“April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs. 
  Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs. 
  Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs. 
  April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated.”

As in the case of Pyctorhis sinensis, the eggs differ much in colour and markings.  The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss Cockburn from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse at the larger end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller.  The shell is fine and somewhat glossy.  The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they are thickly mottled and freckled, most thickly at the larger end, where the markings form a more or less confluent mottled cap, with two shades of pinkish-, and in some spots slightly brownish, red, and towards the large end, where the markings are dense, traces of pale purple clouds underlying the primary markings are observable.  In general appearance these eggs not a little resemble those of some of the Bulbuls, and it seems difficult to believe that they are eggs of birds of the same genus as Alcippe atriceps[A], the eggs of which are so much smaller and of such a totally different type.  Two eggs of the same species taken by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals, somewhat compressed towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy shell.  The ground-colour is a delicate pink.  There are a few pretty large and conspicuous spots and hair-lines of deep brownish red, almost black, and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and clouds, generally lying round or about the dark spots; and then towards the large end there are several small clouds and patches of faint inky purple, which appear to underlie the other markings.  The character of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly of those of the Chaffinch.  Other eggs taken later by Miss Cockburn at Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate between the two types above described.

[Footnote A:  Alcippe atriceps and Alcippe phaeocephala, as they have hitherto been styled by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the least congeneric, as I have pointed out in my ‘Birds of India.’  I am glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. Hume’s remarks on the eggs.  There is no reason why these two birds should be considered congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits.  Their structure differs much.—­ED.]

All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in length from 0.75 to 0.86, and in breadth from 0.58 to 0.65.

165.  Alcippe phayrii, Bl. The Burmese Babbler.

Alcippe phayrii, Bl., Hume, Cat. no. 388 bis.

Major C.T.  Bingham writes from Tenasserim:—­“In the half-dry bed of one of the many streams that one has to cross between Kaukarit and Meeawuddy, I found on the 23rd February a nest of the above species.  A firm little cup, borne up some 2 feet above the ground on the fronds of a strong-growing fern, to three of the leaf-stems of which it was attached.  It was made of vegetable fibres and roots, and lined interiorly with fine black hair-like roots, on which rested three fresh eggs, in colour pinky white, blotched and streaked with dull reddish pink, and with faint clouds and spots of purple.  The eggs measure .79 x .58, .78 x .58, and .76 x .59.”