Evening star., 1902-01-25
QUEER CALCUTTA BIRDS
CROWS AND ADJUTANT BIRDS THAT
DO THE STREET-CLEANING WORK.
The Adjutant Fowl Regarded q
Rapid Transit System
to Heaven.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
A stranger in Calcutta cannot fail to
quickly remark the vast number Of crows
that inhabit all parts Of the city and the
tameness Of the adjutant birds-a species
Of stork-who fearlessy perambulate its
streets. The reason for this is that both
crows and adjutant birds are protected by
law on account Of their scavenger work.
Probably in no other part Of the world
do the crows appear SO plump, impudent
and glossy. While their coats shine as IL
they received each morning a polish Of
backing. their audacity is astonishing.
Hnher and thither they ramble over the
whole city, strolling about the porch OF
the viceroy's palace with an air as IL they
divided the honors of government with
King Edwards representative, hopping In
qusitively into places OF public worship
and invading the homes Of rich and poor,
European and native. with unruff1ed
temertty.
In many Of the European houses spaces
are left between the top of the wall and
the roof or ceiling to admit current Of
air in hot weather, and through these
spaces comes Jim Crow in search Of the
dining room an0 a better provender than
he is likely to pick up in the gutter. But
leave a meal unguarded for a moment and
a good portion Of it is likely to be borne
off through one Of the ventilators.
1t is in far more dignified manner that
With an distracted mien he stalks SOL
emnly along in the gutter, occasionally
stepping up ON to the sidewalk in the Euro
pean quarter as If he observed something
of interest in the shop windows. If he
gets in your way he budges not an inch,
and for you is reserved the privilege of
taking the curb. But, like the crow, his
hest work is done in the baZars of the ma
tive quarter, where he demolishes many
germ-breeding pile which has escaped the
Inspectors notice, and thus often prevents
an outbreak Of cholera. With snakes, too,
he is not upon friendly terms, and his long
bras in the suburbs.
That he Is a bird possessed OF much
patience may be noted by his actions round
the burning CHATS Undoubtedly this vir-
tue would be an extra feather in his moral
plumage were it not directed toward q
gruesome object. 1t being the desire OF
every pious Hindu that his body after
death shall rest in the sacred Ganges or one
of its tributaries, in order that this senu-
mental idea may be carried out in conform
ity with the preservation of public health,
the authorities provide CHATS, or burning
places, for the dead on the banks, so that
the ashes may be cast into the river. This,
according to the Hindu belief, insures a
certain entry into heaven, though by less
speedy route than if the body had been
given to the river without previous diSin-
tegration. Consequently many bodies are
smuggled into the river, and 1t is for. these
the adjutant bird so patiently watches.
For days he will wait around the CHATS,
first standing on one leg and then on the
other, with an air so abstracted that he
might be likened to a Brahman ascetic
wrapt in profound meditation and constant
ly repeating to himself passages from the
Vedas. But unlike the native official whose
duty it is to prevent such happenings, and
who mas probably received fee to cover
his eyes at the proper moment, the ad5u-
tant birds eyes are wide open, and before
long ne will be seen sailing down the Hugh
with his talons buried in a dark form just
visible sabove the muddy waters. At this
sight the relatives OF the deceased take
much consolation because they believe that
the wings of the bird will bear the soul of
the departed in the swiftest manner to
heaven