UROLOXCHA. 141 



four eggs. I got one bird, and while I was waiting for the other 

 to return, a lizard got into the nest, and within five minutes suc- 

 ceeded in destroying three of the eggs, breaking two and uiakitig 

 away with a third." 



In the Deecan, according to the testimony of Messrs. Davidson 

 and Wenden, this species is " very common, and breeds at all 

 seasons." 



In Ceylon this species breeds from December to March. 



The eggs are pure white, spotless, and devoid of gloss ; ty|)ieally 

 rather broad and perfect ovals, not unfrequently more or less 

 pointed towards the small end. Compared with those of M. malacca, 

 U. puactulata., U. pectoralis, and U. striata, the eggs of the present 

 species are slightly smaller and decidedly rounder. 



In length they vary from 0'55 to 0*68, and in breadth fi'om 0*45 

 to 0-5 ; but the average of fifty eggs is 0*6 by 0*47. 



735. Uroloncha punctulata (Linn.). The Spotted Munia. 



Munia uiidulata (Lath.), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 354. 



Munia punctulata (Linn.), Hume, Ruwjh Draft N. ^- E. no. 699. 



The Spotted Munia breeds throughout India and Burma, alike 

 in the plains and in the hills, up to elevations of from 4000 to 

 5000 feet, but as a rule only in well-wooded and watered tracts. 

 In the more arid portions of the North -Western Provinces, the 

 Punjab, E-ajpootana, and Siud, it is but rarely, and in many locahties 

 never, seen. 



I have invariably found the nests in July and August, both in 

 the plains and in the Himalayas, but in the Nilghiris the breeding- 

 season seems to last in one part or other of these hills from Feb- 

 ruary to September. 



The nests are, as a rule, placed at heights of from 5 to 7 feet, 

 and very rarely above 12 feet, from the ground, in thick thornv 

 bushes or trees. In the plains the various species of acacias, in 

 the hills the barberries, are much resorted to as nesting-sites. 

 Occasionally the nest is placed in very unexpected situations in 

 and about houses, as amongst the creepers trained against the 

 verandah trellis, in a large straw scarecrow placed in a garden 

 close to the house, in an old thatched roof, «S:c. 



The nest is globular, very large indeed for the size of the bird, 

 an oblate spheroid as a rule, from 8 to fully 10 inches in diameter, 

 and 6 to 7 inches in height. The nest is usually wedged in be- 

 tween some convenient fork, and not uncommonly rests upon a 

 sort of foundation of the same materials as those of which it is 

 itself composed, viz., rather coarse, often broad-blnded grass, used 

 green, rice and barley straw, leaves of bajera and jowar, and the 

 like. The entrance is on one side, circular, about 2 inches in 

 diameter, and neatly lined throughout, together with the whole 

 interior of the cavity, which may average 5 inches in diameter, 

 with fine grass-stems, the beards of wheat (our Indian bearded 

 wheat), and barley, or rarely fine wire-like roots. 



