FOR NORTHERN INDIA 20 



then that the flying-foxes come forth and work 

 sad havoc among fruit of all descriptions. 



The fowls of the air are more vivacious than 

 they were in January. The bulbuls tinkle 

 more blithely, the purple sunbirds sing more 

 lustily ; the kutur, kutur, kuturuk of the green 

 barbets is uttered more vociferously ; the nut- 

 hatches now put their whole soul into their 

 loud, sharp tee-tee-tee-tee ^ the hoopoes call uk- 

 uk-uk more vigorously. 



The coppersmiths (Xantholaema haematoce- 

 phala) begin to hammer on their anvils tonk- 

 tonk-tonk-tonk, softly and spasmodically in the 

 early days of the month, but with greater 

 frequency and intensity as the days pass. The 

 brain-fever bird (Hierococcyx varius) announces 

 his arrival in the United Provinces by uttering 

 an occasional " brain-fever." As the month 

 draws to its close his utterances become more 

 frequent. But his time is not yet. He merely 

 gives us in February a foretaste of what is 

 to come. 



The tew of the black-headed oriole (Oriolus 

 melanocephalus), which is the only note uttered 

 by the bird in the colder months, is occasionally 

 replaced in February by the summer call of 

 the^species a liquid, musical feeho. In the 



