46 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



set off by a black head and a white band on the wings 

 and a white tip to the tail, looks very neat and his yellow 

 face, bill, and feet, relieve the whole from dinginess. The 

 name ' Tristis ' or " dull," was given to him by Linnaeus, 

 who thought he was a shabby kind of Bird-of-paradise. 

 Young birds may be distinguished by having the head 

 very dull-black instead of glossy-jet, and the bare skin of 

 the face dull- white instead of bright-yellow. This is a large 

 bird for a Mynah, being about ten inches long with stout 

 legs and large feet, but a decidedly short bill. It has 

 much courage and will attack and rout a Crow fearlessly. 

 The cocks also fight fiercely in the nesting-season, rolling 

 about on the ground locked in each other's claws, while 

 the hens look on as seconds. The Mynah, like all Star- 

 lings, is very ludicrous in his behaviour when singing, 

 erecting his head plumage and bowing at intervals in a 

 clownish way, which strongly contrasts with his very self- 

 possessed manner on ordinary occasions. 



His natural notes are rather a mixture of music and 

 mere noise, but in captivity a nest-reared bird often 

 becomes a really good talker. My friend, Mr. F. Groser, 

 of Alipore, has one now, which speaks better than most 

 parrots, and far more readily. 



A hand-reared Mynah may be safely allowed full liberty 

 so that if a talker be wanted it is as well to get several 

 young birds, and cage them separately, when the best can 

 be selected, and the others let out or given away, if they 

 show no signs of a budding talent for acquiring language. 



Albinism is not very uncommon in this Mynah ; I have 

 seen two white ones with pink eyes, and two others with 



