the Birds of Mauritius. 87 



8. IxOCINCLA OLIVACEA. 



Lvocincla olivacea Sharpe, Cat. Birds, vi. p. 46. 



Le Merle. 



A species peculiar to Mauritius acd rapidly becoming 

 extiuct. When this bird was plentiful it was considered a 

 delicacy, and at shooting-parties a dish of forty or fifty 

 " Merles ^' was no uncommon sight. 



They are extremely foolish birds and must ha\e been very 

 easy to kill. I was told by an old forester that a man with 

 a hair noose at the end of a stick could snare them as they 

 sat singing on a branch. 



They make a very untidy nest of about the size of that of 

 a Thrush, or less, of dead leaves, grass, and moss, lined with 

 fine grass. 



They are now practically confined to the forest in the 

 south-west of the island and are fairly plentiful and wery 

 tame round Mount Cocotte. They fly up into a bush as the 

 passer-by walks along a forest path, and sing quietly but 

 beautifully within a few I'eet of him. Their note is sad and 

 plaintive. Their alarm-note is like the coarse " jack " of a 

 Jackdaw, if one can imagine the noise transposed to such 

 a delicate-looking bird as Le Merle. 



The cock bird is made very conspicuous by his yellow bill. 



9. * Pycnonotus JOCOSUS. 



Otocompsa jocosa Sharpe, Cat. Birds, vi. p. 157. 



Boulboul. 



Red-vented Bulbul. 



This species was introduced in 1892 by Gabriel Regnard 

 from Indo-China and has since increased at a terrific rate. 

 It is now (1911) widely distributed all over the island and 

 rears several broods a year. It is a scourge to the gardener 

 and fruit-grower, and Mauritians regret the day when it 

 was introduced. Its pleasing note and fascinating manner 

 cannot fail to charm its worst enemy. 



This species is a pure insect- and fruit-eater, and has 

 probably largely accounted for the decrease of such birds a.s 

 Zosterops. 



