90 CRATEBOPODIDJE.

the months of May and June. The nest is a large globular one,
composed of dry bamboo-leaves and green grass, intermingled and
lined with fine roots and fibres. The entrance, which is about 2 to
2*5 inches in diameter, is at one end. A nest containing four eggs,
obtained on the 12th June, measured about 7 inches in diameter
externally, and it was placed in the crown of a stump from 2 to 3
feet from the ground. Sometimes the nests are placed in tufts of
high grass or in thick bushes, but never at any great elevation
above the ground. They lay three or four eggs, which are pure
white, 'and one of which is figured as a broad oval, measuring 0*95
by 0-7.

From Sikhim Mr. G-ammie writes :—" I took a nest of this
Scimitar Babbler on the 29th May, in the middle of the large
forest on the top of the Mahalderam ridge, at about 7000 feet
elevation. It was built on the ground, on top of a dry bank by
the side of a path, and was overhung by a few grassy weeds. In
shape it was a blunt cone laid on its side, with the entrance at the
wide end. It was loosely made of the dead leaves of a deciduous
orchid (Pleione wallicJiiana), small bamboo, chestnut, and grass,
intermixed with decaying stems of small climbing-plants. It
measured externally 6 inches long, with a diameter of 5*5 at front,
and of 1*75 at back. The cavity was quite devoid of lining and
measured 3*5 in length by 2*5 wide at entrance, slightly contracting
inwards. It contained three partially incubated eggs."

Two eggs of this species, obtained by Mr. Gaminie are elongated
ovals, pure white, and with only a faint gloss. They measure 0*99
and 1*05 in length, by 0*68 and 0-75 in breadth respectively.

Subfamily TIMELIIN^E.

134. Timelia pileata, Horsf. The Red-capped Balller.

Timalia pileata, Horsf.. Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 24; Hume. Rough Draft
N. $ E. no. 396.

Mr. Eugene Gates records that he " found the nest of this bird at
Thayetmyo on the 2nd June with young ones a few days old. The
nest was placed on. the ground in the centre of a low but very thick
thorny bush."

Subsequently he wrote from Pegu, further south :—" The nest
is placed in the fork of a shrub, very near to, or quite on, the
ground, and is surrounded in every case by long grass. A nest
found on the 4th July, on which the female was sitting closely,
contained three eggs slightly incubated. The breeding-season
seems t© be in June and July.

" The nest is made entirely of bamboo-leaves and is lined
sparingly with fine grass. No other material enters into its com-
position. It is oval, about 7 inches in height and 4 in diameter,