on the Bombay bird-market.



139



During my stay of two months at Bombay, a boat arrived from the

Straits bringing three or four dozen Blue-crowned Hanging Parra-

keets (bat-parrots, as Mr. Finn appropriately calls them), which all

found their way to the bird-market. The Greater Yasa had only

one eye, but was otherwise in tine condition ; the price of the Lesser

was Rs. 40 (£2 13s. 4d.) and the seller was not open to an offer.


Mynahs were well represented: Brown, Crested, Black¬

headed, Pied, and Rosy Pastors. A few of the Greater Hill-Mynahs

(Grackles)—reputed linguists—were in evidence. About two dozen

assorted unfortunate Mynahs, with a few Red-vented Bulbuls were

crowded into one cage ; they were only fed at intervals on suttoo (pea-

meal) paste and were always hungry. So, when visiting the market,

I made a point of taking bananas for them, which were voraciously

devoured. Green Bulbuls (Fruit-suckers), White-Eyes (Zosterops)

and Sun-birds were conspicuous by their absence. Other insectiv¬

orous birds were a few Red-billed Liothrix, two Grey-winged Ouzels,

a few Wagtails, two or three Greater Racket-tailed Drongos in poor

condition, and a single Chinese Jay-Thrush (Pekoe).


Coming to the seed-eaters, Chinese canaries were the most

numerous, dozens arriving by every steamer from the Far East.

Red Avadavats, Spice Birds, Mannikins, Java Sparrows (both grey

and white), Rose Finches, Crested Black Buntings and Red-headed

Buntings were all on view, So many Java Sparrows have escaped

in India from time to time that I believe they have now established

themselves in that country. I was astonished to see a few English

finches : Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinches and Redpolls.


Some Peafowl were in the market, but I had more than once

seen natives in the streets of Bombay offering them for sale. Each

bird was blindfolded by means of a piece of cloth tied over its head,

the bird sitting upon a split bamboo five or six feet long, carried on the

head or shoulder of the vendor. The birds, though freshly-caught,

sat quite still—generally one at each end of the bamboo—swaying

to and fro to the motion of their semi-naked bearers.


Chukor Partridges, Grey Francolins, Black Francolins, Rain

Quails, Common Quails and Bush Quails were all present, but no

Button Quails, which I particularly wanted. The birds’ cages were

interspersed with pens containing pug dogs, Silkie and Langshan



