86' Captain R. Meinertzliagen on 



5. * CORVUS SPLENDENS. 



Corone splendens Sharpe, Cat. Birds, iii, p. 33. 



Indian Jackdaw. 



I have seen two pairs of this species in Port Louis. They 

 were introduced from India two years ago, but do not seem 

 to thrive. 



6. Lalage rufiventer. 



Lalage ruf venter Sharpe, Cat. Birds, iv. p. 101. 



Merle Cuisinier. 



In former days this Shrike was plentiful in the forests 

 and hills of ^Mauritius, and, as its French name denotes, was 

 an object of attention to the fowler, who could call it 

 to him. 



It only occurs now in the south-west corner of the 

 island. I saw a pair in the Canaka Forest in October 1910. 

 They were very tame, and uttered an alarm-note not unlike 

 the usual screech of our Jay. A magnificent cock which 

 I saw on Mount Cocotte in February 1911 was singnng a 

 melodious song in a bush. 



An old nest shown me by a forester as belonging to this 

 species was a clumsy construction of lichen, coarse grass, 

 roots and twigs, placed about fourteen feet from the ground, 



7. Trochoceucus borbonicus. 



Trochocercus bvrbufiicus Sharpe, Cat. Birds, iv. p. 302. 



Coq de Bois. 



This beautiful Flycatcher is to be seen in suitable localities 

 throughout the island, but its numbers have been sadly 

 diminished of late years. In the Pamplemousses gardens 

 they are fairly common. They are never to be found 

 far from large trees or thick bushes and seem to prefer 

 wild guava, mango, camphor, and other densely foliaged 

 trees. They have a plaintive cry as an alarm-note, a scolding 

 hiss when annoyed, and an extremely pleasant song, very 

 low but vei'y sweet. 



On Mount Cocotte and near Grand Bassin they are fairly 

 plentiful and very tame. 



