474 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION 



ground. The two nests -with eggs were found respectively on 

 the 23rd and 26th May, and contained one four, and one 

 five eggs. These nine eggs are all of one type, ground color 

 o-lossy white, spotted, scratched, aud streaked, especially at the 

 laro-e end with purple, and having also obscure purplish cloudy 

 spots. They measure 1-09 X 0-85, 1-07 x 0-85, 1-08 X 0-86, 

 T-05 X 0-82, 1'05 X 0-85, 1-09 x 0*86, 1*06 x 083 and 

 1-05 X 0-82. 



[The eggs are very close to those of Pitta cuculata. — A. O. H.] 



346 ter.— Anthocincla phayrii, Bly. 



Right up among high hills and in dense evergreen forest, the 

 Meplay, the largest tributary of the Thoungyeen, takes its rise. 

 Up at its source where it is a mere bubbling rivulet, lies the 

 small Karen hamlet of Hporrlai. On the 21st April this year 

 (1881) I pitched my camp there, and in the evening strolled 

 round with my gun. On the side of a steep bank covered by 

 dense evergreen bushes, I saw something moving, which I at first 

 took to be a rat, but presently made out to be a Pitta of some 

 kind scratching among the leaves. Breathlessly waiting with 

 gun at full cock I watched the bird for full ten minutes. At 

 last it came well into sight and I recognized it as a male of the 

 above species. I hastily raised my gun and fired, knocking the 

 bird over, and to my astouishment flushed a second, which, by 

 the hasty glance I got of it, I thought was a female, wanting 

 the black about the head. As I picked up the dead bird it flash- 

 ed on me that these were a pair, and that there might be a nest, 

 and sure enough a little search showed me a compact little oven- 

 shaped nest, made on the ground at the foot of a tree, of leaves, 

 roots, and grass, and containing four eggs. The entrance to the 

 nest was at the side looking down the steep slope on which it 

 was built, and having a firm little platform of twigs leading up 

 to it. The interior of the nest was lined with fine black roots. 

 The eggs are glossy white, spotted chiefly at the larger end with 

 purplish black. They measure M0 X 0SX, 1-08 X 0-85,1-09 

 X 0'85, and 1-10 X 0-86. I may add that I did not take 

 the eggs, or disturb the nest there and then, but waited till the 

 following morning, hoping to secure the female. I was 

 disappointed however, the eggs were quite cold and the nest 

 had evidently been deserted. Work obliged me to shift camp 

 that day. I tried to remove the nest, but notwithstanding the 

 utmost care, it tumbled to pieces. 



[The eggs of this species are most interesting. They entirely 

 confirm the view that I have held from the first, namely, that 

 this bird is one of the Pittidce. No one comparing the eggs 

 with those of Hydrornis nipalensis, Pitta brachyura, moluccensis, 

 megarhyncha, cyanea, and cucvlata, could doubt that this bird 



