NATURALIST IN INDtA.' 15 



no means dainty in its choice of food, and has little of the 

 majestic and noble mien of the golden eagle ; it roosts on the 

 tops of tall trees in the immediate vicinity of cantonments. 

 — The Indian vulture {Vultwr indicus) I have seldom- seen 

 except in the circumstances described above, when almost in- 

 credible numbers congregate. 



My attention was one morning directed to a colony of 

 flying foxes (Fteropus edwardsii) which had taken up 

 their abode on a banyan-tree situate in one of the most 

 central and populous quarters of the city of Poonah. Each 

 bat was suspended by the hind-feet, in which position it re- 

 mained even when shot. Some were perfectly motionless, 

 others swaying to and fro with noisy clamour, indifferent to 

 the busy crowd moving onwards in the street below. The 

 natives call this bat the " wurbagooL" The species is very 

 plentiful, and numbers are usually to be seen in the still 

 evenings at high elevations, flying with an easy floating 

 motion, now and then varied by the regular flap of their large 

 wings as they steer their course towards the fruit-groves. 

 They do not always rest duriag the day, for flocks of several 

 hundreds may be observed at mid-day in the mango-topes — 

 some attached to the branches, others flitting round the trees, 

 and uttering an occasional harsh discordant cry. The half- 

 caste Portuguese eat them, and look upon their flesh as deli- 

 cious. Individuals of this species appear to differ consider- 

 ably in size, which may, however, be owing to age. One I 

 killed measured from tip to tip about five feet. Pigs, mangoes, 

 etc., constitute their favourite food. 



The rose-ringed parrakeet {Palceornis torqvMius) is abundant 

 in every grove, where great flocks often assemble. Their harsh 

 screams are deafening at times. In the evenings it. was amus- 

 ing to watch these birds. Minas and sparrows used to collect 



