134 PLOCEID^E. 



loosely and coarsely put together. It was placed on a branch of 

 a karounda (Oarissa carounda) bush, about 5 feet high, growing on 

 the bank of a nullah. 



Mr. E. Aitken writes : " I once found a nest of this Munia in 

 Bombay, about 12 feet from the ground, I think, in a small tree. 

 I took no note of it at the time, but I recollect that they had two 

 young ones flying about with them soon after. Perhaps, how- 

 ever, some particulars of a pair that bred in a cage may be useful. 

 The nest was a darkened compartment, which they filled with fine 

 grass which 1 gave them. 1 could not watch their operations too 

 closely, for fear of frightening them; but I took some notes. 

 Pirst, they laid an egg with a soft shell, and broke it ; so I 

 supplied them with chalk and old egg-shells, and they began 

 again. This time I thought the female laid three eggs ; but only 

 two young were forthcoming, and if she had another egg they 

 must have disposed of it themselves. I supplied them with bread 

 and yolk of egg, with which the male assiduously fed the female 

 all the time of incubation and for ten days after the young were 

 hatched. During these ten days I only saw the female twice. 

 After that they shared the duty of feeding their offspring between 

 them. The eggs were undistinguishable from those of M. mala- 

 barica" 



Miss M. B. Cockburn tells us that "the White- backed Munia 

 is not a resident on the Nilghiris, but accompanies the Amaduvads 

 and Spotted Munias in their migrations, and is generally met with 

 in their company, except in the breeding-season, when they are 

 seen alone and in pairs. They are not numerous and are very 

 shy, never approaching any house. In this respect they are quite 

 unlike the Spotted Munia, whose unceremoniousness endears him 

 to us. 



" The White-backed Munia's nest resembles that of the Spotted 

 Munia, being a large accumulation of grass with a small opening 

 at one side. Nothing warm is used as a lining. The nests are 

 found in July, and contain six or eight pure white eggs." 



The late Captain Beavan stated that at Manbhoom " a nest of 

 this species (like that of M. malacca, and as described by Dr. 

 Jerdon), containing only three eggs, was brought to me on the 

 3rd April." 



Dr. Jerdon himself tells us : " In Malabar it is a familiar bird, 

 being constantly seen on the roadside, about houses, and in stable- 

 yards, and it builds in gardens and orchards, solitarily, making a 

 large loosely-construded nest of grass, and laying four or five 

 white eggs during the rains." 



Mr. J. Darling, Jun., remarks : " This bird breeds very com- 

 monly up in the Wynaad. Builds a nest of grass, put together in 

 a ball-shape, with a hole in the side ; it builds in all sorts of situa- 

 tions, but is especially fond of building in the parasitic plants on 

 * gooseberry-trees.' They lay from four to eight eggs. I have 

 found nests from April to June, and also in November and 

 December." 



