190 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



NOTES ON THE NIDIFICATION OF CERTAIN BIRDS, 



THE NESTS OF WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN 



PREVIOUSLY RECORDED IN INDIA. 



By B. B. Osmaston. 



During a recent tour in Tehri-Garhwal, in May, I was fortunate 

 enough to find the nests and eggs of two or three species of birds, 

 which have not, I believe, been previously recorded in India. 



The locality visited by me is in a rather isolated group of hills in 

 the upper valley of the Tons River, and is situated about forty miles 

 north of Chakrata. 



The altitude of the main ridge (called Changsil) varies from 8,000 to 

 13,000 feet above the sea, and the vegetation of this zone consists of 

 silver and spruce firs at the lower elevation mentioned, passing, as we 

 go up, into Karshu Oak, Birch, Rhododendron, Juniper, and lastly, 

 about 12,000 feet, grass only. 



(1) SlPHIA STEOPHIATA, Hodg. 



The first nest to be described is that of the orange gorgetted fly- 

 catcher (Siphia strophiata). On May 23rd I noticed a bird fly into a 

 hole, about eight feet from the ground, in a dead Yew branch, which 

 I found, on examination, contained a nest with two freshly-hatched 

 young birds and one addled egg. 



I watched the parent birds for some time with binoculars. They 

 were very wary and would not again visit the nest ; however, I saw 

 sufficient to satisfy myself as to their identity. 



On the following day I found a second nest of the same species in a 

 rift in a Karshu Oak, about five feet from the ground. It contained 

 three much incubated eggs, exactly similar to the egg found on the 

 previous day. The nest was rather a loose structure, cup-shaped, 

 composed of moss and maiden-hair rachis, lined with the latter chiefly, 

 but also with a few feathers and some yellow papery substance resem- 

 bling birch-bark. I shot one of the parent birds (the male) for 

 identification. 



The eggs were pure white, elongated ovals and fairly glossy. The 

 average of their measurements gave — 



Length ... *76 inches. 

 Breadth ... '53 „ 



The above nests were both found at an elevation of about 9,000 feet. 



