On the Nesting of Birds in Fohkien. 25 



II. — Further Notes on the Nesting of Birds in the Province of 

 Fohkien, S.E. China. By J. D. La Touche, C.M.Z.S., 

 M.B.O.U., and C. B. Rickett, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



The following notes deal with the birds nesting on the 

 plains and lower hills of the Province. Those breeding on 

 the mountains have already been dealt with by La Touche 

 (see 'Ibis/ 1899, pp. 169-210, 400-431; 1900, pp. 34-51). 



The districts mentioned in this paper under the names of 

 Yuen Fu Valley, Peling District, and the Plains may be 

 taken to include the country from the sea-level up to 1000 

 feet. 



Central Fohkien relates to the country around Ching 

 Feng Ling and Yamakau {' Ibis/ 1897, p. 600; 1900, p. 52), 

 which ranges from 1500 to 2500 feet. 



The Yuen Fu River is a feeder of the Min River (on 

 which the city of Foochovv stands), and enters it about 

 35 miles from its mouth. 



CORVUS TORQUATUS LeSS. 



The Common Crow of Foochow. It is an early breeder. 

 We have had callow young brought to us on February 23rd, 

 and Rickett procured a clutch of eggs almost ready to 

 hatch taken on January 26th. 



The nest is nearly always placed high up in a tall pine- 

 tree. It is composed of sticks, some of which are of 

 considerable size, with an inner layer of finer twigs and a 

 lining of dry grass and pine-needles. The eggs are very 

 variable in size, shape, and colouring. The ground-colour is 

 light green or bluish green, more or less blotched, spotted, or 

 speckled with sap-green, and there are generally underlying 

 spots of dull reddish grey or violet-grey. 



The most common shape of the eggs is ovate, but pyri- 

 form ovate, elongated ovate, and almost oval eggs also occur. 

 Thirty-nine specimens average 1*67 X 1*19 in. : the largest 

 1-82 x 1-25, the smallest 1-51 X 117. 



