Stray Notes on Indian Birds.



299



one,” but I have since heard from Dr. Butler that this was an

oversight. Had not that very accurate writer, W. H. Hudson,

stated that the song resembles that of ►S. flaveola I should have

noted this also as a point of difference, for certainly my male

sang a rather sweet, low, and distinctly plaintive refrain, but I

can only conclude, in view of W. H. Hudson’s statement, that

this was exceptional.


I obtained my pair of Pelzelns from Mr. Cross, of Liver¬

pool, and turned them out in May of last year. They commenced

to sit on 13th June and the young (three) flew on 10th July. I

have the following note of their colour—“like the hen but have

a rather warmer shade on back ; beak dark horn colour.” Both

the nests built in my aviary were of the small, neat, compact

Serin type but were constructed inside nest boxes. The eggs—

in each case five in number—were very handsome, being richly

and thickly spotted with dark chocolate. They were apparently

entirely reared on live insect food, although this species is quite

content with hard seed when not breeding. I have, however,

long since found it best to discard all general principles and pre¬

conceived ideas in dealing with breeding species.


6'. pelzelni seems to be rarely imported and, probably only

for this reason, I have not as yet heard of any instance of young

having been reared, because there is little doubt but that this

hardy little bird could be quite easily bred even in a cage.



STRAY NOTES ON INDIAN BIRDS.


By Frank Finn.


{Continued ftom page 267).


Paradise Flycatcher. Terpsiphotie paradisi.


Although so widely distributed in India, this bird must be

very local, as, although it is a species which would hardly escape

anyone’s observation, and I was particularly anxious to see it,

I only saw it twice in the free state, two individuals at Dehra

Doon, and one which came on board the ship when I was going

out to India for the first time, on the afternoon of October 7th,

1894. No land was in sight, and the ship’s position at noon was

15.19 N., 82.36 K. ; we had been at Madras on the previous day



