Alcippe poiocephala (_Jerd.), Jerd. B. Ind._ ii, p. 18; _Hume, Rough
Draft N. & E.._ no. 389.
The Nilghiri Babbler breeds, apparently, throughout the hilly regions
of Southern India. It lays from January to June. A nest taken near
Neddivattam by Mr. Davison on the 5th April was placed between the
fork of three twigs of a bush, at the height of 5 or 6 feet from
the ground. It was a deep cup, massive enough but very loosely put
together, and composed of green moss, dead leaves, a little grass and
moss-roots. It was entirely lined with rather coarse black moss-roots.
In shape it was nearly an inverted cone, some 3½ inches in diameter
at top, and fully 5 inches in height. The cavity was over 2 inches
in diameter and nearly 2 inches in depth. A few cobwebs are here and
there intermingled in the external surface, but the grass-roots appear
to have been chiefly relied on for holding the nest together.
Another nest found by Miss Cockburn on the 5th June on a small bush,
about 7 or 8 feet in height, standing on the banks of a stream, was
somewhat different. It was placed in the midst of a clump of leaves,
at the tips of three or four little twigs, between which the nest
was partly suspended and partly wedged in. It was composed of fine
grass-stems, with a few grass-and moss-roots as a lining interiorly,
and with several dead leaves and a good deal of wool incorporated
in the outer surface, the greater portion of which, however, was
concealed by the leaves of the twigs amongst which it was built. It
was only about 3½ inches in diameter, and the egg-cavity was less than
2½ inches across, and not above 1½ inch in depth.
Mr. Davison writes:--"This bird breeds on the slopes of the Nilghiris
in the latter end of March and April. The nest is uncommonly like that
of _Trochalopterum cachinnans_, but is of course smaller; it is deep
and cup-shaped, composed externally of moss and dead leaves, and
is lined with moss and fern-roots. It is always (as far as I have
observed) fastened to a thin branch about 6 feet from the ground. All
the nests I have ever observed were on small trees in the shadiest
parts of the jungle, far in, and never near the edge of the jungle
or in the open. The eggs are very handsome, and are, I think, the
prettiest of the eggs to be found on the Nilghiris and their slopes.
The ground-colour is of a beautiful reddish pink (especially when
fresh), blotched and streaked with purplish carmine."
Mr. J. Darling, junior, says:--"The Nilghiri Quaker-Thrush breeds
on the slopes of the Nilghiri hills, generally in the depths of the
forest. I have, however, taken nests in scrub-jungle. I have also
found the nest at Neddivattam in April.
"In October I found a nest of this bird at Culputty, S. Wynaad, about
2800 feet above the sea, built at the end of a branch 4 feet from the
ground."
Mr. T.F. Bourdillon writes from Travancore:--"This bird breeds
commonly with us, and its nest is more often met with than that of any
other. The nest is cup-shaped and made of lichen, leaves, and grass.
It is usually placed 4 to 8 feet from the ground in the middle of
jungle, and is about 2 inches in diameter by 1¾-2 in depth. The full
number of eggs is two, and I have obtained on
"April, 1871. 2 fresh eggs.
Mar. 21, 1873. 2 fresh eggs.
Feb. 16, 1874. 2 fresh eggs.
April 11, 1874. 2 young birds, and many nests just vacated."
As in the case of _Pyctorhis sinensis_, the eggs differ much in colour
and markings. The two eggs of this species sent me by Miss Cockburn
from Kotagherry are moderately broad ovals, very obtuse at the larger
end and somewhat compressed towards the smaller. The shell is fine and
somewhat glossy. The ground-colour is white or pinkish white, and they
are thickly mottled and freckled, most thickly at the larger end,
where the markings form a more or less confluent mottled cap, with
two shades of pinkish-, and in some spots slightly brownish, red, and
towards the large end, where the markings are dense, traces of pale
purple clouds underlying the primary markings are observable. In
general appearance these eggs not a little resemble those of some of
the Bulbuls, and it seems difficult to believe that they are eggs of
birds of the same genus as _Alcippe atriceps_[A], the eggs of which
are so much smaller and of such a totally different type. Two eggs
of the same species taken by Mr. Davison are moderately broad ovals,
somewhat compressed towards one end; have a fine and slightly glossy
shell. The ground-colour is a delicate pink. There are a few pretty
large and conspicuous spots and hair-lines of deep brownish red,
almost black, and there are a few large pinkish-brown smears and
clouds, generally lying round or about the dark spots; and then
towards the large end there are several small clouds and patches of
faint inky purple, which appear to underlie the other markings. The
character of the markings on some of these eggs reminds one strongly
of those of the Chaffinch. Other eggs taken later by Miss Cockburn at
Kotagherry on the 21st January are just intermediate between the two
types above described.
[Footnote A: _Alcippe atriceps_ and _Alcippe phaeocephala_, as they
have hitherto been styled by all Indian ornithologists, are not in the
least congeneric, as I have pointed out in my 'Birds of India.' I am
glad to see my views corroborated by Mr. Hume's remarks on the
eggs. There is no reason why these two birds should be considered
congeneric, except a general similarity in colour and habits. Their
structure differs much.--ED.]
All the eggs are very nearly the same size, and only vary in length
from 0·75 to 0·86, and in breadth from 0·58 to 0·65.