A!^ rights reserved. February, 1913. 



BIRD NOTES: 



THE 



JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB 



Some Interesting Birds. 



By ^V. T. Pack. Ili.ustrated From Life by H. \YiLTiFORi). 

 {Cont'nucd from page 13). 



Bla( K-HEADED SiBiA {MaJacias capisfrafa) : This is 

 a liaiulsome and striking species, whether confined in a cage or 

 enjoying senii-libejty in an aviary, but it is under the latter 

 conditions that it exhibits its full beauty, graceful contour, 

 and interesting deportment: one never wearies of watching 

 it disporting amid the living green oi a roomy natural aviary. 

 Before proceedhig further, a desc.ipt:on oi' the plumage must 

 be given. 



Adult Male: General body colour deep chestnut -red 

 (perhaps soft prune would better describe it), paler on the 

 napt^ and under surface; middle of back greyish- brown; 

 larger wing-leathers slaty -grey; head glisten:ng black, the 

 long feathers of the fore -crown To rming a handsome crest, when 

 raised during periods of excitement; base of wing coverts white 

 forming a conspicuous white bar; tail ruddy -blackish, with 

 tlie basal half black, fdiniiiiK a broad l)lack b;ii)d across the 

 tail about one inch from the tip, which is grey; bill black; 

 legs and feet pale ruddy-brown. Total length dh inches, tail 5. 



Adult female: Similar, but said to be a wee -bit smaller 

 (I could not detect any difference in the size of my pair) the 

 black on her head is slightly tinged with brown and her 

 head plumes not so full as those of the male; her bill is less 

 pointed and less hooked at the tip than that of the male. 



Ilabilai and Habiis: According to Jerdon, ranges 

 over the whole Himalayas, from Simla to Bootan, and is one 

 of the most abundant birds about Darjeeling. It frequents 

 the highest trees, climbing on the larger branches, and cling- 

 ing round and below the smaller branches almost like a. 



