PACHTGLOSSA. AXTIIOCINCLA. 279 



entrance-hole 1*5 inch long by *87 inch broad. The eggs are mode- 

 rately elongated, of alight pink ground-colour, blotched indistinctly 

 with pink spots, more frequent and massed at the obtuse end. 

 They are large for the size of the bird, their length being O62 inch, 

 and their breadth a little over 0-37 inch." 



Two or three eggs are laid each time, the bird having, I am in- 

 clined to believe, two broods at least in the year. 



The eggs vary a good deal in size and shape, as well as in colour. 

 Typically they are rather elongated ovals, but comparatively sphe- 

 rical and somewhat pyriform examples occur. The ground-colour 

 varies from white just tinged with rosy to a decided pink, and the 

 markings from brownish pink to claret-colour. The markings, 

 again, are comparatively large spots, at others mere specks ; in 

 some eggs are sparse, in others thickly studded, in all are most 

 numerous towards the large end, where they sometimes form an 

 irregular zone or cap, and in some are almost confined to this part 

 of the egg. 



The eggs vary in length from 0-6 to 0-69 inch, and from 0-43 to 

 0-47 inch, but the average is about 0-63 by 0'45. 



Pachyglossa melanoxantha (Hodgs.). The Yellow-bellied 

 Flower-pecker. 



Pachyglossa melanoxantha, Hodgs.. Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 378 ; Hume, 

 Rough Draft N. $ E. no. 242. 



Dr. Jerclon says : " This curious little bird (the Yellow-bellied 

 Flower-pecker) has hitherto only been found in Nepal. Hodgson 

 says that it feeds on small insects and viscid berries, and makes an 

 ingenious pendulous nest, like Myzanthe. I was not fortunate 

 enough to procure this bird in Sikhim." I have been able to trace 

 nothing about its nidification myself in Mr. Hodgson's notes or 

 drawings. 



Family PITTID^E. 



Anthocincla phayrii, Blyth. Phayre's Pitta. 

 Anthocincla phayrii, Blyth, Hume, Cat. no. 346 ter. 



Major C. T. Bingham was fortunate enough to discover the nest 

 of this rare Pitta in Tenasserim. He says: " Eight up among 

 hills, and in dense evergreen forest, the Meplay, the largest tribu- 

 tary of the Thouugyeen, takes its rise. Up at its source, where 

 it is a mere bubbling rivulet, lies the small Karen hamlet of 

 Hporrlai. On the 21st April this year (1881) I pitched my camp 

 there, and in the evening strolled round with my gun. On the 

 side of a deep bank covered by dense evergreen bushes I saw 



