9346 Notices of Books. 
jumping from side to side of the aviary, responding to each other.” 
—P. 67. . 
This is exactly what is wanted in British Ornithology : the dryer or 
museum department of the. subject is performed to admiration ; but 
that the bird once lived and breathed is almost entirely forgotten. 
But to proceed :— 
“ The Common Madras Bulbul (Pycnonotus hemorhous).—It fre- 
quents gardens and cultivated ground, and low bushy jungle, but is 
never found in forests, and it ascends the Neilgherries to about 6000 
feet only. It is usually seen in pairs or in small families, flying briskly 
about, restless and inquisitive, feeding chiefly on fruits, but occasionally 
descending to the ground, and even hopping a step or two and picking 
up insects. It destroys various buds and blossoms also, and is very 
destructive to peas, strawberries, Brazil cherries (Physalis peruviana), 
and other soft fruit. Its note, which it is frequently uttering, is an 
unmusical rather harsh chirrup. It has at times, however, a sweeter 
note, and it is said to be able to imitate the notes of other birds when 
caged. Its flight is direct, performed by a continued quick flapping 
of the wings. It breeds from June to September, according to the 
locality. The nest is rather neat, cup-shaped, made of roots and grass, 
lined with hair, fibres and spiders’ webs, placed at no great height in 
a shrub or hedge. The eggs are pale pinkish, with spots of darker 
lake-red, most crowded at the thick end. Burgess describes them as 
rich madder-colour, spotted and blotched with gray and madder-brown; 
Layard as pale cream, with darker markings. The bulbul is very 
commonly caged in various parts of the country, and in the Carnatic 
it is kept for fighting, being held on the finger with a cord attached. 
They fight sometimes with great spirit, often, I am assured, seizing 
their antagonist by the red feathers and endeavouring to pull them out. 
When excited they often spread out these feathers laterally, so as to 
be seen even from above.”—P. 95. 
Truth is ever subversive of fiction, and this is no exception. Alas ! 
that the bulbul, the very emblem of love, gentleness and melody, the 
affianced bride of the rose in the entire literature of the East, should 
be kept for fighting, and tethered by a packthread. 
“ The Black-headed Green Bulbul (lora Zeylonica). It may be seen 
in almost every garden in the South of India. Its habits are more 
active and restless than those of any other member of this family, being 
much like those of the tits. It may be seen diligently and carefully 
searching the smaller branches and twigs of trees, climbing actively 
among them, poring under the leaves, and occasionally clinging like a 
