The Nilghiri Babbler breeds, apparently, throughout the hilly regions of Southern India.  It lays from January to June.  A nest taken near Neddivattam by Mr. Davison on the 5th April was placed between the fork of three twigs of a bush, at the height of 5 or 6 feet from the ground.  It was a deep cup, massive enough but very loosely put together, and composed of green moss, dead leaves, a little grass and moss-roots.  It was entirely lined with rather coarse black moss-roots.  In shape it was nearly an inverted cone, some 31/2 inches in diameter at top, and fully 5 inches in height.  The cavity was over 2 inches in diameter and nearly 2 inches in depth.  A few cobwebs are here and there intermingled in the external surface, but the grass-roots appear to have been chiefly relied on for holding the nest together.

Another nest found by Miss Cockburn on the 5th June on a small bush, about 7 or 8 feet in height, standing on the banks of a stream, was somewhat different.  It was placed in the midst of a clump of leaves, at the tips of three or four little twigs, between which the nest was partly suspended and partly wedged in.  It was composed of fine grass-stems, with a few grass-and moss-roots as a lining interiorly, and with several dead leaves and a good deal of wool incorporated in the outer surface, the greater portion of which, however, was concealed by the leaves of the twigs amongst which it was built.  It was only about 31/2 inches in diameter, and the egg-cavity was less than 21/2 inches across, and not above 11/2 inch in depth.

Mr. Davison writes:—­“This bird breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris in the latter end of March and April.  The nest is uncommonly like that of Trochalopterum cachinnans, but is of course smaller; it is deep and cup-shaped, composed externally of moss and dead leaves, and is lined with moss and fern-roots.  It is always (as far as I have observed) fastened to a thin branch about 6 feet from the ground.  All the nests I have ever observed were on small trees in the shadiest parts of the jungle, far in, and never near the edge of the jungle or in the open.  The eggs are very handsome, and are, I think, the prettiest of the eggs to be found on the Nilghiris and their slopes.  The ground-colour is of a beautiful reddish pink (especially when fresh), blotched and streaked with purplish carmine.”

Mr. J. Darling, junior, says:—­“The Nilghiri Quaker-Thrush breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiri hills, generally in the depths of the forest.  I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle.  I have also found the nest at Neddivattam in April.

“In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, about 2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet from the ground.”

Mr. T.F.  Bourdillon writes from Travancore:—­“This bird breeds commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that of any other.  The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, and grass.  It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the middle of jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by 13/4-2 in depth.  The full number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on