390 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XII. 



4, CoRVUS MACRORHYNCHU?, Wagl, Oates, I, p. 17; " Str. Feath.," II, p. 243. 

 Very numerous in the Andamaus ; it has apparently disappeared from 

 the deserted settlement at Camorta in the Nicobars, where it was 

 introduced from Port Blair, 



Corvus splendens was introduced in Colonel Tytler's time, but gradually 

 entirely disappeared. 



20, Dendrocitta bayleyi, Tytler. Oates, I, p. 34; " Str. Feath.," IT, p. 245. 

 Fairly common in the jungles in the neighbourhood of Port Blair. The 

 habits are those of the genus. The bird has a harsh call-note constantly 

 repeated when a party is broken up by being fired at. It seems rather an 

 inquisitive bird. I have often, when standing still in thick jungle, noticed 

 it hopping about in the branches overhead peering down to try and make 

 me out. On one occasion I noticed a party of three on a bare tree rising 

 from thick jungle, drying their plumage after a heavy shower. On my reach- 

 ing the tree I fired at one and missed, the birds flying off in different direc- 

 tions. In a couple of minutes one came back to look for the others, which I 

 shot; a minute later the other two returned to the tree and I shot another. 

 It breeds apparently in April and May, as young birds were common in 

 June. These differ from the adult in having the black of the head duller, 

 the brown of the back less rufescent, the reddish-brown of the under parts 

 duller, and the chest browner. The young bird seeuis to start in life with 

 an olive-green iris, changing in a short time to bright green. An inner 

 circle of golden yellow then appears and gradually encroaches on the green , 

 until the beautiful clear yellow eye of the adult bird is attained. These 

 changes were very conspicuous in young birds shot in June and July. 



226. ZosTEROPS PALPEBROSA, Temm. Oates, I, p. 213; " Str, Feath.," II, p.224. 

 The Andaman and Nicobar White-eyes differ only from continental birds 

 in having a lurger bill. They are, as Davison remarks, commoner in the 

 Nicobars than in the Andamans, but in neither group are they as numerous 

 as I have seen them elsewhere. Breeds in the earher months of the year. 

 Davison found young birds in February, 



254. Irena puella, Lath, Oates, I, p. 240 ; "Str. Feath.," II., p. 226. 

 Occurs in both groups. At Port Blair it is certainly much more numerous 

 in the N.-E. monsoon than at other seasons. When I arrived in May hardly 

 a bird was to be seen ; I came across a few in June and July, and on my 

 return from the Nicobars in September found them numerous everywhere 

 adult males, however, being hardly one in twenty. Davison says the young 

 are about in April, Two old males which I shot on June 9th were obviously 

 breeding. 



This lovely bird is by no means so conspicuous as one VAould imagine. 

 Indeed, in shady forest the male generally looks as black as a drongo, only now 

 and again showing its satin-blue back as it flutters across some sunlit piece 

 of open jungle. It is a tame bird, allowing a very close approach, and feed- 



