48 A BIRD CALENDAR 



under the tail and a patch of the same hue on 

 each side of the face, whence the English name 

 for the bird the red-whiskered bulbul. 



Molpastes and Otocompsa have similar 

 habits. They are feckless little birds that 

 build cup-shaped nests in all manner of queer 

 and exposed situations. Those that live near 

 the habitations of Europeans nestle in low 

 bushes in the garden, or in pot plants in the 

 verandah. Small crotons are often selected, 

 preferably those that do not bear a score of 

 leaves. The sitting bulbul does not appear to 

 mind the daily shower-bath it receives when 

 the mail waters the plant. Sometimes as many 

 as three or four pairs of bulbuls attempt to rear 

 up families in one verandah. The word 

 " attempt " is used advisedly, because, owing 

 to the exposed situations in which nests are 

 built, large numbers of eggs and young bulbuls 

 are destroyed by boys, cats, snakes and other 

 predaceous creatures. The average bulbul 

 loses six broods for every one it succeeds in 

 rearing. The eggs are pink with reddish 

 markings. 



March is the month in which to look for the 

 nest of the Indian wren-warbler (Prinia 

 inornata). Inornata is a very appropriate 



