Birds of Lucknoiu. 551 
their tiny structure was destined to stand. Next morning 
the nest was but little bigger than, and almost as neat and 
compact as, a large acorn-cup, and entirely unconnected witli 
any of the upright twigs. During the next two days good 
progress was made, and on the fifth day the nest was a 
perfect full-sized skeleton, having its sides firmly attached to 
the three perpendicular twigs. The process of thickening 
the sides of the nest then commenced, and in thirteen days, 
counting from the beginning, the nest was completed. On 
the fifteenth day it contained two eggs of a creamy-white 
colour with a zone of brownish spots at the thick end of 
each." 
I have taken several nests and have always found the 
full complement of eggs to be three, though once I took four 
in a clutch. They are very like miniature Shrikes' eggs, 
white with a faint brownish tinge, and a ring of brown and 
purplish spots. 
Average of 12 Lucknow eggs -62" x "lO" 
Measurement of largest q^^ 'Q7" x •50" 
smallest egg "oT" X "47" 
No. 608. Pratincola caprata. Common Fied Bush- Chat. 
KalaPidha [H.]. 
The Pied Bush-Chat is not very numerous, though I 
believe that it is a permanent resident. I have seen it 
chiefly in dhak -jungle, and ravine-like ground covered with 
scrub. I have never found the nest, though I have had its 
discovery recorded. It is possible, however, that the fabric 
may have belonged to Thamnobia cambaiensis. 
No. 610. Pratincola maura. Indian Bush- Chat. 
A common winter visitor, coming in October and leaving 
in April. Reid's opinion that it is a very wary bird is not 
in accordance with my experience ; but it is very restless, 
continually flitting from bush to bush, and is sometimes 
difficult to shoot on this account. 
No. 613. *Pratincola insignis. Hodgson's Biish-Chat. 
I shot a large Bush-Chat near Ataria, about twenty miles 
north from Lucknow, in the early spring of 1897, but 
