84	CEATEBOPODID^B.
120. Pomatorhittus liorsfieldii, Sykes.    The Southern Scimitar
BabUer.
Pomatorhinus  horsfieldii, SyJces, Jerd. B, 2nd. ii_; p. 31;   Humej
Rough Draft N. $ E. no. 404.
The Southern Scimitar Babbler breeds throughout the hilly
tracts of Southern India, up to an elevation of fully 7000 feet.
They are common in Ootacamund, and even on Dodabet as high
up as it is wooded. They seem to breed less plentifully about
Kotagherry than they do at Ootacamund itself, Coonoor, Neddi-
vattam, &c.
They lay from February to May, building a largish globular nest
of grass, moss, and roots, placed on or very near to the ground in
some bush or clump of fern or grass. They lay five eggs.
A nest of this species which I owe to Mr. Carter, and which was
found at Coonoor on the 7th April, 1869, is a huge globular mass
of moss and fine moss-roots some 7 inches in diameter, with, on
the upper side, an entrance to a small egg-cavity some 3| inches
in diameter, and 2 inches in depth. It is a most singular nest,
a great compact ball of soft feathery moss and very fine rnoss-
roots, which latter predominate in the interior of the cavity, and
so form a sort of lining to it. The great body of the nest is below
the cavity, the overhanging dome-like covering of the cavity being
comparatively thin.
Mr. Davison remarks:—" The nest of this bird is very peculiar
in structure, more like the nest of a field-mouse than of a bird,
being in fact merely a ball of grass rather loosely put together, the
grass on the exterior being intermingled with dry leaves and other
rubbish. The nest is generally placed either in a clump of fern,
or at the roots of some grass-grown bush. The eggs are pure
white, very elongated, and with a remarkably thin and delicate
shell. The normal number appears to be five. The breeding-
season is, I think, the latter end of April and May."
Later, he writes :—" It must, I think, breed twice, as I found a
nest on the 10th March with fully-fledged young, and late in April
another nest with perfectly fresh eggs."
Writing of this species Dr. Jerdon says :—" I procured its nest
near Neddivattani on the Nilghiris, on a bank on the roadside,
made with moss and roots, and containing four white eggs of a
very elongated form."
Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, furnishes me with the following
note on the nidification of this species :—" These birds build rather
large nests, among the roots of bushes, and generally prefer those
which grow on the slopes of steep hills. Their nests are composed
of coarse grass, a few roots of the same, and the bark of a bush,
which cracks when dry and is very easily pulled off. These
materials are put together into a round nest, and also form a
covering above, which makes the inside look very snug indeed.
But if any attempts are made to remove the nest, it generally falls
to pieces, the materials having no tenacity. This bird commonly