BEE-EATERS, ROLLERS, AND DRONGOS 151 



sometimes take their revenge, for, although meekly 

 submissive so long as the light is strong, they now 

 and then turn the tables and play the part of 

 aggressors when any king-crows have been tempted to 

 remain abroad unusually late by a supply of specially 

 attractive food. Even when a king-crow is sitting 

 on its nest and ought to be wholly absorbed in 

 incubatory care, it can rarely refrain from rushing 

 out to buffet any bird who may pass within easy 

 distance. At any time they are apt to assault and 

 persecute bee-eaters, but in this case their aggressive- 

 ness is excusable on the ground that similarity in 

 diet must almost inevitably lead to acute competi- 

 tion. They do not, as a rule, seem to be inclined 

 to quarrel with one another, but now and then 

 squabbles do arise over some particularly toothsome 

 butterfly or other large insect. 



Like the white egret and mynas, they are con- 

 stantly to be met with in attendance on grazing cattle 

 and buffaloes, making use of them as handy perches 

 from which to sally forth in pursuit of the clouds of 

 insects that arise from the grass, disturbed by the pro- 

 gress of their steeds. The amount of insect mortality 

 to be credited to their account is very great, for all 

 day long they are ceaselessly on the outlook for prey, 

 and, far on into the dusk of evening and long after 

 the bats have joined in the sport, they remain eagerly 

 hawking around. Even whilst travelling from one 

 favourite perch to another, they can seldom resist 



