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



27. (701). Okeocincla mollissima. — The Plain-backed Mountain 



Thrush. 



This bird is rare in the Tons Valley. I stumbled upon a nest on 

 June 20th, which was placed on the ground at about 12,000 feet among 

 a thick growth of dwarf yellow-flowering rhododendron, The nest was 

 a massive one, made of moss and lined with fine grass. It contained 

 four rather hard-set eggs, typically meruline in colour, which gave 

 the following measurements : — 



Largest egg 1'16" x *86" 



Smallest egg 1-13" X *81" 



Mean of 4 eggs l'U" X "85" 



28. (1106). Cuculus poliocephalus. — The Small Cuckoo. 



This cuckoo is found at higher elevations than any other in the Tons 

 Valley. It is very common from 10,000 to 11,000 feet, where Us irritat- 

 ing call may be heard day and night. It is essentially the cuckoo of 

 the inner ranges near the snows, being very rarely heard elsewhere. 



I did not myself find the egg of this bird, but a nest was brought 

 to me by Mr. F. Gleadow, which contained two pure white eggs and 

 one of a uniform chocolate colour, which could only, I think, have 

 belonged to this cuckoo. 



The nest was found at an elevation of about 9,500 feet at a place 

 where C. poliocephalus was common. The only other cuckoos which 

 might have been found at this elevation would be C. canorus and 

 H. sparverioides. Both these may, however, be dismissed at once, the 

 former, as is well known, laying grayish or brownish spotted eggs, and 

 the latter laying white eggs and being non-parasitic in its habits. 



The egg is of a uniform chocolate colour, similar to one of Horornis 

 pallidus, but lighter in shade and of Gourse much larger. 



The nest was cup-shaped, made of moss and lined with thin black fern 

 stalks. It was placed up against a low rock about a foot from the 

 grcund supported and concealed by a bunch of ferns growing out of 

 the same. The owner of the nest was unfortunately not observed, so 

 that I am unable to say to what species she belonged. The nest was 

 found on June 5th, and all three eggs were fresh. 



The eggs gave the following measurements : — 



\m -i J "89" X -63" 



White eggs ... < 



* a 1 -90" X -64" 



Chocolate egg ... -78" X '60" 



