FOR NORTHERN INDIA 65 



departed. There is more to interest the 

 ornithologist in April than there was in 

 January. 



The bird chorus is now at its best. The 

 magpie-robin is in full song. At earliest dawn 

 he takes up a position on the topmost bough 

 of a tree and pours forth his melody in a con- 

 tinous stream. His varied notes are bright 

 and joyous. Its voice is of wide compass and 

 very powerful ; were it a little softer in tone 

 it would rival that of the nightingale. The 

 magpie-robin is comparatively silent at noon- 

 day, but from sunset until dusk he sings con- 

 tinuously. 



Throughout April the little cock sunbirds 

 deliver themselves of their vigorous canary- 

 like song. The bulbuls tinkle as blithely as 

 ever. loras, pied wagtails, pied chats, and 

 wood-shrikes continue to contribute their not 

 unworthy items to the minstrelsy of the Indian 

 countryside. The robins, having by now 

 found their true notes, are singing sweetly and 

 softly. The white-eyes are no longer content 

 to utter their usual cheeping call, the cocks 

 give vent to an exquisite warble and thereby 

 proclaim the advent of the nesting season. 

 The towee, towee, towee, of the tailor-bird, 



