190 a hand-book of the management of animals 



Treatment in sickness. 



Nothing definite is known about their ailments in captivity ; the 

 mortality is, however, comparatively great among the new arrivals. 



Observations on the habits of the Eed-billed Liothrix. 



Although a liothrix is a somewhat shy and restless bird, some of 

 them after being in captivity for a short time get sufficiently tame to come 

 to the side of the cage to receive food from the hand, but even then they 

 retain their nervousness. They have a chirping call, which at times 

 they utter incessantly. Like most other birds when frightened, especially 

 at night, they sit on the sides of the cage and thus fall an easy prey to 

 civets, mungooses, and other predatory animals. 



(24) THE GOLD-FRONTED CHLOROPSIS. 



(CHLOROPSIS AUKIFRONS— (Temm.) ) 



Hindi — Harewa or Sabz Harewa. 



Description. — About 7 J to 8 inches in length; bill slender and curved, 

 the tip being bent and notched ; the general colour of the plumage bright 

 grass-green, paler beneath ; forehead and the front of the crown golden or 

 orange yellow, with a somewhat metallic lustre ; lower throat and parts 

 about the ear-coverts black ; chin, upper-throat purplish blue, a faint 

 yellow zone surrounds the fore neck ; bill black ; feet plumbeous. The 

 female is generally less brilliant in colour, the yellow of the forehead is 

 faint or altogether wanting, and the black of the neck is of smaller extent. 



Sab. — The gold-fronted chloropsis is distributed over a large area, 

 being found in the Sub-Himalayan regions, from Grurhwal to Assam ; the 

 Khasia Hills, Manipur, ; the hills near Bhamo ; Karennee, the whole of 

 lower Burmah, down to Amherst and the Thoungyeen Valley. It is also 

 found in Midnapore, Manbhum, Lohardugga, Sirgooja, the Rajmahal 

 Hills, and portions of Eastern Bengal. This and the next species are 

 often brought to Calcutta for sale from Midnapore and the adjacent 

 places ; hundreds of these birds are annually sold at Sonepore fair, being 

 brought down there from Goruckpore and elsewhere in the Nepal Terai. 



Length of life in captivity. 



About three years. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing, — These birds do as well in a small cage as in a large 

 aviary ; there are, however, disadvantages in keeping them in a large and 

 crowded aviary; they get lost, and if habituated to special dieting, as 

 they frequently are, may neglect feeding. 



Food. — Satoo sweetened with sugar and made into a soft pulp ; soft 

 fruits such as plantains, custard apple, insects, and occasionally minced 

 meat or liver of a chicken boiled and minced. A bird accustomed to 

 this kind of feeding, if let loose in a large and crowded aviary, neces- 

 sarily finds it impossible to obtain its proper food. A bread and milk 

 diet has also been found to suit them well. 



