WEAVER-BIRDS, SHRIKES, ETC. 181 



the dates on which they appeared in twelve separate 

 years shows that in nine of them they arrived during 

 the earlier and in three only in the later period. 

 Their departure seems to take place more gradually. 

 During the latter half of April their numbers 

 steadily diminish ; a few linger on into May, but by 

 the middle of the month all have gone. It is much 

 easier to ascertain the precise dates of their arrival 

 and departure than it is in the case of most other 

 migrants, owing to the noisy way in which they 

 advertise their presence all the time that they 

 are resident. On some still muggy morning or 

 evening in mid- September, when the heat and damp 

 are enough to make mere existence seem a burthen, 

 and when it is hard to imagine how any living thing 

 can hanker after unnecessary exertion, a loud, 

 imperative chattering suddenly strikes the ear, and 

 one gladly wakens up to the fact that the brown 

 shrikes have really arrived, and that the year is 

 wearing on towards the happy time when stagnant 

 heat will be replaced by the dry and cool breath 

 of northerly breezes. Blyth is not strictly correct 

 in saying that " its harsh chattering affords the 

 earliest intimation of the advent of the cold weather 

 in Calcutta," as his audible intimations are preceded 

 by those of the great autumnal crickets, and its 

 arrival by that of snipe, and usually of both the 

 white-faced and the grey wagtail. It is not very 

 easy to account for the origin of their habit of 



