102 TuiiDiD.i;. 



The eggs .ire a broad oval, much pointed lowards cue end, about 

 the size and shape of the European Water-Ouzel's egg. The 

 ground-colour is dull greyish or greenish white, and each has a 

 conspicuous mottled and speckled red-brown cap at the large end. 

 The cap is not sharply defined, and beyond it specklings and iniuute 

 streaks of the same colour extend more or less over the whole of 

 the rest of the surface of the egg ; in some cases ceasing entirely, 

 in others diminishing in frequency as they approach the smaller 

 end. 



Some of the eggs of this species have a very fine gloss, and most 

 of them are fairly glossy. In some the markings are brighter and 

 redder, in others duller and browner. Dull purple markings are 

 generally intermingled in the cap, and though this is generally at 

 the larger end 1 have one egg in which it is at the smaller end. 



In length the eggs vary from 0*82 to 1*1 inch, and in breadtli 

 from 0*7 to 0*82 inch ; but the average of a dozen eggs is 0-99 by 

 0-77 inch, 



090. Petrophila erythrogaster (Vigors). The Chest nut-hdl'wd 

 liock-Thfush. 



Orocetes erythrogastra (Ti'f/.), Jerd. B. hid. i, p. 014. 

 Petrophila erytlirogaster ( FjV/.j, Hume, ItoKyh Draft N. Sf E. 

 no. 352. 



I Lave only once seen the nest of the Chestnut-bellied Eock- 

 Thrush, and that was at the end of May, above Jatingere, towards 

 the Bubboo Pass from Kangra into Kooloo. It was placed at the 

 root of a tree in a forest, and \\as a large shallow saucer, composed 

 almost entirely of moss and lined with moss-roots ; a few dead 

 leaves were intermingled at the base of the nest. It measured 

 about 6 inches across, but I ascertained no particulars, for, having 

 gently caught the female on the nest with my hand and lifted her, 

 I found four chicks just out or struggling out of the shells, and so 

 put her back again on the nest, Avhere she sat immovably with her 

 little head on one side, watching me with her bright dark eye, but 

 apparently satisfied that I was up to no mischief. 



Mr. K. Thompson says that " in Kumaou they lay in June and 

 July, making a circular nest of mosses, twigs, and small i-oots, 

 some inches in diameter, on the ground, under a rock or stump, 

 or in a hole. They affect northern well- wooded slopes from (JUOO 

 feet upwards."' 



At Dhurumsala, Caplain Cock obtained a nest on the 20tli May 

 containing three fresh eggs, which varied in length from 0-9 to 

 U-95 inch ; they were all U'7 inch in breadth. These eggs were 

 very small, judging from the few I have seen and measured; 1 by 

 ^ inch is the average size. 



Jn ]N'e])al, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, " this species begins 

 to lay during April. It builds a large shallow circular nest on 

 ledges of rocks, com])Osed of grass-stems and moss, and lined with 

 line roots. One such nest measuri-d exteriorly <> inches in diameter 



