352 
COEONE SPLENDENS. 
on sandflies, which they arc very fond of, or engaged in pranks with the hermit-crabs, that the affairs of 
the day seemed to be discussed. Often at midday a noisy meeting would take place on the banks of the 
lake, and while several dozen birds held an angry debate on some fellow Crow who was posted in the middle 
of the circle, others would bathe up to the thighs in the water, ducking themselves and splashing in all 
directions. A striking instance of the Crowds love of mischief and his innate impudence was exemplified at 
Colombo in his habit of annoying the unoffending little Grebes which frequented the lake ; apparently for 
the sake of seeing them disappear under the water, he would dai’t down on them over and over again. 
In the towns the Grey Crow invariably roosts on the fronds of cocoanut-trees, sitting close together in 
rows, but not settling down for the night until a considerable time has been spent in noisy discussion. It 
appears to feel the tropical heat at midday, taking shelter under the shadiest branches, and often panting 
witli its bill wide open. 
Nidijication . — The breeding-season on both west and east coasts lasts from May until July. The nests 
' are built in trees near human habitations, generally at a considerable height from the ground. Scarcely ever 
more than two are found in the same tree, and it is usual to find but one. They are placed in the fork of a 
tree and made of sticks lined with coir-fibre, small roots, wool, hair, or any substance which will suit the 
purpose ; the interior is very shallow in some and moderately deep in others, and usually measures about 
fi inches across. The eggs are from three to four in number and vary much in shape, although typically 
they are slightly pointed ovals. The ground-colour is also somewhat varied, being in some of an olivaceous 
bhiLsli green, and in others of a light blue-green. Normally they are rather closely freckled and spotted 
with brownish grey and light brown all over, but chiefly at the large end, where there are, in some instances, 
a few darker brown streaks. They vary considerably in length, but not in general bulk, averaging about 
P4 by 1‘06 inch, the largest that I have measured not exceeding I’6 by I’OSinch. 
It breeds in the Himalayas up to 4000 feet; the season, par excellence, says Mr. Hume, “is June and 
July ; but occasionally nests will be found earlier even in Upper India, and in Southern and Eastern India 
a great number lay in May.” Miscellaneous material is used for the construction of the nests, particularly in 
the matter of lining ; and Blyth speaks of some nests being exclusively composed of wires taken from soda- 
water bottles, which had been purloined from heaps set aside by native servants for sale. 
The same variety of form and marking of the eggs is observable in Indian specimens, and the average 
of a large number “is I'44 by I'OGinch.” 
Genus CISSA. 
Bill moderately short, stout, wide at the base ; culmen well curved, the tip with a plainly 
indicated notch ; nasal bristles short ; gape furnished with short rictal bristles. Eye surrounded 
by a prominent naked wattle. Wings short, rounded, the 6th quill longest. Tail long and 
graduated. Legs and feet stout. Tarsus equal to the middle toe with its claw ; lateral toes 
subequal. 
