THE



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Hvtcultural flfoagasnte,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURA L SOCIETY.



Ne.iu Series .— VOL. IV. — NO. 6 .—-All rights reserved. APRIL 1906.


THE BALD-HEADED STARLING.


Sarcops calvus.


By Mrs. Johnstone.


In the autumn of 1905 Mr. Good fellow, on his return from

a trip into the interior of Mindanao, the largest of the Philippine

Islands, imported from there, amongst other birds, three of these

curious Starlings. They were caught near the coast where they

are fairly numerous.


Two are an undoubted pair; the odd one is, I believe, a

hen. This bird has always suffered from an injured joint, is

caged, and treated as an invalid. The remaining two are now in

my aviary in the best of health and spirits, and the accompany¬

ing drawing is most life-like.


A description is unnecessary. The drawing depicts the

bird in a very characteristic position,—the ruff raised. This

same ruff can and generally does lie flat against the neck.


Colour of the bare part of the head a pale flesh pink, the

eye a chestnut brown, and the Starling would be fully coloured

and as he is in life.


The only difference I can discern between the cock and

hen is that the hen has a smaller finer head, but she is on the

whole the finer bird.


That I am correct in my surmise I have no doubt, as the

pair of Black-winged Grackle, which share their aviary, attacked

the supposed cock with great vigour, plucked out his tail and so

illtreated him that I was obliged to cage him to save his life,

while the supposed hen was absolutely ignored.


Their note is very rarely heard and it is difficult to des¬

cribe, but like all the Starlings it is somewhat unmelodious.



