54 JUNGLE FOLK 



the tree in which they were settHng down for the night ! 

 Some flew to a neighbouring tree, but the majority 

 circled in the air with loud twitterings. Within less 

 than three minutes, however, all were back again, 

 trying to find suitable perches. Before they had half 

 settled down a boy again disturbed them. This was 

 obviously done to annoy me, so I sent the urchins 

 about their business. All the bee-eaters were back 

 again almost immediately. By this time the sun had 

 disappeared below the horizon, a fact which the birds 

 seemed to appreciate, judging by the celerity with 

 which they settled down. It soon grew so dark that I 

 could scarcely distinguish the birds from the foliage 

 which they resemble so much in hue. But for the 

 black streak through the eye I should not have been 

 able to do so. I now crept up under the tree, and was 

 able, by looking up, to distinguish little groups of bee- 

 eaters huddled together. I noticed several couples, 

 two rows of three, four rows of four, and one of five. 

 The tails projected from behind, and by counting these 

 I was able to determine the number in a row. I noticed 

 that the tails were not parallel ; some were crossed 

 by others, showing that the birds do not roost so closely 

 packed as they appear to be when looked at from the 

 front. Birds are composed largely of feathers, so that 

 it is easy for them to have the appearance of being 

 packed like sardines in a tin when in reality they have 

 plenty of room. 



All the birds in a row faced the same way, but some 

 rows looked one way and others another. 



Bee-eaters do not sleep with the head under the wing, 



