86 PSITTACIDJE. 



Colonel Butler writes : — " The Eose-ringed Paroquet breeds in 

 the neighbourhood of Deesa in February and March. I took a 

 nest in Deesa on the 14th of February, 1875, containing four 

 fresh eggs, which is somewhat early for this species to lay, as at 

 that time of the year they are still to be seen in immense flocks. 

 This pair 1 look upon, however, as an exceptional couple, as I had 

 noticed them at work clearing out the hole, in which the eggs were 

 subsequently deposited, for at least three months before the eggs 

 were laid, during which period they never joined any of the 

 numerous large flocks which abound in that neighbourhood during 

 the rains and in the cold weather. I had to push the hen bird off 

 the nest with my hand, and even then she would not leave the 

 hole, although there were no less than three entrances by which 

 she might have escaped. Eventually, after taking the eggs, I left 

 her to mourn the loss of her ' penates,' sulking in one of the 

 passages leading from the nest. Another nest near the same 

 place and in a similar situation, containing four fresh eggs on the 

 26th February, 1876. Two of the eggs were more in shape like 

 miniature eggs of Athene hrama, being less round aud more com- 

 pressed at the small end than the ordinary type. Several more 

 nests all through March." 



" Belgaum District ; nests taken on the following dates : — 

 28th Dec, a nest containing four eggs hard-set ; 31st Dec, four 

 fresh eggs ; 3rd Feb.,' three fresh eggs ; 23rd Feb., four fresh eggs." 



Mr. J. Davidson, writing of this species in Western Khandesh, 

 says : — " It breeds in January and February." 



Mr. C. J. W. Taylor tells us that in Manzeerabad, Mysore, this 

 species breeds in February, March, and April. 



Mr. H. Parker, writing of Ceylon, says : — " There is a large 

 colony of these birds along the coast adjoining Mannar island. 

 How far they extend is uncertain, but for a length of four miles 

 and a width of a quarter of a mile I found them breeding in 

 great numbers in January, some nest-holes being only three or four 

 feet from the ground." 



Mr. J. E. Cripps informs us that in the Dibrugarh district of 

 Assam this species breeds at such a late period as June. He 

 says : — " They lay in June in holes in trees." 



Mr. Gates writes : — " Breeds commonly throughout Pegu. I 

 have procured eggs from 28th January to 25th February. On 

 the latter date, however, the eggs were nearly hatched." 



The eggs are pure white and glossless, though here and there 

 an egg with some faint glaze may be met with. The normal shape 

 is a moderately broad oval, very perceptibly pointed towards one 

 end, but long and spherical varieties occur. Although devoid of 

 gloss, the texture of the shell is very flrm and compact, and there 

 is none of the chalkiness about them observable in the eggs of the 

 Hornbills and Coucals. 



In length the eggs vary from 1-05 to 1-37 inch, and in breadth 

 from 0-87 to 1-02 inch ; but the average of fifty eggs measured was 

 1-2 by 0-95. 



