170 BOMBAY DUCKS 
ing very bedraggled, would fly off to a neighbouring 
tree in order to complete his toilette. Sometimes, when 
the water in the bath was low, so that a great dive of 
twelve inches was necessary to reach it, the would-be 
bather could not bring himself up to the point of taking 
the plunge. After much hopping to and fro, he would 
fly away, vowing, I doubt not, to take an extra good 
bath the next day, calling upon the saints to witness 
the fact that never again would he miss his bathe, no 
matter how low the water should be; in short, making 
all manner of good resolutions. 
During the winter months the birds used not to visit 
the bath until the sun had had time to warm it. Birds 
do not like their bath water guzte cold. 
The bathing of the kite is a very sedate operation. 
It is accompanied by none of the splashing and flapping 
of wings which characterizes crows and mynas. The 
ungainly bird wades leisurely into the water and squats 
down in it for a few minutes. It then seeks some con- 
venient spot and there remains motionless, with wings 
and tail expanded to the uttermost. 
Kites may often be seen in such an attitude, face to 
the wall, on the ledge of the spire of the Fort Church in 
Madras. Vultures bathe in much the same way as 
kites do. They select a-gently sloping river bank and 
enter the water to a depth of three or four inches. 
There they remain for a few minutes, sometimes motion- 
less, sometimes sedately flapping their wings. They 
then walk out of the water, shake their great pinions, 
and stand perfectly still, until the sun dries their out- 
stretched wings. 
