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On Bird-Catching in India.



which he wishes to capture, he quickly lengthens his rod with as

many joints as may be necessary (according to the height of the

bird), gently pushing up the rod until the limed twigs are within

a foot or two of the bird. Then, by a sudden push, at the same

time slightly twisting the rod, a capture is generally effected. In

order to decrease the possibility of the bird being frightened by

the sight of the catcher, a screen of green leaves is often

attached to his left arm.


Arboreal birds are the ones which are chiefly caught by

this method—especially those which are of solitary habits. The

notes of the first songster, perched high up in a tree overhead,

may be suddenly cut short by the gliding, sticky tips of the

catcher’s rod. Quite recently, having procured the necessary

implements for this “ active ” sport, I started for a beautiful

garden, in Upper India, well shaded by orange- and mango-trees,

for a morning’s bird-catching. Ignoring such ordinary birds as

Barbets, Mynahs, Dhvals, Babblers, etc., I sought something

uncommon from an aviculturist’s point of view. In the course

of a short time my patience was rewarded by the capture of the

four following species :—


Yellow Iora ( Adgithina tiphia).


Short-billed Minivet ( Pcricrocotus brevirostris).


Indian Redstart ( Ruticilla rufiventris).


Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch ( Sitta castaneoventris).


The first two I had already kept; but the last two I have

never seen in captivity before. All four species, however, are

new to the Loudon Zoo, and have probably never been seen

alive in England. I can strongly recommend this style of bird-

catching for trial in the British Isles.



