1078 JOUHyAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol XXI. 



excellence the ones which are chosen for nesting : I have never yet found a 

 nest on an oak, though Hume records having done so. According to him 

 the Deodar, by which he apparently meant the Himalayan Cedar, Cedrus 

 deodara, is the favourite. Out of a total number of 29 nests, which have 

 come under observation during the last few years, I find that the results in 

 regard to the selection of trees by these birds are as follows : — 



Himalayan Cedars {Cedrus deodara) . . . . 16 nests. 



Blue Pines (Pimis e.rceha) . . . . . . 11 „ 



Kharki trees (Celtis australis ?) , . . . . . 2 „ 



When a Himalayan Cedar has been chosen, the nest is invariably placed 

 on the upper surface of one of the horizontal branches, generally towards 

 the extremity ; and in the case of a Blue Pine, in one of the uppermost 

 forks or tufts. In the " Kharki " trees, the two nests were built on the 

 outer ends of the branches, where they had been pollarded for the village 

 cattle. They were all firmly attached to the boughs or twigs (in whichever 

 of their positions they happened to be placed). The feature about these 

 nests, however, is that no matter what their position may be, or on what 

 trees they are placed, they are all without exception well hidden : in fact 

 so admirably is concealment efl"ected that, if not discovered during the 

 process of construction, it would be almost impossible to find them after- 

 wards. Every advantage is taken by the birds of a thick tuft, or bunch, or 

 cluster of leaves under which to build their nests, and I am firmly convin- 

 ced that these elaborate precautions are taken, not only as a safeguard 

 against possible enemies, but also as a 2)rotection against the heavy shnoers of 

 rain, which we usually have in these parts in August, and this is the month 

 during which most of these birds lay. I have frequently made a point of 

 examining the tenanted nests after very heavy showers of rain, and have 

 always found them to be absolutely dry — a marked contrast to some of the 

 nests of T. lineatum, which are still to be found at this time, and which are 

 usually wet and damp. Another point worth mentioning is that a large 

 number of finished nests are deserted, and this, I think, is due to their 

 not being found sufficiently water-tight on completion. What adds colour 

 to my supposition is that, on examining these deserted nests, I have always 

 found them to be soaked with water. As illustrating how well these nests 

 are concealed, I give below the substance of a note from my daily Journal. 

 About the beginning of the second week of August, one of my hunters 

 found a nest of this bird being built. He visited the tree two or three 

 times, and after allowing sufficient time for the full complement of eggs to 

 be laid, I accompanied him to the spot early in the morning to take them, 

 but on examining the branch the man reported that the nest and eggs had 

 disappeared ! I coidd hardly credit this, as the nest had been inspected only 

 the evening before and it then contained three eggs. Before leaving the 

 spot, 1 told the man, as a last hope, to break the leaves from the branchy 



