IOI 



Diet : Gould makes no mention of pollen or nectar as a 

 portion of its dietary, but there can be little doubt that it par- 

 takes of both, its long narrow tongue with the brush-like tip 

 sufficiently indicates this. In my aviary it eats heartily of milk 

 sop, less so of soft food and ripe fruit, but it will take as many 

 live insects (principally mealworms with me) as you choose to 

 give it ; bathes freely but drinks very little water. On the above 

 diet it has improved immensely since coming into my possession. 



This specimen is a most interesting bird, with much 

 character, but anything further than the foregoing general 

 remarks I must leave for later notice, when I have had a more 

 lengthy acquaintance with it. 



# * $ 



The Green-backed Tit (Parus inonticolus). A most en- 

 trancing little fellow which has made but a short stay with me, 

 "shuffling off" I fear, owing to an insufficiency of live food. In 

 a roomy cage I do not anticipate there would have been any diffi- 

 culty in keeping him for some time, but among the many insecti- 

 vorous species my aviary contains he stood no chance, not that 

 he lacked boldness or courage ; while they lasted he secured one 

 readily enough, but once secured did not kill and swallow it as 

 most of his fellow captives did, but got it in his claw and com- 

 mencing at one end, took a small piece at a time till the whole 

 was eaten, so that he rarely secured more than two. He was a 

 merry little fellow flying about you and perching on head, 

 shoulders or arm, whenever you entered the aviary ; his every 

 attitude and characteristic was tit-like and full of interest. He 

 differed from his English cousins in one point, that is so far as I 

 can judge from so limited an acquaintance, in being amiably 

 disposed to other birds he came in contact with, and Captain 

 Perreau's experience is similar to my own in this respect. For- 

 tunately I secured several photos before his untimely decease, 

 one of which is reproduced here — this makes a lengthy descrip- 

 tion unnecessary. It will be seen that it resembles our English 

 Great Tit. in marking and the same is true as to its colouration, 

 the main points of difference being the white patch on the nape, 

 green back and more shapely denned wing markings. I have 

 regretted since that I did not send this bird to the Zoo till I had 



