The Liothrix. 127 



ingale, Japanese Robin, and vice-versa, and Sunbird, as well 

 as by the specific name which I have adopted for the heading 

 of this chapter. 



The Liothrix, Leiotlirix lutem in Latin, der Sonnenvogel 

 in German, le Romgnol du Japon in Prench, is, Mr. Wiener 

 thinks, more nearly allied to the Tits than the "Warblers; but 

 to me it seems a true Robin, with all the characteristics be- 

 longing to that family: namely, the large head, thick neck, 

 sharp-pointed bill, full black eye, quick restless motion, sharp 

 jerky little song, and general impatience of the presence of 

 other members of its own species. 



It is found in considerable numbers in the Himalayas, and 

 also occurs in China and Japan, so that it is tolerably hardy, 

 and indifferent to climatic influences; but, like all the soft- 

 billed birds, keeping it involves a considerable amount of trouble, 

 which few but true bird-fanciers would care to encounter. 

 The food should consist of a mixture of bread-crumbs, soaked 

 currants and grated carrot, also a little lean meat scraped fine, 

 and as many insects as are procurable, especially ants' eggs, 

 which tend to keep the bird in health; but mealworms must 

 be given sparingly, if at all, as they are very stimulating. 

 Some writers recommend crushed hemp seed, which I have 

 found to disagree. 



None of the Sunbirds I have possessed ever showed the 

 slightest desire to make a nest; Dr. Russ, however, succeeded 

 in breeding them as far back as 1874, and in the following 

 year, if my memory serves me right, exhibited some of the 

 young ones at the Crystal Palace Show. ''The young of the 

 Liothrix", he adds, "are more easily reared than those of 

 most insectivorous birds." 



The nest, according to the same high authority, is not a 

 very elaborate affair, and is made sometimes in a bush, but 

 more frequently in a little Hartz cage, or a small box, of 

 which one half of the lid has been removed. It lays four 

 eggs of a bluish or greenish white, spotted and speckled with 



