Notes from Japan. 151 



and I have actually heard a bird answer its mate while 

 sitting on the nest. 



The Ashy Minivet builds amongst the thin uppermost 

 branches of some tall tree, and its nest is therefore extremely 

 difficult to locate and often quite inaccess^ible. It is 

 beautifully made, being a small and very compact cup with 

 the exterior closely covered with flakes of lichen. The 

 framework is made of fibrous strips of wood, a little moss, 

 and a few grass-bents and is lined with black rootlets ; the 

 whole structure appears to be firmly knit together by means 

 of cobwebs. The cup, measuring less than three inches 

 across, is so small in proportion to the bird (whose total 

 length is 7| inches) that the tail of the incubating parent may 

 be seen projecting a considerable way over the nest. 



When my collector commenced to climb the tree con- 

 taining the nest both birds became extremely excited, the 

 male, in particular, making elaborate feints to lure us 

 away. Squealling loudly he came fluttering and tumbling 

 downwards, as though painfully wounded. Then, having 

 approached within two or three yards (which was as near as 

 he dared), he ke})t steadily flapping his wings and fanning his 

 tail in a very strange manner, this being evidently done to 

 attract our attention. If possible the birds appeared even 

 more distressed when a dog came upon the scene, and the 

 animal was made an object of frantic demonstrations. 



The first nest, containing five slightly incubated eggs, was 

 found on May 25th, and a second was discovered a few days 

 later, but was too high up to be reached. 



The brooding-bird is fed on the nest by its mate. 



The eggs are stone- white, boldly marked with hair-brown 

 over underlying blotches of lavender-grey. Average size 

 0-81 X 0-66 in. 



34. Spodiopsar cineraceus (Temm.). Grey Starling. 



Stuj'nus cineraceus Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 107. 



Jap. : Muku-dori. 



This bird is fairly common in the city of Tokio, where it 

 was apparently breeding tit the time of my visit. I did not 

 meet with it in the mountain districts. 



