86 BOMBAY DUCKS 



not placed some of her children. Directly the iron 

 horse pulls up, a crowd of kites may be seen soaring 

 overhead, waiting for some scraps of food which a pas- 

 senger will assuredly cast away. Needless to say, the 

 crows are also on the war path, and, as they hang about, 

 most impudent beggars, close to the carriage wheels, 

 they get the pick of the food which is thrown out. 



These bold birds, however, are not dependent on the 

 chanty of man ; they help themselves, being obviously 

 disciples of Dr. Smiles, whose book, " Self- Help," is so 

 popular in India. A goods train loaded with sacks of 

 grain pulls up at a station, and is at once invaded by 

 crows, who proceed to bore with their powerful beaks 

 holes in the sacks, through which they abstract the 

 corn. 



The enumeration of the fauna of the railway station 

 would be incomplete without mention of the ubiquitous 

 sparrow (Passer domesticus). Then there is the half- 

 starved pariah dog, who is a regular institution at every 

 wayside station, attending all trains. Experience seems 

 to have taught him that charity is most rife among 

 Europeans, for he usually takes up a position on the 

 platform in front of a carriage occupied by them ; but 

 even their charity appears to be very uncertain, for his 

 attitude is suppliant, he wags his tail in a half-hearted 

 manner, he gives it the undecided motion that denotes 

 hoping against hope. His ribs are very conspicuous 

 objects, and the wistful look in his eyes makes one feel 

 almost sorry that one's baggage does not include an 

 assortment of juicy bones. 



