on the Spotted-wing.



53



me-up for insectivorous birds and other soft - food eaters, * I

gave it not only specimens of Epeira and Agelena, the two forms

of spider most readily obtained, but several green caterpillars ;

but in spite of all it grew weaker until it could hardly reach its

perch, often failing in its first attempt; its wings drooped more

and more, it failed to replace a few small feathers missing from

the back of its crown, and at length, to my horror I came down

on September 25th to find it lying with its feet up across the top

of its drinking-pan, dead as Queen Anne.


Early in the mouth I had written to my friend and late

colleague in the Natural History Museum, Dr. R. Bowdler

Sharpe, telling him of Mr. Harper’s kind present and of the

conclusion which he and I had come to, after observing the

bird’s habits, that it had been incorrectly referred to the

Starlings. Dr. Sharpe replied—“ My dear Butler: If the Psaro-

glossa dies, please let me have it for Pycraft to find out its natural

position. The first evening I can spare, I must come down and

see it. Oates considers it a kind of Babbling Thrush.” When

it died, therefore, I sent the bird off without delay to Dr. Sharpe.

It will be interesting to see what he discovers from its anatomy.

To my amateur, if somewhat artistic eye, the form of the bill

suggests a Bulbul rather than a Starling and it is satisfactory to

know that experienced ornithologists regard the bird as probably

one of the Babbling Thrushes.


As regards its habits. Dr. Jerdon, who called the bird

“ The Spotted-winged Stare,” remarks as follows :—“ This bird

is found only in the Western and Central Himalayas. It is not

known in Sikliim. It frequents the valleys about Simla and

Mussooree, up to 6,000 feet, lives in small flocks of five or six;

its note and flight, says Hutton, “ are very much like those of

Sturnus vulgaris, and it delights to perch on the very summit of

the forest trees. I have never seen it on the ground, and its

food consists of berries. It nidificates in the holes of trees,

lining the cavity with bits of leaves cut by itself; the eggs are

usually three to five, of a delicate pale sea green, speckled with

blood-like stains, which sometimes tend to form a ring near the



* In August I saved the life of one of my Scarlet Tanagers and restored it to per¬

fect health by giving it plenty of spiders and a few mealworms.—A. G. B.



