330 Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker on the 



They are stronger and more glossy then the eggs of any 

 other bird of this genus, with the exception of C. poliogenys. 

 They measure 0"-68 x G"-51, 0"-68 X 0"-5, and 0"-67 x 0"-49. 



This little Flycatcher Warbler is very common in the 

 cold weather, and many must breed on the higher hills, 

 but I have been very unsuccessful in getting their nests 

 and eggs. 



43. Lanius cristatus. [Oates, op. cit. i. p. 468.) 

 This is one of the commonest Shrikes in Cachar during the 

 cold weather, more so than any other except L. teph'onotus, 

 and a certain number of birds stay every year and breed on 

 the ranges to the east of the district, the eastern spurs of 

 the Barail range, which are very lofty, appearing to be their 

 favourite resorts. All the nests that 1 have seen of this 

 bird have been much the same in construction as those of 

 L. niyriceps, from which they could only be discriminated 

 by their rather smaller size, and sometimes by their pro- 

 portionately more shallow shapes. They are neat, compact, 

 and very strongly put together cups, very nearly hemi- 

 spherical in shape, the depth being a little in excess- in pro- 

 portion to the diameter. They are made entirely of grass, 

 the inner portion being composed of strips of sun-grass 

 blades as well as the finer stems, and the outer part entirely 

 of grasses in flower, so used that the flowering ends are 

 kept outside, giving the nest at a short distance much the 

 appearance of a ball of vegetable down. The measurements 

 of the exterior of the nest vary a good deal, according to 

 the amount of material used ; thus some are as much as 4 

 inches in diameter by about 2^ deep, while others are little 

 over 3 inches at their widest part. The egg-chamber may 

 roughly be said to measure on an average some 2| inches by 

 about 2 or less in depth. 



As a rule, four eggs are laid, but sometimes five are to be 

 found, and a nest was once brought to me containing six 

 young birds. The eggs, are, I think, most like the eggs 

 of L. vittatus among the other Laniidse, but differ in 

 being larger and, o\\ the whole, more boldly marked. The 



