HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS 35 



of his specimens in the Paris Museum are beheved to have 

 been obtained at Sennaar ; it has also been received from 

 Abyssinia in a cohection made by M. de Goutin while he 

 was Consul at Massowa. This is all that is known with 

 regard to the species in Africa. 



It has been recorded by Lieutenant H. E. Barnes as 

 having been seen near Aden, and probabl}^ its true home is 

 Arabia, from whence it migrates eastward and westward 

 according to the season. 



AVith regard to its habits I may extract the following 

 from Mr. Cumming's notes made near Fao at the northern 

 extremity of the Persian Gulf (" Ibis," 18(iG, pp. 478-480). 

 Arriving from S.E., the first flock of six passed over the 

 telegraph building, April 10. It is not till the middle of June 

 that they breed, first eggs were found on the 13th of that 

 month, and young, just able to fly, on July the '2nd. The nests 

 are generally placed on the leaves of the date-palm, usually 

 at 3 to 5 feet from the ground ; they are substantial and 

 cup-shaped, about 3"5 inches wide l\y '2"5 deep, lined inside 

 with fine grass, soft fluff from the willow when in seed, wool 

 and sometimes hair. The eggs, generally four in number, 

 " are of a glossy leaden white, with leaden coloured blotches 

 and spots towards the larger end, sometimes forming a ring 

 round the larger end, and at times spreading over the entire 

 egg." They measure on an average 0'86 x 65. 



A live specimen he sent to the Zoological Gardens, London, 

 he brought up by hand from the nest (P. Z. S. 1890, p. 147, 

 pi. 15), " having been first fed on bread and water, and after- 

 wards on dates and other fruits. It would also take flies, 

 grubs and grasshoppers, as well as dr}' bread, bread steeped 

 in sugar and water, and was delighted in having a little 

 lucerne occasionally." 



