263 



sienna colonr; bill, yellow, merging into horn colour 

 at the tip. 



It will be noted that the above description differs 

 somewhat from that of Oates and Jerdon. At the same 

 time it must be understood that the description is from 

 one specimen only, compared with another at the Zoo ; 

 and I should say here that the description of the 

 female is from notes carefnll}'^ made from a specimen 

 (now deceased), in the Western Aviary at the Zoo. 

 Take the bill of the male which the above writers 

 describe as coral-red ; there is not any suspicion of this 

 colour about it, neither is there any black on the tip, 

 i.e. during the breeding season ; in the winter, or 

 rather after the Autumn moult, the bill is paler yellow 

 and the tip is horn black ; but on the approach of the 

 breeding season, or in my aviary in the early spring, 

 the bill becomes rich orange-yellow, and the black 

 disappears front the tip ; the edges of the eyelids at the 

 same time become a darker and richer yellow, and the 

 whole of the upper plumage assumes an intensity 

 which is entirely lacking during the off season. I 

 should here say that the specimen above described has 

 just come through its third moult, and was presented 

 to me by my esteemed friend and fellow aviculturist, 

 Mr. E. W. Harper. If I remember rightly it was one of 

 a brood of four, which he hand-reared while in India ; 

 these four constituting, I believe, the only living 

 specimens at the present time in this country. 



The bird is appreciated chiefly for its tameness, 

 confiding demeanour, and also undoubtedly fine 

 appearance, though it is not clad in gorgeous colours. 

 Though he is in an enclosure having a floor area of 230 

 sq. ft., which is a perfect jungle of growing plants, 

 bushes, weeds, etc., he will come and take food from 

 my hand when I am inside, or come to the wire netting 

 and remain there till I give him some tit-bit when I 

 do not enter. He is fed on soft food mixture of 



