56 Birds in Sanskrit Literature name for a forest-bird has occurred only once and that in the Rāmāyaṇa and nowhere else except perhaps in the Atharva Veda, 4.37.5 in association with large trees which this bird always frequents. with other insect eating birds. (sec Art. 34). to the 8. Pali ¹ is a Himalayan bird in the term and looking "streamers of white satin ribbon" worn by the Paradise Flycatcher in its tail, the name should belong to it; Cf. चेतावक (चेलबक) of grem for the Large Egret (Art. 82). The original sense of the word was probably 'a strip of white cloth', as may be seen from the alternative reading of "श्वेतकण्ठिनः", per M. Williams in "कलशाश्वल- कण्ठिन: "हरिवंश, where the picce of cloth wound round the neck of a ceremonial jar of water was of a white colour as is the Brahmanical practice even today. This would, therefore, seem to suggest that sense of a which makes its identification with our bird more certain.. We have therefore रज्जुवाल, सृजय and अर्जुनक in Sanskrit and चेलकेंद्र in Fali for this strikingly beautiful bird. has the 9. Finally, all small Flycatchers, like the little Warblers, are simply चटिका ("चटिका : क्षुद्रपक्षिकाः”–अभिधानरत्नमाला of हलायुध) as may be seen from the fact that the Eastern Red-breasted Flycatcher and the Blue-throated Flycatcher are actually known as चटकी in Bengal. Both चटिका and चटकिका are diminutive forms from e (a sparrow) and apply to all tiny birds. of a non-descript character. The personal names, उद्दालक आरुणि and श्वेतकेतु आरुणय occurring in the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa and the Upanişads, like other names based upon the names of birds, e.g. कापोति, हारीत, मयूर, etc. etc. are to be traced to the Paradise Flycatcher which begins to breed when still in its immature chestnut (ar) plumage. 1. चेल-चीर, a narrow strip of cloth. चीर is rendered as कच्छाटिका ic. कोपीन in शब्दकल्पद्रुम केतु a streamer, d. उदक्षिपन् पट्टदुकूलकेतून - भट्टिकाव्य 3.34. चेलकेदु is thus the same as चीरकेतु चेल चीरमिवोत्क्षिपति खेलकेतुः a bird which carries aloft a streamer as it were. 2. verse 2099, 3. 2.50.72. 12 SHRIKES The Shrikes "are in many respects very closely allied to the Flycatchers. both in habits and structure"-F.B.I., 2nd edn. Most of them are cast in a common mould and resemble one another not only in general appear- ance but also in habits. A majority of them are a little heavier than the common Sparrow but with decidedly longer tails. Clad in shades of grey, black, chestnut, white, etc., they are smart and pretty looking birds, often seen perched on an outer branch of a bush or low tree on a keen lookout for insects butter-flies and grasshoppers. They are of crepuscular habits and, like the flycatchers, begin their activities early at dawn and continue to catch insects till late in the evening. In view of these characters the ancients placed them with the Flycatchers (ar) and named them सदूषक (लट्व-सद् + उषस् + क ? ). उषस् means both morning and evening'- उषः सन्ध्याप्रभातयो:-हेमचन्द्र, and the form also, rendered as 'dawn or day- break' by M. Williams and Wilson, should have both the above senses of . , therefore, is a bird that begins to hunt for insects early in the morning and is active till after sunset. बरक, and चकदत gards them as Both लट्वा and लदूषक are प्रतुद bire allied forms of Bulbuls- लट्वा फेब्चाको रखतपुच्छाधोभागः, लट्वकोऽपि तद्भेद" Here the identification of ar with the Red-vented Bulbul perhaps slightly incorrect, for it is the yellow-vented White-cheeked Bulbul (Art. 6). is a homonym and means not only the last-named Bulbul but also a Flycatcher (Art. 11) and it is in the latter sense of the term that should be regarded as allied to लट्वा (तद्भेदः i.e. सट्वाभेद:). The common Hindi names for the Shrike are लहटोरा, ल्ह्टोरा and नटोरा, probably from लदूषक -लषट्रक-लहटोर- ल्हटोरा-लटोरा. 1. The area is the Red-vented Bulbul and is a variety of it'-See Art. 6 for the Bulbuls.
