PART II Descriptive List of the Common Birds of the Plains of India

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NOTES

F. stands for The Fauna of British India, and the number which follows indicates the number of the bird in The Fauna of British India. J. stands for Jerdon’s Birds of India, and the number that follows indicates the number of the bird in Jerdon’s work.

In describing a bird its size is a matter of importance as an aid to identification; but as the statement that a bird is six inches in length probably does not convey to the average person a definite idea of its size, I have adopted another system of indicating the size of each bird described. I have taken five standards of size, each being that of a familiar bird, and have described each species in terms of these standards, which are:

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I. The common sparrow, 6 inches in length.

II. The bulbul, 8-9 inches in length.

III. The myna, 10 inches in length.

IV. The Indian house crow, 17½ ins. in length.

V. The kite, 23 inches in length.

My system is as follows. If A be a bird of which the length is 5 inches, I affix in a bracket -I, which means that is a bird smaller than a sparrow; if it be 6 inches in length I affix simply I; if it be 7 inches in length I affix +I, denoting that it is larger than a sparrow, but smaller than a bulbul, and nearer to the sparrow than the bulbul in dimensions; had its length been 7½ inches I should have described it as -II, i.e. rather smaller than a bulbul. By these means he who consults this book will at once be able to form a rough conception of the size of each species described. Those who desire more details will find them in The Fauna of British India. In this connection it is worthy of mention that certain small birds, as, for example, the adult cock paradise flycatcher, have very long tails. Such a bird, if measured from the tip of his beak to the end of his tail (as ornithologists usually do), would have to be described as -V, i.e. as a bird [91] rather smaller than a kite, but this would convey a very misleading idea of the magnitude of the bird, the body of which is about the same size as that of the bulbul. I shall accordingly describe the paradise flycatcher as II, i.e. a bird of the same size as the bulbul, but shall note that the cock has a very long tail.

In cases where birds build very characteristic nests or have very characteristic songs or habits, I shall mention these as aids to identification. It must be remembered that this little book is not a natural history of birds, but merely a key to the identification of our commoner Indian feathered friends. Having identified a bird, the reader should refer to some other writer for information regarding its habits, etc.

In order to simplify identification I shall roughly indicate the distribution of each species. If nothing is said about the distribution of any bird this means that it may be found anywhere in the plains of India. If a species occurs in all parts save one or more the words “Not found in ——” will occur in the description. If the distribution be local, the description will contain the words “Found in ——.”

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As a further aid to identification I have, in all cases in which a species has been figured in any book which is easily procurable, stated where the picture of the bird is to be found. Most stations in India boast of a library of sorts, which is likely to contain some, at any rate, of the books referred to. In order to save space I have used abbreviations for the titles. Thus (Illus. F. I., p. 298) means that a picture of the bird in question will be found on page 298 of Volume I of the bird volume of The Fauna of British India.

List of abbreviations used

B. B. The Common Birds of Bombay, by Eha.

B. C. The Birds of Calcutta (2nd Edition), by Finn.

B. D. Bombay Ducks, by Dewar.

B. P. Birds of the Plains, by Dewar.

F. I. Fauna of British India (Birds, Vol. I.).

F. II. Ditto, ditto, Vol. II.

F. III. Ditto, ditto, Vol. III.

F. IV. Ditto, ditto, Vol. IV.

G. B. Garden and Aviary Birds of India, by Finn.

I. F. Some Indian Friends and Acquaintances, by Cunningham.

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I. D. Indian Ducks and Their Allies, by Stuart Baker.

I. G. I. Game Birds of India, Burma, and Ceylon, Vol. I., Marshall and Hume.

I. G. II. Ditto, ditto, ditto, Vol. II.

I. G. III. Ditto, ditto, ditto, Vol. III.

The Crows, 1-4

1. Corvus machrorhynchus: The Jungle Crow or the Indian Corby. (F. 4), (J. 660), (+IV.)

Glossy black all over. Nests from March to May. Nest a large structure placed high up in a tree. Not found in the N.W. Punjab, where it is replaced by the next species. (Illus. B. D., p. 60; also B. B., p. 117, and I. F., p. 61.)

2. Corvus corax: The Raven. (F. 1), (J. 657), (V.)

Glossy black all over. Found only in the N.W.F. province and the western parts of the Punjab.

3. Corvus splendens: The Indian House Crow, or the Grey-necked Crow. (F. 7), (J. 663), (IV.)

Like a jackdaw in marking and appearance. Glossy black, except for nape, neck, upper back and breast, which are ashy brown. (The hue of this ashy brown varies considerably [94] with the locality, being lightest in the Punjab.) Nesting season May to July, or later. Nest like that of 1. In Burma this species is replaced by the next. (Illus. B. D., p. 168; also B. P., p. 190, and B. B., p. 117.)

4. Corvus insolens: The Burmese House Crow. (F. 8), (IV.)

A form of C. splendens in which the neck plumage is nearly as dark as that of the other parts.

5. Dendrocitta rufa: The Indian Tree-pie. (F. 16), (J. 674), (+II, but with tail a foot in length.)

Head, neck, and breast brownish black; body chestnut; silver-grey on the wings. Tail greyish with broad black band at the tip. During flight the tail assumes a curious shape owing to the fact that the feathers which compose it are graduated in length; the median pair is twelve inches long, the next pair is shorter, and so on, the outer pair being only about half the length of the median pair. This bird has a curious metallic call which may be syllabised coch-lee, coch-lee, or cogee, cogee. It also emits a great variety of harsh cries. Breeds from April to August. The nest is a large cup high up in a tree.

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(Does not appear to occur in or about the towns of Bombay and Madras.) (Illus. B. C., p. 10, but the illustration is not a good one, a better idea is given in F. I., p. 10, where an allied species is figured.)

The Babblers, 6-10

6. Argya caudata: The Common Babbler, or Striated Bush-babbler, or Rat-bird. (F. 105), (J. 438), (II.)

A dingy brown bird; upper plumage darker than the lower. In each feather there is a dark line along the shaft which causes the bird to have a streaked appearance. It goes about in pairs, or in small flocks. It feeds largely on the ground. When it runs, its tail (which is about 4½ inches long, i.e. half the total length of the bird) seems to trail on the ground like that of a rat, hence one of its names. Its note is not unpleasant. It nests chiefly in the hot weather. The nursery is a neatly constructed cup, which is invariably placed in a low bush. Its eggs are pale blue.

Does not appear to occur in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, Bombay, or Madras. Addicted to arid parts of India.

7-9. The Crateropus Babblers, or “Seven Sisters.”

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These are all untidy-looking, earthy-brown birds about the size of mynas. They go about in little flocks, whence the name “Seven Sisters,” or “Sath Bhai.” They feed largely on the ground, seeking for insects among dead leaves. While feeding they keep up a constant chatter which every now and then grows very loud, sounding like a combination of a squeak and the groans of a revolving axle that requires to be oiled. They continually jerk the tail, which has the appearance of being very loosely inserted. So untidy-looking are these birds that Eha likens them to “Old Jones, who spends the day in his pyjamas.” Their flight is feeble and laborious. Three species are common:

7. Crateropus canorus: The Jungle Babbler. (F. 110), (J. 432), (III.)

This bird is abundant in Northern India, and becomes rarer in the south, where it is largely replaced in the plains by the two next species. (Illus. B. C., p. 15.)

At Allahabad the Large Grey Babbler (Argya malcomi) (F. 107) or Gangai, is more abundant even than C. canorus. It may be recognised by its long tail. The three outer pairs of tail feathers are white—very conspicuous during flight. The note is a loud harsh quey, quey, quey. The bird is commoner than I thought. It occurs in most districts of the U.P.

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8. Crateropus griseus: The White-headed Babbler. (F. 111), (J. 433), (III.)

This is the common babbler of the Madras presidency. It is easily recognised by the greyish white crown of its head. (Illus. B. D., p. 204.)

9. Crateropus somervillii: The Rufous-tailed Babbler. (F. 113), (J. 435), (III.)

The common babbler of Bombay and Poona. It is the least untidy-looking of the babblers, and may be recognised by the distinctly reddish hue of its tail.

All three species of babblers build neat cup-shaped nests not far above the ground and lay beautiful blue eggs. (Illus. B. B., p. 80.)

10. Pyctorhis sinensis: The Yellow-eyed Babbler. (F. 139), (J. 385), (+I.)

This is considerably smaller than the other babblers described. Its general colour is cinnamon brown. The eyebrows, throat, and breast are white. The under parts are cream-coloured. The eye is bright yellow. It emits a sweet note and builds a beautiful nest. This last is in shape not unlike the hat worn by a political officer in full dress. It measures about five inches in depth and is usually slung by its broadest part on to two or more growing reeds, heads of millet, stout grass stems, or perhaps more frequently to a forked branch.

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11. Myiophoneus horsfieldi: The Malabar Whistling Thrush, or Idle Schoolboy. (F. 189), (J. 342), (+III.)

A black bird with large cobalt blue patches on the forehead and the wings. Small patches of the same hue occur on other parts of the body.

Not found in the N.W. Frontier Province, the Punjab, United Provinces, Bengal, or the eastern portion of Madras. Usually occurs in the neighbourhood of shaded streams. Its note is a striking whistle.

12. Zosterops palpebrosa: The Indian White-eye, or Spectacle Bird. (F. 226), (J. 631), (-I.)

A greenish yellow bird, with bright yellow throat and a patch of yellow under the tail. The rest of the lower plumage is greyish white. The most noticeable feature of the bird is a ring of white feathers round the eye. Hence its popular name. White-eyes go about in large flocks; they feed largely on insects which they pick from off the leaves of trees. Each individual utters unceasingly a cheeping note. At the nesting season, which is usually at the beginning of the hot weather, the cock [99] sings a sweet little song. The nest is a beautiful little cup suspended from a forked branch. Two pale blue eggs are usually laid. (Illus. G. B., p. 96.)

13. Ægithina tiphia: The Common Iora. (F. 243), (J. 468), (-I.)

Cock: (a) In summer upper plumage, wings, and tail are black; lower parts bright yellow. There are two white bars in the wing.

(b) In winter the black parts of the head and back are replaced by yellowish green.

Hen: Upper parts, wings, and tail green; lower parts yellow. Two white bars in the wing.

This species has a sweet song. It does not occur in the Frontier Province or the Punjab. “A little bird,” writes Eha, “like a tomtit, in black and yellow, followed by its mate in green and yellow, can be nothing else than the Iora.” Builds at the beginning of the hot weather a very neat and tiny cup-shaped nest. (Illus. B. B., p. 91, also G. B., p. 64.)

The Bulbuls, 14-22

14. Chloropsis Jerdoni. The Common Green Bulbul, or Jerdon’s Chloropsis. (F. 252), (J. 463), (-II.)

[100]

A beautiful emerald green bird. There is a patch of yellow on the forehead. The cock has the sides of the head, chin, and throat black, and a purple-blue moustache. The black of the male is replaced by bluish green in the hen.

Does not occur in the Frontier Province, the Punjab, Rajputana, Bengal, or the northern and western portions of the United Provinces. It is essentially a bird of Central and Southern India, but rare on the east coast. It affects well-wooded parts of the country. (Illus. G. B., p. 96.)

The Red-vented Bulbuls, 15-18

Head black with short crest; remainder of plumage brown, each feather having a narrow margin of a lighter hue. The tail is tipped with white, and there is a white patch above the tail. A conspicuous crimson patch under the tail. Bulbuls go about in pairs and constantly emit a cheery note. They build neat cup-shaped nests, frequently in plants in the verandahs of houses. When the nest is approached by a human being the parent birds set up a loud chattering. These bulbuls occur [101] all over India, but ornithologists divide them into several species:

15. Molpastes hæmorrhous: The Madras Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 278), (J. 462), (II.)

The common bulbul of South India, as far North as Lucknow. (Illus. B. D., p. 296; also B. B., p. 87.)

16. Molpastes burmanicus: The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 279), (II.)

The common bulbul of Burma.

17. Molpastes bengalensis: The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 282), (J. 461), (II.)

The common bulbul of Eastern Oudh, the Bengals, and Assam. (Illus. B. C., p. 22.)

18. Molpastes intermedius: The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 283), (J. II., p. 95) (II.)

The common bulbul of the Frontier Province, the Punjab, and the province of Agra.

[At the points where the various species or races of red-vented bulbuls meet they interbreed, so that at Lucknow and other points of junction it is not possible to assign the local bulbuls to any of the above species.]

19. Molpastes leucotis: The White-eared Bulbul. (F. 285), (J. 459), (-II.)

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This species differs from the Red-vented Bulbuls in its somewhat smaller size, its shorter crest and in having a large white patch on each side of the head, and the patch of feathers under the tail yellow instead of crimson.

Found only in the north-west portion of India. In the cold weather its range extends into the Province of Agra and the C. P., but in the spring it migrates to the west and breeds in Sind, the Frontier Province, and the Western Districts of the Punjab. Its nests have also been taken in Rajputana, Katywar, and Cutch. (Illus. G. B., p. 96; also F. I., p. 252.)

The Red-whiskered Bulbuls, 20 and 21

These sprightly and handsome birds are characterised by their long crests, which end in a point and project forward, like Mr. Punch’s cap. The head and crest are black, but each cheek is characterised by a large white and a small crimson patch, hence the name “red-whiskered.” The upper plumage is earthy brown. The tail feathers are somewhat darker brown and are tipped with white. The breast and lower plumage are white. The [103] breast is separated from the abdomen by a conspicuous band of black feathers known as the collaret. There is a crimson patch of feathers under the tail.

20. Otocompsa emeria: The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul. (F. 288), (J. 460), (II.)

Found in Northern and Eastern India, and Burma. (Illus. B. P., p. 230; also B. C., p. 26.)

21. Otocompsa fuscicaudata: The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul. (F. 289), (J. 460), (II.)

Found chiefly in the south-western portion of India, more especially in the hills. This is the common bulbul of all our South-Indian hill stations.

This species is distinguishable from Emeria in that it has a complete collaret. In Emeria the black collaret is interrupted in front.

Both the Molpastes and the Otocompsa bulbuls build neat cup-shaped nests in trees and shrubs in gardens. Not infrequently they nest in plants growing in pots placed in the verandah. (Illus. B. D., p. 296; also B. B., p. 87.)

22. Pycnonotus luteolus: The White-browed Bulbul. (F. 305), (J. 452), (-II.)

A dull greenish brown bird, having no crest. [104] It has a white eyebrow, and the patch of feathers under the tail is pale yellow.

It occurs only in Southern India and is exceedingly common in the vicinity of Madras. It frequents gardens and utters a variety of very cheery little notes, and has, therefore, been called “the blithest little bird in existence.” It does not show itself very much in the open, being heard much more frequently than seen. It builds a cup-shaped nest in a bush or low tree.

The Nuthatches, 23 and 24

Nuthatches are little climbing birds characterised by very short tails. They go about in small flocks and run up and down the trunks and branches of trees with great address, picking up small insects. They also, as their name implies, feed upon nuts. They nest in holes of trees, frequently closing up a portion of the aperture with mud. (Illus. F. I., p. 298.)

23. Sitta castaneiventris: The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch. (F. 321), (J. 250), (-I.)

Upper plumage dark greyish blue. A broad black band runs from the beak, through the eye and down the side of the head. The other parts of the cheek are white. The lower [105] plumage is dark chestnut-red, as denoted by the popular name of the bird. (The lower parts of the hen are of a lighter hue.) Distribution: U. P., C. P., C. I., and western parts of Bengal.

24. Sitta frontalis: The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch. (F. 325), (J. 253), (-I.)

Upper plumage dark blue, the cock having a velvet-like black forehead and a black streak through the eye; throat whitish; lower parts greyish.

Not found in the Punjab.

The Drongos, 25-27

25. Dicrurus ater: The Black Drongo, or King Crow. (F. 327), (J. 278), (II, but with a tail six inches long.)

Jet black all over, with a long-forked tail. One of the most familiar of Indian birds. It frequently perches on telegraph wires, or on the backs of cattle. It makes little flights after insects and then returns to its perch. Its call is very cheery and is heard most often at earliest dawn.

It breeds in the hot weather; the nest is a small cup, wedged into the fork of a lofty [106] branch. The oriole and the dove frequently nest in the same tree.

Found all over India, but only a summer visitor to the Frontier Province and the Western Punjab, and a winter visitor to Assam. (Illus. B. D., frontispiece; also I. F., p. 148, and B. B., p. 1.)

26. Dicrurus cærulescens: The White-bellied Drongo. (F. 330), (J. 281), (II, but with long-forked tail.)

Very like the King Crow (No. 25) in appearance, save that it is a little smaller and its plumage is deep indigo instead of glossy black (but it looks black from a distance). The breast is grey and the abdomen white.

This bird, although nowhere common in India, is found in all parts save the N.W. F. P., the Punjab, and the eastern portion of Bengal.

27. Dissemurus paradiseus: The Larger Racket-tailed Drongo. (F. 340), (J. 284), (II, but with a tail 20 inches long.)

Glossy black all over. The head is decorated by a large backwardly-directed crest. The two outer tail feathers are a foot and a half in length; on the inner side of the shaft there is scarcely any web, while the web on the outer [107] shaft grows longer as it nears the tip of the feather. These elongated outer feathers are turned upwards and outwards at the tip.

Confined almost entirely to forests, and hence is very rarely seen in the plains.

The Warblers, 28-33

28. Orthotomus sutorius: The Indian Tailor Bird. (F. 374), (J. 530), (-I.)

A tiny brownie bird not unlike a wren with a respectable tail. Close inspection shows that the forehead is reddish, the back of the head grey, and the back brown, tinged with green. The lower plumage is dirty creamy white. There is a short black bar on each side of the neck, visible only when the bird stretches its neck to utter its note, but as the bird is continually calling loudly to-wee, to-wee, to-wee, a little watching will soon reveal the black patch on the side of the neck.

In the hot weather the two middle tail feathers of the cock exceed the others in length by fully two inches. These projecting, bristle-like tail feathers render it very easy to recognise the cock tailor bird in breeding plumage.

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The tailor bird is essentially a denizen of the compound, and frequently nests in the verandah. The nest is a wonderful structure. The walls are growing leaves, the edges of which the bird draws together by means of cotton or fibre. The nest is cosily lined with cotton-down. The tailor bird pierces in places the leafy wall of its nest and pushes some of the lining through these tiny apertures in order to keep the lining in situ. The nest should be looked for in the hot weather. (Illus. B. B., p. 103; also G. B., p. 64.)

29. Hypolais rama: Sykes’s Tree-warbler. (F. 394), (J. 553), (-I.)

This, too, is a dull-coloured little brownie bird. It visits India in great numbers in the winter, and is said to breed in Sind. In colouring it is much like the tailor bird, but it is more solidly built and has a narrow cream-coloured eyebrow. A little brown bird which is not the tailor bird, or one of the wren-warblers described below, is likely to be this species.

30. Prinia lepida: The Streaked Wren-warbler. (F. 462), (J. 550), (-I.)

Brown above and cream-coloured below. This little bird is easily distinguished from the [109] other long-tailed wrens, by the fact that its upper plumage is streaked with dark brown. The brown tail shows cross bars. The tip of each tail feather is white and next to this is a black patch.

This bird is common in the Punjab and in Sind. It also occurs in Rajputana and in the valley of the Ganges.

It builds a neat ball-like nest with an entrance at the side. The nest is usually situated at a few inches from the ground. Several are to be found in April and May amid the wild indigo that grows on the Lahore golf links. The green eggs have a distinct ring of reddish dots at the thick end.

31. Prinia socialis: The Ashy Wren-warbler. (F. 464), (J. 534), (-I.)

Another “tiny brownie bird.” Ashy upper plumage with brown wings and tail, lower plumage cream-coloured. A very slender and loosely-knit bird. It is easily distinguished by the curious snapping noise it makes as it flits from bush to bush. How this noise is made we do not know. It sounds as though it were due to the upper and lower mandibles of the beak closing sharply together.

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This species constructs two types of nests—one is like that of the Tailor Bird (No. 28), the other is a ball-like woven structure with an entrance at the side. The nest is invariably placed near the ground. The eggs are mahogany red. Does not occur in the N.W. F. P.

32. Prinia inornata: The Indian Wren-warbler. This bird is known as the weaver-bird to boys who attend Indian schools. (F. 466), (J. 543), (-I.)

This species differs so little in appearance from the last that except for the snapping noise it is almost impossible to distinguish them unless held in the hand and compared. This species has rusty-coloured thighs, and these may serve to distinguish it from the last species.

It builds a nicely-woven ball-like nest, which is frequently attached to growing corn, and the parent birds sometimes have their work cut out in rearing up their brood before the crop is cut. Eggs greenish with red and brown blotches.

Found in N. India. At the Nilgiris this species meets the next.

33. Prinia Jerdoni: The Southern Wren-warbler. (F. 467), (J. 544), (-I.)

This is the South Indian form of No. 32, [111] and has very much the same habits and appearance as the last species. (Illus. B. B., p. 103.)

The Shrikes, or Butcher Birds, 34-37

The shrikes form a well-marked family of birds. Their habit is to sit on an exposed perch and from thence pounce on to some insect on the ground. Thus their habits are like those of some birds of prey. Their hooked and notched beaks and the broad black band that runs from the base of the beak through the eye gives them a very sinister appearance. They have a variety of notes.

34. Lanius lahtora: The Indian Grey Shrike. (F. 469), (J. 256), (+II.)

Upper parts French grey; forehead black; broad black band from base of beak, through eye and down the side of the neck. Tail black and white; wings black with conspicuous white bar. Breast and lower plumage white.

Sind, Punjab, U. P., C. P., and Western Bengal.

The nest of this and of the other species of butcher bird is a deep cup, placed usually in a thorny tree, often close up against the trunk. Not infrequently bits of rag hang down from [112] the nest and serve to locate its whereabouts. The eggs have a stone-coloured background with brownish blotches, which often form a ring near the large end. (Illus. B. B., p. 70; also F. I., p. 454.)

35. Lanius vittatus: The Bay-backed Shrike. (F. 473), (J. 260), (-II.)

Forehead and broad band through the eye black. Head pale grey, back maroon, rump white; wings black with a white bar, which is conspicuous during flight. Tail black and white, median feathers black, outer ones white; lower parts white with a reddish-yellow tinge on the breast.

36. Lanius erythronotus: The Rufous-backed Shrike. (F. 476), (J. 257), (+II.)

Although larger than the last species, this bird is very like it in colouring. It may, however, be distinguished by the fact that it has no white in the tail. The rump is the same colour as the lower back and not white as in 35.

37. Lanius cristatus: The Brown Shrike. (F. 481), (J. 261), (-II.)

This species is distinguishable from the above three shrikes by the fact that it lacks the white wing bar which makes the others so conspicuous [113] during flight. A reddish-brown bird with white cheeks and throat and a whitish eyebrow.

Unlike the other butcher birds this species is merely a winter visitor to India. It spreads itself over all parts of the country save the N.W. F. P. and the Punjab. (A few individuals are said to remain in India to nest.)

It has a harsh chattering note, which it utters incessantly. It is regarded in Calcutta as the herald of the cold weather. (Illus. G. B., p. 16.)

38. Tephrodornis pondicerianus: The Common Woodshrike. (F. 488), (J. 265), (+I.)

An ashy-brown bird, having a broad white eyebrow and the outer tail feathers white. Occurs chiefly in gardens and avenues. It is most easily recognised by its pretty mellow note, which Jesse syllabises as tanti-tuia.

The Minivets, 39-41

Minivets are brightly coloured little birds, which usually go about in small flocks, picking insects from off the leaves of trees. They build neat cup-shaped nests, which are usually placed on a horizontal branch. The nest is difficult to find, as when seen from below it [114] looks like a knot in the branch. The flocks lead a wandering existence.

39. Pericrocotus speciosus: The Indian Scarlet Minivet. (F. 490), (J. 271), (I, but with tail of 4½ inches long.)

Cock: A beautiful bird arrayed in bright scarlet and black. The head and shoulders are black, the back and lower parts scarlet. The wings are black with a scarlet bar running along (and not, as is usual, across) the wing. Tail feathers scarlet except the median pair, which are black.

Hen: Head and body bright yellow, wings black with longitudinal yellow bar. Tail yellow and black.

Occurs in U. P., Bengal, Assam, and C. P.

40. Pericrocotus brevirostris: The short-billed Minivet. (F. 495), (J. 273), (-I, but with tail 4 inches long.)

Very much like the Scarlet Minivet (39) in appearance, save that the red of the cock is crimson rather than scarlet.

Occurs in Punjab, Rajputana, U. P., Bengal, Assam and C. P. (Illus. G. B., p. 64.)

41. Pericrocotus peregrinus: The Small Minivet. (F. 500), (J. 276), (-I, tail 3 inches long.)

[115]

Cock: Head and shoulders slaty grey, lower back deep scarlet, wings black with red bar, tail black with red at tip, chin and throat blackish, breast scarlet; lower plumage orange-yellow.

Hen: Upper parts grey, lower parts creamy white, wing brown with yellow or orange wing-bar, tail black with red tip.

Not found in the N.W. F. P.

The Cuckoo-Shrikes, 42 and 43

42. Campophaga sykesi: The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike. (F. 508), (J. 268), (-II.)

Cock: Head, throat, and breast black; rest of plumage grey shading into white on the abdomen; tail black with broad white tip.

Hen: Upper parts grey, lower parts whitish with narrow black cross bars, tail as in cock. This species goes about in small flocks, is strictly arboreal, and has many of the habits of the minivets.

Not found in Punjab or N.W. F. P.

43. Graucalus macii: The Large Cuckoo-Shrike. (F. 510), (J. 270), (+III.)

A large pale slaty-grey bird with a black patch in front of the eye. The lower parts [116] are paler than the upper parts and often exhibit more or less distinct narrow black cross bars; habits as above.

Found all over India, but rare in the N.W. portion of the peninsula.

Neither 42 or 43 are very common birds.

The Orioles, 44 and 45

44. Oriolus kundoo: The Indian Oriole, or Mango Bird. (F. 518), (J. 470), (-III.)

Cock: A bright yellow bird with a pink beak and red eyes. There is some black on the sides of the head and in the wings and the tail. During flight this bird looks like a flash of gold.

Hen: Of duller hue than the cock, with greenish back.

A strictly arboreal species. The note is a soft, rich, mellow peeho, peeho.

The nest is a wonderful structure—a large cup slung like a hammock or prawn net on the fork of a bow, usually placed in one of the lower branches of a lofty tree, but out of reach of a human being. This species very frequently builds in the same tree as the King Crow. The eggs are pale pink, with chocolate blotches, which wash off.

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This bird is not found in Eastern Bengal, or in the eastern portion of Bengal proper. It is found all the year round in most parts of India, but is merely a summer visitor to the Punjab, N.W. F. P., and the Himalayas.

45. Oriolus melanocephalus: The Black-headed Oriole. (F. 521), (J. 472 and 473), (-III.)

Very much like the last species, but is distinguishable by having the whole head, chin, throat, and upper breast black.

Not found in the Punjab, or N.W. F. P., or in the Himalayas. (Illus. G. B., p. 16; also I. F., p. 128.)

The Grackles, or Hill Mynas, 46 and 47

As these birds are almost exclusively confined to hilly and well-wooded regions they can scarcely be numbered among the common birds of the plains of India; but as they are so very frequently seen in cages, I mention them.

They are larger than the common myna, but have a much shorter tail. They are glossy black birds with a conspicuous white wing bar. Beak orange-yellow, legs pale yellow. Their [118] most conspicuous feature is the pair of yellow wattles.

46. Eulabes religiosa: The Southern Grackle. (F. 523), (J. 692), (III.)

Found only in S. India.

47. Eulabes intermedia: The Indian Grackle. (F. 524), (J. 693), (+III.)

Found in the Himalayas and C. P.

The Starlings, 48-54

48. Pastor roseus: The Rose-coloured Starling, or Jowaree Bird, or Tilyer. (F. 528), (J. 690), (+III.)

Cock: Head, throat, wings, and tail glossy black; rest of plumage rose-coloured pink.

Hens and young cocks: In these the pink is replaced by a pinkish grey, or pale coffee-coloured hue. The great majority of birds one sees in India are hens or young cocks. The head is crested, but the black crest rests flat on the head, so that it is not noticeable.

Rosy starlings do not breed in India, although individuals may be seen in all months of the year. The birds are most abundant in the winter. Preparatory to leaving the country for breeding purposes rosy starlings congregate [119] in huge flocks in April and May. These flocks do much damage to the grain, and hence are known as Jowaree and Cholum birds. They are also very partial to mulberries, and are therefore sometimes known as Mulberry birds. (B. D., p. 86.)

49. Sturnus menzbieri: The Common Indian Starling. (F. 532), (J. 681), (+II.)

Very like the common English starling in appearance. Glossy black with numbers of small yellow or buff spots; in certain lights it shows a green or bronze sheen.

A winter visitor to Northern India. Abundant in the Punjab during the cold weather, where it is usually seen in flocks.

50. Sturnia malabarica: The Grey-headed Myna. (F. 538), (J. 688), (II.)

Head pale grey, chin almost white, rest of upper plumage dark grey with a reddish tinge, throat and breast reddish grey with a white shaft to each feather; remainder of lower plumage rusty red. Beak greenish blue with yellow tip.

Not found in Sind, N.W. F. P., or the Punjab. In the other parts of India it undergoes local migration. I have seen it in Madras only in the cold weather.

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This is the most arboreal of the mynas, rarely if ever descending to the ground, and frequenting the topmost branches of trees. It associates in small flocks. Its note is a harsh chuckle.

51. Temenuchus pagodarum: The Black-headed or Brahminy Myna, or Pawai. (F. 544), (J. 687), (+II.)

Head, neck, and lower plumage rich buff; wings black and grey; tail feathers brown with white tips; crest black. The long crest rests flat on the neck and looks like a pig-tail, having a silky hair-like appearance. Beak blue with yellow tip. Legs bright yellow.

Like most other mynas this species nests in a hole. In this case the nest-hole is usually in some building or tree. An unpleasant odour emanates from the nest.

This bird and No. 50 are very alike in shape and colouring, the most noticeable difference being in the colour of the head and crest and of the legs.

Not found in Eastern Bengal, the N.W. F. P., or the western portion of the Punjab. (Illus. B. D., p. 82; also B. B., p. 124.)

52. Acridotheres tristis: The Common Myna. (F. 549), (J. 684), (III.)

[121]

One of the most familiar of our Indian birds. Head, neck, and upper breast black; rest of body plumage rich brown; wings black, showing a very conspicuous white bar during flight. Tail feathers black with broad white tips, visible during flight. Beak and legs bright yellow; bright yellow patch of skin behind eye.

This bird is found in every garden in India. It feeds largely on the ground.

It is a noisy bird. Eha describes its notes as “Keeky, keeky, keeky . . . churr, churr, kok, kok, kok. Each time it says kok it points to the ground with its beak and bobs its head.” (Illus. B. D., p. 84; also F. I., p. 516, and B. C., p. 44.)

53. Acridotheres ginginianus: The Bank or Well Myna. (F. 551), (J. 685), (-III.)

Very like 51 in shape, but its prevailing tint is grey instead of brown. The wing bar and the tips of the tail feathers are buff instead of white, and the patch of skin behind the eye is crimson instead of yellow.

Not found in S. India.

It goes about in flocks and nests in holes in river banks or wells, hence its popular name.

54. Sturnopastor contra. The Pied Myna. (F. 555), (J. 683), (-III.)

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A black bird, white cheeks and rump, and white bar at base of wing; lower parts grey. Beak orange with white tip; orange patch of skin behind the eye.

This bird differs from the other mynas in that it builds a large nest in a tree, usually at no great altitude.

Occurs only in U. P., C. P., the Bengals, and Assam. (Illus. G. B., p. 16.)

The Flycatchers, 55-60

Flycatchers are birds which feed exclusively on insects, which they catch upon the wing. Their habit is to make, from some perch, little sallies into the air after their quarry. It must, however, not be forgotten that birds other than flycatchers, as, for example, the king crow and the wagtails, also hunt for insects in this manner; so that it is not safe to set down a bird as a flycatcher merely because it makes little sallies into the air after insect quarry.

A considerable number of species of flycatcher occur in India, but the great majority of them are confined to the hills. The following, however, are likely to be seen in the plains, Nos. 57-60 being especially abundant.

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55. Alseonax latirostris. The Brown Flycatcher. (F. 588), (J. 297), (-I.)

An ashy-brown bird; tail darker than body, lower parts white, inconspicuous ring of white feathers round the eye. Not a very common bird.

Not found in N.W. F. P., Punjab, Sind, or Rajputana.

A little brown bird with a short tail, that makes a sally into the air after an insect, and then returns to its perch, is probably this species.

56. Culicicapa ceylonensis: The Grey-headed Flycatcher. (F. 592), (J. 295), (-I.)

Head, neck, and breast ash-coloured. Back greenish yellow; wings and tail dark brown. Lower plumage dull yellow.

A winter visitor to the plains. Not likely to be seen in N.W. India.

57. Terspiphone paradisi: The Indian Paradise Flycatcher, also known as the Ribbon Bird and the Widow Bird. (F. 598), (J. 288), (II, but the cock has a very long tail.)

One of the most beautiful birds in India.

Hen and young cock: Like a bulbul in size and form. Rich chestnut plumage with metallic black crest and head; lower parts white. Bill bluish black. Legs slate-coloured.

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Second year cock: Similar to above, except that the two median tail feathers are much longer than the others, being 16 inches in length.

Old cocks: The chestnut parts of the plumage turn white.

This bird undergoes a certain amount of local migration. It visits the Punjab in great numbers in summer for nesting purposes. The nest is like an inverted cone in shape, and is usually placed on one of the lower branches of a tree. The white cock shares the duties of incubation, and as he sits, his long white tail feathers hang down several inches beyond the bottom of the nest.

The bird frequently utters a sharp note something like the twitter of a sparrow. The cock has also a sweet little song.

In Burma this species is replaced by an allied species—the Burmese Paradise Flycatcher (T. affinis). (Illus. F. II., p. 1; also B. B., p. 76, and G. B. frontispiece.)

The Fantail Flycatchers, 58-60

These are blackish-brown birds, with a conspicuous white eyebrow. There are some [125] white spots in the wing. The tail feathers are tipped with white, and as the bird continually spreads its tail into a fan the white is very conspicuous. The lower plumage is white. These birds have a striking and very cheery song of about six notes, which they utter constantly. They are easily recognised by their “tinkling” song and by the manner in which they continually fan the tail, drop the wings, and dance; or, to use Eha’s words, “waltz and pirouette among the lower branches of a shady mango tree.” Three species are common, and have similar manners and appearance. The nest is either a neat cup or an inverted cone, built largely of cobweb on one of the lower branches of a tree. When they have a nest these flycatchers are very bold. They will set upon and drive away birds much larger than themselves, and will even offer to attack an intruding human being. The three species are distinguished as follows:

58. Rhipidura albifrontata: The white-browed Fantail Flycatcher. (F. 604), (J. 292), (+I.)

Distinguished by its very broad white eyebrow and forehead. The common species of N. India. Nest a cup.

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59. Rhipidura albicollis: The White-throated Fantail Flycatcher. (F. 605), (J. 291), (+I.)

Distinguished from 58 by the black forehead and narrow white eyebrow, and from 60 by the black abdomen. Nest an inverted cone. The common fantail of S. and E. India.

60. Rhipidura pectoralis: The White-spotted Fantail Flycatcher (F. 607), (J. 293), (+I.)

Distinguished from 58 by the black forehead and narrow white eyebrow, and from 59 by the whitish abdomen. Nest cup-shaped. The common fantail of S.W. India. (Illus. B. B., p. 76.)

The Robins, 61-69

61 and 62. The Pied Bush Chats.

The cock is a black bird (brownish in early winter), with a conspicuous white wing patch and a white rump.

The hen is a reddish-brown bird (greyish in winter), with a black tail with a reddish patch over the tail. The hen may be distinguished from other brownish birds by the peculiar colouring of her mate.

The nest is in a hole in the ground at the base of a tussock of long grass.

61. Pratincola caprata: The Common Pied [127] Bush Chat, or White-winged Black Robin. (F. 608), (J. 481), (-I.)

Found in N. and C. India.

62. Pratincola atrata: The Southern Pied Bush Chat. (F. 609), (J. 482), (I.)

Found in S. India.

The above two species may perhaps be regarded as local varieties.

63. Pratincola maura: The Indian Bush Chat. (F. 610), (J. 483), (-I.)

Cock: The upper parts are reddish brown in winter (black in summer owing to the brown edges to the feathers being worn away). Large patch of white on each side of neck; breast orange-red, lower parts pale reddish brown.

Hen: Reddish brown all over; no white neck patch.

A winter visitor to all parts of Northern India; occurs usually in open fields.

The hens of these species of robin-like birds are very difficult to distinguish; but as they are usually found in company with the cock it is not as a rule difficult to assign them to their proper species.

64. Cercomela fusca: The Brown Rock Chat—the Desi shama of Indians. (F. 629), (J. 494), (+I.)

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A dull inconspicuous brown bird. It frequents buildings and is robin-like in its habits. As it hops about it continually bobs its head. The cock sings a sweet little lay. The nest is made up of dried grass and placed in a niche or on a ledge in an outhouse, or a mosque, or even an inhabited room. It is made of dried grass and roots, and falls to pieces if lifted from its foundation. The eggs are pale blue blotched with reddish yellow.

Found in Punjab, Rajputana, U. P., and C. P.; very common at Lahore.

65. Ruticilla rufiventris: The Indian Redstart. (F. 644), (J. 497), (I.)

Cock: Each feather of the head, breast, and upper plumage is black, fringed with grey, so that after the autumn moult the cock is dark grey in these parts; but gradually the grey edges wear away, so that by the spring the head, neck, and upper parts of the cock look black. The rump and the feathers over the tail are reddish chestnut. The abdomen is orange-red. All the feathers of the tail are reddish except the two median ones, which are brown.

Hen: Reddish brown when the cock is grey or black; otherwise like the cock, except that the red in her plumage is duller.

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The redstart is an easy bird to identify, it behaves as though it had St. Vitus’ dance in the tail. As it flies away all the red in its plumage shows, so that the bird looks like a ball of fire. It feeds largely on the ground, taking cover in bushes when alarmed. It frequents gardens.

A winter visitor to India. Very common in the north and rarer in the south.

66. Thamnobia cambaiensis: The Brown-backed Indian Robin. (F. 661), (J. 480), (+I.)

Cock: A glossy black bird with a brown back, a narrow white bar in the wing, and a conspicuous patch of brick-red under the tail.

Hen: A sandy brown bird with a brick-red patch under the tail.

A familiar bird which haunts gardens and is very partial to dry sandy localities. It builds a neat cup-shaped nest on window-ledges or in holes in walls, banks, etc. It usually carries the tail raised almost vertically and so displays the red patch. Occurs all over Northern India. South of the Godaveri it is replaced by 67.

67. Thamnobia fulicata: The Black-backed Indian Robin. (F. 662), (J. 479), (+I.)

The hen of this species is scarcely distinguishable [130] from the hen of T. cambaiensis (66). The cock differs in having the back black instead of brown. Occurs only in S. India. (Illus. B. D., p. 294.)

68. Copsychus saularis: The Magpie Robin, or Dayal. (F. 663), (J. 475), (-II.)

A very familiar garden bird.

Cock: A glossy black bird, with a white abdomen sharply marked off from the black throat and breast. Outer tail feathers white. A conspicuous white wing bar.

Hen: Marked like the cock, but greyish brown where he is black. This species, like the last, frequently elevates the tail.

The cock has a fine song in spring. This and the magpie pattern of its plumage cause it to be readily identified. The cock and hen pair for life. They frequent gardens and are robin-like in habits. It nests in holes in trees or buildings. The nest is frequently found in stables and outhouses. (Illus. F. II., p. 56; also G. B., frontispiece, and B. B., p. 97.)

69. Cittocincla macrura: The Shama. (F. 664), (J. 476), (II, but with a tail six inches long.)

A fine songster.

Cock: Upper plumage glossy black. Lower [131] back white. Wings black and white. Lower plumage chestnut red.

Hen: Like the cock, save that the black is replaced by slaty brown and the reddish lower parts are much paler than in the cock.

Found only in thick jungle. (Illus. G. B., p. 40.)

The Weaver Birds, 70-73

Weaver birds are sparrow-like birds of gregarious habits. They build, or rather weave, wonderful flask-shaped or retort-shaped nests which hang from trees, the entrance being from below. They breed in the rains. Four species are found in India, these are:

70. Ploceus baya: The Baya, or Common Weaver Bird, or Bottle Bird. (F. 720), (J. 694), (I.)

At most seasons of the year the cock and hen are reddish-brown birds with a faint, fawn-coloured eyebrow, and look very like the hen house sparrow, having, like her, a thick bill. The hen baya retains this plumage throughout the year. In the hot weather, however, the head and neck of the cock become a beautiful golden yellow, as does the breast, and the chin turns almost black. In this plumage the cock baya is very easily recognised.

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This species occurs in all parts of India except Bengal, Assam, and Burma. In these places it is replaced by an allied species (71). (Illus. F. II., p. 173; also B. B., p. 131.)

71. Ploceus megarhynchus: The Eastern Baya. (F. 721), (J. 694), (I.)

This species differs so little from (No. 70) P. baya, that I am inclined to regard it as a local race of the latter species.

72. Ploceus bengalensis: The Black-throated Weaver-bird. (F. 722), (J. 696), (-I.)

This species is very like 70 and 71 in appearance, but may be distinguished by (1) a yellow patch on the side of the neck, (2) the black breast, (3) by the fact that the tubular entrance to the nest is short and not long like that of P. baya and P. megarhynchus.

This is a comparatively rare species and is not found in S. India.

73. Ploceus manyar: The Striated Weaver-bird. (F. 723), (J. 695), (I.)

This species is distinguishable from Nos. 70, 71, and 72, by having the feathers of the breast streaked longitudinally with black.

It is found all over India, but is not nearly so commonly seen as P. baya.

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The Munias, 74-79

Munias are diminutive birds, considerably smaller than the sparrow, characterised by very thick bills. Except when breeding they usually go about in flocks. The nest, which is rarely situated at any great distance from the ground, is a large, ball-like structure, having an entrance at the side. The eggs are white.

74. Munia malacca: The Black-headed Munia. (F. 725), (J. 697), (-I.)

Head and breast black, back wings and tail rich chestnut, tinged with maroon. Abdomen white, rest of lower plumage black. Bill very pale slate colour.

This handsome species is confined to S. India; in the north it is replaced by a closely allied species (75).

75. Munia atricapilla: The Chestnut-bellied Munia. (F. 726), (J. 698), (-I.)

This differs from 74 only in having the abdomen chestnut instead of white.

76. Uroloncha malabarica: The White-throated Munia (called the Chiruka in N. India). (F. 734), (J. 703), (-I.)

Jerdon’s name for this bird—the Plain [134] Brown Munia—is much more appropriate than that given it by Oates, for the white of the throat is rarely, if ever, pure, being usually cream-coloured.

This is the species of munia most commonly seen, and is found in all parts of the plains of India, save Eastern Bengal and Burma.

It is a plainly-coloured bird, the upper plumage being earthy brown save for a white patch on the rump. The lower plumage is dirty white. It has a twittering, sparrow-like note, syllabised by Sykes as “cheet, cheet, cheet.” The feathers of the tail are graduated. This, the small size of the bird, the white patch on the rump, the thick bill, and the note should serve to enable the observer to identify this inconspicuous little munia. (Illus. B. B., p. 137.)

77. Uroloncha punctulata: The Spotted Munia. (F. 735), (J. 699), (-I.)

This is known by bird fanciers as the Nutmeg Bird and the Spice Bird. It, like No. 79, is one of the common cage birds of India.

Head, neck, upper plumage, wings, and tail are rich chocolate brown, that of the head being darkest. The lower breast and abdomen are white, but most of the feathers have each [135] a narrow black semicircular bar, so that the lower parts of the bird have the appearance of a nutmeg-grater: hence one of the popular names of the bird. Bill dark slaty blue.

Does not occur in N.W. F. P. or Sind. (Illus. G. B., p. 16.)

78. Stictospiza formosa: The Green Munia, or Green Waxbill. (F. 737), (J. 705), (-I.)

This beautiful little bird, which is barely two-thirds the size of the sparrow, is frequently caged. The upper plumage and wings are light green, brighter in the cock than in the hen; the tail is black, the lower parts are yellow, brighter in the cock than in the hen. Bill bright red.

Distribution: Central India and Southern Bengal.

79. Sporæginthus amandava: The Indian Red Munia, or Red Waxbill, or Lal, or Amadavat. (F. 738), (J. 704), (-I.)

Every aviary in India boasts one or two amadavats.

This is a tiny little bird with a bright red beak and red eyes. The general hue of the plumage is reddish brown with patches of the richest crimson and some tiny white spots. There is more crimson in the cock than in the [136] hen, and in the former in the breeding season than at other times of the year. But in both sexes there is always a patch of crimson on the lower rump. In full dress the cock has the whole head, upper plumage, breast, and sides of the body crimson. As, however, the wing feathers are brown, the little birds look brown, and not crimson, during flight. In order to perceive the crimson they must be watched when at rest in the sunlight.

They are highly gregarious and are found all over India. In Burma this bird is replaced by an allied one (S. flavidiventris), having the abdomen yellowish red instead of black. (Illus. G. B., frontispiece.)

The Finches, 80-82

These are seed-eating birds, characterised by a thick, stout bill. The canary and the house sparrow are the most familiar examples of this family.

80. Carpodacus erythninus: The Common Rose-Finch. (F. 761), (J. 738), (+I.)

Cock: A crimson bird, with brownish-green wings. The crimson is bright on the breast, throat, and rump. There are two yellowish-brown bars on the wing.

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Hen: A greenish-brown sparrow-like bird with two conspicuous whitish bars on the wing.

This bird is a winter visitor to the plains of Northern and Central India, and, to some extent, S. India. Natives call it the Tuti. It has a pleasing song, but is not a bird that obtrudes itself on the observer. Unless carefully watched for it is apt to be overlooked.

Jerdon writes of this species, “It visits the plains during October, and leaves in April. In March many are taken in fine breeding livery. In the extreme south I have chiefly seen it in bamboo jungle, feeding on the seeds of bamboos on several occasions, and so much is this its habit that the Telegu name signifies ‘Bamboo sparrow.’ In other parts of the country it frequents alike groves, gardens, and jungle, feeding on various seeds and grain; also not infrequently on flower buds and young leaves.”

Eha does not include this species in his Common Birds of Bombay. Cunningham says it is fairly common in the gardens of Calcutta during the winter months. Jesse states that it is fairly common at Lucknow. At Lahore I observed it only in March and April.

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81. Gymnorhis flavicollis: The Yellow-throated Sparrow. (F. 775), (J. 711), (I.)

A near relative of the common house sparrow. In appearance it is like a particularly tidy and slenderly built hen sparrow. It may be readily distinguished by its having a pale yellow patch on the throat, bright in the cock and dull in the hen.

This species frequents gardens, but is far less familiar in its behaviour than Passer domesticus. It nests in holes, usually in trees.

Not found so far east as Calcutta. In the Punjab it is a summer visitor, whither it repairs for breeding purposes.

82. Passer domesticus: The Common Sparrow or House Sparrow. (F. 776), (J. 706), (I.)

Description of this familiar and ubiquitous bird is quite superfluous. I give it merely for the sake of completeness.

Cock: Top of head and lower back ashy grey, throat black, cheeks and sides of neck pure white, streak over the eye and upper back chestnut, wings and tail brown, the former with a white bar; lower plumage dirty white.

Hen: A dull brown bird with dirty white under parts; reddish-white eyebrow and white wing bar.

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The Buntings, 83-85

The yellow-hammer, with its song of “A little bit of bread and no che-e-e-ese,” has rendered the bunting clan familiar to every Englishman. Buntings are finch-like birds with conical bills, mostly rather larger than the sparrow.

Several species visit the plains of India in large numbers every cold weather and wax fat on the grain crops. They occur in large noisy flocks, making merry among the various cereal crops and taking refuge in trees when disturbed. The species most commonly seen are E. buchanani, E. melanocephala, and E. luteola.

83. Emberiza buchanani: The Grey-necked Bunting. (F. 795), (J. 716), (+I.)

There is nothing striking in the appearance of this bird. The upper plumage is ashy brown, the shaft of each feather being darker than the web, giving the bird a streaked appearance. The lower parts are reddish brown. There is some white in the tail visible only during flight. There is an inconspicuous white ring round the eye.

This occurs only in the N.W. parts of India.

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84. Emberiza melanocephala: The Black-headed Bunting. (F. 799), (J. 721), (+I.)

Cock: The feathers of the head are black with a grey border, so that the head looks grey when the bird first reaches India in the autumn, but gets blacker as the grey edges of the feathers become worn away. The back and shoulders are rich chestnut, the wings and tail are brown, the cheeks and lower plumage are deep bright yellow.

Hen: A brownish bird with dull yellow breast and abdomen and a bright yellow patch under the tail. This species looks rather like a large long-tailed weaver-bird.

Found in winter, and only in N.W. F. P., Punjab, C. P., and Bombay. It is the species of bunting most abundant in the neighbourhood of Bombay, where, as Eha says, it “about takes the place in India of the yellow-hammer at home, swarming about fields and hedges and singing with more cheer than music.” (Illus. B. B., p. 142.)

85. Emberiza luteola: The Red-headed Bunting. (F. 800), (J. 722), (+I.)

A greenish-brown bird, with the head in the cock a colour between that of chestnut and old [141] gold. Rump yellow, lower plumage yellow, bright in male and duller in female.

Winter visitor to N.W. and Central India.

N.B.—None of the above buntings occur in Madras.

The Swallows, 86-90

Swallows and martins form a well-marked and familiar group of birds. The only other family with which it is possible to confound them is that of the swifts. Anatomically the two families are far removed from one another; but similarity of profession has brought about similarity in outward appearance. Nevertheless, the representatives of the two families may be distinguished at a glance as they dash through the air. “As a swallow darts along,” writes Eha, “its wings almost close against its sides at every stroke, and it looks like a pair of scissors opening and shutting. Now a swift never closes its wings in this way. It whips the air rapidly with the points of them, but they are always extended and evenly curved from tip to tip, like a bow, the slim body of the bird being the arrow.” Jefferies likens a flying swift to an anchor with enormous flukes. Another difference between the swifts and the swallows is that the former never [142] perch on trees or wires or on the ground, while the latter habitually seat themselves on branches of trees and telegraph wires.

A small bird that dashes with great speed through the air, frequently changing its course, flying now high up, now just skimming the ground, and seeming never to tire, can be nothing other than a swift or a swallow. By the tests given above it is easy to determine whether any particular bird is a swift or a swallow, but having got thus far it is a matter of greater difficulty to determine the species. (Illus. F. II., p. 267; also B. B., p. 35.)

Twenty-two species of swallow are found in India; of these the following are most commonly seen:

86. Cotile sinensis: The Indian Sand-martin. (F. 809), (J. 88), (-I.)

A tiny swallow, only about two-thirds the size of the sparrow. Upper plumage greyish brown. Chin and breast greyish white, rest of lower plumage white.

It nests in sandbanks, frequently in company.

Occurs only in N. India.

87. Ptyonoprogne concolor: The Dusky Crag-martin. (F. 811), (J. 90), (-I.)

Upper plumage dark brown. Some white [143] spots on the tail. Lower plumage dark brown, paler on the breast. The most dull-coloured of the swallows. It builds a nest like that of the common martin—a saucer of mud stuck on to some vertical surface, usually a cliff or the wall of a cave.

88. Hirundo rustica: The Common Swallow (F. 813), (J. 82), (I, but with a deeply forked tail 4½ inches in length.)

Upper plumage glossy steel blue, wings and tail black; some white in tail. Lower plumage reddish yellow; forehead, chin, and throat chestnut red.

89. Hirundo smithii: The Wire-tailed Swallow. (F. 818), (J. 84), (-I, with the two outer feathers of the tail, the ends of which look like wires, 7 inches in length.)

Head chestnut, upper plumage glossy steel blue, lower plumage pure white.

Not found in Madras or east of the U. P. Builds cup-shaped nest of mud, usually under a bridge or culvert; sometimes in a verandah. Eggs white with small red splashes.

90. Hirundo erythropygia: Sykes’s Striated Swallow, or the Red-rumped Swallow. (F. 823), (J. 85), (-I, with a forked tail over 3 inches in length.)

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Upper parts glossy steel blue, except for the sides of the head and the lower back; which are chestnut red. Lower plumage pale reddish yellow.

Not found in Madras, Eastern Bengal, or Burma. Nest of usual swallow type; eggs white.

Key to the Common Swallows

A.—Tail short.

a. Under parts light—Cotile sinensis.

b. Under parts dark—Ptyonoprogne concolor.

B.—Tail long and forked.

a. Chestnut red on forehead, chin, and throat—Hirundo rustica.

b. Head only chestnut, under parts white, outer tail feathers very long and wire-like—H. smithii.

c. Chestnut on lower back—H. erythropygia.

The Wagtails, 91-94

This family includes the wagtails and pipits. These are slenderly built birds, whose line of flight is an undulating curve. They feed on [145] the ground, sometimes making little sallies into the air after their quarry, and run with great speed. They never hop. They constantly “wag the tail,” hence their popular name. The wagtails are distinguished from the pipits by their brighter colouring and longer tails. Pipits are earth-coloured birds with dark stripes along the vein of each feather.

All the wagtails except M. maderaspatensis are merely winter visitors to the plains of India.

91. Motacilla alba: The White Wagtail. (F. 826), (J. 591), (-II.)

General colour of plumage grey. Face, chin, and throat white, back of head and nape black; a black patch on the breast, the remainder of the lower plumage is white. The wings are black with much white in them. The middle tail feathers are black, the outer ones white. [In all wagtails the outer tail feathers are white, and show up very distinctly during flight.]

Not found in S. India. (Illus. B. B., p. 111.)

92. Motacilla maderaspatensis: The Large Pied Wagtail. (F. 831), (J. 589), (II.)

A black bird with a conspicuous white eyebrow. The breast and lower plumage are [146] white. There is a broad white bar in the wing. The outer tail feathers are white.

The only bird with which this wagtail can possibly be confounded is the cock magpie-robin or Dhayal (68) (q.v.), but the two are easily distinguishable by—

(1) The magpie-robin lacks the white eyebrows.

(2) The magpie-robin carries his tail erect; the wagtail never erects its tail.

Not found in Eastern Bengal, Assam, or Burma. A permanent resident. Nests in a hole in an old boat, a roof, a bridge, etc. The eggs are greenish white, blotched with brown.

This wagtail is a fine songster, and may sometimes be seen sitting on a telegraph wire pouring forth its melody. (Illus. B. D., p. 14.)

93. Motacilla melanope: The Grey Wagtail. (F. 832), (J. 592), (-II.)

This bird is misnamed. It has a large amount of yellow in its plumage. For this reason Jerdon calls it the grey and yellow wagtail.

The upper parts are bluish grey, marked with yellowish green on the lower back. Throat white, lower plumage bright yellow, wings brown, middle tail feathers black, outer ones white.

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94. Motacilla borealis: The Grey-headed Wagtail. (F. 833), (J. 593), (-II.)

This species is so like M. melanope (No. 93) that it is not easy to differentiate between them. It is, however, generally possible to distinguish them by the fact that in this species the chin is yellow, and the breast is sometimes mottled with black.

The Pipits, 95 and 96

95. Anthus maculatus: The Indian Tree-Pipit. (F. 841), (J. 596), (I.)

A dull-coloured bird like a wagtail in shape, but with a shorter tail, which it sometimes wags in a half-hearted manner.

The upper parts are earthy brown with dark streaks. The lower parts are creamy white with black streaks. There is a little white in the tail, visible only during flight. It feeds on the ground, but takes refuge in a tree when disturbed. It frequently goes about in flocks. There is nothing striking in its appearance or habits, and so it is not easy to describe satisfactorily.

A winter visitor. Not found in Madras. (Illus. B. B., p. 111).

[148]

96. Anthus rufulus: The Indian Pipit, or the Indian Tit-Lark. (F. 847), (J. 600), (I.)

This is scarcely distinguishable from the last species (95). It has a somewhat longer bill and longer legs. The claw of its hind toe is much longer than that of A. maculatus, but this cannot be seen unless the bird be held in the hand. This species is found all over India. Thus in N. India in winter a bird answering to this description may be either species, and it is only safe to set it down as a “pipit.”

The Larks, 97-103

Larks are so like pipits that it is not easy to distinguish between them without capturing them. (Illus. F. II., p. 315.)

97. Alauda gulgula: The Indian Skylark. (F. 861), (J. 767), (+I.)

This is very like the above two pipits in appearance, but there is a good deal more white in the tail. Except for its somewhat smaller size it is indistinguishable from the English skylark, and all books on Indian ornithology state that this bird soars up into the heavens and pours forth its song just as the lark does in England. I must confess that this is not my experience. I have never seen this [149] species soar in the middle of the day, or at any time save the very early morning.

This is a permanent resident and builds a nest on the ground like that of the common skylark.

98. Alaudula raytal: The Ganges Sand-lark. (F. 866), (J. 762), (-I.)

This is distinguishable from the skylark by its smaller size and its white under plumage.

It is a permanent resident, but is confined to the sandy beds of the rivers of N. India. It runs about near the edge of the water.

The Bush Larks, 99 and 100

These are distinguished by having no white in the tail. They frequently perch in bushes or low trees, whence they sometimes take short flights in the air.

99. Mirafra assamica: The Bengal Bush-lark. (F. 870), (J. 754), (I.)

Found in U. P., Bengal, and Assam.

The common Bush Lark of the U.P. is not the Bengal but the Red-winged Bush Lark (Mirafra erythroptera) (F. 871) (J. 756) (-I). This is smaller than the Bengal species and the brown of its upper plumage is tinged with red.

100. Mirafra affinis: The Madras Bush-lark. (F. 872), (J. 755), (I.)

Found in S. India. It is common in Guindy Park.

[150]

The Crested Larks, 101-103

These are readily distinguished by the sharp-pointed crest which projects backwards and upwards from the back of the head. They sing well and have habits very similar to those of the skylark. No white in the tail.

101. Galerita cristata: The Crested Lark. (F. 874), (J. 769), (+I.)

Punjab and U. P., where it is abundant. Very common at Lahore.

102. Galerita deva: Sykes’s Crested Lark. (F. 875), (J. 765), (I.)

U. P., Rajputana, and C. I.

103. Galerita malabarica: The Malabar Crested Lark. (F. 876), (J. 768), (+I.)

Bombay and Travancore.

The Finch-Larks, 104 and 105

These are easily recognised by their curious habit of flying some twenty or thirty feet into the air, then closing their wings and dropping to the ground. As they descend they utter a curious note. They are dumpy little birds and do not look as large as their measurements.

104. Ammomanes phœnicura: The Rufous-tailed Finch-Lark. (F. 877), (J. 758), (I.)

[151]

A dark brown bird, with dark red on the lower back and tail.

It is found chiefly in Central India in Bombay. In Sind and the Punjab it is replaced by A. phœnicuroides (the Desert Finch-Lark). Not found in Madras.

105. Pyrrhulauda grisea: The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark. (F. 879), (J. 760), (-I.)

This is the common Finch-Lark of India, being a permanent resident everywhere, except the N.W. F. P., Eastern Bengal, Assam, and Burma.

Cock: Upper parts dark ashy grey. Streak through the eye and all the lower plumage black, cheeks and sides of breast white, so that, as Eha points out, the black on the throat takes the form of a cross. [This very unusual colouring, i.e. darker below than above, renders the cock easy to identify.]

Hen: The parts that are black in the cock are reddish brown. (Illus. B. B., p. 142.)

The Sunbirds, or Honeysuckers, 106-108

These charming little birds are easy to identify. They are the Old World counterparts of the humming birds of the New World. The hens are inconspicuous little brown birds [152] with yellow under parts, but the cocks wear a gay livery. They build large hanging nests, composed of dried grass, leaves, etc., held together by cobweb, so that they look, from a little distance, like hanging masses of rubbish. Close inspection shows that the nest is pear-shaped, with a circular entrance at one side and a little porch over the entrance. The nests are found in gardens, being sometimes suspended from the roof of the verandah.

These birds feed largely on the nectar of flowers, which they abstract by means of their long tubular tongues. In order to obtain the honey they frequently hover on rapidly-vibrating wings, like humming birds.

106. Arachnechthra lotenia: Loten’s Sunbird. (F. 894), (J. 235), (-I.)

Cock: The whole plumage is dark metallic purple, looking black in some lights, but in the sun’s rays it displays a green or lilac sheen. The beak is long and curved.

Hen: Upper plumage earthy brown, lower plumage very pale yellow.

Found only in S. India. Very common in Madras. (Illus. B. P., pp. 78, 82, and 90.)

107. Arachnechthra asiatica: The Purple Sunbird. (F. 895), (J. 234), (-I.)

[153]

Cock: Very like A. lotenia, but this species is smaller and its curved beak is shorter. It is a very fine songster, its voice being as sweet as that of the canary or the pied wagtail.

Hen: Upper plumage earthy brown, lower plumage yellow.

Found all over India, but is only a summer visitor to the Punjab and N.W. F. P. (Illus. I. F., frontispiece.)

108. Arachnechthra zeylonica: The Purple-rumped Sunbird (F. 901), (J. 232), (-I.)

Cock: From a little distance the cock looks like a black-and-white bird, the upper parts and breast appear black, and the lower parts white. Closer inspection, however, reveals a livery of many colours, each of which has a beautiful sheen. There is a patch on the crown which appears metallic lilac in some lights and emerald green in others. The neck and upper back are dull crimson, the lower back, chin, and throat are brilliant metallic purple. The tail and wing feathers are dark brown. There is a maroon collar below the throat. The lower plumage is bright yellow.

Hen: Upper plumage earthy brown, lower parts yellow.

Found in all parts of India except N.W. F. P., [154] Punjab, U.P., Behar, Assam, and Burma. Very common in S. India. (Illus. B. P., p. 80; also B. B., p. 62, and G. B., p. 40, and I. F., p. 128).

The Pittas, 109

Pittas are unique birds. They are about the size of a quail and are characterised by their short tails and legs and their many-coloured plumage. They feed upon the ground, but when alarmed they take refuge in bushes. They are never seen far from cover. They have a cheery whistling song.

109. Pitta brachyura: The Indian Pitta. (F. 933), (J. 345), (II.)

The natives call this species the Naurang (nine colours) on account of its many colours.

The crown is yellow tinged with orange and divided in the middle by a broad black band running from the beak to the nape of the neck, where it meets a broader black band that passes below the eye. The eyebrow is white. The back and shoulders are dull bluish green. There is a patch of pale blue feathers over the tail and a patch of the same colour on the wing. The feathers of the wing and tail are black tipped with blue. There is a white bar in the [155] wing visible only during flight. Chin and throat are white, breast orange-yellow. There is a large crimson patch under the tail.

Not found in N.W. F. P., Punjab, Eastern Bengal, Assam, or Burma. It is nowhere abundant, but fairly common in Madras. (Illus. B. D., p. 108; also I. F., p. 256.)

The Woodpeckers, 110 and 111

A general description of the woodpeckers is scarcely necessary. They feed exclusively on insects, which they pick off the trunks of trees, tapping the same with their chisel-like beak to drive their quarry from its lair. They are very skilled climbers, moving up and down the tree trunk in a series of jerks; the head is always pointing upwards. Their powers of flight are not great, they progress through the air in a series of undulations, uttering their peculiar harsh cries. They excavate their nests in the trunks of trees. A great many woodpeckers exist in India, but only two species are widely distributed.

110. Liopicus mahrattensis: The Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker. (F. 972), (J. 160), (-II.)

[156]

A spotted black-and-white bird, with a yellow patch on the forehead. The cock has in addition a short red crest. There is also a patch of red on the abdomen.

Not found in Eastern Bengal and Assam.

111. Brachypternus aurantius: The Golden-backed Woodpecker. (F. 986), (J. 180), (+III.)

Bright crimson crest. Top of head black. Sides of head white, with a number of black lines and streaks. Upper back golden yellow. Lower back and tail black. Wings black and golden yellow, with some white spots. It has a loud screaming call, which it constantly utters.

Not found in Assam. Common in all other parts of India. (Illus. F. III., p. 14; also B. C., p. 65.)

112. Iynx torquilla: The Common Wryneck. (F. 1003), (J. 188), (+I.)

An inconspicuous grey-brownish bird, streaked, speckled, and mottled all over its plumage. In some respects its habits are those of the woodpecker, but it rarely if ever climbs high up a tree, it is usually seen picking insects off a tree stump or a mound. It has a peculiar habit of twisting its head round, hence its name.

[157]

It is a winter visitor to the plains of India, but can scarcely be called a common bird.

The Barbets, 113 and 114

Barbets are tree-haunting birds with thick bills. They have loud monotonous calls of two or three notes, which they repeat eternally. They nest in holes in trees, which they excavate with their thick stout bills, in woodpecker fashion. The entrance to the nest is a perfectly circular hole, like that leading to a woodpecker’s nest, but considerably smaller. Barbets, when calling, move the head, so that it is not easy to locate the bird from its call.

113. Thereiceryx zeylonicus: The Common Green Barbet. (F. 1008), (J. 193), (III.)

A rich leaf-green bird, with a brownish head and a large brown patch round the eye devoid of feathers.

During the latter part of the cold weather and the early part of the hot weather it makes the bagh where it occurs resound with its loud, penetrating, monotonous kutur, kutur, kutur. The bird starts by uttering a harsh laugh—tur-r-r-r—this is followed by a long succession of kuturs.

[158]

Not found in Punjab, Sind, Rajputana, Lower Bengal, or the East Coast of the Madras presidency.

114. Xantholæma hæmatocephala: The Crimson-breasted Barbet, or Coppersmith. (F. 1019), (J. 197), (+I.)

An olive-green bird with very gaudy colouring on the head. I quote the following description from Bombay Ducks: The bird “always puts me in mind of a woman who ‘makes up’ very carelessly, who is not only exceedingly lavish of the paint, but does not understand how to shade it off gradually. The general colour of the bird’s plumage is greenish, but on close inspection many greyish white feathers are seen to be mingled with the green ones. There is a daub of crimson on the forehead and another on the throat. The sides of the face are pale yellow. The legs are coral red. The build of the bird is exceedingly coarse.”

But the coppersmith is a bird that is usually heard rather than seen. Its monotonous metallic tonk, tonk, tonk, like the tapping of a hammer on metal, is one of the most familiar sounds of the Indian country-side. This cry is heard only in the hot weather, and the warmer [159] the day the more vigorously does the bird call. (Illus. B. D., p. 246; also B. B., p. 57.)

115. Coracias indica: The Indian Roller, or “Blue Jay.” (F. 1022), (J. 123), (+III.)

This is a most familiar bird. Its head and neck, throat and shoulders, are the colour of a faded port-wine stain. Its wings and tail are composed of alternate broad bands of light and dark blue. These organs are not very much en evidence when the bird is perched; but flight transforms it; as it flaps heavily along it is a study in Oxford and Cambridge blue.

It is found in most parts of India, but not in the island of Bombay.

It nests at the beginning of the hot weather in a hole in a building or a decayed tree. At the breeding season it is very noisy, uttering strange hoarse cries as it performs weird antics in the air, or, sitting on a perch, it every now and again utters a loud tshock, accompanied by a vibration of the tail.

In Burma this species is replaced by an allied one—Coracias affinis—the Burmese Roller. (Illus. B. D., p. 112; also B. P., p. 12, and B. C. cover.)

[160]

The Bee-eaters, 116 and 117

Bee-eaters are brightly coloured birds of elegant form. They are characterised by having the median pair of tail feathers prolonged a couple of inches beyond the others as bristles. The feeding habits of these birds are like those of flycatchers. They make from some perch little sallies in the air after insects. The wings when spread are triangular in shape. They excavate their nests in sandbanks.

116. Merops viridis: The Common Indian Bee-eater. (F. 1026), (J. 117), (I, but with rather a long tail.)

An emerald-green bird with a turquoise throat, black necklace, and a black band through the eye. The wings are shot with bronze, so that, as the bird sails along on outstretched pinions, it looks now green, now bronze, as the rays of the sun are reflected at different angles. There is some black in the tail, and the two median tail feathers project as bristles a couple of inches beyond the other tail feathers. The eye is bright red.

Found all over India, but undergoes a considerable amount of local migration. It is a summer visitor to the Punjab and N.W. F. P., [161] and is said to leave the island of Bombay in the hot weather. (Illus. B. D., p. 82; also B. B., p. 42, and G. B., p. 64.)

117. Merops philippinus: The Blue-tailed Bee-eater. (F. 1027), (J. 118), (II, but with rather a long tail.)

General hue green, shot with bronze; the tail is bluish. There is a broad black streak running through the eye. The chin is a dirty cream colour. The throat is chestnut-red. The eye is bright red.

This species is a larger and less beautiful edition of No. 116. Like the latter it undergoes partial migration, being a summer visitor to N. India and a winter visitor to S. India. One sees large numbers of these birds when out snipe shooting in Madras. They perch on the bands between the flooded fields and make sallies into the air after insects. The note is a feeble but mellow whistle.

The Kingfishers, 118-120

These form a very well-marked group of piscatorial birds, characterised by long bills and short tails. They nest in holes in river banks.

[162]

118. Ceryle varia: The Indian Pied Kingfisher. (F. 1033), (J. 136), (III.)

This bird must be familiar to every Anglo-Indian, it is the “Pied Fish-tiger” of Sir Edwin Arnold. It is speckled black and white like a Hamburgh fowl. It seeks its quarry by hanging in the air on rapidly vibrating wings high above the water. Suddenly its pinions cease quivering, and it drops like a stone into the water. Sometimes it checks its fall before reaching the water, and flies to another part of the jhil, where it again hovers.

It is impossible to mistake this bird; there is no other like it save its larger Himalayan brother (C. lugubris). It has a small crest. (Illus. B. D., p. 66; also I. F., p. 162.)

119. Alcedo ispida: The Common Kingfisher. (F. 1035), (J. 134), (II, but with a very short tail.)

This bird, which is to be found in all parts of India where there is a river, a tank, or a pool of water, is the kingfisher with which we are familiar in England.

Its head and nape are blue with faint black cross bars. The back is bright pale blue; the tail is dark blue; the wings greenish blue. The sides of the head are studies in red, blue, [163] black, and white. The chin is whitish or cream-coloured, and the lower parts are rusty-red. The bill is black; the feet are coral-red.

Its habit is to perch on a bough overhanging the water, or on the river bank itself, and thence to dive obliquely into the water after its quarry. Its flight is low, straight, and very rapid; when in motion it continually utters a peculiar whistling scream. Its neck is very short, and as it sits waiting for its quarry it keeps raising and lowering its head in the most comical manner. (Illus. B. D., p. 102; also B. P., p. 144.)

120. Halcyon smyrnensis: The White-breasted Kingfisher. (F. 1044), (J. 129), (III.)

This beautiful bird must be familiar to every Anglo-Indian.

The head and nape are rich chocolate brown, as is the abdomen. The back, tail, and wings are bright blue. During flight the wings display a very conspicuous white band. The chin, throat, and breast are white. The bill is dark red, and the feet bright red. It is impossible to mistake this bird; a rapidly flying, bright blue bird, with white wing bars, which emits a loud scream, is without doubt this species.

[164]

It is often found far from water, since it feeds largely on insects, which it picks off the ground in much the same way as the roller or so-called blue jay does.

The above three kingfishers are among the commonest birds of India. There are several other species of more restricted distribution; but as these are only common locally, I have not included them in this work. The reader should experience no difficulty in identifying them with the aid of the descriptions in the Fauna of British India. (Illus. B. D., p. 104; also B. P., p. 4.)

The Hornbills, 121 and 122

These include some of the strangest forms in nature. They are often erroneously called Toucans by Anglo-Indians. Toucans do not occur in India. Hornbills are characterised by the enormous development of the bill. I have elsewhere described the largest of the hornbills as follows: Dichoceros bicornis is “nearly 4½ feet in length. The body is only 14 inches long, being an insignificant part of the bird, a mere connecting link between the massive beak and the great loosely inserted [165] tail. The beak is nearly a foot in length, and is rendered more conspicuous than it would otherwise be by a structure known as a casque. This is a horny excrescence nearly as large as the bill, which causes the bird to look as though it were wearing a hat, which it had placed for a joke on its beak rather than its head. The eye is red, and the upper lid is fringed with eyelashes which add still further to the oddity of the bird’s appearance.”

The nesting habits of these birds are curious. They nestle in holes in trees. When the eggs are laid the hen goes into the hole, the entrance to which is plastered up by the cock and hen until the orifice is only just large enough to allow of the insertion of the beak. Thus the hen remains a voluntary prisoner until the young are ready to leave the nest, the cock bringing food to her.

The great majority of hornbills are confined to the large forests, and so cannot be called common birds. Two of the smaller species, however, are more widely distributed. (Illus. F. III., p. 140.)

121. Lophoceros birostris: The Common Grey Hornbill. (F. 1062), (J. 144), (IV, but with the tail a foot long.)

[166]

A large brownish-grey bird, darkest on the sides of the head and palest on the lower parts. The bill, which has a small casque or excrescence on top, is blackish and 4 inches long. It is a tree-haunting species. Its cry is very characteristic. Its flight is laboured, consisting of “alternate flappings and sailings,” like that of the tree-pie.

This species is common in Oudh. Blanford states that it is wanting in the Punjab. This is not correct, as I have seen it in Lahore. I have not observed it in the vicinity of Madras. Eha does not mention it in his common Birds of Bombay, nor does it appear to be found in the neighbourhood of Calcutta.

122. Lophoceros griseus: The Malabar Grey Hornbill. (F. 1063), (J. 145), (IV, but with tail 9 inches long.)

This is very like 121, but it lacks the casque. It is the common hornbill of the West Coast.

The Hoopoes, 123

Hoopoes are ground-feeding birds, characterised by their long slightly curved bill and conspicuous crest, which ordinarily projects from the back of the head and looks like a [167] backward continuation of the beak. When the bird is disturbed and when it flies the crest is expanded like a fan. Almost every lawn in India forms the feeding-ground for at least one pair of hoopoes. Hoopoes nest in holes in trees or in the walls of buildings.

123. Upupa indica: The Indian Hoopoe. (F. 1067), (J. 255), (III.)

Head and body fawn-coloured. Wings and tail white with very broad black bars. The beak is 2½ inches long, and the legs are very short. The feathers of the crest have black tips. The note is a soft ūk—ūk—ūk, rapidly repeated. (Illus. B. D., p. 140.)

The Swifts, 124 and 125

These birds are frequently confounded with swallows (q.v.). Many species visit India, but only two are really common birds.

124. Cypselus affinis: The Common Indian Swift. (F. 1073), (J. 100), (-I.)

A blackish bird, with a white bar across the back, which flies with great velocity; the wings form the arc of a circle as it dashes through the air. It never perches. When it wishes to rest it repairs to its nest, which is [168] a saucer-shaped structure made of mud, bits of straw, feathers, etc., usually fixed on to a wall under an eave, sometimes in a deserted temple or mosque. (Illus. B. B., p. 35.)

125. Tachornis batassiensis: The Palm-swift (F. 1075), (J. 102), (-I.)

A brownish-black bird. Its habits are like those of No. 124, except that its flight is less swift and it is rarely found away from palm trees. It attaches its nest to the under side of a palm leaf, or a betel-nut leaf.

The Nightjars, 126 and 127

These birds are very nocturnal in their habits, so, like the heroine of The Diary of a Bad Girl, they are heard and not seen.

They are characterised by the large mouth, which enables them to secure their insect quarry while they are on the wing. They usually lie up during the day on the ground in some secluded spot.

126. Caprimulgus asiaticus: The Common Indian Nightjar, or Goatsucker. (F. 1091), (J. 112), (+II.)

Upper parts greyish brown, lower parts reddish brown, every feather being marked by a number of narrow blackish cross bars.

[169]

The voice of this bird must be familiar to many residents in India, it sounds like a stone skimming over ice, and hence is known as the ice-bird.

127. Caprimulgus macrurus: Horsfield’s Nightjar. (F. 1093), (J. 110), (+III.)

A large edition of No. 126. Its chuk, chuk, chuk is not unlike the sound made by tapping a plank with a hammer.

The Cuckoos, 128-131

This large family falls into two classes—the parasitic and the non-parasitic—both classes being represented in India.

The European cuckoo is very abundant in the Himalayas, but is rarely seen or heard in the plains.

128. Hierococcyx varius: The Common Hawk-Cuckoo—the Brain-fever bird of Anglo-Indians. (F. 1109), (J. 205), (-III, but with a tail 6 inches long.)

Every Anglo-Indian is familiar with the crescendo shriek—brain-fever, brain-fever, BRAIN FEVER—of this bird, which is reiterated with such “damnable persistency” at the beginning of the hot weather. This bird is exceedingly common in the United Provinces. It is less abundant in other parts of India. It does [170] not appear to occur west of Umballa; I never heard it in Madras, and it does not seem to occur in the island of Bombay. It is impossible to miss it where it does occur. There is no mistaking its note. It is a greyish-brown bird with whitish under parts, each feather having darker cross bars. The bird is very hawk-like in appearance, hence its name.

It is parasitic on “The Seven Sisters” and other kinds of babblers. (Illus. B. C., p. 95.)

129. Coccystes jacobinus: The Pied-crested Cuckoo. Known to Europeans in Upper India as the Rainy-weather Bird. (F. 1118), (J. 212), (+II, but with a tail over 6 inches long.)

Upper plumage glossy black, with a broad white wing-bar, and white tips to the tail feathers. The chin, throat, and under parts are white. A conspicuous black crest.

This species is very common “on the Bombay side.” Numbers visit Northern India in the rains, and announce their presence by loud high-pitched cries.

It is parasitic on various species of babblers. (Illus. B. B., p. 53.)

130. Eudynamis honorata: The Indian Koel, sometimes wrongly called (e.g. in The Common Birds of Bombay) the Brain-fever Bird. (F. [171] 1120), (J. 214), (III, but with a tail 8 inches long.)

Cock: A glossy black bird with a green bill and crimson eye. As he flies he looks like a slenderly built crow with an unusually long tail.

Hen: A brown bird, spotted and barred all over with white. Bill and eye as in cock. This is an exceedingly noisy bird, and is most vociferous at dawn. It has three distinct calls. The commonest is a crescendo: ku-il, ku-il, KU-IL, whence its name. Another call is ku-y-o. The third is a torrent of kekaree, kekarees. (Illus. B. D., pp. 218 and 220; also B. C., p. 92.)

It is parasitic on crows.

131. Centropus sinensis: The Common Coucal, or Crow-Pheasant. (F. 1130), (J. 217), (-IV, but with a tail 10 inches long.)

A great black fowl with chestnut-red wings. It feeds largely on the ground, and its long tail sometimes causes the “griff” to mistake it for a pheasant.

Its call, which is heard at all times of the day, but more especially at dawn, is a low, loud, sonorous whoot, whoot, whoot, the kind of call that one associates with an owl.

It is not parasitic, but builds a large domed nest in the innermost recesses of a dense thicket. (Illus. I. F., p. 80. [Illustration not a good one.])

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131a. Taccocua leschenaulti: The Sirkeer Cuckoo. (F. 1129), (J. 222), (IV.)

This bird, although nowhere abundant, is widely distributed. It has the appearance of a large long-tailed babbler, and when it runs along the ground it looks like a mongoose. It is an earthy brown bird. The outer tail feathers are black with white tips. The bill is cherry-red; this, perhaps, is the reason why Indians call the bird Jangli tota. Like the crow-pheasant it builds a nest.

The Green Parrots, 132-134

Every dweller in India must be familiar with these noisy birds, both in the captive and the wild state. They go about in small flocks, looking like “live emeralds in the sun,” and uttering loud screams and harsh cries. During flight they turn from side to side “like badly balanced arrows.” They nestle in holes in trees or buildings.

Three species are to be numbered among the common birds of India.

132. Palæornis nepalensis: The Alexandrine or Large Indian Paroquet. (F. 1135), (J. 147), (+III, but with a tail over a foot long.)

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A beautiful grass-green bird, with some blue in the tail and a red patch on each shoulder. The cock has a rose-coloured collar round the back of his neck, which is connected with the bill on each side by a black stripe.

Found in N. and C. India. Very common in the Punjab.

133. Palæornis torquatus: The Rose-ringed Paroquet. (F. 1138), (J. 148), (-III, but with a tail 10 inches long.)

A small edition of No. 132, but lacks the red patch on the shoulders.

The commonest of the green parrots, and found all over the plains of India. (Illus. B. P., p. 18; also I. F., p. 220.)

134. Palæornis cyanocephalus: The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet. (F. 1139), (J. 149), (II, but with a tail over 8 inches long.)

Cock: General colour bright grass-green. The head is red, tinged with blue, as Blanford says, like the bloom on a plum. There is a red patch on the shoulders, as in the case of No. 132. The median tail feathers are pale blue.

Hen: Differs from the cock in that the head is duller, being of a grey rather than a red hue.

Not found in N.W. F. P. or the Punjab. Commoner in South than in North India.

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The Owls, 135-139

Owls form a well-marked natural order. It is easy enough to recognise an owl when one sees one, but not easy to say to what species it belongs, because all owls bear a strong resemblance to one another—all are of much the same colour—reddish brown with darker bars or drops. Moreover, they are all creatures of the night, so, save with one exception, are not much en evidence in the daytime. This exception is that little clown, the spotted owlet.