THE BHIMRAJ 223 



les the skill of even an up-to-date avi- 

 culturist. His lack of scientific knowledge 

 is counter-balanced by a loving heart, 

 patient care, and the wisdom ; of following 

 the traditional methods instead of hazard- 

 ing innovations. He, at times, works 

 wonders by his primitive methods. His 

 protege is often as tame as a cat or a dog. 



The Bhimraj is quick in reciprocating 

 the caresses bestowed on it by its mas- 

 ter. Under the latter's guidance, it grows 

 to be a most alluring pet. Nature has 

 endowed it with a boldness of spirit, a 

 sense of aggressive self-defence, a charming 

 song and an unlimited power of mimicry, — 

 traits which become prominent even in 

 captivity. The peculiarities of its body 

 are found at the head and the tail. The 

 head is ornamented with a raised and some- 

 what incurved crest, while the posterior 

 appendage has two of its feathers unusually 

 exaggerated to a length of over a feet 

 and a half, the shaft being bare for a 

 few inches and ending in a racket-shaped 



