INDIAN CROWS. 325 



feeders or scavengers. A good instance of the latter 

 is the common grey crow (Corvus Splendens) of India. 

 In Calcutta and other great cities he may be seen 

 everywhere, picking over scraps and refuse heaps; so 

 bold has he become by impunity that he will sit upon 

 the front of a dust cart while the attendants are fill- 

 ing it, intently watching everything that is put into 

 it, and as the filled cart passes along the streets, two 

 or three of these birds may be seen perched upon it 

 engaged in turning over its contents. The " Myna " 

 bird of India is another bird which, like the sparrow, 

 feeds mainly upon grain; it is a pretty bird of the 

 starling family, of which there are several genera in 

 India. It may be seen pursuing its avocations with 

 the utmost coolness among crowds of people on rail- 

 way platforms, and elsewhere, where it will just keep 

 out of reach of a stick. "The common 'Maina' (or 

 Myna) bird (Acridotheres Tristis [Linn.] ) is often dom- 

 esticated, and will follow its master about the house 

 like a dog. It soon learns to pick up words and 

 sentences." * 



We know an instance where one of these birds 

 had become perhaps the very best " talking pet " we 

 ever remember to have heard; it was at the Great 

 Eastern Hotel in Calcutta (where a very long price 

 was asked for it to would-be purchasers, though \ve 

 forget the amount at this moment). Every morning 

 with daylight it would begin in a gruff male voice: 

 " Boy ! Bring some wine ! " presently it would change 

 to " Waiter! Bring some water! ! " in a lady's voice 



* Cyclopedia of India, by Surgeon-Gen. Edw. Balfour, 3rd Edit., 

 1885. Vol. ii., p. 1029 (Article "Myna"). (This bird has been in- 

 troduced into Australia and New Zealand, and is now quite common in 

 many places there). 



