104	CRATEEOPODIDJE.
plants about 2 feet from the ground. Of these eggs I noted that
before being blown the shell was of a ruddy salmon colour. The
marks are much as in the others described above."
The eggs are moderately broad ovals, somewhat pointed at times
towards the small end, and occasionally slightly pyriform. The
shell is fine and glossy; the ground-colour is pinky white, with a
redder shade about the large end. A few streaks, spots, and hiero-
glyphics of a deep brownish red, each more or less surrounded by a
reddish nimbus, are scattered very thinly about the surface of the
egg, while, besides these, a few small greyish-purple subsurface-
looking spots may be observed about the larger end. The average
size of the seven eggs I possess is OS2 by 0*64.
163. Alcippe nepalensis (Hodgs.).    The Nepal Babbler.
Alcippe nipalensis (Hodgs?), Jerd. B. 2nd. ii_; p. 18 ; Hume, Rough
Rough Draft N. § E. no. 388.
The Nepal Babbler, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, breeds
from March to May, building a deep, massive, cup-shaped nest,
firmly fastened between two or three upright shoots, and laying
three or four eggs, which are figured as measuring 0-7 by 0-55.
He has the following note :—
" Valley, April 1st.—A pair and nest. Nest is round, *4 inches
deep on the outside and 2 inches within, and the same wide, being
of the usual soup-basin shape and open at the top, made of dry
leaves bound together with hair-like grass-fibres and moss-roots,
which also form the lining, further compacted by spiders' webs,
which, being also twisted round three adjacent twigs, form the
suspenders of the nest, the bottom of which does not rest upon
anything ; attached to a low bush 1J foot from, the ground. The
nest contained three eggs of a pinkish-white ground thickly spotted
with chestnut, the spots being almost entirely confluent at the
large end."
I)r. Jerd on says :—" I had the nest and eggs brought me by the
Lepchas. The nest was loosely made with grass and bamboo-
leaves, and the eggs were white with a few reddish-brown spots/'
A nest of this species was-found near Darjeeling in July, at an
elevation of between 3000 and 4000 feet. It was situated in a small
bush, in low brushwood, and placed only about 2 feet from the ground.
The nesfc is a compactly made and moderately deep cup. The ex-
terior portion of the nest is composed of bamboo-leaves, more or
less held in their places by fine horsehair-like black roots, with
which also the cavity is very thickly and neatly lined. Exteriorly
the nest is about 3*75 inches in diameter, and nearly 3 in height.
The cavity is 2'25 in diameter and 1-6 in depth.
The nest contained three nearly fresh eggs. The eggs are mode-
rately elongated ovals, very regular and slightly pointed towards
the small end. The shell is fine and exhibits a slight gloss. The
ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they are very minutely
speckled all over with purplish red. The specklings exhibit a