36 
A NATURALIST ON THE PROWL, 
The same morning on which I found the fallen Char 
tree I saw two birds scuffling in the air. Feathers flew 
thick. At last they fell to the ground, and I saw that one 
was a Myna and the other was a Barbet, that clumsy green 
bird which the natives call 
kootroo , from the mono^ 
tonous call with which it 
makes the valleys resound 
at this season. Then I 
knew what it was all about. 
The sturdy Barbet nests in 
trees, like the Woodpecker, 
and makes its own hole. 
The gay Myna nests in 
trees too, but appropriates 
GREEN BARBET. 
a hole made by somebody else. In single combat the 
Barbet, though smaller, was much the better man of the 
two, but the Myna had many friends, who all came to 
see what was the matter, and talked a great deal and 
wanted to arbitrate. The Barbet turned upon them and 
went at them one after another, but they generally dodged 
him, and the rest applauded, so he was panting and looking 
very flushed in the face, while they were quite cool. He 
