Birds of North-west Fohklen. 185 



shining, black fibre. It was placed in the upright fork of a 

 dwarf bamboo, and was not slung, like the nests of Liothrix 

 and Alcippe. The inner diameter of this nest is 1| inch 

 by 2 inches ; the depth of the cup is about 1 j^j, inch. The 

 outer diameter is about 3^ inches, and the outer depth about 

 3^ inches. The four eggs differ as follows from the one 

 described above : — Besides the blotches, chiefly gathered 

 about the large end, there are also several blotches over the 

 rest of the egg ; the underlying spots are more apparent and 

 numerous, and are of a violet-grey colour. They are ovate 

 in shape and measure 07G inch by 056, 0*75 inch by 

 0-54, 0-74 inch by 0-53, and 072 inch by 55. 



17. Alcippe hueti David. 



We noticed several flocks of this bird during the up-river 

 journey, and it was common enough, during our stay, on 

 the top of Mount David. Three nests were obtained. One 

 was found in a wooded valley of the Yungfu Mountains, near 

 Foochow, on the 15th June, 1896. It was placed on a low bush 

 and was slung on the twigs at the extremity of a branch, about 

 2 feet from the ground. It contained three fresh eggs. This 

 nest is composed of bamboo and other leaves, the skeleton ribs 

 of fern frond tips, a little grass, and a few pine-needles ; these 

 and the fern-ribs, with a few spiders^ webs, holding the nest 

 together. There is a compact lining of pine-needles and a 

 few black fern-stems. The whole nest is very loosely put 

 together. It measures 2\ inches in inner diameter, about 

 4 inches in outer diameter. If inch in depth of cup, and 

 2^ inches in outer depth. Two of the eggs measure 0'76 

 by 0*60 inch, and one 0-73 inch by 0-58. They are 

 ovate in shape, and their colour is a pale livid pink, with 

 small clouds and blotches of pale livid claret. On one of the 

 eggs there is a small cap of this tint, over a few violet-grey 

 underlying spots, while on the other two the markings are 

 chiefly about the larger end, round which the violet-grey 

 underlying spots are disposed. Numerous short hair-lines 

 of madder-brown are scrawled over the blotches, and small 

 spots of the same colour occur here and there over the eggs. 



SER. VII. VOL. V. O 



