BIRDS OF THE INDIAN HILLS

BY DOUGLAS DEWAR

_A COMPANION VOLUME TO THE BIRD VOLUMES OF"THE FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA"_

LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEADNEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANYTORONTO: BELL & COCKBURN

MCMXV

_All rights reserved_

Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh

Considerable portions of this book have already appeared as articlesin one or other of the following newspapers or periodicals: _ThePioneer_, _Madras Mail_, _Englishman_, _Indian Field_, _Bird Notes_. I am indebted to the editors of the above publications for permissionto republish the portions of the book that have already appeared inprint. 

CONTENTS

PART IBIRDS OF THE HIMALAYAS . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 THE HABITAT OF HIMALAYAN BIRDS . . . . . . 13 THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS . 29 THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE EASTERN HIMALAYAS . 105 TITS AT WORK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 THE PEKIN-ROBIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 BLACK BULBULS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 A WARBLER OF DISTINCTION . . . . . . . . . 145 THE SPOTTED FORKTAIL . . . . . . . . . . . 151 THE NEST OF THE GREY-WINGED OUZEL . . . . . 158 THE BLACK-AND-YELLOW GROSBEAK . . . . . . . 164 THE GREAT HIMALAYAN BARBET . . . . . . . . 174

PART IITHE COMMON BIRDS OF THE NILGIRIS . . . . . . . 181

PART IIITHE COMMON BIRDS OF THE PALNI HILLS . . . . . . 233

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

_PART I__Birds of the Himalayas_

_INTRODUCTION_

The avifauna of the Himalayas is a large one. It includes birds foundthroughout the range, birds confined to the eastern or westernportions, birds resident all through the year, birds that are mereseasonal visitors, birds found only at high elevations, birdsconfined to the lower hills, birds abundant everywhere, birds nowherecommon. Most ornithological books treat of all these sorts andconditions of birds impartially, with the result that thenon-ornithological reader who dips into them finds himselfcompletely out of his depth. 

He who plunges into the essays that follow need have no fear of gettingout of his depth. With the object of guarding against this catastrophe, I have described as few birds as possible. I have ignored all thosethat are not likely to be seen daily in summer in the Himalayas atelevations between 5000 and 7000 feet above the sea-level. Moreover, the birds of the Western have been separated from those of the EasternHimalayas. The result is that he who peruses this book will beconfronted with comparatively few birds, and should experiencelittle difficulty in recognising them when he meets them in the flesh. I am fully alive to the fact that the method I have adopted hasdrawbacks. Some readers are likely to come across birds at the varioushill stations which do not find place in this book. Such will doubtlesscharge me with sins of omission. I meet these charges in anticipationby adopting the defence of the Irishman, charged with the theft ofa chicken, whose crime had been witnessed by several persons: "Forevery witness who saw me steal the chicken, I'll bring twenty whodidn't see me steal it!"

The reader will come across twenty birds which the essays that followwill enable him to identify for every one he sees not described inthem. 

_THE HABITAT OF HIMALAYAN BIRDS_

Himalayan birds inhabit what is perhaps the most wonderful tract ofcountry in the world. The Himalayas are not so much a chain ofmountains as a mountainous country, some eighty miles broad andseveral hundred long--a country composed entirely of mountains andvalleys with no large plains or broad plateaux. 

There is a saying of an ancient Sanskrit poet which, being translatedinto English, runs: "In a hundred ages of the gods I could not tellyou of the glories of Himachal. " This every writer on things Himalayancontrives to drag into his composition. Some begin with the quotation, while others reserve it for the last, and make it do duty for theepigram which stylists assure us should terminate every essay. 

Some there are who quote the Indian sage only to mock him. Such assertthat the beauties of the Himalayas have been greatly exaggerated--that, as regards grandeur, their scenery compares unfavourably with that ofthe Andes, while their beauty is surpassed by that of the Alps. Nothaving seen the Andes, I am unable to criticise the assertionregarding the grandeur of the Himalayas, but I find it difficult toimagine anything finer than their scenery. 

As regards beauty, the Himalayas at their best surpass the Alps, because they exhibit far more variety, and present everything on agrander scale. 

The Himalayas are a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They have twofaces--the fair and the plain. In May they are at their worst. Thoseof the hillsides which are not afforested are brown, arid, anddesolate, and the valleys, in addition to being unpleasantly hot, are dry and dusty. The foliage of the trees lacks freshness, andeverywhere there is a remarkable absence of water, save in the valleysthrough which the rivers flow. On the other hand, September is themonth in which the Himalayas attain perfection or somethingapproaching it. The eye is refreshed by the bright emerald garmentwhich the hills have newly donned. The foliage is green and luxuriant. Waterfalls, cascades, mighty torrents and rivulets abound. Himachalhas been converted into fairyland by the monsoon rains. 

A remarkable feature of the Himalayas is the abruptness with whichthey rise from the plains in most places. In some parts there arelow foothills; but speaking generally the mountains that rise fromthe plain attain a height of 4000 or 5000 feet. 

It is difficult for any person who has not passed from the plainsof India to the Himalayas to realise fully the vast difference betweenthe two countries and the dramatic suddenness with which the changetakes place. 

The plains are as flat as the proverbial pancake--a dead monotonyof cultivated alluvium, square mile upon square mile of wheat, rice, vetch, sugar-cane, and other crops, amidst which mango groves, bambooclumps, palms, and hamlets are scattered promiscuously. In someplaces the hills rise sheer from this, in others they are separatedfrom the alluvial plains by belts of country known as the Tarai andBhabar. The Tarai is low-lying, marshy land covered with tall, feathery grass, beautifully monotonous. This is succeeded by astretch of gently-rising ground, 10 or 20 miles in breadth, knownas the Bhabar--a strip of forest composed mainly of tall evergreen_sal_ trees (_Shorea robusta_). These trees grow so close togetherthat the forest is difficult to penetrate, especially after the rains, when the undergrowth is dense and rank. Very beautiful is the Bhabar, and very stimulating to the imagination. One writer speaks of it as"a jungle rhapsody, an extravagant, impossible botanical _tour deforce_, intensely modern in its Titanic, incoherent magnificence. "It is the home of the elephant, the tiger, the panther, the wild boar, several species of deer, and of many strange and beautiful birds. 

Whether from the flat plains or the gently-sloping Bhabar, themountains rise with startling suddenness. 

The flora and fauna of the Himalayas differ from those of theneighbouring plains as greatly as the trees and animals of Englanddiffer from those of Africa. 

Of the common trees of the plains of India--the _nim_, mango, babul, tamarind, shesham, palm, and plantain--not one is to be found growingon the hills. The lower slopes are covered with _sal_ trees like theBhabar. These cease to grow at elevations of 3000 feet above thesea-level, and, higher up, every rise of 1000 feet means aconsiderable change in the flora. Above the _sal_ belt come severalspecies of tropical evergreen trees, among the stems and branchesof which great creepers entangle themselves in fantastic figures. At elevations of 4000 feet the long-leaved pine (_Pinus longifolia_)appears. From 5000 to 10, 000 feet, several species of evergreen oaksabound. Above 6000 feet are to be seen the rhododendron, the deodarand other hill cypresses, and the beautiful horse-chestnut. On thelower slopes the undergrowth is composed largely of begonias andberberry. Higher up maidenhair and other ferns abound, and the trunksof the oaks and rhododendrons are festooned with hanging moss. 

Between elevations of 10, 000 and 12, 000 feet the silver fir is thecommonest tree. Above 12, 000 feet the firs become stunted and dwarfed, on account of the low temperatures that prevail, and juniper and birchare the characteristic trees. 

There are spots in the Himalayas, at heights varying from 10, 000 to12, 000 feet, where wild raspberries grow, and the yellow colt's-foot, the dandelion, the blue gentian, the Michaelmas daisy, the purplecolumbine, the centauria, the anemone, and the edelweiss occur inprofusion. Orchids grow in large numbers in most parts of theHimalayas. 

Every hillside is not covered with foliage. Many are rugged and bare. Some of these are too precipitous to sustain vegetation, others aremasses of quartz and granite. On the hillsides most exposed to thewind, only grass and small shrubs are able to obtain a foothold. 

"On the vast ridges of elevated mountain masses, " writes Weber in_The Forests of Upper India_, "which constitute the Himalayas arefound different regions of distinct character. The loftiest peaksof the snowy range abutting on the great plateaux of Central Asiaand Tibet run like a great belt across the globe, falling towardsthe south-west to the plains of India. Between the summit and theplains, a distance of 60 to 70 miles, there are higher, middle, andlower ranges, so cut up by deep and winding valleys and river-courses, that no labyrinth could be found more confusing or difficult tounravel. There is nowhere any tableland, as at the Cape or in Colorado, with horizontal strata of rock cut down by water into valleys or cañons. The strata seem, on the contrary, to have been shoved up and crumpledin all directions by some powerful shrinkage of the earth's crust, due perhaps to cooling; and the result is such a jumble of contortedrock masses, that it looks as if some great castle had been blownup by dynamite and its walls hurled in all directions. The greatcentral masses, however, consist generally of crystalline granite, gneiss, and quartz rock, protruding from the bowels of the earth andshoving up the stratified envelope of rocks nearly 6 miles abovesea-level.... The higher you get up ... The rougher and more difficultbecomes the climbing; the valleys are deeper and more cut into ravines, the rocks more fantastically and rudely torn asunder, and the veryvitals of the earth exposed; while the heights above tower to theskies. The torrents rushing from under the glaciers which flow fromthe snow-clad summits roar and foam, eating their way ever into themisty gorges. "

Those who have not visited the Himalayas may perhaps best obtain anidea of the nature of the country from a brief description of thattraversed by a path leading from the plain to the snowy range. Letus take the path from Kathgodam, the terminus of the Rohilkhand andKumaun railway, to the Pindari glacier. 

For the first two miles the journey is along the cart-road to NainiTal, on the right bank of the Gola river. 

At Ranibagh the pilgrim to the Pindari glacier leaves the cart-roadand follows a bridle-path which, having crossed the Gola by asuspension bridge, mounts the steep hill on the left bank. Skirtingthis hill on its upward course, the road reaches the far side, whichslopes down to the Barakheri stream. A fairly steep ascent of 5 milesthrough well-wooded country brings the traveller to Bhim Tal, a lake4500 feet above the level of the sea. This lake, of which the areais about 150 acres, is one of the largest of a series of lakes formedby the flow of mountain streams into cup-like valleys. The path skirtsthe lake and then ascends the Gagar range, which attains a heightof over 7000 feet. From the pass over this range a very fine viewis obtainable. To the north the snowy range stretches, and betweenit and the pass lie 60 miles of mountain and valley. To the southare to be seen Bhim Tal, Sat Tal, and other lakes, nestling in theouter ranges, and, beyond the hills, the vast expanse of the plains. 

The Gagar range is well wooded. The majority of the trees arerhododendrons: these, when they put forth their blossoms in spring, display a mass of crimson colouring. From the Gagar pass the roaddescends for some 3 miles through forest to the valley of the Ramganga. For about a mile the path follows the left bank of this small stream;it then crosses it by a suspension bridge, and forthwith begins tomount gradually the bare rocky Pathargarhi mountain. On the mountainside, a few hundred feet above the Ramganga, is a village of threescore double-storeyed houses. These are very picturesque. Theirwhite walls are set off by dark brown woodwork. But alas they areas whited sepulchres. It is only from a distance that they arepicturesque. They are typical abodes of the hill folk. 

From the Pathargarhi pass the path makes a steep descent down awell-wooded mountain-side to the Deodar stream. After crossing thisby a stone bridge, the path continues its switch-back course upwardson a wooded hillside to the Laldana Binaik pass, whence it descendsgradually for 6 miles, through first rhododendron then pine forestto the Sual river. This river is crossed by a suspension bridge. Fromthe Sual the path makes an ascent of 3 miles on a rocky hillside toAlmora, which is 36 miles from Kathgodam. 

Almora used to be a Gurkha stronghold, and is now a charming littlehill station situated some 5300 feet above the sea-level. 

The town and the civil and military station are built on asaddle-backed ridge which is about 2 miles in length. 

The Almora hill was almost completely denuded of trees by the Gurkhas, but the ridge has since become well wooded. Deodar, pine, _tun_, horse-chestnut, and alder trees are plentiful, and throughout thecantonment grows a spiræa hedge. 

The avifauna of Almora is very interesting, consisting as it doesof a strange mixture of hills and plains birds. Among the latter themost prominent are the grey-necked crow, the koel, the myna, theking-crow and the magpie-robin. In the spring paradise flycatchersare very abundant. 

From Almora the road to the snowy range runs over an almost treelessrocky mountain called Kalimat, which rises to a height of 6500 feet. From Kalimat the road descends to Takula--16 miles from Almora. Thenthere is a further descent of 11 miles to Bageswar--a small townsituated on the Sarju river. The inhabitants of Bageswar lead a sleepyexistence for 360 days in the year, awakening for a short time inJanuary, when a big fair is held, to which flock men of Dhanpur, Thibetans, Bhotias, Nepalese, Garwalis, and Kumaunis. These bringwool, borax, and skins, which they exchange for the produce of theplains. 

From Bageswar the Pindari road is almost level for 22 miles, and runsalongside the Sarju. At first the valley is wide and well cultivated. Here and there are studded villages, of which the houses are roofedwith thatching composed of pine needles. 

At a place about 16 miles above Bageswar the valley of the Sarjusuddenly contracts into a gorge with precipitous cliffs. 

The scenery here is superb. The path passes through a shady gladein the midst of which rushes the roaring, foaming river. The trunksand larger branches of the trees are covered with ferns and hangingmoss. The landscape might well be the original for a phase of atransformation scene at a pantomime. In the midst of this glade thestream is crossed by a wooden bridge. 

At a spot 2 miles above this the path, leaving the Sarju, takes asharp turn to the left, and begins a steep ascent of 5 miles up theDhakuri mountain. The base of this hill is well wooded. Higher upthe trees are less numerous. On the ridge the rhododendron and oakforest alternates with large patches of grassland, on which wildraspberries and brightly-coloured alpine flowers grow. 

From the summit of the Dhakuri mountain a magnificent panoramadelights the eye. To the north is a deep valley, above which thesnow-clad mountains rise almost precipitously. Towering above theobserver are the peaks of the highest mountains in British territory. The peaks and 14, 000 feet of the slopes are covered with snow. Belowthe snow is a series of glaciers: these are succeeded by rocks, grass, and stunted vegetation until the tree-line is reached. 

To the south lies the world displayed. Near at hand are 50 miles ofrugged mountainous country, and beyond the apparently limitlessplains. On a clear day it is said to be possible to distinguish theminarets of Delhi, 300 miles away. In the early morning, when theclouds still hover in the valleys, one seems to gaze upon a whitebillowy sea studded with rocky islets. 

From the Dhakuri pass the path descends about 2000 feet, and thenfollows the valley of the Pindari river. The scenery here ismagnificent. Unlike that of the Sarju, this valley is narrow. It isnot much cultivated; amaranthus is almost the only crop grown. Thevillages are few and the huts which constitute them are rudelyconstructed. The cliffs are very high, and rise almostperpendicularly, like giant walls, so that the numerous feeders ofthe river take the form of cascades, in many of which the water fallswithout interruption for a distance of over 1000 feet. 

The Kuphini river joins the Pindar 8 miles from its source. Beyondthe junction the path to the glacier crosses to the left bank of thePindar, and then the ascent becomes steep. During the ascent thecharacter of the flora changes. Trees become fewer and flowers morenumerous; yellow colt's-foot, dandelions, gentians, Michaelmasdaisies, columbines, centaurias, anemones, and edelweiss grow inprofusion. Choughs, monal pheasants, and snow-pigeons are thecharacteristic birds of this region. 

Thus the birds of the Himalayas inhabit a country in every respectunlike the plains of India. They dwell in a different environment, are subjected to a different climate, and feed upon different food. It is therefore not surprising that the two avifaunas should exhibitgreat divergence. Nevertheless few people who have not actually beenin both localities are able to realise the startlingly abrupttransformation of the bird-fauna seen by one who passes from theplains to the hills. 

The 5-mile journey from Rajpur to Mussoorie transports the travellerfrom one bird-realm to another. 

The caw of the house-crow is replaced by the deeper note of the corby. Instead of the crescendo shriek of the koel, the pleasing double noteof the European cuckoo meets the ear. For the eternal _coo-coo-coo-coo_of the little brown dove, the melodious _kokla-kokla_ of the hillgreen-pigeon is substituted. The harsh cries of the rose-ringedparoquets give place to the softer call of the slaty-headed species. The monotonous _tonk-tonk-tonk_ of the coppersmith and the_kutur-kutur-kutur_ of the green barbet are no more heard; in theirstead the curious calls of the great Himalayan barbet resound amongthe hills. The dissonant voices of the seven sisters no longer issuefrom the thicket; their place is taken by the weird but less unpleasantcalls of the Himalayan streaked laughing-thrushes. Even the sounds ofthe night are different. The chuckles and cackles of the spotted owletsno longer fill the welkin; the silence of the darkness is broken in themountains by the low monotonous whistle of the pigmy-collared owlet. 

The eye equally with the ear testifies to the traveller that whenhe has reached an altitude of 5000 feet he has entered another avianrealm. The golden-backed woodpecker, the green bee-eater, the "bluejay" or roller, the paddy bird, the Indian and the magpie-robin, mostfamiliar birds of the plains, are no longer seen. Their places aretaken by the blue-magpies, the beautiful verditer flycatcher, theHimalayan and the black-headed jays, the black bulbul, and tits ofseveral species. 

All the birds, it is true, are not new. Some of our familiar friendsof the plains are still with us. There are the kite, the scavengervulture, the common myna, and a number of others, but these are theexceptions which prove the rule. 

Scientific ornithologists recognise this great difference betweenthe two faunas, and include the Himalayas in the Palæarctic region, while the plains form part of the Oriental region. 

The chief things which affect the distribution of birds appear tobe food-supply and temperature. Hence it is evident that in theHimalayas the avifauna along the snow-line differs greatly from thatof the low, warm valleys. The range of temperature in all parts ofthe hills varies greatly with the season. At the ordinary hillstations the minimum temperature in the summer is sometimes as highas 70 degrees, while in the winter it may drop to 23 degrees F. Thusin midwinter many of the birds which normally live near the snow-lineat 12, 000 feet descend to 7000 or 6000 feet, and not a few hill birdsleave the Himalayas for a time and tarry in the plains until theseverity of the winter has passed away. 

_THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS_

THE CORVIDÆ OR CROW FAMILY

This family, which is well represented in the Himalayas, includesthe true crows, with their allies, the choughs, pies, jays, and tits. 

The common Indian house-crow (_Corvus splendens_), with which everyAnglo-Indian is only too familiar, loveth not great altitudes, hencedoes not occur in any of the higher hill stations. Almora is the oneplace in the hills where he appears to be common. There he displaysall the shameless impudence of his brethren in the plains. 

The common crow of the Himalayas is the large all-black species whichis known as the Indian corby or jungle crow (_C. Macrorhynchus_). Unlike its grey-necked cousin, this bird is not a public nuisance;nevertheless it occasionally renders itself objectionable bycarrying off a chicken or a tame pigeon. In May or June it constructs, high up in a tree, a rough nest, which is usually well concealed bythe thick foliage. The nest is a shallow cup or platform in the midstof which is a depression, lined with grass and hair. Horse-hair isused in preference to other kinds of hair; if this be not availablecrows will use human hair, or hair plucked from off the backs of cattle. Those who put out skins to dry are warned that nesting crows are aptto damage them seriously. Three or four eggs are laid. These are dullgreen, speckled with brown. Crows affect great secrecy regardingtheir nests. If a pair think that their nursery is being looked atby a human being, they show their displeasure by swearing as onlycrows can, and by tearing pieces of moss off the branch of some treeand dropping these on the offender's head!

Two species of chough, the red-billed (_Graculus eremita_), whichis identical with the European form, and the yellow-billed chough(_Pyrrhocorax alpinus_), are found in the Himalayas; but he who wouldsee them must either ascend nearly to the snow-line or remain on inthe hills during the winter. 

Blue-magpies are truly magnificent birds, being in appearance notunlike small pheasants. Two species grace the Himalayas: thered-billed (_Urocissa occipitalis_) and the yellow-billedblue-magpie (_U. Flavirostris_). These are distinguishable one fromthe other mainly by the colour of the beak. A blue-magpie is a birdover 2 feet in length, of which the fine tail accounts forthree-fourths. The head, neck, and breast are black, and the remainderof the plumage is a beautiful blue with handsome white markings. Itis quite unnecessary to describe the blue-magpie in detail. It isimpossible to mistake it. Even a blind man cannot fail to notice itbecause of its loud ringing call. East of Simla the red-billed speciesis by far the commoner, while to the west the yellow-billed form rulesthe roost. The vernacular names for the blue-magpie are _Nilkhant_at Mussoorie and _Dig-dall_ at Simla. 

The Himalayan tree-pie (_Dendrocitta himalayensis_), although a finebird, looks mean in comparison with his blue cousins. This speciesis like a dull edition of the tree-pie of the plains. It is dressedlike a quaker. It is easily recognised when on the wing. Its flightis very characteristic, consisting of a few rapid flaps of the pinionsfollowed by a sail on outstretched wings. The median pair of tailfeathers is much longer than the others, the pair next to the middleone is the second longest, and the outer one shortest of all. Thusthe tail, when expanded during flight, has a curious appearance. 

We now come to the jays. That brilliant study in light and dark blue, so common in the plains, which we call the blue-jay, does not occurin the Himalayas; nor is it a jay at all: its proper name is the Indianroller (_Coracias indica_). It is in no way connected with the jaytribe, being not even a passerine bird. We know this because of thearrangement of its deep plantar tendons, because its palate isdesmognathous instead of ægithognathous, because--but I think I willnot proceed further with these reasons; if I do, this article willresemble a letter written by the conscientious undergraduate who usedto copy into each of his epistles to his mother, a page of _A CompleteGuide to the Town of Cambridge_. The fond mother doubtless found herson's letters very instructive, but they were not exactly what shewanted. Let it suffice that the familiar bird with wings of two shadesof blue is not a jay, nor even one of the Corviniæ, but a blood relationof the kingfishers and bee-eaters. 

Two true jays, however, are common in the Western Himalayas. Theseare known to science as the Himalayan jay (_Garrulus bispecularis_)and the black-throated jay (_G. Lanceolatus_). The former is afawn-coloured bird, with a black moustachial streak. As birds do notusually indulge in moustaches, this streak renders the bird an easyone to identify. The tail is black, and the wing has the characteristicblue band with narrow black cross-bars. This species goes about inlarge noisy flocks. Once at Naini Tal I came upon a flock which cannothave numbered fewer than forty individuals. 

The handsome black-throated jay is a bird that must be familiar toevery one who visits a Himalayan hill station with his eyes open. Nevertheless no one seems to have taken the trouble to write aboutit. Those who have compiled lists of birds usually dismiss it in theirnotes with such adjectives as "abundant, " and "very common. " It isremarkable that many popular writers should have discoursed upon thefeathered folk of the plains, while few have devoted themselves tothe interesting birds of the hills. There seem to be two reasons forthis neglect of the latter. Firstly, it is only the favoured few towhom it is given to spend more than ten days at a time in the coolheights; most of us have to toil in the hot plains. Secondly, thethick foliage of the mountain-side makes bird-watching a somewhatdifficult operation. The observer frequently catches sight of aninteresting-looking bird, only to see it disappear among the foliagebefore he has had time even to identify it. 

The black-throated jay is a handsome bird, more striking in appearanceeven than the jay of England (_G. Glandarius_). Its crested head isblack. Its back is a beautiful French grey, its wings are black andwhite with a bar of the peculiar shade of blue which is characteristicof the jay family and so rarely seen in nature or art. Across thisblue bar run thin black transverse lines. The tail is of the sameblue with similar black cross-bars, and each feather is tipped withwhite. The throat is black, with short white lines on it. The legsare pinkish slaty, and the bill is slate coloured in some individuals, and almost white in others. The size of this jay is the same as thatof our familiar English one. Black-throated jays go about in flocks. This is a characteristic of a great many Himalayan birds. Probablythe majority of the common birds of these mountains lead a sociableexistence, like that of the "seven sisters" of the plains. A man maywalk for half-an-hour through a Himalayan wood without seeing a birdor hearing any bird-sound save the distant scream of a kite or theraucous voice of the black crow; then suddenly he comes upon quitea congregation of birds, a flock of a hundred or more noisylaughing-thrushes, or numbers of cheeping white-eyes and tits, orit may be a flock of rowdy black bulbuls. All the birds of the woodseem to be collected in one place. This flocking of the birds in thehills must, I think, be accounted for by the fact that birds are bynature sociable creatures, and that food is particularly abundant. In a dense wood every tree offers either insect or vegetable food, so that a large number of birds can live in company without fear ofstarving each other out. In the plains food is less abundant, hencemost birds that dwell there are able to gratify their fondness foreach other's society only at roosting time; during the day they areobliged to separate, in order to find the wherewithal to feed upon. 

Like all sociable birds, the black-throated jay is very noisy. Birdshave a language of a kind, a language composed entirely ofinterjections, a language in which only the simplest emotions--fear, joy, hunger, and maternal care--can be expressed. Now, when aconsiderable flock of birds is wandering through a dense forest, itis obvious that the individuals which compose it would be very liableto lose touch with one another had they no means of informing oneanother of their whereabouts. The result is that such a means hasbeen developed. Every bird, whose habit it is to go about in company, has the habit of continually uttering some kind of call or cry. Itprobably does this unconsciously, without being aware that it ismaking any sound. 

In Madras a white-headed babbler nestling was once brought to me. I took charge of it and fed it, and noticed that when it was not asleepit kept up a continuous cheeping all day long, even when it was eating, although it had no companion. The habit of continually uttering itsnote was inherited. When the flock is stationary the note is acomparatively low one; but when an individual makes up its mind tofly any distance, say ten or a dozen yards, it gives vent to a loudercall, so as to inform its companions that it is moving. This soundseems to induce others to follow its lead. This is especiallynoticeable in the case of the white-throated laughing-thrush. I haveseen one of these birds fly to a branch in a tree, uttering its curiouscall, and then hop on to another branch in the same tree. Scarcelyhas it left the first branch when a second laughing-thrush flies toit; then a fourth, a fifth, and so on; so that the birds look as thoughthey might be playing "Follow the man from Cook's. " The black-throatedjay is noisy even for a sociable bird. The sound which it seems toproduce more often than any other is very like the harsh anger-cryof the common myna. Many Himalayan birds have rather discordant notes, and in this respect these mountains do not compare favourably withthe Nilgiris, where the blithe notes of the bulbuls are very pleasingto the ear. 

Jays are by nature bold birds. They are inclined to be timid in England, because they are so much persecuted by the game-keeper. In theHimalayas they are as bold as the crow. It is not uncommon to seetwo or three jays hopping about outside a kitchen picking up the scrapspitched out by the cook. Sometimes two jays make a dash at the samemorsel. Then a tiff ensues, but it is mostly made up of menacingscreeches. One bird bears away the coveted morsel, swearing lustily, and the unsuccessful claimant lets him go in peace. When a jay comesupon a morsel of food too large to be swallowed whole, it flies withit to a tree and holds it under one foot and tears it up with itsbeak. This is a characteristically corvine habit. The black-throatedjay is an exceedingly restless bird; it is always on the move. Likeits English cousin, it is not a bird of very powerful flight. AsGilbert White says: "Magpies and jays flutter with powerless wings, and make no despatch. " In the Himalayas there is no necessity forit to make much despatch; it rarely has to cover any distance on thewing. When it does fly a dozen yards or so, its passage is markedby much noisy flapping of the pinions. 

The nutcrackers can scarcely be numbered among the common birds, butare sometimes seen in our hill stations, and, such is the "cussedness"of birds that if I omit to notice the nutcrackers several are certainto show themselves to many of those who read these lines. Achocolate-brown bird, bigger than a crow, and spotted and barred withwhite all over, can be nothing other than one of the Himalayannutcrackers. It may be the Himalayan species (_Nucifraga hemispila_), or the larger spotted nutcracker (_N. Multipunctata_). 

The members of the crow family which I have attempted to describeabove are all large birds, birds bigger than a crow. It now behovesus to consider the smaller members of the corvine clan. 

The tits form a sub-family of the crows. Now at first sight the crowand the tit seem to have but little in common. However, closeinspection, whether by the anatomist or the naturalist, reveals themark of the corvidæ in the tits. First, there is the habit of holdingfood under the foot while it is being devoured. Then there is theaggressiveness of the tits. This is Lloyd-Georgian or even Winstonianin its magnitude. "Tits, " writes Jerdon, "are excessively bold andeven ferocious, the larger ones occasionally destroying young andsickly birds, both in a wild state and in confinement. "

Many species of tit dwell in the Himalayas. To describe them all wouldbewilder the reader; I will, therefore, content myself with briefdescriptions of four species, each of which is to be seen daily inevery hill station of the Western Himalayas. 

The green-backed tit (_Parus monticola_) is a glorified edition ofour English great tit. It is a bird considerably smaller than asparrow. 

The cheeks are white, the rest of the head is black, as are the breastand a characteristic line running along the abdomen. The back isgreenish yellow, the lower parts are deep yellow. The wings are blackwith two white bars, the tail is black tipped with white. This isone of the commonest birds in most hill stations. 

Like the sparrow, it is ever ready to rear up its brood in a holein the wall of a house. Any kind of a hole will do, provided the apertureis too small to admit of the entrance of birds larger than itself. 

The nesting operations of a pair of green-backed tits form the subjectof a separate essay. 

Another tit much in evidence is the yellow-cheeked tit, _Machlolophusxanthogenys_. I apologise for its scientific name. Take agreen-backed tit, paint its cheeks bright yellow, and give it a blackcrest tipped with yellow, and you will have transformed him into ayellow-cheeked tit. 

There remain to be described two pigmy tits. The first of these isthat feathered exquisite, the red-headed tit (_Ægithaliscuserythrocephalus_). I will not again apologise for the name; it mustsuffice that the average ornithologist is never happy unless he beeither saddling a small bird with a big name or altering thedenomination of some unfortunate fowl. This fussy little mite is notso long as a man's thumb. It is crestless; the spot where the crestought to be is chestnut red. The remainder of the upper plumage isbluish grey, while the lower plumage is the colour of rust. The blackface is set off by a white eyebrow. Last, but not least, of our commontits is the crested black tit (_Lophophanes melanopterus_). Thecrested head and breast of this midget are black. The cheeks and napeare white, while the rest of the upper plumage is iron grey. 

There is yet another tit of which mention must be made, because heis the common tit of Almora. The climate of Almora is so much milderthan that of other hill stations that its birds are intermediatebetween those of the hills and the plains. The Indian grey tit (_Parusatriceps_) is a bird of wide distribution. It is the common tit ofthe Nilgiris, is found in many of the better-wooded parts of the plains, and ascends the Himalayas up to 6000 feet. It is a grey bird withthe head, neck, breast, and abdominal line black. The cheeks are white. It is less gregarious than the other tits. Its notes are harsh andvaried, being usually a _ti-ti-chee_ or _pretty-pretty_. 

I have not noticed this species at either Mussoorie or Naini Tal, but, as I have stated, it is common at Almora. 

As has been mentioned above, tits usually go about in flocks. It isno uncommon thing for a flock to contain all of the four species oftit just described, a number of white-eyes, some nuthatches, warblers, tree-creepers, a woodpecker or two, and possibly some sibias andlaughing-thrushes. 

THE CRATEROPODIDÆ OR BABBLER FAMILY

The Crateropodidæ form a most heterogeneous collection of birds, including, as they do, such divers fowls as babblers, whistling-thrushes, bulbuls, and white-eyes. Whenever a systematistcomes across an Asiatic bird of which he can make nothing, he classesit among the Crateropodidæ. This is convenient for the systematist, but embarrassing for the naturalist. 

The most characteristic members of the family are those ugly, untidy, noisy earth-coloured birds which occur everywhere in the plains, andalways go about in little companies, whence their popular name "sevensisters. "

To men of science these birds are known as babblers. Babblers properare essentially birds of the plains. In the hills they are replacedby their cousins, the laughing-thrushes. Laughing-thrushes aremerely glorified babblers. The Himalayan streaked laughing-thrush(_Trochalopterum lineatum_) is one of the commonest of the birds ofour hill stations. It is a reddish brown fowl, about eight incheslong. Each of its feathers has a black shaft; it is these dark shaftsthat give the bird its streaked appearance. Its chin, throat, andbreast are chestnut-red, and on each cheek there is a patch of similarhue. The general appearance of the streaked laughing-thrush is thatof one of the seven sisters who is wearing her best frock. Like theirsisters of the plains, Himalayan streaked laughing-thrushes go aboutin small flocks and are exceedingly noisy. Sometimes a number of themassemble, apparently for the sole purpose of holding a speakingcompetition. They are never so happy as when thus engaged. 

Streaked laughing-thrushes frequent gardens, and, as they areinordinately fond of hearing their own voices, it is certainly nottheir fault if they escape observation. By way of a nest they builda rough-and-ready cup-shaped structure in a low bush or on the ground;but, as Hume remarked, "the bird, as a rule, conceals the nest sowell that, though a loose, and for the size of the architect, a largestructure, it is difficult to find, even when one closely examinesthe bush in which it is. "

Three other species of laughing-thrush must be numbered among commonbirds of the Himalayas, although they, like the heroine of _A BadGirl's Diary_, are often heard and not seen. The white-throatedlaughing-thrush (_Garrulax albigularis_) is a handsome bird largerthan a myna. Its general colour is rich olive brown. It has a blackeyebrow and shows a fine expanse of white shirt front. It goes aboutin large flocks and continually utters a cry, loud and plaintive andnot in the least like laughter. 

The remaining laughing-thrushes are known as the rufous-chinned(_Ianthocincla rufigularis_) and the red-headed (_Trochalopterumerythrocephalum_). The former may be distinguished from thewhite-throated species by the fact that the lower part only of itsthroat is white, the chin being red. The red-headed laughing-thrushhas no white at all in the under parts. The next member of the familyof the Crateropodidæ that demands our attention is the rusty-cheekedscimitar-babbler (_Pomatorhinus erythrogenys_). 

Scimitar-babblers are so called because of the long, slender, compressed beak, which is curved downwards like that of a sunbird. 

Several species of scimitar-babbler occur in the Himalayas. The abovementioned is the most abundant in the Western Himalayas. This speciesis known as the _Banbakra_ at Mussoorie. Its bill is 1½ inch long. The upper plumage is olive brown. The forehead, cheeks, sides of theneck, and thighs are chestnut-red, as is a patch under the tail. Thechin and throat and the median portion of the breast and abdomen arewhite with faint grey stripes. Scimitar-babblers have habits similarto those of laughing-thrushes. They go about in pairs, seeking forinsects among fallen leaves. The call is a loud whistle. 

Very different in habits and appearance from any of the babblersmentioned above is the famous Himalayan whistling-thrush(_Myiophoneous temmincki_). To see this bird it is necessary to repairto some mountain stream. It is always in evidence in the neighbourhoodof the dhobi's ghat at Naini Tal, and is particularly abundant onthe banks of the Kosi river round about Khairna. At first sight theHimalayan whistling-thrush looks very like a cock blackbird. Hisyellow bill adds to the similitude. It is only when he is seen withthe sun shining upon him that the cobalt blue patches in his plumageare noticed. His habit is to perch on the boulders which are washedby the foaming waters of a mountain torrent. On these he finds plentyof insects and snails, which constitute the chief items on his menu. He pursues the elusive insect in much the same way as a wagtail does, calling his wings to his assistance when chasing a particularly nimblecreature. He has the habit of frequently expanding his tail. Thisspecies utters a loud and pleasant call, also a shrill cry like thatof the spotted forktail. All torrent-haunting birds are in the habitof uttering such a note; indeed it is no easy task to distinguishbetween the alarm notes of the various species that frequent mountainstreams. 

Of very different habits is the black-headed sibia (_Lioptilacapistrata_). This species is strictly arboreal. As mentionedpreviously, it is often found in company with flocks of tits and othergregarious birds. It feeds on insects, which it picks off the leavesof trees. Its usual call is a harsh twitter. It is a reddish brownbird, rather larger than a bulbul, with a black-crested head. Thereis a white bar on the wing. 

The Indian white-eye (_Zosterops palbebrosa_) is not at all like anyof the babblers hitherto described. In size, appearance, and habits, it approximates closely to the tits, with which it often consorts. Indeed, Jerdon calls the bird the white-eyed tit. It occurs in allwell-wooded parts of the country, both in the plains and the hills. No bird is easier to identify. The upper parts are greenish yellow, and the lower bright yellow, while round the eye runs a broadconspicuous ring of white feathers, whence the popular names of thespecies, white-eye and spectacle-bird. Except at the breeding season, it goes about in flocks of considerable size. Each individual uttersunceasingly a low, plaintive, sonorous, cheeping note. As was statedabove, all arboreal gregarious birds have this habit. It is by meansof this call note that they keep each other apprised of theirwhereabouts. But for such a signal it would scarcely be possible forthe flock to hold together. At the breeding season the cock white-eyeacquires an unusually sweet song. The nest is an exquisite littlecup, which hangs, like a hammock, suspended from a slender forkedbranch. Two pretty pale blue eggs are laid. 

A very diminutive member of the babbler clan is the fire-cap(_Cephalopyrus flammiceps_). The upper parts of its plumage are olivegreen; the lower portions are golden yellow. In the cock the chinis suffused with red. The cock wears a further ornament in the shapeof a cap of flaming red, which renders his identification easy. 

Until recently all ornithologists agreed that the curiousstarling-like bird known as the spotted-wing (_Psaroglossaspiloptera_) was a kind of aberrant starling, but systematists havelately relegated it to the Crateropodidæ. At Mussoorie the nativescall it the _Puli_. Its upper parts are dark grey spotted with black. The wings are glossy greenish black with white spots. The lower partsare reddish. A flock of half-a-dozen or more birds having astarling-like appearance, which twitter like stares and keep to thetopmost branches of trees, may be set down safely as spotted-wings. 

We now come to the last of the Crateropodidæ--the bulbuls. These birdsare so different from most of their brethren that they are held toconstitute a sub-family. I presume that every reader is familiar withthe common bulbul of the plains. To every one who is not, my adviceis that he should go into the verandah in the spring and look amongthe leaves of the croton plants. The chances are in favour of thissearch leading to the discovery of a neat cup-shaped nest owned bya pair of handsome crested birds, which wear a bright crimson patchunder the tail, and give forth at frequent intervals tinkling notesthat are blithe and gay. 

Both the species of bulbul common in the plains ascend the lower rangesof the Himalayas. These are the Bengal red-vented bulbul (_Molpastesbengalensis_) and the Bengal red-whiskered bulbul (_Otocompsaemeria_). 

The addition of the adjective "Bengal" is important, for everyprovince of India has its own special species of bulbul. 

The Molpastes bulbul is a bird about half as big again as the sparrow, but with a longer tail. The black head is marked by a short crest. The cheeks are brown. There is a conspicuous crimson patch under thetail. The remainder of the plumage is brown, but each feather on thebody is margined with creamy white, so that the bird is marked bya pattern that is, as "Eha" pointed out, not unlike the scales ona fish. Both ends of the tail feathers are creamy white. 

Otocompsa is a far more showy bird. The crest is long and pointedand curves forward a little over the bill. There is the usual crimsonpatch under the tail and another on each cheek. The rest of the cheekis white, as is the lower plumage. A black necklace, interrupted infront, marks the junction of the throat and the breast. Neither ofthese bulbuls ascends the hills very high, but I have seen the formerat the Brewery below Naini Tal. 

The common bulbul of the Himalayas is the white-cheeked species(_Molpastes leucogenys_). This bird, which is very common at Almora, has the habits of its brethren in the plains. Its crest is pointedand its cheeks are white like those of an Otocompsa bulbul. But ithas rather a weedy appearance and lacks the red feathers on the sidesof the head. The patch of feathers under the tail is brightsulphur-yellow instead of crimson. 

The only other species of bulbul commonly seen in the hills is a verydifferent bird. It is known as the black bulbul (_Hypsipetespsaroides_). 

The bulbuls that we have been considering are inoffensive little birdswhich lead quiet and respectable lives. Not so the black bulbuls. These are aggressive, disreputable-looking creatures which go aboutin disorderly, rowdy gangs. 

The song of most bulbuls is a medley of pleasant tinkling notes; thecries of the black bulbuls are harsh and unlovely. 

Black bulbuls look black only when seen from a distance. When closelyinspected their plumage is seen to be dark grey. The bill and legsare red. The crest, I regret to say, usually looks the worse for wear. Black bulbuls seem never to descend to the ground. They keep almostexclusively to tops of lofty trees. They are very partial to the nectarenclosed within the calyces of rhododendron flowers. A party of halfa dozen untidy black birds, with moderately long tails, which keepto the tops of trees and make much noise, may with certainty be setdown as black bulbuls. 

These curious birds form the subject of a separate essay. 

THE SITTIDÆ OR NUTHATCH FAMILY

The Sittidæ are a well-defined family of little birds. When notoccupied with domestic cares, they congregate in small flocks thatrun up and down the trunks and branches of trees in search of insects. The nuthatch most commonly seen in the hills is the white-tailedspecies (_Sitta himalayensis_). The general hue of this bird is slatyblue. The forehead and a broad line running down the sides of thehead and neck are black. There is a good deal of white in the tail, which is short in this and in all species of nuthatch. The under-partsare of a chestnut hue. The Himalayan nuthatch is very partial to thered berries of _Arisæma jacque-montii_--a small plant of the familyto which the arums and the "lords and ladies" belong. Half a dozennuthatches attacking one of the red spikes of this plant present apretty sight. The berries ripen in July and August, and at Naini Talone rarely comes across a complete spike because the nuthatches pounceupon every berry the moment it is ripe. 

THE DICRURIDÆ OR DRONGO FAMILY

The famous black drongo or king-crow (_Dicrurus ater_) is the typeof this well-marked family of passerine birds. The king-crow is aboutthe size of a bulbul, but he has a tail 6 or 7 inches long, whichis gracefully forked. His whole plumage is glossy jet black. He lovesto sit on a telegraph wire or other exposed perch, and thence makesallies into the air after flying insects. He is one of the commonestbirds in India. His cheery call--half-squeak, half-whistle--must befamiliar to every Anglo-Indian. As to his character, I will repeatwhat I have said elsewhere: "The king-crow is the Black Prince ofthe bird world--the embodiment of pluck. The thing in feathers ofwhich he is afraid has yet to be evolved. Like the mediæval knight, he goes about seeking those on whom he can perform some small featof arms. In certain parts of India he is known as the kotwal--theofficial who stands forth to the poor as the impersonation of themight and majesty of the British raj. "

The king-crow is fairly abundant in the hills. On the lower ranges, and especially at Almora, it is nearly as common as in the plains. On the higher slopes, however, it is largely replaced by the ashydrongo (_Dicrurus longicaudatus_). At most hill stations bothspecies occur. The note of the ashy drongo differs considerably fromthat of the king-crow: otherwise the habits of the two species arevery similar. Take thirty-three per cent. Off the pugnacity of theking-crow and you will arrive at a fair estimate of that of the ashydrongo. The latter looks like a king-crow with an unusually long tail, a king-crow of which the black plumage has worn grey like an oldbroadcloth coat. 

The handsome _Bhimraj_ or larger racket-tailed drongo (_Dissemurusparadiseus_), a glorified king-crow with a tail fully 20 inches inlength, is a Himalayan bird, but he dwells far from the madding crowd, and is not likely to be seen at any hill station except as a captive. 

THE CERTHIIDÆ OR WREN FAMILY

The only member of this family common about our hill stations is theHimalayan tree-creeper (_Certhia himalayana_). This is a small brownbird, striped and barred with black, which spends the day creepingover the trunks of trees seeking its insect quarry. It is anunobtrusive creature, and, as its plumage assimilates very closelyto the bark over which it crawls, it would escape observation moreoften than it does, but for its call, which is a shrill one. 

THE SYLVIIDÆ OR WARBLER FAMILY

The sylviidæ comprise a large number of birds of small size and, witha few exceptions, of plain plumage. The result is that the greatmajority of them resemble one another so closely that it is asdifficult to identify them when at large as it is to see through abrick wall. Small wonder, then, that field naturalists fight rathershy of this family. Of the 110 species of warbler which exist in India, I propose to deal with only one, and that favoured bird is Hodgson'sgrey-headed flycatcher-warbler (_Cryptolopha xanthoschista_). Myreasons for raising this particular species from among the vulgarherd of warblers are two. The first is that it is the commonest birdin our hill stations. The second is that it is distinctively coloured, and in consequence easy to identify. 

It is impossible for a human being to visit any hill station betweenMurree and Naini Tal in spring without remarking this warbler. I donot exaggerate when I say that its voice issues from every secondtree. 

This species may be said to be _the_ warbler of the Western Himalayas, and, as such, it has been made the subject of a separate essay. 

THE LANIIDÆ OR SHRIKE FAMILY

The butcher-birds are the best-known members of this fraternity. Undoubtedly passerine in structure, shrikes are as indubitablyraptores by nature. They are nothing less than pocket hawks. 

Their habit is to sit on an exposed perch and pounce from thence onto some insect on the ground. The larger species attack small birds. 

Four species of butcher-bird may perhaps be classed among the commonbirds of the Himalayas; but they are inhabitants of the lower rangesonly. It is unusual to see a shrike at as high an elevation as 6000feet. In consequence they are seldom observed at hill stations. 

It is true that the grey-backed shrike does occur as high as 9000feet, but this species, being confined mainly to the inner ranges, does not occur at most hill stations. 

The bay-backed shrike (_Lanius vittatus_) is a bird rather smallerthan a bulbul. Its head is grey except for a broad black band runningthrough the eye. The wings and tail are black and white. The backis chestnut red and the rump white. 

The rufous-backed shrike (_L. Erythronotus_) is very like the lastspecies, but it is a larger bird. It has no white in the wings andtail, and its rump is red instead of being white. 

The grey-backed shrike (_L. Tephronotus_) is very like therufous-backed species, but may be distinguished by the fact that thegrey of the head extends more than half-way down the back. 

As its name indicates, the black-headed shrike (_L. Nigriceps_) hasthe whole head black; but the cheeks, chin, and throat are white. 

Butcher-birds are of striking rather than beautiful appearance. Theyhave some very handsome relatives which are known as minivets. Everyperson must have seen a company of small birds with somewhat longtails, clothed in bright scarlet and black--birds which flit aboutamong the trees like sparks driven before the wind. These are cockminivets. The hens, which are often found in company with them, arein their way equally beautiful and conspicuous, for they are brightyellow in those parts of the plumage where the cocks are scarlet. It is impossible to mistake a minivet, but it is quite another matterto say to which species any particular minivet belongs. The speciescommonly seen about our hill stations are _Pericrocotus speciosus_, the Indian scarlet minivet, and _P. Brevirostris_, the short-billedminivet. The former is 9 inches long, while the latter is but 7½. Again, the red of the former is scarlet and that of the latter crimsonrather than scarlet. These distinctions are sufficiently apparentwhen two species are seen side by side, but are scarcely sufficientto enable the ordinary observer to determine the species of a flockseen flitting about amid the foliage. This, however, need not disturbus. Most people are quite satisfied to know that these exquisitelittle birds are all called minivets. 

THE ORIOLIDÆ OR ORIOLE FAMILY

The beautiful orioles are birds of the plains rather than of the hills. One species, however, the Indian Oriole (_Oriolus kundoo_) is a summervisitor to the Himalayas. The cock is a bright yellow bird with apink bill. There is some black on his cheeks and wing feathers. Thehen is less brilliantly coloured, the yellow of her plumage beingdull and mixed with green. Orioles are a little larger than bulbuls. They rarely, if ever, descend to the ground. I do not remember havingseen the birds at Murree, Mussoorie, or Naini Tal, but they are commonat Almora in summer. 

THE STURNIDÆ OR STARLING FAMILY

The Himalayan starling (_Sturnus humii_) is so like his Europeanbrother in appearance that it is scarcely possible to distinguishbetween the two species unless they are seen side by side. Is itnecessary to describe the starling? Does an Englishman exist who isnot well acquainted with the vivacious bird which makes itself athome in his garden or on his housetop in England? We have all admiredits dark plumage, which displays a green or bronze sheen in thesunlight, and which is so curiously spotted with buff. 

The Himalayan species is, I think, common only in the more westerlyparts of the hills. 

The common myna (_Acridotheres tristis_) is nearly as abundant inthe hills as it is in the plains. I should not have deemed it necessaryto describe this bird, had not a lady asked me a few days ago whethera pair of mynas, which were fighting as only mynas can fight, wereseven sisters. 

The myna is a bird considerably smaller than a crow. His head, neck, and upper breast are black, while the rest of his plumage is quakerbrown, save for a broad white wing-bar, very conspicuous during flight, and some white in the tail. The legs and bill look as though theyhad been dipped in the mustard pot, and there is a bare patch ofmustard-coloured skin on either side of the head. This sprightly birdis sociably inclined. Grasshoppers form its favourite food. Theseit seeks on the grass, over which it struts with as much dignity asa stout raja. In the spring the mynas make free with our bungalows, seizing on any convenient holes or ledges as sites for their nests. The nest is a conglomeration of straw, rags, paper, and any rubbishthat comes to beak. The eggs are a beautiful blue. 

The only other myna commonly seen in Himalayan hill stations is thejungle myna (_Æthiopsar fuscus_). This is so like the species justdescribed, that nine out of ten people fail to differentiate betweenthe two birds. Close inspection shows that this species has a littletuft of feathers on the forehead, which the common myna lacks. Onthe other hand, the yellow patch of skin round the eyes is wantingin the jungle myna. 

THE MUSCICAPIDÆ OR FLYCATCHER FAMILY

The family of the flycatchers is well represented in the hills, forits members love trees. The great majority of them seem never todescend to the ground at all. Flycatchers are birds that feedexclusively on insects, which they catch on the wing. Their habitis to make from some perch little sallies into the air after theirquarry. But, we must bear in mind that a bird that behaves thus isnot necessarily a flycatcher. Other birds, as, for example, king-crows and bee-eaters, have discovered how excellent a way thisis of securing a good supply of food. The beautiful verditerflycatcher (_Stoparola melanops_) must be familiar to everyone whohas visited the Himalayas. The plumage of this flycatcher is paleblue--blue of that peculiar shade known as verditer blue. There isa little black on the head. The plumage of the hen is distinctly dullerthan that of the cock. This species loves to sit on a telegraph wireor at the very summit of a tree and pour forth its song, which consistsof a pleasant, if somewhat harsh, trill or warble of a dozen or morenotes. The next flycatcher that demands notice is the white-browedblue flycatcher (_Cyornis superciliaris_). In this species the hendiffers considerably from the cock in appearance. The upper plumageof the latter is a dull blue, set off by a white eyebrow. The lowerplumage is white save for a blue collaret, which is interrupted inthe middle. The upper plumage of the hen is olive brown, washed withblue in parts. Beneath she is pale buff. This species, like the last, nests in a hole. 

There are yet four other species of flycatcher which, although lessfrequently seen than the two just mentioned, deserve place among thecommon birds of the Himalayas. Two of these are homely-looking littlecreatures, while two are as striking as it is possible for a fowlof the air to be, and this is saying a great deal. 

The brown flycatcher (_Alseonax latirostris_) is a bird that may passfor a small sparrow if not carefully looked at. Of course its habitsare very different to those of the sparrow; moreover, it has a narrowring of white feathers round the eye. The grey-headed flycatcher(_Culicicapa ceylonensis_) is a species of which the sexes are alike. The head, neck, and breast are grey; the wings and tail are brown;the back is dull yellow, and the lower plumage bright yellow. Notwithstanding all this yellow, the bird is not conspicuous exceptduring flight, because the wings when closed cover up nearly all theyellow. This bird frequents all the hill streams. At Naini Tal anyperson may be tolerably certain of coming across it by going downthe Khairna road to the place where that road meets the stream. Thenest of this species is a beautiful pocket of moss attached to somemoss-covered rock or tree. 

The rufous-bellied niltava (_Niltava sundara_) or fairy blue-chat, as Jerdon calls it, is the kind of bird one would expect to find infairyland. The front and sides of the head, and the chin and throatof the cock are deep velvety black. His crown, nape, and lower back, and a spot on cheeks and wings, are glistening blue. He also sportssome light blue in his tail. His lower plumage is chestnut red. Theupper plumage of the hen is olive brown save for a brilliant bluepatch on either side of the head. Her tail is chestnut red. Thisbeautiful species is about the size of a sparrow. 

Even more splendid is the paradise flycatcher (_Terpsiphoneparadisi_). The hen, and the cock, when he is quite young, look ratherlike specimens of the bulbul family, being rich chestnut-hued birdswith the head and crest metallic bluish black. The hen is contentwith a gown of this style throughout her life. Not so the cock. Nosooner does he reach the years of discretion than he assumes amagnificent caudal appendage. His two middle tail feathers suddenlybegin to grow, and go on growing till they become three or four timesas long as he is, and so flutter behind him in the wind like streamerswhen he flies. Nor does he rest content with this finery. When heis about three years old he doffs his chestnut plumage, and in itsplace dons a snowy white one. He is then a truly magnificent object. The first time one catches sight of this white bird with his satinstreamers floating behind him, one wonders whether he is but an objectseen in a dream. 

This flycatcher is a regular visitor in summer to Almora, where itnests. Six thousand feet appear to be about the limit of its ascent, and in consequence this beautiful creature is not common at any ofthe higher hill stations. I have seen it at the brewery below NainiTal, but not at Naini Tal itself. 

THE TURDIDÆ OR THRUSH FAMILY

This large family is well represented in the hills, and embraces anumber of beautiful and interesting birds. 

The dark grey bush-chat (_Oreicola ferrea_) is as common in the hillsas is the robin in the plains. It is about the size of a robin. Theupper plumage of the cock is grey in winter and black in summer. Thischange in colour is the result of wear and tear suffered by thefeathers. Each bird is given by nature a new suit of clothes everyautumn, and in most cases the bird, like a Government _chaprassi_, has to make it last a whole year. Both eat, drink, sleep, and doeverything in their coats. There is, however, this difference betweenthe bird and the _chaprassi_: the plumage of the former always looksclean and smart, while the garment of the _chaprassi_ is usuallyneither the one nor the other. The coat of the dark grey bush-chatis made up of black feathers edged with grey. As the margins of thefeathers alone show, the bird looks grey so long as the grey marginsexist, and when these wear away it appears black. The cock has aconspicuous white eyebrow, and displays some white in his wings andtail. He is quite a dandy. The hen is a reddish brown bird with apale grey eyebrow. This species likes to pretend it is a flycatcher. The flycatchers proper do not object in the least; in this countryof multitudinous insects there are more than enough for every kindof bird. 

Brief mention must be made here of the Indian bush-chat (_Pratincolamaura_), because this chat is common at Almora, and breeds there. I have not seen it at other hill stations. It does not appear to ascendthe Himalayas higher than 5500 feet. In the cock the upper parts areblack (brown in winter) with a large white patch on each side of theneck. The breast is orange-red. The lower parts are ruddy brown. Thehen is a plain reddish brown bird. 

We now come to what is, in my opinion, one of the most striking birdsin the Himalayas. I refer to the bird known to men of science as_Henicurus maculatus_, or the western spotted forktail. ThoseEuropeans who are not men of science call it the hill-wagtail onaccount of its habits, or the _dhobi_ bird because of itsunaccountable predilection for the spot where the grunting, perspiring washerman pursues his destructive calling. The head andneck of this showy bird are jet black save for a conspicuous whitepatch running from the centre of the crown to the base of the bill, which gives the bird a curious appearance. The shoulders are decoratedby a cape or tippet of black, copiously spotted with white. The wingsare black and white. The tail feathers are black, but each has a broadwhite band at the tip, and, as the two median feathers are the shortest, and each succeeding pair longer, the tail has, when closed, theappearance of being composed of alternate broad black and narrow whiteV-shaped bars. The lower back and rump are white, but these arescarcely visible except during flight or when the bird is preeningits feathers. The legs are pinkish white. This forktail is a triflelarger than a wagtail, and its tail is over 6 inches in length. Itis never found away from streams. 

I will not dilate further upon the habits of this bird because aseparate essay is devoted to it. 

Two other water-birds must now be mentioned. These love not the_dhobi_, and dwell by preference far from the madding crowd. Theyare very common in the interior of the hills, and everyone who hastravelled in the inner ranges must be familiar with them, even ifhe do not know what to call them. The white-capped redstart(_Chimarrhornis leucocephalus_) is a bird that compels attention. His black plumage looks as though it were made of rich velvet. Onhis head he wears a cap as white as snow. His tail, rump, and abdomenare bright chestnut red, so that, as he leaps into the air after thecircling gnat, he looks almost as if he were on fire. 

The third common bird of Himalayan streams is the plumbeous redstartor water-robin (_Rhyacornis fuliginosus_). This species is veryrobin-like in appearance. The body is dusky indigo blue; the tailand abdomen are ferruginous. The habits of this and the bird justdescribed are similar. Both species love to disport themselves onrocks and boulders lapped by the gentle-flowing stream in the valley, or lashed by the torrent on the hillside. Like all redstarts, theseconstantly flirt the tail. 

The grey-winged ouzel (_Merula boulboul_) is perhaps the finestsongster in the Himalayas. Throughout the early summer the cock makesthe wooded hillsides ring with his blackbird-like melody. Thegrey-winged ouzel is a near relative of the English blackbird. Takea cock blackbird and paint his wings dark grey, and cover his billwith red colouring matter, and you will have to all appearances agrey-winged ouzel. In order to effect the transformation of the brownfemale, it is only necessary to redden her bill. 

The nesting operations of this species are described in the essaynear the end of Part I. 

Two other species allied to the grey-winged ouzel demand our attention. The first is the blue-headed rock-thrush (_Petrophila cinclorhyncha_). This is not like any bird found in England. The head, chin, and throatof the cock are cobalt blue; there is also a patch of this colour onhis wing; the sides of the head and neck are black, as are the backand wing feathers. The rump and lower parts are chestnut. The hen, asis the case with many of her sex, is an inconspicuous olive-brown bird. This species spends most of its time on the ground, and frequents, asits name implies, open rocky ground. 

The last of the Turdidæ which has to be considered is the small-billedmountain-thrush (_Oreocincla dauma_). This bird is as like the thrushof our English gardens as one pea is like another. Unfortunately itdoes not visit gardens in this country, and is not a very common bird. 

THE FRINGILLIDÆ OR FINCH FAMILY

The vulgar sparrow and the immaculate canary are members of this largeand flourishing family of birds. The distinguishing feature of thefinches is a massive beak, admirably adapted to the husking of thegrain on which the members of the family feed largely. In some species, as for example the grosbeaks, the bill is immensely thick. Only onespecies of grosbeak appears to be common in the Himalayas. This is_Pycnorhamphus icteroides_, the black-and-yellow grosbeak. Thecolouring of the cock is so like that of the black-headed oriole thatit is doubtless frequently mistaken for the latter. 

This bird forms the subject of a separate essay, where it is fullydescribed. 

The Himalayan greenfinch (_Hypacanthis spinoides_) is an unobtrusivelittle bird that loves to sit at the summit of a tree and utter aforlorn _peee_ fifty times a minute. It is a dull green bird withsome yellow on the head, neck, and back; the abdomen is of a brighterhue of yellow. 

The house-sparrow, like the house-crow, is a bird of the plains ratherthan of the hills. The common sparrow of the Himalayas is the handsomecinnamon tree-sparrow (_Passer cinamomeus_). The cock is easilyrecognised by his bright cinnamon-coloured head and shoulders. Imagine a house-sparrow shorn of sixty per cent. Of his impudence, and you will have arrived at a fair estimate of the character of thetree-sparrow. 

The only other members of the Finch family that concern us are thebuntings. A bunting is a rather superior kind of sparrow--a LordCurzon among sparrows--a sparrow with a refined beak. The familiarEnglish yellowhammer is a bunting. Two buntings are common in theWestern Himalayas. The first of these, the eastern meadow-bunting(_Emberiza stracheyi_), looks like a large, well-groomed sparrow. A broad slate-coloured band runs from the base of the beak over thetop of the head to the nape of the neck. In addition to this, thereare on each side of the head blackish bars, like those on the headof the quail. By these signs the bird may be recognised. The otherspecies is the white-capped bunting (_Emberiza stewarti_). This isa chestnut-coloured bird with a pale grey cap. Buntings associatein small flocks and affect open rather than well-wooded country. Theyare not very interesting birds. 

THE HIRUNDINIDÆ OR SWALLOW FAMILY

A small bird that spends hours together on the wing, dashing throughthe air at great speed, frequently changing its course, now flyinghigh, now just skimming the ground, must be either a swallow or aswift. Many people are totally at a loss to distinguish between aswallow and a swift. The two birds differ anatomically. A swift isnot a passerine bird. It cannot perch. When it wants to take a restit has to repair to its nest. Swallows, on the other hand, are fondof settling on telegraph wires. It is quite easy to distinguishbetween the birds when they are on the wing. A flying swift may becompared to an anchor with enormous flukes (the wings), or to an arrow(the body) attached to a bow (the wings). As the swift dashes throughthe air at a speed of fully 100 miles an hour, it never closes itswings to the sides of its body; it merely whips the air rapidly withthe tips of them. On the other hand, the swallow, when it flies, closesits wings to its body at every stroke. Notwithstanding its greatereffort, it does not move nearly so rapidly as the swift. The swiftswill be considered in their proper place. Three species of swalloware likely to be seen in the Himalayas. A small ashy brown swallowwith a short tail is the crag-martin (_Ptyonoprogne rupestris_). 

The common swallow of England (_Hirundo rustica_) occurs in largenumbers at all hill stations in the Himalayas. This bird shouldrequire no description. Its glossy purple-blue plumage, the patchesof chestnut red on the forehead and throat, and the elegantly-forkedtail must be familiar to every Englishman. As in England, this birdconstructs under the eaves of roofs its nest of mud lined withfeathers. 

Not unlike the common swallow, but readily distinguishable from itin that the lower back is chestnut red, is _Hirundonepalensis_--Hodgson's striated swallow, or the red-rumped swallow, as Jerdon well called it. This bird also breeds under eaves. Numbersof red-rumped swallows are to be seen daily seeking their insectquarry over the lake at Naini Tal. 

THE MOTACILLIDÆ OR WAGTAIL FAMILY

The great majority of the wagtails are merely winter visitors to India. Thus they are likely to be seen in the hills only when resting fromtheir travels. That is to say, in April and May, when homeward bound, or in September and October, when they move southwards. A few wagtails, however, tarry in the hills till quite late in the season. The wagtailmost likely to be seen is the grey wagtail (_Motacilla melanope_). This species, notwithstanding its name, has bright yellow lowerplumage. It nests in Kashmir. 

Allied to the wagtails are the pipits. These display the elegant formof the wagtail and the sober colouring of the lark. 

They affect open country and feed on the ground. The upland pipit(_Oreocorys sylvanus_) is the common species of the Himalayas. Itconstructs a nest of grass on the ground, into which the common cuckoo, of which more anon, frequently drops an egg. 

THE NECTARINIDÆ OR SUNBIRD FAMILY

The sunbirds are feathered exquisites. They take in the Old Worldthe place in the New World occupied by the humming-birds. Sunbirds, however, are superior to humming-birds in that they possess the giftof song. They are not particularly abundant in the Himalayas, and, as they do not seem to occur west of Garhwal, I am perhaps not justifiedin giving them a place in this essay. 

I do so because one species is fairly common round about Naini Tal. I have seen this bird--the Himalayan yellow-backed sunbird(_Æthopyga scheriæ_)--flitting about, sucking honey from the flowersin the verandah of the hotel at the brewery below Naini Tal. 

The head and neck of the cock are glistening green. The back, shoulders, chin, throat, breast, and sides of the head are crimson. 

The lower parts are greenish yellow. The two median tail feathersare longer than the others. The bill is long and curved. The hen isa comparatively dull greenish-brown bird. 

THE DICÆIDÆ OR FLOWER-PECKER FAMILY

The fire-breasted flower-pecker (_Dicæum ignipectus_) is perhaps thesmallest bird in India. Its total length does not exceed 3 inches. The upper parts are greenish black and the lower parts buff. The cockhas a large patch of crimson on his breast, with a black patch lowerdown. As this species frequents lofty trees, it is usually seen frombelow, and the crimson breast renders the cock unmistakeable. 

THE PICIDÆ OR WOODPECKER FAMILY

Woodpeckers abound in the well-wooded Himalayas. 

The woodpecker most commonly seen in the western hill stations isthe brown-fronted pied species (_Dendrocopus auriceps_). This is ablack bird, spotted and barred with white: some might call it a whitebird, heavily spotted and barred with black. The forehead is amberbrown. That is the distinguishing feature of this species. The cockhas a red-and-gold crest, which the hen lacks. Both sexes rejoicein a crimson patch under the tail--a feature common to all speciesof pied woodpecker. _Dendrocopus auriceps_ nests earlier in the yearthan do most hill-birds, so that by the time the majority of theEuropean visitors arrive in the hills, the young woodpeckers haveleft their nest, which is a hole excavated by the parents in a tree, a rhododendron by preference. 

Two other species of pied woodpecker are common in the hills--therufous-bellied (_Hypopicus hypererythrus_) and the WesternHimalayan species (_Dendrocopus himalayensis_). The former isparticularly abundant at Murree. These two species are distinguishedfrom the brown-fronted pied woodpecker by having no brown on theforehead. The rufous abdomen serves to differentiate therufous-bellied from the Western Himalayan species. The abovewoodpeckers are not much larger than mynas. 

There remains yet another common species--the West Himalayanscaly-bellied green woodpecker (_Gecinus squamatus_). The Englishname of this bird is very cumbrous. There is no help for this. Numerousadjectives and adjectival adjuncts are necessary to each species todistinguish it from each of the host of other woodpeckers. Thisparticular species is larger than a crow and is recognisable by itsgreen colour. It might be possible to condense an accurate descriptionof the plumage of this bird into half a column of print. I will, however, refrain. There is a limit to the patience of even the Anglo-Indian. 

THE CAPITONIDÆ OR BARBET FAMILY

The only member of this family common in the Himalayas is that finebird known as the great Himalayan barbet (_Megalæma marshallorum_). As this forms the subject of a separate essay, detailed descriptionis unnecessary in the present one. It will suffice that the bird isover a foot in length and has a large yellow beak. Its prevailinghue is grass green. It has a bright red patch under the tail. It goesabout in small flocks and constantly utters a loud plaintivedissyllabic note. 

THE ALCEDINIDÆ OR KINGFISHER FAMILY

The Himalayan pied kingfisher (_Ceryle lugubris_) is a bird as largeas a crow. Its plumage is speckled black and white, like that of aHamburg fowl. It feeds entirely on fish, and frequents the largerhill streams. Its habit is to squat on a branch, or if the day becloudy, on a boulder in mid-stream, whence it dives into the waterafter its quarry. Sometimes, kestrel-like, it hovers in the air onrapidly-vibrating pinions until it espies a fish in the water below, when it closes its wings and drops with a splash in the water, toemerge with a silvery object in its bill. 

THE UPUPIDÆ OR HOOPOE FAMILY

The unique hoopoe (_Upupa epops_) next demands our attention. Thisis a bird about the size of a myna. The wings and tail are boldlymarked with alternate bands of black and white. The remainder of theplumage is of a fawn colour. The bill is long and slender, like thatof a snipe, but slightly curved. The crest is the feature thatdistinguishes the hoopoe from all other birds. This opens and closeslike a lady's fan. Normally it remains closed, but when the bird isstartled, and at the moment when the hoopoe alights on the ground, the crest opens to form a magnificent corona. Hoopoes seek their foodon grass-covered land, digging insects out of the earth with theirlong, pick-like bills. They are very partial to a dust-bath. Duringthe breeding season--that is to say, in April and May in theHimalayas--hoopoes continually utter in low tones _uk-uk-uk_. Thecall is not unlike that of the coppersmith, but less metallic andmuch more subdued. The flight of the hoopoe is undulating or jerky, like that of a butterfly. Young hoopoes are reared up in a hole ina building, or in a bank. The nest is incredibly malodoriferous. 

THE CYPSELIDÆ OR SWIFT FAMILY

The flight and general appearance of the swifts have already beendescribed. The common Indian swift (_Cypselus affinis_) is perhapsthe bird most frequently seen in the Himalayas. A small dark sootybrown bird with a broad white bar across the back, a living monoplanethat dashes through the air at the rate of 100 miles an hour, continually giving vent to what Jerdon has so well described as a"shivering scream, " can be none other than this species. It nestsunder the eaves of houses or in verandahs. Hundreds of these swiftsnest in the Landour bazar, and there is scarcely a _dak_ bungalowor a deserted building in the whole of Kumaun which does not affordnesting sites for at least a dozen pairs of swifts. About sunset thesebirds indulge in riotous exercise, dashing with loud screams in andout among the pillars that support the roof of the verandah in whichtheir nests are placed. The nest is composed of mud and feathers andstraw. The saliva of the swift is sticky and makes excellent cement. 

The other swift commonly seen in the Himalayas is the Alpine swift(_Cypselus melba_). This is distinguishable from the Indian speciesby its white abdomen and dark rump. It is perhaps the swiftest flieramong birds. Like the species already described, it utters a shrillcry when on the wing. 

THE CUCULIDÆ OR CUCKOO FAMILY

It is not possible for anyone of sound hearing to be an hour in ahill station in the early summer without being aware of the presenceof cuckoos. The Himalayas literally teem with them. From March toJune, or even July, the cheerful double note of the common cuckoo(_Cuculus canorus_) emanates from every second tree. This species, as all the world knows, looks like a hawk and flies like a hawk. 

According to some naturalists, the cuckoo profits by its similarityto a bird of prey. The little birds which it imposes upon are supposedto fly away in terror when they see it, thus allowing it to workunmolested its wicked will in their nests. My experience is thatlittle birds have a habit of attacking birds of prey that venturenear their nest. The presence of eggs or young ones makes the mosttimid creatures as bold as the proverbial lion. I therefore do notbelieve that these cuckoos which resemble birds of prey derive anybenefit therefrom. 

The hen European cuckoo differs very slightly from the cock. In somespecies, as, for example, the famous "brain-fever bird"(_Hierococcyx varius_), there is no external difference between thesexes, while in others, such as the Indian koel (_Eudynamis honorata_), and the violet cuckoo (_Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus_), the sexes arevery dissimilar. I commend these facts to the notice of those whoprofess to explain sexual dimorphism (the different appearance ofthe sexes) by means of natural or sexual selection. The comfortabletheory that the hens are less showily coloured than the cocks, becausethey stand in greater need of protective colouring while sitting onthe nest, cannot be applied to the parasitic cuckoos, for these buildno nests, neither do they incubate their eggs. 

In the Himalayas the common cuckoo victimises chiefly pipits, larks, and chats, but its eggs have been found in the nests of many otherbirds, including the magpie-robin, white-cheeked bulbul, spottedforktail, rufous-backed shrike, and the jungle babbler. 

The eggs of _Cuculus canorus_ display considerable variation incolour. Those who are interested in the subject are referred to Mr. Stuart Baker's papers on the Oology of the Indian Cuckoos in VolumeXVII of the _Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society_. 

It often happens that the eggs laid by the cuckoo are not unlike thoseof the birds in the nests of which they are deposited. Hence, somenaturalists assert that the cuckoo, having laid an egg, flies aboutwith it in her bill until she comes upon a clutch which matches heregg. Perhaps the best reply to this theory is that such refinementon the part of the cuckoo is wholly unnecessary. Most birds, whenseized by the mania of incubation, will sit upon anything which evenremotely resembles an egg. 

Mr. Stuart Baker writes that he has not found that there is any proofof the cuckoo trying to match its eggs with those of the intendedfoster-mother, or that it selects a foster-mother whose eggs shallmatch its own. He adds that not one of his correspondents has advancedthis suggestion, and states that he has little doubt that convenienceof site and propinquity to the cuckoo about to lay its eggs are themain requisitions. 

Almost indistinguishable from the common cuckoo in appearance is theHimalayan cuckoo (_Cuculus saturatus_). The call of this bird, whichcontinues later in the year than that of the common cuckoo, is notunlike the _whoot-whoot-whoot_ of the crow-pheasant or coucal. Perhaps it is even more like the _uk-uk-uk_ of the hoopoe repeatedvery loudly. It may be syllabised as _cuck-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo_. Not verymuch is known about the habits of this species. It is believed tovictimise chiefly willow-warblers. 

The Indian cuckoo (_Cuculus micropterus_) resembles in appearancethe two species already described. Blanford speaks of its call asa fine melodious whistle. I would not describe the note as a whistle. To me it sounds like _wherefore_, _wherefore_, impressively andsonorously intoned. The vernacular names _Boukotako_ and_Kyphulpakka_ are onomatopoetic, as is Broken Pekoe Bird, by whichname the species is known to many Europeans. 

Last, but not least of the common Himalayan cuckoos, are the famousbrain-fever birds, whose crescendo _brain-fever_, _BRAIN-FEVER_, _BRAIN-FEVER_, which is shrieked at all hours of the day and the night, has called forth untold volumes of awful profanity from jadedEuropeans living in the plains, and has earned the highest encomiumsof Indians. 

There are two species of brain-fever bird that disport themselvesin the Himalayas. These are known respectively as the large and thecommon hawk-cuckoo (_Hierococcyx sparverioides_ and _H. Varius_). I do not profess to distinguish with certainty between the notes ofthese two birds, but am under the impression that the larger formis the one that makes itself heard at Naini Tal and Mussoorie. 

The Indian koel (_Eudynamis honorata_) is not to be numbered amongthe common birds of the Himalayas. Its noisy call _kuil_, _kuil_, _kuil_, which may be expressed by the words _you're-ill_, _you're-ill_, _who-are-you?_ _who-are-you?_ is heard throughout thesub-Himalayan regions in the early summer, and I have heard it ashigh up as Rajpur below Mussoorie, but have not noticed the bird atany of the hill stations except Almora. As has already been stated, the avifauna of Almora, a little station in the inner hills nearlyforty miles from the plains, is a very curious one. I have not onlyheard the koel calling there, but have seen a young koel being fedby crows. Now, at Almora alone of the hill stations does _Corvussplendens_, the Indian house-crow, occur, and this is the usual victimof the koel. I would therefore attribute the presence of the koelat Almora and its absence from other hill stations to the fact thatat Almora alone the koel's dupe occurs. 

THE PSITTACIDÆ OR PARROT FAMILY

The parrots are not strongly represented in the Himalayas. Only onespecies is commonly seen at the various hill stations. This is theslaty-headed paroquet (_Palæornis schisticeps_). In appearance itclosely resembles the common green parrot of the plains (_P. Torquatus_), differing chiefly in having the head slate colouredinstead of green. The cock, moreover, has a red patch on the shoulder. The habits of the slaty-headed paroquet are those of the common greenparrot: its cries, however, are less harsh, and it is lessaggressively bold. The pretty little western blossom-headed paroquet(_P. Cyanocephalus_) ascends the hills to a height of some 5000 feet. It is recognisable by the fact that the head of the cock is red, tingedwith blue like the bloom on a plum. 

THE STRIGIDÆ OR OWL FAMILY

We now come to those much-abused birds--the owls. The Himalayas, incommon with most other parts of the world, are well stocked with thesepirates of the night. The vast majority of owls, being strictlynocturnal, escape observation. Usually the presence of any speciesof owl in a locality is made known only by its voice. I may here remarkthat diurnal birds know as little about nocturnal birds as the manin the street does, hence the savage manner in which they mob anyluckless owl that happens to be abroad in the daytime. Birds areintensely conservative; they resent strongly what they regard as anaddition to the local avifauna. This assertion may be proved bysetting free a cockatoo in the plains of India. Before the bird hasbeen at large for ten minutes it will be surrounded by a mob of revilingcrows. 

The collared pigmy owlet (_Glaucidium brodiei_) is perhaps thecommonest owl in the Himalayas: at any rate, it is the species thatmakes itself heard most often. Those who sit out of doors after dinnercannot fail to have remarked a soft low whistle heard at regularintervals of about thirty seconds. That is the call of the pigmycollared owlet. The owlet itself is a tiny creature, about the sizeof a sparrow. Like several other little owls, it sometimes showsitself during the daytime. Once at Mussoorie I noticed a pigmycollared owlet sitting as bold as brass on a conspicuous branch aboutmidday and making grimaces at me. The other species likely to be heardat hill stations are the brown wood-owl (_Syrnium indrani_), the callof which has been syllabised _to-whoo_, and the little spottedHimalayan scops owl (_Scops spilocephalus_), of which the note isdouble whistle _who-who_. 

THE VULTURIDÆ OR VULTURE FAMILY

From the owls to the diurnal birds of prey it is but a short step. Next to the warblers, the raptores are the most difficult birds todistinguish one from the other. Nearly all of them are creatures ofmottled-brown plumage, and, as the plumage changes with the periodof life, it is impossible to differentiate them by descriptions oftheir colouring. 

The vultures are perhaps the ugliest of all birds. Most of them havethe head devoid of feathers, and they are thus enabled to bury thismember in their loathsome food without soiling their feathers. Inthe air, owing to the magnificent ease with which they fly, they aresplendid objects. Their habit is to rise high above the earth andhang motionless in the atmosphere on outstretched wings, or sail incircles without any perceptible motion of the pinions. Vultures arenot the only raptorial birds that do this. Kites are almost equallyskilled. But kites are distinguished by having a fairly long tail, that of vultures being short and wedge shaped. The sides of the wingsof the vultures are straight, and the wings stand out at right anglesto the body. In all species, except the scavenger vulture, the tipsof the wings are turned up as the birds float or sail in the air, and the ends of the wings are much cut up, looking like fingers. 

Perhaps the commonest vulture of the Himalayas is that very familiarfowl--the small white scavenger vulture (_Neophron ginginianus_), often called Pharaoh's chicken and other opprobrious names that Iwill not mention. This bird eats everything that is filthy and unclean. The natural consequence is that it looks untidy and disreputable. It is, without exception, the ugliest bird in the world. It is aboutthe size of a kite. The plumage is a dirty white, except the edgesof the wing feathers, which are shabby black. The naked face is ofa pale mustard colour, as are the bill and legs. The feathers on theback of the head project like the back hairs of an untidy schoolboy. Its walk is an ungainly waddle. Nevertheless--so great is the magicof wings--this bird, as it soars high above the earth, looks a noblefowl; it then appears to be snow-white with black margins to the wings. 

Another vulture frequently met with is the Indian white-backedvulture (_Pseudogyps bengalensis_). The plumage of this species isa very dark grey, almost black. The naked head is rather lighter thanthe rest of the body. The lower back is white: this makes the birdeasy to identify when it is perched. It has some white in the wings, and this, during flight, is visible as a very broad band that runsfrom the body nearly to the tip of the wing. Thus the wing from belowappears to be white with broad black edges. During flight this speciesmay be distinguished from the last by the fingered tips of its wings, by both edges of the wing being black and the body being dark insteadof white. 

The third common vulture is the Himalayan griffon (_Gypshimalayensis_). This is distinguishable from the two species alreadydescribed by having no white in the wings. 

The lammergeyer or bearded vulture (_Gypætus barbatus_) is the kingof the vultures. Some ornithologists classify it with the eagles. It is a connecting link between the two families. It is 4 feet inlength and is known to the hillmen as the Argul. 

During flight it may be recognised by the whitish head and nape, thepale brown lower plumage and the dark rounded tail. 

Usually it keeps to rocky hills and mountains, over which it beatswith a steady, sailing, vulturine flight. Numerous stories are toldof its swooping down and carrying off young children, lambs, goats, and other small animals. Those who will may believe these stories. I do not. The lammergeyer is quite content to make a meal of offal, old bones, or other refuse. 

THE FALCONIDÆ OR FAMILY OF BIRDS OF PREY

First and foremost of the Falconidæ are the eagles. Let me prefacewhat little I have to say about these birds with the remark that Iam unable to set forth any characteristics whereby a novice mayrecognise an eagle when he sees one on the wing. The reader shoulddisabuse his mind of the idea he may have obtained from the writingsof the poets of the grandeur of the eagle. Eagles may be, and doubtlessoften are, mistaken for kites. They are simply rather large falcons. They are mostly coloured very like the kite. 

All true eagles have the leg feathered to the toe. I give this methodof diagnosis for what it is worth, and that is, I fear, not very much, because eagles as a rule do not willingly afford the observer anopportunity of inspecting their tarsi. 

The eagles most commonly seen in the Himalayas are the imperial eagle(_Aquila helica_), the booted eagle (_Hieraëtus pennatus_), Bonelli's eagle (_Hieraëtus fasciatus_), the changeable hawk-eagle(_Spizaëtus limnaëtus_), and Hodgson's hawk-eagle (_Spizaëtusnepalensis_). 

The imperial eagle has perhaps the darkest plumage of all the eagles. This species does not live up to its name. It feeds largely on carrion, and probably never catches anything larger than a rat. The imperialeagle is common about Mussoorie except in the rains. Captain Huttonstates that he has seen as many as fifty of them together in the monthof October when they reassemble after the monsoon. 

The booted eagle has a very shrill call. Its lower parts are palein hue. 

Bonelli's eagle is fairly common both at Naini Tal and Mussoorie. It is a fine bird, and has plenty of courage. It often stoops to fowlsand is destructive to game birds. It is of slighter build than thetwo eagles above described. Its lower parts are white. 

The changeable hawk-eagle is also a fine bird. It is very addictedto peafowl. The hillmen call it the _Mohrhaita_, which, beinginterpreted, is the peacock-killer. It utters a loud cry, whichThompson renders _whee-whick_, _whee-whick_. This call is utteredby the bird both when on the wing and at rest. Another cry of thisspecies has been syllabised _toot_, _toot_, _toot_, _toot-twee_. 

Hodgson's hawk-eagle is also destructive to game. It emits a shrillmusical whistle which can sometimes be heard when the bird is so highas to appear a mere speck against the sky. This species has a narrowcrest. 

Allied to the true eagles are the serpent-eagles. In these the legis not feathered to the toe, so they may be said to form a link betweenthe true eagles and the falcons. 

One species--the crested serpent-eagle (_Spilornis cheela_)--iscommon in the Himalayas up to 8000 feet. 

This eagle is perhaps the most handsome of the birds of prey. Thecrest is large and imposing. The upper parts are dark brown, almostblack, with a purple or green gloss. The breast and under parts arerich deep brown profusely dotted with white ocelli. On the tail andwings are white bars. The wing bars are very conspicuous during flight. The crested serpent-eagle flies with the wings held very far back, so that it looks, as "Exile" says, like a large butterfly. When flyingit constantly utters its shrill, plaintive call composed of two shortsharp cries and three prolonged notes, the latter being in a slightlyhigher key. 

Of the remaining birds of prey perhaps only two can fairly be numberedamong the common birds of the Himalayas, and both of these are easyto recognise. They are the kite and the kestrel. 

The common pariah kite (_Milvus govinda_) is the most familiarraptorial bird in India. Hundreds of kites dwell at every hill-station. They spend the greater part of the day on the wing, either sailinggracefully in circles high overhead or gliding on outstretchedpinions over mountain and valley, with head pointing downwards, looking for the refuse on which they feed. To mistake a kite isimpossible. Throughout the day it makes the welkin ring with itsquerulous _chee-hee-hee-hee-hee_. Some kites are larger than others, consequently ornithologists, who are never so happy as when splittingup species, have made a separate species of the larger race. Thislatter is called _Milvus melanotis_, the large Indian kite. It iscommon in the hills. 

The kestrel (_Tinnunculus alaudarius_) is perhaps the easiest of allthe birds of prey to identify. It is a greyish fowl with dull brick-redwings and shoulders. Its flight is very distinctive. It flaps thewings more rapidly than do most of its kind. While beating over thecountry it checks its flight now and again and hovers on rapidlyvibrating wings. It does this when it fancies it has seen a mouse, lizard, or other living thing moving on the ground below. If itssurmise proves correct, it drops from above and thus takes its quarrycompletely by surprise. It is on account of this peculiar habit ofhovering in the air that the kestrel is often called the wind-hoverin England. Needless to say, the kestrel affects open tracts ratherthan forest country. One of these birds is usually to be seen engagedin its craft above the bare slope of the hill on which Mussoorie isbuilt. Other places where kestrels are always to be seen are the barehills round Almora. The nest of this species is usually placed onan inaccessible crag. 

THE COLUMBIDÆ OR DOVE FAMILY

The cooing community is not much in evidence in the hills. In theHimalayas doves do not obtrude themselves upon our notice in the waythat they do in the plains. 

The green-pigeon of the mountains is the kokla (_Sphenocercussphenurus_), so called on account of its melodious call, _kok-la_, _kok-la_. In appearance it is very like the green-pigeon of the plainsand is equally difficult to distinguish from its leafy surroundings. The bronze-winged dove (_Chalcophaps indica_) I have never observedat any hill-station, but it is abundant in the lower ranges and inthe Terai. Every sportsman must be familiar with the bird. Itsmagnificent bronzed metallic, green plumage renders itsidentification easy. The commonest dove of the Himalayanhill-stations is the Indian turtle-dove (_Turtur ferago_). Itsplumage is of that grey hue which is so characteristic of doves asto be called dove-colour. The turtle-dove has a conspicuous patchof black-and-white feathers on each side of the neck. The only otherdove seen in the hills with which it can be confounded is the littlebrown dove (_T. Cambayensis_). The latter is a much smaller bird, and I have not observed it anywhere higher than 4500 feet above thesea-level. 

The spotted dove (_T. Suratensis_) occurs in small numbers in mostparts of the Himalayas up to 7000 feet. It is distinguished by thewing coverts being spotted with rufous and black. 

The Indian ring-dove (_T. Risorius_) also occurs in the WesternHimalayas. It is of a paler hue than the other doves and has no patchof black-and-white feathers on the sides of the neck, but has a blackcollar, with a narrow white border, round the back of the neck. 

One other dove should perhaps be mentioned among the common birdsof the Himalayas, namely, the bar-tailed cuckoo-dove (_Macropygiatusalia_). A dove with a long barred tail, of which the feathers aregraduated, the median ones being the longest, may be set down as thisspecies. 

THE PHASIANIDÆ OR FAMILY OF GAME BIRDS

The Himalayas are the home of many species of gallinaceous birds. In the highest ranges the snow-cocks, the tragopans, theblood-pheasant, and the glorious monaul or Impeyan pheasant abound. The foothills are the happy hunting-grounds of the ancestralcock-a-doodle-doo. 

As this book is written with the object of enabling persons stayingat the various hill-stations to identify the commoner birds, I donot propose to describe the gallinaceous denizens of the higher rangesor the foothills. In the ranges of moderate elevation, on which allthe hill-stations are situated, the kalij, the cheer, and the koklaspheasants are common. Of these three the kalij is the only one likelyto be seen in the ordinary course of a walk. The others are not likelyto show themselves unless flushed by a dog. 

The white-crested kalij-pheasant (_Gennæus albicristatus_) mayoccasionally be seen in the vicinity of a village. 

The bird does not come up to the Englishman's ideal of a pheasant. The bushy tail causes it to look rather like a product of the farmyard. The cock is over two feet in length, the hen is five inches shorter. The plumage of the former is dark brown, tinged with blue, each featherhaving a pale margin. The rump is white with broad black bars. Thehen is uniformly brown, each feather having a narrow buff margin. Both sexes rejoice in a long backwardly-directed crest and a patchof bare crimson skin round each eye. The tail is much shorter andmore bushy than that of the English pheasant. The crest is white inthe cock and reddish yellow in the hen. Baldwin describes the callof this pheasant as "a sharp _twut_, _twut_, _twut_. Sometimes verylow, with a pause between each note, then suddenly increasing loudlyand excitedly. "

The kalij usually affords rather poor sport. 

The koklas pheasant (_Pucrasia macrolopha_) is another short-tailedspecies; but it is more game-like in appearance than the kalij andprovides better sport. 

It may be distinguished from the kalij by its not having the red patchof skin round the eye. The cock of this species has a curious crest, the middle portion of which is short and of a fawn colour; on eachside of this is a long lateral tuft coloured black with a green gloss. The cry of this bird has been syllabised as _kok-kok-pokrass_. 

In the cheer-pheasant (_Catreus wellichi_) both sexes have a longcrest, like that of the kalij, and a red patch of skin round the eye. The tail of this species, however, is long and attenuated like thatof the English pheasant, measuring nearly two feet. Wilson says, ofthe call of this bird: "Both males and females often crow at daybreakand dusk and, in cloudy weather, sometimes during the day. The crowis loud and singular, and, when there is nothing to interrupt, thesound may be heard for at least a mile. It is something like the words_chir-a-pir_, _chir-a-pir_, _chir-a-pir_, _chirwa_, _chirwa_, buta good deal varied. "

The grey quail (_Coturnix communis_) is a common bird of the Himalayasduring a few days only in the year. Large numbers of these birds restin the fields of ripening grain in the course of their long migratoryflight. Almost as regularly as clockwork do they appear in the WesternHimalayas early in October on their way south, and again in Aprilon their northward journey. By walking through the terraced fieldsat those times with a gun, considerable bags of quail can be secured. These birds migrate at night. Writing of them, Hume said: "Onemoonlight night about the third week in April, standing at the topof Benog, a few miles from Mussoorie, a dense cloud many hundred yardsin length and fifty yards, I suppose, in breadth of small birds sweptover me with the sound of a rushing wind. They were not, I believe, twenty yards above the level of my head, and their quite unmistakablecall was uttered by several of those nearest me as they passed. "

We must now consider the partridges that patronise the hills. Thespecies most commonly met with in the Himalayas is the chakor(_Caccabis chucar_). In appearance this is very like the French orred-legged partridge, to which it is related. Its prevailing hue ispale reddish brown, the particular shade varying greatly with theindividual. The most striking features of this partridge are a blackband that runs across the forehead to the eyes and then down the sidesof the head round the throat, forming a gorget, and a number of blackbars on each flank. The favourite haunts of the chakor are bare grassyhillsides on which a few terraced fields exist. Chakor are noisy birds. The note most commonly heard is the double call from which their nameis taken. 

The black partridge or common francolin (_Francolinus vulgaris_) isabundant on the lower ranges of the Himalayas. At Mussoorie itscurious call is often heard. This is so high-pitched as to be inaudibleto some people. To those who can hear it, the call sounds like_juk-juk-tee-tee-tur_. This species has the habit of feigning abroken wing when an enemy approaches its young ones. The cock is avery handsome bird. The prevailing hue of his plumage is black withwhite spots on the flanks and narrow white bars on the back. Thefeathers of the crown and wings are buff and dark brown. A chestnutcollar runs round the neck, while each side of the head is adornedby a white patch. The whole plumage of the hen is coloured like thewings of the cock. 

The common hill-partridge (_Arboricola torqueola_) is a greatskulker. He haunts dark densely jungled water-courses and ravines, and so is not likely to be seen about a hill-station; we will thereforepass him over without description. 

THE CHARADRIIDÆ OR PLOVER FAMILY

In conclusion mention must be made of the woodcock (_Scolopaxrusticola_). This species, although it breeds throughout theHimalayas, usually remains during the summer at altitudes above thoseat which hill-stations are situate. The lowest height at which itsnest has been found is, I believe, 9500 feet. 

_THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE EASTERN HIMALAYAS_

The majority of the birds which are common in the Eastern Himalayasare also abundant in the western part of the range, and have inconsequence been described already. In order to avoid repetition thischapter has been put into the form of a list. The list that followsincludes all the birds likely to be seen daily by those who in summervisit Darjeeling and other hill-stations east of Nepal. 

Of the birds which find place in the list only those are describedwhich have not been mentioned in the essay on the common birds ofthe Western Himalayas. 

Short accounts of all the birds that follow which are not describedin this chapter are to be found in the previous one. 

THE CORVIDÆ OR CROW FAMILY

1. _Corvus macrorhynchus_. The jungle-crow or Indian corby. 

2. _Dendrocitta himalayensis_. The Himalayan tree-pie. Abundant. 

3. _Graculus eremita_. The red-billed chough. In summer this speciesis not usually found much below elevations of 11, 000 feet above thesea-level. 

4. _Pyrrhocorax alpinus_. The yellow-billed chough. In summer thisspecies is not usually seen at elevations below 11, 000 feet. 

5. _Garrulus bispecularis_. The Himalayan jay. Not so abundant asin the Western Himalayas. 

6. _Parus monticola_. The green-backed tit. A common bird. Veryabundant round about Darjeeling. 

7. _Machlolophus spilonotus_. The black-spotted yellow tit. This isvery like _M. Xanthogenys_ (the yellow-cheeked tit), which itreplaces in the Eastern Himalayas. It is distinguished by having theforehead bright yellow instead of black as in the yellow-cheekedspecies. It is not very common. 

8. _Ægithaliscus erythrocephalus_. The red-headed tit. Very commonat Darjeeling. 

9. _Parus atriceps_. The Indian grey tit. 

THE CRATEROPODIDÆ OR BABBLER FAMILY

Since most species of babblers are notoriously birds of limiteddistribution, it is not surprising that the kinds common in theEastern Himalayas should not be the same as those that are abundantwest of Nepal. 

10. _Garrulax leucolophus_. The Himalayan white-crestedlaughing-thrush. This is the Eastern counterpart of thewhite-throated laughing-thrush (_Garrulax albigularis_). Thisspecies has a large white crest. It goes about in flocks of abouta score. The members of the flock scream and chatter and makediscordant sounds which some might deem to resemble laughter. 

11. _Ianthocincla ocellata_. The white-spotted laughing-thrush. This is the Eastern counterpart of _Ianthocincla rufigularis_. Ithas no white in the throat, and the upper plumage is spotted withwhite. It is found only at high elevations in summer. 

12. _Trochalopterum chrysopterum_. The eastern yellow-wingedlaughing-thrush. This is perhaps the most common bird aboutDarjeeling. Parties hop about the roads picking up unconsideredtrifles. 

The forehead is grey, as is much of the remaining plumage. The backof the head is bright chestnut. The throat is chestnut-brown. Thewings are chestnut and bright yellow. 

13. _Trochalopterum squamatum_. The blue-winged laughing-thrush. This is another common bird. Like all its clan it goes about in flocks. Its wings are chestnut and blue. 

14. _Grammatophila striata_. The striated laughing-thrush. A commonbird, but as it keeps to dense foliage it is heard more often thanseen. Of its curious cries Jerdon likens one to the clucking of ahen which has just laid an egg. The tail is chestnut. The rest ofthe plumage is umber brown, but every feather has a white streak alongthe middle. These white streaks give the bird the striated appearancefrom which it obtains its name. 

15. _Pomatorhinus erythrogenys_. The rusty-cheekedscimitar-babbler. 

16. _Pomatorhinus schisticeps_. The slaty-headed scimitar-babbler. This is easily distinguished from the foregoing species by itsconspicuous white eyebrow. 

17. _Alcippe nepalensis_. The Nepal babbler or quaker-thrush. Thisis a bird smaller than a sparrow. As its popular name indicates, itis clothed in homely brown; but it has a conspicuous ring of whitefeathers round the eye and a black line on each side of the head, beginning from the eye. It is very common about Darjeeling. It feedsin trees and bushes, often descending to the ground. It utters a lowtwittering call. 

18. _Stachyrhis nigriceps_. The black-throated babbler orwren-babbler. This is another small bird. Its general hue is olivebrown. The throat is black, as is the head, but the latter has whitestreaks. 

It is common about Darjeeling and goes about in flocks that keep totrees. 

19. _Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps_. The red-headed babbler orwren-babbler. Another small bird with habits similar to the last. 

An olive-brown bird with a chestnut-red cap. The lower parts arereddish yellow. 

20. _Myiophoneus temmincki_. The Himalayan whistling-thrush. Commonat Darjeeling. 

21. _Lioptila capistrata_. The black-headed sibia, one of the mostabundant birds about Darjeeling. 

22. _Actinodura egertoni_. The rufous bar-wing. A bird about the sizeof a bulbul. It associates in small flocks which never leave the trees. Common about Darjeeling. A reddish brown bird, with a crest. Thereis a black bar in the wing. 

23. _Zosterops palpebrosa_. The Indian white-eye. 

24. _Siva cyanuroptera_. The blue-winged siva or hill-tit. A prettylittle bird, about the size of a sparrow. The head is blue, deeperon the sides than on the crown, streaked with brown. The visibleportions of the closed wing and tail are cobalt-blue. 

This species goes about in flocks and has all the habits of a tit. It utters a cheerful chirrup. 

25. _Liothrix lutea_. The red-billed liothrix or hill-tit, or thePekin-robin. This interesting bird forms the subject of a separateessay. 

26. _Ixulus flavicollis_. The yellow-naped ixulus. A small tit-likebird with a crest. Like tits these birds associate in small flocks, which move about amid the foliage uttering a continual twittering. 

Brown above, pale yellow below. Chin and throat white. Back of neckrusty yellow. This colour is continued in a demi-collar round thesides of the neck. Common about Darjeeling. 

27. _Yuhina gularis_. The striped-throated yuhina. Another tiny birdwith all the habits of the tits. A flock of dull-brown birds, aboutthe size of sparrows, having the chin and throat streaked with black, are likely to be striped-throated yuhinas. 

28. _Minla igneitincta_. The red-tailed minla or hill-tit. Thistit-like babbler is often seen in company with the true tits, whichit resembles in habits and size. The head is black with a white eyebrow. The wings and tail are black and crimson. The rest of the upper plumageis yellowish olive. The throat is white, and the remainder of thelower plumage is bright yellow. 

NOTE ON THE TITS AND SMALL BABBLERS

Tits are small birds, smaller than sparrows, which usually go aboutin flocks. They spend most of their lives in trees. In seeking forinsects, on which they feed largely, they often hang upside down froma branch. All tits have these habits; but all birds of these habitsare not tits. Thus the following of the babblers described above haveall the habits of tits: the white-eye, the black-throated babbler, the red-headed babbler, the blue-winged siva, the yellow-napedixulus, the striped-throated yuhina, and the red-tailed minla. 

The above are all birds of distinctive colouring and may be easilydistinguished. 

Other small birds which are neither tits nor babblers go about inflocks, as, for example, nuthatches, but these other birds differin shape and habits from babblers and tits, so that no one is likelyto confound them with the smaller Corvidæ or Crateropodidæ. 

29. _Molpastes leucogenys_. The white-cheeked bulbul. Common belowelevations of 5000 feet. 

30. _Hypsipetes psaroides_. The Himalayan black bulbul. Not verycommon. 

31. _Alcurus striatus_. The striated green bulbul. Upper plumageolive-green with yellow streaks. Cheeks dark brown, streaked withpale yellow. Chin and throat yellow, with dark spots on throat. Patchunder tail bright yellow. 

Striated green bulbuls go about in flocks which keep to the tops oftrees. They utter a mellow warbling note. They are abundant aboutDarjeeling. 

THE SITTIDÆ OR NUTHATCH FAMILY

32. _Sitta himalayensis_. Very abundant in the neighbourhood ofDarjeeling. 

THE DICRURIDÆ OR DRONGO FAMILY

33. _Dicrurus longicaudatus_. The Indian Ashy Drongo. 

THE CERTHIIDÆ OR WREN FAMILY

34. _Certhia discolor_. The Sikhim tree-creeper. This speciesdisplaces the Himalayan tree-creeper in the Eastern Himalayas. Thetwo species are similar in appearance. 

35. _Pneopyga squamata_. The scaly-breasted wren. In shape and sizethis is very like the wren of England, but its upper plumage is notbarred with black, as in the English species. 

It is fairly common about Darjeeling, but is of retiring habits. 

THE SYLVIIDÆ OR WARBLER FAMILY

36. _Abrornis superciliaris_. The yellow-belliedflycatcher-warbler. 

A tiny bird about the size of a wren. The head is grey and the remainderof the upper plumage brownish yellow. The eyebrow is white, as arethe chin, throat, and upper breast: the remainder of the lower plumageis bright yellow. 

37. _Suya atrigularis_. The black-throated hill-warbler. The upperplumage is olive brown, darkest on the head. The chin, throat, breast, and upper abdomen are black. 

THE LANIIDÆ OR SHRIKE FAMILY

38. _Lanius tephronotus_. The grey-backed shrike. 

39. _Pericrocotus brevirostris_. The short-billed minivet. Verycommon about Darjeeling. 

40. _Campophaga melanoschista_. The dark-grey cuckoo-shrike. 

Plumage is dark grey, wings black, tail black tipped with white. Rather larger than a bulbul. Cuckoo-shrikes keep to trees, and rarely, if ever, descend to the ground. 

THE MUSCICAPIDÆ OR FLYCATCHER FAMILY

Of the common flycatchers of the Western Himalayas, the followingoccur in the Eastern Himalayas:

41. _Stoparola melanops_. The verditer flycatcher. Very common atDarjeeling. 

42. _Cyornis superciliaris_. The white-browed blue-flycatcher. 

43. _Alseonax latirostris_. The brown flycatcher. Not very common. 

44. _Niltava sundara_. The rufous-bellied niltava. Very abundant atDarjeeling. In addition to the rufous-bellied niltava, two otherniltavas occur in the Eastern Himalayas. 

45. _Niltava grandis_. The large niltava. This may be readilydistinguished on account of its comparatively large size. It is aslarge as a bulbul. It is very common about Darjeeling. 

46. _Niltava macgrigoriæ_. The small niltava. This is considerablysmaller than a sparrow and does not occur above 5000 feet. 

47. _Terpsiphone affinis_. The Burmese paradise flycatcher. Thisreplaces the Indian species in the Eastern Himalayas, but it is notfound so high up as Darjeeling, being confined to the lower ranges. 

The other flycatchers commonly seen in the Eastern Himalayas are:

48. _Rhipidura allicollis_. The white-throated fantail flycatcher. This beautiful bird is abundant in the vicinity of Darjeeling. Itis a black bird, with a white eyebrow, a whitish throat, and whitetips to the outer tail feathers. It is easily recognised by itscheerful song and the way in which it pirouettes among the foliageand spreads its tail into a fan. 

49. _Hemichelidon sibirica_. The sooty flycatcher. This is a tinybird of dull brown hue which, as Jerdon says, has very much the aspectof a swallow. 

50. _Hemichelidon ferruginea_. The ferruginous flycatcher. Arusty-brown bird (the rusty hue being most pronounced in the rumpand tail) with a white throat. 

51. _Cyornis rubeculoides_. The blue-throated flycatcher. The cockis a blue bird with a red breast. There is some black on the cheeksand in the wings. 

The hen is a brown bird tinged with red on the breast. This species, which is smaller than a sparrow, keeps mainly to the lower branchesof trees. 

52. _Anthipes moniliger_. Hodgson's white-gorgeted flycatcher. Asmall reddish-brown bird with a white chin and throat surrounded bya black band, that sits on a low branch and makes occasional salliesinto the air after insects, can be none other than this flycatcher. 

53. _Siphia strophiata_. The orange-gorgeted flycatcher. A smallbrown bird with an oval patch of bright chestnut on the throat, andsome white at the base of the tail. (This white is very conspicuouswhen the bird is flying. ) This flycatcher, which is very common aboutDarjeeling, often alights on the ground. 

54. _Cyornis melanoleucus_. The little pied flycatcher. A very smallbird. The upper plumage of the cock is black with a white eyebrowand some white in the wings and tail. The lower parts are white. Thehen is an olive-brown bird with a distinct red tinge on the lowerback. This flycatcher is not very common. 

THE TURDIDÆ OR THRUSH FAMILY

55. _Oreicola ferrea_. The dark-grey bush-chat. Not so abundant inthe Eastern as in the Western Himalayas. 

56. _Henicurus maculatus_. The Western spotted forktail. 

57. _Microcichla scouleri_. The little forktail. This isdistinguishable from the foregoing by its very short tail. It doesnot occur commonly at elevations over 5000 feet. 

58. _Rhyacornis fuliginosus_. The plumbeous redstart or water-robin. Not common above 5000 feet in the Eastern Himalayas. 

59. _Merula boulboul_. The grey-winged ouzel. 

60. _Petrophila cinclorhyncha_. The blue-headed rock-thrush. 

61. _Oreocincla molissima_. The plain-backed mountain-thrush. Thisis the thrush most likely to be seen in the Eastern Himalayas. Itis like the European thrush, except that the back is olive brownwithout any dark markings. 

THE FRINGILLIDÆ OR FINCH FAMILY

62. _Hæmatospiza sipahi_. The scarlet finch. The cock is a scarletbird, nearly as large as a bulbul, with black on the thighs and inthe wings and tail. 

The hen is dusky brown with a bright yellow rump. This species hasa massive beak. 

63. _Passer montanus_. The tree-sparrow. This is the only sparrowfound at Darjeeling. It has the habits of the house-sparrow. The sexesare alike in appearance. The head is chestnut and the cheeks are white. There is a black patch under the eye, and the chin and throat areblack. The remainder of the plumage is very like that of thehouse-sparrow. 

THE HIRUNDINIDÆ OR SWALLOW FAMILY

64. _Hirundo rustica_. The common swallow. 

65. _Hirundo nepalensis_. Hodgson's striated swallow. 

THE MOTACILLIDÆ OR WAGTAIL FAMILY

66. _Oreocorys sylvanus_. The upland pipit. This is not very commoneast of Nepal. 

THE NECTARINIDÆ OR SUNBIRD FAMILY

67. _Æthopyga nepalensis_. The Nepal yellow-backed sunbird. Thisreplaces _Æthopyga scheriæ_ in the Eastern Himalayas, and isdistinguished by having the chin and upper throat metallic greeninstead of crimson. It is the common sunbird about Darjeeling. 

THE DICÆIDÆ OR FLOWER-PECKER FAMILY

68. _Dicæum ignipectus_. The fire-breasted flower-pecker. 

THE PICIDÆ OR WOODPECKER FAMILY

69. Of the woodpeckers mentioned as common in the Western Himalayas, the only one likely to be seen at Darjeeling is _Hypopicushypererythrus_--the rufous-bellied pied woodpecker, and this is byno means common. The woodpeckers most often seen in the EasternHimalayas are:

70. _Dendrocopus cathpharius_. The lesser pied woodpecker. Aspeckled black-and-white woodpecker about the size of a bulbul. Thetop of the head and the sides of the neck are red in both sexes; thenape also is red in the cock. 

71. _Gecinus occipitalis_. The black-naped green woodpecker. Thisbird, as its name implies, is green with a black nape. The head isred in the cock and black in the hen. This species is about the sizeof a crow. 

72. _Gecinus chlorolophus_. The small Himalayan yellow-napedwoodpecker. This species is distinguishable from the last by its smallsize, a crimson band on each side of the head, and the nape beinggolden yellow. 

73. _Pyrrhopicus pyrrhotis_. The red-eared bay woodpecker. The headis brown. The rest of the upper plumage is cinnamon or chestnut-redwith blackish cross-bars. There is a crimson patch behind each ear, which forms a semi-collar in the male. This species seeks its foodlargely on the ground. 

In addition to the above, two tiny little woodpeckers much smallerthan sparrows are common in the Eastern Himalayas. They feed on theground largely. They are:

74. _Picumnus innominatus_. The speckled piculet. 

75. _Sasia ochracea_. The rufous piculet. The former has anolive-green forehead. In the latter the cock has a golden-yellowforehead and the hen a reddish-brown forehead. 

THE CAPITONIDÆ OR BARBET FAMILY

76. _Megalæma marshallorum_. The great Himalayan barbet. 

77. _Cyanops franklini_. The golden-throated barbet. About the sizeof a bulbul. General hue grass green tinged with blue. The chin andthroat are golden yellow. The forehead and a patch on the crown arecrimson. The rest of the crown is golden yellow. The call has beensyllabised as _kattak-kattak-kattak_. 

THE ALCEDINIDÆ OR KINGFISHER FAMILY

78. _Ceryle lugubris_. The Himalayan pied kingfisher. 

THE BUCEROTIDÆ OR HORNBILL FAMILY

Hornbills are to be numbered among the curiosities of nature. Theyare characterised by the disproportionately large beak. In somespecies this is nearly a foot in length. The beak has on the uppermandible an excrescence which in some species is nearly as large asthe bill itself. The nesting habits are not less curious than thestructure of hornbills. The eggs are laid in a cavity of a tree. Thehen alone sits. When she has entered the hole she and the cock plasterup the orifice until it is only just large enough to allow theinsertion of the hornbill's beak. The cock feeds the sitting henduring the whole period of her voluntary incarceration. 

Several species of hornbills dwell in the forests at the foot of theHimalayas, but only one species is likely to be found at elevationsabove 5000 feet. This is the rufous-necked hornbill. 

79. _Aceros nepalensis_. The rufous-necked hornbill. In this speciesthe casque or excrescence on the upper mandible is very slight. Itis a large bird 4 feet long, with a tail of 18 inches and a beak of8½ inches. The hen is wholly black, save for a little white in thewings and tail. In the cock the head, neck, and lower parts are brightreddish brown. The rest of his plumage is black and white. In bothsexes the bill is yellow with chestnut grooves. The naked skin roundthe eye is blue, and that of the throat is scarlet. The call of thisspecies is a deep hoarse croak. 

THE CYPSELIDÆ OR SWIFT FAMILY

80. _Cypselus affinis_. The common Indian swift. 

81. _Chætura nudipes_. The white-necked spine-tail. A black birdglossed with green, having the chin, throat, and front and sides ofthe neck white. 

THE CUCULIDÆ OR CUCKOO FAMILY

82. _Cuculus canorus_. The common or European cuckoo. 

83. _Cuculus saturatus_. The Himalayan cuckoo. 

84. _Cuculus poliocephalus_. The small cuckoo. This is very like thecommon cuckoo in appearance, but it is considerably smaller. Its loudunmusical call has been syllabised _pichu-giapo_. 

85. _Cuculus micropterus_. The Indian cuckoo. 

86. _Hierococcyx varius_. The common hawk-cuckoo. 

87. _Hierococcyx sparverioides_. The large hawk-cuckoo. 

THE PSITTACIDÆ OR PARROT FAMILY

88. _Palæornis schisticeps_. The slaty-headed paroquet. This birdis not nearly so common in the Eastern as in the Western Himalayas. 

THE STRIGIDÆ OR OWL FAMILY

89. _Glaucidium brodei_. The collared pigmy owlet. 

90. _Syrnium indrani_. The brown wood-owl. 

91. _Scops spilocephalus_. The spotted Himalayan scops owl. 

THE VULTURIDÆ OR VULTURE FAMILY

92. _Gyps himalayensis_. The Himalayan griffon. 

93. _Pseudogyps bengalensis_. The white-backed vulture. 

THE FALCONIDÆ OR FAMILY OF BIRDS OF PREY

94. _Aquila helica_. The imperial eagle. 

95. _Hieraëtus fasciatus_. Bonelli's eagle. 

96. _Ictinaëtus malayensis_. The black eagle. This is easilyrecognised by its dark, almost black, plumage. 

97. _Spilornis cheela_. The crested serpent eagle. 

98. _Milvus govinda_. The common pariah kite. 

99. _Tinnunculus alaudaris_. The kestrel. 

THE COLUMBIDÆ OR DOVE FAMILY

100. _Sphenocercus sphenurus_. The kokla green-pigeon. 

101. _Turtur suratensis_. The spotted dove. 

102. _Macropygia tusalia_. The bar-tailed cuckoo-dove. 

THE PHASIANIDÆ OR PHEASANT FAMILY

103. _Gennæus leucomelanus_. The Nepal kalij pheasant. This is theonly pheasant at all common about Darjeeling. It is distinguishedfrom the white-crested kalij pheasant by the cock having a glossyblue-black crest. The hens of the two species resemble one anotherclosely in appearance. 

104. _Coturnix communis_. The grey quail. 

105. _Arboricola torqueola_. The common hill partridge. 

106. _Francolinus vulgaris_. The black partridge. Fairly common atelevations below 4000 feet. 

THE CHARADRIIDÆ OR PLOVER FAMILY

107. _Scolopax rusticola_. The woodcock. 

In the summer this bird is not likely to be seen below altitudes of8000 feet above the sea-level. 

_TITS AT WORK_

The average Himalayan house is such a ramshackle affair that it isa miracle how it holds together. The roof does not fit properly onto the walls, and in these latter there are cracks and chinks galore. Perhaps it is due to these defects that hill houses do not fall downmore often than they do. 

Thanks to their numerous cracks they do not offer half the resistanceto a gale of wind that a well-built house would. 

Be this as it may, the style of architecture that finds favour inthe hills is quite a godsend to the birds, or rather to such of thefeathered folk as nestle in holes. A house in the Himalayas is, froman avian point of view, a maze of nesting sites, a hotel in whichunfurnished rooms are always available. 

The sparrow usually monopolises these nesting sites. He is a regulardog-in-the-manger, for he keeps other birds out of the holes hehimself cannot utilise. However, the sparrow is not quite ubiquitous. In most large hill stations there are more houses than he is ableto monopolise. 

I recently spent a couple of days in one of such, in a house situatedsome distance from the bazaar, a house surrounded by trees. 

Two green-backed tits (_Parus monticola_) were busy preparing anursery for their prospective offspring in one of the many holespresented by the building in question. This had once been arespectable bungalow, surrounded by a broad verandah. But the daycame when it fell into the hands of a boarding-house keeper, and itshared the fate of all buildings to which this happens. The verandahswere enclosed and divided up by partitions, to form, in the wordsof the advertisement, "fine, large, airy rooms. " There can be no doubtas to their airiness, but captious persons might dispute their titleto the other epithets. A _kachcha_ verandah had been thrown out witha galvanised iron roof and wooden supporting pillars. Thesubsequently-added roof did not fit properly on to that of theoriginal verandah, and there was a considerable chink between thebeam that supported it and the wall that enclosed the old verandah, so that the house afforded endless nesting sites. An inch-wide crackis quite large enough to admit of the passage of a tit; when thiswas negotiated the space between the old and the new roof affordedendless possibilities. Small wonder, then, that a pair of tits hadelected to nest there. 

The green-backed tit is one of the most abundant birds in the Himalayas. It is about the size of a sparrow. The head is black with a smallperky crest. The cheeks are spotless white. The back of the head isconnected by a narrow black collar with an expansive shirtfront ofthis hue. The remainder of the plumage is bright yellow. The backis greenish yellow, the rest of the plumage is slaty with some dashesof black and white. Thus the green-backed tit is a smart little bird. It is as vivacious as it is smart. It constantly utters a sharp, notunpleasant, metallic dissyllabic call, which sounds like _kiss me_, _kiss me_, _kiss me_, _kiss me_. This is one of the most familiarof the tunes that enliven our northern hill stations. 

So much for the bird: now for its nest. A nest in a hole possessesmany advantages. Its preparation does not entail very much labour. It has not to be built; it merely needs furnishing, and this doesnot occupy long if the occupiers have Spartan tastes. The tits inquestion were luxuriously inclined, if we may judge by the amountof moss that they carried into that hole. By the time it was finishedit must have been considerably softer than the bed that was providedfor my accommodation!

Moss in plenty was to be had for the taking; the trunks and largerbranches of the trees which surrounded the "hotel" were covered withsoft green moss. The tits experienced no difficulty in ripping thisoff with the beak. 

The entrance to the nest hole faced downwards and was guarded on oneside by the wall of the house, and on the other by a beam, so thatit was not altogether easy of access even to a bird. Consequentlya good deal of the moss gathered by the tits did not reach itsdestination; they let it fall while they were negotiating theentrance. 

When a piece of moss dropped from the bird's beak, no attempt wasmade to retrieve it, although it only fell some 10 feet on to thefloor of the verandah. In this respect all birds behave alike. Theynever attempt to reclaim that which they have let fall. A bird willspend the greater part of half an hour in wrenching a twig from atree: yet, if this is dropped while being carried to the nest, thebird seems to lose all further interest in it. 

By the end of the first day's work at the nest, the pair of tits hadleft quite a respectable collection of moss on the floor. This wasswept away next morning. On the second day much less was dropped;practice had taught the tits how best to enter the nest hole. 

It will be noticed that I speak of "tits. " I believe I am correctin so doing; I think that both cock and hen work at the nest. I cannotsay for certain, for I am not able to distinguish a lady- from agentleman-tit. I never saw them together at the nest, but I noticedthat the bird bringing material to it sometimes flew direct from atree and at others alighted on the projecting end of a roof beam whichthe carpenters had been too lazy to saw off. It is my belief thatthe bird that used to alight on the beam was not the same as the onethat flew direct from the tree. Birds are creatures of habit. If youobserve a mother bird feeding her young, you will notice that she, when not disturbed, almost invariably approaches the nest in a certainfixed manner. She will perch, time after time, on one particularbranch near the nest, and thence fly to her open-mouthed brood. Whenboth parents bring food to the nest, each approaches in a way peculiarto itself; the hen will perhaps always come in from the left and thecock from the right. 

The tits in question worked spasmodically at the nest throughout thehours of daylight. For ten minutes or so they would bring in pieceafter piece of moss at a great pace and then indulge in a littlerelaxation. All work and no play makes a tit a dull bird. 

I had to leave the hotel late on the second day, so was not able tofollow up the fortunes of the two little birds. I have, however, tothank them for affording me some amusement and giving me pleasantrecollections of the place. It was good to lounge in a long chair, drink in the cool air, and watch the little birds at work. I shallsoon forget the tumble-down appearance of the house, its seedyfurniture, its coarse durries, and its hard beds, but shall longremember the great snow-capped peaks in the distance, the greenmoss-clad trees near about, the birds that sang in these, the sunbeamsthat played among the leaves, and, above all, the two little titsthat worked so industriously at their nest. 

_THE PEKIN-ROBIN_

This is not a robin, nor does it seem to be nearly related to thefamiliar redbreast; Pekin- or China-robin is merely the name thedealers give it, because a great many specimens are imported fromChina. Its classical name is _Liothrix lutea_. Oates calls it thered-billed liothrix. It is a bird about the size of a sparrow. Theprevailing hue of the upper plumage is olive green, but the foreheadis yellow. There is also a yellow ring round the eye, and the lowerparts are of varying shades of this colour. Some of the wing feathersare edged with yellow and some with crimson, so that the wings, whenclosed, look as though lines of these colours are pencilled upon them. Oates, I notice, states that the hen has no red in the wing, but thisdoes not seem to be the case in all examples. In the Pekin-robinsthat hail from China the chief difference between the sexes is thatthe plumage of the hen is a little duller than that of the cock. Thebill is bright red. It is thus evident that the _liothrix_ is ahandsome bird, its beauty being of the quiet type which bears closeinspection. But the very great charm of this sprightly little creaturelies, not so much in its colouring, as in its form and movements. Its perfect proportions give it a very athletic air. In this respectit resembles the nimble wagtails. Next to these I like the appearanceof the Pekin-robin better than that of any other little bird. Finnbestows even greater praise upon it, for he says: "Altogether it isthe most generally attractive small bird I know of--everyone seemsto admire it. "

There is no bird more full of life. When kept in a cage, Pekin-robinshop from perch to perch with extraordinary agility, seeming scarcelyto have touched one perch with their feet before they are off toanother. I am inclined to think that the _liothrix_, like Camilla, Queen of the Volscians, could trip across a field of corn withoutcausing the blades to move. This truly admirable bird is a songsterof no mean capacity. Small wonder, then, that it has long been afavourite with fanciers. Moreover, it stands captivity remarkablywell. It is the only insectivorous bird which is largely exportedfrom India. So hardy is it that Finn attempted to introduce it intoEngland, and with this object set free a number of specimens in St. James's Park some years ago, but they did not succeed in establishingthemselves, although some individuals survived for several months. The English climate is to Asiatic birds much what that of the WestCoast of Africa is to white men. J. K. Jerome once suggested thatLife Insurance Companies should abolish the application form withits long list of queries concerning the ailments of the would-beinsurer, his parents, grandparents, and other relatives, andsubstitute for it the German cigar test. If, said he, the applicantcan come up smiling immediately after having smoked a German cigar, the Company could be certain that he was "a good life, " to use thetechnical term. As regards birds, the survival of an English winteris an equally efficient test. The Pekin-robin is a very intelligentlittle bird. Finn found that it was not deceived by the resemblancebetween an edible and an unpalatable Indian swallow-tailed butterfly, although the sharp king-crow was deceived by the likeness. 

Those Anglo-Indians who wish to make the acquaintance of the birdmust either resort to some fancier's shop, or hie themselves to thecool heights of Mussoorie, or, better still, of Darjeeling, wherethe _liothrix_ is exceptionally abundant. But even at Darjeeling thePekin-robin will have to be looked for carefully, for it is of shyand retiring habits, and a small bird of such a disposition is aptto elude observation. In one respect the plains (let us give eventhe devil his due) are superior to the hills. The naturalist usuallyexperiences little difficulty in observing birds in thesparsely-wooded flat country, but in the tree-covered mountains thefeathered folk often require to be stalked. If you would see thePekin-robin in a state of nature, go to some clearing in the Himalayanforest, where the cool breezes blow upon you direct from the snows, whence you can see the most beautiful sight in the world, that ofsnow-capped mountains standing forth against an azure sky. Tear youreyes away from the white peaks and direct them to the low bushes andtrees which are springing up in the clearing, for in this you arelikely to meet with a small flock of Pekin-robins. You will probablyhear them before you see them. The sound to listen for is welldescribed by Finn as "a peculiar five-noted call, _tee-tee-tee-tee-tee_. " As has been stated already, most, if not all, birds that go about in flocks in wooded country continually uttera call note, as it is by this means that the members of the flockkeep together. Jerdon states that the food of the _liothrix_ consistsof "berries, fruit, seeds, and insects. " He should, I think, havereversed the order of the bird's menu, for it comes of an insectivorousfamily--the babblers--and undoubtedly is very partial to insects--somuch so that Finn suggests its introduction into St. Helena to keepthem down. At the nesting season, in the early spring, the flock breaksup into pairs, which take upon themselves what Mr. E. D. Cuming calls"brow-wrinkling family responsibilities, " and each pair builds ina low bush a cup-shaped nest. 

_BLACK BULBULS_

All passerine birds which have hairs springing from the back of thehead, and of which the tarsus--the lower half of the leg--is shorterthan the middle toe, plus its claw, are classified by scientific menas members of the sub-family Brachypodinæ, or Bulbuls. Thisclassification, although doubtless unassailable from the standpointof the anatomist, has the effect of bringing together some creatureswhich can scarcely be described as "birds of a feather. " The typicalbulbul, as exemplified by the common species of the plains--Molpastesand Otocompsa--is a dear, meek, unsophisticated little bird, the kindof creature held up in copy-books as an example to youth, a veritable"Captain Desmond, V. C. " Bulbuls of the nobler sort pair for life, and the harmony of their conjugal existence is rarely marred byquarrels; they behave after marriage as they did in the days ofcourtship: they love to sit on a leafy bough, close up against oneanother, and express their mutual admiration and affection by meansof a cheery, if rather feeble, lay. They build a model nest in whichprettily-coloured eggs are deposited. These they make but littleattempt to conceal, for they are birds without guile. But, alas, theirartlessness often results in a rascally lizard or squirrel eatingthe eggs for his breakfast. When their eggs are put to this base use, the bulbuls, to quote "Eha, " are "sorry, " but their grief isshort-lived. Within a few hours of the tragedy they are twitteringgaily to one another, and in a wonderfully short space of time a newclutch of eggs replaces the old one. If this shares the fate of thefirst set, some more are laid, so that eventually a family of bulbulshatches out. 

Such is, in brief, the character of the great majority of bulbuls;they present a fine example of rewarded virtue, for these amiablelittle birds are very abundant; they flourish like the green bay tree. As at least one pair is to be found in every Indian garden, theyexemplify the truth of the saying, the meek "shall inherit the earth, "and give a new meaning to the expression, "the survival of thefittest. " There are, however, some bulbuls which are so unlike thebirds described above that the latter might reasonably denyrelationship to them as indignantly as some human beings decline toacknowledge apes and monkeys as poor relations. As we have seen, mostbulbuls are inoffensive, respectable birds, that lead a quiet, domesticated life. The cock and hen are so wrapped up in one anotheras to pay little heed to the outer world. Not so the black bulbuls. These are the antithesis of everything bulbuline. They are aggressive, disreputable-looking creatures, who go about in disorderly, rowdygangs. The song of most bulbuls consists of many pleasant, blithetinkling notes; that of the black bulbul, or at any rate of theHimalayan black bulbul, is scarcely as musical as the bray of theass. Most bulbuls are pretty birds and are most particular about theirpersonal appearance. Black bulbuls are as untidy as it is possiblefor a bird to be. The two types of bulbul stand to one another inmuch the same relationship as does the honest Breton peasant to theinhabitant of the Quartier Latin in Paris. 

Black bulbuls belong to the genus _Hypsipetes_. Three species occurin India--the Himalayan (_H. Psaroides_), the Burmese (_H. Concolor_), and the South Indian (_H. Ganeesa_). All three speciesresemble one another closely in appearance. Take a king-crow(_Dicrurus ater_), dip his bill and legs in red ink, cut down histail a little, dust him all over so as to make his glossy black plumagelook grey and shabby, ruffle his feathers, apply a little _pomadehongroise_ to the feathers on the back of his head, and make someof them stick out to look like a dilapidated crest, and you may flatteryourself that you have produced a very fair imitation of a black bulbulas it appears when flitting about from one tree summit to another. Closer inspection of the bird reveals the fact that "black" isscarcely the right adjective to apply to it. Dark grey is theprevailing hue of its plumage, with some black on the head and aquantity of brown on the wings and tail. 

The Himalayan species has a black cheek stripe, which the other formslack; but it is quite unnecessary to dilate upon these minutedifferences. I trust I have said sufficient to enable any man, woman, or suffragette to recognise a noisy black bulbul, and, as thedistribution of each species is well defined and does not overlapthat of the other species, the fact that a bird is found in anyparticular place at once settles the question of its species. TheSouth Indian bird occurs only in Ceylon and the hills of South-westIndia; hence Jerdon called this species the Nilgiri or Ghaut blackbulbul. Men of science in their wisdom have given the Himalayan birdthe sibilant name of _Hypsipetes psaroides_. The inelegance of theappellation perhaps explains why the bird has been permitted to retainit for quite a long while unchanged. 

I have been charged with unnecessarily making fun of ornithologicalnomenclature. As a matter of fact, I have dealt far too lenientlywith the peccadillos of the ornithological systematist. Recently abook was published in the United States entitled _The Birds ofIllinois and Wisconsin_. Needless to state that while the author waswriting the book, ornithological terminology underwent many changes;but the author was able to keep pace with these and with those thatoccurred while the various proofs were passing through the press. It was after this that his real troubles began. Several changes tookplace between the interval of the passing of the final proof and theappearance of the book, so that the unfortunate author in his desireto be up to date had to insert in each volume a slip to the effectthat the American Ornithologists' Union had in the course of the pastfew days changed the name of no fewer than three genera; consequentlythe genus Glaux had again become Cryptoglaux, and the genera Trochilusand Coturniculus had become, respectively, Archilochus andAmmodramus! But we are wandering away from our black bulbuls. Thehillmen call the Himalayan species the _Ban Bakra_, which means thejungle goat. Why it should be so named I have not an idea, unlessit be because the bird habitually "plays the goat!"

Black bulbuls seem never to descend to the ground; they keep almostentirely to the tops of lofty trees and so occur only in well-woodedparts of the hills. When the rhododendrons are in flower, these birdspartake very freely of the nectar enclosed within their crimsoncalyces. Now, I am fully persuaded that the nectar of flowers is anintoxicant to birds, and of course this will account, not only inpart for the rowdiness of the black bulbuls, but for the pugnacityof those creatures, such as sunbirds, which habitually feed upon thisstimulating diet. Black bulbuls, like sunbirds, get well dusted withpollen while diving into flowers after nectar, and so probably actthe part of insects as regards the cross-fertilisation of largeflowers. In respect of nesting habits, black bulbuls conform moreclosely to the ways of their tribe than they do in other matters. The nesting season is early spring. The nursery, which is built ina tree, not in a bush, is a small cup composed largely of moss, driedgrass, and leaves, held together by being well smeared with cobweb. The eggs have a pink background, much spotted with reddish purple. They display a great lack of uniformity as regards both shape andcolouring. 

_A WARBLER OF DISTINCTION_

So great is the number of species of warbler which either visit Indiaevery winter or remain always in the country, so small andinsignificant in appearance are these birds, so greatly do theyresemble one another, and so similar are their habits, that even theexpert ornithologist cannot identify the majority of them unless, having the skin in one hand and a key to the warblers in the other, he sets himself thinking strenuously. For these reasons I pay butlittle attention to the warbler clan. Usually when I meet one of them, I am content to set him down as a warbler and let him depart in peace. But I make a few exceptions in the case of those that I may perhapscall warblers of distinction--warblers that stand out from amongtheir fellows on account of their architectural skill, their peculiarhabits, or unusual colouring. The famous tailor-bird (_Orthotomussartorius_) is the best known of the warblers distinguished on accountof architectural skill. As a warbler of peculiar habits, I may citethe ashy wren-warbler (_Prinia socialis_), which, as it flits aboutamong the bushes, makes a curious snapping noise, the cause of whichhas not yet been satisfactorily determined. As warblers of unusualcolouring, the flycatcher-warblers are pre-eminent. In appearancethese resemble tits or white-eyes rather than the typical quaker-likewarblers. 

_Cryptolopha xanthoschista_ and Hodgson's grey-headedflycatcher-warbler are the names that ornithologists have given toa very small bird. But, diminutive though he be, he is heard, if notseen, more often than any other bird in all parts of the WesternHimalayas. It is impossible for a human being to visit any stationbetween Naini Tal and Murree without remarking this warbler. It isno exaggeration to state that the bird's voice is heard in every secondtree. Oates writes of the flycatcher-warblers, "they are not knownto have any song. " This is true or the reverse, according to theinterpretation placed on the word "song. " If song denotes only sweetmelodies such as those of the shama and the nightingale, then indeedflycatcher-warblers are not singers. Nevertheless they incessantlymake a joyful noise. I can vouch for the fact that their lay is heardall day long from March to October. Before attempting to describethe familiar sound, I deem it prudent to recall to the mind of thereader the notice that once appeared in a third-rate music-hall:--"Theaudience are respectfully requested not to throw things at the pianist. He is doing his best. " To say that this warbler emits incessantly fouror five high-pitched, not very musical notes, is to give but a poorrendering of his vocal efforts, but it is, I fear, the best I can dofor him. He is small, so that the volume of sound he emits is notgreat, but it is penetrating. Even as the cheery lay of the _Otocompsa_bulbuls forms the dominant note of the bird chorus in our southern hillstations, so does the less melodious but not less cheerful call of theflycatcher-warblers run as an undercurrent through the melody of thefeathered choir of the Himalayas. 

In what follows I shall speak of Hodgson's grey-headedflycatcher-warbler as our hero, because I shrink from constantrepetition of his double double-barrelled name. I should prefer togive him Jerdon's name, the white-browed warbler, but for the factthat there are a score or more other warblers with white eyebrows. Our hero is considerably smaller than a sparrow, being only a fractionover four inches in length, and of this over one-third is composedof tail. The head and neck are grey, the former being set off by acream-coloured eyebrow. Along the middle of the head runs a band ofpale grey; this "mesial coronal band, " as Oates calls it, is far moredistinct in some specimens than in others. The remainder of the upperplumage is olive green, and the lower parts are bright yellow. Coloured plate, No. XX, in Hume and Henderson's _Lahore to Yarkand_, contains a very good reproduction of the bird. The upper picture onthe plate represents our hero, the lower one depicting an alliedspecies, Brook's grey-headed flycatcher-warbler (_C. Jerdoni_). Itis necessary to state this because the book in question was writtenin 1873, since when, needless to say, the scientific names of mostbirds have undergone changes. The plate in question also demonstratesthe slenderness of the foundation upon which specific differencesamong warblers rest. 

Our hero is an exceedingly active little bird. He is ever on the move, and so rapid are his movements that to watch him for any length oftime through field-glasses is no mean feat. He and his mate, withperhaps a few friends, hop about from leaf to leaf looking for quarry, large and small. The manner in which he stows away a caterpillar aninch long is a sight for the gods!

Sometimes two or three of these warblers attach themselves, temporarily at any rate, to one of those flocks, composed mainly ofvarious species of tits and nuthatches, which form so well-markeda feature of all wooded hills in India. Hodgson's warblers arepugnacious little creatures. Squabbles are frequent. It isimpossible to watch two or three of them for long without seeing whatlooks like one tiny animated golden fluff ball pursuing another frombranch to branch and even from tree to tree. 

The breeding season lasts from March to June. The nest is globularin shape, made of moss or coarse grass, and lined with some softmaterial, such as wool. The entrance is usually at one side. The nestis placed on a sloping bank at the foot of a bush, so that it is likelyto escape observation unless one sees the bird flying to it. Threeor four glossy white eggs are laid. Many years ago Colonel Marshallrecorded the case of a nest at Naini Tal "at the side of a narrowglen with a northern aspect and about four feet above the pathway, close to a spring from which my _bhisti_ daily draws water, the birdsitting fearlessly while passed and repassed by people going downthe glen within a foot or two of the nest. " At the same station Irecently had a very different experience. Some weeks ago I noticedone of these warblers fly with a straw in its beak to a place on asteep bank under a small bush. I could not see what it was doing there, but in a few seconds it emerged with the bill empty. Shortly afterwardsit returned with another straw. Having seen several pieces of buildingmaterial carried to the spot, I descended the bank to try to findthe nest. I could find nothing; the nest was evidently only justcommenced. I then went back to the spot from which I had been watchingthe birds, but they did not return again. I had frightened them away. Individual birds of the same species sometimes differ considerablyin their behaviour at the nesting season. Some will desert the neston the slightest provocation, while others will cling to it in themost quixotic manner. It is never safe to dogmatise regarding thebehaviour of birds. No sooner does an ornithologist lay down a lawthan some bird proceeds to break it. 

_THE SPOTTED FORKTAIL_

"Striking" is, in my opinion, the correct adjective to apply to thespotted forktail (_Henicurus maculatus_). Like the paradiseflycatcher, it is a bird which cannot fail to obtrude itself uponthe most unobservant person, and, once seen, it is never likely tobe forgotten. I well remember the first occasion on which I saw aspotted forktail; I was walking down a Himalayan path, alongside ofwhich a brook was flowing, when suddenly from a rock in mid-streamthere arose a black-and-white apparition, that flitted away, displaying a long tail fluttering behind it. The plumage of thismagnificent bird has already been described. 

As was stated above, this species is often called the hill-wagtail. The name is not a particularly good one, because wagtails proper occurin the Himalayas. 

The forktail, however, has many of the habits of the true wagtail. I was on the point of calling it a glorified wagtail, but I refrain. Surely it is impossible to improve upon a wagtail. 

In India forktails are confined to the Himalayas and the mountainousparts of Burma. 

There are no fewer than eight Indian species, but I propose to confinemyself to the spotted forktail. This is essentially a bird of mountainstreams. It is never found far from water, but occurs at all altitudesup to the snow-line, so that, as Jerdon says, it is one of thecharacteristic adjuncts of Himalayan scenery. Indeed I know of fewthings more enjoyable than to sit, when the sun is shining, on thebank of a well-shaded burn, and, soothed by the soft melody of runningwater, watch the forktails moving nimbly over the boulders and stoneswith fairy tread, half-flight half-hop. 

Forktails continually wag the tail, just as wagtails do, but not withquite the same vigour, possibly because there is so much more to wag!

Like wagtails, they do not object to their feet being wet, indeedthey love to stand in running water. 

Forktails often seek their quarry among the dead leaves that becomecollected in the various angles in the bed of the stream; when sodoing they pick up each leaf, turn it over, and cast it aside justas the seven sisters do. They seem to like to work upstream whenseeking for food. Jerdon states that he does not remember ever havingseen a forktail perch; nevertheless the bird frequently flies on toa branch overhanging the brook, and rests there, slowly vibratingits forked tail as if in deep meditation. 

Spotted forktails are often seen near the places where the _dhobis_wash clothes by banging them violently against rocks, hence the namedhobi-birds, by which they are called by many Europeans. The littleforktail does not haunt the washerman's _ghat_ for the sake of humancompanionship, for it is a bird that usually avoids man. Theexplanation is probably that the shallow pool in which the _dhobi_works and grunts is well adapted to the feeding habits of the forktail. I may here remark that in the Himalayas the washerman usually pursueshis occupation in a pool in a mountain stream overhung with oaks andrhododendron trees, amid scenery that would annually attractthousands of visitors did it happen to be within a hundred miles ofLondon. Not that the prosaic _dhobi_ cares two straws for thescenery--nor, I fear, does the pretty little forktail. As I havealready hinted, forktails are rather shy birds. If they think theyare being watched they become restless and stand about on boulders, uttering a prolonged plaintive note, which is repeated at intervalsof a few seconds. When startled they fly off, emitting a loud scream. But they are pugnacious to others of their kind, especially at thebreeding season. I once saw a pair attack and drive away from thevicinity of their nest a Himalayan whistling-thrush (_Myiophoneustemmincki_)--another bird that frequents hill-streams, and a nearrelation of the Malabar whistling-thrush or idle schoolboy. 

The nursery of the forktail, although quite a large cup-shapedstructure, is not easy to discover; it blends well with itssurroundings, and the birds certainly will not betray its presenceif they know they are being watched. The nest is, to use Hume's words, "sometimes hidden in a rocky niche, sometimes on a bare ledge of rockoverhung by drooping ferns and sometimes on a sloping bank, at theroot of some old tree, in a very forest of club moss. " I once spentseveral afternoons in discovering a forktail's nest which I waspositive existed and contained young, because I had repeatedly seenthe parents carrying grubs in the bill. My difficulty was that thestream to which the birds had attached themselves was in a deep ravine, the sides of which were so steep that no animal save a cat could havedescended it without making a noise and being seen by the birds. Eventually I decorated my _topi_ with bracken fronds, after thefashion of 'Arry at Burnham Beeches on the August bank holiday. Thusarrayed, I descended to the stream and hid myself in the hollow stumpof a tree, near the place where I knew the nest must be. By crouchingdown and drawing some foliage about me, I was able to command a smallstretch of the stream. My arrival was of course the signal for loudoutcries on the part of the parent forktails. However, after I hadbeen squatting about ten minutes in my _cache_, to the delight ofhundreds of winged insects, the suspicions of the forktails subsided, and the birds began collecting food, working their way upstream. Theycame nearer and nearer, until one of them passed out of sight, althoughit was within 10 feet of me. It was thus evident that the nest wasso situated that what remained of the tree-trunk obstructed my viewof it. This was annoying, but I had one resource left, namely, tosit patiently until the sound of chirping told me that a parent birdwas at the nest with food. 

This sound was not long in coming, and the moment I heard it, up Ijumped like a Jack-in-the-box, but without the squeak, in time tosee a forktail leave a spot on the bank about 6 feet above the water. I was surprised, as I had the day before examined that place withoutdiscovering the nest. However, I went straight to the spot from whichthe forktail had flown, and found the nest after a little searching. The bank was steep and of uneven surface. Here and there a slab ofstone projected from it and pointed downwards. Into a natural hollowunder one of these projecting slabs a nest consisting of a large massof green moss and liver-worts had been wedged. From the earth abovethe slab grew some ferns, which partially overhung the nest. Acrossthe nest, a few inches in front of it, ran a moss-covered root. Fromout of the mossy walls of the nest there emerged a growing plant. All these things served to divert attention from the nest, bulkythough this was, its outer walls being over 2 inches thick. The innerwall was thin--a mere lining to the earth. The nest contained fouryoung birds, whose eyes were barely open. The young ones were coveredwith tiny parasites, which seemed quite ready for a change of diet, for immediately after picking up one of the young forktails, I foundsome thirty or forty of these parasites crawling over my hand!

There is luck in finding birds' nests, as in everything else. A fewdays after I had discovered the one above mentioned, I came uponanother without looking for it. When I was walking along a hill-streama forktail flew out from the bank close beside me, and a search ofthirty seconds sufficed to reveal a well-concealed nest containingthree eggs. These are much longer than they are broad. They arecream-coloured, mottled and speckled with tiny red markings. 

_THE NEST OF THE GREY-WINGED OUZEL_

On several occasions this year (1910) I have listened with unalloyedpleasure to the sweet blackbird-like song of the grey-winged ouzel(_Merula boulboul_) at Naini Tal--a station in the Himalayas, consisting of over a hundred bungalows dotted on the well-woodedhillsides that tower 1200 feet above a mountain lake that is itself6000 feet above the level of the sea. On the northern slope of oneof the mountains on the north side of the Naini Tal lake, is a deepravine, through which runs a little stream. The sides of the ravineare covered with trees--mainly rhododendron, oak, and holly. 

On July 1st I went 1000 feet down this ravine to visit the nest ofa spotted forktail (_Henicurus maculatus_) which I had discovereda week previously. Having duly inspected the blind, naked, newly-hatched forktails, I went farther down the stream to try tosee something of a pair of red-billed blue magpies (_Urocissaoccipitalis_). 

The magpies were not at home that afternoon, and while waiting forthem I caught sight of a bird among the foliage lower down the hill. At first I took this for a Himalayan whistling-thrush. I followedits movements through my field-glasses, and saw it alight on partof the gnarled and twisted trunk of a rhododendron tree. Closerinspection showed that the bird was a grey-winged ouzel. He hadapparently caught sight of me, for his whole attitude was that ofa suspicious bird with a nest in the vicinity. He remained motionlessfor several minutes. 

As I watched him a ray of sunlight penetrated the thick foliage andfell upon the part of the tree where he was standing, and revealedto me that he was on the edge of a cunningly-placed nest. 

The trunk of the rhododendron tree bifurcated about 20 feet abovethe ground; one limb grew nearly upright, the other almosthorizontally for a few feet, and then broke up into five branches, or, rather, gave off four upwardly-directed branches, each as thickas a man's wrist, and then continued its horizontal direction, greatlydiminished in size. 

The four upwardly-directed branches took various directions, eachbeing considerably twisted, and one actually curling round itsneighbour. At the junction of the various branches lay the nest, resting on the flat surface, much as a large, shallow pill-box mightrest in the half-closed palm of the hand of a man whose fingers wererugged and twisted with years of hard toil. 

The upper part of the trunk was covered by a thick growth of greenmoss, and from it two or three ferns sprang. 

As the exterior of the nest consisted entirely of green moss, itblended perfectly with its surroundings. From below it could notpossibly have been seen. When I caught sight of it I was standingabove it at the top of the ravine, and even then I should probablyhave missed seeing it, had not that ray of sunlight fallen on thenest and imparted a golden tint to the fawn-coloured plumage of thenestlings which almost completely filled the nest cup. 

The situation of this nest may be said to be typical, although casesare on record of the nursery being placed on the ground at the rootof a tree, or on the ledge of a rock. Many ouzels' nests are placedon the stumps of pollard trees, and in such cases the shoots whichgrow out of the stump often serve to hide the nest from view. Thenests built by grey-winged ouzels vary considerably in structure. The commonest form is that of a massive cup, composed exteriorly ofmoss and lined with dry grass, a layer of mud being inserted betweenthe moss and the grass lining. This mud layer does not invariablyoccur. 

The cock ouzel remained for fully five minutes with one eye on me, and then flew off. I seized the opportunity to approach nearer thenest, and took up a position on the hillside level with it, at adistance of about 14 feet. 

In a few minutes the hen bird appeared. Her prevailing hue is reddishbrown, while the cock is black all over, save for some large patchesof dark grey on the wings. In each sex the bill and legs are reddishyellow, the bill being the more brightly coloured. The hen caughtsight of me and beat a hurried retreat, without approaching the nest. 

The young ouzels kept very still; occasionally one of them would halfraise its head. That was almost the only movement I noticed. 

Presently the cock appeared, with his beak full of caterpillars. Healighted on a branch a few feet from the nest, where he caught sightof me; but instead of flying off as the hen had done, he held hisground and fixed his eye on me, no doubt swearing inwardly, but noaudible sound escaped him. 

Whenever I have watched a pair of birds feeding their young, I havealmost invariably noticed that one of them is far more alarmed atmy presence than the other. The ouzels proved no exception to therule. In this case it was the cock who showed himself the bolder spirit. He remained watching me for fully ten minutes, his legs and body asimmobile as those of a statue, but he occasionally turned his headto one side in order to obtain a better view of me; and I could thensee, outlined against the sky, the wriggling forms of severalcaterpillars hanging from his bill. I hoped that he would pluck upcourage to feed his youngsters before my eyes; but his heart failedhim, for presently he flew to another tree a little farther away, whence he again contemplated me. After this he kept changing hisposition, never uttering a sound, and always retaining hold of thebeakful of caterpillars. After a little the hen returned with herbill full of caterpillars, but she did not venture within 75 feetof the nest. I was not permitted to observe how long it would takethe parental instinct to overcome the natural timidity of the birds. The sky suddenly became overcast, and a few minutes later I foundmyself enveloped in what the Scotch call a "wet mist. " At certainseasons of the year rain storms come up as unexpectedly in theHimalayas as they do in the Grampians. 

The rain put a final end to my observations on that nest, as I hadto leave Naini Tal on the following day--an event which caused moresorrow to me than to the ouzels!

_THE BLACK-AND-YELLOW GROSBEAK_

The Indian grosbeaks are birds of limited distribution; they appearto be confined to the forests on the higher ranges of the Himalayas. Their most striking feature is the stout conical bill, which is anexaggeration of that of the typical finch, and is responsible forthe bird's name. In one genus of grosbeak--_Mycerobas_--the bill isas deep as it is long, while in the other genus--_Pycnorhamphus_--itis nearly as massive. Three species belonging to this latter genusoccur in India, namely, _P. Icteroides_, the black-and-yellowgrosbeak, found in the Western Himalayas; _P. Affinis_, the alliedgrosbeak, found in Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet, and Western China; and _P. Carneipes_, the white-winged grosbeak, which occurs all along thehigher Himalayas. 

There is only one Indian species of the other genus; this is knownas the spotted-winged grosbeak (_Mycerobas melanoxanthus_), thelocalities in which this occurs are said to be "the Himalayas fromthe Hazara country to Sikkim at considerable elevations and Manipur. "

The only Indian grosbeak which I have met in the flesh is theyellow-and-black species. This bird is common in the hills round aboutMurree, so that, when on ten days' leave there, I had some opportunityof studying its habits. It is a bird of the same size as the Indianoriole (_Oriolus kundoo_). The cock grosbeak, indeed, bears astriking resemblance to the black-headed oriole (_Oriolusmelanocephalus_). His whole head, chin, throat, wings, shoulders, upper-tail-coverts, and thighs are black, the remainder of theplumage is a rich yellow, tinged with orange at the hind neck. Thusthe colour and markings are almost identical with those of theblack-headed oriole, the chief difference being that the latter hasa little yellow in the wing. So great is the resemblance that thecasual observer will, in nine cases out of ten, mistake the grosbeakfor an oriole. The resemblance extends to size and shape, as thefollowing table shows:

 Length Length Length Length Length of Bird. Of Tail. Of Wing. Of Tarsus. Of Beak. Grosbeak . . 9. 0 in. 3. 7 in. 5. 2 in. 1. 0 in. 1. 0 in. Oriole . . . 9. 5 " 3. 4 " 5. 4 " 1. 0 " 1. 3 "

The hen grosbeak differs considerably in colour and marking both fromthe cock of her species and from the hen black-headed oriole. Sheis a dull ashy-grey bird, tinged faintly with yellowish red on theback and abdomen. Her wings and tail are black. The only young grosbeakthat I have seen resembled the female in appearance, except that ithad a yellow rump. It was being fed by a cock bird. 

Grosbeaks live in forests, and go about either in couples or in smallcompanies. They seem to feed largely on the ground, picking up insects. The beak of the finch tribe is adapted to a diet of seeds; nevertheless, many finches vary this food with insects. I saw a grosbeak seize, shake, and devour a caterpillar about two inches in length. Grosbeaksalso eat berries and stone fruit. When disturbed they at once betakethemselves to a tree, among the branches of which they are able tomake their way with great agility. Grosbeaks are restless birds, always on the move, here to-day and gone to-morrow. The cock emitsa call at frequent intervals. This is not easy to describe. It soundssomething like _kiu kree_. 

The nest is a cup-shaped structure, composed exteriorly of twigs, grass, and moss, and lined with stalks of maiden-hair fern and fineroots. It is usually placed high up in a fir tree. Colonel Rattraybelieves that the birds bring up two broods in the year. They layfirst in May, and, as soon as the young are able to shift for themselves, a second nest is made. Thus in July both young birds at large andnests with eggs are likely to be seen. The eggs are not unlike thoseof the English hawfinch; the ground colour is pale greenish grey, blotched and spotted with blackish brown. Sometimes the markingsoccur chiefly at the broad end of the eggs. 

The most striking feature of the black-and-yellow grosbeak, and thaton which I wish particularly to dwell, is the extraordinaryresemblance that the cock bird bears to the cock black-headed oriole. If this extended to the hen, and if the grosbeak were parasitic onthe oriole, it would be held up as an example of mimicry. We shouldbe told that owing to its resemblance to its dupe it was able toapproach the nest without raising any suspicion and deposit its egg. But the grosbeak is not parasitic on the oriole, and it is the cockand not the hen that bears the resemblance; moreover, the black-headedoriole does not occur in the Himalayas, so that neither the grosbeaknor the oriole can possibly derive any benefit from this resemblance. 

Now, cabinet zoologists are never tired of writing about mimicry. They assert that when organisms belonging to different families beara close external resemblance, this resemblance has been brought aboutby natural selection. Having made this assertion, they expend reamsof paper in demonstrating how one or both of the species benefitsby the resemblance. 

However, scientific books make no mention of the resemblance betweenthe oriole and the grosbeak. The reason for this is, of course, thatthe resemblance in this instance cannot be a case of mimicry. Now, I regret to have to say that men of science take up the same attitudetowards their theories as lawyers do regarding the cases they arguein Courts of Justice. There would be no harm in taking up this attitudeif men of science were to explain that they are acting the part ofadvocates, that they are fighting for a theory, and trying to persuadethe world to accept this theory. It is because they masquerade asjudges, and put forward a one-sided case as a matured judicial finding, that I take exception to their methods. 

The trouble is that scientific men to-day form a brotherhood, ahierarchy, which lays claim to infallibility, or rather tacitlyassumes infallibility. 

They form a league into which none are admitted except those who takethe oath of allegiance; and, of course, to expose the weakness ofthe scientific doctrines of the time is equivalent to violating theoath of allegiance. Now, the man of science who has to earn his livingby his science, has either to join the league or run the risk ofstarving. This explains how a small coterie of men has things verymuch its own way; how it can lay down the law without fear ofcontradiction. If a man does arise and declines to accept the fiatsof this league, it is not difficult for the members to combine andtell the general public that that man is a foolish crank, who doesnot know what he is talking about; and the public naturally acceptsthis dictum. 

The only scientific men who, as a class, are characterised by humilityare the meteorologists. I always feel sorry for the meteorologist. He has to predict the weather, and every man is able to test the valueof these predictions. The zoologist, on the other hand, does notpredict anything. He merely lays down the law to people who knownothing of law. He assures the world that he can explain all organicphenomena, and the world believes him. 

As a matter of fact, zoology is quite as backward as meteorology. Those who do not wish to be deceived will do well to receive withcaution all the zoological theories which at present hold the field. Before many years have passed all of them will have been modifiedbeyond recognition. Most of them are already out of date. 

There are doubtless good reasons for the colouring of both thegrosbeak and the oriole; what these reasons are we know not. But asneither derives any benefit from the resemblance to the other, this_resemblance_ cannot have been effected by natural selection. Now, if the unknown forces, which cause the various organisms to take theirvaried colours and forms, sometimes produce two organisms ofdifferent families which closely resemble one another, and theorganisms in question are so distributed that neither can derive theslightest advantage in the struggle for existence from theresemblance, there is no reason why similar resemblances should notbe produced in the case of organisms which occupy the same areas ofthe earth. Thus it is quite possible that many so-called cases ofmimicry are nothing of the kind. 

The mere fact that one of the organisms in question may profit bythe likeness is not sufficient to demonstrate that natural selectionis responsible for the resemblance. 

In this connection we must bear in mind that, according to the orthodoxDarwinian theory, the resemblance must have come about gradually, and in its beginnings it cannot have profited the mimic _as aresemblance_. 

So plastic are organisms, and so great is the number of living thingsin the earth, that it is not surprising that very similar forms shouldsometimes arise independently and in different parts of the globe. Several instances of this fortuitous resemblance are cited inBeddard's _Animal Colouration_; others are cited in _The Making ofSpecies_ by Finn, and myself. 

Perhaps the most striking case is that of a cuckoo found in New Zealand, known as _Eudynamis taitensis_. This is a near relative of the Indiankoel, which bears remarkable resemblance to an American hawk(_Accipiter cooperi_). Writing of this cuckoo, Sir Walter Bullersays: "Not only has our cuckoo the general contour of Cooper'ssparrow-hawk, but the tear-shaped markings on the underparts, andthe arrow-head bars on the femoral plumes are exactly similar in both. The resemblance is carried still further, in the beautifully-bandedtail and marginal wing coverts, and likewise in the distribution ofcolours and markings on the sides of the neck. On turning to Mr. Sharpe's description of the young male of this species in hiscatalogue of the Accipitres in the British Museum, it will be seenhow many of the terms employed apply equally to our Eudynamis, evento the general words, 'deep brown above with a chocolate gloss, allthe feathers of the upper surface broadly edged with rufous. ' ... Beyond the general grouping of the colours there is nothing to remindus of our own Bush-hawk; and that there is no great protectiveresemblance is sufficiently manifested, from the fact that our cuckoois persecuted on every possible occasion by the tits, which aretimorous enough in the presence of a hawk. "

These cases of chance resemblance should make us unwilling to talkabout "mimicry, " unless there is actual proof that one or other ofthe similar species benefits by the resemblance. 

These cases, further, throw light on the origin of protective mimicrywhere it does exist. 

Protective mimicry is usually said to have been brought about by theaction of natural selection. This is not strictly accurate. Naturalselection cannot cause two showy, dissimilar species to resemble oneanother; all it can do is to seize upon and perfect a resemblancethat has been caused by the numerous factors that have co-operatedto bring about all the diversity of organic life upon this earth. 

_THE GREAT HIMALAYAN BARBET_

Barbets may be described as woodpeckers that are trying to becometoucans. The most toucan-like of them all is the great Himalayanbarbet (_Megalæma marshallorum_). Barbets are heavily-built birdsof medium size, armed with formidable beaks, which they do nothesitate to use for aggressive purposes. As regards the nests theyexcavate, the eggs they lay, the pad that grows on the hocks of youngbirds, and their flight, they resemble their cousins the woodpeckers. But they are fruit-eating birds, and not insectivorous; it is thisthat constitutes the chief difference between them and thewoodpeckers. Barbets are found throughout the tropical world. Anumber of species occur in India. The best known of these is thecoppersmith, or crimson-breasted barbet (_Xantholæma hæmatocephala_), the little green fiend, gaudily painted about the head, which makesthe hot weather in India seem worse than it really is by filling thewelkin with the eternal monotone that resembles the sound of a hammeron a brazen vessel. Nearly as widely distributed are the variousspecies of green barbet (_Thereiceryx_), whose call is scarcely lessexasperating than that of the coppersmith, and may be described asthe word _kutur_ shouted many times and usually preceded by a harshlaugh or cackle. 

The finest of all the barbets are the _Megalæmas_. The great Himalayanbarbet attains a length of 13 inches. There is no lack of colour inits plumage. The head and neck are a rich violet blue. The upper backis brownish olive with pale green longitudinal streaks. The lowerback and the tail are bright green. The wings are green washed withblue, brown, and yellow. The upper breast is brown, and the remainderof the lower plumage, with the exception of a scarlet patch of feathersunder the tail, is yellow with a blue band running along the middleline. This bright red patch under the tail is not uncommon in thebird world, and, curiously enough, it occurs in birds in no way relatedto one another and having little or nothing in common as regards habits. It is seen in many bulbuls, robins, and woodpeckers, and in the pitta. The existence of these red under tail-coverts in such diverse speciescan, I think, be explained only on the hypothesis that there is aninherent tendency to variation in this direction in many species. 

A striking feature of the great Himalayan barbet is its massive yellowbill, which is as large as that of some species of toucan. Althoughthe bird displays a number of brilliant colours, it is not at alleasy to distinguish from its leafy surroundings. It is one of thosebirds which are heard more often than seen. 

Barbets are never so happy as when listening to their own voices. Most birds sing and make a joyful noise only at the nesting season. Not so the barbets; they call all the year round; even unfledgednestlings raise up the voices of infantile squeakiness. 

The call of the great Himalayan barbet is very distinctive and easyto recognise, but is far from easy to portray in words. Jerdondescribed the call as a plaintive _pi-o_, _pi-o_. Hutton speaks ofit as _hoo-hoo-hoo_. Scully syllabises it as _till-low_, _till-low_, _till-low_. Perhaps the best description of the note is that it isa mournful wailing, _pee-yu_, _pee-yu_, _pee-yu_. Some like the note, and consider it both striking and pleasant. Others would leave outthe second adjective. Not a few regard the cry as the reverse ofpleasant, and consider the bird a nuisance. As the bird is alwayson the move--its call at one moment ascends from the depths of a leafyvalley and at the next emanates from a tree on the summit of somehill--the note does not get on one's nerves as that of the coppersmithdoes. Whether men like its note or not, they all agree that it isplaintive and wailing. This, too, is the opinion of hillmen, someof whom declare that the souls of men who have suffered injuries inthe Law Courts, and who have in consequence died of broken hearts, transmigrate into the great Himalayan barbets, and that is why thesebirds wail unceasingly _un-nee-ow_, _un-nee-ow_, which means"injustice, injustice. " Obviously, the hillmen have not a highopinion of our Law Courts!

Himalayan barbets go about in small flocks, the members of which callout in chorus. They keep to the top of high trees, where, as has beensaid, they are not easily distinguished from the foliage. When perchedthey have a curious habit of wagging the tail from side to side, asa dog does, but with a jerky, mechanical movement. Their flight isnoisy and undulating, like that of a woodpecker. They are said tosubsist exclusively on fruit. This is an assertion which I feelinclined to challenge. In the first place, the species remains inthe Himalayas all the year round, and fruit must be very scarce therein winter. Moreover, Mr. S. M. Townsend records that a barbet keptby him in captivity on one occasion devoured with gusto a dead mousethat had been placed in its cage. Barbets nest in cavities in thetrunks of trees, which they themselves excavate with their powerfulbeaks, after the manner of woodpeckers. The entrance to the nestcavity is a neat circular hole in a tree at heights varying from 15to 50 feet. Most birds which rear their broods in holes enter andleave the nest cavity fearlessly, even when they know they are beingwatched by human beings, evidently feeling that their eggs or youngbirds are securely hidden away in the heart of the tree. Not so the_Megalæma_. It is as nervous about the site of its nest as a lapwingis. Nevertheless, on one occasion, when the nest of a pair of thegreat Himalayan barbets was opened out and found to contain an eggand a young bird, which latter was left unmolested, the parent birdscontinued to feed the young one, notwithstanding the fact that thenest had been so greatly damaged. The eggs are white, like those ofall species which habitually nest in holes. 

_PART II__The Common Birds of the Nilgiris_

_THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE NILGIRIS_

The avifauna of the Nilgiris is considerably smaller than that ofthe Himalayas. This phenomenon is easily explained. The Nilgirisoccupy a far less extensive area; they display less diversity ofclimate and scenery; the lofty peaks, covered with eternal snow, whichform the most conspicuous feature of the Himalayan landscape, arewanting in the Nilgiris. 

The birds found in and about a Nilgiri hill station differ in characterfrom those of the plains distant but a score of miles. 

Of the common birds of the plains of Madras, the only ones that arereally abundant on the Nilgiris are the black crow, the sparrow, thewhite-eye, the Madras bulbul, the myna, the purple sunbird, thetailor-bird, the ashy wren-warbler, the rufous-backed shrike, thewhite-browed fantail flycatcher, the Indian pipit, the Indianskylark, the common kingfisher, the pied crested cuckoo, thescavenger vulture, the Pondicherry vulture, the white-backed vulture, the shikra, the spotted dove, and the little brown dove. 

The distribution of the avifauna of mountainous countries is largelya matter of elevation. At the base of the Nilgiris all the plainsbirds of the neighbourhood occur, and most of them extend some wayup the hillsides. The majority, however, do not ascend as high as1000 feet. 

At elevations of 3000 feet the avifauna of the hills is alreadymarkedly different from that of the plains; nevertheless many of thehill species do not descend to this level, at any rate in the summer. 

It is, therefore, necessary, when speaking of a plains bird asoccurring or not occurring on the hills, to define precisely whatis intended by this expression. 

That which follows is written for people who visit the Nilgiri hillstations in the hot weather, and therefore the birds described arethose which occur at elevations of 5500 feet and upwards in the summer. Those which visit the hills only in winter are either altogetherignored or given but the briefest mention. 

This article does not deal exhaustively with the birds of theNilgiris; it is merely a short account of the birds commonly seenin the higher regions of those hills during the summer months. Tocompile an exhaustive list would be easy. I refrain from doing sobecause a reader unacquainted with Indian ornithology would, ifconfronted by such a list, find it difficult to identify the commonbirds. 

With this by way of introduction, I will proceed to describe the birdsin question, dealing with them according to the classificationadopted in the standard book on Indian ornithology--the bird volumesof the "Fauna of British India" series. 

THE CORVIDÆ OR CROW FAMILY

This family is not nearly so well represented on the Nilgiris as itis in the Himalayas. The only crow found on the Nilgiris is the Indiancorby (_Corvus macrorhynchus_)--the large black crow familiar topersons living in the plains. He, alas, is plentiful in the varioushill stations; but it is some consolation that the grey-necked_Corvus_ ceases from troubling those who seek the cool heights. 

Like the grey-necked crow, the Indian tree-pie is not found at theNilgiri hill stations--5000 feet appears to be the highest elevationto which he attains. 

Of the tits only one species can be said to be common on the higherNilgiris: this is the Indian grey tit (_Parus atriceps_)--a strikinglittle bird, smaller than a sparrow. The head, throat, and neck areblack, and a strip of this hue runs down the middle of the abdomen. The wings and tail are grey. The cheeks, the sides of the abdomen, and a patch on the back of the head are white. There is also a narrowwhite bar in the wing, and the grey tail is edged with white. Thebird is found all over India, but is far more abundant on the hillsthan in the plains. 

Another tit which, I believe, does not ascend so high as Ootacamund, but which is not uncommon in the vicinity of Coonoor is the southernyellow tit (_Machlolophus haplonotus_). This bird is not, as its namewould seem to imply, clothed from head to foot in yellow. Itsprevailing hues are green and brown. The head, breast, and upperabdomen are bright yellow, except the crown, crest, a broad streakbehind the eye, and a band running from the chin to the abdomen, whichare black. It is impossible to mistake this sprightly little bird, which is like the English tom-tit in shape. Tits are arboreal inhabits; they seldom descend to the ground. Sometimes they go aboutin small flocks. They are supposed to live chiefly on insects, butmost of them feed on fruit and seeds also, and the grey tit, alas, eats peas, among which it works sad havoc. The inhabitants of theNilgiris call this last _Puttani kurivi_, which, I understand, meansthe pea-bird. 

THE CRATEROPODIDÆ OR BABBLER FAMILY

This heterogeneous family is well represented in the Nilgiris. 

The Madras seven sisters (_Crateropus griseus_) do not ascend thehills to any considerable height. But, of course there are sevensisters in the hills. Every part of India has its flocks of babblers. The Nilgiri babbler is a shy bird; it seems to dislike being watched. One might think it is aware that it is not so beautiful as it mightbe. But this cannot be the reason, because it has no objection toany person hearing its voice, which may be likened to the squeak ofa rusty axle. This Nilgiri babbler does not enter gardens unless theyare somewhat unkempt and contain plenty of thick bushes. 

_Mirabile dictu_, this shy and retiring bird is none other than thejungle babbler (_Crateropus canorus_)--the common seven sisters or_sath bhai_--which in northern India is as bold and almost asconfiding as the robin. No one has attempted to explain why the habitsof this species on the Nilgiris should differ so much from those itdisplays in other places. 

The southern scimitar-babbler (_Pomatorhinus horsfieldi_), like thejungle babbler on the Nilgiris, is a bird heard more often than seen. 

Every person who has spent any time at Coonoor must be well acquaintedwith the notes of this species. A common call is a loud_ko-ko-ko-e-e-e_. Sometimes one bird calls _ko-ko-ko_, and anotheranswers _ko-ee_. When the birds are feeding in company, they keepup a continual chatter, which is not unpleasing to the ear. Whenalarmed they give vent to a harsh cry of a kind characteristic ofthe babbler tribe. The scimitar-babbler is a bird nearly as big asa myna. It is of brownish hue and has a tail of moderate length. Thebreast and chin are pure white, and there is a white line runningalong each side of the head from front to back. The yellow beak islong and curved, hence the adjectival "scimitar. " It is impossibleto mistake the bird. The difficulty is to obtain anything more thana fleeting glimpse of it. It is so shy that it takes cover the instantit knows that it is being watched. It hops about in thick bushes withconsiderable address, much as a crow-pheasant does. It feeds oninsects, which it picks off the ground or from leaves and trunks oftrees. It uses the long bill as a probe, by means of which it securesinsects lurking in the crevices of bark. 

The Nilgiri laughing-thrush (_Trochalopterum cachinnans_) is a verycommon bird on the hills. Like the two species of babbler alreadydescribed, it is a shy creature, living amid thick shrubs, from whichit seldom ventures far. The head is slightly crested, the upperplumage, including the wings and tail, is olive brown. The head isset off by a white eyebrow. The under parts are chestnut. The beakand legs are black. Laughing-thrushes congregate in small flocks. They subsist chiefly on fruit. Their cry is loud and characteristic;it may be described as a bird's imitation of human laughter. Theircheerful calls are among the sounds heard most often at Ootacamundand Coonoor. 

The Indian white-eye (_Zosterops palpebrosa_) is a bird that haspuzzled systematists. Jerdon classed it among the tits, and its habitscertainly justify the measure; but later ornithologists have notaccepted the dictum "Manners makyth bird, " and have placed thewhite-eye among the babblers. 

The white-eye is a plump little bird, considerably smaller than asparrow. The head and back are yellowish green, becoming almost goldenin the sunlight. The wings and tail are brown. The chin, breast, andfeathers under the tail are bright yellow, the abdomen is white. Roundthe eye is a ring of white feathers, interrupted in front by a blackpatch. 

From this ring--its most striking feature--the bird has derived itsname. The ring is very regular, and causes the bird to look as thoughit had been decorating its eye with Aspinall's best enamel. 

White-eyes invariably go about in flocks; each member of the companyutters unceasingly a cheeping note in order to keep his fellowsapprized of his movements. These birds feed largely on insects, whichthey pick off leaves in truly tit-like manner, sometimes even hanginghead downwards in order to secure a morsel. 

The beautiful southern green-bulbul (_Chloropsis malabarica_) isnumbered among the Crateropodidæ. It is not a true bulbul. It is commonon the lower slopes of the Nilgiris, but does not often venture ashigh as Coonoor. A rich green bulbul-like bird with a golden forehead, a black chin and throat, and a patch of blue on the wing can be noneother than this species. 

The true bulbuls are also classified among the Crateropodidæ. 

My experience is that the common bulbul of the plains--_Molpasteshæmorrhous_, or the Madras red-vented bulbul--is very rarely seenat the Nilgiri hill stations. Jerdon, likewise, states that it ascendsthe Nilgiris only up to about 6000 feet. Davison, however, declaresthat the bird begins to get common 4 miles from Ootacamund and isvery numerous about Coonoor and all down the ghats. Be this as itmay, the Madras red-vented bulbul is not the common bulbul of theNilgiris. Its sweet notes are very largely, if not entirely, replacedby the yet sweeter and more cheery calls of the hill-bulbul. It willbe labour lost to look up this name in Oates's ornithology, becauseit does not occur in that work. The smart, lively little bird, whoseunceasing twittering melody gives our southern hill stations halftheir charm, has been saddled by men of science with the pompousappellation _Otocompsa fuscicaudata_. Even more objectionable is theEnglish name for the pretty, perky bird. What shall I say of the goodtaste of those who call it the red-whiskered bulbul, as though itwere a seedy Mohammedan who dips his grizzly beard in a pot of reddye by way of beautifying it? I prefer to call this bird the southernhill-bulbul. This name, I admit, leaves something to be desired, because the species is not confined to the hills. It is to be foundin most places along the west coast. Nor is it the only bulbul livingon the hills. The justification for the name is that if a census weretaken of the bird-folk who dwell in our hill stations, it would showthat _Otocompsa fuscicaudata_ outnumbered all the crows, mynas, sparrows, flycatchers, and sunbirds put together. It is _the_ birdof the southern hills. Every thicket, every tree--nay, every bushon the hills--has its pair of bulbuls. This species has distinctiveplumage. Its most striking feature is a perky crest, which arisesfrom the crown of the head and terminates in a forwardly-directedpoint, like Mr. Punch's cap. The crest is black and gives the birda very saucy air. The wings and tail are dark brown, but each featherhas a pale edge, which makes a pattern like scales on a fish. Belowthe eye is a brilliant patch of crimson. A similarly-coloured butlarger patch is displayed at the base of the tail. The lower partof the cheek is white; this is divided off from the snowy breast bya narrow black band. The breast is, in its turn, separated from thegreyish abdomen by a broad black band, which ornithologists term acollaret. Sometimes the collaret is interrupted in the middle. Thehill-bulbul is a most vivacious bird. From dawn to sunset it is anexample of perpetual motion. Its vocal cords are as active as itswings. The tinkling sounds of this bulbul form the dominant notesof the bird chorus. Husband and wife almost always move about incompany. They flit from tree to tree, from bush to bush, pluckingraspberries and other hill fruit as they pass. Bulbuls eat insects, but not when fruit is available. Like all birds bulbuls have largeappetites. Recently I saw an Otocompsa devour three wild raspberrieswithin as many minutes, each berry was swallowed at one gulp--asurprising feat, considering the small size of the bird's bill. 

A bulbul's nest is a beautifully-shaped cup, usually placed in a bushat about 3 feet from the ground. As a rule, the bulbul selects anexposed site for its nest; in consequence many of the eggs are devouredby lizards. Crows in particular are addicted to young bulbuls, andtake full advantage of the simplicity of the parent birds. Probably, three out of four broods never reach maturity. But the bulbul is aphilosophic little bird. It never cries over broken eggs. If oneclutch is destroyed it lays another. 

The yellow-browed bulbul (_Iole icteria_) demands notice in passing, because it is common on the minor ranges. Its upper plumage is greenishyellow, the wings being darker than the back. The lower parts arecanary yellow; the bird has also a yellow ring round the eye. Itsnote has been described as a soft, mellow whistle. 

A very different bird is the southern or Nilgiri black bulbul(_Hypsipetes ganeesa_). This is an untidy-looking creature. Itscrest is ragged. Its general hue is shabby black or brown, tingedwith grey in places. The bill and feet are bright coral red. Blackbulbuls utter a variety of notes, most of which are pleasing to thehuman ear, although they incline to harshness. The birds go aboutin flocks. 

THE SITTIDÆ OR NUTHATCH FAMILY

Nuthatches are little climbing birds characterised by short tails. Like woodpeckers, they feed on insects, which they pick off the trunksand branches of trees. Unlike woodpeckers, however, they move aboutthe trunks of trees with the head pointing indifferently downwardsor upwards. The common nuthatch of the Nilgiris is the velvet-frontedblue nuthatch (_Sitta frontalis_). The upper plumage is dark blue, the cock having a velvety-black forehead and a black streak throughthe eye. The lower parts are creamy white. The bill is coral red. The note is a loud _tee-tee-tee_. 

THE DICRURIDÆ OR DRONGO FAMILY

Several species of drongo or king-crow occur on the Nilgiris, butnot one of them is sufficiently abundant to be numbered among thecommon birds of the hill stations. 

THE SYLVIIDÆ OR WARBLER FAMILY

Of the warblers it may be said "their name is legion. " So many speciesexist, and the various species are so difficult to differentiate, that the family drives most field ornithologists to the verge ofdespair. Many of the Indian warblers are only winter visitors to India. Eliminating these, only two warblers are entitled to a place amongthe common birds of the Nilgiris. These are the tailor-bird and theashy wren-warbler. 

At Coonoor the tailor-bird (_Orthotomus sartorius_) is nearly asabundant as it is in the plains. Oates, be it noted, states that thisspecies does not ascend the hills higher than 4000 feet. As a matterof fact, the tailor-bird does not venture quite up to the plateau, but it is perfectly at home at all elevations below 6000 feet. Thisspecies may be likened to a wren that has grown a respectable tail. The forehead is ruddy brown, the back of the head is grey, the backis brown tinged with green. The lower plumage is a pale cream colour. There is a black patch or bar on each side of the neck, visible onlywhen the bird stretches its neck to utter its loud _to-wee_, _to-wee_, _to-wee_. In the breeding season the shafts of the middle pair oftail feathers of the cock grow out beyond the rest. These projecting, bristle-like feathers render the cock easy of identification. 

The ashy wren-warbler (_Prinia socialis_) is another "tiny browniebird. " The wings and tail are brown, the remainder of the upper plumageis the colour of ashes, the under parts are cream coloured. Thiswarbler is a slight, loosely-built bird, and is easily distinguishedfrom others of its kind by the curious snapping noise it makes asit flits from bush to bush. It occurs in pairs or singly. Davisonremarks that it is "very fond of working its way up to some conspicuouspost--to the top of one of the long flower-stalks of _Lobelia excelsa_, for instance--where it will halt for a minute or two, and then, aftermaking a feeble attempt at a song, will dive suddenly in the brushwoodand disappear. "

THE LANIIDÆ OR SHRIKE FAMILY

Shrikes or butcher-birds are hawks in miniature, as regards habitsif not in structure. With the exception of the brown shrike (_Laniuscristatus_), which is merely a winter visitor to India, therufous-backed shrike (_L. Erythronotus_) is the only butcher-birdcommon on the Nilgiris. The head of this species is pale grey, theback is of ruddy hue. The lower parts are white. The forehead anda broad band running through the eye are black. A bird having a broadblack band through the eye is probably a shrike, and if the bird inquestion habitually sits on an exposed branch or other point ofvantage, and from thence swoops on to the ground to secure some insect, the probability of its being a butcher-bird becomes a certainty. 

Closely related to the shrikes are the minivets. Minivets are birdsof tit-like habits which wander about in small flocks from place toplace picking insects from the leaves of trees. They are essentiallyarboreal birds. I have never seen a minivet on the ground. 

The common minivet of the Nilgiris is the orange minivet(_Pericrocotus flammeus_). The head and back of the cock are black. His wings are black and flame-colour, the red being so arranged asto form a band running lengthwise and not across the wing. The tailfeathers are red, save the median pair, which are black. During flightthe flashing red obliterates the black, so that the moving birdsresemble tongues of flame and present a beautiful and strikingspectacle. The hen is marked like the cock, but in her the red isreplaced by bright yellow. This beautiful bird ceases to be abundantat elevations higher than Coonoor. 

THE ORIOLIDÆ OR ORIOLE FAMILY

Both the Indian oriole (_Oriolus kundoo_) and the black-headed oriole(_O. Melanocephalus_) occur on the Nilgiris, but on the higher rangesthey are nowhere numerous. They therefore merit only passing notice. 

THE STURNIDÆ OR STARLING FAMILY

The common myna of the Nilgiris is not _Acridotheres tristis_ but_Æthiopsar fuscus_--the jungle myna. The casual observer usuallyfails to notice any difference between the two species, so closelydo they resemble one another. Careful inspection, however, shows thatthe jungle myna has a little patch of feathers in front of the headover the beak. _Æthiopsar fuscus_ has all the habits of the commonmyna. Like the latter, it struts about sedately in company with cattlein order to snatch up the grasshoppers disturbed by the movingquadrupeds. It feeds largely on the insects that infest the capsulesof _Lobelia excelsa_, and is often to be seen clinging, like a tit, to the stem in order to secure the insects. Davidson gives these mynasa very bad character, he declares that they do immense damage to thefruit gardens on the Nilgiris, so that without the aid of nets, itis next to impossible to preserve pears from their depredations. 

No other species of myna is common on the Nilgiris. 

THE MUSCICAPIDÆ OR FLYCATCHER FAMILY

As in the Himalayas so on the Nilgiris the family of flycatchers iswell represented. In one small Nilgiri wood I have come across nofewer than six species of flycatcher. 

The beautiful little black-and-orange flycatcher (_Ochromelanigrirufa_) is a bird peculiar to the hills of Southern India. 

The head and wings of the cock are black, the rest of the body isorange, of deeper hue on the back and breast than on the other parts. The portions of the plumage that are black in the cock are slaty brownin the hen. This flycatcher feeds on insects. But unlike most of itskind, it picks them off the ground more often than it secures themin the air. 

It never takes a long flight, and almost invariably perches on a branchnot more than two feet above the ground. It emits a low cheepingnote--a _chur-r-r_, which is not unlike the sound made by someinsects. 

The Nilgiri blue-flycatcher (_Stoparola albicaudata_) isstoutly-built and a little larger than a sparrow. The male is clothedfrom head to tail in dark blue; his wife is more dingy, having aplentiful admixture of brownish grey in her plumage. Blue-flycatchers often occur in little flocks. They have the usualhabits of their family, except that they seem sometimes to eat fruit. 

A pretty little bird, of which the head, back, tail, and wings aredeep blue, and the breast is orange fading into pale yellow towardsthe abdomen, is Tickell's blue-flycatcher (_Cyornis tickelli_). Ithas the characteristic habits of its tribe, and continually makes, from a perch, little sallies into the air after flying insects. But, more often than not it starts from one branch, and, having securedits quarry, alights on another. It sings a joyous lay, not unlikethat of the fantail-flycatcher, but less sweet and powerful. It nestsin a hole in a tree or bank, laying in May two or three eggs verythickly speckled with red spots. 

The grey-headed flycatcher (_Culicicapa ceylonensis_) is a bird ofsomewhat sombre plumage. Its total length is only five inches, andof this half is composed of tail. The head is ashy grey, the backand wings are greenish; the lower plumage is bright yellow, but thisis not conspicuous except when the bird is on the wing. This flycatcherhas a loud song, which may be syllabised: _Think of me.... Never tobe_. 

The white-browed fantail-flycatcher (_Rhipidura albifrontata_), which delights the inhabitants of Madras with its cheerful whistleof five or six notes, occurs on the Nilgiris, but is there largelyreplaced by an allied species--the white-spotted fantail-flycatcher(_R. Pectoralis_). The latter has all the habits of the former. Bothmake the same melody, and each has the habit of spreading out anderecting the tail whenever it settles on a perch after a flight. Thewhite-spotted is distinguishable from the white-browed species bythe white eyebrow being much narrower and less conspicuous. It isa black bird with a white abdomen, some white in the wings and tail, a few white spots on the chin, and the white eyebrow mentioned above. 

The most beautiful of all the flycatchers is _Terpsiphoneparadisi_--the paradise-flycatcher, or ribbon-bird, as it is oftencalled. This is fairly abundant on the Nilgiris. The cock in the fullglory of his adult plumage is a truly magnificent object. His crestedhead is metallic blue-black. This stands out in sharp contrast tothe remainder of the plumage, which is as white as snow. Two of histail feathers, being 12 inches longer than the others, hang down likesatin streamers. Young cocks are chestnut instead of white. Birdsin both phases of plumage breed. The hen has the metallic blue-blackcrested head, but she lacks the elongated tail feathers. Her plumageis chestnut, like that of the young cock. In both the hen and theyoung cock the breast is white. As "Eha" remarks, the hen looks verylike a bulbul. 

THE TURDIDÆ OR THRUSH FAMILY

This heterogeneous family includes thrushes, chats, robins, accentors, and dippers. 

The southern pied bush-chat (_Pratincola atrata_) is one of thecommonest and most familiar birds of the Nilgiris. It frequentsgardens and is often found near houses: hence it is known as thehill-robin. The cock is clothed in black except the lower part ofthe back, the under parts, and a bar on the wing, which are white. Those parts that are black in the cock are brown in the hen, whileher back and under parts are russet instead of white, but the whitebar on the wing persists. This species lives on insects. It dwellsin low shrubs and captures its quarry on the ground. It nests in ahole in a bank or well, lining the same with grass or hair. But summervisitors to the hills are not likely to come across the eggs, becausethese are usually hatched before May. 

The Nilgiri blackbird (_Merula simillima_) is very like the blackbirdof England. The plumage of the cock, however, is not so black, andthe legs, instead of being brown, are reddish. Its charming song, with which all who have visited Ootacamund are familiar, is almostindistinguishable from that of its European cousin. 

The Nilgiri thrush (_Oreocincla nilgirensis_) resembles the Europeanthrush in appearance. Its upper plumage is pale brown, spotted withblack and buff; its throat and abdomen are white with black drops. This bird has a fine powerful song, but he who wishes to hear it hasusually to resort to one of the forests on the plateau of the Nilgiris. 

THE PLOCEIDÆ OR WEAVER-BIRD FAMILY

This family includes the weaver-birds, famous for their wonderfulhanging retort-shaped nests, and the munias, of which the amadavator _lal_ is familiar to every resident of India as a cage bird. 

The weaver-birds do not ascend the hills, but several species of muniaare found on the Nilgiris. Spotted munias (_Uroloncha punctulata_)are abundant in the vicinity of both Coonoor and Ootacamund. Theyoccur in flocks on closely-cropped grassland. They feed on the ground. They are tiny birds, not much larger than white-eyes. The upperplumage is chocolate brown, becoming a rich chestnut about the headand neck, while the breast and abdomen are mottled black and white, hence the popular name. The black spots on the breast and abdomencause these to look like the surface of a nutmeg grater; for thatreason this munia is sometimes spoken of as the nutmeg-bird. Therufous-bellied munia (_Uroloncha pectoralis_) occurs abundantly alittle below Coonoor, but does not appear to ascend so high asOotacamund. Its upper parts are chocolate brown, save the feathersabove the tail, which Oates describes as "glistening fulvous. " Thewings and tail are black, as are the cheeks, chin, and throat. Thelower parts are pinkish brown. The stout bill is slaty blue. Likethe spotted munia, this species is considerably smaller than asparrow. 

The Indian red-munia or red waxbill or _lal_ (_Sporæginthusamandava_) is another very small bird. Its bill and eyes are brightred. Over its brown plumage are dotted many tiny white spots. Thereare also some large patches of red or crimson, notably one on therump. The amount of crimson varies considerably; in the breedingseason nearly the whole of the upper plumage of the cock is crimson. Amadavats go about in flocks and utter a cheeping note during flight. Their happy hunting grounds are tangles of long grass. Amadavats occurall over the Nilgiris. 

THE FRINGILLIDÆ OR FINCH FAMILY

Finches are seed-eating birds characterised by a stout bill, whichis used for husking grain. 

The common sparrow (_Passer domesticus_) is the best known memberof the finch family. Most of us see too much of him. He is to be observedin every garden on the Nilgiris, looking as though the particulargarden in which he happens to be belongs to him. As a rule, sparrowsnest about houses, but numbers of them breed in the steep cuttingson the road between Coonoor and Ootacamund. 

The only other finch common on the Nilgiris is the rose-finch(_Carpodacus erythrinus_). This, however, is only a winter visitor:it departs from the Nilgiris in April and does not return until thesummer season is over. 

THE HIRUNDINIDÆ OR SWALLOW FAMILY

This family includes the swallows and the martins. 

The swallows commonly found on the Nilgiris in summer are the Nilgirihouse-swallow (_Hirundo javanica_) and the red-rumped or mosqueswallow (_H. Erythropygia_). I regret to have to state that Oateshas saddled the latter with the name "Sykes's striated swallow"; hewas apparently seduced by the sibilant alliteration!

Those two swallows are easily distinguished. The latter is the largerbird; its upper parts are glossy steel-blue, except the rump, whichis of chestnut hue. The house-swallow has the rump glossy black, butit displays a good deal of red about the head and neck. 

In the cold weather the European swallow and two species of martinvisit the Nilgiris. 

THE MOTACILLIDÆ OR WAGTAIL FAMILY

In the winter several kinds of wagtail visit the Nilgiris, but onlyone species remains all the year round. This is the beautiful piedwagtail (_Motacilla maderaspatensis_), of which the charming songmust be familiar to all residents of Madras. On the Nilgiris the birdis not sufficiently common to require more than passing notice. 

The pipits are members of the wagtail family. They have not the livelycolouring of the wagtails, being clothed, like skylarks, in homelybrown, spotted or streaked with dark brown or black. They have thewagtail trick of wagging the tail, but they perform the action ina half-hearted manner. 

The two pipits most often seen on the Nilgiris in summer are theNilgiri pipit (_Anthus nilgirensis_) and the Indian pipit (_A. Rufulus_). I know of no certain method of distinguishing these twospecies without catching them and examining the hind toe. This ismuch shorter in the former than in the latter species. The Nilgiripipit goes about singly or in pairs, and, although it frequents grassyland, it usually keeps to cover and flies into a tree or bush whenalarmed. It is confined to the highest parts of the Nilgiris. TheIndian pipit affects open country and seems never to perch in trees. 

THE ALAUDIDÆ OR LARK FAMILY

The Indian skylark (_Alauda gulgula_) is common on the Nilgiris. Wherever there is a grassy plain this species is found. Like theEnglish skylark, it rises to a great height in the air, and therepours forth its fine song. 

To the ordinary observer the Indian skylark is indistinguishable fromits European congener. 

The other common lark of the Nilgiris is the Malabar crested lark(_Galerita cristata_). This is in shape and colouring very like theIndian skylark, but is easily distinguished by the pointed crest thatprojects upwards and backwards from the hind part of the head. Thecrested lark has a pretty song, which is often poured forth when thebird is in the air. This species does not soar so high as the skylark. Like the latter, it frequents open spaces. 

THE NECTARINIDÆ OR SUNBIRD FAMILY

A bird of the plains which is to be seen in every Nilgiri garden isthe beautiful little purple sunbird (_Arachnecthra asiatica_). Heflits about in the sunbeams, passing from flower to flower, extractingwith his long tubular tongue the nectar hidden away in their calyces. He is especially addicted to gladioli. His head gets well dusted withyellow pollen, which he carries like a bee from one bloom to another. In the case of flowers with very deep calyces, he sometimes makesshort cut to the honey by piercing with his sharp curved bill a holein the side through which to insert the tongue. The cock purple sunbirdneeds no description. His glistening metallic plumage compelsattention. He is usually accompanied by his spouse, who is earthybrown above and pale yellow below. 

The other sunbird commonly seen in hill-gardens is one appropriatelynamed the tiny sun bird or honeysucker (_Arachnecthra minima_), beingless than two-thirds the size of a sparrow. As is usual with sunbirds, the cock is attired more gaily than the hen. He is a veritablefeathered exquisite. Dame Nature has lavished on his diminutive bodymost of the hues to be found in her well-stocked paint-box. Hisforehead and crown are metallic green. His back is red, crimson onthe shoulders. His lower plumage might be a model for the colouringof a Neapolitan ice-cream; from the chin downwards it displays thefollowing order of colours: lilac, crimson, black, yellow. The henis brown above, with a dull red rump, and yellow below. 

The purple-rumped sunbird (_Arachnecthra zeylonica_), which is veryabundant in and about Madras, does not ascend the Nilgiris above 3000feet. Loten's sunbird (_A. Lotenia_) ventures some 2500 feet higher, and has been seen in the vicinity of Coonoor. This species is incolouring almost indistinguishable from the purple sunbird, but itslong beak renders it unmistakable. 

THE DICÆIDÆ OR FLOWER-PECKER FAMILY

Flower-peckers, like sunbirds, are feathered exquisites. The habitsof the two families are very similar, save that flower-peckers dwellamong the foliage of trees, while sunbirds, after the manner ofbutterflies, sip the nectar from flowers that grow near the ground. 

Every hill-garden can boast of one or two flower-peckers. These areamong the smallest birds in existence. They are as restless as theyare diminutive. So restless are they that it is very difficult tofollow their movements through field-glasses, and they are so tinythat without the aid of field-glasses it is difficult to see themamong the foliage in which they live, move, and have their being. These elusive mites continually utter a sharp _chick-chick-chick_. Two species are common on the Nilgiris. 

They are known as the Nilgiri flower-pecker (_Dicæum concolor_) andTickell's flower-pecker (_D. Erythrorhynchus_). The latter is themore numerous. Both are olive-green birds, paler below than above. Tickell's species has the bill yellow: in the other the beak islavender blue. 

THE PICIDÆ OR WOODPECKER FAMILY

Woodpeckers are birds that feed exclusively on insects, which theypick off the trunks of trees. They move about over the bark with greataddress. Whether progressing upwards, downwards, or sideways, thehead is always pointed upwards. 

For some reason or other there is a paucity of woodpeckers on theNilgiris. The Indian Empire can boast of no fewer than fifty-fourspecies; of these only six patronise the Nilgiris, and but two appearto ascend higher than 5000 feet. The only woodpecker that I havenoticed in the vicinity of Coonoor is Tickell's golden-backedwoodpecker (_Chrysocolaptes gutticristatus_). I apologise for thename; fortunately the bird never has to sign it in full. Thiswoodpecker is a magnificent bird, over a foot in length, being 1½inch longer than the golden-backed species found in Madras itself. The cock has a crimson crest, the sides of the head and neck and theunder parts are white, relieved by black streaks that runlongitudinally. The back and wings appear golden olive in the shade, and when the sun shines on them they become a beautiful coppery red. The lower part of the back is crimson. The tail is black. The hendiffers from the cock in having the crest black. When these birdsfly, their wings make much noise. The species utters a high-pitchedbut somewhat faint screaming note. 

THE CAPITONIDÆ OR BARBET FAMILY

Barbets are tree-haunting birds characterised by massive bills. Theyhave loud calls of two or three notes, which they repeat with muchpersistence. They nestle in trees, themselves excavating the nestcavity. The entrance to the nest is invariably marked by a neat roundhole, a little larger than a rupee, in the trunk or a branch of atree. The coppersmith is the most familiar member of the clan. Itdoes not occur on the Nilgiris, but a near relative is to be numberedamong the commonest birds of those hills, being found in every woodand in almost every garden. This bird is fully as vociferous as thecoppersmith, but instead of crying, _tonk-tonk-tonk_, it suddenlybursts into a kind of hoarse laugh, and then settles down to a steady_kutur-kutur-kutur_, which resounds throughout the hillside. Thiscall is perhaps the most familiar sound heard in the hills. Thisspecies is called the lesser green barbet (_Thereiceryx viridis_)to distinguish it from the larger green barbet of the plains (_T. Zeylonicus_). It is a vivid green bird with a dull yellow patch, devoidof feathers, round the eye. There are some brown streaks on the breast. 

THE ALCEDINIDÆ OR KINGFISHER FAMILY

The only kingfisher that occurs abundantly throughout the Nilgirisis the common kingfisher (_Alcedo ispida_). This bird is not muchlarger than a sparrow. The head and nape are blue with faint blackcross-bars. The back is glistening pale blue and the tail blue ofdarker hue. The wings are greenish blue. The sides of the head aregaily tinted with red, blue, black, and white. The lower parts arerusty red. The bill is black and the feet coral red. The beautifulwhite-breasted kingfisher (_Halcyon smyrnensis_)--the large bluespecies with the chocolate-coloured head and white breast--occurson the Nilgiris at all elevations, but is not nearly so abundant asits smaller relative. 

THE CYPSELIDÆ OR SWIFT FAMILY

Four species of swift are to be seen on the Nilgiris; two of themare the fleetest birds in existence; these are the alpine swift(_Cypselus melba_) and the brown-necked spine-tail (_Chæturaindica_). The former progresses with ease at the rate of 100 milesan hour: the latter can cover 125 miles, while the former is flying100. If we poor human beings were possessed of the motive power ofswifts we should think nothing of flying to England on ten days' casualleave. This may be possible a few years hence, thanks to the aeroplane;but even then the swifts will have the advantage as regards cheapnessof transit. The lower parts of the alpine swift are white, while thoseof the spine-tail are rich brown. Hence the two species may bedifferentiated at a glance. 

The edible-nest swiftlet (_Collocalia fuciphaga_) is the commonestswift on the Nilgiris. It is only about half the size of the speciesmentioned above, being less than 5 inches in length. In my opinion, this bird is misnamed the edible-nest swiftlet, because aconsiderable quantity of grass and feathers is worked into the nest, and I, for my part, find neither grass nor feathers edible. But _chacunà son gout_. 

There is, however, an allied species--the little grey-rumpedswiftlet (_C. Francicia_)--found in the Andaman Islands--of whichthe nests are really good to eat. This species constructs its tinysaucer-shaped nursery entirely of its own saliva. 

April and May are the months in which to seek for the nests of theNilgiri swiftlet, and the insides of caves the places where a searchshould be made. 

The fourth swift of the Nilgiris, the crested swift (_Macropteryxcoronata_), is not sufficiently abundant to merit description in thisessay. 

THE CAPRIMULGIDÆ OR NIGHTJAR FAMILY

Nightjars, or goatsuckers, to give them their ancient andtime-honoured name, are birds that lie up during the day in shadywoods and issue forth at dusk on silent wing in order to hawk insects. The most characteristic feature of a nightjar is its enormousfrog-like mouth; but it is not easy to make this out in the twilightor darkness, so that the observer has to rely on other features inorder to recognise goatsuckers when he sees them on the wing, suchas their long tail and wings, their curious silent fluttering flight, their dark plumage with white or buff in the wings and tail, theircrepuscular and nocturnal habits, and their large size. Nightjarsare as large as pigeons. 

The common species of the Nilgiris is the jungle nightjar(_Caprimulgus indicus_). For a couple of hours after nightfall, andthe same period before dawn in the spring, this bird utters its curiouscall--a rapidly-repeated _cuck-chug-chuck-chuck_. 

Horsfield's nightjar (_C. Macrurus_) is perhaps not sufficientlyabundant on the Nilgiris to deserve mention in this essay. A birdwhich after dark makes a noise like that produced by striking a plankwith a hammer can be none other than this species. 

THE CUCULIDÆ OR CUCKOO FAMILY

The koel (_Eudynamis honorata_) occurs on the Nilgiris and has beenshot at Ootacamund. It betrays its presence by its loud _ku-il_, _ku-il_, _ku-il_. The common cuckoo of the hills is the hawk-cuckoo(_Hierococcyx varius_) or brain-fever bird. Its crescendo_brain-fever_, BRAIN-FEVER, BRAIN-FEVER prevents any person fromfailing to notice it. It victimises laughing-thrushes and babblers. It has a large cousin (_H. Sparverioides_), which also occurs on theNilgiris, and which likewise screams _brain-fever_ at the top of itsvoice. Both species are like sparrow-hawks in appearance. Thehandsome pied crested cuckoo (_Coccystes jacobinus_), which cuckoldsthe seven sisters, is a bird easy to identify. It has a conspicuouscrest. The upper plumage is glossy black, save for a white wing barand white tips to the tail feathers. The lower parts are white. 

The common coucal or crow-pheasant (_Centropus sinensis_) is a cuckoothat builds a nest and incubates its eggs. It is as big as a pheasant, and is known as the Griff's pheasant because new arrivals in Indiasometimes shoot it as a game bird. If naturalists could show thatthis cuckoo derived any benefit from its resemblance to a pheasant, I doubt not that they would hold it up as an example of protectivemimicry. It is a black bird with rich chestnut wings. The black tailis nearly a foot long. The coucal is fairly abundant on the Nilgiris. 

THE PSITTACIDÆ OR PARROT FAMILY

The green parrots of the plains do not venture far up the slopes ofthe hills. The only species likely to be seen on the Nilgiris atelevations of 4000 feet and upwards is the blue-winged paroquet(_Palæornis columboides_). This is distinguishable from the greenparrots of the plains by having the head, neck, breast, and upperback dove-coloured. It has none of the aggressive habits of itsbrethren of the plains. It keeps mainly to dense forests. Jerdondescribes its cry as "mellow, subdued, and agreeable. " It is the primadonna of the Psittaci. 

Another member of the parrot family found on the Nilgiris is the Indianloriquet, or love-bird or pigmy parrot (_Loriculus vernalis_). Thisis a short-tailed bird about the size of a sparrow. It is grass greenin colour, save for the red beak, a large crimson patch on the rump, and a small blue patch on the throat. This species does not obtrudeitself on the observer. It is seen in cages more often than in a stateof nature. It sleeps with the head hanging down after the manner ofbats, hence Finn calls this pretty little bird the bat-parrot. 

THE STRIGIDÆ OR OWL FAMILY

Owls, like woodpeckers, do not patronise the Nilgiris very largely. The only owl that commonly makes itself heard on those mountains isthe brown wood-owl (_Syrnium indrani_). This is the bird which percheson the roof of the house at night and calls _to-whoo_. 

Occasionally, especially round about Ootacamund, the grunting_ur-ur-ur-ur_ of the brown fish-owl (_Ketupa zeylonensis_) disturbsthe silence of the night on the Nilgiris. 

THE VULTURIDÆ OR VULTURE FAMILY

Only four species of vulture occur on the hills of South India. Oneof these is the smaller white scavenger vulture (_Neophronginginianus_), which is probably the ugliest bird in the world. Itsplumage is dirty white, except the tips of the wings, which are black. The head is not bald, as is the case with most vultures; it is coveredwith projecting feathers that form an exceedingly bedraggled crest. The bill, the naked face, and the legs are yellow. This vulture ispopularly known as the shawk or Pharaoh's chicken. Young scavengervultures are sooty brown. 

The other three vultures common on the Nilgiris are the Pondicherryvulture (_Otogyps calvus_), the long-billed vulture (_Gyps indicus_), and the white-backed vulture (_Pseudogyps bengalensis_). The firstis easily identified by means of its white waistcoat, a patch of whiteon the thighs, and large red wattles that hang down like the earsof a blood-hound. With the above exceptions the plumage is black. 

The long-billed vulture is of a uniform brown-grey colour. 

The white-backed vulture is a dark brown, almost black, bird, witha white back and a broad white band on the under surface of each wing, which is very noticeable when the bird is soaring high in the airon the watch for carrion. 

The two commonest vultures of the Nilgiris are the scavenger and thewhite-backed species. 

THE FALCONIDÆ OR FAMILY OF BIRDS OF PREY

The raptores are not very strongly represented on the Nilgiris. Theonly two eagles likely to be seen are Bonelli's eagle (_Hieraëtusfasciatus_) and the black eagle (_Ictinaëtus malayensis_). Theplumage of the latter is of much darker hue than that of the former. 

Bonelli's eagle is a bold bird that works great havoc among tamepigeons. It sometimes carries off a barnyard fowl. 

The black eagle is content with smaller quarry: young birds, rats, and snakes, seem to constitute the chief articles of its diet. 

Needless to state, the common pariah kite (_Milvus govinda_) is foundon the Nilgiris. This useful bird usually sails in graceful circleshigh overhead, looking for food. Its cry is not heard so frequentlyon those hills as in the Himalayas, the reason being the differentconfiguration of the two ranges. The Nilgiris are undulating anddownlike, hence the kites are able, while hovering higher than thesummits of the hills, to see what is happening in the valleys. Inthe Himalayas they cannot do this, because the valleys are usuallydeep. The kites, therefore, sail there at a lower level than thehill-tops, and their plaintive _chee-hee-hee-hee-hee_ is heardthroughout the day. It is not a very cheerful sound, so that in thisrespect the Nilgiris have an advantage over the Himalayas. 

The majority of the kites appear to migrate from the Nilgiris duringthe south-west monsoon. 

The Brahmany kite (_Haliastur indus_)--the handsome kite with whitehead and breast and rich chestnut-red wings--is sometimes seen onthe Nilgiris, but scarcely sufficiently often to merit a place amongthe common birds. 

The three remaining raptores that are of frequent occurrence on thehills of South India are the shikra (_Astur badius_), the crestedgoshawk (_Lophospizias trivirgatus_), and the kestrel (_Tinnunculusalaudarius_). The shikra is very like the brain-fever bird inappearance. It is a little smaller than the common house-crow. Theupper plumage is ashy grey. The tail is of the same hue, but withbroad dark brown cross-bars. In young birds the breast is white withdark drops; in older birds the drops become replaced by wavyrust-coloured cross-bars. The eye is bright yellow, as is the cereor base of the beak. The crested goshawk may be described in briefas a large shikra with a crest. 

The kestrel is the bird known in England as the windhover, on accountof its habit of hovering in mid-air on rapidly-vibrating wings beforepouncing on the lizard or other small fry, for which it is ever onthe watch. This species is about the same size as the shikra. Thehead, neck, and tail are grey; the back and wings are dull red. Thelower parts are cream-coloured, spotted with brown. 

THE COLUMBIDÆ OR DOVE FAMILY

Jerdon's imperial pigeon (_Ducula cuprea_) is a beautiful bird 17inches long, of which the tail accounts for 7 inches. The prevailinghue of this pigeon is grey. The head, breast, abdomen, and neck aresuffused with lilac. The back and wings are olive brown. The legsare dull lake red, as is the bill, except the tip, which is blue. This fine bird is confined to dense forest; it is said to be fondof the wild nutmeg. 

The Nilgiri wood-pigeon (_Alsocomus elphistonii_) is anotherforest-haunting bird. Its prevailing hue is dove grey, with abeautiful gloss on the back, which appears lilac in some lights andgreen in others. The only other ornament in its plumage is ablack-and-white shepherd's plaid tippet. The wood-pigeon is as largeas the imperial pigeon. Of the doves, that which is most often seenon the Nilgiris is the spotted dove (_Turtur suratensis_). This iseasily distinguished from the other members of the family by itsreddish wings spotted with dark brown and pale buff. The only otherdove likely to be seen at the Nilgiri hill stations is the littlebrown dove (_T. Cambayensis_), which utters a five-or-six-syllabledcoo. 

THE PHASIANIDÆ OR PHEASANT FAMILY

This important family includes the pea- and the jungle-fowl and thevarious pheasants. 

The peacock is not found at altitudes above 4000 feet. 

Jungle-fowl are abundant on the Nilgiris. He who keeps his eyes openmay occasionally see one of these birds running across a road in thehills. This must not lead the observer to think that jungle-fowl spendmost of their time in sprinting across roads. The fact of the matteris that the fowl tribe do not appreciate their food unless they haveto scratch for it. Paths and roads are highly scratchable objects, hence they are largely resorted to for food; further, they are usedfor the purpose of the daily dust-bath in which every self-respectingfowl indulges. If these birds are disturbed when feeding or bathing, they do not make for the nearest cover as most other birds do: theyinsist on running across the road, thereby giving the gratefulsportsman a clear shot. The domestic rooster has the same habit. Sohas the Indian child. To test the truth of these assertions, it isonly necessary to drive briskly along a street at the side of whichchildren or fowls are playing in perfect safety. At the sight of thehorse, the child or hen, as the case may be, makes a dash for thefar side of the road, and passes almost under the horse's nose. Thefowl always gets across safely. The child is not so fortunate. 

Two species of jungle-fowl have partitioned the Indian peninsulabetween them. The red species (_Gallus ferrugineus_) hasappropriated the part of India which lies between Kashmir and theGodavery; while the grey jungle-fowl (_G. Sonnerati_) has possesseditself of the territory south of the Godavery. The third jungle-fowl(_G. Lafayetti_) has to be content with Ceylon, but the size of itsname very nearly makes up for its deficiency in acres!

Davison is my authority for stating that the _Strobilanthes whitiani_, which constitutes the main undergrowth of many of the forests of theNilgiris, seeds only once in about seven years, and that when thisplant is seeding the grey jungle-fowl assemble in vast numbers tofeed on the seed. They collect in the same way for the sake of bambooseeds. The crow of the cock, which is heard chiefly in the morningand the evening, is not like that of the red jungle-fowl. It has beensyllabised _kuk-kah-kah-kaha-kuk_. The call of the hen may beexpressed by the syllables _kukkun-kukkun_. 

The red spur-fowl (_Galloperdix spadicea_) is perhaps the mostabundant game bird of the Nilgiris. It is quite partridge-like inshape. Both sexes have red legs and a patch of red skin round theeye. The feathers of the cock are dull red with blue edges, whilethose of the hen are black with broad buff margins. The cock may bedescribed as a dull red bird with a grey head and some buff scale-likemarkings, and the hen as a grey bird, heavily barred with black. 

The only quail commonly seen on the Nilgiris is the painted bush-quail(_Microperdix erythrorhynchus_). A bird in shape like a partridge, but not much larger than a sparrow, is probably this species. Theprevailing hue is umber brown with coarse black blotches. The cockhas the breast white and the head black with a white eyebrow. Thehead of the hen is dull red. The bill, legs, and feet of both sexesare red. 

THE CHARADRIIDÆ OR PLOVER FAMILY

This very large family includes the plovers, sandpipers, and snipes. It is not very well represented on the Nilgiris. In winter snipe andwoodcock visit those mountains and afford good sport to the humanresidents, but all have gone northward long before the summer visitorsarrive. 

Several species of sandpiper likewise visit the Nilgiris in winter;one of these--the wood sandpiper (_Totanus glareola_)--tarries onuntil after the beginning of summer. This is a bird as large as adove; its plumage is speckled brown and white. It looks somewhat likea snipe with a short bill. It lives on the margins of ponds andconstantly wags its apology for a tail. 

THE RALLIDÆ OR RAIL FAMILY

The rails are not well represented on the Nilgiris. 

The water-hen (_Gallinula chloropus_) is common on the lake atOotacamund. This is an olive-green bird about the size of a pigeon. Its bill and forehead are red; there is a patch of white under thetail. This species swims like a duck. 

Another rail which may be seen sometimes in the Botanical Gardensat Ootacamund is the white-breasted water-hen (_Amaurornisphoenicurus_). This is a black bird with the face, throat, and breastwhite. There is a chestnut-hued patch under the tail. 

THE ARDEIDÆ OR HERON FAMILY

Almost the only member of the heron family that visits the Nilgirihill stations is the pond-heron or paddy-bird (_Ardeola grayii_). 

A colony of these birds pursues its avocations on the margin of thelake at Ootacamund, but I believe that I am right in saying that thepaddy-birds of Ootacamund go to the plains for nesting purposes. 

_PART III__The Common Birds of the Palni Hills_

_THE COMMON BIRDS OF THE PALNI HILLS_

For the benefit of those who visit Kodikanal I have compiled a listof the birds most commonly seen at altitudes of over 5000 feet inthe Palni hills. I must here state that I have no first-hand knowledgeof the avifauna of those hills, and the list that follows is basedon the observations of Dr. Fairbank, made nearly 40 years ago. 

The avifauna of the Palni is a comparatively restricted one: whichis in part doubtless explained by the comparatively small area ofthe higher ranges that is covered by forest. 

The great majority of the birds that follow have been described inthe chapter on the birds of the Nilgiris, and I have contented myselfwith merely naming such. 

THE CORVIDÆ OR CROW FAMILY

1. _Corvus macrorhynchus_. The Indian corby. This is not very abundantabove 5500 feet. 

2. _Dendrocitta rufa_. The tree-pie. This does not appear to occurabove 5000 feet. 

3. _Machlolophus haplonotus_. The southern yellow tit. Occurs atKodikanal, but is not very common there. 

THE CRATEROPODIDÆ OR BABBLER FAMILY

4. _Crateropus canorus_. The jungle babbler. This rarely ascendshigher than 5000 feet. 

5. _Trochalopterum fairbanki_. The Palni laughing-thrush. Thisspecies is peculiar to the Palnis and the Anamallis. The head is verydark brown, almost black, with a broad white eyebrow. The cheeks aregrey, as are the chin, throat, and breast. The back, wings, and tailare olive brown tinged with rusty red. The abdomen is bright rufous. The noisy cries of this bird are among the most familiar sounds ofKodikanal. It is destructive to peaches and raspberries. 

6. _Pomatorhinus horsfieldi_. The southern scimitar-babbler. Thisis not nearly so abundant on the Palnis as on the Nilgiris. 

7. _Zosterops palpebrosa_. The Indian white-eye. A common bird. 

8. _Iole icteria_. The yellow-browed bulbul. _Otocompsafuscicaudata_. The southern red-whiskered bulbul or hill-bulbul. Asin the Nilgiris so in the Palnis, this is the most abundant bird onthe higher hills. 

9. _Molpastes hæmorrhous_. The Madras red-vented bulbul. The higherone ascends, the rarer this bird becomes. 

10. _Hypsipetes ganeesa_. The southern black bulbul. 

11. _Myiophoneus horsfieldi_. The Malabar whistling-thrush or idleschoolboy. This fine but shy bird is found on the streams up to 6000feet. It is a bird as large as a crow, with glossy black plumage, in which are patches of bright cobalt blue. 

It is better known to the ear than to the eye. It emits a number ofcheerful whistling notes. 

THE SITTIDÆ OR NUTHATCH FAMILY

12. _Sitta frontalis_. The velvet-fronted blue nuthatch. This birdis found in every part of the Palnis where there are trees. 

THE DICRURIDÆ OR DRONGO FAMILY

13. _Chaptia ænea_. The bronzed drongo. This species is not oftenseen at altitudes of more than 5000 feet above sea-level. 

It is like the common king-crow in appearance, but the plumage isglossed with a bronze sheen, and the tail is less markedly forked. 

THE SYLVIIDÆ OR WARBLER FAMILY

14. _Orthotomus sartorius_. The tailor bird. This has been seen ashigh as 5500 feet above the sea-level. 

15. _Prinia socialis_. The ashy wren-warbler. 

16. _Prinia inorata_. The Indian wren-warbler. This is very like theashy wren-warbler in appearance. Its upper plumage is earthy-brown, and not reddish brown, and it does not make during flight the curioussnapping noise so characteristic of _P. Socialis_. 

THE LANIIDÆ OR SHRIKE FAMILY

17. _Lanius erythronotus_. The rufous-backed shrike. 

18. _Pericrocotus flammeus_. The orange minivet. This beautiful birdoccurs from the bottom to the top of the Palnis. 

19. _Pericrocotus peregrinus_. The little minivet. This is a birdof the plains rather than of the hills. But as Fairbank observed itin the Palnis as high as 5000 feet, it is given a place in this list. _Cock_: Head and shoulders slaty grey, lower back deep scarlet, wingsblack with red bar, tail black with red at tip, chin and throatblackish, breast scarlet; lower plumage orange yellow. _Hen_: upperparts grey, lower parts creamy white, wing brown with yellow or orangebar, tail black with red tip. 

This species is smaller than a sparrow, but the tail is 3 inches long. 

THE ORIOLIDÆ OR ORIOLE FAMILY

20. _Oriolus melanocephalus_. The black-headed oriole. This specieshas been seen as high as 5000 feet above the sea-level. The cock isbright yellow, with a black head and some black in the wings and tail. The hen is of a much duller yellow and has the back tinged with green. 

THE STURNIDÆ OR STARLING FAMILY

Fairbank does not mention the jungle myna (_Æthiopsar fuscus_) inhis list of the birds of the Palnis (_Stray Feathers_, vol. V, 1877). Yet this is precisely the myna one would expect to find on the Palnis, and it should be looked for. 

21. On the other hand, the Brahmany myna (_Temenuchus pagodarum_), which is essentially a bird of the plains, is said by Fairbank tooccur "well up the hillsides. "

Of the common myna (_Acridotheres tristis_), he writes: "This iscommon around villages at 4000 feet. "

22. _Temenuchus pagodarum_. The Brahmany myna. Head and recumbentcrest black. Wings black and grey. Tail brown with a white tip. Remainder of plumage rich buff. Beak blue with yellow tip. Legs brightyellow. 

THE EULABETIDÆ OR GRACKLE FAMILY

23. _Eulabes religiosa_. The southern grackle or hill-myna. This birdoccurs in the forests of the Palnis between elevations of 4000 and5000 feet. It is familiar to every one as a cage bird. A glossy blackbird with a white wing bar. The wattles, legs, and bill are yellow. 

THE MUSCICAPIDÆ OR FLYCATCHER FAMILY

24. _Ochromela nigrirufa_. The black-and-orange flycatcher. 

25. _Stoparola albicaudata_. The Nilgiri blue-flycatcher. 

26. _Cyornis tickelli_. Tickell's blue-flycatcher. Less common thanon the Nilgiris. 

27. _Culicicapa ceylonensis_. The grey-headed flycatcher. 

28. _Rhipidura albifrontata_. The white-browed fantail flycatcher. Fairbank did not find this bird at altitudes over 4000 feet. 

THE TURDIDÆ OR THRUSH FAMILY

29. _Pratincola atrata_. The southern pied bush-chat or hill-robin. Not nearly so abundant on the Palnis as on the Nilgiris. 

30. _Merula simillima_. The Nilgiri blackbird. In spring itsdelightful song gladdens the groves of the higher Palnis. 

31. _Copschychus saularis_. The magpie-robin. Has been observed ashigh as 5000 feet. The cock is black, and the hen grey, with a whitebreast and white in the wings and tail. The distribution of the blackand white is like that in the common magpie. 

THE FRINGILLIDÆ OR FINCH FAMILY

32. _Passer domesticus_. The common sparrow. Does not occur much above5000 feet. 

THE HIRUNDINIDÆ OR SWALLOW FAMILY

33. _Hirunda javanica_. The Nilgiri house-swallow. 

THE MOTACILLIDÆ OR WAGTAIL FAMILY

34. _Anthus nilgirensis_. The Nilgiri pipit. Common on the grassyfields at the summit of the Palnis. 

THE NECTARINIDÆ OR SUNBIRD FAMILY

35. _Arachnecthra minima_. The tiny sunbird or honeysucker. Commonfrom 4000 feet upwards. 

THE DICÆIDÆ OR FLOWER-PECKER FAMILY

36. _Dicæum concolor_. The Nilgiri flower-pecker. This frequents theflowers of the parasitic _Loranthus_. 

37. _Dicæum erythrorhynchus_. Tickell's flower-pecker. This speciesdoes not appear to ascend the Palnis to any great height. It isabundant at the foot of the hills. 

THE PICIDÆ OR WOODPECKER FAMILY

38. _Chrysocolaptes gutticristatus_. Tickell's golden-backedwoodpecker. As in the Nilgiris so in the Palnis, this is the commonwoodpecker. 

39. _Brachypternus aurantius_. The golden-backed woodpecker. Thisis the common woodpecker of the plains: it ascends the Palnis toelevations of 5000 feet. This is distinguishable from the foregoingspecies by its smaller size, and in having the rump velvety blackinstead of crimson. 

40. _Liopicus mahrattensis_. The yellow-fronted pied woodpecker. This plains species ascends the Palnis to elevations of 5000 feet. It is much smaller than either of the two foregoing species. Theplumage is spotted black and white, with a patch of red on the abdomen. There is a yellow patch on the forehead. The cock has a short redcrest. 

THE CAPITONIDÆ OR BARBET FAMILY

41. _Thereiceryx viridis_. The small green barbet. (The coppersmithdoes not ascend higher than 4000 feet. )

THE ALCEDINIDÆ OR KINGFISHER FAMILY

42. The only kingfisher found in the Palnis seems to be thewhite-breasted kingfisher (_Halcyon smyrnensis_), but this speciesis confined to the lower hills. 

THE UPUPIDÆ OR HOOPOE FAMILY

43. The Indian hoopoe (_Upupa indica_) occurs on the lower ranges, but does not appear to ascend the hills as far as Kodikanal. 

THE CYPSELIDÆ OR SWIFT FAMILY

44. Swifts are not abundant in the Palnis. The only one observed byFairbank was the common Indian swift (_Cypselus affinis_), seen atan elevation of 3000 feet. This is easily distinguished by the whiteband across the rump. 

THE CUCULIDÆ OR CUCKOO FAMILY

45. _Hierococcyx varius_. The hawk-cuckoo. 

46. _Eudynamis honorata_. The Indian koel. This species is not commonon the Palnis. 

47. _Centropus sinensis_. The common coucal or crow-pheasant. Thisis not very common. 

THE PSITTACIDÆ OR PARROT FAMILY

48. _Palæornis columboides_. The blue-winged paroquet. 

49. _Loriculus vernalis_. The Indian loriquet or love-bird. 

THE STRIGIDÆ OR OWL FAMILY

50. _Ketupa zeylonensis_. The brown fish-owl. A large bird withaigrettes. The eyes are bright yellow. The legs are devoid of feathers. The call is a series of grunts. 

THE VULTURIDÆ OR VULTURE FAMILY

51. _Neophron ginginianus_. The smaller white scavenger vulture. This occurs up to at least 5000 feet. Fairbank did not observe anyother vultures on the higher hills, but it is unlikely that_Pseudogyps bengalensis_ (the white-backed vulture), _Gyps indicus_(the long-billed vulture), and _Otogyps calvus_ (the black orPondicherry vulture) do not visit the higher hills. These three birdsshould be looked for, especially the first. 

THE FALCONIDÆ OR FAMILY OF BIRDS OF PREY

52. _Ictinaëtus malayensis_. The black eagle. Not very common. 

53. _Milvus govinda_. The common pariah kite. Fairbank did not seethis above 3000 feet. 

54. _Haliastur indus_. The Brahmany kite. Occurs up to at least 4000feet. 

55. _Tinnunculus alaudarius_. The kestrel. 

THE COLUMBIDÆ OR DOVE FAMILY

56. _Alsocomus elphistonii_. The Nilgiri wood-pigeon. 

The spotted and the little brown doves (_Turtur suratensis_ and _T. Cambayensis_) are found only on the lower hills. 

THE PHASIANIDÆ OR PHEASANT FAMILY

57. _Gallus sonnerati_. The grey jungle fowl. Not so common as onthe Nilgiris. 

58. _Galloperdix spadicea_. The red spur-fowl. Not common. 

59. _Microperdix erythrorhynchus_. The painted bush-quail. 

THE CHARADRIIDÆ OR PLOVER FAMILY

A few snipe and woodcock visit the Palnis in winter. 

THE PODICIPEDIDÆ OR GREBE FAMILY

60. _Podicipes albipennis_. The little grebe or dabchick. This birdnever leaves the water. It is smaller than a dove. It has no tail. It is dark glossy brown in colour with chestnut on the sides of theneck. 

_APPENDICES__I. Vernacular Names of Himalayan Birds__II. Vernacular Names of Nilgiri Birds_

_I. VERNACULAR NAMES OF HIMALAYAN BIRDS_

Ababil . . . . . . . Swallow

Akku . . . . . . . . Common cuckoo

Argul . . . . . . . Lammergeyer

Ban-bakra . . . . . Black bulbul, rusty-cheeked scimitar-babbler

Ban-sarrah . . . . . Black-throated jay

Ban-titar . . . . . Hill partridge

Bara bharao . . . . Large hawk-cuckoo

Batasi . . . . . . . Indian swift

Bater . . . . . . . Quail

Bhimraj . . . . . . Racquet-tailed drongo

Boukotako . . . . . Indian cuckoo

Bulaka . . . . . . . Brown wood-owl

Bulbul . . . . . . . Bulbul

Bunchil . . . . . . Cheer pheasant

Chakru . . . . . . . Chakor partridge

Chaman . . . . . . . Cheer pheasant

Chanjarol . . . . . Woodcock

Chil . . . . . . . . Kite

Chir . . . . . . . . Cheer pheasant

Chitla . . . . . . . Spotted dove

Chitroka fakhta . . Spotted dove

Chota fakhta . . . . Little brown dove

Chukar . . . . . . . Chakor partridge

Digg-dall . . . . . Blue magpie

Dhal kowa . . . . . Corby

Dhor fakhta . . . . Ring-dove

Dogra chil . . . . . Crested serpent eagle

Durkal . . . . . . . Black bulbul

Gagi . . . . . . . . Slaty-headed paroquet

Gidh . . . . . . . . Vulture

Gir-chaondia . . . . White-capped redstart

Gonriya . . . . . . House-sparrow

Gugi . . . . . . . . Ring-dove

Herril . . . . . . . Cheer pheasant

Hud-hud . . . . . . Hoopoe

Il . . . . . . . . . Kite

Jel butara . . . . . Himalayan pied kingfisher

Jumiz . . . . . . . Imperial eagle

Kabk . . . . . . . . Chakor partridge

Kaindal . . . . . . Hill partridge

Kalesur . . . . . . Kalij pheasant

Kalij . . . . . . . Kalij pheasant

Kali-pholia . . . . White-capped redstart

Kaljit . . . . . . . Himalayan whistling-thrush

Kangskiri . . . . . Spotted dove

Kastura . . . . . . Himalayan whistling-thrush, grey-winged ouzel

Kasturi . . . . . . Grey-winged ouzel

Koak . . . . . . . . Koklas pheasant

Koin . . . . . . . . Indian turtle-dove

Kokia-kak . . . . . Himalayan tree-pie

Kokla . . . . . . . Kokla green-pigeon, koklas pheasant

Koklas . . . . . . . Koklas pheasant

Kolsa . . . . . . . Kalij pheasant

Krishen-patti . . . Blue-headed rock-thrush

Kuil . . . . . . . . Koel

Kukera . . . . . . . Kalij pheasant

Kukku . . . . . . . Cuckoo

Kukrola . . . . . . Koklas pheasant

Kupak . . . . . . . Common hawk-cuckoo

Kupwah . . . . . . . Cuckoo

Kyphulpakka . . . . Indian cuckoo

Kyphulpakki . . . . Indian cuckoo

Machi bagh . . . . . Himalayan pied kingfisher

Madana suga . . . . Slaty-headed paroquet

Maina . . . . . . . Myna

Miouli . . . . . . . Great Himalayan barbet

Mohrhaita . . . . . Changeable hawk-eagle

Moraugi . . . . . . Bonelli's eagle

Neoul . . . . . . . Great Himalayan barbet

Nilkant . . . . . . Blue magpie

Niltau . . . . . . . Rufous-bellied niltava

Okhab . . . . . . . Lammergeyer

Pahari maina . . . . Jungle myna

Pahari tuiya . . . . Slaty-headed paroquet

Painju . . . . . . . White-cheeked bulbul

Panduk . . . . . . . Dove

Patariya masaicha . Grey-winged ouzel

Perki . . . . . . . Dove

Peunra . . . . . . . Hill partridge

Phupu . . . . . . . Cuckoo

Pilak . . . . . . . Oriole

Plas . . . . . . . . Koklas pheasant

Pokras . . . . . . . Koklas pheasant

Popiya . . . . . . . Common hawk-cuckoo

Puli . . . . . . . . Spotted wing

Ram chakru . . . . . Hill partridge

Roli . . . . . . . . Hill partridge

Sadal . . . . . . . Changeable hawk-eagle

Safed gidh . . . . . Scavenger vulture

Sahili . . . . . . . Scarlet minivet

Sahim . . . . . . . Ashy drongo

Sakdudu . . . . . . Hoopoe

Satangal . . . . . . Imperial eagle

Shah bulbul . . . . Paradise flycatcher

Sibia . . . . . . . Sibia

Sim kukra . . . . . Woodcock

Sim tital . . . . . Woodcock

Takpo . . . . . . . Indian cuckoo

Toitru fakhta . . . Little brown dove

Traiho . . . . . . . Great Himalayan barbet

Tuktola . . . . . . Western-Himalayan scaly-bellied green woodpecker

Turkan . . . . . . . Western-Himalayan pied woodpecker

Tusal . . . . . . . Bar-tailed cuckoo-dove

Tutitar . . . . . . Woodcock

Ulak . . . . . . . . Corby

Zakki . . . . . . . Brown flycatcher

Zird phutki . . . . Grey-headed flycatcher

_II. VERNACULAR NAMES OF NILGIRI BIRDS_

Adavikodi . . . . . Grey jungle-fowl

Adavi nalla gedda . Black eagle

Adiki lam kuravi . . Sparrow

Boli kadi . . . . . White-breasted water-hen

Boli kodi . . . . . Moorhen

Buchi gadu . . . . . White-breasted kingfisher

Buruta pitta . . . . Indian skylark

Chandul . . . . . . Crested lark

Chilluka . . . . . . Paroquet

Chinna ulanka . . . Wood sandpiper

Chinna wallur . . . Shikra

Chitlu jitta . . . . Nilgiri flower-pecker

Chitti bella guwa . Little brown dove

Dasari pitta . . . . Scimitar-babbler, fantail flycatcher

Garud alawa . . . . Brahmany kite

Garuda mantaru . . . Brahmany kite

Gola kokila . . . . Pied crested cuckoo

Goranka . . . . . . Common myna

Gudi konga . . . . . Paddy bird

Guli gadu . . . . . White-backed vulture

Gurapa madi jitta . Indian pipit

Jali dega . . . . . Shikra

Jambri kodi . . . . Moorhen

Jitta kodi . . . . . Red spear-fowl

Jutu pitta . . . . . Crested lark

Kadai . . . . . . . Painted bush quail

Kakka . . . . . . . Black crow

Kakki . . . . . . . Black crow

Kakkara jinuwayi . . Spotted munia

Kalli kaka . . . . . Crow-pheasant

Kalu prandu . . . . Kite

Kaltu koli . . . . . Grey jungle-fowl

Killi . . . . . . . Paroquet

Kokku . . . . . . . Paddy bird

Konda lati . . . . . Red-vented bulbul

Kumpa nalanchi . . . Pied bush-chat

Kundeli salawa . . . Bonelli's eagle

Kutti pitta . . . . Hawk-cuckoo

Lak muka . . . . . . White-breasted kingfisher

Likku jitta . . . . Tailor-bird

Machayarya . . . . . Fantail flycatcher

Malla gedda . . . . Kite

Manam badi . . . . . Indian skylark

Manati . . . . . . . Fantail flycatcher

Manju tiridi . . . . Scavenger vulture

Meta kali . . . . . Indian pipit

Namala pitta . . . . Scimitar-babbler

Nella borawa . . . . Pondicherry vulture

Niala pichiki . . . Indian skylark

Nila buchi gadu . . Common kingfisher

Papa . . . . . . . . Scavenger vulture

Papa parundu . . . . Scavenger vulture

Paria prandu . . . . Kite

Pedda sida . . . . . Jungle babbler

Pigli pitta . . . . Red-vented bulbul

Pit pitta . . . . . Ashy wren-warbler

Pittri gedda . . . . Scavenger vulture

Poda bella guwa . . Spotted dove

Puli pora . . . . . Spotted dove

Rajali . . . . . . . Bonelli's eagle

Sarrava koli . . . . Red spur-fowl

Sowata guwa . . . . Little brown dove

Tangada goranka . . Pied crested cuckoo

Tella borawa . . . . Scavenger vulture

Than kudi . . . . . Sunbird

Tinna kuruvi . . . . Spotted munia

Tondala doshi gadu . Kestrel

Tondala muchi gedda kestrel

Tonka pigli pitta . Paradise flycatcher

Torra jinuwayi . . . Red munia

Touta pora . . . . . Little brown dove

Turaka pigli pitta . Hill or red-whiskered bulbul

Uri pichiki . . . . Sparrow

Vichuli . . . . . . White-breasted kingfisher

Wal konda lati . . . Paradise flycatcher

Yerra belinchi . . . Rufous-backed shrike

Yerra kodi . . . . . Red spur-fowl

INDEX

Abrornis superciliaris, 113

Accipiter cooperi, 171

Aceros nepalensis, 122

Acridotheres tristis, 60, 199, 240

Actinodura egertoni, 110

Ægithaliscus erythrocephalus, 41, 106

Æthiopsar fuscus, 61, 199, 239

Æthopyga nepalensis, 119

-- scheriæ, 76

Alauda gulgula, 210

ALAUDIDÆ, 210

ALCEDINIDÆ, 79, 121, 215, 243

Alcedo ispida, 215

Alcippe nepalensis, 109

Alcurus striatus, 112

Alder, 22

Almora, 22, 29, 41 _seq. _, 51, 54, 59, 65, 67, 87, 97

Alseonax latirostris, 63, 115

Alsocomus elphistonii, 226, 246

Amadavat, 205

Amaranthus, 25

Amaurornis phoenicurus, 230

Anamallis, 236

Andaman Islands, 217

Anemone, 18, 25

"Animal colouration, " 171

Anthipes moniliger, 116

Anthus nilgirensis, 209

-- rufulus, 209

Aquila helica, 125

Arachnecthra asiatica, 210

-- lotenia, 212

-- minima, 211, 242

-- zeylonica, 212

Arboricola torqueola, 104, 126

ARDEIDÆ, 230

Ardeola grayii, 231

Argul, 92

Arisæma jacque-montii, 53

Astur badius, 224

Babblers, 42 _seq. _, 48, 107, 109, 111, 187, 236

Babul, 16

Bageswar, 23

Baker, Stuart, 84

Baldwin, 100

Banbakra, 45, 143

Barakheri stream, 20

Barbets, 26, 79, 121, 174 _seq. _, 214, 243

Bar-wing, rufous, 110

Bee-eater, 27

Begonia, 17

Benog, 102

Berberry, 17

Bhabar, 15

Bhimraj, 55

Bhim Tal, 20

Bhotias, 23

Birch, 17

"Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin, " 142

Birds of prey, 125

Blanford, 85

Blood-pheasant, 99

Blue jay, 27

Borax, 23

Boukotako, 85

Brachypodinæ, 138

Brachypternus aurantius, 243

Brain-fever bird, 83, 86, 219

British Museum, 172

Broken Pekoe Bird, 85

BUCEROTIDÆ, 122

Bulbul, 27, 35, 42, 49, 50 _seq. _, 112, 138

Buller, Sir Walter, 171

Buntings, 72

Burma, 152

Bush-chat, 66 _seq. _

Butcher-birds, 56

Caccabis chucar, 103

Calls of birds, 36

Campophaga melanoschista, 114

Cape, the, 18

CAPITONIDÆ, 79, 121, 214, 243

CAPRIMULGIDÆ, 218

Carpodacus erythrinus, 207

Catreus wellichi, 101

Centauria, 18, 25

Centropus sinensis, 219, 244

Cephalopyrus flammiceps, 48

Certhia discolor, 113

-- himalayana, 55

CERTHIIDÆ, 55, 113

Ceryle lugubris, 79, 121

Chætura indica, 216

-- nudipes, 123

Chakor, 103

Chalcophaps indica, 98

Chaptia ænea, 237

CHARADRIIDÆ, 104, 126, 229, 246

Cheer, 100

Chimarrhornis leucocephalus, 69

Chloropsis malabarica, 191

Choughs, 25, 29, 30, 106

Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus, 83

Chrysocolaptes gutticristatus, 214, 242

Coccystes jacobinus, 219

Collocalia francicia, 217

-- fuciphaga, 217

Colorado, 18

Colt's-foot, 17, 25

COLUMBIDÆ, 97, 125, 225, 246

Columbines, 17, 25

Coonoor, 186, 196, 199, 206 _seq. _, 212, 214

Coppersmith, 26, 215

Copschychus saularis, 241

Coracias indica, 32

Corby, 26, 29

CORVIDÆ, 29, 105, 185, 235

Corvus macrorhyncus, 29, 105, 185, 235

-- splendens, 29, 87

Coturnix communis, 102, 126

Coucal, 219

CRATEROPODIDÆ, 42, 49, 107, 187, 236

Crateropus canorus, 188

Crow, 105, 235

-- black, 35

-- grey-necked, 22

-- jungle, 29

Cryptolopha Jerdoni, 148

-- xanthoschista, 56, 146

Cuckoo-dove, 99, 125

Cuckoo, European, 26

Cuckoos, 82 _seq. _, 123, 219, 244

Cuckoo-shrike, 114

CUCULIDÆ, 82, 123, 219, 244

Cuculus canorus, 82, 84, 123

-- micropterus, 85, 124

-- poliocephalus, 123

-- saturatus, 85, 123

Culicicapa ceylonensis, 63, 202, 241

Cuming, E. D. , 137

Cyanops franklini, 121

Cyornis melanoleucus, 117

-- rubeculoides, 116

-- superciliaris, 63, 115

-- tickelli, 202, 241

Cypress, 17

CYPSELIDÆ, 81, 123, 216, 244

Cypselus affinis, 81, 244

-- melba, 82

Dabchick, 247

Daisies, 17, 25

Dandelion, 17, 25

Darjeeling, 105 _seq. _, 107, 109 _seq. _, 113 _seq. _, 115, 117 _seq. _, 125, 136

Darwinian theory, 171

Davison, 191, 228

Delhi, 24

Dendrocitta himalayensis, 31, 106

-- rufa, 236

Dendrocopus auriceps, 77 _seq. _

-- cathpharius, 120

-- himalayensis, 78

Deodar, 17, 22

Dhakuri, 24 _seq. _

Dhanpur, 23

Dhobi bird, 67, 153

DICÆIDÆ, 77, 119, 212, 242

Dicæum concolor, 213, 242

-- erythrorhyncus, 213, 242

-- ignipectus, 77, 119

DICRURIDÆ, 53, 113, 196, 237

Dicrurus ater, 53, 141

-- longicaudatus, 54, 113

Dig-dall, 31

Dimorphism, 83

Dissemurus paradiseus, 55

Dove, 26, 97, 125, 225, 246

Drongo, 53, 113, 196, 237

Ducula cuprea, 225

Eagles, 93, 125, 245

Eastern Himalayas, 105

Edelweiss, 18, 25

"Eha, " 50, 139, 204

Emberiza stewarti, 73

-- stracheyi, 72

Eudynamis honorata, 83, 86, 219, 244

-- taitensis, 171

Eulabes religiosa, 240

EULABETIDÆ, 240

Evergreen oaks, 17

"Exile, " 95

Fairbank, Dr. , 235, 239 _seq. _, 244, 246

Fairy blue-chat, 64

FALCONIDÆ, 93, 125, 223, 245

Finches, 71, 118, 207, 241

Finn, 136, 221

Fir, silver, 17

Flower-peckers, 77, 119, 212, 242

Flycatchers, 22, 27, 56, 62 _seq. _, 114 _seq. _, 200, 240

"Forests of Upper India, " 18

Forktail, 117, 151 _seq. _

Francolinus vulgaris, 103, 126

FRINGILLIDÆ, 71, 118, 207, 241

Gagar, 20 _seq. _

Galerita cristata, 210

Gallinula chloropus, 230

Galloperdix spadicea, 228, 246

Gallus ferrugineus, 228

-- lafayetti, 228

-- sonnerati, 228, 246

Game birds, 99

Garhwal, 76

Garrulax albigularis, 44, 107

-- leucolophus, 107

Garrulus bispecularis, 33, 106

-- glandarius, 34

-- lanceolatus, 33

Garwalis, 23

Gecinus chlorolophus, 120

-- occipitalis, 120

-- squamatus, 78

Gennæus albicristatus, 100

-- leucomelanus, 125

Gentians, 17, 25

Glaucidium brodiei, 89, 124

Gneiss, 19

Godavery, 228

Gola river, 20

Grackles, 240

Graculus eremita, 30, 106

Grammatophila striata, 108

Granite, 18 _seq. _

Grebes, 247

Green-pigeon, 26

Grey-backed shrike, 58

Grey-headed flycatcher, 63, 146

Grey-winged ouzel, 158

Griffon, 92

Griff's pheasant, 220

Grosbeaks, 71, 164

Gypætus barbatus, 92

Gyps himalayensis, 92, 124

-- indicus, 222, 245

Gurkhas, 22

Hæmatospiza sipahi, 118

Halcyon smyrnensis, 216

Haliastur indus, 224, 246

Hawk-cuckoo, 86

Hemichelidon ferruginea, 116

-- sibirica, 116

Henicurus maculatus, 67, 117, 151, 158

Herons, 230

Hieraëtus fasciatus, 125, 223

-- pennatus, 93

Hierococcyx sparverioides, 86, 124, 219

-- varius, 83, 86, 124, 219, 244

Himalayas, 13 _seq. _

HIRUNDINIDÆ, 73, 119, 208, 242

Hirundo erythropygia, 208

-- javanica, 208

-- nepalensis, 74, 119

-- rustica, 74, 119

Hodgson's hawk-eagle, 95

Hoopoes, 80, 244

Hornbills, 122

Horse-chestnut, 17, 22

House-crow, 26, 29

Houses of the hill folk, 21

Hume, 44, 102, 154

Hutton, 94, 176

Hypacanthis spinoides, 71

Hypopicus hypererythrus, 78, 120

Hypsipetes, 140

-- ganeesa, 195, 237

-- psaroides, 51, 112, 140, 142

Ianthocincla ocellata, 107

-- rufigularis, 45, 107

Ictinaëtus malayensis, 125, 223, 245

Idle schoolboy, 154

Impeyan pheasant, 99

Iole icteria, 194, 237

Ixulus flavicollis, 110

Jays, 27, 29, 32 _seq. _, 36 _seq. _, 106

Jerdon, 39, 47, 64, 74, 81, 108, 116, 137, 142, 152, 176, 190, 191, 220

Jungle-fowl, 226

Jungle myna, 60

Juniper, 17

Kalij, 100

Kalimat mountain, 22

Kashmir, 75, 228

Kathgodam, 19, 21

Kestrel, 96, 125, 246

Ketupa zeylonensis, 221, 245

Khairna, 46

King-crow, 22, 53

Kingfishers, 79, 121, 215, 243

Kite, 27, 35, 96, 125, 246

Kodikanal, 235 _seq. _

Koel, 22, 26, 83, 86, 219

Kokla green-pigeon, 125

Koklas pheasant, 100 _seq. _

Kosi river, 46

Kumaun, 81

Kumaunis, 23

Kuphini river, 25

Kyphulpakka, 85

"Lahore to Yarkand, " 148

Lal, 205 _seq. _

Laldana Binaik pass, 21

Lammergeyer, 92

Landour, 81

LANIIDÆ, 56, 114, 198, 238

Lanius cristatus, 198

-- erythronotus, 57, 198, 238

-- nigriceps, 58

-- tephronotus, 58, 114

-- vittatus, 57

Larks, 210

Laughing-thrushes, 27, 42 _seq. _, 107

Liopicus mahrattensis, 243

Lioptila capistrata, 47, 109

Liothrix lutea, 110, 133

Lobelia excelsa, 197, 200

Lophophanes melanopterus, 41

Lophospizias trivirgatus, 224

Loriculus vernalis, 221, 245

Love-bird, 245

Machlolophus haplonotus, 186, 236

-- spilonotus, 106

-- xanthogenys, 40

Macropteryx coronata, 217

Macropygia tusalia, 99, 125

Madras, 212

Magpie, blue, 27, 30 _seq. _

Magpie-robin, 22, 27

Maidenhair, 17

"Making of Species, " 171

Malabar whistling-thrush, 154, 237

Mango, 16

Marshall, Colonel, 149

Megalæma marshallorum, 79, 121, 174

Megalæmas, 175, 178

Merula boulboul, 69, 118, 158

-- simillima, 204, 241

Microcichla scouleri, 117

Microperdix erythrorhynchus, 229, 246

Milvus govinda, 96, 125, 223, 245

-- melanotis, 96

Minla igneitincta, 111

Minivets, 58, 114, 198

Mohrhaita, 94

Molpastes, 138

-- bengalensis, 50

-- hæmorrhous, 191, 237

-- leucogenys, 51, 112

Monal pheasant, 25

Monaul, 99

Moss, hanging, 17

Motacilla maderaspatensis, 208

-- melanope, 75

MOTACILLIDÆ, 75, 119, 208, 242

Mountain-thrush, 118

Munia, 205

Murree, 56, 59, 78, 146

MUSCICAPIDÆ, 62, 114, 200, 240

Mussoorie, 26, 42, 45, 49, 59, 86, 89, 94, 97, 103, 136

Mycerobas, 164

-- melanoxanthus, 164

Myna, 22, 27, 37, 44, 60, 199, 240

Myiophoneus horsfieldi, 237

-- temmincki, 46, 109, 154

Naini Tal, 20, 33, 42, 46, 51, 53, 56, 59, 64 _seq. _, 75 _seq. _, 86, 94, 146, 149, 158, 163

NECTARINIDÆ, 76, 119, 210, 242

Neophron ginginianus, 90, 222, 245

Nepalese, 23

New Zealand, 171

Nightjars, 218

Nilgiris, 37, 42

-- common birds of the, 183

Nilkhant, 31

Niltava grandis, 115

-- macgrigoriæ, 115

-- sundara, 64, 115

Nim, 16

Nucifraga hemispila, 39

-- multipunctata, 39

Nutcrackers, 38

Nuthatch, 42, 52, 113, 195

Oak, 17

-- forest, 24

Oates, 133, 146, 148, 206, 208

Ochromela nigrirufa, 201, 240

Oology of cuckoos, 84

Ootacamund 186, 206 _seq. _, 219, 221, 230 _seq. _

Orchid, 18

Oreicola ferrea, 66

Oreocincla dauma, 70

-- molissima, 118

-- nilgirensis, 205

Oreocorys sylvanus, 75, 119

Oriental region, 28

Orioles, 59, 199

ORIOLIDÆ, 59, 199, 239

Oriolus kundoo, 59, 165, 199

-- melanocephalus, 165, 199, 239

Orthotomus sartorius, 145, 196, 238

Otocompsa, 138, 147

-- emeria, 50

-- fuscicaudata, 192, 237

Otogyps calvus, 222, 245

Ouzel, 118

-- grey-winged, 69, 158 _seq. _

Owlets, spotted, 27

Owls, 88, 124, 221, 245

Paddy bird, 27

Palæarctic region, 28

Palæornis columboides, 220, 244

-- cyanocephalus, 88

-- schisticeps, 87, 124

-- torquatus, 87

Palm, 16

Palni Hills, common birds of the, 235 _seq. _

Paradise flycatcher, 64

Paroquets, 26

Parrots, 87, 124, 244

Partridges, 102

Partridge, hill, 126

Parus atriceps, 42, 106, 186

-- monticola, 40, 106, 128

Passer cinamomeus, 72

-- domesticus, 207, 241

-- montanus, 118

Pathargarhi muta, 21

Pea-fowl, 220

Pekin-robin, 110, 133

Pericrocotus brevirostris, 58, 114

-- flammeus, 199, 238

-- peregrinus, 238

-- speciosus, 58

Petrophila cinclorhynca, 70, 118

Pharaoh's chicken, 91

PHASIANIDÆ, 99, 125, 226, 246

Pheasants, 125, 246

PICIDÆ, 77, 119, 213, 242

Piculets, 121

Picumnus innominatus, 121

Pies, 29

Pigeon, green, 97

Pindari glacier, 19 _seq. _

-- river, 25

-- road, 23

Pine, 22

Pinus longifolia, 17

Pipits, 75, 119, 209

Plantain, 16

PLOCEIDÆ, 205

Plovers, 104, 126, 229, 246

Plumbeous redstart, 69

Pneopyga squamata, 113

PODICIPEDIDÆ, 247

Podicipes albipennis, 247

Pomatorhinus erythrogenys, 45, 108

-- horsfieldi, 188, 236

-- schisticeps, 108

Pratincola atrata, 204, 241

-- maura, 67

Prinia inorata, 238

-- socialis, 146, 197, 238

Psaroglossa spiloptera, 49

Pseudogyps bengalensis, 91, 124, 222, 245

PSITTACIDÆ, 87, 124, 220, 244

Ptyonoprogne rupestris, 74

Pucrasia macrolopha, 101

Puli, 49

Puttani kurivi, 187

Pycnorhamphus, 164

-- icteroides, 71, 164

Pyrrhocorax alpinus, 30, 106

Pyrrhopicus pyrrhotis, 120

Quail, 102, 126

Quartz, 18 _seq. _

Rails, 230

Rajpur, 26, 86

RALLIDÆ, 230

Ramganga stream, 21

Ranibagh, 20

Raspberries, 17

Rattray, Colonel, 167

Redstart, 118

Red waxbill, 206

Red-whiskered bulbul, 50

Rhipidura albifrontata, 202, 241

-- allicollis, 115

-- pectoralis, 202

Rhododendron, 17, 21, 24

Rhyacornis fuliginosus, 69, 118

Ring-dove, 98

Robin, Indian, 27

Rock-thrush, 70, 118

Rohilkhand, 19

-- and Kumaun Railway, 19

Roller, Indian, 32

Rose-finch, 207

Rufous-backed shrike, 57

-- chinned laughing-thrush, 45

Sal, 16

Sarju river, 23 _seq. _

Sasia ochracea, 121

Sath bhai, 188

Sat Tal, 20

Scavenger vulture, 27

Scimitar-babblers, 45, 108

Scolopax rusticola, 104, 126

Scops spilocephalus, 89, 124

Scully, 176

Seven sisters, 27, 35, 43

Sharpe, 172

Shesham, 16

Shikra, 224

Shorea robusta, 16

Shrikes, 56 _seq. _, 114, 198

Sibia, 42, 47

Simla, 31

Siphia strophiata, 117

Sitta frontalis, 195, 237

-- himalayensis, 52, 113

SITTIDÆ, 52, 113, 195, 237

Siva, 110

Small-billed mountain-thrush, 70

Snow-cocks, 99

-- pigeons, 25

Sparrow, 72

Sphenocercus sphenurus, 97, 125

Spilornis cheela, 95, 125

Spiræa, 22

Spizaëtus limnaëtus, 93

-- nepalensis, 93

Sporæginthus amandava, 206

Spotted forktail, 67, 151

-- wing, 49

Stachyrhidopsis ruficeps, 109

Stachyrhis nigriceps, 109

Starlings, 60, 199, 239

Stoparola albicaudata, 201, 241

-- melanops, 62, 115

"Stray feathers, " 239

Streaked laughing-thrush, 43

STRIGIDÆ, 88, 124, 221, 245

Strobilanthes whitiani, 228

STURNIDÆ, 60, 199, 239

Sturnus humii, 60

Sual river, 21

Sunbirds, 76, 119, 210, 242

Suya atrigularis, 114

Swallows, 73, 119, 208, 242

Swifts, 73, 81 _seq. _, 123, 216, 244

SYLVIIDÆ, 55, 113, 196, 238

Syrnium indrani, 89, 124, 221

Takula, 22

Tamarind, 16

Tarai, 15

Temenuchus pagodarum, 240

Temperature, 28

Terpsiphone affinis, 115

-- paradisi, 64, 203

Thereiceryx, 175

-- viridis, 215, 243

-- zeylonicus, 215

Thrushes, 35, 37, 46, 66, 117, 204, 241

Tibet, 18

Tibetans, 23

Tinnunculus alaudarius, 96, 125, 224, 246

Tits, 27, 29, 35, 39 _seq. _, 106, 111, 129

Totanus glareola, 230

Townsend, 178

Tragopans, 99

Tree-creepers, 42, 113

-- pie, 31, 106

-- sparrow, 118

Trochalopterum cachinnans, 189

-- chrysopterum, 107

-- erythrocephalum, 45

-- fairbanki, 236

-- lineatum, 43

-- squamatum, 108

Tun, 22

TURDIDÆ, 66, 117, 204, 241

Turtur cambayensis, 98, 226, 246

-- ferago, 98

-- risorius, 98

-- suratensis, 98, 125, 226, 246

Upupa epops, 80

-- indica, 244

UPUPIDÆ, 80, 244

Urocissa flavirostris, 31

-- occipitalis, 31, 159

Uroloncha pectoralis, 206

-- punctulata, 205

Violet cuckoo, 83

VULTURIDÆ, 89, 124, 221, 245

Wagtails, 75, 119, 208, 242

Warblers, 42, 55, 113, 196, 238

Warbler of distinction, 145

Water-robin, 69, 118

Weaver-birds, 205

Weber (_Forests of Upper India_), 18

Western Himalayas, 29

Whistling-thrushes, 42, 46, 237

White-capped redstart, 69

White-cheeked bulbul, 51

White-eyes, 35, 42, 47

White, Gilbert, 38

White-throated laughing-thrush, 44

Wilson, 101

Woodcock, 126

Woodpecker, 27, 42, 77 _seq. _, 119, 213, 242

Wren, 55, 113

Xantholæma hæmatocephala, 174

Yuhina gularis, 111

Zosterops palpebrosa, 47, 110, 190, 236

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR_

ANIMALS OF NO IMPORTANCE. THE INDIAN CROW--HIS BOOK. BOMBAY DUCKS. BIRDS OF THE PLAINS. INDIAN BIRDS. JUNGLE FOLK. GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS. 

_IN COLLABORATION WITH FRANK FINN_

THE MAKING OF SPECIES.