Ki HARDEN AND AVTARY BIRDS. 



Ill confinement it is very easy to tnnie, will eat table 

 ^;craps readily, and is anmsino- for ;i time ; but nobody 

 wouM want to keo]) sucli a fiowsv nnmusical creature for 

 lon'i. interestinu' as its liabits undoubtedly are. Birds 

 whicii I turned out ixitov studvinu' them for some time 

 lejuainod so tame that they would still take food from 

 tho hand ; and I imauino that a hand-ieai'cd one would 

 make a verv nice pet. The lU'st is an open cu])-shaped 

 ono. jilaced low down, aiul the e,u,us aie of a most lovely 

 hliu'. In Ben«ial this bird is called Chafaria. 



The Rat-biri) {Arrji/d caiidafa) is a less connnon and 

 smaller species with a lomj; Magpie-like tail, and coloured 

 like a hen-Sparrow. It uets its popular name from the 

 rat-like appearance uiven by the said tail as it skulks 

 .doULi the Lii'ound from hush to l)ush. This is also a bird 

 of tlu' plains, but uot nearly so bold oi' so common as the 

 S(if-bh(ii. Its nest and e,u_iis ai'e of the same type. 



The Streaked LAurnnxfi-THRrsH {Trochahpterinti 

 hncafntii) is very commrm in the Himalavas up to 9.000 

 f<'ot. and is commo.i about houses at Mu.ssoorie. 



In shape it resend)les the connnon Babbler of the plains, 

 but is ratluM' smaller. Its j)hmiau(' is darker, bein<!; a 

 .streaky nii.xture of urey and clicstnut : the eyes, bill 

 and feet are dark, and the tail has distinct li,uht-<irey 

 tips. It is a tame but most uninterestimi bird, and has 

 a feeble note. The eiiiis are bhu'. as usual in this i;ioup, 

 and the nest low down. 



The hills form the home of st'veral larue and showy 

 species of this uroup, often called .lay-Thrushes, a name 

 which well expresses their attiibutes. The most striking is 



