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Fleet-Surgeon I\. H. Jones,



Almost as popular as Z. simplex is Copsychus saulctris (the

Magpie Robin). These birds are also, as a rule, removed from their

nests before they can fly.


The Chinese spend a lot of time searching for the nests of

this species, with a view to removing the young when sufficiently

grown.


This species has a pleasant song and becomes very tame.

One of these birds, seen at Hong Kong, performed a sort of tumbling

trick round its perch, and also displayed great boldness in making

pretended attacks on its owner.


In a wild state these birds are very courageous, and attack

Blue Magpies and other robbers without fear.


Trochalopteron conorum (the “ Wah Mee ” = “painted eye

brows ” of the Chinese, from its white superciliary stripe) occasionally

occurs as a cage bird at Hong Kong, but apparently does not thrive.


Dryonastes sinensis (the Chinese Babbling Thrush) is not at

all uncommon ; but although the species breeds at Hong Kong it is

not common in a wild state there, and the live-stock dealers assert

that their specimens come from Kwangsi up the West River.


This species has a few mellow, flute-like notes, which, heard

occasionally out in the woods, are rather pleasing. In captivity,

however, the same few notes repeated continually with maddening

persistence very shortly grow wearisome in the extreme.


These birds seem to thrive in captivity, and there is no great

difficulty in feeding them.


Liothrix lutea is a common cage-bird in South-Eastern China,

but in a wild state it is rare, and where the caged specimens so often

seen are obtained is doubtful — possibly not far from Hong Kong, for

many species are wonderfully local in distribution.


Passer montanus : Tree Sparrows are often seen in the bamboo

cages of the Celestial bird-fanciers, crowded together in astonishing

numbers, and with them are occasionally incarcerated a few speci¬

mens of Passer rutilans (the Russet Sparrow). Whether the Chinese

eat these sparrows or what becomes of them is doubtful.


Java Sparrows are very often seen caged in China, and less

often the other local Munias, but the smaller species from the Malay

Archipelago are very common in confinement, and, as they at times



