190 THE FOOD OF BlfcDS IN INDIA. 



coconut palm juice, and L. indica the juice of the wild palm 

 (Caryota urens). F. I. Ill, 262. 



1150. L. vernalis. The Indian Loriquet. Said to suck honey 

 from flowers. E. B. C. N. H., 368. Fruit especially guavas. B. 

 N. H. S. J. XVII, 487. 



Of the parrots not a single species can be termed in any way 

 beneficial. This family includes the greatest bird pest we have 

 in India the Rose-ringed Paroquet (Palceornis torquatus). This 

 bird occurs generally throughout India. Not only does it do 

 immense damage by eating grain of all kinds and especially cereals 

 such as maize, wheat, barley, paddy, &c., mustard and occas ; orally 

 linseed and peas, but they destroy very much more than they 

 require for food, and may often be seen wastefully pulling wheat 

 heads to pieces on tree tops to which they have carried them after 

 picking them off the plant, and eating but few of the seeds. They 

 are also at times exceedingly destructive to fruits. Numbers of 

 wild fruit of various kinds are taken, especially Ficus spp., the arils 

 of Cephalandra, but a preference always seems to be shown to culti- 

 vated varieties when they are in season. They are particularly 

 partial to mangoes, litchis, and loquats. 



From a note in the " Pioneer " (4-9-08) and as stated by Mr. 

 Sclater in Ihd. Mus. Notes, Vol. II., 117-121, it is evident that there 

 is a trade for the feathers of green paroquets; this should be 

 encouraged as much as possible as it will do much towards limiting 

 or reducing the numbers of a species of bird so wantonly destruc- 

 tive for the whole of its existence. 



STRIGES. 

 OWLS. 



The Owls are entirely carnivorous, and always catch their prey. 

 They feed mostly on small mammals, hares, rats, mice, &c., a 

 few feed on fish, and the smaller species are to a large extent insec- 

 tivorous. 



The food consists of small mammals such as lemmings, rate, 

 voles, mice ; of insects, with perhaps beetles in especial, and to a 



