364 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall on Birds as a Factor in the 



River, 17, v, 78. . . . This tree [Bomhax malaharicum'] 

 was in flower and was crowded with birds of all kinds, 

 chiefly mainas, kingcrows and parrots. I noticed 

 among them two or three hair-crested Drongos {Chihia 

 hottentotta), and was rather surprised to see one of 

 these suddenly dart from the tree and give chase to a 

 white butterfly (Apj^icis hijipo) that was flitting about 

 some willow-like bushes. The bird swooped at the 

 butterfly several times and chased it, but so far as I 

 could see did not succeed in catching it": Lt.-Col. 

 C. T. Bingham, note from diary (Burma). 

 9, Licrurus ater, Herm. (King-Crow), — {a) "It feeds . . . 

 occasionally on moths and butterflies " : Jerdon, " Birds 



of India," i, p. 428.— (/*) "Delhi, ll,vii,75 While 



I was watching a Paipilo critlwnius [ = demoleus, L.] 

 flew past and the King-Crow gave chase, snapped at 

 it, but the butterfly dodged, the bird twisted, and 

 after making two or three more attempts caught it 

 and flew with it to a small keekur tree {Acacia). For 

 some time the King-Crow sat holding the butterfly, 

 then he began to champ it and seemed to make two 

 or three attempts at swallowing. A villager, however, 

 coming through the grass close jDast the tree frightened 

 the bird and it dropped the butterfly. I picked the 

 insect up, but though still alive it was much injured 

 and unable to fly" : Lt.-Col. C. T. Bingham (note from 

 diary). — (c) This bird was observed to catch butterflies 

 in India : Major Nurse, " Journ. Bombay, N. H. Soc," 

 ix, 1895, p. 337. — (d) The common King-Crow 

 {Dicrurus ater, I believe) invariably captures butterflies 

 on the wing ; I have seen these birds scores of times 

 do this. Their usual prey seems to be a small deep 

 yellow butterfly with black on the tip of the wings, 

 but I have occasionally seen other butterflies so 

 captured by them. . . . With reference to my previous 

 letter I would say that the butterfly referred to was 

 the Terias silhetana or Terias laeta, probably both " : 

 A. E. Mackay, "Nature," Ixv, 1902, pp. 247 and 486 

 (India). — (e) " In the other case the butterfly, Euthalia 

 garuda, had been slightly crippled by some accident, 

 which a King-Crow detected at once, but it had some 

 trouble to catch it " : E. H. Aitken, " J. Bomb. N. H. 

 Soc," xvi, 1904, p. 156 (India).— (/) Observed to 

 attack butterflies in Southern China, but generally 



