MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 713 
of the flower of the violet in particular, and perhaps of the Violacew in 
general when as yet the competing members of the Order had not developed 
into genera, and which later by adopting the showy insect-fertilised flower, 
as in the near relative of the violet, the Viola tricolor, forced the violet either 
to adopt the same method of fertilisation or else to become extinct. For, 
with some exceptions, cross-fertilisation is more advantageous th:n self. 
fertilisation, 
In this former condition there would be no necessity for the flower to be 
conspicuous, 
Thus both the habit referred toand the cleistogamous flower are relics of 
the past, and one explains the other, 
T should be much obliged if I could receive any light on thie subject, 
St, C, THOMPSON, 
THE RETREAT, ForsyTH Roan, 
Lai Baau, 
Lucknow, 15th March, 1901. 
No. XXVI.—NESTING OF THE BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE 
ORIOLUS MELANOCEPHALUS. 
On page 360, Vol, I, of “ Hume’s Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds,’ 2nd Edi- 
tion, Oates, I find a note, by a Mr, Buchanan Hamilton, on the breeding of the 
Black-headed Oriole, Oriolus melanocephalus in Bengal, in which he describes 
anest as containing young unfledged in March, Mr. Hume says, with refer- 
ence to this, that he believes it to be a mistake, as he never found the bird 
breeding in March in Bengal. 
T have bad the same experience as Mr, Hamilton, as I found a nest a few 
days ago containing two eggs, and left them in order to get, as I thought, the 
fullclutch. Judge my astonishment when my chokra on reaching the nest 
last evening cried, “ Doo butcha,” 
I was very disappointed, as I have not got the eggs of this bird, but had to 
console myself with the knowledge of a pair of the same birds building in 
another small tope in my garden, 
Mr, Hamilton describes the nest as rude, but Mr. Hume takes objection to 
the word, I therefore leave it at that, as I think it all depends upon a per- 
son’s conception of the word. 
K. E, TOOTH. 
Dum-Douom, 20th March, 1901. 
No. XXVII.—_NESTING DIFFICULTIES OF THE COPPERSMITH, 
A pair of Coppersmiths (Xantholama hematocephala) are breeding ina tree 
in my garden, and towards sunset every evening a Blue-throated Barbet 
(Cyanops asiatica) comes and turns its smaller relatives out, taking possession 
