281 On the Nidification of Indian Birds. 



it was composed of roots and fibres, and contained three 

 young birds nearly fledged'." 



121. MlCROCICHLA SCOULERI. 



Oates, F. B. Ind. ii. p. 88 ; Stuart Baker, B. N. H. 

 S. J. ix. p. 22 ; Rattray, ibid. xi. p. 334. 



The Little Fork-tail breeds rarely in North Cachar at con- 

 siderable elevations, and I have taken three or four nests; but 

 onlv two with eggs, and of these one clutch was on the point 

 of hatching. 



My first nest was found at Laisung, at an elevation of 

 rather over 4000 feet, on the 2nd of May, 1891, and was 

 placed in a rift in a large piece of flat rock forming part of 

 the side of a deep ravine, along which ran a tiny stream, 

 joining the larger Laisung stream just below. 



My second and third nests were taken two years afterwards 

 in ravines about the same place, but still higher up, and were 

 placed in exactly the same sort of situations, though in one 

 case the side of the nest-hole was composed of more than 

 one stone. 



The fourth nest was taken at Ninglo, a peak about 6000 

 feet high, in the east of North Cachar, on one side of which 

 runs the Ninglo stream. In this case the nest was placed in 

 a hollow in the mossy bank, but well screened by moss and 

 weeds. 



The first nest contained two eggs, the next two young 

 birds, and the fourth three eggs just hatching. 



The nests were in every case similar : small rather roughly 

 made cups of moss fitting outwardly iuto the hollows in 

 which they were placed, and with cups for the eggs averaging 

 rather over two inches across by one inch deep. In all four 

 the lining was of skeleton leaves, but these were neither so 

 numerous nor so well inserted as is usual with Fork-tails' 

 nests. 



In the B. N. H. S. J., I described the two first-taken eggs 

 as follows : — 



" There were only two eggs, these being of a very pale, 

 clear stone-colour blotched with pale reddish, and, where they 



