Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



a broad line running down the sides of the 

 head and neck are black. There is a good 

 deal of white in the tail, which is short in this 

 and in all species of nuthatch. The under- 

 pays are of a chestnut hue. The Himalayan 

 nuthatch is very partial to the red berries of 

 Ariscema jacquemontii — a small plant of the 

 family to which the arums and the " lords and 

 ladies " belong. Half a dozen nuthatches 

 attacking one of the red spikes of this plant 

 present a pretty sight. The berries ripen in 

 July and August, and at Naini Tal one rarely 

 comes across a complete spike because the 

 nuthatches pounce upon every berry the 

 moment it is ripe. 



THE DICRURID^: OR DRONGO FAMILY 



The famous black drongo or king-crow 

 (Dicrurus ater) is the type of this well- 

 marked family of passerine birds. The king- 

 crow is about the size of a bulbul, but he has 

 a tail 6 or 7 inches long, which is gracefully 

 forked. His whole plumage is glossy jet 

 black. He loves to sit on a telegraph wire or 

 other exposed perch, and thence make sallies 

 into the air after flying insects. He is one 



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