1897.] F.Finn — On some noteworthy Indian Birds. 527 



and dives excellently, and is a less clumsy walker than the common 

 White-eye. The male has a curious habit of contracting its neck and 

 jerking it backwards in a curve— no doubt a pairing-gesture. The 

 lower part of the windpipe of the male is shown below, of about natural 

 size. 



E rismatura leucocephala. 



Two birds, an immature male and a female, of this species, were 

 obtained in the Bazaar during the late cold season. The female was 

 in a dying state when seen, and died by the time the bargain for it 

 was concluded. 



The male, for securing which I am indebted to our taxidermist, 

 Mr. C. Swaries, lived for three days, but one of its legs was hopelessly 

 injured, and it either could not or would not eat, although I tried it 

 with several different kinds of food, in the hope of studying alive 

 so interesting a species. Ultimately I reluctantly had it killed and 

 preserved. 



It was about the tamest bird I ever saw, continuing to dress its 

 plumage even when being handled ; in fact, its remarkable freedom from 

 fear and its care of its feathers reminded me strikingly of a Grebe, 

 (several of which I have also had) just as its habits when at large re- 

 minded Canon Tristram {fide Dresser, Birds of Europe) of those birds. 

 From the attempts it made, despite its injuries, to stand up, I have 

 no doubt that it is able to do so, and probably to walk also, though 

 doubtless it is not active on land. It floated low in the water, but not 

 submerged, and the tail was kept more or less raised above the level of 

 the back. This male had the throat entirely white and the black on 

 the front and sides of the neck below this finely vermiculated with 

 white; the back plumage is very pale, almost creamy in ground-tint, 

 with chestnut feathers showing up here and there. The female was 

 very much darker above, as well as more rufous. Her bill was black, 

 while the male's was dull grey, somewhat greenish at the base. In both 

 specimens the feet were grey with black webs, and the irides very dark 

 brown. The windpipe of the male is expanded in the middle and 

 narrowed towards the ends, but has no bulla ossea. 



