FOR NORTHERN INDIA 91 



the Birds. The nest of the oriole is a wonderful 

 structure. Having selected a fork in a suitable 

 branch, the nesting bird tears off a long strip 

 of soft pliable bark, usually that of the mul- 

 berry tree. It proceeds to wind one end of 

 this strip round a limb of the forked branch, 

 then the other end is similarly bound to the 

 other limb. A second and a third strip of 

 bark are thus dealt with, and in this manner 

 a cradle or hammock is formed. On it 

 a slender cup-shaped nest is superimposed. 

 This is composed of grasses and fibres, some 

 of which are wound round the limbs of the 

 forked branch, while others are made fast to 

 the strands of bark. The completed nest is 

 nearly five inches in diameter. From below it 

 looks like a ball of dried grass wedged into the 

 forked branch. 



The oriole lays from two to four white eggs 

 spotted with dull red. The spots can be 

 washed off by water ; sometimes their colour 

 " runs " while they are in the nest, thereby 

 imparting a pink hue to the whole shell. Both 

 sexes take part in nest construction, but the 

 hen alone appears to incubate. She is a very 

 shy creature, and is rarely discovered actually 

 sitting, because she leaves the nest with a little 



