182 CRATEKOrODID^E. 



the Western Ghats from Mahabuleshwur down the Koina and 

 "Werna valleys, and seems to have a very extended breeding-time. 

 Last year (1873) 1 took its nests in March and May on several 

 occasions, and this year I found three nests in March and April in 

 the Werna valley ; ' and the Hill people, who seem intelligent and 

 fairly trustworthy, stated that this species breeds there throughout 

 the Rains, a season when, owing to the tremendous rainfall, no 

 European can remain. If this be true they must breed at least 

 twice a year. All the nests I saw were placed in bushes from 2 

 to 4 feet high, some of them most carefully concealed amongst 

 thorns. Out of, I think, nine nests, all taken by myself personally, 

 I never found more than two eggs in any ; and on two occasions 

 last year I obtained single eggs nearly fully incubated." 



Messrs Davidson and Wenden, writing of the Deccan, remark : 

 " Commonish in wooded localities. D. took several nests in the 

 Satara Hills in March and the two following months." 



Captain Butler writes : " The Red-whiskered Bulbul is common 

 at Mount Aboo and breeds in March, April, and May. The nest 

 is usually placed in low bushes from 4 to 8 feet from the ground, 

 and is a neat cup-shaped structure composed externally of fibrous 

 roots and dry grass-stems, and lined with fine grass, horsehair, &c. 

 Round the edge and woven into the outside I have generally found 

 small spiders' nests looking like lumps of wool. The eggs, usually 

 two but sometimes three in number, are of a pinkish-white colour, 

 covered all over with spots and blotches and streaks of purplish or 

 lake-red, forming a dense confluent cap at the large end. A nest 

 1 examined on the 24th April contained two nestlings almost ready 

 tony. 



" On the 3rd May, 1875, I took a nest in a low carinda bush, 

 containing two fresh eggs." 



Mr. C. J. W. Taylor, writing from Manzeerabad, Mysore, says : 

 " Most abundant in the wooded district. Common everywhere. 

 Eggs taken March and April. On the 5th July, 1883, I procured 

 a nest of this species with three pure white eggs. I found it in a 

 coffee-bush the day before leaving, so snared parent bird to make 

 sure it was 0. fuscicaudata, or otherwise should have left a couple 

 of the eggs to see if young would turn out true to parents." 



Captain Horace Terry states that on the Pulney hills this species 

 is " a most common bird, found wherever there are bushes. In 

 the small bushes along the banks of the streams is a very favourite 

 place. I found several nests with usually two, but sometimes 

 three eggs." 



Mr. Benjamin Aitken tells us : " I never saw this bird in the 

 plains, but it is, perhaps without exception, the commonest bird 

 at Matheran, Khandalla, and other hill-stations in the Bombay 

 Presidency. I have found the nests, always with eggs in May, 

 placed from four to seven feet from the ground, and often in the 

 most exposed situations. It is not unusual to find only two eggs in 

 a nest. The bird is not in the least shy, and sets up no clatter, like 

 the Common Bulbul, when its nest is disturbed." 



