THE OSPREY. 



151 



its unhappy fellows in England. Coracopsis 

 7'asa may also sometimes be procured. 



American Parrots, as might be expected, are 

 not often to be seen, but the common Blue- 

 fronted Amazon (Chrysotis amazonica) is not 

 very rare, and a few Macaws (Ara macao, A. 

 chloroptera, and A. ararauna) are on sale from 

 time to time, being highly valued by the natives. 

 Mr. Rutledge knew of an individual of the red- 

 and-blue species being kept for no less than 

 three generations in a native family. I once 

 saw two most beautiful dark- blue, red-vented 

 Parrots, somewhat similar in size and style to 

 the common African Grey Parrot, which I took 

 to be examples of Planus chalcopterus, a species 

 I never remember to have seen elsewhere. 



COLUMB^E. 



Almost the only other cage-birds remaining 

 to be dealt with are the various Doves and 

 Pigeons, some of which are, however, more 

 properly aviary or menagerie birds. Such is 

 Goura corona/a, which is imported quite nume- 

 rously at times, and has been bred by a native 

 amateur, according to information given me by 

 Mr. Rutledge. 



The only species of this group really common 

 and popular as a cage-pet is the well-known 

 domestic Turtle-Dove, which is found both in 

 the ordinary cream-coloured form with black 

 half-collar, and in more or less completely albino 

 varieties. It is not identical with the wild Tur- 

 tur risorias, so far as the note goes, this being 

 a very marked point of specific difference in all 

 the ring-necked species of Turtur I have seen 

 alive. 



The common wild Turtle-Doves are frequently 

 to be seen for sale — Turtur suratensis T. cam- 

 bayensis, T. risorius, T. orientates, and T. tran- 

 quebaricus. Mr. Rutledge once gave me a very 

 peculiar albinoid cream-coloured male of the 

 last species. Chalcophaps indica and Geopelia 

 striata are also often to be had, and Caloenas 

 nicobarica is pretty commonly imported. 



Of the Fruit-Pigeons, the "Hurrial" I Crocopus 

 phoenicopterus) is generally for sale in the 

 Bazaar, and, more rarely, one may meet with 

 the "Kokla" (Sphenocercus sphenurus), which, 

 although much esteemed in some parts, is ap- 

 parently not often kept in Calcutta. Osmotre- 

 ron bicincta is commoner. Carpophaga cenea 

 and Myristicivora luctuosa are sometimes im- 

 ported in considerable numbers, but cannot be 

 called abundant. On a few occasions recently 

 Mr. Rutledge has procured the lovely Ptilopus 

 jumbu, and I once saw a splendid Butreron 

 capellii in his possession. Fruit-Pigeons are 

 quite easy to keep, as they live well on any soft 

 vegetable food, such as saloo-pRste or boiled 

 rice, and I wonder that the home dealers do not 

 take more trouble to introduce these most ex- 

 quisitely coloured birds. 



On foreign Pigeons, the most frequently im- 

 ported are Ocyphaps lophotes and Phtogcenas 

 luzonica, not to mention the great Ground- 



Pigeon alluded to above. Other species occa- 

 sionally occur, such as Leucosarcia picata, P/iaps 

 chalcoptera, and Geopelia cuneata, while a short 

 time ago a good many Turtur chinensis and T. 

 bitorquatus are imported, especially the latter, 

 which proved quite a drug in the market. 

 Before leaving' the Pigeons, I ought to record 

 the curious fact that the Alpine Columba Icuco- 

 nota, which Mr. Rutledge sometimes obtains, 

 bears the heat perfectly well, and even shows a 

 desire to breed. As its note has apparently not 

 been recorded, I may mention that it is not a 

 coo, but a repeated croak, not unlike a hiccough, 

 and, much as the bird resembles the domestic 

 Pigeon, I have never seen it sweep the ground 

 with its tail when courting, but rather raise it. 



GALLING. 



The Phasianidce are usually regarded in the 

 light of aviary birds, but as one of them is 

 among the commonest species kept in confine- 

 ment here, the family demands some notice. 



FAMILY PHASIANIIMC. 



The Grey Partridge (Francolinus pondiceria- 

 nus) is very widely kept for fighting, and in 

 consequence is one of the birds most commonly 

 seen in cages. Those used are small, with the 

 interstices of the pyramidal top filled in many 

 cases with string netting, to avoid injury to the 

 bird's head. These Partridges, however, become 

 so tame that they can be let out for a run, and I 

 have seen one following its owner over the grass 

 like a little dog. 



The common Rain-Quails | Coturnix communis 

 and C. coromandelica) are also occasionally kept 

 in cages. The Pheasants, which are brought 

 down from the hills for exportation, hardly 

 come within the scope of the present paper, 

 but it may perhaps be allowable to mention 

 a few birds of this family which have long been 

 imported for ornamental purposes, although 

 they cannot be called cag'e-birds. These are the 

 Java Peacock (Pavo muticus) and the white and 

 pied forms of the common P. crlstatus, together 

 with the "Japan Peacock" (/'. nigripennis), Mr. 

 Rutledge tells me that this form really does 

 occur in Japan to his positive knowledge (no 

 doubt introduced!, and there is certainly a Japa- 

 nese specimen of Temminck'sin the Paris Mu- 

 seum. The Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus 

 torquatu \ i and Silver Pheasant I Genntzus nycthe- 

 merus) are frequently brought over from China, 

 as i> the Golden Pheasant {CArysolopkus pictus), 

 the male of which often has a hen of P. torqua- 

 tus assigned to him as a companion. The male 

 Golden Pheasant occurs in the old picture to 

 which I alluded at the commencement of the 

 present paper, so that it may fairly claim to 

 have been one of the earliest fancy birds ex- 

 ported from its own country. 



THE END. 



