162 NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION 



" Comparing the nest with one of Munia acuticauda, Hodgs., 

 there are many differences to be noted. It is somewhat larger 

 than that of the White-backed Munia. More globular ; 

 composed, both externally and internally, of coarser material, 

 and notably it wants the projecting neck of fine grass stems, 

 which one almost invariably finds not only in the nest of M. 

 acuticauda but also in that of other species of the genus. 



1 ' The nest contained two eggs, of course pure white, but more 

 elongated, and conspicuously larger thau any of the eggs of M. 

 acuticauda that I took the same day. 



" This is evidently the second nest of the season, there being 

 numbers of young, about which clearly have not very long 

 left the nest. 



" The species appears to be only a seasonal visitant to Mergui, 

 where it goes to breed, 



a When I worked in Mergui and its vicinity in November, I 

 met with none of these species, but in May, on my return from 

 the southernmost portion of the Province, I found the bird 

 not uncommon about the sv/amps and paddy flats in small 

 parties, usually consisting of a couple of adults and three or 

 four young." 



A nest, which I took on the 15th August, was a large globu- 

 lar structure, about 8 inches long, 6^ high, and 5 broad, 

 the lower surface flat or nearly so, the upper domed, and 

 with a large oval aperture, some 2^ inches high and \\ 

 broad at one end. The nest was composed entirely of grass, 

 rather solidly put together and had no lining. On the external 

 surface, some coarse blades and pieces of flower stems, with 

 the fluffy seeds attatched, had been used, but the greater 

 portion of the nest consisted entirely of moderately fine grass 

 stems ; the chamber was about 5^ inches long, nearly 2^ 

 inches wide throughout, and nearly ?>\ inches high in its highest 

 central portion. 



The eggs are very regular elongated ovals, pure white and 

 glossless, and only vary from 0'58 to 0'68 in length, and from 

 0-4 to 0-47 in breadth— A. 0. H. ] 



60.— Munia sub-undulata,* God.- dust. (699 Ms.) 



Breeds throughout June, July, and August. Even in Sep 

 tember I have seen them carrying grass. In " Nests and Eggs, " 

 p. 447, this species is mentioned under the name of punctulata. 

 The breeding habits of the two species appear to be absolutely 

 the same and no description of the nest and eggs is necessary. 



* This is probably not the Assam, but the Burmese form M. superstriata, nob,, 

 8. F., II., 481, n. 1874.— A. O. H. 



