GABHULAX. 47 



ground. It is composed externally entirely of dry bamboo-leaves, 

 loosely tied together by a few creepers and a little vegetable fibre, 

 and it is lined pretty thickly with fine black fibrous roots. This 

 nest is about 6 inches in diameter and 3*5 high exteriorly, while the 

 cavity measures 3-5 by 2. 



The eggs sent me by Mr. Gammie are a beautiful clear, rather 

 pale, greenish blue, without any spots or markings. They have 

 a slight gloss. In shape they are typically much elongated and 

 somewhat pyriform ovals, very obtuse at both ends ; but moderately 

 broad examples are met with. In length they vary from I'Oo to 

 1-33, and in breadth from 0*76 to 0-86; but the average of thirty- 

 five eggs is 1-18 nearly by 0-82 nearly. 



69. G-arrnlax leucoloplras (Hardw.). The Himalayan White-crested 



Garrulax leucolophus (Hardw.}, Jerd. B. 2nd. ii. p. 35: Hume. 

 Rough Draft N. $ E. no. 407. 



According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, the Himalayan White-crested 

 Laughing-Thrush breeds at various elevations in ISikhim and Nepal, 

 from the Terai to an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet, from April to 

 June. It lays from four to six eggs, which are described and figured 

 as pure white, very broad ovals, measuring 1-2 by 0-9. It breeds, we 

 are told, in small trees, constructing a rude cup-shaped nest 

 amongst a clump of shoots, or between a number of slender twigs, 

 of dry bamboo-leaves, creepers, scales of the turmeric plant, &c., 

 and lined with fine roots. 



Dr. Jerdon says : " I have had the nest and eggs brought me 

 more than once when at Darjeeling, the former being a large mass 

 of roots, moss, and grass, with a few pure white eggs." 



One nest taken in July at Darjeeling was placed on the outer 

 branches of a tree, at about the height of 8 feet from the ground. 

 It was a very broad shallow saucer, 8 inches in diameter, about an 

 inch in thickness, and with a depression of about an inch in depth. 

 It was composed of dead bamboo-leaves bound together with 

 creepers, and lined thinly with coarse roots. It contained four 

 fresh eggs. Other similar nests contained four or three eggs 

 each. 



From Sikhim, Mr. Gammie writes : " I have found this Laugh- 

 ing-Thrush breeding in May and June, up to about 3500 feet ; I 

 have rarely seen it at higher elevations, and cannot but think that 

 Mr. Hodgson is mistaken in stating that it breeds up to 5000 or 

 6000 feet. The nests are generally placed in shrubs, within reach 

 of the hand, among low, dense jungle, and are rather loosely built 

 cup-shaped structures, composed of twigs and grass, and lined with 

 fibrous roots. Externally they measure about 6 inches in diameter 

 by 3-5 in depth ; internally 4 by 2-25. 



" The eggs are usually four or five in number, but on several 

 occasions I have found as few as two well-set eggs." 



Numerous nests of this species have now been sent me, taken 



