316 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI 



No. VIII— NESTING OF THE WHITE-BROWED BUSH BULBUL 

 (PYCTONOTUS BITEOLUS) IN GUZERAT. 



Oates remarks, in compiling Hume's " Nests ard Eggs of Indian Birds," 

 that, although the White-browed Bush Bulbul is common in parts of India, 

 only two of his correspondents, Messrs. B. & E. Aitken, appear to have obtained 

 the nest or eggs. The late Lieut. H. E. Barnes found them breeding in 

 July and August at Sion neai' Bombay (see page 249, vol. iv, of the Society's 

 Journal) ; he also states that Mr. Davidson discovered them doing the fame 

 along the Kanara Coast. I have now found them breeding here (Baroda), for 

 I took a nest on the 25th June and another on the 29th, each containing two 

 eggs. I believe this to be the first occasion on which they have been found 

 to breed here : they are fairly plentiful, but, owing to their lurking habit of 

 frequenting low and dense thickets, the nests are difficult to discover. Both 

 those I found were situated between 3 and 4 feet from the ground ; one was 

 more or less suspended, being attached to several twigs on different branches, 

 towards the extremities of an overhanging shrub, while the other was on a 

 slender shrub ; they were both well concealed from view. The nests are of 

 the bulbul (Molpastes hoemorrhous) type, only of slighter build ; they are more 

 shallow or saucer-shaped ; the materials used being fine twigs and stems, with 

 an apology for a lining, a certain amount of cobweb was also employed, and 

 a leaf incorporated in one nest. I did not see the birds constructing the nests, 

 but I should say the twigs, &c., had been plucked off shrubs and not picked 

 up from the ground. In both instances I found an old nest, last year's pro- 

 bably, in close proximity. I have noticed these birds invariably frequent the 

 same thicket ; it is, therefore, more than likely they build annually in or near 

 the same locality. Two eggs would appear to be the full complement, at any 

 rate in this place, and as I left the first nest for a couple of days, no more 

 eggs were laid. On blowing both clutches, I found incubation had commenced. 

 The eggs are of the bulbul type — white ground, profusely marked with claret 

 and purplish-red ; at the same time they could hardly be mistaken for those 

 of the common Madras Bulbul. When first taken and before blowing, they 

 were of a very dark colour, almost purple, but since they have faded consider- 

 ably, though kept in a box away from light. 



I wonder if other egg collectors have had the same experience as myself 

 regarding destruction of nests. I have found at least half a dozen or more 

 nests of the White-spotted fantail (Rhipidura pectoralis), but, as yet, have not 

 obtained the eggs. The same fatality appears to hang over many other 

 species. In the case of the Iora (CEgithnia tiphia) I have found a dozen 

 nests or more, and have only got three eggs ; they appear to construct many 

 nests, and then desert, for no reason whatever so far as I can judge. Can it 

 be that they are in want of employment ! 



The breeding season is in full swing here, and egg collectors can have a royal 

 time, I have found the following birds : — Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone 



