POMATOEEOTUS.	85
uses no lining to its nest, but lays its eggs (three to five in number)
on the coarse grass of which the inside is composed. The eggs are
pure white, particularly thin-shelled, and consequently perfectly
translucent. They are found during the months of February and
March."
Messrs. Davidson and Wen den, writing from the Deccan,
remark:—" Very common along tops of ghats. D. got a nest with
two eggs in March."
Mr. T. Fulton Bourdillon writes from Travancore:—"I have
been so fortunate as to obtain two nests of this bird lately, though
I have never found any before. The first contained three fresh
eggs 011 the 5th December last, and was situated in a bank on the
roadside at an elevation of about 3000 feet.above sea-level. The
nest was very loosely made of grass, with finer kinds of grass for
the lining. I endeavoured to preserve it, but it fell to pieces on
being taken from its position, and I only succeeded in saving the
eggs. As the bird, usually a very shy one, flew on2 on my approach
and remained close by while I was examining the nest, I have
no doubt of its identity. Whether she would have laid more eggs
I cannot say, but I fancy not; three seems to be the usual number
judging from the two clutches taken. The other nest I found on
the 8th of this month just completed. It was in much the same
position as the last, viz. a bank by the roadside, and as it was near
my bungalow I watched to see how the eggs were deposited. The
bird laid one egg each day on the llth, 12th and 13th, and then
began to sit, so on the 15th I took the nest. When fresh the
eggs are beautifully pink from the thinness of the shell."
Mr. J. Darling, junior, remarks :—
" Mr. Davison makes a very good remark on the nest of this bird,
but I found one once under the roots of a tree at Neddivattam,
and it was a most beautiful nest, built entirely of the fibrous bark
of the Mlghiri nettle, in the shape of an oven, with a hole to go in
at one side. It contained four pure white delicate eggs. Another
one found near the same place was of the same nature, only resting
on some fern-leaves and under a rock, and contained five eggs.
" I found a nest down at Vythery, Wynaacl, in a hole in the bank
of a road, in December 1874, made entirely of broad grass, very
untidy, and containing three eggs."
Mr. Ehodes W. Morgan writing from South India, says:—
" Breeds in April, constructing a neat domed nest of leaves on the
ground, at the foot of a bush. The nest is lined with fine grasses,
and almost always contains three eggs, which, when fresh, are of
a beautiful pink colour, owing to the yelk shining through the
shell, which is exceedingly fragile. The egg, when blown, is of a
very beautiful glossy white. If suddenly approached whilst on its
nest, this bird runs out like a rat, and fiies when at a distance
from the nest. An egg in my collection measures 1*04 by -7
inch."
The eggs sent me from the Nilghiris by Miss Cockburn and Mr.
Carter are nearly perfect ovals, usually much elongated, but some-