1. Birds of very powerful flight, i.e. birds which spend a great part of the day on the wing
1. The Swallows and Martins ([86]-[90]). (These live on small insects which they catch on the wing.) 2. The Swifts ([124] and [125]). (These feed in the same way as the swallows, but they never perch. When they wish to rest they go to their nests.) 3. The Pied Kingfisher ([118]). (This spends much of the day in fishing. It flies over the water and every now and again hovers on rapidly vibrating wings, and then drops on to its quarry in the water.) 4. The Osprey ([140]). (Obtains its food in much the same way as does the Pied Kingfisher.) 5. The Fishing Eagles ([148]-[150]). 6. The Brahminy Kite ([151]). 7. The common Pariah Kite ([152]). (These two species spend hours in the air sailing in circles looking out for their quarry.) 8. The Vultures ([141]-[144]). (These remain for hours high up in the air motionless on expanded wings, until one espies something to eat on the earth below; it then descends, and its companions, observing this, follow suit.) 9. The Kestrel ([162]). (This behaves over land much as the Pied Kingfisher does over the water.) 10. The Gulls ([196]-[199]). (Everyone is familiar with the manner in which gulls follow ships.) 11. The Terns ([200]-[206]).
2. Birds which make little sallies into the air from a perch after insects
(Vide [Feeding habits, 4].)
3. Little birds which fly from the ground some twenty or thirty feet and then drop to the ground, singing as they descend
The Finch-Larks ([104] and [105]).
VI. FEEDING HABITS
1. Birds which feed largely on the ground
1. The Crows ([1]-[4]). (These are omnivorous, and feed anywhere and everywhere.) 2. The Babblers ([6]-[9]). 3. The Malabar Whistling Thrush ([11]). 4. The Shrikes ([34]-[37]). (Descend from perch to ground, seize their quarry, and return to perch and devour it.) 5. The Mynas ([51]-[54]). 6. The Bush Chats ([61]-[63]). 7. The Brown Rock Chats ([64]). 8. The Indian Redstart ([65]). 9. The Indian Robins ([66] and [67]). 10. The Magpie Robin ([68]). 11. The Munias ([74]-[79]). 12. The Wagtails ([91]-[94]). 13. The Pipits ([95]-[96]). 14. The Larks ([97]-[105]). 15. The Indian Pitta ([109]). 16. The Indian Roller ([115]). (Descends from perch to ground and seizes its quarry and then returns to perch.) 17. The Hoopoe ([123]). 18. The Crow-Pheasant ([131]). 19. The Vultures ([141]-[145]). 20. The Common Kite ([152]). (Drops from the air and seizes its food in its talons.) 21. The White-eyed Buzzard ([147]). (Swoops down from a perch on to a lizard, etc.) 22. The Harriers ([153]-[157]). (Fly low and drop on to their prey.) 23. The Kestrel ([162]). (Hovers on rapidly vibrating wings and drops on to its prey.) 24. The Blue Rock Pigeon ([165]). 25. The Doves ([166]-[169]). 26. All game and wading birds (except those that take their food off water).