A I'isif to ail Indian Jhcd. 213 



the attractive little warble of the cocks issued from every patch 

 of cover. Vet I found it diftlcult to secure specimens as they 

 settled low in the reeds, and were therefore invisible more than 

 a few yards away. To shoot them frying' would be certainly 

 to lose them among-st the dense reeds. The ei^gs are pure white. 



As the boats moved slowly on we disturbed other denizens 

 of the reeds; various small warblers fhtted here and there 

 or clicked unseen in the shadows. Ever and anon the grass- 

 hopper-like song of a F'antail Warbler {Cisticola ciirsitoria) 

 sounded overhead as one passed over with his mounting flight. 

 Jn addition to the birds that have already been mentioned we 

 flushed many little Yellow Bitterns (Ardcita sinensis) and Purple 

 (rallinules (Porphyrio )}iclanoccphahi). The tiny Bitterns 



looked very neaf with their straight, strong flight in contrast 

 to the Gallinules who rose trailing their long legs to fly but a 

 short distance and then drop heavily into the reeds. A couple 

 of Purple Herons (Ardca purpurea) were seen flying in the 

 distance. 



Here and there stray Kites (Milvus govinda) and Marsh 

 Harriers (Circus acruginosus) were beating over the jheel, and 

 i saw one of the latter badly mobbed by a Pheasant-tailed Jacana 

 whose chicks were probably in the neighbourhood. Once there 

 was a sharp scurry, and a young Pallid Harrier (Circus pallidus) 

 in the ringtail phtmage drove some bird down in the reeds in 

 front of me, but rose with empty talons. 



The Coots (Fulica atra) had apparently not arrived, as I 

 only saw one. A hurried glimpse of a passing bird added a 

 Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) to my list. 



Here and there in the reeds could be heard the dull booming 

 call of the Crow Pheasant or Concal (Ccntropus sinensis), an 

 ungainly black and chestnut Cuckoo which the novice in India 

 always assumes must be a game bird. 



Duck were conspicuous by their absence. 



Although they are not Avater birds one cannot omit to 

 mention three species who are almost always found in the 

 neighbourhood of water in India. The Blue-tailed Bee-eaters 

 (M crops pliilippinus) were hawking here, there and everywhere, 

 over reed bed and lotus, along the road and over the fields. 

 These birds collect in hundreds at night to roost in the bull- 



