THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. 125 



lensis; the ground-colour is so much brighter and clearer than usual and, 

 as with the eggs of that bird, the markings are nearly all confined to 

 the larger end. The ground-colour is a pale clear greyish-green and 

 the stipplings are of a dull purplish-red. 



Another clutch is very different ; the ground-colour is a pale stone 

 yellow, but it is almost entirely obliterated by rather bright tan freckles, 

 so that, at a short distance, the eggs appear to be a pale olive or tan 

 brown. The largest egg is -84" X '61*, and my smallest -70" X '56" ; 

 the average of fifteen being '79" X '58". 



The bird is by no means common, and it is now more than a year 

 since I obtained my last specimen. Nearly all the birds I have got 

 were trapped on the nests by the Nagas, who are wonderful adepts at 

 catching and snaring all sorts of birds and animals. I have not 

 heard it utter any song, but this will, most probably, be found to be the 

 same as that of C. rubeculoides and C. tickelli. 



(245) Nitidula hodgsoni. — The Pigmy Blue Fly-catcher. 

 Oates, No. 578 ; Hume, No. 313. 



On the few occasions I have met with this bird, it has appeared to 

 me to be hunting the leaves for insects, much after the manner of some 

 of the smaller babblers, but every now and then taking short flights 

 after them into the air. It is not common, and I have not seen it 

 below about 3,500 feet. 



(246) Stoparola meianops. — The Verditer Fly-catcher. 

 Oates, No. 579 ; Hume, No. 301. 



By no means common in North Cachar. 



(247) Astthipes leucops.— Sharpe's White-gorgeted Fly-catcher. 

 Oates, No. 584. 



I shot a bird in 1889, which I then identified as belonging to this 

 species, but I did not preserve the skin. 



(248) A. poliogents. — Brook's Fly-catcher. 

 Oates, No. 586. 



This is a very common bird in the cold season, but very few seem to 

 remain to breed. 



A nest — the only one I have ever seen of this species- — was brought 

 to me on the 19th June, together with a female. It was said to have 

 been placed in amongst a number of large loose boulders on the bank 

 of a steep, densely wooded nullah, at the bottom of which ran a small 



