186 BOMBAY DUCKS 



we saw a crow abusing a kite. The kite looked at the 

 crow in such a way as seemed to say : " Oh, you 

 naughty rude woman ! How can you demean yourself 

 by calling me such shocking names ? " And when we 

 beheld all the fury of the crow virago we could not help 

 sympathizing with the kite, who looked piety itself. 

 Then we noticed that he was holding, under one claw, 

 part of a young crow. 



The other part of the unfortunate bird was doubtless 

 inside him, and it was nothing but the mad fury of the 

 crow, and the occasional feints she made at pecking 

 the plumage of the slayer of her young one, that 

 prevented the part of the crow nestling outside the kite 

 joining the portion inside it. After having perceived 

 the cause of the wrath of the crow, one could scarcely 

 sympathize any more with the kite. Had any other 

 bird been victimized, I should have experienced keen 

 sorrow for the bereaved parent, but for a crow, no ! All 

 sympathy on crows is sympathy wasted. I regarded 

 her, not as a sorrowing parent, but as Satan rebuking 

 sin. 



Interference on my part did not appear to be called 

 for. Presently the kite flew off, carrying in its claw the 

 remains of the young crow. The mother bird followed 

 him up, swearing like a bargee, and, for all I know, she 

 may still be giving that kite a bit of her mind. 



The above episode renders it obvious that crows 

 have good cause to dislike kites. The reason of the 

 hatred towards them displayed by king-crows is not so 

 apparent; but then drongos attack all birds. Sometimes 

 the crows and king-crows unite in mobbing a kite, the 



