11/2 in depth, and contained three pure white glossless eggs.  In the very next tree, however (a mango, and this is perhaps their favourite tree), was another similar nest, containing four eggs, slightly glossy, with a salmon-pink tinge throughout, and numerous well-marked brownish-red specks and spots, most numerous towards the large end, looking vastly like Brobdingnagian specimens of the Rocket-bird’s eggs.  The variation in this bird’s eggs is remarkable; out of more than one hundred eggs nearly one third have been pure white, and between the dead glossless purely white egg and a somewhat glossy, warm pinky grounded one, with numerous well-marked spots and specks of maroon colour, dull-red, and red-brown or even dusky, every possible gradation is found.  Each set of eggs, however, seems to be invariably of the same type, and we have never yet found a quite white and a well coloured and marked egg in the same nest.

“These birds are very jealous of the approach of other birds even of their own species to a nest in which they have eggs, and many a little family would this year have been safely reared, and their ovate cradles have escaped the plundering hands of my shikaries, had not attention been invariably called to the thereabouts of the nest by the pertinacious and vicious rushes of one or other of the parents from near their nest at every feathered thing that; passed them by.”

Captain Hutton says:—­“This species, which appears to be generally diffused throughout India, is not uncommon in the Dehra Doon, but does not ascend the hills; it breeds in June, laying four eggs of somewhat variable size.  They are pure white, thus differing widely from those of the supposed D. longcaudatus of Mussoorie.

“It is evident likewise that the eggs which Captain Tickell assigns to this species do not belong to it. (Vide Journal As.  Soc. vol. xvii. p. 304.)

“The nest differs from that of our hill species, being larger and far less neatly made; it is placed in the bifurcation of the smaller branches of a tall tree, and is composed exteriorly of two hard semi-woody stalks of various plants, plastered over with cobwebs.  Another one was constructed entirely of fine roots, like the khus-khus used for tatties, and plastered over like the former with cobwebs.  It is flattened or saucer-shaped, and about 3 inches in diameter.”

Mr. F.R.  Blewitt remarks:—­“It breeds from the middle of May well into August.  I do not think it has two broods in the year, at least close observation has not proved the fact.  Trees of various sizes are chosen indiscriminately for the nest, from the lofty mango and tamarind to the low-growing roonji, &c.

“The nest is a peculiarly slight-formed structure (occasionally I have seen it otherwise, but this is the exception), always neatly made.  The exterior of the nest is composed of small fine twigs, roots, and grass, with generally a good deal of spider’s web round the outer surface.  The average exterior diameter of the nest is about 5.5 inches.  The cavity is frequently lined with horsehair.  On three or four occasions I have seen very fine khus substituted for the hair.  The average inner diameter of the nest is about 3.4 inches.