RHOPODYTES. 397 



irregular imperfect zone, or sometimes a mottled cap ; but while 

 in some eggs the markings are almost exclusively confined to the 

 broader half, where they are but thinly sprinkled, in others they 

 almost hide the ground-colour throughout and are nearly confluent 

 over the whole upper end. In colour the markings are olive-bro\vu, 

 reddish brown, and dull purple ; the reddish-brown and purplish 

 markings predominating on stone-colour and dingy grounds, and 

 the olive-brown where the ground-colours are brighter green. 

 They vary little in shape or size, but are a moderately broad oval, 

 somewhat compressed towards the smaller end. 



The eggs vary in length from 1'OS to 1*29 inch, and in breadth 

 from M'S-0 to 0*96 inch : but the average of the series is 1*19 by 

 0-92 inch. 



Subfamily PHCENICOPH^IN^E. 



Rhopodytes tristis (Less.). The La,-<je Green-billed Malkoha. 



Zauclostomus tristis (Ze^s.), Jerd. S. Ind, i, p. 34o : Hume, Ruiufh 

 Draft X. E. no. 215. 



Dr. Jerdou says : " The eggs were brought to me at Darjeeling, 

 two in number, pure white, and of a long oval form. I did not 

 see the nest, which was said -to be a large mass of sticks and roots. 

 I took another similar egg from the oviduct of a female which I 

 shot." 



Mr. Davison obtained an egg of this species which he extracted 

 from the oviduct of a female killed at Meeta Myo, Tavoy District, 

 Tenasserim, on the 20th April, 1874. 



The egg is almost cylindrical in shape, excessively obtuse at both 

 ends, and very little curved on the sides. The shell is rather chalky, 

 and though tolerably smooth and soft to the touch is entirely 

 devoid of gloss. The colour is pure white, and the egg measures 

 1*36 in length by 1*05 in width. 



In 1875 both Mr. Cripps in Sylhet and Mr. Gainmie in Sikhim 

 found nests and took the eggs. 



The following is Mr. Cripps's account : " Sylhti, l2tJi Mini, 

 1875. A female was shot off the nest ; this was placed on a small 

 tree (about 4 feet off the ground on top of a teelah in amongst tea- 

 bushes, although heavy jungle was alongside) in a fork where 

 several branches originated, and was a very slight structure, care- 

 lessly made, consisting of twigs over which a layer of green leaves 

 had been placed. These were dry, though when I got them the 

 nest was more a scaffolding than anything else ; the chicks were 

 half-formed, the* egg-shells have been considerably soiled from the 

 bird's droppings. On the 18th May another nest was found; this 

 time in heavy tree-jungle, about 12 feet off the ground ; the nest 

 was the same as the foregoing, and contained only one fresh egg. 

 During the breeding- season this bird's call, a low sweet hoot, is 

 heard every no\v and then. 



