210



Mr. Wesley T. Page,



It ranges over the whole of the Himalayas at from 3,000 to

4,000 feet, while many are also found at as great an altitude as

5,000 feet. It is gregarious, and is said to be very noisy in a

wild state (this is also true of it in the aviary).


Its plumage is roughly, top of head, upper neck, flights

and tail feathers, black ; the rest of the plumage being iron

grey, bill coral red, legs red.


Mr. R. Phillipps kindly copied out for me, from Jerdon’s

“ Birds of India,” an account of this bird for comparison ; from

which I now quote the description of its plumage, which is very

true, save that the grey in my specimen was a little warmer in

tone than perhaps the following description conveys :—


“ Head sub-crested, black; body and wings dark ashy or

iron grey ; tips of the quills and the tail black; beneath dull

grey, as above, the lower part of the abdomen and vent paler;

under tail - coverts edged white; bill bright red ; irides red-

brown ; length n inches.”


To this I would simply add, quills very dark grey, almost

black, merging into intense black at the tips; vent, almost

white; and the bill I should describe as coral red.


It is said to have powers of mimicry. This I should

consider very probable, but I had it under my observation too

short a time to confirm this or otherwise ; it is a bird of strong

character, yet quite amiable, and can safely be kept even with

the smallest Waxbills, and may be kept out of doors all the year

round.


It is of very powerful flight, and flits from one perch or

branch to another like a flash of lightning, yet in quite a.

natural and unscared manner ; it is bold, yet apt to be wild in a

fair sized aviary; its movements very much resemble those of

our English Blackbird, but, as above indicated, it is even

more alert, and rapid in its flight.


Song it has none; its call from which it takes its popular

name is very realistic. Friends and neighbours unacquainted

with the fact that I had such a bird thought we had a goat, its

call was so real; to produce it the head is thrown back till it



