192 Mr. W. Jesse — Birds' -nesting 



The only nest of tliis bird that I found was an enormous 

 mass of leaves at the top of a mango-tree ; the centre con- 

 tained a very deep depression^ lined with grass, in wiiich lay 

 four I'ather elongated white eggs. The nest was built up 

 considerably more on one side than on the other, but was 

 not by any means domed. 



All the nests of the " Crow-Pheasant " that I have exa- 

 mined have been like enormous balls of twigs and grass, 

 lined with grass and leaves, and having a hole at one side for 

 entrance and exit. The eggs are rather larger and decidedly 

 rounder than those of the Sirkeer, but, like them, are covered 

 with a chalky substance that can be easily scratched with 

 the finger-nail. 



The White-breasted Waterhen {Gallinula phoenicura) is a 

 bird very locally distributed, occurs in and around Lucknow. 

 1 had the good fortune to get a nest containing three fresh 

 eggs near the railway line, and I saw another nest in the 

 Wingfield Park, from which I was told by some boys that 

 they got seven eggs. 



Some of the prettiest nests imaginable are those of the 

 Wren-Warblers. Two species — namely, Stewart's Wren- 

 Warbler {Prinia steivarti) and the Earth-brown Wren- 

 Warbler [Prinia inornata) — are very common here. The 

 first usually builds a nest like that of the Tailor-bird, 

 differing, however, in the larger number of leaves used in 

 the construction. Sometimes the nest is a deep pocket 

 like that of the Earth-brown Wren-Warbler. The eggs are 

 always of a brick-red or mahogany colour, rather darker 

 in shade at the large end. The Earth-brown Wren- 

 Warbler makes a deep cup of grass beautifully plaited and 

 woven between the stems of the " patowal.'^ Sometimes 

 one side is much more built up than the other, so that the 

 entrance appears to be in the side. The eggs are of two 

 distinct types : the first has a greenish-blue ground, profusely 

 blotched, spotted, and streaked with brown, purple, and 

 black ; the second has similar markings on a white or pale 

 pink ground. Of this latter type Mr. Hume remarks that 

 eggs are " so rare that I have only seen about six in as many 



