■90 F. D. Welch — Interesting Birds ; even though Plain-coloured


(Garrulax picticollis), which conies, I believe it correct to state, from

South China, was always an interesting bird in the Western Aviary of

the Zoological Gardens, where I first saw one several years ago now,

hopping about and pecking on the ground, and generally active.

The general coloration (as written at the time the bird lived) was a

yellowish-brown, with chin, throat, and breast whitish ; the side of the

head posterior to the eye being ornamented with several black marks,

as was also the side of the breast where was a bluish-slate patch with

some blackish spots on it (there being about an inch between these

patches on each side). In this living bird the first two primaries were

blackish, and there were also some black spots on the tail about half¬

way to its tip, and as it hopped about this rather large bird of

thrush-like shape always seemed to me to be more interesting to watch

than Macaws in their gaudy blue, yellow, red and such-like bright

plumage.


Another bird which will, to my mind, compare favourably in general

appearance with any of the Parrot tribe — not excluding the gorgeous-

coloured Westerman’s Eclectus female — is brown and white in most of

its plumage. The combination of these, brown in body, etc., with a

white head, neck, and upper breast produce an attractive bird in the

White-crested Jay Thrush (Garrulax leucolo'phus) of the Himalayas, in

which the crest is well developed and appears capable of being raised

erect when the bird is excited. A large black beak also improves its

appearance, there being a continuation of the dark along to the eye

in a broad line ; and when a pair of these is seen flying in an aviary

from bough to bough, or pecking on the ground and generally fussing

about, they surpass (in my estimation) any one or other of the Green

or Red Eclectus, or of the Lories in general appearance and interest—

even though brown and white in most of the plumage.


A third, not perhaps so attractive in general appearance as the last

but a neat-looking bird and one which is interesting to watch, is the

Chinese Jay Thrush (Garrulax chinensis), even though of sombre colour

in its slate-coloured plumage with black face (except white cheeks)

and chin.


Birds which are mostly black or mostly white might be thought

unattractive in being clothed with such ordinary colour, and despised



