262 JOURNAL, BOMBAY JSATUBAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



P. olivaceus. On comparing my skins with series in the Natural History 

 Museum, however, I found they differed from the series of skins labelled 

 " F. olivaceus" in museum, but exactly corresponded with series label- 

 led " Pomatorhinus olivaceus ripponi," and I think it is jiist possible that the 

 bird Col. Rippon records may belong to this species. 



11. Pomatorhinus ripponi (118a)— (Bull, B. O.C., Vcl. XXXII, page (9). 

 Common on the grass lands. I found two nests — the first on the 7th 



of April containing three eggs on the point of hatching ; the second nest, 

 with also three eggs, but quite fresh, I found on the 23rd. Both nests 

 were globular in shape, and composed of coarse grass loosely woven. The 

 former was placed on sloping ground between the stems of a clump of 

 tall grass ; the other nest was placed on flat ground, but amongst thin 

 grass. The nest was so moulded into a little depression that the top of the 

 nest was little above the surrounding ground level. The eggs were pure 

 white and elliptic in shape, and measured — one egg 1" x "70", two eggs, 

 •99 X -69. 



12. Po7natorJiirms imberbis (129a). 



Fairly common, but not so common as last species, although being found 

 in much the same sort of country. 



Curiously enough, I found this bird's nest within a few feet of the nest 

 of P. ripponi, although on a dift'erent date. Both were found on a small 

 patch of thin grass and a little scrub-jungle, one of the few of such like 

 that had not been burnt. Cattle were regularly grazed over it, and much 

 of the grass had been trampled down. It is a marvel the nests had not 

 been destroyed before I had the good fortune to find them. 



The nest of P. ijnberbis was constructed very much like that of P. ripponi, 

 but larger and rather more clumsily built of coarse broad grass stems and 

 lined with fine grass. When first found, the nest contained only one 

 egg, which I left in the hopes of obtaining a full clutch; but, although I 

 waited until the solitary egg was almost incubated, no more were added, 

 much to my disappointment. The egg was in shape similar to eggs of 

 P. ripponi, and pure white, measuring 1-05 x "80. Date, 13th April. 



The parent bird was very cunning in its attempts to elude detection on 

 leaving its nest. The first occasion on which I approached the nest I saw 

 something brown scuttle away from the spot through the grass, which I 

 mistook for a squirrel, but this, after it had gone some distance, I 

 discovered was the bird, its tail trailing on the ground, I made a 

 second attempt to shoot the bird off its nest, but it eluded me, and I 

 eventually had to wait and shoot it as it stealthily and cautiously returned. 



On the 28th of April I shot a nestling, which was at the time in com- 

 pany with its parents, and just able to flutter from tree to tree. As the 

 plumage of the immature bird does not appear to have been hitherto 

 recorded, I append a description of it. 



Upper Plumage similar to that of adults. Also colour of soft parts. 



Lower Plumage differs from adult in the extreme point of chin only 

 being white, a few adult white feathers appearing on the throat. The 

 remainder of plumage bright rusty, paling to whitish on the abdomen. 



Measurements of immature P. imberbis compared with adult bird : — 

 Adult. Immature. 



