of the Calcutta District. 43 



very shy and wary, and the nest is difficult to find. I once 

 saw one of these birds fly out of a clump of bushes closely 

 pursued by a King Crow, which seized the tip of the longest 

 tail-feather of the Tree-Pie in its beak, and hung on to it for 

 some distance, being " towed " through all the undulations 

 in the flight of the Pie. 



This bird feeds on fruit, insects, &c., and is never seen on 

 the ground, being entirely a tree-haunting species. 



4. Ckateropus canorus. (Jungle Babbler.) 



This is the only Babbler found in the district around 

 Titaghur, and is a very common resident, generally distributed, 

 inhabiting compounds, orchards, and jungle of every sort. 

 The greater number lay in April, though I have found full- 

 grown young as early as the middle of March. The hen 

 bird sits very close, and will often allow the nest to be 

 touched before flying ofi". On May 18, 3890, I found a nest 

 containing four eggs, built on the uppermost ring of fruit on 

 a bunch of plantains. The birds feed principally on white 

 ants, but also on other insects, and may often be seen in small 

 parties turning over the leaves in search of food. 



5. -5^GiTHiNA TiPHiA. (Commou lora.) 



The lora is a common resident species and generally 

 distributed, frequenting especially gardens and orchards. 

 These birds probably have two broods in a year, one about 

 April and the other in August or September. When their 

 nests are meddled with the old birds are most vociferous, 

 crying and fluttering about quite close, and often making a 

 curious buzzing noise with their wings. In the breeding- 

 season the males have very little black on the upper parts, 

 being chiefly yellowish green on the head and back, and 

 differing but very little from the winter plumage. 



6. MoLPASTES BENGALExsis. (Bengal Rcd-vcutcd Bulbul.) 

 A very common bird, resident and generally distributed ; 



though mostly seen in pairs, they sometimes assemble in 

 large numbers when attracted by a quantity of food. They 

 usually lay in April and May, and I have found a nest built 

 in a heap of cut wood, which contained two large young ones 



