MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 1079^ 



near the spot where the nest had been, and to make a further careful 

 search, and on his doing so, he found the nest and eggs. And yet the 

 whole time, he had been standing on the branch not more than half a 

 dozen inches away from the nest ! 



The nest takes about a week or nine days to complete, and the hen alone, 

 in addition to carrying the materials, is the sole architect. The cock 

 follows her about but gives her no help whatever. The time when the hen 

 is most active in carrying materials, while building is progressing, is from 

 early in the morning to about 10 or 11 a. m., and this is the time to locate a 

 nest. Between 11 a. m. and 3 p. m. occasional trips are made to the nest, 

 and then only after long intervals. After 3 p. m. building operations, 

 cease for the day. A great deal of twittering goes on while the hen is in 

 the nest, and when the latter is nearing completion, the birds are frequently 

 to be seen pairing near it. 



The nests are compact, neat, cup-shaped structures, composed chiefly of 

 stalks and roots of grass and small plants, and other such like materials (one 

 only of my nests has a thin coating of moss — Hume says that there is muc/i 

 moss blended with the exterior), and lined interiorly with very fine grass- 

 roots, thin fibres resembling coir, horse-hairs, and a few feathers, and occa- 

 sionally bits of cotton. The dimensions of 12 nests agree generally with 

 those given by Hume. 



The heights of the nests varied from 6 to 65 feet, but the average height 

 of 29 nests was 30 feet. 



In some cases I noticed that the birds commenced laying immediately 

 the nests were completed ; while in others, a short period elapsed. 



The number of eggs varied from 3 to 5, but the normal complement is 4. 

 The largest number of young ones found in a nest was 4, and the smallest 

 number of well incubated eggs was also 4. 



The eggs are laid one daily, and the hen usually begins to brood after 

 the second egg has been laid. 



The hen alone performs the labours of incubation, and while sitting in 

 the nest is fed by the cock. The young are hatched in 13 days, and both 

 birds help in feeding them. They leave the nest in about a fortnight, and 

 follow their parents about for some time, and are fed by them. 



The eggs of this bird are excessively delicate looking and pretty. The 

 colouration of both unblown and blown eggs is generally as described bj^ 

 Hume, but there are some slight differences, which become apparent, in a 

 large series. I have before me at present 46 specimens, which exhibit the 

 following variations as compared with Hume's account. 



" The eggs when fresh are a delicate, slightly f/reenish-white,'' usually 

 with an irregular nng, and occasionally with an irregular cajj of minute 

 blackish-brown spots round the large end, and the viajority have a few 

 similar specks scattered here and there over the body. In addition to the 



