OETHOTOMUS SUTOEIUS. 
519 
country an umbrageous tree with large leaves, more especially its favourite liabitation the “ Lettuce ’’-tree, is 
usually chosen in which to construct its ingenious nest, while in the Central Province it frequently builds in 
a colfee-bush, sewing four or five leaves together. Layard speaks of one being constructed of a dozen oleander- 
leaves ; but the usual number of which it makes use is two. I have found beantiful nests constructed in a 
single leaf, the edges of the lower half being brought close together, sewn firmly, and the nest bnilt into the 
cone thus formed, the back of the leaf serving for one half of the egg-cavity; but these are rare exceptions. 
Two, or perhaps three, adjacent leaves, about 4 or 5 feet from the ground, arc selected and their ends brought 
together and so formed as to make a cavity for the nest, which is built inside it and consists of fine grass, 
bits of cotton, thread, coir-fibre, wool, small roots, and such like, some of whieh ingredients are passed through 
the holes perforated in the leaf casing and then incorporated with the body of the structure, the whole 
forming a very solid and substantial piece of workmanship. The coir used is mostly pulled from the mats in 
the verandahs of houses near which the nest is often built. The egg-cavity formed in this skilfnl manner is 
about 2 inches in diameter by the same in depth, the lining being simply the finer materials of the body of 
the nest. The eggs are generally three, sometimes four, in number, of a whitish or gi'eenish-white ground- 
colour, spotted openly throughout, but chiefly at the large end, with one or two shades of rather light brown 
and brownish red. In shape they are rather pointed ovals, with but little gloss, and measure about O'GSinch 
in length by 0'45 inch in breadth. Naturalists in India appear to differ in opinion as to the Tailor-bird using- 
dead leaves for the formation of its nest. I have found and examined many and I have never seen such a 
thing. The most likely solution of the problem is that snggested by the late Mr. A. Anderson, and quoted in 
‘ Nests and Eggs,’ p. 33, and which is, that the dead leaves sometimes fo-und in the composition of the nest are 
those which have been pierced to excess, separated from the stalk, and afterwards withered. Writers quoted 
in Mr. Hume’s useful work testify to its building at all times of the year and in very various situations. 
Mr. Anderson speaks of a nest being taken in his presence from the very top of a high tree and enclosed 
within a single leaf ; another seen by him was composed of seven or eight leaves. Miss Cockbum writes that 
it builds in coffee-trees in the Nilghiris. Mr. Hume gives the average length of Indian eggs as 0’64 by 
0‘46 inch. 
Genus PEINIA. 
Bill shorter, slenderer, and more curved than in Orthotomus. Nostrils linear and exposed as 
in that genus ; tip entire. Wings as in the last genus. Tail variable, of 10 feathers in some, 
12 in others, much graduated, the feathers lax. Tarsus long, shielded in front, with large but 
smooth scutes. 
Nuchal “ hairs ” more developed than in Orthotomus. 
