lO 
but few dangerous enemies. The eggs are certainly not pro- 
tectively coloured, but the nest is small and is usually situated in 
a fairly dense bush, and placed low down so that: it is likely to 
escape the notice of most of tliose creatures which feed upon the 
eggs of little birds. Further, the nest is usually attached to very 
slender branches and near or at the extremities of these, so that 
it would not be possible for any creature much heavier than the 
proverbial feather to obtain a foothold while attempting to rob 
the nest. Add to these the fact that the White-eye has a stout 
little heart and, when necessary, will attack a bird three times his 
own size, and we are able to understand how it is that, notwith- 
standing the few offspring they produce, White-eyes flourish like 
the green bay tree. 
The Magpie-robin or Dhayal {Copsychjcs saularis) is one of 
my favourite birds. It is luidoubtedly the finest singer of all the 
comf/io?t birds of the plains of India. Its cousin, the Shama, 
excels it as a minstrel, but this latter is, alas! not at all common. 
It is confined to the best wooded parts of the country ; only once 
have I seen it during ten years' residence in India, and that was 
while shooting in the Terai. 
The Magpie-robin, on the other hand, is found in every 
garden. Unfortunately this species sings only for a few months 
in the year. Its voice, while at its best, is melodious, powerful, 
and of great compass. The Dhayal spends much of its time on the 
ground. It nests in holes, by preference in a broken-down wall. 
I have on several occasions come upon the nest in a cavity in the 
mud wall of a hut occupied by one of the servants, who in India 
are housed in a corner of the compound as far as possible from 
the bungalow. 
A very different bird is the Indian Roller (^Coracias indica), 
universally known to Anglo-Indians as the " Blue Jay," although, 
of course, it is not a Jay at all. This species, owing to the fact that 
its upper plumage is of a dull hue, not unlike that of a faded port 
wine stain, does not look its best when at rest. But its ex- 
panded wings displa}' a wonderful combination of Oxford and 
Cambridge blue, so there are few more beautiful objects than a 
Roller as it slowly flai)s its way through the air. Because of the 
sudden transformation in its appearance when it takes to its 
