89 



on the outside and inside. The entrance tube is a most beautiful 

 piece of workmanship, and in many nests is nearly a foot long. When 

 these birds commence building, they almost invariably fix upon a 

 thorny tree, or one growing over a stream or old well. In places 

 where date trees are growing on the banks of a stream they appear 

 to prefer them, but I do not recollect having seen nests away from 

 water. Having selected their situation, they begin by weaving a 

 stem of grass or fibre of date leaf, attaching to it a ring of the same 

 materials ; on one side of this ring is worked the body of the nest, on 

 the other the entrance tube. A very slender drooping bough is gene- 

 rally selected ; the upper portion of the ball of the nest, as it is being 

 worked, is strengthened with lumps of mud. 



In one or two instances I have seen an upper room over the nest, 

 between it and the bough. This appears to be the abode of the 

 male. On one occasion, when watching a colony of these birds build- 

 ing, I observed a nest with an upper story, in which the male was 

 lazily sitting whilst the female was working at the room below ; and 

 the natives who assisted me in getting some of the nests assured me 

 that the upper is the male's abode. The upper room is made by 

 widening the stem of the nest, and adding a penthouse to it. When 

 the nest is finished, which takes place about the middle of August 

 (the heigh th of the monsoon), the eggs, six or eight in n\imber and 

 of a pure white, are laid. During the breeding season the male em- 

 ploys himself alternately in helping his mate and fighting with all 

 others of his kind that approach his nest. His song, often repeated, 

 is simple and very sweet. 



It is a very curious fact, that out of some fifty nests not more than 

 one or two have the upper room attached. If this penthouse is put 

 up to keep off the monsoon rains, why should so few males have 

 them? 



The claws of these birds are remarkably long, enabUng them to 

 hang securely to their nests when building them. Their food con- 

 sists of seeds. In the month of April I shot two or three in the 

 hedge round a stackyard. They were males, in the same plumage 

 as the adult female. The adult male loses, I believe, his bright 

 golden plumage after the breeding season. 



2. On the Habits of the Mungoos (Herpestes griseus). 

 By Lieut. Pegus. 



In this communication the author gives an account of a combat 

 which he witnessed at Pondicherry, between a Mungoos and a Cobra 

 {Naia tripudians). The snake was brought in a trap to the Tra- 

 vellers' Bungalow, which is enclosed by stone walls, and on being 

 liberated and seeing the Mungoos it endeavoured to make its escape. 

 The latter, however, attacked it immediately with much fury, and a 

 battle ensued, which lasted about five minutes, when the snake was 

 observed to dart upon its assailant and wound it with its fangs. 



The Mungoos on this rolled over and lay for some little time as if 



