Malacocercus malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 64.
Argya malcolmi (_Sykes_), _Hume_, _Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 436.
The Large Grey Babbler breeds throughout the central portions of both
the Peninsula and Continent of India from the Nilghiris to the Dhoon.
It does not extend westwards to Sindh or the North-West Punjab, or
eastwards far into Bengal Proper. In the Central and North-West
Provinces it lays from early in March well into September, having at
least two and, as I believe, often three broods.
It builds on low branches of small trees or in thick shrubs, at no
great elevation from the ground, say at heights of from 4 to 10 feet,
a somewhat loosely woven, but yet generally neat, cup-shaped nest,
composed, as a rule, chiefly of grass-roots, but often with an
admixture of thin sticks and grass. Generally there is no lining,
but I have found nests scantily lined with very fine grass and even
horse-hair. Even when, as is the rule, entirely unlined, the inside is
finished off very nicely and smoothly. I have often seen ragged and
untidy nests, but these are the exception. Externally the nest is some
5 or 6 inches in diameter and 3 or 4 inches in height; the cavity is
from 3 to 4 inches across and from 2 to nearly 3 inches in depth.
Four is the normal number of the eggs laid, but I have several notes
of finding five.
Mr. Brooks says:--"This species breeds in waste lands overgrown with
scanty jungle. The nest is made of sticks, roots, grass, &c., is
rather bulky, and is placed in some moderate-sized bush about 7 or 8
feet from the ground. The eggs are greenish blue, bluer and not so
brightly coloured as those of _C. terricolor_."
Mr. R.M. Adam remarks:--"Near Muttra, on the 31st October, I found a
pair of birds busy lining the interior of a nest which they had built
in a plum-tree. At the Sambhur lake it is very common, and commences
to breed about the end of March."
Writing from Kotagherry (Nilghiris), Miss Cockburn remarks:--"Their
nests are built of a few twigs and roots, very loosely put together
(on some low branch of a tree), and so few of even these as hardly to
keep the eggs from falling through. These Babblers lay four oval eggs
of a greenish-blue colour, but I once saw a nest with eight, and as
there were several of these birds close to it, I have no doubt two or
three shared it together, perhaps to avoid the necessity of each pair
building for itself. Their nests are found in the months of March and
April.
"It is in the nests of this species and our Common Laughing-Thrush
(_T. cachinnans_) that I have chiefly found the eggs of the Pied
Crested Cuckoo."
Of this species Colonel G.F.L. Marshall remarks:--"I have taken eggs
on the 20th June in Cawnpoor, the 31st July in Bolundshuhur, and the
25th August in Allyghur. The nest is almost always in a keekur tree in
a fork about halfway up, and near the end of a branch. It is composed
of keekur-twigs and lined with roots. It is thinner in structure than
that of _M. terricolor_, but has an outer casing of thorns which the
latter wants. They lay four blue eggs, larger and paler than those of
_M. canorus_"
Lieut. H.E. Barnes writes that in Rajputana the Large Grey Babbler
is "very common. I have found nests in each month from January to
December. They have, I believe, several broods in the year; and even
when nesting associate in small parties of seven or eight."