72 TTJBDID^. 



elevation above 2000 feet) from March to August, during \a hich 

 period it has always two and often three broods. If disturbed, 

 especially if the nest be robbed, it generally (but not always) 

 constructs a fresh nest ; otherwise it uses the same nest (only clean- 

 ing out the old and replacing it by new lining) for the whole 

 season, and at times for two or three successive seasons. One pair 

 reared eight broods in one and the same hole in my compound in 

 three seasons. It builds commonly in holes in walls or banks, in 

 niches in temples, under the eaves of huts, Stc. ; but it also builds 

 not very unfrequently in thick bushes. In Mr. Nunn's garden at 

 Bichpooree I found two nests between the bayonet-shaped leaves 

 of plants of the Y^icca glohosa, wedged in against the stems. 



The nest varies much in shape, size, and materials, according to 

 situation and locality. When placed in holes they are usually 

 merely soft, more or less circular, pads of soft grass, \\ ith a shallow 

 central depression lined with horse or even human hair, fine roots 

 or vegetable fibres, feathers, cotton, wool, or anything else soft 

 that comes handy, with very frequently scraps of snakes' skins in- 

 corporated. Sometimes even in holes a regular but shallow cup- 

 shaped nest is built, and this is always the case when bushes and, 

 as a rule, when ledges in buildings or banks are chosen, and then 

 roots and grass loosely but sufficiently firmly interwoven form the 

 body of the nest, which is lined with similar materials to those 

 used when nesting in holes. I have seen very neat nests, very 

 different to the ragged pads which commonly satisfy our Eobin, 

 between 4 or 5 inches in diameter externally and nearly 3 inches in 

 height, with a cavity some 2-5 in diameter and 1"5 in depth. 



Four is the full complement of eggs, but they often lay only 

 three, and I myself once found five. 



Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note on the nidification 

 of this species in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and 

 Katas in the Salt Eange : — 



" Lay in the second week of April : eggs four ; shape pointed 

 oval pyriform ; size 0-79 by 0-60 ; colour greenisli \\hite, ringed 

 and spotted with pale reddish and a little neutral tint ; nest loose 

 grass and bits of snakes' skins, placed in holes in the sides of 

 nullahs." 



Colonel G. F. L. Marshall says: — "Very common m the Saha- 

 runpoor District. It is familiar in its habits, and breeds commonly 

 in stations. I once found the nest cup-shaped in a bush, two or 

 three times in a tul'l of grass or aloe near the ground, but in five 

 cases out of six the nest was on the ground in a hole, or on a ledge 

 of a bank, or in the hole of a wall. 



"I have taken three fresh eggs on 20th March, 



