I06 Hall, The Jioigle and ike Snows. [K>f^"oct. 



The Jungle and the Snows. 



By Robert Hall, C.M.B.O.U. 



To do my little in the interests of the nation, I recently visited 

 India, landing at Bombay. My first inquiry was to be in the 

 Punjab. Incidentally, while marking time, I spent fourteen days 

 of February in the Central Provinces, staying in tents with the 

 Acting Deputy Commissioner,* himself a naturalist of the field. 

 The early impression I got of the jungle birds was their dis- 

 similarity from those of southern Australia, and, to a more 

 limited extent, from those of northern Australia. Colour, in the 

 first comparison, and form in the second, impressed me. Apart 

 from these, the sounds were largely different. Now I realized 

 I was in the Indian region. 



In the broad forests of teak, loose in nature and heavily carpeted 

 with large leaves, the call of the Barbet ("Coppersmith") 

 {Megalcema) was very striking, and the Carrion Vulture (Gyps) 

 shows in evidence almost everywhere. The most common of 

 birds along the clearings and throughout the western part of India 

 is the Indian Myna (Acridotheres), so well known to some of us 

 as an introduced species. It certainly has a cheerful nature in 

 its own country, with a set-off in its fondness for loquats and 

 other fruit. Resembling our Crane we find the Sarus {Griis). It 

 is a large and very handsome Crane. Being nesting time, I found 

 a pair in the vicinity of their eggs upon a gram field. I drove them 

 some distance, as one would drive semi-domesticated birds. Most 

 birds here are tame, and are only sufficiently discouraged to leave 

 temporarily the growing crops. After the Myna, the nearest 

 home touch is with the Bee-eaters {M crops) and Rollers (Coracias). 

 The first is smaller in size, while both are well distributed. A 

 familiar species, and smaller than that of Queensland, is the 

 Pheasant Coucal [Centropiia). The likeness made it umiiistakable. 

 Just as this genus mimics Pheasants, so does the Asiatic Hawk- 

 Cuckoo mimic a Hawk and the Drongo. The old-world Cuckoo 

 {Cuculus canonis) is to be found north of the Himalaya, which 

 seems to- be the bar so far as the nesting of this species is con- 

 cerned. Along with it thousands of the smaller birds do the 

 journey across this chain, travelling up the passes, nesting in 

 Tibet, and returning to India to winter. Of these the Pipits and 

 the Wagtails act as foster-parents. As witli C. paUidiis, the call 

 of the male is quite different from that ol the female. 



The Mirafra (Bush-kark) and the Rufous-tailed Lark are among 

 the choicest of song-birds here. My host had cages of them, and 

 they toned down with their fine voices the sounds of the neigh- 

 bourhood. The Larks inhabit almost wholly the Indian, Palae- 

 arctic, and Iithiopian regions, one genus alone being native in 

 America and one {Mirafra) in Australia. It is interesting to see 

 tile Larks dusting instead of washing. 



* W. A. 'I'ucker, Esq., to whom I am indebted for this i^arc op}iortunity. 



