1710 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



obtained its Portuguese name ferreiro (smith). The song is heard at all hours of 

 the day, and when, as often happens, several of these birds are in the same neigh- 

 borhood, and begin singing against and answering one another, a most wonderful 

 vocal concert is the result. ' ' Of this extraordinary bird a living specimen was first 

 acquired for the aviaries of the Zoological Society of London in May, 1867. Shortly 

 after it arrived in the Society's gardens it commenced its song, and continued to 

 pour forth its peculiar notes at intervals of more or less frequency for several weeks. 

 These notes have been described by an accurate observer in the following manner: 

 "The first note is a loud, harsh, and somewhat grating noise; this is followed by 

 six or eight fine, clear, metallic, ringing notes, with an interval of about a second 

 between each of them. The resemblance of these to the sound of an anvil is most 

 extraordinary. The clear metallic ring, repeated at about the same rate that a 



COMMON MANAKIN. 



(Five-sixths natural size.) 



blacksmith strikes upon the anvil, is so perfect that many persons on hearing it are 

 unwilling to believe the sound could be produced by the delicate organs forming the 

 vocal apparatus of so small a bird." So admirable is the imitation that, when the 

 first bell bird reached the London Zoological Gardens, his clear ringing note was 

 mistaken by one of the officials for the sound of a blacksmith ringing on an anvil, 

 and inquiry was made by him as to the work that was going on. The adult male 

 of the naked-throated bell bird has the plumage pure white throughout, the space 

 round the eyes and throat being covered with a naked skin, only sparingly invested 

 with minute black feathers, which becomes of a fine green in the breeding season. 

 The female has a blackish head, and the upper parts dull green; beneath, yellowish, 

 varied with green. 



