FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



and may lie imitated by inflating the lungs with air 

 and expelling it through pursed-up lips in a long-drawn, 

 expiring whistle, ' W-h-i-i : y-o-o-o.' It takes, some 

 effort on the part of the bird 'to deliver it ; the throat 

 can 'be seen expanding thirty yards away." 



This species is common in the bird market, but turns 

 up in batches spasmodically : it is generally confounded 

 by dealers with the next species indeed, even the late 

 .Ur. Abrahams did not know how they differed until I 

 }K)inted out to him that the Argentine bird had black 

 under wing-coverts. I have never had typical T. 

 mUUarls. but have seen living specimens in my friend 

 Mr. Hoiuden's collection, at bird-shops and bird-shows. 



DE FILIPPI'S MILITARY STARLING (T m pled is 

 ill fi/i /i/> 



Male like that sex of T. milifari.<. but smaller, and 

 with the under wing-coverts black. Female like that 

 sex of T . militaris, but showing less scarlet on the 

 under parts. Hah.. Argentina and Uruguay. 



Hudson says ("Argentine Ornithology," Vol. I., p. 

 106) : " In el/.e. fin in. gait, flight, language, and colour 

 the present bird closely resembles the Patagonian 

 Starling, but the Crimean on the brea.sl is brighter, and 

 the upper parts are darker. Its nesting habits an 



DE FILIPPI'S MILITARY TRouriAi.. 



(Mfili- in irin/iT plt/i/iage.) 



like those- of the norti'ein bird, the number and colour 

 of the eggs bring the same in both species. One trivial 

 difference in habit is that De Filippi's Starling occasion- 

 ally soar.s up a few yards into the air when tittering 

 its song. It inhabits the moist gra.ssy ]>ampas in the 

 southern part of the Buenos Ay i can province, and is 

 there abundant and unites in large flocks. At the 

 approach of the < old s-ui*:on there is a general move- 

 ment northwards of the birds, which does not, however, 

 extend far, as the birds, although strong {Hers, travel 

 slowly and in a peculiar manner; it is in this season, 

 when the birds are teen moving in large flocks, that 

 tho name of Military Starling strikes one as being 

 peculiarly appropriate They do not journey through 

 the air like other migrants, but move over the ground, 

 when the flock. < om posed of four or five hundred to a 

 thousand or more individuals, is extended so as to pre- 

 sent a very long front, and at intervals the hindmost 

 birds fly over tiie. others and alight just in advance of 

 them ; the long front, the precision of their movements, 

 and their scarlet bosoms all turned one way, suggest the 

 idea of a disciplined army on itr march. 



" They never perch on trees, but frequently alight on 

 the roof of a rancho or other elevation affording a secure 



footing. They are tame birds and fly reluctantly : when 

 approached they usually crouch down, hiding their 

 crimson bosoms, and reman motionless in order to 

 escape observation. In disposition they are peaceful, and 

 t-o fond of society that when one becomes separated from 

 his fellows he will unite with herds of another kind, 

 even with Plovers or Tyrant Birds." 



I imported a pair of this species fmm La 1'laia in 

 July. 1893, and they lived in one of my aviaries for 

 about two years, but rever became really tame; so that, 

 in spite of their beauty and the -ease with which they 

 could be catered for, their loss did not break my heart. 

 At first I tried them in a cage, but found that they 

 rattled about to the injury of their flight and tail 

 feathers. Either in cage or aviary they spent much of 

 the day roosting on a pereh. but always occupied the 

 floor at night. This fact makes me rather doubt ihe 

 correctness of Mr. Hudson's assertion that this spi 



perches on trees. It must be remembered tnat 

 Durnford asserted much the same thing about the 

 Military Starling of I'atagonia, and yet Cra\\>lia\ 

 that its song is usual I v uttered from a tree-top or bush. 

 -him ing tha-t it dot's perch on trees. The crouchinu 

 with a tilt forward to hide the scarlet throat and breast, 

 is characteristic both of this bird and its close copy the. 

 Red-breasted Marsh Troupial ; both. also, ri.se for a 

 short dist.uiee :nt-> the air to utter their excruciating 

 songs, which are a medley of whistles and si'eh sounds 

 as can be imitated by screwing round the lid of a 

 circular wooden box. It is strange if the whittle de- 

 scribed by Captain Crawshay is the whole vsong of the 

 Patagouian bird. 



Although, like all the Troupdals, these birds will eat- 

 soft food, if seed is withdrawn from them, they refuse 

 to touch it when their natural diet (of seeds and a few 

 insects) is supplied; during importation my birds were 

 fed upon hemp, but e;>!iary>eed should form the staple, a 

 little millet and hemp, and perhaps a few oats being 

 added. 



Glossy Black Troupials (Qui*ailinti>')* 



RICH-BLACK TROUPIALS (/>in.< xmitirlirasli). 



Uniform blue-black, slightly glossy, bill and feet 

 black. Female a little smaller and less glossed with 

 blue; bill a trifle narrower towards the base. Hab., 

 Mexico, and Guatemala. 



Mr. A. Boucard observes ("Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society." 1883, p. 446): "Native name 

 ' Pich ' (pronounced 'peach'). This is the commonest 

 of all Yucatan birds, being very abundant in all the 

 towns, as well as in the forests. I have seen this bird 

 walking about the busiest streets of Merida, apparently 

 without fear, and it often enters houses in 'search, of 

 food.' " 



Common as this species is. the above is all that I can 

 discover respecting its wild life, and it seems to have 

 only been imported once, a- specimen having reached the 

 London Zoological Gardens in 1876. 



CHANGEABLE TROUPIAL (Qu\*<-l>i.< n i-.^'n-ulor). 



Black, entire head and neck glossed with purplish, 

 remainder of body -with variable shades of green, 

 purple, and violet, bill and feet black. Female smaller, 

 browner, only glossed with blue on head, nape and 

 breast; bill shorter and less tapering. Hab., Atlantic 

 slope of North America, from Saskatchewan to Texas- 



Professor Ridgway recognises three sub-species of this 



* Called " Crackles" in. America, but I believe this name is 

 more properly applicable to the large Mynahs of tho Old World. 



