146 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORYiSOCIETY, Vol. X. 



the first two abdominal segments only -without the covering. In appearance 

 the pupa is similar to that of Choaspes (Ismene) gomata, Moore ; being longer 

 than, but of a similar type to, that of Rhonalocampta henjaminii, Gruerin. 

 The imago emerged on 19th May, 1895. 



G. C, DUDGEON, f.e.s. 

 Fagoo Tea Estate, ^ 



Western Duaks, May 2btli, 1895. ) 



No. IV.— NOTES ON SOME NILGIRI BIRDS. 



The Nilgiri District, though possessing a considerable bird-fauna, has been 

 so thoroughly worked in the past that little remains to be recorded regarding 

 its ornithological features. Observers such as Dr. Jerdon, Miss Cockburn and 

 the late Mr. Davison do not leave much to be gleaned by those who come 

 after them. The last named writer published a fairly complete list of the birds 

 of the District in " Stray Feathers " (volume x, part 5) some twelve years 

 ago, and it is not likely that many important additions will be made to this list. 

 The following notes consequently mostly refer to details left doubtful or 

 unnoticed hitherto. They are the result of very scanty leisure and do not 

 pretend to be more than hasty jottings regarding desultory observations. 



The first bird I propose to refer to is that exceedingly neat and dapper indi- 

 vidual, Larvivora brunnea (Hodgs.). Mr. Oates states that this bird is a 

 permanent resident on the Nilgiris, and this statement is supported by Davison, 

 who mentions that he twice found its nest. It is perhaps incautious to impugn 

 these statements on merely negative evidence, but it is remarkable that in a 

 ten-year acquaintance with the Nilgiri Sholas I have never seen this bird 

 except in the cold months. At that time of the year it is not uncommon on 

 the slopes of the Hills, and though very silent and unobtrusive, it is by no 

 means shy. Mr. Bourdillon in his " First List of the Birds of the Travancore 

 Hills " (Stray Feathers, iv. 401), expresses the belief that L. brunnea is only a 

 winter visitor to that part of the peninsula. I think the question of its 

 permanent residence on the NUgiris should also be considered open. Is it 

 possible that the nests which Davison assigned to this bird belonged to 

 Brachypteryx rufiventris (Blyth) ? It is certain that the description and 

 measurement of the eggs coincide, and that the egg ascribed to L. brunnea 

 would be very large for so small a bird. 



There is another point on which I feel disposed to question Mr. Davison's 

 authority, mz.^ with regard to the singing powers of Oreocincla nilgiriensis 

 (Blyth). Mr. Oates writes, " Represented to be a very fine songster," and 

 Mr. Davison states, " It is a glorious songster and its rich and varied song 

 can be heard for nearly a mile." On the other hand, another authority, 

 Mr. Khodes Morgan, tells us (Nests and Eggs, ii, 108), " It utters now and then 

 a single clear warbling note, ^but appears to have no song," and my own 



