ii2 ANIMALS OF NO IMPORTANCE. 



that of his smaller relative. His body and tail are longer, 

 and he is more slimly built. He is the dandy of the 

 rivulet. His mate has now joined him ; and they leave for 

 a few minutes their chase after flies and aquatic insects to 

 play a game of hide-and-seek among the boulders on the 

 river's edge. They flutter about merrily, kissing one 

 another when they chance to meet. Suddenly one flies 

 away with a cheery twitter, while the other returns to his 

 hunting, which he seems to pursue with renewed vigour. 



Meanwhile the various members of the plumbeous species 

 are catching their liliputian prey with unflagging energy. 

 On an average they make two, or three, little flights in a 

 minute. A few seconds intervene between each, during 

 which the birds flirt their tails. Now and again, apparently 

 from sheer exuberance of spirits, one of them indulges in 

 a different form of flight. He bursts forth into song, 

 emitting a bright twittering note shrill but not unpleasant 

 to the ear. While singing the bird flies up the stream for 

 about twenty yards, whirls round, and returns. His song 

 seems to be infectious, for it is usually taken up by one or 

 more of his companions. 



Deeper and deeper sinks the sun. No longer are the 

 western slopes of the highest peaks tinted red. A bulbul 

 alights on one of the bushes on the opposite bank of the 

 stream. He is joined by his spouse. They twitter to one 

 another for a little, and then fly away in company. 



A wagtail now comes to the water's edge. He is fleet of 

 foot, and runs about the stones and boulders, which are 

 lapped by the waters of the river. He hopes to find 

 stranded there a few aquatic insects. 



Twilight is fast becoming night. The stars have already 

 begun to peep. A bat herald of the approaching night 

 now joins the redstarts in the pursuit of the unfortunate 

 insect. Unlike the birds, the mammal would seem to fear 

 the water, for he does not venture over it. His flight 

 resembles the beat of a drunken sentinel, for he careers in 

 a wavering course up and down fifteen or twenty yards of 



