Birds of Lucknow. 551 



their tiny structure was destined to stand. Next morning 

 the nest was but little bigger than, and almost as neat and 

 compact as, a large acorn-cup, and entirely unconnected with 

 any of the upright twigs. During the next two days good 

 progress was made, and on the fifth day the nest was a 

 perfect full-sized skeleton, having its sides firmly attached to 

 the three perpendicular twigs. The process of thickening 

 the sides of the nest then commenced, and in thirteen days, 

 counting from the beginning, the nest was completed. On 

 the fifteenth day it contained two eggs of a creamy-white 

 colour with a zone of brownish spots at the thick end of 

 each.'' 



I have taken several nests and have always found the 

 full complement of eggs to be three, though once I took four 

 in a clutch. They are very like miniature Shrikes' eggs, 

 white with a faint brownish tinge, and. a ring of brown and 

 purplish spots. 



Average of 12 Lucknow eggs •62" x "49" 



Measurement of largest egg '67" X "SO" 



„ smallest egg "o?" X "47" 



No. 608. Pbatincola cap rata. Common Pied Bush-Chat. 



KalaPidha [H.]. 



The Pied Bush-Chat is not very numerous, though I 

 believe that it is a permanent resident. 1 have seen it 

 chiefly in dhak -jungle, and ravine-like ground covered with 

 scrub. I have never found the nest, though I have had its 

 discovery recorded. It is possible, however, that the fabric 

 may have belonged to Tliamnohia cambaiensis. 



No. 610. Pratincola iviaura. Indian Bush-Chat. 



A common winter visitor, coming in October and leaving 

 in April. Reid's opinion that it is a very wary bird is not 

 in accordance with my experience ; but it is very restless, 

 continually flitting from bush to bush, and is sometimes 

 difiicult to shoot on this account. 



No. 613. *Pratincola insignis. Hodgson's Bush-Chat. 

 I shot a large Bush-Chat near Ataria, about twenty miles 

 north from Lucknow, in the early spring of 1897, but 



