422 Canaries and Cage-Birds. 



are deep black, but the orange of the lower body and the lower part of the back is brighter 

 and less reddish than the Baltimore's. 



MILITARY STARLING (Slitmia mHitaHs), Chili. 



Stunius militaris (Russ), Trupialis militaris, Pczites loka, Sliirnella militaris. English dealers' name — Rose-breasted Starling. 



German names — " Soldatenstar," " Lerchenstar, " " Rosenbriistiger Lerchenstar." 



Although I have seen as many as fifty of these interesting birds at one time in a dealer's 

 warehouse, the list of the London Zoological Gardens does not contain the bird. During 

 the last few years I have seen no Military Starlings offered for sale, which is remarkable, 

 because they command a high price when imported, and deserve the favour of amateurs. 

 These birds resemble in size and shape a Thrush, and their rose-coloured breast gives these 

 Starlings a striking appearance. The back looks like mottled light brown, each feather 

 being black, with a pale brown rim. A red line extends from the dark brown upper 

 beak through the eye. The female is similar, but the rose-colour on the breast is much more 

 faint. 



As regards food, see general remarks on Starlings. For a week or two the Military 

 Starling can live on hemp-seed alone. I kept these birds in a separate cage. Dr. Russ says 

 that he had a pair for a long time in his bird-room ; they were exceedingly peaceable, only 

 now and then the male broke a small sickly bird's skull and ate his brain. 



The most brilliant of all Starlings are the LamprotornitliincB, or Glossy Starlings, whose 

 beauty words would fail to describe, and the painter's art cannot adequately represent. When 

 these birds are basking in the sunshine, their plumage reflects the rays of light like a mass of 

 highly burnished metal, and no cage-bird which came under my observation can compare in 

 beauty with these Starlings. But in strong contrast to the beauty of their plumage are the 

 execrable sounds which the Glossy Starlings utter. 



In a large aviary they are not difficult to breed, and a number of the short-tailed kinds 

 will live peaceably together. In a cage the Glossy Starlings will scarcely develop their beauty 

 to the fullest extent, and their harsh, hoarse voice may become disagreeable. I found these 

 birds very hardy, and kept several for over six years without any one ever showing a trace 

 of any ailing, and at the end of this long time these old birds were as beautiful, or more so, 

 than they were when I received them 



Their food may be advantageously varied with small pieces of meat, spiders, crickets, 

 grasshoppers, beetles, worms, and all kinds of fruit. 



GREEN GLOSSY STARLING (Lainprocolius chalybeus). North-east Africa. 

 (Illustrated from live specimen lent by Mr. Charles Jamrach.) 

 Stunius chalylhius (Russ), Lamprotornis chalyhaa, Lamprotornis niteus el cha'ybaus, Lamprolornis gullatus, LamprocoVnis 

 cyanotis, Lainprocolius Ahyssinicus. English dealers' name — Green Glossy Starling. German name — "Griinschvviinziger 

 Glanzstar." 



This Glossy Starling is of the same size as our European Starling, of dark bluish-green or 

 greenish-blue colour, according to the light in which the shining plumage is seen. A spot 

 on the cheeks and one on the wings are of bluish tint, and the lower parts appear purple if 

 seen in a strong light. Male and female are alike. Food, like other Starlings. The first 

 specimen of this bird was presented to the Zoological Gardens as long ago as 1850, and in 

 1872 some v/ere bred there. The nest is built in hollow trees or large nest-boxes. 



