PHYLLOSCOPITS. 265

a twig not far from the nest. I heard her call once more, and then
shot her. There were five eggs, which were slightly incubated.
* # # *

"My second nest was placed on the side of a steep bank on the
ground. The third was similarly placed, and composed oŁ coarse
grass and moss, and lined with black horsehair. In each of these
nests the number of eggs was five.,

" Another nest, taken on the 1st June, with four eggs, was
placed on the ground on a sloping bank, at the foot of a small thin
bush. It was composed as usual of coarse dry grass and moss,
and lined with finer grasses and a few hairs. The eggs were five
or six days incubated.

" Another nesfc, with four eggs, was placed on the ground, under
the inclined trunk of a small fir. The same materials were used.

" Another nest, containing four eggs, was placed on a sloping
bank and quite exposed, there being little or no herbage to con-
ceal it. It was composed as before, with the addition of a few
feathers in the outer portion of the nest.

" Another nest was at the roots of a fern growing on a very
steep bank. The new shoots of the fern grew up above the nest,
and last year's dead leaves overhung it and entirely concealed it.

" Another was placed on a sloping bank, immediately under the
trunk of a fallen and decayed pine. On account of the irregu-
larities in the ground, the trunk did not touch the ground where
the nest was by about 2 feet. This was again an instance of con-
trivance for the nest's protection. It was composed of the same
materials as usual.

" Another was among the branches of a shrub, right in the centre
of the bush and 011 the ground, which was sloping as usual.

" Another nest, with four eggs, taken on 3rd June, was placed
in the steep bank of a small stream, only 3 feet 6 inches above the
water.

u The above examples will give a very fair idea of the situation
of the nest; and it now remains only to describe the eggs, which
average *561ong by '44 broad. The largest egg which was measured
was *62 long and '45 broad, and the smallest measured -52 long
and '43 broad. The ground-colour is always pure white, more or
less spotted with brownish red, the spots being muchmore numerous
and frequently in the form of a rich zone or cap at the larger end.
Intermixed with the reel spots are sometimes a few purplish-
grey ones. Other eggs are marked with deep purple-brown spots,
like those of the Chifichaff, and the spots are also intermingled
with purplish grey. Some eggs are boldly and richly marked,
while others are minutely spotted. The egg also varies in shape ;
but, as a general rule, they are rather short and round, resembling
in shape those of P. trochilus. In returning from Cashmere, on
the south face of the Pir-Pinjal Mountain and close to the footpath,
I found on the 15th June a nest of this bird with four young ones.
This nest was placed in an unusually steep bank. Half an hour
after finding the nest, and perhaps 1000 feet lower down the hill,