416 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY FiOOIETY, 1892, 



This bird and the Bengal form are equally common in North 

 Cachar and often keep one another company when they assemble 

 in their immense flocks during the cold weather. Both species are 

 semi-migratory in their habits and move from one part of the district 

 to another, but the reason why they do so is not easy to give, for 

 beyond the fact that they, like most other birds, are to be found 

 higher in the hot weather than in the cold season, they seem 

 to move about independently of food-supply or time of the year. 

 Thus in the year 1892, about Gunjong itself, that is to say, about 

 the centre of the district, both types were equally common. In 1891, 

 during April, May and June, I did not come across a single Bengal 

 bird, whereas in the previous year it was just the other way, and no 

 Burmese birds were to be met with. Grenerally speaking, as regards 

 distribution, the Burmese bird is the common form to the east, 

 and, to the extreme south-east, may be said to be the only type 

 obtainable, M. hengoXensis only appearing there as a rare straggler. 

 In the plains it is uncommon ; some years a fair number may be 

 seen, in other years none. To the north, towards the Assam Yalley, 

 I believe it never wanders, and to the west only very rarely. In the 

 centre, as I have already said, it seems to wander backwards and 

 forwards. 



Strange to say, in spite of these birds being so much intermixed, 

 I have never yet come across a distinct hybrid, nor have I ever 

 found the two species pairing together, though I have on several 

 occasions shot both male and female from a nest on purpose to find 

 out whether such inter-breeding ever does occur. 



They are I think the boldest birds I know. I have already 

 mentioned a nest built in a pomegranate tree in my garden. This 

 nest is visited by me every morning and evening, and my hand is 

 inserted to find out if the eggs are hatched or not : whilst I am 

 doing this the birds, if they are present — often they are both absent — sit 

 close by and watch, and as soon as I go fly to the nest to seetheir eggs, 

 and then go oS without further fuss. Now, after having seen me so 

 regularly, they show no excitement when I visit the nest, and appear to 

 consider it a matter of course that I should do so. The third nest I 

 mentioned was first found by a Naga mali, who took it out of the tree 

 and brought it to me, but by my orders it was at once replaced, upon 



