An egg I received from Darjeeling measures 1·1 by 0·87; others received from Mynall from Mr. Bourdillon, and the Kakencotte Forest, Mysore, from Mr. I. Macpherson, vary in length from 1·16 to 1·1, and in breadth from 0·84 to 0·75. Three eggs, taken in Pegu by Mr. Oates, measure from 1·1 to 1·05 in length, by 0·83 to 0·81 in breadth, and are smaller than those the dimensions of which he himself records above.
Family CERTHIIDAE.
341. Certhia himalayana, Vigors. The Himalayan Tree-Creeper.
Certliia himalayana, Vig., Jerd B. Ind. i, p, 380; Hume, Rough
Draft N. & E. no. 243.
Writing from Murree of the Himalayan Tree-Creeper, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall says:—"This is a most difficult nest to find, as the little bird always chooses crevices where the bark has been broken or bulged out, some 40 or 50 feet from the ground, and generally on tall oak-trees which have no branches within 40 feet of their roots. There were young in the few nests we found. Captain Cock secured the eggs in Kashmir; they are very small, being only 0·6 by 0·45; the ground is white, with numerous red spots. The nests we found were in the highest part of Murree, about 7200 feet."
Two eggs of this species which I possess measure 0·69 and 0·68 respectively in length, by 0·5 in breadth.
342. Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks. Hodgson's Tree-Creeper.
Certhia hodgsoni, Brooks, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E. no. 243 bis.
Hodgson's Tree-Creeper is the supposed C. familiaris obtained by Dr.
Jerdon in Cashmir, of which he gave me two specimens.
Mr. Brooks says:—"It was seen at Gulmurg and also at Sonamurg, where Captain Cock took a few nests. The egg is much more densely spotted than that of the English Creeper, so as almost to hide the reddish-white ground-colour. Size 0·59 to 0·65 inch long by 0·48 inch broad; time of laying, the first week in June."