DICRUBUS. 209

330. Dicrurus caerulescens (Linn.). The Wkiu-ldlitd

Dicrurus cserulescens (Z.), Jcrcl B. Incl i; p. 432.

Dicrurus eaeruleus (Mull), Hume, Eouyh Draft N. <£• E. no. 281.

I have never seen a nest of the White-bellied Drongo. Mr.
E.Thompson says:—"This bird's breeding-habitat is from. 2500
to 6000 feet in the Himalayas. It is cominon on the south-eastern
slopes of Nyneetal. It lays in May and June, placing its shallow
cup-shaped nest in some little fork near the top of a moderate-
sized oak-tree, if breeding on a mountain-side, bnt of some tall
Aliius nipalensis, Acacia data, or Acer oblongum, if nesting in deep
dells or valleys The nest appeared to be exactly like that of
D. ater; but I can say nothing very positive about it or the
eggs, as, though continually seeing them, I never, I think, took the
trouble of getting one down."

Colonel GK E. L. Marshall, commenting on Mr. Thompson's
remark that this Drongo is cominon near Nairn Tal, says:—"My
experience on this point is negative; I have carefully searched the
south-eastern slopes of: Naini Tal for four years without even
seeing the bird, so that I do not think it can be classed as a com-
mon breeder here."

Mr. J. Davidson informs us that on the IGfch July he saw a
brood of Dicrurus ccerulescens on the Kondabhari Ghat, just able
to fly. Referring to Western Khandeish, he tells us that he saw
only two nests. They were on adjoining trees in the Akrani;
they were largish nests, not like those of D. ater, but more resem-
bling those of I), longicaudatus described in £ Nests and Eggs.3
One nest contained three young ones, the other was only building;
and nothing could have been more plucky than the way the old
'ones defended their nest.

331. Dicrurus leucopygialis, Blyth. The White-vented Drongo.

Buchanga leucopygialis (BL), Hume, Rough Draft N. 8f E. no, 281
bis.

Colonel Legge gives us the following account of the breeding of this
Drongo, which is confined to Ceylon :—" The breeding-season of this
Drongo is from March until May; and the nest is almost invariably
built at the horizontal fork of the branch of a large tree, at a con-
siderable height from the ground, sometimes as' much as 40 feet.
It is a shallow cup, measuring about 2| inches in diameter by 1 in
depth, and is compactly put together, well finished round the top,
bat sometimes rather loose on the exterior, which is composed of
fine grass-stalks and bark-fibres, the lining being of fine grass or
tendrils of creepers. The number of eggs'varies from two to four,
three being the most common. They vary much in shape, and also
in the depth of their ground-tint; some are regular ovals, others

VOL. i. 14.