:- 



TH INDIAN INSECTS. ETC. 'CHAP. XXIII. 



arc necessarily rather different and. in common with the cultivator. 

 he has to look to the fields for his livelihood. 



There are of course two common species of crows, the Grey- 

 necked Crow fCorvus splendens) and the Jungle Crow (C. macror- 

 hynchus). The scientific name of the latter refers to the large size 

 of its beak ; that of the former was perhaps bestowed in irony and 

 always reminds one of the Latin Grammar tag "splendide mendax." 

 The habits and manners of both birds are similar, but the Grey- 

 necked Crow is generally found more commonly around houses, the 

 Jungle Crow in the fields. Crows probably do some good in towns 

 and villages which are sufficiently insanitary to provide them with 

 a livelihood on garbage, but in the mofussil crows have to eke out 

 an existence otherwise and it is under such circumstances that they 

 may do either good or harm to the farmer. When cereals, and 

 especially cholam. are ripe, crows are always amongst the first to 

 discover the fact and to congregate in dozens in such fields, so that 



.. .....V. ■ b* h*& & -«-'^ tf*HUM.y ^ '«' a * ' * 1 



Harrow and devouring tin- insects rxposed. 

 I Redrawn from Author's original photo.) 



in most districts it is customary to build a platform in the middle of 

 the field and to station there a small boy armed with a whip or an 

 old tin. which he cracks or beats to scare away the birds. At such 

 times crows may certainly do considerable damage. But there is 

 another side to the picture which is to be seen when ploughing or 

 harrowing is taking place, the crows following the plough in 

 numbers on these occasions and eagerly searching for any insects 

 which may be turned up. Similarly, when fields are being irrigated, 

 'most always make it their business to be present, hunting 

 assiduously along the edge of the advancing water and picking up 

 insects such as crickets which have been flooded out of cracks 

 in the soil. At times, also, when caterpillars have increased to 



