276 APPENDIX I 



I could not resist one more chance of keeping this most amusmg 

 species, although I have lost many after a few months of captivity. 

 The imitative vocal power of the hill mynah surpasses those of any 

 other of the many talking birds with which I have any acquaintance. 

 One of these two imitates the sound of a railway engine. They are 

 both in e.xceptionally good plumage and apparent health. 



Blue bird {Sia//a sialis), of North America. Pair received from 



Mrs. E. H. P . This is a species that I have been without for 



many years. I have never had much luck in keeping them alive, but 

 they often do well, and have bred in Englg.nd. 



February lofh. Alpine accentors {Accentor collaris). Thirteen 

 received from Jamrach. I have received a good many of this species 

 from London dealers during the last few years, all said to have come 

 from Switzerland. They do fairly well in cages, not so well in 

 aviaries, and sing very sweetly, but are rather quarrelsome inter se. 



February nth. Cereopsis geese {cf. antek) are making a second 

 nest. 



February 14/.5. Barbary falcon (Fako barbarus) brought in deadi 

 of frounce. This bird, a most beautiful adult, was bought last 

 autumn and came from Mogador. I have been most unfortunate 

 with many of this species. 



February i^t't. Alpine accentors {cf. antei), two sent as present 

 to Rev. Murray A. Mathew. 



February 20th. Bewick swan J" {Cygnus bewicki) died after wasting 

 for some time. This bird was bought of Castang, desperately wounded 

 by a shot from punt gun on the Essex coast in 1879, and recovered 

 marvellously here ; though on the water it swam in a helpless and 

 lop-sided fashion, on land it was very active, and of late years had 

 become occasionally very aggressive towards human visitors. 



One of two whoopers {Cygnus ferus) which I put on the river, 

 pinioned, this last summer (having lost its companion by brutal spite 

 of a ruffian at Aldwinkle in the autumn) took up its headquarters 

 above our bridge island, but for several months past has waddled up 

 every morning and spent the whole or greater part of each day just 

 outside the wires of the enclosure, in which the Bewick swan just 



