FOREIGN BIRDS l^OR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



and may be imitated by inflating the lungs with air 

 and expelling it through pursed-up lips in a long-drawn, 

 expiring whistle, 'W-h-i-i: y-o-o-c' It takes some 

 effort on the part of the bird to deliver it ; the throat 

 can be seen expanding thirty yards away." 



This species is common in the bird market, but turns 

 up in batches spasmodically ; it is generally confouiided 

 by dealers with the next species — indeed, even the late 

 Jlr. Abrahams did not know how they differed until I 

 pointed out to hinr that the Argentine bird had black 

 under wing-coverts. I have never had typical T. 

 militai-L^ but have seen living specimens in my friend 

 ;\Ir, Housden's collection, at bird-^hops and bird-shows. 



De Filippi's Mplitart Staeling {Trupialis 

 chmippii). 



Male like that sex of T. milltaris, but smaller, and 

 with the under wing-coverts black. Female like that 

 sex of T. miVifaris. but showing le^ sc-.irlet on the 

 imder parts. Hab.. Argentina and Uruguay. 



Hudson says ("Argentine Oniilhology," Vol. I., p. 

 106) : — ■' In eize, form, gait., flight, language, and colour 

 the present bird closely resemibles the Patagonian 

 Starling, but the crimson on the breast i.s brighter, and 

 the upper parts are darker. Its nesting habits are also 



De FiLrppi s Military TRorpiAL. 

 (Male ill u'iiifei' plumage.) 



like t'.iose of the northern bird, the number and colour 

 of the eggs being the same in both species. One trivial 

 difieien-.'e in habit is tiliat De Filippi's Starling occasion- 

 ally soars up a few yards into the air when uiterini; 

 its song. It inhabits the moist grassy pampas in the 

 southern part of the Buenos Ayi-ean province, and is 

 there abundant and unites in large flocks. At the 

 approach of the cold season there is a general move- 

 ment northwards of the birds, which does not, however, 

 extend far, as the birds, although strong fliers, travel 

 slowly and in a peculiar manner: it is in this season, 

 when the birds are seen nioWng in large flocks, that 

 tho name of Militai-y Starling strikes one as being 

 peculiarly appropriate They do not jom-ney through 

 the air like other migrants, but move over the gi-ound, 

 when the flock, composed of four or five hundred to a 

 thousand or more individuals, is extended so as to pre- 

 sent a vei-y long fi-ont. and at intervals the hindmost 

 birds fly over the others and alight just in advance of 

 then! ; the long front, the precision of their movements, 

 and their scarlet bosoms all turned one way, suggest the 

 idea of a disciplined army on its march. 



"They never perch on trees, but frequently alight on 

 the roof of a rancho or other elevation affording a secure 



footing. They are tame birds and fly reluctantly ; when 

 approached they usually crouch down, liiding their 

 crunson bosoms, and reman mctioidess in order to 

 escape observation. In disposition they aa'e peaceful, and 

 so fond of society that when one becomes separated from 

 his fellows he will unite with herds of another kind, 

 even -n-ith Plovers or Tyrant Birds." 



I imported a pair of this species from La Plata in 

 Jid.v, 1893, and they lived in one of my aviaries for 

 about two years, but rever became really tame ; so that, 

 in spite of their Ijeauty and the ease with which they 

 could be catered for, th?.ir loss did not break my heai-t. 

 At first I tried them in a cage, but found that tiiey 

 rattled about to the injury of their flight and tail 

 feathers. Either in cage or aviary thev spent much of 

 the <lay roosting on a perch, but always occupied the 

 floor at night. This fact makes me r.iither doubt the 

 correctness of ilr. Hu'lson's assertion that this .species 

 never perches on trees. It mrast be remembered tnat 

 Durnford assei-ted much the same thing about the 

 Militaiy Starling of Patagonia, and yet Crawshay says 

 that its song is usuully uttered from a tree- top or bush, 

 showing that it does perch on trees. The crouchitig 

 with a tilt forward to hide the scarlet thix)at and breast, 

 IS characteristic both of this bird and its close copy the 

 Red-tbreasted Mareli Troupial ; both, also, rise for a 

 short distance into the air to utter tlieir excruciating 

 songs, which are a medley of whistles and such sounds 

 as can be imitated by screwing round the lid of a 

 circidar wooden box. It is strange if the whistle de- 

 scribed by G.iptain Crawshay is the whole song of the 

 PatagoTiian bird. 



Although, like all the Ti-oupials, the.ie birds will eat 

 soft food, if seed is w-ithdrawn from them, they refuse 

 to touch it when their natural diet (of seeds and a few 

 insects) is supplied; during importation my birds were 

 fed upon hemp, but canapi'.seed should fonn the staple, a 

 little millet and hemp, and perhaps a. few oats being 

 addeci. 



Glossy Black Troupials (Qui.<caliiiti')." 



RiCH-Bi,.\CK Troupi.vls (Dives sumichrasli). 



Uniform blue-black, slightly glossy, bill and feet 

 black. Female a, little smaller and less glosised with 

 blue : bill a trifle narrower towards the base, Hab., 

 Mexico, and Guaitemala. 



Mr. A. Boucard observes (" Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society," 1883, p. 446): — "Native name 

 ' Pich ' (pronounced 'peach'). This is the commonest 

 <if all Yucatan birds, being very abundant in all the 

 towms, as well as in the forests. I have seen this bird 

 walking about the busiest streets of Merida, apparently 

 without feai-, and it often enters houses in ' search, of 

 food.' " 



Common iis this species is, the above is all that I can 

 discover respecting its wild life, and it seems to have 

 only been imported once, a specimen having reached the 

 London Zoological Gardens in 1876. 



Changeable Troupi.a.l (Quiscalus versicolor). 



Black, entire head and neck glossed with puiplish, 

 remainder of bodv fl'ith variable shades of gi-een, 

 pm-ple, and violet, bill and feet black. Female smaller, 

 browner, only glo^ised with blue on head, nape and 

 breast; bill shorter and less tapering. Hab., Aitlantic 

 slope of North America, from Saskatchewan to Texas. 



Professor Ridgway recognises three sub-species of this 



* Called " Crackles " in Amerioa, but I believe thia name is 

 more properly applicable to the large Mynahs of the Old World, 



