866 BIRDS or INDIA 



white; wing-covcrts black, spotted with silvery-white; tertiaries and 

 the last secondaries also with a silvery streak on their outer webs ; 

 quills and tail deep raven-black ; the feathers of the tail with a 

 barred appearance on their outer webs, caused by a series of trans- 

 verse elevated ridges which are gradually lost on the outermost 

 feathers ; lower portion of the neck, breast, and all the lower parts, 

 glossy brownish-black. 



The female has the head and neck pale whity-brown, lightest 

 on the lower side, and albescent on the chin, face, and throat ; and 

 a fulvous patch on the sides of the neck, continued from the paler 

 median line of the lower side of th^ neck, and extending to the 

 shoulder ; back browner than in the male, becoming black on the 

 rump ; wing-coverts more or less brown ; otherwise as in the 

 male. 



Bill dusky above, yellowish on the sides ; irides yellow ; legs 

 black. Length 32 inches ; wing 14 ; tail 9 ; bill at front 3^ ; 

 tarsus 1^ ; middle toe 2|. 



The young birds are coloured somewhat as the female, 

 and the nestlings have white down, with the wings and tail 

 blackish. 



This beautiful diver is found throughout all India, Ceylon, 

 Burmah, and Malayana. It is exceedingly numerous in some 

 parts of the coutrtry, especially in Bengal ; hundreds are often to 

 be seen on a single jheel. They hunt singly in general, or in 

 scattered parties, but often roost in company, both at night and 

 in the middle of the day, when numbers may be seen perched 

 on the trees overhanging some tank or river. They float low 

 on the water, often with nothing, but the head and neck visible, 

 and swim and dive with rapidity. After feeding for some time, 

 they perch on the bough of a tree, or on a pole or stone, and spread 

 their wings out to dry as the Cormorants do. They feed on fish, 

 and their digestion is very rapid. They nidificate on trees, but I 

 have not procured their eggs. 



The lengthened scapular feathers are looked on as a badge of 

 Royalty by the Khasias, and they are esteemed by all. They 

 were the badge of one of the Bengal regiments of Irregular 

 Cavalry 



