THE KASTURA 195 



noticed skimming above the water in 

 pursuit of a particularly swift insect which 

 has eluded capture. 



It loves to jump from rock to rock while 

 giving out many an extempore vocal perfor- 

 mance, and when a good morsel of food has 

 been gathered and disposed of, it flies away, 

 with an up-jerk of the tail, piping out its 

 loud and long-drawn whistle. Its tail- 

 action is most peculiar and characteristic. 

 Upon alighting on a seat or a perch, or on 

 being startled, the tail is jerked up and down 

 several times. It is then spread out later- 

 ally into a broad fan-form and immediately 

 shut up again, just as a lady's fan is quickly 

 opened and shut. This action is repeated 

 several times. The Kastura is very cautious 

 and secretive. At the least sound, it is so 

 scared that it dashes, as if for very life, into 

 thick cover where, surrounded with thick 

 foliage, it is effectively screened out of sight. 

 It would not, like the Dama {G. citrina), 

 drop down to the ground, pause and quietly 

 regard you from a distance in order to be 



