THE BHIMRAJ 231 



indulges in these metallic calls early in 



the mornings and evenings. A favourite 



pastime with the Bhimraj is mocking all 



sorts of birds around it. It has been 



heard to imitate perfectly such different 



birds as the Malabar Black Woodpecker, 



Malabar Grey Hornbill, Cuculus mic- 



roi^terus and Eudynamis honor ata. 



This stalwart bird breeds and rears 



up its young between the months of April 



and June. It always selects 

 Nests and i • x o ,- ^ ,t 



Eo^as ^^ nestmg, and the 



nest is built at inaccessible 

 places. The extreme tip of a branch, 

 on the top of a tree about 20 to 25 

 feet from the ground, is the place 

 generally chosen. Here in a fork, the 

 cup- shaped nest is clumsily built up of 

 twigs and creepers, with an inner lining 

 of dry grass. The nest hangs like a cradle 

 below the fork to which it is strongly 

 attached. Three is the usual number of 

 a clutch of eggs, which are long ovals, 

 pointed towards the small end and without 



