THE KOEL AND ITS ALLIES 





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The English 

 reader will perhaps 

 wonder at the in- 

 clusion of the much- 

 despised Koel (^Eudynainis kouorata) among 

 son^r-birds. But as I am writin<^ of the 

 song-birds that are common cage-favourites 

 in Bengal, I cannot but include this bird in 

 my list. Indian poets, ancient and modern, 

 have immortalised this bird in their writ- 

 ings. They like to paint how the cuckoo's 



