180 Ornithological Notes, chiefly on some birds [No. 3, 



the difference due merely to the state of the plumage. The sex had 

 been ascertained by Mr. Fairbank by dissection. 



488. Saxicola OpisttlOleuCa, Strickland (S. Isucuroides, 

 Guer. apud Jerdon.) I shot a single male bird close to Nagpur. It 

 has not I believe previously been found south of the Nerbudda. The 

 same remark applies to the next species. 



492. Saxicola atrOgUlariS, Blyth. Of this bird I killed 

 3 specimens, 2 males and a female within a few miles of Nagpur on 

 open waste ground. 



Saxicola* sp. I shot a female Saxicola close to Nagpur which I 

 could not identify with any known Indian species. It was much less 

 rufous than S. atragularis. I cannot find the specimen now. 



479. Thamnobia fulicata, L. I found a curious nest made 

 by this bird, and in a singular position, viz., inside the bamboo of a 

 dhooly in the veranda of Captain Glasfurd's house at Sironcha. The 

 principal material of which the nest had been composed, was a number 

 of short fragments of string, with these were grass, horse-hair and a 

 snake's skin. The nest contained 3 eggs as usual. 



Saxicola melcena of Riippell has very much the appearance and 

 habits of the Indian Thamnobia, and has precisely the same trick of 

 jerking its tail. 



Family Sylviad^. 



After separating from this group the Drymoicince which I believe 

 should be placed in the Timalidce, and removing the Saxicolince and 

 Huticillince to the Turdida there still remain the Motacillince which 

 have even less affinity with the true Sylvians than the wren warblers 

 and stone chats shew, and which are classed separately by most orni- 

 thologists. The Calamoherpince, Sylviince and Phylloscopina form a 

 thoroughly natural family, similar both in form and habits. 



515. Acrocephalus brunnescens, Jerd. This prince of 

 skulkers is as difficult a bird to secure as any I know of. One when 

 badly wounded got away from me in a small open bush on the banks 

 of a river, where, so far as I could see, its only possible plan of dis- 

 appearing was by diving amongst the roots. I only obtained one 

 specimen in the Central Provinces, though I frequently heard the 

 sharp single call from bushes beside water, — a favorite resort. 



