94 Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker on the 



grass-blades, and few dead leaves of other kinds. The nest 

 was rather more compact and better put together than is 

 usual with those of Scimitar-Babblers, but it was very untidy, 

 ending everywhere and anywhere, with no attempt to finish 

 off. It was in shape a very deep cup, measuring externally 

 about 87? inches in depth by about 6 inches in width near 

 the base, whence it narrowed off towards the top, where it 

 was about 4^ inches. Internally the cup was about 7 inches 

 deep by about 4 inches in diameter. 



The nest was built in mixed scrub- and tree-jungle, being 

 placed at the foot of a hush among a quantity of fallen leaves 

 and rubbish. 



It contained five eggs of the usual Scimitar-Babbler type, 

 pure white, of a fine silky texture, very smooth, but only 

 slightly glossed and rather fragile for their size. These eggs 

 average , 92" by '68". This nest was taken in the vicinity 

 of Hungrum, on a peak about 6000 feet high, on the 26th of 

 June, 1899. 



Two other nests were found at later dates in North Cachar 

 under much the same circumstances, but each contained 

 three hard-set eggs. 



In size the few eggs which have passed through my hands 

 vary between "89" and '93" in length and between -65" and 

 •69" in breadth. 



80. POMATORHINUS STENORHYNCHUS. 



Blanford, F. B. Ind. i. p. 124 ; Stuart Baker, B. N. H. 

 S. J. xiii. p. 401. 

 The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler was extremely rare 

 in North Cachar, and, with the exception of one which was 

 shot, all my birds were caught on their nests, these being 

 found on the lofty peaks about Hengmai, Hungrum, and 

 Ninglo, all some 6000 feet in altitude. On the borders of 

 Lakhimpur the Nagas procure them at a much lower height 

 than this, probably about 4000 feet. They do not, however, 

 so far as we know at present, ever actually come down into 

 the plains even in the cold weather. 



