1848.] Notes on the Nidification of Indian Birds. 683 



with rufous ; the spots of that colour confluent and forming a patch at 

 the larger end. Diameter 1 T V % yf inches. Somewhat gibbous at 

 the larger end. 



No. 24. — " Geocichla unicolor.' 9 



Turdus unicolor. (Tickell & Gould.) 

 Petrocincla homochroa. (Hodg. Gray.) 

 Petrocossyphus unicolor. (Gray's Cat.) 



This bird arrives in the hills up to 7,000 feet, and probably higher, 

 about the end of March, the first being heard this year (1848), on the 

 26th of that month, at 5,000 feet. Every morning and evening it may 

 be heard far and near, pouring forth a short but pleasing song from the 

 very summits of the forest trees. It is a summer visitor only, returning 

 to the plains in early autumn. It breeds in May and June, laying 3 or 

 4 eggs of a dull greenish white, freckled, blotched and spotted with 

 rufous, sometimes closely, — sometimes widely distributed. 



The nest is neatly made of green moss and roots, lined with finer 

 roots, and placed usually against the body of the tree, from whence 

 spring one or two twigs ; — sometimes placed upon the broad surface of 

 a thick horizontal branch, or on a projecting knob. The diameter of 

 e gg — 1 tV * it inches, varying a little. Shape sometimes ordinary 

 ovate ; at others more rounded at the smaller end. When shot, the 

 crop usually contained the half-ripe berries of a species of laurel (L. 

 lanceolatus ?) 



The following is the description of a male, shot while singing on the 

 topmost branch of an oak tree (Quercus incana.) 



Bill yellow, as also the rim of the eyelid, gape, inside of mouth and 

 the legs. — Iris brown. — Length 9 inches. Wing from bend 4f inches. 

 Above uniform pale slate-grey ; — throat, breast, and sides ash co- 

 lour, the former palest and nearly white on the chin. Belly and under 

 tail coverts pure white ; under wing coverts bright ferruginous. Nails 

 yellow, length of bill to gape 1 T 2 ^- inches. Tarse 1 T * F inches. 



Female. Bill wax -yellow with dusky about the nostrils ; legs and 

 feet wax-yellow ; Iris brown ; length 9 inches ; — wing from bend 4|- 

 inches ; bill to gape 1 T ^- inches — to forehead f- inches. Above uni- 

 form dark ashy-gray ; chin and throat pale cinereous, bordered by a 

 dark stripe descending from the base of lower mandible, between which 

 the feathers are longitudinally dashed with dark centres ; breast and 



