Sherman — Birds by the Wayside 251 



the Indian Museum a mounted specimen of the species la- 

 beled Indian Brown Shrike (Landus cristatus) ; and near it 

 another specimen of a female Indian Koel (Eiidynamys hon- . 

 orata), which settled for me the identity of a large speckled 

 bird that was watched for a long- time that morning'. It be- 

 longs to the Cuckoo family, and arouses interest, because 

 true to the traits of its tribe, it lays its eggs in the nests of 

 other birds. 



Besides many interesting glimpses of the industrial life 

 and customs of the natives, a visit to the banks of the Hooghly 

 River affo-rded an introduction to the Brahminy Kite (Hali- 

 aster iudus). Several of these handsome birds were flying 

 ov3r the river ; others perched in the rigging of ships were 

 pruning- themselves. This is another species that shows great 

 beauty of coloring when on the wing, the bright, cleac, chest- 

 nut-rufous, or maroon colo-r of its upper plumage, contrast- 

 ing finely with the under parts, which are white, narrowly 

 streaked with brown : its head and neck are white also. This 

 scavenger of the surface of the river was frequently seen to 

 the westv\'a'rd as far as Benares, gracing now and then the 

 top of a fence-post by the wayside, from which it watched 

 for frogs and crabs, and o'ther favored tidbit. 



Calcutta was the only place in which the Common Indian 

 Swift {Cypsehis aMnis) was identified. Numbers of them 

 were noisily flying al)ove my hotel ; both their notes and their 

 appearance in flight were suggestive of our Chimney Swifts. 

 They are said to build their mud nests against the beams and 

 rafters of houses and of porches, and return to these nests 

 for roosting. This trustfulness in mankind makes the spe- 

 cies one of the many in India that could be brought under 

 very close observation. 



Of three species that were seen in great abundance almost 

 everywhere it is difficult to say which were found most plen- 

 tiful. All were more numerous in the cities than in the coun- 

 try. The Indian House Crow {Corvus splendens) was not 

 seen on Mount Abu, and the Common Pariah Kites {Milviis 

 govinda) were not numerous there. The Common Myna 



