372 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



tkaliscus eri/throcephalas), which invariably associate in small 

 parties, and as explained by Professor Newton, "it requires no 

 very abstruse reflection to perceive that the adoption of this 

 habit is one eminently conducive to the easy attainment of their 

 food, which is collected, as it were, into particular spots often 

 far apart, but where it does occur, occurring plentifully. Thus 

 a single titmouse searching alone might hunt for a whole day 

 without meeting with a sufficiency, while if a dozen are united 

 by the same motive it is hardly possible for the place in which 

 the food is lodged to escape their detection, and when discovered 

 a few call-notes from the lucky finder are enough to assemble 

 the whole company to share the feast. It is impossible to watch 

 a band of any species of titmouse, even for a few minutes, 

 without arriving at this conclusion. One tree after another is 

 visited by the active little rovers, and its branches examined ; if 

 nothing be forthcoming away goes the explorer to the next that 

 presents itself, merely giving utterance to the usual twitter that 

 serves to keep the body together. But if the object of search be 

 found, another kind of chirp is emitted, and the next moment 

 the several members of the band are flitting in succession to the 

 tree and eagerly engaged with the spoil." 



The following is an extract from my daily journal, and relates 

 to an account of an attack made by Bed-billed Blue Magpies 

 (Urocissa occipitalis) on my climber: — 



Keonthal State (Punjab), May 5th. — So far as I am aware 

 these birds never breed in company, and the large number of 

 nests so close to each other struck me as most peculiar ; the 

 more so, as up to this we had only seen a couple of these birds 

 in the neighbourhood. . . . However, each nest was examined 

 in turn, but it was very different when the climber approached 

 the tenanted one. The whole hillside seemed suddenly to get 

 alive with these birds, and eight or nine of them appeared most 

 miraculously on the scene. Uttering their harsh cries, they 

 began making most furious dashes and pecks at the climber, 

 quite regardless of their safety. So determined did their attacks 

 become that at one time I thought we had lost the field. The 

 nearer the man approached the nest, the bolder did the birds 

 become. And their tactics we're truly worthy of a Hannibal. 

 At one time forming into separate parties, and attacking both 



