THE



255



Hvicultural flftagastne,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICU LTURAL SOCIETY.



New Series. —VOL. I. — No. 8 .—All rights reserved.



JUNE, 1903.



THE BLACK-HEADED SIBIA.


Malarias capistrata.


By Reginald Phillipps.


This interesting species has already been referred to in

our Magazine, at pages 76, 145, and 162 of Vol. VII., and at

page 244 of Vol. VIII.


It is an Indian bird, being found throughout the Himalayas

at an average altitude of some 7000 feet, and about Darjiling is

stated to be common. Jerdon tells us that “ It frequents the

highest trees, climbing up the larger branches, and clinging

round and below the smaller branches, almost like a Wood¬

pecker or Nuthatch.”


As may be seen by a glance at our illustration, it is dis¬

tinctly handsome; and in a good sized aviary it is showy and

attractive. Nevertheless the illustration does not do the species

justice, for Mr. Goodchild’s portrait was taken in cold weather,

from the male when he was ill and lumpy and the plumage dirty

and dull. But if he had not been ill he would not have been in

a cage, and if he had not been in a cage he could not have been

painted. Herein lies one of the beauties of our coloured illus¬

trations, and their superiority over most of those with which

we meet, that whereas the latter are usually taken from dried

shapeless skins, most of ours are original portraits and paintings

taken from the living bird, a most difficult and trying task. Of

course our picture of the Sibias was finished off later from the

birds as they were flying about in the aviary. When in good

condition, on a warm day , they are slimmer in appearance and



