170 NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION, &C. 



a short distance the nests appeared to be made of twigs ; but 

 I have often seen these birds dive in the canal and fly off with 

 weeds fully 5 feet long. These, no doubt, enter into the com- 

 position of the nest. There were either four or five eggs in 

 each nest. The egg is covered with dirty white chalky matter ; 

 when this is removed the shell is a very pale blue. As incuba- 

 tion proceeds the egg becomes very dirty. I took the eggs on 

 the 4th October, but up to the 27th of that month I observed a 

 great number of birds still carrying sticks and weeds towards 

 their breeding quarters. The eggs measure in length from 2 '6 

 to 2*3 in length, and from 1*7 to 1'5 in breadth. 



As no writer, whose work I possess, has thought it necessary 

 to state that the white flank spot of this bird is seasonal, it may 

 be well to record that in Burmah it is assumed about the 1st 

 September and on the 15th December not one bird in a hundred 

 retains it. 



94.— Graculus fuscicollis, Steph. (1006.) 



This bird breeds in reeds in the Myitkyo swamp alongside the 

 many other birds which are found there. Although the bird is 

 very numerous 1 came across only one nest with eggs, the rest 

 containing young ones. This was on the 25th July. 



The nest is made of the smaller side branches of reeds, is flat 

 at top, converging to a point below, about 9 inches across and 

 6 deep, supported on a few bent reeds. Eggs 5, T92 to 2*15 

 loner, a nd 1*27 to 1*4 broad. Color as in other Cormorant's 

 eggs. (N. & E., p. 660.) 



95.— Graculus pygmceus, Pall. (1007.) 



Incredible numbers of this bird breed in the reeds of the 

 Myitkyo swamps. The water is alive with the young birds 

 which tumble out of the nests. They seem quite happy in the 

 water and although some of the birds were certainly not more 

 than a week old they dived readily on my attempting to seize 

 them. 



The nest is made of twigs and is similar to, but smaller than, 

 that of fuscicollis. My eggs were taken on the 26th July and 

 24th August, but it must commence breeding some weeks before 

 the former date. (N. & E. p. 660. 



96.— Plotus melanogaster, Penn. (1008.) 



Breeds on trees and not in reeds. It is very abundant in the 

 Myitkyo swamp, where, on the 6th August, I saw some 200 

 nests on a few low trees. The nests, with few exceptions, con- 

 tained eggs, a few young birds a few days old. (N. & E , p. 661.) 



