72
Hedge-Sparrow, whose early eggs formed the prize of our^ first
boyish nesting-expeditions, but they are slightly larger and typically
somewhat more elongated.
In length they vary from 0*75 to 0*92, and in breadth from 0-6
to 0*7 ; but the average of one hundred and fifteen eggs measured
was 0-82 by 0-64.
107. Argya malcolmi (Sykes).    The Large Grey JBalbler.
Malacocercus malcolmi (Sykes), Jerd. B. Ind. ii_? p. 64.
Argya malcolmi (Sykes) _9 flume, Rough Draft N. fy E. no. 436.
The Large G-rey Babbler breeds throughout the central portions
of both the Peninsula and Continent of India from the INilghiris
to the Dhoon. It does not extend westwards to Sindh or the
North-West Punjab, or eastwards far into Bengal Proper. In
the Central and North-West Provinces it lays from early in March
well into September, having at least two and, as I believe, pften
three broods.
It builds on low branches of small trees or in thick shrubs, at
no great elevation from the ground, say at heights of from 4 to 10
feet, a somewhat loosely woven, but yet generally neat, cup-shaped
nest, composed, as a rule, chiefly of grass-roots, but often with an
admixture of thin sticks and grass. Generally there is no lining,
but I have found nests scantily lined with very fine grass and even
horse-hair. Even when, as is the rule, entirely unlined, the inside
is finished off very nicely and smoothly. I have often seen ragged
and untidy nests, but these are the exception. Externally the nest
is some 5 or 6 inches in diameter and 3 or 4 inches in height; the
cavity is from. 3 to 4 inches across and from 2 to nearly 3 inches
in depth.
Four is the normal number of the eggs laid, but I have several
notes of finding five.
Mr. Brooks says:—" This species breeds in waste lands over-
grown with scanty jungle. The nest is made of sticks, roots, grass,
&c., is rather bulky, and is placed in some moderate-sized bush
about 7 or 8 feet from the ground. The eggs are greenish blue,
bluer and not so brightly coloured as those of G. terricolor."
Mr. ft. M. Adam remarks:—" Near Muttra, on the 31st Octo-
ber, I found a pair of birds busy lining the interior of a nest which
they had built in a plum-tree. At the Sambhur lake it is yery
common, and commences to breed about the end of March."
Writing from Kotagherry (Nilghiris), Miss Cockburn remarks:—
" Their nests are built of a few twigs and roots, very loosely put
together (on some low branch of a tree), and so few of even "these
as hardly to keep the eggs from falling through. These Babblers
lay four oval eggs of a greenish-blue colour, but I once saw a nest
with eight, and as there were several of these birds close to it, I
have no doubt two or three shared it together, perhaps to avoid
the necessity of each pair building for itself. Their nests are
found in the months of March and April.