MASON AND LETROY. 69 



Hemiptera of various species. Two of the insects fed on one occa- 

 sion were undoubtedly the red cotton bug [Dysdercus cingulatus]. 



This is the only occurrence I have noted of this species at Pusa. 

 The nest was found on March 23, 1907. 



The SittidcB are beneficial. 



DICRURID^. 

 DRONGOS. 



The food consists of insects of all kinds which are captured 

 on the ground, on leaves or flowers, on the backs of cattle, or at 

 times upon the wing, individuals often returning to their perches 

 like fly-catchers. E. B. C. N. H., 529. 



They feed habitually on the wing, darting from one perch on 

 a tree into the air to catch an insect and returning to the same or 

 an adjoining branch. The Dicruri frequently perch on the backs 

 of cattle. F. I. I., 308. All drongos hawk insects in the air. 

 [mp. Gaz., I, 242. 



Species which occur in forest country feed more on the wing- 

 probably almost entirely so than species occurring in more open 

 country. D. <iter, if anything, feeds more on the ground than on 

 the wing, whilst Chibi i holtentott i feeds still less habitually on the 

 whig than the other drongos, finding most of its food by hunting 

 on trees for insects. 



327. Dicrurus ater. It feeds chiefly on grasshoppers and cric- 

 kets, which as Sundeval remarks, appear to be the chief insect 

 food for birds in India. Also now and then on wasps or bees, dra- 

 gon-flies and occasionally moths or butterflies. It generally seizes 

 its insect prey on the ground, or whips one off a stalk of grain, fre- 

 quently catching one in the air. Winged termites and locusts. 

 Jerd., B. I. I., 428. 



Stomachs examined 



11-1-08. 2 Myrmecocystus setipes. 



4 Opatrum sp. 



3 Cutworms. 

 15-1-08. 1 Gryllotalpa africana. 



Some remains of beetles. 



