being built. The nest is always in the fork of a tree or shrub, varying in height from 3 to 20 feet
rom the ground. I found several in coffee-bushes, one on a tree-fern, others on rhododendron-trees
and one on the Australian acacia. In shape it is hemispherical and open at the top. There is
always a foundation of mud, and a superstructure of thin twigs or coarse fibres, and it is lined
generally with fine fibres, but sometimes has scarcely any lining.
W 11 H ^ave foun^ from one t0 three eSSs- the case of the single egg, the young bird was
well devekped, and as it was in a tree 20 feet from the ground, it is not likely that any
ggs had been taken out. As I found six nests, each containing three eggs, I think that
this must be the usual number; at the same time I have been told that a greater number are
sometimes laid.
i Ü Ü ®lackblrd b,lilds its nest in a remarkably short time. On one occasion I saw a nest
completed m four days. I t is just possible that there may have been a portion of a day’s work done
before I saw i t; but even five days is a very short time for so small a bird to complete a nest which
must weigh at least 2J lbs.’-”
Mr. Hume a d d s “ The nests of this species, of which I owe a magnificent series to my friend
1 ^ ¡ Ü h apparentlf ’ verf massive structures, containing an inner skeleton of mud,
completely hidden from sight by an exterior coating of moss or lichen, or fine or coarse grass-roots
and an interior lining of fine grass-roots. The bird appears to lay a light foundation of dead leaves,
lichen, or fern, and on this to build a more or less deep cup on the wattle-and-dab principle—a few
coarse grass-roots twisted together as a skeleton, and then thickly plastered with mud or wet mould.
he cup t husmade is often about 4} inches in diameter and 2J deep. I t is then covered,
externally, to the thickness of one or two inches with whatever materials are nearest at hand grass
or other roots, dry slender ferns, soft .green moss, or masses of tree-lichen. The interior of the cup
is first lined with rather coarse roots, and then finished off with fine ones. No particle of the clay
skeleton is visible in the finished nest, which may average about 7 inches in diameter externally
stands about 4 inches high, and has an egg-cavity some 31 inches in diameter by 2 inches deep
In all the nine nests now before me the inner earthen firamework is present, but in some it extends
scarcely more than „ inch up the sides of the nest, while in others it comes up to within ¿ inch
o the upper margin. Owing to the different materials used in different localities for the external
coating of the nest, these vary much in appearance ; but some of them, entirely coated with moss
or lichen, are amongst the most beautiful structures that I know. The type of the architecture of
the nest, as will be observed, is the same as that of the European Blackbird.
“ Dr. Jerdon tells us that he has ‘ frequently found the nest, made of roots and moss, usually with
four eggs, pale blue with dusky brown spots.’ .
“ Mr. W. Davison r e m a r k s ‘ With the exception of Pratíncola bicolor, the nest of this species
§ the com“ on«st at Ootacamund and its immediate vicinity. During April and. the earlier part of
May every thick shrub is sure to contain a nest, placed in a fork, generally about 12 or 14 feet from
the ground. I t is a large and very solid structure, composed internallv of bits of stick, ’dead leaves
roots, and moss within which is a tolerably thick stratum of clay, and within this again fine grass and
moss-roots I think I must have taken a hundred nests in my time. The eggs are normally four
sometunes five m number, and very variable .both as regards colour and form, but the ground-colour
is generally a dingy bluish green, thickly mottled and freckled with brownish red.’
“ Miss Cockburn, of Kotagherry, notes that ‘Blackbirds seldom lay more than four eggs the
ground-colour of which is a light green, with blotches and spots of a light red and brown They
generally build m thick bushes or trees, often on those the branches of which overhang streams of
water. I once found a Blackbird’s nest built in a bank ju s t in a place a Robin would have chosen
The nest was quite exposed to view, and I frequently saw one of the birds sitting in the nest, while
I rode past. This was quite unlike tbeir general ideas of seclusion. The young brood came to an
untimely end. The species lays from April to July.’
“ Mr. Rhodes W. Morgan, writing from South India, says ‘ This bird breeds on the Neilgherries
from March to May, building a large nest of moss, twigs, wool, &c., with a clay cup in it, which is
neatly lined with bent-grass and roots. The eggs are three in number, irregularly blotched with
reddish brown, the blotches being more numerous towards the larger end, on a pale greenish-blue
ground. This Blackbird sings most beautifully in the breeding-season; and they may then be heard
at all hours, but especially towards evening, answering one another. Dimensions of an egg 1*25 inch
in length by 0*91 in breadth.’
“ The eggs are very similar to many varieties of those of the European Blackbird. In shape
they are commonly a broad oval, pointed towards one en d ; but, as in the case of our English
favourite, the eggs are sometimes elongated and often perfectly oval, the smaller end being rounded
and obtuse. The ground-colour varies somewhat, being sometimes of a beautiful bright blue-green,
at others of a dull olive-green, and various intermediate shades occur. They are richly speckled,
mottled, and streaked, and at times even boldly blotched, with brighter and duller, deeper and lighter
shades of brownish red, not unfrequently underlaid by faint spots and clouds of purplish pink or
grey. The markings vary a good deal in extent and frequency, but, in perhaps a majority of the
eggs, form a more or less conspicuous confluent cap at the large end. In some eggs all the markings
are very fine and minute, laid on, as it were, with a very fine-pointed brush; in others they are coarse
and streaky, and occasionally bold, blotchy, and well defined. Specimens occur which could scarcely
be separated from varieties of the English Ring-Ouzel’s egg. The eggs have usually a slight gloss,
and some specimens are highly glossy. As already mentioned, in some specimens secondary markings,
small purple clouds and spots, appear to underlie the red-brown blotches. In length the eggs vary
• from IT to 1’3 inch, and in breadth from 0-82 to 0-93 inch; but the average of thirty-five eggs
measured was 1T7 nearly by 0*86 inch.”
A dult male. General colour above dark slaty-grey, almost blackish slate-colour; the crown black,
but scarcely differing from the back; the hind-neck and mantle scarcely browner; wings and tail!
black, with external edgings of dark slate-colour; lores and ear-coverts black; under surface of body
deep slaty-brown, a little pervaded with chocolate-brown over the cheeks, throat, and breast, as well
as the sides of the neck; the abdomen like the breast, and not whitish; under tail-coverts slaty-grey,
with only a shaft-line of white; under wing-coverts and axillaries also dark slate-colour. Total
length 10 inches, culmen I -05, wing 5‘3, tail 3*8, tarsus 1*3.
Adult female. Rather lighter in colour than the males, and with a somewhat more brownish
shade on the head and hind-neck, the under surface of the body decidedly browner than in the male.
Total length 9’5 inches, culmen 1*0, wing 4’8, tail 3'6, tarsus 1*25.
The descriptions of the male and female are taken from Ootacamund specimens in the Hume
Collection. The figure in the Plate has been drawn from a Nilghiri specimen, procured by
Major Bulger, in the Seebohm Collection. [R. B. S.]
l 2