I08 Hall, The Jungle and the Snoivs. [j.' 



Emu 



Oct. 



understand it is always impatient to attract the notice of man and 

 lead him to the nest. Its share of the feast is the pupa within. 



The famihar call of our bush White-eye (Zostcrops) quickly 

 attracted my ear in the jungle, which is very different from our 

 woodland. Every few miles is a village and its attendant cultiva- 

 tion, though wild animals live on the very skirts. Leopards come 

 in for dogs, pigs for the crops, and many deer for something 

 smelling sweet and looking green. The White-eye goes about in 

 the same little flocks and lays the same pale blue eggs. The 

 genus extends along the eastern margin of Africa, through most 

 of India and Australia, and, as if along a northern spur, up to 

 Japan. In Tokio I remember being offered a mounted specimen 

 of the largest species known for a sum equal to fourpence. This 

 species I met as far north as Vladivostock. 



I saw for the first time an Indian Wood-Swallow {Arlainits), a 

 genus also common to Australia, and equally picturesque in its 

 floating flight when hawking for insects. I heard nothing of their 

 hanging in ball-like masses as we notice with the bees both in 

 jungle and on the snow^-line. 



The Drongo {Chibia) is distributed in the Australian, Indian, 

 and Ethiopian regions, C. hracteata being the only species of our 

 continent. It is one of the few^ birds which hover, with a flight 

 not continuous. Every bird appears to want to get back to its 

 perch soon after it has left it — not because of fear, as the whole 

 genus is courageous enough to attack the large birds of prey. We 

 seem to have here a case of unconscious mimicry of the Indian 

 Cuckoo {Siirniciilus) — the weaker uncommonly like the stronger. 



The Indian Butcher-Bird is a Laniiis, while the Australian one 

 is a Cracticiis. The former makes a larder, while the latter 

 contents itself with leaving in the fork the remnant of a meal not 

 wanted. The Australian bird has by far the better voice — a real 

 contralto. 



The likeness of the ways of the Nuthatch {Sitta) to our Neositta, 

 or Tree-runner, quite attracted my eye for distribution. It was 

 not unlike our Tree-creepers in general movements, having the 

 combination of both forms by going up. as well as going down 

 the trunks of trees. I rather think very few insects escape their 

 attentions. It is said the Indian species build in holes and often 

 plaster up the entrance, leaving a fine opening. Their Sitelline 

 rchitives in Australia build beautiful open nests, agreeing with 

 their immediate surroundings. Tlic otlicr line of the house 

 {Climacteris) lays in hollows of trees. 



The Australian genus {Graucahis) of Cuckoo-Shrikes is well 

 distributed in India and Africa. It may be seen both on the 

 })lains and, wlun tlie snows have melted, up to 10,000 feet. The 

 easy, wavy flight is well known to most of us, as well as the 

 delicate, protectively-placed nest. 



Of the Black-and-White Swallows {Pctyoclididon) there is only 

 one species in India. There are two in the Australian region, 

 two in South Africa, and four in America. 



