302 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



bravery changes to sudden fear, as one can see by the 

 change of expression in their Httle twinkling eyes ; such 

 inquisitive, bright httle faces they have, which they clean 

 often with their little hands. No one can be dull with 

 such lively companions, which insist upon being noticed. 

 Among the thick shiny leaves there is a sparkle of canary- 

 yellow and bright scarlet ; this is the female and male 

 minivet* or cardinal bird. There are many kinds of 

 woodpeckers, which tap on the stems and screech. A 

 dark-greenish bird sits in the shade — the koel.f He 

 makes the grove resound with his frantic cry, ' I've lost 

 my shirt !' When no one takes notice, he screeches in 

 tones ascending ever higher : ' Oh my oh, oh m.^ oh, oh 

 m^ oh !' The air is full of swifts and swallows, darting 

 ever after insects and twittering loudly to one another. 

 At no time or place is there an interval in the wheeling of 

 long-winged kites$ high overhead, ready to pick up any- 

 thing eatable with a sudden swoop, squealing at one 

 another in a grating manner when two come at the same 

 object. Towards evening, when the sun's glare is modified 

 and shadows lengthen, a little owl says ' Piu !'§ from the 

 recesses of the many air-roots which hang overhead. 

 Then, as by a signal given, a hundred green paroquets 

 screech all together at the top of their shrill voices from 

 every tree, and begin to dart like green streaks across 

 every open space at a pace which takes one's breath away. 

 The green lines seem to run like electric flashes in every 

 possible direction, intersecting one another in a mazy 

 pattern like ribands in a pole -dance. The chorus of 

 screeches is ear-piercing, and comes in waves. There are 



* Pericrocotus speciosus. 

 f Eudynatnys honorata. 

 \ Milvus govinda. 



5:5 Like the Italian owl when spring comes: * II fuoco nel letto non si 

 mette "piu." ' 



