MASON AND LEFEOY. 27 



" From the above lists it will be seen that few, if any, of those in 

 the lisfc of purely insectivorous birds are to be found among the birds 

 nnntioned in the first part of the paper, i.e., those destroyed for 

 plumage or food. With regard to those of a mixed diet given in the 

 other lists, it would certainly be inadvisable to protect them, since 

 they may do much greater harm in devouring fruit and grain than 

 they do good in destroying insects such is especially the case with 

 crows and starlings. 



" With regard to the time of breediug, most small birds in Upper 

 India at any rate bresd between April and July. Of course, there 

 are many exceptions ; but the four months April, May, June and 

 July would practically cover the breeding time of nearly all the 

 birds which require protection. 



" In Southern India many birds breed in December and January, 

 and in th3 hills the breeding season, as for instance, in the case of the 

 Monaul, is in July and August. In the case, however, of Lower 

 Bengal, the bsst months are undoubtedly April, May and June." 

 [Indian Museum Notes, Vol. II, 117-121]. 



^ For further information with regard to feathers used for 

 omiments. etc., reference should be made to Watt's Dictionary of 

 Economic Products, the Report from the Select Committee of the 

 House of Lords on the Importation of Plumage Prohibition Bill 

 (13-7-03), Dr. Forbss Watson's List of Indian Products, etc. It 

 is also interesting to note that the tail-feathers of the Racket -tailed 

 Drongos and the brighter coloured feathers of the Hornbills are 

 used in head-dresses by some hill tribes in Assam, etc., and that 

 the beak of the larger Hornbills is also said to be used for carving 

 work. 



THE FOOD OF BIRDS. 



In the following pages, the birds are considered in order, 

 following the volumes of the Fauna of India and using the num' 

 bering and nomenclature there adopted. 



