Mr. L. M. Seth-Smith,



366



And why these continual side-hits against the name

“ Chatterer ! ” The bird does not, as far as I know, utter any

loud cry, but it does chatter. It is a very sociable bird, and when

in a flock they chatter away freely. Even in my own aviary, I

used to hear my diminutive “flock” chattering away.


I may close by briefly stating that there are only three

species in the genus Ampelis \—


(1) The Waxwing, A. gar ruins, with deep chestnut under

tail-coverts, breeding all round the line of the Arctic circle,

migrating south in winter, and visiting this country irregularly,

sometimes in large numbers.


(2) The Cedar Bird, A. cedrorum, smaller, with white

under tail-coverts, a North American species, going south in

winter to Central America, Cuba, Jamaica; an accidental visitor

to great Britain.


(3) The Japanese Waxwing, A. japonicus, with crimson

tail-bar and tip to secondaries, but no “wax” tips. Eastern

Siberia, Japan, and Northern China.


Reginald Phillipps.


I have since heard that 3’oung have been hatched, but

lived only four or five da} r s, doing well at first, but succumbing

apparently to the heat—directly or indirectly—on onever\' hot day.

The female has re-lined her nest and is again sitting.—R. P.



THE BLACK-BREASTED OR RAIN QUAIL.


Coturnix coromandelica.


By L. M. Seth-Smith, B.A.


This species seems to have been little known to

aviculturists until last year, when a few were imported, and

now there seems to be a considerable number on the market,

obtainable at a reasonable price.


The male is a very handsome bird, like the male of

C. communis, but with the black pattern on the throat more

strongly marked and with a large black patch covering the

middle of the chest and breast.-



