THE BULBULS. 89 



For all I have said, the Bulbul is a silly bird. 

 Being of a social and domestic disposition, it always 

 has a wife, and would like to have a family, to which 

 end it collects thin roots and twigs and makes a neat, 

 if not artistic, cup-shaped nest. But as it sticks the 

 thing in any wayside bush and visits it fussily many 

 times a day, the crow knows exactly where it is and 

 takes the eggs, one by one, as they are laid, if they 

 have not been taken already by a snake or by the big 

 red-throated goblin lixard. The Bulbul is sorry, but 

 not discouraged. It makes another nest and lays 

 three eggs more, which are taken like the first. So it 

 plays the part in nature of a domestic hen, providing 

 fresh eggs for others to eat. But sometimes a nest, 

 luckily placed, escapes detection, and the Bulbul 

 becomes a happy father. The eggs are pinkish white, 

 richly spotted and blotched with claret colour. The 

 scientific name of this poor bird, I am ashamed to say," 

 is Pycnonotits hcemorrhous . 



First cousin to the Common Bulbul is the still more 

 sprightly Red-whiskered Bulbul (Otocampm jocosa 

 in Jerdon), whose crest rises to a sharp point and 

 curves forward a little over the beak. It is a very 

 perky little head-dress, and milliners might take a 

 hint from it, but the girl would need to have an 

 appropriate nose. It would not suit a Roman. The 

 Red-whiskered Bulbul is the bird that enlivens all our 

 hill stations with its vivacity, but it is not so common 

 in Bombay as the other. It is of a glossy hair-brown 

 hue on the upper parts and whitish on the under, but 

 the cheeks (or ears) of the male are crimson and those 

 of the female pure white. A dark brown gorget, or 

 necklace, which does not quite meet in front, makes 



