402 NOTES ON SOME BIRDS COLLECTED ON THE NILGHIRIS 
forest are favorite resorts, and it is in such places that the bird 
usually breeds, 
A fine adult female measured :— 
Length, 10°0; expanse, 17:0; tail, 2°7; wing, 5:2; tarsus, 
1:2; bill from gape, 1:4; weight, 5 ozs. Bill pale orange 
vermilion; legs and feet dull yellow; claws black; irides 
deep brown. 
694.—Ploceus philippinus, Zin. The Indian Weaver 
Bird. 
I am not aware that this bird ascends the hills at all, but it 
occurs at the foot of the hills and through the Wynaad, and 
even in Mysore. Jerdon has given a capital account of it (vide 
Birds of India, Vol. II., p. 344 e¢ seq.) except the passage on p. 
345 from the word Sut in line 13 to the end of line 19. This 
passage evidently refers to 696 bis of our catalogue, Ploceella 
javanensis, which does, as I have myself observed, suspend its 
nest from the eaves of houses. 
697.—Amadina malacca, Zin. The Black-headed 
Munia. 
I met with this Munia in the Wynaad on two or three occa- 
sions, but did not observe it elsewhere. 
699.—Amadina punctulata, Zin. The Spotted 
Munia. 
Comparatively common on the Nilghiris and its slopes, but 
I did not observe it in the Wynaad. It is most abundant about 
Ootacamund, feeding in small flocks about cultivated land. 
Tt has the usual habits of the genus, builds a globular nest, 
which it lines. with feathers, and after the young are hatched 
and have flown, the two old birds and the young still continue 
to use the nest at nights till the moonsoon destroys it. 
700.—Amadina pectoralis, Jerd. The Rufous-bellied 
Munia. 
This Munia occurs on the Ghats of the Nilghiris up to about 
5,000 feet, and it is also spread through the Wynaad, but I have 
not noticed itin Mysore. I have usually found it in small 
parties or pairs. It is more of a forest Munia than any of the 
others. I have found it most common about the Ghat below 
Coonoor, where it feeds in pairs or parties among the droppings 
ef cattle, and on the grain dropped from carts, &c., passing up 
to Coonoor. 
It is rather local in its distribution. 
