342 



THE CHESTNUT-CAPPED TIMALIA. 



a correspondent of tlie Field newspaper : " Some twelve years ago, our gardener caught a 

 young Thnisli well able to fly, and caged it. Happening to be in his cottage one day, I 

 heard what I thought was a robin singing, and on looking in the direction of the sound, 

 found that it proceeded from the Thrush. Not only had the bird caught the robin's song, 

 but also its attitudes, the head and tail drooping. On inquiring, I was told that he had 

 other accomplishments, and mocked the sounds of the poultry. These, however, I did 

 not hear, but the robin's song was perfect." 



The Thrush can even imitate with great accuracy the mellow sounds of the flute, and 

 has been taught to whistle tunes played on that instrument by its instructor. I have been 

 told of one of these birds by a lady who had it in her possession. The Tlirush had been 

 captured when very young, and before it had attained its ordinary juvenile plumage. The 

 person who caught it, placed it in a cage for safety, and the bird soon became tame and 

 loving. Finding that as it approached maturity, it attempted to imitate the notes of a 

 flute which he was in the habit of playing, he determined to teach his bird some melody, 

 and succeeded in making it whistle the " Blue Bells of Scotland " with perfect accuracy. 



The colouring of the Thrush, though simple, is very pleasing to the eye. The back 

 and upper surface is brown of slightly different shades, the chin is quite white, and the 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts are greyish-white. The throat, the breast, and flanks, 

 too-ether with the sides of the neck, are yellow, thickly spotted with dark brown. The 

 total length of the bird is about nine inches. 



^?^ 



CHESTNUT-CAPPED TIJIALIiV.— rimriZia piledta. 



Another sub-family of the Thrushes is named after the genus which is accepted as its 

 type, and is called by the title of Timalinse. On account of their chattering propensities 

 they are more popularly termed Babblers. Several examples of this group will be given 

 in the following pages, the first of which is the Chestnut-capped Timalia, a bird which 

 derives its name from the peculiar colouring of the head. 



This species is an inhabitant of Java, and is rather common in that country. It is a 

 sufficiently familiar bird, approaching human habitations without much difiidence, and 

 building in close proximity to the barn or the plantation. It is a pleasing songster, 

 possessing a sweet and musical voice, though its song has but little variety, consisting of 

 only five notes. A sixth note is sometimes added, but evidently forms no part of the real 

 song. This melody is repeated at very short intervals, %vith a peculiarly slow and well- 

 moclulated intonation. 



