THE KHANJAN 



(WTACILLA MAOERASPATENSIS) 



The term Khanjan loosely denotes 

 Wagtails, though it has a restricted 

 application to a particular Indian species. 

 The Khanjan has always been a favourite 

 bird with the old Sanskrit authors, who 

 never lost an opportunity to portray it 

 in their descriptions of natural scenery. 

 In describing the eyes of their heroines, 

 they always found in this bird a pet 

 simile. ''Khanjan-eyed" connoted in their 

 phraseology one of the best excellences of 

 the human eyes ; but it is a moot point 

 whether the sparkling gaiety of the 

 eyes suggested their resemblance with 

 the restlessness of the bird or whether 

 the anatomical likeness between the shape 

 of those eyes and the body-contour of 

 the bird was the subject of comparison. 

 Havino^ a wide distribution, the Waojtails 

 are so very familiar to the people of 



