TIMELIA. 91 



with a large entrance at the side, its lower edge being about the 

 middle of the nest. 



" When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no 

 shrubs, it builds on the ground at the edge of a clump of grass, 

 and I have found two nests in such a situation, only a few feet 

 from each other. 



" In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily 

 trodden down ; the consequance is that if you do not find eggs, 

 there is little chance of their being laid later on. I have found 

 some ten nests, more or less completed, but only three eggs." 



And again, later on : " This bird would appear to have two 

 broods a year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this 

 year in April, former nests having been found in June and July. 

 With many eggs before me I find that the density of the markings 

 varies considerably. The size is very constant ; for the length of 

 numerous eggs varies only from '75 to *72, and the breadth from 

 6 to -54 inch." 



I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this 

 species, but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest, 

 and a note on the nidification of this species was Mr. J. C. Parker. 

 Writing to me in September 1875, he said : 



" On the 14th August I took a nest of Timelia pileata on my 

 old ground in the Salt Lakes. I discovered this by a mere acci- 

 dent, for I happened to see a female Prinia flaviventris (whose eggs 

 I was in quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland 

 about 10 feet from the bank of the canal, and from her movements 

 I thought she must have a nest near at hand. 



" Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through 

 a bog. Sure enough I was not mistaken ; the Prinia had a nest, 

 but it contained only one egg. Close by, however, I saw a nest, 

 from out of which a bird flew 7 , and although I did not shoot it I 

 am quite sure it was Timelia pileata. The jungle was particularly 

 thick just about where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could 

 not follow the bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his 

 mate in that extraordinary way which these birds have, and which 

 once heard cannot be mistaken. 



" The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the joints of 

 a species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure founda- 

 tion for the nest. This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad. 

 Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 1| by 2. The nest itself is 

 very loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass 

 twisted round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass. 

 The nest was quite open to view and about three feet from the 

 ground. 1 suppose the birds never expected that such a wild 

 swampy spot as they had selected would be invaded by any 

 oologist." 



Mr. J. E. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says : " Pretty 

 common. Permanent resident. Oftener found in the patches of 

 cane brushwood jungle found in and around villages than in un- 

 frequented jungle and thickets as Dr. Jerdon says. I have, how- 



