1 70 A BIRD CALENDAR 



The hoopoes have been silent for some time, 

 but in October a few of them take up their 

 refrain uk-uk-uk-uk, and utter it with almost 

 as much vigour as they did in March. 



It would thus seem that the change of 

 season, the approach of winter, has a stimu- 

 lating influence on king-crows, rollers and 

 hoopoes, causing the energy latent within 

 them suddenly to become active and to mani- 

 fest itself in the form of song or dance. 



In October the pied chat and the wood- 

 shrike frequently make sweet melody. Through- 

 out the month the cock sunbirds sing as 

 lustily and almost as brilliantly as canaries ; 

 many of them are beginning to reassume the 

 iridescent purple plumage which they doffed 

 some time ago. From every mango tope 

 emanates the cheerful lay of the fantail 

 flycatcher and the lively " Think of me ... 

 Never to be " of the grey-headed flycatcher. 

 Amadavats sing sweet little songs without 

 words as they flit about among the tall 

 grasses. 



In the early morning and at eventide, the 

 crow-pheasants give vent to their owl-like 

 hoot, preceded by a curious guttural kok-kok- 

 kok. The young ones, that left the nest some 



