BIRDS IN SINGAPORE. 79 
often visits the gardens in flocks, and still oftener flies over, 
uttering piercing squeaks. It usually flies very high and fast, 
but if it finds a tree with fruit which suits it, will settle there and 
remain climbing about among the branches for a long time. It 
evidently prefers dry seeds to juicy fruits, being especially fond 
of those of the Mahang-trees (Vacaranga) and the ‘* Pagar 
Anak” (Ixonanthes). Although its pink face, red beak, and blue 
tailfeathers contrasted with its green body are very showy when 
looked at close, it is wonderful how inconspicuous the birds are 
when creeping about among the leaves of a tree. This paroquet 
is called ‘* Bayan.” 
Woodpeckers, ‘‘ Burong Gelatu” of the Malays, are not 
uncommon, though less so in localities where there is much 
dead timber left standing. One of the commonest is Jungipicus 
variegatus, a little brown and white banded bird, commonly to 
be seen running about on the Waringin and on other grey- 
barked trees, where its colour makes it very inconspicuous. 
The great black woodpecker (Thriponax Javanensis) is a rare 
visitant ; a pair remained for some time in a large Jelutong tree. 
But the most interesting of these birds is the curious red 
Micropternus brachyurus. This bird always makes its nest in — 
that of one of the tree-ants. |The ants form a large black nest 
in a tree and the bird, which feeds largely on them, digs out a 
burrow and puts.its own nest therein. It has been stated that 
these ants do not bite, but this is not the case; though small 
they are most vicious. ‘The woodpecker nested for some years 
in a tree (Mimusops Elengi), close to my house, but the ant’s 
nest collapsed one year, and the birds finding it gone on their 
return in the breeding season, went away. 
- The absence of crows from Singapore seems very strange, 
especially to visitors from India and Ceylon, where these birds are 
so much inevidence. The common crow (Corvus splendens) I have 
not seen south of Pekan, where itis common. The big jungle- 
crow, as large as a raven (C. macrorhynca), passes over the 
gardens singly or in pairs once or twice a year, and for two or 
three years several remained for some months in and round the 
gardens, and I have little doubt that they nested in the vicinity, 
as there were as many as five together at times. Their cry is like 
the cawing of an English rook, often finishing up with a mewing 
like a cat, ‘The native name for the bird is ‘‘Gagak,” or 
