74 THE ^OOD OP BIRDS IN INDIA. 



of several species were present in swarms, but the birds never touch- 

 ed them, no doubt preferring insects more readily captured. On 

 only one occasion have I found the King-crow take a dragon-fly. 

 Other insectivorous birds, notably Meropida? (M. viridis and philip- 

 pinus), have frequently been observed to take dragon-flies, and there 

 seems to be no obvious reason why the King-crow should not do so, 

 except that insects on the ground may be captured more readily 

 than on the wing, though this seems hardly applicable to so active 

 a bird as the King-crow. 



The King-crow captures insects in various ways, some of them 

 very ingenious ones. The usual method is to sit on an exposed 

 bough of a tree, a post telegraph wires are always used when 

 available and when no mynahs are about and in fact any place from 

 which a good view of the surrounding country can be obtained. 

 When an insect flies by, the bird swoops at it, returning as often as 

 not to a similar perch to kill and eat its capture. Sometimes 

 the insect is taken to the ground and eaten. Insects are taken on the 

 ground almost, if not quite, as often as on the wing, the bird remain- 

 ing on the ground for a few seconds to eat the insect. Though 

 great numbers of insects are taken on the ground, it is a noticeable 

 fact that ants are practically never taken. Hovering around bushes 

 and low plants in quest of insects is another common method, and 

 on more than one occasion I have seen a King-crow apparently deli- 

 berately brush against the outer twigs of a sissoo, capturing small 

 moths (Geometrids and Pyralids), as they flew out on being dis- 

 turbed. During cultivation operations, especially ploughing, these 

 birds may be seen in large numbers over the fields. At such times 

 they sit on any large lump of earth and pick up any caterpillar or 

 grub which is turned up : naturally the food then almost entirely 

 consists of cutworms (larvae of Agrotis ypsilon, and other Noctuids 

 of the same class), beetles and crickets to a less extent, and also 

 Melolonthid grubs. On one occasion 35 King-crows were observed 

 in one field which was being ploughed. At such times they do not 

 congregate together but are scattered over the field in pairs or 

 singly. When rubbish is being filled or emptied, King-crows are 



