MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 831 



pricked birds remain behind to breed. These eggs were, however, taken 

 before the return migration and were those of birds who reside here, for 

 they are to be met with throughout the cold weather but not in large 

 numbers. If I happen to be here next breeding season, I will try and go 

 deeper into the subject.* 



The Eosy Pastor, Pastor roseus. This bird does not breed here, but 

 passes through in great numbers in March and April, all heading West, for 

 that purpose. It really is most interesting to watch the bird-stream 

 migrating, all oneway. A flight may occasionally wheel round, but only for 

 a short distance, perhaps to get its bearings, when round, it comes again. 

 I saw the first flight of returning birds, some 50, on the 3rd July. There 

 was only one. It was not till the 20th, that I saw them in any numbers. 

 They were then all following the Ferozepore-Ludhiana Road. Flight after 

 flight, all flying swift and low, like an army hurrying up reinforcements and 

 in deadly earnest. They did not hesitate, settle or look around, but went 

 straight on. I rather wondered why ? Since then, the main body has 

 arrived. They are to be seen evei-ywhere and do not seem in any hurry to 

 move on, in fact seem quite contented with Ferozepore. 



The place I call "Bulbul Cantonments" consists of two long narrow 

 strips of country, about 40 yards wide, extending some 2 miles on each side 

 of the Grand Trunk Road, 5 miles out from Ferozepore. It is studded with 

 low trees, thorn bushes and tussocks of Sarkari grass. In this patch, I have 

 taken the eggs of the Rufous-fronted Wren Warbler, I ranJdinia buchanani, 

 the Streaked Wren Warbler, Prinia lepida, White-eared Bulbul, Molpastes 

 leucogaster and found the nest of the Long-tailed Grass Warbler, Laticilla 

 btcrnesi. 



The Rufous-fronted Wren Warbler, FranMinia buchanani, is fairly com- 

 mon and draws attention to itself by its merry song, which it delights in. 

 Its nest is invariably placed low down in a thorny bush, usually ber, almost 

 on the ground. It is domed, well and strongly constructed with a side 

 entrance. The only way to find it is to watch the bird building, as the nest 

 is so well concealed that it is next to impossible to discover it in any other 

 way. I took most of my eggs in August. Four appear to be the full comple- 

 ment. The process of extracting the eggs from the nest is painful, ^s it is 

 surrounded with thorns. In fact, I found thorns actually protruding through 

 the bottom of the nest, which must make it very uncomfortable for the 

 incubating bird. 



The Streaked Wren Warbler, Prinia le-pida. This little fellow has a very 

 indifi"erent little lay, doubtless it possesses charms for his lady, judging by 

 the way he persistently pours it forth, " twitting " from here to there. 

 The nest is domed and very similar, though lighter in construction, to that 

 of the Rufous-fronted Wren Warbler. It is either situated in a tussock of 

 Sarkari grass or low down in a thorn bush. The usual complement is 4, 

 but I have taken 5 eggs from a nest. I took the eggs in July and August, 

 doubtless it may breed earlier and later. 



The White-eared Bulbul, Molpastes leucogaster. This bird does not 

 migrate from " Bulbul Cantonments." I have seen, it there at every season 



* An interesting- note on this subject will be found at p. 200, Vol. XXII., of our 

 Journal, where Capt. Lindsay Smith described the breeding of the Common or 

 Grey-Quail in the Lyallpur District of the Punjab. — Eds. 

 27 



