FOR NORTHERN INDIA 169 



altogether to raise their voices. The tonk, 

 tonk, tonk of the coppersmith is rarely heard in 

 October ; during the greater part of the cold 

 weather this barbet is a silent creature, re- 

 minding us of its presence now and then by 

 calling out wow softly, as if half ashamed at 

 the sound of its voice. The oriole now utters 

 its winter note tew, and that sound is heard 

 only occasionally. 



It is unnecessary to state that the perennials 

 the crows, kites, doves, bee-eaters, tree- 

 pies, tailor-birds, cuckoo-shrikes, green parrots, 

 jungle and spotted owlets are noisy through- 

 out the month. 



The king-crows no longer utter the soft 

 notes which they seem to keep for the rainy 

 season ; but, before settling down to the 

 sober delights of the winter, some individuals 

 become almost as lively and vociferous as 

 they were in the nesting season. Likewise 

 some pairs of " blue jays " behave, in Septem- 

 ber and October, as though they were about 

 to recommence courtship ; they perform 

 strange evolutions in the air and emit harsh 

 cries, but these lead to nothing ; after a few 

 days of noisy behaviour the birds resume their 

 more normal habits. 



