224 



SOME SOUTH [NDIAN [NSECTS, ETC. fCHAP. XXIII. 



Babblers of several species occur in Southern India, the White- 

 head Babbler (Crateropus griseus) being indeed confined to an area 

 south of a line drawn from Ellore through SecunderabadtoBelgaum. 

 The fungle Babblei fC. canorus), commonly called "Seven Sisters," 

 is common throughout Southern India. The food of these birds 

 consists for the most part of insects and these latter are all of 

 species which are more or less injurious. A few frogs may be 

 eaten occasionally, but on the whole these birds are distinctly 

 beneficial. They rarely venture far into the open country, su 

 cultivated fields, but usually remain under the shelter of bushes or 

 trees, where they hunt about amongst di.nl leaves and undoubtedly 

 do a great deal of good in thinning off noxious insects which 

 would otherwise spread into cultivated areas. 



Orioles, of which the Indian Oriole (Oriolus kundoo) and the 

 Black-headed Oriole (0. melanocephalus) are the commonest, feed 

 partly on insects and partly on fruit, but the vegetable food seems 

 to consist almost wholly of the fruits of wild figs. These birds are 

 not known to damage orchard fruits, and must be considered as 

 distinctly beneficial to agriculture. They therefore deserve en- 

 couragement and protection, the more especially because their 

 brilliant plumage has already attracted the undesirable attentions 

 of the feather trade. 



Fig. len. The Common W nah i icridotheres tristis). (Original.) 



Mynahs of several kinds occur in Southern India and the 

 Common Mynah (Acridotheres tristis) maj be selected as typical of 

 the group, it is common throughoul Madras and feeds mostly on 

 insects, of which grasshoppers form a large proportion. These 

 birds may often be seen following cattle and catching insects 



