796 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETX, Vol. XXII, 



deep liquid notes are added. I tried very hard to obtain further speci- 

 mens, but after fruitless efforts had to content myself with only one. 

 Possibly other Ornithologists have been more successful ! " 



" The bird, which I send herewith, showed that the breeding season was 

 then (July 5th) in progress, its testes were much enlarged. I found 

 several small sun-beetles in its gizzard.*' 



P. T. L. DODSWORTH, f.z.s,, m.b.o.xj. 

 Simla, W., llth October 1913. 



No. XIV.— THE BREEDING HABITS OF THE BROWN-BACKED 



INDIAN ROBIN {THAMNOBIA CAMBAIENSIS) IN THE 



JUNGLES OF THE C. P. 



The following notes were on the nesting of the Brown-backed Indian 

 Robin made in the Chanda District during April 1913 : — 



All the nests were found between 1st April 1913 and 31st May 1913. 

 This robin appears to be very versatile in its nesting habits, both in the 

 choice of the site for its nest, the amount of material used in its construc- 

 tion, also in the number of eggs it lays. 



Oates says, four to six is the usual laumber, but on no occasion did I find 

 more than 3 eggs which was the u«ual number, while some nests only 

 contained two. Nests varied from a flimsy construction of a few bents to 

 a massive nest and were placed on the ground and any distance from the 

 ground up to twenty feet. On several occasions 1 found nests lined with 

 pieces of the " slough " of snakes. F«>m my observations I have come to 

 the conclusion that this bird brings up two successive broods in the year. 

 Appended is a list and description ®f nests taken. 

 A. — 1st April 1913. — Konsuree, Chanda, one egg fresh. 



2nd April 1913. — By a road in the fork of a Pitas tree about 4 feet 



from the ground, one egg "fresh. 

 Nest. — Cleverly hidden in the fork of a Pitas tree about 4 feet from 

 the ground. Compesed of bents, dead grass and twigs. 

 Eggs. — Spotted with brown, grey, purplish and maroon : more 

 thickly and a ring at larger end. -82" X •69", -86" x 

 •60", average = -Stf' x -595" 

 B, — 8th April 1913. — Huldee, Ohanada. In the Jungle (sc;rub and thorn 

 thickets), 3 «ggs. Incubation very advanced. 

 Nest.- — A neat little nest of dead grass, lined with pieces of a snake's 

 slough, placed in a hollow in the stump of a broken tree 

 about three feet from the ground. 

 Eggs. — Greenish white, spotted and speckled with brown and 

 purplish grey. Thickly spotted at larger end where there 

 is a ring of purplish grey. 

 ■ -82" X -64", -80" x -63", -81" x -eS" ; average = -81" x ^63". 

 C. — 9th April 1913. — Huldee, Chanda. In the jungle (scrub and thick- 

 ets), 1 egg and 1 young one. Egg hatching : 

 young one just out of shell. 

 Nest. — Placed in a hole in the dead top piece of the trunk of a small 

 tree ; about 14 ft. from the ground and about one foot 

 down in the hole. Composed of dead and dry grass, 

 bents and stalks, lined with finer grass and fibrous roots. 

 Nest scanty. • 

 Eggs. — For description and colour, see previous notes. No measure- 

 ments taken. 



