THE BTJLBULH OF NORTH CAVHAR. 419 



NiDiFicATioN . — In 1891 I took four nests of this bird, and this 

 year (1892) I have had one brought to me. All these nests are of the 

 same type exactly, and a description of any one would answer equally 

 well for any other of the hve. In shape they are very nearly 

 hemispherical, and they are far stouter, compacter, and, proportion- 

 ately, bulkier nests than those of Molpastes or Otocompsa. 

 Externally they average about -I'S" in diameter, by about 2*2" in 

 depth, and internally they are about 2* 5" by 1*1". The external 

 materials consist principally of long, tough strips, of the inner bark 

 of some tree and a few scraps also of the outer bark, with these are 

 lo be found a few iine elastic twigs, and in four of the five nests a 

 number of small dead leaves are also attached to the outside by 

 means of coarse cobwebs and b}^ a few of the longer materials 

 being passed over and round them. The lining is of black fern 

 roots and a quantity of long reddish fibres which look like the 

 straight red tendrils of a common kind of convolvulus. 



Three of the nests were placed between horizontal twigs, and 

 another in a vertical fork formed by a whole cluster of twigs meet- 

 ing, the fifth looks as if it had been built in a rather stout horizontal 

 fork. They are semi-pendent in position, the supporting twigs bein fl- 

 at about the centre of the nest ; covered partly by the materials and 

 also further strengthened with cobwebs. All my nests were found 

 well in the interior of biggish forests, but there was no attempt 

 made by the birds to conceal them. My first nest was taken near 

 Diyungmukh, quite at the north of the district and practically in 

 the plains. I was going along an elephant path through a forest 

 with thin scrub undergrowth, when my attention was attracted bv 

 seeing a bird fly from a nest, which was on a branch crossino- the 

 track just in front of me. As the bird flew ofl' I noticed its olive 

 back and rufous tail, and when I saw the eggs I thought that they 

 must belong to this species, so, as I could not get the bird, I took the 

 nest and went on my way. The next day, in just the same sort of 

 place, I came across another nest, also with three eggs in it ; and this 

 time having brought some black thread with me for the purpose 

 I set some nooses and retired behind a tree to await events. I had 

 not been seated five minutes before the male returned and was gX 

 once caught, and before I could get up to take him the female was 



