Chaptia aenea (_V._), _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 433; _Hume, Rough Draft N.
& E._ no. 282.
The Bronzed Drongo breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the
central hills of Nepal, or rather in the plains near to these hills,
rarely quitting large woods. They begin to lay in March, and build a
broad somewhat saucer-shaped nest some 4 or 5 inches in width and 2 to
3 in depth externally. The nest is placed in some slender horizontal
fork, to one at least of the twigs of which it is firmly attached by
vegetable fibres; it is composed of fine twigs and grass, and bound
round with, cobwebs in which pieces of lichen and small cocoons are
often intermingled. Mr. Hodgson specially notes:--"_June 6th, valley_.
Female, nest and eggs; nest on fork of upper branch of large tree, 4·5
inches wide by 2·25 deep, cup-shaped, made of fibres of grass bound
with cobweb, lining none; three eggs, obtusely oval, the ground fawn
tinged white, blotched (especially at larger end) with fawn or reddish
brown,"
It appears that four is the maximum number of eggs laid; both sexes
participate in the work of incubation and rearing the young, but they
are very jealous of the approach of any birds when they have eggs or
young, driving all such intruders away with the utmost bravery. The
eggs measure from 0·88 to 0·95 inch by 0·65.
From Sikhim Mr. Gammie writes:--"I have found the Bronzed Drongo
breeding from April to June in the low hot valleys at about 2000 feet
above the sea. It suspends its nest in a slender horizontal fork at 10
feet or more from the ground, and appears, like its frequent neighbour
_Dicrurus longicaudatus_, to prefer a bamboo-clump to breed in. The
nest is a compact cup, neatly made of fine grass-stalks, with an
outer coating of dry bamboo-leaves plastered over with cobwebs; it is
fastened to the supporting branches by cobwebs. Externally it measures
3·5 inches wide by 2 inches deep, internally 2·5 by 1·5.
"The usual number of eggs is three."
Major M. Forbes Coussmaker, writing from Bangalore, tells us:--"I took
the nest of this bird on 6th April in the Shemagah District, Mysore.
It was built on the fork of a bare branch about 20 feet from the
ground in big tree-jungle, and was composed of fine grass, fibre, and
a few dry bamboo-leaves woven together with cobwebs, making a small
compact cup-like nest which measured 3 inches in diameter externally,
2·5 internally, and 1·4 deep.
"From where I stood I saw the bird come and sit on the nest and fly
off again a dozen times at least. The eggs, three in number, measured
·9 by ·65, and were pinkish white with darker pink and light purple
blotches and spots all over, principally at the larger end."
Mr. J.R. Cripps informs us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern Bengal,
this species is "rather common; generally to be found perching on the
dead branches of high trees overlooking water, especially whenever
there is a dense undergrowth of jungle. On the 1st June, 1878, I
secured a nest with three fresh eggs; it was built on a slender twig
on the outer side of a mango-tree which was standing near a ryot's
house, and was about 15 feet off the ground. External diameter 3½
inches, depth 2; internal diameter 2-1/3, depth 1-1/8. Saucer-shaped;
the outside consisted of plaintain-leaves torn up into slips, all of
which were firmly bound together by fibres of the plaintain-leaf and
jute, which were wound round the twigs and secured the nest. Inside
lining was made of very fine pieces of 'sone' grass. The pair were
very pugnacious, attacking any birds coming near their nest. These
birds have a clear mellow ringing whistle."
Mr. Oates writes from Pegu:--"I procured one nest on the 23rd April.
It was placed at the tip of an outer branch of a jack tree, and
attention was drawn to it by the vigorous attacks the parents made on
passing birds. The nest was suspended in a fork; the outside diameter
is 4 inches and inside 3, total depth 2½, and the egg-cup is about 1½;
deep. The nest is composed of fine grass, strips of plaintain-bark,
and other vegetable fibres closely woven together; the edges and the
interior are chiefly of delicate branchlets of the finer weeds and
grasses. It is overlaid at the edges, where it is attached to the
branches, with cobwebs, and a few fragments of moss are stuck on at
various points.
"There were two fresh eggs; the ground-colour is a pale salmon-fawn,
and the shell is covered with darker spots and marks of the same. They
are only very slightly glossy. The two eggs measure 0·85 by 0·62."
Major C.T. Bingham writes from Tenasserim:--"On the 10th March, 1880,
being encamped at the head-waters of the Queebawchoung, a feeder of
the Meplay, and having an hour to spare, I took my gun and climbed up
a steep hill to the very sources of the Queebaw. Here, hanging over
the trickling stream, was a nest of _Chaptia aenea_ firmly woven and
tied on to a fork in the branch of a little tree, at a height of about
10 feet from the ground. The nest was of roots and grass lined by
soft fine black roots, and held three eggs, of a rich salmon-pink,
obscurely spotted darker at the large end; they measure 0·83 by 0·61,
0·82 by 0·61, and 0·80 by 0·61 respectively.
"On the 15th March, 1880, in the fork of a branch of a small
zimbun-tree (_Dillenia pentagyna_), hanging over a pathway along the
bank of the Meplay stream, I found a nest of the above species. A neat
strongly-made little cup of vegetable fibres and cobwebs, containing
two fresh eggs; ground-colour dull salmon, obscurely spotted with
brownish pink. They measure 0·86 by 0·64 and 0·88 by 0·65."