292 EUKIL.EMlD.i:. 



dense evergreen jungle. The uest itself is a ball about six inches 

 in diameter exteriorly, with a circular opening two inches wide 

 exactly in the centre. The entrance is protected by a rude porch. 

 The materials are chiefly coarse grass, and the outer bark of 

 elephant-grass and weeds bound together by fine, black, hair-like 

 roots. The exterior of the nest is adorned with numerous yellow 

 cocoons. Towards the bottom of the nest the materials become 

 very coarse and are loosely put together, the ends straggling down 

 a foot or more, forming a long tail. The total length is nearly 

 two feet. The interior of the nest is beautifully and firmly lined 

 with broad leaves of elephant- or thatch-grass, and a few green 

 leaves are spread over the egg-cup. Altogether the nest is one of 

 the most elaborate I have feeen, differing in nothing but size from 

 some of the many nests of AracJmechthra flmmnaxiUaris that I 

 have found." 



Major C. T. Bingham records the follo\\ing note from Tenas- 

 serim : — " On the 23rd April Myat-jo brought me a nest and two 

 eggs of the above species. Having twice taken this nest before, I 

 had no doubt these ^^•ere authentic. The nest was made of moss, 

 vegetable fibres, and coarse grass, and had been suspended from 

 the end of a slender bamboo-shoot hanging over the Meplay stream. 

 Exteriorly it measured 10 inches in length by 6 inches in diameter. 

 A hole at the side led to the interior cavity, which was beautifully 

 lined with bamboo-leaves. 



" I found a second nest three days after, at the mouth of the 

 Kunnoot choung, a feeder of the Thoungyeen. This was made of 

 similar materials, but was very loose and ' straggly ' in construction. 

 It was suspended from a cane not more than four feet from the 

 ground, and contained five eggs slightly set." 



Mr. J. Darling, Junior, also writes from Teuasserim : — " March 

 30th, found a uest of ISerilophus lunatas nearly completed, but 

 with no eggs ; a great ball of twigs, moss, and cocoons. Sus- 

 pended from end of a branch, with entrance-hole on one side, and 

 a lining of green leaves." 



The nest, about 10 inches long and 4 in diameter at its widest 

 part, is nearly egg-shaped. It is composed of vegetable fibre, like 

 tine tow and black roots, very fine and hair-like, and in amongst 

 this are incorporated interiorly numerous dead leaves and thin 

 twigs, externally scraps of green moss, bits of wool, and a fev^- 

 cocoons. The entrance is at one side near the middle, large and 

 oval. The interior is at present chiefly thin sticks and dead leaves, 

 but doubtless a lining would have been added. 



The eggs vary a good deal in shape, but are typicall}' rather 

 elongated, somewhat pyriform ovals, ^ery blunt at both ends. 



Tlie shell is excessively fine and delicate, fragile to a degree, 

 looking to the size of the egg, pure white, and w ith a slight gloss. 

 About the large end it is pretty thickly marked with specks and 

 minute spots of what I should call i)urplish black, but which are 

 minute and so dark that it is difficult to be certain of the colour. 

 The small end appears to be entirely free from markings, but 



