PHILIPPINE GROSBEAK. 315 



coverts, quills, and tail greenish brown, edged with 

 yellow. 



This bird may be rendered so very tame as to 

 come and perch on its master's hand, or to fetch 

 and carry like a dog at command: it is called 

 Bay a in India, where it is extremely common ; it 

 is also found in Abyssinia and the Philippine 

 Islands; is said to feed on fire flies: it builds a 

 very curious nest in the shape of a long cylinder 

 swelling out into a globose form in the middle : it 

 is composed of the fine fibres of leaves and grass, 

 and fastened by the end to the branch of a high 

 tree, generally on the Palmyra, or Indian Figtree : 

 the nest is said to have two or three divisions in 

 it, of which the true nest is in the globose part ; 

 the entrance is at the bottom of the long cylinder; 

 it is generally suspended over water : the eggs, 

 which resemble pearls, have the white part trans- 

 parent when boiled, and are very delicious eating. 



