PYCffONOTUS.
comparing them with a clutch taken last year in the Western
Province, and about which there was no doubt. In the latter
case the nest was fixed on the top of a small stump, and was a
loose structure of grass and bents; in shape rather a deep cup;
and contained two eggs of a reddish-white ground-colour, profusely
speckled with reddish brown (in one example confluent round the
obtuse end, in the other distributed over the whole surface) over
freckles of bluish grey. Dimensions : 0-70 by 0*58, O7S by 0*57.
The other nest was made of grass on a foundation of dry leaves and
herbaceous stalks, loosely lined with fine hair-like tendrils of
creepers. The eggs were of a reddish-white ground, thickly covered
throughout with brownish-reel and dusky red spots, becoming
somewhat confluent round the obtuse end. In form they are regular
ovals, and measure O78 by 0-6, 0*79 by 0-58."
305. Pycnonotus luteolns (Less.).    T7w White-browed BidhuL
Ixos luteolns (Less.')) Jcrd. B. Ind. ii, p. 84; Hume, JKough Draft
N. $ E. no. 452.
Common as is the White-browed Bulbul in Midnapoor, through-
out the Tributary Mehals, along the Eastern Q-hats, and again, it
appears, in Bombay, only two of my correspondents appear as yet
to have procured the nest or eggs.
Mr. Benjamin Aitken, writing from Bombay under date the llth
June, says:—" I now send you a nest of PycnoRotus lutcolus with
two eggs. I took it this morning from a thickly foliagecl tree in
a garden. It was placed on the top of the main stem of the tree,
which had been abruptly cut off about 5 feet from the ground, where
the stem was about 3 inches thick. The nest was begun tins day
week, Thursday, and the first egg was laid the day before yesterday
(Tuesday). The bird is a very common one in gardens in Bombay,
though I never saw it in Berar nor even in Poona. They build in
situations similar to, but perhaps rather more sheltered than, those
chosen by the Common Bulbul; but I remember finding one nest
placed at a height of only 2 feet from the ground.
" This present nest was begun, as already mentioned, last
Thursday, just two days after the first severe thunder-shower
preliminary to the monsoon, now fairly on us.
"I draw your attention to the manner in which the nest has been
tied at one place to a twig to prevent its being blown off its very
(apparently) insecure site. I was obliged to take the nest, as I was
leaving at once, otherwise one or perhaps two more eggs would
have been laid."
The nest is a rather loose straggling structure, exteriorly com-
posed of fine twigs. The cavity, hemispherical in shape, is carefully
lined with fine grass-stems. Outside it is very irregularly shaped,
and many of the twigs used are much too long and hang down
several inches from the nest; but on one side the outer framework
lias been firmly tied with wool and a Hi tie cobweb to a live twig to
which the leaves, now withered, are still attached. No roots or
hair have entered into the composition of this nest.