Indian Birds 



Brown Munia — is much more appropriate than 

 that given it by Oates, for the white of the 

 throat is rarely, if ever, pure, being usually 

 cream-coloured. 



This is the species of munia most commonly 

 seen, and is found in all parts of the plains of 

 India, save Eastern Bengal and Burma. 



It is a plainly-coloured bird, the upper 

 plumage being earthy brown save for a white 

 patch on the rump. The lower plumage is 

 dirty white. It has a twittering, sparrow-like 

 note, syllabised by Sykes as '' cheet, cheet, 

 cheet?^ The feathers of the tail are graduated. 

 This, the small size of the bird, the white patch 

 on the rump, the thick bill, and the note 

 should serve to enable the observer to identify 

 this inconspicuous little munia. (Illus. B. B., 



P- I37-) 



^']. Uroloncha functulata : The Spotted 



Munia. (F. 735), 0- 699), ( - I-) 



This is known by bird fanciers as the Nutmeg 

 Bird and the Spice Bird. It, like No. 79, is one 

 of the common cage birds of India. 



Head, neck, upper plumage, wings, and 



tail are rich chocolate brown, that of the head 



being darkest. The lower breast and abdomen 



are white, but most of the feathers have each 



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