MASON AND LEFBOY. 43 



the Tree-pie take one of the crickets. At Pusa this bird was 

 somewhat of a nuisance round the silk-worm rearing house, as it 

 stole a good many of the caterpillars (Attacus ricini) being reared 

 there in 1907. 



A favourite hunting ground with this bird is bungalow veran- 

 dahs. It is by no means a shy bird, perhaps being one of the boldest 

 birds that we have, and will even enter a room in search of food. 

 In Southern India, however, it is said to be not quite so bold. "It 

 frequents gardens, but I have never known it enter a verandah." 

 B. N. H. S. J.. XV, 256. I once saw a Tree-pie take a lizard from a 

 window in the following manner. He saw the lizard from outside, 

 and when after one or two attempts he found he could not get at 

 ] t through the glass, he flew down, entered the room through the 

 door, and after capturing the lizard took it outside and ate it. 

 That Tree-pie had been in the bungalow before, and so apparently 

 knew his way about well. Lizards are very often taken from the 

 outsides of window panes and in verandahs, but I have never no- 

 ticed any lizards other than the common Indian house lizard 

 (Hemidactylus gleadovii) to be taken. 



Tree-pies are particularly fond of lizards, and it is for this reason 

 more than anything else that they enter verandahs so boldly. 



'" Particularly fond of lizards." B. N. H. S. J., XIII, 622. 

 I have seen the following insects taken in verandahs : 



Foliates hebrceus. Spodoptera mauritia. 



Ophideres fullonica. Prodenia littoralis. 



Ophideres materna. Ancylolomia chrysographella. 



Plecoptera reftexa. Plusia sp. 



Caradrina exigua. Opatrum spp. 



Sand flies Phlebotomus spp ? are also said to be taken, but 

 I have not observed this. Spiders are also taken in verandahs as 

 elsewhere. It will be seen that many of the insects taken in veiar- 

 dahs belong to injurious groups, but all the good done by the des- 

 truction of these injurious insects is more than counterbalanced 

 by the harm done in destruction of spiders and lizards. 



This diet is supplemented by insects of various other kinds, 

 and occasionally by snails, centipedes, small frogs and birds. 



