DICRURIK^. 429 



to liking Its cheerful voice, and to hear it herald in the pleasant 

 dawn of day. 



During the breeding season it has a more pleasing and melo- 

 dious song, which Sundevall calls a charming song, something like 

 that of ISylvia trochilus. 



The King-crow breeds at various seasons, a good deal according 

 to the locality ; from March and April in some places, to August 

 and September in other. It is possible it may have two broods 

 in the year, but I do not know this. The nest is a slight, shallow 

 structure, carelessly put together, of a few small twigs and roots, 

 and generally placed in a rather conspicuous place, on the fork of 

 a branch at no great elevation, generally without any lining, or 

 sometimes Avith a few hairs. The eggs/sthree or four in number, 

 are reddish-white, with a few largish spots or blotches of purplish- 

 red, brick-red, or red-brown. It appears to leave some parts of the 

 country during the rains, for Mr. Elliot states that " it migrates 

 from the Southern Mahratta country during the monsoon;" but it 

 only retires a short distance to some more convenient place for 

 breeding. 



Its flight in general is undulating, not very rapid, and performed 

 but with few flappings ; but when it exerts itself after a Crow it is 

 capable of great speed, and always overtakes its enemy with 

 ease. 



Mr. Phillpps relates a curious Instance of sagacity or reasoning 

 in this bird, once witnessed by himself. Another bird was pursu- 

 ing a large locust which the King-crow evidently coveted, for he 

 made one or two dashes after it, but apparently did not dare to 

 seize It; when he suddenly gave his cry of alarm, betokening the 

 presence of some bird of prey ; the original pursuer of the Insect 

 quitted the chase, and the King-crow carried off the locust as his 

 lawful- booty. Mr. Swinhoe relates that he found this species 

 breeding In company on bamboos In Formosa. 

 - This Is the most common and abundant species of Dicrurus, and 

 is met with over the whole of India, from the foot of the Himalayas 

 to Cape Comorin, and from the Punjab to Arrakan, Burmah, and 

 even to Java. 



