The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds Part 13

Of this species Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I have taken eggs on the 20th June in Cawnpoor, the 31st July in Bolundshuhur, and the 25th August in Allyghur. The nest is almost always in a keekur tree in a fork about halfway up, and near the end of a branch. It is composed of keekur-twigs and lined with roots. It is thinner in structure than that of _M. terricolor_, but has an outer casing of thorns which the latter wants. They lay four blue eggs, larger and paler than those of _M. canorus_"

Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes that in Rajputana the Large Grey Babbler is "very common. I have found nests in each month from January to December. They have, I believe, several broods in the year; and even when nesting a.s.sociate in small parties of seven or eight."

Messrs. Davidson and Wenden say:--"Common, and breeds in the Deccan."

Major C.T. Bingham says:--"Breeds both at Allahabad and at Delhi from March to quite the end of August, placing its loosely constructed (rarely firmly built) nest of twigs and fine gra.s.s-roots generally at no great height in babool-trees. Twice only I have found them in dense mango-trees at about thirty feet from the ground. The nests are not, I think, as a rule, so deep as those of _Crateropus terricolor_; once or twice I have found the soft down of the Madar (_Catatropes hamiltonii_) incorporated into the lining of gra.s.s-roots. The eggs are generally three or four in number."

Mr. Benjamin Aitken writes:--"All the nests which I have seen of the Large Grey Babbler have been on babool-trees. At Akola (Berar) in 1870, a great many had their nests during the month of July. I have recorded two instances of nests placed at a height above the ground of 15 feet and 20 feet. These were at Poona, one on the 21st April, and the other on the 10th May. I could not go up to the nests, but the birds in both cases were sitting closely. I have twice found nests with only three newly-hatched young ones."

Colonel Butler informs us that "the Large Grey Babbler breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa during the rains. Both the nest and eggs closely resemble those of _C. terricolor_, but the latter differ slightly in being less elongated, not so pointed at the small end, rounder at the large end, and somewhat paler in colour. I have taken nests on the following dates:--

"July 19, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs.

"June 30, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs.

"July 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs.

"July 20, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs.

"The nest in every instance was similar to that described by Jerdon, viz.:--a loose structure of dead roots, twigs, and gra.s.s, the interior being neatly lined with closely-woven roots of 'khus-khus.' The old birds generally select some th.o.r.n.y tree (_Mimosa_ &c.) to build on, and the nest is usually from 8 feet to 20 feet from the ground.

"Even in the nesting-season these birds are gregarious, joining a flock generally as soon as they leave the nest."

The eggs of this species do not appear to me to differ perceptibly from, those of _Crateropus canorus_. When one first takes a nest or two of each of them, one is apt to draw distinctions and fancy that the eggs of the two species can be discriminated; but after taking forty or fifty nests of each species, it becomes obvious that there is no variety of the one in either colour, shape, or size that cannot be paralleled in the other. All I have said of the eggs of _C. canorus_ is applicable to the eggs of this species, and the only difference that, with a huge series of each before me, I can discover is that, as a body, there is less variation in the colour of the eggs of _Argya malcolmi_ than in those of _C. canorus_.

In length they vary from 088 to 11, and in breadth from 073 to 085; but the average of fifty eggs measured is 099 by 077.

108. Argya subrufa (Jerd.)[A]. _The Large Rufous Babbler_.

[Footnote A: The accompanying incomplete account of the nidification of this bird is all I can find among Mr. Hume's notes. I cannot ascertain who was the discoverer of the nest and eggs described.--ED.]

Layardia subrufa (_Jerd._), _Hume, Cat._ no. 437.

The nest is a deep ma.s.sive cup placed in the fork of twigs, coa.r.s.ely and roughly but still strongly built. The body of the nest is chiefly composed of leaves, some of which must have been green when used.

Outside, the leaves are held in position by blades of gra.s.s, creepers, and stems of herbaceous plants, carelessly and roughly wound about the exterior. The cavity is rather more neatly lined with tolerably fine gra.s.s-bents. Exteriorly the nest is about 7 inches in height and 5 in diameter. The cavity is about 3 inches deep by 3 in diameter.

The eggs are precisely like those of the several species of _Argya_, moderately broad ovals rather obtuse at both ends, often with a pyriform tendency. The colour is a uniform spotless clear blue with a faint greenish tinge, and the eggs have usually a fine gloss. The eggs measure 098 by 075.

110. Crateropus canorus (Linn.)[A]. _The Jungle Babbler_.

[Footnote A: In the 'Birds of India,' I have united _C. malabaricus_ and _C. terricolor_. Mr. Hume probably still considers these two races distinct, and others may agree with him. To avoid confusion, therefore, I have kept the notes appertaining to these two races distinct from each other.--ED.]

Malacocercus terricolor (_Hodgs._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p.

59; _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 432.

Malacocercus malabaricus, _Jerd., Jerd. t.c._ p. 62; _Hume, t.c._ no. 434.

_C. terricolor_.

The Bengal Babbler breeds throughout the plains of the Bengal Presidency (including Bengal, North-Western Provinces, Central Provinces, Oudh, and the Punjab), and I may add in the less desert portions of Sindh, although the race found in that province is not exactly identical with the Bengal bird, and in some respects closely approaches the Malabar race. In Northern Rajpootana it is rare, and further south in the quasi-desert tracts of Central and Western Rajpootana it disappears according to my experience.

Eastward in Cachar and a.s.sam it appears to occur as a mere straggler, but I have no record of its having bred there. It lays from the latter half of March until the close of July, but the great majority lay during the first week after the setting in of the rains, which varies according to locality and season, from the 1st of June to the 15th of July.

They build very commonly in gardens, in thick orange-, citron-, or lime-shrubs, but their nests may be found almost anywhere, in thick shrubs or small trees of any kind, or in thick hedges, at heights of from 4 to 10 feet from the ground, always placed in some fork towards the centre of the shrub or hedge. The nests are rather loosely-put-together cups, composed of gra.s.s-stems and roots varying in fineness, and often lined with horse-hair. Some are deep and neatly constructed, others loose, straggling, and shallow, the cavity varying from 3 to more than 4 inches in diameter and from less than 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth.

Three is the normal number of the eggs, but I have repeatedly found four.

Captain Hutton writes to me:--"A nest of this bird was taken in the Dehra Dhoon on the 14th May, and was composed entirely of fine roots, the thinnest being placed within as a lining. Subsequently three others were procured, one of which was externally composed of coa.r.s.e dry gra.s.ses and leaves, with a scanty lining of fine roots; the other two were constructed of the fine woody tendrils of climbing-plants and lined like the others with fine roots. These latter had a strong resemblance to some of the nests of _Garrulax albogularis_, while the difference exhibited in the nature of the materials used arises from the various character of the localities in which the bird may choose to build. Each nest contained four beautiful eggs of a full bright turquoise-green, shining as if varnished. The eggs were nearly all hard-set. This species does not ascend the hills, but appears to be confined to the Dhoon, where it may be seen in small parties in gardens, hedgerows, and low brushwood, turning over the dead leaves in search of seeds and insects. Its flight is low, short, and apparently laboured, from the shortness and rounded form of the wing, but on the ground it hops along with speed. The note is clamorous and chuckling and uttered in concert."

The late Mr. A. Anderson remarked:--"Although one of the most common birds in the North-West Provinces, and in fact verging on a nuisance, its nidification is interesting, inasmuch as its nest (in common with that of _A. malcolmi_) is used as a nursery for the young of _Hierococcyx varius_ and _Coccystes melanoleucus_.

"This Babbler builds, as a general rule, during the early part of the rains (June to August), laying usually three or four eggs of a bright greenish-blue colour. The nest itself recalls that of the Blackbird, but it is frequently very clumsily made. On the 21st June last a boy brought me a nest of this species containing _eight_ eggs. Two, if not three, of this clutch are easily separable from the others, being more oval and somewhat smaller, and are unquestionably parasitical eggs; but it is quite impossible to say whether they belong to _H. varius_ or _C. melanoleucus_.

"Again, on the 9th July, I took a nest in person, which also contained eight eggs. Seven of these are all alike and are well incubated, while the eighth is quite fresh, and doubtless owes its parentage to one of the above-mentioned Cuckoos.

"Strange to say I have now another nest marked down, which in like manner contains the same number of callow young. It is just possible that the foster-parents may have to perform double duty in this case.

"From the foregoing it may be inferred that _M. canorus_ does occasionally lay more than four eggs, or as the birds are gregarious even during the breeding-season, it is possible enough that two birds may occasionally deposit eggs in the same nest.

"I should not think that _H. varius_ (the "Brain-fever and Delirium-tremens Bird" as it is frequently called) had much difficulty in depositing her eggs in the nest of the _Malacocerci_, for I have frequently noticed that all the Babblers in the neighbourhood make a clean bolt of it immediately this Cuckoo puts in an appearance, no doubt owing to its great similarity to the Indian Sparrow-Hawk (_M.

badius_).

"During the months of September and October I have observed several Babblers in the act of feeding one young _H. varius_, following the bird from tree to tree, and being most a.s.siduous in their attentions to the young interloper."

Mr. H.M. Adam remarks:--"I took a nest of this bird in Agra on the 17th July. It contained five eggs, all of which were nearly hatched.

Again on the 21st I took another nest containing only one hard-set egg."

Writing from Calcutta, Mr. J.C. Parker says:--"I found a nest of this bird, near my house in Garden Reach, on the 23rd June. It contained four fresh eggs."

Colonel Butler observes:--"The Bengal Babbler breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa as a rule, I think, during the rains and in the cold weather, but I have found nests as late as March. The nest is usually placed on the outside branch of some moderate-sized tree (neem &c.). It is a somewhat solidly built structure composed almost entirely of dead twigs, stems of dead leaves, and stalks of coa.r.s.e dry gra.s.s, being lined with a few fine fibrous roots or stems of gra.s.s. I found nests on the following dates:--

"July 16, 1875. A nest containing 4 fresh eggs.

"March 20, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs.

"May 29, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs.

"June 17, 1876. " " 3 fresh eggs.

"June 17, 1876. " " 4 young birds.

"Oct. 15, 1876. " " 4 fresh eggs.

"Nov. 3, 1876. " " 4 slightly incubated.

"In some nests I have noticed a breach upon one side of the nest as if intended for the convenience of the bird's tail. It is not unusual to find an egg of _C. jacobinus_ in the nest."

Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"Common both at Allahabad and at Delhi; I have found this bird breeding from April to the end of July. All nests that I have found have, with the exception of one, been placed in low babool bushes; once only I found a nest near Delhi in the fork of a low bough of a mango-tree, this was on the 31st July. The nests are more or less loosely constructed cups of slender twigs and gra.s.s-roots and inclined."

Mr. J.R. Cripps writing from Eastern Bengal says:--"On the 15th April I found a nest on the very top of a mango-tree about 30 feet off the ground, shooting the male as it flew off the nest."

The eggs of this species are very variable in colour, shape, and size.

Typically they are rather broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end, and much the shape of, though a good deal smaller than, those of our English Song-Thrush. Some are, however, long and cylindrical; others more or less spherical. The colour varies from a pale blue, like that of _Trochalopterum lineatum_, to a deep dull blue, recalling, but yet not so dark as, that of _Garrulax albigularis_. The eggs are typically glossy, but it is remarkable that in a large series the deepest coloured are always far the most glossy. Some deep blue eggs of this species are most intensely glossy, more so than almost any other of our Indian eggs, except those of _Metopidius indicus_. I need scarcely say that the eggs are entirely spotless and devoid of all markings, but I may note that each egg is invariably the same colour throughout, and that I have never met with a specimen in which the shade of colour varied in the same egg.

In length the eggs vary from 088 to 115, and in breadth from 075 to 082; but the average of fifty-one eggs measured is 101 by 078.