The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds  (Volume 1) Second Edition 1889  -  by  Allan O. Hume
 

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Page 13b

223. Yuhina gularis, Hodgs. The Stripe-throated Yuhina

Yuhina gularis, (Hodgs.), Jerdon B. Ind. ii, p. 261; Hume, Rough Draft N. & E. no. 626.

The Stripe-throated Yuhina breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, from April to July, building a large massive nest of moss, lined with moss-roots, and wedged into a fork of a branch or between ledges of rocks, more or less globular in shape, and with a circular aperture near the top towards one side. A nest taken on the 19th June, near Darjeeling, was quite egg-shaped, the long diameter being perpendicular to the ground, and measured 6 inches in height and 4 inches in breadth, the aperture, 2 inches in diameter, being well above the middle of the nest; the cavity was lined with fine moss-roots. The eggs are figured as rather elongated ovals, 0·8 by 0·56, with a pale buffy or café au lait ground-colour, thickly spotted with red or brownish red, the markings forming a confluent zone about the large end.

225. Yuhina nigrimentum (Hodgs.). The Black-chinned Yuhina

Yuhina nigrimentum (Hodgs.), Jerdon B. Ind. ii, p. 262; Hume, Rough Draft N. & E. no. 628.

A nest of the Black-chinned Yuhina, taken by Mr. Gammie on the 17th June below Rungbee, at an elevation of about 3500 feet, was placed in a large tree, at a height of about 10 feet from the ground, and contained four hard-set eggs. It is a mere pad, below of moss, mingled with a little wool and moss-roots, and above, that is to say the surface where the eggs repose, of excessively fine grass-roots.

Dr. Jerdon says: "A nest was once brought me which was declared to belong to this species; it was a very small neat fabric, of ordinary shape, made with moss and grass, and contained three small pure white eggs. The rarity of the bird makes me doubt if the nest really belonged to it."

The eggs are tiny little elongated ovals, pure white, and absolutely glossless.

Two sent me by Mr. Gammie measure 0·58 by 0·42 and 0·57 by 0·43.