202 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Dendrocitta rufa, Scop. (Common Tree-Pie). — Very common. 

 Frequents mango groves and gardens. It is very fond of eating 

 eggs and young birds, and does great damage to peas when they 

 are ripe. It breeds in April and May, building in mango and 

 sisoo trees. The usual complement of eggs is three. 



Parus atriceps, Horsf. (Indian Grey Tit). — Fairly common. 

 Though some do remain to breed, the majority are cold-weather 

 visitors. 



Argya caudata, Dum. (Common Babbler). — I have not found 

 this bird at all common anywhere in the district. 



Crateropus canorus, Linn. (Jungle Babbler). — Very common 

 everywhere. Seen always in small flocks. This bird is known 

 to Europeans in India as the " Seven Sisters." They breed 

 nearly throughout the year. The nest is made of dried grass, 

 and contains from four to six deep blue eggs. These birds may 

 often be seen mobbing Hawks and Owls, keeping up the while 

 their noisy chatter. 



Zosterops palpebrosa,T emm. (Indian White-Eye). — Very com- 

 mon. Found during winter in small flocks. They build during 

 May, making a very neat little nest of grass lined with thistle- 

 down and small feathers. The nest is usually placed on a mango 

 tree a few feet from the ground, and is well concealed by leaves. 

 Three is the full complement of eggs. 



Mgiihina tiphia, Linn. (Common Iora). — Very common in all 

 the well-wooded parts of the district. This bird is silent, as a 

 rule, during winter, but as soon as the warm days begin to set in 

 its curious ringing cry is heard in nearly every mango grove. It 

 is on the whole a shy bird, and keeps well out of sight among the 

 thickest part of a tree. They breed from April to July, laying 

 three eggs. 



Molpastes bengalensis, Blyth (Bengal Red- vented Bulbul). — 

 Exceedingly common. Breeds from March to August. Three 

 is the full complement of eggs. 



Otocompsa emeria, Linn. (Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul). — 

 I have always found this bird rare. I have only one pair, shot 

 in a garden. 



Sitta castaneiventris, Frankl. (Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch). — 

 Common in all well-wooded parts of the district. Breeds from 

 March to April. It lays its eggs in the holes of trees. The hole 



