TACCOCFA. 409 



earlier. The nest is found in close-growing thickets in retired 

 places. In structure it is very simple, a mere collection of twigs 

 and leaves of kinds, in size about a foot in diameter, flat, having a 

 small hollow only in the centre for the eggs. In this hollow leaves 

 are spread over the surface, sometimes of neem, siris, and tamarind. 

 The eggs in form and shape much resemble those of Centrococcyu. 

 They are white, with the surface covered with the soft chalk-like 

 substance, but less in depth than what appears on the eggs of 

 Centrococajx. I have found but three eggs in one nest, but whether 

 this is the regular number I cannot tell, having only obtained in 

 all three nests, respectively with one, two, and three eggs. They 

 vary much in size from 1*3 to 1*5 inch in length, and from 1 to 

 1-1 inch in breadth. The Sirkeer is a shy bird and somewhat 

 rare. It frequents wooded localities only, at least I have nowhere 

 else met with it. In habits it resembles the Coucal." 



Mr. Brooks, writing to me from Chunar, says: " May 25th. 

 Got a nest containing two fresh eggs, pure chalky-white, like the 

 Coucal's, but smaller. The nest was in a small banian-tree about 

 15 feet high, and in a leafy fork 4 or 5 feet from the top. It was 

 composed of sticks and twigs, cup-shaped inside, and lined with 

 the leaves of the banian-tree. Both birds incubate ; at the time 

 the eggs were taken the female was sitting close to the nest, 

 and the male so closely that the man had to climb up to it before 

 it would leave. One of the eggs was pure white, slightly glossy ; 

 the other was a good deal discoloured. There were only two eggs 

 in the nest, and yet they were partly incubated." 



Major Bingham says : u I found a finished nest of this bird on 

 the canal-banks at Delhi on the 4th April. It was a firm deep 

 cup placed high up in a babool-tree. I regret to say, when I 

 visited it again it had been deserted." 



Colonel Butler remarks : " I found a nest of the Bengal Sirkeer 

 at Deesa on the 6th of June, 1876, containing three well-incubated 

 eggs. The nest was built of sticks, with a few green leaves as a 

 lining, and in a low ber-tree in a wood about 10 feet from the 

 ground. The hen bird sat very close, and with her tail erected 

 perpendicularly. The nest was open at the top, and some of the 

 twigs appeared to have been plucked when green. It was not in 

 the least concealed ; on the contrary it was in a very open place 

 and easily discovered. The eggs were much in shape, size, and 

 colour like those of Athene brama, but the shell differs in being of 

 a very chalky nature." 



The eggs much resemble those of Centrococcyx mfipennis, but 

 are smaller and more elongated. They are a dull glossless white ; 

 but these eggs too are, like the eggs of the Coucal, often covered 

 with a pale yellowish-brown glaze, which is readily removed by 

 washing or scraping, and leaves the pure white, somewhat chalky, 

 shell unstained beneath. I am doubtful as to the nature of this 

 glaze ; eggs are often uniformly covered with it, while I have 

 taken a whole nestful without a single trace of it. 



