212 MOTACILLIBA'. 



it is freclded, mottled, streaked, aud blotclied all over, but as a 

 rule most densely towards the large end, with dingy brown or 

 purple, of different shades in different eggs, or both. In one egg 

 the whole of the markings are a dingy bro\\ nish-pinkish-purple ; 

 in another they are a mixture of sepia-brown and very pale inky 

 purple ; in another all sepia-brown of different shades ; while in a 

 fourth tbe brown is slightly yellower. 



In length the four eggs vary I'rom 0-79 to 0-89, and in breadth 

 from 0-59 to 0-62. 



Anthus sordidus, Riipp. The Bufous Boclc-Pipit. 



Agrodroma ciimamomea (liiipp.), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 235. 

 Agrodroma similis, Jerd., Htmie, Hough Draft N. ^ E. no. 603. 



Miss Cockburn says : — " The Eufous Eock-Pipit is considered a 

 very rare bird, even on the Nilghiris. It is also extremely shy, 

 never approaching the habitation of man, and if a human being 

 trespasses on its wild retreat it instantly mounts high up in the 

 air, as if trying to escape bis reach. 



" Dr. Jerdon has figui-ed this species in bis ' Illustrations of 

 Indian Ornithology,' and says he has met Avith it 'on the Segoor 

 Pass of the Nilghiris among rocky ground.' A nest of this rare 

 bird was found on this very Pass luider a shelving rock ; it was 

 formed of fine grass, and contained only one egg. No doubt tbe 

 bird would haAe laid others, but it was too precious to an oologist 

 to be left even for a day, aud therefore was brought safely away. 

 This egg was very much like a Lark's except that a greater number 

 of spots make it appear darker. It was found in the month of 

 March." 



Subsequently she obtained another nest, and favoured me with 

 two eggs. They very closely resemble those of Alauda vudabcu-ica, 

 Jerd. nee Scop., but are more glossy. They are moderately elon- 

 gated ovals, somewhat compressed and pointed towards one end, 

 with a creamy-w lute ground densely but very minutely freckled and 

 speckled all over w ith what on close examination proves to be very 

 pale yellowish brown and pale purplish grey. The markings are 

 almost uniformly distributed over the whole surface, but they are 

 slightly more dense at the large end. 



These eggs were taken on the IGth May, and measured 0*85 

 and 0-86 by 0-G5. 



Anthus jerdoni (Einsch). TJw Broivn Boclc-Fipit. 



Agrodroma sordida (Itiipp.), Jerd. B, Ind. ii, p. 236. 



Agrodroma jerdoni, Finsch, Htime, Rough Draft N. Sf 7?. no. 604. 



I have never myself succeeded in finding a nest of tlie Brown 

 Kock-Pipit, iind, looking to the eggs of this sjjecies sent \\w by 

 Colonel Marshall, those brought by Mr. Thompson's men from 



