104 TURDID^E. 



The eggs are (salmon-coloured, with a few darker red specks and 

 spots. The nests we found were made entirely of dead pine-leaves 

 beautifully woven together. Elevation 6000 feet." 



Colonel G. E. L. Marshall writes: "A nest with half-fledged 

 found at Naini Tal on the 3rd June was in a hole at the root of a 

 tree on a grassy slope close to a frequented road, from which it 

 was quite visible. The male bird was sitting. I could not see the 

 lining, as the young birds concealed it ; but the outer part seemed 

 roughly built of moss, and cup-shaped." 



Mr. W. E. Brooks has recorded the following : " On the 26th 

 of May I shot a female of this species at Almorah, and close to 

 where she fell was a nest in a hole of an old retaining vail, over- 

 grow 11 with grass. Eor hours the place was watched, but no bird 

 came near the partly-incubated eggs. Her breast ^as bare, as if 

 she had been sitting on eggs. The male I had also shot shortly 

 before the female. The nest was very Thrush-like in form, and 

 was placed in just such a situation as would have been chosen by 

 a B/ing-Ouzel. It was composed of fine twigs, roots, and coarse 

 grass, and lined with finer grass. The eggs were four in number, 

 0-91 by 0-62 inch, of a pale buff or salmon-colour, finely mottled, 

 principally at the larger end, with very pale reddish brown. 

 Though they are not Thrush-like in colouring, being more like 

 those of a Eedbreast, I cannot believe that they belong to any 

 other bird." 



I may note that I have one of tne eggs thus found, and that 

 there is no possible doubt that it belongs to this species, of which 

 I have now taken very many. 



Mr. R. Thompson remarks: "In June 1865 I found a nest 

 close to my house at Koorpatal, below Nynee Tal, with only one 

 young one. Eor the last two years the same pair have constantly 

 bred in the same place, making a fresh nest each year and bringing 

 up two and three young ones. This year the three young ones 

 remained with the parent birds for a considerable time. Many 

 young ones are taken at Almorah, where the natives prize them for 

 their song. They lay in May and June, building a circular cup- 

 shaped nest some 4*8 inches in diameter, composed externally of 

 mosses and roots, internally of hairs and fine fibres, on the ground, 

 in a hole, either under a stump, a tuft of grass, or a stone. They 

 generally breed at elevations between 3000 and 6000 feet." 



Captain Cock long ago sent me the following note from Dhurum- 

 sala : " Nidificates in May and June in the North-west Hima- 

 layas. Nest is composed of moss at the bottom, with layers of 

 coarse grass, fibres and roots, internally of finer grass-fibre; but it 

 is a loosely-put-together affair, and with a little handling soon 

 comes to pieces. It is a saucer-shaped open nest, 4 inches in dia- 

 meter, generally placed on some bank by the side ot a road. Parent 

 bird fearless, sometimes choosing a very much frequented road, but 

 still their nests are well concealed in some little niche of the bank. 

 The parent bird may be caught by the hand when on her eggs. 

 Lays four eggs, salmon-colour or buff (caused by the numerous 



