So»/e Intcrcsiiufi Birds. 110 



of interest when watching their deportment in Mr. Willford's 

 aviaries, and muucious as the species are which i)e keeps, 

 none were inoie attractive or of greater interest than the 

 subject of these notes, viz., tlie Common Redstart. I have 

 kept tlie Plumbeous Redstart, a native of the Himalayas, and 

 during the period (several years) this species was an occu- 

 pant of my aviaries, all visitois were attracted to it at once, 

 its deportment is exactly similar to that of the Common Red- 

 start, and he tlnove ou insectile mixture, the insects he cap- 

 tured in a roomy aviary, supplemented with mealworms, 

 spiders, etc.; he also was fond of a little fruit; ho also regu- 

 larly visited the milk-sop piovided lor Tanagers, etc., con- 

 fined in the same aviary. They are well called "•' flick - 

 tails," for their caudal appendages are a fair example of per- 

 petual motion, with their up and down, and criss-cross move- 

 ments; never still save for some -brief moment to snap up 

 some passing lly or other insect — They have many of the 

 characteristics which makes the Robin so dear to English 

 hearts, the luminous eye, fearless demeanour, etc.; short of 

 allowing one to pick them up, the individuals I have made 

 the acquaintance of, were perfectly fearless, and confiding, 

 taking an insect from the fingers, or hopping about one's feet, 

 looking askance at the live bait tin — thus one could ramble 

 on, but space forbids, and now one species has been bred, 

 why not others? Thus the group of birds called Redstarts 

 present a wide field for aspiring aviculturists. 



{To he. continued). 



—. ■■ — 



Editorial. 



Nksting Notes: From many sources come records of 

 young birds out of the nest of such species as: Zebra Finches; 

 Long-tailed Grassfinches; Cuba Finches; Diamond Finches; 

 Cutthroats; Bicheno Finches; Budgerigars; Black-cheeked and 

 Madagascar Lovebirds; and Alexandrine Parrakeets; Grey 

 Cardinals; Rusty-cheeked Babblers; and others are busy build- 

 ing Of incubating, and there are many signs that the season 

 will be an early, and we also hope a successful one. 



Zoo Notes: Among the more recent additions to the 

 Loudon Zoological Gardens, are many interesting birds, of 



