FOR NORTHERN INDIA 47 



complete and held the full clutch of three 

 eggs. On that date a second nest was found 

 containing three eggs. 



In 1913 the writer first saw a bulbul's nest 

 on the 5th March. This belonged to Molpastes 

 bengalensis and contained two eggs. On the 

 following day the full clutch of three was in 

 the nest. 



The nesting season for these birds termin- 

 ates in the rains. 



The common bulbuls of the plains belong 

 to two genera Molpastes and Otocompsa. The 

 former is split up into a number of local 

 species which display only small differences 

 in appearance and interbreed freely at the 

 places where they meet. They are known as 

 the Madras, the Bengal, the Punjab, etc., 

 red-vented bulbul. They are somewhat larger 

 than sparrows. The head, which bears a short 

 crest, and the face are black ; the rest of the 

 body, except a patch of bright red under the 

 tail, is brown, each feather having a pale 

 margin. 



In Otocompsa the crest is long and rises to a 

 sharp point which curves forward a little over 

 the beak. The breast is white, set off by a 

 black gorget. There is the usual red patch 



