136 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



The pariah kite of Calcutta is as plentiful there 

 as was the kite of the London streets in days gone 

 by, and while some of them are quite well-behaved 

 citizens, many have become "rowdies" and "rough- 

 necks" of the worst kind. They are very wise and 

 know to the minute when garbage is to be put out, 

 and are ever ready for the lion's share. They fight 

 and scramble with each other, and with scavenger 

 dogs and cats, worse than the turkey buzzards, 

 snatching food right and left even out of the mouths 

 of rival fellows with the most astounding audacity. 



Kites have an interesting way of sleeping dur- 

 ing the day with their bodies flattened against the 

 roofs or walls, with outstretched wings, in exactly 

 the position they are represented on the old Egyp- 

 tian monuments. In this position no one, except a 

 native of the town, would take tliem for living birds, 

 but rather some form of curious ornament or dec- 

 oration ! Occasionally they sleep in long rows which 

 look for all the world like a frescoe on an Egyptian 

 \vall. It is an interesting fact that most of these 

 scavengers seem ill-humoured, sullen, and stupid. 

 Like most of their profession their voices are hoarse 

 and ugly and their spirits seem as duU as their bod- 

 ies. 



A large number of birds may be considered as 

 pccasional city scg^venge^s. The common sparrow 



