56 Lieut. R. E. Yauglian and Staff-Surg, K. H. Jones 



time of year a couple- of rocks may often be seen furiously 

 chasing each other, apparently for the possession of a hen. 



The Magpie-Robin always has certain favourite perches 

 from which it gives vent to its song during the breeding- 

 season, and the use of which by any other species it always 

 strongly resents. No bird objects more strongly to the 

 approach of Urocissa erythrorhyncha than Cupsycltus saularis, 

 and none attacks that predatory species with more vigour 

 when it has eggs or young. 



This bird is insectivorous, and to see it trying to get 

 through the chitinous covering of the large Cicada {Crypto- 

 iympana recta) is very amusing. It is fond of spiders, and 

 has been seen to make a swoop at one of the large solitary 

 wasps {Pompilidce) struggling with a big spider, which it 

 promptly dropped, when Copsychus at once snapped it up ! 

 It was entertaining to see the wasp afterwards, carefully 

 quartering the ground to see what had become of its prey ! 



Eggs vary in length from 1*01 to '83 and in breadth 

 from "70 to "61, and they average '87 x 'GG. (See Plate V- 

 fig. 14 of the April number.) 



Prinia ixornata. 



The Indian Bush-Warbler is a common resident species 

 in both Kwang Tung and Kwang Si, and breeds in May, 

 June, July, and August. 



Usually the nest in this part of the world is placed in 

 reeds fringing the river-bank, or the muddy shores of some 

 island in the Delta ; but Avhere reeds are not available 

 bamboos and saplings at a height of about five feet are 

 made use of. At Moto in the Delta so many of these birds 

 breed in the reeds that almost a colony is formed. 



Contrary to what is reported in India, five is the usual 

 clutch and four is exceptional in south-eastern China. 



After the breeding-season is over these birds frequent the 

 scrub and undergrowth away from the river. 



Eggs average '59 x "43, and vary in length from '03 to 

 •54, and in width from '47 to "41. They will be figured oii 

 Plate V. figs. 4, 5 of the April number. 



