3So



Mr. Reginald Phileipps,



confined to the “Eastern Himalayas, throughout the hills of

North-Eastern Bengal and Burmah to Tenasserim.” In a letter

to me Mr. Harper said that they are very rare even in the Indian

market, and that during the past three years (he was writing in

June, 1902) he had seen only seven ; and Mr. Frank Finn says

that he has never seen this bird wild.


Mr. Gronvold’s excellent drawing presents the plumage

of this species to our readers ; it may be distinguished from the

Eiothrix by its black cap, the silvery-white ear-coverts, and by

the (when in good condition) bright light-yellow bill.


The sexes are different, a point of immense value and

relief to the aviculturist. The general plumage of the male is

brighter and more gaudy, especiall)' on the wings and around

the base of the tail, and the tail-coverts of the male are deep

red, of my female now yellow-green like the nuchal collar. The

shades, and indeed the actual colours in these birds, at any rate

in captivity, differ considerably, so that one can speak only

generally of some of them, but a glance at the tail-coverts will

always, I suspect, enable one to distinguish the sex. I11 the

Feathered World of 12th January, 1900, Mr. Frank Finn says on

this point:—“Also the male has a bright red patch round the

root of the tail, which patch, being buff in the female, furnishes

a ready means of discriminating between the sexes” ; but this

is in India, not in an open aviary in Fondon.


There is but one other species in the genus, Mesia laurina ,

which is “ Confined to the higher ranges of the island of

Sumatra,” and is not likely to find its way to this country yet

awhile.


The ordinary song of the Mesia, usually frequently

repeated, especially in the early morning during incjibation, as a

song, is very poor ; but it is generally uttered in such a bright

cheerful crisp way as to form a pleasing and noticeable addition

to the many voices that emanate from the aviary. Although

but one song, it has two phases, the one consisting of five the other

of six notes, but there are occasional differences and divergences

in accent and inflection. Mr. Finn has put the second phase into

words, and says:—“ The male only,* I think, sings, but his



I am not fully satisfied on this point.—K.P.



