38 Birds in Sanskrit Literature too, having a long crest and bright yellow lower parts, should share this name. (4) The Himalayan Black Bulbul (10") is distinctly larger than the common Red-vented Bulbuls (8"). It has orange-red bill and feet, a decidedly forked tail and loud discordant notes, and as it keeps to the tree-tops is frequently mistaken for a Drongo". It "goes about regularly in flocks all through the winter,....and they have a curious follow my leader style when flying from one tree to another. It is a very bold bird....but it is naturally restless.... (and) soon flits away out of sight" (F.B.I. 2nd Edn.) This Black Bulbul should thus be the पण्टिका (परि with अटू ? the wanderer v.1. पर्यादिका in वसन्तराज 8.2.46). The name has been incorrectly rendered as a Drongo (भुजङ्ग) in the commentary on वसन्तराज where फेण्ट for the Drongo has not been explained at all (Art. 15). The has apparently amended if into wife and the name fully. suits the wandering habit of this Bulbul. Its harsh notes are also quite useful for purposes of augury. Its names in Hindi are दुल ( (दु:कल, 'harsh-voiced) and बनवकरा (wild goat) after its wandering habit and harsh call-notes. 6. Finally, a few words about रला and कर्णियक of वसन्तराज and कणिकिका of erge. It has already been suggested above that the latter has taken all these names from the former but in doing so the author has modified गोवत्सक and कर्णियक into गोवत्सा and कणिकिका probably under a mistaken belief that the terms were synonymous and were common to a female calf (cut- ff 'a heifer') and a particular bird or birds. The fermentions Twith at 85.37 and again at 87.6.gg is egt, the common 'mole' and er is defined as follows: “कलहकारिका च रला । भृङ्गारवच्च विरुवति निशि भूमौ द्वघङ्ग लशरीरा ॥” ibid., 87.6. It is thus a kind of ground insect, a little over an inch long, and noisy like a cricket at night. This description, I venture to suggest, refers to the Mole- Cricket of the genus Gryllotalpa or Scapteriscus which is about the same. length and is very noisy at night in wet ground. who must have had the far before him when he compiled his work on augury, seems to have added one more noisy insect, the fore (deafen- ing, fr. fr piercing or afar fa) to his list of creatures that are noisy in the evening, for the science of augury must include omens for journeys begun at the close of day or at night. The half verse quoted in para. 3 above also includes, in addition to comfort, 1. The White-bellied and the Bronzed Drongos of North India are under 9 inches and therefore smaller than the Black Bulbul. The Commentator of would seem to have made the same mistake as pointed outs a few line lower down. Bulbuls 39 be the re, either the Flying Fox or the Stone Plover bird, both noisy at night, and i, a bat. The great majority of birds have diurnal habits and consequently for, placed as it is with and other nocturnal animals, should some other insect, probably the Cicada fly (also faeft in Sansk.) noted for the prolonged shrill notes of the male. It is generally heard till late in the evening and often at night during the summer; cf. ggfa for insects that may accidentally enter a person's ear and make a buzzing noise inside. Both ar and forfer are therefore out of place in the bird-list of erger. It is also interesting to note that the commentator of does not explain fort and contents himself with the remark that they are known in other parts of the country (परदेशप्रसिद्धी) 7. It may be noted that the little Bulbul has also contributed something to princely vanity as its bright red under-tail coverts were used to embellish royal jewellery and to set off the neck-bands of riding and polo ponies made from white beads: The Black Bulbul: पष्टिका “पेचकापिच्छसंयुक्तं बाहुसन्धिविभूषणम् । सुवर्णोपरि विन्यस्तं नानारत्नविराजितम् ॥" मानसोल्लास, 2, p. 93. "पेञ्चाकपुच्छपिच्छेच लोहित जता भृशम् । शङ्खजैर्मणिभिवृत्तः क्वणत्कनकशृङ्खलैः॥ - Ibid. 2, p. 221. अङ्गारचूडक BULBULS WITH A BLACK HEAD OR CREST Common Red-Vented Bulbuls of North India: पेच, फेञ्च, फेचाक, फेजातक with a long crest and yellow under the tail: लट्वा Bulbuls with a white or white and red patch in the ear-reg श्रीकर्ण T with a pointed crest, red under the tail, and a white and red cheek - patch The Red whiskered Bulbul: गोबत्सक, पुष्पावतंसक,
