9696 Birds. 



which I gave about one peony ! There is scarcely anything more 

 interesting to me than poking about the different markets in search of 

 birds ; and on our arrival at a fresh town almost the first thing we 

 did was to inquire whereabouts the market lay. I fear, however, 

 the people thought us strange customers, seriously believing we ate 

 everything we bouglil ; for one day, when passing through the market 

 in Paris, with a large hawk and other birds in my hands, one of the 

 saleswomen pointed me out to another, and in an under tone (but loud 

 enough for me to hear) exclaimed, " Voila ! un petit gourmand." 



At Susa, on our way home, I observed that the hills were covered 

 with that exceedingly local British plant, Eryngium cauipeslre. The 

 only bird 1 saw worth mentioning, when crossing the Channel from 

 Boulogne to Folkestone, w as Richardson's skua. 



John Gatcombe. 



Plymouth. 



The Padchj Bird or Callle Egrel. — Who that has ever travelled in India has not 

 seen the paddy bird, either sirulling about by the side of a ploughman as he scratches 

 up ihe (jrouud (for an old hen would luni up ihe t-ailh as well), or siundiiig motionless 

 by the side of some tank or pool of water? Woe lielide the aspiring young fr.ig who 

 comes up to the surface to see what is };oiiig on in the outer world ; he is neaily certain 

 of being ."-nappid up and swallowed alive: small fish are served in the same way, and 

 are caujiht by a rapidiiy of luolion of the neck and bill of the bird, which the eye can 

 hardly follow ; seldom dues he miss his aim. This bird is very confiding, and allows 

 you to approach wiihin a few yards, as he has very few enemies among mankind, 

 except it may he some novice who is auracted by its milk-white plumage and eleyant 

 shape to expend his powder and shot on it, but who finds after all he has not nothing 

 worth eating for his pains. The hawk sometimes catches this bird, but not very easily, 

 for though generally it flies iu a slow, lazy manner, yet, when alarmed, it can exert 

 considerable powers of flight. The paddy bird is found all over the plains of India 

 where there is any stagnant water. I have seen it some hundreds of miles in the inte- 

 rior of ihe bills also. It is a wader, and therefore is only seen in shallow water, near 

 small streams running into rivers, by the side of ponds, and overflowed rice fields, 

 whence its name, paddy being the Anglo-Indian word for rice. It follows the 

 plough for the worms and larvae turned up, and it attends upon callle when feeding to 

 catch the grasshoppers disturbed by their feet in the long grass. It appeals to have 

 little vocal powers besides a hoarse croak, and when it alights or flies oflf a tree it utters 

 a sound like the word " .Jacob." Its nest is generally built on some tree overhanging 

 watef. 1 have seen a great many of these nests on the trees in au officer's com|)onnd 

 atAllyghue: he had the bird protected, and took great interest in it (alas! poor 

 fellow— he was one of the many victims to the Mutiny). The eggs are of a light green 

 white, about the size of a pigeon's ; seldom more than two are laid. When the rainy 

 season sets in this bird is very active, and is continually flying about in parties of ten 

 or twenty at a time. I have noticed three kinds of egrets in India ; the first the 

 rucitlose egret, with a plume of yellowish white feathers pendant from the head ; the 



