Writing from Dhurmsalla, Captain Cock informed me that he had obtained several nests in May in and about the neighbouring streams, up to an elevation of some 5000 feet.  From Murree, Colonel C.H.T.  Marshall remarks:—­“Several nests found in June, near running streams, about 4000 feet up.”

Dr. Stoliczka tells us that “it breeds at Chini and Sungnum at an elevation of between 9000 and 11,000 feet.”

The eggs are typically of a very long oval shape, much pointed at one end, but more or less truncated varieties (if I may use the word) occur.  They are the largest of our Indian Thrushes’ eggs, and are larger than those of any European Thrush with which I am acquainted.  Their coloration, too, is somewhat unique; a French grey, greyish-white, or pale-greenish ground, speckled or freckled with minute pink, pale purplish-pink, or pinkish-brown specks, in most cases thinly, in some instances pretty thickly, in some only towards the large end, in some pretty well all over.  In the majority of the specimens there is, besides these minute specks, a cloudy, ill-defined, purplish-pink zone or cap at the large end.  In some few there are also a few specks of bright yellowish brown.  The eggs have scarcely any gloss.

In length, they vary from 1.24 to 1.55 inch, and in breadth from 0.95 to 1.1 inch, but the average of fifty eggs is 1.42 by about 1.0 inch.

188.  Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume. The Burmese Whistling-Thrush.

Myiophoneus eugenii, Hume; Hume, cat. no. 343 bis.

Major C.T.  Bingham contributes the following note to the ’Birds of British Burmah’ regarding the nidification of this species in Tenasserim:—­“On the 16th April I was crossing the Mehkhaneh stream, a feeder of the Meh-pa-leh, the largest tributary of the Thoungyeen river, near its source, where it is a mere mountain-torrent brawling over a bed of rocks strewed with great boulders.  A small tree, drifted down by the last rains, had caught across two of these, and being jammed in by the force of the water, had half broken across, and now formed a sort of temporary V-shaped dam, against which pieces of wood, bark, leaves, and rubbish had collected, rising some six inches or so above the water, which found an exit below the broken tree.  On this frail and tottering foundation was placed a round solid nest about 9 inches in diameter, made of green moss, and lined with fine black roots and fibres, in which lay four fresh eggs of a pale stone-colour, sparsely spotted, especially at the larger ends, with minute specks of reddish brown.  Determined to find out to what bird they belonged, I sent my followers on and hid myself behind the trunk of a tree on the bank and watched, gun in hand.  In about twenty minutes or so a pair of Myiophoneus eugenii came flitting up the stream and, alighting near the nest, sat for a time quietly.  At last one hopped on the edge of the nest, and after a short inspection sat down over the eggs with a low chuckle.  I then showed myself and, as the birds flew off, fired at the bird that had been on the nest, but unfortunately missed.  I was satisfied, however, about the identity of the eggs and took them.  In shape they are somewhat like those of Pitta, and measure 1.45 x 1.02, 1.50 x 1.02, 1.46 x 1.01, and 1.50 x 1.01.”