• 76 Proceedivgs, 



at Hoshuugabad, in Bombay (where it appeared to be iu 

 search of the Banyan Figs), and from the train. 



Of Kingfishers three kinds are pretty common. The 

 largest of the three is a black and white bird, the Pied 

 Kingfisher (Cenjle rudis). It is abundant on the banks of 

 streams, rivers, and ponds. I saw it repeatedly beside the 

 little river at Sohagpur, and noticed it hover over the stream, 

 plunge overhead into the water, and, reappeariug, fly off with 

 its prey. A much brighter-coloured bird is the White-breasted 

 Kingfisher {Halcyon fusciis), with a bright caerulean-blue back, 

 a chocolate head and sides, and a white throat and breast. 

 Its large, coral-red bill and vermilion feet give another touch 

 of brilliancy to this handsome Kingfisher. In habits it differs 

 from the Pied Kingfisher in being more often seen away from 

 .water; it comes into gardens, and may be seen on the 

 telegraph-wires or in forest glades. The third Kingfisher 

 closely resembles our common Kingfisher, but is slightly 

 smaller, and the colours are brighter and clearer. It is 

 called Alcedo Bewjalensis. One of the delights of a naturalist 

 in India arises from the tameness of birds. On the Thames 

 an old Kingfisher will sight you at a distance of half-a-mile, 

 and be off. At Itarsi I stood within a few yards of the little 

 Bengal Kingfisher as it hovered over a wayside pool and 

 settled on the clay banks, where there was not the slightest 

 cover. 



No one can pass many hours at Hoshungabad without 

 becoming acquainted with the Eufous-backed Shrike [Laniiis 

 eiythronottos). From its perch on the topmost twig of some 

 bush or small tree it pours forth its note (song you cannot 

 call it), meanwhile working its tail or whole body up and 

 down with very much the manners of our common Butcher- 

 bird. Now and then it will dart into the air, catch a passing 

 fly, and then fly back to its look-out post to await another. 

 A rather smaller bird, the Bay-backed Shrike {L. Hardwiclcii), 

 is almost as common as the last-named. I only met with 

 one pair of the beautiful Indian Grey Shrike (L. lahtora) ; 

 they were taking short flights from perches upon the upper 

 boughs of some Mangos. 



