( 33 ) 

 THE PIED BUSH-CHAT. 



The Pied Bush-Chat is, however, a local resident and is very 

 common in the open parts of Upper Burma and the Shan States, the 

 cock being the small black bird with a conspicuous white patch on 

 its back and wings. It is often to be seen flitting in front of one 

 from bush to bush. If this happens to be in the breeding season 

 he gets very excited and tries his best to draw attention to himself, 

 at the same time giving warning to his mate on her nest. She is 

 an inconspicuous little brown bird, with a knack of suddenly appear- 

 ing from nowhere, from the cunning way she has of popping up in 

 the opposite direction to her nest. The nest is generally placed on 

 the ground under a bush or tuft of grass, or in the hole of a bank 

 or wall. The eggs are greenish white with rusty coloured spots. 



(No. 608. Pratincola caprata.) 



THE MAGPIE ROBIN. 



The Magpie Robin is the only song-bird we have in the plains 

 which comes near human habitation, and is one of our most familiar 

 birds out here every compound having its pair. The cock bird has 

 a great opinion of his own importance, and during the breeding 

 season is always making himself conspicuous with his song, and by 

 the way he has of cocking up his tail when he perches; his plumage 

 is entirely blajk and white. The hen who is much more retiring 

 and seldom seen, has dark grey instead of black. The cock birds 

 are quite as quarrelsome as the English robin, and fight any of their 

 own species which poach on their preserves. They build nests in 

 any convenient hole or corner of trees and buildings, and lay 

 greenish coloured eggs with brown spots. 



Burmese name 



(No. 663. Copsychus saularis.) 



THE SHAMA. 



This is the best song bird we have out here, having as rich notes 

 as the English thrush. Unfortunately it is rather shy and retiring, 

 keeping to shady nullas and thick jungle. It does not ascend the 

 hills to any he : ght and is found throughout the whole Province where 

 any suitable cover exists, and is fairly plentiful, in the jungles round 

 Rangoon, where its song may be heard throughout the morning. 

 It is at first sight very like the magpie robin hut has a much longer 

 tail, and its underparts chestnut instead of white, the hen being 

 grey instead of black, like that of the last species. Nests and eggs 

 very like those of the above. 



Burmese name Taw -tha-baik-lc-wZ. 

 (No. 604. Cittocincla macrura). 



