388 PYCNOXOTIDjE. 



Description. Differs from M. 7i. hcemorrhous in having the black 

 of the head gradually shading into the blackish brown of the lower 

 back and the lower breast. The ear-coverts are dark chocolate- 

 brown and the whole plumage is much darker than in M. h. 

 hcemorrhous and a fortiori than that of M. h. pallidus. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris hazel or dark brown ; bill and legs 

 black, the latter rarely with a brownish tinge. 



Measurements. This is the largest of the Indian races and larger 

 than any of the other races except chn/sorrhoides. Wing 303 to 

 Hi mm. 



Distribution. The Himalayas and Sub-Himalayan terai and ad- 

 joining plains from Kumaon to East Assam ; Oudh, Northern 

 Behar ; East Bengal from about Chota Nagpur; Khasia Hills and 

 Naga Hills East to Lakhimpur; jS T .\V. Cachar. In Manipur 

 and in East Cachar the common type is burmanicus, though here, 

 as one would expect, many birds are half-way between the two. 

 In Central Cachar the birds are quite intermediate but here and 

 there, even as far West as the Khasia Hills, birds of the Burmese 

 type are not uncommon. 



Nidification. The Bengal Bed-vented Bulbul breeds freely 

 throughout its range from the level of the plains to at least 7,000 

 feet. In the plains it begins in March and continues until May, 

 many birds having a second brood after the rains break in June 

 and July. In the hills May seems to be the great breeding month 

 but eggs have been taken in practically every month of the year. 

 The nest is the usual cup-shaped affair made by all Bulbuls but is 

 possibly rather bigger and bulkier than those made by its more 

 southern cousins. It is placed in bushes or trees in gardens, 

 roadsides, orchards etc. and also in the scrub round villages. In 

 the Khasia and Cachar Hills it also breeds in thin jungle and the 

 extreme outskirts of forest. 



The normal full clutch is three or four eggs and rarely even five 

 may be laid. Typically they are rather broad obtuse ovals but they 

 vary considerably in shape. In colour again typical eggs are white 

 to strong pink or lilac-pink profusely spotted, speckled and blotched 

 with various shades of brown or reddish brown with sparser 

 secondary markings of pale lavender and neutral tint. They, 

 however, vary enormously and many eggs are extremely richly and 

 handsomely marked, whilst others are not. 200 eggs average 

 22-9 x 16-9 mm. and the extremes are 25'0 x 17'0; 24-0 x 17*5 

 and 20-9x17-5; 21-8x15-3 mm. 



Eabits. The Bengal Bed-vented Bulbul is not gregarious in the 

 true sense of the word but it is so common that it will be seen in 

 numbers wherever the country is at all suitable and there is no 

 garden of any size which does not have several resident pairs as well 

 as innumerable casual visitors. They are charming and sprightly 

 birds in their ways and actions and most of their notes are very 

 pleasant. Like many other Bulbuls they are very pugnacious and 

 during the breeding season no other Bulbul is allowed within the 



