PEINIA 293

Colonel "W. Y. Legge, writing from Ceylon, tells us that
" P. socialis breeds with us in the commencement of the S.W,
monsoon during the months of May, June, and July. It nests in
long grass on the Patnas in the Central Province, in guinea-grass
fields, and in sugarcane-brakes where these exist, as in the Galle
District for instance. I can scarcely imagine that Jerdon is
correct about this "Warbler's nesting.

" Nothing can be more un-Tailorbird-like than the nest which
it builds in t7iis country, and this led me to think that ours was a
different species until my specimens were identified by Lord
Walden. In May 1870 a pair resorted to a large guinea-grass
field attached to my bungalow at Colombo, for the purpose of
breeding. I soon found the nest, which was the most peculiarly
constructed one I have ever seen. It was, in fact, an almost
shapeless ball of guinea-grass roots, tJiroivn as it were between the
upright stalks of the plant at about 2 feet from the ground : I say
' thrown/ because it was scarcely attached to the supporting
stalks at all. It was formed entirely of the roots of the plant,
which, when it is old, crop out of the ground and are easily plucked
up by the bird, the bottom or more solid part being interwoven with
cotton and such-like substances to impart additional strength. The
entrance was at the side in the upper half, and was tolerably neatly
made; it was about an inch in diameter, the whole structure mea-
suring about 6 inches in depth by 5 inches in breadth. I found
the nest in a partial state of completion on the 10th of May; by
the 19th it was finished and the first of a clutch of three eggs laid.
The nest and eggs were both taken on the evening of the 24th, and
the following clay another was commenced close at hand. This was
somewhat smaller, but constructed in the same peculiar manner as
the first. This was completed, and the first of another clutch
laid. The eggs are somewhat pointed at the smaller end, and
of an almost uniform dull mahogany ground-colour, showing indi-
cations of a paler underground at the point."

Birds like these, that build half-a-dozen different kinds of nests,
ought to be abolished ; they lead to all kinds of mistakes and dif-
ferences of opinion, and are more trouble than they are worth.

Colonel E. A. Butler writes :—" Pound numerous nests of this
species at Belgatim on the following dates :—

" July 13. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs.
22. , 3

„ 25.
„ 26.
„ 26.
„ 28.
Aug. 5.

4
3
3

2 slightly incubated eggs.
4 fresh eggs.

4

"All of the above nests were built in sugarcane-fields or in
corn-fields ; and most of them were stitched up in leaves of various
plants, after the fashion of Tailor-birds' nests; but in some instances
they were of the other type, simply supported by the blades of