309 
in obtaining the eggs of this species. I have three several 
records of the birds having been noticed building nests, in 
different parts of the plains, in the early part of the hot weather, 
but in every case, they abandoned the nests without laying. 
My present impression is that they entirely leave the dry plains 
of upper India during the hot season, and resort to well-wooded 
and watered localities to breed in. 
Mr. R. Thompson tells me, that in lower Gurhwal and Dehra 
Dhoon “they breed from April to June, choosing low trees, 
usually one standing by itself, in (for those localities) sparsely 
wooded spots, to build on. The nest is circular, not unlike that 
of Corvus Culmenatus, composed of small sticks and twigs, and 
lined with fine grass roots and fibres. This species is sparingly 
found along the foot of the Himalayahs. It does not enter 
valleys, unless, as in the case of the Patlee and Dehra Dhoons, 
they happen to be pretty open.” 
The eggs are figured by Bree from specimens which Mr. 
Tristram obtained in Algeria, where the bird itself appears to be 
rare. In Hurope, it would not seem to breed, though it is said to 
be a regular visitant to Greece, and to occur as a straggler 
throughout the south of Hurope. 
According to the figure, the eggs measure 1°75 by 1°38 and 
1:66 by 1°39. The one has a bluish, the other a dull creamy, 
white ground, both are somewhat sparingly streaked and 
blotched with pale yellowish brown, and one exhibits besides, 
a few deep brownish red blotches. 
of these, more or less faintly tinged grey. Posterior portion of lores, a 
narrow supercilium, a small patch of coverts just at the origin of the 
primaries, nearly hidden by the winglet, (which is grey and not black, 
as Dr.Jerdon gives it) and the whole of the lesser coverts, and the median 
secondary and tertiary coverts, black; the wing patch more or less 
glossy, with the browner bases of the feathers showing through, and usually 
with more or less of a greyish bloom, most conspicuous over the forearm. 
The rest of the upper plumage, grey, (of very different shades in different 
individuals, but always darkest on the primaries, scapulars and interscapu- 
lary region) which varies from a full slate grey to a pale almost pearl 
rey. 
: in young male (shot November the 15th) differed in having the whole 
head and nape white; all but the frontal feathers, with somewhat narrow, 
yellowish brown, central, stripes towards the tips. The shorter scapulars and 
interscapulary region much tinged with yellowish brown, All the scapulars 
and quills with a conspicuous Ol to 0°13 terminal white band, The black 
wing patch is confined to the lesser coverts, the median coverts are grey 
like the rest of the wing, but narrowly white tipped. The patch near the 
bases of the primaries, black in old adults, is dark grey. The upper breast, 
and centre of abdomen, are tinged with pale fulvous. The iris in this 
bird was bright yellow. 
