1328 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol XXL 



(it) Keonthal State, 21st' May ; elevation 5,000 feet ; 3 hard set eggs 



(normal type). 

 {Hi) Ditto. 21st May ; elevation 5,000 feet ; two young, full 



fledged, 



P. T. L. DODSWOETH, i-.z.s., m.b.o.u. 

 Simla, S. W., mth August 1912. 



No. XI.— NESTING OF THE WESTERN BLUE EOCK THEUSH 



{PETROPRILA CYANUS, Linn) IN THE NEIGHBOUEHOOD 



OF SIMLA., N.-W. HIMALAYAS. 



After several years of fruitless search, I have at last succeeded in 

 finding the nests of this species, which is a tolerably common summer 

 visitant to these N.-W. Himalayan ranges, arriving in April, and leaving 

 about the beginning or middle of September. 



In the neighbourdhood of Simla, it breeds at elevations of 6,000-7,200 

 feet, on bare rocky hills, during May and June. The nests are shallow 

 saucers, in some cases mere pads, adapted to the shape of the cavities in 

 which they are placed, and are composed externally of dry grass, lined 

 with rootlets. The diameter of the egg-cavity does not exceed 4", and its 

 depth is about IJ". The external diameter varies from 5 to 6", and the 

 height is about 2^ or 3". The nests are placed sometimes in low stone walls 

 occasionally under boulders, but more frequently in fissures or crevices of 

 large rocks. 



The number of eggs is usually four, and their colouration is exactly as 

 described by Dresser in his ''Manual of Palaearctic Birds", page 23. 

 The " speckled " eggs seem to be the commoner type. 

 The average of 12 specimens measured was l'01"x*75". 

 Between the dates 18th May and 20bh June, I found, in addition to the 

 eggs mentioned above, no less than eight nests containing young ones. 

 Five of these nests had three young each, and two, four young each : 

 the exact number of young in the eighth nest could not be satisfactorily 

 ascertained, as the latter was placed very far back in the fissure of a large 

 rock. 



The nests of this Thrush, especially when they contain eggs, are most 

 difficult to find, as the old birds are very cautious and wary in their move- 

 ments, and it is only by patient and laborious watching that one can 

 hope to be successful with them. The cock bird, though he helps in feed- 

 ing the young, and is always much in evidence when the eggs are hatched, 

 keeps far away from tiie scene when building operations are in progress. 

 The hen alone carries the materials, and if she catches sight of one, or 

 suspects that she is being observed, will sit on a rock, with the grass in 

 her mouth, for whole hours at a time, rather than give away the show. 



