24 GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS 



with the object of trying to account for the alleged 

 phenomenon, and the result of my efforts is that I 

 have never seen more than one cock and one hen at a 

 nest, whether it be under construction or whether it 

 contain eggs or young. Moreover, I have not come 

 across any naturalist other than Mr. Jesse who has 

 seen more than two birds at the nest. I am therefore 

 driven to the conclusion that minivets are monogamous 

 birds and that the observation recorded by Mr. Jesse 

 is faulty, that the presence of the second female was 

 due to the chance visit of an outsider. Possibly, since 

 there seem to be more hen minivets than cocks, there is 

 considerable competition among the hens for cocks, 

 and it may happen that the hen who has set her cap at 

 a cock in vain may stay on in the vicinity for some time 

 after her rejection. 



