i6 



Zbc :Blue-bcai&eJ) Jav^* 



{Cyanocorax cyanopogon). 

 By Wii,i,iAM Bamford. 



Some eight or nine years ago, as one day I was 

 visiting the bird shops of Manchester, looking for 

 anything new in the birdy line, I came across a cage 

 with three strange birds in it. Their general appear- 

 ance as to colour and shape was like our Knglish 

 Magpie, though they were considerably smaller in 

 size. Their bright and alert ways made me quite lose 

 my heart to them, but as it was time to catch my train 

 I reluctantly had to leave them. For two days I broke 

 the tenth commandment, but being again in Man- 

 chester on the third day, I could not resist going to 

 see if the birds were still unsold, and on finding them 

 still there I became the possessor of one of them with- 

 out a moment's delay. The price I paid was ten or 

 twelve shillings. On getting my treasure home I at 

 once turned him out into a large cage, and took stock 

 of him with that feeling of pride and pleasure, which 

 all aviculturists feel when they turn out a fresh bird, 

 especially if it is one they have never kept before, into 

 its new cage. The bird was very tame, and seemed 

 quite at home. 



His plumage was as follows : head and chest 

 black ; back, fawn brown, nearly deepening into black 

 on the flight and tail feathers ; underparts, nape and 

 tips of tail feathers white. A bright blue spot over 

 the yellow eye and a dark blue streak from the gape of 

 the mouth gave the bird quite a gay appearance. The 

 beak and legs were black. 



What however was to me the most striking point 



