320 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Oh. XIX. 



and refused ; and I am credibly informed that good birds 

 fetch 50 or even 100 dollars, the plumage being considered 

 by good judges as one of their important points. 



Although this bird is the universal favourite in China, 

 there are in the bird-shops many other interesting species. 

 Among these may be particularised the fork-tailed Parus 

 (Leiothrix luteus. Scop.), a bird which, if it could be intro- 

 duced to Enghsh bird-keepers, would undoubtedly jsrove very 

 popular. It is a remarkably pretty bird, in form and habit 

 strongly reminding one of the English robin, which it also 

 equals in size, but has a stouter build. The beak is bright 

 red, throat orange-yellow, back olive-green, tail black and 

 forked, legs yellow, and wing primaries edged with bright 

 yellow and deep red. The eyes are black and brilliant, and 

 the gestures and habit of the bird lively and interesting. As 

 only a dollar was demanded for one of these birds, including 

 a good cage and abundance of seed, it is not wonderful that 

 several were purchased in the hope of bringing them safely 

 through the homeward voyage to England. Being an in- 

 sectivorous bird, however, I always had strong misgivings of 

 the result, and eventually they aU died before reaching the 

 Cape, except one which survived a few days later, and this, 

 notwithstanding that they were fed with some half-dozen 

 living flies nearly every day.* 



But the most remarkable feature in the Leiothrix was a 

 curious habit they had of turning somersaults on their perch. 



* It is worthy of remark that during a passage of five or six weeks from 

 Java-head to the Cape, there were always plenty of common flies in the ward- 

 room. "We were at no time plagued with their nunihers, but several birds 

 were daily placed upon the table, and it was always an easy matter to catch 

 upon the walls and rafters sufficient for their delectation. The birds took the 

 flies readily from the hand, in numbers varying from three or four to six or 

 leight for each bird daily. 



