JO GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



set off by a black liead ami a wliitc l)and on the wings 

 and a white tip to the tail, looks very neat and his yellow 

 face, bill, and feet, relieve the whole from dinoiness. The 

 name ' Triads ' or " dull," was <^iven to him by Linnsous, 

 \n1i() tliou.uht he was a shabby kind of P>ird-of-paradise. 

 Young birds may be distinguished by having the head 

 very dull-black instead of glossy-jet, ai\d the bare skin of 

 the face d\dl-white instead of bright-yellow. This is a large 

 bird for a Mynah, being about ten inches long with stout 

 legs and large feet, but a decidedly short bill. It has 

 luuch courage and will attack and rout a Crow fearlessly. 

 The cocks also fight fiercely in the nesting-season, rolling 

 about on tlie i^rouiid locked in each other's claws, while 

 the hens look on as seconds. The ^lynah, like all Star- 

 lings, is very ludicrous in his behaviour when singing, 

 erecting his head plumage and bowing at intervals in a 

 clownish wav, which strongly contrasts with liis very self- 

 possessed manner on ordinary occasions. 



His natural notes are rather a mixture of music and 

 mere noi.se, but in captivity a nest-reared bird often 

 becomes a really good talker. My friend. Mi'. F. Groser, 

 of Alipore, has one now, which speaks l)ettei' than most 

 parrots, and far more readily. 



A hand-reared Mynah may be safely allowed full liberty 

 so that if a talker be wanted it is as well to get several 

 young birds, and cage them .separately, when the best can 

 be selected, and the others let out or Liived away, if they 

 .show no signs of a budding talent for accjuiring language. 



Albinism is not very uncommon in this Mynah; I have 

 seen two white ones with pink i^vcs, and two others with 



