640 Mr, J. D. D. La Touche on the [Ibis, 



18. Pterorhinus davidi Swinlioe. 



Pterorhinus davidi D. & O. p. 187^ j)]. 50. 



David's Babbler is a common resident among the mountains 

 north of Chinwanotao. I have a live example, purchased 

 from a native in October 1916, which was reared from the 

 nest and is exceedingly tame. Besides this individual, I had 

 at Chinwangtao three nestlings which I reared myself, and a 

 wild-caught adult. One of the former developed fits and 

 died during the summer, and the latter only lived for a 

 few weeks, dying suddenly towards the end of that season. 

 The two surviving youngsters, however, were thriving when 

 I took them down to Shanghai in the autumn and gave them 

 to a friend. I have never seen the birds wild in their native 

 mountains, but judging from those I have had in captivity, 

 they appear to possess much the same characteristics as the 

 other Hwainei of south China. They are noisy, musical, 

 more or less omnivorous in their diet, combative, and easily 

 tamed. They appear to stand captivity well, and are quite 

 content with the small cages C/hinese confine their birds 

 in. The bird purchased by me in the autumn of 1916 

 is so tame that it will allow itself to be handled without any 

 fear. On being taken notice of, it will puf£ out its feathers, 

 chattering continuously and elevating its tail above its l)ack, 

 and will eventually sidle up to the hand introduced into its 

 cage ; and on being taken up, it will stay there as if hypno- 

 tized, making no effort to escape and remaining absolutely 

 quiescent. I have, while the bird was in that condition, cut 

 its claws and bill without its moving. When deposited thus 

 in any place, it will keep in the same position for some time 

 before moving away. This Babbler has a great variety of 

 musical calls, wliich it \\ ill repeat ad injinitiua, but as a rule 

 without varying the calls. The most usual ones which I 

 have noticed can be syllabled as follows : — " Pi-yo-yo,^' 

 " dz-re quick-quick," " coo-yew^, coo-yew," " tew-whee, 

 tew-whee," '' tew chew-chew, chew-chew." During the 

 summer I have lieard it sing a low warbling song, which i 

 found it would repeat if I excited it by whistling or 

 waving my hand near the cage. While singing, it swings 



