46 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 
hike the Crow and Sparrow, and it is perhaps for this 
reason that he is so generally popular. Besides, he is a 
nice bird to look at. His brown plumage, set off by a 
black head and a white band on the wings and a white 
tip to the tail, looks very neat and his yellow face, bill 
and feet, relieve the whole from dinginess. The name 
‘ Tristis’ or ‘‘dull,’’ was given to him by Linneus, who 
thought he was ashabby kind of Bird-of-paradise. Young 
birds may be distinguished by having the head very dull- 
black instead of glossy-jet, and the bare skin of the face 
dull-white instead of bright-yellow. This is a large bird 
for a Mynah, being about ten inches long with stout legs 
and large feet, but a decidedly short bill. It has much 
courage and will attack and rout a Crow fearlessly. The 
cocks also fight fiercely in the nesting-season, rolling 
about on the ground locked in each other’s claws, while 
the hens look on as seconds. The Mynah, like all Star- 
lings, is very ludicrous in his behaviour when singing, 
erecting his head plumage and bowing at intervals in a 
clownish way, which strongly contrasts with his very self- 
possessed manner on ordinary occasions. 
His natural notes are rather a mixture of music and 
mere noise, but in captivity a nest-reared bird often 
becomes a really good talker. My friend, Mr. F. Groser, 
of Alipore, has one now, which speaks better than most 
parrots, and far more readily. 
A hand-reared Mynah may be safely allowed full 
liberty so that if a talker be wanted it is as well to 
get several young birds, and cage them separately, 
when the best can be selected. and the others let out 
