54 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



There is a good deal of difference in adult Hill My- 

 nahs, some having much larger bills and better-developed 

 head-lappets than others. 



This bird, so widely celebrated as a talker, and known 

 to the natives as Pahari Mynah, is found on the lower 

 slopes of the Himalayas, throughout Burma and the 

 Malay Peninsula, in the south-eastern part of the Central 

 Provinces, and the Andamans and Nicobars. I have only 

 seen it wild in the former islands, where I noticed 

 it had a direct heavy flight ; but I only saw one pair- 

 It is a great deal better known as a captive, and 

 the speaking powers of a really good specimen must be 

 heard to be appreciated. At the same time, really per- 

 fect talkers seem to be rare ; I have only met with few, 

 although accomplished coughers, spitters, &c., are only 

 too common ! My friend, the late Mr W. Rutledge, of 

 Calcutta, had a most admirable specimen, whose favourite 

 remark was "Not a drop to save my soul !" uttered with 

 an unctuous fervour which ought to have been worth 

 pounds to a Home for Inebriates. And there was 

 another at the home Zoo one year, on deposit, which 

 frequently enquired, "What are you talking about" in 

 a very peremptory, not to say vulgar, manner. But 

 these appeared to me to be brilliant exceptions, and un- 

 less this Mynah learns Hindustani much more easily than 

 English, I do not quite understand the foundation for 

 his reputation. There is, however, a better bird than 

 either of the above at the London Zoo at present. 



People who would keep this species as a cage-bird 

 should remember, first, to get a young one, which may be- 



