of the common Bottletit. 205 



The tail, also, of the young bottletit is considerably longer 

 than in the adult ; the two feathers next the middle measuring 

 3 in. seven tenths ; those next again measuring about a tenth 

 more ; the middle ones wanting a tenth of 3 in., being a mere 

 trifle longer than the fifth. In the adult kind, the proportions 

 are : middle feathers the same as in the young ; the two next, 

 which are longest, only one fifth of an inch more; the longest 

 feather being thus seven tenths shorter than in the young ; a 

 difference which, however trivial it may seem, is very striking 

 when the two birds are seen together. It will be noticed that 

 the feathers next the middle are longest in the adult; whereas 

 those next again exceed them in the immature plumage. 



The foregoing detail is taken from a considerable number 

 of specimens, amongst which there is no variation ; nor among 

 the adults is there any, save what has been already adverted to 

 as resulting from disparity of age : and I have been thus par- 

 ticular in noting down all the minutiae, as it is possible that, 

 in the event of there being two species, the markings of the 

 nestling plumage may afford some distinguishing characters. 

 It is certain that, in no specimen that I have examined, are 

 " the white parts mottled with brown and dusky," as stated by 

 M. Temminck. 



And now let me offer a few observations on the habits of 

 this bird, as observed in confinement. Being desirous of 

 a more intimate acquaintance with the species, I once pro- 

 cured a nest containing ten young ones, which were all reared 

 without difficulty on chopped meat and egg, and soon learned 

 to feed of themselves. They then became extemely quarrel- 

 some, and fought with each other most cruelly. There being 

 so many together, and all of them very active, one would occa- 

 sionally fly up against another, and nearly overturn it ; where- 

 upon the latter would immediately attack whichever happened 

 to be nearest, seizing it by the bare skin around the eye ; and, 

 in an instant, each would have its claws on the other's head, 

 and both would fall together to the ground. There they would 

 lie struggling for many minutes, uttering all the time a shrill 

 twitter, and clinging so tightly, that it was no easy matter to 

 separate them. After trying in vain to part them without tear- 

 ing them to pieces, I have repeatedly tossed them up high 

 without their ceasing to fight. Sometimes three, or even four, 

 would thus lie entangled together on the ground, and yet, 

 strange to say, they never seemed to hurt one another. The 

 chief point of attack was always the bare skin around the 

 eye: which latter, by the way, is a character that does not 

 occur among the Pari. 



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