INTRODUCTION. xxiil 



tlie rains, appearing again in the cold weather. It is not 

 known exactly where they go to, but when at Dacca, 

 towards the end of May, I saw a vast flock proceeding in 

 a North-east direction one evening, and, long after dark, 

 they were still passing over. I do not recollect noticing 

 any diminution in the number of Kites* at any season, 

 in the South of India. 



Some birds of prey, as the lesser Kestrel, the Baza and 

 the Indian Hobby appear most frequently in lower Bengal 

 during the rainy season. The Adjutants visit Calcutta 

 during the rains, leaving in the cold weather. Bee-eaters 

 quit certain parts of the country during the hot season 

 for the purpose of breeding, returning before the conclu- 

 sion of the rains ; and a few other birds appear to leave 

 some districts for a time, for the same purpose. The vast 

 majority however of the true migratory birds are cold 

 weather visitants, coming in during September and Octo- 

 ber, and leaving from the end of March to May. The 

 Peregrine Falcon, the true Hobby, the Kestrel, the English 

 Sparrowhawk, all our Harriers, the Short-eared Owl, are 

 all true migratory birds. Among the Insessores the Wag- 

 tails, some of the Pipits and Larks, Stonechats, several 

 Warblers and Thrushes, Buntings and Rose Finches, are 

 the chief groups among which migratory birds occur. The 

 Shrike, the Hoopoe and two Starlings, and a very few others, 

 are also among the migratory insessorial birds. The 

 European Quail is the only real migratory bird among 

 the Gallinacese, and even it is said to breed in small num- 

 bers in some parts of the north of India ; but some of 

 the other Quails, and Bustard-quails, and the Pteroclida?, 

 wander about to different localities. Among the Grallatores 

 some Cranes and Storks, and the great majority of the 

 Scolopacidce^ breed in the north, and come to India during 



