91 



of cunniag in the Thampal is worthy of record : — Riding slowly 

 across the country one fine morning in pursuit of game, I perceived 

 a Thampal on a projecting dry branch of a large tree, while at a short 

 distance were a number of different kinds of birds in a field in search 

 of food. Presently I saw a "Chehee " or " Gilgilla " spring up and 

 catch a locust in the act'of flying away ; the insect was too large to 

 be easily subdued by the bird, and struggled hard to get away ; it 

 did escape once or twice from the bird, but was" as often retaken. 

 The Thampal had evidently obserred the locust' s struggles, and had 

 once or twice tried to take it on its escape from the bird, but in vain. 

 After one of these attempts he returned quietly to his perch, to all 

 appearance giving up the idea of another similar trial. He had not, 

 however, been there a fevv seconds, when — perhaps having revolved 

 in his mind that the morsel was too nice a one to be relinąuished 

 without one more attempt — he suddenly uttered some of those shrill 

 notes which indicate the approach of a hawk. So sudden was the 

 alarm, and given with an intensity denoting imminent danger, that 

 it sent the poor birds screaming with fright to a covert hard by ; 

 the locust, being abandoned in the panic, was taken off as lavoful booty 

 by the Thampal. I satisfied myself that no hawk had been or was 

 in the vicinity, before I left the spot ; and am confident the alarm 

 was a ruse on the part of the Thampal to get at the locust. 



21. Lanius Lahtora, Sykes. Native name, Sufid Latora. 



This Shrike is common enough throughout the N.W. Provinces, 

 and is one of the sentinels which watch and give notice of the ap- 

 proach of Raptorial birds, hawks in particular. I have never seen 

 it attempting to attack any large bird, but I have on one or two oc- 

 casions seen it pursue and capture small birds in the fields. It flew 

 after them round and into thebushes before it could effect the capture. 

 A friend of mine (Mr. Blewitt) tells me he has also seen the šame 

 thing done by a Latora once or twice, and I mention this here be- 

 cause I believe it has been doubted if this bird preys thus on the 

 smaller birds. This, however, I am inclined to believe it does but 

 seldom, and only from extremity of hunger ; its more usual food 

 being crickets, lizards, &c., when they abound. I have heard that 

 this Shrike has been trained, but could never be made to catch a 

 bird larger than a sparrovvf. It is, however, used in another curious 

 way for the purpose of catching other birds. The bird-catcher 

 takes a Latora, and running a string through its nostrils, runs the 

 šame string through those of a common starling, and dravring the 

 string so as to bring the beaks of the two birds nearly together, 

 joins it in a knot. In this statė one of the two birds is fastened to 

 a peg on the ground in a field, round which spot a circle of lime- 

 twigs is set up. As soon as the man withdraws himself, these tvvo 

 birds try to extricate themselves, thns making a great noise, which 

 attracts all sorts of birds, and which try to separate the supposed 

 belligerents, but who in flying about come in contact with the lime- 

 twigs, and are caught. The Latora is considered among the birds 

 of omen with the Hindoos. 



