INSECT HUNTERS 189 



for the insect-eating animals, an annual harvest in 

 which they revel. The mynas and the crows do not 

 disdain to partake of this copious meal supplied by 

 nature. 



The latter are omnivorous birds ; all is grist which 

 comes to their mill — carrion, fruit, locusts, termites, 

 fish, grain, and the crumbs which fall from man's 

 table. 



The mynas too eat a variety of food, but they 

 are first and foremost insectivorous birds. They are 

 never so happy as when chasing grasshoppers on the 

 grass. By preference they accompany cattle, strutting 

 along beside these and catching in their beaks the 

 insects as these latter jump into the air, frightened 

 by the approach of the great quadruped. 



The beautiful white cattle egrets {Bubulcus coro- 

 mandus) in a similar way make buffaloes and kine 

 act as their beaters. 



The familiar king crow {Dicrurus ater) adopts two 

 methods of insect-catching. The one he favours most 

 is that of the fly-catcher. Sometimes, however, he 

 attaches himself to a flock of mynas. In such cases 

 he flies to the van of the flock and squats on the 

 ground, regardless of the fact that by so doing his 

 beautiful forked tail gets dusty. As the mynas ap- 

 proach, snatching up grasshoppers, they put up a 

 number of flying insects, and these the king crow 

 secures on the wing. As soon as the last of the mynas 

 has passed by the king crow again flies to the van and 

 repeats the performance. 



In India almost every company of mynas has its 



