Birds of the Indian Hills 



they pass. Bulbuls eat insects, but not when 

 fruit is available. Like all birds bulbuls have 

 large appetites. Recently I saw an Otocompsa 

 devour three wild raspberries within as many 

 minutes, each berry was swallowed at one gulp 

 — a surprising feat, considering the small size 

 of the bird's bill. 



A bulbul's nest is a beautifully-shaped cup, 

 usually placed in a bush at about 3 feet from 

 the ground. As a rule, the bulbul selects an 

 exposed site for its nest ; in consequence many 

 of the eggs are devoured by lizards. Crows 

 in particular are addicted to young bulbuls, and 

 take full advantage of the simplicity of the 

 parent birds. Probably, three out of four 

 broods never reach maturity. But the bulbul 

 is a philosophic little bird. It never cries over 

 broken eggs. If one clutch is destroyed it 

 lays another. 



The yellow-browed bulbul {lole icteria) de- 

 mands notice in passing, because it is common 

 on the minor ranges. Its upper plumage is 

 greenish yellow, the wings being darker than 

 the back. The lower parts are canary yellow ; 

 the bird has also a yellow ring round the eye. 

 Its note has been described as a soft, mellow 



whistle. 



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