245 



of insects, such as worms, slugs, flies, beetles, etc. 

 The more noise there is the better he sings. I think 

 China is his native home, but he seems very hardy. 



[With Mrs. Vernon's brief, but descriptive notes 

 of this really fine species, I will not have recourse to 

 ju}' own rough notes, but simply quote Jerdon's 

 " Birds of British India." Jerdon gives the vulgar 

 name of Magpie Robin to this species. 



It has bred at the London Zoo in 1873, and since 

 I think, but a like success has not yet been achieved by 

 private aviculturists. I can full}'' endorse Mrs. Vernon's 

 statement that it makes an ideal cage bird. — Ed]. 



Description : " Head, neck, breast, body above and wings, black, 

 "glossed blue on all parts except the wings; abdomen, vent, and under 

 " tail-coverts, white ; the four outer tail feathers on each side, white. 



"The female is duller black than the male, and somewhat ashy ou the 

 "breast. 



"The young birds have the breast dusky with ruddy spots, the upper 

 "surface olive-brown turning to slaty. 



" Bill and legs black ; irides, brown. I,eugth 8J inches ; wing 4; tail 

 "3 3-icths; extent iij; bill at front ii-i5ths ; tarsus ij. 



" The Magpie Robin is found throughout all India, from the Hima- 

 "layas to Cape Comorin and Ceylon; and eastwards to Arakan and 

 "Tenasserim. . . . It affects chiefly wooded districts, but does not inhabit 

 "the deep jungles. Towards the South of India it is less familiar than it 

 "is in the North, for in Central India, Bengal, &c., it is often seen feeding 

 "close to houses." 



"It is generally seen alone or in pairs, usually seeks its prey on the 

 " ground from a low perch, after hopping a few steps to pick up an insect. 

 "When it returns to the perch, it generally elevates its tail and often utters 



" a pleasing warble Towards evening it may often be seen near the 



"top of a tolerably large tree, or other elevated perch pouring out its song. 

 " . . . . Its food consists of insects of various kinds, small grasshoppers, 

 " worms, etc. . . It breeds generally in thick bushes or hedges ; sometimes 

 " in a hole in a bank or tree, and occasionally in a hole in a wall, or on the 

 " rafter of a house. The nest is made of roots and grass; and the eggs, 

 " four in number, are bluish white, or pale bluish, with pale brown spots 

 " and blotches. . . . The Dayal is often caged, as well for its song as for 

 "its pugnacious qualities, which, according to Hodgson, are made use of 

 "to capture others. Fighting these tame birds is a favourite amusement 

 " of the rich (in Nepal), nor can any race of game-cocks combat with more 

 "energy and resolution than do these birds." 



