DESCKIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS OF SOME NEW BIRDS, 

 COLLECTED ON THE ISLAND OF ALDABRA, NORTH- 

 WEST OF MADAGASCAR, BY DR. W. L. ABBOTT. 



By Charles Bendire, 



llonorunj Ciintior of the (Jologicul Dcjxirlnirnt. 



AmonCt tlie iiiterestiug' iiiul viiried colleetious of iiatural-liistory 

 specimens lately received from Dr. VV. L. Abbott, were a few nests 

 and eggs, and the following are believed to be still undescribed and 

 new to science: 



IXOCINCLA MADAGASCAKIENSIS ROSTKATA, Ridgway . 



Two nests and eggs of this new snbspecies were taken on December 

 22 and 31, 1892, resi)e('tively. Tlie nests are rather slight structures 

 and are composed externally of tine rootlets, small twigs, dry leaves, and 

 plant fibers, and lined with finer materials of the same kinds and dry 

 grasses. Both nests were placed in crotches of thorny shrubs in the 

 jungle and about 8 feet from the ground. One of them, the type-speci- 

 men. No. 2G200, IT. S, National Museum collection, measures 3| inches in 

 depth by 4 inches in outer diameter. The inner diameter is 3 inches by 

 If inches deep. 



The eggs. No. 20 199, IT. S. National Museum collection, set ^, 

 measure .99 by .70 and .95 by .71 inch, and No. 2G200, a single egg meas- 

 ures .99 by .08 inch. They are ovate in shape, the shell is close-grained 

 and rather glossy. The ground color is vinaceous pink and is profusely 

 spotted and blotched with different shades of claret brown, vinaceous 

 rufus and lavender, and tlie markings are heaviest about the larger ends 

 of the eggs where they form a wreath. 



BUCHANGA ALDABRANA, Ridgway. 



The collection made by Dr. Abbott contains 3 sets of eggs and 2 

 nests of this species. The nests are very neatly and firmly constructed 

 of small flue twigs well interlaced with each other and are lined with 

 finer materials of the same kind. They are rather shallow for their size 

 and are usually placed on a horizontal branch of a casuarina tree at no 

 very great height, varying from "> to 10 feet from the ground. 



Proceetliiiga National Museum, Vul. XVII— No. 98;!. 



39 



