Pericrocotus flammeus (_Forst.), Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 420; _Hume,
Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 272.
The Orange Minivet lays, I believe, in June and July on the Nilghiris.
I have never taken a nest myself, but I have received several, with a
few words in regard to them, from Miss Cockburn.
The nests are comparatively massive little cups placed on, or
sometimes in, the forks of slender boughs. They are usually composed
of excessively fine twigs, the size of fir-needles, and they are
densely plastered over the whole exterior surface with greenish-grey
lichen, so closely and cleverly put together that the side of the nest
looks exactly like a piece of a lichen-covered branch. There appears
to be no lining, and the eggs are laid on the fine little twigs which
compose the body of the nest.
The nests are externally from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and about 1½
inch deep, with an egg-cavity about 2 inches in diameter and about ¾
inch in depth. Some, however, when placed in a fork are much deeper
and narrower, say externally 2½ inches in diameter and the same
height; the egg-cavity about 1¾ inch in diameter and 1¼ inch in depth.
Miss Cockburn notes that one nest was found on the 24th of June on a
high tree, the nest being placed on a thin branch between 30 or 40
feet from the ground. It contained a single fresh egg, which was
broken in the fall of the branch, which had to be cut. This egg, the
remains of which were sent me, had a pale greenish ground, and was
pretty thickly streaked and spotted, most thickly so at the large end,
with pale yellowish brown and pale rather dingy-purple, the latter
colour predominating.
Another egg which she subsequently sent me, obtained on the 17th of
July, is a regular, moderately elongated oval, a little pointed
towards one end. The shell is fine, but glossless. The ground is a
delicate pale sea-green or greenish white, and it is rather sparsely
spotted and speckled with pale yellowish brown. Only one or two
purplish-grey specks are to be detected on this egg; it measures 0·9
by 0·67.
Mr. J. Darling, junior, sends me the following note:--"I had the good
fortune to find a nest of the Orange Minivet at Neddivattam, about
6000 feet above the level of the sea, on the 5th September, 1870. It
was placed on a tall tree near the edge of a jungle and was built in a
fork, about 30 feet from the ground.
"The nest was built of small twigs and grasses, and covered on the
outside with lichens, moss, and cobwebs, making it appear as part and
parcel of the tree. I noticed it merely from the fact of seeing the
bird sitting on her nest, and even then could not make up my mind, and
came away. Being of an inquisitive nature, next day I went again and
saw the bird in the same place, so I climbed up and managed to pull
the nest towards me with a hook, and took two eggs, one of which I
send you.
"In August 1874 at Vythory I saw a bird sitting on her nest, and
watched her rear and take away her brood, but could not get at the
nest."
An egg sent me by Mr. Darling is very similar to the eggs sent me
by Miss Cockburn, except that the brown markings are rather more
numerous, especially in a broad zone round the large end, and that
with these a good many pale purple or lilac spots or specks are
intermingled. It measures 0·88 by 0·68 inch.