Birds of Lucknow. 565 
resident^ frequenting gardens and jungle where there are 
flowers, but eschewing, as a rule, more barren ground ; it is 
not^ I think, very fond o£ mango-groves, though occasionally I 
have found it nesting in those trees. It breeds from February 
to June; according to my experience, chiefly during the 
earlier part of that period. The nest is a pretty little egg- 
shaped ball, with a hole in the side near the top^ over whicb 
there is an awning or portico. It is formed of grass, cob- 
webs, hair, &c., and is always ornamented with the 
excreta of caterpillars. As a rule, it is suspended from a low 
twig two or three feet from the ground, but occasionally it is 
placed much, higher. The usual number of eggs is two, but 
three are often found. They are greenisb or brownish 
white in colour, thickly spotted and marked with various 
shades of brown and grey. 
Average of 15 Lucknow eggs '63' ' x "44" 
Measurement of largest egg "67" X •45" 
„ smallest egg -oS'' x "42" 
No. 919. ^Dic^UM ERYTHRORHYNCHUM. TichelF s Floioer- 
pecker. 
White Honey-sucker [Anglo-Indian boys] . 
This little bird was overlooked by Reid, and I only dis- 
covered it by means of the Martini ere boys. Ever since I 
had commenced collecting in Lucknow, I had been told of 
the " White Honey-sucker,^'' which made a nest like the 
Purple Sun-bird and laid white eggs. For a long time I 
was incredulous, but on March 13, 1900, two boys, J. Green 
and L. Jackson, shewed me a nest with one e^^. It was a 
tiny grass ball, with a hole in the side, suspended beneath 
some mango-leaves. I waited for some time, but did not 
see the bird. Being convinced, however, that it could belong- 
to no other species, I took the nest, as it Avas almost certain 
to be found by some other sharp-eyed youngster. On 
March 10, 1901, Green shewed me another nest ready for 
eggs. Unfortunately the two birds, which were watching us, 
deserted it, and all that I got was the empty fabric. This was 
situated in a bel-tree, about five feet from the ground, and, 
like the other, was most cleverly concealed. In fact the 
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