148 CBA.TEROPODID JE.

of the Sutlej I have not heard of its occurrence. It also doubtless
breeds throughout the hill-ranges running down from Assam to
Burmah.

Mostly the birds lay in May, affecting well-watered and jungle-
clad valleys and ravines. They place their nests in thick bushes,
at heights of from 2 to 8 feet from the ground, and either wedge
them into some fork, tack them into three or four upright shoots
between which they hang, or else suspend them like an Oriole's or
White-eye's nest.

The nest varies from a rather shallow to a very deep cup, and is
composed of dry leaves, moss, and lichen in varying proportions,
bamboo-leaves being great favourites, bound together with slender
creepers, grass-roots, fibres, &c., and lined with black horse- or
buffalo-hair, or hair-like moss-roots. The nests differ much in
appearance: I have seen one composed almost entirely oŁ moss,
and another of nothing but dry bamboo-sheaths, with a, scrap or
two of moss. They are always pretty substantial, but sometimes
they are very massive for the size of the bird.

Three is certainly the usual complement of eggs.

According to Mr. Hodgson's notes, this species breeds in the
central mountainous region of Nepal, and lays from April to August.
The nest, which is somewhat purse-shaped, is placed in some upright
fork between three or four slender branches, to all of which it is
more or less attached. It is composed of moss, dry leaves, often
of the bamboo, and the bark of trees, and is compactly bound
together with moss-roots and fibres of different kinds ; it is lined
with horse-hair and moss-roots, and contains generally three or
four eggs.

The following note I quote verbatim :— .

" Central Hills, August I2th.—Male, female, and nest. Nest in
a low leafy tree 5 cubits'from the ground in the Shewpoori forest;
partly suspended and partly rested on the fork of the branch ;
suspension effected by twisting part of the material round the
prongs of the fork; made of moss and lichens and dry leaves, well
compacted into a deep saucer-shaped cavity; 3*62 high, 4-5 wade
outside, and inside 2-25 deep and 3 inches wide ; eggs pale verditer,
spotted brown, and ready for hatching. The bird found in small
flocks of ten to twelve, except at breeding-season."

A nest sent to me last year by Mr. G-arnrnie was found by him
on the 24th April, at an elevation of about 5000 feet, in the
neighbourhood of Eungbee. It was built by the side of a stream
in a small bush, at a height of about 3 feet from the ground, and
contained three eggs. The nest is a deep and, for the size of the
bird, very massive cup, exteriorly composed entirely of broad flag-
like grass-leaves, with which, however, a few slender stems of
creepers are intermingled, internally of grass-roots; the egg-cavity
being thinly lined with coarse, black buffalo-hair. Externally the
nest is more than 5 inches in diameter and nearly 4 inches high ;
but the egg-cavity, which is very regularly shaped, is 2J inches
in diameter and 2 inches in depth.