MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 401 



had only shifted a short distance away and had started another nest. This 

 was situated in the fork of a small tamarisk about 12 inches off the ground and 

 was solid and very well built. To-day I obtained 3 fresh eggs from it. 



Although a lark it is very abnormal. To begin with, it likes the desert, 

 then it prefers its legs to the air, it does not make a lark's nest, in that it does 

 not use a hollow, but builds a massive affair, most conspicuously placed, and 

 even takes to the fork of a small bush. Finally, its eggs are a china white 

 covered with brown, grey and black specks. There is a small zone formed 

 at the larger end, but not very conspicuous. The specks and spots do not 

 obliterate the ground color. In fact, no egg could be less lark-like. 



Karachi, R. M. BETHAM, Brig.-Genl., m.b.o.x;. 



8th June 1920. 



No. IX.— ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE LARGE BROWN 

 THRUSH {ZOOTHERA MONTICOLA) IN SIMLA. 

 In the list of birds fomid in the Simla Hills (J.B.N.H.S., Vol. XXVI, No. 2, 

 p. 609) it is stated that only a single specimen of the Large Brown Thrusn 

 (Zoo//iera mo?ifi'co?a) has been seen and procm-ed — on 21st April 1916 — in teh 

 years. It may perhaps be of some little interest to observe that I met with 

 this bird on two occasions last year. I find from my notes that I first saw a 

 specimen on 25th October. It was frequenting a small, narrow, damp ravine 

 (elevation about 6,500 ft.) which broadened out at either end. I came across 

 the bird suddenly round a bend and it flew oft" at once at a great pace some 

 distance up the ravine. I endeavoured to follow it up and succeeded in 

 approaching to within about 50 yards, but it was very suspicious and flew off 

 again through the bushes and trees up the hillside. The steep nature of the 

 sides of the nullah prevented me from following the bird and I left the spot for 

 a time, returning again after an hour or so. I was pleased to find that the 

 thrush had also come back, but, if anything, it was as shy as before, and darted 

 up the hill through a clump of deodars and vanished. From the little that I 

 saw of the bird I noticed that it was hmiting for food in the bed of the nullah 

 and on fairly large boulders, especially if these had any mud on them. I came 

 across the bird (the same specimen presumably) again on 2nd November, 

 but it gave me no more than a hasty glimpse as it disappeared over the side of 

 the nullah. On the first occasion that I saw it I had no gmi, and on the 

 second occasion it was a difficult matter to shoot it ! I have not seen the 

 bird since although I have often visited the spot where I first saw it. 



There is an exceedingly interesting note (Vol. XXVI, No. 2, pp. 668-669 of 

 our journal) on this thrush by Mr. S. J. Martin who says that the bird is fairly 

 common in his district (Kumaon). 



Unfortmiately, Mr. Martin has not found a nest and cannot, therefore, give 

 us first hand information as to nidification. Is it possible that the bird remains 

 in these parts (Simla) for the major jjortion of the year and breeds in about 

 May or Jime ? 



Not long ago I secured acopvof asomewhat little -known book entitled " Birds 

 of Darjeeling and India " by L. J. Mackintosh, and, on a perusal of this work 

 I fomid a note on the habits and nidification of Zoothera movlicoJa. I quote 

 the following for what it may be worth:—" Zoothera prefers high altitudes. A 

 few may be met with, at times, in Darjeeling, chiefly in the cold weather. It is 

 evidently more at home on the Singalillas, in dense bamboo and rhododer.aron 

 jungle and where more or less luxuriant forests exist, where the ground beneath 

 is damp and moist. Zoothera has given not a little trouble to get it to betray 

 its nest so as to learn a little of its nidification. This thrush seldom p<«rche3 

 on trees. It is generally found on the gromid, scraping away dead leaves 

 which lie in thick layers in some dense shady retreat damp and forbidding, 

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