BIRDS 1 NESTING IN THE TONS VALLEY. 69 



composed of " very fine moss and fern-roots closely felted together." 

 The above description, however, differs so entirely from my observa- 

 tions of the nests and eggs of the ruby-throat that I have no hesita- 

 tion in saying that the eggs received by Hume must have belonged 

 to some other bird. On June 7th and 9th, in the Harke Dun, at an 

 elevation of about 12,000 feet, I was lucky enough to stumble on to 

 two nests of this bird which, owing to the careful manner they were 

 concealed, would certainly have escaped my notice had they not been 

 betrayed in both cases by the sudden exit of the bird near my feet. 

 The nest is a domed structure with a large opening on one side towards 

 the top. It is rather loosely constructed of coarse grass and lined 

 with finer grass. The locality selected was an open rocky slope 

 with grass and low scrub between the stones and rocks, and the 

 nests were placed on the ground among the grass and scrub. The 

 eggs, fresh in both cases, were three in one nest and four in the 

 other, of a rather dark bluish-green (more green than blue) with 

 pale rufous markings, in some all over, in others chiefly in a zone at 

 the large end. 



The measurements of the eggs were as follows : — 



Largest egg -89" X "63" 



Smallest egg -80" X -58" 



Average of 7 eggs *85" X *61" 



The domed character of the nest of Calliope would seem to be 

 most exceptional for one of the Turdidm. 



11 (405). Phyloscoptjs affinis.— Tickell's Willow-warbler. 



Nothing is on record concerning the nidification of this willow- 

 warbler. On June 7th, I noticed a small greenish-yellow bird fre- 

 quenting the low scrub on the mountain side at about 12,000 feet 

 elevation. This scrub consists chiefly of -dwarf juniper, Lonicera and 

 a small yellow-flowering rhododendron which grows only 2 or 3 feet 

 high. There are few trees, except here and there a birch, and the 

 bird keeps chiefly to the low scrub. It has a rather loud mono- 

 syllabic chirp which it frequently utters. After a considerable search 

 I was rewarded by finding two nests of this species both in the 

 above-described scrub and about 1 foot from the ground. The nests 

 are domed with a small side entrance, and are made of grass and lined 

 with feathers. 



