Indian Birds: Being a Key to the Common Birds of the Plains of India

by Douglas Dewar

Key to the Common Swallows

A.—Tail short. a. Under parts light—Cotile sinensis. b. Under parts dark—Ptyonoprogne concolor. B.—Tail long and forked. a. Chestnut red on forehead, chin, and throat—Hirundo rustica. b. Head only chestnut, under parts white, outer tail feathers very long and wire-like—H. smithii. c. Chestnut on lower back—H. erythropygia.

The Wagtails, 91-94

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pipits, 95 and 96

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Larks, 97-103

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bush Larks, 99 and 100

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Crested Larks, 101-103

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bombay and Travancore.

The Finch-Larks, 104 and 105

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Sunbirds, or Honeysuckers, 106-108

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hen: Upper plumage earthy brown, lower plumage yellow.

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

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

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

Hen: Upper plumage earthy brown, lower parts yellow.

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

The Pittas, 109

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

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

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

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

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

The Woodpeckers, 110 and 111

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

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

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

Not found in Eastern Bengal and Assam.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Barbets, 113 and 114

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bee-eaters, 116 and 117

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Kingfishers, 118-120

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hornbills, 121 and 122

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hoopoes, 123

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

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

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

The Swifts, 124 and 125

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

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

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

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

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

The Nightjars, 126 and 127

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cuckoos, 128-131

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is parasitic on crows.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Green Parrots, 132-134

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Owls, 135-139

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

[135]. Athene brama: The Spotted Owlet. (F. 1180), (J. 76), (II.)

A small owl; upper plumage earthy brown or grey in colour, copiously spotted and barred with white. Lower plumage white with dark brown spots and cross bars.

It comes out long before sunset and pours forth a volley of chuckles and squeaks; two of these individuals often shouting at once. When it catches sight of a human being it stares at him with its bright golden orbs and, as Eha observes, bows with sarcastic effect. No one who has dwelt any length of time in India can fail to have remarked this very noisy little owl. It nests in holes of trees or in the walls of bungalows. This is the only owl which can be classed as a familiar bird. Three other species, however, are often seen, namely (Illus. B. D., p. 256; also B. P., p. 94, and B. B., p. 29):

[136]. Strix flammea: The Barn Owl or Screech Owl. (F. 1152), (J. 60), (IV.)

This is a reddish-brown bird barred with narrow white and black bars. It has a long heart-shaped face, which is white.

It is very nocturnal in its habits; when it does get abroad in the daytime it is promptly mobbed by the crows. Its cry is a weird screech, and it is regarded by the people as a bird of evil omen.

[137]. Asio accipitrinus: The Short-eared Owl. (F. 1157), (J. 68), (+IV.)

A large buff bird barred all over with dark brown. It lies up during the day in grass, and is often flushed by sportsmen. Sometimes three or four are flushed together. It is a winter visitor to India.

[138]. Scops giu: The Scops Owl. (F. 1173), (J. 74), (-II.)

This may be distinguished from the spotted owlet by the fact that it possesses “horns” or ear-tufts. Like most other owls it is heard more often than seen. Its note, which must be familiar to all who have camped in India, is a single hoot, which is repeated monotonously at regular intervals of about ten seconds.

[139]. Glaucidium radiatum: The Jungle Owlet. (F. 1184), (J. 78), (-II.)

This owl is very like [135] in appearance, and has a peculiar protracted call which must be familiar to those who have camped in the U. P.

It does not appear to occur in the N.W. F. P., the Punjab, the Deccan, or Bombay.

[140]. Pandion haliaëtus: The Osprey. (F. 1189), (J. 40), (-V.)

This looks very like a kite when seen as it perches on a stone, but is distinguishable from the kite by the fact that its head and neck are white, save for a broad dark band which runs from the eye down the side of the neck.

When seeking for food, however, nothing is easier than to identify the osprey. Like the pied kingfisher the great bird poises itself in the air on quivering wings high above the water. Suddenly its wings close and it drops down like a falling stone and disappears into the water with a huge splash, to emerge a second or two later with a fish in its talons.

In the cold weather the osprey is to be seen in most places where there are large jhils or backwaters.

The Vultures, 141-145

These are huge birds of prey which feed exclusively on carrion. They are distinguished by the fact that their head and neck are destitute of feathers. A large bird of prey with bare head and neck is undoubtedly a vulture.

Vultures, as everyone knows, stay for hours floating on outstretched wings high up in the air, looking out for dead animals. Kites and other birds of prey remain for long periods on the wing; they, too, can sail and soar, but they do not literally hang in the air as the vultures do. As these latter float in the air it will be observed that their wings project straight out at right angles to the body. The commonest species of vulture are:

[141]. Otogyps calvus: The Black or Pondicherry Vulture. (F. 1191), (J. 2), (+V, nearly twice the size of the kite.)

A black bird with a red head, a white waist-coat, and a white patch on each thigh.

Rare in the Punjab and Sind.

[142]. Gyps indicus: The Indian Long-billed Vulture. (F. 1194), (J. 4), (+V, over a yard in length.)

Uniform brownish grey; the hue varying with individuals.

Not found in Sind.

[143]. Pseudogyps bengalensis: The Indian White-backed Vulture. (F. 1196), (J. 5), (+V. Between [141] and [142] in size.)

This is the commonest vulture in India. It is very dark grey, almost black. The naked head is rather lighter than the rest of the body. The lower back is white, and this makes the bird easy to identify. It has some white in the wings, and this during flight is visible as a broad white band that runs from the body nearly to the tip of the wing. Thus the wing from below appears to be white with very broad black edges. (Illus. B. B., p. 9.)

[144]. Neophron ginginianus: The Smaller White Scavenger Vulture. (F. 1197), (J. 6), (V.)

This familiar creature I have named “The ugliest bird in the world.” I reproduce the description of the bird from Bombay Ducks: “There is no other creature like unto it. It is about the size of a kite. Its plumage is dirty white, except the tips of the wings, which are shabby black. The neck is covered with feathers, which stick out like the back hairs of a schoolboy. These are, if possible, rather dirtier-looking than the rest of the plumage, and frequently assume a rusty hue. Its bill is yellow, so are its naked face and its legs. As ‘Eha’ remarks: ‘It does not stand upright like the true vultures, but carries its body like a duck and steps like a recruit.’ . . . It is a good flier, and when seen on the wing looks quite a respectable bird. The under parts of its wings appear pure white in the sunlight, and the black border gives them a finish.”

Young scavenger vultures are sooty brown when they leave the nest and look like a different species.

This creature feeds on human ordure and haunts the neighbourhood of latrines. It is known to Thomas Atkins as the Shawk. It is also called Pharaoh’s Chicken. (Illus. B. D., pp. 278 and 280.)

In the Punjab it is replaced by a species which resembles it in all characters, differing only in being a little larger. This species is:

[145]. Neophron percnopterus: The Egyptian Vulture, or Large White Scavenger Vulture. (F. 1198), (J. 6), (+V.)

The Birds of Prey, 146-162

This large family is composed of birds which bear so strong a family likeness that it is almost impossible to describe them in such a way as to enable the reader to identify them at sight. As with the owls, birds of prey are easily recognised as such, but to name any particular species baffles even professed ornithologists. To try to make out the raptores by their colour is, to use the words of Eha, “at the best a short road to despair. Naturalists learn to recognise them as David’s watchman recognised the courier who brought tidings of the victory over Absalom. ‘His running is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.’ Every bird of prey has its own character, some trick of flight, something in its figure and proportions which serves to distinguish it decisively.” What precisely this something is I am not in most cases able to state. I trust that before long Mr. C. H. Donald, or some other Indian falconer, will give us a little handbook on the birds of prey of this country. For my part I am able merely to attempt a description of two or three of the very commonest forms.

[146]. Aquila vindhiana: The Indian Tawny Eagle. (F. 1203), (J. 29), (+V.)

In colouring this bird is very like the common kite, but has not so long a tail; and its legs are feathered right down to the toe—this is the sign-manual of all the true eagles. A bird that looks like a kite with feathered legs is probably a tawny eagle—the commonest eagle in India, abundant everywhere save on the Malabar coast.

[147]. Butastur teesa: The White-eyed Buzzard. (F. 1220), (J. 48), (IV.)

This bird of prey is about the size of the common house crow. Eha writes, “A Buzzard’s idea of life is to sit upon a pole, or on top of a small tree commanding a good expanse of grass land, and to watch for a field mouse, or a lizard, or even a fat grasshopper. If you see a biggish, untidy hawk, of a sandy brown colour, more or less dashed with whitish, spending the morning in this way, you may put it down as Butastur teesa.” The sign-manual of this common bird is its white eye, and if you cannot get near enough to make this out with the aid of field glasses, you may still identify this species by the conspicuous white patch on the nape of the neck.

Very common in N. India; rare in the south.

[148]. Haliaëtus leucoryphus: Pallas’s Fishing Eagle. (F. 1223), (J. 42), (+V; nearly half as big again as the kite.)

A large brown bird with whitish forehead, chin, and throat, and a broad white band (4 inches wide) across the tail, about three inches from the tip. This is the sign-manual of this species, and on this account Jerdon calls it “The Ring-tailed Fish Eagle.”

Not found in S. India.

“All the fish-eagles,” writes C. H. Donald in The Indian Field, “have loud resonant calls, anything but melodious, and each and all seem to love hearing their own voices. H. leucoryphus in the plains of the Punjab may often be heard long before he is seen, particularly when soaring, and though he himself may only appear a wee speck in the heavens, his call will be distinctly heard.”

This bird frequents rivers and marshes, and is an inland rather than a seashore bird.

[149]. Haliaëtus leucogaster: The White-bellied Sea-Eagle. (F. 1224), (J. 43), (V. a little larger than the kite.)

Head, neck, lower parts, and nearly the whole of the tail white; other parts dark grey or brown. Jerdon calls this species the Grey-backed Sea-Eagle. This species is very seldom seen inland, and is easily distinguished from Nos. [148] and [150] by having the lower parts white instead of brown.

Col. Cunningham describes this species as “one of the most splendid of large raptorial birds, owing to the brilliant contrast of the snowy whiteness of the head and under surface, with the deep ashy tints of the wings and back. There are few more striking objects than one of them as he sits on a bare branch overhanging a tidal channel, glancing around with his bold black eyes, and with all his beautiful plumage gleaming in the bright sunlight.”

This is a very noisy species, especially at the breeding season.

[150]. Haliaëtus albicilla: The White-tailed Sea-Eagle. (F. 1225), (+V; half as big again as a kite.)

A large brown bird with a white tail, of which the middle feathers are considerably longer than the outer ones. By this character and by its loud cries may this bird be identified. It is only a winter visitor to India—to the Punjab, Sind, and the U. P.

[151]. Haliastur indus: The Brahminy Kite. (F. 1228), (J. 55), (-V.)

Of all the birds of prey this is perhaps the easiest to identify in its adult state. The head, neck, breast, and upper abdomen are white, the shaft of each white feather being black. The remainder of the plumage is a rich chestnut, almost maroon.

The young are very like the common kite in appearance, but may be distinguished when on the wing by the fact that the tail of the Brahminy is always rounded, while that of the kite is more or less forked.

This species is rare in the Punjab, common everywhere else. In Madras it sometimes swoops down and carries off a snipe that has been shot by a sportsman. Its cry is a peculiar squeaking wail. (Illus. B. D., p. 190.)

[152]. Milvus govinda: The Common Pariah Kite. (F. 1229), (J. 56), (V.)

Description of this ubiquitous bird is unnecessary. His long tail, slightly forked at the tip, suffices to distinguish him at a glance from all other raptorial birds. (Illus. B. D., p. 182; also B. P., p. 148.)

[153]. Circus macrurus: The Pale Harrier. (F. 1233), (J. 51), (+IV.)

[154]. Circus cineraceus: Montagu’s Harrier. (F. 1234), (J. 52), (+IV.)

[155]. Circus cyaneus: The Hen Harrier. (F. 1235), (J. 50), (-V.)

[156]. Circus melanoleucus: The Pied Harrier. (F. 1236), (J. 53), (+IV.)

[157]. Circus æruginosus: The Marsh Harrier. (F. 1237), (J. 54), (-V.)

I shall not attempt to describe these birds, as, although it may be possible to tell the male birds apart, the hens are so alike that to distinguish them is no easy matter. The ordinary man will doubtless be satisfied to call them all harriers.

Harriers are cold-weather visitors to India. They are striking-looking birds with long wings. They fly low, only a few inches above the level of the ground, ever on the look out for a lizard, a mouse, an insect, or even a small bird. They are larger than crows and smaller than kites. They hunt over fields and marshes, and are not seen in towns, but those who shoot must be familiar with them. (Illus. B. B., p. 15.)

[158]. Astur badius: The Shikra. (F. 1244), (J. 23), (+III.)

This is one of the most familiar birds of prey. It is considerably smaller than the common house crow. Its upper plumage is ashy grey. The tail is of the same hue, but with broad black cross bars. The breast is pale rust colour, with a number of thin wavy white cross bars. The eye is bright yellow, as is the cere or base of the beak. It is very like the Brain-fever Bird in appearance. It often hunts for its quarry in the neighbourhood of trees. Its method is to make a short quick dash. Natives of India very frequently train this bird to hawk quail and mynas. Its note is a sharp double whistle.

[159]. Accipiter nisus: The Sparrow-Hawk. (F. 1247), (J. 24), (+III.)

This species, which is a cold-weather visitor to India, is very like No. 158 in habits and appearance. It is, however, characterised by having long legs. It is bolder and swifter in its movements. (Illus. B. D., p. 84; also B. B., p. 21.)

[160]. Falco jugger: The Laggar Falcon. (F. 1257), (J. 11), (+III.)

Several species of falcon occur in India. This one is, I think, the commonest.

It is a brownish bird barred and spotted all over with white. It looks like a large sparrow-hawk with long pointed wings. But it does not make one dash at its prey after the manner of the sparrow-hawk; it is a strong flier and settles down to a long chase in the open country. Its eyes are dark. Natives call falcons dark-eyed hawks, and sparrow-hawks light-eyed hawks.

[161]. Æsalon chicquera: The Turumti, or Red-headed Merlin. (F. 1264), (J. 16), (+III.)

Head and a stripe on the cheek chestnut. Back and tail grey barred with dark brown; under parts whitish with black streaks and bars.

This species lives largely on small birds and often hunts in couples.

[162]. Tinnunculus alaudaris: The Kestrel; the English “Windhover.” (F. 1265), (J. 17), (+III.)

Head, neck, and tail grey, back and wings brick-red. Lower parts cream-coloured spotted with brown. The red back makes the bird easy to identify, as does its method of hunting its quarry. It flies over the open country, and every now and then hovers on rapidly vibrating wings over some spot where it thinks it espies some lizard or other animal. If there is an animal there it drops quietly on it, otherwise it passes on and hovers elsewhere.

It is a winter visitor to the plains of India.

The Green Pigeons, 163-164

These beautiful birds are strictly arboreal. They go about in small companies, but so closely do they assimilate in colour to their leafy surroundings that it is difficult to make them out. They feed exclusively on fruit.

[163]. Crocopus phœnicopterus: The Bengal Green Pigeon. (F. 1271), (J. 772), (+III.)

A bright yellowish-green bird. Head, lower breast, and tail dove colour. Some lilac and a yellow bar on the wing. Legs orange-yellow.

Found in the Eastern Punjab, U. P., and Bengal. In the Punjab, U. P., and the whole of the peninsula of India is found the next species.

[164]. Crocopus chlorogaster: The Southern Green Pigeon. (F. 1272), (J. 773), (+II.)

This is so like No. 163 that it seems scarcely deserving of specific rank. It differs only in having the lower breast green instead of grey.

[165]. Columba intermedia: The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon. (F. 1292), (J. 788), (+III.)

This familiar bird scarcely needs description. It is the common Kabutar. It is a bluish-grey bird (light slate colour) with two broad black bars across the wing. The tip of the tail is black; legs red.

Found all over India. In the Punjab this species meets an allied form—Columba livia—which is distinguished by the fact that its lower back is white instead of slaty grey.

The Doves, 166-169

Every one is well acquainted with these familiar birds, so that a general description of them is unnecessary. The four species most commonly seen in India are:

[166]. Turtur suratensis: The Spotted Dove. (F. 1307), (J. 795), (III.)

A reddish-grey bird. The sides of the neck are black with a number of small white spots. The two median pairs of tail feathers are brown, and the others black with white tips.

Its note is a plaintive cūkoo-coo-coo. Like the other three species of dove this species is widely distributed, but is very capricious in its distribution.

It is very common in Calcutta, Madras, Travancore, Tirhoot, and Lucknow, but does not occur at Lahore, Bombay, or in the Deccan.

It is easily distinguished from the other doves by its black tippet. (Illus. F. IV., p. 1; also B. C., p. 123, and B. D., p. 8.)

[167]. Turtur cambayensis: The Little Brown Dove. (F. 1309), (J. 794), (-III; midway between the bulbul and myna in size.)

This pretty little dove often nests in the verandah, building on the rolled-up chiks.

Eha thus describes it: “Of an earthy brown colour, passing into slaty grey on the wings and tail, and tinged on the head, neck, and breast with that tender tint peculiar to doves, which the natural history books call ‘vinaceous,’ like a faded claret stain on the tablecloth. On each side of the neck there is a miniature chessboard in red and black. The feet are red.” Its call is composed of quite a little tune—a soft, subdued, musical cuk-cuk-coo-coo-coo.

This dove is capriciously distributed. It is common in the Punjab, U. P., Deccan, Bombay, but absent in Lower Bengal and the Malabar coast.

[168]. Turtur risorius: The Indian Ring Dove. (F. 1310), (J. 796), (+III.)

This bird is a light French grey. It is distinguishable from Nos. [166] and [167] by its paler hue and by the possession of a black collar with a narrow white border round the back of the neck. Its note is a ku-ku—kū.

It is common in the Punjab, U. P., and the Deccan. It is found in Assam and S. India on the East, but not on the West Coast, nor in Lower Bengal.

[169]. Œnopopelia tranquebarica: The Red Turtle Dove. (F. 1311), (J. 797), (II.)

This is the smallest of the doves, and is not nearly so abundant as the other three species. In the U. P. it is a permanent resident, but in the Punjab merely a summer emigrant. It certainly is not common in most parts of South India. It is remarkable in that the cock and hen differ in appearance.

The cock is a rust-coloured bird with a black collar round the back of his neck, and reddish wings.

The hen lacks the red on the wing.

The note is harsh and sepulchral, more like a grunt than a coo. The legs are not red as in the other common doves.

The Sand Grouse

This family seems to form a connecting link between the pigeons and the gallinaceous birds. They are characterised by having feathered legs. They are coloured so as to assimilate closely to their sandy surroundings. They are game birds. The reader is therefore referred to Marshall and Hume’s standard book, in which there are coloured plates of the various species. The order is treated of on pp. 53-63 of Vol. IV. of the Bird Volumes of The Fauna of British India series. (Illus. I. G. I., pp. 43, 47, 53, 57, 59, 65, 69, 77.)

[170]. Pavo cristatus: The Common Peafowl. (F. 1324), (J. 803), (+V, with a long train in the cock.)

Description of this familiar bird is unnecessary, but it and its loud call, like the miau of a cat, are known to all men.

The Quails

These, being game birds, do not come within the scope of the present work. The reader is referred to Hume and Marshall and the Bird Volumes of The Fauna of British India series for accounts of them. Since, however, one sometimes, in the course of a walk in the cold weather, puts up a common quail, I will briefly describe the bird. As you walk along you suddenly hear a rustling noise almost at your feet, and before you can say “Jack Robinson” a small brown bird has arisen with a flutter and dashed off a few inches over the tops of the heads of corn in the adjacent field. After a flight of twenty or thirty yards the bird drops into the corn—that is all you are likely to see of the quail unless you shoot it or net it.

[171]. Coturnix communis: The Common or Grey Quail. (F. 1355), (J. 829), (+II, but with a very short tail.)

A brown bird much spotted and barred with black, having some white streaks along the length of the back. Short legs.

A winter visitor to India. (Illus. I. G. II., p. 133.)

The Partridges

These are game birds, and so lie outside the scope of this book. I will, however, describe briefly two common species, whose calls are to be numbered among the commonest sounds heard in the jungle.

[172]. Francolinus vulgaris: The Black Partridge, or Common Francolin. (F. 1372), (J. 818), (+III.)

The cock is a handsome black bird, with everywhere narrow bars of white or grey. The sides of the head are white, and there is a broad chestnut collar all round the neck.

The hen is reddish brown in most places where the cock is black.

Its cry is a curious harsh crow, so high-pitched as to be inaudible to some human beings. Indian Muhammedans declare that the bird calls “Sub-hān, teri kudrat.” Blanford syllabises it as, “Juk-juk, tee-tee-tur.”

It is found in N. India, most abundantly in the U. P. (Illus. I. G. II., p. 9.)

[173]. Francolinus pondicerianus: The Grey Partridge. (F. 1375), (J. 822), (+III.)

A greyish-brown bird marked all over with thin white or buff cross bars.

The loud call of this bird must be familiar to most Anglo-Indians. It is uttered early in the morning and again at sunset. Blanford describes it as “beginning with two or three single harsh notes, and continuing with a succession of trisyllabic, shrill, ringing cries.” Jerdon says of this species: “Its call is a peculiar loud shrill cry, and has, not unaptly, been compared to the word Pateela-pateela-pateela, quickly repeated, but preceded by a single note uttered two or three times, each time with a higher intonation, till it gets, as it were, the key-note of its call.”

This species runs very fast, and does not, as a rule, take to its wings unless flushed. (I. G. II. p. 51, but plate not a good one.)

The Rails, 174-176

[174]. Amaurornis phœnicurus: The White-breasted Water-hen. (F. 1401), (J. 907), (+II.)

A dark slaty-grey bird, almost black, with a white face, throat, and breast. The under parts of the tail, which is carried almost erect, are chestnut red. Wherever there is a pond having near it some bamboos or rushes there is one likely to see a water-hen. It is a great skulker, and always makes for cover the moment it thinks it is being watched. “It is,” as Blanford remarks, “an excessively noisy bird; its loud, hoarse, reiterated call, predominating in the evening and morning over the cries of the other waders and the ducks in the village tank, must be familiar to most people in India.” (Illus. B. B., p. 173.)

[175]. Porphyrio poliocephalus: The Purple Moorhen, or Purple Coot. (F. 1404), (J. 902), (IV.)

A beautiful purple-blue bird with very long red legs. The bill is red, as is a square shield which the bird carries on its forehead. It has a white patch under its tail. It is impossible to mistake this bird. There is none other like unto it in India. One frequently comes across it when out shooting.

[176]. Fulica atra: The Coot. (F. 1405), (J. 903), (IV.)

This is the most duck-like of all the rails, and indeed is very frequently shot and eaten as a duck by inexperienced sportsmen. However, its shining black plumage and its white bill and shield on the forehead serve to differentiate it from all Indian ducks. Moreover, when disturbed on the water, it experiences some difficulty in starting to fly. It runs along the surface of the water for a few feet with vigorous flappings of the wings and much splashing before it succeeds in lifting itself out of the water. It does not usually keep in flocks as ducks do. It breeds in India. It does not swim so high in the water as a duck. Its feet are not webbed, but its toes are pinnate, i.e. provided with flattened membranes which assist it in swimming. Its bill is not so flat as that of a duck.

The Cranes, 177-179

Cranes are large, tall, long-shanked birds which have a loud, trumpet-like call. The three common Indian species are chiefly grey in colour. They never perch in trees, but rest and nest on the ground. When they fly they carry the neck and feet stretched out straight. When they fly in company the flight takes a V-shaped form, like that of a flight of geese.

[177]. Grus communis: The Common Crane. (F. 1407), (J. 865), (+V; about twice the size of a kite.)

This bird is the coolung of sportsmen. Its general colour is dark French grey. Its head is almost devoid of feathers, and there is a square, dark red patch of skin across the back of the head. It has a broad white band running down each side of the long neck. Its legs are black.

It is a winter visitor to India. It is fairly common in N. India, but rare in the south.

It is usually seen in flocks, which spend the middle of the day on sandbanks in the middle of rivers. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 21.)

[178]. Grus antigone: The Sarus. (F. 1409), (J. 863), (+V. This is the largest of the Indian cranes, and stands nearly as high as a human being.)

Its general hue is French grey. Its head is devoid of feathers. Its throat and a ring round the nape are black. Its head and neck are red. Its legs are dull red.

It is the most familiar of the Indian cranes. It is usually seen in pairs. It does not soar high in the air, like the other two species. It is a permanent resident, but does not appear to occur south of the Godaveri.

It is far more confidential than the other species of crane, and will sometimes allow a human being to approach within thirty yards of it. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 1, but plate is not good.)

[179]. Anthropoides virgo: The Demoiselle Crane. (F. 1411), (J. 866), (+V. The smallest of the cranes.)

This bird is sometimes wrongly called coolung by sportsmen; the Hindustani name for it is Karkarra.

A light grey bird, with a black face and neck and some black in the wings. Behind the eye is a streak of white feathers which ends in a long graceful white plume. Its note is harsher and less trumpet-like than those of the other cranes.

It is a winter visitor to India. It is very common in the Deccan, Guzerat, and Kattiwar; less common in other parts of N. India, and rare in Lower Bengal and S. India. Its habits are like those of No. [177]. (Illus. F. IV., p. 184; also I. G. III., p. 31.)

The Bustards

These come within the category of “game birds,” and so none of them are treated of in this book. (Illus. I. G. I., pp. 1, 3, 7, 18.)

[180]. Œdicnemus scolopax: The Stone-Curlew, or Stone-Plover, or Thick-knee. (F. 1418), (J. 859), (+IV.)

This bird is very like a bustard, and is known to Anglo-Indian sportsmen as the Bustard-Florican. It is an ashy-brown bird, each feather having a blackish streak down the shaft. Its wings and tail have some black and white bars, which are conspicuous when the bird flies. The bill, eyes, and feet are yellow. Its wild-sounding cry, which is often heard at night, is like that of the curlew.

It frequents dry, open, stony country.

The Jaçanas, 181 and 182

These remarkable birds have very long toes, which enable them to run about on the large floating leaves of water plants.

[181]. Metopidius indicus: The Bronze-winged Jaçana. (F. 1428), (J. 900), (-IV.)

Head, neck, and breast a beautiful glossy black. A conspicuous white eyebrow. There is some black in the wings, but the general hue of these is a metallic greenish bronze. The lower back and tail are chestnut red.

Rare in Western India; common in the east.

“They present,” writes Cunningham, “an odd appearance on the wing, owing to the disproportionate size of their feet, which becomes particularly conspicuous when the legs are dropped just before the bird pitches on the surface of the weeds and expands its toes, which have been gathered up into a bundle during flight.”

[182]. Hydrophasianus chirurgus: The Pheasant-tailed Jaçana. (F. 1429), (J. 901), (IV, but with a tail a foot in length in the breeding season.)

Winter plumage: Upper parts brown, with a conspicuous white eyebrow and a yellow band down each side of the neck. Wings black and white. Lower parts white with a black gorget across the breast. Tail feathers white, except the two median ones, which are brown.

Breeding plumage: A long black pheasant-like tail is assumed, and the other parts are black, save the head, throat, and wings, which are white, and the back of the neck, which is golden yellow. This Jaçana looks in breeding plumage (i.e. in the summer) rather like a silver pheasant, and, indeed, Europeans call it the water-pheasant. It is a beautiful creature in its summer splendour. Finn says that it is to his mind “the most beautiful of all our smaller aquatic birds, and hardly equalled in this respect by any bird whatever.”

Its peculiar wailing cry has been likened to the mew of a kitten.

The Lapwings, 183 and 184

[183]. Sarcogrammus indicus: The Red-wattled Lapwing. (F. 1431), (J. 855), (+IV.)

This is the familiar “Did-you-do-it.”

Head, neck, and upper breast black. There is a broad white band running from the eye down the whole length of the neck. The back and wings are bronzy brown, black, and white, the white being arranged so as to form a conspicuous bar during flight. Lower parts are white, as is the tail, except for a black band which runs across it near the tip. The bill is reddish, and there is in front of the eye a conspicuous crimson wattle. The legs are bright yellow.

This noisy bird is known to all residents in India. Its noisy call, “Did he do it? Pity to do it,” is one of the most familiar sounds of the Indian country-side. (Illus. B. B., p. 161.)

In Burma it is replaced by an allied species—Sarcogrammus atrinuchalis—the Burmese Wattled Lapwing.

[184]. Sarciophorus malabaricus: The Yellow-wattled Lapwing. (F. 1433), (J. 856), (-IV.)

This is very like the last species, the chief difference being that the conspicuous wattle is yellow instead of crimson and the white line runs round the back of the head from eye to eye, instead of down the neck. Its cry is like that of No. 183, but not so harsh and with a note less.

This species is widely distributed, but not usually so common as the last. It is said not to occur in Upper Sind or the Western Punjab. It certainly does not occur in the neighbourhood of Lahore.

[184a]. Hoplopterus ventralis: The Spur-winged Plover. (F. 1435), (J. 857), (IV.)

Wings and tail marked like those of the red-wattled lapwing. The head and recumbent crest are black. No wattle. Its call is very like that of the yellow-wattled lapwing. This bird is very common on the Ganges. Not found in the Bombay Presidency, nor in Madras south of the Godaveri.

The Plovers, 185 and 186

The ringed plovers are small “snippets” which haunt the seashore and the sandbanks of rivers. They go about in small flocks. Numbers of them are to be seen on the muddy edges of the Coum at Madras, but they have to be looked for, since from a little distance they assimilate closely to the hue of the mudbanks on which they disport themselves. They are not much bigger than sparrows, but are pretty little birds. Two species are common.

[185]. Ægialitis alexandrina: The Kentish Plover. (F. 1446), (J. 848), (I.)

Upper parts brown, lower parts white. The brown of the upper parts is broken by a white forehead, eyebrow, and collar. The under surface of the wing is white, so that as a flock of this species or the next two species fly they look now brown, now white, according as the brown or white surface of the wing is presented to the observer.

This species is seen chiefly in winter and on the sea-coast.

[186]. Ægialitis dubia: The Little Ringed Plover. (F. 1447), (J. 850), (I.)

This is very like No. [185] in appearance, but may be easily distinguished from it by having a black band across the throat. Legs yellow.

This species is not confined to the sea-coast. Like most of its tribe it has a plaintive whistle.

[187]. Himantopus candidus: The Black-winged Stilt, or Long-legs. (F. 1451), (J. 898), (-IV.)

Male: A white bird with glossy black back and wings.

Female: White with brown back and wings.

This species is characterised by very long red legs. Its bill is nearly three inches long.

It is found in marshes and tanks.

[188]. Recurvirostra avocetta: The Avocet. (F. 1452), (J. 899), (IV.)

This elegant bird is characterised by a very long bill, which is curved upwards towards the end. It is a very easy bird to identify. Its body is about the size of that of the crow. It is a white bird with a number of black markings. The black markings are on top of the head, back of the neck, the shoulders, and the wings. The beak is black and the long legs are dark grey.

Wherever there is shallow water there may the avocet be found wading in winter, for it is only a winter visitor to India. It does not appear to be very common anywhere.

The Curlews, 189 and 190

[189]. Numenius arquata: The Curlew. (F. 1454), (J. 877), (V.)

This well-known bird is about the size of a kite, and except for the white chin and throat its colouring is rather like that of the kite. But here all resemblance to the kite ceases. The curlew is a long-shanked wading bird, with a curved bill half a foot in length, the curve in this case being downwards instead of upwards as in the avocet. It has a wild, plaintive cry.

It is a winter visitor to India.

[190]. Numenius phæopus: The Whimbrel. (F. 1455), (J. 878), (+IV; about midway between the crow and the kite.)

This is a small edition of the curlew, but differs from it in having a white band along the middle of the head. Its curved bill is only a little over three inches long. It is less abundant than the curlew, and perhaps scarcely deserves a place among the common birds of India.

[191]. Limosa belgica: The Black-tailed Godwit. (F. 1456), (J. 875), (-V.)

A brown bird with white chin, throat, and abdomen, and some white in the wings. The base of the tail is white and the remainder black. The bill is about four inches long, and straight. The legs are long.

A winter visitor to India; common in the north and rare in the south.

Blanford states that it is often sold in the Calcutta bazaar as woodcock, but Finn states that this is not in accordance with his experience. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 409.)

The Sandpipers, 192-195

These birds constitute the “snippets” of Anglo-Indian, that is to say, birds that try to be snipe.

These are all greenish-brown birds with light under parts. They have fairly long bills, but not so long as that of any of the species of snipe. They are often seen feeding—a statement which cannot be made regarding the snipe. If you see a snipe-like bird feeding, you may be perfectly sure that it is not a snipe. It is a sandpiper of sorts, but it is not by any means easy to say which of the many sandpipers without shooting it. Descriptions of the common species of sandpiper follow:—

[192]. Totanus hypoleucus: The Common Sandpiper. (F. 1460), (J. 893), (+II, but with a very short tail, so that it actually measures less than a bulbul.)

It is a greenish-brown bird with white under parts. Its legs are not long for a wader; its bill is about an inch long. It goes about in ones or twos (never in flocks), picking up insects on the water’s edge. When disturbed it flies away, and then its wings, which are pointed, show a very narrow white band. By this you may recognise the species. It flies low, and as Eha remarks, with its wings bent like a bow. When it settles down it wags its apology for a tail in wagtail-like manner. (Illus. B. B., p. 168.)

[193]. Totanus glareola: The Wood Sandpiper, or Spotted Sandpiper. (F. 1461), (J. 891), (+II, but with a very short tail.)

The upper plumage of this is dark brown spotted with white. The abdomen is white, as is also the tail.

The habits of this species are very like those of the snipe, so that the sportsman out shooting constantly puts up the bird, but it can be distinguished from the snipe, because instead of emitting the sharp “psip” of the snipe on rising, it utters a shrill note. Moreover, it is a much smaller bird than even the Jack-snipe.

[194]. Totanus ochropus: The Green Sandpiper. (F. 1462), (J. 892), (+II, but with a short tail.)

This bird is very like the last species, except that it is larger and less conspicuously spotted, and has more white in the tail. It is distinguishable from the snipe, alongside of which it is often found, by its “shrill piping note,” which it utters on the wing, and its white tail, which is conspicuous as it flies away.

A winter visitor; commoner in N. India than in the south.

Among the sandpipers that visit India during the winter in large numbers are (1) Totanus glottis: The Greenshank. (F. 1466), (J. 894), (-IV) and (2) Totanus calidris: The Redshank. (F. 1464), (J. 897), (+III). The greenshank may be recognised by its large size and the redshank by the red legs, which are not so extravagantly long as those of the stilt (187).

[195]. Tringa minuta: The Little Stint. (F. 1471), (J. 884), (+I, but with a short tail.)

Upper parts dingy brown, with white forehead and under parts.

“If,” writes Eha, “you see a hundred dingy little birds, about the size of sparrows, all feeding together knee-deep in water, you may safely put them down as stints.”

A winter visitor to India; common on the coasts.

The Snipes

These being game birds are not dealt with in this volume. It must suffice that all four species—The Common, Full, or Fantail Snipe (Gallinago cœlestis), The Pintail (G. stenura), The Little Jack-Snipe (G. gallinula), and The Painted Snipe (Rostratula capensis), who is not a true snipe, all lie up closely in marshy ground or paddy fields in the daytime, and are not likely to be seen by the naturalist unless he is prepared to wade and flush them.

When flushed the first three go off at a great pace, either uttering no call or a short, sharp “psip.” The flight of the last species is comparatively feeble. (Illus. I. G. III., pp. 339, 359, etc.)

The Gulls, 196-199

Gulls are very familiar birds to every one who has performed the journey from England to India. The beautiful flight and the loud screams of these kites of the sea are indelibly impressed upon the memory of most Anglo-Indians.

These magnificent fliers are able to keep pace with the steamer for hours at a time without putting forth any effort. They saunter through the air in the wake of the ship, and when anything edible is thrown overboard they drop down and pick it off the water (they can swim like ducks), and having devoured what there is to be eaten, they fly on after the ship, and catch up in a few seconds.

They are largely scavengers. At sea-coast stations no sight is more familiar than that of a number of crows and gulls squabbling over the little fish, etc., that the fishermen throw away when overhauling their nets on the seashore. (Illus. B. D., p. 272; also B. B., p. 190.)

The four commonest gulls in India are:

[196]. Larus ridibundus: The Laughing Gull. (F. 1490), (J. 891), (IV.)

A white bird with grey shoulders and some black in the wings. In summer the head and neck become brown and in winter traces of this usually remain. The bill and legs are red.

A winter visitor to India.

[197]. Larus brunneicephalus: The Brown-headed Gull. (F. 1491), (J. 980), (+IV.)

This bird is very like the last at all seasons, so that it is scarcely possible to distinguish them on the wing.

[198]. Larus affinis: The Dark-backed Herring-Gull. (F. 1494), (J. 978), (V.)

This bird is distinguished from Nos. [196] and [197] by the fact that its wings and shoulders are slate-grey instead of pale grey, and its legs are yellow. It is a much larger bird than the above two species.

It is said to be very common at Karachi. It is found on other parts of the West Coast, but apparently not on the East Coast.

[199]. Larus cachinans: The Yellow-legged Herring-Gull. (F. 1495), (V.)

This is very like No. [198], except that its shoulders are of a lighter shade of grey. It has yellow legs.

This gull is often seen on the rivers and large jhils of Northern India in winter.

The Terns, 200-205

These beautiful birds have been aptly termed the swallows of the sea, for like swallows they are birds of powerful flight, and remain for long periods on the wing. But they are not confined to the sea. In India, wherever there are rivers, jhils, or ponds there are terns to be found.

Their prevailing colour is white, and most of them have some black in their plumage.

To repeat what I said in Bombay Ducks: “No one can fail to recognise a tern. If you see a slenderly-built bird of whitish tinge, with long swallow-like wings and forked tail, a bird which sails along easily over water, sometimes diving for a fish, more frequently picking something off the surface of the water, you may set that bird down as a tern.” (Illus. B. D., p. 270.)

[200]. Hydrochelidon hybrida: The Whiskered Tern, or the Small Marsh Tern. (F. 1496), (J. 984), (+II.)

Winter plumage: A white bird with grey back, wings, and tail. Some black on the nape of the neck and a black streak behind the eye. Bill, legs, and toes dull red.

Summer plumage: The whole of the upper part of the head is black. The abdomen becomes dark grey, so that at this season the whiskered tern is liable to be confounded with the black-bellied tern ([204]). The tail, however, of the whiskered species is not so deeply forked.

Very common in N. India. An inland bird found on marshes, rivers, tanks, and paddy fields.

[201]. Hydroprogne caspia: The Caspian Tern. (F. 1498), (J. 982), (+IV.)

This is the largest of the terns. It is a white bird save for the fact that there is a good deal of black in the head. Its wings are pearl grey. Its bill is bright red. Its legs are black. Its tail is not very deeply forked. It goes about in pairs. It is local in its distribution.

It is common at Madras, and it is said to be particularly common in Sind. I have never seen it in the Punjab. Eha does not mention it as one of the birds of Bombay.

[202]. Sterna angelica: The Gull-billed Tern. (F. 1499), (J. 983), (+III, with a longish tail.)

Printer’s devils are particularly spiteful to this bird. In The Common Birds of Bombay they have mutilated its name into “gull-gilled.” In Bombay Ducks it appears as the “gull-bird tern.”

It is the least beautiful of the terns, being more heavily built than most of them.

In winter it is a white bird with grey wings and some black in the head. In summer its head is jet black. The bill, legs, and feet are black. Its tail is not very deeply forked.

It is found both inland and on the coast.

[203]. Sterna seena: The Indian River Tern. (F. 1503), (J. 985), (+III, with a long, deeply forked tail.)

This is the common tern of N. India, and frequents all the large rivers.

Its head and nape are deep black. The upper plumage French grey. Lower plumage very pale grey. Chin white, and a white patch on each cheek. Bill bright deep yellow. Legs red. This bird moults about Christmas time, and for a few weeks after the moult there is much white in the head, but this soon disappears.

[204]. Sterna melanogaster: The Black-bellied Tern. (F. 1504), (J. 987), (-III, but with a long, deeply forked tail.)

Head black (with some white after the moult at Christmas), abdomen black. Cheek, chin-throat, and wing lining white. Rest of plum, age grey, paler on the tail than on the back. Bill orange-yellow; legs and feet dull red.

One of the commonest of the terns, especially inland.

[205]. Sterna minuta: The Little Tern. (F. 1510), (J. 988), (-II.)

A tern not much bigger than a sparrow, with a white forehead and black head, white cheeks and lower parts, grey wings, dark red bill and legs, is probably this species.

It is fairly common in N. India; rare in the south.

[206]. Rhynchops albicollis: The Indian Skimmer, or Scissors-bill. (F. 1517), (J. 995), (-IV.)

A long-winged, tern-like bird, which flies about in little flocks a few inches above the surface of the water, with white forehead, tail, and lower parts, and a white collar round the neck; rest of upper plumage dark brown. Bill deep red; legs bright red. (Illus. F. IV., p. 296.)

The Pelicans, 207 and 208

Description of these well-known birds is superfluous, as every one knows what they look like.

Four species are found in India, but they can scarcely be described as common birds. Two species, however, are fairly abundant on the big jhils of Northern India.

[207]. Pelicanus crispus: The Dalmatian Pelican. (F. 1522), (+V; a large bird as big as a swan.)

The beak is one and a half feet in length. A white bird with some black in the wings. Bill dark grey.

Winter visitor to U. P. and Sind. (Illus. F. IV., p. 331.)

[208]. Pelicanus philippensis: The Spotted-billed or Grey Pelican. (F. 1523), (J. 1004), (+V; much smaller than [207].)

This may be distinguished by the curious dark spots and markings on its pinkish yellow bill. (Illus. B. P., frontispiece.)

The Cormorants, 209-211

These are large black birds, which live largely on the water, and catch fish by diving. When not fishing they have the habit of standing on top of a post with wings outspread and then look rather like a church lectern.

Three species occur in India:

[209]. Phalacrocorax carbo: The Large Cormorant. (F. 1526), (J. 1005), (+V.)

[210]. Phalacrocorax fuscicollis: The Indian Shag. (F. 1527), (J. 1006), (+V, but smaller than 209.)

[211]. Phalacrocorax javanicus: The Little Cormorant. (F. 1528), (J. 1007), (IV.)

All three have similar habits, the last being the only common member of the genus. No. [210] has no white throat. Nos. [209] and [211] have a white throat, but can be readily distinguished by the fact that No. [209] is one foot longer than No. [211].

The Ibises, 212-214

Ibises are birds about the size of a common fowl, but having a long curved bill like that of the curlew. As Finn has pointed out, “Ibises fly like storks with the neck outstretched, but with a quicker stroke of the wings and frequent intervals of sailing with the pinions held level, so that they are easily distinguished from other waders when on the wing.” They usually occur in small flocks.

[212]. Ibis melanocephala: The White Ibis. (F. 1541), (J. 941), (+V.)

The bald head and neck are black, as are the long bill and legs. The rest of the plumage is white.

[213]. Inocotis papillosus: The Black Ibis. (F. 1542), (J. 942), (+V.)

The Black Curlew, or King Curlew, or King Ibis of Anglo-Indians.

In this species the head only, and not the neck as in No. [212], is devoid of feathers. The skin is black, but the back of the head is covered with little red warts. The plumage is glossy black, save for a small white patch on the wing. The bill, which is nearly six inches long, is dull dark green. Legs bright red.

[214]. Plegadis falcinellus: The Glossy Ibis. (F. 1544), (J. 943), (+V.)

In this species only the front of the face is devoid of feathers. A chestnut bird with head, wings, and tail dark brown with a green gloss.

[215]. Platalea leucorodia: The Spoonbill. (F. 1545), (J. 939), (+V.)

A large white bird with a crest in the breeding season. The long bill, which is flat and expanded at the end like a spoon, is black, as are the long legs. It is impossible to mistake spoonbills. There are no other birds like them. They are found in small flocks on sandbanks, etc., at the water’s edge.

The Storks, 216-221

Every one is familiar with the appearance of the common stork. The leading features of the stork family are their large size, their long legs, neck, and bill, and their perching habits. In this last respect they differ from cranes, which never perch in trees. During flight their long necks are stretched out forwards, and their long legs stretched out backwards. They fly by a slow, steady flapping of the wings, but often sail on outstretched wings like vultures. Their nests are in India, huge platforms of sticks built in trees.

[216]. Ciconia alba: The White Stork. (F. 1546), (J. 919), (+V; 3½ feet long.)

A white bird with some black in the wings. Bill and legs bright red.

A winter visitor, common in North India.

[217]. Dissura episcopus: The White-necked Stork, or the Beefsteak Bird. (F. 1548), (J. 920), (+V; 3 feet long.)

A black bird, except for the neck and lower abdomen and feathers under the tail, which are white. Bill black; legs dull red.

Not found in Punjab or Sind.

[218]. Xenorhynchus asiaticus: The Black-necked Stork. Sportsmen call this bird the Australian Stork. (F. 1549), (J. 917), (+V; 4½ feet long.)

Beak, head, neck, and shoulders black; wings black and white. Rest of plumage white; legs bright red.

[219]. Leptopilus dubius: The Adjutant. (F. 1550), (J. 915), (+V; 5 feet long.)

This huge bird is characterised by an enormous beak, over a foot in length, and a head devoid of feathers. From its neck hangs a pouch. There is a ruff of white feathers round the neck. The lower parts are white. The wings are partly dark slaty grey and partly French grey. The bill is dirty pink, and the legs dirty greyish white.

Not found in S. India. (Illus. B. P., pp. 28 and 34; also I. F., p. 232.)

[220]. Pseudotantalus leucocephalus: The Painted Stork. The Pelican Ibis of old writers. (F. 1552), (J. 938), (+V; 3½ feet long.)

This is a stork which is trying to turn into an ibis; its bill, which is ten inches long, having a marked downward curve. It is a white bird with a black band across the breast. The wings are mainly black, but some of the feathers are pink with white borders.

The front of the head is devoid of feathers and is orange-yellow, as is the bill. The legs are brown.

Not found in the Punjab; very common in the Deccan. (Its head is figured in Vol. IV., p. 376 of F.)

[221]. Anastomus oscitans: The Open-Bill. The Shell Ibis of the older writers. (F. 1553), (J. 940), (+V; nearly 3 feet long.)

This bird is distinguished from all others by the fact that the mandibles do not meet in the middle; indeed the beak looks as though it had become distorted owing to the attempts of the bird to crack a very hard nut! (The head is figured on p. 378, F. IV.) It is a greyish white bird with black shoulders, wings, and tail. The bill is light horn colour, and the legs dirty pink.

To my mind this bird looks like a white stork that sadly needs a wash and brush up and its beak put straight!

Found only in N. India. Abundant in Oudh and Bengal.

The Herons, 222-225

Herons are wading birds with long, sharp, stiletto-like bills and telescopic necks. It is their habit to stand motionless in shallow water with the head almost buried on the shoulders. When a victim shows itself, out shoots the neck of the fisher, and woe betide his victim! On the wing herons are easily identified by their large size, the steady flapping of their wings, and the fact that they fly with the neck drawn in and the legs projecting behind beyond the tail. A great many species of heron occur in India, but only four are commonly seen by the average observer.

[222]. Ardea cinerea: The Common Heron. This is the familiar heron of England. (F. 1555), (J. 923), (+V; a little over a yard long.)

An ashy-grey bird with some white on the head. From the back of the head some black plumes hang. Lower parts white. Bill dark yellow. Legs dirty green.

Usually a solitary bird.

[223]. Bubulcus coromandus: The Cattle Egret. (F. 1562), (J. 929), (+IV.)

A pure white bird with a yellow bill and black legs. In the breeding season some yellow plumes grow from the back of the head.

This is a sociable species. These birds frequently accompany cattle, which serve as efficient beaters. The quadrupeds put up grasshoppers, etc., which the egrets seize. The birds sometimes perch on the backs of cattle.

There are three larger species of egret which are also white; these belong to the genus Herodias, but these are scarcely common birds. A large white egret with the bill black is one of these species. (Illus. B. D., p. 240.)

[224]. Ardeola grayi: The Pond Heron. This is the ubiquitous Paddy Bird. (F. 1565), (J. 930), (+IV.)

This bird, which may be seen squatting at the margin of every tank and every village pond, looks greenish brown—much the colour of its muddy surroundings. But startle it and it opens out milk-white wings on which it flies away with steady flappings. It is impossible to mistake a paddy bird. It sits all brown and flies all white. Close inspection shows that every feather has the shaft of a colour different from the web. (Illus. B. D., p. 236; also B. P., p. 114; also B. P., p. 178.)

[225]. Nycticorax griseus: The Night Heron. (F. 1568), (J. 937), (V.)

A large dusky-coloured bird which is seen flapping its way along about sunset with loud raucous cries that sound like “wāk” is the night heron.

The head, nape, back, and shoulders are black. Forehead, cheek, breast, and lower parts white. Remainder of plumage ashy grey. Eyes bright red. Some of the feathers of the back of the neck are white and are lengthened to form plumes. (Illus. B. D., pp. 232 and 238.)

[225a]. Butorides javanica: The Little Green Heron. (F. 1567), (J. 931), (+IV.)

A small skulking heron of greenish plumage, with long black crest and a black line from the base of the bill running backwards below the eye.

[226]. Phœnicopterus roseus: The Common Flamingo. (F. 1575), (J. 944), (+V; nearly 4½ feet long.)

These beautiful birds occur in flocks in shallow lakes. They are white with a pink tinge. The wings are white, black, and cerise. The long legs are deep pink. The curious beak is bent in the middle to form an obtuse angle. (The beak is figured on p. 408 of Vol. IV. of O. and B. B.)

The Geese, 227 and 228

As geese are game birds they do not come strictly within the scope of this book. However, as these birds are much en evidence in Upper India in the cold weather, I will briefly describe the two common species.

In the U. P. during the winter months no sight is more common than that of a V-shaped flock of geese cleaving its way through the air on quivering wings. The birds, as they fly, utter a curious cackle easy to recognise, but difficult to describe. This call is often heard at night. When riding in the early morning one often surprises a flock of geese feeding in some field. They pass the day on a sandbank in some large river, most of the flock asleep on one leg with heads tucked under the wing, but one or two birds are invariably posted as sentinels.

[227]. Anser ferus: The Grey-lag Goose. (F. 1579), (J. 945), (V.)

Upper parts brown, the shoulders having a number of narrow pale cross bars. Lower parts pale grey. Bill, legs, and feet are a dirty pink colour.

Not found in S. India. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 55.)

[228]. Anser indicus: The Barred-headed Goose. (F. 1583), (J. 949), (-V.)

This species is distinguished from the other by its yellow bill and feet, and the fact that its head is white with two conspicuous broad black cross bars, from which the bird derives its name. Its general colour is more grey than that of the last species.

Rare in S. India. (Illus. I. D., p. 84; also I. G. III., p. 81.)

The Ducks, 229 and 230

These being game birds do not come within the scope of this work. Two species, however, which are commonly seen are not usually shot by sportsmen on account of their indifferent flavour. These I describe.

[229]. Casarca rutila: The Ruddy Sheldrake, or Brahminy Duck. (F. 1588), (J. 954), (-V.)

This is a curious pale ruddy-brown bird, whitish on the head. Tail and wings black. Bill, legs, and feet blackish.

This handsome duck is a winter visitor to India. It is very abundant in N. India, less abundant in S. India, not being found at all on the Malabar coast. It invariably goes about in pairs, which dwell in rivers rather than in tanks. They are wary birds and a great nuisance to sportsmen, since they warn other water-fowl of danger. “It is difficult,” writes Blanford, “so long as one is on an Indian river to get out of sight of these birds or out of hearing of their peculiar clanging bi-syllabic call or alarm cry, which is uttered frequently on the smallest excuse.” The cry is like a soft “chakwa,” hence the Hindustani name of the bird. (Illus. I. D., p. 114; also I. G. III., p. 123.)

[230]. Spatula clypeata: The Shoveller. (F. 1602), (J. 957), (-V.)

This handsome duck, although it occurs in jhils, is pre-eminently a village duck. If there be any considerable piece of stagnant water near a village in N. India, there are likely to be some shoveller ducks on this—in winter, for they are only winter visitors to India. This species is distinguishable from other ducks by its great flat bill being much broader at the tip than at the base. It has a peculiar habit of swimming in circles with its bill resting on the surface of the water.

Cock, after February: Head and upper neck glossy green. Lower neck and breast white. Abdomen chestnut. Rest of body brown with a green patch or speculum in the wing.

Cock before February, and Hen: Reddish brown with a lighter-coloured border to many of the feathers. (Illus. I. D., p. 196; also I. G. III., p. 141.)

[231]. Podicipes albipennis: The Indian Little Grebe, or Dabchick. (F. 1617), (J. 975), (+II.)

This is one of the most aquatic birds in existence. It rarely walks on terra firma, and never takes to flight from the water. When alarmed it seeks safety by diving. Writing of this bird, Eha says, “I do not know how to describe it better than to say that you might take it for a small chicken without a tail. Its colour is dark glossy brown on the upper parts, with some rich chestnut on the sides of the neck. Young birds are lighter.” (Illus. B. B., p. 184.)

THE END