THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR, — -. {82 
positions. All nests are composed of the same materials, namely, 
bamboo leaves alone, as far as the outer part is concerned, and, as 
regards the inner part, fine grasses will be found to constitute the 
greater portion, more or less mixed with slender moss roots, hair-like 
fibres, and the extremely delicate tendrils of a wild flower that looks like 
a yellow convolvulus. In shape the nest is generally a broad oval, 
sometimes rather lengthened and egg-shaped ; it is placed either up- 
right or slanting at an angle of nearly 45°. The entrance is about one- 
third of the way down from the top, sometimes lower and rarely 
almost level with the ground. It is often partially protected by the 
loose leaves of the upper half of the nest hanging over and concealing 
it, These cases appear, however, to be more the result of accident 
than design, and the leaves are never artificially made to form a porch, 
however rude. 
“The nest is sometimes merely semi-domed, much like what I have 
already described as being built by Stachyridopsis ruficeps. Very 
rarely it is a deep cup, but even in these cases the depth of the interior 
far exceeds the diameter. I once took a nest of this bird from a very 
peculiar situation. I had killed a female bamboo rat which showed 
signs of having young, and in looking for these, I commenced prodding 
about in a pile of loose leaves and rubbish which had collected in the 
open by the road-side. Pushing the stick through the centre of this, 
I touched something which scuttled away on the ground. A closer 
inspection showed me a nest buried nearly six inches deep amongst the 
loose stuff, containing three eges which I easily recognized as belong- 
ing to this bird. As usual it was very roughly and loosely built, not 
being strong enough to stand removal. I have said above that I have 
never seen a nest placed otherwise than on the ground, but I must 
modify this statement, for as long ago as 1887 I took two nests which 
were practically placed in the ground. Both nests were placed in 
holes some eight imches deep in steep banks of nullahs running 
through bamboo jungle ; both were semi-domed, and in both cases the 
follows were completely filled up with loose bande leaves. 
The full complement of eggs is three or four, either number being 
about equally often laid. I have never seen five in a nest, nor have I 
ever taken two only which showed any signs of incubation. The 
ground-colour of the eggs is white, either pure or very faintly tinged 
