Nest of the Grey-winged Ouzel 



sound, and always retaining hold of the beakful 

 of caterpillars. After a little the hen returned 

 with her bill full of caterpillars, but she did 

 not venture within 75 feet of the nest. I was 

 not permitted to observe how long it would 

 take the parental instinct to overcome the 

 natural timidity of the birds. The sky sud- 

 denly became overcast, and a few minutes later 

 I found myself enveloped in what the Scotch 

 call a " wet mist." At certain seasons of the 

 year rain storms come up as unexpectedly in 

 the Himalayas as they do in the Grampians. 



The rain put a final end to my observations 

 on that nest, as I had to leave Naini Tal on the 

 following day — an event which caused more 

 sorrow to me than to the ouzels ! 



163 



