AEACHNECHTHEA. 257 



" In eight or nine days (I ain not quite certain which) I took 

 them out of the box and attempted to blow them, and in doing so 

 broke them both, when to my utter astonishment I found that 

 each contained a living chick, almost ready to hatch. 



" The temperature of the room in which they were left varies 

 in the daytime from 88 to 90 P., and at night from 79 to 

 84 R 



" I have often and often left incubated eggs of different species 

 on my table for two or three days before blowing them, but never 

 before, on extracting the contents, have I found the embryo alive, 

 unless in the case of an egg quite recently brought in." 



On the general subject of the nidification of this Sun-bird at 

 Deesa, he says : " The Purple Sun-bird breeds in the neighbour- 

 hood of Deesa all through the hot weather, often assuming the 

 breeding-plumage as early as December. I took nests this year on 

 the following dates : 



" Feb. 10th, 1876. A nest containing 2 fresh eggs. 

 Feb. 28th. 2 fresh eggs. 



"March 15th. 

 "March 19th. 

 "March 22nd. 

 " March 29th. 

 " May 1 Oth. 

 "May llth. 



2 fresh eggs. 



2 fresh eggs. 



2 fresh eggs. 



2 slightly incubated eggs. 



2 fresh eggs. 



2 fresh eggs. 



" In addition to the above-mentioned I took a nest containing 

 two fresh eggs on the 18th June, 1875, at Mount Aboo, and 

 many others during the hot weather, which I have not mentioned. 

 The nests and eggs are so well known that it is unnecessary for 

 me to describe them. They often select odd places to build in. 

 In several instances I have found nests suspended from pieces of 

 string hanging from the roofs of houses." 



Writing of Eajputana in general, Lieut. H. E. Barnes remarks : 

 " Commences to breed in March, and nests may be foundquite 

 up to the beginning of the rains." 



Miss Cockburn remarks that in the Nilghiris they generally lay 

 in January. " Their nests are composed of cobweb stuck thickly 

 over with small pieces of dried leaves ; the whole forms a neat 

 oblong hanging nest, the entrance being at one side towards the 

 top, over which there is a little canopy, which gives a look of 

 snuguess and security, as if not a drop of water could enter the 

 abode. The interior is warmly lined with the down of seed-pods, 

 and the whole construction is generally attached to the extremity 

 of a small branch, which the slightest breath of air puts in 

 motion." 



Mr. Ehodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says : 

 " The Purple Honey-sucker builds a nest very similar to the pre- 

 ceding (NectarophUa zeylonica). It breeds both on the plains and 

 in the hills, ascending the Nilghiris to an elevation of 6000 feet. 

 The nest is composed of small twigs, pieces of grass aod leaves, 

 and is lined with the down of thistles and silk-cotton. It is 



VOL. II. 17 



