86 THE ROCK THRUSH AND THE BABBLERS. 



Then there is the Idle School Boy {Myiophonus 

 horsfieldii)) better known to the ear than the eye, for 

 few birds have been endowed with so rich a voice, 

 and it would be world-famous as a songster if it could 

 only learn a tune. It is always practising, but makes 

 no progress. It is as large as a Blackbird and almost 

 blacker, but its forehead and shoulders are brilliant 

 cobalt blue, and its back and breast slightly spattered 

 with the same. It loves mountain streams and water- 

 falls and batters snails upon a smooth rock as the 

 dhobie does shirts. 





