“When the bird frequents elephant-grass, where there are no shrubs, it builds on the ground at the edge of a clump of grass, and I have found two nests in such a situation, only a few feet from each other.

“In looking for the nest a good deal of grass is necessarily trodden down; the consequence is that if you do not find eggs, there is little chance of their being laid later on.  I have found some ten nests, more or less completed, but only three eggs.”

And again, later on:—­“This bird would appear to have two broods a year, for I procured two sittings of three eggs each this year in April, former nests having been found in June and July.  With many eggs before me I find that the density of the markings varies considerably.  The size is very constant; for the length of numerous eggs varies only from .75 to .72, and the breadth from .6 to .54 inch.”

I was, I believe, myself the first to obtain the eggs of this species, but the first of my contributors who sent me eggs, nest, and a note on the nidification of this species was Mr. J.C.  Parker.  Writing to me in September 1875, he said:—­

“On the 14th August I took a nest of Timelia pileata on my old ground in the Salt Lakes.  I discovered this by a mere accident, for I happened to see a female Prinia flaviventris (whose eggs I was in quest of for you) perched on the top of a bush inland about 10 feet from the bank of the canal, and from her movements I thought she must have a nest near at hand.

“Accordingly I landed, although not in trim for wading through a bog.  Sure enough I was not mistaken; the Prinia had a nest, but it contained only one egg.  Close by, however, I saw a nest, from out of which a bird flew, and although I did not shoot it I am quite sure it was Timelia pileata.  The jungle was particularly thick just about where I stood, indeed impenetrable, and I could not follow the bird, but I soon heard the male bird talking to his mate in that extraordinary way which these birds have, and which once heard cannot be mistaken.

“The nest was placed on the spikes growing from the joints of a species of grass very thick and stiff, and forming a secure foundation for the nest.  This latter is 6 inches high and 4 inches broad.  Egg-cavity 2 inches, entrance-hole 11/2 by 2.  The nest itself is very loosely put together with the dead leaves of the tiger-grass twisted round and round, and lined roughly with coarse grass.  The nest was quite open to view and about three feet from the ground.  I suppose the birds never expected that such a wild swampy spot as they had selected would be invaded by any oologist.”