as, 
17. Observations on the breeding of some Common Birds 
in the vicinity of Calcutta. 
By Satya Cuourn Law, M.A., B.L., F.Z.S., M.B.0.U. 
In this paper I propose to record my observations on a few 
nests of four of our commoner birds discovered during February 
and March 1924 in the neighbourhood of Caleutta in the 
district of Twenty-four Parganas. These observations would 
show that the birds breed very much earlier than what is stated 
in the writing of accepted authorities. 
Oriolus luteolus luteolus (Linn.). 
In my wanderings for birds’ nests I did not count on find- 
ing any nest of the black-headed Oriole in the month of March, 
for ornithological books do not indicate that month as its 
breeding season. In fact such ideas are scouted as unbeliev- 
able. In Hume’s ‘‘ Nests and Eggs” (Oates’ edition, Vol. 
p. 360) a note is quoted from Buchanan Hamilton who says 
that this species “builds a very rude nest. te Pg 
In March I found a nest with the young unfledged” Regard- 
ing this note Hume adds: ‘‘I confess that I believe this to 
be a mistake: neither season nor nest correspond with what 
I have myself seen about Calcutta. The nests, so far from 
being rude, are very neat.” I might mention that the two 
volumes of MSS. notes by Dr. Hamilton, from which the above 
extract has been quoted, are preserved in the Library of the 
Asiatic Society of Bengal. 
Now it happens that Nature has in her store many sur- 
prises for over confident authors and so, on the 9th March this 
year, in the village of Debandipore, a couple of miles to the 
north-east of Sodepur and about a dozen miles from Calcatta, 
J chanced upon a nest of Oriolus I. luteolus with three live (and 
lively) and unfledged youngsters: I lost no time in photograph- 
ing this nest with the nestlings. 
On the 30th of March, I discovered another nest of this 
Species in a mango-tree in the village of Natagore-Krishnapur, 
& Village between Agarpara and Baraset. The parental duties 
of the possessors of this nest were over and the younger genera- 
tion had gone out into the wide world to seek their fortune. 
— 
> 
ously brushed aside by one stroke of the sturdy pen of Mr. 
ume, appears to be after all right! What is more, Hamilton's 
description of the nest being rude appears to so correct. 
Both the nests I have discovered are also rude, without the 
