CHAPTIA. 211 



bamboo-clump to breed in. The nest is a compact cup, neatly 

 made of fine grass-stalks, with an outer coating of dry bamboo- 

 leaves plastered over with cobwebs ; it is fastened to the support- 

 ing branches by cobwebs. Externally it measures 3-5 inches wide 

 by 2 inches deep, internally 2'5 by 1*5. 

 " The usual number of eggs is three." 



Major M. Forbes Coussmaker, writing from Bangalore, tells us: 

 " I took the nest of this bird on 6fch April in the Shemagah District, 

 Mysore. It was built on the fork of a bare branch about 20 feet 

 from the ground in big tree-jungle, and was composed of fine 

 grass, fibre, and a few dry bamboo-leaves woven together with cob- 

 . making a small compact cup-like nest which measured 

 3 inches in diameter externally, 2-5 internally, and 1-4 deep. 



" From where I stood I saw the bird come and sit on the nest 

 and fly off again a dozen times at least. The eggs, three in num- 

 ber, measured '9 by '65, and were pinkish white with darker pink 

 and light purple blotches and spots all over, principally at the 

 larger end." 



Mr. J. E. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern 

 Bengal, this species is " rather common : generally to be found 

 perching on the dead branches of high trees overlooking water, 

 especially whenever there is a dense undergrowth of jungle. On 

 the 1st June, 1878, I secured a nest with three fresh eggs ; it was 

 built on a slender twig on the outer side of a mango-tree which 

 was standing near a ryot's house, and was about 15 feet off the 

 ground. External diameter 3| inches, depth 2 ; internal diameter 

 2^, depth 1J. Saucer-shaped ; the outside consisted of plaintain- 

 leaves torn up into slips, all of which were firmly bound together 

 by fibres of the plaintain-leaf and jute, which were wound round 

 the twigs and secured the nest. Inside lining was made of very 

 fine pieces of 'sone' grass. The pair were very pugnacious, 

 attacking any birds coming near their nest. These birds have a 

 clear mellow ringing whistle." 



Mr. Gates writes from Pegu : " I procured one nest on the 

 23rd April. It was placed at the tip of an outer branch of a jack 

 tree, and attention was drawn to it by the vigorous attacks the 

 parents made on passing birds. The nest was suspended in a fork ; 

 the outside diameter is 4 inches and inside 3, total depth 2^, and 

 the egg-cup is about 1| deep. The nest is composed of fine grass, 

 strips of plamtain-bark, and other vegetable fibres closely woven 

 together ; the edges and the interior are chiefly of delicate branch- 

 lets of the finer weeds and grasses. It is overlaid at the edges, 

 where it is attached to the branches, with cobwebs, and a few 

 fragments of moss are stuck on at various points. 



" There were two fresh eggs ; the ground-colour is a pale salmon- 

 fawn, and the shell is covered with darker spots and marks of the 

 same. They are only very slightly glossy. The two eggs measure 

 0-85 by 0-62." 



Major C. T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim : " On the 10th 

 March, 1880, being encamped at the head-waters of the Queebaw- 



14* 



