THE BIRDS OF TEE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS. 395 



and Great Nicobars, as a single specimen was obtained at Acheen. It does 

 not occur on Car Nicobar, I did not come across this bird at all. Davison 

 found it not uncommon at Camorta ; from his account it appears to be a 

 rather tame bird, associating in small parties and feeding in thick under- 

 growth near the ground. In the Malay Peninsula I have generally found 

 it singly or in pairs. 



510. GRAUCALrs MAcn, Less. Oates, I, p. 496; " Str. Feath,," II., p. 204, 

 The Large Cuckoo Shrike is a very common species in the neighbourhood 



of Port Blair, where clearing and cultivation have made the country open 

 enough for its liking. Unlike the next species it is not found in thick 

 forest, keeping to gardens, clearings, or trees standing in the open, 



511. Gradcalds dobsoni, Ball. Oates, I, p., 497; "Str. Feath.," II, 

 p. 206. 



This species is common enough in forest, out of which it is never met 

 with. It is a quiet bird without the noisy whistling cry of G. macii, 

 associating with the Mynas, Mini vets, Drongos, etc., which roam through the 

 Andaman jungles in company. It has a rather pleasing, though short, song. 



513. Artamus LEUCOGASTER, Val. Oates, I, p. 499,- "Str. Feath.," II, p. 214. 



The White-rumped Swallow Shrike is very common in the Andamans, 

 especially so in the opened and cultivated country round Port Blair. It is a 

 charmingly fearless little bird, often allowing one to watch it from as short 

 a distance as six feet. It is sociable in the extreme, a party frequently 

 settling on a bare branch or other suitable perch and nestling closer 

 and closer to each other until they form a regular feathery ball. Any 

 one who cared to shoot at them then might kill a dozen at a shot. 

 A pair alone nenrly always sit touching each other, and should one dart ofE 

 after a passing insect its companion utters a rather harsh little chirp of 

 encouragement ; with a few rapid wing-strokes and a graceful pkimming 

 swoop the prey is captured and the pursuer settles at the side of his mate 

 again. They seem to have a great affection for each other, and if one is 

 shot its companion circles backwards and forwards round the head of the 

 slayer in the most obvious distress. Davison remarks that it is an exceed- 

 ingly easy bird to shoot on the wing, its flight, though very graceful, being 

 slow and steady ; so much is this the case that I have frequently killed it 

 flying with a catapult. 



This Artamus settles freely on the ground, on which it moves with very 

 short hops. I have noticed it following a plough, and alighting among 

 the newly turned clods of earth in search of the insects exposed. I have 

 also noticed it perching on roofs of buildings and bungalows, which I do 

 not recollect having seen Artamus fuscus do. A. leucogaster is by far the more 

 familiar bird of the two. 



Very little is known of its nidification, Davison found a nest in May in 

 which the bird had not then laid. It was placed about twenty feet from 



