INDIAN SONG-BIRDS 



HAVING discoursed upon the noisy birds 

 of India, it is but fitting that we should 

 give the songsters an innings, for we have 

 some song-birds in the East, notwith- 

 standing the article of the Anglo-Indian creed, which 

 declares that in the country of his adoption birds do not 

 sing, that they caw, croak, squeak, and make all manner 

 of objectionable and abominable noises, but sing no ! 

 This article of belief is a gross libel on many birds. 

 Nevertheless, those who subscribe to it are able to plead 

 extenuating circumstances, for, as we have seen, India 

 is the happy hunting ground of a whole army of noisy 

 birds, many of which are exceedingly abundant, and 

 not only exasperate the European beyond measure by 

 their importunity, but drown the melody of those birds 

 which have tuneful voices. 



" The nightingale, if she should sing by day 

 When every goose is cackling, would be thought 

 No better musician than the wren." 



India possesses some song-birds which can hold their 

 own against all comers. This any unprejudiced observer 

 will admit. The Englishman is, of course, not an un- 

 prejudiced observer. It is impossible to bring him to 

 believe that the song of any foreign bird can equal the 

 u 289 



