254 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 90 



tivity along- with its cousin, the Grey-headsd Myna (Stiintia 

 malaharica) . 



The avian sights viewed from the car windows, that were 

 of a thrilHng nature, we<re confined to those portions of the 

 journey that were between Bombay and Calcutta, and to 

 that which lies 'eastward of Benares. Westward of that place 

 the plains soon became drier, then drought-stricken, and with 

 increasing aridity the number of birds decreased. East of 

 Benares the level green fields were in all directions very much 

 alike. There was no lack of water, but rather an excess of 

 it. From the many ponds by the track-side were startled 

 hug'C birds: Vultures, Storks, and Herons, sometimes singly, 

 again in flocks. Often the train rushed past stupid looking 

 birds of a smaller species, standing in the wayside pools. 

 These g-ray, obscure appearing creatures frequently took' 

 flight, whereupon from the gra}" unobtrusive forms there 

 arose visions of white loveliness, that floated ofl:' a short dis- 

 tance, then suddenly sank into the earth — apparently — for 

 the birds had alighted and were a dull, concealing gray once 

 more. Here, in truth were the " Su-rprise Birds " ! for these 

 were Pond Herons, sometimes called Paddy-birds (Ardcola 

 grayi). 



Since all my stops, except one, were to be within cities, 

 small hope of seeing birds there was 'entertained, but in this 

 respect there was to be a pleasant surprise. The native quar- 

 ters in the cities were as one would 'expect to find them, com- 

 pact, crowded and dirty, but the European portions in which 

 the hotels were located were like our ideal suburban villages, 

 each house having spacious grounds about it ; these are not 

 called yards in India, but compounds. Their trees and flow- 

 ers, together with the irrigation necessary far the latter, at- 

 tracted many birds. The patronage of these hotels was almost 

 entirely that of tourists, a large proportion of whom wece 

 Americans. From them there was much growling because 

 the dinner hour never began until eight o'clock in the eve- 

 ning, and breakfast was not ready until nine o'clock in the 

 morning. But in the latter arrangement there was compen- 



