200 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



the garden. Where suitable grass-land is present 

 tit-larks begin to frequent it in large numbers at 

 the onset of the hot weather in spring, and are 

 very soon busily engaged in building their nests 

 under strong tufts of grass, or beneath projecting 

 clods or other objects affording special shelter. 

 Though one may feel quite sure that a nest is 

 being built, it is by no means an easy matter to 

 find it, owing to the extreme precautions that the 

 owners take in nearing it. By the help of a field 

 glass it is easy enough to mark down the places 

 at which the birds alight in coming in, but this 

 by no means determines the exact site of the 

 nest, as they never go directly to it, but always 

 pitch at some distance, and then creep quietly 

 onwards through the long grass. The best plan is 

 to watch the birds carefully as they alight, and, if 

 possible, note the direction in which they move 

 on ; then to walk rapidly up to the point, keeping 

 the eyes fixed upon it while doing so in order to 

 avoid the confusion arising from the uniformity of 

 the grassy surface ; and finally to examine carefully 

 and methodically all the strongest tufts of grass 

 or other likely objects within a certain radius. 

 By following this procedure the nest may some- 

 times be found almost at once, but the discovery 

 is oftener a work of much time and patient search. 

 The nests are deeply cup-shaped hollows set in 

 beneath overarching blades of grass or other pro- 



