in and around Liicknow, 193 



hundreds." I considered myself fortunate, therefore, to 

 have found two nests this year, one containing three, and 

 the other four eggs, marked in this manner. The Common 

 Weaver-bird [Ploceus bay a) appears to breed about here during 

 September and October, though in most other parts of India 

 they seem to begin earlier. One nest that I found con- 

 tained four eggs, a very unusual number, two being but 

 rarely exceeded. 



The small number of eggs in a clutch is remarkable in 

 India. Three is the average, but many species lay only two, 

 while in Europe I have usually found an average of four or 

 five in each clutch. Probably in colder climates a larger 

 percentage of the young die, and consequently more eggs 

 are laid to allow for accidents. 



Another noticeable fact is the large number of species which 

 lay two, and sometimes three, distinct types of egg. The 

 common " King-Crow'^ lays sometimes a pure white e^^, at 

 other times a salmon or pinkish e^^ spotted with brown and 

 red. The eggs of the Tailor-bird may be either blue with 

 small red dots, or white with red blotches. I have already 

 referred to the differences in the eggs of the Tree-Pie and in 

 those of the Earth-brown Wren-Warbler. In no case do 

 you find, two types in the same nest, nor, so far as I have 

 observed, does the parent of one type of egg ever produce 

 one of the other. 



A third, peculiarity that I have noticed very often, though 

 I have seen no reference to it in the various books that I 

 have read, is the gregarious instinct of Indian birds. I 

 have often tramped miles wdthout seeing a nest, in places 

 ■which would appear to be perfectly adapted, and then have 

 come suddenly across quite a number close together. 



On one occasion, for instance, when walking along the 

 railway line, I saw a Golden Oriole fly across into some 

 sheshum trees. On following, I discovered, her nest about 

 6 feet from the ground, ready for eggs. On the next tree 

 were nests and eggs of the Red Turtledove, Red-vented 

 Bulbul, and King-Crow ; and on the next tree to that were 

 two Crow's nests. On another occasion I found the House- 



