72 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



sometimes consists of the latter alone. The name- 

 call is not so closely associated with any special 

 season is not so definitely a nest-note as that of the 

 ko'il is, but from its insistent character it is probable 

 that its primary purpose is that of distracting atten- 

 tion, even though the incidence of the two cries seems 

 to be greatly influenced by meteorological conditions. 

 During periods of continuous dry weather the name- 

 call alone is to be heard, whilst the other becomes 

 more and more audible when damp air and frequent 

 showers prevail, until during the height of a normal 

 rainy season it alone occurs. No matter how fine and 

 settled the weather may seem to be, should the 

 second kind of call be heard of a morning, it is almost 

 safe to venture to predict that rain will fall during 

 the course of the day. Owing to this association of 

 the cry with the occurrence of rain, no observant 

 resident of Calcutta is inclined to connect the idea of 

 the bird with that of extreme heat ; and, in place of 

 resenting the occurrence of the sound, one comes to 

 welcome it as the harbinger of grateful moisture and 

 relative coolness. 



They are very pretty birds; the soft greyish 

 brown and white of their feathering contrasts 

 pleasantly with the brilliant yellow of their eyes and 

 legs, and the general effect of the colouring is 

 strangely hawk-like. So much so is this the case 

 that whilst they are on the wing it is often very 

 difficult to distinguish them from shikras, Astur 



