icaudatus_). At most hill stations both
species occur. The note of the ashy drongo differs considerably from
that of the king-crow: otherwise the habits of the two species are
very similar. Take thirty-three per cent. off the pugnacity of the
king-crow and you will arrive at a fair estimate of that of the ashy
drongo. The latter looks like a king-crow with an unusually long tail,
a king-crow of which the black plumage has worn grey like an old
broadcloth coat.

The handsome _Bhimraj_ or larger racket-tailed drongo (_Dissemurus
paradiseus_), a glorified king-crow with a tail fully 20 inches in
length, is a Himalayan bird, but he dwells far from the madding crowd,
and is not likely to be seen at any hill station except as a captive.

THE CERTHIIDAE OR WREN FAMILY

The only member of this family common about our hill stations is the
Himalayan tree-creeper (_Certhia himalayana_). This is a small brown
bird, striped and barred with black, which spends the day creeping
over the trunks of trees seeking its insect quarry. It is an
unobtrusive creature, and, as its plumage assimilates very closely
to the bark over which it crawls, it would escape observation more
often than it does, but for its call, which is a shrill one.

THE SYLVIIDAE OR WARBLER FAMILY

The sylviidae comprise a large number of birds of small size and,
with a few exceptions, of plain plumage. The result is that the great
majority of them resemble one another so closely that it is as
difficult to identify them when at large as it is to see through a
brick wall. Small wonder, then, that field naturalists fight rather
shy of this family. Of the 110 species of warbler which exist in India,
I propose to deal with only one, and that favoured bird is Hodgson's
grey-headed flycatcher-warbler (_Cryptolopha xanthoschista_). My
reasons for raising this particular species from among the vulgar
herd of warblers are two. The first is that it is the commonest bird
in our hill stations. The second is that it is distinctively coloured,
and in consequence easy to identify.

It is impossible for a human being to visit any hill station between
Murree and Naini Tal in spring without remarking this warbler. I do
not exaggerate when I say that its voice issues from every second
tree.

This species may be said to be _the_ warbler of the Western Himalayas,
and, as such, it has been made the subject of a separate essay.

THE LANIIDAE OR SHRIKE FAMILY

The butcher-bird