106 D. Seth- Smith— Stray Notes


White-starred Bush Robin has the head and neck with the wings and

upper side of the tail smalt blue ; the back and rump being sage-green.

Underparts, including the tail feathers, amber-yellow ; legs and beak

blackish. But the bird's distinctive and most interesting feature con-

sists of the two small white spots on either side of the lower forehead,

above the beak, which appear and disappear as the bird erects or

depresses the feathers of the head, and from these " stars " its name of

" stellata " has been derived.


It came over in beautiful condition, and within ten days it was

singing, and continues to do so every morning when it comes out of

its cage for a flight round the room, to which it returns of its own accord.

The song resembles that of the blackbird, and it is altogether a most

charming and attractive pet. It is fed on insectile food and live ants'

eggs and a few mealworms daily.


[Tarsiger stellatus occurs in the forest districts of South Africa,

but little has been recorded of its habits. It is said to be shy and to

inhabit thick bush, and according to Ayres to resemble our Robin in

its habits. There is little doubt that this is the first example to be

imported of a very beautiful species, of which it is to be hoped other

specimens will reach this country. The sexes are outwardly alike. —

Eds.1



STRAY NOTES

By D. Seth-Smith


This is a particularly interesting time amongst the birds at the

Zoological Gardens, as a good many species are nesting. In the Great

Aviary we have for the first time for many years a good stock of Sacred

Ibises. Two pairs have taken possession of a willow-tree, which has

been trained to form a flat table-like top, and one nest contains two big

young birds, while the other, at the time of writing, is in process of

construction. This is not the first time that Sacred Ibises have bred

in the Gardens, as a single bird was hatched and reared in 1877.


Young Sacred Ibises. — The young Ibises have the body covered

with white down, and the head and neck with black down, and

the parents feed them in the same way that Pigeons feed their young,

namely by regurgitation, the bill of the young bird being held in that



