MASON AND LEFROY. 49 



The Magpies are almost, though not quite, as omnivorous 

 as Crows. They are all hill species and of little 

 importance. 



The only Tree-pie (Dendrocitta) of importance is D. rufa. 

 The habits have already been discussed, and it is appar- 

 ently beneficial, though it may at times do some damage 

 in orchards, and we must regard other species in the 

 same light, though they are uncommon and entirely 

 confined to the hills. They are mostly insectivorous 

 and frugivorous. 



The Nutcrackers (Nucifraga) are entirely hill birds, and when 

 common may damage nuts, though much damage attri- 

 buted to these birds is probably done by squirrels. 

 They are said to eat boring beetle grubs, and if so this 

 more than counterbalances any damage they may pos- 

 sibly do to nuts, which are mostly wild species, hard- 

 shelled and of little real value. 



Parince. Tits, though fairly numerous in species, are 

 noticeably absent from the plains where we have only one 

 common species, P. atriceps. All the other species are practically 

 confined to the hills. Tits in India as elsewhere are probably 

 beneficial. 



Paradoxornithince. Crow-Tits have the habits of Tits and are 

 confined to the hills. 



CKATEROPODID^E. 



The Crateropodidce are subdivided into the following sub- 

 families : Crateropodina, Timeliince, Brachypterygince, Sibiince, 

 LiotrichinoB and Brachypodince. 



Of the TimeliincB, Evans says " Many species scratch up the soil 

 or dead leaves in search of insect** and other larvae which, with seeds, 

 constitute the chief food : fruit however or even small reptiles, 

 crabs, worms, molluscs, are occasionally eaten/' E. B. C. N. H., 

 503. He includes however several genera placed elsewhere in the 

 Fauna of India, such as Suthora, &c. 



4 



