THE BULBULS. 25 



just before they can fly, they are easily reared, and make 

 very nice pets, becoming so tame that they can be left 

 at complete liberty, when they will follow one about. 

 The natives keep this bird for fighting, confined by a soft 

 string tied round the middle of its body. All over India 

 Bulbuls resembling this type, but not quite so large and 

 with black more restricted to the head, are among the 

 commonest birds ; and for the purpose of this little work 

 it is not necessary to go into the rather minute distinctions 

 between them. 



THE RED-WHISKERED BULBUL is a very striking type 

 of bird, which is found in two species or varieties. Its 

 size is less than that of the dark red-vented Bulbuls, and 

 its back brown, while its underparts are pure white ; in 

 Western India there is a dark band across the breast and 

 no white tips to the tail-feathers, while in the Bengal and 

 Burmese birds the white is unbroken, and the tail has 

 white tips. The former species is Otocompsa fuscicaudata, 

 and the latter Otocompsa emeria. The long black crest, 

 red cheek-patches, and red patch under the tail, which 

 both possess, mark them off at once and make them 

 easily recognizable. Young birds have no red on the 

 cheeks and have buff under the tail where the red will 

 show later. 



Where Bulbuls have to be kept away from a garden, it 

 is worth while to keep this species in an aviary, for it is 

 active as well as showy, and sufficiently striking to look 

 well in confinement. The Red-vented Bengal and other 

 dark species look rather dingy when shut up ; like so many 

 birds, they only look their best at large. 



