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ing and perfect markings, and sent it about a month later to a show ;

unfortunately the judge ignored its perfect form and preferred a

thick-set ordinary example which had been forced into its summer

plumage prematurely. I was naturally disgusted, and sold the bird

to a gentleman who appreciated its good points for the price which

its cage had cost me, and I am satisfied that I recognised it at

several subsequent bird-shows as the winner of first prizes, but it

had again changed hands before then.


Among the Starling-like Mynahs I have had a male of the

Malabar Mynah, a pleasingly-coloured bird, extremely active, but

less confiding than some of the Starlings, and unless one can get

both sexes not so interesting. I got tired of it after a time and

exchanged it for something which I considered more attractive. As

I kept it in a smallish aviary I cannot say whether it is aggressive

or not, but I hardly think it would be towards birds of about its own

size. I had a Common Mynah, either in 1893 or 1894, which

occupied the same aviary later in company with my pair of Blue-birds ;

it is not a very handsome bird. My example was a great devourer

of cockroaches of which one could not supply it with too many ; it

was quite indifferent to the presence of the Blue-birds, but that may

partly have been due to the fact that its health was failing when I

received it, for it did not live for many months and I never coveted

another.


In my experience the Crested Mynah is by far the most

pleasing of all the Old-World Starlings as a pet; from what I had

seen of it I longed for a specimen for some years before I succeeded

in obtaining one. It is a quaint-looking bird with its triple crest,

but it is always in perfect plumage, in abounding health and spirits,

eager for attention, absolutely trustful, and always ready for a fight

with its owner. When spoken to it keeps making jerky bows, utter¬

ing at the same time queer creaky sounds; it can be taught to talk,

but its utterances are gruff and low-pitched ; it whistles clearly and

makes trumpet-like noises. I fancy that my bird was too old when

I purchased it to be taught to talk, the only word it ever uttered was

“ Joey,” and I gave it that name. Although I do not doubt that

the Crested Mynah is by nature partly predacious, killing and

devouring small birds, mice, lizards, etc. (my bird was fond of



