68 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI. 



finer grasses. The eggs are a pure dark blue, about intermediate in 

 shade between those of Crateropus canorus and Garrulax albigularis, 

 and give the following measurements : — 



Largest egg -94" X "67" 



Smallest egg '82" X '60" 



Average of 18 eggs *87" X '64" 



9 (718). Tharkhaleus strophiatus. — The Rufous-breasted 



Accentor. 



Hodgson says of this bird that it breeds in the higher ranges of 

 Nepal and Sikhim, building its nests on the ground in tufts of "sunputi" 

 grass and laying 3 to 4 eggs. I found it very common in the low 

 scrub jungle of juniper, dwarf rhododendron, Lonicera and Berberis, 

 which is found clothing the hill-sides at about 12,000 feet in the Tons 

 Valley. I found over a dozen nests, all in low bushes (chiefly of 

 Berberis and Lonicera), from 1 to 2 feet from the ground. The nests 

 which much resemble those of the English hedge sparrow, were 

 made of moss and small twigs, lined with moss and hair (chiefly 

 that of Burrhel or muskdeer). The eggs were mostly hard set, 

 generally tnree, but sometimes two in number, and I never found 

 as many as four in any nest. They were pale blue and measured as 

 follows : — 



Largest egg, -81" X '56'' 



Smallest egg -75" X '54" 



Average of 9 eggs -78" X "55" 



10 (651). Calliope pectoralis.— The Himalayan Ruby-throat. 

 This pretty chat is fairly common in the hot weather on the rocky 

 hill slopes just below the glaciers of the Harke Dun, where the Tons 

 takes its rise, and its short lively song uttered from the top of a rock is 

 most attractive and characteristic. In the cold weather it is a regular 

 visitor to the Dehra Dun, where it may often be seen, especially in and 

 about tea gardens. The only occasion on which the eggs of this species 

 are said to have been obtained is recorded by Hume in his " Nest and 

 Eggs," two eggs with a nest said to belong to this species, having been 

 brought down from Native Sikhim. The eggs are described as being 

 " of a uniform pale salmon buff " and the nest as having been placed 

 " in a deep crevice in a rock " and to have been " saucei>shaped " and 



