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Major Horsbrugh’s Indian Collection.



light of any kind, except an occasional match which we struck, and

the birds at the end of the shelter were nearly invisible.


The first thing I saw were three large cages full of Sunbirds ;

in one, no less than forty of the beautiful little Yellow-backed Sun-

birds (' CEthyopyga seherice) with its breast of blood red, and mous¬

taches of glistening sapphire blue.


A quantity of Amethyst-rumped Sunbirds (A. zeylonica ) and

also of Yellow-backed Black Sunbirds, A. saturata, as far as one

could see, looking uncommonly fit, especially considering the evening

was very chilly and the ship had passed through stormy seas.


Another species—a solitary individual—which caught my eye,

and which, amongst others, I carried off, was a splendid Green¬

breasted Pitta (P. cucullata). I think I remember seeing a specimen

at the Crystal Palace Show some years ago, but it is a good while

since this bird has been seen in England, and the one which arrived

in Major Horsbrugh’s collection is probably the only one in Europe.


The Scarlet and Black Minivets were a sight ; three species,

and one regrets that the gorgeous glow of red would fade to a dull

yellow when they moult in captivity.


The large Minivets (P. speciosus ) were especially magnificent.

Major Horsbrugh took these away by land.



The list of species brought by Mr. Frost is as follows :



Red-headed Tits.


Crested Black Tit.


Yellow-cheeked Tits.


Green-backed Tits.


Indian Grey Tits.


Rufous-necked Laughing Thrush.

Rufous-chinned Laughing Thrushes.

Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babblers.

Black-throated Babbler.


Orange-eyed Babbler.


Red-billed Babblers.


Yellow-breasted Babblers.

Black-chinned Yuhinas.

Yellow-naped Ixulas.


Small Wren Babbler.


Indian Whitethroats.


Hardwicke’s Orange-bellied Chloropsis

Gold-fronted Chloropsis.



Silver-eared Mesias.


Blue-winged Sivias.


Tailor Bird.


Fire Caps.


Brown-eared Bulbuls.

Rufous-bellied Bulbuls.

Velvet-fronted Nuthatches.

Cinnamon-bellied Nuthatches.

White-bellied Drongos.


Large Indian Minivet.

Short-billed Minivet.


Rosy Minivet.


Small Minivets.


Pied Mynah.


Orange Gorgeted Flycatcher.

White-browed Blue Flycatcher.

Rufous-bellied Niltava.

Wheatears.



