706 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI11, 
23rd December, 1899, This is the first recorded instance of its occurrence 
in Assam and interesting, also, taken in conjunction with its re-occurrence, for 
the second time, in South Malaya, Butler having this year recorded it there, 
The bird was sent in to me for identification, 
E. L, STUART BAKER, F.ZS. 
DisruGarH, Assam, 25th February, 1901. 
No. XIX.—THE NIDIFICATION OF RIMATOR MALACOPTILUS, 
The last number of this journal contained two accounts of the nidification 
of the Long-billed Babbler, which are so conflicting that I feel it necessary 
to write a few more remarks upon the subject. Mr. de Nicéville has, also, 
very kindly sent me two letters received by him from Mr, W, P, Masson 
from which he says I can quote freely. 
As regards my own note I have little to add. The bird was brought to me 
by a Naga who had done a great deal of nesting for me and whom I had 
always found to be reliable. It had been noosed on the nest itself, and the 
remains of this noose were still on the bird and the nest when brought to me. 
Now, to quote what Mr. Masson says regarding the taking of his nest and 
eggs, He writes : ‘‘ Had I not taken the nest myself and got the parent birds 
it might have been said that I haa been misled by my collector, but I watched 
the bird for several days before the hen bird laid and then when she laid 
three eggs, I secured both birds with the nest and eggs.” 
This would, of course, appear to be much stronger evidence than any I can 
bring, my nest and eggs having been brought to me and noé taken by myself. 
On the other hand I refer to Mr, Masson’s description of the nest and eggs, 
He says, “ Tam positive tue eggs of Rimatcr malacoptilus are bluish and 
nearly quite round, The nest being deep cup-shaped, something like the nest 
of ‘ Leucocerca fulcoventrics’ but without the spider’s webs round the outside— 
simply grass—and fixed in the fork of a shrub about 18 inches from the 
ground,” 
It will be seen, therefore that the description «f the nest and eggs (the 
size of these latter is not definitely given) would apply well to those of a 
Zosterops, but are not in the least such as one would have expected to 
find belonging to Rimator. 
Now I must quote the weak spot in Mr, Masson’s letters under reference. 
He says “ All who have collected Birds’ eggs largely must know that most of 
the Thrushes’ and Babblers’ eggs are blue.” From this it would seem that Mr. 
Masson thinks that the Thrushes and Babblers are closely allied and, if this 
is so, it shows that his knowledge of ornithology is very meagre; perhaps, 
however, he only alludes to the birds known popularly as Laughing-thrushes, 
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