16 



name of ' The White-breasted Indian Sparrow.' In 1766 Linnseus united 

 the two above birds under Loxia malacca, and from his description omitted 

 the white chest, sides, and flanks, but he appends a note, " Dorsum, alee, 

 Cauda, ferrugineo-rufa. Pectus et hypochondria alba ; reliqua nigral It 

 may be presumed that Liunaeus's accidental omission of the words "Pectus 

 et hypochondria alba " was the reason for adding the above note, after he 

 had attached the habitat Malacca, that locality not having been used by 

 earlier writers, who stated that it came from Java and China. 



This species is one of the most beautiful of the Black-headed group, 

 the colours in the adult are exceedingl}^ pure and most strikingly defined, 

 and although without a song its beauty will always make it a cage-pet 

 amongst the lovers of live birds ; it is extremely active, and, according to 

 the observations of Dr. Max Schmidt, it will live from one to ten years in 

 confinement. It is easily kept, and feeds on various small seeds similar to 

 the Java Sparrow. 



I propose to distinguish this bird by a more definite appellation, ' The 

 Wliite-chested Munia,' which separates it from all the other Black-headed 

 Munias. 



Mr. E. Blyth (J. A. S. B. vol. xv.) tells us : — " The Ainadina malacca, 

 or ' White-breasted Indian Sparrow ' of Edwards, is common in Southern 

 India, occurs rarely in Bengal, mingled in flocks of A. sinensis, or the 

 ' Chinese Sparrow ' of Edwards, from which, indeed, it only differs in 

 having the lower parts pure white, with the same abdominal black patch ; 

 and it is curious that a third race inhabits the Malayan j^eninsula, similar 

 to A. sinensis excepting in having no black patch on the abdomen : whence 

 the malacca is ill-applied to the white-bellied bird of Peninsular India." 



Mr. Jerdon, who was one of our best authorities on Indian birds, 

 contributes, in his ' Birds of India,' vol. ii., the following particulars 

 respecting this species : — " The Black-headed Munia is chiefly found in 

 Southern India and Ceylon, a few stragglers occurring in Central India, 

 and even in Bengal occasionally. It is very abundant in parts of Southern 

 India, especially on the Malabar coast, frequenting long grass by the sides 

 of rivers and tanks, occasionally dry grain fields, and very commonly 

 sugar-cane fields. It often associates m very large flocks. 



" The nest is usually placed among reeds, in tanks, or in the beds of 

 rivers ; occasionally in long grass in the bunds of paddy-fields. It is 



