liANTUS. 307

quently only repairs one that has served it in the previous season,
and even at times takes possession of those of other species.

The nest is composed of very various materials, so much so that
it is difficult to generalize in regard to them. I have found them
built entirely of grass-roots, with much sheep's wool, lined with
hair and feathers, or solidly woven of silky vegetable fibre, mostly
that of the putsun (Hibiscus cannalimis), in which were incorporated
little pieces of rag and strips of the bark of the wild plum (Zizy-
jphusjujuba); but I think that most commonly thorny twigs, coarse
grass, and grass-roots form the body of the nest, while the cavity is
lined with feathers, hair, soft grass, and the like.

Generally the nests are very compact and solid, 6 or 7 inches in
diameter, and the egg-cavity 3 to 4 in diameter, and 2 to 2£ in
depth, but I have come across very loosely built and straggling
ones.

They have at times two broods in the year (but I do not think
that this is always the case), and lay from three to six eggs, four
or five being the usual number.

Mr. F. E. Blewitt, writing from Jhansie and Saugor, and de-
tailing his experiences there and in the Delhi Districts, says : —

" The Common Indian Grey Shrike breeds from February to July;
it builds on trees ; if it has a preference, it is for the close-growing
rooirj tree (Acacia leucopliloect). I have particularly noticed this fact
both here and at G-urhi Hursroo. The nest in structure is neat
and compact (though I have occasionally seen some very roughly
put together), and generally well fixed into -the forks of an off-
shooting branch. In shape it is circular, varying from 5 to 7i
inches in diameter, and from lg to 3.1 inches in thickness; thorn
twigs, coarse grass, grass-roots, old rags, &c. form the outer
materials of the nest, and closely interwoven fine grass and roots
the border-rim. The egg-cavity is deeply cup-shaped, from 3| to
5 inches in diameter, and lined with fine grass and khus; excep-
tionally shreds of cloth are interwoven with the khus and grass.

" On one occasion I got a nest with the cup interior entirely
lined with old cloth pieces, very cleverly and ingeniously worked
into the exterior framework. Five is the regular number of eggs,
though at times six have been obtained in one nest. The birds
often make their own nests each year, but this is not invariably the
case. "When at G-urhi Hursroo in February last, I found on an
isolated roonj tree four nests within a foot of each other. The
under centre one, an old Shrike nest (the other three were of other
birds), was occupied by a Shrike sitting on five eggs. I very care-
fully examined it, and my impression at the time was that the
parent birds had returned, to rear a second progeny, to the nest
constructed by them the year previous.

" I do not know whether you have noticed the fact, but both
L. laJitora and L. erythroiiotus often lay in old nests, of which they
first carefully repair the egg-cavity with new materials. It is iiDt
only, however, in old nests of their own species that these birds
make a home in the breeding-season. At times they take pos-

20*