MISCELLANEOUS MOTES. 313 



6.— A WHISTLING BULBUL. 



In my last communication I introduced the Madras Bulbul (Pycnonotus 

 hamorrhous) as a talking bird, and have now to record him as a whistler, for ho 

 seems to be as apt at whistling as at talking. A lady who in Iter quiet way 

 takes notice of everything around her, tells me that she had one of these birds 

 that could whistle the "Quaker's Wife" to perfection, and often from the rails 

 in her garden it would pour forth its strains so perfectly distinct and natural 

 that she frequently believed that it was some one outside " whistling for nant 

 of thought," and not till she actually saw the bird so engaged was she convinced 

 that it was capable of the feat. After exhibition of such capacity, the bird 

 should be welcome wherever pet and pupil are appreciated. 



A. W. MORRIS. 



Yercaud, November 1889. 



/•—THE DAYAL BIRD AS IMITATOR. 



Copsychus saularis is another bird that is as pugnacious as a gamecock, and 

 I remember having read somewhere that it is trained for fighting purposes by 

 some of the native of this country, but it has a sweet voice into the bargain, and 

 is held in some esteem as a cage bird in this land, where songsters are so few. 

 I was not aware, however, that it had an imitative faculty, and am indebted to 

 the same ladv who informed me about the Whistling Bulbul for the knowledge. 

 One of these birds that seemed to have taken more than a passing notice of a 

 eanary's song learned to imitate it so perfectly that the lady in question was 

 often puzzled to know whose canary it was singing outside, till one day she found 

 out that it was a Dayal Bird that had taken the notes of her pet unto himself. 

 Perched on a tree outside it would imitate a canary so perfectly that it was hard 

 to tell it was not this bird singing. 



A. W. MORRIS. 



8.— A PET DRONGO. 

 I have reared many a feathered pet, but in no instance did the loss of any 

 of them occasion me such keen regret as the death of a pet Drongo (Buchanga 

 cferulescens), which fell a victim to its overtrust and confidence in its human 

 master. 1 had reared it from a little thing, and when fully fledged and able to 

 take care of itself, often, at my call — a whistle imitating its note — it would come 

 and perch on my band or shoulder though it would not allow itself to be caressed, 

 a proceeding which all birds seem to object to. That the bird somehow knew mo 

 and the members of my family was apparent, for often when out either riding 

 or walking, I would suddenly iind it alighting on me, no matter how far from 

 home, a thing it would never do to an outsider. Did any stranger come in the 

 bird was immediately on the defensive and permitted no familiarity. A curious 

 instance of its antipathy to strangers and its loyal attachment to its protector 



was exhibited one day. A member of the family going into Capt. P. -'a 



found the bird alighting on him just as he entered the bungalow, and was deliberat- 

 ing whether he should put the intruder outside, when he heard the Captain's voice 

 calling to him to come in. At the same time he advanced with hand outstretched 

 to greet his visitor, when the bird, evidently thinking that an assault was meant, 



