80 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



captivity raw meat, lizards, and almost any animal matter. 

 Jerd. B. I., I, 435. Robs insects from other birds by imitating 

 a harrier's cry and charging down on them. B. N. H. S. J., XV, 

 455. 



D. paradiseus. D. platurus. Termites. B. N. H. S. J., VII, 417. 



Drongos take termites. B. N. H. S. J., X, 303. 



Other than for Dicrurus ater we have very little information 

 on the food of the Dicruridae. The different species have on the 

 whole similar habits and these birds form one of the most, if not 

 quite the most, beneficial group that we have in India. 



CERTHIID.E. 



TREE-CREEPERS AND WRENS. 



The food of creepers consists of insects and their larvae, ants 

 and spiders. Seeds of conifers occasionally vary the diet. E. B. 

 C. N. H., 572. The tree-creepers feed on insects, especially on 

 beetles and spiders, which they find in the crevices of bark. Jerd. 

 B. I., I. 380. The tree-creepers (Certhia) feed entirely on insects. 

 F. L, I, 328. 



Wrens (Troglodytidce) hunt for insects, their larvae and spiders 

 among fallen leaves, in crevices of rocks and so forth ; while they 

 occasionally eat worms, molluscs, crustaceans and seeds. E. B. C. 

 N. H., 521. 



The true wrens feed on insects, and occasionally seeds. 

 Jerd. B. L, I, 491. 



348. Tichodroma muraria. Wall-creeper. Chiefly spiders 

 and coleoptera. Jerd. B. I., I, 383. Chiefly of spiders and insects. 

 F.I, I, 335. 



353&. Elachura hoplonota. Plain Brown Wren. Ants, small 

 bright beetles on orchid flowers. B. N. H. S. J., VII, 319. 



Pncepyga. Insects and seeds. Jerd. B. I. ? I, 488, 



