Birds of Lucknow. 489 



and jaraun trees. Interiorly it is lined with little bits of 

 leaves, and round the hole the birds stick mud mixed with a 

 gummy resinous substance, which becomes very hard. I have 

 often watched a pair working away at the task of closing up 

 their selected nursery. It is rather easy to find, if you 

 carefully watch the birds, but in nine cases out of ten the 

 obtaining of the eggs is a matter of difficulty. Four is the 

 greatest number that I have found. They are white, spotted 

 or freckled — rarely blotched — with brick-red. 



Average of 8 Lucknow eggs '67" x 54" 



Measurement of largest egg •70"x "58" 



„ smallest egg -65" x •52" 



No. 327. DicRUiius ater. Black Drongo. 



Hojanga, Buchanga [H. Lucknow], King-Crow [Anglo- 

 Indians]. 



The King-Crow is one of the commonest of our birds and 

 a permanent resident, which may be met with everywhere, on 

 the open maidan as well as in the compound or in the mango- 

 grove. It is very fond of perching on the backs of cattle, 

 and also upon telegraph-wires, tops of trees, and other more 

 natural look-out places. It catches its insect-prey on the 

 wing, returning to its perch to devour it. Crickets, grass- 

 hoppers, butterflies, &c. seem to be its chief food. It is a 

 very pugnacious bird, more particularly during the breeding- 

 season, and woe betide any evil-minded Crow that happens to 

 pass within a hundred yards of the nest. It has a fair variety 

 of notes, some harsh and disagi'ceable, others pleasing. 



Mr. George Reid wrote: — "On one occasion, early in 

 May, I saw what I thought was a curious sight — a Drongo 

 cutting such antics on the wing that I never for a moment 

 suspected that it was all the while belabouring a poor Tit or 

 Warbler which it must have had in its talons. The liberation 

 of the little captive fairly astonished me, but, judging from 

 the rapidity with which it made for the nearest tree, it was 

 more frightened than hurt.''^ 



The King-Crow breeds from the end of April to the middle 

 of July, but most nests will be found during the latter 



