THE SHRIKE AND THE KING CROW. 75 



not far from Bombay, in June ; a little nest, fixed in 

 a fork of a thorny tree, scarcely more than big 

 enough to hold the three brown-spotted eggs. 



Then there is the large Cuckoo Shrike (Graucalus 

 macei), a bird nearly as big as a pigeon, of a pale, 

 slaty-grey colour. The under parts are greyish 

 white, narrowly banded more or less distinctly with a 

 darker shade. It eats large insects of any soft kind 

 and also Banian figs and other fruit. As it passes, 

 with a peculiar undulating 'flight, from one tree-top 

 to another, it calls attention to itself by a loud, shrill 

 cry of a single note. I have seen and heard it 

 frequently on Malabar Hill. 



Perhaps I should also mention the Woodshrike 

 (Tephrodornis pondiceriand), a plain, brownish-ashy 

 bird about the size of a bulbul, which is very com- 

 mon in thin, open jungle, but is not often seen, I 

 think, in Bombay. They are insect hunters and go 

 in pairs, or small flocks. As they fly from tree to 

 tree, one calls to another, in sweet, whistling notes, 

 " Be thee cheery?" 



Last and least, but not to be passed by without 

 notice, is the Mini vet (Pericrocotus peregrinus)< a 

 dainty little bird, reminding one of a Longtailed Tit, 

 both by its appearance and habits. They go about 

 the trees in flocks of half-a-dozen, conversing in a low, 

 cheeping voice, and accomplishing a diligent search 

 for little caterpillars and other insects among the 

 foliage. Each flock is generally led by a male, black- 

 throated and scarlet-breasted. The bevy of plainly 

 attired birds that follow him may be either females or 

 youngsters. They are not all his wives, for he is 

 monogamous. 



