THE BIRDS OF BAXGKOK. 81 



not inappro])riate descriptive term. The bird is, liowever, commonly 

 known as Nol- parod only. 



DistrilniUon. So far only reported from Northern Siam 

 ( Gyldenstolpe ), but probabl}'' occurs over a large part of the country 

 1 have met with it as far south as Koh Lak. 



Family DICRURID.E—DYongos, 



■^9 (327). Dicrurus ater. The Black Drongo. 

 Siamese, ■un ILI}^ a^Q imciu ( Nok seng seo klebt). 



Bescripfion. Length, about 279 mm. ( 11 in.). In ver}'' old 

 birds, the whole plumage is black, glossed with steel-blue, younger 

 birds having the under tail-coverts tipped with white. In those still 

 _you)iger, the colour is brownish black, the feathers of the lower 

 plumage having white tips. The tail is forked to a depth of about 

 oS nnu. ( 1.5 in.) 



Iris, dark brown to reddish brown and deep lake-red. Bill, 

 black. ]\Iouth, blackish. Legs, blackish brown to black. 



Haliifs. etc. This is the common little black bird with the 

 forked tail which is seen everywhere in Bangkok from the beginning 

 of October to the end of ]\Iarch — a few specimens lingering on almost 

 through on t April. 



The Black Drongo (or King-Crow, as it is usually called by 

 Europeans in India ) feeds entirely on insects, which it usually 

 takes on the wing by swooping on them from some exposed point of 

 vanui.ge, tliougli II cometimes descends to the ground for the purpose. 

 Its notes are cheerful, with a soft, metallic quahty, and almost 

 approach the beginnings of a song at times. 



In the Siamese name of this bird, the word Meb signifies 

 ••lesser", and serves to distinguish it from the Racket-tailed Drongo, 

 which is larger. In common parlance, how^ever, this bird is merely the 

 J\oh senr/ seo. 



Distribation. Also recorded from Eastern, Central and Northern 

 Siam ( Gyldenstolpe ). 



"I" The b of llu" word Ll7b is pronounced more like a p. 



