Nurungukal....contd.....

                Other than humans we used to get many others who visited us at regular intervals. Some were seasonal viz. Parrots, monkeys. Sparrows. Onakkili etc. In large numbers they came in search of food and breeding. But onakkili in bright golden yellow appeared in pairs. Their presence , immediately after karkitakam indicated that Onam is nearing. Five sisters used to be always present to chatter and chirp aloud. As the paddy ripens in our fields a batch of parrots fill the air with their squeaks and fluttering. They make their nests in the holes of old and decayed coconut trees to breed. In flocks they would descend in paddy fields and each bird would carry in their beaks a ripe panicle. After eating one or two grains  it would be discarded to pick up another. This process would go on and on until they were scared either by a cracker or loud sound made by beating on a tin or a catapult. When the mangoes ripens it is the turn of a batch of black faced monkeys. Usually they appear at noon when all were enjoying a siesta. But an alert from stray dogs would invite our attention and then the operation to drive them out of our compound is on. They are not an easy lot to be scared. Often they would threaten you by showing their sharp teeth or by throwing whatever was in their hand. Drum sticks and its leaves are their favourite food.  After their marauding  all the fruit bearing trees would be in shambles.

                A pack of fox was the next interesting link in our food chain. Although they were considered as predators their role in maintaining a control on the population of stray dogs, wild bores etc. can not be underestimated. I have seen how cunningly a pair of fox used to steal the puppies. There was a stray bitch in our house who gave birth to a number of offspring now and then in our backyard firewood store.By dusk a pair of fox will sneak nearby. The bitch will be in guard of the litter of puppies. The male fox would come and provoke the bitch. When the bitch chase the fox leaving the litter, female fox would snatch one or two puppies to enjoy a tasty dinner. Another cunning trick they applied was when a fox was isolated and attacked by dogs. The fox would run as fast as it could, the dogs chasing it and when the dogs reach close , they returned all on a sudden with out completing their mission. I used to wonder why it was so!!. Then mother told me that fox has an in built rescue mechanism. When the dogs are about to catch,it would emit an obnoxious gas which no one can stand with !!. Their howling in chorus at dusk is no more heard in our premises. They are at the verge of extinction from villages because of human interventions to their habitats. But I heard that they have adapted to the comforts of city gutters . Thanks to the throw away culture of our city dwellers. A fine example of adaptation!!!. [to be cntd]