UROLONCHA. 343 



" The gi-eat majority migrate, as already mentiond, to the h)w 

 country during the cold season, and return when the small grains, 

 millets, and the like (cultivated so abundantly by the hill-tribes)' 

 are just beginning to come into ear. I have, however, observed 

 one or two of these birds among flocks of Amaduvats during the 

 mouth of December. 



" I have watched witli great interest the punctual rutaru year 

 after year of these pretty, friendly little birds, and have very care- 

 fully noted their behaviour and habits. In selecting a place to 

 build on they sit on a twig, and raising themselves as high as 

 possible, flap their wings over their backs to ascertain that no small 

 branches are likely to obstruct the progress of their building, thus 

 appearing to be fully aware that their nest will occupy a good deal 

 of space. When perfectly satisfied as to the convenience of the 

 spot, the female remains there while the male flies to a short 

 distance, alights on the ground, and breaking off a piece of fine 

 long grass flies back with it to the female, and continues to bring 

 her at least one piece every minute, while she carries on the 

 building-process alone. 



"They begin early and build for an hour or so, then leave it till 

 evening and work late, keeping up an incessant cry of ' Kittv. 

 Kitty, Kitty.' ^ j. 



^ " The nest is composed entirely of grass ; the entrance is at one 

 side, a small round hole, so small that two fingers can hardly be 

 inserted. They build in July and August, and lay from six to ten 

 white eggs, so beautifully translucent that the yolk is clearly seen 

 through the shell. When the young are fully fledged they accom- 

 pany their parents to the grain-fields, but continue to return to 

 their nests every evening for a long time after they ha\e left them 

 entirely during the day. 



" How they all manage to get in is wonderful ; the nest appears 

 perfectly full, and they seem to be restless and uncomfortable for 

 some minutes after entering. In the morning they fly out one by 

 one ; those that go first wait for the others on some bush close by; 

 when all are out away they fly in a flock, and are not visible near 

 their nest during the rest of the day. At one time I counted no 

 less than fourteen nests of these birds in the trellis of our verandah 

 and windo\\ s ; besides these there were others in the garden on 

 orange-trees and scarlet geraniums, which latter here often grow 

 to the height of 6 and 8 feet. Natives frequently go to the nests 

 of these birds during the night, and suddenly shutting up the hole 

 carry off the nest with all its contents, which sometimes amount 

 to twelve birds, parents and young included. 



"I have known instances of the House-Sparrow taking pos- 

 session of the Spotted Manias' nests. They wait till the latter 

 have finished building, and then (being mueh bolder birds) 

 drive the poor Munias away, and, adding to the warmth of the 

 nest by a number of feathers, appropriate it to their own use. 

 On one occasion a pair of these Munias had taken a fancy to the 

 trellis at my window. When their nest was completed, an iniper- 



