68 TURDIDJE. 



shy, solitary, and bush-loving. It lays from three to four eggs, a 

 pale verditer-blue ; regular oval eggs about 0*72 by 0'5 ; and 

 makes its nest on the ground, in holes of rocks or banks, or at the 

 base of some decaying tree. The nest is a compact saucer, com- 

 posed of moss and moss-roots, and lined with sheep's wool and a 

 few soft feathers. One nest obtained in August measured 4-62 in 

 diameter, and 1-87 in height externally ; the cavity measured 2-75 

 in diameter and 1-12 in depth. This species apparently breeds 

 from May to August. 



Two eggs, said to belong to this species, were procured in Native 

 Sikhim together with one of the parent birds, in June. In shape 

 these eggs are very regular ovals, a little pointed towards both 

 ends ; the surface of the shell is rather uneven, but there is a fair 

 amount of gloss on them ; the colour is a uniform rather deep blue. 

 They measure 0-81 by 0'58 and 0-80 by 0-57. 



654. lanthia rufilata (Hodgs.). The Red-flanked Wood-Chat. 



lanthia cyanura (Pall.}, Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 146. 



Nemura rufilata, Hodgs. y Hume, Hough Draft N. 8f E. no. 508. 



I have never succeeded in finding a nest of the Red-flanked 

 "Wood-Chat. In the hills north of Simla they breed, I believe, very 

 high up. "Writing of the Sutlej Valley, my friend Dr. Stoliczka 

 says: "This species does not occur in summer to the west of 

 Nachar and not below 8000 feet. It breeds near Chini, and even 

 here almost only near the limit of trees, at about 12,000 feet. It 

 is often seen about Korzog in Eupshu, at an elevation of between 

 15,000 and 16,000 feet." 



But further west in Cashmere they breed as low as 6000 feet, 

 and 1 have eggs taken there during the latter half of May and the 

 first half of June. They breed there, it appears, in holes, making 

 a nest of moss and grass lined with soft white grass. 



From Cashmere Mr. Brooks noted that " this bird, like Siphia 

 leucomelanura, breeds in the immature or female dress. I shot 

 several pairs which were nesting, and saw others. Only one pair 

 had the male mature, and differing from the female. It nests in 

 hcles in bank-sides, under tree-roots, or fallen tree-trunks. The 

 eggs, four in number, are bluish white, very faintly marked towards 

 the larger end with the palest reddish brown. Those markings 

 can only be seen upon a close inspection. Length 0'74 by 0*56." 



He obtained, if I remember right, only a single nest, and this 

 was at Goolmergh, and on the 2nd June. Each of the three nests 

 of which I have notes contained four eggs. 



Mr. Brooks mentioned in epist. : " The shape of the egg is 

 similar to that of other Eobins, but diminishes rather more rapidly 

 from the centre of the egg towards each end. The texture is 

 smooth with a slight gloss ; ground-colour pale greenish white, with 

 some indistinct faint mottlings of very pale red at the larger end 

 with a tendency to form a zone." 



