THAI'. Will. : 



' i IH KK ANIMALS. 





destructive numbers, crows discover them and devour them whole- 

 sale, and nut > under these circumstances do inestimable good in 

 checking pests. On the whole, therefore, the genera] avei 

 the crow's diet shows that this bird is beneficial from an agricultural 



point of view, the Jungle Cmu being probably the more useful bird 

 ot the two. It crops can lie protected lis 1 watchmen when ripe, the 

 . rows may lie looked on as the farmer's allies during the rest ot the 

 sional damage to seedlings or grass lawns is usually 

 mere apparent than real and merely incidental to a search for grubs 

 which are attacking the roots. 



FlC. 105. The Rose ringed Parroquet (Paleeornis torqiiatusl* (After 

 Cunningham.) 



< >t birds which are injurious to erops, the Parroquet (Palaornis 



torquatus) is the most pernicious. It feeds wholly on fruit and 

 grain, usually associating in small tlocks. which ravage all cereal 

 i iop- whenever these are ripe and destroy far more than they eat. 

 It does no good whatever hut is. in fact, an unmitigated nuisani e, 

 and a reduction of its numbers, whether at the hands of plumage- 

 hunters or otherwise, cannot fail to benefit the cultivator. 



The common Indian Green Barbet (Thereiceryx seyloniem 

 pest ot all fruit and often does considerable damage to loquatS, 

 peaches, etc.. feeding in the early morning and evening as a rule. 

 In the Coffee Districts Barbets sometimes do considerable damage 

 by feeding on coffee-berries just as these are ripening, 

 insects may be eaten occasionally, but these birds are normally 

 ugivorous and must be regarded as injurious. 



