442 THAMNOBIA FULICATA. 



much of its time on the ground, darting about after flies and insects, and moving hither and thither with a 

 short jerky flight. It consorts in pairs ; but the young brood remain a long time with their parents, thus 

 forming after the breeding-season a little ti - oop of three or four. 



Jerdon writes as follows concerning this sprightly little bird : — " Its familiar habits well entitle it to the 

 name of Indian Robin. It is usually found about villages, pagodas, old buildings, and mud walls, often 

 perching on the roofs of houses and tops of walls, and feeding in verandahs, or occasionally even entering 

 houses. It is, however, not confined to the vicinity of houses or villages, but is very common on rocky and 

 stony hills, and in groves of palmyra or date-palms. It is generally seen singly or in pairs, and feeds on the 

 ground, on which it hops with great agility, frequently pursuing and capturing several insects before it reseats 

 itself on its perch either on a house or on a neighbouring tree or bush." 



Nidification. — The " Black Robin " breeds during the months of March, April, May, and June in the 

 Central, Western, and Southern Provinces, the majority of nests beiug built at the end of April. In the 

 coffee-districts it often chooses the bank of one of the " zigzags," and builds in a niche in these exposed 

 situations, heedless of the numbers of passers by. A hollow in the ground under the shelter of a rock or 

 stone is another favourite spot ; and not unfrequently the nest is constructed on the top of a low outhouse 

 wall, or in the side or against the beam of a roof. It is loosely constructed, and varies in size according 

 to the locality ; those which are built in niches or holes are made so as to fill the cavity, and are constructed 

 of dry roots and grass-stalks of various sizes, being lined with finer materials of the same sort. One 

 which 1 found placed against the " wall plate " of the roof of an outhouse iu the Southern Province had 

 a foundation made of portions of a cooley's blanket, which the bird had literally made wool of, completely 

 pulling it to pieces and placing it in layers beneath the other materials of the nest, which consisted of moss, 

 hair, roots, and grass. Two is the normal number of eggs, but sometimes three are laid; the ground-colour 

 is greenish white, and at the obtuse end they are spotted thickly with bluish and grey, mixed with several 

 shades of brown, which sparsely extend over the whole surface ; these markings are often confluent and form 

 a zone or cap at the large end ; but this feature is entirely wanting in other specimens. They vary in length 

 from 0'82 to 087 inch, and in breadth from 0*6 to 0'62 inch. After preservation they fade to a white colour. 



In the north Layard has found the nest in December. In India the principal months are March, April, 

 and May. The same miscellaneous materials are sometimes found in Indian nests as in Ceylonese. Mr. Aitken 

 mentions having found one in a thatched roof; but such an elevated position is unusual, and he rightly states 

 that the bird does not build so high as the Magpie Robin. 



Genua CYANECULA. 

 Hill straight, much compressed towards the tip, which is slightly notched. Nostrils exposed ; 

 rictal bristles few and small. Wings somewhat pointed ; 1st quill slightly exceeding the primary- 

 coverts ; 3rd and 4th the longest ; 2nd equal to the 6th. Tail shorter than the wings and even 

 at the tip. Tarsus long and smooth. Toes rather short and weak. 



