468 IEENA PUELLA. 



they habitually come down to the banks of streams and the smaller rivers to drink and bathe." Jerdon styles 

 its note " a fine mellow warble, which it is constantly repeating, both when feeding and as it flies from one 

 tree to another.'" 



Nidification. — This lovely bird breeds in the forests of Southern India in the early part of the year. 

 Through the researches of Mr. Bourdillon the particulars of its nidification have been made known. He 

 found it nesting some years ago in a sappling about 12 feet from the ground ; the nest was a loose sparsely 

 built structure composed of " dead twigs lined with leaves, and was about 4 inches broad." More recently he 

 has found others, concerning which Mr. Hume sends me particulars in epist. One was, writes Mr. Bourdillon 

 to Mr. Hume, in "a pollard tree beside a stream among some thick branches about 20 feet from the ground ; 

 the nest was neatly but very loosely constructed of fresh green moss, which formed the bulk of it, and was lined 

 with the flower-stalks of a jungle shrub. It was very well concealed, and was about 4 inches broad, with a 

 cavity not more than 1^ inch deep." Another nest was situated about 10 feet from the ground and was 

 composed of twigs without any lining. The number of eggs seenjs invariably to be two. They are regular 

 or elongated ovals ; the shell is fine and close-grained, but not very glossy. The ground-colour is pale green, 

 and they are streaked and blotqhed with pale dull brown or reddish brown. In one specimen they are " almost 

 entirely confluent over the large end (where they appear to be underlaid with dingy, dimly discernible, greyish 

 blotches), and from the cap thus formed they descend in streaky mottlings towards the small end, growing 

 fewer and further apart as they approach the latter, which is almost devoid of markings." In others, he 

 writes, the markings are pretty thick, even at the small end. The eggs average in size from 105 to 1*15 inch 

 in length by - 71 to 0"81 inch in breadth. 



PASSERES. 

 BRACHYPODID.E. 



Subfam. PYCNONOTINyE. 



Bill straight ; the culmen curved ; mandibles compressed towards the tip, which is distinctly 

 notched. Nostrils basal, placed in a capacious membrane ; rictal bristles well developed; nape 

 furnished with hairs. Wings somewhat rounded, the secondaries lengthened. Tail shorter 

 tlian the wings. Legs and feet typical in their shortness. 



Genus HYPSIPETES. 

 Bill long, commissure straight for the greater part, culmen but slightly curved. Nostrils 

 long, protected by bristles, and with a tuft of feathers at the base ; rictal bristles stout and not 

 very long. Wings with the 1st quill very short, and the 4th the longest or equal to the 5th. 

 'fail long and square at the tip. Legs short. The tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw. 

 Nuchal hairs lengthened. 



