296 SYLYIIDJE.

five twigs of the jhao (Tcvmarioc dioica), measures externally 2'75
inches in diameter, is a good deal longer at what may be called the
back than the front, and at the back fully 5*5 long. Internally the
diameter is about 1-5, and the cavity, measuring from the lowest
portion of the external rim, is 2-5. This is a very large nest.
Another, built between three leaves, has an external diameter of
about 2| inches, and is externally not above 3 inches long. It is
unnecessary here to describe the beautiful manner in which, when
it makes use of leaves, this bird sews them together, as this has
already been well described by others where 0. sutorius is
concerned, and P. stewarti is, in some cases, when forming a nest
with leaves, fully as neat a workman.

The nests vary so much, and I have heard so much, discussion
about them, that having seen at least a hundred and having taken
full notes of some twenty of them, I shall reproduce a few of these
notes:—

" Agra, July 17th.—Two nests—one nearly globular, composed
entirely of fibrous roots, hair, wool, and thread, and lined with fine
grass, suspended by a few fibres and hairs between the fork of a
branchlet in a little dense bush of Indian box • the other, suspended
from the tendril of an elephant creeper, was principally formed by
one of the leaves of this, to which, to form the remaining third of
the exterior, a second leaf of the same plant was carefully sewn.
Interiorly there was a little wool, and at the bottom fine grass.

" July 20th.—On a furash-tree (Tamaricc furas), beautifully
made of fine soft wool, shreds of tow and string, very fine grass
and grass-roots, and the bottom, neatly lined with very fine grass-
roots. In shape the nest is like one half of a long old-fashioned
silk purse, round-bottomed and very compact, with a long slit-like
opening on one side towards the top. It contained five eggs.

" July 26t7i.—Two nests, one formed almost entirely in a single
mango-leaf, the sides of which are curled round so as nearly to
meet, and then laced b}r a succession of cross-threads of cobweb,
carefully knotted at each place where the margin of the leaf is
pierced. The intervening space is closed by fine tow, wool, and
the silky down of the cotton-tree, with just the top of a small
mango-leaf caught in from above so as to form an arched roof.
The other nest was rounder in form, having less of a leafy structure.
It had, however, the leaf of the PJialsa forming the back and sides
(partly), whilst the whole of the front was composed of soft wool,
tow, dry grass-roots, thread, and a few pieces of the soft tree-
cotton. It had a neighbouring leaf just caught in on one side.
This contained four fresh eggs.

" July 30if7i.—A beautiful nest between three twigs, several of the
leaves of each of which had been tacked on to the outside of the nest.
The nest itself was firmly put together with fine grass-roots, and
was nearly globular in shape, with one side continued upwards
into a sort of hood overhanging the greater portion of the aper-
ture. It contained four eggs of the usual deep red colour.

" August St7i.—At Bichpoori found a number of nests, and some