1. The Common Iora ([13]). 2. The Minivets ([39]-[41]). 3. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike ([42]). 4. The Orioles ([44] and [45]). 5. The Rose-coloured Starling ([48]). 6. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher ([57]). 7. The Pied Bush Chats ([61] and [62]). 8. The Indian Bush Chat ([63]). 9. The Indian Redstart ([65]). 10. The Indian Robins ([66] and [67]). 11. The Magpie Robin ([68]). 12. The Shama ([69]). 13. The Weaver Birds ([70]-[73]). (In breeding season only.) 14. The Indian Red Munia ([79]). (Particularly in breeding season.) 15. The Common Rose-Finch ([80]). 16. The Common Sparrow ([82]). 17. The Buntings ([84] and [85]). 18. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark ([105]). 19. The Sunbirds ([106]-[108]). 20. The Koel ([130]). 21. The Blossom-headed Paroquet ([134]). 22. The Harriers ([153]-[157]). 23. The Red Turtle Dove ([169]). 24. The Common Peafowl ([170]). 25. The Black Partridge ([172]). 26. The Shoveller ([230]). (In breeding plumage.)
C. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO COLOUR
[I. Black.] [II. Blue.] [III. Brown.] [IV. Coffee or fawn colour.] [V. Green.] [VI. Grey.] [VII. Pink.] [VIII. Red.] [IX. White.] [X. Yellow.] [XI. Birds of many colours.]
Colour affords the easiest means of identifying the great majority of birds, but in many cases the colours displayed, although conspicuous and easily recognised, are not of a nature to admit of strict classification. Take, for example, the blues—various species display almost every known shade from slaty grey to turquoise, from purple to ultramarine and indigo. To attempt to distinguish in the lists between the many shades of blue would have led to inevitable confusion. I have, therefore, divided my blues into bright blue, dark blue, and slaty blue. My method is probably inartistic, but it will, I hope, facilitate the task of identification.
Again, it is no easy matter to draw the line between greyish and brownish birds, hence I have included some species under both heads. The reader should bear in mind that, while nothing is easier than to identify some birds by their colour, in the case of others colour is at the best a rough guide—one, but only one, of the clues which have to be followed up before the identity of the species can be established. In the case of Raptorial birds colour is of very little assistance, since the great majority of them are of the same colour, moreover, individuals vary greatly in colouration at different stages of their existence.
I. BLACK
1. Birds with a quantity of black in their plumage
(a) All Black
1. The Indian Corby ([1]). 2. The Raven ([2]). 3. The King Crow ([25]). 4. The Large Racket-tailed Drongo ([27]). 5. (Cock) Sunbirds ([106] and [107]). (These are really dark purple, but sometimes look black from a distance.) 6. (Cock) Koel (bill green, eyes red) ([130]). 7. (Young) Scavenger Vultures ([144] and [145]). 8. Coot ([176]). (White bill and shield on forehead.) 9. The Indian Shag ([210]).