90 THE POOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



The Laniince or Shrikes are in all probability beneficial. We 

 have few stomach records, and references to the food of the various 

 species of this family are few also. They certainly appear bene- 

 ficial from what we know of them at present. About half of the 

 Indian species occur in the plains. 



The Artamince or Swallow Shrikes of which there are only two 

 species in India are regarded as one of the most useful groups in 

 Australia. The Australian species occurs in the Andamans. 



ORIOLIM;. 



ORIOLES. 



Orioles feed upon both fruit and insects, and so cannot be re- 

 garded as unmixed blessings to the agriculturist. Dewar B. 

 P., 136. 



Their food is fruit and soft insects, such as caterpillars. Jerd 

 B. 1., II, 106. Orioles frequent forests confining themselves to 

 trees on the fruit of which they subsist together with insects found 

 on the leaves. In habits strictly arboreal, never descending to the 

 ground. F. I., I, 500. 



To say that orioles never descend to the ground is not strictly 

 applicable to our two common Indian species. They may often be 

 seen to fly down onto low shrubs such as Oleander, and will often 

 go to the ground, in all probability to pick up some insect they have 

 shaken off the bush. I have on several occasions seen insects taken 

 on the ground, and sometimes even on a road. 



518. Oriolus kundoo. The Indian Oriole. It feeds chiefly 

 on fruit, especially on the fruits of the banyan and pakur, on mul- 

 berries, &c., and also occasionally on caterpillars and other soft 

 bodied insects. Jerd. B. I., II, 208. 



Stomachs examined 



7-1-08. 1 Small Carabid. 



1 Lygceiis hospes. 



1 Nematode worm. 



F icus fruit. 

 8-2-07. 4 Dysdercus cingulatus. 



3 Lygceus hospes. 



