Birds In and About the Station. 169 



aviary — rather than a cage-bird. It is a size larger than 

 the Red -vented Bulbul, which is in turn larger than the White - 

 cheeked or the Whiskered. Its elegant shape and its bright 

 coral -red beak and feet, which so admirably set ofF it's rather 

 sombre colouring, give it a handsome dandified appearance, 

 hardly to be expected from reading the description of it's 

 plumage.* Top of the head with a short crest and line round 

 the grey ear -coverts are black; the rest Of the plumage grey 

 with a bluish tinge, darker on upper parts. Length about 

 10 inches; tail, which is distinctly forked, about 4.6 inches. 



It breeds from April to June. The nest is placed in 

 a fork, generally at a good height up, and is constructed of 

 grass and leaves, bound together with cobweb and sometimes 

 fine roots; it is a more substantial structure than the nests 

 of other Bulbuls I have found. The clutch seems to be four 

 eggs or two young as a rule, which strikes me as curious. 

 One would think that wild birds would rear all or none, the 

 latter must be an event of frequent occurrence. The Hill 

 Oak seems to be a favourite nesting resort. 



The Punjab Red- vented Bulbul (Molpastes intermix dins). 

 This, the most handsome variety of the Red -vented that I have 

 seen, is fairly common throughout the year in the Station, 

 especially the lower parts. I do not think that it is at all 

 migratory, unlike the White-cheeked, which though extremely 

 common with us at all seasons, moves up and down a good 

 deal, though he too might better be termed a vertical migrant. 

 It is one of the few birds kept in captivity in Cha'mba 

 and then only for fighting. In the aviary I have not' found 

 it pugnacious, nor over interesting. Mr. Kennedy knew of 

 one that lived over fourteen years in captivity on a very 

 simple diet. This period included several voyages between 

 England and India, this bird at any rate must have been 

 of interest to its owner. 



*I can fully endorse this, as I possessed one for twelve 

 mo nthis;, which unfortunately met with a tragic end — a sti'ange dog 

 forced its way into the aviary, and this was the one bird killed fts 

 graceful form and handsome appearance made it at once one of 

 the most striking birds in the aviary. This specimen was pre- 

 sented to me by Mr. E. W. Harper, who introducied this species 

 to English aviculture.— Ep. 



