SPOB^EGINTHUS. 147 



738. Sporaeginthus amandava (Linn.). The Indian Red 

 Munia. 



Estrelda amandava (Linn.), Jerd. B. 2nd. ii, p. 359 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 704. 



The Indian Eed Munia breeds pretty well all over the Indian 

 Empire (except in the Punjab), in suitable localities. In the bare 

 portions of the Xorth-West Provinces and Eajpootana I have 

 never known it as more than a passing visitor ; but wherever the 

 country is well-watered, and either well-wooded or abounding in 

 high grass in Meerut and the districts of the Doab northwards, in 

 many places in Oudb and Eohilkund, Saugor, Chanda, Eaipoor in 

 the Central Provinces, in the more fertile portion of Sindh, in all 

 our Dhoons and Terais I know of its nesting. 



In all these localities it breeds, I believe, twice a year once 

 from Xovember to February, and the second time from June 

 to August ; but in the Nilghiris, which it ascends to an elevation 

 of 6000 feet, the breeding-season seems to last from May to 

 December. In the Himalayas I have never heard of its breeding 

 at elevations exceeding 2000 to 3000 feet. 



All the nests that I have myself found were oblate spheroids, 

 loosely but not untidily built with fine grass, and lined with fine 

 seed-down, the entrance circular and at one side, perhaps lg inch 

 in diameter. Externally the nests vary in diameter from 5 to 

 7 inches, and in height from 4 to 7 inches. 



One nest of this species sent me from the neighbourhood of 

 Saugor was of a deep, clumsy purse-shape, almost egg-shaped ; it 

 had been laid in a fork of a bush sideways, the aperture being at 

 one end ; it was very loosely and raggedly put together with fine 

 terns of grass, and thickly and warmly lined with grass-seed down. 

 The cavity was about 4 inches deep and about 2 inches in diameter, 

 and narrow at the* mouth. Externally the nest was 5-5 and 4'75 

 inches in diameter and 6 in length. 



I have invariably found the nest in thick dwarf bushes, very 

 close to the ground, at most at a height of three feet. 



Six is, I believe, the full complement of eggs ; but seven and 

 even eight may occasionally be found. 



Mr. F. E. Blewitt says : " The Indian Amaduvat breeds freely 

 in the Eaipoor and Sumbulpoor Districts. The 8th December is the 

 earliest, and the 25th February the latest, date on which we have 

 there taken the eggs. Wild plum (Z. nummularia) bushes growing 

 promiscuously in the grass- jungles near to, or on the borders of, the 

 banks of the many large and small streams intersecting the open 

 forest country are preferentially selected for nesting. Occasionally 

 an old nest, well concealed in the interior of the bush, has been 

 discovered on a plain distant from water. 



" The nest, for better concealment and protection, is generally 

 constructed about the centre of the bush, from a foot to three feet 

 from the ground. Only on one occasion, when stalking Cheetul on 



10* 



