THE GULAB-CHASM 83 



stem to give out a strain of happy warble. 

 Its food consists of insects, and it takes its 

 meal in a way of its own. It does not 

 swallow its prey in one gulp as is usual with 

 most birds. It places one foot on 

 the insect and pecks at it with its bill, 

 taking off morsels from its body like the 

 birds of prey. 



The bird is always full of animation. In 

 the breeding season, it becomes livelier and 

 more energetic. It is then in full song, 

 and discarding its usual caution, perches 

 frequently on the top of a nodding reed 

 to warble forth its mid-day serenades. 

 Company takes away nothing from its 

 joyous ardour ; for, not unusually, one or 

 two of its kindred can be detected close 

 at hand. It is not an exclusiva bird like 

 the Dhayal or the Shama ; nor, on the 

 other hand, is it as gregarious as the 

 Seven Sisters. Whatever may be the de- 

 gree of gregariousness of this bird, I can 

 vouch for a remarkable degree of fellow- 

 feeling and esprit de corps possessed by it. 



