ITROLOXCHA. 133 



Mr. Irwin, who took a uest of this species in the Tipperah Hills 

 in June, described it as composed of fine grass-stems placed in a 

 half-open hole in a low bank. It contained five eggs nearly 

 hatched. 



Mr. W. Davison, writing from Mergui, says : — 



" This species is either a very irregular breeder or it has several 

 broods daring the year. In November it was not only breeding, but 

 there were many fully-Hedged young abroad, usually in small parties 

 without any admixture of adults ; and now, in June, there are still 

 young to be found that have not long left the nest, and nests are 

 to be found containing eggs, both fresh and hard-set, while other 

 nests are in course of construction. 



"The species is very plentiful and breeds freely, resorting to 

 gardens or low secondary scrub for the purpose, and never, to my 

 knowledge, to grass or rushes. 



"Usually the nest is placed at a moderate elevation in some 

 bush — a thorny one, by preference. 



" On the 20th June I took a nest with five fresh eggs from 

 a small citron-tree. It was rather compactly put together, com- 

 posed on the outside of dead leaves and coarse grass, and thickly 

 lined with fine flowering grass-stems, the ends of which projected 

 beyond the entrance, forming a short neck. 



" The nest measured about 9-5 inches along its major axis and 

 about 5'5 along its minor axis." 



The eggs of this species are elongated ovals, pure white and 

 glossless, undisringuishable from those of other nearly allied species. 

 They vary in length from 0-54 to 0-68, and in breadth from 0*4 

 to 0-45 ; but the average of forty-three eggs is 0-GI by 0*42. 



728. Urolonclia striata (Linn.). The W kite-backed Mimia. 



Munia striata {Linn.), Jerd. B. Tad. ii, p. '-)-)Q) ; Hume, Ruugh Draft 

 N. ^ E. no. 701. 



The breeding-season of the White-backed Munia varies appa- 

 rently very much according to locality. In the Nilghiris they 

 appear to "lay hi July and August. From Yercaud a nest was sent 

 me, taken on the 28th September, containing six eggs. Near 

 Eaipoor nests were taken in January, and in Manbhoom in 

 April. 



1 have never taken the nest myself, and, though several have 

 been sent me, they are not structures that, as a rule, bear carriage 

 well. 



A nest secured by Mr. F. R. Blewitt in the neighbourhood of 

 Raipoor on the 2nd January was a \ery large, loose, partially 

 domed, oval-shaped structure, composed interiorly of very fine 

 grass-stems, exterioi'ly of coarser grass largely intermingled with 

 dry bamboo-leaves. Exteriorly the nest was about 8 inches in 

 height and 5 inches in diameter. The cavity, the aperture of 

 which was a little on one side and nearly at the top, was nearly 

 5 inches deep and about 3 inches in diameter. The nest was very 



