“Like the two species of Acridotheres, it nidificates by itself in the holes of trees, lining the cavity with bits of leaves.  The eggs are usually three, or sometimes four or five, of a delicate pale sea-green speckled with blood-like stains, which sometimes tend to form a ring near the larger end; shape oval, slightly tapering.”

The eggs are so different in character from those of all the Starlings that doubts might reasonably arise as to whether this species is placed exactly where it ought to be by Jerdon and others.  I possess at present only three eggs of this bird, which I owe to Captain Hutton.  They are decidedly long ovals, much pointed towards the small end, and in shape and coloration not a little recall those of Myiophoneus temmincki.  The eggs are glossless, of a greenish or greyish-white ground, more or less profusely speckled and spotted with red, reddish brown, and dingy purple.  In two of the eggs the majority of the markings are gathered into a broad irregular speckled zone round the large end.  In the third egg there is just a trace of such a zone and no markings at all elsewhere.  In length they vary from 1.03 to 1.08, and in breadth from 0.68 to 0.74.[A]

[Footnote A:  HYPOCOLIUS AMPELINUS, Bonap. The Grey Hypocolius.  Hypocolius ampelinus, Bp., Hume, cat. no. 269 quat.

Although this bird has not yet been found breeding within Indian limits, the following account of its nidification at Fao, in the Persian Gulf, by Mr. W.D.  Cumming (Ibis, 1886. p. 478) will prove interesting:—­

“It is not till the middle of June that they breed.

“In 1883, first eggs were brought by an Arab about the 13th of June, and on the 15th of the same month I found a nest containing two fresh eggs.  In 1884, on the 14th of June a nest was brought me containing four fresh eggs, and on the 15th I found a nest containing also four fresh eggs.

“2nd July, I came across four young birds able to fly.  On the 3rd, three nests were brought, one containing two fresh eggs, another three young just fledged, and the other four eggs slightly incubated.  On the 9th, another nest, containing four young just fledged was brought.  On the 15th I saw a flock of small birds well able to fly; on the 18th I found a nest containing four young about a couple of days old, and on the 20th a nest containing three eggs well incubated was brought from a place called ‘Goosba’ on the opposite bank (Persian side) of the river.

“The nests are generally placed on the leaves of the date-palm, at no very great height.  The highest I have seen was built about ten feet from the ground but from three to five feet is the average height.

“They are substantial and cup-shaped, having a diameter of about 31/4 inches by 21/4 inches in depth, lined inside with fine grass, the soft fluff from the willow when in seed, wool, and sometimes hair.