202 GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS 



jected forward, mouth slightly open, and wings 

 about half expanded. Thus he slowly approached, 

 looking very handsome. He did not advance direct, 

 but took a circuitous course as if stalking us. When 

 he had approached within about six feet I made a 

 pretence of striking him with a short cane. Of this 

 act of hostility he took not the least notice, but con- 

 tinued to approach. The men with me, who were on 

 foot, began to fear being attacked, so one of them 

 pulled up some paddy stalks and threw these at him. 

 This made him jump and retreat a few paces. But 

 he soon recommenced his advance in battle array. 

 Then one of the men rushed at him. That caused 

 him to retreat a few paces hastily, but with dignity. 

 He then proceeded to attempt a rear attack, and as 

 he circled round us with bent neck he put me in mind 

 of the villain of the melodrama, who stalks about 

 saying " My time will come ! " When the sarus had 

 advanced thus to within four feet of my men and 

 looked as though he were about to spring at them, 

 one of these lunged at him with a short stick, and 

 he would have been struck had he not beaten a hasty 

 retreat. Nothing daunted, he again returned to the 

 attack. We were at the nest for fully ten minutes, 

 and the whole time he was trying to get at us. Only 

 once did he utter his trumpet-like call. The female 

 meanwhile remained watching at a distance of per- 

 haps forty yards. 



Having seen what we wanted, we replaced the 

 young bird and the egg in the nest and retreated 

 fifteen or twenty yards. We waited to see what the 



