ALCIPPE. 107 



of the forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle. I 

 have also found the nest at Neddivattam in April. 



" In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, 

 about 2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet 

 from the ground." 



Mr. T. F. Bourdillon writes from Travancore: "This bird breeds 

 commonly with us, and its ne'st is more often met with than that 

 of any other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, 

 and grass. It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the 

 middle of jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by lf-2 in 

 depth. The full number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on 



" April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. 



" Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. 



"Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. 



"April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated." 



A- in the case of Pyctorhis sinensis, the eggs differ much in colour 

 and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss 

 Cockburn from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse 

 at the larger end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller. 

 The shell is fine and somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white 

 or pinkish white, and they are thickly mottled and freckled, most 

 thickly at the larger end, where the markings form a more or less 

 confluent mottled cap, with two shades of pinkish-, and in some 

 spots slightly brownish, red, and towards the large end, where the 

 markings are dense, traces of pale purple clouds underlying the 

 primary markings are observable. In general appearance these 

 eggs not a little resemble those of some of the Bulbuls, and it seems 

 difficult to believe that they are eggs of birds of the same genus as 

 Alcippe atriceps*, the eggs of which are so much smaller and of 

 such a totally different type. Two eggs of the same species taken 

 by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed 

 towards one end; have a fine and sb'ghtly glossy shell. The 

 ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty large and 

 conspicuous spots and hairlines of deep brownish red, almost black, 

 and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and clouds, gene- 

 rally lying round or about the dark spots ; and then towards the 

 large end there are several small clouds and patches of faint inky 

 purple, which appear to underlie the other markings. The cha- 

 racter of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly 

 of those of the Chaffinch. Other eggs taken later by Miss Cock- 

 burn at Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate be- 

 tween the two types above described. 



All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in 

 length from 075 to 0-86, and in breadth from 0-58 to 0-65. 



* Alcippe atriceps and Alcippe phaocephala, as they have hitherto been styled 

 by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the least congeneric, as 1 have pointed 

 out in my ' Birds of India.' I am glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. 

 Hume's remarks on the eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should 

 be considered congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. 

 Their structure differs much. ED. 



