The white-throated munia (Uroloncha malabarica) is a dull brown bird, with a white patch above the tail.  Its throat is yellowish white.  The old name for the bird—­the plain brown munia—­seems more appropriate than that with which the species has since been saddled by Blanford.  The nest of this little bird is more loosely put together and more globular than that of the amadavat.  It is usually placed low down in a thorny bush.  The number of eggs laid varies from six to fifteen.  These, like those of the red munia, are white.  June seems to be the only month in the year in which the eggs of this species have not been found.  In the United Provinces more nests containing eggs are discovered in January than in any other month.

Occasionally in January a pair of hoopoes (Upupa indica) steals a march on its brethren by selecting a nesting site and laying eggs.  Hoopoes nest in holes in trees or buildings.  The aperture to the nest cavity is invariably small.  The hen hoopoe alone incubates, and as, when once she has begun to sit, she rarely, if ever, leaves the nest till the eggs are hatched, the cock has to bring food to her.  But, to describe the nesting operations of the hoopoe in January is like talking of cricket in April.  It is in February and March that the hoopoes nest in their millions, and call softly, from morn till eve, uk-uk-uk.

Of the other birds which nest later in the season mention must be made in the calendar for the present month of the Indian cliff-swallow (Hirundo fluvicola) and the blue rock-pigeon (Columba intermedia), because their nests are sometimes seen in January.

FEBRUARY

  There’s perfume upon every wind,
  Music in every tree,
  Dews for the moisture-loving flowers,
  Sweets for the sucking-bee. 
                                N. P. WILLIS.

Even as January in northern India may be compared to a month made up of English May days and March nights, so may the Indian February be likened to a halcyon month composed of sparkling, sun-steeped June days and cool starlit April nights.

February is the most pleasant month of the whole year in both the Punjab and the United Provinces; even November must yield the palm to it.  The climate is perfect.  The nights and early mornings are cool and invigorating; the remainder of each day is pleasantly warm; the sun’s rays, although gaining strength day by day, do not become uncomfortably hot save in the extreme south of the United Provinces.  The night mists, so characteristic of December and January, are almost unknown in February, and the light dews that form during the hours of darkness disappear shortly after sunrise.

The Indian countryside is now good to look upon; it possesses all the beauties of the landscape of July; save the sunsets.  The soft emerald hue of the young wheat and barley is rendered more vivid by contrast with the deep rich green of the mango trees.  Into the earth’s verdant carpet is worked a gay pattern of white poppies, purple linseed blooms, blue and pink gram flowers, and yellow blossoms of mimosa, mustard and arhar.  Towards the end of the month the silk-cotton trees (Bombax malabarica) begin to put forth their great red flowers, but not until March does each look like a great scarlet nosegay.