MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. , 255 



Owing to the cliflficulties of examining the nests referred to above, I am 

 unable to give the period of incubation, but I doubt whether it exceeds 

 14 days. 



Both birds feed the young, but there are gaps in my notes as to how 

 long the latter remain in the nest. I have never noticed them following 

 the old birds about, but have no doubt that they must do so for some 

 time like other young birds. 



The only reference to this bird's nest which I have been able to find, 

 since the publication of the 2nd edition of Hume's '• Nests and Eggs " 

 is that by Lt.-Col. R. H. Rattray in his "Birds' Nesting in the Murree 

 Hills and Gullies " (Journal, Bombay Natural History Society, Vol. XVI, 

 p. 423). He says : " The Black-headed Sibia is fairly common. Nests very 

 hard to find ; they are generally high up in a dense fir tree. The nest 

 is a very neat structure, and generally placed low down in a bough. 

 Eggs pale blue, in some almost white, spotted and boldly blotched with 

 red marks like dried blood, and a few subsidiary markings greyish purple. 

 The birds often give away the nesting site by keeping up a shrill cry. 

 They desert the nest if the tree is climbed, even when the nest is not 

 touched by hand. I have taken nests both at Murree and Dungagali." 



On looking through my notes relating to the various nests taken of this 

 species, I reproduce one, under date 8th July, which is rather curious 

 '■ Found a nest on 20th June, containing two fresh eggs, placed at the' 

 junction of several upright twigs shooting from the horizontal branch of a 

 small Rhododendron ; exact height from ground 25 feet : elevation 6,000 

 feet : hen shot off nest. Both nest and eggs removed. On passing this 

 spot a few days afterwards, viz., on 8th July, I happened to look up at 

 this tree, and was surprised to see that another nest had been constructed 

 in identicalli/ the same place, and that it contained 3 fresh eggs ! The hen 

 was sitting at the time." 



The eggs of this bird are, perhaps, the prettiest ones I have ever seen 

 \x\) to this. For a detailed description of them, I would refer the reader to 

 Hume's admirable account in his '^ Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds," 2nd 

 Edition, Vol. I, p. 134. 



In length my eggs varied from "95" to 1*12" ; and in breadth from "67" 

 to -75" ; but the average of 14 specimens measured was l"x"71". 



The weights of 8 fresh eggs were : 72, 75, 60, 637^-, 66, 62, 65 and 68 

 grains. Average weight = 66'4 grains. 



The weights of 3 semi-incubated eggs were : 59, 56, and 54 grains. 

 Average weight =; 56' 3 grains. 



P. T. L. DODSWORTH, r.z.s,, m.b.o.tj. 



'• Caklion Grove, " 

 Simla, S. W., I9*/i July 1911. 



