Bird Notes from the Zoological Gardens.



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logical Society by Mr. K. J. Brook, and I promised to say more

about them this month.


The most interesting of these birds is a pair of Blood

Pheasants ( Ithagenes cruentus ) which are new to the collection.

This species inhabits the high regions of Nepal, Sikhim, and

Western Bhutan. It is very partridge-like in shape and size.

The back is grey, the underparts greenish, the crown reddish

buff, and the throat, underside of tail and some spots on the

breast blood-red. The female is much browner.


The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (, Sitta castaneiventris') is

grey 011 the upper, and deep chestnut on the under surface.


The Yellow-cheeked Tit (Machlolophns xajit ho genes') has the

back olive green, the cheeks and undersides bright yellow, and

a long tapering black crest.


The Pied Bush Chat ( Pratincola capuita) is black with

white tail-coverts and a white bar on the wing. The Ruby-

throat ( Calliope camtschatkensis) is a most beautiful and striking

bird, olive brown in colour with a brilliant scarlet spot on the

throat.


The Sikhim Siskin ( Chrysomitris tibetana) is chiefly olive

green and yellow in colour, and the Blue-throated Flycatcher

(Cyornis mbeculoides ) is much like a small Nyltava Flycatcher.

All of the above are new to the collection, and besides these

came several which, although not new, are very rare and de¬

sirable. There is one Nyltava Flycatcher, a Spotted Wing, two

White-bellied Drongoes, a Verditer Flycatcher, a Hardwick’s

and a Green Fruitsucker, a pair of Yellow-eyed Babblers, Ashy-

crowned Finch-larlcs, Silver-eared Mesias, and Orange-headed

and White-tliroated Ground Thrushes.


A few weeks ago a Roseate Cockatoo appeared in the

Gardens and spent most of its time in the Squirrel’s and Marmot’s

■enclosure, where it caused much amusement amongst the visitors

by the quaint way in which it played with the Marmots. I could

see by its dark eye that it was a male, so, as we had a large num¬

ber of the same kind in the parrot’s aviary, I had a female caught

and placed in a cage in the enclosure. The two made friends at

once, so I opened the door of the cage and watched. Presently

.the bird at liberty flew down from a tree on to the cage, and the



