243

" June 29th. Found a nest sewn into a broad soft leaf of a weed
in forest about 2 feet from the ground. The edges oE the leal: are
drawn together and fastened by white vegetable fibres. The nest
is composed entirely of fine grass., no other material entering into
its composition. For further security the nest is stitched to the
leaves in a few places; the depth of the nest is about 3 inches, and
internal diameter all the way down about 1J. Eggs three, very
glossy, pale blue, with specks aud dashes of pale reddish, brown,
chiefly at the larger end, where they form a cap. Size -58, -62., -61,
by -47."

Mr. Mandelli sends me a regular Tailor-bird's nest as that of
this species. It was found below Yendong in Native Sikhiin on
the 1st May, and contained three fresh, eggs. The nest itself is a
beautiful little cup, composed of silky vegetable down and exces-
sively fine grass-stems, and a very little black hair firmly felted
together, and is placed between two living leaves of a sapling neatly
sewn together at the margins with bright yellow silk.

The eggs are rather elongated, very regular ovals. The shell
stout for the size of the egg, but very fine and compact, and with
a moderate gloss. The ground-colour is a very delicate pale
greenish blue. At or round the larger end there is very generally
a mottled cap or zone (mote commonly the latter) of duller or
brighter brownish red, while irregular blotches, streaks, spots, and
specks of the same colour, but usually a slightly paler shade, are
more or less sparsely scattered over the rest of the surface of the
egg, sometimes they are almost wholly wanting. Occasionally the
zone is at the small end.

The eggs measure from 0-60 to O62 in length, by 0-43 to 0-48
in breadth ; but the average of six eggs is 0*61 by 0-45.

384. FranMinia buchanani (Blyth). The Rufous-fronted
Wren- Warbler.

Franklinia buchanani (BlytJi), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 186; Hume, Rough
Draft N. # E. no. 551.

The Kufo us-fronted Wren-War bier breeds throughout Central
India, the Central Provinces, the North-western Provinces, the
Punjab, and Eajpootana. It affects chiefly the drier and warmer
tracts, and, though said to have been obtained in the Nepal Terai,
has never been met with by me either there or in any very moist,
swampy locality. The breeding-season extends from the end of
May until the beginning of September.

The nests, according to my experience, are always placed at
heights of from a foot to 4 feet from the ground, in low scrub-
jungle or bushes. They vary greatly in size and shape, according
to position. Some are oblate spheroids with the aperture near the
top, some are purse-like and suspended, and some are regular
cups. One of the former description measured externally 5 inches
in diameter one way by 3| inches the other. One of the suspended

16*