40 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



Another cousin of the King-Crow's, however, although 

 only known here as a captive, cannot be passed 

 over. This is the Bhimraj, or Racket-tailed Drongo 

 {Dissemurus paradiseus), a bird nearly as big as a 

 magpie, with the outer tail-feathers prolonged for 

 about a foot into long bare shafts, with a bit of 

 feathering at the tip — an ornament which does not 

 usually stand much chance of maintaining its 

 perfection in the miserably small cages in which the 

 poor birds are usually confined. No wonder they do 

 not live long ; very few, I am told, survive a year. 

 But given a big cage, say three or four feet square, the 

 Bhimraj is not difficult to keep ; he will eat almost 

 anything, like one of the crow tribe, though the 

 more hve insects he gets the better ; and a lizard 

 he will tear to pieces with a positively fiendish joy; 

 He is, however, a very sociable bird, extremely fond 

 of being noticed and petted, and is the most 

 accomplished mimic in existence. The neigh of a 

 horse, the mew of a cat, and the song of a canary, he 

 will render in perfection, and has even been known to 

 talk — ^an accompUshment not recorded, so far as 

 I am aware, of the famous American mocking-bird. 

 To any one who wants a really good pet bird, I can 

 cordially recommend the Bhimraj. 



