296 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The Swan seized the bract, and with its consent came to earth, 

 saying that he had found Shiva's head, for was not this very 

 bract proof of that ? 



This hurnsam is the Indian emblem of discrimination. Just 

 as this mythical Swan is able to distinguish between water and 

 milk, and select only the milk from the mixture, so is the Indian 

 student frequently exhorted to emulate the bird, and thus be 

 able to discriminate in his studies between what is really of value 

 to him and what will profit him nothing. 



The Peacock is the favourite bird of Indra. It bears the 

 god Subrahmanyam, while Saraswati is also depicted as riding 

 upon it. It is the only bird that is said to rejoice at the coming 

 of the rains. 



King Sibi was famed for his virtue and charity. The gods 

 resolved to try him. Agni became a Dove, while Indra changed 

 himself into an Eagle. Pursued by the bird of prey, the poor 

 Dove flew in terror to the king and implored his protection, 

 which was at once granted. On hearing this, the Eagle at once 

 protested to the king that he must not be deprived of his food. 

 King Sibi then asked the Eagle to prefer some other request, 

 which he promised to perform faithfully ; whereupon the Eagle 

 demanded a weight of the king's own flesh equivalent to that of 

 the Dove, but the sacrifice had to be made willingly. To this 

 atrocious demand the rajah assented. Scales were produced, 

 but always when the king's flesh was just on the point of 

 weighing down the bird, the latter's weight increased, until, 

 when the last morsel was about to be removed from the royal 

 body, Eagle and Dove took their proper forms, revealing them- 

 selves to the king, whom they warmly commended for his 

 charity. 



Screech-Owls are common in the plains of South India. 

 The frequency of their cry is of great import. Once signifies 

 news of death ; twice, success in work ; three times, gratification 

 of desires ; four times, dissension ; five times, travel ; six times, 

 visits from a relative ; seven times, loss ; eight times, immediate 

 news of death ; nine times, all that is good ; more than nine 

 times, good luck. 



The Chuckorah is a mythical bird mentioned in Indian poets. 

 It was said to feed solely on moonbeams. 



