On the Ornithology of St. Kildu. 69 



of a pair of Crows who are intent on robbing an Oriole's 

 nest. One of the pair makes an attack on the nest, and on 

 being promptly resisted, flies off pursued to a distance by the 

 parents. The other Crow then filches a portion of the con- 

 tents of the nest. Upon the Orioles returning, flushed with 

 their fancied victory, they discover their loss, and indulge in 

 a frantic attack on the cunning robber, if he has not already 

 made himself scarce ; during the time they are engaged 

 in this second and unequal contest, Crow No. 1 slyly returns 

 and steals that which his accomplice was unable to take 

 away. The pirates then adjourn to a neighbouring tree, 

 loudly exulting. The simple Orioles, no wiser from ex- 

 perience, after a short season spent in mourning their loss, 

 recommence preparations (frequently on the same tree) for 

 rearing another brood. Shy as these birds naturally are on 

 ordinary occasions, yet if their young are taken and con- 

 veyed even as far as a mile distant and placed in a cage any- 

 where within their reach, even though it be in an oijen 

 verandah, they will so far overcome their natural timidity as 

 to supply their young with food until long after they have 

 arrived at maturity. The young birds are very difiicult to 

 keep in confinement, they usually die suddenly, or else refuse 

 food, pine, and die when no longer attended to by their 

 parents. 



92. Oriolus indicus, Jerd. 



Swinhoe observed the Black-naped Oriole at Maupore in 

 June 1882. The bird was seen quite distinctly within a few 

 feet of it, but unfortunately no means were at hand for 

 obtaining the specimen. 



[To be couliiuied.] 



VIII.— r^e Ornithology of St. Kilda. 

 By Charles Dixon. 



(Plate III.) 

 Perhaps no part of the British Islands is more interesting 

 to the ornithologist than St. Kilda. On this bleak and 



