1848.] Notes on the Nidification of Indian Birds. 687 



No. 28. — " Cyornis rubeculoides." (Blyth.) 

 Niltava rnbeculoides. (Hodg.) 

 Phcenicura rubeculoides. (Vigors.) 

 Chaitaris brevipes. (Hodg.) 



Arrives in the neighbourhood of Mussooree in April, and breeds in 

 June, on the 13th of ^hich month I took a nest from a hole in a bank 

 by the road side in a retired and unfrequented situation : I afterwards 

 found another nest in a hole of a rock, also in a retired spot. The 

 elevation was about 5,000 ft. Externally the nest is composed of green 

 moss, and lined with black fibrous lichens like hair. The eggs are 4 in 

 number, of a dull and pale olive green, faintly or indistinctly clouded 

 with dull rufous or clay colour. Diameter J-f X tf ms * The male has 

 a very pleasing song which he warbles forth from the midst of some 

 thick bush, seldom exposing itself to view, like Stoparola melanops, 

 which delights to perch upon some high exposed twig. 



No. 29.— Sibia capistrata. (Hodg.)* 



Remains at an elevation of 7,000 ft. throughout the year, but I never 

 saw it under 6,500 ft. ; — its loud ringing note of titter ee — titter ee 

 twttyd, quickly repeated, may constantly be heard on wooded banks 

 during summer. It breeds at Mussooree in May, making a neat nest 

 of coarse dry grasses as a foundation, covered laterally with green moss 

 and wool, and lined with fine roots. The number of eggs I did not 

 ascertain, as the nest was destroyed when only one had been deposited, 

 but the colour is pale bluish white freckled with rufous. The nest was 

 placed on a branch of a plum tree in the botanical garden at Mussooree. 



No, 30.— " Bicrurus longicaudatus," (A. Hay.) 



This species, the only one that visits Mussooree, arrives from the 

 Doon about the middle of March and retires again about September. 

 It is abundant during the summer months, and breeds from the latter 

 end of April till the middle of June, making a very neat nest, which is 

 placed in the bifurcation of a horizontal branch of some tail tree, usually 

 oak trees ; it is constructed of grey lichens gathered from the trees, and 

 fine seed-stalks of grasses, firmly and neatly interwoven ; with the latter 

 it is also usually lined, although sometimes a black fibrous lichen is 

 used ; — externally the materials are kept compactly together, by being 

 plastered over with spiders' webs. It it altogether a light and elegant 



* Cinclosoma capistratum, Vigors, v. Sibia nigriceps, Hodgson. — E. B. 



4 x 



