THE GOLDEN ORIOLE 139 



The drongo builds earlier, for it is usually feeding its 

 young while the oriole is incubating. It would therefore 

 appear that it is the oriole which elects to build near the 

 king-crow. I imagine that it does so for the sake of 

 protection ; it must be a great thing for a timid bird to 

 have a vigorous policeman all to itself, a policeman who 

 will not allow a big creature to approach under any 

 pretext whatever. 



The oriole lays from two to four white eggs spotted 

 with reddish brown. These spots readily wash off, and 

 sometimes the colour " runs " and gives the whole egg a 

 pink hue. Although both sexes take part in the con- 

 struction of the nursery, the work of incubation appears 

 to fall entirely upon the hen. I have never seen a cock 

 oriole sitting on the nest. 



