Birds in Sanskrit Literature according to वसन्तराज, इंसादिप्रकरण 15, and केशव and सायणाचार्य as already pointed out in para 4 above. Its Hindi name, कठल सुआ is an exact rendering of काष्ठ शुक. 144 8. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (15) is कृष्णोत्तमाङ्ग or कृष्णांग शुक in कल्पद्रुकोश and Monicr Williams respectively, from the colour of the head in the male. It also shares the name of कीर with the next. 9. The Slaty-headed Paroquet (16) is the पतिचञ्चुशुक of कल्पनु after the colour of the bill. The upper mandible is orange-yellow and the lower yellowish. In the Blossom-headed variety the lower mandible black. 10. The Indian Red-breasted Paroquet (15") is पीतवर्णं शुक (Monier Williams) or पीतभद्र शुक (well-marked with yellow) referring to the yellow patches on its wings and also किङ्किरात शुक (किङ्किरं रक्तवर्णत्वं अतति शब्दकल्पद्रुम पीतभद्रः किङ्किरातशुके–– शब्दार्थचिन्तामणि ) from its red breast. A common synonymy obtains for bird and plant in this as in the case of भुङ्गराज the Large Racket-tailed Drongo (Art. 15 ) :- किङ्किरातो हेमगौरः पीतको पीतभद्रकः - भावप्रकाश, पुष्पवर्ग. The similarity of the Hindi मदन गौर for it with हेमगौर in the above equation is also worth noting. The श्येत शुक of the तति संहिता 5.5.12 सरस्वते शुकः श्येतः पुरुषवाक् is evidently this Parrot as the adjective श्येत signifies the reddish colour in the bird's plumage, and the name corresponds to fefgua. 11. Lastly, the Indian Loriquet ( 5.5."), which is no bigger than a Sparrow, is the पत्रशुक of वसन्तराज, हंसादिप्रकरण, 16, पर्णशुक of कल्पद्रु and भेदाशी of सुश्रुत, rendered as पुत्रशुक by डल्हणाचार्य. The first two names imply the colour assimilation of the bird with the green foliage of a tree; cf. पत्रगुप्त for the Chloropsis in Art. 5 B. Salim Ali makes the following observations about. these tiny birds: "On account of their small size and the wonderful oblite- rative effect of their colouration when clambering about among the foliage of tall trees, the birds are seldom seen except when flying accross from one tree to another. " The name पुत्रशुक, on the other hand, indicates its tiny size; cf. पुवक and पुत्रिका for very small birds in Art. 22 B, and their habit of breaking open the hardest of nuts is reflected in the name भेदाशी. It has a short tail and no collar, and is therefore not a त्रिकेतु 12. The flight of Parrots is very swift and a flock flying to or from rich crops in the open, or hurtling through the forest, swerving gracefully to avoid trees and branches, is always a fine sight. A selection of verses in appreciation of their beauty at close quarters and high up on the wing should prove interesting- "तुण्डेराताम्रकुटिलैः पक्षैर्हरितकोमलैः । विवर्णराजिभिः कण्ठैरेते मञ्जुगिरः शुका: " काव्यादर्श 2.9 Parrots Parrots descending upon a paddy-field- यत्र शालिवनोपान्ते खात्पतन्तीं शुकावलीम् । शालिगोप्योऽनुमन्यन्ते दधतीं तोरणश्रियम् ॥ And pretty peasant-girls, dressed in green, driving them away- शुकाञ्छुकच्छदच्छायै रुचिराङ्गी स्रनांशुकैः । छोकुवंती: कलक्वाणं सोऽपश्यच्छालिगोपिकाः ॥ Adi-Purāna of Gunabhadra, 4.61 Ibid. 35.36 A Yaksa describes to Arjuna a flight of Parrots, many carrying golden ears of paddy in their bills- मुखैरसौ विद्रुमभङ्गलोहितैः शिखाः पिशङ्गीः कलमस्य विभ्रती । शुकावलिव्यंक्तशिरीषकोमला धनुश्रियं गोवभिदोऽनुगच्छति ॥ • Poet माघ also presents a similar picture- हरितपत्नमयीव मरुद्गणैः सगवनद्धमनोरमपल्लवा मधुरिपोरभिताम्रमुखी मुदं 145 दिवि तता विततान शुकावलिः ॥ Kirātārjuniya, 4.36 Sisupāla-vadha, 6.53
