• NOTES ON INDIAN TIMELIIDES AND THEIR ALLIES. 425 



-what reasons he does not state. To me it appears to be more nearly allied 

 to some of the warblers, and until it has been anotomically examined and its 

 ti'ue position determined, afraid it must still remain amongst the miscel- 

 laneous list of Timeliidee. 



It has the following characteristics : a long delicate black bill equalling the 

 hind-toe and claw in length, and perfectly straight ; rictal bristles weak ; no 

 hairs overhanging the nostrils ; the nostrils long narrow slits, not covered 

 by a membrane ; a rounded wing, the first four primaries graduated ; wing 

 and tail equal, the latter also very much graduated ; under plumage not 

 istreaked ; the whole plumage is very soft and approaching the Lusciniola in 

 texture, in fact the bird looks much more a warbler than a babbler. 

 There is also reason to believe that the young, and possibly the sexes 

 vary, a very non-Timeliine feature. 



It is hoped that members in Ceylon will collect a series of this bird and 

 also a few specimens in spirit. 



Elaphrornis pallisbri, Blyth. 

 Palliser^s Warbler. 



Brachypteryx 2Jalliseri, Blyth, T. A. S. B., xx., p. 178 (1851). 



Elaphrornis jmlliseri, Sharpe, Cat., B. M., vii., p. 517 ; Gates, F. B. I., 1 

 ,p. 191 ; Hale, Bull. B. O. C, xxxiii., p. 91. 

 Description. — As in Gates, Fauna, B. 1. 

 Distribution. — Ceylon. 



Until recently nothing seems to have been known about the nidification 

 of this interesting species, which appears to be allied to some African 

 warblers. Mr. T. P. Aldworth was lucky enough to procure a nest with 

 parent bird, and has given me the following note. The eggs are most 

 remarkable, and are intermediate between those of Tribura and the pale type 

 of Bulbul. In fact Mr. Stuart Baker has received eggs from Ceylon 

 reputed to be of this species, but owing to their similarity to Bulbul's eggs, 

 hesitated to accept them as authentic, but now thanks to Mr. Aldworth' s 

 eggs, which agree with those received by Mr. Stuart Baker, all doubt has 

 beepi removed. I may add Mr. Stuart Baker has generously given me a pair 

 of these interesting eggs. 



Note by Mr. T. P. Aldioorth. 



" Elaphrornis palliseri, Pallisers' Warbler : found the nest of this bird on 

 10th April 1911 while it was being built, in a small shrub of the laurel 

 family ?, at about 3 feet from the ground, situated in a small open patch, in 

 the dense jungle on the bank of a stream flowing from the Horton Plains to 

 the Boga-want-alawa valley. The nest which was composed of coarse grass- 

 istalks, moss, and fine twiggs, lined with skeleton leaves and grass fibres, was 

 deeply cupped and fairly solid. It was completed on about the 23rd. I took 

 the two eggs on the 28th, as though I visited the nest on several 

 occasions, I failed to see any sign of the bird until she had commenced to 

 sit. From the construction of the nest, I was rather surprised to only get 

 two eggs, but have since seen two more clutches, belonging to Mr. Stuart 

 Baker, both of two eggs, so conclude this is the probable normal amount, 

 moreover, there seems to be little variation among them, as the eggs in each 

 of these sets were almost identical; of a pinkish-white ground colour, 

 thickly freckled with purplish-brown, with mauve or grey under markings, 

 and one or two hair like lines at the larger end." 



GRGUP IV. 



TiMELIA, DuMETIA. 



This group consists of Timelia and Ditmetia Their characteristics are: 

 tail much longer than the wing, and greatly graduated ; the shafts of the 

 feathers of the crown rigid and glistening. 

 6 



