iS HOURS WITH NATURE. 



commenced, it goes on uttering for some time, with a 

 slight nod of the head at each call. It is asserted that 

 the sound of the bird appears to come from a different 

 direction to that from which it really proceeds. The 

 bird is so common in India that any one with an 

 inquisitive turn of mind can easily ascertain for himself 

 whether there is any truth in the assertion. 



The Koel (Eudynamis honorata, Linn.) the harb- 

 inger of spring, of " balmy breezes, and flowering meads," 

 is a well-known bird in India. It is not usually gre- 

 garious in habit, though common pursuits sometimes 

 bring several of them together. They and, for the 

 matter of that, many other birds have more method and 

 regularity in their habits than would appear from the 

 roving life they lead. A koel may be observed to fre- 

 quent the same group of trees for days and months, 

 morning, evening, and noon, regularly about the same time 

 singing from the same place. While we were speculating 

 about their habits, a passing cuculine cry attracted our 

 attention, and we saw a crow chasing a female koel with 

 the utmost energy. The koel was probably detected by 

 its pursuer in the act of depositing its eggs in her nest 

 a well-known habit among this species of birds. 



The Myna. Of mynas, we noticed three 

 species : the common myna or salik^ ( Acridotheris 

 tristis); the pied starling or gosalik ( Sturnopastor 

 contra) ; and the jungle myna (^theopsar fus- 

 cus). The two former are familiar birds, and com- 

 mon in every part of India, The jungle myna is not 



