100 CRATEROPODID^E. 



tained four fresh eggs. It was placed on the ground, and precisely 

 resembled that obtained near Darjeeling in July. 



In some eggs the markings are rather bolder and coarser, and in 

 these there are generally some few pale lilac or inky-purple spots 

 intermingled where the markings are densest. Closely looked into, 

 many of the spots in some eggs are rather a pale yellowish brown. 



The eggs are clearly all of the same type, and vary very little. 



Four eggs varied from % 84 to 0*9 in length, and from 0*65 to 

 0-68 in breadth. 



144. Pellorneum ruficeps, Swains. The Spotted Babbler. 



Pellorneum ruficeps, Sivaim., Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 27 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. 8f E. no. 399. 



Writing from Kotagherry Miss Cockburn says : "Spotted 

 Babblers are exceedingly shy. They associate in small flocks 

 except during the breeding-season, when they go about in pairs. 

 I have only known them to frequent small woods and brushwood, 

 a little higher than the elevation of the coffee-plantations. 



" Three nests of these birds were found in the months of March 

 and April 1871. The first was placed on the ground, close against 

 a bush. The nest, consisting of dry leaves and grass, appeared to 

 be merely a canopy for the eggs, which were almost on the bare 

 ground, having only a very few pieces of straw under them. The 

 eggs were three in number, and covered profusely with innumer- 

 able small dark spots, making it difficult to say what the ground- 

 colour really was. The nest was not easily found. The bird left 

 it so quietly as not to be heard, and dropped down the hill like a 

 ball. When the eggs were discovered the bird did not return to 

 them for fully three hours, after which she came very cautiously, 

 but only to meet her doom, poor thing, as she was then shot. The 

 second nest was built in the same way under a bush, and contained 

 three eggs, which were put into my egg-box lined with cotton, but 

 were hatched on the w r ay home. The third nest was constructed 

 under a large stone and with the same materials, and contained 

 two young ones." 



An egg of this species, received from Miss Cockburn, is a mode- 

 rately broad and very regular oval. The ground-colour is a slightly 

 greenish white, and the whole surface of the egg is excessively 

 finely freckled and speckled with lilac or pale purplish grey and a 

 more or less rufous brown. The egg has a slight gloss. 



It measures 0-88 by 0-65. 



145. Pellorneum siibochraceum, Swinh. The Burmese Spotted 



Babbler. 

 Pellorneum subochraceum, Sivinh., Hume, Cat. no. 399 sex. 



The Burmese Spotted Babbler breeds pretty well over the whole 

 of Pegu and Tenasserim. Mr. Gates writes : " On the 3rd May 



