OEIOLUS. 355 



internal cavity 3| inches in diameter and over 2| deep. I have 

 seen others scarcely over 2| inches in diameter and not 2 in depth, 

 which you could have put bodily, twigs and all, inside the former. 

 As a rule, the purse is strong and compact, the material closely 

 matted and firmly bound together ; but I have seen very flimsy 

 structures, through which it was quite possible to see the eggs. 



Four is the greatest number of eggs I have ever found in one 

 nest, but it is quite common to find only three well-incubated 

 ones. 



Colonel C. H. T. Marshall reports having found several nests 

 of this species about Murree at low elevations. 



Mr. W. Blewitt tells me that he obtained two nests near Hansie 

 on the 1st and 14th July respectively. The nests (which he kindly 

 sent) were of the usual type, and were placed, the one on an 

 acacia, the other on a loquat tree, at heights of 10 and 12 feet 

 from the ground. Each contained three eggs, the one clutch much 

 incubated, the other perfectly fresh. 



Dr. Scully writes : " The Indian Oriole is a seasonal visitant to 

 the valley of Nepal, arriving about the 1st of April and departing 

 in August. It frequents some of the central w r oods, gardens, 

 and groves, and breeds in May and June." 



Colonel J. Biddulph remarks regarding the nidification of this 

 Oriole in Gilgit : " A summer visitant and common. Appears 

 about the 1st of May. Nest with three eggs hard-set, taken 8th of 

 June ; several other nests taken later on." 



Writing from near Rohtuk, Mr. E. B. Blewitt says : " The 

 breeding-season is from the middle of May to July. The nest is 

 made on large trees, and always suspended between the fork of a 

 branch. 1 have certainly obtained more nests from the tamarind 

 than any other kind of tree. 



"The nest is cup -shaped, light, neat, and compact. The ave- 

 rage outer diameter is 4-8 inches ; the inner or cup-cavity about 3'6. 

 Hemp-like fibre is almost exclusively used in the exterior structure 

 of the nest, and by this it is firmly secured to the two limbs of the 

 fork. Cleverly indeed is this work performed, the hemp being 

 well wrapped round the stems and then brought again into the 

 outer framework. Occasionally bits of cloth, thread pieces, 

 vegetable fibres, &c. are introduced. On one occasion I got a 

 nest with a cast-off snake-skin neatly worked into the outer 

 material. 



" The lining of the egg-cavity is simply fine grass, if we except 

 the occasional capricious addition of a feather or two, an odd piece 

 of cotton or rag, &c. Three appears to be the regular number of 

 eggs. This bird is to be found in small numbers all over the 

 country here ; its habits are well described by Jerdon. It is, as I 

 have observed, hard to please in its choice of a nest site. I have 

 watched it for days going backwards and forwards, from tree to 

 tree and from fork to fork, before it made up its mind where to 

 commence work." 



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