35 2 
PERCHING BIRDS. 
at the base of most of the primaries; the wattles are naked, being rich yellow, the 
beak orange-yellow, and the legs and feet citron-yellow. The total length of the 
adult is about 10 inches. Young birds have a dull black plumage, and are devoid 
of wattles. 
Like its kindred, this bird is either resident in one spot throughout the year, 
or only locally migratory; it is chiefly confined to the large forests of Western 
India or Ceylon; but other species inhabit the outer Himalaya. The southern 
grackle breeds from March to October; generally laying only a pair of eggs, which 
are deposited in holes in trees. Its food consists entirely of various fruits, which 
it obtains among the higher branches of its native forests. All the grackles learn 
to whistle and talk when in captivity, and as they are excellent mimics they are 
much prized by the natives of India as cage-birds. 
Asiatic Glossy These birds differ from the grackles in having no wattles; their 
starlings, plumage is highly glossy; the beak is short, with the culmen curved ; 
the nostrils are small and round; and the wing is long and sharp, and the tail of 
moderate length, and graduated. Mr. Oates remarks that he is not aware how 
nearly related these birds are to the African glossy starlings, although there appear 
to be important differences between some of them. The range of the genus extends 
from South-Eastern Asia to Australia; the Indian glossy starling (Colornis 
calybeius ) being the only representative in the country from which it takes its 
name. The whole plumage is black, with a brilliant green gloss on most of it. 
* The Drongos. 
Family DlCRURID^E. 
The drongos, or king-crows, of South-Eastern Asia and Africa, form an easily 
recognised family, which is placed here by Dr. Sharpe, although Mr. Oates 
considers that its affinities are rather with the creepers, while other writers 
place it with the shrikes. Their generally black plumage, and deeply-forked tail 
of ten feathers, serve at once to distinguish drongos from all other members of 
the order. The edges of both mandibles are smooth, with a single notch in the 
upper one; the wing has ten primary quills, and the nostrils are clear of the line 
of the forehead. Both sexes are alike; and the young differ from their parents 
only by their plumage being paler. Several of the species have the head crested, 
and there are always bristles at the base of the beak. Entirely insectivorous, the 
drongos are habitually upon the wing, darting from a tree to catch an insect, and 
returning speedily to the same or another perch; and they are likewise fairly 
endowed with vocal powers. 
Much alike in general characters, these birds present considerable difficulty in 
distinguishing the genera and species. In addition to the typical genus Dicrurus, 
as represented by the Indian black drongo, or king-crow (D. ater), ranging from 
Afghanistan to China, and several other species, Mr. Oates recognises no less than 
six genera of the family in India. Two species, which may be included in the type 
genus, are found in South Africa; while Australia has but a single representative 
(Chibia bracteata). The black drongo, which has the entire plumage deep black 
