of two notes, " Dirr ! Dirr ! Delii ! " The first note is given with a 

 humming sound ; the second is higher in the scale, and much more clearly- 

 uttered." 



The most interesting notes on this bird in its native haunts, are given 



by Dr. H. A. Bernstein from his own observation, he says : — " Just like 



our European field-sparrows the rice-bird inhabits exclusively cultivated 



tracts of land, and here he is very commonly to be seen. During the time 



when the rice-fields {SaivaJis) are placed under water, that is in the 



months November till March or April, when the sown I'ice is growing up 



and ripening for harvest, the rice-birds live in pairs or in small flocks in 



gardens, villages, woods and thickets, where for food they have the seeds of 



various plants, several small fruits and probably insects and worms, for I 



have frequently seen them on country roads etc., looking about on the 



ground where it was hardly likely they could find anything else. As soon 



however, as the rice-fields begin to turn yellow and are laid dry by 



drawing ofi" the water, they resort thither, often in large flocks, and not 



uncommonly do a considerable amount of damage, so that every kind of 



trouble is taken to drive them away. In neighboiirhoods which sufier 



specially from these feathered thieves, one, or if the field is large, several 



little watch-houses are erected in the middle of the field resting on four 



high bamboo stakes, whence numerous threads run in all directions to 



thin bamboo sticks set up at certain distances from one another through 



the whole field : to these threads are hung large dry leaves, gay rags, 



dolls, wooden clappers and such like things. Now when the person 



sitting in the little watch-house, like a spider in a web, pulls the threads, 



at the same moment all the dry leaves rustle, the dolls shake, the clappers 



sound and the unbidden guests fly away frightened. Also after the 



harvest the birds find their table well spread in the rice fields lying fallow 



to the commencement of the rainy season, that is till towards the 



beginning of November, as numerous acres not only lie fallow but also 



all kinds of weeds spring up among the stubble in an incredibly short 



space of time, whose seeds quickly ripening afford them a welcome 



nourishment. At this time they are fairly plump and well nourished and 



