It is not of the bigger jungle folk that I write—of lions, tigers,
leopards, bears, bison, or even deer and antelopes; for of these it is
vouchsafed to no man—not even to the _shikari_, who spends years in the
jungle—to obtain more than an occasional fleeting glimpse.
The subjects of my theme are the lesser fry—vivacious mynas, noisy
babblers, vociferous cuckoos, silent herons, beautiful pittas, graceful
wagtails, elegant terns, melodious rock-chats, cheeky squirrels.
A cheery crowd are these. The man who passes his days in India without
knowing them misses much of the pleasure of life.