92 TTTRDID.^. 



Internally they measure from 34 to 3| inches diameter by 2 deep, 

 neatly lined with tine grass-stems, roots, &c. ; the lining of one 

 nest consisted entirely of the spines of casuarina." 



Colonel E, A. Butler writes from Aboo : — " It breeds at Aboo in 

 the rains, commencing nidification towards the end of the hot 

 weather, but I was never fortunate enough to hnd a nest." 



Mr. C. J. W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says : — 

 " Common all over the district. Eggs taken on the 25th May." 



The eggs of this species are, typically, moderately broad, very 

 regular ovals, but short broad, more or less pyriform varieties, and, 

 again, considerably elongated oval ones occur. The eggs are always 

 fairly glossy, and some have a fine gloss. The ground-colour 

 varies from greenish white to a delicate pale sea-green, the mark- 

 ings, usually most dense about one or other end, where they often 

 form a more or less regular cap or zone, are a rich brownish red 

 and pale purple, and consist of specks, spots, blotches, and streaks, 

 becoming sometimes quite confluent at one end of the egg, to 

 which iu some eggs they ai-e almost entirely confined, while in 

 others, with the exception of a slight tendency to conglomerate 

 round the lai-ge end, they are pretty evenly distributed over the 

 entire surface. 



The eggs vary from 1-02 to 1-17 in length, and from 0*78 to 0*88 

 in breadth ; but the average of 15 eggs is 1-08 by 0-82. 



G72. Merula albicincta (Royle). The White-collared Ouzel. 



Merula albocincta {liui/le), Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 526 ; Hume, Cat. 

 no. 362. 



Colonel G. r. L. Marshall informs ns that " near Naiui Tal 

 this Ouzel is only found on the top of Cheena 8000 feet a])Ove the 

 sea, and is rather an early breeder. I found the young just fledged 

 in the beginning of June, but was too late for eggs. Neither of 

 the parent birds that were with the young ones were in the 

 casZrtnea-plumage, both had the neck distinctly ringed." 



Two eggs of this species which, together with one of the parent 

 birds, were brought from Native 8ikhim about the end of June, are 

 regular ovals, a little compressed towards the small end, and 

 slightly glossy ; the ground-colour is greyish white, and the eggs 

 are spotted and speckled all over, more densely to\\ards the broad 

 end, with reddisli brown and brownish red, and a number of 

 underlying markings of purplish grey ; they measure 1-23 by 0-87 

 and 1-22 by 0-85. 



673. Merula castanea, Gould. The Orey-headed Ouzel. 



Merula castauca, (loidd, Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 526 ; Hume, Bough Draft 

 N. i^ B. no. o6y. 

 Very little is known of the breeding of the Grey-headcHl Ouzel. 

 A nest containing five eggs was taken on the 2(»th April near 

 Kotet^urh, and Colonel C. H. T. Marshall took a nest at Murree. 



