34 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



ordinary length, less than seven inches long. The big 

 side-streamers are not fully developed the first season, 

 and, of course, are usually broken off in the miserable little 

 cages in which these poor birds are usually kept. 



The plumage of the Bhimraj is of the usual Drongo blue- 

 black, young birds having a few white spots under the 

 wing. The bill and feet are also black; but once I saw 

 in Mr. Rutledge's possession a most curious variety 

 which had an ivory-white beak, contrasting very well with 

 the black plumage. The only other sign of albinism the 

 bird showed was that some of its secondary wing-feather 

 and its two hind-claws were also white. White claws 

 and white feathers are not so very uncommon among 

 these birds, I fancy ; but I never saw any such variation 

 in the humbler King-Crow, though Mr. B. B. Osmaston 

 once showed me the two wings of an ash-grey specimen 

 of the latter bird which he had shot. 



The Bhimraj is found over a large part of India and 

 extends east through Burma to the Malay Peninsula. It 

 is a jungle-haunting bird, and more sociable than Drongos 

 generally. Mr. Gates states that it is probably the finest 

 song-bird in the East. In confinement it is very friendly 

 and fond of notice, and the best of all pet birds. But it 

 must have a large cage about three feet square and 

 plenty of live insects, or it will not thrive long. It is 

 well worth taking trouble over, as it is a most perfect 

 mimic, giving the cries. and songs of all sort of birds and 

 other animals, whistling tunes perfectly, and occasionally 

 even talking. It is a very good aviary bird if kept along 

 with such birds as Jays, large Babblers, etc., for it is too 



