BIRDS IN A GROVE 7 



was perching on one of the lower branches. Of the 

 presence in the vicinity of these charming little birds 

 I was already aware from their soft twitterings. I had 

 not actually seen them, because their habit is to perch 

 on the outer branches of trees, whence they make aerial 

 sallies after insects. 



The calls of the blossom-headed parakeets {Palee- 

 ornis cyanocephalus), far softer and mellower than 

 those of the rose-ringed species, had at frequent 

 intervals mingled with the notes of the other birds ; 

 and at this moment one of these green parrots settled 

 on a branch quite close to me. Her slate-coloured head 

 showed her to be a hen ; in this species the head of the 

 cock is coloured like a ripe plum. 



Sharp sounds, like those made by insects, issuing 

 from every tree revealed the presence of warblers. 

 These birds were so small and so active that I am not 

 certain to what species they belonged. The majority 

 of them were, I beheve, willow warblers {Phylloscopus 

 tristis). 



At intervals the to-wee to-wee of the tailor-bird 

 (Orthotomus sutorius) had rung out clear and distinct 

 from the medley of sounds that filled the grove. 

 Suddenly two tailor-birds came on the scene, one 

 chasing the other. They alighted on a horizontal 

 'bough, where they tarried sufficiently long to enable 

 me to see the chestnut crown so characteristic of the 

 species. 



I have omitted to make mention of the sprightly 

 magpie-robin {Copsychus saularis). Of this species 

 there was at least one pair in that httle grove, and 



