268 Mr. R. B. Sbarpe on the 



in the higlilands of Java. It was the very first bird to greet 

 me when I reached the height of 8000 feet^ and while I was 

 preparing my camp one of them came and sat down close to 

 me. In my anxiety to shoot it I got away to a little distance 

 and fired somewhat over it, so as not to injure the specimen 

 too much. I missed it, however_, altogether, but instead of 

 flying away it simply went up into a tree above me, and I 

 shot it at once. It fell into the mossy and tangled under- 

 growth, and gave me a long hunt before I picked it up. I 

 was delighted to see how difterent it was in appearance from 

 its Javan representative^ and I afterwards gave great atten- 

 tion to the procuring of further specimens. Altogether I 

 met with several pairs, and obtained a full-fledged nestling 

 on the 18th of February. I never observed this Blackbird 

 below 8000 feet ; but it was seen as high as 12,000 feet, and 

 was most plentiful at about 9000 feet. I never heard it sing 

 or utter any particular cry ; but the Javan Blackbird has very 

 much the habits of its English cousin, even to the chattering 

 note with which it takes flight.] 



82. Merula obscura. 



Merula obscura (Gm.) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. v. p. 273. 



a. ? imm. Labuan, Dec. 4, 1887. 



b. ^ ad. Labuan, Dec. 6, 1885. 



c,d. d ? ad. Labuan, March 8, 1888. 

 e. ? ad. Labuan, March 16, 1888. 



[This bird was plentiful round Kiua Balu up to 8000 feet, 

 going in flocks, like Redwings. The note is also somewhat 

 like that of the latter bird. It passes through Labuan 

 every year in considerable numbers during the North-west 

 Monsoon.] 



83. Erithacus cyaneus. 



Erythacus cyaneus (Pall.) ; Seebohm, Cat. B. v. p. 303. 

 a. ? ad. Kina Balu, March 20, 1887. 



[Shot on the lower hills of Kina Balu at about 1000 feet 

 during my first ascent. It was collected near one of the 

 Dusan villages, but I know nothing of its habits.] 



