Birds of the Indian Hills 



structive calling. The head and neck of this 

 showy bird are jet black save for a conspicuous 

 white patch running from the centre of the 

 crown to the base of the bill, which gives the 

 bird a curious appearance. The shoulders are 

 decorated by a cape or tippet of black, copiously 

 spotted with white. The wings are black and 

 white. The tail feathers are black, but each 

 has a broad white band at the tip, and, as 

 the two median feathers are the shortest, and 

 each succeeding pair longer, the tail has, when 

 closed, the appearance of being composed of 

 alternate broad black and narrow white V- 

 shaped bars. The lower back and rump are 

 white, but these are scarcely visible except 

 during flight or when the bird is preening its 

 feathers. The legs are pinkish white. This 

 forktail is a trifle larger than a wagtail, and 

 its tail is over 6 inches in length. It is never 

 found away from streams. 



I will not dilate further upon the habits of 

 this bird because a separate essay is devoted 

 to it. 



Two other water-birds must now be men- 

 tioned. These love not the dhobi, and dwell 

 by preference far from the madding crowd. 



They are very common in the interior of the 



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