FURREEDPORE, EASTERN BENGAL. 281 



461.— Molpastes pygaeus, Bodgs. 



Excessively common and a permanent resident ; commits great 

 havoc in gardens amongst tomatoes and chillies, the red colour 

 of which seems to attract it. Builds its nest in very exposed 

 places and at all heights from two to thirty feet off the ground, in 

 bushes and trees. One nest I saw containing two young ones, 

 on the 28th June, was built on a small date tree which stood 

 on the side of a road along which people were passing all day, 

 and within six feet of it. The nest was only five feet from 

 the ground, but the materials of which it was made and the 

 colour of the bird assimilated so perfectly with the bark of 

 the tree that detection was difficult. I have found the nests 

 with eggs from the 3rd of April to the end of June ; dead leaves 

 and cobwebs were incorporated with the twigs and grasses in all 

 nests which I have seen ; in Dacca the natives keep these birds 

 for fighting purposes ; large sums are lost at times on these 

 combats. 



468. — Iora tiphia, Lin. 



l\th May 1878, Male. — Length, 5*58 ; expanse, 775 ; wing, 

 2*46; tail from vent, 2*0; tarsus, 0*75; bill from gape, 0-75; 

 at front, 0*58; closed wings fall short of end of tail, 1*46; 

 weight, 062 oz. Legs, feet and claws leaden blue ; irides whitey 

 brown ; bill dull smalt blue, with the centre of upper-mandible 

 black ; mouth, inside inky black. Showed signs of breeding. 



IQth June, Female. — Length, 5*80; expanse, 7*50; wing, 

 2-33 ; tail from vent, 2*33 ; tarsus, O70 j bill from gape, 075 ; 

 at front, 056 ; closed wings fall short of end of tail, 1*50 ; 

 weight, 0*62 oz. Legs, pale plumbeous; irides greyish; bill 

 plumbeous, except ridge, which is dark horny ; mouth, inside 

 blue black. 



lOlh June, Male. — Length, 5 - 42 ; expanse, 7*50 ; wing, 2*42 ; 

 tail from vent, 2*12 ; tarsus, 0'68 ; bill from gape, 0*75 ; at 

 front, 0'56 ; closed wings fall short of end of tail, 1*30 ; weight, 

 0-62 oz. Irides greyish brown; legs dark plumbeous; mouth, 

 inside deep blue black ; bill plumbeous ; ridge dark horny. The 

 above were a pair shot while going about my garden, and on dis- 

 section showed signs of breeding ; tail of this male tipped yellow. 



Very common, and a permanent resident ; frequents gardens, 

 orchards and hedgerows, and breeds in the district, although I 

 failed to fiud the nest. I have never seen it descend to the 

 ground ; lives on insects. 



472.— Oriolus melanocephalus, Lin. 



25lh April 1878, Female.— Length, 8*58; expanse, 14*50; 

 wing, 4-92 ; tail from vent, 325 ; tarsus, 0'83 ; bill from gape, 



