170 Birds In and Ahout the Station. 



It breeds from May to July, and fiometimes even later: 

 the nest is usually in a tlK.-k thorn bush rather low down, 

 and occasionally on the ground; it is not so flimsy as that of 

 the White -cheeked, and the usual clutch is three. 



General colour, browns of different shades, lisfhtor be- 

 neath. Under tail -coverts red; short thick bushy crest black. 

 Length 8 inches; tail 4.3. 



The White-cheeked Bulhu! (Molpastes leiicogenys) is 

 quite our commonest bird. It is at times a positive nuisance, 

 especially at the end of the winter, when the gardens 

 attract hundreds, green stuff being scarce elsewhere. For some 

 time I practically fed a Barred Jungle Owlet on them, other 

 people were shooting them then, so my conscience left me at 

 peace. It is a simple feeder, living chiefly on fruit and 

 berries, but. by no means despising insects at any time of the 

 year. It's range in summer is from aljout 3,000 to over 

 7,000 and in winter from about 5,000 down to the edge of 

 the plains. It breeds from April to July attempting three 

 broods a year, of which I should say it successfully brings 

 off at least two broods of three each. The nest is a loose 

 flimsy afl'air which is much stronger than it appears to l)e, 

 as it is made of grass stems, and tough bits of stalk of 

 climbing " clingy " plants. It is often placed in most ex:- 

 posed and apparently absurd positions. The young return to 

 the nest for the night, for some time after first venturing 

 abroad. In spite of its faculty for getting caught in any 

 sort of trap, and it's habit of building silly looking sort of nests 

 (which by the way seldom seem to come to any harm); this 

 bird is no fool and I fancy its natural enemies — hawks, mon- 

 gooses, &c., often have occasion to curse it heartily, as it not 

 only sees that it is not caught itself but, passes on the warn- 

 ing that an enemy is about for a long way off., The " Curl- 

 crest " as Mr. Finn aptly names it, "is by no means on the 

 road to extermination. 



This bird is an adept at feigning injury to distract 

 attention from it's nest. I will only mention one exceptionally 

 good one, which deceived me, though I knew of the nest, and, 

 had seen these same birds pretending before. AVhen I got 

 near the nest the hen (at any rate we'll call her the hen); 

 uttered a shriek of agony and fell fluttering from the top 



