248 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



surface of one of its great, curving fronds. In 

 Madras they seem to be almost as abundant as 

 common kites, but, as a rule, few of them are to 

 be seen in and around Calcutta. One or two may 

 often be seen flying about over the river, or perched 

 in the rigging of vessels at anchor in the stream, 

 and now and then one of them will come into a 

 garden for a time, in order to have a look at a pond. 

 At certain times of year, however, large numbers 

 of them are induced to visit the town and suburbs 

 by the abundance of young fish in the ponds. 

 Numerous specimens, many of which are in very 

 immature plumage, usually make their appearance 

 at the close of the rainy season, but the largest 

 immigration takes place towards the end of winter, 

 and when many ponds have become so much dried 

 up as to render fishing in them particularly easy. 

 The largest assembly of Brahmini kites that I ever 

 saw was in the month of February, and took place 

 in connection with the fact that the water in a 

 village pond in Alipur had sunk to a very low ebb, 

 and was swarming with small fish. The crows were 

 disposed to persecute those that came in first, but, 

 as the immigration advanced, gave up in despair, 

 and left their unwelcome visitors unmolested. For 

 several days the numbers of arrivals steadily in- 

 creased, so that for a time the neighbourhood of 

 the pond was thronged by hundreds of birds in 

 various stages of plumage, and filling the air with 



