RAVENS. 



28l 



breast are reddish brown or blackish brown, the tints being deeper upon the fore part of the 

 head, chin, and breast, and from thence changing into a greyish shade. The feathers upon the 

 shoulders, back, and tail-covers 

 are deep red ; the wing-covers 

 and the exterior web of the se- 

 condary quills are light grey, 

 almost white ; the rest of the 

 quills are black. The tail is 

 deep grey, and all its feathers 

 tipped with black ; the lower 

 part of the breast is red or red- 

 dish yellow, the beak black, the 

 feet deep slate colour, and the 

 eyes blood red. 



The Kotri is met with 

 throughout the whole of India, 

 and is especially numerous in 

 the wooded plains of Assam, 

 China, and Cashmere. In the 

 more northern parts it is seen 

 in every group of trees and every 

 garden, generally living in the 

 immediate vicinity of villages ; it 



appears to pass the day in flying in large undulating curves 

 from tree to tree, or in roaming over a considerable tract of 

 country, resting where it feels inclined, and never resorting to 

 any particular spot for that purpose. It is but rarely met with 

 in parties, but lives in pairs. Its food consists principally of 

 fruit, or the insects found upon the trees ; but it will also eat 

 young birds, destroying them after the manner of the Shrike. 

 Buckland tells us that another species hunts bats. 



The BENTEOTS (Crypsirhi/ia) are a group inhabiting 

 Java. These birds are recognisable by the construction of 

 their tail, which is formed of ten feathers, the centre ones 

 being extremely long, whilst those at the sides are graduated. 

 The beak is strong, of medium length ; the tarsi moderately 

 long, but weak ; the toes are armed with powerful claws. 



THE BENTEOT. 



The Benteot of Japan, or Tenia of Le Vaillant {Crypsi- 

 rhina variant), is about the size of a Thrush, though it 

 appears much larger, owing to the extent of the long tail. Its 

 soft plumage is principally of a jet black, and gleams with a 

 green or purple sheen; only the forehead, bridles, and throat are pale black, and entirely without 

 lustre ; the quills are black, the four centre tail-feathers green, as are also the outer webs of the 

 36 



THE WANDERING MAGPIE 

 (Dendrocitta vagabunda). 



