AT THE SIGN OF THE FARASH 73 



every aged farash is as full of cavities as a honeycomb. 

 A grove of farash trees is a veritable bird hotel ; it 

 might with truth be called UHotel des Oiseaux. Like 

 many of the hotels built for the accommodation of 

 human beings, the Farash Hotel is almost deserted 

 at some periods of the year and overcrowded at others. 

 It has its " season." During the winter months many 

 of its rooms remain untenanted. The more com- 

 modious ones, however, are occupied all the year 

 round ; some by spotted owlets [Athene hrama), and 

 others by the little striped squirrel {Sciiirus palmarum) . 

 The spotted owlets do not, hke most birds, visit the 

 farash merely for nesting purposes ; they live in it, 

 lying up in their inner chamber during the day, immune 

 from the attacks of crows, kites, drongos, and other 

 birds that vex the souls of httle owls. No matter at 

 what season of the year you call at the hotel, you will 

 find Mr. and Mrs. Spotted Owlet at home during the 

 daytime. If you tap on the trunk, which is tanta- 

 mount to knocking at the door or shouting " Koi hat," 

 you may expect to see appear at the door of the suite 

 occupied by the owlets a droll little face, that will 

 bow to you, but with such grimaces as to leave no 

 doubt that you are unwelcome. 



The squirrels are winter residents in the hotel ; they 

 like to dwell in it throughout the year, but are not 

 always permitted to do so. Numbers of them are 

 ejected every February by the green parrot {Palceornis 

 torquatus) . The green parrot is a bully, and is neither 

 troubled by the Nonconformist conscience, nor ham- 

 pered by the Ten Commandments ; so that, when he 



