42 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



Summary. Of 68 insects from 13 birds, 13 are beneficial, 48 

 injurious and 7 neutral ; 9 took injurious insects, 5 beneficial and 

 4 neutral. 



Two birds took spiders and one a small bird. Of 11 birds that 

 took vegetable matter, 9 took Ficus fruit. 



The Indian Tree-pie is a very common bird, usually occurring in 

 pairs or small parties of 6 or 7 birds. It is found everywhere 

 where there is plenty of shelter, and is, especially fond of Ficus 

 trees. Most of the food is obtained on the ground, and on trees 

 and bushes, and a very small proportion on the wing and that 

 only when flying Termites emerge. 



This bird is to a very large extent a vegetable feeder, though it 

 does not apparently damage crops or planted seeds. It takes a 

 variety of weed seeds and fruits of all kinds including all the com- 

 mon species of Ficus, Ber fruit (Zizyphus jujuba), Mulberries, 

 Sissoo seeds, &c. Of cultivated fruits when they are in season 

 it takes peaches, loquats, planta'ns, &c., and besides eating the 

 fruit on the trees it will often knock off a considerable amount more. 

 Not only does it thus damage the fruit, but it also breaks off small 

 branches (which often contain fruit buds) of brittle wooded varieties 

 of trees when it alights on them, and is therefore not to be desired 

 in a carefully kept orchard. Leaves and buds of various sorts are 

 also eaten, but apparently only of wild plants. 



The Tree-pie's insect food is very varied, but undoubtedly 

 some preference is shown to caterpillars, principally Geometrids 

 and some other smooth varieties I have never -known it touch 

 a hairy one to beetles which are mostly Tenebrionids and to a 

 less extent to the common wasp [Polistes hebrceus]. I once had two 

 Sphingid larvaa (Theretr^ oldenlindice) in a tin on my window 

 ledge, and while reading I heard a slight noise and saw one 

 of these birds fly off with the second of these larvse, the first having 

 been taken without my noticing it. It does not as a general 

 rule take crickets ; I have continually watched Tree-pies feeding 

 in the same place as Brahminy Kites, the latter feeding entirely 

 on the crickets (Brachytrypes achatinus) and have only once seep 



