MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 399 



and about 6 feet from the ground. It contained 8 incubated eggs. Date 

 10th August 1901. On the 27th August and 7th and 8th September, I found 

 more nests all containing fresh eggs, some 4, some 6, These were all situated 

 in low thorny bushes well within reach of hand. The nests are enormous 

 about the size of a man's head, very rough and untidy, but of the strict 

 Munia type, viz, a ball of grass, with the entrance at one side. 



As a rule they select a site close to water and liable to inundation, which 

 give the nests the appearance of drift and rubbish caught up in the branches. 

 There is no lining. These Munias use fresh green grass to construct their 

 nests with, which they obtain by tearing strips off the larger sorts of grass. 

 On seeing one of them flying along with a long greeu strip behind it, I 

 thought I had come on a new description of parrot ! 



The White-backed Mvnia (Urolo7icha striata) appears to be the common 

 Munia below ghats. I found a nest being built in a casiiew tree on the loth 

 November near Sawantwadi. It resembled that of the White-throated Munia 

 {Uroloncha malabarica) but I think was neater, the entrance being more neatly 

 finished off with flowering grasses and more elongated. On the 30th Nov- 

 ember, atKhed, Ratnagiri District, I found 2 nests, one with young and the 

 other with 4 fresh eggs. These were situated on thorny trees and were from 

 6 to 10 feet from the ground. 



The Crested Bunting {Melophus melanicterus). Barnes states that this 

 handsome little bird is an adept at concealing its nest. Last year I found a 

 few nests at Satara, which do not bear out this statement. The first con- 

 tained 4 young birds very nearly ready to fly. I discovered the nest by 

 watching the parent birds, who, in due course, conveyed food to the nest- 

 lings. They were jolly little chaps and I am sorry they took to flight on my 

 investigating their quarters though I had no sinister designs on them. The 

 mother was very much alarmed and tried to distract my attention from them, 

 by flattering along the ground with outspread wings as though in her 

 last death agonies. This particular nest was situated under a projection on 

 the steep slope of the Satara Fort hill and protected from the prevailing 

 wind by a tussock of grass. It was just such a nest a lark, robin or 

 wagtail might build. The second nest was being constructed and was in 

 a similar position. The third was placed alongside the road leading up 

 to the Fort and no attempt at concealment was made. On jumping on 

 to the road, the hen darted out and I had no difficulty in finding the nest 

 which contained 3 hard set eggs. I found these nests in June and July. 

 The cockbird, who is very smart in appearance with his crest and shining 

 black and cinnamon kit, has a very melodious little lay which he keeps up at 

 frequent intervals. 



The Chestnut Bittern {Ardetta cinncmomea). I believe the nesting of 

 the Chestnut Bittern in the Dekhan is not common. I was fortunate enough 

 to find two nests last year containing 3 and 5 fresh eggs respectively in July 

 and August, while searching some thick tangle, growing in water, in the hopes 



