GRACULUS.—PARUS. 31

two side branches just where, about 6 inches apart, they shot out
of the trunk. The nest was just like a Crow's—a broad platform
of sticks, but rather more neatly built, and with a number of green
juniper twigs with a little moss and a good deal of grey lichen
intermingled. The nest was about 11 inches across and nearly
4 inches in external height. There was a broad, shallow, central
depression 5 or 6 inches in diameter and perhaps 2 inches in
depth, of which an inch was filled in with a profuse lining of
grass and fir-needles (the long ones of Pinus lone/if olio) and a little
moss. This was found on the llth May, and the young, four in
number, were sufficiently advanced to hop out to the ends of the
bough and half-fly half-tumble into the neighbouring trees, when
my man with much difficulty got up to the nest.

29. G-raculus eremita (Linn.). The lled-billed Qlioufjli.
Fregilus liimalayanus, Gould, Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 319.

Mr. Mandelli obtained three eggs of this species from Chumbi in
Thibet; they were taken on the 8th of May from a nest under the
eaves of a high wooden house.

Though larger than those of the European Chough, they resemble
thorn so closely that there can be no doubt as to their authenticity.

In shape the eggs are moderately elongated ovals, very slightly
compressed towards the small end. The shell is tolerably fine
and has a slight gloss. The ground-colour is white with a faint
creamy tinge, and the whole egg is profusely spotted and striated
with a pale, somewhat yellowish brown and a very pale purplish
grey. The markings are most dense at the large end, and there,
too, the largest streaks of the grey occur.

One egg measures 1*74 by 1'2.

Subfamily PARIKZE.

31. Parus atriceps, Horsf. The Indian Grey Tit.

Parus cinereus, Vieitt., Jerd. JB. Ind. ii; p. 278.

Parus caosius, Tick., Hume, llouyli Draft N. $ E. no. 645.

The Indian Grey Tit breeds throughout the more wooded moun-
tains 'of the Indian Empire, wherever these attain an altitude of
5000 feet, at elevations of from 4000 or 5000 to even (where the
hills exceed this height) 9000 feet.

In the Himalayas the breeding-season extends from the end of
March to the end of June, or even a little later, according to the
season. They have two broods—the first clutch of eggs is generally
laid in the last week of March or early in April; the second towards
the end of May or during the first half of June.

In the Nilghiris they lay from February to May, and probably a
second time in September or October.