32 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



bill is dull flesh-colour, horny at the tip and gape, and 

 the legs, feet, and claws dull flesh-coloured also. The 

 iris has apparently been brown." 



As Mr. Gates says that the young bird has the crown 

 yellowish at first, Mr. Finn is inclined to conclude that 

 this character is variable, but Mr. Phillipps thinks it 

 possible that the difference of colour in the young may 

 be sexual, and this certainly seems probable. 



The Silver-eared Mesia is rarely imported, and there- 

 fore commands a high price. 



BLUE-WINGED SIVA (Siva cyanuroptera}. 

 "Above yellowish-brown, passing to blue-grey towards 

 the head, which is blue, and rufescent on the rump ; 



" This very pleasingly-plumaged Leiothrix is found in the 

 Himalayas from Nepal to Bootan, and also in the hills 

 of Assam. It is common near Darjeeling, from 3,000 to 

 6,000 feet, and has similar manners to the last, being 

 found in considerable flocks, with a hurried and lively 

 manner, flying from tree to tree, alighting about the 

 middle, and then hopping and climbing up to the top- 

 most branches, hunting for minute insects with a lively 

 chirrup." (" Birds of India," Vol. II.. r>. 254.) 



In Oates's edition of Hume's " Nests and Eggs of 

 Indian Birds" we read: "The Blue-winged Siva 

 breeds, according to Mr. Hodgson's notes, in the 

 central regions of Nepal, and in the neighbourhood of 

 Darjeeling, in May and June. The nest is placed in 



REJKSIDED TITS. 



visible portion of the closed wing and tail cobalt-blue ; 

 the secondaries, tertials, and tail tipped with white, and 

 the outer tail feathers white internally ; beneath 

 whitish, with a reddish-lake tinge, fulvescent on the 

 flanks ; under tail-coverts pure white, forehead with a 

 few faint black streaks. Bill dusky yellow ; legs 

 fleshy ; irides brown." Jerdon. 



No sexual distinction has been indicated, but_that it 

 exists seems probable from the fact that in 1877 Karl 

 Jamrach sent Dr. Russ what he regarded as a pair ; un- 

 fortunately, they arrived dead, so that the German 

 aviculturist was unable to point out the differences (he 

 probably returned them promptly). Jerdon observes : 



trees, at no great elevation above the ground, and is 

 wedged in where three or four slender twigs make a 

 convenient fork. A nest taken on June 2nd wais a 

 large compact cup, measuring exteriorly 4.75 in 

 diameter and 3.75 in height, and having a cavity 

 2.6 in diameter and 1.87 in depth. It was composed 

 of fine stems of grass, dry leaves, moss, and moss- 

 roots, bound together with pieces of creepers, roots,, 

 and vegetable fibres, and closely lined with fine grass- 

 roots. They by from three to four eggs, which are 

 figured as moderately broad ovals, considerably pointed 

 towards the small end, 0.85 in length by 0.6 in width, 

 having a pale greenish ground pretty thickly speckled 



