334 



These crates are round shallow baskets with a larj^e rouiul 

 hole left in the top, such as fowls are carried aljont in out here, 

 only a bit smaller. The hole is closed with netting through 

 which their food is tlirowu in, goodness only knows how thev 

 are watered. There were quite thirty Mynahs in a crate, and 

 one coolie would bring in four or five crates, one on top of the 

 other, on liis head. At least six coolies came in while I was 

 there, but this was probably the lot, and I fanc)^ such consign- 

 ments do not often come in. Out of the six hundred (at the 

 lowest) I should say that quite one hundred were put in the 

 dead heaps, lying near the two shops who received them, and 

 that quite another Imndred weie put into separate cages (say 

 twenty to a cage) as being sick, very sick. I wonder how many 

 survived a couple of months. These were mostly 5'oung birds 

 and I could have had my pick and taken a dozen at a very low 

 price, but was not so inclined. The crate ma}' also be used for 

 other birds but I saw nonebrought in. I must say, too, that the}' 

 were attended to at once and that all the birds in the bazaar 

 looked fit and happy. 



The Indian dealer has a little habit which is rather mis- 

 leading. The birds (or most of them) are only reatxy fed in 

 the morning and evening. These are certainly the right times, 

 though my trapping experiences have shown me that, at mid- 

 day, the time during wliicli I always thought that most birds 

 out here were taking their siesta, they are really on the steady 

 feed, at any rate where there is thick jungle. A large per- 

 centage of the birds I have trapped were taken between 12 and 

 2 p.m. This morning and evening game is sound when other 

 food which they may eat is left in, but I saw a case where a 

 Lahore dealer could not keep Zebra Finches (got them for me) ; 

 on enquiry I found the seed was taken away at night not to 

 attract mice ; ver}' good ; but I found it was taken away 

 some time before dark and put back .some time after dawn, just 

 the times it was most wanted especially in the cold weather. 



To return to these dealers, they well know that sahibs (of 

 whatever colour), especially if it is a white sahib, much perfera 

 bird that is easy to keep. He prefers to say the bird feeds on 

 seed, failing that he suggests bread and milk with banana, or 



