THE YELLOW^EYED BABBLER 235 



bushes. It is not so clannish as most of its brethren ; 

 sometimes a small party of six or seven feed in com- 

 pany, but more often only solitary birds or pairs are 

 seen. They hop about in and out of small bushes or 

 on the ground, industriously seeking out the small 

 beetles and other insects on which they prey. Every 

 now and then one of these sprightly birds permits itself 

 a little relaxation in the shape of a sweet melody, which 

 it composes and pours forth from the summit of a 

 convenient bush. Its more usual note is described by 

 Jerdon as "a loud sibilant whistle"; it also utters a 

 variety of chattering sounds, which proclaim it a true 

 babbler. 



For an Indian bird it is shy ; if it sees that it is 

 being watched it quickly disappears into cover. 



The nest of this species is a veritable work of art. 

 Its usual form is that of an inverted cone, composed of 

 dried grass, fibres, or other suitable material very com- 

 pactly and neatly woven, the whole being plastered 

 over exteriorly with cobweb, which, as I have said 

 before, is the cement generally used by bird artisans. 

 The well-built little nursery is sometimes wedged into 

 a forked branch of a tree ; more often it will be found 

 snugly tucked away in a bush. In the Punjab the 

 nest is very frequently found attached to the stalks 

 of growing millet, in much the same way as a reed- 

 warbler's nest is fastened to reeds. The babbler 

 weaves its nest round a couple of adjacent stalks, so 

 that these are worked into its walls. A nest which is 

 thus supported by two stalks is in shape like the cocked 

 hat worn by a political officer. 



