XI 

 THE INDIAN ROBIN 



SPEAKING generally, the birds of India are 

 to the feathered folk of the British Isles as 

 wine is to water. The birds, such as the 

 blue tits, which we looked upon in our youth 

 as possessing gay plumage, seem to have lost some 

 of their lustre when we again set eyes upon them 

 after a sojourn in the East. It is not that they or 

 we have grown older, that their feathers have lost 

 their ancient splendour or that the rose rims to our 

 spectacles have worn away. The explanation lies 

 in the fact that we have for years been looking upon 

 allied species of brighter hue. The English robin, 

 however, is one of the few exceptions to this rule. 

 He is in all respects superior to his Indian cousins — 

 the Thamnobias. I mean no offence to the latter, 

 for they are charming little birds, nevertheless they 

 must bow to the superiority of their English brethren. 

 The Indian robins lack the red waistcoat that gives 

 the British bird his well-to-do, homely appearance. 

 It is true that our Indian robins wear a patch of red 

 feathers under the tail. But this, notwithstanding 

 the fact that they make unceasing efforts to display 



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