

 was plastered outside with spiders^ webs, much after the 

 fashion of that of the Fantail Flycatcher. The eggs, which 

 are amongst the handsomest that I have seen, were very round, 

 of a pinky-white ground-colour, richly blotched with deep 

 blood-red. The bird was on the nest, but darted off every 

 time we approached and hid in the dense grass, so that 

 shooting her was out of the question. There is, I think, no 

 doubt whatever as to the authenticity of these eggs, which 

 are similar to a series shown me by Mr. B. B. Osmaston, 

 taken by him in the Dun. 



Average of 5 Lucknow eggs -68" x '05" 



Measurement of largest e\^<^ -71" x ■«'5G" 



„ smallest egji? -06" x '55" 



2k2 



