90 CBATEROPODLD^;. 



the months of May and June. The nest is a large globular one, 

 composed of dry bamboo-leaves and green grass, intermingled and 

 lined with fine roots and fibres. The entrance, which is about 2 to 

 2-5 inches in diameter, is at one end. A nest containing four eggs, 

 obtained on the 12th June, measured about 7 inches in diameter 

 externally, and it was placed in the crown of a stump from 2 to 3 

 feet from the ground. Sometimes the nests are placed in tufts of 

 high grass or in thick bushes, but never at any great elevation 

 above the ground. They lay three or four eggs, which are pure 

 white, and one of which is figured as a broad oval, measuring O95 

 by 0-7. 



From Sikhim Mr. G-ammie writes : " I took a nest of this 

 Scimitar Babbler on the 29th May, in the middle of the large 

 forest on the top of the Mahalderam ridge, at about 7000 feet 

 elevation. It was built on the ground, on top of a dry bank by 

 the side of a path, and was overhung by a few grassy weeds. In 

 shape it was a blunt cone laid on its side, with the entrance at the 

 wide end. It was loosely made of the dead leaves of a deciduous 

 orchid (Pleione ivallicJiiana), small bamboo, chestnut, and grass, 

 intermixed with decaying stems of small climbing-plants. It 

 measured externally 6 inches long, with a diameter of 5*5 at front, 

 and of 1*75 at back. The cavity was quite devoid of lining and 

 measured 3*5 in length by 2'5 wide at entrance, slightly contracting 

 inwards. It contained three partially incubated eggs." 



Two eggs of this species obtained by Mr. Gammie are elongated 

 ovals, pure white, and with only a faint gloss. They measure 0'99 

 and 1-05 in length, by 0'6S and 0-75 in breadth respectively. 



Subfamily TIMELIIN^E. 



134. Timelia pileata, Horsf. The Red-capped Babbler. 



Timalia pileata, Horsf.. Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 24 : Hume. Eouqh Draft 

 N.$E. no. 396. 



Mr. Eugene Gates records that he " found the nest of this bird at 

 Thayetmyo on the 2nd June with young ones a few days old. The 

 nest was placed on the ground in the centre of a low but very thick 

 thorny bush." 



Subsequently he wrote from Pegu, further south : " The nest 

 is placed in the fork of a shrub, very near to, or quite on, the 

 ground, and is surrounded in every case by long grass. A nest 

 found on the 4th July, on which the female was sitting closely, 

 contained three eggs slightly incubated. The breeding-season 

 seems to be in June and July. 



" The nest is made entirely of bamboo-leaves and is lined 

 sparingly with fine grass. No other material enters into its com- 

 position. It is oval, about 7 inches in height and 4 in diameter, 



