320 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDI- 



and it will in all probability be found that other species are equally 

 beneficial. 



Spiders. Are taken frequently by many birds, though in most 

 cases not formiLg any great proportion of the food taken by any 

 one species. Some of the Nectarinidce, however, are said to 

 consume large quantities, a few living mainly on them. Spiders 

 have been taken from the stomachs of the Tree-pie (Dendrociiia 

 rufa}, Jungle Babbler (Cra'eropus canorus}, Common lora (Aegithina 

 tiphia}, King-Crow (Dicrurus ater), Crowned Willow-warbler (Phyl- 

 losiopus supeciliosus), Bush Chat (Tephrodornis pondicerianus), 

 Indian Oriole (Oriolus kundoo), Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus 

 melanocephalus}, Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis}. Grey-headed 

 Wagtail (Motacilla borealis}, Indian Pipit (Anthus rufulus^, Purple 

 Sun-bird (ArachnecWira asiatica), Blue Jay (Coracias indica}, 

 Common Bee-eater (Merops viridis}, Hoopoe (Upupa indica}, Coucal 

 (Centropus sinensis}, and the Black Partridge (Francolinus vul- 

 qaris]. None of these contained spiders in numbers sufficient 

 to be of real economic importance. 



Other Araneida recorded are : Trombiduim tinctorum. Taken 

 by Coturnix coromandlica and Scorpions taken by Centropus sinen- 

 si*, Inocotis papillosus, and Plegadis falcinellus. 



Earth-Worms. Many birds, and especially those that like 

 water or moist localities, feed to some extent on worms. Crows, 

 Babblers, King-crows, Wrens, Shrikes, Starlings, Thrushes, Larks 

 and Wagtails and Robins all feed on worms to a greater or less 

 extent. Hoopoes, a few Owls and Hawks, Game-birds, Cranes, 

 and all the water birds and Ducks take their share. Worms have 

 been taken from the stomachs of the House Crow (Ccrvus sphn- 

 dens , the Jungle Crow (C. m r 'crorhyn r hus}, Jungle Babbler 

 (Crateropus canorus}, King-crow (Dicrurus ater}, Common Mynah 

 (Acridothere tristis}, and Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis] 

 Black Ibis (Inocotis pipillosus}, (Alauda gu j gula} the Indian Sky- 

 lark and the Hoopoe (Upupa indica} have been noticed eating 

 them. Crows, Mynahs, Magpie-Robins and other common species 

 may often be seen feeding on worms in the rains, and in the 



