222 CERTHIIDjE. 



and like them they are white, sometimes minutely freckled with 

 pale red and purple-grey specks, which are principally confined to 

 the large end, with a tendency to form a zone. Other eggs are 

 plain white, without the slightest sign of a spot ; but these, I think, 

 must be the exception, for the egg of the English Wren is usually 

 spotted. The egg has very little gloss, and the ground-colour is 

 pure white." 



The eggs are very large for the size of the bird. There appear 

 to be two types. The one somewhat elongated ovals, slightly 

 compressed towards the lesser end ; the others broad short ovals, 

 decidedly pointed at one end. Some eggs are perfectly pure un- 

 spotted white ; others have a dull white ground, with a faint zone 

 of minute specks of brownish red and tiny spots of greyish purple 

 towards the large end, and a very few markings of a similar cha- 

 racter scattered about the rest of the surface. All the eggs of the 

 latter type vary in the amount and size of markings ; these latter 

 are always sparse and very minute. The pure white eggs appear 

 to be less common. The eggs have always a slight gloss, the pure 

 white ones at times a very decided, though never at all a brilliant 

 gloss. 



In length they vary from 0*61 to 0*7 inch, and in breadth from 

 0-5 to 0-52 inch. 



Mr. Brooks subsequently wrote : " The Cashmir Wren is not 

 uncommon in the pine- woods of Cashmir, and in habits and 

 manners resembles its European congener. Its song is very 

 similar and quite as pretty. It is a shy, active little bird, and 

 very difficult to shoot. I found two nests. One was placed in the 

 roots of a large upturned pine, and was globular with entrance at 

 the side. It was profusely lined with feathers and composed of 

 moss and fibres. The eggs were white, sparingly and minutely 

 spotted with red, rather oval in shape ; measuring 0'66 by 0*5. 

 A second nest was placed in the thick foliage of a moss-grown fir- 

 tree, and was about 7 feet above the ground. It was similarly 

 composed to the other nest, but the eggs were rounder and plain 

 white, without any spots." 



355. Urocichla caudata (Blyth). The Tailed Wren. 



Pnoepyga caudata (JBlytK), Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 490 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 331. 



The Tailed Wren, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, lays in 

 April and May, building a deep cup-shaped nest about the roots 

 of trees or in a hole of fallen timber ; the nest is a dense mass of 

 moss and moss-roots, lined with the latter. One measured was 

 3*5 inches in diameter and 3 in height ; internally, the cavity was 

 1'6 inch in diameter and about 1 inch deep. They lay four or 

 five spotless whitish eggs, which are figured as broad ovals, rather 

 pointed towards one end, and measuring O75 by 0-54 inch. 



