72 A NATURALISTS WANDERINGS 



mornin^^ were always resonant with the rich deep notes of the 

 Tjiung or Beo, as the Javanese Grackle {Graeida javeuensis) is 

 named. They used to frequent a papaya-tree which grew just 

 outside iny window, whose fruit they are extremely fond of, 

 Avhence they poured forth their song in the intervals of feed- 

 ing. This bird, which is of a rich metallic blue-black plumage, 

 has the nape of the neck adorned with two deep orange lappets, 

 and is greatly prized as a pet by the natives, from its deep 

 and ventriloquistic voice, its wonderful aptitude in learning to 

 speak and whistle, and for its comical ways. A very high price 

 is often given for a well-trained bird, even by the natives. 

 The Grackle is somewhat difficult to rear at first, but Avhen 

 once accustomed to confinement it thrives well — I have seen 

 one which had been caged for nearly eighteen years — especially 

 if a bamboo cylinder be placed in the cage for it to creep 

 into at night, as, when in freedom, it does into a hole in a tree* 

 Pink-headed doves {Ptilopus poriylujreus) fed in flocks on the 

 figs ; and at 3000 feet I stumbled on a nestful of six fledg- 



lings of Fomatorhhms montaniiSy which were being tended, I 

 was surprised to observe, by three parents ; but I was unable to 

 satisfy myself positively whether the additional parent was 

 male or female; my boy, however, who on most subjects was 

 well informed, said that " the female ' Patjingpayor ' has always 

 two husbands." 



Ko insect sooner attracts the observation of the new comer 

 than the destructive carpenter bees, Xyhcopay which with 

 noisy ostentation arc incessantly boring their wide tunnels 

 into the woodwork of every building. To sit watching their 

 entrance, and clay each up in a living tomb of its own 

 digging, Mas one of the most hilarious amusements of the 

 boys. Many other species of Hymeno^ptera attract atten- 

 tion by their curious persistence in building mud-cells from 

 every hanging thread, in locks and hollow tubes, and in every 

 unoccupied corner, stocking them with the caterpillars and 

 spiders which is all the store their parental feelings induce 

 them to lay up for the benefit of their progeny. Jn the forest 

 the resemblance of their domiciles to their surroundings makes 

 them less easy to discover ; but the accompanying figure of 

 a nest of one of the Eunienidm (Zethus cyanopterus) shows 

 how arti^stic and ingenious some of these creatures are. 



