The Nest of the (Jrey-uinfjcd Ouzel. 
221 
nest. He remained there for fully five minutes witli one eye on 
me and then flew ofl'. I seized tlu> opportunity to approach 
nearer the nest, and took up a position on tin- hill side level with 
it at a distance of about 14 ft-et. 
In a few minutes t lie hen bird ajipearcd. Her prevailin« 
hue is reddish-brown, while the cock is black all over save for 
some lar^ie patches of tlark Krey on the win^^s. In each sex the 
bill anil leys are reddish-yellow, the bill i)eing the more brightly 
coloured. Befoi'e she had reached the nest the hen caught sight 
of me and beat a hurried retreat. 
The young Ouzels kept very still in the nest, occasionally 
one of them would half raise its head ; besides this, I could detect 
scarcely any other movement. 
Presently the cock appeared with his beak full of cater- 
pillars. He alighted on a branch a few feet from the nest where 
he caught sight of me, but instead of flying off as the hen did, he 
held his ground and fixed his eye on me, no doubt swearing 
inwardly but no audible sound escaped him. He remained thus 
for fully ten minutes, his legs and body as immobile as a statue, 
but he occasionally turned his head to one side to obtain a better 
view of me, and I could then see outlined against the sky the 
wriggling forms of several caterpillars hanging from his bill. I 
hoped he would pluck up courage to feed his youngsters before 
my eyes. But his heart failed him for he presently flew to 
another tree a little farther away, where he again contemplated 
me. After this he kept changing his position, never uttering a 
sound, and always retaining his hold of his beak-full of cater- 
pillars. Presently the hen returned with her beak full of 
caterpillars, but she would not come within 7.0 feet of the nest. 
Suddenly the sky became overcast, and I saw that if I 
wished to arrive home di-y I must depart, but I was sorry to leave 
the birds as I was departing from Naini Tal on the following day. 
Before I had reached home I found myself enveloped in 
what the Scotch call a " wet mist." At certain seasons of the year 
rain storms come up as suddenly in the Himalayas as they do in 
the Grami)ians. 
