68 The Loo-choo Robin. 



and lovely birds, and succeed in breeding the species .in 

 captivity. If only pigs could fly! ! 



Since writing the above I have had nearly three months 

 longer experience of my charming pet. He sings most heaxti- 

 fully in the early morning-, just at dawn. 



His song is loud and ringing in quality, composed of 

 separate stanzas, of which there seem a great variety, divided 

 by regular pauses of four or five seconds between each. 



It is only when he sings sotto voce that the tones are 

 at all metallic — the notes are even more varied than our 

 British Robin's, and more rapidly uttered — there is more energy 

 in them. 



For the size of the bird the song is very loud, and I 

 have never heard a more charming songster, for his notes are 

 so wild and buoyant. 



He sits on the front of my bed, or on a chair, and sings 

 splendidly. 



Notes on the Pintail Nonpareil. 



(Erythtura prasina). 

 By H. V. Johnson. 

 In the aviary this beautiful bird has always been <a 

 great favourite of mine, and as there appears to be very few 

 notes about them. I hope these may be helpful to some of 

 our members. Our Editor asks for some notes on the com- 

 moner birds for the benefit of new members. I am not quite 

 sure if you could call the Pintail a common bird, but at all 

 events it is a cheap bird, so I conclude it is also common, 

 also it is remarkably beautiful, as the following description 

 will show. Last summer there were a lot of these birds on 

 the market, at a very low figure. I obtained five examples. 

 Other members must have obtained some— I wish they Avould 

 give their experiences for the benefit of others. A beginner 

 in aviculture passing a dealer's shop and seeing these birds for 

 the first time, would probably be charmed with their appear- 

 ance. The birds appear lively, closely feathered, and their price 

 being so reasonable, the novice would probably obtain a pair 

 or two for his or her own collection, and more than probably 



