GBACUXUS. — PAEUS. 31 



two side branches just where, about 6 inches apart, they shot out 

 of the trunk. The nest was just like a Crow's — a broad platform 

 of sticks, but rather more neatly built, and with a number of green 

 juniper twigs with a little moss and a good deal of grey lichen 

 intermingled. The nest was about 11 inches across and nearly 

 4 inches in external height. There was a broad, shallow, central 

 depression 5 or 6 inches in diameter and perhaps 2 inches in 

 depth, of which an inch was filled in with a profuse lining of 

 grass and fir-needles (the long ones of Pinus longifolia) and a little 

 moss. This was found on the 1 1th May, and the young, four in 

 number, were sufficiently advanced to hop out to the ends of the 

 bough and half-fly half-tumble into the neighbouring trees, when 

 my man with much difficulty got up to the nest. 



29. Graculus eremita (Linn.). The Red-billed Chough. 

 Iregilus himalayanus, Gould, Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 319. 



Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs of this species from Chumbi in 

 Thibet ; they were taken on the 8th of May from a nest under the 

 eaves of a high wooden house. 



Though larger than those of the European Chough, they resemble 

 them so closely that there can be no doubt as to their authenticity. 



In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals, very slightly 

 compressed towards the small end. The shell is tolerably fine 

 and has a slight gloss. The ground-colour is white with a faint 

 creamy tinge,. and the whole egg is profusely spotted and striated 

 with a pale, somewhat yellowish brown and a very pale purplish 

 grey. The markings are most dense at the large end, and there, 

 too, the largest streaks of the grey occur. 



One egg measures P74 by 1'2. 



Subfamily PARING. 



31. Parus atriceps, Horsf. The Indian Grey Tit. 



Parus cinereus, Vieill., Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 278. 



Parus cajsius, Tick., Hume, Rough Draft N. Sr E. no. C45. 



The Indian Grey Tit breeds throughout the more wooded moun- 

 tains of the Indian Empire, wherever these attain an altitude of 

 5000 feet, at elevations of from 4000 or 5000 to even (where the 

 hills exceed this height) 9000 feet. 



In the Himalayas the breeding-season extends from the end of 

 March to the end of June, or even a little later, according to the 

 season. They have two broods — the first clutch of eggs is generally 

 laid in the last week of March or early in April ; the second towards 

 the end of May or during the first half of June. 



In the Nilghiris they lay from February to May, and probably a 

 second time in September or October. 



