9348 Notices of Books. 
described, white, with a few dark claret-coloured spots. Burgess 
describes a nest made of grass, spiders’ web, hemp and pieces of paper, 
placed in the fork of a tree, and two of the branches were bound 
together with the hemp. Theobald also found the nest, a neat cup of 
woven grass, attached by its side to the bough of a tree, and he 
describes the eggs as white, with black spots.” —P. 108. 
“The Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis).—The magpie-robin is 
found throughout all India, from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin and 
Ceylon, and eastward to Arrakan and Tenasserim. Hutton says that 
at Mussooree it occurs up to 5000 feet. It is rare near Darjeeling, 
and I never saw it above 3000 feet. It affects chiefly wooded districts, 
but does not inhabit the deep jungles. Towards the South of India it is 
less familiar than it is in the North, for in Central India, Bengal, &c., 
itis often seen feeding close to houses. It is generally seen alone or 
in pairs, usually seeks its prey on the ground from a low perch, often 
hopping a few steps to pick up an insect. When it returns to its 
perch it generally elevates its tail, and often utters a pleasing warble. 
Though it frequently raises and depresses its tail, both when perched 
and on the ground, I cannot say that I have observed the wagtail-like 
flirtation of its tail noted by Hodgson, or that it throws its tail back 
tll it nearly touches its head, as Layard has seen. Towards the 
evening it may often be seen near the top of some tolerably large tree 
or other elevated perch, pouring forth its song. J have always found 
its food to consist of insects of various kinds, small grasshoppers, 
beetles, worms, &c. Hodgson asserts that in winter they like unripe 
vetches and such like ; but this is quite opposed to the usual habits 
of this group. It breeds generally in thick bushes or hedges; some- 
times in a hole in a bank or tree, and occasionally in a hole in a wall 
or on the rafter of a house. The nest is made of roots and grass; and 
the eggs, four in number, are bluish white or pale bluish, with pale 
brown spots and blotches. Layard says that the eggs are bright blue, 
and Hutton that they are carneous cream-colour, but these observers 
must, I think, have been mistaken in the identity of the owner of the 
nest.”—P,.115, 
Here I must pause: my further extracts, together with the third and 
concluding part of this notice, shall appear as soon as space can be 
afforded. 
