323



THE


Bvicultural flfoagasine,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



New Series.— VOL. III. - NO. 11 .—All rights reserved. SEPTEMBER, 1905.



THE GOLDEN-THROATED BARBET.


Cyanops franklini.


(Cat. Birds Br. Mus. XIX, p. 69).


By Reginald Phillipps.


I have been asked to write an account of this species, to

accompany the publication in our Magazine of Mr. Gronvold’s

excellent water-colour drawing and clever sketches; but I find

it a difficult task, for the only specimens I have ever met with,

that probably have ever reached this country alive, were in my

possession for little more than eight months, and left my hands

as long ago as the 28th May, 1903. However, I have kept

several examples, for lengthened periods, of a kindred species,

the common Blue-cheeked Barbet, Cyanops asiatica ; and to know

the one will assist us in understanding the other.


It was on the 17th September, 1902, through the courtesy

of Mr. Ezra of Calcutta, that two Golden-throated Barbets came

into my possession. They had unfortunately been forwarded in

a too-open case, and had evidently been attended to on the

voyage by some one who did not understand birds, although he

may have been good at a camel or a rhinoceros; and the birds,

unwisely caged together, in their mad terror, had knocked them¬

selves to pieces. They had not so much as a full half-inch of

tail- or flight-feather between them ; but the moult, commenced

before or during but checked by the journey, was recommenced,

with the result that No. 1, a male, soon became quite a respectable

bird, and No. 2, probably a younger male, not altogether and

entirely the other thing. For as long a lime as I could with any



