294 BOMBAY DUCKS 
not easy to find, for the bird absolutely refuses to enter 
when it knows that any one is watching it. 
Some time back, when walking in a suburb of 
Madras, I was stepping over a low prickly-pear bush, 
when two young robins fluttered out, almost from 
under my feet. They could scarcely fly, so young were 
they, consequently I am sure they came out of a nest, 
and that the nest was somewhere under the prickly- 
pear. Nevertheless, half an hour’s search was not 
sufficient to reveal the nest, which must have been in 
the midst of the bush, and prickly-pears demand 
respectful treatment. All the while I was poking 
about for the little nursery the parent birds sat on 
branches near by and swore at me. But when, event- 
ually, I had to admit defeat and depart without having 
set eyes on the nest, the notes of anger were speedily 
replaced by little songs of joy. 
The Indian skylark must be recognized as one of the 
chief of our esteemed singing-birds, since its song is in 
no way inferior to that of its cousin found in England. 
We do not hear much of the Indian bird because the 
crows never giveitachance. Their rowdy noises drown 
the skylark’s song. 
A more vociferous singer and one which it would 
take a whole army of crows to swamp is the white- 
browed fantail flycatcher (Rhipidura albifrontata). This 
sprightly bird has a loud and cheerful song of six or 
seven notes: these, says Mr. Ferguson, remind one of. 
the first bars of the “ Guards’ Valse.” 
The golden oriole is one of the few birds which have 
the twofold gift of a melodious voice and beautiful 
