52 A BIRD CALENDAR 



The cocks of most species are arrayed in scarlet 

 and black ; the hens are not a whit less brilliantly 

 attired in yellow and sable. One species lives 

 entirely in the plains, others visit them in the 

 cold weather ; the majority are permanent 

 residents of the hills. The solitary denizen 

 of the plains the little minivet (Pericrocotus 

 peregrinus) is the least resplendent of them 

 all. Its prevailing hue is slaty grey, but the 

 cock has a red breast and some red on the back. 

 The nest is a cup so small as either to be 

 invisible from below or to present the appear- 

 ance of a knot or thickening in the branch on 

 which it is placed. Sometimes two broods are 

 reared in the course of the year one in 

 March, April or May and the other during 

 the rainy season. 



The cuckoo-shrike (Grauculus macii) is not 

 nearly related to the cuckoo, nor has it the 

 parasitic habits of the latter. Its grey plumage 

 is barred like that of the common cuckoo, 

 hence the adjective. The cuckoo-shrike is 

 nearly as big as a dove. It utters constantly 

 a curious harsh call. It keeps much to the 

 higher branches of trees in which it conceals, 

 with great care, its saucer-like nest. 



As we have seen, some coppersmiths and 



