84 BOMBAY DUCKS 
The train passes through most kinds of country. It 
jogs along over barren «sar lands, across fertile fields 
coloured emerald-green, by the young shoots of the 
luxuriant crops, over broad rivers, past 7Az/s great and 
small, through bushy jungle, amid long feathery grass, 
through forests, among bare rocky hills and green undu- 
lating down-like country. Each of these tracts has its 
characteristic species. Now a flock of mynas (Acrido- 
theres tristis) comes into sight, chattering with delight 
over some newly-discovered field rich in food. These 
disappear and a pair of sarus cranes (Grus antigone) 
absorb one’s attention. The sarus is a strange bird, 
which, like an Englishman, seems to take its pleasures 
sadly ; it invariably looks depressed, although in reality 
it is perfectly happy in the company of its spouse. The 
crane and his wife form an inseparable and devoted 
couple. When one is taken and the other left, the sur- 
vivor is said soon to die of grief at the loss of its mate. 
Scarcely have these tall creatures vanished from sight 
than a flight of birds of a very different feather comes 
into view——-a screeching crowd of “green parrots” 
(Paleornis torquatus) on their way to commit dacoity 
in an orchard of ripening fruit. The train now wends 
its weary way through a tract of marshy country, where, 
here and there, a paddy bird (Ardeola grayiz) may be 
seen, lazily gazing into the water of some murky 7h7i. 
Near by are some duck and coots swimming on the 
surface of another sheet of water. Not far removed 
from them is a stork, and overhead are flying a number 
of white egrets (Budulcus coromandus) and other kuchnes, 
disturbed by the noisy train. 
