556 Mr. W. Jesse — Birds' -nesting 



shape, size, and shade of blue and were fresh ; the fourth 

 was considerably smaller, oval in shape, and of a much 

 darker shade of colour, which was not lost on blowing ; 

 moreover this egg was hard-set. I cannot, of course, vouch 

 for the egg, but its general appearance tends to point it out 

 as parasitic. The Hawk-Cuckoos, or Brain-fever Birds as 

 tliey are called here, had been " calling " for some weeks 

 past, and hence I believe the egg to have belonged to this 

 species. The other common Cuckoo, which lays a blue 

 eg^, is the Pied Crested Cuckoo {Coccystes jacobinus), and 

 it does not put in an appearance till June, after the " rains " 

 have commenced. 



Pal^eornis cyanocephalus (Wagl.). Western Blossom- 

 headed Parroquet. 



Hind. [Lucknovi] : Lai Tota. 



Not nearly so numerous as P. torquatus, but it seems to 

 be a permanent resident and to breed liere. I saw numerous 

 young in all stages in the city " Bird Market " at the end of 

 March. 



Argya malcolmi (Hume). Large Grey Babbler. 



Hind. [Lucknow] : Bhaiua. 



This Babbler, which, strangely, I overlooked the previous 

 season, is very common. I took its eggs from March to 

 June. The nest is a much more straggling structure even 

 than that of Crateropus canorus, and as often as not there is 

 no attempt at concealment. Even in the breeding-season 

 Babblers are very gregarious, although they do not nest in 

 company. They are birds of weak flight, going only a short 

 distance at a time, and doubtless they congregate together, 

 feeling that there is safety in numbers. 



Lanius lahtora (Blyth). Indian Grey Shrike. 



I found a nest containing two nearly fledged young in a 

 babool-tree on July 1 1th, 1896. I have seen the eggs brought 

 in several times, and the species seems to breed here from 

 March till August. 



Since writing the above, I have found a nest and four 

 nearly fresh eggs of this species in a babool-tree on April 



