Nidificution of Indian Birds. 277 



and are also smaller and more speckly in character. The 

 surface is smooth and has a slight gloss, whilst the texture 

 is the normal fine but fragile texture of all eggs of Cyornis. 

 In shape they are broad blunt ovals, measuring 79 by 

 "57 in., "78 by "50, and '77 by '57. 



116. Alseonax latirostris. 



Oates, F. B. Ind. ii. p. 35 ; Shelly, B. N. H. S. J. ix. 

 p. 223; Davidson, ibid. xii. p. 6. 



This Flycatcher's nest has of late been takeu by several 

 collectors, the first record that I can find being that of 

 Lieut. B. A. G. Shelly, who sent a note to the Bombay 

 Journal as follows : — 



" I am forwarding to-day a nest and four eggs of the 

 Brown Flycatcher (Alseonax latirostris), as I understand 

 that the eggs of this bird have not yet been recorded. These 

 eggs J. obtained near here on the Ghauts (Mhow). The 

 first nests were taken by Sergt. Kemp and myself on the 

 17th June, on which occasion the eggs were mostly fresh; 

 the last were taken on the 29th, when fresh and hard-set eggs 

 and young birds were met with 



" With one exception all the nests have been found on 

 the dwarf teak-trees which grow so plentifully on the 

 Ghauts. They are, as a rule, built on thick, bare, horizontal 

 branches, at some little distance from the trunk and, on 

 average, eighteen feet from the ground. The bird seems to 

 prefer the more secluded nullahs to breed in, generally 

 selecting for this purpose a tree close to the bank. The 

 nest is rather large lor so small a bird, and except for 

 being placed so high would not be difficult to find. Four 

 seems to be the full complement of eggs, though three hard- 

 set eggs have been met with." 



The following year I received a clutch of four eggs from 

 Mr. Kemp, which were taken on the 16th of May, 1895. 



Mr. Davidson took the eggs of this bird the same year in 

 North Kanara on the 4th of May. He writes : — "I saw one of 

 these birds fly from a tree overhanging the road. I followed 

 it into the forest to be sure it was A. latirostris, and had I 



