210 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



was on one of those still nights in autumn, when 

 swarms of minute, green, homopterous insects- 

 the so-called " green bugs " of Anglo-Indians issue 

 forth in their thousands to throng around all the 

 wayside lamps. I was passing along one of the 

 suburban roads at a late hour, and just as I came 

 to a point at which there was a lamp overhung 

 by heavy masses of boughs, a scops suddenly 

 emerged from the latter and flew down to the 

 cross-bar beneath the lantern, in order to partake 

 of the feast provided by the insects crowding 

 round the glass. Once again I succeeded in 

 coming to close quarters with one in my garden ; 

 but, although I could see it once or twice as it 

 crossed from one tree to another, the gloom was 

 too great to allow of any distinct view of the 

 details of its plumage. When my attention was 

 first attracted to its presence, it was calling in a 

 shrub of Diospyros, and when this was approached 

 it flew over into a neighbouring tree of Lager- 

 strcemia, looking as it went like a small Athene 

 brama. When followed to its second perch, it 

 could be dimly seen amid the somewhat sparse 

 foliage of the tree, and, on being closely approached, 

 it ceased to call in the wonted fashion, and began 

 to cry aloud so like a young kitten that the terrier 

 who was with me was completely taken in by the 

 sound, and began an excited investigation of the 

 ground beneath the tree. 



