nest in the fork of a tree. In the compound of Kalunder
gari choki, in the Bolundshahr district, I found no less than five of
these nests on one day; the compound is densely planted with sheeshum
trees, which were there about twenty feet high, and the nests were
near the tops of these trees. I found several other similar nests on
the canal-bank, one with young on the 11th September."

Also writing in this connection from Allahabad, Major C.T. Bingham
says:--

"Twice I have found the nest of this bird in trees, but it generally
builds in holes, both in trees and walls, and commonly in the thatch
of houses. Once I got a couple of eggs from a nest made amidst a
thick-growing creeper."

Neglecting exceptional cases like these, the nest is a shapeless but
warm lining to the hole, composed chiefly of straw and feathers, but
in which fine twigs, bits of cotton, strips of rags, bits of old rope,
and all kinds of odds and ends may at times be found incorporated.

The normal breeding-season lasts from June to August, during which
period they rear two broods; but in Ross Island (Andamans), where they
were introduced some years ago, they seem to breed _all-through_
the year. Captain Wimberley, who sent me some of their eggs thence,
remarks:--"The bird is now very common here. As soon as it has cleared
out one young brood, it commences building and laying again. This
continues all the year round."

I think this great prolificness may be connected with the uniformly
warm temperature of these islands and the great heat of the sun there
all through the year rendering much incubation unnecessary. Even in
the plains of Northern India in the hot weather when they breed these
birds do not sit close, and since at the Andamans the weather is such
all the year round that the eggs almost hatch themselves this may be
partly the reason why these birds have so many more broods there than
with us, where, for at least half the year, constant incubation would
be necessary. I particularly noticed when at Bareilly how very little
trouble these Mynas sometimes took in hatching their eggs, and I may
quote what I then recorded about the matter:--

"In a nest in the wall of our verandah we found four young ones. This
was particularly noteworthy, because from my study-window the pair had
been watched for the last month, first courting, then flitting in and
out of the hole with straws and feathers, ever and anon clinging to
the mouth of the aperture,