1 83 A BIRD CALENDAR 



flying things that are found in the air even on 

 the coolest days. Above them, kites wheel 

 and utter plaintive cries. Higher still, vultures 

 soar in grim silence. Flocks of emerald 

 paroquets fly past as swift as arrows shot 

 from bows seeking grain or fruit. 



In the shady parts of the garden crow- 

 pheasants look for snakes and other crawling 

 things, seven sisters rummage among the 

 fallen leaves for insects, and rose-finches pick 

 from off the ground the tiny seeds on which 

 they feed. 



The fields and open plains swarm with 

 larks, pipits, finch-larks, lapwings, plovers, 

 quail, buntings, mynas, crows, harriers, buz- 

 zards, kestrels, and a score of other birds. 



But it is at the jhils that bird life seems most 

 abundant. On some tanks as many as sixty 

 different kinds of winged things may be 

 counted. There are the birds that swim in 

 the deep water the ducks, teal, dabchicks, 

 cormorants and snake-birds ; the birds that 

 run about on the floating leaves of water- 

 lilies and other aquatic plants the jacanas, 

 water-pheasants and wagtails ; the birds that 

 wade in the shallow water and feed on frogs 

 or creatures that lurk hidden in the mud the 



