Birds of North-ivest Fo/ikien. 405 



there in numbers. We found the nest in dwarf bamboo 

 jungle somewhat above the village, in the tea-plantations of 

 the upper valley, and in the high forest on Mount David, 

 where they swarmed. Three nests were taken on tea-plants, 

 and many others on the dwarf bamboos of the high forest, 

 while one was found on a tree in this forest about 15 feet 

 from the ground. The nest is always slung on the twigs of 

 the plant it is built on, generally at no great height from 

 the ground — 2 to 4 feet as a rule. 



I saw a newly-built, but as yet empty, nest on the 15th 

 April in the forest on Mount David, and on the thorny 

 bushes that cover the very top of the mountain one or two 

 old nests. The first nest with eggs (incubated) was found 

 on 5th May, and others, nearly all with slightly incubated 

 eggs, were taken on the 8th, 9th, 15 th, and 16th May. 



The nests are more or less deep cups, made of bamboo- 

 leaves and sword-grass blades, bound exteriorly and wrapped 

 in soft moss. 



The lining of the nests found in the tea-fields was com- 

 posed of fine brown grass-stems, coir, and fine roots, one 

 having besides a few black fern-stems added. The forest 

 nests are generally lined with coarse shining black tendrils 

 or fern-stems. One of these had been so built that it was 

 sheltered by two bamboo-leaves that formed a waterproof 

 cover to it. 



The average measurements of eleven nests are : — Inner 

 diameter 2^ x 2^ inches, some having this as small as 

 2^ inches and 2x2^ inches. The depth of the egg-cavity 

 varies from If to 2^ inches. The average outer depth is 

 about 3 inches, but this in one shallow nest is only 2 inches, 

 while several show an outer depth of 3^ inches The outer 

 diameter varies from 3^ x 4 to 4^ x 5 inches. Very few 

 nests are absolutely round. 



The number of eggs in a clutch is also irregular, varying 

 from two to four, three eggs being, however, the usual 

 number. The shape of the eggs varies from a broad to an 

 elongated ovate. The ground-colour is a pale greenish blue, 

 sometimes greenish white. The markings are more or less 



