76 TURDID^E. 



species migrating during the breeding-season. As far as I have 

 observed, where it resides during the winter there it breeds during 

 the summer. 



In shape these eggs, which are moderately glossy, are commonly 

 somewhat elongated ovals, more or less pointed towards the small 

 end. Considerably elongated varieties are common, far more so 

 than in Copsychus saularis ; the ground-colour is white faintly 

 tinged with either green, pink, pale brown, or even cream-colour, 

 green being the most common. The general character of the 

 markings is a fine close speckling and mottling of different shades 

 of reddish brown, but they vary very much both in their character, 

 boldness, extent, and intensity. In all the markings are somewhat 

 more dense towards the large end, where in many they form a 

 more or less confluent cap. I have specimens before me in which, 

 with a small confluent intensely deep brown cap, the rest of the 

 surface is only thinly speckled with dingy yellowish-brown points ; 

 others are finely and closely speckled, and streakily spotted over 

 the whole surface, so as to show but little of the ground-colour 

 anywhere, and with scarcely a perceptible concentration at the 

 large end; while others again are pretty boldly streaked and 

 spotted, as in the common type of Copsychus saularis ; but these 

 latter are somewhat exceptional forms, the general characteristic 

 of the markings being, as I have already remarked, fine pin's-point 

 specklings closely crowded and anastomosing into dotty streaks. 

 Occasionally pale inky-purple spots underlie the primary markings, 

 but these are only perceptible on a close examination of the egg. 

 As in the case of Copsychus saularis, the eggs of this species appear 

 to me to show no relation to those of the Saxicolince. 



In length the eggs vary from 0-72 to 0'88, arid in breadth from 

 0-48to0'67; but the average of fifty-seven eggs measured was 

 0-79 by 0-59. 



662. Thamnobia fulicata (Linn.). The Black-backed Indian 



Robin. 



Thamnobia fulicata (Linn.}, Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 12J ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. fy E. no. 479. 



This and the last, T. cambaiensis, constitute another of those 

 puzzling pairs of Northern and Southern forms which it is very 

 doubtful to me whether we ought to retain as different species. 



The following notes refer to the Eobins which are found at 

 Ahmednuggur in the Deccan and south of that place. They may 

 be considered typical T. fulicata. 



From Ahmednuggur in the Deccan the Rev. H. J. Bruce sent 

 me the following note : 



" May 25th, 1869. Found a nest of Thamnobia fulicata. It was 

 reported to me in the morning as having two eggs and one chick, 

 but when I went to it in the evening it contained two chicks and 

 only one egg. I secured the egg, which was nearly ready to hatch. 



