2786 The Zoologist— October, 1871, 



sides of the nest by a mere thread, and could have been removed 

 with perfect safety. Perhaps instinct teaches the birds to injure 

 certain leaves by excessive piercing in order that they may 

 decay ? Jerdon says that he does not remember ever having seen 

 a nest made with more than two leaves. 1 have found the nest of 

 this species vary considerably in appearance, size, and in the 

 number of leaves which it employs; and, I would also add, in the 

 site it selects, as well as in the marking of the eggs, which latter 

 never exceed four in number. The nest already described was 

 built hardly two feet off the ground, was rather clumsy (if I might 

 use such an expression), and was composed of three leaves. The 

 eggs were white, covered with brownish pink blotches, almost 

 coalescing at the large end. Another nest taken by me this 

 season, from the very top of a high tree, within ten yards of my 

 house, was enclosed inside oi one leaf, the sides being neatly sewn 

 together, and the cavity at the bottom lined with wool, down and 

 horse-hair. These eggs are covered, chiefly at the larger end, with 

 minute red S])ots. A third nest seen by me was composed of seven 

 or eight leaves. 



Tintiir camhaj/eusia. — During the last cold season I had occa- 

 sion to have a standing camp for some ten days, and a pair of 

 these doves actually built their nest on a double rope in the 

 verandah of my tent. The nest, which consisted of a few dry 

 twigs and grass-stems, was finished in three or foiu' days, and the 

 female commenced sitting imniediately. Unfortunately for them 

 my tent had to be struck, but how eggs could have been hatched 

 in such a situation (the ropes being at an angle of 45°) is difficult 

 to say. 



Pnt'O crislaius. — My Shikaree, a man in whom I have the 

 greatest confidence, and who has been collecting for me for many 

 years, brought me a iew days ago three eggs of the pea-fowl, which 

 lie took from an old nest of the common vulture {Gyps bengalensis). 

 He says that he saw the pea-hen on the nest, which was situated 

 on a huge horizontal branch of the burgut tree, a species of Ficus. 

 It would have been interesting to know how the chicks got down, and 

 if the tree had not been too far olf I would have watched the nest. 

 My gun-bearer declares thai the parent bird would have removed 

 her ofl'spiing in her beak, in the same manner as the Indian 

 perching-ducks [SarkUlioniis melanonolnHy Nellapus coronian- 

 delianus, ct Dendiocyyna arciiata) carry their young to the water. 



