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forehead and shoulder-tips are a fairly bright blue. It is in perfect feather,

and verj- lively. It thrives on the same food as my Superb and Violet

Tanagers and my Zosterops—Mr. Abrahams’ Insectivorous Food, preserved

egg and potato, and a constant supply of fruit. It will take mealworms

from my hand, but soon drops them.


C. A. Hodgson.



Tha following reply was sent to Miss Hodgson :


Your specimen of Dacnis cayana is a cock, and will no doubt become

still bluer and brighter. The cocks seem usually out of colour when

imported. It may be that they are young birds, but I think that it is

equally probable that the species goes through a seasonal change of

plumage, which is certainly the case with Ccereba cyanea. My bird would

not touch mealworms, nor any insects which I offered it, and I doubt

whether it ate the ants’ eggs in its food. It is unwise to deduce too much

from the behaviour of a single specimen, but my experience of this bird

has led me to have grave doubts as to whether the species is in any proper

sense insectivorous, though it may eat insects occasionally (as even

Waxbills will), (d) From its great liking for honey, I should infer that it

feeds largely on the nedtar of flowers.


Horatio R. Fieemer.



THE BUIE-BEARDED JAY.


Sir, —I should be glad if you would be good enough to give me a little

information about a bird I have. The dealer called it an Australian Blue¬

eared Jay. It is rather larger than a Blackbird. The top of its head is

black, with a black crest, a black bib-like patch over the chest, white breast

and abdomen, black wings and tail, end of tail-feathers white ; small bright

blue patch over the eyes, and larger one underneath ; just behind the crest

and between the shoulders is a pale blue-grey patch, rest of back black ;

beak black, long and rather pointed ; legs and feet blackish, nail of hinder

toe long and curved. Eyes in front of its head, bright and piercing, pupils

black, iris yellow.


I am feeding him with “ softbilo ” and mealworms. He seems likely

to be easily tamed, as I have only had him two days and he will take

mealworms from my fingers already.


R. M. Barber.



The following reply was sent to Airs. Barber :


Your bird is undoubtedly the Blue-bearded Jay (a South American

species). I have had an example for more than four years : it is alwa) - s in

perfect health, and, excepting when moulting, in perfect plumage. It is

very fond of having its head scratched and its sides tickled. I believe that

all the American Jays are very tame and confiding birds.


[it) It would be interesting to hear the experience of others who have kept the

species.—E d.



