CBATEUOPUS. 75

Presidency (including Bengal, North-Western Provinces, Central
Provinces, Oudh, and the Punjab), and I may add in the less desert
portions of Siudh, although the race found in that province is not
exactly identical with the Bengal bird, and in some respects closely
approaches the Malabar race. In Northern Bajpootana it is rare,
and further south in the quasi-desert tracts of Central and
"Western Eajpootana it disappears according to my experience.

Eastward in Cachar and Assam it appears to occur as a mere
straggler, but I have no record of its having* bred there. It lays
from the latter half of March until the close of July, but the great
' majority lay during the first week after the setting in of the rains,
which varies according to locality and season, from the 1st of June
to the 15th of July.

They build very commonly in gardens, in thick orange-, citron-, or
lime-shrubs, but their nests may be found almost anywhere, in
thick shrubs or small trees of any kind, or in thick hedges, at
heights of from 4 to 10 feet from the ground, always placed in
some fork towards the centre of the shrub or hedge. The nests
are rather loosely-put-together cups, composed of grass-stems and
roots varying in fineness, and often lined with horse-hair. Some
are deep and neatly constructed, others loose, straggling, and
shallow, the cavity varying from 3 to more than 4 inches in dia-
meter and from less than 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth.

Three is the normal number of the eggs, but I have repeatedly
found four.

Captain Hutton writes to me:—"A nest of this bird was taken
in the Dehra Dhoon on the 14th May, and was composed entirely
of fine roots, the thinnest being placed within as a lining. Sub-
sequently three others were procured, one of which was externally
composed of coarse dry grasses and leaves, with a scanty lining of
fine roots; the other two were constructed of the fine woody tendrils
of climbing-plants and lined like the others with fine roots. These
latter had a strong resemblance to some of the nests of Gamdax
albogidaris, while the difference exhibited in the nature of the
materials used arises from the various character of the localities in
which the bird may choose to build. Each nest contained four
beautiful eggs of a full bright turquoise-green, shining as if var-
nished. The eggs were nearly all hard-set. This species does not
ascend the hills, but appears to be confined to the Dhoon, where it
may be seen in small parties in gardens, hedgerows, and low brush-
wood, turning over the dead leaves in search of seeds and insects.
Its flight is low, short, and apparently laboured, from the shortness
and rounded form of the wing, but on the ground it hops along with
speeii. The note is clamorous and chuckling and uttered in concert."

The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:—"Although one of the
most common birds in the North-West Provinces, and in fact
verging on a nuisance, its nidification is interesting, inasmuch .as its
nest (in common with that of A. malcolmi) is used as a nursery
for the young of Hierococcyx varius and CoccysUs melanoleucus.

"This Babbler builds, as a general rule, during the early part of