BIRDS IN THE RAIN 179 



the rain is a huge joke. They enjoy the falling rain- 

 drops as keenly as a man enjoys his morning shower-bath. 

 There is no bath like the rain bath, and if the drops do 

 fall very heavily there is always shelter to be taken. 



It is of course possible for birds to have too much 

 rain ; but this does not often happen in India, except 

 occasionally in the monsoon. 



As I write this it is pouring " cats and dogs," and 

 sitting in a tree not five yards away from the window 

 are a couple of crows thoroughly enjoying the blessings 

 which Jupiter Pluvius is showering down upon them. 

 I am high up, seventy or eighty feet above the level of 

 the ground, and can therefore look down upon the 

 crows. They are perched on the ends of the highest 

 branches, determined not to miss a drop of the rain. 

 One of them is not quite satisfied with his position; 

 he espies another bough which seems more exposed, 

 so to this branch he flies, although it is so slender that 

 it can scarce support him. Nevertheless he hangs on 

 to his swaying perch and opens out his wings and flaps 

 his tail does, in fact, everything in his power to make 

 the most of the passing tropical shower. The other 

 crow has caught sight of me, and thinks he will 

 stare me out, so sits motionless with his eye fixed 

 on mine, while the rain pours upon him and falls 

 off his tail in a little waterfall. Occasionally he gives 

 his friend an answering "squawk," and then shakes 

 his feathers, and is altogether enjoying himself; he is as 

 jolly as the proverbial sandboy. In other trees near by 

 sit more crows, and, so far as one can judge, each seems 

 to have taken up a position in which he is likely to 



