128 
POPULAR HISTORY OF BIRDS. 
shrikes and the crows^ partaking of the habits of both. The 
species of Cracticus often add small quadrupeds^ birds, and 
lizards to their insect prey, and not unfrequently impale 
what they catch, after the manner of the butcher-birds. 
The bird known to resident Europeans in India as the 
" King Crow/^ and to naturalists as the Bictutus halicassiuSj 
is a species of Porked-tailed Shrike. Mr Jerdon"^has given 
us some particulars of its history : in Hindustan it is usually 
called Kolsah j this bird is everywhere met with in the open 
country and in wooded districts, where it ^^may be seen 
perched on a tree or hedge, the top of a low bush on the 
plain, or a stack of grain — frequently also on the top of a 
wall or old building, the bank of a paddy-field, or even a 
clod of earth or ant-hill — and it is by no means uncommon 
to see one on the back of cattle, sheep, on, goats, while graz- 
ing."'^ In such positions the forked-tailed shrike patiently 
waits till an insect comes within its vision ; the bird imme- 
diately flies to the place where the grasshopper or other in- 
sect has alighted, and returns to its perch with its prey, which 
it devours at leisure. Should the insect fly, the bird pursues 
it closely, and either snaps it on the wing or immediately 
after it has alighted. When the winged white ants {Termi- 
* Madras Journal, vol. x. p. 238. 
