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SIGN  BIEDS 


CAGE  AND  AVIARY. 

(PART  I)    - 


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FOR  THE   PEOPLE 

FOR  EDVCATION 

FOR  SCIENCE 

LIBRARY 

or 

THE  AMERICAN  MUSEUM 

OF 

NATURAL  HISTORY 

\ 


FOREIGN    BIRDS 

FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


BY 


Arthur  G.  Butler, 

Ph.D.,  F.L.S.,  F.Z.S.,  M.B.O.U.,  Etc. 


PART    I. 

THE     SAALLER     FOREIGN     BIRDS. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


"THE     FEATHERED    WORLD," 
9,    ARUNDEL    STREET,    STRAND,     LONDON,     W.C.2. 

All  rirjhts  reserved. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Alario   Finch,    Head   of 

Bluebird,    Head   of 

Bluebirds   or   Blue   Robins 
Bulbul,   Red-vented,   Head   of 
Bulbuls,   Red-vented 

Bunting,    Rock  

Cardinal,  Red-crested,  Head  of 

Cardinals,    Green,     Red-crested,    and    Virginian 

Cordon  Bleu     

Cuba  Finches 

Dayal  Bird        

Diamond  Sparrows    ... 

Pinch,  Bicheno's 

,,  Crimson 

,,  Gouldian,   Black-headed   and   Red-headed 

„  Grass,  Long-tailed 

„  Grass,   Masked 

,,  Grass,  White-eared 

„  Guttural  (male  and  female),  Lined,  Reddish 
White-throated,   and  Bluish 

,,  Parrot  

,,  Parson  

,,  Pileated,  Head  of  ... 

,,  Quail 

,,  Red-headed 
Rufou.s-tailed 

Fruit  Sucker,   Blue-winged 
„        „  Gold-fronted 

Honey-Eater,  Lewin's 
„  „  Wattled 
,        „        Yellow-tufted 


PAGE 

109 

24 

25 

34 

35 

117 

136 

135 

158 

148 

21 

169 

172 
161 
163 
166 
165 
165 

149 
162 
167 
133 
176 
175 
170 
14 
42 

58 

71 

.    68 


PAQK 

Hybrid,  Bicheno-Zebra  Finch      179 

,,           Gra.ss    Finch           172 

„           Parson    Finch-White   Bengalee          167 

Java    Sjiarrows           ...         .,,         jgS 

Mannikin,  Three-coloured,  Head  of     182 

„            Three-coloured,  Black-headed  and  White- 
headed            181 

Mesias,    Silver-eared            29 

Pekin  Nightingale,  Head  of        28 

Rock  Thrush 13 

Shama,    Indian           23 

Singing   Finch,    Green 106 

Siskin,    Black-headed           95 

Sivas,  Blue-winged 31 

Sugar  Bird,  Blue       73 

,,         „       Yellow-winged          72 

Tanager,  Black-backed        79 

„          Festive        90 

„          Magpie,    Blue    and    Archbishop    77 

,,           Superb,   Head  of           31 

„           Violet,  Scarlet  and  Superb 75 

Yellow       ...        82 

Tits,    Red-sided          32 

Waxbills    Violet-eared          159 

Zebra           154 

Weaver,  Napoleon,   Head  of       194 

White-Eye,   The         62 

,,            Chinese,  Head  of      62 

Why  dabs.  Giant,  Paradise  and  Crimson-collared  ...  191 

,,          Paradise,   Heads  of 189 

Wood  Swallows,  Dusky                            55 


CONTENTS. 


7—    9 

44-  51 


24 
21 

34—  40 


97 
111 

112—136 


Aviaries    and    Management  

Babblebs  (Cratiropodida)       

Jay-Tlirush.  Chinese,  44;  Masked,  45; 
Colliirod,  45;  White-crested,  46;  White- 
throated,  47;  Black-gorgeted,  47;  Striated, 
48.  Laughing-Thrush,  Red-headed,  48; 
Spectacled  Thrush.  48 ;  Black-hea<led  Sibia, 
49;  Golden-eyed  Babbler.  50;  Grey  Stru- 
thidea,  51;   Grey  Ilypocolius,  51. 

Bluebirds  (Sialia):   Blue  Robin      

Bluethroats  (Ci/ainrula)       

BULBVLS  (Piicnonothlcr)  

Black,  34;  Red-vented,  35;  Black-capped, 
36;  Syrian,  36:  White-eared,  36;  Yellow- 
vented,  37;  Dusky,  38;  Chinese,  38;  White- 
cheeked,  39 ;  Red-eared,  39  ;  Brown-eared, 
40;  Rufous-bellied,  40;  Yellow-crowned, 
40;   Spotted-winged,  40. 

Bullfinch,  Desert  Trumpeter 

„  Japanese        

BtlNTINGS    (Kmherizincp)  

Grey-headed,  112 ;  Yellow-browed,  113 ; 
Golden-breasted,  113 ;  Red-headed,  114 ; 
Yellow-breasted,  114 ,  Red-backed  or 
Ruddy,  115:  Masked,  115:  Bona- 
parte's, 116  ;  White-crowned  or  Pine,  116  ; 
Rock,  117;  Striolated  Rock,  118;  Sahara  or 
House,  118;  Cape,  119;  Crested  Black,  119; 
Lark,  120;  White-shouldered  Lark,  121; 
White-throated  Song  Sparrow,  121 ;  White- 
eyebrowed  Song  Sparrow,  121 :  Grey-headed 
Song  Sparrow,  122;  Chingolo  Song  Sparrow, 
122;  Nonpareil  Bunting,  123;  Indigo  Bunt- 
ing. 123;  Lazuli  Bunting,  124;  Varied  Non- 
pareil, 124;  American  Snow-bird,  125; 
Oregon  Snow-bird.  125;  Chipping  Sparrow, 
126;  Vesper  Sparrow  or  Bay-winged  Bunt- 
ing, 127;  Sandwich  Bunting,  127;  Manimbe 
Seaside  Sparrow.  127 :  Melodious  Sparrow, 
123;  Fox  Sparrow.  12:9;  Red-eyed  Ground- 
Finch.  129  ;  Mexican  Spotted  Ground-Finch, 
130;  Black -throated  Bunting,  130;  Citron 
Finch,  130;  Gay's  Finch,  131;  Orchard 
Finch,  131 ;  Alaudino  Finch,  132 ;  Diuca 
Finch,  132 ;  Pileated  Finch,  132 ;  Red-crested  " 
Finch,  133.  Cardinals,  Green,  133;  Yellow- 
hilled.  134;  Red-headed  or  Dominican,  134; 
Red-crested,   136. 

Cape   Canary       104 

Cardinals     133—137 

Cat  Birds  (Oaleoscoptes)      27 

American,  27. 

Cliaffinches ...    91- 

Drosgos    (DicruridcB) 

Large  Racket-tailed,  53 ;  Indian  or  Hair- 
crested,   53. 

Finches  {F  ring  ill  idee) 

Tyjiical  Finches — Blue  Chaffinch,  91 ; 
Madeiran  Chaffinch,  91 ;  Canarian  Chaffinch, 
92;  Algerian  Chaffinch,  92;  Eastern  Gold- 
finch. 92;  American  Siskin,  92;  Yarrell's 
Siskin,  93;  Indian  Siskin.  93;  Arkansas 
Siskin,  94 ;  Colombian  Sisldn,  94 ;  Yellow- 
bellied  Siskin.  94 ;  Ye'low-rumped  Siskin, 
S5;   Black  Siskin,  95;   Black-chinned  Siskin, 


92 
53 

91—112 


95;  Black-headed  Siskin,  96;  Hooded  Siskin, 
96;  I'ine  Siskin,  97;  Totta  or  South  African 
Siskin,  97;  Desert  Trumpeter  Bullfinch,  97; 
Rock  Sparrow,  98;  Yellow-throated 
Rock  Sparrow,  98 ;  Lesser  Rock  SlJarrow, 
99;  White-throated  Rock  Sparrow,  99; 
Southern  Rock  Sparrow,  100;  Cape  Sparrow, 
100;  Grey-headed  or  Swainsoii's  Sparrow, 
101 ;  Desert  Sparrow,  101  ;  Yellow  Sparrow, 
102;  Golden  Sparrow,  102;  Saffron-Finch, 
Pelzeln's  Saffron-Finch,  103;  Yellowish 
Finch,  104.  Serins  or  Canaries — Cape 
Canary,  104 ;  Sulphur  Seed-eater,  105 ;  St. 
Helena  Seed-eater,  105 ;  Green  Singing 
Finch,  106;  White-throat.3d  Seed-eater,  107; 
Grey  Singing  Finch,  107  ;  Yellow-rumped  or 
Angola  Serm,  107;  Himalayan  or  Red- 
fronted  Seed-eater,  108 ;  Alario  Finch,  108. 
1/ose  /'(nc/its— Scarlet  Rose-Finch,  109; 
Sepoy  Finch,  110;  Purple  Rose-Finch,  110; 
Blood-stained  Finch,  110 ;  Japanese  Bull- 
finch. Ill ;  Pine  Grosbeak,  111 ;  Long-tailed 
Rose-Finch,   112. 

Flower  Pei-kebs  {Dicceida) 63—  64 

Spotted  Panther-bird,  64. 

Flycatchers   {Musrirapida) 59 —  61 

Blue  Wren,  59 ;  Rufous-bellied  Niltava,  60. 

Fhuitsuckers   [Chloropsis)      41 —  44 

Gold-fronted,  41;  Slalabar,  43;  Blue-winged, 
43. 

Grassfinches  and  Mannikins  [Muniince]  ...  161 — 175 

Crimson  Finch,  161 ;  Parrot  Finch,  161 ; 
Three-coloured  Parrot-Finch,  161 ;  Pinfailed 
Nonpareil,  162  ;  Gouldian  Finch.  164  ;  White- 
eared  Grassfinch,  165:  Masked  Grassfinch, 
165 ;  Long-tailed  Grassfinch,  166 ;  Parson 
Finch,  166  ;  Diamond  or  Spotted-sided  Finch, 
168;  Painted  Fmch,  168:  Rufous-tailed  Grass- 
finch, 168;  Fire-tailed  Grassfinch,  170;  Zebra 
Finch,  171 ;  Bicheno's  Finch,  172 ;  Ringed 
Finch,  173;  Cherry  Finch,  173;  Indian 
Silver-bill,  173;  African  Silver-bill,  174; 
Ribbon  Finch,  174;   Red-headed  Finch,  175. 

Goldfinches  92 

Greenfinch  137 

Grosbeaks  {Coemthraustina:)  136 — 148 

Virginian  Cardinal,  136 ;  Venezuelan  or 
Purple  Cardinal,  137;  Thick-billed  Cardinal, 
137;  Chinese  Greenfinch,  137;  Black-tailed 
Haw  finch,  138 ;  Japanese  Hawfinch.  139 ; 
Blaik  and  Yellow  Hawfinch.  139;  Golden- 
bellied  Grosbeak.  140 ;  Rose-breasted  Gros- 
beak, 140 ;  Black-headed  Grosbeak, 
141 ;  Northern  Blue  Grosbeak,  141 ; 
Lazuline,  142 ;  Southern  Blue  Grosbeak, 
142;  Tropical  Seed-Finch.  142;  Thick- 
billed  Seed-Finch,  143:  Jacarini  Finch, 
143.  Spermojihilcr — White-throated  Finch. 
144;  Half-white  Finch,  144;  Grey  Gros- 
beak, 144 :  Plumbeous  Finch,  144 ; 
Euler's  Finch,  145  ;  Lavender-backed  Finch, 
145;  Fire-red  Finch.  145;  Reddish  Finch, 
146;  Collared  Finch,  146;  Black-banded 
Finch,  146 ;  Spectacled  Finch,  146 ;  Lineated 
Finch,  146;  Bluish  Finch.  147;  Guttural 
Finch,  147;  Ocellated  or  Black-headed 
Lined   Finch,    147;    Lined   Finch,    148. 


Hawfinches 


138-140 


COXTEyTS. 


FIonet-Eatebs   {Milipliaij'iltt)         

Poe,  Tui,  or  Pareon-bird,  64 ;  Lunulated 
or  White-naped,  65;  Strong-billed,  65; 
White-eared,  66;  Yellow-tufted,  67;  Yellow, 
67;  Lewin's,  68;  Fuscous,  69;  Garrulous,  69; 
Wattled,  69;  Blue-faced,  70;  Black-tailed, 
70. 

Mannikins    {Muniiiitr)  

Quail  Finch,  176;  Sharp-tailed  Finch,  177; 
Striated  Finch,  177;  Bengalee,  178 ;  Coinmon 
Spice-Finch,  178;  Bar-breasted  Finch,  178; 
Topela  Finch,  178;  Malayan  Spice-bird, 
178;  Pectoral  Finch.  178;  Chestnut-breasted 
Finch,  179  ;  Yellow-runiped  Mannikin,  180  ; 
White-headed  Mannikin,  180;  Javan  Maja- 
I'inoh,  180;  Black-headed  Mannikin,  182; 
Three-coloured  Mannikin,  182;  Java  Spar- 
row, or  Rice-bird.  183;  Magpie  Mannikin, 
184  :  Two-coloured  Mannikin,  184  ;  Rufous- 
backed  Mannikin,  184;  Bronze  Mannikin, 
185;   Bib  Finch,   185. 

Magpie  Robins  {Copgychus) 

Uayal,  21  ;   Seychollean,  22. 

MoCKING-BlRDS  (Mimince)       

Common,   26 ;    Saturnine,  27. 

OmoI.E.S    (O  rial  ill  a)         

Black-napcd,  52;    Sykes',  52. 

Saffron  Finches : 

SnAMAS  (f'i((ofinda)      

Indian,   22;    Chestnut-bellied,   22. 

Shrikes  (LauiidcB)         

Indian  Grey,  57;  Bay-backed,  58;  Four- 
coloured,  58. 

Singing  Finches  

Siskins        

Song  Sparrows 

Spabrows  (Petronia  and  Passer)     

Sugar-birds  {CcerebiUa;)         

Yellow-winged,  72 ;  Purple,  73 ;  Black- 
headed,  73 ;   Blue,  73. 


PAGE 

64—  70 


176—185 


21- 

-  22 

26- 

-  27 

52- 

-  53 

102- 

-103 

22- 

-24 

Tax.\gers    (Taiiarjiida)  

All-green,  74;  Yellow-fronted,  76;  Black- 
necked,  76;  Chestnut-fronted,  76;  Gold- 
fronted,  76;  Greenish,  76;  Dwarf,  78; 
Violet.  78;  Thick-billed,  78;  Pectoral,  78; 
Black-bellied,  78;  Lead-coloured,  79; 
Jamaica.  79:  Red-bellied,  80;  Blue- 
and-black,  80;  Black-backed,  80;  Para- 
dise, 80;  Superb,  80;  Three-coloured, 
81 ;  Festive,  82 ;  Spotted  Emerald, 
82;  Yellow,  82;  Black-cheeked,  83; 
Chestnut-backed,  83;  Black-shouldered, 
83;  Lavcnder-and-black  83;  Yellow-bellied, 
83 ;  Blue-winged,  83 ;  White-capped,  84 ; 
Silver-blue,  84 ;  Blue-shouldered,  84 ; 
Sayaca,  84;  Palm,  84;  Archbishop,  85; 
Striated.  85;  Scarlet,  85;  Maroon,  86;  Sum- 
mer, 86;  Red,  86;  Black-aml-red,  87; 
Louisiana,  87:  Saira,  87:  Black,  87; 
Little  Black,  88:  Crested.  88:  Crowned,  88; 
Fasciated,  88;  Baham-i  88;  Great  Saltator, 
89;  Allied  Saltator,  89;  Orange-billed,  89; 
Magpie,  90;  Black-headed,  90;  Fuliginous 
or  Smoky,  90. 

THRIISHE3  (Turdiilcv)      

True  Thrushes  (Timtinm)  —  American 
Wood,  9;  Migratory,  10;  Dwarf,  10;  Swain- 
son's.  11 ;  Tawny,  11 ;  Falkland-Island.  11 ; 
Red-bpllied,  12;  Dusky.  12;  White-bellied, 
13;   Sorry,  13;   Gray's,  13. 

Blackbirds  or  Ouzels  (.Vfr«?n)— Grey- 
winged,  14:  Yellow-footed.  15;  Chinese,  15; 
Grey,  15;  Grey-headed,  16. 


57—  59 

106—107 
93—  97 

121—122 
98-102 
70—  74 

74-  91 


21 


So-called  Gbound-Thhushes  {OcocichUi)— 
Orange-headed,  16;    White-throated,  17 

RoCK-THRUSHES  [Monticola)  —  Common, 
18 ;   Blue,  19. 

Whistling-Thrushes  (Uyiophoncus)  — 
Horsfield's  20. 

MoCK-TiiHuSHES— Brown,  27. 

Tit-like  Birds  (Paridct)        

ACCENTOHINE  TiTS  {Liotrichin(B)—Pekin 
Nightingale,  28;  Silver-eared  Mesia,  30; 
Blue-winged   Siva,  32. 

True  Titmice  (Parus)— Azure,  33;  Red- 
sided,  33. 

Wagtails   (Motacillida)  

Fied  Grallina,  34. 

Warblers  (Sylviince)     

Japanese  Bush,  26. 

Waxbills  {Kstrihii/ia) 

Dufresne's  Waxbill,  151;  Masked  Firefinch, 
151;  Vinaceous  Firefinch.  151;  Black-tailed 
Lavender  Finch,  152 ;  Common  Lavender 
Finch,  152;  Bar-breasted  Firefinch.  152; 
Common  African  Firefinch,  153;  Brown- 
headed  Firefinch,  153;  Common  Amaduvade 
Waxbill,  153  ;  Zebra  or  Gold-brea.stcd  Wax- 
bill,  154;  Orange-cheeked  Waxbill,  155; 
Green  .\maduvade,  155 ;  Red-browed  or 
Australian  Waxbill.  155 ;  St.  Helena  Wax- 
bill,  156;  Grey  Waxbill.  156;  Rosy-ruinped 
or  ■  Sundevall's  Waxbill,  156 ;  Crimson- 
winged  Waxbill,  157 ;  Red-faced 
157;  Crimson-faced  Waxbill,  157; 
throated  Waxbill,  158 ;  Cordon 
Crimson-eared  Waxbill,  158:  Blue-brea.sted 
Waxbill,  160;    Violet-eared   Waxbill,  160. 

Weavers  {Ploceidce)      

See    Waxbills. 

Weavers,    Typical   {Ploctince)  

Scalv-fronted,  197;  Speckled-fronted,  197; 
White-fronted,  198;  Bhio-beaked,  198; 
Bright-spotted,  198;  White-billed  Buffalo, 
199;  Chestnut-backed,  199;  Short-winged, 
199;  Masked,  200;  Yellowish,  200;  Olive, 
200;  Rufous-necked.  201;  Black-headed, 
201;  Half-masked,  202:  Black  fronted,  202; 
Eyebrowed.  203;  Baya.  203;  Black-throated, 
204;  Great-billed,  204;  Bengal,  204; 
Manvah,  204;  Madagascar,  '205;  Comoro, 
205. 

■Weaving  Finches  {Plioniparina)     

Black  Seed,  148;  Cuban,  148;  Olive,  150; 
Little,  160;    Dusky,   150. 


28-  35 


34- 


26i 


151— 16Q 


Waxbill, 

Yellow- 

Bleu 


151-165 


197-205. 


148-150 


61—  63. 


White-eyes  {Zostirppida)      

Grey-backed,   61;    Indian,  61;    Chinese,  62; 
Japanese,   63 ;    Cape,   63 ;    Yellow,   63. 

Whydahs  and  Whtdah-like  Weavers  [Viduince)  186 — 196 
Whvdahs— Combasou,  186;  Steel  Finch, 
186;  Ultramarine  Finch,  186:  Resplendent 
Whvdah.  187:  Pin-tailed  Whvdah,  187; 
Shaft-tailed  Whvdah,  188:  Paradise  Whv- 
dah. 188:  Long-"tailed  Whvdah,  189:  Red- 
collared  Whvdah.  189;  While-winged  Whv- 
dah. 190:  Yellow-backed  Whydah,  190:  Red- 
shouldered  Whydah,  191 ;  Yellow-shouldered 
Whydah,  192. 

Weavers — Yellow-shouldered.  193:  Golden- 
backed.  193:  Napoleon.  193;  Crimson- 
crowned.  194 ;  Black-vented.  195 ;  Grena- 
diei-,  195:  Orange,  196;  Red-billed,  196; 
Red-headed,  196. 


WoOD-Sw.ALI.OW  (Ailamda-)    

White-evebrowed,   54;    Masked,   55; 
55;    Ashy,   5b. 


Dusky, 


54—  57 


PREFACE. 


THE  object  of  the  present  book  is  to  supply  a 
want  long  left  by  British  students  of  foreign 
birds  in  captivity.  Whereas  our  Uennan 
friends  have  tlie  excellent  volumes  written 
by  the  late  Dr.  Karl  Russ,  we  have  hitherto 
had  to  be  content  with  a  few  sketchy  hand- 
books in  this  country.  Therefore,  when  the  Editor  of 
The  Feathered  World  and  Canary  and  Cage-Bird  Life 
informed  me  that  the  first  i>art  of  my  le.=s  ambitious 
work*  was  almost  out  of  print,  and  csked  me  to  pre- 
pare as  soon  as  possible,  a  more  up-to-date  edition, 
I  suggested  that  we  might  as  well  do  the  thing 
properly,  and  write  a  book  which  should  be  practi- 
cally complete.  This  suggestion,  I  rejoice  to  say,  was 
heartily  approved  of. 

Dr.  Rufe,  who  published  the  great  German  work, 
"The  Foreign  Chamber-birds"  (Die  FremdUinditchen 
Stubenvogel),  was  the  Editor  of  the  German  "Feathered 
World " ;  therefore  it  is  most  fitting  that  the  sister 
work  in  England  should  be  published  by  the  Editor 
of  the  English  pa{>eT  with  the  same  title. 

Aviculture,  or  the  study  of  birds  in  captivity,  prob- 
ably had  its  origin  in  prehistoric  times,  for  we  find 
that  all  the  more  enlightened  races  of  mankind  (often 
wrongly  called  .savages)  capture  and  keep  their  native 
birds  as  pets.  The  Chinese  are  probably  the  most 
ancient  existing  nation  of  bird-lovers,  and  it  is  quite 
likely  that  they  were  aviculturists  a  gre.at  many  cen- 
turies ago.  Henry  Oldye,  in  an  .able  paper  upon  the 
"  Cage-bird  Traffic  of  the  United  States,"  fays:— "The 
practice  of  keeping  live  birds  in  confinement  is  world- 
wide, and  extends  so  far  back  in  history  that  the  time 
of  its  origin  is  unknown.  It  exists  among  the  natives 
of  tropical  as  well  as  temperate  countries,  was  found 
in  vogue  on  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  when  they  were 
firit  discovered,  and  was  habitual  with  the  Peruvians 
under  the  Incas  and  the  Aztecs  under  Montezuma. 
Caged  birds  were  popular  in  classic  Greece  and  Borne. 
The  Alexandrian  Parrakect— a  rlng-neckcd  Parrakeet 
of  India — which  is  much  fancied  at  the  present  day,  is 
said  to  have  been  first  brought  to  Europe  by  one  of 
the  generals  of  Alexander  the  Great.  Before  this 
living  birds  had  been   kept  by  the  nations  of  Western 

*TI\caiticles  under  the  title  of  ■' Foreign  Bird-keeping"  were 
pul>lislied  iti  .March,  1S93,  and  issued  in  book  form  in  1399  and  '.900. 
-Ed. 


Asia,  and  the  voices  of  Bulbuls  and  other  attractive 
singers  doubtless  added  to  the  charins  of  the  hanging 
gardens  of  Babylon,  while  in  China  and  Japan  the  art 
of  domesticating  wild  birds  has  been  practised  for  many 
centuries."  It  is  tolerably  certain  that  the  ancient 
Hebrews  were  aviculturists,  for  "a  cage  of  unclean 
birds  "  is  mentioned  in  their  writings,  and  we  are  well 
aware  that  Peacocks  were  brought  -over  regularly  to 
embellish  Solomon's  gardens. 

In  order  to  be  able  to  treat  birds  correctly  in  cap- 
tivity, it  is  necessary  that  one  should  be  familiarised 
with  the  wild  life,  and  therefore  I  have  followed  the 
excellent  example  .set  by  Dr.  Russ,  and  have  done  my 
best  to  get  together  field  notes  upon  the  majority  of 
the  species.  In  order  to  do  this,  I  was  obliged  to  add 
considerably  to  my  already  fairly  comprehensive 
library,  and  when  a  work  upon  birds  runs  into  many 
volumes  at  one  or  two  guineas  a  volume,  it  will  be 
understood  that  my  work  is  to  a  great  extent  a  labour 
of  love. 

One  objection  raised  to  my  smaller  work,  "Foreign 
Bird-keeping,"  was  that  I  did  not  give  sufficient 
information  respecting  the  feeding  of  birds.  I  thought 
I  had  done  so  myself,  but,  at  any  rate,  I  do  not  think 
the  same  fault  can  be  found  with  the  present  work. 
Nevertheless,  do  what  one  will,  one  can  never  expect 
to  escape  scatheless  from  those  reviewers  who  consider 
it  their  chief  duty  to  difcover  the  blemishes  and  pass 
over  the  good  points  in  the  book  under  their  notice. 
There  is  one  gocd  thing,  and  that  is  that  even  an  un- 
generous critique  brings  a  work  into  notice,  and  the 
public  judges  it  on  its  own  merits. 

I  have  purposely  omitted  a  few  birds  which  are  not 
in  the  least  likelv  to  come  to  hand  nowadays.  Tliey 
are  cither  strictly  preserved,  are  becoming  extinct,  or 
are  hardly  ever  "to  be  met  with  in  the  hands  of  native 
dealers,  and  their  standing  as  cage-birds  rests  upon 
a  single  chance  specimen  captured  and  brought  home 
by  some  traveller.  I  do  not  ctnsider  it  my  duty  to 
follow  the  example  of  the  late  Dr.  Russ  and  include 
accounts  of  dozens  of  birds,  on  the  chance  that  they 
may  be  eventually  imiwrted  ;  nor  do  I  agree  with  hnn 
that  a  bird  is  unworthy  of  notice  because  it  is  of 
sombre  colours  and  has  no  song;  it  may  nevertheless 
be  a  most  interesting  species  to  breed,  one  psrhaps  of 


PREFACE. 


■which  the  life-history  is  quite  unknown  to  science.     We 

.should  study  birds,  not  merely  keep  them  as  if  they 
were  mere  luxuries  for  the  gratification  of  the  senses  of 
sight  and  sound. 

In  conclusion,  I  can  only  hope  that  this  work  will 
he  usefiJ  ;  it  is  the  result  of  many  months'  steady  work, 
and  embodies  not  only  my  own  experience  in  the  care 
of  more  than  two  hundred  species  of  foreign  birds,  but 
that  of  many  other  strenuous  workers.  In  order  to 
do  justice  to  it,  I  have  had  to  refer  constantly  to  nearly 
every  book  in  my  ornithological  library,  and  this  alone 
means  tlie  collation  of  interesting  facts  which  cannot 
be  got  hastily  together. 

A.  G.  BUTLER. 


The  following  works  have  been  quoted  from  in  the 
present  volume  ;  — 

Andre,  E.  :   A  Naturalist  in  the  Guianas. 
A%'icultural  Magazine,   The   (Journal  of  the  Avicul- 
tural  Society) ;    First  and  Second   Series. 

Bartlett,  E.  :  A  Slonograph  of  the  Weaver-Birds  and 
Finches. 

Beebe,  C.  W.  :  Two  Bird-Lovers  in  Mexico. 
Blanford,  W.   T.  :   Birds  of  Eastern  Persia. 
Burmeister,    Dr.    H.  :    Systematische   Uebersicht   der 
Thiere  Brasiiiens  ;  Vogel  (Part  3,  Vol.  IL). 
Buller,  Sir  W.  :  Birds  of  New  Zealand. 
Butler,  Dr.  A.  G.  :  — 

Foreign   Finches   in   Captivity. 
Foreign  Bird-keeping  (Part  1). 
Birds'  Eggs  of  the  British  Isles. 
Hints  on  Cage-birds. 
How  to  Sex  Cage-birds. 
Campbell,  A.   J.  :    Nests    and    Egg-s    of    Australian 
Birds. 

Catalogue    of     the    Birds    in    the    British    Museum 
(Vols.  VI.,  VIL,  VIIL,  XI.,  XIL,  XIIL). 

Catalogue  of  Eggs  in  the  British  Museum  (Vol.  IV.). 
Cooper,   J.    G.  :     Geological     Survey    of    California ; 
Ornithology  (Vol.  I). 

Crawshay,  R.  :  The  Birds  of  Tierra  del  Fuego. 
David,  Pere,  and  Oustalet,  Dr.  .7.  F.  E.  :   Oiseaux  de 
Chine. 

Emu,  The.  (Journal  of  the  Australian  Ornithologists' 
L'nion). 

Feathered    World,    The     (edited    by     Mrs.     Comyne- 
Lewer). 


Gould,   J.  :    Handbook   to    the  Birds    of    Australia 

(Vol.   I.). 

Heuglin,    M.    T.    von  :    Ornithologie   Nordost-Africas 
(Vol.  I.). 

Hume,  A.  0.,  and  Gates,  E.  W.  :  The  Nests  and  Eggs 
of  Indian  Birds  (second  edition,  Vols.  I.   and  II.). 

Ibia,    The    (Journ.al    of    the    British    Ornithologists'' 
Union). 

Irby,   Colonel  L.   H.  :    Ornithology  of  the  Straits  of 
Gibraltar. 

Jerdon,  Dr.  T.  E.  :   Birds  of  India  (Vols.  I.  and  II.). 
Journal  of  the  South  African   Ornithologists'  Union, 
The 

Layard,  Consul  ¥..  L.,  and  Sharpe,  Dr.  R.  B.  :  Birds 
of  South  Africa. 
Legge,  Colonel  W.  V.  :   Birds  of  Ceylon  (Vol  II.). 
Miller,  Mrs.  Olive  Thorne  :  Little  Brothers  of  the  Air. 
North,  A.  J.  :   Catalogue  of  Nests  and  Egg3  of  Birds 
found   breeding  in  Australia  and   Tasmania. 
Ornithologist  and  Oologist  (Vol.   X.). 
Ridgway,  Professor  R.  :   Birds  of  North  and  Middle 
America  (Vols.  I.,  II.,  and  IV.). 
Russ,   Dr.   Karl:  — 

Die  Gefiederte  Welt  (Vol.  IX..  1880). 
Handbuch  fur  Vogelliebhaber. 
Die  Fremdlandischen  Stubenvogel   (Vols.   I.   and 
IL). 
Sclater,  Dr.  P.  L.,  and  Hudson,  W.  H.  :   Argentine 
Ornithology  (Vol.  I.). 
Seebohm,  H.  :  — 

A  History  of  British  Birds  (Vol.  I.). 
Birds  of  the  Japanese   Empire. 
Shelley,  Captain  G.  E.  :    The  Birds  of  Africa   (Vols. 
III.  and  IV.). 

Stark,  Dr.  A.   C.  and  Sclater,  W.  L.  :   The  Birds  of 
Africa  (Vol.  I.). 
Taczanowski,  L.  :   Ornithologie  du  Perou  (Vol.  II.). 
Tristram,   Canon  H.   B.  :    Birds  of  Palestine. 
United  States  Natural  History  Museum.  Proceedings 
of  the. 

Whitaker,  J.  L.  S.  :   Birds  of  Tunisia  (Vol.  I.). 
Wiener,  A.  :    Cassell's  Cage-birds. 
Zoological  Society  o'.  London  : 

List  of  the  Animals  in  the  Gardens  of  the.    (Ninth 

edition). 
Proceedings  of  the  Meetings  of  the. 
ZoologiM,  7'Ac  (edited  by  W.  L.  Distant). 


Foreign    Birds    for    Cage 
and   Aviary. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Aviaries  and  Management. 

As  regards  the  housing  of  one's  birds,  I  still  hold, 
•IS  before,  tliat  for  many  reasons  aviaries  are 
preferable  to  cages.  In  them  birds  lead  a  more 
natural  existence,  for  they  have  space  in 
which  to  use  their  wings,  to  make  love, 
marry,  and  rear  families  in  comfort,  to  feed  and 
bathe  unmolested,  or,  if  disturbed  by  their  fellows, 
to  dispute  without  serious  daJiger.  'Ihese  changes  of 
occupation  are  undoubtedly  beneficial  not  only  in 
respect  of  the  active  use  of  all  the  bird's  organism, 
but  in  giving  a  cheerful  tone  to  its  mind  ;  whereas  a 
solitary  caged  bird  leads  a  monotonous  life  at  best, 
all  its  enjoyments  being  self-centred  and  unnatural. 

For  breeding  purposes  the  best  type  of  aviary  is 
one  formed  upon  the  general  plan  of  some  of  those  in 
the  Zoological  Gardens  of  Regent's  Park ;  but  there 
should  be  plenty  of  trees  or  shrubs  in  it,  and,  if  possible, 
long  and  short  grass.  High  up  in  comers,  or  on  plat- 
forms raised  upon  stakes  which  may  be  covered  over 
with  ivy,  hop,  or  virginian  creeper,  bundles  of  rough 
brushwood  should  be  placed,  with  nesting  receptacles 
thrust  here  and  there  among  the  twigs.  The  aviary 
should  have  both  summer  and  winter  quarters  of  equal 
dimensions,  though  in  the  ca.se  of  many  hardy  species 
this  is  not  indispensable.  The  winter  quai-ters  should 
be  formed  in  an  artificially  warmed  brick  building, 
well  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  should  communicate 
by  a  sliding  wooden  door  with  the  outdoor  summer 
aviai-y  ;  the  latter  ought  by  rights  to  face  south,  the 
part  nearest  tlie  building  being  roofed  in  as  a  shelter 
in  rough  weather,  and  both  this  and  the  building  con- 
taining the  winter  portioh  should  be  entered  by  doors 
opening  from  a  glazed  passage  running  along  the 
eastern  side.  The  open  aviary  will  thus  he  protected 
against  easterly  winds,  whilst  any  birds  which  may  by 
chance  escape  into  the  covered  passage  can  be  captured 
and  restored  to  their  home.  If,  however,  it  is  im- 
portant to  economise  space,  the  entrance  to  the  indoor 
aviary  must  have  two  doors,  the  inner  one  -wired,  with 
a  small  lobby  between  the  two,  so  that  the  outer  door 
may  be  closed  before  the  inner  one  is  opened  ;  by  this 
means  not  only  are  the  inmates  prevented  from  escaping, 
but  if  it  is  desired  to  cajiture  them  for  any  reason  they 
can  be  driven  into  the  small  enclosure  between  the  two 
doors  and  easily  secured  by  hand. 

The  wired  part  of  an  aviary  should  be  formed  of  lialf- 
incli  galvanised  iron  netting,  and  punted  outside  with 
Brunswick  black,  or  some  inr.ocuous  dark  enamel.  The 
entire  aviary  should  stand  at  least  a  foot  above  the 
outside  level  on  a  foundation  of  concrete,  having  glazed 


tiled  sides  in  order  to  prevent  the  ingiess  of  mice  and 
other  noxious  vermin. 

1'he  furnishing  of  an  aviary  is  to  some  extent  a  matter 
of  taste,  but  for  driidiing  and  bathing  purposes  there 
IS  nothing  better  than  a  plain  fountain  kept  always 
playing  in  a  shallow  glass  basin,  and  running  over 
into  a  larger  bowl  cnmmunicating  with  a  properly  con- 
structed drain  ;  the  water  is  thus  always  fresh,  and 
the  purity  of  the  surrounding  air  is  maintained.  As, 
however,  this  arrangejiient  of  running  water  is,  as 
1  know  to  my  cos-t,  very  expensive,  a  tolerably  good 
substitute  may  be  provided  by  formi.ig  a  shallow  pan 
of  cement  in  the  floor  of  the  aviary,  with  a  plug  and 
pipe,  to  carry  off  foul  water,  let  into  the  bottom  as  in 
lavatory  basins ;  this  type  of  combined  drinking  and 
bathing  convenience  is,  in  a  more  or  less  modified  form, 
adopted  by  many  aviarists. 

In  aviaries  of  moderate  size,  in  whidi  there  is  only 
space  for  a  border  and  a  naiTow  path,  plants  in  pots 
are  frequently  introduced,  but  a  border  of  earth 
bounded  by  a  smooth,  and  therefore  easily  cleaned, 
cemente<l  wall  is  far  better;  this  should  be  planted 
with  box,  cypress,  broom,  tirs,  and  pines.  Against  the 
wall  of  the  building,  over  the  dtor  conr.ecting  the 
double  aviary,  various  receptacles  to  be  used  for  nesting 
purposes  should   be   fastened. 

In  the  absence  of  the  wherewithal  to  enable  the 
amateur  to  erect  such  a  structure  as  I  have  described, 
he  may  utilise  a  room,  or  even  part  of  one,  as  an  aviary, 
covering  the  floor  with  zinc,  to  keep  the  mice  out. 
nailing  up  pea-sticks  against  the  walls  for  perches,  and 
partly  concealing  his  nest-boxes  amongst  them.  ^ly 
own  aviaries  are  a  kind  of  compromise  between  the  two 
types  above  described. 

'  Cages  must  necessarily  vary  much,  according  to  their 
occupants.  Those  usually  offered  for  sale  in  bird  shops 
are  not  always  suitable.  In  no  case  should  a  cage  be 
so  constructed,  or,  at  any  rate,  .=o  placed,  that  a  direct 
draught  can,  blow  througli  it.  As  a  general  rule,  box- 
cages,  with  one  or  more  small  air-holes  at  the  back 
near  the  roof,  are  mo.st  satisfactoi-y.  They  are  warm, 
and,  when  not  kept  in  a  close  room,  are  healthy;  and 
their  inmates  grow  tamer  in  a  shorter  time  than  in  any 
other  form  of  cage,  simply  from  the  fact  that  they  are 
constantly  com|jelled  to  face  their  owners.  As  a  re- 
markable" instance  of  this  fact,  I  may  mention  that  a 
freshly  caught  Song  Thrush,  placed  in  a  cage  of  this 
pattern  took  yolk  of  egg  from  my  fingers  three  days 
afterwards  :  biit  it  is  only  ]X'rhaps  fair  to  note  that  this 
and  other  birds  which  became  tame  nearly  as  soon  under 
the  same  conditions  were  caught  during  a  very  severe 
winter,  and  therefore  were  probably  in  a  more  than 
■usually  subdued  frame  of  mind  when  netted.  As  a 
general  rule.  Blackbirds  and  Thrushes  do  not  become 
quite   steady  until  after  their  first   moult    in   captivity, 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


and  the  same  is  true  of  those  bred  in  large  garden 
aviaries.  Cages  made  wholly  of  metal  or  wicker  are 
suitable  enough  if  kept  in  "a  warm  place  out  of  all 
draughts,  or  hanging  on  a  south  wall  out  of  doors  ;  but, 
otherwise,  a  cage  having  bars  only  in  front  is  safer. 
The  trays  of  all  cages  ought  to  be  made  of  metal ;  these 
are  clea'ner,  less  likely  to  hai-bour  insects,  and  do  not 
set  so  easily  jammed  as  wooden  trays. 
'  If  it  is  desired  to  breed  birds  in  cages,  the  latter 
must  be  considerably  larger  than  otherwise  ;  moreover, 
whereas  many  pairs  may  be  permitted  to  nest  in  a  large 
aviary,  a  single  pair  only  should  be  enclosed  in  each 
breeding-cage.  The  smallest  cages  suitable  for  breed- 
ing foreign  biixls  sliould  be  of  the  following  measure- 
ments :  For  small  Parrakeets,  Weavers,  and  the  larger 
Finches  the  cage  should  be  31t.  to  4ft.  long,  2ft.  to 
3ft.  high,  5ft.  to  6ft.  deep;  for  Cardinals,  5ft.  to 
6ft.  long,  3ft.  to  5ft.  high,  8ft.  to  9ft.  deep;  for 
Waxbills,  Mannikins,  and  other  small  ornamental 
Finches,  lift,  long,  lilt,  high,  1ft.  deep.  Large 
Parrots,  Cockatoos,  and  Parrakeets,  and  all  kinds  of 
softrbilled  birds  should  be  bred  in  spacious  aviaries. 
Xest-boxes  .suitable  to  the  wants  of  the  birds,  and 
partly  concealed  by  brushwood,  shonld  be  fixed  near 
the  roof  on  the  back  wall  of  all  breeding  cages. 

After  trying  many  forms  of  nesting  receptacles,  I 
have  found  that  nearly  all  the  smaller  Finches  are  best 
pleased  with  a  box,  in  form  like  a  full-sized  cigar-box, 
but  larger.  This  box  is  hung  up  with  its  long  axis 
vertical,  and  with  the  upper  third  of  the  anterior  face 
left  open.  The  greater  part  of  tlie  box  should  be  filled 
up  with  hay  and  moss,  and  other  materials  supplied  to 
the  birds  in  an  open  cage  or  net.  The  .same  box,  and 
of  the  same  size,  is  suitable  for  man}-  other  foreign 
Finches  and  Bluebirds.  Xext  to  the  cigar-box  type 
comes  the  German  Canary  cage,  deprived  of  its  acces- 
sories, supplied  with  a  sound  wooden  floor,  two  hooks  at 
the  back  to  suspend  it  by,  and  one  or  more  bars 
removed  from  the  front.  In  this  cage  the  Grey  Sing- 
ing Finch,  Zebra  Finclies,  Diamond  Finches,  and 
probably  many  others  will  build.  Thirdly,  I  have 
found  a.  little  jjasteboard  travelling  cage,  with  metal 
or  wooden  corners  and  a  sliding  door,  very  useful. 
The  sliding-door  is  opened  about  two  inches,  and  fixed 
there  with  tacks,  and  light  enters  the  box  through  the 
regular  perforated  air-holes.  Some  years  since  I  ob- 
served in  one  of  Mr.  Seth-Smith's  aviaries  one  or  two 
old  straw  hats  tacked  against  a  wall  with  a  hole  cut  near 
the  top  of  the  oval  of  the  crown  ;  in  these  my  friend 
was  most  successful  in  breeding  Parrot-Finches,  which 
appeared  to  prefer  them  to  all  other  receptacles  in  which 
to  build  their  nests.  In  1905  I  tried  the  same  as  homes 
for  Gouldiaji  Finches,  and  found  that  they  accepted 
them  with  pleasure ;  I  was  thus  for  the  first  time 
successful  in  breeding  these  beautiful  birds,  which  I  had 
many  times  previously  failed  with.  I  do  not  doubt 
that  most  of  the  Grass.Finches,  or,  at  any  rate,  all 
those  which  prefer  to  ne.st  in  thick  cover,  would  welcome 
our  cast-off  head-gear  as  nm'.«ing-homes  for  their  youn^'. 
For  the  larger  Parrots,  small  barrels  placed  high  up  on 
a  small  platform  seem  to  bo  readily  accepted,  the 
entrance  being  made  at  one  end  through  a  large  hole  ; 
for  the  larger  Parrakeets,  use  either  log-nests  or  boxes 
so  constructed  that  platforms  converge  from  the  four 
inside  walls  to  near  the  centre,  in  which  a  handful 
of  sawdust  is  placed,  the  entrance  being  placed 
near  the  top  at  one  end  (see  "  Hints  on  Cage-Birds," 
p.  39) ;  lastly,  for  the  smaller  Parrakeets  and  Lovebirds 
cocoanut  husks  may  be  provided. 

The  best  sand   with  which  to  caver  the  floor  of  an 
aviary  or  the  tray  of  a  cage  is  clean  sea-sand,  just  as 


received  from  the  shore;  it  is  wholly  composed  of  grit, 
and  the  salt  which  it  contains  is  decidedly  beneficial  to 
birds  ;  shell-sand,  on  the  other  hand,  is  dangerous,  as 
the  sharp  fragments  of  shell  when  swallowed  are  liable 
to  set  up  inliammation,  and  have  even  been  known  to 
cut  through  the  gizzard,  thus  causing  death.  Crushed 
old  mortar  or  egg-shells  may  be  scattered  over  the  sand, 
and  cuttle-fish  bone  should  always  be  given,  otherwise 
moulting  will  be  retarded  and  nesting  hens  will  produce 
soft  or  shell-less  eggs. 

Any  of  the  better  kinds  of  insectivorous  loods  con- 
taining egg  and  ants'  eggs  will  be  found  beneficial  to 
many  of  the  Finches  and  will  be  used  for  feeding  the 
young  by  most  of  them,  but  many  of  the  Grassfinehes 
appear  to  bring  up  their  families  upon  seed,  green  fly 
(plant  lice),  or  such  small  insects  as  they  may  be  able 
to  capture ;  the  Mannikins,  which  are  to  all  intents 
and  purpo.ses  dull-coloured  Grassfinehes,  have  been 
known  to  use  gentles  for  rearing  their  young,  of  course, 
ill  addition  to  partly-digested  seed.  Fruit  is  necessary 
for  most  Parrots,  as  well  as  the  majority  of  soft-food 
eaters.  A  mealworm  or  caterpillar,  once  or  twice  every 
day,  should  be  given  to  all  .«oft-billed  birds — to  Car- 
dinals, Weavers,  Buntings,  and  the  few  Waxbills  which 
will  eat  them  ;  also  insects  of  various  kinds,  w-lien  pro- 
curable, and  spiders  ;  and  for  Warblers,  Thrushes,  and 
Starlings,  small  earth-worms  mixed  with  garden  mould 
in  a  saucer.  Lastly,  during  the  breeding  season  some 
form  of  egg-bread,  sweet  biscuit,  or  Madeira  cake  will 
be  found  useful. 

If  possible,  it  is  important  that  only  birds  in  good 
health  should  be  purchased,  and  therefore  it  is  best 
to  obtain  them  from  a  reliable  importer.  If  you  have 
any  doubt  as  to  the  perfect  health  of  a  bird,  do  not 
turn  it  loose  in  any  aviary  until  that  doubt  is  set  at 
rest ;  for  enteritis,  asthma,  and  many  other  di.'^eases  to 
which  freshly  imported  or  ill-conditioned  birds  are 
liable  are  infectious,  and  if  introduced  into  a  com- 
munity may  cause  serious  losses. 

When,  in  .spite  of  all  care  and  attention,  a  bird  falls 
ill  there  is  seldom  much  chance  of  completely  restoring 
it  to  health,  and  therefore  I  shall  not  waste  space  in 
repeating  the  innumerable  remedies  usually  recom- 
mended as  almost  infallible  cures  for  every  ache  and 
pain  to  which  the  feathered  family  is  subject.  At  the 
same  time,  asthma  and  egg-binding,  when  taken  in 
time,  are  usually  easy  to  cure.  For  the  former  a  few- 
drops  of  glycerine  stirred  into  the  drinking-water  every 
day  for  a  fortnight  is  the  ^st  remedy ;  but  be  careful 
not  to  overdo  the  dose,  or  the  result,  according  to  the 
late  Mr.  Abrahams,  is  likely  to  prove  fatal ;  the  dose 
for  Finches  is  eight  drops  to  a  wineglassful  of  water ; 
for  Thrushes  or  birds  of  that  general  size,  ten  drops ; 
for  the  larger  Parrots,  which  do  not  drink  more  than 
once  or  twice  a  day,  a  t«aspoonful  in  the  ordinary 
parrot-tin ;  gum  arabic  dissolved  in  the  water  is  a  very 
6afi>  remedy,  but  not  .so  effectual ;  many  bird-keepers 
give  both  combined.  For  simple  colds  and  sneezing  fits 
a  little  diluted  glyco-thymoline  used  as  a  na^^al  douche 
is  excellent.  Before  using  these  remedies  it  is  always 
well  to  give  a  mild  purgative,  five  grains  of  Epsom  salts 
for  one  day  in  the  drinking-water  for  Finches,  an  in- 
creased dose  or  a  little  tasteless  castor  oil  for  the  larger 
birds;  aft<>r  the  cure  al.so  it  is  best  to  strengthen  the 
patient  by  giving  a  little  iron  in  some  form  or  other. 
For  egg-binding  apply  a  little  sweet  oil  with  a  feather 
to  the  vent,  and  pnt  one  drop  into  the  beak,  then  hold 
the  bird  over  the  steam  from  a  jug  of  hot  water  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  wrap  it  up  in  warm  flannel,  and 
place  it  in  a  covered  cage  near  tho  fire. 

In  only  one  instance  out  of  many  have  I  succeeded 
in   curing   a   bird    of   inflammation   of  the   bowels     bv 


THRUSHES. 


9 


strictly  following  the  method  usually  recommended, 
and  even  tlien  the  patient  was  left  so  weak  that,  al- 
though for  a  day  or  two  it  even  recovered  its  song,  it 
almost  immediately  caught  cold  and  died  of  pneumonia. 
Even  the  heroic  method  "of  treatment,  though  rarely  suc- 
cessful, is  occasionally  more  satisfactory ;  on  several 
occasions  I  have  added  a  year  or  more  to  the  life  of  a 
bird  by  rwlucing  its  temperature  with  a  sj-ringe,  and 
once  lengthened  the  life  of  an  Indigo  Finch  for  two 
years  hy  picking  it  up  when  in  a  dying  condition  in 
the  corner  of  my  bird-room  and  turning  it  out  into  the 
winter  frosts  of  my  outside  aviary  ;  at  the  same  time  I 
do  not  aiivocate  this  treatment — it  is  kill  or  cure,  and 
usually  the  former. 

Scurvy,  a  nasty  and  dangerous  disease,  I  once  cured 
in  the  case  of  a  Persian  Bulbul  by  increasing  the  amount 
of  fruit  and  green-meat  in  its  daily  food  ;  probably  at- 
tention to  diet  might  arrest  this  disease  in  other  birds. 
Imperfect  moulting  generally  arises  from  want  of  nour- 
ishi.ig  food  and  cuttlefish  bone,  and  to  chills  contracted 
through  insufKcient  exercise  or  draught.  Wounds  .should 
lie  anointed  with  vaseline.  Broken  leg.s,  unless  the  frac- 
ture is  a  cle-an  one.  are  less  likely  to  inflame  if  com- 
pletely severed  with  a  pair  of  sharp-pointed  scissors  ; 
■but  a  .simple  fracture  may  he  bound  up  in  splints  made 
by  splitting  up  a  goose-quill. 

In  order  to  prevent  deaths  resulting  from  quarrels,  it 
is  necessary  to  avoid  mixing  up  birds  of  unequal 
strength  and  uncertain  tempers.  An  aviarj-  for  Wax- 
liills  and  Mannikins  may  also  contain  Biehenos,  or 
Zebra  Finches,  also  Gouldian  Finches,  a  Cflmbas.sou.  and 
several  Grey  Singing  Finches,  with  many  other  little 
birds  of  about  the  same  size,  but  not  Cutthroats  or  any 
larger  birds.  The  smaller  Parrakeets  may  sometimes 
■be  kept  together,  but  not  with  ether  birds.  Blue  Robins 
and  I'ekin  Xightingales,  though  very  amiable  so  far  as 
I  have  found  (but  not  so  in  the  exiierience  of  some  bird- 
Ijeepers,  who  complain  that  thev  seize  tiny  birds  bv 
wing  or  leg  and  swing  them  about  to  the  danger  of  both 
life  and  limb),  should  not  be  associated  together  or  with 
any  birds  which  are  breeding;  for,  like  our  English 
Chaffinch  and  Brambling,  they  are  inveterate  robbers  of 
eggs.  As  a  rule,  it  is  better  not  to  keep  British  and 
foreign  birds  in  the  s.ame  aviary;  but  Siskins.  Gold- 
finches, Linnets,  Bullfinches,  and  Reed-Buntings  may 
safely  be  as.sociated  with  the  more  sturdy  of  the  small 
foreign  Finches,  as  also  most  of  the  British  Chats  and 
Warblers.  Of  the  larger  British  birds  the  Song  Thrush 
tind  Redwing  are  the  safest,  and  I  have  kept  them  for 
two  years  in  succession  with  Blue  Robins.  Cardinals  of 
any  species.  Parrots,  and  the  larger  Parrakeets  are  best 
kept  separate,  .and  for  breeding  purposes  one  pair  only 
can  be  safely  put  into  an  aviary. 

In  addition  to  the  penny  nest-bags  sold  to  Canary 
Tireeders,  foreign  birds  should  be  supplied  with  plenty 
of  hay,  coarse  willow-fibre,  roots,  wood-moss,  and  soft 
feathers;  the  mass  can  be  obtained  in  any  damp  wood 
or  can  be  purchased  from  a  florist,  and  the  willow- 
fibre  is  generally  sold  at  fancy  repositories  for  filline 
fire-grates. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THRUSHES   (Tunlid,>:). 

This  family  of  birds  includes  not  only  the  typical 
Thrushes  iTiirdiiin)  which  are  represented  bv  our  Mis- 
sel Tlirush,  Song  Thrush,  Redwing,  Fieldf.are,  Black- 
bird, Ring  Oirzel,  the  Chats.  Robins,  and  Xightingales, 
but  also  the  Warblers  (Si/Iviiiia).  and  Hedge  Accentors 
{Accentorina).       It     thus     covers    most     of    the     best 


European  songsters,  and  some  cf  the  most  charming  of 
imported  cagebirds. 

The  true  Thrushes  should  be  fed  upon  a  good  in- 
sectivorous food  mixed  with  stale  househola  bread- 
crumbs and  slightly  damped,  also  small  fruits,  insects  of 
various  kinds  in  all  stages,  centipedes,  spiders  and 
worms;  in  feeding  Nightingales  and  the  more  delicate 
Warblers  the  breadcrumbs  should  be  omitted,  a  little 
powdered  biscuit  being  preferable,  unless  already  con- 
tained in  the  food ;  and  before  going  any  further  I 
would  insist  emphatically  upon  the  necessity  for  both 
ants'  eggs  and  yolk  of  egg  in  all  insectivorous  mixtures 
until  an  ingredient  as  nutritious  as  egg  has  been  dis- 
covered as  a  substitute  for  it ;  even  then,  unless  the 
birds  themselves  showed  a  preference  for  this  hitherto 
undiscovered  article,  I  would  recommend  owners  of 
birds  to  consider  their  captives'  taste  in  this  matter,  for 
we  know  that  yolk  of  egg  is  a  favourite  food  of  many 
birds  both  British  and  foreign,  and  that  not  a  f;w 
seek  the  raw  material  in  the  nests  of  other  birds,  thus 
proving  it  to  be  a  natural  food.  Many  of  the  Warblers 
and  otlier  small  Thrushes  seem  uncertain  in  their  liking 
for  fruit,  but  most  (if  not  all)  insectivorous  birds  ocea- 
sion.ally  swallow  seed  whole;  I  have  not  seen  a  Night- 
ingale "or  a  Warbler  do  this,  ihat  I  can  remember,  but 
true  Thrushes,  Robins,  Chats,  and  especially  Accentors 
eat  seed  freelv  at  times. 

The  tvpicarThrushes  appear  to  have  been  more  freely 
imported  into  Germany  than  into  England,  [wssibly  be- 
cause song,  apart  from  phnnage,  has  in  the  past  ap- 
pealed more  to  Teutons  than  Britons  ;  there  is  no  doubt 
that  all  who  take  pleasure  in  our  British  Thrushes 
should  find  those  of  the  New  World  and  the  Far  East 
equally  interesting.  As  I  have  pointed  out  elsewhere, 
the  m'ales  of  these  birds  are  larger  than  the  females, 
with  narrower  skulls  and  longer  and  more  slender 
bills. 

True  Thrushes  (TunUna). 

American  Wood  Thrush  {Turdus  musleUnus.) 
Upper  surface  grey-yellowish  brown  to  cinnamon, 
middle  of  head  more  ruddy ;  lores  white :  sides  of  head 
streaked  with  white;  rump  olive-greenish;  flights  and 
wing-coverts  brown  with  dull  rust-yellow  outer  m.ir- 
gins";  under  wing-coverts  white;  tail  featheis  greyish 
brown  with  olive-greenish  wash  and  narrow  dull  yellow 
outer  margins  ;  body  below  white  marked  with  triangular 
or  rounded  blackish  spots;  chin  pure  w^hite ;  sides  of 
throat  towards  chin  with  a  dark  spotted  moustachial 
stripe ;  breast  washed  with  dull  yellow  ;  abdomen  and' 
under  tail-coverts  pure  white;  bill  dark  brown,  the 
base  and  inner  margin  of  under  mandible  yellowish; 
eyes  brown;   feet  yellow. 

"  Female  noticeably  smaller  than  male,  according  to 
Dr.  Baird,  yellower  on  underpjrts.  Inhabits  North 
America. 

In  its  wild  life  this  Thrush  is  said  to  prefer  wooded 
lowlands  in  the  vicinity  of  water,  and,  although  some- 
what shy  of  human  habitations,  it  has  been  met  with 
not  far  from  buildings,  in  g.aixlens  and  groves.  It  is  a 
migratory  bird,  appearing  in  the  States  from  the  end 
of  April"  to  the  middle  of  May,  the  males  probably 
arriving  first.  The  return  migration  is  said  to  take 
place  in  September.  It  is  much  confined  to  dense 
scrub,  its  pre-sence  therein  lieing  indicated  by  its  re- 
sounding flute-like  cries  e-o-lie  or  hallolih,  fwiiu-kiikii, 
and  thesharp  lacl:  or  tucketuchelurktluck,  which  is  pro- 
bably an  alarm-call.  It  sings  high  up  in  the  top  or 
on  a"  projecting  branch  of  a  tree,  and  its  perfonnance 
has  received  the  highest  praise.  It  is  said  to  be 
characterised    by    fulness,    variety,    and   purity   of    its 


JO 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


tones,  variability  of  phraees,  and  solemnity  of  sound. 
The  song  is  continued  almost  without  intermission  from 
break  01  day  until  late  in  the  evening,  the  only  brief 
interval  for  rest  being  about  midday.  Nests  may  be 
found  from  the  beginning  of  June,  generally  placed 
low  down  upon  a  densely-twigged  6tock  or  overhang- 
ing branch  of  an  old  tree,  also  in  a  dense  thorn-bush, , 
or,  rarely,  on  the  stump  cf  a  tree.  The  nest  is  like  that 
of  the  Migratory  Thruali,  but  the  cavity  is  sometimes 
smoothed  over  with  black  earth  and  lined  with  twigs 
and  rootlets.  The  eggs  and  period  of  incubation  are 
described  as  similar  to  those  of  its  allies. 

When  first  caught,  this  Wood  Thrush  >s  eaid  to  be 
very  wild,  and  some  examples  remain  so  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  while  others  soon  become  tame  and 
confiding.  It  sings  in  captivity  from  the  end  of  Feb- 
ruary well  into  July,  but  it  must  be  noted  that  in  a 
cage  many  cocks  will  only  sing  very  little,  and  some 
not  at  all  ;  particularly  in  a  crowded  cage  will  they 
not  sing.  They  must  be  always  caged  alone,  and  even 
then  many  cocks  only  utter  their  call  e-o-lie,  e-o-lie. 
This  being  the  case,  it  is  hardly  surprising  that  this 
Thrush  has  not  become  a  favourite  cage-bird  even  in 
Germany,  but  as  an  inliabitant  for  a  large  garden 
aviary  it  should  be  charming. 

Migratory  Thrush    (Turdus  migratorius). 

Above  olive-grey,  top  and  sides  of  the  head  black, 
chin  and  throat-  white  streaked  with  black ;  eyelids, 
and  a  spot  above  the  eye  anteriorly,  white ;  under- 
parts  and  inside  of  the  wings,  yellowish  chestnut- 
brown ;  the  under  tail-coverts  and  thighs,  white ; 
the  feathers,  leaden-greyish  at  base ;  wings  and  tail, 
dark  brown,  more  or  less  edged  with  ashy  ;  outermost 
tail-feathers  white-tipped ;  bill  yellow ;  the  culmen 
and  tip  dusky  ;  base  yellow  ;  eyes  brown  ;  feet  blackish. 

Female  altogether  paler,  top  and  sides  of  head 
browner,  throat  whiter.  The  young  bird  is  said  to  be 
barred  above  with  blackish,  the  throat  white,  bounded 
by  a  brown  stripe  running  downward  from  the  angle 
of  the  bill,  rest  of  under-surface  rust  yellow,  with 
blackish  bars ;  bill  and  feet  blackish-brown.  Inhabits 
North  America  and  southward  to  Ecuador. 

According  to  J.  G.  Cooper,  the  nest  of  this  species 
"  is  built  at  various  heights  on  trees,  and  sometimes, 
as  if  relying  fully  on  the  nobler  traits  of  hunianity, 
in  a  shed,  stable,  or  even  in  a  sawmill  close  to  the 
constantly  working  and  noisy  machinery."  He  says 
that  he  has  also  found  one  in  the  cleft  of  a  split  tree 
which  had  been  broken  down  by  the  wind.  "  Nuttall 
relates  instances  of  their  building  near  a  blacksmith's 
ianvil ;  on  the  stern  timbers  of  a  vessel  that  was  being 
built  at  Portsmouth  (N.H.);  on  a  harrow  hung  up  in 
a  cart-shed,  where  three  men  were  at  work,  and  where 
they  took  refuge  after  the  destruction  of  their  first 
nest." 

"  The  eggs  are  four  or  five,  dark  bluish  green,  and 
unspotted.  The  nest  is  composed  ouLside  of  roots, 
shavings,  etc.,  then  a  layer  of  leaves,  moss,  and  grass, 
cemented  by  mud,  inside  of  which  is  a  lining  of  soft, 
dry  grass." 

"  The  Robin's  song*  is  loud  and  sweet,  but  not  much 
varied.  Though  usually  uttered  in  spring,  it  occa- 
sionally is  heard  during  other  seasons,  especially  in 
fine  weather,  when  the  musician,  having  fed  heartily 
in  the  garden  or  field,  mounts  to  the  top  of  a  tree,  and 
return-s  thanks  for  human  hospitality  in  the  most 
pleasing  melody." 

"Their  food  consi.sts  chiefly  of  insects,  especially 
worms"  (a  curious  statement  when  one  considers  that 
thesse  are  not  insects!),  "  for  which  tliey  hop  over  grassy 
fields    in    the    spring,    watching  and   listening  for   the 

*  ThU  Thrush  is  known  in  the  United  States  as  the  American  Bobin. 


gnawing  grub  or  earthwonn  driven  to  the  surface  by 
ram,  occasionally  seizing  one  with  a  quick  motion  of 
the  head,  swallowing  it  whole,  or  picking  it  to  pieces. 
They  also  feed  much  on  berries,  especially  during 
winter,  when  they  eat  those  of  the  iladrona  (Arhutus) 
and  even  the  bitter  fruit  of  the  dogwood  iCornus). 

"Kept  in  cages  they  become  very  familiar,  and  learn 
to  imitate  various  tunes  and  noises.  ITiey  live  some- 
times for  many  years  in  captivity,  and  have  been  made 
so  domestic  as  "to  be  allowed  the  free  range  of  the 
house  and  surrounding  grounds."  (Geological  Survey 
of  California:    "Ornithology,"  Vol.    I.,  p.  9,  1870.) 

The  song  has  been  likened  to  that  of  the  European 
Blackbird,  but  Dr.  Russ  says  this  is  only  true  so  far 
as  the  mere  tone  is  concerned  ;  that  lx)tli  have  the  same 
splendid  whistle,  only  the  song  of  the  Blackbird  is 
more  sustained  and  varied ;  that  of  the  Migratory 
Thrush  shorter  and  more  monotonous. 

DwAKF  Thrttsh  [Turdus  nanut). 

Upper  surface  light  olive-brown,  becoming  redder  on 
upper  tail-coverts  and  tail,  wings  also  slightly  washed 
with  reddish ;  under-surface  white,  the  breast  and  some- 
times throat  slightly  bullish  ;  sides  of  throat  and  breast 
spotted  with  more  or  less  triangular  dusky  spots,  lateral 
spots  at  back  of  breast  more  rounded  ;  sides  washed  with 
pearl-grey ;  bill  brown,  the  base  of  lower  mandible 
yellowish  flesh-coloured ;  eyes  brown ;  feet  pale  brown. 
Inhabits  North  America. 

Very  rarely  imported  into  the  German  bird  market, 
but  possibly  not  into  that  of  Great  Britain.  Mr.  Cooper 
gives  the  following  account  of  the  wild  life  :  — 

"  I  saw  but  few  of  this  species  in  the  Colorado  valley, 
where  they  seem  to  remain  only  for  the  winter,  as  I 
observed  none  after  April  1.  Most  of  them  winter  in 
the  same  parts  of  the  State  in  which  they  spend  the 
summer,  chiefly  south  of  San  P'rancisco.  They  are  shy 
and  timid,  preferring  the  dark,  shady  thickets,  and 
rarely  venturing  far  from  them,  except  in  the  twilight, 
their  large  eyes  being  suited  for  seeing  in  dark  places. 
They  ieeA  chiefly  on  the  ground,  running  rapidly,  and 
searching  for  insects  among  the  leaves  and  herbage,  but 
not  scratching  for  them.  Probably,  also,  they  feed  on 
berries,  like  others  of  the  family. 

"  About  April  26th  they  begin  to  sing  near  San  Diego, 
the  song  consisting  of  a  few  ringing  notes.  .  .  .  Their 
usual  note  of  alarm  is  a  single  chirp,  sometimes  loud 
and  ringing,  repeated  and  answered  by  others  for  a  long 
distance. 

"  At  Santa  Cruz,  on  the  1st  of  June,  I  found  several  of 
their  nests, all  built  in  thickets  under  the  shade  of  cotton- 
wood  trees,  each  about  5ft.  above  the  ground,  and  con- 
taining eggs  in  various  stages  of  hatching,  from  two  to 
four  in  number,  the  smaller  number  probably  laid  after 
the  destruction  of  a  first  set.  The  nests  were  built  of 
dry  leaves,  root-fibres,  grass  and  bark,  without  mud, 
lined  with  decayed  leaves  ;  measuring  outside  4in.  each 
way,  inside  2!50  wide  and  0.20  deep.  Tlie  eggs 
measured  0.90  by  0.70,  and  were  pale  bluish  green, 
speckled  with  cinnamon-brown,  chii-fly  at  the  larger  end. 

"  In  1866,  at  Santa  Cruz,  I  found  nests  with  eggs 
about  May  20th,  one  on  a  horizontal  branch  not  more 
than  a  foot  from  the  ground  ;  another  on  an  alder  tree 
15ft.  up.  After  raising  their  young  they  all  left  the 
vicinity  of  the  town,  probably  for  the  moi.ster  mountains, 
where  food  was  more  plenty  at  the  end  of  the  dry 
season"- — T.c,  pp.  4,  5. 

Dr.  Russ  regards  this  as  a  mere  varietal  form  of 
Pallas'  Thrush.  He  says  that  to  his  knowledge  E.  von 
Schlechtendal  once  possessed  a  specimen  belonging  to 
this  form,  and  that  in  the  course  of  about  twenty  years 
he  has  only  seen  single  examples  in  the  possession  of 


THRUSHES. 


11 


the  dealer  Schobel,  of  Berlin,  at  the  Berlin  Aquarium,  in 
the  Hamburg  and  the  Berlin  Zoological  (iardens.  It 
does  not  appear  in  the  ninth  edition  of  our  Zoological 
Society's  list. 

Swainson's  Thbusb  {Tiirdus  swainsoni). 

Upper  surface  olive-green ;  orbital  region,  cheeks, 
sides  of  head,  throat,  and  breast  rusty  yellowish ;  sides 
of  neck  and  upper  breast  with  dusky  roun<lish  spots  ; 
.^ides  of  IjiHly  less  sjMitted,  and  waslu'd  with  brownish; 
rest  of  under  surface  white  ;  bill  dark  brown,  yellowish 
at  base :  eyes  brown ;  feet  yellowish  grey.  Habitat, 
North  America. 

Mr.  Cooi>er  says  of  this  species,  which  he  calls  the 
"Olive  Thrush": — "Formerly  supjKJsed  to  be  confined 
to  Eastern  Xorth  America,  but  of  late  years  found 
farther  ami  farther  to  the  west.  This  Tlirush  breeds  in 
the  far  north,  more  abundantly  about  dlave  Lake,  the 
Ijower  Mackenzie,  and  the  Upj.er  Yukon  Rivers.  Like 
its  congeners,  it  is  an  admirable  singer,  enlivening  the 
woods  with  its  melody.  The  nest  is  placed  on  a  low 
tree  or  bush,  and  the  eggs  are  blue,  with  numerous 
reddish  spots" — T.c,  p.  7. 

According  to  Hidgway,  the  song  resembles  that  of  the 
American  W<x>d  Thrash,  but  is  not  so  loud,  yet  higher 
and  silvery  in  sound. 

IJr.  Kuss  quotes  as  follows  from  Nehrling  : — -"A  con- 
fiding pair,  which  I  kept  in  a  spacious  aviary,  chased 
one  another  playfully  for  an  hour  at  a  time  whilst  they 
itlered  their  long-drawn  melodious  call-note.  The 
hunted  one  hopped  on  the  ground,  stooped  and  kept  her 
wings  in  fluttering  vibration  ;  the  other  stayed  on  the 
})erch,  behaving  in  the  same  way  while  it  eagerly 
called  "  ;  from  w  hich  Dr.  Russ  concludes  tliat  both  were 
females,  yet  this  seems  not  to  have  been  the  case,  since 
the  account  continues  :  "  Only  when  one  keeps  it  by 
itself  in  a  roomy  cage  and  carefully  tends  it  does 
Swainson's  Thrush  sing  fully  and  beautifully.  In  the 
course  of  years  I  have  only  had  two  which  have  sung  out 
thus.  One  notices  one  thing  about  the  song — that  it  is 
not  suited  to  a  small  room  ;  resounding,  full  of  variety, 
it  sounds  extremely  charming,  and  one  can  only  properly 
judge  of  and  appreciate  it  when  one  hears  it  in  the 
forest." 

Dr.  Russ  observes :  "  With  us  it  comes  only  singly 
from  time  to  time  in  the  bird  market,  yet  it  has  appeared 
several  times  at  the  great  bird  shows  in  Berlin  ;  more 
rarely  it  has  occurred  in  the  Zoological  Gardens. 
The  Berlin  Aquarium  formerly  had  it  several  times. 
Since  the  years  1878-79  it  has  only  been  very  sparsely 
imported  by  the  businesses  of  Reiche  and  Ruhe.  The 
price  varied  considerably — from  8  marks  (shillings),  15 
marks,  up  to  50  marks  per  head." 

Dr.  Russ  also  quotes  the  Grey-cheeked  or  Alicia's 
Thrush  [Turdus  aliciee)  as  having  been  far  more  freely 
imported  than  the  preceding  ;  but  he  considers  it  would 
save  trouble  to  consider  them  together.  He  says  that, 
according  to  Baird,  it  is  distinguished  by  its  deeper  and 
purer  green  upper  surface,  cleaily  ash-grey  sides  of  head, 
ind  white  instead  of  yellow  orbital  rings  ;  and,  according 
to  Xehrling  also,  by  its  longer  and  more  slender  bill,, 
longer  wings,  and  greater  size. 

Neither  of  these  Thrushes  is  mentioned  in  the  ninth 
edition  of  the  Zoological  Society's  list,  which  is  fairly 
good  evidence  of  their  rarity  in  the  English  bird  market. 

T.AWNY  Thrush  (Turdus  fusccscens). 
Entire  upper  surface  rusty  reddish-brown ;  top  of 
liead  and  tail  faintly  tinted  with  orange;  loral  streak 
white;  ear-coverts  ash-grey;  flights  and  tail-feathers 
brown,  edged  with  rust-reddish  on  the  outer  webs ; 
tights   below  white,   washed  with  rust-reddish  at  the 


base ;  under  wing-coverts  dull  rust-red ;  throat  and 
upper  breast  pale  brownifch  yellow,  the  latter  nuirked 
with  small  triangular  dark  brownish  spots ;  lower 
breast  feebly  spotted  with  grey ;  rest  oi  underparts 
white,  with  the  sides  spotted  with  smoky  olive-brown; 
upper  mandible  of  bill  brown ;  lower  mandible  clear 
yellowish  grey ;  eyes  brown ;  feet  yellowish  grey. 
Female  slightly  smaller  than  male,  otiierwise  very 
similar.  Habitat,  North  America.  This  is  a  widely- 
distributed  species,  but  a  shy  bird  irluibiting  dense 
woods.  When  met  with  it  is  generally  singly  or  in 
pairs,  and  even  in  the  migratory  season  only  m  small 
Hocks.  It  is  common  in  the  woods  of  Wisconsin  and 
most  numerous  during  the  migratory  season  in  Illinois. 
It  appears  in  the  Northern  States  scarcely  before  the 
middle  of  May,  ;uid  disappears  again  in  September. 
Like  all  the  other  Thrushes,  its  food  consists  of  insects 
and  worms,  with  the  various  berries  which  are  to  be 
met  with  in  the  American  woods,  especially  those  of 
the  magnolia  and,  later,  of  various  hollies.  In  the 
middle  States  many  of  these  Thrushes  remain  through- 
out the  winter,  notably  in  the  woods  of  Florida,  but 
most  of  them  emigrate  to  Cuba,  Panama,  Guatemala, 
and  even  to  South  America.  The  nest  is  built  at  the 
beginning  of  June,  always  near  water  of  some  kind, 
close  to  the  ground  among  young  shoots  or  in  a  dense 
thorn-bush,  well  concealed,  and  so  placed  that  it  is 
sheltered  on  one  side.  On  a  layer  of  di-y  foliage  it  is 
constructed  of  small  twigs,  thin  .sprays  of  hemlock, 
plant  stalks,  straws,  fragments  of  vine-bark  and  bast 
intermixed  with  moss,  and  the  cup  is  lined  with  bents, 
bast,  and  long  hairs  of  beasts,  but  with  no  admixture 
of  mud  or  rotten  wood.  It  is  a  large  structure,  but 
not  very  neat  or  artistic.  The  laying  consists  of  from 
four  to  five  uniformly  clear  greenish-blue  or  emerald 
green  eggs,   very  rar'ely  spotted. 

The  song  of  "this  Thrush  is  most  highly  praised; 
indeed,  Russ  says;  "  Amongst  song.sters  more  highly 
valued  than  most  other  foreign  Thrushes."  Nuttall 
syllables  the  song  thus  :  "  vihu,  vihu,  wich,  wich,  ivichu, 
vnchu,  ivilile,  wilih,  widill.  ■wililill,"  and  says  that 
one  must  be  careful  not  to  conclude  that  there  is  aiiy 
kind  of  monotony  in  this  stanza.  At  times  it  is  said 
to  utter  a  mewing  or  bleating  cry.  Its  call-note  is  jihu, 
and  sharply  juil,  juil.  According  to  Nehrling,  the  cry 
of  warning  is  a  resounding  Ischiup  and  a  penetrating- 
zup,  the  call-note  wit. 

This  bird  was  first  brought  alive  to  Germany  in  1873, 
when  the  dealer  A.  Schobel.  of  Berlin,  imnorted  it,  and, 
after  that,  C.  Reiche."  of  Alfeld,  introduced  it  into  the 
ti-ade  on  several  occasions  in  the  course  of  years,  but 
always  singly  ;  but  it  appears  not  to  have  found  its 
way  into  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  Ixmdon,  Amster- 
dam, or  Berlin,  and  naturally  no  oppor;tunity  has  been 
given  to  attempt  to  breed  it  in  captivity. 

Falkland-Island  Thrush  {Turdus   falHandicus). 

Head  blackish,  remainder  of  upper  surface  more- 
olivaceous  brown;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  grey- 
brown  ;  primaries  brownish  black,  the  outer  webs  with 
narrow  paler  borders ;  wing-coverts  and  secondaries 
olivaceous  brown  ;  all  the  flights  below  ash-grey  ;  under 
wing-coverts  pale  brownish  rust-coloured ;  throat 
whitish,  with  dusky  longitudinal  streaks;  remainder 
of  under  surface  clear  rusf -brownish,  -with  the  centre 
of  abdomen  and  vent  brighter ;  under  tail-coverts 
bi-ownish.  with  whitish  shaft-streaks;  bill  yellowish 
horrr-grey  ;  eyes  dark  brown ;  feet  yellowish  grey. 
The  female  is  similar,  but  slightly  duller  in  colouring. 
The  young  has  the  underparts  of  a  rusty-yellowish 
fawn-rolonr  and  fawn  with  darker  spots.  Inhabits 
southern  South  America. 

This  rarely-imported  Thrush  is  said  to  be  tolerably 


12 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AXIJ    AVIARV. 


abundant  at  ValparaiGo,  and  also  further  in  the  in- 
terior in  small  tliickets  and  copses.  C.  L.  Landbeck 
says  of  it:— "In  the  Cordillera  this  Thrush  does  not 
extend  higher  than  the  wooded  region ;  it  lives  in 
woods  and  shrubberies,  by  preference  where  it  can  get 
plenty  of  orchard-fruits,  w-hich  in  summer  form  its 
chief  article  of  food,  whilst  at  the  same  time  it  also 
eats  insects  and,  especially  in  winter,  eagerly  seeks  for 
womis  As  a  very  lively  bird  it  has  in  its  bearing  a 
great  resemblance  to  our  Euroi>eaM  Blackbird.  At  the 
pairing.season  it  sings  zealously  quite  early  in  the  morn- 
ing and  until  it  is  quite  dark  in  the  evening.  The  eong 
is  variable,  entirely  differing  in  individual  birds, 
tolerably  pleasing,  and  it  might  hold  a  middle  posi- 
tion between  thoie  of  its  European  relative  the  tiong 
Thrush  and  Blackbird,  yet  it  is  inferior  to  each  of  these 
European  songsters,  inasmuch  as  it  is  neither  so  full 
and  powerful  as  the  Blackbird's  song  nor  so  much  modu- 
Jated  as  the  song  of  the  Song-thrush.  The  call-note  is 
a  protracted  groog  (probably  in  English  grererg  or 
f/rcrrg).  The  song  may  be  rendered  somewhat  in  the 
following  words: — liwi,  loj/a,  griihg.  hoi/c/i,  titirh,  djolii, 
ti'ii,  djiltil,  jo,  djcill,  zi/i,  triih,  liwich,  jagell,  jagc'J, 
Jioyeh,  hoyeli,  hodich,  jnlie,  etc.  As,  however,  there  is 
no  better  singing  Thrush  here,  it  is  so  beloved  by  the 
Chilians  that  they  keep  it  in  cages  in  thousands.  It 
is  the  pet  bird  of'the  poor,  as  they  can  easily  obtain  it 
from  the  ne^t  .ind  i-ear  it  without  trouble.  This  Thrush, 
although  it  nests  in  numbers  in  the  vicinity  of  human 
dwellings,  moves  about  in  gardens,  and  is  rarely  afraid 
of  men,  nevertheless  rarely  becomes  tame  in  captivity, 
but  always  remains  shy  and  nervous.  Its  movements 
are  quick  and  vigorous.  The  nest  bears  the  closest  re- 
semblance to  that  of  the  European  BIackbir.1,  and  even 
the  eggs  resemble  those  of  this  species.  At  least  twice 
in  summer  it  lays  five  to  six  eggs.  The  nest  is  usually 
situated  in  the  gardens  in  bushes  and  on  all  kinds  of 
fruit-trees,  by  preference  in  thick  rose-hedges  and 
orange-trees.  It  does  much  mischief  to  the  fruit,  par- 
ticularly to  the  sweet  cherries,  figs,  and  the  like." 

Although  said  to  be  so  common  a  cage-bird  in  Chili, 
Dr.  Russ  .speaks  of  it  as  one  of  the  rarest  species  brought 
home  alive.  Mr.  L.  Ruhe,  of  Alfeld.  imported  a  con- 
signment in  1889,  one  of  which  Dr.  Russ  secured.  It 
has  been  exhibited  at  the  Berlin  exhibition  of  the 
•'  Ornis  "  Society,  has  once  appeared  at  our  Zoological 
■Gardens,  and  also  at  those  of  Hamburg  and  Berlin. 
Red-bellied   Thrush    (Titrdus   ruAvcntris). 

Upper  surface  olive-grey,  head  greyer ;  throat  reddish 
white,  streaked  with  dark  brown  as  far  as  the  chest ; 
upper  chest  washed  with  greyish  olive,  but  the  rest  of 
under  surface  deep  rust-red,  under  wing-coverts  paler 
red  ;  upper  mandible  dark  horn-grey  ("  brownish-yellow  " 
according  to  Sclater  and  Hudson),  the  tip  greyish  horn- 
yellow,  under  mandible  cleiirer ;  eyes  brown  :  feet 
brownish  horn-grey.  Female  much  more  fawn  coloured, 
greyer  on  back  and  under  surface.  Young  plumage : 
Cro^vn  with  evei-y  feather  pale  edged  :  feathers  of  wing- 
coverts  with  rust-red  shaft-stripes  and  tips;  chin  and 
:front  of  throat  pale  vellow,  spotted  with  pale  brown. 
Habitat,  South-east  Brazil,  Paraguay.  Uruguay,  and 
La  Plata. 

According  to  Hudson,  this  is  a  noisy,  quarrelsome 
bird  :  "  It  inhabits  forests,  runs  on  the  ground  in  search 
of  food,  and  when  approached  darts  away  with  loud 
chuckling  notes,  flying  close  to  the  ground.  These  birds 
are  also  often  seen  pursuing  each  other  through  the  trees 
with  loud  harsh  screams.  The  song  has  a  fai.it  resam- 
blance  to  that  of  the  English  Song  Thrush,  being  com- 
posed of  a  variety  of  notes  uttered  in  the  .same  discon- 
nected manner,  with  frequent  pauses;  but  it  is,  both  in 
sweetness  and  strength,  inferior  to  that  of  the  English 


bird.    As  a  rule,  this  Thrush  sings  concealed  in  a  thick 

bush  or  tree. 

"  The  nest  is  deep,  well  made,  plastered  inside  with 
mud,  and  concealed  in  the  centre  of  a  large  bush  or  low 
tree.  The  eggs  are  four,  pale  blue  in  colour,  and  thickly 
sjxjtted  with  brown."     (Arg.  Rep.,  1,  p.  3). 

According  to  Dr.  Russ,  this  is  also  one  of  the  rarest 
Thrushes  in  the  bird  market ;  it  has,  however,  been 
received  by  Miss  Hagenbeck,  Mr.  Mieth,  and  Mr. 
Ma:igeldortf  in  Germany,  and  has  appeared  in  our 
Zoological  Gardens.* 

UtTSKY   Thrush   [Tnrdus   leucomnlas). 

Upper  surface  olive-grey,  with  a  wash  of  brown  on 
head  and  neck  ;  throat  white,  more  or  less  streaked 
with  brown,  a  clear  white  neck-patch ;  middle  of 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white  ;  remainder  of 
under  surface  pale  grey  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  inner 
margins  of  wing-feathers  fulvous;  bill  yellow,  upper 
mandible  somewhat  brownish  ;  eyes  brown ;  feet 
horn-grey  ("  hazel,"  according  to  Hudson).  The  female  is 
rather  smaller,  duller  in  all  her  colours  ;  throat  pale 
yellow,  with  paler  streaks  and  no  white  neck-patch ; 
middle  of  abdomen  and  vent  yellowish.  Young  only 
distinguishable  by  its  jialer  colouring,  the  absence  of  the 
white  neck-patch,  as  well  as  by  the  darker  brown  bill 
and  darker  feet.  Habitat,  Eastern  South  America, 
fr'om  Cayenne  to  Buenos  Ayres. 

According  to  Hudson,  this  "is  quite  common  in  the 
woods  along  the  Plata  River.  It  is  a  .shy  forest  bird,  a 
fruit  and  insect  eater,  abrupt  in  its  motions,  runs 
rapidly  on  the  ground  with  beak  elevated,  and  at  intervals 
iwuses  and  sliakes  its  tail,  pugnacious  in  temper,  strong 
on  the  wing,  its  flight  not  being  over  the  trees,  but 
masked  by  their  shadows.  It  can  always  be  easily  dis- 
tinguished, even  at  a  distance,  from  other  si)ecies  by  its 
peculiar  short,  metallic  chirp — a  melodious  sound  indi- 
cating alarm  or  curiosity,  and  uttered  before  flight — in 
cn.itrast  to  the  harsh  .screams  and  chuckling  notes  of 
other  Thrushes  in  this  district. 

"  Whether  it  is  a  tine  singer  or  not  within  the  Tropics 
I  am  unable  to  say,  its  vocal  [xiwcrs  having  received  no 
attention  from  the  naturalists  who  have  observed  it. 
With  us  in  the  temijerate  climate  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
where  it  commences  to  sing  in  September,  it  has  the 
finest  soiig  of  any  bird  I  know,  excepting  only  Mimus 
triuriis.f  Like  the  Englisli  Song  Thrush,  but  unlike  its 
near  neighbours  the  Red-bellied  Thrush  and  the  Magel- 
lanic Thrush,  it  perches  on  the  summit  of  a  tree  to  sing. 
Its  song  is,  however,  unlike  that  of  the  English  bird, 
which  is  so  fragmentary  and,  as  Mr.  Barrows  describes 
it,  m.ade  up  of  'vocal  attitudes  and  poses.'  The  two 
birds  differ  also  in  voice  as  much  as  in  nianner.  Tlie 
strains  of  the  Dusky  Thrush  are  poured  forth  in  a  con- 
tinous  stream,  with  all  the  hurry  and  freedom  of  the 
Skylark's  song  ;  but  though  so  raj  idly  uttered,  evei y  note 
is  distinct  ond  clear,  and  the  voice  singularly  sweet  and 
fa'r-reaching.  At  intervals  in  the  so.ig  there  recurs  a 
two-syllabled  note  twice  repeated,  unlike  in  sound  any 
other  bird-music  I  have  heard,  for  it  is  purely  metallic, 
and  its  joyous  bell-like  'te-ling,  te-ling,  always  comes 
like  a  delightful  surprise  to  the  listener,  being  in  strange 
contrast  with  the  prevailing  tone. 

"The  song  is  altogether  a  very  fine  one,  its  peculiar 
charm  being  that    it    seems   to    combine  two  opposite 

•  Dr.  Kuss  eminierated  the  VVhitu-tlironted  Tlinish  (T.  alblcoUh) 
as  a  well.kriown  Hrnzilinn  cnpe-l)iril.  hut  he  says  it  only  comes  by 
chance  ami  sinftly  in:o  the  ninrket ;  itKleed,  he  seems  never  to  have 
met  with  it.     It  iR  related  to  T.  mjirfntiis. 

t  The  White-imnded  Mockinp-ljfrd.  a  verj*  henntifnl  species 
iiiliahitln^  Porairuay,  llie  Argentine  Kepublic  and  Bolivia. 


THRUSHES. 


13 


qualities  of  bird-music,  plaintiveness,  and  joyousnefs,  in 
some  indefinable  manner. 

"  I  have  never  heard  this  species  sing  in  a 
cage  or  anywhere  near  a  human  habitation ;  and 
it  is  prol>al)ly  owing  to  its  recluse  luibits  that  its 
Excellent  sung  has  iiot  been  hitherto  noticed.  Azara 
perhaps  mistook  the  song  of  this  species  for  that  of 
Tvrrlus  ruficenlris — a  very  inferior  vocalist. 

"The  nest  is  made  in  tlie  centre  of  a  thick  bush  or 
tree  6ft.  or  8ft.  above  the  ground,  and  is  a  deep, 
elaborate  structure,  plastered  inside  with  mud,  and 
lin^'d  with  soft,  dry  grass.  The  eggs  are  four  in  number, 
oblong,  the  grouiul-colour  light  blue,  abundantly  marked 
with  reddish  brown  spots." 

Dr.  Kuss  says  that  as  this,  "  like  unhappily  all  the 
Thrushes,  is  only  imported  seldom  and  singly,  or  at  best 
111  pairs,  I  was  very  eager  to  be  able  to  thoroughly 
observe  the  pair  in  my  possession."  It  would  seem, 
however,  that  he  is  not  s|>eaking  in  his  own  j>erson,  for 
he  continues  (Mr.  Frank  has  written  the  following): 
"  The  birds  were  quite  tame  with  me,  and  to  all  appear- 
ance thoroughly  healthy,  so  that  I  hoped  they  would 
soon  proceed  to  breed.  They  had  a  perfect  propensity 
for  bathing  and  also  like<l  their  food  moist ;  they 
carried  quantities  of  it  to  their  drinking-water  in 
order  to  wet  it.  I  received  them  under  the  name  of 
Brazilian  Mock-Thrushes,  but  they  did  not  appear  to 
deserve  this  title,  as  the  song  of"the  male  was  insi;.;- 
niticant,  and,  so  far  as  I  could  ascei'tain,  it  never  made 
any  attempt  to  copy  the  song  of  other  birds.  The  male 
fang  fairly  freely,  and  the  .song,  thougli  both  soft  and 
incapable  of  being  highly  esteemed,  was  yet  pleasing. 
Unfortunately  the  female  of  my  pair  soon  died,  fo  that 
I  was  successful  in  recording  no  attempt  at  breeding." 

Ur.  Ituss  fiirthernioi-e  says  that  Mrs.  Albrecht,  who 
kept  a  male  for  a  long  time,  did  not  think  much  of  its 
song,  but  considered  it  quite  jwor,  and  Dr.  Russ  him- 
elf  oame  to  the  same  conclusion.  Now,  although  1 
have  elsewhere  pointed  out  that  Mr.  Hudson  often 
speaks  in  the  highest  praise  of  the  songs,  even  of  such 
birds  as  tlie  tirey  Cardinals,  it  must  in  fairness  be 
borne  in  mind  that,  in  the  present  instance,  he  himself 
says  that  he  has  never  heard  it  sing  in  a  cage  or  ne;ir 
human  habitations,  so  that  jwrhaps  it  never  sings 
properly  in  captivity.  It  has  been  represented  in  our 
Gardens. 

White-beixied  Thrush   (Tardus  albiventris). 

In  aspect  and  character  it  resembles  the  White- 
ihroated  Thrudi,  but  differs  as  follows  :  The  brighter 
colour  of  the  head  and  inqje,  the  longer  tail,  coloured 
like  the  rest  of  the  upperside,  the  weai:er,  less  distinct 
streaks  by  the  under-niandible  and  the  throat,  the 
absence  of  a  pure  white  unstreaked  throat-patch,  the 
deep  rust-red  on  the  under  wing-coverts.  Its  chief 
colouring  is  grey,  washetl  with  olivaceous  brown  on  back 
and  wings,  the  throat  is  streaked  white,  and  the  abdo- 
men whitish  grey  ;  the  under  wing-coverts  are  reddish 
yellow,  so  that  the  bird,  if  it  lifts  its  wings,  produces 
rather  a  startlini  efle;'t ;  the  large  eyes  are  of  a  brilliant 
deep  brown.  I  take  this  description  from  Russ. 
Habitat,  South  America. 

This  Thrush  seems  to  have  a  wide  distribution ; 
according  to  Burmeister  it  occurs  over  the  primeval 
forest  region  of  the  northern  coast  tracts  of  Brazil,  at 
Bahia.  Para,  and  Ouiana;  and  von  Berlepseh  records 
it  also  from  New  Granada.  It  lives  in  the  low  scnib 
of  young  «aplings,  as  also  in  the  thickets  on  the  steppes. 
Mimgelsdorff  says  that  they  nest  upon  the  heights  near 
the  mountain  borough  of  New  Freiburg.  He  thus 
describes  the  son^  as  he  heard  it  uttered   by  the   wild 


bird: — "The  song  is  horribly  bungling,  a  chopped-up 
(hirping,  jn-operly  hardly  to  be  called  a  song,  although 
it  is  perfectly  recognisable  as  of  the  Thrush  character." 
Most  Thrush-lovers  will  regard  this  as  a  cruel  libel 
iqjon  their  favourites,  but  1  can  well  imagine  that  a 
loud-voiced  House  Sparrow  trying  to  sing  like  our  Song 
Thrush  might  irritate  a  musical  person.  We  forgive 
the  staccato  repetitions  of  our  native  friend,  because 
his  notes  are  clear  and  joyous,  but  if  they  were  nothing 
better  than  a  disjointed  chirjjing  I  doubt  if  we  should 
do  so. 

Mr.  C.  von  Schlechtendal,  who  received  a  specimen 
of  this  bird  from  Miss  Hagenbeck,  describes  the  song 
a^ — •'tut,  tiii,  dUiih,  diliih,  diUih" ;  hardly  what  I 
should  have  characterised  as  a  disjointed  chirping,  but 
not  unlike  the  early  conversations  of  Sparrows,  if  we 
convert  it  into  its  Knglish  equivalents  thus— /e«-i,  (eici, 
deh'c,  dcli'f,  di'h'c  (usually  written  telee,  I  think). 
Schlechtendal  says  tliat,  although  far  inferior  to  that 
of  our  Song  Thrush,  he  wa^  able  to  endure  the  song, 
because  the  bii-d  was  confiding  towards  himself ;  uo 
doubt  one  does  forgive  a  good  deal  to  a  friendly  pet. 
This  bird  also  has  been  seen  in  our  Zoological  Gardens  ; 
it  is  a  rarely  imported  bird,  and  very  little  seem?  to 
be  known  about  its  wild  life.  Burmeister  says  nothing 
about  the  nest  or  eggs. 

SoERV  Thrush  (Turdus  tristis). 
The  whole  upper  surface  is  clear  olive-brown,  the 
head  and  tail  washed  with  bluish  ash,  the  brown 
throat-streaks  less  distinct  than  in  T.  tettcomcta.",  and 
less  clo-e  and  numerous;  brea.st  and  sides  of  abdomen 
clear  bright  yellowish  brown,  as  also  the  under  man- 
dible, which  is  also  shorter,  as  the  wings  and  tail  are 
longer  than  in  the  aforementioned  species.  Habitat, 
Mexico,  Honduras,  etc.  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain 
any  information  about  this  species  beyond  the  fai-t 
that  it  has  been  represented  in  the  living  collecti'Hi 
of  our  London  Zoological  Society.  It  is.  of  course, 
probable  that  its  wild  life  would  not  differ  greatly 
from  that  of  T.  hiicomi'!a<,  and  that  both  nest  and 
eggs  would  be  of  a  similar  character. 

From  his  remarks  I  should  judge  that  Dr.  Russ  never 
possie.«eed  T.  trislis,  and  was  not  acquainted  with  any- 
body who  had. 

Gr.vy's  Thrush  {7'urdus  Graiji). 
Entire  upper  surface  dull  olivaceous  brown,  flights 
dark  brown,  the  outer  webs  with  pale  borders,  broader 
borders  of  inner  webs  faint  reddish  yellow  ;  below  ash- 
grey,  the  innei  webs  broadly  bordered  with  fawn- 
yellow,  large  and  small  under  wing-coverts  dull  orange- 
yellow  ;  tail  feathers  blackish  "brown,  indistinctly 
marked  with  dark  and  light  bars;  breast  clear  fawn- 
brownish,  abdomen,  sides  and  under  tail-coverts  clear 
brownish  yellow ;  bill  greenish  grey,  the  tomium  and 
tip  lighter  (in  winter  entirely  grey  with  the  exception 
of  a  yellowish  tip)  ;  eyes  brown  with  yellowish  orbital 
ring  ;"  feet  greenish  horngrev.  The  female  is  perhaixs 
slightly  duller  aaid  smaller.  "Habitat,  Central  America 
to  Colombia. 

According  to  Dr.  Frantzius  this  is  one  of  the  most 
abundant  and  widely  distributed  of  the  Costa.  Rican 
Thrushes.  "  I  met  it  both  near  the  seashore  and  at  a 
height  of  6.000  ft.  During  the  dry  season  one  seldom 
sees  it.  but  in  March,  shmtly  before  the  commencement 
of  the  rainy  season,  one  hear<  its  characteristic  Thrush 
note  in  the  hedges  ;  witli  the  bsginning  of  the  rainy 
season,  however,  when  the  breeding-time  arrives,  its 
,  monotonous  song,  which  one  recognises  from  early  morn- 
ing to  late  in-  the  evening  above  every  other  wild 
thfnf,   becomes    irritating   in   the  extreme.     The   Costa 


14 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Bicans  says,  when  it  utters  its  loud  note  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  rainy  season,  it  cries  that  rain  is 
coming.  Its  favourite  food  consists  during  the  dry 
season  of  the  small  fruits  of  various  wild  species  of 
figs,  which  it  finds  in  extraordinary  (juantilies  on  the 
large  trees  of  the  genus  Ficus,  which  are  always  covered 
with  foliage." 

The  nest  is  built  in  hedges  and  other  low  shrubbery 
in  tlve  months  of  April  and  May  ;  it  is  formed  of  slend-er 
twigs,  rootlets  and  fibres,  and  lined  with  still  finer  roots 
and  bents.  The  cintch  consi.st*  of  three  eggs  with  a  pale 
brownish  green  ground  tint,  spotted  and  speckled  with 
red-brown,  most  densely  at  the  larger  end,  where  they 
form  a  conilu<?nt  mas-;. 

According  to  Mr.  A,  Boucard  (Prcc.  Zool.  Soc,  1878, 
p.  50),  this  species  is  very  abundant  at  San  Jose 
during  the  fruit  season,  and  is  particularly  fond  of  a 
fmall  fruit  called  "  oeresa."  He  says :  "I  have  two 
eggs  of  this  bird,  found  in,  one  nest  built  in  the  centre 
of  an  aloe  growing  on  the  road.  They  are  green,  with 
rufous  spots." 

According  to  Russ,  this  species  is  more  frequently 
imported  than  the  other  Thrushes.  He  says  :  "  I  received 
a  male  from  Mr.  L.  Rulie,  in  Alfeld,  and  am  therefore 
able  to  describe  it  from  the  living  bird.  Mr.  H. 
Burghard,  of  Halle,  pcs-sessed  a  Gray's  Thrush  for  a 
long  time,  and  says  it  always  keeps  in  good  plumage 
and  clean  in  a  cage,  also  it  is  not  so  stupidly  nervous 
as  other  Thrushes  ;  its  moult  is  got  through  quickly  and 
satisfactorily.  The  call-note  resembles  that  of  our 
resident  Greenfinch,  and  sounds  like  schwoinz,  only 
with  the  distinction  that  the  tone  is  deeper  and  niuch 
weaker.  This  Thrush  feeds  greedily  upon  all  kinds 
of  fruit.  It  is  an  luiusually  industrious  songster,  even 
during  its  change  of  plumage.  The  song  resembles 
that  of  the  Song  Thrush,  yet  is  much  deeper  and  weaker 
in  tone,  for  which  reason  it  is  preferable  as  a  chamber 
biixi." 

After  what  Dr.  Frantzius  says  about  the  irritating 
character  of  the  song  of  this  species,  and  Mr.  Burghard 
as  to  its  resemblance  to  that  of  the  Song  Thrush,  except- 
ing in  its  deei>€r  and  weaker  tone,  it  is  rather  sur- 
prising to  continue  Dr.  Russ's  account  and  note  how 
highly^it  is  praised  by  Sclater  (presumably  Dr.  Sclater), 
and  to  see  an  effort  later  on  (in  imitation  of  Beckstein's 
attempt  to  record  the  song  of  the  Nightingale)  to  reduce 
the  whole  |)erformance  of  Gray's  Thrush  to  words  run- 
ning into  twenty-seven  separate  phrases,  with  appro- 
priate comments.  One  would  think  so  varied  a  song 
must  be  the  result  of  the  carefully  recorded  utterances 
of  several  individuals,  for  if  not  the  statement  of  Mr. 
Burghard  must  be  a  rank  libel,  and  that  of  Frantzius 
a  blasphemy  only  possible  to  a  man  with  no  ear  for 
music. 

Blackbirds   or  Ouzels  (Memla) 

Grey-wingki)  Blackiiird  {Meriila  hnulhnul). 

Male,  above  black,  with  a  large  whitish-bordered 
dust-grey  patch,  formed  by  the  greater  coverts  and 
outer  webs  of  the  middle  flights,  on  the  wing;  under 
surface  slightly  paler,  with  greyish  mottlings  on  the 
sides  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  the  Ring  Ouzel. 
The  female  is  brownish  ashy,  paler  below,  the  wing 
patch  red-bmwn  with  whitish  borders ;  bill,  orbital 
ring  and  feet  orange-yellow ;    eyes    brown. 

According  to  Jerdon,  "  found  throughout  the  whole 
extent  of  the  Himalayas,  keeping  generally  to  an  eleva- 
tion from  5,0C0ft.  to  8,000ft.  It  is  tolerably  common, 
but  rather  shy,  and  does  not  show  itell  in  the  open- 
er in  gardens  so  much  as  the  Neilgherry  Blackbird,  and 
its  song  is,  I  think,  hardly  equal  to  that  the  Neilgherry 


bird.  I  obtaiaed  the  nest  at  Darjeeling,  made  of  twigs, 
roots,  and  moss,  and  with  three  or  four  eggs  of  a  pale 
blue-green,  with  numerous  light  brown  spots."  ("  Birds 
of  India,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  525-6.*) 

Formerly  this  was  an  extremely  rare  bird  in  the 
trade,  our  Zoological  Gardens  being,  I  believe,  the  first 
to  possess  it ;  even  now  I  think  the  only  specimens  in 
the  country  are  those  hand-reared  and  imjiorted  by 
Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  about  the  year  190i!.  of  which  he 
gave  me  one  specimen  on  February  13th.  1904. 

When  the  winter  was  over,  Mr.  Allen  Silver  having 
kindly  obtained  for  me  a  healthy  female  English  Black- 
bird, I  turned  the  pair  into  a  large  garden  aviary  in 
the  hope  of  breeding  hybrids  from  them,  but  owing  to 
the  interfereni-e  of  an  English  cock  Blackbird,  which 
persistentl.v  hung  about  the  aviary  and  fought  the 
Indian  bird  through  the  wirework  all  through  the 
summer  and  up  to  the  end  of  February,  1905,  no 
attempt  was  made  at  breeding;  however,  with  a  little 
trouble  we  caught  and  ca^od  the  offender  (which  makes 
a  very  nice  song-bird).  About  June  10th  or  11th  my 
birds  built  high  up  in  the  most  sheltered  corner  of  the 
aviary,  the  structure  being  formed  of  liay  and  twigs 
compacted  with  a  mixture  of  mud  and  dead  leaves,  and 
lined  with  finer  hay. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  in  the  first  day  after  the  hatch- 
ing of  the  three  eggs  the  young  were  fed  almost 
entirely  upon  volk  of  egg  selected  by  the  cock  bird 
from  the  soft  food  mixture,  for  they  must  have  hatched 
out  quite  a  day  before  I  discovered  the  fact  and 
began  to  supply  the  parents  with  abundante  of  worms 
and  cockroaches;  even  after  that  the  egg  was  always 
picked  out  and  carried  up  to  the  young  before  the  old 
birds  hel|>ed  themselves.  I  first  heard  tlie  voices  of 
the  young  on  July  3rd,  and  on  the  6th  I  was  unfor- 
tunately away  from  home  until  the  evening,  so  that 
worms  were  not  supplied  so  frequently,  and  in  con- 
sequence two  of  the  young  died  :  the  third  was  com- 
pletely reared,  but  pioved  to  be  a  hen,  and  almost  cf  a 
uniform   olive-brown  colour. 

In  1895  a  nest  was  built  upon  the  top  of  the  previous 
year's  structure,  and  the  hen  began  to  sit  on  May  31st: 
the  first  youngster  was  hatched  on  June  14th,  and  I 
had  to  work  hard  to  supply  the  birds  with  worms.  As 
on  the  previous  year,  three  eggs  were  laid,  all  hatched, 
and  on  this  occasion  all  were  happil,T  reared  ;  they 
assumed  their  adult  plumage  about  October,  and  proved 
to  be  two  males  and  one  female,  the  males  black  but 
much  browner  than  either  of  the  Ouzels  from  which 
they  were  bred,  especially  on  the  under-parts,  and  with 
a  red-brown  )iatch  on  the  wing  answering  to  the  gre.v 
patch  of  the  (riey- winged  Ouzel,  the  bill,  and  orbital 
ring  orange-.yellov,  but  the  feet  brown  nearly  as  in  the 
English  bird.  The  female  was  very  different  from  its 
sister  of  the  previous  year's  hatehing,  being  almost  like 
a  typical  hen  Grey- winged  Ouzel. 

When  the  Grey-winged  bird  fir,st  came  into  my  pos- 
session it  had  very  little  idea  of  fong  ;  but  after  a  few 
months  sjient  outside  it  sang  a  very  resi>ectable  com- 
bination song,  evidently  picked  up  from  the  Song 
Thrush,  Blackbird,  and  Wren.  The  young  hybrids  do 
not  sing  so  well,  their  voices  being  much  harsher.  Per- 
haps with  a  deterioration  in  colour  due  to  reversion 
towards  the  type  from  which  the  two  ])arent  stocks 
have  descended",  there  may  be  a  correlated  deterioration 
in  the  character  of  the  vocal  organs,  and  a  consequent 
return  to  a  mgie_aavage  and  uncultivated  attempt  at 
music. 

•  1  have  quoted  a  fuller  account  of  the  lastinB-hnliits  from 
Oatei'  cditiun  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds  "  in  a  paper 
puljlished  in  The  Avicullural  Magazine,  N.3.,  Vol.  III., pp.  246-7. 


BLACKBIRDS. 


15 


Yellow-footed  Blackbird  (Merula  Havipes). 

Above  glu.ssy  black  ;  back,  rump,  ui)i)er  tail-coverts, 
abdomen  ami  tliiglis  slightly  greyer;  nikldle  of  abdomen 
and  tips  of  uncler  tail-coverts  white ;  bill  brilliant 
yellow ;  eyes  reddish  amber ;  feet  of  a  remarkably 
bright  yellow.  The  female  is  dark  olivaceous-brown, 
paler  below  ;  bill  lirownibh  yellow.  Young  more  dingy 
in  colouring;  the  back,  abdomen,  and  sides  leaden-grey. 

According  to  von  Berlepsch,  thi.s  bird  is  confined  to 
the  coastal  regions  of  Mi<iiile  aiid  Southern  Brazil.  It 
is  a  little  smaller  than  the  Kuropean  Blackbird.  Bur- 
nieister  found  it  in  the  wootis  on  the  coast  near  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  and  also  further  to  the  north  ;  it  was  not  rare 
at  New  Freiburg.  I'aul  Mangelsdorff  observed  it  nest- 
ing on  the  heights  around  Now  Freiburg,  and  in  the 
autumn  he  saw  ik  in  the  lower  valleys.  Its  calls 
resembled  tho.se  of  the  European  Blackbird.  Prince 
Wied  gives  it  the  credit  of  being  a  good  songster,  but 
says  notliing  further  res{)ecting  it.  Von  Pelzeln  also  in 
like  manner  says,  on  the  authority  of  Xatt«rer,  that  it 
sings  very  charmingly,  and  .Mangelsdorff  declares  that 
the  song  of  this  si>ecies  was  mucli  praisi'd  by  the  owners 
of  two  spwiniens  not  for  sale  which  he  saw  in  cages. 
Ur.  Kuss,  on  the  other  hand,  who  frequently  saw  an 
example  of  the  Yellow-footed  Blackbird  in  the  shop 
of  W.  Mieth,  at  Bei-lin,  states  that  neither  Mr. 
Mieth  (during  the  years  in  which  he  possessed  it) 
niir  he  ever  heard  a  S'ong  from  it,  so  that  he  was  almost 
convinced  that  the  species  after  all  could  not  be  a  good 
songster.  He  says  that  it  wa.s  always  in  excellent 
plumage,  and  moulted  without  difficulty  ;  but  he  admits 
that  it  was  not  kept  in  a  very  spacious  cage,  and  did 
not  receive  sufficient  variety  in  its  food — tjuite  enough, 
in  my  opinion,  to  account  for  the  bird  not  feeling  cheer- 
ful enough  to  sing. 

Russ  observes  finally  that  while  we  fail  to  find  the 
Yellow-footed  Blackbird  up  to  the  present  time  in  the 
records  of  nearly  all.  even  of  the  large.st  Zoological 
Hardens,  the  Amsterdam  Garden  alone  has  exhibited  it. 
It  is  certain  that,  up  to  the  publication  of  the  ninth 
edition  of  its  "  List  of  Animals,"  our  London  society 
had  not  secured  it. 

Chinese  Bl.wkbird  (Merula  mandarina). 

Resembles  the  European  Blackbird,  excepting  that  it 
is  considerably  larger  and  distinctly  paler  on  the  under- 
parts  ;   the  bill  much  stouter. 

Messrs.  La  Touche  and  Rickett  published  the  follow- 
ing interesting  notes  on  the  habits  of  this  Blackbird  in 
The  Ibis  (Eighth  Series,  Vol.  V.,  1905,  pp.  42,  45): 
"  A  very  common  resident  on  the  plains,*  frequenting 
gardens  and  copses,  and,  like  the  Magpie-Robin 
(Copsychus  saiilaris),  always  to  be  found  in  the  vicinity 
of  human  dwellings.  The  nest  is  placed  high  up  in 
some  tall  pine  or  other  big  tree.  It  is  built  on  one  of 
the  large  boughs  in  a  fork  near  the  extremity  of  a 
branch,  or  in  the  angle  formed  by  one  branch  with 
another    or  with  the  trunk. 

"  The  materials  U!!ed  are  fine  twigs,  str.iw,  dry  grass, 
moss,  roots,  dead  leaves,  and  a  variety  of  odds  and  ends, 
such  as  human  hair,  paper,  etc.  These  are  all  plastered 
together  with  fine  mud  in  varying  quantities,  and  lined 
with  fine  dry  grass,  roots,  and  sometimes  pine-needles. 
The  amount  of  mud  used  is  often  very  considerable. 

"  According  to  Rickett's  observations,  the  female  is 
the  sole  architect,  the  male  sitting  nn  a  branch  near  the 
nest  singing,  and  attacking  any  birds  that  approach, 
especially  Crows  and  Magpies,  while  he  does  not  hesitate 
to  swoop  down  at  a  prowling  cat.  The  young  in  the  nest 
appear  to  be  fed  chiefly  by  the  female,  but  as  soon  as 

•  In  the  Province  of  Fohkien,  S.G.  China. 


they  leave  the  nursery  tlie  male  takes  his  share  in  caring 
for  them.     Nesting  liegins  in  April,  and  two  broods  are 

reared. 

"The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  and,  as  a  rule, 
ovate,  but  vary  a  gocnl  deal  in  shape  as  well  as  in 
(.olour.  Forty  (jne  eggs  average  1.18in.  by  .87in.  They 
are  blotclied,  spotted,  or  si>eckled  with  various  shades 
of  red  over  underlying  violet  S])ots.  The  markings  often 
form  a  cap,  usually  at  the  larger  end,  but  sometimes  at 
the  apex. 

"  Tlie  ground-colour  varies  from  pale  greenish  to 
bluish  greeijL,  whilst  occasionally  it  is  of  a  reddish  tint." 

In  his  "  Field  -Notes  on  the  Birds  of  Chinkiang,  Lower 
Yang:-,e  Hasin"  (77ic  Ihis.  1906,  p.  625),  Mr.  La  Touche 
says  :  "  'I'he  Chinese  Blackbird  is  very  common  on  the 
plain,  but  appears  to  lie  absent  from  the  low  hills  and 
lower  country  at  the  back  of  Chinkiang.  The  natives 
re;ir  it  in  cages,  as  in  South  China.  It  breeds  com- 
monly  on  the  plain  from  April  to  .July.  Fresh  eggs  were 
brought  to  me  on  April  20,  and  sonie  nearly  fresh  on 
.July  11,  so  that  there  are  two  or  three  broods  during 
the  year.  A  nest  taken  on  June  18  contained  six  nearly 
fresh  eggs.  The  nests,  as  in  Fohkien,  are  built  on  the 
boughs  of  trees,  generally  at  a  great  height  from  the 
ground." 

Considering  that  this  is  a  common  Chinese  cage-bird, 
it  seems  strange  that  it  should  be  so  extremely  rare  in 
the  European  bird  market.  One  would  suppose  that 
this  large  Blackbird  would  be  most  welcome  both  for 
cage  .and  aviary,  and  would  be  an  interesting  species  to 
breed  in  captivity.  Yet  Dr.  Russ  .says  :  "  It  once 
arrived  at  the  Gardens  of  Amsterdam,  but  otherwise  hag 
nowhere  come  to  hand  alive." 

Another  species  said  to  be  related  to  our  Blackbird, 
but  .smaller— the  Silky-black  Blackbird  {Mrrtila 
alrn^cricfa)  from  Colombia  and  Ecuador— is  reported 
by  Russ  to  have  lieen  once  received  by  the  dealer  H. 
Fockelmann,  of  Hamburg,  who  staged  it  at  the  exhibi- 
tion of  the  "  Ornis"  Society,  in  1887,  He  gives  no  notes 
on  its  wild  life,  and  I  have  not  discovered  any  so  far. 
Grey  Bl.ickbird  (Merula  cordis). 

The  male  is  greyish-black,  wings  browner ;  axillaries 
slate-grey;  outermost  tail-feathers  with  broad  whitish 
borders  to  the  outer  webs  ;  underparts  blackish  slate- 
grey  ;  middle  of  breast  and  abdomen  white  ;  sides  with 
large  dark  spots;  bill  orange-yellow;  feet  yellowish 
horn-grey.  ITemale,  olive-brown,  every  feather  edged 
with  greyish-brown ;  sides  of  head,  angle  of  lower- 
mandible  and  throat  grey-whitish,  streaked  with 
brown ;  upper  brea.st  olivaceous  slate  grey,  obscurely 
Slotted  with  dusky;  breast,  sides  of  abdomen,  and 
axillaries,  bright  chestnut;  the  first  obscurely  spotted 
with  dusky  ;  middle  of  bre;ist  and  abdomen  white  ;  bill 
brownish  grey.     Habitat,  Japan  and  China. 

According  to  Blaklston  and  Pryer,  this  is  a  common 
bree<iing  bird  at  Fujisan,  and  also  occurs  in  Yezo ;  it 
sings  beautifully.  The  nest  is  often  .situated  on  a  tree- 
stump,  but  also  on  branches  near  to  the  trunk,  and 
is  almost  entirely  formed  of  moss.  The  clutch  consists 
of  five  greenish  or  reddish  white  eggs  which  are  spotted 
with  brown  umber.  (Cf.  Russ,  "  Fremdl.  Weichfutter- 
fresser,"  II.,  p.  73.) 

Seebohm  ("  Birds  of  the  Japanese  Empire."  p.  46) 
observes  : — "The  Grey  Japanese  Ouzel  is  a  lowland  bird, 
and  breeds  abundantly  at  the  bai'C  of  Fujiyama.  The 
nest  is  generally  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  small  tree  over- 
hanging a  stream,  and  is  composed  of  moss,  roots,  and 
dry  leaves,  with  a  foundation  of  mud.  It  is  lined  with 
grass,  fine  root.s,  and  horsehair  (Jonv,  Proc.  United 
States  Nat.  Mus.  1883,  .p.  277).  Eggs 'in  the  Pryer  col- 
lection resemble  those  of  the  Missel   Thrush,   but  arc 


16 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


slightly  smaller.  This  bird  is  a  fine  songster,  and  is 
much  valued  by  the  Japanese  as  a  cage-bird  (Blakiston 
and  Prver,  Tra"ns    As.  So-.  Japan,  1882,  p.  165). 

"  It  leaves  Japan  in  autumn  to  winter  in  South  China 
and  Hainan.  1  have  been  unable  to  find  any  evidence 
in  favour  of  the  statement  (David  and  Oustalct,  "  Ois. 
Chine,"  p.  150)  that  it  niigratea  to  the  valley  of  the 
Amoor  in  spring." 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Geet-he.\ded  Bl.\ckbird  (Mf.rida  cculanea). 

Male  with  head,  neck,  and  throat  a.shy  whitish  or 
greyish,  the  crown  dark  and  brownish ;  remainder  of 
plumage  light  chestnut  bay,  darker  on  interscapulars, 
paler  and  brighter  on  under  parts  ;  wings  blackish,  the 
tertials,  brown-edged,  tail  blackish,  under  tail-coverts 
mingled  brown,  black  and  white.  Female  duller,  the 
head  and  neck  browner,  the  wings  and  tail  brown,  the 
outermost  tail  feathers  sometimes  white-tipped,  under 
tail-coverts  brown  and  white;  bill,  orbits  and  legs 
yellow  ;  eyes  brown.     Habitat,  India. 

jerdon  savs  that  he  "  procured  a  few  specimens  of 
this  Ouzel  at  Darjeeliiig,  in  winter  only:  and  it  is  not 
verv  common  there,  frequenting  open  forests."  {"  Birds 
of  India,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  527.) 

In  Gates's  Edition  of  Hume's  "Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Indian  Birds,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  92-3,  we  read:— "Very  little 
is  known  of  the  breeding  of  the  Grey-headed  Oaizel.  A 
nest  containing  five  eggs  was  taken  on  April  20th  near 
Kotegurh,  and  Colonel  C.  H.  T.  Marshall  took  a  nest  at 
Murree. 

"The  Kotegurh  nest  was  placed  in  a  bank,  was  6in. 
in  diameter,  and  4in.  in  height,  composed  of  moss,  with 
a.  good  deal  of  dead  fern  in  the  base  of  the  nest,  and 
only  a  little  earth,  and  lined  with  fine  grass.  The  cavity 
was  about  3.5in.  in  diameter,  and  2.75in.  in  depth." 

From  Murree  Colonel  C.  H.  T.  Marshall  writes:— 
"  Two  nests  in  banks,  in  the  beginning  of  June  ;  eggs 
very  similar  to  those  of  M.  boiilboxil,  but  somewhat 
larger,  being  1.25in.  by  0.8in.  Captain  Cock  got  two 
nests  in  the  Sindh  Valley.  Kashmir.  It  is  peculiar  that 
this  species  always  breeds  in  banks.  AK  the  Meruline 
birds  breed  from  about  5,000ft.  to  7,U00ft.   up. 

"  I  believe  some  people  say  that  Mtrula  albocineta 
and  M.  ca.slanea  are  identical.  I  therefore  send  a  pair 
of  birds  of  the  latter,  shot  off  the  nest  in  full  breeding 
plumage,  which  may  elucidate  the  matter.  They  must 
have  two  batches  in  the  year,  as  on  the  20tli  April  I 
got  a  nest  with  four  eggs  just  ready  to  hatch,  which 
must  have  been  laid  at  the  end  of  March.  The  nest, 
too,  was  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  7,000ft.* 

"  The  eggs  of  this  species  appear  to  vary  very  much. 
What  I  take  to  be  the  typical  egg  is  a  somewhat 
lengthened,  at  times  more  or  less  pyriform,  oval — -a 
pale  green  ground,  with  very  little  gloss,  thickly  and 
boldly  mottled  and  freckled  all  over  with  browni-sh  red 
and  pinkish  purple.  In  another  type  nowhere  is  more 
than  a  pin's  point  of  the  ground  colour  visible,  the  whole 
surface  being  excessively  minutely  freckled  and  speckled 
with  brownish  red,  underlaid  by  faint  reddish  purple 
clouds  and  stains. 

"In  length  they  vary  from  l.lin.  to  1.35in.,  and  in 
breadth  from  0.75in.  to  0.88in.  Only  eight  eggs  arc 
measured,  five  from  Kotegurh  and  three  from  Sona- 
mnrgh,  taken  by  Captain  Cock." 

This  species  al.so  has  appeared  in  the  London 
Zoological   Gardens. 

*  A«  HlBcktilnlB  Imtcli  In  »l>out  fourteen  (lavs  it  la  much  more 
,   likely  thnt  C»l.  Marahall's  eggs  were  Inid  in  the  Brst  week  of  April. 


So-called    Ground-Thrushes  (Geocichla). 

As  with  some  otlier  reputed  ground-frequenting  birds, 
these  Thrushes  appear  to  pass  a  great  part  of  their  time 
on  trees  or  in  bushes,  rarely  alighting  on  the  ground 
excepting  to  feed.  Like  the  typical  Thrushes  and 
Blackbirds  they  should  have  soft  food,  fruit  and  insects, 
spiders  and  worms. 
OinNCE-HE.iDKD  Gkou.sd-Thrtjsh  [GeocicMa  dtrina). 

Head,  neck,  and  under  parts  pale  brownish  orange ; 
chin  and  throat  paler,  somewhat  whitish  ;  remainder  ol 
upper  surface  bluish  grey  ;  a  small  white  spot  on  the 
median  wing  coverts  ;  primary  coverts  with  bhick  tips; 
abdonien  becoming  paler  towards  vent,  the  latter  and 
under  tail-coverts  whiite;  bill  blackish  horn  colour;  eyes 
dark  brown ;  feet  lirownisli  fawn  coloured.  Female 
duller,  the  back,  wings,  and  tail  tinged  with  olivaceous. 
Habitat  "  Throughout  the  whole  range  of  the  Himalayas, 
not  e.\cee<ling  an  elevation  of  from  4,000ft.  to  5,000ft. 
It  is  also  fourd  in  mo.st  of  the  forests  and  well-wooded 
districts  of  Northern  and  Central  India,  extending  rarely 
as  low  as  North  latitude  10  deg.  1  procured  it  from 
the  jungles  of  the  Eastern  Ghats,  inhabiting  the  same 
locality  as  the  last  species  (G.  cyannnvtus) ,  though  much 
more  rare.  It  has  also  been  obtained  in  Goomsoor,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Calcutta,  where  quite  common  in 
the  cold  season,  and  in  the  forests  of  Central  India.  1 
procured  specunens  in  Sikkiin,  but  only  in  the  wanner 
valleys.     It  extends  through  Aissam  and  Burniah. 

"  The  Orange-headed  Thrush  keeps  to  woods  and 
shady  gardens;  and,  like  the  last,  prefers  bamboo- 
jungle.  It  feeds  on  the  ground  on  insects,  turning  over 
the  leaves  to  find  them;  and,  as  remarked  by  Blyth, 
often  having  its  bill  clogged  with  mud,  from  feeding  ir» 
damp  spots.  It  is  shy  and  silent  in  general ;  but, 
during  the  breeding  season,  the  male  has  a  pretty  song. 
Hutton  found  the  nest  at  Mussooree  in  the  forks  of  high 
trees,  made  of  grasses,  moss,  stalks,  and  roots  :  and  with 
three  or  four  eggs,  pale  greenish,  freckled  with  rufous, 
formnng  a  sort  of  patch  at  the  upper  end."  (Jerdon 
"  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  518). 

In  Gates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Iiidian  Birds  "  we  read  :  "  The  Orange-headed  Ground 
Thrush  breed-s  in  the  Himalayas  from  Mur-'ee  to  Assam 
at  elevations  of  from  1,500ft.  to  5,000ft.,  la.Wng  from 
the  end  of  April  to  nearly  the  end  of  June,  they  build 
a  rather  broad,  cujvshaped  nest  of  moss,  grass  and 
very  fine  twigs,  or  firneedles,  lined  with  fine  moss  roots, 
and  at  times  a  little  hair,  measuring  some  Sin.  in 
di.-imeter,  and  with  a  cavity  about  3.5in.  broad  and 
1.75in.  deep.  The  nest  is  "placed  in  some  fork  of  a 
moderate-sized  tree,  in  the  case  of  all  that  I  have  seen, 
at  no  great  height  from  the  ground. 

"  They  l:iy  three,  and  often  four  eggs,  and  one  nest 
found  below  ^Kotegurh  contained  five. 

"Mr.  R.  Thom)>son,  writing  from  Kumaon,  eays : 
'  I  have  never  found  this  bird  except  jit  1.500ft.  to2,0dbft. 
elevation  at  most.  It  arrive^<  in  our  forests  at  the  begin- 
ning of  April,  when  the  males  b?gin  to  utter  their 
sweet  yet  loud  notes,  and  commence  breeding  ofwrations. 

"From  Murree,  Colonel  C.  H.  T.  Marshall  tells  us 
that  this  species  builds  alx)ut  the  beginning  of  June  in 
the  fork  of  a  low  tree  about  6ft.  up.  Lays  tliree  eggs, 
pale  greenish  white,  finely  speckled  with  rufous-brown, 
forming  a  patch  at  t)ie  larger  end  lin.  in  lenirth, 
0.8in.  in  brea<lth.  . 

"A  nest  sent  me  by  Mr.  Mandelli.  which  was  placed 
in  a  fork  in  a  b.aniboo  cluster  at  about  5ft.  from  the 
ground,  is  a  very  loose,  untidy  nest,  composed  ex- 
teriorly of  dead  leaves,  bamboo "spathet^,  a  few  twigs 
and  pieces  of  decayed  bamlx)o.  all  wound  together  with 
vegetable  fibre.     The  whole  of  the  nest  is  composed  of 


GROUND-THRUSHES. 


17 


much  the  same  materials,  except  that  interiorly  there 
are  more  chi|'s  of  rotten  bamboo  and  more  vegetable 
fibre,  and  very  little  dead  leaf;  tliete  is  a  mere  pretence 
foT  a  lining,  a  dozen  or  so  very  fine  wirelike  twigs 
being  wonml  ruund  at  the  bottom  of  the  cavity. 

"Mr.  Oat4's  writes:  'May  22nd.  Nest  in  a  shrnb  in 
a  ravine  near  Pegu,  about  4ft.  from  the  ground,  made 
of  roots  and  strips  of  soft  bark,  the  ends  of  some  of 
the  latter  hanging  down  a  foot  or  jnore.  The  interior 
lined  with  moss  and  fern  roots.  Interior  and  exterior 
diameters  4in.  and  Sin.  resi}ectively  ;  inside  depth  about 
2in.  and  lx)lt(im  of  nest  about  lin.  thick.  Contaiiie<l 
three  eggs  quite  fresh,  measuring  1.04,  1,  and  1.06  by 
0.75.  0.76,  and  0.79  respectively.  A  fourth  egg  found 
on  the  ground  near  the  nest  was  1.03  by  0.78. 

"Another  nest  with  three  eggs  was  found  on 
.lune  10th. 

"  The  eggs  are  a  broad  oval,  much  pointed  towards 
one  end,  about  the  size  and  shape  of  the  Kuropean 
Water  Ouzel's  egg.  The  ground  colour  is  dull  greyi~h 
or  greenish  white,  and  each  h;is  a  consjiicuous  mottled 
and  speckled  red  brown  cap  at  the  large  end.  The  cap 
is  not  sharply  defined,  and  beyond  it  s|>ecklings  and 
minute  streaks  of  the  same  colour  extend  more  or  lesis 
over  the  whole  of  the  rest  of  the  surface  of  the  egg,  in 
some  cases  ceasing  entirely,  in  others  diminishing  in 
frequency  as  they  approach  the  smaller  end. 

"  .Some  of  the  eggs  of  this  sjjecies  have  a  very  fine 
gloss,  and  most  of  them  are  fairly  glossy.  In  some 
the  markings  are  brighter  and  redder,  in  others  duller 
and  browner.  Dull  purple  markings  are  generally  inter- 
mingled in  the  cap,  and  though  this  is  generally  at  the 
larger  end  I  have  one  egg  in  which  it  is  at  the  smaller 
end. 

"In  length  the  eggs  vary  from  0.82in.  to  l.lin.,  and 
in  breadth  from  0.7in.  to  0.82in.,  but  the  average  of  a 
dozen  eggs  is  0.99in.  by  0.77in." 

Hitherto  this  beautiful  bird  has  not  been  freely  im- 
ported. According  to  Russ,  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens  received  a  specimen  in  1876,  since  which  time 
he  believes  at  least  two  examples  were  imported  into 
London.  Mr.  Emil  Linden,  of  Rudolfzell,  at  the 
Bodensee,  obtained  one  in  1877,  and  another  reached 
the  Frankfort  Zoological  (Jardens  in  1878;  this  Thrush 
was  also  offered  by  the  Jamrachs  of  London  in  1881 
and  1882  at  £3  ariece.  Little  is  known  respecting  its 
habits  in  captivity. 

White-theoated  Ground-Thrush  (Geocichla 
ci/anonofus). 

Male — head,  nape,  sides  of  neck,  breast  and  abdomen 
rusty  orange,  remainder  of  upper  surface  bluish  or 
leaden  grey ;  the  flights  and  tail  feathers  somewhat 
dusky,  a  white  patch  on  the  outer  median  wing  covertt; 
and  a  white  tip  to  the  outermost  tail  feather  ;  lores 
white,  cheeks  and  ear  coverts  white.  cixKsed  by  two 
parallel  brown  bands  from  below  and  back  of  eye  to 
throat,  the  first  becoming  somewhat  feiTuginous  at  its 
lower  end,  which  crosses  the  f^ide  of  throat  to  the 
breast ;  vent  and  under-tail  coverts  white  ;  bill  blackish, 
lower  mandible  somewhat  orange  towards  the  base  and 
along  tomium  ;  eyes  brown;  feet,  according  to  Jerdon, 
fleslArown,  but  rejjresented  as  orange  in  the  illustra- 
tion of  Mr.  Phillips's  example.  Female  differs  from 
male  in  its  colours  being  less  pure. 

The  White-winged  Ground-Thrush*  is  peculiar  to 
the  jungles  of  Southern  India,  extending  as  far  as 
Goomsoor  on  the  east  coast,  and  to  Bombay  on  the 
west  side  of  India.  It  is  most  abundant  in  the  forests 
of  Malabar  and  Wynaad,  but  is  not  rare  in  the  jungles 

*  Jerdon'B  name  for  the  species ;  but  not  at  all  a  good  one. 


of  the  Eastern  Ghats.  It  prefers  bamboo  jungles,  foed> 
on  the  ground,  and  generally  perches  low.  Its  food  is 
chiefly  insects,  such  as  ants,  cockroaches,  and  beetles, 
but  not.  infrequently  also  stony  fruit.  It  has  rather  a 
sweet  song,  not  often  heard,  however.  Mr.  Ward  pro- 
cured the  nest  in  N.  Canara,  made  of  roots  and  grass, 
placed  at  no  great  h'jight  from  the  ground  ;  and  the 
eggs,  three  in  nmnber,  were  pale  bluish,  speckled  with 
brown."  (Jerdnn,  "Birds  of  India."  Vol.  I.,  p.  517.) 

From  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Indian  Birds."  Vol.  II.,  pp.  98-9,  I  quote  the  following  : 
"Mr.  G.  W.  Vidal  writes  :  'The  species  is  plentiful  about 
Dapuli  in  the  ycnithern  Konkaii.  It  breeds  in  the 
gardens  atxjut  the  station  in  June,  .luly,  and  August.  I 
have  not  myself  taken  the  eggs  of  this  siwcies,  but 
Mr.  A.  Jardine.  of  Uaimli,  who  knows  the  birds  w-ell, 
and  who  at  once  recogni-sed  specimens  in  my  collection, 
has  taken  a  great  many  neats,  and  has  given  me  several 
eggs.  He  writes  :  "  The  nest  is  made  of  r<x)ts,  twigs, 
and  grass,  with  a  good  deal  of  mud.  The  egg-cavity  is 
alx)ut  5iin.  in  diameter,  and  from  2in.  to  3in.  deep. 
'ITie  nest  is  generally  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  tree  low 
down.  The  highest"!  ever  saw  was  about  15ft.  from 
the  ground  in  a  kinjal  tree,  but  they  are  mostly  found 
in  miuigo  trees.  When  the  Thrushes  have  young  they 
will  not  let  anyone  go  near  the  nest,  but  come  flying 
at  you,  and  peck  like  fun."  The  eggs  vary  greatly  in 
colour  and  markings,  presenting  two  or  three  very 
distinct  types.'  " 

Mr.  J.  L.  Darling,  jun.,  to  whom  I  am  indebted 
for  the  eggs  of  this  species,  has  favoured  me  with  the 
following  note  in  regard  to  dts  nidification.  He  says : 
"The  first  nest  that  I  found  of  the  White-throated 
Ground-Thrush  I  took  on  Kulputty  Hill,  in  the  Wynaad 
(.Malabar),  at  an  elevation  of  about  2,800  feet  above  the 
sea.  It  was  placed  in  a  small  trei>,  in  a  fork  about  11 
feet  from  the  ground,  precisely  in  the  same  kind  of 
situation  as  our  Nilghiri  Blackbird  would  choose.  The 
nest,  too,  was  very  like  a  Blackbird's— a  foundation  of 
loaves  and  sandy  clay,  the  main  body  of  the  nest  com- 
posed of  roots,  intermingled  with  a  fev,'  twigs  and  a 
little  grass,  and  the  cavity  lined  with  roots  and  slender 
petioles  of  the  nelly-kai. 

"This  nest  contained  three  partly- incubated  eggs. 
The  birds  were  very  shy.  I  visited  the  nest  four  times 
before  I  shot  the  male  and  six  before  I  shot  the  female. 
Directly  I  approached  the  nest  the  bird  noiselessly 
dropped  on  to  the  ground  and  crept  away  through  the 
brushwood.  When  disturbing  them  I  noticed  that  their 
call  was  low  and  sweet  like  that  of  the  Blackbird  when 
similarlv  disturbed. 

"  On  the  9th  I  found  a  second  nest,  this  time  about 
500  feet  lower,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  It  was  built  in 
a  loquat  tree,  in  a  fork  about  22  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  was  in  every  respect  similar  to  the  last,  except 
that  a  little  moss  had  been  used  in  the  construction. 
The  birds  were  verv  brave,  defending  their  nest  against 
one  of  those  thieves  of  Crow  Pheasants,  and  it  was  the 
noise  they  made  that  attracted  me  to  the  nest.  Again 
I  was  struck  with  the  great  similarity  of  their  notes 
to  those  of  the  Blackbird  when  its  nest  is  being  robbed. 
This  nest  contained  four  perfectly  fresh  eggs,  of  which 
I  took  three,  and  then  watched  the  old  birds  return 
to  the  nest,  when  they  broke  the  one  egg  I  had  left  to 
pieces.  They  have,  however,  begun  another  nest  in  a 
jack  tree  close  by. 

"Their  song  is  never  heard  except  in  the  early  morn- 
ings a.nd  evenings,  and  mostly  in  the  latter.  They  go 
hopping  about  under  the  coffee  trees  and  scratching  up 
and  turning  over  the  leaves  in  .search  of  food." 

Russ  does  not  mention  this  species,  though  he  does 
refer  to  one  or  two  others  which  have  never  been  im- 

B 


18 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


ported.  The  White-throated  Ground-Thrush  has  been 
imiwrted  more  than  once.  Mr.  Reginald  Pliillipp.s 
(The  AiiruHural  Matjazine,  N.S.,  Vol.  II.)  writes  a  long 
ac-count  of  the  species  (pp.  179  188).  He  tell  us  that 
he  obtained  two  males  on  tlie  8th  Ootolier,  1902.  and 
says  that,  -although  a  great  deal  on  the  ground  and 
in  low  bushes,  tliey  are  often  on  the  liigher  perches. 
They  prefer  to  roost  on  their  natural  twigs,  sometimes 
aboiit  3ft.  to  4ft.  from  the  ground,  veiy  often  on  the 
highest  available  spot." 

Contrary  to  what  Mr.  Darling  says  of  the  s;ong.  Mr. 
Phillipi)s  "say.-i  "  they  snig  from  early  dawn  until  nearly 
dark  for  fully  nine  months  out  of  the  twelve"  ;  and.  in 
opposition  to  what  Jerdon  says  about  the  song  Wing 


He  says  that  some  experts  during  the  summer  give 
nothing  but  fresh  ants'  eggs,  others  rich  Nightingale 
food  and  shredded  tig.s,  iind  others,  again,  equal  parts 
of  ants'  eggs  and  white  woi-ms  moistened  with  grated 
carrot.  As  I  find  that  my  own  mixture,  with  fruit  and 
insects,  seems  to  suit  all  kinds  of  insectivorous  birdJs, 
I  .should  think  Russ's  own  suggestion  as  to  the  correct 
food  is  good  enough. 

Common  Rock-Thrush  (Monlkola  foxaliUs). 

Male :    Head    and    neck     slate-blue ;    mantle   darker, 

varied  with  blackish  brown  ;  lower  part  of  back    white; 

rump    bluish  slate;    upper  tail-coverts    l)right  orange; 

tail  orange,  excepting  central  feathers,   which  are  pale 


TiiK    1!(ickTiihu.sh. 


not  often  heard,  he  says  "  their  clear,  ringing  voices 
have  been  cheering  our  hearts  all  through  this  dull, 
cheerless  winter,  are  falling  on  my  ears  now  as  I  write, 
and  have  this  winter  compelled  the  most  captious  of 
my  neighbours,  however  unwillingly,  to  admire  the 
glorious  singing  of   the  birds." 

In  the  bird  -show  at  the  Cry.stal  Palace  in  January, 
1905,  Mr.  Hawkin.s  exhibited  a  .specimen  of  this  si>ecic.<, 
a  drawing  of  wliich  appeared  in  The  Fnit/irr'd  Wnrh/, 
and  it  is  possible  that  other  examples  may  have  been 
imported. 

Rock'Thrushes  (Monliroki). 

According  to  Russ,  these  birds  should  be  fed  upon  a 
general  Thrush  mixture  and  eight  to  fifteen  mealworms 
daily,  or.  instead  of  these,  on  various  kinds  of  insects, 
worms,  slugs,  berries,  and  various  other  kinds  of  fruit. 


brown  with  orange  bases  ;  flights  brown  ;  wing-coverts 
darker,  more  or  less  fringed  with  white  ;  under  surface 
from  throat  downwards,  including  under  tail-coverts 
and  axillaries,  bright  orange;  bill,  eyes,  and  feet  dark 
brown.  Female  :  Mottled  above  with  various  shades 
of  brown  :  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail  orange ;  below 
buff,  suffu.sed  with  pale  orange  and  pale  brown,  less 
distinctly  mottled  than  al)Ove ;  thro.at  and  breast 
darker ;  abdomen  and  crissum  paler ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and   axillaries    orange. 

Habitat,  mountains  of  Southern  Europe  and  Central 
Asia  to  South  Siberia  and  China.  It  visits  North  and 
East  Afiica  on  migration,  as  well  as  the  borders  of 
India  and  North  Burma.  J.  I.  S.  Whitaker  thinks  it 
probable  that  many  examples  remain  in  Tunisia  to 
brred.  According  to  Mr.  Meade-Waldo  it  breeds  in 
suitable  localities  in  Morocco.     He  met  with  it  at  an 


KUCK-THRUSHES. 


19 


altitude  of  10,500  feet.  (The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  205.)  Three 
exampk's  are  recorded  as  liSN'ing  occurred   in  England. 

According  to  W!iital\er,  this  and  the  following  species 
are  "  true  nioiiMtum  birds,  and  rarely  to  l)c  tound  at 
any  distance  from  rocky  grouiul.  Tlie  rougher  and 
more  broken  this  may  be,  the  bett<'r  suited  it  is  to  the 
tastes  and  reiiuirenients  of  the  birds.  Wooded  districts 
are  more  or  les.s  shunned,  unless  there  should  happen 
to  be  rocky  ground  also  near  at  hand.  The  favourit* 
haunts  of  ' Montiaila,  however,  are  undoubtedly  wild 
mountain  ravines  and  valleys  strewn  with  huge 
boulders  and  rocks  of  every  tiize,  where  a  few  dwarf 
buslies  and  an  occasional  stunted  and  wcatherbeateii 
tree  are  the  only  signs  of  vegetation."  (Whitaker, 
"  Birds  of  Tunisia","  Vol.  I.,  p.  17.) 

Russ  says  that  "in  its  behaviour  the  RockThnish 
resembles  the  typical  Tbni.shes  less  than  the  Chats  and 
Redstarts;  though  like  the  former,  it  is  wise  and  pro- 
vident, lively  and  aclivi-.  It  Hies  lightly  and  rapidly, 
generally  in  "a  straight  direction,  hovering  and  circling 
before  perching.  It  does  not  hop  on  the  ground,  but 
runs  with  tail  wagging  or  vibrating  with  numerous 
rapid  bows."  (Fremdl.  Weichfutterfresscr  in  "  Frcmdl. 
Stubenv.,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  168. i 

The  nest  is  constructed  in  May  or  June  in  crevices 
in  rocks  and  walls,  often  in  almost  inaccessible  spots  ; 
sometimes,  however,  in  heaps  of  stone,  and  even  among 
the  roots  of  trees  in  scrub,  or  holes  in  stumps;  in  sonve 
localities  among  ruins.  It  is  roughly  constructed  of 
moss,  twigs,  roots,  bents,  and  blades  of  grass,  upon  a 
foundation  of  dead  leaves,  and  is  neatly  lined  with 
feathers  and  hair,  or  with  fine  rootlets  and  dry  grass. 

The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  of  a  glossy, 
bluish  green  colivur,  either  spotless,  or  marked  with  a 
few  faint  brown  specks,  usually  at  the  larger  end.  Ac- 
cording to  Seelxihm,  the  colouring  is  similar  to  eggs 
of  the  Song  Tlirusli,  excepting  that  it  is  paler  and  the 
eggs  are  rounder ;  in  tint  he  considered  them  inter- 
mediate between  those  of  the  Song  Thrush  ajid 
Starling. 

With  regard  to  its  vocal  performances,  Seebohm 
says :  "  The  song  of  the  Rock-Thrush  is,  indeed,  a  sweet 
aiid  varied  one,  and  in  those  countries  it  frequents  the 
bird  is  in  the  highest  request  as  a  cage  songster,  some- 
times the  most  fabulous  prices  being  paid  for  b'fds 
whose  -.nusical  powers  are  beyond  the  ordinary  degree 
of  sweetness  and  variation.  Its  wild,  powerful  song  is 
equal  to  that,  of  the  Blackcap,  and,  for  variety  and  tone, 
comes  littlj  short  of  the  ever-changing  notes  of  the 
Throstle  and  tlie  rich  finte-Iike  warblings  of  the  Black- 
bird. Its  call-note  is  a  peculiar  piping  cry,  sometimes 
similar  to  that  of  the  Ring  Ouzel."  ("Hist.  Brit. 
Birds,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  283.) 

According  to  A.  von  Homeyer,  the  courting  of  this 
species  is  conducted  as  follows: — The  bird  stands  in  an 
upright  ]X)siti<)n,  with  spread  wings  and  tail,  which 
bejit  upon  the  groiuid,  with  widely-spread  back 
feathers,  tlie  head  thrown  up  and  backward,  the  hill 
widely  open,  and  the  eyes  half  closed.  It  lifts  itself, 
flutters  and  flaps,  rising  aloft  after  the  manner  nf  the 
Larks,  at  the  same  time  singing  loudly  and  powerfully, 
and  then  returning  to  its  roost. 

Attempts  to  breed  the  Rock-Thrush  in  captivity  have 
been  made  bv  various  aviculturists,  some  of  whom  have 
been  successful.  According  to  Russ.  Professor  Liebe,  of 
Gera,  first  successfully  bred  it  in  1871,  and  produced 
several  broods.  He  quotes  the  following  account  in 
the  words  of  that  birdkeeper :  "  After  I  had  bred 
Rock-Thrushes  for  three  years  in  succession,  I  was  able 
to  attempt  further  breeding  from  the  young.  With  the 
young  females  bred  by  me  the  attempt  fell  out  badly, 
since  none  of  them  would  pair  up,  to  say  nothing  of 


going  to  nest.  It  is  possible  that  the  males  placed  with 
them  had  been  taken  wild  and  hand-reared,  and  there- 
fore were  too  weak  for  these  strong  females  ;  anyhow 
they  always  flew  away  from  them.  Thereupon  further 
breeding  was  carrie<l  on  admirably  with  young  males 
bred  by  me,  to  whom  I  gave  yoimg  hand-reared  females 
from  Switzerland.  I  may  now  record  the  following 
results.  The  breeding  of  the  Rock-Thrush  in  a  small 
windowed  room,  or  in  a  very  large  birdca-ge, 
is  not  very  difficult.  Complete  seclusion,  in 
order  to  avoid  disturbance,  is  not  only  unneces- 
sary but  is  even  detrimental,  far  thereby  many 
birds  becoriie  wild  and  nervous ;  whereas  thoroughly 
tame  birds  love  the  companionship  of  their  keeper, 
and,  moreover,  palp.ahly  crave  for  it.  Only  the  exact 
nesting-sites  must  be  concealed  from  the  eye  of  the 
visitor  as  much  as  possible.  The  pair  is  unwilling  to 
nest  excepting  in  a  hole  in  brickwork,  with  a  wide 
entrance,  or  in  an  open  but  little  conspicuous  burrow. 
For  building  material  they  only  accept  dry  grass. 
Nest-building  commences  in  the  middle  of  May,  and  by 
the  end  of  May  the  clutch  is  ready.  After  the  hatching 
of  the  young  fresli  ants'  cocoons  of  the  Ivest  quality  and 
mealworms  are  given.  Coarse  sand  should  not  he  lack- 
ing with  them.  After  four  days  the  old  female  takes 
them  freshlvprepared  old  curd  cheese.  From  the  sixth 
day  onward  cheese,  ants'  cocoons,  and  mealworms  form 
the  chief  constituents  of  the  foo<l  of  the  young,  but  the 
female  seeks  in  the  vicinity  in  all  other  food-dishes, 
and  now  and  again  brings  a  scrap  of  cooked  meat  or 
fruit  and  the  like  to  the  nest.  All  kinds  of  insects  and 
worms,  as  well  as  the  flesh  of  fish,  are  also  welcome 
to  her.  Tlie  young  grow  up  quickly,  and  become  larger 
and  stronger  than  birds  taken  from  the  nest  in  the 
open  and  hand-reared.  After  flight  thev  accept  the 
ordinary  food  of  the  adults,  and  occasionally  meal- 
worms, and  any  other  kinds  of  insects  from  out  of 
doors.  For  the  young  birds  a  large  cage  is  necessary, 
with  so  few  perches  that  they  must  use  their  wings, 
and  also  some  brickbats  upon  which  they  may  sit." 

Blue  Rock-Thrush  (Moniicola  cyanus.) 

Male:  Above  and  below  deep  slate-blue,  wrings  and 
tail  brownish  black  ;  bill  and  feet  black,  eyes  brown. 
Female :  Above  umber-brown,  below  mottled  brown 
and  buff.  Habitat,  Southern  Europe  to  Central  Asia 
as  far  as  the  Himalayas,  Ceylon,  Burma,  and  China, 
wintering  in  North  Africa  and  Arabia.  A  single 
example  is  said  to  have  been  killed  in  the  county  of 
Westmeath,  in  Ireland,  in  November,  1866. 

Colonel  Legge  says:  "This  species  varies  in  its 
habits  according  to  the  locality  it  frequents.  Its  usual 
cu.^tom  is,  doubtless,  as  its  name  implies,  to  affect 
rocky  places,  boulder-strewn  hillsides,  wild  gorges,  the 
stony  banks  of  rivers,  the  vicinity  of  mountain  preci- 
pices, and  other  barren  and  inhospitable  spots ;  and 
when  thus  met  with  is  a  shy  and  wary  bird,  manifest- 
ing a  very  restless  disposition,  flitting  from  rock  to 
rock,  and  uttering  a  clear  whistle  as  it  takes  flight  on 
the  approach  of  d.anger."  Mr.  Fair  informs  me  that  it 
displayed  all  those  restless  manners  on  both  occasion? 
when  he  met  with  it  in  the  C'eylon  hills.  In  parts  of 
India,  however  (and  the  same  is  the  case  with  the 
Eastern  variety),  it  is  quite  a  familiar  bird,  "perching 
on  house-tops,  feeding  about  stables,  and  frequently 
even  entering  verandahs,  and  sheltering  itself  during 
the  heat  of  the  day  on  beams  and  the  eaves  of  houses." 
"It  is,  in  fact,"  writes  Jerdon,  "supposed  to  be  the 
Sparrow  of  the  English  version  of  the  Scriptures, 
'which  iitteth  alone  on  the  house-top.'"  Mr  Oates 
has  a  similar  experience  of  it  in  Pegu.     He  says  that 


20 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


"  it  is  not  unfrequently  seen  singly,  more  es.pccially  in 
the  vicinity  of  wooden  bungalows.  At  Thayetniayo 
one  occasioiKilly  came  into  my  compound  for  a  day  or 
so,  and  then  suddenly  disappeared  for  a  month  or  two. 
It  will  flit  into  the  verandah,  sit  on  the  pcst-plate,  and 
remain  for  a  few  minutes  in  perfect  silence."  Mr. 
Elliot  likewise  noticed  tliat  it  was  very  tame,  often 
cominpc  into  houses,  and  liopping  about  the  verandah. 
It  is  usually  a  solitary  bird,  and  feeds  entirely  on  the 
ground  on  ants,  Coleoptera,  and  various  insects.  Its 
song  is  said  to  be  very  sweet,  and  is  commenced  in 
India  for  some  time  before  it  leaves  the  couiitrj',  not 
when  feeding,  but  wlien  it  happens  to  have  taken 
shelter  during  the  heat  of  the  day.  It  is  caught  in  the 
Deccan  and  on  the  Bombay  coast  by  the  natives,  and 
i'i  much  prized  as  a  songster,  being  called  by  them  the 
H/idma,  which  luime,  however,  really  applies  to  the 
I.ong-tailed  Robin  [Ciltocinda  iiiacrura).  Col.  Irby, 
who  publishes  some  interesting  notes  on  its  habits  in 
the  "  Birds  of  Gibraltar,"  writes  that  it  frequents  daily 
the  same  spots,  attracting  considerable  notice,  both 
from  its  agrteable  song  and  conspicuous  liabits.  He 
further  remarks  :  "  The  Blue  Thrush  very  often  perches 
on  trees,  and  at  Gibraltar  and  Tangier  Ls  frequently 
seen  on  the  housetops,  though  generally  observed  on 
bare,  rocky  ground.  It  is  sometimes  found  in  wooded 
parts,  if  there  are  any  high  rocks ;  for  instance,  a  pair 
nest  at  the  first  waterfiUl  of  Algcciras,  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  dense  forest.  It  has  a  habit  in  the  courting 
season  of  flying  straight  out  from  a  rock,  and  then 
mddenly  dropping  with  the  wings  half  shut,  like  a 
AVood  Pigeon  in  the  nesting  time.  The  Blue  Thrusb 
is  very  fund  of  ivy  berries  and  all  fruit." 

Lord  Lilford  writes: — ''It  is  very  omnivorous; 
literally  fish,  flesh,  fowl  and  fruit  I  have  seen  it  devour 
with  apparently  equal  gusto,  to  sav  nothing  of  almost 
any  insect."  ('"  Birds  of  Ceylon,"  "Vol.  II.,  p.  462.) 
Whitaker  observes  :  "  The  /'a.sxcro  solitdrin,  as  this  bird 
is  called  in  Italy,  is  greatly  prized  in  that  and  other 
Mediterranean  countries,  not  only  on  account  of  its 
agreeable  song,  but  also  because  of  its  bright  and  attrac- 
tive ways-,  for  though  rather  shy  in  its  natural  state  ir, 
is  capable  of  b''c(miing  remarkably  tame  in  confinement, 
particul.irly  when  brought  up  from  the  nest.  At  the 
present  time  I  have  one  which  is  a  delightful  pet. 

"The  song  of  the  Blue  R<Kk  Thrush  is  composed  of 
sweet,  flute  like  notes,  re,sembling  some  of  tho.se  of  the 
common  Thrush,  although  not  quite  equal  to  them. 
The  bird  is  al^o  a  goixl  mimic,  and  has  a  facility  for 
acquiring  the  notes  of  other  birds. 

"  The  nest  of  thi.s  species,  which  is  generally  to  be 
found  in  a  fissure  nr  cleft  between  rooks,  or  in  the  ho'e 
of  a  wall,  is  composed  chiefly  of  root  fihres  loosely  put 
together.  The  eggs,  usually  five  in  number,  are  of  .1 
beautiful  glossy  greenish  blue,  and  in  the  case  of  all 
those  in  my  collection  are  without  any  spots.  Average 
measurements,  25mm.  by  19mm.  ("  IJirds  of  Tunisia," 
Vol.  II.,  p.  20.) 

Whistling    Thrushes    (Mijiophmeus). 

According  to  Kuss,  tlie.se  birds  should  be  fed  like 
other  Thrushes,  not  forgetting  the  item  of  fruit. 
Although  he  only  know.s  of  one  species  as  havnng  been 
imported,  he  describes  three. 

Horsfield's  Whistuxo  Thrush  ( Myiophoneus 

Male — Above  and  below,  indigo-black ;  a  frontal 
band  not  extending  to  base  of  bill,  and  .shoulders,  bright 
cob^ilt  blue  ;  some  of  the  feathers  on  the  under  surface 
edged  with  the  same  colour;  hill  black:  eyes  dark 
brown;    feet   Vjrownish    blue.     Female   undescribed    as 


distinct,  but  (judging  by  description  of  Bligh's 
Whistling  ThrushI  the  blue  shoulder  patch  should  be 
piilsr  and  more  conspicuous.  Doubtless  the  form  of  the 
bill  also  differs.  Habitat,  forests  of  Southern  and  Western 
India.  "  It  especially  deJights  in  mountiun  torrents,  and 
if  there  is  a  waterfaJl  it  is  sure  to  be  iound  there.  It 
feeds  on  various  insects,  earthworms,  slugs,  shells,  and 
also  on  small  crabs,  which  I  have  verj'  frequently 
found  constituting  its  chief  food  ;  and  the  remains  of 
legs,  etc.,  of  these  Crustacea  are  generally  found  on  the 
rooKs  m  the  edge  of  every  pool  of  water  frequented  by 
it  I  once  procured  its  nest,  placed  under  a  shelf  of  ,1 
rock  on  the  Burliar  stream,  on  the  slope  of  the  Neil- 
gbeiTies.  It  was  a  large  structure  of  roots,  mi.xed  with 
earth,  moss,  etc.,  and  contained  three  eggs  of  a  pale 
.salmon  or  reddish-fawn  colour,  with  many  smallish 
biown  six)ts.  I  kept  a  bird,  which  I  had  wounded 
slightly,  for  some  weeks,  feeding  it  on  earthworms  and 
snails,  and  every  morning  before  sunrise  I  would  hear 
its  fine  whistle.  Its  song  consists  of  four  or  five  beauti- 
fully cle:ir  whistling  notes,  sc  like  the  whis!,le  of  a 
man  or  boy  as  to  be  constantly  mistaken  for  it,  and  it 
is  known  to  many  on  the  Neilgherries  as  the  Wliittling 
liirush.  It  would  be  a  highly  desirable  ajid  ■nteifst- 
ing  cage-bird." — Jerdon,  "  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  I., 
page  499. 

In  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Indian  Birds"  are  many  accounts,  from  which  I  seJect 
til'!  following:  — 

"  Mr.  W.  Davison  says,  '  The  Malabar  Whistling 
Thrush  (rather  a  mLsnomer,  by  the  way)  breeds  on  the 
slopes  of  the  Nilghiris.  never  ascending  higher  than 
6,000ft.  The  nest  is  always  placed  on  some  rock  in 
a  mountain  torrent;  it  is  a  coarse  and,  for  the  size  of 
the  bird,  a  very  large  structure,  and  though  I  have 
never  measured  the  nest  I  should  say  that  the  total 
height  was  about  18in.  or  more,  and  the  greatest 
diameter  about  18in.  Exteriorly  it  is  com|)osed  of 
root^,  dead  leaves,  and  decaying  vegetation  of  all  kinds  ; 
the  egg  cjvity,  which  is  saucer-shaped  and  compara- 
tively shallow,  is  coaiseiy  lined  with  ixx>tB.  It  breeds 
during  March  and  April.'" 

The  statement  that  the  nest  is  always  placed  on  a 
rock  in  a  mountain  torrent  is  disproved  by  Miss  Cock- 
bum,  who  took  eggs  from  nests  built  high  up  in  holes 
in  trees  both  in  March  and  July;  while  Mr.  J.  Darling, 
jun.,  remarks  that  "this  species  commonly  builds  in 
holes  in  trees."  He  says;  "July  22. — Nest  found  near 
Kythery,  S.  Wynaad,  in  a  crevice  of  a  log  of  a  felled 
tree  in  a  new  clearing  lift,  from  the  ground.  Nest 
built  entirely  of  roots.  The  foundation  was  of  roots 
from  some  swampy  ground,  and  had  a  good  deal  of  mud 
about  it.  Another ^nest  was  in  a  hole  of  a  dead  tree 
32ft.  from  the  ground." 

Mr.  Frank  Bnurdillon  writes  from  Travajicore : 
"  Very  conmum  from  the  base  to  near  the  summit  of  the 
hills,  freiiuenting  alike  jungle  and  open  clearings, 
though  gt-ncriilly  found  in  the  neighhourhoo<i  of  some 
running  stream.  I  have  known  this  species  to  build  on 
ledges  of  rock  and  in  a  hollow  tree  overhanging  a  stream, 
in  either  case  constructing  a  rather  loosely  put  together 
nest  of  roots  and  coarse  fibre  with  a  little  green  moss 
intermixed.  The  female  lays  two  to  four  eggs,  and  both 
birds  assist  in  the  incubation. 

"  The  eggs  of  this  s|>ecies  ....  are  broad,  nearly 
regular  ovals,  slightly  compressed  towards  the  les.ser  end, 
considerably  elongated,  and  more  or  less  spherical,  and 
p\Tiform  varieties  occur.  The  shell  is  fine,  and  has  a 
slight  gloss;  the  groundcolour  is  pale  salmon-pink  or 
pinkish  white,  occasionally  greyish  white.  The  whole 
egg  is,  as  a  rule,  finely  speckled,  spotted,  and  splashed 
with  pinkish  brown  or  brownish  pink.     The  markings  ii> 


BLUETHROATS  AND    MAGPIE  ROBINS. 


21 


most  eggs,  everywhere  Very  fine,  arc  often  considerably 
more  dense  at  the  large  end,  where  they  are  not 
unusually  more  or  less  underlaid  by  a  pinkish  cloud, 
with  which  they  form  an  irregular,  ill-defined  and  incon- 
spicuous cap. 

"  At  times,  more  boldly  and  richly  marked  eggs  are 
met  with.  One  now  belore  me  is  everywhere  thickly 
streaked  with  dull  pink,  in  places  purplish,  and  over 
this  is  thinly  but  rather  conspicuously  spotted  and  irregu- 
larly blcitched  (the  blotches  being  small,  however)  with 
light  burnt  sienna  brown. 

"In  length  thev  varv  from  l.lSin.  to  1.48in.,  and  in 
breadth  from  0.92in.  to  lin."     (Vol.  I.,  pp.  124-7.) 

An  exani]>le  of  this  species  first  came  to  the  London 
Zoological  tiardens  in  1876.  Whether  others  have  arrived 
since  I  cannot  say,  but  must  echo  Ur.  Russ's  hope  that 
soo.ier  or  later  they  will  do  so. 

BLUETHROATS  {Cyanccula). 

Dr.  Russ,  perhaps  rightly,  omits  these  birds  from  his 
"  Fremdlandischeu  rftubenviigel."  Of  course,  they  are 
recognised  as  Euroi>e;in  species,  and  the  Arctic  Blue- 
throat  is  admitted  as  a  British  species. 

The  very  rarely  imported  New  Zealand  Robins,  so- 
called,  are  referred  to  the  Chats  by  him.  He  does  not 
mention  the  South  Island  species  (Miro  albifrons),  of 
which  four  examples  were  presented  to  our  Zoological 
Society  in  1893.  but  he  gives  a  very  brief  notice  of  what 
he  calls  the  "Long-legged  Chat"  [Miro  longipes),  a 
specimen  of  which,  ha  tells  us,  was  received  by  the 
Berlin  Zoological  Gardens  in  1896.  He  says  it  is  an 
inconspicuous  bird,  which  in  behaviour,  movements,  and 
song  greatly  re.sembles  our  Robin.  For  descriptions  of 
the  plumage  and  wild  habits  of  these  birds,  should  any 
of  my  readers  ever  be  fortunate  enough  to  possess  them,  I 
must  refer  them  to  Buller's  "  Birds  of  New  Zealand  "  ; 
but  it  is  not  very  probable  that  they  will  need  to  refer 
to  it. 

MAGPIE    ROBINS    (Copsychus). 
Tek  D.wal  (Copsi/chus  saularis). 

The  trivial  name  of  this  bird  has  been  variously  spelt, 
but  I  have  adopted  Dr.  Jerdon's  rendering  as  being  most 
likely  to  be  correct. 

The  entire  head,  neck,  breast,  and  upper  jjarts  of  the 
male  (excepting  the  four  outer  tail-coverts,  which  are 
white)  are  black,  glossed  with  blue  excepting  on  the 
wings.  The  remainder  of  the  under  surface  is  white. 
The  female  is  slate-grey  above  ;  wings  brown  ;  throat 
and  breast  ashy;  abdomen  sandy  brown,  whitish  in  the 
centre.  Young  birds  have  the  upper  parts  brown,  the 
breast  dusky  with  rufous  spotting  ;  bill  and  feet  black  ; 
iris  brown. 

This  species  ranges  over  the  whole  of  India  and 
Ceylon,  and  eastwards  to  Tenasserim,  being  chiefly  met 
with  in  well-wooded  districts.  Jerdon  gives  the  follow- 
ing account  of  its  wild  habits; — -"It  is  generally  seen 
alone  or  in  pairs,  usually  seeks  its  prey  on  the  ground 
from  a  low  perch,  often  hopping  a  few  steps  to  pick 
up  an  insect.  When  it  returns  to  its  perch  it  generally 
elevates  its  tail,  and  oft«n  utters  a  pleasing  warble. 
Though  it  frequently  raises  and  depresses  its  tail,  both 
when  perched  and  on  the  ground,  I  cannot  say  that  I 
have  observed  the  Wagtail-like  flirtation  of  its  tail  noted 
by  Hodgson,  or  that  it  throws  its  tail  back  till  it  nearly 
touches  its  head,  as  Layard  has  seen.  Towards  the 
evening  it  may  often  be  seen  near  the  top  of  some 
tolerably  large  tree,  or  other  elevated  perch,  pouring 
forth  its  song.  I  have  always  found  its  food  to  consist 
of  insects  of  various  kinds,  small  grasshoppers,  beetles. 


worms,  etc.  Hodgson  asserts  that  in  winter  they  like 
unripe  vetches,  and  such  like  ;  but  this  is  quite  opposed 
to  the  usual  habits  of  this  group.  It  breeds  generally 
in  thick  bushes  or  hedges ;  sometimes  in  a  hole  in  a 
bank  or  tree,  and  occasionally  in  a  hole  in  a  wall,  or 
on  the  rafter  of  a  house.  The  nest  is  made  of  roots  and 
grass  ;  and  the  eggs,  four  in  number,  are  bluish  .rhite 
or  jmle  bluish,  with  pale  brown  spots  and  bioiches. 
Layard  says  that  the  eggs  are  bright  blue,  and  Hutton 
that  they  are  carneous  cream  colour,  but  these  ob.servers 
must,  I  think,  have  been  mistaken  in  the  identity  of  the 
o^^^le^  of  the  nest.  TTie  Daj-al  is  often  caged,  as  well 
for  its  song  as  for  its  pugnacious  qualities,  which, 
according  to  iIodgson,are  made  use  of  to  capture  others."' 

Mr.  Hume  observes  ("Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian 
Birds,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  80-81):  "The  Magpie-Robin  breeds 
throughout  India.  Many  resort  during  the  nesting 
season  to  the  Dhoons  and  Terais  that  skirt  the  Hima- 
layas, and  to  the  lower  ranges  of  these  latter,  in  which 
thev  may  be  found  nesting  up  to  an  elevation  of  at  least 
5,060ft.  " 

"  They  lay  from  the  end  of  March  to  quit«  the  end  of 
July,  but  by  far  the  majority  of  eggs  are  to  be  found 
alike  in  hills  and  plains  during  the  latter  half  of  April 
and  May.  .  So  far  as  my  experience  goes — and  I  have 
taken  scores — the  nests  are  invariably  placed  in  holes  in 
trees,  banks,  or  walls,  or  under  the  eaves  of  huts.  I 
have  never  seen  or  personally  heard  of  a  well  attested 
instance  of  their  breeding  in  bushes ;  but  it  is  still 
pretty  certain,  from  what  Captain  Beavan  and  others 


Dayal  Bird. 

have  recorded,  that  they  do,  at  any  rate  occasionally, 
nest  in  such  situations. 

"  In  the  plains  the  nest  is  generally  composed  of 
roots,  grass,  fibres,  and  feathers,  but  in  the  hills  moss 
and  lichens  are  largely  used.  In  shape  the  nest  is 
typically  a  broad,  very  shallow,  loosely-built  saucer, 
some  4in.  or  Sin.  in  diameter,  and  with  a  central  de- 
pression about  an  inch  in  depth;  but  they  vary  much, 
according  to  the  shape  and  size  of  the  cavity  in  which 
they  are  placed.  Some  are  more  regularly  cup-shaped, 
while  many  are  mere  pads.  A  few  small  twigs,  or  a 
few  dead  leaves,  may  at  times  be  found  doing  duty  as 
a  foundation ;  but  whether  placed  there  by  the  bird  or 
deposited  by  the  wind  anterior  to  the  construction  of 
the  nest,  may  be  doubtful.  Five  is  unquestionably  the 
full  complement  of  eggs,  although  once  or  twice  Jl  have 
taken  four  partiall.v  incubated  ones." 

According  to  Hume,  the  eggs  are  greenish,  greenish 
white,  pale  sea-green,  or  pale  slightly  greenish  blue, 
streakilv  blotched  and  mottled  with  different  shades  of 


22 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


brownish  red,  sometimes  thinly,  at  other  times  densely, 
sometimes  forming  a  cap  at  the  larger  end.  Many  of 
them  are  perfect  miniatures  of  eggs  of  Merula  simil- 
lima,  and  recall  varieties  of  those  of  the  English  Black- 
bird. He  concludes  that  they  indicate  affinity  to  the 
typical  Thrushes  and  not  to  the  Wtieatcars,  as  Ur. 
Jerdon  supposed. 

This  species  was  bred  in  our  Zoological  Gardens  a.s 
long  ago  as  ISTo  ;  but  amateurs  have  not  many  oppor- 
tunities of  fullowing  up  this  success,  the  bird  being 
still  very  dear  in  the  market.  Its  treatment  in  captivity 
should  be  much  the  same  as  with  the  Shaina.  It  makes 
a  charming  and  confiding  pet. 

I  believe  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar  is  the  only  private 
successful  breeder  of  the  Dayal  or  Dliyalbird  in  tliis 
country.  The  hen  nested  in  a  bo.\  in  an  indoor  aviary, 
laid  three  eggs,  of  which  two  were  hatched.  These 
were  reared  on  mealworms  and  "clocks,"  but  both  were 
subsequently  killed  by  the  cock  bird.  >Ir.  Farrar  there- 
fore decided  that  in  future  he  would  remove  the  cock 
as  soon  as  the  eggs  were  laid.  (The  Aviriillural 
Magazine,  1st  series.  Vol.  V.,  pp.  146-7.) 

SF.YCHELLE.tN  Dayal  (Copsychus  sechellaruiii). 

Male. — Blue-black,  with  a  white  longitudinal  band 
on  each  wing ;  bill  black ;  eyes  brown ;  feet  black. 
Probable  female  a  trifle  larger  than  the  male.  Habitat, 
Seychelles. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  in  all  probability  similar 
to  those  of  the  Indian  bird.  It  is,  in  its  native  home, 
highly  prized  as  a  .«ong-bird,  and  also  for  fighting  pur- 
poses, according  to  Dr.  Russ.  Hitherto,  our  Ixindon 
Zoological  Gardens  appear  to  have  been  the  only  ones 
to  exhibit  it  to  the  public.  Its  treatment  in  captivity 
would  be  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  C.  saularis. 

SHAMAS   (Ciitocinchi). 

Indi.\x   Shama    (Cillnrinrla  marrura). 

The  upper  parts  of  this  bird  are  glossy  black,  with 
the  exception  of  the  rump,  which  is  white;  the  wings 
have  dull  black  Hights,  the  outer  tail  feathers  are 
tipped  with  white,  the  under  parts  are  rich  chestnut. 
Length,  inclusive  of  tail,  1ft..  but  the  tail  i.s  almos' 
Sin.  in  length.  The  bill  i.s  black,  the  feet  pale  flesh 
colour,  and  the  iride.s  are  dark  brown. 

The  female  is  duller  th:in  the  male,  more  ashy  blaclc ; 
the  flights  with  narrower  pale  borders ;  white  tips  to 
four  outer  tail  feathers  smaller ;  under  surface  dis- 
tinctly paler. 

Occurs  throughout  all  the  uncultivated  jungly  parts 
of  India.     Jerdon   says  of  it:  — 

"  The  Shama  frequents  the  densest  thickets,  and  is 
very  partial  to  thick  bamboo  jungles.  It  is  almost 
always  solitary,  perches  on  low  branches,  and  hops  to 
the  ground  to  secure  a  small  grasshopper  or  other 
insect.  When  alarmed,  it  flies  before  you  from  tree  to 
tree  at  no  great  height.  Its  song  is  chiefly  heard  in 
the  evening,  just  before  and  after  sunset.  It  is  a  most 
gushing  melodv,  of  great  power,  surpassed  by  no 
Indian  bird.  In  confinement  it  imitates  the  notes  of 
other  birds,  and  of  various  animals,  with  ease  and 
accuracy.  It  is  caught  in  great  numbers,  and  caged 
for  its  song.  Many  are  brought  from  the  Nepal  Terai 
to  Monghyr.  rhietly  young  bird's.  It  is  the  practice 
throughout  India  to  cover  the  cages  of  singing  birds 
with  cloth,  and  in  .'ome  places  a  fresh  piece  of  cloth 
is  added  every  year.  The  birds  certainly  sing  away 
readily  when  thus  caged,  but  not  more  so  perhaps 
than  others  freely  exposed.     The  Shama  is  usually  fed 


on  a  paste  made  of  parched  clienna,  mixed  with  the 
yolk  of  hard-boile<l  eggs,  and  it  appears  to  thrive  well 
on  this  diet,  if  a  few  maggots  or  insects  are  given 
occasionally.  It  will  also  eat  pieces  of  raw  meat  in  lieu 
of  insects." 

I  asked  Colonel  C.  T.  Bingham  recently  whether  he 
had  ever  tidcen  eggs  of  the  Shama.  He  replied. 
"Dozens;  the  birds  always  build  in  holes  in  bamboo." 
I  see  that  Hume  mentions  one  of  the  nests  in  his 
"  Xests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  86-7: 
"  On  the  slope  of  a  steep  spur  of  the  east  watershed 
range  of  the  Meplay  river,  in  dense  bamlioa  forest,  I 
found,  on  April  4th,  1878,  a  nest  of  the  above  bird. 
A  Woodpecker  had  made  a  hole  in  a  partially  dry 
wahbo  bamboo  (Bambusa  hraiir/i-^iarta)  of  immense 
girth.  Of  this  the  Shanin  had  taken  advantage,  and 
having  stuffed  up  the  hollow  from  the  next  knot  below 
to  within  3in.  of  the  hole  with  dry  liamljoo  leaves,  had 
above  that  made  a  loose  cup-shaped  nest  of  twigs  and 
roots.  I  was  eating  my  lunch,  seated  on  a  rock  not 
far  from  the  bamboo  in  question,  and  saw  the  female, 
after  making  two  or  three  short  flights  and  baulking 
herself  in  the  direction  of  the  hole,  fimiUv  enter  it...  I 
approached  very  cautiously,  and  stuffing  my  handker- 
chief into  the  entrance  hole  managed  to  secure  eggs 
and  bird.  The  former  were  four  in  number,  slightl.v 
set,  of  an  oily  green  colour,  much  spotted,  sjjeckled,  and 
dashed  with  umber-brown.  Thev  measured  respec- 
tivelv  0.9in.  by  0.62in..  0.87in.  bv  0.62in.,  0.85in.  bv 
0.61in.,  and  0.85  by  0.62in." 

Mr.  Hume  observes  ttiat  this  species  "  is  a  permanent 
resident  of  the  warm  and  well-watered  jungles  of  the 
Peninsula  of  India  and  of  Burma,  but  (he  says)  my  only 
information  in  regard  to  its  nest  and  eggs  is  from 
Tenasserim  and  Pegii."  .  • 

For  many  years  I  had  wished  to  possess  a  Shama,  in 
order  to  study  its  song,  of  which  I  had  only  heard 
scraps  at  bird  shows.  It  was  therefore  with  consider- 
able pleasure  that  I  accepted  Mr.  11.  C.  Heselton's  kind 
offer  to  give  me  a  .-pecimen,  perfect  in  all  respects  ex- 
cepting that  its  toes  were  somewhat  deformed  (one  foot 
has  five  toes,  and  both  hind  claws  are  directed  for- 
ward). This  bird  reached  me  through  the  post  in 
November,  1903,  and  is  still  in  excellent  health. 

The  song  is  rich,  powerful,  and  exceedingly  \-aried. 
As  a  rule,  it  is  continued  in  an  unbroken  changing 
melody  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  th.it  of  the  North 
American  Mocking-bird.  Then  the  bird  will  start  upon 
a  set  phrase  and  repeat  it  over  and  over  again,  with 
a  pause  between  each  utterance.  Oddly  enough, 
whereas  the  full  song  could  only  be  rendered  (if  at  all) 
by  musical  notation,  the  short  repetitions  sound  Vidicu- 
louslv  like  human  word's.  Mv  bird  frequentlv  rejieats 
the  "following:— "What  Willv  !  What  Willv  :  What 
W'illy  I  What  Willy!  What!"tut,  tut!";  "  We  don't 
appear  to,"  the  second  syllable  of  "  appear "  much 
em|)hasised,  and  ".Several  jxiirs  of  puttee!"  These 
sentences  will  be  repeated  until  one  is  almost  weary  of 
them,  and  then  suddenly  there  is  a  change. 

Mr.  Phillipps  bix-d  the  Shama  in  his  garden  aviary 
in  1893,  and  published  an  account  of  his  exjjerience  in 
Vol.  IV.  nf  Thi  Avii  iillural  Mai/aziiir.  1st  series, 
pp.  138-142  (1898)  :  the  young  were  reared  upon  cock- 
roaches, mealworms,  and  gentles. 

CHKSTKTjr-DELUED  Shama  [Citlocinrta  .«i«jri.«). 

Differs  from  the  Indian  bird  in  its  su[ierior  .^ize, 
fhortcr  tail,  the  three  lateral  tail  feathers,  and  the 
outer  portion  of  the  next  pair  quite  whit.?.  Dr.  Russ 
(juoted  Dr.  Sclator  as  saying  that  the  male  hud  a  black 
margin  to  the  base  of  the  inner  webs  of  the  second  and 


THE    INDIAN     SHAMA. 


24 


FOREIGN   BIRDS   FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


third  jxiirs,  this  cliaiacter  being  absent  from  an  un- 
doubted female  in  liis  possession,  which  a.ko  liad  the 
three  outer  pairs  of  tail  feathers  entirely  white,  the 
body  paler  chestnut-brown,  the  plumage  above  more 
dingy,  and  the  size  smaller.     Habitat,  Borneo. 

Russ  gives  no  information  respecting  the  habits  of 
this  Shama,  either  wild  or  in  captivity ;  but  in  The 
Aiiculliiral  Maijazine  for  February,  1898,  the  Rev. 
Hul)ert  p.  Astley  has  given  an  interesting  account  of  a 
Shama  in  his  ]X)ssession,  which,  according  to  Mr. 
Reginald  Phillipps,  is  probably  not  the  ordinary  species, 
but  C.  suori.v.  Mr.  Astley  recommends  that  the  bird 
should  be  fed  upon  Abrahains'  or  some  other  insectivor- 
ous mixture,  fresh  chopped  raw  beef,  meaJworms,  fruit, 
and  insects.  He  also  recommends  a  roomy  cage  and  a 
big  bath. 

Several  owners  of  Shamas  have  insisted  upon  the 
necessity  for  meat  in  some  form,  either  raw  or  c<x>ked. 
for  feeding  them  ;  they  undoubtedly  eat  it  when  offered, 
but  I  know  that  they  do  el^u,^lly  well  without  it,  and 
[  am  not  at  all  siu'e  that  it  is  goi>d  for  them.  I  have 
found  that  butchers'  meat,  given  to  insectivorous  birds 
as  a  regular  article  of  diet,  is  apt  to  scour  them  badly. 
A  very  little  now  and  again  may  be  beneficial,  by  acting 
as  a  mild  purgative  ;  and  if  for  weeks  together  I  am 
unable  to  get  either  fur  or  feather  for  my  Jays,  and 
consequently  tliink  it  well  to  mince  up  a  little  raw  beef 
for  them,  I  generally  give  my  other  soft-food  eaters  a 
taste,   but  not  otherwise. 

Of  cour.-e  a  loomy  cage  and  daily  bath  are  necessary 
to  the  health  and  condition  of  Shamas  ;  without  both 
they  soon  become  ragged,  dirty,  and  unhealthy,  are  a 
misery  to  themselves,  and  give  no  satisfaction  to  their 
owner.  The  man  who  cannot  accommodate  one  of  these 
delightful  birds  with  a  2-ft.  long  cage  has  no  buisiness 
to  try  to  keep  it.  unless  lie  likes  to  leave  the  door  open 
and  let  the  bird  please  it,«elf  as  to  whether  it  will  roost 
inside  or  out.  My  bird  on  one  occasion  liad  his  door 
left  open  accidentally  for  hours,  but  never  took  the 
trouble  to  leave  the  cage. 

BLUEBIRDS  (Sialia). 

CoMMOX  Bi.iiFiiiKD  OK  Hi  UE  Robin  {Sialia  siali-s). 

The  colour  of  the  cock  lilue  Robin  above  is  bright 
lazuline  blue,  including  the  greater  part  of  the  wings 
and  the  tail;  the  checks  are  duller;  the  under  parts 
are  bright  reddish  chocolate,  with  the  centre  of  the 
abdomen,  vent,  and  under  tail-coverbi  white;  tail 
b.-low  bluish  grey ;  tips  of  flights  above  blackish, 
tho.se  of  inner  secondaries  fringed  with  brown;  tail 
feathers  above  slightly  blackish  at  the  tips;  bill  and 
feet  black.  The  hen  is  duller,  and  tinged  with  brown 
on  the  head  and  )>eak.  The  young  bird  has  the  head 
and  beak  of  a  brownish  ash  colour,  the  feathers 
nartly  streaked  with  white  ;  under  parts  mostly  white, 
out  the  throat  and  breast  greyish,  streaked  and 
spotted  with  a  (lee|)er  shade.  The  young  bird  attains 
its  adult  plumage  at  the  first  moult,  but  the  bill  shows 
greater  baal  width,  and  is  shorter  than  in  either 
j)arent ;  probably  that  of  male  birds  does  not  attain 
to  the  sleiiderness  and  length  of  fully  adult  cocks 
until  the  end  of  its  second  ycsar.* 

The  Bluebird  inhabits  the  Kastern  United  States, 
its  ranie  extending  westward  as  far  as  Fort  Laramie, 
Milk  River,  northward  to  Lake  Winnipeg,  and  ifouth- 
ward  to  Bermuda  and  Cuba,   though   it  is   rare   in   the 

•  ThH  apparent  inconstnncv  in  the  prop*»rtion8  -">(  the  hill  in  full, 
coloured  bkiiiB  hni*  led  gcicntitfc  ornithologists  to  ilnubt  the  vnlue  ot 
the  form  of  the  bill  ns  n  seiual  dii^tiiic'ioii,  but  all  broad-billed  mates 
will  be  found  to  be  small ;  they  are  binUof  the  year. 


latter  island.  It  is  generally  seen  paired  in  the  spring, 
busily  turning  over  leaves,  examining-  trunks  or 
branches  of  trees,  or  jjosts  or  fences,  in  search  of 
insects,  esj^cially  small  beetles,  though  it  also  feeds 
on  caterpillars  and  winged  insects  of  many  kinds.  In 
the  autumn,  when  insects  are  scarce,  it  lives  largely 
upon  berries  and  small  fruits. 

The  song,  as  already  mentioned,  oonsiits  of  a  low, 
soft,  but  not  unpleasant  warbling;  the  call-note  is 
plaintive,  and  usually  consists  of  a  duplicated  eoft 
whistle. 

The  natural  site  for  the  nest  of  the  Bluebird  is  a 
hole  in  a  tree  (in  which  respect  it  resembles  our 
Robin),  but  it  readily  takes  possession  of  a  box  hung 
up  for  its  u.se  by  its  American  admirers.  There  is  not 
the  least  trouble  in  getting  the  Bluebird  to  breed  in 
cai)tivity.  a  box  of  the  cigar-box  pattern,  with  one 
half  of  the  lid  cut  off  and  the  other  fastened  down, 
being  preferred  to  any  other  receptacle  for  the  eggs. 
In  its  wild  state  this  species  constructs  its  nest  of  fine 
grass,  sedges,  leaves,  feathers,  hair,  or  other  soft 
materials  loosely  put  together. 

The  number  of  eggs  deposited  varies  from  three  to 
five,  or  even  sometimes  six;    these  are  dull  blue,  some- 


HE.\I)  of  BLUEUUtD. 


Kills  of  Male  and 
Female  Blackbirds. 


what  like  that  of  the  Wheat-ear.  but  rather  shorter,  and 
deeper  in  colour.  Three  broods  are  naturally  produced 
in  a  year,  and  I  have  had  three  nests  of  eggs  in  one 
year  in  an  aviary.  Incubation  lasts  thirteen  days,  but 
as  the  parents  feed  the  youn^  almost  wholly  on  insects 
(which  they  swallow  and  disgorge  again,  whilst  the 
young  are  delicate  and  unfeatheredl  the  task  of  pro- 
viding for  the  wants  of  even  one  youngster  in  an 
indoor  aviary  is  no  light  task,  as  I  found  to  my  cost. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar,  of  York- 
shire, who  used  to  keep  his  birds  in  large  natural  open- 
air  aviaries  throtighout  the  year,  bred  ]51ue  Robins 
freely  and  without  difficidty.  It  is  curious,  as  Mr. 
Farrar  also  observes,  that  the  recklessness  with  which 
the  hen  Bluebird  leaves  her  eggs  when  sitting  dees 
not  interfere  with  their  hatching ;  for  whenever  the 
male  bird  brings  her  an  insect  she  goes  off  her  nest 
to  swallow  it,  yet  the  eggs  almost  invariably  hatch  at 
the  right  time.  I  have  had  several  youngsters  partly 
reared,  although  only  one  examjile  in  my  aviaries  ever 
lived  to  attain   its  adult   jilumage. 

I  bred  the  Blue  Robin  in  June,  1890,  and  published 
the  following  account  in  The  Xnnlngisi  for  April,  1891, 
pp.  154  6:  — 

■'  My  Blue  Robins  made  friends  early  in  June,  the 
rock  bird  giving  even.'  inect  he  got  hold  of  to  the 
hen  to  induce  her  to  receive  his  attentions  ;  the  hen 
was  very  cuv,  and  refused  his  advances  until  the  end 
of  the  first  fortnight.     The  pairing  was  a  noisy  affair. 


BLUEBIRDS. 


25 


as  the  cock  bird  kept  up  an  incessant  shrieking  noise, 
with  his  body  elongated  and  his  bcjik  turned  up  to 
the  ceiliii";  for  fully  half  an  hour  beforehaiul  and  for 
quite  ten  minutes  a-fterwaj'ds.  On  Sunday,  the  15th 
of  the  month,  the  hen  spent  the  whole  day  in  carrying 
up  hay  to  a  lar^e  deep  box  nailed  against  the  wall  ne^r 
the  ceiling,  and  on  the  surface  of  this  she  formed  a 
saucer-shaped  depression,  in  which  shortly  afterwards 
she  laid  three  eggs.  Whilst  sitting  she  was  fed  by  the 
cock  bird,  but  whenever  he  gave  her  an  insect  she  in- 


slightly  damped.  I  also  gave  them  small  earthworms 
mixed  with  garden  mould  in  a  large  saucer,  spiders  of 
all  sizes  in  quantity,  flies,  butterflies,  motlis,  chrysalides, 
caterpillars,  a  few  mealworms,  and  beetles.  One  point 
in  the  feeding  which  I  have  not  ^een  recorded  interested 
me  greatly.  It  is  well  known  to  all  breeders  of  both 
British  and  foreign  Finches  that  they  always  feed  one 
anotlier  and  their  young  from  the  crop ;  they  never 
give  them  food  which  is  not  partially  digested,  so  that 
the  young  are  fed  not  only  on  vegetable  or  insect  food, 


Bluehikds  ok  Bluk    Robins. 


variably  left  the  nest  to  eat  it.  In  thirteen  days  the 
eggs  hatched,  and  two  days  later  two  of  the  young 
birds  were  carried  out  dead,  and  dropfwd  upon  the  floor 
at  some  distance  fi'om  the  nest ;  the  third  bird  was 
safely  reared,  and  moulted  into  his  adult  plumage 
towards  the  end  of  August.  The  staple  food  which  I 
prepared  for  my  Blue  Robins,  and  upon  which  they 
I)artly  fed  their  young  one,  was  a  mixture  of  ci-umbled 
stale  bread  (two  parts),  Abrahams'  insectivorous  birds' 
food  (one  part),  prepared  yolk  of  egg  (one  part),  dried 
ants'  eiiijs  (one  iiart).  and  grocers'  currants  (one  i>art),* 

•  Groiers"  currants  sliould  not  be  given  ;   tliey  may  possibly  nave 
caused  the  death  of  the  two  young  which  died  in  the  nest. 


but  upon  half-digested  and  softened  seeds;  but  it  was 
quite  a  new  fact  to  me  that  soft-billed  birds  prepared 
.  food  for  their  young.  Indeed,  I  know  that  our  Robin, 
Blackcap,  and  in  fact  our  warblers  generally,  Thrushes 
of  all  kinds.  Starlings,  and  Tits,  merely  crush  or  break 
up  the  worms  or  insects  with  which  they  feed  their 
young.  In  the  case  of  the  Tits  this  does  not  apjiear 
to  be  done,  or,  if  fo,  only  in  the  privacy  of  the  nesting 
hole.  My  Bluebirds,  however,  generally  crushed  the 
food,  and  invariably  swallowed  it,  disgorging  and 
swallowing  several  times  before  giving  it  to  the  young 
bird.  If  half  a  dozen  house  flies  were  given  they  would 
frequently   swallow   the   whole,    and    give   them    to   the 


36 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


young  bird  in  one  mouthful.  The  first  time  that  1 
observed  the  old  birds  .swallowing  the  insects  put  into 
the  aviary  for  the  benefit  of  the  young  one,  I  felt  much 
annoyed,  as  it  wa*  not  e;isy  work  to  keep  up  a  supply  of 
insect  food,  even  in  the  summer,  in  the  suburbs  of 
Ixindon  ;  but  presently  I  saw  a  convulsive  movement  in 
the  throat,  and  the  in;ects  reappeared  in  the  beaks  ot 
the  parent  birds,  each  of  which  in  turn  earned  the 
food  to  the  nestling.  The  young  bird  left  the  nest  when 
twenty-three  days  old.  I  had  been  led  to  suppose  that 
he  would  resemble  the  hen,  but,  in  addition  to  his 
greatly  inferior  size  and  sjx>tted  breast,  he  was  alto- 
gether of  a  far  more  cinereous  tint.  In  about  eight  or 
ten  days  he  was  perfectly  able  to  feed  himself,  and  the 
parents  then  absolutely  disregarded  all  his  cries  for 
food." 

I  found  that  my  birds  were  unable  to  [Kiss  the  winter 
in  an  outdoor  aviary  without  shelter  ;  two  Small  shelters 
were  provided,  which  were  taken  possession  of  by  the 
parents,  but  the  young  bird,  having  no  snuggery,  died  on 
the  night  of  Det^mber  9th,  and  upon  a  post-mortem 
examination  being  made  it  was  found  that  his  liver  and 
spleen  were  covered  with  tubercle. 

Dr.  Euss  in  his  big  work  on  cage-birds  includes  cer- 
tain species  of  what  he  calls  wood-singers,  apparently 
Mniolillidce  (a  family  related  to  our  Warblers),  which  he 
says  are  kept  as  cage-birds  in  the  United  States  ;  but 
it  seems  to  me  that  if  all  birds  kept  in  cages  in  their 
native  countries  are  to  be  recorded  as  recognised  cage- 
birds  there  will  be  no  limit  to  their  number ;  therefore, 
until  these  birds  are  freely  imported  into  the  Briti.sh 
Isles,  we  must  ignore  them. 

WARBLERS  {Sykiinm). 

Bush-Warblers     {Cetlia). 

Japanese  Bush-W.uibler  (Ccttia  cantans). 

Above  dull  olive-brown,  below  greyish  white.  Habitat, 
Southern  Japan,  visiting  Yezzo  in  the  summer ;  also 
Loo-Choo  Islands. 

Seebohm  says  of  this  species : — "  In  its  habits  it 
evidently  resembles  its  European  representative,  Cetti's 
Warbler,  being  found  along  the  banks  of  streams  and 
in  brush  heaps.  It  utters  a  harsh,  scolding  note  when 
disturbed,  and  has  a  Wren-like  habit  of  cocking  its  tail 
over  its  back.  (Jouy,  Proc.  Un.  States  Nat  Mus  , 
1883,  p.  283.) 

Blakiston  and  Pryer  state  that  it  is  a  favourite  cage- 
bird  with  the  Japanese,  who  value  it  for  its  song,  which 
is  not  extensive,  though  the  few  notes  are  sweet.  [The 
Ihi.",  1878,  p.  237.) 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  in  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 


MOCKING-BIRDS    (Mimince). 

Typical    Mocking=birds   (Mimus). 

ConrMON  Mocking-bird  (Miriius  poUjglotlux). 

This  graceful  bird  is  of  about  the  size  of  an  English 

Song  Tlirush,  but  its  longer  bill,  legs,  and  tail  give  it 

more   nearly   the    aspect    of    a    Wagtail.     Above    it    is 

ashy    brown    in    colour,  .  the    feathers    having   darker 

centres;    the    under    parts    are     white     slightly     tinted 

with   brownish,   excepting    on    the   chin,    and  "with    an 

ashy  thade   across  the  breast ;  there  is  a  pale  eyebrow 

stripe,    but   the   lores   are  dusky ;    the   wings   are   dark 

brown,  almost   black,   with   the   exception  of  the   less-er 

wingcoverts,    which    are   coloured    like    the    back :    the 

middle  and    greater    coverts    are    tipped    with    white. 


forming  two  bands  ;  the  basal  portion  of  the  primaries 
IS  white,  this  colour  extending  on  the  inner  ones;  the 
tail  is  blackish  brown,  with  the  outer  feathers  white, 
sometimes  a  little  mottled ;  the  second  mostly  white, 
excepting  on  the  outer  web  and  towards  the  base,  th© 
thir<l  with  white  terminal  spot ;  the  remainder  except- 
ing the  central  pair  sometimes  very  slightly  tipped  with 
white;  the  bill  and  legs  are  black.  1  he  range  of  this 
species  extends  over  North  America,  from  about 
4U  degrees,  southward  to  Mexico,  and  perhaps  to  Cuba. 
A  warm  climate  and  low-lying  country  near  the  sea 
appear  to  be  preferred  by  it.  The  food  of  the  Mocking- 
bird consists  chiefly  of  insects  in  all  stages,  spiders, 
worms,  etc.,  and  in  the  winter  of  l)erries  of  the  red 
cedar,  myrtle,  holly,  etc.  ;  it  is  very  expert  at  catching 
insects  on  the  wing.  In  cultivated  districts  it  is  very 
destructive  to  grapes,  of  which  it  is  extremely  fond, 
an<i  consequently  great  numljers  of  these  charming 
birds  fall  every  year  to  the  gun  of  the  fruit-grower. 
The  natural  song  of  the  Mocking-bird,  as  well  as  its 
imitative  power,  exceed  (according  to  Ridgway)  those 
of  any  other  species,  its  voice  being  full,  powerful, 
musical,  and  capable  of  almost  endless  variety  of 
modulation.  "The  wild  scream  of  the  Eagle  and  the 
soft  notes  of  the  Blue-bird  are  repeated  with  exact- 
ness, and  apparently  with  equal  facility."  The  natural 
song  is  bold,  and  uttered  with  rapidity.  The  time  of 
nidification  varies,  according  to  locality,  from  March 
to  June.  The  nest  is  constructed  with  a  basal  plat- 
form of  coarse  sticks,  frequently  armed  with  large 
thorns ;  its  height  is  usually  five  inches,  its  diameter 
eight  inches,  the  egg  cavity  five  inches  wide,  and 
three  inches  deep.  The  inner  nest  is  formed  of  fine 
soft  roots.  The  eggs  number  from  four  to  six,  usually 
of  a  light  greenish  blue,  but  varying  in  depth  of 
colour,  with  yellowisli  brown,  purple,  chocolate,  russet, 
and  black-brown  markings.  The  nest  is  rarely  more 
than  seven  feet  from  the  ground,  and  is  placed  either 
in  a  solitary  thorn  bush,  a  dense  bramble  thicket,  an 
orange  tree,  or  holly  bush.  In  confinement  this  bird 
is  usually  fed  on  a  mixture  of  potato  and  egg,  but  I 
give  my  usual  mixture  of  breadcrumbs,  biscuit,  egg, 
ants'  eggs,  and  "  Century  Food,"  a  mealworm  or  two 
every  day  may  be  given,  but  caterpillars  or  spiders  are 
more  relished.  I  purchased  a  Mocking-bird  from  Mr. 
Abrahams  early  in  1892,  and  for  nearly  two  years  1 
kept  him  in  a  <age,  where  he  got  so  abominably  dirty 
that,  although  from  time  to  time  he  sang  a  little,  he 
was  evidently  not  happy,  and  always  looked  disrepu- 
table ;  therefore  in  tlie  spring  of  1894  I  turned  him  into 
an  aviary  with  two  English  Starlings  and  a  pair  of  half- 
collared "  Turtle  Doves.  In  The  Fcat/iered  World  for 
April  5th,  1895,  I  gave  the  following  account  6f  the 
result : — 

"  An  aviary  is  certainly  the  place  for  a  Mocking- 
bird, but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  he  is  essen- 
tially by  nature  a  mischievous  fellow,  fond  of  practical 
jokes,  and  therefore  a  perfietual  source  of  annoyance 
to  all  the  other  inhabitants  of  his  domain.  He  sits 
quietly  on  a  branch  observant  of  all  around  him,  look- 
ing not  unlike  a  huge,  dusky  Wagtail.  Presently,  a 
hungry  Starling  or  Dove  flics  down  to  the  food-pan  ; 
but  before  it  has  swallowed  a  mouthful,  silently  and 
lightly  as  a  flake  of  snow,  but  with  the  rapidity  of  an 
arrow  shot  from  a  bow,  the  Mocking  bird  is  upon  him, 
usually  scaring  him  away  by  the  very  suddenness  of 
his  advent. 

"  The  flight  of  this  bird  is  one  of  its  greatest  charms,  it 
i.s  so  wonderfully  easy  and  graceful.  He  seems  to  be 
able  to  pause  in  the  air  almost  with  closed  wings,  to 
turn  almost  head  over  heels  without  the  least  effort, 
and  without  a  single  clumsy  action  ;  but  his  song — 
well,  it  is  only  second   to  that  of  our  Nightingale,  not 


CAT   BIRDS   AND   MOCK-THRUSHES. 


so  powerful  or   to  plaintive,   but  it   really  is   beautiful 

wlu-ii  lie  inukes  up  hi.s  mind  to  sit  down  to  it." 

My  l>ir<l  lit'gan  t<i  sing  properly  on  Munh  27tli,  1895, 
and  from  that  time  forward  lie  was  one  of  the  greatest 
attractions  of  my  collection.  His  song  was  a  continuous 
musical  entertiiinment,  consisting  of  parts  of  the  tongs 
and  calls  of  the  Song  Thrush,  Blackbird,  Virginian 
Cardinal,  Linnet,  Tientsin  Lark,  Oxeye  Tit.  and  even 
the  distant  cawing  of  the  Rook,  so  charmingly  com- 
niinj'led  that  the  whole  had  a  mcst  pleasing  effect  upon 
the  listener. 

I  was  unfortunate  enough  to  lose  my  first  bird  ahout 
1896,  and  for  three  or  four  years  1  wa.s  without  a 
specimen  of  this  prince  of  songsters  ;  then  a  lady  wrote 
from  Paris,  saying  thiit  she  was  about  to  travel  and 
wishixi  to  find  a  home  for  her  pet  Mocking-bird  ana  a 
pied  Hhirkbird,  the  former  an  old  friend,  and  asking 
if  I  wiJiiUl  have  them.  Of  cour.se,  I  gratefully  accepted, 
as  I  had  two  large  cages  vacant.  The  Blackbird  did 
not  live  long,  but  the  Mocking-bird  is  ttill  in  full  song, 
though  evidently  now  a  very  old  bird  with  terribly 
crippled  claws  ;  he  was  by  no  means  a  young  bird  when 
he  came  into  my  hands,  and  six  or  seven  years  make  a 
difference  when  a  bird  is  on  the  down-grade.  'I'his  bira 
is  a  fine  singer,  but  does  not  approach  his  predecessor 
for  variety  of  execution,  nor  does  he  mimic  so  accurately 
the  songs  of  the  birds  around  him.  but  the  Thrush  and 
Blackbird  are  well  represented  in  his  performance,  i 
fancy  the  Thrush-like  commencement  of  a  Mocking- 
bird's song  must  be  natural  to  it.  The  species  wao 
bred  by  Mr.  Farrar  in  1901. 

S.\TrRXi.\K   MoCKiNCJ  BIRD    iMimif   mturinnni:}. 

Upper  surface  brownish-grey,  wit'i  fawn-whiti.'^h  lores 
and  eyebrow  stripe ;  ear-coverts  blackish ;  feathers  of 
I>ack  with  darker  centres  and  pale  margins;  l>i'nd  ot 
wing  white  ;  all  the  wing-coverts  with  yellowish  ashy 
borders;  flights  clear  grey  below;  outermost  tail 
feathers  ■white  tipped  ;  whole  under  surface  yellowish 
ash,  the  throat  whiter;  flank  fe.ithers  with  dark  sliaft 
streaks;  bill  biowiiisli  horn  grey;  eyes  brown;  feet 
greyish  brown.  According  to  Burmeitter  the  ma.le 
may  W  distinguished  by  a,  noticeable  iiisty  vfilowish 
tint,  especially  on  the  under  surface,  and  much 
narrower,  more  i>ointed  tail  feathe.TS  with  longer  white 
tips.  The  gromid  colour  of  the  femile  is  greyer,  and 
the  form  of  the  tail  featheis  more  obtuse.  The  young 
bird,  according  to  von  Pelzeln,  shows  broad  paJe  red- 
dish borders  to  the  feathers  of  the  middle 
and  lower  back,  pale  rust-coloured  borders  <o 
the  wing  coverts,  and  strongly-spotted  under  sur- 
face. The  egg  is  greenish,  with  rust-red  spots, 
mast  dense  at  the  small  end,  according  to  Burmeister. 
Habitat,  Campos  of  Inner  Brazil,  not  rare  at  Lagoa 
Santa.  According  to  Burmeister.  tliis  species  runs 
much  on  the  earth,  and  thereby  acquires  quite  a  red- 
disli  yellow  abdomen,  due  to  the  loamy  dust  adhering 
to  it;  the  tail  feathers  also  are  usually  dirty  and  worn. 
The  in  St  is  built  in  bushes  on  the  Campos,  ajid  contains 
four  to  five  eggs. 

Fockelmann,  of  Hamburg,  sa;»-B  that  there  are  some 
admirable  songsters  among  these  Campos  Mocking 
Birds,  and  theiefore.  as  Dr.  Russ  says,  it  is  the  more 
to  be  regretted  that  they  are  so  rare  in  the  market. 
Thj  prcstnt  &i>ecies  ha.s  appeared  twice  in  the  list  of  our 
Zcologiial  Societ}-,  but  has  not  yet  reached  the 
Amsterdam  Gardens.  At  a  great  exhibition  of  the 
Xatural  Histon-  Society  at  St.  Galkn,  in  1878,  a  single 
specimen  was  offered  at  the  price  of  sixty  francs.* 

*  Nnss  describes  the  Leaden-grey  Mockiiig-bird  (Mimufi  liriduf) 
from  Urnzil,  and  saya  that  it  has  only  been  brought  home  twice  :  by 
Pi'ince  Ferdinind  of  Bu'garia  on  his  return  from  Brazil ;  and  one 
example  c;  roe  also  to  the  Amsterdam  Gardens. 


CAT    BIRDS   (Galeoseoptes). 

Amkhkan    C.\t    Bird    (Oaleoscojtles    carolinemis). 

Upper  surface  slate  grey  ;  crown  and  nape  brownish 
to  deep  black;  wing  coverts  black  brown  with  leaden 
grey  borders,  a  large  white  patch  on  the  w  ings ;  tail 
feathers  black,  the  two  outermost  white- bordered  at  the 
tips  or  wholly  white,  the  .-econd  pair  usually  white- 
KiKitted  on  both  sides;  Ixxly  below  clear  ash  grey,  the 
feathers  of  the  sides  tipped  with  leaden  grey  ;  throat 
clear  grey  or  whitish  ;  under  tail  covei-ts  bright  chest- 
nut brown  ;  bill  black ;  eyes  dark  brown  to  yellow ; 
feet  greenish  to  blackish  brown.  Feniide  rather 
en;aller,  the  white  patch  <m  the  underside  of  the  wing 
biualler  and  duller,  and  the  while  on  the  outer  tail 
feathers  more  restricted.  Young  distinctly  brown  grey 
above,  below  with  dark  spots.  Habitat,  Northern 
States  of  North  America,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  but  commonett  in  the  Kasteni  States;  it  ranges 
noithwaids  into  Canada  and  south-westwards  to  Texas. 

In  his  work  on  the  "Land  Birds  of  California"  (1870), 
speaking  of  this  species  as  cuminon  on  the  Columbia 
river,  J.  CI.  ttooper  says :—"  There,  as  elsewhere,  it 
inhabits  low  thickets  or  detached  bushes,  making  its 
nest  of  strips  of  bark,  twigs,  roots,  and  such  odd  scraps 
as  bits  of  rag,  snake  skin,  newspaper,  etc.  The  eggs 
are  four  or  five,  and  of  a  deep  emerald  green,  without 
sp:>ts.  Their  food  consists  of  insects,  worms,  fru'ts, 
and  berries.  The  ordinary  call  note  re.'iemblts  the  mew 
of  a  cat,  but  it  has  a  very  agreeable  song,  in  some 
respects  imitating  the  notes  of  other  birds." 

Dr.  Russ  fills  page  after  pnge  with  descriptions  of  this 
bird  and  its  song,  but  the  above  gives  all  neces-sarj- 
inforniation  as  to  its  wild  life. 

In  The  Avicultural  Maqazuie,  1st  series.  Vol.  8, 
pp.  226-8  and  285-7,  the  Rev'.  C.  D.  Farrar  has  given  an 
acoount  of  his  success  in  breeding  Cat  Birds  in  cap- 
tivity:—"An  old  Blackbird's  nest  was  pulled  to 
pieces,  and  with  these  materials  the  hen  built  in  a 
bush.  The  net  was  beautifully  conslnicted  in  three 
days,  and  three  eggs  were  laid  (which  Mr.  Farrar 
describes  as  exactly  ref^emb'.ing  those  of  the  Hedge 
Sparrow  in  colour) ;  the  eggs  began  to  hatch  in 
about  twelve  days,  but  the  young  of  that  nest  all  died. 
About  a  week  later  the  hen  repaired  the  nest,  and 
was  soon  laying  again  ;  three  eggs  were  deposited,  of 
which  two  were  hatched  and  were  succe.ssfully  reared. 
They  left  the  nes-t  when  about  thirteen  days'  old  full 
fledged,  excepting  for  the  lack  of  tails."  Mr.  Farrar 
say.^  they  can  onlv  be  reared  upon  living  insect  food  ;  he 
does  not  say  -whether  he  tried  the  parents  with  carth- 
wotms;  but  judging  from  my  experience  of  the  various 
Thrushes,  both  wild  and  in  captivity.  I  should  imagine 
that  the.^e  would  have  been  acceptable. 


MOCK=THRUSHES. 

Browx  Mock-Thrtsh  (Ilarpurhynchus  rufus). 

Male  above  yellowish  to  clear  brownish  red  ;  head  and 
sides  of  neck  "clear  reddish  yellow;  lores  and  eyebrow- 
stripe  deeper  yellowish  red  ;  a  moustachial  stripe  from 
the  lower  mandible  formed  of  the  characteristic  Thrush- 
like triangular  spots;  wings  rust-rsd,  with  one  darker 
and  two  Tighter  transverse  bands  ;  flights  brown,  with 
darker  margins  to  the  inner  webs  ;  miildle  and  greater 
coverts  with  the  outer  portions  brownish  black,  and  a 
terminal  yellowish  white  spot  (forming  the  two  pale 
bands)  ;  under  wing-coverts  reddish  brown  ;  tail-feathers 
washed  with  the  same  colour,  but  tipped  with  whiti.=h; 


28 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


a  spot  on  lower  mandible;  threat,  middle  of  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts  white  ;  remainder  of  under  surface 
more  reddish  ;  throat,  breast,  and  sides  with  dark  brown 
shaft-siKjts ;  bill  black,  under-niaiidible  paler ;  eyes 
brilliant  yellow  ;  feet  dull  flesh-coloured.  The  female  is 
generally  of  a  duller  oo'our.  Young  birds  resembling 
the  old,  but  frequently  with  darker  streaking  on  the 
back.  Habitat,  Eastern  North  America  to  Missouri  ; 
and,  according  to  Nehrling,  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains. 

Though  an  inhabitant  of  dense  forests,  this  bird 
is  said  to  be  nervous  of  mankind ;  it  delights  in 
woods  with  thick  undergrowth,  amongst  which  it 
seeks  for  food  upoti  the  ground.  It  rarely  flies 
to  the  top  of  high  trees  to  sing,  like  many  other 
Thrushes,  but  seems  to  prefer  open  bush.  It  is  chiefly 
insectivorous,  but  at  times  feeds  on  berries,  wild  cherries 
and  the  like. 

Net  being  a  gregarious  species,  the  Brown  Mock- 
Thrush  or  "  Thrasher,"  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  is 
usually  met  with  singly  or  in  p.%irs,  though  ocoasionally 
in  small  flocks  (perhaps  family  partias). 

At  the  beginning  of  October  it  migrates  southwards 
in  this  f.ishion  to  the  southern  States  bounding  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  In  Texas,  especially,  it  passes  the  winter 
in  considerable  numbers.  Its  nesting  season  begins 
towards  the  end  of  May,  the  site  for  the  nest  being 
generally  some  thorny  bush  ;  both  sexes  assist  in  the  con- 
struction, which  occupies  about  four  or  five  days.  It  is 
generally  placed  upon  a  foundation  of  coarse  twigs, 
stalks,  and  fibres,  or  a  heap  of  dead  leaves,  and  is  con- 
structed of  grasses,  stalks,  bents  a.id  leaves  mixed  with 
clay,  and  lined  with  finer  grasses.  The  clutch  consists 
of  four,  sometimes  five,  eggs,  which  are  incubated  by  the 
hen  alone  for  from  thirteen  to  fourteen  days,  the  "cock 
keeping  guard. 

The  song  of  this  species  is  highly  praised,  and  great 
trouble  has  been  taken  to  render  it  into  words.  Dr. 
Kuss  has  about  three  lines  devoted  to  part  of  the  song ; 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  in  the  case  of  a  Mocking  Bird, 
the  song  of  which  must  necessarUy  vary  considerably  in 
individuals,  it  is  of  little  use  to  write  down  the  utter- 
ances of  a  single  specimen.  It  is  often  heard  from  fairly 
high  up  in  a  tree,  or  even  from  the  top  of  a  telegraph 
post,  sitting  perfectly  still  without  changing  position 
or  indulging  in  the  marvellous  leaps  and  movements 
characteristic  of  the  ordinary  Mocking  Bird  or  Cat 
Bird. 

This  is  a  rarely  imported  species,  but  the  German 
dealers,  ^chobel  and  Reiche,  have  occasionally  received 
single  examples.  It  has  found  its  way  to  our  Zoological 
Gardens,  to  those  of  Amsterdam,  .and  to  the  Berlin 
Aquarium.  Captain  Beelitz,  of  Leipsic,  and  Dr.  Golz 
have  also  kept  specimens  in  cages. 

Respecting  the  White-eyed  Mock-Thrush  (Cichlhcr- 
minia  dcnsiroslrix),  a  specimen  of  which  was  presented 
to  our  Lo.ndon  Zoological  Gardens  in  1885,  I  think  I  need 
take  no  notice  ;  it  is  so  rare  as  a  cage-bird  that  even 
Dr.  Kuss  (who  mentions  many  species  which  have  not 
yet  come  to  hand,  but  which  he  thinks  likely  to  be 
imported)  takes  no  notice  whatever  of  it.  It  inhabits 
the  Antilles. 

TAolhrix  and  M<>>ia,  which,  to  my  mind,  show  distinct 
indications  of  relationship  to  theAccentors(^cccji(orimi) 
are  referred  in  the  Zoological  Society's  list  to  the  Tits 
(/  aridm)  ;  in  the  British  Museum  "  Catalogue  of  Birds  " 
they  do  not  stand  very  far  from  Accentor,  being  only 
separated  by  one  small  genus.  I  .Oiall  therefore  con:"- 
mence  the  next  group  with  Liolhrix. 


CHAPTER  III. 


TIT^LIKE    BIRDS   {Parida). 

Accentorine  Tits  (Ltotricfiina:)  * 

Thk  Pkki.v  Nighting.vle    {Liolhrix  luleus). 

The    Red-billed    Liothrix    is    not    only    one    of    the 

most  beautiful,  most  lively,  and  yet  most  confiding  of 

cage-birds,    but  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  finest  of 

foreign    songsters.      Those    who   speak   disparagingly   of 

the  musical   capacity   of   Liothrix   have   certainly   never 

heard  a  good  one ;    perhaps  have  never  heard   anything 


Head  and  Bills  of  Pekin  Nightingale. 

beyond  the  short  phrase  which  is  the  male  bird's  answer 
to  the  female  call-note.  I  have  had  alt-ogetlier  some 
thirty -eight  to  forty,  so  that  I  am  in  a  position  to  speak 
authoritatively  on   this   point. 

The  general  colour  of  the  upper  surface  in  this  bird 
is  olive-green ;  the  forehead  and  crown  are  tinged 
with  yellow,  and  the  longer  tail-coverts  ar«  tipped 
with  white;  the  middle  pair  of  tail-feathers  and  the 
outer  webs  of  the  remainder  are  black,  the  iunsr  webs 
brown  ;  primaries  edged  with  yellow,  which  in  all  but 
the  two  outermost  ones  is  replaced  by  vermilion 
towards  the  base ;  secondaries  glistening  blue-black, 
with  a  patch  of  saflfron-yellow  near  the  base  of  the 
outer  web  of  each;  lores  and  space  inclosing  eye  form 
an  elliptical  yellow  patch,  in  .young  birds  this  j)atch 
is  only  represented  by  a  greyish  zone  round  the  eye  ; 
ear-coverts  silver-grey;  a  mouetachial  streak,  blackish 
at  the  base,  but  shading  into  smoky  olivaceous,  and 
expanding  on  each  side  of  the  throat  ;  chin  and  throat 
bright  golden-yellow,  deepening  into  orange  on  the  front 
of  the  breast ;  remainder  of  under  parts  with  thS  centre 
yellowish,  fading  to  whitish,  and  becoming  pure  white 
on  the  under  taif-coverts  ;  the  sides  ash-grey,  washed 
on  the  breast  with  olivaceous.  The  bill  in  young  birds 
is  oringe-ochreous,  but  in  adults  is  coral -red.  sometimes 
blackish  at  bate  of  upper  mandible,  and  yellowish 
round  the  edges  of  the  subterminal  notch ;"  the  feet 
flesh  coloured   or  rose-reddish ;    the   iris   brown. 

I  have  always  found  the  female  of  this  species  very 
difficult  to  distinguish  from  the  male,  owing  to  the 
great  variation  which  exists  in  different  individuals  of 
that  (-ex ;  the  differences  which  I  gave  in  "  Foreign 
Bird-Keeping,"  p.  12,  for  the  most  part  do  not  hold 
good  with  the  larger  and  more  briirhtly-coloured  hens. 
Of  course,  a  bird  with  gravel-red  inste'ad  of  vermilion 
on  the  outer  edge  of  the  primaries,  with  pale  yellow 
chin  and  throat  and  duller  bill,  is  sure  to  be  a  female; 
but  there  are  females  nearly,  if  not  quite,  as   large  as 

•  According  to   some   ornithologists   thesa  birds    belonK  to  the 
CraUropodida. 


/^'Mm^^' 


'W^>y 


30 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


males,  which  cannot  be  distinguished  by  these  charac- 
teristics. The  oiilv  difference  which  appears  to  be 
constiiit,  apart  from  the  song,  is  the  bright  yellow 
elliptical  patch  enclosing  the  eye  of  the  male,  which 
in  the  female  is  either  ashy  or  creamy-whitish.  This 
seems  to  me  likely  to  be  the  character  by  which  the 
birds  recognise  one  another's  t:ex  ;  but  the  made  always 
answers  the  monotonous  call  ■not.;'  of  the  female  by  a 
short    song   of    from    seven    to    nine    syllables. 

Tlie  Liothrix  inhabits  the  Himalayas  at  an  elevation 
of   from  5.00O  to  8,000    ft.,   and   from   Simla   it   pas^es 
eastward  to  China.     With  such  a  range  the  trivial  name 
Pekin    Nightingale    convejs    a    false    impression  ;     but 
it    is   in    3uch   general    use   that   it   is   of    little    use   to 
protest    against    it.     In    its   native  haunts   this  si)ecies 
usually    frequents    dense   thickets    and    the    underwood 
which"  springs  up  in  the  cleared  parts  of  the  forest,  and 
is  usually  seen  in  parties  of  five  or  .'ix  individuals.     It 
is  naturally   a   shy   bird,   usually    avoiding   obs-jrvation, 
and  therefore  the"  facility   with   which  it  b?comes  tame 
and   learns   to   tly    to  its  owner  for  mealworni.s   in   the 
aviarv    is    the   more   remarkable.      Its    food    consists    of 
fruits",     berries,     seeds,     and     insects.       According     to 
scientific  writers,  its  call-note  is  a  chattering  sound,  but 
tJiis    is    a   mistake.     The   chattering   is   a    sign   of   dis- 
pleasure either  at  being  disturbed  or  at  missing  some 
favourite   article  of   food.      A   net   introduced    into   the 
aviary,  or  a  new  bird,  the   failure  to  give  a  mealworm 
or   spider  when  it  was   exjiecled,  will   all   produce  this 
form  of  bad   language,   in    which   both   sexes   will   join 
■with  equal  vigour.     Naturally,  this  bird   builds  a  cup- 
shaped    nest   of   mo^s   and   dry    leaves,    bound    together 
with  grass  and   roots,   in  some  leafy  bush   at  no  great 
height"  from  the   ground.      From    descriptions   given    in 
Hume's   "  Nests   and   Eggs   of   Indian    Birds,"    it   would 
seem   that   the  nest  is   generally  deep,   and  is  fixed    in 
a    fork   and    attached   to   three   or   four   of   the    slender 
prongs   or   twigs.      In    the    aviary    it   will    either   build 
in  a  bush  or  a  cigar  nest-box.     It  generally  lays  three 
eggs,  rarely   four,  of    a    pale    green    tint,   ^polled  and 
otherwise  "marked    with    red,    purple,    and    brown,    and 
incubation   lasts  about   thirteen   days.     The   Liothrix   is 
very    fond    of    bathing,    and    therefore    every    facility 
sho"uld    be   provided    for   this    healthful    amusement,    in 
which  I  have  seen  mv  birds  indulge  at  short  intervals 
thrrm-'hout    the    dav  "during    the    hot    weather.      With 
regard   to  food,   the   more   variety   the  better,   whether 
as  a   mi.\ture  or  separately  ;    banana.-;,   oranges,   or  seed 
will   be   eaten    greedily,    boiled   rice   sparingly,    poUto, 
dry    bread-crumbs,    egg-food,    and    ants'    eggs    freely, 
grated    carrot   with    less    fatisfaction,    insects    greedily. 
Mr.  Keulemans,  who  bred  this  species  in  a  conservatory, 
told  me  that  as  soon  as  the  young  left  the   nest  there 
was    a   general    battle,    in    which   both    old   and   young 
pecked    out   one    another's   eyes,    so   that   the    majority 
were  maimed.     This  «cems  a  curious  thing,  considering 
that    many    pairs    may    be    frequently    seen    living    in 
amity  ;    neither  Dr.  Russ  nor  Herr  Wiener  appear  to 
have  had  such  an  experience. 

Once  or  twice  my  birds  have  carried  a  little  nesting 
material  into  a  box,  but  have  made  no  further  attempt 
at  breeding.  As  a  rule,  however,  I  have  not  found  the 
hens  anything  like  so  long-lived  as  the  cocks,  althougli 
two  which  I  still  possess  as  I  write  have  already  been 
in  my  possession  for  about  seven  years,  and  look  like 
living  some  time  yet.  My  first  male  Pekin  Nightinga.le 
died  early  in  1898,  haviiig  been  in  my  possession  for 
upwards  "of  ten  years.  I  lost  my  second  male  on  the 
oiK-ning  day  of  the  Crystal  Palace  Bird  Show  in  the 
same  year."  He  was  in  perfect  plumage,  and  singing 
loudly    to    within    half-an-hour    of    his    death,    which 


resulted  from  disease  of  the  heart,  all  his  other  organs 

being  perfectly  healthy.  Without  exception,  this  was 
the  finest  songster  which  I  ever  jiossessed,  its  ringing 
Hute-like  notes  being  clearly  audible  all  over  the  house. 
One  of  this  bird's  phrase*  sounded  exactly  like  "  Here's 
your  ginger-beer  here,  Teddy;  50  it  is  (ierty";  but 
more  fi'ef|uently  he  stopped  at  "  so  it  is,"  and  sometimes 
he  rattled  on  into  a  much  longer  but  untranslatable 
song.  By  repeating  the  words  to  this  bird  I  could 
almost  always  get  him  to  .«ing  them,  much  to  the 
amusement  and  delight  of  visitors.  He,  however,  had 
another  more  varied,  fuller,  and  longer  song,  which 
I  could  only  induce  him  to  sing  when  I  wanted  it  by 
repeating  the  monotonous  and  almost  metallic  hen- 
call  in  the  usual  high  ntte,  and  then  whistling  it  a 
little   lower. 

The  song  of  the  Liothrix  more  nearly  resembles  that 
of  the  Blackcap  than  of  any  other  British  bird,  but  it 
is  more  rapid,  and  fretiuently  quite  a*,  loud  as  that  ol 
the  Blackbird.  When  in  full  form,  this  bird  will  sing 
almost  incessantly  for  hours  together;  but  at  other 
times,  if  it  hears  the  call  of  tlie  hen,  it  will  repeat  one 
or  other  of  its  usual  brief  answers — "  Choo,  chon ; 
achoo}/,  tdc/ioo"  :  or  ''f'hon,  chno  :  achoo;/,  chooy ;  chi'O- 
ehon" ;  both  of  which,  from  the  measured  manner  in 
which  they  are  uttered,  can  be  at  once  recognised  as 
mere  musical  calls,  utterly  apart  from  the  full  joyous 
warbling  of  the   species. 

Under  the  name  of  Linl/iri.r  Dr.  Russ  gives  descrip- 
tions of  Sivrt  ryanurnptfra,  Mf-^ia  arqrntauri^,  Minln 
igTiitlnrfii,  Siffi])(ini-'<  ruManirepi^^  JAnjifiruf^  rhri/ateu.^, 
and  J'ro/ianix  vini pcrtw!,  of  which  only  the  first  two 
have  been  imported  as  cage-birds  :  this  is  catering  for 
a  future  generation  with  a  vengeance. 

Silver-eared  Mesia  {Mesin  arganlauris). 

Male. — Head  black  ;  forehead,  chin,  and  throat  golden 
cadmium  yellow  ;  ear  coverts  silky-white  ;  nape  golden 
cadmium  yellow  shading  into  the  green  of  the  middle- 
back  ;  remainder  of  back,  wing-coverts,  and  greater  part 
of  inner  half  of  wing  olive-green  or  greenish-slate; 
primaries  internally  similar,  but  externally  golden- 
cadmium,  fading  into  clearer  yellow  and  with  a  con- 
spicuous crimson  patch  at  the  base ;  upper  and  under 
tail-coverts  crimson  ;  tail  olive-greenish,  with  the 
lateral  feathers  yellow  externally ;  breast  brilliant 
golden  yellow,  continuous  with  that  of  the  throat: 
abdomen  olivaceous;  bill  bright  yellow;  feet  flesh 
vellow ;  iris  of  eye  (according  to  Jerdon,  brown)  as 
figured  by  Mr.  Gronvold  from  living  examples,  yellow. 
The  female  has  the  forehead  yellower,  less^  orange,  and 
the  upper  and  under  tail-coverts  orange  instead  of 
crimson  (as  pointed  out  bv  Hodu.^on.  but  contradicted 
by  Jerdonl.  Hab.  "  Eastern  Himalayas,  throughout 
the  hills  of  North-Eastern  Bengal  and  Burmah  to  Ten- 
asserim."     (Brit.  Mus.    Cat.  VII.,  p.  645.) 

The  following  notes  on  the  nesting  of  this  species  are 
from  Gates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs,"  Vol. 
I.,  p.  160: — "According  to  Mr.  H<:dgson's  notes,  the 
Silver-eared  Mesia  breeds  in  the  lowlands  of  Nepal, 
laying  in  May  and  June.  The  nest  is  placed  in  a 
bushy  tree,  between  two  or  three  thin  twigs,  to  which 
it  is  attached.  It  i-i  composed  of  dry  bamboo  and  other 
leaves,  thin  grass-roots  and  moss,  and  is  lined  inside 
with  fine  roots.  Three  or  four  eggs  are  laid  ;  one  of 
theee  is  figured  as  a  broad  oval,  much  pointed  towards 
one  end,  measuring  0.8  by  0.6,  having  a  pale  green 
ground  with  a  few  brownifh-red  specks,  and  a  close 
circle  of  sjKits  of  the  same  colour  round  the  large  end." 

"From  Sikhim,  Mr.  Gammie  writes: — 'I  have  taken 
about  half   a   dozen   nests  of   this   bird.     They   closely 


SILVER  EAKED  MESIAS. 


31 


i-eaenible  those  of  Liolhrix  lutea  in  size  and  structure, 
and  are  similarly  situated,  but  instead  of  having  the 
egg  cavity  lined  with  dark-coloured  material,  as  that 
species  has,  all  I  found  had  light-colourod  linings;  such 
was  even  the  case  with  one  nest  I  found  within  three 
or  four  yards  of  a  nest  of  the  other  species." 
"  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number.' " 
"  Other  eggs  found  by  Mr.  Gammie  correspond  with 
tho.-o  given  me  by  Dr.  Jeidon.  They  are  as  like  the 
eggs  of  L.  lutea  as  they  cm  possibly  be,  and  if  there  is 


Phillipps's  possession  went  to  nest  five  times  in  his 
giii'den  aviary,  nearly,  but  never  quite  successfully  rear- 
ing young.  He  has  published  a  most  interesting  account  of 
his  exi)erience,  illustrated  by  a  beautiful  coloured  plate 
of  the  two  birds  and  an  uncolourod  plate  of  nests 
and  egg,  in  77ic  Arirultiinil  Mai/aziiu-,  2nd  serie.«. 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  379-390,  and  Vol.  II.,  pp.  36-45.  The  young 
of  the  first  nest  were  fed  from  the  crop  on  mealworms, 
small  cockroaches,  and  wasp-grubs,  and  Mr.  Phillipps 
thinks  that  "a  garden  of  earwigs,  wuodlice,  ants,  etc.. 


BLU£-\VINGEU  Siv.vs. 


any  difference,  it  consists  in  the  markings  of  the  present 
species  being  as  a  body  smaller  and  more  speckled  than 
those  of  L.  lutea." 

"The  six  eggs  that  I  have  vary  in  length  from  0.82  to 
0.9,  and  in  breadth  from  0.6  to  0.65." 

In  its  general  habits,  its  confiding  nature,  its  call-note 
and  scolding-note  or  note  of  alarm,  this  bird  is  remark- 
ably like  L.  lutea.  On  several  occasions  I  watched  a 
pair  in  Mr.  8eth-Smith's  aviaries,  and  was  much  struck 
by  the  similarity  in  the  behaviour  of  the  two  sp'Scies. 
Its  song,  however,  is  very  inferior,  consisting  only  of 
five  or  six  notes ;  these  are  clear  and  musical,  but 
rather  pall  upon  one  when  frequently  repeated;  yet 
the  bird  is  so  beautiful  and  trustful  that  one  can  for- 
give it  its  lack  of  musical  ability. 

In  1903  a  pair  of  Silver-eared  Mesias  in  Mr.  Reginald 


would  be  of  priceless  value  when  such  a  species  as  the 
Mesia  has  to  be  reared." 

A  young  bird  which  died  after  leaving  the  nest  was 
forwarded  by  Mr.  Phillipps  to  Mr.  Frank  Finn,  who  has 
described  it  as  follows: — "The  general  hue  above  is 
smoky  drab,  with  a  well-marked  black  cap ;  the  ear- 
coyerts  are  silver-grey  as  in  the  adult  ilesia,  and  the 
quills  have  light  outside  borderings,  dirty  creiim-colour 
on  the  early  primaries,  passing  into  ochre  yellow  on  the 
secondaries.  The  smoky  drab  colour  extends  on  to  the 
breast  and  flanks,  but  the  throat  and  centre  of  the  abdo- 
men are  dull  cream-colour,  the  throat  verging  slightly 
on  yellow.  There  is  a  slight  wash  of  olive-green  on  the 
back  of  the  neck.  .Such  little  of  the  tail-featherinc  as 
has  grown  is  dull  black  like  the  inner  webs  of  the 
quills.     The  under  tail-coverts  are  dull  brick-red.     The 


32 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


bill  is  dull  flesh-cclour,  horny  at  the  tip  and  gape,  and 
the  legs,  feet,  and  <laws  dull  Hesh-coloured  also.  The 
iris  has  apparently  been  brown." 

As  Mr.  Gates  says  that  the  young  bird  has  the  crown 
yellowish  at  first,  Mr.  Finn  is  inclined  to  conclude  that 
this  character  is  variable,  but  Mr.  Phillipps  thinks  it 
possible  that  the  difference  of  colour  in  the  young  may 
be  sexual,  and  this   certainly  seems  probable. 

The  Silver-eared  Mesia  is  rarely  imported,  and  there- 
fore commands  a  high  price. 

Bute-winged  Siva  {Siva  ci/anuroptera). 

"Above  yellowish-brown,  passing  to  blue-grey  towards 
the  head,   which  is   blue,   and   rufescent  on  the  rump  ; 


"  This  very  pleasingly-plumaged  Leiothrix  is  found  in  the 
Himalayas  from  Nepal  to  Bootan,  and  also  in  the  hills 
of  Assam.  It  is  comniim  near  Darjeeling,  from  3,000  to 
6,000  feet,  and  has  similar  manners  to  the  last,  bsing 
found  in  considerable  flocks,  with  a  hurried  and  lively 
manner,  flying  from  tree  to  tree,  alighting  about  the 
middle,  and  then  hopping  and  climbing  up  to  the  top- 
most branches,  huntdng  for  minute  insects  with  a  lively 
chirru])."     ("  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II..  n.  254.) 

In  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Egge  of 
Indian  Birds"  we  read: — "The  Blue-winged  Siva 
breeds,  according  to  Mr.  Hodgson's  notes,  in  the 
central  regions  of  Nepal,  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Darjeeling,  in   May  and  June.     The  nest  is  placed  in 


Red-sided  Tit.s. 


visible  portion  of  the  closed  wing  and  tail  cobalt-blue; 
the  secondaries,  tertials,  and  tail  tipped  with  white,  and 
the  outer  tail  feathers  white  internally ;  beneath 
whitish,  with  a  reddish-lake  tinge,  fulvescent  on  the 
flanks  ;  under  tail-coverts  pure  white,  forehead  with  a 
few  faint  black  streaks.  Bill  dusky  yellow ;  legs 
fleshy  ;   irides  brown." — Jerdon. 

No  sexual  distinction  has  been  indicated,  but  that  it 
exists  seems  probable  from  the  fact  that  in  1877  Karl 
Jamrach  sent  Dr.  Russ  what  he  regarded  as  a  pair  ;  un- 
fortunately, they  arrived  dead,  so  that  the  German 
aviculturist  was  unable  to  point  out  the  differences  (he 
probably    returned   them   promptly).     Jerdon    observes : 


trees,  at  no  great  elevation  above  the  ground,  and  is 
wedged  in  where  three  or  four  slender  twi^s  make  a 
convenient  fork.  A  nest  taken  on  June  2nd  was  a 
large  compact  cup,  measuring  exteriorly  4.75  in 
diameter  and  3  75  in  height,  and  having  a  cavity 
2.6  in  diameter  and  1.87  in  depth.  It  wa.s  composed 
of  fine  stems  of  grass,  dry  leaves,  moss,  and  moss- 
roots,  bound  together  with  pieces  of  creepers,  roots, 
and  vegetable  fibres,  and  closely  lined  with  fine  grass- 
roots. They  lay  from  three  to  four  eggs,  which  are 
figured  as  moderately  broad  ovals,  considerably  pointed 
towards  the  small  end,  0.85  in  length  by  0.6  in  width, 
having  a  pale  greenish  ground  pretty  thickly  speckled 


TRUE  TITMICE. 


33 


and  spotted,  especially  on  the  broader  'half  of  the  egg, 
■with  a  kind  of  brownish  brick  red." 

"  The  nests  of  this  si)ecies  are  very  beautiful  cups, 
very  compact  and  firm,  sometimee  wedged  into  a  fork, 
but  more  commonly  siis|)ended  between  two  or  three 
twigs,  or  sometimes  attat-lied  bv  one  side  only  to  a  single 
twig.  They  are  placed  at  hoights  of  from  4  to  10 
feet  from  the  ground  in  the  branches  of  slender  trees, 
and  are  usually  carefully  concesUed,  places  completely 
encircled  by  creepers  being  very  frequeJitly  chosen. 
Th«  chief  materials  of  the  neet  are  dead  leaves,  scune- 
times  tliose  of  the  bamboo,  but  more  generally  those  of 
trees;  but  little  of  this  is  seen,  as  the  exterior  Is 
generaMy  coated  with  moss,  and  the  inteiior  is  lined 
first  with  excessively  tine  graf*,  and  then  more  or  less 
thinly  -with   black  buffalo  or  horse  hairs." 

An  interesting  article  on  this  species,  illustrated  by 
a  coloured  plate,  appeared  in  The  Avuullural  Maga- 
zine, 1st  series.  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  243-245,  from  the 
pen  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper,  a  gentleman  to  whom 
English  avicuJturists  are  andebted  for  a  knowledge  of 
many  of  the  rarer  Indian  birds. 

Mr.  Harper  regards  the  TAotrirhinw  as  more  nearly 
related  to  the  Babblers  than  the  Tits,  and  in  this 
opinion  Mr.  Finn  agrees  with  him.  I  daresay  they  are 
right,  but  I  am  following  the  order  of  the  list  of  the 
Zoological  Society,  which,  rightly  or  wrongly,  places 
them  -with  the  Tcts. 

True  Titmice  (Parvs). 

AzCKE  Titmouse  [I'arus  cyaneus). 

Male — Head,  tiroat  and  under  parts  generally  snow- 
white  ;  a  deep  blue  streak  from  bill  through  eye  to 
naipe,  joining  a  second  broader  streak  from  nape  at 
back  of  ear -coverts  ;  upper  surface  beautiful  azure  blue, 
deepest  on  shoulders,  middle  of  wings  and  tail ;  clear 
blue  on  middle  of  back  and  upper  tail-coverts,  tihe  latter 
feithers  with  white  'borders ;  greater  wing-coverts 
white  ;  secondaries  broadly  white-tipped,  primaries  and 
tail  feathers  externally  white-edged ;  a  central  dark 
blue  longitudinal  streak  down  the  breast ;  bill  greyish 
horn-brown ;  feet  leaden  grey,  iris  dajk  brown. 
Female — Sm^aller  and  duller  in  colouring  ;  top  of  he;id 
grey-whitish;  streak  from  najie  behind  ear -coverts 
narrower ;  breaet-streak  much  reduced  or  wanting ; 
under  parts  less  purely  white,  grey-bluish.  Young  with 
a  greenish  tint  over  the  blue  colouring,  under  surface 
dirty-whjte,  inclining  to  yellowish  ;  crown  marked  with 
a  deep  ash-grey  circle  ;  nape  and  eyebrow  stripe  white, 
band  on  neck  grey.  Hab.,  North-eastern  Europe  and 
North  Asia.  Like  our  British  Tits,  this  species  nests 
in  holes  in  the  branches  of  trees,  more-  especially 
willows,  more  rarely  in  deserted  Woodpeckers'  holes ; 
the  nest,  whioh  is  formed  on  the  rotten  wood,  consists 
of  the  hair  of  hares  and  squirrels  felted  together,  among 
which  a  few  thin  grass-stems  are  mingled.  The  olutoh 
consists  of  ten  or  eleven  eggs  ;  the  young  have  been 
known  to  leave  the  nest  as  early  as  June  llth. 

The  food  of  this  Tit,  like  those  of  other  species, 
consists  of  all  kinds  of  insects,  seeds,  and  the  kernels 
of  various  berries,  the  fleshy  part  being  rejected. 

In  th3  Ofiederle  Welt  for  1880  Dr.  E.  Schatz 
gives  an  account  of  two  males  of  this  lovely  species 
which,  contrary  to  what  has  been  asserted,  retained 
their  britrht  colouring  throughout  a  cold  winter  in  a 
cage.  He  kept  two  pairs  in  a  large  aviary  with 
numerous  other  birds,  especially  Finohes  and  Warblers. 
He  says  that,  like  the  other  Tits,  they  were  so  fond  of 
bathing  that  as  fast  as  fresh  water  was  placed  in  the 
pan  they  would  be  in  it  splashing  about  until  they 
looked  quite  black  with  the  moisture.     Their  contidin- 


behaviour  and  charming  colouring  rendered  them  % 
great  source  of  pleasure  to  their  owner. 

Mr.  A.  Kohlsohein  almost  induced  this  species  to 
go  to  nest  in  captivity;  they  carried  building  materials 
into  the  nesting-place  and  then  fetched  them  all  out 
agajn  ;  the  female  sc«med  especially  anxious  to  breed  ; 
but,  owing,  as  he  supjwses,  to  the  proper  insect-food 
not   being   available,   they   gave   it    up. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that,  when  first  imjiorted,  this  Tit  ic 
very  delicate  ;  but  with  careful  attention  in  acclimatis- 
ing it,   it  becomes  vigorous  and  long-lived. 

Red-sided  Titmouse   (Farus  varius). 

Male — Top  of  head  deep  glossy  black  with  a  broad 
isabeUine  yellow  frontal  band;  a  narrower  streak  from 
the  middle  of  crown  to  n.^pe  yellowish-white;  a  broac 
band  from  the  bill  along  eaoh  side  of  the  head  bright 
isabedline  yellow;  nape-stripe  black;  a  broad  bind 
from  the  bill,  above  the  throat  to  nape,  black  ;  entire 
upper  surface  bluish  ash-grey;  flights  below  slightly 
paler  grey ;  under  wing-coverts  whitish  ;  tail  below 
imidh  as  above  ;  body  below  go  Id  en -brown,  ohestnut  on 
the  flanks ;  bill  black,  feet  bright  blue,  eyes  black. 
The  female  has  the  band  at  the  side  of  the  head  much 
paler,  as  well  ;is  the  streak  on  the  crown  and  the  middle 
of  upper  brea.«t  and  abdomen.     Hab.,  Japan  and  t'orea. 

In  Seebohm's  "  Birds  of  the  Japanese  Empire,"  p. 
86,  are  the  following  notes  on  this  species: — "The 
Japanese  Tit  is  supposed  to  be  only  a  summer  visitor 
to  Yezzo,  whence  there  is  an  e.^cvimple  in  the  Swinboe 
collection  obtained  bv  Captain  Blakiston  at  Hakodadi 
in  April  (Swinhoe.  The  Ibu,  1874,  p.  155)  ;  but  it  is  a 
resident  in  Hondo,  whence  there  are  four  examples 
from  Yokohama  in  the  Pryer  coUectiom.  "  It  has 
occurred  in  February  in  the  Corean  Peninsula,  but  it 
is  not  known  whether  it  breeds  there  or  not."  (Tacza- 
nowski,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc,  1887,  p.  604.) 

"  It  is  a  favourite  cage-bird  with  the  Japanese.  Its 
note  is  de>x;ribed  as  resembling  that  of  the  Little  Woodi 
pecker.  Like  the  other  Tits  it  frequents  the  pines.  buB 
it  is  much  less  sociable  and  is  generally  seen  alone  op 
in  pairs."  (Jouy,  Proc.  L'nited  States,  Nat.  Mus.,  1883, 
p.  287.) 

According  to  Russ  this  species  has  only  twice  been 
imported  into  Europe  (but  he  seems  to  have  overlooked 
the  English  Zoological  Gardens) ;  first  in  1869  it  reached 
the  Zoologioal  Gardens  of  Amsterdam,  and  then,  in  the 
.spring  of  1894,  four  paii-s  were  received  bj-  Miss  Hagen- 
beck  of  Hamburg.  Of  the  latter.  Dr.  Russ  secured  a 
pair,  and  a  second  pair  was  purchased  for  the  Zoological 
Gardens  of  Berlin. 

Dr.  Russ  fed  his  pair  upon  a  soft  food  consisting  of 
dried  ants'  eggs,  graled  carrot,  breadcrumbs,  hard- 
boiled  egg,  and  a  little  crushed  hemp  ;  upon  this  he  says 
they  thrive  remarkablv  well.  Although  at  fir^t  they 
would  not  touch  any  other  kind  of  food  and  would  not 
even  accept  mealworms,  they  gradually  began  to  take 
many  kinds  of  food.  The  kernels  of  the  most  diverse 
seeds  were  extracted,  also  the  mealworm  or  some  other 
insect — a  little  beetle,  bluebottle  fly,  etc.  Fruit,  chopped 
apple  as  also  cherries,  thev  took  no  notice  of;  yet 
Dr.  Russ  says  he  has  seen  it  pick  up  a  cherry  stone, 
the  fruit  of  which  had  been  eaten  by  another  bird,  and 
hammer  awav  at  it  with  the  object  of  getting  at  the 
kernel  ;  but  he  cannot  say  whether  it  ever  succeeded  in 
doing  this  ;  he  however  Inter  observed  this  Tit  crack- 
ing open  the  seed  of  the  large  sunflower. 

As  this  pair  carried  a  lot  of  nesting-material  into  a 
Hartz  cage  and  sat  therein  continually,  he  imagined 
that  he  was  going  to  breed  the  .species ;  but  one  fine 
day  thev  bundled  the  whole  lot  on  to  the  floor,  and  so 
disap]K>inted  his  hopes. 


34 


rOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


WAGTAILS   AND   ALLIES  {MotaciUidce). 

PiKD   Gralli.na   {Grallina   australis). 

Jet  black;  head,  tliroat,  upper  breast  and  ba«;k 
clossed  with  blue;  the  fii-st  tiifjhts  and  Uil  with 
LTfenish;  an  eyebrow  stripe  and  a  spat  un  each  side  ot 
the  neck  pure  white;  wiiigis  with  a  longitudiiKil  white 
stripe;  second  primary  white  tipped;  rump  upper 
tail-coverts  and  under  wing-ccvei-tis  white ;  Uil  white 
at  base  and  lip;  lower  breast,  sides,  abdomen,  and 
under  taJl-coverts  white ;  bill  yellowish  white ;  feet 
black;  iris  straw  vcUow.  The  female  may  be  distin- 
Huished  by  its  white  forehead,  loras,  and  chin. 
Hab.,  Australia.  .      „     , ,     , 

Speaking  of  examples  of  this  species  Gould  observes  : 
— ■■  Those  that  came  under  mv  "h.servation  in  New 
South  Wales  frequented  alluvial  flats,  sides  of  creeks 
aud  rivulets. 

■•  Few  of  the  Australi;m  birds  are  more  attractive  or 
mart,  elegant  aiid  graceful  in  (their)  actions,  and  these, 
txjmbined  with  its  tame  and  familiar  disposition,  must 
ever  obtain  for  it  the  friendship  and  pi-otection  of  the 
settlers  whose  venuid;dis  and  housetops  it  LX>nstunUy 
visits,  runnini;  aloni^  the  latter  like  the  Pied  WagUil 
of  our  own  Island.  Gilbert  staU>s  that  in  Western 
Australia  he  observed  it  congregated  in  large  families 
0;i  the  banks  and  muddy  tints  of  the  lakes  around 
Perth,  while  in  the  interior  he  only  met  with  it  in 
!Jairs,'or  at  most  in  small  group.s  of  not  more  than  four 
or  five  together;  he  fuither  observes,  that  at  Port 
EEsingto5i,°on  the  north  co.ist,  it  would  seem  to  be 
onlv  an  occasional  visitant,  for  on  his  arrival  there  in 
July  it  wa,s  tolerablv  abundant  round  the  lakes  and 
Bwamps,  but  from  the  setting  in  of  the  rainy  season 
ia  November  to  his  leaving  that  part  of  the  country 
in  the  following  March  not  an  individual  was  to  be 
seen;  it  is  evident  therefore  that  the  bird  removes 
from  one  locility  to  another  according  to  the  season 
and  the  more  or  less  abundance  of  its  peculiar  food. 
I  believe  it  feeds  solely  upon  insects  and  their  larvae, 
particukrlv  grasshopjiers  and  coleoptera. 

"The  flight  of  the  Pied  Giallin.i  is  very  i)eculiar— 
unlike  that  of  any  other  Australian  biid  that  came 
nnder  my  notice— "and  is  performed  in  a  straight  line 
with  a  heavv  Happing  motion  of  the  wings. 

"  Its  natural  note  is  a  peculurly  shrill  whining 
■whistle  often  repeated.  It  breeds  in  October  and 
November.  ,. 

"  The  nest  is  from  Sin.  to  6'.n.  in  breadth,  and  Jin 
in  depth,  and  is  formed  of  soft  mud,  which,  sooii 
becoming  hard  and  eolid  upon  exposure  to  the  atim - 
sphere,  has  precisely  the  appearance  of  a  massive  clay- 
coloured  earthenware  vessel ;  and  as  if  to  attract  notice, 
Uiis  singular  structure  is  generally  placed  on  some  bare 
horizontal  branch,  often  on  the  one  most  exposed  to 
view,  sometimes  overhanging  water,  and  at  others  in 
the  open  forest.  The  c>)lour  of  the  iie.st  varies  with  tihat 
of  the  material  of  whith  it  is  fi>rined  ;  sometimes  the 
clay  or  mud  is  sutflciently  tenacious  to  be  used  without 
any  other  material  :  in  "those  situations  where  no  mud 
orclay  is  to  be  obtained,  it  is  constructed  of  black  or 
broMTi  mould  :  but  the  bird,  appearing  to  be  aware  that 
this  substance  will  not  hold  together  for  want  of  the 
adhesive  qualitv  of  the  cliy,  mixes  with  it  a  great 
<^uantitv  of  drie<l  gra.ss,  .«talks,  etc.,  and  thus  forms  a 
firm  and  hard  exterior,  the  inside  of  wliiih  is  slightly 
lined  with  dried  grasses  and  a  few  feathers.  The  egus 
differ  considerably  in  colour  and  in  shape,  some  being 
extremely  hngtliened.  -ivhile  othere  bear  a  relative 
proportion;  the  ground-colour  of  some  is  a  he:iulifnl 
piiiirl  white,  of  others  a  very  pale  buff;  their  markings 
(Jso  differ  considerably  in  form  and  disposition,  being 


in  some  instances  wholly   coniined  to  the  larger  end, 

in  others  distributed  over  the  whole  of  the  surface,  but 
always  inclined  to  form  a  zone  at  the  larger  end  ;  in 
some  these  markings  are  of  a  deep  chestnut-red,  in 
otheis  light  red,  intermingled  with  large  clouded  six>ts 
of  grey  appearing  as  if  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
sliell.  The  eggs  are  gener:illy  four,  but  sometimes  only 
two  in  number ;  their  average  length  is  one  inch  and 
three  lines,  and  their  breadth  nine  lines." 

A  pair  of  these  graceful  birdo  reached  our  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1863 :  but  for  some  reason  or  other  they  seem 
to  be  rarely  imported. 

CHAPTER  rV. 


BULBULS   (Pijcncnolidce). 

These  birds  hive  always  been  great  favourites  ot 
mine  ;  but  when  I  first  took  up  the  study  of  foreign 
birds  thev  were  always  so  expensive  that  I  hesitated 
to  purchase  them.  Eventually,  I  had  one  given  to  me, 
and  was  much  delighted  with  its  tameness,  and  the 
ease  with  which  it  could  be  kept  and  fed  ;  indeed,  I 
received  so  much  satisfaction  from  the  study  of  this 
bird,   that   when   a   specimen  of   another   species   was 


HE.\D  of   I!KI)-VENT£D   Bulbul 

offered  to  me,  at  what  I  should  now  consider  a  very 
high  price.  I  did  not  hesitate  to  purchase  it.  Sub- 
sequently I  bought  a  pair  of  a  third  sjiecies  for  just  a 
third  of  the  ccst  of  my  tecond   Bulbul. 

Bulbuls  are  n.iturally  chiefly  frugivorous  and  in- 
sectivorous, but, in  confinement  they  readily  take  to 
the  usual  soft  food  mixtures,  and  will  even  live  for  a 
considerable  time  ujxin  st;ile  breadcrumbs,  eg":,  and 
grated  carrot,  with  a  little  fruit  and  c'hopi)ed  lettuce 
or  rape  seedlings  for  a  change  ;  but  to  keep  them  iu 
full  he.ilth  and  song  plenty  of  fruit  dail.v  is  a  necessit.v. 
E:ich  bird  ivill  consume  dail.v  a  quarter  of  an  orange 
and  an  inch  of  banana  or  the  efjuivalent  in  other  soft 
fruit,  suth  as  pear,  sweet  ai)ple,  strawberries,  ripe  tigs, 
or  something  of  that  kind.  I  have  not  found  them 
at  all  eager  for  grape.s— fruit  in  which  some  insecti- 
vorous birds  greatly  delight. 

Black  Bulhul  {Pt/rnnndtus  pygceus). 
Also  called  the  "Bengal  Hed-vented  Bulbul";  it  is 
in  fact,  only  one  of  the  local  races  of  the  Red-vented 
sjwcies;  the.ie  forms.  thou,'h  kept  distinct  in  scientific 
works,  are  admitted  to  jnss  one  into  the  other.  In  the 
present  form  llie  head,  najie  and  back  of  neck,  the  chin, 
throat,    and    breist   are   glossy   black ;    the  ear-coverts 


BULBULS. 


35 


rich  glossy  brown  ;  from  the  back  of  neck  dark  smoky 
bro\™,  ed^'eU  with  ashy,  which  is  the  colour  of  the 
rump;'  upjier  tail-coverts  whit*  ;  tail  browTiish  black, 
tipped  with  while  exeeptiny;  the  two  central  feathers; 
winns  colmirod  like  the  back;  the  shoulders  and  wing- 
coverts  e<li;ed  with  whitish,  below  from  the  breast 
backwaa-<Is  dark  brown  edged  witli  ashy  and  merging 
into  ush  c-olour  on  the  lower  alHlumen  ;  vent  and  under 
tail-coverts  rich  crimson;  bill  and  legs  black;  iris  of 
eye  brown;  length  8Jin.  The  lilack  Rulbul  iidiabits 
"the  lower  ranges  of  the  Hinialiiyas  from  Kum.um  to 
the  head  of  the  Assam  valley,  Oudh,  Northern  Behar, 
Bengal  east  of  the  longitude  of  Uui'dwan,  Assxm  and 
its  hill  ranges,  Dacca,  Cachar,  Tipperah,"  and  has 
been  seen  from  Manipur. — Oates.     It  breeds  from  April 


a  common  |)et  in  India,  being  taught  by  its  maistens  to 
fetch  and  carry,  and  also  (I  am  sorry  to  sayl  to  fight. 
In  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "Nests  and  Eggs"  it  is 
stated  that  large  sums  are  lost  at  times  on  these 
combats.  The  young  women  in  India  are  in  the  habit 
of  wearing  a  wafer  on  the  forehead,  between  the  eyes ; 
it  is  called  a  lita  (pronounced  teeta)  and  is  either  red 
or  white,  according  to  the  caste  of  the  wearer;  but 
it  is  only  an  ornament,  or  beauty  K|X)t.  The  youth  ot 
India  amuse  themselves  by  pretending  to  throw  at  the 
face  of  some  passing  maiden,  and  a  Bulbul,  being 
released  at  the  same  moment,  flies  at  the  lU-a,  picks  i; 
off  the  forehead  nf  the  wearer  and  bringB  it  to  its 
master,  who  much  enjove  the  girl's  discomtiture. 
I  have   never  had   this  form  of  Red-vented  Bulbu!, 


Red-vented  Rui.buls. 


to  June.  Its  nest  is  very  compact,  and  forms  a  rather 
deep  cup  about  S^in.  to  4in.  in  diameter  and  2Ln.  in 
height;  it  is  usually  placed  in  some  thick  busn,  ;uiu 
is  composed  of  fine  grass  roots,  moss,  dry  grasses, 
flower-stalks  (chiefly  of  forget-me-not),  always  with  a 
few  and  senerally  with  plenty  of  dead  leaves,  and  here 
and  there  cobwebs  and  silky  seed -down  worked  into 
the  outer  surface  ;  sometimes  a  little  tine  grass  is  used 
as  a  lining,  but  more  frequently  there  is  no  lining 
beyond  finer  roote,  and  these  roots  constitute 
the  chief  variation  in  the  nests  of  this  bird,  being 
tlack  in  3ome  and  pale  brown  in  others.  The  egg- 
cavity  is  often  lajge,  inasmuch  as  the  walls  of  the 
Black  Bulbul's  nest,  though  very  firm  and  compact, 
vary  from  half  an  inch  to  li  inch  in  thickness.  The 
eggs  are  three  or  four  in  number  and  exhibit  the  same 
v.iriations  as  in  P.  furmorr/unis.  The  sonj  of  this 
Biiibul  is  said  to  be  superior  to  that  of  its  Madras 
representative,  or  of  the  White-cheeked  species.     It  is 


but  I  should  much  doubt  its  superiority  as  a   songster 
over  the  Persian  species. 

Reu-vented  Bulbul  (Pijcnonolui  luiemorrhoiLS). 

Differs  from  the  Benga-lese  form  chiefly  in  the 
absence  of  the  conspicuous  brown  ear-coveits  and  in 
the  black  of  the  occiput  and  nape  ending  abruptly, 
instead  of  paesing  down  on  to  tlie  upper  part  of  the 
back. 

This  race  ranges  from  Ceylon  northwards  to  Central 
India,  and  on  the  western  side  as  far  north  as  iSindh. 
Although  essentially  a  bird  of  the  plains,  it  is  occa- 
sionally found  at  considerable  elevations  on  the  Nilgirie 
— in  fact,  as  high  up  as  Ootacamuiid.  It  frequents 
gardens  and  cultivated  ground,  as  well  as  low  bush 
jungle,  and  is  usually  seen  either  in  pairs  or  small 
communities  flying  briskly  about  in  a  restkes  and 
inquisitive  fashion.  Its  principal  food  is  fruit,  but 
occasionally    it   will   descend   to  the  ground   and  hop  a 


36 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


short  distance  iu  quest  of  insects.  It  is  destructive  to 
buds,  blu.5eunis,  Jjeas,  and  strawberries,  with  other  soft 
fruit. 

'the  Red-vented  liolbul  breeds  from  Februiry  to 
Aujjust,  constructinj;  a  somewhiit  fragile  but  jiretty  cup- 
shaped  nest  of  grass  and  dead  leaves,  in  bushes, 
creepers,  on  the  lower  branches  of  trees,  or  on  the 
top  of  a  stump.  The  eggs,  which  are  UiUilly  three  in 
nunil>er,  are  pale  rosy  white,  mirked  with  reddish 
brown  and   purplish   grey. 

Scientists  call  this  the  "Common"  or  "Madras  Red- 
vented  Hulbul,"  but  for  many  years  it  was  by  no  means 
freely  iniixirted  ;  60  that  iiiy  male,  for  which  I  gave 
30s.  early  in  lb92,  was  at  that  time  not  dear.  Never- 
theless, I  have  since  had  opportunities  of  purchasing 
the  same  species  at  a  considerably  lower  rate.  I 
have  found  the  song  of  this  bird  infinitely  inferior 
to  that  of  the  Persian  Bulbul ;  it  rarely  amounts  to 
a  trill  or  scalB  (though,  when  it  does,  the  sound  is 
rich  and  pleasing),  but  is  fragmentary  and  incessantly 
re|)eated,  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  a  Song  Thrush, 
but  with  the  tone  of  a  Blackbird.  Three  or  lour  notes 
are  uttered,  then  there  is  a  pause,  and  the  same  notes 
are  repeated  precisely  in  the  same  manner,  and  so  the 
bii>d  goes  on,  perhaps  for  five  or  ten  minutes;  then  he 
gets  an  inspiration,  and  changes  to  a  different  key 
with  more  rapid  utterance.  In  short,  he  is  as  inferior 
to  an  Knglish  Thrush  as  a  songster  as  the  latter  is  to 
the  Persian   Bulbul. 

For  a  considerable  time  I  kept  my  bird  in  an  aviary 
with  Blue  Robins;  and  when  the  latter  had  young  he 
would  insist  on  feeding  them,  much  to  the  annoyance 
of  the  parents.  Not  only  eo,  but  he  objected  to  the 
cock  Blue-bird  attending  to  their  wants,  and  at  length 
so  nearly  killed  the  latter  that  I  was  obliged  to  prevent 
further  mischief  by  removing  the  Bulbul  to  the  adjoin- 
ing aviary.  He  died  in  November,  1895,  after  having 
been  about  three  ye.irs  and  nine  months  in  my  posses- 
sion. 

The  sexes  of  this,  and  in  fact  all  of  the  Bulbuls, 
can  be  readily  distinguished  by  comparuig  the  bills  in 
profile  ;  that  of  the  male  is  always  shorter,  deeper,  and 
of  courje  with  more  .irclicd  cul'men  (ridge)  than' that 
of  the  female.  In  this  character  they  are  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  true  Thrushes,  in  which  the  short  stout 
bill  is  always  pre.'ent  in  the  female  and  the  longer  and 
more  slender  one   in   the  male. 

Bl.\ck-cappkd    Bdi.bit.    {Pycnonoivs    atricapillus). 

Above  pale  ashy-brown,  with  lighter  edges  to  the 
feathers,  excepting  on  the  lower  back  ;  rump  and  upper 
tail-coverts  .sordid  white,  the  latter  tipped  more  or  less 
with  pale  brown,  the  longest  wholly  of  this  colour:  tail- 
feathers  black-brown,  increasinglv  tipped  with  white 
from  centre  of  tail,  the  outermost  with  pale  brown 
bases ;  wings  brown,  the  feathers  edged  with  ashy- 
brown  ;  crest  and  nape  black ;  ear-coverts  ashy-white 
extending  on  to  sides  of  neck,  remainder  of  head,  in- 
cluding upper  throat,  black  ;  under  surface  pale  ashy- 
brown,  deeper  on  breast  and  sides  ;  under  tailcoverts 
crimson  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  yellowisti- 
brown  ;  Hights  below  yellowish  along  edge  of  outer 
webs;  bill  and  feet  black;  iris  brown.  Hab.,  Southern 
China,  extending  to  Fokien  and  Ningpo  ;  also  the  hills 
of  Burma  and   Tenasserini. 

This  is  another  representative  of  the  Red-vented 
Bulbul.  Speakinc  of  it  in  The  Ihix  for  1892.  Mr. 
J.  D.  de  la  Touche  .«avs  that  it  is  "  fairly  common  on 
th»  hills  near  Swatow.""  Mr.  C.  B.  Rickett  {The  Ibu, 
1903,  p.  215)  observes: — "AltKough  this  species  is  a 
common  resident  round  Anioy,  it  rarely  occurs  at 
Foochow";  and  Mr.  J.  C.  Ker=haw.  in  his  "List  of 
Birds  of  the  Quangtung  Coast,  China"  (The  Ihis.  1904, 


p.  237)  says  : — "  Certainly  the  commonest  Bulbul,  and 
perhaps  the  most  numerous  resident  bird."  But  none 
of  these  gentlemen  give  us  any  information  as  to  the 
habits  of  this  "common"  bird,  and  oddly  enough, 
although  a  specimen  reached  the  London  Zoological 
Garden.s  in  1895,  Dr.  Russ  makes  no  mention  of  it  in 
his  book  ;  this  is  the  more  strange  when  one  notes  that 
he  includes  many  species  which  have  never  been  im- 
ported on  the  off-chance  that  they  may  be  some  day. 

It    is,    of    cour.=.e,    probable    that    the    habits    of    this 
species,  its  nest,  and  its  eggs,  are  very  similar  to  those 
of  the  Red-vented  forms  of  India,  and  it  is  certain  that 
its  treatment  in  captivity  ought  to  be  the  same. 
Syrian    Bllbul   (I'ljcnonolus   xanlhopygus). 

The  head  and  upper  part  of  the  neck  of  the  Syrian 
Bulbul  are  glossy  blacK,  sharply  defined ;  the  upper 
surface  of  the  body  ashy  dust  brown,  merging  into 
umber  brown  on  the  primaries;  the  upper  tail-coverts 
are  also  rather  darker  than  the  rest  of  the  upper 
surface;  the  tail  is  umber  brown,  with  rather  paler 
tips  to  the  feathers;  the  under  surface  is  dull  while 
stained  with  pale  ashy  brown  on  the  breast  and  flanks; 
the  vent  and  under  tail-eoverts  are  bright  golden 
yellow;  the  bill  and  legs  are  black,  and  the  iris  of  the 
eye  is  brown.  According  to  Dresser  this  Bulbul  is 
"only  found  in  the  south-eastern  portion  of  the  western 
Palfeaictic  Region."  It  is  very  common  in  Palestine, 
where  Canon  Tristram  met  with  it  in  all  parts  of  tho 
country,  wherever  woods  or  gardens  existed,  from  Jaffa 
to  the  Joidan.  This  bird,  though  Eomewhat  shy,  is  the 
finest  songster  in  Palestine,  and  consequently  has 
rightly  earned  the  title  of  "  the  Palestine  Nightingale.'" 
It  is  very  hardy,  and  easily  kept  in  confinement ;  it  is 
not  naturally  gregarious  in  its  habits,  so  that  only  ai 
single  pair  should  be  keot  in  an  aviary.  Its  nest, 
which  is  very  small  and  neat,  is  usually  placed  in  a. 
fork,  or  on  a  lateral  branch  of  a  tree,  and  the  outside 
is  formed  of  materials  to  match  its  surroundings.  The 
eggs,  three  to  four  in  number,  are  usually  deposited  in 
March  or  April,  and  are  white,  with  faint  underlying 
purplish  ."hell-markings,  and  clearly-defined  chocolate 
crimson  spots.  According  to  Wiener,  this  species  has 
been  bred  in  captivity  in  Germany,  but  I  do  not  see 
that  Dr.  Ru-s  mentions  this  ;  and  it  is  his  custom,  when 
such  an  event  has  taken  place,  to  give  a  detailed  account 
of  it. 

White-e.abf.d  Bulbul  [Pycnonolus  leucolis). 

The  head  of  this  charming  bird  is  jet  black,  with  the 
ear-coverts  and  back  of  the  cheeks  white  ;  the  back  of 
the  neck  rich  brown,  narrowly  banded  with  blackish; 
the  upper  surface  of  the  body  and  wings  earthy  brown, 
the  edges  of  the  feathers  paler;  the  wings  margined 
with  pale  ashy  t  the  tail  brown  at  the  base,  changing 
to  black  beyond  the  coverts  and  tinped  wi'.h  white ; 
under  surface  whity-brown  ;  the  vent  and  under  tail- 
coverts rich  saffron- yellow ;  the  legs  and  bill  black, 
the  iris  of  the  eye  brown.  Mr.  W.  T.  Blanford,  in 
his  "  Birds  of  Eastern  Persia,"  says  of  this  bird  : — 
"  The  only  representative  in  Persia  of  the  great 
tropical  family  of  Pycnnnotid/r;  it  abounds  in  Balu- 
chistan and  the  .southernmost  portion  of  the  Persian 
highlands,  but  not  on  the  plateau  far  north  of  Shiraz. 
It,  however,  extends  far  into  Mesopotamia,  and  I  have 
seen  caged  specimens  at  Karachi,  said  to  have  been 
brought  from  Bajhdad.  Birds  from  Mesopotamia  are- 
highly  est«;med  in  Sindh.  because  thty  <:ing  far  more 
readily  and  finely  in  confinejnent  than  those  captured 
in  Western  India  :  whether  this  is  due  to  greater  natural 
powers  of  song  in  the  birds  themselves,  or  to  greater 
skill  in  famine;  fheni  among  the  bird-catchers  of  the 
Tigris  and  Enphiates  valley  I  cannot  say.  but  I  can 
vouch  for  the  fact.     Eastward  it  appears  to  be  chiefly 


BULBULS. 


37 


confined  to  th«  great  desert  tract  of  North-West  India, 
the  climate  of  which  iiiiich  rosenibles  tliat  of  Southern 
Persia."  Mr.  Blanford  goes  on  to  fay  that  he  can  see 
no  constant  difference  between  the  specimens  of  Persia 
and  India,  e.xctpting  that  the  former  may  oerhaps  run 
a  little  larger. 

The  White-earetl  Bulhul  breeds  from  May  to  August; 
in  the  Punjab  from  July  to  August,  but  in  Sindh 
earlier.  Its  nest  is  usually  built  at  a  height  of  from 
four  to  six  feet  from  the  ground  in  some  thorny  bush- 
acacia,  catachu,  or  jhand  (Prosopis  siiicigria);  it  piefers 
the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  water,  probably  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  very  fond  of  a  bath.  The  nest  is  a 
neatly  constructed,  but  rather  slender,  cup-shaped 
structure,  formed  of  very  fine  dry  twigs  of  some  herba- 
ceous plant,  mi.xed  with  vegetable  fibre  resembling 
tow.  and  scantily  lined  with  very  fine  grass  roots ;  the 
cavity  measures  from  2iin.  to  3in.  in  diamet-er,  and  a 
little  over  an  inch  in  depth.  The  eggs,  which  are 
usually  three  (rarely  lour)  in  number,  are  of  an  ovate 
pear-sliape,  pinky  whit-e  much  dotted  with  claret-red. 
which  frequentlv  foims  a  zone  or  cap  at  the  larger  end. 

At  the  Crystal  P.alace  Show  for  1887  Mr.  J.  M.  C. 
Johnston  (brother  of  the  African  explorer)  exhibited  a 
true  Persian  Bulbul.  which  he  had  picked  up  for  a 
few  shillings  at  a  small  bird-shco  in  London.  About  a 
month  later  he  gave  this  bird  to  me,  and  for  three 
years  the  bird  was  in  perfect  health,  and  the  delight  of 
everybody  who  saw  him ;  then  he  had  an  attack  of 
scurvy,  which,  though  it  did  not  affect  his  temper  or 
stop  his  song,  temporarily  much  detracted  from  his 
beauty.  This  disease  apparently  disappeared  under 
change  of  diet,  more  fruit,  chopped  lettuce,  etc.,  bein^ 
given  to  him,  and  for  two  years  he  regained  his  trim 
and  pleasing  plumage;  then  the  disease  reappeared 
and  gradually  increased  in  spile  of  all  treatment,  and 
though  the  bird  remained  cheerful  and  confiding  to  the 
last,  he  died  about  the  end  of  the  year  1892. 

This  Bulbul  was  so  tame  that  he  would  reach  over 
my  hand  to  eat  from  his  pan  before  I  had  put  it  down. 
The  sight  of  a  spider  would  make  him  dance  and  sing 
with  delight,  as  also  would  the  offer  of  a  mealworn\; 
moreover,  when  he  got  the  latter  in  his  beak  he  would 
hop  about,  warbling  and  coclcing  his  head  knowingly 
for  some  time  before  he  swallowed  it.  Candied  fruit, 
but  especially  apricot,  was  much  appreciated,  as  also  all 
kinds  of  ripe  fruit  when  in  season.  I  fear,  however,  I 
did  not  ^ive  enough  of  this,  his  natural  food,  and  that 
had  I  treated  him  more  liberally  I  might  (instead  of 
having  his  friendship  for  only  a  little  over  five  years) 
have  kept  him  much  longer.  As  a  staple  diet  he  had 
my  regular  mixture,  to  which  I  added  daily  a  few 
grocers  currants — a  fruit  which  is  unsuitable  for  all 
birds,   but   especially  for  a  Bulbul. 

I  regard  this  as  the  pick  of  all  the  true  Bulbuls  for 
intelligence,  docility,  tameness,  and  vocal  excellence; 
but  to  secure  a  good  singer  a  true  Persian  bird  must  be 
selected,  not  one  of  the  much  smaller  race  inhabiting 
North -Western  India.  About  1891  a  body  of  the  Indian 
race  was  sent  to  me  by  Mr.  Abrahams  for  comparison 
with  my  living  Persian  example,  and  I  was  astonished 
at  the  difference  in  size;  the  Indian  bird  seemed  but 
little  larger  than  a  Great  Tit,  which  (excepting  in  its 
crest)  it  much  resembles. 

P.  leucotis  is  the  Bulbul  of  poetry,  the  far-f.amed 
"Persian  Nightingale."  .and  he  has  a  far  greater  claim 
to  the  title  than  the  "  Virginian  Nightingale,"  his  notes 
being  particularly   sweet  and   soothing. 

The  song  of  the  Persian  Bulbul  consists  of  liquid 
■water-hubble  whistling,  and  reminds  one  strongly  of 
some  parts  of  our  Nightingale's  melody.  The  same 
phrase  is  sometimes  repeated  over  and  over  for  hours, 
and  then  abruptly  altered,  but  it  is  always  pretty  and 


cheerful;  indeed,  even  the  scolding  note  is  not  alto- 
gether uiipleasing.  The  bird  also  is  so  full  of  music 
that  any  sound,  whether  of  organ,  piano,  or  the  not*  ol 
another  bird  will  start  him  off 

Yellow-ve.nted   Bulbul    {Pycnonolus   aurigaster). 

Above  brown,  the  feathers,  excepting  on  the  lower 
bick,  H ith  ashy  edges ;  rump  and  uplier  tail-coverts 
white ;  the  longer  coverts  slightly  brownish ;  greater 
coverts  and  flights  with  paler  brown  edges;  tail  feathers 
dark  brown,  paler  towards  base  and  tipped  with  dull 
white;  head  black,  the  back  of  neck  ashy  grey  with 
dark  brown  centres  to  feathers;  ear-coverts  and  lower 
throat  white  ;  remainder  of  under  surface  ashy-brown, 
becoming  white  at  centre  of  abdomen  and  bright  yellow 
on  vent  and  under  tail-coverts ;  under  wing-coverts  and 
axillaries  pale  a>hy-brown  edged  with  pale  brownisli; 
bill  and  feet  black  ;  eyes  brown  or  dark  red.  The  female 
appears  to  be  slightly  larger  than  the  male,  and  doubt- 
less she  has  a  longer  and  more  slender  bill.  The  young 
bird  is  paler  in  all  its  colours  than  the  adult.  Hab., 
Java. 

According  to  H.  A.  Bernstein's  account  of  this  bird  in 
Java,  "  Without  question  this  is  one  of  the  commonest 
birds  in  the  built  upon  and  cultivated  districts  of  Java. 
At  any  rate,  I  have  found  it  everywhere  widely  distri- 
buted in  different  parts  of  the  island,  in  the  east  as  in 
the  west,  near  the  coast  as  well  as  in  the  hill-country 
of  the  interior.  Even  in  the  coffee  plantations  I  have 
very  frequently  met  with  it,  but  never  in  dense  primeval 
forest  or  high  mountains.  It  lives  gregariously,  and 
excepting  at  the  pairing  season  mostly  in  small  flocks, 
the  members  of  which  ke«p  well  together  and  rarely 
separate  widely.  If  one  member  of  the  company  notes 
a  suspicious  object,  he  examines  it  with  long,  extended 
neck,  and  ultimately  flies  away,  at  the  Same  time  warn- 
ing his  companions  of  the  approaching  danger  with 
loud  cries,  and  they  also  fly  away  at  the  alarm.  In 
this  manner  they  have  many  times  disapjwinted  me  in 
ray  pursuit  of  a  rare  bird  which  I  was  trying  to  stalk. 

"This  Bulbul  nests  m  the  hedges  and  bushes  in  the 
vicinity  of  villages,  and  as  it  is  so  common  I  have  been 
able  to  collect  a  great  number  of  it.s  nests.  They  all 
stand  about  one  to  two  melrts  high  above  the  earth, 
rarely  higher,  and  never  immediately  on  the  earth.  As 
a,  rule  they  are  well  and  strongly  built,  and  the  inner 
cup  especially  always  forms  a  perfectly  regular  half- 
sphere.  Externally  the  nest  consists  of  coarse  vegetable 
matter,  dry  leaves,  grass  stems  and  the  like,  and  in 
addition  it" is  covered  not  infrequently  with  lichens  and 
caterpillar  silk.  For  constructing  the  inside  the  bird 
uses  fine  grass  stems,  and  preferably  the  elastic  fibre 
of  the  Areng  palm.  The  number  of  eggs  usually  con- 
sists of  three,  rarely  four.  In  size  and  colour  they  are 
very  variable,  so  that  in  ten  nests  one  can  scarcely 
find  two  in  which  the  eggs  entirely  agree.  The  egg 
generally  is  of  a  beautifully  oval  shape,  yet  one  also 
finds  strikingly  elongated  specimens,  so  that  the  length 
varies  from  21  lo  27  millimetres,  whilst  the  greatest 
width  is  always  17  millimetres.  The  ground-colour  is 
of  not  quite  pure  white,  usually  with  a  reddish  tinge, 
upon  which  birge  and  small  spots  are  distributed,  partly 
of  a  cherry  and  partly  of  a  wine-red  colour,  which  differ 
considerably  in  number,  size,  and  depth  of  colour;  some- 
times they"  are  distributed  uniformly  over  the  whole 
surface,  sometimes  they  are  situated  in  a  great  crowd 
at  the  blunt  end,  and  there  fomi  a  more  or  less  defined 
cap ;  sometimes  they  stand  out  distinctly  from  the 
ground  colour,  sometimes  indistinctly,  sometimes  pale 
and  faded,  sometimes  dark  and  brilliant.  Then  one 
may  discover  clear  grey  or  grey-brown  spots  among  the 
red-brown  ones ;  yet,  although  they  differ  so  much,  t!;o 


38 


FOREIGN,  BIRDS 'FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


eggs  possess  so  great  a  general  resemblance  that  one  can 
readily  identify  them." 

Mr.  F.  Niclmlsdii  {The  Ihi<.  1881,  p.  148)  says:  "The 
nest,  though  cup  shaped,  like  that  of  1'.  aiiali.-i,  i^ 
better  construcl«l  and  more  neatly  wciven.  As  with 
tho  last-n.imed  species,  it  is  conip(>sed  of  slender  twigs, 
with  <ie;i(l  leave;'  interwoven  tn  lorm  a  more  solid  base, 
and  it  is  linfd  with  cocoinut  fibre. 

"The  eggs  are  similar  to  those  of  P.  anali",  being 
creamy  white  with  large  red  sp(.ts  and  imderlying  l>ale 
grey  markings  ;  but  the  six>ts  :;re  decidedly  larger  than 
in  the  eggs  of  the  latter  species." 

This  bird  first  arrived  at  our  Zco'.ogical  Gardens  in 
1865  and  1874,  and  in  1878  it  «a.s  received  in  the 
Amsterdam  Gardens.  The  late  Mr.  Aug.  F.  Wiener 
also  (according  to  Dr.  Russ)  purchased  four  specimens, 
which  reached  the  late  Mr.  J.  Abrahams  in  1878.  It 
is  truly  remarkable  that  so  abundant  a  fpecie.s  in  the 
vilbges  of  Java,  should  not  have  been  more  freely 
imported  :  it  would  be  a  rea.Uy  nice  .species  to  breed 
in  our  outduor  aviaries.  It  is  odd  that,  in  his  account 
of  the  imjjortod  Bulbuls  in  "Casscll's  Cage-Hirds,"  the 
late  Mr.  Wiener  did  not  even  refer  to  this  speciee. 
Dusky  Bulbul  (Pijcnonolu.^  harhatus). 

Above  earth-brown  ;  flights  darker  with  pale  edges ; 
tail  dark  brorni,  the  outer  feathers  faintly  tipped  with 
ashy  brown ;  crown  darker  tlian  back,  as  also  sides 
of  face  ;  lores,  region  enclo>ing  eye  and  chin  blackish  ; 
Tinder  parts  light  aishy  brown,  darker  on  flanks  and 
thighs ;  abdomen  and  under  tailcoverts  white ;  the 
litter  slightly  tiiite<l  with  yellow;  bill  and  feet  black; 
iris  dark  brown.  Female  smaller  than  male,  rather 
browner  and  duller,  and  doubtless  with  more  slender 
bill.  Young  bird  pa.ler  than  adult,  head  hardly  darker 
than  back  ;  under  parts  ashy  whitLsh.  Hab.,  North- 
western Africa. 

In  his  "Birds  of  Tunisia,"  Vul.  I.,  pp.  163-4,  Mr. 
J  1.  S.  Whitaker  give.s  the  following  account  of  this 
species: — "The  iJusky  Bulbul  is  not  an  uncommon  bird 
in  some  of  the  wooded  districts  of  North  Tunisia,  but 
its  range  in  the  Regency  is  not  an  extensive  one,  and 
appears  to  be  confined  strictly  to  the  Tell  country  north 
of  the  At'as. 

"  In  Algeria  and  Morocco,  but  particularly  in  the 
latter  country,  the  fpecies  seems  to  be  more  abundant 
than  in  Tunisia,  and  my  collection  contains  a  large 
series  of  spocinien.s  obtained  from  various  districts  of 
the  Empire,  some  of  them  situated  as  far  south  as  the 
Haha  country.  Mr.  Meade-Waldo  says  it  ascends  to 
at  least  7,O0Oft.  in  Uie  moist  woods  of  the  Atlas. 
Apparently  the  southern  range  of  the  Bttlbul  extends 
considerably  beyond  Morocco,  the  species,  according  to 
.some  authoiv,  occurring  along  the  West  African  coast 
down  to  Senegambia,  and  even  further  south.  Whether 
this  southern  form  is  f|uite  the  same  as  the  typical  one  is 
not  yet  clearly  established.  Ac<'ording  to  Colonel  Irby 
(Orn.  Strs.  Gib.,  p.  77),  the  Dusky  Bulbul  is  ver^' 
plentiful  in  the  vicinity  of  Tangier  and  Larache  in 
North  Morocco,  where  it  frequents  fruit  gardens  and 
orchards,  feeding  largely  upon  ripe  oranges.  Its  way 
of  eating  this  fruit  is  ingenious-,  for  it  makes  a  neat 
hole  in  one  >ide  of  the  orange,  and  then  completely 
cleirs  out  the  juicy  contents,  leaving  the  rind  intact, 
except  for  the  small  aperture  on  one  side.  The  same 
method  is  often  resorted  to  by  Black  Rats,  and  I  have 
known  orange  trees  in  Sicily  completely  thus  denuded 
of  their  fruit  by  these  creatures. 

"In  Tunisi.i,  as  above  mentioned,  the  Dusky  Bulbul 
occurs  in  the  Tell  districts  north  of  the  .Vtlus.  where  it 
is  resident  and  breeds.  In  the  valley  of  the  Madjerdah 
it  is  fairly  abundant,  and  to  be  met  with  in  most  of 


the  wild  olive  groves,  and  among  the  higher  'maquis' 
thickets  on  the  hill-slopes,  but  it  seldom  occurs  in  the 
more  lofty  oak  forests.  At  Ain-Draham  and  Fernana, 
both  tliickly-wnoded  districts,  it  is  also  to  be  found, 
as  well  a.s  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bizerta,  in  the 
extreme  north-ea.st  of  the  liegencj-.  The  vegetation  in 
the  last-named  dLstrict  is  almost  exclusively  of  the 
'  ma.quis '  description,  but  the  Bulbul  seems  to  bo 
as  much  at  home  there  as  in  the  better  wooded  country 
further  west.  Or;ingL_*-groves,  however,  which  in 
Morocco  appear  to  be  the  favourite  resort  of  the  species, 
are  few  and  far  between  in  any  part  of  Tunisia.  At 
certain  seas<'>ns,  particularly  when  several  of  these  birds 
collect  together,  they  aa-e  very  noisy  and  quarrelsome, 
and  may  be  heard  chattering  at  a  considerable  distance  ; 
but  owing  to  the  fact  of  their  frequenting,  as  a  nile, 
thickly  foliaged  trees  and  shrubs,  they  are  not  very 
often  seen.  The  song  of  the  Bulbul  is  dC'Cidedly  pleas- 
ing, being  conipiised  of  some  remarkably  lieh  and  clear 
notes  like  '  lit-iiot-irot-fil-til.'  which  cannot  fail  to 
attract  attention.  The  brc>eding  season  of  this  species 
is  rather  late,  being  in  May  and  June.  The  bird  selects 
a  fork  in  a  low  tree  or  high  bush  as  a  site  for  its  nest, 
which  is  generally  composed  of  small  roots  and  dry 
grass.  The  eggs,  three  or  four  in  number,  are  of  a  doll 
white,  with  grey  shell-markings  and  reddish-brown  sur- 
face spots.     Average  measurements  24  by  18  mm." 

All  that  Dr.  Russ  tells  us  about  this  species  is  that 
the  late  ilr.  Abr.ahams  received  several  specimens  ;  he 
does  not  record  the  fact  that  a  specimen  was  deposited 
at  our  Zoological  Gardens  in  1895. 

Thk    Chinese    Btn.BCL    (Pycnonotuf    sinensis). 

Above  ash-grey,  washed  with  yellowish  olive; 
bastard-wing,  primary  and  greater  coverts,  flights  and 
tail-feathers  dark  brown  edged  with  yellowish  olive: 
crown  slightly  crested  black;  a  broad  white  expanding 
patch  on  each  side  above  the  eye  uniting  at  oack  of 
head  ;  lores  pearly  grey-whitish  ;  cheeks  and  ear-coverts 
black  with  an  ohiique  pearly  grey-whitish  patch  at  the 
back;  chin  and  throat  pure  white,  brea,st  smoky-grey, 
faintly  tinted  with  yellowish-olive;  under  parts  other- 
wise dull  whit«,  slightly  STnoky  at  sides  and  on  thighs; 
under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  slightly  yellowish. 
Female  slightly  larger  than  male,  and  of  course  with  a 
more  slender  bill.     Hab.,  South  China  and  Formosa. 

In  Thf  Ihis  for  1898,  pp.  365  6.  Mr.  J.  D.  D.  If. 
Touche  says  of  this  bird,  as  ob.'^erved  by  him  in 
Northern  Formosa — "  I  procured  eggs  of  this  abundant 
species  on  19th  May  and  on  1st  July.  The  former  were 
much  incubated  ;  the  latter  were  quite  freih,  and  were 
three  in  number.  The  ground-colour  of  the  eggs  com- 
posing this  clutch  is  a  very  pale  mauve,  almost  white, 
speckled  with  lalie  spots  over  lilac-grey  underlying 
spots.  The  markincrs  are  more  numerous  on  the  large 
end  of  the  eggs  and  form  a  cap.  The  shape  is  ovate. 
Size  0  9in.  by  0.62in.,  0.85in.  by  0.62in.,  0.83in.  by 
0.6in. 

"  A  nest  obtained  at  Hob^  is  made  of  sword-grass 
flower-spikes  with  an  inner  foundation  of  leaves  and 
bamboo-leaves,  the  primary  foundation  of  the  nest  being 
the  sword-grass  flower-spikes  with  the  down  still  at- 
tached. It  has  a  lining  of  fine  rootlets.  Depth  of  egg- 
cavity  2in.  ;  outer  depth  of  nest  3.5in.  ;  inner  diameter 
aliout  2.6in.  ;  outer  diameter  at  rim  3.8in.  ;  largest 
outer  diameter  aliout  5in. 

"  Another  nest  from  the  same  locality  is  similar  to 
the  above,  but  is  without  the  primary  foundation,  and 
the  lining  is  of  stripped  sword-grass  flower-spikes.  The 
egg-cavity   is  Tather  deeper. 

"  Both  the  eggs  and  the  nests  of  this  Bulbul  vary  con- 
siderably, the  former  in  shape,  in  depth  of  colour,  and 


BULBULS. 


39 


in  the  size  of  the  spots,  nnd  the  latter  m  the  material 
employed." 

I  purchased  a  male  of  this  species  on  the  8th  June, 
1899,  and  plax'ed  it  in  a  large  flight  cage,  where  it  still 
remains  in  perfect  health  and  phniia,je.  About  1903 
my  friend  Mr.  Seth-Smitli  ha-d  two  which  at  fir.st  he 
thought  might  be  texes  and  hoped  to  be  able  to 
breed  with  tlurn  ;  he  foun<l  them  too  aggressive  to  bo 
permitted  their  liberty  and  for  a  time  confined  them  ^ 
in  a  flight,  where,  however,  I  believe  they  quarrelled  ; 
at  any  rate  he  eventually  offore<l  me  one  of  these  birds 
on  the  chance  of  its  j)roving  to  bs  a  hen,  and  on  the  6th 
January.  1904.  ho  gave  it  to  me.  I  turned  it  into  the 
cage  with  my  bird,  which  immediately  attacke<I  it  so 
furiously  thiit  I  had  to  remove  it  to  another  flight -cage; 
shortly  afterwards  I  heard  it  singing  exactly  in  the 
s:ime  nuinnor  as  my  old  bird,  ,«>  that  it  seemed  clear 
that  both  were  cocks;  consequently  when  my  friend 
Mi.'s  Gladstone  told  me  in  1906  that  she  was  anxious 
to  obtain  some  Bulbuls  I  sent  off  the  second  specimen 
to  her. 

The  song  of  this  Bulbul  is  short  but  rapid  and 
brilliant;  it  sounds  like  :i  nillirkine  dance  over  high 
piano-notes,  and  I  should  tliirik  would  be  beard  for  a 
considerable  distance  in  the  open  air. 

Dr.  Rnss  had  a  pair  of  this  species  which  went  to  ne^t 
in  1893.  but  a  Porto  Rico  Pigeon  interfered  with  it,  so 
that  there  was  no  result.  He  savs  that  "  when  chasing 
its  mate,  it  hops  round  her  either  on  branches  or  the 
gronnd  with  highly  erect  e-.l  ei-est  and  nape  feathers, 
drnnping  wings,  ,ajid  fan-like  tail  ;  it  indeed  appears  to 
be  white  headed,  but  then  it  ouffi  out  its  entire 
plumage  so  that  it  seem.s  considerably  larger  than  it 
actually  is.  Now  it  gets  out  of  the  way  of  no  other 
bird,  even  thousrh  it  be  the  large-t  and  most  powerful 
inhabitant  of  the  bird-room." 

White-chekkkd  BijLBTJi,  (Olommfisa  Icucogenys). 

Above  ashy-brown  with  a  faint  olive  tinge;  crown 
darker  with  long  crest,  the  feathers  of  which  have  paler 
edges ;  lores  and  feathers  ronnd  eyes  black ;  a  white 
streak  from  upper  mhandible  to  above  front  of  eye  ;  ear- 
coveits  and  cheeks  at  back  white;  wing-coverts  edged 
with  dull  olive;  flights  darker,  aho  edged  with  olive; 
upper  tail-coverts  washed  with  olive  ;  tail-feathers  dark 
bro.vn,  paler  towards  base,  edged  with  olive,  tipped  with 
white  increasingly  from  central  feathers  outwards ; 
throat  blackish-brown,  this  colour  extending  round  to 
back  of  ear-coverts ;  breast  and  abdomen  whity-brown, 
middle  of  abdomen  whiter;  thighs  ashy-brown;  under 
tail-coverts  bright  yellow;  under  wing-coveits  and 
axillaries  ashy-brown,  whiter  towards  edge  of  .wing, 
tinged  with  yellow;  flights  brown,  ashy  along  inner 
webs;  bill  black;  feet  dark  plumbeous;  eyes  pale 
brown.  Female  probably  duller  and  with  more  slender 
bill.  Young  with  dark  iris.  Hab.,  Himalayas  frcm 
C:i.shmere  to  Bootan,  np  to  5,000ft.  elevation.     (Sharpe.) 

Jerdon  observes  that  this  species  "is  most  abundant, 
in  Sikhim,  from  about  2,500  to  5.000  feet  of  elevation. 
It  feeds  both  on  seeils,  fruit,  and  insects.  Hutton 
found  the  nest  neatly  made  with  stalks  and  grass,  and 
containing  three  or  four  eggs,  rcey  or  purplish  white, 
with  specks  and  f  pets  of  dark  purple  or  claret."  ("  Birds 
of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  91.) 

In  Oatei's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Indian  Birds"  we  read  (pp.  175-176)  that  it  Hreeds 
from  April  to  July,  and  at  aJl  heights  from  3^000  to 
7,000  feet.  The  nest  is  a  loose,  slender  fabric,  ex'ter- 
nally  composed  of  fine  stems  of  some  herb.iceous  plant 
and  a  few  blades  of  graiss,  and  internally  lined  with 
very  fine  hair-like  grass.  The  neits  may  measure  ex- 
temaJJy,  at  most,  4in.  in  diameter;  but  the  egg-cavity. 


which  is  in  proportion  very  large  and  deep,  is  fully 
2iin.  across  by  IJin.  deep.  As  I  before  said,  the  nest 
is  usually  very  slightly  and  loo?ely  jmt  together,  so 
that  it  is  difficult  to  remove  it  without  injury ;  but 
.sometimes  they  are  more  substantial,  and  occasionally 
the  cup  is  much  shallower  and  wider  than  I  have  above 
de.scribcd.     Four  is  the  full  complement  of  eggs." 

According  to  Dr.  Ruvb  this  is  one  of  the  most  rarely 
imported  species:  he  also  asserts  that  it  has  not  been 
received  either  at  the  Amsterdam  or  Loudon  Zoological 
(iardens ;  but.  as  regards  the  latter,  he  is  mistaken. 
There  is  no  reason  that  I  know  ot  why  it  should  not 
be  freely  imported. 

Red-eared  Bulbul  {Olocompsa  jocosa). 

Head  and  ereet  black  ;  the  ear-coverts  white,  with 
a  tuft  of  silky  bair-like  crinisou  feathers  over  the  ears, 
and  extending  beyond  them  ;  the  ear-coverts  are  bor- 
dered beneath  by  a  narrow  line  of  black;  the  upper 
surface  is  pale  brown,  darker  on  the  quills  and  tail, 
especially  towards  the  tip  of  the  latter,  which  is  white, 
with  the  exception  of  the  central  feathers,  but  only 
on  the  inner  web,  excepting  on  the  outermost  pair  ; 
under  surface  white  from  the  chin  ;  the  .sides  of  the 
breast  dark  browm,  forming  an   inteiTupted  belt. 

The  femiile  ie  smaller  than  the  made,  more  golden- 
brown  on  thB  back,  ear-plumee  shorter,  and  her  bill  is 
longer  and  more  slender.  Hab.,  Central  Him.alayas 
to  Assam,  and  (slightly  modified)  throuiihout  Burma. 
and  South  China  down  the  Malayan  peninsula  ;  also 
Andaman  Islands.  This  lively  Bulhul  is  always  on  the 
move;  its  flight,  according  to  Jer<lon,  is  "eteady,  hui 
not  veiry  rapid."  According  to  Oates,  it  is  "more  fre- 
quently seen  in  gardens  than  ekewhere  "  ;  it  especially 
affe'cts  jungly  and  well-wooded  districts.  Its  song  is 
an  agreeable  chirruping  warble.  Like  the  other  Bulbuls, 
after  flying  it  erects  its  crest  as  it  alights.  It  lives 
chiefly  on  fruit,  but  also  eats  a  few  seeds  and  insects  ; 
it  is  said  to  rob  gardens  on  the  Nilgiris  of  peas,  straw- 
bcTries,  etc.  The  nest  is  neat,  eolid,  cup-shaped,  about 
4in.  in  diameter,  and  is  formed  exteriorly  of  twigs, 
roots,  and  grass,  covered  with  an  outer  layer  of  skeleton 
leaves,  lichen,  pieces  of  cloth,  broad-leaved  grasses 
or  plantation  bark,  and  compacted  together  with  cob- 
webs or  silk  from  cocoons;  it  is  lined  with  hair  and 
down,  or  fine  rcots.  The  nest  is  usually  built  in  clumps 
of  moong  grass  about  two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground, 
in  bushes,  tangled  creepens,  or  thickets.  The  eggs, 
which  vary  from  two  to  three,  or  very  rarely  four  in 
number,  are  white  with  a  pink  tinge,  marked  especially 
at  the  larger  end  with  various  shades  of  red  or  purplish. 

I  purchased  a  pair  of  this  species  in  1896,  and  turned 
them  into  a  large  flight-cage,  where  they  a.gTeed  well 
excepting  when  choosing  a  roosting-jjlace  for  the  night, 
both  sexes  greatly  desiring  lo  sit  next  to  the  wires. 
Although  the  male  was  sliahtly  larger,  and  had  a  far 
more  powerful  bill  than  the  female,  she  always  got  her 
own  way  in  the  end. 

Altliough  the  song  of  the  male  consists  only  of  a  few 
flule-like  notes,  and  the  species  is  less  confiding  thm 
the  Bulbuls  of  the  genus  Pi/rtwnolua,  the  form  and 
colourinjr  and  the  restless  activity  of  these  birds  are 
very  fascinatins.  Unhappily,  my  hen  onlv  lived  about 
six  months,  and  the  cock  bird  died  in  less  than  a  year — 
on  the  24th  June,  1897.  I  suspect  that  I  did  not  giva 
them  sufficient  fruit. 

Wiener  relates  ("  Cassell's  Cage-Birds."  p.  363)  how  a 
female  of  this  species  in  his  possession  built,  on  several 
occasions,  an  artistic  nest  in  a  bush,  laid  three  or 
four  pink  eggs  with  chocolate-coloured  spots,  and  sat 
on  them  patiently ;  but  as  there  was  no  cock  bird  with 
it,  of  course  they  came  to  nothing.    He,  however,  con- 


40 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


eludes  from  this  fuct  that  Bulbuls  should  not  be  difficult 
to  breed ;  but,  being  aggressive  birds,  it  would  be 
uneafe  to  trust  them  in  a  mixed  collectioL' 

Bbown-eared   Bulbul   [Hemixus    Havala). 

Croflm  dusky  slate-grey,  crested  ;  remainder  of  upper 
surface  ashy  grey,  wings  and  tail  dusky ;  greater 
coverts  and  outer  webs  of  second.iries  margined  with 
olive-yellow  ;  lores  and  a  broad  moustachiul  streak  from 
lower. mandible  black;  car-coverts  silky  brown;  throat 
white;  breast,  sidee  of  body  and  thighs  ashy  grey; 
centre  of  abdomen  greyish  white ;  undei  tail-coverts 
white;  bill  black;  feet  dark  plumbeous;  iris  dark 
reddish-brown.  No  se.\ual  difference  has  been  de- 
scribed, but  doubtless  the  female  has  a  more  slender 
bill  than  the  male.  Hab.,  Himalayas,  from  3,000  to 
4,000  feet,  from  between  Simla  and  Mussoorie  eastwards 
to  Bootan,  and  apparently  to  the  hejd  of  the  Assam 
valley.  It  is  also  found  in  the  Khasia  hills,  and  the 
Kakhyen   hills  in  Bujmih.     (Shai-po.) 

According  to  Jerdon  |"  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  pp. 
80-81).  "  It  is  not  very  rare  near  Darjeeling,  at  eleva- 
tione  of  from  3,000  to  6,000  feet.  It  associates  in  small 
parties,  feeds  both  on  berries  and  insects,  and  has  a 
loud  warbling  note." 

I  have  found  no  further  notes  on  the  wild  haibiLs. 
It  is  rarely  imported  :  Russ  states  that  three  speci- 
mens reached  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1877  ; 
otherwise  he  knows  of  no  other  arrivals  of  this  Si)eciea 
in  the  trade. 

Rufous-bellied  Bulbul  {IoU  madMandi]. 

Head  brown,  somewhat  crested,  the  shafts  of  the 
feathers  bulfy  white;  remainder  of  upper  surface  dull 
olive-green ;  ear-coverts  brownish ;  chin  and  throat 
white,  with  dusky  edges  to  the  feathers  ;  sides  of  neck, 
breast  and  abdomen  light  chestnut  or  cinnamon,  wit^ 
pale  centres 'to  the  feathers;  flanks  w,'i-«hed  with  olive; 
thighs  and  under  tail-coverts  olive  yellow,  ae  -also  under 
wing-coverts;  bill  blackish  bro%vn,  lower  mandible 
greyish  ;  feet  fleshy  bruwnish  ;  iris  brownish  red.  No 
difference  has  been  indicated  between  the  sexes;  but 
the  young  bird  is  said  to  be  rather  duller,  and  washed 
with  rufous  on  the  scapulare,  wing-coverts  and  upper 
tail-coverts;  under  surface  light  chestnut;  abdomen 
wihitish  washed  with  dingv  olive-yellow ;  lores,  chin, 
and  a  nioustachial  line  dull  wlhite,  with  grey-brown 
bases  to  the  feathers.  Hab.,  "Hill-ranges  of  the 
Himalayas,  ranging  eastwards  into  Assam,  the  Khasia, 
Aracan,   and  Tipperah   hills."     (Sharpe.) 

Jerdon  says  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  80),  "fre- 
quents hig'h  trees,  lives  chiefly  on  fruit,  and  has  a  loud 
cheerful   note." 

In  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nestrs  and  Eg^s  of 
Indian  Birds"  (Vol.  I.,  pp.  168-9),  we  read:— "The 
Rufous-bellied  Bulbul.  .according  to  Mr.  Hodgson's 
notes,  breeds  in  the  central  region  of  Nepal,  and  low 
down  nearly  to  the  Terai,  from  April  to  June.  Its 
nest  is  a  shallow  saucer  suepended  between  a  slender 
horizontal  fork,  to  the  twigs  of  which  it  is  firmly  bound 
like  an  Oriole's  with  vegetable  fibres  and  roots.  It  is 
composed  of  roots  and  dry  leaves  bound  together  with 
fibres,  and  lined  with  fine  grass  or  moss-roots.  The 
bird  is  said  to  lay  four  eggs,  but  these  are  neither 
figured  nor  des';rihed. 

Dr.  Scully  writes  from  Nepal:— "This  Bulbul  is 
common  throughout  theyearon  thehill.s  round  the  valley 
of  Nepal,  but  never  tenants  the  central  woods.  It  is 
generally  found  in  bushes  and  bush-trees,  not  in  high 
tree  foreit,  and  is  commonlv  seen  in  pairs.  The  breed- 
ine  season  appears  to  be  May  and  June.  A  nest  was 
taken  on  6th  June,  which  contained  two  fresh  eggs. 
The  nest  was  somewhat  oval  in  shape,  measuring  3.36in. 


in  length  and  2.5in.  across ;  the  egg-cavity  was  about 
lin.  deep  in  the  centre,  and  the  t;ottom  of  the  nest 
1.25in.  thick.  It  was  attached  to  a  slender  fork  of  a 
tree,  and  was  composed  externally  of  ferns,  dry  leaves, 
roots,  grass,  and  a  little  moss,  bound  together  with 
fine  hair-liko  fibres,  which  were  wound  round  the  prongs 
of  the  fork  so  as  regularly  to  suspend  the  nest  like  an 
Oriole's.  There  was  a  regular  lining,  distinct  from  the 
body  of  the  nest,  composed  of  fine,  long,  yellowish 
grass-stems,  and  a  little  cobweb  was  spread  here  and 
there  over  the  branches  of  the  fork  and  the  outside  of 
the  nest.  The  eggs  are  rather  long  ovals,  smaller  at 
one  end,  and  fairly  glossy  ;  they  measure  1.0  by  0.7, 
and  0.9'7  by  0.7.  The  ground-colour  is  pure  pinkish 
white,  abundantly  speckled  and  finely  spotted  with 
reddish  purple,  the  spots  closely  crowded  together  at 
the  largo  end,  but  not  confluent,  forming  in  one  egg  a 
broadish  zone,  and  in  the  other  a  cap  ;  in  the  latter  egg 
there  are  a  few  faint  underlying  stains  of  purplish  inky 
at  the  large  end." 

Russ  notes  that  three  examples  of  this  Bulbul  arrived 
at  our  Zoological  Gardens  in  1877,   but  he  appears  not 
to  have  heard  of  any  other  importation  of  the  species. 
Yellow-crowned  Buljul  {Trachycomus 
ochrocc  phalus). 

Above  brown  ;  the  feathers  greyish  towards  the  tips 
and  with  white  shaft-streaks  ;  these  become  less  distinct 
towards  the  lower  back  and  almost  imperceptible  on 
the  rump;  the  feathers  of  the  latter  tinted  with  yel- 
lowish olive;  tail-feathers  dull  yellowish  olive,  the 
inner  webs  browner  ;  lesser  and  median  coverts  washed 
with  ashy  grey  ;  greater  and  primary  coverts  and  flights 
washed  externally  with  olive-yellow ;  forekead  and 
crown  deep  straw  yellow,  changing  to  ^shy-brown  on 
nape  and  hind-neck,  and  with  white  shaft-streaks;  ear- 
coverts  brown,  with  whitish  centres ;  lores  black ;  a 
bare  space  behind  the  eye;  the  eyelid,  a  streak  from 
the  lores  below  the  eye  and  another  above  the  cheeks, 
straw-yellow  ;  cheeks  black  ;  throat  dull  white  ;  breast 
and  sides  brown,  washed  with  ashy  and  with  white 
shaft-streaks  to  the  feathers,  less  distinct  on  the  sides, 
which  have  an  olive  tint  ;  centre  of  body  below  whity- 
brown ;  thighs  deep  fawn-colour;  under  tail-coveits 
lighter  fawn,  with  an  olive-yellowish  tinge  and  whitish 
shaft-lines  ;  axillaries  pale  brown  :  under  wing-coverts 
more  ashy,  washed  with  olive-yellow ;  flights  lelow 
dusky,  with  pale  yellow  along  inner  webs  ;  bill  blac'%, 
feet  dark  horn-brown  ;  iris  brown  or  red.  The  female 
is  like  the  male,  but  smaller,  and  doubtless  with  a  mere 
.^lender  bill.  Hab.,  Southern  Tenasserim  and  the 
Malay  peninsula  to  Java,  Sumatra,  and  Borneo. 

Mr.  C.  Hose,  speaking  of  this  Bulbul  as  observed  bv 
him  in  Sarawak  (The  Ihi.^,  1893,  p.  591),  says  :—"  This 
bird  is  common  along  the  rivers,  and  is  called  by  the 
natives  'Maki  Boyah  '  or  'Alligator  Bird,'  a  name  given 
to  it  from  its  supposed  habit  of  anroying  tha  alligator." 

Beyond  the  fart  that  this  species  has  been  met  with 
1,000ft.  up  Mount  Kina  Balu,  I  can  obtain  no  further 
information  respecting  it.  Dr.  Russ  does  not  mention 
it  in  his  work,  although  a  specimen  was  deposited  at 
our  Zoological  Gardens  in  1895. 

Spotted-wing   [P.^aroglofsa   spiloptera). 

Above  pale  leaden-grey  speckled  with  brownish ; 
upper  tail-coverts  washed  with  reddish-brown  ;  flights 
and  primary-coverts  greenish  black  ;  a  white  spot  at 
base  of  primaries  :  tail  dark  brown  ;  chin  and  throat 
deep  chestnut;  some  of  the  feathers  with  grey  tips; 
remainder  of  under  surface  white  washed  with"  rufous 
on  abdomen  and  flanks;  bill  deep  horn-brown,  with 
pale  yellow   edges   to   the    mandibles,    base    of    lower 


FRUIT-SUCKERS. 


41 


mandible  somewhat  reddish ;  feet  brown ;  iris  -white. 
Female  above  brown,  with  greyish  centres  to  feathers 
of  head  and  back  ;  upper  tail-coverts  more  rufescent ; 
lesser  and  median  wing-coverts  brown,  with  a  subter- 
minal  ashy  bar ;  greater  coverts  with  a  broader  b'lr ; 
bastard-wing  and  primary-coverts  blackish  ;  flights 
black,  edged  with  bronze-green  ;  primaries  with  a  white 
spot  at  base,  inner  secondaries  brown ;  tail-feathers 
dark  bro'wn,  slightly  rufescent  tielow  ;  crown  of  head 
like  the  back  ;  lores  and  feathers  round  eye  blackish  ; 
ear-coverts  blackish-brown ;  cheeks  and  under  surface 
dull  white,  partly  washed  with  rufous  ;  throat,  breast 
and  sides  of  body  mottled  with  'brown;  thighs  dark 
brown ;  under  wing-coverts  centred  and  edged  with 
brown,  those  near  edge  of  wing  entirely  dark  brown  ; 
axillaries  brown  at  hase ;  bill  bhick,  dusky  yellow  at 
gape;  feet  black;  iris  white.  Hab.,  Himalayas  from 
Cashmere  to  Sikhim,  Dacca,  and  Assam,  through  Burma 
to  Tenasserim. 

Even  lip  to  1890  this  bird  was  associated  with  the 
Glossy  Starlings,  but  in  Oalt's'  edition  of  Hume's 
"Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  p.  162,  we  read:  — 
"  The  esgs  are  so  different  in  character  from  those  of 
all  the  Starlings  that  dnu'bts  might  necessarily  arise  as 
to  whether  this  species  is  placed  exactly  where  it  ought 
to  be  by  Jerdon  and  others.  I  |X)ssess  at  present  only 
three  eggs  of  this  bird,  which  I  owe  to  Captain  Hutton. 
They  are  decidedly  long  ovals,  much  pointed  towards 
the  small  end.  and  in  shape  and  coloration  not  a  little 
recall  those  of  Myiophoneus  temi/vinrki.  The  eggs  are 
glossless,  of  a  greenish  or  greyish-white  ground,  more 
or  less  profusely  speckled  and  spotted  with  red,  reddish 
brown,  and  dingy  purple.  In  two  of  the  eggs  the 
majority  of  the  markings  are  gathered  into  a  broad 
irregular  speckled  zone  round  the  large  end.  In  the 
third  egg  there  is  just  a  trace  of  such  a  zone,  and  no 
markings  at  all  elsewhere.  In  length  thev  vary  from 
1.03  to  1.08  and  in  breadth  from  0.68  to  0.74." 

Jerdon  writes  of  it  :  "  It  frequents  the  valleys  about 
Simla  and  Mussoore-e,  up  to  6,000  feet,  lives  in  small 
flocks  of  five  or  fix;  'its  note  and  flight,'  says  Hutton, 
'arc  very  much  like  those  of  Slurnns  vulgaris,  and  it 
delights  to  perch  on  the  very  summit  of  the  forest  trees. 
I  have  never  seen  it  on  the  ground,  and  its  feed  appears 
to  consist  of  berries.  It  nidificates  in  the  holes  of  trees, 
lining  the  cavity  with  bits  of  leaves  cut  by  itself ;  the 
eggs  are  usually  three  to  five,  of  a  delicate  pale  sea 
green,  speckled  with  blood-like  stains,  which  sometimes 
tend  to  form  a  ring  near  the  larger  end.'  Dr.  Adams 
says  that  it  frequents  rice  fields,  or  the  sides  of  moun- 
tain streams,  and  that  it  is  shy  and  timid."  (''  Birds  o( 
India,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  336-7.) 

In  July,  1902,  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper,  who  also  presented 
this  bird  to  our  Zoological  Gardens,  wrote  to  offer  me 
a  specimen,  which  reached  me  on  August  1st.  Mr. 
Harper  informed  me  that  he  considered  its  affinity  to 
the  Starlings  very  doubtful,  and  this  naturally  incited 
me  to  try  to  discover,  by  watching  its  habits  in  cap- 
tivity, what  birds  it  most  closely  resembled.  Mr.  Harper 
had  already  pointed  out  that  it  was  "  a  hopping  bird, 
and  did  not  use  its  mandibles  as  dividers  after  the 
manner  of  Starlings." 

I  fed  the  bird  as  I  do  other  fruit-eating  species,  but 
it  was  very  weak,  and  not  in  particularly  good 
plumage  ;  nevertheless,  it  was  e.isy  to  see  that  it  in 
no  respect  behaved  like  a  Starling.  It  always  flew 
direct  to  the  feed  vessel,  and  immediately  began  to 
feed,  piercing  the  fruit  with  slightly-opened  m.nndibles, 
between  which  the  tongue  was  alternately  inserted  and 
retracted  ;    it  ate  very  little  soft  food,  but  the  whole  of 


the  fruit  supplied  to  it.  In  all  these  points  its  behaviour 
corresponded  exactly  with  that  of  a  Bulbul,  and,  in  an 
artiile  which  I  pubiiehed  iu  The  Avicvltural  Maijazine 
for  December,  lb02,  I  expressed  the  belief  that  its.  right- 
ful pla,fe  was  with  that  group  of  birds. 

Unhappily  the  bird  did  not  gain  strength,  but  died 
on  September  25th ;  I  therefore  sent  the  body  to  the 
Natural  History  Museum,  in  order  that  Mr.  Pyeraft 
might  study  its  anatomy,  and  thereby  decide  as  to  its 
natural  ]X)sition.  I  wa;-<  much  interested  to  hear  that 
he  decided  in  favour  of  its  relationship  to  the  Bulbuls. 

Knowing  that  Colonel  Charles  Bingham  was  familiar 
with  the  si>ecies  in  its  native  haunts,  I  asked  him, 
without  stating  my  own  belief,  what  he  considered  tlie 
Sjx)tted-wing  to  be.  His  reply  was: — "Undoubtedly 
a  Bulbul  ;  it  agrees  with  the  Bulbuls  in  almost  all  its 
actions  when  at  liberty." 

I  therefore  do  not  hesitate  to  place  the  Spotted-wing 
here,  instead  of  among  the  Starlings. 

Chloropsis. 

Although  this  genus  seems  somewhat  related  to  tho 
Bulbuls,  its  members  are  so  utterly  dissimilar,  both  in 
colouring  and  form,  that  I  have  always  objected  to 
calling  them  Bulbuls.  In  general  aspect  they  remind 
one  of  the  Honeysuckers.  and  for  this  reason  1  propoi^ed 
(■'  Foreign  Bird-keeping,"  P.irt  1,  p.  17)  to  call  them 
Fiuit-suckers.  As  I  then  pointed  out,  they  were 
formerly  placed  in  the  Meliphagidie  by  Bonaparte  and 
Gray,  and  were  regarded  by  Blyth  as  somewhat  allied  to 
the  Honeysuckers,  though  stiucturally  they  are  much 
nearer  to  the  Bulbuls. 

Mr.  Frank  Finn  {The  Avicullui-al  Magazine,  1st  ser., 
Vol.  VIII.,  p.  86)  proposes,  three  years  later,  that  they 
shall  be  called  "  Harewa,"  a  name  by  which  they  are 
known  to  the  natives  in  India  (but  which  to  us  has  no 
meaning)  ;  meanwhile  my  name  for  these  birds  has 
caught  on,  and  is  now  very  generally  adopted.  Mr. 
Finn  considers  these  birds  to  l)e  a  link  between  the 
true  Bulbuls   and   the  Babblers. 

With  regard  to  the  food  for  the  species  of  Chloropsis, 
Mr.  Finn  says  they  "  are  very  easy  to  keep,  devouring 
soft  fruit  and  insects  with  equal  avidity,  and  lapping 
up  sweetened  milk-sop  with  great  gusto." 

Some  years  ago  I  knew  a  gentleman  who  spent  much 
money  in  importing  these  birds,  which  he  fed  exactly 
in  the  manner  above  suggested,  and  speedily  lost  them 
all.  The  late  Mr.  Abrahams,  wJio  saw  them  with  me, 
said  that  the  milk-sop  treatment  never  suited  them,  but 
that  they  did  well  upon  potato  and  egg  chopped  up 
together,  with  fruit  and  a  few  mealworms. 

Tliat  whicli  suffices  to  keep  a  bird  in  health  in  India 
does  not  answer  at  all  in  this  country.  Or  we  might 
keep  half  our  in  ectivorous  birds  upon  peameal  and 
maggots,  which  (according  to  what  Jerdon  tells  us) 
seem  to  be,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  staple  foods 
for  Indian  insectivorous  birds.  In  any  case,  a  com- 
bination of  milk  and  more  or  less  acid  fruit,  does  not 
commend  ifcelf  to  me  as  a  likely  food  to  keep  a  delicate 
biid  in  health,  consequently  I  should  not  try  it  myself, 
particularly  after  seeing  how  speedily  three  or  four 
lovely  specimens  of  Chloropsis  became  ill,  and  died 
TV  hen  thus  fed. 

Although  I  have  on  several  occasions  had  the  chance 
of  purchasing  at  least  two  species  of  Chloropsis,  the 
deaths  which  I  had  heard  of  made  me  nervous  of  giving 
the  necessarily  high  price  for  these  lovely  birds,  or  1 
should  certainly  have  fed  them  precisely  as  I  do  my 
other  fruit-eating  insectivors. 


42 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Gold-fronted  Fruit-sucker  {Chloropsis  aurifrons). 
"  A  bird  whose  general  hue  is  the  brightest  grass- 
green,  relieved  by  a  patch  of  sliining  turquoise  blue  0:1 
the  'shoulder'  of  each  wing,  displayed  when  the  bird  is 
excited.  The  sides  of  the  face  and  the  throat  and  fore- 
neck  are  black,  and  l/ie  crntrr  of  the  Ihruat,  right  up  to 
the  beak,  -ich  bright  blue.  The  fore'.iead  is  fiery  orange, 
and  a  yellow  zone  borders  the  black  throat  beU.w,  ex- 
tending more  or  less  faintly  up  the  sides  thereof.  The 
hen  i.s  said  to  be  less  brilliant  in  colour,  but  all  the  birds 
I  have  seen  looked  much  alike.  Her  mouth  is  said  to  be 
bLown,  while  that  of  the  cock  is  bluish  grey,  and  this 
may  afford  a  means  of  distinction.  Young  bird.';  have 
no  black  or  gold  on  the  head  and  only  a  moustache  of 


seldom  laying  betore  the  end  of  May  or  beginning  of 
June,  and  its  eggs  may  be  found  Well  on  into  the  middle 
of  August,  as  on  the  16th  of  this  month  I  once  took  two 
fresh  eggs.  The  earliest  date  on  which  I  have  seen  eggs- 
was  the  12th  of  May,  1891.  The  nest  appears  to  be 
very  like  that  of  C.  jerdoni  (Hume,  'Nests  and  Eggs,' 
2nd  edit..  Vol.  I.,  p.  155),  hut  I  have  seen  very  few  of 
this  bird's  nests,  and  judge  principally  from  the  accounts 
in  the  book  just  referred  to. 

"Amongst   other   birds'-nests   to   which    it  nearly   ap- 
proximates are  those  of  the  genus  Uemixus.  the  nests  of 
that  genus  differing  principally  in  being  mere  bulky  and 
^  less  tidy.     It  is  generally  placed  in  a  semi-pendant  posi- 
tion  in   a  small   horizontal   fork,   the  supporting  twig? 


Gold-fronted  Fruit-sucker 


blue." — Frank  Finn,  l.r.  Jerd(m,  says  that  "the  femab 
has  the  black  oi  the  neck  of  smaller  extent,  and  want.* 
the  golden  forehead."*  Hab.,  "  Sub-Himalayan  region 
from  Dehra  Doon  to  Sikhim,  extending  into  Lower 
Bengal.  It  also  occurs  through  Aracan,  Assajn,  and 
Burmah,  to  Tenasserim  and   Cambodia." — Sharpe. 

All  that  Jerdon  says  about  the  bird's  habits  is  :  "I 
procured  it  in  Sikhim  up  to  4,000  feet  or  so.  It  has 
a  sweet  song,  and,  like  the  others,  when  caged,  is  quite 
a  mocking  bird." — "  Bird.s  of  India."  Vol.  II.,  p.  100. 

Mr.  E.  C.  Stuart  Baker  {The  Ibis,  1895,  pp.  222  4) 
gives  the  following  full  account  of  the  nidification  of 
the  species: — "This  bird   is  one  of  the  late  breeders, 

*  I  think  this  is  incorrect,  though  ilie  forehead  may  perhaps 
he  paler  in  the  female. 


coming  outside  tlie  .sides  of  the  nest,  which  does  not 
hanij  from  them  as  does  an  Oriole's.  The  fork  chosen 
is  usually  one  on  the  outer  branches  of  some  small  tree 
or  sapling,  less  often  in  a  stout  fork  of  some  larger  tree, 
and  I  have  never  seen  a  nest  placed  on  the  upper  surface 
of  a  large  bough  in  the  manner  that  V.  jerdoni  is  said 
sometimes  to  build. 

"  In  shape  the  nest  is  a  rather  shallow  cup,  measuring 
in  outward  diameter  from  o.bin.  to  about  4in.,  and  m 
depth  from  1.3in.  to  1.8in..  the  latter  depth  being  un>- 
usual.  it  generally  being  under  l^in.  The  inner  portion 
is  nnide  of  very  fine  twigs  and  coarse  grass-stems,  more 
or  less  mixed  with  moss-roots  and  the  tendrils  of  con- 
volvuli  and  other  creepers,  and  sometimes  with  stalks 
of  the  common  maiden-hair  fern.     The  whole  of  this  is 


FRUIT-SUCKERS. 


43 


bounJ  together,  and  also  more  or  less  interwoven,  with 
soft  grasses,  dead  scraps  of  moss,  and  a  material  which 
appears  to  be  the  inner  bark  of  some  tree.  Further 
strength  is  a<lded  by  means  of  cobwebs,  a  very  large 
amount  of  this  material  being  used  in  a  few  nests.  The 
nest,  when  not  in  an  upright  fork,  is  vitv  firnjly  fixed, 
although  not  mucli  of  the  material  of  which  the  nest  is 
composed  is  actually  wound  round  the  supporting  twigs. 
I  have  seen  one  or  two  nests  with  a  little  live  moss  in- 
corporated with  the  otlier  materials,  giving  to  them  an 
appearance  much  like  smill  neat  nests  of  Ui/pxipelii 
pnaroiries.  The  eggs,  which  are  usually  two  in  number, 
sometimes  three,  vary  in  ground-colour  fiorn  a  pale 
pink,  so  faint  as  to  appear  white,  to  a  rather  warm  pink, 
though  egg.«  at  all  divply  tinted  are  the  exception.  .Most 
eggs  are  marked  with  small  specks  and  spots  of  a  deep 
reddish  brown,  and  also  with  irregular  lines  and  streaks 
of  the  same  colour,  often  so  dark  as  to  appear  black  if 
only  <asually  examined.  In  most  egos  the  specks  and 
spots  appear  to  he  the  predominating  form  of  markings, 
but  in  others  the  lines  predominate,  and  in  one  egg  I 
possessed  nearly  all  the  markings  were  of  this  character. 
Whatever  they  may  be.  however,  they  are  not 
numerous,  and  are  mostly  confined  to  the  larger  end, 
where  they  often  form  a  zone.  Another  type  of  ejg  has 
all  the  marks,  of  whichever  kind,  blurred  and  fainter, 
looking  as  though  someone  had  tried  to  wash  the  eggs 
and  by  so  doing  caused  the  colour  of  the  markings  to 
become  paler  and  at  the  same  time  to  run,  giving  the 
egg  a  mottled  surface,  not  unlike  a  weakly-marked  egg 
of  Crinifjrr  favfolus. 

"  Most  eggs  are  long  in  shape,  some  verv  regular 
ovals,  and  others  decidedlv  pointed.  The  shell  is  close- 
grained,  smooth,  and  delicate  and  in  the  majority  of 
cases  shows  a  faint  gloss,  seldom  at  all  pronounced. 
Fifteen  eggs  taken  in  Xorth  Cachar  .■average  0.94in.  by 
0.65in.,  hut  deducting  the  three  largest,  which  are  ab- 
normallv  large,  and  which  were  brought  to  me  by  a 
Naga  with  one  of  the  parent  birds,  the  remaining  twelve 
average  only  0.91in.  by  0.65-5in.  Thev  vary  in  length 
between  0.86in.  and  l.lin.,  and  in  breadth  between 
0.62in.  and  0.69in.  Tliis  bird  makes  Hs  nest  in  trees  on 
the  outskirts  of  forest  or  in  small  thickets  in  nullahs 
surrounded  by  grass-land,  never,  so  far  as  I  know, 
inside  heavy  forest." 

According  to  Russ,  thi';  bird  was  first  brought  alive 
to  Europe  in  October,  1873,  and  was  sent  to  the  Berlin 
Zoological  Gardens  ;  in  1874  it  first  reached  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens,  and  in  1875  the  late  Mr.  Wiener 
secured  two  examples  ;  in  the  same  year  Miss  Hagen- 
beck  received  several  specimens.  Since  that  date  a  few 
have  from  time  to  time  reached  the  various  dealers  in 
London  and  on  the  Continent,  and  a  few  have  been  im- 
ported privately  :  they  have  always  commanded  toler- 
ably high  prices  on  account  of  their  beauty  and  clear, 
cheerful  notes. 

MAL.\n.\R    FRl'iT-srCKER    [Chlornpsis   mnlnharira). 

The  cock  bird  is  deep  grass-green  ;  the  face,  enclosing 
the  eye,  the  chin,  and  throat,  velvety  black  ;  a  shining 
hyacinth-blue  stripe  on  the  cheek;  forehead  rich  golden, 
merging  into  the  green  of  the  crown  ;  wings  with  a 
bright  turquoise-blue  shoulder  patch  and  a  trace  of  the 
same  on  *he  margin,  followed  by  a  streak  of  hyacinth 
blue;  inner  webs  of  quills  brown,  those  of  the  secon- 
daries suffused  with  green  towards  the  tips ;  under 
surface  of  tail  greenish  grey;  hill  blackish,  legs  slaty- 
bluish  ;  iris  of  eye  brown.  The  hen  is  somewhat 
smaller,  has  a  green  forehead,  its  throat-patch  and  cheek- 
stripe  are  more  contracted,  and  its  bill  is  less  black. 
Hab.,  Southern  and  Central  India  and  C«ylnn,  but  rarer 


in  that  island  than  in  India.  In  its  wild  state  thi.» 
beautiful  bird  is  usually  seen  in  the  more  open  parts  of 
the  forest,  on  the  highest  and  the  lateral  branches  of 
moderately  sized  trees,  or  at  the  outskirts  of  "  patma  " 
woods  and  the  jungle  surrounding  tanks  ;  it  is  usually 
met  with  in  small  flocks.  It  hops  and  flies  actively 
from  branch  to  branch,  uttering  its  shrill  piping  note 
as  it  seeks  for  insects  ;  it  also  eats  a  good  deal  of  fruit, 
but  seems  to  prefer  the  former  diet.  Its  nest  is  firmly 
suspended  by  silky  fibre  between  the  fork  of  a  bough  ; 
this  fibre  also  forms  part  of  the  outside  of  the  nest, 
which  is  lined  with  dried  bents  and  hairs;  the  esgs  arc 
elongated,  creamy  wliite,  spotted,  blotched  and  lined 
with  light  pinky  brown,  purplish  or  blackish  markings. 
Herr  Wiener  speaks  highly  of  the  song  of  this  bird; 
on  the  other  hand,  Bourdillon  says,  "  The  male  makes 
an  attempt  to  sing,  uttering  a  few  notes  something 
like  those  of  the  Bronzed  Drongo,"  and  Captain  Legge 
adds  that  it  "gives  vent  to  a  series  of  chirps,  which, 
combined,  m-ike  up  a  short  little  warble."  I  have  heard 
it  sing  charmingly  ;  the  tcne  certainly  reminds  one  of 
that  of  the  Drongos. 

Of  late  years  this  beautiful  bird  has  been  much  more 
freely  imported  than  formerly  ;  therefore  its  price  has 
become  more  reasonable,  but  it  is  still  by  no  means  a 
cheap  bird. 

The  female  of  this  Green  Fruit-sucker  is  rarely  im- 
ported ;  but  about  the  beginning  c{  1897  (if  my  memory 
does  not  deceive  me)  my  friend  Mr.  .lames  Housden.  of 
Sydenham,  had  thre-e  or  four  examples  of  the  so-called 
"Green  Bulbul"  brought  over  for  him.  It  is  ouite 
likely  that  these  were  examples  of  Chloropsis  aurifrons 
and  that  an  example  which  I  then  supposed  might 
be  a  female  of  C  je.rdoni  was  a  young  bird  in  which  the 
black  of  the  throat  was  undeveloped  :  the  two  species 
were  long  confounded  by  aviculturists. 

To  keep  this  bird  in  health  in  confinement  a  certain 
number  of  insects  or  their  larvae  are  necessary.  Where 
other  less  stimulating  forms  of  insect  life  cannot  be 
obtained,  mealworms  will  answer  the  purpose,  provided 
that  the  bird  will  accept  them.  Ripe  oranges,  split 
sweet-water  grapes,  or  banana  should  always  he  in  the 
cage,  or,  at  any  rate,  some  form  of  sweet  ripe  fruit, 
and  as  an  addition  to  the  diet  I  should  recommend 
egg  chopped  up  with  potato,  as  well  as  some  good  insec- 
tivorous food,  mixed  with  twice  its  bulk  of  breadcrumbs 
and  slightly  damped. 

Blue-winof.d  Fktjit-sucker  {Chloropsis  hardwiciii). 

Dr.  Jerdon  gives  the  following  account  of  the  bird  : 
— "Male  above  green;  the  head  and  neck  tinged  with 
yellowish,  and  a  brilliant  smalt-blue  moustachial  streak ; 
shoulder  of  the  wings  verdigris  blue  ;  wings  and  tail 
fine  violet  or  purple  ;  throat  and  fore-neck  black,  pass- 
ing into  glossy  dark  purple  on  the  breast ;  abdomen 
rich  orange   saffron. 

"  Females  want  the  black  neck  and  throat ;  the 
moustachial  streak  is  less  vivid,  and  the  lower  parts 
are  more  mixed   with  green. 

"Bill  black;  legs  plumbeous;  irides  light  brown. 
Length,  8  inches;  extent,  12;  wing,  3| ;  tail,  5;  bill  at 
front,  11-16;   tarsus,  |. 

"This  beautiful  bird  is  found  in  the  south-east 
Himalayas,  from  Nepal  to  Bootan,  spreading  south  to 
the  hill  ranges  of  Assam,  Svlhet,  and  Arrakan.  In 
Sikhim  I  found  it  from  2".0C0  feet  upwards,  most 
common  about  4,000  feet.  It  has  a  fine  song  and  the 
usual  habits  of  the  genus." 

Mr.  E.  C.  Stuart  Baker  {Tlir  Ihl.^.  1895.  p.  224^  says: 
"  There  is  hardly  anything  to  say  about  the' nidification 
of   this  species   which    I    have   not   already   said    of   C. 


44 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


<iurifrons.  I  have  seen  very  few  nests,  and  of  these 
it  can  only  be  remarked  that  two  were  deeper  than 
any  I  have  seen  nf  that  bird,  one  measuring  over  1.8in. 
and  the  other  2.05in.  It  builds  in  the  same  sort  of 
position  also,  but  selects  higher  trees,  and  I  have  not 
taken  any  nest  below  25ft.,  and  one  or  two  from  very 
much  more  lofty  sites,  whereas  C.  aurifrons  seems  to 
prefer  a  height  of  some  12ft.  to  20ft.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber seeing  any  nest  of  this  ('hli>rup.''is  which  contained, 
amongst  the  materials  of  which  it  was  composed,  any 
green  moss.  Both  birds  breed  during  much  the  same 
period.  The  few  eggs  I  have  seen  of  this  handsome 
(-'hloro/Jfis  could  not  possibly  be  distinguished  from 
those  of  C.  aurifrons,  and  differ  from  those  of  C. 
jerdoni  only  in  their  much  greater  size,  averaging,  as 


they    do,     0.91in.     by     0.61in.        I     have     one     egg 

among  these  seven  which  is  exceptionally  large,  mea- 
suring l.OSin.  by  0.7in..  and  it  is  worthy  of 
note  that  I  shou'd  h.ive  found  abnormally  large'  eggs 
both  of  C.  aurifrons  and  C.  ftan/wickii,  the  more 
especially  as  I  have  seen  but  very  small  series  of  both." 

Between  the  years  1879,  when  a  single  example  of 
this  species  reached  the  London  Zoulogioal  Gardens, 
Russ  states  that  no  specimens  were  imjxjrted  until 
1894,  when  G.  Bosz.  of  Cologne,  received  a  large  con- 
signment ;  whether  any  of  these  specimens  were  for- 
warded to  the  London  market  I  don't  know,  but  shortly 
afterwaids  we  began  to  se^e  examples  at  our  bird  shows. 
One  specimen  seems  to  have  come  into  the  hands  of 
Herr  F.  Weber,  who  fed  it  upon  soft,  sweet,  cooked 
pears,  highly  sweetened  rice  and  mealworms.  It  refused 
ants'  cocoons,  and  looked  with  disdain  at  raw  meat, 
but  delighted  in  egg-plums  and  soft,  sweet  fruits 
generally. 

In  The  Avicultural  Magazine  for  1897  Mr.  Russell- 
Humphrys  has  given  an  interesting  account  of  his 
lovely  and  well-known  example  of  this  species.  Accord- 
ing to  him  it  is  of  no  use  to  offer  mealworms  to  C.  hard- 
wifkii,  as  it  will  not  touch  them ;  though  it  is  very 
clever  in  catching  flies.  Mr.  Humphrys  also  advocates 
the  use  of  banana  in  preference  to  orange  as  an  article 
of  diet ;  his  example  is  a  very  clever  mimic,  but  this 
is  a  well-known  characteristic  of  the  species  of 
Chloropsis,  and  therefore  not  surprising.  The 
article  is  well  illustrated  by  a  coloured  plate  by 
Frohawk. 

CHAPTER  V. 


Blue-winged  Fhuh -Sucker. 


BABBLERS    fCrateropodido'). 

The  Bulbuls,  which  Dr.  Sharpe  places  in  his  expanded 
Timi'liidie,  aie  called  by  him  Babbling  Thrushes  ;  he 
places  the  Mocking-birds  and  Bower-birds  in  the  same 
family  ;  but  in  all  their  habits  the  Mocking-birds  seem 
to  me  to  be  true  Thrushes,  while  the  Bower-birds  are 
aberrant  Crows  ;  with  a  few  modifications,  therefore,  I 
prefer   to  follow  the  Zoological  Society's   list. 

The  Jay-Thrushes  (Dryonasles.  Garrular,  etc.)  are 
mo"e  or  less  predaceous  birds,  feeding  partly  upon  young 
birds  and  eggs,  and  probably,  I  think,  upon  small 
rodents,  and  certainly  leptilcs.  To  keep  them  in  health 
in  captivity  it  is  necessary  occasionally  to  feed  them 
mucii  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Crow  family,  giving 
them  small  birds,  mice,  sparrows'  eggs,  etc.  ;  when 
these  cannot  be  obtained,  a  little  minced  raw  beef,  once 
a  week,  should  be  given,  but  fur  and  feather  are  piefer- 
able ;  in  other  rgspects  they  can  be  fed  like  true 
Thrushes,  on  a  good  insectivorous  food  and  a  little 
fruit ;  when  obtainable,  grapes  are  preferred  to  any 
other. 

Chinese  J.w-Thri-sh  (Dnjonastes  chinensis). 

Grey;  head  bluer;  front  of  head,  lores  and  eyebrow- 
Ftripc,  chin  and  froiit  of  throat  black ;  forehead  and 
cheekpntch  white  ;  uppei  part  of  b-jJy,  back,  and  wings 
with  a  faint  wash  of  olive  brownish ;  outer  webs  of 
Hights  with  paler  margins  inner  webs  blackish,  with 
1  n.irrow  paler  margin  ;  flights  be'ow  dark  ash-grey ; 
wing-coverts  the  same;  tail-feathers  like  the  rest  of  the 
upper  surface,  but  a  trifle  darker,  below  bl.ick  with 
narrow  pale  tips  to  the  feathers;  under  tail-coverts 
brownish-grey;  bill  black;  feet  brown;  iris  deep  rod- 
brown.  Feniile  smaller  than  male,  and  with  snorter 
bill.     Hab.,  China  and  Cpper  Burma. 

Ur.  Russ  states  that  all  that  is  known  of  the  free  life 
of  this  bird   is  that  according  to  Swinhoe  its  call-note 


JAYTHRUSHES. 


45 


is  like  the  cawing  of  a  Grow,  or  like  a  human  being 
shouting  "  Hurrah  !  "  and  he  congratulates  hiji  readers 
on  the  fact  that  the  bird  has  been  studie<l  in  «»ptivity. 
Fortiuiately  wimo  notes  on  the  wild  life  have  been  pub- 
lished in  77/1'  I  his. 

Colonel  Cliar'i's  liinghain,  in  a  pajier  on  "  Birds  of  the 
Southern  Shan  SlaU's^'  (The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  587)  says  :  — 
"  I  never  found  this  bird  common,  though  it  occurs  over  a 
wide  range,  and  at  elevations  from  500  feet  to  5,000 
feet  "  ;  and  K.  C.  Stuart  Baker  oKservers  [The  Ihi»,  1906, 
p.  89)  that  "  Capt.  Harrington  has  taken  the  nest  of 
this  bird  in  the  Shan  States.  He  thus  records  the  dis- 
covery : — 'At  tlanguni  (5,000  feet)  on  the  1st  of  May 
I  fouiid  a  nest  of  this  bird  placed  in  a  small  tree  about 
nine  feet  up.  I  was  unable  to  shoot  the  bird,  as  it  sat 
for  some  time  on  the  edge  of  the  nest  just  above  my 
head,  and  then  got  away.  The  nest  was  exactly  like 
that  of  the  next  species '  {D.  sannio) ;  '  three  eggs, 
measuring  1.04in.  by  .79in.,  glossy  white.'"  Unfortu- 
nately  we  are  not  told  wh.at  the  nest  of  />.  sannio  is  like. 

Speaking  of  the  Babblers,  Mr.  Frank  Finn  (7'Ac  Ibis, 
1901,  p.  428)  observes  : — "  Most  esteemed,  perhaps,  is  the 
Chinese  Jay -Thrush  (Dryonaslcs  chincnsis),  which  is 
only  known  here"  (Calcutta)  "as  an  imported  bird,  and 
under  its  Chinese  name  of  Pekp.  It  is  a  very  fine 
songster,  and  an  excellent  mimic.  A  few  arrive  from 
time  to  time,  and  find  a  ready  sale.  I  know  of  a  very 
good  specimen  which  is  at  least  fourteen  years  old,  and 
certainly  shows  no  signs  of  age." 

Mr.  R.  \V.  O.  Frith  noticed  that  his  specimen  of  this 
bird  had  a  habit,  like  the  Crows,  of  sticking  any  bits 
of  chopped  meat  which  were  given  to  it  between  the 
bars  of  its  cage.  If  a  bee  or  wasp  was  offered  to  it,  this 
was  inst:intaneously  seized,  the  tail  was  thrown  forward 
and  the  insect  rubbed  backwards  and  forwards  between 
the  feathers,  as  if  to  clean  it,  before  it  was  killed.  It 
would  place  a  large  beetle  on  the  ground  and  kill  and 
break  it  up  with  a  quick,  powerful  blow  of  the  bill. 
With  a  small  snake  it  always  manieuvred  so  as  to  hit 
it  on  the  centre  of  the  head,  then  it  devoured  the  same 
about  half  at  a  time  piecemeal,  holding  its  prey  under  its 
foot,  and  hacking  off  pieces  with  its  bill,  according'  to  its 
usual  method  of  feeding  (quoted  by  Russ  from  Blyth). 

Dr.  Russ  fills  several  pages  with  accounts  of  this 
bird's  song,  its  timeness  in  captivity,  and  its  jpy  in 
recognising  another  example  of  its  species  after  a  long 
term  of  solitary  life.  He  says  that  the  first  example  to 
reach  Gennany  went  to  the  Berlin  Aquarium.  The 
following  is  perhaps  worth  recording: — "Mr.  Peter 
Frank  of  Liverpool  remark.s  that  a  friend  of  his  in  the 
South  of  England  had  made  an  attempt  to  breed  with 
a  pair  of  Jav-Thru.'-hes.  Moreover,  these  birds  killed 
and  devoured  little  fish,  but  he  could  never  make  sure 
whether  they  brushed  an  insect  or  other  prey  with 
their  tail-feathers.  The  pair  actually  started  to  breed; 
yet  the  birds  always  broke  up  their  Ortn  eggs. 
Although  in  the  most  approved  manner  they  were  pro- 
vided in  the  matter  of  food,  for  the  most  part  alive, 
snails,  little  fish,  blight,  mealworms,  etc.,  they  did  not 
discontinue  this  unnatural  behaviour,  and  consequently 
were  unable  to  breed  successfully." 

This  is  a  well-known  species  in  our  Zoological  Gardens, 
and  ha-s  been  in  the  possession  of  not  a  few  private 
aviculturists. 

M.iSKED    Jat-Thrfsh    (Dryonaslis    perspirillalvs). 

Front  of  head  to  above  eye,  sides  of  head  including 
cheeks  and  ear-ooverts  black  ;  remainder  of  upper  sur- 
face dull  greyish-brown;  wings  somewhat  darker;  the 
flights  with  greyish  margins  to  the  outer  webs;  tail- 
feathers  bla.ck-brown ;  the  two  centra!  ones  and  the 
basal  half  of  the  others  clear  brown  ;  body  below  brown- 


ish-white; the  abdomen  and  under  tuil-coverts  bright 
yellowish  nist-ied  ;  bill  bliick-brown ;  feet  brownish 
flesh-coloured  ;  iris  dark  brown.  The  female  is  rather 
smaller  and  has  a  shorter  bill.  Hab.,  South  China. 
According  to  I'ere  Uavid,  it  is  a  resident  spe<'ie.s  and  i,s 
abundant  in  the  vicinity  of  human  dwellings  and  on 
fields  in  the  plains  which  are  dotted  over  with  groups 
of  treeis, .scrub,  and  bamboo-jungle,  but  never  in  dense 
•woods.  It  .«eeks  its  food  on  the  ground,  along  the 
hedges  which  enclose  fields  and  under  the  bamboos: 
this  consists  principally  of  insects,  as  well  as  all  kinds 
of  fruitis  and  seeds;  moreover  it  pursues  small  bii-ds  in 
order  to  kill  and  eat  them.  Its  screaming,  unpleasing 
song  is  continually  to  be  heard. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Ryan,  in  a  paper  on  the  birds  of  the  lower 
Yangtse  Basin  (The  Ibis,  1891,  p.  334)  says:— "A 
common  resident,  frequenting  thick  cover  and  bamboo 
copses  on  the  plains." 

Messrs.  La  Touche  and  Rickett  "on  the  nesting  of 
Birds  in  Fohkien  "  (The  Ibis,  1906,  p.  28)  say. ^"  We 
have  taken  but  four  nests  of  this  common  "resident. 
There  are  two,  or  perhaps  three,  broods  in  the  season, 
as  we  have  taken  eggs  as  late  as  July  11th. 

"  A  jiest  found  on  May  9th  was  placed  in  a  large 
thorny  busk  eight  or  ten  "feet  froni  the  ground.  It  was 
composed  of  hard  wiry  tendrils,  within  which  was  a 
layer  of  dead  leaves,  and  then  a  layer  of  straw,  that 
showed  conspicuously  all  round  the  edge,  giving  the 
nest  the  curious  appearance  of  having  a  straw  binding. 
The  lining  was  of  pme-necdles.  Another  nest,  built  in 
a  small  tree,  was  compo'ed  of  coarse  grass,  roots,  and 
a  few  small  twigs,  lined  with  fine  dry  grass. 

"The  nests  are  6in.  or  7in.  in  external  diameter,  4in. 
in  internal  diameter.  In  depth  they  are  4in.  externally 
and  2in.  to  3in.  int-ernally.  '  / 

"Eight  eggs  average"  l.lOin.  by  .85in. ;  they  arej 
delicate  greenish  white  in  colour  and,  as  a  rule,  very^ 
glossy,  but  the  texture  is  uneven ;  in  shape  they  ai'e 
more  or  less  oval.  There  are  three  or  four  eggs  in  a 
clutch." 

In  his  "  Field-Notes  on  the  Birds  of  Chekiang  "  (The 
Ibis,  1906.  pp.  438-9),  Mr.  J.  D.  D.  La  Touche  says  :  — 
"  Abundant  and  resident.  It  breeds  in  the  bainboo- 
copses  round  about  the  villages  and  also  in  the  reed- 
beds.  Tlie  nests  which  I  have  seen  in  the  former  were 
all  placed  on  bamboos  at  a  considerable  height  from  the 
ground— twelve  feet  at  least.  Two  haif-torn-down  and 
deserted  nests  found  on  June  10th  in  a  patch  of  reeds 
were  about  five  feet  from  the  ground;  one  contained 
three  slightly  incubated  eggs,  the  other  was  empty. 
Fresh  eggs  were  brought  to  me  on  June  21ft,  July  11th, 
and  July  13th,  so  that  no  doubt  two  broods  are  reared 
here.  The  Chinkiang  nests  which  I  have  seen  resemble 
thos>e  taken  at  Foochow,  but  ten  eggs  taken  at  Chin- 
kiang are  much  larger  than  Foochow  eggs.  They 
average  1.14in.  by  0.86in.  The  largest  is  1.20in  by 
0.86in.,  the  shortest  1.07in.  by  0.85in.' 

Dr.  Russ  observes  that  this  Jay-Thrush  is  one  of  the 
most  infretjuent  to  appear  in  the  European  bird  market 
and  only  come.s  extremely  larelv  to  the  large  Zoological 
Gardens  (I^ndon  Gardens,  1878) ;  nevertheless  in  the 
year  1884  it  was  advertised  several  times  by  English 
dealers  in  the  Gcfiederlr  Will. 

Collared  jAV-THRrsH  {Garrulax  piclicnllis). 
Upper  surface  grey-brown  washed  with  cinnamon, 
but  indistinctly  ;  the  innermost  secondaries  and  centraf 
tail-feathers  indistinctly  transversely  barred ;  back  of 
neck  stronglv  washed  with  golden  cinnamon,  diffused  ; 
outer  secondaries  and  primaries  with  black  inner  webs, 
the  jirimaries  with  their  outer  webs  becoming 
increasingly    white    outwardly,     the    outermost    being 


46 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


almost  entirely  so,  but  the  innermost  golden  brownish 
changing  to  grey  towards  tlic  tips  ;  all  the  outer  tail- 
feathers  broadly  banded  with  black  towards  the  tips 
which  are  grey  internally,  broadly  white  externally  ;  Icres 
sordid  whitish;  a  distinct  pure  white  eyebrow  streak, 
below  which  a  black  streak  runs  above  the  ear-coverts 
to  the  sides  of  neck,  which  are  also  black  ;  ear-coverts 
ashy  white  with  blackish  shaft-streaks,  the  outermost 
row  black  broadly  tipped  with  white,  forming  an  ill- 
dofined  irregular  bar  ;  moustachial  streak  black  ;  uuder- 
parts  white,  the  feathers  of  tliroat  and  chest  faintly 
tipped  with  huffish  ;  a  broad  undulatfd  lilack  l>plt  from 
sides  of  neck  across  the  chest,  behind  which  the  white 
feathers  are  more  deeply  stained  with  huffish*  ;  sides 
of  body  cinnamon ;  under  tail-coverts  huffish ;  under 
wing-covert«  white  washed  with  pale  cinnamon ;  bill 
with  upper  mandible  blackish-horn ;  lower  mandible 
slightfy  paler,  more  flesh-coloured  changing  to-  white 
at  baae  ;  feet  greyish  horn-coloured ;  iris  bright  chest- 
nut. Female  slightly  smaller,  and  with  a  shorter  and 
more  slender  bill.     Hab.,  China. 

The  late  Consul  Swinhoe,  who  originally  described 
and  named  this  bird,  tells  us  that  he  found  in  its 
Btomaeh  smooth  caterpillars,  grasshoppers,  seeds,  and 
the  pulp  of  tig-like  berries. 

Messrs.  Rickett  and  La  Touche  (The  Ibis.  1897, 
pp.  504-5),  say: — "We  found  this  species  common  at 
'Ching  Feng  Ling.  The  birds  were  always  in  parlies, 
frequenting  underwood  in  all  forests  or  detached 
clumps   of  trees. 

"  Tbev  appear  to  feed  chiefly  on  the  ground,  and  one 
of  us  obtained  a  good  view  of  some  when  thus  engaged. 
They  were  scattering  the  dead  leaves  about,  and  peck- 
ing vigorously  at  the  earih.  The  blows  dealt  at  the 
earth  were  extraordinarily  powerful,  the  bird  raising 
itself  to  the  full  stretch  of  its  legs  and  bringing  its 
beak  down  like  a  pickaxe,  at  the  same  time  dropping 
iLs  wings  down  by  its  sides. 

"When  disturbed  they  invariably  took  to  the  trees, 
calling  with  clear  and  very  melodious  notes,  and  rapidly 
disappeared  from  sight.  Wounded  birds  uttered  loud 
harsh  cries,  and  ran  through  the  cover  with  great  speed. 

"We  obtained  twenty-five  specimens,  and  note  a  good 
deal  of  variety  in  the  colour  of  the  '  necklace.'  which 
Taries  from  pale  ash  to  dark  iron-grey  and  black,  these 
colours  beina  often  mixed  and  shading  into  one  another. 

"Young  birds  are  much  smaller  than  the  old  ones. 
They  want  the  white  streaks  on  the  ear-coverts,  and 
the  '  necklace,'  vhcre  it  crosses  the  chest,  is  narrow, 
blackish,  and  unbroken.  Their  irides  are  pale  straw- 
colour,  while  in  the  old  birds  it  is  usuaUv  crimson. "t 

In  The  Ibis  for  1899,  p.  180,  Mr.  I^  touche  says  :  — 
"  Although  we  obtained  breeding  examples  at  Kuatun 
•during  the  last  expedition,  we  failed  to  find  the  nest. 
A  large  flock  was  met  on  the  20th  March  in  a  wood 
close  to  the  river  in  the  Kienyang  district,  so  that  this 
tird  may  be  said  to  be  an  inland  species  occurring  in 
mountainous  wooded  country  at  all  altitudes,  probably 
all  over  South-west  Chekiang,  Western  Fohkien,  and 
'N.E.   Kwangtung." 

Dr.  Russ  simke  of  this  as  "one  of  the  verv  rarest 
imported  foreian  birds  living  in  our  po.«session,"  but  if 
this  is  true  as  regards  the  German  market  it  is  not  so 
in  England, 

The  Zooloffif-al  Sociefv  rece'ved  its  fi'-st  example  from 
the  Paris  .Jardin  d'.\rclimatation  in  1873.  Vut  the  Berlin 
Gardens  did  not  obtain  one  until  twenty  years  later.     I 

•  In  Ifloo  I  described  t*ie  un*ierpart3  of  thlB  bird  as  "mostly 
ypllowlBh-brown,"  BO  that  it  would  Beem  that  this  ib  a  characteristic 
of  the  young  bird. 

t  A  siight  exagperation  If  my  bird  was  a  normal  specimen',  the 
eye  Ib  a  bright  chestnut-red. 


purchased  a  specimen  in  1900  (Tanuiry  26th),  and  it 
lived  in  my  possession  in  perfect  health,  and.  after  it 
had  been  transferred  to  a  sufficiently  large  cage,  in  per- 
fect plumage,  until  January  16th,  1907,  when  it  was 
unaccountably  taken  ill  and  died  two  days  later.  It  fei 
well  to  the  last. 

Although  after  a  time  this  bird  became  wonderfully 
tame,  and  would  readily  take  insects  from  one's  fingers, 
it  cannot  be  recommended  as  a  pet.  Its  song  is  a  harsh 
sort  of  chattering,  and  its  note  when  it  wants  anything 
or  desires  to  be  noticed  is  an  incessant  irritating  plain- 
tive whistle  rapidly  repeated  ;  when  hungry  it  utters  a 
harsh  note  something  like  Werk.'  repeated  with  a  short 
interval  four  or  five  times.  It  is,  however,  a  strikingly 
handsome  bird,  and  when  breaking  up  a  mouse  its 
businesslike  manner  oi  raising  itself  high  on  its  legs 
and  digging  at  it  with  its  powerful  bill  is  amusing;  it 
will  eat  any  amount  of  cockroaches,  swallowing  even 
the  largest  down  whole  after  giving  them  a  single  dig 
with  its  hill. 

Towards  the  end  of  its  life  I  suppose  my  bird  must 
have  become  more  contented,  for  his  irritating  whistle 
became  more  and  more  rare,  so  that  sometimes  it  was 
not  iieard  for  months  together.  I  remember  Mr.  FuU- 
james  telling  me  that  he  was  obliged  to  get  rid  of  a 
specimen  which  he  once  had  because  the  neighbours 
complained  of  the  noise.  They  would  if  the  bird  was 
anywhere  where  they  could  hear  it.  I  hardly  know 
which  is  the  more  unbearable — the  miserable  whistling 
of  a  C/ollared  Jay-Thrush,  or  the  everlasting  measured 
Hoo,  hoo,  hoo  (literally  repeated  hundreds  of  times)  of 
a  male  Wonga-Wonga  Pigeon. 

White-ckested   Jay-Thrush   (Garrulax   leuroJophus). 

Head,  neck,  and  breast  white,  washed  with  sshy-grey 
on  the  nape  and  hack  of  neck ;  a  black  streak  from 
ujiper  mandible  through  the  eye  to  the  ear-coverts  •  re- 
mainder of  plumage  rufous-brown  washed  with  oliva- 
ceous, and  becoming  more  chestnut  at  its  iunction  with 
the  white ;  tail  darker ;  flights  and  tail  with  dusky 
inner  welis ;  bill  black ;  f'»et  lead?n  errey ;  iris  red- 
brown  to  brownish-yellow.  Hab..  Himalavas  from  ths 
far  north-west  to  Bootan,  and  thence  through  the  Khasia 
hills  to  Arrakan.     (Jerdcn.) 

Jerdon  says  of  this  species  ("  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II,, 
p.  35)  ;  "  It  assembles  in  large  flocks  of  twenty  or  more, 
every  now  and  then  bursting  out  into  a  chorns  of  most 
discordant  laughter,  quite  startling  at  first,  and  scream- 
ing and  chattering  for  some  time.  Thev  feed  on  the 
ground  a  good  deal,  turning  over  dead  leaves  for  insects, 
but  also  eat  various  berries.  They  frequent  file  hill 
zone  from  about  2,000  to  6,000  feet  of  elevation  (rarelv 
higher),  but  are  most  numerous  between  3,000  and 
4,000  feet. 

"  I  have  had  the  nest  and  eggs  brought  me  more  than 
once  when  at  Darjeeling.  the  former  being  a  large  mass 
of  roots,  moss,  and  grass,  with  a  few  pure  wliite  eg^s." 

The  following  notes  a^e  from  Oates'-s  edition  of  Hum"'s 
"Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  Vol.  I.,  pn.  47.  48: 
— "  According  to  Mr.  Hodgson's  notes,  the  Himalayan 
White-crested  Laughing-Thrush  breeds  at  various  eleva- 
tions in  Sikhim  and  Nepal,  from  the  Terai  to  an  eleva- 
tion of  5.000  or  6,000  feet,  from  April  to  June.  It  lays 
four  to  six  esgs.  which  are  described  and  figured  as 
pure  white,  very  broad  ovals,  meisuring  1.2  hv  0.9.  It 
breeds,  we  are  told,  in  small  trees,  (onstructim.'  a  rude 
cup-shaned  nest  amongst  a  clump  of  shoots,  or  between 
a  number  of  slender  twigs,  of  dry  bamboo-leaves, 
creepers,  scales  of  the  turmeric  plant,  etc..  and  lined 
with  fine  roots." 

According  to  Mr.  Gammie,  "The  eggs  are  usually  four 


JAY-THRUSHES. 


47 


or  five  in  number,  but  on  several  occasions  I  have  fouml 
as  few  as  two  well-sel  eggs." 

The  author  observes: — "Numerous  nests  of  this 
species  have  been  sent  me,  taken  in  Mav,  June,  and 
July,  at  elevations  of  from  2,000  to  fully  4"000  feet,  and 
in  one  case  it  is  said  5.000.  They  are  all  very  similar, 
large,  very  shallow  cups,  from  6  to  nearly  8  inches  in 
external  diameter,  anJ  from  2.5  to  3.5  in  height ;  ex- 
teriorly all  are  com]x>sed  of  coarse  grass,  of  bamboo- 
spathes,  with  occasionally  a  few  dead  leaves  inter- 
mingled, loosely  wound  round  with  creepers  or  pliant 
twigs,  while  interiorly  they  are  composed  and  lined 
with  black,  only  moilerutcly  fine  roots  or  pliant  flower- 
stems  of  some  Howerins-tree,  or  both.  Sometimes  the 
exterior  coating  of  grass  is  not  very  coarse;  at  other 
times  bamboo-spathes  exclusively  are  used,  and  the  nest 
seems  to  be  completely  packed  up  in  these." 

According  to  Russ,  this  species  is  rare  in  the  trade  ; 
it  reiicbed  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  London  and 
Amsterdaiii  in  1876  ;  soon  afterwards  Messr.«.  E.  Linden 
and  K.  von  Schlechtendal  secured  specimens.  The 
former  gentleman  observes  : — "  I  received  this  bird  from 
Jamrach  of  London  as  a  Crested  Pekoe,  with  the  in- 
formation that  it  was  a  good  singer.  Now,  if  one  does 
not  take  the  matter  of  song  literally,  but  .accepts  in  its 
place  ,an  unsatisfactory  vocal  organ,  that  assertion  is 
justifiable.  Its  perpetual  restlessness  and  constant 
movement  is,  as  it  were,  accompanied  by  a  subdued 
murmuring,  somewhat  as  in  the  case  of  a  person  who 
has  a  hibit  of  humming  .■something  to  himself.  The  loud 
tones  most  nearly  resemble  a  quickly  jerked  out  laugh, 
and  this  passes  into  a  loud  rattle."  In  nine  cases  out 
of  ten,  if  ,a  dealer  goes  out  of  his  way  to  praise  the  song 
of  a  bird  in  order  to  dispose  of  it  to  a  customer  one 
may  expect  to  be  disappointed. 

White-throated  Jat-Thrush  {Garrvlar  albngularis). 
L^pperside  olivaceous-brown ;  forehead  yellowish- 
brown  ;  lores  and  a  streak  below  the  eye  black  ;  fliglits 
darker  brown  with  oaler  inner  margins ;  tail-feathers 
greenish-brown,  with  black-brown  bands  and  broid 
white  margins;  the  two  central  ones  uniformly 
greenish-brown ;  angle  of  lower  mandible  and  threat 
white;  upper  breast  dull  greenish-brown;  remainder  of 
under  surface  yellowish  rust-coloured  ;  the  sides  ani 
under  tail-coverts  deeper  in  colour;  bill  black-brown; 
feet  horn-grey;  irides  bluish-grey.  The  female  only 
differs  as  usual.  Hab.,  Himalayas  generally  from 
Bootan  to  Simla  ;  more  common  in  the  North-west  than 
;n  the  E.ast.  "  It  prefers  rather  high  elevations,  from 
5.000  to  9,000  feet  and  upwards  ;  lives  in  large  flocks, 
feeding  mostly  on  the  ground,  among  bamboos  and 
brushwood,  and  every  now  and  then  screaming  and 
chattering,  but  not  so  loudly  or  discordantly  as  some  of 
the  others.  Hutton.  who  says  that  it  is  very  common 
at  Mussooree,  found  the  nest  '  about  seven  or'eight  feet 
from  the  ground,  of  woody  tendrils,  twigs,  fibres,  or  at 
times  of  grass  and  leaves,  and  with  three  beautiful  shin- 
ing green  eggs.'  It  is  not  very  common  at  Darjeeling, 
and  is  not  found  below  6,000  or  7,000  feet." — Jerdon, 
'Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  39. 

In  Oates's  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of 
Indian  Birds"  we  read  :— "The  Whit-e-throated  Laugih- 
mg-Thrush  breeds  throughout  the  lower  southern  ranges 
of  the  Himalayas  from  Assam  to  Afghanistan  at  eleva- 
tions of  from  4,000  to  8,000  feet.  Thev  lay  from  the  com- 
mencement of  April  to  the  end  of  June.  The  nest 
varies  in  shape  from  a  moderat«lv  deep  cup  to  a  broad 
shallow  saucer,  and  from  5  to  7  or  even  8  inches  in 
extern.al  diamet^er,  and  from  less  than  2  to  nearly  4 
inches  in  depth  internally.     Coarse  grass,  flags,  creepers. 


dead  leaves,  moss,  moss-  and  grass-roots,  all  at  times 
enter  more  or  less  largely  into  the  composition  of  the 
nest,  which,  though  sometimes  wholly  unlined,  is  often 
neatly  cushioned  with  red  .and  black  fern  and  moss- 
roots.  The  nests  are  placed  in  small  bushes,  shrubs,  or 
treea,  at  heights  of  from  3  to  10  feet,  sometimes  in 
forks,  but  more  often,  I  think,  on  low  horizontal 
branches,  between  two  or  three  upright  shoots.  "There 
is,  I  think,  the  regular  complement  of  eggs,  and  this  is 
the  number  I  have  always  found  when  the  eggs  were 
much  incubated.  I  have  not  myself  observed  that  this 
species  breeds  in  comjxiny,  nor  can  I  ever  remember  to 
have  taken  two  nests  within  100  yards  of  each  other." 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  "although  this  is  one  of  the  birds 
most  rarely  brought  to  ^;urope,  it  occasionally  reaches 
Zoological  Oiirdens.  In  the  year  1876  it  was  alreadv  in 
the  London  Hardens,  and  at  the  present  time  the  Zoo- 
logical (iardens  of  Berlin  posse.ss  it." — "  Fremdlan- 
dischen  Stubenvogel,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  232. 

Bl.\ck-gokgeted  Jat-Thrush  (Garrulax  pectoralis). 

Above  pale  olivaceous-brown,  washed  with  rust- 
reddish  on  back  and  rump  ;  nape  and  hind  neck  bright 
rust-reddish ;  flights  with  ashy  margins ;  lateral  tail- 
feathers  banded  with  black  and  white  ;  a  n:irrow  white 
eyebrow  stripe ;  lores,  cheeks  and  ear-coverts  greyish 
or  white  (sometimes  black)  enclosed  by  two  narrow 
black  lines  from  base  of  bill,  which  unite  behind  into 
a  broad  band  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  and  expand  into 
a  gorget  on  the  upper  breast ;  chin  white  ;  neck,  throat, 
breast,  and  sides  of  abdomen  usually  pale  fulvous  or 
bright  rust-coloured;  middle  of  lower  abdomen,  and 
sometimes  the  throat  and  breast  white  :  bill  bluish  horn- 
colonred ;  feet  greenish  lead-coloured ;  irides  brown, 
oibitjl  skin  dull  leaden.  Jerdon  observes  that  "this 
species  varies  a  good  deal  (according  to  the  locality)  in 
the  markings  on  the  ear-coverts,  which  in  some"  are 
bhck,  in  others  white  mixed  with  black,  and  in  some 
the  pectoral  band  is  obsolete.  Specimens  from  the 
Himalayas  have  usually  the  ears  silver-grey,  whilst 
those  from  Arrakan  have  them  black  and  grey  in  every 
gridation.  It  is  found  in  the  Himalayas,  "extending 
through  Assam  into  Burmah." — "  Birds  of  India  "  VoF 
II.,  p.  40  (cf.  Thp  Ibis,  1903,  p.  587). 

In  Hume's  "Nests  and  Eags  of  Indian  Birds."  2tid 
ed.,  pp.  45,  50.  we  read:— "IMr.  Oates  tell  us  that  he 
'  found  the  nest  of  the  Black-gorgeted  Laughing-Thrush 
in  the  Pegu  Hills,  on  the  27th  April,  containing  three 
fresh  eggs  ;  the  bird  was  sitting.  The  nest  was  placed 
in  a  bamboo-clump  about  7ft.  from  the  ground,  made 
outwardly  of  dead  bamboo-leaves  and  coarse  roots  lined 
with  finer  roots  and  a  few  feathers;  inside  diameter  6in., 
depth  2in.  Two  eggs  measured  1.04  by  0.83  and  0.86* 
Colour,   a  beautiful   clear   blue.'* 

"  A  nest  sent  me  from  Sikhim,  where  it  was  found 
in  July,  contained  much  larger  eggs,  and  more  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  of  the  bird.  The  nest  I  refer  to  was 
placed  in  a  clump  of  bamboos  about  5ft.  from  the 
ground.  It  was  a  tolerably  compact,  moderately  deep 
saucer-shaped  nest,  between  6  and  7  inches  in  diameter' 
composed  of  dead  bamboo-sheaths  and  leaves  bound  to- 
eether  with  creepers  and  herbaceous  stems,  and  thinlv 
lined  with  roots.  It  contained  two  eggs.  These  ara 
rather  broad  ovals,  somewhat  pointed  tow'ards  one  end  • 
of  a  uniform  pale  greenish  blue,  and  are  fairlv  glossv' 
These  egsis  measured  1.33  and  1.30  in  length, 'and  0  98 
in  breadth." 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  tliis  Ls  one  of  the  very  rarest  birds 

..•"..^^'■•i^T'^,'.'^;"''^  ?"*  "^  "'^  ""^  "■""'«'■  sni.ill  for  the  size  of  the 
bird,  and  Mr.  (Jates  observes  :— "  I  fear  I  niav  liivemnaL  .„,?..   i 
in  identi.'ying  the  nest  referred  to."  ^  "'"'^  *  mistake 


48 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


in  the  trade ;  and  that,  to  his  knowledge,  only  a  single 
example  has  been  imported  living  to  the  Berlin  Gardens, 
where  it  still  is  ;  he  evidently  overlooked  the  fact  that 
two  specimens  arrived  at  the  London  Gardens  in  April, 
1890. 

Strhtkd   Jay  THRrsH    {Grammaloplila   striata). 

Above  rufous-brown  with  white  shaft-streaks  ;  heai 
more  umber-brown ;  wings  redder,  tail  almost  chest- 
nut ;  outermost  primaries  with  ashy  outer  margins ; 
under  surface  paler,  with  yellowish-white  shaft-streaks, 
those  on  abdomen  wider  and  longer  than  those  on  the 
back  ;  bill  black  ;  feet  dull  leaden  ;  irides  red-brown. 
Hab.,  Bootan  to  Nepal  ;  common  at  Darjeeling  from 
about  6,000  to  9,000  feet,  according  to  Jerdon.  He  makes 
the  following  remarks  about  the  species  ("Birds  of 
India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  12): — "This  bird  has  a  remarkably 
strong  and  Jay-like  bill,  and  was  originally  described 
as  a  Jay  by  Vigors.  In  its  mode  of  coloration  it  ap- 
proaches some  of  the  Oarrulax  series,  viz.,  Troclia- 
lopleron  linealum,  and  T.  imhricatum.."  "It  frequents 
the  densest  thickets,  in  pairs,  or  in  small  and  scattered 
parties.  It  has  some  very  peculiai"  calls,  one  of  them  not 
unlike  the  clucking  of  a  hen  which  has  just  laid  an  egt;. 
I  found  both  fruit  and  insects  in  the  stomach  of  those 
which  I  examined,  chiefly  the  latter." 

The  following  notes  are  from  Hume's  "  Nests  and  E'.'gs 
of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd  ed..  Vol.  I.,  p.  67:— "The 
Striated  Laughing-Thrush,"  remarks  Mr.  Blyth,  "builds 
a  compact  Jay-iike  nest.  The  eggs  are  spotless  blue,  as 
shown  by  one  of  Mr.  Hodgson's  drawings  in  the  British 
Museum." 

"  A  nest  of  this  species  found  near  Darjeeling  in  July 
was  placed  on  the  branches  of  a  large  tree,  at  a  height 
of  about  12ft. 

"  It  was  a  huge  shallow  cup.  composed  mainly  of  moss, 
bound  together  with  stems  of  creepers  and  fronds  of  a 
Selaginella,  and  lined  with  coarse  roots  and  broken 
pieces  of  dry  grass.  A  few  dead  leaves  were  incor- 
porated in  the  body  of  the  nest.  The  nest  was  about 
8  or  9  inches  in  diajnet*'r  and  about  2  in  thicknces,  the 
broad,  shallow,  saucer-like  cavity  being  about  an  inch 
in  depth. 

"  Tlie  nest  contained  two  nearly  fresh  es^gs.  The  eggs 
appear  to  be  rather  peculiarly  shaped.  They  are  mode- 
rately elongated  ovals,  a  good  deal  pinched  out  and 
pointed  towards  the  small  end,  in  the  same  manner 
(though  in  a  less  degree)  as  those  of  some  Plovers,  Snipe, 
etc.  I  do  not  know  whether  this  is  the  typical  shape 
of  this  egg.  or  whether  it  is  an  abnormal  peculiarity  of 
the  eggs  of  this  particular  nest.  The  shell  is  fine,  but 
the  eggs  have  very  little  gloss.  In  colour  they  are  a 
very  pale  spotless  blue,  not  much  darker  than  those  o! 
Z  out  urn  pis  palpcbrosiis. 

"The  eggs  measure  1.3  and  132  in  length,  and  0.89 
and  0.92  in  breadth." 

From  further  notes  it  is  made  clear  that  the  eggs 
above  described  are  perfectly  normal. 

Russ  states  that  this  bird  is  extremely  rare,  and  has 
only  reached  the  largest  Zoological  Gardens  singly  :  at 
any  rate,  our  Gardens  seem  to  have  possessed  it  more 
than  once,  and  these  extremely  rare  birds  have  a  trick 
of  turning  up,  now  and  again,  in  some  numliers,  in  the 
bird-market.  I  well  remember  when  the  late  Mr. 
Abrahams  first  imported  a  few  specimens  of  Bathilda 
rufirauda  and  sold  them  at  £8  a  pair  he  tried  to  per- 
suade me  to  purchase  a  pair  at  £5  as  a  great  favour, 
telling  me  that  in  all  probability  I  should  never  have 
another  chance  ;  later  on  I  bought  a  pair  for  £2,  and 
in  1905  and  1906  they  were  down  to  10s.  a  pair,  many 
hundreds  being  on  the  market. 


Red-headed  LAUOHiNO-THRrsH*  {Trocha'.opteron 
erythrocephalv.m\. 

Above  greyish  olivaceous  ;  head  and  nape  chestnut ; 
lores,  chin,  and  throat  black  ;  ear-coverts  reddish  and 
dark  brown  ;  neck  at  back  olivaceous  varied  with  black  ; 
lesser  wing-coverts  deep  chestnut ;  primaries  olivaceous, 
washed  with  rust-reddish ;  breast  greyish  olivaceous, 
spotted  with  black,  especially  at  the  sides ;  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts  olivaceous ;  bill  greyish  horn- 
brown ;  feet  dull  yellow;  irides  ?  .  Hab.,  N.W. 
Himalayas  and  western  districts  of  Nepal  (Jerdon). 

"  By  no  means  uncommon  in  Kumaon,  where  it  fre- 
quents shady  ravines,  building  in  hollows  and  their  pre- 
cipitous sides,  and  making  its  nest  of  small  sticks  and 
grasses,  the  eggs  being  five  in  number,  of  a  sky-blue 
colour."  (Shore,  cf  Jerdon,  "Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II., 
p.  43.) 

In  Hume  s  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  pp. 
55,  56,  we  read  :  — "  From  Kumaon  westwards,  at  any 
rate  as  far  as  the  valley  of  the  Beas,  the  Red-headed 
Laughing-Thrush  is,  next  to  T.  lineatum,  the  most 
common  species  of  the  genus.  It  lavs  in  May  and  June, 
at  elevations  of  from  4,(X)0  to  7,(DO0  feet,  building  on 
low  branches  of  trees,  at  a  height  of  from  3  to  10  feet 
from  the  ground. 

"The  nests  are  composed  chiefly  of  dead  leaves  bound 
round  into  a  deep  cup  with  delicate  fronds  of  ferns  and 
coarse  and  fine  grass,  the  cavities  being  scantily  lined 
with  fine  grass  and  moss-roots.  It  is  difficult  by 
any  description  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  tlie  beauty 
of  some  of  these  nests — the  deep  red-brown  of  the 
withered  ferns,  the  black  of  the  grass-  and  moss-roots, 
the  pale  yellow  of  the  broad  flaggy  grass,  and  the 
straw-yellow  of  some  of  the  finer  grass-stems,  all 
blended  together  into  an  artistic  wreath,  in  the  centre 
of  which  the  beautiful  shy-blue  and  maroon-spotted  eggs 
repose.  Externally  the  nests  may  average  about  6in. 
in  diameter,  but  the  egg-cavity  is  comparatively  large 
and  very  regular,  mea,«uring  about  3iin  across  and 
fully  2iin.  in  depth.  Some  nests,  of  course,  are  less 
regular  and  artistio  in  their  appearance,  but,  as  a  rule, 
those  of  this  species  are  particularly  beautiful.  The 
eggs  vary  from  two  to  four  in  number." 

According  to  Colonel  G.  F.  L.  Marshall,  the  markings 
on  the  eggs  are  usually  confined  to  the  larger  end. 

This  species  has  been  represented  in  the  collection  of 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

The  Spectacled  Thrush  {7'rochaloplerum  canorum). 

I  have  adopted  the  above  as  the  most  descriptive  title 
of  the  bird.  Mr.  Wiener  calls  it  the  "Chinese  Jay 
Thrush,"  and  scientists  give  to  it  the  trivial  name  of 
"Chinese  Laughing-Thru.sh,"  both  of  which  appellations 
are  more  correctly  applicable  to  the  Black-throated 
Laughing-Thrush. 

A  specimen  of  this  bird  was  given  to  me  by  Mr. 
Abrahams  in  1892.  It  is  of  a  deep  reddish  brown 
colour;  the  head  redder  than  the  hick;  this  and  the 
nape  of  the  neck  streaked  with  black  shaft  lines  ;  the 
wing-covens  like  the  back ;  the  quills  sepia  brown, 
reddish  brown  externally  ;  the  primaries  reddish  olive 
on  the  outer  web  ;  tail  feathers  olive-brown  at  the  base 
and  on  the  margins,  dusky  towards  the  tips,  indis- 
tinctly barred  ;  forehead  brighter  rufous  than  the 
crown  and  with  distinct  black  shaft-streaks;  the  lores, 
sides  of  face,  and  ear-coverts  dusky,  washed  with  tawny 

•  In  what  respect  the  so-called  Laughinc-'l'hrushea  of  the  Zoo- 
loeical  Soci'.'ty's  List  differ  from  the  Jay.Thnishea  (the  Lnughlnfr 
Thrushes  of  Jerdon  and  other  Indian  authors)  I  do  not  know  :  I 
expect  they  are  all  really  Jay-Thrushes  and  that  lauglilng  is  excep- 
tional with  them. 


SIBIA. 


49 


buff;  a  short  eyebrow-streak  from  the  back  of  the  eye 
and  a  lozenge-shaped  patcli  enclosing  the  eye,  pale 
ashy  grey*  ;  cheeks,  sides  of  the  neck,  throat,  and  under 
surface  tawny  butt',  witli  black  shaft-streaks  on  the 
tliree  first  mentioned  ;  sides  deeper  in  colour  and  more 
olive  in  tint,  oentre  of  abdomen  ashy  ;  lower  abdomen, 
thighs,  vent,  and  under  tail  cnvcrts  deep  tawny  buff; 
under  wing-coverts  tawny  butt',  excepting  those  of  the 
lower  series,  which  are  ashy  brown  ;  quills  below  dark 
brown,  reddish  along  the  eiigo  of  tlie  inner  web  ;  bill 
brown,  with  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible  yellowish, 
almost  yellow  in  old  birds;  legs  and  claws  yellowish; 
iris  of  eye  yellow.  This  species  appears  to  be  confined 
to  China. 

In  Thv  Ibis  for  1891,  pp,  334-5,  in  an  article  on  the 
"Birds  of  the  Lower  Yangtse  Basin,"  Mr.  F.  W.  Styan 
observes: — "Abundant  throughout  the  district  on 
wooded  hills,  where  they  frequent  the  thick  cover  and 
find  tlieir  food  among  the  dead  leaves.  They  are  not 
shy,  but  thread  their  way  so  rapidly  through  the 
densest  brushwood,  half  flitting,  half  hopping  from 
branch  to  branch,  and  sonietinu's  dodging  along  the 
ground  among  tlie  stumps,  that  it  is  difficult  to  shoot 
them.  Thev  sing  most  beautifully  morning  and  even- 
ing, and  are  then  more  ea-^ily  approached.  Thev  are 
favourite  cage  birds  with  the  natives,  who  can  always 
rouse  them  into  song  by  imitating  their  note.  When 
caged  they  e.xhihit  considerable  powers  of  mimicry,  and 
are  often  known  as  '  Mocking-birds.' 

"Though  naturally  hill-birds,  they  sometimes  stray 
into  tne  plain.s  when  good  cover  attracts  them.  I  have 
seen  them  in  our  garden,  and  shot  them  inside  the  walls 
of  Kiukiang  citv,  also  in  the  Kahing  silk-districts," 

In  T/ie  lfji.<  for  1906,  p.  438,  Mr.  J.  U.  D.  La  Touohe 
says: — "Common  on  the  higher  wooded  hills,  but  also 
found  in  copses  on  the  plain.  It  breeds  in  April,  May, 
June,  and  July. 

"  A  nest  which  I  took  on  May  5  was  placed 
in  a  small  holly-bush  in  a  wooded  ravine.  It  con- 
tained four  incubated  eggs.  The  nest  was  composed  of 
leaves,  coarse  grass-blades,  and  twigs,  and  had  a  lining 
of  pine-needles.  The  measurements  were:  outer 
diameter  about  5iin.  bv  6in,,  outer  depth  4iin.,  inner 
diameter  3-4in.,  inner  depth  about  2|in.  Twelve  eggs 
taken  near  Chinkiang  average  1.04in.  by  O.Slin.  ;  the 
largest  is  l.lOin.  bv  0.83ih.,  and  the  smallest  0.95in. 
by  0.80in." 

In  the  Catalogue  of  Eggs  in  the  British  Museum,  Vol. 
IV.,  p.  9,  under  T.  caiiorum,  we  read: — "Eggs  of  the 
'Hwa-mei,'  or  Chinese  Laughing-Thrush,  are  ot  a  rather 
broad  oval  form,  glossy,  and  of  a  spotless  pale  blue 
colour.  They  measure  from  1.00  to  1.04  in  length,  and 
from  .80  to  .85  in  breadth." 

Herr  Wiener  says  :  "  Unusual  opportunities  of  observ- 
ing this  Thrush  allow  me  to  name  him  as  an  incom- 
parable songster,  a  long-lived  cage-bird,  and  one  of  rare 
intelligence."  Unhappily,  my  experience  has  been  the 
reverse  :  mv  bird  was  taken  out  of  a  room  where  he  had 
a  good  deal  of  liberty,  and  was  transferred  to  a  Thrush 
cage ;  he  gave  me  a  few  notes,  not  unlike  those  of  a 
Blackbird,  on  the  first  two  days  of  its  captivity,  but  he 
was  very  nervous,  soon  began  to  mope,  and  after  about 
three  months  he  died  in  a  decline.  Judging  by  what  I 
saw  of  it  in  a  room  with  numerous  other  birds,  I  should 
sav  that  Herr  Weiner  is  mistaken  in  saying:  "In  th» 
aviarv  the  bird  would  certiinly  prove  quarrelsome,  and 
might  prove  destructive."  I  saw  it  in  company  with 
Blue-birds,  lAnlhrix  Weavers,  Larks,  Crested  Pigeons, 
Bulbuls,  Cardinals,  etc.,  and  though  it  is  as  large  as  a 

*  This  rharucter  probably  disappears  after  death,  as  it  is  omitted 
in  all  scientific  descriptions  that  I  have  seen.—  A.  G.  B. 


Blackbird  and  far  more  active,  it  did  not  seem  to 
interfere  in  any  way  with  its  companions.  Its  flight 
in  this  comparatively  small  area  was  rapid  but  short ; 
rather  more  like  a  Series  of  long  leaps  than  a  true 
flight,  though  when  frightened  by  tlie  net  it  sliowed 
that  it  could  flv  and  turn  in  the  air  very  rapidly. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Brazil  (The  FeaOured  World,  August  26th, 
1892)  observes; — "The  Chinese  seem  very  fond  of  the.se 
birds,  and  in  Shanghai  I  saw  a  great  many  of  them 
hung  up  outside  the  houses  in  pretty  little  bamboo 
cages.  Unfortunately  I  never  heard  one  of  them  sing, 
but  they  have  the  reputation  of  being  good  vocalists. 
I  was  told  abo  that  they  are  very  difficult  to  bring  over 
to  this  country,  as  they  usually  die  on  the  voyage,  but 
I  .suspect  this  is  through  improper  feedirg." 

Witli  regard  to  the  South-Island  Thrush  {Turna/jra 
craxsiioflii!'),  it  is  not  very  likely  to  come  into  the  hands 
of  our  readers,  although  specimens  have  been  deposited 
at  our  fJardens.  New  Zealand  birds  seem  seldom  to 
arrive  in  our  Bird-market,  and  this  species  is  not  even 
mentione<l  in  Dr.  Russ's  big  work.  Should  it  ever  come 
into  the  p<)sses,sion  of  any  fortunate  aviculturist  I  should 
recommend  him  to  look  up  the  species  in  Buller's  "  Birds 
of  New  Zealand." 

Bl.\ck-hk.\ded   Sini.\    {Ma'arias   eajnslrata). 

He.ad,  cheeks,  and  ear-coverts  black,  crown  crested  ; 
nape  pale  chestnut  or  rust-reddish ;  back  brownish- 
grey  in  the  middle,  deep  red  at  back  and  on  upper  tail- 
coverts  ;  tail,  with  the  exception  of  the  central  feathers, 
deep  red,  black  at  base ;  the  central  feathers  reddish 
grey  with  a  broad  subterminal  black  belt  and  grey  tip, 
the  inner  webs  red  ;  bastard-wing  black  ;  primaries  with 
grey-whitish  outer  edges,  outer  secondaries  with  bluish 
outer  edges,  inner  secondaries  red,  washed  on  outer 
edges  with  blue-grey ;  smaller  coverts  brownish-grey, 
like  centre  of  back  :  median  coverts  white,  forming  a 
bar;  outer-coverts  bluish-grey;  throat  pale  reddish,  re- 
mainder of  under-parts  deejjer  red  ;  bill  black ;  feet 
yellowish-brown,  irides  brown.  Hab.,  "The  whole- 
Himalayas  from  Simla  to  Bootan,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  abundant  birds  about  Darjeeling.  It  is  found  from 
4,000ft.  to  8,000ft.,  but  most  common  about  7.000ft.  It 
frequents  the  highest  trees,  climbing  up  the  larger 
branches,  and  clinging  round  and  below  the  smaller 
branches,  almost  like  a  Woodpecker  or  Nuthatch. 

"  It  is  often  seen  alone,  or  in  pairs,  but  occasionally 
in  small  parties;  and  is  constantly  uttering  its  twitter- 
ing call,  which  Button  syllables  as  titleerce,  tillarce,. 
Iirrrt/a,  often  answered  bv  one  at  some  little  distance. 
It  is  very  fond  of  concealing  itself  in  the  thick  masses 
of  Epiphytic  plants  found  on  all  lofty  trees  in  Sikhim, 
and  its  favourite  food  is  the  fruit  of  the  Epiphytie 
Andramedif  so  abundant  about  Darjeeling  ;  it  occasion- 
ally, however,  picks  insects  from  moss,  or  crevices  of 
the  bark. 

"  I  on  one  occasion  saw  it  at  Karsion,  4,500ft.  high, 
in  winter,  climbing  up  and  down  the  thatched  roof  of 
a  bungalow.  Hutton  procured  the  nest  at  Mussooree, 
made  of  coarse  grass,  moss,  wool,  and  roots  :  and  the 
one  egg  he  got  was  pale  bluish-white,  with  rufous 
freckles."    (Jerdon,  "  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  55.) 

In  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds."  Vol.  I., 
p.  153,  we  read: — "The  Black-headed  Sibia  lays 
throughout  the  Himalayas  from  Afghanistan  to  Bhootan, 
at  elevations  of  from  S.OOOft.  to  7,000ft. 

"  It  lays  during  May  and  June,  and  perhaps  part  of 
July,  for"  I  find  that  on  the  11th  of  July  I  found  a  nest 
of  this  species  a  little  below  the  lake  at  Nynee  Tal,  on 
the  Jewli  Ro.ad,  containing  two  young  chicks  apparently 
not  a  day  old. 


nO 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


"  They  build  on  the  outskirts  of  forests,  constructing 
their  nests  towards  the  ends  of  branches,  at  heights  of 
from  10ft.  to  50ft.  from  the  ground.  Tlie  nest  is  a 
neat  cup,  some  4in.  or  Sin.  in  diameter,  and  perhaps  Sin. 
in  height,  composed  chiefly  of  moss  and  lined  with  black 
moss-roots  and  fibres.  In  some  of  the  nests  that  T  have 
preserved  a  good  deal  of  grass-leaves  and  scraps  of  lii  hen 
are  incorporated  in  the  moss.  The  cavity  is  Jeep,  from 
2iin.  to  3in.  in  diameter  and  not  much  less  than  2in. 
in  depth. 

"  TTiey  lav  two  or  three  eggs  ;  not  more,  so  far  as  I  vet 
know."  ■ 

In  Thi-  Aririilhiidl  Mai/izhic.  X.S.,  Vol.  I., 
pp.  255-262,  >Ir.  Reginald  Phillipps  has  given  an 
account,  illustrated  by  a  coloured  plate,  of  a  pair  of  this 
species  in  his  possession.  He  says:  "The  se.xes  are 
alike ;  nevertheless  it  is  seldom  that  I  cannot  distin- 
iiiiish  my  male  from  the  femal".  Dnring  the  first  year 
the  difference  was  usually  xmmistakable,  the  male  being 
the  larger  and  thicker  bird,  and  the  rrest  longer  and 
more  wavv  ;  and  he  wis  much  more  bold  and  enterpris- 
ing." Anvbody  who  is  fcrtnnate  enough  to  secure 
examples  of  this  bird  should  read  Mr.  Phillipps' 
account.  He  tells  us  thit  Mr.  E  W.  Harper  lor-ed 
eleven  specimens  in  Engla.nd  in  1902,  but  one  was  shot 
and  another  drowned  nrd  nobndv  knows  whether  or  not 
the  others  survived  the  succeeding  winter. 

GOI.DKN-EVKD    B.\IIIiLKR    {J'ljctorhis    -'i lie II sis). 

Rufous-brown  above;  more  cinnamon  on  wings;  the 
tail  with  ill-defined  darker  hands;  lores  and  an  eyebrow 
streak  and  entire  under-surface  of  body  white  ;  a  bright 
orange  ring  encircling  the  eye;  wings  and  tail  below 
dusky  greyish;  bill  lilack.  with  deep  yellow  nostrils; 
feet  pale  yellow ;  irides  dark  brown.  The  sexes  are 
much  alike. 

Jerdon  observes  ("Birds  o.'  India,"  Vol.  II..  pp.  15. 
16):— "This  species  of  BabVIer  is  universally  spread 
throughout  India,  extending  to  Burmah,  and,  from  the 
name,  perhips  to  China.  It  has  been  sent  from  Nepal 
by  Hodgson;  is  not  rare  in  Bengal  and  the  N.W.P.  ; 
is  said  to  be  common  in  Sindh,  and  I  have  seen  it  in 
every  part  of  the  .South  of  India.  It  is  abo  found  in 
Ceylon,  and  it  is  very  common  in  Upper  Burmah.  It 
frequents  low  jungles,  or  the  skirts  of  forests,  long 
grass,  hedge-rows,  and  even  comes  occasionally  into 
"ardens.  Though  sometimes  to  be  met  with  singlv.  it 
IS  generally  seen  in  small  parties  of  five  or  six,  flying 
from  fiush"  to  bush  before  you,  and  trying  to  conceal 
itself  in  some  thick  clump.  It  has  a  low  chattering  note 
when  at  rest,  and  when  flying  from  bush  to  bush  a  loud 
sibilant  whistle.  I  have  on  several  occasions  heard  one, 
perched  conspicucmslv  on  a  high  busli  or  hedge-row, 
pinir  forth  a  remarkahly  g<:-u:l  song.  It  feeds  mostly  on 
insects,  often  on  ants  and  small  co'eoptera.  Mr.  Blyth 
remarks  that  be  possessed  some  nf  these  I  irds  alive,  and 
noticed  that  they  frequently  placed  one  foot  upon  their 
fond,   while   they  jjccked   with  tlie  bill," 

In  Hume's  "Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indi  (n  Birds"  there 
are  nuinorous  notes  on  the  nidification  of  this  species, 
from   which    I  select  the  following:  — 

"The  Vellow-eyed  Babbler  breeds  throughout  tlie 
plains  of  Indi  1,  as  also  in  the  Nilghiris,  to  an  elevation 
of  5,000ft.,  and  in  the  Himalayas  to  perhaps  4,000ft. 
It  lays  in  the  latter  part  of  June,  in  .July,  .\ugust,  and 
Septeaiber.  Gardens  are  the  favourite  localities,  an  1 
in  these  the  little  bird  makes  its  compact  and  solid 
nest,  sometimes  in  a  fork  of  the  fine  twigs  of  a  lime- 
busb.  sometimes  in  a  nuugo.  orange,  or  apple  tree, 
occasionally  .suspended  between  three  .'■tout  grass-stem-, 
or  even  attached  to  a  single  stem  of  the  huge  grass  from 


which  the  native  pens  are  made.  I  have  taken  a  nest, 
hung  between  three  reeds,  exactly  resembling  in  shape 
and  position  the  Reed-Warbler's  nest  tSalicarin  arundi- 
nacea),  figured  in  Mr.  Varrell's  vignette  at  page  313, 
Vol.  I.,  3rd  edition. 

"  The  nest  is  typically  cone-shaped  (the  apex  down- 
wards), from  5in.  to  6in.  in  depth,  and  3in.  or  4in.  in 
diameter  at  the  base  :  but  it  varies  of  course  according 
to  situation,  the  cone  being  often  broadly  truncated.  In 
the  base  of  the  cone  (which  is  uppermost)  is  the  egg- 
cavity,  measuring  from  2in.  to  3in.  in  diameter,  and 
from  2in.  to  2.5in.  in  depth.  The  nest  is  ver;/  com- 
pactly and  solidly  woven,  of  rather  broad  Vilades  of 
grass,  and  long  strips  of  fine  fibrous  bark,  exteriorly 
more  or  less  coated  with  cobwebs  and  gossamer-threads. 
Interiorly,  fine  grass-stems  and  roots  are  neatly  and 
closely  interwoven.  I  once  found  .some  horse-hair  along 
with  the  grass-roots,  but  this  is  unusual. 

"  The  full  number  of  eggs  is,  I  believe,  five.  I  have 
repeatedlv  taken  nests  containing  this  number,  and  have 
comparatively  seldom  met  with  a  smaller  number  of 
eggs  at  all  incubated."     (Pp.  95-6.) 

Mr.  Oates  writes  : — "  The  eggs  vary  a  good  deal  in  size 
and  shape,  and  very  much  in  colouring.  They  are 
mostly  of  a  very  broad  oval  shape,  very  obtuse  at  the 
smaller  end.  Some  are,  however,  slightly  pyriform.  and 
some  a  little  elongated.  There  are  two  very  distinct 
types  of  coloration  :  one  has  a  pinkish-white  giound. 
thickly  and  finely  mottled  and  streaked  over  the  whole 
surface  with  more  or  less  bright  and  deep  brick-dust 
red,  so  that  the  ground-colour  only  faintly  shows 
through,  here  and  there,  as  a  .sort  of  pale  mottling:  in 
the  other  type  the  ground-colour  is  pinkish-white, 
somewhat  sparingly,  but  boldly,  blotched  witli  irregular 
patches  and  eccentric  hieroglyphic-like  streaks,  often 
Bunting-like  in  their  character,  or  bright  blood  or  brick- 
dust  red.  The  eggs  of  this  type,  besides  these  primary 
markings,  generally  exhibit  towards  the  large  end  a 
number  of  pale  inky-purple  blotches  or  clouds. 
Combinations  of  these  different  types  of  course  occur, 
but  fully  two-thirds  can  be  separated  distinctly  under 
the  first  and  second  varieties.  Tliough  much  smaller, 
many  of  the  eggs  recall  those  of  the  English  Robin. 
The  eggs  have  often  a  fine  gloss."     (P.  98.) 

Four  specimens  of  this  species  reached  our  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1868,  and  in  The  Avirullural  Magazine, 
1st  ser..  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  108-10.  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  experience  of  eight  examples 
which  he  kept  in  an  aviary.  As  regards  thp  food  suit- 
able for  this  species,  he  says :  "  Dr.  Butler's  famous 
mixture  of  powdered  biscuit,  ants'  cocoons,  egg  yolk, 
and  dried  flies  would  doubtless  suit  him  excellently  as 
n  staple  food.  Personally,  whilst  in  India,  I  do  as  the 
Indians  do  ;  that  is  to  siy,  pea-meal,  Avell  mixed  with 
a  little  refined  butter,  forms  the  staple  diet  of  nearly 
all  my  insectivorous  binls.  With  this  is  intiniatclv  in- 
corporated, every  alternate  d  ly,  a  little  raw,  finely- 
minced  liver  or  kidney.  Whatever  food  be  given,  meal- 
worms or  maggots  should  form  part  of  the  daily  menu. 

"  Tit-bits  of  a  hard  and  shelly  nature,  such  as  grass- 
hop|)ers,  cockroaches,  dried  flies,  etc.,  must  be  ^iven  at 
intervals  to  cleanse  and  stimulate  the  digestive  organs; 
for  the  .same  reason  that  beasts  and  birds  of  prey  require 
hair,  fur,  or  feathers  to  keep  them  in  continued  good 
health." 

In  7'/ic  Auinilfvrnl  Maifci-.ine  for  the  year  follow- 
ing, ilr.  Reginald  Phillipps  gave  an  account,  illustrated 
bv  a  foloured  plate,  of  a  specimen  in  bis  possession. 
It  would  be  well  for  anybody  who  might  secure  a. 
Golden-eyed  Babbler  to  look  up  these  two  articles. 


STRUTHIDEA   AND    HYPOCOLIUS. 


51 


Grey  Strbthidea   {Struthidea  cinerea). 

General  colour  grey  ;  each  feather  witli  a  paler  tip  ; 
wings  brown  ;  tail  black,  the  central  feathi'rs  with  a 
deep  metallic  screen  gloss  ;  bill  and  feet  black  ;  iri<les 
paarly  Hliilc.  ,-'c.\o.«  niiii  h  iilikc-  llab.,  suutiiirn  and 
eastern  portions  of  the  interior  of  Au^tralia,  according 
to  Gould.  He  observes  ("Birds  of  Australia,"  Vol.  I., 
pp.  4r3-4|:  "  1  found  it  inhabiting  the  jiine  ridges,  as 
they  are  termed  by  the  colonists,  bordering  the  exten- 
sive plains  of  the  I'jiper  and  Lower  Nanioi.  and  giving 
a  decided  preference  to  the  CaUilris  pi/ramiffnliSj  a  fine 
fir-hke  tree  peculiar  to  the  district.  It  was  always  seen 
in  small  companies  of  three  or  four  together,  on  the 
topmost  brandies  of  the  trees,  was  e.xtremely  quick  and 
restless,  leaping  from  brancli  to  branch  in  rapid  succes- 
sion, at  the  same  time  throwing  up  and  expanding 
the  tail  and  wings ;  these  actions  being  generally  ac- 
companied with  a  harsh  unpleasant  note;  their  manners, 
in  fact,  closely  resemble  those  of  the  White-winged 
Corrorax   and   the   Pomatorhini. 

"The  following  notes  on  this  species  I  find  in  Gilbert's 
journal  of  th?  occurrences  during  hi.-s  e.\p5;iition  with 
l.eicbhar(tt  ironi  Moreton  Bay  to  Port  Essmgton.  They 
■were  written  cm  the  sixteenth  day  after  his  departure, 
and  will  not  be  devoid  of  interest:  — 

"  'Oct.  19. — ^Strolled  about  in  search  of  novelties,  and 
was  amply  repiid  by  finding  the  eggs  of  Strulhidra 
cinerea.  I  disturbed  the  bird  several  times  from  a  rose- 
wood-tree growing  in  a  small  patch  of  scrub,  and  felt 
assured  it  had  a  nest,  but  could  only  find  one,  which  I 
considered  to  be  that  of  a  Grallina;  determined,  if 
possible,  to  tolve  the  difficulty,  I  lay  down  at  a  short 
distance  within  full  view  of  the  tree,  and  was  not  a 
little  surprised  at  seeing  the  bird  take  possession  of, 
as  I  believed,  the  Grallina's  nest;  I  immediately 
climbed  the  tree  and  found  four  eggs,  the  medium 
length  of  which  was  one  inch  and  a  quarter  by  seven- 
eighths  of  an  inch  in  breadth  ;  their  colour  was  white, 
with  blotches,  principally  at  the  larger  end,  of  reddish 
brown,  purplish  grey,  and  greenish  grey  ;  some  of  the 
blotches  appeiring  as  if  they  had  been  laid  on  with  a 
soft  brush.  From  the  appearance  of  the  nest,  I  should 
say  it  was  an  old  one  of  Grallina,  particularly  as  it 
contained  a  much  greater  quantity  of  grass  for  a  lining 
than  I  ever  observed  in  the  nest  of  a  Grallina  while 
that  bird  had  jiossession  of  it  ;  if  this  be  not  the  case, 
then  the  nest  of  StruthUIra  is  precisely  similar,  being 
like  a  great  basin  of  mud,  and  placed  in  the  same  kind 
of  situation,  on  a  horizontal  branch. 

"'Oct.  21. — In  the  evening  I  again  met  with  the 
Sirulhidea,  which  I  disturbed  from  a  nest  like  the  one 
above  described,  and  from  the  new  appearance  of  t'.w 
structure  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  to  he  constructed 
by  the  bird  itself,  although  it  does  so  closely  resemble 
that  of  GraUina,  especially  as  in  this  case  the  nest  was 
placed  in  a  situation  far  from  water,  and  there  were  no 
Grallinrr.  in  the  neighbourhood.  This  nest,  like  the 
last,  had  a  very  thick  lining  of  fine  prass,  and  appeared 
as  if  just  finished  for  tiie  recq^tion  of  the  eggs.' 

"  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  nests  above  described 
were  those  of  Strut/iir/ra:  those  of  Corcnrax  and 
GraUinri  are  precisely  similar;  and  we  now  know  that 
all   three  birds  build  the  sime  kind  of  mud   nests. 

"The  tiKid.  as  ascertained  by  dissection,  is  insects; 
the  stomachs  of  those  examined  were  tolerably  hard  and 
muscular,  and  contained  the  remains  of  coleoptera." 

RuS3  sav>c  tliat  this  bird  is  rare  in  the  German 
market  :  it  h.ns  been  offered  to  me  more  than  once  ;  but 
unless  one  has  n  deep  pocket  and  manv  aviaries  a  bird 
of  this  kind  is  not  sufficiently  attractive  to  tempt  one 
to  purchase  it ;  of  course  it  is  not  a  cheap  bird,  though. 


on  account  of  its  sombre  colouring,  it  is  not  excessively 

dear. 

According  to  Russ  it  built  a  nest  in  the  Berlin 
Aquarium  and  .several  times  in  the  Berlin  Zoological 
Gardens;  in  the  latter  also  it  laid  eggs  and  brooded 
young  ones,  but  unhappily  without  rearing  them.  In 
1875  and  1876  the  pair  nested  four  times,  Professor 
Peters  taking  possession  of  the  second  nest  as  well  as 
eggs  and  young  for  the  Hoyal  Zoological  Museum  of 
Berlin. 

The  male  fed  the  young  more  frequently  than 
the  female,  apparently  upon  soft  food  and  worms  :  pos- 
sibly the  '.vant  of  abundant  insect-food  may  have  had 
something  to  do  with  the  death  of  the  young,  yet  Russ 
speaks  of  one  attaining  the  age  of  two  months  and  having 
its  head  split  open  by  a  white  Australian  Crow. 

Grey  Hitocolius  {Hi/poculius  ampdinus). 

Delicate  huffish  ash-coloured ;  the  crest,  throat  and 
under  tail-coverts  of  a  purer  pale  huffish,  washed  with 
vinaceous;  lores,  sides  of  lace  enclosing  eye,  and  a  band 
at  back  of  neck  shining  blackish  ;  primaries  black,  the 
outer  ones  shaded  with  brown  at  the  tips,  otherwise 
with  white  tips ;  secondaries  blackish,  margined  ex- 
ternally and  tipped  with  ashy ;  tertials  buffish-ash, 
blackish  at  base;  tail-feathers  broadly  smoky  black  at 
the  tips ;  under  wing-coverts  dull  whitish ;  sides  of 
breast  shaded  with  ash;  bill  and  feet  horn-coloured, 
the   former  with  black-brown  tip. 

The  female  is  smaller,  more  olivaceous,  crown  and 
lores  darker ;  no  black  on  face  or  nape ;  primaries 
slightly  edged  externally  with  grey-brownish,  the  apical 
mai'gin  distinct,  prominent,  white ;  less  black  at  the 
extremity  of  the  tail-feathers,  which  are  ashy  grey  or 
drab;  under  wing-coverts  pale  dull  huffish.  The  young 
bird  resembles  the  female,  but  is  more  dingy ;  the 
Hights  almost  uniform  in  colouring,  slightly  blackish 
towards  the  tips,  but  not  piUe-tipped.  Hab.,  N.E., 
Africa  as  far  as  the  Niam-Niam  country  ;  the  Persian 
Gulf,  ard  Sind. 

Mr.  W.  D.  Gumming  (cf.  The  Jhh  1886,  pp.  478-80) 
says: — "It  is  not  till  the  middle  of  June  that  they 
bree;l. 

"  In  1883,  first  eggs  were  brought  by  an  Arab  about 
the  13th  of  June,  and  on  the  15th  of  the  same  month 
I  found  a  nest  containing  two  fresh  eggs.  In  1884,  on 
the  14th  of  June,  a  nest  was  brought  me  containing 
four  fresh  eggs,  and  on  the  15th  I  found  a  nest  contain- 
ing also  four  fresh  eggs. 

"  2nd  July.  I  came  across  four  young  birds  able,  to 
fly.  On  the  3rd,  three  nests  were  brought,  one 
containing  two  fresh  eggs,  another  three  young  just 
fledged,  and  the  other  four  eggs  slightly  incubated. 
On  the  9th  another  nest,  containing  four  young  just 
fledged,  was  brought.  On  the  15th.  I  saw'  a  flock  of 
small  birds  well  able  to  fly  ;  on  the  18th  I  found  a  nest 
containing  four  young  about  a  couple  of  days  old,  and 
on  the  20th  a  nest  containing  three  eggs  well  incubated 
was  brought  from  a  place  called  "  Goosba  "  on  the  oppo- 
site bank  (Persian  side)  of  the  river. 

"  The  nests  are  generally  placed  on  the  leaves  of  the 
date-palm,  at  no  very  great  height.  The  highest  I 
have  seen  was  built  about  10ft.  from  the  ground,  but 
from  3ft.  to  5ft.  is  the  average  height. 

"They  are  substantial  and  cnp-.shaped,  having  a 
diameter  of  about  J^in.  bv  2iin.  in  depth,  lined  inside 
with  fine  grass,  the  soft  fluff  from  the  willow  when  in 
seed.  wool,  and  sometimes  hair. 

"The  eggs  are  of  a  glos.sy  leaden  white,  with  leadf^n- 
coloured   blotches,    and   spots   towards   the    larger   end, 


52 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


sometimes  forming  a  ring  round  the  larger  end,  and  at 
times  spreading  over  the  entire  egg. 

"  On  rare  occasions  I  have  noticed  a  greenish  tinge 
in  verv  fresh  eggs.  This.  I  think,  is  due  to  the  colour 
of  the"  inner  membrane,  which  is  generally  a  very  light 
green,  in  some  very  faint  and  in  others  more  decided  ; 
this  tinge  seems  to  disappear  after  the  egg  is  blown. 

"  Very  rough  measurements  are  as  follows  :— 0.9in.  by 
0.63in.  ;"  0.83in.   bv  0.63in.  :   0.83in.   by  0.6in.  ;   0.83iii. 
by  0.66in.  ;  0.86in"  by  0.66in. 
"  "  In  1883  I  managed  to  rear  a  young  bird,  feeding  it 
on  bread  steeped  in  water  and  lots  of  flies. 

"  It  used  to  fly  about  my  room  and  the  verandah,  but 
always  came  to  me  when"  I  showed  it  a  fly.  Unfortu- 
nat«fy,  one  day  I  was  rubbing  up  some  brass  hinges,  and 
left  them  to  steep  in  salad-oil,  into  which  a  fly  fell ; 
the  bird  immediately  seized  and  swallowed  it,  and  in  a 
few  hours  after  got" a  fit,  which  recurred  several  times 
during  the  next  two  days,  and  on  the  third  day  it  died. 

"I  "have  known  the  old  birds  forsake  a  nest  after 
it  has  been  once  examined,  and  even  to  stop  building 
when  it  has  been  observed,  and  le.ive  the  locality 
altogether." 

When  a  statement  like  the  above  is  made  about  any 
bird  it  is  generally  ridiculed  by  those  who  have  not 
themselves  observe"d  it.  In  the  case  of  our  English 
Wren  I  have  frequently  observed  the  same  thing. 

Mr.  Cuming  presented  a  male  of  this  species  to  our 
London  Zoological  (Jardens  in  March,  1890,  and  a  pair 
in  May,  1892,  but  Dr.  Russ  does  not  notice  the  species 
in  his"''Frem'dlandischen  vStubenvogel,"  yet  there  is  no 
reason  why  other  examples  should  not  come  to  hand. 

CHAPTER  VI. 


ORIOLES  (OrioMcB). 

The  Orioles  were  regai-ded  by  Seebohm  as  relatives  of 
the  Crows;  but,  whether  related  to  thera  or  not,  it  is 
certain  that  they  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  so-called 
Orioles  of  the  New  World,  which  are  to  all  iiitentfi  and 
purpase.s  Starlings.  They  are  bright-coloured  birds, 
chiefly  yellow  or  scarlet  and  black,  and  they  form 
hammock-like  nests,  lay  white  or  salmon-pink  eggs  spotted 
with  blackish-browii,"  sometimes  with  lilacine-greyish 
shell-markings.  Their  U-xxi  consists  of  insects  in  all 
stages,  spiders,  ajid  small  fruits ;  and  in  captivity  a 
good  insectivorous  food,  with  tire  addition  of  a  few 
living  insects  and  a  little  fruit  daily,  suits  them  well. 
I  have  only  kept  the  European  species,  ajid  I  find  it  a 
most  dull  a"nd  apathetic  bird,  but  possibly  this  may  have 
been  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  it  was  blind  of  one 
eye  and  had  a  drooping  wing ;  as  a  show-bird  an  Oriole 
would  be  admirable. 

Black-n.\ped  Oriole  (Oriolus  indicus). 
Plumage  bright  yellow ;  the  back  and  wing-coverts 
greenish  ;  tijxs  of  primary-ooverts  bright  yellow  forming 
a  spot  of  colour;  primaries  black,  tippwl  and  bordered 
with  greenifiih-yellow ;  secondaries  bnadl.y  margined 
with  pale  yellow  ;  tertiaries  with  the  outer  web  and  part 
of  the  inner  w«b  greenish  yellow ;  tail  black,  the 
central  feathers  narrowly  tipped  with  yellow,  which 
increases  in  width  to  tlie  outenni>st  feathers,  which  are 
very  broadly  yellow  at  the  distal  end  ;  a  black  horse- 
shoe marking  "extending  fr<im  the  bill  through  the  eye 
to  the  nape:  bill  pinky  re<ldi,sh  :  foet  leaden  grey  ;  irides 
blo<Kl-red.  Female  more  greenish  above  and  generally 
rather  duller  than  the  male.  Young  above  yellowish- 
green,  below  whiti.sh  with  dark  shaft-lines;  the  horse- 
shoe like  marking  passing  through  the  eyes  and  uniting 


on  tlie  nape  not  or  barely  indicated;  bill  dusky.  Hab., 
widely  distribut-ed  throughout  India,  but  rare ; 
commoner  in  the  (wuntries  to  the  east  of  the  Bay  of 
Bengal,  Arrakan,  I'egu,  and  TenaiSserim,  extending  to 
Malacca;  appears  to  be  found  in  China.     (Jerdon.) 

Neither  Jerdon  nor  Hume  gives  any  information 
respecting  the  wild  life  of  this  .-pedes,  hut  Mr.  E.  C. 
Stuart  Baker  (The  Ibis,  1396,  p.  332)  publishes  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  it*  ludificatiun  ; — 

■'  I  have  taken  two  nests  of  this  Oriole,  both  of  the 
ordinary  cradle-shape  and  quite  indi&tinguJshable  from 
those  of  0.  melanocejjhalus  and  O.  ktindoo.  Both  wer& 
built  in  maeses  of  creepers  growing  over  oaks,  which 
stood  in  tliin  forest  composed  of  tliat  species  of  tree,  and 
both  were  at  a  very  great  height  from  the  ground,  and 
were  only  got  at  after  muoh  time  and  trouble  had  been 
spent  over  them. 

"  The  eggs,  of  which  there  Were  two  in  each  nest, 
are  of  the  usual  Oriole  type ;  three  have  a  decidedly 
pink  ground,  perhaps  rather  darker  than  in  most  eggs  of 
this  genus,  and  are  spotted  in  the  ordinary  way  with- 
rather  dark  reddish-brown.  The  fourth  egg  differs  only 
in  being  rather  paler  and  being  rather  more  sparingly,, 
though  boldly,  blotched  with  a  still  darker  brown.  Two 
of  the  eggs  measure  1.09in.  by  0.76i'i.,  and  l.OSin.  by- 
0.79in.  The  other  two  eggs  I  presented  to  the  Asiatic 
Museum.  Calcutta,  without  measuring  them  before- 
doing  so,  but  they  were,  if  I  remember  rightly^  botii- 
larger  and  longer  than  those  I  retained  for  my  own 
collection." 

Russ  gives  no  information  respecting  the  cage-life  of 
the  Indian  Oriole.  It  lias  been  exhibited  at  the  Londoi* 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Sykes'  Oriole  [Oriolus  l-undoo). 
Male  bright  yellow  ;  wings  black  crossed  by  a  yellow 
bar  formed  by  the  primary  coverts  ;  flight.s  tipped  anc 
edged  with  yellow ;  central  tail-feathers  black,  the 
remainder  broadly  and  increasingly  tipped  with  yellow  : 
a  black  stripe  from  base  of  mandible,  extanding  behind 
eye  to  ear-coverts  ;  bill  deep  rose-red  ;  feet  leaden  grey  . 
irides  blood-red.  Female  more  greenish  above.  Young 
above  yellowi&h-greeq  ;  bright  yellow  on  rump,  tips  of 
inner  webs  of  tail-feathers,  sides  of  abdomen  and  vent; 
wings  olive-brown ;  remainder  of  body  below  whitish 
striped  with  brown;  bill  black.  Hab.,  India  up  to  base- 
oi  Himalay;is,  excepting  Lower  Bengal.     (Jerdon.) 

According  to  Jerdon  this  bird  breeds  during  the  rains 
in  Central  India;  but  "is  to  be  found,  at  all  seasons,  in- 
every  part  of  the  countrv  in  small  numbers.  It  prefers 
a  well-wo<:d_'d  country,  but  not  deep  forests;  and  lives 
in  large  groves  of  trees,  gardens,  and  avenues.  It 
chiefly  feeds  on  fruit,  especially  on  the  figs  of  the 
Banian  and  I'akur,  on  mulberries,  etc.,  also  occasionally 
on  caterpillars,  and  other  soft-bodied  insects.  Its  flight 
is  strong,  but  undulating,  with  interrupted  flappings. 
Its  call  is  a  loud  mellow  whistle,  something  resembling 
■pee-ho  :  and  the  voice  of  the  European  Oriole  must  be 
very  similar,  as  it  is  given  as  pvh-lo  and  biilow;  ajid 
the  French  name  Loriot  is  said  to  be  also  given  from 
its  call. 

"I  have  seen  the  nest  several  times,  and  I  described' 
one  in  my  "  Illufctralions  of  Indian  Ornithology,"  under 
0.  indicus,  as  follows  : — 

"  It  was  a  cup-.'-haped  nwst,  slightly  made  with  fine 
grass  and  roots,  and  suspende<l  from  a  rat-ber  high 
branch  by  a  few  long  fibres  of  grass  ;  these  did  not  sur- 
round the  nest,  but  only  supported  it  on  two  sides.  It 
contained  three  eggs,  white,  spotted,  chiefly  at  the  large 
end,  with  a  very  few  large  dark  purple  l>lotohes." 

"  I  procured  a  nest  at  Sangor,   from   a  high  branch 


DRONGOS. 


53 


of  a  banian  tree  in  cantonnicnt.  It  waiS  situated  between 
the  forks  of  a  branoh,  made  of  fine  rooUs  and  graiss,  with 
some  hair  and  a  featlierr  or  two  internally,  and  suspended 
by  a  long  roll  of  cloth  about  jin.  wide,  whioh  it  must 
have  pilfered  from  the  neighbouring  verandah,  where 
the  tailor  workwl.  Tl.is  strip  was  woumi  round  ea<,-h 
fork,  then  passed  round  the  nes.t  beneatii,  fixed  to  the 
other  fork  and  again  bronglit  rourwl  tlie  iieist,  to  the 
opposite  side;  there  were  four  or  five  of  these  supports 
on  each  side.  It  wiis,  indeed,  a  most  curious  nest,  and 
«o  securely  fixed  that  it  could  not  have  b<^en  remove<l  till 
the  supporting  Ixmds  had  been  cut  or  rotte<l  away.  The 
eggs  were,  as  before  described,  white,  with  a  few  dark 
claret-coloured  spots.  Burgess  describes  a  nest  made  of 
grass,  .spiders'  web,  hemp,  and  pieces  of  paper,  placed  in 
the  fork  of  a  tree,  and  two  of  the  branches  were  bound 
together  with  the  hemp.  Theobald  also  fomid  the  nest, 
a  neat  cup  of  woven  grass,  attache<l  by  its  side  to  the 
bcHigh  of  a  tree,  and  he  des<ribes  the  egii-s  as  white,  with 
bl.ick  spots."—"  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  108. 

Dr.  Russ  says  th;it  this  Oriole  was  receive<l  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1878,  and  has  been  only 
once  imported  since  that  date,  by  tJ.  Bos/.,  of  Cologne. 
In  this,  however,  ho  is  mistaken,  because  a  specimen 
was  purch,'),sed  by  nur  Zuclogical  Society  in  August,  1892 
(seven  years  before  the  publication  of  his  statement). 
It  is  quite  likely  that  other  examples  may  have  come  to 
hand  more  recently. 

DRONGOS  (Dicrurida:). 

According  to  HorsHeld  and  Jerdon,  these  birds  are 
related  to  the  Shrikes.  They  seem  to  be  purely 
insectivorous ;  tliey  are  splendid  songsters  and  clever 
mimics ;  some  of  their  notes  are  marvellously  rich  and 
organ-like. 

Lakge  Racket-tailed  Drongo  {Disseviurus  paradiseus). 

Black,  glossed  with  steel-blue ;  feathers  of  crown 
slightly  hackled,  those  of  nape  strongly  so,  those  of 
breast  slightly:  frontal  crest  falling  bnckwaids  over 
nape  ;  outer  tail-feathers  18in,  to  19in.  long,  the  shaft 
having  the  tenninal  end,  for  about  3iin._  barbed  exter- 
nally, but  towards  the  tip  only  on  the  inner  side,  and 
turning  inwards,  so  that  the  underside  becomes  upper- 
most.—Jerdon.  "  This  very  showy  and  curious  biixl 
is  found  in  the  dense  forests  of  India,  from  the 
Himalayas  to  the  Eastern  Ghats  as  far  south  as  N.L. 
15  degrees.  I  have  seen  them  from  Nellore  Ghats, 
Goomso-jr,  the  forests  of  Central  India,  and  they  are 
found  in  Lower  Bengal,  the  Sunderbuns,  and  the 
Himalayas.  Out  of  our  province  it  is  found  in  A.ssam, 
Sylhet,  Burmah,  and  Tenasserim.  Near  Darjeeling  they 
do  not  range  higher  than  1,500ft.  or  2,000ft.  of  elevation. 

"  This  large  llacket-tailed  Drongo  is  found  singly  or 
in  pairs,  now  and  then  in  small  parties,  and  appears  to 
wander  a  good  deal  in  search  of  food,  flying  from  tree  to 
tree,  generally  at  no  great  elevation,  making  an  occa- 
sional swoop  at  an  insect  on  the  wing,  or  sometimes 
whipping  one  off  a  1: ranch. 

"frequently,  however,  it  hunts  for  .some  time  from  a 
fixed  station,  returning  to  the  same  tree.  Its  food  is 
bees,  wasps,  beetles,  dragonflies,  locusts,  and  mantides. 
It  has  a  ver,v  peculiar  c.ill,  beginning  with  a  harsh 
chuckle,  and  ending  in  a  peculiar  metallic  creaking  cry. 
Mr.  Elliot  expresses  it  by  Tsc-rung,  Tse.rung.  It  has. 
however,  a  great  variety  of  notes.  It  follows  birds  of 
prey  now  and  then,  especially  at  the  breeding  time, 
just  as  our  common  King-crow  does.  I  have  had  its 
nest  brought  me  several  times  at  Darjeeling  ;  rather  a 
large  structure  of  twigs  and  roots,  and  the  eggs,  usually 


three  in  numler,  pinkish  white,  with  claret-coloured  or 
purple  sjMits  ;  but  they  vary  a  great  deal  in  size,  form, 
and  colouring.     They  breed  in  April  and  May. 

"  The  Bhimraj  is  often  caught  and  tamed,  and  may 
genenilly  be  had  at  Calcutta  or  at  Monghyr,  where  the 
hill-men  bring  Shamas,  Hill  M.vnas,  Bhimrajs,  and 
various  other  hill-birds  for  sale.  It  is  a  very  amusing 
bird  in  confinement  ;  will  imitate  all  sorts  of  sounds,  as 
of  dogs,  cats,  sheep  and  goats,  jmultry,  and  the  notes  of 
many  birds  ;  hence  it  used  to  be  calle<l  by  some  Jlazar- 
dastaii.  or  the  bird  with  a  thousand  tales.  Blyth  had 
one  that  imitated  the  fine  song  of  the  Shania  tci  jwr- 
fection.  In  other  respects,  it  is  a  very  fearless  amusing 
bird  in  captivity,  and  is  sometimes  even  suffered  to 
have  its  liberty,  coming  readily  to  the  call  of  its  owner. 
It  will  eat  raw  meat,  liz;irds,  and  almost  any  kind  of 
animal  food  that  is  offered  to  it." — Jerdon,  "  Birds  of 
India,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  436-437. 

In  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,'  2nd 
edition.  Vol.  I.,  pp.  216-217,  are  many  additional  notes 
on  the  nidification  of  this  species;  but  beyond  the  fact 
that  one  of  the  nests  was  situated  20ft.  from  the  ground, 
it  seems  to  me  unnecessary  to  quote  them. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  Racket-tailed  Drongo  reached 
them  in  Germany  in  1870,  and  in  1872  Alired  Brehm 
was  able  to  confirm  the  accounts  of  the  mimicking 
powers  of  the  bird  by  observation  of  a  specimen  in  the 
Berlin  Aquarium.  After  this  he  says  that  for  a  long 
time  it  was  rare  in  the  market,  only  a  few  examples 
being  received.  Then  Peter  Franck,  of  Liverpool, 
obtained  a  specimen  in  1884,  and  publish  d  an  account 
of  it  in  1885.  In  1892  an  example  reached  the  Berlin 
Zoological  Gardens,  and  in  1894  TIerr  Fockelniann 
exhibited  one  at  the  exhibition  of  the  "-^ilgintha" 
Society,  which  imitated  the  Shama's  song.  Latterly 
Russ  says  that  it  has  become  commoner  in  the  market, 
and  certainly  I  have  myself  seen  it  exhibit  d  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  ;  yet  in  the  9th  edition  of  the  List  of 
Animals  exhibited  by  our  Zoological  Society  it  does 
not  appear. 

Indian  or  H.\ir-crested  Drongo  [Chihia  hollenlutta). 

Black,  glossed  with  purple  and  blue  on  the  nape 
and  breast,  wings  and  tail  shining  bronze-green  ;  bill 
and  feet  black;  irides  rtd-brown.  Hab.,  India,  both 
North  and  South,  Pegu,  Tenasserim. 

Jerdon  observes: — "I  found  it  in  March  on  the  silk- 
cotton  trees  (Bomhax  malaharirinn),  several  together, 
apparently  feeding  on  insects  harbouring  in  the  fine 
flowers  of  that  tree,  for  which  its  long  tenuirostral  bill 
must  be  well  adapted.  I  again  saw  it  hopping  and 
flying  among  the  branches  of  a  loftv  tree  in  Wvnaad, 
apparently  picking  insects  now  and  then  off  the  twigs 
or  leaves.  Tickell,  who  procured  it  in  the  jungles  of 
Chota  Nagpore,  says  that  it  frequents  large  timber- 
trees  on  the  banks  of  nullahs,  tanks,  etc.,  and  mentions 
that  the  cotton-tree  in  blossom  was  a  great  resorl.  It 
frolics  about,  says  he,  in  small  parties;  its  voice  is 
changeable,  and  in  constant  exertion,  from  a  beautiful 
song,  to  whistling,  chattering,  and  creaking  like  a  rusty 
wheel,  at  times  resembling  the'  higher  strains  of  the 
organ,  both  striking  and  jilaintive. 

"  Mr.  Hodgson  states  that  it  feeds  on  wasps,  bees, 
green  beetles,  etc.,  very  rarely  vetches;  that  it  lives 
part  of  the  year  in  pairs,  or  singly,  and  the  rest  in 
families  ;  that  it  descends  from  its  lofty  perch  to  seize 
an  insect  on  the  wing,  and  occasionally  seizes  on  the 
ground.  I  imagine  that  the  vetches,  stated  by  Hodgson 
to  vary  its  food  occasionally,  must  have  been  taken  in 
its  mouth  with  some  insect  which  it  seized  off  the 
plant. 


54 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


"  Buch.  Hamilton  says  it  is  common  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Calcutta,  building  among  bamboos,  living  in 
pairs,  and  feeding  on  insects  and  fruits.  It  is  said  to 
sing  well,  he  says,  and  is  frequently  tamed  by  the 
Mussulmans,  who  in  the  morning  carry  it  about,  and 
invoke  the  name  of  God  and  the  prophet,  in  the  same 
manner  as  they  do  with  Parrakeete.  The  I^epchas  of 
Darjeeling  brought  me  a  nest,  which  w;i.s  said  to  have 
been  placed  high  up  in  a  large  tree.  It  was  composed  of 
twigs  and  roots,  and  a  few  bits  of  grass,  and  contained 
two  eggs,  livid  white,  with  purplish  and  claret  spots, 
and  of  a  very  elongated  form." — "  Birds  of  India," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  439.  440. 

In  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd 
edition,  pp.  213-214,  are  the  following  notes,  which  I 
think  should  be  quoted:  — 

"  Mr.  R.  Thompson  says  :  '  The  Hair-crested 
Drungo  is  extremely  common  as  a  breeder  in 
all  our  hot  valleys  ("iCumaon  and  Gunvhal).  It  lays 
in  May  and  .June,  building  in  forks  of  branches  of  small 
leafy  trees  situated  in  warm  vallevs  having  an  elevation 
of  from  2,000  to  2,500  feet.  The  "nest  i^  circular,  about 
five  inches  in  diameter,  rather  deep  and  hollow;  it  is 
composed  of  fine  roots  and  fibres  bound  together  with 
cobwebs,  and  it  is  lined  with  hairs  and  fine  roots.  They 
-  lay  from  three  to  four  much  elongated,  purplish-white 
eggs,  spotted  with  pink  or  daret  colour.' 

"  Mr.  J.  R.  Cripps  has  written  the  following  valuable 
notes  regarding  the  breeding  of  the  Hair-crested  Drongo 
in  the  Dibrugarh  district,  in  Assam  :  — 

'"May  17th.  1879.— Nest  with  three  fresh  eggs, 
attached  to  a  fork  in  one  of  the  outer  branches  of  an 
otinga  {DiUenia  jn'niagijna)  tree,  and  about  15  feet  off 
the  ground. 

"  'May  15th,  1880.— Three  fresh  eggs  in  a  nest  20  feet 
off  the  ground,  and  a  few  yards  from  my  bungalow,  in 
an  oorian  (Bixchoffta  javanica,  Bl.). 

" '  June  5th,  1880. — Nest  with  three  partly-incubated 
eggs,  in  one  of  the  outer  branches  of  a  .jack  [Artocarpus 
■infegrifolia)  tree,  and  .about  15  feet  off  the  ground. 

"'May  27th,  1881. — Three  fresh  eggs  in  a  nest  on  a 
soom  (Mai')iiliis  odnratiffima)  tree  at  the  edge  of  the 
forest  bordering  the  tea.  The  nests  are  deep  saucers, 
3i  inches  in  diameter,  internally  li  deep,  with  the  sides 
about  i  thick  ;  but  the  bottom  is  so  flimsy  that  the  eggs 
are  easily  seen  from  below,  the  materials  being  grass, 
roots,  and  fine  tendrils  of  creepers,  especially  it  these 
are  thorny,  when  they  are  used  as  a  lining.  The  nest 
is  always  situated  in  the  fork  of  a  branch.' " 

This  bird  has  been  exhibited  in  our  Zoological 
Gardens,  where  it  was  received  as  long  ago  as  1866; 
in  1894  it  was  imported  by  Fockelniann,  of  Hamburg, 
but  according  to  the  late  Dr.  Res?  is  much  rarer  in 
the  market   than   the   preceding  species. 

WOO D=SW ALLOWS  (Artaimlw). 

The  affinity  of  these  birds  to  the  Drongos  has  been 
pretty  generally  recognised,  but  various  authorities 
have  also  regarded  them  as  showing  affinity  to  the 
Swallows  (Blvth),  to  the  Orioles  (Cabanis).  arid  to  the 
Starlings  (Reichenow).  Of  late  years  they  have  not  in- 
frequently been  exhibited   at   bird   shows. 

White-etebrowkd  Wood-Swallow  {Artamus 
supprfiliosus). 
Above  smoky  grey,  paler  on  rump  and  tail,  blackish 
upon  the  crown  ;  lores,  area  encircling  eye,  and  ear- 
coverts  black ;  chin  greyish-black  :  a  white  eyebrow- 
stripe  pointed  in  front,  spatulate  at  back ;  tail-feathers, 
excepting  the  outer  ones,  tipiied  with  white ;  outer 
webs  of  outer  feathers  grey  ;  under  surface  chestnut ; 
^rings  below  white  ;  bill  piile  blue  at  base,  black  at  tip  ; 


feet  dark  lead-coloured  ;  irides  blackish.  Female  with 
the  lores  and  area  encircling  eye  duller,  eyebrow  stripe 
less  defined  ;  throat  grey  ;  tail  less  distinctly  ti)iped  with 
white  ;  under  surface  paler  chestnut.  Hab",  New  South 
Wales. 

(Jould  says  that  this  is  a  shy  species,  giving 
"  preference  to  the  topmost  branches,  of  the  highest 
trees,  from  which  it  sallies  forth  for  the  capture  of 
insects,  and  to  which  it  again  returns,  in  the  usual 
manner  of  the  tribe.  In  every  part  where  I  have 
observed  it.  it  is  distinctly  migratory,  arriving  in 
summer,  and  departing  northwards  after  the  breeding 
season 

"  The  nest  is  most  difficult  of  detection,  being- 
generally  placed  either  in  a  fork  of  the  branches  or  in 
a  niche  near  the  bole  of  the  tree,  whence  the  bark  has 
been  partially  stripped.  It  is  a  round,  very  shallow, 
and  frail  structure,  composed  of  small  twigs  and  lined 
with  fibrous  roots ;  those  I  discovered  contained  two 
eggs,  but  I  had  not  sufficient  opportunities  for  ascer- 
taining if  thi.s  number  was  constant.  Their  ground- 
colour is  dull  buffy-white,  spotted  with  umber-brown, 
forming  a  zone  near  the  larger  end ;  in  some  these 
spots  are  sparingly  sprinkled  over  the  whole  surface ; 
they  have  also  the  obscure  grey  spotting  of  those  of 
A.  liordichix.  The  eggs  are  rather  more  than  eleven 
lines  long  by  eight  and  a  half  lines  broad." — "  Birds 
of  Australia,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  153. 

Mr.  A.  J.  North  s.ays  (Cat.  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Birds 
found  breeding  in  Australia  and  Tasmania,  p.  48)  :  — 
"It  builds  a  round,  and  almost  flat,  scanty  nest  of 
roots  and  grasses — through  which  the  eggs,  in  some 
situations,  can  be  seen  from  below — in  every  possible 
position,  both  in  the  indigenous  and  acclimatised  trees, 
of  our  public  parks  and  gardens.  In  Albert  Park  I 
have  found  no  less  than  ten  nests,  each  containing  eggs, 
in  a  single  row  of  pines  iPinus  insignis)  of  aljout  fifty 
yards  in  length,  the  tree  at  that  time  being  of  a 
uniform  height  of  five  feet ;  at  other  times  the  nest  is 
placed  in  the  horizontal  fork  of  the  branches  of  the 
eucalyptus  or  acacia,  the  broad,  flat  fronds  of  the 
Norfolk  Island  pine  (Arauraria  exrrjfia],  and  on  two 
occasions  I  have  found  it  in  the  leafy  top  of  a  ros>e- 
bush.  The  eggs  are  three  in  number,  usually  of  a 
buffy-white  ground-colour,  blotched  and  freckled  all 
over  with  1-ight  brown,  and  umber-brown  markings,  par- 
ticularly towards  the  larger  end.  Occasionally  an  egg 
in  a  set  is  found  of  a  dull  white  ground-colour,  with 
a  well-defined  zone  of  dark  umber  round  the  larger 
end.  The  measurements  of  a  set  taken  at  Albert  Park 
in  December.  1870  are  as  follows -.—D^ngth  (A)  0.9  x 
0.7  inch;   (B)  0.95    x    0.7  inch ;    (0  0.93    x    0.67  inch." 

In  a  note  published  in  Tlii'  Emu.  Vol.  II.,  p.  217, 
Mr.  F.  L.  Berney  records  the  fact  that  the  Wood- 
Swallows  feed  upon  honey.  He  says: — "Two  of  the 
species  {Arlamji^  prrsi.iiatiis  and  .4.  fupcrriUoxim]  have 
been  flocking  lately  on  the  bauhini  i  trees,  which  are 
just  now  in  full  bloom.  I  w.atched  them  quite  close, 
there  being  no  need  for  the  glasses,  for  in  their  eager- 
ness to  gather  their  breakfast  of  honev  they  crowded 
round  me  within  8ft.  of  my  head."  The  writer  shot 
some  of  these  birds,  but  appears  to  have  found  only 
ants  and  one  beetle  in  the  stomachs,  which  (the  edit-or 
points  out)  suggests  that  the  birds  were  after  insects 
and  not  honey;  however,  in  Vol.  Ill  ,  p.  112,  Miss 
Helen  Bowie  ^vrites  : — "  I  have  kept  two  p.airs  of  Wood- 
Swallows  for  tile  last  seven  mnnths.  They  were  turned 
out  into  an  aviary  in  which  there  w.ns  honev  for  some 
Mrl'iphnqiHiT.  No  sooner  were  the  W(ir>d-Swallnws  at 
liberty  thin  they  made  their  way  to  the  pot,  and  seemed 
to  recognise  it  as  a  nafur.al  diet.  At  prcsen'  they  live 
principally  on  fruit  and  honey,  with  a  little  Lark  fooci 
and  occasional  ineccts  bv  wav  of  a  treat.     Thev  visit 


WOOD-SWALLOWS. 


scented  Howers,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  in  search 
ol  honey  or  not.  The  brush  tongue  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  honey  was  in  th«  wild  state  a  food  some- 
times used,  though  perhaps,  as  in  the  case  of  Bome 
honey-eating  Parrots,  not  necessary  always  to  subsist- 
ence." 

Five  examples  of  this  species  reached  our  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1866 ;  a  pair  was  bre<l  in  the  Gardens  in 
1870,  and  one  was  added  in  1875.  In  1897  Miss  Hagen- 
bi'clc  imported  specimens,  of  which  three  went  to  the 
Herliu  Gardens,  and  in  1899  and  subsequent  years  speci- 
mens were  regularly  exhibited  at  oiu-  lyuudon  shows 
and  elsewhere. 

M.tSKKD  WoOD-Sw'.\LLO\v    {Arlanius   pc7-sviialiis). 

Upper  surface  deep  grey,  including  the  wings  and 
tail ;  tlie  latter  tipped  with  while  ;  liead  above  sooty- 
black ;  face,  ear-coverts  and  throat  jet-black,  edged 
below  by  a  nanow  white  line;  under  surface  delicate 
grey;  thiglis  darker;  bill  blue  at  base,  black  at  tip; 
teet  hoary  bluish-grey;  iiides  blackish-brown.  The 
female  is  rather  duller  than  the  male,  with  paJer  bill 
and  dark  grey  mask.  Hab.  iSouth  Queensland,  New- 
South  Wales,  Victoria,  South,  West,  and  North-west 
Australia. 

Ac.ording  to  Gilbert,  this  S|iecies  is  shy  and  retired, 
never  being  seen  but  in  tlie  most  secluded  parts  of  the 
bush.  "  Its  nest  is  placed  in  the  upright  fork  of  a 
dead  tree,  or  in  the  hollow  f^rt  of  the  stump  of  a  grass- 
tree  ;  it  is  neither  so  well  nor  so  neatly  formed  as  those 
of  the  other  species  of  the  group,  being  a  frail  structure 
externally  composed  of  a  very  few  extremely  small 
twigs,  above  which  is  a  layer  of  tine  dried  grasses.  The 
eggs  also  differ  as  remarkably  as  the  nest,  their  ground- 
colour being  light  greenish  grey,  dashed  and  speckled 
with  hair-brown  principally  at  the  larger  end,  and 
slightly  spotted  -with  grey,  apjjearing  as  if  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  shell ;  they  are  ten  and  a  half  lines  long 
by  eight  and  a  half  lines  broad.  I  found  two  nests  in 
a  York  gTim  forest,  about  five  mUes  to  the  east  of  the 
Avon  Kiver;  each  of  these  contained  two  eggs,  which 
I  believe  J6  the  usual  number  Mr.  Angas  informs  me 
that  in  South  Australia  this  bird  makes  no  nest,  but 
places  the  eggs  on  a  few  bent  stalks  of  grass  in  the 
bend  of  a  small  branch."  (Of.  Gould,  "  Birds  of  Aus- 
tralia," Vol.  I.,  p.  151.) 

Somewhat  opposed  to  the  above  is  the  account  given 
in  A.  J.  Campbell's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian 
Birds,"  pp.  466-8  : — "Nest. — In  general  similar  to  that 
of  A.  superciiiosiis  ;  composed  of  dead  branching  twigs 
as  a  foundation,  then  green  -[wrtions  of  shrubs,  finally 
a  goodly  lining  of  fine  rootlets,  dry  grass,  and  chiefly 
a  green  wii-y  grass,  and  situated  in  a  bush  or  low 
branch  of  a  tree  from  1^  feet  to  8  or  10  feet  above  the 
ground.  Dimensions  over  all.  4^  inches  by  3^  inches 
m  depth ;  egg-cavity,  2^  inches  across  by  l|  inches 
deep.'  A  beautiful  photograph  of  the  nest  containing 
three  eggs  faces  this  description. 

"  E(/<j!<. — Clutch,  two  to  three;  stout  oval  in 
shape  or  sharply  pointed  at  one  end  ;  texture 
of  shell  fine ;  surface  glossy ;  colour,  light  greenish- 
grey,  mottled  and  clouded,  chiefly  around  the 
upper  quarter,  with  timber  and  dull  grey  resembling 
exactlv  those  of  the  A.  siiprrcilioaus.  Dimensions  in 
inches  of  a  clutch:  (1)  .88  x  -66,  (2)  .88  x  -66,  (3) 
.8    X    .67. 

"  Observations. — This  handsome  Wood-Swallow  and 
the  A.  superciiiosiis  are  probably  more  nearly  related 
than  any  other  two  of  the  Arlami.  The  fact  already 
recorded  by  me  of  the  female  A.  pcrsong,iiis  being  mated 
to  a  male  A.  superciliosus  would  tend  to  prove  that 
assertion ;  besides,  oologically  speaking,  the  eggs  are 
inseparable   as   far  as   outward    appearances   go.        The 


voices  of  the  two  species  are  very  much  alike,  but  the 
'  wiuimp '-like  alarm  note  of  A.  persuiialus  is  somewhat 
coareer  and  deefjer. 

"  I  stated  in  a  previous  part  of  my  observations  on 
(his  Wixid-Swallow  that  odd  pairs "  accompanied  the 
Wluitebrowetl  birds  on  their  visits  southward.s.  15ut 
the  j-car  1895  was  a  most  remarkable  exctptioii,  when 
flocks  of  the  Afask.d  sjiLvies  alipeared  inde)iendently 
ill  Victoria.  The  early  flocks  arrive  in  the  first  week 
in  Novemljer,  or  a  month  after  the  first  of  the  White- 
browed  bii-ds.  My  son  reported  he  hud  seen  flocks  in 
the  vicinity  of  Spi-ingvale,  ne:ir  the  Gipiisland  railway 
line.      To  "verify   his   statement    Mr.    Gillespie   and    I 


Dusky  Wood-Swallows. 

repaired  thither  on  the  aftenioon  of  the  30th  November, 
We  had  no  sooner  left  the  station  than  a  flock  of  mostly 
Masked  Wood-Swallows  rose  from  some  Ion  scrub, 
where  we  took  two  or  three  nests." 

In  an  article  on  Wood-Swallows  in  The  A'-icullural 
Magazine  for  May,  1900,  p.  156,  Jlr.  Henry  J. 
FuUjames  mentions  the  importation  of  two  pairs  of 
this  species,  by  Mr.  Geo.  Carrick  presumably,  of  irhich 
he  secured  one  pair  and  the  other  went  to  the  London 
Gardens.  In  October  of  the  same  ye;ir  Mr.  Glasscoe 
exhibited  a  specimen  at  the  Crystal  I'alace,  the  same 
bird  being  again  exhibited  in  January  and  November, 
1901,   and   February,    1902. 

DusKT  WooD-Sw.4LLOW'  {Arlamus  soreli/Ius). 

"Head,  neck,  and  the  whole  of  the  body  fuliginous 
grey  ;  wings  dark  bluish  black,  the  external  edges  of  the 
second,  third,  and  fourth  primaries  white  ;  tail  bluish 
black,  all  the  feathers,  except  the  two  middle  ones, 
largely  tipped  "with  white  ;  irides  dark  brown ;  bill 
blue,  with  a  black  tip;  feet  mealy  leal-rolonr. 


50 


FOBEIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


"The  sexes  are  alike  in  tire  colouiing  of  their 
plumage,  and  are  only  to  be  distinguished  by  the  female 
being  somewhat  smaller  in  size. 

"The  young  have  an  irregular  stripe  of  dirty  white 
down  the  centre  of  each  feather  of  the  upper  surface, 
and  are  mottled  with  the  same  on  the  under  part  of  the 
body." — Gould.  llab. ,  "Australia  (except  perhaps 
JCorth),  and  Tasmania,  including  islands  in  Bass  Strait." 
— (/am  i)hdl. 

According  to  Gould,  this  species  is  strictly  migratory 
in  Tasmania  where  it  arrives  in  October,  and  after  rear- 
ing at  least  two  broods  departs  again  in  a  northern  direc- 
tion. On  the  continent  of  Australia  it  arrives  rather 
earlier,  and  departs  later.  Gould  observes  that  the 
Tasmanian  specimens  are  invariably  larger  in  all 
measurement  and  of  a  deeper  colour. 

A  naturalist  calling  himself  "Nemo"  (writing  in  The 
Aiisfralaeiaii  of  November  2,  1895)  notes  the  dates  of 
arrival  and  deirarture  of  tliis  si>ecies  in  South  Victoria 
for  seven  years,  from  which  it  appears  that  migratory 
flocks  arrive  there  between  August  19  and  September  9 
and  depart  between  the  end  of  April  and  middle  of  May. 
<Cf.  Campbell,  "Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds," 
jip.  472-3).* 

Could  lemarks: — "  Tfiis  Wood-Swallow  must,  I  think, 
ever  be  a  geneial  favou'-ite  with  the  Au.stralians,  not 
only  from  its  singular  and  pleasing  actions,  but  from 
its  often  taking  up  its  abode  and  incubating  near  the 
houses,  particularly  such  as  are  surrounded  by  pad- 
docks and  open  pa.sture-land  skirted  bv  large  trees.  It 
■was  in  such  situations  in  Tasmania  that,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  spring,  I  first  had  the  opportunity  of 
observing  this  species  ;  it  was  then  very  numerous  on 
all  the  cleared  estates  on  the  north  side  of  the  Derwent, 
about  eight  or  ten  being  seen  on  a  single  tree,  and  half 
as  many  crowding  one  again.st  another  on  the  same 
dead  branch,  but  never  in  such  numbers  as  to  deserve 
the  appellation  of  flocks.  Each  bird  appeared  to  act 
indejieiidently  of  the  other;  each,  as  the  desire  for  food 
prompted  it,  sallying  forth  from  the  branch  to  capture 
a  passing  insect,  or  to  soar  round  the  tree  and  return 
again  to  the  same  spot ;  on  alighting  it  repeatedly 
throws  up  one  of  its  wings,  and  obliquely  spreads  its 
tail.  At  other  times  a  few  were  seen  perched  on  the 
fence  surrounding  the  paddocks,  on  which  they  fre- 
•quently  descended,  like  Starlings,  in  search  of  coleoptera 
and  other  insects.  The  form  of  the  wing  of  the 
Artamus  sordidu.^  at  once  indicates  that  the  air  is  its 
peculiar  province  ;  hence  it  is,  that  when  engage<I  in 
pursuit  of  the  insects  which  the  serenity  and  wannth 
of  the  weather  have  enticed  from  their  lurking-places 
among  the  foliage,  to  sport  in  higher  regions,  this 
sp?cies  dis]ilays  itself  to  the  greatest  advantage.  But 
the  greatest  peculiarity  in  the  habits  of  this  bird  is  its 
manner  of  hanging  together  in  clusrters  from  the  branch 
of  a  tree,  like  a  swarm  of  bees. 

The  season  of  incubation  is  from  September  ix) 
December.  The  situation  of  the  nest  is  much  varied  ;  I 
have  seen  one  placed  in  a  thickly-foliaged  bough  near 
the  ground,  while  others  were  in  a  naked  fork,  on  the 
siile  of  the  bole  of  a  tree,  in  a  niche  formed  by  a  )iortion 
of  the  bark  having  been  separated  from  the  trunk,  etc. 
The  nest  is  rather  shallow,  of  a  rounded  form,  alxiut 
five  inches  in  diameter,  and  composed  of  fine  twigs 
neatly  lined  with  fibrous  roots.  I  observed  that  the 
rests  found  in  Tasmania  were  larger,  more  compact,  and 
more  neatly  formed  than  those  on  the  continent  of 
Australia. 

•  According  to  Mr.  S.  W.  Jackson,  thpy  arrive  in  New  South 
\Vale>  In  July  or  August  and  depart  again  in  January  or  February. 


The  eggs  are  generally  four  in  number  ;  they  differ 
much  in  the  disposition  of  their  markings ;  their 
ground-colour  is  dull  white,  spotted  and  dashed  with 
dark  umber-brown.  In  some  a  second  series  of  greyish 
spots  appear  as  if  beneath  the  surface  of  the  shell  ; 
their  medium  length  is  eleven  lines,  and  lireadth  eight 
lines." — "Birds  of  Australia,"  Vol.   I.,  jip.  144-5. 

According  to  Mr.  North  (Cat.  Nests  and  Eggs  Aus- 
tralian Birds,  p.  43)  "  this  species  breeds  from  Sep- 
tember till  the  middle  of  January.  The  young  birds  are 
often  found  on  the  ground  during  December,  having 
left  the  nest  before  being  able  to  fly,  and  are  unable  to 
get  back  again." 

About  1898  Mr.  Geo.  Carrick  imported  two  pairs  of 
this  Wood-Swallow  (parents  and  hand-reared  young) 
which  later  came  into  the  hands  of  .Messrs.  FuUjamcs 
and  Fillmer.  In  1899  Mr.  Fulljames  obtained  three 
other  pairs  from  the  same  imjxirter.  In  his  article  on 
Wood-Swallows  {Avicultural  Magazine,  1st  series. 
Vol.  VI.,  p.  155)  Mr.  Fulljames  remarks  that  "they 
have  been  kept  all  together  in  a  large  open  cage  with 
wiie  top  as  well  as  sides,  and  they  spend  quite  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  their  time  hanging  head  <lowiiwards 
from  the  top  of  the  cage.  They  i-oost  as  closely  as 
possible  together,  always  head  downwards.  When  I 
had  my  first  pair  I  soon  noticed  that  if  anything  was 
accidentally  left  on  the  top  of  their  cage  they  invariably 
roosted  directly  undern&ith  it,  so  tlieir  cage  now  is 
always  provided  with  a  piece  of  flannel,  which  is 
evidently  appreciated." 

Mr.  Fulljames  fed  his  birds  upon  an  ordinary 
insectivorous  bird-food ;  probably,  one  would  suppose, 
that  now  known  as  "Century  food." 

In  1900  (May)  five  examples  of  this  species  reached 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens.  Dr.  Russ  says  that  in 
1898  it  was  imported  into  Germany  and  reached  the 
Zoological  Gardens  of  Berlin. 

Ashy  Wood-Swallow  {Artamus  fu.^cus). 

General  colour  above  soft  ashy  slat«  colour,  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  nmip  somewhat  reddish;  upper  tail- 
coyerts  whitish,  largely  concealed  by  the  rump-leatberB ; 
wings  and  tail  dark  blui&h-ash ;  inner  primaries  and 
secondaries  with  a  narrow  pale  tenniiial  edging;  central 
tail  feathers  narrowly,  the  remainder  broadly  tipped 
with  whitish;  lores  blackish;  throat  somewhat  dusky; 
breast  and  abdomen  delica.te  reddish  ash-coloured  fading 
to  white  on  under  tail-coverts ;  bill  milky  blue,  blackish 
at  tip ;  feet  dull  bluish,  with  darker  claws  ;  iris  dark 
brown.  Female  (according  to  Col.  Legge)  with  the  lfca.se 
of  the  mouth  yellow,  whereas  in  the  male  the  inside  i« 
wholly  black  ;  iris  paler  or  reddish-brown.  Young,  dull 
earthy  brown  on  liead  and  back  with  paler  edges  to 
feathers  ;  secondaries  and  inner  primaries  broadly  tipped 
with  white;  throat  more  dusky  than  in  adult,  blending 
gradually  with  hue  of  breast,  wliich  is  ruddier  than  in 
adult.     Hab.,  India  generally  and  Ceylon. 

Dr.  Jerdon  says  that  this  bird  "is  most  abundant  in 
wooded  districts,  especially  where  pahn-trees  abound, 
more  particularly  the  palmyra  palm,  from  which  indeed 
it  takes  several  of  its  native  names.  Where  they  are 
numerous,  several  may  be  seen  seated  on  the  same 
branch,  but  they  fly  off  independently  of  each  other, 
and  after  a  flight  of  some  few  minutes,  return  either 
again  to  the  sanie  perch  or  to  another  tree.  At  limes  I 
have  eecn  an  immense  flock  in  the  air  all  togetlier,  hunt- 
ing for  in.sects,  and  remaining  on  the  wing  for  a  much 
longer  period.  A  small  party  may  occasionally  be  seen, 
skimming  over  the  surface  of  a  tank,  picking  up  an 
insect  now  and  then,  and  returning  to  a  high  bough  of 
a  tree,  overhanging  the   water.     They  live   entirely  on 


SHRIKES. 


57 


insects  of  various  kinds.  I  have  found  them  most 
abundant  in  the  Cariiatic,  the  Malabar  coast,  the 
Northern  Circai-s,  and  liengal  ;  very  rare  in  the  Deccan 
and  Ct'ntral  India.  To  my  great  surprise,  1  found  them 
on  the  .si<les  of  hills,  at  Darjeeling,  on  cleared  spots  up 
to  about  4,000ft.  of  elevation. 

"  I  have  pix>curo<l  the  nest  of  thi.s  bird,  situated  on  a 
palmyra  tree  on  the  stem  of  tlio  leaf.  It  was  a  deep 
cup-shappd  nest,  made  of  grass,  U'aves,  and  numerous 
feathers,  and  contained  two  eggs  whit*  with  a  greenish 
tinge,  and  with  light  brown  spots,  c-liiefly  at  the  larger 
end.  I  se*"  that  Mr.  Ljiyard  procured  the  nest  in  Ceylon, 
where  this  bird  is  conunon,  in  the  head  of  cocoa-nut 
trees,  nia<lc  of  fibres  and  grasses  ;  and  it  was  probably 
the  nest  of  this  bird  that  was  brought  to  Tickell.  as  that 
of  the  Palm  Swift  {C'tjpselus  halaxniensis). 

"  Its  flight  is  elegant  and  Swallow-like,  a  few  rapid 
strokes  of  the  wing  alternating  with  a  gliding  flight  with 
outspread  wings,  ami  c)ft<>n  in  circles,  or,  when  in  close 
pursuit  of  an  insect,  rapid  and  direct.  Its  cry,  which  it 
frequently  utters,  botli  when  seated  and  in  flight,  is 
plaintive,  very  like  that  of  the  Shikra  (Afirronisus 
haditif)  but  more  subdued."- — "Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  I., 
pp.  441-2. 

Colonel  W.  V.  Legge  &ays  : — "  It  is  exceedingly  fond 
of  scattered  groves  of  palmyras  close  to  the  sea-shore, 
resting  on  the  fronds  of  these  trees  when  not  hawking 
for  in.seots,  and  rinxsting  on  them  at  night.  It  associates 
in  small  flocks,  perching  together  in  closely  packed  rows, 
and  sallying  out  in  twos  and  threes  after  its  food,  which 
it  catches  on  the  wing,  circling  round,  and  sometimes 
mounting,  with  a  buoyant  flight,  high  in  the  air,  where 
it  will  occasionally  soar  for  a  considerable  time  with 
outstretched  wings.  It  is  always  of  a  most  sociable 
nature  ;  and  when  a  flock  is  scattered  by  the  shooting  of 
one  of  their  number,  they  speedily  reunite  on  a  neigh- 
bouring tree.  It  is  partial  to  the  vicinity  of  water,  as  in 
hawking  above  the  surface  of  tanks  and  lakes  it  finds  an 
abundance  of  food.  In  its  mode  of  feeding  it  resembles 
the  Drongo-Shrikes,  beating  its  prey  (which  consists 
largely  of  beetles)  to  death  on  its  perch  before  it  swal- 
lows it.  Its  ordinary  note  resembles  somewhat  that  of 
the  Red-breasted  Swallow." 

"  The  breeding-season  of  the  Wood-Swallow  is  in 
February  and  ilarch,  both  in  the  north  and  central 
districts.  It  builds  in  the  former  region,  to  a  great 
extent,  in  the  palmyra  palm,  placing  its  nest  between 
the  bases  of  the  fronds.  A  nest  which  I  found  so 
situated  in  Erinativoe  Island  was  composed  of  grass  and 
roots,  massive  in  exterior,  and  rather  slovenly  put 
together  ;  the  interior  was  a  shallow  cup  about  2iin. 
in  diameter,  and  contained  three  nestlings.  Mr.  Bligh 
informs  me  that  he  h,is  found  the  nest  in  the'  hole  of  a 
tree  situated  in  a  coffee-plantation. 

"  Mr.  Cripps  .  .  .  .  writes  of  some  nests  taken  in  date- 
trees  IPTiceiiix  syh-eslris) ;  they  were  built  at  the  junction 
of  the  leaf-stem  and  trunk,  though  in  two  instances  they 
were  placed  on  a  ledge  from  which  all  the  leaves  had 
been  removed  to  enable  the  tree  to  be  tapped  for  its 
juice.  In  every  instance  the  nest  was  exposed,  and  if 
any  biixl,  even  a  Hawk,  came  near,  the  courageous 
little  fellows,  says  Mr.  Cripps,  would  drive  it  off. 
'The  nests  were  shallow  saucers,  made  of  fine  twigs  and 
grasses,  and  with  a  lining  of  the  same,  and  contained 
two  to  four  eggs  each.'" — "Birds  of  Ceylon,"  Vol.  II., 
pp.  668-9. 

This  species  was  exhibited  for  the  fir.st  time  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  on  March  29th.  1903;  being 
a  common  bird  both  in  India  .and  Ceylon  it  is  very  likely 
to  appear  from  time  to  time  in  the  bird-market." 


SHRIKES  (Laniidce). 

The  Shrikes  or  Butcher-birds  were  placed  by  Seebohm 
near  to  the  Crows,  but  generally  they  are  placed  nearer 
to  itie  Flycatchejis.  They  are  birds  of  somewhat  pre- 
daceuus  habits  with  powerful  bills,  short  thick  mandibles, 
of  which  the  upper  one  has  the  culmen  or  ridge  curved 
and  terminating  in  a  well  defined  hook,  preceded  on  the 
cutting  edge  by  a  slight  depress-ion,  behiral  which  is  a 
prominent  wedge-shaped  tooth;  the  nostrils  are  oval, 
lateral,  and  basal,  and  there  are  well-marked  rictal 
bristles  as  in  the  Flycatchers.  Being  more  or  le.ss  pre- 
dac'ccus,  their  fo<Kl  in  captivity  should  be  varied  with 
fur  or  feather,  small  reptiles  or  batrachians  in  addition 
to  insects ;  raw  butchers'  meat  should  be  avoided  if 
possible. 

Indian  Grey  Shrike  (Lanius  lahlora). 

Above  grey;  paler  on  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts; 
larger  scapulars  almost  white  ;  wing-coverts  black,  the 
lesser  coverts  broadly  edged  with  grey  :  primaries  with 
the  basal  half  white,  the  terminal  half  black ;  inner- 
most secondaries  black  tipped  with  white,  the  re- 
niidnder  tip[ied  and  bordered  with  white,  which  occu- 
pies the  greater  part  of  the  inner  webs;  central  tail- 
feathers  black  with  narrow  white  tips,  the  remainder 
white  at  base,  burdered  externally  and  broadly  tipped 
white,  the  two  outermost  pairs  having  only  the  shaft 
black  ;  a  black  frontal  streak  which  extends  backwards, 
enclosing  the  eye,  above  the  ear-coverts,  to  the  sides 
of  neck  ;  above  it  an  ill-defined  white  eyebrow-stripe  ; 
body  below  pure  white ;  bill  black ;  feet  dark  horn- 
coloured  ;    irides  hazel. 

No  difference  of  phunage  is  recorded  for  the  female, 
and  the  sexual  distinctions  in  the  bills  of  Shrikes  are 
slight ;  such  as  they  are,  however,  they  are  worth 
noting,  the  bill  of  the  female  being  very  slightly 
narrower  at  the  b.ase  and  broader  towards  the  tip  than 
in  the  male.  Hah.,  India  and  Afghanistan,  not  extend- 
ing northward  beyond  the  great  mountain  ranges 
(Gadow). 

Though  nearly  related  to  the  European  Great  Grey 
Shrike,  (his  bird  differs  in  its  black  forehead  and  the 
white  on  the  secondaries.  Jerdon  ("  Birds  of  India," 
Vol.  I.,  p.  401)  gives  the  following  account  of  it:  — 
"  It  affects  chiefly  low,  thin,  and  thorny  jungle,  OT 
plains  where  a  few  low  ti-ees  or  bushes  are  sparingly 
sprinkled.  It  is  not  often  found  in  cultivated  ground, 
or  near  villages.  It  has  the  usual  habits  of  the  tribe, 
sitting  on  top  of  some  low  tree,  on  the  watch  for  a 
cricket,  a  locust,  or  for  some  young  or  sickly  bird  to 
come  near.  It  flies  low,  near  the  ground,  from  one  tree 
to  another,  and  it  has  a  harsh  grating  ci-y,  but  can  also 
sing  sweetlv  ;  and,  it  is  said,  imitates  the  song  of  other 
birds  to  bring  them  near.  Mr.  Phillipps  states  that  he 
has  seen  it  capture  small  birds  ;  and  that,  in  the  North- 
west, it  is  occasionally  trained  to  do  so." 

"  I  have  seen  the  nest  and  eggs  on  several  occasions, 
from  February  to  May.  The  nest  is  rather  large,  deeply 
cup-shaped,  made  of  twigs,  roots,  etc.,  and  lined  with 
hair  or  cotton,  and  the  eggs,  three  to  five  in  number, 
are  dull  greenish-white,  with  a  few  spots  and  blotches 
of  greenish-bromi  and  light  reddish-brown." 

In  the  second  edition  of  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs 
of  Indian  Birds,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  306-7,  we  read: — "'The 
Indian  Grey  Shrike  lays  from  January  to  August,  and 
occasionally  up  to  October,  but  the  majority  of  my 
eggs  have  been  obtained  during  March  or  April. 

"  It  builds,  generally,  a  very  compact  and  heavy, 
deep,  cup-shaped  nest,  which  it  places  at  heights  of 
from  4  to  10  or  12  feet  from  the  ground  in  a  fork, 
towards  the  centre  of  some  densely  growing  thorny  bush 


5S 


FOREKiN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


or  moderate-sized  tree,  the  various  casrounders,  capers, 
plums,  and  acacias  being  tliose  most  commonly  selected. 

■■  As  a  rule  it  builds  a  new  nest  every  year,  but  it 
not  infrequently  only  repairs  one  that  hae  served  it  in 
the  previous  sea.son,  and  even  at  tLmes  takes  possession 
of  those  of  other  species. 

"  The  neat  is  coniiwsed  of  very  various  materials,  so 
much  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  generalise  in  regard  to 
them.  I  have  fimnd  them  built  entirely  of  grass-roots, 
with  much  sheep's  wool,  lined  with  hair  ajid  feathers, 
or  solidly  woven  of  silky  vegetable  Kbre,  mostly  that 
of  the  putsuu  (lHI)ixrus  cinndbimtf] ,  in  which  were 
incorporated  little  pieces  of  rag  and  striis  of  the  bark 
of  the  wild  plum  {Zizi/p/nts  jvjuba} ;  but  I  think  that 
most  commonly  thorny  twigs,  coarse  grass,  and  gi-ass- 
roots  form  the  hody  of  the  nest,  while  the  cavity  is 
lined  with  feathers,  hair,  soft  grass,  and  the  like. 

"Generally  the  nests  are  very  compact  and  solid,  6 
or  7  inches  in  diameter,  and  the  egg-cavity  3  to  4  in 
diameter,  and  2  to  2^  in  depth,  but  I  have  come  a^TOss 
verj-  loosely  built  and  straggling  ones. 

"  They  have  at  times  two  broods  in  the  year  (but  I 
do  not  think  that  this  is  always  the  case),  and  lay 
from  three  to  six  eggs,  four  or  five  being  the  usual 
number." 

Dr.  Kuss  does  not  mention  tliis  species ;  but  the 
London  Zoological  Society  purchased  an  exampje  in 
November,  1390. 

Mr.  E.  G.  B.  Meade-Waldo  says  {The  AvicuUural 
Magazine,  n.s.,  Vol.  III.,  p.  45)  :— "  I  liave  repeatedly 
reared  the  young  of  Grey  Shrikes,  notably  Lanii'u 
(ilgcriensis,  L.  dealbatus,  and  L.  hosmilecicunis,  and 
find  them  most  docile,  affectionate,  and  interesting.  I 
fancy  they  require  a  good  deal  of  room,  or  at  any^rate 
a  certain  amount  of  liberty,  and  one  I  had  in  England 
used  to  fly  at  liberty  for  "hours  and  hunt  for  himself ; 
he  would,  however,  come  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  certain 
whistle." 

B.\Y-B.\CKKD  Shrike  {Laniiis  viltatus). 

Above  grey-whitish,  deeper  grey  on  neck  which 
shades  off  into  deep  chestnut  or  maroon  on  the  mantle 
and  scapulars ;  winp  black,  the  least  coverts  with 
oroad  grey  borders  ;  basal  half  of  jprimaries  pure  white  ; 
secondaries  with  narrow  whitish  tips  ;  four  central  tail- 
feathers  black  tipped  with  white,  the  remainder  also 
white  at  the  base,  increasing  in  extent  outwardly,  the 
outermost  feather  being  almost  entirely  white;  a" broad 
frontal-band  passing  into  a  streak  enclosing  the  eye 
and  continued  to  the  nape,  black;  cheeks  and  throat 
very  pale  huffish ;  body  yellow  white,  more  or  less 
buff,  paler  in  the  cenlre";  flanks  more  or  less  chestnut. 
The  female  is  thus  described  by  Dr.  Gadow  : — "Head 
ashy  "rey,  shading  off  into  dull  rufous  on  the  back  and 
scapulars ;  upper  tail-coverts  ashy  grey ;  tail  dull 
broftTi,  the  feathers  edged  and  tipped  with  rufous  buff, 
the  tips  broader  on  the  outer  feathers,  the  outermost 
pair  entirely  pale  rufous  buff;  quills  blackish,  rather 
broadly  edged  with  sandy  rufous,  nearly  obsolete  on  the 
primaries,  whith  have  the  same  white" speculum  as  the 
male;  710  black  frontal  band;  forehead  whitish,  the 
lores  tipped  with  dusky  brown  ;  ear-coverts  dull  brown  : 
cheeks  and  under  surface  of  body  creamy  white,  washed 
with  rufous  on  the  flanks."  According  to  this  author's 
measurements  the  female  has  a  shorter  wing  and  tail 
than  the  male.  Hab.,  Indian  Peninsula,  extending 
westward  into  Afghanistan  and   Haluchistan. 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  405)  says  of 
this  l)inl  : — "It  frequents  low  thorny  jungle,  but  is 
also  found  in  groves,  gardens,  hedgerows,  etc.  It  has 
the  usual  harsh  cry  of  its  tribe,  but  can  also  utter  some 
very  pleasing  notes.  I  never  found  its  nest  myself,  and 
it  retires  from  the  more  open  parts  of  the  Deccan  to 


breed.  Theobald  obtained  the  nest,  which  was  a  com- 
pact structure,  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  thorny  tree,  made 
of  fibres,  silk,  spiders'  web.  lichens,  cocoons,  etc.,  and 
lined  inside  with  down.     'Iliis  was  in  May  and  June." 

In  tlie  second  edition  of  Hume's  "Nests  and  Eggs'*' 
we  read  ;  — 

"  The  Bay-backed  Shrike  breeds  throughout  the  plains 
of  India  and  in  the  Sub-Himalayan  Ranges  up  to  an 
elevation  of  fully  4,000  feet. 

"  The  laying-Rcason  lasts  from  April  to  September, 
but  the  great  majority  of  eggs  are  found  during  the 
latter  half  of  .June  and  July ;  in  fact,  according  to  my 
experience,  the  great  body  of  the  birds  do  not  lay  until 
the  rains  set  in. 

"The  nests  are  placed  indifferently  on  all  kinds  of 
trees  (I  have  notes  of  finding  them  on  mango,  plum, 
orange,  tamarind,  toon,  etc),  never  at  any  great  eleva- 
tion from  the  ground,  and  usu.ally  in  small  trees,  be 
the  kind  chosen  what  it  may.  Sometimes  a  high  hedge- 
row, such  as  our  great  Customs  hedge,  is  chosen,  and 
occasionally  a  solitary  caper  or  stunted  acacia-bush. 

"  The  nests  (almost  invariably  fixed  in  forks  of  slender 
boughs)  are  neat,  compactly  and  solidly  built  cups,  the 
cavities  being  deep  and  rather  more  than  hemispherical, 
from  2.25  to  fully  3.5  inches  in  diameter,  and  from  1.& 
to  2  inches  in  depth.  The  nest-walls  vary  from  0.5  to 
1.25  inch  in  thickness.  The  composition  of  the  nest 
is    various." 

"  Elsewhere  I  have  recorded  the  following  note  on 
the   nidification  of   this  species  : — 

"'This  bird,  or  rather  birds  of  this  species,  have- 
been  laying  ever  since  the  middle  of  April,  but  nests 
wei-e  then  few  and  far  between,  and  now  in  July  they 
are  common  enough.  The  nest  that  we  had  just  found 
was  precisely  like  twenty  others  that  we  had  found 
during  the  past  two  months.  Rather  deep,  with  a 
nearly  hemispherical  cavity :  very  compactly  and  firmlv 
woven  of  fine  grass,  rags,  feathers,  soft  twine,  wool, 
and  a  few  fine  twigs,  the  whole  entwined  exteriorly 
with  lots  of  cobwebs;  and  the  interior  cavitv  about 
1|  inch  deep  by  2i  in  diameter,  neatly  lined  with  very 
fine  grass,  one  or  two  horsehairs,  shreds  of  string,  and 
one  or  two  soft  feathers.  The  walls  were  a  good  inch 
in  thickness.  The  nest  was  placed  in  a  fork  of  a 
thorny  jujuba  or  ber  tree  (Zh\iph\if  jnjuba),  near  the 
centre  of  the  tree,  and  some  15  feet  from  the  ground. 
It  contained  four  fresh  eggs,  feebly-coloured  miniatures 
of  the  eggs  of  L.  lahfora,  which"  latter  so  closely  re- 
semble those  of  L.  pxnihifnr  that  if  you  mixed  the  eggs 
you  could  never.  I  think,  certainly  separate  them 
again'"  (pp.  511-312).  The  author  then  proceeds  to 
deseribo  the  eggs  in  detail,  but  as  we  are  all  familiar 
with  Shrikes'  eggs,  and  those  of  L.  lahfnra  have  already 
been  described,  it  seems  hardly  worth  while  to  quote 
further. 

This  prettv  little   Shrike  was  exhibited  for  the   first 
time  in  the  Tx)ndon  Zoological  Gardens  in  March,  1903. 
FouR-coLot7RED  Shrike  (Laniarius  quadricolor). 

"  Adult  Male. — Above  crown,  ear-coverts,  and  all 
the  upper  surface  of  the  body,  including  the  wing- 
coverts,  the  inner  secondaries,  and  the  outer  webs  of 
the  remaining  quills,  deep  grass-green;  inner  webs  <if 
quills  dusky  ;  two  centre  tail-feathers  green,  with  black 
ends,  remaining  tail  feathers  black,  their  bases  tinged 
with  green  ;  a  line  from  the  bill  overthe  eye  orange  ;  lores 
and  a  broad  streak  through  the  eye  black  ;  cheeks  and 
thixjat  scarlet,  the  bases  of  the  feathers  yellow  ;  below 
the  throat  a  broad  pectoral  band  of  black,  contin\ioiis 
on  either  side  with  a  narrow  streak  of  black  which 
originates  from  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible  ;  re- 
maining lower  surface  yellow,   tinged  with  scarlet  on 


FLYCATCHERS. 


59 


the  breast  and  under  tail-cdverts;  the  thighs,  sides  of 
body,  and  under  wingcoverts  green  ;  lower  surface  of 
iiuills  ashy,  paler  on  the  inner  margins.  Iris  brown; 
lull  black;  legs  and  feel  leiij-colour.  '     (W.  L.  Sclater.) 

Mr.  Scluter  says  that  the  female  resembles  the  male 
in  plumage  ;  but  Ur.  Gadiiw  describes  it  as  follows  :  — 

"  All  the  underparls  are  green  ;  the  tail  uniform  olive- 
green  ;  the  head  wanting  the  black  loral  and  lateral 
stripes,  the  black  creecont  being  likewise  absent ; 
throat  vermilion  ;  remainder  of  the  underpafts  of  the 
biidy  olive-yellow  ;  under  taiicoverts  dull  yellow  ;  sides 
of  brea.st  and  Hanks  green  ;  the  black  cx>llar  on  the  chest 
of  the  male  is  repre.-iented  merely  by  a  few  blackish 
tipiion  some  of  the  feathers;  bill  and  feet  brown  ;  lower 
mandible  paler."  He  also  describes  the  young  plumage 
in  botli  sexes,  so  that  it  seems  impossible  that  his 
female  can  have  been  anything  but  an  adult  bird.  Hab., 
South-eastern   Africa. 

An  excellent  figure  of  the  male  (Plate  XI.)  is  given  in 
Sharpe's  edition  uf  Layard's  "  Birds  of  South  Africa." 
from  which  I  extract  the  following  note  by  Mr.  Thomas 
Ayres  : — "These  birds  inhabit,  the  dense  bush  along  the 
luast,  never  leaving  it  ;  they  creep  about  the  under- 
wo(k1  in  search  of  their  food,  and  are  easily  obtained 
by  those  who  can  imitate  their  call,  for  they  "will  imme- 
diat-ely  answer,  and  come  to  the  sjKjrtsman  if  within 
hearing.  On  perceiving  their  mistake  they  make  a 
low  charring  noise,  as  they  do  also  if  theysee  a  eat, 
snake,  panther,  or  other  beast  of  prey."     (p.  381.) 

In  Stark  and  Sclater's  "Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  II..  p.  36,  are  the  following  notes  on  the  habits 
from  the  pens  of  Messrs.  Woodward  and  Millar: — "It 
does  not  sing,  but  its  cheerful  cry.  '  kong-kong-koit,'  is 
one  of  the  pleasantest  of  bush  sounds.  It  is  particularly 
])artial  to  dense  thickets,  where,  when  it  is  disturbed,  it 
makes  a  croaking  noise,  and  it  is  difficult  to  shoot  it 
at  such  close  quarters  without  destroying  its  plumage. 
Tills  Shrike  feeds  principally  on  insects,  but  the  natives 
tell  us  that  it  sometimes  attacks  and  kills  the  small 
Bush-Wrens,  and  that  they  have  known  them  to  eat 
the   flesh  of  birds  caught  in  their  snares." 

"  Tliey  breed  early  in  November,  and  although  plenti- 
ful, their  nests  are  rarely  found.  They  build  a  loosely- 
constructed  nest  of  twigs  lined  with  dry  leafstalks, 
generally  placed  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground,  in  a 
thicket  or  among  some  dried  twigs  or  sticks. 

"  The  clutch  consists  of  two  or  three  pretty  white 
eggs  delicately  marked  with  grey-brown  streaks  and 
splashes,  principallv  at  the  obtu.se  end,  and  measuring 
about  .83  by  .58. 

"The  nest  being  loosely  put  together,  enables  one  to 
see  through  it.  and  the  eggs  resembling  light  and  shade 
renders  detection  more  difficult,  which  is  probably  the 
reason  they  are  not  more  frequently  dis'covered.  I  have 
bunte<l  for  hours  before  spotting  the  nest,  and  then 
wondered  how  it  was  pcssible  to  have  passed  it  over." 

Beautiful  and  highly  desirable  as  this  Shrike  is,  Dr. 
Russ  is  only  able  to  record  one  instance  of  its  importa- 
tion, the  specimen  having  reached  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1882,  but  with  the  increased  interest  taken 
in  aviculture  it  is  hardly  probable  that  such  a  state  of 
things  can  long  continue. 

Why  the  Green  Cochoa  is  placed  among  the  Shrikes 
in  the  Zoological  Society's  list  I  am  unable  to  explain. 
According  to  Hmne  and  Dates  it  is  a  true  Thrush  ;  its 
nidification  seems  to  have  been  imperfectly  known  when 
the  second  edition  of  the  "Xestsand  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds" 
was  known.  It  is  hardly  likely  ever  to  become  a  well- 
known  cage-bird,  although  the  Zoological  Society  pur- 
cha.sed  a  specimen  in  April,  1884. 

The  Waxwings  are  not  very  desirable  cage-birds,  on 
account  of  their  greed  and  the  consequent  necessity  for 


providing  them  with  a  small  aviary.  The  Xorth. 
.'Vmerican  Cedar-bird  is,  moreover,  so  nearly  related  to- 
the  European  Waxwing  that  it  seems  hardly  worth  while 
to  devote  space  to  a  de-icriptioa  of  it,  more  especially 
now  that  the  birds  of  the  I'nited  States  are  so  strictly" 
jireserved  and  consequently  rare  in  the  market. 

FLYCATCH ERS  {Mnscicapidce). 

Niunerous  as  these  birds  are,  they  are  not  easy  to 
feed,  and  consequently  are  hardly  ever  imported  ;  but 
one  species  which  has  reached  us  in  recent  years  from 
Austialia  is  so  entirely  charming  and  ha.s  been  so 
thoroughly  studied  in  captivity,  that  it  would  be  a 
punitive  sin  to  omit  it. 

Bluk  Wrkn  (Malurus  ci/aneus). 

Male  in  siuiuiier  with  the  crown,  ear-coverts  and  a 
lniiar-shape<l  mark  on  upper  part  of  back  light  metallic 
blue;  lores,  line  over  eye,  occiput,  scapulars,  back,, 
rump,  and  iippjr  tail-covei-ts  velvety-blaik  ;  throat  and 
chest  bluish-black,  bounded  liclow  by  a  baml  of  velvety- 
black  ;  tail  deep  blue,  indistinctly  barred  with  a  deeper 
hue  and  finely  tipped  with  white  ;  wings  brown  ;  under 
surface  butfish  white;  flanks  tinged  with  blue;  bill 
black;  feet  brown;  irides  blr.ckish-hrown.     (Gould.) 

In  winter  the  male  loses  all  its  bright  colouring  and 
much  more  clo.-'Sly  resembles  the  female.  The  latter  is 
brown  above,  including  wings  and  tail  ;■  the  lores  and  a 
circle  enclosing  the  eye  reddish-brown  ;  under  surface 
brownish  white ;  bill  reddish  brown  ;  feet  flesh-brown. 
Hab.,  "South  Queensland  {'!),  New  Soutli  Wales.  Vic- 
toria, and  South  Australia."     (Campbell.) 

Gould  says  that  this  species  "  gives  preference  to  those 
parts  of  the  country  which  (are)  thinly  covered  with  low 
scrubby  brushwood,  and  e-specially  in  Iccalities  of  this 
description  which  are  situated  near  the  borders  of  rivers 
and  ravines.  During  the  months  of  winter  it  a,ssociates 
in  small  troops  of  from  six  to  eight  in  number  (probably 
the  brood  of  a  single  pair),  which  continually  traverse 
the  district  in  which  they  were  bred.  At  this  period  of 
the  year  the  adult  males  throw  off  their  fine  livery,  ana 
the  plumage  of  the  sexes  then  becomes  so  nearly  alike 
that  a  minute  examination  is  requisite  to  distinguish 
them.  The  old  males  have  the  bill  black  at  all  seasons, 
whereas  the  young  males  during  the  first  year,  and  the 
females,  have  this  organ  always  brown  ;  the  tail-feathers 
also,  which  with  the  primaries  are  only  moulted  once  a 
year,  are  of  a  deeper  blue  in  the  old  male.  As  spring 
advances,  the  small  troops  separate  into  pairs,  and  the 
males  undergo  a  total  transformation,  not  only  in  their 
colour,  but  in  the  texture  of  their  plumage  ;  indeed,  a 
more  astonishing  change  can  .scarcely  be  imagined.  This 
change  is  not  confined  to  the  plumage  alone,  but  extends, 
also  to  the  habits  of  the  bird  ;  for  it  now  displays  great 
\'ivacity,  proudly  shows  off  its  gorgeous  attire  to  the 
utmost  advantage,  and  pours  out  its  animated  song  un- 
ceasingly, until  the  female  has  completed  her  task  ot 
incubation,  and  the  craving  appetites  of  its  newly 
hatched  young  have  called  forth  a  new  feeling  and 
given  its  energies  a  new  direction. 

"During  the  winter  months  no  bird  can  be  more 
tame  and  familiar;  for  it  frequents  the  gardens  and 
shmblieries  of  the  settlers,  and  hops  about  their  houses 
as  if  desirous  to  court,  rather  than  shun,  the  presence 
of  man ;  but  when  adorned  with  its  summer  plumage, 
the  male  becomes  more  shy  and  retiring,  appearing  to 
have  an  instinctive  consciousness  of  the  danger  to  which 
his  beauty  sulijects  liim ;  nevertheless  they  will  fre- 
quently build  their  little  nest  and  rear  their  young  in 
the  most  populous  places.  Several  broods  are  reared 
annually  in  the  Botanic  Garden  at  Sydney,  and  I  saw  a 


()l» 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


pair  busily  employed  in  constructing  thedr  nest  in  a  tree 
close  to  the  door  of  the  Colonial  Secretary's  Office.  The 
«hort  and  rounded  wing  incapacitates  it  for  protracted 
Hight,  but  the  amazing  facility  with  which  it  passes 
■over  the  surface  of  the  ground  fully  compensates  for  this 
■deficiency  ;  its  mode  of  progression  can  scarcely  be  called 
running,  it  is  rather  a  succession  of  boun<Ung  hops,  per- 
formed with  great  rapidity  ;  while  tlius  employed  its  tail 
is  carried  perpendicularly,  or  thrown  forward  over  the 
back  ;  ind<^,  the  tail  is  rarely,  if  ever,  carried  hor.- 
zontally 

"The  breeding-season  continues  from  September  to 
January,  during  which  period  two,  if  not  three,  broods 
are  reared,  the  young  of  one  being  scarcely  old  enough 
to  provide  for  themselves  before  the  female  again  com- 
mences laying.  Independently  of  rearing  her  own  young, 
she  is  also  the  foster-parent  of  the  Bronze  Cuckoo 
{Chryxococci/x  lucidus),  a  single  egg  of  which  species  is 
frequently  found  deposited  in  her  nest ;  but  by  what 
jneans,  is  ...   .  unknown. 

"The  nest,  which  is  dome-shaped,  with  a  small  hole 
at  the  side  for  an  entrance,  is  generally  constructed  of 
grasses,  lined  with  feathers  or  hair.  The  site  chosen 
for  its  erection  is  usually  near  the  ground,  in  a  secluded 
bush  or  tuft  of  grass.  The  eggs  are  generally  four  in 
number,  of  a  delicate  flesh-white,  sprinkled  with  spots 
and  blotches  of  reddish-brown,  which  are  more  abundant 
and  form  an  irregular  zone  at  the  larger  extremity  ; 
they  are  eight  lines  long  by  five  and  a  half  broad.  The 
song  is  a  hurried  strain,  somewhat  resembling  that  of 
the  Wren  of  Europe." — "  Handb.  Birds  Austral.," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  318-20. 

Campbell  ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds," 
pp.  163-168)  shows  that  some  of  Gould's  observations 
reouire  modification.  He  thu.s  describes  the  nest : — 
■"Globular,  side-top  entrance;  usually  composed  of  old 
greyish  weather-beaten  gras-ses  with  an  admixture  of 
cocoons  :  lined  inside  with  fine  yellowish-coloured  grass 
and  finally  with  fe:ithers,  hair,  down,  seed-vessels,  etc." 
He  gives  the  number  of  eggs  in  a  clutch  as  "  three  to 
four,  occasionally  five." 

Furthermore  he  observes  that  "  while  the  male  Wrens 
do  change  their  dress,''  they  do  not  "  retain  it  for  a 
short  period,"  but  for  eight  or  nine  months  of  the  year, 
or  excepting  the  moulting  season.  He  also  quotes"  Mr. 
Holroyd's  opinion  that  this  species  is  a  polygamist  and 
has  from  two  to  four  wives. 

,  Mr.  Reginald  Phillipps,  who  secured  a  male  and  two 
females  of  this  charming  species  in  1902  from  a  con- 
signment which  reached  this  country  in  May,  was  suc- 
cessful in  breeding  the  species  in  his  garden  aviary, 
where  I  had  the  great  pleasure  of  seeing  them  flying 
about.  From  the  manner  in  which  the  unpaired  female 
was  persecuted  by  the  pair  which  bred  he  was  inclined 
to  discredit  the  idea  of  polygamy  in  this  species.  He 
•describes  the  song  as  rippling  twittering,  and  insignifi- 
cant, but  bearing  a  family  resemblance  to  that  of  our 
Wren. 

"They  are  very  sensitive  to  cold;  their  delight  when 
the  sun  shines  into  their  cage  is  unbounded. 

"They  seem  to  he  wholly  insectivorous." 

A  charming  plate  illustrates  Mr.  Phillipps'  second 
paper  upon  this  siiecie.s,  in  which  the  irides  are  coloured 
yellow,  which  seems  again  to  put  the  late  Mr.  Gould  in 
the  wrong,  or— is  this  an  artistic  licence,  like  the  cater- 
pillar in  the  picture?  (vide  The  Avicullural  Maqazinr. 
U.S.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  15-19). 

I  presume  that,  in  captivity.  Blue  Wrens  would  pick 
out  tiny  fragments  of  egg,  ants'-eggs,  and  dried  flics 
from  the  usual  soft-food  mixture  ;  but  in  an  outdoor 
aviary  like  that  in  which  Mr.  Phillipps  bred  the  species. 


doubtless  numerous  living  insects  could  be  captured  by 

the  birds. 

In  addition  to  the  Blue  Wren  there  is  another  lovely 
Flycatcher  which  has  of  late  years  appeared  more  than 
once  at  our  biixl  shows,  and  therefore  must  not  be 
ignored  :  — 

Rufous-bellied  Niltava  [Niltava  sundara). 

Forehead,  entire  side  of  head,  atid  throat  black ;  the 
latter  edged  at  side  with  blue  continuous  with  that  of 
the  nape,  the  whole  crown  and  nape  being  glistening 
bright  blue ;  upper  back  black,  as  well  as  the  inner 
webs  of  the  wing  and  tail-feathtrs ;  otherwise  both 
■wings  and  tail  are  blue ;  breast,  abdomen,  and  under 
tail-coverts  bright  rusty  orange,  slightly  paler  on  the 
latter ;  bill  black ;  feet  flesh-brownish ;  irides  dark 
brown.  Female :  Above  olivactous  brown ;  wings 
dueky,  edged  with  rust-red  ;  tail  rust-red  ;  below  ashy- 
brown  ;  a  white  crescentic  bib  across  front  of  breast, 
the  points  of  which  join  a  narrow  lavender-blue  streak 
edging  the  side  of  neck.  Hab.,  Himalayas,  Arrukan, 
Tenasserim,   and    Western  China. 

Jerdon  says  of  this  species: — "It  is  very  common 
about  Darjeeling,  from  6,000  feet  to  8,000  feet.  It  fre- 
quents thick,  bushy  ground,  often  near  water,  is  shy 
and  wary,  seldom  showing  itself,  but  now  and  then 
I  have  seen  it  seated  on  a  fallen  tree  or  stump,  or  even 
a  paling  by  the  wayside.  It  feeds  chiefly  on  insects, 
which  it  procures  on  the  ground,  generally  returning 
to  the  same  perch  whence  it  came,  but  it  also  picks 
insects  off  the  leaves  and  branches.  It  is  seldom  seen  high 
up  on  trees.  Hodgson  says  that  it  sometimes  eata 
berries  and  seeds  in  winter.  I  several  times  procured 
the  nest  of  this  bird,  situated  on  a  bank,  or  in  the 
cleft  of  a  rock,  or  against  the  fallen  stump  of  a  tree. 
It  is  loosely  made  of  moss,  lined  with  a  few  black 
fibres ;  and  the  eggs,  three  or  four  in  number,  are 
reddish-white,  with  the  large  end  nearly  covered  with 
minute  brick-red  spots,  foi-ming  a  large  patch  of  dull 
brick-red.      The   eggs   are   remarkably  long-shaped. 

"The  song  is  said  to  be  one  loud  and  simple  note, 
frequently  repeated.  I  have  not  heard  it  that  I  am 
aware  of,  and  alwavs  considered  it  a  very  silent  bird." 
— '■  Birds  of  India,'"'  Vol.  I.,  p.  474. 

From  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds," 
2nd  ed..  Vol.  II..  p.  20,  I  quote  the  following  :—"  The 
Rufous-bellied  Niltava  breeds  everywhere  in  the  Hima- 
layas, at  any  rate,  from  Darjeeling  to  the  valley  of 
the  Beas  (I  have  no  record  of  its  'oreeding  further  west), 
from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  middle  of  May.  It 
places  its  nest  in  some  rocky  ledge  or  crevice,  or  in 
or  about  some  decayed  stump  or  fallen  trunk. 

"A  nest  of  this  species,  which  I  took"  near  Kote- 
gurh  on  May  l^th  was  a  mere  pad  of  mots  about 
5  inches  in  diameter  and  IJ  inches  in  thickness,  with 
a  very  broad,  shallow  depression  in  the  centre.  In  and 
about  the  inner  surface  of  this  depression  a  certain 
amount  of  very  fine  silky  fur  and  one  or  two  downy 
feathers  were  interwoven,  making  a  kind  of  lining.  The 
nest  was  pl.aced  in  a,  hollow  at  the  base  of  an  aged  oak. 
Four  is,  I  believe,  the  nonnal  number  of  the  eggs." 

In  T/ir  Aviritlhira!  Magazine,  N.S..  Vol.  I.,  pp.  24- 
26,  Mr.  Rn.'iseU  Humphreys  gave  an  account  of  a  male 
of  this  species  in  his  possession,  which  appears  to 
have  been  br'>u;iht  home  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper. 
According  to  this  gentleman,  the  song,  so  far  as  could 
be  judged  by  its  recordinj.  resembled  the  warble  of 
the  male  Red-backed  Shrike,  and  some  of  the  calls 
those  of  the  English  Robin.  An  excellent  coloured 
plate  of  both  sexes  .appeared  in  the  succeeding  volume. 

Mr.  Dev.hurst  has  exhibited  this  species  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  and  it  appears  not  to  be  the  same  speci- 


WHITE-EYES. 


61 


men  as  that  owned  by  Mr.  Humphrys,  so  that  it  is 
quite  likely  that  others  may  yet  be  imported.  Fruit 
and  insects  are  the  chief  articles  of  diet. 

CHAPTER    VII. 


VVHITE=EYES  {Zoster opid(e). 

This  giouji  of  birds  has  been  referred  to  the  Tits 
[I'aridce),  lioney-eaters  (Mt:lii>hmjiilir)  and  Sunbirds 
(Srrlarini'ida),  but  ])r.  Liadow  has.  shown  that  the 
structure  of  the  tongue  removes  it  from  the  first  and 
third  and  from  most  of  the  forms  usually  included  in 
the  second ;  therefore  it  has  been  thought  better  to 
consider  Zostrrnps  as  typical  of  a  distinct  family.  The 
species  are  characterised  by  modest  colouring,  usually 
olivaceous  or  mouse-coloured  above  and  yellow  below, 
the  eye  surrounded  by  a  conspicuous  ring  of  white 
feiitluMs  which  induced  the  dealers  to  give  them  the 
trivial  name  of  Spectacle-Birds."  They  are  small,  .active 
little  creatures,  vaguely  recalling  our  Willow-Warbler 
and  its  allies,  and  feeding  upon  insects  and  fruits.  In 
captivity  they  do  well  on  the  same  treatment  as  that 
provided  for  other  delicate  fruit-eating  insectivors. 

Although  in  1872  the  Zoological  Society  of  London 
received  six  examples  of  the  New  Zealand  form 
ZostrropK  lalcrnlis,  presented  by  Mr.  Bills  in  August, 
it  is  unlikely  that  this  bird,  if  distinct,  will  apjiear 
again  in  the  London  market.  The  destruction  of  the 
native  birds  by  cats  and  other  vermin  imported  into 
the  islands  and  the  strict  laws  for  the  preservation  of 
such  birds  as  have  not  been  exterminated,  militate 
against  the  chance  of  British  aviculturists  seeing  much 
of  this  or  others  of  the  birds  of  New  Zealand  which 
formerly  were  occasionally  brought  home.  Dr.  Russ 
reg  rds  Z  lalcrnlig  as  a  mere  synonym  of  Z.  dorsalis, 
but  the  List  of  the  Zoological  Society  records  both  as 
distinct  species. 

The  Gret-b.\cked  WmTE-EvE  {Zosterops  ccerulescens). 

"Crown  of  the  head,  wings,  and  tail  olive;  back 
dark  grey ;  eyes  surrounded  by  a  zone  of  white 
feathers,  bounded  in  front  and  below  with  black; 
throat,  centre  of  the  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts 
greyish  white  with  a  slight  tinge  of  olive  ;  flanks  light 
chestnut  brown ;  upper  mandible  dark  brown ;  under 
mandible  lighter ;  irides  and  feet,  greyish  brown.  In 
some  specimens  the  throat  and  sides  of  the  head  are 
wax-yellow,  and  the  flanks  are  only  stained  with  chest- 
nut brown." — Gnuld. 

The  sexes  are  said  to  be  alike  in  plumage,  but,  from 
what  I  have  seen  of  Zosterops,  I  should  judge  that  the 
female  would  be  slightly  paler  in  all  itis  hues  and  a 
little  smaller.  According  to  Finsoh,  the  female  of  Z. 
lateralis  is  paler  in  the  green  and  grey  of  the  upper 
parts,  and  I  have  noticed  that  the  female  of  the  Chinese 
species  (and  I  think  of  this  bird  also)  showed  a  less 
vivid  yellow  on  the  underjxirts.  Without  question,  the 
female  has  a  longer  bill  with  less  arched  cnlmen. 

Mr.  Ck>uld  gives  the  following  account  of  this  species, 
which  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  verbatim:  — 
•This  bird  is  .stationary  in  all  parts  of  Tasmania,  New 
South  Wales,  and  South  Australia,  where  it  is  not  only 
to  be  met  wMi  in  the  forests  and  thickets,  but  al.50  in 
nearlv  every  garden.  It  even  builds  its  nests  and  rears 
iti3  young  in  the  shrubs  and  rose-trees  borderincr  the 
walks.  Among  the  trees  of  the  forest  the  beautiful 
Leptospermitm  is  the  one  to  which  at  all  times  this 
species  evinces  a  great  partiality. 

*  This  is,  of  course,  a  translation  of  tlie  German  name  Brillenvogel. 


"  Its  flighit  is  quick  and  darting,  and  when  among 
the  branches  of  the  trees  it  is  as  active  as  most  birds, 
prying  and  searching  with  scrutinising  care  into  the 
leaves  and  flcvwere  for  the  insects  upon  which  it  feeds. 
It  is  sometimes  seen  singly  or  in  pairs,  while  at  others, 
it  is  to  be  observed  in  great  numbers,  on  the  saDie  or 
neighbouring  trees-  It  is  of  a  familiar  disposition,  and; 
utters  a  pretty  and  very  lively  song. 

"  The  breeding  season  commences  in  September  and 
continues  to  January.  The  nest  is  one  of  the  neatest 
structures  possible  ;  it  is  o,f  a  round,  deep,  cup-shajjed 
form,  composed  of  fine  grasses,  moss,  and  -wool,  and 
most  carefully  lined  with  fibrous  roots  and  grasses. 
The  eggs  are  usually  three  in  nunilwr,  n.f  a  beautiful 
uniform  pale  blue,  eight  and  a  half  lines  long  by  six 
broad."*— "  Handbook  Birds  of  Australia,"  Vol.  I.^ 
pp.  587-8. 

I  quote  the  following  from  Camipbell's  "  Nestc  and' 
Egg,s  of  Australian  Birds,"  pp.  347-8: — "Though  an 
ordhard  pest,  the  little  Wbitc-Eye  is  a  very  interesting 
&|)ecies,  while  its  small  shapely  nest,  with  its  beautiful 
bluish-gi-een  eggis,  are  amongst  the  models  of  nidiology." 

"  Gould  regarded  it  as  a  stationary  species.  I  have 
found  their  pretty  nests  in  the  coastal  scrubs  during 
summer,  while  in  winter  the  birds  in  finiall  companies 
are  frequently  seen  darting  about  our  gardens,  where 
they  are  specially  fond  of  the  heating  berries  of  the 
pepper-tree  (Schhuis).  When  threading  the  branches,, 
feeding,  a  bird  occasionally  utters  a  soft,  sweet,  chat- 
tering warble,  as  if  singing  inwardly,  or  to  itself.  The 
well-known  call  or  alarm  note  is  a  short,  feeble,  whi.'tle- 
!ike  .wund,  often  repeated. 

"  While  mentioning  pepper-trees,  I  may  mention  that 
my  son  Archie  was  once  watching  White-Eyes  feeding- 
in  our  tiee.  when  a  Sparrow  (introduced)  intruded.  One 
of  the  White-Eyes,  with  his  sharp  little  beak,  made  ai 
lunge  at  the  Sparrow,  piercing  it  to  the  heart,  so  that 
it  immediately  fell  dead  beneath,  and  was  brought  tcf 
me   for  examination." 

"'My  friend  Mr.  Ed.  D'Omibrain  presented  me  with 
three  White  Eyes,  which  he  trapped  in  his  garden. 
They  are  fed  on  ground  sweet  biscuit  and  fruit,  and 
are  now  thriving  in  the  aviary  with  a  pair  of  Canaries." 

It  appears  that  although  this  species  is  rather  an 
annoyance  to  fruit-gi-owers,  from  its  love  of  cherries, 
which  it  probes  with  its  sharp  bill  in  order  to  feed  on- 
the  pulp,  it  is  nevertheless  a  nio.st  valuable  friend  to 
the  gardener  from  the  quantities  of  blight  and  other 
small  insect  pests  which  it  devours. 

In  confinement  this  bird  sings  rather  prettily ;  it  is 
easily  kept,  being  fed  upon  ripe  orange  or  over-ripe 
pears  (even  sweet  apple),  and  sweet-water  grapes  split 
open :  also  potato  chopped  up  with  yolk  of  egg  and 
anv  good  insectivorous  bird-food  slightly  damped.  It 
will  also  do  well  for  a  time  on  moistened  sponge  cake 
and  fruit. 

Indian  White-Eve   iZos/rrops  /mlprhrosus). 

In  colouring  it  is  olive-green  above,  the  throat'  and 
fore-chest  bright  yellow,  belly  white  in  the  middle, 
flanks  greyish,  thighs  and  under  tail-cnverts  yellowish, 
bill  blackish,  feet  leaden  grev.  a  circle  nf  white  feathers 
round  the  eve,  the  iris  pale  brown.  Hab.,  India, 
CVvlon,  and  Tenasserim. 

In  its  wild  state  this  species  may  be  seen  clinging  to 
flower-stalks,  and  in  Ceylon  is  said  to  affect  the  tulip- 
trees  in  the  principal  street  of  the  Fort  at  Colombo: 
in  feeds  apparently  not  on  the  nectar  of  flowers,  but 
on  the  tiny   injects  which  are  found  therein,  and  it  is 

'  Tliree  to  four  according  to  Campbell. 


62 


FOREICiN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND   AVIARY. 


also  stated  to  eat  the  fruit  of  a  small  Indian  black- 
berry. It  is  moderately  gregarious,  but  e.xtreniely 
active,  and  a.s  it  flits  hither  and  thither  it  is  said  to 
twitter  incessantly.  The  ne>t  is  a  neat  deep  cup, 
usually  fixed  in  the  fork  of  a  berberry  or  other  low 
bush  ;"  tlie  eg^s,  two  to  three  in  number,  are  greenish- 
blue,  or  pale  blue  inclining  to  whitish. 

The  song,  according  to  Dr,  Russ,  resembles  that  of 
the  Grasshopper  Warbler;  the  species  -was  bred  by  Mr. 
Oesterlin.  of  Mannheim,  but  not  successfullv,  one  young 
one  being  hatched  from  the  first  nest,  which  died  when 
eight  days  old.  A  eccond  nest  was  built,  and  three 
eggs  laid,  when  the  hen  died,  and  the  cock  bird 
\vearied  of  the  task  of  incubation,  after  four  days. 
Probably  a  garden  aviary  in  a  sunny  position  would  be 
the   most  suitable   place  "in   which   to  attempt   to  breed 

This  bird  appears  to  have  been  more  freely  imported 
into   Germany  than   England. 

Chinese  White-Ete  {Zosterops  simplex.) 

Above  it  is  olive-green,  somewhat  tawny  on  the 
■crown  ;   chin  and  throat,  as  well  as  under  tail-coverts, 


The  Chinuse  White-Eyf. 

bright  yellow,  lemainder  of  under  puts  white,  greyish 
<m  the  Hanks  ;  loreis  blackish,  a  ring  of  white  feathers 
encircling  the  eye  ;  iris  amber,  bill  blackish,  feet  leaden 
grey,     llab.,  China,  Hainau,  and  Formosa. 

Mr.  E.  W.  Stvan  ("  (In  the  Birds  of  the  Lower 
Yangtse  Basin."  The  Ibis.  1891,  p.  352)  says:— "I  met 
with  large  flocks  during  the  last  days  of  October,  when 
it  was  probably  preparing  to  move  soutli.  A  pair 
nested  in  a  garden  at  Kiukiang  in  June — a  small  cup- 
.shaped  neet,  hung  in  a  bush,  about  4ft.  from  the  ground. 
I  did  not  see  the  eggs." 

Mr.  J.  C.  Kershaw  ("  On  the  Birds  of  the  Quangtung 
Coast,  T/k"  Ihis,  1904,  p.  236)  says: — "Very  common, 
moving  about  the  country  in  little  flocks.  Resident, 
and  nesting  about  end  of  April." 

Messrs.  La  Touche  and  Rickett  ("  On  the  Nesting  of 
Birds  in  Fohkien,"  Thn  /6i.s,  1905,  p.  31)  give  more  in- 
formation : — "  Common  and  resident  on  the  low  grounds, 
but  apparently  rare  on  the  higher  levels. 

"  The  nests  vary  a  good  deal  in  the  amount  of 
tUntcrials  employed  in  the  constructinn,  some  being  little 
more  than  a  frail  network  of  fine  dry  grass  bound  to- 
gether and  secured  to  the  supporting  twig  by  cobwebs, 
while  others  are  quite  substantial  little  cups  of  moss, 
fine  dry  grass,  roots,  and  fibres.  They  are  either  slung 
like  a  hammock  in  the  fork  of  a  twig  or  attathed  to  the 
side  of  one.     They  measure  about  2in.  in  dip  meter. 

"The  eggs  are  pale  grecnivh  blue,  :.ncl  average 
.60  X  .47  in.     There  are  three  or  four  in  a  dutch. 

"  Some  caged  birds  of  this  species  kept  by  La  Tonche 
became  grey  above  in  the  place  of  green;  the  reddi.sh 
flanks  turned  deeper  in  shade,  while  the  yellow  throat 
faded  almo.st  to  white." 

Of  my  pair,  referred  to  below,  which  I  received  about 
li394  or'l895,  the  female  died  on  December  12th,  1898,  a.s 


the  first   volume  of  my  "  Foreign  Bird-Keeping "   was 

preparing  for  the  press.  At  the  time  of  her  death  all 
the  orange  tinting  had  disappeared  from  the  forehead 
and  throat,  the  hitter  and  front  of  breast  having  become 
pale  primrose,  the  flanks  alto  had  become  a  little  deeper 
m  tint,  a.s  noU'ti  by  Jlr.  La  Touclie.  1  feel  certain  that 
when  they  firet  came  into  my  han<ls  the  sexes  were  much 
more  alike  and  that  they  do  not  naturally  differ  so 
.strikingly  as  shown  in  my  skins.  The  male  died  about 
a  year  after  it  came  into  my  possession,  and  therefore 
was  prei-umably  normal  in  cTjIouring. 

Although  unnamed  until  1862,  this  is  the  most  freely 
imported  of  all  the  "  White  Eyes  "  or  Spectacle-birds, 
yet  Dr.  Hu.ss  does  not  recognise  any  imported  Chinese 
species. 

Mr.  Joseph  Abrahams  generously  presented  me  with 
my  pair  of  Zosterops,  which,  at  the  time,  he  told  me 
were  Chinese  Spectacle-birds,  and  the  day  I  received 
them  I  nearly  lost  them  both,  owing  to  their  having 
taken  the  earliest  opportunity  of  having  a  downright 
good  baih.  They  came  nut  of  it  shivering  and  appa- 
rently with  only  a  few  scattered  strings  sticking  on  a 
naked  body  in  place  of  plumage.  The  male  tried  to, 
get  up  the  wires,  then  suddenly  turned  faint,  hung 
backwards  from  hi^  claws,  and  fell  gasping  on  the 
sand.  I  picked  up  both  birds,  held  them  in  my  hands 
until  they  were  a  little  wanner,  when  the  hen  began  to 
struggle,  so  I  released  her,  and  she  was  soon  on  the 
perch,  combing  out  her  straggling  feathers.  The  cock 
seemed  little,  if  at  all,  better,  so  I  put  him  into  a 
small  travelling  cage,  and  .stood  it  near  the  fire.  Pre- 
sently he  got  on  the  perch,  and  a  minute  later  had  a 
sort  of  fit.  I  snatched  up  the  cage,  and  found  it  too 
warm,  so  took  out  the  bird  and  lield  it  in  my  hand.  Its 
head  hung  sideways,  with  the  bill  wide  open  and  the 
eyes  shut.  Presently  the  bill  closed  with  a  snap,  and 
the  claws  clutched  my  little  finger.  I  thought  the 
bird  was  at  its  last  gasp,  when  suddenly  the  head  was 
lifted,  the  eyes  opened,  and  the  bird  began  to  look 
about.  I  now  took  it  out,  and  placed  it  on  the  perch 
beside  its  mate,  who  began  to  preen  its  feathers.  Half 
an  hour  later  Ixith  birds  were  lively  as  ever.  One 
thing  specially  noticeable  about  these  birds  is  that  the 
process  of  moulting  is  >o  gradual  as  to  be  practically 
imperceptible.  The  birds,  whether  moulting  or  not, 
are  always,  to  all  appearance,  in  the  pink  of  perfection. 


Till-:  W'lHTE-EvE. 


This  is  the  more  extraordinary  as  I  had  been  led  to 
believe  that  during  their  moult  they  became  perfectly 
bare  of  feathers,  dropping  the  whole  crop  simul- 
taneously. 

It  is  rare  to  hear  the  song  of  this  bird,  though  one 
is  familiar  with  its  e.xcited,  ree<ly  fsip,  Isip.  Isip,  re- 
peated a.s  it  flits  about  its  cage;  this  is  doubtless  its 
call-note.     The  true  song  I  never  heard  until  February, 


KLOWEKPECKERS. 


«3 


1898,  when  my  bird  sang  a  clear  Cicada-like  trill,  not 
unlike  tli©  performance  of  our  GrascJiopper  Warljler, 
but  less  prolonged. 

Javankse  VVurrK-EvE  (Zoster ops  japonica). 

Nearly  relatetl  to  the  preceding  species,  but  with  the 
breast  and  tlanks  pale  cliestnutorown  instead  of  pale 
emuky  grey.      Hali.,  Japan  only. 

iSet'bohin  ("  Birds  <>t  the  Japanese  Empire,"  p.  68) 
says: — "The  Japaiie.su  White-Kye  is  a  resident  in  all 
the  Japanese  Islands,  and  i^  peculiar  to  Japan.  It  is 
not  very  common  in  Vezzo,  but  was  obtained  at  Hako- 
dadi  as  long  ago  ius  1863." 

"  The  neat  of  the  Japanese  White-Eye  is  a  beautiful 
structure  toniposed  entirely  of  nvoss,  patched  outside 
with  large  pieceis  of  liv'hen,  aiul  lined  ir. side  with  horse- 
hair. It  i.s  rather  flat  in  sha|)e,  a'ld  is  evidently  a 
ground  nest."  (Jouy,  Proe.  I'nited  States  Nat.  Mus. 
1883,  p.  288.)  Eggs  in  the  Pryer  collection  are  un- 
spotted bluish  white,  of  tlie  dimensions  of  full-sized 
Willow-Warbler's  eggs. 

According  to  Russ,  Miss  Hagenbeck  imported  a  single 
e.xample  of  this  -species  ;  then  a  pair  reached  the  Berlin 
Zoological  Gardens  in  1892;  later  in  1895  G.  Bosz  of 
Cologne  imported  a  great  number  into  the  trade.  He 
adds  the  following  notes  of  interest  to  the  general 
reader  : — "  Professor  Dr.  Brauns  of  Tokio  says  that  the 
species  maj-  be  found  at  all  times  in  Central  Japan,  and 
as  a  migrant  it  iksKociates  especially  with  the  swarms 
of  difi'ercnt  kinds  of  Titjnice.  This  also  Blakiston  and 
Pryer  had  maintained,  as  they  had  noticed  the  species 
as  a  common  bird  in  winter  in  the  plains.  "  It  sings," 
writes  Dr.  Brauns,  "if  not  very  loud,  yet  charmingly, 
and  in  the  home  is  accounted  one  of  the  best  and  most 
perfectly  tameable  household  companions.  Naturally 
its  upkeep  requires  animal  matter  as  food,  but  one  can 
buy  this  almost  anywhere  in  Japan  as  a  prepared 
mixture.  The  latter,  I  am  told,  is  prepared  mairnl.v  frorc 
crayfish — which  are  not  eaten  here — and  perhaps  it  is  as 
near  as  one  can  get  to  an  insectivorous  food-mixture. 
This  Speotacle-bird  consequently  is  one  of  the  most 
abundant  cage-birds,  continually  offered  for  sale  in  all 
shops,  although  it  is  not  yet  one  of  the  most  admired 
of  bird.s." 

It  seems  hardly  likely  that  crayfish  would  form  the 
basis  of  a  mixture  for  in.sectivorous  birds ;  but  what 
other  traiiilation  one  can  give  to  the  term  "river-crabs" 
I  don't  know.  It  is  far  more  likely  that  the  mixture 
consisted  largely  of  the  so-called  water-boatmen  to  which 
the  fancy  name  of  "dried  flies"  has  been  given  by  bird- 
caterers. 

C.^PE  White-Eye  (Zostei-ops  capcnsis). 

Above  olive-green,  yelIowis.h  on  rinnp  and  upper  tail- 
coverts;  flights  and  tail-feathers  brown,  washed 
externally  with  olive;  forehead  olivaceous  yellow ;  lores 
black  ;  the  usual  white  ring  of  feathers  round  eye;  ear- 
coverts  and  sides  of  face  green ;  cheeks  and  throat 
bright  yellow,  changing  to  pale  brown  on  breast  and 
abdomen;  sides  greyii-li,  flanks  fulvescent  ;  binder  tail- 
coverts  bright  yeihiw  ;  axillaries  and  under  wing-coverta 
yellowish  white;  bill  and  feet  bluish-grey,  the  meta- 
tarsus yellowish  ;  iris  brownish-yellow.  Female  said  to 
resemble  the  male,  probably  a  trifle  paler  and  with  more 
slender  bill.     Hab.,  South  Africa. 

I  take  the  following  notes  on  the  habits  of  this  bird 
from  Stark  and  Sclater's  "Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  I.,  p.  303: — "The  common  White-Eye,  when  not 
breeding,  is  invariably  in  small  family  parties,  con.sist- 
ing  of  the  parent-birds  and  the  young  of  the  prece<ling 
season,  or  frequently,  of  .several  fan'.ily  parties  conjoined. 
They  generally  attract  attention  by  the  somewhat  sharp 


'chirp'  that  every  individual  bird  constantly  utters 
Ixith  while  feeding  ajid  when  flying  from  tree  to  tie;;. 
They  are,  as  a  rule,  extremely  tame,  fee<ling  undisturbed 
within  a  few  feet  of  an  oljserver,  diligently  hunting  over 
the  leaves  and  twigs,  and  peering  into  the  blossoms  .n 
search  of  small  liarv;e  and  insects,  and  especially  of  some 
of  tli/3  scale^insecta  (Sr/iizoncunn).  At  certain  seasons 
they  feed  to  a  <»nsiderable  extent  onsoft  fruits,  apricots, 
plums,  and  especially  blackberries;  they  are  fond,  too, 
of  the  saccharine  juices  of  many  flowers,  and,  in  the 
.Municii)al  Gardens  at  Cape  Town,  coiisUuitly  resort  to 
various  favourite  shrubs,  notably  the  Au.stralian  '  Jiottle- 
brush,'  for  the  sake  of  the  nectar  of  the  blossoms.  From 
constantly  probing  the  coroIUc  of  flowers,  the  featbeifi 
of  the  bead  are  nearly  always  more  or  less  dusted  over 
with  pollen,  and  these  little  birds,  like  the  Sunbirds, 
must  play  a  <'<>nsiderable  part  in  the  cross-fertilization  o" 
many  plants. 

"  The  nest  is  buiJt  among  the  smaller  twigs  at  the 
extremity  of  a  horizontal  branch  of  a  bush  or  low  tree. 
It  is  very  small,  of  a  shallow  cup-shape,  and  is  neatly 
constructed  of  fine  tendrils  and  moss,  gJued  together 
with  cobweb  and  frequently  decorated  on  the  outside 
with  pieces  of  grey  lichen.  The  interior  is  lined  with 
hair.  The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  number,  are  unspotted 
pale  blue.     'They  measure  0.66    x    0.50. 

"  Both  parents  incubate  the  eggs,  which  are  hatched 
at  the  end  of  ten  days.  The  nestlings  are  fed  on  soft 
larva',  smaJl  caterpillars  and  the  saccharine  juices  of 
flowers  by  both  male  and  female.' 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  so  far  as  he  knows  this  species 
has  only  once  been  imported,  three  examples  having 
reached  Europe  towards  the  beginning  of  1880  ;  he  does 
not  seem  to  know  what  became  cf  them.  Of  course 
there  is  no  more  reason  why  it  should  not  be  freely 
imported  like  the  Chinese  and  Australian  species,  and 
doubtlet's  one  of  these  days  some  enterprising  dealer 
will    bring  home   a   number. 

Yellow  White-Eye  (Zostcrops  Hava). 

Greenish  yellow,  forehead  and  upper  tail-coverts 
bright  yellow;  flights  and  tail-feathers  blackish-brown 
witli  yellow  margins;  axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts 
white  or  yellowish  ;  body  below  yellow  ;  sides  of  breist 
sumewhat  dingy;  bill  bla-jkish ;  feet  lead-coloured; 
irides  brown.  Female  similar,  but  probably  slightly 
paler  and  with  more  slender  bill.  Hab.,  Sumatra,  Java 
and  Borneo. 

Dr.  RuSs  regrets  that  he  has  been  unable  to  discover 
any  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  this  bird;  and  unfor- 
tunately I  have  had  no  better  I'jck,  but  there  is  a  gre  it 
sameness  in  the  wild  life  of  all  the  species,  as  will  be 
seen  by  comparing  the  accounts  of  the  preceding  forms. 

In  February,  1877,  Ch.  Jamrach  imported  thirteen 
examplee  of  the  Yellow  White-Eye  into  the  London 
market,  of  whicii  a  pair  was  forwarded  to  Dr.  Russ, 
but  arrived  dead,  but  nevertheless  were  useful  in  estab- 
lishing the  species  ;  he  regi-ets  that  he  is  unable  to 
say  what  became  of  the  remaining  examples,  and  since 
tihat  time  no  more  have  been  imported  to  his  know- 
ledge, yet  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not 
again  appear  in  the  market. 

FLOWER-PECKERS  (Dimid,f). 

To  this  family  the  genus  I'ardalotua  has  been  referred 
by  Dr.  Sharj* ;  but  Prof.  Newton  thinks  th.i't,  if 
rightly  placed  here,  the  name  of  the  family  ought  to 
lie  changed  on  tlie  ground  that  Paidahilu'a  antedates 
rUnniin.  I  am  afraid,  if  this  rule  were  stringently 
followed,  the  names  of  many  families  in  the  various 
classes  of  animals  would  have  to  be  altered.  Although 
Prof.  Newton  says  that  the  Diamond-birds  (Australian 


64 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


trivial  name  for  the  Pardalotes  or  Panther-birds)  have 
been  enoneouslv  referred  to  the  above  family  he  does 
not  say  where  tliey  oufjht  to  be  placed,  and  as  Campbell 
accepts  Dr.  Sharpe's  decision  I  am  afraid  I  must  do  so 
also ;  in  their  habits  they  resemble  the  Titmice 
(Parldce)  pretty  closely,  but  I  should  be  very  sorry  to 
suggest  that  they  were  related  to  them  ;  one  of  thase 
days  some  anatomist  will  doubtless  decide  what  is  their 
natural  position. 

Spotted  Panther-bird  {Pardalotus  punctatus).' 

Crown  and  nape,  wings,  and  tail  black,  with  a  round 
white  spot  at  tlie  tip  of  each  feather;  a  white  eyebrow- 
stripe  from  base  of  bill  to  beyond  eye  ;  ear-coverts  and 
sides  of  neck  grey  ;  feathers  of  back  fawn-colour,  grey 
at  base  and  with  black  edges ;  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  mahogan}'  red-brown,  the  tail-coverts  redder; 
throat  and  breast  bright  golden  yellow  ;  abdomen  sandy 
bullish,  tawny  on  the  flanks  ;  under  tail-coverts  yellow  ; 
bill  black ;  feet  flesh-brown ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female  with  the  colours  less  pronounced  and  no  yellow 
on  the  throat.  Hab.,  "Queensland,  New  South  Wales, 
Victoria,  South  and  West  Australia,  and  Tasmania, 
including  some  of  the  islands  in  Bass'  Strait." — Camp- 
bell. 

An  exceUent  illustration  of  the  male  in  two  positions 
by  Mr.  Norman  B.  Roberts  accompanies  an  article  on 
tills  bird  which  I  published  in  June,  1900.  {The  Avi- 
cultural  Magazine,  1st  Series,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  165-9.) 

Gould  sayB  of  this  species: — "It  is  incessantly 
engaged  in  searching  for  insects  among  the  foliage,  both 
of  trees  of  the  highest  growth  and  of  the  lowest  shrubs  ; 
it  frequents  gardens  and  enclosures  as  well  as  the  open 
forest ;  and  is  exceedingly  active  in  its  actions,  clinging 
and  moving  about  in  ey^ry  variety  of  position  both 
above  and  beneath  the  leaves  with  equal   facility. 

"  With  regard  to  the  nidiScation  of  the  species,  it 
is  a  singular  circumstance  that,  in  the  choice  of  situa- 
tion for  the  reception  of  its  Tiest,  it  differs  from  every 
other  known  member  of  the  genus ;  for  while  they 
always  nidify  in  the  noles  of  trees,  this  species  descends 
to  the  gronnd,  and,  availing  itself  of  any  little  shelving 
bank,  excavates  a  hole  just  large  enough  to  admit  of 
the  passage  of  its  body,  in  a  nearly  horizontal  direction 
to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  feet,  at  the  end  of  which  a 
chamber  is  formed  in  which  the  nest  is  deposited.  The 
nest  itself  is  a  neat  and  beautifully  built  structure, 
formed  of  strips  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  Eucalypti, 
and  lined  with  finer  strips  of  the  .same  or  similar 
materials  ;  it  is  of  a  spherical  contour,  about  four  inches 
in  diameter,  with  a  small  hole  in  the  side  for  an 
entrance.  The  chamber  is  generally  somewhat  higher 
than  the  mouth  of  the  hole,  by  which  means  the  risk 
of  its  being  inundated  upon  the  occurrence  of  rain  is 
obviated.  I  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  discover 
many  of  the  nests  of  this  species,  but  they  are  most 
difficult  to  detect,  and  are  only  to  be  found  by  watch- 
irg  for  the  egress  or  ingress  of  the  parent  birds  from 
or  into  their  hole  or  entrance,  which  is  frequently  formed 
in  a  part  of  the  bank  overhung  with  herbage,  or 
beneath  the  overhanging  roots  of  a  tree.  How  so  neat 
a  structure  as  is  the  nest  of  the  Spotted  Diamond-bird 
should  be  constructed  at  the  end  of  a  hole  where  no 
light  Ciin  possibly  enter  is  beyond  our  comprehension. 
The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  rather  round  in 
form,  of  a  beautiful  polished  fleshy-white,  seven  and  a 

♦  Some  years  aeo  Professor  Alfred  Newton  objected  to  my  adop. 
tion  of  this  liernian  name  for  tlie  species,  in  place  of  the  Australian 
name  Uiamond-blrd  ;  bnt  I  rointetl  out  tliat  there  were  other 
maniondhirds  in  Australia— the  Uiamond-.Sparrow  and  the  Diamond- 
Dove— and  a  dealer  wpuld  be  confused  by  so  many;  to  that 
'Panther-bird"  was  preferable. 


half  lines  long  by  six  and  a  half  lines  broad.  "The 
song  of  the  Spotted  Diamondbird  is  a  rather  harsh 
piping  note  of  two  svUables  often  repeated." — "  Handb. 
Birds  Australia."  Vol.  I.,  pp.  157-8. 

According  to  Dr.  Ramsay,  the  nest  consists  of  a  lining 
to  the  spherical  cliamber  at  the  end  of  the  burrow,  and 
is  sometimes  formed  of  grass.  Stmietimes  it  is  placed 
in  a  hollow  log,  a  crevice  in  an  old  wall,  a  niche  under 
a  shelving  rock,  or  the  banks  of  water-holes  or  creeks, 
hut  never  in  the  hollow  branches  of  trees  like  those  of 
other  birds.  Wlien  blown  the  eggs  are  ]>early  white. 
The  breeding-seas  m  sometimes  commences  as  early  as 
July  and  lasts  until  the  end  of  December,  three  broods 
being   reared. 

When  building,  according  to  Mr.  C.  C.  Brittlebank 
the  male  collects  till  his  bill  is  full  of  baik,  which  he 
gives  to  his  mate;  he  then  collects  his  own  load  and 
carries  it  to  the  nest. 

Mr.  Campbell  says  that  a  nest  which  he  "  found  in  a 
West  Australian  forest  was  only  eight  or  nine  inches 
in  the  ground  with  a  chamber  three  and  a  half  inches 
in  diameter." — "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds," 
p.  444. 

This  beautiful  little  bird  was  imported  by  the  late 
Mr.  J.  Abrahams  in  1882.  He  sent  a  pair  to  Dr.  Russ. 
but  unfortunately  they  were  dead  when  they  reached 
him.  There  is  not  the  least  reason  why  they  should 
not  be  freely  imported.  With  a  stock  of  any  good 
insectivorous  food  there  ought  to  be  no  difficulty. 

HONEY=EATERS  (Mdiphagidce). 

Though  there  is  not  much  prospect  of  aviculturists 
securing  many  Poe-birds  in  the  future,  it  ha.s  been  such 
a  notable  cage-bird  in  the  past  that  it  must  not  be 
passed  over. 

PoE    HoNEY-E.tTEH,    TdI,    OR    PaRSON-BIRD 

{Prostliemadcra  novev-zealandim). 

Shining  metallic  green  with  purple  reflections  on  the 
shoulders,  rump  and  upjwr  tail-coverts  ;  hind  neck  with 
collar  of  soft  curved  filamentous  feathers  having  white 
central  lines ;  middle  of  back  and  scapulars  bronze- 
brown,  the  latter  with  blue  reflections;  greater  wing- 
coverts  metallic  green,  the  outer  ones  glossy  blackish 
purple  ;  intermediate  ones  white  in  their  apical  portion, 
forming  a  distinct  wing  bar  ;  flights  black  ;  primaries 
with  metallic  green  outer  edges  towards  base;  this 
co'our  increases  on  the  secondaries  until  it  covers  the 
whole  web ;  tail  metallic  green  with  purjilish  reflec- 
tions ;  lower  breast  metallic  green  changing  to  purplish 
I  lue ;  sides  and  abdomen  blackish  brown,  the  long 
flank  feathers  shading  into  pale  brown  ;  under  surface 
of  wings  and  tail  black  ;  under  wing-coverts  metallic 
green  ;  throat  ornamented  with  two  tufts  of  curled  white 
filamentous  feathers ;  bill  and  feet  blackish  brown ; 
irides  dark  hrown.  Female  smaller,  less  brightly 
colouied,  more  brown  on  underparts  j  tufts  on  throat 
sipaller.     Hab.,  New  Zealand. 

Sir  Walter  Buller  says:— "This  is  one  of  our  mosr 
common  species,  and  on  that  account  generally  receives 
less  attention  in  its  own  country  than  its  singular  beauty 
merits." 

"It  is  incessantly  on  the  move,  pausing  only  to  utter 
its  joyous  notes.  The  early  morning  is  the  period 
devoted  to  melody,  and  the  Tuis  then  perform  in 
concert,  gladdening  the  woods  with  their  wild  ecstacy. 
Besides  their  chime  of  five  notes  (always  preceded  by 
a  keynote  of  preparation),  they  indulge  in  a  peculiar 
outburst   which   has  been   facetiously  described   as   'a 


HONEY-EATERS. 


65 


cough,  a  laugh,  and  a  sneeze,'  and  a  variety  of  other 
notes  entitling  it  to  be  ranked  as  a  songster. 

"Its  flight  is  nipid,  graceful,  and  slightly  undulating, 
the  rustling  of  the  wings  as  they  are  alternately  opened 
and  closed  being  distinetly  audible. 

"  The  food  of  the  Tui  consists  of  ripe  berries  of 
various  kinds,  flies  and  other  insects,  and  the  honey  of 
certain  wild  Howers. 

"The  nest  of  this  species  is  usually  placed  in  the 
fork  of  a  bushy  shrub,  only  a  few  feet  from  the  ground, 
but  I  have  also  found  it  at  a  consiilerable  elevation, 
hidden  among  the  leul'y  toj)  of  a  forest  tiee.  It  is  rather 
a  large  structure,  composed  chiefly  of  sprays  or  dry 
twigs,  intermixed  with  coarse  green  moss,  the  cavity 
beuig  lined  with  fibrous  grasses,  very  carefully  bent  and 
adji  sted.  Sometimes  the  interior  is  comjxised  of  the 
blaCK  hair-like  substance  from  the  young  shoots  of  the 
tree-fern,  the  cavity  being  lined  with  dry  bents." 

"  The  eggs  are  generally  three  or  four  in  number,  and 
present  .some  variety  in  form  and  colour.  They  are 
white,  -with  a  faint  rosy  blush,  stained,  mottled  and 
freckled  with  reddish-brown  ;  or  more  or  less  speckled 
onlv  at  the  larger  end;  sometimes  almost  pure  white." 
(Cf.    BuUer's  "Birds  of  New  Zealand.") 

The  Zoological  Society's  List  records  nineteen 
examples  of  this  species  as  having  been  exhibited  in  the 
Gardens  at  Regent's  Park,  and  at  one  time  the  Poe-bird 
or  Tui  used  to  be  a  familiar  object  at  bird  shows,  but 
of  late  years  I  have  not  seen  a  specimen. 

There  is  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  most 
suitable  food  for  captive  Parson-birde,  the  following 
having  been  recommended  'by  various  avicuJturists  who 
have  kept  it :  Boiled  potato  mashed  up  with  moist 
sugar :  potato  niaahed  up  with  condensed  milk ; 
crushed  biscuit  mixed  with  conden.'-ed  milk ;  stale 
breadcrumbs  two  parts,  Abrahams'  food  one  part, 
moistened  with  grated  carrot  and  mixed  with 
a  little  preserved  yolk  of  egg;  Carl  Capelle's 
food,  and  ants'  cocoons.  I  should  feed  them 
precisely  as  I  do  Tanagers,  on  my  regular  soft-food 
mixture,  orange,  banana,  and  a  few  mealworms,  and  I 
am  quite  sure  they  would  do  well. 

A  very  interesting  paper  on  the  Australian  Honey- 
eatens  from  the  pen  of  ^Ir.  A.  J.  Campbell  appeared 
in  The  Avindlural  Magazine,  N.S.,  Vol.  1.,  pp.  347-353, 
with  notes  on  various  species  kept  in  captivity  in  their 
native  land. 

LtTNTJLATED    OR    WhITE-NAPED    HonET-EATER 
{MeKl7ireplus  lunnlatus). 

Above  greenish  olive  ;  head  and  chin  black ;  a  white 
crescentic  marking  on  the  occiput ;  a  scarlet  naked  space 
above  eye;  wings  and  tail  brown;  outer  webs  of 
primaries  with  their  apical  half  edged  with  grey  ;  basal 
half,  out-er  webs  of  secondaries  and  tail  feathens  washed 
with  greenish  olive  ;  below  white  ;  bill  blackish  brown  ; 
feet  olive;  irides  dark  brown.  Female  similar,  but 
smaller.  Hab. ,  Wide  Bay,  Richmond  and  Clarence 
Rivers  Districts,  New  South  Wales,  Victoria,  and  South 
Australia. 

"It  inhabits  almost  every  variety  of  situation,  but 
gives  a  decided  preference  to  the  Eucalypti  and  Anqo- 
phorm  trees,  among  the  smaller  branches  of  which  it 
may  be  constantly  seen  actively  engaged  in  searching 
for  insects,  which,  with  the  pollen  and  honey  of  the 
flower-cups,  constitute  its  food.  It  is  a  stationarv 
species,  and  breeds  during  the  month?  of  August  and 
September';  its  beautiful,  round,  cup-shaped,  open  nest 
is  composed  of  the  inner  rind  of  the  stringy  bark  or 
other  allied  gum-trees,  intermingled  with  wool  and  hair, 
warmly  lined  with  opossum's  fur,  and  is  suspended  by 
the  rim  to  the  small  leafy  twigs  of  the  topmost  branches 


of  the  Eucalypti.  The  eggs  are  two  or  three  in  number, 
of  a  pale  buff,  dotted  all  over,  but  particularly  at  the 
larger  end,  with  distinct  markings  of  rich  reddish  brown 
and  chestnut-red,  among  which  are  a  few  clouded  mark- 
ings of  bluish  grey  ;  their  medium  length  is  nine  lines, 
and  breadth  six  and  a  half  lines. 

"  Like  the  young  of  M.  r/dornpsis,  the  young  birds  of 
tliis  .species  breed  some  time  before  they  have  attained 
their  green  livery  ;  at  all  events,  I  have  found  examples 
breeding  in  a  state  of  plumage,  which  I  believe  to  be 
charact*>rictic  of  vouth." — Gould,  "Handb.  Birds 
Austr.al.."  I.,  pp.  568-9. 

A.  J.  North,  "Catalogue  of  Nests  and  Eggs."  etc., 
p.  227.  observes: — "Amongst  a  number  of  nests  pre- 
sented by  Dr.  Ram.say  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Australian 
Musetun  is  one  of  this  species,  taken  in  October,  1864  ; 
it  is  a  deep,  cup  shaped  structure,  outwardly  comiposed 
of  .shreds  of  stringy  bark  {Eucalyptus  ohliqua),  closely 
matted  and  held  together  with  cobweb,  wool,  ete. ,  and 
line<l  inside  with  hair  ;  it  is  slung  by  the  rim  to  the 
leafy  twigs  of  a  eucalyptus,  exterior  measuremeiits  2iin. 
in  diameter,  by  2iin.  in  depth.  Eggs  two  or  three  in 
nunilier  for  a  sitting,  of  a  yellowish  buff  ground-colour, 
with  spots  of  a  deejier  and  more  reddish  hue,  some 
specimens  being  uniformly  spotted  all  over,  but  more 
often  assuming  the  form  of  a  zone." 

"This   bird    usually    breeds    during    August   and    the 

three  following  months  in  Victoria,  but  there  are  eggs 

of  this   species   in    the   Dobroyde   Collection    taken    at 

■  Dobroyde,  New  South  Wales,  in  June,  1859,  and  July, 

1861. 

In  The  Aricultvral  Magazine.  1st  Series,  Vol.  VI., 
pp.  99  100.  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar  published  an  account 
of  some  birds  brought  home  by  a  friend  of  his  as  M. 
Ittnulatus.  His  description  of  them  does  not  correspond 
with  any  Honey-eater  recorded  by  Gould,  and  that  i\ 
does  not  agree  at  all  with  the  description  of  the  Lunm 
lated  Honey-eater  may  be  seen  by  a  comparison  of  th^ 
following  two  ivccounts : 

Gould.  Farrar. 

Head  black.  Head  olive-green. 

Winqs  brown.  Winqs  olive-green. 

Breast  white.  Breast  soft  mouse-colour. 

Underwing-butts  a  patch   of 
saffron. 
A  white  crescent  on  A    crescent    of     saffron     on 

occiput.  cheek. 

Bill  blackish-brown.  Tiill  yellow,  tipped  with  horn. 

Feet  olive.  Feet  lead-colour. 

Possibly  the  birds  may  not  even  have  been  Honey- 
eaters,  but  Mr.  Farrar  says  they  refused  all  other  food 
after  honey  bad  been-  procured  for  them.  Tlien  the 
question  airises  as  to  whether  M.  lunulatus  ever  has  been 
imported  yet.     Russ  does  not  record  it. 

Strong-billed   Honet-eater    (Melithreptus 
valid  irostris). 

Upper  surface  greyish  olive,  brighter  on  rump  and 
outer  edges  of  tail  feathers ;  crown  black,  with  an 
occipital  Ijand  of  white  tenriinating  at  each  eye  ;  bare 
sldn  over  eye  greenish-white  ;  back  of  neck  bla^k  ;  wings 
brown,  tinted  with  olive  ;  ear-coverts  and  chin  black ; 
throat  white  ;  under  parts  otherwise  bronmisb-grey  ;  bill 
black;  feet  brownish  horn-colour;  irides  reddish-brown. 
The  female  is  probably  smaller,  though  said  not  to  be. 
The  young  have  the  bill  and  feet  yellow,  the  latter  paler 
than  the  former  ;  a  circle  of  the  same  colour  round  eyo 
and  the  band  at  the  oociput  yellow.  Hab.,  Tasmania, 
King-Island,  and  probably  Furneaux  group, 

Mr.  Gould  says  that  this  species  is  so  universally  dis- 
tributed over  Tasmania  "  that  scarcely  any  part  is  with- 


66 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


ant  its  presence.  The  crowns  of  the  highest  mountains, 
as  well  as  the  lowlands,  if  clothed  with  Eucahjpli,  are 
erjually  enlivened  by  it.  Like  all  the  other  members  of 
the  genus,  it  frequents  the  small  leafy  and  flowering 
brancliefi ;  it  dilfers,  however,  from  its  congeners  iu 
one  remarkable  character — that  of  alighting  upon  and 
clinging  to  the  surface  of  the  boles  of  the  trees  in  search 
of  insects.  I  never  saw  it  run  up  and  down  the  trunk, 
but  merely  fly  to  such  parts  as  instinct  led  it  to  select 
as  the  probable  abode  of  insects. 

"I  am  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Ewing,  D.D., 
for  the  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird,  which  I  failed  in  pro- 
curing during  my  stay  in  Tasmania.  Like  those  of  the 
other  members  of  tlie  genus,  the  nest  is  round  and  cup- 
shaped,  suspended  by  the  rim,  and  formed  of  coarse, 
wiry  grasses,  with  a  few  blossoms  of  grasses  for  a 
lining  ;  the  eggs  are  three  in  number,  eleven  lines  long 
by  eight  lines  broad,  and  of  a  dull  olive-buff,  thickly 
spotted  and  blotched  with  markings  of  purplish  brown 
and  bluish  grey,  the  latter  appearing  as  if  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  shell. 

"The  song  consists  of  a  couple  of  notes,  and  is  not 
remarkable  for  its  melodv." — "  Handbook  Birds 
Austral.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  565. 

According  to  Mr.  CampMl,  the  breeding  season  is 
from  August  to  December. 

Mr.  North  describes  the  eggs  as  fleshy-buff,  becoming 
darker  towards  the  larger  end,  where  they  are  thickly 
spotteo'  with  purplish-brown  and  superimpo.sed  markings 
of  deep  gi-eyi.sh-lilac.     (Of.  Cat.  Nests  and  I'ggs,  p.  225.) 

Dr.  Buss  says  that  this  Honey-sucker  has  altogether 
been  only  once  imported  alive,  in  the  year  1880.  when 
it  arrived  at  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  Amsterdam. 
But  may  not  Mr.  Farrar's  birds  have  teen  young  of 
this  species  in  their  transitional  stage  towards  the 
adult  colouring?  Mr.  Carrick  says  that  he  has  imported 
M.    atrirajyillus. 

Wartt-f.\ced  Honey-eater  (Mrlij)hat]a  phrt/tjia). 

Black  ;  scapulars  broadly  margined  with  pale  yellow ; 
lower  back  margined  with  yellowi.sh-white  :  upper  tail- 
coverts  margined  with  pale  yellow;  wing-coverts  mar- 
gined with  yellow;  bastard  wing  yellow;  primaries 
with  broadly  yellow  outer  marrin,  part  of  inner  web 
along  the  shaft  yellow  ;  secondaries  Avith  broadly  yel'ow- 
margiiied  outer  w-eb :  feathers  of  under  surface  with 
subterininal  arrow-shaped  yellowish-white  markings ; 
central  tail-feathers  with  small  yellow  tips,  the  re- 
mainder increasingly  yellow  to  the  outermost  ones  ;  bill 
tlack  ;  feet  blackish  brown  :  irid<'s  reddish-brown;  the 
face  covered  with  dull  yellowish-white  warty  eycrcs- 
cences.  Female  siniilnr.  but  much  smaller.  Youni 
without  warty  excrescences,  the  face  partly  clothed 
with  feathers.  Hab.,  Queensland,  New  South  Wales, 
Victoria,  and  South  .Australia. 

Gould  .savs  of  this  species: — "Although  it  is  very 
generally  distributed,  its  presence  appears  to  he  de- 
pendent upon  the  state  of  the  J^urah/pti.  upon  whfifie 
blossoms  it  mainly  denends  for  subsistence  ;  it  is  conse- 
quently onlv  to  be  found  in  anv  particular  localitv 
during  the  season  that  those  trees  are  in  blossom.  It 
generally  resorts  to  the  loftiest  and  most  fnllv-flowered 
tree,  where  it  frcquentlv  reigns  supreme,  buffeting  and 
driving  every  other  bird  away  from  its  immediate  neisih- 
bourhood  ;  it  i.s,  in  fact,  the  most  pugnacious  bird  T 
ever  saw.  evincing  particular  hostility  to  the  smaller 
MrliphnqirJtr.  and  even  to  others  of  its  own  snecie« 
that  may  venture  to  appinach  the  trees  upon  which  two 
or  three  have  taken  their  station.  While  at  Adelaide, 
in  South  -Australia,  T  observed  two  pairs  that  had 
possersed  themselves  of  one  of  the  bigh  trees  that  had 
been  left  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  city,  which  tree 


during  the  whole  period  of  my  stay  they  kept  sole 
possession  of,  sallying  forth  and  beating  off  every  bird 
that  came  near.  I  met  with  it  in  great  abundance 
among  the  brushes  of  New  South  Wales,  and  also  found 
it  breeding  in  the  low  apple-tree  flats  of  the  Upper 
Hunter.  I  have  occasionally  seen  flocks  of  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  iu  number,  passing  from  tree  to  tree  as 
if  engagwl  in  a  partial  migration  from  one  part  of  the 
country  to  another,  or  in  search  of  a  more  abundant 
supply  of   food. 

"The  nest,  which  is  usually  constructed  on  the  over- 
hanging branch  of  a  eucalyptus,  is  round,  cup-shaped, 
about  five  inches  in  diameter,  comjxjsed  of  fine  graeses, 
and  lined  with  a  little  ^vool  and  hair.  The  eggs  are 
two  in  number,  of  a  deep  yellowish-buff,  marked  all 
over  with  indistinct  spots  and  irregular  blotches  of 
chestnut-red  and  dull  purplish-grey,  particularly  at  the 
larger  end,  where  they  frequently  form  a  zone  ;  they 
are  eleven  lines  long  by  eight  lines  and  a  half  broad. 

"  The  stomachs  of  the  specimens  I  killed  and  dissected 
on  the  Hunter  were  entirely  filled  with  liquid  honey ; 
insects,  however,  doubtless  form  a  considerable  portion 
of  their  diet." — "  Handb.  Birds  Austral.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp. 
527-8. 

Campbell  says  ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds," 
p.  382): — "The  peculiar  plaintive  song,  accompanied 
with  the  bowing  of  the  head,  of  the  Warty-faced  Honey- 
eater  is  very  agreeable."  Tlie  same  author  quotes  from 
Mr.  Hermann  Lau.  that  "  the  site  of  its  big  nest  is  at 
about  the  height  of  twenty  feet  in  a  tree,  and  always 
near  a  thick  stem  or  a  few  sprouting  shoots.  It  is 
roughly  made  of  coarse,  dry  grass,  lined  with  rootlets 
and  animal  hair.  Deposits  two  or  three  eggs."  It 
breeds  from  the  end  of  September  to  December. 

Buss  says  that  hitherto  this  bird  has  only  been  once 
imported,  four  examples  having  reached  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens  in  1882.  He  therefore  thinks  it  is 
of  little  interest  to  aviculturists,  but  in  this  opinion  I 
think  he  is  mistaken,  because  when  a  species  has  once 
been  imported  there  is  always  a  likelihood  that  it  may 
be  imported  again,  and  I  am  not  at  all  certain  that  the 
instance  which  he  mentions  is  the  only  one  in  which 
it  has  reached  the  London  market. 

White-eared  Honey  eater  {Plilotis  leucotis). 

Above  yellowish-olive ;  crown  grey,  with  longitu- 
dinal black  streaks ;  ear-feathers  silvery  white ;  tail 
tipped  with  yellowish-white;  throat  and  breast  black; 
abdomen  yellowish-olive  ;  bill  black  ;  feet  greenish  lead- 
grey  ;  irides  greenish-grey.  Female  similar,  but  con- 
siderably smallc.  Hab.,  Australia,  excepting  in  the 
north. 

Gould  says  that  this  bird  "is  as  much  an  inhabitant 
of  the  mountainous  as  of  the  lowland  parts  of  the 
country,  and  is  always  engaged  in  creeping  and  cling- 
ing about  among  the  leafy  br,anches  of  the  Eucalypti, 
particularly  those  of  a  low  or  stunted  growth. 

"Its  note  is  loud,  and  very  much  resembles  that  of 
the  Pliltitif  peiiirillata.  The  stomach  is  small  and  mem- 
branous, and  the  food  consists  of  insects  of  various 
kinds."— "  Handb.  Birds  Austral.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  510. 

Mr.  Campbell  says:— "The  bird  is  an  early  breeder. 
T  had  always  to  be  afield  in  the  coastal  scrubs  about  the 
beginning  of  Sept-emWr  if  I  wanted  fresh  eggs.  The 
nest  is  difficult  to  find  amongst  the  arres  of  thick,  short 
scrub,  and  frequently  is  only  detected  by  watching  the 
movements  of  the  birds,  which  at  all  times  are  exceed- 
ingly wily.  My  greatest  find  of  White  eared  Honey- 
eater.s'  nests  was  in  1883,  if  I  recollect  rightly,  when 
I  found  three  nests,  all  situated  about  a.  foot  from  the 
ground,  and  lined  with  a  thick  warm  ply  of  cow-hairs 
wonderfully  woven. 


HONEY-EATEKS. 


67 


"  It  is  interesting  to  watch  the  birds  plucking  hair 
off  while  perthed  on  the  backs  of  cattle,  and  rather  a 
difficult  ta.sk  it  proves  for  the  biixl  to  effect  lodgment, 
especially  if  the  cow  patronised  l)e  not  in  an  amiable 
mood,  when  she  tosses  her  heail  aiitjrily  and  switches 
her  tail  from  flank  to  flank,  while  the  bird,  fluttering 
over,  waits  an  opportunity  to  dodge  the  appendage, 
and  between  eath  liish  jihicks  a  few  hairs  till  a  mouth- 
ful is  obtained,  then  flies  to  its  nest." 

Mr.  Campbell  describes  the  nest  and  eggs  as  follows  : 
— "  Xest :  Cup-shaped,  deep:  well  constructed  of  fine 
bark  and  grass,  matted  together  with  spiders'  cocoons  ; 
lined  inside  with  a  warm  ply  of  cow  or  other  hair; 
usually  phued  near  the  ground,  in  a  thick  bush  or  in 
loTV  scrub.  Dimensions  over  all,  3i  inches  to  4  inches 
by  2i  to  3i  inches  in  depth ;  egg  cavity  2  inches  across 
by  IJ   inches  deep. 

"  Eggi> :  Clutch  two  usually,  three  occasionally: 
stout  oval;  texture  fine;  surface  .slightlv  glossy;  colour 
almost  white,  but  sometimes  of  a  delicate  flesli-tint, 
sparingly  but  distinctly  marked  and  spotted  with 
pinkish-red,  the  spots  being  more  about  the  upper 
quarter.  Dimensions  in  inches  of  a  proper  pair:  (1) 
.86  X  -64,  (21  .85  x  .63."—"  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Aus- 
tralian Birds,"  pji.  396-7. 

The  Zoological  flardens  of  Hamburg  received  a  single 
example  of  this  Honey-eater  in  1881,  and  Dr.  Russ 
believes  that  up  to  the  present  time  this  is  the  only 
instance  of  its  importation. 

Yellow-tufted  Honey-e.^ter  {PliUtU  auricomis). 

Above  dark  brown,  slightly  olivaceous ;  primaries 
and  tail-feathers  margined  with  olive-yellow  ;  crown  of 
head  olive-yellow  :  a  black  line  from  "base  of  bill,  en- 
circling the  eye  and  extending  over  the  ear-coverts; 
behind  the  latter  a  tuft  of  extremely  rich  yellow  feathers 
extends  backwards  ;  throat  bright  yellow ;  remainder 
of  under-surface  lirownish-yellow  ;  "  bill  black ;  feet 
blackish-brown  ;  irides  reddish-brown.  Female  similar 
in  colouring,  but  smaller.  Hab.,  Queensland,  New 
South  Wale^,  and  Victoria, 

Gould  says:— "The  Yellow-tufted  Honey-eater  is 
abundant  in  New  South  Wales,  inhabiting  at  one  season 
or  other  every  portion  of  the  country  ;  the  brushes  near 
the  coast,  the  flowering  trees  of  the  plains,  and  those  of 
the  sides  and  crowns  of  the  hills  towards  the  interior 
being  alike  tenanted  by  it.  It  is  an  active,  animated 
species,  flitting  with  a  "darting  flijht  from  tree  to  tree, 
and  threading  the  most  thicklv-leaved  branches  with 
a  varietv  of  sprightly  actions." — "  Handb.  Birds  Aus- 
tral,," Vol  I.,  p.  511." 

Oould  quotes  an  account  of  the  nidifitation  published 
by  Dr.  Ramsay  in  The  Ihis  for  1864,  but  the  following 
later  account  quoted  by  Mr.  Campbell  is,  I  fancy,  more 
px.%ct : — "This  species  remains  with  us  in  the"  neigh- 
bourhood of  Sydney  throughout  the  whole  year,  breed- 
ing earlier  than  the  generality  of  Honey-eaters.  We 
have  eggs  in  our  collection  taken  early  in  June  and  as 
late  as  the  end  of  October,  during  which  month  they 
sometimes  have  a  third  brood.  August  and  September 
seem  to  be  their  principal  months  for  breeding.  Upon 
referrins  to  my  note  book,  I  find  that  I  captured  two 
young  birds,  well  .able  to  fly,  on  July  18th,  1863 ;  but 
dnrin?  -some  seasons  birds  breed  here  nuKU  ecrlier  than 
in  others.  The  nest  is  a  neat  but  somewhat  bulky 
structure,  open  above,  and  composed  of  strips  of  the 
.stringy  bark  Biiralripl'if  nblif/iia.  The  tot.al  length  of 
the  nest  is  alxiut  4  inches  bv  from  2J  inches  to  3  inches 
wide,  being  2  inches  deep  liy  1^  inches  inside.  The  eggs, 
whieh  are  usually  two  in  number,  are  of  a  pale  flesh- 
pink,  darker  at  the  larger  end,  where  they  are  spotted 


and  blotched  with  markings  of  a  much  deeper  hue, 
inclining  to  salmon-colour;  in  some  the  markings  form 
a  ring  u|k>ii  the  thick  end,  in  others  one  irregular  p.atch 
with  a  few  dots  upon  the  rest  of  the  surface.  When 
freshly  taken  they  havf  a  beautiful  blush  of  pink,  which 
they  generally  lose  a  few  days  after  being  blown.  Their 
length  is  from  ten  to  eleven  lines  by  seven  to  eight  in 
breadth.  Some  varieties  have  a  few  ob.solete  dots  of 
faint  lilac,  others  are  without  markings,  save  one  patch 
at  the  top  of  the  larger  end.  Like  most  of  our  Aus- 
tralian birds'  eggs,  they  vary  much  in  shape  and  tint 
of  colour.  The  site  selected  for  the  nest  is  usually 
some  low,  bushy  shrub,  among  the  rich  clu.sters  of 
Tenoma  australis,  or  carefully  hidden  in  the  thick  tufts 
of  nierhnum  {B.  cartUagiiieum),  which  often  cover  a 
space  of  many  .square  yards.  In  these  clump.s,  where  it 
clings  to  the  stems  of  ferns,  I  h.-ive  several  times  found 
two  or  three  pairs  breeding  at  the  same  time  within  a 
few  yards  of  each  other.  The  ferns  and  Tecomw  seem 
to  be  their  favourite  places  for  breeding,  although  the 
nests  may  often  be  found  placed  sus])ended  between 
forks  in  the  small  bushy  oaks  (Casitariiia)." 

Dr.  Rams.ay  .says  that,  "  like  most  of  its  tribe,  the 
Yellow-tufted  Honey-eater  is  very  partial  to  fruit,  and 
during  the  latter  end  of  February  and  throughout  the 
month  of  March  the  pear  trees  swarm  with  this  and 
many  otlier  species.  During  the  orange  season  also 
they  visit  us  in  great  innnbers,  and  many  may  be  seen 
fighting  over  the  half  decayed  fniit  with  wdiich  the 
ground  at  that  time  it  literally  strewed."  This  seems 
an  important  item  to  bear  in  mind  in  the  event  of  my 
readers  becoming  possessed  of  examples  of  any  of  these 
birds. 

According  to  Campbell,  the  breeding-season  is  from 
July  to  Januai'y. 

The  Zoological  Gardens  of  Berlin  became  possessed 
of  an  example  of  this  charming  species  early  in  1894. 
The  following  \\as  the  food  supplied  to  it:— "Early  in 
the  morning,  on  alternate  days,  mealwonns  and  fresh 
ant-cocoons;  at  eight  o'clock,  biscuit  and  any  fruit 
that  happened  to  be  in  season,  and  in  addition' a  date 
stuck  Ijetween  the  bars  of  the  cage.  Towards  eleven 
a  little  shredded  raw  meat,  of  which,  however,  it  would 
only  suck  up  the  juice.  At  one  o'clock  the  staple  food, 
consisting  of  topped  bread  or  crumbled  white  bread  and 
cooked  or  grated  carrot,  a  little  rice,  boiled  egg,  varied 
with  minced  figs  or  small  and  large  raisins,  with  a 
little  sugar  sprinkled  over  the  whole.  In  the  after- 
noon something  quite  soft,  yellow  salad  (whatever  that 
may  be),  and,  in  conclusion,  towards  evening  bread 
soaked  in  milk."  If  that  bird  did  not  die  fromchronic 
indigestion  I  cm  only  say  that  the  Honey-eaters  must 
be  the  most  vigorous  creatures  in  existence.  In  1899 
a  pair  reached  the  London  Gardens. 

Y''ellow  Honet-e.\ter  {Z'lilotU  /lava). 

Upper  surface  olivaceous-grey;  head  yellow,  a  spot 
of  blackish-brown  under  the  ear-coverts,  with  a  bright 
yellow  patch  behind  it ;  under-parts  citron-yellow ; 
length,  S^in.  ;  colouring  of  soft  parts  not  noted,  by 
Crould.  Hab.,  coastal  region  of  North  Queensl.and,  in- 
cluding the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria.     (Campbell.) 

As  it  is  doubtful  whether  tins  bird  has  hitherto  been 
imported,  I  will  merely  note  that,  according  to  Mr. 
J.  A.  Boyd  and  others,  the  nest  is  usually  suspended 
by  the  rim  to  the  thin  leafy  twigs  of  a  cumquat  (orange) 
tree,  but  sometimes  in  a  ficus  or  a  mango  ;  is  mostly 
composed  of  cocoinut  fibre  ;  the  eggs,  two  in  number, 
are  of  fine  texture,  without  gloss,  pinky-white,  marked 
chiefly  at  the  small  end  with  blotches  of  light  chestnut 
or  pmkish-brown  and  light  purplish-brownr 


68 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


Lkwin's  Honey-eatei;. 


Lewin's  Honey-eater  (Plilotis  leirini). 

Upper  surface,  olive-green ;  a  blackish  streak  from 
forehead  to  beyond  the  eye,  below  which  is  a  narrow 
stripa  of  yellow  almost  joining  a  patch  of  bright  yellow 
behind  the  ear  ;  under  surface,  paler  olive-green  ;  bill, 
black  at  tip,  yellow  at  base  ;  feet,  purplish  fjesh-colour  ; 
irides,  dark  lead-colour.  Female  similar,  but  smaller. 
Hab.,  Queensland.   New  South  Wales,  and  Victoria. 

Gould  says  of  this  species  : — "  Moderately-sized  trees, 
particularly  (.'a-tuarinn  and  Banhnce,  thinly  scattered 
over  grassy  plains  and  the  crowns  and  sides  of  low  hills, 
are  its  usual  places  of  resort.  In  Western  Australia 
it  enters  the  gardens  and  commits  considerable  havoc 
among  the  fruit  trees,  particularly  figs,  of  the  seeds  of 
which  it  appears  to  be  fond.  It  also  feeds  upon  insects, 
which  are  principally  sought  for  among  the  branches  ; 
but  it  frequently  seeks  for  them  and  small  seeds  on 
the  ground,  when  it  hops  around  the  boles  and  beneatn 
the  branches  of  the  trees  in  a  most  lively  manner. 
.  "  Its  natural  notes  are  full,  clear,  and  loud,  and  may 
bo  heard  at  a  considerable  distance.  In  South  Aus- 
tralia I  heard  it  in  full  song  in  the  midst  of  winter, 
when  it  was  one  of  the  shiest  birds  of  the  country. 

"  It  is  exceedingly  pugnacious  in  disposition,  often 
fighting  with  the  Wattle  Birds  {Ant/wrhcrrrt),  and  other 
species  even  larger  than  tbose. 

"  The  breeding  season  commences  in  August  and  ter- 
minates in  December.  The  nest  is  a  frail,  round,  cup- 
shaped  structure,  the  materials  of  which  vary  in  dif- 
ferent situations ;  those  observed  by  me  in  New  South 
Wales  being  composed  of  fine  dried  stalks  of  annuals 
thinly  lined  with  fibrous  roots  woven  together  with 
spiders'  webs,  and  suspended  by  the  rim  to  two  or  three 
fine  twigs  near  the  centre  of  the  tree;  on  the  othet 
hand,  those  observed  by  Gilbert  in  Western  Australia 
were  formed  of  green  grasses,  which  become  white  and 
mry  when  dry,  matted  together  with  the  hair  of 
kangaroos  or  opossums,  lined  with  fine  grasses  and  the 
down  of  flowers,  and  placed  in  a  thick  scrubbj'  bush 
at  about  three  feet  from  the  ground. 

"  The  eggs  are  usually  two.  but  occasionally  three  in 
number,  of  a  light  yellowish  buff,  thickly  freckled  with 
small,  indistinct   reddish-brown  marks,  or  of  a  nearly 


uniform  fleshy-buff,  without  spots 
or  markings,  but  of  a  deeper  tint 
at  the  larger  end.  Their  medium 
length  is  eleven  lines,  and  breadth 
eight  lines." — "  Handh.  Birds 
Austral.,"    Vol.T.    p.    505. 

According  to  Campbell  the  nest 
is  "  constructed  chiefly  cf  strips  of 
hark  (M dalevrn ^  etc.)  and  spiders' 
cocoon.'i,  generally  outwardly,  Iwau- 
tifully  covered. with  mo.ss,  lined  in- 
side with  thick  warm  ply  of  a 
downy  or  silky  sub.slance.  such  as 
thistledown  or  other  soft  seeds, 
varying  in  colour — white,  brown, 
or  yellowish — according  to  tho 
locality  or  the  species  of  plant 
from  which  the  seeds  are  gathered." 
The  eggs  are  described  as  "  white, 
very  sparingly  marked  with  spots 
and  dots  of  dark  purplish-brown, 
almost  black,  most  of  the  markings 
being  on  the  apex  or  about  the 
upper  quarter." — "Nests  and  Eggs 
of    Australian    Birds,"   pp.    386-7. 

This    species    has    been    imported 

by  Mr.   Geo.    Carrick    (cf.    Avicul- 

tural    Magazine,     1st    series.     Vol. 

VI.,    p.    251),    together    with   other 

Honey-eaters.       He   says :    "  I   tried  them  all   on   pure 

honey,  which  they  one  and  all  took  to  greedily,  refusing 


Yellow-tufted  Honey-eater. 


HOXEY-KATEKS. 


t.y 


to  ta£te  any  other  forxl  while  hon^y  regained,  but  never 
found  them  do  well  <in  it ;  besides,  I  found  it  impussible 
to  keep  the  birds  dean  if  kept  in  cages.  The  larger 
Honey  taters  are  easily  kept,  and  will  jjartake  of  any 
good  insectivorous  foo<l  with  addition  of  fruit  and  meal- 
worms." 

Fuscous  H0NKY-E.\TKK  {Plilotin  funca). 

Above  gi-eyish-brown,  slightly  w.-Lshed  with  olive; 
a  ring  of  black  feathers  round  eye;  eyelashes  pale 
yellow  ;  ear  coverts  blackish-brown  ;  a  small  patch  of 
yellow  behind  the  ear ;  utider-surface  pale  greyish- 
brown  ;  bill  black  at  tip,  dull  yellow  at  base ;  gaiw* 
and  corners  (if  mouth  yellow  ;  feet  fleshy-brown  ;  iridcs 
pale  yellow.  Female  similar,  but  rather  smaller.  Hab. , 
Queensland,  Xew  South  Wales,  and  Victoria. 

Gould  observes: — "In  the  months  of  August  and 
September,  -when  the  beautiful  Tirnma  is  in  blossom, 
it  may  be  seen  flitting  aboul  among  the  thick  clusters 
of  the  pendent  flowers  in  searcli  of  insects,  which  are 
sometimes  captured  while  on  the  wing,  but  more 
generally  extracted  from  the  tubular  florets." — "  Handb. 
Birds  Austral.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  520. 

Mr.  Campbell  describes  the  nest  as  "cup-shaped, 
neat ;  composed  of  shreds  of  brownish  bark,  matted  Avith 
spiders'  web  and  coccons  ;  lined  inside  with  fine  shreds 
of  bark,  a  few  rootlets  or  gra.ss  stalks,  hair,  and  some- 
times the  silky  down  from  .seed-vessels  or  cotton 
material,  gathered  in  the  neighbourhood  of  habitations  ; 
usually  placed  among  the  branchlets  at  the  end  of  a 
horizontal  eucalypt  bough.  Dimensions  over  all,  2J 
inches  by  2^  inches  in  depth ;  egg  cavity,  IJ  inches 
across  by   1^   inches  deep. 

"Eggs:  Clutch,  one  to  three,  but  usually  two;  oval 
or  roundish  in  form  ;  texture  of  shell  fine  :  surface  has 
a  faint  trace  of  gloss ;  colour,  rich  salmon  or  buff, 
marked  more  or  less  distinctly  about  the  apex  with 
pinkish-red  and  purplish-brown.  Dimensions  in  inches 
.73  X  -S- " — "  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Au.stra!ian  Birds, 
p.  385. 

Mr.  Campbell  aJso  quotes  Messrs.  Barnard  as  having 
taken  an  exceptional  clutch  of  four  eggs. 

This  species  was  received  at  the  Berlin  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1895. 

Gakbulous  Honet-eatkr  (Myzantha  garrula). 

Upper  surface  pale  greyish  brown  ;  feathers  at  back 
of  neck  tipped  with  silvery-grey  ;  primaries  dark  brown, 
with  grey  edges  to  outer  webs  ;  secondaries  with  dark 
brown  inner  webs,  outer  \\t_bs  yellow  at  base,  grey  at 
tips;  tail-feathers  greyish-brown,  with  darker  shafts; 
all  excepting  the  two  central  ones  with  brownish-white 
tips  ;  crown  dull  black  ;  face  grey  ;  ear-coverts  and  a  cres- 
centic  streak  running  upwards  to  angle  of  beak  jet- 
black  ;  naked  space  below  eye  yellov.-  ;  ohin  grey  at 
sides,  black  in  centre  ;  remainder  of  under-surface  grey, 
the  breast  with  narrow  crescentic  subterminal  markings 
to  the  fe:  thers  ;  bill  and  feet  yellow  ;  irides  dark  hazel. 
Female  similar  in  plumage,  but  rather  smaller.  Hab., 
South  Queer.sland,  New  South  Wales.  Victoria,  i^outh 
Australia,  and  Tasmania. 

Gould  says: — "The  natural  habits  of  this  bird  lead 
it  to  frequent  the  thinly-timbered  forests  of  Eucalypti 
clothing  the  plains  and  low  hills  rather  than  the  dense 
brushes. 

"  It  moves  in  small  companies  of  from  four  to  ten  in 
number.  In  disposition  it  is  restless,  inquisitive,  bold, 
and  noisy,  and  frequently  performs  the  most  grotesque 
actions,  spreading  out  the  wings  and  tail,  hanging  from 
the  branches  in  every  possible  variety  of  position,  and 
keeping  up  all  the  time  an  incessant  babbling.  Were 
this  only   momentary  or   for   a   short  time,   their  droll 


attitudes  and  singular  note  would  be  rather  amusing 
than  otherwise ;  but  when  they  follow  vou  through  the 
entire  forest,  leaping  and  Hying  from  branch  to  branch, 
they  become  very  troublesoine  and  annoying. 

"The  uest  is  cup  shaped,  and  about  the  size  of  that 
of  the  European  llirush,  very  neatly  built  of  fine  twigs 
and  coarse  grass,  and  lined  either  with  wool  and  hair, 
or  fine  soft  hair-like  strips  of  bark,  frequently  mixed 
with  feathers;  it  is  usually  placed  among  the  small 
upright  branches  of  a  mcderalelysized  tree.  The  eggs, 
which  vary  considerably,  are  thirteen  lines  long  by 
nine  and  a  half  lines  broad,  are  of  a  bluish-white, 
marked  all  over  with  reddish-brown,  without  any  in- 
dication ui  the  zone  at  the  larger  end  so  frequently 
observable  in  the  eggs  of  other  species." — "Handb. 
Birds  Austral.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  575. 

Campbell  says  of  the  eggs  :—"  Clutch,  three  to  four, 
rarely  five  ;  oval  or  round-oval  in  form  ;  texture  fine  ; 
surface  glo.ssy ;  colour,  warm  white,  mottled  and 
spotted  all  over,  more  thickly  on  the  apex,  with  rich 
reddi.sh-chestnut  and  purplish-grey." — "  Xests  and  Eggs 
of  Australian    Birds,"   p.   420. 

Of  this  species  the  dealer  Reiche  of  Alfeld  received 
a  large  consignment  in  1893  ;  in  1894  Reisz  of  Berlin 
acquired  one  specimen,  and  Rambaud  of  Marseilles 
a  pair.  In  the  sa.me  year  a  specimen  reached  the  Lon- 
don Zo.ilogical  Gardens.  Mr.  George  Carrick  has  also 
imported  this  species. 

W.\TTLED  Honi;y-e.\ter   (Anihochnra  carunculala). 

Above  greyish-brown  ;  all  the  feathers  with  a  white 
central  stripe;  upper  tail-coverts  with  grey  margins; 
flights  blackish  bro«n  with  grey  margins,  broader  in 
the  secondaries;  tail-feathers  white-tipped,  the  two 
central  ones  greyish  blown,  the  others  blackish-brown  ; 
crown,  a  line  from  base  of  bUl  running  below  eye,  and 
ear-coverts  blackishbicwn ;  space  below  eye  silvery 
white,  behind  which  is  an  oblong  naked  flesh-coloured 
spnt,  under  which  is  a  short  pinky  blood-red  wattle  ; 
tliroat,  breast  and  flanks  grey  with  paler  centres  to 
the  feathers;  centre  of  abdomen  yellow;  bill  black 
{//ill's);  feet  brownish-flesh-colour;  irides  hazel-red. 
Hab.,  South  Queensland,  New  South  Wales,  Victoria, 
South  and  West   Australia. 

Gould  publishes  the  following  notes  on  this  species  : 
— "  I  observed  it  to  be  very  numerous  in  all  the 
high  gum  trees  around  Adelaide,  in  most  parts  of  the 
interior,  and  in  all  the  Anrjnpliora  flats  and  forests  of 
Eiiculi/pli  of  New  South  W'ales.  It  is  a  showy  active 
bird,  constantly  engaged  in  flying  from  tree  to  tree  and 
.searching  among  the  flowers  for  its  food,  which  con- 
sists of  honey,  insects,  and  occasionally  benies.  In  dis- 
position it  is  generally  shy  and  wary,  but  at  times  is 
confident  and  'bold,  "it  is"  usually  seen  in  paiis,  and 
the  m:iles  are  very  pugnacious.  Its  habits  and  manners, 
in  fact,  closely  i-esemble  those  of  the  .-1.  inaui-is,  and, 
like  th.at  bird,  it  utters  with  distended  throat  a  harsh 
disagreeable  note. 

"  It  breeds  in  September  and  October.  The  nests  ob- 
served by  myself  in  the  Upper  Hunter  district  were 
placed  on  the  horizontal  branches  of  the  Angophora, 
and  were  of  a  large  rounded  form,  co.iiposed  of  small 
sticks,  and  lined  with  fine  grasses.  Those  found  by 
Gilbert  in  Western  Australia  were  formed  cf  dried 
sticks,  without  anv  kind  of  lining,  and  were  placed  in 
the  open  bushes.  'The  eggs  are  two  or  three  in  number, 
one  inch  and  three  lines  long  by  ten  lines  and  a  half 
broad  ;  their  ground-colour  is  reddish  outf.  very  thickly 
dotted  with  distinct  markings  of  deep  chestnut,  umber, 
and  reddish  brown,  intersijei-sed  with  a  number  of 
indistinct  marks  of  blackish  grey,  which  appear  as  if 
benetith  the  surface  of  the  shell;   eggs  taken  in   New 


70 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


South  Wales  are  somewhat  larger  than  those  from 
Western  Australia,  and  have  markings  of  a  blotched 
rather  than  of  a  (lotted  ionn,  ajid  principally  at  the 
larger  end." — "  Handb.  liirds  Austral."  I.,  p.  689. 

Campbell  says  of  the  nest,  "  lined  with  grasses  or 
soft  bark,  wool,  and  a  few  feathers."  He  says,  how- 
ever, "  I  was  able  to  verify  Gilbert's  acute  observation, 
that  the  nests  of  the  Wattle  Bird  in  Western  Australia 
are  iisiiidiv  built  without  lining." — "Nest  and  Eggs  of 
Australian   Birds,"  pp.  4234. 

In  1894,  Reisz  of  Berlin  received  this  species,  which 
was  sent  to   the   Berlin   Zoological   Gardens,  and  Kuss 
lays  that  this  is  the  only  instance  of  its  importation. 
Blue-f.vced  HoNET-E.iTER  (Eiitomijza  cyanotis). 

Upper  surface  golden  olivaceous  ;  the  inner  webs  of 
the  primaries  and  the  tail-feathers  (excepting  the  two 
central  ones)  brown,  tipped  with  white ;  crown  and 
back  of  neck  black  ;  a  white  crescentic  marking  at  the 
occiput ;  bare  space  round  ej-e  deep  blue,  paler  and 
greenish  above  eye  ;  lower  part  of  face,  chin,  and  centre 
of  breast  slaty-black  ;  a  line  from  lower  mandible  pass- 
ing down  each  side  of  neck,  and  remainder  of  under  sur- 
face pure  w-hite  ;  bill  blackish-horn-colour  at  tip,  pale 
bluish  grey  at  base  ;  feet  bluish-grey  ;  irides  yellowish- 
white.  Female  similar  in  plumage.  Young  with  naked 
patch  on  face  and  base  of  bill  j-ellowish-olive.  Hab. , 
Queensland,  New  South  Wales,  Victoria,  and  South 
Australia. 

Gould  says: — "I  have  frequently  seen  eight  or  ten 
of  these  bold  and  spirited  birds  on  a  single  tree,  display- 
ing the  most  elegant  and  easy  movements,  clinging  and 
hanging  in  every  variety  of  position,  frequently  at  the 
extreme  ends  of  the  small,  thickly-flowered  branches, 
bending  them  down  with  their  weight;  they  may  be 
easily  distinguished  from  other  birds  w-ith  which  they 
are  ffequently  in  company  by  their  superior  size,  the 
brilliancy  of  their  blue  face,  and  the  contrasted  colours 
of  their  plumage;  they  are  rendered  equally  con- 
spicuous by  the  pugnacity  with  which  they  chase  and 
drive  about  the  other  species  resorting  to  the  same  tree. 

"  It  frequently  utterrs  a.  nither  loud  and  monotonous 
cry,  not  worthy  tho  name  of  song. 

"  I  observed  a  most  curious  fact  respecting  the 
ridification  of  this  bird.  In  every  instance  that  I  found 
its  eggs,  they  were  deposited  on  the  deserted,  dome- 
shaped,  large  nest  of  the  I'iimali>''lomtis  trmpornlis,  .so 
numerous  in  the  Apple-tree  Flats  in  the  district  of  the 
Upper  Hunter;  never  within  the  dome,  but  in  a  neat 
round  depression  on  the  top.  I  had  many  opportunities 
of  driving  the  female  off  the  nest,  and  I  can  therefore 
speak  with  confidence  as  to  this  fact. 

"  It  is  probable  that,  in  places  where  no  suitable 
substitute  is  to  be  found,  it  makes  a  ne.=  t  like  other 
species  of  its  tribe.  It  commences  breeding  early,  and 
rears  at  least  two  broods  in  the  year.  On  reference  to 
my  note  book,  I  find  I  saw  fully-fledged  young  on  the 
19th  of  November,  ajul  that  I  took  many  of  their  eggs 
in  December;  they  were  generally  two  in  number,  of 
a  rich  salmon-colour  irregularly  spotted  with  rust- 
brown,  one  inch  and  a  quarter  long  by  ten  and  a  half 
lines  broad." — "Handb.  Birds  Austral.,"  I.,  pp.  561-2. 

Campbell  describes  the  true  nest  as  "  cup  sliajied, 
round,  neat ;  composed  of  strips  of  bark,  in  some 
instances  with  gra.ss ;  usually  jilaced  in  a  depression 
on  the  top  or  side  of  the  deserted  large-domed  stick 
nest  of  the  Babbler  or  Pomalnrhinna  Icmporalix.  In 
some  instances  the  nest  is  susjjcnded  in  the  ordinary 
Honeyeater-like  fashion  in  the  branchlets  of  a  tree,  and 
is  substantially  constructed  of  coar.se  strips  of  bark  ; 
lined  inside  with  fine,  reddieh  brown  (inner)  bark,  and 
a  amall  quantity  of  grass."  The  dimensions  of  the 
latter  aie  given  as  6  inches   by  4 ;    egg-cavity  3J   by 


2  inches.  The  London  Zoological  Society  received  this 
species  in  1882  and  again  in  1895;  the  Berlin  Gardens 
acquired  it  in  1893,  and  the  dealer  Reisz  exhibited  it 
in  1894  at  the  e.vhibition  of  the  .F^gintha  Society  in 
Berlin. 

Bl.\c'k-t.\iled  Flower-bird  (Anthurnis  melanura). 

Upi>er  surface  dark  olivaceous- brown ;  flights  with 
gi-eener  margins  to  the  outer  webs ;  secondaries  with 
dull  greyish  tips  ;  tail-feathers  with  pale  outer  margins  ; 
forehead  faintly  glossed  with  steel  green  ;  loral  stripe 
black-brown  ;  a  narrow  whitish  stripe  from  the  angle 
of  the  bill  to  the  sides  of  the  head ;  under  surface 
paler  than  the  upper,  yellower ;  under  wing  and  tail 
coverts  dull  yellowish  white  with  brownish  central 
spot;  bill  black;  feet  dark  leaden  grey;  irides  brown 
to  blood-red.  Female  rather  smaller,  duller  and  paler. 
Hab.,  New  Zealand. 

This  bird  has  been  called  Bell-bird  on  account  of  the 
sound  of  a  flock  resembling  a  peal  of  bells.  Writing 
of  it  as  observed  by  himself  in  its  native  land  Andreas 
Keischek  says: — "As  soon  as  the  sun  has  risen,  the 
singers  grow  silent,  and  scatter  to  seek  their  food — the 
nectar  of  blossoms.  Wherever  many  wild  bees  are 
found,  these  birds  disappear,  because  those  insects 
re<Ui(e  the  quantity  of  their  food.  As  the  petty  chieftain 
Tinatochi,  the  ruler  of  the  Hauturu  Islands,  has  refused 
to  allow  bees  1o  be  introduced  into  his  domain,  our 
Bell  bird  its  still  fairly  abundant  there.  In  September, 
1883,  three  paire  built  their  nests  here  near  my  Nikau- 
ware  (hut  of  palm-leaves)  in  the  thick  branches  of  trees,, 
at  a  height  of  6.6  to  16.6  feet,  using  for  their  construc- 
tion small  dry  twigs,  roots,  and  moss,  and  as  a  lining 
to  the  egg-cavity  soft  feathers.  In  October  the  hens 
laid  four  to  Hve  eggs,  the  white  ground- coiour  of  which 
was  den.sely  covered  with  p;ile  red  spots.  Both  sexes 
incubated  alternately  and  together  reared  the  young, 
on  nectar,  insetrts,  and  berries."  (Cf.  Russ,  "  Fremdl. 
Stubenvogel,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  371.) 

Many  years  ago  this  species  was  imported  by  Charles 
Ja.mrach,  and  since  that  time  the  London  Zoological 
Society  has  received  specimens  in  1871,  1872  and  1895  ; 
but  as,  in  spite  of  efforts  to  protect  it,  this  little  Honey- 
eater,  which  at  one  time  was  distributed  over  the  whole 
of  New  Zealand,  api>ears  now  to  have  almost,  if  not 
quite,  disappeared  from  the  North  Island  and  seems 
to  be  restricted  to  the  South  Island  and  a  few  neigh- 
bouring islets,  it  is  hardly  likely  that  it  will  ever  be 
a  familiar  bird  in  the  market  here  ;  but  this,  alas  !  is 
practically  true  of  most  New  Zealand  birds  ;  the  speci- 
mens left  alive  by  cats.  Sparrows  and  other  vermin  are 
jealously  protected  by  the  European  colonists. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


SUGAR=BIRDS   (Carebidce). 

These  birds  are  related  to  the  Tanagers,  and  Dr. 
Sclater  observes  that  it  "  is  in  some  instances  difficult 
to  distinguish  the  Cipiihuhi-  from  the  TaniKjrifhr  on  the 
one  side  ami  from  the  Mniolilfidw  on  the  other,  but  the 
more  slender,  unnotched  bill  and  filamentous  termina- 
tion of  the  extensile  tongue,  when  the  latter  character 
is  discernible,  will  usually  serve  to  indicate  a  Coerebine 
bird."  It  may  be  well  to  note  that  the  Mniotillidm  are 
the  "  Bushcreei)ers,"  and  replace  the  Old  World 
Warblers  in  America. 

The  management  of  Sugar-birds  in  captivity  should 
lie  similar  to  that  of  Tanagers.  Four  species  have, 
during  the  last  few  years,  been  sparingly  inqiorted  into 
England,  and  may,  ])crhaps,  one  of  these  d.ays,  be  a» 
freely  imported   as   the   best   known   Tanagers.     If  so. 


Wattlkd  Honev-kateus. 
{S/:clr/ud  al  the  Zoolo/jii'a/  (lai-driis 


72 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOE   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


doubtless  their  price,  which  is  now  very  high,  may  be 
expected  to  become  fairly  reasonable. 

YELLOW-\^^NCED  SuGAR-BiKD  (Uoercha  ctjanea). 
It  is  bright  purplish  blue,  with  the  lores,  a  space 
enclosing  tTie  eve,  the  mantle,  wings  and  tail  black; 
the  crown  pale  "blue  ;  inner  webs  of  wing  feathers  and 
under  wing-coverts  sulphur  yellow,  whence  its  trivial 
name;  bill  black;  feet  carnation  red;  iris  dark  brown. 
The  female  is  green,   dark  above,  yellowish  and   indis- 


at  the  migrating  season  they  feed  greedily  on  soft 
saccharine  fruit^i,  oranges  for  example,  and  then  come 
even  into  the  gardens  of  the  settlers."  ("  Syst.  Uebers. 
der  ThieiB  Brasiliens,"  3,  p.  151.)  According  to  Bart- 
lett,  this  bird  is  "  common  at  certain  seasons "  in 
Eastern  Peru  (P.Z.S.,  18?3,  p.  260).  Taczanowski  in 
his  "  Ornithologie  du  Perou,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  437,  does  not 
even  give  as  much  information  respecting  the  wild  life 
as  this.  W.  A.  Forbes,  who  would  have  given  informa- 
tion if  he  could,  says  (Thf  Ibis.  1881,  p.  330):    "Only 


Yellow-wingei)  Sugar-bird. 


tinctly  streaked  below ;  wings  and  tail  blackish,  edged 
with  green  ;  inner  webs  of  wing  feathers  and  under 
wing-cuverts  yellow. 

This  bird  ranges  from  Southern  Mexico  southwards 
to  south-east  Brazil  and  Bolivia,  and  occur.s  in  Cuba. 

It  may  readily  be  distinguished  from  any  species  of 
IJacnis  or  from  othiT  birils  of  more  nearly  related 
genera  by  its  slender  curved  bill  and  its  colouring. 

Burmei^ter  observes  of  this  species  that  "  in  tho 
entire  forest  region  of  tropical  Brazil,  from  Kio  de 
Janeiro  northwards  to  Para,  and  further  upwards  to 
Guiana  and  Colombia,  it  is  everywhere  known  and 
nowhere  rare.     Insects  are  its  chief  article  of  diet,  but 


once  did  I  come  across  this  bird — a  single  specimen  in 
immature  plumage  that  I  saw  in  the  garden  at 
Estancia." 

Salvin  {The  Ibis,  1888,  p.  257)  states  that  it  is  com- 
mon at  Yucatan  and  occurs  at  C'uba,  but  he  tells  us 
nothing  about  its  habits.  I  do  not  think  the  habits  of 
birds  greatly  interested  him,  he  was  more  devoted  to 
classification. 

Mr.  C.  F.  Underwood  (The  Ibis,  1896,  p.  435)  tells 
us  that  the  native  name  of  the  bird  in  Costa  Rica  is 
"  Picudo  "  ;  and  in  the  same  volume,  p  517,  Mr.  (J.  E. 
Lodge,  in  his  "Notes  on  West  Indian  Hummingbirds," 
remarks  :   "  In  this  clump  of  bamboos,  too,  were  several 


SUGAR-BIRDS. 


73 


nests  of  the  little  '  Sugar-eater,'  which  I  think  is 
Cceielia  cyania."  But  he  does  not  describe  either  nest 
or  eggs.  .     ,  , 

In  a  notice  of  Nehrkorn's  Catalogue  of  his  Egg-collec- 
tion {The  /fci-s  1899,  p.  462)  is  the  following  remark: 
"Among  the  special  rarities  of  the  collection  we  observe 
eg^s  of  ('(en ha  ci/anca  from  Amazonia  (of  an  almost 
uniform  black)";  but  H.  von  Jhering  (The  Ibis.  1901, 
p.  14)  says:  "  Nchrkorn  says  that  the  egg  of  Civiiha 
cyanca  is"  black,  and  Allen  (quoting  Smith)  says  that 
it  is  white,  with  fine  re<ldish  sihHs.  The  description 
of  Allen  is  in  harmony  with  my  specimens  of  the  eggs  of 
Uticiiis  cai/aiia  and  with  Euler's  account  of  those  of 
Certh iolu  rhloropi/(/a." 

After  wading  throuiih  about  fiftv  volumes,  this  is  all 
the  information  wliich  I  have  been  able  to  bring 
together  re.spetting  the  wild  life  of  one  of  the  most 
charming,  abundant  and  widely  distributed  of  American 
birds.* 

Dr.  Kuss  states  that  the  male  assumes  female  plumage 
in  the  winter  ;  and  Mr.  Frank  Finn  has  remarked  ujxin 
the  seasonal  changes  in  this  specie-. 
("Jonrn.  Asiat.  Soc.  Beng.," 
LXVII,,  pt.  ll.,p.  64.) 

About  sixty  head  of  this  species 
were  purchased  in  New  York  in  1873 
and  brought  into  the  German  bird 
market,  where  they  fetched  about 
24  marks  apiece.  Previous  to  that 
date  isolated  examples  had  been  re- 
ceived. 

All  the  hens,  with  the  exception 
of  one  posses.sed  by  a  Mr.  Heer, 
quiikly  died  ;  hut  this  specimen 
lived  for  over  two  years.  They  were 
fed  upon  a  mixture  of  finely  grated 
sweet  almonds  (from  which  the  skins 
had  previously  been  caiefully  removed 
by  scraping  with  the  finger-nails), 
crushed  biscuit,  and  white  sugar. 
Most  of  tlie  examples  are  supposed 
to  have  died  owing  to  their  having 
been  fed  upon  Nightingale  food — 
yolk  of  egg,  curd  cheese,  fruit,  etc. 

From    time    to    time    examples    of 
this    lovely    species    appear    in    the 
bird-market,       and      are      generally 
snapjied  up  by  bird-exhibitors  ;   if  treated  like  Tanagers, 
that  is  to  cidy,  provided  with  a  good   insectivorous  food 
and  plenty  of  ripe  soft  fruit,  I  believe  therei  is  no  dif- 
ficulty in  keeping  thei;i  in  good  health  and  condition. 
PXTRPLK  SlTGAR-BiRD  (Coereha  cceruho). 

Male  purplish  blue,  with  the  wings,  tail,  lores,  throat 
and  under  wing-coverts  black.  Female  above  dark 
green  ;  lores  rufous ;  below  pale  vellowish,  striated 
•\vith  dark  green  ;  throat  rufous :  bill  blackish ;  feet 
brown  ;  irides  dark.  Habitat,  Colombia  southwai-d  to 
Amazonia,  Eastern  Peru,  and  Bolivia. 

I  have  not  come  across  any  notes  on  the  wild  life 
■of  this  species,  excepting  that  Salmon  states  that  its 
food  consists  of  insects.  Capt.  Pam  secured  two  speci- 
mens for  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1905,  and 
therefore  it  seems  better  to  mention  it.  Of  course,  it 
should  be  fed  like  other  Sugar-birds  and  Tanagers,  for 
it  is  not  likely  that,  even  in  its  wild  state,  it  lives  upon 
insects  only. 

Black-headed  Sugar-bird  {CMorop/ianes  spiza). 
Upper  surface  bright  shining  green,  slightly  tinged 
*  Th:eneniann,  hoiverer,  eaj-s  that  the  nest  rasembles  that  of 
the  European  Whitethroat.  being  constnict<><i  eiternally  of  root 
fibres  of  an  orchis,  the  interior  being  n<3atl.v,  but  transparentlv, 
lined  with  ha.ir-like  dark  slender  grass  stems;  a  little  cobweb 
both  outside  and  in. 


with  bluisli ;  wing  and  tail  feathers  blackish  with  green 
margins  ;  crown  and  sides  of  head  black  ;  under  surface 
slightly  bluer  green  than  the  upper  parts  ;  beak  yellow, 
the  culmen  broadly  black  ;  feet  black-brown ;  irides 
dark  brmvn.  Female  grass-green  ;  paler  in  the  centre 
and  sides  below  ;  upper  mandible  blackish,  lower 
yellow;  feet  brown;  aides  brown.  Habitat,  Guate- 
mala, southwards  through  Central  and  South  America 
to  S.E.   Brazil  and  Bolivia. 

Burineister  iiays  that  "  in  the  forest  regions  of  Cen- 
tral Brazil  it  affects  open  places  at  the  borders  of 
woods,  is  not  very  shy,  and  like  the  following  species 
may  be  met  with  close  to  and  even  in  the  aardens  of 
■the"  settlers."     (Syst.  Uebcrs.,  Part  III.,  p.  153.) 

Bartlett  states  that  this  bird  is  "abundant  through- 
out the  country"  in  Easjtem  Peru  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc, 
1873,  p.  260). 

Mr.  Walter  Goodfellow  {The  Ihis,  1901,  p.  319) 
says  :  "  These  birds  mostly  frequent  the  banana  planta- 
tions, and  by  tying  a  bunch  of  the  ripe  fruit  to  one  of 
the  trees  we  managed  to  get  a  great  number  of  them." 


IHE  Blue  Sugar  bird. 

Russ  quotes  a  long  statement  by  Paul  Mangelsdorff 
respet-ting  his  successes  in  traj^ping  this  bird  in  Brazil, 
but  it  unfortunately  adds  nothing  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  life-hietory  of  the  species. 

C.  Hagenbeck  first  imported  this  Sugar-bird  into 
Germany  in  1873,  but  the  London  Gardens  had  two 
specimens  as  early  as  1848  ;  subsequently  Bekemanns,  of 
Antwerp,  on  several  occasions  received  single  specimens. 
Prince  Ferdinand  of  Bulgaria  also  in  1880  brought  home 
this  species  on  his  return  from  liis  travels,  but  it  seems 
never  to  have  been  so  freely  imported  as  its  relatives 
Ccereba  cijanfa  and  Dacnis  caijana;  yet  one  would 
have  supjxised  that  a  bird  with  so  tremendous  a  range 
that  it  has  been  considered  worth  while  to  break  it  up 
into  several  more  or  less  doubtful  sub-siiecies,  and  so 
common  that  Paul  Mangelsdorff  caught  ne;irly  a  dozen 
with  a  trap-cage  in  less  than  a  week,  would  have  come 
more  frequently.  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  imported  a  hen 
in  1907  which  he  priced  at  50s.,  on  account  of  its  rarity 
in  the  market. 

Blue  Sugar-bird  {Dacnis  cai/ana). 

The  colouring  of  the  male  is  shining  blue,  very 
slightly  glossed  with  greenish ;  the  forehead,  lores, 
throat,  mantle,  and  tail  black;  the  wings  black,  edged 
with  blue,  ashy  underneath;  the  bill  is  black,  the  feet 
reddish-brown,  the  iris  brown. 


74 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


The  female  is  bright  green,  with  blue  head  and  pale 
pearly  lavender  throat ;  the  wing  feathers  black,  edged 
\rith  green  ;  the  abdoniun  yollower  ihan  the  rest  of  the 
body.  Habitat,  Central  America  southwards  to 
Southern  Brazil  and  Bolivia. 

Paul  Mangelsdorf  says  of  this  species: — "Like  the 
other  Sugar-birds,  it  is  always  seen  in  pairs,  or  after 
the  completion  of  the  nesting  season  in  small  flocks  of 
three  or  four  iiulividuals  together.  It  Ik  then  fond  of 
mixing  with  flocks  of  Callistes,  to  which  it  has  a  similar 
call-note.  Both  kinds  of  birds  answer  one  another,  and 
follow  the  recognised  tsih. 

"It  gem  rally  perches  upon  such  trees  and  shrubs  as 
have  few  branches,  and  which  therefore  afford  it  but 
little  protection  ;  consequently  it  can  easily  be  secured 
with  a  catapult*,  much  more  easily  than  the  Yellow- 
winged,  and,  anyhow,  quite  as  easily  as  the  Callistfs 
and  Euphnnias.  The  jiair  is  faithful  throughout  the 
year.  In  short,  when  one  sees  one  of  these  birds  he 
will  not  need  to  seek  long  for  the  other  ;  moreover,  the 
female,  which  can  scarcely  be  seen  in  its  leaf-green 
colouring,  always  betrays  itself  quickly  by  its  restless- 
ness. How  little  cautious  these  small  birds  are  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  they  do  not  fear  to  pass  over  wide 
open  spaces  in  undulating,  hurrying  flight.  As  a  fruit- 
eater,  like  all  its  relatives,  it  can  be  found  everywhere 
where  sweet  fruits  e.\i.st ;  that  is,  at  the  time  when  the 
fruit  is  ripe  on  the  wild  fig-trees,  which  then  afford 
focd  in  abundance,  in  the  forest  for  all  fruit-eaters  of 
that  kind.  In  gardens  it  affects  the  soft-fleshed  kinds 
of  fruit,  .Jabutikava,  .Jambu,  Bananas,  Caju,  the  frag- 
rant fruits  of  the  Passion-flower.  Figs  and  Mandarines, 
whose  thin  rind  its  bill  is  able  to  pierce.  On  the  China- 
orange-trce  it  searches  the  bIos.=om,  it  only  settles  on 
the  thick-rinded  fruit  if  one  of  the  larger  fruit-eaters,  a. 
Parrot,  a  Hangnest,  or  Woodpecker,  has  left  it  half 
devoured.  At  the  same  time  it  feeds  upon  insects,  and 
possibly  also  the  honey  and  pollen  of  flowers.  It  is, 
moreover,  especially  fond  of  the  little  scarlet  fruit  of 
the  size  of  a  henipseed  of  a  shrub  which  grows  abund- 
antly here  ;  upon  this  I  have  seen  it  feasting  in  the 
company  of  Callistes  and  Pa.sserine  Parrotlets.  A  ripe 
banana-bush  in  like  manner  is  palpably  the  greatest 
attraction  to  such  birds,  yet  this  delight  is  not  too 
often  theirs,  becai:.i.2  r.ian,  ever  against  the  birds, 
cuts  off  the  bananas  while  still  in  an  unripe  condi- 
tion, and  allows  them  to  ripen  afterwards  when  well 
piotected." 

The  above,  which  I  have  translated  from  Ru.ss'  "  Die 


Fiemdliindischen  Stubenvfigel,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  413-14,  is 
all  that  I  have  discovered  about  the  wild  life  of  this 
species. 

It  has  for  many  years  been  imported  regularly  to 
the  Continental  bird  markets  in  small  numbers,  and  is 
pronounced  by  Dr.  Russ  less  delicate  than  Ccereha 
ri/aiirn.  He  says  :  "  Since  the  year  1873  I  have  receive<l 
this  Sugar-bird  several  times.  At  that  time  the  old 
dealer,  G.  Lintz.  of  Hamburg,  im]iorted  rarities  of  that 
kind,  and  from  him  I  received  the  first  male  ;  for  this 
however  to  the  end  I  was  unable  to  secure  a  female, 
and  thus  this  solitary  bird  was  of  little  interest  to  nic, 
as  he  develope<l  no  peculiarities  which  made  him  seem 
e.-ipcrially  valuable."  In  1881  the  dealer  Fockelmann 
sent  him  several  specimens,  but  they  all  proved  to  1)6 
males. 

I  believe  that  a  female  exhibited  by  Mr.  Fulljames 
in  1897  was  the  first  specimen  shown-  in  this  country  ; 
in  1898  a  fine  male  appeared  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
Show. 

•  PosBlbl;  a  110096,  but  thea  the  .idvantago  of  the  scarcity  of 
branchea  is  not  ezplain«d. 


TANAGERS    {Tanagi-idcR). 

Tanagers  are  fruit-eating  Finches  (Dr.  Sclater  caila 
them  deiitirostral  Finches,  because  the  beak  terminates 
in  a  little  tooth  which  enables  them  to  scoop  mouthtuls 
out  of  soft  fruits)  ;  they,  however,  also  live  partly  on 
insects,  of  which  some  species  are  much  more  fond 
than  others.  In  their  diet  and  the  character  of 
their  eggs  they  somewhat  more  nearly  approach  the 
Warblers  ;  therefore  Dr.  Cabanis  and  Prince  Bonaparte 
placed  them  in  the  same  family  with  the  Bush-creepers 
[Mnioliltidcc)  of  .South  America;  but  ornithologists 
are  now  agreed  as  to  their  being  Finches,  with  the 
exception  ol  Prof.  Ridgway,  who  refers  certain  genera, 
either  wholly  or  in  part,  to  the  typical  i'inches 
(h'l  ingUli(hr),  and  others  to  the  Bush-creepers  [Mnio- 
tiltirlce).  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  is  right  in  doing  so, 
but  in  a  work  dealing  with  cage-birds  for  the  use  of 
aviculturirits,  to  whom  the  correct  feeding  and  treat- 
iiient  ot  birds  is  of  mone  impoitance  tlian  classification, 
I  think  it  would  tend  to  confuse  the  reader  if  one  de- 
viated so  greatly  from  the  well-known  classification 
followed  in  the  Museum  Catalogue  of  Birds. 

These  lovely  birds  did  not  reuili  this  country  in  any- 
thing approaching  fair  numbers  until  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1897  ;  or,  if  fiom  time  to  time  a  dozen  or  so 
came  into  the  market,  they  were  in  such  miserable 
condition,  from  the  bad  treatment  which  tliey  hal  re- 
c-eived  during  importation,  that  most  of  them  soon  died. 
Then,  again,  the  foolish  notion  which,  tor  many  year;-, 
prevailed  amongst  bird-lovers  that  a  delicate  bird  could 
be  better  looked  after  in  a  small  cage  than  in  a  good- 
sized  flight,  effectually  precluded  the  possibility  of  any 
Tanager  so  treated  becoming  either  healthy,  happy,  or 
perfect  in  plumage.  In  my  "Foreign  Finches  in  Cap- 
tivity "  I  pointed  out  the  necessity  for  keeping  these 
active  fruit-eating  birds  in  large  flights  where  they 
could  not  only  fly,  but  wash  at  will,  where  al.'o  they 
could  get  away  trom  the  stickiness  and  smell  of  their 
food;  and,  although  I  then  had  no  practical  experience 
in  keeping  Tanagers,  I  prophesied  that  if  rationally 
treated  these  jewelled  birds  would  prove  no  more 
delicate,  greedy,  or  dirty  than  any  other  species. 

The  most  freely  imported  Tanagers  are  the  Sculet, 
tlij  Violet,  the  Black,  and  the  Superb,  all  of  which  can 
at  times  be  secured  at  a  tolerably  reasonable  rate. 

In  the  spring  of  1897  I  found  tint  the  price  of 
Tanagers  had  so  far  fallen  that  I  felt  justified  in 
putting  my  teaching  to  the  test,  and  I  am  now  able  to 
as-sert  positively  that  Tanagers  are  e,asy  to  keep  in  health 
and  in  perfect  plumage;  that  they  are  not  excessive 
feeders,  are  lively,  tolerably  intelligent  and  confiding; 
in  fine,  they  are  among  the  most  delightful  of  cage- 
birds. 

The  feeding  of  Tanagers  is  similar  to  that  of  most 
other  fruit-eating  fonns — a  good  insectivorous  food  must 
be  provided,  although  comparatively  little  of  it  may  be 
eaten,  some  of  these  birds  hardly  touching  it  excepting 
to  pick  out  the  yolk  of  egg;  and,  a.^  fniit,  ripe  orange, 
]>ear,  or  split  fresh  figs  and,  of  course,  banana;  meal- 
\\orms,  smooth  caterpill.irs,  fir  spiders  are  regarded  as 
a,  great  trvat  and  should  l>t>  given  when  available. 

Some  of  these  birds  eat  and  even  husk  seeds,  in 
which  respect  they  evince  Fringilline  affinities,  but 
nevertheless  do  tiot  necessarily  belong  to  the 
FringilUdce;  on  the  contrary  Saltator  auranluroslris  is- 
specially  noted  by  Ridgway  as  not  a  true  Finch, 

All-giieen  T.\n.\gf.r  (C'hioropfwnia  viridxs). 

Head  and  neck  bright  green  ;  Kick  dark  blue-green  ; 
wing-coverts  bljisih;  najie,  circle  round  eye  and  upper 
tail-coverts    sky-blue;     wing     and    tail-feathers    black. 


(1)  Violet 


TANAGEKS. 

(2)  Scarlet. 


(3)  Superb. 


76 


FOREIQN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


edged  with  green ;  under  surface  bright  yellow ;  under 
wing-coverts  and  innei  margins  of  wing-feathers  white; 
bill  dark  leaden  grey ;  feet  bluish  flesh-brown ;  irides 
brown.  Female  with  the  blue  of  the  upper  surface 
confined  to  the  napi-  and  rump,  the  back  brownish 
olivaceous;  tlie  under  surface  yellowish  green.  Habitat, 
S.E.  Brazil. 

Nothing  appears  to  be  known  respecting  the  wild  life 
of  this  beautiful  bird  ;  mdeed,  excepting  for  Hudson's 
notes  in  "The  Birds  of  the  Argentine  Republic"  the 
few  records  of  tbe  habits  of  S.  American  birds  when  at 
liberty  are  widely  sc-;>tteTe<l.  Whethe,r  it  is  that 
.students  of  South  American  birdskins  have  been  utterly 
apathetic  with  regard  to  living  birds,  and  therefore 
have  not  asked  their  ccllectors  to  note  the  wild  life 
of  the  birds  which  they  h;ive  shot,  one  cannot  tell ;  but 
it  is  a  fact  that  most  of  the  papers  published  by  great 
students  of  tropical  American  birds  are  of  no  interest, 
excepting  to  the  cabinet  naturalist ;  even  Taczanowski 
in  his  three-volume  work  on  the  ornithology  of  Peru 
gives  remark.ibly  little  information  respecting  the  life 
history  of  Peruvian  birds. 

The  London  Zoological  Gardens  received  this  Tanager 
in  1875  and  1876.  !uid  again  in  1895 ;  Miss  Hagenbeck 
received  several  e.xamples  in  1881,  and  Russ  obtained 
one  from  Fockelmann ;  Miis.  Darviot  received  a  p;i.ir 
in  1888,  and  various  aviculturists  in  this  country  have 
from  time  to  time  had  examples. 

Why  a  bird  which  is  blue,  green,  black,  yellow,  and 
white  should  h:ive  received  the  foolish  and  misleading 
name  of  -Ml-green  Tanager  will,  I  suppose,  never  be 
known.  Dr.  Russ'  niuiis  for  it,  "  Blue-naped,"  would 
be  far  more  appropriate,  but  I  suppose  if  I  had 
adopted  it  I  should  have  been  called  to  account,  as  I 
have   been  for  altering  other  absurd   names. 

yELLOW-FRONTED  T-VXAGER  (Evjjhonia  viusica). 

Crown  blue,  with  a  broad  frontal  yellow  band 
bordered  behind  by  a  black  line  ;  nape  and  bock,  vdngs 
and  tail  purplish-black  ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts 
and  under  surface  of  body  orange-yellow  ;  throat  shining 
black  ;  axillaries  pale  yellow  ;  under  wing-coverts  and 
inner  margins  of  wing-feathers  white ;  bill  and  feet 
black.  Female  olive  green  with  blue  crown  and  yellow- 
tinged  front ;  below  yellowish  olivaceous.  Habitat,  San 
Domingo, 

I  can  discover  no  field-notes  relating  to  this  species. 
Apparently  only  one  example  hitherto  has  been  inv 
ported,  and  thit  was  in  1871;  it  was  sent  to  the 
Zoological  Gardens  of  Amsterdam, 

Black-necked  Tanager  (Euphonia  nigricollis). 

The  male  nearly  resembles  that  sex  of  the  preceding 
species,  hut  has  a  black  frontal  band,  and  the  nape  as 
well  as  crown  blue;  the  inner  margins  of  wing-feathers 
a^hy ;  feet  p.ile  brown;  irides  dark.  The  female  is 
olive  green  with  lilue  crown  and  chestnut  forehead;  the 
rump  paler  than  the  back  ;  below  yellowish  olivaceous, 
brighter  on  the  abdomen.  Habitat,  South  America 
from  Coloml)ia  to  Paraguay  and  Central  Peru. 

Mangolsdorff  expresses  his  belief  that  this  bird  in- 
habits flat,  hot  mountainous  country,  because  on  his 
return  joumey  he  was  able  to  secure  an  entire  dozen 
of  these  birds  in  the  markets  of  Rio  and  Bahia ;  he, 
however,  failed  to  bring  home  any  of  them  alive,  as 
his  .<ito3k  of  bananas  went  rotten,  and  so,  for  want  of 
the  necessary  food,  the  birds  died. 

Walter  Goodfellow  {The  Jbh,  1901,  p.  459)  says  :— 
"  They  are  generally  met  with  in  small  flocks,  and  keep 
to  the  highest  trees." 

E.  nlgricollis    occurs  on  the    mountain  of  Roraima 


(British   Guiana),  at  a  height  of  3,500  leet,  according 
to  Mr.  Henry  Whitely  (cf.  The  Ibis,  1885,  p.  208). 

Burmeister  says  that  it  occurs  in  the  forests  of  the 
southern  and  eastern  districts  of  Brazil,  and  thence 
down  to  Paraguay  up  to  the  foot  of  the  Cordilleras 
(Syst.  Uebers.,  Ill,,  p,  193).  The  London  Gardens  re- 
ceived this  bird  in  1866,  1892,  and  1895;  but  it  is  very 
rare  in  the  bird-market. 

Chestnut-fhonied  Tanager  (Euphonia  ehyantUsima). 
"  Above  dark  glos.sy  purplish  black ;  ca]>  and  nape 
blue ;  narrow  front,  dark  chestnut,  bordered  posteriorly 
by  a  narrow  black  line ;  below  deep  brownish  orange 
red,  throat  black;  under  wing-coverts  and  inner  edges 
of  wini»-fealhers  white;  bill  black;  feet  pale  brown; 
whole  length  4.5  inch&s,  wing  2.5,  tail  1,5,  Female. — 
Aliove,  olive-green,  cap  blue;  front  chestnut;  below 
yellowish  olive,  brighter  in  the  middle  of  the  belly; 
throiit  p:de  red.  Habitat,  Southern  Mexico  and  Central 
America  down  to  Panama."  (P.  L.  Sclater,  "  Cat. 
Birds,"  Vol.  XL,  p.  62.) 

According  to  Jluss,  the  traveller  A.  von  Frantzius 
reported  that  this  species  occurred  abundantly  in  the 
vicinity  cf  San  Jose  in  Costa  Rica.  "  Here  the  young 
birds  especially  are  caught  by  boys  in  July  and  August, 
brought  for  sale,  and  kept  in  cages  for  the  sake  of  their 
song.  They  are  then  fed  almost  wholly  upon  ripe 
Pisang-fruits.  When  at  liberty  one  finds  them  in  clear 
spaces  and  upon  withered  trees,  where  they  devour  the 
fruit  of  a  parasitical  plant  resembling  our  mistletoe." 
"It  must  be  just  this  species  which,  according  to  the 
statements  of  A.  E.  Brehm,  to  his  surprise  uttered  no 
liell  like  sound,  as  Schomburgk  describes,  but  a  really 
charming  varied  song,  and  was  at  the  same  time  a  most 
industrious  songster.  In  verity  one  may  if  one  pleases 
best  compare  the  song  of  this  bird  with  that  of  the 
Black-headed  Weaver  or  Textor.  The  song  consists  of 
a  number  of  isolated  sounds  which  are  connected  to- 
gether by  creaking  and  buzzing,  of  which  a  continuous 
whole  is  formed,  not  unpleasing  in  itself,  while  at  the 
same  time  very  peculiar.  In  tliis  statement,  which 
Brel.ni  enunciated  in  January.  1873,  there  must  be  a 
gi'eat  error,  ina.^'imuch  as  the  song  of  the  Textor  is  de- 
scribed in  my  '  Haudbuch  fiir  Vogelliebhaber,'  as  also 
in  all  other  reliable  works,  as  -consisting  of  chirping, 
snarling,  hissing,  and  cackling  sounds,  and  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  unpleasing," — Russ,  "  Fremdl. 
Stubenv."  II.,  pp.  441-2. 

It  appears  that  formerly  both  Brehm  and  Russ  re- 
ceived tins  species,  but  in  the  latter  cafe  only  a  single 
example  of  the  male,  obtained  from  Lintz,  of  Hamburg ; 
it  is  not  noted  as  having  reached  any  Zoologiiil 
Gardens, 

Gold-fronted  Tanager  {Euphonia  Havifmnt). 
Dark  olive-green  ;  forehead  bio.idly  yellow,  bounded 
at  back  by  a  bhick  line  ;  crown  and  nape  blue ;  under 
parts  olive-green,  sides  of  head  darker ;  the  throat 
.yellowish  ;  axillaries  pal-?  yellow  ;  under  wing-coverts 
and  inner  edges  of  wing-featlier.-i  wdiitish ;  bill  dark 
1-,'aden-grey ;  feet  broivn.  Female  rather  paler,  but 
otherwise  "similar.     Habitat,  Lesser  Antilles. 

I  am  unable  to  discover  any  notes  whatever  res|>ect- 
ing  the  wild  life  of  this  Tanager. 

Two  specimens  of  E.  flavifrons  from  Dominica  were 
presented  to  the  Ix)ndon  Zoological  Gardens  in  May, 
1889,  by  Mrs.  Herbert,  but  I  am  not  aware  of  any  other 
instances  of  its  imjwrtation. 

Greenish   Tanager    {Euphonia    chlorolica). 
Above   pui-plish-black ;    forehead   to  middle   of   crown 
yellow;    below  .yellow  with   the  throat  purpl ish- black  ; 
wings     below      black      with      a      large      white      patch 


78 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


on  the  inner  webs  of  the  flights ;  tail  below 
black,  a  large  wliite  patch  on  the  inner  webs 
of  the  two  outermost  feathers ;  bill  and  feet  black. 
Female  above  f;rej--gre€n,  the  front  and  rump  yellower; 
below  also  yellower,  ashy  at  centre  of  breast  and 
abdomen;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts  jKile  yellor>v; 
under  wing-coverts  and  inner  nnrgins  of  wing-feathers 
whitish.  Habitat,  (iaiana.  Brazil,  Faraway,  Bolivia, 
•and  Eastern  Peru  :  the  Guianan  form  being  typical,  the 
others  being  fiubdividcd  into  two  or  three  local  races 
or  sub-species. 

Respecting  this  species  also  T  have  found  no  notes 
on  the  life-history.  The  Zoological  Society  purchased 
a  male  in  August"  1892.  The  n.ime  appears  to  nie  mis- 
leading ;  it  applies  better  to  the  female  than  the  male. 

Dwarf  Tanager  (Euphonia  minuta). 

Glossy  greenish  black,  purplish  on  neck  and  irpper 
"back;  a  broad  yellow  front:iI  band;  throat  purjjli.ih 
black ;  breast  and  front  of  abdomen  yellow ;  hinder 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  inner  webs  of  flights  white ;  tail  below 
black,  the  inner  webs  of  three  outer  feathers  with  a 
con.'^piouous  white  jiatch  ;  bill  leaden  grey;  feet  black. 
Female  above  olivegrecn,  below  yellowish  olive;  throat 
and  centre  of  abdomen  ashy  white.  Habitat,  Guiana, 
Ix)wer  Ania7X>nia,  Colombia,  Panama,  and  Central 
America  up  to  Guatemala.      (Sclater.) 

I  can  discover  nothing  respecting  the  wild  life  of  this 
little  Tanager.  Captain  Pam  brought  home  a  pair  from 
Venezuela  in  1906  and  presented  them  to  the  London 
Zoological  Society.- 

Violet  Tanager  {Euplionia   violacea). 

Above,  forehead  and  front  of  the  crown  bright  yellow ; 
the  cheeks,  back  of  neck,  back,  wings,  and  t-ail  puq)lisli 
bhie-black;  the  under  surface  bright  yellow,  the  legs 
and  beak  black,  the  upper  mandible  produced  into  a 
curved  point ;  iris  of  ej-e  hazel.  Female  above  olive- 
green,  below  yellowish  olive;  wing-feathers  white  at 
base  of  inner  webs.  Habitat,  Guiana,  Trinidad,  Lower 
Amazonia,  and  S.E.  Brazil.  According  to  Bui-meister 
an  inhabitant  of  the  whole  forest  region  of  Brazil ;  he 
says  that  he  found  it  abundantly  a.t  New  Freiburg,  as 
the  bird  is  nowhere  rare,  and  yet  he  gives  no  infonnation 
respecting  its  habits.  Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  (The  Ibis.  1881, 
p.  331)  savs  tb.it  he  found  it  sparingly  botb  in  gardens 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  high  forest,  and  he  adds; — ■ 
"  This  bird  is  kept  commonly  as  a  cage-bird  bv  the 
T?razilians,  who  call  it  'Guarratan,'  a  name,  as  already 
observed,  also  applied  to  several  other  small  brightly 
phunaged  birds." 

R.u.=s,  quoting  apparently  from  Mangelsdorff.  though 
he  does  not  say  so,  observes: — "In  freedom  the  little 
•^ird  is  uncommonly  lively  and  quick  :  sometimes  when 
flying,  and  if  it  is  leaping  about  on  the  fruit-trees  one 
miT  h*^.ar  its  short  tuneful  call  note.  Its  fond  con.sists 
of  all  kinds  of  fruit,  and  should  the  '  Organists'*  after 
the  breeding-season  unite  into  flights  or  sw.arms  they 
are  cipa-ble  nf  accomplishing  <'onsiderable  damage  to 
banana,  orange,  and  other  like  fruit-troes,  inasmuch  as 
they  arc  vor.acious  feeders.  The  nest  is  formed  in  ,a 
dense  thicket,  or  in  a  tangle  of  <'reepfrs.  usuallv  large 
and  not  verv  neatly,  of  grass-stalks,  fibres,  fine  tendrils 
and  tufts  nf  cotton  and  lined  with  delic.-ite  stalks.  The 
clutch  consists  of  three  to  five  beautifullv  coloured  and 
marked  verv  thin-shelled  eggs."  (I'remdl.  Stubenv.,  II., 
p.  434.) 

Tho  colouring  of  the  eggs  is  not  mentioned  ;  but  there 
is  a  long   quotation    from  Mangi'Isdorff    respecting   the 

*  German  trivial  ramo  for  all  the  Euphonice. 


wild  foods  of  the  bird,  its  charming  song  and  power  of 
mimicking  the  songs  of  other  birds. 

In  captivity  this  Tanager  is  tolerably  amiable,  and, 
according  to  the  lute  Mr.  Abrahams,  "a  magnificent 
song.ster."  Of  this  I  can  say  nothing,  inasmuch  as 
although  in  1897  I  had  the  ojrportunity  of  purchasing 
this  pretty  little  bird  at  a  fairly  reasonable  price  (that 
is,  alK>'.it  dout)le  the  usual  German  charge  for  the  species), 
I  already  possessed  the  far  more  beautiful  Superb 
Tanager,  and  therefore  was  not  tempted  to  undertake  . 
another  fruit-eating  cage-bird;  but  it  seems  to  me 
hardly  likelv  that  the  generic  name  of  Euphunia 
("  pleasant  sounding  ")  would  have  been  given  to  a  group 
of  birds  unless  at  least  some  of  them  were  known  to 
warble  sweetly.  The  evidence  of  various  owners  of  this 
bird  varies  somewhat  ss  to  the  merit  of  its  song,  but 
we  well  kno'w  that  individuals  of  a  sjjecies  differ  con- 
siderably in  talent. 

TmcK-niLLED  Tanager  [Euphonia  laniirostris). 

Glossy  blue-black,  frontal  half  of  head,  extending  to 
behind  the  eyes  and  rounded  at  back,  a.s  well  as  under 
surface  of  body,  bright  yellow;  wings  below  black,  with 
a  large  basal  white  patch  on  the  inner  webs  of  the 
feathers  ;  tail  below  black,  with  a  large  white  patch,  not 
quite  extending  to  the  tips,  on  the  inner  weos  of  the 
two  outer  feathers;  bill  and  feet  blick.  Female  above 
olive-green,  below  yellowish  green,  brighter  on  middle 
of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverte.  Habitat,  Costa 
Rica,  Veragua,  Panama.  Colombia,  Venezuela,  Upper 
Amazonia,  Peru,  and  Bolivia. 

I  have  no  notes  as  to  the  wild  life  of  the  species,* 
but  it  would  doTjbtless  greatly  resemble  that  of  the 
Violet  Tanager;  with  which,  according  to  Russ,  it  has 
certainly  been  confounded  by  dealers.  He  says  that  in 
1893  the  wholesale  de:iler  E.  Reiche  sent  three  examples 
i<>  him  for  identification;  they  were  not,  however,  in 
full  adult  colouring,  >ind  so  he  could  not  at  first  make 
anything  of  them ;  liter  he  identified  them  at  the 
Zoologica.l  Museum  of  Berlin.  Apparently  he  kept  a 
paiir  of  these  birds,  whicTi.  liefore  six  months  bad  passed, 
went  to  nest,  but  without  residt. 

This  species  was  obtain. d  bv  the  London  Zoological 
Society  in  1872,  1878,  1679,  1890,  1892,  and  1906. 

Pectoral  Tanager  (Euphonia  pectoralis). 

Above  glossv  blue  black;  throat  and  breast  the  same 
colour;  the  latter  with  a  yellow  p:i!ch  on  each  side; 
abdomen  deep  chestnut;  wings  below  black  with  white 
coverts;  tail  below  black;  bill  black;  feet  dark  brown. 
Female  al)Ove  bright  olive-green  with  a  large  dark  grey 
patch  on  the  nape  ;  below,  throat  and  breast  grev  ;  sides 
of  breast  and  abdomen  olive-green  ;  under  tail-coverts 
clei'-  rufous.  Hafttat,  Wood-region  of  S.E.  Brazil 
(Sclater).  Bumiei.ster  only  tells  us  that  this  bird  "  ha.s 
its  home  in  the  entire  wooded  region  of  Brazil,  and  is 
nowhere  rare."  Mangelsdorff  says  that  it  loves  the 
forest,  but  occurs  everywhere  else  like  the  Violet 
Tanager,  and  that  its  wild  life  is  similar. 

Russ  says  that  in  1875  he  received  a  male  from  Miss 
Hapenhcck,  of  Hamburg,  and  in  the  same  year  it 
reached  the  Tjondon  Zoological  Gardens.  Paul  Mangels- 
dorff in  1889  brought  heme  a  male  from  Brazil,  but  it 
shortly  afterwards  died;  whether  it  has  since  appeared 
in  the  market  I  am  unable  to  say. 

Bi,ArK-nELHED  Tanager  {Euphonia  cat/ana). 

Gloss.v  bluish-black.  wHth  a  yellow  patch  on  each  side 
of  the  breast  ;  under  i\-ing-coverts  and  inner  margins 
of  flight.^  white;  bill  black;  feet  dark  bri>«-n.  Female 
above  bright  greenish  olive,  with  a  dark  grev  patch 
on  the  nape;  below  grey;  chin  and  sides  of  body  below 


TANAGEHS. 


79 


yellowish  olive ;  under  wihg-eoverts  white.  Habitat, 
Caveiin*',  Guiana,  and  Lower  jVinazonia  (Sclater). 

Desmarost  says: — "This  bird  lives  in  the  more  open 
tracts  of  Guiara,  in  the  rice-fields  in  the  vicinity  of 
human  habitations." 

G.  Lintz,  of  Hamburg,  imported  two  ejcamples  ot  this 


yelloH  i.sh  ;  below  ashy ;  sides  of  body  and  under  tall- 
coverts  veilowish  olive ;  under  wingcoverts  white. 
Habitat.  S.E.  Brazil  (Sclater). 

Banneister  say.s  that  this  species  appears  to  be  rare, 
but  he  gives  no  inform.itinn  timching-  its  life-history. 
Dr.  Russ  does  not  mention  it. 


r-^--' 


.i^^C^ 


Black-backed  Tanageh. 


Tanager  in  1871,  and  in  1875  Miss  Hagenbeck  sent  two 
specimens  to  Dr.  Russ  ;  it  dees  not.  however,  appear  to 
have  come  into  the  Ixjndon  markets  hitherto. 

Lead-coloured  T.\nager  {Ili/pophcra  diah/hra). 
Above  dark  bronzy  blui.*--!!  green ;  forehead  yellow ; 
below  yellow;  upper  part  of  throat  green  ;  under  wing- 
coverts while ;  flights  and  tail  below  dark  ashy ;  bill 
dark  leaden ;  feet  brown.  Female  above  olive-green ; 
forehead,   rump,   and   margins   of  wings  and   tail  more 


The  London  Zoologicnl  Gard-ns  acquired  a  pair  by 
purchase  m  August,  1892. 

Jamaica  Tanager  (Pyrrhuphonia  Jamaica). 

Above  bluish-grey;  below  paler;  middle  of  abdomen 
yellowish ;  axiliaries  pale  yellow ;  under  wing-coverts 
and  inner  webs  of  flights"  white;  under  tail-coverts 
whitish;  bill  dnrk  leaden:  fe<'t  dark  brown.  Female 
:ibove  pale  green,  head  bluish-grey;  below  pale  bluish- 
crev  ;  the  flanlcs  washed  with  green.     Habitat,  Jamaica. 


80 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


According  to  Gosse  (Birds  Jam.,  p.  238)  this  species 
is  an  irwjustrious  songster,  and  utters  very  distinct 
sounds,  penetrating,  long-drawn,  as  well  as  deep-sound- 
ins;  tones  reminding  one  of  the  ciy  of  a  Falcon.  Apart 
from  these  sounds  it  also  utters  a  pleasing  mei!odioua 
song.* 

Dr.  Russ  received  this  Tanager  from  the  dealer  Lintz, 
but  it  appears  to  be  very  rare  in  the  bird-market. 

We  now  come  to  what  Dr.  Sclater  regarded  as  the  more 
typical  Tanagers  {Tanagrinm),  which  he  again  sub- 
d'ivided  by  the  characttjr  of  the  bill— slender,  strong, 
bristly,  weak.  Whether  it  is  natural  to  place  such 
different  types  in  one  subfamily,  is  happily  a  question 
which  I  am  not  called  upon  to  decide. 

Red-bellied  T.^nager  (Tanagrrlla  velia). 

"Above  velvety  black;  forehead,  sides  of  head,  ex- 
ternal edgings  of  wing  and  tail  feathers,  and  oipper  tail- 
coverts  bright  blue  ;  lower  b.ick  shining  silvery  green  ; 
below  bright  blut".  irregular  collar  across  the  throat 
black  ;  middle  of  bellj*  and  crissum  chestnut-red  ;  under 
-.ving-covevts  white;  bill  black,  feet  dark  brown;  whole 
length  4.10in.,  wiiig  2.8,  tail  2.  Female  similar,  but 
not  quite  so  bright  in  colouring.  Habitat,  Cayenne  and 
Guiana  "  (P.  L.  Sclater). 

Obtained  on  Rorainia  at  a  height  of  3,500  feet 
(cf.  The  Ibis,  1885,  p.  209).  I  have  not,  howe<ver,  suc- 
ceeded in  di-i^covering  any  not^s  on  its  habits. 

An  example  was  presented  to  the  Ix>ndon  Zoological 
Society  by  Sir  William  Ingram  in  .July.  1893,  and  1 
have  aJi  impression  on  my  mind  that  this  is  not  the 
only  known  instance  of  its  importation;  indeed,  a 
dead  specimen  was  sent  to  me  in  the  flesh  in  1900. 
Blue-.\nd-Bl.\ck   T.^N.tGER   (Tanagrrlla  cyanomelcena). 

Velvet  black,  with  the  forehead  bright  blue;  centre 
of  crown  and  lower  back  pale  silvery  green  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  outer  margin.s  of  wing  and  tail  feather.? 
bright  blue;  sides  of  head  and  throat  bright  blue;  a 
black  collar;  under  surface  of  body  greyish-blue  with 
the  centre  of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  chestnut- 
red  ;  under  wmg-ooverts  white ;  bill  black ;  feet  dark 
brown;  irides  brown.  Female  similar  in  colouring,  but 
with  a  longer,  more  slender  and  tapering  bill.  Habitat, 
S.E.  Brazil. 

Bunneister  gives  no  information  respecting  the  wild 
life,  nor  can  I  discover  any  notes  elsewhere. 

A  specimen  of  this  beautiful  species  was  purchased  by 
the  London  Zoological  Socirty  in  Februarj',  1892,  and 
birds  identified  with  this  sri)ecies  have  more  than  once 
appeared  at  our  bird  shows. 

Black-d.vcked  Takagku  (Pipridfa  melanonota). 

Male  above  violaceous  blue  ;  forehead,  lores,  and  sides 
of  head  velvet  black  ;  interscapular  region  blue-blackish  ; 
wings  and  tail  black  edged  with  blue;  body  and  wing- 
coverts  below  clear  ochraceous ;  flights  and  tail-feathers 
below  blacki.'h  ;  bill  black  ;  feet  broftvn  (Sclater),  leaden 
(Taczanowski)  ;  irides  clear  reddish  brown.  Female 
above  dark  brown,  the  head  and  rump  tinged  with 
blue;  wings  and  tail  black  edged  with  blue,  forehead, 
lores,  and  sides  of  head  black  ;  below  clear  ochreous. 
Habitat,  Paraguay,  S.E.  Brazil,  Bolivia,  Pern,  Ecuador, 
and  Venezuela. 

Taczanow.ski  ("  Ornith.  Perou,"  Vol.  U.,  p.  451) 
remarks  that  ".at  Tambillo  they  were  always  high  up 
in  the  tops  of  trees." 

Of  the  examples  shot  bj'  Goodfellow  on  hi.«!  journey 
through  Colombia  and  Ecuador  [The  Ihis,  1901,  p.  160) 
he  says: — "Iris  in  all  ca.ses  bright  red.  The  stomachs 
contained  berries." 

This  is  all  that  I  have  discovered  connected  with  the 

•  Not  having  Go&se's  book  in  my  library  I  quote  from  Russ. 


wild  Jife.  Two  specimens  reached  the  London.  Zoo- 
logical Gardens  in  1866. 

At  recent  bird-shows  the  Black-shouldered  Tanager 
{Cnlli.ilt  melaiwnota)  has  been  called  Black-backed;  tihia 
IS  very  confusing,  and  ought  to  bo  avoided. 

The  genus  Callisir  is  the  largest  and  most  Ijeautiful 
group  of  birds  in  the  family.  Dr.  Sclater  says  of  it : — 
"Salmon  found  three  species  of  CaUinlc  ne.sting  in  the 
St.ate  of  Antioquia.  The  nest  is  open,  made  outwardly 
of  moss,  and  lined  with  fine  roots,  fibres,  and  horsehair. 
The  eggs  are  pale  greenish  in  colour,  more  or  less 
thickly  spotted  and  blotched  with  various  shades  of 
brown."— "Cat.  Birds,"  Vol.  XL,  p.  95. 

Paradise  Tan.\gek  {Calliste  tatao). 

Male  above  velvet-black ;  with  the  crowni  and  sides 
of  hrad  bright  grass-green  ;  lower  back  bright  crinuson, 
shading  into  orange  on  the  rump ;  lesser  wing-coverts 
turquuise-blue ;  other  coverts  and  jjrimaries  edged  more 
or  less  with  puj-])Iish  blue ;  throat  puiiilish-blue;  breast 
and  greater  part  of  abdomen  turijuoise-blue  ;  hinder 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  blackish  ;  bill  black ; 
feet  dark  brown  or  black  ;  irides  brown.  Female  similar, 
but  smaller,  the  colours  slightly  duller,  the  head  less 
golden  in  hue;  the  crimson  or  scarlet  on  back  more 
restricted,  and  the  bine  on  the  throat  more  restricted  in 
adult  birds.  Habitat,  Cayenne,  Guiana,  Rio  Negro, 
C':)lombia,  and  N.E.  Peru. 

Burmeister  remarks  of  this  Tanager  that  it  "inhabits 
the  forest  region  of  Brazil  to  the  lower  Amazon,  and 
goes  southward  about  as  far  as  Pern.ambuco,  at  most 
exceptionally  to  Bahia;  northwards  the  species  extends 
over  Guiana,  Venezuela,  and  New  Grenada,  but  no 
nearer  to  Peru.  It  is  certainly  not.  foijnd  at  Rio  de 
Janeiro;  there  one  meets  with  the  bird  in  the  hands  of 
dealers,  but  not  at  liberty."  ("  Syst.  Ucbers.,"  III., 
p.  188.)  He  seems,  however,  to  be  wrong  as  regards 
Peru,  there  being  a  male  from  Huambo  in  the  British 
Museum  series. 

In  his  "  Naturalist  in  the  Guianas,"  p.  190,  Eugene 
Andre  givts  a  coloured  illustration  of  this  Tanager,  and 
remarks: — "My  men  collected  some  good  Callisles, 
among  which  were  two  males  and  one  female  of  the 
b.^autiful  Callis/e  paradisea."  Naturally  he  gives  no 
information  respecting  the  wild  life  of  the  species. 

On  Minimi  mountains,  Rorainia,  this  bird  occurs  at 
.an  elevation  of  from  3,000  to  4.000  feet,  according  tc 
Henry  Whitely.     {Tlic  Ihis,  1885,  p.  209.) 

In  Peru,  according  to  .Stolzmann.  it  occurs  sometimes 
in  considerable  flocks  in  high  forest  or  oi)en  spaces, 
but  ai>parently  not  at  a  higher  elevation  than  4.500 
fe;'t;  in  the  stomachs  of  those  he  obtained  be  found 
seed.s  and  insects.  (A.  Taczanowski,  "  Ornifli.  Perou," 
II.,  p.  459.) 

On  account  of  its  surpassing  beauty  this  is  a  favourite 
cage-bird  in  .South  America,  and  therefOTe  it  is  the 
more  surprising  that  it  should  so  rarely  be  importe<l 
into  the  bLrdmarkets  of  Euro(pe.  It  has  not  been  ex- 
hibited by  the  London  Zoological  Society,  nor  have  I 
ever  seen  a  living  example  in  an,v  biid-shop  or  at  any 
show;  but  in  1893  the  dealer  Fockelmann  imported 
some  specimens  into  the  German  market,  and  several 
years  later  a  single  specimen  found  its  way  to  the 
Zoological  Gardens  of  Berlin. 

SupERi)  Tan.ager  {CaUisle  fa$luosa). 

Head  and  neck  brilliant  emerald  green,  the  forehead 
black  ;  upper  back  velvet-black,  lower  back  and  outer 
borders  of  outer  secondaries  brilliant  orange-cadmium  ; 
lesser  mng-coverts  green,  almost  like  the  head  ;  outer 
coverts  purple;  wings  .and  tail  black,  the  primaries, 
inner  secondaries  and  tail  feathers  edged  with  purple; 
under  surface  mostly  blue ;  the  chin  black,  then  a  band 


TANAGEKS. 


81 


of  green  joining  that  on  sides  of  head ;  a  broad  black 
gorget  najrowing  on  sides  of  n«"ck  and  almost  joining 
the  blavk  of  the  biick ;  bre  ist  and  front  of  abdonivn 
silvery  blue,  gradually  deei)ening  behind  into  rich  ]nir. 
plish  ultramarine;  umlcr  surfa<-e  of  wings  and  tail 
slaty-blackish;  bill  black,  feet  blackish;  iridcs  browii. 
Female  with  all  the  green  colouring,  ospecially  on  the 
head  and  nnpe  considerably  bluer;  the  feathers  on  the 
nape  generally  showing  mori'  of  (heir  black  Iwses  ;  the 
lower  back  and  rump  (when  birds  of  cnual  age  are  com 
glared)  considerably  more  golden,  less  orange;  the  bill 
shorter,  less  tapei^ed.  Habitat,  Province  of  Pernambnco. 
When  collecting  at  Pern;imbn(X)  Mr.  W.  A.  Forb<'S 
only  twice  met  with  this  bir<l— a  female  which  he  shot 
and  a  second  specimen  which  he  recognised  by  its 
oraJige  nmip  at  the  top  of  a  large  tree;  a  third  was 
brought  to  him  whilst  he  wa.'!  staying  at  Cabo.  No 
facts  respecting  the  wild  life  seem  "to  have  been  made 
known,  ejcccpting  that  it  frequents  the  tops  of  taJl 
trees  and  only  descends  to  a  lower  level  to  feed  upon 
snoet  fruits  and  to  nest. 

From  a  studv  of  the  Superb  Tanager  in  captivity  we 
are_  able  to  add  that  the  call-note  of  this  bird  is  a 
shnll  excited  chirp,  sometimes  repeated  several  times 
in  succession,  -usuallv  when  flitting  frnm  perch  to  porch 
or  running  on  a  ledge  and  shuffling  its  wings  like  an 
Accentor.     Its  ordinary  song  is  harsh  and  Weaver-like, 


The  Supekb  Tanaoer. 


but  when  first  arousing  in  the  early  morning  it  some- 
times sings  a  very  pretty  little  reedy  song,  recalling 
that  of  the  Indigo  Bunting. 

I  purchased  my  first  s-pecimen  of  this  lovely  bird  on 
May  28th,  1897,  and  lost  it  on  December  J2th,  1898; 
as  food  it  received  some  of  my  regular  soft  mixtuje,  half 
an  orange,  and  a  third  of  a  banana  daily.  In  the 
summer  it  ate  most  orange,  ax.d  in  the  winter  all  the 
banana,  or  nearly  so.  It  usually  began  its  meal  by 
selecting  a  piece  of  bread  (of  which  it  was  very  fond) 
from  the  mixture,  and  flying  to  a  perch  to  eat  it.  Then 
it  h.id  a  bite  at  the  orange,  sometimes  a  piece  of  banana, 
and  a  fragment  of  egg;  but  it  ate  very  little  at  a 
time,  and  was  anything  but  a  greedy  bird.  It  was,  how- 
ever, very  fond  of  dried  ants'  coooons,  though  not  always 
keen  on  mealworms.  It  much  preferred  spiders,  as  do 
all  insectivorous  birds. 

The  year  following  its  death,  on  March  1st,  and  in 
April  I  purchased  halt  a  dozen,  several  of  which  were 
unhappily  not  in  a  very  healthy  condition;  of  these 
one  died  in  May,  one  in  June,  the  other  four  lived  well 
into  1900,  but  only  one  of  them  survived  until  near  the 
end  of  September,  1901 ;  unless  they  all  had  the  geims 
of  disease  in  them  when  purchased,  I  see  no  reason  -why 
they  should  not  have  lived  for  many  years. 

When    freshly    imported    this    fpecies    is    usually    in 


rough  plumage ;  he  should  be  extremely  wild  and 
nervous  if  in  good  health.  The  feathering,  however, 
is  soon  replaced.  With  the  first  moult  the  last  trace 
of  wildness  disappe;u's,  and  the  bird  bituuies  friendly 
and  absolutely  without  a  flaw ;  at  least  that  is  my 
experience. 

A  c;ige  of  two  feet  cubic  me;isure  is  mine  too  large 
for  a  Superb  Tanager.  and  if  thus  hiiused,  regularly  fed 
every  day,  and  provided  with  a  good-sized  bath,  it  will 
soon  liccoiiic  a  revelation  of  beauty  such  as  the  cabinet 
naturalist  has  never  even  dreamed  of. 

In  my  younger  days  these  diamiing  birds  were  con- 
fined in  small  cages,  such  as  would  generally  be  con- 
sidered suitable  for  a  Canary ;  so  that,  having  no  sj)ace 
for  exercise,  no  chance  of  getting  away  from  their  more 
or  less  sticky  food,  and  no  bath,  they  i^oon  became 
grubby,  draggled,  mih«ilthy,  and  natui-ally  died  so 
quickly  that  the  late  Dr.  Russ  .^nd  others  regarded  them 
as  dirty,  greedy,  and  extremely  delicate ;  such,  how- 
ever, is  far  from  being  the  case  when  they  are  properly 
looked  after.  I  have  sometimes  thought  that  my  Superb 
Tanagers  would  have  lived  longer  if  not  encouraged  to 
eat  bread,  but  then  m.y  Scarlet  Tanagers  have  liad  it 
also,  and  have  never  suffered  in  consequence. 

THUEE-coLotiRED  Tanaoer  {Callisic  tricolor). 
Male  above  shining  golden  green  ;  crown  greenish- 
blue  ;  forehead  and  upper  back  black ;  lower  back  deep 
cadmium  yellow  or  golden  orange  ;  wings  black  ;  bend 
of  wing,  false  wing,  and  broad  tips  to  primary  and 
outer  secondary  coverts  purplish-blue  ;  primaries  nar- 
rowly edged  with  bluish  green  ;  secondaries  broadly 
edged  with  golden  green ;  tail-feathers  black,  edged 
with  bluish  green  ;  chin  broadly  bluish  green,  followed 
on  throat  by  a  broad  black  patch  united  bv  a  narrow 
black  stripe  to  the  black  of  ujiper  back  ;  breast  and 
front  of  aodomen  smalt  blue  ;  flanks,  lower  abdomen, 
and  under  tail-coverts  golden  green  ;  under  surface  of 
wings  below  brownish  ashy ;  under  surface  of  tail 
bluish  ashy  ;  bill  black  ;  feet  blackish  ;  irides  brown. 
Female  similar,  but  duller  in  colourinir.  the  back  more 
or  less  spotted  with  green ;  the  bend  of  the  wing 
greener.  Habitat,  S.E.  Brazil,  provinces  of  Bahia, 
Rio,  Sao  Paulo,  and  Goyaz.     (Sclater.) 

Burmeister  observes  that  this  species,  "  like  the 
preceding,  lives  in  small  troops  in  thick  forest,  whence 
from  time  to  time  its  short  call-notes  may  be  heard, 
but  otherwise  it  does  not  reveal  itself.  The  bird  is 
not  particularlv  shy,  and  even  comes  into  the  gardens 
of  the  settlers."     ("  Syst.  Ueb."  III.,  p.   187.) 

Euler  says  that  "  its  nest  was  situated  exclusively  on 
banana  trees ;  .sometimes  between  the  leafstalk  and 
the  stock,  .sometimes  between  the  unripe  fruits  of  the 
depending  fruit-clusters,  or  even  on  the  sliced  flatness 
of  a  stock  which  has  been  cut  off.  The  outer  wall  of 
the  ne.^t  is  constructed  of  flower-stalks  and  grasses, 
the  egg-cavity  of  reed  and  other  broad  smooth  leaves  ; 
the  latter  is  lined  at  the  bottom  with  delicate  grass- 
stalks  and  hairs.  On  the  outside,  especiallv  below,  a 
decoration  of  dry  leaves,  strips  of  bark  and  bast,  as 
well  as  flicks  of  cotton  ;  moss  is  entirelv  absent.  Dia- 
meter of  the  cup  8-9  cm.,  height  7  cm.  ;  diameter  of 
the  cavity  7  cm.,  depth  3.5  cm.  The  clutches  consist 
of  from  two  to  three  eggs,  which  are  pale  flesh-coloured 
and  sprinkled  densely  with  darker  spots ;  upon  this 
general  marking  are,  at  almost  equal  distances  apart, 
about  a  dozen  broad  larger  yellow-brown  splashes, 
which  are  rendered  conspicuous  by  fine  black  scrawled' 
lines.  Length  20  mm.,  breadth  10  mm."  (J.F.O..  1867. 
p.  410;   cf.  Russ,  "Fremdl.  Stubenv.,"  II.,  p.  446.) 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  is  one  of  the  rarest  Tanagers 
in  the  German  bird-market ;  that  a  specimen  was  once 
exhibited   at  the  Hamburg  Zoological   Gardens,  and   in 


F 


82 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


1891  Miss  Hagenbeck  imported  several.  In  the  list 
of  animals  exhibited  at  the  London  Gardens  (nintli 
edition)  there  is  a  record  of  specimens  received  in  1884, 
1869,  1890,  and  1895 ;  apparently  these  were  not  the 
Brst  'examples  which  they  exhibited  ;  of  late  years  al.so 
it  has  been  one  of  the  Tanagers  usually  present  at  bird- 
shows  ;  so  that  it  would  seem  not  to  be  excessively 
rare  in  the  London  market. 

Festive  Tanager   (Callisle  f estiva). 

Male  above  bright  p^ss-green ;  crovpn  blue ;  fore- 
head and  upper  back  black  ;  sides  of  head  and  broad 
collar  on  back  and  sides  of  neck  scarlet ;  wings  and  tail 
black,  edged  with  bright  green;  tips  of  lesser  wing- 
coverts  cro.ssed  by  an  oiange  bar  ;  below  bright  grass- 
green,  chin  black  ;  throat  blue  ;  under  surface  of  wings 
and  tail  ashy,  under  wing-coverts  white.  Female  simi- 
lar, but  duller ;  upper  back  varied  with  green ;  bill 
black;     feet    brown    (black   according   to    Burmeister)  ; 


Yellow  Tanageii. 

irides  brown.  Habitat,  S.E.  Brazil  :  provinces  of  Per- 
nambuco,  Bahia,  Rin,  and  S.  Paulo.     (Sclater.) 

According  to  Burmeister  this  bird  "loves  the 
mountain  forests  of  the   higher  situated  regions." 

W.  A.  Forbes  says  (Tht  Ibis,  1881,  p.  332)  :  "  I  only 
saw  this  beautiful  'Callisle  once,  when  I  fell  in  with  a 
small  party  of  it  in  a  patch  of  virgin  forest  near 
Qui])ap;i,  aiul  succeeded  in  shooting  a  line  male.  Eyes 
brown." 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  Tanager  has  only  once  been 
brought  alive  to  Eurojw,  a  specimen  having  reached 
the  London  Zoologic^il  Gardens  in  1875;  but  in  1904 
Mr.  Astley  jiurchased  a  specimen  in  Genoa,  and  it  is 
probable  that  others  have  been   imported. 

Si'OTTKD  Emerald  T.\n.4Ger  [Callixlc  'jultitlu). 
Male  al)ove  bright  green;  feathers  of  head,  upper 
back,  and  wing-toverts  black  bordered  with  green : 
forehead  and  feathers  encircling  eye  golden  yellow ; 
lores  black  ;  below  white ;  sides  of  throat  and  breast 
marked  with  oval  black  spots;  flanks  tinted  with 
green  ;  under  tail-coverts  yellowish  ;  bill  blackish,  the 
lower  mandible  leaden ;  feet  dark  brown.  Femjile 
similar,  but  smaller  and  less  distinctly  marked. 
Habitat,  Briti.sh  Guiana,  Venezuela,  Trinidad,  Northern 


Cblombia,  and  Isthmus  of  Panama  north  to  Costa  Bica. 

(Sclater.) 

This  Tanager  occurs  on  Boraima  up  to  from  3,500 
to  4,000  feet,  according  to  the  late  Henry  Whitely 
(The   Ibis.    1875,    p.    209). 

1  have  discovered  no  facts  about  its  wild  life. 

Captain  Pam  brought  home  two  specimens  of  this 
charming  Tanager  from  Venezuela  in  1905,  and  pre- 
sent-ed  them  to  the  London  Zoological  Society  for  ex- 
hibition in  their  Gardens. 

Yellow.  T.\NA(iER  (Callisle  Aava}. 

Above  cadmium  yellow  ;    wings  and  tail  black  edged 
with  blui.sh ;    below  deeper  yellow,   the  lores,   sides  of 
head,    chin,    throat,    breast,    and    middle    of    abdomen 
black ;     under    wing-coverts    blackish ;     bill    and     feet 
blackish    (brownish-grey    according     to     Russ)  ;     irides 
brown.     Female  greenish  yellow  ;   wdngs  and  tail  black, 
edged   with    greenish  ;    Ijelow    paler,    middle   of   throat 
and     abdomen     whitish ;     sides     of 
throat   and   breast  slightly   marked 
with  dusky  ;  flanks  and  under  tail- 
coverts    ochraceous ;    according    to 
Burmeister       the       forehead       and 
crown   are   rust   yellowish   and    the 
remaining   upper   surface   ash-grey. 
greenish    on    the    back ;    the    chin 
and    throat    whitish,    the    abdomen 
and    vent   rust  yellowish :   bill   and 
feet     paler     than     in     the     male. 
Habitat,    S.E.    Brazil,    from    Per- 
nambuco    to    Rio    Grande    do    Sul. 
(Sclater.) 

W.    A.    Forbes    (T/ie  'Ibis.    1881, 
p.     332)     says  :     "  This     beautiful, 
though    peculiarly  coloured,    bird  is, 
perhaps     with     the     exception     of 
Tiiufirjrii      cana,      the      commonest 
Tanager  in  the  provinces  1  visited. 
I    met    with    it    everywhere,    from 
Recife   to   Garanhuns ;   and   though 
never  seen  in  numbers,  it  appeared 
to     be     fairly     abundant.     It     fre- 
quents   chiefly    gardens    or    planta- 
tions   of    fruit-trees,    but    I    have 
also  seen  it  in  thick  forest  country. 
It  was  abundant  in  the  garden  at 
Estancia,  frequenting  the  orange-t'-ees,  sapotis  (Achras 
sapota),  and  other  fruit-bearing  plants;  and  1  have  also 
met  with  it  feeding  on  the  flowering  shrubs  of  the  virgin 
forest.     It   goes   about   either  singly   or   in   small  com- 
panies, and  most  of  the   specimens  seen  are  either  im- 
mature or  females.     The  adult  males  are   usually   met 
with    singly,    though   I   have  seen   three   perched   close 
together  in  the  same  tree.     I  failed  in  my  endeavours  to 
bring  living  specimens  to   England,   though   I  got   one 
as  far  as  St.  Vincent.     Eyes  brown;   feet  lead-grey." 

Dr.  Russ  says  of  this  species  :  "  In  the  year  1874 
I  received  two  males  and  a  female  from  G.  Lintz,  of 
Hamburg,  and  shortly  after  the  opening  of  the  Berlin 
Aquarium  (1869)  two  males  amved  there,  moreover 
Mr.  Linden  pissessed  it.  Some  time  later,  in  the 
year  1893,  the  wholesale  dealer,  G.  Bosz,  forwarded  to 
me  two  Y'ellow  Tunagers,  jialpably  an  adult  and  a 
young  male  ;  in  the  same  year  Miss  Chr.  Hagenbeck 
wrote  to  me  :  '  Tlie  bird  is  not  altogether  so  rare  as 
you  think.  I  have  received  it  from  time  t/i  time, 
most  recently  in  August,  1891  ;  you  will  remember  that 
at  that  time  I  sent  some  "little  Priests""  and  Car- 
dinals for  your   inspection.     Together  with   these  came 

*  Th«  German  name  for  the  speoi«5  of  ,Spermophila. 


TANAGEKS. 


83 


the  Yellow  Tanagers,  and  also  several  si)euinieiis  of  the 
Tliree-colouTed,  which  were  immediately  Jjurcliased  by 
various  Zoological  (Jardens.  Mr.  C.  Ayr,  of  Maintz, 
received  the  last  specimen  of  the  Yellow  Tanager  from 
me  in  September,  1891.'  In  (Jctober,  1894,  Mr.  A. 
Fockelmann  again  imported  it."  ("  Fremdl.  Stubenv." 
II..  p.  448.) 

Mr.  L.  W.  Hawkins  exhibited  this  species  at  the 
Crystal   Palace   in   1903. 

Blackcheekkd  Tanager  (Caliistc  cai/rtna). 
Shining  ochre  yellow  ;  crown  coppery  reddish  ;  sides 
of  head  black;  wings  and  tail  blackish,  edged  with 
bluish  green  ;  throat  dark  bhiish  ;  under  wing-coverts 
white  ;  bill  bluish  black  ;  feet  brown,  leaden  according 
to  TaczanowsJvi.  Female  duller  in  colouring,  tlie 
throat  very  slightly  tini;e<l  with  bluisli.  Habitat, 
Cayenne,   Guiana,  Venezuela,  Colombia,  and  K.   Peru. 

Mr.  Henry  Whitely  obtained  this  Tanager  on  the 
Merunie  Mountains,  Rorajma,  at  from  3,500  to  4,000 
feet.     {T/ic  Iljif,  1885,  p.  209.) 

Mr.  W.  L.  S.  lyoat,  writing  upon  the  birds  of 
British  Guiana,  says  that  the  pretty  little  Tanager 
{('allinle  cayana]  has  a  sfreat  fondness  for  the  fruit  of 
the  guava.     {T/ii-  Ihix,  f898,  p.  565.) 

As  Taczanowski  says  no  word  about  the  wild  life  of 
this  bird  in  liis  "  OrnitbciUit'ie  du  Perou,"  tlie  above 
meagre  information  is  all  that  I  have  been  able  to  get 
together. 

This  Tanager  was  not  imported  alive  until  1907, 
when  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  brought  liome  a  pair  and 
valued  them  at  £7. 

Chestnut-hacked  Tan.\gek  {Callisir  prct'wfa). 
"Above,  whole  head,  neck,  and  middle  of  back  dark 
coppery  chestnut ;  wing-coverts  and  lower  back  bright 
ochraoeous  ;  wings  and  tail  black,  edged  with  bluish; 
below  greenish  blue,  middle  of  belly  brighter  and  more 
bluish;  lower  flanks,  thighs,  and  crissum  chestnut; 
bill  black ;  feet  brownish  black ;  whole  length  6.3 
inches,  wing  3.3,  tail  2.3.  Female. — Above  dark  green  ; 
■wings  and  tail  blackish,  edged  with  green;  head  and 
upper  back  suff'i.'^Hl  with  coppeiy  chestnut  ;  below  paler 
and  less  pure,  middle  of  belly  whitish;  crissum  tinged 
with  rufous.  Habitat,  Southern  Brazil  and  Paraguav." 
—P.  L.  Sclater,  "Cat.  Birds."  Vol.  XL,  pp.  114,  115'. 

Mr.  A.  H.  Holland  obtained  what  Dr.  Sclater  identi- 
fied as  a  young  female  of  this  species  on  the  Estancia 
Sta.  Elena,  Argentine  Republic  (see  The  Ibis,  1896, 
p.  315) ;  it  was  probably  new  to  the  fauna,  as  it  does 
not  appear  in  Sclater  and  Hudson's  work  on  the  Repub- 
lic. In  The  Ibis  for  1899.  we  read  that  Mr.  Holland 
had  again  secured  the  species ;  this  time  a  fully  adult 
male  labelled,  "Bill,  legs,   and  iris  black,"  p.  305. 

I  can  find  no  records  of  the  wild  life,  but  in  The 
ArieuUural  Magazine,  1st  ser..  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  159161. 
Mr.  Percy  W.  Farmtorough  gives  an  account  of  a  speci- 
men which  b°  had  in  captivity  for  about  three  yeai-s. 
It  was  kept  m  a  box-cage  of  s^'nsihle  dimensions — 3  feet 
6  inches  long,  2  feet  high,  20  inches  from  front  to  back. 
Mr.  Farmborough  supplie<l  no  i-egular  soft  food,  but 
merely  a  mixture  of  hard-l)oiled  yolk  of  egg  and  .-iiit.s' 
eggs,  with  various  fruits  and  insects  with  their  larv,Te. 
No  doubt  this  was  all  that  was  necessary,  for,  as  a 
general  rule,  Tanagers  eat  very  little  soft  food  ;  they 
pick  out  the  egg  and  perhaps  a  few  ants'  eggs,  Viut  for 
the  most  part  confine  their  attention  tn  the  orange  or 
pear  and  banana  supplied  to  them,  and  any  insects  or 
spiders  that  they  can  get. 

Black-shouldered  Tanager  (CaUisfe  melanonota). 
Above,  head  and  neck  deep  coppery  chestnut ;  upper 
hack     black ;     lower     back     and     wing-coverts     bright 


ochreous ;  wings  and  tail  black,  with  narrow  bluish 
edges  ;  below  greenish  blue ;  lower  flanks  and  under 
tail-coverts  chestnut;  under  wing-coverts  white;  bill 
and  feet  bUick-brown  (Sclater),  feet  brownish  ilesh- 
coluured  (RussI ;  ii-ides  brown.  Female  above  dark 
green,  piiler  on  rump ,  head  and  neck  washed  with 
coppery  chestnut;  wings  and  tail  blackish  with  green 
edges  i  under  surface  paler,  middle  of  body  whitish ; 
imder  tail-coverts  pale  rufous.  Habitat,  S.  Brazil  and 
Panani.a. 

As  with  maay  ether  Tanagers  I  have  been  uiiivbls  to 
find  any  notes  on  the  wild  life.  Dr.  Rilss  says  that 
it  first  reached  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1873, 
and  subsequently  in  1888  a  traveller  ch,anced  to  bring 
it  home.  Mr.  S.  M.  Townsend  exhibited  a  S]x?cimen  il' 
the  Cry.stal  Palace  in  February,  1906,  and  again  later 
in  the  Siune  year. 

Lavendeb-axd-black   Tanager    {Callislc    brasiliensh). 

Above  black,  front  of  crown  to  above  eyes  (a  narrow 
frontal  band  excepted),  sides  of  neck,  wing-coverts, 
edges  of  primaries,  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  clear 
shining  lavender;  neck  and  flanks  varied  with  black; 
middle  of  abdomen,  under  wing  and  tail  coverts  white; 
l)ill  black;  feet  shining  black-brown;  irides  brown. 
Female  similar,  but  smaller,  rather  duller,  the  lavender 
more  confined  to  the  lips  of  the  feathers.  Habitat, 
U.K.  Brazil. 

r.urmeister  says  that  it  is  not  rare  in  the  forest 
legions  of  Brazil,  and  Natterer  met  with  it  in  the 
forest  in  March  on  tolerably  high  trees,  and  fomid 
fruit  and   seeds  in   the  stomachs   of   those   he  shot. 

Russ  speaks  of  this  as  one  of  the  rarest  birds  in  the 
German  bird  market,  but  says  that  Carl  Gudera.  of 
Vienna,  and  Heinrich  MoUer,  of  Hamburg,  have  each 
on  one  occasion  sent  him  examples  for  identification  ; 
it  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

In  the  Zoological  Society's  List  (ninth  edition)  tlis 
species  is  called  "  Blue-and-black  Tanager,"  the  same 
trivial  name  being  given  to  Tanaiji-ella  eyaiiomeJmnn  ■ 
Dr.  Sclater  also  describes  it  as  bright  blue,  whereas  Dr. 
Russ  says  it  is  bluish  violet.  As  a  matter  of  fact  it  is 
neither,  but  the  purest  lavender.  If  describers  would 
only  ti-y  to  call  to  mind  the  flowers  after  which  many 
r<i!riurs  are  named  they  would  be  less  likely  to  speak 
incorrectly  of  them.  'The  common  cornflower  is  bright 
blue,  some  pansies  are  bluish  violet,  but  lavender  is 
neither  one  nor  the  other,  it  is  a  bluish  relative  of  liUi'; 
.'W  far  as   its  tint   goes. 

Yellow-hellied  Tanager  (Calliste  fiavirentrU). 

"  Above  black  ;  fore  part  of  cap  (except  nanow  front), 
sides  of  head,  margins  of  larger  wing-coverts,  and  rump 
bright  blue  ;  smaller  upper  wing-coverts  bright  tur"- 
quoise  blue,  narrow  outer  margins  of  primaries  bright 
greenish  blue;  below  blue,  varied  on  the  throat  and 
n;inks  with  black;  middle  of  abdomen  an<l  crissum  p:ile 
sulphur-yellow;  under  wing-coverts  white;  bill  black; 
feet  dark  brown  ;  whole  length  5.4  inches,  wing  2.7, 
tail  1.8.  Female  like  the  male.  Habitat.  Lower 
Amazonia,  Cavenne,  Guiana,  Venezuela  and  'Trinidad  " 
(P.   L.   Sclater.) 

I  have  discovered  no  account  of  the  wild  life  of  this 
species.  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  sent  a  specimen  tn  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1906.  but  I  do  not  know 
of  any  other  importations  of  this  Tanager. 

Blue-winged  Tanager  (Callhte  q/anoplera). 

Above  and  below  silvery  green  ;  head  and  neck  black  ; 

wings  black  ;  flights  and  tail-feathers  edged  with  blue ; 

under    wing-coverts   white ;      bill    black ;      feet   brown. 

Female  above  green,  brighter  on  the  rump;  wing  and 


84 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


tail  feathers  black  edged  with  green ;  below  paler,  the 
thioiit  and  breast  ashy;  middle  of  abdomen  l)uflfiEh 
white,  the  flanks  greenish.  Habitat,  Venezuela  and 
N.  Colombia. 

Here,  again,  I  am  unable  to  get  any  )nt')rmation 
respecting  the  wild  life.  Captain  I'ani  presented  five 
specimens  <if  tJiis  pretty  Calli-'ile  to  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gnrdens  in  1906. 

VVniTK-c.-vpi-ED    T.tNAGER    (Stephanophorus 
leucorcphalus). 

Above  deep  blue,  brighter  on  sides  of  head,  lesser 
wing-coverts  and  rump;  flights  and  tail-feathers  black 
with  bluish  edges;  forehead,  lores,  and  chin  black; 
centre  of  crown  crimson,  behind  which  the  crown  is 
white  to  nape;  bill  brownish  black;  feet  brown;  irides 
blown.  Femafe  slightly  duller.  Habitat.  Southern 
I'.razil,  Paraguiy,  Uruguay,  and  Northern  Argentina. 

Mr.  Hudson  remarks  ("  Birds  of  Argentine  Republic," 
Vol.  1,  p.  38)  : — "It  is  a  summer  bird  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
where  it  makes  its  appearance  in  spring  in  the  woods 
bordering  on  the  Plata  river,  and  is  usually  seen  singly 
or  in  pairs.  The  nest  is  built  in  a  tree  ten  or  twelve 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  is  somewhat  shallow,  and 
lined  with  soft,  dry  grass.  The  female  lays  four  eggs, 
white,  and  spotted  with  deep  red.  During  incubation 
the  male  sits  concealed  in  the  thick  foliage  close  by, 
amusing  itself  by  the  hour  with  singing,  its  performance 
consisting  of  chattering  disconnected  nctas  uttered  in 
so  low  a  tone  as  to  make  one  fancy  ih&i  the  bi:d  is 
merely  trying  to  recall  some  melody  it  has  forgotten, 
or  endeavouring  to  construct  a  new  ore  liy  jerking  out 
a  variety  of  sounds  at  random.  The  bird  never  gets 
beyond  this  unsatisfactory  sUige,  however,  and  must 
be  admired  for  its  exquisite  beauty  alone." 

The  Zoological  Society  of  I>ondon  purchased  a  speci- 
men of  this  species  in  July,  1884,  which  was  alive  in 
1903,  and  although  Dr.  Rups  only  mentions  it  as  a 
Cnr.cothramli's  ;  most  frequenters  of  British  bird  shows 
will  remember  Mr.  Swan's  tine  si>ecimen,  first  ex- 
hibited at  the  CVystal  Palace,  I  believe,  in  1902.  In 
subsequent  shows  it  was  one  of  the  birds  one  looked  for 
and  commented  upon  its  condition.  It  is  quite  likely 
that  other  specimens  ma.y  have  been  imported  among 
the  numerous  consignments  of  birds  from  the  Argentine 
Republic. 

The  species  of  Tanngra  are  almost-,  if  not  quite,  as 
bcnutiful  .IS  tho.=e  of  (he  genus  f'ldUxIr,  and  I  .should 
judge  them  to  be  hardier."  They  should  lie  fed  in  the 
same  manner. 

>SiLVp;R-nLUK  T.\NAGER    (Tnnngra  rana). 

Pale  blui'sh-a.=h,  deeper  on  the  baek,  bluer  on  the 
rump  and  Kometinies  on  the  breast;  wings  and  tail 
blackish,  edged  with  gi-eenish-blue ;  the  upper  wing- 
coverts  glittering  blue;  bill  dirk  horn  colour;  feet 
black.  Female  similar;  iirobably  duller.  Habitat, 
Southern  Mexico,  through  Central  .\merica  to  Columbia, 
Venezuela.   Ecuador,  and    North  Peru. 

Salmon  says  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1879,  p.  500)  that  this 
bird  builds  in  orange  trees  ;  the  eggs  are  rich  brown, 
densely  blotche<l  with  darker  f])ots,  especially  at  the 
larger  end. 

Mr.  W.  Goodfellow  (TJir  7hh.  1901.  p.  466)  Nays:  — 
"  Common  in  the  hot  forest  regions  of  Western  Ecua- 
dor, at  S.anto  Domingo,  Guanacillo,  and  other  places, 
where  they  frequent  the  banana  plantations  and  the 
fruit-trees  around  the  huts.  Specimens  from  the  foot  of 
the  hills  swm  to  be  less  blu"  than  those  from  farther 
down  into  the  forests.  Local  name,  "  Azulejo."  This 
species  is  mentioned  by  Russ  as  rare  in  the  tr.tde.  but 
it  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 


Rues  mentions  T.  episcojmn  as  having  once  been 
imported,  but  he  i-ays  it  was  in  draggled  plumage;  I 
think  therefore  it  may  liave  been  wrongly  identified. 

Blue-shouldebkd  T.\n.\ger  [Tanagra  cyanoptera). 

AlK>ve  bluish-grey  tinged  with  green  ;  wings  and  tail 
blackish,  edged  W'ith  greenish-blue;  lesser  wing-coverts 
shining  blue ;  below  paler,  especially  in  the  centre  of 
abdomen ;  bill  deep  leaden ;  feet  brown.  Female  rather 
duller,  the  lesser  wing-coverts  greener.  Habitat, 
Soutbeni  Brazil,  Paraguay,  and  Bolivia. 

Accoixling  to  Burnieister,  who,  judging  by  Dr.  Sclater's 
synonymy,  ci>nfounded  tliis  si)ecies  with  T .  fat/a-ca  (as 
he  admits  that  he  aJso  did  in  the  "  Catalogue  of  Birds  "), 
this  Tanager  "  lives  in  the  tops  of  palms,  and  feeds 
upon  fleshy  berries  and  soft  iu.sects.  It  comes  much 
into  the  ncighbourhucd  of  the  settlements  and  is  not 
rare  there,  particularly  in  gardens  where  there  are 
palms." 

This  species  also  has  been  exhibited  at  the  Ix>ndon 
Gardei's,  and  has  been  imported  both  into  Italy  and 
England,  the  Contessa  Baldelli  and  the  Rev.  B.  Hems- 
worth  having  both  owned  specimens. 

Sataca   Tanager   {Tanagra   saijnca). 

Above  blui.sh-grey ;  wings  and  tail  blackish,  edged 
with  gi-eenLsh-blue ;  lesser  wing-coverts  dull  greenish- 
blue  ;  below  paler  bluish-grey  ;  bill  leaden  ;  feet  brown  ; 
FemaJe  similar,  but  prooably  duller.  Habitat,  S.E. 
Brazil  and  Argentina. 

According  to  Hudson  (Arg.  Rep.  1,  p.  39),  this  species 
"appears  in  spring,  in  small  flocks  or  parties  of  three 
or  four  birds,  in  the  woods  on  the  shores  of  the  Plata. 
The  male  utters  a  series  of  peculiar  squeaKng  notes  by 
way  of  a  song." 

It  is  a  strange  thing  that  Mr.  Hudson,  who  praises 
the  stopper-screwing  song  of  the  Grey  Cardinals,  has 
nothing  but  abuse  for  the  songs  of  Tanagers ;  yet  in 
my  experience  these  brilliant  birds,  though  thev  utter 
some  harsh  notes,  are  capable  of  uttering  many  tnat  are 
far  purer  and  less  excruciating  than  those  of  the 
Cardinals. 

P.u.M  Tanager  (Tanagra  pahnnnnn). 

Olive  green  ;  tlie  head  paJer,  the  back  daj-ker,  as  also 
the  edges  of  the  wing-covei'ts ;  wings  and  tail  brownish- 
black  ;  the  flights  and  tail-feathers  edged  with  dark 
r.live  ;  wing-feathers  below  creamy-white  towards  base  ; 
bill  dark  horn-colour  ;  feet  brown.  Female  smaller,  but 
similarly  coloured.  Habitat,  S.  Brazil  and  Bolivia  north- 
ward.s  to  Trinidad,  Venezuela,  Columbia,  Panama,  and 
COsta  Rica. 

Salmon  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,  1879.  p.  600)  observes  that 
"  the  nest  is  placed -in  the  fork  of  a  shrub  or  low  tree, 
and  formed  of  grass-stalks  mixed  with  roots  and  fibres, 
lined  and  ornamented  on  the  outside  with  green  moss." 
"Eggs  pale  whitish,  very  thickly  freckled  with  red- 
brown  spots ;  axis  95.  diam.  65." 

Whitely  met  with  this  species  on  Roraima  at  rn 
elevation" of  from  3,000  to  4,000  fwt  (T/ic  Ibis,  18C5, 
p   210). 

In  Mr.  im  Thurn's  garden  in  British  Guiana,  Mr. 
W  L.  Sclatcr  notes  T.  palmarum  as  common  {The  IhU, 
1887,  p.  317).  Mr.  W.  Goodfellow  {The  Ihix,  1901, 
p.  467)  in  his  account  of  a  journe.v  through  Columbia 
and  Ecuador,  says: — "  Tliew  birds  .are  tame  in  their 
habit.';,  and  frequent  the  vicinity  of  the  huts." 

Dr.  E.  A.  Gorldi.  descrihini:  the  birds  of  the  C  pirn 
River  {The  l\,h,  1903,  pp.  478,  479)  says:— "In  the 
jjalm-trecs  in  front  of  the  fazenda  was  a  continuous 
movement  of  glittering  Tanagers  {Tanngra  palmartim) 
and  other  Passerine  birds."  "  Approaching  the  negroes' 
cottages,  I   noted   in   the  higher  trees  many  Tanagrine 


TANAGEKS. 


85 


forms    (TaiKKjra    /laliiKir'um,     Ithnm  iiluicitlus    jacapa, 
Cnlli.ile)." 

This  l)irrl  also  has  been  exhil)it«l  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Akciibishoi"  Tanager   (Tanagra  ornata). 

Above  dull  olive,  rather  blighter  on  the  rump;  head 
and  neck  all  round  glossy  smalt  blue,  showing  dull 
brassy  reflections  in  the  living  bird;  wings  and  tail 
blackish,  wiged  with  bright  olive;  lesser  coverts 
bluish  shading  into  yt-^Uowish-grecn  and  bruadly  tipped 
with  yellow  (funning  a  yhurt  conspicuous  bar  in  soino 
examples) ;  un<ler  surface  of  body  bro\mish  gin-j-,  washed 
with  blur  on  the  breast  and  Hanks;  under  wing-coverts 
creamy  white;  inner  margins  of  wing- feathers  ashy; 
bill  black  ;  feet  leaden  blue  ;  iridcs  dark  brown.  Female 
rather  paler  in  colouring.     Habitiit.  S.E.  Brazil. 

Jlurnici.-iter  says  that  this  Tanager  is  abundant  in  the 
Wfmdlaiuls  of  the  central  coastaJ  tract,  especially  at 
Bahia  and  its  neighliaurhood ;  lives  like  all  Tanagers 
near  the  settlements,  comes  into  gardens  and  rs  not 
very  shy. 

In  The  Avirxiltural  Maqazini-,  new  series,  Vol.  III., 
pp.  179  184,  I  gave  an  account  (illustrated  by  a  beautiful 
coloiire<l  plate)  of  two  males  of  this  charming  species 
which  were  sent  to  me  at  the  end  of  the  year  1903  from 
Italy.  These  birds  were  fcnvarded  in  an  o]>en  rage  and 
supplied  with  apple ;  the  journey  occupied  nine  days 
and  they  reached  me  on  a  bitter  frosty  morning,  yet 
both  were  living. 

As  theie  wa-s  a  marked  difference  in  the  size  of  the 
two  birds  and  the  stouter  specimen  was  distinctly  duller 
in  colouring  tban  the  other.  I  naturally  supposed  them 
to  be  a  pair,  and  kept  them  together  in  a  moderate-sized 
flight ;  they,  however,  quarrelled  fretiuently  and  when 
one  went  downi  to  feed  the  other  attacked  it ;  I  there- 
fore transferred  them  tt>  a  larger  flight,  where  at  first 
they  were  more  friendlj' ;  then  the  larger  bird  became 
disagreeable  and  attacked  the  smaller  and  brighter  one  ; 
day  by  day  it  .showed  more  and  more  evidences  of  ill- 
health  ;  this  ended  by  it  throwing  up  a  quantity  of 
blood  and  the  following  day,  just  a  month  after  it 
reached  me,  it  was  dead — doubtless  the  exposure  with 
no  variety  of  food  had  been  tr>o  much  for  it.  The 
other  bird,  which  for  a  few  days  was  subject  to  sneezing 
fits,  entirely  recovered  and  is  in  perfect  health  and 
plumage  as  I  write. 

In  1905  I  described  the  call-note  of  this  Tanager  as 
a  thin  sibilant  /.<«7.  but  the  song  as  beginning  '"^  with 
a  sort  of  descending  chatter,  like  the  quarrelling  of 
SparroTTS.  Then  follows  a  series  of  thin,  reedy  notes, 
with  one  or  two  clear,  sharp  whistles  thrown  out  spas- 
modically by  way  of  a  change,  recalling  the  recording 
of  a  Dominican  Ordinal's  song."  I  have,  however, 
since  discovered  that  it  has  another  and  distinctly  a 
more  meritorious  though  rather  shrill  song,  which  I  re- 
corded as  the  bird  repeated  if,  as  follows  : — Tup-ehrer, 
lup-rheer,  tup  futti-tiip,  chrer,  le-chi-pr,  sung  rapidiv 
and  loudly.  The  Archbishop  Tanager  is  extremely  swift 
in  its  movements,  and  when  strangers  approach  its  cage 
and  begin  to  stare  at  it,  its  flight  backwards  and 
forwards  from  perch  to  perch  is  so  rapid  that  it  is  im 
possible  for  them  to  see  what  it  is  like.  On  the  eartli 
it  moves  by  swift  hops,  shuffling  its  wiings  like  a  Hedge 
Accentor  or  Pekin  Nightingale. 

Tliis  bird  also  has  been  exhibited  by  our  Zoological 
Society,  and  of  late  years  r.pccimens  have  appeared  at 
various  bird  shcvws. 

Striated  Tanager   {Tanagra   bonariensis). 

Above,  back  black;  rump  orange;  wings  and  tail 
blackish  edged  ■nith  bine;  head  blue;  lores  and  orbital 
region  black  ;   breast  orange,  fading   into  yellow  on  the 


abdomen  ;  bill  horn-colour,  lower  mandible  whitish,  feet 
brown,  irides  hazel.  Female,  greyish-brown,  paler 
below  ;  rump  and  throat  yellowish.  Habitat,  South 
Brazil,   Uruguay,   Paraguay,  Argentina,   and   Bolivia. 

Hudson  says"(Arg.  Kepiib.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  39):  "It  is  a 
migratory  species,  which  ap|)ears  in  Buenos  Ayres  in 
small  flocks  in  summer.  B<jth  sexes  have  a  long,  sharp, 
reedy  call-note  ;  the  male  also  possesses  a  song  coui- 
jX)sed  of  notes  with  a  jwculiar  bleating  .sound." 

Mr.  F.  Withington,  in  a  paper  on  the  Birds  of  Lomas 
de  Zaniora,  Buenos  Ayi'Cs,  says  :  "  Migratory,  arriving 
here  about  the  middle  of  May,  when  they  bec(jmc  fairly 
plentiful.  They  are  often  seen  in  small  lots  of  five 
or  six,  but  generally  more  of  them  are  males  than 
females.  They  are  very  partial  to  gardens  and  planta- 
tions."    {The  Ihi-',  1888,  p.  462.) 

Mr.  A.  H.  Holland  also  ob.serres  :  "  Arrives  here  in 
great  numbers  in  May,  hut  deparfx  in  September.  Many 
of  the  males  are  in  immature  plumage,  which  closely 
resembles  that  of  the  hens.     {The  Ibis,  1891,  p.  17.) 

This  bird  has  been  exhibited  more  than  once  at  the 
London  Zoological   Gardens. 

Sc.^RLKT  Tanager   (Itha/iiphocahix  hrasiliiis). 

This  lovely  bird  measures  about  6i  in.  in  length,  its 
colouring  is  dazzling  carmine-red,  the  wings  black, 
the  wing-coverts  being  flecked  with  carmine,  the  tail 
black,  tlie  legs  and  upper  mandible  black,  the  lower 
mandible  white,  tipped  with  black,  the  iris  of  eye 
orange-vermilion.  The  hen  is  of  a  reddish  brown 
colour,  with  dull  brown  wings.     Habitat,  S.E.  Brazil. 

In  its  wild  state  this  specie*  affects  low- lying  moist 
1  jcalities,  and  as  a  rule  is  seen  singly  hopping  about  in 
bushes  or  undergrowth  ;  it  nests  in  reedy  gr-ass,  form- 
ing its  habitation  very  losely  of  dead  reeds  and 
rushes,  sometimes  with  an  intermixture  of  moss,  and 
lining  the  somewhat  shallow  cup  with  the  flowering 
heads  of  the  reed  ;  the  eggs,  two  to  three  in  number, 
are  bright  blue-green,  dotted  and  scrawled  all  over 
with  dark  pitchy-brown  markings.  The  hen  incubates 
for  thirteen  days,   and   both   sexes   feed  the  young. 

This  bird  is  "tolerably  hardy,  and  has  even  been  bred 
in  a  large  garden  aviary  in  Belgium.  As  it  is  rather 
inclined  to  be  vicious,  "it  should  never  be  associated 
with  smaller  or  weaker  birds. 

As  a  cagebird  the  Scarlet  Tanager  is  quite  beauti- 
ful enough  to  be  well  worth  keeping,  and  is  no  more 
trouble  than  any  other  fruit-eating  species.  I  p"r- 
chased  two  males  in  1897  at  a  moderate  price,  and 
turned  them  into  a  large  flight-cage  together ;  they 
are  both  in  excellent  health  as  I  write  this  account 
more  than  ten  years  later.  I  had  always  been  told  that 
the  Scarlet  Tanager  lost  the  brilliant  carmine  of  its 
plumage  in  captivity,  the  general  colouring  becoming 
a  brick-red  ;  I  must  also  admit  that  I  have  seen  one 
or  two  rather  dull-coloured  specimens  at  some  of  our 
shows ;  but  my  two  cock  birds  are  still  as  brilliant 
as  when  first  i"mported.  I  think  a  good  deal  depends 
upon   the  food   supplied. 

Mv  birds  have  a  soft-food  mixture  consisting  of  stale 
brea"dcrumbs,  egg,  powdered  biscuit,  and  either  "Cen- 
tury Food  "  or  "  Improved  C'ekto  "  well  stirred  together 
and  slightly  damped  ;  they  also  have  banana  daily,  and 
either  half  a  ripe  orange  "or  half  a  pear  between  them 
daily,  with  an  occasional  mealworm,  other  insect,  or 
spider. 

One  would  suppose  that  there  was  risk  in  keeping  two 
cocks  together ;  but  this  is  not  so.  They  certainly 
wrangle  at  times,  perhaps  pull  out  a  few  feathers,  and 
on  one  occasion  my  larger  bird  temjjorarily  lamed  the 
other  by  severely  Ijiting  one  of  its  feet,  but  after  two 
or    three    months    it    recovered   completely. 

Most  observers  state  that  the  Scarlet   Tanager  only 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


utters  harsh  notes,  but  this  is  a  libel ;  the  song  is  not 
strikingly  beautiful,  but  includes  swne  bright,  clear 
notes.  In  The  AriiuUtiral  Magazine,  1st  series, 
Vol.  IV.,  p.  188,  I  render  it  as  follows  :  "  Whip,  whip, 
whip,  whip;  tzewee,  Izctcee,  tzewee ;  cheo,  cheo,  cheo, 
I'heo,  rheji,  rheo,  cheo :  tzerwiss,  fzerwi^s,  tzertriss  : 
cheo,  cheo,  cheo,  cheo,  cheo,  cheo,  cheo."  After  all  these 
years  I  .see  no  reason  to  alter  this  rendering.  Mrs. 
Musil,  a  German  lady,  vvho  compared  the  song  to  that 
of  the  European  Robin,  can  have  had  no  ear  for  music; 
the  song  remotely  resembles  tliat  of  the  White-throated 
Finch,  but  has  not  the  least  likeness  to  that  of  any  of 
the   memljers  of   the   sub-family    Turilincc. 

MAROOri  Tanagkr  {Rham])hoccelus  jacapa). 

Velvety  black  washed  with  crimson ;  head,  neck, 
throat  and  breast  deep  crimson,  gradually  shading  into 
black  on  the  abdomen  ;  under  wing-coverts  black  ;  bill 
black  with  a  bluish  grey  patch  at  base  of  lowe'r  man- 
dible ;  feet  black.  Female  brownish-black ;  the  face, 
rump,  and  under  surface  of  body  rosy  reddish;  bill 
and  feet  brown.  Habitat,  Guiana,  Venezuela,  Trinidad, 
Colombia,  Ecuadoi',  Peru,  Upper  and  Lower  AmazMis, 
and  Brazil  (Sclater). 

According  to  Burmeister,  in  old  age  there  is  a  naked 
Iiatch  caused  by  the  dropping  out  of  the  feathers 
between  the  eye  and  ba.se  of  beak ;  he  gives  no  in- 
formation  respecting  the  "wild   life. 

Taczanow.ski  l"Oi-nith.  Perou,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  492)  says: 
"The  eggs  collected  at  Huambo  and  at  Corral,  in 
.January  and  Februai-y,  are  oval  and  elliptical,  short, 
with  smooth  surface ;  the  ground-colour  is  very  pale 
bluish  green,  sprinkled  with  black  dots  and  spots, 
more  or  less  regularly  rounded,  sometimes  irregular 
patches,  generally  few  in  number,  usually  more  numer- 
ous at  the  broad  extremity,  rare  at  the  apex,  occa- 
sionallv  equallv  distributed  over  the  whole  surface. 
Length  22.4  23'8  to  16.7-17.2  millimetres  in  breadth." 
The  author  also  quotes  the  following  from  Htolzmann  : 
"A  lively  and  animated  bird  like  the  other  species  of 
the  genus.  It  occurs  chiefly  in  open  spaces,  such  as 
Ijlantations  or  the  margins  of  rivers,  never  penetrating 
into  the  depth  of  the  forest.  One  generally  sees  them 
in  pairs  or  small  companies  consisting  of  a  few  indi- 
viduals. It  nests  in  the  rainy  season  from  January  to 
March.  The  natives  of  the  country  call  it  qtinnrhaco, 
a  name  applied  at  Cuteryo  to  Trupialls  mililaris." 

Ir.  1905  Mr.  E.  W.  Harjwr  sent  four  specimens  of 
this  species  to  the  L;mdon  Zoological  Gardens,  and  in 
1907  he  brought  home  a  pair  which  he  priofd  at  £7. 
Russ  says  that  a  few  have  been  received  singly  in 
Bordeaux. 

SuMMKR  T.WAGF.R,  (Pyranga.  (rativa). 

Crimson,  rather  pnler  on  underpart.s ;  back  darker; 
wings  ashy,  with  deep  crimson  edges  ;  tail  a,shy,  w.ashed 
with  crimson  ;  under  wing-coverts  rosy  ;  bill  pale  horn- 
colour  ;  feet  brown.  Female,  above  olive,  wings  and 
tail  blackish,  with  olive  edges  ;  below  yellowish. 
Habitat,  X.  America  in  summer;  southwards  through- 
out the  Antilles,  Mexico,  and  Central  America  to 
Colombia,  Ecuador,  and  Peru  in  winter. 

Mrs.  Olive  Thornp  Miller,  in  her  "  l^ittle  Brothers  of 
the  Air,"  ]>p.  159  162.  gives  a  charming  p.ctxiunt  of  the 
discovery-  of  nest.s  of  thi.s  bird  on  the  banks  of  the  Bhack 
River,  which  is  well  woithy  of  perusal,  but  does  not 
eiitci'  siutticiently  into  detiils  for  scientific  purposes.  A 
full  description  of  the  nidification  will  probably  be 
found  in  Baird's  "Birds  of  "N.  America,"  p.  301.  In 
Iow:i,  according  to  C.  R.  Keyes  ("Ornithologist  and 
Ooloiri.^+,"  Vol.  IX.,  1884,  p.  34),  the  number  of  eggs 
to  a  clutch  is  always  four. 

Prince  Maximilian  speaks  of  finding  the  nest  on  one 


occasion  at  the  junction  of  the  Ohio  with  the  Mississippi, 
but  it  wa,s  placed  in  the  fork  of  a  branch  of  a  tree,  the 
main  stem  of  which  was  s<>  tJiiii  that  he  could  not 
examini-  it  closely.  Heni-y  Whitely  obtained  /-.  cEstiva 
on  Roraima  at  an  elevation  of  3,500ft.  (The  Ibis, 
1885,  p.  211.) 

Mr.  Walter  Goodfellow  says  {The  Ibis,  1901,  p. 
468)  :  "  Three  males  and  one  female  from  Canzacota, 
West  Ecuador  (6,500  feet),  Quito  (10.000  feet),  and 
Baeza,  East  Ecuador  (5,500  feet).  Our  Consul  at  Quito 
told  me  that  he  had  never  seen  more  than  three  at  that 
altitude  during  the  thirty  years  he  had  lived  there.  The 
si)ecimen  we  shot  in  the  garden  during  our  stay  at  the 
Consulate  had  been  in  the  neighbourhood  for  several 
days,  but  was  very  shy  and  tried  to  conceal  its  bright  coat 
in  the  trees  as  much  as  possible."  Dr.  Russ  says  that  this 
species  is  rarely  imported  iind  only  singly  in  the  German 
niarktt,  nevertheless  a  pair  may  be  found  here  .and  there 
in  several  birdrooms,  but  he  siiy.s  that  it  is  not  present 
in  any  zoological  gardens,  and"  that  even  the  London 
Gardens  h.'ive  not  exhibited  it. 

Rkd   T.\NAGKii   (I'ljranga    rubra). 

Scarlet,  the  feathers  white  at  ba=e ;  wings  and  tail 
black  ;  bill  smoky  horn- coloured,  the  tomium  paler;  feet 
reddish  smoke  brown ;  irides  encircletl  by  a  paler 
cinnamon  margin.  Female  above  yellowish  olive  ;  wings 
arid  tail  blackish  gieen,  with  more  olive  margins;  throat 
brighter,  remainder  of  under  surface  of  a  paler  yellowish 
green.  Habitat,  Eastern  N.  America  in  summer ; 
throughout  the  Antilles  and  Central  America  to 
Colombia,  Ecuador,  Peru,  and  Bolivia  in  winter. 

According  to  Gentry  (vide  Russ,  "  Fremd.  Stubenv.," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  649-50),  this  Tanager  appears  in  the  SUates 
as  a  summer  visitor  from  early  in  May  until  the  last 
week  of  September,  and  is  useful  in  destroying  insects 
and  all  sorts  of  vermin.  In  isolated  human  locations  it 
is  shy  and  nervous,  yet  on  the  other  hand  in  the  vicinity 
of  human  habitations  is  bold  and  confiding,  so  that  one 
may  approach  within  .a  few  steps  of  it.  In  woodlands 
it  seeks  its  fond  for  hours  together  upon  the  outermost 
branches  of  the  highest  trees ;  apple  and  pear  trees 
especially  attract  it.  One  also  sees  it  in  comiwny  with 
Migratory  Tlirushes  and  Changeable  Troupiuls  seeking 
for  grubs  on  the  soil  behind  the  ploughman.  Seeds  even 
of  soft  plants  it  never  e.ats.  After  the  breeding-season 
they  separate  into  paiis  and  families  and  wander  alx>ut 
apart.  One  may  judge  it  likely  that  in  spring,  when 
they  return,  the  sexes  separate,  since  the  males  cer- 
tainly arrive  earlier.  The  latter  tJien  sit  on  the  summits 
of  the  highest  trees  singing  by  the  hour  together,  doubt- 
less with  the  object  of  attracting  the  females  flying 
overhead.  Here  and  there  one  sees  a  male  Itigh  up  on 
a  great  tree  close  To  .x  very  noisy  thoroughfoi'e,  undis- 
turbed by  the  traffic,  and  just  as  here  so  in  the  broad 
forest  it  always  chooses  the  summits  of  the  highest  trees. 
Its  cry,  chichnr,  re.sounds  repeatedly  and  is  very  illusive, 
.IS  if  from  a  distance,  evtn  thouph  the  bird  may  be 
quite  close  to  us.  Liter,  when  the  trees  are  clothed 
with  foliige,  this  T.anager,  in  .'pite  of  its  splendid  colour- 
ing, well  knows  how  to  conc.'al  itwlf,  at  any  rate  in 
the  forest,  where:i.s  in  fruit  and  other  gardens  it  aln'avs 
shows  itself  op'uly.  just  as  though  it  were  well  aware 
that  here  it  is  safer  from  bird.>j  of  prey.  The  song  of  the 
male,  which  is  ventriloquial  in  character  and  is  delivered 
in  rather  slow  time,  may  be  fairly  expressed  by  the 
following  syllables  : — chi-chi-rhi-char-ef-charr-pe-chi.  I 
have  beard  it  cnmipared  with  that  of  the  Baltimore 
Oriole,  but  I  cannot  discover  the  slightest  resemblance 
between  t'he  two. 

The  breeding  season  starts  at  the  end  of  May  or 
beginning  of  .Tune,  and  he  keeps  himself  always  at  s 


TANAGERS. 


87 


certain  distance,  just  as  though  he  wished  to  avoid 
betiayini;  the  nest  hy  his  cnn.spiciiouslycoloured  plu- 
mage. At  the  appro-i;:h  of  danger  botli  sexeis  utter  a 
gentle  rip^jling  chirrup,  whicli  consists  of  weak,  pleasing 
notes,  whilst  they  slip  away  thrcmgh  the  densest  tangle 
of  Kriinchcs  and  "leaves,  and  if  anyone  attempt^s  to  rob 
the  l)rood,  the  female  boldly  dashes  towanls  him,  almost 
at  his  head.  The  nest  is  built  by  the  latter  alone,  only 
in  four  days,  always  on  a  horiznntjil  bougli  uf  a  tulip 
tree,  or  an  oak  in  a  grove  or  light  thicket,  or  even  on 
an  apple  tree  in  a  garden.  It  consists  of  stalks,  straws, 
leaves,  and  similar  mateiriaJs,  is  loosely  constructed 
and  lined  witli  rootlets,  grasses,  bast,  and  fibres.  An 
egg  i.s  laid  daily  until  the  <lutch  of  four  or  five  eggs 
is  complete;  the  female  alone  in<ml)ates,  and  i.s  not  once 
fed  by  the  male,  ."iho  al.so  has  to  feed  the  vnung, 
hatched  after  twelve  days,  alone,  and  moreover  with  all 
sorts  of  soft  insects,  their  eggs  and  larvae.  After  about 
two  weeks  the  young  leave  the  nest,  and  a  week  later 
are  able  to  attend  to  themselves.  Only  one  Virood  is 
reared  in  each  year.  It  should  be  noted  that  this 
species  is  extremely  sensitive  to  cold,  if  in  May  after 
the  hot  days  in  April  some  frosty  day.s  occur,  as  usually 
happens  here,  these  birds  .suffer  greatly,  and  many  die. 

Russ  says  that  this  species  has  been  imported  singly 
by  Mr.  Reiche  and  Miss  lligenbeck;  Mr.  L.  Nesniirak, 
of  Prague,  had  a  pair  for  a  considerable  time,  but  could 
not  induce  them  to  breed.  Dr.  Russ  received  a  male  in 
winter  plumage  from  H.  Mnller.  of  Hamburg,  and  two 
years  later  a  female  fur  identification  from  the  younger 
Lintz. 

Br,.\(;K-.\ND-RED  T.VN-VGF.K  {P i/fii iii/a  rnjlhromelas). 

Scarlet;  forehead,  lores,  orbital  space,  chin,  wings, 
and  tail  black ;  upper  back  more  or  less  varied  with 
black;  lesser  and  greater  wing-covorts  tipped  with 
white,  forming  two  white  bars ;  bill  and  feet  black. 
Female,  above  olive ;  wing-ooverts  as  in  the  male,  wings 
and  tail  brownish-black;  under  surface  more  yellow 
than  the  upper.  Habitat,  Southern  Mexico  and  Central 
America  to  Panama. 

Doubtless  the  wild  life  would  be  similar  to  that  of 
the  preceding  species,  but  my  library  does  not  enable 
me  to  discover  any  definite  statements  respecting  it. 

The  London  Zoological  Society  secured  three  speci- 
mens in  1907,  by  exchange  with  the  New  York  Zoo- 
logical Park. 

LouiPi.vN.*.   T.^N.^GER    {Piirnnga    hidm-iciann). 

Above  .vellow ;  head  and  neck  reddi.«h,  leaist  so  at  the 
sides;  middle  of  back,  wings,  and  tail,  black;  a  yellow 
liand  across  the  metlian  wing-coverts,  and  a  yellowish 
white  band  across  the  greater  coverts  ;  tertials  more  or 
less  edged  with  whitish  ;  bill  horn-colour,  greenish 
below;  feet  lead-colour;  irides  brown.  Female,  above 
olive-green,  below  yellowish;  upper  back  dusky,  with 
olive  mairgins  to  the  feathers;  wings  and  tail  dark 
brown;  the  coverts  as  in  the  male.  Habitat,  Western 
N.  America,  Mexico,  and  tjuatemala. 

.1.  G.  Cooper  savs  of  this  Tanager  ("Geol.  Surv. 
Calif.."  Vol.  r..  p.  146,  1870)  :— "I  noticed  the  arrival 
of  this  lieautiful  bird,  near  San  Diego,  in  small  parties 
on  the  24th  of  April,  and  they  reach  Puget  Sound 
about  May  15th.  The  males  'come  some  time  in 
advance,  clothed  in  their  full  summer  livery,  and  are 
more  bold  and  conspicuous  than  the  females  which  are 
rarely  seen  without  close  watching.  They  frequent 
trees,  feeding  on  insects  and  berries,  and  singing  much 
in  the  same  manner  aiS  the  other  species,  and  more 
like  the  Robin  and  Grosbeaks  than  any  other  birds. 

"I  saw  none  of  then  in  the  Coast  "Range  towards 
Santa  Cruz,  or  at  Santa  Barbara,  in  sununer,  and  sup- 


pose they  must  seek  the  higher  and  more  northern 
regions  at  tliat  season.  Their  nest  and  eggs  have  not 
bcKMi  described.  I  found  this  species  in  September, 
1860,  in  lire  higher  Rocky  MounUiins,  near  the  sources 
of  the  Columbia,  in  lat.'  47  deg.,  and  they  probaldy 
remain  until  Octolier  within  this  State.  In  the  fall, 
the  young  and  old,  all  in  the  same  dull  greenish 
[ilumage,  associate  in  tamilies,  and  feed  on  elder- 
lierries  and  other  kinds,  without  that  timidity  which 
tliey  have  in  spring.  Although  found  us  far  east  as  tbe 
Rocky  Mountains,  1  saw  none  along  the  Colorado 
Valley,  probably  because  they  migrate  more  in  the  line 
of  mountain  rangen." 

Rufs  s;iys  that  this  bird  is  rarer  than  all  other 
hitherto  imj>orted  species.  In  1873  he  r6Ceive<l  a  male 
from  Karl  (Judera,  which  some  months  later  died  in 
summer  plumage ;  to  his  knowledge  it  bad  not  been 
previously  imported,  nor  had  it  come  sulisequently,  but 
ho  tliinks  there  is  every  prospect  of  a  bird  so  widely 
distributed  becoming  commoner  in  the  trade. 
S.\IR.\  T.\N.^GKK  (Pijranga  sriira). 

Bright  rosy-scarlet;  upper  back  and  edges  of  wings 
and  tail  darker;  under  wing-coverts  rosy-red ;  bill  dark 
leaden;  feet  dark  brown.  Female  olive;  front  and 
sides  of  head  and  body  below  yeilow.  Habitat,  S.E. 
\'u.?\\. 

Burmeister  sayis  this  bird  is  "abundant  and  every- 
where on  the  region  of  the  Campos  of  inner  Brazil,  but 
only  .singly  or  in  pairs ;  a  stupid  little  nervous  bird, 
easily  recognisable  by  its  colouring,  and  is  one  of  the 
daily  sights  of  the  traveller  in  Minas  Geraes." 

Russ  gives  no  reason  for  including  this  bird  in  his 
work;  but  it  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens,  and  (owing  to  the  i-estrictinns  now 
placed  upon  the  exportation  of  X.  American  birds)  is 
far  more  likely  to  come  into  our  market  than  the  other 
species  of  Pyranga. 

It  is  probable  that  all  the  species  of  this  genus  lay 
greenish  eggs  .spotted  with  reddish,  especially  towards 
the  larger  end,  and  that  their  nests  are  somewhat 
loosely  constructed  with  an  outer  framework  of  twigs 
or  stalks  and  leaves,  and  an  inner  lining  of  .«ofter 
materials.  They  all  feed  upon  insects  and  fruit. 
Black  T.^n.^ger   [Tachyphonus  mdahurus). 

Above  and  below  glossy  blue-black ;  upper  lesser 
wing-coverts  and  the  under  wing-coverts  white;  bill 
and  feet  black.  Female  and  yoaing  cinnamon-brown, 
paler  on  under-surfacc ;  bill  dark  horn-brown,  feet 
brown;  irides  dark.  Habitat,  "Costa  Rica.  Panama, 
and  S.  America  down  to  S.E.  Brazil  and  Peru  "  (P.  L. 
Sclater). 

Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  [The  Ibia.  1881,  p.  353)  says  of 
this  bird  ; — "  It  is  usually  seen  singly  or  in  pairs,  the 
blac:k  male  with  the  chestnut  female.  The  stomach  of 
one  I  examined  contained  insects." 

Russ  says  that  'Sonnini  de  Manoncourt  observed  this 
Tanager  at  home  on  the  nest  and  also  besides  in  the 
nesting-season,  alwavs  finding  it  living  in  pairs  in  dense 
scrub,  but  never  associated  in  numbers.  He  further- 
more informs  us  that  all  the  time  it  has  no  song,  but 
only  utters  its  shrill,  piercing  call-note.  Its  food  con- 
sists of  small  fruits  and  insects.  Confcnaing  the  wild 
life,  says  Russ,  nothing  more  definite  has  hitherto  been 
publislHKl.  The  same  might  be  said  with  regard  to  the 
majority  of  tropical  American  birds,  and  therefore  the 
attention  which  is  being  paid  bv  avicultui  ists  to  their 
life  in  aviaries  is  the  more  n.^eful. 

Dr.  Russ,  however  o\erlooked  T.  K.  Salmon's  notes 
("  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.,"  1379,  p.  503)  :— "Food,  fruit.  Builds 
in   high   grass.     Eggs,   pale   salmon -colour,   with  a  few 


88 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


large  isolated  djrk  brown  spots;  axis  1.0,  diam.  .71." 

The  egg  is  figured  on  Plate  XLII.,  fig.  5. 

In  1906  Mr.  W.  E.  Tescheinaker  was  successful  in 
bree<ling  the  Black  Tanager  in  his  aviaries,  and  has 
piibLi.shed  an  interesting  account  of  his  experience  in 
The  Aviculturnl  Magazine.  (New  Series,  Vol.  IV.,  pp. 
331-6),  aecomijanied  by  a  photograph  of  the  nest  and 
eggs. 

The  nest  was  buiit  of  hay  at  the  top  of  a  thick 
privet  hedge;  it  was  firmly  woven,  unlined,  and  almost 
as  deep  as  a  Reed  Warbler's.  The  first  egg  was  laid 
on  the  17th  June,  and  incul>ation  commenced  at  once  ; 
on  the  18th  and  19th  additional  eggs  were  laid,  oomplet- 
ino-  the  chitrh  of  three;  tlie  ground -colour  was  delicate 
cream,  the  shell  being  sauooth  and  thin  ;  in  shape  they 
were  a  true  ellipse  ;  they  were  marked  with  irregular 
black  spots  and  a  few  fine  wavy  lines.  The  male 
perched  by  the  nest  singing  while  the  hen  sat,  and  his 
song,  uttered  with  closed  beak,  consisted  of  a  low, 
intermittent  warbling;  to  tliat  de  Mannncourt's  infor- 
mation, liesides  being  meagre  in  the  extreme,  is  proved 
to  be  inaccurate  Inculiation  lasted  thirteen  days ;  the 
newly-liatched  young  were  lead-coloured  and  covered 
with  black  down.  The  larger  of  the  two  toat  hatched 
left  the  nest  on  July  12,  being  then  like  his  mother, 
excepting  that  he  was  a  trifle  paler  and  had  bluish 
feet;  the  second,  which  left  the  nest  the  following  day, 
was  rather  deeper  in  colour.  The  young  were  partly 
fed  with  fruit. 

Mr.  Tescheniaker  very  kindly  sent  me  the  two  youns 
birds  on  August  13th,  but  unhappily  they  were  delayed 
so  long  on  their  iourney  from  Devonshire  to  Kent  that 
they  were  more  than  half  dead  with  hunger  and  thirst 
when  they  came  to  hand.  I  turned  them  into  a  large 
flight  cage,  but  they  never  recovered  their  health, 
were  constantly  quarrelling,  and  consequently  their 
plumage  suffered  considerably.  On  October  13th  the 
hen  died,  and  the  cock  followed  on  the  15th  :  a  sad 
conclusion  to  a  most  interesting  and  instructive 
experience. 

LiTTLK  Bl.\ck  Tan.\gkr  {Tarlii/phonus  luctuosus). 

Male  very  similar  to  the  preceding,  excepting  for  its 
inferior  size  and  the  white  on  the  upper  side  of  the 
wing  covering  the  lesser  coverts.  Female  different ; 
olive,  with  greyish  head,  whitish  throat,  yellow  under- 
surface,  but  white  under  wing-coverts.  Habitat, 
"  Nicaragua,  Costa  Rica.  Panama,  and  South  America 
down  to  Trinidad  and  Guiana  on  the  east  and  Bolivia 
on  the  west."  (P.  L.  Sclater.)  The  wild  life  has  yet 
to  be  studied,  but  Dr.  Rus.s  considers  this  bird  to  be 
far  more  amiable  and  less  aggressive  than  its  larger 
relative.* 

It  has  only  been  very  rarely  imported,  and  singly  by 
Bekemans,  whilst  Gudera  once  obt-ained  five  malas  iFrom 
a  small  dealer  in  Bordeaux.  One  of  these  five  Russ 
purchased  for  his  birdrooni,  where  it  lived  for  about 
nine  months,  but  was  unable  to  survive  its  first  moult. 
Crestkd  T.4N.\ger    [Tachyphnnus  crixlatus). 

Male,  above  black,  crown  covcpi'd  by  a  scarlet  or 
orange  erectile  crest,  lower  back  and  rump  .yellowish 
rust-red,  lesser  upper  wing-coverts  white,  below  black, 
with  a  yellowish  rusty  strijje  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
throat ;  bill  black ;  feet  bluish  flesh-coloured ;  irides 
dark  brown.  Female  rusty-brown  washed  with  olive; 
rump  yellowish  brown;  undersurface  yellowish  rust- 
coloured  ;  bill  brown ;  feet  brownish  flesh-coloured ; 
irides  dark  brown.  Habitat,  Guiana,  Cayenne, 
Colombia,  Amazonia,  and  Brazil  to  Rio  Grande  do  Sul. 

•  S&lmon  (P.Z.S.,  1879.  p.  508)  tells  us  only  that  its  food 
consistfl  of  fruit.  €to.,  which  we  already  know. 


Of  the  wild  life  Buffon  says  that  it  is  very  common 
in  Guiana,  lives  on  small  fruits,  has  a  shrill  Finch-like 
call,  but  utters  no  similar  song;  is  never  found  in  large 
woods,  hut  only  on  ploughed  fields,  liurmei^ster  says 
it  IS  abundant  in  Kio  de  Janeiro,  but  more  so  in  the 
valleys  on  its  b:iJiks  than  those  of  the  mountains. 

As  Russ  observes,  considering  its  wide  distribution, 
throughout  which  it  is  nowhere  rare,  it  is  astonishing 
that  tile  bird  trade  luis  not  imported  it  frequently  and 
in  great  numbers,  yet  it  has  only  been  occasionally 
imported,  and  singly  by  Bekemans,  of  Antwerp. 
Crowned  Tanaoer   {Tachi/phnnus  coronalus). 

Glossy  black;  crown  with  a  small  mediaif  crimson 
crest ;  lesser  upper  wing-coverts  and  under  wing-coverts 
white  ;  bill  dark  leaden  ;  feet  brown.  Female,  above 
rusty-brown  ;  head  slightly  ashy ;  below  paler ;  the 
throat  and  bre;i.st  with  ashy  freckles;  under  tail-coverts 
rusty-brown.  Habitat,  S.t.  Brazil.  Bunneister  says 
that  this  species  is  "  common  in  all  the  woodlands  of 
South  Brazil,  especially  abundant  in  St.  Paulo  and 
Sta.  Catharina"  fSyst.  Ueb.  III.,  p.  166). 

Russ  does  not  mention  this  as  an  imported  species, 
but  Mr.  L.  W.  Hawkins  exhibited  a  pair  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  in  1905.  It  has  also  been  exhibited  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens. 

The  Tanagers  which  follow  are  of  somewhat  sombre 
hues,  and  some  of  them  have  been  regarded  by  Russ  as 
Grosbeaks. 

Fasciated  Tanager  (Diucopis  fasciala). 

"Above  grey;  lores  and  sides  of  head  black;  wings 
brown  ;  coverts  black,  crossed  by  a  broad  white  band  ; 
tail  blackish,  edged  with  brown;  beneath  white,  sides 
passing  into  cinereous  ;  under  wing-coverts  white  ;  bill 
phun'oeous  ;  beneath  whitish;  feet  clear  brown.  Whole 
length  6.7  inches,  wing  2.9,  tail  2.7.  Young,  above 
brown ;  lores  and  sides  of  the  head  rather  darker ; 
below  not  so  clear."  "Habitat,  S.E.  Brazil"  (P.  Ii. 
Sclater.) 

Dr.  Sclater  does  not  distinguish  the  sexes,  which 
are  alike  in  plumage,  but  "  the  beak  of  the  female  is 
much  %vider  from  base  to  middle  than  in  the  male  " 
("  How  to  Sex  Cage  Birds."  p.  32).  Herr  H.  von 
Jhering  obtained  this  bird  at  Bio  Grande  do  Sul  {The 
Ilns,  1899,  p.  434),  but  he  tells  us  nothing  about  its 
wild  life,  nor  have  I  been  able  to  discover  anything 
respecting  it.  It  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Bahama  Tanager  (SpindatU  zeiia). 

Above  black;  a  chestnut  band  on  the  nape;  wing- 
coverts  and  secondaries  broadly  bordered  and  primaries 
narrowly  edged  with  white  ;  terminal  halves  of  outer 
tail-feathers  largefy  white,  remaining  feathers  white- 
tipi>ed ;  a  long  eyebrow  streak,  a  broad  moust,achial 
stripe  and  the  chin  white ;  centre  of  throat  yellow, 
bounded  on  each  side  by  black  patches  which  nearly 
unite  below ;  breast  chestnut  in  front,  shading  into 
yellow  at  back  ;  front  of  abdomen  also  yellow  ;  lower 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  sides  ashy ; 
under  wing-coverts  white  ;  bill  leaden,  paler  below ; 
feet  blackish.  Female,  above  olivaceous  grey ;  wings 
.\nd  tail  brownish  black  margined  with  white,  below- 
paler  ;  the  lower  abdomen,  under  tail  and  wing  coverts 
white.     Habitat,  Bahamas. 

Why  Spihdalis,  which  has  a  similar  scheme  of  colour- 
ing to  the  genus  Saltalvr,  has  been  placed  between  the 
brilliant  Tanagers  of  the  gener,%  Tanaijia  and 
Rhainphociduii  I  do  not  understand,  though  Dr. 
Sclater  says  it  is  hardly  different  in  structure  from 
Tariagra;  but  surely  the  beak  is  more  Finch-like? 
Ridgway    says    of     it:      "  Culmeii     distinctly    (usually 


ANAGEU8. 


89 


strongly)  convex,"  whereas  lie  describes  Tanayra  as 
having  the  culuien  "  nearly  straight  for  liasal  half  or 
more  more  or  less  strongly  convex  teruiinally  ;  the 
tip  slightly  uncinate."  ("Birds  of  North  and  Middle 
America,"  II.,  pp.  62  and  64).  Nevertheless  he  leaves 
it  in  the  'J'anai/rirld'. 

Mr.  J.  Lewis  Bonhote  (Avic.  Mag.,  N.s.,  Vol.  I., 
pp.  19,  20)  observes  of  this  bird  :  "  Tlie  cumniunL'st  and 
perhaps  the  handsomest  of  all  the  birds  of  the  barrens 
is  the  Bahama  Finch  {S.  zi-iin),  known  locally  as  the 
C'ock  Robin.  It  is  to  be  found  in  some  numbers  round 
every  clump  of  busli,  and  seems  to  feed  chicHy  on 
berries,  the  black  berry  referred  to  wlien  dealing  with 
the  (irosbeak  *  being  also  a  favorite  with  this  bird." 
"I  have  never  found  the  nest  of  this  species,  but  fi-om 
the  large  preponderance  of  males  at  Abaco  last  Marcli 
I  feel  pretty  certain  they  must  have  been  nesting  at 
the  time.  Flying  about  in  small  Hocks  they  may 
generally  be  fonnd  by  listening  for  the  call-note,  which 
is  a  high-pitched  '  twee '  frequently  uttered,  especially 
during  the  early  spring,  when  the  males  are  very 
pugnacious  ;  it  does  not  appear  to  have  any  noticeable 
song.  As  this  bird  is  frequently  caught  alive  I  ^ave 
on  several  occasions  hnd  one  in  my  possession,  but 
they  did  not  live  long,  and  I  never  succeeded  in  getting 
them  on  to  artificial  food,  bnt  have  had  to  feed  them 
entirely  on  wild  berries  :  they  get  very  tame,  but  their 
beauty  is  their  only  attraction." 

This  pretty  Tanager  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Dewhurst 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  in  1906  and  1907.  and  I  have  to 
thank  Mr.  Allen  Silver  for  calling  my  attention  to  the 
lact.t 

Great  Salt.^tor  (Sallntor  niaijnus). 

Above  olivaceous,  the  sides  of  head  ashy  with  a  weak 
white  eyebrow  stripe  ;  chin  white  with  a  black  stripe 
on  each  side  ;  under  surface  of  body  pale  ashy  varied 
with  fulvous,  especially  on  middle  of  throat  and  under 
tail-coverts  ;  bill  blackish  ;  feet  brown  ;  irides  brown. 
Female  similarly  coloured.  Habitat,  "  Panama  south- 
wards to  Bolivia  and  South  Brazil "  (P.  L.  Sclater). 
Taczanowski  ("  Orn.  Perou,"  II.,  p.  540)  quotes  Stolz.- 
mann  for  the  following :  "  It  keeps  in  pairs  in  open 
spaces  in  the  low  Ecrub.  Its  call-note  is  a  very  strong 
and  piercing  whistle.  It  nests  in  January  and  Feb- 
ruary. The  nest  is  placed  very  low  down.  The  eggs 
resemble  those  of  Aphobus  chnpl." 

W.  A.  Forl>es  {The  Ibis,  1881,  p.  354)  says  :  "I  only 
once  met  with  this  bird,  whtch  I  shot  in  thick  and 
high  forest  some  miles  froni   Parahyba." 

Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  describes  the  nest  as  being  "  com- 
posed of  small  sticks  and  fern-stalks,  and  placed  in 
low  underwood,"  and  the  eggs  as  "pale  greenish  blue, 
with  a  zone  of  black  spots  and  hair-lines  round  the 
larcrer  end."  ("  Proc.  Zool.  Soc,"  1879,  p.  505.)  Dr. 
Sclater  concludes  ("Cat.  Birds,"  XI.,  p.  282)  that  this  is 
an  unvarying  description  of  the  nest  and  eggs  of  the 
genus ;  but  it  would  seem,  from  Dr.  E.  Lonnberg's 
notes  on  <?.  latirlavius,  that  the  latter  lays  a  greenish 
white  egg,  "  spotted  all  over  with  irregular  reddish- 
brown,  or  almost  red,  spots  and  with  fainter  bluish 
violet  or  bluish  grey  blotches"  {The  Ibis,  1903,  p. 
455).  If  he  is  right,  it  is  probable  that  >S'.  auratitiiros. 
trU  lays  similar  eggs.  Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  gave  four 
examples  of  this  fine  Tanager  to  the  Zoological  Society 
of  London    in  1906. 

Allied  S.u,tator  {Saltalor  similis). 

Above    ash-grey ;     upper    back,    greater    wing-coverts 

*  Referred  to  in  the  previous  volume  {let  ser.,  Vol.  VIII.,  p. 
285). 

t  The  dealers'  names  of  "Cuban  Ta-naeer  "  and  "  Banan.'x 
Bird  "  applied  to  this  species  are  absurd.  It  does  not  come  from 
Cuba,  and  Bajiaim  is  probably  a  corruption  of  Bahama 


and  secondaries  washed  with  olivacoous  green;  eyebrow 
stripe  white  ;  throat  while  with  a  black  line  on  each 
side  ;  under  surface  of  body  ochraceous  yellow,  ashy  on 
the  flanks;  under  wing-coverts  pale  ochraceous;  bill 
leaden  grey  ;  feet  brown.  Female  resembling  the  male 
in  colouring,  but  doubtless  differing  in  form  <>{  beak. 
Habitat,  .South  Brazil  and  Corrientes,  Argentine  Re- 
public. 

I  have  discovered  no  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  this 
bird.  It  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens. 

Orange-billed  Tanager  (Saltalor  aurantiiroslris). 

Alxjve  greyish  washed  with  olivaceous,  excepting  on 
the  tail,  which  shows  faintly  indicated  darker  bars; 
the  outer  feathers  varied  with  white  at  tips ;  brown 
of  head  slaty-blackish ;  flights  dark  grey-brown  with 
olive-ashy  margins  to  outer  webs  ;  lores,  sides  of  head 
and  throat  black  ;  eyebrow-stripe  fulvous  at  first,  but 
becoming  white  in  front  with  advanced  age ;  under 
surface  huffish  white  on  chin,  becoming  gradually  clear 
sandy  buff  on  throat,  bounded  be-hind  by  a  broadish 
arched  black  band  which  connects  the  black  at  sides  of 
throat  :  breast  from  band  greyish  cinnamon  washed 
with  olive  gradually  passing  into  the  clearer  pale 
cofifee-tint  of  the  abdomen;  under  tail-coverts  deeper; 
flights  and  tail-feathers  below  ashy ;  under  wing- 
coverts  pale  buff.  Bill  at  first  dark  liorn-colour  washed 
with  leaden  grey,  but  bright  ochre-yellow  tipped  with 
black  in  the  adult  bird;  feet  leaden  greyish;  irides 
dark  brown.  Female  slightly  duller  in  colour  and 
without  the  connecting  black  collar  across  the  back  of 
the  throat ;  eyebrow  stripe  permanently  fulvous ;  bill 
broader  from  base  to  middle  and  never  of  the  uniform 
clear  ochreous  colouring  of  that  of  the  male.  Habitat, 
Paraguay  and  Uruguay  and  Northern  and  Western 
Argentina. 

"  In  Corrientes  d'Orbigny  found  this  Saltator  breed- 
ing in  the  month  of  November.  It  frequents  the  shrubs 
and  bushes  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  houses,  and 
makes  an  open  nest  of  roots,  not  of  very  neat  construc- 
tion. The  eggs  are  two  or  three,  greenish  blue,  slightly 
spotted  at  the  larger  end  with  blackish  and  reddish 
zigzag  markings.  The  eag  is  figured  in  '  D'Orbigny's 
Vovage'  (PI.  XXVIII.,  Fig.  3)."  (Sclater  and  Hudson, 
"Argent.    Ornith.,"   Vol.    I.,   p.   42.) 

I  published  an  account  of  this  Tanager  in  The 
Aricultural  Magazine,  N.s.,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  335-339,  illus- 
trated by  a  coloured  plate  representing  adult  and  old 
males. 

The  London  Zoological  Society  was  probably  the  first 
to  exhibit  this  Tanager  ;  but,  like  most  of  the  Tanagers, 
its  appearance  in  the  bird  market  seems  to  be  spas- 
modic ;  a  few  turn  up  one  year  and  then  perhaps 
several  years  pass  and  not  a  specimen  is  received.  In . 
1903  an  Italian  brought  a  consignment  of  Argentine 
birds  to  London,  from  which  my  friend  Mr.  Housden, 
of  Sydenham,  secured  three  examples  of  S.  auran- 
tiinislilf,  a  male  and  two  females.  I  purchased  the 
male  and  fed  it  in  the  usual  manner ;  but,  as  the 
collector  had  previously  fed  it  upon  canaryseed  only, 
its  constitution  was  undermined  before  it  came  into  my 
possession  in  September ;  its  health  fluctuated  some- 
what, but  in  November  it  died. ' 

Though  neither  brilliantly  coloured  nor  a  songster 
(though  Dr.  Russ  imagines  that  it  must  be),  this  species 
is  pleasing  on  account  of  its  confiding  nature. 

In  the  same  year,  1903,  Mr.  Swaysland  received  four 
young  examples  of  tliis  species,  their  bills  being  in  the 
horn-coloured  stage,  one  of  which  he  exhibited  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  under  the  imjiression  that  the  dark- 
billed  form  represented  a  distinct  species. 


90 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Magpie  Tanacer  [Cissopis  leveriana). 
White  ;  the  head,  neck,  upper  back,  wings,  and  tail 
black;  the  lesser  wing-coverts,  sjKits  at  the  ends  of  the 
greater  coverts,  margins  of  outer  secondaries  and  ends 
of  tail-feathers  white;  throat  and  breast,  the  latter 
tapering  away  to  middle  of  abdomen,  black  ;  bill  and 
feet  black.  Female  said  to  be  similar,  and  for  lack  of 
authentically  sexed  females  in  the  nmseum  collection  I 
was  unable  to  discover  how  to  distinguish  them. 
Habitat,  Guiana,  Venezuela,  Colombia,  Ecuador,  I'eru, 
and  Bolivia.     (P.  L.   Sclater.) 

Taczanowski    quotes    the    following    from    Stolzmann 
C'Orn.    Perou,"    II.,    jip.    537-8):    "This   cxtraordinaiy 
Tanager  is   found   by  the  banks  of  rivers  and  margins 
of   forests.     As  a  rule   it  is  very  rare  and   much   more 
wild    than    all    the    other    Tanagers.     Its    oall-note  so 
closely    resembles    that    of    the    lihamphorrtliis.lhat  1 
was  unable  to  distinguish  it.     Th«  song  is  short,   like 
that  of  Molothrus  and  of  Carcnorhrmis  latinuchus.    One 
generally   pomes  atroEs  tlicm  in  pairs  travelling  across 
the  dense  thickets  on  the  liorders  of  the  woods.     I  have 
seen  them  in  March  feeding  on  sweet  fruits  which  then 
attract  a  number   of  different  birds."     A   fair  number 
of  examples   of  this  Tajiager   has  been  exhibited   from 
lime  to  time  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens    and  of 
late    years    I    have    seen  it  at   bird   shows.      Amcrngst 
Tanacers  it  is  very  remarkable  aiwi  SLiriking,   its  bla(  k 
and   white  plumage   being  especially   distinctive. 
Bl.\ck-headed  Tanaoer  {l^chis/orlilaini/s  afra). 
Front  half  and  Mdes  of  head  and  throat  to  middle 
of    breast   black;     wings  and  tail   blacki--h  with 
grey  edges ;     upper 
surface       otherwise 
grey  ;  under  surface 
paler,  the  centre  of 
a,bdomen  and  Tinder 
wing-coverts    whit- 
ish ;        bill     leaden 
grey,  black  at   tip  ; 
feet   black ;      irides 
Te<Wish-brown.   Fe- 
male   not    differen- 
tiated.  Young   ashy 
olivaceous,  paler  on 
under  surface,  wings 
and  tail  brown  with 
olive       margins. 
Habitat,        South 
America        from 
Trinidad    and    Col- 
ombia    to     Bolivia 
and   South   Brazil. 

W.  A.  Forbes 
fThf  Ihlx,  1881,  pp.  334  5)  says 
was  rather  abundant  round  Parahyba 
neighbourhood  of  the  forest.  It  is  nearly  always  seen 
singly  near,  but  not  in,  high  forest,  and  perches  in  the 
larger  trees  that  rise  above  the  bushes  and  under- 
growth of  the  capoeira.  It  appears  to  be  not  at  all 
shy.  and  is  easily  shot.     The  sexes  are  similar. 

"  I  bought  a  single  living  specimen  of  this  bird  in 
a  shop  in  Recife,  and  brcjught  it  safely  to  London, 
where  it  is  still  living  in  (he  Zoological  Society's 
Gardens.     I  never  before  saw  it  living  in  Europe." 

Dr.  Russ,  who  calls  this  a  Ci>rrnlhrauMr«,  quotes  a 
modified  version  of  Forbes's  account,  and  notes  it  as 
one  of  the  birds  not  hitherto  received  in  the  trade, 
but  which  he  thinks,  .sooner  or  later,  certain  to  conic. 
FuuGiNors  OR  Smoky  Tanager  (Pityhia  fiiHginnsus). 
Black,  the  whole  excepting  the  sides  of  head,  throat, 
and  breast  bluis.h,  these  parts  being  more  sooty  or  dead 


black ;  -under  wing-coverte  white ;  bill  orange ;  f««it 
black.  Female  not  quite  so  bright,  the  throat  and 
breast  scarcely  more  intensely  black  than  the  reet  of 
the  b<xiy.     Habitat,  South  Brazil. 

According  to  Ruiss  this  bird  "is  not  abundant,  and 
usually  lives  in  pairs,  not  ex;ictly  in  deep  forest,  but 
more  at  the  lx>rders  on  busby  and  sunny  opening^,"  and 
that  is  all  that  I  can  discover  res])ccting  its  wild  life. 
It  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Before  pussing  on  to  the  true  FringiUi<i<F  it  will  l>e 
as  well  to  note  that  Professor  Robert  Ridgway  refers 
some  of  the  preceding  genera  to  that  family — viz., 
Diuropix,  Saltafnr,  and  Pitylua.  He  writes  ("Birds 
of  North  and  Middle  America,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  24-5)  as 
follows  : — 

"TIm  group  most  closely  related  to  the  FringiUid(Z 
is,  of  course,  that  called  Tanagridm,  or  at  least  oertair» 


m0:^C 


'^m 


that 


this   bird 
in      the 


members  of  the  latter,  which  possibly  is,  even  alter  tne 
above-mentioned  eliminations,  too  comprehensive,  and 
therefore  may  require  still  further  restriction.  As  com- 
m<;nly  under.stood  and  accepted,  the  two  supposed 
families  arc  clearly  purely  artificial,  and  the  arbitrary 
line  that  has  usually  Ijeen  drawn  between  them  is  mani- 
festly far  out  of  place,  the  Tanwjrida:  having  been 
made  to  iiu  hide  fdrms  (those  mentioned  above*)  which 
are  unquestionably  Fringilline  in  their  relationships." 

His  f<X)tnoto  rather  detracts  fi-om  the  force  of  the 
above  observations :  I  should  have  thought  Saltalor 
one  of  the  most  palpably  Fringilline  of  the  genera  placed 
in  the  Tanagridrr  :  the  manner  in  which  it  husks  and 
cats  seed   is  essentially   Finch-like. 

In  Vol.  II.,  under  the  family  Tanagr{da;,\hh  auUior 
says  (p.   1)  : — ^"I  am  very  doubtful  as  to  whether  the 

•  The  only  reasonable  doubt  pertains  to  ♦h<  genera  Pitylus 
nnd   Saltatnr. 


FINCHES. 


91 


fruit  eatinj;  Fii/ihuiiiir  (gfiKTa  Euphonia,  Pyrrhu- 
phimia^  and  Chloin/i/ioiiia  should  not  be  separated  from 
the  others  -.m  :i  disiiiict  fiimily." 

Thitt  f  'ah//itiip/illu.'i  shoul<i  he  re^ardi'd  a&  prii»bably 
beloiiLjiii^  lo  tlu'  Miniiihe.  (Mockingbii'd.'-),  und  Chloro- 
fpiiuju.1  to  the  Miiinliltidce  (Bush  creepeiis)  does  not  at 
present  atfi'ct  aviculture.  It  is  perhaps  as  well  that  I 
I. ever  becanu'  a  .systematic  ornithol(>(;ist.  or  I  am  cer- 
tain I  should  have  broken  up  the  Tanai/riilir  more  than 
Professor  Hi<lij«ay  hii.s  tlone.  When  one  compares  the 
heads  of  // !//»>/'/iiin  \"  t'at.  Hirds,"  p.  84)  aii<l  Mirro- 
KpirKjus  (p.  252l  of  Dr.  Sclater's  catalogue,  it  seems  to 
me  impossible  that  both  can  belong  to  the  same  family  ; 
but  whether  they  do  or  not  is  happily  not  my  business 
to  decide,  and  so  I  am  content  to  use  the  work  which 
the  Museum  has  produced,  being  only  too  thankful  to 
have   a    jiassitication   to   follow. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


FINCHES   {Frin-jiUi'hr). 

Pix>f.  Ridgwav  says  ("  liiixls  of  North  and  Middle 
America,"  Vol.  1.,  p.  25)  : — "It  is  very  evic'ent,  accord- 
ing to  my  judgment,  that  Dr.  Sharpe's  so-called  sub- 
families, Carrot  kranstintTy  FringilliiKT,  and  Emheri- 
zinir,  are  unnatural  group.'^,  especially  the  first."  It 
must,  however,  not  be  forgotten  that  Dr.  Sharpe  him- 
self says: — "Every  division  of  the  family  is  to  be 
accepted  (m  the  score  of  convenience  rather  than  as 
having  a  foundation  of  solid  structural  characters."  In 
tile  absence,  therefore,  of  any  (jther  subdivision  of  the 
family  based  upon  an  anatomical  study  of  the  whole  of 
the  genera  of  the  Fringillidce,  it  simplifies  matters  to 
accept  the  subfamilies  proposed  by  Dr.  Sharpe.  The 
three  subfamilies,  then,  will  stand  as  follows:  — 
Friiiijilliiiir  (the  most  typical  Finches,  of  which  our 
Chaffinch  is  the  type,  or  representative  sijecies)  ; 
Embrrizitue  (Buntings,  of  which  our  Yellowhammer  is 
i->e|)Tesentative) ;  and  C occothraustime  (Grosbeaks,  repre- 
sented in  Great  Britain  by  the  Hawfinch  and  Green- 
finch). 

The  whole  of  these  birds  feed  their  young  from  the 
crop  ;  though  the  more  insectivorous  members  of  the 
family,  such  as  the  Chaffinches,  Bramblings,  Sparrows, 
and  the  Buntings,  commence  to  feed  also  with  un- 
digested insects  long  before  the  young  leave  the  nest, 
a  fact  which  has  led  even  careful  observers  into  error, 
whilst  by  some  it  has  even  been  assumed  that  these 
birds  were  incapable  of  regurgitating  food,  ^lore 
careful  study  would  have  convinced  them  that  this  is 
so  far  from  being  the  truth,  that  (in  all  these  cases) 
the  regurgitation  of  soft  food  is  continued,  more  or  less, 
after  the  young  have  left  the  nest,  as  I  have  repeatedly 
seen. 

Of  the  true  Finches  {Fringillince)  more  are  now  im- 
poi-ted  every  year,  several  Chaffinches  having  been 
introduced  into  English  aviaries  and  bird-rooms,  also 
nut  a  few  of  the  species  known  more  particularly  to 
bird-catchers  and  others  as  Finches,  such  as  Serins, 
Siskins  (sometimes  called  Goldfinches),  as  well  as 
Saffronfiiiches,   Rosefinches,   Bullfinches,    and  Sparrows. 

So  far  as  possible,  I  have  endeavoured  to  get  together 
information  respecting  the  species  hitherto  imported 
into  the  European  bird-markets,  but  to  follow  Dr. 
Russ's  e.xample  and  describe  dozens  of  birds  which 
have  hitherto  never  been  imported  would,  in  my  opinion, 
be  e.\ceeding  my  duty.  He  often  excuses  this  action 
by   stating   that   a   bird    is   exceedingly   desirable,    and 


lieing  rnnimon  in  its  own  country  is  likely,  at  .««me  time, 
to  h-  im|K)rted  ;  when  that  time  comes"  it  will  be  soon 
enough  to   regard  it  as  a  cage  bird. 

Typical    Finches  (FiingUHrup). 

I  place  this  group  first,  as  not  only  being  more 
typical  of  the  family,  but  as  enabling  one  to  bring  the 
Cardinals  of  the  subfamilies  C'occothraustincc  and 
Emhriizinm  into  juxtaposition. 

Chaffinches  should  be  fed  upon  seeds,  green  food  and 
insects. 

Blue    Cn.tKyiNCH    [FrxngiUa    tcydea). 

Slate  blue,  the  median  coverts  blackish,  tipped  with 
blnisti-white;  greater  coverts  similar,  but  blue  vx- 
tenially  and  less  white  at  the  tips.  Tile  fourth,  fifth, 
and  sixth  primaries  with  a  small  white  sixit  at  liase 
of  outer  web,  uniting  to  form  what  is  known  as  a 
"speculum"  when  the  wing  is  cIo.sed.  Tail  fe.atbers 
blackish,  edged  with  blue,  the  two  outer  feathers  with 
an  ashy  patch  near  the  end  of  the  inner  web.  and  a 
white  margin  at  tip.  Eyelids  white,  under  parts  pale 
bluish-grey.  The  centre  of  abdomen  and  under  tail 
covertfi  white;  lower  "wing-coverts  whitc-e<lged.  Upper 
mandible  horn-brown,  whitish  at  base,  lower  mandible 
niostlv  white.  Feet  horn-brown;  colour  of  iris  not 
described,  probably  dark  brown. 

The  female  is  rather  sm;iller  than  the  male,  and  has 
the  blue  colouring  replaced  by  olive  brown. 

This  rare  bird  occurs  in  one  pine  forest  in  the  island 
of  Teneriffe ;  examples  were  imported  and  bred  success- 
fully in  an  outdoor  aviary  by  Mr.  E.  G.  B.  Meade 
Waldu,  who  states  (77te  AvicuUural  Magazine,  1st 
Series,  Vol.  I.,  p.  103)  that  the  male  sings  like  our 
Chaffinch,  but  the  song  is  more  prolonged  and  has  more 
volume ;  it  is  extremely  pugnacious  and  aggressive, 
never  feeds  its  hen  or  its  young ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
robs  the  hen  of  food  which  she  may  have  obtained  for 
her  nestlings.  Mr.  Meade  Waldo  gives  the  other 
Chaffinches  from  the  Atlantic  Islands  a  similar  charac- 
ter ;  but  as  regards  the  Madeiran  species  I  cannot  quite 
endorse  his   observations. 

M.\nEiR.u»-  Ch.\ffinch  {FringtUa  madcrctisis). 

Above  slate  coloured  in  front  and  yellowish  green 
Ijehind,  but  with  slaty  grey  tail-coverts;  lesser  wing- 
coverts  black,  grey  externally  ;  median  coverts  white, 
forming  a  conspicuous  band  ;  remaining  wing  feathers 
black ;  greater  coverts  tipped  with  white ;  quills  with 
yellowish  outer  edges,  primaries  greyish  towards  the 
tips,  the  fourth  to  sixth  with  a  small  basal  spot  of 
white  on  the  outer  webs  ;  central  tail-feathers  greyish, 
the  rest  black,  the  outer  feathers  with  the  outer  web 
white  edged  towards  the  base,  and  a  large  white  patch 
near  the  tip  of  inner  web  ;  forehead  black ;  lores,  a 
superciliary  streak,  the  eyelids,  side  of  head,  throat, 
and  chest  fawn-colour,  becoming  paler  and  more  pink 
on  the  breast  and.  sides  of  abdomen  ;  flanks  slaty-grey, 
centre  of  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white  ;  upper 
mandible  of  beak  slate  blackish,  lower  mandible  whitish 
almost  to  tip ;   feet  whitish  horn-grey ;    iris  hazel. 

The  female  is  altogether  duller  and  more  olivaceous 
than  the  male,  with  all  the  fawn  colour  replaced  by 
ashy  greyish,  the  neck  and  sides  of  body  below  washed 
with  bro^vn ;  the  abdomen  whiter  than  in  the  male. 
Habitat,  Madeira. 

Th-  late  Mr.  Abrahams,  acting  upon  a  suggestion  of 
mine  in  "  Foreign  Finches  in  Captivity,"  imported 
specimens  of  this  bird  about  the  end  of  1895,  and 
kindly  gave  me  a  pair.  Recording  my  brief  experience 
of  these  birds  in  The  Avir.ultiiral  Magazine  for  June, 
1896,   I    stated  that   this  species   was  tamer  than  our 


92 


rOKEIUN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


bird,  less  excitable,  but  also  less  inclined  to  be  friendly 
to  it's  mate.  After  more  than  two  years'  intirnate  asso- 
ciation, I  had  to  modify  Ihis  opinion,  the  two  birds  being 
apparently  on  the  best  of  termsi  with  each  other. 

In  the  first  year  of  captivity  the  song  of  the  male 
bird  was  inferior  to  ours,  but  in  the  second  year  vastly 
superior,  being  more  prolonged  and  varied.  The  call 
note  consists  of  a  sharp  c/tick  like  that  of  our  species, 
i)Ut  rapidly  rejieated  four  or  five  times. 

My  birds  made  but  slight  attempts  at  breeding,  but 
if  kept  in  a  large  outdfior  aviary  during  the  summer 
months  they  would  doubtless  do  so.  Unfortunately  I 
possessed  no  suitable  aviary  until  some  time  after  my 
pair  had  passsed  away ;  the  cock  died  on  December 
12th,  1898,  and  the  hen  on  January  15th,  1899. 

Canarun  Chaffinch  (Fringilla  canariensis). 

A  subspecies  of  the  Madeiran  bird,  but  with  dark 
slate-blue  upper  back ;  the  lower  back  and  rump 
yellowish  green  ;  crown  glossy  blue  black  without  de- 
fined frontal  band;  markings  on  face  and  under  surface 
of  body  pale  salmon  reddish  ;  breast  paler  at  sides ;  in 
the  winter  the  back  is  washed  with  olive-yellow.  Female 
less  ashy  than  F.  maderensis,  more  fulvous  below. 
Habiitat,  Canary  Lslands. 

The  wild  life  doubtless  resembles  that  of  our  European 
bird. 

According  to  Russ.  this  species  has  occasionally  been 
imported  singly  by  Jamrach  ;  it  has  been  exhibited  at 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Algerian  Chaffinch  {Fringilla  spodiogeni/s). 

"  Forehead  and  lores  black;  remaiinder  of  head,  nape, 
scapulars,  and  upper  tail-coverts  slate  blue;  back  and 
rump  green  ;  middle  pair  of  rectrices  dark  grey  fringed 
with  whitish ;  three  outer  pairs  white,  black  on  the 
terminal  portion  of  the  outer  web  and  on  the  basal 
portion  of  the  dnner  web  ;  ueoct  adjoining  pair  black, 
with  a  white  patch  on  the  inner  web  ;  primary  quills 
black,  fringed  externally  with  greenish  white ;  secon- 
daries similar,  but  more  broa<Ily  fidnged  ;  wing-coverts 
as  in  F.  ctelehs  ;  throat  and  rest  of  underparts  a  pale 
roseate  vinous,  beconuing  whitish  on  the  abdomen, 
crissum,  and  under  tail-coverts.  Iris  hazel ;  bill  lead- 
colour;  feet  brown." 

"  The  female  of  F.  spodiogeni/s  may  be  easily  distin- 
guished from  that  of  F.  rrelebi'  by  the  far  greater 
amount  of  white  on  the  wings,  particularly  on  the  bases 
of  the  secondaries.  The  general  colour  of  the  upper 
parts  is  also  greyer  and  less  brown  than  in  F.  co'lehx. 
In  size  there  is  also  a  difference,  F.  rirlebs  being  rather 
smaller  than  F.  spodiogetiys."  (Whitaker.)  Habitat, 
North-eastern  Africa,   from  Tunis  t-o  Morocco  (Sharpe). 

"  In  many  parts  of  Northern  Tunisia,  particularly 
where  there  are  orchards  and  olive-groves,  this  Chaffinch 
is  remarkably  n'entdful,  and  by  no  means  shuns  the 
neighbourhood  of  buildings,  although  it  also  frequents 
the  open  ooimtry  far  from  any  human  dwellings. 

"  In  its  habits  generally  7^.  apodingenys  resembles  our 
European  Chaffinch,  and  I  cannot  .say  that  I  have 
noticed  much  difference  in  its  .song,  although  its  notes 
may  perhaps  be  harsher  and  not  so  clear  as  those  of 
F.  Calebs. 

"This  Chaffinch  thrives  well  in  confinement,  and 
examp'es  of  it  may  often  be  seen  in  cages  in  Tunis  and 
other  towns  of  the  Regency.  Seeds  of  various  kinds 
seem  to  be  the  principal  food  of  the  species,  but  insects 
also  enter  largely  into  its  diet.  The  nesting  season  of 
F.  spodingcni/s  in  Southern  and  Central  Tunis/ia  com- 
mences soon  after  the  middle  of  March,  and  is  continued 
well  into  May.  In  the  north  of  the  Regency  it  is  some- 
what later.      In  the  olive-groves  o£  the  Gafsa  Oasis  I 


have  found  many  nests  daring  the  first  fortnight  of 
April,  some  with  fresh  eggs,  others  with  fledglings  in 
them.  The  nests  are  placed,  as  a  rule,  in  the  fork  of 
a  bough,  at  a  height  of  from  eight  to  sixteen  feet  from 
the  groimd,  and  resemble  those  of  our  European  Chaf- 
finch in  being  cup-shaped  and  neatly  and  compactl.v 
built,  but  they  are  somewhat  larger,  and  composed 
externally  of  dry  bents  and  grasses  of  a  greyish  colour, 
which  no  doubt  harmonises  better  with  the  grey  boughs 
and  foliage  of  the  olive-tree. 

"  Interwoven  into  the  nest  are  pieces  of  wool  and  cotton 
threa/ds,  and  occasionally  also  a  bit  of  blue  cotton-stuff, 
probably  picked  up  near  some  Arab  tent ;  the  interior  is 
neatly  lined  with  hair  and  feathers.  The  egM,  usually 
rather  larger  than  those  of  the  conunon  Chaffinch,  and 
generally  four  in  number,  are  of  a  dull  pale  bluish  or 
greenish  colour,  sparsely  clouded  and  spotted  with 
vinous  and  russet  markings.  They  vary  a  good  deal  in 
size  and  shape,  but  their  average  measurements  are 
21.50  liv  15.50  mm."— J.  I.  S.  WhiUker,  "Birds  of 
Tunisia',"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  214-217. 

This  chastely  pretty  Chaffinch  has  also  been  exhibited 
at   the    London    Zoological    Gardens   as   early   as    1864. 

The  best  seeds  for  Goldfinches  and  Siskins  are  canary, 
German  rape,  hemp,  thistle,  teasel,  dandelion,  and  maw- 
seed ;  the  flowering  and  seeding  heads  of  all  the  thistle- 
tribe,  of  groundsel  and  dande'ion  are  much  appreciated 
by  them,  as  also  green-fly   (aphides). 

Eastern  Goldfinch  {Carduelit  canireps). 

Nearly  resembles  the  European  bird,  but  may  at  once 
be  distinguished  by  the  absence  of  black  from  the  head, 
white  fiom  the  nape,  the  smaller  crimson  blaze  and  more 
acute  beak ;  the  mner  secondaries  have  broad  white 
outer  borders  in  place  of  the  terminal  spots  in  the 
European  bird.  Habitat,  "From  Lake  Baikal  to  Kras- 
noyarsk in  Siberia.  Probably  South  Persia,  and  thence 
eastwards  to  Turkestan  and  North-western  Himalayas  " 
(Sharpe). 

All  that  Jerdon  tells  us  about  this  Goldfinch  is  that 
"  caged  specimens  are  occasionally  brought  to  Calcutta 
for  sale,  and  its  song  is  said  by  Adams  to  be  exactlv 
similar  to  that  of  its  European  congener."  ("  Birds  of 
India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  408.)  Neither  can  I  discover  any- 
thing about  its  wild  life  in  Hume's  "  Nc-t-s  and  Eggs 
of  Indi.i,n  Birds,"  but  in  Thf  Ihi-i  for  1898.  p.  28,  Mr. 
J.  Davidson  says  : — "  This  lovely  little  bird  was  fairly 
common  on  the  hills  round  Srinugger  in  .\pri!,  and  on 
the  29th  there  we  found  on  the  Tukht-i-Suliman  a  nest 
half  built  on  the  horizontal  branch  of  a  Piviia  rjrc/.'a  at 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  This  nest  we  ha<i  taken 
on  the  8th  May ;  it  was  a  lovely,  very  solid  cnp  of  moss, 
with  a  few  roots  interwoven  on  the  outside,  and  con- 
tained when  taken  three  pale  blue  eggs,  slightly  spotted 
on  the  larger  end  with  dull  red  and  lilac." 

Dr.  Russ  says  ; — "  In  the  course  of  years  I  have  twice 
received  the  species  from  Gudera  of  Leipzic,"  and  he 
adds  that  they  were  in  bad  plumage,  so  that  he  could 
not  make  an  exact  description  of  them  ;  .«o  that  evidently 
the.v  did  not  live  long.  He  expresses  a  hope  that  they 
may  be  more  freely  imoorted.  C.  canireps  has  been 
exhibited  at  the  London  Gardens  more  than  once.  In 
1897  Mr.  Frank  Finn  sent  half  a  dozen,  of  which  three 
arrived  in  safety.  I  have  an  idea  also  that  it  has  been 
exhibited  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  but  I  may  be  mistaken 
in  this. 

Ameripan  Siskin  {Ch-yMmitri^  trislif). 

Lemon  yellow ;  mantle  and  upper  back  somewhat 
.wyrdid  ;  upper  tail-coverts  white  ;  median  wing-coverts 
black  at  liase  ;  greater  coverts  black  with  white  tips ; 
other  wing-feathers  black  edged  with  white  towards 
and    at   extremities ;    tail   black,   the   central  feathers 


SISKINS. 


93 


with  broad  white  borders,  the  others  with  a  termiiuU 
white  spot  on  inner  web  ;  front  of  crown,  lores,  and 
upper  edge  of  eyelid  black  ;  edge  of  wing  !)elow  bhK'k  ; 
under  wing-coverts,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
white;  axillaries  white  margined  with  yellow;  bill 
and  feet  yellowish  brown  ;  irides  dark  l)rown.  Female 
altogether  duller  excepting  on  the  ramp,  more  ruddy 
brownish  in  general  tint  (much  like  the  winter  plumage 
of  the  m;Ue)  ;  borders  of  central  t.ul-ft\ither  less 
white  ;  the  black  forehead  absent,  the  forehead,  lores, 
and  eyebrow  being  bright  j^ellow  ;  eix>wii  olive- 
yellowish ;  the  under  surfa<v  is  bright  yellow,  but 
greenish  at  the  sides;  the  thighs  ashy;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  also  a-«liy-whitish.  Habitat, 
North  America,  especially  the  eastern  States. 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("  Ornithology  of  California,"  Vol.  I., 
pp.  167-8)  says: — "Their  favourite  resorts  are  .  .  . 
those  pla<;os  where  thistles  .and  other  composite  flowers 
abound,  and  their  fondness  for  the  seeds  of  the  foi-mer 
has  given  them,  in  places,  the  name  of  "  thistle-bii'd." 
They  are  al.so  very  fond  of  willow-groves  and  cotton- 
woods,  feeding  much  on  their  seeds,  while  in  winter 
those  of  the  sycamore  {Plataiiu~-<)  supply  their  cJiief 
subsistence.  In  the  eastern  States  they  remain  through- 
out the  snowy  season,  and  are  often  seen  feeding  on 
cockle-burs  and  other  seeds  left  standing  above  the 
siunv. 

"  In  February,  when  the  males  acquire  their  yellow 
plumage,  the  flocks  often  <x)llect  on  top  of  a  tree,  and 
sing  in  choiiis  for  an  hour,  their  sweet  discord  being 
parliculaily  pleasing,  the  whole  flock  sinking  and 
raising  their  voices  in  conceit,  though  not  keeping 
one  time.  Their  song,  resembling  .somewhat  that  of 
the  Canary,  is  well  known,  as  they  are  frequently  kept 
in  cages. 

"  .\t  Santa  Cruz  I  found  two  nests  about  the  first 
of  ,Iune.  One  wais  in  a  bush,  not  more  than  three 
feet  from  the  ground  ;  the  other  on  the  low  branch  of 
a  tree,  near  the  end,  and  contained  young.  They  also 
build  high,  in  the  forks  of  trees.  The  nest  is  very 
conip.-wtly  constructed  of  strips  of  bark,  roots,  and 
fibrous  plants  mixed  with  downiy  scales  of  leaves  and 
catkins,  and  lined  with  thistle-down,  that  of  the 
sycamore,  or  .sometimes  wool  or  cowhair  and  fine  grass, 
the  cavity  measuring  1.50  by  1.30  inches.  The  outside 
is  often  "covered  with  silk  of  caterpillars'  nests,  coi)- 
webs,  or  plant  fibres,  and  seems  glued  smoothly 
together.  The  eggs,  from  three  to  five,  are  pale 
greeni.sh  white,  and   measure  0.60  by  0.50  inch. 

"  Being  rather  late  in  the  year  in  building,  they 
usually  raise  but  one  brood,  though  they  have  been 
known  to  feed  their  jx>ung  as  late  as  the  middle  of 
September." 

Russ  says  that  he  received  a  pair  of  this  species,  but 
lost  both  "before  they  acquired  their  summer  plumage. 
Mr.  Boedicker  had  some  larter,  Inrt  sent  them  away,  and 
Rr.ss  did  not  heair  what  became  of  them.  He  adds 
that  Reiche  of  Alfeld  regularly  imports  a  considerable 
number  in  the  early  sirmmer  months,  selling  them  at 
84s.  a  dozen  or  10s.  a  pair  ;  but  doubtless  this  traffic 
is  now  put  a  stop  to  by  the  existing  laws  for  the  pro-~ 
tection  of  birds  in  the  United  States.  C.  tri-^liii  has 
been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens,  and 
I  think  also  at  some  of  our  shows.  Mr.  Seth-Smith 
secured  a  pair  in  1898.* 

Yarrell's    Siskin    {Chn/somilrix    ynrrdli). 
Bright  yellow,  somewhat  olivaceous  on  upper  back ; 
median   and  greater  coverts  black  broadly  tipped  with 
yellow  ;   other  wing-feathers  black,  the  primaries  edged 

•  A  coloured    plate   illustrating   both   sexes    was   published   in 
Tht  AHailfural  Magazine,  Ist  series.  Vol.  V.,  facing  p.  125. 


with  yellow  and  the  secondaries  with  whitish  towards 
the  ends;  the  latter,  excepting  the  innermost,  yellow 
at  base  ;  terminal  half  of  tail  black  ;  crown,  lores,  and 
eyelid  black  ;  sides  t>elow  somewhat  greenish.  Female 
browner  on  the  wings  and  tail  than  the  male,  and  with 
no  l)lack  on  the  bead  ;  in  fact,  it  is  altogether  more 
yellow.     Habitat,  Brazil. 

I  have  no  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  this  Finch.  In 
The  Ibis  for  1881  Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  says:— "I 
obtained  a  living  specimen  at  Parahyba,  which  is  now 
alive  in  the  Zoological  (Jardens.  I  suhsequently  saw 
one  near  (laranhun.s,  and  a  pair  near  some  forest  close 
to  Quipapa."  Also,  in  Thi'  IhU  for  1906,  Mr.  M.  J. 
NicoU  says: — "Several  examples  of  tliis  species  were 
purchased  alive  in  the  market-place  at  Bahia,  but  they 
all  <lied." 

Russ  si>cms  to  have  overlooked  the  fact  that  this 
Siskin  has  been  exhibited  at  the  Jx)ndon  (iardens,  but 
apparently  includes  it  in  his  book  on  the  ground  that 
.\udubon  had  one  in  a  cage  for  some  time  ;  but,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Shaipe,  Auduton  figures  two  species  us  his 
Fnngilla  mcxicann,  the  present  bird  being  the  male, 
but  the  female  either  iS'.  p^altrla  or  ■S'.  mfj-irana  ;  the 
question  is,  which  did  he  keep  in  a  cage? 

Many  years  s^ince  I  bought  two  examples  of  what 
I  believe  to  have  been  this  bird,  from  Mr.  Abraliams. 
I  had  to  pay  30s.  for  the  two.  They  sang  splendidly. 
Unhappily  one  only  lived  a  week  and  the  other  a 
fortnight,  so  that  I  had  to  pay  dearly  for  the  pleasure 
of  hearing  the  song,  which  is  certainly  far  superior  to 
that  of  any  other  Siskin  or  Serin  that  I  have  heard, 
with  the  exception  of  Serinus  leurnpygius. 

Indian  Siskin  (Chrysomitris  spinoides). 

Crown  and  cheeks  close  to  the  moustachial  stripe 
blackish  olive ;  frontal  band,  lores,  front  of  cheeks, 
sides  of  neck,  and  rump  bright  yellow  ;  wings  black- 
brown,  the  fliglits  narrowly  edged  with  clear  grey  at 
the  tips  and  their  inner  webs  broadly  bordered  at  base 
with  yellow;  a  broad  yellow  transverse  belt;  tail 
black-brown,  yellow  at  base;  lower  abdomen  dull 
white  ;  remainder  of  under  surface  bright  yellow  ;  the 
sides  olive-greenish,  browner  and  mottled  with  white 
on  flanks ;  bill  and  feet  fleshy  grey-brownish ;  irides 
brown.  Female  altogether  paler,  her  back  and  abdomen 
streaked  with  dusky  olive.  Habitat,  "Himalayas  from 
Cashmere  to  Sikhim,  extending  into  the  province  of 
Szechuen  in  Western  China"   (Sharpe). 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India."  Vol.  II.,  pp.  409-10)  ob- 
serves : — "This  prcttv  little  Siskin  is  found  throughout 
the  Himalayas.  It  is  a  somewhat  larger  and  more 
brightlv  .coloured  bird  than  the  Kuropean  Siekin,  and 
the  bill  is  proportionatelv  much  stronser.  At  Darjeel- 
ing  it  is  only  a  winter  visitant,  hut  then  by  no  means 
rare.  It  keeps  to  the  woods,  occasionally  entering 
gardens  in  small  parties.  Adams  savs  that  it  is  common 
in  the  wooded  dirfricts  in  the  north-west,  and  that  its 
song  is  very  like  that  of  the  English  Sis'kin.  Hodgson 
says  it  is  more  common  in  the  central  region  than  in  the 
northern." 

Hume  ("Nestis  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birdi>."  Vol.  II., 
pp.  156-7)  says: — "  The"  eo-called  Indian  Siskin  is  not 
a  Siskin  at  all,  and  is  certainly  not  a  f'lirj/i'nmitrU. 
The  note  is  very  like  that  of  a  Greenfinch,  but  struc- 
turally our  bird  is  not  a  rhlnrix  :  and  it  seem^  to  me 
that  cither  one  must  unite  the  whole  of  the  true  Finches 
under  one  genus,  FriiirjiUn.  or  one  must  separate  the 
present  species  as  a  distinct  genus,  and  adopt,  as  I 
have  done,  Cabanis's  name,   Hyparanfhis. 

"  Althouch  this  biiyl  breeds  verv  freely  in  all  well- 
wooded  hills  in  the  interior  of  the  Himalayas,  «t  eleva- 


94 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


tions  of  from.  4,000  to  7,000  fe«t,  I  seem  to  be  the  only 

person  who  has  taken  the  nest  in  resent  times. 

■'  The  folknving  is  a  not-e  that  1  recorded  at  a  time 
when  1  had  recently  taken  teveral  nests;  — 

"  Lays  in  July  and  August,  at  least  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Simla,  where  alone  I  have  found  its  nest.  The 
latter  is  placed  in  very  various  situations,  and  alway.s 
SLO  well  concealed  that,  except  by  watching  the  birds 
early  in  the  morning,  when  both  parents  are  generally 
feeding  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  nest,  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  discover  it.  I  have  found  the  nest 
(August  18;h),  with  three  young  ones,  some  30  feet 
from  the  ground,  nearly  at  the  top  of  an  evergreen  oak, 
and  I  have  found  it  in  a  deodar  bush  not  3  feet  from 
the  ground,  on  the  lowest  bough,  about  6  inches  from 
the  main  stem.  Once  1  found  it  against  the  trunk  of 
an  aged  deodar,  nearly  buried  in  a  huge  clump  of  moss, 
much  of  which  the  bird.s  had  attached  to  the  sides  of 
the  nest.  Usually  the  nests  are  seated  Hat  on  some 
bough  or  wide-.sprea<ling  fork,  and,  as  far  as  my  ex- 
perience goes,  thi.^f  bird  prefers  the  deodar  to  any  other 
tree.  The  nest  is  a  most  beautiful  structure,  cup-shaped, 
woven  of  the  finest  grass  roots,  with  a  good  deal  of 
hair  interwoven  in  the  interior  and  with  much  moss 
blended  with  the  exterior.  It  is  a  very  solid  and  com- 
pact little  structure.  The  cavity,  which  is  generally 
truly  circular,  varies  from  2  to  2.5  inches  in  diameter 
and  from  1.1  to  1.4  in  depth.  Kxteriorly  the  diameter 
of  the  real  nest  does  not  exceed  4.5,  and  often  falls 
short  of  this,  but  the  nest  is  at  times  so  blended  with 
moss  in  "itu  that  it  is  difficult  to  .say  where  the  nest 
ends,  and  you  may  have  to  tear  away  a  patch  9  inches 
square  to  get  it.  The  eggs  are  usuaJly  three  in  number, 
and  when  fresh  are  a  delicate,  slightly  greenish  white, 
with  an  irregular  ring  of  minute  blackish-brown  s]K)ts 
round  the  larger  end,  and  occasionally  a  very  few 
similar  specks  on  the  body  of  the  egg.  The  shell  is 
exquisitely  fine  and  delicate,  and  the  yolk  shows  through 
quite  plainly.  It  is  this  that  gives  a  certain  greenish 
tinge  to  the  unblown  egg,  for  when  blown  the  shell 
is  a  very  delicate  pale  bluish  white.  In  shape  they  are 
moderatelv  broad  ovals,  considerably  pointed  at  one 
end.' 

The  Indian  Siskin  has  occasionally  been  imi'orted 
both  by  Jamrach  and  Hagenbeck,  and  waks  exhibited  at 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens  as  early  as  1869. 

Ark.vnsas  Siskin  {Chrysomifrix  psallria). 

Above,  including  sides  of  head  and  neck  olive-green  : 
the  feathers  of  lower  back  and  rump  white  at  base  ; 
lesser  wing-coverts  bla(k ;  remaining  wing  feathers 
blackish,  tdged  with  olive-green  ;  greater  coverts  tipped 
with  white;  inner  primaries  white  at  base  and  with 
Avhitish  margins;  secondaries  increasingly  white-bor- 
dered to  the  innermost  ones;  upper  tail-coverts  black, 
edged  with  olive;  tail  feathers  black,  edged  with 
whitish  ;  the  three  outermost  with  a  large  white  patch 
on  inner  web  ;  crown  black  ;  lores,  feathers  below  eye, 
cheeks,  and  under-surface  of  body  bright  yellow,  be- 
coming paler  on  under  tail-coverts ;  sides  and  flanks 
greenish,  the  latter  with  dusky  streaks;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillarie.s  white,  dusky  at  base,  the  latter 
edged  yellow ;  thighs  whitish ;  wings  and  tail  below 
blackish;  (|uills  white  at  ba.s<:  and  on  inner  web;  beak 
flesh  coloured,  greenish  below,  tipiKxI  dusky:  feet  pale 
fleshy  or  reddish-brown  ;  irides  brown.  Female  above 
and  on  sides  olive-green  ;  wings  and  tail.bro\vn  marked 
with  white.  :;.«  in  the  male  ;  underparts  duller.  Habitat, 
"  Wevstem  I^nit*d  States,  from  the  plains  to  the  Pacific, 
and  from  Colorado  and  Utah  .southward  to  Sonora" 
(A.O.U.   Check  List). 

According  to   J.   G.    Cooper   ("  Ornithology  of   Cali- 


fornia," Vol.  I.,  p.  169),  the  habits  of  this  species  nearly 
resemble  those  of  C  trislis,  but  apparently  it  feeds 
more  on  the  ground  or  among  weeds  than  on  trees,  is 
perhaps  more  gregaxious.  keeping  in  flocks  up  to  June 
Ifit.     The   song  is  similar,  but    weaker. 

Dr.  Sharpe  has  called  this  the  "  Rocky  Mountain 
Siskin."  but  "Arkansas  Finch"  is  the  name  by  which 
it  is  generally  known  in  America. 

According  to  what  Russ  says,  this  siJecies  would 
appear  only  to  have  been  once  imported  by  a  dealer 
named  Schiibel,  who  received  three  specimens,  all  of 
which  died  soon  after  they  came  into  his  jwsscssion. 

CoLOMBl.iN  Siskin   (Chrysomilris  culuinbiana). 

Above  with  the  head  and  body  bluish  black ;  nape 
and  mantle  with  olive-yellowish  bases  to  the  feathers; 
rumiJ  with  base  of  feathers  wliite  ;  quills  with  white 
terminal  fringes  ;  inner  secondaries  with  a  white  &i)ot 
at  extremity  of  inner  web ;  other  secondaries  with 
much  smaller  terminal  spots  ;  inner  primaries  white  at 
base,  forming  a  broad  speculum  ;  the  three  outermost 
feathers  also  with  a  large  white  marking  on  inner 
web ;  sides  of  head  and  under  parts  bright  sulphur 
yellow,  slightly  paler  on  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts;  lores,  upper  edge  of  eyelid,  and  ear-coverts 
black ;  a  black  patch  on  each  side  of  breast ;  under 
wing-coverts  grey  ;  inner  web  of  outermost  tail-feather, 
and  sometimes  of  the  second,  white  almost  to  the  tip; 
beak  blackish  horn-coloured,  paJo  yellowish  on  lower 
mandible ;  feet  horn-coloured ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female  above  olive-greenish ;  greenish  yellow  below, 
with  a  greenish  olive  tint  on  the  throat,  breast  and 
flanks ;  wings  and  tail  dark  grey,  the  feathers  mar- 
gined ivith  paler  grey  ;  the  wing-speculum  only  indi- 
cated by  narrow  whitish  edges  slightly  extending  over 
the  outer  primaries.  Habitat,  Venezuela,  Colombia, 
Ecuador,  and  Peru. 

Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  says  (Proc.  Zool.  Soc,  1879,  p. 
508): — "This  species  builds  a  pretty  nest,  often  art- 
full,v  placed  on  the  branch  of  a  fruit-tree.  It  is  com- 
jx)sed  entirely  of  dried  grass  interniixe<l  with  moss. 
cotton  and  lichen  :  sometimes  the  cotton  abounds.  It 
is  very  carefully  fniished  and  delicately  lined  with  hair. 
The  eggs  are  three  in  number,  white,  slightly  tinged 
with  blue,  without  any  spots.  It  breeds  in  June  ano. 
July,  and  is  a  very  common  bird.  The  youn^  first 
assume  the  plumage  of  the  female,  and  after  the  breed- 
ing season  they  are  generally  seen  in  flocks  of  ten  or 
twelve." 

Taczanowsky  only  says  of  this  bird  that  its  habits 
resemble  those  of  C.  capitali<,  resi>ecting  which  he 
gives  very  little  information  be,vond  the  fact  that  it 
wanders  about  in, companies  often  consisting  of  several 
dozen  individuals;  is  most  frequently  met  with  in 
plantations,  but  sometimes  in  the  forests  of  the  sierra, 
and  feeds  on  the  seeds  of  a  certain  bambuo-like  grass 
of  very  lofty  growth,  and  that  its  Song  is  like  that  of 
the  European  Siskin. 

Captain  Pani  brought  home  two  of  these  birds  and 
presented  them  to  the  London  Zoological  Socictv  in 
July,  1906. 

YKLi-OW-nKLLiKD    SiSKlN"     (Chrysomitris  :ranllio</a.'<lrti). 

Above  black ;  the  flights  excepting  the  innermost 
secondaries  yellow  at  the  base,  but  with  black  shafts ; 
tail-feathers,  excepting  the  central  ones,  with  the  tiasil 
half  yellow  ;  sides  of  head  and  throat  black  like  the 
crown ;  thighs  and  bases  of  axillaries  also  black : 
remainder  of  under  surface  yellow,  greenish  at  sides 
and  flanks;  the  flights  blackish,  with  the  inner  webs 
vellow  towards  the  base ;  soft  parts  not  described. 
Female  above  dull   olive ;     median   and  greater  wing- 


SISKINS. 


95 


coverts  blackish  tipped  with  olive,  whitish  ut  ends ; 
flights  and  tail-feathers  blackish  with  pale  olive 
fringes;  ends  of  secondaries  whitish;  lores  yellowish 
as  also  the  front  of  cheeks;  under  purts  brighter 
olivaceous  yellow,  paler  on  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts;  thighs,  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  ashy, 
the  last-mentioned  frin^a'd  with  yellow  ;  flights  below 
dusky,  ashy  along  inner  web.  Habitat,  Costa  Rica  to 
Colombia,  Ecuador,  and  Venezuela. 

Mr.  T.  K.  Suhuun  sent  home  e^gs  of  this  species 
(see  Proc.  Zix>l.  Soc,  1879,  p.  508).  They  are  described 
as  "  pale  greenish  white,  thickly  but  fiiintly  freckled 
with  lilac  iuul  brownish  spi>t.s  ;  axis  7,  diam.  .5";  and 
this  would  seem  to  !«■  all  tliat  has  been  recorded  respect- 
ing the   wild  life  of  the  present  species. 

Calrtain  Pam  presented  a  si)ecimen  of  this  Siskin  to 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in  November,  1906. 

Ybllow-rtimped  Siskin*  {C'hr)/somitris  uropygialis). 

Entire  head  and  upixr  surface  black,  the  feathers  of 
the  upper  p;uts  witli  yell  >w  margins  ;  flights  with  a 
terminal  white  fringe,  best  marked  on  the  inner 
secondaries,  which  have  broad  yellow  borders  towanis 
the  ends;  remainder  of  flights  yellow  at  t!ie  base; 
shorter  upper  tail-coverts  yellow,  longer  ones  black  witli 
yellow  fringe;  basal  two-thirds  of  all  excepting  the 
central  tail-feathers  yellow  ;  under  surface  from  tbroat 
backwards  yellow,  greener  at  sides,  the  flanks  varied 
with  blackish  ;  thighs  dusky  at  base ;  flights  below 
blackish,  yellow  towards  base  of  inner  webs  ;  beak  Itaden, 
feet  brown.  Female  apparently  undestribed.  Habitat, 
Chili  to  South  Peru.  Russ  states  that  the  food  of  this 
Siskin  eonsiits  of  oily  .^-oeils  of  plant*  on  the  Cordilleras. 
Its  behaviour  is  shy  and  c:iuti<ms,  therefore  it  mu.>it  be 
vliflicult  to  capture.  According  to  Ijandbeck  it  does 
not  long  survive  its  craving  for  liberty,  which,  says 
Russ,  is  the  more  to  be  deplored,  in  that  it  would  be 
treasured  as  an  admirable  songster;  he  says  also  that 
in  spite  of  its  wide  range  it  has  hitherto  only  been 
received  singly  and  extremely  rarely  in  the  bird-trade. 
Black  Siskim   [Chrysomilris  alrala). 

AlKive  dead  black  ;  greater  wing-coverts  tipped  with 
yellow;  flights,  excepting  inner  secondaries,  yellow  at 
the  base ;  tiiil-feathers,  excepting  the  central  ones, 
yellow  at  the  base ;  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts 
yellow:  thighs  pale  yellow:  under  wing-coverts, 
axillaries  and  base  of  flights  below  yellow.  Female  or 
young  browner  than  male;  yellow  paler;  the  median 
wing-coverts  tipped,  like  the  greater  coverts,  with 
yellow :  the  flights  with  yellowish  white  margins 
towards  the  end  of  outer  web ;  under  surface  yellow 
from  the  throat  backwards  ;  the  breasts  mottled  with 
broHTi.     "Mendoza  to  Bolivia   and  Peru"   (Sharpe). 

Taczanowski  ("  Orn.  Perou,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  53)  says;  — 
"The  nest  is  composed  of  an  irregular  bed  of  moss 
mixed  with  .a  little  wool,  some  stems  of  dry  grass, 
rf>otlets,  and  little  twigs,  upon  which  the  true  nest  is 
construrted  of  wool  and  different  kinds  of  hair,  rarely 
also  including  a  few  feather!;.  All  this  structure  is 
thick  and  very  compact :  interior  shallow,  but  carefully 
moulded.  Height,  4.5;  width,  .13;  diameter  of  interior, 
4.5;  de.pth,  2.5  centimetres.  All  found  by  M.  Jelski 
under  the   straw-covered  roofs." 

"  The  eggs  are  greenish  white,  variously  spotted,  even 
among  specimens  of  the  same  clutch.  Eggs  found  on 
the  30th  April  differ  from  one  another  in  this  respect : 
one  has  at  the  large  end  a  z<me  formed  of  little  reddish 
.5pot.s,  very  pale  and  indistinct  and  .wme  other  darker 
ones  scattered  over  the  rest  of  the  surface  ;  another  has 
a  sinular  zone  nearer  to  the  large  end  and  fewer  but 
larger  dark  spots  on  the  zotk  and  none  on  the  rest  of 


the  surface ;  on  the  third  the  zone  is  reduced  to  some 
small  si)ots,  some  dark  dots  and  some  nearly  black 
tangled  veining,  one  of  which  extends  over  nearly  half 
the  length  of  the  egg;  an  egg  of  the  second  clutch, 
on  the  other  hand,  has  a  broad  zone  near  the  small  end 
formed  of  dark  spots  and  dots,  and  little  speckling  on 
the  renuiinder  of  the  surface,  the  large  end  is  almost 
unspotted.  Dimensions :— 18.6  x  19.6  to  13  x  13-6 
millimetres." 

Mr.  Ambrose  A.  Lane,  writing  on  the  birds  of  Chili 
(The  lb-is,  1897,  pp.  22-23)  says ;— "  I  first  saw  these 
birds  at  Huasco,  in  Tarapaca,"  in  >Januaiy,  1890,  and 
subsequently  at  Sacaya. 

"  They  did  not  appear  to  be  stationary  for  any  length 
of  time,  but  frequented  stretches  of  tiie  low  bush  in 
large  scattered  flocks,  and  1  saw  none  after  February, 
and  concluded  they  had  migrated. 

"  The  only  note  I  observed  them  utter  was  an  insignifi- 
cant twitter  when  flitting  from  bush  to  bush.  I  did  not 
see  any  at  altitudes  above  10,500  feet." 

According  to  Russ.  this  bird  is  caught  and  caged  by 
the  Indians  on  account  of  its  admirable  song,  and  he 
expres.ses  the  hope  th<at  it  may  eventually  be  freely 
imported  into  Eurojje.  Hitherto  he  says  he  knows  of 
only  one  male  having  been  receivetl  by  Mr.  E.  Linz,  of 
Hamburg. 

Bl.ack-chinnf.u    Si.SKiN    [Cfiri/mmilris    harhata). 

Abjve  yellowish-green,  becoming  more  yellow  on  lower 
back  and  rump ;  mantle  and  upper  back  with  blackish 
centres  to  the  feathers ;  median  and  greater  coverte 
yellow,  the  latter  black  at  base  ;  flights  black,  more  or 
less  edged  with  yellow,  the  bases  veliow,  confined  to  the 
outer  web  in  the  primaries,  and  fonning  a  broad  belt; 
upper  tail-coverts  greenish  yellow  edged  with  ashy 
grey  ;  tail  blackish,  yellow  at  base,  the  inner  webs  of  th© 
feathers  edged  with  whitish,  the  outer  webs  with  ashy 
e.xcepting  at  base;  crown  black,  the  feathers  with  slight 
olive  margins;  sides  of  head  and  neck  greenish  yellow; 
lores  whitish;  cheeks  and  under  surface  bright  yellow; 
sides  greenish ;  centre  of  throat  black  ;  abdomen  white  ; 
flanks  ashy  ;  thighs  yellowish  ash-coloured  ;  longer  under 
tail-coverts  ashy  with  black  centres,  the  remainder 
yellow;  -under  wing-coverts  and  axdlaries  yellow  with 
dusky  bases ;  flights  dusky,  yellow  towards  base  of  inner 
webs.  Female  altogether  "duller,  with  less  defined  mark- 
ings on  wing,  no  black  on  crown,  a  pale  yellow  forehead 
joining  a  long  yellow  eyebrow  stripe  running  into  the 
same  colour  at  side  of  neck;  ear-ooverts  dull  olive; 
cheeks  and  under  surface  pale  yellow  with  an  ashv 
tinge  ;  abdomen  whit-e  :  sides  oliive-yellow  ;  lower  flank's 
brownish.  Habitat,  "Falkland  Islands,  Patagonia,  and 
Chili"    (Shaipe). 

•Mr.  Lane  (The  lUs,  1897,  pp.  21-22)  says :—"  This 
species  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and  familiar  small 
birds  throughout  Chili.  It  is  very  numerous  in  the 
southern  provinces,  and  from  its  beauty,  docility,  and 
singing  capacities  is  kept  by  many  people  as  a  cage-bird. 
It  is  known  everywhere  as  the  '  Jilquero,'  pronounced 
'  Silquero  '  in  the  southern  provinces. 

"  These  birds  cIo>-ely  resemble  the  common  Siskin  in 
general  appearance  and  colouring,  as  also  dn  habits.  I 
did  not  observe  them  in  the  central  provinces,  but  was 
told  they  occur  as  winter  visitants.  I  found  them  very 
numerous  in  Arauco.  and  also  about  Valdivia  ;  but  south 
of  the  latter  district  I  did  not  observe  so  many,  though 
a  certain  number  occurred  as  far  south  as  I  went,  and  In 
Chiloe.  They  bred  at  Rio  Bueno  about  November, 
somewhat  earlier  than  other  small  species  there. 

"  I  was  not  fortunate  in  getting  any  eggs  of  this  bird, 
but    found   a  new  nest,    which   was  placed    in   a   thick 


tf(i 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


shrub  on  the  mar  Tin  of  the  forest  about  three  feet  above 
tho  ground. 

"  A  boy  brought  me  a  young  one  in  full  feather ;  it 
was  somewhat  like  a  female,  but  less  distinctly  marked. 

"  These  birds  are  easily  captured  at  certain  seasons 
by  means  of  trap-cages.  I  had  specimens  alive  at 
various  times,  but  they  usually  escaped  or  got  injured, 
so  I  had  none  to  bring  home. 

"  In  winter-time  in  Arauco  I  frequently  saw  thein 
feeding  on  the  topnio.st  twigs  of  low  forest  trees,  just 
like  a  flock  of  Siskins  do  here  on  the  alder.  They  com- 
mence to  sing  at  Maqucoqua  (Arauco)  about  the  begin- 
ning of  August,  and  sin^  a  good  deal  through  the 
summer.  Their  song  is  very  pleasing  and  much 
esteemed.  Their  call-note  is  the  double  whistle  of  the 
Siskin.  They  prefer  wooded  districts,  are  not  found  in 
very  open  localities,  and  aopeir  capable  of  finding  sub- 
sistence in  the  forest  for  a  large  portion  of  the  year,  if 
not  altogether." 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  at  the  lyondon  Gardens 
in  1875,  1886,  and  1890,  but  Russ  does  not  include  it  in 


Black-headed  Siskin. 

his  work  under  the  name  of  C.  Imrhata,  but  has  resur- 
rected for  it  the  name  of  C.  maryinalis. 

Black-he.\ded   SiSKm    {Chrr/somilris   icterka)- 

Above  pale  olive-green;  wings  black,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  lesser  coverts  ;  a  broad  yellow  belt  across 
the  base  of  the  flights ;  rump  yd'ow  ;  upper  tail-coverts 
olive-green  ;  tail  yellow  at  the  base  and  black  at  the 
extremity  ;  entire  head,  including  throat,  black  ;  under 
surface  bright  yellow.  Female  duller  and  without  black 
on  head.  "Habitat,  Brazil  and  Argentine  Republic  to 
Chili.  ,  ^ 

In  its  wild  state  this  species  is  more  wmmonly  met 
with  in  inhabited  districts  than  in  woods,  being  espe- 
cially fond  of  poplar  groves,  and  usually  building  its 
nest  in  a  poplar  ;  its  favourite  seeds  are  those  of  the 
sow-thistle  and  lettuce,  on  which  plants  it  may  usually 
be  seen   when  their  .seeds  are  ripening. 

Like  our  Siskin,  this  species  is  extremely  restless, 
and  travels  in  small  companies,  usually  consisting  of 
about  a  dozen  individuals.  The  nest  is  generally  place^l 
on  a  smail  br.inch,  at  its  junction  with  the  trunk  of  the 
tree  and  is  timilv  and  neatlv  built,  with  a  lining  of 
hair',  down,  or  feathers.  The  eggs  are  five  in  number, 
thin-shelled,  and   pure  white. 


The  song  is  very  sweet,  and  jertainly  superior  to 
that  of  the  European  bird.  Unfortunately,  it  rarely 
arrives  in  this  country  in  good  condition,  so  that  many 
6]>ecimens  die  before  thej'  have  been  long  in  captivity  ; 
they  are  also  never  very  cheap.  I  imported  a  specimen 
in  1893,  but  it  arrived  in  such  ill-health  that  it  only 
lived  three  davs  after  it  re:wlied  nie. 

Mr.  A.  H.  Holland  (The  IhU,  1892,  p.  197)  says  :— 
"  Very  common  throughout  the  year,  and  in  flocks 
immediately  after  nesting.  Has  a  melodious  twitter. 
Breeds  lat«  in   November,  and  i.s  easily  tamed." 

-Mr.  0.  V.  Aplin,  writing  on  the  birds  of  Uruguay 
(T'/ie  Ibif,  1894,  pp.  170-171),  says  : ^Common,  especi- 
ally about  the  qurntas  of  estancia  houses,  and  resident 
to  a  certain  extent,  but  jx>sfibly  not  entirely  so;  they 
certainly  become  much  less  common  in  theautumn.  They 
are  fond  of  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  different  tall  plants, 
and  I  have  seen  them  clinging  to  a  yellow-flowered 
composite,  and  especially  to  a  blue-and-red-flowered 
Boraginaceous  plant  called  /lor  mora<la,  just  as  we  see 
Goldfinches  clinging  to  thistles  in  England.  The  song 
is  very  like  that  of  the  f^nglish  Siskin  (speaking  only 
from  a  knowledge  of  the  song  of  the  latter  as  a  cagea 
bird),  but  rather  more  powerful,  and  reminding  one 
sometimes  of  the  Goldfinch's.  This  is  quite  one  of  the 
best  song-birds  of  the  country,  and  the  song  always 
seemed  to  carry  one  back  to  the  Old  World.  Building 
was  in  full  swing  in  November.  On  the  15th  I  knew 
of  three  nests  in  construction,  and  one  finished.  Three 
of  these  were  in  young  poplars,  the  fourth  in  a  Finus 
inxiijnis,  the  former  in  the  first  fork  of  the  branches, 
8  or  9  feet  from  the  ground.  They  were  formed  of 
grass,  wool,  lichen,  etc.,  and  lined  with  hair.  The 
next  day  the  house-peon  .■■howed  me  a  quite  inaccessible 
nest,  some  10  or  12  feet  up  a  big  organ  cactus  lor  /i;/i«) 
near  the  kitchen.  Siskins  were  in  song  at  the  end  of 
.January.     The  local  name  is  '  Silgero.'  " 

According  to  Russ,  this  bird  is  extremely  rarely  im- 
ported, but  in  England  I  have  seen  it  several  timeii.  It 
has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Gardens.  Dr.  Russ 
describes  Chrysomitris  laurencii,  but  I  cannot  find  that 
it  has  ever  reached  the  European  market. 

Hooded  Siskin   {Chrysomiii-is   cunillata). 

Above  vernviJion,  brighter  on  the  lower  back,  rump, 
and  upper  tail-coverts ;  the  head  black ;  wing-<x)verts 
vermilion,  black  at  base,  the  greater  coverts  so  broadly 
that  only  the  tips  retain  the  red  colouring;  other  wing- 
feathers  black,  the  flights,  excepting  the  inner  second- 
aries, red  at  base,  but  with  black  shafts  ;  the  inner 
secondaries  with  the  extremities  of  the  outer  webs 
edged  with  whitish  or  reddish  ;  tail  black,  pale  ver- 
milion at  base  ;  throat  black  ;  sides  of  neck  and  under- 
pants chiefly  vermilion,  but  the  abdomen  and  thighs 
white ;  under  tail-coverts  white-tipped ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  ashy  at  base ;  flights  black,  pale 
vermilion  at  base.  Female  altogether  L'reyer.  not  black  ; 
the  back  .slightly  washed  with  vermilion  in  front,  the 
lower  back,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts  bright  ver- 
milion ;  the  red  on  the  wings  more  orange  in  tint  ;  the 
lores  and  »hin  whitish  ;  sidej<  of  face  and  throat  ashy 
grey  ;  breast  orange-vermilion  :  abdomen,  thighs,  and 
under  tail -coverts  white ;  sides  and  flanks  brownish 
ashy ;  under  wing-cnverts  and  axillaries  whitish,  the 
lower  ones  reddish  at  base.  Habitat.  "Venezuela  and^ 
Trinidad.  Introduced  into  Cuba  and  Porto  Kico." 
(Sharpe.) 

I  can  discover  no  published  notes  on  the  wild  life 
of  this  beautiful  Si.skin  ;  but  happily,  although  a  rarely 
imported  bird,  and  particularly  in  the  English  market, 
Mr.    Heer   of    Striegau    and    later    Dr.    Huss    succeeded 


SISKINS. 


97 


in  breeding  it  successfully  in  their  biid-ruoms.  Dr. 
Russ  says  thiit  it  was  tinst  imfiorted  by  Karl  Hagen- 
beck  under  the  nam«>  of  "  Little  Cardinid,"  and  subse- 
quently .single  specimens  or  pairs  reached  Chr.  Hagen- 
beck.    Jauiracb,    Bekenians,   and   otheiis. 

Mr.  Heer  thus  describes  his  success  in  breeding  the 
species  : — "  The  feuiuie  only  laid  two  eggs,*  but  hatched 
out  both,  and  both  l.id  already  successfully  l««ft  th« 
nest  when  one  which  wiis  already  recognisable  as  a  nial<! 
lost  its  life  bj'  an  unfortunate  accident.  The  other 
youngster,  a  female,  is  Hyini;  strongly  alx)ut  the  bird- 
room,  and  is  almost  a.s  large  and  vigorou.s  as  the  old 
birds.  The  Hlaok  headed  Siskins  ((Jerniaji  name,  but 
already  applicable  to  anothei-  species)  had  driven  a 
pair  of  Zebra-hnches  out  of  their  nest  1m)X.  upon  the 
nest  of  which,  coiit-^iining  five  eggs,  they  built  a  new 
one,  and  then  hatched  tlieir  two  young.  I  discovered 
thi.«  on  examination  of  the  nest  after  the  young  had 
flown. 

"The  pair  lived,  in  like  manner  to  their  allies,  the 
whole  year  througli  in  a  palpably  conjugal  relationship, 
so  that  the  pair,  though  not  appearing  to  trouble  uiuih 
about  one  another,  yet  always  remained  near  together. 
At  the  approach  of  the  nesting  season,  in  July  in  my 
bird-mom,  the  male  began  to  show  great  affection,  as 
he  fed  the  female  from  the  crop,  and  .always  followed 
her  clotely.  The  latter  collected  threads  and  stalks  into 
an  o[>en  nest-liox  .  .  .  and  formed  a  flat  cavity, 
chiefly  of  wadding,  linen  threads,  and  cowhair.  The 
clutch  consisted  once  of  three  and  the  second  time  of 
four  c;,'_'s.  In  the  first  brnod,  however,  she  only  brought 
up  two  young,  and  in  the  second  only  Dne.  These 
broods  must  lie  the  only  ones,  up  to  the  present  time, 
which  have  been  recorded,  as  the  bird  so  far  occurs 
in   few  collections." 

And  what  a  poor  record  it  is  !  The  eggs  arc  not  de- 
scribed, the  duration  of  incubation  is  not  indicated, 
the  nestling  phimn^e  is  not  noticed. t 

Mr.  Astley  has  published  an  amusing  account  of  the 
Hoodixl  Siskin,  illustrated  by  a  coloured  drawing,  in 
The  Aviniltural  Magazine.  2nd  series,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  47- 
51. 

In  1906  Captain  Pam  and  others  brought  home  five 
examples  of  this  specie.s,  two  of  which  were  presented 
to  the  Ij<indon  Zoological  Gardens  and  the  others  de- 
posited there.  If  London  dealers  would  take  the 
trouble,  doubtless  they  could  secure  plenty  of  specimens. 
In  1877  Miss  Hagenbeck  is  said  to  have  exhibited  several 
pail's  at  a  breeders'  society  in  Hamburg. 

Pine  Si.skin  [Chrji'^omitria  ptnus). 

Above  brownish  olive;  every  feather  wiith  blackish 
centre ;  median  coverts,  blackish  brown  tipped  with 
white,  greater  coverts  with  yellowish-white  ;  flights  and 
tail-feathers  blackish-brown,  mjre  or  less  yellow  at  base 
and  with  the  outer  e<lges  yellowish-green  and  their 
inner  etiges  yellow ;  ear-coverts  brown ;  remainder  of 
sides  of  head  and  under  surface  whitish  with  dusky 
.streaks,  excepting  on  centre  of  abdomen  and  thighs ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  yellowish  white; 
flights  below  dusky,  edged  with  yellowish,  brighter 
yellow  towards  base;  beak,  feet,  and  irides  brown. 
Female  similar,  but  yellower  and  less  strongly  streaked 
on  the  under  parts.  Habitat,  North  America,  wintering 
in  Mexico. 

.1.  G.  Cooner  ("  Om.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  172)  says  :— 
"  They  are  found  both  among  the  coniferous  trees  and 
tho.«e    that    are    deciduous,   feeding    on    the    .seeds    of 

*  Sul>sefni(?nt!y  we  discover  that  she  laid  three,  but  only 
notched  two. 

t  Dr.  Riiss,  however,  gives  the  following  description  of  the 
r??:— 8h;i|)r<  oval;  colour  delicate  bluisli  or  greenish  white, 
tiiie!y  dottid  with  red-brown.     Length  14  mm.,  breadth  11  mm. 


spruces,  alders,  willows,  and  juniper-berries."  Gentry 
states  that  the  wild  life  corresponds  with  that  of  other 
Siskins,  including  the  European  species,  but  its  flight 
and  actions  more  nearly  resemble  those  of  the  Purple 
Rose-finch.  The  call-note  is  a  sharp  penetrating  swiirr 
or  zirr,  which  it  utters  during  flight. 

Audubon  says  that  the  song  is  soft,  varied,  and 
melodious,  and  to  some  extent  resembles  that  of  the 
American  Siskin.  Its  food  consists  of  the  seeds  of 
grasses  and  other  plants,  and  in  the  autimm  of  juniper 
berries,  coniferous  and  other  seeds,  and  in  spring,  espe- 
cially when  hatching,  of  plant-lice  and  other  insects,  also 
all  kinds  of  tree-buds  and  shoots  of  conifers. 

According  to  Brewer,  the  breetling  season  is  in  May; 
the  nest  is  fonned  of  fibres,  rootlets,  stalks,  and  grasses, 
and  neatly  line<l  inside  with  hairs  aiul  wo<jl.  The  clutch 
consists  of  four  longish-oval  eggs  of  a  pale  green  colour, 
marked  especially  at  the  large  end  with  bright  rust- 
colour. 

Russ  ret-eived  a  single  specimen  of  this  Siskin  from 
Moller,  of  Hamburg,  in  1877,  but  it  has  always  been  rare 
in  the  trade.  In  1907  the  Ixmdon  Zoological  Society 
received  four  examples  as  part  of  an  exchange  with  the 
New  York  Zoological  Park. 

ToTTA  OR  South  Africwn  Siskin  (Chru^'imitris  tdlla). 

Above  chocolate,  the  back  with  indiratiions  of  darker 
centres  to  the  feathers  ;  rump  olive-yellow  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  brown,  with  darker  centres  and  whitish  edges  ; 
tail  black  tipped  with  white ;  wing-coverts  chocolate ; 
flights  brown,  externally  black,  with  a  subterminal 
black  marking  and  white  tips;  crown  olive-yellow  ;  lores 
grey ;  sides  of  face  and  ear-coverts  grey  with  an  olive 
tinge;  cheeks  olive-yellow  with  brown  streaks;  under 
surface  olive-yellow  ;  the  throat  sometmies  with  a  few 
dusky  spots;  sides,  flanks,  and  thighs  washed  with 
brownish ;  axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts  greyish- 
yellow  ;  beak  pale  brown,  feet  and  irides  brown.  Female 
generally  browner  and  leiss  yellow,  the  crown  chocolate 
streaked  with  blackish;  throat  and  upper  breast  greyish 
brown  with  a  yellowish  wash  and  dusky  spots.  Habitat, 
Cape  Colony. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  {"  Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  I.,  p.  182)  give  the  following  account  of  the  habits 
of  this  Siskin : — "  Although  by  Dr.  Sharpe  .separated 
from  the  Canaries  (Serinu.i).  and  placed  with  the  Siskins 
(Chri/.tomitris),  this  little  bird  resembles  the  former  in 
its  habits,  and  when  kept  in  confinement  readily  inter- 
breeds with  the  Cape  Canary  (,S'.  canirollis).  The  song, 
although  of  a  certain  merit,  does  not  equal  that  of  the 
Cape  Canary  in  tone  or  quality. 

"It  is  of  somewhat  local  distribution,  abundant  in 
certain  localities  and  quite  absent  from  others  appa- 
rently etjually  well  adapted  to  its  habits.  It  may  be 
often  met  with  on  bush-covered  hillsides,  and  appears  to 
prefer  hilly  to  more  level  ground.  It  feeds  on  small 
seeds,  buds  of  trees,  and  insects.  The  nest  is  placed  in 
a  bush  from  two  to  four  feet  above  the  ground,  and  is 
built  of  gra.--s-stems,  small  rootlets,  and  pliant  twi^s, 
lined  with  down  and  occasionally  a  few  hairs.  The 
eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number,  pale  bluish-green 
snaringly  spotted  and  sometimes  zoned  with  reddish- 
brown  of  two  shades.     They  average  0.72  by  0.54." 

Of  late  years  this  has  not  been  an  especially  rare  bird 
in  the  trade,  and  a  fair  numlier  of  specimens  have  ap- 
peared at  our  shows  :  I  have  not  been  tempted  to  pur- 
chase it  my.self,  but  have  had  it  sent  to  me  in  the  flesh 
for  identification.  In  appearance  I  consider  it  one  of 
the  least  attractive  of  the  Siskins. 

DhSKUT  Teumpkter   Bullfinch   {Eri/lhrospiza 
tjilhagiiiea). 

The  upper  parts  of  the  male  mostly  ashy  brown,  with 
narrow  rosy  edges  to  the  feathers,   but   the  rump  and 


98 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


i]j)p6r  tail-coverts  rose-coloured ;  the  primary  coverts 
Tiiinutoly  tipped  with  white;  mider  parts  mostly  rosy, 
but  the  cheeks,  throat,  and  flanks  more  or  less  ashy- 
brownish ;  beak  coral  red,  feet  orange,  iris  brown.  The 
female  is  similar,  but  duller  throughout.  In  the  winter 
plumage  both  .sexes  are  altogether  more  .«an<ly  and  less 
rosy  in  tint,  and  the  beak  i.s  paler.  Habitat,  from  the 
south  of  the  Mediterranean  eastwards  through  Persia 
and  Baluchistan,  into  Western  India. 

According  to  Von  Heuglin,  the  breeding  season  of  this 
little  bird  commences  even  as  early  as  March,  but  cer- 
tainly in  April  or  the  beginjiing  of  May.  The  nost  is 
usually  placed  in  a  crevice  or  ciunny  in  rock  or  wall,  and, 
according  to  Mr.  Meade- Waldo,  is  slightly  constructed 
of  dry  weeds  and  lined  with  goat's  or  camel's  haor.  The 
eggs,  five  or  six  in  number,  are  pale  blue,  lightly  spotted 
with  dark  purple.  Von  Heuglin  describes  the  young  as 
"  greyish  earth-brown,  below  clearer."  He  also  says 
that  in  June  they  unite  with  the  adult  birds  into  little 
companies,  which  wander  about  in  desultory  fashion 
on  fallows,  ix>ads,  villages,  stone  bridges,  cliffs,  ruins, 
rocky  islands,  and  on  the  margin  of  the  de.sert,  feeddng 
chiefly  on  seeds  of  grasses.  'The  call-note  is  described 
as  a  wooden  "  ter-ter  "  by  Von  Heuglin,  and  a  metallic 
"  twang-twang"  by  Meadc-Waldo,  and  the  song  insigni- 
ficant, often  chattering,  or  rather  chirping,  but  always 
dntermingled  with  sounds  which  resemble  tnose  produced 
by  a  child's  toy  trumpet. 

J.  L.  S.  Whiitaker,  in  liis  "Birds  of  Tunisia,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  221,  says  : — "  Eminently  a  rock-frequenting  bird,  the 
Desert  Bullfinch  is.  as  a  rule,  only  to  be  found  in  hilly, 
stony  ddstricts.  and  never  apparently  in  the  true  sandy 
desert.  Its  plumage,  like  that  of  many  of  the  Larks 
and  other  birds,  harmonises  admirably  in  colour  with 
the  warm  reddi.sh  tints  of  the  southera  rocks  and  soil, 
and  affords  a  good  example  of  Nature's  protective  colour- 
ing. The  exquisite  rose  hue  of  this  little  bird's  plumage, 
however,  is  mifortunately,  somewhat  evanescent,  and 
fades  considerably  after  death. 

"  During  the  greater  part  of  the  year  E.  githaginea  is 
to  be  found  in  small  parties,  but  during  the  breeding 
season  single  pairs  are  more  often  met  with.  It  is  by 
no  means  a  shy  bird,  and  will  often  allow  one  to 
approach  within  a  ferw  yards  of  it  before  taking  to 
flight.  Its  food  consists  ohiefiy  of  the  seeds  of  wild 
plants,  but  also  to  a  certain  extent  of  insects  and 
^gnibs.  In  captivity  the  species  thrives  well,  and 
examples  of  it  may  occasionally  be  seen  in  aviaries." 

"The  ne.st  of  this  -jpecies  is  tisually  placed  under  a 
tussock  of  gratis  or  other  small  plant  on  a  hill-side, 
and  is  neatly  built  of  fine  bents,  lined  with  a  little  hair 
or  wool.  The  eggs,  usually  four  or  five  in  number — 
though  I  have  found  as  many  as  si.\ — are  elongate  in 
shape  and  of  a  delicate  sea  green  colour,  slightly 
.spotted  and  streaked  at  the  larger  end  with  dark  lake 
and  reddish-brown.  Average  measurements,  20  by 
14  mm." 

Mr.  IMeade-Waldo  in  1897  bred  three  nests  of  six 
and  one  of  four  from  a  single  pair,  the  male  of  which 
was  alxjut  ten  years  of  age.  He  says  that  the  yoimg 
are  fed  entirely  on  seed  disgorged  from  the  crop,  no 
soft  food  being  touched.  Canary,  spray  millet,  and 
shepherd's  purse  are  the  favourite  food  of  the  fpecies. 

I  have  seen  a  good  many  specimens  of  thi.s  spe<'ies, 
both  at  bird  shows  and  in  private  aviaries,  but  1  never 
possessed  it  myself. 

Rock-Sp.^rhow  [Pdronia  jielrnnin). 

Above  sandy  brown,  with  darker  streaks  and  spots  ; 
back  and  wings  dark  brown  with  pale  buff  margins 
to  the  feathers ;  tail  dark  brown,  the  feathers  increas- 
ingly  tipped   with  white  on  the   inner  webs   from   the 


central  feathers  outwards,  below  pale  buff  indistinctly 
streaked  with  Irrown,  more  strongly  on  the  flanks; 
a  yellow  patch  on  the  throat ;  bill  brown,  paler  below  ; 
feet  pale  brown  ;   irides  brown. 

The  female  is  similar,  but  with  less  defined  yellow 
jxitch  on  the  throat.  Habitat,  Europe  southward  to 
N.  Africa,  Madeira,  and  the  Canarj'  Islands  ;  eastward 
to  Central  Asia,  Eastern  Siberia,  and  North  China. 

J.  I.  S.  Whitaker  ("Birds  of  Tmiisia. '  Vol.  1,  pp. 
211,  212)  says: — "As  the  name  would  imply,  P. 
jjitrania  is  a  rock-loving  bird,  being  generally  found, 
either  in  small  parties  or  in  pairs,  on  hill-sides  or  in 
the  vicinity  of  rocky  ground.  Occasionally,  however, 
it  is  to  be  found  on  cultiN-ated  land,  consorting  with 
Skylarks,  and  I  once  shot  one  out  of  a  flock  of  Larks 
in  the  middle  of  a  cornfield.  The  food  of  the  Bock- 
Sparrow^  consists  chiefly  of  grain  and  various  kinds 
of  seeds,  but  it  is  varied  to  a  considerable  extent  by  an 
insect  diet.  The  note  of  this  bird  is  a  harsh  and 
monotonous  chirp. 

"  The  Rock-Sparrow  breeds  as  a  rule  in  holes  in  cliffs 
or  old  walls,  and  the  nest  is  composed  of  straw  or  dry 
grasses,  with  a  little  vrool,  plentifully  lined  witn 
feathers  and  hair.  The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  number, 
greatly  resemble  those  of  the  common  House-Sparrow." 

Dr.  Russ  mentions  three  or  four  European  dealers 
who  have  at  various  times  offered  this  species  for  sale, 
but  he  says  it  is  rarely  received,  but  several  avicul- 
turists  state  that  it  is  a  noteworthy  songster.  With 
captive  birds  one  is  far  more  likely  to  hear  the  true 
.song  than  the  field  naturalis-t ;  therefore  it  is  quite 
likely  that  Mr.  Whitaker  never  was  fortunate  enough 
to  come  across  a  singing  male,  and  only  heard  the 
chattering  and  chirping  in  which  Sparix)ws  far  more 
frequently  indulge. 

Yellow-throated  Rock-Spabkow  (Pf<ronia  Aavicollis). 

Above  ashy-brown  ;  lesser  wing-coverts  bright  chest- 
nut; median  coverts  tipped  with  white,  forming  a 
bar ;  greater  coverts  narrowly  tipped  with  whitish, 
forming  a  second  narrower  bar ;  flights  an<l  tail  feathers 
dark  brown  with  pale  brown  edges ;  outer  tail-feathers 
with  tips  of  inner  web  fringed  with  whitish ;  aji  ill- 
defined  pale  eyebrow-streak ;  lores  and  eyelids  dusky, 
as  also  the  upper  portion  of  the  ear-coverts ;  chin  and 
fore-throat  whiti-'h  followed  by  a  yellow  spot  on  the 
hinder  throat;  remainder  of  underpart.s  pale  grejTsh 
brown,  becoming  white  on  vent  and  under  tail-coverts ; 
I>eak  black ;  feet  ashy-browrn ;  irides  brown.  I'emale 
with  the  chestnut  of  lesser  cwverts  and  the  yellow 
throat  spot  paler  than  in  the  male.  Habitat.  Fcrsia 
and  Baluchistan  to  Sind  and  the  plains  of  India,  ascend- 
ing the  Himalayas  west  of  the  Beas  up  to  4,000  to 
5,000  feet. 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II..  pp.  368,  369) 
says: — "It  frequents  thin  forest  jungle;  also  groves 
of  trees,  avenues,  and  gardens,  in  the  better  wooded 
parts  of  the  country.  It  lives  in  small  p,irties,  occa- 
sionally, during  the  cold  weather,  congregating  in  very 
large  flocks ;  feeds  on  \'arions  seeds,  grains,  and  flower- 
buds,  and  has  much  the  same  manners  and  liabits  as 
the  common  House-Sparrow.  It  h:is  also  a  very  similar 
note.  It  breeds  in  holes  in  trees,  and  in  some  parts 
of  the  country  in  the  roofs  of  houses,  in  the  hollow 
bamboos  of  the  roof,  and,  occasionally,  in  pots  hung 
out  for  the  pairpose.  Tlie  eggs  are  three  or  four, 
greenish  white,  much  streaked  and  blotched  with 
pur]5lish-brown." 

Hume  ("  Nest.s  and  Eggs,"  2nd  ed..  Vol.  II.,  pp. 
157-159)  says: — "I  have  taken  scores  of  nests  of  this 
species;  all  were,  without  exception,  placed  in  holes 
in  trees.     Old  mango-trees,  for  instance,  are  very  often 


SISKINS. 


99 


chosen,  and  in  tliese  the  nests  may  be  found  at  30  feet 
from  the  ground,  though  usually  they  are  a  I  heights 
of  from  12  to  20  feet;  >onietinies  K*Miie  old  stuli  is 
patronised,  and  then  the  nest  may  not  1)C  a  couple  of 
feet  from  the  ground.  On  one  oica-sion  I  found  a  nest 
in  a  liole  in  the  stem  of  an  old  lieens  bush  iCapparU 
aphi/llti),  which  stem   was  barely  5  itielie.s  in  diameter. 

"  ITie  nest  is  generally  only  a  little  bundle  of  dry 
giaaa,  thickly  lined  with  feathers.  If  in  a  mangrove 
grove  much  frc(|uenteil  by  the  t'onunoii  (iireii  I'iiroquets, 
the  feathers  of  these  latter  are  sure  to  l>e  tliosc  chietly 
used.  Soinotiuies,  however,  a  more  or  less  cup-shaped 
nest  is  formed,  fine  strips  of  bark  and  tow  i)eing  added 
to  the  grass;  and,  again,  at  limes  it  is  a  regular  pad 
of  hair,  tow,  and  wool,  with  a  few  fe<vthers,  all  closely 
interwoven,   and  with  only  a  little  central  hollow. 

"I  never  found  more  than  f<Jiir  eggs,  often  only  three 
fully  incubated  ones,  but   more  may  occur. 

"The  eggs  are  dull  and  glossless,  moderately  elon- 
gated ovals,  sometimes  pointed  towards  the  little  end, 
sometimes  blunt  and  pyriform.  Considerijig  how 
nearly  eciual  in  size  the  two  birds  are,  it  is  surprising 
to  fiiid  th;it  the  eggs  of  this  species  average  in  weight 
little  more  than  half  those  of  P.  dumestirus.  The 
ground-colour,  where  any  of  it  is  visible,  is  greenish 
white.  The  eggs  arc  very  thickly  .streaked,  smudged, 
and  blotched  all  over  with  dingy  brown,  usually  more 
nearly  a  mi.xture  of  sepia  and  chcx-olatebrown  than 
any  other  shade  I  can  think  of.  In  some  eggs  the  mark- 
ings are  entirely  confluent  all  over,  .so  as  to  leave  no 
particle  of  the  ground-colour  visible,  and  in  all  the 
eggs  I  have  seen  they  were  so  thick  as  to  leave  but 
little  of  tliis  visible.  "The  very  dark  dingy  appearance 
of  these  eggs  is  their  chief  characteristic. 

"The  eggs  vary  less  in  size  than  those  of  the  House 
and  Tree  Sparrows,  and  are  considerably  smaller  than 
either.  In  lenyth  they  vary  from  0.66  to  0.78.  and  in 
breadth  from  0.52  to  0.56, "but  the  average  of  thirty- 
four  eggs  is  0.74  by  0.55  nearly." 

Dr.  Kuss  states  that  this  species  has  never  been  im- 
ported alive  into  the  European  market  ;  but  in  1895 
Mr.  Frank  Finn  presented  an  e.vample  to  the  London 
Zoological  Ga.ixlens,  and  it  seems  likely  that  the  late 
Mr.  Abrahams  was  acc|uainted  with  the  bird  from  the 
fact  that  he  recognised  two  allied  forms  in  my  pos- 
session as  se.xes  of  the  Yellow-throated  Sparrow.  It  is 
very  uidikely  that  so  common  an  Indian  bird  would 
fail  to  be  sometimes  imported  in  liatches  of  birds  from 
Calcutta. 

Lesser  Rock-Sp.\rro\v  (ritrotila  dcntata). 

Above,  generally  ruddy  mouse-browni,  the  median 
and  greater  wini;-coverts  with  slightly  paler  edges: 
Hights  and  tail-feathers  much  darker,  but  with  pale 
edges ;  crown  normally  dark  grey  (sometimes  dark 
brown  at  back  and  with  a  broa<l  white  frontal  band) ; 
lores  whitish ;  a  broad  reddish-  clay^brown  eyebix>w- 
streak ;  chin,  upper  half  of  thix)at,  brea.st,  and  under 
tail-coverts  white,  shariin^;  into  pale  brown  on  the 
sides  of  the  head  a.nd  throat  (sometimes  the  white  runs 
over  on  to  the  front  of  the  face  and  is  limited  to 
the  centre  of  the  throat  in  continuance  of  tl>e  usual 
palo  sulpliur  pat^-h  on  the  front  of  the  breastl ; 
a.l>domen  white,  faintly  washed  at  the  sides  with 
browii ;  under  wing-coverts  mid  axillaries  aj^hy-brown  ; 
beak  dark  horn  brown,  flesh-coloured  toward's  base  of 
lower  mandible ;  feet  dusky  flesh-coloured  :  irides 
reddish -brown.  Female,  according  to  Vnn  Heuglin. 
more  fulvescent.  with  cheeks,  bi-eas-t,  and  flanks  wa.shed 
with  fulvrius,  etc.,  etc.:  but  he  was  prob.ablv  describ- 
ing P.  (ilbiguJaris,  which  is  neither  the  female  nor  the 


yoimg  of  /'.   (h'litaki,  as  has  been  supposed.     Habitat. 
N.E.  Africa. 

Von  Heuglin  says  that  this  spccics-s  is  found  in  pair* 
or  small  tlcxks  along  the  opeiungs  in  the  woodlands 
or  perched  on  the  bushes  in  the  deserts,  generally  near 
water,  and  that  the  note  resembles  tliat  of  our  House 
Sparrow  *  ;  his  assertion  that  the  eggs,  which  he  found 
in  a  Weaver-bird's  ne.'t,  where  wiute  was  ba.'^eil  upon 
faulty  observation,  the  eggs  which  he  found  having 
doubtless  been  laid  by  the  Weaver,  certainly  not  by 
the  iSparrow. 

In  1898  two  examples  of  Pclronia  were  sent  to  me 
by  an  luiknown  friend,  which  were  (incorrectly)  pro- 
nounced by  Mr.  Abrahams  to  be  sexes  of  the  niur- 
derous  Yellow-throated  Sparrow.  As  I  have  already 
ivcor<led  {'J'/ir  Avirultnrdl  Magazhif,  N.S.,  Vol.  1,  pp. 
294-298),  1  turne<l  tliis  supposed  pair  into  a  flight-cage  in 
the  comer  of  which  a  prepared  llartz-cage  was  hung 
up,  ;uid  provided  them  with  nesting-materials  and 
cuttle-lione.  They  built  a  veiy  neat  nest,  externally 
formed  of  hay,  internally  lined  with  feathers  and  wool ; 
and,  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  since  the  eggs  were  hardly 
ever  laid  in  the  nest,  but  mostly  dropjx'd  from  a  peixih, 
tlie  clutch  appeared  to  consist  of  from  five  lo  six  eggs  ; 
as,  however,  I  discoverc^d  towards  the  end  of  their 
lives  that  both  birds  were  laying,  it  is  cpiite  pos.sible 
that  three  or  four  niay  represent  the  laying  of  each 
individual. 

I  had  no  sooner  discovered  that  my  supposed  pair 
consisted  of  two  adult  hens  than  lx>th  became  egg- 
bound,  and  1'.  dcntata  (the  supposcxl  cock-bird)  died 
before  it  <x)uld  be  treated  ;  I  pressed  out  the  egg  and 
discovered  it  to  be  exactly  of  the  usual  type.  The 
other  hen  (P.  alhifiularis)  recovered  for  a  time,  but 
1903  saw  the  end  of  both  of  them. 

Of  the  eggs,  which  were  unknown  to  science,  I  only 
succeeded  in  saving  two,  one  of  which  I  sent  to  the 
Natural  History  Museum.  I  described  them  (The  Avi- 
rultiiral  Mai/azine,  I.e.)  as  follows: — "The  ground  of  the 
egg  is  greenish-white,  more  or  less  thickly  dotted  with 
dark  brown ;  the  larger  extremitj-  is  always  sooty- 
blackish,  exactly  as  if  it  had  been  held  in  the  smoke 
of  a  lamp  until  well  blackened  ;  the  extent  of  the  dull 
black  patch  varies  somewhat,  liut  I  have  not  seen  one 
egg  without  it  among  tlie  many  which  my  birds  have 
broken.  In  shape  they  are  broad  ovals,  resembling, 
Ivcth  in  outline  and  general  size,  those  of  the  Greater 
AVhitethroat." 

Dr.  Russ  says : — "  This  bird  is  not  rare  in  the  trade, 
but  is  only  imported  a  few  at  a  time."  'Ihe  remainder 
of  his  remarks  are  chiefly  abusive  ;  indeed,  he  gives 
the  poor  Sparrow  a  very  bad  character.  Undoubtedly 
my  two  hens,  which  were  at  least  representatives  of 
different  races,  if  not  species,  often  quarrelled  rather 
viciously. 

White-thro.\ted  Rock-Sparrow 
(Pelronia  alhigularis). 

Very  similar  to  P.  dentata.  but  the  crown,  back, 
and  sides  of  neck  uniform  brown ;  eyebrow  streak 
sandy  butf ;  mantle  streaked  witli  blacki.'ih  ;  median  and 
greater  wing-coverts  with  pale  tips ;  flights  with  broad 
sandy-brownish  borders  to  the  inner  webs :  the  vellow 
throat  .spot  ill  defined,  more  diffused  than  in  P. 
dcntata  :    aMomen  less  white.     Habitat,   X.E.  Africa. 

This  Sparrow  w-as  long  believed  to  be  the  youne  of 
P.  dcntata.  aaid  it  is  still  so  regarded  in"  Captain 
Shelley's  "  Bii-ds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  HI.,  p.  262;  but  the 
fact  that  I  kept  the  two  together  for  five  years,  that 
the  supposed  young  plumage  never  changed,  and  that 

•  It  is,  howcjver,  decidedly   sharper  in  sound.— A.  G.  B. 


100 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


both  laid  many  eggs,  clearly  proves  that  both  were  adult, 
and  therefore  presumably  at  least  distinct  sub-species. 
The  e/g  of  P.  albiijiiiaris  is  limlistinguishable   from 
that  of  P.  denlnta. 

SouTHKHN  RuCK-Sr.uiuow  (I'flronia  ptfroncUa). 
Above  brown  ;  the  crown  darker ;  nuuitle  mottled  with 
blackish ;  wings  dark  brown,  the  feathers  with  paler 
borders,  median  and  greater  coverts  with  whitish  tips, 
forming  two  wing-bands;  borders  of  flights  rufescent  ; 
tail-feathers  dark  brown  with  ill-defined  whitish  edges  ; 
below  pale  brown;  a  broad  whiUish  eyebrow-stripe; 
space  l>etween  the  latter  and  ear-coverts  dark  brown  ; 
chin,  upper  throat,  centre  of  breast,  and  under  tail- 
coverts  white;  a  yellow  patch  at  back  of  throat;  flights 
below  brown  with  pale  inner  edges  ;  under  wing-coverts 
pale  brown,  partly  mottled  with  white;  beak  dusky 
horn-brown,  with  pale  lower  mandible;  feet  browiiiish 
ash  ;  irides  brown.  Female  smaller  and  with  smaller 
yellow  throat-spot.  Habitat,  Africa,  to  the  south  of 
about  3  deg.  S.  lat.     (Shelley.) 

In  Stearic  and  Scla.ter's  "  Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  I.,  p.  158,  we  read  : — "  Although  this  Sparrow  may 
he  sometimes  seen  hopping  about  rocks,  it  is  more  fre- 
quently to  be  met  with  among  trees,  and  especially 
euphorbias,  from  the  bark  of  whiioh  it  appears  to  glean  a 
considerable  amount  of  food  in  the  shape  of  small  beetles 
and  other  insect.^.  Mr.  T.  Ayres  writes  regarding  its 
habits  in  Mashonaland  :  '  The.'-e  Sparrows  ai'e  not  un- 
common about  the  Umvuli,  frequenting  the  high  trees 
and  feeding  much  as  the  Tomtits  do,  hanging  about  the 
outer  twi.^  and  eating  the  young  buds,  etc.  ;  as,  how- 
ever, food  of  all  kinds  is  scarce'  for  birds,  this  may  not 
be  a  usual  habit.  They  are  now  mostly  in  pairs,  and 
their  loud  Sparrow-like  cries,  often  repeated  in  the  early 
morning,  attract  one's  attention  to  them.' 

"  This  species  appears  to  feed  very  largely  on  insects, 
which  it  finds  in  crevices  of  rocks  and  in  the  bark  of 
trees.  It  also  eats  small  seeds  of  grass  and  variou.s 
weeds.  It  builds  a  large  Sparrow-like  nest  of  dry  grass 
and  feathers  in  the  hole  of  a  tree  or  rock,  and  lays  three 
<}r  four  eggs,  which  resemble  those  of  the  Cape  Sparrow, 
but  they  are  slightly  larger,  as  a  rule,  and  more 
sparingly  but  distinctly  spotted  with  dark  slaty-brown." 
On  the  other  hand,  Captain  Shelley  says  : — "  Mr.  Ivy, 
a  resident  at  Grahamstown,  writes  :  '  I  have  found  many 
nests  of  this  .'■■pecies  in  the  decayed  centres  of  the 
branches  of  the  euphorbia  trees.  The  bird  makes  a 
small  opening  in  the  bark,  and  on  a  deposit  of  a  few 
feathers  and  down  in  the  hollow  of  the  branch,  lays 
from  three  to  four  dull  brown  unspotted  eggs.  It  breeds 
in  companies,  and  the  eggs  are  difficult  to  obtain,  as  the 
branches  of  the  euphorbias  are  high  up  above  the 
ground,  and  though  heavy  are  brittle  and  rotten.'  He 
further  remarks  that  the  eggs  are  very  unlike  those  of 
Pas.ipr  arcuatux." — "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  III.,  pp. 
266.  267. 

Captain  Shelley  has  resurrected  the  name  Harigtila 
for  this  species  on  the  ground  that  Bonaparte  quoted 
Sundival's  name  while  giving  it  a  different  one.  This 
's  not  always  a  conclufrivc  proof  of  jjriority.  for  I  have 
had  proof-sheets  of  a  book  forwarded  to  me  when  I  was 
bringing  out  a  work  (to  enable  me  to  quote  from  them). 
and  I  rather  think  my  book  was  published  firet. 
Although  this  speoies  has  been  rej)re.sented  several  times 
at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens,  Dr.  Rii.ss  omits  it 
from  bis  large  work. 

Cape  Sp.^RROW  {Panser  nrmatii!'). 

Abovg  deep  bnight  cinnamon  ;  the  nape  and  mrmtle 
greyish:  upper  tail-coverts  brown;  les.ser  wing-coverts 
cinnamon.;  middle  and  greater  coverts  black,  tipped 
with   white,   the  lattcT  with  brown  edges ;  tail  black. 


with  reddish  margiins  to  the  feathers ;  head  black ;  a 
bi<>.ad  eyebrow  stripe,  sides  of  neck  and  back  of  cheeks 
while;  throat  and  front  of  breast  black,  rtniainder  of 
under  surface  white,  greyish  at  the  sides  and  on  the 
thighs;  flights  below  dusky  with  the  inner  margins 
greyish  fulvous;  beak  black;  feet  brown;  irides  brown. 
Female  smaller  and  duller  than  male,  browner  above, 
the  crown  being  duller  black,  the  jnantle  and  uppe--  back 
brown  ;  a  pale  buff  streak  bordering  tlie  back  of  crown 
and  a  bufh.sh  pat<h  behind  the  cheeks ;  sides  of  head, 
tliroat,  and  front  of  bre«ist  dusky  brown  ;  remainder  of 
under  parts  pale  buff.  Habitat',  "  South  Africa,  east- 
wards to  the  Transvaal,  and  westwards  to  Benguela." 
(Sharpe.) 

Layard  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  p.  479  of  Sharpe's 
edition)  .says  :—"  The  '  Mosxie,'  like  its  cousin,  the 
English  bird,  is  essentially  a  '  cit.'  In  the  country  you 
certainly  find  him,  but  never  away  from  human  habita- 
tions. He  seems  to  think  man  only  builds  houses  for 
him  to  dwell  in  ;  only  grows  corn  for  him  to  eat ;  only 
plants  trees  for  hiim  t^  roost  in.  Tlie  airs  he  gives  him- 
self are  amusing,  and  you  feel  inclined  to  forgive  his 
oeculations  out  of  sheer  admiration  for  the  boldness 
with  which  he  executes  the  theft.  With  the  earliest 
dawn  he  is  up  and  doing,  and  his  chirrup  arouses  you 
from  your  slumbers;  but,  as  he  has  not  got  to  dress,  and 
you  have,  he  is  off  to  visit  your  farm  produce  before  you 
are.  As  he  has  wings,  he  visits  all  your  property  (not 
to  count  your  neighbours'),  and  levies  toll  where  he 
likes  ;  and  you  find  him  in  the  evening,  when  you  reach 
home,  tired  and  footsore,  there  before  you,  and  with 
unabated  vigour  fighting  for  the  snuggest  and  warmest 
berth  under  the  eaves,  or  the  cosiest  branch  upon  your 
pet  Oak-tree.  Well,  don't  be  hard  on  him.  He  will  in 
his  season  rid  you  of  thousands  of  caterpillars  and 
grubs  ;  and  if  your  "  eldest  hope  "  is  old  enough  to  begin 
to  shoot,  he  will  do  no  great  harm  in  thinning  their 
numbers  in  the  autumn,  and  manufacturing  puddings 
for  his  brothers  and  sisters  with  the  bodies  of  the  slain. 
Sparrows  build  in  holes  in  walls,  or  in  trees,  indis- 
criminately. If  they  select  the  former,  they  accumulate 
a  lot  of  sticks  as  a  groundwork,  and  fill  up  with  sti-aw 
and  feathers.  Their  eggs,  three  to  five  in  number,  are 
light  verditer  wiith  brown  blotches,  but  they  vary  much 
in  shape  and  colour." 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  ("Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  161-162)  say  : — "  'This  Sparrow  is  still  to  be 
found  living  a  perfectly  wild  life,  at  a  great  distance 
from  human  habitations,  in  many  parts  of  Little  Nama- 
qualand  and  the  great  Karroo  desert.  Here  it  affects 
the  neighbourhood  of  mimosa  tieea,  and  appears  to 
flourish  in  the  most  dreary  and  waterless  districts,  feed- 
ing on  small  seecb  and  insects  and  buildin>  its  nest  in 
som?  thorny  busli  or  tree.  It  sterns  probable  that  this» 
Sparrow  was  iriginally  a  desert  biid.  and  has  compara- 
tively recently  changed  lits  habits  in  certain  districts 
and  adapted  it-self  to  a  town  or  village  life.  In  autumn 
and  winter  these  Sparrows  are  frequentlv  found  in  con- 
siderable flocks,  often  consorting  with  other  Finches  and 
Weaver-birds.  Even  when  nesting  they  frequently  form 
sooial  communities  and  build  many  nests  in  the  same 
bush  or  tree;  occasiona'ly  I  have  seen  a  bush  so  packed 
with  nests  that  they  formed  a  solid  mass,  much  like  one 
of  the  collective  nests  of  a  Social  Weaver-bird." 

"  The  nest,  a  domed  structure,  is  more  or  less  flask- 
shaped,  with  an  entrance  from  a  few  linches  to  more 
than  a  foot  in  length,  through  a  horizontal  projecting 
neck.  It  is  constructed  of  small  sticks,  straws,  dry 
grass,  occasional'y  interwoven  with  rags  and  bits  of 
paper,  the  cavity  !>eing  warmly  lined  with  wool  and 
feathers.  Two  or  three  broods  are  raised  in  the  year, 
the  first  eggs  being  laid  in  September.     These  aie  f.-o!'.j 


SPARROWS. 


101 


three  to  six  in  number,  and  vary  considerably  in  size, 
ehape,  and  colonr  ;  they  are  usually  of  a  pale  ereenish- 
blue  ground  colour,  thickly  blotched  and  mottled  with 
various  shades  of  brown  and  lavender.  They  average 
0.75  by  0.58.  They  are  hatched  at  the  end  of  twelve 
days.  The  young  remain  in  the  nest  for  about  twenty- 
four  days,  during  which  time  they  arc  fe<l  on  grubs, 
caterpillars,  .ind  partially  digested  food  from  the  crops 
of  the  old  bir<ls."  The  Cape  Sparrow  may  be  met  with 
from  time  to  time  in  the  ijird  market ;  a  pair  was  pur- 
chased by  the  I^inclon  Zcologiral  Society  in  1887.  This 
species  was  bred  by  Mr.  Seth-SniitJi  in  1901,  who  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  experience,  illustrated  by  an 
excellent  plate  repiesenting  ooth  sexes,  in  The  Avicul- 
lura!  Mai/azine,  1st  seiies.  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  165-167. 

(iREVHE.\l)ED  OR   Sw.\INSON's  SpARROW 

[Passer  di/fusu-t  [xirainsoni]),. 

Above  rufous-brown ;  lower  back  and  rump  bright 
chestnut;  lesser  and  median  coverts  chestnut,  the  inner 
median  coverts  white-topped  ;  greater  coverts  brown, 
with  the  outer  edges  reddisli  ;  flights  dark  brown  with 
reddish  edges;  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail-feathers 
brown,  with  paler  margins ;  head  and  neck  all  round 
and  under  surface  dark  grey,  paler  on  throat  and 
abdomen ;  und«r  tail-coverts  dull  brown,  edged  wiith 
■whitisli ;  under  wing  coverts  and  axillaries  rufous-brown, 
the  latter  ed^ed  with  white;  flights  below  dull  ashy, 
slightly  reddish  on  inner  margins;  beak  black;  feet 
reddish-brown;  irides  chocolate.  Female  paler,  abdo- 
men and  under  tail-covetts  whiter,  otherwise  like  the 
male.*  Habitat,  Bogos-Iand  and  Abyssiinia  to  the 
Zanzibar  district  in  East  Africa  (Sharpe) ;  Afnica  gene- 
rally.    (Shelley.) 

Von  Heugliii  l"Orn.  Nordost  Africas,"  Vol.  I.,  pt.  'i, 
p.  635)  speaks  of  tliis  Sparrow  as  living  in  pairs.  He 
says:  "Its  behaviour,  food,  and  call-note  sLanip  it  ns 
a  true  Sparrow,  only  the  call-note  is  more  grating.  We 
found  its  nests  throughout  the  entire  rainy  season,  some- 
times  in  th.atches,  under  roof-rafters,  in  holes  in  the 
wall,   sometimes  in  thick   thorn-bushes." 

"  The  three-four  eggs,  moreover,  much  resemble  those 
of  the  House  Sparrow,  are  not  larger,  but  at  the  s.ime 
time  somewhat  srrooth  and  more  thick-shelled,  marked 
■with  deep  eartlvy-browm  on  a  pale  brownish  ground." 
He  figures  an  egg  (PI.  48,  fig.  2)  measurhisr  0.8  by  0.7H. 
"Mr.  Kuschel  describes  eggs  from  the  Gold  Coast  .as  of 
a  stout  oval  form,  with  thin  shells  and  a  moderate  gloss, 
but  very  variable  in  colour,  the  ground  being  white  or 
rusty  yellow.  Those  with  the  white  ground  h,Tve  dusky 
violet  or  brownish-red  spots,  clustered  together  at  the 
thick  end,  so  as  almost  to  hide  the  pale  groiind  coloiu", 
while  those  of  a  rusty  yellow  shade  lack  the  Wolet 
marks,  but  the  obtuse  end  is  covered  with  brownish-red 
spotis.  Thev  measure  0.77  to  0.88  bv  0.63  to  0.64." 
(Shelley,  "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  III.,  "p.  255.) 

Capt.  Shelley  calls  this  sjiecies  P.  cliffiixiis,  which 
Dr.  Sharpe  has  regarded  as  a  distinct  si>ecie&  and  Dr. 
Hartert  as  a  distinct  subspecies.  He  says  that  with 
an  extremely  fine  series  before  him  he  is  unable  to  find 
a  difference  to  distingui.Oi  it  as  a  sub-species;  .nnd  this 
1  can  quite  believe,  seeing  that  our  common  Sparrow 
varies  considerably  in  measuremeint  and  in  purity  of 
colouring.  This  bird  is  occasionally  imported  singly, 
or  in  small  numbers,  among  other  African  birds.  Tlie 
"London  Zoological  Society  ha.s  re<»ived  it  from  South 
Africa,  and  in  1895  I  purchased  one  out  of  several  then 
In  the  market;  it  proved  to  be  a  hen,  and,  being  kept 
with  Weavers  and  Buntings,  it  proved  harmless  enough, 

•  The  feniRle  described  >>v  ItusR  was  evidently  in  winter 
pimnnce,  th?  beak  being  horn  3-ellowigh  with  whiter  under 
mandible. 


but  it  never  uttered  a  note.  It  died  .\ugUot  17th,  1900. 
I  gave  a  short  account  of  the  bird  in  The  AvicuUural 
Magazine,  1st  series,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  5-6. 

Dkskbt  Si'ARROw  (Passer  simplex). 
Creamy  buff,  slightly  ashy  on  crown  and  mantle; 
median  wing-covens  pure  wnite;  greater  coverts  dull 
black,  bro.adly  tipped  with  white;  flights  dull  huffish, 
browner  towards  the  extremities,  and  edged  with  white, 
which  becomes  .slightly  yellowi,-,h  on  the  outer  wei)s  of 
the  -secondaries ;  tail  "pale  dull  brown,  darker  towards 
the  tip,  and  with  buff  margins,  widest  in  centre 
feathers;  the  feathers  at  sides  of  forehead,  in  front  of 
eye,  and  a  few  above  the  oar-coverts,  black;  cheeks, 
ear-coverts,  and  sides  of  tliroat  white;  chin  and  throat 
black;  beak  clear  brownish,  with  the  base  white;  feet 
yellowish  ;  irides  dark  brown.  Female  yellower  above, 
and  without  any  black  on  head  and  neck.  Habitat, 
Kordofan  to  the  Libyan  and  Sahara  deserts  {Shclletj). _ 

Von  Heuglin  s.iys"that  this  Sp.irrow  "feeds  on  grain 
near  habitations,  "and  in  its  habits  resembles  P.  mon- 
tuiius,  does  not  freijueiit  the  mountains,  hut  inhabits 
the  lowlands  of  Kordofan,  Sennaar,  and  the  wastes 
between  Berber  and  Suakin."  He  says  that  the  egg 
resembles  that  of  the  House  Sparrow;  but  to  anyone 
who  examined  the  series  of  eggs  of  the  latter  bird  figured 
in  my  "Birds'  Eggs  of  the  British  Lsles,"  PI.  IV.,  figs. 
132-143,  most  of  which  were  taken  by  myself,  .such  a 
rentark  might  mean  anything,  inasmuch  as  the  eggs  of 
the  House  Sparrow  vary  from  the  type  of  the  Pied  Wag- 
tail to  that  of  a  Comiiion  Bunting  or  a  Tree  Pipit. 
They  are  neither  constant  in  size,  shape,  colouring,  nor 
character  of  marking.  Some  eggs  are  like  a  common 
type  of  Cuckoo's  egg;  others  almost  like  that  of  the 
Robin;  others,  again,  like  an  elongated  egg  of  the 
Skylark.  Therefore,  while  saying  that  Pass^er  simplex 
lays  eggs  like  those  cf  the  House  Sparrow,  Von  Heuglin 
might  as  well  have  completed  his  description  by  assur- 
ing us  that  they  were  about  the  size  of  a,  piece  of  chalk ; 
but,  oddly  eno'ugh,  he  is  precise  in  his  measurements — 

0.85  by  0.6.  ,       .^■ 

Dr.  Ruse  appeared  to  be  unaware  that  this  species 
had  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardene, 
and  therefore  dismissed  it  in  a  few  words  as  a  bird  vp- 
likcly  to  appear  in  the  bird-market,  and  as  rare  in  itJ 
native  country.  .  •    „    ,-  i      t 

J.  I.  S.  Whitaker  ("Birds  of  Tunisia,  \  ol.  1., 
p.  209)  says:  "  Althoaigh  not  uncommon  in  the  localities 
it  frequents,  the  bird  appears  to  be  somewhat  local  in 
its  distribution,  and  is  not  found  everywhere  in  the 
sandy  desert." 

On  p  210  ilie  remarks  :—"  There  seems  to  be  some 
difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  description  of  country 
and  localities  most  frequented  by  the  Desert  Sparrow, 
and  also  regarding  the  situations  selected  by  it  for  its 
nest  A"  the  evidence,  however,  points  to  the  species 
being  partial  to  sandy  Bjx>ts,  and  it  probably  occurs 
both  on  the  oiitskirt's-  of  the  oa.'es  and  in  the  more  open 
country  and  nests  in  trees  as  well  as  in  the  holes  of 
well-sides,  or  similar  sites.  Mr.  Dodson,  alluding  to 
the  birds  of  this  species  met  with  in  Tripoli,  says  that 
he  observed  them  only  in  p.ilm-tree^.  where,  apparently 
they  were  breeding.  Baron  v.  Erlanger  .  .  .  found 
a  nest  in  the  hollowr  of  an  old  desert  tree,  and  -"a^.  in- 
formed by  Herr  Paul  W.  H.  Spatz  that  these  birds 
nested  among  the  sticks  forming  the  nests  of  someof 
the  kr<-er  Raptores.  built  on  similar  desert  trees.  IJr. 
Koenig?  on  the  other  band,  appears  to  have  found  the 
species  nesting  in  the  crevices  of  well-sides. 

"In  many  of  its  habits,  as  well  as  m  its  note,  the 
Desert  Spa"rrow   seems  to  resemble  the  Tree  Sparrow. 


102 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


It  leeds  chiefly  on  seeds,  but  also  to  a  large  extent  on 
insects.  Its  nest  is  a  rather  bulky  structure,  compactly 
built  of  dry  Haifa  grass,  wool,  and  leathers,  and  the 
eggs,  ■which  are  usually  three  in  number,  are  said  to 
closely  resemble  those  of  the  Tree  Sparrow." 
Ykllow  Sparrow  {Passer  lufetii']. 

H©a<l,  neck,  and  under  surface  bright  yellow ;  re- 
mainder of  body  above  chestnut,  shading  off  into  yellow 
on  the  Tump ;  upper  tail-coverts  ashy-brown;  lesser 
wing-coverts  dull  yellow;  remainder  of  wing  brownisli- 
black ;  the  mwlian  and  greater  coverts  tipped  with  buff, 
tinged  with  chestnut;  primaries  narrowly  edged  with 
buff ;  secondaries  broadly  bordered  with  chestnut : 
wings  below  dull  brown,  the  inner  edges  of  the  flights 
browJiish  buff;  under  wing-coverts  mostly  white;  tail 
brown,  with  paler  borders  ;  under  tail-coverts  brownish 
buff,  with  dark  centres;  beak  honi-coloured  ;  feet  pale 
brown;  irides  brown.  Female  with  the  yellow  and 
chestnut  of  the  upper  parts  replaced  by  pale  brown  ; 
under  parts  buff,  washed  with  brown  on  the  sides  of 
head,  neck,   and  Iwdy.     Habitat.  S.K.  Africa. 

Von  Heuglin  again  likens  this  biixl  in  habits,  not*  and 
eggs  to  the  House-Sparrow,  but  he  tells  us  that  the 
eggs  are  tiiree  or  four  in  number,  white  spotted  with 
brown.' 

According  to  Captain  Shellev  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol. 
III.,  p.  259).  "the  Hon.  N."  C.  Rothschild  and  Mr. 
A.  F.  R.  Wollaston  found  these  beautiful  yellow 
Sparrows  exceedingly  abundant  at  Shendi,  increasing 
in  numbers  towards  the  end  of  March.  Flocks  of  fifty 
and  upwards  might  be  seen  at  any  time  flying  north- 
wards along  the.  river  bank  ;  they  were  never  seen  to 
proceed  in  the  other  direction.  They  are  very  partial 
to  water,  and  might  sometimes  be  seen  in  enormous 
flocks  bathing  in  the  shallow  pools  of  the  river.'' 

"On  the  White  Nile,  according  to  Mr.  Witherby, 
'  This  species  was  common  and  well  distributed. 
Generally  to  be  foimd  in  small  flocks  of  twenty  or  so. 
it  was  very  wild,  and  frequented  the  bushes  and  trees 
in  the  more  open  country.  When  flying  it  has  a 
twittering  Linnet-like  not«,  while  in  the  trees  it  chirps 
like  a  Housj-Sparrow.  We  saw  an  enormous  flock  of 
the.'!©  birds  in  some  tall  bu-shes  on  the  river-bank  near 
Kawa.  They  were  exceedingly  restless,  rising  in  clouds 
from  the  bushes  as  we  ajuproached  and  .settling  again 
further  on,  only  to  rise  when  wo  nejired  them.'  " 

Dr.  Ruiss  inmented  that  only  males  of  this  iSpaiTow 
were  ini)x>rte<l ;  he  received  three  from  Lintz  of  Hai.i- 
burg,  and  a  fourth  from  Miss  Hagenbeck.  It  has  been 
exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens,  and  of  late 
years  has  been  secuied  by  several  private  students  of 
bird  life.  Dr.  Ru.ss  considered  it  by  no  means  spiteful, 
but  Mr.  Seth-Smith  came  to  an  opposite  conclusion 
with  respect  to  it.  The  Yellow  S|)arrow  was  bred  by 
Mrs.  Howard  Williams  in  1904,  and  an  account  of  her 
experience  published  in  the  Aviriiltural  Mamzine 
N.S.,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  75-77. 

Goi.t)?:n  Sparrow  (I'nxxrr  eiirhloi-ux). 
Bright  yellow;  wing  coverts  paler  yellow  ;  flights  and 
tail-feathers  dark  bixxwn  with  pale  borders,  broiid  on 
the  secondaries;  beak  and  feet  pale  broiwn  ;  irides 
brown.  Female  pale  brown  ;  a  few  dark  markings  on 
mantle;  sides  of  Jiead  buff,  .slight Iv  browner  on  the 
ear-coverts ;  under  parts  buff,  yellower  on  the  throat. 
Habitat,  Arabia  and  Eastern  Abyssinia. 

*o^o"  **■  ^'"■<='™'    Cr/i«  Avicuhural  Magazine,  N.a     Vol     IV 
p.   2^^)    eays:— "I   took  o??!)  of    tho  latter    recontlv,   tho  npst 
WM    von;    roughly    built    of   tw.jrs.    partially    .l.iwn«i    nml    lined 
wun  cotton,     tgs-s,  three    in   numlier,    m.ire  round  than  oblonir, 
mrty  white  streaked  and  blotched  with  dark  chocolate  all  otcr  •' 


According  to  Colonel  Yerbury  (see  Shelley,  "  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  260),  "one  or  more  big  flocks 
iiave  established  themselves  now  in  Aden  itself,  breed- 
ing in  tho  thorny  trees  at  the  tanks  and  alongside  the 
gaol  wall.  They  are  gregarious,  and  build  a  thick  nest 
of  thorny  twigs."  This  lx»autiful  little  Sparrow  has 
been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zo<jlogical  (iardens,  but 
Dr.  Russ  seems  to  have  overlooked  the  fact,  and  speaks 
of  it  a.s  unlikely  to  be  imported.  Now  that  it  has 
c^tiiblished  itself  at  Aden  it  .^eems  to  be  extremely 
likely  to  become  much  l)etttr  known  in  the  trade  than 
formerly.  Th?  Gnntessa  Baldelli  appears  to  li.ive 
secured  specimens  in  Italy  in  1903.  (See  Avicultttral 
Mai/azitw,  N.S.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  305.) 

Like  all  the  Sparrows,  this  iipecies  would  probably 
do  well  ui>on  millet,  canary,  oats,  and  hemp,  with  a 
few  living  insects,  their  larvae  and  pupae,  or  spiders;  I 
should  also  give  a  little  fruit  and  soft  food. 

Next  to  the  Sjiarrows  Dr.  Sharpe  has  placed  the 
Serins  or  Canaries  ;  but,  unless  Prof.  Ridgway  is  correct 
in  regaixling  the  ,Saffron-finche.^  as  Buntings,*  it  seems- 
to  me  that  thej',  both  in  their  nesting-habits  and  in 
the  colouring  of  their  eggs,  show  much  closer  affinity 
to  the  Sparrows ;  moreover  the  Rose-finches  with  their 
Canary-like  call-notes  should  not,  I  think,  be  widely 
divorced  from  the  Serins.  1  shall  therefore  take  Si/calis 
next.. 

S.\rFRON'-FiNCH  [Sj/calis  Aaveola). 

The  cock  is  of  a  bright  greenish  yellow  above,  the 
feathers  of  the  mantle  and  upper  back  being  strs-aked 
with  dusk}'  lines;  the  wing  leathers  blackish,  edged 
with  brighter  or  duller  yellow ;  the  tail  feathers  also 
blackish  ivith  bright  yellow  outer  and  paler  yellow 
inner  edges ;  the  crown  of  head  and  back  of  neck 
bright  greenish  yellow,  the  forehe,id  bright  orange, 
the  cheeks  and  throat  yellowish  orange  ;  undiT  surface 
of  body  bright  yellow,  the  sides  being  slightly  greenish; 
the  beak  horn  brown,  the  lower  mandible  being  )>ale ; 
the  iris  of  eye  greyish  brown;  the  legs  brownish  flesh 
coloiu'ed  ;  entire  length  about  5i  inches.  The  hen  is  a 
little  duller  above  and  paler  below  than  the  cock,  but 
otherwise  is  very  simihir.  Habitat,  Southern  Brazil  to 
New  Grenadv  and  Venezu;'la. 

When  in  the  neighbourhood  of  towns  these  birds  and 
their  close  .allies  freijuently  build  large  nests,  lined  ivith 
horsehair,  in  holes  in  walls ;  but  if  in  the  open  country 
they  select  holes  in  decayed  trees  or  dcs?rt<'d  nests  of 
ether  birds  in  wnich  to  Vjuild.  Their  eggs,  which  some- 
what resemble  those  of  a  Sparrow,  are  usually  five  in 
number.  In  an  aviaiy  the  cigarlK>x  ty|)e  of  receptacle 
is  preferred  for  nesting  purjjoses.  If  kept  in  a  large' 
cag.3  or  Crystal  Palace,  .aviarj-  with  Canaries,  the  Saffron- 
finch  is  ■unbearable ;  he  charges  the  jx>or  things  inoes- 
Siintly,  and  makes  their  featheis  fly  wholesale;  but  in 
a  large  .aviary,  with  Weavers  and  other  strong  ,si)ecies, 
I  have  found  him  very  innocent — e.vcepting  towards 
members  of  his  own  genus — and  even  amusing,  but 
especially  in  the  breeding  season  at  roosting  time,  for 
then  the  cock  and  hen  play  a  game  of  liide-and-seek, 
only  they  always  hide  in  the  same  receptacle,  usually 
.'i  German  Can :uy -cage ;  the  cock  crouches  down  in  a 
Canary  nest-lK>x  whilst  the  hen  hides,  suddenly  he  darts 
across  to  the  opening,  and  out  she  bolts  ])a.st  him  ajid 
take.^  possession  of  his  Irox  ;  he  follows  her  ami  sihe  darts 
b.ick,  and  so  the  giime  goes  on  imtil  both  are  wearj'. 
The  song  of  this  bird  is  not  particularly  pleasing,  though 
hearty. 

This  bird  has  been  called  Brazilian  Sparrow,  but  the 
only  respect  in  which  it  resembles  a  Sparrow  is  in  the 

*  I  made  the  same  su^^e«tion  myself  many  years  ago. 


SAFFRON-FINCHES. 


103 


colouring  of  its  eggs ;  it  docs,  inde<?d,  build  in  holes 
as  Spainnvs  oft<?n  do.  but  it  fomis  a  nest  like  that  i>f  a 
Giveiifinch,  though  with  more  lu'arly  the  materials  which 
a  Bunting  woulii  seltH.-t;  indi'^l,  from  its  colouring  an<i 
its  habit  of  walking,  in.ste:id  of  lioi»|>ing,  when  on  the 
earth,  this  sjK'icies  was  at  one  tinio  Ix^lieved  to  l>e 
related  to  EmU'i-iza.  Its  name  of  Brazilian  Canary, 
recognised  in  sieveral  Euro])ean  languages,  is  not 
inappropriate  appan-ntly,  sin<:e  the  genii:^  (S'l/ro^ix 
replaces  S''rinti.<  in  South  AnieritM.  It  has  several  close 
relatives,  with  similar  habits,  and  which  are  occasionally 
otfeied  for  Siile  under  the  same  name. 

»V.  Havola  pairs  fieely  with  S.  pphelnl  in  an  aviary, 
and  the  resultin;;  young  are  jjerfectly  fertile,  the  males 
being  usually  indistinguishable  from  the  sire  of  the 
Sivlfronfinch.  but  the  females  more  nearly  approaching 
their  mothor.  I  have  bred  many  of  thase  and  pure- 
bre<^l  Satfnjn-finches,  both  in  aviary  and  cage  ;  they  are 
extremely  quarrelsome,  resembling  the  Chaffinches  in 
disposition  an<l  in  their  savage  courtship. 

Formerly  it  used  to  be  tJiought  a  liopeless  impossibility 
to  obta-in  a  liybrid  between  the  Saffron-fincn  and  the 
dom,esticated  Canary,  it  being  assei-t-ed  that  the  former 
did  not  feed  it.-!  young  from  the  crop  ;  ihis,  however,  I 
soon  discovered  to  bo  a  falUic.v-  The  fact  is  that 
attempts  were  always  made  with  a  cock  Safifron-finch 
and  a  hen  Canary,  and  I  suspect  the  rough  courtship  of 
the  American  bird  was  too  much  for  the  more  timid 
Serin ;  but  in  1898  I  had  my  Canaries  and  Saffron- 
finches  in  an  aviary  together,  and  noticed  that  the 
cocks  of  the  former  pursued  ;uid  sang  to  the  hens  of  the 
hitter.  One  hen  went  to  nest  and,  after  the  removal 
of  the  Canaries,  reared  thre.'  young  unaided.  Two  of 
the  young  imfortunately  died  during  their  moult;  but 
the  third  (a  hen)  lived  for  many  years.  At  first  it 
sliowed  a  good  deal  of  Canary  colouring,  especially  in 
the  wing-feathers ;  but  with  advancing  years  it  became 
much  more  like  its  mother,  and  might  easily  have 
I)assed  for  a  small  bright -coloured  .S'.  Havi-ola;  never- 
theless it  is  significant  that  a  cook  Saffron-finch  sub- 
sequently associated  with  it  in  another  aviary  persistently, 
ignori'd  it.  Since  then  other  avicultiirists  have  had 
fertile  eggs  from  the  same  cross. 

Pelzeln's  Saffron-finch  (Sycalis  pehdni). 

Yellowish  olive-gi-een,  the  back  streaked  with 
blackish  :  lower  back  and  rump  vellow  with  an  ashy 
tinge;  wing  and  tail  feathers  black  with  yellow  edges; 
forehead  bright  orange,  sides  of  head  and  under  parts 
bright  yellow,  back  of  ear-coverts  rather  duller,  as  well 
as  the  sides  and  flanks,  the  latter  streaked  with 
blackish  :  beak  dark  horn-colour  ;  feet  yellowish-brown  ; 
irides  dark  brown.  Female  above  dull  brownish  gi-ey, 
mottled  with  blackish;  under  parts  a.^hy  whitish;  the 
breast  streaked  with  dusky  brown.  Habitat,  S.  Brazil, 
Paraguay,  and  Argentina." 

Hudson  says  of  this  species  ("Birds  of  Arg.  Rep.," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  66-68)  :— "  They  remain  with  us  all  the  year 
and  live  in  pairs,  the  sexes  of  this  species  being  faith- 
ful. Sometimes  tliey  are  seen  associating  in  small 
flocks,  but  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  only  the  young 
unmated  birds  are  gregarious. 

"  In  spring  and  summer  the  male  sings  frequently 
with  great  energy,  but  without  much  melody.  After  a 
Lurried  prelude  of  sharp  chirps  and  trills,  he  pours  out 
a  continuous  stream  of  sound,  comixised  of  innumerable 
brief  notes,  high  and  shrill  as  those  of  a  bat,  wounding 
the  ear  with  their  excessive  sharpness,  and  emitted  so 
rapidly  that  the  whole  song  is  more  like  that  of  a  cicada 
than  of  a  bird.  This  piercing  torrent  of  sound  is  broken 
at  intervals  by  a  low  grave  note,  or  half  a  dozen  sharp 


rapid  notes  in  a  lower  key,  which  come  as  an  agreeable 

I'elief." 

"  In  towns  they  build  in  walls,  like  the  English 
Sjxirrow ;  in  oountry  places  they  ijways  select  the 
domed  nest  of  some  Bendrocolaptine  sjiecies  to  breed 
in.  Possibly  in  some  districts  where  1  have  not  l>een, 
this  SparroW  selects  other  breeding-sites;  my  exi>e- 
rience  is  that  outside  of  a  town  it  never  lays  anywhere 
but  in  some  domed  nest,  and  at  home  I  freijuently  put 
up  boxes  for  them  in  the  trees,  but  they  would  not 
notice  them,  though  the  Wrens  and  Swallows  were  glad 
to  have  them.  Sometimes  they  make  choice  of  the  large 
fabric  of  the  Anumhiuis  acuticaudatus,  called  Leiiatero 
in  the  vernacular  ;  but  their  claim  to  this  nest  (even 
when  the  Lefiateros  are  out  of  it)  is  frequently  disputed 
by  other  si>e<;ies  which  possess  the  same  habit  as  this 
Sparrow,  but  are  more  powerful  than  he.  Their 
favourite  breeding-place  is,  however,  the  solid  earthen 
structure  of  the  Oven-bird  ;  and  it  is  wonderful  to  see 
how  persistently  and  systematically  they  labour  to  drive 
out  the  lawful  owners — birds  so  much  larger  and  more 
jxiwerful  than  themselves.  Early  in  spring,  and  before 
the  advent  of  the  Tree-Martins,  the  pair  of  Sparrows 
begin  haunting  the  neighbourhood  of  the  oven  they  have 
elected  to  take  possession  of,  usually  one  pretty  high 
up  in  a  tree.  As  the  season  advances,  their  desire 
towards  it  increases,  and  they  take  up  their  jxisition  on 
the  very  tree  it  is  in  ;  and  finally  a  particular  branch 
near  the  oven,  commanding  a  good  view  of  the  entrance, 
is  chosen  for  a  permanent  resting-place.  Here  they 
spend  a  great  ix>rtion  of  their  time  in  song,  twitterings, 
and  lo\-ing  dalliance,  and,  if  attentively  observed,  they 
are  seen  with  eyes  ever  fixed  on  the  coveted  abode.  As 
the  need  for  a  receptacle  for  the  eggs  becomes  more 
nrgent  they  grow  bolder,  and  in  the  absence  of  the 
owners  flit  about  the  oven,  alight  on  it,  and  even  enter 
it.  The  Oven-bird  appears  to  drive  them  off  with 
screams  of  indignation,  but  the  moment  he  retires  they 
are  about  it  again,  and,  even  when  it  contains  eggs  or 
young  birds,  begin  impudently  carrying  in  feathers, 
.straws,  and  other  materials  for  a  nest,  as  if  they  were 
already  in  undisputed  possession.  At  this  stage  the 
Tree-Martins  (Prognc  tapern)  perhaps  appear  to  com- 
plicate matters;  and  even  if  these  last  comers  do  not 
succeed  in  ousting  the  Oven-birds,  they  are  sure  to  seize 
the  oven  when  it  becomes  vacant,  and  the  Sparrows,  in 
spite  of  their  earlier  claim,  are  left  out  in  the  cold. 
But  they  do  not  take  their  defeat  quietly,  or,  rather, 
they  do  not  know  when  they  are  beaten,  but  still  remain 
to  harass  their  fellow-pirates,  just  as  they  did  the  Oven- 
birds  before,  bringing  .straws  and  feathers  in  their 
beaks,  and  when  forced  to  drop  these  materials  and 
chased  from  the  neighbourhood  with  great  noise 
and  fury  by  the  Tree-Martins,  it  is  only  to  return 
undaunted  in  a  few  minutes,  bringing  more  straws  and 
feathers. 

"  This  Sparrow  makes  a  rather  large  nest,  neatly  lined 
with  horsehair,  and  lays  five  eggs,  long,  pointed,  the 
entire  surface  thickly  marked  with  dull  chocolate 
brown." 

I  imfjorted  this  species  from  La  Plata  in  1895,  and 
turned  it  into  one  of  mv  birdroom  aviaries  with  the 
common  Saffron-finch.  "The  male  died  soon  after 
I  received  it,  but  the  female,  as  already  stated,  interbred 
with  the  better-known  species  and  produced  young, 
which  again  bred  until  eventually  no  characteristics  of 
S.  pehelni  remained. 

Dr.  Russ  seemed  to  be  unaware  of  this  species  as  a 
cage-bird  ;  but  coming  irom  the  Argentine  Republic, 
it  is  probable  that  it  is  not  infrequently  received  and 
sold  as  the  common  Saffron-finch. 


104 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Yeli/jwish  Finch   [Sycalis  arvensis). 

Above  pale  olive-green, mantle  and  upper  back  broadly 
streaked  with  bl;iekish-brown ;  wing,  excepting  the 
lesser  coverts,  which  are  greenish  jellow,  deep  brown, 
the  feathers  with  i«ilc  boi'ders  ;  tail  similar;  eyebrow- 
stripe  bright  vellow  ;  l>elow,  the  throat  and  breast  are 
dull  aishy  buffish,  the  lower  brea.st  and  abdomen  bright 
yellow  ;  "  beak  ami  feet  horn-colour ;  irides  brown. 
Female,  browner,  the  back  less  yellow,  as  also  the  lores 
and  eycbrowstriix" ;  yellow  of  under  parts  paler. 
Habitat,  South  Brazil,  Argentina,  Bolivia,  and  Chili 
to  South  Peru. 

Dr.  Sharpe  distinguishes  three  sub  sjiecies  of  this 
bird,  among  which  <V.  lull  iventris  (which  has  white  on 
the  outer  tail-feather)  may  )X)ssibly  be  fairly  distinct  ; 
but  when  one  has  bred  dozens  of  S.  Aareola  and  seen 
bow  many  plumages  it  assumes  before  attaining  its  final 
colouring",  and  how  it  also  varies  in  size,  it  makes  one 
very  sceptical  about  the  validity  of  sub-species  based 
upon  slight  colour-differences.  I  am  not  even  sure  that 
the  characters  by  which  the  sexes  of  S.  arvaisis  are 
usually  distinguished  are  constant,  inasmuch  as  the  last 
specimen  of  mine  which  died  (always  supposed  to  be  a 
male  on  account  of  its  brilliant  colouring)  proved  after 
death  to  be  an  undoubted  female  with  fully  developed 
ovary,  was  larger  and  brighter  than  a  male  which  died 
six  years  previously,  and  almost  as  bright  as  a  con- 
siderably larger  male  which  died  two  years  previously. 
Now,  supposing  this  largest  bird  to  be  tyjncal 
.9.  arreiixix,  w  hat  are  we  to  do  with  the  smaller  and  less 
bright  form  (the  female  of  which  is  brighter  than  its 
male)?  It  will  not  lit  the  description  of  any  one  of  the 
sub-species. 

Messrs.  Sclater  and  Hudson  (''  Arg.  Rep.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp. 
69-71)  call  this  Si/calis  luleohi,  and  describe  its  habits  as 
follows : — "  This  is  a  slender,  graceful  bird,  less  than 
the  Canary  in  size. 

"This  species  is  resident  and  gregarious  in  the 
Argentine  Republic,  and  in  autumn  frequently  congre- 
gates in  flocks  of  several  thousamls.  They  are  not  so 
universally  difitributed  as  the  Chingolo,  and  are  not 
wood-birds,  but  frequent  open  plairLs  abounding  in 
thistles  and  other  coarse  herbage,  which  affords  them 
shelter.  In  cnltivatcd  districts,  where  their  food  is 
most  abundant,  they  are  excesisively  numerous,  and, 
after  the  harvest  has  been  gathered,  frequent  the  fields 
in  immense  flocks.  While  feeding,  the  flocks  scatter 
over  a  large  area  of  ground,  being  broken  up  into  small 
companitv  of  a  dozen  or  more  bird.s.  and  at  such  times 
are  so  intent  on  their  fond  that  a  person  can  walk 
about  amongst  them  without  disturbing  them.  They 
take  flight  very  suddenly,  Inir.sting  into  a  thousand 
chirping,  .'■(olding  notes,  pur.sue  each  other  through  the 
air,  and,  after  wheeling  about  the  field  for  a  minute  or 
two,  suddenly  drop  into  the  grass  again  and  are  silent 
as  before. 

"  In  August  they  begin  to  sing,  here  and  there  an 
individual  being  heard  in  the  fields,  but  when  the 
weather  grows  warmer  they  repair  to  the  plantations  in 
vast  numbens,  and.  sitting  on  the  brauche.'-,  .Mug  in  a 
concert  of  innumerable  voices,  which  produces  a  great 
volume  of  confiified  Round,  ami  which  often  continues  for 
hours  at  a  time  without  int<'rmist,ion. 

"By-andby  these  pleasunt  choir.'^  break  up,  the 
birds  all  scattering  over  the  plains  and  fie^lds  to  woo 
and  build,  and  it  is  then  first  discovered  that  the  male 
has  a  peculiar  and  very  sweet  soni;.  Apart  from  his 
fellows^  he  acquires  a  different  manner  of  singing, 
soaring  up  from  his  stand  on  the  Minimit  of  a  bush  or 
stalk,  and  beginning  his  song  the  moment  he  quits  his 
perch.     Ascending,  he  utters  a  .<series  of  long,  melodious 


notes,  not  loud,  but  very  distinctly  enunciated  and  in- 
creasing in  volume  ;  at  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  yards 
he  pauses,  the  notes  becoming  slower ;  then,  as  he 
descends  with  a  graceful  spiral  flight,  the  wings  out- 
stretched and  motionle.>is,  the  notes  al.'O  fall,  becoming 
lower,  sweeter,  and  more  impressive  till  he  reaches  tlie 
earth.  After  alighting  the  .-ong  continues,  the  notes 
growing  longer,  thinner,  and  clearer,  until  they  dwindle 
to  the  merest  threads  of  sound,  and  cease  to  be 
audible  except  to  a  person  standing  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  songster.  The  song  is  quite  unique  in  character, 
and  its  great  charm  is  in  its  gradual  progress  from  the 
somewhat  thick  ncAes  at  the  commencement  to  the 
thin,  tremulous  tones  with  which  the  bird  returns  to 
earth,  and  which  change  again  to  the  excessively 
attenuated  sounds  at  the  end. 

"The  nest  is  deep,  well-built,  and  well-concealed, 
sometimes  resting  on  the  ground,  but  frequently  raised 
above  it.  It  contains  live  long,  pointed  eggs,  with  a 
white  or  bluish-white  ground-colour,  and  thickly  spotte-J 
with  brown." 

I  have  quoted  the  full  account  of  the  song  of  this 
bird,  because  it  shows  how  exhilarating  the  climate  of 
Argentina  must  be  when  a  very  third-rate  performance 
can  arou.se  such  enthusiasm  in  the  mind  of  the  listener. 
Hea.rd  in  an  English  aviary  the  song  ij  a  trifle  more 
musical  than  that  of  the  Common  Saffron-finch  ;  but, 
like  many  of  the  songs  of  Argentine  birds  it  is  ju>t 
that  sort  of  thing  which  can  be  produced  ity  .screwing 
round  the  lid  of  a  circular  wooden  box.*  The  flight 
is  graceful  and  pleasing,  resenibling  that  of  the  Grey 
Singing-finch  in  its  fluttering  butterfly-like  character. 

My  birds  built  in  1907  in  a  (igar  ne.'-tbox  hung  high 
up  in  the  small  aviary  where  I  kept  them,  but  the  hen 
never  settled  down  to  lay  and  eventually  died,  leaving 
the  cock  bird  solitary. 

Millet,  canary,  and  green  food,  with  a  little  soft  food 
suit  all  the  Saffron-finches  well. 

We  now  come  to  the  SERINS  or  CANARIES,  which 
do  well  upon  the  same  food  as  Saffron-finches. 

Cape  C'.vn.\ry  {.Serinu.i  canicollif). 

This  species  is  yellow,  greenish  above,  excepting  on 
the  crown,  nape,  and  lower  back ;  the  nape  is  grey ; 
the  scapularies  and  mantle  with  dark  shaft-streaks; 
flights  and  tail-feathers  blackish,  with  yellow  outer 
margins;  beak  pale  horn  colour;  feet  greyish-brown; 
iris  dark  brown.  Female  browner  on  mantle  and  liack  ; 
Sitreaked  with  dusky  brown;  crown  pale  y.ollow  with 
dusky  streaks ;  below  paler  yellow.  Habitat,  Cape  Colony, 
where  it  is  resident.  Natal,  the  Orange  Free, State  and 
Transvaal :   introduced  into  Reunion. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  ("  Birds  of  South 
Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  168.  169)  say  :— This 
well-known  and  favourite  cage-bird  is,  in  its  wild 
state,  a  common  re-^ident  in  nearly  all  districts  that 
are  overgrown  with  bushes  or  low  trees  varied  with 
open  glades  and  clearings.  It  is  perhaps  more 
abundant  on  the  lnishcla<l  slopes  of  hills  and  mountains 
as  well  a.s  in  gardens  and  shrubberies,  and  I  have  met 
with  it  in  .some  numbers  anumg  the  low  scrub  on  the 
sandy  coast  of  Little  Naniaqiia.  Land,  In  autumn  .and 
winter  small  flocks  frequent  the  more  open  pasture  .and 
ploughe<l  land,  to  feed,  with  other  Finches  and  Weaver 
birds,  on  small  seeds  and  insects  that  they  find  on  the 
ground.  The  justly  admired  song  of  the  Cape  Canary 
is  prolonged  and   very  sweet,  and  is  compared   by   Dr. 

••  My  little  Kraiidson,  uhu  is  a  very  musical  diilii.  remaiked  that 
it  Bouii'led  "  like  twiBting  round  a  cork  in  a  bottle,"  when  I  asVed 
bim  if  he  thought  it  WAB  a  pretty  Bong.  The  eODg  often  reienitles 
the  running  down  of  albroken  watch-spring. 


SEED-EATERS. 


103 


Russ  to  that  of  a  Lark.  Individual  birds,  however, 
even  in  a  wild  state,  differ  remarkably  in  the  singing 
powers,  some  beiiij;  far  superior  to  others  in  the  rich- 
ness and  fuhiess  of  their  notes.  The  cock  of  thia 
species  has,  in  confinement,  been  known  to  pair  with 
the  hen  of  both  the  Common  Cage  Canary  and  the 
Yellow-bellied  Seed-eater. 

"  In  Capo  Colony  the  Cape  Canary  usually  breeds  in 
September  and  Octolver,  in  Cpper  NaUl  in  October  and 
November.  The  n«>t,  neiitly  construcled  and  cup- 
fhaped,  is  built  in  a  thick  low  bush,  of  dry  grass  and 
bents,  with  sometimes  a  little  moss,  lined  with  hair, 
ieathers,  and  downy  seeds.  The  eggs,  three  or  four  in 
number,  are  white,  faintly  tinged  with  blue,  and 
streaked  and  spotted  at  the  obtu.^e  end  with  purplieh- 
brown  and   reddish-brown.     They  measure  0.75  x  0.55. 

This  species  is  also  called  the  Grey-necked  Serin, 
■which,  perhaps,  is  a  better  name  for  it,  when  one  am- 
siders  that  .several  other  si^ecies  liave  borne  the  name 
of  Cape  CVmary  incorrectly. 

Some  years  ago  Mr.  Abrahams  kindly  sent  me  an  old 
male  bird  of  this  -species  in  order  that  I  might  become 
acquainted  with  its  .song,  which  has  been  greatly 
praised.  It  did  imf  live  for  muiiy  months  after  I  re- 
ceived it,  but  iti3  song  was  decidedly  pleasing — a  clear. 
Tinging  trill,  with  little  variation,  but  no  shrill  notes. 
7>ike  moit  of  the  African  Serins,  it  was  fed  chiefly  upon 
oanarv  and  millet,  certainly  tlie  most  wholesome  food 
for  Canaries,  excepting  when  breeding  or  moulting, 
■when  all  Serins  are  the  better  for  more  variety. 

Sru'Hi'R  SKKnK,\TKR  ISrri II ii"  ■^ulphiiialux). 

Above  greeniiih-yellow,  Avith  blackish  streaks,  e.xcept- 
ing  on  rump  and  upjjer  tail-coverts  and  leseer  wing- 
coverts;  remaining  wing-'eathers  blackish,  with  yellow 
borders;  a  bro;id  golden-yellow  eyebrow  streak;  lores 
dusky;  feathers  encircling  eye,  ear-coverts,  and  cheeks, 
dull  greenish  ;  a  sjwt  at  base  of  lower  mandible,  a  broaii 
stripe  under  the  ear-coverts,  and  the  throat  golden- 
yellow  ;  .sides  of  neck,  breiist,  and  sides  of  body  pale 
greenish-yellow ;  remainder  of  under  surface  yellow ; 
flights  below  dusky,  with  the  inner  margins  grey; 
upper  mandible  dull  yellowish,  lower  mandible  pale 
yellow;  feet  dull  brown;  irides  haze!.  Female  smaller 
and  duller,  the  yellow  stripe  on  the  face  smaller  and 
duller.  Habitat,  Cape  Colony,  the  Orange  Free  State, 
Natal,  the  Trausv.nal,  and  northward  on  the  east  side 
of  Africa  to  Masai  Land. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  say  ("  Birds  of  South 
Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  170) :  "This  large  and  conspicuously- 
coloured  Seed-eater  is  rather  common  in  many  parts  of 
Cape  Colonv,  bolh  on  ojien  pasture  hnd  and  in  bushy 
localities.  In  winter  these  birds  form  considerable 
flocks,  often  joining  with  other  Finches  to  search  for 
seeds  on  the  irround.  The  principal  part  of  their  food, 
however,  consists  of  small  berries  and  their  seeds  ;  tlie 
latter  they  crack  with  their  powerful  bills  for  the  sake 
of  the  kernels.  In  spring  the  males  sine  delightfully, 
their  notes  beint?  both  nowerful  and  mellow  ;  for  this 
reason  they  are  frequently  kept  as  cage-birds,  and  even 
exported  to  F.urope.  Tlie  nest,  ii.sually  built  in  Seotem- 
Iver  in  Cape  Colonv.  is  a  small  nnd  neat  cup-shaped 
.structure,  and  is  nearly  always  placed  in  a  low  bnsh, 
rarelv  more  than  4ft.  above  the  ground.  It  h  con- 
structed outwardly  of  drv  grass-stems  and  the  smaller 
staaks  of  plants,  and  is  lined  with  finer  grass  and  cot- 
tony down.  The  ecss.  generally  four  in  number,  are 
either  white  or  white  faintiv  tinged  with  blue;  about 
one-half  of  them  are  unsputted  ;  the  remaining  h>lf 
Tiave  a  few  deep  black  .spots,  or  one  or  two  zig-zag  mark- 


ings towards  the  larger  end.  They  are  usually  some- 
what elongated,  and  tapering  towards  the  smaller  ex- 
tremity.    They  average  0.85  by  0.60. 

"  Incubation  lasts  lor  tourteen  days,  and  the  young 
remain  in  the  nest  for  from  three  to  four  weeks.  During 
this  periiMl  they  ar<'  fed  en  insectii  and  on  the  contents 
of  the  crofxs  of  the  parent  birds." 

Thougli  common  in  some  parts  of  South  Africa,  this 
bird  is  rare  in  the  bird-market,  and  not  cheap.  Mr. 
Abrahams  sent  me  a  male  in  November,  1899*,  and  I 
turned  it  into  a  tlight-cage  with  a  hen  Canary ;  it 
seemed  pleased  to  have  even  so  much  liberty  after  being 
confined  in  a  small  cage,  and  whistle<l  a  tew  note', 
hardly  worthy  of  the  name  of  a  song,  but  afterwards 
became  quite  mute.  A.s  it  never  showed  any  inclination 
to  breed,  I  subsequently  turned  it  out  into  a  moderate- 
sized  aviary  with  the  other  birds.  It  struck  m?  as  being 
a  particularly  stupid,  silent,  but  quite  inoffensive  bird. 
It -died  early  in  1901. 

In  November,  1906  Lieut.  Horobrugh  sent  me  two 
Serin-tinches,  one  of  which  sang  verv  prettily  ;  both  were 
probably  aberrant  forms  of  the  following :  — 

St.   Helena  Sked-k.vter  {Seriiius  Aarii^cnlris). 

Alxjve  the  crown  is  greenish-yellow,  with  dusky  spot?, 
the  mantle  and  back  yellowish-green  streaked  with 
black  ;  the  rump  yellow  ;  lesser  wing-coverts  greenish- 
yellow,  the  remaining  wing-featliers  blackish-brown, 
with  yellow  borders;  tail-feathers  similar;  forehead 
and  a"  broad  eyebrow-stripe,  as  well  as  feathers  en- 
circling eve  golden  yellow ;  lores  dusky ;  ear-coverts 
greenish-vellow  ;  cheeks  and  entire  under  surface  golden 
yellow ;  "  beak  horn-coloured,  the  upper  mandible 
dusky ;  feet  dusky  brownish ;  irides  hazel.  Female 
much  duller  and  browner  ;  the  back  much  more  heavily 
streaked;  all  the  yellow  either  replaced  by  green  as  on 
the  rump,  paler  yellow,  as  on  the  borders  of  the  wing 
and  tail  feathers,"  or  greyish-white,  as  on  the  abdomen 
and  under  surface  of  the  flights;  breast  and  flanks 
streaked  witii  smokv  brown.  Habitat,  Cape  Colony  to 
the  Orange  Free  State  and  the  Southern  Transvaal ; 
common  at  Potchefstroom  ;  introduced  into  St.  Helena. t 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  say  ("Birds  of  South 
Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  171,  172) :—"  Although  not  such 
a  favourite  cage-bird  as  the  'Cape  Can-^ne.'  the 
'  Kleine  Seisje '  is  by  no  means  a  despicable  songster, 
many  of  its  notes  being  exceedingly  true  and  sweet. 
In  the  neighbourhoxl  of  Saldanha  Bay.  where  it-^  is, 
together  with  the  larger  Serinu."  aniijiilari^^.  abundant 
among  the  bushes  that  overgrow  the  sandhills  at  the 
back  of  the  beach,  it  breeds  in  September.  A  nest  found 
on  the  28th  of  this  month,  with  five  fresh  eggs,  was 
placed  in  the  top  of  a  low  bush  about  15in.  off  the 
grourid.  It  was  slightly  but  neatly  constructed  of  small 
twigs  and  dry  grass-bents,  and  was  thickly  lined  -with 
the  cottony  seeds  of  a  bush  that  grew  not  far  off.  Tlie  eggs 
are  of  a  faint  blue-green  ground-*  olour.  sparsely  zoned 
and  marked  at  the  large  end  with  small  spots  of  dark 
and  liuht  reddish-brown.      Thev  measure  0.70  by  0.52." 

I  pui-chased  a  pair  of  this  species  about  1889  or  1890. 
and  lost  the  hen  in  1891,  whereas  the  male  was  still 
singling  vigorously  in  1898.  The  cock  is  a  most  melo- 
dious singer,  and  does  not  produce  the  ear-piercing  notes 
of  the  Norwich  Canary.  In  an  aviary  with  Weavers  of 
its  own  size  it  is  qirite  capable  of  holding  its  own,  and 
when  groundsel  or  other  green  food  is  supplied  it  will 

•  He  probably  saw  my  statement,  published  that  year  in 
"  Foreijrn  Binl-keepin?."  that  I  had  ncTpr  possessed  the  species. 

t  Capt.tin  .Shelley  has  distinirnishefi  tbis  Viird  by  a  eeparate 
ii«me,  rallmff  it  ..S.  mnrehalli.  but  he  himself  thinks  it  may  be 
a  descendant  of  the  sliE-htly  different  typical  form  from  the  Cape. 


116 


FOEEIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


drive  away  Saffron  or  Nonpareil  Finches  until  dts  own 
appetite  has  been  appeased.  It  is  said  to  have  crossed 
with  the  domesticated  Canary,  but  I  find  it  very  spiteful 
wlieii  paired  up  wiith  unjnarkf<d  liens.  With  a  rather 
heavily  .splasher!  bird  it  was  friendly,  but  without  result, 
owinc;  to  the  incpportime  illness  of  the  latter. 

In  .s-pite  of  what  was  stated  by  Staik  respecting  the 
song  of  this  biixl,  there  is  not  the  slightest  question  that 
it  is  a  far  more  meritorious  performance  than  that  of  the 
Cape  Canary,  the  latter  being  akin  to  the  pea-whistle 
repetitions  of  the  trained  Hartz  bird,  whereas  the  song 
of  the  St.  Helena  Secdeater  lis  a  loud  replica  of  the  Lark- 
like song  of  the  Grey  Sin 'ing  Finch. 

Green  Singing  Finch  {Serinus  icterux).* 

This  species  nearly  resembles  the  St.  Helena  Seed- 
eater,  but  is  smaller  ;  its  beak  is  not  quite  so  pow£-rful ; 


The  Green  Singing-Finch. 

the  green  colouring  on  its  back  is  usually  less  pro- 
nounced, and  the  yellow  of  the  under  parts  clearer  and 
less  clouded  with  greenish.  The  female  is  less  bril- 
liantly coloured,  somewhat  browner  above,  with  the 
yellow  margins  to  the  wing-coverts  less  distinct;  a  white 
.'pot  on  the  chin.  Habitat,  Western  Africa  from  Sene- 
gambia  to  Angola,  and  the  whole  of  Eastern  Africa  to 
Xatal  and  the  eastern  side  of  Cape  Colony;  it  has  been 
introduced  into  several  of  the  Ma.scarene  Islands. 

Respecting  its  wild  habits,  Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater 
say  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  d.  174)  :— "  In  its 
habits  it  is  lively  .and  excitable,  but  at  the  same  time 
tame  and  confidiing.  In  the  spring  of  the  year  the  cock 
is  much  ^iven  to  chas-ing  the  hens,  as  well  as  intruding 
males  of  his  own  species,  when  not  uttering  his  melo- 
iious  song  of  seven  flute-like  notes  from  the  top  of  a 

•  Capt.  Shelley  restores  the  name  butyraceue,  and  I  believe  he 
is  eorre«t  in  doing  so,  but  it  in  convenient  to  follow  the 
"Oatalogme  of  Birds,"  as  has  been  done  by  Messrs.  Stark  and 
Solater. 


bush.  During  the  winter  months  these  seed-eaters 
collect  in  small  flocks  and  frequent  open  ground  and 
stubble  fields  in  search  of  the  small  seeds  which  they 
habitually  eat.  They  frequently  feed  along  with  other 
Finches  and  Waxbills.  In  summer  they  vary  their  diet- 
with  small  beetles,  caterpillars,  and  other  insects,  and 
I  have  even  seen  individual  bii-ds  ta.king  flies  on  the 
wing.  They  are  fond  also  of  sipping  the  nectar  from 
the  blossoms  of  certain  creepers  that  are  much  fre- 
quented by  Sunbiirds.  Owing  to  its  pretty  plumage,  its 
gay  and  lively  disposition,  and  its  charming  song,  this 
species  is  frequently  caught  and  caged,  and  is  even 
exported  to  Europe  as  .a  cage-bird. 

"  Tlie  nest,  a  neat  and  pretty  cup-shaped  structure,, 
is  built  in  a  low  bush,  in  September  or  October,  of  dry 
stalks  of  grass  and  flowers,  lined  with  finer  grass  and 
cottony  down.  From  three  to  five  eggs  are  laid  of  a  pale- 
bluii&h  ground-colour,  sparingly  spotted  towards  the 
larger  end  with  pale  reddish-brown.  They  measure 
0.68  by  0.2. 

"  The  female  sits  for  twelve  or  thirteen  days,  and  the- 
young  remain  in  the  nest  for  about  twenty-four  days. 
They  are  fed  on  dnsects,  and  are  at  first  covered  with 
yellowish-white  down." 

If  the  above  account  of  the  nidification  of  the  Green 
Singing  Finch  is  correct,  it  is  very  strange,  because  the- 
colouring  of  the  eggs  ds  quite  unlike  that  recorded  by  all 
those  who  have  observed  its  nesting  habits  in  captivity. 
This  bird  has  nested  several  times  in  my  aviaries,  as 
recorded  in  The  Feathered  World  for  March  19th,  1897, 
and  elsewhere  ;  but,  strangely  enough,  in  each  case  the 
eggs  mysteriously  disappeared  soon  after  th»  hens  began 
to  sit.  They  are  creamy  white,  and  frequently  abso- 
lutely without  markiings,  but  sometimes  with  a  few- 
largish  pale  buff  snots  on  the  obtu.?e  end.  In  the  breed- 
ing season  the  male  bird  becomes  spiteful  towards  other 
Serins,  including  the  common  Canary,  one  of  which  was 
so  much  injured  by  a  ma'e  Green  Singing  Fdnch  that  I 
had  to  remove  it  from  the  aviary. 

It  is  generally  believed,  and  I  think  rightly,  that  the- 
oock  bird  often  devours  the  eggs  laid  in  captdvity. 
Though  much  like  a  small  St.  Helena  Seed-eater,  this 
bird  is  less  pleasing.  Its  song  is  inferior,  being  more 
shrill  and  less  continuous  ;  the  sexes  are  more  sociable, 
invariably  roosting  close  together  at  night,  and  even  by 
day  they  are  rarely  far  apart.  The  Green  Singing  Finch 
will  breed  freely  in  an  indoor  aviary,  builddng  a,  nest 
not  unlike  that  "of  a  Redpoll.  Scalded  or  -soaked  millet 
seed  has  been  recommended  as  food  for  the  young  of  this 
and  many  other  species,  but  it  seems  unreasonable  that 
nestling  Finches,  whdch  are  fed  from  the  crop  upon 
partly  digested  food,  should  need  this  preparation  of 
their". seed.  Some  fonn  of  egg-food  ia  beneficial,  and  a 
niece  of  fresh  turf  might  be  kept  in  the  aviary  for  the 
pleasure  of  this  or  other  species. 

AccowUng  to  the  late  Mr.  Abrahams,  two  species  (not 
admitted  as  distinct  by  scientific  workers)  are  con- 
founded under  this  type  of  Serin.  He  tells  me  that  the 
species  which  I  have  figured  and  described  dn  "  Foreign 
Finches  in  Captivity  "  is  the  Bearded  Seed-eater,  and 
differs  from  the  trueGreen  Singing  Finch  dn  its  brighter 
colouring,  blacker  moustachal  streak,  and  pale  tips  to 
the  tail  feathers.  Von  Heuglin,  who  described  the 
Bearded  Seed-eater  under  the  name  of  OritKagra 
harhala.  says  of  the  female  that  it  is  paler,  with 
narrower  frontal  band,  the  moustachdal  streak  blackish 
olive  colour,  every  feather  edged  with  olive-greenish, 
the  tips  of  the  outer  tail  feathers  very  indistinctly  and 
duskilv  margined  with  yellow  whitish.  .-1  prnpns  of 
this  it" is  a  singular  fact  that  of  the  four  or  five  padrs  of 
this  species  which  I  have  had,  all  the  males  have  been 
Bearded  Seed-eaters  and  all  the  females  Green  Singing 


SEED-EATERS. 


107 


Finches.  Therefore,  whilst  I  will  not  be  so  bold  as  to 
say  that  males  of  the  T)ak'  type  may  not  occur,  I  should 
bednclined  to  regard  them  as  probaljly  the  early  plumaf;e 
of  the  species ;  and  dark  hens,  if  they  e.xist,  might 
represent  the  senile  plumage.  I  c;in  hardly  think  it 
po.ssible  that  two  species  so  closely  i-elate<l  could  co-c.xist 
in  the  same  regions,  for  they  would  infallibly  interbreed, 
as  the}'  certainly  do  in  captivity,  and  probably  produce 
fertile  offspring. 
White-throated  Sekd-EjVter  {Serinus  albigularis). 

Greyish  wood-brown,  with  slightly  darker  centres  to 
the  feathers;  rump  ami  uT)i«>r  tail-coverts  olivaceous 
yel'ow;  wing  and  tail  feathers  dark  brown  with  pale 
margins  ;  eyebrow-stripe  and  cheeks  white  ;  below  mou.se- 
brown  ;  throat,  centre  of  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverls 
white;  under  wing-coverts  partly  tipped  with  white; 
beak  horn-brown,  paler  at  base  of  lower  mandible;  feet 
flesh-brownish  ;  irides  brown.  Ftmale  rather  smaller 
and  duller.     Habitat,  Cape  Colony. 

In  Stark  and  Sclater's  "Birds  of  South  Aft-ica,"  Vol.  I., 
pp.  175,  176,  are  the  folio iving  note.s  on  the  habits  of 
the  species: — "  Tiiis  large  and  soberly  coloured  Seed- 
eater  is  very  common  to  the  north  of  Cape  To^vn, 
especially  towards  Saldanha  Bay,  a  locality  in  which 
Layard  noticed  its  abundance  in  his  time.  Here  it 
inhabit*  the  bneh-overgrown  sand-dunes  close  to  the 
lieach,  and  foed.s  on  the  seeds  of  several  of  the  more 
common  wee<ls.  In  spring  tlie  cocks  sing  loudly  and 
melodiously  from  the  tops  of  the  bufhes,  their  song 
being,  to  my  eai'.  superior  to  that  of  the  Cap;  Canary. 
Alx>ut  the  beginning  of  September  they  proceed  to  build 
their  nests,  open  cupsliaped  structures,  in  the  bushes, 
freiiuently  in  a  "  milk-bu.<;h  "  about  four  feet  above  the 
ground.  These  are  rather  loosely  constructed  of  thin, 
pliable  twigs  and  diy  gi:ass-stems,  and  are  invariably 
lined  with  the  white  downy  blossf>ms  of  a  common  weed. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  month  the  females  lay  three 
or  four-  eggs  of  a  very  faint  bluish  white,  sometimes 
plain,  more  often  spa.ringly  marked  at  the  large  end  with 
one  or  two  spots  or  haJT-like  streaks  of  deep  purplish- 
black.     They  average  0.80  by  0.60. 

"Both  the  male  and  female  sit  very  closely  on  their 
eggs,  and  defend  their  nest  valiantly  against  aggressors. 
On  almcst  every  occasion  on  which  I  have  inspected  a 
nest  of  this  bird  I  have  liad  my  fingers  pecked  for  my 
pains,  and  with  their  powerful"  bills  they  can  inflict  a 
severe  bite.  On  one  occasion  I  saw  a"  pair  of  these 
Finches  attack  a  large  snake  with  great  coura?e  and 
success. 

"The  young  are  fed  on  insects  and  macerated  seeds 
from  the  crops  of  the  old  birds.  They  remain  in  the 
nest  for  a  little  more  than  a  month." 

About  1895  my  old  colleague  Dr.  Sharpe  gave  me  an 
ex;miple  of  this  species  which  he  ha.d  owned  for  some 
little  time,  but  which  I  believe  on  one  occasion  had 
escaped  from  its  cage  and  injured  its  skull  by  flying 
against  the  ivindow;  it  never  sang  a  note  and  I  mar"- 
velled  that  Dr.  Rnss  should  sjjeak  of  it  as  a  lovely 
singer,  but  after  its  death  on  April  24th,  1896.  I  dis- 
covered that  it  was  a  han.  I  think  it  probable  tliat  it  is, 
as  Stark  says,  a  very  melodious  song.ster,  but  it  is 
certainly  no  beauty ;  it  has  the  beak  and  general  colour- 
ing of  a  I>ondon  hen  .Sparrow  with  just  a  touch  of  the 
Greenfinch  on  its  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts. 

Grky   Singing-fi.vch   (Serlnux   leucopi/ifius). 

Above  ashy-broATO  -.vith  darker  brown  centres  to  the 
feathers,  the  head  greyer  than  the  back;  feathers  of 
lower  back  blackish-brown  with  greyish  tip^ :  rump 
white;  lesser  wmg-eoverts  pale  hrownish-ash;  remainder 
of  wing  and  tail-feathers  dark  brnuTi  with  pale  margins  ; 


throat  a.shy  whitish  ;  breast  pale  brownish-ash  slightly 
mottled  with  dusky  ;  bre;i6t  and  abdomen  white  slightly 
stained  with  bulKsh,  washed  at  the  sides  with  ashy  and 
streaked  with  dusky;  beak  pale  fleshy  horn-colour;  feet 
flesh-coloured  ;  irides  brown.  Habitat,  Noi-th-lvastem 
an<i  ^^(luatorial  Africa. 

The  female  of  this  siJecies  has  not  lieen  diiferentiated 
in  scientific  works;  it  is  a  trifle  smaller  tlmn  the  male, 
and  generally  (if  not  always)  rather  more  distinctly 
streakcNl  with  dusky  on  the  sides  and  flanks. 

In  Capt.  Shelley's  "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  III.,  pp. 
216,  217,  we  re.;ixi: — "  Heuglin  met  with  the  species  in 
the  Bongo  couutrj-,  which  is  watered  by  the  Gazelle 
river.  At  the  Blue  Nile  he  found  a  nest  wliich  was 
cup-sliaijed  and  deep  inside,  it  was  conslrucU'd  of  a 
kind  of  hemp  mixed  with  hairs  and  see<l-down  and 
lined  with  feiither^,  hair  and  down.  It  was  placed 
about  Ave  feet  from  the  ground,  and  conUiined  three 
eggs,  wliich  were  pale  greenish  grey  spotte'*  at  the 
thick  end  w  ith  brownish  red  and  dusky  brown  ;  they 
measured  0.6  by  0.46.  In  this  district,  near  Senaar,  it 
frequents  the  native  villages  and  the  surrounding 
pasture-land,  and  may  be  seen  in  flocks  feeding  on  the 
ground,  or  perched  on  blushes  or  rocks  near  water." 

I  am  afraid  Von  Heuglin  was  a  bit  careless  in  ascer- 
taining the  ownership  of  the  nests  which  he  discovered. 
The  eggs  of  the  Grey  Singing-finch  are  familiar  to  many 
aviculturists,  to  me  among  others ;  for,  although  I  have 
never  succeeded  in  breeding  the  species,  I  have  on  several 
occasions  got  as  far  as  nests  and  eggs  ;  the  latter  are 
creamy  or  j>early  white,  sometimes  with  a  few  small 
black  spots  at  the  larger  end. 

The  .strength  of  voice  in  this  sweet  singer  and  its 
energj-  have  often  astonished  me;  though  no  larger  than 
a  Zebra  Finch  it  will  sit  upon  a  branch  and  sing  away 
almost  iricessintly  hour  after  hour,  pouring  forth  a 
melody  not  unlike  that  of  the  St.  Helena  Seed-eater, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  more  varied  and  better  sustained. 
It  is  a  gentle,  nen'ous  little  bird,  and,  though  it  looks 
delicate,  is  tolerably  hanly  ;  it  will  readily  build  a  neat 
and  compact  little  open  nest  on  the  floor  of  a  German 
C.anai-y  cage  in  an  indoor  aviaiy,  and  lay  four  or  five 
little  pure  wliite  eggs;  provided  that  the  hen  does  not 
succumb  to  egg-binding,  to  which  I  have  found  it  liable, 
the  Grey  Singing-finch  will  rear  its  young  on  the  same 
diet  as  a  Canarj-. 

The  flight  is  extremely  graceful  and  pretty,  remind- 
ing one  somewhat  of  that  of  a  white  butterfly.  To  see 
it  to  perfection  two  or  three  cock  birds  should  be  kept 
tugether  In  a  large  aviary,  for,  although  they  will 
figlit  and  sing  alternately  from  morning  to  night,  all 
the  fighting  takes  place  on  the  wing,  and,  beyond  the 
loss  of  a  few  small  feathers,  very  little  liarm  is  done. 
There  is  no  malice  in  it,  for  directly  after  a  (»mbat  the 
biixls  may  be  seen  feeding  side  by  side  at  the  same 
hopper.  Before  and  after  a  fight  the  birds  will  often 
sit  on  different  branches  singing  against  one  another. 
The  music  is  exceedingly  rapid  and  melodious,  without 
one  unplea.«ant  note  ;  indeed  there  is  no  other  Finch, 
whether  British  or  foreign,  which  I  have  heaixi,  that 
can  compete  with  this  tiny  songster ;  Mr.  Teschemaker 
however  says  that  the  allied  Yellow-rumped  Serin  sur- 
passes it. 

YELLOW-RUjrPED  OR  AnGOL.\  SeRIN" 
(Serinus  an/jolensis). 
Closely  resembles  the  preceding  species  excepting  that 
it  has  the  rump  yellow  inetead  of  white,  the  forehead 
brownish  white,  a  slightly  bromier  tint  above  and  faint 
washes  of  yellow  on  the  primaries  and  axillaries.  The 
female  has"  not  been   differentiated   in  scientific  works. 


108 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Habitat,  Orange  Uiver  to  the  Zambesi  aaid  Congo  dis- 
tricts and  Uganda. 

Major  .S.  K.  Clarke  (The  Ihix,  1904,  p.  525)  s(ab«« 
that  the  h;i.bits  (rf  tiiis  S|>ecies  art*  similar  to  those  of 
S.  marshalli  (the  St.  Helena  Seed  eater  in  it.s  slightly 
modified  form)  ;  he  describes  the  iris  ats  "  dark  brown  ; 
the  beak  and  legs  horn-coloTired,"  but  in  Layard's  "  Birds 
of  S.  Africa  "  the  feel  are  described  as  "  flesh-coloured  "  ; 
they  probably  resemble  those  of  the  Grey  Singing  finch 
and  are  fleshy-horn  in  tint,  or  pure  flesh-coloured  in 
fully  aduilt  birds. 

In  Tlie  Ibis  for  1906,  p.  353, .  Mr.  A.  H.  Evans 
mentions  ,S.  (iiujuhiuiis  among  the  birds  observed  by 
him  on  the  Mag-aliesberg  Range,  ;uid  he  says: — "We 
liiid  admirable  opportunities  of  studying  the  habits  and 
listening  to  the  not^^  of  the  species  observed,  and  only 
regretted  that  our  time  wa.-i  so  limited."  Unfortunately 
he  has  not,  apparently,  published  the  result  of  his  study 
fond  atti?ntion  to  bird-notes,  >o  we  must  fain  fall  back 
upon  the  experiences  of  aviculturists. 

In  1907  Mr.  W.  E.  Te.ucheniaker  bred  the  Yellow- 
rumped  Serin  from  birds  imported  from  the  Transvaal 
the  previous  year.  He  has  published  an  account  of  his 
experiences  in  The  Avicultural  Magazine,  N.s.,  Vol.  V., 
pp.  198-200.  He  tells  us  that  "  the  three  eggs  in  one 
clutch  were  of  a  light  blue  ground  colour  and  absolutely 
unspotted.  The  other  clutch  had  a  warmer  ground 
colour,  one  egg  being  freely  spotted  with  small  brown 
spots,  the  .second  having  one  or  two  brown  spots,  and 
the  third  no  .spots  at  all." 

Birds  liatche<l  in  a,  warm  indoor  aviary  were  hatched 
but  not  reared,  but  those  hatched  by  birds  expiosed  to 
the  rigours  of  a  .severe  wijiter  in  an  outdoor  aviary  were 
reared  successfully.  Mr.  Teechemaker  attributes  the 
success  of  the  birds  outside  to  the  fact  that  they  were 
able  to  procure  insect  food  ;  but  I  think  pure  air  ha(d 
far  more  to  Jo  with  it,  since  Goldfinches  even  in  an 
indoor  aviary  often  succeed  in  rearing  their  young 
■without  the  help  of  insect  food,  and  many  other  Finches 
which,  in  their  wild  state,  would  partly  feed  their 
young  upon  insect  food  from  their  crops,  have  been 
known  to  rear  them  in  comparatively  small  cages  upon 
egg  and  bi.scuit  alone.  Undoubtedly  the  open-air 
aviary  :s  the  ideal  enclosure  for  breeding  birds  in. 
Himalayan  or  Rkd  frontkd  Seed-eater 
{Serinus  2i>tsillus). 

General  colouring  above  blackish-brown ;  every 
feather  more  or  less  broadly  bordered  with  yellow:  the 
median  and  greater  wing-coverts  tipped  with  ashy 
whitish,  and  the  dista,!  extremities  of  the  secondaries 
edged  and  fringed  with  the  .-ame ;  upper  tail-covirts 
black  with  broad  ashy-white  borders;  tail-feather.s 
blackish,  faintly  washed  at  base  with  yellow  and  edged 
with  whitish ;  crown  of  head  blackish  witli  the  fore- 
head orang<-re<l ;  sides  of  head  and  the  throat  blackish  ; 
under  surface  of  body  golden  yellow  ;  the  breast  spotted 
with  black;  centre  of  abdomen  white;  sides  and  flanks 
streaked  with  black  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
golden  yellow  ashy  at  ba.se;  flights  below  dusky  with 
ashy  inner  margins;  beak  black  with  whitish  gape  and 
base  of  upper  mandible  brownish  ;  iridcs  blatkii-h-brown. 
Female  duller,  the  yellow  colouring  and  frontal  patch 
paler.  Habitat.  "From  the  Cauca.sus  and  Northern 
Persia  to  Turkestan,  wintering  to  the  southwand  in  Asia 
Mmor  as  far  as  the  I^banon  and  in  the  North-western 
Himalayas"  (Sharpe). 

Speaking  of  the  Birds  of  the  Caucasus  {The  Ibis  1883 
p.  9),  the  late  Henry  Seebohm  says:—"  The  Red-fronted 
i?inch  IS  found    throughout   the   steppes    and    in    the 


rhododendron  region,  descending  to  the  plains  only  in 
winter." 

Jerdon  tells  us  that,  according  to  Hutton,  who  observed 
it  at  -Mussooree,  "it  appeared  to  be  always  in  pairs, 
and,  like  our  Siskin  and  Goldfinch,  is  very  fond  of 
alighting  upon  the  tall  coar.se  nettles  which  abound 
there."  Griffiths  observed  it  clinging  to  and  feeding 
on  thistles  in  flocks,  and  describes  it  as  rather  shy; 
Adams,  who  saw  it  in  flcK'ks  at  LadaJih,  describes  its 
habits  and  call-note  as  "  like  those  of  the  European 
Redpoll."     (See  "  Biixls  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  411.) 

The  following  notes  are  from  Hume's  "  Nest*  and 
Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd  ed.,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  155-156. 

"Colonel  John  Biddulph  writes  from  Gilgit: — 'On 
July  28th  I  had  a  nest  brought  me  which  my  shikari 
had  been  watching  several  days.  He  shot  one  of  the 
pair  of  old  birds  about  the  nest,  which  turned  out  to  be 
the  male  of  M.  pusitla.  The  nest  contained  three  eggs, 
perfectly  fresh  (and  the  number  was  apparently  not 
complete).  In  colour  a  dull  s-tone-white,  with  small 
red-brown  spots  dotted  about  the  larger  end.  The  nest 
wais  about  20  feet  from  the  ground,  in  a  cedar  tree 
{Jvnipenis  exctlsa),  neatly  made  of  grass-fibres,  and 
lined  thickly  with  sheep's  wool,  and  matted  on  the 
outside  with  soft  bits  of  decayed  wood  so  as  to  look  like 
bark  of  a  tree.' 

"  Major  Wardlaw  Ramsay  says?,  writing  of  Afghani- 
stan : — '  Plentiful  in  the  Hariab  district,  and  remained 
in  flocks  until  the  early  part  of  June,  when  they  com- 
menced to  breed.  I  found  a  nest  on  the  Peiwar  range, 
which  was  placed  near  the  extremity  of  a  deodar  branch 
about  4ft.  Ironi  the  ground;  it  was  composed  of  dried 
weeds  and  strips  of  bark,  and  lined  with  feathers  and 
goats'  hair.  Only  one  egg  was  in  the  ne.st,  of  a  delicate 
bluish  white,  speckled  at  the  tliicker  end  with  niinuta 
reddish-brown  spots.' 

"  An  egg  oi  this  species,  procured  in  Gilgit,  is  a 
regular  oval,  slightly  pointed  towards  the  lesser  end; 
the  shell  is  very  thin  and  fine,  but  has  almost  no  gloss. 
The  ground-colour  is  a  delicate  bluish-white,  and  ths 
markings,  which  are  gathered  in  a  zone  round  the  large 
end,  consist  of  a  few  blackish  spots  and  a  number  of 
specks  and  streaks  of  reddish  brown.  The  egg  measures 
0.65  by  0.49." 

According  to  Russ  this  species  was  formerly  imported 
by  the  dealer  Stader  of  Moscow,  and  from  him  it  reached 
the  Berlin  Aquarium,  but  since  that  time  he  says  it  has 
not  appeared  in  the  bird-market.  In  1903  two  examples 
reached  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Alauio  Finch  {Alario  alariu). 
Head  all  round  black  with  a  while  collar  passing 
round  sides  and  bac-k  of  neck;  back,  rmnp,  upper  tail- 
coverts,  tail,  wing-coverts,  outer  webs  of  tertials,  edges 
and  lips  of  secondaries  chestnut  red  ;  remainder  of  wing 
black;  throat  and  centre  of  fore-chest  bl.ick,  continous 
with  a  stripe  formed  by  sublerminal  black  bars  on 
many  of  the  inner  feathers  of  the  sides  and  flanks  (vary- 
ing in  extent  in  different  indiWduals)  ;  the  tips  of  these 
feathers  and  the  central  feathers  of  the  hind  part  of 
the  breast  and  of  the  abdomen  slightly  washed  with  buff 
or  strongly  with  cinnamon;  under  tail-coverts  either 
white  or  cinnamon  ;  primaries  below  silky  grey-black  ; 
secondaries  similar,  but  with  pale  chocolite  tips;  tail 
below  also  chocolate,  axitlarnes  and  under  wing- 
coverts  similarly  coloured,  the  from  border  of  wing 
black ;  beak  greyish  horn-colour,  paler  on  lower  man- 
dible; feet  slate-grey;  irides  brown.  Female  altogether 
paler  and  greyer;  the  top  of  the  head  grev-brownish, 
with  indistinct  dusky  centres  to  feathers,  the  forehead 
washed  with  rufous ;  all  the  deep  chestnut  of  the  upper 


ROSE-FINCH. 


109 


parts  replaced  by  pale  browmish  coffee-colour,  very  pale, 
but  less  brown  on  rump;  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail 
clear  coffee-reddish,  the  rectrices  witli  more  or  less 
broad  black  shaft-streaks ;  a  little  black  on  cheeks  and 
back  of  ear-coverts,  otherwiye  the  sides  of  face  and  ear- 
coverts  are  brownish-grey  ;  throat  and  breast  greyish- 
white,  mottle<l.  exceptinj;  at  the  sides,  with  black  ;  re- 
mainder of  IkxIv  below  dull  white,  broadly  washed  on 
sides  and  flanks  with  s;indy  butK.sh ;  under  surface  of 
flights  deep  silky  grey  ;  under  wing-cc  vert.s  and  axillaries 
slightly  rufescent ;  under  tiiil-feathers  paler  than  above. 
Habitat,  Cape  Colony,  the  Trsnsvaal,  and  Great 
Najnaqua  Land. 

Whether  the  imported  specimens  of  this  species  belong 
to  two  more  or  less  defined  races  or  not  I  cannot  say, 
but  it  is  certain  that  the  two  male  skins  which  I  have 
consiidered  gootl  enough  to  preserve  differ  rcri^.arkably 
in  size,  and  not  a  little  in  colouring.  I  imderstand  that 
Dr.  Sharpe  recognises  two  species  of  Alarir>  Finches,  but 
I  find  no  not«  of  the  fact  in  Shelley's  "  Birds  of  Africa," 
Vol.  III.  ;  therefore  it  would  seem  that  they  must  have 
been  separated  since  1902. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sriater  thus  describe  the  habits  of 
the  Alario  Finch: — "These  pretty  little  Finches  are  of 
gentle  and  confiding  habits,  and  wlien  feeding  allow  a 
verj-  close  approach  without  showing  any  s.ymptonis  of 
alarm.     They  are  fond  of  perching  on  low  bushes,  but 


The  Aijvato  Finch. 

obtain  the  greater  part  of  their  food,  consisting  of  grass 
and  other  small  seeds,  from  the  giound,  where  they 
often  intermingle  with  the  flocks  of  Waxbills  and  other 
small  Weaver  Finches.  The  males  frequently  utter  their 
low  but  sweet  song  from  the  top  of  a  bush,  chiefly  in  the 
spring,  but,  according  to  Dr.  Rus,s,  it  is,  in  caged  birds, 
continued  the  whole  year.*  He  describes  it  as  being 
soft,  flute-like,  but  low-pitched.  In  Great  Namaqua 
Land  Andersson  found  the  Mountain  Canary  always  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  water.  Rickard  remarks: — "1 
fancy  this  is  the  species  much  prized  by  the  lads  in  Port 
Elizabeth,  who  called  it  the  '  Namaqua  '  ;  it  only 
appears  at  long  intervals,  but  in  considerable  numbei-s 
when  it  does  occur  ;  it  sings  we!l  and  becomes  very  tame. 
"  In  confinement  this  speoiee  breeds  both  with  the 
Cape  .and  the  Common  Canary.  In  a  wild  state  it 
builds  a  small  and  neatly-constructed  cup-shaped  nest  in 
a  low  bush  of  dry  grass  and  small  stalks,  lined  with  fine 
grass  and  the  down  of  plants.  The  eggs,  three  to  five  in 
number,  are  p:ile  bluish-green,  spotted  at  the  large  end 
with  several  shades  of  reud'sh  brown.  They  average 
0.68  by  0.50.     The  youn^  are  hatched  in  eleven  days, 

*  The  various  notes  respecting  the  writings  of  Riiss  in  "  The 
Birds  of  South  Africrt  "  are  taken  from  my  *•  Foreign  Finches 
in  Captivity."— .\.  G.  B. 


and  remain  in  the  nest  for  about  three  weeks.  They  are 
fed  on  partly-digested  food  from  the  crops  of  the  old 
binds  for  some  time  after  they  leave  the  nest.  Two 
broods  are  reared  in  tho  season,  the  fir.st  laying  being  iu 
Novembei-,  the  second  in  January." 

N'ot  only  is  the  natural  song  of  this  species  especially 
sweet,  but  its  imit.:itive  facu'ty  is  considerable;  my 
two  males  having  picked  up  the  song  of  the  Canary  and 
the  I..innet  respectively.  In  addition  to  its  merits  as  a 
vocalist,  the  Alario  Finch  is  a  long  liver  and  very  hardy. 
I  certainly  lost  my  first  T)air  rather  soon,  the  cock  having, 
broken  his  skull  by  flying  about  recklessly  in  the  dark, 
whilst  the  hen  caught  cold  and  died  in  about  eighteen 
months.  Hut  a  second  cock  bird,  purchased  when  the 
first  was  yet  living,  was  in  my  possession  over  eight 
years;  and  a  third  whicii  was  given  to  me  also  lived  a 
good  many  years.  Mules  produced  from  an  Alario  cock 
bird  with  a  hen  Canary  nearly  resemble  they-  South 
African  parent,  the  colouring  of  whose  pluma^ie  reminds 
one  of  a  Three-coloured  Mannikin  in  the  arrangement  of 
its  colours. 

The  name  Mountain  Canary  adopted  by  Messrs.  Stark 
and  Sclater  lis  a  translation  of  the  Boer  name  (Berg- 
Canarie). 

We  next  come   to   the   ROSE-FINCHES   and    their 
allies,  which  lead  n:iturally  to  the  true  Bullfinches. 
St'ARLET  Itu.sK-FlNCH   (Cnrporiacus  eri/t/iriniis). 

The  prevailing  colour  of  this  beautiful  bird  in 
summer  is  crimson,  most  brilliant  on  the  head,  hinder 
parts  of  back  and  rump,  throat,  and  breast;  the  feathers 
of  the  upper  back  and  mantle  and  the  wing-coverts  with 
dusky  centres ;  the  remaining  wing-fsathers  and  tail- 
feathers  dark  brown  with  more  or  less  rose-tinted  mar- 
gins ;  the  abdomen  is  bright  rose,  fading  to  luiffish  white 
on  the  under  tail-coverts :  beak  and  feet  fleshy  horn- 
brown  ;  irides  hazel.  Female  generally  brown,  "darkest 
on  tho  crown,  nape,  wings,  tail,  throat,  and  breast  ; 
feathers  of  the  head  with  dark  centres;  back  and  rumu 
sli.ghtly  olivaceous ;  tips  of  wiing-coverts,  margins  of 
innermost  secondaries  and  of  throat  and  breast-feathers, 
with  remainder  of  under  surface  paler.  Habitat. 
Northern  Europe  and  Siberia  to  Kamtschatka,  wintering 
to  the  south,  particularly  in  India  and  Burma.  Acci- 
dental in  Western  Europe. 

Two  examples  of  this  species  have  been  captured  in 
England,  but  it  is  quite  possible  that  they  may  have 
been  escaped  cage-birds. 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  399)  says: — 
"  It  visits  the  pla-ns  during  October,  and  leaves  in  A.oril. 
In  March  many  are  taken  in  fine  breeding  livery.  In 
the  extreme  south  I  have  chiefly  seen  it  in  bamboo 
jungle,  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  bamboo  on  several  occa- 
sions, and  so  much  is  this  its  habit  that  the  Telugu 
name  signifies  '  Baml)oo  Sparrow.'  In  other  parts  of  the 
country  it  frequents  alike  groves,  gardens,  and  jungles, 
feeding  on  various  seeds  and  grain  ;  also  not  nnfrequently 
on  flower  buds  and  young  leaves.  .Adains  states  that  iii 
Cashmere  it  feeds  much  on  the  seeds  of  a  cultivated 
vetch.  Now  and  then  it  is  seen  in  large  flocks,  but  in 
general  it  associates  in  small  parties.  It  breeds  iu 
Northern  Asia.  It  is  frequently  caught  and  cased,  and 
has  rather  a  pleasing  song.  Blyth  says:  'The  7'»/i  has 
a  feeble  twittering  song,  but  soft  and  pleasing,  being 
intermediate  to  that  of  the  Go'dfinch.  and  that  of  the 
small  Redpoll  Linnet;  the  call-note  resembling  that  of  a 
C'anarv-bird.'  " 

Seebohm  says  ("Hist.  British  Birds,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  48)  : 
"The  food  of  this  \>iYd  consists  of  sjeds  of  various 
kinds,  grain,  and  the  buds  of  trees.  In  spring  it  eats 
insects,  and  in  autumn,  ben-ies  and  other  fruit. 

"  The  rest  of  the  Scarlet  Rcse-Finch  is  built  in  the 


110 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


fork  of  a  small  bush,  or  amongst  climbing  plants  not 
far  from  the  ground.  It  bears  little  resemblance  to  the 
nest  of  a  Finch,  and  might  eatdly  l«e  mistaken  for  that 
of  a  Warbler.  It  is  compo.^d  of  dry  grass-stalks,  and 
lined  with  horse-hair.  It  is  rather  deep,  and  very 
neatly  and  carefully  made,  although  it  is  so  slender  as 
to  he  semi-transparent  when  held  up  to  the  light.  The 
inside  diameter  is  two  inches  and  a.  quarter.  Five  is 
the  usual  number  of  eggs,  but  sometimes  only  four  are 
laid,  and  occasionally  as  many  as  si.\.  They  vary  in 
length  from  .9  to  .73,  and  in  breadth  from  .63  to  .55. 
The  ground  colour  is  greenish  blue,  not  >o  pale  as  that 
of  the  eggs  of  the  Bullfinch  ;  the  spots  are  also  fewer, 
smaller,  and  blacker  than  in  typical  eggs  of  the  latter 
spe<'ies.  They  are  smaller  than  the  eggs  of  the  Bull- 
finch, and  are  not  likely  to  be  mistaken  for  the  eggs  of 
any  other  bird." 

My  sister,  the  late  Dr.  Fanny  Butler,  brought  me  a 
fine  male  of  this  species  from  India,  and  I  found  it  most 
confiding  and  gentle,  but  not  especially  attractive  after 
its  first  moult  in  captivity  as  the  whole  of  its  rose- 
colouring  was  then  replaced  by  dull  yellow.  I  paired  it 
to  a  hen  Canary,  but  it  was  evidently  not  strone,  as  it 
never  sang,  and  in  the  following  winter  it  died.  I 
Taney  the  most  suitable  seeds  for  the  Rose-finches  in 
captivity  should  be  millet,  canary,  rice  in  the  husk, 
and  oats  (and  possibly  sunflower-seed)  ;  also  green  food 
and  small  green  caterpillars  or  blight. 

Sepoy  Finch  {Carpodacus  sipani). 
Brilliant  scarlet;  wings  and  tail  dark  brown  more  or 
less  margined  with  scarlet ;  thighs  deep  brown  ;  under 
tail-coverts  with  black  bases  to  the  feathers ;  beak 
yellow;  feet  flesh-brown,  irides  brown.  Female,  dark 
brown,  the  feathers  with  olive-yellow  margins;  rump 
liright  yellow ;  below  pale  olive-yellow,  with  dusky 
centres  to  feathers  ;  the  throat  somewliat  ashy  ;  lower 
abdomen  and  under  tail-covert-s  ■white;  tliighs  dusky; 
flights  duskv  with  ashy  inner  margins.  Habitat, 
Central  and  Eastern  Himalayas. 

Jerdon  says  of  this  species  ("  Bi.ds  of  India."  Vol. 
TI. ,  p.  395)  : — "  It  is  by  no  means  rare  about  Darjeeling, 
and  haunts  elevations  from  5.000  to  10. COO  feet,  accord- 
ing to  the  sea.son.  I  have  generally  seen  it  in  pairs. 
Tt  frequents  both  forest  and  bushy-ground,  feeds  on 
fruits  and  seeds  of  various  kinds,  and  has  a  loud  whist- 
linff  note." 

The  above  is  all  the  information  I  have  been  able  to 
discover  respecting  the  wild  life. 

The  Zoological  Societv  of  London  .secaired  a  specimen 
of  this  Finch  in  .June,  1902.  and  I  believe  it  has  on  one 
or  two  occasions  l>een  exhibited  at  shows.  The  fact 
that  these  Eose-finche'--  lose  their  beauty  in  captivity 
Tather  militates  against  their  frequent  importation. 
Purple  Rose-Finch  {Carpodarvn  purpvreux). 
Above  vinous ;  upper  back  and  lesser  wing-coverts 
with  blackish  centres ;  lower  l)ack  and  rump  bright 
rose-red  ;  upper  tail-coverts  somewhat  ashy  ;  wing  dark- 
brnwn.  the  feathers  mostly  more  or  less  marErined  with 
rosy;  the  greater  coverts  and  secondaries  whitish  at  or 
near  the  tips;  tail-fe;ithors  similar  to  primaries;  crown 
and  nape  bright  crimson,  paler  at  sides,  faintly  indi- 
cating an  eyebrow  streak  ;  lores  and  orbital  feathers 
ashy;  sides  of  face  otherwise,  throat  and  breast, 
crimson  ;  breast  paler  Iiecoming  whit^-  on  the  abdomen. 
Tint  ro.sy  on  sides  ;  flanks  also  rosy  with  an  ashy  tinge 
an<'  dark  brown  streaks;  thighs  greyish  brown;  under 
tail-coverts,  under  wing-coverts,  and  axillaries  white 
washed  with  rose ;  flights  du.sky  with  ashy  inner 
■margins.       Female  above    brown    with   darker   streaks 


more  or  less  edged  with  whitish ;  wing-feathers  mostly 
dark  brown  with  paler  margins;  tail  feathers 
dark  brown  with  whitish  margins;  lores  whitish;  a 
narrow  white  eyebrow  streak  ;  car-cxjverts  with  pale 
centre;  cheek.'!  and  under-surface  white  spotted  with 
brown,  more  streak-like  on  sides  and  flanks;  under 
wing-coverts  huffish  white  ;  flights  dusky  with  whitish 
inner  edges.  Habitat.  "Eastern  North  America  from 
the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  plains,  breeding  from  the 
Middle  States  northward"  (Sharpe). 

J.  G.  Cooper  (Geol.  Surv.  Calif.,  "Ornithology,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  155)  &.iys  that  the  nest  of  "('.  purpureus  of  the 
Eastern  States  is  built  in  a  low  tree,  composed 
of  coari-e  gra.-s,  lined  'with  root  fibres,  and  the  eggs, 
five  in  number,  are  of  a  ratlier  pale  green,  with 
scattered  dots  and  streaks  of  dark  brown  or  dull  purple. 

"  Tlie  song  of  this  bird  (the  race  C.  californicus)  is 
quite  loud  and  varied,  often  resembling  that  of  different 
birds,  such  as  Vircos  and  Dendroicas,  for  which  I  have 
mistaken  it.  This  would  doubtless  succeed  as  well  in  a 
cage  as  the  other  species,  but  I  have  not  seen  any  in 
captivity,  though  the  Eastern  species  is  often  sold  in 
cages  by  the  name  of  Linnets.  Their  fo-xl  consists  of 
all  such  seeds  and  berries  as  they  can  obtain,  besides 
buds  of  trees  in  times  of  scarcity." 

An  example  of  this  Finch  was  sent  to  me  in  July, 
1896,  by  Mr.  James  H.  Fleming,  of  Ontario,  in  company 
witli  some  Pine  Grosbeaks,  by  wliich  large  birds  it  had 
l>een  so  maltreated  on  the  voyage,  that  it  did  not  long 
survive  its  .reparation  from  them.  Ril<^5  speaks  of  it  as 
being  irnported  singly  by  Reiche  and  Mi.ss  Hagenbeck, 
and  being  an  admirable  songs^ter  and  pleasing  cage- 
bird,  but  he  says  that,  unhappily,  it  has  not  hitherto 
been  bred. 

Blood-st.mned  Finch   [Carpodacus  mejiraiiiif). 

Above  ashy  brown  ;  the  ccjitres  of  feathers  of  mantle, 
upper  back,  and  upper  tail-coverts  duskj' ;  forehead  and 
a  streak  above  ear-coverts,  lower  back  and  rump  crim- 
son ;  wing-feathers  dark  brown  with  sandy  bufBsh 
margins ;  t;iil-feathers  dark  brown  with  ■nliitr-brown 
margins;  front  of  face,  clieeks  and  throat  crim.*on  ; 
sides  of  neck  ashy-brown  ;  imder  surface  of  bndj'  ashy 
streaked  with  dark  brown,  abdomen  paler;  sides  and 
flanks  sandy  bufi  streaked  M'ith  dusk\  ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  buffish  with  a  tinge  of  reddish  ; 
flights  belon-  dusky  with  the  inner  margins  ashy. 
Female  browner,  the  margins  of  the  wing  and  tail- 
feathers  paje  brown;  no  crimson  in  the  plumage;  the 
crown  with  dark  mottling;  sides  of  face  ashv-whitith  ; 
ear-coverts  dark  brown;  under  smface  of  body  whiter 
than  in  tlie  male,  the  abdonifn  unifonn  whiti.sb  with 
the  .sides  and  flanks  Streaked  like  the  brea.st;  under  tail- 
covei'ts  fulvous  with  dusky  centres  ;  imder  winij-coverts 
and  axillaries  sandy  buff;  flights  as  in  male.  Habitat, 
Mexico  (Shai-pe). 

As  Professor  Ridgway  regards  the  species  described 
by  Cooper  ,xs  C.  frontalis  {"  Orn.  Cal.  1870,"  p.  156)  as 
in  part  referable  to  this  bird.  I  will  quote  what  is  there 
utated  resjv^ting  the  habits  of  the  Californi.in  birtl  :  — 
"  This  lively  and  musical  little  bird  abounds  in  nearly 
all  the  southern  portions  of  Ciilifornia,  and,  according 
to  NoHberry,  throughout  the  valleys  northward  up  to 
Oregon.  It  is  everywhere  the  s|)ecies  must  peculiar  to 
the  valleys,  while  the  other  two  frequent  the  forest-clad 
mountains. 

"  I  have  found  this  species  on  the  barren  rocky  hills 
near  tlie  Colorado,  and  in  plains  near  the  coast,  where 
there  is  nn  pKint  higher  than  tlie  wild  mustard,  nn  tbe 
seeds  of  which  it  feeds.  It  fi-eqmnts  grove-;  also,  and 
open  forests    on   the    summit    of   the    co.ist   ranges   in 


BUILLFINCH    AND    GROSBEAK. 


Ill 


small  numbers,  in  company  with  C.  californicun,  and  at 
times  feeds  an  buds  of  tre«s,  and  seeds  of  tlie  cotton- 
■wood  and  other  plants. 

"It  is  principally  abundant  ab<vut  ranches  and 
gardens,  where  it  does  much  mischief  by  desti-oying 
seeds  and  young  plants,  fruit,  etc.,  for  which  d<*preda- 
■tiona  even  its  diecrful  and  coiustiuit  isoaig  dues  not  coon- 
pensate,  and  tlio  angrj'  giu-dener  wages  unrelenting  war 
:against  the  race. 

"  At  San  Dit»go  they  build  as  early  as  the  15th  of 
March,  or  perlvaps  even  earlier.  Tlie  situation  and 
"materials  of  their  nesl  are  exceedingly  variable.  I  have 
found  them  in  trees,  on  logs  and  rocks,  tlue  top  rail  of 
■a  picket-fence,  inside  a  window-ishutteir,  in  the  holes  of 
\valls,  under  tile  or  thatch  roofs,  in  h.iystacks  and 
liariis,  in  the  int<MStices  het.ween  the  sticks  of  a  Hawk's 
nest,  and  in  an  old  nc.tt  of  the  Oriole.  About  houses 
they  always  seek  the  protection  of  man,  as  if  quite 
unconscious  of  having  mnde  him  their  enemy.  Heer- 
mann  me.ntions  also,  a,s  locations  of  nests,  the  thorny 
cactus  and  deserted  Woo<lpecker's  holes.  The  m;iterials 
are  usually  coarse  grass  or  weeds,  with  a  lining  of  hair 
and  fine  roots.  The  eggs,  from  four  to  six,  are.  bluish- 
white,  with  spots  and  lines  of  black,  chiefly  towaads 
the  larger  end.     niey  measure  0.78  by  0.56  inch. 

"The  songs  of  this  species  differ  very  much  from  those 
of  {he  others.  They  are  very  lively  and  varied,  though 
short-,  and  are  heard  throughout  the  year.  Cage-birds, 
usually  called  '  California  Linnets,'  are  easily  kept  and 
frequently  to  be  seen,  but  generally  their  pui-ple  changes 
to  yellow  after  long  confinecnient. 

"They  raise  two,  if  not  three,  broods  annually.  These 
assemble  in  large  flocks  in  autumn,  but  migrate  very 
little  if  anv  to  the  -south. 

"  The  House-Finch  of  California  is  represented  in 
Mexico  by  a  closely^allied  species,  if  not  a  mere  variety." 
Ridgway  says  ("  Birds  of  North  and  Middle  America," 
"Vol.  I.,  p.  124): — ^"The  habits  of  C.  mexicanus  are 
exceedingly  different  from  those  of  C.  purpvrevx  and 
C.  cassinii,  resembling  very  closely  those  of  the  House 
Sparrow  {Passer  domesticus)  in  nearly  every  respect." 
This  species  has  appeared  more  than  once  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens,  but  Dr.  Russ  appears  to 
have  overlooked  that  fact. 

I  do  not  thdnk  there  would  be  any  advantage  in  includ- 
ing the  White-winged  Crossbill  of  N.  America  in  this 
revuew  of  imported  cage-birds,  since  not  only  is  it 
regarded  bv  Dr.  Sharpe  as  a  mere  sub-species  of  the 
European  Loxia  bifascinln,  but  under  the  present  strin- 
sent  laws  enforced  in  the  United  States  it  is  bv  no 
means  likely  to  become  well  known  here  as  a  cage-bird. 
It  has  been  exhibited  in  our  Gardens. 

Japanese  Bullfinch  iPtfrrhiila  griseivotlris). 

Very  like  the  European  Bullfinch,  exceptiing  that  the 
breast,  abdomen,  and  flanks  are  grey,  sometimes  with  a 
rosy  tinge,  instead  of  bright  salmon-red.  The  female 
above  is  chocolate-brown,  with  black  crown  and  white 
rump,  below  chocolate  brown,  whitish  on  lower  abdo- 
men and  vent  and  white  on  under  tadl-coverts.  Habitat, 
Japan,  the  island  of  Askold.  Pekin.  the  valley  of  the 
Ussuri,  and  an  island  in  the  Bay  of  Okhotsk. 

Seebohm  gives  no  information  respecting  the  habits 
of  this  Bullfinch  lin  his  "  Birds  of  the  Japanese  Empire." 
It  was  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in 
1903,  when  three  specimens  were  obtained. 

Pine  Grosbe.^k  {Pinicola  enurlcator). 

Rosy  vinaceous,  with  bluish  ashy  bases  to  the  feathers ; 
feathers  of  the  iipper  parts  mottled  with  dusky,  which 
increases  on  the  ba<'k  until  it  forms  large  subterminal 
triangular   brown  patches,   the  vinous   colouring   being 


then   limited   to  the  end  of  each    feather;    rump   clear 
vinous-rose,   almost  immaculate,   but  upper  tail-coverts 
more  like  the  feathers  of  the  back  ;  wing  and  tail  feathers 
d.ark     brown,    outermost    lesser,    and     median    coverts 
bro;idly   tipped   with  pinky  white  ;  greater   coverts  and 
inner   secondaries    broadly    tippetl  ami   partly    bordered 
externally  with  white  ;  remaining  flights  and  tadl-feathers 
with  narrow  paler  edges,  whitish  on  distal  fringe;  sides 
of  heiid  vinous  rose-colour;  the  lores  and  orbital  region 
dusky   greyish  ;    under  parts  dull    vinous,   the   feathers 
grey    at    base    and    with   dusky    V-shaped    subterminal 
markings;    hinder  breast   and    abdomen   (excepting   the 
centre  and  flanks)  washed   with  bright  rosy-vinaceous ; 
remainder  of  body  below  ashy  grey  ;  under  parts  of  wiing 
and  tail  dusky  greyish  ;  front  of  wing  narrowly  barred 
with  pink  and  dusky;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
whitish  ash;  teak  and  feet  black ;   irides  hazel.     Female 
with    all    the    vinaceous    and    rose-colour    replaced    by 
cupreous   bronze,  mo.-e   ec>pj».Ty  on  the  crown,   slightly 
olive-tinted  on  the  back  and  more  golden  on  the  rump 
and   upper  tail-coverts ;    hardly  a  trace  of  the  mottling 
and  tri.mgulai-   marking  of  the  cock  bird ;    imder  ]xirt.s 
of  a  piilcr  and  less  bluish  ash-colour.     Habitat,  Northern 
Europe  and  America. 

A  few  examples  of  the  Old  World  type  of  this  species 
hiive  been  obtained  in  the  Briti.sh  Islands,  but  it  js 
more  than  likely  that  they  were  all  escap.d  or  liberated 
birds,  since  the  firs-t  moult  m  captivity  replaces  all  the 
charming  rosy-vinaceous  colouring  of  the  cock  by  a  dull 
brassy  butiish  yellow. 

The  following  I  quote  from  on  article,  illustrated  by  a 
beautiful  ooloiu-ed  plate  of  both  sexes,  which  I  publish-'! 
in  the  AviniUiiral  Mayazine,  1st  ser..  Vol.  III.,  1896, 
pp,  1.5: — "The  nest  of  tha  Pine  Grosbeak  is  usually 
placed  on  a  thick  branch  of  spruce-fir,  or  birch,  close  to 
the  main  stem  and  at  a  distance  of  from  ten  to 
twelve  feet  from  the  ground  ;  it  is  somewhat  like  a  large 
edition  of  that  of  the  Bullfinch,  the  outer  framework 
consisting  of  slender  twigs  of  fir  and  the  inside  of  fine 
grass  bents,  roots,  and  hair-lichen.  The  eggs  number 
from  three  to  four,  of  a  pale  turquoise  blue  colour,  with 
deep  pui-plish-brown  oir  blackish  spots,  and  greyer  brown 
shell-spots  ;  they  vary  much  in  the  same  manner  as  '.ggs 
of  the  Bullfinch. 

"  During  the  winter  months  this  ppecies  is  gregarious 
in  its  liabits.  and  is  so  t.ame  that  it  is  easily  caught  or 
shot,  but  in  the  summer  the  fl<Kks  bieak  up  for  breedin.r 
purposes  .and  the  birds  are  then  somewhat  more  shy, 
though  never  so  much  as  our  Bullfinch. 

"  The  song  in  the  wild  bird  is  said  to  be  very  melodiooiB 
and  flute-like,  the  flight  powerful  and  undulating  It  is  a 
true  biixl  of  the  woods  and  a  somewhat  late  breeder ;  it 
feed"'  on  seeds  of  conifers,  berries,  and  buds,  as  well  as 
in.'-ects  and  their  larv^.  and  earthworms. 

"  About  July  20th  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  James 
H.  Fleming,  of  Ontario,  in  whicn  he  infoniied  me  that 
he  was  sendirg  off  a  box  containing  six  Pine  Grosbeaks 
and  a  PHrj>le  Finch,  under  tlie  care  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Wil- 
liams (Curator  of  the  Montreal  Natural  History  Society). 
I  received  this  kind  present  on  July  23rd  ;  all  the  biivls 
reaching  me  alive,  though  very  dirty  and  a  gcmd  deal  the 
wr  rse  for  quarrelling  during  their  fortnight  of  close  con- 
finement. 

"  I  turned  the  Pine  Grosbeaks  out  into  my  g.arden 
aviarj-.*  giving  them  a  seed-mi.xture.  consisting  of  sun- 
flower, hemp.  oats,  canary  and  millet.  I  found  that  they 
ate  these  seeds  in  the  order  given  above,  beginning  with 
tU«   sunflower;    they    did' not  seem  to  care  about  the 


*  I  only  had  one  at  that  time,  fund  it  vtkB  much  smaller  than 
it  now  is. 


112 


lOREION    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


m'Uet.  During  the  first  two  or  three  days  they  washed 
almost  incessantly,  so  that  whenever  I  looked  at  them 
I  was  sure  to  see  one  or  two  bediaggled-looking,  seated 
ii.dividuals. 

■  By  the  end  of  the  first  week  my  birds  were  clean, 
though  ragged,  and  five  of  them  aprpeared  to  be  in 
excellent  health.  Seeini;  them  eating  worms  which  nad 
ciawled  from  below  their  water-pan.  I  dug  some  up  and 
offeivd  tliem  ;  they  sreaied  miicli  j)leased  and  quarrelled 
for  them.  I  also  fi.und  that  they  were  very  glad  to  get 
caterpilbrs  and  spi<'ers. 

'■  Shortly  afterwards,  Mr.  Williams  called  lipon  me, 
and  seemed  gratified  to  find  the  Grosbeaks  well  and 
ccr.tented.  In  the  course  of  conversation,  he  unfor- 
tunately told  me  tliat,  in  Canada,  the  favourite  food  of 
tl  e  Piiie  Grosbeak  con.sisted  nf  berries  of  the  mountain 
ash.  Next  morning,  I  put  a  bunch  of  these  berries  into 
the  avian,',  and  two  of  the  birds  immediately  flew  down 
aiid  devoured  them.  By  the  evening  both  birds  were 
staggering  about  as  if  frightfully  drunk ;  ivhen  they 
Hew  towards  a  perch  they  missed  it  and  fell  heavily  to 
the  ground.  If  I  entered'  the  aviary  they  seemed  scared 
almost  out  of  their  witis,  although  naturally  they  are 
th^  tamest  and  most  gentle  birds  I  ever  had,  utterly 
devoid  of  fear;  now  they  dashed  wildly  and  blindly 
against  the  wires,  fell  to  the  ground,  staggered  up  and 
flew  ofi'  again  madly;  they  had  constant  diarrhcea,  were 
unable  to  see  their  see<l,  tumbled  into  the  water,  had 
fit.5  every  few  minutes,  and  after  two  or  three  days  of 
misery  ilied.  It  is,  therefore,  clear  that  berries  of  the 
mountain  ash  are  deadly  poison  to  captive  Pine  Gros- 
beaks. 

"  With  August,  came  heavy  and  almost  incessant  rains, 
and  this  did  not  .''eem  to  suit  my  Canadian  birds,  so  that 
by  the  end  of  the  month  a  third  liad  died  in  a  rapid 
decline  ;  it  was  a  young  male  in  hen  plumage." 

My  birds  coniplettd  their  moult  in  September,  when 
a.  young  male  died  and  was  stripped  of  feathers  by  the 
survivors ;  later  on  they  also  died,  fronr  which  I  con- 
cluded that  our  climate  was  too  wet  for  Canadian  birds. 

The  Pine  Grosbeak  is,  without  e.xception,  the  tamest 
and  most  confiding  of  all  the  Firrches;  if  you  hold  out 
your  linger  to  him  he  will  touch  it  with  his  toiigue  but 
never  bite,  though,  witlr  his  formidable  beak  he  could 
give  one  a  very  unpleasant  nip  if  he  chose.  If  my  birds 
got  a  sunflower  s^^ed  jammed  in  the  upper  mandible,  they 
would  let  me  hook  it  oirt  with  a  finger-nail.  With 
plenty  of  space  their  disputes  wit-h  one  another  consist, 
like  those  of  our  Bullfinch,  in  making  grimaces.  The 
call-note  is  cer,  eer.  and  tliey  ute  it  when  running  along 
the  side  of  the  aviary,  following  their  master  and  asking 
him  for  a  dainty.  They  look  liie  Bullfinches,  but  are  aiS 
large  as  Blackbirds. 

Mr.  W.  H.  St.  Quintin  bred  the  Pine  Grosbeak  in 
one  of  his  aviaries  in  1906  (vide  Jriinltural  Mmjazinr, 
N.S.,  Vol.  rV.,  p.  285).  I  do  not  know  whether  his  were 
Kurnpean  or  Amei-icaii  birds. 

Dr.  Ruiss  speaks  of  the  price  of  this  species  in  Ger- 
many .as  extremely  variable  ;  he  says  that  Gleitzrnann 
would  not  part  with  a  pair  for  less  than  24  to  30  marks, 
whilst  Fiirstenburg  ofteied  the  beautiful  red  male  for 
9  marks,  the  orange-colouriMl  male  for  5  marks,  .rnd  the 
female  for  1  mark.  I  have  never  seen  them  offered  for 
sale  in  the  London  market. 

LoNG-TAiLKD   Ro.sE-FiNCH   (T'ragus  lejiidus). 

"General  colour  above  brown,  the  feathers  of  the 
back  and  mantle  broadly  centred  with  black,  ami 
washed  with  dark  crimson  :  lower  back  and  rump  uni- 
fonn  deep  ro.sy ;  lesser  wing  coverts  dark  rosy,  the 
feathers     with'   blackish    bases;    median    and    greater 


coverts  blackish,  edged  with  ashy  and  broadly  tipped 
with  creamy  white,  forming  a  dark  wing  bar;  bastard- 
wing,  prinuirj'-covertfi,  and  quills  dark  brown,  edg«d 
with  lighter  brown,  more  asbv  on  the  primaries;  innei- 
secondaries  broadly  edged  with  ashy  white  on  the  outer 
web  ;  upper  tail-coverts  dark  ashy  ;  tail-feathers  blackish, 
edge<l  with  ashy,  the  two  outer  feathers  white  for  the 
most  part,  except  for  an  oblique  blackish  mark  along  the 
inner  web  and  along  the  outer  web,  the  external  feather 
white  along  the  outer  web,  with  a  blackish  shaft ;  crov.Mi 
of  head  ashy  brown  with  a  slight  rosy  tinge,  all  the 
feathers  mottled  with  dusky  centres ;  fore  part  of  the 
head  silvery  white  with  a  rosy  tinge,  the  feathers 
slightly  mottled  with  dusky  spots;  lores  and  base  of 
forehead  dark  crimson ;  eyebrow  silvery  white,  con- 
tinued from  the  frontal  liand  ;  .sides  of  face,  ear-coverts, 
cheeks,  and  throat  silvery  whitish  with  a  rosy  tinge, 
i-omewhat  lanceolate  on  the  throat;  sides  of  neck  ashy 
grey,  mixed  with  rosy  tpots  ;  fore  neck  and  breast  deep 
ro.w-colour,  the  abdomen  dull  whitish  ;  sides  of  body 
and  flanks  sandy  brown,  streaked  with  dark  brown ; 
thighs  ashy  brown ;  under  tail-coverts  whitish,  tinged 
with  rosy;  rmder  wing-coverts  ashy  whitish,  washed 
with  ro.sy ;  axillaries  white;  quills  Ijelow  dusky,  ashy 
whitish  along  the  inner  edge.  Total  length  5.8  inches, 
culmen  0.35,  wing  2.6,  tail  2.4,  tarsus  0.6  (Mus. 
Parix). 

"  The  female  represents  that  of  U.  i>anguino~ 
Irntiix,  but  is  more  ashy  and  has  none  of  the  tawny 
tinge  on  the  lower  back  and  rump  which  is  seen  on  the 
last-named  tp«ci6s  ;  the  sides  of  the  body  and  flanks  are 
also  brown,  streaked  with  blackish  brown,  more  coarsely 
than  in  U.  saiu/uinolmfiii'.  Total  length  5.5  inches, 
culmen  0.35,  wing  2.55,  tail  2.65,  tarsus  0.65.  {Mtis. 
Pnrix)." — Sharpe.     Habitat,  China. 

The  preceding  description  was  made  by  Dr.  Sharpe 
from  the  type  specimens  in  the  Paris  Musemn,  there 
being  at  the  time  no  examples  in  the  British  M\iseum 
collection  ;  but  it  is  just  these  rare  birds  that  are  some- 
times dropped  upon  in  nunrbers  by  t-rappers,  so  that 
they  become  familiar  objects  in  aviaries  Iiefore  they  are 
even  represented  in  many  collections  of  skins;  the 
Yellow-runiped  Finch  {Miinia  Hari  /iri/mnn)  is  an 
instance  of  this.  Dr.  Hartert  evidently  regards  T^ragus 
lejyidux  as  a  subspecies  of  f'.  sihirinif.  but  I  have  not 
come  across  any  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  either.  A 
specimen  reached  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in 
1903. 

This  concludes  the  typical  Finches.  I  shall  next  pro- 
ceed to  descrilje  the  imported  species  of  Buntings. 


CHAPTER   X. 


BUNTINGS    {Emberizijun). 

In  captivity  the  .species  of  thnbrriza  should  be  fed  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  Chaffinches. 

The  Grey-hkadkd  Bunting  (Emherha  furala). 

General  colour  above  deep  red-brown  streak*^!  with 
black,  excepting  oir  the  nunp,  which  is  uniform  ;  head 
and  neck  slate-grey ;  upper  tail-coverts  pale  brown 
centred  with  blackish  ;  wings  and  tail  dark  brown  with 
bro,ad  fawn  cx>loure<l  lx)rders  to  the  feathers;  outer  tail- 
fckalhers  )>artly  white  on  inner  web;  lores,  eyelid,  and  a 
narrow  ill  <lofiiied  line  over  eye  white;  ear-c-overts 
chestnut,  with  a  small  white  spot  on  hind?r  margin;  a 
larger  white  .spot  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  ;  throat  white ; 
a  narrow  black  moustachial  streak  joining  a  black  gorget 


BUNTINGS. 


113 


across  lower  throat ;  this  is  followed  by  a,  broad  band  of 
greyish  white  and  then  a  fairly  broaid  band  of  red- 
brown  a<  ross  the  oliest ;  abdomen  whitisli,  washed  on 
the  flanks  with  ot^hreous;  beak  reddish-brown,  lower 
mandible  fleshy  at  base;  feet  fleshy-buff;  irides  dark 
brown.  Female  rather  smaller;  generally  duller  and 
less  distimttly  marke*i ;  throat  butf,  the  black  gorget 
broken  up,  ;us  also  the  red-brown  chestband.  Habitat, 
Japan.  Eastern  Silwria,  and  North  China ;  wintering  in 
South  China,  Burma,  and  the  plains  of  India,  resident 
in  the  Xorth-we.st  Himalayas. 

According  to  Blakiston  and  Pryer  {The  Ihh,  1878, 
p.  242),  "the  Grey-headed  Bunting  is  a  common  visitor 
to  the  plains  near  Yokohama,  retiring  to  the  mountains 
ai:d  to  Vezzo  to  breed." 

Jerdon  ("  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  376),  says:  "I 
have  seen  it  at  Jalna  in  the  Ueocan,  at  Mhow  and 
Saugor,  and  also  ne4ir  N'agpore.  In  most  of  these  cases 
it  was  frequenting  rocky  and  bushy  liills  in  small 
parties ;  and  I  occasionally  saw  it  in  the  fields,  near 
hedges  and  trees."  Swinhoe  records  it  as  "  frequenting 
standing  cornfields  in  China."  Hume  ("  Nests  and  Eggs 
of  Indian  Birds,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  166-167)  tells  us  that  "the 
Grey-headed  Bunting  breeds  throughout  the  valleys  of 
Llio  Sutlej  and  Beas,  and  the  hills  westwards  of  this  to 
"Hazara,  at  elevations  .if  from  6,000  to  8,000  feet. 

"It  lays  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  middle  of 
July,  so  far  as  I  yet  know,  and  very  possibly  both  earlier 
and  lat«r. 

"  The  nest  is  usually  placed  on  the  ground,  at  the  root 
of  some  little  dense  "tuft  of  gra.ss  or  stunted  bush,  or 
under  some  large  stone  well  concealed  by  the  surround- 
ing herbage  ;  but  I  have  had  one  nest  brought  to  me 
said  to  have  been  found  in  a  bush  nearly  a  cubit  from 
the  ground. 

"The  nest  is  sauoer-shaped,  or,  perhaps  I  should 
rather  say,  shallow  cup-shaped,  composed  almost  entirely 
of  dry  grass,  and  lined  with  very  fine  grass-stems  and 
a  little  hair.  It  is  perhaps  a  neater  and  certainly  a 
denser  and  heavier  nest  than  that  of  E.  stracheyi,  but 
both  are  much  the  same  size  and  very  similar  in  other 
respects. 

"  Four  .seems  to  be  the  regular  complement  of  eggs. 

"  The  eggs  of  this  .species  are  by  no  means  of  the 
ordinary  Bunting  tj-pe.  The  only  Bunting's  egg  of 
which  I  have  seen  a  figure  which  they  at  all  resemble  is 
that  given  by  Bree  of  the  egg  of  the  Black-headed 
Bunting  {Eu.^piza  melanocephala).  Like  the  eggs  of 
MelophvK  vulanictervs,  there  is  something  of  a  Pipit 
and  Lark-like  character  alxiut  them.  In  shape  they  are 
long  regular  ovals,  somewhat  pointed  towards  the  small 
end.  The  ground-colour  is  a  very  pale  greenish  grey 
or  white  tinqed  with  greenish  grey,  and  they  are 
i^jeckled  and  freckled  pretty  well  all  over,  but  far  more 
densely  at  the  large  end,  wher«  there  is  an  irregular 
mottled  oaip  or  zone,  with  dull,  rather  pale,  somewhat 
reddish  or  purplLsh  brown.  They  have  little  or  no 
gloss,  and  in  shape  are  more  elcngat^fd  and  oval  than 
those  of  E.  sirarhei/i.  In  length  the  eggs  vary  from 
0.76  to  0.91.  and  in  breadth  from  0.57  to  0.62." 

Russ  seems  only  to  have  been  aware  that  this  bird  was 
oooasionally  offered   for  sale  at  Calcutta;   it  has,   how- 
ever, l)een  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 
YELLow-imowKD  Bunting  {Emhrrha  clegans).' 

Mantle,  scapulars,  and  upper  back  chestnut  brown 
streaked  witli  black  and  with  buffish-white  borders; 
lower  baclc,  rump,  and  upper  Uil-ooverts  ash-grey ;  the 

..rj,?.  *'■',  ''''?'''?'''»•  Society's  List  the  Tetlow-browsa  Buntinir 
l^t  wh"  *''^„'"'";^  °f  \  rtr.v.opftrv.,.  but  is  said  to  he  from 
twtSo  "^"'YJ-  ''"^yopTirvi^  is  a  Siberiaai  bird;  I  conclude, 
tbcrefore,  that  E.  elegam  is  intended.  '"■^.""t:, 


latter  with  a  tinge  of  chestnut;  lesser  wing-coverts  ash- 
grey  ;  median  and  greater  coverts  blackish,  tipped  with 
bull  and  whitish,  forming  two  wing-bars;  flights  dull 
brown,  with  greyer  borders;  secondaries  and  greater 
coverts  pale  rufous  externally  ;  tail  blackish,  the  central 
featliers  ashy,  the  others  with  ashy  brown  edges,  except- 
ing the  outermost  feather,  which  is  white  with  a  black 
marking  at  base  of  inner  web  and  a  dusky  niarkmg  near 
tip  of  outer  web ;  penultimate  feather  also  with  a  long 
white  patuh  on  inner  web ;  crown  and  nape  black 
divided  by  a  pale  yellow  stripe  which  begins  alx)ve  the 
eye  and  bounds  the  back  of  head,  at  the  other  extremity 
it  passes  above  the  lores  and  across  the  forehead  as  a 
narrow  white  band ;  base  of  forehead  and  sides  of  head 
black;  a  white  band  alxive  the  ear-coverts;  back  and 
sides  of  neck  a.sh-gi-ey  dotted  with  black  ;  throat  bright 
yellow;  l)ase  of  chin  cros.sed  by  a  narrow  black  line, 
a  large  triangular  black  gorget  separate<l  by  a  white 
l>and  from  the  yellow  throat;  remainder  of  IxKly  below 
white,  tlie  sides  streaked  with  rust-reddish,  more 
broadly  on  the  flanks,  which  are  streaked  in  the  centre 
with  black;  flights  below  dusky,  ashy  whitish  along 
inner  web ;  beak  black ;  feet  flesh-coloured ;  irides 
brown.  Female  smaller  and  much  duller;  the  ashy 
colouring  on  hind-neck  or  lower  back  replaced  by 
chestnut,  streaked  and  bordered  like  the  upper  back  ; 
crown  also  chestnut  with  black  bases  to  the  feathers ; 
ear-coverts  darker;  yellow  encircling  stripe  on  head, 
cheeks  and  throat  less  distinct,  more  orange  in  tint,  and 
duller ;  body  below  dull  white,  with  ill-defined  black 
gorget.  Habitat,  "possibly  a  resident  in  Japan,  but  to 
llanchuria  and  the  valley  of  the  Amoor  it  is  only  a 
summer  visitor,  vontering  in  China."     (Seebohm.) 

Mr.  F.  W.  Styan  on  "The  Birds  of  the  Lower 
Yangtse  Basin "  {The  Ihis,  1891,  p.  355)  _  says,  "  Not 
tmcommon  in  vrinter  on  hillsides,  frequenting  barnboo- 
clumps  and  the  rough  brambly  scrub  around  farm- 
clearings.  A  sweet  songster.  Breeds  at  Ichang  on  the 
Upper  Yangtse." 

Seebohm  {The  Ibis,  1892,  p.  94)  says,  "Mr.  Hoist 
describes  the  irides  as  brown,  the  bill  as  dusky  grey 
shading  into  greyish  yellow  towards  the  base  of  the 
under  mandible,  and  the  feet  as  reddish  yellow."  Surely 
this  would  be  the  winter  colouring? 

Mr.  F.  W.  Styan  on  "Birds  from  West  China"  {The 
Ibis,  1899,  p.  297)  observes  that  this  species  was  "  found 
by  Pere  David  at  Moupin.  Seems  to  be  a  common 
breeder  in  Sechuen." 

Captain  H.  A.  Walton  {The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  28)  says, 
"A  few  examples  of  this  species  were  brought  to  me  by 
a  bird-oatcher  aA  the  end  of  May.  I  did  not  see  it  wild 
myself." 

Mr.  J.  D.  D.  La  Touche  in  his  "  Field-Notes  on  the 
Birds  of  Chinkiang"  {The  Ibis,  1906,  p.  635)  only  tells 
us  that  this  is  "a  common  winter  bird.  It  leaves" about 
the  beginning  of  April." 

So,  although  this  species  is  resident  in  Japan,  breeds 
at  Ichang,  and  is  a  common  breeder  in  Sechuen,  I  have 
been  unable  to  discover  any  published  account  of  the 
nidification. 

Dr.  Russ  includes  this  species  in  his  book,  because  it 
IS  said  to  l)o  a  favourite  cage-bird  with  the  Japs  on 
account  of  its  song,  and  therefore  he  concludes  that  it 
will  soon  reach  the  European  market;  if,  as  I  believe,  the 
Yellow-browed  Bunting  (from  Japan)  in  the  Zoological 
Society's  list  is  this  species,  it  has  appeared  in  our 
gardens  more  than  once. 

QoLDEN-BRE.iSTED  BirNTiNG   {Embcriza    Aavivenfris). 
Above  nape,  upper  back,  and  scapulars  chestnut-red  ; 
lower   back,    rump,    and    upper    tail  coverts     ash-grey; 
the  last-mentioned    edged    with    white;     lesser    wing- 


114 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


coverts  also  ash-grey;  middle  coverts  white,  black  at 
base ;  greater  coverts  black  edged  with  grey  and  tippc<i 
with  white;  flights  black  edged  with  white  excepting 
the  inner  secondaries  which  are  edged  with  chestnut ; 
tail-feathers  black  e<lged  with  grey,  the  four  outermost 
tipped  with  white,  the  outermost  of  all  with  white  web 
and  a  black  spot;  head  black,  with  a  mesial  streak  on 
the  crown,  the  lores,  and  an  eyebrow-stripe,  a  stripe 
below  the  eye  across  the  ear-covorts,  a  patch  on  sides  of 
neck,  and  the  chin  white;  remainder  of  under  surface 
yellow,  the  chest  inclining  to  orange  ;  sides  and  thighs 
grey ;  flanks,  under  wing-coverts,  axillaries,  inner 
margins  of  flights  and  under  tail-coveits  white  ;  upper 
mandible  black,  lower  mandible  brown  ;  feet  dusky  flesh- 
colour;  irides  brown.  Female  with  the  chestnut  of  the 
upper  parts  deeper  and  streaked  with  black.  Habitat, 
South  Africa  from  Cape  Colony  north-eastward  to 
IS'yasaland  and  German  East  Africa. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  ("Birds  of  South  Africa," 
Vol.  1.,  p.  185)  give  the  following  account  of  the  habits 
of  this  Bunting:  "  The^e  handsomely  marked  little 
Buntings  are  usually  met  with  during  summer  and 
winter  in  .small  flocks  of  ten  or  a  dozen.  They  are 
extremely  tame  and  fearless  in  tlieir  habits,  like  all  the 
South  African  Buntings  I  have  met  with,  feed  much  on 
the  ground  in  open  bush  country,  but  are  sometimes 
found  in  thickly  wooded  localities,  and  if  disturbed  only 
fly  for  a  few  yards  before  settling  again  on  the  ground. 
(July  occasionally  do  they  perch  on  low  bushes  or  trees, 
much  oftener  on  stones  or  rocks.  They  feed  largely 
upon  insects,  especially  upon  small  beetles,  less  fre- 
quently upon  seeds.  In  spring  the  brilliant  cocks  .<<'ing 
their  simple  Bunting-like  notes  from  the  summit  of  low 
bushes  or  stones,  a  monotonous  and  oft-repeated 
'  zizi-zizi-zee.'  with  the  stress  on  the  last  syllable.  About 
the  middle  of  October  the  female  proceeds  to  build  her 
nest  of  dry  grass-stalks,  lined  with  finer  grass  and  hair, 
in  a  low  bush  at  the  foot  of  a  rock,  or  among  the  roots 
of  herbage  on  a  ledge,  and  towards  the  beginning  of 
November  lays  four  or  five  eggs. 

"  These  are  smaller  than  those  of  the  Cape  Bunting 
(Frin/jillaria  capenfis),  and  differ  completely  in  colour. 
They  are  white,  thickly  marked  all  over  with  scrawls 
and  hair-like  zig-zag  lines  of  very  dark  purplish-brown 
or  blac'c.     They  measure  0.75  by  0.58." 

Captain  Horsbrugh  presented  an  exajnple  of  this 
pretty  Bunting  to  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  in 
August,  1906;  by  some  lapsus  calami  it  is  entered  in 
the  Report  of  the  Society  and  in  the  Journal  of  the 
S.A.O.U.  as  "  Gold-crested  Bunting." 

RED-HE.4DED  BuNTiNG  (Embcriza  lutcola). 

Scapulars  and  upper  back  olive-yellow  voth  black 
streaks;  lower  back  and  rump  yellow,  the  latter  tinged 
with  chestnut;  upper  kiilcovcrts  dark  brown  washed 
with  yellow ;  wing  and  tail  feathers  dark  brown  edged 
with  whity-brown ;  head,  neck,  and  breast  rich 
chestnut ;  remainder  of  body  below  rich  yellow  ;  beak 
bluLsh-grey,  dusky  at  tip  of  upper  mandible ;  feet 
fleshy-brown;  irides  brown.  Female  above  pale  ashy- 
brown  streaJiod  with  blackish ;  lower  back  and  ninip 
without  streaks,  the  rump  with  a  yellow  tinge  ;  lores  and 
feathers  round  eye  whitish ;  ear-coverts  pale  brown ; 
cheeks  and  under  surface  .sandy  grey,  the  abdomen  and 
sides  of  breast  faintly  washed  and  the  under  tail- 
coverts  strongly,  with  yellow.  Habitot,  Sibt'ria  and 
Central  Asia,  southward  to  Persia,  Afghanistan,  and 
India. 

Jerdon  {"  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.  p.  379)  observes : 
"This  Bunting  prefers  cultivated  land,  with  bush  jungle 


near,  to  which  it  can  retreat  during  the  middle  of  the 
day,  and  it  is  ahso  frequently  seen  about  hedges. 

'■  It  appears  to  breed  in  Afghanistan,  for  Button  says 
it  arrives  at  Candahar  the  beginning  of  April,  and 
departs  in  autumn.  Adams  states  that  it  lias  a  sweet 
and  melodious  song." 

The  following  I  quote  from  Hume's  "  Nests  and  Eggs 
of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd  edition.  Vol.  II.,  p.  170:  — 
"  Major  Wardlaw  Ramsay  says :  '  I  cannot  find  any 
account  of  the  nidification'of  this  Bunting,  which  breeds 
so  plentifully  in  the  Uaruib  valley.  The  first  nest  found 
was  on  June  19th,  and  I  was  somewhat  surprised  that 
neither  ne.st  nor  eggs  were  at  all  like  those  of  other 
Buntings.  The  nest  in  question  was  built  in  a  small 
bush  about  2i  feet  from  the  ground  ;  it  was  cup-shaped, 
and  composed  of  dried  grass,  stalks  of  plants,  shreds  of 
juniper  bark,  and  lined  with  a  few  goat's  hairs.  It 
contained  four  eggs,  of  a  pale  bluish-white  colour, 
finely  spotted  with  purplish  stone-colour,  the  spots 
beconiing  larger  at  the  thicker  end.  The  eggs  not 
having  arrived  from  India,  I  cannot  give  their  exact 
dimensions.' 

"  And  Dr.  Scully,  years  ago,  recorded  the  following 
note  on  the  breeding  of  E.  lutcola  in  Turkestan  :—' At 
least  half  a  dozen  nests  of  this  species  were  seen  in  May 
and  June.  The  nest  is  usually  placed  either  in  small 
bushes  about  a  couple  of  feet  above  the  ground,  or 
touching  the  ground  at  the  edges  of  cornfields  and 
sheltered  over  by  a  small  shrub.  The  nest  is  round, 
from  4.5  to  5.5  inches  in  diameter,  the  side-wall  about 
1  inch  thick,  the  bottom  1.5.  Externally  it  is  made  of 
coar.se  fibres,  leaves,  and  twigs  loosely  put  together ; 
but  the  egg-cavity  is  lined  with  fine  fibres  wound  round 
and  round,  the  eggs  commonly  lying  on  a  bottom-lining 
of  horsehair.' " 

This  .species  lias  frequently  been  imported  and  a  good 
many  e.xamples  have,  from  time  to  time,  been  exhibited 
at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens.* 

Yellow-breasted  Bunting  (Embcriza  aureola). 
Above  deep  maroon ;  the  mantle  and  back  with 
feathers  blackish  in  centre  and  with  paler  sandy 
margins  in  winter;  lesser  coverts  similar;  median 
coverts  white ;  greater  coverts  maroon  with  black 
bases  and  white  tips ;  remainder  of  wing  dark  brown, 
the  secondaries  maroon,  the  flights  with  whitish 
margins;  upper  tail-coverts  brown,  tinte<l  with  maroon 
and  edged  with  ashy ;  tail  similar,  but  <\'ithout  the 
maroon  tint,  the  two  outer  feathers  with  a  broad 
oblique  white  patch  occupying  most  of  the  feather,  the 
next  pair  with  a  narrow  patch  on  the  inner- web  close  to 
the  shaft;  crown-of  head  uniform  maroon  with  a  black 
frontal  band  ;  tho  eyebrow,  sides  of  face,  oar-coverts 
and  upper  throat  are  also  black  (in  winter  the  throat 
becomes  yellow) ;  lower  tliroat  yellow  succeeded  by  a 
dark  maroon  collar;  the  remainder  of  body  l)elow 
yellow,  becoming  white  on  the  vent  and  under  tail- 
coverts;  the  sides  of  upp.-r  breast  streaked  with 
chestnut,  of  the  lower  breast  and  abdomen  with  brown  ; 
under  wing-coverts  white ;  axillaries  pale  yellow ; 
flights  du.sky  whitish  along  inner  web  ;  upper  mandible 
dark  horn-brown  ;  lower  mandible  and  feet  pale  fleshy 
horn-colour ;  irides  wood-brown.  Female  above  brown 
streaked  with  black  ;  eyebrow  and  under  parts  fulvous 
yellow,  paler  on  posterior  part  of  body  to  dull  white, 
sides  of  body  pale  brownish,  .streaked  witii  blackish  ; 
axUlaries  pale  brownish.  Habitat,  North  and  South 
Europe  and  Siberia,  Yezzo  and  North  China ;  wintering 

•A  dead  example  sent  to  me  for  identification  in  1905  wa?. 
supposed  to  have  been  caught  near  Dover  in  1900. 


BUNTINGS. 


115 


in   Burma   and  southward  in   the  Malay  peninsula  to 

Yohore." 

All  tliat  Jerdon  tells  us  of  the  wild  life  of  this 
Bunting  is  that  "  Surinhoe  found  it  in  Chiiui  in  flocks,  in 
autumn,  fetding  on  the  ripening  corn." 

Mr.  K.  W.  tjtya.n,  writing  on  the  birds  of  the  Lower 
Yangtse  Ba.sin  (The.  Ibis,  lU'Jl,  p.  355)  says:  "Appears 
in  vast  numbers  in  the  middle  ol  April  and  leaves  again 
in  May.  They  frequent  tlio  grassy  plains  and  reed-beds 
on  the  marshy  banks  of  the  river.  A  oliimp  of  ree<ls 
with  a  liundred  or  so  of  these  birds  perched  on  them, 
tlieir  brilli;uit  yellow  breasts  e.xposetl  to  the  sunshine, 
presents  a  very  curious  appearance.  I  do  not  think  any 
remain  to  breed ;  but  early  in  Septend)er  flocks  of 
young  biixis  appear  and  frequent  the  paddy-fields  till 
the  end  of  October.  Adults  are  nnieh  scarcer  in  the 
summer.  This  bird  is  the  '  Rice-biixl '  of  Canton  resi- 
dents, and,  when  caught  in  good  condition  is  deservedly 
considered  a  luxury." 

Mr.  J.  1).  dc  la  Touche  (The  Ibis,  1892,  p.  428) 
remarks  that  this  Bunting  is  "  very  abundant  at  Foochow 
in  the  jxiddy  fields  dui'ing  October.  I  believe  that  I 
saw  one  near  Swatow  in   November." 

Mr.  W.  Kagle  Clarke  (The  Ibis,  1895,  p.  184)  siieaks 
of  meeting  with  &'.  aureola  in  the  Rhone  Valley,  and  in 
the  following  year  Mr.  Bidwcll  notes  that  the  egg  of 
the  Cuckoo  has  been  foimd  in  the  nest  of  this  species  (of 
which  I  presume  the  nidification  has  been  described  in 
Dresser's  "  liird.s  of  Europe  "). 

^_  Mr.  H.  L.  I'opham  (The  Ibis,  1898,  p.  503)  says: 
"  Yellow-breasted  Buntings  were  very  numerous  around 
Yeniseisk,  They  arrived  nearly  a  fortnight  later  than 
the  Y'ellow  Buntings,  and  did  not  appear  to  be  yet  nest- 
ing when  I  left  Yeniseisk  on  June  9th.  The  ma'les  were 
very  tame,  and  sat  singing  their  monotonous  song  every- 
where ;  but  it  was  not  until  some  days  later  that  I  was 
able  to  procure  a  female." 

In  1899  Michael  Harms  made  a  collection  of  birds  on 
the  river  Dwina.  near  the  confluence  of  the  Sija  in 
63°  37'  N.  lat.  He  says  of  E.  aureola  :  "  It  inhabits' the 
meadows  on  the  banks  of  the  Dwina,  and  lias  a  short 
melodious  song;  its  nests  and  eggs  were  taken."  (Cf 
The  Ibis.  1900,  p.  682.)  ^     ' 

Capt.  H.  A.  Walton  (The  Ibis,  1903)  speaks  of  this 
bird  as  "  couimon  in  the  reed-beds  up  to  the  beginning 
of  November.  After  that,  it  was  absent  from  Peking 
until  the  middle  of  May,  from  which  time  it  became 
plentiful,  but  only  stayed  for  about  a  month." 

In  The  Ibis  for  1904,  Dr.   Hartert  has  published  an 

illustration  of  the  nest,  and  he  tells  us  (pp.. 442-443) : 

"Male  and  female  take  part  in  incubation.  The  male 
flew  off  one  nest,  fluttered  about,  and  trailed  his  breast 
upon  the  ground  within  three  or  four  vards  of  us,  as  if 
he  had  a  broken  wing.  Tlie  nests  are  placed  in  heads 
of  stumps  as  well  as  in  low  thick  bushes  very  near  to 
or  upon  the  ground.  The  female  is  exceedingly  shy, 
and  will  stop  in  an  isolated  bush  almost  until  "she  "is 
driven  out.  Eggs  were  fresh  on  June  18.  A  nest  on 
the  ground  in  the  grass  at  Yakutsk  on  June  20  was 
photographed  at  3.30  a.m.  We  got  a  third  set  of  eggs 
"n  June  25.  A  further  nest  containing  five  hard-set 
eggs  was  found  28.  vi.  1903,  near  Yakutsk."  Neither 
nest  or  eggs  are  de scribed. t 
In  1904,  Mr.  Dresser  visited  Finland  and  Russia,  and 


In  1890  Professor  F.  E.  Blaauw  recorded  the  capture  of  a 
specimen  at  Hardenvijk,  prov.  Gelderland,  wliich  was  the  first 
sppcimen  obtained  in  Holland  (cf.  The  Ibis,  1891,  p.  151);  it  was 
deposited  in  the  Gardens  at  Amsterdam.  An  example  was 
obtained  in  Norfolk  in  1905. 

(  Dr.  Ens3  quotes  Taczanowski  &a  ^ivin?  a  similarly  incom- 
plete account  of  the  nidification  of  this  bird,  but  he  tells  us 
that  in  June  the  female  lays  four  to  five,  rarely  sii  eggs 


purchased  eggs  of  this  species  which  doubtless  he 
desired  for  illustration  in  his  work  on  the  eggs  of 
European  birds.  Of  course,  a  bird  so  well  known  as 
this,  and  one  which,  as  Mr.  Finn  tells  us,  is  to  be 
obtained  in  the  Calcutta  bird  market,  has  more  than 
once  appecied  at  our  London  Zoological  Cii.iJens.  Dr. 
Huss  says  that  it  is  the  most  abundantly  iuiixirted  of  all 
the  Buntings  ;  he  tells  us  also  that  the  smaller  dealers 
often  obtain  it  from  Russia.  In  1877  the  dealer  Gleitz- 
mami  brought  twenty-one  (in  a  large  consignment  of 
birds  from  Moscow)  to  Berlin  in  order  to  forward  them 
to  London.  The- price,  ho  says,  varies  from  nine  to 
twelve  marks  (shillings)  for  a  pair. 

Red-backed  or  Ruddy  Bunting  (Emberiza  ratila). 

Above  deep  chestnut,  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts 
slightly  paler ;  wing-coverts  with  indications  of  olive- 
grey  on  the  fringes  at  tips  ;  wing  and  tail  feathers  dark 
brown  with  jiale  edges,  the  inner  secondaries  chestnut 
externally  ;  two  outer  tiiil-feathers  with  a  small  whitish 
mark  at  end  of  outer  web;  sides  of  head,  throat  and 
fore-neck  chestnut;  rest  of  body  below  sulphur  yellow, 
olive-greenish,  streaked  with  blackish  at  sides ;  under 
wing-coverts  and  axillaries  yellowish  white,  dusky  at 
base  ;  flights  below  dusky  with  ashv  inner  margins  ; 
beak  brown ;  feet  grey  ;  irides  red-brown.  Female 
above  brown  streaked  with  black,  less  distinctly  on 
nape;  upper  tail-coverts  paler,  with  ashy  margins; 
wing-coverts  blackish-brown,  edged  with  greyish-olive 
and  yellowish- white  towards  tips,  wings  and  tail  dark 
brown  with  pale  borders,  margins  of  secondaries  red- 
dish ;  lores,  feathers  encircling  eye  and  an  ill-defined 
eyebrow  huffish ;  ear-coverts  pale  ashv-brown ;  a  streak 
of  black  along  the  upper  margin  ;  cheeks  and  throat 
pale  ochreous,  separated  by  a  black  line  ;  under  surface 
pale  sulphur  yellow  ;  a  few  dusky  streaks  on  the  breast ; 
sides  ashy-olivt  broadly  streaked  with  black-brown. 
Habitat,  Eastern  Siberia  and  N.  China,  possibly  Japan  ; 
wintering  in  South  China.  Cocliin-China,  Indo-Burma 
and  S.  Eastern  Himalavas. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Styan  (The  Ibis,  1891,  p.  355)  says  that 
this  bii'd  is  rather  scarce  in  tho  Lower  Yangtse  Basin, 
"  but  a  few  pass  through  in  April  and  May."  In  the 
southern  Shan  States.  Lieut. -Col.  G.  Ripix>n  found  it 
rather  common  (The  Ibis.  1901,  p.  546).  Capt.  H.  A. 
Walton  says  (The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  28)  that  it  arrived  at 
Pekin  "  about  the  middle  of  May.  It  has  a  single  loud 
call-note."  Lieut. -Col.  Bingham  obtained  it  in  the 
southern  Shan  States  at  from  1,000  to  6,000  ft.  eleva- 
tion (The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  600).  Mr.  J.  D.  D.  La  Touche 
(The  Ibis,  1906,  p.  636),  writing  on  the  birds  of  Chin- 
kiang.  observes  that  it  passes  in  May  and  October. 
"On  Ma.v  5,  1901,  I  saw  great  numbers  on  the  hills." 
Russ  says  that  the  habits  and  nidification  are  similar 
to  those  of  E.  pilyornis.  It  reached  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens  in  1873' and  1891. 

Masked  Bunting  (Emberiza  personata). 

Above  generally  rusty  red-brown  with  black  streaks  ; 
the  feathers  of~the  mantle  with  paler  somewhat  ashv 
markings  :  lower  back  and  rump  olive  brown  with  indi- 
cations of  dusk.v  centres  to  the  feathers ;  meiiian  and 
greater  coverts  dusky,  slightlv  reddish,  edged  with  pale 
olive-brown  and  tipped  with  white  ;  remainder  of  wing 
dusky  brown,  the  feathers  with  pale  edges  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  centre  tail-feathers  pale  brown  edged  with 
buff,  remainder  blackish,  similarly  edged ;  the  outer- 
most feather  with  a  large  white  patch  and  with  base  of 
outer  web  white  ;  penultimate  feather  with  a  smaller 
white  patrh  ;  head,  nape  and  sides  of  neck  dull  grey- 
green  ;  middle  of  head  with  fine  blackish  shaft-streaks  ; 
ill  defined     eyebrow     and     broad     moustachial     stripes 


116 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


yellow  ;  face  black,  as  also  a  row  of  spots  separating 
tbe  moustachial  streak  from  the  throat,  and  a  s|X)t  on 
the  chin  ;  throat  sulphur  yellow  linelv  streaked  with 
dusky  ;  remainder  of  body  below  clear  vellow,  yellowish- 
brown  with  dusky  shaft  streaks  at  the  sides;  beaJc 
brownish-grey,  lower  mandible  reddish  at  base ;  feet 
reddish-brown ;  irides  brown.  Female  browner  and 
less  str«aked,  with  less  white  on  the  tail ;  head  and 
neck  less  green,  the  sides  of  crown  somewhat  reddish  ; 
lores  and  a  well-detined  eyebrow-striiJe  dull  yellow  ; 
ear-coverts  brown  with  yellow  shaft-lines ;  under  parts 
yellow,  throat  and  chest  with  an  olive  wash  and 
triangular  dusky  spots  ;  breas-t  and  abdomen  brighter  ; 
browner  and  streaked  with  black  on  flanks.  Habitat, 
Japan  and  China. 

Seebohni  (The.  IhU,  1895,  p.  50)  describes  a  maJe 
killed  in  the  Ix)o-01i<k)  Islands  on  April  4  as  having  the 
irides  light  yellow  ;  legs  flesh  colour ;  upper  mandible 
brownish- black,  with  a  light  grev  base  ;  lower  brownish, 
with  a  brownish-yellow  ba.se.  This  would  seem  to  prove 
Russ'  description  of  the  soft  (jarts  (from  which  I  quoted 
above)  incorrect,  but  there  is  a  good  deal  of  seasonal 
change  in  the  colouring  in  Buntings  as  with  many  other 
birds. 

According  to  Youy  (Proc.  United  States  Nat.  Mus., 
1883,  p.  298)  this  Bunting  breeds  abundantly  on  Fuji- 
yama. The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground  or  in  a  tussock 
of  grass,  and  is  made  of  dried  grass,  lined  with  fine 
roots  and  horsehair.  Scelx)hm  ("  Birds  of  the  Japanese 
Empire,"  p.  136)  describes  the  eggs  as  resembling  richly 
marked  samples  of  those  of  the  Ortolan  Bunting. 

Russ  says  that  in  1875  he  received  a  male  of  this 
species  with  other  Japanese  birds  from  Jamrach,  which 
after  its  death  he  presented  to  the  Zoological  Museum  of 
Berlin  ;  he  does  not  know  whether  other  examples  have 
been  imported.  Being  a  common  Japanese  bird,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  of  it,  I  should  think. 

Bonaparte's  Bunting  (Emheriza  ciopsis). 

Above  bright  chestnut;  mantle  and  upper  back 
streaked  with  black,  remainder  of  body  above  uniform 
chestnut ;  but  the  forehead  and  nape  somewhat  asliy  ; 
lesser  wing-coverts  slate  grey ;  median  and  greater 
coverts  chestnut,  black  at  base  and  fulvous  at  tips ; 
flights  dusky  brown  with  pale  edges,  the  secondaries, 
however,  with  the  edges  bright  chestnut ;  central  tail- 
feathers  similar ;  remaining  feathers  blackish  with 
brown  outer  fringes ;  ]x>nultimate  feather  white-edged 
and  with  a  large  white  patch  near  end  of  inner  web; 
outermost  feather  mostly  white  :  a  broad  white  eyebrow- 
stripe  from  base  of  beak  to  nape,  a  second  broad  white 
stripe  below  the  eye  ;  sides  of  head  otherwise  black  ; 
sides  of  neck  blue-grey,  whitish  behind  the  ear-coverts; 
throat  whiU> ;  rtmainder  of  iKxly  below  more  or  less 
cinnamon;  a  black  collar  at  baik  of  throat:  breast, 
flanks  and  under  tail-coverts  paler  than  throat,  and 
abdomen  huffish  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
white;  flights  below  dusky,  asliy  along  inner  web; 
beak  blni.'vh  iiorn-cxdour ;  feet  brownish  flesh-colour ; 
irides  dark  hazel.  Female  jwler  and  browner  above 
with  broader  streaks  on  mantle  and  back  ;  crown  aehy 
in  centre  ;  ear-coverts  chestnut  instead  of  black  ;  cheek- 
stripe  duller  bla<-k ;  under  parts  paler,  the  throat 
whitish.     Habitat.  J.ipan. 

According  to  SeeWhm  this  is  the  commonest  of  the 
Japar^ese  Buntings.  Jouy  (Proc.  ITnited  States  Nat. 
Mus.,  1883,  p.  298)  states  that  it  breeds  in  great 
abundajioe  on  Fujiyama,  makiivg  a  nest  on  or  near 
the  ground  of  dried  grass  and  leave*,  lined  with  fine 
rooU»»ts.  Seebohm  ("  Birds  of  the  Japanese  Empire," 
p.  132)  says: — "Eggs  in  the  Pryer  collection  closely 
resemble  those  of  Emhtriza  cia  and  those  of  Emberiza 


cioides,  being  scrawled  all  over  the  larger  end  with  fine 
hair-like  streaks." 

This  bird  was  purcha.sed  for  the  Ijondon  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1891,  and  doubtless  must  have  been  ira- 
)K>rted  occasionally  in  consignments  of  Japanese  birds ; 
but  Ruse  does  little  more  than  indicate  the  species  in 
his  big  work. 

White-cbowned    or    Pine    Bu.nting    (Emberiza 
leurocephala). 

"  Top  of  the  head  white  in  the  male,  greyish  in  the 
female  ;  upjier  parts  i-ufescent  brown,  with  central  dark 
brown  ."rtreaks,  nearly  wanting  on  the  back  of  the  neck  ; 
rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  cinnamon  rufous,  edged  with 
l)ale  brownish;  wings  and  tail  dusky  bi^own,  edged  yel- 
lowish, and  the  two  outer  tail-feathers  with  a  patch  of 
white  on  the  inner  web,  largest  on  the  outer  feathers  ; 
btmeath  the  chin,  tliroat,  and  a  moustachial  line  are  dark 
rufous,  with  pale  edgings,  and  there  is  a  triangular 
patch  of  white  on  the  middle  of  the  throat ;  ear-coverts 
pale  brown  ;  breast  and  sides  of  abdomen  riifou  i,  with 
pale  edgings,  and  the  middle  of  abdomen,  of  vent,  and 
the  lower  tail-coverts  white,  with  a  few  streaks.  Length 
6in.  to  6iin." — Jerdon.  Habitat,  Siberia,  extending 
eastward  to  the  N.W.  Himalayas  in  winter ;  occurs  at 
Peking,  and  is  accidental  in  Europe  and  Japan.* 
Severtzow  says  {The  Ibis,  1883,  p.  60)  :  "  A  specimen  of 
the  Pine-Bunting  was  obtained  out  of  a  small  flock  in  the 
Kysil-art  gorge,  which  had  lost  its  way,  in  October." 
""Pine-Bunting"  is  the  name  by  which  this  species  is 
known  on  the  Continent,  and  Seebohm  also  uses  it 
(The  Ibis,  1889,  p.  295). 

This  Buinting  has  hybridised  with  E.  citrinella 
(cf.  Mem.  Aoad.  Imp.  Scl.,  St.  Petersb.,  ser.  7,  XXXV., 
p.  5).  One  would  think  the  hybrids  must  closely  re- 
semble E.  citrinella  mohasoni  [cf.  The  Ibis,  1901, 
PI.  X.):  Mr.  H.  L.  Popham,  in  the  article  on  "The 
Birds  of  the  Yenisei  River,  which  accomjianics  this 
plate,  observes  of  E.  leurorephala: — "On  this  visit  I 
was  successful  in  procuring  specimens  of  the  Pine-Bunt- 
ing at  Yeniseisk,  and  in  finding  one  nest,  which  was 
■well  concealed  under  dead  grass  in  the  midst  of  a  thick 
clump  of  small  bushes  ;  it  was  composed  of  dry  grass, 
lined  with  hor.se-hair.  and  contained  four  eggs  on  the 
point  of  hatching.  The  song  is  similar  to  that  of  E. 
citrinella." 

Capt.  H.  A.  Walton  saye  {The  Ibis,  1903,  p.  28)  in 
a  pa|)er  on  "  'Hie  Birds  of  Peking  : — "  I  saw  a  few  small 
flocks  of  the  Pine-Bunting,  and  shot  some  specimens, 
during  very  severe  weather,  at  the  end  of  February." 

The  habits  of  this  Bunting  are  said  closely  to  re- 
.^mble  tho.so  of  the  Yellowhammer  ;  the  nest  is  fovmd 
at  the  edge  of  a-wood  or  thicket,  always  in  an  open 
spot,  on  the  earth,  in  a  little  depression  under  a  shrub, 
the  trunk  of  a  tree,  on  fallen  branches,  or  under  a 
piece  of  bark  ;  externally  it  is  usually  formed  of  coarse 
dead  weeds,  and  internally  is  neatly  lined  witli  fine 
prass  and  horsehair.  Four  to  six  eggs  are  laid  towards 
the  end  of  May,  which  clo.^ely  resemble  those  of  the 
Yellowhammer.  but  are  sometimes  more  variegated. 
While  the  female  incubates,  the  male  sits  near  by  on  a 
dry  bramh.  and  sings  in  a  similar  manner,  but  perhaps 
a  trifle  mure  har,shly  than  the  above-mentioned  species. 
The  female  goes  to  nest  a  second  time  about  the  middle 
of  June.  The  autumn  migration  in  East  Siberia  takes 
pl.ace  in  Septemtier  and  October.  The  above  facts  were 
recorded  many  years  ago  by  Dybowski,  but  at  greater 
length. 

According  to  Russ,  this  is  a  familiar   cage  bird   to 

*  rf.  Stejncger  on  Japimese  Birds  (Proc.  U.S.  Nftt.  Mus.  XIT., 
p.  489). 


BUNTINGS. 


117 


many  Continental  dealers  trading  in  Siberian  and  Rus- 
sian birds.  He  gives  a  detailed  account  of  a  .s[)ecimen 
owned  by  Count  viin  Tschu.si,  of  \'ioiina,  hIio  states 
that  its  song  had  nothing  Bunting-like  about  it,  but 
much  inoro  nearly  resembled  that  of  a  (ioldfincli  or 
Robin  !  As  the  songs  of  the  two  last-mentioned  birds 
are  about  as  much  alike  as  those  of  the  Chalfincli  and 
Blackbird,  I  should  prefer  to  credit  the  statements  of 
travellers  who  have  met  with  the  species  in  it«  wild 
state. 

The  species  of  FringiUarin  may  be  treated  in  cap- 
tivity in  the  same  manner  as  the  more  typical  Buntings 
of  the  genui  Emberiza. 

Rock  Bunting   [Fringillaria  lahapisi). 

Above  red-brown  or  cinnamon  reddish,  with  black 
centres  to  the  feathers,  more  pronounced  on  mantle  and 


•with  ashy-grey  tips.  Habitat,  Cape  Colony,  north- 
ward to  Nyasaland  and  the  Victoria  Nyanza  into  Eiiiia- 
torial  Africa,  and  on  the  West  Coast  to  BengUela  and 
Gaboon. 

Messrs.  Stark  and  Sclater  ("Birds  of  South  .Africa," 
Vol.  1.,  p.  190)  record  Mr.  Stark's  observations  on  the 
habits  as  follows: — "I  liave  generally  met  with  this 
Bunting  on  broken  hillsides  strewn  with  rooks  and 
partly  overgrown  with  low  bushes.  Like  F.  capenKis, 
it  is  of  tame  and  familiar  habits,  and  is  fond  of  utter- 
ing its  broken  song  from  the  summit  of  a,  stone  or  low 
bueh,  while  at  interval  it  opens  and  shut.s  its  wings. 
Itfi  notes  resemble  these  of  the  Cape  Bunting  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  but  are  at  the  same  time  easily  distin- 
guished by  the  ear,  although  the  difference  is  not  readily 
pointed  out  in  words.  It  feeds  on  small  .se<ids  and  various 
insects.  "  A  nest  taken  in  Upper  Natal  in  November 
was  built  a  few  inches  off  the  ground,  in  a  small  bush 


^-:-i.A'^^ 


Rock  Bu.ntinc. 


back,  where  they  have  ashy  brown  edges;  middle  and 
greater  coverts  black,  with  reddish-buff  edges  ;  flights 
dull  brown,  with  reddish  edges;  tail  blackish,  the 
feathers  with  huffish  edges ;  head  all  round  black ;  a 
central  white  streak  down  the  crown,  an  eyebrow  stripe, 
a  stripe  below  the  eye  through  the  lower  half  of  the 
ear-coverts,  and  a  broad  increasing  streak  on  each  side 
of  the  throat,  white;  the  head  and  throat  are  thus 
adorned  with  alternate  black  and  white  stripe-s,  the 
black  throat-patch  being  the  most  prominent ;  remain- 
der of  under  parts  pale  reddish-brown,  deeper  on  axil- 
laries  and  under  wing-coverts :  flights  below  dusk}-, 
with  rufescent  inner  margins;  beak  brown,  lower  man- 
dible paler;  feet  and  irides  brown.  Female  with  the 
erown  red-brown,  like  the  back,  the  white  stripes  on 
sides  of  face  less  distinct ;   the  feathers  of  the  throat 


sheltered  on  one  side  by  a  rock.  XTie  three  eggs  re- 
semble those  of  F.  ca/ieiisis  in  colour"  (greenish  white, 
thickly  spotted  and  blotched  with  reddish-brown  and 
yellow,  frequently  in  a  cap  over  the  larger  end)  "but 
are  a  trifle  smaller  than  the  average  of  the  latter." 

Russ  (who  calls  this  Emheriza  tahapini)  observes  that 
he  need  only  have  mentioned  this  species  c^isually  if  an 
example  had  not  come  into  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Wiener,  of  London,  and  he  obcserves  that  it  has  never 
subsequently  appeared  in  the  market,  and  has  reached 
none  of  the  Zoological  Gardens.  In  1907,  however,  Mr. 
S.  M.  Townsend  exhibited  a  specimen  at  the  Crystal 
Palace,  and  an  illustration  of  which  is  published  here- 
with. It  is  probable  that  other  examoles  have  been 
imported,  since  the  species  is  by  no  means  confined,  as 
Russ  imagined,  to  the  interior  of  Africa. 


118 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


Stbiolated   Rock-Bunting   (Fringillaria  striolata). 

Roughly  speaking  this  bird  may  be  described  as 
g^'Bcrally  blackifh  with  broad  sandy  or  ehestimt  borders 
to  the  feathers,  the  li>wer  back  ajid  rump  showing  veiy 
little  and  the  lesser  w"ing-covert.s  no  blackish  centres ; 
the  prevalent  colour  therefore  is  of  a.  sandy  or  cinnamon 
hue;  thj  cro^^'n  is  veiy  distinctly  streaked;  tlie  sides 
of  tlie  head  arc  vei-y  similar  in  colouring  to  those  of 
F.  tahapiai,  but  the  white  stripes  are  a  little  more 
ashy;  tluxKit  ashy  white,  becoming  greyer  on  fore-ne:;k 
iiiid  chest  with  broad  black  Ixisas  to  the  featlurs; 
breast,  thighs,  and  midcr  tail-coverts  sandy  buff;  flights 
below  brown,  with  bread  cinnamon  inner  borders  ;  upjK'r 
mandible  brown,  lower  yellow;  feet  horn  yellow;  iridji 
hazel.  Habitat,  N.E.  Africa  eastward  over  Soutlieni 
Asia  from  Pak-stine  to  India. 

Von  Heuglin,  speaking  of  this  species  as  observed  by 
him  in  Nubia,  tells  us  tluit  he  found  it  frequenting  stony 
desert  country  interspersed  with  bushes  and  gra.ss. 
"  They  were  shy,  and  preferred  hiding  amongst  stones 
to  taking  wing;  they  had  the  moderate  Bunting-liko 
note,  not  loud  but  lively."  (Cf.  Shelley,  "  Biids  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  162.) 

Hume  ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd  ed.. 
Vol.  II.,  pp.  170-173)  givci  a  vciy  full  account  of  the 
nidification  of  the  species,  from  which  I  quote  the 
following: — "The  Striolated  Bunting  is  a  permanent 
resident  of,  and  breeds  in,  all  the  baie  stony  hills  of 
Rajpootana  and  Northern  and  Western  Punjab.  It  is 
found,  but  rarely,  in  the  hills  dividing  Sindh  and 
Kln?lat,  and  veiy  likely  bicods  there  also. 

"I  myself  have  only  taktn  the  eggs  near  Ajmere,  on 
the  sloi)es  of  the  Arav.alli ;  and  I  can  add  nothing  to 
my  accjunt  of  their  nidifitat.ion  ^vTitten  on  the  ."^pot, 
which  has  been  already  published  and  which  I  reproduce 
here :  -^ 

"  The  breeding-season  appears  to  be  November  and 
December.  The  natives  f-ay  that  they  also  lay  early  in 
July,  at  the  commencement  of  the  rains;  but  as  to 
that  I  can  say  nothing.  The  very  first  birds  that  1  shot 
on  the  2nd  November,  the  day  after  I  arrived  here, 
proved  on  dissection  to  be  breeding ;  and  out  of  the 
oviduct  of  a  female  shot  en  the  3rd  I  tcok  a  nearly 
perfect,  though  colomless,  egg.  For  several  days  wi> 
hunted  without  success,  finding  many  nests  that  I 
believed  to  belong  to  this  species,  and  seeing  everywhere 
females  about,  straws  in  mouth,  but  meeting  witli  no 
eggs.  At  last,  on  the  12th  November,  I  myself 
accidentally  stimiblod  upon  two  nests.  I  was  walking 
slowly  and  (if  it  umst  be  confessed)  footsore  and  some- 
what despondent  amongst  the  loose  blocks  and  rocky 
shingles  of  the  southern  flanks  of  the  Taragurh  Hill, 
when  a  female  suddenly  sprang  up  and  darted  off  from 
within  two  inches  of  my  foot.  I  looked  down,  and  there, 
on  the  slo|)inir  hillside,  half-overhung  by  .a,  modeiate- 
si?e<i  i>lock  of  grevish  quartz,  was  a  little  nest  from 
which  the  bird  had  risen,  and  which  I  had  been  within 
an  ace  of  stepping  on.  Clo^e  at  hand  were  two  or  three 
>-mall  tufts  of  vellow  withered  grass,  but  these  were 
several  inches  distant  from  the  nest.  This  latter  (which, 
laid  on  the  hillside,  was  some  3  or  4  inches  thick  on  the 
valley  side  and  b:irely  three-fourths  of  an  inch,  towards 
the  hill)  was  composed  at  the  base  and  everjTvliore  exter- 
nally of  small  thorny  acacia  twigs  and  very  coarse  roots 
of  grass.  This,  however,  was  a  mere  foundation  and 
casing,  on  and  in  which  the  true  nest  was  constructe<I 
of  fine  grasj-stems  somewhat  loosely  put  together,  the 
bottom  being  lined  with  soft  white  feathers.  The  egg- 
cavity  was  circular  and  cupshaped,  about  2.25  in  dia- 
niet'Cr  and  1.25  in  depth,  and  contained  two  tiny  yellow- 


gaped,  dusky  bluish,  fltiffy  chicks  apparently  just 
hatched,  and  one  (as  it  proved)  rott«n  egg. 

"Scarcely  twenty  yards  further,  en  a  slightly  sloping 
slab  of  stone,  partly  overhung  by  a  huge  block,  between 
two  tufts  of  diy  gniss  springing  from  the  line  of  junction 
of  tho  slab  and  block,  I  found  a  second  precisely  similar 
nest,  containing  two  fresh  e^s,  round  which  both 
parents  flitted  closely  all  the  time  I  was  occupied  in 
e.^amining  and  securing  the  eggs  and  nest,  exhibiting 
no  apparent  sign  of  fear. 

"  The  three  eggs  tliU-^  obtained  were  regular, 
moderately  broad  oviUs,  slightly  corV; pressed  towards  one 
end,  but  somewhat  obtuse  at  both,  llie  sliells  were  very 
delicate,  and  had  a  slight  gloss.  Tlie  ground-colour 
differed  somewhat  in  all  three  ;  in  one  it  was  pale  green- 
ish ;  in  another  pale  bhi-sh,  and  in  the  third  faintly 
brownish- whito.  All  were  i-potted, speckled,  and  minutely 
but  not  veiy  densely  freckled  with  brown  ;  a  sort  of  red- 
di'h  olive  browai  in  two,rathcrnioreof  amber  in  the  third. 
In  two  of  the  eggs  the  markings  were  far  more  numerous 
towards  the  large  end,  where  in  one  they  were  partially 
confluent;  on  the  third  they  were  pretty  evenly  dis- 
tributed over  the  whole  sm-face,  being,  however,  rather 
denser  in  a  broad  irregular  zone  roimd  the  middle  of  the 
egg. 

"  Judging  from  my  present  ejcperience,  I  should  say 
that  three  was  the  full  number  of  eggs  usually  laid." 

Three  specimens  of  this  Burrting  were  deposited  in  the 
I<andon  Zoolcgical  Society's  Gardens  in  July,  1884,  but 
Dr.  Russ  seems  not  to  have  been  aware  of  this  fact  and 
therefore  states  that  it  has  no  interest  for  aviculturists. 
On  the  contrary  a  counncn  and  pretty  Bunting  with  so 
wide  a  range  in  both  Africa  and  Asia  is  one  which  no 
avicuHurist  can  afjord  to  ignore;  having  been  imported 
at  least  orrce  it  is  likely  to  come  again. 

Sah.\r.a.  or  House-Bunting  [Fr'ingiUaria  Sahara). 

Above  back  and  rnrmp  dull  cinnunan,  slightly  striped 
on  the  back  with  dark  brortTi ;  lesser  wing-covf  rts  bright 
cinnamon;  rest  of  wing  and  tail-feathers  dark  blown 
1x>rdered  with  cinnarnDii ;  head,  nape,  throat,  and  upper 
breast  blue-grey  stripe<l  with  black,  nrost  distinctly  on 
the  2rcwn  ;  I'emunder  of  under  surface  pale  cinnamon  ; 
upper  mandible  brown,  lower  yellow;  feet  pale 
yellowi.«h-brown ;  irrdes  blackish-brownr.  Female  with 
the  head  and  nape  pale  s irrdy  brown  and  the  rest  of  the 
plumage  duller  thair  in  the  male.  Habitat,  Southo.rn 
Tunisia,  Algeria,  and  Morocco. 

J.  L.  S.  Wliitaker  ("Birds  of  Tunisia,"  Vol.  I.,  pp. 
230-231)  observes  :  — "  In  the  fine  Mosque  of  Sidi-Yacoub 
at  CJafsii,  to  which  I  have  always  obtained  access  with- 
out diffiendty.  I  found  F.  saharm  particularly  abund.Tnt, 
and  took  several  Tiests  of  the  species  there ;  I  also  shot 
one  or  two  specimens  of  the  bii'ds  with  an  air-gun  in  the 
mosque  courtyard,  a  proceeding  which  apparently  in  no 
way  offende<l  the  religious  feelings  of  my  Arab  guide, 
who  took  part  in  the  pixx^eedings  with  the  greatest 
keenness!.  I  coru'esa  to  havirrg  felt  a  certain  degree  of 
compunction  when  shoi->ling  thc>se  little  birds,  for  they 
are  so  extremely  confiding  and  unsuspicious,  a.nd  I 
abstained  from  securing  more  specimers  than  were 
necessary  for  my  oolkction.  I  was  glad  to  find  that  the 
Ara^bs  of  Gafsa  aird  elsewhere  do  not  trap  this  species,  as 
they  do  so  many  others,  ,and  they  pixjbably  look  upon 
the  bird  with  feelings  of  respect,  although  not  consider- 
ing it  absolutely  sacred.  In  some  parts  of  Tunisia  this 
species,  indeed,  g<x>s  by  the  name  of  the  Maral>out. 

"  In  the  towns  and  villages  where  it  occurs  the  House- 
Bunting  seems  to  be  absolutely  devoid  of  fear,  and  will 
enter  the  open  door\vay  of  a  house  with  the  utmost  self- 
assiu-ance  and  pick  up  any  crumbs  of   bread  or  other 


BUNTINGS. 


119 


-scraps  of  food  tliat  are  to  be  found  om  tlie  floor.  Tho 
birdvs  I  mot  with  in  the  open  oounti^,  howcvor,  were 
inurli  wilder;  in  fact  they  seenied  to  Iw  decidedly  shy 
and  suspicious.  This  specios  feed.s  on  insects  u.nd  seeds 
of  various  kinds,  but,  like  our  ciminion  lloufe-Spairow, 
it  subsists  to  a  gi-eat  oxt<"ni  ujion  anj-  .scr.ijw  which  it 
n.xiy  piik  up  in  and  iibout  houses.  The  fonp  of  the  male 
bin'l  is  low.  .sufl  ;ind  (Hittfring,  ;is  a  rule,  Imt  .it  limtw 
poured  forth  brightly  ajul  coii  amiifc,  aiul  although  not 
very  varied  it  is  distinjctly  jjleasing.  1  used  often  to 
stop  and  listen  to  one  of  these  little  songsters  as  it  sit 
j)erched  on  top  of  a  nrud  wall,  within  a  few  feet  of  me, 
singing  and  preening  its  feathers  alternately,  its  mate 
probably  l«"ing  on  her  ne..>it  close  by.  The  call  notes  of 
the  male  bird  may  he  faiily  rendered  by  the  syllables 
'zwcet,  zweel-a-twee,'  to  which  the  female  replies 
'  zeeiril.' 

"  The  nesting  season  of  this  species,  as  a  rale,  com- 
mences about  the  end  of  March  and  i.'?  continued 
throughout  the  months  of  April  and  May,  but  in  ieome 
vears,  after  a.  fine,  drj'  winter,  it  begins  e:irlier.  Uiiring 
tiio  fir-st  fortnight  of  .April  I  liave  found  numeroiLs  ne.sts 
at  Gaf.>^,  >omc  with  eggs  and  others  with  young  birds  in 
them,  .and  ...  I  have  met  witli  fully-grown  young 
birds  on  the  wing,  in  the  mountains  n6;u-  tlie  (Hied 
Seldja,  even  before  the  middle  of  April.  The  nest, 
which  is  generally  placed  in  a  hole  or  crevice  in  3,  wall, 
ib  small  and  verj'  shallow,  being  composed  of  fine  fibres 
and  dry  grasses,  lightly  lined  with  horse  and  goat  hair, 
and  occasionally  with  a  litt.le  wool.  In  tlio  (!afsa 
mwqne,  above  alluded  to,  I  found  several  nc-->ts  plnced 
in  sm.all  indentures  in  the  c;ipitols  of  the  calunms  of  tlie 
building.  The  eggs  are  usually  three  or  four  in  number, 
and  resemble  diminutive  examples  of  those  of  the  House- 
Sparrow,  being  of  a  pale  bluish-white  colour,  speckled 
witli  grey  and  brown,  the  spots  often  forming  a  zone  .at 
the  larger  eii<li.  Tile  eggs  vary  a  good  deal,  both  in 
size  and  shape,  but  their  average  measiu'eme-nts  may  be 
given  aLS  19  by  14  mm." 

Two  f-pecimeiis  of  this  Bunting  were  given  to  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1892  by  the  late  Ijord 
L-'ford.  Ivuss  says  that  it  has  no  importance  for  avicul- 
ture ;  I  wonder  why  ! 

Cape  Bunting  {Fringillaria  capensis). 

Above  brown,  broadly  streaked  with  black  excepting 
on  the  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts,  the  head  somewhat 
greyish  and  with  a  central  grey  streak  ;  the  upper  tail- 
coverts  with  grey  edges ;  lesser  and  median  coverts 
chestnut,  the  latter  with  blackish  centres ;  greater 
coverts  blackish  with  chestnut  outer  borders;  flights 
blackish,  the  primaries  edged  with  greyish-white,  the 
secondaries  with  chestnut;  tail  blackish,  the  feathers 
edged  with  ashy,  the  outermost  with  whitish  and  with 
an  ill-defined  pale  spot  near  the  tip  of  the  inner  web  ; 
a  long,  well-defined  white  eyebrow-streak,  followed  by 
a  black  streak  over  the  lores  and  enclosing  the  eye ; 
lielow  this  is  a  second  white  streak  from  tbe  gajte  over 
the  lower  part  of  the  ear-coverts,  then  a  second  black 
streak  over  the  cheeks  united  to  the  first  strijie  at  the 
back  of  the  ear-coverts  ;  lower  parts  white,  the  hinder 
throat,  breast,  and  sides,  ashy ;  flanks  with  dusky 
.■streaks ;  thighs  brown  ;  axillaries  and  under  wing- 
covej'ts  yellowish  ;  flights  below  dusky  :  u;iper  mandible 
dull  fleshy  brown,  lower  paler  ;  feet  fleshy  brown  ;  irides 
dark  brown.  Female  described  as  larger,  but  with 
shorter  wings  and  tail  ;  it  is  similar  to  the  male  in 
plumage,  but  with  the  white  streaks  on  the  fact-  less 
defined.  Habitat,  Cape  Colony,  ranging  into  the  Trans- 
raal  and  Damaraland  :   perhaps  Angola. 

Dr.  Stark  (.Stark  and  Sclater,  "  Birds  of  South 
Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  188189)  says:— "The  Cape  Bunt- 


ing is  almost  invariably  met  wilh  in  pairs  on  broken, 
rocky  ground,  and  in  Western  Ca))e  Colony  is  a  common 
species  from  the  sea-level  to  about  5,000  ft.  in  the 
mountains.  Even  on  the  barren  .sandy  coa.st  of  Little 
Namaqualand  it  is  to  be  found  wherever  there  is  the 
slightest  outcrop  of  rock.  The  '  Streepkopje '  is  an 
extremely  tame  little  bird,  and  allows  a  very  close 
appro<ach  as  it  sits,  piping  its  simple  song  of  '  Zizi  zizi- 
zi,'  and  opening  and  shutting  its  wings,  on  the  top  of  a 
rock.  It  feeds  on  insects,  small  beetles,  grasshoppcis  and 
spiders,  as  well  as  on  the  seeds  of  various  gra.sses  and 
weeds.  The  nest,  rather  deeply  cup-shaped,  is  flimsily 
cons-tructed  of  dry  grass  and  rootlets,  scantily  lined 
with  hair,  and  is  usually  placed  in  a  low  bush  close  to 
the  ground  or  by  the  side  of  a  rock.  Tlie  three  or  four 
eggs,  laid  in  September  or  October  in  the  colony,  are 
pale  greenish-wbite,  thickly  spotted  and  blotched  with 
reddish  brown  and  yellow,  frequently  in  a  cap  over 
the  larger  end.  Tiiey  average  0.80  by  0.6iJ.  This 
Bunting  was  exhibited  at  tho  London  Zoidogical  Gardens 
as  early  as  1869,  but  Huss  says  it  is  extremely  rarely 
seen  in  German  bird-shops  or  zoological  gardens,  and  has 
never  been  present  in  the  bird-rooms  of  that  country. 
Of  course,  it  would  naturally  be  more  likely  to  come  to 
England  than  to  be  sent  to  the  Continent. 

The  genus  Melophns,  which  comes  next  in  the  British 
Museum  catalogue,  has  somewhat  the  aspect  of  a  Bulbul 
or  a  CJrey  Cardinal  in  general  outline;  its  food  is  said 
to  confr-ist  apparently  of  small  seeds,  but  there  can  Be 
no  doubt  that  it  also  feeds  largelv  ujion  insects  and 
spiders,  like  the  rest  of  the  Buntings.  In  captivity  I 
sliould  feed  it  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Grey  Car- 
dinals experimentally,  and  if  I  found  that  it  refused  the 
larger  seeds,  I  would  give  canary,  millet,  and  insects, 
with  a  little  soft  food. 

Cresied  Bl.^ck  Bunting  {Mdophiis  melaiiicteriis). 

Glossy  blue-black  ;  tail-coverts  black  and  cinnamon  at 
the  base;  wings  and  tail  dark  cinnamon  with  dusky 
tips ;  beak  dusky,  blackish  above  and  fleshy  at  base  ot 
lower  mandible  ;  feet  flesh-brown  with  darker  toes  ;  the 
claws  bluish  with  pale  tips;  irides  dark  brown.  Female 
smaller  than  male,  du.sky  brown  above ;  the  feathers 
with  darker  centres  and  pale  olive-brownish  edges ; 
flight  and  tail  featbers  of  a  duller  and  paler  cinnamon 
than  in  the  male,  dusky  internally  and  on  the  central 
tail-feathers  ;  crest  less  developed  ;  lores  and  feathers 
round  eye  whitish  ;  ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck  dull 
brown  ;  cheeks  and  under-surface  of  body  dull  ashy  ; 
chin  yellowish  wbite  ;  throat,  breast,  and  sides  of  bod/ 
dull  brown  with  black  streaks  ;  under  tail-coverts  some, 
wdiat  reddish  with  black  centres  ;  axillaries  dull  brown  ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  inner  edges  of  flights  reddish, 
the  latter  tipjjed  w  ith  brown  ;  length  6^  in.,  accord- 
ing to  Sharpe  (who  makes  the  male  out  to  be  smaller). 
Jordon,  however,  states  that  the  male  measures  6i 
inches,'  and  that  the  female  is  a  little  smaller ;  skins 
are  very  deceptive  things  to  measure  from.  Habitat, 
Himalayas  and  plairus  of  India  westward  to  Sind  and 
eastward  to  South  Cliina,  Upper  Burmese  provinces, 
Karen  Hills,  and  Tenasserim. 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  382)  says:  — 
"  Sykes  obtained  it  in  the  Deccan,  where  he  found  it  on 
rocky  and  bushy  mountains.  I  found  it  in  similar 
places  at  Mhow  and  Sangor.  but  also  occasionally  in 
hedges  and  trees  near  cultivation,  not  far,  however, 
from  hilly  ground.  Hodgson  found  it  in  hedgerows  and 
brushwood  on  the  upland  downs  in  winter;  resorting  in 
summer  to  the  northern  region,  and  it  is  said  to  be 
common  near  Sinda  and  Mu.ssooree.  It  does  not,  I 
believe,  breed  in  the  plains  of  India. 

"  Swinhoe   states   that   a   few   couple   only   breed   in 


120 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


China,  but  that  it  is  common  in  wint«r.     I  have  had  it 
in  cages,  and  it  has  a  rather  pleasant  chirping  song." 

Hume  ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Indian  l!irds,"  2nd  edition. 
Vol.  II.,  pp.  173177)  publishes  many  notes  on  the  nidi- 
fication  of  this  species,  from  which  1  quote  the  summary 
p'  beginning  and  end,  tlu-  first  dealing  H-ith  the  nest, 
tiie  last  with  the  eggs: — "The  Crested  Hlack  Bunting 
breeds  only  sparingly  in  the  plains  of  India.  At  Mount 
Aboo,  the  loftiest  of  the  Aravallis,  it  breeds  up  to  an 
elevation  of  4,500  ft.  Throughout  the  Himalayas, 
from  Nepal  to  Murree,  it  breeds  at  all  elevations  from 
2,000  to  5,000  or  6,000  ft.,  and  it  also  nests  occasion- 
ally in  the  varioiis  Dhoons,  Terais,  and  Bhabhurs  that 
skirt  the  bases  of  these  mountains.  In  the  Himalayas 
the  breeding  season  extends  from  April  to  June.  In 
the  plains  and  on  Mount  Aboo,  June,  July,  and  August 
appear  to  be  the  months  in  which  it  lays. 

"The  nest  is  placixl  in  holes  in  banks  or  walls,  on 
the  ground  under  some  overhanging  clod  or  rock,  or 
concealed  in  some  thick  tuft  of  grass,  and  very  excep- 
tionally (I  have  only  .seen  one  such)  in  a  low  thick  bush 
within  a  few  inches  o'f  tlie  ground.  The  nests  vary  a 
good  deal.  They  are  often  very  slight,  loosely  put 
together,  shallow  saucers,  composed  entirely  of  fine 
grass-roots,  without  any  lining;  at  other  times  they 
are  neat  compact  cups,  made  with  grass  or  grass  and 
moss,  and  line<l  with  fine  grass,  fern  and  moss-roots, 
vegetable  fibres,  or  even  horsehair.  I  have  seen  loose 
straggling  saucers,  6  in.  in  diameter,  and  with  a 
deep  circular  cavity  little  more  than  2  in.  across,  and 
nearly  as  deep  as  wide. 

"  They  lay  three  to  four  eggs,  quite  as  commonly  the 
latter  as  the  former  number  ;  but  I  have  never  seen  or 
heard  of  more  being  found. 

"  The  eggs  of  this  sj>ecies  vary  a  good  deal  in  shape, 
but  typically  are  rather  broad  ovals,  somewhat  obtuse 
at  the  small  end;  specimeps,  however,  often  occur  very 
pointed  at  this  end.  The  ground-colour  is  a  pale 
greenish-white  in  some,  and  pinkish  or  brownish  white 
in  others;  and  they  are  thickly  speckled  and  spotted, 
and  in  some  more  or  les^  freckled  and  mottled,  with 
red,  purple,  and  reddish  Or  purplish  brown,  the  mark- 
ings of  any  one  egg  being  usually  unicolorous.  They 
are  always  most  dense  atlthe  large  end,  where  in  the 
majority  of  eggs  they  foriji  a  more  or  less  conspicuous 
but  ill-defined  and  irregularly  mottled  cap ;  they  have 
little  or  no  gloss.  The  markings  entirely  want  the  bold 
jagged  line  character  so  characteristic  of  the  eggs  of 
many  Buntings.  In  some  eggs  the  markings  are  so 
closely  set  as  to  leave  scarcely  any  of  the  ground-colour 
visible,  and  to  give  the  whole  egg  a  reddish-brown  or 
dingy  brown  mottled  appearance,  while  in  a  few  the 
small  end  of  the  egg  is  almost  entirely  devoid  of  mark- 
ings. 

"In  length  these  eggs  vary  from  0.68  to  0.86,  and  in 
breadth  from  0.5  to  0.76  ;  but  the  average  of  twenty-two 
eggs  is  0.79  by  0.63  nearly." 

Russ  says  : — "  In  the  year  1876  Mr.  Gaetano  Alpi,  of 
Triest,  sent  me  a  male,  and  this  mu.st  surely  have 
been  the  firs-t  importation  of  the  .species  with  us,  though 
certiuinly  a  pair  had  already  reached  the  Zoological 
Gardens  in  London  in  1873.  After  I  had  laboured  in 
vain  to  acquire  a  female,  I  pas.sed  the  above-mentioned 
male  over  to  Councillor  von  Schlechtendal,  whose  mag- 
nificent collection  included  a  considerable  number  of 
rare  and  interesting  species  in  single  .specimens.  The 
above-named  informed  me  later  respecting  the  bird  as 
follows: — 'When  the  Bunting  came  into  my  hands  I 
placed  it  in  a  very  roomy  cage  which  had  previously 
only  been  occupied  by  a  pair  of  Sun  birds.  The  latter 
delightful  birds  seemed  t/>  be  much  excited  over  their 
new  companion    but  abstaaned  from  any  hostility,  and 


the  timorous  Bunting  never  dreamt  of  attempting  any- 
thing of  the  kind  on  his  side.  Tlie  Sun-birds  received 
the  usual  soft  food  as  well  as  some  poppy  seed,  and  occa- 
sionally some  mealworms.  In  addition  1  gave  him  a 
mixture  of  rice-flour  and  crushed  egg-bread  in  a  some- 
what moistened  condition.  I  prefer  the  latter  food  to 
moistened  white  bread,  and  give  it  dn  addition,  to  seeds 
to  all  my  small  Pa.sserine  birds.  On  the  Bunting's 
behalf  I  added  to  these  different  kinds  of  food  several 
varieties  of  millet,  as  well  as  rice  and  canary  seeds  ;  he,, 
however,  scorned  the  latter  seeds,  and  confined  himself 
almost  exclusively  to  the  white  millet  and  soft  food; 
he  also  ate  with  great  gusto  the  mealworms  which  were 
offered  to  him.  The  somewhat  delicate  bird  recovered, 
quickly,  and  also  passe*!  through  his  moult  ra}«dly  and 
successfully,  so  that  he  soon  exhibited  himself  in  his 
complete  characteristic  beauty.  The  graceful  crest  is 
depres.sed  when  the  bird  is  resting  or  eating,  but  erected 
as  soon  as  he  begins  to  move  about.'  "  I  do  not  think  I 
need  quote  the  remainder  of  his  observations,  which  are 
not  exactly  instructive  or  of  general  interest. 

L.\RK  Bunting  (CAondestcs  grammica). 

Above  pale  ashy-brown,  feathers  of  the  mantle,  upper 
back  ana  scapulars  with  black  centres;  upper  tail- 
coverts  with  faint  indications  of  dusky  streaks ;  lesser 
wing-coverts  blackish,  edged  with  ashy-brown  ;  mcdiaiu 
coverts  blackish,  tipped  with  white,  the  inner  ones 
rufescent ;  greater  coverts  blackish  edged  with  browre 
alid  tipped  with  white;  flights  blackish  brown,  with 
paler  margins,  those  of  the  secondaries  rufescent  ; 
primaries  with  a  pale  cinnamon  mark  at  base  of  outer 
web  ;  centre  tail-feathers  browTi  with  paler  edges ;  re- 
maining feather.s  black  increasingly  tipped  with  white, 
the  outermost  feather  being  also  white  along  the  outer 
web;  crown  with  a  broad  whitish  central  streak  passing 
into  ashy-brown  on  the  nape  and  hounded  on  each  side 
by  a  chestnut  band  %vhich  is  streaked  with  black  at  the 
sides  of  the  crown  ;  lores,  a  broad  eyebrow-stripe  and 
centre  of  eyelid  whitish;  a  black  streak  from  base  of 
beak  through  the  eye  to  ear- coverts;  the  latter  chest- 
nut ;  a  narrow  white  stripe  below-  the  eye  and  another 
encircling  the  ear-coverts  and  passing  into  the  white 
cheeks ;  a  black  interrupted  streak  from  below  cheeks 
bounding  the  sides  of  throat;  under  surface  whit*:  a 
few  black  spot-s  on  fore-neck;  sides,  flanks,  ,^nd  thighs 
pale  ashy-brown,  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  the 
same ;  those  near  edge  of  wing  with  bl.ackiish  bases ; 
flights  below  dusky  with  a.shy  inner  edges  ;  beak  horn- 
brown,  bluish  below;  feet  fleshy  whitish;  irides  brown. 
The  .sexes  are  said  to  be  aldke,  but  so  far  as  I  can  judge, 
the  wings  and  tail  are  shorter  in  the  female.  Habitat, 
United  States  from  the  eastern  edge  of  the  prairies  to 
the  Pacific  Statea,  and  southwards  to  Mexico  and 
Guatemala. 

J.  (}.  Cooper  ("  Orn.  Calif.,"  p.  193)  observes  : — "  They 
reach  the  Columbia  River  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains 
early  on  May,  and  breed  in  this  state  from  nsar  San 
Diego  northward  in  the  .sheltered  valleys,  and  at  Santa 
Barbara.  I  have  not  found  their  nests  in  this  State, 
but  have  met  with  many  of  them  fix)m  Mis.souri  w-est 
through  Kan.sas  and  Nebra.ska,  in  May  and  June.  They 
build  on  the  ground,  constructing  their  nests  chiefly  of 
grass;  the  eggs  are  white,  with  scattered  hair  lines  ,and 
spots  of  brown  near  the  large  end,  if  I  remember 
rightly."  According  to  Ridgwa.v.  this  specnes  inhabits 
sparsely  wooded  districts. 

Russ  ob.serves  : — "  It  is  extremely  rarely  imported,  yet 
this  will  occur  more  abundantly  presently,  as  it  is 
reckoned  as  one  of  the  most  widely  distributed  and 
abundant  sriecies  of  North  America.  If  it  ever  is 
abundantly  imported  it  will  be  from  Central,  not  Njrth 
-America." 


SONG-SPARKOWS. 


121 


White-shouldered  Lark  Bunting*  (Calamcspiia 
hicolor). 

Above  and  below  sooty  black  ;  a  broad  band  including 
the  outermost  row  of  lessor,  and  the  median  win^-covcrts 
white;  outer  margins  of  fli.^hts  anil  teil-feathers  also 
white;  beak  pale  bine,  upper  nuuidible  dusky  along 
ridge;  feet  reddish-brown.  Female  above  brown  with 
darKcr  streaks ;  ends  of  greiiter  wing-eoverts  broadly 
fulvous-white ;  centre  of  crown  more  ashy  ;  outer  tail- 
feathers  with  an  increasing  white  spot  on  inner  web  ; 
below  white  sparsely  spotted  and  streaked  with  black 
on  the  breast  and  sides;  region  round  eye,  a  faint  streak 
above  it,  and  a  crescent  at  back  of  ear -coverts,  whitish  ; 
centre  of  throat  almost  unspotted,  but  a  mottled  black 
streak  at  the  sides  separating  it  from  the  crescentic 
whitish  streak.  Habitat,  interior  plains  of  North 
America. 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("  Orn.  CaJif.,"  p.  226)  says  :—"  This 
interesting  .species  spends  its  time  on  the  ground,  a.s.««- 
ciating  in  large  flocks,  and,  according  to  Nutt^ll,  is  one 
of  the  s"weetest  songsters  of  the  prairie.  The  nest  is 
buiilt  among  the  gras.^,  and  the  eggs  are  of  a  beautiful 
blue,  sometimes  with  a  few  red  spot*;," 

The  name  ('.  birnhir  being  very  characteristic  of  the 
male,  and  having  been  generally  used  from  1837  to  1885, 
I  see  little  use  in  aJtering  it. 

Three  e.\amples  of  this  Bunting  were  acquired  by  the 
Ixjndon  Zoological   Gardens  in  1901. 

We  next  come  to  the  group  of  Buntings  to  which  the 
nopular  name  of  "  Song  Sparrow  "  has  been  applied 
(much  to  the  di.igust  of  our  American  friends  ;  and  ,yet 
if  SpizcUa  may  be  called  "  Chipping  Sparrow,"  why 
may  not  Zonotrirhia  be  called  "Song  Sparrow  '">.  Our 
friends  want  us  to  use  their  jxvpular  names. t 

Although  not  gorgeous  in  colouring,  or  even  remark- 
able for  their  vocal  acquirements,  the  Song-Sparrows 
are  very  pretty,  easily  tamed,  and  interesting  from  the 
fact  that  they  scratch  in  the  seed-pan  after  the  manner 
of  fowls. 

White-throated  Song-Sp arrow  (Zonotric/tia 
alhicflUis). 

Above  chestnut  streaked  with  black  on  neck  and 
mantle,  the  latter  with  paler  spots  at  end  of  outer  webs  ; 
lower  back  and  rump  ashy-brown  ;  iipper  tail-coverts 
reddish-brown  edged  with  ashy;  lesser  wing-coverts 
dull  chestnut  with  ashy  margins  ;  median  and  greater 
coverts  blackish  with  reddish-brown  edges  and  whitu 
tips,  the  innermost  feathers  chestnut  with  black  centres  ; 
flights  .and  tail-feathers  dark  brown  with  pale  margins, 
the  secondaries  and  central  tail-feathers  wdth  chestnut 
borders ;  crown  with  a  central  longitudinal  white  streak, 
bounded  on  each  side  by  a  broad  black  strioe ;  a  broad 
white  eyebrow  stripe,  yellow  above  the  lores,  which  are 
ashy,  as  also  are  the  feathers  below  the  eye  and  the 
ear-coverts  ;  the  latter  with  white  shaft  lines,  separated 
by  a  black  line  from  the  cheeks ;  this  line  widens  above 
the  hinder  ear-coverts,  where  there  is  a  small  whiti.sh 
spot ;  cheeks  and  throat  white :  remainder  of  under 
parts  grey  fading  into  white  on  the  abdomen  ;  sides  of 
hreast  streaked  with  chestnut,  lower  flanks  brown  with 
Indications  of  bl,-ickish  streaks;  thighs  somewhat 
olivaceous;  under  tail-coverts  buffi.sh,  streaked  with 
lirown  and  partly  white-tipped  ;  axillaries  and  under 
wing-coverts    whitish     stained    with    greenish-yellow ; 

•  Ridpway  calls  this  species  "  Lark-Buntinp ,"  and  ChondeRtfS 
he  calls  "  Lark-Sparrow."  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  both 
are  Buntings:  he  rejects  the  specific  name  bicolor  as  not  of 
Liniijcus,  a<loptingr  metanocorys  instead. 

t  It  would  be  more  correct  to  call  them  Sonff-Buntings ;  but 
we  cannot  call  one  bird  a  "  White-crowned  Sparrow  "  to  suit 
the  North  Americans,  and  another  Chineolo  Sonsr-Sparrow  to 
suit  the  residents  in  the  South ;  we  must  have  uniformity. 


flights  dusky  with  inner  webs  ashy ;  upper  mandible 
dusky,  lower  bluish-grey,  lilaceous  at  base ;  feet  pale 
brown;  irides  brown.  Female  duller;  the  black  stripes 
on  crown  brownish,  the  central  streak  and  hinder 
portion  of  eyebrow  stripe  greyish  or  buiHsh  and  duller 
above  the  lores;  the  white  on  throat  more  restricted, 
sometimes  fle<-ked  with  du.sky  and  separated  by  a  dusky 
streak  from  the  cheeks;  grey  of  breast  duller,  the  sides 
generally  more  or  less  streaked  with  dusky.  Habitat, 
Eastern  United  States  to  latitude  65  deg.  N.,  west  to 
Dakota;  breeds  from  New  England  and  other  Northern 
States  northward,  and  winters  from  Middle  States 
southward  (sec.  Coues)  ;   accidental  in  Europe. 

According  to  Gentry  this  bird  appeans  towards  the  end 
of  April  in  Eastern  Pemisylv.ajiia  in  comp.iny  with 
Z.  hurophryx,  and  occurs  in  moist  and  out  of  the  way 
spots  and  is  not  very  shy.  Its  song  is  loud  and  toineful 
and  consists  of  twelve  i)ot.e8  which  are  uttered 
monotonously  from  early  morning  to  latt  evening.  Its 
food  consists  of  .seeds  of  grasses  and  weeds  and  various 
kinds  of  insects.  According  to  Dr.  Brewer  it  breeds 
singly  in  the  north-western  parts  of  Massachusetts  and 
very  abundantly  in  the  British  provinces.  Jolin  Richard- 
.son  found  a  nest  on  4-th  June  which  was  constructed  of 
grass  and  lined  with  hair  <TJid  feathers,  and  another  with 
vegetable  wool ;  in.  other  respects  it  resembles  its 
relatives  (cf.  Russ,  "  FremdI.  Stubenv.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  466). 

Russ  tells  us  that  occasion.dly  one  sees  the  bird  at  all 
dealers,  but  only  a  few  specimens.  In  1874  many  pairs 
were  imported  by  Mr.  Schoebel,  three  of  which  reached 
his  birdroom,  but  apparently  they  were  all  diseased  and 
soon  died. 

Well,  that  state  of  things  is  not  likely  to  recur,  but 
our  Zoological  Gardens  acquired  three  specimens  of  this 
species  by  exchange  in  1907 ;  they  had  exhibited  the 
species  before. 

Whtte-etebrowed  Song-Sparrow  {Zonotrichia 
leucophryx). 
Above  ashy-brown,  ashy  on  neck  and   mantle;    back 
and  mantle  with  chestnut  centres  and  ashy  margins  to 
the  feathers,  lower  back  and  rump  brown ;    lesser  wing- 
ooverts  ashy;  median  and  greater  coverts  blackish  with 
pale  brown  outer  edges   and  a  white  terminal  spot,  the 
innermost  greater  coverts  reddish  externally  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  tail-feathers  brown,  ashy  at  edges,  the  outer 
fea>ther  paler  and  fringed  with  whitish  towards  the  tip  ; 
crown  with   a  broad  longitudinal  central  white  streak, 
bounded  on  each  side  by  a  broad  stripe  of  black  meeting 
across  the  forehead;  abro.ad  white  eyebrowstripe  running 
to  the  nape,   bounded  below  by  a,  narro^v  black  stripe 
running  above  the  lores  and  from  behind  the  eye  to  the 
nape;   cheeks,  ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck  ashy-grey; 
under  surface  ashy-grey,  the  chin  and  centre  of  abdomen 
whitish ;      flanks    brownish ;     under    tail-ooverts     pale 
cinnamon  huffish;  thighs  dusky  at  back;  axillaries  and 
under    wing-coverts    pale   ashy    with    brownish    txases; 
flights  below  dusky  with  ashy  inner  edges;  beak  reddish- 
orange,  tipped  brown  ;  feet  pale  brown  ;   irides  reddish- 
broivn.     Female  "ui^^aJly  with  the  median  crown-stripe 
rather  narrower  and  greyer,  the  occipital  portion,   and 
also      the      supra-auricular     stripe,      distinctly     grey" 
(Ridgway).     Habitat,  North  America,  especially  eastern, 
.and  rather  northerly  ;    west  to  the  Rocky  Mountains ; 
north  to  Greenland;   south  to  Cape  St.  Lucas;   winters 
in  Mexico  (Sharpe). 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("  Omith.  Calif.."  p.  197)  says:— "This 
very  close  ally  of  Z.  Gambelii  is  well  known  in  the 
Eastern  United  States  as  a  Southern  migrant;  in  the 
spring  bree<iing  abimdantly  in  Ijabrador  and  the  shores 
of  Hudson's  Bay.  The  habits  and  song  are  very  similar 
to  those  of  Z.  Gambelii,  and  the  mode  of  nesting  almost 


122 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


identical. "  Of  the  latter  species  he  writes  :— "  Near  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia  I  found  a  nest  of  thus  bird  in 
June,  1854.  It  was  built  in  a  bush,  not  mure  than  a 
foot  from  the  ground,  foraied  of  gras.ses  neatly  inter- 
woven, and  lined  with  softer  materials.  The  eggs,  if 
my  memory  of  them  is  correct,  were  four  or  tive'  in 
number,  white,  with  thinly  scattered  dark  spots  near  the 
large  end. 

"The  .song  of  this  species  is  loud  but  short,  and 
remarliably  melancholy.  It  may  Ix.  heaaxl  during  the 
whole  year  at  intervals^  and  fr.quejitly  at  nigljt,  when  its 
sad  tone  seems  peculiarly  suited  to  the  darkness." 

Russ  £a,TO  "the  bird  appears  vei-y  rarely  in  the 
market";  it  has  apjie.ared  at  the  London  Zoolo>,Mcal 
Gardens.  In  1904  Mr.  Seth-Smith  was  able  to  borrow 
a  male  of  Z.  leurophry.<.  which  he  paired  up  with  a 
femaio  Z.  pilenta;  the  birds  went  to  nest  in  May  and 
reared  one  young  bird,  -ii-ent  to  iiost  again  in  June  and 
reared  thiee  While  in  their  nestling  plmnage  the 
young  were  not  much  to  look  at,  but  in  their  aJuU 
plumage  were  rather  pleasing. 

Grey-headed  Soxg-Sp.\hhovv  (Zonotrichia  caiiicapilla). 

AWe  bro\ra  ;  the  miontle,  upper  back  and  scapuhirs 
broadly  streaked  with  black  ;  lower  back  and  rump  more 
ashy  and  without  streaks;  lesser  wingccverts  ash-grey; 
medjan  and  greater  corerts  black,  rufescent  extenially 
white  tipped  ;  flights  blackish,  primaries  edged  with 
Aihitish.  secondaries  withches-tnut ;  upper  tail-coverts 
and  tad-feathers  blackish- brown,  the  margins  more  ashy; 
outer  tail-feathers  with  whitish  fringes ;  head  ash-grey, 
the  forehead  and  eyebrow-stripe  whiter;  lores,  feathers 
below  eye,  and  ear-coverts  blackii^h,  the  latter  washed 
witli  ashy  and  streaked  with  whitish,  black  along  upper 
margin  to  sides  of  neck;  the  latter  and  collar  at  back  of 
neck  cheHnut.  as  well  as  the  sides  of  the  breast;  a 
large  white  patch  behind  enr-coverts  ;  cheeks  and  throat 
white,  the  foi-mer  and  the  chin  dusky  at  base  of 
feathers;  a  black  iratch  at  back  of  throat;  breast  ashy; 
abdomen  and  under  tail-c-overts  yellowish-white;  sides 
of  breast  and  flanks  more  or  less  red-brown  ;  'tbigh.s 
ashr  with  whitish  tips  to  feathers;  under  wing-coverts 
whitish,  du.sky  at  base ;  axillaries  pale  yellowish  brown  ; 
flights  dusky  with  ashy  margins  to  the  inner  webs ;  beak 
black  or  biown'sh  flesh-coloured;  feet  light  grey  or 
brownish  fleish-cnloured  ;  irides  pale  amber.*  The  female 
has  not  been  differentiated,  but  is  probably  sliirhtlv 
duller.     Habitat,  Patagonia.  "      " 

Dr.  E.  Lounbcrg.  in  an  acooumt  of  "  Birds  from  N.W 
Argentina  and  the  Boli\nan  Chaco "  {The  7fri.--.  1903, 
p.  451),  .says  of  this  species  :—"  Iris  yellowish  brown! 
Very  common  at  Moreno,  feeding  on  see<Is  and  inserts; 
It  builds  its  nest  in  stone  walls  and  under  the  roofs  of 
houses."  He  however  exi>iains  that  the  IMoroiio 
^ecimens  "ore  to  a  certain  extent  intemtediafe  between 
Z.  pilrala  and  Z.  cnnirapilla,  having  the  coloration  of 
the  former  and  especially  the  black  bands  on  the  sides 
of  the  crr.wn  ;  but  they  are  much  larger  than  Z.  pileala 
almost  attaining  the  siz*  of  Z.  rainrapiUa  and  I  there- 
fore refer  them  to  that  .species."  T  should  have  thooight 
size  Kss  import,ant  than  colour  ,and  pattern. 
^,9^  *'^^'''''''  ^-  '•""icapilla  Mr.  M.  J.  Nicoll  says  {The 
Ih,.':,  1904,  p.  42):— "This  Finch  is  ver^•  common  at 
Punta  Arenas,  where  I  found  it  among"  tlie  barbeiry 
bushes.  Its  call-rofce  resembled  that  of  our  Yellow- 
hammer. 

On  j;une  25th,  1897  (as  recorded  in  Th«  AviruUural 
Maoaz,,,,.  Ui  .ser..  Vol.  III.,  ji.  197),  a  sjiecimen  of  this 
rare  Patagonian  bird   was  brought  to  me  by  Captain 

•  r  noted  this  crflour  in  the  livin?  bird.— A.  G.  B.    Mr.  M.  .T 
Wicoi]   speaks  of  them  as   "dark  brown";    perhaps  they  vary 


Carvosso,  on  board  of  whose  ship  it  flew  when  a  hundred 
miles  south  of  Cape  Horn ;  he  brought  it  to  me  to  dis- 
cover what  it  was  and  whence  it  came.  I  recognised  it 
at  orce  as  a  near  relative  of  Z.  pileala,  but  differing  in 
its  unstriped  crown  and  pale  amber  irides. 

Captain  Carvosso  kindly  gave  me  the  bird  in  order 
that  I  might  have  an  opjKirtunity  to  study  it  in  cap- 
tivity, but  on  condition  that  as  soon  as  it  died  it  should 
be  given  to  the  museum  authorities. 

Although  in  good  plumage,  the  bird  seemed  dull  and 
listless,  having  evidently  been  fed  upon  unnatural  food 
since  its  capture.  I  took  it  homa  and  turned  it  into  a 
spacious  flight-cage  ;  here  it  flew  heavily,  swallowed  a 
little  giiit  and  a  few  canary-seeds,  but  seemed  very  dull 
and  stupid.  The  introduction  of  a  few  mealworms  and 
cockroaches  partly  aroused  it,  .so  that  it  erected  its  crest 
and  hopped  after  one  of  the  latter,  but  it  evidently  felt 
too  ill  to  exert  itself,  and  presently  returned  heavily  to 
its  iperch.  In  the  morning  it  was  dead,  and  I  ha^  to 
take  it  back  to  town  with  me  ;   it  was  disappointing. 

Chingolo  Song-Sp.\rro\v  {Zonotrichia  pileala). 

The  male  bird  has  the  upper  part  of  the  head  and 
nape  and  the  cheeks  ash-grey,  boldly  and  longitudinally 
striped  with  black;  superciliary  area  slightly  whiter 
than  the  rest  of  the  ground  colour,  sides  and  back  of 
neck  liver-reddish,  back  and  wings  ruddy  brown,  with 
bold  black  shaft-slripes  to  the  feathers,  lower  back  and 
tail  smoky  brown,  the  tail-feathers  With  paler  borders, 
lesser  wing-coverts  ash-grey,  darker  towaids  the  base 
of  the  feathers,  median  and  greater  coverts  dark  brown, 
with  paler  margins  anj  white  tips,  under  parts  greyish- 
white,  washed  with  brownish  on  the  breast  and  abdo- 
men, and  with  brown  on  the  flanks ;  beak  greyish  brown, 
the  lower  mandible  paler,  feet  dull  flesh-brown,  iris  dark 
brown. 

The  female  is  slightly  larger  than  the  male,  but  very 
similar  in  plumage.  Habitat,  Central  America  from 
Mexico  to  Panama,  and  throughout  South  America  to 
South  Brazil,  Bolivia,  and  Child. 

Mr.  Hudson  says  of  this  species  ("  Argent.  Ornith.," 
Vol.  I.,  pp.  58,  59)  : — "The  common,  familiar,  favourite 
Sparrow  over  a  large  portion  of  the  South  American 
continent  is  the  Chingolo.  Darwin  says  that  "  it  prefers 
inhabited  places,  but  has  not  attained  the  air  of  domes- 
tication of  the  Englisli  Sparrow,  which  bird  in  habits 
and  general  anpearance  it  resembles."  As  it  breeds  in 
the  fields  on  the  ground,  it  can  never  be  equally  familiar 
with  man.  but  in  appearance  it  is  like  a  refined  copy  of 
the  burly  English  Sparrow — more  delicately  tinted,  the 
throat  being  chestnut  instead  of  black  ;  the  head  .smaller 
and  better  proportioned,  and  with  the  added  distinction 
of  a  crest,  which  it  lowers  and  elevates  at  aH  angles  to 
express  the  various  feelings  affecting  its  busy  little 
mind.  "  On  the  treeless  desert  pamoas  the  Chingolo 
is  rarely  seen,  but  wherever  man  builds  a  house  and 
plants  a  tree  there  it  comes  to  keep  him  company,  while 
in  cultivated  and  thickly  settled  districts  it  is  exces- 
sively abundant,  and  about  Buenos  Ayres  it  literally 
swarms  on  the  holds  and  plantations.  They  are  not, 
strictly  .speaking,  gregarious,  but  where  food  attracts 
them, "or  the  shelter  of  a  hedge  on  a  cold  windy  day, 
thousands  are  frequently  .seen  congregated  in  one  place ; 
when  disturbed,  however,  these  accidental  flocks  imme- 
diately break  up,  the  birds  scattering  abroad  dn  dif- 
ferent directions. 

"  The  Chingolo  is  a  very  constant  singer,  his  song 
beginning  with  the  dawn  of  day  in  spring  and  continuing 
until  evening ;  it  is  very  short,  beini  composed  of  a 
chipping  prelude  and  four  long  notes,  three  uttered  in  a 
clear  thin  voice,  the  last  a  trill.  This  song  is  repeated 
at  brief  intervals  as  the  bird  sits  motionless,  perched 


BUNTINGS. 


123 


on  the  disc  of  a  Uiistle-flower,  the  summit  of  a  stalk, 
or  other  elevation  ;  and  where  tlie  Chingolos  are  very 
abundant  the  whole  air  on  a  bright  spring  iiiorninj;  is 
alive  with  their  delicate  melody ;  only  one  must  pause 
and  listen  before  he  is  aware  of  it,  otlierwise  it  will 
escape  him,  owing  to  its  thin  ethereal  cliaracter,  the 
multitiuliiious  notes  not  iringling,  but  floating  away, 
as  it  wore,  dctacluil  and  scattered,  mere  gossamer  webs 
of  sound  that  vci-y  faintly  impress  the  sen.«e.  They  also 
sin,?  frequently  at  night,  and  in  that  dark  silent  time 
their  little  melody  sounds  strangely  sweet  and  expres- 
sive. The  Fong  varies  greatly  in  different  districts; 
thus  in  Baliia  151an<:a  it  is  without  the  long  trill  at  the 
end,  and  in  other  localities  I  have  found  it  vary  in  other 
ways. 

"  The  Chingolos  pair  about  the  end  of  September,  and 
at  that  time  their  battles  are  frequent,  as  they  are  very 
jjugnarious.  The  nest  is  made  under  a  thistle  or  tuft 
of  grass,  in  a  depression  in  the  sf)il,  so  that  the  top  of 
the  nest  is  on  a  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
The  nest  is  mostly  made  and  lined  with  horsehair,  the 
e;gs  four  or  five,  pale  blue,  and  thickly  spotted  with 
dull  lemon.  Sometimes,  tliough  very  rarely,  a  nest  is 
found  in  a  bush  or  a  stump  several  feet  above  the 
ground.  Two  broods  are  reared  in  the  season,  the  first 
in  October,  the  second  in  Fel>ruary  or  March.  I  have 
known  these  birds  to  breed  hi  April  and  May,  and  these 
very  lato  nests  escane  the  infliction  of  pai'asitical  eggs. 
When  the  nest  is  approached  or  taken  the  Chingolos 
•utter  no  sound,  but  sit  in  dumb  ,T,nxiet.y,  with  tail  ex- 
panded and  drooping  wings." 

The  song,  describcid  as  a  "  delicate  melody,"  is  as 
follows  : — "  Tewhitti  eeo,  eeo ;  chee."  I  have  heard  it 
dozens  of  times ,  and  never  knew  it  to  vary. 

From  what  Dr.  Russ  says,  he  appears  never  to  have 
pos.stssed  tl;^s  bird  ;  he,  moreover,  concludes  his  account 
of  it  thus: — "It  has  not  yet  besn  bred,  since  hitherto 
nobody  has  taken  the  trouble  to  make  experiments  with 
this  jil.uii-looking  fiparrovr."  It  is  ftrange  that  the 
quiet  h"auty  of  this  charming  little  bird  should  not  have 
appealed  to  the  great  German  breeder;  it  is  far  more 
artistically  beautiful  really  than  the  gaudy  Xonoareil. 
Apart  from  all  questions  of  plumage,  the  scientific  inte- 
rest; of  breeding  a  dull-coloured  bird  is  certainly  quite 
as  great  as  that  of  breeding  tlie  most  brilliantly  tinted 
species.  Lastl.y,  the  term  "  Sparrow  "  as  applied  to  this 
species  is  a  misnomer,  since  the  habits  of  the  bird,  as 
described  by  Mr.  Hudson,  more  nearly  resemble  those 
of  the  Reed  Bunting ;  moreover,  it  is  an  undoubted 
Bunting. 

In  1907  ilr.  W.  E.  Teschemaker  bred  this  species  in 
one  of  his  aviaries,  and  has  written  an  interesting 
account  of  his  experience  in  The  Arictdtvj-al  Magazine 
for  November  of  that  year.  The  nests  were  built  well 
away  fi-om  the  earth.  The  ground-colour  of  the  eggs 
laid  by  two  hens  was  white  or  cream-coloured,  not  blue, 
but  we  know  that  in  very  many  species  which  gencrallv 
lay  pale  blue  eggs  the  cream-coloured  form  frequently 
occurs.  (See  my  notes  on  the  egjs  laid  by  the  Green 
Singing  Finch  as  one  instance.)  Mr.  Teschemaker  very 
kindly  cent  me  two  of  the  young  birds,  which  arrived 
on  October  30th. 

The  lovely  members  of  the  genus  Ci/ann.ipi'za  were 
always  procurable  nrcvious  to  about  the  year  1904  at 
the  rate  of  alx)ut  eight  or  nine  shillings  apiece.  Now 
that  no  more  are  allowed  to  be  shipped  from  the 
Unite:!  States  the  only  chance  for  the  dealers  is  to  obtain 
them  from  Central  .Vmerici  and  the  West  Indies  ;  there- 
fore it  is  possible  that  these  biixls  may  be  considerably 
dearer. 

Like  the  species  of  Zonotrichia,  they  do  well  upon 
millet  and  canaJy,  in  addition  to  in.*ect  focd. 


Nonpareil  Buntino  (Cyanospha  ciris). 

The  cock  bird,  which  is  a  little  smaller  than  a 
Chaffinch,  but  of  a  similar  foim  and  somewhat  the  same 
arrangement  of  colours,  has  the  upper  part  of  the  head, 
cheeks,  and  shoulders  of  an  almost  ultramarine  blue, 
the  baok  golden  green,  shading  into  orange  on  the 
rump ;  the  Lail-coverts  yellow,  shading  into  golden 
green;  the  tail  feathers  duller  green;  the  wing  feathers 
greyish  bronze;  the  lesser  coverts  being  wholly  bronze, 
whilst  all  the  other  wir.g  feathers  have  the  outer  web 
■Tolden  green ;  chin,  throat,  breast,  belly,  and  imder 
tail-coverts  bright  vermilion  red,  which  changes  in 
confinement  (excepting  in  a  sunny  outdoor  aviary)  to 
golden  vellow,  the  fknks  slightly  tinged  with  green; 
beak  and  legs  d;irk  grey,  eyelids  crim.son ;  ins  of  eye 
hnzel.  The  hen  and  young  differ  from  the  adult  cock 
bird  in  having  no  blue  on  the  head,  the  plate  of  this 
colour  l)t;ng  occupied  by  green;  the  other  jjaats  are 
yellow  in.stead  of  vermilion ;  all  the  tints  are  also 
slightly  duller.  Habitat,  Southern  States  of  North 
America,  Cuba,  the  Bahainas,  Cozumel,  and  neighbour- 
ing islands,  and  Central  America  to  Panama. 

In  its  native  land  its  favourite  haunts  are  small 
thickets,  whore  the  cock  may  be  heard  singing  from  th(/ 
highest  branches  of  some  shrub  or  bush  ;  the  hen  usually 
places  her  nest  in  orange  hedges  or  the  lower  branches 
of  trees,  blackberries,  or  brambles,  and  when  sitting 
becomes  so  tame  that,  it  is  stated,  she  can  even  be  lilted 
fro.Ti  the  nest;  the  latter  is  formed  of  extremely  dry 
grass,  felted  together  with  the  silk  of  caterpillars,  hair, 
and  fine  rootlets ;  the  eggs  are  pearly  white,  with 
blotches  and  dots  of  purplish  and  reddish  brown.  The 
Nonpareil,  being  somewhat  combative,  is  usually 
trapped  by  means  of  a  stuffed  specimen  set  up  on  a 
platform  o"f  a  trap-cage.  In  an  aviary  it  should  not  be 
associated  with  its  relative  the  Indigo  Bunting,  or  it 
will  occupy  much  of  its  leisure  in  chasing  and  disputing 
with  this  bird,  to  its  no  small  annoyance.  One  of  the 
chief  chirms  of  the  Nonnareil  is  the  surprising  readi- 
ness with  which  it  learns  to  recognise  its  keeper  and 
to  take  mealworms,  flies,  and  other  insects  from  his 
fingers ;  the  hen  I  find  less  tame  and  not  so  hardy  as 
the  cock. 

I  have  had  a  fair  number  of  examples  of  this  species, 
including  two  genuine  hens,  but  have  never  known  them 
to  nest  in  captivity,  although  I  feel  cerUin  that  the 
male  which  I  possessed  in  1898-9,  from  his  excitement 
and  abnormal  pugnacity,  would  have  bred  readily  if 
confined  in  an  aviary  with  a  hen  of  his  own  soecies,  and 
no  disturbing  elements;  he  paired  with  a  Bramblmg, 
and  she  began  to  build,  but  laid  no  eggs.  Tlie  Non- 
pareil should  always  have  insect-food  of  some  kind  in 
addition  to  seed  ;  ants'  cocoons  will  answer  the  purpose. 

In  The  Ai'iculfural  Magazine.  1st  ser.,  Vol.  V., 
p.  165,  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Fan-ar  published  an  account  of 
his  success  in  breeding  the  Nonpareil  Bunting  in  cap- 
tivity. According  to  him,  the  eggs  laid  by  his  hen 
were  sea-green,  heavily  blotihed  at  the  large  end  with 
sienna-brown  ;  but  it  must  not  therefore  be  concluded 
that  this  is  the  normal  colouring,  and  that  recorded  by 
Ameiican  observers,  who  have  taken  many  nests,  is  not 
the  more  frequent  tyTe  5  eggs  of  most  birds  vary  consi- 
derably. 

Indigo   BrNTiN-o    {Cijanospiza   cyanea). 

The  cock  when  in  colour  is  bright  cobalt  blue  tinged 
with  ultramarine  on  the  head,  throat  and  middle  of 
breast ;  on  the  other  parts  there  are  traces  of  emerald 
green  the  chin  partly  black,  the  feathers  of  the  wing 
browii,  slightly  bluish  on  their  outer  edges.  The  hen 
is  brown  above,  tinged  with  blue  on  the  shoulders, 
edges   of    larger    feathers,    and    rump ;    below    whitish, 


124 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


indistinctly  streaked  with  dull  buff.  The  cock  when  out 
of  colour,  or  when  immature,  is  very  like  the  hen,  the 
beak  is  brownisli-black,  bluish  beneath,  iris  of  eye 
brown,  legs  dark  brown. 

The  Indigo  Bunting  comes  from  the  Eastern  United 
States,  whence  its  range  extends  southwards  to  Guate- 
mala, Panama,  etc.  This  species  breeds  in  gardens, 
orchards,  or  on  the  outskirts  of  woods,  building  its 
nest  in  bushes  ;  in  the  autumn,  however  it  is  said  to 
frequent  the  open  country  in  flocks,  its  favourite  places 
for  singing  from  are  the  top  of  a  tree  or  chimney.  The 
nest  is  constructed  of  coarse  grasses  and  sedges,  and  is 
thickly  lined  with  hair,  the  eggs  are  bluish  or  greenish 
■white,  sometimes  gparingly  spotted  with  red-brown  at 
the  larger  end.  This  bird  is  of  about  the  size  of  a 
Linnet,  being  5  in.  in  length,  and,  as  it  is  tolerably 
peaceable,  it  may  safely  be  associated  with  these  or  any 
birds  of  about  the  same  size  ;  indeed  I  do  not  believe  it 
would  injure  even  the  smallest  Waybills.  I  have  at 
various  times  had  several  so-called  "  Indigo  Finches," 
and  have  found  them  not  only  a  great  ornament  to 
an  aviary,  but  rather  bright  singers  during  the  summer 
months ;  the  song  is  always  the  same,  two  rapid  notes 
followed  by  three  long-drawn  ones  and  followed  by  a 
number  of  short  notes;  the  commencement,  which  is 
also  frequently  sung  after  dark,  may  be  expressed  as 
"  chichi,  chee,  chee,  ch£e,"  the  last  note  being  more 
sustained  than  the  others,  and  the  short  notes  which 
follow  being  such  as  a  Canary  might  produce. 

It  used  to  b«  asserted  by  the  late  Dr.  Greene  and 
others  that  it  wa.s  utterly  impossible  to  produce  hybrids 
between  the  Indigo  Bunting  and  the  Canary,  it  being 
supposed  that  Buntings  and  other  largely  insectivorous 
Finches  did  not  feed  their  young  from  the  crop ;  this 
of  course  was  a  mistake.  Some  years  ago  Mr.  W.  E.  D. 
Scott,  then  of  Pl'incetown  University.  U.S.A.,  told  me 
that  he  had  bred  hybrids  between  this  species  and  the 
common  Canary,  and  that  they  were  green  birds  ;  this 
confirmed  the  late  Mr.  Wiener's  statement  in  Cassell's 
"  Oage^birds,"  that  "  where  young  cross-breeds  resulted, 
their  colours  were  disappointing." 

I  was  not  successful  in  obtaining  the  cross  myself, 
but  there  is  not  any  reason,  beyond  the  excitable  and 
restless  nature  of  the  Indigo  Bunting,  whv  it  should  not 
be  as  readily  obtainable  as  a  Greenfinch-Canary  hybrid. 
In  each  case  birds  of  different  sub-families  are  paired. 
The  best  chance  for  a  successful  result  would  be  to  turn, 
a  male  Indigo  Finch  and  a  female  Canary  into  a  spacious 
garden  aviary  planted  with  shrubs,  and  put  no  other 
birds  with  them.  In  a  large  flight  cage  the  Indigo 
Bunting  will  not  let  the  Canary  alone  for  ten  minutes 
from  mom  to  night,  and  when  she  builds  he  pulls  her 
nest  over  the  eggs,  so  that  they  stand  no  chance  of 
incubation. 

In  1896  I  turned  out  this  Bunting  with  a  hen  Canary 
into  an  outdoor  aviary,  but  here  (as  previously  in  a 
flight-cage)  the  Bunting  pulled  out  her  nest  as  fast  as 
she  built  it;  eventually  I  turned  in  a  cock  Canary  with 
them  and  ehe  immediately  deserted  her  foreign  husband 
and  reared  two  pure  Canaries.  Previous  ]>airin,r  with 
the  Bunting  did  not  affect  the  young  birds,  ilr.  Farrar 
bred  the  Indigo  Bunting  in  1900. 

I>AZOLi  Bunting  (Cyanoapiza  amana). 

Above  blue  with  a  greenish  tinge,  the  mantle,  upper 
back  and  lesser-coverts  considerably  darker ;  median 
coverts  white  ;  greater  coverts  very  dark,  blue  on  the 
edges  and  tipped  with  white  ;  remainder  of  wing  and 
tail-feathers  blackish,  with  blue  outer  margins  ;  upper 
tail-coverts  rather  duller  blue  than  lower  back  and 
rump,  the  latter  In-ing  bright  cobalt  blue ;  crown  of 
head  also  bright  blue  ;   loral  region  black,  remainder  of 


sides  of  head,  throat  and  sides  of  breast  bright  blue; 
upper  breast  pale  brownish  chestnut,  separated  from  the 
blue  throat  by  an  ill-defined  white  crescent;  rest  of 
umler  surface  white ;  beak  black,  bluish  below ;  feet 
black,  irides  brown.  Female  above  dull  brown,  greyer 
behind  ;  le.sscr  coverts  and  margins  of  flights  and  tail- 
feather.s  dull  bluish;  crown  .somewhat  bluish,  the  base 
of  forehead,  lores  and  eyelid  whitish  ;  ear-coverts  pale 
brown  ;  remainder  of  sides  of  head,  throat,  breast,  sides, 
and  flanks  pale  huffish ;  remainder  of  body  below 
whitish ;  fligiits  below  dusky,  ashy  along  inner  web. 
Habitat,  High  Central  Plains  of  X.  America  to  the 
Pacific,  ranging  into  Mexico. 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("  Ornith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  234)  says  :— 
"  During  the  summer  there  is  scarcely  a  thicket  or  grove 
in  the  more  open  portions  of  the  State^  uninhabited  by 
one  or  more  pairs  of  this  beautifid  species.  The  male  is 
not  very  timid,  and  frequently  sings  his  lively  notes 
from  the  top  of  some  bush  or  tree,  continuing  musical 
throughout  summer,  and  in  all  weathers.  The  song  is 
unvaried,  and  rather  monotonous,  closely  resembling 
that  of  the  Eastern  C.  cyanea. 

"  Their  nest  is  built  in  a  bush  not  more  than  three  o? 
four  feet  above  the  gjxmnd,  formed  of  'ibrous  roots, 
strips  of  bark  and  grass,  with  a  lining  of  plant-down  or 
hairs,  and  securely  bound  to  the  surrounding  branches. 
The  eggs  are  four  or  five,  white,  faintly  tinged  with 
blue.  At  Santa  Barbara  I  found  them  freshly  laid  on 
May  6th. 

"  These  birds  are  never  very  gregarious,  though  the 
males  arrive  in  the  spring  in  considerable  flocks,  travel- 
ling at  night,  and  several  days  before  tlie  females.  The 
latter  are  at  all  times  very  shy,  and  so  plain  in  plumage 
that  they  are  very  difficult  to  obtain,  unless  on  the  nest. 

"  They  arrived  at  Santa  Cruz  in  1866  about  April  12th, 
ten  days  earlier  than  observed  at  San  Diego  in  1852. 
A  nest  found  May  7th,  in  a  low  bush  close  by  the  public 
road,  and  about  three  feet  from  the  ground,  was  built 
very  strongly,  supported  by  a  triple  fork  of  the  branch 
composed  of  grass  blades  firmly  interwoven,  the  inside 
lined  with  much  horsehair  and  cobwebs.  The  outside 
measured  three  inches  in  height,  three  and  three-fourths 
in  width  ;  inside  it  was  two  wide,  one  and  three-fourths 
deep.  The  three  eggs,  partly  hatched,  were  pale  bluish- 
white,  and  measured  0.75  by  0.56  inch." 

Formerlv  this  was  a  common  cage-bird  in  the  Western 
States  of  \.  America ;  but  as  Dr.  Ru.ss  tells  us.  it  was 
extremely  rarely  imported  into  Europe,  and  probably 
there  will  be  less  likelihood  of  our  meeting  with  it  in 
the  trade  now  than  formerly. 

Varied  Nonpareil  (C yanospiza  versicolor). 

General  colour  above  dull  purplish  red,  tbe  ."scapulars 
bluer;  a  narrow  frontal  line  and  the  lores  black;  fore- 
head and  front  of  crown,  region  above  ear -coverts,  back 
of  nape,  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  pale  lilacine  or 
mauve-bluish  ;  the  cheeks,  ear-coverts  and  lesser  wing- 
coverts  deeper  lilacine  blue ;  lower  evelid  and  l>ack  of 
upper  eyelid,  back  of  crown  and  upper  part  of  nape 
.scarlet;  median  wing-coverts  purpli.sh  red,  black  at 
ba.se  ;  greater  coverts  blackish  with  purplish  red  edges 
and  tips;  remaining  wing  and  tail  feathers  blackish, 
edged  externally  with  dull  blue  ;  the  inner  secondaries 
suffused  with  purplish  red ;  chin  black ;  throat  and 
breast  purplish  maroon,  the  throat  often  redder; 
remainder  of  under  surface  deep  purplish  lavender, 
greyer  on  the  fl.anks ;  wings  below  dusky  with  dull 
greyish  and  purplish  edges ;  tail-feathers  blackish  with 
dull  blue  edge.s ;  beak  blackish  above  paler  below 
(possibly  greyish  in  life) ;  feet  black ;  irides  probably 
brown.  Female  alx)ve  mouse-brown,  greyer  on  rump 
and  upper  tail-coverts;  middle  and  greater  wine- 
coverts  with  paler  edges  and  tips ;   flights  edged  with 


SNOW-BIRDS. 


125 


bluish  grey ;  tail  dusky,  washed  and  edged  with  bluish ; 
under  surface  greyish-brown,  the  throat,  abdomen  and 
tips  of  under  tail-coverts  buffish  white.  Habiutt,  "  Te.xius  ; 
Michigan  rarely  ;  Lower  California,  breeding.  Central 
Amenta  :  Mexico  and  Guatemala." — Shari)e. 

All  that  J.  G.  Cooper  tells  us  ("  Ornith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  235),  is  : — "This  l>oautiful  bird  is  not  rare  at  Cape  St. 
Lucivs,  where  it  breeds;  the  nest  and  eggs,  and  the 
habits  of  the  bird  itself,  likewise,  are  probably  much 
like  those  of  C.  amietia." 

Mr,  IkH'be  has  given  very  little  information  about  this 
species  in  his  "Two  Bird-lovers  in  Me.xico."  He  tells  us, 
p.  350,  that  the  male  utters  a  rather  sweet  but  simple 
.song,  iuid  at  p.  394  (Appendix)  : — "  Connnon  only  along 
the  edges  of  the  barranca  streams  and  on  the  Colima 
trail,  in  company  with  florks  of  Black-headiHl  Cii'os- 
l>eaks."  1  do  not  know  where  more  information  can 
be  obtained.  I  have  looked  through  many  volumes  in 
vain. 

Dr.  Ru.ss  tells  us  that  this  "Western  Nonpareil," 
"Varied  Bunting,"  or  whatever  it  is  decided  to  call  it, 
has  clways  been  extremely  rare  in  the  European  market. 
1  can  quite  believe  that,  but  there  is  always  a  chance 
that  it  nuiy  come  in  some  consigimient  from  Central 
America. 

American  Snow-bird*  (Junco  hiemalis). 

"Head,  neck,  chest,  upper  breast,  sides,  flanks,  and 
upper  parts  plain  slate-colour,  darker  on  head,  where 
approaching  slate-black  on  pileum,  rather  paler  (ap- 
proaching slate-grey)  on  rump  and  sides  ;  lower  brea.st, 
abdomen,  anal  region,  and  under  tail-coverts  white  ;  six 
middle  tail-feathers  .slate-blac-kish.  edged  with  slate 
grej'ish  ;  two  outenno.st  tail-feathers  white  (the  second 
sometimes  du.sky  at  ba.se  and  e<lged  with  dusky  toward 
tip),  tha  third  white  and  dusky  (the  latter  usually 
pre<lominating) ;  bill  (in  life)  pinkish  or  lilaceous  white, 
with  dusky  tip  (at  least  in  winter) ;  iris  dark  reddish 
brown  or  claret  puqile  ;  tarsi  light  brownish,  toes  usually 
darker."  Adult  female. — Similar  to  adult  male,  but  the 
slate  colour  rather  lighter  (sometimes  decidedly  so),  and 
the  second  tail-feather  always  (?)  partly  dusky." — 
Ridgway.  Habitat,  "  N.  America,  chiefly  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  breeding  from  the  higher  parts  of 
the  Alleghanies,  northern  New  York,  and  Northern  New 
England  northwards.  South  in  winter  to  the  Gulf 
States."     (Cf.   A.O.U.    Check-List.) 

The  following  account  of  the  life  habits  is  a  free 
translation  from  Russ'.s  work ;  he  quotes  from  various 
American  authors,  and  then  gives  his  own  experiences  : — > 
According  to  Gentry,  this  species  appears  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  cold  seasons  as  early  as  the  middle  of  October, 
but  usually  in  November.  At  first  one  notices  it  in 
meadows,  fields,  and  the  outskirts  of  woods,  but  with 
the  fall  of  snow  and  increased  cold  it  is  driven  by 
hunger  to  the  vicinity  of  human  habitations,  when  it 
l>ecomes  confiding  and  even  impudent  and  feeds  on  scraps 
in  courtyards  and  gardens. 

In  the  autumn  berries  and  seeds  serve  it  for  food  ;  in 
winter  it  eagerly  devours  the  seeds  of  all  kinds  of  weeds 
as  well  as  the  eggs  and  pup,!!  of  insects ;  in  the  spring  it 
feeds  on  the  anthers  and  stalks  of  the  flowers  of  various 
plants  ;  an  examination  of  the  crop  revealed  red  ants, 
etc..  in  addition  to  seeds  and  grit. 

The  flight  is  low,  nndulating,  and  fairly  rapid.  When 
feeding  one  usually  sees  it  on  the  ground,  and  as  a  rule 
it  does  not  perch  high  in  a  thicket,  rarely  at  the  tops 
of  high  trees. 

Though  confiding  and  bold,  it  is  frequently  shy  and 

•  From  their  habits  I  should  iudpre  that  the  Snow-birds  would 
benefit  by  a  more  Taried  seed  diet;  I  should  offer  thfm  canary, 
millet.  German  rape,  oats,  and  hemp.  Insects  should  of  course 
be  given. 


nervous ;  it  lives  in  flocks,  starts  up  with  every  unusual 
sound,  but  wheels  round  again  to  the  same  spot.     The 

call-noU'  is  t.'<ir. 

In  the  spring,  as  soon  as  it  returns  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  woods,  etc.,  it  becomes  far  more  distrustful  and  at 
the  same  time  more  sprightly.  It  always  repeats  its 
joyous  song  in  the  following  syllables — Iwee-twee-twee-ah, 
tiree-c-e-c-e-ah.  It  .somewhat  resembles  that  of  the 
Pigmy  Sparrow.  F.  pusilla,  but  is  neither  so  loud  nor 
.so  prolonged.  Extraordinary  discrepancies  occur  in  the 
migration  of  this  species  ;  for  instance,  in  the  la.st  third 
of  ,June,  1875,  the  Snow-finches  were  as  abundant  here 
as  in  the  winter,  and  were,  moreover  cheerful  and  lively. 
This  late  stay  al.so  was  accounted  for  by  the  remark- 
ably long  duration  of  the  winter,  and  I  conclude  there- 
fore that  their  breeding-place  could  not  be  far  from 
here,  probably  in  the  neaiest  mountains. 

The  Snow-finch  is  next  said  to  breed  only  at  high 
elevations.  The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground  in  scanty 
.scrub  and  gra.ssy  plains,  and  is  concealed  under  tufts 
of  grass,  roots,  or  dead  leaves ;  it  is  constructed 
externally  of  coar.se  bents,  grasses,  and  straw,  fine  roots, 
strips  of  bark,  and  hor.sehair,  woven  together,  and  lined 
with  soft  moss  and  animal  wool  ;  the  cavity  is  deep  and 
wide  compared  with  the  size  of  the  bird.  The  eggs  are 
yellowish-white,  thickly  .sprinkled,  especially  at  the 
larger  end  where  they  sometimes  unite  into  a  patch, 
with  small  reddish  or  dark  chocolate  spots. 

Russ  .says  that  this  bird  seldom  appears  in  the  market, 
which  is  certainly  true  so  far  as  our  market  is  concerned, 
though  I  have  seen  one  or  two  specimens  at  long 
intervals,  and  I  believe  I  have  also  met  with  it  at  one 
or  two  bird-shows;  he  says  that  Reiche  and  Hagenbeck 
received  it  as  a  rule  haphazard  and  singly  and  he 
believes  that  several  pairs  were  only  received  on  one 
occasion.  He  continues  as  follows : — "  The  first  pair  I 
received  from  Karl  Hagenbeck  in  1868,  and  I  was 
delighted  by  their  strangely  great  sprightliness,  their 
pretty  and  graceful  movements  and  their  soft,  mono- 
tonous, but  not  unpleasing  song.  They  soon  began 
nesting." 

"  In  my  birdroom  I  kept  the  above-mentioned  pair  in 
excellent  condition  for  some  years  and  they  nested 
almost  regularly  nearly  every  year  in  March  until  the 
end  of  May.  The  very  small  nest  was  constructed  by 
lioth  mates  of  grass-stems,  strips  of  paper,  and  threads 
of  worsted,  and  lined  with  horsehair.  At  the  begin- 
ning, however,  owing  to  their  already  mentioned  spright- 
liness, they  never  reared  the  young,  or  deserted  the  nest 
at  the  .slightest  alarm.  A  second  pair  was  the  first  to 
rea.r  several  broods  ;  one  in  the  first  year  and  two  in  the 
second,  each  time  consisting  of  three  young  from  three 
to  four  eggs.  Incubation  lasts  twelve  days ;  the  female 
alone  incubates,  is  fed  by  the  male  and  assiduously 
defended,  and  both  together  bring  up  the  young." 

Oregon  Snow-bird  [Jnnro  oregonux). 
Head,  neck,  and  breast  all  round  black,  slightly  duller 
and  more  slaty  on  throat  and  breast ;  back  and  scapulars 
dull  chocolate ;  rump,  upper  tail-coverts,  lesser  and 
middle  wing-coverts  dull  mouse-grey ;  greater  coverts, 
flights  and  tail-feathers  blackish  with  greyish  edges, 
but  the  inner  wing-feathers  browner  than  the  others; 
two  outermost  tail-feathers  mo.stly  white,  and  the  third 
partly  white  towards  the  tip ;  sides  and  flanks  rusty- 
cinnamon,  the  latter  suffused  with  mouse-brown  ;  central 
portion  of  body  below,  including  back  of  chest, 
abdomen  and  under  tail-ooverts  white;  beak  pinkish- 
white,  slightly  du.sky  at  tip  (becoming  waxy  yellow  after 
death)  ;  feet  pale  brown,  the  toes  and  claws  slightly 
darker;  irides  reddish  brown.  Female  with  head,  neck, 
and  chest  slate  grey,  the  crown  and  nape  browner;  the 
back    and    scapulars    paler    brown ;    rump,    upper   tail- 


126 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


ccverts  and  lesser  wing-coverts  deeper  brown  ;  wings  and 
tail  browner  than  in  male;  second  tail-feather  less  than 
half  white  ;  otherwise  as  in  male,  but  the  cinnamon  on 
sides  below  rather  duller.  "Habitat,  Western  United 
SUt<!S,  northward  to  Alaska,  east  to  the  Plains,  south 
in  winter  to  New  Me.xico,  Arizona,  and  South  Cali-^ 
fomia.  Accidentally  in  Michigan  and  Massachusetts." 
(A.O.U.  Check-list). 

J.  G.  Cooper  {"  Ornilh.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  200-201) 
says  : — "  This  species  is  abundant  in  winter  throughout 
most  parts  of  the  State,  and  resides  in  summer  in  the 
mountains,  probably  down  to  the  32nd  parallel,  though 
I  have  not  determined  its  residence  a.'ong  the  coast 
further  south  than  Monterey.  That  locality  is  very  cool, 
and  an  extensive  forest  of  pines  coming  down  to  the 
coast  favours  the  residence  of  several  Northern  birds 
during  summer.  At  San  Diego  I  observed  them  until 
April  1st,  when  they  probably  retired  to  the  high 
mountains  visible  a  few  miles  back  from  the  coast.  A 
few  also  visit  the  Colorado  Valley  in  winter. 

"  On  the  Coast  Mountains  south  of  Santa  Clara  1 
found  many  of  them  breeding  in  May,  1864 ;  one  ne.st  1 
saw  near  the  west  base  of  the  mountains,  on  the  13th, 
containing  young  just  ready  to  fly.  It  was  built  in  a 
cavity  among  the  roots  of  a"  large  tree  on  a  steep  bank, 
formed  of  leaves,  grasses,  and  fine  root-fibres,  and 
covered  outside  with  an  abundant  coating  of  green  moss, 
raided  above  the  general  surface  of  the  ground.  The 
old  birds  showed  such  anxiety  that  I  was  induced  to 
hunt  for  the  nest  nearly  an  hour  before  I  found  it,  being 
satisfied  from  their  actions  that  it  was  there,  though 
very  hard  to  find.  The  moment  I  saw  it  the  young  flew 
out  in  all  directions,  and  their  parents  seemed  more 
alarmed  than  ever. 

"  On  May  20th  I  discovered  another  nest  on  the  very 
summit  of  "the  mountains,  probably  a  second  laying,  as 
it  contained  but  three  eggs.  It  was  slightly  sunk  in  the 
ground  under  a  fern  {Pltris),  and  formed  like  the  other, 
but  with  less  moss  round  the  edge ;  some  cow's  and 
horse's  hair  was  also  used  in  the  lining.  The  eggs  were 
bluish-white,  with  blackish  and  brown  spots  of  various 
sizes  thickly  sprinkled  on  the  larger  end,  measuring 
0.74  by  0.60.  According  to  Heeimann,  they  build  in 
bushes. 

"  The  only  song  of  this  species  is  a  faint  trill,  much 
like  that  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow  {Spizella  socialis), 
delivered  from  the  top  of  some  low  tree  in  March  and 
April.  At  other  times  they  have  merely  the  sharp  chirp 
or  call-note  by  which  they  are  easily  distinguished  from 
most  other  Sparrows.  Though  migrating  so  far  south  in 
winter,  they  also  remain  during  winter  at  least  as  far 
north  as  the  Columbia  River,  frequenting  the  vicinity  of 
houses  and  bams,  in  great  numbers,  especially  when  the 
snow  is  on  the  ground,  and  then  meriting  the  name  of 
their  Ea.stern  cousin,  which  usually  appears  in  the 
United  States  only  in  the  season  of  snow. 

"They  probably  raise  two  broods  in  this  State,  and  at 
Puget's  Sound  I  "have  seen  young  fledged  as  early  as 
May  24th. 

"According  to  Dr.  Coues,  this  species  is  an  exceed- 
ingly abundant  winter  resident  in  Arizona,  arriving  at 
Fort  Whipple  early  in  October,  and  becoming  very 
numerous  in  a  short  time.  They  remain  until  the 
middle  of  April,  and  stragglers  are  even  seen  until  May, 
keeping  quietly  hidden  in  out-of-the-way  places,  like 
the  Eastern  Snow-bird,  until  cold  weather  sets  in,  when 
they  become  very  familiar,  and  are  to  be  seen  every- 
where." 

It  seems  certain  that  this  species  must  have  been 
ooca-sionally  imported  as  well  as  the  Eastern  form,  for 
at  the  end  of  March,  1902,  I  had  a  male  sent  to  me  in 


the  flesh  for  identification.  I  am  afraid  that  I  assumed 
it  to  be  Juncu  hiemalis ;  but  fortunately,  as  it  was  in 
good  condition,  1  had  it  made  into  a  skin,  and  I  now  see 
that  it  is  palpably  the  Oregon  Snow-bird. 

Chhting  Sparrow  {Spizella  socialU). 

Above,  back  and  mantle  reddish  brown  streaked  with. 
b!ack  and  with  pale  edges  to  the  feathers;  lower  back 
and  rump  ash-grey ;  lesser  wing-covtrts  brownish  ash  ; 
median  and  greater  coverts  blackish;  paler  acd  more 
rufescent  outwardly,  whitish  at  tips;  remaining  wing- 
feathers  deep  brown  with  paler  edges,  rufescent  on  the 
secondaries ;  upper  tail-coverts  dull  brown  with  ashy 
edges;  tail-feathers  deep  brown  with  ashy  edges; 
crown  of  head  cinnamon  reddish,  streaked  indistinctly 
with  black  on  nape,  which  is  slightly  greyer;  forehead 
black  div'ded  by  a  whitish  line ;  lores,  eyebrow-stripe, 
and  featlieis  round  eye  white;  ear-coverts  pale  ashy 
edged  above  by  a  brown  line ;  cheeks  and  sides  of  neck 
whitish,  threat  and  chest  pale  ashy ;  breast  ani 
abdomen  whiter,  under  tail-covert-s  white  as  well  as 
under  %ving-coverts  and  axillaries,  the  base  of  feathers 
dusky;  sides,  flanks,  and  thighs  pale  grey-brown; 
flights  below  dusky  whitish  along  inner  edges ;  beak 
black  :  feet  pale  brownish,  toes  darker  ;  irides  brown. 
Female  with  rather  less  cinnamon  reddish  on  the  crown, 
which  is  also  somewhat  more  streaked  with  black ;. 
apparently  (judging  by  measurements  in  Museimi  Cata- 
logue) the  wing  and  tail  are  longer  than  in  the  male. 
Habitat,  North  America,  northward  to  the  Great  Slave 
Lake,  southward  to  Mexico. 

J.  G.  Cooper  {"Oriiith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  208) 
observes: — "They  spend  the  summer,  and  build  in  all 
the  northern  half  of  the  State,  preferring  the  vicinity  ot 
oak-groves  and  gardens,  coming  familiarly  about  the 
doorstep  to  pick  up  crumbs,  and  building  their  nest  in 
low  branches  of  fruit-trees  or  garden  shrubs.  It  is 
neatly  fonned  of  grass,  rather  thinly  interwoven,  and 
lined  almost  always  with  horse-hairs.  The  eggs  are  four 
or  five,  bright  greenish-blue,  with  a  few  light  and  dark 
brown  spots,  chiefly  at  the  larger  end.  They  raise  two 
or  even  three  broods  annually,  in  the  Atlantic  States. 

"  The  only  song  of  this  bird  is  a  low  trill,  usually 
heard  from  the  top  of  a  tree  during  the  still  warm 
morning. 

"  In  autumn  they  collect  into  large  flocks,  and  frequent 
open  woods,  pasture*,  etc.  I  found  flecks  of  them  on- 
Catalina  Island  in  June,  but  could  discover  no  nests, 
and.  as  they  were  all  old  birds,  concluded  that  they  for 
some  reason  had  forgotten  to  migrate. 

Rnss  says  that  this  again  is  one  of  those  Sparrows 
which  is  imported  now 'and  then,  although  it  is  truly 
neither  generally  nor  greatly  beloved.  He  furthermore 
tells  us  that  it  has  been  sold  Kingly  by  Mr,  C  Reiche, 
Miss  Clir.  Hagenbeck,  E.  Geupel.  and  others,  but  one 
could  haidly  secTire  a  pair  for  the  birdroom,  and  he 
excuses  himself  for  describing  it  in  detail  on  the  nlea 
that  it  will  answer  for  a  general  portrait  of  others  subse- 
quently briefly  referred  to.  The  one  weakness  in  this 
most  prai.scworthy  a\ncnltnrist  was  that  when  dealing 
with  soberly-coloured  birds  he  was  apt  to  consider  them 
beneath  the  notice  of  bird-lovers,  overlooking  the  fact 
that  a  knowledge  of  the  life-history  and  habits  of  a 
dingv  bird  is  scientificallv  of  as  much 'importance  as 
that  of  the  most  gorgeously-coloured  one. 

The  Chipping  Sparrow  has  been  exhibited  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens.  I  should  feed  it  and  all 
the  sparrow-like  Buntines  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
species  of  Fmheriza  or  Frxngilla. 

The  Pismy  or  Field  .Sparrow.  Spizella  pti^illn  (from 
the  Ea6f<i»Ti  United  States,  Southern  Canada,   ranging^ 


BUNTTNGS. 


127 


into  Mexico),  is  said  by  Russ  to  have  been  once  im- 
ported by  Mr.  Moller,  of  Hamburg ;  therefore  he  says 
it  ciui  h:ive  little  interest  for  aviculture.  If  there 
■were  any  pi'ospect  of  it  coming  to  liaiid  again  I  should 
not  agree  with  hini,  hut  1  tear  tluil  the  preei'iit 
stringent  laws  for  the  protection  of  North  American 
birdca  render  that  in  the  highest  degree  improbable, 
and  therefore  I  will  not  describe  it. 

Vesper   Sp.\rrow  or  B.\y-Winged  Bunting. 
{Pooicetes  gramineus.) 

Above,  ashy -brown  streaked  with  black,  most  broadly 
on  back,  less  distinctly  on  nape  and  rump ;  lesser  wing- 
coverts  cinnamon,  blackish  at  base  ;  remainder  of  "wing 
and  tail  dusky,  the  feathers  with  pale  greyish-brown 
edges,  the  median  and  greater  coverts  with  dull  buff- 
whitish  tips  ;  outermost  tail-feather  mostly  white,  with 
an  oblique  blackish  mark  along  the  inner  web  ;  second 
feather  with  the  end  of  the  outer  web  white-edged ; 
lores,  eyelid,  and  an  indistinct  eyebrow  streak  extending 
above  the  ear-coverte  sordid  whitish  with  ill-defined 
dusky  :  treaks ;  e;ir-covert.s  browner,  margined  above 
and  below  by  brownish  streaks ;  cheeks  buffy-while, 
forming  a  moustachial  streak,  and  separated  from  the 
throat  by  a  macular  duisky-blackish  line  ;  under  surface 
white,  the  chest,  sides,  and  Hanks  washed  with  buff 
and  with  dusky  streaks  or  spots ;  under  taLl-coverts 
unspotted  ;  flights  below  dusky,  dull  huffish  along  the 
inner  edges ;  upper  mandible  brown,  lower  flesh-pink ; 
feet  pale  brownish ;  irides  brown.  Female  said  to 
be  identical.  A  comparison  of  the  beaks  from  above 
will  probably  sliow  that  in  the  male  it  is  much  more 
bell-shaped  than  in  the  female.  Hab.,  "Eastern  Nortfi 
America  to  the  Plains,  from  Nova  Scotia  and  Ontario 
southward ;  breeds  from  Virginia,  Kentucky,  ajid  Mis- 
souri northward"  (A.O.U.  Check-List);  "south  in 
winter  to  Gulf  Coast  (Florida  to  Eastern  Texas) ; 
casual  in  Bermudae"   (Ridgivaij). 

J.  G.  Cooper  says  ("  Ornith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  187)  : 
"  I  found  this  bird  wintering  in  the  Colorado  Valley  in 
considerable  numbers,  but  it  disappeared  by  April.  I 
have  not  seen  them  near  the  coast,  and  they  seem 
to  seek  the  interior  valleys  chiefly  in  eummer.  Their 
favourite  resorts  are  grassy  meadows  and  open  woods 
or  orchards,  where  the  grass  grows  high ;  they  also 
seek  food  along  roads  when  migrating.  I  am  not  sure 
whether  they  breed  in  this  State,  but  think  they  do 
towards  the  north.  Their  nests  (in  the  Eaist)"  are 
built  on  the  ground,  under  tufts  of  grass,  and  usually 
sunk  below  the  surface ;  they  are  formed  principally 
of  withered  wiry  gra£i3,  lined  with  softer  srass  and 
hairs.  The  eggs,  four  or  five,  are  white,  with  several 
sliades  of  dark  reddish-brown  scattered  in  spots,  chiefly 
at  the  larger  end.  ITiey  probably  raise  several  broods 
annually,  and  do  not  migrate  much  from  the  middle 
Atlantic  States  [Nutiall). 

"Their  song  is  quite  frequent,  and  resembles  that 
of  the  Canary,  though  less  loud  and  varied.  They 
also  sing  sometimes  late  in  the  evening.  They  feed 
much  along  ro.ads,  and  are  fond  of  dusting  themselves 
in  such  places,  running  along  instead  of  flying  when 
followed." 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  e-pecies  was  imported  once 
uy  Reiche  and  then  also  by  Geupel ;  it  may  yet  come 
to  hand  from  the  Bermudas,  cr  even  Mexico,  since  this 
fnecies  is  recoided  as  having  occurred  at  Oaxaca,  in 
Western  Mexico.  Ridgway,  however,  regards  the 
western  and  southern  form  as  referable  to  a  distinct 
sub-species  on  very  slieht  characters;  he.  moreover, 
even  distinguishes  two  forms  in  California.     I  wonder 


how  many  snb-species  yie  could  make  out  of  our  House- 
Sparrow  ;  it  varies  considerably  in  size,  length  of  wing, 
and  colouring ! 

Sandwich  Bunting  (Passcrculus  sandivichensis). 

Above,  ashy-brown,  distinctly  marked  with  pale- 
edged  black  streaks  ;  wing-feathere  pale  brownish,  with 
dusky  centres  ;  tail-feathers  dull  ashy-brown,  with  pale 
ashy  edges;  crown  with  a  narrow  central  pale  sordid 
grey  stripe ;  forehead  and  sides  of  crown  blackish ; 
n;>i>u  somewhat  more  ashy;  lores,  eyelids,  and  an  eye- 
brow stripe  pale  yellow ;  the  last-mentioned  becoming 
white  at  back  ;  ear-coverts  pale  rciidish  brown,  with  a 
black  spot  behind  and  a  black  margin  below  them ; 
cheeks  dull  white  or  pale  huffish,  eeparated  by  a  line  of 
more  or  less  connected  blackish  markings  "from  the 
throat;  under  surface  white  (more  buff-tinted  in  winter), 
the  sides  and  flanks  streaked  with  blackish,  tinged  with 
reddish,  triangular  on  the  breast;  thighs  reddieh- 
brown  ;  tinder  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  ashy  ;  flights 
below  dusky,  with  ashy  inner  mai-gins ;  beak  dusky 
above,  pale  brown  below;  feet  pale  flesh  colour";, 
irides  biovyn.  Female  not  differentiated,  but  donbtlesis 
easily  distinguished  by  the  more  regularly  conical  out- 
line of  the  beak  when  viewed  from  above.  Hab..  North 
America  generally;  Mexico  to  Guatemala;  the  "islands 
of  Cozuniel  and  Jolbox;  Bahamas 

This  variable  species  has  been  sorted  out  by  Pro- 
fe.ssor  Ridgwnv  into  four  sub-species,  Ijut  Dr.  Sharpe 
says  he  has  failed  to  find,  in  the  series  at  his  disposal, 
the  definite  characters  laid  down  by  American  authors. 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("Ornith.  Calif.,""  Vol.  I.,  pp.  181, 
182)  recognises  a  distinction  of  size  between  the  two 
sub-species  P.  sandwichensis  and  P.  alaudinus.  but 
admits  that,  so  far  as  he  observed,  their  habits  did  not 
differ.  Under  P.  alaudinns  he  publishes  the  following 
notes:  "At  the  Columbia  River  I  noticed  the  arrival  of 
this  species  from  the  south  in  March,  and  that  they 
resided  there  until  late  in  October.  In  this  State  they 
seem  chiefly  winter  residents,  abounding  on  the  dry 
interior  plains  as  far  south  as  San  Diego,  where  they 
remain  until  April  in  large  flocks.  I  have  not  seen 
them  during  the  sunxmer  months,  though  they  very 
probably  breed  in  some  of  the  higher  prairies  "of  thi"& 
Stite.  yet  I  saw  none  about  the  summits  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  in  September.  They  prefer  the  dry,  rolling 
plains  to  marshes,  although  "occasionally  found  in  the 
latter." 

"  The  song  of  this  bird  is  faint  and  lisping,  delivered 
from  the  top  of  a  tall  weed,  during  spring.  Its  nest 
is  unknown,  but  P.  savanna  builds  in  the  grais,  and 
lays  pale  greenish  eggs,  slightly  spotted  and  splashed 
with  pale  umber  (jv  utlall)."  Dr.  Sharpe  does  not 
distinguish  P.  savanna  as  a  species  from  P.  sand- 
wichensis, but  Dr.  Russ  keeps  the  two  separate  in  his 
book.  He  says  that  P.  savanna  is  one  of  the  birds 
usually  met  with  in  the  bird-market,  but  of  P.  san<i- 
trirhrnsi'!  that  it  has  only  reached  the  Hamburg  Zoo- 
logical Gardens.  Of_  the  typical  Seaside  Sparrow 
{Ammodrnmus  maritimus),  Russ  says:  "It  has  no 
song,  and,  apart  from  that,  as  it  has  never  reached 
us  in  any  numbers,  it  is  of  no  importance  for  avi- 
culture." That  would  not  prevent  me  from  including 
it  if  there  were  any  reasonable  prospect  of  it  cx>ming 
to  hand  at  all,  but  under  the  present  condition  of 
American  law  this  is  meet  unlikely. 

Manimbe   Seaside  Sparrow  (Ammodromus  manimhe). 

Above,   ashy-grey,   streaked   with   black,   the  streaks 

in   winter   with    rufous   edges ;    nape   and     rump    less 


128 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


streaked ;  lesser  wing-coverts  greenish  yellow,  brighter 
on  edge  of  wing ;  median  and  greater  coverts  black, 
with  alhy  margins  and  whitish  tips  ;  flights  dusky,  with 
ashy  margins,  inner  secondaries,  with  rufous  margine  ; 
tail-feathers  similar  to  flights ;  lores  whitish,  above 
which  is  a  line  of  yellow  passing  into  a  pale  aehy 
eyebrow  stripe ;  feathers  round  eye  whitish ;  ear- 
ooverts  and  sides  of  face  ashy;  the  former  bounded 
above  by  a  black  line  and  behind  by  a  black  spot; 
throat  aehv  whitish,  greyer  on  sides  of  neck  and 
streaked  with  bhick ;  lower  throat  huffish ;  centre  of 
body  below  white;  sides,  flanks,  and  thighs  brown; 
under  tail-coverts  iKile  huffish  ;  under  wing-coverts  and 
axiUaries  whitish,  yellow  near  edge  of  wing;  beak 
grey-brown,  fleehy  white  at  base  of  lower  mandible ; 
feet  pale  flesliy  brown;  irides  yellowish-brown. 
Female  not  differentiated,  but  doubtless  differing  in 
outline  of  beakasnsual.  Hab.,  South  America,  from 
<iuiana,  Venezuela,  and  Colombia  to  South  Brazil  and 
Bolivia   (Sbarpe). 

Messrs.  Sclater  and  Hudson  unite  A.  pen/anus  with 
this  gpecies,  and  observe  ("Argent.  Ornith.,"  I.,  p.  61)  : 
■"Many  years  ago  I  first  noticed  it  on  the  pampas 
north  of  Buenos  Ayres ;  afterwards  I  found  it  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  that  city;  then  it  began 
to  spread  over  the  plains  to  the  south,  appearing  every 
spring  in  greater  numbers,  but  it  iis  still  far  from 
common.  It  has,  I  fancy,  a  limited  migration,  as  I 
could  never  find  one  in  winter.  It  is  solitary,  and 
frequents  open  plains  and  fields  ;  lives  on  the  ground, 
and  never  alights  on  a  tree.  The  male  has  a  favourite 
perch,  a  tall  weed  or  post,  where  he  spends  a  great 
deal  of  his  time,  repeating  his  song  _  at  intervals  of 
half  a  minute ;  it  is  short  and  pleasing,  and  has  a 
slight  resemblance  to  the  song  of  the  Yellowhammer, 
but  is  more  delicate  and  melodious.  When  approached, 
the  bird  flies  down  and  conceals  itself  in  the  grass." 

H.  von  Ihering  {The  Ibis,  1901,  p.  13)  says  that  the 
egg  of  this  species  "  has  been  described  several 
times,  but  always  wrwngly."  Mr.  J.  G.  Kerr  (t.c,  p. 
223),  speaking  of  birds  ob.«erved  on  the  Gran  Chaco,  says 
"  Common,  January,   1897." 

This  is  all  that  I  have  been  able  to  discover  respecting 
the  life  history  of  A.  manimbe  from  an  examination  of 
numerous  books  in  my  library.  Specimens  from  Vene- 
zuela were  presented  to  our  Zoological  Society  by  Capt. 
Albert  Pam  in  1906. 

Of  the  so-called  Swamp-Sparrow  [Melospiza 
georgiana),  Russ  says:  "Formerly  it  was  imported 
several  times  by  Gudera,  but  is  of  no  significance  for 
aviculture."  It  is  not  likely  to  come  in  future,  and 
therefore  may  be  passed  over. 

Melodious  Sparrow*  (Melospiza  fasciata). 

Above,  brown,  streaked  with  black  on  mantle  and 
upper  back  ;  the  feathers  internally  edged  with  ashy 
and  externally  with  chestnut  ;  lower  back  and  rump 
more  ashy  and  more  distinctly  streaked  ;  lesser  wing- 
coverts  rnfescent ;  median  coverts  dark  brown, 
with  Tufescent  borders  and  ashy  edges ;  greater 
coverts  rufous,  tipped  with  whitish,  and  en- 
closing black  spots  towards  the  tips,  like  the  inner 
secondaries  ;  remaining  flights  blackish -brown,  rufous 
externally,  whitish  towards  end  of  primaries ;  upper 
tail-coverts  rufous-brown,  edged  with  ashy  and  streaked 

•  Rid^way  makes  this  one  of  twenty  subspetfiea  of  3f.  cinerea ; 
he  admits  that  there  may  be  connecting  links,  and  probably 
are.  between  these  named  forms,  indeed  he  knows  there  are  in 
many  cases;  iif  so  their  fep'\ration  one  from  the  other  seems  to 
me  much  like  sortinp  marbles  by  their  *int8;  1  fail  utterly  to 
6ee  how  it  benefits  science. 


with  black  ;  tail  brown ;  the  centre  feathers  with  black 
shaft-stripe, ;  the  remainder  with  pale  rufescent  edges, 
outer  feathers  paler  at  tips ;  crown  streaked  with 
black,  asl.y  in  centre,  chcftnut  on  each  side,  lores, 
feathers  in  front  and  below  eye,  and  a  broad  eyebrow- 
stripo  creamy  white,  the  latter  more  ashy  at  back ; 
ear-coverte  ashy-buff  with  paler  shafts ;  a  chestnut 
streak  along  upper  edge ;  a  second  chestnut  streak 
i-ei>arating  them  from  the  cheeks  which  are  ochraceous  ; 
the  latter  separated  from  the  throat  by  a  broad  chestnut 
tinted  black  streak;  sides  of  neck  ashy  narrowly 
streaked  with  black;  under  surface  white,  the  throat 
very  slightly  spotted  with  dusky;  the  breast  rufescent 
with  large  triangular  black  spots ;  sides  and  flanks 
yellowish  streaked  with  chestnut  and  black;  thigbe 
"brown ;  under  tail-coverts  yellowish,  with  dusky 
centres;  under  wing-coverts  and  axilliaries  whitish, 
ashy  at  base;  flights  below  dusky,  the  inner  margins 
rufescent ;  beak  above  dark  brown,  below  bluish ;  feet 
pale  brown;  irides  hazel.  Hab.,  Breeds  throughout 
the  temperate  North  America,  including  the  plateau  of 
Mexico  (Ridgway)  ;  Colorado,  Utah,  Nevada,  and 
northward. 

According  to  both  S.harpe  and  Ridgway  M.  fallax, 
M.  Iieermanni,  and  M.  rufina,  which  J.  G.  Cooper  keeps 
separate  in  his  work  on  the  Ornithology  of  California, 
are  only  sub-species ;  I  therefore  quote  the  fol- 
lowing notes  on  the  wild  habits  of  the  species 
from  his  account  of  M.  heermanni:  "This  species  is 
the  representative  »f  the  genus  in  all  the  .«outhern 
half  of  California,  except  Colorado  Valley,  being  found 
in  every  locality  where  there  are  thickets  of  low  bushes 
and  tall  weeds,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  water,  but 
coming  familiarly  about  gardens  and  houses  if  un- 
molested by  its  enemy  the  cat.  Their  usual  resort  is  on 
the  ground  under  the  shade  of  plants,  where  they  in- 
dustriously scratch  for  seeds  throughout  tlie  day,  rarely 
flying  more  than  a  few  yards,  and  never  deserting  their 
homes  from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the  other. 

"  OccasicHially,  especially  in  spring,  they  perch  on 
some  low  bush  or  tree  and  sing  their  lively  and  pleas- 
ing melodies  for  an  hour  at  a  time,  each  song  being  a 
complete  little  stanza  of  a  dozen  notes,  and  frequently 
varied  or  changed  entirely  for  another  of  similar  style, 
but  quite  distinct.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  dis- 
tinguishing their  songs  when  once  heard,  although  no 
two  birds  sing  precisely  alike.  There  is  a_  similarity 
of  tone  and  style  in  all  the  species  of  MfJospiza  proper, 
that  has  led  former  obseners  to  consider  them  as  if 
only  one  species,  when  taken  in  connection  with  their 
similar   colours   and   habits, 

"The  nest  of  this  species  I  cannot  positively  describe, 
though  I  found  one  5t  Santa  Cruz  in  June,  which  I 
have  little  doubt  belonged  to  it.  It  was  built  in -a 
dense  blackberry  bush,  about  three  feet  frt^m  the 
ground,  formed  of  a  thick  wall  of  grasses  and  bark, 
lined  with  finer  grasses.  Theije  were  but  two  eggs, 
smoky  white,  and  densely  speckled  with  dull  brown.  \ 
waited  for  more  eggs  to  be  laid,  but  on  my  next  visit 
found  that  it  had  been  robbed, 

"  Zriniilrichut  qiittala."  cf.  Heermann.  P.  R,  Rep.  X., 
VI.,  47.  refers  chieflv  to  this  species,  which  he  collected 
in  iejou  Vallev,  while  he  did  not  obtain  the  true 
guttata  (rvfinn).  "  Though  this  bird  was  abundant 
around  Santa  Cruz,  I  onlv  found  two  ne.sts.  after  much 
searching.  The  first,  built  on  a  willow,  close  against 
the  tree,  and  three  feet  from  the  ground,  contained 
foair  eggs  partly  hatched  on  May  11th.  (I  had  seen 
newly  fledged  young  on  the  7th,)  It  was  composed  of 
coarse  dry  stems  and  leaves,  lined  with  finer  crass  and 
horsehairs,  outside  five  inches  wide,  four  high,  inside 
two   jind    a    half    wide,    two   deep ;    eggs    pale    green. 


FOX   SPARROW  AND  GROUNB-FIXCH. 


129 


blotched  and  spotted  with  purplish-brown,  chiefly  at 
ihe  large  end  ;  their  size  0.62  by  0.82  inch.  The 
ground  colour  is  paler  and  spots  darker  than  those  of 
Z.  ifambili).  ajkl  the  whole  colouring  much  darker  than 
those  of  M.  fa/lax.  This  was  probably  an  old  neet 
used  for  a  second  brood. 

"  I  found  anotlier  similar  nest,  also  with  four  eggs, 
in  a  thicket,  si.\  feet  up,  as  late  as  July  10th,  doubtless 
a  second  brood." 

Russ  says  that  tlus  spscies  ds  not  quite  so  rare  in 
the  trade  an  its  allies  and  at  times  several  specimens  or 
pairs  are  imported  by  all  the  principal  dealers  who  in- 
troduce Njrtli  American  birds  into  the  market.  He  re- 
commends anyone  who  wi.shes  to  get  satisfaction  from 
this  "Sparrow"  to  keep  it  by  itself  in  a  small  cage, 
where  he  c,-in  hear  it  industriously  singing  its  un- 
doubtedly iileasing  .song.  It  is  quite  possible  that 
specimens  of  this  bird  may  yet  be  imported  from 
Mexico :  as  a  cage-bird  well-known  on  the  Continent  I 
could  not  well  omit  it. 

Fox  Sparrow  {Passerclla  iliaca). 

Above  variable ;  either  olive-grey  with  the  crown 
more  or  less  tinged  with  chestnut,  the  back  and 
scapulars  bix>adly  streaked  with  the  sarme,  a.iid  the  lower 
Tump  and  upper  tail-coverts  reddish  chestnut ;  or  nearly 
uniform  reddish  chestnut;  wings  dusky  brown;  wing- 
coverts  chestnut,  slightly  pajer  at  tips;  inner  webs  of 
flights  .and  tail-feathers  paler  than  the  outer  webs,  those 
of  secondaries  slightly  reddish ;  inner  webs  of  tail- 
feathers  dusky  brown  ;  sides  of  head  chestnut  above 
ear-covert.s  and  sides  of  neck  varied  with  greyish-olive  ; 
below  white,  the  sides  of  throat,  chest  and  flanks 
broadly  streaked  with  reddish  chestnut ;  beak  dark 
brown,  bl.ax'k  at  tip,  yellow  at  base  of  lower  mandible; 
feet  flesh-coloured ;  irides  deep  brown.  Female  not 
quite  so  strongly  marked,  especially  on  the  head  ;  the 
markings  below  darker,  blackish  on  brea.s.t  and  flanks. 
Hab. ,  East'M'u  N.  America.,  west  to  tlie  plains  and 
Alaska  (valley  of  the  Yukon  to  the  Pacific),  from  the 
Arctic  coast  south  to  the  Gulf  States.  Breeds  north 
of  the  United  States,  v.-inters  chiefly  south  of  the  Poto- 
mac and  Ohio  rivers  (A.   0.  U.   Check-List). 

In  the  "  Ornithologist  and  Oologist,"  Vol.  IX.,  p.  22, 
Mr.  Averill  write.s : — "The  Fox  Sparrow  {Pcisserella 
ilinca)  is  so  early  n  bird  in  .spring  and  so  late  in  its 
autumn  migration  that  its  occurrence  in  New  Entrland 
in  winter  is  nothing  very  strange,  yet  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  latest  work  on  New  England  ornithology 
(Coues  and  Stearns)  says  that  we  have  no  information  of 
the  bird  in  winter  within  our  limits,  it  may  int_^re.st 
the  readers  of  the  ''0.  and  0."  to  know  that  I  took  a 
specimen  in  Bridgeport.  Conn.,  on  the  29th  of  last 
December.  The  week  preceding  had  Iwen  notable  for 
low  temperature  and  deep  snow,  but  this  day  was  mild 
and  pleasajit,  and  a  warm  .south  wind  induced  me  lo 
explore  a  patch  of  red  cedar  trees  by  the  bank  of  a 
salt  creek.  It  was  here  I  shot  the  bird,  which  on  dis 
section  proved  to  be  a  male.  The  gizzard  contained 
fragments  of  seeds  which  were  kindly  identified  bv 
Prof.  D.  C.  Eaton  of  Yale  College  as  seeds  of  the  red 
cedar."  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke  in  tliie  following  volume 
of  the  same  publication  has  some  interesting  notes  on 
the  migrations  of  this  species  in  the  Mississippi  Vallev 
(Vol.  X.,  pp.   130,  131). 

Mv  library  affords  me  no  information  respecting  the 
nidification  of  this  species;  but  it  is  not  very  likely 
that  the  bird  will  come  into  the  hands  of  any  of  my 
readers.  althou<rh  two  specimens  reached  the' London 
Zoological  Gardens  in  1901.  It  might  possibly  be 
brought  home  by  Arctic  explorers  but  it  is  not 
probable. 


Red-byed    Grouxd-Fin-ch    (Pipllo    erythrophthalmufi). 

Above  bhick  ;  upper  tail-coverts  with  rufescent  fringes 
at  the  tips;  flights  with  broad  white  borders;  three 
outer  tail  fcatheis  increasingly  white  at  tho  tips  from 
within  outw.ards  ;  chin  and  throat  black  like  the  rest  of 
the  he.id  ;  breast  and  abdomen  white,  thighs  with  the 
bases  of  the  leathers  Miick  ;  sides  and  flankis  chestnut, 
the  sides  of  chest  with  a  few  dusky  &iK>t.s;  under  tail 
coverts  pale  fawn  colour ;  under  wing  coverts  and 
axillaries  white,  with  a  p.-itch  of  brown  near  outer 
edge  of  wing;  flights  below  dusky,  tho  edge  of  inner 
web  ashy;  bejik  black;  feet  pale  yellowish-brown; 
irides  bright  red.  Female  with  <hocolate  on  upper  sur- 
face of  body  in  place  of  black,  two  central  tail  feathers 
also  cl«xx>late;  the  four  outer  tail  feathers  white  tipi^ed, 
instead  of  three;  wings  brown,  insteail  of  liliek.  the 
primaries  white  at  base  of  outer  web,  and  the  outer 
ones  with  a  sm.all  white  marking  toward."!  the  tip;  inner 
.secondaries  fringed  with  reddi.sh,  also  with  a  bro,Td 
white  patch  on  outer  wob;  chestnut  on  sides  of  body 
heXow  paler  than  in  the  male.  Hab.,  Eastern  United 
States  and    Southern  Canada  westwards   to  the  plains. 

Said  to  be  abundant  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  in  the 
spring,  arriving  in  April  in  flocks,  which  soon  separate 
into  single  pairs;  it  affects  thick  scrub,  grass-covereil 
plains,  and  moist  copses,  and  one  sees  it  also  in  a  few 
remote  localities,  such  as  in  bushes  in  frequented  roads, 
and  here  it  seems  by  no  means  timid.  Few  of  its  rela- 
tives remain  so  constantly  on  the  ground  as  the  "  Ground 
Robin  "  (whence  the  name) ;  it  oidy  -perches  nccasionallv 
u|X)n  a  low  bush,  and  never  upon  high  trees.  Like  all 
its  near  relatives  it  indulges  in  an  extraoixlina.rr  fcml- 
like  scratching.  If  in  calm  weather  one  hears  the  dry 
dust  in  the  wood  scattering,  this  is  caused  by  its  move- 
ments while  industriously  seeking  food  under  the  black- 
beiTy  creepers  and  hollies  by  the  hour  together.  Its 
flight  is  low,  rustling  and  undulating.  On  the  earth  it 
moves  very  actively,  ininning  and  hopping.  The  mono- 
tnnou.s  call-note  sounds  loudly  l-orcet ;  when  alarmed  it 
litters  the  sharp  shrUl  cry  r/n'-iriii/:  thrice  repeated. 
Its  song  may  be  rendered  in  the  following  svllables: 
t'w/iit-t'  ivitre-tP-tf.  Its  food  consists  of  seeds^  hemes, 
and  varicus  insects.  Towards  the  middle  of  May  pairing 
commences,  .and  nesting  in  the  last  third  of  the  month. 
The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground  at  the  margins  of 
thieket.s,  among  the  large  quantities  of  leaves  which 
cover  the  latter  and  in  a  bush.  It  is  industriously  built 
in  ii.  few  days  by  both  members  of  the  pair;  consists 
externally  of  leaves,  stalks  and  thin  twins;  internally  of 
fibres  and  bast,  and  is  lined  with  fine  rootlets  and 
larch  needles.  The  eggs,  generally  four,  are  round 
ovals,  the  grooind  colaur  dingy  whitish,  marked  with 
pale  blown  dots  and  spots,  chiefly  on  the  broader  end. 
jiicubation  lasts  thirteen  days:  after  about  fourteen  days 
the  young  de-sert'  the  nest,  and  then  about  ten  days  later 
they  are  able  to  look  after  themselves;  nevertheless 
they  remain  together  with  their  jxirents  in  fa.mi lies  until 
their  departure  in  the  middle  of  October.  Every  year 
ihey  produce  only  one  brood. 

I  have  translated  the  above  from  Russ's  "  Fremdliind- 
ischen  Stubenvogel,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  479.  480;  he  quotes 
from  Gentry.  Russ  says: — "  Fmm  time  to  time  this 
largest  and  ma.st  stately  of  all  Bunting-Sparrows' 
apjicars  in  the  market,  and  on  account  of  its  di.stinctive 
size  and  colouring  and  its  pleasing  appearance  it  always 
finds  ready  purch.isers.  It  is  a  favourite  in  bird  rooms, 
and   is,   moreover,  not  rare  in  zoological  gardens."     He 

*  Wh.T  not  "  Son»-Sparrows  "?  I  take  it  that  all  the  Sparrow- 
like  Buntings  having  the  Wh.TcIah-like  habit  of  scratching  after 
the  manner  of  fowls  must  be  nearly  related. 


130 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE  AND   AVIARY. 


says  that  the  irholesale  price  is  10s.  a  pair,  but  singly 
15s.  to  24s.  It  has  been  exhibited  more  than  once  in  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens,  bvrt  will,  I  fear,  be  rarely 
seen  in  the  future.  In  the  United  States  it  is  popularly 
known  as  "  che-wink,''  "  towhee,"  or  "Ground-Robin."' 

Mexic-VN  SrOTTED  Qbound-Finch  (Pipilo  maculatui). 

Black,  rather  browner  on  lower  back  and  rump ;  upper 
back  and  scapulars  streaked  with  white;  wing-coverta 
tipped  with  white,  conspicuously  on  median  and  greater 
coverts;  primaries  naiTowly  edged  with  white;  second- 
aries with  a  broad  stripe  along  outer  web  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  tipped  with  rusty-white  fringes ;  four  outer  tail 
feathers,  with  terminal  white  6pot,  increasing  in  width 
outwardly;  throat  mottled  with  white;  breast  and 
abdomen  "white,  the  latter  tinted  with  tawny;  sides  and 
flanks  bright  tawny;  thighs  black,  with  whitiih  edges 
to  feathers;  under  tail-coveits  paler  tawny ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  white,  dusky  at  base,  the  latter 
tint-ed  yellowish;  flights  below  blackish,  with  ashy 
inner  margins ;  beak  black :  feet  brownish ;  iridte 
reddish.  Female  with  the  bhroat  and  chest  more  sooty, 
browner ;  crown  dark  brown,  usually  streaked  with 
black ;  back  and  scapulars  more  olivaceous  and  ttierefore 
less  black.  Hab.,  "  Central  America,  from  Mexico  to 
Guatemala."     (Sharps). 

As  P.  megalonyx  from  the  Rodcy  Mountain  region  to 
California  is  regarded  as  a  sub-species  of  the  above,  I 
quote  the  following  notes  on  the  wild  life,  from  J.  G. 
Cooper's  "Ornith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  242-3  :—"  Their 
favourite  residence  is  in  thickets  and  oak  groves,  where 
they  live  mostly  on  the  ground,  soratehing  among  the 
dead  leaves  in  the  concealment  of  the  undergrowth, 
and  rarely  venturiog  far  from  shelter.  They  never  fly 
more  than  a  few  yairds  at  a  time,  and  only  a  few  feet 
above  the  ground.  "  About  towns,  if  unmolested,  they 
become  more  familiar,  entering  gardens  and  making  their 
homes  about  the  houses.  They  have  little  musical  power, 
the  -males  merely  uttering  a  feeble,  monotonous  trill 
from  the  top  of  some  low  bush.  The  nest  is  madeon  the 
groimd  under  a  thicket,  constructed  of  dry  leaves,  stalks, 
and  grass  mixed  with  fine  roots.  The  eggs,  four  or  five 
in  number,  are  greenish-white,  minutely  speckled  with 
reddish-brown.     They  measure  1.00  by  0.70." 

RusB  says  that  in  the  course  of  years  the  dealer  Mieth 
has  on  two  occasions  obtained  a  single  specimen  from 
small  dealers  at  Hamburg,  but  both  died  before  he  had 
disposed  of  them.  Nevertheless,  'here  is  no  reason  why 
a  bird  occurring  in  Central  America  should  not  still 
come  to  hand,  and  therefore  I  think  it  better  not  to  pass 
it  over. 

Black-throated  Bunting*  (Spiza  AmcTkana). 

Above  brown,  the  crown  and  nape  ash-grey,  the  mantle 
and  upper  back  washed  with  the  same  and  black 
streaked,  the  lower  back  and  rump  also  ashy-brown,  but 
unstreaked  ;  les.ser  and  median  wing-coverts  chestnut ; 
greater  coverts  blackish,  externally  pale  rufescent  and 
with  ashy  fulvous  margins;  rest  of  wing-feathers  black- 
ibh-brown,  the  primaries  with  ashy  margins,  the  second- 
aries with  broader  rufescent  margins  ;  upper  tail-coverts 
and  tail-feathers  brown,  with  ashy  edges  and  whitiih 
fringes  lo  inner  webs  ;  a  pale  spot  at  one-third  from 
tips ;  front  part  of  crown  more  or  less  olivaceous ;  eye- 
brow stripe  pale  yellow,  sometimes  white  at  back  ;  ear- 
coverts  ashy,  slightly  tinted  with  olivaceous;  cheeks 
■white  ;  a  yellow  mark  below  eye ;  sides  of  throat,  chin 
aird  upper  throat  white;  centre  of  throat  occupied  by  a 
black  pateh,  varying  greatly  in  extent,  sometimes  con- 
tinued forward  towards  chin,  and  sometimes  backward 
"  '  Called  "  Dickcissel  "  in  the  United  States. 


through  centre  of  breast;  sides  of  fore-neck  and 
breast  bright  yellow  becoming  whitish  on  abdo- 
men; sides  ashy-grey,  becoming  browner  on  flanks  > 
thighs  whitish,  yellow  externally ;  under  tail- 
coverts,  wing-coverts,  and  axillaries  white,  the 
latter  with  yellow  bases ;  edge  of  wing  bright 
yellow;  flights  below  dusky  wiuh  ashy  inner  edges; 
upper  mandible  blackish,  tomium  and  lower  mandible 
bluish-grey,  a  black  streak  towards  tip  below ;  feet 
horn-brownish  ;  irides  brown.  Female  with  the  crown 
and  nape  streaked  with  black ;  the  mantle  and  ba'^k 
pale  brown,  but  also  streaked;  lesser  wing-coverte  liko 
the  back  ;  remainder  of  wing-feathers  blackish-brown,, 
median  coverts  rufescent  at  tips  and  edged  with  buff- 
whitish ;  other  feathers  with  whity-brown,  the  inner 
greater-ooverts  and  secondaries  rufescent  towards  tips ; 
upper  tail-covertG  and  tail-feathers  dark  brown  witb 
pale  edges;  lores  dull  whitish;  eyebrow  stripe  ill-de- 
fined pale  yellow ;  eyelid  whitish  ;  ear-ooverts  dark 
achy-brown  with  whitish  shafts;  cheeks  white  with  a 
yellow  spot;  throat  white  with  a  few  black  spots;  fore- 
neck  and  chest  yellow,  breast  .^shy-brown,  yellowish  in 
the  centre;  abdomen  and  under  tailooverts  whitish; 
sides  and  flanks  ashy-brown  ;  lower  fl:inks  streaked  with 
blackish ;  thighs  brown  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axil- 
laries ashy -brown,  tinged  with  yellow ;  flights  below 
dusky  with  ashy  inner  edges.  Hab.,  United  Statce  east 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains;  wintering  in  New  Mexico, 
Arizona,  Mexico,  Central  America  to  Colombia  and 
Trinidad,  occasional  in  Jamaica  and  Swan  Island. 

According  to  Gentry  this  bird  is  tolerably  abundant 
in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  in  meadows  and  uncultivated 
fields  but  always  in  pairs,  not  flocks  ;  it  is  remarkably 
confiding,  so  that  one  can  approach  it  quite  closely, 
when  disturbed  it  soon  returns  to  the  same  spot.  Only 
before  migration  does  it  unite  into  large  flocks,  of 
which,  however,  other  species  form  the  greater  number. 
It  flies  low,  with  an  undulating  and  easj'  movement. 
Two  months  after  its  arrival  it  sings  to  us  indefatigablr 
from  sunrise  to  sunset  at  its  favourite  places  of  resort. 
The  song  is  rendered  by  Wilson  as  chip-ehip-che,  che, 
che,  and  reeembles  tliat  of  the  Yellowha  mmer.  The 
food  consists  of  all  kinds  of  seeds,  berries,  and  insects, 
which  it  searches  for  on  the  ground,  otherwise  it  prefers 
to  remain  in  a  bush  or  on  low  trees.  About  the  last 
third  of  May  or  the  beginning  of  June,  usually  five 
days  after  pairing,  breeding  commences.  The  nest  is 
almost  always  on  the  ground,  very  rarely  in  a  bush;  is 
constructed  of  various  grasses  and  plant  .^talks,  and 
lined  with  fine  materials;  both  sexes  build  together. 
The  clutch  consists  of  four  or  five  uniformly  light  blue 
eggs.  The  female  ineubates  alone  for  twelve  dajis.  The 
young  are  fed  with  caterpillars,  blight,  and  all  other 
kinds  of  soft  insects.  After  thirteen  days  the  young 
leave  the  nest,  and  are  fed  for  nine  or  ten  days  after- 
wards by  their  parents.  Only  one  brood  ie  reared  in 
the  year. 

Russ  says  that  it  comes  into  the  market  through 
Reiche  of"  Alfeld  and  Miss  Hagenbeck  of  Hamburg, 
that  it  first  appeared  in  the  London  Zoological  Gardens 
in  1873.  and  has  been  exhibited  several  times  at  the 
Berlin  Zoological  Gardens  and  Aquarium.  The  usual 
price  of  the  male  is  about  twelve  to  fiftt>en  marks;  the 
female  Is  hardly  ever  imported,  and  consequently  it  has 
not  been  bred  in  captivity. 

Citron  Finch  {Pseudochloris  citrina). 

Aliove  olive-vellowish;  mantle  and  Ivack  broadly 
marked  with  blackish  brown  :  wing-feathers  blackish 
with  olive-yellow  borders;  the  margins  of  the  inner 
secondaries  somewhat  ashy;  tail-feathers  blackish  with 
olive-yellow   margins,   the   two  outer   feathers  with  a 


FINCHES. 


131 


white  pateh  at  end  of  inner  web;  crown  uniform  dull 
yellow  ;  lores  dusky  ;  orbital  region  yellow  ;  ear-coverts 
olive  yellow ;  cheeks  and  under  eurtace  bright  yellow, 
slightly  greener  on  lower  throat,  sides,  and  tlajiks ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  olive-yellow,  dusky 
at  base;  flights  below  dusky,  with  ashy  inner  edges, 
lemale  browner  ;  the  whole  upper  eurface  streaked  with 
black;  rump  paler  and  more  olivaceous;  wing-feathers 
with  ashy  borders  ;  sides  of  head  uniform  brown  ;  body 
below  sulphur  yellow,  whiter  on  throat ;  chest  and 
flanks  browner  streaked  with  blackish.  Hab.,  Brazil, 
Guiana,  and  Colombia. 

So  far  as  1  have  been  able  to  discover,  very  little 
eeems  to  be  known  respecting  the  habits  of  i'neudo- 
cKloris  ;  one  species  (/'.  tutea)  is  said  to  feed  upon  seeds 
and  buds,  but  that  is  the  only  information  that  1  have 
gleaned  from  many  books:  The  genus  used  to  be  con- 
founded with  Sycalif. 

Two  specimens  of  this  bird,  from  Venezuela,  were 
presented  to  the  Loudon  Zoological  Society  by  Capt. 
Albert  I'am  in  >ovember,  1906. 

Gay's  Finch  {Phri/gilus  gayi). 

Mantle  and  uppar  back  orange  brown,  scapulars  yel- 
lower, suffused  with  greenieh  externally ;  lower  back 
,ind  rump  clear  yellow  ;  lesser  wingcoverts  dark  green- 
ish-grey, median  and  greater  coverts  clear  slate- 
grey,  as  also  the  upper  tail-coverts;  other  wing  aud 
tail"  feathers  blackish  with  slate-grey  outer  margins ; 
back  and  sides  of  neck  olive-greemsh ;  a  narrow  frontal 
line,  lores,  and  orbital  feathers  slate  blackish ;  ear- 
coverts,  cheeks,  and  throat  paler  and  more  pearly  grey; 
rest  of  under  surface  bright  yellow  slightly  olivaceous 
below  throat  and  rather  p.*Ier  on  lower  breast  and 
abdomen ;  thighs  slate-grey ;  under  tail-coverts  gene- 
rally white,  the  longer  ones  however  with  slate-grey 
centres ;  under  wing-coverts  white  and  axillaries  paJe 
yellow,  both  with  ashy  bases  ;  flights  below  dusky,  with 
"whitish  inner  edges ;  beak  lead-coloured^  feet  brown, 
iridcs  red  to  bla<:k.  Female  altogether  paler,  the  flanks 
ashy-browni.  Habitit,  Chili,  Patagonia,  and  Argentina. 
Of  specimens  of  this  species  obtained  on  the  "  Chal- 
lenger "  Expedition,  the  stomachs  were  said  to  contain 
sand  and  grubs.     tVide  P.Z.S.,  1878.  p.  432.) 

Mr.  A.  A.  Lane  (The  IbL",  1897,  pp.  16,  17)  says:  — 
"  I  did  not  observe  these  Finches  until  I  went  to  the 
province  of  Arauco,  north  of  which  they  do  not  occur 
on  the  lowlands ;  at  least,  so  I  was  told.  They  are 
more  plentiful  in  the  south,  especially  in  Chiloe,  and 
CD  the  adjacent  mainland.  Their  local  name  is  '  Chan- 
chito'  ('  Little  pig  '). 

"  They  resemble  P.  atricepi  verv  closely,  and  might 
be  mistaken  for  them  by  a  casual  observer.  P.  alrictps 
is  somewhat  larger,  and  dts  deep  black  head  distin- 
guishes it.  this  part  bedng  in  P.  gayi  of  a  dark  slate- 
oolour.  Even  their  notes  appear  identical,  though  I 
heard  the  male  of  P.  gayi  utter  a  simple  melody  on  a 
few  occasions  during  suimmer,  which  performance  I  did 
not  notice  in  the  other  species.  In  Southern  Chili  the 
present  species  feeds  a  great  deal  on  the  ground  under- 
neath bushes. 

"The  favourite  haunts  of  thefe  birds  are  the  sides  of 
ravines  or  abrupt  hollows,  covered  with  thick  bush  of 
a  seed-bearing  nature,  and  small  cliffs  covered  with 
creepers.  They  do  not  occur  on  open  stretches,  but  aie 
often  numerous  in  partially  cleared  localities,  where 
conpice  has  taken  the  place  of  the  large  timber  pre- 
viou.'ly  cut  down  or  burnt.  I  never  could  find  their 
nests.  I  frequently  saw  them  in  confinement,  in  aviarie.'^. 
When  crnssint:  the  Andes,  from  Santiago  to  Mcndoza.  I 
found  this  bird  numerous  on  the  Argentine  side,  where 
it  feeds  on  the  ground  on  the  barren  mountain-slopes."' 


According  to  Landbeck,  the  call-note  is  tchVp,  and  t-he 
song  ttet  iwcty  often  repeated.  (See  also  Crawshay. 
"  Birds  of  Tierra  del  Fuego.") 

This  pretty  species  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Obchabd  Fisch  {PhrygHus  fruticeli). 

General  colour  s!ate-gTcy ;  the  crown,  nape,  mantle, 
and  back  streaked  with  black;  lump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  paler  grey,  the  latter  with  shall  streaks  and  tips 
black;  les.ser  wing-coverts  black,  edged  with  pale  grey  ; 
median  coverts  black,  tne  distal  hall  of  the  outer  web 
white ;  greater  coverts  black,  narrowly  edged  with, 
pale  grey  and  tipped  with  white ;  remainder  o; 
wing-feathers  and  tail-feathers  black,  narrowly  edged 
with  pale  grey;  eyelids  white;  forehead,  lores, 
chin,  throat,  and  breast  black;  sides  of  body, 
flanks,  and  thighs  slate-grey;  centre  of  abdomen  and 
under  tail-coverts  white,  the  latter  somewhat  buffish. 
with  narrow  black  shaft-streaks;  a-xillaries  slate-grey; 
under  wing-coverts  blackish  with  .^Lite-grey  edges  ;  beak 
yellowish  flesh-colour;  feet  brownish  fiesh-colour ;  irides 
dark  hazel.  Female  with  head,  neck,  and  back  dull 
grey,  washed  with  brownish  and  streaked  with  dark 
brown ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  pale  greyish- 
brown ;  scapulars  like  the  mantle,  but  edged  with 
rufous;  lesser  wing-coverts  grev  ;  median  coverts  dark 
brown  with  distal  half  of  outer  web  white :  greater 
coverts  duskv,  edged  with  bufGsh-grey  and  with  tips  of 
outer  webs  diill  white ;  flights  dull  brown,  with  ashy- 
brownish  edges  ;  tail  blackish-brown,  the  outer  and  two- 
central  feathers  paler;  tips  of  first  to  fourth  feathers 
whitish,  as  well  as  the  base  of  the  outer  webs  ;  eye'jrow- 
stripe,  lores,  cbeeks,  chin,  and  throat  whitish,  blackish 
at  base  of  feathers:  ear-coverts  rufescent:  malar  .«treak. 
breast,  sides  and  flanks  dusky  greyish-brown  with  fine 
brown  streaks ;  flanks  and  under  tail-coverts  huffish : 
centre  of  breast  and  abdomen  white ;  axillaries  and 
under  wing-coverts  ashy ;  under  surface  of  flights 
brownish  ;  beak  brown,  paler  on  lower  mandible  ;  feet 
brownish  fle.sh  coloured ;  irides  brown.  Habitat. 
Andes  of  Cliili  and  Patagonia,  extending  to  Peru  and 
Bolivia. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Hudson  ("Argentine  Ornithology,"  Vol.  L, 
p.  54)  observes  : — "  Though  not  possessing  any  bright 
tints,  it  is  a  very  charming  bird,  tuneful,  elegant  in 
form,  graceful  and  buoyant  in  its  motions.  When  ap- 
proached it  utters  a  series  of  low  ticking  sounds,  and  at 
intervals  a  peculiar  long  squealing  note.  The  song  of 
the  male  is  very  agreeable,  and  curiously  resembles  that 
of  the  Cachila  Pinit  (AnlJiKu  correndera).  It  usually 
sits  on  a  twig  near  the  ground,  and  at  intervals  soars 
up  to  a  height  of  ten  or  twentv  yards,  and  utters  its 
song  while  gliding  slowly  downwards  with  depressed 
wings  and  outspread  tail.  It  sings  tbroughout  the 
year ;  in  bright  weather  its  notes  are  heard  all  day 
long,  but  on  cold,  cloudv,  or  wet  davs  only  after  sunset. 
In  the  wai-m  season  they  live  in  pairs,  and  in  the 
autumn  unite  in  flocks  of  as  many  as  two  or  three  hun- 
dred individuals,  and  have  a  strong  undulating  flight. 

E.  Bartlett  f  Monogr.  Weavers  and  Finches  ")  quotes 
the  following  note  by  Mr.  H.  Durnford  : — "  Co.iimon  at 
Chupat  throughout  the  spring  and  summer,  and  often 
seen  during  our  journey  in  the  valleys :  it  never  wanders 
far  from  water.  On  the  20th  September  I  took  a  nest 
on  the  hill?  near  the  colony  :  it  was  a  very  neat  structure 
of  wool,  feathers,  and  the  flowers  of  a  grass,  and  placed 
in  the  centre  of  a  thick  bush,  about  a  foot  above  the 
ground.  It  contained  two  eggs,  of  a  pale  green  ground- 
colour, thickly  marked  with"  dull  chocolate  spots  and 
streaks." 

The  food,  according  to  Prof.  W.  Xation  fcf.  P.Z.S., 


132 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


1881,  V.  486),  consists  of  seeds  of  Lupiiiii.i  lumoitusux, 
liut  doubtless  it  a'so  eats  insects,  and  probably  other 
seeds. 

According  to  Russ,  this  species  does  well  in  captivity, 
and  bears  the  journey  to  Europe  excellently ;  lit  has 
been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Ai.At7DiNE  Finch  (Pliri/yilus  alaudiiiii-^). 

Head,  back,  chin,  Uiroat,  and  sides  of  botly  bluisli- 
grey  ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  rather  paler  ;  niantlo 
;:nd  scapulars  broadly  streaked  with  blackish;  me<lian 
i'lid  greitfr  wing-coverts  and  Mights  black  edged  with 
silvery-grey,  browner  on  the  secondaries;  tail-feathers 
black,  except  the  two  central  ones,  which  aie  brown; 
the  black  feathers  with  an  elongated  white  patch  on  the 
ii.ner  webs ;  the  outer  ones  aJ.eo  with  the  basal  half  of 
the  outer  webs  white;  lores  black;  bre:ist,  abdomen, 
fiont  of  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts  wlrite;  flights 
i-elow  dusky,  with  ashy  inner  margins ;  beak  yellowish- 
brown  ;  feel  pale  chrome-yellow ;  irides  dark  browii. 
Female  above  pale  earth-brown,  greyish  on  nape,  ninip, 
and  uppcii-  tail-coverts,  streaked  throughout  with  dusky 
brown;  primaries  with  narrow  greyish-white  margins  to 
outer  webs  ;  greater  and  median  coverts  and  secondaries 
darker  brown,  broadly  bordered  with  buff  and  pa.le  red- 
dish-brown ;  tail  nearly  as  in  the  male,  but  edged  and 
tipped  with  silver}--gr"ey ;  cheeks,  side-!  of  neck,  and 
breast,  pale  buff,  nniTowly  streiked  with  bron-n;  lores, 
chin,  and  throat  buffish-white  ;  sides  of  body  like  the 
back;  abdomen,  flanks,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
white ;  axilla.ries  and  under  surface  of  wing  silvery-grey  ; 
beak  yellowish-brown;  feet  yellow;  irides  brown. 
Hab.,  Ande.s  of  Chili  and  Peru  to  Kcnador.  ^ 

Bartlett  ("  Monogr.  Weavens,  and  Finches  ' )  quotes 
Mr.  Bridges  for  the  following  note  on  the  habits  of  this 
species  :—"  This  little  bird  makes  its  appearance  in  the 
summer  months  ;  inhabits  corn-fields  ;  builds  its  ne-st  on 
the  ground,  and  lays  four  to  five  whitish  eggs  with  brown 
vpots.  The  native  name  is  Picliinuina."  He  tells  v,s 
also  that  Mr.  L.  Fraser  sent  home  examples  from 
Caiacali.  which  is  situated  at  a  height  of  8,000_  feet 
above  the  sea-level,  where  he  remarks  it  was  "  not 
uncommon  ;  food  small  seeds  and  grubs ;  lives  entirely 
on  the  ground  amongst  the  heather;  when  disturbed, 
takes  an  undulating  flight  for  about  sixty  or  eighty 
yards."  H.  Whitely,  during  his  travels  m  West  Peru, 
took  the  nest  near  Arcquipa  in  March,  1868.  "made  of 
coarsa  grass,  lined  with  finer  grass  and  jiluced  on  the 
L'lound  in  fields  of  lucerne.  The  eggs  are  very  like 
those  of  our  Yellowhammer."  This  is  a  veiy  vague 
description  when  one  remembers  the  many  utterly  ais- 
similar  variations  of  the  eggs  of  that  species. 

Acoording  to  Russ  this  species  is  easily  reconciled  to 
captivity  ;  it  has  Ijeen  exhibited  more  than  once  in  the 
I,ondon"Zool(igicaI  Gardens. 

Dtrtw  Finch  {Dhira  diura). 
"  Above  grey,  sides  of  head  darker ;  wings  and  tail 
blackish,  edpcd'with  grey;  lateral  rectrices  tipped  with 
white  •  below  grey  ;  whole  chin  and  throat  and  middle 
of  the'  belly  white  ;  lower  flanks  and  crissum  stained 
with  rufous";  bill  plumbeous;  feet  dark  hazel;  whole 
length  6.5  in.,  wing  3.3  in.,  tail  2.6  in.  Female  similar, 
but  tinged  with  brownish,  and  colours  more  obscure." 
(P.  L.  Sdnlfr).  Habitat.  Chili  and  Western  Arg.-ntina. 
Mr  Ambrose  A.  T^ane,  in  his  "Field  Notes  on  the 
Birds  of  Chili"  {The  Ihi.%  1897,  pp.  19,  20)  says  of  this 
si)ecies : "  The  sexes  are  of  about  the  same  size,  and 
alike,  though  as  a  rule  the  female  is  not  quite  so  hand- 
some as  the  male.  Tliey  prefer  civilisation,  and  are 
invariably   found   about  homesteads  or  tillage.     In   the 


cold  .season  they  may  often  be  seen  feeding  on  the 
ground  in  large  flocks ;  they  separate  on  being  dis- 
turbed. They  feed  on  various  seeds,  especially  grass 
seeds,  also  berries,  etc.  About  Santiago  they  nest  from 
the  end  of  September  to  Chri.'stmas,  varying  further 
south  according  to  climate.  At  Valdivia  the  season  is 
five  or  six  weeks  later  than  as  stated  above.  As  S(K>n 
as  the  time  of  year  coinee  on  they  display  a  great  deal 
of  energy,  and,  like  niost  Finches.  ;iie  very  active  in 
their  nesting  operations,  and  vociferous  as  well.  The 
nest  is  sometimes  com])leted  in  three  days  or  les.", 
according  to  circumstances,  and  if  the  birds  are  not 
unsettled  or  disturbed. 

"  The  nest  is  placed  from  3  ft.  to  8  ft.  from  the 
ground,  and,  as  a  rule,  well  concealed  in  a  thick  bush  or 
branch. 

"The  eggs  are  laid  to  the  number  of  three,  being 
usually  completed  -within  two  days  from  the  laying  of 
the  first  fgg. 

"  I  found  some  nests  with  four  eggs,  but  this  is 
unusual,  and  sometimes  I  found  birds  sitting  on  two  or 
even  one  egg. 

"  Incubation  la.sts  two  and  a  half  weeks  or  more,  both 
birds  assisting. 

"  The  young  are  fed  in  the  usual  Fringilline  manner, 
on  the  pulp  from  the  crops  of  the  parent  birds.  They 
attain  their  full  size  in  about  a  month. 

"  The  young  .are  browaier  than  the  old  birds  on  leav- 
ing the  nest,  which  colour  they  retain  for  some  time, 
especially  the  females. 

"  The  usual  chirrup  of  the  cock  is  like  that  of  our 
House  Sparrow,  but.  he  outdoes  the  latter  in  attaining  to 
a  song  in  the  summer.  The  song  consists  of  a  succes- 
sion of  loud  clear  notes,  rather  uneven  in  hannony,  and 
abrupt ;  but,  though  it  cannot  be  classed  with  the  per- 
formances of  other  Finches,  still  it  is  constantly  uttered 
in  a  cheerfully  boisterous  manner,  which  does  a  great 
deal  towards  enlivening  some  Chilian  localities,  where 
the  singing  birds  are  few.  This  bird  is  easily  kept  in 
cages,  and  ought  to  breed  regularly  in  an  aviary." 

It  will  be  at  once  noticed  that,  in  this  account,  Mr. 
Lane  has  omitted  the  two  most  imjx>rtant  pieces  of 
information — the  materials  and  construction  of  the  nest, 
and  the  colouring  and  general  character  of  the  eggs ; 
both  are  frequently  omitted  in  his  accounts  of  bird 
habits,  and  render  his  rotes  far  less  valuable  than  they 
would  otherwise  be.  Fortunately,  Landbeck  has 
described  both  nest  and  eggs.  He  says  :  "  It  breeds  on 
trees  and  bushes  several  times  in  the  year,  makes  a  large 
nest  of  roots,  fibres,  feathers,  hairs,  rags,  etc.,  and  lays 
five  or  SIX  eggs  of  a  whitish  ground-colour,  spotted  and 
scrawled  over  with  grey." 

Tliis  species  was  bred  in  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens  in  1887,  and  in  1900  Miss  Alderson  bred  it  in 
one  of  her  aviaries.  Her  birds  laid  as  many  as  five  eggs 
to  the  clutch,  and  she  describes  them  {Aricvlturcu 
Magazinr,  scr.  1,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  181)  as  "about  the  same 
size  as  those  of  the  Robin  ;  pale  blue-green  in  colour, 
splashed  all  over  with  brown,  not  unlike  a  Rook's  egg 
on  a  small  scale." 

There  is  not  the  least  doubt  that,  as  is  the  case  with 
most  Buntings,  the  eggs  vary  considerably  both  in 
ground-tint  and  markings. 

PlLEATED  Finch  {Coryphospingvn  pilcatus). 

Above  dark  slate  grey,  paler  towards  the  tail,  greater 
and  primary  coverts  and  quills  black  brown,  greyish 
externally;  tail  black,  the  top  of  head  black  with  a 
broad  central  band  of  shining  carmine  feathers,  which 
can  be  erected  into  a  crest ;  sides  of  head  more  or  less 


CARDINALS. 


133 


grey,  eyelids  white ;  throat,  breast,  and  flanks  grey, 
i-emainder  of  under  parts  white  excepting  the  flights 
and  tail  leathers,  which  are  a  little  paler  tiian  alx)ve ; 
upper  mandible  greyish  liorn-lirown,  lower  (lesliy  white  ; 
feet  brownish  flesh  coloured,  iris  greyish  brown. 

The  female  is  slightly  snijller  and  altogether  browner 
than  the  male,  the  crest  brown.  Habitat,  Brazil  to 
Venezuela  and  Colombia. 

Nothing  is  known  of  the  wild  life  of  this  bird  beyond 
the  fact  that  it  hops  about  in  the  shrubs  in  company 
with  other  Finches  ;  it  has  been  once  bred  in  Germany, 
and  Mr.-;.  Howard  Williams  bred  it  in  England  in  1905 
in  a  sheltered  garden  aviary.  The  nest  was  built  in  a 
laurel  bush  uixjn  a  foundation  of  fibre,  -scraps  of  pai>er, 
hair  from  a  white  Pomeranian,  fragments  of  Ostrich 
teather,  and  a  shaving  or  two ;  the  open  nest  was 
entirely  constructed  of  rope-fibre,  with  no  lining,  w-as 
barely  2  in.  in  diameter  and  shallow,  'niree  large  pure 
white  eggs  were  laid  early  in  July,  the  6rst  being 
hatched  on  the  14th  and  the  two  others  on  consecutive 
days.  On  the  25rd  one  binl  had  died  and  been  thrown 
out  of  the   nest,  a  setvind   had   left  the  nest   and  could 


Head  of  Pileated  Finch  (male),  the  crest  partly 
raiski)  ;  beak  of  female  in  profile. 

flutter  a  little,  the  third  left  the  nest  two  days  later; 
both  birds  were  reared.  A  full  account  of  this  interest- 
ing experience  is  published  in  the  Avkultural  Maga- 
zine, N.S.,  \'ol.  I\.,  pp.  30-34. 

The  Pileated  Finch  api»ars  to  have  no  song ;  but  the 
beauty  of  its  crest  and  its  confiding  nature  when  caged 
atone  for  its  lack  of  vocal  merit ;  its  call  note  is  a 
rather  shrill  tsip. 

I  found  the  males  of  this  species  less  hardy  than  the 
females,  none  of  them  having  survived  for  march  if  at 
all  longer  than  one  year,  whereas  one  of  my  own  hens 
lived  about  six  years. 

Red-crested  Finch  {Coryjyhospingri.^  cristafus). 

Allied  to  the  preceding  species,  but  the  male  chiefly 
vinous  red  with  the  same  silky  carmine  crest  as 
C.  pilealiis;  the  female  altogether  duller  and  paler,  the 
crown  of  the  head  and  back  pale  brown.  This  bird 
inhabits  Ecuador,  Pei-u.  Bolivia,  Brazil,  Paraguay,  and 
Argentina.  In  its  wild  state  this  bird  affects  open 
country  dotted  with  thickets  of  low  scrub,  high  up  in 
which  it  constructs  its  nest  and  lays  three  or  four 
white  eggs  dotted  with  brown. 

This  species  is  but  rarely  imported,  although  com- 
monly obtainable  in  the  market  at  Buenos  Ayres;  had 
I  not  imported  the  bird  myself  I  should,  in  all  proba- 
bility, never  have  purchased  it,  on  account  of  its 
usually  high  price ;  as   it  was  my  three  males  did  not 


live  many  months,  having  been  brought  over  in  open 
all-wire  cages,  and  evidently  exposed  not  only  to  wind 
but  to  spray  from  the  sea,  the  wire  being  quite  rusty 
when  the  ciges  reached  me. 

I  found  tliese  birds  very  friendly  when  as.sociated 
wdth  lien  Pileated  Finches,  and  tolerably  confiding  as 
regarded  myself;  although  they  seem  to  have  no  true 
song,  they  are  decidedly  pleasing  birds,  their  call-note 
is  a  soft  and  rather  pLdntive  ue-liru. 

In  their  movements  when  hopping  this  and  the  pre- 
ceding speties  shuffle  their  wings,  after  the  fashion  of 
the  Superb  Tanager  or  the  Liothrijr.  Being  Buntings, 
the.?e  birds  should  not  be  restricted  to  a  seed  diet,  but 
should  have  in  addition  a  few  mealworms  or  other 
insects,  and  a  little  soft  food  daily. 

We  now  come  to  the  Cardinal  Buntings  (the  Green 
and  Grey  Cardinals  .if  the  trade)  :  these  birds,  I  find,  do 
best  upon  a  seed  mixture  con>isting  of  canary,  oats,  and 
hemp,  with  a  little  soft  food  daily  and  an  occasional 
instct  or  spider.  It  has  been  stated  that  they  are  fond 
of  fruit,  and  I  have  known  Paruaria  larvata  to  eat  a 
little  apple,  but  after  ex]jerimenting  with  all  the  im- 
ported species  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  none  of 
them  really  oared  for  fruit. 

Green  Cardinal  [Guhernatrix  cristata). 

The  cock  bird  has  the  upper  oarts  of  an  olive-greenish 
shade,  the  mantle  being  longitudinally  streaked  with 
black  dashes ;  the  tail  bright  yellow,  with  the  two 
centre  feathers  blackish;  the  crest,  chin,  and  throat 
velvety-black;  the  beak  black,  with  grey  lower  man- 
dible ;  a  broad  streak  over  the  eye,  and  the  sides  of  the 
throat  bright  golden  yellow  ;  breast  greenish  ;  belly  and 
under  tail  coverts  bright  yellow.  The  hen.  which  has 
been  said  to  resemble  the  cock,  is  really  very  distinct; 
the  streak  over  the  eye  in  this  sex  is  pure  white,  as 
are  the  sides  of  the  throat ;  the  breast  is  also  brownish- 
grey,  and  the  yellow  colouring  is  less  vivid.  The  iris 
of  the  eye  in  both  sexes  is  very  dark,  almost  black,  and 
the  legs  are  dark  grey.  Habitat,  Argentine  Republic  to 
Northern  Patagonia. 

Mr.  Hudson  seems  to  have  known  nothing  about  the 
wild  life  of  this  bird,  and  Mr.  0.  V.  Aplin,  in  his  article 
on  the  birds  of  Uruguay,  only  says  (The  Ibia,  1894, 
p.  169) :— "  I  met  with  this  fine  bird  in  the  wild  state 
only  on  one  occasion,  namely,  on  the  25th  May,  a.  day  or 
two  before  I  came  down  to  the  coast,  when,  riding 
without  a  gun  at  the  edge  of  the  monte  in  the  rinciin 
of  the  Arryo  Grande  and  the  Arryo  O,iormin,  I  watched 
a  pair  at"  close  quarters  in  a  tala  bush.  They  are 
sprightly,  handsome  birds,  and  are  sometimes  seen  in 
cages,"  "but  in  captivity  it  builds  a  strong  cup-shaped 
nest  of  about  the  size  of  that  of  our  Hawfinch,  and  lays 
three  or  four  clear  green  eggs,  spotted  (chiefly  at  the 
larger  end)  with  purplish  black. 

The  song  of  the  male  bird  consists  of  three  rather 
shrill  and  one  lower  whistle,  followed  by  a  medley  of 
scroopy  struggling  sounds,  as  though  a  nuniber  of  dif- 
ferent whistles  were  wrestling  for  mastery  ;  it  is  not  at 
all  pretty.  The  red-headed  Cardinals  of  the  genus 
Paroaria,  which  I  presently  have  to  consider,  all  sing 
in  much  the  same  fashion.  In  feeding  this  and  the 
following  large  Buntings,  not  only  insects,  but  soft  food 
rnd  fruit  (whenever  procurable)  is  sometimes,  but  not 
alwavs,  accepted. 

The  Black-crested  Cardinal,  as  this  species  is  some- 
times called,  is  the  most  docile  of  the  imported  repre- 
sentatives of  the  group,  becoming  -nerfectly  tame,  either 
in  cage  or  aviary,  within  a  very  short  time;  it  is  also 
the  most  easily  bred  of  all  the  Cardinals,  the  only  diffi- 
culty  being   to   provide   livHng   insects   wherewith    the 


134 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


parents  may  feed  their  young  after  they  leave  the 
nest,  for  they  cease  to  give  them  prepared  food  entirely 
after  they  fly,  and  consequently  (unless  sufficient 
insects  can  be  provided  for  a  fortnight  or  so  from  that 
date)  they  must  necessarily  die  of  starvation.  I  lost 
my  own  young  Cardinals  in  1895  from  this  cause. 

Yellow-billed  Cardinal  (Paroaria  cajiitala). 
Above  black,  with  intensely  bright  carmine  head,  tha 
black  and  red  being  divided  by  snow-white,  and  with 
crescentic  marks  on  the  neck  narrowing  to  a  point  upon 
the  nape ;  the  throat  of  adult  birds  is  black,  this  colour 
tapering  downwards  to  the  chest ;  the  under  parts  are 
snow-white,  the  bill  and  feet  ochreous  yellow.  Fema  ■? 
with  head  of  a  duller,  more  brick-coloured  red;  she  is 
ali^o  a  trifle  larger  than  the  male,  ajid  .slightly  grevfr 
on  the  mantle ;  her  beak  is  shorter  and  tapers  more 
regularly,  the  base  being  slightly  wider  and  the  point 
more  obtuse. 

Y'oung  birds  are  altogether  duller  in  colouring,  the 
red  of  the  head  replaced  by  sandy  buff,  and  the  black 
on  the  throat  by  brown  ;  they  also  have  a  good  deal  of 
slate-colour  on  the  culmen,  tip,  and  tomium  of  the 
beak  and  on  the  front  of  the  tarsi.  Habitat,  Argentine 
Piiepublic  and  Paraguay  northwards  to  Bolivia  and 
Matto  Grosso. 

Although  this  species  is  still  somewhat  rare  in  skin- 
collections  and  was  extremely  rare  in  living  collections 
at  the  latter  end  of  the  last  century,  it  appears  to  be 
very  abundant  on  the  hanks  of  the  Rio  Pilcomayo.  Mr. 
J.  Graham  Kerr,  writing  in  The  Ihis  for  1892,  p.  126, 
says  : — "  Equally  or  even  rather  more  abundant  than 
/'  cuciillafa.  Especially  conspicuous  among  the  bushes 
upon  the  river's  banks."  The  same  gentleman  found 
it  common  on  the  Gran  Chaco  in  1896  and  1897. 

This  bird  is  .said  to  occur  in  small  flocks  at  Parana, 
and  is  often  seen  upon  the  stones  at  the  edge  of  the 
river.  In  spite  of  its  far  more  vivid  colouring,  its  lack 
of  a  crest  probably  leads  the  native  bird-catchers  to 
give  preference  to  the  abundant  red-cre.sted  species; 
nevertheless  in  1903  an  Italian  brought  a  moderate  con- 
sitrnment  of  this  species  in  all  stages  of  plumage  into  the 
London  market,  and  I  understand  that  a  rather  large 
number  arrived  in  1907. 

In  July.  1893.  I  imoorted  a  beautiful  adult  male  ol 
this  Cardinal.  I  found  it  lively,  tolerably  confiding, 
cleanly,  and  as  unmusical  in  its  notes  as  its  commoner 
and  wilder  relatives.     Unhappily,  it  was  rather  short- 

Of  the  consignment  which  reached  London  in  1903  I 
purchase*!  four  examples  in  various  stages  of  colour- 
erowth,  and  bv  carefully  noting  day  by  day  the  changes 
which  took  place  in  the  colouring  of  the  plumage,  of  the 
beak,  and  of  the  feet,  I  proved  conclusively  (I  will  not 
say  indisputably,  for  some  men  will  dispute  the  truth 
of  anything  which  they  have  not  themselves  observed) 
th.at  the  so-called  Brown-throated  Cardinal  (P.  cervi- 
ralii]  was  nothing  more  than  an  imperfectly  matured 
stage  in  the  colouring  of  /'.  rapilata.  All  my  birds 
became  typical  P.  cervirali.i  shortly  before  they 
acquire<l  their  fullv  otlull  plumage.  The  dark  tinting 
of  the  tarsi,  which,  I  believe,  is  supposed  to  be  most 
important,  is  present  in  nearly  all  young  birds,  and  in 
some  is  the  last  juvenile  character  to  disappear,  but  it 
always  fades  out  in  the  end  ;  as  a  specific  character  it 
is  utterly  valueless. 

Red-headed  or  Dominican  Cardinal 
{Paroaria  lan'ata). 

.\bove  pale  slate-grey,  the  feathers  of  the  nape  and 
mantle  broadly  edged  with  black,  the  former  more  or 


less  white  at  base,  in  some  cases  white  with  black 
borders  ;  wings  and  tail  black,  the  primaries  narrowly 
e<iged  externally  with  white,  the  secondaries  with  broad 
external  border  which  is  continued  round  the  ends  ;  tail- 
feathers  narrowly  edged  with  ashy,  brownish  in  the 
female,  the  outer  feathers  with  white  terminal  fringes; 
head  all  round,  chin,  throat  and  centre  of  fore-chest 
crimson  ;  a  bhick  line  bounding  the  back  of  the  ear- 
coverts  ;  remainder  of  under-surface  white,  washed  with 
ashy  on  flanks ;  flights  belovir  blackish,  ashy  on  inner 
edges ;  upi)er  mandible  dark  brown  ;  lowt  r  mandible 
yellow  with  brown  tip;  feet  blackish,  slate-coloured; 
iridcs  hazel.  Female  rather  larger  than  the  male,  with 
rather  longer  and  more  tajjcring  beak,  the  culmen  of 
which  therefore  appears  slightly  less  arched  ;  the  white 
e<igcs  to  the  primaries  seenr  to  be  a  trifle  narrower,  but 
this  character  may  be  variable.     Hab.,  Brazil. 

Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  {The  Ibis,  1881,  p.  337)  says:  — 
"  ITie  Red-hesuled  Cardinal  I  found  common  at 
Parahyba,  and  again  saw  it  in  the  neighliourhood  of 
Garunhuns,  so  that  it  occurs  all  over  the  district  I 
traversed.  It  is  usually  seen  singly  or  in  pairs  in  th« 
more  or  less  cleare<l  anJd  ojien  ground  near  cultivation. 
Many  dozens  are  brought  into  the  market  at  Recife  to 
sell  as  cage-birds. 

"  The  Brazilians  call  it  '  Gallo  do  campina.' " 
I  have  been  unable  to  discover  any  published  account 
of  the  nidification  of  this  species  in  a  wild  state,  but 
l>r.  Russ  bred  it  in  an  aviary,  the  pair  building  in  a 
birch-bush  with  twigs,  strips  of  paper,  moss  and  reed- 
heads,  lining  the  cup  smoothly  with  .«oft  grass-stalks, 
pigs'  bristles  and  worsted.  The  first  clutch  consisted 
of  three,  and  the  seoond  of  four  eggs,  which  Russ 
describes  as  whitish-green,  sprinkled  with  brownish; 
incubation  lasted  fourteen  days  and  the  young  left  the 
nest  .seventeen  days  later.  The  full  adult  colouring  was 
not  attained  until  the  spring  of  the  third  year. 

I  have  twice  had  pairs  of  this  species.  The  first  pair 
carried  materials  into  a  basket  and  out  again,  but 
never  formed  a  proper  nest,  the  eggs  were  dropped  upon 
the  floor  of  the  aviary  and  broken.  Of  the  nesting  of 
the  second  nair  in  my  bird-room  I  have  published  an 
account  in  The  Avicultural  Magazine,  N.s. ,  Vol.  II., 
pp.  267-269.  The  nest  was  built  in  April  in  a 
shallow  box  screwed  into  the  wall  and  forming  a 
support  for  a  mass  of  brushwood  ;  why  to  cramped  a 
situation  was  chosen  I  coidd  not  understand  ;  two  eggs 
were  laid  and  were  partly  incubated  when  both  parents 
unaccountably  died ;  the  eggs  were  greenish  white, 
mottled,  streaked  and  speckled,  particularly  at  the 
larger  end  with  olivaceous-brownish  (not  pure 
brownish)  ;  they  were  "perfect  ovals,  otherwi.se  they  were 
not  unlike  the  egg  of  Saxicola  monlicola  as  figured  in 
the  British  Museum  "  Catalogue  of  Eggs,"  Vol.  IV., 
PI.  VII.,  fig.  12,  only  paler,  more  heavily  spotted,  and 
the  spots  more  olive  in  tint. 

In  an  outdoor  aviaiy  with  plenty  of  cover  there  is 
not  the  least  doubt  that  this  species  could  be  easily 
bred,  provided  that  abundance  of  living  insect-food  could 
be  obtained  with  which  the  parents  could  feed  their 
young.  Both  my  attempts  were  made  in  indoor 
aviaries  and  therefore  failed. 

Dr.  Russ  rightly  states  that  this  bird  is  less  spiteful 
than  P.  cucuUata,  but  I  fail  to  see  that  there  is  any 
appreciable  difference  between  the  songs  of  the  two 
species.  It  soimds  to  me  like  "  Chitcherwitchchit- 
eucrwitcheritchi-chow-chenitcherce,"  and  so  on — very 
harsh,  gritty,  and  ear-piercing.  The  calls,  however,  aTe 
rather  more  musical. 


136 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


Red-cresikd  Cahdinal  (Paroaria  cucullala). 

Above  dark  grey,  slightly  deeper  on  the  name  of  the 
neck,  which  is  spotted  with  white;  the  tail  and  wing 
feathers  are  blackish  grey,  the  latter  having  pale  outer 
webs:  head,  crest,  chin,  and  throat  crimson;  a  broad 
belt  behind  the  cheeks  and  the  remainder  of  under  sur- 
face white;  beak  horn-brown,  tbe  lower  mandible  paler 
than  the  upper;  feet  pale  greyish-brown;  irides  hazel. 


The  Rkd-cre.stf.Ii  C.vkdin.vi,. 


Female  Jess  pure  in  colour,  and  with  a  narrower,  more 
tapering  beak,  ifab.,  South  Brazil  and  Argentina  to 
lioiivia. 

In  it.s  wild  .stat<,  the  Red-crested  Cardinal  nests  in 
thickets  from  October  to  about  the  middle  of  Xovem- 
ber.  The  nest  i.s  said  to  be  formed  of  twigs,  stalks,  and 
\dDe-tendrils,  lined  with  horsehair,  and  often  placed  at 
the  end  of  a  branch  of  a  tala-tree,  about  eight  or  ten 
feet  above  the  ground.  The  eggs,  three  or  four  in 
number,  are  white,  .'Tjotted  (especially  at  the  larger  end) 
with  greyish  green. 

The  .song  is  similar  to  that  of  all  the  Bunting-Car- 
<iinals,  tolerably  noisy,  but  scroopy  and  anything  but 
melodious;  still,  it  is  a  lively  and  beautiful"  bird^  and 
thei'efore  a,  general  favourite. 

The  Redcreste<l  Cardinal  is  not  diifficiilt  to  breed  in 
a  good-sized  aviary  provi<lod  with  shrubs;  small  yew 
or  box  trees  would  be  imost  suitable.  Its  nest  is  "not 
unlike  that  of  a  Thrush,  Ijut  loo.scr  in  character.  1 
have  had  several  of  those  nests  bmilt  in  twigs  nailed  on 
the  -wall  of  one  of  my  aviaries,  the  male  bird  doing  all 
the  work,  and  the  female  merely  contenting  herself 
with  squatting  down  and  shifting  a  straw  or  two  in  the 
'interior.  In  ,i  day  or  two  the  nest  wouUl  lie  pulled  to_ 
pieces  and  a  new  one  built,  hut  no  eggs  were  deposited.' 
It  is  probable  that  the  aviary  was  hardly  spacious 
enough  for  these  highly  excitable  and  ue-rvous  biids. 
In  a  cage  they  .soon  become  fairly  tame  and  confiding, 
but  in  a  mo<lerate-sized  aviary  they  are  almost  as  wild 


as  Cowbirds ;  doubtless  in  a  large  garden  aviary  they 
would  do  admirably. 

At  various  times  I  have  had  a  good  many  pairs  of 
this  Cardinal,  but  its  wildness  in  an  aviary  has  decided 
me  not  to  have  any  more  to  do  with  it.  All  the  Car- 
dinals, however,  make  charming  cagebirds. 

CHAPTER   XI. 


G R0SBEAK8   (Coccothrausiinw). 

lu  these  birds,  according  to  Dr.  Sharpe,  the 
nasal  bones  are  carried  backwards  to  beyond  the 
anterior  line  of  the  eye  socket,  and  the  angle  of  the 
chin  is  slighter.  The  mandibles  in  all  these  birds 
are  very  broad  in  projwrtion  to  their  length,  althougli 
this  distinction  would  not  of  itself  suthce  to  distin- 
guish them  from  many  other  Finches. 

The  larger  tirosbeaks  are  generalU'  fond  of  sunfiower- 
seeds,  which  should  certainly  be  included  in  their 
seed-mixtures  ;  us  a  rule  they  like  green  food  and  soft 
insects. 

Virginian   Caiidinai,   (Canlinalis  cardinalis). 

The  upper  parts  of  the  male  are  princijiaUy  brick- 
red  and  the  under  parts  crimson ;  a  narrow  frontal 
band,  the  chin  and  thioat  are  black;  the  beak  red  j 
the  iris  of  the  eye  reddish-brown;  the  feet  dark  grey- 
ish-brown. The  prevailing  colour  of  the  female  above 
is  pale  olive-brown,  below  pale  buff  shading  into 
whitish  towards  the  tail,  the  webs  of  the  principal^ 
wing  feathers  and  the  centre  of  the  tail  feathers  stained 
with  red ;  the  thighs  and  onderside  of  the  wings 
brighter  red ;  feet  jjale  brown.  The  young  resemble 
their  mother,  but  are  a  little  paler  and  duller  in 
Colouring. 

The  Virginian  Cardinal  is  a  native  of  North 
America ;  its  range  extending  southwards  as  far  as 
Nicaragua  in  Central  America  ;  it  has  eleven  slightly 
modified  local  races,  all  ot  which  have  received  dis- 
tinctive names.  When  at  home  the  nest  ot  this  beau- 
tiful bird  is  usually  built  in  some  low  tree,  such  as  a 
cedar,  yew,  holly,  in  a  laurel  bush  or  a  thorny  thicket, 
and  raiely  far  from  running  crater.  The  nest  is  con- 
structed of  tivigs,  strips  of  bark,  leaves,  and  a  quantity 
of  dry  grasses,  and  it  is  lined  with  finer  grasses  ;  the 
eggs  are  oblong  oval,  white,  densely  overlaid  with 
brown  and   pale   lavender   spots. 

The  Rev.  Hubert  D.  AsUcy  has  given  an  interesting 
account  .of  the  breeding  of  an  escaped  pair  of  this 
species  at  liberty  in  England  ;  owing  to  the  depreda- 
tions of  either  a  .lay  or  .sijuirrel  tlie  parent  birds  were 
unsuccessful  in  rearing,  their  offspring,  but  one  of  the 
young  birds  -was  hand-reared   by  the  writer. 

In  an  aviary  the  Virginian  Cardinal  will  either  build 
in  a  bush,  a  deeji  nest-box,  or  a  German  Canarj-  cage; 
the  hen  sits  about  fourteen  days :  both  parents  feed 
the  young.  When  breeding  the  birds  should  be  sup- 
jilied  with  plenty  of  insect-food  ;  but  great  caution  must 
bp  exercised  as  regards  mealworms,  as  these  are  very 
stimulating,  and,  if  given  freely,  the  p.arents  will  b© 
tolerably  certain  to  brain  their  young  or  throw  them 
out  of  the  nest,  and  then  begin  to  build  again.  This, 
like  the  other  Cardinals,  is  (]iiite  .n  hardy  bird,  and  will 
stand  the  worst  KnglLsh  winter  without  artificial  heat. 
On  the  other  hand  it  will  not  stand  great  heat.  The 
last  two  males  which  I  ]iossesse<l  were  kept  in  a  large 
double  flight  on  .a  shelf  over  the  donr  of  my  conserva- 
tory. ,and  one  hot  day  both  of  them  fell  from  their 
perches  within  a  minute  or  two  nf  each  other,  blood 
Tioured  from  their  mouths,  and  they  died  almost  instan- 
taneously :  if  kept  indoors,  a  cool  shady  position  should 


CAKUINALS. 


137 


be  selected  for  them,  but  an  outdoor  aviary  is  the 
prol>er  place  for  them.  One  of  my  earlier  purchases 
oi  iliis  species  lived  lor  many  mi>ntliis  in  an  aviary  of 
this  kind. 

'1  he  great  objection  to  an  outdoor  aviary  in  winter  is 
the  necessity  to  visit  it  at  this  inclement  season  in 
order  to  look  after  the  needs  o[  its  inmates.  I  found 
the  best  seeds  for  this  Cardinal  to  be  maize,  hemp, 
oats,  sunflower,  Xiipe,  canary,  and  millet ;  but  fruit, 
green-food  such  as  chickweed,  and  insects  are  requisite 
to  keep  it  in  goud  health. 

Venezujx.vn  or  Purple  C.\rdinai, 
(Cardirtalis  phaniceus). 

Above  dark  vermilion,  becoming  dearer  towards 
rump  and  upper  tail-coverts ;  lesser  and  median  wing- 
coverts  brigiitor  vermilion  but  with  dusky  bases ;  re- 
mainder of  wing-feathers  dusky,  washed  with  rosy  ver- 
milion externally  ;  tail-feathers  dark  vermilion,  dusky 
towards  tips  and  poller  on  inner  margins  ;  crown  and 
sides  of  he«id  brig'ht  scarlet,  the  crest  tipped  with 
dusky;  a  narrow  Irontal  line,  the  lores,  a  small  spot 
at  base  of  cheeks,  and  the  chin  black  ;  under-surfaco 
of  body  scarlet :  flank-feathers  barred  with  white : 
axiUaries  and  under  wiug-covexts  bright  rose-red,  white 
at  base;  fliijhts  below  du.sky,  with  the  inner  webs 
rose-reddish ;  beak  (which  somewhat  approaches  that 
of  I'l/ir/iiiloxia  in  fornil  leaden  greyish:  feet,  bluish 
leaden-gi'ey  ;  iride^  clear  brown.  Female  butf  brownish 
above,  more  ocJireous  and  paler  on  lower  back  and 
Tump  ;  lesser  wing-coverts  like  the  back;  remainder  of 
vving  feathers  dusky,  with  the  outer  edges  dull  ochreous 
tinged  with  vermilion;  tail  dull  vermilion,  dusky  at 
tip.  with  dull  ochreous  edges  to  the  feathers;  crown 
and  nape  dull  grey;  crest  dark  vermilion,  centred 
and  tipped  with  blackish;  lores,  e.velid,  feathers  below 
eye,  and  front  of  cheeks  white  ;  ear-coverts  dull  igrey  ; 
a  spot  on  cheeks  tuid  chin  blackish  ;  under  surface  of 
hodv  butf,  wreyish  on  throat  and  paler  on  abdomen ; 
axillaries  pale  rosy  washed  with  huffish  ;  under  wing- 
coverts  pale  buff;  flights  l>clow  dusky,  the  inner  webs 
pale  rosv.     Hah..  Venezuela    Trinidad,  and  Colombin 

Mr.  A.  Goering  states  (cf.  P.Z.S.  1868,  p.  170)  that 
in  Venezuela  this  species  is  "  found  only  on  the  coast, 
.ind  not  met  with  a  few  leagues  in  the  interior,"  and 
(P.Z.S.  1869,  p.  251)  he  points  out  that  although  com- 
mon at  Carupano,  it  is  very  rare  at  San  E.stehan  and 
he  adds: — "  I  have  never  seen  this  bird  on  the  hills, 
but  only  on  the  plains  near  the  coast,  which  are 
covered  wiith  a  simple  vegetation  of  mimosa,  cactns, 
etc." 

Mr.  E.  C.  Taylor,  in  The  Ihis  for  1864,  also  says 
much  the  same  thing. 

Mr.  P.  R.  Lowe  IThr  Ibis.  1907,  p.  549)  gives  an 
amusing  account  of  the  pleasures  of  a  collector  of  this 
and  other  birds  at  Margarita  Island.  Venezuela  ;  he 
sa.vs  : — "The  soil  suoports  a  flourishing  and  hnnelers 
tangle  of  cactus-scrub  (C'ereus  and  Oirnntia).  Every- 
thing, in  fact,  that  grows  in  this  zone  is  armed  with 
terribly  long  thorns  and  prickles.  The  growth  of  up- 
right cacti  is  so  thick  in  places  that  constant  and 
worrying  detours  are  continually  needed  to  make  anv 
progress.  We  did  nit  forget  nur  experiences  of  it 
for  many  a  day.  After  each  excursion  ashore  nuite  a 
long  time  had  to  be  spent  in  extracting  the  jxiisonous 
thorns  from  various  parts  of  our  bodies,  and  some  of 
us  suffered  from  painful  abscesses  which  were  long  in 
healing.  To  retrieve  birds  in  this  sort  of  scrub  is 
often  a  long  and  tedious  process,  and  much  time  is 
■vasted  in  this  way.  while  the  explorer  is  converted 
into  an  animated  pin-cushion."  The  Mnngarita  form 
of  C.  phcrnicms  has  been  separated  by  Mr.  Richmond 


under  the  name  of  C.  rohinsoni,  but  Mr.  Lowe  says 
that  the  characters  by  which  it  is  distinguished  are 
inconstant,  the  length  of  the  crest  being  esi)ecially 
variable,  and  the  wings  vary  also. 

I  have  discovered  no  notes  on  the  nidification  of  this 
species. 

Hitherto  C.  phitniceus  has  rarely  been  imported 
as  a  cage-bird.  But  in  1877  Miss  Hagenbeck  exhibited 
one  example  at  a,  bird-show  at  Hamburg,  and  another 
a.t  the  Uerliii  Exhibition  known  as  "  -^jgintlia." 

Mr.  Astley  purchased  two  specimens  in  Italy,  but 
they  did  not  live  long. 

TtuCKiiiLLKD  CARDINAL  {1'i/rrliulo.tia  sinua^a). 
Above  greyish-brown,  greyer  on  head  and  neck ; 
wing-feathers  dull  reddish  at  base;  front  edge  of  wing, 
priraarv  coverts  and  primaries  mostly  dull  red ;  tail 
dull  deep  crimson,  dusky  towards  tips  of  feathers; 
central  feathers  broadly  duskv  towards  base  and  with 
greyish  edges  ;  crest  deej)  crimson  with  blackish  cen- 
tres to  the  feathers ;  sides  of  head  tinged  here  and 
there  with  crimson ;  lores  and  orbiUil  ring  dull  red  ; 
forehead,  chin,  throat  and  centre  of  body  below,  thighs, 
under  wing-coverts,  and  axillaries  bright  crimson ; 
sides  of  l)od,v  brownish  ashy,  huffish  behind ;  flights 
below  dusky,  with  rosy  wash  on  inner  web  ;  beak  in 
summer  yellow,  in  winter  horn-coloured,  with  paler 
lower  nuindible  ;  feet  brownish  ;  iridts  Drown,  female 
more  huffish  generally  and  less  crimson,  the  crimson 
of  face  and  hodv  below  either  wanting  or  ill-defined, 
the  general  colouring  of  the  under  \arts  t)eing  huffish. 
Hab.,  "  Southern  border  of  United  States,  from  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  westward,  and  southward 
into  Alexico."     (Sharpe). 

J.  G.  Copper  ("  Ornith,  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  237) 
says: — "This  beautiful  'bird  is  said  to  have  much  of 
the  habits  of  the  common  Cardinal  of  the  Eastern 
States,  and  the  nest  and  eggs  are  scarcely  distin- 
guishable." Furtheir  on.  however,  he  observes  :  — 
"Captain  J.  P.  McCown  (in  "  Cassin's  Illustrations") 
mentions  it  as  a  gay,  sprightly  bird,  frequenting  damip, 
bushv  woods,  generally  in  small  flocks ;  its  voice 
resembling  that  of  the  Virginian  Cardinal,  which  utters 
a  loud,  clear  whistled  note,  repeated  several  times, 
and  varied  on  different  occasions.  Our  Canada  Jay 
has  at  times  a  similar  whistle.  It  is  said  to  be  usually 
very  shy,  as  are  the  males  of  all  these  brilliant  song- 
sters.    The  nest  and  eggs  are  yet  undescribed." 

Russ  says  that  this  species  has  not  yet  been  brought 
home  alive ;  but  most  show-frequenters  will  call  to 
mind  a  fine  specimen  which  was  exhibited  at  the 
Crvstal  Palace,  and  I  think  elsewhere,  about  the  year 
19()5. 

Chinese  Greenfinch  [Chloris  sinica). 
Above  chocolate,  washed  with  greenish  yellow,  rump 
of  the  latter  colour ;  outer  lesser  wing-coverts  bright 
yellow ;  greater  coverts  duskv  tipped  with  greyish, 
the  outer  ones  yellow  on  inner  webs ;  other  wing- 
feathers  black,  with  l)oth  webs  golden  vellow  at  base, 
the  flights  tipped  with  ashy  whitish  ;  upper  tail  coverts 
ashy;  central  tail-feathers  blackish,  edged  and  tipped 
with  ashy ;  other  feathers  with  the  Ktsal  half  bright 
yellow,  and  the  terminal  half  black  with  ishy  edges; 
crown  ashy  with  a  greenish  tinge,  darker  at  base  of 
forehead;  lores  and  eyelid  dusk.v ;  cheeks  and  throat 
greenish  vellow  tinged  with  grey  ;  centre  of  aljdomen 
bright  yellow,  becoming  whitish  nt  vent ;  breast,  sides 
and  flanks  chocolate,  with  an  ashy  suffusion;  thighs 
ashv,  washed  with  vellow ;  under  tail-coverts,  wing- 
coverts,  and  axillaries  bright  yellow;  flights  below 
dusky,  with  yellow  on  inner  webs ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female   altogether    duller,    browner   above,    the    head 


138 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


like  the  back,  and  the  rump  and  upper  tail-covertB 
pale  broivn;  greater  wing-coverts  block  externally, 
bron-n  edjjed,  and  yellow  towards  the  base;  flights 
black  edged  with  brown,  and,  with  the  exception  of 
the  inner  secondaries,  yellow  at  base;  tail  with  more 
restricted  j-cllow  basal  area;  face  alki.gether  browner 
than  in  male;  throat  ashy  broivn ;  fore-neck,  breast, 
sides  and  flanks  chocolate,  "with  a  yellow  tinge  ;  centre 
of  abdomen  and  thiglis  whitish ;  under  tail-coverts 
preyer  and  tinged  with  yellow  ;  wings  below  as  in  male 
Hab.,  "  Kastein  Siberia,  Japan  and  China."     (Sharpe.) 

Seebohm  gives  no  informition  respecting  the  wild 
life  of  this  bird  in  his  "  Birds  of  the  Japanese 
Empire. 

F.  W.  Styan  {The  Ibis,  1891,  p.  353)  says:—"  This 
bird  breeds  at  Kiukiang,  where  I  have  obtained  voung 
and  old  birds  m  June.  Most  of  them,  however,  leave  in 
April  and  return  in  the  autumn.  In  winter  they  are 
found  iji  flocks  aJl  over  the  hills  up  to  2,000  feet  but 
avoid  the  plains.     A  good  songster." 

Frank  Finn  {The  Ibis,  1901.  p.  435)  speaks  of  this 
species  as  the  commonest  Finch,  with  the  exception  of 
the  Canary,   kept  as  a,  cage-bird  in  CalcutU. 

Captain  H.  A.  Walton,  writing  on  the  birds  of 
Peking  (T-Ae  Ibis,  1903,  p.  27),  says:— "This  species 
occurred  m  large  flocks  in  the  Temple  of  Heaven 
Park  for  a  few  days  at  the  end  of  January.  They 
were  very  wild,  a-nd  kept  to  the  tops  of  the  trees." 

Messrs.  La  Touche  and  Rickett,  describing  the  nest- 
ing of  birds  in  Fohkien  (T/ie  Ibu,  1905,  p.  44),  give  the 
followmg  account :— '•  A  common  resident  in  the  plains 
Breeding  begins  in  April,  when  several  nests  are  ofteJi 
to  be  found  in  the  same  grove.  They  are  usually 
placed  in  a  pme  tree,  near  the  extremity  of  a  branch  ; 
we,  however,  obtained  one  in  a  fruit  tree,  built  in  the 
angle  formed  by  a  branch  with  the  trunk,  and  another 
in  Uickett  s  garden  was  placed  in  a  similar  position  in 
a  Grevillia  {GreviUia  robusla). 

"  The  nest  is  always  well  concealed,  and  is  a  beautiful 
compact  httle  cup,  with  very  thick  sides.  It  is  com- 
posed of  6ne  twigs,  mess,  dry  grass,  pine-needles,  roots, 
fibres,  vegetable  down,  and  feathers,  lined  with  very 
fine  dry  grass,  roots,  liair,  or  feathers.  One  brought 
to  Rickett  was  lined  with  the  short  curly  chestnut  and 
black  tail  feathers  of  a  domestic  cock.  Tliese  curved 
over  the  egg  cavity,  and  at  first  glance  gave  the  nest 
the  appearance  of  a  domed  structure.  The  measure- 
ments are  :  external  diameter,  about  4  inches,  internal 
diameter,  2^,  outer  depth,  2^,  depth  of  cup,  l'^. 

The  eggs  are  from  two  to  four  in  a  clutch.  In  shape 
they  are  more  or  less  ovate.  The  ground-colour,  when 
fresh,  is  a  light  opalescent  green,  with  a  few  specks 
or  comma-like  markings  of  black  and  red  of  various 
shades.  There  are  occasionally  some  pale  reddish  grey 
underlying  marks. 

"  Seven  eggs  in  Rickett's  collection  average  .73  by 
.54  in.  Two  in  La  Touche's  are  much  larger,  viz., 
.77  by    56  and  .82  bv  .52." 

I  well  remember  when  this  species  was  first  exhibited 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  that  several  of  the  visitors  took 
it  for  a  hybrid  between  the  European  Goldfinch  and 
Greenfinch.  Later,  I  believe,  the  keeper  Travers  at 
the  Zoological  Gardens  at  Regent's  Park,  cros.sed  the 
Chinese  Greenfinch  with  the  European  Goldfinch,  and 
subsequently  produced  hybrids  between  the  young  and 
the  European  Greenfinch  ;  or  possibly  the  two  Green- 
finches started  this  combination  of  three  species  ;  any- 
how, the  first  Mules  produced  were  fertile. 

Black-ta:led  Hawfinch  {Eophona  melanura). 

Above  dull  pale  chocolate,  paler  and  more  ashy  on  the 
rump,  and  whitish  close  to  upper  tail-coverts";    lesser 


wing-coverts  dark  brown ;  remainder  of  wing-feathers 
black,  glossed  with  steel  blue  on  coverts  and  secon- 
daries ;  tips  of  primary-coverts  and  secondaries,  ami 
primaries  broadly,  at  the  extremities  white;  upper  tail- 
coverts  :tnd  tail  bhick  glossed  with  steel  blue;  head  all 
round  black,  a  diffused  ashy  belt  immediately  behind 
the  black ;  throat  and  breast  tawny  brownish,  the 
latter  ashy  in  the  centre  like  the  rump ;  sides  and 
flanks  deep  tawny  ;  centre  of  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts  white ;  thighs  brownish-ashy ;  axillaries  and 
under  wing-coverts  black,  narrowly  tipped  with  white  ; 
flights  below  dusky  blackish,  with  ashy  inner  edges ; 
beak  yellow,  the  base,  tomium  and  tip  purplish  shaded 
with  green ;  feet  fleshy  white ;  irides  reddish  brown. 
Female  paler,  the  head  drab  brown,  dark  grey  on  the 
crown ;  the  wing-coverts  brown  like  the  back  of  the 
neck,  the  greater  series  black  at  tips  ;  primary  coverts 
and  bastard  wing  dark  brown,  the  former  blackish 
and  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  flights  black,  the 
secondaries  glo.ssed  with  steel  blue;  the  innermost 
brown,  edged  with  black  and  fringed  with  white,  re- 
maining secondaries  edged  with  white  at  the  ends  and 
the  primaries  for  some  distance  up  the  outer  web ; 
throiit  and  breast  drab  brown,  like  the  head  ;  the  re- 
maining under  parts  like  the  male,  but  paler;  beak 
only  lightly  suffused  with  purple  at  the  tips.  Hab., 
Southern  and  Central  China,  ranging  in  summer  to 
North  China  and  E.   Siberia,  possibly  to  Japan. 

Bartlett  ("  Monogr.  Finches  and  Weavers  ")  quotes 
Consul  Swinhoe  for  the  following  facts  :  — "  Found  it  on 
the  Amoy  in  winter,"  "  leaves  before  summer.  Breeds 
in  Shanghai.  Very  abundant  about  Canton ;  evi- 
dently breeds  there  in  great  numbers.  I  have  nol 
traced  it  further  north  ;  also  procured  on  the  Woosung 
River  near  Shanghai ;   at  Foochow." 

In  David  and  Oustalet's  "  Birds  of  China "  it  is 
said  to  be  "  very  common  at  all  seasons  in  Southern 
and  Central  China,  and  advances  in  summer  in  little 
flocks  as  far  as  the  northern  provinces  ;  every  year  they 
catch  some  of  these  birds  in  the  environs  of  Pekin. 
which  the  Chinese  of  the  capital  designate  by  the  name 
of  Hon-cuU,  and  M.  Dybowski  has  sent  to  the  Warsaw 
Museum  an  individual  of  the  same  species  taken  in  the 
environs  of  Alock   Bay   in   Eastern   Siberia." 

Mr.  F.  W.  Styan,  speaking  of  this  species  as  observed 
in  the  Lower  Yangste  Basin  (7"**  Ibi^,  1891,  p.  353), 
says  that  it  is  "  a  common  resident,  gregarious  in 
winter." 

Speaking  of  birds  collected  in  Corea  (7*^*  Ibis,  1892, 
p.  240).  Mr.  C.  W.  Campbell  says: — "Two  immature 
males  shot  in  July  at  Chemulpo.  Rare  "  ;  while  in  the 
.same  volume  Mr.  La- Touche  observes  that  it  occurs 
at  "  Foochow  and  Swatow  in  winter  and  spring.  It 
is  very  abundant  all  over  the  country." 

In  his  "Field  Notes  on  the  Birds  of  Chinkiang" 
{The  Ibis.  1906,  pp.  628-629).  Mr.  J.  D.  D.  La  Touche 
says: — "It  breeds  in  May  and  June,  generally  build- 
ing in  high,  or,  at  least,  medium-.sized  trees,  and,  as 
a  rule,  on  a  large  horizontal  bough  at  some  distance 
from  the  trunk.  An  empty  nest  seen  on  June  18  was 
placed  in  the  midst  of  a  creeper  in  which  the  branch 
was  partially  wrapi)ed  up.  This  Hawfinch  seems  fond 
of  the  company  of  other  birds,  often  building  on  trees 
where  Blackbirds  and  Blue-winged  Magpies  have  their 
nests. 

"  I  obtained  at  Cljinkiang  four  nests  with  eggs.  One. 
containing  two  stale  eggs,  was  brought  to  me  on 
June  14,  1903.  On  May  29  of  the  following  year  I 
took  two  nests,  one  containing  four  eggs,  nearly  hard- 


IlAWl'INCHh;.S. 


139 


fi«t,  and  another  three  tliat  were  fresh,  while  on  June  5 
following  I  found  a  fourth  nest,  which,  as  it  contained 
but  one  egg,  I  l<'ft  alone,  soiiilin^  a  man  to  take  it 
five  days  later.  The  two  nests  taken  on  May  29  are 
fairly  deep  cups,  built  in  two  i]arts.  The  inner  part 
is  a  strong  fabric  of  bamboo  leaves  and  coarse  grass- 
blades  fiimlv  welded  togetlier  Witli  mud,  and  jierhaps 
also  witli  cobwebs  ;  wrapping  U[)  tlie  walls  of  this  inner 
stnicturo  is  a  easing  of  tendrils  and  fine  twigs  or  coarse 
grass-stems,  the  bas<>  of  the  inner  cup  having  rested  on 
tlie  branch  itself.  Tiie  lining  is  of  slender  roots  with 
a  few  fine  baml>oo-leaves,  and  the  edge  of  the  nest  is 
rather  well  finished  and  rounded  olf  with  the  material 
of  both  the  inner  and  the  outer  portions.  Measure- 
ments: inner  depth.  1^  and  2  in.;  inner  diaineter,  a, 
little  under  and  a  little  over  3  in.  ;  outer  depth,  about 
3  in.  ;  outer  diameter  (irrenular),  5  in.  ami  above. 
The  nest  brouglit  oji  June  14, 1903,  resembles  the  others, 
but  the  outer  casing  of  twigs  is  missing  (lost  in  taking, 
no  doubt),  while  a  certain  amount  of  wool  and  a 
little  moss  enter  into  its  composition.  Its  inner 
measurements  are  :  depth,  IJ  in.  ;  diameter,  3  by  3^  in. 
The  fourth  nest,  brouglit  to  me  on  June  10,  1904  (said 
to  be  the  one  found  by  me  on  the  5th  and  subsequently 
deserted),  is  of  a  very  ditfcrent  appearance.  The 
materials  are  much  the  same  as  those  of  the  other, nests, 
but  the  bamboo-leaves  comiiosing  the  inner  cup  are 
not  welded  together  and  are  cpiite  loose,  the  outer 
casing  of  twigs  is  under  as  well  as  round  this  inner 
cup,  which  is  shallow.  It  seems  to  have  been  knocked 
about. 

"The  eggs  taken  on  June  14,  1903,  and  the  incu- 
bated clutch  of  four  taken  on  May  29,  1904,  are  of  a 
broad  ovate  shape  and  are  coloured  light  olive-green, 
with  roundish  and  drop-like  surface  spots  and  twisted 
broad  line.s,  and  a  few  hair-lines  of  very  dark  brown 
(the  lines  beginning  or  ending  in  the  spots)  and  shell- 
spots  and  lines  of  very  dark  dull  violet-grey  with 
fainter  lines  of  the  s;ime.  These  markings  are  dis- 
tributed pretty  well  all  over  the  shell.  Measurements 
vary  from  0.87  by  0.71  in.  to  0.94  by  0.74  in.  (average 
0.91  by  0.73  in.).  The  thi-ee  fresh  eggs  taken  on 
May  29  are  of  a  long  ovate  shape.  The  ground-colour 
is  a  light  greyish-green  ;  the  spots  and  lines  are  very 
dark  and  almost  confined  to  the  broad  extremity. 
Measurements  0.97  by  0.68  in.,  0.97  by  0.67  in.,  and 
0.95  by  0.69  in.  The  single  egg  brought  to  me  on 
June  10  is  very  large  :  1.01  by  0.74  in.  It  is  of  a 
long  ovate  .^ajx?,  and  resembles  those  last  described. 
The  marks  are  chiefly  confined  to  the  broader  half  of 
the  shell." 

This  handsome  Hawfinch,  according  to  Russ,  is 
rarely  irnported,  but  Bekemanns,  of  Antwerp,  receives 
it  occasionally,  though  always  singly;  he,  however, 
remarks  that  it  has  been  represented  several  times  in 
the  London  Zoological  Gardens.  The  species  was  ex- 
hibited at  the  Crystal  Palace  about  1893,  in  which 
yeai  Mr.  H.  R.  Fillmer,  of  Brighton,  secured  a  pair  ; 
these  birds  went  to  nest  in  a  small  aviary  in  1894,  and 
partly  reared  one  nestling.  Mr.  Fillmer  recommends 
as  food  for  this  species: — "Canary  seed,  millet,  and 
paddy-;  but  seems  to  require  a  little  soft  food  occa- 
sionally; the  preserved  egg  does  very  well  for  it,  but 
it  should  not  have  too  much  of  this  or  any  other  soft 
food.  It  is  verv  fond  of  fruit,  and  T  have  never  found 
that  any  quantity  of  ripe  fruit  would  hurt  a  bird.  It 
should  also  have  plenty  of  green  food."  I  do  not  know- 
how  long  Mr.  Fillmer's  pair  lived,  but  I  should  cer- 
tainly give  sunflower  and  hemp-seed  with  beech-mast 
•when  obtainable ;  I  note  that  Mr.  Fillmer  says  that 
sunflower-seed  was  given  to  the  young  birds. 


Japanese  Hawfinch  (Eophona  persanata). 

Above  pale  drab  or  ash-grey;  rump  washed  with 
rufous-brown ;  wing-coverts  glossy  steel-blue,  the  inner 
half  of  greater  coverts  ash-grey,  as  also  the  inner 
secondaries ;  rcmuniiiig  wing-feathers  black,  the  pri- 
maries crossed  by  a  white  belt  or  patch  diminishing 
on  the  inner  feathers  to  a  small  spot  on  edge  of  inner 
web  ;  outer  webS  of  secondaries  broadly  glossed  "with 
steel-blue;  upper  tail-coverts  and  middle  tail-feathers 
steel-blue  tipped  with  black ;  remaining  tail-feathers 
black  ;  crown,  lores,  base  of  cheeks  and  chin  glossy 
purplish-black  ;  ear-coverts,  throat,  breast  and  sides 
pale  drab  or  ash-grey ;  abdomen,  thighs  and  under 
tail-coverts  almost  pure  white;  wings  below  brownish- 
bliick  ;  beak  yellow,  with  purplish  base,  washed  with 
green ;  feet  reddish  flesh-culour ;  irides  light  hazel. 
Female  generally  paler  and  without  black  on  the  head  ; 
beak  entirely  yellow.  Hub.,  Eastern  Siberia  and 
Japan,  ranging  to  Northern  and  Western  China. 

Messrs.  Blakiston  and  Pryer  state  that  this  Haw- 
finch is  "  found  commonly  on  Fujisan  in  July,  has  a 
pleasing  whistle,  and  is  capable  of  being  made  very 
tame." 

liartlett  ("  Monograph  of  Finches  and  Weavers  ") 
says: — "Many  travellers  and  collectors  have  visited 
the  countries  inhabited  by  this  bird  without  obtain- 
ing any  authentic  detailed  history  of  its  habits  or 
nidincation  ;  it  is  undoubtedly  a  peculiar  mountainous 
resident,  and  is  supposed  to  breed  on  the  highest  snow- 
clad  volcanos  of  Japan  and  Central  China,  and  must 
endure  extreme  cold,  from  the  great  altitude  at  which 
it  has  been  procured."  Russ  says  that  this  species 
unfortunately  has  only  been  received  by  Miss  Hagen- 
beck  or  Charles  .lamrach  singly,  or  at  most  in  pairs ; 
the  males  which  he  himself  possessed  (he  only  once 
had  a  female,  which  died  directly  after  it  reached 
him)  appeared  to  resemble  their  relatives  in  habits 
and  beliaviouT.  Mr.  Wiener  lost  a  male  from  over- 
feeding, and  thinks  that  this  species  should  not  be 
allowed  the  run  nf  the  bird-room  continuously,  but  at 
least  occasionally  isolated  and  fed  sparely.  Russ  says 
that  it  is  a  harmless  and  peaceable  bird,  but  he  con- 
siders it  better  suited  to  zoological  gardens  than  for 
bird-rooms  ;  he  thinks  it  ought  not  to  be  difficult  to 
breed,  inasmuch  as  a  pair  in  the  Berlin  Aquarium 
began  the  construction  of  a  nest.  I  believe  examples 
of  this  species  were  also  eshibited  in  1893.  In  cap- 
tivity it  should  be  fed  like  other  Hawfinches. 

Black-and-Yellow  Hawfinch 

(Mi/rerol/as  melatioxanfli k«). 
Above  slate-black,  the  margins  of  the  feathers  paler ; 
inner  primaries  white  at  base ;  inner  greater  coverts 
and  secondaries  tipped  with  yellowish-white,  the  ter- 
minal spot  more  yellow  and  larger  on  inner  secondaries ; 
primary-coverts,  bastard-wing,  and  all  the  flights  with 
the  margins  of  the  feathers  ashy-brown;  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  tail  black,  under  surface  from  throat  back- 
wards bright  yellow;  sides  spotted  and  flanks  edged 
with  black  :  thichs,  under  ■wing-coverts  and  axillaries, 
bl.iok  edged  with  yellow;  flights  below  black,  with 
ashy  inner  margins,  whitish  towards  base ;  beak  and 
feet  leaden  grey  :  irides  brown.  Female  rather  smaller; 
black  abov^  mottled  with  yellow,  the  feathers  having 
yellow  borders  :  median  and  greater  wing-coverts  and 
inner  secondaries  white  towards  end  of  outer  webs ; 
primaries  white  at  base  of  outer  web,  forming  a  smalt 
speculum  ;  upper  tail-coverts  and  t^iil-teathers  black 
edcred  with  yellow;  feathers  of  crown  black,  with 
white  bases  and  yellow  edges  ;  lores  and  eyebrow-stripe 
yellow,  the  latter  streaked  with  black  behind  ;  cheelca 
yellow,  streaked  with  black  :  upper  ear-coverts  blackish, 


140 


FOKEIGN    BIEDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


followed  by  a.  broad  yellow  band ;  a  bro.id  black 
i-treak  iroiii  angle  ut  moutn  ;  sides  ot  neck  and  under 
parts  yellow,  streaked  with  black;  chin  and  centre 
of  abdomen  luiilurni  yellow  ;  flights  below  rather  paler 
than  in  the  jnale.  Hab.,  Himalayas  from  the  fur 
North-west  to  Sikhim;  -Manipur  in  winter;  Southern 
Cihan  States  ;  wooded  mountains  of  Western  Szechuen 
in  Western  China. 

Jertion  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  887)  says:  — 
"According  to  Captain  Hutton  this  species  'comes 
to  Jlussooree  in  Hocks  during  .March  and  April,  and 
remains  as  long  as  it  can  find  plenty  of  cherry  stoneB 
to  crack,  after  which  it  disappears.  They  have  a. 
curious  chattering  note,  and  love  to  sit  on  the  tops  of 
the  tallest  trees.  When  at  work  on  a  wild  cherry-tree 
they  are  easily  detected  by  a  constant  cracking  sound 
of  the  cherry-stones,  which  they  never  break,  but  open 
most  dexterously  at  the  joining  of  the  valves.  The 
ground  beneath  the  trees  is  strewed  with  the  opened 
shells."  Lieut. -Col.  G.  Rippon  obtiiined  one  example 
of  this  species  in  the  middle  of  April  in  the  hills 
behind  Fort  Stedman,  in  the  Southern  Shan  States,  at 
about  5,000  feet  elevation  {The  Jbif,  1901,  p.  546),  and 
Lieut. -Col.  C.  T.  Bingham  obtained  it  in  April  at 
Htitamaung.  Ijoi  Maw  range,  at  6,000  feet  (The  Ibis, 
1903,  p.  600). 

A  female  of  this  handsome  Hawfinch  was  purchased 
for  the  Zoological  Gardens  at  Regent's  Park  in  Jan- 
uary, 1885;  but  the  species  seems  to  have  been  rarely 
imported,  and  Dr.  Russ  dismisses  it  in  three  and  a- 
half  lines :  considering  its  extensive  range,  it  is  not 
at  all  unlikely  to  come  to  hand  at  any  time. 

Yellow-bellied   Grosbeak   {Pheuciicus   chrysogaster). 

Above  back,  wings,  upper  taii-coverts,  and  tail 
black ;  mantle  with  a  few  yellow  spots ;  median  and 
greater  wing-coverts  tipped  with  white;  primaries 
white  at  base ;  secondaries  with  inner  weo  white- 
tipped  ;  tail-feathers  tipped  with  white  increasingly 
from  the  centre  outwards,  the  three  outermost  feathers 
with  the  inner  web  very  broadly  tipped  ;  head,  neck, 
rump,  body  below,  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
lemon-yellow ;  under  tail-coverts  white  ;  beak  and  feet 
dark  leaden  ;  claws  brown  ;  irides  dark  hazel.  Female 
altogether  paler,  with  ashy-olive  streaked  with  black 
in  place  of  the  black  of  the  male,  much  of  the  yellow 
colouring  paler  and  washed  with  olive ;  flights  ex- 
ternally edged  with  greyish  olive  ;  upper  tail-coverts 
ashy;  tail-feathers  pale  brown  with  ashy  edges,  the 
outer  one  with  narrow  white  edging  tn  tips  ;  lores  and 
eyebrow-stripe,  cheeks  and  centre  of  under  surface 
bright  yellow  ;  thighs  ashy  ;  under  tail-coverid  white  ; 
beak  dark  horn-grey  the  lower  mandible  paler  with 
black  edges;  feet  leaden.  Hab.,  Venezuela  to  Ecuador 
and  Peru. 

According  to  Stolzmann  (Taczanowsky,  "  Orn. 
de  Perou,  "  Vol.  III.,  p.  5i.  it  was  formerly  "  common  at 
Cutervo  and  nested  in  the  houses.  It  keeps  in  pairs  in 
open  place.s  such  as  ploughed  fields;  it  makes  havoc  in 
maize-fields.  Its  song  is  monotonous.  It  is  often  caged. 
At  Cutervo  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  Snrt/a  Rnun, 
at  Chachanoyas  and  Huayabamba  by  that  of  Pivro." 

Mr.  W.  Goodfellow,  in  a  paper  nn  birds  from 
Colombia  and  Ecuador  IThf  TUm,  1901,  ]).  473),  savs:  — 
"They  only  come  up  to  Quito  during  the  months  of 
November.  December,  and  .lanuarv,  when  they  do 
considerable  damage  in  the  gardens  to  buds  and  young 
shoots,  which  they  appear  to  pull  off  the  trees  out  of 
pure  wantonness.  They  feed  largely  on  the  .seeds  of 
various  acacias,  both  green  and  ripe.  They  have  loud 
and  agreeable  notes,  and  their  flight  is  clmnsy  and 
short.     They  frequent  the   Chillo   Valley  all  the  year 


round,  and  I  often  saw  a  dozen  or  more  together  peck- 
ing about  on  the  old  stone  walls  around  the  village  of 
Pifo.  1  found  one  of  their  nests  at  this  place  in 
October.  It  contained  two  young,  and  was  built  on 
the  lower  branches  of  an  acacia  tree." 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens. 
Golden-dei.lied   Guosde.\k   [Pheuciicus  aureiventrie) 

Upper  surface,  including  head,  throat,  and  breast, 
black;  a  few  ill-defined  subterminal  white  or  yellow 
markings  on  the  feathers  of  the  mantle ;  lesser  wing- 
coverts  yellow  ;  two  spots  on  the  greater  coverts,  and 
the  base  of  the  primaries  white  ;  tail  with  white  tips 
to  the  three  outer  tail-feathers ;  abdomen  and  under 
wing-coverts  bright  yellow  ;  a  few  black  spots  on  sides  > 
thighs  with  black  bases  to  the  feathers  ;  beak  black, 
with  extremity  of  lower  mandible  p;iler;  feet  black; 
irides  brown.  Female  similar  in  plumage,  but  doubt- 
less differing  in  outline  of  beak.  Hab..  Bolivia, 
Northern  Argentina,  Upper  Paraguay,  and  Matogrosso 
in  Brazil.  Beyond  the  fact  that  it  appears  to  be  a 
forest-frequenting  bird,  I  have  disco\ered  nothing 
respecting  the  wild  life  of  this  Grosbeak ;  on  example 
from  Argentina  was  acquired  by  the  London  Zoological 
Society  in  1904. 
RoSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK  (TZcr/i/mr/f.?  ludovicianxiS). 

The  male  is  an  extremely  beautiful,  though  rather 
large  bird.  The  upper  surface  is  chiefly  black,  but  the 
lower  back,  rump,  inner  median  coverts,  a  series  of 
spots  or.  the  tips  of  the  greater  coverts,  the  bases  of 
the  primaries,  a  series  of  spots  at  the  tips  of  the 
secondaries,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  inner  webs  of  three 
outer  tail-feathers  white  ;  under  surface  white,  a  large 
rose-red  patch  on  the  fore  neck  and  centre  of  breast ; 
sides  of  body  and  thighs  ashy,  spotted  with  black ; 
nnder  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  rosy ;  beak  white, 
feet   greyish-blue,    iris   hazel. 

The  female  is  quite  different,  olivaceous  or  ochreous 
brown  streaked  with  blackish ;  a  streak  through  the 
centre  of  the  crown,  a  superciliary  .stripe,  and  the  lores 
white,  cheeks  huffish  white  ;  the  wings  and  tail  blackish 
broivn,  the  former  with  two  white  b.ands  as  in  the  male  ; 
under  surface  white,  huffish  on  breast  and  centre  of 
abdomen,  breast  and  flanks  spotted  and  .streaked  with 
brown ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  orange- 
yellow  :  beak  brown,  paler  below,  feet  and  iris  as  in 
the  male. 

Hab.,  Canada,  through  the  Eastern  United  States, 
westward  to  Missouri,  and  thence  south  to  Texas, 
Central  America,  Colombia,  and  Ecu.ador ;  it  also 
occurs  in  Cozumel,  Cuba  and  .Tamaica. 

According  to  Brewer,  this  bird  appears  eastward  of 
Massachusetts  towards  the  middle  of  May  and  nests 
in  the  first  week  of  >Iune  in  low  trees  on  the  borders 
of  woods,  preferably  in  small  crroves  on  the  banks  of  a 
stream.  In  this  manner  Allan  found  it  nesting  in 
Canada;  the  nest  is  constructed  of  ci>arse  plant-stalks, 
bits  of  lea.ves.  sticks  and  twigs,  with  fragments  of  moss 
interwoven  on  the  outside  ;  the  inside  lined  with  finer 
materials.  It  is  an  open  cup  containing  three  to  four 
eggs,  which  are  incubated  for  fourteen  days.  Only  one 
brood  is   reared  in  the  year. 

According  to  Dr.  Hov  both  sexes  incubate  in  turn, 
and  when  not  sitting  the  cock  sits  near  the  nest  sing- 
inn'.  and  thus  renders  its  discovery  easy. 

The  eggs  appear  to  be  pale  green  or  bronzy,  irre- 
gularly sprinkled  with  tawnv,  cinnamon,  or  rust-reddish 
spots,  and  in  shape  are  perfect  ovals. 

Accordini;  to  some  writers  who  have  described  the 
wild  life  of  this  bird,  its  song  is  full  and  powerful  as 
that  of  a  Thrush. 


GROSBEAKS. 


141 


Writing  from  Vermont  ("  Ornithologist  and  Oologist," 
Vol.  X.,  p.  37),  C.  0.  Tracey  says:— "This  bird  is  a 
fairly  common  summer  resident  of  this  locality." 

"  The  sexes  arrive  together.  The  male  is  at  once 
conspicuous,  both  by  his  beautiful  plumage  and 
melodious  song.  While  essentially  a  forest  bird — and 
one  must  see  and  hear  him  in  his  forest  home  to  see 
his  full  beauty  and  hear  him  in  his  happiest  song — 
they  often  come  into  the  orchard  and  shade  trees  about 
our  homes.  Along  the  lijjhtly  timbered  river  banks 
and  Toailsides  they  find  their  favourite  breeding  places, 
but  these  must  be  at  no  great  distance  from  the  more 
heavily  timbered  fore.st.  The  forked  top  of  a  sapling 
is  usually  selected  for  a  nesting  place.  Sometimes, 
however,  the  horizontal  branch  of  a  large  forest  tree 
is  chosen.  The  nest  is  a  frail  structure,  made  of  fine 
dry  twigs  and  a  few  grass  or  weed  etalks.  Sometimes 
only  twigs  are  used,  and  these  are  nearly  always 
hemlock.  It  is  .seldom  less  than  eight,  or  more  than 
twenty,  feet  from  the  ground.  The  full  complement  of 
eggs  is  usually  four,  sometimes  but  three.  Dimensions 
vary  from  .1  by  .75  to  .90  by  .70  of  an  inch;  colour 
greenish-blue,  slotted  with  different  shades  of  brown. 

"  Most  of  their  eggs  are  laid  the  first  week  in  June. 
The  carl'est  and  latest  dates  that  I  have  taken  full 
fresh  sets  are  June  2nd  and  23rd.  Both  sexes  incubate, 
the  male  performing  his  full  share  of  this  important 
duty.  >ry  records  show  that  where  I  have  made  obser- 
vations in  thirty-four  cases,  the  nests  were  occupied  by 
males  twenty-three  times  ajid  females  eleven.  By  the 
second  week  in  September  they  have  all  departed  for 
the   south." 

Dr.  Russ,  who  had  several  pairs  and  successfully  bred 
the  species  in  his  bird-room,  tells  us  that  his"  birds 
used  to  breed  twice  in  the  spring  ;  he  says,  moreover, 
that  they  build  a  large  artistic  nest,  as  high  as  possi- 
ble, in  a  nest  basket  or  cage  ;  lay  almost  invaribly  four 
eggs,  incubated  61/  the  hen  alone ;  the  young  are  fed 
by  both  parents  with  fresh  ants'  cocoons  and  egg  bread, 
later  with  egg  bread,  soaked  seed,  mealworms,  and 
other  insects. 

Although  I  have  never  seen  this  bird  in  captivity  in 
this  country.  Dr.  Russ  .savs  that  it  wa.s  annually  im- 
ported with  tolerable  regularity  by  Reiche  and  Hagen- 
beck  into  Germany ;  though  even  there  it  fetched  a 
fairly  high  price  (i.e.,  from  about  £1  10s.  to  £2  14s.  a 
pair).  He  praises  it  as  an  admirable  singer,  tame,  trust- 
ful, and  easy  to  breed.  .It  is  therefore  marvellous, 
indeed,  that  so  widely  distributed  a  species  was  not  as 
abundant  in  our  birdmairket  as  the  far  less  satisfactory 
Virginian  Cardinal. 

In  the  autumn  the  rose-red  disappears  from  the 
plimiage  of  this  bird,  to  reappear  at  the  approach  of 
the  breedincr  season.  This  fact,  observed  by  Dr.  Russ, 
lias  been  questioned  by  scienti.sts. 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  more  than  once  in  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Black-headed  Grosbe.uc  {Hedymeles  melaniicephalus). 
Above  black;  the  feathers  of  the  mantle  with  a  sub- 
terminal  bar  of  white  and  pale  fawn  :  lower  back  and 
rump  uniform  fawn-colour ;  upper  tail-coverts  tipped 
■with  pale  fawn  ;  inner  lesser  wing-coverts  tipped  with 
white,  and  inner  median  coverts  wholly  white  ;  greater 
coverts  and  secondaries  tipped  on  outer  web  with 
■white  ;  primaries  white  at  base  and  edged  with  white 
at  tip  of  outer  web  :  outermost  tail-feather  with  a  large 
white  spot  near  end  of  inner  web,  the  second  feather 
with  a  smaller  spot,  and  the  third  with  only  the  fringe 
white  ;  head  all  round  black,  separated  from  the  back 
by  a  broad  tawny  collar ;  back  of  cheeks,  sides  of 
i.eck,  and  under  parts  deep  orange  tawny ;    centre  of 


Ijieast  yellow;  centre  of  abdomen,  thighs,  and  under 
tail-coverts  white ;  axillaries  and  underwing  coverts 
bright  yellow  ;  Hights  below  black  with  a  white  basal 
jiatch  ;  beak  olive,  fleshy  white  at  ba.<e  below ;  feet 
slate-colour;  irides  brown.*  Feuiale  less  black;  above 
ashy-brown  streaked  with  black ;  mantle  with  tawny 
or  whitish  Iwrders  to  the  feathers;  rump  of  a  more 
.sandy  hue ;  upper  tail-coverts  ashy,  dusky  to- 
wards ends  and  tipped  with  white ;  lesser  wing- 
coverts  ashy  ochreous  with  dusky  bases ;  median 
and  greater  coverts  browner  and  ti])[)ed  with 
white ;  flights  dusky  externally,  edged  with  ashy ; 
primaries  white  towards  base  and  end  of  outer  web  ; 
inner  secondaries  tipped  with  white  on  outer  web  ;  tail 
du.sky,  with  ashy  edges;  crown  mottled  with  broivnish, 
blackish  at  sides,  and  with  a  whitish  or  ochreous  cen- 
tral .streak,  ticked  with  black  ;  eyebrowstrijie,  lores  and 
feathers  below  eye  white';  eyelid,  sides  of  face,  and 
ear-coverts  blackish-brown;  cheeks  and  under  surface 
pale  huffish,  brighter  on  sidas-  and  flanks,  the  former 
streaked  with  black ;  the  flanks  with  flner  streaks ; 
centre  of  breast  yellowish  ;  abdomen  and  under  taQ- 
coverts  whitish,  slightlj'  tinted  with  fawn ;  axillaries 
and  under  wing-coverts  bright  yellow ;  flights  dusky, 
with  ashv  inner  edges. 

J.  G.  Cooper  ("Ornith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  228,229) 
says: — "This  fine  biid  arrives  in  the  State  near  San 
Diego  about  April  12th,  and  is  numerous  during 
summer  throughout  the  mountains,  both  of  the  coast 
and  the  Sierra  Nevada,  extending  its  migrations  as  far 
as  Puget's  Sound  at  least.  They  are  often  kept  in 
cages  on  account  of  their  loud  and  sweet  eong,  which 
resembles  that  of  the  Robin,  but  is  louder  and  shorter. 
In  the  coast  mountains,  in  May,  their  music  is  delight- 
ful, the  males  vieing  with  each  other  from  the  tops  of 
the  trees,  and  making  the  hills  fairly  ring  with  their 
melody. 

"  A  nest  I  found  ilay  12th,  at  the  eastern  base  of 
the  coast  range,  was  built  on  a  low,  horizontal  branch 
of  an  alder,  consisting  of  a  few  sticks  and  weeds,  very 
loosely  put  together,  and  with  a  lining  of  roots  and 
grass.  The  eggs  were  only  three,  pale  bluish-white, 
thickly  spotted  with  brown,  densely  near  large  end, 
size  0.95  by  0.70.  According  to  Hcermann  they  also 
build  in  bushes. 

"  They  frecjuent  the  ground  in  search  of  food,  but 
al.so  live  much  in  trees,  and  feed  sometimes  on  their 
buds.  They  are  not  very  gregarious,  merely  assembling 
in  families  in  the  autumn,  and,  unlike  the  Evening  Gros- 
beak {H esq)eriphona) .  to  which  they  have  much  external 
resemblance,  do  not  fbv  high  nor  make  any  sound  when 
flying." 

This  species  was  received  bv  the  London  Zoological 
Society  from  Mexico,  and  exhibited  in  their  Gardens. 

XoRTHf^HN  Blue  Grosbe.vk  (Guiraca  canilea). 
Above  bright  cobalt  blue ;  mantle,  scapulars,  and 
upper  back  deeper  blue,  with  blackish  bases  to  the 
feathers ;  median  wing-corerte  deep  chestnut ;  greater 
coverts  blackish,  washed  with  blue  externally,  and  fre- 
quently fringed  with  chestnut  ;  flights  and  tail-feathers 
blackish,  dull  bluish  externally  ;  the  tail-feathers  with 
white  fringe  at  tips  of  inner  webs,  becoming  more  con- 
spicuous towards  the  outermo.st  feather  ;  a  black  patch 
from  beak  to  eye,  continued  over  base  of  cheeks  and 
chin ;  under  surface  brighter  cobalt,  becoming  duller 
on  abdomen,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts;  the  latter 
and  vent  with  white  fringes  ;  flights  below  dusky,  with 
inner  edges    ashv ;    beak  blackish,   tomium  and   tuider 

*Dr.  Sharpe  quotes  this  description  of  tlie  soft  parts  as  appl.ving  to 
the  ftrmale  only,  but  in  Cooper's  description  it  immediately  ftllows 
the  measurements  cf  the  male. 


142 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


surface  of  lower  mandible  bluith ;  feet  black ;  irides 
brown.  Female  above  yellowish-brown,  with  dusky 
bases  to  feathers  of  mantle  and  upper  back ;  rump  and 
upper  tail-coverts  greyer  brown ;  lesser  wiiig-coverts 
bluish  grey  ;  median  and  greater  coverts  dark  brown 
tipped  with  ochraceous ;  inner  secondaries  edged  with 
the  same  ;  remaining  wing-feathers  dark  brown,  ashy 
externally;  tail-fep^hers  brown,  washed  with  jjreyish 
blue  at  the  edges,  the  outer  feathers  with  white  fringes 
to  tips  of  inner  webs  ;  head  and  neck  yellower  than  black  ; 
feathers  round  eye  paler ;  lores  whitish ;  body  below 
pale  buff,  darker  on  foreneck  and  chest,  and  paler  on 
throat  and  under  tail-coverts,  which  are  brown  at  base  ; 
flights  below  dusky,  with  inner  webs  ashy.  Habitat, 
Southern  United  States  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific ;  rarelv  north  to  Maseachusetts  and  Maine, 
according  to  Coues ;  throughout  Mexico  and  Central 
America  to  Nicaragua  and  Costa  Rica ;  also  Cuba. 

J.  G.  Cooper  cOrnith.  Calif.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  231) 
observes  that  "everywhere  a  shy  and  solitary  bird, 
this  brilliant  songster  is  rarely  eeen,  although  prob- 
ably scattered  throughout  California  in  the  warmer 
months.  I  noticed  the  first  one  at  Fort  Mojave, 
May  6th,  and  afterwards  saw  many  more  frequenting 
the  trees  and  bushes  along  the  river  and  singina  a 
lively  song  resembling  that  of  the  Carpodacus  froninlis. 
I  have  also  seen  them  at  Los  Angelos  and  at  Santa 
Barbara,  and  they  were  found  at  Pit  River,  in  the 
extreme  north-east  corner  of  the  State,  by  Dr.  Ne\v- 
bcrry.  Their  nest,  as  eeen  in  the  Eastern  States,  is 
made  in  a  low  bush,  and  composed  of  fine  dry  grass, 
lined  with  delicate  root-fibres  or  horsehair.  The  eggs 
are  about  four  (bhii.sh-white),  and  they  raise  two  broods 
in  the  season.     (Nuttall.) 

"They  frequent  the  banks  of  streams  crossing  the 
great  interior  plains  and  deserts,  where  there  is  little 
vegetation,  except  a  few  bushes,  and  where  such 
brilliant  birds  seem  quite  out  of  place." 

Dr.  Buss  muddles  up  his  account  of  this  species  with 
that  of  G.  cyanea,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  tell  which 
species  he  is  talking  about,  but  I  think  it  is  evident 
that  a  pair  which  nested  in  his  bird-room  belonged 
to  G.  r.yanta.  Examples  of  G.  coerulea  have  been  ex- 
hibited at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens  since  1862 ; 
a  specimen  was  purchased  by  the  Society  in  1883,  and 
there  have  probably  been  others,  but  it  is  likely  that 
most  of  the  examples  sold  as  G.  caruha  are  really 
G.  cyaneo.  A  female  brought  to  me  in  1897  certainly 
belonged  to  the  latter  species ;  it  arrived  in  a  consign- 
ment of  South  American  Grosbeaks,  Song  Sparrows, 
etc. 

LAZrLiNE  GROsnF..\K  {Gitiraca  parellina). 

Above,  dark  indigo  blue,  becoming  bright  cobalt  on 
forehead,  cheeks,  rump,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  lesser 
wing-coverts  ;  wings  and  tail  black  edged  with  bluish  ; 
lores  black ;  upper  mandible  blackish,  and  lower 
grevish  horn-colour  ;  feet  brownish  black  ;  irides  browm 
to  ijlack.  Female  earth-brown;  long  fe.athers  at  sides 
of  rump  barred  near  the  tips  with  white;  wings  and 
tail  dark  brown  with  paler  edges;  lores  dull  whitish; 
under  surface  dark  o<-hreous  brown,  the  throat,  abdo- 
men, under  wing-covert*,  and  axillaries  paler.  Habitat, 
Mexico  and  Northern  Yucutan.  with  adjacent  islaml.s. 

I  can  discover  no  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  this  bird, 
but  it  probably  doe*  not  greatly  differ  in  this  from  its 
congeners.  A  specimen  from  Central  America  was  pre- 
.sented  to  the  Ix>ndon  Zoological  (-tardcns  in  1895  by 
Miss  E.  A.  Krumbholz. 

SorTHF.RN   Blue  Gbosi)e.\k  (Guirarn  ri/anfa). 

Deep  blue,  the  lesser  wing-coverts  deep  cobalt  ;  fore- 
head and  a  tint  over  the  whole  head  of  the  same  blue  ; 


flights  and  tail-feathers  black  ;  beak  and  feet  blackish  ; 
iris  brown.  The  female  is  brown,  with  the  under  parts 
brighter  rusty-brown.  Habitat,  Brazil,  AmazoniA, 
Guiana,    Venezuela,  and  Ecuador. 

According  to  Burmeister,  this  species  is  not  found  in 
actual  forest,  but  only  on  the  borders  of  woods,  on 
open  levels  varied  with  bush,  where  the  bird  is  seen 
solitary,  or  in  winter  in  small  companies.  It  is  a  good 
singer,  which  one  can  listen  to  for  a  good  time  when 
one  has  the  chance  to  hap  upon  its  favourite  resorts, 
but  he  .says  he  never  met  with  it  in  abundance.  [Vide 
••Sy.st.  Ueb.,"  111.,  p.  238.) 

White  found  the  species  not  iinoonxmon  in  Catamarca 
in  hedges  and  thickets. 

W.  A.  Forbes  iThe  Ihif,  1881.  p.  335)  says:— "It 
frequents  low  bushy  grounti,  and  is  usjallv  seen  singly 
or  in  pairs.     The  Brazilians  call   it  'Azulin.'" 

Mr.  Graham  Kerr  found  it  on  the  Lower  Pilcomayo, 
"  along  with  other  Finches  in  the  brush  by  the  river 
margin"   iT/ie  Ibis,   1892,   p.    125). 

I  have  not  succeeded  in  finding  any  account  of  its 
nidification  in  a  wild  stafe.  A  pair,  however,  nested 
in  Dr.  Russ's  bird-room  in  1876.  The  nest  was  built 
in  a  bush,  and  was  formed  like  a  bowl,  of  stalks  and 
shavings,  lined  ivith  moss  and  cottcn-wool.  The 
female  incubated,  being  fed  on  the  nest  by  the  male. 
The  eggs  were  four  in  number,  whitish,  densely  spotted 
with  reddish-brown ;  incubation  lasted  thirteen  days. 
The  young  plumage  was  dull  greyieh-brown,  clearer 
than  that  of  the  female. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  species  is  quiet,  placid,  and 
innocent ;  very  tame  either  in  mixed  aviary  or  bird- 
room.  It  requires  mealworms,  but  has  a  tendency  to 
grow  too  fat  ;  its  song  is  monotonous,  but  soft  and  of 
pleasant  sound. 

Tropical   Seed-Finch   [Oryzoborus  iorridus). 

Above,  silky  black ;  lesser  wing-coverts  white  rotind 
bend  of  wing ;  outer  webs  of  primaries  white  at  base, 
forming  a  speculum ;  throat  and  foreneck  black  like 
upper  parts  ;  remainder  of  body  below  chestnut;  thighs 
black ;  longer  under  tail-coverts  partly  black ;  under 
wing-coverts  and  axillaries  white ;  flights  below 
blackish,  with  white  inner  margins ;  beak  black,  paler 
at  edges ;  feet  blackish-brown  ;  irides  greyish-brown. 
Female  above  dark  olive-bro^vn,  more  rufescent  on 
rump  and  upper  tail-coverts;  wing-<;overts  edged  with 
reddish-brown ;  remainder  of  wing  and  tail  feathers 
blackish-brown,  with  rufescent  margins  ;  lores  bufiBsh  ; 
eyelids  whitish ;  under  parts  pale  cinnamon,  darker 
on  cheeks,  foreneck  and  chest ;  chin  bufly-whitish ; 
centre  of  abdomen  and^sides  paler  and  yellower;  under 
wing-coverts  and  axillaries  white,  slightly  tinted  with 
olive-yellowish;  flights  below  dusky,  with  ashen  inner 
edges.  Habitat.  Brazil,  Amazonia,  Guiana,  Venezuela, 
and  Ecuador.     (Sharpe.) 

Burmeister  ("  Syst.  Ueb.,"  III.,  p.  240)  says  that  thig 
bird  is  more  at  home  on  open  commons  than  in  the 
vicinity  of  forest. 

I  ca"n  find  no  further  notes  on  the  habits  of  this 
siwcies  ;  but  it  probably  builds  its  nest  in  a  low  bush 
like  its  congeners,  using  dry  grass,  with  finer  material 
for  lining  ;  laying  two  eggs  mottled  with  pale  brown 
and  dotted  here  and  there  with  darker  spots  and 
Hashes.  Dr.  Russ  remarks  ("  Fremdl.  Stubcnv,"  I.,  pp. 
560,  561)  :  — "  Although  it  has  been  represented  in  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  since  the  year  1860,  with  us 
it  has  been  very  rare  both  in  animal-gardens  and  bird- 
rooms,  .-^ccoi-dintr  to  mv  notes  it  was  imimrted  in  1873 
by  Mr.  I.intz.  of  Hamburg,  in  1875  by  Miss  Hagenbach, 
and  in  1877  bv  Mr.  Moller.  cither  singly  or  in  pairs. 
Of  two  pairs  obtained  from  the  last  mentioned  Mr.  von 


SEED  FINCHES. 


143 


Schl«chtendal  writes  as  follows: — "They  are  quiet, 
peaceful  little  birds.  They  despise  mealworms,  f(Tt^n 
food,  and  fruit,*  sustain  tfiemselves  solely  on  all  kinds 
of  seede,  and  live  entirely  without  song  or  .sound.  A 
male,  though  weakened  with  illness,  bit  me  in  a  very 
jicrcoptible  manner  with  his  .short,  stout,  sharply- 
pointed  beak,  when  I  was  obliged  to  handle  it  to 
transfer  it  to  another  cage."  It  has  not  yet  been  bred, 
and  take  it  all  round  it  ie  of  very  little  interest. 

Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  offered  me  a  specimen  of  this  rare 
Grosbeak  in  November,  1907,  and  I  naturally  accepted 
it  with  pleasure  ;  it  came  to  hand  at  9  p.m.  on  the  28th. 

Thick-billed  Sked-finch  (Oryzobarus  crasdroslris). 

Black,  tips  of  flight-feathers  browner ;  base  of 
primarLas  white,  forming  a  conspicuous  speculum ;  under 
wing-covert.s  white,  black  at  edge  of  wing ;  a  blackish 
.spot  at  base  of  primaries  ;  axillaries  white,  excepting  a 
few  close  to  the  body.  Female  brown  slightly  washed 
with  olive  ;  ujider  surface  deep  ochreous,  paler  on  the 
throat,  sides  washed  with  ashy-olive ;  under  wing- 
coverts  buffy-white,  yellow  at  edge  of  wing.  Habitat, 
Amazonia,  Guiana,  Venezuela,  and  Colombia.     (Sharpe.) 

Mr.  Salmon,  writing  of  this  bird  as  observed  by 
him  in  Antioquia,  observes: — "Not  a  common  bird 
here.  I  have  seen  but  one  nest,  which  was  built  in 
a  low  bush  in  a  wild,  swampy  place.  It  was  constructed 
of  the  stems  of  coarse  grass,  lined  with  a  finer  kind,  and 
contained  two  eggs  mottled  over  with  light  brown  with 
a  few  irregular  blots  and  dashes  of  a  darJcer  colour. 
The  female  was  sitting,  and  the  male  perched  on  a 
bush  at  a  siiort  distance." 

Messrs.  Sclater  and  Salvin  describe  these  eggs  as 
"  greyish-brown,  indistinctly  blotched  with  lUac-grey, 
and  strongly  marked  with  dark  red-brown  marks;  axis 
.93,  diam.  .6." 

A  fair  number  of  examples  of  this  species  also  has 
been  exhibited  in  the  London  Zoological  Gardens.  Mr. 
Meade  Waldo  says  that  this  bird  has  a  reputation  as  a 
fongster ;  two  that  he  had  sang  a  great  deal,  a  low  in- 
ward song. 

Jacarini  Finch  {Volatinia  jacarini). 

Silky  blue-black ;  upper  scapulars  white  at  base ; 
wings  brownish  edged  with  blue-black;  under  wing- 
covert*  and  axillaries  white,  the  outer  greater  coverts, 
towards  base  of  primaries,  blue-black :  flights  below 
blackish,  white  near  base  of  inner  web ;  beak  black, 
lower  mandiWfi  greyer ;  feet  dark  brown  ;  irides  dark 
brown.  Female  above  earth-brown,  slightly  ashy  on 
rump ;  wings  blackish-brown  with  paler  rufous-brown 
edges,  excepting  the  primaries  which  have  ashy  edges  ; 
upper  tail-coverts  dark  reddish-brown  ;  tail  dark  brown 
with  paler  margins,  especially  to  the  outermost  feather 
which  is  tipped  with  whit*  ;  crown  of  head  somewhat 
ashy  ;  lores  and  feathers  round  eye  ashy-whitish ;  ear- 
ooverts  brown,  cheeks  paler ;  throat  dull  white  with 
dusky  mottling ;  breast,  sides,  flanks,  and  thighs  pal© 
sandy  brownish  streaked  with  blackish ;  abdomen 
whitish ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  huffish- 
white,  edge  of  wing  with  dark  mottling ;  flights  below 
dusky,  with  hoary  inner  edge;  beak  bix>wnish-horn ; 
feet  horn-colour  ;  irides  dark  brown.  Habitat,  Central 
and  S.  America  to  Brazil,  Peru,  and  Bolivia. 

Burmeister  ("  Syst.  Ueb.,"  III.,  p.  235)  tells  us  that 
"  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Lallement  at  the  foot  of  the 
Corcovado  (Laranjeras)  a  pair  of  this  species  lived  and 
nested.  The  nest  was  situated  in  a  coffee  shrub  about 
eight  inches  above  the  ground,  and  consisted  of  chiefly 
dry  air-roots  of  the  very  same  plant,  which  were  merely 

•Mr.  Harper,  however,  writes  that  ^^  Oruzohitrtis  toi^ridits  and 
O.  craasiroafristhoth  eat  lettuce,  and  tlie  latter  eats  nit  alworms,  at 
Itafit  that  is  my  suspicion." 


loosely  twisted  together ;  at  Christmas-time  it  contained 
two  incubated  eggs  of  a  verj-  pale  greenish  colour,  ujwn 
which  paler  and  darker  grey-brownish  pointed  &\mls  of 
moderate  size  were  unevenly  scattered,  while  at  the 
blunt  extremity  some  black'  spots  were  visible ;  they 
are  not  quite  so  large  as  eggs  of  the  Linnet  (Fr.  cai'i- 
iiabiiin)  and  somewhat  narrower.  I  have  heard  as  little 
song  from  the  bird  as  I'rince  zu  Wied  :  but  people  are 
fond  of  keeping  it  in  cages  and  feeding  it  on  canary- 
seed,  upon  which  it  often  lives  for  a  long  time.  Like 
the  Buntings,  the  species  seeks  its  food  on  the  ground, 
and  IS  known  to  nearly  everyone  in  Brazil  bv  the  name 
of  J.tcarini. 

_  Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  (P.  Z.  S.,  1879,  p.  507)  says  :— 
"  This  nest  is  carefully  concealed  very  close  to  or  upon 
the  ground  amongst  grass  or  herbage  in  waste  places. 
It  is  slightly  constructed  of  dry  grass  stems,  lined  with 
hair,  or  sometimes  with  the  stems  of  a  small  flowering 
plant. 

"The  eggs  are  two  in  number,  pale  bluish-white, 
spotted  with  red-brown."  Messrs.  Sclater  and  Salvin 
say  that  the  spots  are  chiefly  in  a  zone  round  the 
larger  end;  axis  .7,  diam.  .55.  Russ  says  :— "  I  have 
a  pair  in  my  bird-room  which  I  received  from  ilr. 
MoUer  about  two  years  ago.  They  live  in  a  bush  quiet 
and  concealed  ;  yet  at  the  warm  season  of  the  year  the 
male  ccanes  out  regularly  late  in  the  evening  into  the 
ventilating  window  and  unwearedlv  utters  his  song. 
The  latter  is  indeed  no  song,  but  only  an  extraordinary 
chirping  with  a  shrill  resounding  terminal  note.  One 
first  hears  the  industrious  songster  when  it  is  quite 
dark.  In  all  this  time  the  two  birds  have  never  once 
attempted  to  nest,  and  neither  in  spring  nor  at  any 
other  time  have  they  ever  taken  notice  of  one  another. 
There  is  also  a  pair  in  the  possession  of  Dr.  Frankei;,  of 
Baden-Baden,  and  Count  Roedern,  of  Breslau.  In 
the  Zoological  Gardens  of  London  the  species  has  been 
represented  since  the  year  1858,  and  undoubtedly  in 
the  course  of  time  it  has  been  imported  now  and  again  ; 
thus  I  saw  a  male  in  the  Berlin  Aquarium  in  its  early 
days,  soon  after  it  was  opened  ;  at  that  time  nobody 
there  knew  what  it  was.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  sooner 
or  later  this  bird  will  be  bred."  ("  Fremdl.  Stubenv," 
L.  p.  424.) 

Mr.  R.  A.  Todd  {The  Aricultural  Magazine,  .Ser.  I., 
Vol.  IV.,  p.  6)  writes: — "I  consider  myself  fortunate 
in  being  the  possessor  of  a  pair  of  Jacarinis  [Volatinia 
jacarini).  The  hen  seems  to  be  a  very  rare  bird  in 
this  country  ;  in  colour  she  somewhat  resembles  the  hen 
Indigo  Finch,  though,  of  course,  of  a  very  different 
build.  These  are  rather  shy  birds,  spending  most  of 
their  time  among  any  bushes  or  cover  there  may  be 
in  the  aviary,  but  when  moving  about  have  very  much 
the  nervous  habit  of  the  Waxbills ;  their  tails  seem 
never  at  rest.  Jly  birds  have  never  nested,  and  from 
their  nervous  disposition  I  should  doubt  their  ever 
bringing  off  a  brood.  .  .  .  They  are  certainly  fond 
of  insects,  and  always  ready  for  a  mealworm  or  earwig  ; 
as  regards  seed,  they  seem  to  prefer  canary  and  Indian 
millet,  and   delight  in  ohickweed." 

We  now  come  to  the  SpcnnnjjhUiT,  little  Grosbeaks, 
which  somewhat  remind  one  of  the  Mannikins  ;  they  are 
charming  songsters,  and  many  of  them  build  the  most 
wonderful  lace-like  nests  of  marvellous  strength:  their 
food  in  captivity  is  very  simple,  consisting  of  millet  in 
two  forms,  canary,  and  grasses  in  the  ear  when  obtain- 
able.* 

♦  In  Vnl.VI.  of  "  Bird  Notes  "  facing  p.  Bl.  is  an  excellent  coloured 
plate  of  Spt'rinop/,U(r\  r^piiring  one  ■•(  the  commoner  and  three  of  the 
rarer  species  ;  all  of  which,  through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  E.  W- 
Harper,  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  keeping. 


144 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


White-throated    Finch     (Spermophila    alhigularis). 

The  uppei-  surface  of  the  male  is  mostly  grey ;  the 
crown  an<i  sides  of  liead  are  very  dark  grey  ;  the  fore- 
head ajwl  lores  entiivly  black,  and  tJie  remainder 
mottled  with  black  ;  under  surface  and  a  broad  collar 
white ;  a  black  belt  acrass  the  chest ;  Hanks  fj'^^y  ; 
first  primary  quills  "with  white  bases,  forming  an  oblong 
spot  when  the  wings  are  closed  ;  beak  ochre-yellow  ; 
feet    grey ;   iris    black. 

The  female  is  greyish-brown,  with  blackish  centres 
to  the  flight  and  tail  feathers,  and  with  the  first 
primaries  white  at  the  base,  forming  an  oblong  spot 
when  the  wings  are  closed  ;  under  surface  white  with 
a  greyish-brown  belt  across  the  breast ;  beak  black ; 
feet  greyish-bru wn  ;    iris  black.     Hab.,   Brazil. 

Dr.  Emil  A.  Goeldi.  in  his  article  on  a  visit  to  South 
Guyana  {The  Jhis,  1897,  p.  162),  remarks:— "On  the 
assahy-palms,  banana-trees,  and  siriiibas  along  the 
river  sat  S/iermoi//iita  albifjularis,  emitting  its  melodious 
^-/t-/f." 

This  is  all  that  I  can  find  published  respecting  the 
wiM  life,  but  in  my  birdroom  this  .species  constructed, 
of  fine  tough  fibre,  a  most  delicate,  firmly-woven,  fairy- 
like, shallow,  cup-shaped  nest  ;  or  rather  I  should  say 
that  it  constructed  several  in  succesaion,  but  did  not 
lay  in  ajiy  of  them.  The  species  is  said  to  have  been 
bred  in  Germany,  thaugh  Dr.  Russ  omits  to  describe  the 
eggs,  but  says  that  incuba.tion  lasts  twelve  days. 

In  1905  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar  fortunately  succeeded 
in  breeding  the  species,  and  has  described  his  experi- 
ences in  The  Avicultural  Magazine,  N.s.,  Vol.  III., 
pp.  358-362 ;  his  nest  was  made  in  the  usual  manner,  but 
of  fibrous  roots,  and  lined  with  human  hair  ;  it  was 
placed  high  up  in  a  bush  and  took  three  days  to 
complete,  ajid  apparently  two  eggs  were  laid,  hatched 
and  reared.  Mr.  Farrar  describes  them  as  large  for 
the  size  of  the  bird,  and  much  like  those  of  the  common 
Sparrow;  but  as  I  have  previously  observed,  this,  to 
anyone  familiar  with  the  extreme  variability  of  the 
eggs  of  our  domestic  friend,  is  no  description  at  all. 
Mr.  Farrar's  account  of  the  song  of  this  bird  is  quite 
incorrect ;  his  cock  bird  must  have  been  deficient  in 
vocal  power.  I  have  a  very  old  male  at  tlie  present 
time  (1908)  which  sings  all  through  the  summer,  year 
after  year  ;  I  must  have  had  it  for  nine  or  ten  years  ; 
to  my  mind  the  song  is  decidedly  superior  to  that  of 
the  European  Goldfinch. 

Altliough  pretty  in  colouring,  cheap,  enduring,  with  a 
sweet  little  song,  this  bird  is  an  inveterate  bully, 
especially  towards  males  of  his  own  species  or  of  the 
nearly  related  Bluish  Finch. 

I  would  strongly  caution  all  bird-lovers  not  to 
attempt  to  keep  more  than  one  pair  of  this  Finch  in 
any  aviarj',  and  if  they  could  devote  a  good-.sized  flight 
cage  to  a  pair  it  would  be  safer  for  any  other  small 
birds  which  they  may  have.  As  a  rule,  the  White- 
throated  Finch  confines  his  murderous  attacks  to 
members  of  his  own  species,  but  1  had  one  notable 
exception  whose  evil  deeds  brought  him  to  a  bad  end,  a 
Weaver  having  killed   him. 

Half-white  Finch   {Spermophila   hypolenca). 

Above  dull  slate-grey,  the  mantle  with  indistinct 
dusky  mottling :  wings  (with  the  exception  of  the 
lower  coverts,  the  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail  feathers 
blackish,  with  ashy  margins ;  a  small  white  speculum 
at  base  of  primaries;  hind-crown  and  nape  mottled  like 
the  mantle,  but  more  distinctly  ;  sides  of  head,  except- 
ing the  cheekK.  ashy  grey ;  the  latter  and  the  under 
surface  of  body  white,  but  the  lower  thniit,  sides  and 
flanks  and  back  of  thighs  grey;  flights  below  dusky,  with 
the  inner  webs  white   at  base,   otherwise  ashy ;   beak 


fleshy  red ;  feet  greyish-brown,  irides  brown.  Female 
olive-brownish  instead  of  slate-grey ;  wing  and  tail 
feathers  of  a  deeper  brown,  edged  with  olive-grey ; 
under  parts  paler  and  yellower ;  middle  of  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  beak  reddish-yellowish 
grev :    feet   pale-greyish    flesh-coloured.     Hab.,   Brazil 

liurmeister  says  ("  Syst.  Ueb.."  III.,  p.  242):  — 
"  Abundant  on  the  Campos  region  of  the  interior  of 
Brazil,  in  small  companies,  much  kept  in  cages  on 
account  of  its  pleasing  voice.  The  Mineiros  call  the  bird 
Iliro   vermelho." 

Mt.  W.  a.  Forbes  (Tlie  Ibis,  1881,  p.  336)  says:  — 
"This  species  of  Spermophila  is  also  common  and 
widely  distributed,  frequenting  grassy  or  0]ien  places, 
and  often  coming  into  gardens.  It  apjiears  to  feed 
mainly  on  grass  seeds,  and  is  social  in  its  habits.  The 
f  eniiijes  are  brown.  Called  by  the  Brazilians  '  Papa 
Capim  ' — i.e..,  grass-eater.  This  name  it  shares  with 
<S'.    f/ulluralis." 

Dr.  Russ  speaks  of  this  sjiccies  as  very  rare  in  the 
trade.  A  few  specimens  were  imported  by  the  dealer 
Gudera  ;  the  late  Mr.  Wiener  also  had  a  epeclmen  in 
his  bird  room,  and  the  london  Zoological  Society  eince 
1875. 

Grey  Grosbeak  {Spennnphiln  grisea). 

Above  dark  slate-grey,  elichtly  brownish  on  upper 
tail-coverts ;  wings,  excepting  the  lesser  coverts, 
blackish,  edged  with  grey;  a  email  white  speculum  at 
base  of  primaries  ;  tail  blackish,  edged  with  grey,  and 
the  centre  feathers  washed  with  the  same  ;  head  dark 
slate-grey,  with  the  lores  and  base  of  cheeks  blackish  ; 
body  from  throat  backwards  white  below,  with  the 
sides,  flanks  and  thighs  dark  slate-grey  ;  flights  below 
dusky,  ashy  along  inner  web,  excepting  at  base,  where 
it  is  white  ;  beak  reddish  horn-white  ;  feet  horn-grey  ; 
irides  brown.  Female  pale  olive-brown ;  wings  and 
tail  dusky  brown ;  primaries  with  ashy  edges,  the 
other  feathers  edged  with  olive-brown  ;  crown  of  head 
darker  than  back ;  sides  of  head  and  under  parts 
yellowish-olive,  paler  on  ear-coverts,  cheeks  and  under 
surface  of  body ;  whitish  at  centre  of  breast  and 
abdomen,  thighs  and  under  tail-coverts ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axillaries  white,  with  a  slight  yellow  tinge; 
flights  below  dusky,  with  ashy  cdees  to  inner  webs : 
beak  black.  Hab.,  "Guiana  to  Venezuela,  Trinidad 
and   Colombia,   extending  to  Panama"    (Sharpe). 

I  hpve  found  no  no*es  on  the  wild  life  of  this  little 
bird,  but  Dr.  Russ  (Handbook,  pp.  131,  132)  says  that 
a  pair  in  his  bird-room  nested  with  excellent  results. 
The  nest  was  large  and  flat,  formed  in  a  little  basket 
suspended  in  a  bush,  of  fibres,  st.iilks,  and  cotton-wool, 
not  artistic.  The  clutch  consisted  of  three  eggs,  pale 
bluish-green,  dotted  and  Knotted  with  brown.  Incuba 
tion  lasted  twelve  days.  Nestling  down  scanty,  white  ; 
young  plumage  like  that  of  the  adult  female,  but  more 
greyish-srreen.  It  nested  several  times  with  Dr.  Yant- 
zen.  of  Hamburg.  Harmless,  confiding,  and  a  pleasing 
songster.     Song  resembling  that  of  the  Wood-lark. 

Plumbeous  Finch  (Spermophila  plumbea). 
A.shy  grey,  slightly  paler  on  the  rump  ;  wing,  except- 
ing lesser  coverts,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  tail-feathers, 
blackish,  edged  with  ,ashy.  whiter  on  edges  of  pri- 
maries ;  browner  on  edges  of  tail-feathers  ;  lores  black  : 
ear  coverts  and  cheeks  dark  a.shy.  the  former  with 
whitish  shaft-lines,  the  latter  with  a  small  white  streak 
at  base;  lower  eyelid  white;  thighs  white  in  front; 
centre  of  abdomen,  under  tail-coverts,  under  winp- 
coverts.  and  axillaries  white :  a  blackish  patch  near 
edge  of  wing;  flights  below  dusky,  with  ashy  edge  to 
inner  web,  becoming  white  towards  base ;  beak 
blackish  ;  feet  dark  brownish-grey  ;  irides  lark  brown. 


LITTLE  GROSBEAKS. 


145 


Female  tmiform  light  brown ;  paler,  almost  whitish  on 
th«  vent.     (Thorpe.)     Hab.,  Brazil  to  Bolivia. 

"  Widely  distributed  over  tlio  Campos  i-egion  in  the 
interior  of  Brazil,  from  St.  Paulo  up  to  Biihia,  and 
westward  to  the  foot  of  the  Cordilleras;  lives  in  .small 
companies  in  open  spot.s,  has  a  pleasant,  melodious 
voice,  and  is  regarded  by  the  Minciros,  who  call  it 
"  Batetivo,"  as  the  best  songster  of  the  interior.  I  say 
the  bird  alive  in  Congonhas,  in  the  jjo.ssession  of  my 
host,  who  regarded  it  as  a  great  treasure  ;  as,  however, 
it  wius  its  moulting  sea.son,  .md  moreover  winter,  the 
bird  did  not  sing  at  all  so  long  as  I  was  able  to 
observe  it."     (Burmeist^r,  "  Syst.  IJeb.,"  III.,  p.  243.) 

Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  (The  Ilm.  1881,  p.  336)  says  that 
the  Brazilians  call  this  species  "  Patitiva  de  Parahyba," 
"  and  often  pay  considerable  prices  for  good  singers. 
The  song  is  loud  for  the  snze  of  the  bird,  and  rather 
pretty,  tho\igh  monotnnou.s."  I  have  discovered  nothing 
respecting  tno  nesting  habits. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  in  the  conr.se  of  time  he  has  on 
several  oc<-'asion.s  received  a  single  male  or  female  from 
Mise  Hagenbeck,  but  coadd  make  no  observations 
beyond  the  fact  that  the  song  was  in  no  way  remark- 
able. It  has  been  represented  in  the  Lond(m  Zoological 
Gardens  since  1870. 

There  is  not  the  least  doubt  that  individual  males 
of  any  species  of  song  bird  do  not  sing  equally  well, 
and  Mr.  Forbes'  remark  that  "  considerable  prices  are 
given  for  good  singers"  of  this  bird  shows  that  it  is 
nc  exception  to  the  rule ;  therefore,  as  with  Mr. 
Farrar'e  White-throated  Finch,  we  must  conclude  that 
Dr.  Russ's  Plumbeous  Finches  were  poor  performers, 
and  did  not  fairly  represent  the  song  of  the  species. 

EtTLER's    Finch    {Spermophila    superciliaris). 

Above  olive  green ;  wings,  excepting  the  lesser 
coverts  and  tail,  dusky  brown  edged  with  olive; 
median  and  greater  wing-coverts,  tipped  with  huffish 
white;  crown  slightly  darker  than  back;  lore-s,  a 
narrow  eye-brow  stripe  and  eyelid  yellowish  white ; 
ear -coverts  olive  brown,  streaked  with  white;  cheeks, 
throat,  and  under-surface  of  body  white  ;  sides,  flanks, 
and  thighs  olive  brown  ;  under  tail-coverts  yellowish, 
tinged  with  olive  and  brown  at  base ;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  axiUaries  white,  edged  with  greenish 
yellow ;  flights  below  dusky,  ashy-whiti.sh  along 
inner  edge ;  beak  brownish  horn-grey,  under  man- 
dible paler ;  feet  brownish-grey ;  irides  dark  bro\vn. 
Female  darker,  the  tips  of  median  and  greater 
coverts  bright  buff ;  edges  of  flights  more  rufescent ; 
e.velid  and  lores  greenish  yellow  ;  ear -coverts  and  sides 
of  face  dull  olive  ;  throat  greenish  yellofw  ;  breast  and 
sides  of  body  yellowish  olive-brown  ;'  centre  of  abdomen 
yellowish  white ;  under  tail-coverts  pale  brown,  yel- 
lowish white  at  tips;  beak  blackish  brown;  feet  black- 
ish grey;   irides  brown.     Hab.,  Brazil. 

Nothing  appears  to  be  known  respecting  the  wild 
life  of  this  bird — indeed.  Russ  observes  that  up  to  1874 
it  was  not  thoroughly  known  to  students,  and  had  nn 
place  in  museums,  whereas  'he  had  already  received 
two  pairs  from  Miss  Hagenbeck.  and  was  able  to 
describe  it  in  detail.  Buss,  however,  was  unaware  tbat 
S.  culeri,  described  in  1874.  was  a  synonym  of 
.S".  xupercUiaris,  described  in  1869,  and  was  therefore 
known  under  the  latter  name. 

Although  Russ  considers  the  bird  quite  uninteresting, 
he  tells  us  that  after  the  first  pair  had  died,  the  second 
built  a  great  shapeless  nest  openly  in  a  bu.sh  in  his 
birdroom.  and  reared  one  young  one,  but  he  was  unable 
to  study  the  breeding,  as  "at  the  time  he  was  ill.  His 
hopes  of  a  second  brood  were  frustrated  by  a  parrot 
biting  the  male  bird  to  death,  and  he  was  not  able  to 


replace    it.     He  subsequentlv  saw  single   examples   in 
the  possession  of  wliolcsale  (fcalers. 

This   species  also  has  been  exhibited  in  the  London 
Zoological  G.irdens. 
Lavknder-backed  Finch  (Spermophila  caslaneiventris). 

Above  blue-grey ;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  excepting 
lesser  coverts,  blackish,  edged  with  grey ;  a  .=mall  white 
spot  at  base  of  outer  web  of  inner  primaries  ;  head  a 
trifle  deeper  grey  than  the  back  ;  a  small  wliite  spot 
at  base  of  mandible  ;  throat,  bre;ust,  and  abdomen  deep 
chestnut,  with  the  sides,  flanks,  and  thighs  blue-grey; 
under  wiiig-coverts  and  axill.iries  white,  grey  near  edge 
of  wing  ;  flights  below  dusky,  wliite  towards  bii«e  of 
inner  web  ;  beak  and  feet  brown  ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female,  .ibove  olive-brown,  lower  back  and  rump  paler 
and  more  rufescent;  wing  and  tail  feathers,  excepting 
les.ser  coverts,  dusky  brown,  with  paler  brown  borders ; 
lores,  feathers  round  eye,  ear-coverts,  and  body  below 
paler  brown  than  that  of  upper  surface  ;  the  centre 
of  breast  .and  abdomen,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
pale  huffish  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  white, 
tinged  with  greenish  yellow;  flights  below  dusky, 
whitish  along  inner  edge.  Hab.,  Guiana  and  Colombia 
to  Lower  Amazonia  and  Peru.     (Sharpe.) 

Taczanowski  gives  no  account  of  the  wild  life  in  his 
"  Ornithologie  de  Perou,"and  I  can  find  nothing  respect- 
ing it  elsewhere.  This  is  one  of  the  more  beautiful  of 
the  species  of  Sprrmoplnla;  it  was  first  imiwrted  by 
Mr.  p;.  W.  Harper  in  1906,  and  he  presented  six  ex- 
amples to  the  London  Zoological  Gardens.  Mr.  C.  T. 
JIaxwell  possesses  a  specimen ;  Mr.  W.  T.  Page,  I 
think,  received  a  pair:  and  on  November  25th,  1907, 
Mr.  Harper  very  kindly  wrote  offering  me  one  as  a 
present,  together  with  three  other  rarely  imported 
species;   they  arrived  on  the  28th. 

FiBE-RED  Finch  {Spermophila  minula). 

Above  brown,  slightly  olivaceous ;  lower  back  and 
rump  chestnut;  upper  tail-coverts  greyish  olivaceous, 
rufescent  at  edges  ;  wings,  except  lesser  coverts,  and  tail 
blackish-brown;  the  feathers  with  ashy,  whitish  or 
j)ale  brown  margins;  central  tail-feathers  somewhat 
ashy;  crown  slightly  rufescent  on  forehead;  lores 
du.sky,  ear-coverts  pale  olive-brown,  with  paler  shaft- 
stripes  ;  cheeks  with  a  small  white  spot  at  base,  other- 
wise chestnut  like  under  surface  of  body ;  thighs  rather 
browner;  under  wing-coverts  ash.y,  edged  with  whitish; 
axillaries  creamy  white,  slightly  rufescent;  flights 
below  blackish-brown,  creamy- while  along  inner  edge; 
beak   blackish,   paler  at   base  of   lower  mandible. 

Female  earthy  brown,  slightly  olivaceous ;  wings 
dark  biown,  excepting  les.ser  coverts ;  bastard-wing, 
median  and  greater  coverts  and  secondaries  bordered 
with  buff;  primary-coverts  and  primaries  edged  with 
olive-brown  ;  tail  feathers  dark  brown  edged  with  olive- 
brown  and  with  jiale  tips;  sides  of  head  and  under 
surface  pale  bulfish  brown  ;  the  throat  paler  and  some- 
what ashy;  sides,  flanks,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
bright  buff ;  centre  of  abdomen  creamy  buff ;  under 
wing-coverts  and  .axillaries  bright  buff,  with  ashy  bases ; 
flights  below  dusky,  whitish  on  inner  edge.  Hab., 
Panama,  through  Colombia  and  Venezuela  to  Guiana ; 
Trinidad     Tobago,   Para.     (Sharpe.) 

Mr.  T.  K.  Salmon  says  (P.Z.S.,  1879,  p.  506):  — 
"  Builds  in  low  bushes  much  the  same  sort  of  nest  as 
S.  gulluralis,  but  of  coarser  grass."  The  eggs, 
described  by  Messrs.  Sclater  and  Salvin.  are  said  to  be 
"  white,  clearly  marked  with  several  shades  of  rich  red- 
brown  spots :    axis    .65,   diam.   .51." 

This  is  all  I  can  discover  respecting  the  habits. 

Mr.  E.  W.  Harper  presented  four  specimens  to  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  in  1906,  and  one  to  me  in 


146 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


1907.  Mr.  Page  also  had  a  specimen.  It  resembles  the 
following  species,  excepting  for  the  absence  of  the  black 
cap. 

RtDDiSH  Finch  {Spermojihila  iugri>-inirunt\a). 

The  Reilflish  Finch  i.*  one  of  the  smalle.-it  cagcbirds; 
it  is  cinnamon  iu  colouring,  with  the  crown  to  the  nape 
black,  giving  it  .somewhat  the  asj)ect  of  a  miniature 
Bnlltinch,  the  throat  and  centre  of  under  .surface  paler 
cinnajnon  than  the  remainder  of  the  body  ;  the  flights 
are  black  with  greyish-brown  borders,  the  middle 
primaries  white  at  the  base,  forming  a  white  patch 
when  the  wing  is  clo.sed  :  tail  feathers  black.  tipi:ed  and 
fKlged  with  pale  brown  ;  bo^-ik  blacki.sh.  feet  dark  brown, 
iris  brown.  The  female  is  olive  brown,  the  centre  of 
body  yellowish-white,  becoming  ochreous  buff  on  under 
tailcoverts;  flight  and  tail  feathers  brown  edged  with 
olive.     Hab  ,   Southern  Brazil. 

Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  (The  Ibis,  1881,  pp.  335-336)  says 
that  he  obtiiined  this  bird  at  Recife  frequenting  the 
same  localities  as  .S'.  r/uttui(dis  and  S.  hi/poleurn.  He 
says  "  the  Brazilians  call  it  '  Caboclo,'  a  name  applied 
to  the  tamed  aboriginal  Indians  in  Pernambuco.  It  may 
sometimes  be  seen  in  Recife  in  cages  with  crowds  of 
sundry  other  Spermophilce,  Canaries  {Si/calis),  Car- 
dinals  (Paroaria),  etc." 

Burmeister  says  of  it  ("  Syst.  Ueb.,"  III.,  p.  251)  :— 
"  Comiroiv,  in  the  whole  of  Brazil  in  small  and  larger 
flights,  esjiecially  to  be  noticed  in  numbers  on  the 
millet-fields;  they  keep  quite  quiet;  when  scared  off 
they  fly  away  without  a  cry.  I  have  never  heard  a 
song,  though'  I  have  so  frequently  observed  it  in  the 
environs  of  New  Freiburg.  I  also  met  with  the  bird 
at  Lagoa  Santa." 

Tlic  nidification  appears  to  be  undescribed. 

The  male  is  a  sweet  singer,  though  not  often  heard 
in  an  aviary  ;  possibly  in  a  flight  cage  it  might  be  a 
more  frequent  performer.  It  is  perfectly  harmleiiS, 
and  a  great  addition  to  any  aviary  of  tiny  song  birds. 
Its  habits  in  a  wild  stat«  appear  to  be  similar  to  those 
of  its  congeners.  It  ouoht  to  be  more  freely  imported, 
as  it  is  not  a  rare  bird  in  Brazil. 

This  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  most  pleasing,  but 
one  of  the  least  fi^eely  imported,  of  the  better  known 
tlpi'i-mophlhe.,  and  therefore  is  rarely  to  be  obtained  at 
a  low  price,  although  I  was  fortunate'  in  this  respect. 
I  jiirked  my  bird  out  of  a  crowd  of  Spermop/iila:  sold 
indisc-riminately  at  3s.  apiece.  I  was  amused,  the  year 
following,  to  note  an  advertisement  by  the  same  dealer 
offering  a  specimen  of  this  rare  little  Finch  for  20s.  My 
bird  lived  to  a  great  age,  but  towards  the  end  of  its 
life  became  .slovenly  in  its  toilet,  so  that  its  skin  was 
not  worth  preserving.  v 

Collared  Finch  [S prrmophUa  cuculhia). 
Above  black  ;  scapulars  grey  ;  lower  back  grey  shaded 
with  ochreous.  which  becomes  pure  ochreous  in  a  belt 
acrcss  the  rump ;  wing-feathers  blackish,  odged  with 
ashy;  inner  lesser  coverts  and  tips  of  inner  median 
coverts  ochreous ;  inner  primaries  externally  white  at 
base  ;  upper  tail-coverts  blackish  bordered  -with  dark 
grey ;  tail-feathers  blackish  edged  with  brown,  paler 
at  tips;  lores,  a  patch  below  front  of  eye,  cheeks  and 
throat  creamy-buff,  the  latter  more  ochreous;  a  half 
collar  of  ochreous  at  sides  of  neck  ;  a  broad  black  band 
behind  throat,  under  surface  of  body  behind  the  black 
band  tawny  buff,  pale  excepting  on  under  tailcoverts  ; 
thi>;hs  white,  black  behind  ;  under  wing  coverts  and 
axillaries  white ;  flights  below  <lusky.  white  towards 
ba.ee  of  inner  web  ;  beak  greyish-horn,  blackish  at  base, 
yelIow^i.<-h  at  tip.  Female  above  brown,  slightly  oliva- 
ceous on  head  and  back  ;    wing  and   tail-feathers  dark 


brown  with  paler  margins ;  sides  of  head  and  under 
parts  pale  tawny  buff,  paler  on  abdomen  ard  deeper  on 
under  tail-coverts ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
huffish  white.  Hab.,  Northern  Brazil  to  Guiana. 
(Shariie.) 

According  to  Burmeister  ("Syst.  Ueb.,"  III.,  p.  248), 
this  bird  inhabits  the  outskirts  of  woods,  especially 
near  settlements.  1  can  find  no  other  note  of  its  wild 
life. 

A  pair  of  this  Spermophila  reached  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens  in  1884. 

Bl.\ck-b.\ndf.d  Finch  {Spermophila  torqueula). 

Above  black  ;  lower  back  and  rump  pale  tawny ;  inner 
primaries  white  at  base  of  outer  web  ;  tail  fringed  at 
end  with  pale  brown  ;  a  white  half  collar  at  sides  of 
neck  ;  cheeks  and  under  surface  tawny  reddish,  paler 
on  throat;  a  black  collar  behind  throat  ;  thighs  wliite, 
black  behind  ;  under  wing-cx)verts  and  axillaries  white  ; 
flights  below  dusky,  with  ashy  edges  becoming  white 
at  base  ;  beak  and  feet  blackish  ;  irides  brown.  Female 
above  jiale  olive-brown,  more  ashy  (m  head  and  neck; 
wings  and  tail  dark  brown  with  olive-brown  edges  to 
the  feathers  ;  tips  of  great<'r  wing-coverts  and  margins 
of  inner  secondaries  slightly  rufescent ;  sides  of  head 
and  front  of  body  below  paler  brown  than  ujiper  sur- 
face ;  the  abdomen,  lower  Hanks  and  under  tail-coverts 
paJe  tawnv  bullish ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
greenish  white;  flights  below  as  in  male.   Hab.,  Mexico. 

I  have  found  no  notes  on  the  wild  life  of  this  bird  ; 
a  male  was  presented  to  the  I.K)ndon  Zoological  Society 
in  1895  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Chalmers. 

Spectacled  Finch  (SpermophUa  ophthalmica). 

Atx)ve  shining  black ;  feathers  of  lower  back  and 
rump  grey,  subterminally  banded  with  black  and  tipped 
with  white ;  lesser  wing-coverts  white-edged ;  greater 
coverts  with  a  linear  white  streak  at  ends  ;  bastard  wing, 
primary-covert.'i  and  quills  white  at  base,  visible 
and  forming  a  distinct  speculum  on  middle  primaries; 
a  small  white  spot  f)elow  eye  ;  cheeks,  throat  and  sides 
of  neck  white  ;  a  black  band  behind  throat  spreading 
on  sides  of  chest-  remainder  of  undir  surface  white; 
the  flanks  slightly  mottled  with  black ;  flights  below 
blackish  ^vitli  inner  edges  white  broadening  towards 
base ;  beak  and  feet  ])robably  black ;  irides  reddish. 
Female  above  pale  brown  ;  head  and  mantle  greyer ; 
me^lian  and  greater  wing-coverts  blackish  with  rufescent 
]>ale  brown  margins ;  remaining  feathers  of  wing  dusky 
with  paler  borders;  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail-featliers 
pale  brown,  with  ])aler  margins  ;  lores  bufiisa  yellow  ; 
eyelid  buffy  white ;  -ear-coverts,  cheeks,  and  under 
parts  jiale  "buffish-brown,  paler  at  centre  of  breast  and 
abdomen  ;  sides,  flanks,  thighs,  and  under  tailcoverts 
pale  brown  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  white, 
the  foni>er  slightly  stained  with  brown.     Hab.,  Ecuador. 

Mr.  W.  (toodfellow  (The  /6i'.*.  1901,  p.  473),  in  an 
account  of  a  journey  which  he  took  through  Colombia 
and  Ecuador,  says  :— "  Very  common  at  Santo  Domingo 
in  October,  where  during  the  midday  hours  they- 
assembled  in  large  Hocks  on  the  gra.ss  around  the  huts.'' 

Tliis  species  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens,  but  it  is  naturally  rare  in  the  bird 
market . 

LiNEATED  Finch   (SpermojyMla  lineata.) 

Above  shining  greenish  black;  the  lower  back  and 
rump  ashy  with  dusky  subt«mijiiU  markings  to  tho 
feathers ;  lesser  wing-coverts  edged  with  whiti.sh ; 
median  and  gi^eater  coverts  tipped  with  white,  the 
former  broadly;  inner  primaries  wliite  at  base  of  irmer 
web ;  upper  tail-coverts   with  ;Lshy  fringes ;    tail  edged 


LITTLE  OKOSUEAKS. 


147 


at  end  witli  ashy  ;  lower  eyebd  Hath  a,  tiny  white  spot ; 
cheeks,  sides  of  neck,  and  under  parts  white;  a  black 
collar  and  .^i^des  of  bre;ist ;  sides  of  boily  aiid  flank-s 
ashy;  thighs  bla<:kish ;  flight-s  below  bK-u-kish,  ashy  oil 
inner  edges  jukI  towards  base;  feet  fleshy-bkackish. 
Female  above  olive-brown,  y«llower  <in  rump ;  ■\\ing 
and  tail-feathers  with  paler  uilges;  lores  and  feathers 
round  eye  whitish;  ear-coverts  pale  and  streaked  with 
whitish ;  iiiider  surface  ochrticeous,  browner  on  sides 
and  flanks;  centre  of  bieist  and  alxlomen  yelloHish 
white;  axillaries  and  under  -wing-coverts  white,  edged 
with  yellow;  flights  below  dusky,  ashy  whitish  along 
inner  edges.     Hab.,  Guiana  and  Amazonia. 

Iiurn)eist«r  gives  no  information  respecting  the  wild 
life,  nor  can  I  discover  anj-thing  in  other  works.  This 
species  also  has  been  exhibited  at  the  Ixmdon  Gardens. 

Bluish  Finch  (Upermojjhila  aurulescens). 

The  Bluish  Finch  chiefly  ditfers  from  the  White- 
tliroated  Finch  in  its  slightly  inferior  size  and  black 
chin-iKitch,  but  it  also  wants  the  white  spot  on  the 
primaries.  Fenule  pale  olive-brown ;  wings  and  tail 
darker;  below  jmler  tinged  with  ochraceous ;  middle 
of  body  ainwst  white.  Hab.,  South  Brazil,  Patagonia, 
I'aj-agibay,  Argentina,   and  Bolivia. 

Mr.  Hudson  {"  Argentine  Ornithologj',"  Vol.  I.,  p.  45) 
observes  that  "  these  birds  aie  always  most  abundant 
in  plantations,  preferring  peach  trees,  but  do  not 
associate  in  flocks ;  they  are  exceedingly  swift  and 
active,  overflowing  with  life  and  energy,  their 
impetuous  notes  and  motions  giving  one  the  idea  that 
they  are  always  in  a  state  of  violent  excitement.  The 
male  has  a  luud,  st;irtled  chirp,  also  a  song  competed 
of  eight  or  ten  notes,  deiiveretl  with  such  vehemence 
and  r.ipidity  that  they  run  into  each  other  and  sound 
more  like  a  scream  than  a  song.*  There  is  not  a  more 
clever  ardiitect  than  this  species;  and  whilr  many 
SynaUnxes  are  laboriously  endeavouring  to  show  how 
stately  a  mansion  of  sticks  a  little  bird  can  erect  for 
itself,  the  Screaming  Finch  has  successfully  solved  the 
problem  of  how  to  construct  the  most  perfect  nest  for 
lightness,  strength,  and  symmetry  with  the  fewest 
niat-erials.  It  is  a.  small,  oup-shaped  structure, 
suspended  hammock-wise  between  two  slender  upright 
branches,  and  to  which  it  is  secm'ely  attached  by  fine 
hairs  and  webs.  It  is  made  of  thin,  pale-coloured, 
fibious  roots,  ingenioaisly  woven  together — reddish  or 
light-coloured  horse-hair  being  sometimes  substituted; 
and  so  little  material  is  used  that,  standing  under  the 
tree,  a  per.^on  can  easily  count  the  eggs  through  the 
bottom  of  the  neet.  Its  apparent  frailness  is,  however, 
its  best  protection  from  the  prying  eyes  of  birds  and 
mammals  that  prey  on  the  eggs  and  young  of  small 
birds;  for  it  is  difficult  to  detect  the  slight  structure, 
through  which  the  sunshine  and  rain  pass  .so  freely.  So 
light  is  the  little  basket-nest  that  it  may  be  placed  on 
the  open  hajid  and  blovni  away  with  the  breath  like  a 
straw;  yet  so  strung  that  a  man  can  .suspend  his  weight 
from  it  without  pnJIing  it  to  pieces.  The  eggs  are  three 
in  number,  white  and  spotted  with  black,  .sometimes 
bluish-brown  spots  are  mingled  with  the  black. "* 

Formerly  this  bird  was  very  rarely  imported  ;  but  of 
late  years  it  has  come  more  frequently  in  consignments 
from  Argentina.  In  1893  I  imported"  three  males  from 
La  Plata;  but  they  suffered  from  exposure  in  an  all- 
wire  cage  during  the  journey;  after  their  arrival  they 
were  much  persecuted  by  my  White-throated  Finches. 
Two  died  in  their  moult  and  the  third  did  not  live  very 

*  M».  Hudson  calls  Ihla  bird  "Screaming  Finch." 


long.     Not  being  good  songsters  they  are  not  likely  to 
become  very  popular. 

GrrruiWL   Finch   (Spermophila  gutturalis). 

The  nude  ia  olive-grten  above,  with  a  black  bead; 
wings  and  tail  greyish -brown,  brc;ist  and  abdomen 
yellcra-ish-white  with  a  faint  greenish  cast,  flanks 
greyi.sh;  be;ik  silver-grey,  feet  and  iris  greyish- 
brown.  The  feuude  is  dull  brownish-olive,  paler  and 
more  yellow  below,  the  bre;ist  slightly  ruddy,  the  wing 
and  tail-fe;ithers  blackish,  with  pale  margins;  beak, 
horn-grey,  feet  brownish  flesh  coloured,  iris  brown. 
Hab.,  Brazil,  Guiana,  Peru,  Ecuador,  Colombia, 
Venezuela,   and  Panama. 

According  to  T.  K.  Salmon  (P.  Z.  S..  1879,  p.  507)  this 
bird  "  nests  in  low  bus hp.s.  The  nest  is  built  at  a  height 
of  four  or  five  fei«t.,  nf  stems  of  dry  grass  rather  loosely 
put  together,  in  which  two  eggs  are  laid."  Messrs. 
Sclatcr  and  Salvin  de.^ribe  the  eggs  as  '"pale  greenish 
white,  marked  with  large  blotches  of  several  shades  of 
rich  bro'wn  ;   axis  .7,  diam.  .5." 

Mr.  W.  A.  Forbes  (The  Ibis,  1881,  p.  336)  says:  — 
"  This  little  Spermophila  was  very  abundant  in  the 
garden  at  Estancia,  frequenting  the  reedy  and  marshy 
parts,  where  it  congregates  in  small  flocks,  feeding  on 
the  seeds  of  the  grasses,  sedges,  and  other  similar 
plants.  I  also  saw  it  abundant  afterwards  at  Quipiipa, 
as  well  as  in  the  low  bu.sh-covered  courtly  round 
Garanhuns,  so  that  it  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the 
seaboard  or  even  to  the  neighlx)urhood  of  water.  It  is 
often  kept  as  a  oage-bird." 

I>r.  E.  A.  Goeldi,  writing  of  birds  observed  up  the 
Oiipim  River  {The  Ibis,  1903.  p.  481),  says-.— "The  small 
Finches  Sperino]jhila  i/utturaiis  and  S.  hi/poleura 
constantly  sang  on  the  higher  branches  of  the  trees 
aromid  the  buildings." 

This  bird  is  a  good,  though  not  frequent,  singer.  It 
is  long-lived  and  not  specially  quarrelsome.  Accordinfr 
to  Bumieister  it  frequents  open  pastures  in  order  to  feed 
on  grass-seeds.  My  second  pair  of  this  species  died 
during  the  cold  days  of  June,  1898,  but  my  first  pair 
lived  much  longer  ;  the  male  dying  in  January,  1901, 
and  the  feniiile  in  Febru.iry,  1905,  having  been  in  my 
possession  since  about  1895  or  18%.  Judging  by  itis 
general  resemblance  to  the  Mannikins  of  the  Old  World, 
one  would  suppose  that  SpermnphUa  and  Phonipara 
might  be  the  nearest  Frinqillidij'  to  the  Finches  cf  the 
family  Ploeeidce  and  that  the  species  of  Munia  were  the 
oldest  types  of  that  family  ;  if  so,  they  must  have  given 
off  two  lines  of  descent,  the  one  through  the  Gra.«- 
finches  and  Waxbills.  the  other  through  the  Weavers 
and  WTiydahs;  in  the  la.st-mentioned  it  is  strange  how 
the  sera  tching  habit  of  the  Buntings  of  the  Song-Sparrow 
type  reappears. 

OcELL.iTED,  OK  Bl.\ck-headkd  Lined  Finch  (Spermo- 
phila oeellafa). 
Above  glossy  greenish-black ;  j-ump  crossed  by  a  white 
band  ;  wings  and  tail  black,  with  greenish  black  edges  ; 
the  inner  primaries  and  inner  secondaries  white  at  base 
of  inner  web,  forming  a  double  speculum ;  the  inner 
one,  however,  concealed  by  the  greater  coverts ;  an  ill- 
defined  broken  white  streak  in  the  middle  of  the  fore- 
head;  cheeks  white,  forming  a  broad  .stripe;  throat  and 
sides  of  neck  glos.sy  black;  fore-neck  mettled  with 
white ;  rest  of  under  parts  white ;  the  sides  and  flanks 
slightly  mottled  with  black;  thighs  black  externally; 
edge  of  wing  below  mottled  with  black  ;  flights  blackish 
edged  with  ashy,  white  at  base  ;  beak  black  ;  feet  dull 
black ;  irides  dark  brown.  Female  above  dull  olive- 
brown  ;  slightly  paler  on  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts ; 


148 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


median  and  greatt-r  wing-coverts  paler  r.t  tips  ;  rest  of 
win^;  and  tail-feathers  dnsky  brown,  with  olive-brown 
margins ;  lores  and  feathers  round  eye  bright  buff ;  oar- 
coverts  paler  olive-browii  than  rest  of  head ;  cheeks, 
throat,  and.  fore-neck  pale  buff;  centre  of  breast  aiid 
abdomen  whiter;  sidra,  flanlcji.  thiglis,  and  under  tad- 
coverts  briglit  butf ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
sliBhtly  more  olivaceous;  flights  a  littk  paler  than  an 
male,  "but  similar.  Rnb.,  Upper  Amazons,  Guiana, 
Venezuela,  ;ui<l  Colombia. 

I  have  foimd  no  account  of  the  wild  life  of  this 
sp.  cies.  In  1906  four  examples  were  pTesente<l  to  the 
Liindon  Zoological  Society  by  Mr.  K.  AV.  Harjier  and 
two  by  Capt.  Albert  Pain.  In  Xuveniber,  1907,  ^U: 
Harper  sent  me  a  specimen  as  a  present.  Mr. 
Page  has  also  had  a  specimen.  The  song  is 
low-pitched,  commencing  with  a  trill,  pr-r-r-r-it-fil. 
and  finishing  with  a  ch'tr,  rheer,  chit;  it  sounds  like 
r.  crowd  of  .Spirrows  quan-elling  in  the  distance. 

Lined  Finxh  (Spcrinojihila  lineola). 

Upper  surface  glossy  greenish-black,  ,i  broad  longi- 
tudinal stripe  on  the  front  of  the  head,  one  on  each 
cheek,  a  spot  on  the  inner  primaries  forming  a  small 
oblong  patch  when  the  wings  aic  closed,  another  on  the 
secondaries  concealed  by  the  coverts,  the  rump  and 
uiider  surface  more  or  le-^s  white,  beak  black,  feet  leaden 
gre>y,  iris  brown.  The  female  is  greyi.sh-oiive,  the  npptn- 
darker  than  the  umV'r  surface.  Hab.,  Brazil,  Guiana, 
and  Venezuela.  Inhabits  the  outskirts  of  woods, 
espedally  near  settlements,  according  to  Burmeister; 
and  that  is  all  the  information  I  have  come  across  re- 
specting the  wild  life. 

Tht^'  SjKniio/ihilu  apiKars  not  to  be  very  freely 
imported,  and  I  have  never  myself  seen  it  at  any 
dealers.  A  male  was  given  to  me  some  years  auo  which 
sang  much  in  the  style  of  the  White-throated  Finch,  but 
unhaiijjily  it  did  not  live  long,  and  died  in  poor 
plumage,'  .so  that  the  .skin  wa.s  not  worth  preserving. 

Weaving    Finches   (Phoniparintc). 

I  proposed  this  divison  of  the  Frini/illi(}(r  for  the  genus 
I'hnni para,  on  account  of  its  habit  of  constructing  a 
globular  nest  with  front  entrance,  after  the  manner  of 
the  Ploceid  Finches;  it  also  resembles  many  of  the 
latter  in  its  insignificant  little  song  and  its  sociable 
habits.  (See  The  Avirvllural  Magazine,  N.S.,  Vol.  IV., 
pp.  153-4.)  The  genus  Mrlopi/rrha  will  also  have  to  be 
refarred  to  this  sub-family. 

Bi..\CK  Si-.ED-FINCH  [Mrlopj/rrha  nirjra). 

Glossy  black  ;  a  narrow  white  stripe  down  the  wing, 
consisting  of  the  ba<-tard  wing,  the  base  of  the  primary- 
coverts  and  the  edge-  of  the  inner  primaries;  axillaries 
and  under  wing-coverts  also  white;  quills  b"lo\v  white 
along  base  of  inn:?r  web.  Female  of  a  <leader  browner 
black;  otherwise  sitnil.ir  in  plumage.  Hab..  Cuba, 
Gnndlnch  st'itcs  that  this  bird  is  common  in  Cuba,  living 
in  piirs  during  the  breeding  season,  but  afterwards  in 
family  parties  in  woods  and  bushes  an  their  outskirts. 
"Its  food  consists  of  various  seeds  ,and  berries,  perh.ips 
also  occa.sionally  of  insects.  In  tho period  between  April 
and  .luly  the  bird  builds  a  more  or  less  globular  nest 
with  side  entrance  of  dry  plants  and  leaves,  hair, 
1)rislles,  little  feathers  and  rootlets,  among  creepers,  on 
trcs.  or  between  tho,  many  forks  of  a  branch.  The 
clutch  consists  of  three  or  four  eggs.  Its  delicate  song 
is  admire<l  by  the  inhabitants,  therefore  they  catch  it 
freo.ly  and  keep  it  in  cages  where  they  feed  upon  canarv- 
eeed  and  coar.s©  maize  meal.     I  have  also  seen  an  albino 


which   was    not    black     but    coloured    greyish    white." 
(Vi<h  Russ,  Fremdl.  Stubenv.,  I.,  p.  659.) 

Russ  says  that  up  to  1877  this  bird  w^as  very  rarely 
ol)tainable  from  tire  doaleis;  in  the  cour.se  of  years  he 
only  saw  one  male  in  the  Berlin  Aquarium,  and  received 
iinother  from  the  dealer  Gudera  of  Leipzic.  Then  Mr. 
Wiener  sent  him  one  for  identification,  and  aliout  tho 
-^anie  time  Miss  Hagenbeck  of  Hamburg  received  a  good 
number.  The  I.«ndon  Zoological  {Society  first  received  it 
in  1868.     It  appears  to  be  peaceable  amd  long-lived. 

CrB.\N   Finch   [Phonipara   canora).* 

The  male  above  is  yellowish-green ;  the  base  of  fore- 
head, sides  of  face,  chin,  and  throat  black,  bounded 
behind  by  a  broad  crescentic  yellow  belt,  which  extends 
to  al  ove  the  eye.  This  ds  followed  by  a  border  of 
black  on  the  front  of  the  bre.i-st ;  the  wing  .•>nd  tail 
feathers  dusky,  edged  with  yellowish  or  green  ;  under 
parts   slaty-grey,    the    under   fciil-coverts    tipped    with 


Cur.AN  Finches. 

yellowish  white.  Beak  lilack;  feet  light  brownisih-grey  ; 
irides  bro\^-n. 

The  female  has  the  face  and  throat  chestnut  instead 
of  black,  and  has  the  crown  .of  the  ho;id  greyish  brow/n  ; 
otherwise  it  is  not  unlike  the  male.     Hab.,  Cuba. 

The  species  oi  the  genus  Phonipara  build  dome<i 
nests  with  entrance  tube  directed  downwards  from  a 
hole  in  the  front,  constructed  of  drj'  gra.sses  with 
.1  finer  lining  often  of  the  same  material.  These 
nests,  therefore,  in  every  respect  res<»mible  those  of  the 
true  Weaving  Finches  [Phirridm) ;  they  also  sometimes 
lay  ])ure  white  and  unniarked  eggs,  though  at  other 
times  the  eggs  are  tinted  with  bluith-green  and  specked 
towards  the  larger  end  witli  reddish  or  Irown.  I  have 
no  doubt  that  they  are  more  nearlj-  related  to  the  Old 
World  Weaving  Finches  than  to  any  of  the  true  Finches 
{Frin(iilli(l(i) .  ina.smnch  as  the  sup]y>sed  absence  of  the 
tiny  tenth  quill  whir'O)  used  to  be  regarded  as  the  most 
iniporiant  distinguishing  feature  l»twoen  the  two 
f.amilies,  is  a  chariictcr  which  at  once  breaks  down  upon 
examination. 

The  Cuban  Finch  makes  a  ma^  attractive  addiUon 

•  Rung  polntfl  out  tfio  refationsfiip  of  Phonipara  to  the  WnxbllfB  ; 
orobaftly  lie  was  tliinkine  e.ipecinlly  of  <Joccopy<iia  :  to  mj  mind  it 
is  iiiucli  more  like  ttie  Grasstinches. 


1.— GuTTUKAL  Finch.  1«.— Ditto  (Femalk). 

I.  — White-throatel)  Finch. 


•2.— l.iNK.n  Fixcii.  S.— Reduish  Finch. 

■"). — Bluish  Finch. 


150 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


to  a  collection  ot  small  birds,  and  lives  well  upon 
canaryseed,  with  white  and  spray  millet.  It  is  said  to 
be  by  no  mean.?  difiicult  to  breed,  and  there  is  only  ome 
thing  to  hinder  its  becoming  a  general  pet — it  is  by  no 
means  cheaip. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  the  prexluttion  of  each  brood  takes 
four  weeks  and  each  |)air  products  annually  from  three 
to  as  many  as  seven  broods,  lioth  sexes  incubate,  sitting 
together  in  the  ne.st  after  the  manner  of  many  of  the 
Ploceid  Finches.  The  young  must  be  removed  as  soon 
ai  the  old  birds  go  to  nest  again,  otherwise  they  are 
murderously  attacked.  The  clutch  consists  of  four  eggs. 
In  this  country  I  believe  Jlr.  Hawkins  was  the  first  to 
breed  the  species.  {The  Avicultural  Magazine,  1st 
Sex.,  VII.,  p.  29.) 

Olive   Finch    (Phonljiara  lepida). 

Above  olive-green  ;  lesser  and  median  coverts  rather 
yelloiwer;  rest  of  wing  and  tail  du.skv  with  olive  outer 
margins,  yellower  on  primaiies  and  tail-feathers;  central 
tail-feathers  entirely  yellowish  olive;  a  blacki.sh  frontal 
line  pii&sing  above  the  eye ;  lores,  eyebrow  strii)e  and 
eyelid  orange ;  feathers  in  front  of  and  below  eye  and 
the  cheeks  blackish  ;  upper  throat  orange,  lower  throat 
blackish;  breast,  sides,  and  flanks  ashy  olive;  centre 
of  bre;ist  and  alxlomen  huffish,  whiter  towards  vent; 
thighs  whitish ;  under  tail-coverts  pale  yellow  with 
dusky  mottling;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  p;ile 
greenish  yellow,  brighter  at  edge  of  wing ;  Hights  below 
dusky,  with  ashy  inner  edges;  beak  horn-black;  feet 
purjilish;  irides  dark  haael.  Female  duller;  eyebrow 
stripe  pale  yellowifih  ;  no  blackish  on  sides  of  head  ; 
margins  of  eyelid  whitish ;  lower  throat  only  mottled 
with  blackish  ;  chin  pale  yellow  ;  under  p<irts'pale  ashy 
•whit-er  at  centre  of  brea.";!  and  abdomen  and  on  thighs  ; 
under  tail-coverts  as  in  male.  Hab.,  "Greater 
Antilles."     (Sharpe.) 

According  to  Gundlach  this  is  a  resident  bird  in  Cuba 
"oomnum  in  fields  and  regions  devoid  of  forest,  less  eo 
in  the  vicinity  of  forest  and  never  penetrating  far  into 
woods.  In  the  summer  and  the  breeding  sea.son  it  lives 
in  pairs  or  family  paities;  in  the  dry  or  cold  season  it 
unites  into  large  flocks  on  the  sugar-plantations,  where 
it  feeds  upon  sugar  on  the  drj-ing-groamd^-,  or  on  the 
coffee  plantations,  where  it  also  finds  sufficient  food. 
This  consists  oif  actual  seeds,  especially  grass-seeds,  as 
well  as  tender  sappy  green  food,  .such  as  wild  ptU'S'laiin; 
it  eagerly  ksips  the  nectar  from  large  flowers.  It  netver 
does  any  harm  to  mankind.  Almost  the  whole  year 
through  one  finds  nests  with  eggs  or  young,  even  in 
the  winter  months.  The  actual  nesting-season,  bow- 
ever,  first  commences  in  the  rainy  season  of  the  spring. 
The  nest  almost  always  stands  at  a  little  distance  above 
the  ground,  in  shrulis.  .small  coffee  or  orange-trees,  etc. 
It  is  comp.aratively  large,  more  or  less  globose  in 
structure,  with  a  side  entrance,  iind  consists  externally 
of  drv  plants,  hair.  wool,  feathers,  rootlets,  cotton,  .and 
tlie  like,  and  int(  rnally  of  a  layer  of  .soft  materials,  plant- 
wool,  feathers  and  other  materials.  The  number  of  eggs 
amounts  to  two  or  three,  but  not,  as  D'Orbigny  states, 
to  five. 

"  One  can  easilv  keen  it  in  a  cage,  and  if  this  is  Large 
even  breefl  it.  The  food  consists  of  canaryseed  and 
finely-ground  maize.  The  song  has  no  merit;  it  is  weak 
and  in  some  degree  resembles  the  .sounds  which  grass- 
hoppers make — moreover  it  has  only  one  call-note.  That 
it  can  learn  to  sing,  as  D'Orbigny  asserts,  I  do  not 
believe;   this  assertion  certainly  arises  from  a  mistake." 

According  lo  Mr.  I>.  W.  Hawkins  (T'/ic  Avinillural 
Magazine.  1st  Series,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  30)  this  species  wf.^ 
first  bred  by  a  gentleman  in  Scotland,  two  males  and  a 


female  being  eucoessfully  reared.  Mr.  R.  Phillipps  says 
that  these  birds  came  into  his  hands  and  thev  seem  to 
be  assuming  the  plumage  but  not  the  song  of  P.  pusilla 
rather  than  P.  hjnda.  Mr.  Seth-Smith.  who  bred  the 
Olive  Finch  in  his  aviaries  in  1907,  found  them  just  as 
murderous  towards  their  j'oung  when  starting  to  nesi 
again,  as  Dr.  Rubs  Bays  the  Cuba  Finch  is. 

LiTTLK  Finch  iriumipara  pusilla). 

A  sub-species  of  the  preceding  according  to  Dr.  Sbarpe, 
but  Mr.  Phillipps  appears  to  doubt  this.'  It  differs 
from  P.  Irpjc/a  in  its  yellower  colouring,  the  secondaries 
ejitirely  yellowi-sh-green,  as  well  as  the  central  tail- 
feathers;  crown  more  dusky  than  back  ;  blackish  on  the 
forehead ;  lores,  eyebrow,  and  margins  <^i  eyelid  golden 
yellow;  feathers  round  eye,  ear-oovertfi,  and  cheeks 
black;  cliin  and  ujiper  throat  golden  yellow;  lower 
throat,  brea.st  and  centre  of  abdomen  in  front  blackish, 
rest  of  abdomen  dark  ashy  olive;  sides,  flanks,  and 
thighs  olive-yellotvisb ;  under  t>ail-coverts  similar  but 
mottled  with  dusky;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
olive-yellow,  the  latter  duller.  Female  with  wing- 
coverts  olive-greenish  like  upper  surface  generally; 
other  wing  and  tail-feathers  dusky  with  olive  margins ; 
sides  of  face  and  under  surface  olive-greenish,  yelloiver 
in  centre  of  abdomen.  Hab.,  Mexico,  through  Central 
America  to  Pajuma  and  Colombia.     (Sharpe.) 

1  have  discovered  no  notes  respecting  the  wild  life  of 
this  bird,  but  Mr.  Reginald  Phillipps  has  given  a  long 
and  interesting  account  of  his  success  in  breeding  it  in 
captivity  in  7'/u'  Avicultural  Magazine,  Ser.  1,  Vol.  VI., 
pp.  191-199  and  237-240. 

DusKT  Finch  [PJumipara  bicolor). 

Above  dull  olive-green,  almost  black  on  head  and 
dusky  on  mantle  and  upper  back ;  greater  coverts, 
ba.stard-wing,  primary-coverts  and  flights  dark  brown, 
externally  edged  with  dull  olive ;  tail  similar,  but  the 
central  ones  washed  with  dull  olive ;  sides  of  he.ad, 
throat,  and  breast  dead  black ;  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts  more  ashy  and  witli  whiter  edges ;  sides  and 
flanks  olivaceous;  thighs  dull  olive;  under  wing-coverts 
and  axillaries  dead  black  ;  flights  below  blackish  with 
ashy  inner  edges  ;  beak  brown,  paler  on  lower  mandible  ; 
feet  brownish  grey ;  irjdes  brown.  Female  without 
black  on  hea*i,  the  sides  ot  head  ashy  brown  with  an 
olive  tinge ;  throat,  front  and  sides  of  breast  sooty 
grey  tinged  with  olive :  centre  of  breast  and  abdomen 
whitish  with  a  slight  yellow  tinge :  sides  of  body  and 
flanks  olive-brown.  Hab.,  Lesser  Antilles,  Colombia, 
and  Venezuela. 

Mr.  J.  L.  Bonbote  (TM  lUf.  1899,  p.  512)  says  of  this 
species: — "The  Sparrow  of  the  Baliamas,  abundant 
everywhere,  especially  rouiKl  habitations,"  and  (The 
lUs,  1903,  p.  290)  ""a  most  abundant  resident.  Tho 
nest  is  a  domed  structure  made  entirely  of  dry  grass, 
generally  placed  at  the  top  of  a.  small  straight  sapling 
at  a  height  varying  from  four  to  ten  feet.  The  eggs 
are  of  a  dull  white  with  brownish  markings,  most  con- 
spicuous at  the  larger  end.  Measuruments  .72  by  .51 
mill.     Incubation  commenci'S  at  the  end  of  March." 

This  completes  the  true  Finches  {Frint/ilUdiT),  and 
leads  naturally  to  the  Plorpidrr  or  typical  Weaving 
Finches,  of  which  I  should  judge  the  most  ancient  type 
to  be  the  genus  Munia,  which  probably  branched  off 
on  the  one  side  into  the  Grassfinches  and  Waxbillo, 
and  on  the  other  to  the  Weavers  and  Whydahs. 

•  Tlie  intermediate  form  from  Cozumel  nnd  ITolbox  Island  has 
been  rot?anled  as  a  second  subspcciod  by  Kidgwaj,  under  the  name 
of  intermedia. 


WEAVERS. 


151 


OHAP'iKR  XII. 


WEAVERS  {Ploceidm). 

Waxbii.i.s    [KxIrUdiiKf). 

This  5ub  family  was  erected  by  ('attain  Shelley  t<> 
contain  those  We^ivinjr  Kriclics  which  posse-ss  no  distinct 
winter  plumage,  and  was  intended  to  embrace  the  whole 
of  the  W'axbills,  (Jrasstiiuhes,  .and  Mannikins.  Un- 
happily there  i.s  one  Wa.xbill — the  Indian  Amaduvade, 
or  Avadavat — which  possesses  a  very  well  define<l  winter 
plumage.  I  think,  therefore,  while  .adopting  the  sub- 
family, it  would  be  better  to  restrict  it  to  the  Waxbills, 
and  define  it  as  containing  long  slender  Finches  with 
t.apering  cone-shaiwd  beaks;  the  males  when  courting 
pointing  their  beaks  .straight  upwards  to  the  sky;  the 
Grassfincbes  and  Miuinikins  I  would  distinguish  as 
iluniiniv. 

Dufhksne's   Waxbill   (Cnrropi/ijia  dufresnii). 

Entire  top  of  head  and  nape  leaden  grey ;  mantle 
yellowish,  olive,  indLstinctly  barred  with  dull  greyi.sh  ; 
lower  back  and  upper  tail-coverts  orange-vermilion  to 
bright  tawny  ;  wing  smoky  blackish,  the  feathers,  esjje- 
ciaily  the  secondaries,  externaJly  edged  with  olive; 
central  tail-feathers  black,  the  others  smoky  brown, 
paler  next  to  .shafts  and  partly  frinwd  with  whitish  ; 
fide^  of  head  from  just  .above  eve.  int'luding  cheeks,  ear- 
coverts,  chin,  and  throat,  jet  black  ;  bordered  behind 
from  sides  of  neck  across  low**r  throat  with  whit* 
which  shades  off  into  soixlid  paie  grey  behind,  the 
whole  breast  and  flanks  being  of  this  colour  :  abdomen, 
thighs,  and  under  tail-covejts  jiale  huffish,  brighter  just 
behind  the  bre.ast ;  upper  mandible  black,  lower  crim- 
son ;  feet  black ;  irides  bright  red.  Female  without 
black  on  head,  which  is  leaden  grey,  fa<ling  to  white  on 
chin  and  th.ioat.  Hab.,  S.  Africa  from  the  Cape  to 
the   Zambesi. 

According  to  Capt.  Shelley  {"  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol. 
IV.,  Part  1,  i>p.  234-5),  ".\1t.  Atmore  .says  that  it  is 
common  at  Greorge,  wherever  there  is  cultivation  ;  it  is 
restless  in  its  habits  and  migratory,  appearing  in 
autumn." 

Mr.  Stark  says  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  108)  : — "  In  Natal  this  pretty  little  species  is,  when 
not  breeding,  usually  met  with  in  small  parties  of  ten 
or  twelve,  feeding  on  the  ground  on  grass-seeds.  When 
searching  for  food  they  keep  close  together,  and  con- 
stantly utter  a  sharp,  chii-ping  call-not*.  If  disturbed 
they  rise  simultaneously  with  a  prolonged  'chirrup' 
and  fly  for  a  short  dist-ance  to  settle  again  on  the 
ground.  This  Waxbill  breeds  in  Natal  not  uncom- 
monly, but  not,  .=o  far  as  I  have  observed,  near  the 
coast.  Not  far  from  Httwick,  at  a  height  of  about 
3,000  feet  I  have  met  with  their  nests  in  .some  numbers. 
Unlike  many  of  the  Waxbills,  they  build  in  tall  bushes 
and  young  trees,  at  a  height  of  from  six  to  ten  feet. 
The  nests  are  rough-looking,  oval  etnictm-es,  with  an 
entrance  hole  on  one  side,  constructed  of  fine  dry  grass. 
The  flowerino;  ends  of  the  grass  bein^  woven  together, 
the  stiff  stalks  are  left  projecting  in  all  directions. 
The  interior  is  lined  with  grass  tops,  down,  and 
feathers.  The  eggs  are  very  small,  pure  white  in 
colour,  and  four  or  five  in  number.  When  first  hatched 
the  young  are  fed  on  small  caterpillars." 

Hagenbeck.  of  Hamburg,  first  received  this  bird  in 
1869,  and  in  1874  both  Hagenbeck  and  Jamrach  received 
it.  Dr.  Russ  obtained  two  males  from  the  former 
dealer  in  that  year ;  later  again  he  succeeded  in 
securing  two  pairs,  but  he  says  that  they  were  disea.sed 
when    he   received   them   and    soon   died  ;    this   appears 


to  be  freiiuently  the  case  with  this  lovely  little  bird, 
which  when  first  im[)orted  is  very  delicate,  and  as  it 
is  by  no  means  cheap,  I  have  not  been  tempted  to 
purchase  it.  Of  late  years  it  has  been  imjiorted  by 
Mr.  Hamlyn  and  others.  It  h:is  been  exhibited  at  the 
ZcKilogicalCJardens  of  I/ondon  for  many  years.  I  shall 
not  forget  the  indignation  of  the  late"  Mr.  Abrahams, 
on  the  occasion  of  its  first  appearance  at  a  Crystal 
Palace  Show,  to  find  that  this  bird,  which  at  that  time 
was  a  very  great  Xiirity,  had  been  pas.sed  over  with  a 
v.h.c.  "  on  account  of  its  jterfect  condition."  the  judge 
said,  while  in  the  same  class  the  males  of  two  widely 
different  Weavers  (one  in  winter  plumage)  had  been 
awarded  fii-st  prize  as  a  true  pair.  He  gave  that  judge 
a  very  uncomfortable  half-hour;  so  much  so  that  I 
believe  he  never  again  ventured  to  judge  foreign  birds. 
I  was  sorry  for  him,  too.  for  he  was  a  good  fellow. 
Well,  both  the  judge  and  his  censor  have  passed  away, 
and  the  owner  of  that  Waxbill  only  suffered  as  all  of 
us  have  done  who  have  venture<l  our  birds  on  the  show- 
bench. 

Dr.  Russ  describes  the  Black-throated  Waxbill 
(Lnijonosticta  nii/ricoUix)  but  I  cannot  discover  that 
it  has  ever  been  imported. 

Maskkd  Firefinch  {Larjunost'wla  larvala). 

Slaty-grey  above;  hind  neck  washed  with  vinaceous 
red  ;  fowerback,  upper  tail-c-overts  and  margins  of  tail- 
feathers  crimson ;  tail  otherwise  black ;  wings  more 
dusky  than  back,  quills  pale  smoke-brown  with  ashy 
white  margins;  .sides  of  head,  chin,  and  throat  black; 
breast  vinous  red,  flanks  marked  with  black-edged 
white  sjxits  ;  centre  of  breast,  aMomen,  thighs,  vent, 
and  under  tail-coverts  dull  black;  under  wing-coverts 
whitish,  vaj-ied  with  vinous  and  grey  ;  beak  and  feet 
slate  grey ;  irides  dusky  brown.  Female  not  dif- 
ferentiated.    Hab.,  Xortli-east  Africa. 

All  that  Captain  Shelley  tells  us  about  the  life  of  this 
Waxbill  is  that  Mr.  Kuschel  describes  the  egg  as  white 
and  measuring  0.56  by  0.43. 

The  late  Mr.  Erskine  Allon  had  this  raro  species  in 
his  birdroom,  and  appears  to  have  considered  it  rather 
le.ss  delicate  than  most  of  the  other  Firefinches :  he 
gave  the  .same  trivial  name  to  the  following  species, 
but  mentioned  both  scientific  names  ;  otherwise,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  he  certainly  possessed  many  rare  birds, 
one  might  have  doubted  whether  L.  larvala  was  actually 
one  of  them. 

Vinaceous   Firefinch    {Lnijonnxtirta  rirmrea). 

Vinous  red  above,  brighter  and  deeper  on  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  outer  edges  of  tail-feathers  ;  tail  otherwise 
dull  black  ;  primaries,  their  coverts  and  inner  webs  of 
secondaries  dark  brown  ;  crown  leaden-grey  with  a  few 
black  feathers  at  base  of  forehead  ;  sides  of  head,  chin, 
and  upper  throat  black ;  lower  throat  and  breast  vinous 
pink  grey  at  base  of  feathers ;  centre  of  abdomen, 
t high's, "an'd  under  tail-coverts  dull  black;  some  small 
white  spots  on  flanks  ;  under  wing-coverts  white  ;  inner 
edges  of  quills  whitish ;  beak  and  feet  leaden  grey ; 
irides  brown.  Female  not  differentiated.  Hab.,  Sene- 
gambia. 

Nothing  appears  to  have  been  recorded  respecting  the 
wild  life  of  this  si>ecies. 

Mr.    .\llon  had  this  in   his  birdroom,   and  a  few  ex- 


am 
de 


iples  have  been  imported  of  late  years ;    it  was  evi- 
ntlv  unknown  to  Buss  as  a  cage-bird.*     It  was  ex- 


hibited at  the  Palace  in  1903  and  1904. 


'Mr.  Seth-Smlth  aaya  (^AciculUiral  Uariazinc,  N.S.  vol.11.,  p.  103)  : 
"These  little  Firefinches  are  more  often  imported  than  is  generally 
supposed ;  I  once  picked  out  six  from  a  lot  of  common  Firefinches 
in  a  dealer's  shop."  He  was  not  sure  whether  they  were  L.  larvala 
or  L.  niiiacea. 


152 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


Black-tailkd  Lavender  Finch 

[Lagonostida  jJcrrei/ii,  rar.   incaiia). 

Above  delicate  blue-grey ;  lower  back  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  deep  criiiiK)ii ;  flights  dusky,  externally  edged 
with  grey:  tail-feathers  dull  black;  a  black  line  across 
base  of  "forehead,  and  a  black  streak  through  the  eye; 
base  of  chin  black;  sides  of  head  and  throat  pale  bluish 
ashy,  deejiening  on  lower  breast  axillaries  and  abdomen, 
and"  becoming  smoky  blackish  on  under  t  ail -covert  s ; 
under  wing-coverts  white,  ashy  towards  edge  of  wing ; 
flights  below  dusky  with  ashy  inner  margins ;  beak 
grey  ;  feet  black  ;  irides  red.  Female  not  differentiated. 
Hab.,  Natal  and  Zululand. 

Mr.  Stark  says  C"  B'^ds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I., 
pp.  101,  102)  :—"  Captain  Sihelley  found  this  Waxbill 
nesting  in  Natal,  he  writes  in  The  Jljis:  'Although  it 
is  far  from  common  at  Durban,  on  the  8th  of  >Jarch  I 
took  one  of  their  nests  containing  two  pure  white  eggs. 
It  was  placed  in  a  creeper  overhanging  the  footpath, 
and  was  easily  reached  from  the  ground  ;  in  structure 
it  was  very  similaT  to  that  of  Eslrilda  a.'<trild,  though 
emaller  arid  less  compact,  though  made  of  the  same 
materials.'  The  Messrs.  Woodward  met  with  it  in 
Zululand,  nesting  in  a  small  tree  in  tlie  open  country. 
The  nest,  built  of  grass  lined  with  feathers,  contained 
sii  very  small  white  eggs. 

"  I  have  on  several  occasions  found  the  nest  of  this 
species  near  Pinetown,  in  Natal,  built  botb  in  bushes 
and  low  trees.  It  is  domed,  loosely  constructed  of  dry 
grass  and  lined  with  feathers.  The  eggs,  from  four  to 
six  in  a  clutch,  are  laid  in  December  and  March,  for 
these  birds  are  double  brooded.  They  are  pure  white, 
and  average  0.54  by  0.42. 

"  The  Grey  Waxbill  is  nearly  always  in  pairs,  is  very 
tame,  and  feeds  on  the  ground  on  grass-seeds  and  small 
insects.     Its  note  is  a  soft  chirrup.^ 

Mr.  Erskine  Allon  also  had  this  species  in  his  bird- 
room  ;  coming  from  South  Africa  it  would  be  strange  if 
it  did  not  sometimes  turn  up  in  the  bird-market,  and 
although  Russ  does  not  mention  it,  I  should  not  be  sur- 
prised if  it  had  sometimes  been  ignorantly  sold  as  the 
Common  Lavender  Finch. 

Common  Lavender  Finch  {Lagonosticta  carulescena). 

The  male  above  is  pearl-grey,  with  the  lower  back  and 
upper  tail-coverts  bright  crimson-lake  ;  the  two  central 
tail-feathers  crimson,  dull,  excepting  at  the  edges,  and 
with  black  shafts  ;  remaining  feathers  dull  black,  more  or 
less  dull  crimson  on  the  outer  web ;  flights,  smoky- 
brown,  with  greyer  outer  webs ;  a  black  loral  streak 
enclosing  the  eye ;  cheeks,  chin,  and  throat,  pale  pearl- 
grey,  deepening  to  sooty-grey  on  the  abdomen,  where 
there  are  usually  two  or  three  white  spots  on  the  flanks ; 
abdomen,  from  the  thighs  backwards  to  the  vent, 
blackish ;  under  tail-coverts,  bright  crimson ;  under 
wing-coverts,  whitish-grey  ;  flights  below,  sooty  grey  ; 
tail,  slaty-grey;  beak,  black,  with  lateral  crimson 
streak ;  legs,   blackish   grey  ;   iris,  greyish  olive. 

The  female  may  be  distinguished,  as  Mr.  Abrahams 
proved  to  me,  by  the  .«:ooty  rather  than  black 
colouring  of  the  hinder  portion  of  the  abdomen  from 
the  thighs  backwanls.     Haliitat.  Scnegambia. 

All  that  is  recorded  of  the  wild  life  of  this  common  and 
beautiful  Waxbill  is  that  it  lays  white  eggs  which 
measure  0.62  by  0.46.  As  all  the  Waxbills  lay  whit* 
eggs  this  does  not  add  much  to  our  knowledge. 

In  captivity  this  has  always  been  con.-^irlered  one  of 
the  most  delicate  of  the  Waxbills.  I  have  repeatedly 
purchased  examples  and  tried  to  keep  it  both  in  cage 
and  aviary,  yet.  with  one  exception,  have  failed  to 
preserve  life  in  it  for  more  than  a  few  months.     This 


sin'  le  exception  lived  in  one  of  my  aviaries  for  about 
fou.-  years. 

As" a  rule,  I  should  judge  one  year  to  be  a  long  term 
for  this  Waxbill  to  survive  in  captivity.  Five  perfect 
o.xiimph's  purcluLsed  in  May,  1898,  wore  all  dead 
before  the  end  of  .June,  and  fronr  no  apparent  cause.  In 
spite  of  this  general  delicacy,  however,  it  was  bred  by 
Miss  Rosie  Alderson  in  1900,  but  in  a  heated  aviary; 
they  nested  three  times,  but  only  one  young  one  was 
reared,  and  the  hen  bird  died  from  egg-binding  while 
laying  her  third  clutch  of  eggs. 

For  feeding  the  young  Miss  Alderson  provided,  in 
addition  to  seeds,  crushed  biscuit,  preserved  yolk  of  egg, 
and  maw-seed,  given  fresh  daily ;  cut  up  mealworms, 
some  being  put  in  over-night  so  as  to  be  ready  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning,  and  she  believes  that  ants'  eggs 
also  were  given.  (Cf.  7'Ac  Avicultural  Magazine,  1st 
Ser.,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  45-49.) 

Of  cour.se,  the  species  has  been  bred  in  Germany,  or  I 
should  think  so,  since  it  has  been  successfully  crossed 
with  the  African  Fire-finch.  Dr.  Russ  lost  his  sitting 
birds  through  the  interference  of  Par.son  Finches.  The 
flight  of  the  Lavender  Finch  is  extremely  rapid,  which 
ono  would  hardly  expect  from  the  rounded  character  of 
its  wings.  It  can  hardly  be  .said  to  have  a  song,  but 
such  notes  as  it  utters  are  mostly  clear  and  pleasing. 

Bar-breasted  Fire-finch  {Lagonosticta  rufopicta). 

Above  brown;  upper  tiiil-coverts  deep  lose-colour; 
quills  dark  brown  with  paler  outer  torders ;  tail  brown, 
somewhat  rosy  towards  base  of  outer  webe ;  biise  of 
forehead,  sides  of  head,  throat,  and  breast  rose-red, 
paler  and  browner  on  abdomen,  flanks,  and  thighs; 
some  tiny  white  bars  on  throat  and  chest ;  under  tail- 
coverts  white,  the  longer  ones  brown  edged  with  white  ; 
under  wing-ooverbs  bright  buff;  flights  below  dusky, 
their  inner  edges  greyish  buff;  be.ik  violet-red,  black 
on  culmen  and  lower  edges;  feet  dull  reddish;  eyelids 
yellow;  irides  pale  dull  brown.  Female  with  no  trace 
of  red  on  wings  and  fewer  white  markings  on  breast. 
Hab.,  "  Senegambia  to  the  Niger  and  Upper  White  Nile 
districts."     (Shelley.) 

The  following  notes  on  the  wild  life  I  take  from 
Shelley's  "  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  p.  263  :  — 
"T.  E.  Buckley  and  I  found  the  species  to  be  extremely 
.ibundant  during  the  spring  of  the  year,  near  Cape 
Coast,  generally  in  small  flocks  feeding  aJong  the  paths 
which  intersect  the  thick  bush." 

"  Heuglin  .  .  .  records  it  from  the  Djur  and  Kosango 
Rivers,  along  the  banks  of  which  streams  he  met  with 
a  few  during  the  rainy  season. 

"Regarding  its  habits  Us.sher  writes: — "This  pretty 
little  Bengali  is  one  of  the  commonest  birds  on  the  Weet 
Coast  of  Africa..  It  is  extremely  tame,  frequenting 
the  vicinity  of  houses,  and  hcpping  about  the  yards  with 
the  confidence  of  the  coamion  House  Sparrow  in 
Enffland.  They  build  in  low  grass,  on  the  seeds  of  which 
they  also  feed,  and  are  gregarious  ;  in  the  bush  they  will 
associate  in  flocks  with  other  Bengali." 

"According  to  Mr.  Ku.schel  the  oggs  are  pure  white 
and  measure  0.56  by  0.44. 

Dr.  R'U.-ss  seems  to  have  been  unaw-ire  of  the  importa.- 
tion  of  this  Waxbill.  and  sUites  that  it  must  ever  remain 
a  rarity,  but  in  this  conclusion  T  think  he  was  mis- 
taken. In  1898  the  late  Mr.  Abraliams  received  a 
tolerably  large  consignment,  but  they  died  off  at  such 
a  rate  that.  I  am  afraid  he  mad?  little  or  nothing  nut  of 
them;  he  fcnt  me  quite  a  number  of  the  dead  bodies, 
but  all  verv  dirty  and  with  frayed  wing  and  tail- 
featheis.  The  species  wjs  exhibited  at  the  Ci-yBtal 
Palace  in  1903  and  1904. 


FIRE-FINCHES  AND  WAXBILLS. 


15» 


Common  African  Fire-pinch  {Lagonosticla  senegala).* 

Th©  male  above  is  rosy  crimson,  somewhat  browner  on 
the  back  and  on  the  wing-ooverts ;  the  tail  featheiis 
black,  \v  ;usluM_l  with  crimson  on  the  outtr  webs ;  tho 
head,  throat,  iuid  breast  rosy  criuisoii,  changing  to  bul- 
lish hnn\n  oil  the  abdomen;  sides  of  bre;ist  dotted  with 
white;  under  tiiil -coverts  whit-e  at  b;Uj6;  beak  crimsoji; 
lega  dark  Hesh-colour;  eye-ring  yellow,  iris  bruwii.  Tho 
female  above  is  dark  brown,  aimson  on  the  rump  and 
upper  tail-cov<'rts ;  i  smidl  crimson  loral  spot;  under 
surfiwe  buttisli  brown,  clearer  on  the  abdomen,  sides 
dotted  with  white ;  wing  brown,  tail  black.  Hab., 
Senegambia  to  the  Niger. 

In  its  native  tountiy  this  tiny  Finch  aJIects  the 
inhabited  districts,  being  met  with  in  small  flocks  dn 
towns  and  villages,  where  it  constructs  its  nest  in  holes 
and  crevices  of  buildings;  the  structure  is  said  to  be 
untidy  and  inaitistic,  little  more  than  a  heap  of  straw 
lined  with  horsehair,  feiithers,  grjiss,  ;uid  wool.  The 
little  white  eggs  vary  in  number  from  three  to  seven. 

I  know  of  no  Waxbill  so  delicate  as  this;  indeed,  I 
liave  had  majiy,  but  nevoa-  succeeded  in  keeping  one 
for  more  than  eoven  or  eight  days.  They  appear  to  die 
without  any  apparent  cause,  however  perfect  their  con- 
dition. Other  bird-lovers  were  more  fortunate,  but 
personally  I  coihsider  it  mere  vfaste  of  money  to  pur- 
chase this  little  bird,  however  cheap  it  may  be.  Never- 
theless this  bird  has  been  freely  bred  in  Gennan  bird- 
rooms,  and  even  in  England  Mr.  Farrar  appears  to  have 
secured  acclimatised  examples  in  the  summer  of  1897, 
which  wintered  in  a  cold  indoor  aviar.y.  and  in  the 
summer  of  1898,  built  in  a  cocoanut  Husk  hung  low 
down,  laid  two  eggs  and  reared  one  young  one. 

Dr.  Ruis  says  of  it : — "  Not  one  of  the  Astrilds  nasts 
po  readily  as  this."  The  difficulty,  however,  is  to  get 
acclimatised  birds. 

BBOvrN-HEADED  FiRE-FiNCH  (Lagonosticta  brunneiceps). 

Differs  from  L.  senegala  in  having  the  head  aJid  nape 
brown  ;  sides  of  bre;>st  alwuys  spotted  with  white  ;  beak 
vinous  red;  feet  reddish  grev;  eyelids  leaden  grey  Tvith 
a  fine  yellow  eye-ring ;  irises  reddish-brown.  Female 
like  that  sex  of  L.  senegala.  Hab.,  "Nubia,  southward 
to  the  Rovuma  River  and  westward  to  the  Niger  and 
Upper  Congo."      (Shelley.) 

Capt.  Shelley  (■'Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1, 
pp.  ^9,  260)  quotes  the  following  notes  on  the  wild 
life: — "  Heuglin  met  with  these  birds  in  the  town  of 
Dongola,  at  Berber,  Senaar  and  Kordofan  ;  they  were 
generally  in  smaJl  flocks  and  single  .specimens,  mostly 
seen  in  tJie  ivarmer  parts  of  Abyssinia  and  along  the 
White  Nile,  and  according  to  his  notes,  they  assume  the 
full  plumage  here  in  July  and  August,  when  they  begin 
to  breed,  often  placing  their  nests  close  to  each  other, 
at  times  under  the  roofs  of  houses  and  in  holes  in  walls. 
The  nest  has  a  large,  irregular  outer  eoiting  of  straw, 
covering  a  shallow  depression  for  the  eggs,  and  is  com- 
posed of  hairs,  feathers,  grass  and  wool.  The  eggs  vary 
m  number  from  three  to  seven.  It  is  a  lively  little  bird, 
associating  freely  with  other  Finches,  and  "occasionally 
will  enter  a  house  to  pick  up  the  bread-crumbs.  It  is 
rarely  seen  in  trees  during  the  daytime,  when  it  is 
generally  seeking  its  food  on  the  ground,  often  near 
dwellings."  Tlie  Hon.  N.  O.  Rothschild  and  Mr. 
Wollaston  write: — "These  beautiful  little  birds  were 
never  observed  far  from  the  huts  on  the  river-bank, 
where  they  were  often  seen  picking  up  crumbs  of  dhurra.- 
mea!  almost  out  of  the  hands  of  the  natives." 

My  friend,  Mr.  A.  L.  Butler,  has  sent  me  the  follow- 
ing note  from  the  Soudan  :  — "  A  common  resident.    Very 

'  Captain  Shelley  regards  L.  senegala  and  L.  minima  as  the 
same  species,  and  the  former  is  by  far  the  older  name. 


fond  of  the  >'icinity  of  houses  and  villages.  A  charm- 
ingly fearless  little  bird,  entering  verandahs  and  out- 
houses freely  to  drink  from  jars.  1  luivo  seen  it  at 
Khartoum  (all  the  year),  at  (J-edaref  (A[>ril  to  June),  at 
Gallalxit  (June),  Wad  Medani  (April  and  June)."  Mr. 
Hawker  rcnuirks  :  "Not  noticed  south  of  Gozabu-gumar, 
but  1  found  it  at  Fashoda  ajid  up  tho  Bahi--el-Gazal  to 
Mtohra-es-Rck  in  March  and  April.  I  saw  a  pair  feed- 
ing a  newly-Hedged  young  one  at  Khartoum,  January 
19,  1903;  when  I  approached  to  look  at  the  young,  one 
of  the  parents  fluttered  about  'within  a  yard  of  me.' 

Mr.  Erskine  Allon,  who  had  this  sjwcies  in  his  bird- 
room,  considered  it  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  of 
delicacy  among  the  Fire-Hnches.  From  its  close 
resemblance  to  the  Common  African  Fire-finch,  it  is 
likely  enough  that  this  sjjecies  may  not  be  anything 
like  so  rai-e  in  the  bird-market  as  is  generally  supposed. 

Captain  Shelley  places  the  following  species  in 
Reichenbach's  genus  Ilypargos;  and  although  1  am 
generally  following  the  nomenclature  of  the  "  Catalogue 
of  Birds  "  in  the  British  Museum,  the  different 
character  of  the  wings  necessitates  this  alteration. 

Peters'  Spotted  Fire-finch  (Hypargos  niveiguttatus). 

Above  chooolate-hrown,  duller  and  more  ashy  on 
crown;  mipe,  back  and  wing-coverts  tinged  with 
crimson  ;  remaining  wing-feathers  dull  blackish,  brown 
externally;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  bright  crimson 
as  well  as  the  central  tail-feathers ;  the  remaining 
feathers  black  internally,  crimson  externally ;  sides  of 
head,  throat  and  chest  crimson;  remainder  of  imder 
parts  jet  black;  flanks  thickly  marked  with  large  round 
white  spots;  beak  slate-black;  feet  reddish  brown; 
irides  brown.  Female  with  the  sides  of  head  brown, 
instead  of  crimson ;  ohin  huffish ;  crimson  of  breast 
duller  than  in  the  males.  Hab.,  Eastern  half  of  Africa 
from  Inhambane  to  the  Equator. 

An  excellent  coloured  plate  of  both  sexes  of  this 
beautiful  Waxbill  wais  published  in  The  Avicullural 
Magazine,  N.s.,  Vol.   III.,  February,  1905. 

According  to  Captain  Shelley  ("Birds  of  Africa." 
Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  p.  241)  Mr.  H.  F.  Francis  writes:  — 
"It  frequents  tliick  undergrowth  and  apparently  finds 
its  food  among  the  leaves  on  the  ground,  as  it  is 
generally  seen  scratching  about  there." 

This  bird  was  exhibited  at  the  Crystal  Palace  bv 
Mr.  Hawkins  in  1903  and  1904.  Mr.  SeUi-Smith  thinks 
that  it  shows  some  relationship  to  Pytelia,  but  Capt. 
Shelley  says  that  Hypargos  (to  which  genus  he  veiy 
properly  refers  this  species)  has  the  second  primary 
"  broad  throughout  its  length  (never  the  least  sulcateci 
towards  the  end,  as  is  the  case  in  Lagonosticta  and 
Pijtelia)." 

Common  Amaduvade  Waxbill  (Sporaginthvs 
arnandava). 

In  breeding  plumage  the  cock  bird  is  very  handsome  r 
the  upper  part  of  the  head  and  the  back  are  deep  copper- 
brown  ;  the  sides  of  the  haid,  throat,  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  brilliant  copperj'-red  ;  the  feathers  on  the  rump 
and  the  tail-coverts  are  also  marked  near  the  tip  with 
a  round  white  spot;  the  tail  is  black  ;  the  breast  is  dull 
coppery-red  spotted  with  white,  and  the  abdomen  is 
blackiih-brown  ;  the  iris  of  the  eye  and  beaTc  are  bright 
red,  and  the  legs  pink.  Female  brown  above,  with 
the  wings  darker,  spotted  with  white,  a  streak  of  black 
enclosing  the  eye,  and  a  whitish  streak  below  it ;  sides 
of  face  greyish,  throat  jxile  buff.  brcwTier  on  the  breast ; 
remainder  of  under  parts  bright  oohreous,  greyish  at  the 
sides. 

The  colouring  of  the  male  birds  is  constantly  altering 
throughout    the    year,   and    at    certain     times    closely 


154 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


reeembles  that  of  the  females ;  hitherto  the  order  aiid 
s«iasons  ic  which  these  changes  tr.ke  place  have  not  been 
carefully  noted.  Hab.,  India,  Cochin  China,  Siam,  Java. 
The  "  Avadavat,"  a.s  this  bird  is  often  called,  in  its  wild 
Stat*  frequents  cultiv;ited  land,  g-jrden.s,  etc.,  iisu.-Jly 
building  its  nesst  in  a  thick  bush,  reeds,  or  long  grass; 
tlie  nest  itself  is  similar  to  that  of  the  preceding  species, 
as  are  also  the  eggs. 

This  Wuxbill  is  one  of  the  commonest  and  cheapest  in 
the  bird-market.  When  I  first  began  to  keep  birds  its 
price  was  five  shillings  for  a  pair;  though,  from  ignorance 
of  its  value,  I  gave  considerably  more  for  the  first  pair 
I  ever  bought  (ne^irer  £Z  I  think) ;  now  it  averages  about 
3s.  6d.  a  pair,  and  when  the  market  is  glutted  with  it, 
as  does  sometimes  happen,  it  is  considerably  cheaper.  I 
well  remember  buyino;  two  dozen  for  ten  shillings,  the 
last  of  them  dying,  I  believe,  early  in  1907;  I  could  not 
say  how  old  it  was. 

Like  all  the  Waxbills,  this  tiny  bird  lives  well  on 
white  millet,  canary,  millet  in  the  ear,  and  grass-seed; 
but  a  turf  should  always  be  in  the  aviary,  and  a  saucer 
of  egg-food  or  biscuit.  All  the  species  of  Waxbills  are 
also  very  fond  of  small  spiders,  or  even  house-flies,  if 
they  are  pinched,  to  enable  the  birds  to  eat  them — they 
will  not  catch  them  on  the  wing.  A  pair  of  Avadavats 
built  a  nest  in  a  box-tree,  which  I  introduced,  in  a  pot, 
into  my  bird-room;  but  no  .sooner  was  it  finished  than 
a  pair  of  Cordon  Bleus  took  possession,  to  be  in  turn 
ejected  by  Lavender  Finches ;  shortly  afterwards  the 
cock  Cordon  Bleu  died,  having  suffered  from  the  attack 
of  the  Lavender  Finch,  suid,  the  hen  of  the  latter  bird 
dying  about  the  same  time,  the  widow  and  widower  made 
a  match  of  it  and  occupied  the  nest  together.  However, 
nothing  resulted  from  all  this  struggling  beyond  the  loss 
of  several  pretty  species  which  previously  had  lived 
together  in  amity. 

The  oommnn  Amaduvade  is  absolutely  hardy,  and  can 
be  bred  in  the  open  air  in  a  netted-in  garden  ;  in  an 
aviary  with  numerous  other  birds  it  gets  too  much  dis- 
turbed. 

Dealers  generally  insist  upon  there  being  two  species 
of  Avadavatis — the  common  one  from  India  and  the 
Malayan  one — SporaginiMis  [Estrilda)  punirea,  which 
they  distinguish  under  the  popular  name  of  Tiger-finoh. 
Dr.  Sharpe  says  :  "  I  have  ccme  to  the  conclusion  that 
B.  punirea  cannot  be  separated  from  E.  amandara." 
Those  that  I  have  seen  appeared  to  me  to  differ  much 
as  Lagoiwuficla  minima  from  L.  senegala,  and  doubtless 
our  American  friends  would  call  both  .-vubspecies,  in 
fpite  of  intergrades  passing  from  the  one  type  to  the 
other. 

Zebk.\    or    Gold-bre.\sted  Waxbill  (Spormginthus 
nuhfiainis). 

The  cock  Zebra  Waxbill  above  is  of  a  brownish  olive- 
green,  the  tail  black,  the  throat,  abdomen,  and  under 
tail-coverts  are  bright  yellow,  shading  into  bright  orange 
on  the  breast ;  the  beak  and  a  streak  passing  through 
the  cyo  to  the  ear  are  coral-red  ;  the  sides  of  the  bmly  are 
grey  barred  with  white.  The  hen  is  more  soberly 
coloured  than  the  cock,  the  yellow  and  orange  of  the 
under  parts  being  much  paler.  Hab.,  North  Tropical 
Africa,  betAveen  about  16  degre.ss  N.  lat.  and  the 
Equator. 

Captain  Shelley  dLstinguishe.s  the  Southern  representa- 
tive under  the  name  of  the  Southern  Zebra  Waxbill 
{Estrilda  rlarl-fi).  and  says  it  differs  in  the  entire 
throat  and  centre  of  breast  Ix'ing  pale  yellow,  with,  at 
most,  .a  slight  wash  of  orange  on  the  crop.  Centre  of 
breast  in  female  huffy  white,  with  a  faint  lemon  shade 
on  the  brea.st.     Hab.,  N'.atal  to  the  Equator. 

No  doubt  both  forms  are  sold  indiscriminately  under 


one  name,  and  it  is  probable  that  at  the  Equator  where 
the  two  forms  meet  it  would  be  very  difhcult  to  eay 
which  was  which. 

Mr.  W.  K.  ().  Grant,  describing  an  example  obtained 
at  Moradar  {Thr  Ibis,  1907.  p.  583),  says:— "The 
example  of  the  Sanguineous  Waxbill  procured  by  Mr. 
Zaphiro,  apparently  an  unusually  fine  bird,  has  the 
brea.st  and  belly  scarlet  and  of  a  much  more  intense 
colour   than    in    any    of   the    specimens   in    the    British 


Orange-breasted  or  Zebra  Finches. 

Museum.  Happily  he  does  not  give  it  a  distinctive 
scientific  name. 

Of  the  Southern  fonn  Mr.  Stark  vn-ites  ("Birds  of 
South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  106)  :— "  These  very  beautiful 
little  Waxbills  differ  son'.ewhat  in  their  habits  from  the 
common  Estrilda  a-Hrilda.  They  prefer  the  borders  of 
streiuns  and  marshes,  where  there  is  a  thick  growth  oT 
bushes  and  reeds,  to  the  more  open  graes-lands,  and 
they  are  nmch  shyer  and  more  eisily  alarmed.  In  Natal, 
where  they  are  not  unconmion  from  May  to  December,  I 
have  generally  met  with  them  in  flocks  of  no  great  size, 
feeding  on  the  grouiui  on  gi-i.ss-seeds,  but  taking  refuge 
in  bushes  if  disturbed.  \Vlien  feeding  they  keep  up  a, 
continuous  chirping." 

"  The  eggs  of  this  species  are  pure  white,  and  measure 
on  the  average  0.52  bv  0.40." 

In  captivity  this  V\'axl)ill  has  been  induced  by  the 
Germans  to  breed  tolerably  freely  in  a  high  tempoiature  ; 


WAXBILLS. 


155 


and  of  late  years  it  has  been  bred  by  various  members  of 
the  Avifultural  Society  in  ojien-air  English  aviaries. 
When  firel  imported  it  is  sonw-what  dulitat-c,  thougli  less 
eo  thaji  many  of  the  other  African  Waxhills  ;  when  once 
acclimatised  it  lives  to  a  good  old  age — eight  to  ten  years 
being  not  excejitional. 

Oranoeohekked   Waxdill  (S pnraginthus   melpodus). 

The  cock  bird  has  a  dark  slate-grey  cap,  the  back  and 
upper  wing-coverlis  nifcms  brown,  the  tiight  feathers 
ratncr  darker,  the  upper  tail  coverts  crimson,  the  tail 
blackish,  the  outer  webs  just  touched  with  crimsitn 
towards  the  root ;  the  luidcr  p^irts  are  li&hy  grey,  slightly 
browner  on  the  belly,  and  tinted  with  rose  towards  the 
vent;  the  beak  an<l  a  little  patch  between  the  latter 
and  the  eye  crim.son  ;  cheeks  orange,  legs  gi-ejTsh  brown. 
The  hen  is  le.ss  brightly  colourcyi  than  the  cock,  but 
iiiherwi.st-  simihir.  (Tddly  enough  Pmf.  Ridgway 
dc.scril>es  the  species  (from  Porto  Rico,  to  which  island 
it  has  been  intrcKluced)  as  possessing  a  female  with  no 
orange  on  th*<  side  of  the  head;  either  his  females  are 
birds  in  nestling  piumage,  or  the  West  Indian  climate 
must  have  greatly  modified  the  species.  Hab., 
■Renegambia   to  Angola. 

nie  following  notes  are  from  Captain  Shelley's 
■'  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  p.  213.  Speaking 
of  the  Oambia.  he  ?ays  : — "In  the  1-atter  district  Dr.  P. 
Kendall  found  its  nest,  hidden  in  long  giass,  lightly 
constnicted  of  that  material,  and  oont-aining  seven 
white  eggs;  these  measure  0.52  bv  0.4."  Mr.  Boyd 
Alexanch'r  writes  :--"  The  species  is  plentiful  around 
Kumassi,  cnnsortini;  together  in  large  flocks.  We 
found  a  number  of  nests  attached  to  the  elepliant-grass, 
which  we  cleared  away  the  day  after  the  fort  had  been 
relieved." 

This  is  an  active  little  species,  but  rather  nervous. 
When  feeding  with  many  other  small  Finches  it  will 
suddenly  give  a  cry  of  alarm,  and  the  whole  crowd  will 
fly  up  in  a  startled  rush,  though  nothing  whatever  has 
really  Imppened  to  causie  alarm.  I  suspect  that  this 
bird  either  has  a  bad  conscience  or  is  fond  of  practical 
jokes  ;  there  seems  no  other  way  of  accounting  for  such 
uncalled  for  panic.  The  Orange-cheeked  Wa.xbill  has 
been  bred  in  aviaries,  but  my  specimens  showed  no 
inclination  to  do  so.  For  breeding  these  and  other 
Waxhills.  soaked  ants'  eggs  have  been  recommended  as 
part  of  their  diet,  but  I  have  never  known  any  of  the 
ornamental  Finches  to  touch  this  food,  and  therefore  I 
have  entirely  given  up  the  attempt  to  induce  them  to 
do  so.  Sjxmge  cake  dry,  insectivorous  birds'  food,  and 
a  fresh  turf  is  all  they  need. 

Miss  Alderson  wiis,  I  believe,  the  first  to  breed  this 
bird  in  England,  and  in  a  cage!  (.See  The  Avicvltural 
Magazine.  1st.  Ser.,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  36.) 

I  have  found  the  Orange-cheek  one  of  the  most 
delicate  of  the  African  Waxhills.  It  is  most  easily 
kept  in  an  aviary  cage  in  a  dwelling-room,  or  in  a 
room  kent  (after  the  German  fashion!  constantly  at  a 
high  tem])erature.  Like  all  the  Waxbills.  it  needs  a 
retiring  place  in  which  to  keep  snug  at  night,  a  warmly 
lined  cocoanut  husk  or  plaited  nest-basket  being  per- 
haps the  most  satisfactory.  Like  some  of  the  other 
delicate  species,  I  believe  it  is  quite  capable  of  being 
rendered  hardy  by  turning  it  into  an  outdoor  aviary 
ab.iut  the  beginning  of  June,  and  keeping  it  there  until 
after  the  commencement  of  the  winter  fro.sts  ;  but.  of 
course,  it  must  have  some  shelter  to  retire  to  at  night. 

Green  Amaduvade  [Slictoepiza  formosa). 
Its  back  is  olive-green,  becoming  golden-green  on  the 
Tump  and  upper  tail-coverts;   the  tail  is  black,  and,  as 
with  all  the  Waxbills,  is  constantly  jerked  from  side  to 


side  ;  the  throat  and  chin  are  dull  whitish  ;  the  breast 
dull  yellow;  the  abdonjen  and  under  tail-coverts  bright 
chrome  yellow  ;  the  sides  of  the  body  pure  white, 
trajisvcrsely  barred  with  blatk;  the  iris  of  the  ev'es 
clear  brown;  beak,  dull  crim.son;  legs,  flesh-pink.  The 
hen  is  a  little  paler  and  duller  than  the  cock.  Hab., 
Central  India. 

In  its  wild  state  this  bird's  favourite  haunts  are  fields 
of  sugar-cane  or  the  dcn.»e  jungle  gra.ss  on  the  banks  of 
streams  and  rivers.  In  .suuh  places  the  nest  is  con- 
.structetl,  being  situated  with  its  back  to  the  stalks  of 
sugar-cane  or  gra&s,  a  leaf  above  and  below  being 
woven  into  the  nest,  and  a  few  others  into  the  sides  to 
keep  it  in  ])osition.  The  nest  itself  is  large,  globular, 
and  comi>actly  woven  of  coarse  gi'ass  and  strips  of 
sugar-cane  leaf,  the  lining  being  of  finer  grass.  The 
entrance  hole  is  in  front,  and  is  prolonged  into  a  short 
neck  somewhat  depressed  so  as  to  conceal  the  opening. 
Five  white  eggs  are  usually  deijosited,  which  can  in 
no  respect  be  distinguished  from  those  of  other  small 
Ploceine  Finches. 

This  Waxbill  is  by  some  aviculturi.sts  regarded  as  a 
delicate  bird,  but  I  have  found  it  longer  lived  and 
hardier  than  any  other  -species,  not  excepting  even  the 
common  Ani.aduv.ade.  About  1893  or  1894  I  purchased 
eight  of  these  birds  in  two  lots,  and  in  1898  six  or  seven 
of  them  are  recorded  as  still  living  ;  about  1899  they 
l)egan  to  drop  off,  but  several  of  them  survived  for  from 
eight  to  ten  years,  I  believe ;  not  one  of  them  is 
labelled,  unfortunately,  as  regards  date  of  its  death. 

I  have  known  this  bird  to  endure  twenty-one  degrees) 
of  frost  without  injury,  proving  it  to  be  at  least  as' 
capable  of  resisting  cold  as  the  common  Amadnvade. 
Breeding  in  captivity  is  very  uncertain  ;  I  have  had 
Ixjth  nests  and  eggs  in  my  aviaries,  but  the  Green 
Waxbills  have  always  been  disturbed  by  other  birds, 
and  this  has  put  a  stop  to  incubation.  In  1905.  howdver. 
Mr.  W.  E.  "Teschemaker  succeeded  in  breeding  it.  and 
again  in  1906,  when  he  sent  me  a  young  bird  in  order 
that  I  might  note  its  assumption  of  the  adult  plumage  ; 
unfortunately  it  died  on  September  16th. 

In  ihe  young  plumage  this  bii'd  is  of  a  distinctly 
yellower  olive-colour  on  upper  parts  than  the  adults  ; 
the  clear  pale  sulphur  yellow  and  the  black  and-white 
striping  of  the  sides  and  flanks  are  wanting  :  the  under 
surface  is  washed  with  bi-ownish  buff,  especially  across 
the  breast,  on  sides  and  flanks,  and  thighs,  there  is  a 
diffu.sed  sulphur  yellowish  patch  behind  the  breast, 
which  passes  into  white  in  the  centre  of  the  abdomen  ; 
the  under  tail-coverts  are  sulphur  yellow,  the  beak  is 
black,  inclining  to  crimson  on  gonys,  the  feet  brownish 
fle.sh-pink. 

When  first  imported  Green  Waxbills  are  usually  in 
poor  plumage,  and  if  a  specimen  in  this  condition  is 
turned  in  with  acclimatised  examples  of  its  owii  species, 
the  latter  will  all  attack  it,  pulling  out  additional 
feathers;  it  is,  therefore,  best  to  keep  newly  acquired 
examples  by  themselves  until  their  plumage  is  renewed. 

The  two 'kinds  of  millet  (white  and  sprayl  commonly 
used  by  aviculturists  and  a  little  canai-j-seed  are 
suflicient  to  keep  this  species  in  health,  but  all  the 
small  Finches  delight  in  grass  in  the  ear,  which  should 
always  be  given  when  obtainable. 

RED-nROWED   OR    AUSTRALIAN    WaXBILL 

(^Egintha  temporalis). 
Above  it  is  olive-green,  the  flights  with  broivnish- 
grey  inner  webs ;  upjwr  tail-coverts  crimson ;  central 
tail"  feathers  black,  the  others  brown  ;  crown  of  head 
and  nape  si  ate- grey ;  a  broad  carmine  eye  streak  as 
in  the  St.  Helena  and  Grey  Waxbills  ;  eyelid  crimson 
above,  gi'ey  below  ;   sides  of  face  and  throat  ashy,  chin 


156 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY 


■whiter;  breast  and  abdomen  smoky  pearl-grey  at  the 
sides,  buffish  in  the  centre ;  under  wing-coverts 
brovvnish-white,  flights  and  tail  below  smoky  grey; 
beak  carmine,  the  culnion  black,  as  also  the  under 
surface  of  the  lower  mandible  excepting  at  the  tip  :  legs 
yellowish  horn-colour ;  iris  crimson.  The  female  has 
not  been  differentiated,  but  I  believe  she  is  a  trifle 
duller  than  the  male.  Hab.,  Australia,  from  Queensland 
to  Wide  Bay  district,  and  New  South  Wales. 

Abundant  in  the  gardens  and  jjrassy  pastures  of 
Sydney,  and  assembling  in  large  flocks  in  the  autunui. 
In  the  spring  chiefly  seen  in  pairs.  It  builds  a  large 
flask-like  nest  of  grass  lined  with  thi.stle-down  in  any 
suitable  low  bush.  As  many  as  fifty  nests  liave  beeii 
met  with  in  a  single  day,  which  speaks  loudly  for  the 
abundance  of  the  species,  and  the  only  marvel  is  that 
it  has  not  become  one  of  the  cheapest  and  most  popular 
species  in  the  bird  market.  A  sitting  consist*  of  five 
white  eggs.  Tlie  song,  which  I  have  heard  manv  limes 
in  my  aviaries,  is  "  Sce-sizz-it,"  repeated  rapidlv  about 
five  times. 

This  is  certainly  one  of  the  mo.st  hardy  of  the  Wax- 
bills,  and  li%-es  in  a  cool  aviary  for  "years  without 
trouble,  provided  that,  if  a  hen,  it  does  not  become 
eggbound.  Even  then,  if  picked  up  and  transferred  to 
a  warm  cage,  it  will  usually  have  recovered  by  the 
following  morning.  Nevertheless,  Dr.  Russ  w'as  of 
opinion  that  this  bird  was  more  delicate  than  most 
Australian  R])ecies,  and  less  lively.  I  was  not  specially 
fortunate  with  my  first  pair,  but  others  subsequently 
purcha.sed  have  done  remarkably  well  with  me.  I  find 
them  about  as  active  as  Grey  Waxbills. 
_  This  has  generally  been  called  S.ydney  Waxbill.  but 
it  is  a  very  unsatisfactory  name  for  a  bird  with  so 
wide  a  range.  Mr.  Reginald  Phillipps,  who  bred  this 
species  in  his  garden  aviarv  in,  1902  (see  T/ip  Avlctil- 
tural  Mayazitif.  1st  Ser.,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  289.293),  calls 
it  the  Australian  Waxbill. 

St.   Helena  W.4xbill   {EHrilda  aslrilda). 

The  prevailing  colour  of  this  bird  is  earthy  grey, 
with  narrow  darker  transverse  bars,  the  under  parts 
washed  with  ro.se  colour,  which  deepens  to  bright 
crimson  on  the  centre  of  abdomen  ;  the  vent,  under 
tail  coverts,  and  inner  webs  of  tail  feathers  black  ;  the 
lores,  and  a  streak  continuous  therewith  enclosing  the 
eye  and  extending  to  the  ear-coverts,  bright  crimson  ; 
beak  crimson,  feet  blackish,  iris  brown.  The  female 
has  less  crimson  on  the  abdomen  than  the  male  ;  she 
is  also  slightly  smaller,  and  has  a  shorter  and  more 
rapidly  tapered  beak.  Hab.,  S.  Africa,  ranging  to 
Damaraland  on  the  west  and  Matabeleland  on  the  east. 
It  has  been  introduced  into  St.  Helena,  Mauritius, 
Madagascar,  etc. 

In  his  great  work  on  the  "  Birds  of  Africa,"  Captain 
Shelley  recognises  three  sub-species  of  this  species  and 
three  other  forms  he  regards  as  true  .species,  viz., 
E.  minor  (East  Africa),  E.  occidentalis  (West  and 
North-east  Africa),  and  E.  ruhrirentris  (Gaboon  to 
Angola).  On  the  other  hand.  Dr.  Sharpe  regards 
E.  minor  and  E.  rvhrivcntrin  as  sub-species,  and 
E.  occidentalia  as  synonymous  with  the  latter.  Doubt- 
less all  the  forms  have  at  times  been  sold  indis- 
criminately a.s  St.  Helena  Waxbills  ;  they  chiefly  differ 
in  size  and  richness  of  colouring. 

The  nest,  when  built  in  a  state  of  liberty,  is  said  to 
be  often  as  large  as  a  stable-bucket  and  inhabited  by 
.several  jKiirs ;  it  is  formed  of  all  kinds  of  rubbish  and 
lined  with  a  mass  of  feathers.  As  usual,  the  eggs  are 
white,  and  as  many  as  fourteen  are  sometimes  found  in 
a  single  nest. 

In  its  wild   state  this  bird  is  gregarious,  and  can  lie 


captured  in  flocks  of  hundreds;  it  is,  therefore,  no 
marvel  that  it  is  cheap  in  the  bird  market,  in  spite  of 
Its  tendency  to  drop  off  unexpectedly  when  first  im- 
jK)rted. 

The  song  of  this  Waxbill  consists  of  six  shrill  notes 
and  IS  not  unpleasing,  whilst  the  bird  itself  brigbteni 
up  an  aviary  so  long  as  it  lives ;  but,  unless  purchased 
in  the  spring,  this  and  all  African  Waxbills  are  almost 
certain  to  die  soon  after  their  arrival.  Up  to  the 
prestmt  time  I  do  not  think  I  have  been  able  to  keep 
the  St.  Helena  Waxbill  for  more  than  eighteen  months  ; 
but  in  one  of  those  toy -aviaries  (of  the  Crystal  Palace 
jjattern)  kept  in  a  sitting-room  at  an  even  temjierature 
most  delicate  Finches-  will  live  for  yeare ;  yet  it  is 
far  more  saiisfactory  to  turn  it  into  "an  outdoor  aviary 
at  the  commencement  of  the  warm  weather,  and  so 
gradually  acclimatise  it;  there  would  then  be  some 
chance  of  breeding  it. 

Gret  Waxbill   [Eslrilda  cincrea). 

Similar  to  the  preceding  species,  but  decidedly 
smaller ;  paler  colouring  above  and  below,  with  less 
defined  barring  to  the  feathers ;  le.ss  crimson  on  the 
abdomen,  and  distinctly  .'-horter  tail.  Hab.,  "  Tropical 
Africa,  from  5  deg.  to  "17  deg.  N.  I.,at."     (Shelley.) 

Of  the  wild  life  of  this  species,  Captain  Shelley 
records  the  following  ("  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.\ 
Part  1,  pp.  205-4)  : — "  Its  occurrence  in  the  Cape  Verde 
Islands  was  first  recorded  by  Dr.  Dohrn,  and  Mr. 
Keulemans,  wha  accompanied  his  expedition  to  those 
islands,  informs  me  :  '  It  was  met  with  in  flocks  of  con- 
siderable size  along  the  banks  of  the  streams.  Native 
names.  "  Gingerotte  "  and  "  Boco  veimillio.'  " 

Captain  Shelley  proceeds  to  tell  us  that  according  to 
Mr.  Boyd  Alexander's  notes,  "  it  frequtnts  the  sugar- 
cane in  large  flocks,  which  keep  up  a  constant  twittering 
while  on  the  wing,  and  reminded  him  of  the  Lesser 
Redpoll.  It  is  locally  known  as  the  '  Sugar-cane  bird.' 
He  found  it  on  .Santiago,  Brava,  Sao  Vicente  and 
Boavista.  On  November  17th,  while  on  Sao  Nicolau,  he 
took  a  nest  of  the  species.  "  It  was  placed  between  the 
upper  stems  of  a  young  orange-tree,  domed  like  a 
Sparrow's,  and  comjxised  of  very  fine  freshly-plucked 
grass.  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  were  white,  and 
measured  0.6  by  0.45." 

Wben  first  im|K>rted  this  bird  is  even  more  delicate 
than  the  preceding  species,  particularly  if  purchased 
in  the  autumn  or  winter.  Up  to  1898  I  had  rarely  been 
able  to  keep  it  for  more  than  a  year  :  of  a  p;iir  which 
I  purchased  in  the  .spring.  I  think  of  that  year,  one  died 
within  twelve  months,  but  the  other  was  alive  in  1906 
when  it  mysteriously  vanished  ;  whether  it  died  in  some 
corner  or  was  kille<l  by  mice  I  <lon't  know. 

This  little  Finch  has  built  and  laid  eggs  in  my  bird- 
room,  but  it  did  not  .succeed  in  hatching  them.  The 
nest  was  formed  entirely  of  hay,  so  far  as  I  could  see; 
the  weaving  was  dome  systematically,  the  hen  ."sitting 
inside,  and  p-issingthe  bents  through  to  the  cock,  n'hich 
sat  outside  and  pit>ed  them  back  to  his  partner,  and 
between  tlum  they  made  a  very  neat  and  ciniipact-look- 
ing  globe-shaped  domicile.  The  Commcn  Waxbill  is  of 
.iboiit  the  size  of  the  Indian  Avadavat.  but  it  is  far  niore 
lively.  Like  most  of  the  Astrild.s,  it  can  lie  obtained  for 
a  few  .shillings,  and  therefore  it  should  be  in  eveiy 
aviarj-. 

ROSY-RL'MPKD     OR     SuNDF.V.M.I.'s     WaXHILL 

{Eslrilda  r/wdopi/ga). 

Above  pale  brown  with  darker  h:\TS,  head  greyer  and 
less  distinctly  harred  ;  upper  tail-coverts  rosy  crimson; 
median  wing-oaverts  ashy-bniwn,  greater  coverts  similar 


WAXBILLS. 


ir,7 


internally,  but  eoctemally  crunson  like  the  inner 
soconilarios  ;  flisjhts  otherwise  dusky  brown  with  some- 
what ashy  ctl^'es;  tail-feathers  dull  blackish  o<;lgcd  with 
criniMJii ;  tlie  outer  onos  witli  whity-brown  edges;  sidea 
nf  hea<l  white,  with  ^i  eriiiisoii  streak  trimi  llii'  lores 
throui;h  the  evt" ;  throat  wliiLo;  reniaijider  of  under 
surface  tawny  brownish,  nanximlj-  barred  witli  whitish 
on  tho  sides  of  the  fore  neck,  broast,  and  flanks;  centre 
i)f  breast  and  alKlonien  |>aler  aiul  more  butiiah  ;  thiglis 
tawny  buiff  ;  uiuler  Uiil  coverts  deeip  crimson  barred  with 
tawniy  aJid  blaekisli;  unil  >r  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
tawny  buil ;  flights  below  dusky,  buffch  along  inner 
webs:  beak  blackish  with  the  tomium  and  Ixise  of 
mandible  red  ;  feet  <liisky  ;  irides  luulwr-browTi.  Femalo 
not  differentiated;  probably  slightly  duller.  Hab., 
"  Easteni  Africa,  between  7  degrees  S.  lat.  and  16  degrees 
N.  lat."     (Shelley.) 

Veiy  little  has  l>e.en  recorded  respecting  tho  wild  life 
of  this  pretty  Waxbill  ;  it  has  iisuolly  been  observed  in 
flocks  Mid  is"  said  to  frequent  the  bush  in  preference  to 
tlie>  reed  beds. 

The  Cmtessx  Baklelli  seciired  specimens  in  Italy  in 
1903.  a  description  of  which  she  sent  to  me  for  identifica^ 
tion;  and  in  Angiust  of  the  same  year  she  wrote  to 
inform  me  that  she  had  bred  hybrids  between  this  species 
and  the  Grey  Waxbill  (A',  cincrea).  The  nestlings  hid 
a  rusty  red  band  across  the  wing,  and  therefore  would 
bear  a"  greater  resemblance  to  the  male  than  the  female 
parent. 

As  the  Coi-don  Uleu  and  allies  are  pal]  ably  far  more 
nearly  reb.itixl  to  tho  Violet-eared  Waxbill  than  to  the 
preceding  species,  I  prefer  to  follow  Cajitain  Shellev 
with  re.jard  to  fhr>se  birds.  The  Rn.sy-runip°d  Waxbill 
xeems  to  mo  clearly  to  show  affinity  to  Pi/fclia  in  tho 
broad  crimson  stripe  on  it^  wing. 

Crimson-winged  Waxbill  (Pytelia  phccnicoptera). 

The  upper  surf.ice  is  vinous  brown,  greyer  on  the 
biMd  ;  lower  b;iek  and  upper  taU-coverts,  deep  crimson; 
lesser  wing  coverts,  brighter;  median  and  greater 
coverts,  greyish-brown  edged  with  red;  flight  feathers, 
excepting  inner  secondaries,  ako  edged  with  dull  red  ; 
central  tail  feathers,  crimson;  remainder  blackish, 
edged  with  crimson;  imder  surface  grey,  barred  with 
white  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries,  white  ;  beak, 
black;  legs,  pale  brown;  iris,  red.  The  female  is  lesa 
brightly  coloured  than  the  male,  the  crimson  colouring 
less  pronounced,  especially  on  the  margins  of  the  mantle 
and  flights,  where  it  is  somewhat  huffish ;  under  parts 
browner,  less  ashy,  much  nuore  distinctly  and  broadly 
barreil  with  whitish.  Hab.,  Senegambia  to  the  Upper 
Nile  and  Equatorial  Africa. 

In  its  wild  state  this  bird  frequents  tall  forest  and 
scrub,  otherwise  nothing  is  known  of  its  habits  when 
at  liberty.  It  has  no  true  song,  but  utters  a  peculiar 
littlo  flut,elike  phra.se  of  three  notes,  the  central  one 
being  vibrant  and  prolonged;  its  call-note  is  ,1.  sharp 
whil,  irhit. 

This  bird  is  also  known  as  the  Aurora  Finch,  and 
objections  have  been  raised  ajs  to  its  being  a  Waxbill, 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  somewhat  etout,  with  short 
tail  and  black  beak.  In  all  these  points  it  approaches 
the  I/avendcT  Finch,  which  is,  if  anything,  .stouter,  and 
certainly  has  quite  as  short  a  tail,  and  a  beak  which  is 
mostly  black.  As  vocalists  also  the  two  species  are 
about  e^iuail. 

I  purdhascd  a  pair  of  Aurora  Finches  on 
August  7th.  1897,  and  found  them  tolerably  tame  and 
confiding.  I^nhappily.  the  female  died  on  December 
3rd,  so  that  I  had  no  chance  of  breeding  the 
species.     In  the  following  spring  I  turned  the  male  out 


onto  a  good-sized  aviary,  where  he  divided  his  time 
between  sitting  on  a  ledge  in  the  sun  and  hiding  under 
a  biisli.  He  died  on  June  22nd,  1898  ;  on  December 
30th,  1899,  I  lost  another  male.  In  March,  1906, 
an  unknown  friend  sent^  me  a  male  of  the  Northern 
form  /'.  em i III,  in  which  the  under-wing  and  tail-coverts 
are  more  distiJictly  barred.  P.  phaiiicoptcra  was  bred 
by  Euss.  Although  not  a  nervous  biixl  the  Aurora 
Flinch  is  very  fond  of  hiding  in  bushes,  sw  that  when 
one  wishes  to  point  it  out  to  a  friend  it  takes  a  goo<l 
deal  of  finding;  it  seems  to  feed  chiefly  upon  millet 
and  canary;  but,  like  all  the  Waxbills,  doubtless  eats 
sanall  insects  or  spiders  when  it  can  get  them  :  dt  is 
said  to  be  fond  of  fresh  ant-cocoons. 

Red-faced  Waxbill  (Pytelia  afra). 

Above  dull  orange,  slightly  tinged  with  olive ;  lower 
back,  rump,  and  upper  tail-coverts  crimson ;  median 
and  greater  wing-coverts  ruTescent  externally ;  flights 
dull  hrown,  with  a  vermilion  shade  on  outer  webs; 
central  tail-feathers  crimson,  the  rennainder  black, 
crimson  externally ;  forehead,  sides  of  head  and  throat 
criimson;  a  grey  loyenge-shaped  patch  enclosing  the 
eye;  crown,  nape,  .sides  of  neck,  and  lower  throat  ash- 
grey  ;  remainder  of  body  below  olive-yellow,  somew'hat 
golden  towards  sides  ot  neck,  irregularly  barred  with 
white,  especdally  on  the  abdomen ;  under  tail-coverts 
somewliat  dusky,  broadly  barred  with  white ;  under 
wing-covcrts  whitish  ;  edge  of  wing  yellowish ;  flights 
below  dull  blackish  with  greyish  inner  edges ;  beak 
crimson,  base  of  upper  mandible  brown ;  feet  rosy  flesh- 
pink  ;  irides  deep  red.  Female  above  browner,  with 
only  a  slight  yellow  shade  on  the  nnantJe  ;  crimson  of 
face  and  throat  replaced  by  greyish  ash,  the  latter  with 
ill-defined  narrow  buff  bars ;  the  whitish  liars  on  the 
remainder  of  body  broader ;  beak  and  feet  dusky ; 
iri<les  light  brown.  Hab..  "  Loa-ngo  Coast  into  Ben- 
guela,  and  in  East  Africa  from  Nyassaland  to  Southern 
Abyssinia."     (Shelley)- 

Shelley  says  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  170): 
"  In  Benguela,  according  to  Anohieta,  it  is  known  to  the 
natives  of  Galanga  as  the  '  Cossocia,'  and  at  the 
Oapangombe  River  as  the  '  Kabalacaximgo.' " 

"  At  Zanzibar,  Fischer  met  with  the  species  in  parties 
of  four  to  six,  and  found  them  breeddng  in  the  orange- 
trees.     The  nest  resembled  that  of  Spermestes  xnifatus." 

The  actual  statement  of  Fischer  ds  to  the  effect  that 
the  nest,  which  he  found  abundantly  in  May,  June 
and  July,  resembles  that  of  Spermestes  cticuUata,  con- 
sisting of  the  same  materials ;  its  circumference  is 
greater  by  one  half :  with  a  side  entrance. 

Reichenow  tells  us  that  the  nests  of  S.  cucullata  are 
dom»i  structures,  very  large  and  -firmly  compacted  of 
fine  glass. 

Although  this  bird  has,  from  time  to  time,  been 
exhibited  at  our  bird  shows,  it  is  by  no  means  so 
f.amiliar  an   objeot  as  th^e  crimso.r-winged  species. 

The  late  Dr.  Russ,  uilder  the  impression  that  he  had 
secured  a  new  species,  redescribcd  it  in  honour  of  his 
friend  Mr.  August  Wiener,  and  consequently  it  has 
frequently  been  spoken  of  as  Wiener's  Waxbill. 

Crimson-faced  Waxbill  [Pijlelia  melba).* 
Above  olivaceous-yellow  ;  lower  rump  and  upper  tail- 
cove.rts  crimLSon.  shaded  scarlet ;  inner  portion  of  quills 
dull-brown  ;  tail  black;  the  outer  webs  strongly  suffu.sed 
with  ci-imson  ;  crown  and  nape,  sides  of  neck  and  ear- 
coverts  slate-grey;   forehead,  front  of  cheeks,  chin,  and 

"  I  quite  acree  with  Captain  Sheiley  that  the  nime  Zonogattris. 
proposed  by  Cabania  for  the  next  two  species,  should  be  ignored. 


168 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


throat  bright  scarlet ;  lores  dusky ;  fore-Tieck  golden 
olive;  chest  yellorwish.  spotted  -\vith  -white  at  the  ends 
of  the  feathers,  and  barred  subtertiiiiuilly  "with  black 
and  white ;  remainder  of  under  surface  regularly  barred 
with  black  and  white,  most  distinctly  on  the  sides ; 
thighs  ashy  brown;  lower  abdomen  and  under  tail- 
coverts  whit^;,  the  latter  buffish ;  under  wing-coverts 
ashy  whitish,  yellowish  towarils  edge  of  wing;  flights 
beltjw  ashy  with  paler  inner  edges ;  be:>k  crimson  ;  feet 
pale  brown;  irides  red.  Female  duller  and  with  the 
scarlet  of  the  head  replaced  by  ashv  grey;  throat  pale 
a.shy,  faintlv  barred  with  white  ;  yellow  wanting  from 
fore  neck  aii^d  breast ;  under  surface  less  strongly  barred 
and  spotted.  Hab.,  Loango  and  tlw  Congo  into  Da- 
maraland  on  the  west,  and  eastward  from  Natal  to  the 
Equator." — Shelley. 

According  to  Shelley  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol,  TV,, 
Tart  1,  pp.  274,  275)"— Mr.  Monteiro  met  with  it  at 
Loanda,  Katumbella,  and  Domho,  where  he  found  it 
'•called  by  the  Portugoiese  '  Marachao,'  and  much 
esteemed  as  a  cage-bird  on  account  of  ite  marvellously 
sweet  song."  Andersson  writes  :  "  This  Finch  ii)  found 
sparingly  in  Damara  and  Great  Namaqualand.  :uid 
u.sually  occurs  in  pairs  ;  its  favourite  resort  is  low  bu.sh 
and  old  abandoned  village  fences,  -whence  the  Damaras 
call  it  the  'Kraal  Bii-d.'  It.s  food  consists  of  insects." 
They  live  generally  in  pairs  in  the  thick  bush  near  the 
ground,  and  are  not  shy. 

"  At  the  Zambesi  Mr.  Boyd  Alexander  found  the 
species  locally  distributed,  the  male  sex  predominating. 
In  September  the  young  were  abroad.  On  one  occasion, 
September  8th,  we  observed  a  pair  of  birds  feeding  four 
young  ones  perched  in  a  row  on  a  branch,  and  they 
"were  by  no  means  shy,  allowing  of  a  clos^  approach." 

Captain  Shelley  describes  the  nest  (p.  276)  as  "  built 
of  dry  grass,  very  roughly  put  together,  with  no  extra 
lining,  and  placed  in  a  low  stunted  bush,  about  three 
feet  from  the  ground.     The  egg  is  pure  -white." 

This  species,  like  the  two  preceding,  has  been  exhi- 
bited at  the  Zoological  Gardens,  and  of  late  years  speci- 
mens of  /".  mdha  have  been  exhibited  at  various  hird- 
.shows.  Mr.  Hawkins'  pair  of  the  species  lis  a  well- 
known  exhibit. 

Yellow-throated  W.\xbill  (Pi/tclia  citerwr). 

The  male  d-iffcrs  from  tliat  sex  of  P.  mdha  in 
having  no  scarlet  on  the  lower  throat,  which  (with  the 
fore  neck)  is  golden  yellow;  thighs  white;  beak  dull 
red  ;  feet  fle.-ihy  brown  ;  irides  pale  brown  (Witherby), 
red  (Heuglin).  Female  has  no  red  or  yellow  on  head 
or  throat;  forehead  ashy-brown,  like  the  cro«Ti,  sides 
of  head  paler  ashy  ;  chin  and  throat  white  narrowly 
barred  with  a,shy-brown,  most  strongly  on  lower  half, 
where  the  alternate  brown  and  white  bars  are  of  equal 
width ;  on  the  rest  of  underparts  the  brown  bars  are 
paler,  rather  broader  and  more  confined  to  the  sides, 
Hab..  Senegal  River  to  Old  Calabar,  eastward  to  the 
Nile. — Shelley. 

The  following  notes  are  from  Shellev's  "  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  p.  272  :— Witherby  writes: 
"Wherever  the  Sout-trees  were  thick  enough  to  form 
a  wood  these  birds  were  generally  to  be  found."  Mr. 
A.  L.  Butler  writes:  "Common  in  the  Sout-trees  round 
Fatasha  and  breeding  there  in  January.  Its  call-note  is 
a  long  plaintive  whistle."  Heuglin  says :  "  They  were 
generally  met  with  singly  or  in  pairs  frequenting  clumps 
of  trees  and  bushes,  and  hoppinsj  to  and  fro  from  the 
lower  branches  to  the  ground;  they  were  never  found 
among  rocks  and  rarely  in  the  open  grass  country."  This 
species  also  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Gardens. 


Cordon  Bleu,  or  Cbimson-e.vhed  Waxbill 

( VriKjinthus  plwenicolu).* 

The  cock  Cordon  Bleu  is  of  a  mouse-brown  colour 
above ;  the  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  of  a  bright 
lazulLne  blue ;  tail  dull  Prussian  blue ;  cheeks,  throat, 
and  breast  lazuline  blue  ;  a  large  crimson  crescent  on 
the  ear-coverts  behind  the  eye;  the  eye  itself  has 
a  crimson  iris  and  is  bordered,  in  this  sex,  by  a 
narrow  pale  zcnc  ;  the  remainder  of  1  he  under  surface, 
with  the  exception  of  the  feathers  covering  the  thighs 
(which  are  partly  blue),  is  of  a  pale  dove  brown  colour; 
feet  flesh  coloured ;  beak  crimson,  tipped  witli 
blackish.  The  hen  cliiefly  differs  from  the  cock  in  the 
absence  of  the  crinuson  patch  on  the  cheeks.  Hab., 
"Tropical  Africa  between  17  deg.  N.  lat.,  and  10  deg. 
S.  lat."— Shelley. 

Capt.  Shelley  calls  this  bird  U.  bengalvs,  but  I  see  no 
advantage  in  setting  aside  a  name  long  fannliar  to  orni- 
thologists for  the  sake  of  one  which  may  have  been 
given  in  ignorance  of  the  habitat  of  the  speciest :  then 
again  the  name  "  mari/msa"  is,  I  think,  hardly  classical, 
though  a  familiar  Spanish  word. 

According  to  Von  Heuglin,  this  bird  is  not  very 
abundant  in   .\bvssinia,  and,  as  a  rule,   is  seen  either 


Thk  Cordon  Bleu. 


singly  or  in  pairs  in  thorn  hedges  near  villages  or  farms 
and  in  wooded  country  rear  water.  The  nest  is  said 
to  be  untidy  and  without  definite  shape  e.xternaily, 
resembling  little  stray  collections  of  straw  ;  a  slanting 
covered  entrance  runs  upwards  into  the  nest-cavity, 
which  is  neatly  lined  with  grass,  feathers,  and  wool. 
The  eggs  are  of  the  usual  white  colour,  and  number 
from  three  to  six. 

The  following  notes  are  from  Shellev's  "  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  187-190;— "At  the  Gambia  Dr. 
Rendall  took  a  nest  containing  seven  white  eggs ;  this 
nest  was  built  in  the  long  grass  and  was  a  slight 
structure."  "  Bohm  procured  specimens  at  Kakoma 
and  in  the  Ugogo  country,  and  found  it  in  pairs  or 
family  parties,  frequenting  alike  the  bushy  country  by 
the  water-side,  the  dry  grassy  plains  and  the  outsliirts 
of  villages,  and  observed  it  once  soar  in  the  air. 
Fischer  remarks  th.at,  like  many  of  the  other  small 
African  birds,  they  frequently  breed  in  the  proximity 
of  wa.sps'  nests,  and  amongst  the  homes  so  placed  he 
found  four  of  the  present  species,  three  of  the  Sunbirds, 
and  one  of  Sprnm-.tlrt  frulalxis.  He  also  observed  a 
pair  of  these  birds  breeding  in  a  deserted  nest  of 
llt/phontornis  bojeri." 

Mr.  A.  L.  Butler  -writes  to  me:— "At  Jebel  Ain,  on 
November  15,  1902,  I  put  a  hen  bird  off  her  nest.  The 
nest  was  ov,al   horizontall.y,   with   the   entrance  at  one 


•  I  follow    Shelley's  nomenclature  for  the  penii*  hen.   aa  the 
Cordon  Bleus  are  far  more  like  the  Vlolet-eaied  WaxbiU  than  the 
typical  Astrllds, 
t  Captain  Shelley  believes  Bengala  to  be  a  corruptlcn  of  BengueU, 


WAXBILLS. 


159 


end,  and  was  composed  entirely  o!  fine  grass,  and  well 
hidden  at  the  Ixise  of  a  thorn  bush  by  a  thick  growth 
of  the  same  yellow  grass  as  the  nest  was  composed  of. 
The  eggs,  four  in  number  and  pure  white,  would  be 
hard  to  distinguish  from  those  of  many  of  the  other 
small  Weavers." 

According  to  Mr.  Jackson,  writing  of  the  species  as 
seen  by  liim  at  Kibwesi,  near  the  northern  base  of 
Mount  Kilimanjaro:  "This  pretty  little  bird  is  found 
everywhere  in  the  country.  Its  nest  is  made  of  dry 
graw,  and  Ls  found  in  various  positions,  such  ns  in  a  low 
bush,  in  a  mimosa  or  acacia  tree,  thirty  feet  from  the 


of  all  the  Waxbills.  Only  well-feathered  specimens 
should  be  purchased,  and  always  in  the  spring ;  more- 
over, it  is  best  to  purchase  several  pairs.  If  these  points 
are  attended  to,  a  sound  pair  may  be  secured  which  will 
live  for  years. 

Formerly  it  was  .supposed  that  the  Cordon  Bleu  (or 
"  Butterfly  Finch,"  as  the  Germans  call  it)  could  not  be- 
kept  at  a  lower  temperature  than  70  degrees  Fahr.,  but 
I  kept  my  first  pair,  under  most  unfavourable  condi- 
tions, at  a  winter  temperature  often  falling  to  40  de- 
grees, for  eighteen  months.  Since  that  time  I  have  had 
a  bird  in  good  health  and  lively  at  a  temperature  of 


^'IOLET-EARKI)    WAXBILLS. 


ground,  in  the  thatch  of  a  native  hut,  or  in  the  deserted 
nest  of  the  common  Yellow  Weaverbird." 

The  call -note  of  the  Cordon  Bleu  is  a  sharp  thin 
whistle,  usually  twice  uttered,  and  not  unlike  the  call- 
note  of  our  EnglL^h  Blue-tit.  Its  song,  which  is  only 
heard  in  the  breeding  season,  is  usually  sung  as  an 
accompaniment  to  a  ridiculous  dance ;  moreover,  the 
cock,  like  many  of  these  small  Weavers,  always  holds 
a  long  straw  or  bent  in  its  beak  as  it  sings,  which  adds 
to  its  grotesque  appearance ;  the  song  itself  is  of  no 
great  account,  but  is  bright  and  lively — "  Tezier,  tezit, 
tezit.  tezee,"  vei-v  shrilly  uttered. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  abtmdantly  imported  and  un- 
fortunately, until  acclimatised,  one  of  the  most  delicate 


24  degrees.  Lastly,  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar  has  both 
kept  and  bred  this  tiny  Finch  in  a  large  garden  aviary 
in  Yorkshire. 

In  1898  I  had  five  examples  of  this  species,  three  of 
which  had  been  in  my  possession  for  two  years ;  one  of 
these  was  still  in  excellent  health  at  the  end  of  1907. 
On  the  other  hand,  I  bought  two  pairs,  apparently  in 
the  best  possible  condition,  in  1906.  and  shortly  after- 
wards, when  the  weilher  became  warm  enough,  turned 
a  pair  into  an  outdoor  aviary  in  the  hope  of  breeding 
the  species,  and  the  hen  of  the  other  pair  into  the  indoor 
aviary  in  w-hich  the  old  cock  bird  lives.  Next  morning 
both  hens  were  dead,  and  shortly  afterward  the  cock 
out-of-doors  also  died.     I  gave  awav  the  odd  bird,  which 


160 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


seemtd  likely  to  live.  Hitherto  I  have  not  bred  the 
species;  but  on  the  Continent  experiments  in  breeding 
it  have  been  carried  on  for  aipwards  of  a  centiuy. 
Charming  a.s  it  is,  the  Cordon  Bleu  is  always  cheap,  and 
(on  that  account  perhaps)  Englishmen  seem  not  to  txke 
pains  to  breed  it. 

BLrE-DRE.vsTED  VVaxdill  {U TcTijinflius  angolensh). 
Male  very  similar  to  the  preceding,  but  perhaps  -with 
the  blue  colourinp;  brighter  and  with  no  crimson  ear- 
patch  ;  beak  purplish  ;  feet  fleshy  brownish  ;  irides  red. 
Female  with  the  blue  on  the  nnder-parts  much  more  re- 
stricted. Habitat,  Angola  and  Nyas&aland  to  Natal, 
absent  from  Namaqualand  and  Cape  Colony,  according 
to  Shelley. 

The  following  notes  on  the  -wild  life  are  from  Stark 
and  Sclater's  "Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp. 
103-104 :  "These  beautiful  little  Waxbills  are  usually 
met  -with  in  snui.ll  parties,  but  occasionally  in  autumn, 
after  the  youBg  have  flown,  in  very  large  flocks.  They 
prefer  localities  -which  are  partly  open,  partly  overgrown 
with  scrub  or  low  trees,  and  are  specially  fond  of  scat- 
tered mimosa  bushes,  in  -which  thev  take  refuge  if  dis- 
turbed -when  feeding  on  the  ground  on  their  favourite 
gra6S-seeds.  When  frightened  they  rise  with  a  shrill 
t-wittering  to  take  shelter  in  the  "nearest  bushes.  In 
spring  both  male  and  female  sing  not  unpleasantly. 
Although  the  adults  appear  to  subsist  entirely  on  grass- 
seeds,  the  young  before  they  leave  the  nest  are  fed  on 
small  grubs  and  insects.  The  nest  is  invariably  built 
in  a  bush,  often  in  a  low  mimosa,  and  is  generally 
placed  in  a  fork  at  a  height  of  from  three  to  eight  or 
nine  feet.  At  first  sight  it  looks  like  a  ball  of  dried 
grass  carelessly  thrown  into  a  bush ;  on  investigation 
a  small  side  entrance,  nearly  concealed  by  the  projecting 
ends  of  grass-stalks,  may  be  found,  leading  to  the  in- 
terior, which  is  smoothly  arj\  warmly  lined  with  finer 
dried  grass  and  feathers.  Three  or  four  eggs  are  laid. 
These  are  pure  -white,  and  rather  round  in  shape.  They 
average  0.70  by  0.55.  Mr.  Andersson  found  this 
Waxbill  nesting  in  Ondongo.  A  nest  taken  by 
him  on  February  2nd,  1867,  was  constructed  of  gra.ss, 
and  had  no  internal  lining.  It  was  built  in  a  palm 
bush,  six  feet  from  the  ground  ;  the  eggs  were  five  in 
number." 

Mr.  Reginald  Phillipps  gave  an  account  of  this 
species  as  observed  by  him  in  captivity  in  The 
Ar-icultural  Magazine,  N.S.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  120-124:  a  good 
coloured  plate,  representing  both  sexes,  accompanied  his 
article. 

The  London  Zoological  Societv  received  five  specimens 
in  .January,  1890,  and  since  that  time  various  private 
liird-lovers  have  po,s«cs.<ied  it.  I  thought  I  had  secured 
some  myself  a  few  yeirs  ago,  as  I  had  undoubted  cock 
l)irds  -without  crimson  on  the  side  of  the  head,  but  at 
the  next  moult  the  patch  appeared. 

Violet-eared  WAXBrLL  {Uraginthus  granalimis). 

Tlie  male  above  is  chestnut,  becoming  greyer  on  the 
lower  back  ;  wing-coverts  and  flights  greyish  brown, 
■with  redder  margins;  upper  tail-covert.?  and  base  of 
forehead  bright  blue,  the  ktt*r  continuous  -with  a 
superciliary  line;  tail  black,  -with  bluish  edges  to  the 
feathers  ;  lores  dusky,  eyebrow,  ear  coverts,  and  sides 
of  face  bright  lilac;  base  of  cheeks  and  front  of  tliroat 
Tilack;  under  surface  chestnut  with  the  lower  abdomen 
and  vent  blackish;  under  tail-ooverts  shining  blue; 
beak  purplish,  •^vith  the  tip  red  ;  legs  purplish  grey; 
iris  red,  eye-ring  red  or  greyish-drab. 

The  female  is  greyer  above  and  yello-wer  below,  the 


throat  whitish;  the  lilac  on  the  face  paler,  no  blue  on 
the   under  tail-coverts. 

Stark  ("  Birds  of  S.  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  104-105) 
writes:  I'hese  beautiful  Waxbills  appear  never  to  con- 
gregate in  large  flocks,  hut  are  either  met  -with  in  small 
parties  of  five  or  six,  or  more  usually  in  pairs.  They 
keep  much  to  localities  covered  -with  low  bushes,  and 
especially  -with  scattered  mimcas,  and  generally  feed 
on  the  ground  between  the  bushes,  often  on  bare  spots, 
on  grass  and  other  small  seeds. 

"A  nest  taken  in  June,  in  the  Northern  Transvaal, 
was  built  about  4ft.  off  the  ground  in  a  thorny  bai.sh. 
It  is  round  in  shape,  with  a  side  entrance,  and  is  loosely 
constructed  of  dry  grass  lined  -wiith  a  few  feathers.  The 
eggs,  three  in  number,  are  pure  white  and  measure 
0.72  by  0.50.  It  is  somewhat  curious  that  this  delicate- 
looking  little  bird  should  breed  in  mid-winter,  when  the 
nights  are  decidedly  cold,  but  I  have  frequently  noticed 
the  seeming  indifference  of  the  South  African  small 
birds — including  some  of  the  Sunbirds — to  tempera- 
ture. Many  breed  in  mid-winter,  even  on  the  bleak 
mountains  of  Western  Cape  Colony.  Not  infrequently 
the  same  species  -will  nest  again  in  the  height  of 
summer." 

Although  this  species  appears  to  have  been  first  im- 
ported into  Europe  in  1754,  it  has  never  become  common 
in  the  bird  market,  and  to  thisHay  always  commands  a 
high  price.  I  remember  that  the  first  examples  I 
.saw  exhibited  at  a  bird  show  were  sold  by  the  late 
Mr.  Abrahams  for  £10  a  pair,  and  even  now.  since 
both  Mr.  Hamlyn  and  Captain  Hopsbrugh  hive  brought 
over  consignments,  the  usual  price  is  about  £4  for  a 
pair. 

Five  specimens  were  presented  to  the  London  Zoolo- 
gical Society  in  1890.  In  1906  Mr.  Phillipps  published 
an  interesting  account  of  his  experiences  with  four  or 
five  specimens  of  the  species  :  he  praises  the  song,  but 
evidently  considers  the  Viclet-ftar  a  dangerous  associate 
for  other  small  birds,  one  of  his  having,  with  a  single 
peck,  killed  a  Cuba  Finch  which  had  approached  too 
near  to  it.  His  opinion  agrees  with  mv  own  that,  ho-vv- 
ever  hardy  it  may  appear  to  be  in  South  Africa,  it 
cannot  stand  the  damp,  chill  atmo.'phere  of  our  cold 
months.  His  article  is  accompanied  by  a  coloured  plate 
of  both  sexes. 

In  1904  Mrs.  Vivian  -wrote  to  me  saying  that  her 
Violet-ears  had  gone  to  nest,  in  Portugal,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  January,  building  in  a  small  covered  box ;  two 
eggs  were  laid  in  the  box  and  others  prol>ably  on  the 
ground.  After  sitting  for  three  days  the  hen  deserted 
the  nest;  she.  however,  built  agaiin  and  laid  two  eggs, 
but  if  these  were  hatched  no  notice  of  the  fact  was 
published. 

In  1906,  through  the  kindness  of  Miss  Joan  Glad- 
stone, I  became  the  owner  of  a  beautiful  pair  of  the 
species,  which  reached  me  on  May  19th.  The  -weather 
l>eing  encouraging,  I  turned  them  into  my  smaller 
outdoor  a-viary,  and  hoped  I  should  Iiave  good  luck  with 
them.  It  was  a  vain  hope,  for  on  the  21st  the  hen 
dropped  dead  w-bile  flying  froai  the  open  to  the  covered 
part  of  the  aviary,  ami  although  her  lo.ss  did  not  appear 
to  affect  the  rock  bird,  he  evidentl.v  must  have  fought 
with  another  bird — either  Mania  pectoralis  or  M. 
Hariprymnn,  and  had  the  -worst  of  the  encounter.  I 
found  hbn  on  the  26th  looking  sick  and  .sorry,  wiith  a 
nasty  bare  p.at<  h  pecked  on  his  forehead,  and  on  the 
following  day  he  also  died. 

In  1907  {The  Arirtiltural  Magazine,  N.S.,  Vol.  V., 
pp.  325-339)  Mr.  Phillipps  gave  a  further  account  of  his 
Violet-ears  and  their  attempts  to  breed  in  his  garden 
avianies.  Unfortunately,  owing  to  the  damp  and  rain 
they  were  not  perfectly  successful. 


GRASSFINCHES. 


101 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


GRASSFINCHES  AND   MANNIKINS 

{Miiiniiia). 
The  Grassfinclies  and  more  typical  Maimikiiis  are 
practically  one  s,TOup,  dilfering  sHshtly  m  colouring. 
Those  birds  are  as  a  rule  stouter  and  more  clumsy  in 
outline  than  the  WaxbilU;  when  dancing  they  depress 
rather  than  raise  the  beak,  puff  out  the  feathers  of  abdo- 
men and  Hanks,  and  raise  themselves  up  and  down  with 
lateral  twistings— a  kind  of  dance  in  which  the  feet  <to 
not  leave  the  perch  -ami  most  of  them  sing  weakly,  a 
sibilant,  almost  inaudible,  sound  being  produced,  or  a 
vibrant  humming,  with  a  few  weak  sounds  like  the 
creaking  of  a  boot  with  a  thin  high  whistle  at  the 
end  of  it.  The  Silverbills,  the  Java  Sparrow,  and  the 
Chestnut  breasted  Finch  sing  better  than  the  others, 
their  songs  being  perfectly  audible  and  not  unpleasing, 
whilst  the  Mask.'.l  Finch,"  Zebra  and  Bicheno's  Finches 
utter  little  toy-trumpet  notes,  the  Parson  Finch  a  short, 
mellow  little"  flute-like  strophe.  These  last-menticmed 
birds  also  se*m  to  make  less  preparation  for  their  song, 
merely  pulHng  up  the  feathers  of  the  head  and  throat, 
and  Ixibbing  the  head  up  and  down.  Some  of  the  Grass- 
finches,  as  well  as  the  Green  Amaduvade,  drink  after 
the  maJiner  of  pigeons,  sucking  up  the  water  and  swal- 
lowing it  without  elevating  the  beak. 

Grassfinches. 

Crimson   Finch*    {Xeochmia   p/iartoii). 

Its  general  hue  is  crim.son,  brightest  on  the  base  of 
the  forehead,  sides  of  face,  upper  tail-coverts  and  flanks  ; 
the  lower  back  and  primaries  are  brown,  the  crovvn  and 
nape  dull  brown,  the  fonner  dark  in  front ;  the  sides  of 
the  breast  spotted  with  white,  the  centre  of  body  below 
black;  under  wing-coverts  and  inner  webs  of  flights 
below  yellowish ;  beak  carmine,  broadly  whitish  at 
ba.se  ;    feet  reddish  ;   iris  brown. 

The  female  is  paler  than  the  male,  the  back  greyer, 
the  throat  and  chest  greyish  brown,  the  flanks  more 
freely  spotted,  breast  and  abdomen  buff  whitish. 

Inhabits  the  moist  meadows  of  Northern  Austr.Tlia. 

In  a  -wild  state  this  bird  forms  a  flask-shaped  nest  in 
Pandaiiu)!  trees  or  adjacent  shrubs,  or  even  among  the 
stronger  grass  stems.  The  eggs  number  from  four  to 
five,  and  are  white. 

In  Germany  this  bird  is  called  the  "  Australian 
Amaranth"  and  the  "Sun  Astrild."  It  has  such  a 
bad  reputation  as  an  almost  invariable  murderer  of 
other  small  birds  that  I  have  never  cared  to  add  it 
to  my  collection.  It  is.  indeed,  a  showy  little  species, 
though  I  much  prefer  many  of  the  commoner  and 
cheai>er  kinds,  and  it  always  commands  far  too  high  a 
price  when  one  considers  its  malicious  disposition.  It 
is  also  undoubtedly  very  sensitive  to  cold.  It  has  been 
bred  in  captivity. 

P.^RROT  Finch  (Ertjthrura  pxUlarra). 

Male  with  the  bead  (excepting  the  back  of  the  crown), 
the  throat,  rump,  and  closed  tail  vivid  scarlet,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  body  brilliant  grass-green;  the  flight 
feathers  are  dull  brown,  with  greenish  or  yellow  edges; 
the  tail  feathers,  when  open,  are  seen  to  be  blackish, 
with    crimson    borders ;     beak,    brownish    black ;     feet, 

*  The  name  "  Australian  yire-flnch"  is  misleadin^r,  because  this 
species  is  certainly  not  a  Watbill  though  perhaps  m^re  nearly 
related  to  the  Estritdina;  than  any  other  existing  Qrasslincti. 


smoky  brown  ;  iris,  dark  brown.  Female  duller,  the  red 
on  throat  and  forehead  rather  less  extensive  and  the 
feet  paler.     Hab.,  New  Caledonia. 

I  liave  not  come  across  any  notes  on  the  wild  life  of 
this  bird,  but  it  has  be<!n  'freely  bred  in  cajitivity  in 
Germany  by  Lieut.  Hauth,  in  Fnince  by  Mr.  Savage,  in 
Kngland"  by  the  late  Mr.  Wiener,  Mr.  Phillipps,  Mr.  St. 
Quintin,  aiid  Mr.  D.  Seth-Smith.  Its  favourite  nesting- 
receptacle  appears  to  1h'  a  straw  hat.  with  a  round  liolc 
cut  near  the  back  of  the  crown,  and  the  rim  lacked  to 
tlie  aviary-wall.  In  a  snuggery  of  this  kind  Mr.  Seth- 
Smilh  bred  the  species  year  after  year  without  the  least 
trouble. 

Mr.  Filmer  says  that  the  Parrot  Finch  has  no  song, 
but  Lieutenant  llauth  speaks  of  an  utterance  which 
c>ertainly  represents  the  song  of  other  bird.s — a  loud 
prolonged  Ischre,  followed  by  a  trill  resembling  the 
winding  up  of  a  watch. 

As  regards  its  food,  Mr.  Seth-Smith  says: — "White 
millet  and  canaryseed  form  the  staple  food  of  the  Parrot 


Crimson  Finch. 


Finch  in  captivity,  but  it  is  decidedly  fond  of  insects  of 
various  kinds,  and  insect  food  should  be  frequently  given 
in  some  form.  Green  food,  such  as  flowering  grass  and 
chickweed,  should  be  freely  supplied  in  the  sununer,  but 
the  latter  must  be  given  with  extreme  caution  during 
the  winter  mcmths."  Coming  from  New  Caledonia,  the 
price  of  the  Parrot  Finch  is  always  high,  usually  from 
two  to  three  pounds  for  a  pair.  I  was  offered  a  beauti- 
ful pair  for  £2  some  years  ago,  hut  I  h.id  just  lost  a  pair 
of  small  birds  for  which  I  had  given  that  price,  and 
had  promised  myself  that  I  would  not  repeat  the 
extravagance. 

Thrke-coloured  P.\rrot  Finch  {Eri/l!irura  trichroa). 
Above  grass-green,  rather  paler  at  back  of  crown  and 
sides  of  neck;  bastard-wing  and  primary-coverts 
blackish;  flights,  excepting  inner  secondaries  (which  are 
green)  dark  brown,  with  green  edges;  rump,  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  central  tail-feathers  dull  crimson  ;  other  tail- 
feathers  blackish    crimson  on  outer  webs;   forehead  and 


162 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


sides  of  head  blue,  blackish  at  base  of  forehead,  lores 
and  base  of  cheeks  ;  under  surface  lighter  green,  espe- 
cially on  thrtKit  and  bre:ist ;  thighs  bully  yellow  ;  under 
wing-coverts  and  axillaries  bright  buff,  the  latter  tinged 
Vith  green  ;  flights  below  dusky,  their  inner  webs  bright 
buff ;  beak  black ;  feet  pale  bix>wn ;  irides  black. 
Female  altogether  duller.  Hab. ,  Moluccas,  New 
Guinea,  Cai-oline  and  Solomon  Islands. 

Wallace  found  this  species  in  Ternate  at  a  height  of 
2,000  feet;  but  according  t«  Dr.  Guilleiuard  (P.Z.S., 
1885)  it  is  not  confined  to  the  mountains,  but  is  obtain- 
able at  a  considerably  lower  altitude. 

There  seems  to  be  remarkably  little  published  respect- 
ing the  wild  life  of  the  Parrot  Finches,  but  Dr.  Russ 
quotes  the  following  from  Von  Kittlitz's  account: — "In 


P.vitROT  Finches. 

its  home  in  the  island  of  Ualan  this  beautiful  little  bird 
is  less  rare  than  it  seems  to  be  owing  to  its  cunning  and 
secretive  manner  of  life.  It  lives  singly  (or  in  pairs) 
almost  everywhere  -where  there  are  banana  plantations 
and  the  like,  and  strives  to  keep  concealed  near  to  the 
ground.  If  it  is  flushed,  it  flies  for  a  longdistance,  utter- 
ing its  call-note — a  sharp  and  fine  :ilt,  zift.  The  col- 
lector did  not  hear  a  song.  Its  food  consist^s  of  small 
seeds,  especially  the  seed  of  a  kind  of  thi.sfle." 

Russ  -was  of  "opinion  that  there  wa,s  little  prospect  of 
this  species  ever  being  imported  ;  but,  for  many  years 
past,  examples  have  been  occasionally  exhibited  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  and  other  bird-shows.  Occurring,  as  it 
does,  in  many  islands,  I  should  have  thought  it  far  more 
likely  to  come  to  hand  than  the  true  Parrot  Finch. 
PrNTAiLF.D  NoNp.vREiL  i'ErylhrMra  praiina). 

The  Nonpareil  cock  is  of  a  bright  sage-green  colour 
above ;     the    tail-feathers    vermilion-red    tipped     with 


blackish ;  the  two  middle  feathers  blackish  in  th> 
middle,  longer  than  the  others,  £uid  terminating  in 
needle-like  hairs,  whence  the  bird  derives  its  name;  the 
cheeks,  throat,  and  front  of  breast  cobalt  blue,  the 
blue  of  the  fore-ohest  shading  almost  imperceptibly  into 
rose-vermilion,  the  sides,  vent,  and  under  tail-coverts 
golden  brown  :  the  beak  is  black,  and  the  feet  brownish 
flesh  coloured.  The  hen  differs  in  the  absence  of  the 
blue  and  vermilion  of  the  luider  parts,  which  are  re- 
placed by  gi-een  and  golden  brown  respectively.  Hab., 
Southern  Tenasserim,  the  Malay  Peninsula,  Sumatra, 
Java,  and  Borneo. 

Mr.   John   Whitehead   met  with  this  lovely   bird   in 
large  flocks  in  Northern  Borneo  in  the  Dusan  rice-fields, 
and  says  that  they  were  especially  active  late  and  early 
in  the  day. 

"Though  their  plumage  is  composed  of 
the  brightest  of  colour.^,  these  birds  are 
difficult  to  see  when  settled  in  the 
jungle,  into  which  they  fly  on  being 
alarmed."     {The  Ibis,  1889.  p.  436.) 

There  is  some  resemblance  in  colouring 
between  this  species  and  the  larger 
Bunting  known  as  the  .iVmerican 
Nonpareil. 

About  the  year  1889  two  cocks  of  this 
species  were  given  to  me  by  the  Hon. 
Walter  Rothscliild  (who  for  several  years 
was  good  enough  to  add  any  pretty 
little  species  which  he  chanced  to  see  in 
the  bird  shops  to  my  collection).  As 
they  appeared  to  be  in  fairly  good 
health.  I  turned  them  into  my  bird- 
room  with  other  ornamental  Finches.  I 
supplied  them  with  paddy-rice,  grass- 
seed,  grass  in  the  ear,  spray-millet  and 
egg-food,  in  addition  to  the  staple  seeds, 
wliite  millet  and  canary  ;  they  also  had 
a  good  patch  of  fresh  turf  to  pick  over; 
nevertheless,  in  about  three  weeks  they 
were  both  dead,  and  a  post-mortem 
examination  revealed  an  unliealthy  con- 
dition of  the  liver  and  spleen  and 
violent  inflammation  of  the  intestines. 

On  February  19th,  1897.  I  purchased  a 
pair   and    turned    them   into   one    of   my 
large  flight  cages.      At   first  these   birds 
were  very  wild,  and  always  roosted  close 
to  the  back  of  the  cage,  but  in  time  they 
became  a    little   more   confident,    though 
never    really   tame.     The   hen    was   very 
weak.,and  for  a  month  could  only   reach 
the  perch  by  running  up  the  wire  front,  then  for  a  season 
.she  seemed  "entirely  to  recover,  but  in  August  the  weak- 
ness  returned,  and  she  died  liefore  th»  end  of  that  month. 
The  male,  however,  retained  its  health  until  July.  1898. 
when,  at  the  commencement  of  its  moult,  it  also  died.     I 
found  that  tJiese  birds  would  not  touch  spray  millet,  but 
white  millet,  canary  and  oats  exactly  suited  tlieni;    in 
fact,  oats  are  an  excellent  substitute  for  paddy-rice  when 
the  latter  is  not  readily  obtainable,  but  the  Pintailed 
Nonpareil  certainly  prefers  rice. 

In  Julv,  1906.  a  fairly  l.xrge  consignment  of  this  species 
arrived  in  the  lyondon  market,  and  my  friend  Miss  Glad- 
stone kindlv  sent  me  a  pair  on  the  13th  ;  iinfortunately 
the  cock  died  three  diiys  later,  whereupon  she  ordered  a 
second  pair  to  be  sent  to  me  ;  the  cock  arrived  with  a 
broken  leg,  and  the  supposed  hen  was  a  young  cock  ; 
both  were  dead  by  the  29th.  Miss  Gladstone  then 
ordered  two  cock  birds  to  be  sent  to  me  ;  both  were  in 
the  young  plumage  when  they  arrived  on  August  2nd ; 


GOULDIAN   FINCHES. 


Black-headkd    (VIalk) 


Ked-heaued  (Malk). 
Black-headed   (Female). 


164 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


one  cime  into  the  full  colour  with  bright  vermilion 
underparts,  the  other  had  the  undeqjarts  of  a.  deep 
sandy  huffish  colour.  The  brighter  cock  died  on 
April  50th.  1907,  und  on  May  12th  I  turned  the  surviv- 
ing pair  into  my  smaller  outdoor  aviary  in  the  hope  of 
breeding  the  species,  Ihey  were  exceedingly  active, 
always  together,  frequently  examined  the  straw  hat  and 
other  neeting-receptacles,  but  never  went  to  nest.  I  did 
not  bring  them  indoors  again  until  October  7th,  but 
neither  the  early  frosts  nor  fogs  seemed  to  inconvenience 
them,  and  I  am  sure  that  the  five  month.';  in  the  open  air 
greatly  invigorated  them.  The  cock  died  April  14th,  1908. 

In  Germany  the  Pintailed  Nonpareil  was  bred  by 
Lieut.  Hauth  'in  1886. 

GouLDiAN  Finch  (Poei>liila  mirahilis). 

The  male  red-head  has  the  top  of  the  head  to  beyond 
the  middle,  the  face  and  cheeks  carmine-red,  edged  out- 
wardly by  a  narrow  black  stripe  which  unites  with  a 
black  patch  covering  the  chin  and  centre  of  throat ; 
beyond  this  ci>mes  a  line  of  almost  metallic  cobalt-blue, 
shading  on  the  back  of  the  head  into  peacock-green, 
and  on  the  neck  and  back  into  golden-green  ;  the  flight 
feathers  are  blackish-grey,  with  pale  and  partly  green 
tinted  edges  to  the  outer  webs ;  the  upper  tail-coverts 
are  almost  metallic  peacock- green,  shading  into  cobalt- 
blue  ;  the  tail  has  the  two  centre  feathers  black, 
elongated  and  tapering  to  a  fine  point,  the  remaining 
feathers  blackisli  with  pale  tips;  under  tail  feathers 
white ;  the  breast  is  completely  covered  by  a  broad 
belt  of  intense  violet-ultramarine,  which  in  life  can 
onlv  be  compared  with  the  colouring  of  the  most  bril- 
liant blue  pansies  ;  the  belly  is  bright  saffron-yellow  ; 
the  legs  and  beak  flesh-pink,  the  latter  tipped  and 
tinted  with  rosy  carmine.  The  female  is  altogether 
duller  and  paler  "than  the  cock,  the  edging  of  the  crown 
and  gorget  pale  green  ;  the  carmine  frequently  much 
more  restricted,  sometimes  only  represented  by  a  few 
feather-fringes  ;  the  neck,  back,  and  upper  wing-coverts 
more  olive,  the  lower  back  and  upper  tail-coverts  pale 
emerald-green ;  the  central  tail  feathers  decidedly 
shorter;  the  breast  rosy-lilac,  the  hind  chest  and  abdo- 
men pale  yellow  in  the  centre  and  fading  to  white  cm 
the  vent.     Hab.,  Northern  and  North-Western  Australia. 

This  beautiful  bird  has  three  varieties,  in  which  the 
face  is  either  black  (P.  qoulrlirr),  carmine  red  {P.  mira 
bilis),  or  yellow  {P.  armilinna).  They  are  in  no  sense 
species,  because,  in  the  first  place,  a  red-faced  mal^ 
and  black-faoed  female  were  shot  by  Dr.  R-amsay's  col- 
lector from  the  same  nest  in  a  wild  state  :  in  the  second 
place,  when  sexes  of  both  forms  are  a.^ociated  in  the 
same  large  aviary  the  black-faced  hen  usually  deserts  her 
presumed  natural  mate  and  joins  the  male  red-faced 
variety  ;  and  la-stly,  because  Dr.  Ramsay  bred  all  three 
varieties  from  a  pair  of  black-faced  birds  in  his  aviary 
at  Sydney.  In  addition  to  these  f.acts,  it  is  noteworthy 
that  there  is  considerable  variation  in  the  amount  of 
carmine  on  individual  red-heads,  and  especially  in  the 
female  sex.  Some  hens  only  have  a  few  red  feathers  on 
the  blacl-,  many  have  a  fairly  large  red  patch  surrounded 
bv  black,  and  a  few  have  the  red  as  well  developed 
as  in  the  best-marked  cock  birds. 

The  dome-shaped  nest  is,  in  a  state  of  freedom, 
usually  situated  in  a  tree  or  bush  not  far  fi-om  the 
ground,  and  the  white  eggs  are  frequently  five  in 
number.  In  captivity  it  i.s  by  no  means  easy  to  breed 
unless  kept  in  a  large  garden  .aviary.  I  believe  that  in 
such  an  enclosure  Mr.  Mea<le  Waldo  was  successful  in 
rearing  yf)aing  out  of  doors  even  at  Christmas  time  ;  he 
consequently  considers  the   species   very  hardy. 

Mr.   Reginald   Philli|)ps  was,   I   believe,  the  first  to 


breed  it  in  this  coujiti-y  and  in  a  room,  the  birds  having 
two  large  flight-cages  at  their  disposal  and  being  per- 
mitted to  fly  acroiis  from  one  to  the  other.  In  outdoor 
aviaries  it  has  been  bred  by  various  aviculturists,  but 
unfortunately,  for  a  good  many  years,  I  was  obliged  to 
attempt  breeding  it  in  warmed  indoor  aviaries,  and  I 
failed  every  time.  Ln  a  moderately  warm  aviary  under 
cover  the  Gouldian  Finch,  if  allowed  to  breed  in  the 
winter,  usually  succumbs  to  egg-binding ;  but  this  is, 
unhappily,  often  the  case  in  the  height  of  summer. 

Altogether  I  suppose  I  have  purchased,  at  different 
times,  at  lea^t  fifteen  pairs  of  Gouldian  Finches.  In 
1896  I  secured  a  batch  of  eight  birds  in  nestling 
plumage  ;  of  these,  five  died  in  moult,  leaving  me  three 
cock  blacklieads  in  perfect  plumage;  one  of  these  died 
in  1898  and  a  second  in  1900 ;  the  remaining  bird  lived 
on  until  July  26th,  1902.  As  its  age  increased  this 
bii-d  became  more  and  more  melanistic  with  every  moult. 
At  its  death  it  was  so  remarkable  in  colouring  tliat  I 
presented  it  to  the  Natural  History  Museum,  and  pub- 
lished a  full  aocount  of  it  {Tlic  Tbi'.%  1903,  pp.  674-676). 
On  May  25th,  1905,  I  purchased  two  pairs,  one  of  the 
red^ieaded  variety  {P.  7nirabilis),  the  other  of  the  black- 
headed  variety  {P.  gouldim).  I  turned  P.  mirabilis 
with  P.  gouldim  into  a  16-foot  aviary  indoors  and 
/-".  gouldm  with  P.  mirahilis  into  a  30-foot  aviary  in 
the  garden.  The  hen  indoors  died  egg-bound,  and  was 
replaced  on  August  2nd,  but  it  also  died  shortly  after- 
wards. The  pair  outside  went  to  nest  in  an  old  straw 
hat  tacked  on  the  wall,  but  at  fir.st  without  result:  late-- 
they  again  nested  in  (he  same  receptacle,  and  early  in 
September  I  heard  young  birds.  They  remained  so  long 
in  tile  nest  that  I  feared  they  must  have  died,  but  on 
October  9  two  vigorous  youngsters  flew  ;  they  were  as 
large  as  their  parents,  but  of  course  in  the  greenish  and 
grey  livery  of  the  nestling,  and  with  the  characteristic 
blue  bead-like  warts  at  the  base  of  their  beaks.  On 
the  13th  both  young  birds  could  feed  themselves. 

After  several"  .sharp  frosts,  during  which  I  have  seen 
my  Gouldians  bathing  as  soon  as  the  ice  had  melted 
on  their  water-pan,  and  thoroughly  enjoying  it,  I  even- 
tuallv  got  scared  by  the  commencement  of  the  Novem- 
ber fogs  and  brought  them  indoors.  Meanwhile  my 
cock  P.  mirdhilis  indoors  had  died.  The  two  youngsters 
were  long  coming  into  colour;  the  male,  however,  was 
fully  coloured  by  June  17th.  1906,  but  the  female  not 
until  August  16th.  The  male  typical  P.  mirabilit,  the 
female  tvpical  P.  gouldim. 

In  February,  1906,  I  purchased  a  magnificent  p.air  of 
P.  miroAifo,  hoping  to  breed  from  them,  but  they  both 
died  just  as  the  weather  became  mild  enough  to  turn 
them  out,  so  I  had  to  start  again  with  my  old  pair. 
They  again  reared  twe  young  ones,  but  I  left  them  out 
too  late,  and  the  young  cock  was  killed  bv  the  Novem- 
ber fogs  :  tlie  voung  hen  came  into  colour  in  the  summer 
of  1907.  In  the  latter  year  my  old  cock  bird  broke  his 
wing  and  died  just  when  the  sea.«on  was  commencing, 
and  thus  for  the  time  stopped  my  efforts  to  breed  a  stock 
of  this  lovely  Finch. 

There  is  not  the  least  doubt  that  after  a  season  in  the 
open  air  the  old  birds  are  greatly  invigorated,  and  that 
tlie  young  bred  out  of  doors  are  as  hardy  as  any  species. 
Seen  indoors,  the  OSouldian  Finch  seems  a  dull,  heavy, 
apathetic  little  creature,  but  outside  it  is  swift  on  the 
wins,  lively  in  its  manners,  has  a  oheerv  little  chirp,  is 
confidinc  and   in  .all   respects  delightful. 

Messrs.  Pavne  and  Wallace  have  printed  an  interest- 
ing account  of  their  method  of  capturing  Gouldian 
Finches  in  a  small  pamphlet:  an  extract  has  been  pub- 
lished in   The  Avirvlttiral  Mngniinr. 

I  believe  that,  w-hen  kept  warm.  Gouldian  Finches  live 


GRASSFINCHES. 


165 


well  in  a  fligiht  cage,  and  that 
millet  in  the  ear  is  absolutely- 
necessary  to  their  health ;  they 
always  bei;in  to  fail  if  it  is  with- 
drawn for  a  few  days. 

The  yuun^  are  fed  chiefly  upon 
seed  rejjurgitated  from  the  crops  of 
the  parents ;  1  believe  that  the 
latter  also  get  a  certain  amount  of 
minute  insect-life  from  the  bushes  ; 
they  never,  however,  seem  to  touch 
either  green  food  or  any  soft 
mixture. 

There  is  a  wide  gap  between  the 
preceding  and  the  other  speoie.s  of 
Poejjhila,  and  I  could  wish  that 
the  latter  had  been  referred  to  a 
different  genus.  The  (louldian 
Finch  has  the  typical  song  of  a 
Gra-ssfinch  ;  the  Ma.sked  and 
probably  the  White  eared  Gra.ss- 
finches  have  nearly  the  note  of  the 
Zebra -Hnch,  but  the  1'a.rsoji-finch 
and  Long-tailed  Grassfinch  have  a 
musical  little  song,  consisting  of 
€ight  notes ;  the  four  last  have 
certain  colour-cbaract«rs  in  coni- 
mon.  but  not  one  of  them  has  the 
slight^'st  resemblance  to  a  Gouldian  Finch. 

White-eared  Grassfinch   (Poephila  leucotis). 

Above  ruddy  cinnamon  brown  ;  crown  a  little  darker ; 
rump  and  upper  tail-ooverts  white,  black  at  the  sides  ; 
flights  bl.ickish,  primaries  edged  with  "whitish,  remain- 
ing feathers  externally  cdonamon  brown;  tail  black; 
head  all  round  bla.ck  behind  the  beat ;  back  of  cheeks 
and  ear-coverts  white;  sides  of  neck,  throat  and  breast 
rosv  huffi.sh ;  sides  of  breast  and  remainder  of  body 
below  while,  with  a  large  black  patch  on  the  flank.9 ; 
flights  below  dusky,  -with  rufescent  inner  webs  ;  beak 
pale  yellow  ;  feet  coral  red  :  irides  dark  brown.  Female 
very  similar,  but  apparently  a  somewhat  slimmer  bird 
Ilab.,  North  Australia. 

According  to  Cimpbell,  the  nest  and  ejgs  of  this  bird 
are  undescribed,  and  all  that  Gould  tells  us  about  it  is 


\Vihtk-i;arku  (Jbassfinch. 


Masked  Grasskincii. 

that,  "  like  other  members  of  the  genus,  it  inliabits  the 
open  spots  of  country  and  feeds  on  grass-seeds." 

Mr.  Reginald  Phillipps,  who  had  five  examples  of  the 
species,  published  a  full  and  interesting  account  of  them, 
illustrated  by  a  coloured  plate,  in  The  Avicultural 
Magazine,  1st  ser.,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  169-172  and  185-188. 
His  binds  built  several  nests — or  "  squatting-places,"  as 
he  calls  them — in  which  there  was  a  lining  of  feathers  ; 
but  with  no  satisfactory  re-sult.  It  is  evident  that  Mr. 
Phillipps  regards  P.  hucotis  as  extremely  closely  related 
to  P.  persona/a,  but  nevertheless  distinct.  Both  have 
the  tiny  trumpet-note  of  the  common  Zebra-finch,  to 
which  I  believe  them  to  be  more  nearly  related  than  to 
P.  qouidice,  although  placed  in  the  same  genus  with 
the  latter.  I  have  never  had  an  opportunity  of  securing 
specimens  of  P.  hucotis.  In  my  opinion  it  would  be 
advantngeous  to  adopt  Beichen- 
baoh's  name  of  C'hlcelia  for  P. 
mirabilis. 

Masked  Grassfinch  (Poephila 
personata). 

Above  rosy-brown,  much  more 
cinnamon  on  the  crown ;  rump  and 
upper  tail-ooverts  white ;  (lights 
brown,  with  rosy-brownish  outer 
borders  ;  tail  black  ;  head  aU  round 
black  close  to  the  beak,  as  in  F. 
leucotis  ;  sides  of  face  and  under 
surface  rosy-brown  ;  the  abdomen 
and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  a 
large  black  patch  on  the  flanks ; 
flights  below  dusky,  rufescent 
along  inner  web;  beak  clear 
ochreous ;  feel  flashy  red  ;  irides 
red.  Female  slightly  smaller  and 
duller,  with  less  cinnamon  tinting 
on  the  crown.  Ha.b. ,  North  and 
North-west  Australia. 

According  to  Gilbert  ("Gould's 
Handbook  to  Birds  of  Australia," 
Vol.  r.,  p.  423),  "it  inhabit? 
grassy  meadows  near  streams,  feed- 
ing on   grass-seeds,   etc.      It  was 


lUU 


KORELUX    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


tolerably  abundant,  being  congregated  in  flocks  of  from 
twenty  to  forty.  When  on  the  wiing  it  utters  a  very 
feeble  cry  of  Iwil,  tail,  twit,  but  at  other  times  pours 
forth  a  drawn-out,  mournful  note,  like  that  of  some  of 
the  other  UrassWnches." 

This  species  was  bred  in  captivity  by  Mr.  L.  W. 
Hawkins  in  1900,  and  in  the  same  year  ilr.  Phillipps 
gave  an  illustrated  acc-ount  of  the  specdes  in  The  Avicul- 
tural  Ma<jaziiu.  1st  Ser.,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  259-262,  in 
which  he  says  that  it  has  from  time  to  time  nested 
with  him,   but  not  satisfactorily. 

I  poirchased  a  pair  of  the  species  in  .May,  1905,  and 
turned  them  into  an  lindoor  aviary;  they  carried  about 
hay  at  various  times,  and  were  often  to  be  seen  in  the 
con!i,)Mny  of  two  hen  Zebra  Finches,  sitting 
in  Hartz  cages  and  pretending  to  have  eggs 
(their  usual  note   is  not  unlike  that  of  the 
Zebra  Finch)  ;    but   up   to  the   end   of   1907 
they  had  made  no  seriims  attempt  at  breed- 
ing."* 

LoNC-T.ill.ED    Gr.isskinch    {PllCpllUa 
acut'irduila). 

Above  rosy -brown,  moie  earthy  on  lower 
back,  wing-coverts  and  inner  secondaries; 
upper  tail-coverts  white ;  the  rump  crossed 
by  a  black  band;  flights  blackish; 
primaries  with  whitish  outer  margins ;  tail 
black;  crown  and  sides  of  head  .sdver  grey 
or  greyish  w  liite ;  loral  spot,  eyelid  anil 
throat  bhck ;  body  below,  from  throat 
backwards,  rosy  fawn-colour;  thighs,  vent, 
and  under  tail-coverts  white;  a  broad  black 
hand  between  the  fawn  of  the  breast  and 
the  white  of  the  vent ;  under  wing-coverts 
and  tdgL'~  of  fliglits  deep  fawn-colour;  beak 
waxy  yellow;  feet  fleshy-yellowish;  irides 
black.  Female  generally  slightly  smaller; 
tail  usually  longer ;  black  gorget  rather 
smaller.     Hab. ,    North  Australia. 

In  its  wild  state  the  Long-tailed  Grass- 
finch  is  said  to  inhabit  the  open  plains 
bo.-dering  streams,  and  to  feed  on  gras,  and 
^other  seeds. 

According  to  Campbell,  the  nesting  habits 
resemble  those  of  /'.  rinria  ;  and  that  is  all 
I  have  found  recorded  respecting  the  wild 
life. 

Formerly  this  was  a  rare  fipecies  in  the 
bird-m.arktt,  but  in  the  nineties  it  began 
to  come  to  liand  more  and  more  frequently, 
together  with  its  .mbspecies  I'nephila  licrki 
of  HeinTotb  iauranfiirostris.  North);  in 
1905  and  1906  great  numbers  were  brought 
home  by  Mr.  Payne,  and  the  price  dropjfed 
to  ICs.  a  pair.  T  pnrch.ised  a  pair  in  1905 
which  died  almost  as  scjon  as  I  got  them,  and  in  1906  I 
purcha.«ed  a  .'econd  pair,  which  lived,  but  never  bi-ed. 

The  snibspi'cjps  (?)  or  rather  variety  with  orange-red 
beak  and  fi'et  I  receive<l  a  female  of,  about  the  year 
1897,  which  I  paiix'd  with  a  cock  Parson  Finch. 

A  nest  was  built  in  which  both  birds  roosted  together, 
but  I  believe  no  eggs  were  deposited.  Eventually  a 
large  tumour  formed  at  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible, 
■which  so  weakened  the  Long-tail  that  one  morning 
(26th  .lime,  1898)  I  found  her  floating  dead  in  the  water- 
pan  in  an  inch  and  a-half  of  water. 

In  England  the  Ijong-tail>d  Grassfinch  was  first  bre<l 
by  Mr.  Todd,  but  subsequently  several  other  avicul- 
turists  were  equally  successful. 

•  It  has  been  bred  by  Mr.  D.  SeUi-Smith  and  Mr.  T.  N.  Wilton. 


Parson  Finch  {Poephila  cincia). 

The  head  is  silver-grey,  the  beak,  chin,  throat,  and 
fore-chest  black ;  the  back  fawn  colour  shading  into 
vandyke-brown  on  the  wings  and  rump ;  upper  tail 
coverts  black,  broadly  tipped  with  wdiit<?,  tail  black,  the 
two  centre  feathers  pointed  and  terminating  in  a  short 
bristle;  under  parts  of  body  fight  rufous  brown;  vent 
and  un<ler  tail-coverts  wdute ;  feet  salmon  red.  The 
cock  usually  differs  from  the  hen  in  its  slightly  broader 
head,  which  is  of  rather  a  whiter  tint,  and  the  greater 
extent  of  the  black  patcli  on  the  Ihroit  ;  the  sexes  are 
nevertheless  not  eisy  to  determine.  Hab.,  North-east 
and  South  Australia. 

In  its  wild  st  ite  this  bird  frequents  open  grassy  plains 


LOXG-TAILED   (iRASSFINCHES. 


and  forms  its  nest  in  long  gra.ss  or  Pandanus  bushes, 
laying  five  white  eggs.  In  captivity  it  js  one  of  the 
most  attractive  of -aviary  birds,  though  sonu-what 
aggressive,  (interfering  with  the  nests  of  other  birds, 
and  violently  attacking  any  bird  (no  matter  how  large) 
which  approaches  its  own.  I  was  much  amused  one  day 
to  see  a  ooek  Parson  Finch  in  a  grievous  rage  fly  at  a 
Tiar-shouldered  Dove  ;uid  pluck  a  couple  of  feathers 
from  its  back  ;  yet  the  s;ur.e  impudent  little  mite  made 
a  fast  friend  of  a  Bronze-winged  Pigton,  close  to 
which  he  used  to  sit  sometimes  for  a  great  part  O'f  each 
day. 

.ludging  by  the  self-satisfie<l  actions  of  this  very  Tit- 
like Finch,  it  would  seem  to  be  one  of  the  most  con- 
ceited of  the  feathered  race;  but  this  assertive  impu- 
dnce  is  one  of  the  greatest  charms  of  the  bird. 


GRASSFINCHES. 


167 


The  call-note  is  a  melancholy  kittenish  sort  of  cry, 
but  the  song  is  undmibtedly  pleasing: — 


Wlit'ii  tnnifyl  loose  in  an  avi;iry,  a  p;iir  of  Parson 
Finches  will  'j<>  at  home  almost  iinimxliat-cly,  and  after 
pickinj;  about  tin  tlie  earth  for  an  hour  or  su  will  begin 
to  think  about  Kottuif;  up  housekcepini; :  then  the  sing- 
ing and  dancing  begin,  and  if  materials  for  building 
are  given  a  nest  is  soon  formed  either  in  a  canary-cage 


Parson  Finch. 

(Head  and  bhoutderit  of  malf.) 

or  cigar  nest-box ;  in  the  former  it  is 
arched  over  as  a  screen  from  prying 
eyes,  but  in  the  latter  a  simple  open 
nest  is  formed  level  with  the  opening 
of  the  box.  Both  birds  sit,  and  if  the 
hen  bird  does  not  become  egg-bound 
there  will  be  little  difHculty  in  breeding 
the  species.  Unhappily  this  is  exactly 
what  usually  does  happen,  so  that  I 
have  only  once  been  successful,  and 
even  then  the  young  were  murdered  by 
an  unpaired  cock  of  the  same  species 
within  a  day  or  two  of  their  leavmg 
the  nest.  Only  one  pair  of  this  species 
should  be  permitted  to  inhabit  the  same 
aviary. 

From  first  to  last  I  suppose  I  nave 
had  about  a  dozen  pairs  of  the  Parson 
Finch,  and  although  exceptions  occur 
in  this  as  in  all  species,  I  do  not  con- 
sider Poep/tila  cincta  by  any  means  a 
safe  bird  for  a  mixed  community  of  liny 
Finches.  It  is  usually  an  interfering 
and  dan_gerous  little  busybody,  to  whom 
I  have  often  been  indebted  for  the  loss 
of  interesting  nests,  and  occasionally  of 
inoffensive  little  birds  which  had  per- 
chance excited  its  evil  passions. 

In  August,  1897,  Mr.  Abrahams  sent 
me  the  skin  and  sketch  of  a  hyljrid 
between  a  cock  Parson  Finch  and  a 
white   Beng:dee. 

In  this  hybrid  the  characteristics  of 
the  father  are  strongly  brought  out  ; 
but  a  mere  examination  of  the  skin 
would  lead  anyone  to  suppose  that  the 
mother  had  been  a  Striated  Finch,  to 
which  type  the  bird  appears  to  have 
reverted   in   a  remarkable  degree. 


The  large  black  gorget  of  the  Parson  Finch  is  repre- 
sented by  a  slightly  more  restricted  snow-white  patch 
irregularly  bordered  with  black;  the  chin  remains  black, 
but  the  silvery-ash  colour  of  the  crown  and  .sides  of  (he 
head  are  barely  indicated  by  a  diffui^ed  hoary  patch  on 
the  cheeks ;  the  white  nmip  is  also  only  represented  by 
a  slight  ashy  tinting  of  the  feathers  ;  the  vent,  as  might 
be  expected,  remains  white  ;  the  black  belt,  extending 
obliquely  from  below  the  wing  to  the  thigh,  remains 
exactly  as  in  the  Parson  Kinoh,  but  is  preceded  by 
white  on  the  abdomen  ;  the  c<»louring  of  tne  breast  is 
deeper  and  soniowhat  greyer  than  in  the  Parson  Finch, 
the   hinder  portion   lieing  especially   grey  tinted. 

The  colouring  of  the  face  to  behind  the  eye,  the  crown,  ■ 
nape,  mantle,  and  tail  arc  precisely  as  in  the  Striated 
Finch.  The  form  of  the  beak  is  exactly  that  of  this 
species,  as  also  the  form  of  the  tail ;  the  base  of  the 
lower  mandible  'was  evidently  whiti.sh,  otherwi.se  the 
beak  agreed  in  colouring  with  that  of  Uroloncha  Hriata. 
I  think  the.»©  facts  are  extremely  interesting,  as  proving, 
or  tending  to  prove,  that  the  Striated  and  not  the  Siharp- 
tailed  Finch  was  the  original  ancestor  of  the  Bengalee. 

This  marvellous  hybrid  was,  iniliappily,  not  bred  in 
this  country,  but  by  Mr.  F.  Kamsties,  of  Konigsberg. 
When  in  Mr.  Abrahams'  care,  in  1887,  a  coloured  sketch 
of  it  was  prepared,  from  which  the  illustration  above 
was  made. 

For  some  years  after  1890  the  price  of  the  Par.soTi  Finch 
was  very  reasonable,  but  after  the  nearly  related  Long- 
tailed  Grassfinch  hid  become  a  familiar  object  in  the 
bird-market,  the  price  of  Parson  Finches  rose  to  about 


Parson  Finch— White  Bengalee  Hybrid. 


168 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


u  level  with  its  handsomer  relative ;  as  the  latter  is  far 
less  inclined  to  be  spiteful,  I  think  the  dealers  made 
a  mistake  in  raising  the  price  of  I'oeiihihi  rinrta :  the 
two  birds  offered  at  the  same  price  do  not  now  stand 
an  equal  cliaiK-e  of  going  off,  since  I',  aiulirauda  has 
every  advantage  to  recommend  it  to  the  purcliaser. 
Diamond  or  SroTTKOsiDED  Finch  (Staganopltura 

t/iitlala.) 
General  colour  of  upper  surface  mouse-brown,  greyer 
on  the  liead ;  the  rump  nnd  upper  tail  coverts  fiery 
carmine  red,  the  tail  intense  black  ;  the  under  parts  arc 
pure  white,  vvith  a  broad  heit  of  jet  black  across  the 
client ;  sides  black,  eacli  feather  l>eing  marked  externally 
with  a  snowy-white  semicircular  spot;  tlie  beak  is 
crimson,  that  of  the  hen  being  rose-pink  at  the  base  of 
the  upper  mandible  ;  liehind  the  upper  mandible  is  a 
patch  of  black  which  extends  to  the  eye;  feet  grey. 
In  order  to  distinguish  the  sexes  of  this  lovely  species 
it  is  necessary  to  compare  the  heads  side  Ijy  "side,  the 
different  colouring  at  the  base  of  the  beak  is  then  easily 
seen,  and  the  cock  will  be  found  to  have  a  slightly 
broader  head.  Hab.,  South  Australia  to  New  South 
Wales,  and  northward  to  the  Wide  H.ay  District. 

In  its  wild  state  this  bird  is  widely  distributed,  and 
builds  its  nest  of  wiry  grasses,  and  of  the  usual  form,  in 
glim  or  njjple  trees,  or  in  the  sticks  forming  the  founda- 
tions of  a  small  eagle's  nest.  In  confinement,  however, 
it  appears  to  prefer  a  travelling  Canary  cage  to  all  other 
receptacles,  but  owing  to  the  absurd  jealousy  of  the 
hen  it  is  not  easy  to  breed,  as  she  resists  every  effort 
of  the  cock  bird  to  enter  the  nest  by  day,  vet  insists 
ujxm  his  entering  it  to  pass  the  night. 

.\bout  1889  the  male  of  a  pair  which  I  had  persisted 
in  entering  the  nest  in  the  day-time,  and  eventually 
his  wife  killed  him.  Subsequently  she  went  about 
moping  and  calling  him  until  she  fell  ill  and  died  also. 
It  was  years  before  I  had  a  second  pair,  for  the  im- 
portation of  the  species  suddenly  fell  off,  .^o  that  it 
must  have  been  about  1895  that  I  eventually  succeeded  ; 
they  did  not,  however,  live  many  months  in  my 
possession. 

I  bourrht  my  third  pair  either  in  1904  or  1905;  the 
female  did  not  live  many  months,  and  the  male  died 
at  the  end  of  October,  1906.  It  was  a  very  interesting 
example,  in  which  some  of  the  breast  feathers  were 
tiiiped  with  rose-red,  an  instance  of  reversion  to  an 
ancestral  tvpe  (in  which  the  breast  was  doubtlpFS  largely 
crimson,  as  in  the  hybrid  between  the  Diamond  and 
Zebra  Finches:  cf.  T/if  A  rlnilfiiifil  .Vm/ozinr.  n.s., 
V^ol  I\'.,  pp.  345-354,  with  coloured  plate).' 

The  call-note  of  tliLs  species,  like  that  of  the  Parson 
Finch,  IS  plaintive  and  iinpleasing.  and  the  smg  is  con- 
temptible, but  the  love  dance  is  exceedingly  ludicrous: 
I  got  my  artist  to  draw  it  from  life  and  rep"roduce  it  on 
tlie  plate  of  this  species  in  my  "Foreign  Finches  in 
Captivity." 

Like    nearly  all   the    .Australian   ornamental    Finches 
the   Diamond   or   Spotted-sided    Finch   is   indifferent   to 
cold,   and   perfectly  capable  (,f  passing   itvs  existence   in 
an  open-air  aviary. 

P.MNTKD  FiNcit  {Emhlrma  phla). 
General  colour  above  pale  brown;  flights  d.irker  • 
rump  and  upper  tiil-coverts  bright  scarlet?  t.iil-fcatliers 
blackish,  tinged  with  scarlet  on  the  margins  ;  lores,  a 
narrov  eyebrow,  feathers  of  orbital  region  and  front  of 
cheeks  scarlet;  throat  and  body  l)eh>w  black;  a  few 
feathers  on  chin  and  front  of  throat  tipped  with  .scarlet  • 
<  entie  of  ne<  k  and  chest  scarlet ;  sides  and  flanks  con- 
spicuously sfiotted  with  white,  the  ground-colour  of  the 
flanks    being    brown  ;     under    wing-coverts    vcllowish  • 


under  tail-coverts  black ;  upper  mandible  black,  tipped 
with  scarlet,  lower  mandible  scarlet,  with  a  blue  patch 
at  the  base;  feet  probably  flesh  brown  ;  irides  straw- 
whitish.  Female  without  scarlet  on  the  cheeks,  orbital 
region  and  throat,  and  only  a  tinge  on  the  breast ; 
under  surface  of  body  browner  and  more  plentifully 
B|X)tt^d  with  white.  Hab.,  West,  North-West,  and 
South  Australia,  and  New  South  W.ales.  A.  J.  Camp- 
bell ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  .Australian  Birds,"  p.  482) 
quoted  the  following  notes  on  the  wild  life  by  Mr.  G.  A. 
Keartland  :  "  These  beautiful  Finches  were  first  found 
in  the  rocky  gorges  of  .McMimi's  Range,  and  subse- 
quently at  Stoke.s'  Pass,  Glen  of  Palms,  and  Hagot's 
Spring.  They  are  very  timid,  and  somewhat  difficult 
to  approach.  Although  there  is  no  sexual  difference  in 
plumage,  they  vary  with  age.  The  scarlet  patch,  so 
conspicuous  on  the  breasts  of  adults,  is  almost  or  entirely 
absent  on  the  young  ones,  and  the  rich  black  on  the 
under  parts  of  the  mature  birds  is  also  replaced  by  a 
smoky  black  on  the  young.  Several  of  their  nests  were 
seen,  which  closely  resembled  those  of  Tn^ninprfqia 
castanntix,  but  "were  a  trifle  Larger  in  size.  They  were 
placed  on  low  bushes,  built  of  grass,  and  oval-shaped. 
Unfortunately,  they  all  contained  young  birds.  The 
eyes  of  the  adults  being  white,  give  the  live  birds  a  re- 
markable appearance."* 

Mr.  Campbell  describes  the  nest  and  eggs  as  fol- 
lows: — "  Nent. — Bottle-shaped  or  covered  in,  with  a 
spouted  side  entrance ;  constructed  of  grasses  chiefly, 
with  the  addition  of  portions  of  other  plants;  lined 
inside  somewhat  sparingly  with  fine  grasses  and  fur  or 
feathers.  Usually  situated  in  a  thicklyfoliaged  tree  or 
bush.  Dimensions  aliout  12  inches  in  length  bv  18 
inches  in  circumference  round  tliickest  part  of  the  body. 
f!(j'js. — Clutch,  five  to  seven,  occasionally  eight;  long 
oval  or  lengthened  in  form;  texture  of  shell  fine;  sur- 
face witliout  gloss  ;  colour  pure  white.  l)im'?nsions  in 
inches  of  a  full  clutch  :  (1)  .75  bv  .53,  (2)  .75  by  .52, 
(3)  .73  bv  .51,  (4)  .72  by  .51.  (5)  ".71  bv  .52,  (6)  ."69  by 
.52.  (7)  .69  bv  .49."  The  late  Mr.  Wie'ner  snceeded  in 
securing  specimens  of  this  rare  Grass  finch  in  1869  and 
1877,  and  he  .saw-  the  dead  bodies  of  some  recently  im- 
ported specimens  in  1877;  Dr.  Puss  also  mentions  that 
Mr.  Preyer,  of  Trieste,  possessed  a  specimen  in  1875, 
and  Miss  Hagenbeck  sent  him  one  in  1877. 

From  that  date  the  species  appears  to  have  practicall.v 
disappeared  from  the  Kuropean  market  until  Messrs. 
Payne  and  Wallace  obtained  a  pair  in  1905,  which  were 
secured  in  Italy  by  the  Hev.  Hubert  D.  .\stley.  In 
1907  the  same  collectors  had  a  second  pair  in  their 
collection  at  Batli,  hut  naturally  wlien  so  few  examples 
are  imported  the  price  of  thc'e  lovely  birds  is  too  high 
to  tempt  any  but  the  wealthy.  In  1908  a  fair  number 
came  to  hand,  but  the  price  was  excessive.  Dr.  Russ 
first  pointed  out  the  relationship  of  this  species  to  the 
Spotted  sided  Finib,  though  he  unaccountably  retained 
it  .among  the  Waxbills,  and  thereby  led  me  astray  for 
a  time. 

RuFOUS-T.\iLKD  GR.A.sSFiNrH  {liatliilrla  rufirauda). 
Above  dull  olive-green,  a  little  paler  mi  vump  ;  upper 
tail-coverts  vinous,  with  a  transverse  ill-defiiied  dusky 
subterniinal  bar  and  pink  tips  ;  flights  dusky  on  inne"r 
webs;  central  tail-feathers  dull  vinous-red  ;"  remaining 
feathers  smoky  blackish,  with  vinmis-red  outer  we.hs; 
forehead,  lores,  orbital  region,  cheeks  and  chin  scarlet; 
ear-coverts  scarlet,  dotted  with  white;  tlnoat,  sides  of 
neck,   breast,  sides  and  flanks  olive,  rather  paler  than 

"  A  writer  to  tlic  Kmu  (or  19(ll  speaks  of  the  nest  as  small,  largely 
built  of  sticks,  anil  with  a  number  of  pellets  of  clay  in  the  founda- 
tion.   This  is  quite  unlike  Campbell's  description. 


02 

o 

a 

a 
;< 
o 


170 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


that  of  upper  surface,  especially  on  throat,  spotted  all 
over  with  silvery  wliitish  spots,  smallest  on  throat, 
largest  and  least  numerous  on  the  sides  ;  remainder  of 
body  below  pale  creamy  yellowish  buff ;  under  tail- 
coverts  white  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  white, 
edge  of  wing  yellow  at  shoulder;  flights  below  ashy 
grey ;  beaJc  coral  red ;  feet  chrome  yellow ;  iridee 
salmon-red.  Female  with  the  scarlet  on  the  head  re- 
stricted to  the  forehead,  lores  and  orbital  ring;  olive  of 
under  surface  paler  and  greyer,  abdomen  whiter.  Hab., 
"  North-west  Australia,  Northern  Territory,  Queensland, 
and  Mew  South  Wales  "  (Campbell). 

Mr.  Gould  saw  this  bird  "  rather  thinly  dispersed  on 
the  sides  of  the  river  Namoi,  particularly  along  the 
sloping  Ixinks  covered  with  herbage,  where  it  appeared 
to  be  feeding  "  upon  seeds  of  gra.s-ses,  et<;.  He  adds,  "  I 
also  frequently  observed  it  amcng  the  rushes  which 
grow  in  the  beds  of  mud  along  the  sides  of  the  water." 

In  his  "Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds,"  Mr. 
A.  J.  Campbell  publishes  the  following  notes  on  the 
habits  of  Balhilda:  "I  observed  the  Red-faced,  or,  as 
it  is  sometimes  called,  the  '  Star'  Finch,  flying  in  Hocks 
in  company  with  its  pretty  crimson  cousin,   Neochmin 


JiUFOUS-TAILKD    Fl.NCHIi?. 

phaeton,  in  Northern  Queensland."  "  The  eggs  of  this 
species  in  my  collection  were  taken  on  March  20th, 
1877,  in  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria  district,  by  Mr.  T.  A. 
Gulliver,  and  were  those  described  by  me  after  my 
return  from  Queensland,  1886." 

The  nest  and  eggs  are  thus  described  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, p.  492:  "Nest. — The  usual  bottle-shaped  structure 
of  grasses,  but  generally  plucked  green ;  lined  with 
finer  grass  and  sometimes  a  few  feathers,  and  placed  in 
a  low  bush  or  in  tall  grass.  Effgs. — Clutch,  five;  long 
oval  in  shape  ;  texture  of  shell  fine  ;  surface  slightly 
plossv  ;  colour  pure  white.  Dimensions  in  inches  :  (1) 
.7  bv  .48,  (2)  .68  by  .48,  (3)  .6  by  .46." 

The  song  of  the  Rufous-tailed  Orassfinch  is  a  barely 
audible  sibilant  twittering,  and  the  attitude  assumed  bv 
the  bird  is  that  of  a  typical  Grass  Finch,  so  that  Gould 
was  palpably  wrong  when  he  referred  the  species  to 
EKirelda. 

A  fair  number  of  specimens  of  this  little  Finch  were 
imported  between  the  years  1893  and  1895,  but  they 
also  commanded  a  high  price  (£5  for  a  single  pair  not 
being  considered  by  any  means  deiir).  Nevertheless,  I 
thought  myself  fortunate  in  obtaining  a  very  perfect 
pair  for  less  than  half  that  sum.     Had  I  known  how 


freely  it  would  be  imported  about  ten  years  later  1 
.should   have  waited. 

When  kept  in  a  flight  cage,  so  far  as  could  be  judged 
by  that  first  pair,  the  hen  luis  a  stupid  habit  of  plucking 
her  mate,  so  that  I  lost  my  male  bird  within  about  a 
month.  I  then  turned  her  into  a  large  flight  with  a 
cock  Zebra  Finch  and  hoped  to  breed  Mules.  A  nest 
was  built  in  a  Hartz  cage,  and  the  hen  was  generally 
squatting  therein,  but  at  the  end  of  six  months  she 
died  on  the  nest,  having  somehow  managed  to  rip 
open  her  abdomen.  This  early  loss  of  a  pair  of  expen- 
sive little  Finches  finally  decided  me  never  again  to 
spend  so  much  upon  so  little,  but  whenever  I  should 
again  consider  myself  at  liberty  to  be  extravagant  to 
make  sure  of  having  more  to  show,  and  that  of  more 
lasting  material  for  my  money.  When  nothing 
remains  but  a  dead  l)ody  the  size  of  that  of  an  Avadavat 
one  feels  ashamed  to  have  squandered  pounds  upon  it. 

In  1905  I  purchased  a  pair  of  these  birds,  and  turned 
them  into  my  smaller  outdoor  aviarj',  where  they  built 
in  a  box  and  began  to  lay,  but  were  disturbed  by 
Pectoral  Finches ;  later  on  the  cock  bird  died.  I 
bought  a  second  pair,  and  again  the  cock  died.  Lastly, 
in  1906,  I  bought  a  very  handsome  cock  bird,  which 
lived  about  a  year.  Both  hens  continued  to  live  and 
flourish,  but  they  did  not  seem  inclined  to  pair  up  with 
any  other  species  in  the  aviary.  As  a  rule,  the  hens  of 
the  small  Weaving-finches  are  more  delicate  than  the 
cocks,  but  in  the  present  species  this  rule  seems  to  be 
reversed. 

This  Grassfinch  was  first  bred  by  Mr.  Nicholson, 
and  since  that  date  several  other  aviculturists  have 
been  equally  suocesstul.  An  account  of  the  species, 
illustrated  by  a  coloured  plate  of  both  se.xes,  was  pub- 
lished by  Mr.  D.  Seth-Smith  {Avk.  Mag.,  1st  Ser., 
Vol.  v.,  pp.  61-64). 

FiRE-TAiLED   Grass-finch   (ZoncEginthus   beUu.<s). 

Above  brown,  narrowly  barred  with  blackish ;  the 
primaries  indistinctly  bai-red  with  paler  brown  on  the 
outer  web  ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  carmine  red  ; 
central  tail-feathers  black,  washed  towards  base  v.'ith 
carmine,  the  remainder  with  pale  brown  bars  on  the 
outer  web  ;  black  bars  on  the  head  very  fine ;  frontal 
band,  lores,  and  orbital  feathers  black ;  a  bare  bluish 
zone  encircling  the  eye ;  under  surface  of  body  pale 
silveiy  greyish,  barred  with  black,  most  finely  on 
throat  and  front  of  neck  ;  lower  abdomen  and  under 
tail-coverts  black ;  under  wing-coverts  pale  tawny, 
with  faint  dusky  bars;  beak  crimson,  paler  at  base-of 
upper  mandible  ;  feet  flesh-coloured  ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female  not  diilerentiated,  but  probably  with  narrower 
black  bars  on  the  under  surface  of  the  body.  Habitat, 
"  South  Queensland,  New  South  Wales,  Victoria,  South 
Australia,  and  Tasmania,  including  Kent  Group  and 
Fiirncaux  Group  in  Basra's  Strait  "  (Campbell).  Gould 
says  ("  Handbook  to  the  Birds  of  Australia,"  I.,  pp.  406, 
407)  :  "  Tasmania  may  be  considered  the  principal 
habitat  of  the  species,  for  it  is  universally  and 
numerously  dispersed  over  all  parts  of  that  island 
suited  to  its  habits  and  economy.  It  also  inhabits  New 
South  Wales,  but  is  there  far  less  abundant.  I 
generally  observed  it  in  small  communities,  varying 
from  six  to  a  dozen  in  number,  searching  on  the  ground 
for  seeds  of  grasses  and  other  small  plants  which  grow 
on  the  plains  and  open  parts  of  the  forest.  It  also 
frequents  the  gardens  and  pleasure-grounds  of  the 
.settlers,  with  whom  it  is  a  favourite,  few  birds  being 
more  lame  or  more  beautifully  oolonre<l  than  this  liitle 
Finch,  the  brilliant  scarlet  of  the  rump  and  base  of 
the  tail   feathers  strongly   contrasting  with   the   more 


ZEBRA  FINCH. 


171 


sombre  hue  of  the  body.  Its  flight  is  extremely  rapid 
and  arrow-like,  particularly  when  crossing  a  plain  or 
passini;  down  a  gully.  It  is  a  stationary  .=ix'cies  in 
Tasmania,  and  probably  ako  in  New  South  Wales. 
In  tlie  fiirnier  tauntry  I  constantly  found  it  breeding 
in  coniriuinitics,  my  att'.'Utiou  being  usually  attracted 
liy  the  enoniK>ti«  nests  which  they  built  among  tt^e 
branches  of  shrubby  tre«'s,  without  the  slightest 
attempt  at  concedment.  They  are  constructed  entirely 
of  grasses  and  st.alks  of  grass,  dome-shaped  in  fonii, 
with  a  hide  near  th«  Uip  for  the  ingress  and  egress  of 
the  bird.  The  eggs  are  five  or  si.\  in  number,  rather 
lengtheiu'd  in  form,  and  of  a  beautiful  flesh-white, 
eight  and  a  half  lines  long  and  six  and  a  half  lines 
bro:id.  It  bree<ls  from  Septeudier  to  January,  during 
which  period  two  or  three  broods  are  reared.  Its  note 
is  a  single  mouniful  sound,  emitted  while  perched  on 
the  low  branches  of  the  trees  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
its  feeding  places." 

Mr.  North  describes  a  nest  taken  at  Honiaby  as 
having  a  long  narrow  neck,  10  in.  in  length  by  2^  in. 
in  width,  the   nest  itself  measuring  7  in.   in   di;imeter. 

Campbell  ("  Nests  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Bir.is," 
pp.  479,  480)  thus  desci-ibes  the  ne.st :  "  Xc$l. — Bottle- 
shaped,  or  coveied  in  with  a  spouted  tide  entrance, 
eonstrntt«i  of  grasses  chiefly,  with  the  addition  of  por- 
tions of  other  plants,  lined  inside  somewhat  sparingly 
with  fine  grasses  and  fur  ov  feathers.  Usually  situate<l 
in  thickly-foliaged  tree  or  bush.  Dimensions,  about 
12  in.  in  length  by  18  in.  in  circumference  round 
thickest  part  of  the  body." 

This  is  one  of  those  birds  which  renders  an  arrange- 
ment of  species  iu  i\  linear  series  impossible.  While 
proli;dil,v  most  nenrly  related  to  the  Diamond-finch,  and 
doubtless  originating  frinn  the  same  extinct  ancestor, 
its  style  of  colouration  and  marking  mere  nearly 
resembles  that  of  some  of  the  African  Waxbills.  The 
l>arre<l  character  of  its  plumage  is  indeed  indicated  on 
the  throat,  breast,  and  sides  of  neck  of  the  little  Zebra- 
finch,  and  as  the  latter  has  the  sides  of  the  body 
spotted  with  white,  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  the 
Diamond-finch,  I  place  it  next  to  this  species,  but  the 
note  of  the  Zebra-finch  indicates  some  affinity  to  the 
typical  I'uephilai — that  is  to  say,  to  the  Masked  and 
White  eared  Grass-finches. 

Dr.  Russ  states  that  the  entire  disposition,  love- 
dance,  etc.,  are  like  those  of  the  Diamond-finch,  but 
its  call-note   is   more  prolonged. 

Probably  the  finst  pair  of  this  bird  known  to  have 
been  impurted  reached  the  London  Zoological  t!ardens 
in  1870.  Subsequently  specimens  were  acquired  by  Dr. 
Russ,  Prince  Ferdinand  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,  and  Mr. 
Wiener,  but  none  of  these  gentlemen  succeeded  in  keep- 
ing them  very  long,  though  Mr.  Wiener  states  that 
one  specimen  lived  in  his  aviary  tor  over  a  twelve 
month.  As  I  have  stated  elsewhere,  I  strongly  suspect 
that  all  these  avieulturists  coddled  the  birds  too  much, 
and  they  died  from  insufficient  air  and  exercise.  Russ 
himself  admits  that  some  examples  sold  by  Abrahams 
and  in  Paris  did  well,  so  that  Jlr.  Wiener's  favourite 
explanation  for  the  death  of  bird.s  wliich  he  found  a 
difficulty  in  keeping — that  some  special  food  was  lack- 
ing— falls  to  the  ground 

Always  a  prize  in  the  market,  although  at  one  time 
not  an  especial  rarity,  if  we  are  to  accept  Dr.  Ross's 
statement,  this  l>eautiful  bird  has  not  been  seen  in 
Europe  alive  for  many  years,  yet  there  cannot  be  the 
least  doubt  that  it  will  reappear  in  considerable  num- 
bers one  of  these  days,  and  will  not  orfly  be  tested  with 
open-air  treatment,  but  will  be  successfully  bred  by 
tome  lucky  aviculturist. 


Zebra  Finch  [Toeniopyqla  caetanotis). 

The  top  of  the  head,  neck,  and  front  of  back  are 
I>earl-grey,  shading  into  brownish-grey  on  the  hinder 
part  of  the  back  ;  the  tail-coverts  are  white,  regularly 
barred  with  black  ;  the  tail  black  ;  on  the  front  of  the 
cheek  is  a  white  band  edged  with  black ;  the  ear- 
coverts  of  the  cock  bird  are  also  orn;imented  by  a  large 
patch  of  tawnv,  appearing  orange  at  a  short  distance. 
The  throat  and  fore-chest  arc  silvery-grey,  every  fea- 
ther in  the  male  transver.sely  striped  with  black,  and 
the  whole  .separated  by  a  black  bind  fiom  the  remain- 
der of  the  under  surface.  The  hinder  jiart  of  the  chest 
and  abdomen  are  white,  slightly  stained  with  buff,  and 
in  the  male  the  sides  are  clie.stnut,  slotted  with  white  ; 
the  beak  coral-red,  feet  salmon-red,  irides  hazel.  Female 
without  orange-tawny  on  ear-coverts,  the  black  barred 
silver  grey  throat  anil  fore-chest,  and  the  spotted  chest- 
nut sides.  Hab.,  Northern,  Western,  and  Southern 
Australia. 

In  its  wild  state  this  species  wandars  about  m  small 
flocks,  and  spends  much  of  its  time  on  the  ground,  feed- 
ing upon  seeds  of  various  grasses.  It  forms  a  flask- 
shaped  nest  of  dried  grass,  stalks,  etc.,  in  the  branches 
of  a  thick  bush  or  low  tree,  and  l;iys  five  to  .-^ix  white 

"fn  captivity  the  nest  is  formed  in  aiiy  sort  of 
receptacle,  but  a  Hartz-cage  is  preferred  to  all  others. 
It  is  rare  for  more  than  four  young  to  be  reared  in 
one  brood,  but  I  have  known  as  many  as  six  to  leave 
the  nest.  The  young  are  grey,  with  bl.ack  beaks,  a 
white  patch  behind  it;  the  upper  tail  coverts  barred, 
but  not  completelv  hiding  the  tail,  as  in  adults. 
When  asking  for  food  the  young  throw  themselves 
sideways,  turn  the  beak  upwards,  and  clamour  in- 
cessantly   and    noisil.y. 

Probably  no  foreign  bird  is  more  hardy  or  more 
easy  to  bieed  than  the  Z-hra  Finch.  Moreover  small 
though  it  is,  when  the  hen  is  sitting  the  cock  bird 
will  keep  guard  outside  the  nesting  cage  or  box  and 
drive  off  all  intruders.  There  seems  to  be  no  question 
of  prudence.  Birds  five  or  six  times  its  own  bulk  are 
vigorously  attacked,  and  usually  driven  off  igno- 
miniously. 

Since  1890  I  have  bred  this  species  every  year,  and  at 
anv  season,  without  the  least  difficulty.  Although  it  can 
rear  its  .young  on  seed  alone,  they  are  certainly  more 
vigorous  when  soft  fcod  is  supplied  daily  in  a  saucer. 

As  usual  with  Australian  Finches,  this  bird  is  abso- 
lutely hardy,  and  may  be  safely  wintered  in  a  large 
sheltered  outdoor  aviary. 

The  isong  of  the  Zebra  Finch  is  not  unlike  the  bleat- 
ing of  a  kid,  it  might  very  well  he  produced  with  a 
penny  wooden  trumpet ;  the  call  note  is  a  single 
sound  of  the  same  character.  In  a  large  aviary  un- 
paired Zebra  Finches  are  rather  quarrelsome,  but  as 
they  never  really  hurt  one  another,  no  harm  comes  of 
it.  In  a  small  aviary,  however,  they  sometimes  partly 
denude  one  another  of  feathers,  which,  besides  render- 
ing them  unsightly,  sometimes  weakens  them  so  that 
they   are   liable   to  catch   cold    and   die. 

Tlie  Zebra  Finch  is  very  freely  imported,  and  never 
expensive;  being  extremely  pretty,  it  is  a  general 
favourite. 

On  August  20th,  1897,  Mr.  Joseph  Abrahams  wrote 
to  me  as' follows  : — "As  some  interest  seems  to  have 
lately  been  token  in  foreign  hybrids.  I  am  sending  you 
by  post  the  skins  and  sketches  of  two — viz..  that  of  a 
hybrid  between  a  cock  Bicheno  and  hen  Zebra  Finch, 
and  that  of  one  between  a  cock  Parson  Finch  and  ben 
White  Bengalee.  The  latter  I  had  in  my  place  alive 
over  two  years,  during  which  time  I  tried  to  pair  him 
with  all  sorts  of  hens,  but  he  was  a  perfect  demon,  for 


172 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


he  killed  every  one.  The  skin  of  the  Zebra-Bicheno 
hybrid  is  not  very  good,  but  a.s  the  sketch  from  lite  is 
perfect,  you  will  be  able  to  make  out  the  various 
points  of  resemblance." 

This  skin,  as  Mr.  Abrahams  implied,  is  decidedly  im- 
perfect, the  ends  of  the  wings,  rump,  tail  and  vent 
having  apparently  been  gnawed  away  by  a  mouse.  The 
coloured  sketch,  therefore,  was  absolutely  necessary 
tiv  enable  me  to  make  either  a  complete  drawing  or 
description  of  this  very  interesting  bird.  At  the  same 
time  I  prepared  my  drawings  almo.st  entirely  from 
the  skins,  taking  careful  measurements  to  ensure  (as 
lanirly  as  jjossible)  accurate  life-size  representations 
of  the  originals.  The  coloured  sketches,  though  only 
of  about  half  the  natural  size,  and,  being  sketched 
from  living  birds  only,  of  course  not  scientifically  cor- 
rect in  details,  were  very  useful  in  indicating  the 
general    distribution    of   pattern    and    colouring. 

The  parentage  of  the  Bicheno-Zebra  Finch  hybrid 
is  very  palpable.  Curiously,  and  yet  naturally  enough,  its 
general  character  partakes  far  more  largely  of  the  hardy 
maternal  than  the  far  more  delicat*  patenr;il  stock. 

In  its  general  form — outline,  though  not  colour,  of 
beak,  the  presence  of  a  large,  though  not  chestnut- 
coloured,  cheek  patch,  the  barred  brea.st,  and  white- 
barred,  though  apparently  m/Uch  shorter,  upper  tail- 
coverts — this  hybrid  approaches  the  male  Zebra  Finch. 
The  beak  appears  to  have  been  fleshy-white  in  colour, 
therefore  neither  resembles  the  coral-red  beak  of 
the  Zebra  Finch  nor  the  pale  silver-grey  of  Bicheno's 
Finch,  but  a  compromise  between  the  two. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  forehead  and  eyebrow  streak 
nearly  resemble  those  of  the  father;  but  this  .streak, 
in.stead  of  merely  running  behind  the  ear-coverts, 
round  the  sides  of  the  neck,  and  across  the  back  of  the 
throat,  pas.ses  just  behind  the  eye,  where  it  expands 
into  the  large  cheek  patch  before  noted,  which  extends 
over  the  ear-coverts  and  unites  with  a  crescentic  belt 
passing  obliquely  down  the  side  of  the  throat.  The 
chin  and  throat  are  white,  as  in  Bicheno's  Finch  :  but, 
singularly  enough,  some  of  the  feathers  at  the  side 
of  the  breast  and  those  of  the  flanks  show  a  sub- 
terminal  black  bar,  as  also  do  the  outer  wing-coverts. 


Bicheno's  Finches. 


B1CHEN0  + Zebra  Finch  Hybrid. 


One  very  curious  effect  of  the  combination  between 
these  two  birds  is  the  shifting  downward  of  the  barred 
throat  patch  of  the  Zebra  Finch.  .So  as  to  HU  the  area 
enclosed  between  the  two  black  bars  of  Bicheno's  Finch, 
the  silver  grey  tinting  of  the  barred  feathers  is 
retained. 

This  remarkable  hybrid  was  bred  by  Mr.  R.  Ellis,  ol 
London,  apjjarently  about  the  year  1888,  since  the 
coloured  sketch  of  it  was  made  for  Mr.  Abrahams  in 
December  of  that  year.  Other  examjiles  of  the  same 
hybrid  have  been  bred  by  various  aviculturists  and 
exhibited  at  the  Cry.'ital  Palace  and  else- 
where, so  that  I  have  had  an  opportunity 
of  proving  that  my  sketch,  although  made 
under  adverse  conditions,  was  tolerably 
accurate. 

Bicheno's  Finch   {,'^tirtop/era  hicfifnovii). 

The  male  a.bove  is  pale  brown,  the 
feathers  with  slightly  daiker  liars,  romp 
crossed  by  Ti  black  belt ;  upper  tail-coverts 
•white,  tail  black,  grtater  wing  covcits  and 
flights  blackish,  spotted  with  white;  fore- 
head blackish,  cfiutiuuous  with  a  black  line 
which  borders  the  sides  of  the  crown  and 
back  of  face,  continuing  across  the  lower 
part  of  the  throat ;  cheeks  and  throat 
white,  remainder  of  under  surface  huffish 
white,  a  .-jecond  black  stripe  cro.ssing  the 
breast  ;  chest  slightly  greyish,  especially 
at  the  sides,  which  are  laintly  liarred  ; 
under  Uiil-coverts  black  ;  beak  and  feet 
bluish  grey;  iris  black. 

riic  female  is  a  little  .smaller,  moie  slim, 
duller  in  colour,  p.iler  on  the  crown,  and 
his  slightly  narrower  black  bars  acro?s 
throat  and   chest. 

Bicheno'.s  Finch  inhibits  the  interior. 
the  northern  and  the  eastern  portions  of 
Australia.  It  is  n•dtul.^!ly  tame  and  con- 
fiding,  and  as  it  spends  much  of  its  time 


SILVERBILLS. 


173 


on  the  earth  feedinf!;  on  grass-seeds,  it  is  easily 
captured.  Nevertheless,  it  is  never  seen  in  large 
flocks,  and  often  only  in  pairs,  so  that  it  is  comijara- 
tively  a  rare  species.  It  builds  jf  nest  of  gr-iss  either 
in  a  bush  or  in  long  grass,  and  lays  live  white  eggs. 

In  captivity  it  is  ijuite  willing- to  breed,  and  but  for 
its  delicacy  might  soon  lie  multiplied.  I  bought  a 
pair  ill  1894,  but  they  only  lived  a  month  or  two,  and 
as  they  were  then  very  expensive  I  hesitated  to  replace 
them.  In  1899  Mr.  Abraiiams  sent  me  a  cock  bird 
in  order  that  1  might  try  to  breed  the  Hybrid  previously 
described  and  figured.  I  put  up  the  supposed  cxick  with 
a  hen  Zebra  Finch,  but  without  result,  though  I  kept 
the  pair  in  a  fii"ht-c\ige.  I  therefore  WTote  and  told 
Mr.  Abr.ihams  that  I  thought  he  must  have  sent  nie 
a  hen  bird,  as  the  two  simply  i;fnored  one  another.  Ho 
then  sent  me  juiother,  which  he  said  he  was  confident 
•was  a  cock  ;  .^o  I  turned  the  first  bird  into  a  good-sized 
aviary  in  which  there  were  Zehiu  Finches  of  both  sexes. 
In  neither  case  were  any  hybrids  bred,  but  the  bird  in 
the  aviary  lived  for  three  or  four  years. 

In  1905  a  large  consignment  of  Australian  Finches  was 
brought  to  Ix)ndon  by  Mr.  I'ayne,  and  I  purchased  a 
pair  of  Bicheno's  Finches,  among  other  things,  but 
they  did  not  live  manv  months.  I  consider  these  birds 
to  be  among  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  ornamental 
Finches,  which  makes  their  frailty  all  the  more  dis- 
tressing to  bird  lovers. 

Bicheno's  Finches  require  a  certain  amount  of  insect 
food,  living  ants'  cocoons  being  the  best  thing  for  them  ; 
but  freshly  killed  flies  or  small  spiders  would  suit  them 
well. 

I  never  heard  my  birds  s'ng.  A  Mr.  Bargheer  likens 
the  song  to  the  cackle  of  a  little  hen,  and  Dr.  Huss 
says  it  is  a  slight  whisiwring,  with  single,  clear- 
sounding  cries.  The  call-note  I  have  often  heard ;  it 
is  a  toy-trumpet  sound  like  that  of  a  Zebra  Finch  to 
which,  undoubtedly,  this  species  must  be  allied.  This 
species  was  bred  by  Mr.  Glai-scue  (.-Iric.  May.,  1st  Ser., 
Vol.  VI.,  p.  35),  and  subsequently  by  Messrs.  Hawkins, 
Phillrpps,    Seth-Smith   and   others. 

Ringed  Finch  (Stictoptera  annulosa). 

Differs  from  the  preceding  species  in  having  the  rump 
black  insteatl  of  white ;  beak  and  feet  leaden  grey ; 
irides  red-brown;  the  female  has  the  black  breast  band 
narrower  than  in  the  male.  Habitat,  Northern  and 
North-Western  Australia. 

According  to  Mr.  North,  this  is  the  western  repre- 
sentative of  the  eastern  S.  hicheruwii.  Resj>e«ting  its 
nidification  Mr.  Keartland  says :  "  This  pretty  Finch 
was  only  seen  near  the  Fitzroy  River,  where  it  was 
breeding  during  February  and  March.  By  a  close  obser- 
vation of  the  material  used  it  is  possible  to  determine 
to  which  species  of  Finch  the  nest  belongs.  The  Ringed 
Finch  usually  chooses  a  site  in  some  drooping  branch 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  In  the  case  of  those 
examined,  the  outer  covering  was  invariably  very  coarse 
— dead  grass  loosely  woven  together — but  the  lining 
was  of  the  fi,nest  silver  grass,  and  a  marvel  of  neatness. 
Six  eggs  form  the  usual  clutch.  Although  some  were 
perfectly  white,  one  clutch  from  which  I  caught  the 
bird  ha<l  a  faint  bluish  tinge,  similar  to  those  of  the 
Chestnut-eared  Finch."  This  "  faint  bluish  tinge  "  is, 
I  am  satisfied,  simply  due  to  the  eggs  being  thin-shelled 
or  insufficiently  coated  with  lime.  In  the  case  of  Chest- 
nut-eared (Zebra)  Finches  bred  in  captivity,  where 
plenty  of  cuttle  fish  is  always  at  hand  it  is  quite  the 
exception  for  the  eggs  to  have  any  tinge  of  bluish  in 
them. 

Mrs.    Howard  Williams  was  the  first  to  breed  this 


pretty  litt!e  bird  in  captivity  [Arte.  Mat/.  1st  Ser.,  Vol. 
VIII.,  p.  239;  a  full  account  also  pp.  264-266).  She 
observes  :  "  It  is  interesting  to  notice  the  difference 
lietwoen  them  and  the  ordinary  Hic'neno's  Finch,  which 
has  bred  with  us  several  times.  We  think  they  leave 
the  nest  about  the  same  time,  at  three  weeks  old,  but 
whereas  the  Ringetl  Finch  eniergc.-s  ringless,  his  relative 
has  both  rings  quite  as  clearly  marked  on  leaving  the 
nest  as  the  Ringed  Finches  have  now  at  nine  weeks  old." 
I  purchaped  a  pair  of  l^his  species  on  February  22, 
1906.  The  male  died  on  September  4,  but  the  female 
on  May  29,  1907.     No  attempt  was  made  at  breeding. 

Chkrkt  Finch  (Aidemosytie  mode  Ma). 

The  male  is  brown  above,  the  rump  barred  with 
white;  upjier  tail  coverts  darker,  white  sj^tted ;  tail 
blackish,  outer  fe:'thers  with  termuial  white  spot;  win^s 
brown,  flights  dusky  with  pale  outer  edges,  inner 
.secondaries  with  white  terminal  spots;  crown  dark 
brown,  dull  crimson  in  front ;  feathers  above  amd 
behind  eye  as  well  as  sides  of  face  white  ;  ear  c-overts 
white  with  brown  bars ;  a  small  black  gorget ;  under 
surface  white ;  neck  and  flanks  barred  with  brown ; 
beak  black  ;  feet  flesh-coloured  ;  iris,  chestnut.  Female 
niuoh  less  crimson  on  the  foreheiid,  with  no  black  gorget, 
and  more  uniformly  grey  below.  Habitat.  Wide  Bay 
district  to  New  South  Wales,  Victoria,  and  South  Aus- 
tralia. 

In  its  wild  state  this  bird  builds  its  nest  in  a  low 
bush  or  long  grass — it  is  a  domed  structure  composed 
of  dry  grass  and  thickly  lined  with  feathers  ;  five  white 
eggs  are  deposited.  In  captivity  it  prefers  a  bush 
in  which  to  build ;  the  nest  is  rapidly  formed  and 
the  eggs  laid  are  very  large  for  the  size,  of  the  l>ird  ;  i 
the  female,  however,  is  extremely  nervous,  and  leave^ 
her  eggs  on  the  slightest  alarm,  so  that'  I  was  not 
successful  in  even  hatching  young,  but  in  1895  Mr.  J. 
Cronkshaw  reared  one  bird. 

In  February,  IBg?,  I  lost  my  last  pair  of  Cherry 
Finches,  the  hen  having  utterly" vanished  on  the  19th, 
whilst  the  cock  died  the  following  day  ;  whether  they 
were  scared  to  death  by  mice,  and  the  female  died  in 
a  corner  where  it  was  never  discovered,  I  cannot  say; 
its  disappearance  puzzled  me  a  good  deal. 

As  the  Cherry  Finch  (also  known  as  Plum-headed 
Finch  and  Modest  Grass  Finch)  is  one  of  the  least  deli- 
cate of  Australian  birds.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt 
that  it  could  be  successfully  kept  and  bred  in  an  open- 
air  aviary  if  planted  with  shrubs  and  sheltered  fi-om 
northern  and  easterly  winds. 

Indian  Silver-Bill  (Aidemosyne  matabarica). 

The  male  is  light  rufous-brown,  the  head  slightly 
darker  and  mottled  ;  the  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts 
white,  the  former  baned  with  brown  at  the  back,  the 
latter  with  the  edges  of  the  feathers  externally  black  ; 
tail  black,  outer  webs  of  featheis  partly  ferruginous, 
inner  secondaries  brown,  with  narrow  white  terminal 
fringes  ;  remaining  flights  black  ;  sides  of  face  and  under 
surface  white,  the  latter  slightly  tinted  with  buff  and 
with  darker  bars  on  the  flanks  ;  beak  grey,  feet  greyish 
flesh-coloured  ;    iris  dark  brown. 

The  female  is  smaller  and  less  huffish  in  tint  than 
the  male. 

Habitat,  Ceylon  and  Indian  Peninsula,  Ivhelat,  and 
Afghanistan. 

Being  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  familiar  of 
the  Indian  Finches,  its  wild  habits  have  been  frequentiv 
observed  and  described.  It  is  usually  seen  in  small 
communities,  both  In  wild  and  cultivated  country. 
When  breeding,  which  is  nearly  al!  through  the  year,  it 


174 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    i'OR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


either  occupies  a  deserted  Weaver-bird's  nest  or  builds 
a  nest  of  grass,  two  pairs  sometimes  uniting  to  construct 
and  occupy  a  sing-le  nest,  which  is  usually  placed  in  a 
low  bush.  In  form  the  structure  is  quite  normal,  domed, 
and  with  short  depressed  entrance  passage  in  front,  but 
occasionally  it  is  said  to  be  a  mere  overarched  platform, 
open  in  front.  It  is  almo.st  always  softly  lined,  usually 
with  flowering  grassland  feathers,  but  Mr.  Aitken  states 
that  he  has  seen  countless  ne&ts,  and  there  is  no  lining  ; 
his  experience,  therefore,  seems  to  differ  from  that  of 
all  other  observers.  From  four  to  eight  white  eggs  are 
deposited,  but  as  many  as  fifteen  have  been  found  in 
one  nest  IprobaWy  the  product  of  two  hens). 

In  May,  1895,  Mr.  Abrahams  sent  mo  a  pair  of  this 
species,  in  order  that  I  might  cross  them  with  Striated 
Finches,  with  a  view  to  the  reproduction  of  Bengalees. 
In  this  I  was  unsuccessful,  owing  to  the  delicacy  of  the 
Silver-bills,  which  did  not  seem  to  thrive  in  even  a 
large  flight ;  so  that,  with  the  hope  of  saving  their 
lives,  I  tui-ned  them  loose  in  a  spacious  aviary.  Both 
birds  died  within  a  few  months,  hav-nng  made  no 
attempt  whatever  at  breeding.  Had  I  succeeded,  it  is 
probable  tliat  tlie  hybrids  Avould  not  have  nearly  re- 
sembled the  Bengalee  ;  indeed  the  experiments  made  by 
Messrs.  Perreau  and  Tesuheniaker  tend  to  prove  that  th; 
Bengalee  was  derived  from  the  Striated  Finch  with  a 
subsequent  cross  with  the  nearly  related  Sharp-tailed 
Finch. 

The  song  of  the  Indian  Silver-bill  is  said  t«  be  some- 
what harsher  than  that  of  the  African  species,  but  I 
never  heard  it.  In  all  other  respects  its  habits  in  cap- 
tivity agree  with  those  of  the  more  freely  imported 
species.  It  has  been  bred  in  Germany,  and  Mr.  Tcsche- 
maker  bretl  it  in  Devonshire  in  1895. 

Although  an  extremely  common  Indian  and  Geylonese 
bird,  this  Silver-bill  is  much  rarer  and  consequently 
dearer  in  the  bird  market  than  its  African  cousin.  One 
reason  for  this  may  be  that  it  has  nothing  like  the  con- 
stitution of  A.  caiilrini--,  and  is  far  more  sen.sitive  to 
changes  of  temperature. 

African  Silver-bill  {Aidemosyne  cantans). 

Its  upper  surface  is  of  a  greyish  wood-brown  tint,  rather 
darker  on  the  head,  which  is  also  slightly  more  golden 
in  hue;  all  the  feiithers  have  a  slightly  paler  outer 
border ;  the  flight-feathers  and  tail  are  blackish-brown, 
the  tail  is  rather  long  and  pointed,  and  the  bird  has  a 
habit  of  jerking  it  sideways,  somewhat  after  the  manner 
of  a  Waxbill,  though  less  rapidly  ;  the  under  parts  are 
pale  sandv-buir,  the  feathers  having  i  whitpr  outer 
border,  the  centre  of  the  belly  and  the  under  tail- 
coverts  white ;  the  bill  blue-grey,  the  feet  greyish. 
Female  rather  smnller  th.in  male,  more  slender,  nnd 
with  the  outer  flight-feathers  greyer.  Habit.at,  Southern 
Arabia,  Ncrth-Eastem  Afiica,  anc'  southwards  to  Zan- 
zibar and  Western  Africa. 

Like  most  ol  the  Ploceine  Finches,  it  frequents  the 
banks  af  streams  and  cultivated  lands.  It  is  said  gene- 
rally to  utilise  the  nests  of  Weaver-birds  for  breeding 
purjwses,  lining  thorn  thickly  witiv  feathers,  wool,  and 
nair,  and  to  lay  from  three  to  five  white  eggs.  It  is 
more  frequently  seen  in  hedges  or  scrub  than  nil  the 
ground.  Tlio  iifsting  season  is  dated  to  be  from  August 
to  October,  but  it  is  probable  that  it  extends  over  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  year,  as  the  nest  has  been 
found  in  .Tanuiry.  In  cajitivitv  this  Silver-bill  prefers 
the  cigar-box  receptacle  tn  all  others  for  nc<-tiiig  in. 
It  seems  to  be  always  ready  to  build,  and  will  some- 
times lay  and  sit :  but,  as  a  rule,  the  hens  succumb  to 
egg-binding.  It  has  been  successfully  bred  in  Germany, 
the  young  being  reared  entirely  on  regurgitated  seed. 


All  other  food  is  said  to  be  entirely  ignored  by  the 
parents.  Mr.  Farrar  bred  it  in  England  in  1896,  but 
whether  he  was  the  first  successful  breeder  in  this  coun- 
try I  cannot  .s^iy  ;  with  sii  conmion  a  species  I  should 
think  it  highly  improbable. 

I  have  had  a  great  many  examples  of  this  modestly 
coloured  little  bird,  and  my  first  male  never  sang,  only 
uttering  a  shrill  trill  like  that  of  our  Lesser  Redpoll. 
I  find,  however,  that  most  males  sing  a  pretty,  soft, 
little  rippling  song,  which  Dr.  Ru.-is  rather  aptly  de- 
scribes as  "resembling  a  little  running  brook." 

This  and  the  Indian  Silver-bill  ha-e  been  crossed 
successfully.  The  African  bird  is  very  liardy,  and  the 
males  live  for  many  years  without  special  atieniion. 

UiDBON  FiNCK  [Amadina  fasciata) 

Upper  smface  dull  golden  brown,  the  nutc;-  borders 
of  the  feathers  brighter  and  marked  with  little  black 
bars:  tlie  head  rather  greyer  than  the  back,  .-ind  the  tail 
quite  grey  ;  the  wing  coverts  greyish,  with  bright  golden 
brown  borders  to  the  feathers,  and  a  short  black  bar  on 
the  outer  webs;  flight-feathers  grey,  .vith  (laler  margins  ; 
the  throat  of  the  cock  is  white,  crossed  by  a  semi-cir- 
cular broad  band  of  vivid  crim.'-on ;  the  breast  and 
abdomen  pule  golden  or  chestnut  brown,  with  greyish 
or  blacki.sh  bars  near  the  outer  fringes  of  tho  feathers, 
and  a  few  white  feathers  here  and  there,  but  chieliy  in 
the  centre  of  the  abdomen  ;  beak  and  legs  llesli  tinted. 
The  hen  differs  Irom  *lie  cock  in  it<  bhick-spe<-kU'd 
brown  cheeks  and  paler  brownish  throat,  the  beautiful 
crimson  band  being  entirely  absent.  Habitat,  Sene- 
ganibia  to  North-East  Africa,  and  northwards  to  Masai- 
lajid.  In  North-Ea.st  Africa  the  habits  of  the  Ribbon 
Finch  closely  resemble  those  of  the  common  house  Spar- 
row of  Europe:  they  collect  together  in  crowds,  chirp, 
dust  themselves  in  the  sand,  and  possibly  nest  in  holes, 
as  they  do  in  captivity;  or  they  may  build  social  nests 
like  the  Red-headed  Finch.  Antinori  found  them  breed- 
ing in  August  and  September  in  great  companies,  which 
certainly  gives  colour  to  the  latter  supposition. 

The  name  of  Cutthroat,  which  has  been  applied  to 
this  bird,  is  not  belied  by  its  disposition,  which  is 
naturally  aggre.«vsive  towards  smaller  and  wea.ker  birds, 
but  cowardly  towards  birdsof  equal  or  superior  strength. 
I,  therefore,  do  not  recommend  the  Riblxm  Finch  as  a 
.'afe  companion  for  a  mixed  community  of  ornamental 
Finches  (Prnr/itfinl-rii),  but  a  pair  in  a  flight  cage  make 
delightful  pets 

Of  all  species  the  Ribljon  Finch  is  one  of  the  easiest 
to  breed  ;  but,  either  because  it  objects  to  odd  numbers 
or  refuses  to  let  dead  nestlings  remain  in  the  nest  to 
poison  the  others,  it  hiis  been  cre<lited  with  the  un- 
natural crime  of  throwing  its  young  nut  of  the  nest  to 
die.  I  found  that  only  the  odd  birds  were  thus  disposed 
of,  so  that  only  pairs  of  young  ones  left  the  nest;  but 
my  experience  is  not  universal,  for  odd  birds  certainly 
are  sometimes  reared. 

The  Ribbon  Finch  is  extremely  fond  of  its  young, 
more  so  than  most  birds;  I  know  of  ni>  other  species 
\vhich  is  so  frantic  with  rage  and  grief  when  the  young 
(being  old  enough  to  provide  for  tluin<elves)  are 
removed  ;  whiLst  the  nestlings  themselves  aie  almost 
equally  distressed  ;  it  therefore  seems  highly  improbable 
that  such  affectionate  parents  would  wantonlj-  destroy 
their  infants.  My  young  Ribbon  Finches  wore  reared 
entirely  u|)on  insectivorous  fiiod,  which  I  supplied  daily 
in  a  small  pot.  I  find  this  food  usuallv  suffirieiit  for  any 
of  the  small  Finches  when  breeding,  though  I  sometimes 
give  a  piece  of  Madeim  cake  or  spimge  cake  for  a  change. 

Cage-bred  Ribbon  Finches  become  wnnderfully  lame, 
and  not  Cnlv  fee<l  from  the  fingers,  but   sing  for   their 


RED-HEADED  FINCH. 


175 


■owners  whenever  the7  approa-ch ;  the  song  is  a  low, 
effervescent,  Lubbling  sort  of  production,  but  not  un- 
pleasing. 

Of  late  years  I  have  been  singularly  unlucky  in  my 
attempts  to  bre«i  this  species,  the  hens  dying  from  egg- 
binding  in  almost  every  instance,  although  supplied 
with  plenty  of  lime,  and  the  cocks  soon  after,  from  no 
perceptible  cause. 

Avwdina  inarg-inalis  of  Sharpe  was  based  upon  two 
skins  said  to  be  from  West  Africa,  one  of  them  ap- 
parently having  been  a  cage-bird.  They  are  .=aid  to  be 
more  rufous  in  Mlouring  than  the  common  Ribbon  Finch, 
with  a  deejjer  baml  on  the  throat,  and  the  feathers  of 
breast  and  flanks  edged,  not  subterininally  barred,  with 
black.  Two  more  skins  have  been  added  ;  but  all  four 
are  simply  recorded  as  coming  from  West  Africa. 

Dr.  Reichenow  considers  this  to  be  a  variety  of  A. 


RED-HE.\nED  Finch. 

fasc.iata,  but  Capt.  Shelley  observes  "  that  may  be  the 
case  if  all  the  four  known  specimens  were  cage-birds." 
Two  are  admitted  to  be  cage-birds  ;  of  the  others  one 
was  presented  by  Mr.  J.  Pulham  (and  to  nie  looks  very 
like  a  cage-bird),  the  other  was  from  Sir  Andrew  Smith's 
collection. 

To  me  it  has  always  seemed  far  more  probable  that 
A.  marginalis  is  a  hybrid  between  A.  fasciala  and 
A.  erythrocephala  than  that  it  is  a  variety  of  the  former. 
Hybrids  between  the  two  have  been  bred  both  in  Ger- 
many and  England,  but  I  have  &eK.  none  of  them,  and 
hitherto  my  eflforts  to  produce  them  in  cage  and  aviary 
have  all  been  foiled  by  the  death  of  the  hen  Ribbon 
Finches  from  egg-binding. 

Red-headed  Finch  (Amadina  erythrocephala). 

The  upper  side  of  the  male  is  brown,  below  greyer, 
with  a  ruddy  tinge  and  dark-brown  bars,  giving  it  a 
scaled  appearance ;  head  crimson ;  upper  tail-coverts 
barred  with  brown  ;  tail  brown,  the  feathers,  excepting 
the  outer  ones,  white  tipped,  the  two  outer  ones  with 
white  external  margins.  The  female  similar,  but  without 
the  qrimson  head  and  with  greyer  under  parts.  Beak 
hom-coloured ;    feet  flesh-coloured;    iris   hazel.      Hab., 


Southern  Africa  southward  from  Angola  and  Matabele- 
land. 

In  October,  in  its  native  country,  this  bird  congre- 
gates in  large  flocks  near  the  rivers;  it  breeds  about 
May  or  June,  usually  building  its  nest  of  small  sticks, 
fine  roots,  etc.,  and  lining  them  with  wool,  feathers,  or 
other  soft  materials. 

In  I.,ayard's  "  Birds  of  South  Africa "  we  read  that 
Mr.  Ortlepp  came  upon  large  flocks  of  this  species.  At 
Priel  "  he  found  a  colony  in  a  large  '  wait-a-bit '  thorn  ; 
a  cartload  of  grass  stuck  in  a  fork,  with  two  or  three 
dozen  apertures  bored  in  below." 

In  confinement  the  Red-headed  Finch  breeds  after 
the  manner  of  the  Ribbon  Finch,  with  which,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Russ,  it  will  not  only  cross,  but' produce 
fertile  hybrids ;  the  latter  product,  if  not  identical  with 
Amadina  marginalis,   must  surely  closely  resemble  it. 

In  1898  Lieut.  K.  D.  H. 
Daly  bred  this  hybrid  after 
losing  a  hen  Red-headed 
Finch  and  four  hen  Ribbon 
Finches  from  egg-binding. 

On  April  15th,  19C5,  I 
lx)ught  a  pair  of  H«d-headed 
Finches  for  25s.,  in  the  hope 
of  breeding  the  species,  but 
the  hen  died  egg-bound  on 
the  25th  of  the  same  month. 
I  then  purchased  two  hen 
Ribbon-finches,  which  I 
turned  in  with  the  widower. 
He  took  up  with  one  of 
them,  but  drove  the  other 
away  whenever  it  apirroached 
him.  In  1906  Mr.  W.  E. 
Te.schemaker  sent  me  a 
young  male  Red-headed 
Finch  which  he  had  bred, 
and  I  paired  up  my  ocfd  hen 
Ribbon-finch  with  it,  keep- 
5  --'"  ing    them    in    a     gocKl-sized 

flight-cage.  Towards  the 
end  of  the  year  the  hen  died 
egg-bound.  On  November 
27th  Lieut.  Horsbrugh  sent 
me  two  cock  Red-headed 
Finches,  and  Mr.  Silver 
kindly  purchased  for  me,  at  my  request,  two  hen  Ribbon- 
finches.  I  turned  one  into  an  aviary  with  one  of  the  new 
cocks,  and  the  other  into  the  flight-cage  with  Mr. 
Teschemaker's  present,  taking  away  the  nest-box  to 
prevent  their  attempting  to  breed  during  the  winter. 
In  1907  I  turned  the  latter  pair  into  my  larger 
garden  aviary,  but  no  attempt  at  breeding  was  made 
that  year.  In  April,  1908,  as  only  one  hen  remained 
alive,  I  purchased  three  more  and  paired  them  up  with 
the  three  widowed  cocks. 

Mr.  Erskine  Allon  had  the  same  trouble  as  other 
avicultiuists  with  the  hens  of  Red-headed  and  Ribbon 
Finches;  they  all   died   egg-bound. 

Some  years  since  Mr.  Abrihams  informed  me  that 
he  had  seen  a  hybrid  between  the  Ribbon  Finch  and 
Java  Sparrow  ;  so,  having  a  very  tame  home-bred  cock 
Ribbon  Finch,  I  paired  it  up  with  a  home-bred  hen 
Java  Sparrow,  and  kept  them  together  in  a  flight-cage 
for  over  two  years.  Numbers  of  eggs  were  produced, 
but  not  one  hatched,  and  I  am  convinced  that  the 
larger  Red-headed  Finch  must  have  been  the  parent  of 
the  hybrid  seen  by  Mr.  Abrahams.  The  disparity  in 
size  between  the  other  two  species  is  too  great  to 
render   a  successful   fertilisation  likelv,  though  it   may 


176 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


be  possible,  as  in  the  cafe  of  Bullfinch   and  Redpoll 

hybrids. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whatlior  the  species  of  Amadina 
ought  to  hi  called  Grass-finches  or  Mannikins;  thty 
certainly  approach  near  to  the  Spice-fiiiches. 

The   Mannikins. 

These  birds  are  merely  sombre-coloured  Graiss- 
finches  with  slightly  heavier  beaks,  the  culmen  (or 
ridge)  of  which  is  in  a  line  continuous  with  the   fore 


Quail  Finch  {Ortygonpiza  polytona). 

Above  brown,  slightly  mottled  with  darker  brown  ; 
forehead  blackish;  wings  and  tail  brown;  coverts  and 
secondaries  edged  with  gre.v  ;  outer  primary  and  outer 
tail-feiilher  edged  with  white  ;  second  tail-feather  with 
a  white  streak;  lores  blackish,  a  broad  white  orbital 
ring  consisting  of  the  eyebrow  and  a  streak  joining  it 
below  the  eye ;  ear-coverts  and  sides  of  neck  greyish 
brown ;  cheeks  blackish,  united  by  a  widening  blackish 
streak    to   the   black   throat;   a  large,    shirply-defined. 


Quail  Finch. 


head.  They  are  the  most  stupid  and  generally 
apathetic  of  all  Finches.  With  the  exception  of  the 
Java  Sparrow,  which  I  con.sider  more  nearly  related  to 
the  typical  Weavers  than  any  other  Mannikin,  they 
can  hardly  be  expected  to  sing,  ihe  sounds  they  ntter 
being  weak  and  frequently  almost  inaudible ;  indeed, 
some  aviculturists  ha,ve  declared  themselves  quite 
unable  to  detect  the  slightest  sound,  although  I  must 
confess  that  I  always  regarded  this  as  a  slight  exagge- 
ration of  the  fact.  The  song  of  tho  Chestnut-breast  is 
the  loudest  of  all  these  feeble  singers,  and  even  his 
performnnce  only  consists  of  four  feeble  notes,  each 
repeated  from  four  to  six  times.  I  will,  however,  give 
the  Mannikins  credit  for  one  thing:  if  they  •■annot 
sing,  it  is  not  for  the  want  of  trying:  their  efforts  to 
express  themselves  are  prodigious  and  the  effect 
ludicrous. 


white  chin-spot ;  upper  breast  grey,  barred  with  Idack 
and  white,  [Kissing  into  light  ches-tnut  on  the  lower 
breast  and  into  buff  on  the  abdomen;  sides  and  flanks 
greyish  brown,  barred  with  black  and  white;  lower 
tail-coverts  buff,  with  longitudinal  black  shaft-streaks; 
axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts  buff;  flights  below 
dusky,  with  pale  inner  margins;  beak  red;  feet  pale 
lirown ;  irides  bright  hazel.  Female  v.ith  the  black  on 
head  and  throat  replaced  by  greyish  brown  ;  under- 
sui'face  of  body  paler;  breast  and  sides  barred  with 
<lull  brown  and  white.  Habitat,  fix)m  Abyssini.x  to 
Eastern  Cape  t>>lony  on  the  east  coast,  and  on  the  west 
from  Senegal  to  Angola. 

Stark  observes  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  110)  :  "These  pretty  little  birds  are  usually  met  with 
in  small  flocks,  but  occasionally  in  single  pairs,  on 
open  grassy  flats.     Here  they  feed  on  the  ground,  under 


MANNIKINS. 


177 


the  grass,  on  the  fallen  seeds.  If  disturbed  they  rise 
suddenly,  with  a  curious  mtUdlic  'chii-p,'  fly  a,  short 
distance,  and  settle  again  directiy  on  the  ground  with- 
out first  perching  on  bii^Hes  or  wee<ls.  Aa  a  rule,  their 
flight  is  rapid  and  direct,  but  they  sometimes  rise  with 
their  usual  sharp  cry  and  fall  again  on  the  sjwt  from 
which  they  rose."  Mr.  T.  Ayres  gives  the  following 
account  of  the  nest  found  near  I'otchefstroom  on  the 
30th  of  April,  in  T/ie.  Ibis  for  1878,  p.  297:  "This 
pretty  little  fellow  I  shot  as  he  ro.se  fruni  the  nest, 
where  he  had  evidently  been  doing  duty  lor  his  wife, 
by  .sitting  on  the  eggs  in  her  ab.sence.  The  nest  was 
a  very  rough  structure,  placed  on  the  ground  amongst 
the  grass  and  not  easily  seen,  froui  its  l)cing  composed 
of  dead  blades  of  grass  ;  it  was  lined  with  a  few  coarse 
feathers,  and  in  shajje  was  much  like  the  nests  of  some 
of  the  Sunbirds,  with  a  projecting  cave  over  the  en- 
trance, but  all  verv  rough.  Tlie  eggs  were  (ive  in 
number  and  pure  wliite ;  length,  0.54;  breadth,  0.47. 
Kggs  in  the  South  African  Mu.seum  at  Cape  Town  are 
rounded  ovates,  without  gloss  and  pure  white.  They 
average  0.62  by  0.48." 

Shf-lley  tails  this  bird  "Temminck's  Bar-breasted 
Mannikiu,"  and  I  suppose  it  is  a  Maimikin  in  spite  of 
its  red  beak,  but  the  question  as  to  whether  it  is,  or 
whether  it  should  be  called  a  (Jrassfinch,  is  of  little 
importance. 

Mr.  Seth-Sniith  published  a  .short  illustrated  notice 
of  this  rare  Finch  in  The  Avicultural  Magazine, 
N.S.,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  170-172.  The  London  Zoological 
Society  received  two  pairs  in  1906,  and  Messrs. 
Hawkins  and  O'Reilly  acquired  specimens  in  1907. 
Sh.\rp-t.uled  Finch  (U  ml  one  ha  acuticauda). 
The  Sharp-tailed  Finch  is  reddish  brown,  with  pale 
shafts  to  the  feathers,  the  crown  and  upper  back,  face 
and  throat  darker ;  feathers  of  the  rump  and  upper 
tail-eoverts,  side.s  of  neck  and  bre  ist  with  pale  margins ; 
a  white  belt  barred  with  grey  across  the  lower  back  ; 
the  chest  and  abdomen  sordid  .sandy  whitish  streaked 
with  grey ;  wings  dark  brown ;  tail  black ;  beak,  feet, 
and  iris  as  in  U.  striata. 

The  sexes  differ  chiefly  in  form  of  beak,  as  in  the 
allied  species. 

Common  in  the  Himalayas,  Burma,  Malacca,  and 
Sumatra. 

This  species  is  gregarious,  occurring  in  large  flocks 
which  feed  chiefly  upon  the  ground,  but  are  also  very 
destructive  in  the  rice  fields.  It  breeds  certainly  from 
June  to  December,  building  a  rather  compact  spherical 
Tiest  of  grasses  and  leaves,  the  lining  being  formed  of 
the  finer  stems  with  seed  pannicles  attached,  some  of 
which  protrude  through  the  oj)ening  and  form  a  de- 
pressed entrance-passage.  The  nest  is  placed  from  six 
to  twenty  feet  above  the  ground  in  scrub  or  small  trees. 
Five  to  six  white  eggs  are  deposited.  Its  song  is  not 
much  unlike  that  of  the  Bengalee. 

In  captivity  this  species  is  hardy,  long-lived,  and 
seems  always  willing  to  breed  ;  but,  imle.ss  crossed  with 
the  Bengalee,  the  eggs  seem  to  be  rarely  hatched.  It 
appears  to  be  a  somewhat  nervous  bird,  therefore  (unless 
the  nest  is  well  concealed  from  observation)  is  probably 
always  a  bad  sitter,  starting  from,  its  duties  at  the 
slightest  alarm.  As  with  all  the  Mannikins,  millet, 
canary,  and  oats  are  the  only  seeds  it  requires  to  keep 
it  healthy. 

Some  years  ago  I  bred  crosses  between  this  fpecies 
and  tho  domesticated  Bengalee,  and  they  closely  re- 
sembled the  wild  bird,  excepting  for  a  white  feather  or 
two  in  wingB  oi-  tail ;  but  the  variety  used  wa-s  the 
fawn  and  white  Bengalee,  which  is  most  like  U.  acuti- 
<-auda,  and  was,  I  now  believe,  originated  by  crossing 
the  latter  whh  the  modified  descendants  of  U.  striata. 


It  is  nearly  related  to  the  Striated  Pinch,  with  which 
it  was  for  many  years  confou.ided  in  the  bird  market; 
but  Dr.  Russ's  notion  that  it  could  hardly  bo  considered 
a  distinct  species  niidces  one  wonder  whether  he  ever 
possessed  both  birds,  inasmuch  as  the  most  superficial 
glance  reveals  abundant  difference. 

Striated  Finch  (Uroloncha  striata). 

Of  a  smoky  bronze-brown  colour,  beooining  almost 
black  on  the  crown,  tail,  and  breast.  The  feathers  ou 
the  back  and  the  wing-coverts  have  pale  shafts  (a  cha- 
racter a'so  found  in  the  Bengalee) ;  there  is  a  white  belt 
acrots  the  lower  back;  the  hind  chc>6t  and  abdomen 
are  bullish  white,  tome  of  the  feathers  showing  a 
dusky  edging  to  the  fringe.  The  beak  is  leaden  grey, 
the  upjRV  mandible  darker  than  the  lower;  the  feet 
paler  leaden  grey;  the  iris  reddish  brown.  Hab., 
Centnil  and  Southern  India  and  Ceylon. 

This  is  one  of  tho  familiar  Finches  of  India,  where  it 
appears  to  breed  nearly  the  whole  year  round.  Though 
fond  of  inhabited  and  cultivated  districts,  it  is  said  to 
l>e  shy  of  approaching  houses,  and  builds  it.s  nest  in  a 
bush,  a  creeper,  or  a  small  tree.  In  form  both  nest 
and  eggs  are  characteristic  of  the  group  to  which  it 
belongs,  the  form  of  the  "itst  being  either  spherical 
oT  oval,  with  the  entrance  in  front  towards  the  top. 
It  is  chiefly  constructed  of  grass,  the  coarser  blades 
being  used  for  the  outside  and  the  finer  for  the  lining. 
From   four  to  eight  white  eggs  are  deimsited. 

Common  as  this  bird  is,  it  is  not  always  to  be  seen  in 
the  bird  market.  I  purchased  two  examples  in  1892, 
since  which  time  I  have  never  ieen  another,  although 
I  have  once  or  twice  heard  of  specimens  for  sale.  The 
species  eeems  vigorous  enough,  but  one  of  niv  specimens 
died  April  10th,  1898.  the  other  being  healthy  for  a 
year  or  two  later.  There  is  nothing  especially  interest- 
ing about  this  Mannikin  ;  but  the  tame  may  be  said 
of  nearly  the  whole  group.  It  has  been  bred  in  Ger- 
many and  England. 

I  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  the  dark  brown  and 
white  form  of  the  Bengalee  was  derived  direct  from  this 
species;  its  colouring  and  tJie  barred  band  across  the 
back  of  the  breast  indicating  the  completion  of  the 
dark  brown  on  the  chest  of  U.  striata,  as  well  as  the 
fact  that  this  form  of  Bengalee  sometimes  has  a  d:irk 
brown  tail  and  always  a  well-defined  indication  of  the 
white  belt  acnosis  the  lower  back,  all  tend  to  confirm 
the  truth  of  thig  conclusion,  whereas  there  is  nothing 
but  its  slightly  superior  size,  the  two  white  spots  on 
the  forehead,  and  the  grey  bars  on  the  white  dorsal  belt 
to  distinguish   it. 

In  1906  Mr.  Teschemaker  bred  crosses  between 
U  striata  and  the  Bengalee,  of  Which  he  sent  me  a 
pair  ou  23rd  October.  Tliey  were  extraordinarily  Ijko 
U.  acuticauda,  from  which  fact  Captain  Perreau  .sub- 
sequently concluded  tliat  the  Bengalee  must  have  been 
derived  from  the  latter  species,  and  not  from 
U.  striata,  though  he  thought  the  latter  might  ha,V9 
played  .=oime  poi't  in  its  derivation;  practically  this 
decision  is  simply  my  own  reversed — I  concluding  that 
r/.  striata  produce  the  Bengalee  and  U.  acuticauda 
differentiated  it  into  three  forms. 

In  1907  Mr.  Teschemaker  wrote  to  The  Avicultural 
Magazine.  N.s.,  Vol.  V.,  p.  251: — "Perhaps  it  may  ba 
of  interest  to  mention  that  two  of  my  Bengalee 
Stniateds  .  .  .  which  Dr.  Butler  rightly  describes 
as  closely  resembling  adult  Sharp-tailed  Finches  hava 
this  year  paired  and  produced  three  young. 

"  One  of  these  exactly  resembled  the  parents,  but  the 
other  two  were  a  typical  dark  brown  and  white  and  a 
typical  fawn  Bengalee." 

I  consider  this  fact  conclusively  proves  my  view  ol 


M 


178 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


the  case,  since  there  is  an  attempt  at  reversion  to  two 
types  of  parent,  and  it  is  incoiireivable  that  U.  acuti- 
Taiula  could  produce  a  type  so  closely  resejiibling  the 
nuich  darker  U  striata;  but  quite  concejvable,  if  the 
latter  were  originally  a  invre  variation  from  I',  striata 
and  the  fawn  and  white  variations  were  produced  by 
iiitro<lucing  a  nearly  related  species,  that  the  hybrid, 
paired  with  the  original  parent  stock,  should  show  the 
influence  of  both  that  and  the  later  introduction  in  its 
offspring. 

Be.\g.u.ee  (Uruloncha  f/omestica). 
^  The  technical  name  has  been  proposed  by  Captain 
Stanley  Flower  for  this  domesticated  Guinea-pig  among 
Finches.  It  is  well-known  in  all  its  forms,  darlc  sepia- 
brown  and  white ;  fawn  or  tawny-buffish  and  white, 
and  pure  white.  I  have  bred  all  three  forms  several 
times,  but  not  in  great  numbers.  I  gave  up  Mr. 
Abrahams'  view  that  the  Indian  Silverbill  was  con- 
cerned in  the  parentage  of  this  litUe  bird  on  the  ground 
that  it  never  showed  any  tendency  to  revert  to  that 
species,  wliereas  it  certainly  does  to  both  U.  striata  and 
U.  aruticauda. 

The  song  of  the  Bengalee  is  a  little  louder  than  that 
of  the  Striated  Finch,  and  perhaps  somewhat  more 
liquid  ;  but  it  has  no  great  merit. 

Strictly-speaking  the  Bengalee  is  a  genuine  fancier's 
bird,  and  theiefore  should  have  no  place  in  the  present 
work,  but  both  this  and  the  Barbary  Turtle-dove  have 
always  been  included  in  avicultural  books,  and  there- 
fore it  would  be  pedantic  to  Oinit  them. 

Common  Spice-Finch   [Munia  punctulata). 

The  prevailing  colour  of  this  ilannikin  is  chocolate- 
brown,  the  under  parts  becoming  paler  from  before 
backwards,  being  quite  white  on  the  belly,  but  all  the 
feathers  edged  with  brown,  which  produces  a  regularly 
scaled  appearance  ;  rump  similar  to  the  belly  in  colour- 
ing: the  beak  and  feet  are  grey,  upper  mandible  black. 
Female  differing  in  form  of  beak  as  m  U roloncka. 
Hab..  the  greater  part  of  India  and  Ceylon. 

Being  an  exceedingly  abundant  species,  the  wild  life 
of  the  Spice  Finch  has  been  well  obseired.  It  breeds 
from  February  to  October,  building  usually  in  small 
trees  or  bushes,  acacias  by  preference,  or  in  trellises 
of  houses.  As  a  rule,  the  ne.sts  are  at  a  height  of 
five  to  seven  feet  frcm  the  ground,  but  exceptionally  at 
a  much  greater  elevation.  The  typical  form  of  the 
structure  is  an  oblate  spheroid  eight  to  ten  inches  in 
diameter  and  six  to  seven  inclies  high.  It  is  formed  of 
fresh  broad-leaved  grasses,  rice  and  barley  straw,  and 
sometimes  leaves,  with  a  circular  opening  in  front. 
The  lining  consists  of  fine  dry  grass  stems,  the  beards 
of  wheat  and  barley,  or  fine  rootlets.  Five  to  ten 
white  eggs  .ire  laid,  but  seven  appears  to  represent  a 
normal  clutch. 

This  bii-d  seems  to  be  by  no  means  easy  to  breed, 
although  Dr.  Russ  has  succeeded  where  others  have 
failed.  My  birds  have  from  time  to  time  laid  eggs  and 
have  sat  for  a  week  or  so ;  but,  either  from  weariness 
or  thrv)ugh  being  disturbed  by  other  Maiuiikins,  liave 
never  persevered  long  enough  to  hiitch  out  any  young- 
sters. The  tights  of  this  and  all  the  Mannikins  are 
a  miserable  make-believe;  they  simply  .'tand  up  as 
high  as  possible  and  rap  their  beaks  together,  without 
hurting  one  another  in  the  least.  The  only  time  when 
they  are  dangerous  is  when  they  have  a  nest  in  a 
German  canary  cage  and  some  little  fellow  attempts 
tc  intrude  ;  then  they  .<cuttle  to  the  opening,  lean  over, 
and  if  the  inquisitive  stranger  does  not  look  out  they 
wHll  bring  their  great  beaks  down  like  a  pick  on  the 
top  of  his  ."ikull,  and  drop  him  dead  in  a  single  blow. 
This  is,  however,  a  tragedy  of  rare  occurrence,  though 


I  once  lost  a  nice  little  African  Waxbill  thus  through 
a  blow  frcm  the  beak  of  a  Black-headed  Mannikm. 

The  song  of  the  Spice  Finch  is  a  feeble  vibrant 
humming,  followed  by  three  creaky  utterances,  which 
1  uiice  described  as  resembling  an  arrested  sneeze,  and 
It  invariably  terminates  with  a  very  thin  prolonged 
whistle.  To  persons  at  all  dull  of  hearing  the  song  is 
quite   inaudible. 

Bar-breasted    Finch    [Munia    suhundulata). 

Differs  from  M.  punctulata  "  in  the  more  olive-yellow 
shade  of  the  rump,  upper  tail-coverts  and  tail,  and 
the  generally  more  a.shy  black  of  the  flank  barring, 
which,  moieover,  is  not  so  strongly  pronounced  as  in 
M.  punctulata.  On  the  rump  the  feathers  h.ave  not 
the  second  subterminal  dusky  bar  which  is  seen  in  the 
latter  species."  Hab.,  from  Cachar  to  ilanipur, 
Burmah,  and  Tenasserim,  eastward  to  Cochin  China." 
(Sharpe.) 

Dr.  Sli.irpe  regards  this  as  a  sub-species  tending  to 
link  M.  punctulata  to  the  -Malayan  M.  nisoria.  There 
is  not  the  slightest  doubt  in  my  mind  that  the  late 
Mr.  J.  Abrahams  failed  to  distinguish  it  from  M. 
nisoria,  for  he  recognised  some  of  my  specimens  re- 
ceived from  India  as  the  Bar-breasted  Finch.  I  suspect 
that  all  those  which  he  jMesented  to  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens  were  actually  examples  of  M.  subundu- 
lata.  Mr.  Abrahams  called  the  Indian  examples  M. 
nisoria. 

Topela  Finch  {Munia  topcla). 

Differs  from  M .  punctulata  in  having  "  a  sliade  of 
ashy-olive  over  the  rump,  and  with  the  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  tail  shaded  with  pale  straw-yellow ;  the 
chestnut  throat  more  restricted  than  in  the  Indian 
species,  and  the  barring  on  the  flanks  more  dusky 
blackish."  Hab.,  Southern  China,  Formosa,  and 
Hainan."     (Sharjie.) 

Mr.  Abrahams  gave  me  a  pair  of  this  form  of  Spice- 
bird  in  July,  1894.  I  have  no  doubt  that,  like  the 
other  imported  forms,  it  is  a  mere  local  race  of  M. 
punctulata.  In  voice,  behaviour,  and  nesting  habits  they 
all  agree,  and  the  confusion  that  has  arisen  respecting 
them  is  evidence  of  the  difficulty  of  distinguishing  them. 

Malayan  Spice-Bird  {Munia  nisoria). 

Differs  from  M.  piunctulata  in  having  "a  grey  shade 
over  the  rump  and  tail,  with  scarcely  any  olive-yellow  ; 
the  rump  feathers  are  like  those  of  M.  topela,  plain, 
with  a  pale  edging,  but  with  indications  of  two  dusky 
bars."  "  I  am  not  .sure  that  thei«  light  edges  are  not 
signs  of  age."  "Hab.,  Malayan  Peninsula,  Jaya." 
(Sharpe.) 

It  is  probable  that  some  of  those  recorded  in  the  Zoo- 
logical Society's  list  are  genuine  M.  nisoria  (but  not 
Bar-breasted  Finches),  whereas  those  which  Mr.  Abra- 
hams identified  in  my  aviaries  with  "  .1/.  nisoria — the 
Bar-breasted  Finch,"  were  M.  suhundulata.  the  actual 
Bar-breasted  Finch.  BIyth  and  Jordan  made  confusion 
worse  confounded  by  calling  the  common  Spice-bird  of 
India  .1/.  undulala,'  and  the  Malayan  bird  M.  punctu- 
laria. 

Pectoral  Finch   {Munia   pectorali.^). 

Above  pearl  grey  :  upper  tail-coverts  blackish  ;  wing- 
coveits  and  inner  secon.laries  pale  grevi.'h  bromi.  slotted 
at  the  extremities  with  white ;  flights  dusky,  pale 
brown  externally  ;  tail  blackish  bi-own  ;  a  narrow  huffish 
line  from  base  of  forehead  over  eye  and  down  the  sides 
of  the  neck  ;  sides  of  head  and  throat  black,  extending 
to  fore-neck,  where  the  feathers  are  white-tipped; 
breast  crossed  by  a  broad  white  belt,  with  here  and 
there  an  isolated  black  bar;   abdomen  and  under  tail- 


MANNIKINS. 


179 


coverts  vinous-grey ;  sides  of  body  varied  with  white 
bars,  edged  on  each  side  with  black  ;  under  tail-coverts 
dusky,  the  longer  ones  broadly  tipped  with  pale  viiia- 
leous,  following  a  subterniinal  white  line  ;  undor  wing- 
covorts  and  inner  edges  of  flights  vinaeeuus  ;  beak  jule 
bluish  grey ;  feet  flesh  coloured ;  irides  dark  brown. 
Female  with  the  white  breast  regularly  barred  with 
black.  Hah.,  "North-West  Australia,  Northern  Ter- 
ritory, and  North  Queensland."     (Campbell.) 

Ueyond  the  fact  that  the  Calvert  expedition  faw  this 
species  feeding  amongst  long  grass  or  flynig  from  tree 
to  tree,  nothing  appear.-i  to  liavo  bee^.i  recorded  of  the 
life  of  this  bird  previous  to  1897.  At  the  end  of  February 
of  that  year  the  nest  was  oljtaincd  by  .Mr.  G.  A.  Keirt- 
land.  It  was  of  the  usual  flask  like  sh.ipe,  constructed 
of  grafs  lined  with  finer  material,  and  placed  in  a  bush, 
about  ten  feet  from  the  gronn<l.  Campbell  tell.s  us 
("  Ne.sts  and  Eggs  of  Australian  Birds,"  p.  1080):  "The 
eggs  are  long  ovals  in  shaije ;  texture  fine;  surface 
vi-ithont  glcss;  colour,  white,  with  th'^  faintest  bhiiih 
tinge.  A  pair  fi'mii  a  clutch  of  ftnir,  t.ikeii  by  Mr.  (!. 
A.  Keartland,  in  North-West  Australia,  measure  in 
inche.s  (1)  .62  by  .43,  (2)  .6  by  .42." 

This  species,  which  had  always  l>ecn  regarded  as  an 
rxtreme  rarity,  first  appeared  as  a  cage-bird  in  May, 
1896,  when  a  single  specimen  was  exhibited  at  a  show 
at  Brighton,  and  from  that  date  they  arrived  each  year 
in  increasing  numbers. 

I  purchased  my  first  two  pairs  of  Pectoral  Finches  in 
May  and  June,  1905,  and  turned  them  into  my  smaller 
garden  aviary,  where  they  did  not  them.-elves  build, 
but  took  possession  of  nests  built  by  my  Rufous-taUed 
Grassfinches,  as  mere  places  to  squat  in.  Before  the 
end  of  the  \"L'ar  one  pair  had  my-i^teriously  disappeared, 
and  I  never  even  found  the  remains.  I  can  only  con- 
jecture that  they  escaped  through  a  knot-hole,  but  if 
so,  it  must  have  been  a  tight  squeeze.     On  March  20th, 

1906,  I  received,  among  other  birds,  as  a  present  from 
s-iome  unknow.T  friend,  three  Pectoral  Finches — a  per- 
fect pair,  and  a  blind  hen,  which  I  subsequently  gave 
away.  I  put  my  old  pair  into  one  of  my  bird-room 
aviaries,  and  the  new  pair  into  a  smaller  indoor  aviary ; 
neither  pair  attempted  to  breed. 

In  1907  I  turned  one  pair  into  my  larger  garden 
aviary,  where  again  they  never  attempted  to  breed,  but 
during  December  both  disappeared.  Of  the  pair  left 
indoors  one  example  also  disappeared  during  the  year, 
so  that  of  the  seven  examples  ivhich  I  have  had  of  this 
pretty  Mannikin,  only  one  was  left  me  at  the  end  of 

1907,  and  I  had  s-ecured  not  a  single  skin  for  my  col- 
lection. In  1905  the  Pectoral  Finch  was  bred  by  Mrs. 
Howard  Williams. 

Chestnut-breasted   Finch    {Munia    castaneithoraj:). 

The  upper  part  of  the  head  and  nape  are  pale  ashy 
brown  with  darker  streaks,  the  remainder  of  tlie  upper 
surface  cinnamon-brown ;  the  rump  and  upper  tail- 
coverts  glossy  straw-coloured,  as  are  the  central  tail 
feathers,  but  the  remainder  are  dark  brown  with 
yellowish  edges ;  the  sides  of  the  face  are  blackish 
with  pale  shaft-streaks ;  chin  and  throat  blackish ; 
sides  and  front  of  neck  and  chest  pale  chestnut, 
bounded  behind  by  a  black  girdle ;  breast  and  abdo- 
men white,  the  sides  cinnamon  barred  with  black  and 
white  ;  vent,  under  tail-coverts  and  tail  below  black ; 
beak  pale  blue-grey  ;    feet  greyish  brown  ;   iris  brown. 

The  female  has  a  slightlv  more  finely  formed  beak, 
has  a  rather  paler  chestnut  belt  on  the  breast,  with 
the  black  girdle  a  little  narrower  and  the  black  mark- 
ings on  the  sides  less  defined,  as  also  is  the  streaking 
of  the  crown  ;   but  the  differences  arc  not  very  obvious 


until  the  birds  are  taken  one  in  each  hand  and  com- 
pared side  by  side.  Habitat.  Northern  Territory  ot 
Au.stralia,    Queensland,    and   New   South   Wales. 

The  Chestnut-breast  breeds  in  extensive  grass  and 
reed  beds,  bordering  the  banks  of  lagoons  and  rivers; 
its  nest  is  large  and  tlask-shaped,  the  neck  of  the 
flask  (which  is  in  front),  represented  by  the  entrance 
pa.ssage  ;  it  is  placed  near  the  top  of  a  bushy  shrub  or 
in  tangle,  and  is  fonned  of  grasses  and  leaves  of  reeds, 
intermixed  ■with  fine  stems  of  gardenia  or  lobelia;  the 
lining  consists  of  the  feathery  tops  of  reeds,  flags,  and 
sometimes  a  few  feathers.  Four  to  five  white  eggs 
are  de|)Osited. 

Although  this  Mannikin  is  always  ready  to  sing  and 
dance  to  its  hen,  and  even  interrujits  the  breeding  of 
other  species  by  carrying  hay  into  their  nests,  I  have 
never  been  successful  in  getting  it  seriously  to  take 
up  housekeeping.     Its  song  is  a  little  louder  than  that 


Hybrid  Grassfinch. 

of  others  of  the  more  typical  !Mannikins — "  Whit,  u-hil, 
■whit,  whit;  wee-wee-wee-wee-wee-wec-wcc-ivec, — tweeo, 
twee-ur." 

This  Mannikin  formerly  fetched  rather  a  high  price  ; 
but  of  late  years  it  has  become  somewhat  more  reason- 
able. I  have  at  various  times  had  nine  examples,  and 
have  found  the  species  quite  hardy  and  fairly  long- 
lived  when  once  acclimatised. 

Mr.  Abrahams  sent  me  some  years  ago  a  very  rough 
coloured  .sketch,  with  description,  of  a  hybrid  Finch 
bred  by  ilr.  Herbert  Bagnall,  of  Cheltenham.  Mr. 
Bagnall  writes: — "The  accompanying  rough  .sketch  is 
of  a  hybrid  between  a  cock  Chestnut  Finch  and  hen 
Indian  Silver-bill.  It  was  bred  in  my  aviary  last 
summer,  the  nest  being  made  in  a  cigar-box.  Until 
al)out  two  months  ago  the  bird  was  chiefly  of  a  dark 
brown  hue,  with  a  brown  tail ;  it  has  now  become  very 
beautiful,  as  most  of  the  body  is  finely  pencilled  with 
brown  stripes,  and  the  tail  has  become  reddish  orange, 
and  very  pointed.  The  bird  is  very  slim,  and  its  note 
is  that  "of  the  Silver-bill;  it  warbles  continually.  A 
second  bird  was  reared  with  it.  but  unfortunately  died 
when  about  six  months  old."    Rough  as  Jlr.  Bagnall's 


180 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


sketch  is,  it  shows  very  clearly  the  parentage  of  the 
bird,  the  crown  of  the  Lead  and  chin,  the  flank  mark- 
ings, and  tail  being  most  like  the  Chestnut-breasted 
Finch  ;  but  tlie  size,  outline,  and  colouring  of  the  wings 
and  back  resemble  those  of  the  Indian  Silver-bill.  The 
form  of  the  tail  appears  to  correspond  with  that  of  the 
Afric.in  .Silver-bill.  With  the  help  of  my  preserved 
skins  and  the  rough  sketch  I  think  I  produced  a  fair 
portrait  of  the  bird,  the  faults  in  the  sketch  being  those 
of  form  and  striicti*ral  detail.  This  hybrid  between 
Australian  and  Indian  Grassfinches  (or,  more  strictly 
speaking,  Mannikins)  is  very  interesting,  much  more  so 
than  the  everlasting  Canary  Mules  which  one  always 
meets  mth  at  bird  shows,  and  is  well  worth  an 
illustration. 

Yellow-kumped  >L4N.vikin  [Munia  Aaviprymna). 
Back  and  wings  chestnut-brown ;  rump  and  upper 
tail-coverts  bright  ochraceous  ;  tail-feathers  brown  edged 
with  straw-colour ;  head  all  round  ashy  whitish,  rather 
whiter  on  the  throat ;  under  surface  of  body  creamy 
buff,  the  breast  washed  with  tawny ;  thighs  at  back 
brown  flecked  with  white ;  under  tail-coverts  black ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  margins  of  flights  huffish  ;  beak 
j)ale  bluish  ash,  lower  mandible  almost  white ;  feet 
pearl  grey,  more  fleshy  at  proximal  extremity  ;  irides 
dark  brown.  Female  slightly  slimmer  than  male,  its 
beak  a  trifle  narrower ;  head  somewhat  greyer,  breast 
more  tinted  with  tawny.  Hab.,  Northern  Territory  of 
Australia;  Xorth- Western  Australia,  inland  from 
Cossack. 

Little  has  been  publi.shed  respecting  the  wild  life  of 
this  bird ;  though  it  would  appear  from  what  Elsie 
says  that  it  builds  in  tea-trees  overhanging  water  and 
forms  the  usual  type  of  nest  of  bark  and  Fandamis. 
Up  Ui  1904  this  was  one  of  the  rarest  birds  in  collections, 
the  only  skin  known  in  Europe  being  one  obtained  by 
ilr.  J.  R.  Elsie  in  1856,  in  the  British  Museum 
collection. 

In  1904  a  few  specimens  were  trapped,  a  pair  of 
which  found  their  way  to  the  Melbourne  Zoological 
Gardens,  and  one  specimen  was  sent  to  England  by 
Mr.  H.  E.  Peir  to  compet-e  at  various  bird-shows. 
When  first  shown  the  judge  imagined  it  to  be  a  hybrid 
and  awarded  it  only  a  .-second  prize  ;  but  at  the  Grand 
National,  in  January,  1905,  it  took  first  and  special 
prizes.  Since  that  date  M.  flariprymna  has  been  im- 
ported in  increasing  numbers.  Messrs.  Payne  and 
Wallace  having  introduced  considerable  numbers  into 
the  market,  so  that  early  in  1906  I  purchased  three 
pairs,  and  shortly  afterwards  had  two  pairs  sent  to  me 
by  an  unknown  friend. 

Mr.  Seth-Smith  gave  an  illustrated  account  of  the 
species  in  1905  {The  Ainculfural  Magazine,  N.s., 
Vol.  III.,  pp.  215-217).  He  rightly  states  that  the  call- 
note  resembles  that  of  the  Chestnut-breasted  Finch  ;  but 
I  do  not  admit  the  identity  of  the  songs  of  the  two 
birds ;  that  of  M.  Aaviprymna  consists  of  four  notes, 
each  repeated  from  four  to  six  times  as  follows  :  — 

ritard. 


"y Mill    'Mil    ^-af*--^*- 

The  Chestnut-breast  has  a  far  more  monotonous  song, 
but  with  two  double  notes  at  the  finish  which  I 
rendered  as  ttveeo,  twee-ur.  As  I  had  five  cocks  and 
four  hens  of  that  species  and  have  had  (imd  still  have 
jis  I  write)  several  cocks  of  the  Yellow-rimiped  Finch,  I 
am  certain  that  if  the  songs  are  ever  alike  they  are 
certainly  not  so  as  a  rule. 

In  1906  Mr.  W.  E.  Teeobcmaker  successfully  bred  the 


species,  and  in  The  Avicullurai  Magazine  for  February, 
1907,  he  gives  a  full  account  of  his  experiences,  and 
calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  certain  si>ecimens  after 
importation  tend  to  assume  the  colouring  of  the  Chest- 
nut-breasted Finch.  He  thinks  this  is  due  to  the  two 
being  compelled  to  associate  by  a,  chiuice  circumstance 
and  jjroducing  hybrids.  By  nature  M.  ilaviprymna  is 
said  to  be  a  desert  species  whioh  does  not  normally 
associate  with  M.  caslaHeithorax.  In  May  of  the  same 
year  Mr.  Seth-Smith  published  an  interesting  article 
Illustrated  by  a  plate  representing  intergrades  between 
the  two  birds.  He  regards  them  merely  as  subsi)ecie6, 
the  Yellow-rump  being  modified  by  the  dry  country 
which  it  affects,  but  liable  to  revert  to  the  type  of 
M.  castaneithorax  when  subjected  to  a  moist  climate. 
As  none  of  my  birds  have  undergone  this  change  1 
turned  a  pair  into  my  larger  garden  aviary  early  in 
1907;  soon  after  the  cock  had  its  head  torn  off  through 
the  wire-netting  by  a  cat,  but  the  hen  is  still  there  as 
I  write  in  January,  1908.  As  everyone  will  admit  the 
winter  has  been  an  unusually  wet  one,  and  this  with 
other  small  birds  has  generally  spent  the  night  in  the 
open  ;  but,  so  far,  I  see  no  change  in  the  plumage,  as  I 
should  like  to. 

White-he.*ded  M-\nnikin  {Munia  maja). 

Above  head  white,  tinted  on  the  nape  and  throat 
with  buff ;  tlie  back  and  wings  dark  red-brown ;  the 
flight  and  tail  feathers  wath  the  inner  webs  dark  brown  ; 
the  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  shining  deep  rufouj 
brown  ;  the  centre  tail  feathers  and  outer  edges  of  the 
remainder  shining  fiery  rufous-brown  ;  the  lower  part 
of  the  neck  and  the  chest  brownish  buff  ;  the  sides  dark 
red-brown ;  the  belly,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
black  ;  beak  bluish-grey ;  iris  of  eye  dark  brown  ;  feel 
slaty  black.  The  female  is  altogether  more  smoky  in 
colouring.     Hab.,  Malacca,  Sumatra,  and  Java. 

The  nest  is  of  the  usual  character,  and  formed  of 
various  grasses  ;  it  is  usually  suspended  in  reeds.  Two 
to  three  white  eggs  are  said  to  form  a  complete  clutch. 

The  White-headed  Mannikin  is  another  of  the 
numerous  birds  which  devastate  the  rice-fields. 

Wher«  nesting  in  captivity  this  species  behaves  like 
its  Black-head^  relative.  Indeed,  one  pair  of  Black- 
heads which  I  had  exchanged  partners  and  all  nested 
together  in  the  same  box,  but  no  eggs  were  hatched. 

In  captivity  this  bird  is  extremely  hardy  and  long- 
lived;  indeed  {as  recorded  in  my  "Foreign  Finches  in 
Captivity ")  one  of  my  pairs  attained  the  respectable 
ages  of  seventeen  and  eighteen  years  respectivcJy.  Since 
they  died  I  have  had  only  one  pair,  but  they  are  not 
always  obtainable.  Possibly,  as  they  are  intensely 
stupid  birds,  there  may  be  little  inducement  to  import 
tiiem- 

Javan    Maja-Finch    (Munia    fcrmginosa). 

Differs  from  the  White-headed  Mannikin  in  its  deeper 
chestnut  colouring,  entirely  black  throat  and  fore-neck  ; 
remainder  of  body  below  deep  maroon,  black  in  the 
centre.     Hab.,  Java. 

According  to  Bernstein  (cf.  Bartlett,  Monogr.  Weavers 
and  Finches,  p.  45)  :  "  During  the  months  vfhen  the 
rice-fields  are  flooded  and  under  cultivation,  Munia 
frrrui/inea.  like  the  Rice-bird,  inliabits  small  w<K>ds, 
thickets  and  hedges  along  the  roods,  or  between  fields 
and  meadows  ;  sometimes,  also,  it  lives  in  little  wilder- 
nesses formed  by  Alang-Alang  and  low  bushes,  which 
latter  it  seems  to  prefer,  as  I  never  yet  found  it  missing 
in  such  places.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  rioe  begins 
to  ripen  it  l>etakes  it.'ielf  to  the  fields,  and  by  its 
numbers  not  unfrequently  works  considerable  damage. 
Smaller  and  quicker  in  it^  movements  th«n  the  Rice- . 


MANNIKINS. 

(1)  Three-coloured.  (2)  Black-headed.  (3)  White-headed. 


182 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


bird,  it  is  quite  as  easily  kept  in  captivity  on  rice  and 
other  species  of  grain  ;  it  is  also  sociable  towards  other 
small  birds  and  companions,  with  whom  it  is  accus- 
tomed to  sleep  close  toj»ether  on  the  same  perch.  Its 
caJI-not«,  which  one  frequently  hears,  is  a  clear  vit-ivil- 
wil.  1  have  never  heard  its  song,  but  on  the  other  hand 
have  often  found  its  nest.  The  latter  is  always  placed 
in  a  low  position,  a  few  inches,  at  must  half  a  foot, 
above  the  ground  ;  sometimes  in  a  small  shrub  standing 
between  the  Alang-Alang  ;  sometimes  it  is  built  amo'Tig 
this  grass  and  supported  by  its  blades,  but  never  imme- 
diately upon  the  ground.  It  is  round  in  shape,  with  tho 
entranc-p  at  the  side,  and  is  of  considerable  extent,  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird,  as  its  diameter  usually 
amounts  to  6  inches. 

"  All  the  nests  which  I  have  found  belonging  to  this 
species  were  comiKJsed  exclusively  of  blades  and  Kbres 
of  various  grasses,  more  especially  of  wool-bearing  ones, 
which  materials  were  only  loosely  woven  together  on  the 
outside,  and  were  also  mixed  with  larger  leaves  and  those 
of  the  Alang,  which  give  to  the  whole  structure  a  some- 
w^hat  dishevelled  appearance,  while  inside  they,  were 
carefully  and  more  finely  entwined,  and  well  mixed 
with  soft  grass  wool.  The  pure  white,  rather  long- 
shaped  eggs,  of  which  usually  .six  or  seven,  and  but 
rarely  four,  are  found  in  one  nest,  measure  16-17  mm. 
in  diameter,  in  a  few  cases  only  15  mm.,  while  their 
greatest  transverse  diameter  amounts  to  11-12  mm." 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  ot  the  Ix>ndon  Zoo- 
logical Gardens,  and  was  in  the  late  Mr.  Krskine  Allen's 
collection  ;    it  ought  to  be  freely  imported. 

Black-headkd  M.\nnikin  {Mttnia  atricapilla). 

This  is  very  like  the  Three-coloured  Mannikin,  ex- 
cepting that  there  is  no  white  on  the  under  surface  of 
the  body.  The  male  has  a  central  longitudinal  black 
stri])e  from  the  chest  to  the  root  of  the  tail,  including 
the  under  tail-coverts.  Tlie  female  is  a  very  little  duller 
in  colouring,  and  the  black  stripe  is  partly  obscured  by 
hrown.  She  is  also  rather  smaller,  and  has  a  slightly 
longer  and  narrower  beak.  The  young  is  dull  brown, 
slightly  tinged  on  the  rump  with  rufous ;  the  chin, 
throat,  abdomen,  and  under  tail-coverts  buflish-white ; 
the  bill  bluish-white,  as  in  the  adult  birds.  Hab., 
Himalayas,   Central  India,    Burma,   and   Malaysia. 

In  its  native  haunts  the  Black-headed  Mannikin  makes 
its  nest  of  dry  grass  or  straw,  and  lines  it  with  flner 
grasses.  The  stmcture  is  usually  spherical,  with 
enti\ance  hole  in  front,  and  is  suspended  in  long  grass, 
reeds,  bamboos,  thick  bushes,  or  scrub.  The  breediag 
season  appears  (on  the  testimony  of  various  observers) 
to  extend  from  April  to  August,  and  the  numljer  of 
white  egss  deposited  to  vary  from  two  to  six,  but  two 
can  hardly  represent  a  complete  laying. 

This  little  bird  is  so  abundant  that  occasionally  the 
market  i.s  glutted  with  specimens  in  perfect  plumage. 
At  such  times  the  price  is  so  low  that  the  profit  of 
importation  must  be  almost  covered  by  the  food  eaten 
on  the  voyage,  and  can  hardly  be  advantageous  to  the 
importers.  I  have  bought  it  at  the  absurd  price  of 
5s.  per  dozen.  In  April,  1887,  my  sister  brought  me 
from  India  a  pair  of  young  birds  of  this  species,  and 
until  they  moulted  I  wondered  what  they  could  be; 
after  their  fir.st  moult  they  assumed  the  ordinary  plumage 
of  the  Black-headed  Nun  or  Mannikin,  but  the  black 
mesial  stripe  of  the  belly  was  not  developed  until  a 
year  later;  the  first  appearance  of  the  adult  plumage, 
therefore,  wa.<  similar  to  that  of  the  Sumatran  Manni- 
kin. distinguished  by  this  character  alone  from  the 
Indian  S))e('ips,  which  occurs  also  in  Borneo. 

I  should  think  there  ought  to  be  little  or  no  difficulty 


in  breeding  this  or  the  allied  species  in  a  good-sized 
garden  aviary  where  there  was  plenty  of  cover,  but  there 
is  little  chance  of  doing  so  indoors.  It  is  always  nesting 
and  laying,  but  is  a  restless  sitter,  easily  disturbed  so 
that  I  never  succeeded  in  breeding  it'.  Its  song  is  like 
that  of  most  of  its  congeners,  feeble,  vibrant,  creaky, 
and  terminating  in  a  thin  whistle. 

Although  extremely  hardy  and  long-lived,  this  and 
the  allied  Mannikins  often  lo.se  their  lives  through  the 
rapid  growth  of  their  claws,  which  get  hung  up  in  wire 
work -or  nesting  material;  so  that,  unless  observed  in 
time,  the  birds  die  of  fright  or  starvation.  The  claws, 
therefore,  need  carefully  looking  to  and  cutting  to  a  s  ifc 
length  with  a  sharp  pair  of  scissors. 

Thkee-colouked  M.\nnikin  tMunia  malacca). 

The  head,  neck,  front  of  breast,  centre  of  belly,  thighs, 
and  under  tail-coverts  are  glossy  black;  the  back,  wings, 
and  sides  glossy  cinnamon-brown  ;  the  tail  deep  reddish- 
chocolate  ;  the  inner  webs  of  the  flight  feathers  dark 
rufous- bi\jwn  ;  sides  and  back  of  chest,  and  sides  of 
abdomen,    snow    white;    bill    bluish    white;    feet  dark 


ThK    ThREE-COIXITJRED    M.iNNIKIN. 
(Ilfod  and  shovlders  of  maU.) 

leaden  grey  ;  irides  hazel.  Female  smaller  than  male, 
the  black  of  a  deader  character,  not  glossy  ;  the  entire 
colouring  duller  ;  flights  greyer  ;  rump  paler  ;  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  tail  duller  and  less  opalescent;  beak  weaker. 
Hab.,  Central  and  Southern  India  and  Ceylon. 

In  "its  "wild  state  the  Three-coloured  Mannikin  breeds 
in  fields  of  sugar-cane,  wild  paddy,  or  coarse  broad- 
leaved  grass  ;  also  in  reeds  in  ponds,  tanks,  or  marshy 
places ;  rarely  in  a  small  bush.  The  nest  is  spherical 
or  oval,  mth  a  circular 'fi'ont  entrance,  and  is  formed  of 
dry  reeds,  broad  grass-blades,  and  sometimes  roots,  and 
lined  with  finer  gra.ss  and  frequently  the  flowering 
stalks.  The  white  eggs  vary  in  numlier  from  four  to 
seven,  but  four  is  the  usual  clut-ch.  The  birds  are  said 
to  be  very  destmctive  to  the  rice  crops. 

Although,  like  most  of  the  Miinias,  this  bird  is  an 
assiduous  builder,  neither  Dr.  Russ  nor  I  ever  succeeded 
in  breeding  it  in  cage  or  aviary.  It  is,  however,  one 
of  the  prettiest  of  the  commoner  Mannikins,  and  for 
that  re;ison  I  have  never  been  long  without  specimcTiS 
in  my  collection.  To  anyone  witli  a  large  garden  aviary, 
I  would  recommend  that  a  few  yards  should  be  sown 
with  coarse-leaved  grasses  or  oats,  and  an  attempt  made 
to  cross  this  bird  with  the  Chestnut-breasted  Finch.  I 
believe  that  a  very  pretty  hybrid  might  be  produced. 

The  song  is  very  feeble,  and  not  unlike  that  of  the 
Spice  Finch,  but  I  have  not  found  M.  malacca  so  fre- 
quent a  singer  as  the  other  Mannikins. 


JAVA    SPARROW. 


183 


Java   Sfarrow  or  Ricimiird. 

{Miinia   (I'ailda)   ori/zivora). 

The  crown  of  the  head,  nape,  margin  of  neck,  and 
chin  are  black ;  the  cheeks  pure  white,  fi  qiicntly 
changing  into  black  ;  the  back  and  breast  pcarl-jfrey  ; 
priinarii'S  leaden  grey;  belly  dove-brownish,  yomotinics 
moulting  into  peurl-grey ;  under  tail-t-overts  white; 
tail  black ;  l)eak  rose  colour,  edged  and  tipped  with 
white  ;  iris  of  eyes  reddish-brown  ;  lids  red  ;  legs  flesh 
coloured.  The  female  is  distinctly  smaller  than  the 
male,  has  a  narrower  crown,  a  narrower  and  more  regu- 
larly tapering  beak,  not  fc  deep  at  the  bo.se.  With  a 
little  practice  it  becomes  tpiiti!  ensy  to  select  a  pair. 
Eab.,  Java,  Sumatra  and  Malacca,  tut  introduced  into 
many  other  <xnintries. 

The  nest  in  a  wdd  state  is  a  large  splierieal  struc- 
ture placed  in  trees,  thorny  bushes,  or  creepers.     It  is 


With  white  birds,  on  the  other  hand,  brooding  conld 
always  be  accomplished  because  (probably  for  centuries) 
they  have  been  bred  in  boxes.  I  failed  to  breed  Java 
Sparrows  until  I  cros.^ed  a  wild  cock  bird  with  a  white 
hen.  The  oflsprirg  from  these  birds  varied  i.ot  a 
little,  some  Iwing  pure  greys  like  their  father,  o.hers 
pied  grey  and  white  in  all  degrees.  Since  that  time  I 
have  bred  nearly  every  year,  and  have  selected  pairs 
from  my  stock  with  "which  other  aviculturists  have 
bred  successfully.  The  white  bUxxl,  and  the  fact  that 
the  young  are  born  and  brought  up  in  a  ncH-box,  setm 
at  oiice  to  ensure  a  similar  form  <]f  nidifiiation  in  these 
home-bred  birds. 

In  spite  of  the  white  blood  which  they  inherit,  I 
believe  that  sele<'ted  greys  will  always  throw  greys; 
but  the  purest  white  stock  will  iUso  sometimes  throw 
pure  greys;     indeed,  the  brother  of  my  inire  white  bird 


Java  Sparrows. 


formed  of  grasses,  and  has  the  entrance  hole  in  front. 
Six  to  eight  white  eggs  are  deposited. 

The  song  of  this  bird  is  always  rather  musical,  includ- 
ing several  soft  little  trills.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
difference  between  that  of  the  wild  grey  type  and  of 
the  white  domesticated  form  developed  by  the  Chinese. 

Owing  to  the  immense  mischief  which  this  species 
does  to  the  rice  crops  it  is  also  known  by  the  names  of 
Rice-bird  and  I'addy-tiird.  Wherever  it  has  been  intro- 
duced it  has  increased  and  become  a  nuisance,  just  as 
our  English  Sparrow  has  done.  Not  that  the  Rice-bird 
is  a  Sparrow;  it  is  only  so  called  because  it  is  the 
familiar  bird  of  the  streets  and  the  grain  fields  in  the 
East. 

Although  it  is  possible  to  purchase  newly-imported 
grey  birds  at  a  ridiculously  low  price,  it  is  of  little 
use  to  attempt  to  breed  with  these,  excepting  in  a 
netted-in  garden,  where  natural  nesting  sites  abound. 
Previous  to  1870  it  appears  not  to  have  been  bred  even 
in  Germany,  the  wild  birds  not  understanding,  appa- 
rently, the  meaning  of  the  box-like  nesting  receptacle. 


(the  mother  ot  my  stock)  in  the  nest  was  not  distin- 
guishable from  a  wild '  grey  bird,  though  both  its 
parents  were  pure  white. 

Some  years  ago  one  of  my  neighbours  purchased  a 
pair  of  white  Java  Sparrows,  and  turned  them  into  a 
smallish  aviary  in  his  greenhouse,  but  they  made  no 
attempt  at  breeding.  Eventually  he  became  so  dis- 
gusted tliat  he  caught  them,  and  brought  them  to  me, 
saying  that  he  believed  he  had  been  taken  in,  and  that 
they  were  two  cocks.  I  looked  at  them,  and  assured 
him  that  thev  were  unqnestionably  a  pair.  However, 
h°  was  not  satisfied,  and  told  me  I  could  have  them  at 
lialf  wliat  he  had  paid  for  them.  I  accepted,  and  turred 
them  out  in  my  bird-room;  and  that  year  they  re.ared 
nine  beautiful  white  youngsters.  You  can  fancy  my 
friend's  disgust  when  he  saw  them ! 

Oinarv-,  millet,  and  oats  are  the  best  seeds  for  this 
bird-  soft  food  should  be  added  when  breeding  com- 
mences which  may  be  at  any  season.  The  Java  Spar- 
row is  'absolutely  hardy  and  very  long-lived,  especially 
if  home-bred. 


184 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


Magpie  Mannikin  {Amaureslhes  fringilloides). 
The  male  alwve  is  deep  chucolate-brown,  the  front  of 
the  back,  scapularies,  and  median  wing-<'overts  with 
white  shaft  streaks;  the  entire  head  and  tliroat,  nnnp, 
and  tail  black  with  a  steel-greenish  gloss;  outer  tail- 
feathers  with  a  white  fringe  to  the  inner  web  ;  under 
part*  white,  slightly  sordid  towards  the  vent ;  a  large 
purplish-blac/.  |Kit<h  at  the  sides  of  the  breast,  .and  be- 
hind it  a  patch  of  clear  liver-brown  with  blackis'h  bars  ; 
thidis  partly  black;  beak  leaden  grey,  the  upper  man- 
dible darker  than  the  lower ;  feet  lea<ien  grey ;  iris  dark 
brown. 

The  female  is  verv  similar,  but  slightly  smaller,  with 
narrower,  more  gradually  tapering  beak  and  more  sordid 
under  parts ;  the  liver-bro\vn  patch  slightly  saiialler. 
Hab.,  Central  Africa  from  east  to  west  and  North- 
Western  Africa. 

The  following  notes  on  the  wild  life  I  quote  from 
Shelley's  "  Birds  of  Africa."  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  pp.  161- 
162 :  "  Mr.  Robin  Kemp  informs  me,  '  these  Mannikins 
are  locally  abundant,  associating  freely  with  S.  cxicul- 
laliis.  At  Rotifunk  there  was  a  large  colony  of  them, 
roosting  and  nesting  in  mango,  lime  and  orange  trees, 
in  the  enclosed  compound  which  contained  one  bun- 
galow. However,  at  Bo,  eighty  miles  inland,  I  saw  it 
once  only  during  two  years'  observation,  when  I  met 
wdth  three  of  these  birds  together  on  a  rice  farm  of  a 
previous  year.'  In  Liberia  Dr.  Buttikofer  found  the 
species  breeding  in  November.  The  nests  were  usually 
placed  singly,  in  forks  of  fruit-trees,  at  five  to  ten  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  were  very  similar  to  those  of 
olher  species  of  Spermrxtes,  tolerably  large,  constructed 
c>f  grass  and  v^irious  materials,  lined  "with  the  softer  por- 
tions of  the  grass,  and  were  oval  in  form  with  an 
entrance  at  the  side.  The  eggs,  generally  six  in 
number,  were  pure  white,  and  measured  0.6  by  0.44. 
Fisher  gives  a  similar  description  of  a  neet  of  this 
species,  containing  six  white  eggs,  which  ho  found  on 
the   island  of  Zanzibar. 

"  In  Eastern  Africa  its  most  northern  range  appears 
to  be  Zanzibar  Island,  where  it  is  plentiful,  and  known 
to  t.'ie  natives,  according  to  Fischer,  as  the  '  Tongo 
simba.'  He  mat  with. them  here  frequenting  the  culti- 
vated fields  in  parties  of  six  to  tight." 

I  purchased  miy  first  and  only'pair  of  this  Mannikin 
in  1896,  and  placed  them  in  one  of  my  smaller  flight 
cages.  For  several  days  they  quarrelled"  so  continuously 
that  I  feared  they  must  both  be  males.  I  therefore 
caught  and  carefully  compared  them,  when  I  was  at 
once  satisfied  that  I  had  an  undoubted  pair.  Curiously 
eiiough,  wnen  I  restored  them  to  their  cage  they  became 
friends  almost  directly,  and  ever  afterwards  agreed 
perfectly. 

I  believe  it  was  my  failure  to  take  a  prize  with  this 
pair  of  birds  which  finally  decided  my  giving  up  send- 
ing biiyis  to  shows.  They  were  rare  at  the  time,  and  I 
took  seme  trouble  to  provide  them  with  a  cage'  which 
would  exhibit  them  to  advantage.  When  I  went  to  look 
at  them  I  found  that  they  h.ad  not  even  obtained  a 
notice,  wherea.s  two  cocks  in  a  small  cage  adjoining  had 
been  awarded  first.  I  asked  the  judge  why  the  latter 
had  taken  premier  honours  while  my  pair  had  been 
ignored  ;  he  replied  that  they  were  larger  birds  than 
mine.  I  jwinted  out  that  as  Iwth  were  cocks,  and  not  a 
true  pair,  they  naturally  appe.ired  to  be  larger  ;  he  eaid 
he  knew  nothing  about  the  sexes,  but  he.  of  course, 
gave  the  prize  to  the  larger  birds.  Whether  matters 
are  better  managed  now  I  do  not  know,  but  I  conclude<l 
that  it  was  of  no  use  to  send  birds  to  a  show  if  the 
appointed  judges  were  incapable  of  judging  them  fairly. 
In  those  days  there  were  many  pri7.e- winners  which 
ought  to  have  been  disqualified  on  the  ground  that  they 


were  not  pairs,  and  sometimes  not  even  two  of  the  same 
species. 

Findiing  that  my  pair  did  not  breed  in  a  small  flight, 
I  transferred  them  to  one  of  my  largest  cages,  such  as 
most  beginners  would  dignify  with  the  title  of 
"  aviary  " ;  here  they  occasionally  made  .some  pretence 
at  building,  but  .soon  seemed  to  w«iry  of  their  task, 
and  retired  to  their  usual  roosting-place  on  the  top  of 
the  nest-box.  Fdnally  I  transferred  them  to  one  of  my 
birdroom  aviaries,  where  they  remained  for  the  rest  of 
their  lives.  The  oock  died  on  the  13th  August,  1900, 
and  the  hen,  I  think,  about  two  years  Later  during  her 
moult;  her  skin  was  not  worth  preserving. 

I  have  never  heard  these  birds  sing,  and  even  their 
call  note  is  a  weak  plaintive  little  whistle  frequently 
repeated.  They  should  be  fed  like  Java  Sparrows,  and 
seem  to  be  equally  hardy. 

Two-COLOUBED  Mannikin   {Spermestcs  bieolor). 

The  upper  surface,  throat,  breast,  and  sides  are  glossy 
black,  each  feather,  excepting  the  flights,  being  fringed 
with  dark  green,  the  lower  part  of  the  breast,  abdomen 
and  under  t:iil-coverts  snow  white,  a  few  of  the  lateral 
feathers  barred  with  twkite  so  as  to  give  an  irregular 
outline  to  the  black  of  the  sides ;  bill  bluish ;  feet 
Iblackish ;  irides  brown. 

The  following  notes  are  from  Shelley's  "Birds  of 
Africa."  Vol.  IV..  Part  1,  pp.  163,  164  :— "  In  Liberia, 
according  to  Dr.  Biittikofer,  it  is  abundant  and  gene- 
rally distributed,  frequenting  human  habitatiions  evei> 
more  than  J^.  fringilloides.  which  it  resembles  in  its 
habits  and  feeding.  It  breeds  in  the  plantations  and 
trees  in  the  middle  of  the  villages,  also  in  the  roofs  of 
houses.  A  nest  he  found  in  August  at  Sofor*  Place 
contained  six  pure  white  eggs,  mea.suring  0.56  by  0.4. 
At  Schieffelinsville  they  were  in  flocks  of  about  twenty 
individuals  in  the  plantations.  Eraser  records  them  as 
"  common  in  the  roofs  of  the  huts  belonging  to  the 
fishermen  of  Cape  Palmas,  in  which  situation  they 
breed  and  commit  much  mischief,  like  our  Commou 
Sparrows.     The  native  name  is  '  Saybue.'  " 

"  Mr.  Boyd  Alexander  found  it  at  Prahsu,  and 
writes : — "  This  species  breeds  in  August,  forming  a 
domed  nest  of  dry  grass,  which  is  placed  between  the 
small  branches  of  a  tree,  generally  an  acacia."  In 
Togoland  it  is  known  to  the  natives  as  the  '  Airo,* 
according  to  Mr.  Baumann,  who  procured  a  specimen 
at  Jo." 

This  is  a  very  rarely  imported  bird,  which  I  only 
once  possessed,  and  which,  until  I  compared  its  body 
with  the  common  species,  I  took  for  the  Bronze  Man- 
uikir  Under  this  name  I  described  dt  in  The 
Feathered  World  as  follows  : — "  The  fir.st  specimen  of 
this  bird  that  I  ever  saw  alive  was  caught  in  South 
Kensington,  one  very  cold  day,  by  a  policeman,  who 
sold  it  to  me  for  half-a-crown.  The  poor  little  thing 
must  have  escaped  from  some  aviary  in  the  neighbour- 
hood, been  without  food  the  greater  part  of  the  day, 
and  the  Sparrows  had  so  frightened  it  that  it  was 
easily  caught.  I  wa.s  much  plea.sed  -with  the  poor 
little"  fellow,  took  him  home,  and  put  him  in  a  cage 
with  Waxbills,  where  he  had  a  good  supjK'r  and  retired 
to  rest,  never  to  wake  again  in  this  world.  A  tiny 
Finch,  about  the  size  of  a  Zebra  Finch.  His  colouring 
is  pretty,  though  not  startlingly  brilliant. 

Rdfotis-dackf.d  Mannikin  {Spermestes  nigriceps). 

Above  chestnut,  rump  and  upper  tail -coverts  black, 
barred  and  spotted  with  white  at  the  tips :  wing-coverts 
slightly  browner  than  back,  excepting  the  inner  ones 
which  are  chestnut ;  median  coverts  with  a  pale  streak 


MANNIKINS. 


185 


near  the  tips ;  outor  greater  covert*,  primary  coverts 
and  bastard -wing  blackish  edged  with  chestnut ;  (lights 
black,  witli  small  whit«  s[X)t8  on  out*;  web;  inner 
secondaries  i-ufescemt  externally,  the  innermost  ones 
chestnut;  tail  blax;k;  hoad  all  round  black;  rest  of 
liody  below  white  ;  thighs  black  externally  ;  under  wing- 
co%'erti  and  axillarics  whit«,  e<lge  of  wing  mottled  with 
bUick ;  Higlits  below  blackish,  greyer  at  the  edges, 
whitish  towards  the  base.  Fcnuile  taid  to  be  slightly 
huger  than  male.  Hab.,  Ka-st  Africa  fro  n  Natal  to  the 
Equator;  a  smaller  form  inhabits  Somaliland. 

Accni-ding  to  Shelley  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  1,  p.  167),  "  Fischer,  in  his  letters  from  Zanzibar, 
informs  us  that  he  found  the  s|>ecies  in  flocks  of  twenty 
to  thirty  in  the  fields,  feeding  in  company  with  other 
fimall  Wejivers,  and  he  once  met  with  it  in  the  town, 
where  it  is  known  to  the  natives  .ae  the  "  Toiigo  Kanga," 
the  word  "  Tongo  "  being  apparently  the  generic  name 
for  all  the  members  of  the  group,  ;uid  might  be  tiajis- 
lated  as  "  Mannikin."  He  also  met  with  the  srpecies 
,it  Bagamoio,  Pangani,  Momb,as,  Lamu,  and  the  Tana 
River.  Hildebrandt  ;ind  Kalkreuth  found  a  nest  of  this 
species  near  Mombasa  in  July;  it  was  placed!  in  a  bush 
and  conftruoted  of  grass.  'I'he  egg  is  described  by  Mr. 
Nehrkorn  as  Iwing  white  and  measuring  0.56  by  0.40." 

Mr.  Hawkins  exhibited  a  specimen  of  this  rare 
Maimikin  in  1895,  1896.  and  1897.  Specimens  were  im- 
ported and  advertised  in  1907,  and  doubtless  then  got 
into  the  hands  of  various  aviculturists.* 

Bronze  ^L^NNIKIN  (S/iermeisli'x  cucuUala). 

Brown  above;  the  top  of  the  head  darker  and  with  a 
greenish  glo.-s,  the  forehead  nearly  black ;  the  lower 
back  is  paler,  becoming  wliitish  with  dark  brown  bars 
on  the  rump  and  the  upper  tail-coverts  ;  tail  dull  black ; 
a  band  of  metallic  green  crossing  the  shoulder;  wings 
brown,  the  le.sser  coverts  sometimes  slightly  greenish, 
outer  webs  of  primaries  narrowly  whiti.sh  ;  the  sides  of 
head  as  well  as  the  chin,  throat,  and  chest  bronze- 
brown  with  faint  purplish  gloss,  the  fringes  of  the 
fea.thers  greenLsh ;  breaet  and  abdomen  white,  the 
sides  barred  in  front  with  greenish  black,  behind  with 
brown;  under  tail-coveits  with  blackish  bars;  I>eaJc 
leaden-grey,  the  upper  mandible  darker;  feet  dajk 
horn-brown  ;  iris  brown. 

The  female  is  a  little  smaller  than  the  male,  has  a. 
I'arrower  head,  and  more  regularly  tapering  beak;  her 
breast-patch  is  slightly  more  restricted  and  less  glossy, 
and  the  upper  parts  rather  browner  ;  as  a  rule,  when 
fully  adult,  the  metallic  shoulder  band  is  smaller  than 
in  the  niale,  but  I  have  met  with  exceptional  sjiecimens 
in  which  this  band  was  very  prominent.  Hab.,  West 
Africa  from  Senegambia  to  Angola,  and  across  Equatorial 
Africa  to  the  Kavirondo  district,  east  of  Victoria 
Nyanza. 

In  Shelley's  "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1. 
pip.  168-170,  are  various  accounts  of  the  wild  life  bv 
different  olxsen-ers.  The  following  will  be  suiBcient  for 
the  present  work:— Ussher  writes:  "Exceedingly 
common  on  the  west  coast,  where  large  flocks  of  them", 
in  company  with  other  Finches,  rise,  when  distuirbed. 
from  the  long  grass,  on  the  seeds  of  which  they  are  verj- 
fond  of  feeding.  They  are  captured  in  some  quantities 
by  the  natives  on  various  parts  of  the  coast,  especially 
at  the  Gambia  and  in  the  French  .settlements  of  Senegal, 
when  they  are  exported,  with  many  other  varieties  of 
Finches,  fo  Eurojw." 

Mr.  Kemp  writes  from  Sierra  Leone  :  "  The  nests  are 
somewhat    spherical    and    are    placed     in    thick,    small 


•  I  believre  the  late  Mr.  Ersklne  Allon  also  h»d  specimens  in  liis 
olrdroom. 


bushes,  banana  trees,  the  palm  le-aved  roofs  of  huts,  or 
other  conveniemt  plac>e's,  fiom  the  middle  of  August  to 
February,  and  u.sually  contain  five  eggs  of  a  dirty  white 
colour.  In  the  rains  they  roost  in  these  nests,  often  five 
or  six  birds  together,  and  can  be  caught  at  night  with  a 
butterfly  net  and  a  lantern." 

Four  represents  the  normal  number  of  the  white  eggs, 
but  as  m;uiy  as  seven  may  be  laid.  In  c^iptivity  a  cigar 
nest-box  is  usually  selected,  but  Dr.  llu.ss  found  that  a 
Hartz  cage  was  picferred.  This  gentleman  bred  the 
specdes  abimdantly  even  in  a  small  cage,  but  I  have 
hitherto  not  Ixieii  successful,  having  last  most  of  my 
hens  through  egg-binding.  One  I  saved  and  turned  into 
a  good-sized  aviary,  where  it  co(n.sorted  with  Sharp-taiiled 
Finches.  Another,  mated  to  a  Par.son  Finch,  was 
always  building,  but  without  result.  It  is  quite  a  hardy 
species. 

Why  this  species  should  be  .so  mucli  more  freely  im- 
ported than  the  Two-colourexl  s])ecies  (which  also  occurs 
in  Western  Africa)  I  caimot  explain.  Both  are  pretty 
little  birds. 

Bra  Finch  (Sptrmestes  nana). 
The  male  above  is  brown,  with  the  rump  and  upper 
tail-coverts  straw  coloured  ;  the  primaries,  outer 
secondaries,  and  tail  blackish ;  crown  of  head  greyer 
than  hack,  sides  of  head  giey,  the  lores  and  a  bib-like 
patch  on  the  throat  black  ;  under  parts  pale  fulvous- 
brown,  slightly  greyer  on  the  breast ;  under  tail-coverts 
blackish  with  ochreous  margins  ;  upper  mandible  black, 
lower  whitish  ;   feet  flesh  coloured  ;   iris  brown. 

I  am  not  sure  of  the  sexual  differences  in  this  bird, 
not  having  seen  enough  examples  to  be  quite  certain ; 
but  I  believe  the  female  to  t)e  a  little  smaller  and  more 
slim  in  build,  with  a  slightly  smaller  black  bib.  Un- 
doubtedly both  sexes  have  this  marking.  Hab.,  Mada- 
gascar and  the  small  island  of  Mayotte. 

Grandidier,  in  his  splendid  work  on  Madagascar,  says 
that  they  are  to  be  met  with  in  all  plantations  and. 
cultivated  ground  in  flocks  of  from  twenty  to  forty 
individuals.  They  are  constantly  on  the  move,  climb- 
ing along  the  .stems  of  the  corn,  or  flitting  from  one 
tuft  of  grass  to  another,  disappearing  quickly  wherr 
alarmed.  The  nest  is  woven  out  of  the  stems  of  grass 
and  lined  with  softer  grass  ;  they  lay  three  or  four  eggs 
in  a  nest.  Grandidier  incorrectly  describes  the  eggs, 
which,  as  usual,  are  while,  measuring,  according  to 
Nehrkorn,  0,56  by  0.4. 

The  Dwarf  or  Bib  Finch  (sometimes  called  the 
"  .African  Parson  Finch  ")  is  the  smallest  of  all  the 
Mannikins,  and  one  of  the  most  pleasing.  Unhappily, 
when  imported,  which  is  only  now  and  then,  though  it 
is  cheap  enough,  it  is,  as  a  rule,  in  very  poor  condi- 
tion ;  indeed,  the  two  or  three  which  I  have  purchased 
only  survived  a  few  days,  being  badly  pecked  and  thin. 
The  species  is  a  native  of  Madagascar  and  the  Comoro 
Islands. 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  it  was  first  bred  in  1885  b.v 
Lieutenant  Haiith,  four  young  being  reared,  after 
which  it  often  bred  with  him.  They  are  readilv  in- 
duced to  breed  and  bring  up  their  .young  with  certainty. 
In  two  instances  Bengalees  incubated  and  brought  up 
families  of  these  birds.  Three  to  seven  eggs  are  laid 
usually  in  a  Hartz  cage,  the  nest  being  formed  of  cocoa- 
fibre,  "fragments  of  wadding,  and  feathers.  Incubation 
lasts  thirteen  days. 

In  this  country  the  Rev.  C.  D.  Farrar  has  bred  the 
Dwarf  Finch  in  his  garden  aviary.  Undoubtedly  the 
most  certain  and  easiest  method  of  breeding  most 
foreign  birds  is  to  net  in  a  large  portion  of  one's 
garden  with  growing  shrubs  in  abundance  and  plenty 
of  shelter ;  only  everyone  cannot  make  up  his  mind  to 
do  this. 


186 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


WHYDAHS    AND   WHYDAH-LIKE 
WEAVERS    (Fiduime). 

The  Whydahs. 

These  birds  havt  a  very  distinct  summer  plumayc, 
which  the  males  assume  at  tlie  approach  of  the  breeding 
se.ison.  In  most  of  the  species  the  upper  tail-coverts 
of  the  males  are  at  this  season  developed  into  enormous 
graceful  plumes  ivhich  extend  far  beyond  the  true  tail. 
The  females  and  the  males  when  in  winter  jilujiiage 
are  soberly  coloured  birds  which  remind  one  of  the 
European  SedgeWarbleT  or  the  Corn-Buntini;.  The 
Whydahs  are  nearly  all  jjolygamous ;  and,  like  most 
polygamous  birds,  the  males  do  not  trouble  about 
building  the  nest  or  rearing  the  young,  but  leave  the.se 
duties  entirely  to  the  females.  The  Combasou,  which 
is  an  e.xcepti6n  to  this  rule,  differs  also  in  its  method 
■of  nidification  and  in  its  white  eggs ;  it  is,  in  fact,  in 
some  sense  a  link  l>ctween  the  true  Whydahs  and  the 
Ornamental  Finches ;  nevertheless,  the  "Combasou  and 
its  local  races  are  linked  to  the  long-tailed  species 
tlvrouiih  Vidua  hi/]/orheriiia,  a  rare  little  "  Black 
Whyoah,"  of  which  Mr.  Fulljanies  exhibited  a  very 
perfect  specimen  at  the  Crystal  Palace  in  1898. 

There  are  one  or  two  habits  which  are  common  to  all 
the  Whydahs,  including  the  (short-tailed)  Combasou. 
viz..  when  feeding  they  scratch  on  the  earth  or  in  the 
seed-pan  with  a  little  backward  shuffle  which  sends 
the  sand  or  seed  flying  to  a  distance,  and  when  court- 
ing they  rise  up  and  down  in  the  air  above  the  female 
like  gnats,  flapping  their  wings  with  regular  and  noisy 
Ijeat. 

The  nests  are  domed,  hut-like  structures,  and  the 
eggs,  with  the  exception  of  the  forms  of  Hypochcera, 
are   (I  believe)  always  coloured. 

The  Whydahs  are  hardy  birds,  feeding  chiefly  upon 
white  millet  and  canaryseed,  and  occasionally  small 
insects  or  their  larvae. 

Short-tailed  Whydahs. 
Tliese  are  represented  by  the  BypochercE,  two  or 
•perhaps  three  species  (or  races)  of  -nhich  are  sold  in- 
discriminately in  the  bird-market  under  the  name  cf 
CnmhaMu  ;  strictly  speaking  I  believe  this  name  applies 
to  the  West  African  type :  Captain  Shelley  rightly 
alters  the  specific  name  of  this  bird  to  II.  r'fiah/bca/a, 
under  which  name  it  w.i.s  described  in  1776.  whereas 
the  name  trnca  was  not  given  until  1854. 

Combasou  {Hypochera  ckalyheata). 

Black,  glo.ssed  with  greeni.sh  blue,  flights  and  tail- 
feathers  partly  hlackish-brown ;  beak  ji.ale  creamy 
yellowish ;  feet  salmon-red  ;  i  rides  brown.  Female 
above  brown  ;  upper  back,  scapulars  and  inner  wing- 
coverts  with  dark  centres;  remainder  of  wing  and  tail 
dark  brown  with  narrow  pale  edges  to  the  feathers; 
iTown  with  a  longitudinal  huffish  stripe  edged  broadly 
with  blackish-brown  ;  sides  of  head  buff,  brownish  oil 
ear-coverts,  dark  brown  on  the  upper  portion  ;  under 
surface  ])ale  brown,  becoming  white  at  centre  of  breast, 
abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts;  beak  horny  white; 
feet  rosy  pink;  irides  brown.  Hab.,  Senegal  to  Grand 
Ba.oam. 

Of  this,  the  most  frequently  imported  of  the  forms 
of  II iijmrhrrra,  no  field  notes  appear  to  have  been 
published,  but  doubtless  it  has  the  same  habits  as  its 
near  relatives  the  Ultramarine  and  Steel  Finches. 

In  captivity,  although  the  Comba.sou  is  always  ready 
to  breed,  and  is  very  energetic  in  defence  of  its  ne.st, 


it  is  quite  unusual  for  any  brood  to  be  reared ;  even 
Dr.  Russ,  after  numerous  trials,  was  only  once  suc- 
cessful in  obtaining  young. 

The  Combasou  is  an  excitable  little  bird,  but  perfectly 
innocent;  its  call-note  is  a  chirp,  and  its  song  a  harsh 
sputtering  chatter,  which  reminds  one  somewhat  of 
Castanet.s.  I  have  had  a  good  many  examples  of  both 
sexes,  and  have  found  the  hens — when  they  did  not  die 
through  egg-binding — even  more  hardy  aiid  long-lived 
than  the  cocks. 

The  breeding-plumage,  both  of  this  and  the  Ultra- 
marine Finch,  is  usually  assumed  between  the  months 
of  July  and  September,  but  it  is  not  an  uncommon 
occurrence  for  an  old  male  to  retain  its  summer  dres.s 
for  several  years  in  succession,  and  to  die  when  at  length 
it  puts  it  off  ;  one  of  my  birds  retained  its  full-dress 
uniform  for  about  four  years. 

Steel  Finch  [Ilyiio':htrn  atnauroptcryr). 

Darker  than  the  preceding,  apparently  greenish  black  ; 
wings  brown:  otherwi.se  similar.  Hab.,  Congo,  south- 
ward through  Ondonga  to  the  Transvaal  and  througJi 
Central  and  Eastern  South  Tropical  Africa.  (cf. 
Shelley.) 

One  writer  describes  the  beak  as  dark  pink  and 
another  as  red  ;  but  there  is  not  the  least  doubt  that 
all  the  examples  of  the  three  imported  tvpes  agree  in 
having  pale  creamy-yellowish  or  ivory  whitish  beaks. 
1  should  imagine  that  the  error  arose  at  a  time  when 
these  birds  were  in  winter  plumage  and  perhaps 
mingled  with  examples  of  some  red-billed  Vidua  in 
similar  plumare. 

Stark  says  of  the  habits  of  this  bird  :  "  Resemble 
those  of  the  other  species  of  the  genus.  Mr.  Barratt 
writes  in  The  Il>i.'  for  1876,  p.  207.  under  the  synonym 
of  Vhahjhpiiln,  "  I  found  a  few  of  this  species  in  and 
around  a  large  fruit  garden,  a  few  miles  from  Rusten- 
burg.  The  ones  procured  were  scattered  about  the 
hedgerows,   where   I   .shot  them." 

Under  //.  fiincrea  (which  he  considera  only  sub- 
specifically  distinct,  as  I  do  the  whole  of  the 
Hyjiiichrrn!)  :  "  Very  little  has  been  recorded  regarding 
the   habits  of  the   present  Widow-Finch." 

1  do  not  think  the  present  type  has  ever  been  in  my 
possession  ;  but,  as  most  of  my  males  died  in  moult  and 
consequently  were  not  worth  preserving,  I  have  no 
means  of  deciding  the  point. 

ULTR.ut.^BEiT:  FiNCH   [Hypochera  ullramarina). 

Glossy  Prussian  blue  appearing  black  in  certain 
lights;  flights  and  tail  blackish.  .Soft  parts  as  in  the 
other  species.  Female  dark  brown,  the  fcat'.iers  with 
dull  whitish  margins  ;  head  with  a  central  abbreviated 
longitudinal  buff-whitish  stripe,  a  second  alx>ve  eye  and 
a  third  below  it ;  body  below  sordid  whiti.sh  ;  throat, 
breast  and  flanks  dull  greyish  more  or  less  fulve.scent, 
as  also  the  vent;  tail  smokvbrown.  Hab.,  (jold  Coast 
to  the  Niger  and  eastward  over  Northern  Tropical 
Africa  to  as  far  north  as  23  deg.  \.  lat. 

In  its  wild  state  this  .species  breeds  either  in  holes 
in  trees  or  in  houses,  sometimes  in  Swallows'  nests, 
building  after  the  manner  of  our  House-Sparrow,  with 
any  rubbish  it  can  collect  together,  under  rafters  or 
in  odd  corners;  the  nest  is  neatly  and  warmly  lined, 
and  thiee  to  five  pure  white  eggs  are  deposited.  When 
not  hree<ling.  or  even  when  rearing  the  young,  the 
adult  birds  collect  together  in  the  r/i/ra/i  fields,  in  which 
they  play  havoc,  and  on  the  floors  of  barns  and  stables. 
The  breeding  season  seems  to  continue  from  January  to 
September ;  naturally  this  bird  rears  several  broods 
during  the  year. 

In  my  aviaries  the  "  Ultramarine  Finch,"  so  called, 
although    it    is    black   glossed    with    bright    steel-blue, 


WHYDAHS. 


187 


seemed  always  to  select  a  Haitz  cage  for  breeding 
imrposi'f .  I  never  succeeded  in  rearing  any  young  ;  in 
fact  the  hens  j;enerally  died  e^jj-bound,  sometimes  with 
the   second   egg,    which   -was  doubly   irriUiting. 

Rksplendknt   Whydaii    {Viilua    hiz/joc/icriiia). 

Glossy  steel-blue ;  wingcoverts  black,  edged  with 
greenish  blue  ;  primary-coverts  brown  ;  flights  black 
with  whitish  edges;  innermost  secondaries  glossed  with 
steel-blue ;  tail  black ;  inner  webs  of  feathers  edged 
with  whitish  at  extremities;  long  central  feathers 
greenish  ;  a  few  greyish-white  feathers  on  flanks ;  a 
large  whit<>  patch  below  wings  at  sides  of  liack  ;  under 
wingcoverts  and  axillaries  also  white;  fligiits  below 
greyish,  white  along  inner  webs;  beak  and  feet  dusky; 
irides  dark  brown  :  in  winter  said  to  resemble  the 
female,  but  proliably  larger  and  darker.  Female  al)Ove 
generally  mottltyl  deep  Inown  with  broad  rufescent 
Duflish  borders  to  tlio  featliers ;  some  of  the  median 
coverts  Ixirdered  and  the  primaries  narrowly  edged 
with  whit^*  ;  tail-ft-alhers  similar;  head  with  centre  of 
crown  reddish  IjulT  bounded  on  e;ich  side  by  a  broad 
black  hand  from  beak  'o  nape  ;  a  broad  white  eyebrow- 
stripe  washed  with  reddish  buff  at  its  extremities; 
cheeks  and  ear-coverts  of  the  same  colour,  but  the 
latter  surmounted  by  a  black  streak;  under  surface 
white,  suffused  with  reddish  buff  at  the  sides  of  breast 
and  abdomen,  the  litter  also  with  brown  sbaft-stripes  : 
beak  and  feet  i>ale  brown;  irides  brown.  Hab.,  Ugogo 
to  Souialiland   and   Southern  Abyssinia. 

According  to  Shelley  ("  15irds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  1,  p.  15),  Fischer  ''  found  these  birds  in  flocks  of 
from  ten  to  thirty  in  company  with  Lai/onofticta 
briitineirt px  and  Vidua  frrena  feeding  on  the  bare 
ground,  where  caravans  had  halted  and  left  scattered 
corn  behind.  In  Snmaliland  Mr.  Hawker  saw  these 
birds  only  at  Arabsiyo  and  Hargeisa ;  at  the  latter 
phT-e  they  joined  in  flocks  with  other  Finches  on  the 
■  jowari '  stubbles."  This  is  all  I  have  found  respecting 
th?  wild  life. 

In  captivity  this  AVhydah  is  often  called  the  "  Long- 
teiled  Combasou."  As  already  stated,  Jlr.  FuUjames  was 
the  owner  of  a  beautiful  example  in  1898.  and  it  has 
Tjeen  exhibit^-d  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens,  but 
it  has  never  been  a  common  species  in  the  bird-market. 
Dr.  Russ  does  not  include  it  in  his  work. 

Pin  T.Mi.Kn  Whtd.^h  {Vidua  princi/jalis).' 
The  male  in  full  colour  has  the  top  of  the  head,  chin, 
and  back,  a  short  band  running  forwards  on  each  side 
on  to  the  chest,  and  the  tail  greenish  black;  wings 
black,  with  a  broad  band  of  white  running  across  the 
coverts,  the  larger  coverts  edged  with  buff;  the  throat, 
a  narrow  ring  running  round  the  bick  of  the  neck; 
the  breast,  belly,  and  under  tail-coverts  white;  beak, 
coral  red  :  iris  of  eye,  dark  brown ;  legs,  reddish 
brown.  The  female  above  is  mottled  brown  and  black  ; 
on  the  head  are  six  blackish  stripes  intersected  by 
brown  stripes,  dotted  with  dark  brown,  excepting  in  the 
region  of  the  eye  ;  the  under  parts  are  whiti.sh  stained 
on  the  flanks  with  tawny.  Hab.,  Africa  south  of  about 
17  deg.  N.  Lat.,  also  the  islands  of  St.  Thomas  and 
Fernando  Po.     (Shelley.) 

In  its  native  country  this  species  is  seen,  either  in 
pairs  or  in  small  floclis ;  it  visits  Damara  and  Great 
Namaqualand  tluring  tlie  rainy  season;  in  it^  wild  state 
it   feeds   on    various   grass-seeds. 

vStark  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  147) 
obsei'ves     that    "  in    addition    to    its    wide    range,    this 

'  Shelley  liaa  substituted  the  name  serena  for  principalis 
because  it  was  printed  on  rape  .312  and  principalis  on  page 
313  of  the  "  Systema  Naturjv."  Strictly  speaking  he  is  correct  In 
doing  80,  but  it  seems  a  pity  where  both  names  were  published 
fiimultaneously  to  upset  the  one  which  is  best  known. 


species  of  Widow  Bird,  in  South  Africa,  every^vhere 
largely  outnumbers  its  congeners,  and  in  many  district* 
is  a  very  common  bird.  Durin"  autumn  and  wint«r 
they  occasionally  collect  in  very  liirgc  flocks,  freijuently 
mingled  with  those  of  the  smaller  Weavers  and  Wax- 
bills.  In  summer  they  disperse  in  smaller  parties,  each 
consisting  of  a  single  male  and  from  ten  to  forty  or 
even  fifty  females.  The  Pin-tail  Widow  Bird  is  much 
more  lively  and  active  in  its  movements  than  are  the 
two  other  S]j«cies  of  the  genus,  and  the  cock  is,  not- 
withstanding his  long  tail,  an  excellent  flier.  As  Ayies 
remarks,  "  During  the  breeding  season,  when  the  won- 
derful tail  of  the  c<Hk  bird  is  fully  developed,  be  will 
sometimes  rise  until  nearly  out  of  sight,  when  ho 
suddenly  descends  with  much  velocity,  and  if  approached 
makes  off  with  ease  and  swiftness."  The  same  gentle- 
man writes,  "  The  male  of  this  species  has  a  curious 
habit  of  hovering  over  his  mate  when  she  is  feeding  on 
the  ground,  bobbing  up  and  down  as  you  fee  the  Mayflies 
and  Midges  do  on  a  summer's  evening  in  England. 
This  exercise  he  genei'ally  continues  .some  minut-es  with- 
out resting."  Like  the  other  Widow  Birds  the  pre.sent 
species  feeds  upon  small  seeds,  principally  grass-seeds, 
also  upon  small  insects  and  their  eggs.  Its  ordinary 
call-note  is  a  sharp  chirp,  but  in  spi-ing  the  male  utters 
a  soft  warbling  sonir  from  the  top  of  a  busli  or  tall 
weed.  In  Natal  this  species  breeds  during  the  wet 
.season,  from  November  to  the  end  of  February  or 
beginning  of  March.  A  .somewhat  ojienly  woven 
domed  nest  of  tine  grass  is  suspended  between  the 
stems  of  a  thick  grass  tuft  a  few  inches  off  the  groun<l, 
the  ends  of  the  growing  grass  being  tied  together  over 
the  nest  so  as  to  com])letely  conce  il  it.  The  only  nests 
that  I  have  seen  contained  young  birds,  from  three  to 
four  in  number.     The  eggs  have  not  been  described." 

Capt.  Shelley  says  "  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol,  IV., 
Part  1,  p.  19)  :  "  The  egg  is  glossy  greyish  white,  with 
underlying  violet  marks  and  clear  black  or  dark  brown 
elongated  surface-marks  evenly  distributed.  It  measures 
O.OS^by  0.60." 

In  the  Journal  of  the  South  African  Ornithologists' 
Union,  2nd  Ser.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  9-11,  is  a  paper  by  Mr. 
Austin  Roberts,  in  which  he  concludes  that  the  Pin- 
tailed  Whydah  does  not  build  its  own  nest,  but  is 
parasitic  upon  the  various  Waxbills,  devouring  one  or 
more  of  their  eggs  and  substituting  its  own  eggs  for 
them.  From  what  he  .says,  it  is  evident  that  the  larger 
eggs  which  frequently  occur  with  those  of  the  normal 
size  in  the  ne.sts  of  Waxbills  are  pure  white,  whereas 
the  egg  described  by  Captain  Shelley,  without  any 
note  of  doubt,  as  thr.t  of  the  Pin-tailed  Whydah,  is 
nothing  of  the  kind.  I  must  confess  that  I  consider 
Mr.  Roberts'  notes  far  from  conclusive.  Other  Why- 
dahs  build  their  own  nests  and  lay  spotted  eggs  p 
therefore  why,  on  the  strength  of  the  statements  of 
negroes,  the  discovery  of  eggs  of  two  sizes  in  the  nests 
of  Waxbills  and  the  fact  that  1".  prinripalis.  like 
many  other  birds,  is  an  egg-stealer,  should  we  come  to 
so  improbable  a  conclusion  as  that  this  bird  alone 
among  the  Whydahs  has  the  instincts  of  a  Cuckoo  or  a 
Cowbird? 

In  an  aviary  I  have  found  this  Whydah  unbearable 
when  in  breeding  plumage,  though  quiet  at  other  times  ; 
with  its  long  tail  it  looks  much  larger  than  it  actually 
is,  and  its  evolutions  are  so  rapid  that  when  flying  it 
resembles  a  winged  tadpole  rather  than  a  bird  :  being 
certainlv  polygamous  by  nature,  as  nearly  all  the 
Whydalis  or  Widow-birds  are.  it  no  sooner  spies  a  hen 
of  any  Weaver  feeding  quietly  than  it  darts  per- 
pendicularly downwards  from  its  branch.  like  an  arrow 
from  a  bow,  and  as  it  nears  the  unsuspecting  little 
thing  it  gives  a  squeak,  as  if  hurt,  and  the  two  roll 


188 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARl'. 


over,  struggling  and  biting  on  the  sand  for  a  minute, 
then  up  it  goes  perpendicularly  like  a  rocket,  as  if  it 
would  infallibly  strike  the  ceiling,  but  turns  just  in 
time  and  drops  back  to  its  brajich,  whence  it  looks 
sharply  i-ound  for  another  victim.  Thus,  except  when 
feeding,  this  mischievous  sport  continues  throughout 
the  day. 

After  a  male  Pintail  had  displayed  its  beauty  and 
tormented  its  companions  in  one  of  my  aviaries  for  two 
seasons  I  took  comi>assion  on  the  latter,  and  confined 
the  active  little  fellow  in  a  large  domed  cage,  but  toon 
after  he  caught  cold,  and  died  in  a  decline. 

This  Whydah  is  of  about  the  size  of  an  English 
Siskin,  but  has  much  longer  legs,  and  a  tail  w'hich 
increases  in  length  with  the  age  of  the  bird.  Thus  my 
specimen  in  1890  moulted  out  a  tail  having  only  two 
long  feathers,  which  measured  9|  in.  ;  the  following 
year  it  produced  four  feathers  in  place  of  the  two,  and 
when  it  moulted  I  saved  the  longer  plumes,  which 
measured  10|  in. 

Mr.  Boyd  Alexander  says  that  "  the  males  have  a 
laboured  flight,  as  if  they  were  weighed  down  by  their 
long  tails  " ;  but  it  seemed  to  me  that  so  far  from 
hindering  the  bird's -flight  the  tail  seemed  to  assist  it, 
enabling  it  to  twist  about  in  all  directions  with  almost 
lightning  speed, 

Sh.\ft-T-\iled    Whtd.^h    {Telncviira    regia). 

Above  black  ;  feathers  of  rump  grey  at  base  ;  bastard- 
wing,  primary  coverts  and  primaries  smoky  brown,  the 
latter  narrowly  edged  with  whity-brown  ;  tail-feathers, 
excepting  the  "central  ones,  similar  to  the  primaries,  but 
the  outer  ones  with  a  large  white  sjxjt  at  extremity  of 
inner  web ;  a  broad  tawny  buff  collar  behind  head  ;  ear- 
coverts,  cheeks,  and  under  surface  also  tawny  buff, 
rufescent  on  sides  of  body,  where  there  is  a  large  tuft 
of  silky  white  plumes  ;  sides  of  vent  and  under  tail 
coverts  black ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries 
white,  yellowish  at  edge  of  wing ;  flights  below 
blackish,  their  inner  edges  white  :  beak  and  feet  coraJ- 
red  ;  irides  dark  hazel.  Female  above  rufescent  brown 
with  broad  dark  brown  centres ;  wing-feathers  blackish- 
brown  edged  with  buff  ;  tail  short,  blackish-brown  ;  the 
feathers  edged  and  the  three  outer  pairs  tipped  with 
buff ;  head  and  neck  buff,  with  a  broad  band  of  feathers 
coloured  like  those  of  the  back  on  each  side  of  the 
crown  from  the  nostrils  to  the  nape ;  under  surface 
white,  with  the  throat  and  .sides  of  body  sandy  buff : 
under  wing-coverts  white ;  flights  below  paler  than 
above  and  with  whitish  inner  margins.  Male  in  winter 
plumage  similar  to  the  female,  but  doubtless  a  trifle 
larger  and  darker.  Hab. ,  "  Southern  Africa  between 
15  deg.  S.  Lat.  and  31  deg.  S.  Lat.,  and  westward 
from  50  deg.  E.  Long."     (Shelley.) 

Stark  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  149) 
observes: — "I  have  only  had  limited  opportunities  of 
observing  this  species  in  Natal,  where  I  have  found  it 
frequenting  much  the  same  localities  as  the  commoner 
Vidua  paraduea,  grassy  plains  and  marshy  ground 
interspersed  with  groves  of  trees  or  bushes.  It  is  poly- 
gamous, each  male  in  spring  being  accompanied  by  from 
ten  to  twenty  females.  At  this  season  the  beautiful 
cocks  are  very  pugnacious  and  are  constantly  fighting 
and  chasing  one  another,  their  long  tails  by  no  means 
incommoding  their  flight,  as  is  the  case  with  Vidya 
paradifea.  They  are,  indeed,  of  much  more  active 
habits  than  are  the  latter  birds.  Their  call-note  is  a 
sharp  chirp,  occasionally  uttered,  but  the  cocks,  in 
moments  of  excitement,  indulge  in  a  short  and  rather 
feeble  song.  They  feed  almost  entirely  on  grass-.seeds. 
Although  I  have  never  found  a  nest,  I  have  every 
rea.son  to  suppose,  from  having  on  several  occasions 
carefully  watched  the  birds,  that  each  femaJe  builds  a 


separate  one  in  the  long  grass,  the  cock  not  interfering, 
beyond  keeping  watch  and  warning  the  hens  by  his 
alarm-call,  should  danger  approach." 

In  the  "Journal  of  the  South  African  Ornithologists' 
Union."  1st  .series.  Vol.  II.,  p.  27,  Dr.  E.  Symonds 
remarks  of  this  bird  in  the  Orange  River  Colony  :  "The 
males  are  often  teen  together  in  pairs  accompanied  by 
a  crowd  of  sober-plumaged  femaJes.  They  aro  very  fond 
of  fitting  on  a  wire  fence  and  flying  rapidly  to  and  fro 
between  the  ground  ;und  the  fence.  They  are  mostly 
found  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  and  in  the  gardens. 
On  a  farm  some  distance  from  here  I  ob?er\'ed  a  pair 
of  males  as  usual  and  several  females,  and  a  ne.st  was 
commenced  in  a  peach  tree,  but  never  finished,  though 
protected  as  tar  as  possible.  I  kept  one  once  in  my 
aviaiy-,  but  he  died  before  changing  his  garb.  They  seem 
delicate  and  difficult  to  keep  in  confinement,  like  some 
others  of  the  same  family." 

Russ  says  that  examples  of  this  rarely-imported 
Whydah  have  occasionally  come  into  the  hands  of 
Messrs.  Hacenbeck,  Jamrach,  Madame  Poisson,  and 
more  recently  of  Gaetano  Alpi  of  Trieste,  but  in  their 
winter  plumage,  in  which  they  were  not  recognised  by 
these  dealers.  He  picked  one  out  of  a  lot  of  Whydahs 
out  of  colour  which  he  received  from  Carl  Hogenbeck, 
but  imfortunately  it  died  before  comi..g  into  breeding 
plunia.ge.  He  quotes  Vieillot  as  saying  that  it  must  have 
a  very  large  cage  and  a  frequent  bath  to  keep  it  in 
health,  that  he  himself  thus  kept  it  for  from  eight  to 
ten  years.  To  breed  it  one  must  provide  a  temperature 
of  from  25  to  30  degrees  (R.)  and  fit  up  the  cage  with 
evergreen  bushes.  It  is  difficult,  but  well  worth  while, 
to  induce  it  to  nest.  As  Dr.  Russ  observes  : — "Whether 
the  bird  has  actually  been  bred  in  captivity  is  not 
stated."  Buffon  says  that  this  Whydah  in  his  time 
was  to  be  obtained  in  numbers  in  Paris,  and  aooordingto 
Bechstein's  testimony  it  was  oooasionally  brought  to 
England,  Holland,  and  Germany. 

In  late  years  several  examples  have  been  visible  in  the 
Ixindon  Zoologicil  Gardens,  and  a  pair  owrned  by  Mr. 
Townsend  appeared  at  some  of  the  London  shows.  Rtiss 
calls  this  species  the  "  King  Widow  Finch,"  but  Buffon 
for  some  reason  or  other  called  it  the  "  Queen-widow," 
taking  regia,  I  presume,  to  be  an  abbreviation  for 
regirui. 

Paradise  Whydah  {Steganura  paraduea). 

When  in  breeding  plumage  the  male  has  the  head, 
including  the  throat,  the  back,  the  shoulders,  wing 
coverts,  tail,  upper  and  under  tail-coverts,  and  thighs 
Maok  ;  flight-feathers  brown  ;  the  back  and  sides  of  neck 
and  the  breast  reddish  jnahogany,  passing  gradually  into 
buff-whitish  on  the  abdomen  ;  rump  white  ;  beak  black  ; 
feet  brown :  iris  dark  brown.  The  long  tail-plumes 
lengthen  and  grow  somewhat  narrower  with  age.  v,arj'- 
ing  consequently  from  five  or  six  to  over  tliirteen  inches, 
a  fact  which  has  led  to  the  supposition  that  two  speciea 
exist ;  by  .saving  and  carefully  measuring  the  plumes  eafh 
year  this  mistake  is  at  once  explained. 

The  female  is  reddish-brown  above,  and  streaked 
with  black;  the  crown  pale  buff  brownish  with  a  few 
short  streaks  amd  a  bnoad  blackish  stripe  on  each  side  ; 
below  this  is  a  whitish  superciliary'  stripe,  and  below 
this,  from  the  eye  to  the  edge  of  the  ear-coverts,  a 
second  blackish  stripe;  the  ear-ooverts  themselves  and 
the  cheeks  are  sandv-buff ;  the  wing  and  tail-feathers 
are  dark  brown  witli  paler  borders,  the  under  parts 
dull  white,  stained  with  buff-brownish  on  the  chest 
and  flanks  ;  the  iieak  hom  brownish;  the  feet  deeper  in 
colour;  iris  dark  brown. 

When  out  of   colour  the  male   nearly  resembles  the 


WHYDAHS. 


189 


female,  but  is  considerably  larger  and  dee^ier  in  colour- 
ing, the  crown  broader,  w-ilh  tlie  central  area  darker 
ami  ntore  distinctly  slrcaJied,  and  tlio  eye  stripe  more 
buff  in  tint,  tiie  b.ise  of  the  boak  bro.ider  ;  there  is  no 
difficulty  in  telling  it  at  once  from  the  heru  Hab., 
Africa  generally,  south  of  17°  N.  lat. 

In  its  wild  st:ite  the  Paradise  Whj'dah  frequents 
thum  trees  and  tall  bushes,  sitting  chiefly  on  the  bare 
upper  brimches,  from  which  it  takes  short  flights;  at 
the  moulting  eeason  the  individuals  graduaJly  collect 
into  flocks. 

Dr.  .Stark  says  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I., 
1>.  151):  "The  hand.some  oock,  in  spring  and  summer, 
is  fond  of  perching  on  a  prominent  bush,  from  which 
he  takes  sliort  undulating  flights,  returning  invaiiabiy 
to  the  sajne  perch.  OccasionaJly  he  will  hover  for  a  few 
seconds  over  tJie  grass  in  which  one  of  his  little  brow^^ 
mates  is  hidden,  for  he  his  many — from  ten  t.o  Sfty  or 
more.  At  short  inten-als  he  utters  a  flute-like  note, "and 
now  and  then  a  few  bars  of  his  love-song.  When  at  rest 
tlio  longest  t-ail  feathers  are  alUrwi  d  to  hang  down,  but  in 
(light  they  are  carried  horizontally.  I.ike  the  other 
Widow  Bird.s  this  species  feeds  almost  entirely  on  grass- 
seeds.  The  change  of  plumage,  from  winter  to  spring 
livery,  in  the  male  is  completed  in  about  six  weeks.     1 


Par.\dise  Whvd.vhs  (Male  ami  Female). 

have  never  been  able  to  find  the  nest  of  this  species,  nor, 
so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  has  anyone  been 
more  fortunate  in  this  respect  than  myself." 

The  species  has  been  bred  in  Germany,  the  females 
alone  constructing  the  nests  and  incubating  as  well  as 
rearing  the  young ;  unhappily,  the  neets  were  not 
examined  until  after  the  hatching  of  the  young,  so  that 
the  oolom-ing  of  the  eggs  was  not  observed. 

The  Piiradise  Whydah  shows  none  of  the  restless 
activity  of  the  preceding  species ;  moreover,  in  old 
maJes  the  weight  of  the  long  tail  seems  to  render  flight 
somewhat  laborious.     It  is  a  fairly  hardy  bird. 

This  beautiful  and  generally  harmless  bird  is  very 
freely  imported  and  always  reasonable  in  price,  especially 
if  purcha&ed  when  out  of  colour.  For  many  years 
T  have  had  at  least  one  male,  sometimes  several  together 
in  my  aviaries ;  they  seldom  interfere  with  even  the 
smallest  Waxbills,  although  one  purchased  early  in  1897 
proved  a  trying  exception  to  the  rule  and  had  to  be 
removed  to  my  Weaver  aviary ;  its  capture  was  so 
difficult  that  I  fear  the  bird  was  overtaxed  in  its  efforts 
to  evade  the  net,  for  it  died  two  or  three  days  later. 

LoNG-TAFLED   Whtdah    (Chera    prngnc).* 
The  male  in  breeding  plumage  is  jet  black,  the  under 


*  According  to  Stielley  Chera  was  pre-occupled  in  the  Lepidoptera^ 
and  therefore  is  inadmissible  as  a  generic  name  ;  ttie  species  also 
was  originally  called  progne  (not  procn^) :  he  calls  it  Cotiuspasser 
progne. 


parts  being  glossy,  and  having  a  banded  appearance 
like  watered  silk  ;  the  shoulder  is  covered  by  a  large 
patch  of  deep  orange,  relieved  behind  by  an  equally 
broad  patch  of  huffy-white  ;  the  wing-feathers  are  more 
or  less  edged  with  white  or  pale  brown  ;  the  beak  is 
light  bluish  ash  in  summer,  brownish  flesh  in  winter; 
feet  dark  brown  in  suumier,  paler  and  flesh-tinted  in 
winter;  irides  brown.  The  tail  consists  of  long, 
broad,  curvetl  plumes,  almost  like  cock's  feathers,  of 
a  jet-black  colour,  and  from  16  in.  to  18  in.  in  length. 

In  its  winter  plumage  the  male  resembles  the  hen, 
which  is  of  various  shades  of  brown,  streaked  and 
s|K)tted  with  black,  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  a 
Pipit ;  the  eye-brow  streak,  the  lores,  and  feathers 
encircling  the  eye  whitish.  In  siz*  this  species  nearly 
equals  our  Corn  Bunting,  which  (when  out  of  colonr) 
it 'tolerably  closely  resembles  in  pattern.  Hab.,  Ben- 
guela  to  Eastern  .South  Africa  from  Cape  Colony  to  the 
Transvaal.     (Shelley). 

This  si)ecics,  in  its  wild  state,  affects  marshy  ground, 
the  long  reeds  about  ponds  and  open  flats.  It  builds 
its  nest  clo.se  to  the  ground  in  a  tuft  of  hay  grass,  to 
the  stems  and  blades  of  which  it  is  roughly  woven ; 
the  nest  is  carelessly  constructed  of  fine  grass,  drawn 
together  and  fastened  at  the  top  somewhat  after  the 
fashion  of  an  African  hut,  it  is  lined  with  the  seed- 
bearing  extremities  of  the  grass  ;  the  opening,  as  usual, 
is  formed  at  the  side  ;   the  eggs  usually  number  four. 

Several  writers  have  statea  that  the  enormous  tail 
of  this  bird  is  a  source  of  inconvenience  and  even  danger 
to  him.  rendering  him  almost  helpless  in  a  strong  wind 
or  during  a  shower  of  rain ;  Mr.  Henry  Bowker, 
however,  says  that  he  never  enjoys  himself  so  much  as 
during  a  high  wind,  in  which  he  shows  off  to  advantage, 
spreading  his  tail  out  like  a  fan ;  Mr.  Layard  also 
mentions  seeing  one  apparently  drifting  before  a  strong 
wind,  which  nevertheless  was  able  to  guide  himself  so 
as  to  keep  out  of  gun-shot.  These  birds  are  described 
as  roosting  in  hundreds,  or  even  thousands,  in  the 
reedy  morasses.  The  females  apparently  average 
from  ten  to  fifteen  to  each  male. 

My  friend  Mr.  James  Housden,  of  Sydenham,  has 
had  a  fair  number  of  these  birds,  three  or  four  of  which 
I  saw  flying  together  in  full  plumage  in  one  of  his  larger 
aviaries ;  they  are  very  attractive,  but,  on  account  of 
their  great  size,  I  supposed  that  it  would  not  be  safe 
to  trust  them  with  smaller  birds  until,  on  the  11th 
April,  1907,  I  received  a  male  in  exchange  for  a  pair 
of  my  hybrid  Ouzels,  and  turned  it  into  one  of  my 
smallest  aviaries  ;  I  found  it  so  quiet  and  tame  that  I 
did  not  hesitate,  latei'  in  the  year,  to  put  a  pair  of 
young  Chingolo  Song-Sparrows  in  with  it.  I  find  it  is 
absolutely  amiable  unless  molested  ;  one  of  the  most 
quiet,  good-natured  birds  I  ever  had  ;  I  believe  it  might 
.safely  be  trusted  with  the  smallest  Waxbills  unless  it 
had  a  number  of  hens  with  it  inclined  to  breed  ;  that 
might  tempoi-arily  alter  its  behaviour ;  but  the  same 
might  l>e  said  of  almost  any  bird.  In  the  spring  of 
1908  the  Chingolos  amused  themselves  by  pulling  out  its 
long  tail-feathers  to  line  a  nest  with. 

Red-coll,4.red    Whtdah    {Penthelria    ardens). 

The  cock  in  full  colour  is  jet  black,  with  the  exception 
of  a  broad  half  collar  of  bright  vermilion,  or  sometimes 
(probably  in  younger  birds')  orange,  across  the  back  of 
the  throat ;  the  feathers  of  the  thighs  and  under  tail- 
coverts  are  striped  with  grey  on  their  edges.  When 
out  of  colour  this  bird  is  buff-whitish  variegated  with 
black,  the  under  parts  white  slightly  stained  with 
buff ;  the  throat  slightly  tinged  wnth  vermilion :  the 
wing  feathers  black  edged  with  whitish ;    tail   black ; 


190 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


beak  and  feet  black.  Female  above  pale  brown,  with 
blackish  centres  to  the  feathers  ;  a  well-defined  yellowish 
white  eyebrow-stripe  and  a  patch  of  the  same  colour 
below  the  eye;  a  black  loral  band  and  a  continuation 
behind  the  eye;  eu'-coverts  huffish  brown;  below  hulf, 
chin  and  throat  yellower ;  brea.st  washed  with  tawny 
brown,  with  some  darker  shaft-stripes ;  wiufjs  below 
dull  greyish,  paler  on  the  coverts;  beak  and  feet  pale 
brown;  irides  brown.  Hab..  Eastern  half  of  Africa 
south  of  tlie  Equator  and  ranges  into  Angola.    (Shelley.) 

In  Shurpe  and  Layard's  "  Birds  of  South  Africa," 
pp.  455.  456.  are  the  following  notes  on  the  wild  life  : 
"Mr.  GuiUemard  writes:  Vir/iia  ardrns  is  not  uncom- 
mon on  the  rivers  of  the  north-western  Transvaal,  and 
may  be  met  with  even  a.s  low  as  Rustenberg.  It  is  fond 
of  haunting  large  reed  beds,  from  which  it  does  not 
seem  to  wander  far  ;  indeed,  it  is  so  shy  that  one  is 
rarely  able  to  get  a  shot  at  it.  At  a  distance  they 
much  resemble  Chera  pro<j7ie.  from  which  they  are  only 
to  be  distinguished  by  their  smaller  size.  In  summer 
plumage  the  bill  and  feet  are  jet  black,  and,  besides  the 
tipping  of  the  under  tail-coverts  with  grey,  there  is 
occasionally  a  grey  feather  or  two  about  the  head. 

"  Captain  Harford  informs  us  that  in  Natal  they  fly  in 
flock.s,  five  or  six  males  with  about  fifty  females.  This 
we  also  observed  when  we  fell  in  with  them  in  the 
swampy  grass  lands  and  fields  of  Kaffir  corn  at  Alice. 
The  females  usually  hid  themselves  in  the  sea  of 
herbage,  diving  to  the  bottom  in  a  moment,  while  the 
males,  after  occasionally  doing  battle  with  each  other, 
or  hovering  with  the  peculiar  jerking,  flapping  motion, 
common  to  this  genus  and  Chera,  over  some  of  the 
females  conceded  in  the  grass,  would  betake  themselves 
to  .some  elevated  head  of  corn  or  rush,  and  thence 
survey  the  field.  We  feel  convinced  that  all  species  of 
the  genus  ]'idua,  and  also  Chera  progne,  that  we  have 
encountered  in  South  Africa  are  polygamous.  This 
may  also  account  for  what  Mr.  Atmore  and  others  tell 
us  of  the  breeding  of  several  females  of  Estrelda  astrild 
in  the  same  nest." 

Stark  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  143)  says  : 
"  The  nests  are  domed,  with  a  small  entrance  at  the 
side,  carefully  woven  of  fine  grass  in  the  centre  of  a 
thick  tuft  of' grass,  many  of  the  growing  grass  .stems 
being  built  into  the  walls  of  the  nest,  while  others  are 
plaited  so  as  to  form  an  arched  bower  over  it." 

In  Shelley's  "  Birds  of  Africa  "  is  a  note  by  Messrs. 
Butler,  Feilden  and  Reid  to  the  effect  that  this  biixi 
lays   "  little   white   speckled   eggs." 

A  beautiful  but  by  no  mean.s  freely  imported  species, 
so  that  it  always  commands  a  tolerably  high  price, 
Messrs.  CronUsliaw,  Eulljames,  T<idd,  and  others  have 
owned  specimens  of  this  Whydah ;  it  is  said  to  be 
decidedly  pugnacious  in  captivity. 

In  Angola  n  form  of  the  species  is  eomctimes  met 
with  in  which  the  bright  collar  is  wholly  wanting ; 
although  at  first  described  as  a  distinct  species,  this  is 
now  known  to  be  only  a  melanism  or  black  sport  of  the 
common  type. 

White-winged  Whvd.vh  {/'enlhclria  alhonolata). 
Black ;  le.sser  wing-coverts  bright  yellow ;  middle 
coverts  edged  with  brownish-white ;  outermost  greater 
coverts  and  primary-coverts  white,  remaining  greater 
coverts  tip))ed  with  white  and  edged  with  brownish- 
white;  flights  edged  with  brown,  all  excepting  the 
innermost  secondaries ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axil- 
laries  white;  tips  of  latter  and  edge  of  wing  yellow; 
beak  jiale  blue  ;  feet  black  ;  irides  hazel.  Female  above 
brownish  black,  tne  feathers  broadly  bordered  with 
pale  brown  ;  lesser  wing-coverts  mo.stly  yellow  ;  a  broad 
eyebrow-stripe   and   the    under   surface   brownish    buff. 


whitish  towards  chin  and  centre  of  breast ;  under  wing- 
coverts  sandy  buff,  deeper  on  bend  of  wing  ;  beak  feet 
and  irides  brown.  Male  in  winter  hke  the  female  ex- 
cepting that  the  le.sser  wing-coverts  are  brighter  yellow 
and  the  white  on  thi  wing  is  present  as  in  summer ; 
primaries?  also  blacker.     Hab.,  Natal  to  Ugogo. 

Stark  ol>serves  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I., 
p.  139|  : — "  It  frequents  marshy  ground  on  the  borders- 
of  vleis,  where,  in  summer,  thy'male  sits  on  the  summit 
of  a  tall  stem  of  grass  or  reed  and  shows  off  his  glossy 
black  plumage  and  yellow  shoulder-knot  frequently 
puffing  out  the  neck  feathers  into  a  sort  of  ruff,  like  a 
Bishop  Bird,  while  ojiening  and  shutting  his  wings  or 
occasionally  taking  a  short  flight  and  hovering,  like  a 
Vidua,  with  up-raised  wings,  over  the  grass,  where 
doubtless  one  of  his  brown  wives  is  concealed.  I  have 
never  had  an  opportunity  of  handling  a  female  of  this 
species,  but  I  have  seen  the  male  followed  in  his  flight 
by  ten  or  a  dozen  hens,  who  appeared  to  be  of  a  very 
uniform  brown  colour,  and  very  much  smaller  than 
the  cock,  as  is  the  case  with  U rohrarlnja  axillriris.  The 
male  described  had  been  feeding  on  grass  seeds  and 
small  beetles." 

According  to  Shelley  ("  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  1,  p.  48)  :  "  The  egg  is  described  by  ^Ir.  Nehrkorn 
as  of  a  deep  blue,  with  dull  red  and  violet  sjwts  clustered 
towards  the  thick  end,  and  measuring  0.8  in.  by 
0.58  in." 

This  species  seems  to  be  rare  in  South  Africa,  and 
undoubtedly  it  is  rarely  imported  ;  yet  it  has  been 
exhibited  more  than  once  at  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens,  and  in  1896  Mr.  Swaysland  exhibited  a  bird 
at  the  Palace  Show  which  was  supposed  to  be  this 
species  far  advanced  into  the   winter   plumage. 

Yellow-backed  Whydah   {Penlhelriopsis   macrura). 

In  breeding  plumage  the  cock  is  jet  black,  but  the 
mantle  and  shoulders  of  the  wings  are  adorned  with 
a  broad  belt  of  bright  chrome  yellow  ;  the  wing  coverts 
are  edged  with  tawny,  and  the  flight  feathers  with 
narrower  pale  brown  margins.  The  hen  is  pale  greyish 
brown,  the  feathers  of  tne  shoulders  and  back  edged 
with  yellowish  ;  the  under  parts  whitish  with  darker 
markings  on  the  breast:  the  beak  and  feet  are  pale 
flesh  coloured,  the  upper  mandible  brownish  ;  the  iris 
brown.  The  male  in  winter  plumage  nearly  resembles 
the  female,  but  the  wings  are  blacker  and  the  lesser 
coverts  are  bright  yellow.  Hab.,  from  .Senegambia 
southward,  the  Niam-Niam  countn-,  Uganda,  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Tana  river  to  Angola  and  the  Zambesi 
river.     (SheUev.) 

The  following  field-notes  are  from  Shelley's  "Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  I.,  p.  51  :— "  In  the  Niger  dis- 
trict Mr.  Hartert  found  them  in  June  and  July  at 
Loko,  in  full  plumage,  as.sembling  in  large  flocks  wuth 
other  Finches  in  the  rice  and  cornfields." 

"  Along  the  Shire  Valley  Sir  John  Kirk  saw  large 
numbers  of  them  on  the  wide  grass  plains,  flying  from 
one  grass-head  to  another,  always  selecting  the  highest. 
Knowing  this,  the  natives  catch  them  by  netting  a 
noose  on  any  grass-head  rising  above  the  others.  '  The 
breedin<'  plumage,'  he  remarks.  '  was  assumed  in 
December,  and  lasted  throughout  the  wet  season.  The 
nest  was  made  of  gi'ass,  woven  among  the  stalks.'  " 

According  to  Captain  Shelley,  "  The  eggs  are  pale 
green,  or  greenish  grey,  spotted  with  grey,  and 
measure  0.8  in.  by  0.55  in." 

The  Y'ellow-backed  Whydah  inhabits  damp  localities 
and  buUds  its  nest,  which  much  re.semblcs  that  of  the 
Oryx  Weaver,  in  tall  grass ;  it  lays  from  two  to  three 
egge.     The  species  is  said  to  be  abundant  at  Accra. 


Gri.tnsOT>- CatlaTiol  Wv,d.a(» 


In  spite  of  its  rather  long  tail,  this  bird  appears  to  me  to  link 
the  Whydahs  and  Weavers,  inasmuch  as,  like  the  Weavers,  the 
male  appears  not  only  not  to  be  polygamous,  according  to 
Reichenow,  but  to  build  the  nest  and  defend  it.  In  colouring, 
moreover,  it  is  not  unlike  the  Yellow-shouldered  Weaver. 

It  has  been  much  more  often  imported  than  either  of  the  two 
preceding  species  ;  nevei'theless,  it  is  not  a  cheap  bird. 

Red-shouldered  Whtdah  {Urobrachya  axillaris). 

Glossy  black ;  lesser  wing-coverts  bright  orange-vermilion ; 
median  coverts  edged  with  the  same  colour,  but  the  inner  ones 
and  inner  secondaries  with  whity-brown ;  primary-coverts  cinna- 
mon-brown at  base  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  also  of  this 
colour ;  beak  bluish  horn  colour  ;  whitish  on  edges  and  tips  of  the 


19^ 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


mandibles ;  feet  black ;  irides  dark  brown.  Female  brown, 
pale  on  upper  surface  of  body  and  marked  with  broad 
blacki.sh- brown  centres  to  the  feathers,  which  are  less 
defined  on  the  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts ;  wing  and 
tail-feathers  blackish-brown  edged  with  pale  brown ; 
the  median  coverts  tinged  with  orange;  the  lesser 
■coverts  orange  centred  with  black ;  sides  of  head  and 
under  sur/ace  brownish  buff ;  a  broad  whity-brown 
eyebrow  stripe  ;  a  blackish  strijie  from  the  gape  to  the 
ear-coverts,  which  are  also  blackish  along  the  upper  and 
lower  edges  ;  flanks  with  ill  defined  dark-brown  shaft- 
stripes  ;  under  wing-coverts  cinnamon ;  beak  and  feet 
pale  brown ;  irides  brown.  Male  in  winter  dress 
differing  from  the  female  in  its  orange-vermilion  lesser 
toverts  and  black  flight  and  tail  feathers.  Hab.,"  South 
Africa  east  of  about  25  deg.  E.  long.,  and  south  of 
10  deg.  S.  lat."     (Shelley). 

Stark  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  135,  136) 
gives  the  following  interesting  account  of  the  habits  of 
the  species  : — In  the  lower  parts  of  Natal  these  Widow 
Birds  are  common  on  the  grass  veldts,  especially  tho.se 
that  border  on  reedy  vleis  or  marshy  ground,  where  the 
grass  grows  luxuniantly.  Like  all  the  members  of  the 
genus,  tlvey  are  polygamous  in  their  habits,  and  in 
s.pring  the  handsome  males,  looking  very  brilliant  and 
spruce  in  tlieir  recently  acquired  plumage  of  velvety- 
black,  'wit-h  scarlet  and  orange  epaulettes,  may  be  .seen 
flitting  over  the  reeds  or  grass  with  a  curious  "flopping" 
flight,  each  one  attended  and  closely  followed  in  all  his 
moveanents  by  ten  or  twelve  females,  insignificant- 
lookdng  little  brown  birds,  which  nearly  always  keep 
close  together  in  a  "  bunch"  a  few  yards  behind  their 
lord  and  ma.ster.  About  the  beginning  of  November 
the  females  separate  and  commence  building  their  nests. 
These  are  never  very  close  together,  although  they  are 
all  within  a  certain  district  that  the  male  seems  to  look 
upon  as  his  own  exclusive  property,  and  from  which  he 
drives  other  males  of  his  kind,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
much  larger  and  stronger  C'oHinijmsser  prorni,  who, 
hampered  by  their  long  tails,  stand  no  chance  in  a  fight 
with  their  smaller  but  mnch  more  active  antagonist. 
Eioh  ftmile  builds  and  occupies  a  separate  nest.  Duidng 
the  time  .she  is  sitting  the  ni;iJe  stations  himself  on  a 
tall  weed  somewhere  near  the  centre  of  his  harem,  and 
"keeps  a  sharp  look-out  for  intruders,  occasionally  flying 
round  to  see  how  matters  are  progressing  at  his  various 
establi.>--hments.  Should  a  man  or  other  dangerous 
■enemy  approach,  he  flies  to  each  nest  in  succession  with 
a  warning  note,  upon  which  tho  sitting  females  leave 
their  nests,  creep  under  tlie  grass  for  some  yards,  then 
rise  on  the  wing  to  follow  him  to  a  distance.  The  nest, 
usually  built  in  the  centre  of  a  tuft  of  grass  from  eight 
inches  to  a  foot  off  the  ground,  is  a  beautifully  light 
and  airy  structure,  oval  in  shape  and  domed,  with  a  side 
entrance  near  the  top  ;  it  measures  about  four  inches 
and  a  half  in  height  and  three  inches  in  diameter,  is 
constructed  of  fine  grass,  with  the  flowering  tops 
attached,  woven  in  a  sort  of  open  network,  .=o  that  the 
sides  can  be  seen  through,  without  any  additional  lining. 
The  sides  of  the  nest  are  attached  to  many  of  the  sur- 
rounding grass-stalks,  the  blades  and  tops  of  the  latter 
lieing  bent  over  in  the  foim  of  a  canopy  so  as  to  com- 
•pletely  concpjil  it  from  above.  The  eggs,  laid  towards 
the  eiid  of  December,  are  three  in  number.  They  have 
a  highly  polishe<l  surface  of  a  clear  i^-a-green,  marked 
-with  large  spots  and  blotches  of  deep  olive-brown.  They 
measure  0.80  by  0.58. 

"  These  Widow  Birds  fee<l  largely  on  insects,  includ- 
ing gra-sshoppers,  locusts,  mantides,  and  termites,  also 
upon  various  seeds,  especially  small  grass-seeds.  In 
winter  the  old  and  yomng  birds  form  good-sized  flocks, 
Tint  never  seem  to  wander  far  from  their  breeding 
station." 


Russ  says : — "  On  two  occasions,  in  tie  course  of 
time,  I  acquired  it  from  Ch.  Jimrach,  of  Ix)ndon, 
without,  however,  being  able  in  its  miserable  condition 
to  keep  it  alive.  Then  I  saw  it  in  the  Berlin  Aquarium 
and  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  of  Cologne  and  Berlin, 
but  each  time  only  a  male  in  imperfect  breeding- 
plumage  and  with  an  uncertain  tenure  of  life."* 

This  .species  has  also  been  represented  in  the  li\-dng 
collection  of  the  London  Zoological  Society. 

Orangk-shoulderkd  Whydah    (Urobrarhya  bocagii). 

Black,  with  the  exception  of  the  ohrome-yellow  lesser 
wing-coverts,  pale  cinnamon  median  and  greater  coverts, 
buff  bases  to  primaries  showing  also  in  front  of  under 
wing-coverts;  beak  whitish  grey;  feet  black;  irides 
brown.  Hab.,  Portuguese  West  Africa  between  the 
Quanta  and  Cunene  Rivers. 

The  winter  plumage  of  the  male  and  the  female  appear 
not  to  have  been  recognised  hitherto,  and  all  that 
appears  to  be  known  of  its  life  is  that  Anchieta,  who 
obtained  it  at  Cacondu  and  Huilla,  says  that  it  is  called 
by  the  natives  the  "  Quicengo  "  in  the  former  place  and 
the  "Lile"  in  the  latter.  Of  the  closely-related 
Mechow's  Whydah  no  field-notes  exist. 

U.  boragii  is  recorded  among  the  soecies  which  have 
been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

The  Weavers. 

All  who  delight  in  hardy  birds  of  brilliant  plumage 
are  sure  to  admire  the  Weavers;  indeed,  I  find  an 
aviary  devoted  to  various  species  of  these  birds  a  great 
attraction  to  visitors. 

If  supplied  with  plenty  of  hay  the  Weavers,  when  in 
colour,  will  .'^pend  the  greater  part  of  th^ir  time  in 
building  their  marvellous  nests.  These  vary  in  charac- 
ter from  the  ordinary  Viduine  type  to  a  purse-shape,  or 
to  a  form  resembling  a  gigantic  snail-shell  with  the 
opening  directed   downwards  in  the   Plocein;e. 

In  the  case  of  aJl  Weavers  which  construct  delicate- 
looking  nests  of  open  strongly  plaited  grasses  or  hay, 
the  eggs  are  coloured  ;  but  in  those  stoutly  and  densely 
formed,  as,  for  instance,  tho.=e  of  the  various  Oriental 
races  of  Baya  Weavers,  which  are  so  dense  as  to  almost 
exclude  the  light,  the  eggs  are  pure  white.  Even  the 
flimsy-looking  nests  are  always  extremely  strong,  and 
difficult  to  pull  to  pieces. 

It  is,  I  think,  quite  conceivable  that  the  Viduine 
Weavers  and  Whydahs  are  descended  from  Melopjirrha, 
but  the  Ploceine  Weavers  from  Passer.  There  is  not 
the  least  reason  why  two  or  more  branches  of  the 
FringiHid  stock  should  not  become  modified  in  the 
same  direction,  and,  by  a  shortening  of  thie  coverts  of 
the  bastard  primary  come  to  be  associated  in  one  family 
by  systematists. 

The  males  of  Viduine  Weavers  are  usually  the  sole 
architects  of  the  nests.  As  a  rule,  the  males  of  the 
Fire  Weavers  build,  but  I  possess  a  nest  which  was 
entirely  formed  by  the  hen,  proving  that  both  .sexes 
are  equally  capable.  It  is  po.ssible,  I  think,  that  some, 
at  least,  "of  these  birds  may  be  polygamous.  In  the 
Ploceine  Weavers  the  males  build  the  gi-eater  part  of 
the  no.st,   and  are  then   assisted   by  their  hens. 

Altliough  such  inveterate  nest-builders,  the  Weavers 
rarely  breed  successfully  in  captivity.  Tlie  explanation 
of  this  probably  is  that  the  various  species  are  u.-iually 
kept  in  one  aviary  together.  The  best  chance  of  suc- 
ceeding would  be  to  keep  one  male  Weaver  with  several 
hens  in  an  aviary  supplied  with  plenty  of  cover  and 
natural  branches. 

The    songs   of   Weavers  are  by  no  means   pleasing. 

•  R>iB9  considered  Urobrachya  to  be  s  link  between  the  Whydahs 
and  Fire  Weavers. 


WEAVERS. 


193 


When  not  breeding,  millet,  canary,  and  a  f«w  coek- 
roacKes  or  nie^ilwornis  are  sufficient  to  keep  Weavers 
in  health  ;  but  tlioy  are  not  particular  in  their  seed 
diet,  eutinu  u;its,  hemp,  seisanium,  siiiiflowcr,  and  other 
seeds,  but  they  do  not  care  for  Cerniau  rupc,  and  will 
only   take    it    when    uothio);  else   remairi.s   in    the   pan. 

As  nsual  I  shall  commence  my  account  of  this  group 
of  handsome  birds  with  J'l/roiiuidiin,  the  genus  of  Fire 
Weavers. 

When  first  imported  the  Fir«  Weavers  (sometimes 
called  "  Bishops  )  g<'nerally  assume  their  breeding 
plumage  rather  late  in  the  year,  and  the  approach  of 
eold  weather  m.ay  not  only  shorten  the  season  of  beauty 
during  the  first  year  of  captivity,  but  I  have  even  seen 
the  bright  colouring,  before  it  ha/d  entirely  reached  its 
perfect  development,  gradually  fade  again  from  the 
plumage,  leaving  the  bird  as  before.  The  greater  paxt 
of  the  change  to  the  wed<ling  dress  is,  indeed,  not  pro- 
duced by  a  moult,  but  by  a  growth  of  colour  in  the 
feathers  themselves.  The  upper  taibcoverts,  which 
are  short  in  the  season  of  retirement,  and  the  flank- 
feathers  towards  the  hinder  end  of  the  body  are  always 
moulted  out  to  make  room  for  the  long  and  delicate 
pUimos  which  often  envelop  the  tail.  In  some  species, 
also,  additional  feathers  are  develope<l  on  the  crown; 
but,  undoubtedly,  mo.st  of  the  plumage  changes  in  tint 
day  by  day  until  it  attains  its  full  brilliance.  After 
the  bre<>ding  season  is  completeii  a  moult  takes  place, 
and  the  males  appear  in  the  dress  of  their  hens,  from 
which  their  somewhat  better  defined  and  richer  mark- 
ings and  their  superior  size  alone  serve  then  to  dis- 
tinguish them. 

Yellow-shouldered   We.wer    [Pi/romelana   capenais). 

The  male,  in  breeding  plumage,  is  velvety  black, 
with  dark  brown  wings  and  a  bright;  yellow  lower  back, 
which  is  well  seen  when  the  bird  is  liying. 

The  female,  like  that  of  most  Weavers,  has  much 
the  character  of  a  Sedge  Warbler,  excejiting  in  its 
iH'ak,  and  is  not  imlike  a  small  waslied-out  Corn  Bunt- 
ing in  pattern.  The  male  in  winter  plumage  resembles 
the  hen,  but  is  larger.     Hab. ,  Cape  Colony. 

Dr.  Stark  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  131, 
132)  thus  describes  the  habits: — "This  large  Bishop 
bird  is  nearly  everywhere  common  in  the  Western 
Colony,  and  although  it  seems  to  prefer  the  vicinity 
of  marshy  vleis  or  streams,  it  may  be  frequently  found 
in  very  dry  and  arid  tracts  of  country.  The  male  in 
spring  and  summer  is  fond  of  uttering  his  harsh  notes 
from  the  top  of  a  t;ill  bush  or  reed,  and  is  then  very 
con.spicuous  in  his  contrasting  glossy  black  and  yellow 
plumage.  The  female  at  this  season  is  not  oft<;n  seen, 
kei^ping  much  to  thick  reed-beds  or  bushes,  even  when 
not  sitting  on  her  eggs.  In  autnmi^  the  old  birds  of 
both  sexes,  tOi;ether  with  their  young,  form  consider- 
able flocks,  which  do  not  separate  until  the  following 
spring.  The  long,  loose,  yellow  feathers  on  the  lower 
liack  and  rump  of  the  breeding  male  are  erectile,  and 
when  tile  bird  is  approaching  a  hen,  or  is  excited,  they 
stand  out  at  right  angles  to  the  body,  giving  him  an 
extraordinaiT  appearance,  apparently  irresistible  to  the 
impressionable  female.  The  song  consists  of  a  .series 
of  harsh  and  discordant  notes.  Although  these  birds 
feed  largely  on  gr;iss-seeds  or  grain,  and  are  accused 
by  farmers  of  working  havoc  with  the  crops,  they 
devour  a  con.sidcrabIe  number  of  insects,  and  feed  their 
yoinig  on  small  caterpillars  and  grubs. 

Individuals  that  I  have  kept  in  confinement  readily 
devoured  nearly  all  the  insects  presented  to  them, 
showing  a  preference  for  mealworms  or  caterpillars. 
This  species  nests  in  Septemlier  or  October.  The  nest, 
a   domed  structure  with  a  side  entrance,  is  woven  out 


of  fine  grass,  and  is  usually  attached  by  its  sides  to 
three  or  four  reed-stems;  sometimes  it  is  built  in 
thick  bu.shes  at  a  height  of  four  or  five  feet.  The 
eggs.  abiKxst  always  four  in  number,  have  a  pale  green- 
ish blue  ground  colour,  nearly  c<mocviled  by  spots, 
blotches,  and  lines  of  dark  brown  or  slate  colour. 
They  average  0.85  in.  by  0.60  in.,  and  are  hatched  in 
about  fourteen  days." 

On  page  131  Mr.  W.  L.  Sclater  confirms  my  state- 
ment as  to  the  change  of  colour  in  many  of  the  feathers 
of  I'tfrotnclima  on  the  assumption  of  the  summer 
I)lumage.  He  .says: — "The  change  of  plumage  from 
the  winter  to  the  summer  dre.ss  in  the  male  is  very 
gradual,  histing,  near  Cape  Town,  from  about  the 
middle  of  July  to  the  middle  of  September.  Only  the 
feathers  of  the  lower  back,  rump,  and  flanks,  are 
entirely  changed  by  a  moult,  the  remaining  plumage 
and  bill  becoming  darker,  owing  to  a  gradual  absorp- 
tion of  colouring  matter,  the  change  first  apjJearing 
at  the  point  of  the  lower  mandible.  In  autimin  the 
coknir  is  gradually  reabsorbed  if  the  feathers  are  not 
previously  mouilted.  According  to  Dr.  Butler  {The  75is, 
1897,  p.  559).  other  species  of  Pymmelana  change  from 
their  winter  to  spring  dress  in  much  the  s:une  manner." 

According  to  Ur.  Ru.ss  this  is  the  easiest  of  all  the 
Fire  We;i.vers  to  persuade  to  breed  in  captivity.  It  is 
toler:ibly  frequentl.y  imiported,  and,  but  for  lits  some- 
what quarrelsome  disposition  and  powerful  beak,  would 
doubtless  be  a  common  and  cheap  bird  in  the  market, 
but  there  is  no  great  demand  for  it.  Herr  Wiener 
("  Cassell's  Cage  Birds,"  p.  409).  sa.vs  that  he  found  it 
"quarrelsome  beyond  endurance,"  "hard-biting,"  and 
capable  of  committing  havoc  among  shrubs  planted  in 
the  aviary,  "  from  sheer  mi.schief."  On  account  of  its 
size  I  have  never  purchased  this  species,  as  I  feared 
it  miglit  be  dangerous  if  kept  with  the  smaller  Weavers, 
and  at  any  rate  would  probably  alarm  them. 

GoLDEN-B.iCKED    WEAVER     (Pyromcliina    auraa). 

Alx>ve  gcilden  yellow ;  scapulars  black  edged  with 
tawny ;  feathers  of  lower  rump  fringed  at  the  ends 
with  black  ;  wings  black  ;  median  coverts  edged  with 
whit.e.  and  the  greater  coveiis  with  tawny;  flights 
with  huffish  margins;  upper  tail-coverts  brown,  mixed 
with  black-tipped  yellow  feathers;  tail  black,  the 
feathers  with  brown  margins;  the  outer  ones  tipped 
with  white ;  head,  sides  of  neck  and  under  surface 
black ;  lower  flanks,  thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts 
white ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  huffish : 
flights  below  brown,  whitish  along  inner  webs :  beak 
blackish ;  feet  and  irides  brown.  Female  and  winter 
jilum:ige  of  male  undescribed.  Haib.,  "Island  of  St. 
Thomas  and  probably  ranges  from  Gaboon  into  Ben- 
guela  "  (Shelley). 

Notliing  api>ears  to  be  known  respecting  the  wild  life 
of  this  species.  Two  specimens  were  presented  to  the 
London   Zoological   Gardens  in  January,    1890. 

Napoleon  Weaver  (Pyromdana  afra). 

The  cock  is  a  lovel.y  bird  when  in  breeding  plumage, 
the  ]irevailing  colour  being  brilliant  chrome  yellow ; 
but  the  cheeks  and  chin  are  occupied  by  a  large  patch 
of  black  which  encloses  the  e.ve.  The  nape  of  the  neck, 
hind  chest,  and  belly  are  also  velvety  black ;  the  wings 
and  tail  brown;  beak  black,  the  legs  flesh  coloured; 
irides  brown. 

The  female  nnich  resembles  a  Sedge  Warbler  in 
<'olouring  and  general  pattern  :  it  has  almost  as  dis- 
tinct an  eyebrow  streak  as  the  Pai-adise  Wlivdah  hen. 
In  smnmer  plumage  the  colouring  brightens;  the 
streak  over  the  eye  becoming  yellow ;  it  then  nesrly 
resembles    the    male    in    winter   plumage,    but    it    is    a 


194 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR    CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


little  smaller.  Hab.,  Senegambia  to  the  Niger;  pos- 
sibly Benguela. 

According  to  Ussher  it  is  seen  at  times  in  large 
flocks,  and  affects  swamps  ;  that  is  about  all  that  is 
known  of  its  wild  lite.  It  has,  however,  been  bred  in 
Germany,  so  that  we  know  it  builds  a  cave-like  nest 
and  lays  four  pale  blue-greenish  eggs. 

When  in  colour  the  male  is  very  excitable,  puffs  up  its 
feathers  and  sings  its  strange  song,  which  commences 
with  four  or  live  clicks  and  then  goes  off  into  a  sort 
of  hacking  cough  ;  the  bird's  plumes  are  also  shown  to 
yre;it  advantage  in  fiiglit.  which  is  short,  jerky,  abrupt, 
and  very  like  a  clockwork  toy  ;  between  euch  flight, 
usually  in  pursuit  of  some  other  bird,  the  wings  are 
jerked  up  and  down  over  the  bird  in  a  most  mechanical 
manner. 

I  have  never  known  the  Napoleon  Weaver  to  injure 
another  bird,  but  I  had  one  killed  in  1896  by  an  Orange 
Weaver.  That  the  species  is  naturally  long-lived  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  a  pair  which  I  purchased  in 
1888  lived    until   the  21st  August,   1900.     One  which  I 


N.\poLKON  Weaver. 
(Singing  to  Jim  with  crest  erected.) 

purchased  in  1907  was  much  persecuted  by  a  young 
male  of  the  Orange  Weaver,  which  had  not  yet  acquired 
its  breeding  plumage,  but  nevertheless  was  chasing  and 
singing  to  the  hens  as  well  as  making  attempts  to  build 
with  any  stray  bits  of  grass  or  hay  which  it  could 
find.  I  have  had  a  considerable  number  of  specimens 
of  both  species,  botli  males  and  females ;  they  can 
generally,  be  obtained  -when  out  of  colour  at  about 
three  shillings  a  pair,  or  even  cheaper. 
Crimson-crowned   Wb.wer   (Pyromelana   Aammiceps). 

The  prevailing  colour  of  the  male  bird  in  breeding 
plumage  is  fiery  orange-red ;  the  centre  of  the  back 
and  feathers  of  the  shoulders  are  glossy  orange-brown  ; 
a  narrow  band  in  front  of  the  forehead,  an  elongated 
patch  from  the  benk  to  the  back  of  the  cheek  and  en- 
closing the  eye,  the  chin,  front  of  throat,  chest,  and 
front  of  belly,  velvety  black  :  the  feathers  of  the  wings 
and  tail  bUu-k,  edged  with  white  and  pale  buff;  thighs, 
vent,  and  under  tail  coverts,  brownish  orange;  iris  of 
eye  brown  ;  beak  black  ;  feet  dull  flesh  coloured. 

Female  .above  tawny  reddish  brown,  deepest  on  the 
head,  each  feather  broadly  centred  with  black,  flights 
blackish,  the  inner  .>»condaries  with  broa<l  tawny- 
reddish  brown  borders,  the  remainder  with  the  outer 
edges  slightly  jKLler;  t^il-feathe.rs  blackish  edged  and 
tipped  with  "dull  tawny;  sides  of  head  pale  brown, 
slightly  dn^ky  at  base  of  cheeks  and  upper  portion  of 


ear-coverts,  which  also  show  ill-defined  dusky  flecks; 
a  bro.id  eyebrow  stripe,  a  few  feathers  below  eye,  the 
eyelids,  sides  of  throat  and  sometimes  the  chin  more 
or  less  defined  sulphur  yellow ;  sides  of  neck  breast, 
sides  and  flanks  tawny  butfish  with  darker  streaks; 
centre  of  upper  throat  or  of  entire  throat,  of  hinder 
breast,  abdomen  and  under  tail-coverts  white ;  wings 
and  tail  below  slaty-blackish.  According  to  Kharpe  and 
Shelley  the  tawny  bulHsh  j>arts  of  the  under  surface  are 
streaked  with  blackish-brown  and  the  under  tail-coverts- 
are  rufous  buff  (possibly  my  examples  may  not  be 
typical) ;  beak  fleshy  horn-brown,  darker  on  culmen  ; 
feet  flesh-pink  ;  irides  hazel.  Male  in  winter  plumage 
with  the  wings  blacker  than  in  the  female.  Hab., 
"Tropical  Africa  generally,  between  17  deg.  N.  lat. 
and  18  deg.  S.  ranging  from  Senegal  into  Benguela  on 
the  west,  and  from  the  Zambesi  into  Abyssinia  in 
Eastern  Africa."     (Shelley.) 

According  to  Buttikofer,  "  the  adult  males  frequent 
the  tops  of  tlie  canes,  where  they  remain  for  houts, 
quite  isolated  from  other  birds,  and  even  from  their 
females  and  young  ones,  being  apparently  proud  of 
their  brilliant  plumage,  as  they  are  indefatigable  in 
exposing  it  in  the  most  obvious  manner."  Captain 
Shelley  .says  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1, 
p.  105)  : — "  These  Bishop  Birds  are  abmidant  through- 
out our  Gold  CV>ast  possessions  and  in  Togoland,  where 
the  males  assume  the  bright  red  plumage  for  the  breed- 
ing and  rainy  season,  which  lasts  from  the  latter  part 
of  April  to  the  end  of  August.  They  frequent  the 
more  open  country,  often  in  flocks,  accompanied  by 
P.  franciscana.  Drs.  Reichenow  ard  Liihder  found 
them  breeding  abundantly  on  the  plains  of  Accra,  and 
with  young  in  August.  The  nest  is  of  the  same  oval 
form  as  with  members  of  the  genus  Hj/phantornU,  but 
is  hung  singly  from  the  high  grass  and  constructed  of 
fine  grass." 

On  p.  108  we  read  :  '"  The  eggs,  generally  three  in 
number,  are  of  a  pale  greenish  blue,  with  or  without 
small  reddish  brown  and  greyish  brown  spots,  and 
measure  on  an  average  0.75  in.  by  0.58  in." 

Externally  the  nest  may  bear  some  resemblance  tO' 
those  of  Hyphantornis ;  but  the  species  of  Pyro- 
melana build  simple  domed  nests  with  an  opening  in- 
front:  the  species  of  Hyphantornis  build  nesjB  re- 
sembling a  snail  shell  with  the  opening  below. 

According  to  other  authors  this  is  a  marsh-loving 
species,  and  breeds  in  solitary  pairs  in  August  and 
September,  building  its  nest  in  tall  grass  or  thickets. 
The  eggs  are  said  to  be  three  in  number,  of  a  verdi- 
gris-green colour,  spotted  at  the  larger  end  with- 
jiurplish  black.  When  not  breeding  the  species  flies  in 
dense  flocks  amongst  tlie  reeds  and  swamps  and  on  the 
borders  of  lakes. 

Wien  in  colour  this  handsome  Weaver  fetches  a 
fairly  high  price,  and  I  have  never  been  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  a  cock  bird  among  those  Weavers 
which  I  have  purchased  in  their  undress  uniform.  Twice 
I  liave  secured  hens,  and  in  1907  I  purchased  what  I 
supposed  to  be  a  male  out  of  colour,  which  promptly 
died.  I  believe,  however,  that  the  latter  is  a  hen  of 
P.  orix. 

According  to  Bartlett,  "  The  brilliant  colours  of  the 
male  are  assumed  by  a  gradual  moult  of  the  whole  of 
the  feathers,  and'  after  the  breeding  season  they 
become  like  the  females  and  young  males."  But  I  do- 
not  believe  this  to  be  the  case:  indeed.  I  am  satisfied 
that,  as  with  other  species  of  Pyromelana,  only  those 
feathers  which  have  to  be  replaced  by  long  silky 
Illumes  are  moulted  out  and  that  all  the  others  gra- 
dually assume  the  summer  colouring,  instead  of  being 
moulted  out.     As  a   similar  statement  is  made  in  the 


WEAVERS. 


193 


British  Museum  catalogue,  it  has  doubtless  been  copied 
from  the  a.ssertion  of  some  traveller  who  stilted  dog- 
matically  what  he   imagined  to  be  true. 

Black-vkntki)    WfLiVBR    (V yromdaiia    nujrivenlris). 

When  in  full  plumage  the  male  is  exceedingly  beauti- 
ful— not  unlike  a  dimmutive  reproduction  of  the  pre- 
ceding sj>ecies  ;  the  female,  however,  is  more  like  that 
sex  of  the  Orange  Weaver,  with  which  it  has  been  con- 
founded, but  marked  on  the  upper  surface  much  more 
nearly  as  in  the  tJrenadier  Weaver  ;  it  is  aUo  a  little 
smaller  than  the  Orange  Bishop,  has  a  shoi-tcr  bfak, 
the  chin  and  throat  pure  whitt',  and  the  under  surface 
generally  is  whiter,  with  scarcejy  a  trace  of  the 
streaking  which  is  so  distinctly  noticeable  in  the  female 
Orange  Weaver.  Hab.,  East  Africa,  between  the  Zam- 
besi and  the  Equator,  east  of  36  deg.  E.  long. 
(Shelley.) 

In  Zanzibar  this  bird,  according  to  Dr.  Stuhlmann,  is 
known   to  the  natives  as  the   "Baniani." 

Here  Fischer  obtained  ne.sts  and  eggs.  He  describes 
the  former  as  much  resembling  that  of  P.  Aammiceps, 
"  of  a  lengthened  oval  shape  with  the  opening  at  one 
side,  constructed  of  coarse  grass  lined  with  fine  grass, 
and  attached,  .some  five  or  six  feet  from  the  ground,  to 
the  reeds  or  thick  covert  in  marshy  places.  The  eggs 
in  the  nest  are  two,  or  sometimes  three,  in  number; 
they  are  p.ile  blue,  occasionally  spotted  with  dusky 
grevish  brown,  and  their  average  measurement  is 
0.68  in.  by  0.52  in." 

A  rarely  importfd  Weaver  from  Eastern  Africa  which 
may  occasionally  be  picked  up  for  a  few  shillings  among 
mixed  consignments  of  small  Weavers  out  of  colour. 

I  recogni.'^ed  a  female  of  this  rare  Weaver  in  one  of 
two  hens  obtained  in  1895  (amongst  examples  of 
Napoleon  and  Orange  Weavers  out  of  colour),  and  which 
died  in  November  of  that  year;  I  therefore  hoped  that 
at  the  change  of  plumage  a  male  might  also  be  dis- 
covered, but  up  to  the  present  time  I  have  been  dis- 
appointed.    It  was  bred   in  (Jermany   in   1882. 

Grenadier  Weaver  (Pyromtlana  orix). 

The  prevailing  colour  of  the  male  in  breeding 
plumage  varies  from  orange  to  scarlet,  according  to 
age,  the  old  birds  being  deeper  in  colour;  the  feathers 
of  the  neck  (as  in  the  allied  Fire  Weavers)  can  be 
erected  into  a  kind  of  swollen  ruff  when  the  bird  is 
excited  ;  the  mantle  and  upper  wing  coverts  are  cinna- 
bar red  with  darker  shaft-streaks;  the  crown,  sides  of 
head  and  chin,  chest  and  abdomen  black  ;  flights  and 
tail  feathers  brown,  with  paler  borders  ;  beak  black  ; 
feet  flesh  brown  ;  iris  chestnut.  The  female  is  tawny 
brown  with  black  shait-streaks  fomuing  tolerably 
regular  continuous  narrow  lines  down  the  crown  ;  a 
well-defined  yellowish  eyebrow  streak  ;  under  parts 
pale  with  darker  streaks  excepting  on  throat  and 
abdomen ;  centre  of  body  yellowish  ;  beak  reddish 
horn-brown,  the  lower  mandible  paler;  feet  brown; 
iris  ashy-brown.  Male  in  winter  much  like  the  female, 
but  more  heavily  marked  with  black  stripes.  Hab., 
Angola  and  the  Limpopo  River  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

Stark  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  127,  128) 
thus  describes  the  habits  of  this  species: — "The  Red 
KafBr  Fink  is  seldom  found  at  any  great  distance  from 
marshy  ground  or  the  reed-overgrown  borders  of  vleis 
or  rivers.  It  appears  to  be  a  resident  in  nearly  all  the 
localities  in  which  it  occurs,  although  it  may  occa- 
sionally be  driven  from  a  district  for  a  time  by  drought 
or  want  of  food.  In  winter  the  Bishop  Birds  collect 
in  flocks  sometimes  numbering  thousands  of  indivi- 
duals,   and    frequently    feed    in    the    company   of   other 


Weaver  Birds  and  Finches  on  seeds  and  grain.  At 
night  they  roo.st  in  exten.sive  reed-beds  or  among 
bushes.  Few  birds  surjass  in  beauty  the  male  of  this 
species  in  summer,  when  he  haii  fully  assumed  his 
gorgeous  breeding  dress  of  scarlet  and  velvety  black. 
At  this  season  the  cocks  may  be  seen  slowly  gliding 
over  the  reed  beds  with  a  curious  '  hovering '  flight,, 
during  which  the  body  is  kept  very  erect,  tlie  pluonage 
of  the  lower  back  puffed  out,  while  that  of  the  neck 
is  erected  into  a  frill,  looking,  in  the  blazing  sunshine, 
like  flames  of  fire  slowly  drifting  to  ami  fro.  At  times 
they  dance  about  in  frunt  of  the  females  with  puffed- 
nut  plumes,  turning  from  side  to  side  as  if  to  show  olt 
the   full    beauty  of   their  plumage. 

"  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Cape  Town  this  Bishop 
Bird  builds  its  nest  in  August  and  September  ;  in  Natal 
in  November  or  December,  and  again  in  March  or 
April.  As  a  rule  these  birds  nest  in  colonies,  often  of 
great  extent,  the  nests,  which  are  domed  and  woven 
out  of  grass,  being  attached  to  the  .stems  of  three  or 
four  reeds,  about  four  or  five  feet  above  the  mud  or 
water.  The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  nuniVjer,  are  some- 
what pyriform  in  lihape,  and  of  a  uniform  pale  green- 
ish-blue colour.  They  average  0.82  by  0.60.  The 
female  sits  for  fourteen  days.  The  young  are  at  first 
fed  on  small  caterjiillars  and  other  insects,  including 
the   larvae  of  mosquitoes." 

Why  this  common  and  really  lovely  bird  is  not 
more  freely  imported  than  it  is  one  cannot  say  ;  pens- 
sibly  the  dealers  desire  to  keep  up  its  price.  When 
out  of  colour  it  is  doubtless  sometimes  sold  cheaply  b.y 
the  smaller  dealers,  who  are  unable  to  distinguieh  it 
from  the  more  freely  imported  kinds. 

Being  decidedly  larger  than  the  well-known  Orange 
Weaver,  and  quite  as  combative,  this  bird  should  only 
be  associated  with  species  well  able  to  protect  them- 
selves. In  flight,  song,  and  manner  of  showing  off  ite 
brilliant  plumage  it  resembles  the  common  species. 
Dr.  Russ  bred  a  good  many  broods  of  Grenadier 
Weavers. 

In  September,  1906,  Captain  Horsbrugh  sent  me  a 
beautiful  male  of  this  i3]3ecies,  which  I  turned  into  one 
of  my  smaller  aviaries  with  other  Weavers,  a  pair  of 
Ouzels,  and  two  Doves.  In  1907,  when  it  came  into 
colour,  it  completely  dominated  the  aviary,  making 
itself  objectionable  to  everv  bird  excepting  a  male 
Senegal  Dove,  which  it  followed  everywhere,  postur^ 
ing  and  singing  to  it  almost  incessantly,  and  attempts 
ihg  to  pair  up  with  it.  A  hen  Rufous-necked  Weavec 
in   the  same  aviary  was  ignored. 

Orange  Weaver  (Pyromelana  francixcana). 

Altogether  decidedly  smaller  than  the  Grenadier 
Weaver,  the  male  also  differs  in  its  orange  chin  and 
throat ;  the  female  in  the  heavier  and  less  regular 
streaking  of  the  upper  parts,  and  the  short,  ill-de- 
fined eyebrow  streak ;  the  flanks  are  less  strongly 
streaked.  In  the  male  when  out  of  colour  the  black 
streaks  on  the  crown  are  narrower  and  more  regular 
than  in  the  female,  and  the  body  below  is  less  strongly 
-streaked.  Hab.,  "Northern  Tropical  Africa  between 
22  deg.  N.  lat.  and  the  Equator."     (Shelley.) 

I  quote  the  following  notes  from  Captain  Shelley's 
"Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  pp.  91.  93,  and 
94: — "Dr.  P.  Rendall  writes:  'Builds  a  woven  grass 
ne.st  and  lays  two  or  three  eggs  of  a  deeper  blue  than 
those  of  our  Hedge  Sparrow.  The  nest  has  a  hole  in 
the  side,  and  is  built  in  a  tall  weed  of  the  pea  family 
— almost   invariably.'" 

The  following  is  from  nntes  sent  to  the  author  by 
Mr.  A.  L.  Butler: — "I  found  a  nair  breeding  in  a 
thick   Sont  tree   near   Khartoum,   October   20.   hut   the 


196 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


txee  was  so  thorny  that  I  could  not  reach  the  neet. 
The  males  in  the  breeding  season  are  a  most  beautiful 
sight,  dozens  of  them  collecting  together  on  a  small 
patch  of  green  dluina.  They  have  a  pretty  habit  of 
rising  and  hovering  with  a  jerky  fUi,'ht  over  the  sea 
of  glossy  green  dhurra  blades,  »  itix  their  feathers  puffed 
out  until  they  look  like  balls  of  scarlet  and  black 
velvet,  this  action  being  accompanied  wdth  a  loud  '  purr- 
TT-purr-rr'  of  tlie  wings.  They  nearly  always  puff 
themselves  out  in  this  manner  when  approaching  a 
female."  . 

I  purchased  my  first  pair  of  this  lovely  bird  about 
the  year  1885,  before  I  possessed  any  large  aviaries.  I 
kept  them  in  a  cage  about  18in.  in  all  dimensions.  The 
cock  bird  seeme<i  dull  and  listless  from  the  first,  and 
even  when  in  full  breeding  plumage  he  took  no  trouble 
to  chase  the  hen  after  the  manner  of  Weavers. 
Eventually  the  heai  eet  U>  work  to  build  a  nest,  a  task 
which  is  geaierally  considered  to  be  the  duty  of  the 
cock;  she  worked"  away  diligently  at  it  all  day,  and 
slept  inside  it  .at  night.  At  la.st,  when  the  work  was 
well-nigh  completed,  both  she  and  her  mate  died  on 
the  same  day,  apparently  from  a  flight  attack  of  pneu- 
monia. I  purchased  a  second  pair  of  Orange  Weavers 
(in  1888  or  1889) ,  the  cock  being  then  out  of  colour ; 
these  birds  amused  themselves  with  playing  with  bits  of 
hay,  twisting  them  in  the  wires  of  the  aviarj-  or  round 
the  Epiay  millet  sticking  in  the  M-irework  here  and 
there,  but  never  systematically  went  to  work  to 
build  a  nest.  The  cock  bird,  in  the  breeding  season, 
first  sings  to  the  hen,  and  then  chases  her  vigorously 
about  the  aviary ;  his  position  when  singing,  though 
very  effective  for  the  cLisplay  pof  his  fiery  colours,  is 
somewhat  absurd ;  he  sits  vei-y  upright,  the  neck 
elongated  with  .all  its  feathers  expanded  almo.st  like  a 
ruff,  which  gives  it  a  puffed-out  appearance.  The  song 
is  peculiar,  a  junible  of  clear  and  harsh  notes,  ajid  then 
"  hurrish-rish  " — a  sound  quite  metallic  as  he  utters  it, 
and  capable  r>f  exact  imitation  if  you  rapidlj-  draw  and 
close  a  muelin  blind,  running  with  brass  rings  on  a 
brass  rod. 

In  the  autumns  of  1894  and  1895  I  purchased  a  good 
majiy  Weaver.s  out  of  colour,  among  which  were  eight 
males  of  this  species,  one  of  which  built  several  globu- 
lar nests  in  a  small  bush  in  1895,  but  no  eggs  were 
ladd.  On  December  8th,  1899,  I  found  one  egg  of  this 
species  on  the  earth  in  an  .aviary  where  I  had  one  male 
with  three  females;  it  is  a  blue  egg  about  the  size  of 
a  Siskin's,  but  the  colour  of  a  Hedge-Accentor's.  In 
the  winter  of  1907-8  I  left  these  four  birds  out  in  my 
larger  garden  aviary,  where  they  roosted  outside  under 
the  open  wire  netting  during  the  severest  frosts,  two 
of  the  hens  died  early  in  the  winter,  but  the  cock, 
which  was  in  full  colour,  seemed  none  the  worse. 

That  Orange  Weavers  are  long-lived  will  be  evident 
from  the  f.act  that  up  (o  1898  I  had  only  lost  my  first 
male  ;  others  died — three  males  in  1899  all  in  colour, 
one  in  1900  in  colour,  one  in  1901  beginning  to  come 
into  colour,  and  one  in  1902  in  colour.  Of  females 
which  I  have  preserved  I  only  have  three,  which  died 
in    1895,    ]898,   and   1901. 

Ri-.D-iiiLi.ED  Weaver  [Qnclca  qiiclea). 
The  Ked-billed  Weaver  is  generally  distributed  over 
Africa.  The  typical  form,  when  in  breeding  plumage, 
is  very  prett.v.  tlie  forehead,  front  of  face  and  chin, 
being  occupied  by  a  black  mask,  which  includes  the 
eye  ;  the  rest  of  the  head,  throat,  and  breast  bright 
rose  colour,  shading  into  brown  on  the  bark  and 
whiti.sh  on  the  belly,  the  feathers  of  the  back  are 
dark   brown    with    paler    borders,    and    the    wings    and 


tail  are  brown ;  the  beak  is  lake-red,  and  the  legs  are 
flesh  coloured.  The  female  is,  as  usual,  brown,  with 
darker  shaftstreaks  to  the  feathers,  the  flights  and 
tail  feathers  brown  edged  with  yellow ;  cheeks  and 
under  parts  buflish,  centre  of  body  below  white  ;  be.ak 
waxy  ochre  yellow.  Uab.,  Africa,  south  of  the  Senegal 
Kivcr,  the  Albert  Nyanza,  and  Lake  JSyassa. 

Stark  says  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  p. 
123)  : — "  Hut  little  has  been  recorded  regarding  the  habits 
of  this  Weaver  in  a  wild  state."  Ayres  remarks  that  it 
is  "  tolerably  common  in  Potchefstroom  and  the  neigh- 
bourhood in  summer,  associating  freely  with  the  fiigUts 
of  Pyi-omdana  oryx  which  swarms  here.  It  feeds  with 
tlieni  in  the  open  grassy  plains  and  cornfields,  prin- 
cipally on  small  grass-seeds  which  they  pick  from  the 
ground." 

Of  this  species  I  have  had  a  good  many  pairs,  and 
the  cock  birds  are  always  at  work,  during  the  breed- 
ing season,  building  their  cleverly  constructed  ball- 
shaped  nests,  and  in  the  winter  pulling  them  to  piece.s. 
When  building  they  will  let  no  other  Weaver  approach 
them,  but  will  raise  their  wings  almost  over  their 
heads,  and  use  shocking  language  at  the  intruders. 
But  when  weary  of  this  work,  they  rest  on  a  branch 
at  a  short  distance,  and  any  bird  may  meddle  with  the 
nest  with  impunity,  unless  it  so  happens  that  the  work- 
ing fit  comes  on  again  whilst  some  meddlesome  fellow  is 
trying  to  discover  how  it  is  put  together,  when 
there  is  sure  to  be  a  sharge,  a  cliase,  and  much  chatter- 
ing,  but  nothing  worse. 

Considering  how  incessantly  these  birds  build  in  an 
aviary,  it  is  surprising  bow  unsatisfactory  the  result  of 
all  the  labour  is.  I  have  only  once  got  as  far  as  eggs, 
and  these  were  not  hatched.  From  successful  experi- 
ments made  in  Germany,  it  appears  that  the  clutch 
of  bluegreen  eggs  varies  from  three  to  seven,  aaid  incu- 
bation lasts  fourteen  days. 

The  variety  named  after  Dr.  Russ  is  a  degenerate 
form  of  the  sjH'cies,  in  which  the  black  face-nuark  is 
replaced  by  huff.  At  its  change  of  colour  in  1896  one 
of  my  male  Red-bills  appeared  without  the  black  mask, 
assuming  the  dress  of  Russ's  Weaver.  The  bird  w.os 
probably  getting  old  and  weak,  for  it  died  after  its 
change  in  the  following  year.  In  1904  another  of  my 
males,  which  I  had  possessed  for  a  good  many  years, 
as-Miined  an  intermediate  plumage,  in  which  the  black 
all  disappeared  with  the  exception  of  a  broad  crescent 
over  the  b.ack  of  the  ear-coverts ;  in  1905  this  also 
vanished,  and  it  became  a  typical  Russ's  Weaver ; 
this  bird,  however,  continued  to  live  until  the  end  of 
Ai>ril,  1908,  when  it  became  ill  .and  w,as  killed  V).v 
another  <ock-bird.  I  therefore  regard  the  incapacity 
to  deposit  black  pigment,  in  this  species  as  an  evidence 
of  a  feeble  condition  of  health ;  some  individuals  seem 
to  be  born  thus. 

Captain  Shelley  also  told  me  that  he  had  always 
doubted  the  distinctiK'.ss  of  the  two  birds,  as  he  had 
on  several  occasions  shot  both  from  the  .same  flock.  In 
his  work  on  the  Birds  of  Africa  he  sinks  it  as  a 
synonym  of  Qiiclea  qvclea;  but  in  his  key  to  the  .species, 
descril>os  it  as  a  variety;  it  is  actually  nothing  .so 
permanent  as  a  variety,  being  merely  an  albinistic 
phase. 

Red-hkaded  Weaver   {Qudea  erythrop.,). 

The  male  differs  from  the  preceding  species  in  having 
the  he.ak  blackish  ;  the  entire  head  and  upinr  half  o' 
throat  crimson,  becoming  nearlv  black  on  the  chin  and 
centre  of  throat ;  lower  mandible  of  beak  pale ;  feet 
reddish  brown ;  irides  brown.  Female  differs  from 
that  sex  of  Q.  qurJra  by  iti?  beak  being  dark  brown, 
with  paler  lower  mandible.  Hab.,  Island  of  .St. 
Thom.as,    "  and    ranges    from    Senegal    to    the    Quanza 


TYPICAL    WEAVERS. 


197 


River  eastward   into  tlio  lk>nm>  country  and   the   Zan- 
zibar district  south  from  the  Tana  Kiver."     {Shelley. ) 

In  his  "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  I.,  pp.'llS, 
119,  Captain  Shelley  says: — "In  Liberia  Mr.  lUitti- 
kofer  found  it  in  coinpiiny  with  other  small  birds  in  the 
bushes  iit  Bendo,  near  Fischernian's  Ij^ike,  at  SchiefTel 
insville,  and  by  the  Farniington  Kiver,  feedni};  on 
grass-seeds  and  visiting  Uio  ricefields  when  the  gram 
was  ripening.  While  I  was  on  the  Gold  Coast  witli 
T.  E.  Buckley  we  found  the  species  abundant  in  the 
oj>en  country  near  Aicra. 

"  On  Prince's  Island  Dr.  Dohrn  and  Mr.  Keulcni.ijis 
saw  thcni  in  Ihxks  of  twenty  to  eighty  individuals, 
usually  in  company  with  SjHrtnc^U.^  cucuUatus. 

"  The  egg  is  described  by  Mr.  Kuschel  as  oval  in 
form,  olive  green  with  diusky  spots  and  a  slight  gloso, 
and  measures  0.73  by  0.55." 

Dr.  Russ  says  that  this  species  in  its  entire  demeanour, 
breeding  habits,  and  even  in  its  cry  schak,  resembles  the 
Red-billed  Weaver.  W.  Mieth,  of  Berlin,  first  received 
a  number  of  specimens  of  this  Weaver  in  1869,  which 
he  had  just  bought  from  a  ship  which  had  arrived  from 
Africa.  The  birds  were  out  of  colour,  but  nevertheless, 
.'IS  a  ii"wly  imported  species,  were  sold  at  the  price  of 
24  marks  for  a  piir. 

It  first  reached  the  Ix)ndon  Zoological  Gardens  in 
1871,  since  which  time  a  good  many  e.xamples  have 
found  a  home  there.  Russ  says  that,  in  the  course  ot 
years,  he  has  twice  bred  this  species  in  his  birdroom. 

CHAPTER    XV. 


TYPICAL  WEAVERS. 

{Ploceina:) . 
Whether  these  birds  have  been  evolved  from  the 
Viduine  Weavers,  or  have  descended  in  an  independent 
line  from  the  Sparrows,  it  is  impossible  to  say  ;  the 
greater  density  of  their  nests,  which  are  often  formed  like 
rttoi-ts  or  inverted  sn-iil-shells,  seems  to  separate  them 
rather  widely  from  the  Viduine  Weavers,  and  the  fact 
that  Passer  arcuatus  not  only  builds  in  communities, 
but  constructs  a  Weaver-like  nest,  -seems  to  hint  at  the 
possibility  of  their  derivation  from  the  Sparrows.  I 
note  that  in  his  "  Birds  of  Africa,"  Capt.a.in  Shelley  places 
Pa-sser  and  Petronia  at  the  end  of  the  Frmgillidce,  and 
immediately  before  the  Plocexdce.  Both  Passer  and  the 
Ploceinie  have  the  bastard  primary  well  developed  as 
compared  with  their  allies. 

Sc.\LT-FRONTED   WEAVER    {S jiorojdpes   sqtianiifroas). 

Above  ashy-brown  ;  metiian  and  greater  coverts  and 
bastard-wing  black,  broadly  bordered  with  white ; 
primary-coverts  and  flights  dark  brown,  more  ashy  on 
outer  margins:  the  secondaries  with  broad  white  bor- 
ders; tail-feathers  black,  with  broad  white  borders; 
crown  black,  with  grey  brownish  margins  to  the  feathers, 
whiter  on  forehead  ;  lores  and  orbital  feathers  black  : 
sides  of  head  greyish-brown  ;  a  white  moustachial 
stripe  ;  chin  and  a  streak  on  each  side  of  throat  black  ; 
throat,  white  ;  breast,  sides,  and  flanks,  bufEsh  ;  abdo- 
men rather  paler  ;  thighs  and  under  tail-coverts,  white  ; 
under  wing-coverts  and  axillarieis.  pale  grey ;  flights 
dusky,  dull  huffish  on  inner  margins  ;  beak  flesh-pink, 
darker  on  culmen  and  at  tip  ;  feet  pale  brown  ;  irides 
red.  Female  similar,  but  smaller.  Hab..  Southern 
Africa  to  the  south  of  the  Quanza  and  Zambesi  Rivers 
(SheUey). 

Stark  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  87,  88) 
says:  "These  pretty  little  Weaver  birds  are  very  abund- 
ant on  the  banks  of  the  Orange  River  in  small  flecks 
among   the   bushes   and   mimosa   trees   that   fringe   the 


banks  of  the  river.  Although  they  jicrch  freely  on 
bushes,  they  appear  to  obtain  iUl  their  food,  consisting 
of  grass  seeds  and  small  insects,  from  the  ground.  They 
are  active  and  vivacious  little  binls,  of  ((uarrelsomc  dis- 
positions, and  somewhat  noisy  when  feeding,  as  they 
keep  up  a  constant  bickering  with  one  another.  They 
are  vei-y  tame  and  fearless,  frequmting  Uie  houses  and 
kr.xals  to  feed  among  the  poultry  and  Si>arrows.  In 
winter  they  generally  join  the  floeks  of  Waxbills  and 
Finches.  The  nest  is  always  built  in  a  thorny  bush  at  a 
height  of  from  three  to  ten  feet.  It  is  an  untidy-looking 
domed  stnicture  of  irregular  shape,  artlessly  woven  out 
of  grass  with  the  stalks  left  projecting  in  all  directions. 
The  side  entrance  is  concealed  either  by  the  bristling 
stalks  of  glass,  or  by  a  handful  of  grass  placed  in  the 
bush  in  front  of  it.  The  interior  of  the  nest  is  thickly 
lined,  .sometimes  with  feathers,  at  others  with  the  down 
of  various  plants. 

"  On  the  Orange  River  these  Weavers  build  in  March 
and  .^jiril.  on  the  Limpopo  in  June  and  July. 

"The  egg.s,  four  or  hve  in  number,  vary  m  shape  and 
colour ;  the  ground-colour  is  pale  blue-green,  this  i.s 
thickly  marked  with  blotches  and  scrawls  of  brown  and 
rufous.     The  eggs  measure  about  0.65  by  0.48." 

Buss  says  :  "  Hitherto  this  bird  has  only  been  once 
Imported,  in  the  possession  of  Messrs.  Linden."  He 
overlooked  the  fact  that  it  iiad  been  exiibited  in  the 
London  Zoological  Society's  Gardens ;  he  regarded 
Sporopipes  ae  a  genus  of  Sparrows. 
SrECKLED-FRONTED  We.wer  (Sporopipts  frontalis). 
Above  pale  brown  ;  scapulars  and  wing-coverts  with 
.still  paler  borders;  bastard-wnng,  primary-coverts  and 
flights  dark-brown  with  paler  edges,  the  inner  secon- 
daries with  whitv-brown  borders  like  the  wing-coverts; 
tail-feathers  similar ;  forehead  black  with  small  white 
tips  to  the  feathers;  hind-crown,  nape  and  sides  of 
neck  pale  cinuEuiion,  the  hind-crown  with  black  shaft- 
.streaks;  on  front  of  cheeks  a  moustachial  black  streak 
dotted  with  white ;  under  parts  white ;  breast,  sides 
and  flanks  pale  ashy  brown  ;  under  wing-coverts  pale 
ashy  edged  with  whitish ;  flights  below  dusky  with 
huffish  inner  edges  ;  beak  and  feet  pale  yellowish  horn- 
colour  ;  irides  deep  brown.  Female  similar,  but  smaller. 
Hab..  Senegambia  to  Abyssinia  and  southward  to 
Ugogo. 

I  (|uotc  the  following  notes  from  Shelley's  "  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  pp.  301-2: — "According  to 
Heuglin  these  Weavers  are  abundant  in  North-east 
Africa  to  as  far  north  as  17  deg.  N.  lat.,  and  in  the 
warmer  parts  of  the  Abyssinian  coast.  They  were 
beginning  to  breed  in  Bogos  in  vSepteml)er.  and  he 
found  the  young  able  to  fly  when  ho  visited  Kordofan 
in  November.  The  ne.st  is  large  and  oval,  generally 
placed  in  the  centre  of  a  most  impenetrable  thorn-bush. 
It  is  constructed  of  dry  grass,  with  a  small  centre 
chamlier  well  lined  with  feathers,  hair,  roots  and  wool. 
During  the  breeding  season  they  live  in  pairs,  and 
frequent  the  open  country  where  there  are  trees  for 
them  to  nest  in.  but  as  autumn  sets  in  they  as.semble  in 
large  flocks,  wliich  alight  like  Sparrows  on  the  roofs  of 
houses  or  in  the  stubble-fields  and  pasture-land,  and 
retire  to  roost  in  the  high  trees  near  water.  Their 
Ci:.ll  note  is  a  chirp,  but  their  song,  though  weak,  re- 
sembles that  of  our  Gfoldfinch.  The  eggs,  according  to 
Emin.  are  of  a  greyish  green  colour,  with  darker 
lengthened  blotches,  which  blotches,  Mr.  Ku.schel  in- 
forms us,  sometimes  spread  over  the  whole  surface  and 
give  them  a  uniform  appearance ;  they  measure  on  an 
averase  0.64  by  0.48." 

"  Mr.  Jackson  .  .  .  writes :  '  Found  breeding  in 
an  acacia.  Makes  a  large  nest  of  dry  grass,  not  unlike 
that  of  our  common  Sparrow.' " 


198 


FOREIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND    AVIARY. 


Rues  says  that  this  species  has  been  known  since 
Vieillot's  time,  but  is  very  rare  and  only  imported 
singly.  The  first  known  to  him  was  received  by  E. 
Geupel,  of  I^eipzic,  in  1871,  a  dealer  who  often  obtained 
rai'e  birds  from  England,  and  subsecpiently  Gudera,  of 
Antwerp,  and  Hagenbeck  occasionally  secured  single 
Bpecimens. 

In  his  article  in  The  Avicultural  Magazine,  1st  Ser., 
Vol.  III.,  p.  126.  the  late  Mr.  Krskine  Allon  says  that 
he  has  "  four  pairs  of  that  ridiculous  creature  the 
Frontal  Grosbea.k  (S poropipes  frontalis).  Half  Weavers 
and  half  Sparrows,  they  belie  their  lineage  by  being  of 
a  peaceful  disposition;  and  they  sing  like  Mannikins! 
Each  pair  appears  inseparable.  Eating,  drinking,  an<l 
aa  nearly  as  po^fible  flying  together,  they  l^ok  like 
Siamese  twins.  A  row  of  them  gradually  elongating 
their  necks  simultaneously  is  an  absurd  sight." 

White-fronted  Wea\t:r   [Amblyospiza   albifrons). 

Upp?r  surface  deep  chooolate-bmmj,  becoming  almost 
black  on  the  lower  back,  wings,  ajid  tail ;  base  of  the 
quills  white  forming  a  conspicuous  speculum  ;  feathers 
of  back,  upper  tiil-ooverts  and  wings  with  naiTow 
brownish  buif  margins;  foreheiid  -white;  lores  and 
feathers  below  eye  blackish;  throat  and  fore-chest 
chocolate-brown  like  the  bead,  shading  into  slate-grey 
with  darker  shaft-stripes  on  the  breast,  abdomen, 
thighs  and  iinder  tail-coverts  ;  under  -wTng-coverts  and 
ajdllariea  blackish  ;  flights  below  blackish-brown  with  a 
broad  white  hamd  aoross  tlie  base  of  the  quills  ;  beak 
grey,  black  at  base  of  iiipper  mandible;  feet  Teddish- 
brown  ;  irides  dark  brown.  Female  above  dark  brown, 
■with  darker  centres  and  sandy  brownish  margins  to  the 
feathers ;  median  and  greater  wing-coveits  and 
secondaries  black  with  reddish-brown  maTgins;  bastard 
wing,  primary-coverts  and  quills  blackish-brown  with 
rufous-hrown  margins ;  the  primaries  however  with 
ashy-brown  ;  upper  tail  coverts  with  buff  fringes ;  tail- 
fea.tihers  black isli- brown  with  i>ufous-brown  margins ; 
sides  of  head  Tufous-briwn,  lores  and  feathers  below  the 
eye  blackish  ;  cheeks  and  sides  of  neck  dark  brown 
streaked  with  white;  under  surface  white,  streaked 
with  dark  brown  ;  gides  and  fiajiks  sta.ined  wiith  reddish- 
brown  ;  under  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  pale  sandy 
buff;  flights  below  dark  brown,  dull  yellowish  along 
inner  webs ;  beak  greenish  yellow,  duuiky  at  tiip  of  upper 
mandible ;  feet  and  irides  duusky.  Hab. ,  South- 
eastern Africa  from  the  Cape  to  Nyasa-land. 

Stark  ("Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  81.  82) 
says  :  — "  vSir  Andrew  Smith  remarks  that  it  '  inhabits 
exclusively  the  forests,  and  never  condescends  to  visit 
buit  the  largest  trees,  hence  it  is  only  very  partially 
scattered  over  the  country.  The  only  specimens  -w-hicli 
have  been  obtained  within  the  limiits  of  the  Cape  Colony 
were  dit=oovered  in  the  forests  upon  the  eastern  frontier. 
About  Port  Natal,  b.>wever,  the  bird  is  not  as  rare, 
and  specimens  aire  readily  to  be  obtained  there  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  It  feeds  principally  upon  berries 
and  small  fi-oiits.'  I  have  myself  only  met  with  this 
Weaver  lii-rd  on  th.o  coast  of  Nata.l  and  Zululand, 
among  the  tall  reeds  that  Wrdo"-  many  of  the  rivers 
a-nd  lagoons.  In  many  such  localities  it  is  quite 
abundant,  outnumbering  any  other  fipeaies  of  the  family 
This  species  builds  among  the  reeds,  and,  its  tihick  and 
clumsy-looking  bill  notwithst.-mding,  constructs  a  very 
neat  and  l)eautiful  neat,  shaped  fomething  like  "a 
flattened  cone  with  the  entrance  at  the  lower  edge. 
This  is  attached  to  the  stems  of  two  reeds  over  the 
water.  It  is  woven  with  long  pieces  of  coarse  praps 
and  strips  of  reed-leaf  without  anv  finer  linins.  Both 
birds  laboiur  at  its  construction,  the  nvaJe  fetching  the 


materials  and  working  from  the  outside  whilst  hanging 
by  his  strong  toes  head  downwards  with  extended 
wing.s,  female  from  the  inside.  Both  male  and  femaile 
keep  up  an  incessant  chattering  as  they  pass  the  end 
of  the  grass  stem  from  one  to  the  other  through  the 
walls  of  the  nest.  These  Weavers  nest  in  colonies,  and 
like  majiy  other  si>ecies  of  the  family  beoome  very 
tame  during  the  breeding  season,  so  t/hat  one  can  easily 
watch  them  from  a  distance  of  a  few  yards  only. 
Although  these  birds  feed  largely  upon  berries  and 
large  forest  seeds  they  also  take  insects,  especially 
beetles  and  termites,  as  -well  as  locusts.  The  newly- 
hatched  young  are  fed  on  soft  larvae  and  the  pulp  of 
berries.*' 

According  to  Shelley  ("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  II.,  p.  305),  "The  egg  is  described  by  Mr.  Kusohel 
as  perfectly  oval,  without  gloss,  of  a  reddish  wihite 
colour,  with  ashy  violet  and  brownish  red  spots,  and 
measuring  1.0  by  0.64." 

This  species  has  been  exhibited  in  the  Ix)ndcm  Zoo- 
logical Gardens. 

Blfe-beaked  We.\ver  {Spermospiza  hoemalina). 

Above  glossy  blue-black;  upper  tail-coverts  elightly 
washed  wiith  dull  crimson ;  throat,  breast ,  and  sides 
bright  crimson;  abdomen,  flanks,  thighs,  -under  tail 
and  wing-coverts  and  axillaries  black ;  beak  metalldc 
blue,  the  tip  and  edges  crimson;  feet  brownish-black; 
irides  crimson  ;  eyelids  dull  white.  Female,  slate-grey  ; 
■upper  tail-coverts  dull  crimson  ;  haistard-wing,  primary- 
coverts  aed  flights  blacki.sh-brwwn  edged  wiith  slate- 
grey  ;  tail  black ;  crown  dull  crimson  becoming  slate- 
grey  at  back  and  on  nape  ;  sides  of  head  diill  crimson ; 
throat,  breast,  and  sides  bright  crimson;  abdomen 
blackish  spotted  with  white  ;  flanks  slate-grey  spotted 
with  white;  thighs  and  under  tail-coverts  dark  slate- 
coloured  ;  under  wiing-coverts  and  axillaries  slate-grey, 
spotted  with  white;  flights  below  du.sky,  witih  ashy 
irmer  edges ;  beak,  feet,  irides  aiul  eyelids  as  in  male. 
Hab.,   Senegambia  to  Abeokuta. 

The  following  notes  are  from  Shelley's  '  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  2,  pp.  293-4  :--Mr.  Kemp  .  .  . 
writes:  "It  frequents  the  farms  and  marshy  ground 
like  PyreneKte.^  eoeeinrux,  is  very  wary  and  as  diflBcultto 
see  as  that  bird,  and  like  that  species  apparently  breeds 
here  in  August  and  September."  Dr.  Biittikofer  found 
its  nest  in  Liberia  and  remarks  that  it  does  not  breed 
in  colonies.  The  nest  -was  placed  in  the  fork  of  a 
bush,  some  four  feet  from  the  ground,  in  the  under- 
growt^h  of  the  forest,  and  was  spherical  in  form,  about 
five  inches  in  diameter,  with  the  entrance  near  the 
top,  and  was  constructed  of  soft  grass  without  any 
lining,  and  contained  two  whit?  eggs,  measuring  0.76 
by  0.52." 

This  Weaver  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoo- 
logical Gardens. 

Bright-spotted  Weaver   (Spermospiza  guUala). 

Differs  from  the  preceding  species  in  the  upper  tail- 
Of>verte  being  of  the  fame  bright  crimson  as  the  throat ; 
Mides  of  head,  below  the  eye,  bright  crimson  or  washed 
with  crimson  ;  Tip])er  mandible  with  broad  orange-red 
edges;  feet  black  with  yellow  soles;  irides  rod.  FemaJe 
differs  from  that  sex  of  .S'.  hamalina  in  the  absence 
of  red  on  front  of  orown  ;  the  crimson  of  upper  tail- 
coverts  and  sides  of  head  bright  like  that  of  the  throat ; 
tail-feathers  slightly  edged  with  dull  crtm->--on  ;  beak 
dark  metallic  blue,  with  red  edges ;  feet  black  with 
yellow  soles;  irides  red,  eyelids  white.  Haib., 
Caitnaroons  to  the  C<ongo. 

CapUin  Shelley  ("  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II., 


TYPICAL   WEAVERS. 


199 


p.  295)  publislies  the  following  lieldnotes  : — "Accord- 
ing to  Dt.  lleichenow  the  species  is  abundant  in 
Camaroons.  Near  the  coast,  at  Bibundi,  Mr.  Sjostedt 
met  with  it  singly  or  in  pairs  amongst  the  thick  grass 
intcrsi>ersed  with  bushes  and  stunted  trees,  on  the 
summits  of  which  it  would  perth,  but  rever  saw  it 
frequenting  the  higher  trees."  Mr.  (i,  L.  Bates,  who 
procured  two  full-plumaged  males  in  the  middle  of  June 
at  Mulen,  writes :  "  All  the  Weaver  Finches  that  I 
have  seen  are  confined  to  tlie  clearings,  unless  it  be  tlie 
black  red  breasted  'Kdunivin'  (Spermospiza  guttata), 
which  I  have  seen  building  in  high  trees  in  the  forest." 

Kuschel  ap|>ears  to  have  described  the  egg,  but 
Captain  Shelley  does  not  tell  us  what  it  is  like. 

Tliis  beautiful  bird  has  also  been  exhibited  at  the 
London  Zoological  Gardens  more  than  once :  in  1894 
four  specimens  were  purchased.  In  the  Zoological 
Society's  List,  Mashonaland  is  given  as  the  locality  of 
the  species,  but  this  is  not  confirmed  by  Shelley  and 
therefore  is  probably  an  error. 

White-billed  Buffalo  We.wer  *  {Texlor  alhirostru). 

Black  ;  browner  on  under  surface  of  flights  and  tail ; 
primaries  partly  white-edged  ;  beak  black,  the  basal 
jxjrtion  in  adult  birds  covered  with  a  pale  yellow  fleshy 
cere;  feet  pale  slate-colour;  irides  brown.  Female 
slightly  smaller  and  browner  than  male.  Hab.,  N.E. 
Africa  from  16  deg.  N.  lat.  to  the  Equator. 

According  to  Jackson,  the  nest  is  a  large  mass  of 
black  thorns,  three  or  four  nests  being  clustered 
together ;  all  with  three  eggs.  The  following,  also,  1 
take  from  Shelley's  "  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  II.,  pp.  315,  316:— "The  Nile  district  and 
Abyssinia  I  look  upon  as  the  true  home  of  the  species  ; 
but  here,  according  to  Brehm,  it  is  not  very  common 
and  was  not  met  with  further  north  than  16  deg.  N. 
lat.,  and  he  informs  us  that  it  breeds  in  colonies  of  from 
three  to  eighteen  nests,  each  3  or  4  feet  in  diameter, 
including  the  surrounding  structure  of  thorny  twigs  and 
small  branches,  loosely  arranged,  giving  the  structure 
the  appearance  of  a  thick  bristly  bush  ;  on  one  side, 
usually  to  the  westward,  is  the  entrance,  which  at  the 
mouth  is  wide  enough  to  admit  a  man's  fist  quite  easily, 
but  gradually  diminishes  to  just  sufficient  size  to  allow 
the  bird  to  pass.  The  interior  of  each  nest  is  lined 
with  line  rootlets  and  grass.  During  the  nesting  season 
these  birds  are  exceedingly  noisy  and  may  be  heard  at 
a  great  dist.ince,  and  he  writes :  '  During  a  few 
minutes  I  spent  under  a  tree  I  wrote  down  the  following 
sounds.  One  of  the  male  birds  began  :  Ti,  ti.  ierr,  terr^ 
terr,  zerr,  zaili  ;  another  Guk,  guk,  zai  ;  a  third  uttered 
the  sounds,  Ouih,  guile,  guk,  guk.  gat  :  others  .screamed, 
Gu,  gu.  gu,  gu,  gai,  and  a  few  listened  intently.  They 
behaved  like  a  swarm  of  bees.  Some  came,  others 
went,  and  it  seemed  almost  as  if  all  the  grown  fledg- 
lings had  also  collected  on  the  tree,  for  the  large 
number  of  birds  did  not  corresixjnd  to  the  few  nests. 
The  flight  is  very  ea.«y  and  hovering,  marked  by  slow 
flappings  of  the  wings.  The  wings  are  carried  very 
high.  Its  run  is  quick  and  nimble,  and  the  bird  is  also 
an  adept  in  climbing.'  " 

According  to  Heuglin  the  nests  "  contain  throe  or 
four  eggs,  coloured  like  those  of  our  House-Sparrow,  of 
a  blunt  oval  shape  and  with  a  rather  thick  rough  shell. 
They  measure  on  an  average  1.2  by  0.8." 

This  species  feeds  upon  pastures  in  company  with 
Glossv  Starlings.  It  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Chestnut-backed    Weaver 
(Cinnamoptcryx  castaneofusca). 
Male  above  chestnut  with  black  bases  to  the  feathers, 

*  Also  called  the  Ox-Bird. 


showing  most  prominently  on  the  scapulars;  upper  tail- 
coverts,  wings,  and  tail,  black;  head  all  round  and 
bitast  bliu;k  as  well  as  the  under  surface  of  the  wings 
and  tail ;  remainder  of  under  surface  chestnut ;  beak 
black  ;  feet  and  irides  brown.  Female  above  brown  ; 
mantle  streaked  w  ith  bla.ck ;  lower  back  and  rump 
rufescent;  upjwr  tail-coverts  similar  but  d;Lrker;  wings 
blackish  ;  median  and  greater  coverts  with  whity-brown 
edges,  the  latter  and  the  primaries  slightly  olivaceous; 
crown  of  head  similar ;  lores  and  sides  of  face  sandy 
brown  ;  under  surface  greenish  yellow  becoming  sulphur 
yellow  at  middle  of  breast  and  abdomen  ;  chest,  sides, 
thighs,  and  under  tail-coverts  tawny  buff;  beak  brown, 
fleshy  on  lower  mandible;  feet  brown;  irides  brown. 
Hab.,  Senegambia  to  the  C'Ongo. 

The  following  notes  are  from  Shelley's  "  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  pp.  357-8  :—"  According  to 
Dr.  Biittikofer  the  species  is  common  throughout 
Liberia,  frequenting  the  neighbourhood  of  human 
habitations  in  preference  to  the  deep  forests.  In  iiabits 
it  resembles  Hyphantornis  cucullatus,  but  apparently 
prefers  less  elevated  breeding  places,  such  as  reed- 
jungles,  where  they  attach  their  nests  to  the  tops  of 
one  or  two  of  the  shafts.  One  December  evening,  at 
Roberttport,  his  attention  was  attracted  by  an  unusual 
noise,  caused  by  a  great  number  of  these  birds  flying 
to  and  fro,  '  talking  palaver,'  as  his  boy  aptly  sug- 
gested ;  for  early  next  morning  a  cloud  of  them  came 
and  took  possession  of  the  tree  and  immediately  began 
constructing  their  hanging  nests,  and  continued  actively 
at  work  the  whole  day,  and  by  sunset  he  counted  fifty- 
four  of  their  nests  apparently  finished,  when  the  birds 
flew  off  together  to  roost  elsewhere.  The  following 
morning,  soon  after  they  had  come  back,  he  heard  again 
a  great  chattering,  and  he  saw  the  birds  examining 
the  nests  from  all  sides,  and  then,  as  if  by  a  signal, 
they  all  took  flight  together  to  a  cane-grove  on  the 
other  side  of  the  station,  where  they  immediately  com- 
menced building  other  nests,  which  they  fastened  to 
the  tops  of  the  canes  from  8  to  12  feet  from  the  ground. 
A  few  days  after  they  had  laid  their  eggs,  two  to  three 
in  number,  and  he  never  again  saw  these  birds  return 
to  the  tree  where  they  had  first  commenced  building, 
having,  he  suggests,  possibly  been  scared  away  from 
the  tree  by  a  colony  of  ants  or  a  snake  they  may  have 
discovered  among  the  boughs.  The  eggs  were  uniform 
bluish  green." 

Mr.  Boyd  Alexander  obtained  the  species  at  Pong, 
and  writ«s:  "Breeds  in  May.  The  nests,  constructed 
of  coar.-ie  grass-blades  and  lined  with  fresh  leaves,  are 
suspended  underneath  the  fronds  of  the  palm-trees  in 
damp  situations.  A  large  number  may  be  found 
together.  Both  males  and  females  share  in  the  in- 
cubation." 

Russ  says  (1879)  :  — "  Up  to  a  short  time  ago  the  Fox- 
Weaver  was  ont  of  the  very  rarest  birds  to  be  seen  in 
the  market ;  now  it  is  occasionally  imported,  yet  one 
cannot  regard  it  on  any  account  as  one  of  the  commonest 
birds.  The  females  only  occasionally  come  to  hand  and 
therefore  one  finds  true  pairs  of  this  species  in  few 
collections."  He  notes  that  the  price  is  from  24  to  30 
marks  for  a  pair.  It  has  been  exhibited  at  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens,  but  I  have  never  seen  it  in  any 
English  bird-shop. 
Short-winged  Weaver  {Hyphanturgus  brachypterus) .* 

Above  olive-yellow ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts 
brighter  ;  wings  dark  brown,  the  feathers  edged  with 
olive-yellow;  tail-feathers  dull  olive-yellow,  with 
brighter  edges  ;  head  orange-yellow,  more  olive  on  back 
of  neck ;  lores  and  a  broad  streak  through  the  eye 
*  Dr.  Sbsrpe  placei  this  species  in  ths  genus  Sitagra. 


'200 


FOEEIGN    BIRDS   FOR   CAGE   AND   AVIARY. 


black;  eyelid,  base  of  cheeks  and  throat  black,  the 
latter  bounded  by  an  orange  suffusion  Which  extends 
on  to  the  fore-neck;  remainder  of  under  surface  bright 
yellow,  more  olive  on  sides  and  flanks;  under  wing- 
coverts  and  nxillaries  with  greyish  liases;  quills  below 
ashy  with  whitish  inner  edges;  beak  black;  feet  e'aty 
grey;  iridcs  yellowish  brown.  Female  differs  m  the 
olive-yellow  extending  over  the  crown  to  the  forehead 
and  tile  throat  being  yellow  of  a  jaler  colour  than  the 
breast ;  beak  black  ;  feet  pale  bluish  grey  ;  indes  pale 
stone-colour.     Hab.,   Seneganibia  to  Gaboon. 

Captain  Shellev  publi.<-hes  the  following  field-notes 
("  Birds  of  Africa","  Vol.  IV.,  Part  2,  pp.  390,  391)  :  — 
"The  nest,  according  to  Dr.  Reichenow,  is  suspended 
at  a  short  distance  from  the  ground  U>  a  twig  or  the 
leai  of  a  young  paJni,  is  oval,  with  a  long  entrance 
passage  hanging  down  of  .some  7.5  inches  long,  and  the 
body  of  the  nest  measured  4.75  by  5.25.  Dr.  Reichenow 
found  a  nest  on  November  14th,  in  Lilienia,  containing 
two  eggs  of  a  dirty  white,  sjirinkled  all  over,  especially 
at  the°  thicker  end.  w::th  reddish  brown.  The  ne^l 
was  most  solidly  and  artistically  constructed  of  long 
elastic  fibre;:  and  was  hung  at  a  height  of  some  eight 
feet  from  the  ground." 

"  Mr.  Kemp  found  the  species  common  at  Rot  ifunk 
and  Bo,  and  niiit^s  :  'They  were  much  lighter  sleepers 
than  S'permestes  ouiullatus  and  ,S'.  frhigilloirlei',  who 
loosted  in  an  adjoining  tree,  and  when  aroused  at  night 
the  flutter  of  their  wings  agai:nst  the  leaves  made  a 
noise  like  a  waterfall.  A  palm  tree  in  the  st;ition 
yard  bore  considerably  more  than  a  hundred  of  their 
nests  and  was  the  s,cene  of  great  excitement  in  the 
mornings  and  evenings.  During  and  after  the  rains 
these  Weavers  assemble  sometimes  in  quite  large  flocks 
and  fly  together  after  the  manner  of  Starlings,  turning 
and  twisting  in  the  air,  changing  from  yellow  to  gree-n 
as  their  breasts  or  backs  become  most  exposed  to  view.'  " 

Russ  fay^  that  this  Weaver  has  only  been  imported 
extremelyVarcly  by  Hagenbeck,  Gudera,  and  Jamrach  ; 
it  has,  however,  been  in  evidence  several  times  at  the 
Berlin  Aquarium  and  the  Berlin  Zoological  Gardens.  It 
haa  also  been  ex-hibited  more  than  once  in  the  Ixrndon 
Z'-.'ological  Gardens. 

Masked    Weaver    [Sitagrn    monwha). 

Generail  colour  above  oliveyellow,  miore  orange  on 
back  of  crown  and  niaipe  ;  ru.mp  and  upper  tail-coverts 
brighter  yellow  ;  scapulars  with  blackish  centres  ;  wing- 
coverts  and  inner  secondaries  .«iimilar,  but  with  narrower 
yellow  margins;  tail-feathers  pale  greenish-brown 
edged  externally  with  olive-yellow  and  inteiTially  with 
pale  yellow ;  orown  yellow  with  the  forehead  broadly 
black  ;  sides  of  head  and  throat  black  ;  sides  of  neck 
and  remainder  of  nnder  surface  bright  golden  yellow  ; 
flights  belcw  d.u.sky,  with  yellow  inner  edges ;  beak 
black ;  feet  groyi.sh  brown ;  irides  brown.  Female 
wiithout  black  on  head,  which  is  golden  yellow  like  the 
under  suj-f uce  ;  hind  crown  and  nape  olive  yellow  like 
the  Iwck.     Hab.,  Gold  Coast  to  the  Congo. 

Captain  Shelley  observes  ("  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV., 
Part  2.  pp.  396,  397):— "When  I  was  on  the  Gold 
Coast  I  found  the  species  well  known  there  as  the  Palm- 
birds,  and  tihe  nests,  I  believe,  of  this  fipeaies  were 
suspended  from  beneath  the  leaves  of  the  coconnut 
palms,  as  many  as  four  or  five  hanging  from  one 
frond.  These  nests  were  oval  with  a  short  entrance 
pas.sage,  and  were  slenderly  but  strongly  built, 
apparently  of  shreds  of  the  palm  leaves,  and  wen;  of  a 
pale  browni.sh  buff,  so  they  may  have  been  budt  the 
previous  year." 


"  In  Camaronne  Dr.  Reichenow  found  these  Weavers 
plentiful  at  Wuri  aUmg  the  river  bank,  suspending  their 
nests  from  twig.s  or  glass  stalks  i>verhanging  the  water, 
and  Mr.  Sjustedt  found  them  also  in  abundance  at 
Bibundi,  avoiding  the  thick  bu.-;h,  :uid  he  took  a  nest 
in  August  c mtaining  two  pure  white  eggs.  The  eggs 
measiure  0.7  by  0.62." 

Tlie  London  Zoological  Gardens  api>ear  to  have 
]X)ssessed  a  fair  number  of  siHX:imens  of  this  Weaver; 
but,  in  the  Society's  list,  Abys.=iinia  is  given  as  the 
locality  (which  is  not  probable)  and  pcrsnnaia  Vieillot-— 
a  sjnionym  of  .S'.  hUenla — as  the  name.  As  .S'.  lutenla  is 
also  entered  in  the  list  on  another  page  it  is  probable 
that  the  Masked  Weavers  which  are  recorded  were 
West  African  birds  and  represented   5.   monacha. 

Yellowish  We.wer  {sSilagra  lutenla). 

Nearly  related  to  the  preceding,  but  with  less  black 
on  the  "front  of  the  crown ;  the  hind-crown  and  nape 
olive-yellowif-ih,  the  upper  pints  with  faint  dusky 
centres  to  the  feathers,  the  median  and  greater  wing- 
coverts  lx)rdered  with  pale  yellow  or  white,  .as  also  the 
inner  secondaries ;  beak  black ;  feet  horn  brownish  ; 
irides  burnt-sienna.  Female  witih  no  black  in  the 
plumage  ;  above  mostly  ashy  brown,  washed  with  yellow 
on  the  forehead,  crown,  back  of  neck,  rump  and  upper 
rail-ooverts ;  the  mantle  with  dusky  centres  to  the 
feathers ;  eyeibiow,  sides  of  head  and  throat  pale 
yellow  ;  breast  white  mottled  •with  yellow  ;  under  tail- 
coverts  pale  yellow;  beak  blackish.  Hab.,  Seneganibia 
to  the  Red  Sea  and  .si,uthward  to  Kavirondo.     (Shelley.) 

The  following  note  on  the  habits  is  from  Shelley's 
"Birds  of  Africa."  Vol.  IV.,  Part  2,  p.  398:— Mr.  Jes'se 
found  these  Weavere  breeding  early  in  August.  The 
nest  was  oval  with  a  long  tubujlar  entrance,  and  con- 
tained two  white  eggs.  According  to  Heuglin  they 
assume  their  bright  plumage  in  May,  commence  breed- 
ing about  the  middle  of  July,  and  the  young  are  able 
to  fly  in  October  and  November.  They  live  mostly  in 
pairs,  usually  frequenting  the  watercourses  in  wooded 
di.«trictF,  avoiding  the  more  de.sert  parts.  The  nest 
is  sm.ill.  of  an  elongated  oval  fonii,  ligihtly  constructed 
of  shred.s  of  leaves  or  bark,  with  a  little  hair  or  coltoT 
for  a  lining,  and  is  suspended  from  the  twigs,  generally 
of  nn  acacia  tree,  at  some  twenty  feet  from  the  ground. 
The  eggs,  two  or  three  in  number,  are  pure  white, 
mensurini  0.68  by  0.48." 

Dr.  Russ  speaks  of  this  bird  as  quite  a  rarity  in 
captivity,  yet  he  succeeded  in  securing  it  for  his  bird- 
room,  where  it  constructed  several  nests.  I  have  seen 
it  exhibited  more  than  once  at  bird-shows,  and  our 
London  Zoological  Society  has  had  a  good  many 
specimens.  I  know  that -the  late  Mr.  Abrahamst  used 
to  receive  it,  and  I  have  seen  it  one©  or  twice  in  other 
bird-shops,  so  that  in  England  it  ciaji  be  no  great  rarit.y. 

Olive  We-^ver   {Sitagrn  rapcn.-'i.s). 

General  colour  of  male  above  olive-yellow,  the  back 
streaked  with  brown  ;  wings  brown,  the  feathers  edged 
with  olive-vellow  ;  tail  olive-brown,  the  feathers  edged 
with  yellow  ;  he:id  golden  yellow  ;  under  surface  bright 
yellow,  the  throat  tinfied  with  olive;  axillaries  and 
under  wing  coverts  ashv-brovvn ;  margin  of  wing 
yellow :  beak  black  ;  feet  flesh-coloured  ;  irides  light 
red.  Female  duller,  the  head  coloured  like  the  back  ; 
cheeks  and  under  surface  olive-yellow,  washed  here  and 
there  with  brighter  yellow  ;  beak  brown  ;  irides  hazel. 
Hab..  Western  Cajie  Colony,  northward  to  the  Orange 
River,   and   eastward   to  Algoa  Bay. 

Dr.  Stark  ("  Birds  of  South  Africa,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  69- 
70)  gives  the  following  account  of  the  wild  life  : — "This 


TYPICAL  WEAVERS. 


201 


large  and  robustly-built  epecies  is  very  generally  dis- 
tributed, in  Hocks  of  from  ten  to  fifty  or  sixty  indivi- 
duals, over  Western  Cape  t'olony,  and  altliougli  it  shows 
a  certain  profcrcnt-e  for  the  ni'i;;lilKnirh(TOil  of  vleis  and 
niamliy  groun<l,  it  is  also  found  in  very  arid  localities 
at  a  considerable  distance  fr<jjn  the  nearest  water.  Us 
flight  is  rather  heavy  and  undulating.  The  Cape 
Weaver  feeds  to  a  considerable  extent  upon  seed  and 
grain,  but  at  times  upon  insects.  It  is  also  fond  of 
sipping  the  saccharine  juices  of  the  Cape  aloe  and  of 
various  proteas,  and  individnak  may  be  sometimes  met 
with  with  their  frontal  feathere  sta'ned  and  matted  to- 
gether with  the  mingled  nectar  and  jxjllen  of  these 
plants.  They  bnild  their  Inr^e  kidney-shaped  nests  in 
colonies,  freiiucntly  susi»>n(ling  them  from  the  boughs  of 
a  tree  overhanging  water,  but  just  as  often  over  dry 
ground.  If  unmolested  they  prefer  a  tree  standing  close 
to  a  house  as  a  nesting  site. 

"  The  nests  are  compactly  woven  with  coarse  grass  or 
strips  of  ree<Is  and  .sedge,  the  interior  being  warmly 
lined  with  fine  grass-stems  as  well  iis  the  flowering  tops. 
The  entrance  to  the  nest  is  from  below,  a  narrow  bar 
at  the  inner  extremity  dividing  it  from  the  interior  and 
preventing  the  eggs  from  falling  out  in  windy  weather. 
The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  number,  are  of  a  unform  deep 
blue.     They  measure  0.90  by  0.66." 

This  is  a  fairly-well-known  cage-bird,  which  has  been 
exhibited  several  times  at  the  Zoological  Gardens,  and 
I  think  also  at  various  bird  shows.  I  have  seen  it  in 
the  .shop  of  the  late  Mr.  J.  Abrahams  in  small  numbers. 
Pr.  Russ,  in  bis  great  work,  confounds  it  w!th  the  pre- 
ceding species. 

Rufous-necked  We.^ver  (Ihjphnntorms  ciiciillalus). 

The  male  in  breeding  plumage  is  slightly  larger  than 
the  Black-headed  Weaver,  from  which  it  may  readily 
be  distinguished  by  the  black  on  the  crown  not 
extending  back  to  the  nape,  but  replaced  there  by  a  bell 
of  chestnut  which  forms  a  complete  collar  bounding  the 
black  mask,  also  by  a  broad  black  band  down  each  side 
of  the  mantle  which  unites  on  the  lower  back.  The 
female  above  is  greyish-brown  streaked  with  darker 
brown  ;  the  wing-coverts  edged  with  greeni.sh  yellow, 
other  wing  feathers  and  tail  feathers  edged  with 
brighter  yellow  ;  top  of  head  greenissh  yellow  ;  a  clear 
yellow  eyebrow  streak,  as  also  the  sides  of  the  face  and 
the  throat ;  abdomen  white  in  the  centre  with  a  faint 
tinge  of  yellow ;  sides  of  body  brownish ;  beak  and 
feet  horn-brown;  eyes  blackish  brown.  Hab.,  Sene- 
gambia  to  Gaboon. 

Captain  Shelley  thus  describes  the  wild  life  ("  Birds  of 
Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part.  II.,  p.  425):— "The  males 
assume  their  full  plumage  within  the  first  twelve 
months,  and  never  lose  it  afterwards.  They  have  a 
loud,  shrill  note,  are  very  active  and  gregarious,  breed- 
ing in  colonies  and  generally  selecting  for  that  purpose 
the  large  trees  in  towns  or  vdlages,  apparently  appre- 
ciating the  protection  thus  afforded  them  against  snake? 
and  monkeys,  which  are  no  doubt  their  worst  enemiet 
during  the  breeding  season.  The  nest  is  of  a  rounded 
form,  with  a  short  side-entrance  passage  hanging  down, 
and  is  constructed  of  grass  and  shreds  of  the  leaves 
generally  of  the  banana  or  palm  tree,  is  carefully  and 
solidly  woven,  and  strongly  attached  to  the  twigs  from 
which  it  hangs,  and  the  lining  of  the  nests  I  examined 
at  Cape  Coast  consisted  of  soft  dry  grass  and  a  few- 
feathers.  According  to  Dr.  Biittikofer.  the  eggs  are 
two  or  occasioni«lly  three  in  numl)er,  of  a  pale  green 
colour,  sparsely  freckled  with  brown,  and  measure  0.9 
by   O.6." 


Captain  Shelley  continues  as  follows: — "They  show 
little  fear  of  man,  and  are  hardy,  interesting  cage-birds, 
weaving  on  to  the  bars  of  their  cage  any  string,  grass, 
or  suitable  materials  they  are  supplied  with,  regardless 
of  the  season  of  the  year.  A  male  which  I  have  now 
had  in  a  cage  for  over  twelve  years  I  have  fed  upon 
seeds,  but  it  will  eat  almost  anything,  and  is  specially 
fond  of  grasshoppers,  and  will  take  all  kinds  of  insect 
food." 

Some  years  ago  Lieutenant  Horsbrugh  wrote  to  me 
that  what  he  believed  to  be  this  sl)ecies  was  the  most 
abundant  bird  about  Cape  Coast,  and  he  described  a 
single  tree  which  contained  from  eight  to  ten  thousand 
nests.  Is  it  not  wonderful  that  these  common  birds  are 
so  little  imported  that  even  Dr.  Russ  can  only  epeak 
of  a  female  in  a  friend's  collection  which  he  believes 
to  be  referable  to  this  species.  But  I  believe  that  this 
is  only  true  of  the  German  bird  market,  for  I  have 
seen  a  good  many  in  England ;  unless  I  am  much 
mistaken,  a  hen  given  to  me  some  years  ago  by  Mr. 
Allen  Silver  belongs  to  this  epecies. 

I  purchased  a  male  of  this  species  for  a  few  shillings 
about  1893,  and  turfied  it  into  my  Java-Sparrow 
aviary,  where  it  built  some  wonderful  nests-,  similar  to 
those  of  the  preceding  species  ;  it,  however,  was  very 
quarrelsome  and  aggressive,  so  that  eventually  I  re- 
moved it  to  the  next  aviary,  in  which  I  had  some  Cow- 
birds.  These  appeared  tohave  injured  one  of  its  feet, 
and  it  became  dull,  misera,ble,  and  sluggish.  In  the 
winter  of  1894-5  it  died. 

Dr.  Russ,  who  apparently  never  possessed  thie 
Weaver,  confounded  it  with  its  near  relative.  H. 
abyssinicus,  applying  to  it  the  synonymic  name  of  H. 
larvatus. 

Black-headed  Weaver   {Hyphantornis  melano- 
cephalus). 

The  male  in  breeding  plumage  has  the.  head  to  the 
nape  and  throat  black  bordered  with  yellow  behind  and 
with  chestnut  on  the  throat,  remainder  of  upper  sur- 
face greenish  yellow,  brightest  on  the  rump  ;  median 
wing-coverts  blackish  tipped  with  yellow  ;  outer  coverts 
brown  with  pale  edges  ;  flights  deep  brown  edged  with 
yellow  ;  Uil-feathers  orange-brown  edged  with  yellow  ; 
under  surface  bright  yellow  ;  beak  blackish-brown,  feet 
flesh  coloured,  iris  chestnut. 

The  female,  though  much  like  the  male  in  wmter 
plumage,  is  not  at  afl  like  it  in  full  breeding  plumage  ; 
it  is  dark  yellowish  green  above,  the  crown,  shoulders, 
and  back  brownish,  each  feather  with  a  broad  dull 
yellow  transverse  bar  ;  eyebrow  stripe  and  sides  of  head 
clear  vellow ;  under  surface  brighter  yellow;  beak 
black-brown ;  feet  flesh  coloured  ;  iris  brown.  The 
male  in  winter  plumage  is  larger  than  the  female,  and 
has  a  wash  of  grey  on  the  i^lieeks,  and  its  mantle  is  of  a 
more  rufous  shade  ;  beak  ashy-grey,  shading  into  slate 
colour  on  the  upper  awrt  ;  feet  flesh-pink.  Hab.,  Sene- 
sambia.  \  \  „^., 

Shelley  ("  Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  p.  440) 
says:— "Dr.  P.  Rendall  writes  ....  :— 'This  bird, 
which  more  frequentlv  is  to  be  seen  than  any  other 
member  of  the  familv.  prefers  the  lower  branches  of  the 
mimosa,  common  in  the  marshy  ground  between  the 
mangrove  swamps ;  and  though  it  also  builds  in 
colonies,  I  have  seldom  seen  more  than  two  nests  on  a 
single  tree;  they  were  usually  about  six  or  seven  feet 
from  the  ground  level.  Their  eggs,  which  present,  every 
variation  in  colour  between  olive-green  and  russet- 
brown,  are  seldom  in  clutches  of  more  than  two,  though 
once  or  twice  I  have  taken  three  from  a  nest '." 


202 


FOREIGN    BIRDS    FOR   CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


I  purchajsed  several  of  these  birds  out  of  colour  in 
1895,  one  of  which  assumed  a  full  male  plumage  in  1896, 
and  a  second  in  1898 ;  the  remainder  were  evidently 
hens.  The  species  has  been  bred  in  Germany,  and 
oould,  I  am  certain,  be  easily  bred  here  if  a  male  and 
two  or  three  females  were  kept  apart  in  a  small  aviary, 
for  they  are  as  crazy  to  build  and  as  quarrelsome  when 
building  as  the  Red-billed  Weaver— a  bundle  of  hay  will 
set  them  to  work  at  once.  The  nest  is  like  a  huge  enail- 
shell  with  the  opening  directed  downwards.  I  have  at 
times  had  the  wire  netting  at  the  top  of  my  Weaver 
aviary  adorned  with  eeveral  of  these  clever  structures, 
and  never  could  understand  how  the  birds  could  manage 
to  weave  the  top  of  the  nest  on  to  the  wire  ;  probably 
after  the  end  is  passed  through  it  is  doubled  down  and 
held  by  the  claws  until  the  beak  has  seized  it  again. 
The  sitting  consists  of  from  three  to  five  eggs,  and 
incubation   lasts  fourteen  days. 

The  German  price  for  the  bird  is  tolerably  high,  and 
possibly,  when  in  full  colour,  it  may  not  be  cheap  in 
England ;  but  I  bought  mine  at  the  same  rate  as 
Napoleon  and  Orange  Weavers,  all  out  of  colour. 

Halt-masked  Weaver   (Hyphantornis  vilellinui). 

The  male  bird  in  breeding  plumage  is  bright  golden- 
jellow,  somewhat  olivaceous  and  with  dusky  streaks 
on  the  back ;  wing-feathers,  black  edged  with  yellow  • 
tail  feathers,  pale  brown,  with  yellow  edges ;  crown  of 
head,  chestnut  to  the  middle;  a  black  mask  including 
the  lores,  eye,  front  of  ear  coverts  and  sides 'of  face  as 
well  as  the  chin  and  front  of  throat ;  remainder  of 
throat  washed  with  orange;  beak  black;  feet 
brtxwnish  flesh -coloured ;  iris,  according  to  Von 
Heuglin  pale  brown,  according  to  Dr.  Russ  fiery  red. 

The  female  above  is  pale  yellowish  olive-brown ;  the 
mantle  and  shoulders  with  broad  brown  shaft  streaks, 
the  abdomen  and  vent  nearly  pure  white  ;  the  remainder 
of  the  body  more  or  less  yellow,  but  duller  and  paler 
than  in  the  male  ;  beak  dark-horn  brown,  under  mandible 
paler,  feet  flesh-brown  ;  iris  orange. 

The  male  in  winter  plumage  is  a  good  deal  like  the 
female,  but  larger,  with  a  richer  yellower  tone  on  the 
under  parts  and  the  back  greener  with  narrower  shaft- 
streaks  ;  the  head  and  throat,  at  any  rate  in  fully  adult 
birds,  more  or  less  mottled  with"  black  and  yellow 
Hab..  from  18  deg.  N.  lat.  southward  to  the  Ulu  High- 
lands, 2  deg.  S.  lat.     (Shelley.) 

Captain  Shelley  publislies  the  following  field-notes 
("Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  p.  444)  :_"The 
Drs.  Reichenow  and  Luhder  found  these  Weavers  breed- 
ing both  at  Accra  and  at  Abokobi,  with  fre.ih  eggs  in 
the  middle  of  Augu.'^t.  The  nests  were  hung  from  bushes 
at  five  to  eight  feet  fronv  the  ground,  one  or  more  being 
suspended  from  the  same  bough,  but  were  not  in  large 
colonies.  The  nests  were  of  the  usual  oval  form,  with 
the  entrance-tube  hanging  down.  The  eggs,  bluish 
■white  with  pale  reddish  blue  or  violet  markings 
measure  0.8  by  0.6." 

"  In  North-east  Africa  Heuglin  met  with  there  birds 
insmall  flocks  from  May  to  ,Iulv,  at  Berbera  and  up  the 
White  and  Blue  Nilps.  Their  favourite  resjorts  were 
small  groups  of  acacia  and  other  thorny  trees  in  damp 
situations,  on  islands,  and  in  the  maize-fields.  They 
were  feeding  on  grain  and  insects,  and  their  call  note 
was  a  ehr.ll  chirp.  The  males  moult  into  their  bright 
breeding  plumage  in  ,Iune.  The  nest  is  woven  out  of 
fresh,  green  grass,  and  suspended  from  a  twig  at  a 
height  from  the  ground  varying  from  three  to  twenty 
feet ;  many  of  these  nest«  were  empty,  and  apparently 
■used    only  as   shelters    for  the   males.     The   eggs  varv 


greatly  in  colouring,  from  whitLsh  to  clay-colour  or 
bluish-green,  some  having  only  dusky  bluish-grey  dots 
and  freckles,  while  others  are  thickly  ijpotted  with  red- 
dish brown.  He  never  found  more  than  five  eggs  in  a 
nest,  and  in  their  second  brood  there  were  generally 
only  three.  .  .  .  When  the  young  are  able  to  Hy  they 
assemble  in  flocks  in  the  ofjen  country  and  maize-fields, 
and  wander  southward  in  November." 

Dr.  Russ  observes  that  this  is  rightly  the  most 
beloved  of  the  foregoing  large  Weavers,  since  it  is  not 
only  harmless  and  peaceable  in  the  bird-room,  and  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  of  all  Weavers,  but  also  is  easily 
and  plentifully  bred,  and  constructs  an  extraordinarily 
artistic  nest.  This  is  somewhat  fulsome  praise,  for  the 
bird  is  just  about  as  quarrelsome  as  other  members  of 
its  genus,  and  its  nest  is  of  much  the  same  type. 
Neither  is  it.  in  my  opinion,  far  superior  in  point  of 
beauty,  the  distribution  of  colours  being  very  similar. 
Some  allowance  must,  however,  be  made  for  the  fact 
that  the  worthy  doitor  bred  the  species  freely  in  his 
bird-room.  The  clutch  of  eggs  nuinb<'rs  three  to  four, 
lighter  or  darker  bluish-white,  spotted  with  reddish  or 
violet.  Inculjation  lasts  twelve  days.  The  song  is 
extremely  han>h,  but  the  bird  is  immensely  proud  of  it. 
Owing,  perhaps,  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the  London 
dealers  do  not  recognise  this  bird  (especially  in  its 
winter  dress),  it  is  generally  obtainable  for  a  few 
shillings.  In  Germany  it  appears  to  cost  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  shillings  for  a  pair.  It  is  imported  from  time 
to  time  in  a  few  heads  amongst  consignments  of  mixed 
Weavers. 

Black-fronted   We.aver    {Ht/phantomis    velatuf:). 

General  colour  above  olive-yellow,  the  back  indis- 
tinctly streaked  with  brown ;  the  scapulars  streaked 
with  black ;  wings  brown  ;  median  coverts  tipped  and 
the  flights  edged  with  yellow  ;  tail  olive-brown,  with 
yellow  edges  to  the  feathers ;  crown  and  sides  of  neck 
yellow ;  forehead,  sides  of  head  and  throat  black ; 
remainder  of  under-surface  yellow  ;  axUlaries  white 
with  a  tinge  of  yellow  ;  under  wing-coverts  grey  ;  edge 
of  wing  yellow  ;  flights  below  dusky,  with  yellow  inner 
edges ;  beak  black ;  feet  flesh-colour ;  irides  orange- 
red.  Male  in  winter  above  greyish-brown  streaked 
with  dark  brown  ;  rump  and  upper  tail-coverts  olive- 
yellow ;  lesser  wing-coverts  olive-yellow,  brown  at 
base;  remainder  of  the  wing-feathers  brown  with 
yellow  or  oUve  margins ;  median  coverts  with  pale 
yellow  tips  ;  tail  olive-brown,  with  a  wash  of  yellow  ; 
crown  and  nape  tinged  with  olive-yellow  ;  sides  of  head 
olive-brown  with  a  yellowish  tinge  ;  a  faint  yellowish 
eyebrow ;  lores  dusky ;  cheeks  and  throat  yellowish- 
white  ;  breast.  side5,  and  flanks  pale  yellowish-brown  ; 
centre  of  abdomen  white ;  under  tail-coverts  sandy- 
yellowish  ;  axillaries  and  under  wing-coverts  pale 
yellow ;  edge  of  wing  brighter  yellow ;  beak  dark 
brown ;  feet  dark  flesh-colour ;  irides  pale  brown. 
Female  differs  from  the  winter  plumage  of  the  male  in 
the  greyish-brown  colour  of  the  lower  back,  rump, 
and  upper  tail  coverts.  Hab.,  South-West  Africa  from 
Benguela  to  Cape  Colony. 

Captain  Shelley  separates  this  from  H.  mariquensU, 
but  admits  that  it  is  "an  extremely  nearly  allied  form." 
Stark  treats  it  merely  as  a  local  form  of  the  species 
which  ranges  from  Cape  Ck>lony  over  Southern  and 
J^stern  South  Africa,  south  of  the  Linipoixi  River.  Of 
the  babite  of  the  latter  he  writes  ("  Birds  of  South 
Africa,"  Vol.  T..  pp.  59,  60). — "These  Weaver  birds  are 
gregarious  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  in  summer 
frequently  form  very  large  breeding  colonies,  often  con- 
sisting of  several  hundred  pairs  of  birds.  Frequently 
they  commence  building  their  kidney-shaped  neets  very 


TYPICAL  WEAVERS. 


203 


early  in  the  spring,  towards  the  end  of  July  or  begin- 
ning of  August,  when  many  of  the  males  still  retain 
then-  immature  or  winter  dress ;  but  the  nests  are  not 
completed,  or  the  eggs  laid,  as  a  rule,  until  the  begin- 
ning of  Novemljer. 

"  As  a  breeding-place  these  birds  prefer  reed-ljeds.  if 
any  are  available,  out  should  there  be  none,  they  sus- 
pend their  nests  from  trees  and  bushes  overhanginz 
water,  or  occasionally  over  dry  ground.  When  built 
among  reeds,  the  nests  are  usually  attached  to  two 
stems  by  the  sides ;  but  when  in  trees  they  are  .sus- 
pended from  the  drooping  twigs.  Like  most  of  the 
Weaver  birds,  this  species  becomes  very  tame  during 
the  breeding-season,  and  it  is  a  pleasing  sight  to  watch 
the  busy  birds  as  they  are  engaged  in  constructin_g 
their  ingeniously-formed  nests,  'i'hey  work  with  the 
greatest  energy, "the  male  fetching  the  long  green  grass- 
stems  out  of  which  the  nests  are  woven,  and  usually 
assisting  from  the  outside  by  passine  one  end  through 
to  the  female  inside  the  nest,  ehe  passing  it  back  again, 
and  so  on.  Whilst  engaged  in  this  work  the  birds  fre- 
quently hang  back  downwards  with  extended  wings, 
swaying  gently  to  and  fro,  and  all  the  time  keeping  up 
a  ceaseless  chattering. 

"  In  districts  where  the  Sanseviera  grows  the  nests 
•of  the  Masked  Weaver-Birds  are  often  constructed 
entirely  of  the  marginal  fibres  of  this  plant. 

"  The  entrance  to  the  nest  is  from  below,  the  nest 
itself  being  shaped  like  a  retort  without  a  neck,  or  the 
shell  of  a  garden  snail.  Although  thie  species  subsists 
largely  on  grain  and  gra&s-seed  during  winter,  it  feeds 
freely  on  insects  during  summer.  The  young  are  fed 
on  Eoft  larvae,  caterpillars  and  small  graashoppers. 
rhey  remain  in  the  nest   for  about  thirty  days. 

"  The  eggs  of  this  Weaver,  usually  three  in  number, 
■vary  remarkably  in  colour,  even  in  t!he  same  nest.  They 
are  of  some  shade  of  white,  cream-colour,  pink,  green, 
or  blue;  often  unspotted,  but  more  frequently  marked, 
more  or  less  thickly,  with  small  spots  and  dots  of 
various  shades  of  red  and  brown  ;  less  often  they  are 
blotched  and  clouded  heavily  with  large  massce  of  the 
same  colours.  Tliey  are  fomewhat  elongated  in  shape, 
and  average  0.93  by  0.58." 

Dr.  Russ  does  not  appear  to  discriminate  between 
this  and  other  species  of  Hyphantornis  ;  he  says  they 
are  separated  by  scientists,  but  are  probably  only  local 
races,  and  their  differences  are  of  no  importance  to  the 
aviculturist.  Why  the  avicultnrist  should  not  be 
accurate  as  well  as  the  systematist  I  fail  to  see.  This 
species  has  been  exhibited  and  even  bred  in  the  London 
Zoological  Gardens. 

Etebrowed  Weaver  [Uyphantornis  suj)erciliosus).' 

General  colouring  above  yellowish  olive,  with  blackish 
centres  to  the  feathers  ;  wings  and  tail  dark  brown, 
■wjth  narrow  pale  margins  to  the  feathers ;  crown 
yellow,  washed  with  chestnut  on  the  forehead  ;  sides 
of  head,  chin  and  centre  of  throat  black  :  breast  orange- 
yellow  in  front,  more  golden  behind  ;  abdomen,  thighs 
and  under  tail  coverts  sandy  buff ;  upper  mandible 
horn-black,  lower  blue-grey;  feet  brownish-flesh;  irides 
brown.  Male  in  winter  above  sandy  brown,  deepen- 
ing to  dull  black  on  the  crown  :  mantle  wnth  blackish 
centres  to  the  feathers  ;  wings  and  tail  with  the  pjile 
edges  broader ;  sides  of  head  and  a  broad  eyebrow- 
stripe  reddish  buff,  the  latter  separated  by  a  black 
stripe  passing  through  the  eye;  throat ,_  sides  of  neck, 
body  below  and  under  tail-coverts  reddish  buff  ;   centre 

■  Shelley  has  founded  a  tiewgenua— PocAl/pAanteji— for  this  species, 
on  account  of  its  stout  heik,  but  the  bf  ales  of  Hyphantomis  are 
not  all  cast  in  one  mould. 


of  breast  white.  Female  differs  from  the  male  in  having 
the  forehead  and  crown  black,  some  of  the  feathers 
tipped  with  olive-yellow  ;  sides  of  forehead  chestnut 
l>assiiig  into  a  bniad  golden  yellow  eyebrow-stripe  ;  the 
yellow  of  the  up|)er  neck  partly  spreading  over  the  ear- 
coverts  ;  soft  parts  as  in  the  male.  Hab.,  Ijberia  to 
the  Congo  and  eastward  to  the  Upper  White  Nile. 
(Shelley.) 

Nothing  appears  to  have  been  recorded  respecting 
the  wild  life  of  this  species.  r,     ,     •     i 

This  Weaver  was  purchased  by  the  London  Zoological 
Society  in  1884  and  exhibited  in  the  Gardens  ;  it 
appears,  however,  to  be  very  rarely  imported. 

Baya  Weaver  {Ploceus  baya). 

When  in  breeding  paumage  the  male  is  mostly  brown 
above,  with  black  or  dark  shaft  streaks;  the  mantle, 
however,  is  yellow  ;  the  lower  back  is  uniformly  brown 
and  the  upper  tail-<x)verts  are  yellow;  the  crown  of 
the  head,  sides  of  neck  and  breast  are  bright .  golden 
yellow  ;  the  base  of  the  forehead  and  a  mark  extending 
above  the  eye  and  over  the  ear-coverts,  cheeks,  chin 
and  throat  blackish-brown,  varying  to  pale  brown  on 
the  throat;  abdomen  white,  pale  brown,  with  darker 
shafts  to  the  feathers  at  the  sides;  beak,  dark  horn- 
brown  ;  feet  tlesh -coloured  ;   iris,  dark  brown 

The  female  is  altogether  browmer,  has  no  black  mask 
but  a  pale  eyebrow  streak;  the  crown  of  the  head 
brown  streaked  with  black  like  the  back,  the  throat  and 
chin  buffish  white  ;  the  breast  and  sides  of  body  belo* 
ochreous  buff;  otherwise,  excepting  in  its  paler  beaJc, 
it  is  not  unlike  the  maJe.  Hab.,  the  greater  part  of 
India  and  Ceylon. 

The  wild  life  of  the  Baya  and  lU  allies  has  been 
thoroughly  studied;  the  nests,  which  are  somewhat 
puree-like  when  built  on  trees,  are  usually  suspended 
from  the  fronds  of  some  lofty  palm-tr(^,  thirt.y  or 
foriv  nests  being  sometimes  seen  attached  to  a  single 
tree";  at  other  times  they  are  hung  from  the  thatch  of 
a  bungalow,  whilst  in  Ceylon  they  have  been  observed 
in  branching  trees.  The  eggs  are  usually  two  in 
number  and  pure  white  ;  but  as  many  as  six  or  even 
f'^ht  have  been  Uken  from  one  nest,  being  perhaps 
the  produce  of  more  than  one  hen.  .       . 

In  captivity  the  Baya  is  always  ready  to  build  U 
grass  or  hav  is  supplied  to  it:  the  nest  is  extremely 
closely  and  "firmlv  constructed,  the  walls  being  of  such 
thickness  that  v4ry  little  light  can  possibly  penetrate 
to  the  egg-cavity.  As  I  never  possessed  hens  of  this 
species  the  nests  built  in  my  aviaries  were  never  com- 
pleted, the  male  bird  being  apparently  unable  to  form 
the  cup  to  contain  the  eggs  without  the  assistance  of 
the  female  ,  if  completed  it  is  easy  to  see  that  they 
would  somewhat  resemble  those  of  the  genus  Hyphan- 
tomis, excepting  that  the  upper  portion  (or  roof  of  the 
nest)  is  carried  in  conical  Upering  fashion  to  the 
branch  from  which  it  is  suspended,  giving  it  externally 
a  more  purse-shaped  character.  The  entrance  is  from 
below,  and  the  bird  after  en^ering  comes  immediately 
upon  a  stout,  transverse  perch  of  plaited  substance 
which  divides  the  entrance  from  the  cup  ;  in  unfinished 
nests  this  perch  naturally  has  an  opening  on  both 
sides  of  it. 

The  Baya  is  not  only  extremely  quarrelsome  when 
nesting,  but  is  an  arrant  thief;  it  also  certainly  not 
only  plunders  materials  from  the  nests  of  other  and 
weaker  birds,  but  sometimes  picks  to  pieces  and  eats 
their  newly-hatched  young.  Yet  Dr.  Russ  staies  that 
he  found  i"t  altogether  peaceable.  Possibly,  as  he  had 
eighteen  examples  of  four  races— the  Baya,  Manyah. 
Bengal     and   Yellow-bellied   Weavers— together  m  the 


204 


FOREIGN   BIRDS    FOR    CAGE    AND    AVIARY. 


same  aviary,  one  may  have  kept  another  in  check. 
The  experience  of  one  aviculturist  is  never  quite  con- 
clusive as  a  guide  on  which  to  base  one's  faith  in  the 
harnilessness  of  any  species. 

In  my  "  Foreign  Finches  in  Captivity "  I  mention 
having  had  five  males  of  this  species ;  two  of  these, 
however,  proved  to  belong  to  the  nearly-related  P. 
mani/ah.  I  believe  I  purcha.sed  these  birds  fiom  one 
consignment  about  1892,  and  I  got  rid  of  the  Manyah 
Weavers  in  1898  ;  one  Baya  Weaver  lived  a  year  or  two 
longer. 

Two  Weavers  have  been  separated  from  the  above— 
P.  atrigula  and  P.  megaThynchus — but  Mr.  Finn  ob- 
serves (The  Ainc.ultural  Magazine,  1st  ser. ,  Vol.  VI., 
p.  146).  "No  doubt  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  inter- 
gradation  between  them,  similar  t«  that  which  occurs 
between  P.  atrigula  and  P.  haya."  in  which  case  they 
must  be  wKxt  are  nowadays  called  subspecies.  I  will 
tlierefore  merely  quote  Mr.  Finn's  characters  for  dis- 
tinguishing them. 

Black-throated  Weaver   {Ploceus   atrigula). 

Larger  than  P.  haya  ;  "  throat  dull  blackish  ;  breast 
buif."  Hab. ,  Lower  Himalayas  to  Assam,  and  from 
the  neighbourhood  of  Calcutta  through  Burma  and  the 
Malayan  Peninsula  to  Sumatra  and  Java  (Sharpe). 

I  believe  the  Zoological  Societv  of  London  acquired 
four  examples  of  this  form  in  1900. 

Great-bllled  Weaver  {Ploceus  megarhynchus). 

"  Size  largest ;  entire  under-surface  yellow "  {F. 
Finn).     Hab..  Terai  (Hume). 

The  Zoological  Society  of  London  acquired  a  speci- 
men of  this  bird  in  1901. 

Bengal  Weaver  {Ploceus  bengalensis). 

The  male  is  "  similar  to  P.  baya,  but  differing  in  the 
total  absence  of  yellow  on  the  breast,  and  by  the  black 
band  across  the  chest ;  1  he  throat  sooty  bUickish " 
(.Sharpe);  "bill  jwarly  white;  legs  flesh-colour;  iris 
light  brown "  (Oatei).  Male  in  winter  witTi  "  a  more 
tawny-bufi  tinge  below,  the  black  breast-band  entirely 
obscured  bv  sandy  buff  edges  to  the  feathers  ;  "  upper 
mandible  dusky  brown,  the  lower  one  pale  lavender; 
feet  brownish  fleshy  pink;  iris  brown"  {A.  O.  H.). 
Female  "  having  the  black  band  across  the  chest  less 
strongly  developed,  and  the  yellow  of  the  eyebrow  and 
sides  of  neck  not  quite  so  bright ;  "  upper  mandible 
light  brown,  the  lower  one  whitish  homy,  with  a  pinky- 
bluish  tinge;  feet  fleshy  pink;  iris  brown"  [A.  0.  H.) 
— Sharpe.  Hab.,  the  greater  part  of  India  and  ranging 
into  Burma. 

Jerdon  ("Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  350)  observes: 
— "  I  found  it  abundant  near  Purneah,  al,so  in  Dacca, 
building  in  low  bushes,  in  a  grassy  churr  overflown 
during  the  rains.  The  nest  was  non-pensile,  and  had 
either  no  tubular  entrance  or  a  very  short  one,  made  of 
grass,  and  more  slightly  interwoven  than  either  of  the 
others.  Tbongh  a  good  m,^ny  pairs  were  breeding  in 
the  neighbourhood,  the  nests  ■were,  in  no  instance,  close 
to  each  other,  rarely  indeed  two  on  the  same  bush." 

In  Hume's  "  Nests  and  F.ggs  of  Indian  Birds,"  2nd  ed.. 
Vol.  IL,  pp.  120,  121.  we  read:  "Mr.  Henry  Wenden 
has  sent  nie  the  following  note: — On  28th  "August  I 
found  some  eight  or  ten  nesls  of  this  bird  at  Bhandoop, 
sixteen  miles  from  Bombay,  in  a  ispace  of  marshy  land 
(water  6  to  18  inches  deep),  surrounded  by  rice-fields. 
'They  were  built  on  that  kind  of  grass  wliich  looks  so 
like  young  sugar-cane,  the  bla<les  of  which  were  bent 
down  and  woven  into  the  nest.     In  one  ca.se  a  nest  was 


supnorted  by  only  four  blades,  in  another  by  ten  or 
twelve.  The  tops  of  the  nests  were  as  globular  as  the 
entrance  of  the  several  blades  of  grass  would  permit  of 
their  being.  None  had  pensile  supports,  and  I  noticed 
no  entrance-tube  of  more  than  2i  inches  in  length. 
Two  nests  each  contained  three  eggs,  one  clutch  being 
fresh  and  the  other  well  incubated  ;  another  nest  had 
one  egg. 

"  As  regards  material  and  the  way  it  is  woven,  the 
nests  are  similar  to  those  of  F.  baya;  nor  can  I  per- 
ceive any  difference  in  size,  colour,  or  shape  of  the 
eggs,  unless  it  be  that  those  of  P.  bengalensis  are 
slightly  more  pointed  at  the  smaller  end."  This  species 
has  been  exhibited  at  the  London  Zoological  Gardens. 

Manyah  Weaver  {Ploceus  manyah). 

Male,  "similar  to  P.  baya,  but  without  the  yellow 
on  the  breast ;  the  fore  neck  and  breast,  as  well  as  the 
sides  of  tile  body,  tawny  rufous  or  yellowLsh  buff,  these 
parts  all  forcibly  streaked  with  b^o.^d,  black  centre,s  to 
the  feathers;  the  throat  sooty  blackish,  like  the  sides 
of  face  and  ear-coverts ;  nape  and  hind  neck  tawny 
brown  streaked  with  black  like  the  back."  Female, 
"  general  colour  above  ashy  brown,  broadly  streaked 
with  black,  the  feathers  of  the  mantle  and  scapulars 
margined  with  tawny  buff;  bastard-wing,  primary- 
coverts,  quills  and  tail-fejithers  blackish,  margined  with 
olive-yellow  ;  crown  of  head  like  the  back,  but  less  dis- 
tinctly streaked;  lores  dusky;  eyebrow  white  tinged 
with  yellow,  extending  in  a  streak  behind  the  ear- 
coveits  ;  sides  of  face  and  ear-coverts  sooty  blackish  ; 
cheeks  and  under-surface  of  body  white,  with  a  yellow 
tinge  on  the  breast;  the  fore  neck,  breast,  sides  of 
body,  and  flanks  distinctly  streaked  with  black,  more 
broadly  on  Uie  lutter ;  thighs  white,  also  streaked  with 
black ;  under  tail-coverts  buffy  white ;  under  wing- 
coverts  tawny  buff;  quills  below  du.sky,  ashy  rufous 
alons  the  inner  edge ;  bill  brown  above,  darkening 
on  the  culmen  towards  the  tip,  pale  yellowish  flesh- 
colour  below;  feet  flesh-colour;  iris  dark  brown" 
(K.  A.  Butler).  .\dult  in  winter,  "resembles  the 
plumage  of  the  adult  female,  but  alw,iys  much  more 
tawny,  especially  on  the  fore  neck  and  breast,  which 
are  both  strongly  streaked  with  black  centres  to  the 
feathers,  the  throat  ashy  or  blackish,  the  yellow  eye- 
brow and  streak  behind  the  ear-covert«  and  the  cheek- 
stripe  all  well  pronounced"  (Sharjie).  Hab.,  Ceylon 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  northern  provinces  of  Indi,a 
from  Sind  to  Assam  and  south  to  Tenasserim ;  also 
Java. 

•lerdon  says  of  this  species  ("  Birds  of  India,"  Vol.  II., 
p.  349)  : — "It  chiefly  frequents  long  grass  and  reeds  on 
the  banks  of  rivers  and  ihecls,  and  was  hence  named 
by  Buchanan  Hamilton  Loxia  typliina.  It  invariably 
breeds  among  high  reedis,  and  usually  in  places  liable  to 
be  inundated  ;  and,  as  the  breeding  season  is  during 
the  rains,  the  nest  is  thus  unassailable  except  from  the 
water.  The  nest  is  fixed  to  two  or  three  reeds,  not  far 
from  their  summit,  and  the  upper  leaves  are  occasion- 
all.y  turned  down  and  used  in  the  con-struction  of  the 
nest,  which  is.  in  all  cases  th.at  I  have  .seen,  made  out  of 
grass  only.  The  nest  is  non-pensile — that  is  to  say,  it 
is  fixed  directly  to  the  reeds,  without  the  upper  pensile 
support  that  the  nest  of  (P.  baya)  has;  and,  in  some 
cases,  the  eggs  are  laid  before  any  tubular  entrance  is 
made,  a  hole  .at  the  side  near  the  top  forming  the 
entrance.  This,  however,  is  often,  but  not  always, 
completed  during  the  incubation  of  the  female;  and,  in 
other  cases,  a  short  tubidar  entrance  is  made  at  first, 
in  a  very  few,  prolonged  to  a  foot  or  more.  I  have 
found    the    eggs    in    this    case,    as    in    the    last,    to    be 


TYPICAL  WEAVERS. 


205 


generally  two  in  number,  three  in  a  few ;  and  in  one 
nest  1  found  five." 

Hume  ("Nests  and  Eggs,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  124)  says: 
"  The  eggs  of  this  species  seem  to  average  slightly 
smaller  than  those  ol  i'.  baya,  but  in  every  olhei 
respect  they  are  precisely  similar." 

As  previously  stated,  1  had  two  Manyah  Weavers  for 
some  years  ;  they  were  both  cocks,  and  although  they 
built  many  neste,  they  seemed  quite  unable  to  complete 
them  without  the  assistance  of  a  hen ;  the  cup  was 
never  added,  nor  the  entrance  tube. 

Canary,  millet,  and  oats  are  suitable  seeds  for  this 
and  the  preceding  black  and  yellow  species,  but  they 
will  eat  many  other  seeds,  although  they  do  not  care 
for  rape.  They  are  all  absolutely  hardy  and  long-lived, 
but  a  few  insects  help  in  keeping  them  vigorous. 

Madagascar  Weavkr  (Foudia  madagascariensis). 

In  its  breeding  plumage  the  male  is  brilliant  scarlet, 
the  feathers  of  tlie  back,  of  the  lesser  and  median 
wing-coverts  with  black  centres  ;  flights  and  tail 
feathers  black  with  brown  borders;  a  black  loral 
streak  extending  to  behind  the  eye  ;  beak  black  ;  feet 
flesh-coloured  ;  iris  brown.  The  female  is  dull  brown  ; 
the  feathers  of  the  upper  surface,  excepting  on  the 
rump,  black  centred  ;  those  of  the  head  and  neck  less 
distinctly  than  the  others ;  wing  and  tail  feathers 
blackish  with  pale  olive-brown  margins  ;  a  well-detined 
pale  eye-brow  streak  and  a  dudky  line  along  the  upper 
car-coverts;  under  parts  somewhat  yellowish,  whiter 
behind,  flanks  indistinctly  streaked.  Hab. ,  Madagas 
car.  Reunion,  Mauritius,  and  many  of  the  Seychelles 
islands.  It  has  been  introduced  into  St.  Kelena,  where 
it  has  so  increased  as  to  have  become  troublesome. 

M.  Grandidier  states  that  the  breeding  plumage  is 
assumed  in  October,  when  the  colour  of  the  bill  in  the 
male  changes  from  brown  to  black.  The  species  does 
not  frequent  forests,  but  is  otherwise  distributed  over 
Madagascar,  and  as  soon  as  the  breeding  season  is  over, 
the  birds  assemble  in  large  flocks  to  feed  in  the  rice 
fields.  "  Tliey  do  not  breed  in  colonies,  but  in  separate 
trees,  and  lay  four  or  five  eggs,  which  are  of  a  pale 
bluish  green  and  measure  on  an  average  0.76  by  0.52." 

Pollen  describes  the  nest  ae  "  pear-shaped,  with 
lateral  entrance-hole,  made  of  fine  grasses,  plaited 
between  two  or  four  branches  of  acacia,  mimosa, 
tamarisk,  etc.,  sometimes  also  in  a  reed-thicket. 
Lafresnayes,  on  the  other  hand,  figures  the  nest  of  a 
Inngish  round  shape  and  suspended  between  thin  twigs." 
(Shelley,  "Birds  of  Africa,"  Vol.  IV.    Part  2,  p.  490.) 

Dr.  Russ,  who  first  bred  the  species,  speaks  of  the 
nest  as  retorlshaped,  built  by  the  cock  bird,  but  partly 
lined  bv  the  hen  ;  three  to  eix  (apparently  white)  eggs 
are  laid  and  incubated,  for  fifteen  days.  Since  Dr.  Russ 
took  the  lead  this  beautiful  bird  appears   to  have  been 


freely  bred  in  Germany ;  possibly  the  mistake  made  in 
England  may  eon.sist  in  associating  other  Weavers  with 
it,  which  Dr.  Ruse  distinctly  says  must  not  be  done. 

1  purchased  a  pair  of  this  species  in  1890,  and  had  a 
second  male  and  a  male  of  the  allied  Comoro  Weaver 
given  to  me  about  a  year  later.  At  first  I  believed 
that  my  friend  Mr.  Wiener  had  exaggerated  the  com- 
bative propensity  of  this  species,  and  in  1892  I  said 
as  much  in  one  of  my  articles  in  The  Feathered  World, 
which  ihows  that  one  should  never  hesitate  to  accept 
without  scepticism  the  evidence  of  a  credible  and  expe- 
rienced witness.  I  have,  indeed,  never,  to  my  know- 
ledge, lost  any  birds  through  the  attack's  of  the  Mada- 
gascar Weaver,  but  I  have  seen  not  a  few  of  them 
badly  scared  at  times. 

My  Madagascar  Weavers,  one  of  which  was  killed 
by  my  Comoro  Weaver  in  1897.  never  showed  the 
slightest  inclination  to  build  a  nest. 

Comoro   Weaver    [Foudia   eminentissima) . 

Male  in  breeding  plumage  larger  than  F.  madagascar- 
iensis and  with  a  more  powerful  beak,  and  the  feathers 
of  the  back,  which  are  scarlet  in  the  common  species, 
are  olivaceous  in  this  ;  the  abdomen  and  vent  of  this 
species  are  also  brownish  white,  slightly  tinged  with 
rose  instead  of  being  scarlet.  The  female  is  olive- 
brown,  with  rather  broad  blackish  streaks  on  the  back  ; 
the  median  and  greater  coverts  tipped  with  white. 
Hab.,  Comoro  Islands. 

Mr.  Bewsher  obtained  this  species  in  the  Island 
of  Johanna,  where  it  is  common  ;  it  is  known  to  the 
natives  as  the  "  Paramoran "  ;  he.  however,  tells  us 
nothing  of  the  wild  life  be.yond  the  fact  that  the  eggs 
are  pale  blue,  and  measure  0.84  by  0.6. 

It  is  occasionally  imported  and  sometimes  sold  as  the 
Madagascar  We.aver,  to  which  it  bears  considerable 
resemblance.  Dr.  Russ  only  possessed  one  example  of 
this  species  for  a  short  time,  and  that  was  a  sickly 
specimen,  50  he  could  say  next  to  nothing  about  it. 
My  experience  is  that  in  voice,  manner  of  fighting, 
pugnacity,  and  excitability  it  resembles  the  Madagascar 
bird  in  everv  particular.  After  mv  male  became  a 
murderer,  in  1897,  his  conduct  increased  in  aggressive- 
ness, and  I  had  to  remove  him.  I  found  a  net  of  little 
use,  as  he  evaded  it  every  time  •  so  I  had  to  get  a 
'.yringe  and  soak  him  with  water  before  I  could  secure 
him.  In  a,  flight  cage  he  was  so  frantic  that  after  he 
had  cut  his  face  and  ruined  his  plumage,  I  removed 
him  to  an  aviarv  •  be,  however,  died  about  a  month 
later ;  having  nothing  to  torment,  he  probably  con- 
sidered life  no  longer  worth  having. 

This  concludes  the  birds  of  the  family  Plnreidir.  We 
shall  in  the  next  paj-t  have  to  deal  mth  the  imported 
species  of  the  family  Icleridce. 


Index     to    Scientific    Names, 


^gintha    temporalis 
Aidemosyne  cantans 

malabarica      ...     ... 

motlesta    

Alario  alario     

Amadina   erythrocephala 

fasciata     

Amauresthe.s  fringilloides 
Amblyospiza  albifrons    ... 
Ammudromus  inanimbe 
Anthocha>ra   carunculata 
Anthornis    melanura 
Artamus   fuscus 

personatus 

sordidus    

superciliosus 

Bathilda   ruficauda 
Calaniospiza    bicolor 
Calliste    brasiliensis 

cayana      

cyanoptera 

fastuosa    

f estiva      

dava  

flaviventris 

guttata      

melanonota 

. pretiosa    

tatao  

tricolor      

Cardinalis  cardinalis 

phoeniceus    

Carduelis  cafiiceps  ... 
Carpodacus  erythrinua 

mexicanus 

purpureus 

sipahi        

Cettia  cantans 

Chera    progne    

Chibia  hottentotta  ... 

Chloris    sinica    

Chlorophanes  spiza 
Chloi-ophonia  viridis 
Chloropsis   aurifrona 

hardwickii 

malabarica 

Chondestes   grammiba 
Chrysomitris   atrata 

barbata     

. colornbiana 

cucullata 

icterica      

pinus         

paaltria    

spinoidea  

totta  

tristis        

uropygialis 

xanthogastra  ... 

yarrelli     

Cinnamopteryx  castaneofusca 
Ciasopis   leveriana   ... 
Cittocincla   maorura 

suavia        

Coccopygia  dufresnii 
Coereba  coerulea 

cyanea   


PAGE 

155 

174 

173 

,  173 

108 

175 

174 

184 

,  198 

127 

.  69 

70 

56 

,  55 

.  55 

,  54 

168 

121 

83 

83 

85 

.  80 

82 

82 

83 

82 

83 

83 

80 

81 

136 

,  137 

92 

109 

110 

110 

110 

26 

189 

53 

137 

73 

.  •  74 

41 

43 

43 

120 

95 

95 

.  94 

96 

96 

97 

94 

93 

97 

92 

95 

.  94 

93 

.  199 

90 

.  22 

22 

151 

73 

72 


Copsychus  saularis 

sechellarum 

Coryphospingus  cristatua 

pileatus  

Cyanoapiza  ameena  ... 

— —  ciris 

cyanea       

veraicolor 

Uacnis  cayana 

Dissemurus  paradiseus 

Diuca  diuca       

Diucopis  fasciata     ... 
Dryonastes  chinenais 

perspicillatus 

Emberiza   aureola    ... 

ciopsis       

elegans      

flaviventris 

fucata        

leucocephala   ... 

luteola       

person  ata 

rutila         

Emblema    picta 
Entomyza  cyanotis  ... 
Eophona  melanura  ... 

personata 

Euphonia  cayana     ... 

chlorotica 

elegantissima 

flavifrona 

laniirostris 

ininuta      

muaica      

nigricollis 

pectoralis 

— —  violacea    

Erythrospiza   githaginea 
Erythrura  prasina  ... 

psittacea 

trichroa 

Estrilda  astrilda 

cinerea      

rhodopyga       ... 

Foudia  eminentissima 

madagascariensis 

Fringilla   canariensis 

maderensis 

spodiogenes     ... 

teydea       ...     ... 

Fringillaria  capensis 

saharfp       

striolata    

tahapiai     

Galeoscoptes  carolinensis 
Garrulax    albogularis    . 

leucolophua     ...     . 

pectoralis         ...     . 

picticollia         ...     . 

Geocichla  citrina     ...     . 

cyanonotus      ...     . 

Grallina    australis    ...     . 
Gramniatoptila  striata  . 
Gubernatrix  cristata 
Guiraca  coerulea      ...     . 

cyanea      

parellina 


PAOI 

21 

22 

133 

132 

124 

123 

123 

124 

73 

.  ..-.  ...  53 

132 

88 

44 

45 

114 

116 

113 

113 

112 

116 

114 

115 

115 

168 

70 

138 

139 

78 

76 

76 

76 

78 

78 

76 

76 

78 

78 

97 

162 

161 

161 

156 

156 

156 

205 

205 

92 

91 

92 

91 

119 

118 

118 

117 

27 

47 

46 

47 

45 

16 

17 

34 

48 

133 

141 

142 

142 

Harporhynchus    rufua    

Hedymeles   ludovicianus 

melanocephalua     

Hemixus    flavala      

Hyphantornis  cucutlatus 

melanocephalus     

superciliosus 

velatus       

vitelhnus         

Hyphanturgus    brachypterus 
Hypochera  amauropteryx     ... 

chalybeata       

ultramarina    

Hypocolius  ampelinu°  

Hypopha?a   chalybea      

lole    maclellandi      

Junco    hiemalis 

oregonus  

Lagonosticta  brunneiceps    ... 

coerulescens     

larvata      

perreini    

rufopicta         

senegala    

vinacea     

Laniarius  quadricolor   

Lanius  lahtora 

vittatus     

Liothrix  luteus 

Malacias    capistrata      

Malurus  cyaneus      

Meliphaga  phrygia 

Melithreptus    lunulatus 

validirostris    

Melophua    nielanicterus 

Melopyrrha  nigra   

Melospiza  fasciata 

Merula   boulboul      

cardis        

castanea    

mandarina      

Mesia  argentauris 

Mimus  polyglottus 

saturninus       >    ... 

Moriticola    cyanus    

saxatilis    

Munia   atricapilla    

castaneithorax       

ferruginea       

flaviprymna    

maja 

malacca    

nisoria      

oryzivora         

pectoralis         

punctulata       

subundulata    

topela        ...     

Mycerobas  melanoxanthus  ... 

Myiophoneus    horafieldi 

Myzantha  garrula 

Neochniia  phaeton 

Niltava  sundava      

Oriolus   indicus         

kundoo      

Ortygoapiza  poly  zona     


PAQB 

...  27 

...  140 

...  141 

...  40 

...  201 

...  201 

...  203 

...  202 

...  202 

...  199 

...  186 

...  186 

...  186 

...  51 

...  79 

...  40 

...  125 

...  125 

...  153 

...  152 

...  151 

...  152 

...  162 

...  153 

...  151 

...  58 

...  57 

...  58 

...  28 

...  49 

...  59 

...  66 

...  65 

...  65 

...  119 

...  148 

...  128 

...  14 

...  15 

...  16 

...  15 

...  30 
..."  26 

...  27 

...  19 

...  18 

...  182 

...  179 

...  180 

...  180 

,.  180 

...  182 

...  178 

...  183 

...  178 

...  178 

...  178 

...  178 

...  139 

...  20 

...  69 

...  161 

...  60 

...  52 

...  52 

...  176 


INDEX    TO    SCIENTIFIC  NAMES. 


Oryzoborus  crassirostris       

143 

Pyctorhis  sinensis   

torridus    

.  142 

Pyranga  u'stiva 

Otocompsa    jocosa 

.    39 

erytliromelas 

leucogenys       

.    39 

• ludoviciana     

Pardalotus    [lunctaius    

.    64 

rubra         

Paroaria  capitata 

.  134 

saira  

cucullata 

.  136 

Pyronielana   afra     

larvata      

.  134. 

aurea         

Parus  cyuneus 

.    33 

capensis    

variu9        

.    33 

flammiceps      

Passer  arcuatus 

.  100 

franciscana      

diffusus     

.  101 

nigriventris     

euchlorus        

.  102 

orix     

luteus        

.  102 

Pyrrhula  priseiventris  ... 

simplex     

.  101 

Pyrrhuloxia  sinuata 

— —  swainsoni 

.  101 

Pyrrhuphonia  Jamaica  ... 

Passorculus  9andwichensis 

.  127 

Pytelia    afra      

Passerella    itiaca 

.  129 

citerior      

Penthetria   albonotata 

.  190 

melba         

aniens       

.  189 

phoenicoptera 

Penthotriopsis  macrura 

.  190 

Quelea   erythrops     

Petronia  albigularis       

.     99 

quelea        

-— —  dentata      

.     99 

Rhamphocoelus    brasilius 

-—  flavicollis        

.     98 

jacapa      

petronella        

.  100 

Saltator    aurantiirostris 

petronia    ...     ...     

.     98 

rnagnus     

Pheucticus  aureiventris 

.  140 

similis        ...     

Phonipara  bicolor 

.  150 

Serinus    albigularis 

canora       

.  148- 

angolensis        

lepida       

.  150 

canicollis 

puailla 

.  150 

flaviventris      

Phrygilus  ulaudinus       

.  132 

icterus       

fruticeti    

.  131 

leucopygius     

gayi    

.  131 

pusillus     

Pinicola  enucleator 

.  Ill 

sulphuratus     

Pipilo  erythrophthalmus 

.  129 

Sialia  .sialis        

maculatus         

.  130 

Sitagra    capensis      

Pipridea  melanonota     

.     80 

luteola      ■    ... 

Pitylus  fuliginosus 

.     90 

monacha 

Ploceus  atrigula       

.  204 

Siva    cyanuroptera 

baya  

.  203 

Spermestes  bicolor 

- — —  bengalensis      

.  204 

cucullata 

manyah     

.  204 

nana  

megarhynchus        

.  204 

uigriceps 

Poephila  acuticauda       

.  166 

Sperinophila    albigularis 

cincta        

.  166 

coerulescens     

leucotis     

.  165 

castaneiventris 

— —  mirabilis 

.  164 

cucullata 

personata         

.  165 

grisca        

Pooecetes  gramineus       

.  127 

gutturalis        

Prosthemadera  novae-zealandise. 

.     64 

hypoleuca        

Psaroglossa  spiloptera 

.     40 

lineata      

Pseudochloris  citrina     

.  130 

lineola      

Ptilotis    auricomis 

.    67 

minuta      

flava 

.    67 

nigro-aurantia 

fusca 

.     69 

ocellata     

— —  leucotis     

.    66 

ophthalmica    

lewini        ... 

.    68 

plumbea    

Pycnonotus   atricapillus 

.    36 

superciliaris    

aurigastcr        

.     37 

torqueola        

barbatu«   

.     38 

Spermospiza   guttata      ... 

htemorrhouS    

.    35 

h?pmatina         

leucotis     

.    36 

Spindalis  zena 

pygaeus     

..     34 

Spiza    americana      

sinensis     

..     38 

Spizella   socialis       

xanthopygus  

..    36 

SporiEginthus   amandava 

AOK 

50 

Sporseginthus    melpodus       

86 

subflavus  7f 

87 

Sporopipos    frontalis      

87 

squamifrons    

86 

Staganoplcura  guttata 

87 

Stcganura   paradisea      

193 

Stephanophorus  leucocephalus  .. 

193 

Stictoptera  annulosa      

193 

bichenovii        

194 

Stictospiza  formosa 

195 

Struthidia  cinerea 

195 

Sycalis    arvensis       

195 

flaveola     

111 

pelzelni     

137 

Tachyphonus   coronatus       

79 

cristatus    

157 

luctuosus  

158 

melaleucus .. 

157 

T<Bniopygia  castanotis 

157 

Tanagra  bonariensis       

196 

cana   

196 

cyanoptera      

85 

ornata       ...     

86 

palmanim        

89 

sayaca       

89 

Tanagrella  cya.^omel.'Kna      

89 

velia 

107 

Tetra?nura  regia       

107 

Textor    albirostris    

104 

Trachycomus   ochrocephalus 

105 

Trochalopteron   canorum      

106 

erythrocephaluni 

107 

Turdus  albiventris 

108 

falklandicus    

105 

fuscescens        

24 

grayi          

200 

leucomelas       

200 

migratorius    

200 

mustelinus      

32 

nanus        

184 

ruRventris       

185 

swainsoni         

185 

tristis        

184 

Urseginthus  angolensis 

144 

granatinus      

147 

phoenicotis      

145 

Uragus  lepidus 

146 

Urobrachya   axillaris     

144 

bocajii      

147 

Uroloncha   acuticauda 

144 

domestica        

146 

— —  striata       

148 

Vidua   hypocherina         

145 

principalis       

146 

Volatinia  jacarini 

147 

Zonaeginthus    bellus        

146 

Zonotrichia  albicollis     

144 

canicapilla       

leucophrys       

145 

146 

pileata      

198 

Zosterops  coerulescens 

198 

capensis    

88 

flava  

130 

japonica 

126 

simplex     

153 

palpebrosus     

Printed  in  Great  Britain  by  Phototype  Limited,  Bamet,  Herts. 


CD  (-' 
.  CD 
C3  '-i 


t^  tC   to- 


co (is 


d- 

a 


AMNH    [IBRARY 


00113410