Perhaps that is why I have written this paper. When I do any

thing worth telling, be sure I always run a pen-and-ink race to tell

you. I fancy that, as this article is read, there will be a rustling

demonstration of surprise, such as you may have observed in a

country congregation when they hear an allusion to their week¬

day offences from the pulpit ! The only thing I regret in this

narrative is that that third egg did not hatch. I’m a little like poor

Mrs. Moss, in “The Mill on the Floss,” who, although she had

eight children, could never overcome her regret that the twins

had not lived !



A SUPPOSED NEW WHISTLING-BIRD.


(Myiophoneus . ?)


By Reginald Phillipps.


A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a

gentleman (with his wife) belonging to the Indian Forests'

Department. They told us how, every year, at the proper

season, the whole family and household went into camp for

some weeks, and travelled about in the forests, shifting their

camping-ground almost daily. During these annual expeditions,

they were brought face to face with wild nature in manifold

forms: and they couldn’t speak too rapturously of some of the

charms and wonders they met with. Marvellous to relate, I feel

constrained to say, they were not aviculturists ; nevertheless

they had much to tell us of the birds and of their songs in an

indefinite way; and they were unanimous on one point that of

all others, and beyond all others, which sang the sweetest, the

merriest, and most continuously during their forest wanderings,

was the bird which was popularly known as Whistling Tom.

They were unable to describe this bird to me ; and for many a

day I remained in doubt as to the species.


On ist September, 1900, a bird of a species new to me

came into my hands, which was named Bob ; and I think it

probable that Whistling Bob and Whistling Tom are near

relations. Interesting as Whistling Tom may be, Whistling

Bob is still more so, for not only is he interesting in himself,

but he is specially interesting as apparently belonging to a

hitherto undescribed species of the genus Myiophoneus.


Whistling Tom, if I am right in referring him to this

genus, doubtless is either Temminck’s or the Himalayan

Wliistling-bird (Myiophoneus temniincki ), mentioned by Mr.



