TIMELIA. 91

with a large entrance at the side, its lower edge being about the
middle of the nest.

" When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no
shrubs, it builds on the ground at the edge oĢ a clump of grass,
and I have found two nests in such a situation, only a few feet
from each other. .

" In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily
trodden down; the consequance is that if you do not find eggs,
there is little chance of their being laid later on. I have found
some ten nests, more or less completed, but only three eggs."

And again, later on:—"This bird would appear to have two
broods a year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this
year in April, former nests having been found in June and July.
"With many eggs before me I find that the density of the markings
varies considerably. The size is very constant; for the length of
numerous eggs varies only from. '75 to -72, and the breadth from
•6 to -54 inch."

I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this
species, but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest,
and a note on the nidificatioii of this species was Mr. J. 0. Parker.
Writing to me in September 1875, he said:—

" On the 14th August I took a nest of Timelia pileata on my
old ground in the Salt Lakes. I discovered this by a mere acci-
dent, for I happened to see a female Prima flaviventris (whose eggs
I was in quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland
about 10 feet from the bank of the canal, and from her movements
I thought she must have a nest near at hand.

" Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through
a bog. Sure enough I was not mistaken ; the Prinia had a nest,
but it contained only one egg. Close by, however, I saw a nest,
from out of which a bird flew, and although I did not shoot it I
am quite sure it was Timelia pileata. The jungle was particularly
thick just about where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could
not follow the bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his
mate in that extraordinary way which these birds have, and which
once heard cannot be mistaken.

" The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the'joints of
a species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure founda-
tion for the nest. This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad.
Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 1| by 2. The nest itself is
very loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass
twisted round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass.
The nest was quite open to view and about three feet from the
ground. I suppose the birds never expected that such a wild
swampy spot as they had selected would be invaded by any
oologist."

Mr. J. E. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:—" Pretty
common. Permanent resident. Oftener found in the patches of
cane brushwood jungle found in and around villages than in un-
frequented jungle and thickets as Dr. Jerdon says. I have, how-