294 



sugarcane or corn they were built in. In addition to the above I 

 found numerous other nests all through August, many of which 

 were destroyed by something or other what, I do not know ! In 

 fact, it has always been a puzzle to me what it is that takes 

 1 he eggs of these small birds : three out of four nests, when 

 visited a second time, are either empty, gone altogether, or pulled 

 down; and how the birds ever manage to hatch off a brood at all 

 with so many enemies I do not know. 



" 1 found a nest of the Ashy Wren- Warbler at Deesa on the 

 21st July, containing three fresh eggs, of a highly polished deep 

 mahogany-red colour, with an almost invisible cap of the same 

 colour a shade darker at the large end. The nest, which was 

 placed in the centre of a low bush and fixed to a few small twigs, 

 was oval in shape, measuring 3| inches in length exteriorly and 

 2J in width, with a small round entrance near the top about 

 1^ inch in diameter. It was composed of fine dry fibrous grass, 

 with silky vegetable down (Calotropis yiyantea) and cobwebs 

 smeared over the exterior. The walls were very thin, but the 

 bottom of the nest somewhat solid. The whole well woven and 

 compactly built. Later on I got nests on the following dates : 



" Aug. 1. A nest containing 3 fresh eggs. 

 1. 



5. 

 5. 



S. 



26. 



" In addition to the above, I found nests containing young birds 

 on the 15th, 17th, and 23rd August, 



" The nests are of two distinct types. One as above described ; 

 the other, which is the commoner of the two, a regular Tailor-bird's 

 nest stitched between two leaves but without any lining. The eggs 

 vary a good deal in shade, some being paler than others. Some 

 eggs I have look almost like little balls of red carnelian. Creepers 

 (convolvulus &c.) growing up low thorny bushes in grass-beerhs 

 are a favourite place for the nest." 



Lieut. H. E. Barnes informs us that in Eajputana this Warbler 

 breeds from July to September. 



Messrs. Davidson and Wenden state that this bird is common 

 in the Deccan and breeds in August. 



Mr. Ehodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says: " It- 

 builds in March, constructing a very neat pendent nest, which is 

 artfully concealed, and supported by sewing one or two leaves 

 round it. This is very neatly done with the fine silk which sur- 

 rounds the eggs of a small brown spider. The nest is generally 

 built of tine grass, and contains three eggs of a bright brick-colour 

 with a high polish. The entrance to the nest is at the top and a 

 little on one side. An egg measured O7 inch in length by 0'48 in 

 breadth." 



As for the eggs, it is unnecessary to describe them ; they are 

 precisely similar to those of P. stewartl, fully described below. All 



