THE KA3TURA 199 



colour of the site. If an easily accessible 

 spot on a sloping mossy bank is selected, 

 the nest is so worked into and woven with 

 moss as to be absolutely invisible both 

 from above and below. But built on a 

 rock, in the midst of a roaring torrent, not 

 the least attempt at concealment is made ; 

 the nest lies open to view, — not even the 

 materials are adapted to the surroundings. 

 The nest is made of coarse fibre intermixed 

 with a little green moss. When the nest 

 is so placed that it is entirely concealed 

 from view, the externa] coating of green 

 moss is discarded, being unnecessary^ Birds, 

 it seems, exercise not only ingenuity but 

 intelligence also in such activities. The 

 interior lining is composed of dry roots, dead 

 leaves and all sorts of decaying vegetation. 

 The egg-cavity is saucer-shaped and shallow. 

 Tlie female Kastura lays two to three eggs, 

 and the male has courtesy enough to assist 

 her in incubation. The eggs are the largest 

 of Indian Thrushes' eggs. They are long 

 ovals and possess no gloss. The colour is 



