352 PERCHING BIRDS. 



at the base of most of the primaries ; the wattles are naked, being rich yellow, the 

 beak orange-yellow, and the legs and feet citron-yellow. The total length of the 

 adult is about 10 inches. Young birds have a dull black plumage, and are devoid 

 of wattles. 



Like its kindred, this bird is either resident in one spot throughout the year, 

 or only locally migratory ; it is chiefly confined to the large forests of Western 

 India or Ceylon ; but other species inhabit the outer Himalaya. The southern 

 grackle breeds from March to October ; generally laying only a pair of eggs, which 

 are deposited in holes in trees. Its food consists entirely of various fruits, which 

 it obtains among the higher branches of its native forests. All the grackles learn 

 to whistle and talk when in captivity, and as they are excellent mimics they are 

 much prized by the natives of India as cage-birds. 

 Asiatic Glossy These birds differ from the grackles in having no wattles ; their 



starlings. plumage is highly glossy ; the beak is short, with the culmen curved ; 

 the nostrils are small and round ; and the wing is long and sharp, and the tail of 

 moderate length, and graduated. Mr. Oates remarks that he is not aware how 

 nearly related these birds are to the African glossy starlings, although there appear 

 to be important differences between some of them. The range of the genus extends 

 from South - Eastern Asia to Australia ; the Indian glossy starling (Calomis 

 calybe'ius) being the only representative in the country from which it takes its 

 name. The whole plumage is black, with a brilliant green gloss on most of it. 



* The Drongos. 

 Family DlCRURID^E. 



The drongos, or king-crows, of South-Eastern Asia and Africa, form an easily 

 recognised family, which is placed here by Dr. Sharpe, although Mr. Oates 

 considers that its affinities are rather with the creepers, while other writers 

 place it with the shrikes. Their generally black plumage, and deeply-forked tail 

 of ten feathers, serve at once to distinguish drongos from all other members of 

 the order. The edges of both mandibles are smooth, with a single notch in the 

 upper one ; the wing has ten primary quills, and the nostrils are clear of the line 

 of the forehead. Both sexes are alike ; and the young differ from their parents 

 only by their plumage being paler. Several of the species have the head crested, 

 and there are always bristles at the base of the beak. Entirely insectivorous, the 

 drongos are habitually upon the wing, darting from a tree to catch an insect, and 

 returning speedily to the same or another perch; and they are likewise fairly 

 endowed with vocal powers. 



Much alike in general characters, these birds present considerable difficulty in 

 distinguishing the genera and species. In addition to the typical genus Dicrurus, 

 as represented by the Indian black drongo, or king -crow {D. ater), ranging from 

 Afghanistan to China, and several other species, Mr. Oates recognises no less than 

 six genera of the family in India. Two species, which may be included in the type 

 genus, are found in South Africa ; while Australia has but a single representative 

 (Chibia bracteata). The black drongo, which has the entire plumage deep black 



