Malayan Ornithology. 515 



during the last week in September. It agreed exactly with 

 Jerdon's description (B. of India, vol. ii. p. 109), except 

 that the secondaries were narrowly (not broadly) margined 

 with pale yellow. Being a female, the golden back was 

 slightly tinged with green. The beak was pinky flesh-colour. 

 The stomach contained berries. 



CopsYCHus Musicus, Eaffl. The Magpie-Robin. 



A most appropriate name, it having the pied markings and 

 quaint manners of the Magpie, and the pleasing song of the 

 well-known Bobin Red-breast. It swarms throughout the west 

 of the peninsula, being found everywhere along the mangrove- 

 girt coasts, in the jungles of the interior, and about the roads 

 and gardens of the settlements, though certainly most plen- 

 tiful in the neighbourhood of civilization. It is a most pug- 

 nacious bird ; and I have seen them fighting together so de- 

 terminedly as to allow themselves almost to be caught before 

 they would separate. They breed during April and May. 



In my note-book is : — 



"Kwala Kangsar, Perak, 23rd March, 1877. Today I 

 got two new birds — that is, new to my collection — one of 

 them a Magpie-Robin. When on the ground it reminded 

 me forcibly of our English Magpie in miniature, the perky 

 way it hopped along, flitting up its tail, bending back its head, 

 and every now and then giving a pert bow, together with 

 its black-and-white plumage, made the resemblance very 

 noticeable.^^ 



The young have their plumage much mottled with rufous 

 brown. The colours of the male are much darker than those 

 of the female. 



Cercotrichas macrura (Gm). The Shama. 



Justly celebrated for its vocal powers ; is found, though not 

 plentifully, throughout the Straits. I got several specimens 

 at Malacca and one at Tanglin, Singapore. 



Orthotomus ruficeps, Less. The Tailorbird. 

 Common throughout the Straits. I shot it in Perak, also 

 frequently saw it about the gardens in Singapore. It is a 



